Tony Molina: Dissed and Dismissed 12″

Description

Debut 12″ from this solo project from Tony Molina, who’s played in a bunch of Bay Area hardcore bands you may have recognized like Caged Animal and Ovens. This solo stuff is a totally different animal, though… it’s much more pop, but with a sense of brevity and dynamics that’s clearly informed by hardcore. Well, hardcore and also Guided by Voices (whom Molina comes dangerously close to ripping off in a couple of places on this record). Along with GBV, early (i.e. good) Weezer is the other big reference point, as the ripping, twin-guitar, Thin Lizzy-style solos that appear from time to time definitely recall Weezer’s Kiss-inspired guitar histrionics. At only 11 minutes this is pretty much a pure pop sugar rush… as exciting as listening to a really good hardcore record but with a great, anthemic quality. I feel bad that this description probably makes Dissed and Dismissed seem derivative, because it’s as fun and fresh-sounding a record I’ve heard in the past few years.