T.H.C.
Death by Design
(Fifth Colvmn)
reviewed in issue #103, 3/18/96

Hyper-aggressive elektro stuff from former members of the awesome Stereotaxic Device.

Cranking things up to the Ultraviolence or Numb level, T.H.C. packs enough distortion and speed into the songs to satisfy any fan of that kind of electronic madness. Coherence is not a virtue; simplicity is a sin.

And I'm kinda bummed by all the aggro. When T.H.C. slows down (you have to sometimes), the lack of songwriting skills really shows up. Yeah, this will work for the speed freak, but T.H.C. is not terribly innovative, and the songs tend to degenerate into beat frenzies just a bit too often for my taste.

A little more work on the composing would do wonders. T.H.C. has the sound and attitude down. All it needs are some contemplative skills.

Those unfamiliar with T.H.C. will be happy to know the music fits the name: trippy electronic dance music, also known as trance.

And not just any trance. Some of the cooler stuff around, cranked up by George Sarah, an ex-Stereotaxic Device guy. So you know there's an animal rights thing going on here.

Bigod 20 (Zip Campisi) remixed "Need to Destroy", a track from the Death By Design album. The other five songs are pure T.H.C. consciousness. The sort of thing I like to hear.

Not many folks do this stuff better. T.H.C. is up there in the Ob1/Virtualizer realm, and that's a fine place to live. The best trance refuses to repeat itself, and that sort of creative energy is in full form here. A cool set.

T*H*D
Mechanical Advantage
(Cleopatra)
reviewed in issue #60, 8/15/94

Highly accessible industrial dance grooves. Sure, the subject matter is still alienation and pain, but the beat and bass keep inviting you onto the floor.

This is about as good a mix of techno, house and industrial sounds as I've heard in a while. After some time you just start to flow with the music and refuse to consider the implications.

Like are these guys trying to bring me down or just complain about their own crappy lives? Should I care? Or should I just lose myself in their creation.

Easy answer there. T*H*D's fine execution makes the questions moot.

T-Model Ford
Pee Wee Get My Gun
(Fat Possum-Epitaph)
reviewed in issue #136, 6/9/97

When I got this package, I wasn't sure how it had made its way to my door. Two blues CDs from a label I'd never heard of before. A couple days later, I saw the Epitaph (must be them cataracts acting up again or something) on the case and this made more sense.

What makes less sense is that while T-Model Ford has spent almost all of his 75-plus years in Mississippi, he sounds like he belongs on Chicago's southside. In fact, his delivery and guitar playing are highly reminiscent of John Lee Hooker.

If you're gonna emulate someone, well, John Lee is as good as anyone. But this is an interesting example of how the blues have traveled in the past 50 years. With the advent of the cheap record player and the 33 1/3 album, just about anyone could (and can) afford a decent blues collection. And one listen to the Alligator Records roster will show how diverse even the Chicago blues community is nowadays.

All this is tangential to the issue of Mr. T-Model Ford, however. The sounds on this album varies wildly (most of this was done in a studio, but a few tracks were cut), but the spirit of the blues is alive and well. For all the suffering in his life, T-Model Ford seems intent on using the blues to sing songs of joy. Most of the time, anyway.

Wipe away all the strangeness, though, and what is left is a fine blues record. Something I'm always happy to hear.

T.Raumischmiere
Anti
(Hefty)
reviewed in issue #234, October 2002

Some people use electronics to create pop music. Some use it to create entire new sonic universes. And some, like T.Raumschmiere, use electronics to create entirely new sorts of music.

It's not that the pieces aren't recognizable. The beats themselves are generally simple, and most of the little bits here and there are hardly revolutionary. What's special is how all of this is put together in a most fetching manner.

What I mean to say is that these most experimental of pieces are almost criminally accessible by the mainstream. If, say, a Madonna fan got a hold of some of William Orbit's stuff and liked it, said fan would probably salivate upon hearing this.

Not many can fly right off the edge of the world and then return bearing a resplendent cornucopia of gifts. But such is the skill shown on this album. Would that all techno fiends could come up with a disc even one-tenth as warm.

The Tabloids
Train of Thought
(self-released)
reviewed in issue #204, 8/28/00

The songs of Michael Robinson, played by Robinson and a couple of friends (with plenty of help). Somewhat arty pop music. In any case, Robinson really likes his lyrics.

And he is trying to say a lot of things in rather pretentious ways. Most of the time, that's not a problem. He achieves what he's going after. Particularly when the band cuts loose. When you're trying to be serious, sometimes the best thing is to get silly for a moment or two.

The album drags in the places where the band follows the script to the letter. The tempo doesn't matter so much as the energy level. Robinson's writing style is rather intense, and he needs to provide a few more outlets for the sound to get punched up.

It is nice to hear someone with such a clear vision. The Tabloids don't quite reach transcendence, but most of the time the stuff is pretty good. These piece do need a few more live airings, but Robinson is on the right road.

Tad
Live Alien Broadcasts
(Futurist)
reviewed in issue #68, 1/15/95

Tad has always been loud. Some would go further and add a "and stupid". But I won't. I'll merely note the lack of subtlety in anything ever recorded by the band.

When I last saw Tad live, I thought the big man had been listening to way too much Skin Yard for his own good. His vocals will never match Ben McMillan's, but the sludge guitar attack so popular when the Melvins were in their teens (has it been so long?) seemed to be creeping in to Tad's sound.

The guitars on this disc are so distorted it is pretty hard to hear what's going on. There's your lack of subtlety again. The live renditions are pretty much by rote, just sloppier than in the studio. Barely.

I can't imagine how this will increase the fan base, but I know a few Tad freaks who will really enjoy the feedback. Cheers.

John Taglieri
Leap of Faith
(A2)
reviewed in issue #209, 12/11/00

Somewhere between 38 Special, Survivor and Journey lies this anthemic AOR sound that allows an acoustic guitar to riff on and melodies to get downright silly. John Taglieri lives in this world, and while it's really not my thing, I've got to say he knows what he's doing.

I mean, he's got some serious hooks. The stuff is kinda cheesy (okay, really cheesy), but Taglieri sells out every line. Yeah, there are plenty of cliches (like, say, leading into a chorus with a rising "yeah, I'll love you 'til the end!"), but that's just part of the genre.

It's really easy to laugh at stuff like this, but that would be missing the hard work and craft that went into this album. Some might call that a shame or a tragedy, but this is what Taglieri wants to do. And you know, he really does do it astonishingly well. My only real complaint is that the drum machines sometimes sound a bit too much like drum machines.

There are plenty of folks out there who still listen to this sorta music. And Taglieri is worthy of attention. It may not be my bag, but I'll give Taglieri his props. He's got some serious chops.

Taking Back Sunday
Tell All Your Friends
(Victory)
reviewed in issue #228, April 2002

So the thing about emo is that it is a decidedly simple punk form. At least, that's how most bands approach it. But when you consider that Jawbox and Treepeople certainly qualify as major influences--and when you think about bands like the Appleseed Cast--well, that theory just all goes to hell.

Which is fine. Taking Back Sunday is an emo band. Hard to say otherwise. But the guys throw so much into each song that any label is a tenuous one. There's plenty of power pop, complete with ragged-but-true harmonies. There's the standard unadorned guitar sound, though the lines that instrument creates are all over the map. And then there's the way the songs fall together in a loosely manic fashion.

Beautiful and crazy, sure, but utterly crafted. I just love it when a band can hide all the seams the way these guys do. Ideas flit to and fro, crashing into each other and creating entirely new thoughts. The definition of good music. And the lyric themes are just as strong.

Heartbreaking in its pure, gorgeous intent, this album extends the sound of emo. And that is never a bad thing. The potential here is immense; the present achievement is unbelievable. In the end, I'm rendered speechless.

Talking to Animals
Manhole
(Velvel/BMG)
reviewed in issue #159, 5/18/98

Juliana Nash has the huge alto voice to kill for. And Talking to Animals does its best to give that voice a context in which to make a big statement. And the songs float and swoop in a pretentious anthemic dance, hoping to catch onto some scrap of importance.

Big rock in the biggest of ways. Like the last couple Concrete Blonde albums, perhaps. The main problem is that most of the songs aren't about much of anything at all. The lyrics aren't so much mystical as simply mystifying. Never confuse incomprehensible with deep, okay?

I kinda like the huge sound. It's pretty cool, and Nash's voice is certainly impressive enough to carry even the most inane of lyrics. It's just that there seems to be the implication here that something grand is going on.

And it's just not so. Hey, I appreciate shooting for greatness as much as the next fool. As long as true greatness isn't bestowed upon mere pretenders. Talking to Animals has the tools, but not the game. Yet.

Tamara
A Little Space Left
(self-released)
reviewed in issue #162, 6/29/98

Tamara (Feinman, just to be formal and all) sings basic folk songs, strumming a guitar and singing with a voice that reminds me of Nanci Griffith (high-pitched, but strong).

The songs tell stories, just like they should, and the stories are wonderfully subtle in the telling and wise in the philosophy. The sort of stuff that could be easily washed away by a big recording budget and lots of studio tricks.

But luckily, Tamara either didn't have the cash or (I hope) has the wisdom to know how to present her songs. Doesn't matter which; the results are great.

I do wish the songs had a bit more bite. Occasionally, Tamara seems to hold back a bit, and that extra notch of intensity might really kick the songs up another notch. Still, these are nice pieces. A well-done set.

Tammany Hall Machine
Tammany Hall Machine
(self-released)
reviewed in issue #262, March 2005

Four guys from Austin who sound like four guys from anywhere trying to make old-fashioned rock and roll. Well, more like an indie-rock take on the bar band ideal. Which is something I can handle in an instant.

So there's a bit of navel-gazing and then some tambourine jangle. The lyrics aren't too complicated, but they tell some fine stories. You know, kind of a comfy suit sorta sound.

The production is where the band does show its true stripes. This is a stripped down, simple sound, with just a bit of reverb and enough electric piano to fill in the gaps. Oh, and there's a bit of lap steel, but let's not screw with my theorizing, okay-dokey?

Just a fine album put together by some folks who obviously know how to make a song really sing. It's not complicated or pretentious or anything like that. Tammany Hall Machine is simply good. And that's more than enough.

More seriously rocking piano music. Well, Tammany Hall Machine relies a bit more on its guitars, but the piano is front and center often enough. And these boys do rock. Seriously.

Did I mention the trombone? The vibes? For band geeks (sorry, but it takes one to know one), these guys like to make things really loud. Reminds me a lot of a looser, more vicious version of ELO. Good hooks with a ferocious bite.

Some of those hooks do get a little lost in the mix. The sound here can be slightly flat (as in texture, not key), but that is resolved somewhat when the volume is increased. And, truly, this is music best appreciated loud.

I've finally figured out the theme for this issue: throttle pop from the 70s. Or, you know, folks influenced by the folks who were influenced by Abbey Road. Tammany Hall Machine fits right in with that description, and I have to say, it does this sound proud. Don't forget to play it loud.

Tandym
City Out of Time
(self-released)
reviewed in issue #127, 1/27/97

I haven't listened to stuff like this since I was in junior high school. Keyboard-drenched AOR stuff, from the Journey and Survivor schools of thought. Which should prove that while I may not like it, I'm sure there are plenty of folks out there would groove on it.

Though if Tandym really wants to move up into the world of big league music, the songwriting will have to sharpen up significantly. The choruses are too weak to really support that "sing-along" appeal, and in my opinion, the guitars need to make a bit more of an appearance.

On the other hand, this stuff is a perfect recreation of the biggest sound of the mid-80s. A frightening thought in my book, but then, I've got a Toto album on my shelf.

Tanger
Tanger
(Owned & Operated)
reviewed in issue #189, 10/11/99

Yer regular sludge trio, with just enough grooves to keep the sound moving in the right direction. This album was recorded in Chicago with Steve Albini. No complaints there, but I've gotta wonder why not record at your label's home base with Bill Stevenson and company at the helm?

But why worry about such silliness? There's an entire album here to critique. And while this is competently executed fare, it doesn't often rise to a decent level of excitement. Oh, the bashing is all good; I mean, crashing about is good for the soul. But past that, I'm not thrilled.

The production is typical Albini. A wonderful guitar sound (a wonderful musical sound in general) and merely average treatment for the vocals. Though I can't say that there is a whole lot of be done with throaty hollering. That's not a put-down, by the way. I like a good hearty howl as much as the next guy.

This just doesn't get me hard. It happens. It's decent, most certainly listenable. Just in the average range, that's all.

Tanner
(Germo) Phobic
(Headhunter-Cargo)
reviewed in issue #139, 7/21/97

I have this theory that Albuquerque is a long-lost suburb of San Diego. I mean, Rocket FTC and Drive Like Jehu have been through there a gazillion times, and my brothers (the Lies guys) have been raving about Tanner for as long as I can remember. The first gig they saw was at the Dingo, though don't quote me on that.

Whatever. Tanner sounds a lot like the San Diego punk ideal, which means lots of extra sauce. Oh, the chords are basic enough, but they're never played the same way twice, and most songs have a rambling sorta construction that only makes sense if you let go of your seat and grab the big sound wave pipeline.

A little clunky at times, but generally chock full of action. As with RFTC, the band is at its best when all of the extraneous nonsense is dropped for two bars and the band simply clicks on a basic groove before once again departing for the nether regions of good musical sense.

And never without a big-ass punch. Tanner is best appreciated loud, turned up to 11 or even 12. There isn't a whole lot of distortion in the sound, but when you crank your stereo right up against the limit, enough gets generated. Trust me, the sound is sublime.

A head-first drop into adrenaline madness. Don't ask Tanner to make sense, and the guy won't put you in the hospital. Otherwise, all bets are off.

Tappan Zee
The New Luxury
(Wormco)
reviewed in issue #180, 4/12/99

Subdued, somnambulistic pop. But just because it moves slowly doesn't mean there aren't some truly intriguing ideas flowing. In fact, the band's flow is one of the more impressive features of the disc.

And that's what Tappan Zee does best: Connect the dots. Putting all the parts together into a coherent and attractive whole couldn't have been easy, and yet, here it is, all done up in a neat package.

And when I say subdued, I'm not talking Codeine subdued. More like the Moon Seven Times (Anne Viebig's vocals in particular), with perhaps an additional kick. This is not dull stuff; it's just not bouncy power pop.

A bit more introspective, and that's fine with me. Tappan Zee takes its time to explore a few thoughts, and the process is a pleasant one. I'll take this ride any time.

Tar
Static 7" split with Jawbox)
(Dischord/Touch and Go)
reviewed in issue #28, 2/14/93

Each band does the other's song called "Static." A really brilliant marketing idea. Imagine if this caught on. Laura Branigan doing the Shadows of Night tune "Gloria" (and vice versa, if any of those folks could be rounded up). Or if Helen Reddy and Samantha Sang traded places on the "Emotion" tunes they released close to each other. Or if you could hoist Tennessee Ernie Ford from the grave to record Genesis' "That's All" (and back again). I think I'll stop while I'm ahead.

The Jawbox song is much better, by my reckoning, or perhaps I should say the Tar performance is better. Whichever. Who ever thought this up is a fucking genius.

Now if only My Dying Bride were to write a song called "Tragedy", and Barry and boys decided to give it a whirl...

The future is boundless for this stuff. Amazing.

I've always thought of Tar as down'n'nasty, with the occasional pop overtone. This EP is showing definite signs of anthemitis.

Yes, the same thing that struck almost all the "big" Seattle acts a couple of years ago. Now, this can lead to some great pop tunes, as it does here. And if it stops at this level, everything is bliss, because this is more attractive and tighter than the Tar I once knew.

I really thought the sound on the split single with Jawbox was odd, but it flows right into this effort. Cleaning up is not necessarily bad. Less ranting and more raving are okay by me.

The hardcore fans may be a little disappointed, but I see big things ahead if Tar stays right where it is.

Consistency. When you get a Tar record, you know exactly what you're getting. The tempo rarely changes, and the noise level is altered even less. What's most amazing is that the songs are rather distinct anyway.

Part of that has to do with an excellent rhythm section that simply pulverizes anything in its path. And the vocals are still evolving, even more clear and melodic than on Clincher.

Another T&G band that deserves more play on the loud side than it gets, Tar have become one of the better post-punk outfits around. Well, their record deal proves that. But their output is also rapidly becoming most impressive. If you listened to them three years ago and didn't get it, give 'em a try now.

Purportedly the end of Tar, but then, that's what Killdozer said some years back. Now, I would rather have Tar around any day, so this kinda bums me out.

Over and Out continues the fine Tar tradition of awesome rhythm work and almost-tuneful vocals while sticking to the regular T&G noise universe. The songs are a little more crafted and better produced this time out (this is certainly Tar's most mature album, and the band has had a tendency to improve over time), which might lead to more mainstream acceptance even as the folks have called it quits.

Well, never say never. If this is so long, it's a hell of a send off. Easily the best Tar album of the bunch (though not quite as noisy as the early ones), Over and Out does the band proud.

Tarantel
Paper White/Big Black Square EPs
(Temporary Residence)
reviewed in issue #261, February 2005

While I got these two EPs on one CD, I'm guessing they'll be available separately. Which is the right thing to do. Because while Paper White and Big Black Square consist of pieces recorded during the sessions for the band's last album, We Move Through Weather, they are two completely different works.

Paper White is four songs. Actual songs, that is, composed and crafted and all that. Tarantel's near-obsessive attention to detail is in full force here. These songs may wander, but only along a carefully prescribed path. I love the way these guys manufacture an environment and then move within it.

Big Black Square is an extended improv (45 minutes in all), and it sounds like one. The feel is loose and very amorphous...a completely different side to the band. It's interesting to hear how ideas get worked out amongst the members of the trio. While this doesn't sound a bit like the band's well-sculpted "composed" works, the thought process of the band remains. A most interesting piece.

Like I said, I think these EPs will be available separately. Paper White will be instantly accessible to all fans, and certainly carries on the ideas of We Move Through Weather. Big Black Square is a much more difficult work to get into, though I think those who find the time and the energy to do so will be justly compensated.

Tarantula
Tarantula
(self-released)
reviewed in issue #254, June 2004

Cello. Violin. Guitar. Bass. All sorts of percussion. Four people making music that has classical underpinnings but branches out into jazz (many varieties), rock (ditto) and folk (in the old old-fashioned sense of peasant dances and such). Which means, of course, that it's "classical" after all.

Think Dirty Three on steroids. Whereas that trio is roughhewn and ragged (and wonderfully so), this quartet is shiny and tight. The songs are produced with a "big rock" sound (the almost clinical bass takes preeminence), and that adds an extra element of drama.

Five songs. Twenty-nine minutes. These folks call it an album, and I'm in full agreement. The sweep and grandeur of these pieces is mind-blowing. Just when I figure a song has riffed its final variation, another ace summation comes along. Sometimes a surfeit of creativity can make music sound cluttered. Tarantula somehow spins all those ideas into gold.

There is a market out there for great music, regardless of genre. Tarantula really can't (and, I think, doesn't want to) claim any particular label for itself. It shouldn't. "Great music" should suffice. Let the posers wilt. Brilliance like this can't be hidden forever.

Avey Tare
and Panda Bear
Spirit They've Gone Spirit They've Vanished
(self-released)
reviewed in issue #211, 1/29/01

Whereupon the experimental electronic musings of Panda Bear come into contact with a certain Avery Tare. The result is recognizable as pop music, if only barely.

What's much more obvious is the penchant of all involved to push the envelope of (possibly) accessible music. The casual listener might be confused by the substitution of distortion for a lead guitar lick or by the general lack of a discernible bass line.

But that sort of thing won't matter to the intrepid, the brave few who actually enjoy spelunking in a musical cavern such as this. Tare and Panda Bear (kinda weird how that rhymes) have concocted a stirring stew of noises, all vaguely put together in the same format as your favorite power pop songs.

Except, of course, this sounds nothing like that. I like the effort, though. Creativity like this is highly invigorating. However these folks come together, this album is proof that it was a very good idea, indeed.

Tattoo of Pain
Vengeance Is Mine
(Antler-Subway)
reviewed in issue #154, 3/9/98

AKA the further adventures of the Lords of Acid. Personally, I have been extremely disappointed by all LOA releases since that classic first album, and it's nice to hear Adams and Khan move on a bit.

Well, there's still a model growling a bit, but the predominant vocals are male. This is much more industrial metal than heavy house. Kinda like KMFDM meets Pantera meets the Lords of Acid, ranging through all the common and uncommon terrain.

The best moments are catchy, upbeat anthems like "Live My Life" or flat-out speed rushes like "Age of Corruption" (the latter reminds me of Bloodstar). Stuff that rolls out and pleases immediately. Most of the songs are horribly overwrought, with excessive guitar pyrotechnics and horribly sloppy songwriting. Indeed, this emphasis on mindfuck riffs completely obliterates some songs that otherwise had potential.

This rates slightly better than recent Lords of Acid, simply because about half the songs are at least listenable. Still, on the whole, this rates as a disappointment. That bums me out more than you might guess.

See also Lords of Acid.

Tattoo Rodeo
Too Daze Gone CD5
(Mausoleum-BMG)
reviewed in issue #84, 8/28/95

I thought this band was made up of a bunch of posers when it was on Atlantic. The dropping seemed appropriate. The guys played silly anthemic glam music that even Poison in its prime couldn't sell to the masses.

And that's what this single is. A warmed-over rehash of why metal in the late 80s sucked.

End transmission.

I know exactly who this sounds like, but I remember hating that band so much that the name is burned from my memory.

This is so calculated the liners include a picture of the slide rule used to find precise glam trends used in the production of this disc. And man, does it suck.

To actually list the reasons why this album is dreadful would be pointless. It takes only listening to the first song and single, which turns out to be one of the better things here. Overwrought, overproduced and way too pretentious. The timing is curious: these guys want to be big arena rock star gods when the only bands who fill arenas are hypocrites who claim that being a rock star is stupid.

I'll give them one point for honesty. That still leaves them in the red.

Taureau
Exhibition
(KUGK)
reviewed in issue #201, 6/26/00

I got this e-mail a few weeks ago asking if I wanted to hear some experimental electronic music from Germany. I'm sure you can imagine my reply. Two words, beginning with the letter "f" and ending with the letter "h".

So I've been waiting on this puppy for a bit, and now I've slotted it into the discer. There are three pieces, each segmented into movements or something. The liners don't really have any explanation, and even if they did, they'd probably be in German. Not much help.

What I can say is that the stuff is wonderfully experimental, playing with both beat and musical conventions. The pieces are built around unusual sounds, strange samples and some great imagination. Rather than sticking to any one style, Taureau rambles... a lot. But in this mellow, trippy, take some chances style, that's probably the only way to go.

My answer to the question is still "fuck yeah," by the way. I'll take sonic musings like this any day. Lotsa fun and even better, it put my mind in some strange places. You just can't find good drugs like that every day.

Derek Taylor
Dystrophy
(Shrapnel)
reviewed in issue #65, 10/31/94

Perhaps this is what a James Hetfield solo album might sound like. Lots of thick, chunky chords and not much silly fret burning.

But then again, some coherent lead work would be nice. The songs aren't constructed as much as simply spliced together. Here Derek played a heavily distorted sitar, here Derek slings sludge, here Derek runs his fingers up and down the neck of the guitar a couple times.

And the same riffs keep getting recycled. Some tracks, like "Elasticity", show off the best of what this form can offer: a thick yet fluid lead line, decent (if a little repetitive) riffage and a solid line through the song. But much of the rest just doesn't quite come together.

A noble effort. I wish more people would try to create truly original solo guitar albums, which Taylor has done very well. I'm afraid I just don't like the end result here.

Kim Taylor
I Feel Like a Fading Light
(self-released)
reviewed in issue #280, November 2006

Standard woman-with-a-guitar singer-songwriter stuff. Kim Taylor sings songs of personal experience and puts them in a contemplative musical context. Sounds perfectly ordinary. But it's not.

Part of it is the exceptional production on this album. The mood is generally restrained, but there are some fine arrangements here. Plenty of piano and organ, harmonica when needed and even a few electronic beats. Everything fits perfectly together and gives Taylor's songs room to shine. And they do.

While I'm not much for lyrics, Taylor's are impressive precisely because they fit perfectly within the songs. There are no manifestos here, nothing mawkish or absurd. Just a woman speaking her mind in a calm conversation. How...adult.

Maybe that's not what you want to hear, but I'm always in favor of real ideas expressed confidently rather than with bombast and pomposity. Somehow, subtlety impresses me more than shouting. And by being subtle, Taylor should earn a lot more attention. Most intriguing.

Otis Taylor
White African
(NorthernBlues Music)
reviewed in issue #213, 3/12/01

Otis Taylor plays the rural blues in the fashion of Robert Johnson, ringing out a lead line and a rhythm line at the same time on an acoustic guitar. He does dress up his songs now and again with some banjo, harp, bass, electric guitar or mandolin, but the power of this music comes from Taylor's picking and howling.

And can he howl. Taylor has a raspy, yet resonant voice. His guitar was recorded so as to emphasize the lower notes and the echo, and his voice rings out above the growl of his picking.

Taylor writes the blues. Songs about death, pain, suffering and the odd mystical experience. He brings his issues, his messages to the forefront without being preachy. Rather, he's just telling a story or few. Unpleasant stories, to be sure, but his presence compels attention nonetheless.

A testament of rage and anguish. Much like Patty Griffin's Living With Ghosts, Taylor doesn't shy away from heavy subjects. He leads with his playing and then follows with his voice, a vicious one-two punch. Few artists could match the power of Taylor's presence on this album. For once, the term "awesome" is an understatement.

Otis Taylor's White African is one of the great blues recordings of all time. His storytelling prowess is all but unmatched. His voice is a perfect, expressive rasp. His willingness to experiment with both vocal styles and musical forms is impressive. Any album of his is welcome in my house.

Anyway, that's how I felt after hearing just the one album. After just one listen to this disc, I sit in amazement, wondering just how it is Taylor hasn't been hailed as one of the greatest musicians of our time.

These songs transcend time and place. Yes, each is its own story, with specific plot and angle. But Taylor turns each one into a living lyric, with themes that will stand even after the particulars are forgotten. I haven't even begun to really discuss Taylor's use of guitar, banjo, harp and voice. He likes to create loops--loops that are played, not simply spliced together. He generally plays these cycles off of each other. Sometimes he has more than one loop on a single instrument. The collisions are mind-blowing.

No matter what sort of music you love, Otis Taylor plays music that you cannot ignore, music that will burn itself into your heart. Good music is good music, but brilliance like this is simply too awesome to hide behind a label. Someday Otis Taylor will get his due. I just want to be around to see that happen.

Sally Taylor
Apt #6S
(Blue Elbow)
reviewed in issue #203, 8/7/00

You might think that the daughter of Carly Simon and James Taylor might have an aptitude for music. That she'd have a nice voice. That she'd tend toward a mainstream sound.

You'd figure correctly, though that last assumption isn't quite right. The music is grounded in anthemic roots rock (a strange, but viable combination), and Taylor's voice is brassy and supple, not unlike her mother's. While not exactly what you might expect, the result is still within what might be anticipated.

The production created a strong, aggressive sound, exactly what Taylor's voice requires. Anything less would have been utterly overwhelmed. But the vocals are also treated correctly, overdubbing some harmonies to thicken the sound even more.

Not a throwback or a marked departure from the music of her parents, Taylor instead created a confident and smart album that plays directly to her strengths, inherited and otherwise.

The Tearaways
The Ground's the Limit
(Pinch-Hit)
reviewed in issue #149, 12/8/97

Lost in the 80s. At least the Tearaways improve on the model. This is rootsy pop-rock that meanders somewhere between the Hooters, Tom Petty and Night Ranger. Now, that said, the songwriting here is a lot more solid (well, at least it's much closer to Tom Petty quality-wise than the other two), and the songs don't get into heavy cheese.

Still, it's hard-rockin' fare with some of the edges dulled by keyboards and earnest vocals. And it is right out of high school for me. I've heard a few bands the past couple of years that have tried to do exactly this sound, and they to a one failed miserably. Usually there was an overemphasis on the keyboards and a tendency toward insipid choruses. But even on a ballad like "I'm Lost", the Tearaways manage to keep things from getting too, um, icky.

Another big advantage is the reliance on the songs and not on punchy production. The sound is fairly sparse, and when the keys come in, they are used as an instrument and not as some drenching effect. Nothing is overstated, proving that at least one 90s trend is helpful in resurrecting an older sound.

I still play Midnight Madness from time to time (the only decent Night Ranger album, of course), and the Tearaways fit in that tradition very nicely. Yeah, it helps to have been inculcated in that sound, but hell, why not revel in reminiscence from time to time?

Living in L.A., it's easy to hit a time warp. The Tearaways have updated their sound somewhat, but the basic roots are still in basic 80s AOR (the first Bon Jovi album, with a healthy dose of Tom Petty). Not a bad thing, really.

Still, the first song is "Angelyne", which may be one of the better-known L.A. inside jokes, but it's still tres. For some reason, the band never really kicks into top gear here. Almost all of the songs are midtempo or slower. Gotta rave up now and again.

Now, the guys do real well with what they're doing. The sound is great, and the songs are tightly written, though played with some abandon. Yeah, a kick in the seat of pants now and again would help. But this is still quite enjoyable.

You know, I grew up on stuff like this, and so I'm not the most objective guy in the world. The commercial viability of the sound isn't high, and even I wish a few things had been done differently. No matter; I had fun anyway. That's always worth something.

Techno Animal
The Brotherhood of the Bomb
(Matador)
reviewed in issue #219, 7/16/01

Kevin Martin and Justin Broadrick provide the beat-ly brutality and a slew of guest MCs (El-P, Toastie Taylor and Sonic Sum among them) provide the rhymes.

You know, it's about what you might expect. Loud, crazy loud, profane and excessive as hell. I mean, if you're gonna do it, you might as well do it all the way, right? Yeah, of course.

And the beats are the bomb. I'm not using vernacular; I'm referring to the title. Earth-shattering, mind-thumping beats with plenty of sonic fire behind them. Gets me in a bit of the ol' Wordsound frame of mind. Boy, do I love creative beastly beat work.

That's what's going on. Gotta ride this thrill pony all the way into the radioactive sunset. No other choice. Techno Animal hooks quickly and then simply won't let go. These boys have quite the pedigree. This disc is more than worthy.

See also Godflesh.

Teedo
Luvatomic
(self-released)
reviewed in issue #256, August 2004

If Urge Overkill had been more into Chic than, say, ZZ Top, it might have ended up sounding like this. Teedo wears funk like a cheap suit, blowing away its grooves with plenty of guitar and falsetto.

There's something kinda sweet about a punky soul band that is most sincere in everything it does. Teedo Bilecky's versatile voice is able to carry the songs as they whip around the stylistic universe. Yeah, it all comes back to soul (and in particular, late 70s soul), but there's so much more going on.

And yet the sound itself is anything but complicated. The funk is simple and straightforward; the guitars slink around in their shiny suits and Teedo weaves above it all. The combo is tight (there is a core trio, though guitar and drumming duties are shared by many), and the songs never lose their focus.

A nice, laid-back bit of fun for the end of the summer. Teedo is probably a bit too creative for the masses--certainly, the hands-off production leaves out that oft-annoying commercial punch--but I had one hell of a good time.

Jennifer Tefft
Shift
(self-released)
reviewed in issue #212, 2/19/01

Jennifer Tefft has a big voice, and she's using it to sing fairly generic anthemic rock. Yes, Alanis and Melissa made big bucks with this kinda stuff, but both of their careers are in turnaround. So why do folks still try to play this sort of thing?

There are two options. First, there are those who honestly like the stuff. Second, there are those who think they can make money rehashing someone else's stuff. Tefft is definitely one of the first. How do I know? Every once in a while she sheds the mid-tempo cloak and really gets loud.

Not exactly Hammerbox loud, but more than enough to get me excited. "Control Freak" is a nicely rousing song. The difference isn't just the added aggression of the music. Tefft also sings with full-throated confidence, as opposed to her usual method of shackling her vocal cords.

I just wish that Tefft would put a little more energy into her other songs. She's got a fine voice, and when she uses it, she sounds great. These songs just don't provide a good enough showcase.

Tekulvi
In Recognition of Your Significant Accomplishments EP
(Divot)
reviewed in issue #231, July 2002

I wonder if these guys named themselves after the old Pirates pitcher Kent Tekulve. You remember the series of '79, don't you? The dude with the funny glasses and the submarine throwing motion? Oh well. Anyway, these boys play a nicely rollicking version of noise pop, the kinda stuff that could be called emo. Except that the guitars are a little too melodic.

That and this music consists of lines that bob and weave, creating meaning at the points where they intersect. Tekulvi has advanced that theory by introducing competing rhythmic lines as well. The overall effect can be distracting--at least when the lines are meandering. But often enough the whole comes together for a minute of serious distillation. Might even call it a shakedown.

A pretty mess. A mess that isn't messy at all. Just good. When I wondered if the guys knew where they were going, I always received an answer in the affirmative. Nice of them to pay attention to my needs so well.

Telefunk
with Willard Grant Conspiracy
In the Fishtank 8 EP
(Konkurrent-Touch and Go)
reviewed in issue #226, February 2002

Most of the time, the liner notes describing a particular project are overblown and excessive. They hype the album more than describe it, and the whole thing ends up sounding like a blow job. On this disc, there's a short description on the back. And it says everything I'm going to say a whole lot better. So if what I say intrigues you, just go find this disc and you'll be properly enlightened.

In the Fishtank, of course, is a long-running series of short improvisational encounters between bands. Except this time the Willard Grant Conspiracy and Telefunk rehearsed beforehand. The result isn't so much a wild sound that whipsaws between slammin' electronic beats and acoustic guitars but rather a muted confluence.

The rehearsal allowed the artists time to research and arrange some very old songs (with a couple more modern ringers). The recording sounds almost fragile, which fits the material very well. This disc doesn't have nearly the synergistic improvisational energy of others in the series, but the quality of the collaboration more than makes up for that. Another more than worthy addition to the canon.

Television Power Electric
Television Power Electric
(Gentle Giant) reviewed in issue #192, 12/6/99

If the words "produced by TV Pow" mean anything to you, you might have an idea of what to expect here. Of course, the Gentle Giant moniker ought also to give a clue. A number of noise cognoscenti (including the amazing Otomo Yoshihide) get together to, well, jam.

If that sounds like an odd concept, you ought to try listening to this puppy. All of the sounds are basically various forms of modulated noise, generated by a host of different means. The photo in the liners is most instructive as to methods.

Now, if you're expecting harsh, scratchy sounds, think again. This is subtle, often melodic fare. Well, as melodic as controlled distortion can get.

The control here is what's remarkable. There's a lot more silence than sound here. I'm just knocked out by the subtle shadings these folks have been able to create. This is a noise album that, while not compromising any principles, really has the potential to find a waider audience. Really, really wonderful.

Telto
Bugged
(D Squared)
reviewed in issue #208, 11/20/00

A kinda rambling sorta band from San Francisco. I guess what I mean to say is that Telto's languid take on the groove sound (imagine if Don Caballero and the Cowboy Junkies got together to play Blues Traveler songs. I'm not kidding).

I think these folks really do have a thing for groove rock; it's just that they don't play it much. There's this almost subconscious feel thing going on, something that I have to ascribe to instinct rather than any solid piece of sound.

Another way to look at it is that Telto works very hard to not sound like anyone else. These songs lurch, stumble, roll and slip along, sometimes smoothly and sometimes not. I think that the way that works is largely instinctual, as well. Sounds good, anyways.

And just when I think I've almost got a handle on things, Telto goes and does something different. That's pretty much priceless. As long as these folks keep trying to best themselves, I have a feeling they'll be making good music.

Temp Sound Solutions
I. Yobot
(MT6)
reviewed in issue #271, December 2005

Kinda like Emperor Penguin on an overdose of noise, served up with a decided deficit of funk. There's this playful aspect to the music and the song titles that makes me smile.

Still, we're not talking about pleasant pop music. Temp Sound Solutions prefers the dirty side of the spectrum, embracing distortion and just about every other form of electronic disturbance known to mankind.

And it sounds so...crunchy. Despite the messy results, I think great care was taken in the recording of this album. Whoever twisted the knobs has a finely-tuned ear for harsh sounds.

The sort of album only the insane can love. I include myself in that group, of course. So it's shuffle off to Thorazine for me. Just don't forget to turn the volume up to 11.

This is also meant to be played at 33, and it's much better that way. The TSS boys are in fine form, blasting out power metal riffage in the finest punk style. Raggedy, loud and majestic. Fuckin' hell, man, is this not why we listen to music? The slightest dose of this ought to raise yer testosterone levels a couple hundred percent. Ladies, this slab will grow hair on your chests.

Tempest
Turn of the Wheel
(Magna Carta)
reviewed in issue #95, 1/15/96

Combining traditional Irish and British Isles music with traditional prog rock concepts, Tempest tries hard to create a technologically advanced folk music.

The easiest point of reference is "Bogey's Bonnie Belle", a live version of which appeared on Richard Thompson's boxed set a few years back. Thompson's version was more faithful (and his playing was much more impassioned). Tempest's rendition is much more upbeat, and the band throws in an English dance and a couple Irish reels to boot.

The notes on each song (as to origins, and exactly what pieces are thrown into the mix) are wonderful and should help anyone who is interested in getting closer to the more traditional forms of the original material.

I think the prog-rock production is a bit heavy, but Tempest makes up for that with spirited playing. This gives some of the songs, despite the excessive keyboards and such, an almost live feel. And a most successful hybrid album.

The Templars
Biaus Signors Frers EP
(TKO)
reviewed in issue #205, 9/18/00

Digging into the vaults, the Templars pull out some sessions with other oi boys (The West Side Boys, Asociale and Yesterday's Heroes) and then add some songs that were on the Oi! This is Dynamite! compilation.

The material is five or six years old, and some of the tracks (in particular the collaborations) sound absolutely horrible. I mean, the songs themselves are better than passable, but the quality of the tapes (and perhaps the recordings themselves) isn't that good.

Very much a catch-up set for real fans, but still with enough energy to captivate. A worthy run into the past.

Not so much oi as I heard on their recent retrospective EP. There's still a hint, of course, but mostly this is quite melodic hardcore. The music is melodic, the vocals haggard hardcore (though it does sound like Carl is trying to sing in tune). Rough as all get out, and a lot of fun.

One thing the Templars can do: Crank up the energy level. Even though these songs tend toward midtempo, there's a lot of power in them. Easy to get sucked in by the riffage.

The sound is much better than the EP. It's professionally done, something that can't be said for parts of those earlier recordings. Not so professional, though, that it takes away from the primal energy of these boys. Hardly.

Nope, the joy that is Templars rings out true. You can find better players or songwriters, but I think it would be hard to find a set of guys who play with such easygoing passion.

Temple of the Times
Requiem for the Lost Children remix EP
(Blacklight)
reviewed in issue #205, 9/18/00

Some more excellent cyber-edged hard techno. There are five songs and four remixes of the title track. Among all nine tracks (not counting the intro) there's a nice amount of differentiation. Hard to get bored, even with the remixes.

I know, the band doesn't have full control of how the remixes are going to sound, but still, the four creative new takes are good. As for Temple of the Times, it keeps the sound shaken up a bit.

Like I said, hard to get bored with this set. If you're in the mood for a little icy techno with a razor edge, this might be worth a taste.

Templebeat
Black Suburbia
(Dynamica)
reviewed in issue #71, 2/28/95

The guitars and beats scream "German industrial types", and that's exactly what Templebeat is.

But this isn't just a rehash of all that has come before. Templebeat has been paying attention to industrial dance and techno trends, and has decided to improve upon a few of them. So while one song may pile-drive you into the carpet, the next is just as likely to be a club-ready mondo disco tune.

With plenty of experimental touches all around. Templebeat hasn't so much crafted a new sound but provided a worthy sampler of the state of dance music today. Guitars, drum machines and synthesizers coexist in peace, but there's not much harmony. After all, we don't live in a pretty world.

Any album that comes with a replacement cover must have something interesting flowing through it. This is the second Templebeat disc I've had cross my desk in the past couple years, and this puppy is much more experimental than the first.

And the extra messiness helps downplay the obvious generic nature of the riffs and vocal distortion. Without all the little tricks, Templebeat would be merely mediocre. But all that "stuff" more than makes up for a generic base formula.

Add in a weird cover of "You Spin Me Round (like a Record)", one that is so ponderous that it's almost impossible to imagine any club play. Of course, this plays right into Templebeat's avowed media manipulation campaign.

All the bells and whistles don't lift Templebeat up into the stratosphere. Mediasickness is a fine concept, with a few nicely realized tracks, but the overall effect is left understated.

Ten Benson
Benson Burner
(Jetset)
reviewed in issue #245, September 2003

Just when I was worried that Jetset was succumbing to the ugly disease of trenditis, here comes Ten Benson. The stuff is nothing less that southern-fried kick-ass rock and roll. Except, of course, that these boys are from England. Kinda like the Cult that way, I guess.

And there is a "basic rock and roll played really fucking loud" ethos that these boys share with the early Cult. Ten Benson is decidedly cruder (one song is a ode to "teenage tits"), but that just makes these boys so much more charming.

I'm a sucker for this kinda full-frontal attack, myself. Why hide behind pretense when you can just lay everything on the table (and lay it loudly, to boot)? The production has left a serious edge of distortion on the sound, and that, too, simply adds to the mystique. Damn, this stuff sounds mean.

Goddamn, what a big wad of fun. I haven't been on such a fine joyride in months. Ten Benson will never win a Grammy or be invited to play the "Old Time Gospel Hour," but fuckitall, man. This stuff is simply concentrated ecstasy.

Ten Foot Pole
Rev
(Epitaph)
reviewed in issue #62, 9/14/94

When you do pop-inflected punk, there are but a few real classy influences. Ten Foot Pole fall dead into the Bad Religion school (you can hear riff and bass line references in nearly every song), ending up somewhere around the Suffer sound.

Clean enough to understand, with the philosophical bent if not the vocabulary, Ten Foot Pole lives up to its high aspirations quite well. The boys are more than competent musicians, and many songs are unquestionable classics.

Bad Religion hasn't been down this road in some time, and Ten Foot Pole does a great job of carrying on the pop-punk flame. When an album sounds like this, every jock at the station wants a piece of it.

New singer (Scott is doing Pulley--not to mention the Dodgers--full-time now), but the same old same old. Which is not bad at all.

The songs are a little looser than Rev, but I don't think that's a terrible thing. The new singer (a certain "Dennis") sounds a lot like Dave Smalley, which lends more of an ALL (or probably more specifically, Down By Law) sound to the whole proceeding. Not that I'm complaining.

Fun and good. Good and fun. All that stuff. Ten Foot Pole has always been missing that certain "kick" to break them out of the pack, and that doesn't change here. Everything is solid, but there is a little piece that's still missing. Of course, I'm also comparing the bad to the new Pennywise, and it doesn't quite match up (though it's closer than you might think).

A fine effort. Perhaps I'll find what I"m looking for next time around.

Another dose. Still working that anthemic Bad Religion groove (which I'm not gonna bitch about, oh no), with a somewhat sparser sound. The songs are still laden with muscular hooks, and the lyrics still have a catchy cogency.

And the band spreads its wings a bit, experimenting somewhat here and there. Take the intro to "Another Half Apology". Hell, the fact that there is an intro makes it experimental in a punk context. The band threw in only what worked. I like that sort of attention to detail.

I mentioned the sparse production sound. Each instrument and each vocal is clear and distinct, with not much in the way of distortion or mess in any way. Clean and clear. It works quite well with that the band is doing.

Wow. This has been a fall of great punk albums. Some nice numbers from Asian Man, Fat Wreck and of course, Epitaph. Don't know who to credit with this resurgence in punk quality, but I'm more than willing to reap the rewards. This is easily the best Ten Foot Pole album, and that's saying something.

Ten Hands
Be My Guru
(Slipped Discs)
reviewed in issue #10, 3/31/92

I started off listening to this disc by wondering where the real Elvis Costello had been hiding for years. Then the funk slowly settled in and I realized I hadn't heard stuff like this since the first Bourgeois Tagg album (which I still love).

Oh, this has a little reggae thrown into the mix, and the lyrics are a little more serious than clever, but that feel is there. Hard to describe, really. I think it's the way the instruments combine in a way normally seen as cacophonous, but in reality is a perfect blend.

On the writing side, the songs jump around stylistically, but the vocals are always coolly understated. No grandiose pomposity. Just honest readings.

Okay, so this isn't the next huge mondo-seller. It's a nice little album. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. It's rather cool, actually.

A Ten O'Clock Scholar
Quietest
(Grass)
reviewed in issue #104, 3/25/96

Moody pop stuff that veers from really dull (and annoying) to fairly interesting. With little warning at all.

A constant is the highly distorted vocal track and fairly messy guitar playing. Actually, it's not like anything about A Ten O'Clock Scholar is tight. I prefer the band when it gets going, because then at least the stuff isn't whiny. But it's still not terribly good.

Art music for the garage set. Pretentious tunes by people who don't have a lot of musical talent. A lack of talent does not preclude anyone from a career in music, but in that case it helps to write songs that don't expose your lack of skill. A lesson missed somewhere here.

On the plus side, these guys play with a load of panache and really believe they are making a statement. While somewhat adding to the horror, I applaud their stab at greatness. It just didn't work.

Ten Story Love
Ten Story Love
(self-released) reviewed in issue #178, 3/15/99

"We're a guitar-powered pop band." You know, for as long as I've been doing this, I've never had anyone be so succinct. Well, of course, the letter goes on to drop a number of influences (nicely diverse, as any list which contains both Wilco and Todd Rundgren is likely to be), but I like that core description.

Of course, they sound most like another of the influences, Cheap Trick. And I mean that in a good way. I don't know that any band has been able to match Cheap Trick's mastery of the pop-rock form. And Ten Story Love doesn't. But these songs roll along very well, with some great riffage and nice, tight hooks.

The sort of band you know is great live. These songs sound like they've been worked out on more than a few stages (even if only three people were in the audience). The production sound is great, better than some major label albums I've heard. Raw enough to keep that essential ragged feeling, but sharp enough to bring everything into clarity.

Um, this is pretty damned good. If I had a label, I'd sign them. And you know I don't say that a lot. These guys are very good at what they do. I think I'm gonna listen to the disc all over again. And maybe a few times after that.

Ten Words for Snow
D*na
(Contraphonic)
reviewed in issue #270, November 2005

Back when indie rock cut its teeth, the Cars were huge. Lately I've been hearing a lot of "modern" indie rock artists that sound like Ric Ocasek and company.

Most of it is probably an extension of the increasing use of piano and keyboards (one of those cyclical fads, I suppose, but one I wholeheartedly endorse), but that combination of punk guitar edge, pop melody and constantly-moving keyboard work was infectious back in the early 80s, and it still is. Ten Words for Snow rips into this sound with both barrels firing.

To be sure, these guys aren't above going all minimalist now and again (more Luna than Galaxie 500, if you get my drift), but there's a lush feel to many of these songs that helps the basic structures of these songs transcend the "regular" indie rock sound.

In the end, it is just music. Labels fade and the question becomes "Is it good?" Um, yeah, this is good. Sometimes it's even great.

10cc
Alive
(Creative Man-Cargo)
reviewed in issue #80, 7/15/95

The production on this disc is far superior to the punk live recordings Creative Man has released recently. The liners don't tell me who is in this edition of 10cc, an important point. I mean, these can't be all the original members. At least one of them has to have found some sense and given up on playing 20-year-old songs that weren't all that popular way back when.

What's the point of this disc? Money, I guess. Whatever.

The Tender Idols
Distressor
(E-Magine)
reviewed in issue #212, 2/19/01

Seems like more and more Britpop bands are coming from America these days. The Tender Idols take large chunks of the Charlatans, T. Rex and Blur, generally spinning the sound into a downbeat cast.

And that's my one big complaint. The Tender Idols don't quite have the sonic depth to play moody music quite so much. Though they do give it a game try.

The songs themselves are well-written, though the arrangements need a bit more heft if they want to connect emotionally. Now, when the tempo picks up and the guitars come to the fore, well, the Tender Idols sail along fine.

It's just that the boys don't seem to want to play that game. They want to be taken as serious artists or something. This album doesn't quite have that much substance. The potential is there, but there's work to be done.

Tenderloin
Tenderloin
(Time Bomb/BMG)
reviewed in issue #140, 8/4/97

Tenderloin was one of the first Lawrence bands to get the major record deal, and it's one of the last to still have one. Probably has something to do with the fact that Ernie and the boys play a version of the blooze an' boogie (they cover an early ZZ Top tune here) and not grunge.

Funny coincidence: Tenderloin once recorded a song called "Time Bomb", and now it's on Time Bomb. Coincidence? Dunno. Anyway, my memories of this band go all the way back to a predecessor known as the Sin City Disciples.

That act recorded some stuff for Headhunter, but never quite made it big. Still, it was a lot of fun to get loaded at the Blue Note and place money on when Big Ernie would next edge his jeans down the crack of his ass. Good sport, and always a great time.

This album is pretty good, but nothing near as much fun as the show, which is one thing Tenderloin has in common with the Disciples. The riffs get a bit clunky, and Ernie gets a little too excited about roughing up his voice for the next holler. And, honestly, these songs were made to played live. They sound okay here, but let me assure you, they'll kick ass down at the pub.

Tenki
We're Not Talking About the Universe, Are We (#1)
(Future Appletree)
reviewed in issue #280, November 2006

If there was such a thing as revisionist post rock, these guys are playing it. Rather than using guitars as jazz bludgeons (a la June of 44, one of my all-time faves), these guys let the organs and electronics take the fore. The result isn't really jazz, but it's a good deal removed from the whole rock and roll thing as well.

It's that whole "good music" idea. Tenki plays interesting, literate music with rock instruments. Every song contains references to rock, jazz, the blues, you name it. And it's all held together by a tenuous system of melodic lines that threaten to break even before they take hold.

That's where I'm hearing the ol' Chicago via Louisville school of thought. and whaddyaknow? These guys recorded this in Chicago. Alright! So my thesis holds more and more water. As if that matters.

It doesn't. All I care about is how good any given album is. Tenki has a quiet intensity that burns through this album. Once it grabs you, there's nothing you can do but hold on.

Tennessee Twin
These Thoughts Are Occupied 7"
(Mint)
reviewed in issue #219, 7/16/01

A double-shot of traditional country music. Cindy Wolfe fronts this eight-piece. She penned the tunes, too. Good ones. The kind that make listening to trucker radio a pleasure now and again.

The kinda stuff that made Loretta Lynn a star. Lead line provided by pedal steel (is there a cooler instrument? I think not), with plenty of help from fiddle, guitars and mandolin. Wonderful melodies and some glorious harmonizin' in the choruses.

If all country music sounded like this, there'd be little disagreement about its quality. Tennessee Twin makes timeless music. This tiny slab of vinyl is hardly enough to satisfy me. Most invigorating.

Old school old school country, if you know what I mean. Cindy Wolfe (songwriter and field general for the Tennessee Twin) has a penchant for somewhat cutesy clever lyrics, which can get a bit annoying. Thing is, these songs sound too damn good to get mad at for any length of time.

Almost a full-blown Texas swing orchestra, the Tennessee Twin features fiddle, pedal steel, accordion and mandolin in addition to the usual guitar, bass and drums. Wolfe writes some wonderful two-step melodies, and her arrangements are full and fun.

Sometimes she tries to say too much with her lyrics (or, more accurately, she tries to use too many words for the rhythm she's established), but most of the time she's dead on. And while the cleverness can grate, it's hard not to smile at a song like "Big Emo Eyes."

Or the rest of the album, for that matter. This puppy isn't perfect, but its ragged sincerity is refreshing. Exciting, even. Grab your best bolo and go out two-stepping tonight.

Tension
War Cry
(Grilled Cheese)
reviewed in issue #196, 3/6/00

Made up of former Exploited, Filth and Lager Lads members, Tension epitomizes the no-frills school of punk. Steady, if fairly pedantic riffage, vocals that range from a growl to full spew and one tempo: fast.

Nothing wrong with that, of course. I must admit that I kinda started to nod off a bit, but it might have been the massive burrito I just ate. The adrenaline just didn't kick in. And there is plenty here to feed on, certainly.

Workmanlike production. Nothing exceptional, but good enough. The songs similarly basic. I think fans of the guys' previous bands would be reasonably pleased. No sell-outs here.

But this doesn't really roust me about, either. A quality disc, though not particularly distinctive. Plug in, though, and see what you get.

Tera Melos
Complex Full of Phantoms split LP with ...By the End of Tonight
(Temporary Residence)
reviewed in issue #290, October 2007

...By the End of Tonight bashes its way through near-manic angular instrumentals. Tera Melos is just as geeky, but there are vocals. Sounds like a winning recipe to me.

And it is. BTEOT is something of a lighthearted Don Caballero, featuring plenty of strength but also remarkable agility. These songs turn on a dime, but they make sense all the way through. I like the way these songs think.

Tera Melos plays music that's even more intricate and involved, and the guys play it faster. The vocals tend to be used more like instruments rather than lyrical vehicles--I've always like that approach, myself. Sound at the speed of light, with added brighteners.

If I haven't lost you yet, this album might. It's high-octane, well, music. Lots of speed, lots of power...almost a sensory overload, really. My brain is bleeding and I couldn't be happier.

Terminus City
Justice Isn't Always Fair
(TKO)
reviewed in issue #207, 10/30/00

Atlanta oi boys who use a "Crazy Train" riff to introduce their theme song. Cheeky, to be sure. And Terminus City doesn't shy away from any of its targets. The chords slash and the lyrics burn.

It's easy to feed off the energy here. Just pick a song and feed on the adrenaline. Every once in a while, the boys reprise their "Crazy Train" habit, lifting a line from another familiar song. A joke? I dunno. The music just bounds out from the speakers. The sound is sharp, yet thick enough to carry the power of the songs. Just about dead solid perfect.

Terminus City doesn't worry about rules or anything else. The guys just strap it on and let the riffage fly. Who cares what lies in the wake when the destruction burns so quickly?

Terminus Victor
Under Surveillance
(Innocent Words)
reviewed in issue #270, November 2005

Back when I was a youth and the world was a garden of earthly delights, there was a band called Arcwelder. I guess Arcwelder is still shambling about Minneapolis, but it's been a while since I've heard this particular mechanical punk sound.

Which isn't to say these boys are any sort of carbon copy. The drum machine alone is a huge change (Terminus Victor is two guys, and the programming completes the trio), but there's just a certain epic something that provides a pleasant echo to my ears.

The sound itself is sharp and technical, but not sterile. The guitars wail, the bass slides in next to the drum machine (as it should, as Scott Kimble handles both tasks) and the vocals have that half-AOR/half-industrial sound to them. Very cool.

So, yeah, maybe this is some sort of bastard child of Arcwelder and Bloodstar (a Swiss metallic industrial duo from years--many, many years--past). That's just fine with me. Loud, vaguely melodic and sweetly acerbic. Ah, yes, that's how I like my tea.

Terra Diablo
Deluge Songs
(Nocturnal)
reviewed in issue #292, December 2007

Driving, melodic rock with a hint of drone. That last bit is mostly just buzzed-out riffage layering over insistent drumming, but it adds a cool feel to these songs.

And the key here is insistent drumming. The writing is pretty good, but these songs need to stay in high gear or they'll get lost. Luckily, most of the stuff here keeps punching the pedal.

Yes, I'm feeding on the energy. But the sound is just as important. A strong (but not overwhelming) guitar and bouncy bass really complement the arrangements. Solid work all around.

Yes, I know. There is a certain resemblance to Pearl Jam in a raucous mood. I happen to like that sound, and since Pearl Jam doesn't stay in pocket like this for long stretches, I guess these boys will have to do. I'm always happy to bite into the wire and feed on the fire.

Kat Terran
Lion & Blue
(self-released)
reviewed in issue #241, May 2003

Ani DiFranco has a lot to answer for. There are so many women wandering around these days with an acoustic guitar and severely affected vocals--and most of them aren't even a pale imitation of the righteous babe herself. Kat Terran has obviously listened to the DiFranco canon (and more than a little Sinead O'Connor, for that matter), but what she's done is find her own slot in the sound.

For starters, she likes to populate her songs with unusual lines. An extra guitar here and there. Bits and pieces that combine to create a nice collagey whole. And Terran doesn't warp her voice to the extreme. I think she could sing a little straighter, mind you, but she's nowhere near annoying territory.

For all the extras in the sound, the production leaves the cores of the songs alone. Good move. Terran has a fine writing voice, and her lyrics match her melodies quite nicely (this is a lot more difficult than it seems).

Not exactly my cup of tea, but Terran's ability impresses me greatly. She's got a great start on creating her own sound, and she can write with the best of them. As long as she stays adventurous, she's got a shot.

Terrene
The Indifferent Universe
(Wax Orchard)
reviewed in issue #286, June 2007

Fans of the New Pornographers and the Shins will recognize some similarities. For that matter, fans of Straightjacket Fits will cock their heads when they hear this. Dreamy, excessive pop is all the rage these days, and it seems I get fifty of these albums every month.

Few do it as well as Terrene, however. It's one thing to promise dramatics and then peter out at the hooks--I can't tell you how many people seem to have been sleeping in English class, or they would have a clue as how to sustain suspense through a song (or story). Terrene's writing builds from both the music and lyrics. Sometimes unevenly, which actually makes the tension that much more intense.

Phil Ek produced, which is either a stamp of approval or simply proof that some folks are working too hard. I can't speak to the latter, but this stuff should impress anyone who hears it. I wish Ek and the band tried a little harder to craft a more distinct Terrene sound, but that's a quibble. The music is more than inspiring.

So many bands like this simply create an unholy mess. Terrene manages the chaos and brings each song to its proper conclusion. These boys were paying attention when their teacher was discussing dramatic tension. Good for them.

Katie Terrio
Songs from the Overground
(self-released)
reviewed in issue #216, 5/14/01

Katie Terrio has the ability to roll her voice in some most endearing ways. She really tries to sell these songs with everything she's got.

And the songs themselves are pretty good, better lyrically than musically. The problem I hear is that the production job tries to subdue some of Terrio's natural talents. Much of the time her voice is allowed to roll and tumble, but sometimes a heavy hand even drops that in the mix.

From time to time, there seemed to be this idea that making songs sound more generic would be a good way of getting attention. That much more cheesy guitar, a particularly overfamiliar drum track, that sorta thing. Terrio dosn't need to sound like everyone else.

When the arrengements are kept simple, Terrio shines. When the bombast arrives, well, even her unique voice gets lost. And that's really a shame.

Terror
Lowest of the Low EP
(Bridge Nine)
reviewed in issue #240, April 2003

My own personal take on extreme hardcore is that the stuff has to get your blood going. Thus, fast stuff with exciting (and often catchy) riffage is what really grabs my ears. If the music actually has something to say, well, that's a nice bonus. Terror scores on all fronts.

Reminds me a lot of early Anthrax, though this stuff is much better produced. There are some fine, throbbing mosh moments (there's a term I haven't used in ages!). Nothing complicated, just fire-breathing guitar licks and pile-driving rhythms. The power is palpable.

And the songs themselves are some of the better alienation anthems I've heard in a while. Maybe "You think you fucking know me, but you don't know a fucking thing" isn't Milton or Yeats, but it does pack a nice punch of its own. These guys don't fuck around. Which is one of the reasons I really dig this disc.

Test Dept.
Legacy [1990-1993]-The Singles Plus More
(Jungle-Cleopatra)
reviewed in issue #71, 2/28/95

If these are the singles...

Test Dept. is pretty uncompromising, merging world beat melodies and rhythms, samples of political speeches and other noises along with mellow techno (even ambient at times). This is not unattractive, but also not terribly commercial. The songs are usually constructed to build to a point where all of the various samples are interacting, and then a slow retreat from the whole.

Sounds like orchestration? Well, that's a fair approximation. Test Dept. blends many sounds together, some sounds that normally do not wander through the same planes together. But it works here.

When things really cook, Test Dept. shows its true mettle. The sound approaches discordance, but at the precipice things pirouette back towards our universe.

Highly worthy listening.

Testament
Live at the Fillmore
(Burnt Offerings)
reviewed in issue #80, 7/15/95

A big part of me wants to tell these guys: Wake up! Metallica was first, and they won! Give it up!

Of course, Testament has always had more European metal influences (even with James Murphy taking over lead duties), and that's why I've also had this soft spot in my heart for the band.

This set of 14 live tracks and 3 acoustic studio pieces (Unplugged schedulers listening?) is a decent representation of Testament's career, though I think it relies a little too much on the lesser later albums. The production is decently clean, and while I liked Alex Skolnick, Murphy's guitar work is rather impressive.

But now wither the Testament? Perhaps a final bow is in order.

I figured something had to give. It has been years since Testament recorded an interesting album, and as Metallica has moved on to mellower pastures, I figured Testament might follow suit.

Instead, a direct 180 from there. This is an album of technical death metal. Chuck Billy's vocals have been processed into a rather ominous growl, and I don't think any more Metallica comparisons will be coming down the pike.

Fear Factory, perhaps, although Demonic has more of the feel that the most recent Death and Suffocation albums had. So technically proficient and anthemically melodic that it almost isn't death metal, but for Testament, this is quite the move.

Surprised the shit out of me. After that dreadful live album, I couldn't imagine anything good coming out of this camp. I don't mind saying I was absolutely wrong. This is more than enough to jumpstart the Testament bus and get it moving toward the top again.

Remember those heady days in the late 80s when bands like Testament and Exodus (and Faith No More, to a lesser extent) were put forth as the next big San Francisco metal band? Well, this disc brings it all back for me.

I really liked Testament. Sure, there are plenty of Metallica references, but hell, that's pretty much unavoidable. My own personal fave album is Practice What You Preach, which managed to combine the raw power of the band's two releases with a more melodic and commercial approach. And it featured the utterly silly (and yet, strangely compelling) tune, "The Ballad". If that wasn't a complete rip of "Fade to Black", well, I can't say.

The thing is, for all the metallic pomposity required of such hard rock studs, Testament always seemed to be giving the audience a wink as well. Take, for instance, the previously unreleased covers included on this disc: "Sails of Charon" and "Draw the Line". Yeah, the band showed it's Aerosmith allegiance with a version of "Nobody's Fault" that did appear on an album, but still.

Testament is one of those bands that perfectly embodied a certain time in music. Yeah, the guys are still soldiering forth, but this collection features mostly stuff from the 80's albums, and that's the right way to go. The best way to put thing is to say you had to have been there. Otherwise it makes no sense at all.

Alice Texas
Gold
(self-released)
reviewed in issue #210, 1/8/01

Alice Schneider (who is Alice Texas) has one of those voices that might be described as "dusky." But she doesn't work it in that direction. Rather, she imbues her vocal cords with a much wider range of pitch and dynamics. In other words, she blows that idea away.

Most of the songs build slowly to a rather shattering climax. But Schneider doesn't stop there. She also throws in a couple of silly pop tunes (played with maximum distortion and disjointed aplomb) and then flitters about a bit. Doesn't matter, though. This album just has that feeling.

I must admit a certain yen for women who know how to use an alto voice. And Schneider sure knows how to work hers to the hilt. But she also writes songs that perfectly fit her style. Some people try to force themselves into a sound. Schneider knows what works for her, and she just dives right in.

Alright, if intense singing (sometimes howling) blaring out over moody music doesn't do it for you, stay away. But I think most folks will be won over by Schneider's full-tilt singing and writing. She went for broke and came up sevens.

Texas Instruments
Magnetic Home
(Doctor Dream)
reviewed in issue #36, 6/30/93

I can remember giving their last album a mediocre review at KCOU. But I like this a lot better. I can't put my finger on it, but it just seems a lot more interesting.

Again, for you pure metal types, this is not in that area. Country-tinged college pop is the name of the game here, and I know a lot of MDs around the country who love these folk.

While they are not necessarily among my faves, this album sure is a purty thang.

Texas Is the Reason
Do You Know Who You Are?
(Revelation)
reviewed in issue #112, 6/17/96

Distortion-drenched guitar pop with an emphasis on heavy hooks. And the shit clicks. Almost every time.

Best of all, the band refuses to stick to any one tempo or idea, leaving the album with a wide variety of moods and feels. My God, is that fine old world craftsmanship I hear?

Well, they're from New York, but what the hell. TITR knows how to reach into a songwriting bag of tricks and make sure everything comes out just right. And above all, nothing sounds calculated. With all the obvious work involved, the songs are seamless slabs of pop glory.

Not sure what else to say. I think the guys could pick the tempo up a bit more often, but the current diversity suits me well enough. Give them a tour and another album, and who knows where these folks will be next time out. Could be legendary.

Texas Terri & the Stiff Ones
Eat Shit!
(demo)
reviewed in issue #142, 9/1/97

Straight-ahead punk rawk, with Terri Laird's vocals high in the mix. The production is fairly sharp, with a musical emphasis on the guitars (the drums almost get lost sometimes, which is certainly unusual). And the songs are energetic, if somewhat rote.

Basic. As basic as basic gets, really. The band hasn't quite figured out that instead of a minute-long live-style song wind-up, they should just fade out, but hell, it's that energy that appeals to me in the first place.

The songs aren't anything special, except that they are amusing enough to keep me listening, cranking the volume up almost constantly. And trust me, this tape sounds better as the knob limbs higher.

Loads of fun, if nothing else. Texas Terri & the Stiff Ones crank out high-energy punk with some serious smoke. No nuance, but none is really desired.

All the songs from the demo I reviewed last year (newly recorded, I think), plus a nice raft of new ones. Same story as before, hi-octane punk rawk featuring Terri's gravelly hollers.

No let up in the attack, which is precisely what I want to hear. This isn't music which provokes an evening of deep thoughts. Nope, it is the sound of action, and Terri and the Stiff Ones provide plenty.

We are talking about mid-70s punk here, thick chords with sand on top. Very basic, and executed to perfection. Sometimes just the facts does the trick. Sure does here.

What else to say? If primal punk is what's called for, Texas Terri and the Stiff Ones deliver. Turn it up and piss off the neighbors.

Ron Thal
The Adventures of Bumblefoot
(Shrapnel)
reviewed in issue #76, 5/15/95

Bumblefoot is a reference to a thimble Thal wears on one of his toes in order to play a guitar with his foot. This creates some interesting sounds, but I would imagine it would be more entertaining live, just for the spectacle.

Thal works much more at making his songs sound like, well, songs than most guitar instrumentalists. His style is more laid back and jazzy than much of Shrapnel's lineup (though he does have his shred and prog moments), and I like the feel he imparts into his songs. I can sense a real person behind the playing.

At times the music does get overbearing and repetitive (particularly when loud; I'm not sure if this is just me or not) and I lose interest. But for the most part, Thal has the best traits of the instrumental guitar player. Above all, this is a fun album (with each song symbolizing a particular animal disease, oddly enough).

One thing I've liked about Ron Thal's work is his willingness to try different stuff. But once he finds something he likes, sometimes it's hard to get him off that kick. You take the good with the bad, I guess...

That continues here. His instrumental work is a bit stronger, overall, than his last effort. But most of the time on this album he's singing. This isn't that bad, but it does detract from the guitar work. And he's not as good a lyricist or singer as he is a guitarist.

Still, as a progressive metal album, this scores fairly well. As I noted before, Thal likes to mix things up, and that carries through here. And I'm not trying to rip on his singing; it's more than adequate. I think he might get a little further if he focused on his playing, but that's about it.

He's not quite to "major statement" phase, but this album is a step in that direction. Thal has talent to spare. More exploration can only help him find more hidden gift repositories.

Thawfor
Where Thawght Is Worshipped 2.2 12"
(Ozone)
reviewed in issue #224, 11/5/01

The title track features Slug, Rob Smith and Mike Ladd. The beats are slow but insistent, all the better for the rhymes laid on top of them. There's an interplay between the guest rappers (sometimes they're even running over each other) that is most impressive. The second track, "Left Behind," follows in the same vein. The intent is knowledge distribution, not bombastic braggadocio. The beats say "Take a chill and have a listen." Good idea.

A thoughtful pair of tunes, produced with consummate skill. The lyrics do matter. So pay attention.

The Theater Fire
Everybody Has a Dark Side
(Undeniable)
reviewed in issue #276, July 2006

The sticker on the jewel box references Calexico, Smog, Giant Sand and Lambchop. And those are reasonable. But I'd add the Silver Jews. In fact, the Theater Fire sounds to me like an almost perfect amalgam of Calexico and the Silver Jews.

The boys like to play things straight, but in as indirect a way as possible. The vocal melodies are about as stock as it gets, but the arrangements and instrumental lines weave all over the place. Some horns here, a lubricated bass there and plenty of variety in the stringed accompaniment.

Kinda like a freaky campfire band. Sure, these songs could be basic fare, but the performances lift them to more inspired level. The sound is round and full, which is in stark opposition to the spare arrangements. But it works. All the pieces can be heard, and the sound gives the songs more depth.

The sort of album that slowly worms its way into your heart. Or, perhaps, storms the barricades right away. You've just got to be open to the possibility, I guess.

Thee Hypnotics
Heavy Liquid CD5
(American/Reprise)
reviewed in issue #52, 4/15/94

Given the current spate of Black Sabbath clones we've had whirl around lately, one question occasionally wandered by: would Thee Hypnotics come around to take advantage of a favorable trend.

After all, they were Jimi and Iommi when it just wasn't cool. This is just slick enough to entice AOR, while keeping enough wank on the guitar to keep the college types amused. Personally, I'm getting a little tired of this sound, but I have to admit that this is every bit as overblown as the original.

As retreads of the late sixties hard rock explosion go, Thee Hypnotics have about as good a feel for the originals as anyone.

Who could miss the many references to Black Sabbath, Cream and Iron Butterfly (not to mention Deep Purple, Mountain, Uriah Heep and even some Rolling Stones moments)? When a couple of Black Crowes sit in, the bombast gives way to blues for a moment.

They play the revival game as well as anyone, and this is a fun album to crank real loud (and the mastering does that anyway). Not an original bone in the machine, it still satisfies a certain craving.

The Theory of Abstract Light
The Theory of Abstract Light
(Odd Halo-Tortuga)
reviewed in issue #239, March 2003

It has often been my observation that bands with truly interesting packaging are generally quite intriguing themselves. The Theory of Abstract Light is no exception. Its packaging is two-tone: Blue paper and silver ink. The notes are Spartan, just the personnel (a certain Ben Carr), contact info and song titles. Very stylish.

As is the music. Carr couldn't have chosen a more appropriate moniker. He likes to play with sonic lines, but generally he's only got one or two in the air at once. Might be a piano and guitar, guitar and electronic noise or some other combo, but he rarely spins too many webs at once.

The sound range is awesome. This album will test the dynamic limits of your stereo. There are some exquisitely quiet moments, and there are some truly mindblowingly loud portions as well. They rise and fall in somewhat predictable patterns, but being able to guess what might be coming in no way prepared me for what I actually heard.

Um, yeah, this is another of those abstract music things I love to write nice things about. I figured the name of the band (or, rather, artist) might've tipped you off. If you want to teeter over the edge before being brought back to some semblance of normalcy, this puppy will serve as a fine tour guide.

Theory of Ruin
Outfit 7"
(Elastic)
reviewed in issue #193, 12/20/99

Remember what I said about the Jesus Lizard being an influential band? Well, here's living proof. Theory of Ruin replciates the rumbling, staggering feel of a Jesus Lizard tune and then adds a little bit of its own chaos into the mix.

The trick with this sound is to keep the groove going. Theory of Ruin does a wonderful job, blowing out these throbbing, burning songs with a stylish panache.

Oh, the joy of the noise! There are a lot of similar bands who neglect to keep the bass working with the drums. Not here. And once those are tied nicely together, everything can go to hell and complete the sound. Quite well done.

Therapy?
Caucasian Psychosis
(1/4 Stick/Touch and Go)
reviewed in issue #13, 5/15/92

When the cute sorority girl goes up to the dj and asks for some industrial, she would not expect this. But not only is Therapy? ozone hostile (to borrow a phrase), they have some cool dance beats as well. Yes, moshers and technoids can unite in the love of one band.

Where FLA and NIN have paved the way for stuff like Godflesh's "Slavestate" and all, this really brings it all together, and adds a bit of the alternative rock sound as well. The songs are mellow enough to have real melodies and (yes) real drums at times, this is cool. And it comes at a time when drinking and dancing are good cure-alls for what ails college students most this time of year: papers, finals, and morbid visions of a jobless future (oops, let that one slip in).

Trust me: don't ask if you need Therapy? It's a given that you do.

Therion
Of Darkness
(Deaf-Grind Core)
reviewed in issue #20, 9/15/92

Grind Core reaches across the pond to strengthen its already-strong lineup. This Swedish death outfit is firmly entrenched in the metal side of things, but they show a great amount of creativity. At times singer Christofer Johnsson manipulates his vocals, not to distort, but just to make them sound more interesting. I can't really describe it; you'll have to hear the results for yourself.

At times this wanders into the wall-of-sound area, a la Incantation. But then Therion changes course and mutates into another sound. Some definite Cannibal Corpse influences here, and I'm sure you can find many others. But, unlike a lot of other bands, Therion mixes it all up, so you don't get bored. Good show!

When Therion threatens a death-metal opera, it appears the folks mean it. Two full-blown choruses, an orchestra and loads of special guests (including the ubiquitous Dan Swano) accompany the classically-influenced music.

Yes, it's heavy. And yes, it's good music. Sure, real opera fans would turn up their noses (as would conservative death metal aficionados), but hell, music can't stay stagnant.

Way overblown, Therion still manages to bring this puppy under rein, keeping the sound light enough to stave off excessive pomposity. And the influences here don't stop at classical music. "Cults of the Shadow" could easily be a Sisters of Mercy tune (and yes, it is one of the songs Swano appears on, and much of the proceedings have a lot more to do with Iron Maiden than Entombed. But Swedes in general have been pushing the extreme envelope for years now.

Pretty, powerful and extremely well-crafted. Therion seems to have achieved exactly what it intended, and I'm damned happy about it. If this issue is any indication, this whole gothic metal trend is merely picking up steam. And with purveyors as diverse and creative as Therion, Cradle of Filth and My Dying Bride, the future can only hold even brighter moments.

A sort of odds and ends collection. The main album has a couple of alternate and live takes along with Scorpions, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden covers. The last seven tracks consist of the soundtrack for "The Golden Embrace".

These recordings are much more melodic and "retro" metal sounding than the most recent Therion releases. The covers are interesting, I suppose, although "Children of the Damned" is pretty awful. This is certainly one of those "collectors" type packages.

And as such, there's more than enough to satisfy the basic Therion fan. The level of musical sophistication and sense of adventure is missing, but what remains is solid musicianship and an ear for power melodies.

The soundtrack portion is mostly instrumental, with some vocal parts singing mostly German or nonsense syllables (la la la, etc.). The music is, well, about exactly what is expected: synth heavy hard rock with lots of classical overtones. Good, but not great.

For what it aspires to be, this is a good album. I still want to hear more of the latter-day Therion, which is certainly a couple notches above this set.

Therios
Therios
(self-released)
reviewed in issue #201, 6/26/00

This is kinda like the usual DHR fare, except less cultured. Therios is really playing over-the-top death metal, but completely torching the recording. Distorting the vocals, underplaying the drums and dropping in the guitars at a strange pitch. Did I mention that this is also highly edited?

So it's electronic, by proxy anyway. It don't make sense. That's by intent, methinks. I have a feeling that Therios would love to be known as "out there."

And well, the stuff sure is. What I like about most DHR stuff is that the percussion and beats are generally intriguing. Therios is all about the distortion and vocals. At least, that's what is on top. The songs do have structure, but that's buried in the wail of noise.

A true mess. That is, of course, the aim of the band, so I figure victory has to be claimed on that point. Am I stoked? Well, strangely, I kept trying to divine more of the structure. And that didn't excite me. There's plenty of noise (in fact, be sure to turn down your stereo; this puppy just about shredded my speakers), sure to get plenty of rocks off. I remain only slightly amused.

The back cover states simply, "Therios does not sample the work of others." I think just about all of the others are saying "Thank God!"

This, of course, should not in any way be seen as a slag on Therios. These boys crank out some pile-driving, electronic distortion-burning, ear-shredding industrial metal. There's one hell of an unholy racket going on.

And damn if it doesn't sound fuckin' great. Yes, you do kinda have to be into this sorta extreme sound to really jam on it. This isn't music for the meek-hearted and the tender-eared. Not at all. Therios makes no concession to the mainstream. N'Sync girls will not be grabbing this disc in droves. Hell, Rage Against the Machine fans won't be coming near this thing, either, despite somewhat similar songwriting styles.

It's a question of execution. Therios refuses to stint on the brutality, and the result is an album of uncompromising aural assault. I really can't exaggerate that point. If Therios isn't the meanest band in the world, the boys are on speaking terms with whoever might be. Ever so lovely.

Theselah
No Sleep More Fun
(K.O.A.)
reviewed in issue #215, 4/23/01

Talk about split personalities. Theselah begins the album by taking a bit of Codeine, splicing in some of Galaxie 500-style rhythm guitar and then slipping in the elongated lead guitar lines of the mellower side of emo. Bringing down the house, indeed.

A couple songs down the line, Theselah grinds gears and plasters the speakers with walls of distortion and some stuff that was recorded in most inventive fashion. And then there are songs somewhere in between.

A song toward the end of the disc seems to sum up what Theselah is all about: "Take It Fast or Take It Slow." Yep. That's about it. Ringing throughout the disc is this really great production job that captures more echo and reverb than I thought possible. While the songwriting isn't exactly consistent, that sound pervades the album.

Thus saving Theselah from sounding like a rootless band. Much easier for a dolt like me to figure out what's going on here, besides music that sounds way too cool for words. I had some fun and worked my brain as well. Bravo.

The last Theselah album I heard was all over the map. Not so this one. These are (mostly) soft pop tunes with a real undertow. Alright, so sometimes that sound is accomplished electronically and sometimes it's a band effort. The overall effect is the same.

And the production sound is just as impressive as I noted last time out. There's this ringing quality to the stuff that must be heard to be believed. As for the sentiments expressed, well, they're hardly sentimental. This is no docile kitty.

Just because a band plays sophisticated, urbane pop music doesn't mean that it is devoid of emotion or angst. Theselah simply lets everything hang out in the lyrics. Not the vocals, mind you. Generally, those are sung with the same smooth veneer as the music. The thoughts, however, are hardly tame.

Thoughtful is not a bad word. Even when it might be used to describe a rock band. Theselah makes its listeners think. It pokes and prods until some nerve gets plucked. Being the sneaky bastards they are, the band members often serve this wallop in an underhanded manner. All the more cool that way.

They Walk in Line
Medical Necessities
(Rock Ridge Music)
reviewed in issue #261, February 2005

Rock Ridge Music is an enterprise headed up by Chris Henderson of Three Doors Down and a couple of experienced music industry pros. I don't know much about the other bands on the label lineup, but They Walk in Line does a pretty nice job of balancing a commercial sound with solid and sometimes unconventional songwriting.

The writing is what gets to me. The songs are generally built around the rhythm in the rhythm guitar, and the vocals are allowed to float freely above the music. This is not unlike what U2 did 20 years ago, but They Walk in Line has a much more modern, stripped-down feel.

Interestingly, these boys have more of a new wave approach to melody than U2, though the guitars are wonderfully discordant--I like that sort of juxtaposition, myself.

The production is pretty much stock major label sheen, which does dull some of the more interesting edges. But most of the good stuff is still there, even if it is hiding a bit. And anyway, the boys have a right to sell a few albums. If the world was just--which we know it isn't--Medical Necessities would do just that.

Thick Black Theory
Thick Black Theory
(Hidden Hand)
reviewed in issue #129, 3/3/97

The ambient intro left me with one feeling. But then the real music arrived, and it's something like generic roots-pop that sounds astonishingly artificial. Mostly due to the really cheesy drum machine, I guess.

There's an odd "electronic hoedown" feel to a lot of the music here, and I like that. At times, it reminds me of Magnetic Fields without the spooky lyrics. But Thick Black Theory gets old fairly quickly, and the music doesn't get much beyond its initial accomplishments.

I really don't know if the band wanted this rather cheesy sound, or if it was forced upon it because of a general lack of members. I get a really poppy Gary Numan feel here. Not good, really.

Still, the lyrics are amusing, and once I accepted the limitations of the music, I kinda liked it a little better. For so much going on, this should be better.

Thick Shake
Soft Spot
(Ballyhoo Guns)
reviewed in issue #83, 8/21/95

Crude, thick chords resonating through walls of distortion. A mean, harsh voice announces its presence. Could this be... an artsy Killdozer?

Well, no, since Thick Shake has a much more complicated sense of song structure. But the guitar sound is similar, even if everything else is much more "out there".

Sure, fans of AmRep and Touch and Go bands will groove on this like, um, a nice thick shake, but Thick Shake has enough flair to transcend any simple description and enough musical competence to wield the instruments most impressively.

Often enough, Thick Shake seems to be grinding towards the apocalypse, with no real destination in mind. I'll certainly tag along. The ride is well worth any personal pain.

Thin Lizzy
Black Rose
Chinatown
Renegade
Thunder and Lightning
Life - Live
(Metal Blade/WB)
reviewed in issue #33, 4/30/93

God damn it's so exciting! The Warner Brothers side of the TL catalog had yet to see the light of CD, and then Metal Blade reaps the harvest of their deal. While it could be argued that their best work was behind them, I don't think Thin Lizzy recorded a better complete album than Black Rose.

"Thunder and Lightning" remains my favorite tune from these folk, and so I was rather happy to see that song as the emphasis track.

No need to turn your station into a boring classic rock signal, but it wouldn't hurt to dig into the more unknown side of Thin Lizzy now and again.

The Thin Man
H.M.S Mondegreen
(Skin and Bone)
reviewed in issue #257, September 2004

This sounds a bit like one of Jon Langford's side projects that generally ends up on Bloodshot. Hey, the guys are even from Chicago. Geez. What are the odds?

Pretty good, actually. Kennedy Greenrod wrote the songs and plays the omnipresent accordion. There's this weird Irish reel/klezmer meets country vibe to the songs that's highly addictive. Imagine Firewater doing Hank Williams, and you might be getting in the ballpark.

I like that reference, except that the Thin Man relies on exotic instrumentation even more than Tod A and company. There is this loose, ragged feel to the songs, kinda like they were recorded in a bar after one too many beers. Greenrod's somewhat slipshod singing contributes to the effect, though I'd have to say it complements, rather than detracts from, his songs.

As any regular reader knows, if I'm comparing an act to Langford or Firewater, I'm duly impressed. It's true. This is a fine album. Greenrod has impeccable writing skills and a most unusual and effective way of presenting them. Have a couple whiskeys and feel free to join in.

More rambling, rootsy observations from these folks, who sound an awful lot like Jon Langford's loopy cousins. Which is an awfully good thing. The songs keep a rolling, and the smile keep a coming. And just when you think you're lost, you arrive.

Thin White Rope
The One the Got Away
(Frontier)
reviewed in issue #29, 2/28/93

Few legendary bands have the presence of mind to record their final show. Most don't realize their last show has passed until after the fact. And