Album Of The Week: "L o o k" by Devata Daun

Flatbasset Radio's Album Of The Week for the week of June 12th-18th, 2016:

Devata Daun - L o o k

01. We Were Carried
02. Fascinate
03. Animal Instincts
04. Willow
05. I've Been Here Before
06. Subconscious Gestures
07. Tell Me Your Visions
08. Skeletons
09. Be A Stranger
10. They Say

(Devata Daun via Serene Supreme)

I was turned on to Devata Daun via Radio K's excellent Track of The Day program. Back in October of last year they featured Daun's (aka Nikki Pfeifer) Off The Record performance of "Animal Instincts" as one of their local tracks of the week. Radio K's TOTD program is usually pretty eclectic, but even after spending a week with the song (and repeatedly watching the "Skeletons" clip below), I still didn't know what to make of her sound.

Fortunately, shortly after her TOTD appearance, the picture slowly came into focus. Daun, Garrison Grouse, & c.Kostra (aka Ryan Olcott) announced that they were forming Pytch Records. Spending time on their Soundcloud pages led me to an array of stellar singles (Daun, Grouse, & Kostra have since had songs on my Flatbasset Radio podcast) and went a long way to galvanizing their sound. Jared Hemming's excellent City Pages write-up helped me wrap my head around what Olcott describes as their "lo-fi" & "pitch-deviant" sounds.

So, all of that background info aside, L o o k brings with it one obvious question: Can the Pytch Records sound stand up over the course of a full-length LP?

The answer, at least in Daun's case, is yes.



Opener "We Were Carried" is an excellent example of Daun's version of the sound. The elastic keyboards drift in & out of the mix like their batteries are dying at the end of each sustained note. Daun's sustained vocals are relatively stoic, belying a sneaky, simple melody that balances off those keyboards. The whole thing is held together by the percussion, which, seemingly immune from the keyboard's teetering sound, proves to be the album's secret weapon.

The studio version of "Animal Instincts" stands as an early album highlight. Over plinking, heart-monitor-esque keys that make it sound as if we're entering the scene mid-chase, Daun declares, "We are savage animals, you are my prey..." in a tone that's equally cold & sensual. The hunt gains pace via added layers of keyboards for the next 90 seconds before Daun sings "we don’t decide when the thirst takes over, lead me to the water along that rolling river..." as the song opens into a kaleidoscopic burst of keyboards. Just as quickly as it opens up, however, it closes and the hunt begins anew.

Lyrically, Daun tackles quite a few subjects on L o o k. Nature, consumerism, longing, confusion, dissolution of friendship, religion, um... skeletons, all of them are filtered from Nikki Pfeifer the songwriter through the prism of Devata Daun. Fortunately, the fact that Pfeifer prefers keyboards to acoustic guitars keeps the subject matter from sounding too self-serious. For example, give a listen to "Subconscious Gestures:"


"These disconnections are making me numb, yesterday we felt a bond so strong..." No doubt, this is a universal sentiment that would pass as little more than cliche in some songwriter's hands. In Daun's hands, however, it's laid right in the middle of a pulsing keyboard beat, and delivered with a matter-of-fact tone that somehow relieves it of both its weight its potential for cliche. In the context of that subjects tackled on L o o k, it comes off as merely another disappointing moment in a modern, digital-centric lifestyle that has only minimal time to spare on such things. It's both relieving & disconcerting, as if perhaps the pendulum of modern emotion has swung too quickly from dwelling to dismissive.



Late album highlight "Be A Stranger" tackles this same subject matter post-disconnection. At 2:22, the song is basically Pytch's version of punk rock. Daun asks, "Why don't you go now? What is there to be afraid of when you are the stranger?" while skittering drum-and-bass percussion forces the issue along so fast that no one has the time to let on that they're hurt. "Don't be afraid to be a stranger..." she sings playfully, one last kiss-off before shutting the door.

Despite the fact that I've spent the last three paragraphs discussing the album's lyrics, make no mistake, L o o k was always going to sink or swim on its grooves, and it definitely swims. Even if the lyrics are ignored completely and Daun's voice is treated as another instrument in the mix, these songs are filled with hooks & flourishes that make it an album that rewards repeated spins. Though L o o k is essentially a collection of singles that initially stood alone, it holds together very well as coherent piece of work and stands as a great introduction to Pytch's world.

Daun will be playing at The Triple Rock June 30th. If you'd like to check out L o o k for yourself, head on over to her Bandcamp page.

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  Previous episodes of Flatbasset Radio are archived on his Mixcloud page.  Stop by Flatbasset Radio's Facebook Page & give it a "Like" if you have the time.

Album Of The Week: "Dark Side Of The Roller Rink" by The Social Disaster

Flatbasset Radio's Album Of The Week for the week of March 6th-12th, 2016:

The Social Disaster - Dark Side Of The Roller Rink

01. Queen Of Agency
02. Machinery
03. Gold
04. Little Girl
05. Bad Boys With Big Hearts
06. God
07. Want It All
08. Battleground
09. Quiet Savior
10. Voyeur

(The Social Disaster by Laramie Carlson)

Straight out of sunny Duluth we have Dark Side Of The Roller Rink, the debut LP from self-described "proto-pop, gloom pop, dance & doo-wop" quintet The Social Disaster. While that may seem like a curious description for a band, it's appropriate. For better or worse, on DSOTRR, the band manages to cover those bases and and more.



The Social Disaster wisely aims to make their case on the opening track "Queen Of Agency." The band locks into a a decidedly indie-pop swing (complete with a bed of synthesizers) as singer Rachel Phoenix steps front and center to deliver no-less-than three different hooks. It's one of the real highlights on the album, a moment when everything the band is trying to accomplish comes together in the same song.

The Social Disaster spends the next three tracks leaning toward the "dark side" aspect of the album title rather than the "roller rink" side. Flashing a harder-edged sound on songs "Machinery," "God," & "Little Girl" Phoenix questions religion, sexism, technology, & a woman's role in the world. Perhaps the band's crunch is meant to mirror the gravity of the subject matter, but unfortunately it causes these three songs to lump together, doing an injustice to all three.



High-water mark "Bad Boys With Big Hearts" functions as a mood-lightening reprieve at the end of the album's first half. The band steps back from the rawk to indulge in some straight-up doo-wop-pop, with Phoenix playing the role of pin-up charmer, lamenting her inability to avoid the same bad-boy mistakes that are just too much fun to repeat.



The album's second half finds The Social Disaster moving away from the charm of the first half and doubling down on a sort-of post-grunge crunch. "God" is Phoenix's anthem to the modern woman, declaring "I am my own God!" as the band rumbles behind her. They continue in this direction for duration of DSOTRR's second half. Unfortunately, as Phoenix forces the issue lyrically and the band works up the anger to match, the album loses the playful energy that makes the first half of the album a real joy.

I hope that doesn't sound too harsh. I did enjoy Dark Side Of The Roller Rink. Like a lot of debut albums, though, it's a bit scattered stylistically and bit on-the-nose lyrically. The band seems to be trying to be everything all the time, which isn't tremendously surprising. It's completely understandable for a band to try to say everything on their first album. However, given how the band sounds when they loosen up, it's clear that they have the ability to be the kind of band that has a little something for everyone. I have very high hopes for The Social Disaster going forward. They're very close to striking the balance between their playful & serious side on this album. Going forward I certainly hope they find that balance, as the two sides of this band compliment each other tremendously.

If you'd like to check out Dark Side Of The Roller Rink for yourself, head over to The Social Disaster's Bandcamp page and give it a listen.

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  Previous episodes of Flatbasset Radio are archived on his Mixcloud page.  Stop by Flatbasset Radio's Facebook Page & give it a "Like" if you have the time.

Album Of The Week: "VHS" by Fury Things

Flatbasset Radio's Album Of The Week for the week of January 10th-16th, 2016:

Fury Things - VHS

01. Silence Is OK
02. Honest
03. Mersault
04. Bruised Fruit
05. Stitch Up
06. Some Things
07. Summer Bummer
08. Shakes
09. Bahia

(photo via Fury Things Bandcamp)

Before I get into VHS, let's take a little trip in the old way-back machine. Back to the simpler times of March, 2013, when men were men, women were women, and Fury Things' song "Vapors" was given away as a Current Song Of The Day track. Back then I was reviewing these songs in my old Songs Of The Week column. Here's what I had to say about "Vapors:"

"On first listen, I did enjoy the song. The problem is that, while yes, it is a fuzzed-out, hook heavy, shoegaze pop song, it lacks the little nuances that makes those things work. A good fuzz-pop song should have something that feels found. A little guitar bit, a vocal tick, hell, even putting the guitars in either speaker of the headphones. For a good example of what I'm talking about, put on any Polara album."

Hmmmm... Not a particularly kind review, but I wrote it then and I stand by it now.  However, I followed it up with this:

"Fury Things seem to have taken the approach that just turning up the volume of the guitars is enough. It's an intriguing enough sound that I'll definitely keep an eye on this band in the future. I wouldn't be surprised to find that, in two or three years time, Fury Things will look back on “Vapors” as a nice building block, but not much more."

Well, here we are two years later and I stand by that sentiment as well. In fact, reading an interview with Fury Things' singer Kyle Werstein on Sonic Bids regarding VHS I came across a similar sentiment:

"The writing process for this album was very effortless for me, since, for the first time, I felt like I actually had something to say. Until I started writing VHS while navigating the fog of post-college life, I would abstract my experiences to avoid writing about myself because I felt at odds with my own identity and importance. I still feel that way, but as I started writing the lyrics to these songs, I felt more confident in speaking specifically about what I was experiencing at that particular moment in time. It became therapeutic and cathartic. So VHS as an album is kind of my way of making peace with a number of personal demons, and all the songs on the album deal with that in a different way."

Since "Vapors" appeared on EP2, Fury Things have continued to bulk up both their sound and their songwriting. Over the course of three more EP's they grew by leaps and bounds, to the point where their last EP Saskatchewan raised their profile to the point that they were able to step into the annual Replacements Tribute show this year and tear through a set of Husker Du covers with nary a word of objection. They've been on the rise for a couple of years and people were genuinely pumped to see them.

And so we have VHS, the first full-length LP to their name and it does not disappoint. The album opens with "Silence Is OK," an ode the greatest of Minnesota traditions, keeping your problems to yourself and coping in silence. Give it a listen, though, and you'll find the band hitting all of their sweet spots:

The drums pummel, the bass grounds everything, and those layered, melodic guitars and come a long way from "Vapors." And that's all in the first 30 seconds.

In addition to streamlining their sound, the band seems to have taken a cue from their friend/spirit animal Bob Mould and put a real emphasis on writing hooks that grab you and don't let go. The verse, chorus, and lead guitar part are all distinct and all completely hummable.

When the band sticks to this formula, they're almost unstoppable. However, like most debut LPs, VHS functions both as a housecleaning and a chance to stretch out and try new things.  After tearing through the first half of the LP, they offer up the palette cleansing "Stitch Up," an instrumental swimming in reverb and what backwards percussion. While the track alone doesn't offer much to enjoy, it is indicative of where the band's collective head is at. A statement that they're not content to just hammer on hooks, but rather have a sincere interest in writing an LP with mood & structure.

While "Stitch Up" acts as the "try new things" aspect of the album, Side B brings with it the "housecleaning" with the band revisiting a couple of classic tracks from their split EP with Brilliant Beast. Both "Some Things" and "Summer Bummer" offer up the best of Fury Things sound, their inclusion (especially after the experimental "Stitch Up") makes it clear that the band has a desire to put out definitive versions of their early classics and move on to the next phase of their sound.  A promise they make good on almost immediately.

VHS closes with two of the best moments on the whole album. Remember up above when I said that a fuzz-pop song should have something that "feels found?"  Have a listen to "Shakes:"

Now that's what I'm talking about! I promise you, nobody listened to the first 3/4 of the album and thought, "Boy, I wish they'd slow down," but my word, listen to that. The tempo changes, the acoustic strums, the drawn out hook... Nothing on VHS makes me more excited for the future of Fury Things than the structure & nuance of "Shakes."

The band closes the album with "Bahia," a more structured take on the sounds they were toying with on "Stitch Up," a slow, drifting album closer that stands as the end of the first chapter of the Fury Things story.

Where Fury Things goes from here is anybody's guess, but VHS, while both a culmination of what they've accomplished so far and an indication of where they're going, more than stands on its own merits. Fury Things have definitely made good on the potential they showed back in 2013 and you'd be a fool to bet they won't do it again.

If you'd like to check out the album for yourself, head on over the Fury Things Bandcamp page and pick it up. For the full experience I highly suggest you pick up those early EP's as well.

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  Previous episodes of Flatbasset Radio are archived on his Mixcloud page.  Stop by Flatbasset Radio's Facebook Page & give it a "Like" if you have the time.

Album Of The Week: "Young Sunset" by Rupert Angeleyes

Flatbasset Radio's Album Of The Week for the week of February 2nd-8th, 2014:

Rupert Angeleyes - Young Sunset

01. Jealousy
02. Delicate Guy
03. Out Of My Control
04. I Think I'll Have Another
05. I Don't Believe In Love
06. When I Fell In Love
07. Painters Mixing Paint
08. Crying For Who I Could Be
09. I Believe In Love
10. The King Of Dentistry

Rupert Angeleyes, better known (though not for long) as the work of Sleeping In The Aviary's Kyle Sobczak, has been garnering a lot of press lately with this release.  After spending a week with Young Sunset two things became very clear.  First, the album deserves every bit of praise it's receiving.  And two, Kyle Sobczak's got problems.

What's the root of these problems, you may be asking?  Well, considering this is an album of pop music, you probably know the answer:  Women.

Sobczak's issues, real or fictional, are the backbone of this album.  He's gripped with jealousy when seeing his we're-still-friends ex at the bar, jealousy of his friend's girlfriend, defensive of his manhood, annoyed by a significant other's complacency, driven to drinking by domestic squabbles, and, oddly, remorseful at his lack of a dental career.  He really runs the gambit.  It's appropriate that "I Believe In Love," a song whose title implies a continued hope, is the lone instrumental on the album.

Don't let that last paragraph fool you though.  Young Sunset is hardly a downer.  On the contrary, Sobczak & company keep the proceedings jaunty & interesting all the way through.  This thing is littered with hooks, the production is sparkling, and the performance top notch.  Imagine pushing "play" on a Frankie Teardrop album & a Jens Lekman album at the same time and you'll start to understand what Ruper Angeleyes is all about.

Or just wait another month or two because Rupert Angeleyes is going to be inescapable soon.  A couple of years ago Sobczak told City Pages that he wanted his next album to be his masterpiece.  I don't know if Young Sunset quite gets there, but that's really for Sobczak to decide.  The rest of us can just kick back and enjoy.

If you'd like to check the album out for yourself it's out now on the unstoppable Forged Artifacts label and available on Rupert Angeleyes' Bandcamp page as a "Name Your Price" download.

Album Of The Week: "Cruel Love" by Cruel Love

Flatbasset Radio's Album Of The Week for the week of January 26th-February 1st, 2015:

Cruel Love - Cruel Love

01. God Is In The Bar
02. Beat To Love (w/Manchita
03. Dream Protector
04. Kissing In The Corner (w/Botzy, Beasthead, & Godelt)
05. H My Darlking
06. Free
07. Blind Love
08. Home

Back in September of 2013 I spent a week with Cruel Love's debut EP.  In my write-up of that record I wrote that "Cruel Love is an electronic indie band from Minneapolis" and claimed that that was the entirety of my knowledge of the band.  Here we are 15 months later and that's still essentially true.

Since that post the band's profile has certainly grown here in the Twin Cities.  I now know that the band consists mainly of Bonnie Stitches on vocals & Mo Bluntz on pretty much everything else.  They've collaborated with a host of local musicians (as evidenced by the guests on Cruel Love) and seem to be garnering a legitimate local following.

Cruel Love makes it obvious why their profile is rising.  On the five song EP, Cruel Love sounded like a group that knew how to write a good song and then wrap it up in synths & echoes.  In hindsight, that record seems like a trial run.  Everything on Cruel Love sounds more fully realized.

Musically, the songs are still catchy, but far more expansive.  The echoes & synths that gave the band's songs a unique sound on their first album have become full-fledged, essential parts of the equation on Cruel Love.  Additionally, the drums hit harder and (especially on "Dream Protector" & "Kissing In The Corner") there's quite a bit of nifty guitar work.  Without taking anything away from Bonnie Stitches vocals, Cruel Love would stand on its own as a purely instrumental.

But oh, those vocals.  Stitches performance here is light years beyond what we heard on EP.  Whether stealing your girlfriend, admitting her vulnerability in dreams, or merely sharing drinks with the song of God, Stitches sounds confident and sensual in ways that never occurred earlier.  While being the lead singer in a two-person band inevitably means she'll be the de facto "image" of the band, that's a coup for Cruel Love.  She's clearly at the doorstep of joining Dessa, Caroline Smith, & Maggie Morrison (and many, many others) as a leading voice in a Twin Cities scene that is seemingly overflowing with talented frontwomen.

If you'd like to check out Cruel Love for yourself (which I suggest you do immediately), head over to their Bandcamp page.  Both Cruel Love & EP are available as "Name Your Price" downloads.

For more of my rantings you can give me a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  Previous episodes of Flatbasset Radio are archived on his Mixcloud page.  Stop by Flatbasset Radio's Facebook Page & give it a "Like" if you have the time.

Flatbasset Radio Album Of The Week: "Geese In The Flyway" by Rogue Valley

Flatbasset Radio's Album Of The Week for the week of September 29th-October 5th, 2014:

Rogue Valley - Geese In The Flyway

01. Mountain Laurels
02. Centralia, PA
03. Grand Central Station
04. Et al.
05. Cleaning Slates
06. Singing Grasshopper, Gathering Ant
07. The Rutting Moon
08. Somewhere In Massachusetts
09. Geese In The Flyway
10. Cape May
11. The Bottom Of The Riverbed
12. Disappearing Ink

Well, if you haven't been outside in the last few days you may not have noticed, but autumn is officially upon us. Time to break out those peacoats and practical hats, Minnesotans, and enjoy the best & most brief season the state has to offer.

Of course, if you've been following along to Flatbasset Radio, you probably know that the changing of the season means it's time to return to Rogue Valley.  For those who haven't been following along, back in 2010-11 Rogue Valley released four albums (one for each season).  So far I've spent weeks with Crater Lake (spring) and The Bookseller's House (summer).  Up now, Geese In The Flyway.

As you can probably tell from the title of the album, Geese In The Flyway is definitely an autumn record.  Chris Koza's folky-pop songs focus on topics that suit this season.  Themes of movement, change, loss, and nostalgia drift through each song on the album.

Have a look at those song titles.  Geese In The Flyway is an east coast travel record.  I don't know the circumstances behind this, but given the concept of an "Autumn Album," this migration east makes sense (unless you're actually a bird, in which case, please don't migrate east.  That's not how it works).

Honestly, as enjoyable as Crater Lake & The Bookseller's House are, this is the first of the Rogue Valley series that genuinely feels like the band has realized their concept.  Many of Koza's songs are melodically breezy (suggesting the waning sunshine of summer), but are lyrically heavy, as if the chilling weather had forced him to spend long days inside, contemplating the events of a whirlwind summer.  It may not be a "concept record" in the traditional sense, but it's certainly a thematic one, and Rogue Valley nails it.

If you're interested in checking out the album for yourself it's available as a "Name Your Price" download at Rogue Valley's Bandcamp page.  I highly suggest you pick it up before all the leaves are on the ground.

Album Of The Week: August 4th-10th, 2014

Flatbasset Radio's Album Of The Week for the week of August 4th-10th, 2014:

Frankie Teardrop - Raiders

01. Raiders
02. 100%
03. No More Drugs
04. She Kept Lyin
05. Personal Hell
06. It Takes Time

This is Frankie Teardrop's second time appearing here as an AOTW.  Back in November of 2013 I spent a week with his debut EP Tough Guy.  Back then I wrote that I couldn't tell if the songs were "garage rock songs polished up or pop songs stripped down."  While that's still the case with Raiders, it's becoming clear that Frankie's pop-rock heart beats strong & clear.

Raiders shows a welcome amount of growth from an artist who's last record contained songs like "Pizza Lyfestyle" and "New Beverage."  The record's opening one-two punch of "Raiders" & "100%," stands as the best two songs Frankie's written to date (if you're a fan of the Flatbasset Radio podcast you might remember us opening with "Raiders" a few weeks back).  Both are energetic, catchy, & poppy and benefit greatly from the addition of a second guitarist.  Lyrically, however, they start hinting at some of the darker subject matter to come.

Flatbasset Radio: Episode #39 by Tcdroogsma on Mixcloud

As you can probably imagine just from the titles of the last four tracks, Frankie's songwriting has taken a turn for the personal (though I'm willing to bet "Pizza Lyfestyle" was personal in its own way).  The band is young enough that emotional turmoil of the second half of the album rings clear.  For example, "She Kept Lyin" is not an angry, detached dig at said liar as much as it is an explanation of mood.  The record ends on relatively positive note with "It Takes Time," which finds Frankie showing the maturity to understand that, well, things take time.

My friend Adam recently described Frankie Teardrop as "Bauhaus covering the Beach Boys," which nails their sound pretty well.  I finally caught these guys a couple of weeks back at the 10,000 Sounds Festival and I can attest to the "you really have to see them live" reputation that they've earned.  The band's trajectory from Tough Guy to Raiders is an encouraging one and I'm excited to see where these guys go next.  Until then, really, you should see them live.

Raiders was self-released by Frankie Teardrop on his brand new No Problem Records.  If you'd like to check it out for yourself head over to the Bandcamp site where the record's available as a "Name Your Price" download.

Album Of The Week: June 16th-22nd, 2014

Flatbasset Radio's Album Of The Week for the week of June 16th-22nd, 2014:

The Starfolk - The Starfolk

01. The Great Unknown
02. Come And Play
03. Kindness Of Strangers
04. To The Gate
05. Sow The Seed
06. Midnight Moon
07. Sleeping Without Dreaming
08. True Blue
09. Into The Clouds
10. Winterwalk
11. Wake Up Machine
12. From Above

The Starfolk's been on my radar for quite a while now.  Back in October of 2008 The Current posted "Wake Up Machine" as their Song Of The Day.  As you probably know by now, I have a needlessly elaborate system of spending a week with each SOTD track (which eventually birthed the Songs Of The Week posts) as well as consistently revisiting those tracks over the years.

I was never particularly blown away by "Wake Up Machine" (in my defense, the version posted in '08 is far inferior to the fully realized version on The Starfolk).  However, last August The Current posted "To The Gate," a song both MinneSarah & I thoroughly enjoyed.  Since that week I've always kept The Starfolk in the back of my mind as an album I should spend some time with.

Fast forward to last Sunday when, in my search for this week's album, I strolled through the Electric Fetus until this one caught my eye.  I picked it up and, a week later, I couldn't be more pleased with the record.



As I understand it, most people came to The Starfolk with somewhat formed opinions of the band.  Co-lead singer Brian Tighe is well known from his work fronting The Hang Ups & The Owls and fans of those bands inevitably make up a good chunk of The Starfolk's fanbase.  Hell, three quarters of The Starfolk are made up by people who also play in The Owls.

I, however, have never knowingly heard The Hang Ups or The Owls.  After spending a week with this album I'm certainly inclined to check them out though.  The Starfolk is a well-exectuted, thoughful pop album.  Tighe and his bandmates Allison LaBonne, Jacqueline Ultan, & Stephen Ittner have been playing this sort of bouncy chamber pop for so long that the songs come across with a sense of ease that makes the album breeze by.   There are hints of Luna, hints of Ivy, hints of The Velvet Underground... If you're a fan of any of that, definitely look into The Starfolk.

In fact, look into it right here on The Starfolk's Bandcamp page.  Really.  Give it a spin.

Album Of The Week : November 25-December 1, 2013

My Album Of The Week for the week of November 25th-December 1st, 2013:

Frankie Teardrop - Tough Guy

A couple of things led to me spending the week with "Tough Guy."  First, I was reading Erik Thompsons's excellent Gimme Noise column 10 Twin Cities Music Acts Who Deserve To Be Famous and, continuing the Sisyphian struggle that is keeping up with the Twin Cities music scene, I downloaded whatever albums I could find from the artists in the column.

While all of those albums will likely find their way to Album Of The Week status, Frankie Teardrop jumped to the front of the line when his song "Chicago" was one of the Song Of The Day tracks (meaning I'd be spending the week with it anyway and reviewing it for Songs Of The Week).  Rather than spend two weeks with "Chicago" I decided to kill two birds with one stone and just make Tough Guy my album of the week.

After a couple of spins I can't totally tell if the songs of Tough Guy are garage rock songs polished up or pop songs stripped down.  More important than that, though, is that the record is fun.  Late November is the time of the year when the Twin Cities stops being fun and starts being a city of "serious artists."  Listening to an album that ends with a song called "Pizza Lyfestyle" is a nice way to combat that creeping pretension.

Tough Guy is available as a name-your-price download on Frankie Teardrop's Bandcamp page.