Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments - Bait And Switch LP

There's not many re-issue announcements that've surprised and excited me as much as Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments coming out on a Sundazed sub-label! TJSA were an Ohio based rock 'n' roll band that existed in the 1990s. I sought out this album on CD due to them having written the song Negative Guest List which the Brisbane zine took its name from. Hopes were high and TJSA delivered!

Bait And Switch felt like the "indie rock" I'd been missing. The college bits were removed and replaced with The Pagans or Saints like punk-before-the-rules approach to stripped back, inventive and earworm-y rock.

While there's an undeniable knack for riffs and (hilarious) lyrics here, they definitely sound like trouble and bound for obscurity in the best way possible! I'll leave it for someone else to explain the Rick Ruben/Onion Records fiasco... - Nic