Top Sounds - T

TALULAH GOSH - Was It Just A Dream? {Damaged Goods} Reissue of this 29-track career spanning double album from this Indie-Pop C86 band outta Oxford, UK that Dam Good originally released in 2013. Not only does this include all the band’s releases (all singles) dating from 1986/’87, but also two BBC sessions and some live material. It might be a bit ‘twee’ and Poppy for the more Punk-orientated Scanner reader, but think early TELEVISION PERSONALITIES, PRIMITIVES at their most poppy and a splish of THE SMITHS and you might be there. I actually found them quite endearing, and still do. Plenty of highlights but best bits include personal fave, ‘The Girl With Strawberry Hair’ along with the two radio sessions (one for Janice Long, another for Mr Peel). Three of the band went onto form HEAVENLY, which Dam Good has just released a rather smart singles comp. (15.03.21)

TERRITORIES - When The Day Is Done {Pirates Press} PODCAST PLAYED Six track 10” from these fellas outta Calgary, Canada that include ex-members of KNUCKLHEAD. It’s strong and boisterous stuff too, coming on like FACE TO FACE fused with AGAINST ME! and a splash of SWINGIN’ UTTERS for good measure. Each track has its merits and holds the attention, but best tracks would be the sauntering, swaggering ‘Defender’ and the closing ‘Quit This City’ that starts with vocals and guitar a’la BILLY BRAGG and morphs into a huge, majestic singalong that brought to mind MEN THEY COULDN’T HANG while highlight could well be the rootsy Punk Rock ‘n’ Roll of ‘The Lockdown’  that doesn’t address COVID but rather is targeted at sparking discussions on the benefits and pitfalls of lockdown drills at schools. Very impressive stuff laden with huge choruses, depth to the songwriting and enough hooks to knock out Mike Tyson in a single round. I need to keep an ear out for these fellas - quality, rootsy Rock ‘n’ Roll played with a Punk bite. (22.02.21)
Click HERE for material reviewed prior to 2021 including:
TEENAGE BOTTLEROCKET (2 reviews), THIS IS NOT A DRILL (2 reviews), JOHNNY THUNDERS, TITUS ANDRONICUS, TOKYO LUNGS, TOMMY AND JUNE, TOTAL DEFEAT, TOYS THAT KILL/ Iron Chic split, TRANSISTORS, TRAVERSE and TRITA