One of my most major hobbies is being mean about garage rock. It’s the dumbest genre and is 90% made up dudes who, obscure t-shirts aside, dress like shit, write sub-Black Lips b-sides, and live life like “beer” is a verb. I’m not making that number up. I’ve seen the studies.But I, being fair as hell, must also acknowledge that there are diamonds in the garage rock mire. One such shining exception is Death Valley Girls. LA’s self described “Dystopian punk/doom boogie” are more in the tradition of Leaving Trains, Stooges, or The Lazy Cowgirls, you know, actually soulful, than the beach blanket yahoos they share the unfortunate genre name with. Their February ’14 Burger Records release, Street Venom, is a mean streak of blooze dirge and Cowboy Shirt and Regrettable Tattoo desert punk (not surprisingly as guitarist Larry Schemel was in The Flesh Eaters and drummer Laura Kelsey was in The Flytraps).The new Death Valley Girls’ video, for “Electric High” (from the forthcoming EP on Lolipop Records) was directed by band member, Schemel. In his own words it’s “mostly footage from ‘70s & ‘80s exploitation/horror films, 60's underground art flicks and a few super quick flashes of rock n' roll people and personalities we admire (Iggy, Alice Cooper, Godzilla, Johnny Thunders, Tina Aumont, Marianne Faithful, Edie Sedgwick etc.).” It’s a wicked Mondo Hollywood death trip of which LA rarely produces anymore now that even the junkies and DIYers are borderline or actual Scientologists. It’s nice that there are still rock bands that get that heavy bummerness is a pretty potent aspect of what makes quality Rock and Roll music. Also, the fact that Death Valley Girls consider “Godzilla” a rock and roll personality that they admire pretty much sums up their charm and appeal. Enjoy the video and kill the pigs and whatnot.