Fotoğraf Kredi: Crab Shack
Indie rock weirdos are responsible for one of the finest records of 2015. is the name of the new album, and while the songs are mostly short and simple in stature, they radiate a kind of mysterious energy that is hard to put into words. If you haven't already, listen to the title track below. To get a better handle on the noise coming from Tropical Trash, I reached out to singer/guitarist Jim Marlowe. Despite being one of the busiest dudes in town (he also runs ) he was kind enough to set aside some time to answer a few questions about the new album, his record shop and some of his favorite records of 2015.
Asla Sinir: Tropical Trash is a tough band to describe to folks that haven’t heard you. How would you describe TT to my meemaw?
Jim Marlowe:"Rock band" is the meemaw short answer. I think Ben McOsker's ( owner) "Power Choogle" description is fairly accurate.
NN: Was there a different approach to the music on
UFORot that you didn’t take on earlier music?
JM: I think the approach was basically the same it's always been - keep the tunes concise, make sure it rips, no sappy bullshit, etc. It helped that we'd played the fuck outta those songs for over a year before making the time to record them. All of the tunes changed to some degree from touring (like they always do) but especially the B-side of the record. Things got a little more spacious. It's basically structured like a bigger version of the way we've done all the 7"s, some short fast ones on one side and a long form piece on the other. We made it in a frozen ass warehouse which must have done something for the vibe. Many beers were consumed.
NN: Where there new inspirations behind the noise that weren’t there before?
JM: I learn a couple new tricks every now and then. If you're lucky you figure out how to use them in a way that isn't painfully obvious. Usually I don't get lucky so it takes me a long time. I'm not planning on unearthing any or something so it's more about turning the thing over and looking at it from some different angle. Structural stuff. Finding out what you can get away with leaving out. I'm always trying to see if I can play the guitar less.
NN: Talk about the current TT lineup. How’d you end up hooking up with Ryan Davis and Jeff Komara?
JM: We were all throwing up in the bathroom of Joe's Crab Shack and it just went from there.
NN: After a few changes to the roster over the years, is the current lineup gonna stick together?
JM: Once we all make enough money to buy some suspenders and little hats we'll move up to strumming gourds at a disadvantage for . That is the plan.
NN: Do you have any interesting stories from the latest Tropical Trash tour that you’d be willing to share?
JM: Interesting - no. We had a box of goddamn CDs that would fall out of the van every single fucking time we opened the back door. No one stole our shit. We hit a car 40 seconds after getting our records in Chicago. Detroit had a great cat ("Jackie") where I slept. Finally had fun in New York. Came the closest to getting in a fight the fastest at a bar in Athens, OH actually seconds after we walked in the door - reason of "long hairs." Smashed myself in the face with my guitar in Boston - my Iggy moment. Playing on the steps of city hall in Peterborough, NH opening for and giving him the sage wisdom that "anywhere can be a bathroom." Heard the great read. Stayed with the best people every night (thank you!). Worst bartender: Gooski's in PGH.
NN: Since relocating, how has Astro Black been going? How different is the shop now than when you initially opened it a few years ago?
JM: New zone is great, Germantown rules. I have aged approximately 2300 years since it's inception.
NN: What would you consider to be the weirdest or rarest record to come through Astro Black?
JM: I bought a massive collection of mostly local/regional country and western 45s that has some deep cut tone deaf child lobotomy country in it. Am planning on making a mix at some point in the future.
NN: Tell us about your favorite record of 2015 so far. What’s so good about it?
JM: Most jammed record this year is a tie:
54 Synth-pirinç, 38 metal gitar, 65 Cathedral - totally twisted "dance" music from Craig Clouse of the amazing rock crushers . The other is this young dude from Amarillo, Texas. His LP
Beş Adım has a great Fahey/"American Primitive" type thing happening on one side but then you flip it over and it's this really well done up side long soundscape thing with and a bunch of other venerable out there musicians. He's quite young and I'm sure he'll be doing a bunch more. Runner up for sheer WTF factor is the new -
Önde gelen ve Fuarı on which is like snotty renaissance emo or something. Fucking bizarre. So there. I picked three because I can.
NN: Are there any current happenings in Louisville that make you smile from ear to ear? Whether it be related to music, food, booze, outdoors, or whatever, what local shit gets you fucking stoked?
JM: It's heartening to see lots of young smart people putting in the effort - the / / nexus is the first thing that springs to mind. I think the ladies of are working hard to make the city a place they wanna be by doing things like bringing the here. They have a great attitude and that's what it's all about. Need less bozos complaining (always) and more people DOING which I see more and more of. Having a new generation of intelligent hard working people is crucial. It keeps all the grayhairs on their toes. Proud to live in Louisville.
NN: Are you excited about the new series, or are you some kind of asshole?
JM: Yes, it actually doesn't look like total shit. I like to keep my commitments to a minimum but I plan on viewing it.
NN: Before you go, tell us about the best show you’ve been to this year. Who was playing, at venue, and what got you so excited?
JM: Chris Martin playing solo acoustic as in the back of store earlier this year. His first show! Hard to pull off the guy with acoustic guitar angle, but he does it. He's a charming performer, the songs are interesting and reasonably sophisticated without being overly fussy, often short, and he can really work a crowd. He got his ass stuck in a kids chair he handled it with grace. Had the best vibe of any show I've been to this year at least.
