Poor School
Live at the Raven Cafe 9/27/06
ppr 27 1st pressing: 100 CASS
June 09
$5 (postage paid)
This 24 minute cassingle is a live recording of Poor School at the now defunct Raven Cafe. The show was with usaisamonster and Poor School closed this show. This tape is a bombastic exploration of drums, guitar and sax wrapped into a yellow plastic shell with hand painted artwork. This tape is limited to 100 copies. The B-Side is the same as the first but with one distinct difference. You'll have to get the tape to hear.
Tracklisting:
- Live at The Raven Cafe 9/27/06
- secret
Tyson Ballew
The Summer of Dodos
ppr 26 1st pressing: 100 CASS
June 09
$5 (postage paid)
6 song Cassette EP recorded in my kitchen on Front Street. Stripped down compared to Fruit Trees. Tapes come with FREE digital download and 7 bonus songs.
Review:
There’s something a little bit Billy Joe Armstrong about Tyson Ballew’s vocals—the way he sings about crushes made me recently unearth Green Day’s 1,039/ Smoothed Out Slappy Hours just to hear “The One I Want.” That said, the local troubadour injects his own dramatic notions of love into his newest album, and darkens them with an end-of-the-world earnestness.
In “The Hatchet,” he sings, “There’s unforeseen dangers in everything and we’d be lucky if we fell in love with anybody.” He counterbalances that in “Honest Friends” when he unabashedl
These kinds of songs evoke the excitement of first crushes and loitering on the sidewalk outside of all-ages rock shows, or hanging out with friends in parks at midnight. The fact that the album is on tape makes it all the more nostalgic, and the little details—clapping effects sharp as shotguns, poppy vocal layering—gives it brightness despite bleak undertones.
In fact, Ballew might be the perfect acoustic guitarist to hang out with during the apocalypse, mostly because his angst is cradled in starry-eyed acceptance for whatever excitement—good or bad—happens next. (Erika Fredrickson)
Tracklisting:
- The Hatchet
- Kill Rock Stars
- Repeat History
- Point Blank
- Honest Friends
- I need you to try a little harder for me ( a song by Go Slowpoke)
Two Year Touqe
In The Elephant Garden
PPR 21/CDB 003 / 1st Pressing: 300 CD soft case
October 20th 2007
$6 (postage paid)
In conjunction with CDB and Copoc Rock records we are excited to bring you Two Year Touqe's socond proper full length. Two Year Touqe play fantastic twee/indie/pop music. We are excited to release this album with 100% recycled cardboard packages, and a color poster.
Tracklisting:
- IRVINE THE DIVINE
- TEAM WIMMER
- PAPA SONG
- WONDERFUL
- SEA UNICORNS
- 4 EYES, 2 EYES, GREEN EYES, BLUE EYES
- BREAKDOWN
- GHOST OF THE BEACH
- ELEPHANT
- THE PCP WAS SO GOOD IT DIDN'T JUST BLOW MY MIND, IT BURNT A HOLE IN IT
- THIS ONE'S FOR LOUIE(SATCHMO SERENADE)
Tyson Ballew
Fruit Trees for Cassowaries
ppr 24 1st pressing: 50 CDR's, MASA 100 CASS
February 09
$6 (postage paid)
Tyson Ballew created two albums under the moniker Old Shoes, but Fruit Trees for Cassowaries—released under his name—has all the attributes a first solo album should have: passionate music, unashamedly autobiographical lyrics and room to grow.
Instrumental flourishes, including synthesized xylophones, accordions, and a toy piano, all lend a fresh, optimistic tone to the effort. The upbeat attitude is mirrored in Ballew’s earnest lyrics, which, despite some bleak moments, are mostly honest and hopeful. “Things Are Different Now” contains the line “I still believe in the songs we’d sing…There’s still time, we can change this world. At least we can change ourselves.” And with a voice reminiscent of both Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong and the Fruit Bat’s Eric Johnson, Ballew admits the ironic truth that “Everyone inspires me except for maybe those rock stars, ’cause they are selling sadness and apathy.” This indictment of the modern music machine fits perfectly with songs advocating for small-town punk teens in “Electric City Hardcore” and lonely lovers in “Bumble Bee.”
Ballew exudes hopeless romanticism, an endearing quality that will hopefully continue to flavor his future music.
-By Melissa Mylchreest
Tracklisting:
- Note To Self
- Bulletproof
- Champion Mill
- Things are Different Now
- Unknown Roads
- I dare you to be happy
- Try Anything
- Bumblee Bee
- Electric City Hardcore
- No More Singing
- (exclusive to the first CDR pressing is the secret track Vicsous Tiger)
Masa records cassette version of the album contains alternate song titles and two exclusive bonus tracks. Learn more at www.masarecords.com