Shake Appeal is a column that highlights new garage and garage-adjacent releases. This time, Evan Minsker looks at records by together PANGEA and Pookie and the Poodlez. But first, an homage to the late Travis Jackson.
Late Wednesday night, Travis Jackson was killed. He was the founder of Windian Records and the drummer in the D.C. garage punk outfit the Points. He was a construction worker and was struck in a collision while on the job, The Washington Post reports.
It's horrible news. I didn't know Travis personally outside a few brief email exchanges. He sent me some unsolicited vinyl a couple times, which was hugely appreciated since he was behind one of the most underrated rock'n'roll record labels of the past five years. The label put out some incredible new records (Spider Fever) and reissued tons of archival punk gems. He was an absolutely ferocious drummer. He will be missed.
A fund has been set up to assist his wife Ashley and his son Link. Contribute here.
Windian still has a few records forthcoming, but here's a Spotify playlist featuring some of the label's best tracks to date (including the Points' "Shout!"). Listen here.
Here's Jackson performing with the Points:
together PANGEA: Badillac [Harvest]
California shredders together PANGEA are back with their latest album (and their first with the word "together" in the band name). Awesomely titled Badillac, it's exactly the ripper you'd expect from these dudes. When they turn the volume up, they go over the top, screaming over fuzz-thickened guitars and a belligerent drum attack. On the title track, things get markedly quieter—though the drums smack just as hard. It's actually a record that's catchy and hi-fi enough that it sounds like it could feasibly cross over. And then that notion goes away on "Sick Shit", when William Keegan sings about his flaccid penis.
together PANGEA: "Badillac" on SoundCloud.
Pookie and the Poodlez: The Last Thing I Did as a Teenager [Rubber Vomit]
The debut EP from Pookie and the Poodlez packs some sleazy glam pop that ought to appeal to any fans of the early Hunx & His Punx and Nobunny records. (The vinyl edition of this EP is out this week via Nobunny's label Rubber Vomit.) Trevor Straub has delivered eight songs—under two minutes a piece—of ridiculously catchy pop hooks. "If you wanna kiss me, baby, that's all right, but maybe I'm just too stoned right now," Straub (Pookie) sings on "Pookie Smoochez". Kissing, weed, distorted guitars, heavy percussion, and a handclap-ready pop tune. The whole thing smacks of "Hey Rocky", and along with the other six tracks on The Last Thing I Did as a Teenager, it's a great shot of sweet'n'sour rock'n'roll fun.