LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

The new millennium has seen a slew of raw rock duos -- The White Stripes, The Kills, The Black Keys, and The Raveonettes being some of the better-known examples. Fifteen years prior, the two-piece configuration belonged to singer-guitarist Bryan Harvey and drummer Johnny Hott, together House Of Freaks. After the bluesy post-punk of their 1987 debut, Monkey On A Chain Gang, House Of Freaks began to look beyond the possibilities of their mini-band format. Their John Leckie-produced follow-up, 1989's Tantilla, was a move toward a more expansive, pop-friendly style. It also incorporated piano, Hammond, and pump organ flourishes, courtesy of guest musician Marty McCavitt. Originally conceived as a loose concept album along the lines of The Band's self-titled 1969 masterpiece, Tantilla is a reflection on the American South, exploring issues of race and Southern guilt in a low-key, non-didactic style. "The Righteous Will Fall" packs the bite of the Freaks' early material as it speaks of Southern Baptists; "Kill The Mockingbird" is an explicit homage to the classic Harper Lee novel. Other tracks, such as "Sun Gone Down," showcase the Freaks' increasingly refined pop sensibility. This Rhino Handmade release presents Tantilla in its remastered entirety, along with seven previously unreleased recordings, including demos, outtakes, and a live track recorded at Raji's in Hollywood. Also included is the subsequent 1989 EP All My Friends, which features contributions from future Sparklehorse founders Mark Linkous and Paul Watson. Tantilla Plus is available as an individually numbered limited edition of 2,500 copies.
TRACK LISTING WHEN THE HAMMER CAME DOWN (3:29) THE RIGHTEOUS WILL FALL (3:08) WHITE FOLK'S BLOOD (4:41) BIRDS OF PREY (3:06) KING OF KINGS (3:23) FAMILY TREE (3:38) SUN GONE DOWN (3:07) KILL THE MOCKINGBIRD (3:28) BROKEN BONES (3:11) I WANT ANSWERS (3:02) BIG HOUSES (3:16) THE WORLD OF TOMORROW (4:51) TEN MORE MINUTES TO LIVE (2:31) THIS OLD TOWN (1:17) MEET YOUR HEROES (3:08) PASS ME THE GUN (3:10) YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE WORLD ANYMORE (2:51) YOU'LL NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY (2:22) I CONFESS (2:53) ANYTHING IN THE WORLD (3:42) REMEMBER ME WELL (2:18) WAR AT HOME (3:21) WITH THESE HANDS (3:39) 1914 (3:01) BIG HOUSES (Live) (3:08)