If anything is true about Ricky Rodriguez and Dick Ray, who form the aptly-named Californian math rock duo RICK N DICK, it’s that you can’t keep good lads down. Having wrapped up their Sea Monkey See project and 100 Onces projects a few years back, the guys were clearly getting sick of the music-less lacuna they found themselves in.
It came to be that Rick was committed as a mental patient. During his time amongst the padded walls, he was plagued by hallucinations of Dick (Ray, that is), to the point that the only way Rick could keep his sanity within grasp was to play in a math rock band with his apparition chum on drums. This is how RICK N DICK came together last year. Or something like that. It’s all explained quite clearly in this video. Don’t look at me like that.
To end the week, we are exclusively streaming the bands’ debut EP RICK N DICK IS SICK. Fans of 100 Onces and Sea Monkey Sea, not to mention Hollow Ran, Hella and Lightning Bolt will rejoice in the noisy yet catchy guitar phrases and wild percussion of this band. As well being a technical record, it’s also a refreshingly lo-fi cut – you can actually hear Rick shouting out the changes in the tracks.
Overall, this is a fun record. With a name like RICK N DICK IS SICK, it’s clear that these guys are not endeavoring to take things too seriously. Like when the guys of Trans Am and Nation Of Ulysses made that legendary band they jokingly called The Fucking Champs. No elaborate branding and band image, just sick riffs and good times.
RICK N DICK IS SICK is out this Monday 14th of January. That’s reeeeeeeal soon, folks. Make sure you open your wallets.