Shake Appeal is a column that highlights new garage and garage-adjacent releases. This week, Evan Minsker discusses the debut LP from Baltimore's Sick Thoughts, a new live record from Ty Segall's band Fuzz, a split 7" featuring Natural Child and Guantanamo Baywatch, and albums from Melbourne's Gentlemen and the Texas-based Indonesian punk band Secret Prostitutes.
Sick Thoughts: Terminal Teen Age [Dead Beat]
There's a song called "Peaked in High School" on Terminal Teen Age, the debut album by Sick Thoughts. It's hard to tell exactly what the vocalist is yammering on about—every other sound is too blown out for the lyrics to be fully intelligible. But when the chorus hits, it sounds like he's saying, "I peaked in high school/ Peaked in high school/ Peaked in high school/ Nooooo!" The song's message makes sense when you consider the sole entity behind this band: Drew Owen, a 16-year-old from Baltimore. His album is dressed up to look like a Reatards LP, and even with that prominent visual cue leading you to remember Teenage Hate, Owen's record does not disappoint. Every song is blaring and brief, seemingly furious, and completely catchy. It was originally due for an early January release, but you can order it on vinyl right now. And you should.
Sick Thoughts: "Blood Red" on SoundCloud.
Fuzz: Live in San Francisco [Castle Face]
This year, Fuzz released a batch of singles and a proper full-length. They're closing 2013 with their installment of Castle Face's young-but-already-unstoppable Live in San Francisco series. (The previous installment featured a killer set from White Fence.) This one, recorded live on Ty Segall's birthday, has the trio locking into four beefy grooves. It's got both sides of their first 7" ("This Time I've Got a Reason" and "Fuzz's Fourth Dream"), plus the B-side "You Won't See Me" and their frenetic LP closer "One". It captures the band at their most powerful, so if Segall's prolific nature repelled you from Fuzz records before, this record is the perfect starting place. (Apparently, it's already sold out—but check distros, Discogs, and eBay, because this thing isn't to be missed.)
Fuzz: "You Won't See Me" (Live) on SoundCloud.
Natural Child/Guantanamo Baywatch: Surf n Turf split [Suicide Squeeze]
It's a novel concept, putting out a split 7" where one side represents "surf" and the other "turf", but the folks at Suicide Squeeze have picked the perfect pair of bands to embody those themes. Natural Child appropriately supply the turf—they're a Southern-fried outfit from Nashville, and their track "Don't Wake the Baby" sounds like Neil Young when he's joined by Ben Keith (on harmonies and pedal steel). Then, Portland's Guantanamo Baywatch supply their swooning surf jam "Love This Time", which is delivered with Jason Powell's coarse, raucous shout-singing. Two good songs, back-to-back, in a satisfying contrast in styles.
Natural Child: "Don't Wake the Baby" on SoundCloud.
Guantanamo Baywatch: "Love This Time" on SoundCloud.
Gentlemen: Sex Tape [Homeless]
Homeless Records have supplied the world with a sizable heap of thuggish, tough-dude punk music out of Australia. Gentlemen's Sex Tape isn't always as overtly explosive as, say, "Dog" by Cuntz, but make no mistake: This record is packed with intimidation. "Military Style Massage" is led by a sludgy simmer, but by the track's midpoint, the Melbourne band have unleashed their full power: guitars going haywire, drums crashing in every corner of the mix, and the vocals mutating from a muted shout to a full-throated, demonic gurgle.
The Secret Prostitutes: Welcome To Punk, Viva La Evolución, We Can Do Whatever We Want [Torture Garden Picture Company]
The Secret Prostitutes hail from Houston, Texas, and their lyrics are mostly sung in Indonesian. At one point in their new album's 25 tracks, they cover CCCP, the legendary 1980s Italian punk band, which may partially explain the inspiration behind the Prostitutes' similarly tinny drum sound. Their guitars are aggressive, and even if the language barrier is an issue, they let loose a few words that make their intentions clear, like the titular phrase in "I Don't Need You". Worth noting: "Siklus Penyalahgunaan" translates to "Cycle of Abuse".
The Secret Prostitutes: "I Don't Need You" on SoundCloud.
The Secret Prostitutes: "Siklus Penyalahgunaan" on SoundCloud.
The Secret Prostitutes: "Orientasi Profit Institusi" on SoundCloud.
Also Worth Hearing: The ripping new single from Sydney punks Red Red Krovvy (via R.I.P. Society).
Red Red Krovvy: "EZ Video" on SoundCloud.