Safeway Bag Now Sticking To My Shoe

Here are Tyvek. They represent that elusive "Hope For The Future" thing that us Jaded Rock Creeps are all the time chasing.  They are that rarest of all creatures, a Garage Punk band that actually has two ideas to rub together (did I seriously just write that?  Christ, what a prick.  We're in a goddamn Garage Golden Age, there's so much rad shit going on!  There's amazing stuff coming out by Black Time and The UV Race and Human Eye and Hygiene and TV Ghost and).


So what's the deal?  Well, Tyvek have done two albums so far, both great.  The first (self-titled) one is "shambolic" in that it sounds like the Velvets and Swell Maps but tougher, and catchier, and very noisy and wasted.  There's lots of meandering atonal interludes between songs, which would be kind of a pain in the ass if the catchy "proper song" parts weren't SUPER compelling.  Which they are, obvs.  The second album is called Nothing Fits and it's on In The Red Records, who seem determined to sign at least seventy-five percent of the Bands That I Like, so that's an early Christmas Tip for you goofs.  Nothing Fits is a goddamn BEAST of an album.  It's like the first album, but boiled down into a thick paste.  All the noisy bits have been stuffed INTO the songs, and all the tunes and energy and wit are ultra-concentrated.  Are Tyvek still "experimental"?  Yes, but only if said experiment can be completed within the confines of a minute-and-a-half punk barnstormer.  Fucking amazing.

This is how you do it, kids.  Smart, but not pretentious.  Tough, but not neanderthal.  And changing styles from album to album without losing yr identity is one HELL of a good look.  I'm super excited for the next album.

Here's four Tyvek songs for you:  "Burning Building" (the hands down best song on the first album), "Frustration Rock" (one of a gang of contenders for second place on the debut, beating out its pals because of some sharp lyrics and some mid-song counting, which I am a sucker for), "Underwater 1" (my favorite off Nothing Fits), and "Potato" (also off  Nothing, and yes it really is about cooking potatoes.  Mostly.).  All four are total rockers.  What kind of joint do you think I'm running here?