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 Brents – “One Man Party / If You Were Mine”
Laptop Punk Records, 20 Mar 2022
I like what I’ve heard from The Brents, and this 2-song release just adds on. The Boise band leads off with the buzzing “One Man Party” that has a great chainsaw guitar tone playing solid Ramones-style riffs over a quick-stomp tempo while singing about a loner night. Special kudos to the key change near the end. I eat that stuff up. “If You Were Mine” is a sweet and meandering bop with sugary lines like “if you were mine, all the time, that would blow my mind”. Not as rambunctious as the lead-off, but a quality song still.
Favorite Song: “One Man Party”
Review by RYAN
Geoff Palmer – “Body Movin’”
Self-released, 20 Mar 2022
Geoff Palmer, with a little help from his friends Kurt Baker, Zach Sprague, and Kris Rodgers, hit me right in my nostalgic heart on this Beastie Boys cover. Palmer and friends are well known for their power pop punk music, but “Body Movin’” stays weirdly true to the original with lively drums and ridiculous call-and-response rapping. This one shines on the chorus, though. The music is loaded with summertime melodies and infectious vocal hooks that bring this cover to life. This hits me just right.
Review by RYAN
Slackrr – “Home”
Self-released, 10 Mar 2022
“Home” reminds me of the good parts of 90s alternative rock. The song has all sorts of bounce and catchy singalong energy. The guitars alternatingly chug and cut and the drums go between a high-speed gallop and a driving beat. And the back-and-forth boy/girl vocal melodies on the chorus are fantastic. It’s a great song that hits me really well. I think fans of bands like Superchunk will find this infectious spitfire undeniably fun and worth the time. I’m gonna have to hear more Slackrr.
Review by RYAN
The Decline – “Kenneth”
Pee Records, 18 Mar 2022
“Kenneth” is a catchy number from the Australian band The Decline. It’s pretty much what I expect from the band, tasty guitars, a cool bass line, a good pace, and catchy vocal lines. The pre-chorus is all singalong. I will say that the verses are just so-so to me, likely a little restrained for my tastes. But the structure does provide dynamics and the simmer helps set up the energetic blast that follows. If you like the 90s Fat Wreck-sound, you’ll probably find something good in this.
Review by RYAN
Much Madness – “Just Enough”
Self-released, 20 Feb 2022
“Just Enough” has a Blink 182 vibe to the music, with melodic guitars and some choice notes dancing over a quick beat, all while TGEFM’s Tom B. Bearded spits out some more ragged vocals, joined with catchy-melodic backing vocals by his wife. This one’s different from some of Much Madness’ other stuff, a little more pop punk than hardcore (or bizarro Viking music). The song sounds good, with all parts of the song sounding pretty right in the mix. More importantly, the song is fun and memorable. Sure, I’m biased on Much Madness stuff, but I like it a lot.
Review by RYAN
Spanish Love Songs – “Losers 2”
Pure Noise Records, 16 Mar 2022
Spanish Love Songs “Losers 2” is an acoustic number with some atmospheric twinkles and string backings. The vocals are genuine and emotionally-loaded, fitting for the down-on-your-luck lyrics (samples: “don’t you know you were born to die poor man” and “fuck, I don’t want to be the last one standing”). It’s certainly not a pick-me-up, and the lyrics are considered and well-written, but honestly, it’s not my kinda song. For those looking for something heart-wrenching and tragically serious, this could be for you.
Review by RYAN
