Song of the Day: Ever So Android - Pretty Teeth

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole, is “Pretty Teeth” by Ever So Android, from their 2016 self-released EP, The Civil.

Ever So Android - Pretty Teeth (MP3)Ever So Android is no stranger to the Seattle music scene. Since their start in 2012 as a synth rock duo, singer Hope Simpson and guitarist Drew Murray have slid their way into being local regulars, gaining popularity from their emotive live shows and electrifying songs. Their sound is pretty hard to pin down, with past descriptions ranging from Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails to Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The White Stripes. The band, which now includes drummer Ben Hilzinger, self-describe their genre as “musicish”, and all of these influences merge on their latest EP, The Civil, released earlier this month.

Today's featured song, "Pretty Teeth", is the first track on the new EP, and it doesn’t wait to pack a punch. Explosive drums layered with caustic guitars create the perfect concoction for Hope Simpson’s vocals to bewitch. Simpson’s voice shape shifts from smooth melodies to sharp snarls effortlessly throughout the song, slowly intensifying until the track reaches the bridge. The introduction of the keys and the transfixing repetition of “I’ll be the judge of that” rings until the chorus comes exploding back for the last time.

Ever So Android last played Seattle on September 2nd, to celebrate the EP's release, but they're apparently not performing in town again in the foreseeable future. Keep your eyes and ears on their Facebook page in case they do announce something and for more music. For now, watch their performance of "Fall Apart", another song from the EP, at the Seattle show below.