I wrote about this back in 2009, so I guess it's technically a re-up, but let's pretend it's not, shall we? After all, the writing in that post was straight up garbage, and 11 years have sweetened the taste of this here slab even more. "The Fall-Outs" was just the second release on Steve Turner's (Green River, Mudhoney) Super Electro Sound Recordings, a label chock full of great garage punk and Art Chantry layouts. The Fall-Outs had already been kicking around for seven years when this came out; a tape, a pair of 7"s, and a split all proceeded this release. Guitarist Dave Holmes and drummer Dino Lencioni were joined by Turner here. The result was outstanding.
Of course, I wouldn't experience it for another 8 years. I know I'd heard it in the interim; my buddy Greg, who was a monster Sub Pop fan, stuck in the Baltimore suburbs, had asked me to special order a copy of the 1995 CD issue, and had sung its praises. I wouldn't really hear it, though, until I started working at Reptilian, which kept a copy underneath the counter and played it at least twice a week. It reminded me of the line from "The Simpsons": "Too crazy for Boys Town; too young for Crazy Town." It had a poppier sound than the likes of New Bomb Turks, Mono Men, or the Makers, to name three contemporaries. But it also had an edge to it that ran in the blood of Washington garage bands.
The Fall-Outs were done by the time I got hip to them. They'd made a pair of additional LPs, released a few more singles, and slowly faded into history. Estrus put out their 3rd LP in 2004; I have no clue if it'd been recorded in the previous century, or if they'd reunited for one last run. I still feel like they deserved a lot better. I'd rather listen to this than the Strokes any day.
Click here to download.
