(*)The Chorus & Percussion Of Keith Textor - Sounds Terrific! (RCA)
Yet another installment in the Stereo Action series and definitely one of the best. Mr. Textor must have been an understudy of Esquivel, because he has his formula down pat. Of course, there are gimmicks galore on these twelve tracks. Sounds bounce from one speaker to another to the point of tedium. Yet the songs shine through on this platter. This is a series that begs to be reissued. (Hmmm... #5)

1313 Mockingbird Lane - Naked (Cacophone)
"1313 Mockingbird Lane got their start after being influenced by bands like The Fuzztones, early Chesterfield Kings and the like."
Cool and seductive, the lead track on this 7" finds 1313 Mockingbird Lane slowing things down a bit (not to ballad-speed) for a little ode to a woman that's done them wrong. You get more Farfisa and some nasty guitar riffage. The flip side is called "Backwash Beach". Like the title suggests, this is a surf tune with a driving drum beat, tasty guitar melodies, and that ever-present Farfisa. Extremely cool stuff! Pressed on marbled pink vinyl. (The Continental #1)

1313 Mockingbird Lane - Problems (Cacophone)
"These guys are organ-drenched, fuzzed-out 60's style garage music."
Good tunes and cool cover art complete this package. 1313 Mockingbird Lane play wild n' crazy, Farfisa-driven garage rock filled with tons and tons of energy. These guys really know what they're doing and have been at it for over ten years now. Pressed onto red vinyl and housed in a full color sleeve featuring a pretty young woman in a leopard-skin outfit. (The Continental #1)

Thorazine - Crazy Uncles Pauls's Squirrel Wedding (Hell Yeah)
"What really sets Thorazine apart from the pack of New Generation Punk is the clarity and strength of their female vocalist."
Thorazine is a punk band out of Philadelphia that cranks out one fast punk tune after another, made interesting by the cool vocals of Ms. Jo Ann Rogan. I'm not sure I agree with the quote above; without the printed lyrics I would have no idea what she is singing about in tunes like "I'm Not A Whore" and "Starin' Me Down". If punk's yer thing, pick this one up. (Hmmm...#7)

The Tiki Tones - Idol Pleasures (Mai Tai)
"This will probably be the only album the band actually plays on themselves, as plans are in the works to replace all the members of the band with seasoned session musicians for the next release."
More organ driven instro rock from these exotic cats from Orange County, California. This is their debut album, containing fourteen tracks full of sun-drenched music mayhem. I don't know how they do it, but they have created a sound that is the perfect soundtrack for deck parties where the exotic cocktails are flowing endlessly. Visions of sugar-plum Tikis will dance through your head as you let their sound slip into your subconscious. (Mai Tai Records, 841 W. Collins, Orange, CA 92667.) (Hmmm...#7)

The Tiki Tones - Play Songs For The Suburban Savage (Dionysus)
"It's a clever blend of exotica, surf instrumentals, go-go dance music and soundtrack material."
In the instrumental scene The Tiki Tones are definitely one of my favorites. You can always expect great cover art with each release, and it only gets better once you give the disc a spin. There are twelve tracks on their latest release, full of fiery guitar, blazing Farfisa, and pounding drums. It's a fine mix of Tiki Tone originals and cover tunes that are given a unique twist. This begs to be in everyone's music collection. As some literary genius once said, 'Tiki or not tiki, that is the question!' (Available from Double Crown Mail-Order.) (Continental #4)

The Tiki Tones - Wilt Disner Presents The Enchanted Tiki Tones (Dionysus)
"The Tiki Tones formed in late 1994 when Shag, who had long been accused of hating all music, and Ku started writing songs together in Orange County, California."
The Tiki Tones play melodic, instrumental tunes that are dominated by the Farfisa-driven stylings of Lord Wahini and the delicate guitar picking of Shag. On this 7" they plow through four exotic tunes that serve as an offering to the Tiki gods above. On the flip side of the cover you can order a tiki necklace named after your favorite band member. I got the chain for Lord Wahini, which is probably my favorite one out of the bunch. (Dionysus Records, P.O. Box 1975, Burbank, CA 91507.) (Hmmm...#7)

Tiny Tim - Tiny Tim’s Christmas Album (Rounder)
"My dear friends, this is Tiny Tim saying that I am very happy to come out with my latest delivery this Christmas season with my new Christmas CD, which I happily mad in beautiful Sydney, Australia back in 1993."
This sounds just like you’d imagine, but it is much, much cooler. Tiny Tim performs twelve of his favorite Christmas tunes, backed with a full band. All of this comes in a deluxe package with lots of photos, extensive liner notes, and even real garland tucked into the CD box. Move over Elvis, this could be the Christmas album. (The Continental #2)

(*) The Tornadoes - Bustin' Surfboards (Sundazed)
The Tornadoes combined high energy arrangements with cool melodies to create a unique package. Bustin' Surfboards is choc-full of tasty tunes: Maleguana, Moon Dawg, The Inebriated Surfer, The Gremmie, Beyond The Surf, Charge Of The Tornadoes, and the title cut. Unlike the Pyramids reissue, this one has liner notes written by Robert Dalley and a couple of cool photos. This CD compiles the twelve tracks from the original LP along with three bonus tracks, one of which (Charge Of The Tornadoes) was previously unreleased. (Continental #4)

(*) The Tornadoes - The Very Best Of… (Music Club)
Not to be confused with the group reviewed above, this is the Joe Meek produced British combo famous for Telstar. I picked this up just cuz it had the original version of Telstar on it, but I assumed that the rest of the CD would be cool too Well, my assumption was right. If The Ventures had Joe Meek (kind of the Ed Wood of the record world) producing their albums it would sound a little like this. This is truly sci-fi instrumental rock, matching the excellence of The Ventures - In Space. Fifteen cuts in all at a budget price. (Continental #4)

Torn Bloody Poetry - Black Cat Magic 7" (Ochre)
"Sharp pop that buzzes your senses and stays in your head for days."
Led by ex-Birdland vocalist Robert Vincent, this UK band has the hooks and the power that could take them places. I liked a few of Birdland's tunes and this isn't a radical departure from that sound. At the same time, they seem to be in tune with what's happening these days. I'm not sure about their name, but the tunes on this 7" are pretty cool. (Ochre Records, P.O. Box 155, Cheltenham, Glos, GL51 OYS, UK) (Hmmm...#7)

The Torpedoes - Good For The Country (Resurgent Records)
"Armed with dragstrip hooks and jacked-up surf sensibility, these guys deliver a heavily magnetic performance."
This instro band from California plays surf tunes laced with rapid-fire riffage that at times blows away Dick Dale. Occasionally this seems to be done at the expense of the melody. Yet you have to admire these guys for trying to do something new. About half of these tunes are slower and more melodic. These were my favorites, since they adhere more to the traditional surf sound. If you dig surf and are looking for something new, check The Torpedoes out. (Resurgent Records, 1632 Hollenbeck Ave. #14, Sunnydale, CA 94087.) (Hmmm... #7)

The Town Managers - 13 Lucky Days 7" (Shredder)
If the thought of They Might Be Giants doing melodic punk gets you all excited, I would highly recommend checking out The Town Managers. Shredder is a great label and I love the Mark Brodie and Dragstrip releases they have put out in the past, but the punk stuff just ain't for me. It all sounds the same to these ears. (Continental #5)

Trauma School Dropouts - Identity Crisis (Cacophone)
"If these guys were good little punk rockers and behaved themselves, they'd probably be a household name by now."
Trauma School Dropouts are a high-energy punk outfit based in New York that combines the snotty vocals and trilled R's of the Sex Pistols with the power punk sounds and melodies of the 90's. This thirteen track collection is their sophomore effort, and could be just the ticket for earning fans all over the world. If you dig old-school punk you'll dig this. (Continental #4)

The Treble Spankers - Backfire 7" (Jacaranda)
On this two-track 7" the 'Spankers turn their sights to the world of instrumental spy music. The A-side features Backfire, a mid-tempo stomper full of crazy organ n' drums. The flip has a great cover of Mancini's A Shot In The Dark. (Continental #5)

The Treble Spankers - Enola Gay 7"(Sheep) I really love this surf combo outta Amsterdam. On this, their latest 7", they cover the OMD classic Enola Gay. I was a huge OMD fan in the 80;s (although I probably shouldn't admit it), so I knew this particular song would make a great surf instro. The song on the flip is called Vahim and is taken from their LP called Hasheeda. It is a powerful number filled with exotic melodies. (Continental #5)

The Treble Spankers - Gira Espanola '97 CD-EP (Louie)
This three track CD-EP was released to coincide with a tour of Spain they did earlier this year. All three tracks (Memories of Madrid, Mirananda, and Jaa-Rabbi)are excellent, going for a Spanish feel that I'm sure the fans on the tour ate up. Mixing elements of The Shadows and Satan's Pilgrims, The Treble Spankers are really one of the best instro bands in the biz. (Continental #5)

The Treble Spankers - Samira 7" (Polydor)
No picture sleeve for this one - I guess the big major label didn't want to lay out the cash for it. Doesn't matter though, cuz the tunes on here are excellent. The title track is kind of a mid-eastern ditty with a crazy Bo Diddley beat. Then it slows down into a pretty mid-tempo bridge featuring some melodic guitar picking. Then it cranks up again. On the flip you'll find a cool number called Ultra Wave which has more of a trad surf sound. (Continental #5)

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