Vox
I have just finished reading a disturbing novel, Vox by Christina Dalcher, a frighteningly dystopian view of a future America where men have taken away all women’s rights, limiting them to speaking 100 words per day in the process.
Thankfully, we are currently in a place where strong women are celebrated, a situation reflected in the latest two releases on New York’s own Tarbeach records.
Fur & Cynthia – Bass legends
Bass playing legends of the alternative music scene Fur Dixon (The Cramps, The Hollywood Hillbillys) and Cynthia Ross (The “B” Girls, New York Junk) feature front and centre and as usual both are loud and proud, Fur on a new 7” single, preceding the vinyl release of her magnificent WTFukishima/Return 2 Sender album later in the year and Cynthia on the imminent Electrajets debut album release.
Both releases add to a roster already burgeoning with glorious recordings from a variety of acts Stateside and beyond.
Fur Dixon
The Fur Dixon single features two slices of full on vivacious rock n’ surf don’t mess with Fur anthems – Don’t Tread on Me, a vitriol filled message to all those who seem hellbent on fucking up the world for our kids, backed with Are Your Good Times really Over 4 Good?. Neither of these tracks appear on Fur’s Return 2 Sender album, so don’t miss out on this. I’ll feature more from Fur nearer the vinyl album launch later in the year including an interview which will see the Ginger Quiff collaborating with Razur Cuts street lit magazine.
In the meantime, if you are at a loose end in LA on the 7th, head along to see her live and pick up a copy of the single. Look out for it soon via Fur’s & Tarbeach Records websites.
ElectraJets
So to New York City’s very own ElectraJets. The three piece brings together the aforementioned Cynthia Ross, Jeff Ward (author and Gunfire Dance guitarist) and Dahm Majuri Cipolla (multi-instrumentalist with Phantom Family Halo and drummer for Electrajets) release their debut album “Transatlantic Tales” on Tarbeach on September the 7th.
The album is a glorious ride. The album mixes genres to great effect. The album kicks off on 4am Strangeways with the spirits of Marc Bolan and Mick Ronson taking centre stage, a certain glam rock strut and an infectious brouhaha pervading the majority of the album, continuing into Ladylike Blues, creating a gargantuan thumping glorious noise.
The bravado and attitude demonstrated on these tracks is mixed throughout with a certain punk rock swagger, but the album also brings with it a certain delicacy, with moments of mellow reflection on tracks such as How Could You (B Girl) giving a nod to Cynthia’s previous incarnations.
Psyche Pop
The influences and mashing up of genres continues with Kinksy like 1960’s London psyche pop feel, and bluesy guitar added to the mix in the likes of Sonic Ray, 1950’s rock ‘n’ roll stylings including double bass appear elsewhere and the addition of strings and saxophone add further texture and depth to the proceedings.
The vocals are shared between Ward & Ross. Ross taking the lead on Darkness, a minimalistic atmospheric song backed with stacatto violin. When you blend lashings of eccentricity to the already heady mix, you end up with an intoxicating fusion that keeps you coming back for more.
If you are lucky you can catch Electrajets at one of their upcoming gigs with a launch night in New York on the 7th at Berlin Under A supported by Beechwood and The Sweet Things, followed by a couple of UK gigs in November – 8th in Birmingham and 9th in London.
Order the album on CD or vinyl now on Tarbeach Records