Terry Malts - Killing Time (Slumberland, 2012)

Terry Malts

Killing Time

Slumberland

2012

Rating: 7.5. free kicks out of 10

San Francisco's Terry Malts, while fitting in with the current crop of hot shit garage/punk/pop/psyche bands, seem to have wandered down a different path at some point.   Those pop punk hooks are still buried in there, but there is a heavy late eighties/early nineties indie vibe ala the Jesus & Mary Chain and the Pixies and maybe even some XTC, making it quite fitting they are on Slumberland given the label's history.  I'm also hearing the cold, detached punk vibe that the A-Frames perfected, a sound I've always loved that very few bands get right.  There is also a simple perfection to the songs that will remind most anyone of the Ramones, but then again what band working in this genre doesn't remind you of the Ramones.  If you had zero knowledge of the Terry Malts and someone told you it was an unearthed gem from 1984, it would be completely believable.  I was instantly taken with "Not Far From It" and "Waiting Room" (the latter having no relation to the classic Fugazi song).  This is going to receive a lot of plays in my house.  Between the new Hunx record and this one, the Bay Area has a strong start on putting out the best music of 2012.