You're My Lover Now

Knocked Out by The Teeth!:
YOU'RE MY LOVER NOW is The Teeth's RUBBER SOUL: a breakthrough album that fulfills all early promises but takes things to a higher level. They've never sounded so good on CD, and repeated listenings only sharpen one's appreciation of the artistry of Aaron, Pete, Brian, and Jonas. Not only are The Teeth muscial, funny, surreal, manically energetic, unabashedly intelligent, and consistently surprising but also they are masters of what The Beatles sometimes called "gimmicks"--in the same way that Beethoven and Bach used gimmicks. Their songs mix things up; they evolve and shift shape; they start one place and end up somewhere wholly unexpected. Honky-tonk piano, hand-claps, grunts, random chatter (is it really random?), shock openings and closings, melodic lines that won't leave your head--it's all here. For those unfamiliar with the boys, Brian Ashby is the band's Hendrix, a guitar wizard whose hands and fingers fly faster over frets than hummingbird wings. Aaron Modavis is the lyric-writing eye of the Teeth's hurricane, a gentle verbal genius whose lyrics allude to T.S. Eliot, King Crimson, The Kinks, and everything in-between. Twin Pete Modavis is the meanest bass player I've ever seen live: big thrumming fingers that George Harrison would have admired. The twins play off each other telepathically, but Brian is utterly in synch with their Apollonian madness. Watching them live, they'll suddenly soar into leaping, hopping, flapping, perfervid Dionysian frenzies that are wholly controlled. Drummer Jonas? He's a rock-steady tubthumper whose polyrhythms keep pace with all the key shifts, time-signature twistings, and vocal pyrotechnics of the other three (who have been playing together for over a decade). On YOU'RE MY LOVER NOW (the title song whose first words--"Stupid girl!"--are as romantic as the Stones' song of the same name), we enter realms of weddings where a bridesmaid pops a lude; a scenic swimming pool where the narrator's anorexic girlfriend is talking on the phone to the coolest kid at school; the world of Molly (a la "Ob-la-di, Ob-la da"?), whose nightmare may end with flowers blooming; and so much more ("I only care about me!"). Here, form fits content at a level never-before reached by the band--and it's all danceable, listenable, memorizeable, canonizeable. These guys are ready for ROLLING STONE coverage--and it's about time! (TIME should cover them, too!) Little Steven's Underground Garage may not yet have added The Teeth to its stable of Rock 'n' Roll that Will Save The World, but it's gonna happen soon. Do yourself a favor: buy this CD and discover what rock always has been: cerebration, liberation, intoxication, jubilation, and celebration.

Best of 2007:
Amazing album from Philidelphia's best. I believe that The Teeth have have been put on this planet to bring melody back to rock and roll. Not to pile on to the usual comparisons, but this record really can remind you of the Beatles, Bowie, Elvis Costello, and the Zombies. Don't get me wrong, it's not a throwback or a cheesy imitation. It's just a reminder of the lack of melody and pop-tunesmanship that exist in rock music today. Excellent playing, lyrics and harmonies reign all over this wonderful album. It has a classic analog sound which only adds to the warmth of the band's music. They're also an amazing live band. I was lucky enough to catch them in Buffalo about a month ago, and they absolutely blew me away. So do yourself a favor and pick up this record or go see these guys live. They really are a breath of fresh air.

Great Stuff:
Can't say anything about them that hasn't already been said. Great tunes. Catchy songs. Great harmonies. Even better live! BUY THIS ALBUM TODAY!

A Little Kinks, A Little Bowie, A Lot of What is Missing in Music Today:
I was a big fan of the strange harmonies and tempo shifts which were demonstrated through The Teeth's previous effort "Carry the Wood". It seemed something wholly unique; a scary isolated vision painted in day-glo colors. So, when I put in "You're My Lover Now" for the first time, I was pretty surprised. It seemed an aggressive mix of The Beatles, The Kinks, David Bowie, and even a bit of punk attitude a la Richard Hell or The Lovely Feathers. The songs hit fast, lacking meandering vocals or slow setups. I wondered what happened to the danger of the previous E.P. Did The Teeth go pure pop? After a few listens the songs sunk in and, rather than float like so many other puffy pop clouds, the album gained its weight. The songwritting is brilliant, almost always turning from descriptions of beauty and fun to absolute misery. The Teeth constructed a very devious full length, one that is sweet to listen to and trips the viewer with difficult situations. While there are many colorful indie-pop-rock bands today, The Teeth bring a layer of depth that I haven't seen since the likes of "The Kinks", "Bowie", or "The Beatles". If you're frustrated by the dada of groups like "Apples in Stereo", this is a must-own to instill some faith in contemporary pop melodies. It's also more of an energetic romp than "Menomena" or "Black Moth Super Rainbow".