Mp3 of the week: the Charms

DOWNLOAD: The Charms, "So Romantic" (mp3)

Our valentine's day present to you. Recently voted by Little Steven Van Zandt's listeners as the #2 coolest song of 2006 -- even though the record ain't technically out yet – "So Romantic" makes it obvious why the Charms are one of the few things old-school and new-school garage-punk fans can agree about. With a wink at the chord progression from "What I Like About You," (it turns out "So Romantic" is sooooo Romantics), Ellie Vee rasps bubblegum come-ons over Morse-coding Farfisa chirps and fuzz-toned, barnicle-scraping jangle. But as on the rest of the Charms upcoming album Strange Magic, they never let you forget what year it is: it's 2007, and we still wish there were more rock and roll bands like the Charms who could write girl-groop harmonies like it was still 1969.

VISIT: http://www.thecharms.net/
FRIEND: http://www.myspace.com/charms
BUY: http://www.littlestevensundergroundgarage.com/usorders.html