Some friends of mine have been heavily touting the debut album from Tee Vee Repairmann for several weeks now — promising that it was going to be something special. They weren't wrong! I put this album on, and I was hooked instantly! Out on Computer Human Records in Australia and Total Punk Records in the U.S., What's On TV? is the first full-length release from Tee Vee Repairmann, aka Ishka Edmeades (Satanic Togas, Gee Tee, etc.). What I love about this album is that while it touches on numerous musical styles, at its essence it's simply a great catchy punk record. And that's the sort of thing that never goes out of style. It reminds me of something that might have been released on Dirtnap Records in the early aughts, yet it's very much in line with the best of modern-day budget punk. TV recorded this album in his living room on a Tascam 488 MK1. But if you didn't know any better, you would probably not expect this was the work of a one-man-band. All the way through, the songwriting is terrific. These tunes are loaded with killer hooks, awesome guitar work, and appealing everyman vocals. A few tracks ("Out of Order," "I Can't Figure You Out," "Bus Stop") are as good as anything you'll hear in the current power pop world. Elsewhere, TV turns out his latest Devo-inspired gem on the fantastic "Checkout Queue." In a more straight-ahead punk style, "People (Everywhere I Go)" is truly an anthem for our times. What's On TV? (great title, by the way!) is no doubt one of the best punk albums of recent memory. You'll hear bits and pieces of power pop, garage punk, "weirdo" punk, new wave, etc.; and yet it all comes together perfectly thanks to Ishka's unique talent and vision. If you're a regular reader of this blog, this album should be very much up your alley!
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