No major blocks of text this time around, but I just wished to highlight one of the better new records I have heard this year from this Melbourne band as we approach the midway mark of year 24. Overall their sound jumps right out of the speakers somewhere between the Chills, the Clean, the Apples in Stereo, EZTV and early Teenage Fanclub. My favorites are where they pick up the pace and cut down the meanderings and go into a sort of Ramones-mode. “Precious Things” follows Joey back to the “7-11” and the riveting “Live Without” is top level stripped-down rock‘n’roll excellence somewhere between Hunx and His Punx and the Lifeforms. “Everything & Co.” stomps like the Troggs (on their album with R.E.M.), while flowing along like my favorite current Italian band Hakan.
I did listen to their previous record, 2019’s Show Me and It’s a Sign is meters/miles ahead in production, execution and delivery. I hope they will continue to make every song as propulsive, poppy and catchy as the aforementioned and keep leaning towards the Ramones and step off the Pavement. However, I understand their need for contrast and appeal somewhat to the ‘90s revival. Time will tell where they will go next. For now, they have some standout songs that coincide with my favorite cover art of the year.
Musical trends come and go and sometimes return, but Yea-Ming and the Rumours have been playing the long-game and it can be heard with their immediate, yet enduring country & folk-tinged Pacific Coast pop. Their sounds evoke universal moods and feelings usually regulated to the night, fleeting moments and the half-remembered halcyon days of yore. While being mostly unsung, they just keep playing here and there and attracting more listeners and attention with each show they play and record they release. They approach music with an enthusiasm that acknowledges there is a first time for everything and everyone, while addressing life’s continually changing circumstances within a timeless sound.
Besides Yea-Ming's remarkable vocals (which are in high demand among groups recording in the San Francisco Bay Area) the other distinguishing aspects are the befitting lap steel guitar playing of Eóin Galvin along with their intertwined Fender Stratocasters. When it comes to instantly appealing and lasting pop they could be the West Coast equivalent to Cut Worms. Additionally, the economical and catchy nature of the songs seem to parallel the work of fellow Bay Area musician Tony Molina. In fact, a majority of the album was mixed by Jasper Leach, who has played extensively on Tony Molina recordings. Matt Bullimore (the Mantles) once again provided the mastering.
L to R: Luke Robbins (drums), Eóin Galvin (lead guitar, lap steel), Jen Weisberg (bass) Yea-Ming Chen (vocals, guitar) Photo by Corey Poluk
Spanning the Globe
One could say that Yea-Ming has developed quite the compelling stylistic approach, but it seems like she has always inherently had it. Most significant is her ability to distill things down to the elements in order to express the essence and in turn create her own world. On their third album, they bring their sound to new hushed and intimate places, while maintaining the overall continuity with the sounds and themes of their two previous albums. Sonically, they retain their overall sunny and ringing sound that contrasts and complements the shrouded, murky and amorphous art-pop cassette sounds of Cindy, Flowertown and Tony Jay. While the Bay Area pop scene is currently thriving (some call it a pop renaissance) with many cross-currents and collaborations, it could be stated that Yea-Ming and the Rumours are still in a realm by themselves somewhat like the Aislers Set were 25 years ago. This approach connects them to ardent listeners both within the Byzantine Bay Area and to lands far beyond.
Artwork by Yea-Ming Layout by Chris Appelgren
The spare “Pretending” starts things off in a Velvet Underground “Sunday Morning” way. While the title track “I Can’t Have it All” is said to be directly inspired by Yo La Tengo’s cover of George McCrae’s “You Can Have it All,” I can also hear a nod to the Jesus and Mary Chain’s Darklands, which seems to be an underlying, if somewhat subliminal influence throughout the album. The uptempo and cheery “Ruby” is definitely not the Kenny Rogers and the First Edition song with its graceful descending melody that belies its very pointed lyrics. Eóin Galvin’s lap steel playing and stellar solo takes center stage on the standout country shuffle “I Tried to Hide.” Thunder rumbles off in the mountainous distance as the percussion summons the forces of nature. The high lonesome number also features effortless backing vocals cascading down by bass player (and visual artist) Jen Weisberg.
Their familiar blanketing sound expands out to include some new subtle shifts and inflection points. Pastoral and lovely lyrics of canyons and trees adorn the stirring “Big Blue Sea.” Yea-Ming’s transporting vocals float over churning layers of strummy jangle still resonating from Softies records. Underneath the sun-lit melodies and the rolling waves of percussion is an appeal for the human obligation to help and assist those crying out to us in myriad ways.
The big production number “Can We Meet in the Middle” brings to mind the Shangri-Las, the Gentle Waves and the aforementioned Darklands-era Jesus and Mary Chain. The incorporation of strings also recall those lavishly orchestrated Marianne Faithfull mid-60s albums like Faithfull Forever. The rustic, yet snappy “Before I Make It Home” is a hidden gem buried midway through side 2 of the album. The twangy guitar and organ embellishments evoke those searing September & October days when summer refuses to fade away in California. Luke Robbins' rollicking drumming kicks up the fallen leaves along with literal and figurative notions of home. The forlorn protagonist is at a significant crossroads, (aka out to sea or the wilderness years) in a Lady Bird-like movie of the mind.
Regeneration
Their current live set closer “Somebody’s Daughter” is one of their thickest sounding-recordings, however it does not relinquish any of the exquisite charm that imbues their sound. The song rides the rails of the pedal steel guitar towards a big ending of buoyant backing vocals worthy of Stereolab combined with the famous rhythmic pattern that announce the arrival of “Be My Baby.” It’s a strong arrangement led by irresistible melodies calling to return to the world anew with an open heart. This approach may require reapproaching life with fewer expectations, many less assumptions and appreciating things along the way. Connecting the prosaic to the otherworldly, “Alice Sings” contains a languid guitar solo reminiscent of “Pale Blue Eyes”-era Velvet Underground, while the lyrics gently remind of the calm that may descend when pursuing the arts. “Pretending Reprise” echoes the ethereal side of the Velvet Underground once again. This time around the tune is played acoustically and the tempo is slowed to a “I’m Sticking With You” rate.
Delicate Dance
With the reprise of "Pretending," Yea-Ming has reached the other shore. Her music speaks to the present moment, while also courageouly seeking understanding. Between the musical layers are lyrics expressing the continual reconciliation of competing priorities as well as acknowledging disillusionment in order to avoid being overtaken by seemingly Sisyphean tasks. Accordingly, these experiences may provide the perspective and fortitude to approach oncoming challenges with finesse, wisdom and equanimity. While getting from here to there does not happen overnight, these reckonings have spurred their most cohesive album of heartfelt songs about heartbreak. I Can't Have It All is the captivating and human-scaled soundtrack to these ongoing efforts.
Interviews
Reaching Out to Eóin Galvin (Lead Guitar, Lap Steel Guitar)
What make and model of lap steel guitar do you play?
I play a Teisco H-8S (backwards in a made-up tuning). It's a Japanese 8-string lap steel from the 1960s. It is strung right-handed but played left-handed (that is, left hand plucks, right hand holds the steel bar with lower pitched strings farther away, higher pitched strings nearer). The tuning is (low to high) E - B - C# - E - G# - B - E - G. As far as I know, I am the only one who uses this particular tuning. I wanted to have two different major and minor triads without slanting the bar. (That said, I immediately started slanting the bar, having no one to teach me otherwise.) The slide I use is a Shubb-Pearse SP-1 steel (double-cut, semi-bullet tip, pre-2011 chromed brass) It's a bit longer than other steels, to cover all 8 strings. I do not use finger picks.
It’s hard to tell from live video recordings, but it appears that you don’t plug in your lap steel and/or it does not have an output. I take it that the overhead mic is sufficient to amplify the sound in a clattering live setting? Any elaboration on your set-up would be appreciated.
I will take that as a compliment about the tone sounding natural and dynamic! Since I play a right-handed instrument left-handed, the output may be hard to see beneath my left hand. These days I play directly (i.e., - no pedals or other effects) through a Fender Blues Deluxe, though for many years I played through a Roland KC-100 keyboard amp. I have the amp set pretty cleanly with a bit of reverb to allow for dynamics and tone in the playing to come through. For years I have debated adding a volume pedal, but have so far resisted. Local pedal steel player Jacob Aranda advised me against a volume pedal, saying it was a crutch I didn't need.
When did you start playing the lap steel guitar? It also appears that you might also have a jazz guitar and/or classical guitar background. Is there any validity to this assumption? AllMusic (Mark Deming) stated that you played with the B-Sides along with Readyville (who Yea-Ming cited in our 2020 interview).
I started playing lap steel around 2002 in the band Readyville. My friend and longtime collaborator Nick Palatucci had been writing songs and I was helping arrange them. The idea was that country music had a tradition of complex, clever, emotional lyrics that might be out of place in other genres. I found my lap steel in a used music store in Berkeley, CA for $200. I was not able to find anyone giving lessons (and YouTube was some years away) so I made up a tuning and started playing. As a duo, there was no room to hide, so the choices had to be thoughtful, definite, and fit the song. I felt comfortable on lap steel very quickly - I was writing parts and performing within the first two months.
More broadly, I am from a large, musical family and grew up with piano lessons and singing in the school choir. For my 12th birthday, I begged for a guitar and took weekly lessons, starting with Nirvana's Unplugged in New York. In high school, I started playing in the school's excellent jazz band and in a series of very short-lived indie and punk bands with friends. The highpoints of my guitar "background", such as it is, were high school summers at the Stanford Jazz Workshop. It was the kind of place that shows you exactly where you are as a musician. I had a good ear, solid music theory, and decidedly less virtuosity than, say, the second best guitar player from Danville (who was excellent). Among all that talent, commitment, and drive, I got a glimpse of what it would really take to play jazz at a professional level and saw that I was not sufficiently passionate about jazz to continue on to a music school. This also freed me from an unconscious, nebulous standard of what a "real" musician is. I started to trust my own taste and not worry about demonstrating some imagined required prowess.
With apologies to Mark Deming, I was NOT in the B-sides. I suspect the confusion comes from my overlap with other bands and musicians. In high school, my friends and I started a pop-punk band - the Kablamies. Two of the Kablamies, Nick Palatucci and Tim "Tym" Barber, played in the B-Sides, though I did not. Later, Nick and I played as a duo called Readyville. My best guess is that Nick and my prior bands were conflated at some point.
For what it's worth, the main timeline for my bands*:
~1997 - 1999 -- The Kablamies (vocals, harmony vocals, guitar)
~2013 - present -- Yea-Ming and the Rumours (harmony vocals, guitar, lap steel)
*more than 10x performances, recordings released in some format
I started performing with Yea-Ming as a duo under her name for a year or two before a full band was added and the name became "Yea-Ming and the Rumours." I consider myself the first Rumour. I would like to mention that all the Rumours, past and present, have led their own bands. Besides the quality of the musicians, I think players leading their own projects, counter-intuitively, contributes to the unified sound Yea-Ming achieves. Having other outlets allows our work in the Rumours to better focus on Yea-Ming's intentions. As song-writers and band leaders, Yea-Ming chose musicians who all play to the song rather than themselves. The real trick Yea-Ming has mastered is managing a band of strongly opinionated musicians with clarity and grace. For more than a decade she has balanced collaboration with clear authority while remaining a joy to work with.
Advice and/or beginners tips to those who are interested in learning the steel guitar?
Just start. Don't worry about gear, just get your hands on something with strings and a smooth object to slide along them. If a lap steel is not an option, a regular guitar can be converted with an extension nut for a few dollars. These days there are tons of videos and materials for common tunings, if that is how you learn. If not, feel free to make up a tuning that works for you. For me, a working understanding of basic music theory is immensely helpful. Knowing how intervals and chords work will save you time and trouble.
Do you also play pedal steel?
I wish! As a left handed guitar player, pedal steel would require either switching my hands for rhythm and pitch or a custom made guitar. The pedals and levers are on the wrong side for me and can not easily be reversed. That said, I appreciate the limits of a lap steel and would not trade my experience so far.
Who are your favorite lap steel guitar players (both current and past)? (They can also be pedal steel players:)
If I'm honest, I have only very basic knowledge of steel players in general - please forgive anyone I am overlooking. For greats of the past, the first few I heard (and loved) were probably the same ones everyone has heard, whether they realize it or not.
Jerry Byrd (lap and pedal steel giant in both country and Hawaiian music) Don Helms (Hank Williams' pedal steel player) Frank Ferera (Hawaiian/jazz guitar legend I found through his work with Annette Hanshaw) Ralph Mooney (the "Bakersfield Sound" innovator who played with everyone in California from Buck Owens through Merle Haggard). Alvino Ray (the inventor and jazz/experimental pedal steel player I found through his work with Esquivel!)
Sadly, I am especially bad at keeping up with current music.The three that come to mind are Melvin Duffy (pedal steel player for First Aid Kit), Junior Brown (the only 8-string lap steel player on these lists), local players Jacob Aranda and Vic Wong. Among non-steel guitar players, I most admire David Rawling (Gillian Welch's guitar player).
What are some of your favorite recordings that feature the lap steel as lead and/or accompaniment?
Another tricky question. Here are some examples to start: "Nobody's Fool But Yours" by Buck Owens (Ralph Mooney on steel) "Emmylou" by First Aid Kit (Melvin Duffy on steel) "Wailana Waltz" by Frank Ferera "April in Paris" covered by Vic Wong Checking in with Yea-Ming Chen (Guitar, Vocals, Keys)
Congratulations on your third full-length record and more than 10 years together as a band. Approximately what month/season and year did the Rumours begin in your estimation?
Thank you, Ted!
Haha! I hate thinking about how long something has lasted but since you ask, according to my Gmail account, I started playing with Eóin Galvin in March of 2013 when I decided to “go solo” and was looking for an outlet to play some of my quieter folkier songs. But as my brain works, that need to play only quiet songs never lasts long, and a full band was formed quickly after that to help play the faster songs.
Can you briefly introduce your new rhythm section?
Yes! Jen Weisberg is our current bass player for the live band and has a beautiful, unique and extremely special voice and I just love singing with her. Her memory for melody is insane. She fronts a band called Hits and is an amazing songwriter herself. She also happens to be my favorite visual artist/painter. I am very moved by all the work that she does.
Luke Robbins is a great songwriter and fast learning multi-instrumentalist playing in a bunch of local bands like R.E. Seraphin, Latitude, Aerosols as well as one of my new projects called RYLI. He is currently playing drums for the Rumours’ live line-up but first showed up in the Rumours right after Jen was recruited to be the new bass player but was unavailable for the next show. Luke stepped in to play bass for that show which is also when I wrote “Pretending” and I loved what he was doing so much, I asked him to play bass on “Pretending” and “Pretending Reprise” on the new record. I liked playing with him so much that when our original drummer Sonia moved to Sacramento, it only made sense to ask him how he felt about playing drums. He shows up on the record as a drummer on “I Tried To Hide” (featuring Jen’s beautiful vocals) and “Before I Make It Home” and nails them both, but I especially love the energy he brings to the latter.
The track sequencing is especially effective on the new album. Is this something you decide individually or collectively as a group?
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you appreciate it. Honestly, I usually let someone else do it for me, but on this one, I worked it out obsessively on my own which might have taken way too many days. However, I did ask Luke to take a listen to the sequence and confirm on whether or not it was okay. When he approved it was when I felt 100% sure it was correct.
Did you have an aha moment and/or turning point in the making of this album?
Yes! My aha moment was when I wrote “Pretending.” Though short, that song describes the turning point in my mental state, a sudden understanding of my unhealthy habits, and how I want to live my life going forward.
Was this past January (2024) the band’s first time playing at Gilman Street?
Yes! It was not the first time I played Gilman but the first time the band played at Gilman. Unfortunately, Eóin was on a camping trip and Bobby who runs Dandy Boy Records (the show was a Dandy Boy Records showcase) insisted we play anyway as a trio. It was super fun, but there definitely felt like an essential element was missing because Eóin wasn’t there. I vow never to be that “naked” on stage again.
Any words of wisdom/advice/encouragement that you would like to offer younger musicians just getting started?
Don’t let perfectionism (and the negativity that comes with it) get in the way of putting your stuff out there. I feel like I spent a lot of my former years not giving myself permission because I wasn’t SOMETHING enough. F*CK THAT. Surround yourself with supportive people and gracefully ignore the ones that don’t.
In a recent podcast interview you mentioned Teenage Fanclub, What is your favorite Teenage Fanclub song?
My favorite TFC song is "Baby Lee" off of Shadows which I think may or may not be a “deep cut.” I just love the simplicity of the song and the desperateness and purity in the line: “They had me in mind when they designed you.” That line kills me every time!
What are some of the other groups/albums/songs that directly or indirectly influenced this album (besides Yo La Tengo and Camera Obscura listed in press materials)?
Hmmm there is so much and I generally gravitate to really great songwriting, but the bands/artists that have probably most influenced my songwriting are:
Velvet Underground (always), all of Greg Cartwright’s projects (Compulsive Gamblers/Reigning Sound), Belle and Sebastian, Camera Obscura’s side project TracyAnne and Danny, Broadcast, Guided By Voices, Jeff Tweedy and Wilco, Bill Callahan, all of David Berman’s projects, Cate Le Bon, Kevin Morby, Cass McCombs, Tony Molina, Big Thief and Mitski. Also, I’m not too snobby to stay that I still love The Beatles and go back to my love for them and their individual solo projects ALL THE TIME.
What has been inspiring you outside of music?
I’m still obsessed with the anti-heroine story that is rarely told in fiction. I ravage those stories. I’m currently obsessed with Sally Rooney’s writing and books and can’t wait for her new book to arrive on my bookshelf. A lot of people hate shows like Girls because they “can’t stand the characters.” But I feel like society has been obsessed with bad/imperfect men forever, and the “bad female” character story is never told except as auxiliary characters. There is something sexist about that, I’m not sure what it is. I think we want our women to fit in a neat polite box or a neat sexy box, etc and men are constantly being adored for being shitty in stories (e.g., Don Draper in Mad Men). I think being shitty happens and is human and part of a lot of people’s journeys. I’m not saying we should be unkind people (we should certainly be kind)… but if we are going into the depths of someone’s character, can we do it everywhere? Some people hate Sally Rooney’s stories for the same reasons as the above, but I adore them and am willing to admit to being inspired by them. I love a human story of imperfections; probably because I live with so much regret.
Any aspirations or goals to play in Taiwan/Japan/South Korea/Philippines since these countries are only an airline flight away from San Francisco?
I would love to play in Taiwan/Japan/South Korea/Phillipines but especially Taiwan since that is where my family is from. It’s definitely a dream of mine, but financially it’s not something I’m sure I can do and feels very far off. If the perfect opportunity ever arises tho, I would not hesitate to take it.
When it comes to Resonars reviews there are always the requisite mentions of the Hollies swirling about. However, Matt Rendon brings in a large array of influences that are as deep as the copper mines and wide as the cinematic horizons of Southern Arizona. There is probably a good chance that the Captain Nemo album by the Sundowners has been in his collection for years along with Columbia 45s by the Black Sheep, who were the psych-pop pride of La Cañada Flintridge, CA in 1966-67. On Electricity Plus, the Hollies do remain a major component along with an affinity for the Beach Boys and Raspberries when it comes to vocal harmonies. I also detect as an oft-overlooked, but slight Tommy James influence on the lead vocals. The surging instrumentation continues to draw upon the searing sounds of the Yardbirds and the flash of the Who with subliminal embellishments provided by countless stacks of records from across continents, genres and decades.
Pleasant and Enjoyable
Rendon has long cracked the code on succinct psychedelic garage pop by funneling his influences into indelible songs of 2-3 minutes that are entirely his own. On tracks 3 and 4, the record settles in and hums along in typical Resonars fashion. “Spidery Light” has that jolly Roger McGuinn-ish cadence, while “Sure As Shooting” abounds with their signature big hooks, catchy choruses and soaring harmonies. Another Resonars album to go along with “No Exit” from 2019 and 2020’s “Disappear” would have been most welcomed in the context of a world that has long knocked itself way out of balance, however it’s something else to be caught by complete surprise with Electricity Plus.
Detour
“One Nobody Knows” instantly placed a big smile on my face with its slight disco beat and its entirely new direction for a Resonars song. It’s the catchiest and possibly the most ambitious song of this decade and provides liftoff for the entire album. Imagine the Three Degrees meeting the Wondermints under the management and direction of Eric Carmen before Shel Talmy stops by Rendon’s Midtown Island recording studio to discuss the proper incorporation of strings. “One Nobody Knows” is a faithful vow to ‘70s AM Top 40 that is not only powerful pop, but also soulful perfect pop. This defining moment evokes the same sunniness as riding in my parents' 1968 Javelin with the big WIBC Indianapolis continually playing “Don’t Rock the Boat” by the Hues Corporation and “Love Will Keep Us Together” by Captain & Tennille.
Stealing the Show
The propulsive percussion continues on “Easy to Be Found” with harmonies that radiate out in all directions and commands attention with its guitar-driven glory. The innovative “At Journey’s End” is an entirely new sonic structure erected between the experimentation of Butterscotch Cathedral, the blazing Crummy Desert Sound and the ramshackle eclecticism of the second Leaves album. Perhaps all this adventurousness was inspired by Rendon returning to tour Spain in fall of 2023. Bring on the Gregorian chant next time around!
Tucson Modernisme
For those who have been listening since the ‘90s, Rendon has retooled, reimagined and reconceptualized his already successful approach. In other words, Rendon had erected new walls of guitars and dig-dugged tunnels of sound that connect the ‘60s and his previous releases to this still undefined age of the mid-20s. With this trio of songs, he has cleared an already high bar, while providing a countervailing sound in response to this current era of constant distraction.
Sealing the Win
The album then gets heavy in a good way, while maintaining its forward momentum. “It’s the Same” needs both a voltmeter and seismometer with the taut and coiling guitars and earth-shaking percussion. “Little Grey Man” melds “It Can Happen” by Yes (Yes, I wrote that) and “La La La” by the Cavedogs topped off by a dash of MC5’s “Looking at You," while the drilling guitars create new subterranean passages. The album arrives at its destination with the brilliant “I’ll Get By” which could be described as the Gants or the Knickerbockers incorporating a clave rhythm.
Above All
Rendon has taken his own route away from the path of least resistance, which leads him to explore different hues, gradiations and dynamics on Electricity Plus. The highly-attuned musician is steeped in multiple eras and across a vast expanse of sonic projects. In fact, make sure you see and hear his formidable drumming for the Freezing Hands. Nine albums are extremely hard to make without repeating oneself to eventually diminishing returns. All of the previous Resonars recordings are essential for reaching this current peak. Equally important, Redon also displays the “Pet Sounds” courage to break away from what has successfully worked in the past. He proves his sounds are still open to experimentation and further advancement. By going into the unknown and doing something he has not previously done, it has allowed Rendon to surpass all expectations.
Surf and Hot Rod harmonies can be as daunting as approaching a 50 foot wave. Accordingly, there have only been a handful of bands (the Chesterfield Kings, Fortune & Maltese, the Untamed Youth from the U.S. and Japan’s Charlie & the Hot Wheels) that have risen to the challenge and pulled off the feat during the ‘90s. Notably, it was mostly groups from outside the surf state that excelled at the California vocal sound. Daytonas were also a first-rate instrumental band that were able to strike the perfect tone that crowned them as the successors to the Chantays and slotted them with top-tier contemporaries like the Huntington Cads. Furthermore, it’s amazing they released this album in 1993-an entire year before the Pulp Fiction soundtrack arguably launched the third wave surf revival of the mid-'90s. They also continued the grand surf vocals tradition of Bruce & Terry, Fantastic Baggys, the Sunrays, Ronny & Daytonas, the Astronauts and those Pendleton-wearing kids from Hawthorne-the Beach Boys. Brothers were also involved as the Daytonas featured Jack Fjellgren (drums) and Klas Fjellgren (guitar), Lars Lindberg (bass), Patrick Hammarsten (keyboards) along with ex-Stomachmouths, the Livingstones Lars Kjellén (lead vocals, guitar). Somehow, someway, this group and their music, so perfectly evocative of the Pacific Coast, made its way across the Atlantic from such an unlikely locale as Stockholm, Sweden. Their debut Ready Set Go! perfectly introduces their sound built on lavish reverb, soaring harmonies and precious remnants of '60s surf culture.
Switching Tracks
Covers such as “Geronimo” by Jon & the Nightriders are indicative of their deep knowledge of surf instrumental music, while original vocals numbers “I Love California” (composed by Lars Kjellén) declare their yearning for the Golden State. This standout is reminiscent of the early Barracudas and features a captivating organ solo on par with “Kind of a Drag” by the Buckinghams before floating into space like “Telstar.” Across the record, their guitars sparkle like sunlight reflecting off the onrushing sea. Ready Set Go! also includes the charging “Go!” which also led off the outstanding instrumental compilation Beyond the Beach that was released by Upstart in 1994. I used to start my college radio show with “Go!” from the aforementioned compilation. I didn’t think I ever needed to hear another cover of “Hawaii Five-O,” but when the Daytonas’ version burst from the speakers sounding like it came from the Pacific shores of Peru with the organ prominently on the forefront, it quickly became my favorite rendition. Vocals numbers return with the title track “Ready Set Go,” that reimagines the Fantastic Baggys’ “Tell’em I’m Surfin,” while “Baked Beans & Chicken” features cool South of the Border guitars and lyrics highlighting hidden, but perilous surf spots under the Baja, California Sun.
Heights Attained
The Daytonas certainly deserved broader exposure during the brief time before “The Great Surf Crash of ‘97” when some surf outfits (e.g. the Bomboras) were even signed to major labels. The Fjellgren brothers went on to record what I consider to be the three best surf instrumental albums of Century 21 with the Surfites. Big Pounder, Escapades in Space and Surfites & Co. on Double Crown Records are remarkable achievements filled with rippling melodies that shift and swirl unpredictably like the sea itself. Additionally, these stellar records offer an impressive array of original instrumentals that are conversant with the many strains of ‘60s instrumental sounds (i.e. surf, R&B, biker fuzz, space, Euro-twang) and delivered with an emphasis on melody and total attention to tone. Today, their legend lives on through their recordings. Ready Set Go! allows listeners to hear where it all began when an unlikely, but determined group of Swedes were able to momentarily recapture the elusive California Dream.
L to R: Lars Lindberg (bass), Lars Kjellén (guitar, vocals) Jack Fjellgren (drums), Klas Fjellgren (guitar) and Patrick Hammarsten (keyboards).
For 25 years, Tetsuko have presented a highly original and distinctive sound with seemingly no readily apparent influences. Art rock undercurrents along the lines of Talking Heads, Sparks, Roxy Music and Haruomi Hosono/Yellow Magic Orchestra may be detected, but their overall sound waves are undeniably pop. This makes sense as they started as a Beatles cover band in 1995. In fact, Reiko 渡邊玲子 has been playing with drummer Yasuyo 関安代 since junior high. The current lineup came together in 1999 at a Kyoto college with bassist Yoko 野瀬陽子 joining Reiko and Yasuyo.
The trio achieves the tricky balance of aligning a churning rhythm section with Reiko’s charging guitar and charming vocals. They demonstrate their dexterity with dashing twists and turns through sparkling pop that most reminds me of Palomar or Kabochack. The band continuously punches above their weight and whips up an enlarged sound that is both enduring and appealing due to care they place in harmonies and arrangements. The last two years have been filled with momentum as they were headlining stars of Mike Rogers’ 2023 Japan Indies Music Awards that took place at the world famous Shibuya Milky Way Showroom in Tokyo. Further, 2024 has brought the worldwide release of Curl, which could be considered their catchiest, thickest sounding and most cohesive release of their long career.
Ladies First
The album opens in a big way with the seemingly detached trio coming together quickly in musical confluence. “Holy Girl, Tetsuko'' sprints out with a verse that echoes “Summer Means Fun” by Bruce and Terry before bursting into a top-of-the-world melody that could be a theme to a Japanese TV show. “15000th Time” is a floor shifting new wave number topped off with a chorus that seems actually inspired by “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper. One of their most daring numbers “Permanent,” is pulled off by their finesse along with the telepathy they have established by playing together for 25 years. It's almost Zappa-esque in its amorphous shape shifting and interludes of wooziness fastened by keyboard lines evocative of "Pop Goes the World" by Men Without Hats. It rates up there with “End of Philosophy” from their 2013 candy guitar ep or Ambassador アンバサダー from 2021's Perfect in terms of the band successfully stretching out.
At times the atmosphere they create evokes the one found in Yoko Ono’sApproximately Infinite Universe, while their songs adhere to Yoko’s songs on Double Fantasy, which more than hinted Yoko was paying attention to Blondie and the B-52's-who Yoko initially inspired in the first place! Following the delightful and brilliant wackiness, is the straightforward Shonen Knife-ish “BABY, BABY, BABY,” one of their several songs with “Baby” in its title. (The others being “my BABY” from 2019’s I Love You and the epic “BABY” found on 2017’s Eros mini-album.)
Tetsuko are conceptual artists that deliver exceptional goods. Further, they have always displayed a sense of dynamics in their concise and economical guitar-driven pop songs that efficiently motor along like a Honda Civic. Their latest Curl features a thicker, but not slicker sound along with some extra layers of sonic embellishments. Thankfully, the trio continue on as immediate and radiant as ever, while remaining the one and only Tetsuko.
Like Lou Reed (1942-2013), listeners are still trying to wrap their heads around the music and myths of American legend Alex Chilton (1950-2010). Both went through a myriad of artistic changes and phases in their career. One started in a cult famous band (the Velvet Underground) and transformed into a bigger solo star during the classic rock era. In contrast, Alex Chilton started right from the top with the enduring 1967 hit “The Letter.” After forming the critically acclaimed, but marketplace flops Big Star, he worked along the periphery as a solo performer, provocateur and producer of bands like the Cramps and the Royal Pendletons. While Alex and Lou’s career trajectories went in opposite directions, a majority of their music continues to not only endure, but somehow reveal additional layers of depth with each passing year. Lou Reed (as a person and performer) could be said to be a face changer (Bian Lian 變臉), while Alex Chlton seemed to be just enigmatic Chilton.
Alex was said to be petulant, mercurial and frustrating like a child, but also capable of numemous moments of brilliance and near genius. When he rose to the occasion and played up to his abilities, Chilton could overflow with joyous inspiration as he sang to his devoted audience and transfigured the moment like adult-child Brian Wilson. Appearance-wise Chilton was as handsome as Dennis Wilson and he could look so debonair like a soul deep and professorial Southern gentleman. Other times, he would wear shabby plain white t-shirts like the New York City cab driver he once was.
Alex Chilton & Dennis Wilson-1968 Beach Boys/Box Tops tour.
It has taken me almost 50 years to finally get into his untamed and unvarnished solo sides after growing up with the Box Tops on oldies radio and the requisite discovery of Big Star during my college years in the early '90s. I recall going to Tower Records in Chicago, which yielded Big Star's #1 Record/Radio City two-fer on CD and a copy ofthe revelatory Memphis ‘zine Wipe Out! Guide for Goners no. 6 besides being blown away seeing rack after rack of Ventures reissues from Japan.
Off the Cuff While many will say he squandered some of his immense talents, Chilton seemed to relish in venturing far off the musical rails and defying most expectations. However, he could quickly snap into the alignment when necessary due to those aforementioned talents and/or when it was necessary to make some money (as he would candidly admit in interviews about the Box Tops and Big Stars reunions). Still he seemed to have never left his wilderness years and appeared content to play music from time to time and flip channels between Walker, Texas Ranger and college basketball. This was the same artist who collaborated with photographer William Eggleston and created spiritual pop with Chris Bell! An any rate, it was all a part of what made Alex who he was along with his refreshing “Take It or Leave It" attitude.
Nevertheless, the spotty studio albums along with a protracted jumble of odds & ends from labels from all over the world continued to surface year after year. It was understandable when a friend declared, “I don’t go out of my way to seek out Alex Chilton solo albums, I let them come to me.” Still, Like Flies on Sherbert is a compelling stripped-down rock ‘n’ roll record and sounds nothing like 1980 (and 1980 was a pretty good year for music in general.) I would say age, additional exposure to music and hopefully some more wisdom regarding the human condition does certainly lead to the understanding and enjoyment of Chilton’s perennial messiness. By the way, you can hear the influence of the title track on Freezing Hands’ “High Diver!” found on their Empty the Tank album from 2023.
Electricity by Candlelight NYC 2/13/97 is Chilton’s own Beach Boys’ Party! moment that has him “preaching to the choir” with three Beach Boys numbers (“Wouldn't It Be Nice,” “Surfer Girl,” “Solar System”) who return the mutual love in return. You can hear the communion in the room by the sound of overflowing applause during this stretch of the show. (Remember that Chilton’s Box Tops toured with Beach Boys in 1967-68 and the Beach Boys’ own live 1967 cover of “The Letter” can be heard on Sunshine Tomorrow.) It was the right place at the right time as Chilton was in his impromptu comfort zone and electrifying as Reddy Kilowatts. This all-covers and acoustic recording is highly recommended when it comes to capturing absolute Alex and an overall majestic performance.
Alex also expressed his devotion to the Beach Boys after his remarkable April 1996 set with Teenage Fanclub in their Glasgow hometown when he thanks Carl, Dennis and Brian…and inexplicably Gene Krupa. With being the master of the straight-foward, endearing and catchy pure-pop song, Alex was embraced and adored by the shambolic Scottish pop scene. Teenage Fanclub and Alex Chilton made for quite a combination in the realm of guitar-driven pop. “Telstar” and “Have I the Right,”“Free Again” and “Patti Girl” by ‘60s Ohio kiddie band Garry and the Hornets were all part of the stellar set-list that night.
Chilton’s taste in music was undeniably Grade-A. Over the years, his expansive “human jukebox” repertoire ranged freely from the most unvarnished R&B, country shuffles, ‘70s soul and snotty garage punk of the Seeds to cosmopolitan classics like “Volaré,” “The Girl From Ipanema” along with the warmth of the Beach Boys. While sometimes criticized for “relying” heavily on covers, Alex was generously sharing his discoveries, recognizing the unsung and tapping his vast talents with his interpretations. In other words, his tastes were too universal and his passion too strong to be contained and listeners are all the better for it.
20 years earlier, Alex was seemingly in another one of his murky and makeshift phases of his life that lead to the gritty Ocean Club ‘77 performance. The February night show has Chilton fronting a trio with backing vocals & bass from Chris Stamey and Lloyd Fonoroff on drums. The Lower Manhattan Ocean Club was a bar, restaurant, and performance venue operated by Max's Kansas City owner Mickey Ruskin and was commonly known as simply, "The Ocean Club." The New York-area seemed to be a place where Chilton thrived as a live performer as evidenced from the raspy voiced performance of “The Letter” at The Bitter End* (*actually a soundstage in New Jersey) where he seemed to tap into his inner-Jim Morrison to his cover of “Duke of Earl” at Coney Island High in 1998 where you can detect his influence on Ted Leo.
In the Ocean Club ‘77 liner notes, Michael Hurtt articulately conveys the “crossroads” both New York City and Chilton were at in 1977. Hurtt writes that Chilton's particular stint in the city is crucial for “Revealing a hitherto unheard middle ground between pop perfection and rock ‘n’ roll iconoclasm.” On this night, Alex was generous with the Big Star songs that were then of recent vintage. At the time, “September Gurls,” “In the Street,”, “Back of a Car” “O My Soul” and “Way Out West” had yet to achieve their full exalted status. After a snarling and coiling version of the Seeds’ “Can’t Seem to Make You Mine," the trio unfolds “The Letter” which is reconfigured in a hard, heavy manner bordering on deconstruction.
Chilton 1977 at CBGB with Chris Stamey on bass
A heartfelt version of “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” brings California summer to the New York winter and is appropriately followed by “Way Out West.” The Memphis sound reappears with “She Might Look My Way.” This co-write with Tommy Hoehn would later surface on Chris Stamey’sGreat Escapealbum from 2023. The set surprisingly ends with a composition from Nelson Slater-one of Lou Reed’s old band buddies from Syracuse University. Reed produced Nelson’s Wild Angel album that was released by RCA in September 1976. Only Alex would choose to cover such marginal material that wasn’t even a year old. The Memphis trickster concludes by playing the unexpected wild card. On this night, he shattered expectations by presenting a well-balanced and diversified set with one foot in the past and one foot orientated towards the future as he embraced the moment.
Whatever prevailing winds were blowing through the music industry during his time, Chilton seemed smartly removed, nonchalant and unconcerned. He went against the grain of the music industry and also possibly against himself for better or worse. Being a musical force of nature often comes with a strong personality. Many strong personalities and contrarians can quickly become wearing, boring and predictable. Alex was one of the exceptions and like Lou Reed, he defied the odds and artistically succeeded on his own terms.
Post-note
Carrying on the Memphis soul-pop tradition is Chilton’s Big Star bandmate Jody Stephens. In 2023, Those Pretty Wrongs released their third album Camp Holiday which was overlooked by many including myself. Further listening reveals the Big Star spirit with striking lyrics, soaring harmonies and memorable pop songs like “Paper Cup.”
