Tuesday, January 15, 2008
The Decibels - s/t
The Decibels s/t EP (G.I, 1997)
Note perfect power pop from a note perfect band. The Decibels were Dean Seavers' late 90s power pop vehicle and a perfect follow up to his just-as-good prior venture, The E-Types. The few times I saw the Decibels, I thought they were a tad too clean. But I was trapped in the bowels of lo-fi and didn't really get it. The Decibels were all about clean, from their tidy image to the choice of songs to cover. I mean, who but the neatest of the neat cops tunes from the Association? While I might have been blind to these guys, others weren't. Screamin' Apple out of Germany released a fine LP and I believe they even made it over to Europe and Japan a couple times. Great record, get it while it is still easy to find. Here are three of four. --Scott S.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Rust - Full of Counterfeits
Rust Full of Counterfeits EP (Real Deal Records, 1999)
Here's another one of those frustratingly elusive late 90s Japanese pop-punk-waveish 45s that barely ventured beyond the shores of the rising sun. I found this copy in the only apparent venue for distribution this thing had in the USA: a Bay Area bargain bin. Anyway, the track here, Shameless Thieves, is a savory slice of Tweezers/late-period Registrators rock 'n roll, off of a 3-song EP by these gents Rust. The other two songs are perhaps a notch below this, so I stuck with the A-grade material.
My ability to rap about Rust's pre- and post-Counterfeits projects is as limited as my knowledge of kanji. Nada. Tuff. -Ryan W.
