Banned 37

An instantly recognisable sound. Taken back to a small dark room with low ceilings. Bodies attach to each other as they leap in the air. Drawn into a place and time that you can remember vividly. It was pure and untethered, it was your whole world. A feeling you seek unconsciously, or maybe forgotten after all those years.

There’s a hopefulness to the record, one of eternal youth. The intensity is warm and distinctly American, despite the mix of influences. A soundtrack to that film that you always loved. Ringing from the towered speakers of the college radio station. A snapshot that is perfectly present.

Banned 37, a mid-80s band formed in Athens, Georgia. DIY pop-rock that leaves so much potential. Refined with its own agency, corners cut in their own fashion. Leaving time frozen is something that keeps us going, a second life.

For more background there’s a great interview by Primordial Void’s Marcel Sletten, with Kenny Aguar as he reflects on the legacy and memories of the band.