First Impressions is a collection of whiz-bang reviews of singles, 7″s, and shorter EPs, which are given a review after a single listen. This is a great way for TGEFM to showcase some of the releases which wouldn’t get a full review on their own.
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The Thorazines – “An American Banned”
Self-released, 22 September 2021
On this one, The Thorazines cover Dillinger Four’s “An American Banned”. Admittedly, my contrarian self has largely avoided listening to Dillinger Four up to now because everyone says I should. But listening to this changed my mind. I really enjoyed the song and it’s slapdash rambunctiousness. The Thorazines sound like they’re having a late-night good time on here and fits in nicely with their other recent covers. And their take on it was enough to convince me to quit being stubborn, so I’m diggin The Thorazines and diving into D4 now, too.
Review by RYAN
EELS – “Good Night On Earth”
E Works, 21 September 2021
I’ve been a fan of EELS stuff for some time now, usually leaning heavily into the fuzzed-out pop rock stuff a bit more than the melancholy and meandering singer-songwriter sounds. “Good Night On Earth” is right in my wheelhouse then. It bounces along like my favorite EELS stuff and the fuzzy guitar riff and bouncy two-tap snare hits sink their teeth in hard. And as songwriter E tends to do, he throws in a few curves to keep the arrangements interesting, little instrumental breaks here and there, synthetic handclaps in other places. All-in-all, I rather enjoy this.
Review by RYAN
The Sneakers – “Dee Dee I’m Thinking About You”
Self-released, 22 September 2021
Indonesia’s The Sneakers have a sound I’m really liking. Ramones tribute “Dee Dee I’m Thinking About You” goes by at a mid-tempo pace and is obviously loaded with Ramones references. But the jangly guitars sound great, with just a bit of trebly distortion, the bass follows suit giving a bit of low end, and the drums go along simply holding everything down. I really like the vocal melodies and the “ooh-weh-ooh” backing vocals down the stretch seal the deal. This has me looking forward to more from the band.
Review by RYAN
Dirty Flix – “Hollywood Dreamgirl”
Self-released, 22 September 2021
Dirty Flix (with members of the Lettermans) comes out with a swaggering and dirty glam punk song. Rather than channeling the Ramones, this number sounds like New York Dolls-meets-Cheap Trick. The music stomps at a quick pace and the vocals sound fun and ragged, but the hooks on the chorus are pretty right on and the guitars knock it outta the park. “Hollywood Dreamgirl” is a pretty good first entry.
Review by RYAN
Cheap Cassettes – “Endless Summer Ends”
Rum Bar Records, 21 September 2021
“Endless Summer Ends” is the new single from Seattle’s Cheap Cassettes. The song is a throwback power pop song that reeks of nostalgia and stomp. The guitars have a bit of twang in the leads and the subtlety of the verses goes well with the “alright, oh yea” chorus hook, going back and forth between the two nicely. It’s a little long for my tastes, but it ends up a pretty nice and catchy summer romp, fitting for these days.
Review by RYAN
