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The Red Tyger Church
on MySpace
Red Tyger Church : alive 0053
Free Energy CD
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If the Brian Jonestown
Massacre is L.A.'s Rolling Stones, then let's cast the Red Tyger
Church (which includes alumni of BJM and the Warlocks) as the
City Of Angels' Mott The Hoople. Glammy, hammy, sexy, silly riffarama
is RTC's stock-in-trade, and at least two cuts here could've
been plucked from some trove of Mott outtakes : 'Angie Vampyre'
is in the lyrical tradition of sassy anthems 'Foxy Foxy' and
'Momma's Little Jewel' even as it channels the music of 'All
The Way From Memphis,' while the 'One Of The Boys'-like 'Cherry
Cola' conjures a whizzkid Saturday night fueled by easy kicks
and cheap tricks. The Velvets, New York Dolls and Bowie clearly
figure in the Tyger's musical lexicon, too; there's even an overt
'Hunky Dory' homage closing the album that finds leader Mike
Diaz warbling in his best cod-Bowie accent. Mixing things up
a bit, 'Free Energy' also nods at vintage folk and psychedelia,
not to mention an occasional Blondie-ish turn at the mic by Mel
Berlin, the band's female co-founder. Just the same, the prevailing
vibe remains that of druggy decadence of the '70s. Put Red Tyger
Church on the same bill as the Brian Jonestown Massacre and you'd
have a flashback worth its weight in mescaline and Mandrax. -
Fred Mills / Magnet |
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The
RTC have crafted one hell of a great rock record - massive hooks
played with unbelievable verve - that surpasses anything The
BJM have done recently. The song Angie Vampyre is a romp The
Rolling Stones wish they still had the talent to write. The alternating
male and female vocals work surprisingly well. And when they're
not in and out in three to four minutes, they're mastering territory
that The Warlocks and Dead Meadow call their own - the six to
nine minute space/drone/stoner rock jam. - The
Nothing Know |
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There are hints
of bands like The Southbound Freeway, later Blues Magoos, Steppenwolf
maybe, a very American (rather than UK) version of psych-rock
(apart from some bits that remind one of late-sixties Stones).
A very impressive record that demands repeated playing. - Paul
Marsh / Shindig |
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If
you want some rock and roll that's been described as "like
the Brian Jonestown Massacre with more piss and vinegar, or the
Apples in Stereo if they listened to the MC5 instead of the Beach
Boys" you might want to check out Sacramento, California's
Red Tyger Church. Very loud, very cool, very twisted. Everything
you'd want in your rock and roll. - The
Rock'n'roll report |
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The standout songs
on Free Energy are those with the most successful melodies.
"Cat People," for example, combines garage rock power
with blissful, pretty choruses and an almost shoegazer-esque
attention to fuzz. The female vocals set the band apart from
most of their genremates - in good way. The minor-key "A
Strawberry Slowdown" is also extremely impressive, recalling
a melodic style somewhat akin to that of mid-90s alternative
rock - but with a different type of song structure. Although
there are a few lesser moments (bland "Cherry Cola,"
out-of-place "Welcome"), they are made up for by impressive
tunes like the bluesy rocker "Angie Vampyre" and the
too-short "Tears by the Pond." (..) Free Energy
is an exceptional rock album. It's garage rock essence is rough
around the edges, and often the recording style is purposefully
lo-fi, but that all adds to the music's overall sound and texture.
- Matt Shimmer / Indieville |
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The
sound of this record is a combination of 60's garage/ psych/
pop, sort of like a mix of 30 percent Velvet Underground, 30
percent MC5, 20 percent Beatles, 10 percent of late 80's psych
rock bands (Jesus and Mary Chain, Spacemen 3, etc.), and 10 percent
Blue Cheer. Another comparison that I have is that it sounds
a lot like what the MC5's "High Time" would have sounded
like in about '66-'67, with less solos from more of the '5's
earlier garage sound from the mid 60's era, but with the soulful
background singers, handclaps, and outta control tambourine playing
of the '70-71 version of the '5 (got that??). On tracks like
"Spells Against Squares" and the title track, it's
the most bitching hard edged ass-shaking soul, but then you have
the epics, "Wolves of Sunshine," and "Welcome",
which ends off in a chaotic din of vocals, noises, and garage
riffs. Another strength of the album, is how it succeeds at combining
a few different sounds, which make each song a little bit different
from what you've already heard on the previous track. I've listened
to this 15 times, and I'm still hearing different things in the
sound. Air tambourine not included. - Ryan Settee / Odyssey
Zine |
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As their name suggests,
it's another one of those '60s retrorockyrevivalist things, dirtier
and less of an Iggy Pop rip-off than, say, Jet. But still, break
out the paisley (...) at their best they are a swinging outfit
of misfit rockers making music that's more animated than Hannah
Barbera - Ravenna Raie / Mesh |
On
standout tracks 'Angie Vampyre' and 'Dawn of the Phoenix,' these
flower children weave irresistible grooves into wandering vocals
and unorthodox arrangements. Free Energy is perfectly
placed on the rock'n'roll scale of odd--unique enough to be shunned
by radio, but still an undeniable descendant of the Rolling Stones.
- Rockpile #103 |
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Some of this has
a wicked, unrepentant Stones type cock rock vibe to it and other
parts have a dense Velvets psych direction. The part that actually
excites me the most is that I swear I hear touches of 'classic'
International Heroes era-Kim Fowley skulking about! They must
have had a lot of fun recording this. This is a truly demented
release in the very best sense of the word. - Jeff Dahl / Carbon
14 |
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The
Sacramento-based Red Tyger Church comes off like the Brian Jonestown
Massacre with more piss and vinegar, or the Apples in Stereo
if they listened to the MC5 instead of the Beach Boys. Singer/guitarist
Mike Diaz and singer/tambourine-whacker Mel Berlin swirl aggressive
60s psychedelia and Detroit-style garage rock together with the
zeal of a gospel congregation and an appealing looseness that
keeps it from sounding forced. "Angie Vampyre," "Cherry
Cola" and the title track are strong testimonials to win
converts to this spiritual path. - Michael Toland / High
Bias |
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Aspiring
psychedelic garage rock commune bands need look no further than
the Red Tyger Church for divine inspiration. Worshippers of Jefferson
Airplane and Jesus and the Mary Chain would definitely feel comfortable
in this church. - Molly Knight |
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It has to be said
that there is a certain 'get up, get high, and testify' quality
to their opener "Spells Against Squares," as there
is with the surprisingly groovy "Free Energy." Other
cool numbers include "Wolves of Sunshine," while tracks
such as "A Strawberry Slowdown" and "Cat People"
could easily have been recorded thirty-five years ago. Shades
of some of the band members' former collectives (Warlocks, Brian
Jonestown Massacre, etc.) are present here, still under the influence
(in every sense of the term) of their Sixties/Seventies inspirations,
and the result is somewhere between the Rolling Stones, The Velvet
Underground, and the Manson Family. If you haven't gotten the
gist of it by now, this is an album by and for 21st century hippies,
the kind of thing that would make a 'wild' stage play along the
lines of Hair. - Paniscus
revue |
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Our
state's capital is threatened by a dangerous ménage of
garage rock cult and space-hippy commune, The Red Tyger Church.
Where The Polyphonic Spree seem like clean scrubbed and wholesome
cult members, RTC are much more like the Spahn Ranch days of
the Manson Family: sure, it's about rock 'n' roll and love and
good times now, but pretty soon the bloodletting will begin!
This record has a live feel to it, like it was recorded during
a freakout at their Sacramento compound/commune, with guys 'n'
gals dancing in lysergic ecstasies, tambourines smashing the
golden sunlight. It's like the groovy garage sound of The Avant
Garde with the harmonies of The Stained Glass, laced with the
slightly drug-fueled creepiness of The West Coast Pop Art Experimental
Band. What? You don't know those bands? Okay, it's Primal Scream's
"Screamadelica" eyeing up a stoned and immaculate Polyphonic
Spree choir member, wanting to know what exactly is under that
robe The sound is made more "2004" by running it all
through Lou Reed's hypodermic amplifier. Featuring alumni from
Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Warlocks, you can simply catch
the drift from their resumes. RTC is more of a rock band than
the Spree and uses less theater. They storm the psychedelic barn
on "Dawn Of The Phoenix," a droning rock number that
anchors the some of the flower-child moments to earth. "Cherry
Cola" also broadcasts the sweet 'n' sour duality of RTC.
Mike Diaz assumes the position of cult leader on this song and
is joined by Mel(anie?) on a shouted rock chorus. Those are my
two favorites. Add "Wolves Of Sunshine" to make it
three. It fuses the head-tripping sounds of sitar to fuzzed guitars
and rolls on for 9 minutes. Some of the songs, for me personally,
work a lot better than others. My preference is the sound that
eschews the flower child in favor of the hypodermic-child. ---
Paul Leeds 7/11 / Culture
Bunker |
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Communal late 70s
druggie Stones meets Kill City vibe. Dunno what the live trip
is but I imagine a number of people shaking tambourines, their
asses and their drinks in an effort to lock into some sort of
interstellar rock'n'roll nirvana where it's all Moroccan scarves,
wine, good pot and heavy vinyl rarities circa 1969. - Mohairsweet |
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San
Francisco's Red Tyger Church live up to to the promise of the
aforementioned (BJM, Warlocks), with their '70s Stones and Faces-influenced
swagger prominent throughout the CD. You can see this clearly
on tunes such as "Cherry Cola," whci conjures up a
similar groove to Primal Scream's Stones pastiche "Rock,"
and the rousing opener "Spells Against Squares". -
Big Takeover #54 |
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Like their Scandinavian
cousins, the bands who've emerged from the San Francisco Bay
Area in the past few years -- Vue, Richmond Sluts, Big Midnight,
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, the Pattern, the Warlocks -- are
hell-bent on creating rock 'n' roll that not only acknowledges
its past but outstrips it. The catalyst for this whole retro-as-if-retro-never-
happened stance was the sagely Brian Jonestown Massacre. Red Tyger Church is the latest
band from the region and possibly the most dynamic example yet
of how the Berkeley scene is exploding with some of the most
creative ideas in the name of rock since the original San Fran
(or London) heyday of the 1960s. Yet another collective that
functions as much as an idea as a band, the group seems to be
floating down the same tributary as recent Jonestown. "Welcome,"
the grand finale, is a saintly send-up of awesome proportions
that rivals the best of euphoric late-'60s bliss with its male/female
vocals and up-against-the-wall vitality. Like the Jonestown and
Warlocks before them, Red Tyger Church seems to have absorbed
the dense grandeur of the Stones circa Beggar's Banquet through
Exile on Main Street -- maracas abound, and tracks build to explosive
crescendos. "Angie Vampyre," almost a Stones
namesake, is the best Stones riff since the Big Midnight album.
"Cherry Cola," while still a Stones archetype, throws
in a little Mott the Hoople. They seem to be possessed by the
same messianic vibe that's gripped Jonestown head Anton Newcombe
of late. Red Tyger describes itself as "an occult gospel
garage punk commune" and, on tracks like "Unicorn,"
combines the little-girl quality of Manson Family sing-alongs
with the band's basic rock instincts. - Joe S. Harrington / New
Times |
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RTC
do exert some sullen punch, both because their cocktail has a
few more things swimming in it than many such-minded bands, and
also because -- again, unlike most other such acts -- they don't
seem to be determined to be The Next Big Thing, content to nonchalantly
slouch about being the next whatever. The too-brief outro "Tears
by the Pound" is one of the closest 'Hunky Dory' pastiches
you'll hear, though. - Richie Unterberger / AMG (3 STAR RATING) |
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Musical
communes may have seemed like an idea strictly for the end of
the '60s at one point, but in a world of Acid Mothers Temple
and the Sunburned Hand of the Man, to name but two, there's even
more room for them these days. Which is where the Red Tyger Church
comes in, though the information-shy band may, in fact, be a
commune of the mind only, aiming more for catchy psychedelia-into-Velvet
Underground pop/rock than ten-day-long drum circles. Headed up
by multi-band veteran Mike Diaz (other groups he's played in
include the Warlocks and the Pretty Girls) on vocals, guitars,
and other instruments, and Mel Berlin on vocals and tambourine,
the quintet assembled itself in Sacramento in 2002, and built
up a reputation with a variety of local shows and the great interplay
between Diaz and Berlin that recalled male/female vocal partnerships
like the B-52's and X as much as anyone else. - N. Raggett /
AMG |
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If ya combined urban,
street-fightin'-man rock 'n' roll with psychedelic hippy-commune
pop and flamboyant "Rocky Horror Picture Show" goth-gospel
cabaret, then you'd be pretty dang close to sonically defining
The Red Tyger Church. It's like the Rolling Stones, MC5, Pink
Floyd, Velvet Underground, School Of Fish, Oasis, and a tripped-out,
starry-eyed flower-power girl were participating in a hallucinogenic-enhanced
freak-out in an interplanetary ghetto on the other side of Mars.
Free Energy is the resulting surge of melodious mayhem. Wow,
The Red Tyger Church has inspired my ears to ovulate! - Moser
/ Under The Volcano #79 |
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As
their name would lead you believe (pun intended), the Red Tyger
Church do kinda sound like a cartoon band. Like monkeys in house
dresses and oversized sunglasses playing 2 stringed guitars and
doing the frug, something exuberant like that. It's sexy 60's
go-go revivalism (again!) with a heavy dose of white boy soul
and gossamer, bliss rock wings. It's a super-cult consisting
of members of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, the Warlocks, the
New Strange, etc. All those paisley n' pin-striped Sacramento
uber-hipsters in one place can only result in something slinky
and kinky, so it should come as no surprise when I tell ya that
Red Tyger Church sound like either a pre-disco Primal Scream
or a post-disco Jesus and the Mary Chain. Or maybe an opium-laced
Bell Rays. Basically, if Redd Kross weren't hopeless, they'd
sound exactly like this. I dunno how you join this church- although
I suspect bein' skinny and wearing a top hat helps- but if free-flowing
pink and purple grooviness is your bag, than consider "Free
Energy" your own private Sonic Temple. - Sleazegrinder |
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"Free Energy"
is an old-fashion Blues-Psychedelic-Rock'n'Roll plate of a garage
skirt and a space Hippie from Sacramento, with high fun factor,
and featuring recruits of the PRETTY GIRLS, HOTWIRE of TITANIUM,
JOHN THE CONQUEROR, MINSTRELS, MEAN REDS, NEW STRAND, the UPSETS
and the BRIAN JONESTOWN MEASURE ACRES. - The Ox / Germany (rating
: 8 out of 10) |
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There are times
when the Red Tyger Church is a fine, hip-shaking rock band in
the ragged spirit of the Faces and the Stooges. Such tunes as
"Spells Against Squares" have a loose, snotty swagger
while offering enough melodic surprises to keep pop ears listening.
Singer Mike Diaz knows his way around a lyrical hook, too; check
the end of "Spells" ("S for survival, P for the
people, E bring the evil ..."). But Red Tyger Church is
never better than on the grandiose psych rock of "Dawn of
the Phoenix". - Ned Hammad / Sacto News & Review |
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