Remember that most often, 45s are a group’s first stab at immortality — a
physical manifestation of their art. Something concrete. They’re also a sign
the group’s probably flat broke. No money, no production. No production, no
telling what you get. Sometimes the songwriting shines through, but more often
than not, it’s obstructed by shit studio conditions. What the locals in Busride
probably wouldn’t do for some big, fat, mega-corp bucks from Atlantic for their
new single on No-Fi (my point, precisely), “Digital Sunset” b/w “Dreamland
(Area 51).” Butch Vig and a 24-track could work wonders on their brand of
Sixteen Deluxish psychedelic rock. Likewise, Austin’s Headhunters could use
Tenderloin’s Ernie Locke bellying up to the producer chair (over Buzzcrusher’s
dead body) so they might squeeze some feral blues from their blubbery barroom
stomp. And songs, they need songs, five more of which you get on the bonus tape
that comes with their red vinyl single on Voodoo Pie, “Devilhound” b/w “Black
Cat Bone.” Too bad not one of these seven tunes matches the band’s live energy.
Twin Freaks got Pariah’s Kyle Ellison and Jared Tuten to produce their
green-vinyl foray into the marketplace, which despite some awkward singing and
woozy tunings (maybe it’s my turntable) has something that’s driving me crazy
to put my finger on. Something like Kevin Salem or Dumptruck. That’s on Dallas’
indie, Mind and Eye. Uprising’s split
7-inch featuring Boston’s Shiva
Speedway and Austin’s Enduro sounds rather underproduced itself, but not enough
to blunt the former band’s L7/Scrawl grrrwl or the latter’s pissed off
thrashings complete with flying-saucer moog effects. Somebody send Interscope
an Enduro tape. They need to hear this talented trio. Wait, Interscope’s busy
with Brutal Juice — or maybe not since they’ve lent ’em out to Frank Kozik’s
Man’s Ruin label for a bit of clear-vinyl fun and a couple of songs that fit
nicely in the Denton band’s nasty ol’ ouevre. Sounds like a dream deal
for the Juice, a dream shared by many lesser bands. —
Raoul Hernandez
No-Fi: PO Box 251074, Glendale, CA 91225-1074; Voodoo Pie: 301 E. Fourth St.
#305, Austin, TX 78701; Twin Freaks: 1307 Kinney Ave. #138, Austin, TX 78704;
Uprising: PO Box 4412, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-4412; Man’s Ruin: 2415 Third St.
#239, San Francisco, CA 94107
“7 & 7 Is” reviews all local and national singles. Send to: “7& 7 Is,”
The Austin Chronicle, PO Box 49066, Austin, TX 78765.
This article appears in November 29 • 1996 and November 29 • 1996 (Cover).