This week and next Terrible Twos and the Frustrations are on the home stretch of their tour, making stops in El Paso, Austin, and Memphis. At the Beerland in Austin, Texas this Saturday they'll be making an appearance along with Wax Museums, Cola Freaks, and Sex Advice, promising to provide patrons with a mind-blowing evening of sooty rock'n'roll. Both Terrible Twos and Frustrations hail from Detroit Michigan area and play similar takes on the sort of forked and frantic post-punk rhythms that lend a nod to the likes of any prior Timmy Vulgar outfit. After both bands released their debut singles on the local X-Recording imprint, whose proprietor, Scott Dunkerley is also the drummer for Frustrations, both bands seem to have hit on a chord with the growing pack of gutter enthusiasts thirsty for panic inducing punk.
Terrible Twos have an upcoming full-length on the Criminal IQ Records label you should look out for soon. Their vocal styling digs up the temper from the early hardcore arena, with throat-damaged yelps that come off as snide as they do unsullied. Over their broken, stammering beats and addling keyboards, they fit perfectly together to serve up a weird concoction of marching agitation and erratic rock'n'roll.
Frustrations also have a full-length LP/CD due out soon on X-recordings. They depart from the sounds coming from their hometown cronies, Terrible Twos, leaving off the keyboards altogether, while picking up a bass guitar and filling out their sound with a less errant angle that is more astutely antagonistic.
The local Austin act, Sex Advice file right in line with Wax Museums, playing dumbed-up beer pop a la' Angry Samoans. It's easy to see why the flame of this brand of intentionally stupid rock still burns bright with bands like Sex Advice, Wax Museums, and their ilk that have the unique ability to lower the limbo bar of bottom feeding tunes, and simultaneously raise the expectations of accessible and doltish songs to fans everywhere.
The band to see Saturday is Cola Freaks. Taking their name from a song by Lost Kids, a Danish first-wave punk outfit these Danes craft instantly catchy and infectious songs. They just started their tour of the US and are making a stop in Memphis to record their follow-up to their debut single on Hjernespind Records. Playing bouncy, stringy punk sung in Danish, it doesn't matter what they're singing about, it's great and in no time you'll be mouthing the words to songs you don't understand. You can check out some of their excellent songs here.
