Tiger Trap - International Pop Underground Vol. 36

Tiger Trap were like a shooting star, they burned brightly, but only very briefly. The band split after releasing one full length album, an EP and a few scattered singles and compilation tracks during 1992 and 1993. I first became aware of the band when they released a 7" single as part of K Records' International Pop Underground series. Two of the songs featured on the single ("Supercrush" and "You And Me") later appeared on their debut album, which is available for download from the usual sources, but a third track, "Hiding" did not.

Tiger Trap encapsulated many of the great things things that were going on in indie music in the early '90s; their sound was "twee" but not so much so as to be cloying, and it was balanced by a love of noise, fast tempos and serious hooks. The band, an all female group, also had a tangential connection to the riot grrrl movement with their inspired amateurism, even if they skipped the agit-prop politics.

Tiger Trap is probably best remembered today because of the involvement of sweet-voiced singer Rose Melberg who would go on to become a member of The Softies, Go Sailor and Gaze, as well as establishing herself as a solo artist. But I wanted to single out drummer Heather Dunn for praise, because I felt that her solid timekeeping was the glue that held the band's sound together. Amateurism in music can be a great, but a drummer who cannot keep time is almost never a good thing, and it's something that I felt held back many similar bands. Heather could keep time for sure, but she could do a lot more than that. I totally lack the technical vocabulary to describe the way Heather plays, but take a listen to the drumming on "Hiding." Heather seems to have an instinctive sense for where to place the beat to both keep the music moving and to develop tension within the song.

I saw Tiger Trap perform twice during their brief existence, and both times my focus ended up on Heather's drumming. I later saw her perform with Lois at a show in Toronto. I understand she also played drums for a re-formed version of The Raincoats.

Found For $1: Peppermint Stick Parade

I've always been a big advocate of scouring record store bargain bins. That is in part because I'm cheap, but also because I enjoy the feeling of surprise when you turn up something really cool among the discarded Boston LPs and Hanson CDs (that's actually how I found my original pressing of The Velvet Underground's White Light/White Heat).

Recently I found a CD called Peppermint Stick Parade, a compilation of singles released on Iowa's Bus Stop label, nestled among the $1 flotsam and jetsam. It's a real treat for anyone who is a fan of Velvet Crush with no less than 8 tracks by such V.C. related acts as Bag-O-Shells, Honeybunch, The Stupid Cupids, The Springfields, Paulie Chastain, and Velvet Crush themselves.

I really do hope there is another CD compilation of early Menck/Chastain stuff in the works, because between Paul's Halo EP and stray cuts by The Stupid Cupids, Bag-O-Shells, etc. there is a lot more tuneful ground left to be covered. If you don't already have them, Hey Wimpus and The Ballad of Ric Menck are essential purchases for fans of 60s flavored pop music (I know I've mentioned this before, but that doesn't make it any less true).

These two tracks from Bag-O-Shells have yet to be released on CD anywhere oustside this rather obscure compilation. They're both killer cuts. In fact, I'd rank "Whatever Happened To My Life" right up there with the best tunes on any Velvet Crush album--it's that good. Not bad for a buck. Sometimes checking the bargain bins pays off.