A heat wave comes crashing into Long Beach. The over-priced studio apartment you’re in has zero ventilation and the local hardware store is out of fans. That cute girl, who said she would call today, still hasn’t, as you check your cell over and over in excruciating hotness. Then out of nowhere, the sun starts to set, the air cools, and the speakers start to crackle with an oncoming rumble of serious rock n roll that fastens itself to your cerebellum called Tijuana Panthers. She ultimately calls, comes over, and this fine wine of an album plunges you into all of its surf-gutter garage pop grandeur.
Equal parts Troggs, Modern Lovers, Buddy Holly and Ventures, this album plays with airtight pop/garage rock ferocity that showcases the band’s incredible grasp of creating melodic psychedelic damaged anthems with addictive melodies soaked in cool intensity. The single Tony’s Song is an obvious head turner with its insidious delivery of perfect verse to chorus combination that reeks of Phil Spector perfection with a punk snarl. The tracks One Way Ticket, Baby I’m Bored, and Boardwalk display the full range of the band’s musical prowess in a fashion that mimics scanning your radio for the right station and every excellent song from all subculture rock genres is playing simultaneously. These 12 tracks play like a greatest hits album, zero filler, and nothing but pure candy for the rock n roll libido.
After the two of you annihilate the evening with good conversation and smoldering body language, I think your night might have an extended stay added on to it, courtesy of Tijuana Panther’s “Semi Sweet” magnum opus. The music certainly carries all of the conversation on this one. Long Beach has thee band that will be taking over the antiestablishment airwaves in no time, and it’s about time! Kick out the jams kids and get this album before your luck runs out.
Tijuana Panthers
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-Kevin McGovern 2013 (F&L,LB)
This review originally ran in the Long Beach Independent! Support the Long Beach music scene, it's cool.
I'll be presenting some of the best music coming out of Long Beach, CA in 2013 and we have some things that will blow your mind from all over the U.S. and the world in the upcoming October issue. Until next time.
