A.R.E. Weapons

This is what happens when a whole generation is raised on irony. That might sound bad, but it's not: the songs are ridiculously compelling. The N.Y. outfit's debut wraps all the braggadocio of the bling-bling life around metronomic, seedy beats and occasional flashes of hard rockin' guitar riffs. It's like Suicide all over again, but now they're amped up on Mountain Dew.

A.R.E. Weapons perform in art galleries, pick fights with fans and wear retro-geek chic
designer clothes, yet they swear they're not part of New York's vaunted
electroclash/art-punk/dance scene. If Fischerspooner are the kabuki-makeup-wearing,
high-concept belles of that ball, Matt, Brain and Paul Weapons sound like the trust-fund
junkie ex-boyfriend who only comes around when he wants to nick your stere... More >