Queenie – TANCRED: Nightstand (Polyvinyl, 2018)

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Con el volumen del pedal de la distorsión algo más bajo pero con más o menos las mismas premisas que en su anterior trabajo, se presenta este Nightstand, el cuarto álbum de TANCRED, un disco en el que Jess Abbott incide en sus particulares filias y fobias, todo ello acompañado de un aderezo muy Indie/Fuzzy, muy al estilo de las bandas de chicas de los noventa que cualquier buen aficionado es capaz de evocar.

“Singer/songwriter/guitarist Jess Abbott first began releasing solo material as Tancred in 2011 while a member of the Minneapolis indie rock group Now, Now. Seven years later, her fourth Tancred LP,Nightstand, is her first after parting ways with the band and relocating back to her home state of Maine. While the project began with a collection of relatively restrained, introspective home recordings, she quickly became associated with a more aggressive, ’90s-inspired alt-rock sound, if one tempered by bright hooks and melodicism. On Nightstand, she almost splits the difference, softening her tone but not abandoning the crunchy effervescence of prior albums. It opens with a dreamy keyboards-and-strings prologue about unrequited love, easing listeners into its less defiant front before launching into the driving “Queen of New York.” The latter’s choruses feature a big vocal melody and churning, harmonic guitars, though the verses contrast with staccato guitar, bass, and drums, serving mostly to mark time. Another uptempo anthem, “Something Else,” has melodic guitar hooks, a rumbling low end, and singalong backing vocals for a lively, full-range impact. Much of the album, however, balances acoustic moments with a full rock band, and takes on a more thoughtful demeanor. “Apple Tree Girl” is one such track, opening with acoustic guitar and earnest vocals, adding strings before it picks up a rhythm section and electric instruments. The closer, “Rowing,” even adds accordion to the mix (in reference to street musicians) alongside grungier tendencies. The album was recorded withLewis Pesacov (Best Coast, Valley Queen), whose studio reportedly offered more options in terms of instruments and gear than Abbott had had before. Altogether, the finished recordings take on a more vulnerable, nuanced tone while at the same time sounding more effortless than she ever has before” (All Music)

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Bandas con nombre curioso – TANCRED: Out of the garden (Polyvinyl, 2016)

Tancred es el proyecto de Jess Abbott, guitarrista de Now Now. Su música tiene más que ver con el Fuzzy-Pop de los noventa que con la música de aquellos. Breeders, Blake Babies, Weezer… pueden ser algunos de los referentes más representativos. Guitarras a volumen elevado, distorsiones como protagonistas, melodías adhesivas y letras con cierto compromiso, la música de Tancred tiene elementos más que suficientes para resultar atractiva.
Por cierto, no sé si conocerán la tauromaquia, pero Tancred no tiene traducción en castellano más allá de Tancredo…

“Ramping up the guitar presence and the attitude, Out of the Garden is the third solo album by Now, Now guitarist Jess Abbott, aka Tancred. A nod to the Garden of Eden, the title alludes to rebelling against societal expectations, particularly those placed upon females. Produced by Anna Waronker(that dog.) and Steven McDonald (Redd Kross/OFF!), the album sees Tancred joined by bassist Terrence Vitali and drummer Kevin Medina, who have also accompanied her on tour. The ensemble’s hooky, fuzzy guitar pop wears the ’90s alt-rock of the Breeders and Weezer like a well-worn zipper hoodie over a solid tee of Midwestern power pop. “Joey” saunters along on a crunchy, melodic guitar riff in quasi-unison with cymbal-heavy drums as Abbott matter of factly opines about not caring that she’ll never fit in with the cool kids. Its theme is representative of an album that addresses alienation and resulting independence throughout. “Pens” has a chugging, minor-key verse with a contrasting bright, harmony-rich chorus in which the singer insists that, despite the lingering verses, she’s for sure mentally stable. The spare, off-kilter “Hang Me” avoids any satisfying chord resolution, instead creeping with a meandering electric guitar line as she stands up to a lover who’s turned against her. An album highlight, “Sell My Head” is the driving, punk-infused jam whose hyper melody addresses a co-dependent relationship in the past tense; she’s moved on. Out of the Garden is efficient in presentation, its songs wielding blunt emotion, each under four minutes in length, with the majority clocking in at less than three. It doesn’t suffer fools gladly” (All Music)

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Tour 
Oct 22 Portsmouth, NH 
Nov 06 Dynamo Eindhoven, Netherlands 
Nov 07 Tower Bremen, Germany 
Nov 08 Privat Club Berlin, Germany 
Nov 09 Café vs Lese Prague, Czech Republic 
Nov 10 Gleis 22 Münster, Germany 
Nov 11 Ex Haus Trier, Germany 
Nov 12 Underground 2 Cologne, Germany 
Nov 13 Kavka Antwerp, Belgium 
Nov 14 St. Pancras Church London, United Kingdom 
Nov 15 Sticky Mikes Brighton, United Kingdom 
Nov 16 The Lexington London, United Kingdom 
Nov 17 The Lexington London, United Kingdom 
Nov 18 Clwb lfor Bach Cardiff, United Kingdom 
Nov 19 Star & Garter Manchester, United Kingdom
Nov 20 Mono Glasgow, United Kingdom