[Locals Only] Tan Dollar Add It Up

Add It Up

Paul Rosales

Tan Dollar are so over publicity photos

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More About

• Joy Division
• Irvine
• Long Beach (New York)
• University of California-Irvine

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Two Chrises—Thorne and Balingit—plus one Liz (Suh) equals Tan Dollar, an indie-ized, psych-pop outfit all about chasing that layered sound, and then recording it on EP after EP (or at least that’s how it seems. Does anyone have a pocket calculator?). Rooted in improv, Tustin/Irvine and Joy Division, this trio already have two ’09 EPs to their name, and they are about to release an LP.

For a bunch of teens (with a max age of 19), the band, together for a six short months, are quickly becoming a nonstop sound machine. While Tan Dollar’s self-titled debut is lyric-centric, putting the pop in psych pop, Pink Sky is more focused on the sonic and atmospheric, presenting all-time highs and lows—think droning organ, resonating bells and chimes, minus the whistles. Predominantly instrumental and very experimental, Pink Sky offers a jingly-jangly mix of keys, synth (so that’s where all those echoes are coming from) and only one of the usual suspects (cymbal-happy drums)—with the exceptions of “Grow-Op” and “The Turning Point,” on which Thorne’s and Suh’s lilting, talk-talk-talk vocals mesh at a picked-up pace.

Although we expect that sound-chase to continue with their LP, Your Body As a Temple, the band are currently not in the studio—they’re headed up to NorCal to tour. Either way, you’d just have to listen to those EPs, available free on the band’s blog (tandollar.blogspot.com), back-to-back to hear how it all adds up.

Tan Dollar with Railcars, Tempo No Tempo, Magick Orchids and the Endless Bummer at UC Irvine, Social Science 103, Campus and West Peltason drives, Irvine, (949) 824-5011; www.acrobaticseveryday.com. Sat., 8 p.m. $5. All ages. Tan Dollar can be found online at www.myspace.com/tandollar.

Hey, Orange County/Long Beach musicians and bands! Mail your music, contact info, high-res photos and upcoming show dates for possible review to: Locals Only, OC Weekly, 2975 Red Hill Ave., Ste 150, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Or e-mail your link to aching@ocweekly.com.