Some of you might remember a band called Sidecar and their frightening studio horror stories in issue #3 of Tape Op. Sidecar, due to someone else using the name, has now become Poolside, and they have a fine new album out as well. And guess what, when I was in Los Angeles (March 1998) checking out Elliott Smith recording his XO album, Sidecar, I mean Poolside, were tracking their album nearby. When I dropped in they were working on mixes with engineer/producer Dave Bassett in his garage/studio known as Chateau Relaxo. Tracking was done on some DA 88s and somehow had been pulled off in this rather small space but hell, you wouldn't know from the sound of it. Poolside's pulsing synth-abetted rock sounds clearer and more streamlined than ever and the songs have a much larger sound than one would expect from a garage and a few digital recorders. Great job, great record! (Bongload, PO Box 39557, Los Angeles, CA 90039)
Music Reviews | No. 12
Drinking From Puddles CD
by Larry Crane
This is an interesting compilation, featuring live radio broadcasts from a local Portland show (on KBOO) from 1991 to 1998. Eternally grumpy Jay Bozich engineered most, affable host Brandon Lieberman...