slumberland records

Pitchfork

"If there's any justice, Black Tambourine will see their name inserted into revisionist histories of American independent rock." So wrote Pitchfork's Chris Ott in his April 1999 review of Black Tambourine's Complete Recordings, and at the time, the line sounded like wishful thinking. After all, that compilation of the Washington, D.C. band's brief, brilliant career didn't surface at the most opportune time for a reassessment, given pre-millennial indie rock's aesthetic drift away from fuzz-covered slop-pop toward exploratory instrumentals (Tortoise, Mogwai) and folky formalism (Belle and Sebastian, Elliott Smith). But the arrival of this reissue of that reissue-- which supplements the Complete Recordings tracklist with two demos and four unearthed tracks-- confirms that revisionist history is now real. Not only does it mark the 20th anniversaries of the band and its Slumberland imprint, but also the renewed ubiquity of Black Tambourine's sound in certain contemporary indie pop circles.

And yet even with their emergent iconic status, it's hard to say if Black Tambourine were ahead of their time or simply out of place. The music they created was novel not necessarily for its era-- forming in 1989, they essentially modeled themselves on the girl-group/post-punk collision instigated by the Jesus and Mary Chain and the C86 set-- but its point of origin, making them anomalies in a D.C. scene very much beholden to Dischord-schooled hardcore. Their history thus mirrors that of cult touchstones ranging from mid-60s Nuggets bands to Big Star: American Anglophiles operating in relative isolation, translating their out-of-step influences into flashes of inspired songcraft before quickly flaming out in a sigh of indifference, only to be survived by future generations of record-collecting converts.

If the 20-year-old songs compiled on Black Tambourine still sound strikingly contemporary, it probably has less to do with the band's own foresight and more to do with modern indie's retreat into lo-fi insularity. But so long as timid young rock bands choose to hide their innermost emotions behind a foggy veil of feedback, songs like the urgently despairing "For Ex-Lovers Only", the hypnotically propulsive "By Tomorrow", and the giddily expressed girlfriend murder fantasy "Throw Aggi Off the Bridge" will forever stand as paragons of the form.

That Complete Recordings has long gone out of print makes Black Tambourine an essential acquisition for current In the Red, Woodsist, and Slumberland loyalists. And even for old-school adherents, the bonus tracks included warrant a repurchase. Never mind the demos for "Ex-Lovers" and "Aggi", which merely present these already crudely rendered songs in more severe states of tape decay. The four previously unreleased tracks-- new recordings by the original line-up of old, undocumented set-list standards-- fit seamlessly alongside the vintage material both in terms of quality and fidelity: a pair of upbeat distorto-pop jaunts ("Lazy Heart", "Tears of Joy") as immediately engaging as anything in their canon, plus raucous but reverential covers of Buddy Holly ("Heart Beat") and Suicide ("Dream Baby Dream") that map out the pop/drone polarities of Black Tambourine's sound world. For a band whose legend was initially built on two officially released singles, these quality extras should be more than enough to see us through to the 2030 reunion tour. (8.3/Best New Reissue)

- Stuart Berman

Prefix

In 1992, the members of one of those bands whose talent and influence would only be assessed with time decided to go their separate ways. Black Tambourine left behind a small token of their time together -- a very small token. Their Complete Recordings, at a brisk nine songs, filled but a 10-inch record. This self-titled compilation serves both to re-emphasize the value of those tracks, as well as provide a few demos, newly recorded originals and covers. Since the two 7-inches and Complete Recordings, all released between 1989 and 1992, are damn near impossible to find, Black Tambourine is both a labor of preservation and celebration.

Black Tambourine mixed shoegazing guitar, emo-esque passion (without emo-esque self-pity) and delicious pop sense for melodic tension. They could be abrasive and achingly fragile, often in the same song. One listen to "Black Car" or "for Ex-Lover's Only" is to inspire a hundred more listens. It is also appropriate that one of the new covers is Love's "Can't Explain." Like that band, the layers to be uncovered with each listen are joyous to discover.

Pam Berry's vocals, both smoky and jaded, are often buried in the mix, but her weary tone perfectly complements the swirling music. Guitarist Mike Schulman (and current Slumberland head) leads the band effortless into the epic. They would have to be epic, given that they are probably the only band in history to have covered both Buddy Holly and Suicide.

To be honest, the demos and covers don't really add to the power of the nine core songs. "Drown," "Pack You Up" and the instrumental "Pam's Tan" form the secret template for many a 1990's alt-rock band. Like the Velvets, Black Tambourine will only gather its disciples slowly, by word of mouth, via reissues like this. Black Tambourine is essential listening for its own sake, but it is also a history lesson for lovers to pure pop and bands that had the same sonic ideas -- after Black Tambourine.

- Mike Wood

Aquarium Drunkard

When I wasn't busy blasting my eardrums out with the Creation and 4AD catalogs Slumberland Records was the essential go-to label for all things noise-pop. Almost every artist paid tribute to My Bloody Valentine, Ride and Pale Saints in some form, but Black Tambourine had a bubblegum pop quality to their music that the Shogaze/C86 groups never produced. It also didn't help that vocalist Pam Berry came off like the sexy, super-hip girl next door whose parents were cool enough to buy her a Fender Jazzmaster and some distortion pedals. So unattainable, yet innocent-sounding enough to approach after a few drinks, this is how I still picture her.

Unfortunately, Black Tambourine was hardly pictured this way outside of the small die-hard population of Slumberland Records collectors. Fellow artists like Lilys, Swirlies and Velocity Girl nabbed way more press and interest, beginning with modest seven-inch releases and quickly branching out onto other labels that gave them more reach. But something about Black Tambourine still sticks, feels urgent and youthful on this remastered anthology, and you can definitely hear their undeniable influence on current female-fronted buzz bands like Best Coast, Dum Dum Girls and Vivian Girls. And much like those artists Black Tambourine's sixteen-track trip down memory lane is all about the grainy, dirty, reverberated guitars and cavernous female vocals that make songs like the lazy doo-wop of "Black Car", "We Can't Be Friends" and the pogo-friendly "Throw Aggi Off the Bridge" classics after all of these years.

March 30th sees the release of the Black Tambourine anthology. There are a couple of demos included in the set, but it's the four brand new tracks (two of them covers) that sound extra sharp and worth your money. The cover of Suicide's "Dream Baby Dream" is a nod to 1980's synth-pop while Buddy Holly's "Heartbeat" demonstrates their signature distorted guitar attack that really defines just about every song they've ever released. I'm also convinced that you could play "Lazy Heart" for anyone at Sub Pop and they'd think their new signees were holding out on them. That's a compliment to both artists.

New listeners will make the obvious JAMC comparisons, and that's okay, but Black Tambourine has always had a grip on their own style — more urgent and brash for sure. The low fidelity of the original versions adds to the mystery of Pam Berry's vocals and DIY/4-track recordings that dominated the late-80s and early 90's "College Rock" genre.

I wish I had a perspective on the quartet's live show to add. They never quite made it outside of the recording studio or over to the West Coast. If they decide to make a short of run of it for old time's sake I'll probably be just as giddy and nervous when I buy Pam Berry a frosty beer.

- S McDonald

The 405

Music and lyrics – the two parts that make up 90% of songs today. Some people (like Robert Christgau) only listen to one, or at least it seems, others take both in at once, and some miss it all and make it background noise. The cavernous pop rattling of classic twee band Black Tambourine make everything blend together into a beautiful mélange that has been a huge influence for the entire movement. In fact, this Definitive Collection shows why they're so notable and a lasting force despite a tragically miniscule amount of recordings.

Being a self-confessed completist, I jump at the chance to get a new version of something classic. Sure there have been a few other releases that have all the recorded output of the jangly goodness that is Black Tambourine, just as there have been versions collecting The Vaselines or The Slits, or any other '80s band that managed to make rock a new genre. Every song from their career is here, as are a few demos and even more songs that were left out of the Complete Recordings disc issued way back in '99. If nothing else, this collection (and the remaster – or at least it sounds like a small quality upgrade) finally lets the band get their overdue time. Sure the best release would be a huge seven disc set with recordings from Orange Juice and select Jesus & Mary Chain songs, a few mid-period My Bloody Valentine tracks, and a long needed 14 Iced Bears complete discography, but having everything from Black Tambourine alone is enough to keep me (and fellow fans) happy for at least another 11 years.

Back to those two important components: music and lyrics. Listen to a song like 'Black Car.' "I want you…I'll touch you…" is gently intoned over guitars so crunchy they almost bury the vocals in their own reverb bus, but instead of downplaying one aspect too much, everything is balanced and presented beautifully – it's something that bands have been trying to do for decades. Who would have thought that the band to get it so right would only make sixteen songs? Now excuse me, I'm going to listen to Math & Physics Club and imagine they have Big Muff pedals. (9/10)

- Matthew Olmos

Kevchino.com

I first bought the 10" version of Black Tambourine's Complete Recordings at a little record shop in Corvallis, Oregon called Uncle Hungry's (also where I saw the Dickle Brothers every Friday night; it's not there anymore). The cover art struck me on the odd-sized record; it's a black-and-white, coldly pixilated image of a woman, revolver trained at something coming at her from the left. I first bought into the record the instant my needle dropped, the rich crackle ensued, and the churning instrumental drone of "For Ex-Lovers Only" sucked me inside.

A swirling Phil Spector amalgam of Motown and My Bloody Valentine, Black Tambourine's two-year lifespan was not particularly productive by any measure. Their catalog is contained entirely on Slumberland's new Black Tambourine: sixteen songs, two of which are covers, and another two, demo versions (albeit, good ones). That's not to say what they built wasn't brilliant. "Throw Aggi Off The Bridge" is as vengeful to the girl named in the title as it is possessively seductive, instrumentation punk infused to coincide with the brutal message; "Can't Explain" canters back and forth, a contrivance of Friday night middle school dances on Doc Martens. Maybe their signature song, "Drown" bridges a Twin Peaks sort of look behind the mask of a hurt girl. Much of the Black Tambourine (a side project of Whorl and Velocity Girl members) mystique lies in its vocalist, Pam Berry, and her haunted chanteuselike vocals, often mixed to lie back in the shadows of throbbing bass lines and driving guitars. "We Can't Be Friends" seizes that aesthetic perfectly: Berry wails, words undecipherable, yet unmistakably needful as the drums race on in front of her.

A record described as "essential" or "groundbreaking" drops on the indie rock public seemingly every thirty-six hours. Those adjectives are especially effusive when it comes to reissued versions of obscure works coinciding with the writer's college radio days—just saying, there is some fire where there's smoke. The band riffed on some of the greatest trends of their day. And then they dissolved into dust.

Nothing is truly essential save for food, water, and, failing all else, a reconnection with Black Tambourine. (10/10)

- Erick Martz

Wears The Trousers

Black Tambourine weaved into existence in 1989, fertile in the alt-rock/dreampop sounds of the late '80s/early '90s. They had the honour of seeing their debut single included on Slumberland's first ever release, and though the band lasted a mere two years their sound turned out to be an instrumental element of today's American indie-pop, a nostalgic yet vibrant style enjoying a recent renaissance in bands such as The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, A Sunny Day In Glasgow and Dum Dum Girls. This deluxe, definitive collection couldn't arrive at a more relevant time. The opening chords of 'For Ex-Lovers Only' echo through at least three songs on the Vivian Girls' debut, while 'Throw Aggi Off The Bridge' could have been the blueprint for the hook on Those Dancing Days' 'Home Sweet Home'.

Black Tambourine's shoegazey punk – a hazy blend of Jesus & Mary Chain atmospherics and the twee jangling of The Pastels – is at its best in the bittersweet, soft thud of 'Black Car' and 'Drown', a crushworthy dose of dreamboat doo-wop with a subtle drone fuzzing darkly in the background. Fans can also feast on four new numbers – two originals and two covers – which the band reunited to record especially for this release. Get skirt-swirling to their rocked-out take of Buddy Holly's classic 'Heartbeat' and lose yourself in the lushness of Suicide's 'Dream Baby Dream'.

- Charlotte Richardson Andrews