The Hospitals

A duo of Portland drum-and-guitar ear-killers with strong influences in Bassholes and the Horrors, the Hospitals play the kind of cave-drum screech garage rock that makes you realize why bands like the Black Keys and the Detroit Cobras get b-o-r-i-n-g after one half of one listen. The chord progressions may be tried and true but they are drenched in so much feedback, echo and Cheater Slicks-worthy negativity you can't help but feel real bad after listening to two songs. But it's in the good way and that's the whole point. "I'm Invisible" is one of the great modern blues songs.