Negative Scanner "Pastel Blue, Clinical White" on Tall Pat Records

Tall Pat knew when Negative Scanner's debut single was released on Trouble in Mind a while back that he'd have to get in on releasing more of this great stuff. The Benevolent Order of Chicago Record labels got together at one of their meetings and handed him masters from the same session as the TIM release so we'd now have an EP worth of material from the Chicago four piece.

A-Side's "Pastel Blue, Clinical White" doesn't waste a split second on this one to launch into their jagged drum and guitar post punk reminding me of Brilliant Colors, Mika Miko or Swimsuit. Rebecca matches the frantic rhythm cycles with her jittery delivery emphasizing off syllables but keeping things smooth. This is most definitely a raw and fast punk sound though that strips things down to a loose double jangle but still has all that attitude and precision. I think this has to do with hospital scrubs. An impressively complex for a minute and a half. I have to respect a band that says, "That's the exact right length for that song, we got all the verses in there - done."
B-Side's "A.W.O.L." - They nail these openings to the point I think I dropped the needle in an already in progress track. The four of them work with a Nothing People sort of psych groove for what's an eternity for the track length. Obviously they take their time waiting for the right moment for Rebecca who's now channeling Bikini Kill. She's just a fantastic vocalist, made for this kind of platform and absolutely making their sound unique.

Get this from Tall Pat, it's not going to be around long.

Live version of A-Side below, courtesy Acidjacknyc:

Hollow Mountain on Tall Pat Records

I honestly love Sabbath. Especially throwing any one of those albums from the '70s. They left an unshakable legacy during this time period. It's also catchy and evil and parents hate it. Hollow Mountain are channeling the spirit of big power chords and getting back to the roots of what inspired it; runes, medieval mythology and giant weapons to kill giant stuff.

On A-Side's "Maiden" from the look of this psych neon mountain sleeve I was expecting an influence of early metal, the 70s period stuff not this energetic pop garage basher. Esther is great on vocals against the crazy tight delivery of strung out riffs. She's laid back not trying to outshine any of the skill here just working alongside the rhythm like another part of the whole equation. It's best not fight these tight, concise pieces of guitars that circle the wagons. She's going to keep her cool and not let any of this chaos rattle her. In fact she might just be deliberately holding a lot back in that Kim Gordon detached feel. "Castle" shakes in repeating their opening riff, made up of massive guitars on the heavy side in the way that Fuzz or the Zig Zags are referencing metal. It's all here and they even get a little more laid back finding a groove and leaning into it. Esther works out phrasing that aligns with this chord structure, a little more jagged and could even be heard as post punk with a metal soul. It's beefy, sledgehammer riffs that slide around scales for long drops, the minor chords that can't sound anything but unsettling. Could be related to Sleater Kinney or Bikini Kill if you imagine this coming of age in the pacific northwest. All I know is you can't say this isn't heavy in it's own swaying temple of sludge.
B-Side's "People are Alike All Over" drives toms into another sonic snowplow right through the center of town. It's all about this kind of raw power, wherever they can find the right strength of distortion and depth of bass. Esther finds a kind of rhythmic harmony to deliver her lyrics alongside the sliding barre chords. They're decisively defining every change with cymbal bashes as it takes on a life of it's own. Slowing down for a minute just to come back harder swinging arms in larger windmills, the chunks flying, lightning flashing on the edge of cliffs, hair blowing out behind you. This is a sick video. "Gaia" brings the speed of chords wiping out any rest you had in mind, Esther wisely delivers long drawn out psych vocals about those ancient gods while this hardcore metal works itself into a snarling tempo. She's relating her own vocal to an almost gregorian chant sound, like a private hymn before that suicidal battle or heading off adventuring past where the world just ends. The way it used to drop off like a giant cliff.

Get it from TALL PAT.

The Bingers on Tall Pat Records

Like all good labels, Tall Pat Records started one evening after one too many beers (I can relate) when Pat convinced a Chicago band, The Dumpster Babies to let him (let him!!! the nerve) put out their single. Years later and Pat hasn't given up on his dream in fact becoming, "the single most important record label this century." Congratulations Pat, how does it feel to swim in a pile of money? Seems like you'd want to take a shower after diving into the stacks of hundreds...or maybe he's always playing his white grand piano next to an infinity pool while girls in balaclavas fire AK47's out over the ocean. Look at all his shit....but I'm going to stop imagining what it must be like to be rich AND tall and listen to one of his records that got him there. (It's by a band called The Bingers, three dudes playing damaged surf rock...details)

A-Side's "Fukushima Hornets" opens heavily split between the channels, a snazzy high hat comes from one direction while a truly glitched out, delayed guitar sweeps in from the other. They're taking surf to a truly psychedelic place. The vocals remind me of Deadbolt, way off in the background, buried in the basement, singing into one of those construction light bulbs, the music entirely in his head. Lyrics about speed - is this about kamikaze pilots or a Japanese biker gang? The chorus gets progressively more blown out and I think they're even using the MXR Blue Box more successfully than almost anyone I've ever heard. Cymbals and a belching ringtone fades out with hammered, spring loaded, feedback. Just when you think this is following that hypnotizing loop forever they go and pull down your pants in front of everyone.
"Motorbike Cha-Cha" I'm really liking this deranged surf sound they're playing with, this one positively overdriving one side of the mix. In the middle of this organized, ordered reverb melody they throw kerosene on the whole thing with crazy effects, standing right in front of the cracked speaker cabinet. More reverb on the vocals this time and this could even be called bluesy - like if Dirty Beaches made out with King Kahn. Gross.
B-Side's "Hideous Heart" has some serious low end humming waiting for the rest to slowly build up. They've jettisoned that surf for some dirty layered almost blues shoegaze? This is getting weirder and weirder in the best way. A solo comes in with a subtle seriousness somewhere in the middle of this drum bashing and sustain. It's almost a shoegaze Walkmen feel, busting out so much sound that the tape starts to splinter, not to mention the volume is already turned up to the limit because that's just what sounds the best and singing over that is an exercise in futility but he's back there trying like hell anyway. A snare roll opens "Wired" and they turn back down to meet the A-Side's tone winding back in on reverb surf melodies and solos held together with rougher edges and tougher riffs here. It's darker than most of this beach stuff that's about partying, bonfires and those matte grey hotrods. This is the day after when you lost your pink slip to a faster 454 and the beer is gone along with the sun. It's cold and grey but the surf is still pounding in on you, that tide is rising and maybe this time you won't get out of the way.

Wow Pat, that really got dark there.

Pick this up from Tall Pat Records, he has to keep replacing that piano. It's outside. Just sitting there. All the time. He's rich.