The Los Angeles-based trio of lost angels TV Heads released its debut EP, the confrontationally titled Total Fucker, June 24th on OIM Records. Sean Galloway (The Shimmies), Angelica Tavella (Nyx), and Vincent Gutierrez (Tear It Down, Crook) are all veterans of other bands and musical endeavors, but together as TV Heads they’ve hit upon a winningly gritty and vibrant sound that incorporates both grungy guitar distortion and shinier, streamlined synths. Top that off with the intertwining and alternating of Galloway’s and Tavella’s potent vocals and TV Heads puts on a sonic show that is definitely worth tuning in for.
EP-starter “Chin Up” starts with a slow burn of subdued synths, strummed guitar, ticking and reverberating drums, and Galloway and Tavella’s softly emotive vocals. The chorus cracks open unexpectedly in an explosion of roiling guitar distortion, plunging synths, deepening drums, and Galloway exclaiming, “Save me instead!” A comparative lull follows the storm, but Galloway’s vocals continue on in a tormented vein as he vociferously supplicates for his salvation.
The retro-vibed “Cool It Down” features Tavella sing-talking and cooing in a longing voice, backed by a far away Galloway. She wistfully sighs, “I’m afraid I’ll keep you around / and let you down.” amid gently glimmering, globular electronic notes. As the vocals intensify, a lightly ticking and thumping beat comes in, as well as guitar reverberations, tambourine shakes, and a lifting chorale of vocals.
The relationship-themed title song begins unassumingly with quickly strummed guitar and a tocking beat, while Galloway, mirrored by Tavella, ambivalently sing-talks, “I stuck around / waiting for nothing…” This swiftly changes on the raging chorus where Galloway unleashes his frustration, shouting about “misery” about how, “Both of us / fucked it up.” A searing guitar line takes over from Galloway’s lead vocals, contorting and sweeping into an intense blaze.
“Flower District” goes back to a mellower, singer-centric groove that bring to mind a gospel gathering with its crisp handclap percussion, frisson of organ-like notes, and sliding guitar strings. Tavella sing-talks in a girlish tone, reminiscing about the past and a certain location that was once interesting, but is now a place where, “…everyone is bored.” TV Heads mixes the vintage with the modern, the pop/alt-folk with the rock, and analogue with technology to craft a current and timeless EP that holds the listener’s attention.