Tadpoles He Fell Into The Sky CD

Tadpoles, based in Hoboken, NJ, disbanded in 2000 after releasing 4 critically acclaimed studio albums, 1 live album and 1 E.P. all on their own Bakery Records label (except for their last studio album, Whirlaway, which was released on Australia's Camera Obscura Records.) The group was formed by vocalist/guitarist, Todd Parker and original drummer, Michael Kite Audino in New York City in 1990.Members of the New York group, HIT, bassist David Max & guitarist/vocalist Nick Kramer joined in 1992 and Adam Boyette became the full time drummer in 1996.Career highlights include a four-star review in Rolling Stone magazine (May 1996) for their second studio album, Far Out, which like all of their studio albums (except Whirlaway) was produced by Shimmy Disc/Bongwater mogul, Kramer.The group was also featured in the first Terrastock festival in Providence, Rhode Island in 1997 and their performance was captured on their live album "Destroy Terrastock-Live." Although Tadpoles rarely performed live, their shows were always a multi-media sensory overload experience with films, videos, strobe lights, and other homemade visual effects.The band toured the West Coast in 1997 with Boston's Cul de Sac and Windy & Carl (as well as the late legendary John Fahey on one date.) Since Tadpoles disbanded, David, Nick & Adam have reformed HIT and Todd Parker continues to operate Bakery Records in Hoboken.For complete bio, reviews and more information, check out the Tadpoles web site at www.tadpoles.com or check out their entry on www.allmusic.comHE FELL INTO THE SKY: DescriptionThe debut album from Hoboken, NJ psych-rockers, Tadpoles. Produced by Kramer (Shimmy Disc/Bongwater), the album contains 10 songs, including a cover of the Spacemen 3 version of "Mary Anne." HE FELL INTO THE SKY REVIEWS:Alternative Press, December 1994 issue"a textured mindscape of sound which is immediately familiar, instinctively attractive" MAGNET #14- Dec. '94"the amphetamine energy they bring to every song makes them sound utterly contemporary...a real achievement" DISCOGRAPHY: 1994 He Fell Into The Sky (Bakery) 1996 Far Out (Bakery) 1997 Know Your Ghosts E.P.(Bakery) 1998 Smoke Ghost (Bakery) 1998 Destroy Terrastock Live (Bakery) 1999 Whirlaway (Camera Obscura/Bakery) 2001 Use With Headphones Late At Night-Best of 1990-2000 (Bakery)

The first album by Hoboken's Tadpoles betrays an almost tribute-band level of devotion to the early work of Spacemen 3, right down to a cover of Glen Campbell's early countrypolitan hit "Mary Anne" that's so close to Spacemen 3's earlier version that the U.K. trio get credit for the arrangement. Singer Todd Parker's songs tend to be a bit shorter and peppier than the Spacemen 3's usual narcotics-induced haze, but if songs like "Butterfly," with its extended squalling guitar solo, and the darker, slightly menacing "The Ride" were slowed down and stretched out, they would fit perfectly on albums like Playing With Fire. Parker is a capable singer, and the three-guitar storm of himself, Andrew Jackson (who would leave the band after this album), and Nick Kramer sets up some excellent trance-rock grooves. (Bassist David Max is the other full-time member -- four different drummers play on the album.) The main problem is that Parker is not yet distinctive enough of a songwriter to escape the obvious stylistic comparisons. This would change on Tadpoles' later albums, when Kramer and Max join in on the songwriting, but He Fell Into the Sky is a pleasant, somewhat tentative, but ultimately derivative debut. ~ Stewart Mason

Tadpoles: Todd Parker (vocals, guitar); Nick Kramer (guitar, background vocals); Andrew Jackson (guitar, percussion); David Max (bass); Michael Audino (drums, percussion).