Various Artists, “Alternative Funk: Folie Distinguée” (Vox Man, 1985)This is billed as “alternative funk,” a term the original early ‘80s compilers refused to define (see back cover), but which would seem to encompass Rick-James-on-Valium bass workouts, morbidly cold walls of synthesizer hiss, and found-sound spoken interludes in a variety of languages. Being at least somewhat […]
Various Artists, “American Graffiti” (MCA, 1973; original recordings 1954-65))The movie is great (in its own way as grand a mythic evocation of a Galaxy Far, Far Away as Lucas’s next pic would be) and the soundtrack-as-soundtrack was so perfectly fitted to the film that it’s a bit diffuse as an actual album-as-album. Still, the vintage […]
Various Artists, “Awakening: Women In Extreme Music” (Dwell, 1997)Comp of women performing the gamut of non-commercial metal styles. Not as “extreme” as I’d hoped but still pretty interesting, rockin’ stuff.Try 5, 7, 117/29/12
Various Artists, “Beat Fräuleins” (Grosse Freiheit, 2012)Long-overdue comp of German girl-beat-pop from the mid to late ‘60s. This follows the “yé-yé” stylistic template the French created, but with a distinct national twist: there’s something simultaneously sour, tender, frosty and a bit mysterious here that makes me think of Nico, if she was a Beatles-obsessed teenybopper.Try […]
Tame Impala, “Lonerism” (Modular, 2012)This project is one of the more impressive attempts I’ve heard at a truly contemporary take on “psychedelic rock.” Spare, pulsing music with a sun=blinded feel and mirage-like sound-bursts. This is poppier than their/his first, but just as good.Try 2, 6.1/13/13
Tancredi, “Out of the Garden” (Mexican Summer, 2016)In the neo-alternative, angular grunge-pop vein of speedy Ortiz, Waxahatchee, et al, but more full-throttle punk than them in some places, more bubblegum-singsongy in others. Inventive, compelling work. Try 5, 911/10/16
Tee Vee Pop, “The Only Years” (Desire/Mitzvah, 2013; original recordings 1982)Female post-punk unit from Denmark with a likably choppy sound, halfway between the jarringly bright pop of the Mo-Dettes and the grey churn of X-Mal Deutschland.Try A/4, B/17/29/14
Teenage Larvae, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” 7” (Sympathy, 1990)Fun side project from Midwest noise-rockers (members of Cows, God Bullies). A-side is a creepily backwoods-accented take on the Hank Williams classic featuring a guitar solo that sounds like it was played backwards through a phone with a bad connection. B-side features lots of pandemonium […]
Teenage Lovers, “Number One” (Randy, 2010)Likable garage-punk, kind of a throwback to the glammy/sing-songy genre template of the early 2000s, but more raw and contemporary.Try A/11/23/14
Teengenerate, “Get Action!” (Crypt, 1995)Their usual greatness, treble-blaring garage-punk with an emphasis on the “punk”; barely-controlled guitar blasts powered by barreling drums and a singer who sounds like he’s just had major dental surgery and the anesthetic is wearing off.Try 1, 2, 3, 7, 174/30/12