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Pop & Hiss

In Rotation: James Pants

By Randall Roberts
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One of the most weirdly engaging new wave/dance/experimental records to come out this year (though not actually out until May 3), James Pants’ third album is a musical curio that feels completely out of time. The album features cheap-sounding keyboards, muffled falsetto vocals, buried--but driving-- dance-punk beats, ‘70s boogie rock, plucky guitar rhythms and more oddball sound-effects than a Dr. Who episode, and sounds like it was recorded in a shag-carpeted, wood-paneled basement with old analog tape.

But what’s so curious and refreshing about “James Pants” is the intent behind his sound. Like fellow musician/producer Ariel Pink, Pants is searching for a specific sonic palette far removed from the high-tech, ultra crisp production style that digital recording has allowed even the most underground acts. On “James Pants,” he’s found it, and the result is catchy and addictive.

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--Randall Roberts

James Pants
“James Pants”
(Stones Throw)

Pop & Hiss
Randall Roberts

Former staff writer Randall Roberts covered Los Angeles music culture for the Los Angeles Times. He had served various roles since arriving at The Times in 2010, including music editor and pop music critic. As a staff writer, he explored the layered history of L.A. music, from Rosecrans and Sunset to Ventura Boulevard and beyond. His 2020 project on the early Southern California phonograph industry helped identify the first-ever commercial recording made in Los Angeles.

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