Dance With Me
Thursday, 09 April 2009 10:55 | 
Author: The Grouch | 
T.S.O.L is a band from southern California who formed in 1979. The name stands for True Sounds of Liberty (and you thought its was something heartless and foul.) Over the years they have gone through numerous personal and sound changes. The album here Dance With Me was given to me by GabeO. Everyone needs a friend like GabeO - a kind of a magical mystical Mexican biker Elf who comes bearing the gift of music.
If you read my review of Avenged Sevenfold's City of Evil then you know that the last LP GabeO gave me didn't rate too high on the Grouch scale.
I'm happy to say that this album rates much higher.
First of all - I like the sound. A good garage band could play this stuff. Its just hard ass rock and roll - the kind of stuff that would be really fun to play as you point your amp at the uptight jerk across the street. Its loud and offensive (I actually prefer the word funny to offensive). There are themes on the album that if taken seriously would be really worrisome - necrophilia is an example. I don't think these guys are into sleeping with dead people anymore than Alice Cooper is. To quote Groucho Marx on Alice Cooper "It's good vaudeville."
Second of all - does anyone say that? - the music is really good.
They have all the things I like. Fast loud music, a drummer who can pound, cool guitar licks and funny lyrics. The guitar player pulls out some really cool two string licks while the bass player and drummer seem locked in a battle to see who can play fastest the longest without flubbing up. In short - this is rock and roll albeit with a dark twist. Alice must be proud.
1. Sounds of Laughter - I like the drums in the beginning. His voice sounds a bit like Jello Biafra at times. Good guitar - I can't quite get the lyrics aside from I can hear the sound of laughter.
2. Code Blue - I like this song a lot. The intro is fairly complicated and then the guitar picks up a Ramones feel. The lyrics are just so bad - I don't even care how she died - I like it better if she smells like formaldehyde.
3. The Triangle - Again I like the music a lot. Two string licks blaze on this old school Punk rock jam. Others will comfort you with their last words - what is he singing? I don't know and really don't care. I like the music.
4. 80 Times - the guitar centric heavy chords continue. It's a good song. I'm having a really difficult time picking out the lyrics on this album. You can hear him say "Help Help, Help Me" I really like the guitar solo during and after the chorus.
5. Tired of Life - I'm tired of hearing so don't tell me your shit. I'm tired of being so why am I hear? Life is so easy when you are told what to do. Great song. The music is hypnotic and I can hear the lyrics on this track. The singer is one really pissed off dude - funny how that usually makes good music isn't it.
6. Love Story - Cool intro. I like the way the bass takes the lead and the guitar pokes around the edges before coming all the way in. The guitar line on this song reminds me of some stuff on the Dead Kennedys' album Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death which came out six years after this album. I guess the Dead Kennedys like T.S.O.L. too. (Note: Since I wrote this I've learned that a lot of the tracks on Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death were written around the same time that the songs on this album were written - in fact Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death is a collection of odds and ends collected along the way and finally released as an album, thus explaining the live cuts)
7. Silent Scream - interesting music - very dark lyrics - He lists all sort of nasty things like funerals, demons, dying in the bathroom, the walking dead and claims to be all of these things. A good song.
8. Funeral March - Again a significant DK feel. I really like the heavy drums and the way the guitar alternates from heavy chords to distorted minimalist licks. I have no clue what he is singing.
9. Die For Me - Heavy title or what? Simple straight forward Punk rock - very nice guitar solo. I am a pawn in your stupid fucked up game. The guitar line makes this song.
10. Peace Through Power - the guitar blazes again while the drummer and bass player have a good time playing musical catch me if you can. It sounds like they are having a really good time playing this track.
11. Dance With Me - very fast - very dark. Textbook Punk rock.
All in all I give this album 3 and 1/2 scowls. Check it out.