Category: Bands/Comps/Splits
Tall Teenagers Debut Album reviewed by Vanyaland
Album Premiere: Tall Teenagers rise above the mundane on provocative guitar-rock debut
By possessing a sound that’s reminiscent of Nick Cave’s gothic tones, old school electric surf rock, and the post-punk charisma of The Raveonettes, Tall Teenagers have gained a local buzz in a relatively short time. The act consists of a couple Providence music scene vets, featuring former Joe Fletcher & The Wrong Reasons members Damian Puerini and Shaun Chevalier on lead guitar and drums, respectively. The lineup rounds out with Puerini’s wife, Shannon, on bass, and Chelsea Paulhus on rhythm guitar. There’s a uniquely haunting aesthetic to the band’s style that sends chills up the spine. Get down with the darkness as Tall Teenagers premiere their self-titled debut album on Vanyaland today.
Believe it or not, Tall Teenagers originally started out as an innocent music project between Puerini and Paulhus that was eventually deemed to be a tad provocative.
“Chelsea and I wanted to write children’s songs to make money and then we realized our songs were really inappropriate — true story,” says Damian Puerini.
With dark lyrics accompanying each track, it’s fairly certain that Tall Teenagers’ music wouldn’t go well with the child demographic. It might scare them a bit and leave parents a tad confused. That’s a good thing though, let the kids stay home while the adults dive into an interesting take on rock and roll.
The surfy twang that starts off “Feel Us Out” sets the mood for the song, the chorus is where the energy comes through and invades the listener’s inhibitions. On “Anniversary”, Chevalier’s drumming is evidently present as the reinforcing base of the track with Puerini and Paulhus’ guitars serving as the source of invigoration. “I Get Awake” is an absolute ripper, an unapologetic punk structure anchors this electrifying track to exude a dancing feeling. Paulhus’ backing vocals on the song gives it an eerie inflection as well.
Tall Teenagers will be celebrating the release of their self-titled debut at the Columbus Theatre Saturday night (April 16) with alt-rock art enthusiasts Pixels and rabble rousing rock and rollers Smith & Weeden. Do the ears a favor and pick up a copy of the album at the show but for a taste of what to expect stream the album via the band’s Soundcloud below:
Jacob Haller at AS220
with Dawn Kenney and Diane Battistello
AS220
115 Empire St
Providence, RI
7pm
$5
Allysen Callery at The Stomping Ground
The Stomping Ground
132 Main St
Putnam, CT
8pm
Haunt the House at The Parlour
with My Darling Clementime and Juliet and Michael Dinallo
The Parlour
North Main Street
Providence, RI
8pm
Monument Thief and Karma Rocket at Fatt Squirrel
with The Really Heavy
Fatt Squirrel
150 Chestnut St
Providence, RI
6pm
21+
$6
Matt Fraza Band at The Parlour
The Groden Network “Your Autism Experts” benefit, with Pale Amanitas, and Unkel Phunkzerphaust
The Parlour
North Main Street
Providence, RI
9pm
David Tessier All-Star Band of All Stars at the Courthouse Center for the Arts
Courthouse Center for the Arts
3481 Kingstown Road (Route 138)
West Kingston, RI
8pm
Allysen Callery at AS220
with Quarterly, Longshoreman, and Two Selkies
AS220
115 Empire Street
Providence, RI
9pm
The McGunks at The Midway Cafe
with The FU’s, Iron Chin, and The Struggle
Midway Cafe
3496 Washington St
Jamaica Plain, MA
$8
3:30pm
All ages
Jordan Everett Associates album review in Motif
Jordan Everett Associates – Self-Titled Album
Jordan Everett Associates is a songwriting collaboration between two longtime forces in these parts in Kraig Jordan (The Masons, Stan Sobczak, Junior Varsity Arson, Lloyd’s Lamas) and Paul “Pip” Everett (Coat of Arms, Blizzard of ‘78, Hope Anchor, Everett Brothers Moving Company). The songs were written over a 2-year period at Jordan’s Plan of a Boy studio. The result is a sometimes dark exploration of 21st century life that works in a gamut of influences. “Stuck In The Driveway” is a meditative take on life over a backdrop of moody post-modern folk. The boys kick it up a notch on “Deep Blue Goodbye,” which has a new wave flavor. “Poison” reminds me of rowdy late-’70s power-pop in the vein of The Jam or Elvis Costello. “Never Letting Go” and the ridiculously infectious “The House Up On The Hill” remind me of late ‘80s alternative rock radio similar to bands like The Church and Love and Rockets. They throw in a couple of covers including a spacey ballad take reminiscent of late ‘90s Radiohead or The Family Band’s “Moonbeams.” They also do a stripped-down ethereal cover of Belly’s “Super Connected.” I don’t think it got nominated, but this record was on my nomination ballot for Album of the Year in the Motif Awards. It deserves to be up for consideration because it was one of the best albums to come across my desk from anywhere in the past year. I am stoked that Jordan and Everett are going to be playing the record out live. Well, at least once. For the show they’ve assembled a top-notch band that in addition to Everett on vocals and Jordan on guitar includes Dan Ulmschneider on drums, Kevin Zahm on bass and Bob Kendall on keyboards.