The Tearjerkers - "Bad Mood Rising" - SFTRI

If you know anything about this little zine, you know I love the Oblivians. Well, the Tearjerkers are Jack Oblivians latest thing and of course I like ‘em. The Tearjerkers are a rock n’ roll band with a few funky and country twists thrown in for good measure. In a blind taste test, I could tell the band is from Memphis. There’s just something about the Bluff City that seems to infuse that city’s music. The record starts off with Jack screamin’ "White lie, black eye" on "White Lie, Black Eye." It’s a rocker that has a funky little riff that makes you move your feet. Eric Oblivian said that Jack writes the funky songs and indeed he does. "Wire Tapper Calling" is a stalker’s serenade to the one he’s obsessed with. It has a fuzzed drenched riff and the song eventually gives way to a total chaotic breakdown. "Dollar Me to Death" is the definition if blues-punk. It burns at top punk-rock speed and with attitude but has a cool boogie-woogie piano. It’s great stuff. "Teeny Weeny Little Bit" is a real funky slow rocker. It has lots of organ and Jack throws in some cool sax work, even a sax solo. "Bank, Gun, Jail" is a true blue country song with great steel guitar work. It’s a little tale of a boy who falls for an outlaw girl; "she was my Bonnie, I was her Clyde." Well she gets killed in a robbery and he dedicates his life to being the best bank robber to make her proud. "Earthquake Date" is a straight-ahead rocker is about...hell, I don’t know what it’s about. It does rock though. "Bottomless Purse" is a slow 50’s style ballad. It has a lovely electric piano part and some nice background vocals. It also has my favorite lyric; "Some body’s cryin’, till somebody’s blue. It’s gonna take a whole lot of Zimas and a four box of Kools." I really dig this new record. All Jack really wants is a "teeny weeny little bit of your love." Give it to him please.