First off let me say I love singles...& by singles I mean those tunes that jump outta the speakers and slap ya so silly & simply in the ears that they leave a permanent mark! And seriously, what better format fer said singles than the shit-hot sound of seven-inch spinnin' records, kids.
So, when I heard that Bill & Lisa Roe (of CoCoComa fame) had in a whirlwind started a garage record label with a wild, wishful premise I was all ears...and the premise ya ask: "every band's take on the two-and-a-half-minute pop song." (direct from Lisa's larynx, at least on good word from this Chicago Reader article)
Now garage-pop...hmm...that term can go so many ways schizophrenics would have a field day, and from all I've heard the bands on Bill & Lisa's Trouble In Mind records so far have had nuthin' but goddamn frolickin' fun! What follows is my ruinous reviews of the first 4 platters they've put out...and inspired by Lisa's lovely record label lay of the land, I'm gonna keep each blatherin' to a two-and-a-half-sentence tirade:
 | CoCoComa - TIM001 The a-side, "Ask, Don't Tell" is a frantic, 'fuck-you' dancer fer the kids with plenty of that trademark CoCoComa ferociousness...the flip ("the Anchor") is pretty catchy too and keeps remindin' me of a dippy Richard Hell-style dirge fer some inexplicable reason...killer kick-off fer their label! |
 | the White Wires - TIM002 Easily thee most poppy of all the 7 inchers here & both sides about my fav subject: girls..."Pretty Girl" grabs ya by the balls and hops all around while if we turn her over "Goodbye Girl" is the best send-off song, full of perfect garage-pop vox and hooks...snag it now, slaggers! |
 | the Fresh & Onlys - TIM003 Being how psychedelic their sound is it's my least liked, but growin' on me like a magic mushroom..."Laughter is Contagious" goes far-out like an Electric Prunes pounder and backwards we find the "Horrible Door" which sets the stage fer a delirious dream on speed...crazy, man! |
 | Sonic Chicken 4 - TIM005 A couple of great garage-slop stompers leadin' off with "Surf on a Plane", with it's wild tempo change-ups and organ work...on the b-side we get smashed by "Crushed" in all it's Black Lip-sy glory...can't stop spinnin' this 'un, sickos! Git it! |
Ifin' ya noticed we're missin' TIM004 here ...where'd it go...I wants to know! All in all, these first 4 singles should all be on yer wishlist, but don't take my word fer it...get yerself this wild wax right here!
Gots to say if Trouble In Mind keeps puttin' out quality singles such as these my bank account is gonna be in trouble fer sure! Dig it!