This disc slipped through the cracks a few weeks back but I've had this EP in heavy rotation since my initial listen. Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling is a duo comprised of Sophia Cacciola (drums/vocals) and Michael Epstein (bass) which takes its name from an episode of the British spy drama The Prisioner. The band has a raw, post-punk/no-wave sound that is comparable to Teenage Jesus & the Jerks/8-Eyed Spy and early Sonic Youth. The production is raw (somewhat similar to the open-mic sound that Alex Chilton gave the early Cramps releases) which adds to the urgency of the music.

Here is how the band described the lyrical themes/concept of the disc: "Our recent EP, The New Number 2 contains the first five songs of a project to write and record 17 songs, each one based on/inspired by an episode of the '60s cult spy-fi TV series The Prisoner. The record also features a cover of Leonard Cohen's "First We Take Manhattan." The Prisoner is an allegorical science fiction show about breaking free from societal norms and maintaining individuality under the thumb of faceless hierarchy and big-brother style totalitarianism. We thought these were interesting and always-relevant themes to work with, and of course, particularly compelling in the modern political climate."



"The New Number 2" is on my short list for being one of the "Best of 2010" releases. Hopefully the band continues writing and recording after they finish the next twelve Prisioner-based tracks.

Links:
Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling