Making “indie rock” of late seems to mean recording on four tracks for a major
multinational, but that’s okay: There will probably always be plenty of local
combos willing to work out their middle-class passions in a thoroughly
unprofessional manner. The inspiration for Veronica’s debut on Candy-Ass may be
vaguely riotish, but it’s true mother is Scrawl-pop of the catchiest and most
disturbing variety. Singer/guitarist Sarah Dougher has the kind of voice that’s
hard to fake — raggedy, pissed, and vulnerable in a way that makes you bouncy
and slightly ill at the same time — plus, she writes good lyrics about guard
rails and girl lust. Rhythmically, it’s all over the place, and the guitar has
a Gang-of-Fourish tone that may or may not be appropriate. Meanwhile, the
garage genre continues to be held hostage by an up-with-people brain trust on
the Teen Titans’ newest, “We’re Wildcats!” (My Papa’s Leg/Peek-a-Boo). Happily
for almost everyone, the mostly teeny titans subvert their own leanings toward
distorto vocals, basic three-(two-? one-?) chord riffage, and the odd blues
“harp” with twisted couplets, maniacal perkiness, and the best song titles in
the world (“Flying Cobras of Rock” being but one). Olive’s self-titled debut on
Framed! Records is more musically complex, and the hook-versus-anti-hook
dialectic rages mightily within its slender petrochemical confines. “Flying”
invokes Stereolab, Lene Lovich, and various New Zealand pop groups: It’s
circular, layered, pulsating with Siouxsie march bursts, dreamy, and about a
dream. “Weird Facial Hair Boy,” on the other hand, is a singalong with funny,
accessible lyrics, its `77 fuzztones punctuated by Kerthy Fix’s Germanic drama
diva vocalizing and enough melody and tempo shifts to keep you playing the
record instead of just humming it to yourself. — Cindy
Widner
This article appears in January 19 • 1996 and January 19 • 1996 (Cover).