Now more than ever before there are so many possibilities for those with a shared artistic vision to meet and join creative forces. Such a case can be seen in the group Tiger Waves, based in Austin, Texas, and specializing in their own unique blend of cosmic surf rock. Originally formed by James Marshall in Austin, and Reid Comstock in Chicago, the duo collaborated through the Internet, sharing their combined efforts via a vast sea of CD-Rs, drop boxes, and email attachments. With Comstock finally relocating to Austin in the spring of 2011, Tiger Waves expanded themselves into a quintet, adding multi-instrumentalist PJ Theberge, Tyler Warren on guitar (as well as sharing in songwriting), and Kevin Brown on bass.
Kicking off with jangly, psychedelic surf rock as if Dick Dale had fallen down the rabbit hole (“From The Start”), the listener is instantly sucked in. Richly exciting, with an unexpected use of texturizing, echoes of United States Of America (the 1960s psyche group, not the one in the ’90s who sang the song about peaches, to put a finer point on it) run throughout the gorgeous vocal stylings and arrangements. Every time I have a listen to one of the excellent “Fading Yellow” psychedelic rock compilations, I wish that I could find more music made in a similar vein today. Tiger Waves, you have satiated my needs! The sound is so surprising in that they are able to channel that pure, dark and experimental quality of true psychedelia that is able to meld the gothic with the ethereal, as well as pure pop with spatial mysticism.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about Tiger Waves is that despite the fact that many of their songs were created and recorded over such a distance electronically there is something very “garage band” (and no, not the Mac program … the actual type of band) about the way their sound is conveyed. Without knowing their back story in advance, you could easily just as well assume that they had been spending long evenings hanging out, making music in their house.
This might very well be what I like the most about how technology can be used, instead of creating some sort of synthetic void where human connection can be distanced, it is still possible to create pure, organic art despite the leaps in technological sophistication. This philosophy of sharing authentically created or recorded found sounds goes past the concept of making “electronic” music. Instead, we’re seeing more and more music that approaches technology as just another medium, not a means to an end, and how very lucky we are, as there are groups such as Tiger Waves to prove that to be true.
After self-releasing an album “Only Good Bands Have Animal Names” (writer’s comment: so true) and returning home from touring, the band has gotten back to writing and recording new material. With new music on the way, they are regularly releasing preview tracks from their upcoming album. Judging from the five tracks Tiger Waves have released via their Bandcamp page, this is an album I can say that we here at Listen Before You Buy will be excitedly awaiting!
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