|
-PRESS-
NEW
YORK TIMES
(JUNE 4, 2007)
TIGER ARMY Music From Regions Beyond
(Hellcat/ Epitaph)
“Bebop. Death metal. Trance. Emo. Most
genre names sound a
little silly, or a lot silly, at least at first. Still it's not hard to
sympathize with Nick 13, leader (and the only constant member) of the
Los Angeles-based trio Tiger Army. When asked about his chosen genre,
he has no choice but to utter those four risible syllables:
psychobilly.
Psychobilly was popularized more
than 25 years ago by the Meteors, a British band that played rockabilly
as if it were punk rock: loud, fast and silly. Nick 13 clearly
cherishes this cultish tradition, but that doesn't mean he sticks to
it. He has perfected a fusion that seems peculiarly Californian: You
can hear cheerful pop-punk as well as a dash of lonesome country; nods
to both Morrissey (who's a fan) and the Misfits.
After
three
underground-favorite
albums group hired Jerry Finn to producer "Music From Regions Beyond,"
a pulpy delight that could - should be, even - the band's breakthrough.
At
first all you hear
is punk:
fuzzy chords from Nick 13's multi-tracked guitar and galloping drums
from James Meza. But listen closely, and you'll hear the telltale sound
of strings thwacking a fret board: that's Jeff Roffredo, who plays
stand-up bass, nudging these songs back toward the 1950s.
"Forever
Fades Away,"
the
album's first single, is a midtempo punk love song with a verse and
chorus that wouldn't sound out of place on modern rock radio. But the
lively rockabilly rhythm in the bridge delivers a secret message - We
haven't forgotten you! - to longtime fans.
In keeping with Tiger Army's
tradition, this album hides a twangy ballad ("Where the Moss Slowly
Grows") near the end; hearing Nick 13 strain to hit the high notes is
part of the fun. There's also a Spanish-language love song ("Hechizo de
Amor") and, even better, an unexpected new-wave homage, "As the Cold
Rain Falls." (Who knew a psychobilly band could do such a good
imitation of early New Order?)
Tiger Army is scheduled to play
the main stage throughout this summer's Warped Tour; condolences, in
advance, to whichever bands have to go on afterward.”
-- Kelefa Sanneh
|
|
ROLLING
STONE
(JUNE 14, 2007)
“ON THE EDGE” section:
TIGER
ARMY
HOMETOWN
Los Angeles
WHO
Psychobilly punk band Tiger Army caught a huge break this summer:
They'll be rocking Warped's main stage - and their single "Forever
Fades Away" is taking off on radio. Formed in 1996 (AFI's drummer is an
alum), the group looks to Carl Perkins and Morrissey for inspiration.
"We have a sense of history," says frontman Nick 13. "Some younger
bands have influences they're not even aware of." HEAR IT Music
From Regions Beyond hits stores June 5th.
|
|
ALTERNATIVE
PRESS
(July,
2007/#228)
ALBUM: Music From Regions Beyond
Rating: 4/5 Stars
MORE YOWLIN' PUNK ROCK FROM EX-PSYCHOBILLIES.
“Music From Regions Beyond appears to
aggregate the musical influences working on the minds of a sizable
portion of Southern California's young people, and it's a damn
perplexing and distressing dogpile. Vocalist/ guitarist Nick 13 has a
relatively broad range: On "Hotprowl," his bark meshes perfectly with
the No Control-era Bad Religion riffing, while on
songs like "LunaTone" and "Ghosts Of Memory" he wails in an almost
Morrissey-esque style. The psychobilly sound Tiger Army rode to initial
fame only dominates about half of this album; "Ghosts Of Memory" and
"Pain" are particularly retrophonic, the latter sounding like a cross
between prime Social Distortion and early Reverend Horton Heat, with
Nick crooning like Robert Gordon (Google him) out front. "As The Cold
Rain Falls" is straight post-punk, with more of that Mozzer vocal sound
and Cure-like keyboards humming atop a bassline that's pure Peter Hook.
"Hechizo De Amor" finds him singing in Spanish; not the worst idea in
the world but a somewhat baffling one, given that the song has hardly
any Latin flavor. Music From Regions Beyond closes
with "Where The Moss Slowly Grows," which adds lap steel guitar for an
almost Western swing feel. All in all, an enjoyable broadminded slab o'
psychobilly-plus.” (HELLCAT; hell-cat.com") – Phil
Freeman
ROCKS
LIKE: SOCIAL DISTORTION'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL
THE REVEREND HORTON HEAT'S SPEND A NIGHT IN THE BOX
MORRISSEY'S YOUR ARSENAL
|
|
OUTBURN (June-July, 2007/#39)
TIGER ARMY
Music
From Regions Beyond
(Hellcat)
Rating: 9/10
DARK ROMANTIC ROCK:
“Three
years have passed since the release of III: Ghost Tigers Rise,
and Tiger Army has returned with a new lineup and a refurbished sound.
This time, mastermind Nick 13 is joined by Jeff Roffredo on bass and
James Meza on drums. While Meza keeps echoes of band's psychobilly
legacy intact with his pummeling style of drumming and Roffredo follows
suit with his low end twang, the atmosphere of this album is markedly
different from previous Tiger Army efforts. It is as though every dark
romantic aspect of the band's music has been amplified for a
breathtaking effect. Though he always channeled dark sounds, the
guiding force of Tiger Army seems to be letting his inner child of the
80s soar further on Music From Regions Beyond.
"Prelude: Signal Return" introduces this latest work with a dirge-like
riff similar to what one might find on a 45 Grave record. Though the
death rock angle doesn't overpower the dominant rockabilly guitars, it
is a nice compliment to Nick 13's ghostly "Lonesome Town" vocals. Then
there is "As the Cold Rain Falls," with a bass and keyboard that would
feel at home on New Order's seminal Low-Life. This
is the strongest track, if only for the fact that it shows the band
stepping outside of its niche while still maintaining its
identity.” ~ Liz
Ohanesian
|
|
ALTERNATIVE
PRESS
(JUNE, 2007/# 227)
TIGER ARMY
MUSIC FROM REGIONS BEYOND
(HELLCAT;
hell-cat.com) JUNE 07
“On psychobilly trio Tiger Army's latest, vocal swapping
duties come full circle as AFI frontman Davey Havok appears on
"Afterworld" (Nick 13 loaned his pipes to AFI's Decemberunderground).
Check out "LunaTone," "As the Cold Rain Falls" and "Hotprowl" next
month. Then get your upright bass fix at this year's Warped Tour - the
plucky purveyors of cheeky evil are playing the main stage.”
|
|
PENTHOUSE (JUNE, 2007)
TIGER ARMY
MUSIC FROM REGIONS BEYOND
(Hellcat)
Rating: 4 Stars
“Psychobilly - a blend of punk speed and rockabilly - gained
popularity with artists like Mojo Nixon and Reverend Horton Heat, but
this California trio has kept it going with their integration of
eighties synthesizer beats and Morrissey-inspired love songs. This
time, even with AFI's Davey Havok singing backup on one track, they've
written an album grounded in everyday life and its problems.”
|
|
-PRESS
FOR PREVIOUS RELEASES-
TIGER ARMY
III: Ghost Tigers Rise
Hellcat Records
"III: Ghost Tigers Rise isn't
the album I was expecting, but it is the album I was hoping for.
For a band with a penchant for aggressive songs
and macabre imagery, the fact that your drummer's been shot four times
and has a bullet permanently lodged in his brain should
(understandably) fuel some angered, raging tunes. Yet surprisingly this
is most melodic, most intricate, and as it turns out most subtle record
in Tiger Army's career. Maybe it's that Fred Hell's plight forced more
introspection than anger, or maybe it's just that Nick 13's songwriting
has reached that higher plateau he's always hinted towards, but this is
the most musically accomplished and consistently enjoyable outing from
the three piece yet.
It's always seemed that Tiger Army was stronger
when leaning harder on their rockabilly roots than their punk side. At
the end of the day material like "Power Of Moonlight," "In The Orchard"
or "Cupid's Victim" always felt more complete and fully realized than
the band's more traditional Misfits-fuelled rockers like "F.T.W" or
"When Night Comes Down." III: Ghost Tigers Rise
smartly builds up the style of the former songs, bringing the
rockabilly and country influences to a new place of prominence and
integrating a moody Smiths-like 80s pop feel on a number of tracks. The
standouts seems to be the slower tempo tracks, like "Rose of the
Devil's Garden" or the beautiful pedal steel guitar backed "The Long
Road." Nick 13's vocals soar in these songs with more confidence and
range than he's ever shown.
The band's rocking moments seem to fit better as
well. Take the opening "Ghost Tigers Rise," a thrilling instrumental
track that's shows the band raging out the gate with a showboating
Reverend Horton Heat style vigour. The most striking thing is how good
the band sounds in the song, particularly bassist Geoff Kresge. His
playing here is worlds better than on II: Power Of Moonlight. He's
admitted during interviews that he's learned much in both playing and
recording the stand-up bass since then, and it shows on tunes like
"Through The Darkness." Most noticeable is how percussive his playing
is this time around, sounding closer to the style Quakes' bassist Rob
Peltier employed on the first Tiger Army record. Fred Hell was still in
recovery at the time when this was recorded, so drum tech Mike Fasano
plays on the album. To his credit he's closely emulating Hell's own
style and seamlessly meshes with 13 and Kresge.
III: Ghost Tigers Rise might
disappoint those looking for a more rowdy and aggressive record,
however considering the quality of the results the choice to take a
more subtle approach was the best move Tiger Army could have made.
Tiger Army's niche within the psychobilly movement has been that
they're more in tune with roots Americana and less obsessed with
shlocky horror than their peers. III: Ghost Tigers Rise
captures that sound and vision better than anything Tiger Army has
released prior."
-- Adam, Punknews.org
June, 2004
|
|
TIGER ARMY
III: Ghost Tigers
Rise
Hellcat Records
Tough psychobilly
with a sensitive side.
WITH THE 1980s currently replaying in fast-forward, Tiger Army have
signed up for the job of psychobilly revivalists. This So-Cal three
piece have been plugging away since the late 90's, with changing
line-ups including members of AFI, and a fan club headed by Rancid's
Tim Armstrong.
III:
Ghost Tigers Rise mixes
up the purist rockabilly sound with new-wave melodies and punchy
distortion. At the softer end it's like Chris Isaak with a rhythm
section on amphetamines, while tracks such as "Wander Alone" and "What
Happens?" are catchy enough to use in a shampoo commercial. And if you
think 50 Cent is tough, drummer Fred Hell was shot four times in a home
invasion in 2003. That's what you call a revival.
-- Matt Levey, KERRANG
Magazine
|
|
TIGER ARMY
III: Ghost Tigers
Rise
Hellcat Records
Just as they did with 2001's II: Power of Moonlite,
Tiger Army begin III: Ghost Tigers Rise with a
brief, mood-setting prelude. The move establishes spiritual leader Nick
13's music in a world outside our own, in a silvery place somewhere
between celluloid and the supernatural. Some operators in the genre get
caught up in their own stylism -- all that talk about ghouls and gore
over slap bass and recast punk chording atrophies into one enormous
(and enormously dull) song. But Tiger Army are different. First of all,
Nick 13 can sing. He pours bitterness and yearning into the melody of
"Santa Carla Twilight" -- it ends up sounding like Del Shannon fronting
a rockabilly version of Social Distortion. "Through the Darkness" and
"Rose of the Devil's Garden," too, expand psychobilly's traditional
aesthetic borders with vocal harmonies and interesting changes -- in
short, Tiger Army write songs, not generic genre product. "Ghost
Tigers," the distorted-vocal rave-up "Swift Silent Deadly," "Atomic,"
and especially "What Happens?" land on the band's harder side. While
the slap rhythm and decadent, corpse paint lyrics ("I want to show you
what happens when we die") are present and accounted for, there's
Ramones in the guitar work and even the vocals. Overall, it's another
solid outing from Tiger Army, who find real inspiration -- not just
rehashing of theme -- among the leather jackets, nether world
references, and biting heartbreak that have always defined psychobilly.
-- Johnny Loftus, All
Music Guide
|
|
TIGER ARMY
II: Power of
Moonlite
(HellCat)
Psychobilly — the mating of
’50s rockabilly with early-’80s hardcore
— is generally a tuneless matter. Endless reverb and
slap-back delay over hyper-revved-up rhythms with barked vocals atop is
the rule of thumb, subject matter optional. Problem is, as in most
subgenres, its adepts adhere to the form without writing real songs,
save the occasional goofball novelty number (not unlike mother
rockabilly itself).
What makes psych outfit Tiger Army different from
the others is that they are songsmiths (or, more specifically, singer
Nick 13 is). Obsessed with the noir undercurrent that is the meat of
all Americana, from the music of the Misfits to the movies of David
Lynch or John Ford, N13 and Tiger Army ride those minor chords and
bleak themes like a steed into the final battle. From the
semi-instrumental that opens this record, through the anthemic
“Towards Destiny,” sing-alongs like
“Incorporeal,” and the Danzig-meets-the-Clash title
track, this disc plays like a soundtrack to a thousand imagined
Westerns.
Stripped down and to the point, with shapely songs
that don’t turn their themes into mush, Tiger Army are a
mishmash of some of the best music of the last 45 years, from Eddie
Cochran to the Damned to the Meteors. Fans of the twang will be in
ecstasy, the rest of the world pleased onlookers.
-- Johnny Angel, LA
WEEKLY
Aug. 31 - Sept. 6, 2001 edition
|
|
TIGER
ARMY
II: Power of Moonlite
[HellCat]
Power
of Moonlite is a
darkly symbolic album with an intellectual flair. The wonderful gothic
imagery and lyrics that draw from writers such as William Blake and
Edgar Allen Poe adds a depth to the album which is intensified by the
unique sound.
Released
by the same
record label as Rancid and Nerve Agents, they have a distinct punk
sound with a gothic theme. The use of a stand up bass instead of an
electric bass give them a rockabilly influence kind of like a more
abrasive version of The Stray Cats. Though they aren’t doing
much strutting, Tigers don’t strut!
Darkness
is the theme
and all the feelings and images that go along with it. Tiger Army
addresses such feelings as despair, spirituality, anger, loss, and
resentment. The imagery that Tiger Army incurs is classic. They talk of
a hopeless lover walking through a graveyard to find the ghost of his
lost love, cupid shooting an arrow at a hesitant and angry victim,
gaining strength from the ancient wisdom of the moon, and walking
through a forest as the seasons change. The power of Moonlite is a
romanticized look at the deeper and dreamier parts of the psyche.
The
song
“Annabel Lee” is especially impressive for it is
based on a poem by Edgar Allen Poe. A man cannot forget his lost lover
and begs to be released from being “forever trapped by the
memories in the sepulchre of his heart.” Nick 13’s
vocals bring the song to life with his pleading intonations.
“Orchard”
features a slide guitar plus rising and falling falsetto vocals, which
gives it a relaxed country music sound. The song “Under
Saturn’s Shadow” was a song I could truly relate to
since I’m a Capricorn (which is ruled by Saturn). It talks of
trying to find the light at the end of the tunnel but it gets harder
day by day. Finally you get to the point that you can’t
function and you feel powerless to fight it but you must wait, because
like a shadow, it will pass.
Power
of Moonlite is a
nice surprise! The music is melodic, expressive, and driving. The
lyrics are well written and poetic. The intellectual spin on the lyrics
was extremely refreshing and it sparked my imagination. The theme of
the moon in all it’s ancient wisdom invoking your soul to
rise up and gain strength is a powerful image.
If
you like the idea of
combining The Stray Cats, Poe, and Bad Religion, this would be your
album!
Rating:
5 stars
--Jessica
Harley, Music-review.com
September, 2001
|
|
TIGER ARMY
Tiger Army
[Hellcat]
THE
voices that can really wrench your guts out,
that crack with heartache, that are lived-in, battered but defiant,
these are the voices we treasure. This album is full of such voices --
frontman Nick 13's anguished rockabilly howl, with Rancid's Tim
Armstrong and AFI's Davey Havok on backing vocals. Adam Carson from AFI
is also drumming throughout, the latest episode in an ongoing
friendship cemented in their teens in Ukiah, California, when current
and former AFI members were in Influence 13 with Nick. Rob Peltier from
The Quakes adds some excellent stand-up bass, as the album steers its
course through rockabilly, psychobilly and punk with the odd pure
country twang. This is simply an awesome debut, one to cherish.
[Rating: 10]
--Virginia
Black, METAL HAMMER
Jan. 2000
|
| Tiger
Army S/T Hellcat -- How good could a group named Tiger Army be? DAMN
GOOD. I was truly surprised and impressed. This is psychobilly at its
coolest. Close your eyes and imagine the Misfits playing rockabilly. If
that doesn't sound cool to you, then take my word for it that it is.
Thumping upright bass, fast drumming, a Danzig-esque vocal delivery and
cemetery imagery. All 13 songs are great, especially "Nocturnal,"
"Devil Girl," "Trance," and "WereCat." This is an incredible debut, one
of the very few promos I get that stays in my stereo. RECOMMENDED!
--
Adam Liebling from READ Magazine #16
|
|
TIGER
ARMY
S/T
HELLCAT RECORDS
"With my tiring soul closely within the grasp of the Xmas demons in my
pursuit to be done with the holiday gift excavations, I retreated to my
car to lick my wounds before engaging in another melee of Xmas hell. I
reached into my bag to produce some tunes to recharge my battery. I
produced a disc with a picture of a tiger and a panther locked in
deadly combat. "Here's something I can associate with," I thought to
myself wearily as I slid the disc into the console. A brief collection
of ominous tones and dark stand up bass filled the car until the
silence was broken by an earth-shattering battle cry: "TIGER ARMY NEVER
DIE!" Needless to say my spirit was charged and ready to go after
feeding upon the fiery guitar, charged bass, thundering drums and
electric vocals that were incinerating the car speakers. The one-man
force of lead vocalist Nick 13, backed by Rob Peltier of the Quakes on
stand up bass and Adam Carson of A.F.I. on drums make up the deadly
combo known as Tiger Army. With straight up psychobilly core, this
outfit originating from Northern California comes across with an
insatiable fire, blending sounds reminiscent of The Cramps, The Misfits
with a similar lyrical style at times and the dark, dirty soul that
makes up the psychobilly sound. Check out the driven yet eerie
"Nocturnal," the psychotic love of "True Romance" and the lonely soul
of "Outlaw Heart." Tiger Army delivers a damn good CD full of energy
and that classic sound that heals the soul and puts a spark in the
heart."
-- James
Mayem, SKRATCH Magazine
January 2000
|
TIGER ARMY
S/T
HELLCAT RECORDS
"Awww shit! Psychobilly at its best! I think this album is fantastic!
Nick 13 has put together a splendid piece of work here! This album has
13 songs jammed packed with wicked
psycho-rockabilly-fuckin-in-your-face type of shit! Had me breaking my
mom's fine china to "Nocturnal." That song is featured on the Hellcat
compilation "Give 'Em The Boot 2." Another song that had me running
around like a mad woman was "Trance." Man, is that song the most erotic
song ever made? Damn! The entire album is awesome! A must have for all
you psycho fuckers out there."
-- Liz
Ortega, SKRATCH Magazine
January 2000
|
TIGER ARMY
S/T
HELLCAT RECORDS
"Tiger Army is out of Berkeley and the new album on Hellcat Records is
kicking. Some call it psychobilly, or rockabilly, or punkabilly, but
who cares? It's simple rock'n'roll. Great songs like "Nocturnal,"
"Devil Girl," and "Trance" are just some of the standout tracks. The
guitar has got that Fender twang, the bass is thumping and slapping and
the rock-steady drum beat keeps the songs moving. The vocals of Nick 13
are smooth; this guy can really sing and he writes some great songs. On
some songs, the vocals remind me of early Misfits, when Danzig still
had something to offer. Most of the songs are more upbeat, but the
slower ones really shine the light on Nick 13's vocals and his awesome
guitar playing. This offering of the night should not be overlooked,
because it has got something for everybody. Look out for Tiger Army in
2000."
-- Remy
Armstrong, ZERO magazine,
February 2000
|
TIGER ARMY
S/T
HELLCAT RECORDS
----------------------------
----------------------------
i was a bit surprised when i first heard this. spooky imagery, speedy
tempos, and stand up bass. what some might refer to as "psycho-billy"
this record was still a breath of fresh air after having to endure
countless weenie rock and jud-jud/singer sounds like he really needs to
go take a shit bands. the vocals here are well executed with melody in
mind. i guess the drummer is in afi. this actually sounds a lot more
like afi than you would think. when you boil all these songs down,
there still exists a strong punk element which should make this record
appealing to spiky green haired kids as well as the 50's
retro/greaser/my girlfriend looks like betty page/i spend too much time
on my car types.
-- aaron
icarus, BUDDYHEAD online
January 2000
|
TIGER ARMY
S/T
HELLCAT RECORDS
"Another "newcomer", this time from the psychobilly side. This is just
fuckin' great psycho/punkabilly!! Nick 13 on vocals & guitar,
Rob Peltier (also with Quakes and Irving Klaws) on bass and Adam Carson
(AFI) on drums really put together some tight, kick ass psycho!! Bring
these guys to Europe soon!!"
--
Markku Salo, CUSTOM BUILT online (Finland)
January 2000
|
3 Tk EP: TIGER ARMY
Temptation; Jungle Cat; 20 Flight Rock
"Californian psychobilly-- great to see tough psychobilly material on
vinyl 45 format from the USA. There's not been much before...
Brainbats, Red Planet Rocketts, Hellbillys etc., among very few others.
The a-side is in good ass-kicking form, European style sound, not too
metallic, with trio formation of double bass, guitar and drums. "Jungle
Cat" ain't bad either and is pretty catchy. "20 Flight Rock" gets an
uptempo stop-start psychobilly handling, and not overly heavy. Good
lads."
-- Marc
Fenech, Southern & Rocking Online
(review posted: 28 January 1998)
|
"After
the Quakes, Hellbillys, Los Gatos Locos and Brain Bats, the most recent
"good surprise" in the American Psychobilly scene is Tiger Army. From
what I've listened of American psycho, I can assure you that this is my
favorite band right now. This 7" has only 3 songs, but it's enough to
feel the potential of these guys. The first song is "Temptation," and
starts really well. The guitars are fast, there aren't almost any solos
and the slap bass is fast and precise. Apart from that, the lead vocals
are oneof the best that I have already heard. The second song is
"Jungle Cat," and it follows the same pattern. You can already sense
it's not a band like any other. Fast and contagious psycho! The last
song is a great version of Eddie Cochran's classic "20 Flight Rock",
which was clearly adapted to the band's sound and sounds great.
Excellent start."
--
Marcio, Alternar zine #2, May '98 (Brazil)
Special thanks to Carolina Castor for translation from Portuguese...
|
|
