Rye Coalition- Teenage Dance Session

First of all, I have no idea if I have the band's name right for this release. Rye Coalition, during their history, are some what like John Mellencamp, in that while always being the same band, they have just various monikers for their project, such as Rye, Rye and the Coalition, Rye Coalition, Rye Co. etc. This 7" is labeled Rye and the Coalition, but for ease and consistency with future posts, Rye Coalition is my choice.

Some of you may only be familiar with Rye Coalition's latest offerings of garage-ie hard rock generica. Its really not bad for what it is, but compared to what Rye Coalition started out as, its pop trash. Troubleman Unlimited number 4: Teen-age Dance Session will not disappoint those of you who know what TRU records is all about.

The record is Rye Coalition's second or third release, coming out in 1994. Rye Coalition was playing a some what mathy brand of post-hardcore at the time. There is something a little poppy about the riffs that makes things interesting. Its very subtle. I've had this record for well over a year and half and only just noticed it as I was writing. Occasionally, the effects take over and are fairly distracting. The vocals are pretty clear even when yelled and screamed. No throat shredding blasts of guttural noise, but just some scratchy wails here and there that build out of eerie whispers.

At just over a minute and a half, "Sensation" leaves me wanting more song, and "Baby Puts Out Old Flames" really doesn't make much of an impression with me, and for some reason, the lyrics seem to have certain level of sarcasm in the delivery. The highlight is defiantly "Algebra of Need", a 3 minute piece on the perils of hard drug abuse ending with tirade against the police. Fun for all, right? I must not be sharp enough to make the connection ._.


All in all, the 7'' is cohesive and has a certain wit about it. The back of the cover has a short "review" that reads like the back of an old Herb Alpert LP. Certainly an interesting record, but by no means influential.

While Rye Coalition's current brand of rock is normally anathema to my ears, the New Jersey septet must be given some credit in that they still play with the original line up. Few bands of their sort have managed to do so over a 15 year period of activity.

Rye Coalition
Teen-Age Dance Session 7" EP
Troubleman Unlimited- TRU004

Out of Print