Shake Appeal is a column that highlights new garage and garage-adjacent music. This time, Evan Minsker looks at new records by Timmy's Organism, Quintron, Sick Thoughts, Gino and the Goons, the Barreracudas, Aquarian Blood, Strawberry Jacuzzi, and more.
Timmy's Organism: Singles & Unreleased Tracks [HoZac] / Timmy Vulgar: Genetic Armageddon [American Tapes]
When you get a Timmy Vulgar record, you never fully know what you're getting until you dig in. His latest two batches of music show that he's capable of being so much more than just the brains behind Human Eye's acid-headed sci-fi freakouts or the primitive, gnarly rock'n'roll of Raw Sewage Roq (one of the most appropriately titled albums of all time). HoZac's new double LP compiling Timmy's Organism's singles is an essential collection (for Timmy fans, especially) that gives a comprehensive view of that band's aesthetic scattershot. There's the frenetic post-punk highlight "Body of Love" and the spaced out ballad "Cold Pizza". I'm a big fan of "I'm a Nice Guy Now", wherein he unconvincingly tries to assert that he no longer drinks from the sewer, punches holes in the wall, or listens to rock'n'roll. "Look at my face smiling at the human race," he sings menacingly, clearly smiling the untrustworthy smile of the wide-eyed fringe.
His new 12" on American Tapes, Genetic Armageddon, is a Timmy Vulgar solo record that rarely taps into that mutant strain of rock'n'roll that's often present on his Organism records. It's mostly slower, spaced out ambient tracks he recorded in his basement over the past couple years. It features a beautiful instrumental called "For Eddie", presumably an homage to the late Clone Defects drummer Fast Eddie Altesleben. It's a diverse, riveting pile of music from Timmy, and it definitely merits the couple hours it'll take to sift through it all.
Quintron: Spellcaster II: Death in Space [Pizza Burglar]
It would be easy to peg Quintron as a cultural curiosity—a New Orleans electronics wizard who makes organ music with a woman named Miss Pussycat. His aesthetic, at times, can put him in the company of kitschy artists, guys like Paul Reubens or Wayne White or John Waters. What's improtant to remember, though, is that he's also capable of truly badass music, which is well documented on Spellcaster II (the sequel to his 1995 album).
His latest LP shows an artist doing a lot more than just making novelty music. "Something Is Wrong With Jim Bob" is 90 seconds of arid, instrumental guitar. "Fatal Harmonic" is a track by the Weather Warlock, his project featuring a device that's controlled by the elements (an undeniable highlight at Gonerfest). The best part of the album by a mile is "Do the Raid", which is probably the best Quintron and Miss Pussycat song of the past decade. It's a sneering track where they stare down a young student and say, "Your parents are dumb, kid, do the fuckin' math."
Truly, an anthem for elementary school teachers who no longer give a fuck.
Sick Thoughts: Fat Kid With a 10 Inch [Slovenly]
Every time I go to write about Drew Owen, I always want to start by talking about how he's released a million records already in 2014 and, lo and behold, here's another one. Look, I know. We all get it at this point. Dude makes a lot of records. Awesomely, though, they just keep getting better. Fat Kid With a 10 Inch features Sick Thoughts' best songs yet (and also his worst artwork).
His heart's full of hate and he's sexually frustrated, but while he's singing about needing a fresh pair of jeans on "Cream", he's also churning through some of his catchiest material yet. There's an awesome guitar solo at the end of "Try Not To", which actually comes as a surprise. Terminal Teen Age was strong because it was loud and fast; its strength came from Owen's belligerent churn of power chords and swamp man vocals. This record suggests that his sound is evolving beyond that template while still offering a heap of garage punk comfort food. Now somebody get this man some fresh jeans.
Gino and the Goons: Shake It! [Slovenly]
Last year, Tampa's Gino and the Goons released a massively overlooked 12" of scuzzy, party-ready rock'n'roll. It featured two key instructions on the cover: play it at 45, and play it loud. Their new album on Slovenly, once again, should be blasted. These are barroom bashers, tracks with muscle sung by multiple dudes. They bust out handclaps and imprecise power chords on a song called "Sex, Drugs & Paranoia". Maybe this is just the post-Gonerfest influence talking, but it's an album that reminds me of the Gizmos. Also, after Buck Biloxi and the Fucks and Lilith Velkor, this marks the third column in a row I've written about a record featuring a song called "I Don't Care". Strange coincidence, or popular sentiment among slacker youths?
The Barreracudas: "Promises" 7" [Oops Baby]
The Barreracudas' debut 2011 album Nocturnal Missions was awesome. "Baby Baby Baby" is, arguably, the best Cheap Trick song you'll hear this side of 2010. Especially if you enjoyed the classic rock radio immediacy of Rips, you should listen to that record. Their new 7" is yet another power pop success story. "Promises" is an undeniably catchy bubblegum rocker for the ages full of cocky assertions and chintzy phrases like "I got a pocket full of quarters now and I'm your Donkey Kong."
Aquarian Blood: Aquarian Blood [Zap Cassettes]
Aquarian Blood, live, are a six-person Memphis band. On their self-titled Zap tape, it's just husband-and-wife duo J.B. Horrell (Ex-Cult) and Laurel Ferdon (ex-Nots, Moving Finger). Goner describe it as cult hippie punk, which I'd agree with—it's sludgy, spooky shit where tracks like "Ugly Monster" and "Intruder, Leave Immediately!" are a perfect soundtrack for your scumbag Halloween party. It's plenty aggressive, and it's really funny, too ("Vote for the Mayor of Fucktown"). It's a limited pressing of 100 tapes, so do yourself a favor and grab one.
Strawberry Jacuzzi: Love Is For Suckers [Grabbing Clouds]
"You belong in Lincoln Park and I'm at home in a dirty bathroom," sing Strawberry Jacuzzi. This is a pure punk rock sentiment for a Chicago band. Lincoln Park is through-and-through gentrified—the place where you go to buy too-expensive groceries or visit Best Buy. On "Bucket of Puke", it's used as a term of derision—a way of separating the hoity-toity from people who actually have to struggle to get by. Strawberry Jacuzzi are a band of scrappers, and with Love Is For Suckers—their tape of muscular pop songs where love is A) destined to fail and B) for suckers, duh—you can't help but root for them over their silver spoon adversaries.
Also Worth Hearing: The new album from Grand Rapids trio Heaters (via dizzybird); the latest LP from Sydney's Low Life (via R.I.P Society); the self-titled new one from the Monsieurs (via Slovenly).