Tanner...

After Ryan Foxe left the notoriously oddball San Diego group Fishwife remaining members Gar Wood (Hot Snakes), Chris Prescott (Hemlock, No Knife, Pinback), and Matt Ohlin continued on as the trio known as Tanner. Although their existence was fairly short, only remaining together from 1993 to 1997, the band did manage to release a handful of singles and two pretty fantastic albums in 1995’s Ill-Gotten Gains and 1997’s (Germo) Phobic. Over the years the albums sort of have gotten lost in the wealth of great releases that came out of the San Diego music scene during that time. In a group where Yank Crime is sometimes considered the be all end all of post-hardcore records, some might be surprised as to just how well Tanner’s material holds up in comparison as personally I feel like both of their albums came close to or possibly matched the intensity levels of said peers. The bands sound was equally driving and explosive, both records of theirs deliver riff after riff in an uncompromising frenetic pace however they remained incredibly tight, which was undoubtedly due to years of playing together anyway in their previous band. For anyone that enjoys the type anxiety ridden post-hardcore that the Southern California scene produced during the early to mid nineties, then definitely check out Tanner. Although never receiving the type of praise they most definitely deserved, they were one of the finest of the bunch without a doubt.

Ill-Gotten Gains:
Tanner – Computers That Breathe [MP3]
Tanner – Noose [MP3]

(Germo) Phobic:
Tanner – 2 Parts Gas [MP3]
Tanner – Dolls of You [MP3]

For those looking to pick up either of Tanner’s albums, they are still copies available through various vendors on Amazon for relatively decent prices, so by all means pick these up if the tunes above peak your interest. It’s good stuff.