Terry Malts Does More Than Kill Time

Three members of the Morrissey-steeped indie pop band Magic Bullets have moved on. It wasn't planned, but it turned out to be a good thing.

They started a somewhat secretive side project to make a different kind of music. There were no interviews. They didn't share any news. No one knew where they were, who they were, or what they were doing.

Terry Malts emerges from a self-imposed stealth mode. 

It didn't take too long for people to discover who was behind the band. A sold-out six-song cassette and one 7-incher later, Terry Malts is shedding its aura of mystery and gaining real attention with a brand new sound that they describe as chainsaw pop.

Believe it or not, that’s all very accurate. Now they have a renewed opportunity to get away from over-thinking songs and finally let loose with some killer pop hooks and distortion-heavy guitars.

And the name Terry Malts? They picked it because it sounded good. It doesn't really mean anything, but it does convey their new easygoing attitude. It's evident in the music and videos too.



It didn't take long for the band to sign with noise pop’s ultimate label, Slumberland. Just in time too. Killing Time is 14 tracks featuring an explosive mix of melodic pop and punk. Sure, the genre is already bursting with similarly situated up-and-coming bands, but Terry Malts is different.

It's obvious they are in it to have fun. They don't want to try so hard anymore. And they never take themselves too seriously. Not one of the trio has any expectation whatsoever. If it sounds good, they play it.

One of them even said that they were trying to “get to their inner Trogg.”

After listening to Killing Time, I'm inclined to believe they found it. The lineup includes Corey Cunningham, guitar and backing vocals; Nathan Sweatt, drums and backing vocals; and Phil Benson, bass and lead vocals.

All are critical contributors to the band's ballsy sound. Cunningham lends some blistering guitar solos, Sweatt lays down a crashing beat, and Benson weaves it together with his rumbling bass and swoony, croony vocals. There are some influences too: Buzzcocks, Jesus and Mary Chain, and the Ramones.

All together, it makes for some true excitement, ensuring the album remains cohesive and consistently fresh. Each song is in your face, with the longest of them, I’m Neurotic, clocking in at a whopping 3:13 minutes stuffed with fuzzy power chords and crashing cymbals.

The lyrics seem to indicate that same devil may care attitude. Because after all, maybe we’re all neurotic.

“I’m neurotic, that’s what she says. I won’t let it go to my head, maybe she’s right.”

Joey Ramone would be pleased. He'd also like Where is the Weekend, a true punk song with a familiar theme of living for a couple days. The same can be said for Negative Approach’s Can’t Tell No One. While it's not as hard-hitting as the original, it still manages to bump things up a notch.

No, Sir, I’m Not A Christian makes a blunt, albeit quite catchy, religious statement. I’m No Good For You is as close as it gets to a punky ballad, evoking images of the Ramones’ I Want You Around in sound and in lyrics.  And the song I Do is simply gleeful and pulsating with nervous energy.

And last but not least, from the video above, Something About You is one of the strongest tunes on the album. It's drenched in fuzz and driving drums, daring anyone to sing along. You might want to sing along with all of them. There isn’t a weak track on the album, just a joyous collection of sincere, hopeful and energetic tunes.

Killing Time By Terry Malts Bangs A 6.5 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

If the band can manage to stay the course and retain their “let’s have fun” attitude, they’ll carve out a space for themselves in no time. It kind of makes me glad that the Magic Bullets are on permanent hiatus, but only because this is so good.

Right now, the band is touring their stomping grounds in Northern California. In April, they’ll kick off a U. S. tour in Texas. Watch for dates on Facebook. Killing Time by Terry Malts is up on iTunes. You can also find the album on Amazon or pick up the CD from Barnes & Noble.

The Spectrals Play Like A Bad Penny

Leeds has an incredibly vibrant music scene. It's been mentioned more than once here. It’s where the Mekons got their start. It's where bands like Dopamine and the Diamond Sea are big draws today.

It's also what makes the Spectrals stand out. While they are technically part of the scene, the band comes across like a bastard stepchild. It's partly by design and partly no fault of their own.

The band is (mostly) a single person, Louis Jones. He's a 21-year-old redhead from Heckmondwike in West Yorkshire, which is about 10 miles from Leeds. He’s been dabbling in music and playing in bands for a number of years, usually with a punk bent.

Louis Jones is a multi-instrumentalist and insightful songwriter.

He started started recording his tunes in a friend’s homemade studio and then put the finished songs on his MySpace page for his friends, never expecting anyone else to listen. But they did listen, including reps from the labels Captured Tracks and Slumberland.

This gave Jones the avenue he needed to record a slew of songs, including the 7-inch Peppermint. The Spectrals is really a vehicle for Jones to shape and share his distinctive sound and his yearning lyrics.

Before you listen, keep in mind that the Spectrals are way out there. It's not like anything we've reviewed before. That, and Jones is an old soul, which is why his songs sound as though they’ve been written by someone who has done a lot more living.




Where Peppermint carried the surf pop forward, Bad Penny, the Spectrals’ first full-length album, is more of a detour from previous reverb-heavy work. It's very much a throwback.

This time out, except for the drums, Jones plays every part. (The drums are now handled by his brother.) As a prolific songwriter, it's no surprise that these are a brand new batch of songs, all of which carry a collective theme. It's about a relationship and all of its ups and downs. Mostly downs.

He didn't make it up either. The girl in question is Jones’ long-time love. So yes, there is a bit of a spoiler. He gets the girl in the end.

“Love songs are the kind of songs I like,” said Jones. “Not all of them are nice, but they’re all feelings I’ve had.”

Check out the video for Get A Grip, which finds Jones singing and playing guitar in a variety of Yorkshire country settings. Like the song suggests, the album, produced by veteran Leeds-based producer Richard Formby (Spacemen 3), weaves together doo wop, 60s surf music, soul, garage rock, and Phil Spector-like choruses.

The result is understated and nicely balanced. So while Get A Grip is dreamy, Big Baby is a brighter slice of California surf rock. Luck Is There To Be Pushed adds in tasteful piano and some of Jones' best songwriting. Start with those and then listen to the rest, and play the clips more than once because they do unexpectedly grow on you.

What you might find is that Jones does a nice job balancing his songs between his influences and his own vision. He grew up listening to a wide variety of music, and embraces his decidedly American influences.

In fact, the contrast between the American music and Jones’ Yorkshire croon gives the Spectrals a bit of charm. It seems to match his personality, which comes across as somewhat shy and sincere. In reality, he is a bit of a control freak. And that's why he plays nearly all the instruments.

According to Jones, he says he writes the music on his guitar first and then adds lyrics in after. He has consistently said he is not interested in anyone else shaping his songs or direction.

The result is a band that performs as a 4-piece, but any song played is really Jones times four. And if it doesn't sound like that, then it's not really the Spectrals. This attitude might also be why he's often kept at arm's length in Leeds. He's rebellious and intends to stay that way, doing his own thing. Here’s a clip of the Spectrals at Benicassim Festival in July 2011.

Bad Penny By The Spectrals Chimes In With 4.3 On the Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

If there is any criticism of Bad Penny, let it be that it does become repetitive at times. I also think that Jones is more engaging performing live compared to what he’s managed to put down on tape. It’s an obstacle he’ll have to overcome.

The Spectrals will be touring the United States in March and April. It will be very interesting to see if their mostly American sound truly resonates with actual Americans. You can keep up with the tour via MySpace and Twitter. Just don't expect too much about music on Twitter. Jones would rather talk football.

All 11 tracks from Bad Penny can be downloaded from iTunes. You can also find Bad Penny on Amazon. There is also a vinyl edition at Barnes & Noble, along with the CD.