Tsunami Bomb "The Definitive Act" (Kung Fu Records) Sounds like: Some good old rock 'n' roll with a punk edge. B
In an industry where so many bands just want to make it to the top and get rich quick, Tsunami Bomb is the odd band out. Even with a large fan base and decent sales on their last album, "The Ultimate Escape," the band feels out of place in the ruthless music industry where record label execs' eyes reflect dollar signs, not music notes.
Lead singer Agent M (it's a stage name) explained that much of the band's new album, "The Definitive Act," is about their dissatisfaction with the music industry.
"Basically the artists have very little say in what goes on with the business of their band because there's a label that pretty much controls you," M said. "You don't really find out until bad things start happening that you are stuck in a contract and you're bound until the label wants to let you go. You have the same type of thing with managers and booking agents. It's too much beyond music."
M was so disheartened by the band's previous album due largely in part to a conflict with the producer, that she wrote a track for "The Definitive Act" chastising that producer for his actions. The song, entitled "Four Robots and an Evil Scientist," offers the band's usual high-energy punk-tinged rock with an unusually angry message attached to it: "What you did to us was inexcusable/ you disappointing, sallow scab/ took advantage of us/ got your way/ abused us/ almost destroyed all we had."
Tsunami Bomb has not only had problems with their producers, but also with their record label, Kung Fu, because "on our side it's about music and on their side it's about money," M said, noting that once their contract with Kung Fu is up they will probably look for a new label. This album - which was plagued with problems on the part of the label that, according to M, "are cleared up now" - turned out better than the previous album in M's opinion.
"We had two different people mix the record so half the songs sound one way and half the songs sound another way," M said is her only complaint. "But besides that we're really happy with it. The music and the tracking are exactly how we wanted to do it."
Indeed, "The Definitive Act" presents 12 solid tracks that exceed those on the previous album not only in quality, but in passion - probably because M and crew were so fired up about their dealings with the music industry.
"We wrote the records in about five weeks so a lot of the stuff I wrote about has to do with what I was thinking about at the time," M said, adding that while most of the tracks reflect her discontent with the music world, personal issues affected the album's tone as well. "I was having some relationship problems so that kinda comes into play there."
The lyrics on the majority of the tracks are angry and dark, and it is clear that M truly has something to say. Tsunami Bomb, despite their generic categorization as a punk band that M is skeptical of, plays fairly straightforward rock that is carried by M's sometimes hoarse vocals. The album, which M says "definitely [has] more of a live feel to it" than their last album, is fast-paced, with Tsunami Bomb churning out punctuated beats quickly - a plus in this generation's ADD-riddled society.
Though their experience putting out this album may not have been a walk in the park, Tsunami Bomb is admirable for their persistence. "The Definitive Act" proves that a band can make a solid album even when faced with numerous difficulties. And despite her irate lyrics, M still offers hope on "Safety Song": "The timing was just right - nowhere to go but forward now/ we only have one rule: freedom always allowed"
