Tacocat - "Shame Spiral" lp  (Don't Stop Believin')
This might actually be my new favorite riot-grrrl record (American-style, that is; this is hardly related to the UK flavor of riot-grrrl). Tacocat hails from Seattle, and take all the right cues from their Olympian ancestors Bikini Kill, Heavens To Betsy and Bratmobile, but leaving out the politics, rage and, well, brattishness attributed to those bands. Without those elements, we're left with an incredibly fun and playful 24½ minutes of punky pop. Their songs range a variety of serious to silly topics from marshmallow Peeps and enjoying their room in the basement to Anna Nicole Smith and the movie Waterworld. You'll of course find their take on standard topics, like the uncomfortableness of gynecological exams, fear of toxic shock syndrome and the nightmare of UTIs (the faint-hearted might want to steer clear of this one, though I think the song's pretty funny), though my favorite "grrrl-themed" tune is "Leotard", which explains how to keep the guys on first base by wearing a leotard. But the band generally keeps things lighthearted; even when pretending to be angry, you can tell they're smiling about it all along. Oh, and if possible, try to pick up the lp version of this, which includes a full lyric sheet, poster and band-themed tarot cards!   MTQ=11/13

Tafra - "Why Even Bother" cd  (Series Two)
After a couple EPs on small Swedish labels, this is the first full length from this Swedish fellow who now lives in London. The music reminds me a lot of Suburban Kids With Biblical Names (so it didn't surprise me to learn that he is not only friends with those guys, but also played on their album) - basically bedroom synth-pop with a variety of sounds/samples that range from the clever use of that annoying cell phone static you sometimes hear when it's too close to your speakers on "Cheesy Epic View" to what sounds like a chorus of ukuleles in "Oh Daniel" to whatever the hell's going on in the irritating and crunky-sounding "Your Ex-Boyfriend's MP3s". There are a few duds on the album, as not all of his musical instrument experiments work out and the otherwise fine "I'm Sorry BrŠkne-Hoby" goes on way too long - but when he does get it right (like in "Why Do You Have To Be So Compilicated Baby" and "Oh Daniel"), he hits that spot perfectly!   MTQ=7/11

The Tah-Dahs - "Le Fun" cd  (Undeniable)
Here's the second release on Undeniable Records: the debut album from this band from Dallas, and like the title suggests, it's a lot of fun! The music sounds like a combination of Kiddo and the Futureheads, alternating between jangly pop songs, like "Alcoholic" and the bouncy "Why'd It Take So Long For You To Fall In Love With Me", and noisier indie rock tunes, like the angsty "The Cute Band" (the one song on the album that I didn't much care for) and the punky "Chix", with a few occasional curveballs, like the XTC-ish syncopated rhythms in "Huge Eyes & Ha-Ha's". The lyrical style falls halfway between Colin Clary and Franklin Bruno: frequently silly and a bit cute, but also usually clever at the same time. This record is perfect for indiepoppers who like a bit of rock and indie rockers who like quirky and catchy tunes. Either way, it's an absolutely fantastic debut, and definitely a band worth checking out!   MTQ=11/12

The Tall Boy - "Go Forth" cdep  (Banazan)
Although this band originally started as the solo project for Matty Green (ex-Boyracer, Girlboy Girl, etc), he's recently moved to Glasgow and formed a band, for which this release celebrates the debut. I liked his first album, "Goes On", but didn't think it was very consistent overall; with this record, the input and energy from the other band members really shows through in songs like "Outside" and "And Back Again", and this is easily the strongest Tall Boy release yet.   MTQ=6/7

The Tamborines - "Dressed Up To Better Feel The Sun" cdep  (Midsummer Madness)
In the past month or so, I have gotten three different bands' cds sent to me from Brazil, and they've all been surprisingly good! This is wonderful acoustic-based jangly pop that could easily sit beside Biff Bang Pow!, the Melodie Group or the Sea Urchins. I really like the organ sound, and the trumpet's a nice touch, too. I could tell this band was good, because the first song on the cd, "The Most Important Thing (Has Gone)", is almost six minutes long, and it never felt too long to me (if you know me, then you know that after three minutes, I'm checking my watch). "Naissance De La Folie" is about the same time, and actually does start to feel a bit long, but is too good to skip over. The last track, "Pillow", reminds me a lot of "Day Into Day" by the Sea Urchins. Not sure what else this band has out, or how available it is, but do keep your eye out on them - they're definitely a band to look out for! And I really like the Biff Bang Pow!-esque sleeve, too.   MTQ=4/4

The Tamborines - "Sally O'Gannon EP" cdep  (Planting Seeds)
I remember really liking this band's EP on Midsummer Madness several years back, and wondered what had happened to them. As it turns out, the core members moved from Brazil to the UK a few years ago, revamped the band and have even released a couple records over there. The new version of the band drops the Biff Bang Pow/Sarah Records-styled jangle pop from their Brazilian days, and instead embraces the early '90s UK shoegaze sound (this single was even produced by Mark Gardener of Ride!). The title track and "Come Together" have a louder sound (and though the title track is the sure winner, I'm not sure if they needed to include the demo version on here, as well), while "Be Around" is a softer, almost pastoral song that reminds me of something from a later Jesus And Mary Chain record. It's good to see that the band is still around, and I look forward to finally hearing a full-length from them soon!   MTQ=4/4

Tan Sleeve - "Fall Love" cdep  (Bus Stop)
Following on the heels of the release of the Wall Of Orchids cdep (well, actually released simultaneously), comes this batch of songs from Lane Steinberg's new project, Tan Sleeve. Somewhat similar in style to the Wall Of Orchids, these songs are still very Brian Wilson-esque, though they come off a bit more soft rock, mainly because they're piano-based, rather than guitar. Lying somewhere in between the Pearlfishers and Simon & Garfunkel, these four tunes are very pleasant autumn music.   MTQ=4/4

Tan Sleeve - "Bad From Both Sides" cd  (Bus Stop)
I liked this band's previous EP on Bus Stop from a couple years ago, but I think this album is far better. While the four songs on the EP had a very similar feel to them (mostly acoustic guitar or piano-based ballads), this album is a lot more dynamic, which makes for a much more interesting listen. Of course, there is still plenty of the Bacharach meets Simon & Garfunkel soft pop from the EP (two of these songs are even taken from it), but there are also Byrds-ish jangly tunes, louder songs that sound almost like early Velvet Crush, and the title track even sounds like the Steve Miller Band (okay, so not everything on here works)! With music like this, it makes some of their lyrics seem much more out of place, with songs on unlikely subjects like disposing of a murder victim, the trials of a girl with a popular butt, and a story about Puff Daddy's gun incident sitting side by side with more traditional numbers about love and longing. However, Barry & Steinberg manage to pull it off without trying too hard. An excellent release from these multi-faceted songwriters!   MTQ=11/13

The Tartans - "Cats Of Camerford" 7"  (Yay!)
I featured a few Tartans songs a couple years back as a Demo of the Week, but they've gotten so much better since then! The A-side is a trumpet-led track that reminds me of early Belle & Sebastian or Aislers Set, while on the flip, we've got "1939" which sounds like a cross between the Autocollants and the Pastels, and "Your Favorite Song", which is quite Orange Juice-ish. All three songs are delightful, and I shouldn't need to commend Yay!'s traditionally excellent packaging, but I will anyways - hey, I got a postcard of a duck! Oh, and be sure to also check out the band's 7" on Cloudberry, which was released at pretty much the same time...   MTQ=3/3

Tears Run Rings - "Always, Sometimes, Seldom, Never" cd  (Clair)
Just as I was getting started to review this record this evening, my kitty jumped into my lap to curl. Never one to turn away a kitty, I gave him a good hug, and he decided it would be comfortable to nestle in my arms on my chest/stomach. That made it impossible to type, but as I had already put the record on and had the sleeve visible, I just made mental notes while we sat and enjoyed each other's warmth in this cold house. As we traded relaxing sighs and various body parts drifted off to sleep (left arm, right foot, bottom...), I quietly enjoyed this record. Though this is the new band of Ed from Shelflife Records, I think its release on Clair makes a little more sense, as it fits closer with their roster (namely Airiel, Pia Fraus and Brother Kite), and is also more on the louder end of the spectrum than his previous bands, the Autocollants and Evening Lights (between whom this band shares a few common members). The songs have boy/girl vocals (frequently at the same time): his voice is a lovely tenor, and funny enough, I had to double check that it was Laura Watling singing, as it didn't really sound like her usual voice! A couple of these songs (particularly "World Upside Down" and "Run Run Run") stood out, but the record generally flowed along smoothly, making only smaller waves, as most shoegazey records seem to do.   MTQ=8/11