Saturday, October 4, 2008

Tanner


Tanner is a plucky, pint-sized racist who plays second base for the “Bad News” Bears in the North Valley Little League outside of Los Angeles. From what I can tell, he's not very fond of Jews, sp*cs, ni**ers, pansies, that booger eating moron Timmy Lupus or coach Buttercrud. He also seems to really hate the Yankees, who he thinks are "real turds."



20 years and some 137 miles away, in San Diego, a band called Fishwife calls it quits and 3/4 of that band (Matt Ohlin, Gar Wood and Chris Prescott) decide to stick it out together under a different name (yes, attentive readers, another 3/4-of-another-band band). Together they help flesh out the 90's San Diego sound as well as the larger post-hardcore thing: using noise and dissonance to contrast more melodic elements; the chug-along; the suddenly-floor-it-only-to-slam-on-the-brakes-and-throw-it-in-reverse. They can be put in the same boat as Drive Like Jehu (Mark Trombino recorded this record for them), though having only one guitar precludes them from being nearly as intricate. But they make the most with what they have. So it’s got the chunk, the pleasing dissonance, some of the math and enough hooks to keep it interesting. "Ill Gotten Gains" is the first of the 2 records they put out and its the one I prefer. And I stole the name of this blog from one of its songs.

we don't need the bullets. the gun is enough.