There is no more celebrated adolescent rite of passage than the “Sweet Sixteen” party. A celebration of all things teenage??hot rods, lip gloss and knee socks jump to mind; it is at the same time a celebration of innocence and maturity, perhaps even a last hurrah to the naivete of childhood.
No musical institution so shamelessly embraces such teenage experiences as Arlington’s renowned Teenbeat Records. Started in 1985 by Washington-area native Mark Robinson to release his own records, Teenbeat has blossomed into one of the most respected indie labels in the nation.
Many indie labels are associated with a particular musical style: Sub Pop will be forever associated with grunge, as will SST with punk and hardcore. Indie pop is king at Teenbeat. Gorgeous melodies and sweet, almost naive lyrics pepper most any Teenbeat release. Not to be associated with the nascent twee movement which embraces the innocence of childhood, Teenbeat artists typically look instead to the awkwardness of adolescence for inspiration. Hence bands like Tuscadero, which takes its name from a leather-clad Happy Days character. While twee bands write off adolescent rebellion, Teenbeat artists seem to glorify it not as an absolute, but for what it is??a phase. The Teenbeat ethos is a postmodern version of that of the Ramones’??sort of “I wanna be sedated, but only because sedation reminds me of a really special phase of my life.”
Given all this, you might assume that the occasion of Teenbeat’s “sweet sixteen” would be cause for celebration. You would be quite correct in that assumption, as the label celebrated its sixteen years of rockin’ with a two-day anniversary bash that culminated in last Friday’s show at the Black Cat.
Butch Willis was the first act. I don’t know where this guy came from, I don’t know his life story (which I can assume is sufficiently sordid for an episode of Behind the Music), but I do know that he sports the best mullet rock has seen since Iggy Pop circa 1978. He screams a lot. About what precisely, no one quite knows. Anyway, his backing band, featuring Robinson himself on guitar, seemed slightly amused to be playing behind Willis, who growled incomprehensibly. He may be a novelty act, but he is a novelty act of the best kind.
Teenbeat supergroup-of-sorts Hot Pursuit had the unenviable task of following Willis’ unique intensity. Featuring guitarist Evelyn Hurley formerly of Blast Off Country Style and ex-Tuscadero guitarist Margaret McCartney, Hot Pursuit blew through a quick set of sweet, chiming pop tunes that showcased their wonderful vocal interaction. Charlottesville, Va.’s True Love Always was next, featuring similarly dulcet melodies and early R.E.M.-influenced jangle.
The penultimate act, Aden, is Washington’s best-kept musical secret. Jeff Gramm’s gentle, purring vocals are unmatched in all of indie pop, as are Kevin Barker’s complex, yet airy guitar parts. Gramm’s songs are simply excellent, and they were showcased well Friday night; most of the songs performed were from last year’s excellent Hey 19 album. Aden seemed a little sloppy at times, perhaps due to the absence of their usual drummer, but they still put on a great set that ended all too soon.
The Rondelles closed out the show, but not before Butch Willis came out for an encore. Not just any sort of encore, mind you, but an a capella encore. After mumbling some song involving pizza on his jeans, Willis left the stage to wild catcalls, and on came the Rondelles, who, in a word, rawk. Featuring a new lineup, with Darian Jones replacing longtime bassist Yukiko Moynihan, the band opened with a mesmerizing honky-tonk freakout. Juliet Swango’s delicate vocals are the most striking aspect of the Rondelles’ sound?think Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab circa “Jenny Ondioline.” Her voice remains audible, but not so high in the mix as to escape an ethereal aura. The live focus of the band, however, is drummer Oakley Munsen, who stands up pounding on a snare drum, while often simultaneously plying a keyboard with his other hand. Featuring tons of blustery overdriven guitar, and oozing punk-rock attitude, the Rondelles are unlike any other Teenbeat band musically, but they certainly exuded a unique energy that took the intensity of the show to the next level.
The best part of the show, however, was the atmosphere. Robinson milled about the crowd, meeting and greeting those who had come to pay homage to his burgeoning enterprise. Band members, rather than secluding themselves backstage, joined the audience, drink in hand, to watch their peers perform. More than just a show, this was truly a celebration.
Twenty years ago, Washington was best known for its legendary hardcore scene. However, things have changed over the past decade as harDCore has fallen from its once lofty perch atop the D.C. milieu. Washington-area bands like Tuscadero and Aden have built Washington’s reputation in the indie-pop community, and Teenbeat Records has stood at the vanguard of that transition.
For a primer on the Teenbeat sound, pick up the brand-new 2001 Sampler at local record stores, or order straight off their web page at teenbeatrecords.com. A mere five dollars, the sampler features new songs by virtually all current Teenbeat acts.
