Tight Pants Syndrome

St. Louis power pop collective Tight Pants Syndrome celebrates the release of their long awaited sophomore full-length,  FULLY ATTRACTIVE, at Off Broadway (St. Louis), October 2, 2010. The record will be available in select stores and online retailers three days later on October 5, 2010. As a bonus for fans, limited numbered copies of a special bonus EP, DON’T PANIC, will be included with purchase of the FULLY ATTRACTIVE CD at the show.

FULLY ATTRACTIVE’s explosive 17 tracks showcase the combined talents of four very distinct lead vocalists—longtime member and bassist Brian McClelland (“New Hit Record,” “I Shop for Sugar,” “Gimme Tonite”), keyboardist/guitarist Tim McAvin (“Ravishing in Black,” “Honey,” “What Will I Do”), keyboardist Jenn Malzone (“Get Outta My Haircut,” “Telephone,” “Waiting On a Signal”), and Erin Hogan (“Rebound,” “All of the Way”)—taking what made TPS stand out in the first place, huge shimmering ‘60s pop vocals buoyed by co-founding member Tom Stephen’s lightning hot, hook-laden tunes, and turning up the heat a few notches.

The group’s most ambitious recording yet, FULLY ATTRACTIVE opens with the rollicking fanfare of “New Hit Record (Tammy),” referred to by McClelland as “our kitchen sink song, ‘cause we fit pretty much everything in there: tympanis, a string section (provided by Brien Seyle of The Rats and People Motion Picture Orchestra), a real harp, guest vocalists…even a tambura app Tom played from his iPhone.” The result is a stunning  large-scale explosion of Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys meets Paul McCartney and Wings at their most rocking.

Speaking of PM&W—a smoking cover of their classic rock anthem “Jet” is included as an unlisted bonus track on a new limited edition TPS EP, DON’T PANIC, to be given free with the purchase of FULLY ATTRACTIVE at the CD release show. The EP (also featuring 8 new originals) came about as Stephen’s reaction to the lengthy FULLY ATTRACTIVE production, the idea being to throw down quick and dirty inspiration on tape (playing the drums and many of the basic tracks himself) and recording the vocals gang-style in a couple drunken sing-alongs. The finished recording plays like an exuberant and accidentally recorded after party in a damp south side basement, which, Stephens admits, “It pretty much was.”
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