Austin-based trio Harlem is known equally for its ridiculous attention grabbing stunts as it is for its spirited lo-fi garage rock. While founders Curtis O'Mara and Michael Coomers began various other bands together, all with little success, Harlem grabbed the attention of label heads at Matador, who shot the group to indie fame. With the debut of its first album on a major label, Harlem released a press statement explaining the band's origin in nonsensical sentences resembling something from a 7th grade Dada poet and involving a talking cat. The band is also known for showing up drunk to interviews and lyrics that are far from politically correct, but despite this hunger for publicity, Harlem creates fun, fuzz-drenched, hook-filled music that is difficult to dislike.
