Parker Forbes and Cole Shugart had been playing music together in a stream of bands in the Nashville DIY scene for nearly a decade. Then, they decided to form their own band The Criticals in 2018. Although inspired by The Stone Roses, Jane’s Addiction and The Doors, their new single Absinthe sounds a lot like The Strokes playing disco. Or even more accurately: I bet they like The Long Blondes’ Guilt (2008) just as much as I do.

The story behind this funky slice of indie-pop is rather straightforward, according to the band. It was ‘written and self produced (…) after a long night of drinking Absinthe on Lower Broadway in Nashville’. Addictive stuff!

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Werner Schlosser

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.