Artist: The Half Rats
Title: Throw It Around
Year: 2007
Label: Culture Cast
Tracks: 1.) Throw It Around, 2.) B.M.W. Nuns, 3.) Throw It Around (Demo)
I remember The Half Rats existing during their time but never explored them because I thought they just kind of got lost in the shuffle among a lot of budget pop coming out of Indiana, highlighted by The Romance Novels with honorable mentions to Eric and The Happy Thoughts, The Sweet Sixteens, and The Boy Toys.
But now that I re-visit The Half Rats, I can hear that they have some legitimately tough garage chops and aren't really all that pop even if they include Ryan from The Boy Toys and Alex from The Perennials. I don't know who wrote these songs but the second 7" credits all the songs to member Tyler who went on to be in the later version of Cococoma and that is closer to what this sounds like.
This is The Half Rats' first 7". I assume it is self-released. The sleeve only indicates two songs. The third song seems to be a demo version of "Throw It Around".
Sample: here
Artist: Jumpin' Beans And Willie
Title: Popcorn
Year: 2000
Label: Ball Records
Tracks: 1.) Popcorn, 2.) Milkshake For Two
More from Aaron and Will. This time a more mellow Hasil Adkins-inspired set.
Sample: here
Artist: Black Time
Title: ICU
Year: 2008
Label: Skulltones
Tracks: 1.) ICU, 2.) Corpse Life, 3.) Doomsday Parade
I briefly mentioned Black Time when posting The Real Losers a long time ago but this is the first time I have directly posted them. Black Time pretty much came out of nowhere in 2004 with a self-released LP called Blackout doing this kind of blown out and sparse but frequently catchy noise.
The core of the band has always been singer and guitar player Lemmy Caution. I have a vague recollection his real name is Matthew something but he has consistently gone by this alias. All the rest of the members use aliases, too, and it is hard to tell if there has been a rotating cast or if they're the same 2-3 people changing names here and there.
This is just one of a ton of good records they've done. "Corpse Life" is a real rocker.
Sample: here
Artist: The Peeps
Title: Stiletto
Year: 2000
Label: Lipstick Records
Tracks: 1.) Stiletto, 2.) Rock-N-Roll Man, 3.) Loverboy
Here's a fun 7" from the always enjoyable Lipstick Records. The Peeps fit in well among the other bands Tina released doing the budget pop but a nastier edge and usually featuring women.
The Peeps were from Arizona but were well connected to the California scene. Their lone LP is on Sympathy For The Record Industry and they recorded almost everything they did, including this, with Jeff Dahl. The Peeps were short-lived. They broke up right after this and the LP were released. Guitarist Paula and bassist Chela would then go onto Les Hell On Wheels, which had a run through most of the 2000's. Paula and Chela also did a project band with Miss Georgia Peach and Travis Ramin called The American Foxes.
Sample: here
