At the time of this release, Teenage Frames have been part of the garage rock underground for the better part of three decades. Their 2024 long player ‘Everything Has Led To This’ shows the work of a band who’ve really not lost their punch over time. If anything, the now veteran band have grown as songwriters, with tunes like ‘Brain Fever’ and ‘Please Don’t Be Stupid Tonight’ being on a par with peak Real Kids material from ‘77, ‘Back To The Beat’ sharing a pleasing, 60s tinged brand of power pop and, an album standout, ‘I Wish I Didn’t Know About You’ balancing the usual wall of guitars with a cheeky keyboard riff that tips the hat to skinny tie new wave bands from ’81. With fourteen catchy numbers packed into a little over thirty five minutes, the album is an old school, vinyl friendly affair that should appeal to garage rock fans everywhere.

Another of that record’s standout tracks, ‘Fighting Words’ has been given a second lease of life as one half of I-94 Recordings’ ‘Detroit’ themed series of 7”s, which has already seen top notch discs from The BellRays and Dany Laj. For the uninitiated, ‘Fighting Talk’ is prime Frames: right from the moment the drums crash in – following a couple of guitar chords by way of a mellow intro – the track hits hard and fast, whilst still offering a major concession to a great melody. The hard struck chords occasionally sound like a mid 80s Ramones meeting with a Lookout Records underdog, but more than that – possibly due to its energy and repetitive hook – everything sounds like a welcome lift from Shonen Knife’s ‘Pop Tune’ LP from 2012. That makes it a little punkier than some Teenage Frames fare – especially in relation to the bulk of its parent album – but there’s a massive melodic streak here too. That’s obvious via the layers of harmonious vocals, but also in the way the core of the number makes time for a bright sounding guitar, laying down a great power pop sound, even if everything is a little more speed driven. A couple of plays of this number and its chorus really makes an impression, suggesting that this band’s later years are actually home to some of their best works.

In keeping with the other I-94 Detroit 7”s, this track is backed by a cover tune that has roots within that city, and like some of their predecessors, Teenage Frames haven’t exactly played their hand with an obvious crowd pleaser. Their pick, ‘Factory Man’ (originally recorded by The Gutterpunx in 1996 and issued on a self financed cassette) takes an obscure track and brings it to a new crowd. The track’s main melody is a little more pointed than many of the Frames’ own, but still comes with a massive world of melody, largely thanks to a huge sounding bassline that’s presented high in the mix. That’s used to create a great intro, but doesn’t let up throughout, despite being joined by a huge garage punk guitar riff that’s shared with an enormous ringing sound. The music is so tight that the leap from this to something from deep within the Teenage Frames’ own catalogue isn’t quite as big as it first may appear, but vocally, there are a couple of giveaways regarding the number’s punkier source. Firstly, the lead voice that drives the verse comes with a bigger drawl, but in the main, the chorus’s concession to shouty gang vocals owes more to bands like The Briefs and Lower Class Brats than Flamin’ Groovies. Overall, though, this is a great recording; a superb advertisement for a power pop band sporting some very hefty and very retro boots.

The songs on this 7” not only compliment each other brilliantly, but in the case of ‘Factory Man’, Teenage Frames add something really vibrant to their catalogue. …And not before time: the band actually demoed the song several years earlier, but “never got around to covering it”, at least not properly. In that respect, this short release feels like the close of a long musical chapter. For those who’ve already picked up ‘Everything Has Led To This’, the cover tune will certainly provide some decent “extra” listening, whilst those who’ve not dipped into the Teenage Frames catalogue should find this a handy primer. A recommended disc.

November 2024