CITY PAGES 2/16/05 - link

Tim Rally Gold
With Us, Not At Us
Self-released
I like to think I know a thing or two about production. As co-producer of my brother's limited-edition (and little sought-after) solo album, I provided such expert advice as "Turn up the vocals," "Cut the intro in half," and "You can't play guitar." But despite my client's knack for pop hooks, there was only so much that could be done with a cheap microphone and a copy of PlayStation's MTV Music Generator. Listening to With Us, Not At Us was a shot of déjà vu. Bobbing my head to an unmistakably synthetic rhythm section, I weighed the pros and cons and ultimately had to stare down the elephant in my head: fidelity.
Fortunately, Tim Rally Gold (not a guy but a college duo) don't try to pass their chintzy drum loops and soulless bass lines off as the real thing. Their basement pop tunes revel in the charm of 8-bit Nintendo beats without detracting from the live guitar and hipster-taunting lyrics. The album's best tracks bring to mind a few indie rock heroes' lo-fi beginnings. The simple melody that shines through the distorted clutter of "I Want Your Back" is reminiscent of Alien Lanes-era Guided By Voices, while the goofy backup yelps of "Planting Flowers" hint at They Might Be Giants' days without a full band. At its harmless worst, With Us, Not At Us sounds like the meager results of a dorm-room pastime; at its best, the album suggests a minor cult band in the making.

-Lindsey Thomas

ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS 03/18/05

The definition of electropunk is still as open to interpretation as a Jim Jarmusch movie, but the genre is taking on a clearer focus locally with this week's release of the "Twin Cites Electropunk, Vol. 2" compilation CD.
The first "TC Electropunk" disc brought together 10 acts that, to put it in general terms, use a lot of neato-keeno electronic gadgets to make their music but are still generally rock or pop (not techno). Most of those groups and several more make up this second compilation.
The point of both discs, said organizer Todd Millenacker, "is to gain some respect for these acts, and maybe some gigs."
"It's hard to get into most venues around town if you don't have a drummer," said Millenacker, whose band Avenpitch actually does feature "real" drums but is only one of four on the new CD to do so.
Besides Avenpitch's frantic, New Wavey rock, the music on the compilation ranges from Telephone!'s coy, girly pop to Trashed Actor's hard-hitting digi-rock, and from OBCT's 311-like rap-rock to the bizarre libido static of Mark Mallman's and Ryan Olcott's duo act Future Wives.
Before you rock purists go imagining a bunch of Mac geeks sitting in their basements pretending they're rock stars, you should check out some of these acts. Yes, it's true, they use a lot of computers, drum machines, digital samplers and maybe even an electronic toy or two. But it isn't true that they're all just basement tapers. Except for Future Wives -- who will be represented by Olcott's new circuit-bender act FoodTeam -- all of the compilation's artists will perform at an upcoming release show, originally scheduled tonight at the Varsity Theatre (see next item).
"It's actually one of the requirements of the CD that you do play live," said Millenacker, who said a lot of these musicians play, or have played, in conventional rock bands, too.
One of the compilation's main participants, Telephone! singer Lolly Pop, believes the electropunks might be even better as live acts. Ms. Pop herself is so into her stage act that she didn't even want me to use her real name.
"There's more room to experiment with electronic music, and you're freed up more to carve out your act," she claimed.
I'm not going to lie: Some of the music on this compilation should be downloaded straight into the recycling bin, in my opinion. At least two or three of the tracks sound like they were made for Mike Myers' old, black-clad "Saturday Night Live" character Sprockets.
However, some of the tracks are pretty great, especially the New Order-like closer by the Tim Rally Gold, which I have no idea who or what it is.
And taken as a whole, the compilation's overall concept might be what's most exciting. Really, "TC Electropunk" represents a brave new world in musicmaking, which you also can see around town in acts such as Askeleton, Melodious Owl and Halloween, Alaska. Even if the "punk" in the name doesn't always reflect the sound, I do believe it reflects the spirit of this compilation.

-Chris Riemenschneider

METROMIX TWIN CITIES 12/22/08 - link

Those needing higher decibel musical kicks to cleanse the listening palette after enduring hours of treacly Christmas carols (or if you’re in my family, endless spins of Neil Diamond’s The Christmas Album) should check out Tim Rally Gold at the Uptown Bar. With the fuzzy bass/spiky guitars/reedy vocals combo that’s formed the core of many a great indie-rock trio before them, Tim Rally Gold’s awkward anthems probably would have been signed to Geffen and all over MTV’s Alternative Nation if the year were 1996. As it stands, you’ll have to settle for them being one of the great (largely unsung talents) on our local rock scene.

-Rob Van Alstyne