Cheap Cassettes - "Bad Xerox"

It has been two years and eight months since I last had the pleasure of writing about The Cheap Cassettes. I have missed them. January 2022 seems like a lifetime ago. Imagine a world where The Bear, "Good Luck, Babe!", and ChatGPT did not yet exist. Imagine a moment when the idea that a human could eat 83 hot dogs in ten minutes was still just a dream. Imagine a time when I could read the nutritional information on a can of prebiotic soda without putting on glasses. Human progress marches on, as do The Cheap Cassettes. Charles, Kevin, and Mike, now joined by the legendary Scott Sutherland, are about a month off from releasing a new album that's gonna make your head explode. It's called They'll Never Forgive You For Pop, and it's a freaking masterpiece that breaks the mold of what a guitar pop album is supposed to be. Out now on Rum Bar Records is the album's first single, "Bad Xerox." I can't quite say it's not indicative of the album since the album does have its more conventional power pop moments. But that's the beauty of The Cheap Cassettes. They can churn out a catchy power pop rocker like this that will have you tearing up the dance floor and feeling like the lyrics were written just for you. But they don't need to write a whole album of songs that sound just like it. "Bad Xerox" is 142 seconds of perfect pop and a fine choice for a single that will hook you onto an extraordinary album. This song is a hit on any continent, and all you kids are sure to dig it. Perhaps they'll never forgive you for pop, but they'll be still be singing along and dancing in their underwear when they think no one's watching. Alright alright! 

-L.R.

https://cheapcassettes.bandcamp.com/album/bad-xerox
https://www.facebook.com/cheapcassettes/
https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/theyll-never-forgive-you-for-pop
https://www.instagram.com/the_cheap_cassettes/

The Cheap Cassettes - Ever Since Ever Since

I'm starting to suspect that The Cheap Cassettes have been ingesting performance-enhancing substances in recent years. The Seattle power pop trio (with Boston roots) is currently over a decade into its existence and making by far its best music to date. The run of greatness that began with the "Kiss The Ass of My Heart" and "See Her In Action" singles continues today with the release of the brilliant new album Ever Since Ever Since on Rum Bar Records. I liked the band's debut album All Anxious, All The Time so much that I reviewed it twice. But Ever Since Ever Since makes All Anxious, All The Time sound like a demo tape!

The first thing that struck me about Ever Since Ever Since is that it's a true album. All of the songs would be great in isolation, but clearly they were meant to be heard together in the band's chosen sequence. The flow of this album brings to mind mid-period Replacements, and that can never be a bad thing! The songs (mixed and mastered by Kurt Bloch) pack a serious punch but still leave themselves plenty of room to breathe (six of the 11 tracks run longer than four minutes). The album certainly has its share of should-be radio hits ("She Ain't Nothing Like You" is an actual radio hit, now in rotation on Little Steven's Coolest Songs In The World!). But complementing the more instantly-catchy pop songs are some absolutely fantastic deep cuts. This album highlights Charles's maturity as a songwriter without veering from what The Cheap Cassettes do best: great American rock and roll with big hooks. In my book, the tearjerker rocker "Red Line Blue" is one of the best songs that Charles has ever written. "Endless Summer Ends" just keeps growing on me and growing on me with no end in sight to my amazement. "Cold Sunday" is like Charles's own "Here Comes A Regular".

I'm pretty sure you could ask 11 Cheap Cassettes fans to name their favorite song off of Ever Since Ever Since and receive 11 different responses. I'm struggling to identify a single lackluster track. I might peg "She Ain't Nothing Like You", "Malnutrition", and "How I Got What I Wanted" as the obvious "hits". But there are gems to be found all the way through the album. "Your I's Are Too Close Together" is a better-than-the-original cover of The Elevators' 1980 cult classic single. Kevin's "Wishing The Sun Away" instantly transports me to the early '90s heyday of Pacific Northwest alternative power pop. The jangly "There Goes That Girl" could almost be a Smithereens song. Ever Since Ever Since is one of the finest examples I've heard of what "mature" power pop ought to be. Hooky choruses and memorable melodies abound, but there's a soulfulness and emotional depth to these songs that is quite rare for this genre of music. Decades ago, Charles told me that he aspired to have a band comparable to The Plimsouls. Well, my friend, I'd say you've done it! 

Clearly it's too early to start making album of the year proclamations (especially considering that Malibu Lou will be dropping another bomb in two weeks!). But Ever Since Ever Since sure does set a high bar for the rest of 2022. CD and digital release today. Vinyl is coming later this year!

-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ever-since-ever-since
https://www.facebook.com/cheapcassettes
https://cheapcassettes.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords

The Cheap Cassettes - "She Ain't Nothin' Like You"

Now this was a really wonderful surprise! Seemingly out of nowhere, The Cheap Cassettes have dropped another sneak peak of their soon-to-be-released second album Ever Since Ever Since! Back in September, the band released the brilliant track "Endless Summer Ends". Now they've followed with the digital single "She Ain't Nothin' Like You". The "A-side" is the lead track off of the new album (due out January 14th on Rum Bar Records). It sure sounds like a hit to me! This is the vintage Cheap Cassettes sound: classic power pop steeped in great American rock and roll. The song comes on with a cool driving guitar riff, a super-catchy chorus, and marvelously bitter lyrics. And of course you can expect a damn fine guitar solo! If you dig the Twilley/Groovies/Big Star strain of power pop, you should be all over this track. But wait! There's more! "Cold Sundays" is something quite different for The Cheap Cassettes. It's a melancholy acoustic number that seems perfect for this time of the year. We've all been waiting for Charles to unleash his inner Paul Westerberg on record, and this is the moment. I'd like to play this song while I'm drinking a beer on the porch and reflecting on my life. I actually don't have a porch, but this song would be ideal for contemplative solitary walks in the autumn breeze. That Charles Matthews can sure write a song that tears your heart out! 

The "She Ain't Nothin' Like You" single is available now from The Cheap Cassettes' Bandcamp. The preorder for the CD/digital release of Ever Since Ever Since is up now as well. A vinyl release on Cassettes On Records Records is expected for the spring. Mixed and mastered by Kurt Bloch, Ever Since Ever Since has me pumped for 2022 to get here!

-L.R.

https://cheapcassettes.bandcamp.com/album/she-ain-t-nothin-like-you-cold-sundays-digital-single
https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ever-since-ever-since
https://www.facebook.com/cheapcassettes/
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords

The Cheap Cassettes - "Endless Summer Ends"

Well here we are on the last day of summer 2021. Just thinking of that gives me a tinge of melancholy. I feel as if another summer has slipped by without me making the most of it. Being the clever cats that they are, The Cheap Cassettes timed the release of their new single & music video "Endless Summer Ends" to coincide with this very occasion. "Endless Summer Ends", the Seattle trio's first new song in nearly two years, is a teaser for the band's forthcoming album Ever Since Ever Since. Suitably, "Endless Summer Ends" captures the wistful vibes of end of summer reflections. It's a thoughtful, mellow pop song that saunters past the four-minute mark without wearing out its welcome. As you would expect from The Cheap Cassettes, this is a quintessential power pop tune. That hook just might stay stuck in my head until next summer rolls around! The Cheap Cassettes are part of my holy trinity of favorite bands, and I would surely give them a glowing review even if they covered "Achy Breaky Heart" with kazoos. But I've got to say that they've really delivered something truly special with "Endless Summer Ends". This is music with heart, grounded in timeless melody. And the video, filmed & edited by Anna Parkhurst, is absolutely fantastic. Look for Ever Since Ever Since releasing on Rum Bar Records this December!

-L.R.

https://cheapcassettes.bandcamp.com/album/endless-summer-ends-new-single
https://www.facebook.com/cheapcassettes/

The Cheap Cassettes - "See Her In Action!"

Today I'm reviewing The Cheap Cassettes for the tenth time. This puts the band in very exclusive company. They will now receive merit pins and keys to the F & L secret lodge - where they can drink frosty beverages and receive spa treatments alongside The Connection, Vista Blue, and Kurt Baker. It has been 15 months since I last wrote about The Cheap Cassettes. Honestly, it feels like it's been much longer than that given all that has gone down in the world since my favorite power trio released a digital EP called See Her In Action! in November of 2019. I think we all aged five years in 2020 - except for Charles, who somehow looks younger every year. Appropriately enough in the week of Groundhog Day, Charles, Kevin, and Izzy present their brand-new release....See Her In Action! Out today on compact disc on Rum Bar Records, this maxi-single finally gives the three songs from the original EP a proper physical release. As a bonus for longtime fans, this CD issue of See Her In Action! tacks on a pair of live tracks. Having already reviewed this EP when it was originally released, I probably don't need to get too deep into the individual tracks. Let's just say if you like power pop rooted in good old rock and roll, this is a must-own disc. Last time I implied that the title track was the best song Charles has written yet for The Cheap Cassettes. The only thing that makes me reconsider that stance is that "Lil' Bit Everyday" might be even better! I originally described it as the "greatest love song to alcohol that anyone has written in years". And perhaps given our collective hardships over the past year, this song has taken on an even more powerful meaning in 2021. So yes, I'm going to change my mind and proclaim "Lil' Bit Everyday" the "hit" of this EP. The band would probably not disagree- considering that they have released an absolutely amazing music video for the song that was co-created by Todd Michael Johnson & Michael O'Rourke. I encourage you to click play now, since this song and video are far more profound than anything I could say myself.  

The re-launch of See Her In Action! is exciting to me for multiple reasons. For one thing, now I can jam out to these songs in my car! In addition to that, this finally puts this EP in play for all of you who don't do the downloading/streaming thing. And this is the best set of songs that Charles Matthews has ever put his name to. The live tracks are a nice treat as well. "Red Line Blue" is a preview of a song that will hopefully turn up on the next Cheap Cassettes album. "Valentine", of course, is a Replacements cover - and one of my very favorite Replacements songs (I'm talking top three territory). If you know The Cheap Cassettes and know "Valentine", you'd probably agree that this is a cover that was meant to be ("In the spirit of The Replacements, we kind of learned this song"). While 2020 was mostly a year of disappointments for The Cheap Cassettes (e.g. a canceled gig with The Figgs, a scrapped album recording session), the arrival of See Her In Action! on CD sparks high hopes for this band in 2021. No Hedy Lamarr on the cover this time, but it seems the band had no trouble finding an equally classy successor! 

-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/see-her-in-action-maxi-single-ep
https://cheapcassettes.bandcamp.com/album/see-her-in-action
https://www.facebook.com/cheapcassettes/
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords

The Cheap Cassettes - See Her In Action!

God, I love these crazy far-out digital times! You can wake up to what you think will be an another uneventful Tuesday, and suddenly a quick foray onto social media has you discovering that one of your three favorite bands on the planet has released a new EP that you didn't even know was coming out! Considering that most bands tease their new stuff weeks or even months in advance, that sort of surprise is a real treat! See Her In Action! is The Cheap Cassettes' third EP and first to be released exclusively in the digital format (at least for now). I know you'd probably expect me to say that this is the best thing this band has ever done. And of course I'm going to say it, but only because it's true! These tracks were recorded in June by drummer Kevin Parkhurst and subsequently mixed and mastered by living legend Kurt Bloch. And so here we are!

While generally typecast as a "power pop" band, The Cheap Cassettes could just as easily be filed under catchy punk or rootsy rock and roll. I think what strikes me the most about these songs is how they reflect Chaz's recognizable style as a songwriter far more than any sort of conformance to a genre. In these songs, I'm picking up on many of the same qualities that first made me a fan of Chaz's 23 years ago. He's older (although some of us have our suspicions about that), wiser, and more seasoned in his craft. Yet this is classic Chaz, and it doesn't hurt to have amazing players like Kevin and Izzy bringing out the best in him. This record is full of his signatures. There are the lyrics that just knock me out ("Disco dancing with the alpha males/No, not this one/She's got a necklace made from the teeth/Of all the boys who called her cheap"). There are the references to old Hollywood and classic literature. There's that grand romance that practically bleeds from his poetry ("We were mini brutes in our punk rock boots/Throwing shapes up to the gods"). "See Her In Action" is melodic guitar pop in all of its punchy glory, propelled by a simple but perfect hook and the instantly classic line "even your god is a she". "Only Lovers Left Alive" sure feels like a throwback to the Dimestore Haloes days, right down to those red-hot rock and roll guitars and lyrics romanticizing the resilience of punk rock lifers. Given that the majority of this blog's readership is probably comprised of forty-something and fifty-something musicians, I imagine the line "If we got old, we are the last to know" will strike a chord with a lot of you. And speaking of songs that might say a lot to me about my life, "Lil' Bit Everyday" is the greatest love song to alcohol that anyone has written in years.

See Her In Action! made me think of a recent interview with Ken Burns. He was asked about why so many of his films resemble each other. His response was, "What you're referring to is style, and mine works because it's authentic to me." That quote seems to perfectly sum up The Cheap Cassettes to me. They've been perfecting their own style for the last eight years, and consequently the records just keep getting better. This EP is everything I love about pop and punk and rock and roll all in one shot. It doesn't sound like any other power pop band out there, but it sure sounds like The Cheap Cassettes. I wondered if Chaz would ever be able to top "Kiss The Ass of My Heart", but I'd say he's definitely done it with "See Her In Action". And yes, that "cover model" is Hedy Lamarr - legendary Hollywood beauty and the inventor of frequency hopping. Now go give The Cheap Cassettes three bucks!



-L.R.

https://cheapcassettes.bandcamp.com/album/see-her-in-action-ep 
https://www.facebook.com/cheapcassettes/ 

The Cheap Cassettes - "Worse N' Better"

Here's another one of those "No, you didn't just imagine that I reviewed this before!" posts. I did the same thing with Geoff Palmer's new single earlier in the month. And if I don't extend The Cheap Cassettes the very same courtesy, that would really diminish the chances of one of these guys someday buying me an adult beverage. We are talking about one of my three favorite bands and all the glory that entails. Guys, I swear your F & L varsity jackets are in production!

"Worse N' Better"/"Hieroglyphics In Lipstick" is The Cheap Cassettes' second 7", but it was actually their first single. Confused yet? These two songs originally came out on a nifty-looking cassette single I reviewed back in September of 2017. But with that release limited to a scant 50 copies, the fabled Cheap Cassettes' debut cassette is probably even rarer than the cassingles you might have owned back in the '90s (check under the back seat of your car just in case). The band's plan all along was to eventually release this single on record. And you know what? When The Cheap Cassettes plan things, they follow through! The band has flipped the order of the songs and released them as a 7" record on its own label Cassettes On Record Records. So now "Worse N' Better" is "the hit", and "Hieroglyphics In Lipstick" is the proverbial "B-side that could have been the A-side". I would not have argued either way. "Worse N' Better" probably didn't get the attention it deserved the first time around, so now it steps into the spotlight. I won't really get into breaking down these two tracks since I've, you know, already done that. I'll just say that if you like power pop and aren't already an obsessed fan of The Cheap Cassettes, what are you waiting for?! And how cool must it be to be able to put out your own record and have it say "recorded & mixed by Kurt Bloch" on the back?! Head on over to Bandcamp and order this bad boy today!



-L.R.

https://cheapcassettes.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/cheapcassettes/ 
https://www.facebook.com/cassettesonrecordrecords 

The Cheap Cassettes - Kiss The Ass Of My Heart EP

I hereby retract any prior proclamations I may have made about the song of the summer 2018. The Cheap Cassettes, whom I've championed fervently since the infancy of this blog, have unleashed a surefire international smash titled "Kiss The Ass Of My Heart" that's poised to own this summer and perhaps the next couple of seasons as well. Could any song live up to a title that astoundingly great? This one, I'm pleased to say, absolutely does. When popular demand requires The Cheap Cassettes to tour every watering hole and concert hall from Kahului to Khabarovsk, "Kiss The Ass of My Heart" will surely be the band's most requested song on a nightly basis. Even those who don't ordinarily go in for the Seattle foursome's brand of loud, hook-laden pop are bound to find themselves feeling this song. What could be more cathartic than telling off that certain person who brought misery and heartbreak into your life? This is a song you'll want to play at maximum volume while you imagine singing it to your ex. Or perhaps if you're feeling feisty, you can play it at maximum volume while you actually sing it to your ex. I was going to say that this song ought to be all over the radio. But does anyone really listen to the radio anymore? I suppose the true hit songs of today are the ones that make it onto TV ads for Mexican beer and Apple products. A song called "Kiss The Ass Of My Heart" sure sounds like marketing gold to me. That hook could sell everything from lipstick to monogrammed underwear!

"Kiss The Ass Of My Heart" and "Black Leather Angel" come from the same recording sessions that produced The Cheap Cassettes' 2017 debut single "Hieroglyphics In Lipstick". In a genius move, that single was released only on cassette. Now Rum Bar Records has issued all four songs on one stellar EP. This is actually the first vinyl release from The Cheap Cassettes, and it's a perfect representation of what this band is all about. These tracks were recorded at Egg Studios last summer with the legendary Kurt Bloch producing, and as expected they sound freaking amazing! This EP is proof that high quality production does not necessarily have to neuter a rock n' roll band's attack. This, to me, is what all power pop should aspire to be. These songs have melodies and choruses for days, but they don't skimp on big guitars and hard-hitting drums. Of course I had "Kiss The Ass of My Heart" pegged as a hit since I first heard a rough demo a couple years back. "Black Leather Angel" ain't too shabby either. This snappy rocker pretty much perfects the sound Charles and Kevin have been working towards for the last 15 years. It's timeless guitar pop born out of a love for '70s punk and great American rock n' roll. Once you let that chorus worm its way into your brain, good luck getting it out of there!

Having admired Charles Matthews's tremendous talent and consistently superb hair since 1996, I can genuinely say his songwriting has only gotten better with time. The same can be said of his singing voice. His creative partnership with Kevin Parkhurst has brought forth a band that is like the best parts of Material Issue, Cheap Trick, The Figgs, and Replacements all rolled into one. If The Cheap Cassettes are not my clear cut favorite band on Earth, it's only because I can't decide between them and The Connection (I swear Malibu Lou did not pay me to say that, although I will not refuse any shipments of New England IPA). And while I really like the band's full-length, I absolutely love this new EP! In edition to the vinyl release, "Kiss The Ass Of My Heart" is available on tape for all of you who prefer to listen to The Cheap Cassettes on cassette. You can order now from Bandcamp, and locals can pick up the new EP tomorrow night when the band plays a release show at Darrell's Tavern. The Tripwires and Yes Masters will be on the bill as well. Doors open at 8:00. It's gonna be yuge!



-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/kiss-the-ass-of-my-heart 
https://cheapcassettes.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/cheapcassettes/
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords 

Single Premiere: The Cheap Cassettes - "Hieroglyphics In Lipstick"

When one of your favorite bands approaches you with the somewhat unusual idea of doing a combination premiere and review of its new single, how can you say no?! Believe it or not, this is the first actual single from The Cheap Cassettes - who've been a band since the early part of the decade. After self-releasing their debut album in 2014 and working with Rum Bar Records on a reissue earlier this year, Chaz, Kevin, and Izzy were certainly raring to get back into the studio and cut some new tracks. And cut some new tracks they did - at the world famous Egg Studios in Seattle with the legendary Kurt Bloch producing! From those sessions came "Hieroglyphics In Lipstick" and "Worse N' Better" - out today as a digital release and a limited edition cassette single. Without a doubt, The Cheap Cassettes have never sounded better!

It had been so long since The Cheap Cassettes had recorded new material that I wondered what to expect. There was always the possibility that the band might have changed its musical style to black metal or abandoned all use of guitars in favor of kazoos. I feared such horrors as experimentation with dubstep and a random guest appearance by Ed Sheeran. Much to my delight, no such developments came to be. Both of these tracks are right in the band's sweet spot: marvelous hook-driven pop with a rootsy charm and real honest-to-goodness power behind it. This is exactly what we have come to expect ever since Chaz and Kevin began their musical partnership back in the early 2000s.  "Hieroglyphics In Lipstick" and "Worse N' Better" are power pop by its truest definition. Yet with Chaz's songwriting so indelibly informed by punk rock and early American rock n' roll, The Cheap Cassettes don't sound like a power pop group you've heard 100 times before. And I must say that these tunes are top-notch! Being one who can never get enough of hard pop with a bittersweet taste, I am totally enamored with "Hieroglyphics In Lipstick". It contains some of Chaz's finest lyrics ever - and one of his catchiest melodies as well. "Worse N' Better" is every bit as good and could easily have been the "A" side. It pretty much has it all: a super-tough riff, hooks I can't get out of my head, and a guitar solo so wicked good that even a master shredder like Bloch couldn't help expressing his admiration.

Two more songs from the Egg sessions will be released next year as a vinyl single. In the meantime, I am delighted to present these two latest pop gems to the world at large! With sharp-looking artwork courtesy of Anna and Kevin Parkhurst, the "cassingle" version of this release is well worth seeking out. It's time to pull your boombox and Walkman out of deep storage! Only 50 copies are available. So act quickly if you'd like to own some Cheap Cassettes on, uh, cheap cassette!



-L.R.

https://cheapcassettes.bandcamp.com/album/hieroglyphics-in-lipstick-worse-n-better 
https://www.facebook.com/cheapcassettes/ 

Meet The Cheap Cassettes (again)!

Many of us remain in a state of disbelief following the unforeseen event that dominated our conversations in the closing months of 2016. Can this really be happening? How did one of my favorite bands, The Cheap Cassettes, end up on Rum Bar Records, my favorite record label? Were aliens or Russians involved? I'd like to think I may have had a tiny hand in this development. But let us speak no more about the size of my hands.

Out now on Rum Bar Records is a shiny CD reissue of All Anxious, All The Time - the brilliant debut album from The Cheap Cassettes. It is a rare occurrence for me to review the same album twice. When it has happened in the past, it has usually involved me either retracting bad reviews (first High Tension Wires album) or editing down 3,000-word diatribes that no one actually read the whole way through (Exploding Hearts' Guitar Romantic). Yet here I am, for the second time, reviewing a Rum Bar Records reissue that I extensively touted upon its original release. I can neither confirm nor deny that Malibu Lou has bought this coverage by promising me first dibs on the beer cooler at Rum Bar Pancake Social 2018. But in all seriousness, All Anxious... has become one of the three or four albums of this decade that I've listened to the most. In my top ten albums of 2014 list, it inexplicably only came in at #7. Needless to say, it would probably rise to #1 if I re-wrote the list today. It holds up so well as an example of great pop married to gutsy rock n' roll. Drawing not just from the obvious genre standard-bearers but also from first wave punks (Jam, Buzzcocks) and unsung titans of the underground (Replacements, Material Issue), The Cheap Cassettes set forth a broad vision for what powerful pop ought to be. And while the quick sales pitch is that this is former Dimestore Haloes doing power pop, let us remember that the Haloes were already headed in this direction when they called it a day.

From the opening notes of the Motown-flavored shaker of a title track, All Anxious... reaffirms my longtime fondness for the formidable talents of Chaz Matthews and Kevin Parkhurst. The album was recorded over a number of years with the two bandmates collaborating long-distance. While that explains some of the unevenness in fidelity (I'm pretty sure the vocals for "My Little Twin" were recorded on the toilet with a hair brush for a microphone), it's also what gives the record much of its charm. There's a rawness here that is too often missing in today's power pop, and at the same time the songwriting is the best I've ever heard from these two. "Wreckless", which could be considered the band's own "Bastards of Young", would not have sounded out of place on the Haloes' swan song Ghosts of Saturday Night. The same thing could be said of "Good and Shitty"- a glorious shot of pop trash recalling Johnny Thunders or early 'Mats. It's really hard to pick a "hit" here since the songs are pretty much choice cuts all the way through. But there are a few I keep going back to. The aforementioned "My Little Twin" is easily one of the best songs Chaz has ever put his name on, and "Big Dumb Town" is absolutely the epitome of awesomely loud pop (good lord, that guitar solo!!!). I rarely dare to make a comparison like this, but I could totally imagine the late Jim Ellison singing "Girlfriend". And how fun is "Black Vinyl!"?!

The most surprising thing about The Cheap Cassettes' move to Rum Bar is that I don't think Chaz has ever been on a label where he didn't have the coolest hair on the roster (the whole earth bows to Kurt Baker's wavy locks). But truly I cannot imagine a more ideal fit - given the band's Boston roots and a musical style that slots perfectly between The Connection's hook-laden garage/rock n' roll and the earnest blue collar punk of Nato Coles. With the original issue of All Anxious... falling a little under the radar, now is the time for the world at large to fall in love with The Cheap Cassettes. Malibu Lou (probably wearing sunglasses and holding a stiff drink in his hand at the time) even worked his music mogul magic and persuaded the band to fortify this reissue with a previously unreleased track - a magnificent rootsy jangler called "Disappear With You". You can also look forward to a secret bonus track. Is it a Krokus cover? An instrumental played entirely on kazoo? Perhaps a musical ode to Glenn Danzig demanding French onion soup on a concert rider? You will have to find out for yourself!



-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/all-anxious-all-the-time
https://www.facebook.com/cheapcassettes/
https://cheapcassettes.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords/

Song premiere: The Cheap Cassettes - "Disappear With You"!

These song premieres always remind me of staying up late on New Year's 1983-84 to watch MTV debut the video for Van Halen's "Jump". That was a top ten moment of my childhood. Today I've got something on a similar level of cool: the first new song from The Cheap Cassettes in two years! The (now) Seattle-based outfit featuring ex Dimestore Haloes Charles and Kevin has just joined the Rum Bar Records family. Talk about a perfect fit! The label will be reissuing the band's 2014 full-length debut All Anxious, All The Time on CD in early 2017. The new release will include all of the tracks from the original album plus a previously unreleased gem called "Disappear With You". The song is pretty much the definition of great power pop - marrying rootsy rock n' roll to a whole lot of guitar jangle and a divinely Beatlesque melody. And what a strong vocal! Sometimes "bonus" material like this can be suspect, but this is one of The Cheap Cassettes' best songs yet! And there's no need to take my word for it! Give it a listen below, and be sure to look for the CD out on Rum Bar in February. Pre-orders are open over at the label's Bandcamp with two tracks already streaming. Ten bucks? That's a deal and a steal!



-L.R.

https://www.facebook.com/cheapcassettes/
https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/all-anxious-all-the-time
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords/ 

The Cheap Cassettes make an album!

When it comes to the iconic musical twosomes, the likes of The Captain & Tennille, Hall & Oates, and Sonny & Cher surely come to mind. The only things separating The Cheap Cassettes from an honored place in history alongside such titanic pairings are some epic facial hair and perhaps a juicy guest spot on The Love Boat. Poised to dress sharper than Wham and rock harder than Right Said Fred, these handsome fellas are bringing duos back to prominence. Air Supply will be sending out a thank you note! Given the many years we diehard fans have eagerly awaited its release and the countless tabloid shenanigans associated with the group's tantrum-prone vocalist, The Cheap Cassettes' debut album could rightfully be hailed as the Chinese Democracy of power pop. The major difference is that it would actually make sense if Tommy Stinson joined this band. Too bad he's kinda busy at the moment.

If you've been living under a rock the last few years (or more likely, have the good sense to never read this blog), you may not know that The Cheap Cassettes are ex Dimestore Haloes Chaz Matthews and Kevin Parkhurst (an original third member, the German expat Max Schitter, is currently serving 25 years to life for wearing white after labor day). While living thousands of miles apart all this time, Chaz and Kevin have nonetheless found a way to collaborate in the writing, recording, and producing of All Anxious, All The Time - one of the finest power pop albums of recent memory. This should come as no surprise if you consider that the Haloes made their best record after Kevin joined the band. And while this particular project seems largely inspired by the Chilton/Twilley/Westerberg strain of rock n' roll songwriting, you could argue that the Haloes were already hinting at such a direction by the time they called it quits. So The Cheap Cassettes are less of a reinvention and more of a logical next step for this talented twosome. Chaz Matthews has been one of my favorite singers and songwriters since the late '90s, and he hasn't officially released music since 2005. I'd maintain that his absence from the punk/rock n' roll scene in recent years has created a huge void. Now he and Kevin are back - and in prime form! In a year full of amazing albums, they've given us one of the very best. It's out now on the band's own label, Cassettes On Record Records.

Credit Chaz and Kevin for using modern technology in the best of ways. This album actually began as just a few songs posted on-line back in the prehistoric days of 2011 (these guys were on Bandcamp before Bandcamp was cool!). More songs were gradually added as they were finished, and by this summer The Cheap Cassettes had amassed enough tunes to fill a full LP. Better yet, they remixed/remastered those songs and pressed them onto shiny compact disc. So All Anxious, All The Time is an actual tangible product you can purchase and own! You can carry it with you to the bathroom and flick it at your enemies like a ninja star! With one foot in scruffy Stones/Replacements rock n' roll and the other in classic power pop, The Cheap Cassettes demonstrate that massive hooks and well-crafted choruses don't necessarily make a band "slick". This record has a nice "rough around the edges" feel to it - a quality these guys wear well. Musically and lyrically, I'd put the likes of "My Little Twin" and the soul-inspired title track up there with the best songs Chaz has ever written. And "Wreckless" is a bona fide rock n' roll anthem - like a "Bastards Of Young" for my generation ("We didn't die young/And we didn't grow up/Parents and friends they died on us/We kept going somehow"). Whether you're talking about heartfelt ballads ("Girlfriend"), gloriously sloppy rock n' roll (Kevin's brilliant "Good And Shitty"), or hooky arena rock ("Seconds Of Pleasure"), the band's pop sensibilities absolutely shine. And as always, Chaz has written some amazing lyrics. Belying its upbeat feel, the title track is a powerful statement about the crippling nature of anxiety. And with humor and insight, songs like "Sig Heil (Means I Love You)" and "Get Low" remind us that being in love can be the greatest thing in the world and just about the worst as well.

If you didn't know that one guy was tracking these songs in Hawaii while the other was doing the same in Boston, Chicago, Michigan, and Wisconsin (the Where In The World Is Charles Matthews? video game will be out next spring), you'd have no reason to believe the two weren't together in the studio the whole time - obsessing over every last chord and stopping periodically to admire their haircuts in the mirror. Kevin handled most of the production end of this project and did a bang-up job. This album, while a few years in the making, was 100% worth the wait. Top to bottom, the songs are truly outstanding. And these two understand that a true power pop band should know how to freaking rock! With a sound that's uniquely their own yet crafted in the Who/Cheap Trick/Material Issue lineage of loud guitar pop, The Cheap Cassettes are a tremendous addition to a thriving power pop scene. Chaz and Kevin have made an album that will delight longtime fans - and surely win over tons of new ones as well. Hit up the duo's Bandcamp for a couple of free samples and two bonus cover tunes!



-L.R.

http://cassettesonrecordrecords.bigcartel.com/product/the-cheap-cassettes-all-anxious-all-the-time
http://cheapcassettes.bandcamp.com/album/all-anxious-all-the-time
https://www.facebook.com/cheapcassettes
https://www.facebook.com/cassettesonrecordrecords

Wreckless!

It's been close to two years since we last heard from The Cheap Cassettes. You may remember Chaz and Kevin from the late, great Dimestore Haloes - and the two continue to collaborate in spite of the 5,000 or so miles separating Chicago and Hawaii. This sort of long-distance musical relationship is not easy to maintain. Band feuds have to be conducted via Skype. Hotel rooms have to be trashed individually. Both men fly futuristic space craft to a secret practice pad in the sky (and somehow, upon his disembarking at the space port, Chaz's hair always remains perfect). It's been a slow go as The Cheap Cassettes build their album one track at a time, but now they're up to five songs. That's half way to a full LP - with two more songs coming soon! And when you're forced to take your time like this, you can pretty much guarantee that only the A-grade material is going to make the cut. The brand new track "Wreckless" is no exception. If you assumed an immediate Naked Raygun influence given Chaz's recent relocation to Chicago, Material Issue would be a far better guess. 

"Wreckless" is up there with the best handful of songs Chaz Matthews has ever written. And that's saying something! In the words of the artist, it's more of the "tear jerkin' power pop/rock'n'roll goodness" we've come to expect from this cat. With a pre-chorus evoking The Replacements ("Parents and friends they died on us/We kept going somehow") and a chorus that brings to mind Candy ("Here we are, all the wreckless/Ain't nobody gonna break us"), the whole thing comes off like later Dimestore Haloes spending the night with Big Star and The Scruffs. Stylistically, it's perfectly executed hard pop. But at its essence, this is really soul music. In that respect, I'd put Chaz in the same category of songwriters as Greg Cartwright, "King" Louie Bankston, and "Gentleman" Jesse Smith. And you certainly can't overlook the contributions of Kevin Mess, who's a one-man rhythm section and a true connoisseur of obscure power pop. Obviously I've been a huge Chaz fan for 16 years plus, but there's something about him and Kevin together that really clicks (a la Paul Westerberg/Tommy Stinson). Circumstances might prevent them from being prolific right now, but everything they've churned out has been total gold. And I will always take quality over quantity. Plus there's something really cool about the new material being released one song at a time. It really makes you appreciate each track as a singular piece of work. Check out the whole album if you haven't yet. It's pretty fantastic. And if you're already a fan, it goes without saying that "Wreckless" is a must-hear. The Cheap Cassettes look to have album of the year 2016 in the bag! 


-L.R.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Cheap-Cassettes/242603972438399
http://cheapcassettes.bandcamp.com/

Hey Hey, They're The Cheap Cassettes!

If you've been wondering what Charles Matthews Morrissey has been up to since the Dimestore Haloes broke up, well it's been a long, strange trip. He bought a shrimp boat like Forrest Gump. He started a one-man John Denver tribute band called Country Roads that was banned from several live venues due to excessive drunkenness. He did something so unmentionably perverse for a Klondike Bar that I cannot in good conscience share specific details. He bought a Shake Weight but never uses it. Lord knows we've missed his presence in our little slice of the music world. I know I'm biased because he's a friend of mine, but I think he's one of the best songwriters to come out of the punk rock underground since I've been following it. The world is a better place with his music in it. If you're a Haloes fan, you've got to be stoked about The Cheap Cassettes - a new collaboration between Chaz and his old bandmate Kevin "Mess" Parkhurst.

Separated by the 5,000 or so miles between Boston and Hawaii, Chaz and Kevin aren't exactly rehearsing five nights a week. But through the magic of modern recording technology and occasional teleportation, they've managed to record one-third of their debut album and share it with the world on their Band Camp page. While some might say that The Cheap Cassettes sound like the Haloes, that's kind of like saying that Tony Montana reminds you of Michael Corleone. There are some obvious similarities, yes, but this is a new band entirely. Spiritually and stylistically, The Cheap Cassettes are all about the power pop. Citing unassailable influences such as the Plimsouls, Cheap Trick, Material Issue, Elvis Costello, and The Paul Collins Beat and operating under the mantra of "big guitars and big hooks", this duo is more than worthy of being named after a Figgs song. And a no-frills, relatively lo-fi recording aesthetic gives their music a rough-around-the-edges charm that's too often missing from "power" pop. These two may have pop in their hearts, but they've got rock n' roll in their blood. Dwight Twilley would approve. Alex Chilton would have, too!

So how's the album sounding so far? Pretty great! Hands down, the "hit" is "My Little Twin". It's just so fucking catchy, and it's got this rambunctious energy to it that kinda sorta brings to mind early Replacements covering Big Star. Love it! "Get Low" ain't bad either. It's got a nice down-tempo beat and a sing-along chorus you won't be able to get out of your head without extensive professional help. Do you like handclaps? Awesome guitar solos? Yeah, me too! No one's gonna mistake Chaz for Kyle Vincent vocally, but I really think that works for The Cheap Cassettes. It gives their songs grit. Chaz will always sound like Chaz, which makes him somewhat unique in a scene full of wannabe Stivs and imitation David Jos. If you're a fan of his solo release Amazing Graceless or the last Haloes album Ghosts of Saturday Night, it's a money-back guarantee you'll like The Cheap Cassettes just as much. It's probably not a co-incidence that the Haloes made their best recordings after Kevin joined the band. He's a talented dude, and from what I hear he's completely obsessed with obscure power pop recordings from the '70s and '80s. He and Chaz flat-out click as a duo, and with The Cheap Cassettes the two are fully indulging their mutual love for power pop. I highly approve! And what's not to love about a free digital album that keeps growing and growing? Today it's four songs. Maybe tomorrow it'll be five. You don't have to wait two years until the album is "complete". They finish a new song, and you get a new song. Instant gratification, folks! It's the way of the future! Far out!

- L.R.

http://cheapcassettes.bandcamp.com/album/all-anxious-all-the-time