Sacrifice

Growing up in the ’burbs of Durban, South Africa, Garett van der Crimp was exposed to American rock music via television. Problem was the grunge and Brit-pop bands that were plying his teenage brain weren’t making stops in the small seaside town. Even when he started making his own music, his only option was to set up shows in shabby hotel lobbies. After relocating to Seattle in 2007, van der Crimp married his wife and drummer Laura and the two have been playing under the moniker Koko and the Sweetmeats ever since. Seattle’s best-kept secret has been inching its way out of the garage and into ears, and the band’s second LP Sacrifice has played a big part. The record (available for free at kokoandthesweetmeats.bandcamp.com) is a ramshackle collection of noisy guitar pop that owes as much to Howlin’ Wolf as it does Dave Davies. It’s a lot of racket for only a two-piece. “My Brain Came From a Factory” and “Will We Ever Make It to the Ocean?” are raucous and creepy, as van der Crimp’s vocals soar above wiry guitars and caveman drumming. A testament to how good these tunes are: The second half of the record offers stripped-down acoustic versions of the songs. Just as lethal.