Unwed Teenage Mothers on Hiss Lab Recordings

John Barret from Bass Drum of Death found an incredible touring drummer when he teamed up with Colin Sneed the time I caught them at Piano's a few years back. It's really been no surprise that he would go on to record his own stuff as Unwed Teenage Mothers. Reminds me of another drummer from a little band, The Traditional Fools. Maybe there's something to Ty and Colin both having that rhythmic foundation as a starting place. Lay down the booming thud and the rest will follow.

"Forever Until You Are Bones" lays down an impressive scuzzy bassline and stomp kick beat, going to the next level when an electric roars in, dirty like that first Wavves album. Unwed Teenage Mothers have a frantic, catchy, blown away surf punk with oooooo's from the choir while that blast beat stomps away. Colin's got a monolith metronome backing this static haze in a rising tide of surf. Shares a similar spazz as the Famines or minimal punk bathed in sunshine, some kind of optimism - even if he's singing about getting the fuck out of the party. This echo is crossing oceans at supersonic speed to hit that beach matching the high velocity beat. Hardly a note played on that guitar until the chorus kicks in again, not to mention this bass line that cruises. "Blood" has the best slippery haze vocal over an acoustic this time with precision drums all blown up and hissy like an 808 high hat. This is Bare Wires, Warm soda stuff, Unwed is concise and to the point chock full of dense melody, more than a mouthful. Quick bursts of songs that has my number, making them shine under this amber of texture, tambourines and all, Thee Oh Sees, Adam Widener, these guys would all be friends, OBN III's, I'm drooling already and I haven't even gotten to the B-Side.

B-Side's "Wish you were Older" has a bashing perfection again playing with these garage tones. They get away with this being so bubblegum at the same time, to the point of Hunx, but keeping this tempo in a god damn sling, they won't let loose. It's a firm, tight track about underage girls? Yikes, they have that Matthew Mcconaughey way about his stuff, they casually get away with putting it out there. The way Matthew Melton stands by the back of his car, window broken out but doesn't seem to be having a bad day. "Are You Tired of Waking up Alone?" pushes this tempo they've been flirting with to the limits, the melody is almost getting lost in the rapid snare bursts and chord changes furiously drowning out that disarming pop charm. The solo's scream in, how could they keep up this pace for an entire show. It's the most damaged dance '50s pop that would have made any parent insane. They've done it again with another fantastic single, get to work on a full length already. I don't say this often but ENOUGH WITH THE SINGLES!

Get this from Hiss Lab Recordings.

Ty Segall - Cents on Goner records

I happened to pick this up in SF at Amoeba, long after it was gone from Goner.
How can you make just a distorted guitar sound so good. So energetic, clean...there's no hiss to any of this, the quiet breaks are silent, just the vocals and guitar are distorted...with that hint of reverb that wavers on when he abruptly pauses. It's got everything mystical from that garage era wrapped up in the two minutes. The natural flat sounding drums, minimal arrangement...no cymbals always on the beat, 4/4, snare kick snare kick. Like Doo Rag, it's all deep thump of hitting mic'ed cardboard boxes. Everything just shines on this, the blown out vocals, it's all maxed out, crunch guitar is turned up. It's pop informed by this overall low-fi approach.

'Cents' even starts and ends with a thud of setting the guitar down or getting ready to strum. I'm trying to think why I keep thinking about the White Stripes. It's hard to imagine them now without all the nonsense of the past few years rearing up but their self titled full length was so great at the time, so simplified, just focused on classic songwriting and reinterpreting the blues...or going back to that formula and reenacting it in a pure way...all of this Ty Segall has by the junkyard-full.

He's the kind of guy who probably throws this down on the 4-track on a Wednesday night and calls it another single.
This is such complete energy that I wasn't getting from the Traditional Fools, I didn't get this sound from them at all.
The B-Side is even more frantic, with 'No, No' but it never goes all off the tracks, it's concise, gated effects, that punch, it has to be a few guitars in layers. There's a great little moments of solo-ing with two guitar tracks distorted and running into each other, harmonized. On 'Standing at the Station' it just reminds me the guitar melodies are always so simple... it's all about rhythm, very much that memphis/reatard/novak sound. The focus on the strummed chord and it's jagged arrangements.

Scratched in the gutter is 'Can't stop No!', I get it Ty, there's going to be a lot more singles on the way. I'm going to scratch on my wallet, 'Please give me a break already.'

Ty Segall on Goner records and Truepanther records

Ty Segall is a one man distorted blues punk machine. Initially with the Traditional Fools project, he's moved on to that great full length album Castle Face, and one single on Chocolate Covered records, now a simultaneous release by Goner and truepanther.
The Goner release Cents, is on his myspace. Even listening to this track, it's a huge body of similar work. You love anything he's done, this is no disappointment here. Fuzzed out guitars, distorted vocals with major sing a long melodies. It's always energetic, spazzy, cymbals crashing, awesomeness. One foot in the roots of blues, the other in west coast surf rock. This track is slowly plowing along with this steamroller bassline melody on guitar. His changes are key. like Jay and Jeff, Ty obviously has a natural ability to weave together perfect changes of pop punk. It's always catchy. Maybe that's why they tend to be under 2 minutes. You don't want to just repeat it, it's not their style. Innovate innovate innovate. This type of power punk just exists as a genetic ability....it's their super power.
What's the kryptonite?
CD's?
An Atlantic/Virgin/Epic records contract?

This one is from Goner

TY SEGALL "Cents" (Goner - 51 GONE) 7" $ 5.75 (07SEGALCent)
***"Cents" is a teaser single for TY SEGALL's upcoming Goner Records full-length, Lemons. The three-track 7-inch features exclusive versions not available elsewhere. "Ty Segall is a phenomenon in a bite-size package. He plays guitar and drums, and howls like a wolf in awe of the moon. His boyish good looks, sky-blue eyes, and fever shakes may make you swoon, but it's his lustrous croons and garage rock songs awash in boisterous distorted noise that will make you take notice." -SF Chronicle. Upcoming Lemons Full-Length to be released 7/14/2009.


Then I noticed this one from TruePanther records out of Brooklyn....how many labels are in Brooklyn, it's insane.
***You know, I just checked on this, the paypal button still works, but it does say sold out underneath...it's up to you. Definitely a label I'll be checking up on....and sooner.

New single from SF's one man band genius Ty Segall. Universal Momma co-written with his MOM Cherrie Segall. 86'd is a ripper. Limited to 500

Oh wait, one more,a split 12" with Black Time from Telephone explosion.
I think we have a new hardest working man in rock and roll.

brilliant colors on make a mess records

I actually ended up buying this single straight from Eric at the Nodzzz show at Underground Lounge, we had been emailing back and forth about a couple of his releases....the Traditional Fools LP, his first single from Nodzzz and not wanting to be too much of a weirdo I didn't hand him a business card or even introduce myself. I knew any single he was selling at the show....well, I had to have it and wouldn't be disappointed. I'm glad I did, this single from Brilliant Colors is great, I've been stuck on these low-fi melodies for days.
Brilliant Colors is in line with Nodzzz in the way that it's back to basics, straight up rock. Stripped down distorted solid melodies, with the old standby's: bass, guitar and drums.
It's reminding me of sonic youth's Kim Gordon tracks ('Not this one') or Love of Diagrams, maybe even Sleater Kinney, but with a smoother edge, less abrasive (minus Corin Tuckers high pitch scream vocals). Or at times it's even like the Yips...that Bonfire in a Dixie Cup album, sounding like it's the first take (the good one). Especially this 'I'm 16' track...it's all attitude
I'm 16 / don't you try to teach me a thing
That pretty much sums it up. Surprisingly this doesn't come off insanely annoying or snotty in a Be Your Own Pet way, which seems effortless...they just have this kind of tempered classic indie-rock way about them. Still it's hard to pin them down...there's a lot of references they're drawing from, but still sounding original and definitive.
So glad I picked this up...it's classic.

Get this straight from the source Make a Mess records or From Fusetron:

*Artist: BRILLIANT COLORS Title: Should I Tell You Im Sixteen Format: 7" Label: Make A Mess Country: USA Price: $6.50
"Influenced by New Zealand junk like the clean, the bats, and the chills interwoven with early nineties krecs like the female beat happening shit BRILLIANT COLORS infects your mind with fuzzy-female-catchy pop." -Make A Mess. Release soon on Mike Blank Dogs label??

Ty Segall on chocolate covered records

Ty Segall from the Traditional Fools has just released this solo 7" offering on Chocolate Covered records. Ty has been performing drum duties in the Fools and ever since I found that out, I can't help but hear the lazer focus on the rhythm section, the percussion is relentless, the influence of thinking about that particular area: pounding.

The sleeve of a demented 50's scene gone cat... all cut and pasted...might give you a clue about what's lurking under the surface...just barely.
I had some other things to say about the art but this single doesn't waste any time diving right into serious low-fi stomping. The bass range sounds all peaking out, recorded at 11. Strumming like mad electric with some surf reverb turned up, That echo that you wonder is it even in the same room? Is this a room sound? Is he singing in the bathroom, it's organic, really natural.
This really reminds me of Bob Log... or Doo Rag definitely...the same use of the guitar. It's all strumming, like a washboard, the sound of the strings becomes percussive, there's a melody there but it's stripped down, barely two notes. The frantic-ness of 'Here We Go' with stomping tamborine on the high hat. Now that I'm hearing it again, I don't think there's any snare here?
The sound of crackling cables barely hanging on ends the leg shaking and we're onto......

(Go have a listen from CC, click play on the realplayer track thingy...then you will click on the buy button.....trust me.)

'It' is kick drum at speed, supportingTy's ultra blown out vocals. Again we're playing through some kind of severly broken equipment, which is sounding so analoge and fuzzy. It's the best kind of low-fi...It's recorded really specifically, with all kinds of tracks, effects, I'm sure but with a patina of gainy film. An old blockbuster.
Like everything is just turned up, all in the red for the majority of this weighty EP... a lot heavier than Traditional Fools who seem to want be taken a little less seriously, this is in your face, and catchy as hell, immediately...there's no time getting used to this. It's turned up full at low levels, mixed right at the max for 45. The guitar is just overwhelming, a low nonstop roar. It's seriously loud, and keeps getting louder.
It can't be talked over at your party.
Front and center.

On the Bside 'Son of Sam' alternates between that reverb guitar but slightly different drum recording it sounds like. Cleaner ride cymbal and even more mechanical sounding reverb this time. The drum drops in and out. Ty here is like Screaming Jay Hawkins, or John Spencer...channeling that flair.... the whoop and holler, bellowing out in the middle of nothing...tortured. Well, not exactly tortured, this is pure fun...maybe it's more like a good sermon.
'Son of a bitch!'
That warbly electrified blues vocal with a howl at the end. I am tracking down the original by Chain Gang...thanks for schooling me Ty.
This makes way for 'Sweets', another crafted little jem based on that great muffled sound.
Is something wrong with the stereo?
Honestly.
It's 4 songs that don't let up, a more finely tuned sound than Tradiional fools, It sounds like a lazer focused vision of a very particular low-fi. A succinct vision and a hell of a solo single across all 4 tracks.


$6 From Chocolate Covered Records:
Ty Segall steps out from behind the drumkit of the Traditional Fools and sit down behind a much simpler drum kit to start his own one-man band. It's crunchy, lo-fi goodness for the whole family...
...the Manson family! Includes a cover of Chain Gang's "Son of Sam." Now that's hip!

Traditional Fools LP on Make a Mess records

Eric recently sent me the Traditional Fools full length based on a review of No dozzz a while back. I think, I still don't know to this day if they are roomates/practice space mates with Traditional Fools but that was my impression of something I read...maybe the address was the same? Anyhow, TF and Nodzzz share at the very least a no frills, raw, stripped down philosophy.

The thing they have absolutely succeeded in is recording a live performance, not in a club with an audience but in a studio in one day. It may have been a case of necessity but the sound completely benefits. If this isn't immediate, and probably played back to back in a row in one giant take, starting over if something broke, I'd be shocked. It feels on the verge of this breakdown at any second, they have to get this sound down before they get too drunk or start second guessing themselves.
Their logo is a black and white hamburger with sunglasses, the two most american or even more Californian cool objects haphazardly thrown together and drawn with a sharpie, it goes along with the simple DIY throwaway aesthetic. It's deceptively simple...there's nothing going on here, don't take this too seriously...this is a record for us. Take it or Leave it.

I am a huge fan of stripped down no gimmick sound, whether it was the low-fi movement spearheaded by Lou Barlow in the early nineties or garage rock in the late sixties or the whole shit-gaze of the past year. It's all the same, the song is the focus, not the production, not separating all the sounds into their own channels and pining over the mix with the focus on the engineer or producer. There's a lot to be said for a band that just needs someone to hit record. It's the sound, it's what makes sense on vinyl, the document of something moving at breakneck speed. They only need a day to put it to tape.

I read about about a blogger who asked them why they didn't record any CD releases and they basically said 'Fuck CD's'. The only other release I heard of was a single from Chocolate Covered records, and I love that they're sticking to this format, probably to their detriment, but it adds to the charm.

Side 1 starts out with a Billy Childish cover of Davey Crockett, at first sounding kind of lounge inspired slow basslines, and then the Traditional Fools sound takes over with everyone screaming 'Ohhhhhhh ohhhhhhhhh! Yeah!' This is where they put their take on the childish track going balls out, the vocals peaking out all over the place. But it's not the kind of thing you go back and overdub, it's perfect, blowing out the PA. Even laughing a little at themselves and keeping that take. The track...the album has completely punk, surf, rockabilly and garage written all over it. It's like all these influences are mashed together...a little stooges, cramps, the sonics, ramones (there's some great power chord verse chorus rock on Snot Rag) X, the list goes on and on, but all that authentic rock with plenty of echo poured on. It makes sense and fits in light of all the recent 'to hell with the production' sound. It's pure, it's honest, and can't be improved on.

It's on really nice white vinyl, which goes with this xerox insert, cut and paste black and white back to basics. Plus just putting on a big white record is great. It's played at 45, not for any audiophile reason obviously, my only complaint would be maybe it could have been an extended full length, but then this could be what was produced under the circumstances...what they were satisfied with at the end of the day. I can't fault a band for only wanting to put out what they are completely happy with. For all I know this could have come out of a session for a 7" and then turned into a 45 12". Either way it's a pretty incredible document of a band that's doing things their own fucking way.

From the label:

To order the LP ... individual orders should go to wizardmountain.org and buy it using paypal. watch Mondo Vision (SF's only punk video fanzine) while you're there too. To pay with cash ($11)send your well concealed scrilla to

Kyle Crawford
132 Blake st.
San Francisco CA, 94117

Nodzzz - make a mess records

This got a great review on dusted, so I immediately ordered the single from a paypal address on their myspace. that's the best, I don't mind tracking it down through a distro place, but there's something about getting it directly from the band, they had to pack it up and walk down to the post office. I appreciate the personal touch.
A lot like their sound, they're having a backyard barbeque, pulling the amps out on the lawn, busting out the super 8 and cutting off their jeans, cause it's hot, simple as that. They are going to rock in the backyard, and effortlessly write a couple of songs. No big deal. The messages are clear, "I don't wanna smoke marijuana". I appreciate the homemade garage rock... that Dead Milkmen quality of are they really singing about that? Driving downtown, monuments, back to basics.... classic 3 piece, messing around with friends.
Nodzzz are roomates of the Traditional fools (I think) and that makes perfect sense, I'm loving this music first, low-fi, west coast mini-movement going on in this house.
It's the best things about unselfconscious sebadoh...sincere and good. Period.

Oh..They drink your milkshake also.

Traditional fools • Chocolate Covered Records

I had a friend who used to do art installations of tiki torches, black lights and hot rod posters, creating this weird surfing freakout world, complete with sand. It was like stepping into a foreign world, another side of the 50's that I didn't really think about. There was an underground that was happening, a counterculture even then. Of course music is the first indicator or even creator of any movement and the Traditional Fools would fit right in as the perfect soundtrack to his world.

But it's not an imitation of that time period, it seems to be taking the things that signify that era, the sounds and style but it's updated... or better yet romanticised into a better version of history. At least to me anyway in the middle of NYC. Watching the video of TF sidewalk surfing with guitars leads me to believe San Francisco is a very very different place. Full of beaches, supportive audiences, plenty of garages and this is about as garage as it gets. The recording is a perfect match for the distorted vocals, which of course were meant for this tiny vinyl. It would be pretty hard to pin this down mistakenly to something contemporary, the Traditional Fools have completely mastered this period sound.
After hearing this, they demand to be seen live, I can only imagine it only improves on this raw energy. Nice work to whoever engineered this...I've heard so many great live bands just suffocated in the studio.

It's not hanging itself with 'surfers only' signs plastered all over the sound, which can be the mistake, pigeonholing everything too tightly, turning novelty. It's mixing 60's garage and early 80's punk, too vague to easily file under either.
I think this belongs in the section with Link Ray and my other favorite band of this surf sound: Deadbolt. They might surf... but in a horror laboratory with more reverb and less distortion.

Even the xerox cover is a throwback to ye olde DIY punk scene which I like immediately.

This came to me from Chocolate Covered Records, who also released Dreamdate, which highly recommend. A pop girl band, equally earnest don't have time to spend weeks in a studio. It's about the music. I'm still playing this jem...it's in the vein of the Besties and even the Coathangers, another recent heavy rotation on the turntable.
Cocolate Covered seems to be cornering the market on this sincere low-fi sound.
Go get it for $6 from CCR.