What to Do About Them,
the Swirlies' first mini-album, compiles some of their early work (including their split single with Kudgel) with previously unreleased material and traces the band's development from
My Bloody Valentine worshipers into something more interesting. The earliest recordings on the album, like 1991's "Sarah Sitting" and "Didn't Understand," borrow the pummeling tempos and wall-of-feedback guitars from
Isn't Anything-era
Valentine. However, tracks like "Her Life of Artistic Freedom" and "Cousteau" veer from the shoegazing blueprint and add touches like white noise, found sounds, and clean as well as fuzzed-out guitars. "Tall Ships," in particular, exemplifies
the Swirlies' sound, a mix of the dreaminess and deadpan humor, making lyrics like "Just shut the f*ck up" into a lullaby. ~ Heather Phares