Black Friday: Black Tambourine?!

Friday, January 29th, 2010 | musiX

Black Tambourine is about the furthest thing from metal you can get. But they get the nod for Black Friday today … because I don’t feel like writing about the latest Haemorrhage record.

Slumberland Records has been churning out precious indie pop records for two decades now. What can I say? I’ve become quite smitten over the past few years. Long before The Pains of Being Pure at Hearts and the Crystal Stilts there was Black Tambourine. The D.C. four-piece formed in 1989, releasing a couple of 7-inches for Slumberland (the first for the label in the early-’90s) and playing only a handful of shows … basically around long enough to secure cult-status.

I didn’t listen to the band way back when … too busy taking in the new Helmet and Soundgarden records. But the words Black Tambourine can be found on many modern-day indie bands’ lists of influences. Deservedly so. The band found that irresistible balance between too-precious twee and noise-filled post-punk. It’s a template that’s been aped a million times since.

Slumberland is gearing up to release a new compilation simply titled Black Tambourine on March 30. Unlike 1999’s Complete Recordings package, the new record will include six unreleased track as well as four newly-recorded songs including covers of Buddy Holly’s “Heartbeat” and Suicide’s “Dream Baby Dream.”

I’m going to go out on a limb and say there will be a handful of reunion shows that coincide with the release. I could be wrong, but I’m feeling very Nostradamus today.

“For Ex-Lovers Only” - Black Tambourine

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