This one’s a real left-handed gem. Basically, they’re a pop band from the Northwest who are saved from the wimpy pop graveyard by a cool and grungy production from Greg Sage of the WIPERS. One side sounds like JONATHAN RICHMAN on acid and the other like YOUNG MARBLE GIANTS punking out. Great!
The A-side is a cool James Bond-ish-type instrumental, while the flip is a foot-stompin’, CRAMPS-like rocker. A good second effort.
Yet another “power” HC band, combining heavy chords with punk and thrash structures. Nine “grinding” tunes for you crossover freaks.
David Lester (guitar) and Jean Smith (vocals) team up for some neo-early PATTI SMITH rock’n’roll poetry. One track, “Strong White Male”, really stands out—very haunting.
A pretty strong blast from these Washington weirdos. This is slow to fast HC with thoughtful lyrics. My one gripe: it’s only five songs! But it still rips.
A true and total dream! A lot of the time, the C86 sound is a little too twee and contained for this girl; you want something that has the longing of “Where’s Clare Grogan Now?” with the dreamy snot of the SHOP ASSISTANTS or why get outta bed in the morning?! Well, finally after years of frustration and punishment, RIBBON STAGE has stepped up to the plate with actual hooks, and vocals that are plaintive without sounding saccharine, whilst maintaining the dream pop appeal. Obviously with a snip of punk underpinning all proceedings. This sounds like something that woulda come out on thee Subway Organization in 1985, a beautiful shambolic and also perfect popscape for our falling-apart times! Every song is a masterpiece! You will wish you had one of those ’50s record players that just plays 45s over and over again until time stops! Pop music made by NYC punks that you probably know. I am obsessed.
An all-girl trio from Japan that plays your basic ultra-simple garage-pop. It’s that early ’60s garage/Mersey sound with punk fuzz guitar and pop female harmonies. Charming, but perhaps only ’cause they’re women.
“The REAL DISTRACTIONS love rock’n’roll,” and from this Olympia quartet’s prestigious pedigree and the songs on this quarantine EP, I believe that love has got to be real. The guitar rings out with power pop build-ups and a tingle of bubblegum glam raunch on the edges. The electric piano has that reedy Wurlitzer garage rock rattle, a texture I just absolutely adore. On all four songs, the dual vocals meet up in the middle like a secret handshake but also have their own moments at the mic. The bass and drums keep it punchy and tight, shifting into the sometimes snakey time changes but exploding with big dynamic fills, all while still staying in the driver’s seat, keeping the van going all night. While the band has studied their well-flipped 45s and the songs are classically catchy, they’re still lyrically modern, with connections to the real world in real time and not just rock’n’roll revivalist tropes. The REAL DISTRACTIONS have such high-quality ingredients as a band, and the combination of them compliments each other perfectly—like tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil, and basil come together on a warming slice of Old School pizza. And like a good slice, it leaves me wanting more, so here’s hoping for a West Coast tour, or else I’ll have to make my way to Olympia and catch them on their home turf.
High quality live material from these two bands, thirteen songs with alternating tracks rather than sides. My faves are “She’s not a Girl” and “Communication Breakdown” by V.M.
