Shake Appeal is a column that highlights new garage and garage-adjacent music. This week, Evan Minsker breaks down Sick Thoughts' obscenely prolific 2014. He also looks at the new albums from Matthew Melton and the Memories.
In 2014, Sick Thoughts landed. Sure, Drew Owen's debut album Terminal Teen Age came out late last year, but it was 2014 when Baltimore's most rabid teenager truly made his mark. Each month, it seemed like he dropped a new reminder of his vicious, breakneck, ear-busting existence. There was the tape, the 10", the newly released "old stuff", and tons of singles. The guy was everywhere this year. Understandably, it's been hard to keep track of it all.
He's got a new 7" on Goner coming out and he's self-releasing a new demo from his new project. Via email, Owen helped map out an overview of his extensive output this year. Listen to his post-Terminal Teen Age output below, in (approximate) chronological order, along with some commentary from the man himself.
My Mess My Life [Dead Beat]: First demo pressed to wax. Just sounds like a shitty Reatards cover band. Record label guy begged me to put it. Before I learned to write good songs.
"I Got Hands" [Hidden Volume]: Cock rock 7 inch about jacking off. On a Mod/garage/soul revival beat thing label. Punk b-side. Dunkin Donuts colors. Glam punk.
"Hate You So" [Zaxxon]: Little EP where I was still writing "garage punk" "Reatards ripoffs" bullshit. Good sound. Best Necros cover ever. Maumee4Life.
Wanna Be Your Dog EP [Ken Rock]: From the glorious Ken Rock. Wrote all songs on a cheap synthesizer while listening to the Latin Dogs and then stuffed a Stooges cover as the A-side to alienate you further.
"I Wanna Hate" [Goodbye Boozy]: Marks the beginning of my better records. Learned how to properly play everything and record. Three ripoff covers. Two songs of hate.
"Coming Over" [Going Underground]: Recorded on a handheld tape player live. Pop punk GG Allin noise.
"Moral Sickness" [Blast Of Silence]: My Finnish hate. Clean jangly hardcore shit. Lots of gauze influence on here. First pressing was fucked up, so second pressing coming soon with new sleeve and a new song from the sessions.
Last Beat Of Death [Minas World]: A big fuck you to Dead Beat Records. Rerecorded versions of songs from the first LP, and some other good songs. Got really into noise punk like the Wankys and shit when I recorded this. So much better than my earlier shit. Italian repress coming soon.
"Human Garbage Disposal" (Gizmos cover) [Goner]: Eric at Goner asked me to do a cover of the Gizmos for Gonerfest 11. After he asked me, I recorded it immediately. Recorded on a 4 track. One of my favorite tracks from all the KBD records.
"パンクを殺す" [Episode Sounds]: Translates to murder punk. Japanese import. Fold out sleeve/poster. Three songs, covers all bases here. Garage, hardcore, techno synth sludge metal.
You Won't Get Through EP [Fuck CDs]: From my rock brother Joni Ekman of the Achtungs. He was so nice to put this out. More moody punk and pop to satisfy you you you.
Fat Kid With a Ten Inch [Slovenly/Black Gladiator]: Straight up 70s punk shit. Not really on this tip on anymore. Homage to LiveFastDie.
"Beat on Beat" [Goner]: My best 7 inch yet. Seriously the best songs I wrote yet. Goner is the best. Buy or die.
Glassboots: "I Want to Wear You" [Gux]: Glassboots is a new band. I'm playing guitar and singing in with two of my other friends from Baltimore. According to other people we sound like Fang or Brainbombs. All I'm trying to do is play riffs so many times that people get sick of it.
Gux is my new label. Looking to release a bunch of tapes and records. Mostly my own stuff, but some other good local bands and friends stuff. Glassboots' four-song demo 7" is the first release. It was scheduled for release in early 2015, but I lost some money repairing gear, so I have to save a bit before I can get them pressed.
Matthew Melton: Outside of Paradise [Southpaw]
Matthew Melton is one of the West Coast garage scene's greatest drama kings. He swooned, his voice coy and fragile, on Warm Soda's "Young Reckless Hearts". On stage—with no shirt, a leather jacket, a grade-A mustache, and a twinkle in his eye—he falls to his knees and plays a solo like a cartoon rock star would. He's gone solo once again with Outside of Paradise, and he hasn't lost that knowing twinkle in his eye. There's a song called "Take My Hand", and sure enough, he wants you to reach out and have an adventure with him. These are pop narratives delivered by a star student in the art of bubblegum, but Melton also sounds unsettled and uneasy throughout the album. His voice echoes, his guitar rips, and his often sunny garage pop melodies are cut with woe. Suddenly, everything sounds bleary; clearly, this ain't paradise.
The Memories: Hot Afternoon [Burger]
The Memories cover Daniel Johnston's "True Love Will Find You in the End" on their new album, which is one of the most aesthetically appropriate, thoroughly logical decisions this band has made to date. Like Johnston, the Memories make pop music with a minimal approach. Their love songs are sweet (if sexually charged). And here's the best surprise of all: Their reading of the Johnston classic is a somewhat ambitious showing from the band, with understated guitar solos and vocal layering. In many ways, not much has changed for the Memories on Hot Afternoon. This is breezy, goofy music about falling in love, getting high, and having fun. But their delivery here feels more classic—their guitar work indebted to 1970s radio rock, their percussion more assertive. They're still high, and they've recorded some of their best songs to date.
Also Worth Hearing: Libido by the Fayetteville, Arkansas band Ten High.