All Things White Fence: Let Me Tell You Everything I Love About This Band – the Year End List Continues

Everything about White Fence is perfect. I found them probably by ways of the radio. My favorite radio show AND host, Justin, from Aquarium Drunkard plays them constantly and has basically, thankfully, shoved them into my life. Aquarium Drunkard is a blog I started reading some time before I realized that they hosted Fridays from noon-2 for Sirius XMU’s Blog Radio show. My good friend Rusty, THE Mac Demarco fan, first told me about the site. I remember falling in love with the name. Then later when I realized that Justin played mostly new San Francisco psychedelia and old soul on his radio show, I fell harder. If you want music, look no further than this blog and the people that run it. (As for the other blog radio shows: Gorilla vs. Bear is OK/terrific (on Thursdays) and My Old Kentucky Blog manages (is on Tuesdays), but I find myself less interested in those two. Hipster Runoff -which is so overblown and over-stupid-  (runs on Mondays) is run by the now ‘famed’ or infamous Carls. Claim to fame: he “found” Lana Del Rey – apparently we couldn’t keep living life without her. Head to his site and you’ll find Cadillac ads, Levis ads, and him calling the 12.12.12 Concert “for honkies”. Enough said. Brooklyn Vegan runs on Wednesdays. They play a great variety, lots of Sleater-Kinney, and always have terrific live music coverage.)

White Fence can be hard to find on the internet. ‘They’ aren’t on twitter, but their record label WOODSIST is. Also found on this label: Woods, The Babies, Ducktails, and Vivian Girls. From the Bay Area – the greatest place this side of paradise – White Fence is the ‘solo project’ of Tim Presley. White Fence contributed to the Velvet Underground & Nico by Castle Face and Friends – a Los Angeles based label compilation 45th anniversary cover record of the Velvets’ debut. (The Velvet Underground is the greatest band ever. If you want to dispute me, don’t. And if you insist….get out. You’re at the wrong place.) You may remember me tweeting about it, as I have one of  1,000 issued records in banana yellow wax. It’s an excellent record, and DUH, the White Fence track is among my favorite. They covered THE perfect rock song, “Run Run Run” [below]. [If you know me and want a copy of this record, please message me however and I will get it to you.] Also featured on this cover record, some of my other favorite psychedelic-folk bands Thee Oh Sees, The Fresh & Onlys, and Ty Segall.

While we’re on the subject of Ty Segall, let us talk about the Ty Segall & White Fence record that came out this year, Hair.  Among the eight fuzzy songs on this 28 minute long album, they are all near perfect, my favorite being “Crybaby” [below] which can get stuck in your head daily. It is 1:58 of sheer beauty. Plenty of fuzzy guitars – the key to my heart – and lots of screaming. We are neck deep in the new San Francisco sound here, people. And Ty Segall and White Fence are at the helm. Segall’s hands are in so many pockets that it can be hard to keep track of where he is and why. (I do know he’ll be at the Black Cat in January. I’ll be there too.) Segall released three records this year alone. And had plenty of time to talk to all the right people. His work with White Fence is ideal. I hope they collaborate again, all the time.

White Fence is supreme. They are the perfect band for me – and you. Presley makes you travel back in time, to a place you’ve never been, somewhere you could never possibly go. The 2012 double record he released this year Family Perfume Vol. 1/ Family Perfume Vol. 2 are everything I’ve ever wanted. Thick records full of color AND sound. When I was 18 I fell in love with Jefferson Airplane. And this year, I fell in love with another lifer who makes layered, guitar part solo, reverb heavy, perfect sounding molded, moldy folk records. The Family Perfume songs barely clock in at 3:00. On these records, lyrics don’t matter as much as the sonics. And Presley seems to have mastered them. My favorite track is “Take Away Life’s Endless Take.” If I only had to listen to one song on repeat forever, I would be content if this was it. [below.]

2012 was the year of White Fence for me. And it was very much the year of Ty Segall. Segall’s great records of the year are everywhere/not just on your stereo. His solo Twins found it’s way onto NPR’s (weird) year end list. And the other he recorded with his touring band, The Ty Segall Band, Slaughterhouse has a single no one can escape. Ty Segall and White Fence are a match made in technicolor heaven. I cannot listen to one without listening to the other.

There is a new White Fence record out in April, Cyclops Reap. And so help me god if Presley doesn’t start touring, I will write some angry fan mail. Consider this a love letter to all fuzzy guitar makers and players. Come join in the fun and listen to White Fence. And give them your money because they deserve it.