It seems appropriate on the first day of the new Ashes series to start the day with a butt-kicking band from down under.

And despite the geographical name, Iowa, for it is they, hail from the fertile breeding grounds of Melbourne’s alternative music scene. Seemingly begat from the loins of sonic forefathers like J&MC, Sonic Youth, or even Mrs M’s old favourites Ride – they easily and confidently meld catchy, nagging rhythms under an occasional squall of distortion and reverb.

And they do it to great effect. It would be so easy for the band to fall into the trap that ensnares so many in this genre – that of sounding derivative and cliched, but Iowa have no such problems with their new 7″ Lose Yourself / Reasons. Try the title track below, and revel in its sleazy, grimy, fuzzed up delights. So good, it oozes an sunglasses-indoors kind of cool.

Keep an eye on these folk…

Visit their MySpace here. Visit their Bandcamp page here

Download Iowa – Lose Yourself mp3 (from Lose Yourself / Reasons 7″)