By MaryAnn Bayer
Remember the movie The Accused? Remember the scene in the beginning where Jodi Foster is running out of a bar after just having been brutally gang-raped on a pinball table? In the scene, she is running, screaming, bloodied panties around her ankles, tank top torn wide open, face swollen, bruised and bloodied, arms out stretched grabbing for someone to save her. Pretty disturbing visual. Tinsel Teeth are the living, musical incarnation of that image.
From Providence R.I., the birthplace of all that is good in noisy, art-damaged, fucked-up-ness comes this brutal four-piece who go by the names Ice Pick, Gun Rack, Meat Hooks and Gurney. The bands Myspace warns the listener “we want to fuck your ears on the first date”. I would call it more akin to sodomy after being roofied! The singer is a ‘I do not give a fuck’ punk chick that would make GG Allin’s heart skip a beat, channeling Lisa Suckdog and David Yow, this force of nature summons the most guttural, non-feminine sounding vocals that you have ever heard, period. Let me put it to you this way, her voice SOUNDS like what a Cannibal Corpse album LOOKS like. The sounds of suffering and torment . Like a few Providence bands before them, Lightning Bolt & Drop Dead, Tinsel Teeth put on a real ‘hands on’ live show. Typically performing on the floor rather than a stage. The band is in your face, sitting on your chest, and probably covering you in what you hope is FAKE blood and has you tripping over what you think may have been a dildo that had just flown off the singers’ mostly nude body. It is a rarity to see a female perform with such abandon, no fear, no hang-ups, just going for it. Haters be fucked. The band’s music is full-on sludgy, noise, evoking comparisons to Jesus Lizard, The Birthday Party, Rapeman, and Shellac but with an element of fright that these male fronted bands lack. I don’t know why, but the sight of a young, attractive woman seemingly abusing herself with no shame or self awareness is so much more jarring and affecting. A search on You tube turned up some live performances that I’m sure left the audience members feeling both molested and exhilarated at the same time.
Tinsel Teeth have 2 albums out. ‘Pink Eye’ on Nail in the Coffin records and ’Trash as the Trophy’ on Load records. I put on ’Trash as the Trophy’ last night for some friends after a nice, classy-style dinner party. Immediately my guests wanted to know who “ is the dude singing lead vocals“, I had to produce photographic evidence( and some shocking video) to quiet their assumptions. The album confronts you right off the top, pulls the front of your t-shirt, and spits in your face. And you do not mind at all.
I like to think of myself as an old-school ‘cool’ kid. I’ve seen it all, heard all the bands, seen all the shows…but I can tell you this, I have never seen anything like Tinsel Teeth… If you think you can take it, if you think you are ready… please, enjoy your new favorite band.
2 Live performances below
Live at WMBR
The band is called Tinsel Teeth, The Album is called ‘Trash as the Trophy’. Get it… and then somebody who books bands, PLEASE get them to upstate NY.
