Local Exposure: March 2, 2000

Local Exposure
CD Reviews of Area Musicians
by Jason Timoll

Team Shorty
Truth and Knowledge

It is now the year 2000 and the tradition of punk music is more than a decade old — old enough to be reinvented by the likes of the way-hip band Team Shorty. While their music is clearly of the Sex Pistols-tradition of droning punk, it is not without melody or purpose. With the success and presence of bands like Limp Bizkit and Korn, this channeled aggression is developing a new face that is clearly going to be to this time period what Seattle grunge was to the early 90s. Team Shorty is, however, their own non-derivative entity in many ways. They make a style of music that will undoubtedly define itself with time and the continued enthusiasm shown to them by their many admirers. This self-produced album, Truth and Knowledge is a perfect way to introduce their sound to today’s youth. One listen will show most listeners why this style of music will become contagious.

There is a no shortage of subtle cynicism in any music with a punk bend, and Team Shorty’s is no exception. In the opening track a voice that could be from the movie Pleasantville, starts in on a 50s-sounding dialogue of a guy coming home from work — after a hard day’s work, all he wants is a cold malt beverage delivered by his wife and a newspaper brought to him by an obedient child before the family’s set dinner time. Instead, what he gets is a lashing punk guitar sound courtesy of Team Shorty.

What distinguishes this band’s presentation is that it has successfully blended styles never blended before. After the aforementioned “Shorty Break” introduction and the burning guitar sound on track two, “Tear It Up,” you swear you are in for a big bath of aggressive, angst-driven music. Not the case. After the introductory guitar part, “Tear It Up” falls very gracefully into a big funk drum and bass pocket of the Maceo Parker style of running rhythm. (Does anyone remember “Pass The Peas”?) “Tear It Up” is the chorus and the chant of this hypnotic jam. Track three, “Sting Ray,” picks it up several speeds and is true to a traditional face of punk music. The guitars are up front and loud and the drums are rushed but always in control. “Sting Ray” — like most of the subsequent tracks on this record — is most definitely in your face!

The meat and potatoes of this record exist between tracks four and eight. Track four is a twenty-something tale of drug euphoria called, “Blue Is Beautiful.” In it, the band claims that there are too many pills and not enough time to do them. While they are clearly not advocating the usage of drugs, they also take a very Hollywood glamorization approach to the lyric of this song. It is as if to suggest that if there were only a few more hours in every day, there would be more time to party. Almost, but not quite. Track five is type of song that is going to put this group on the map because it is a sure crowd pleaser. “Go Go Shorty” is a smoother, more mellow song with a distinct sonic bent toward Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side.” It however, is rhythmic to the extent of having hiphop qualities about it. The hook in the song is its strength, because it, too, is a chant of sorts. “Go Go Shorty” is a sonically defining song that will be stuck in my head as long as this group is around.

Every teenage boy has had the experience of looking for, losing, and resenting his summer job. Most have fantasized about cars, guitars, and women, in no specific order. Herein, you find the subject matter for tracks six through eight — and the reason that Team Shorty is the real deal. Music is not math, but, as a band, you must know where you want to make your bed, and this band does. Team Shorty is unapologetically representative only of the spirit of the teen to the mid-twenties American. For this reason, they are able to speak to this group without effort. In track seven, “123 Fun,” the format of the song is as simple as the name-game, but right on time in its appeal. Track eight, “Go Get It,” speaks to the process of going after what it is in life that you want. Given the subject matter of the previous three songs, you know what they want and I must admit, to some extent, I want it, too. You don’t have to be 18 to know that this music is fun and digestible. “Go Get It” is quirky like the B-52’s and just as inviting.

Toward the end of this album, the theme is reinforced. As in, “Stay young, bring on the Bullocks” — “Genius Love,” track ten, grooves to the words of sexual bravado and young love. Track eleven is Team Shorty’s theme song in that you are reminded of their incomparable style and finesse.

Team Shorty is comprised of Red Delicious on guitars vocals, and percussion; Rummager on drums, vocals, and percussion; Tex Mex Dexter on guitars, vocals, and percussion; and the interminable Chris “Receives” Auxt. All members are seasoned stage players that have brought their talent and vision full force to this album.

If you want to see and hear where the music of generation is going check out this fabulous record and any live performance from Team Shorty. Check out local listings or e-mail: brotherboys@hotmail.com.