I recently received an unedited copy of the new Lillingtons album, The Too Late Show, due out on Red Scare this Fall. The Lillingtons, as far as I know, split up a while back with singer/guitarist/songwriter Kody Templeman having moved on to second banana status in the next best thing from Wyoming, Teenage Bottlerocket and the other guys, I don't know, going back to working as cowboys or meat packers or whatever people from Wyoming do. This new album doesn't technically signify the return of the band - i.e., no touring - but that's okay by me 'cause I only get out to see bands play about every three years anyway (a number that's sure to decrease now that I live in a town that appears to feature a decent rock show about every 15 years or so).
The idea was for me to sequence the record as I had done for the band's two previous releases, and sequence it I did. In the process I heard each song probably about twenty or thirty times and I never got bored. This one's a winner, sportsfans, sure to pucker the scrotums of those who wet themselves over the stellar Death By Television LP as well as those of us who popped wood for the less conventionally accessible but somehow slightly superior The Backchannel Broadcast (both recently re-released by Red Scare). The album features plenty of DBTV-style melodic numbers to get the toes tappin' and fingers snappin' like "Mars vs. Hollywood," "Vaporize My Brain," "Stay Tuned," and, the best of this bunch, "All I Hear Is Static." But the album is also teeming with those idiot savant type anthems that comprised most of BCB; tunes like "Gunbullet," "The Ancient Tale Of The Evil Chinaman," "Target Earth" and "Do It USSR" ought to satisfy the mutant freak in every good punk rocker. Like an audio version of an old EC comic, this one is lurid, succinct and always weirdly compelling. Some will complain about the short track list (11 songs), especially since nottawonuvem breaks the 3 minute barrier, but fans like me are happy to get whatever we can from the kings of retardo-punk.
Red Scare has this one slated for October 10th so you're going to have to hold those stallions, kemosabe, but in the meantime pick up the re-releases - they'll tide you over until the big day.
And it's a fine sequence indeed! You have no idea how much the band appreciates all your help and support over the years. Punknews.org did a big story about your post:
http://www.punknews.org/article/18894
I can't wait! I thought I'd never see the day of a new Lillingtons record; although a bit disappointed at the probable lack of touring, I too am happy enough to get whatever I can from the Lillingtons.
I only hope this doesn't mean the end of Teenage Bottlerocket. But I'm sure that won't happen...
Posted by: Joe at July 29, 2006 05:50 PMThis is great news!! I didn't think I'd ever get to hear a new Lillingtons song.
Posted by: Amy at July 29, 2006 05:50 PMMy question is does the record have a theme? Shit Out Of Luck was an atavistic throwback to 50s rock n roll, songs about high school politics and gettin' a milkshake with your best girl at the driver thru diner. Death By TV had a schlock science fiction theme going on and Backchannel Broadcast was about international espionage and cold war politics. I guess this question is for those who've heard it (Ben and Toby RedScare who commented above) is there a common thread running throughout?
Also, I like the term idiot savant anthems. Most astute.
Posted by: Steve at July 29, 2006 09:57 PMFinally, someone who thinks that the BCB is better than DBT. I've heard a lot of shit from a lot of people. Now I can point them to this article.
BTW:
1)Shit out of Luck
2)Back Channel Broadcast
3)Death By Television
Can't wait to hear it!, I thought they were never going to do another album, really, one of the best punkrock bands ever!.
Posted by: David Siañez at July 30, 2006 05:33 PMI was excited when the Lillingtons announced they were going to record this thing, and I'm so glad it actually happened. Hopefully people discover this album and it makes it into record stores, even if they aren't touring.
Ben, for argument's sake, is it fair to call Kody a second banana in Teenage Bottlerocket? I wouldn't call you or Vapid a second banana in the Riverdales. Still, it's good to have a full-fledged Lillingtons album on the way.
Posted by: Jeff at July 30, 2006 11:13 PMI recently fell in love all over again with the Lillingtons after reading John's book. Grabbed all the music I had of theirs and have kept them in near constant rotation on my cd player at work. Yet another criminally-underrated band.
Posted by: resident jason at July 31, 2006 09:33 AMLucky bastard!
I have every single item released by The Lillingtons and this band is in the top5 of the best bands ever heard on this planet. Fall 06 will be a punk rock dream... a new lillingtons release, a new queers, a new manges.... woahhhh!!!!
Posted by: Johnny Love at July 31, 2006 01:55 PM