It is hardly surprising that the Tripwires have leapt to the very forefront of Seattle's burgeoning power pop 'n' roll scene, for this is indeed a quartet of considerable pedigree and startling showmanship. Leader John Ramberg wears red pants and sings in a voice reminiscent of his mentors, Sam Cooke and Pete Ham. In a Rambergian world story and melody are as inseparable as chicken and waffles. I have believed for years that John is the world's most under-rated songwriter, and this latest Tripwires effort is yet another horn o' plenty bursting with compositional genius, adding to the considerable catalog of published gems from previous bands the Model Rockets and Stumpy Joe. You may also recognize John's B-Bender pyrotechnics from his long-standing role as lead guitarist in the Minus 5, a group that certainly needs no introduction, nor deserves one.
But what of the other Tripwires? After all, the incredible guitar duel in "So. Charleston Blow By" would just be an awesome solo wank without the fret-wizardy of Johnny Sangster. Sangster honed his craft over many years in Denmark with the Sharing Patrol, before re-locating back to Washington state, the land of his birth. Johnny also manned the faders for House To House, and his status as a recordist and master of mixology will certainly be enhanced by the quality of this endeavor. Other notable Sangster-produced artists include the Makers, Mudhoney, the Briefs, Steve Turner & His Bad Ideas, Mark Pickerel & The Praying Hands. And speaking of Mark Pickerel, his nimble stick-juggling (first heard with the Screaming Trees) lends itself perfectly to the Tripwires propulsive choogle, and is classified as "bonus" in the group's fevered live presentation. Pickerel's solo albums for the Bloodshot Records label are worth seeking out, and you may notice that both Johnny and Jimbo Sangster perform on stage and in the studio with him. Jim, the senior Sangster, has had a lengthy and rewarding musical career, foremost as bassist with the much-revered and often-deceased Young Fresh Fellows (currently on tour in Spain) and Thee Sgt. Major III, and as a guitarist with the Picketts and ex-Flamin' Groovies frontman Roy Loney. He is certainly one of the most in-demand session players in Seattle, but his natural habitat is on the boards, where smiling and jumping is more injurious, and less profitable.
When, you ask, will the Tripwires be coming to your town? If you live in Seattle, soon, my friend. Elsewhere you may not want to hold your breath, although rumors have surfaced of potential return sightings in Portland, Bellingham, Austin, Majorca and Bilbao. The group's music translates brilliantly to the stage, and their rapport with an audience is unparalleled. However, the demands of the capitalist system weigh heavy on the band, as does the army of little children who rely on the members' support. Therefore it is all the more important that House To House does the traveling FOR the band, so that Tripwires music can be heard the world over. For this is music that should be HEARD (as opposed to NOT heard, which would be totally stupid), and I for one am eternally grateful to the band for going to the trouble of producing it. The world is now a better place.
Scott McCaughey
Consulting Typesetter, The Electric Bird Digest (R. Stove, editor-in-chief)
In a van, somewhere near Fresno
THE TRIPWIRES (a selected discography)
The Tripwires - Makes You Look Around (Paisley Pop)
The Model Rockets - Hi Lux (Lucky)
The Model Rockets - Snatch It Back and Hold It (CZ)
The Model Rockets - Tell The Kids The Cops Are Here (Not Lame)
The Model Rockets - Pilot County Suite (Book Records)
Stumpy Joe - One Way Rocket Ride To Kicksville (PopLlama Products)
Sharing Patrol - Take You There (Sundance)
Mark Pickerel & The Praying Hands - Cody's Dream (Bloodshot)
Young Fresh Fellows - I Think This Is (Yep Roc)
The Minus 5 - In Rock (Yep Roc)
