The River City Tanlines (the name being a play on the concept of a “farmer tan”) is a three-piece rock band from Memphis. Alicja Trout, the principal songwriter, is a veteran of countless noteworthy punk/indie bands over the years, including The Clears (Smells Like Records), The Lost Sounds (with Jay Reatard, In the Red/Fat Possum Records) and her other current projects, Alicja-Pop!, MouseRocket, and Black Sunday.
Likewise, the members of the powerful rhythm section, Terrence Bishop and John Bonds, are no strangers to success. These gentlemen have played behind such names as Jack Oblivian, R.L. Burnside, Jim Dandy & Black Oak Arkansas, and Monsieur Jeffrey Evans.
In 2009 the Tanlines appeared in Craig Brewer’s web series (and soundtrack) for MTV’s Five Dollar Cover, and performed “I’m Your Negative” in a roller derby fight scene. They also have a song—“Black Knight,” a crowd favorite at live shows—featured in the EA Sports video game Skate. And In 2011 they won a battle of the bands organized for an episode of Samantha Brown’s Great Weekends on The Travel Channel when the show was filmed in Memphis. David Fricke of Rolling Stone gave them a rave review in “Fricke’s Picks” after I’m Your Negative was released, referring to Alicja as the band member on “guitar and hellcat vox.”
Together since late 2004, the band has toured extensively in North America and Europe playing clubs and festivals, and has ten releases on various record labels around the world. Their album I’m Your Negative was released in 2006 by Dirtnap Records in Portland, Oregon. They will tour Europe again this October.
Coast To Coast, the newest recording venture from River City Tanlines, was released this week. Produced by Bruce Watson at his Dial Back Sound Studios in Water Valley, it carries the Big Legal Mess label, and is being distributed by Fat Possum. The End Of All Music has the (gorgeous green translucent) vinyl version in stock, as well as the CD format.
To celebrate this release, the Tanlines will perform at Ajax Diner (where there’s never a cover!) on Friday, July 27 with Oxford rockers Beau Bourgeois and Max Hipp of E*Meters. Be there (on the Square)!
(Click here to visit the Facebook event page)
(Click the image below to listen to the album online!)
