Shake Appeal is a column that highlights new garage and garage-adjacent releases. This time, Evan Minsker talks about new stuff from Austin's great Ghetto Ghouls, Nots from Memphis, and records from two Ontario-based artists: Sam Coffey and TV Freaks.
Ghetto Ghouls: "Plastic Violence" b/w "Things" [12XU]
It has been a good year for Austin, Texas rock'n'roll. Yes, that's partially thanks to that new OBN IIIs record, but also because 2014 has seen the release of Ghetto Ghouls' very good debut album. Now, just a couple months after putting that one out, they're back with this 7", which continues their breakneck reign of terror. The A-side belligerently pushes forward with the fuzz and coarse vocals of an early Oblivians tune. The B-side eases up a bit on speed, but doubles down on intensity. This is all to say that the record sticks to the album's formula, which is definitely a good thing. This band could stand to put out a dozen records just like this one.
Nots: "Fix" [Goner]
The second time this column ran, I got really excited about the debut 7" from the Memphis band Nots. They're back with another one, and, no surprises here, it rules. The trio of Natalie Hoffman (of Ex-Cult), Charlotte Watson (of Manateees), and Laurel Ferdon (of Moving Finger) continue their hot streak of primitive, propulsive rock'n'roll on "Fix". There's a moment in the song that goes echoey and astral, and taken with its central melody, this definitely pairs well with Ex-Cult's new LP Midnight Passenger. It goes without saying: I'm looking forward to hearing this band's debut album, which is due out in November.
TV Freaks: "Leeches" [Hosehead]
One of the best feelings in the world is to put on a 7" by a band you're not familiar with only to find yourself completely blown back by its sheer force. (A good example of this: Putting on the great 2009 Charlie & the Moonhearts B-side "My Love Is Gone" before Mikal Cronin and Charles Mootheart were well-known entities.) That happened for me with this one. On "Leeches", Hamilton, Ontario's TV Freaks craft a steady build to a chorus that's awesomely chaotic. "Lose It" is an equally big highlight. It comes packed with an overwhelming barrage of frequencies with a fairly simple lyrical mantra behind it ("not how you win, it's how you lose it").
Sam Coffey and the Iron Lungs: Gates of Hell [Southpaw]
In 2014, good power-pop records—the ones that capture the spirit of the genre's forebears—are tough to come by. Often, a power-pop LP that's merely "pretty good" just encourages you to throw on Guitar Romantic or Big Star. That's not the case with Gates of Hell—Waterloo, Ontario's Sam Coffey and the Iron Lungs very much hold their own. The vocals here are alternately gruff and nasal. An organ simmers in the background and guitar solos offer quick hits of traction. There are handclaps and supremely solid hooks. The shouts of "I'm Alright" at the end of the title track invoke a revved up Loggins. "Birthday" does exactly what a power pop song about a birthday should—dictates "it's your birthday, do what you want." This is the sound of dirtbags having fun and falling in love.