Artists starting with T

Slum Clearance

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The Siddeleys, “Slum Clearance” (Clarendon Matinée, 2001; original recordings 1985-87)
The Siddeleys were part of the mid-to-late ‘80s “C86” scene that pioneered Brit indie-pop. Their sound was strummy and redolent of the ‘60s, girl-group/Brit Invasion retro-roots drawn on by their peers, but choppier, more angular and post-punky. Picture a cross between Heavenly and the Fall, but more distinctive, with a smoky Tracey Thorn-esque lead vocalist. More than most stuff from the period, this sounds very mid-‘00s contemporary; the sensibility is witty, sardonic, self-conscious, hyper-verbal. Great stuff.
Try 1, 5, 6, 8, 10

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Reserved

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The Servants, “Reserved” (Cherry Red, 2006; original release 1986-90)
Swept along in the mid-‘80s “C86” wave of Brit indie-pop, the Servants stood apart in certain respects. Their take on Velvet Underground-derived strum/repetition rock, while framed with excellent hook-enhanced song structures, leaned more toward the stark, moody, autumnal side of the VU (and Television, whose influence can be heard in particular on the sharp guitar leads). The result is classic Brit grey-day sophisto-pop, but with subtle, stripped-down rock drive. Tops is the sweeping, intense 1 (“The Sun, A Small Star”), but 2, 6, 7 and 13 are also particularly striking. P.S.: Big Syd Barrett influence, too.

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Singles 2007-2010

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Ty Segall, “Singles 2007-2010” (Goner, 2012)
I’ve liked everything I’ve heard by this dude, but this singles comp is far and away my fave. Segall’s take on garage-punk stands out from some of his peers in viscerally evoking the sweaty, backyard-blowout force of the genre’s founders (think Sonics). It’s physical in a way the more computer-speaker oriented stuff can’t touch. But he also has a real feel for the sheer variety of weird sound an electric guitar can produce, and he knows how to use it. The guy is a true artist, and this is definitely the best recorded evidence of the range of his palette.
2/28/12

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Hair

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Ty Segall and White Fence, “Hair” (Drag City, 2012)
I’ve enjoyed all of Segall’s work that I’ve heard, but this is what I’ve been waiting for from him. The psych flourishes first heard on “Melted” burst out of these grooves in a wave of sonic abandon. The music evolves out of garage-punk into a contemporary psychedelia whose explosiveness, dynamism, fluidity and inventive daring are within spitting distance of Quicksilver and the early Dead. A great one.
Start with 2, 7
4/30/12

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Slaughterhouse

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Ty Segall Band, “Slaughterhouse” (In The Red, 2012)
New one from the man (does he ever sleep?) features a further move into heavier, trippier dimensions of sound, but the basic template is still garage-punk, executed with his customary skill and force.
Try 1, 4, 9, 11.
7/12/12

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Georgy Girl

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The Seekers, “Georgy Girl” (Capitol, 1966)
These guys-‘n’-gal essentially filled the gap between the Mamas and the Papas and elevator music, so they’re not really an ultra-crucial component of their era, but the title track is: genuinely gorgeous, waftingly rhapsodic folk-pop confection (and the title track to a cool Brit ‘60s flick with Lynn Redgrave as the titular girl-outsider heroine).
Try 1/1, 1/ 5
8/16/15

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The Sea-ders

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The Sea-ders, “The Sea-ders” (Lion Productions, 2010; original recording 1966-7)
Mid-‘60s British Invasion-inflected pop from Lebanon, but incorporating Middle Eastern instrumentation and tonalities. Leans more toward the pop end of the spectrum song-wise, but it actuall rocks pretty hard at times, and is definitely commanding of attention.
Try 2, 5
4/4/11

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Run Fast

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The Julie Ruin, “Run Fast” (TJR/Dischord, 2013)
After several years’ hiatus due to a near-fatal illness, Bikini Kill/Le Tigre rigmistress Kathleen Hanna returns with something I didn’t anticipate – her most flat-out fun release ever. Combining B. Kill’s fast-loose-‘n’-fierce ethos with tigre’s machine-tooled cool, this blends rock-candy guitar and glammy big beats into a non-stop super-rush powering an absolutely great performance from Hanna, looking back at her illustrious past with loving realism while expressing sheer exhilaration for life in the present.
Try 5, 9, 11.
10/3/13

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The Roches

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The Roches, “The Roches” (Warner Bros., 1977)
Vocal group of sisters from New Jersey, minimally accompanied on naïve strum-pop songs of almost K-like starkness and charm, contrast for their lush, overpowering three-part harmonies that wail through your soul and linger for a long while afterward.
Try 1/ 2,, 2/1
1/12/11

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The Race Against Time Hots Up

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The Rebel, “The Race Against Time Hots Up” (Junior Aspirin, 2010)
Wildly eclectic set that runs through acid-punk, fractured folk-pop, weird narratives set to found-sound cut-ups, and more, but somehow maintains a loping pulse throughout.
Try A/2, A/4, A/6, B/3, B/4
1/29/12

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