Now you said it was yesterday

I Cannot remember where I heard this band for the first time. At first listen they aren't anything special. The song has a beach rock sound not unlike the surf music of the 60's. However the band is more often compared to the Ramones in their style.

The band is The Clean, straight out of New Zealand in the early 80's (they are still performing today though). For the most part the song has indie rock lyricism mixed with surf rock as I said before. It's a little punk-ish when combined (see my Ramones reference). The song "Tally Ho" is pretty catchy although as a listener, you are not so sure why. The production quality is shot- the vocals are mixed too low, and the organ/guitar just sounds repetitive and drones. However this was proof that music was headed toward indie rock even in the early part of the 80's (no matter how bleak a decade it seemed at some points).


I kind of like them in an endearing way, in the same way that I like bands like The Shaggs (that's a whole other post for a whole other day!) and the vocals of Isaac Brock. One often heard unpolished songs like this and scoffs at the low quality, but it isn't the song that's important, its the significance, it's proof that music was changing slowly. Rough bands like the early VU recordings were scoffed at as well, but they changed music in the end. Bands like The Clean should be seen as inovators. Regardless of your taste though, enjoy the music.

"Tally Ho" by The Clean from Oddities (1982)

-S