TV Star’s debut album, Music For Heads, sounds exactly like a 1990s psych-rock band trapped in a cozy Pacific Northwest cabin with a stack of old shoegaze tapes. Released via Father/Daughter Records, this long-awaited record hits like a beautiful, jangly brick of musical gold. Born after someone literally pointed at a Butthole Surfers cassette tape on a wall, this five-piece has crafted a collection that is wonderfully human and defiantly un-algorithmic. It is the exact kind of album that makes you want to wear sunglasses indoors, look mysteriously into the distance, and nod your head in a slow, highly sophisticated manner.
The absolute crown jewels of this 10-track collection are the songs that perfectly balance their grit with pure pop melodies. “Reality Cheque” delivers a biting, relatable anthem about willful wastes of time over a driving rhythm section with that right mix of infectious, gritty momentum. Meanwhile, the title track “For Heads” shifts into gear with its propulsive, ass-kickin’ groove, letting the guitars swirl into a dizzying wall of sound. Finally, “Strawberry Hero” wraps up the standout trio by leaning fully into a carefree fantasy, offering timeless melodies and a blissful stillness.
‘Music For Heads‘ proves that TV Star is not just copying the sounds of the past; they are actively pushing a whole new wave of jangly psych-pop into the future. Ashlyn Nagel’s warm, floating vocals mesh perfectly with the dual-guitar attack of Bryan Coats and Che Hise-Gattone, backed by a rhythm section with one of my favorite musicians right now, Supercrush frontman Mark Palm on bass, and Tucker Devault on drums. Grab a copy of this album on baby blue vinyl, pack your essentials into a TV Star tote bag, and catch them on tour before they outgrow your local dive bar. This is a kick ass record that has that kinda Cranberries/Velocity Girl/Alvvays vibe, but somehow it’s just so much better. Maybe it was all the gummies I had when reviewing this record… or?! You should pick this album up today.
Links of interest:
https://www.instagram.com/tvtvstar/
https://tvstar.bandcamp.com/album/music-for-heads