Some claim indie rock never wants to get on the good foot anymore, but San Francisco threesome Chow Nasty offer evidence otherwise. Start with the no-wave free-jazz funk of James Chance then dance backwards toward the Swingin'Medallions and forwards toward Jon Spencer, and you've got the idea: Lay down the boogie and play that funky music ’til you toss your cookies.

Chow Nasty first materialized a couple of years ago with “Ungawa,” which took a high school cheerleader chant and proceeded to do the Ubangi stomp in the Ubangi style: as shitfaced a slice of Animal House Watusi-rock as this sober decade has produced. The singing sounded more or less inept, but that didn't hurt much. On the trio's debut full-length, undie-rap veteran Peanut Butter Wolf helps expand their template.

Stiff moments happen now and then — Hieroglyphics'Pep Love can't save their hip-hop attempt. But “Back on the Streets” stretches its legs around a good conga rumble; the buttheadedly titled “A Tale of Two Titties” works tense Contortions-style noise-guitar clang into a sort of Brazilian rhythm break; “Lazy Eyes” has sax wild enough, organ carnivalistic enough and vocoders freakazoid enough to make up for its clumsiness.… read more »