The sound found it's origins in the 60's with The Byrds (pictured above), the first band of note to employ the Rickenbacker guitar and produce the folkish-pop music, tinged with country, highlighted by the jangle of the Rickenbacker. Bands like Big Star and The Raspberries carried the torch throughout the 1970's, adding a more powerful sound with a little less jangle (hence power pop). In the early 80's, artist and producer Don Dixon, along with partner Mitch Easter, would bring the sound to new heights when they co-produced R.E.M.'s breakthrough full-length debut "Murmur" in 1983. If you look closely at the genealogy of music, jangle pop (whether it be from the 60's, 70's or 80's) has a direct branch to the alt.country and Americana music of the early 90's through today. Inevitably, when you think of jangle pop, the first thing that comes to mind is the South. The list of bands that hailed from the South was endless (R.E.M., The dB's, Pylon, Let's Active, Drivin 'N Cryin, Dreams So Real, to name a few).
While on the west coast, kids inspired by the psychedelic sound of the 60's, but not willing to give up on the ragged DIY glory of punk, inspired the Paisley Underground scene. While some of the influences may have been similar (Big Star, Byrds), the LA scene was also influenced by Buffalo Springfield, The Beach Boys and The Seeds. The genre was penned by Michael Quercio, leader of the band Three O'clock, for the outfits favored by groups in the scene. Steve Wynn, who formed the band Dream Syndicate, was a key figure in the scene after moving to LA from Davis, California. Other prominent bands from the era include Green on Red, The Bangles, House of Freaks, Blake Babies and True West.
Lets look at some of my favorite jangle pop bands that aren't always on the tip of any body's tongue (but should be) when the great jangle pop debate gets started:
Dumptruck
Origin: New Haven, Conn.
Key Recordings: D is for Dumptruck (1984), Positively Dumptruck (1986) for the country (1987)
If you can only buy one: Haul Of Fame, a best of compilation released in 2006 by Ryko, covering songs from their entire catalog.
United in New Haven, Connecticut Kirk Swan and Seth Tiven were the driving force and chief songwriters for Dumptruck. While they didn't employ a Rickenbacker, the band had the definitive jangle pop sound, drawing heavily from groups like Big Star and the Byrds. Driven by the twin guitar sound of it's two leaders, Dumptruck would also add the occasional pedal steel, mandolin and Hammond organ to give their songs a decidedly "southern" feel. After the groups second release "Positively Dumptruck" in 1986, Kirk Swan left the group under the weight of a grueling tour schedule that only heightened the tension and strain with Tiven. The first post-Swan release, 1987's "for the country", saw the band head in a decidedly roots-ier direction. After some legal wrangling with their label, 3 more albums would follow and by 2000 the group officially broke up.
The Long Ryders
Origin: Los Angeles
Key Recordings: 10-5-60 (1983), Native Sons (1984), State of Our Union (1985), Two-Fisted Tales (1987)
If you can only buy one: Native Sons
Formed in Los Angles in 1982, The Long Ryders epitomized the Paisley Underground scene emerging in LA during the early 80's. The band members had both punk (guitarist Sid Griffin, drummer Greg Sowders) and country (guitarist Stephen McCarthy) backgrounds. In the studio they worked with Henry Levy (Flying Burrito Brothers) to craft possibly the finest record produced by any of the LA bands at the time, 1984's "Native Sons". They were selling records, playing in front of capacity crowds and getting critical praise (NME called Native Sons "a modern American classic"). In 1985, they released "State of Our Union" which shot to the top of college radio behind the single "Looking for Lewis and Clark". It was during this time that they took off in Europe, the result of non-stop touring of the UK and Spain. By 1987 they released "Two-Fisted Tales" and U2 came calling, looking for the band to open for their upcoming Joshua Tree tour. And then it was over. Worn out from the relentless touring of the past 4 years, bassist Tom Stevens left the band to devote more time to his family. Stephen McCarthy would leave a few months later. With one half the group now gone, Griffin and Sowders decided to call it quits.
Guadalcanal Diary
Origin: Marietta, GA
Key Recordings: Watusi Rodeo (1983), Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man (1984), Jamboree (1986), 2x4 (1987), Flip-Flop (1989)
If you can only buy one: Rhino Handmade re-issued Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man and Jamboree one disc in 2003.
Spanning the decade of the 80's, Guadalcanal Diary formed in Marietta, Georgia in 1981 and broke up in 1989 (save 1997 reunion tour). Led by chief songwriter and singer Murray Attaway, the band would become known for songs with wit and humor, sung in Attaway's unmistakable tenor. Their debut EP "Watusi Rodeo" was an immediate hit on college radio in 1983, with several of the songs included on the first full length LP "Walking In The Shadow Of The Big Man" a year later. The band collaborated with producer Don Dixon on all but "Jamboree". Attaway would go on to release one solo album, 1993's "Thrall".
Rain Parade
Origin: Los Angeles
Key Recordings: Emergency Third Rail (1983), Explosions in the Glass Palace (1984), Beyond the Sunset (1985), Crashing Dream (1986)
If you can only buy one: Emergency Third Rail
Formed by brothers David and Steven Roback, Rain Parade provided one of the best albums to come from the scene, 1983's "Emergency Third Rail". With a sound influenced by equal parts Velvet Underground and the Byrds, the album was solid from start to finish. But following the release, David Groback would leave the group and the sound took a heavier, darker tone, with "Explosions in the Glass Palace" an EP released in 1984. The groups final release "Crashing Dream" was just that, as Rain Parade called it quits less than a year later.
Check out some of the bands in this blog on You Tube below.
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