Color TV - Meat Wagon 7"

Deranged (2016)

I picked up an album by a band called W.H. Walker a few years ago and over the years it has become one of my very favorite records.  The way that album channels the band's infectious party energy is the sort of thing just just sticks with me.  I've been clamoring for a follow up for years.  Unfortunately, as is often the case, it seems W.H. Walker split up.  Sad times for sure.  However, in doing some good old fashion internet digging, I stumbled across a new band that sprung from their ashes: Color TV.

I picked up Color TV's demo tape a few months back and thought it was a good time.  Their first proper 7" is even better.  Though I do miss the unadulterated fun of W.H. Walker, if you are looking for some straight ahead catchy punk rock, you aren't going to do much better than Color TV.  They keep their songs fast and to the point in a way that isn't that sonically different from The Marked Men.  Downstroke laden verses give way to bright singalong choruses making this a pretty killer 7" start to finish.

This is a band that is absolutely off to a great start.  I'm certainly eager to hear where they go next, though it also wouldn't bum me out if they decided to get W.H. Walker going again at the same time.  There's plenty of room in this world for two great bands.

Color TV - Meat Wagon 7":

https://derangedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/color-tv

Tenement - S/T EP 12" - Orange Vinyl

Deranged (2016)

Tenement's new 12" was originally released as a tour only cassette, though this new vinyl version has two extra songs and less tape warble than the original release. I've been a pretty big Tenement fan for quite some time and have been borderline obsessed with the band since their Napalm Dream full length.  They're a particularly creative band, sometimes taking detours into areas that I don't necessarily like, but they do always keep things interesting.  

On this latest self titled EP, they stick to a sound that is a bit more pop and a bit more traditional.  Frankly, there are few bands in the world that can dole out a serving of guitar pop better than Tenement, but their ability to mix in some slower, borderline country songs is what is most impressive to me.  From the hyper start/stop guitar buzz of opener "Everyone To Love You," you'd think the segue into the much more subdued "Underworld Hotel" would be clunky, but Tenement manages to swing between tempos and genres with ease and always seem to be able to bring all of the songs under a cohesive umbrella.  It's a remarkable achievement and one that could not be pulled off by most bands.

For me the highlight is one of the newly added songs, "The Strangest Couple In Love."  It's a perfect mid tempo rock song.  It has the big fuzzy guitars that I love, catchy singalong verses and some pretty gigantic hooks. It's simply another great release from one of the best bands playing rock and roll music today.

Tenement - S/T 12":

https://derangedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/s-t-2

Marvelous Darlings - Single Life LP - Pink Vinyl

Deranged (2011)

It's pretty crazy to think that this record came out five years ago and it's been that long since Marvelous Darlings released a record.  I'm not sure why they split up, but man do I miss them.  This is the pink vinyl version of their singles compilation.  I'm kind of surprised it was still kicking around all of these years later.  

When this album was originally put out, Deranged listed a black vinyl version and a blue vinyl version, which I bought right away.  A few weeks later they listed this pink version and I was just never willing to commit the crazy Canadian postage rates required to pick it up.  Fast forward a few years and Deranged started offering a cheaper shipping alternative for the folks in the US, so I picked this up while ordering another record.   There are only a few bands that I really go variant crazy for, but Marvelous Darlings is one of those bands.

This LP is a collection of every 7" that Marvelous Darlings released over their active years.  The way this band combined a rock and roll swagger with some of the biggest pop hooks you've ever heard was something to hear.  It's been especially weird to watch singer Ben Cook's other project Young Guv go off the rails with his first full length after releasing a slew of 7"s and then just kind of go dark.  The torch is still being carried a by Marvelous Mark who is crafting some awfully nice pop tunes, but even those are missing some of the crunch and fervor that Marvelous Darlings were able to capture.

Single Life ends up being a picture perfect document of a band that was together for a few years, wrote some of the best damn songs you've ever heard and then vanished into the night.  It's a pretty essential record if you ask me.  What I wouldn't give for the band to do another.

Marvelous Darlings - Single Life:

https://derangedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/single-life

Century Palm - Valley Cyan 7"

Deranged (2015)

Valley Cyan is the second Century Palm 7" that I received for review (the first was reviewed yesterday, in case you missed it).  As with their debut, there is a definite new wave lean to these songs, with even more liberal use of synth this time around.

The title track "Valley Cyan" has a steady groove fueled by ringing out guitar strumming and sitar-like accompaniment from the synthesizer.  It's pretty catchy and just as good as either song on the band's first 7".  Though I will say it has a heavier lean towards the new wave sounds of the 1980's than anything else the band has released so far.

I'll admit, I'm not sure what to make of the B-side "Accept."  It sort of sounds like the kind of song that would be playing in the background of an early John Hughes teen movie while the main hero contemplates their sadness at the low point of their story arc.  It's slow and for reasons I can't explain, the vocals take a severe turn from the lighter side to full on, baritone Leonard Cohen style brooding.  It's my least favorite thing I've heard from the band so far, but it's also something of an outlier, so I couldn't say if this is the sort of thing we'll hear more of in the future.

Regardless, three pretty strong songs out of four over the course of two 7"s is a pretty solid start for a new band.  Digging around online a bit, it looks like the band has more records in the works.  I'm looking forward to hearing what comes next.

Century Palm - Valley Cyan 7":

https://centurypalm.bandcamp.com/album/valley-cyan-7