Their album No Junk Mail Please has something for everyone, and they can really pull off the changes in tone well. Perhaps the more I think about it the thing which unites all of the tracks is not schizophrenia but rather that they are all crazy good.
No Junk Please demonstrates that 21 Tandem Repeats possesses the chops to transcend the "regional darling" label and help fill the void once filled by such groups as The Skydiggers, Rheostatics and others. Check out the transcontinental hockey ditty On Frozen Pond for confirmation.
Reminiscent of the Tragically Hip and their down-home Canadian Folk Rock, No Junk Mail Please showcases some great songwriting, striking melodies and simple country rhythms.
21 Tandem Repeats don’t so much as make music as grow it on an organic sound farm somewhere deep in the damp heart of BC, harvesting it when the melodies are sweetest, and the musicianship is ripest.
"One of the most successful and important artists in the city"
"I can see how 21TR have nestled themselves into Van city with a weekly bar gig; with songs like this, you could develop quite the following"
"it is held together fast by folk-infused country rhythms, catchy guitar picking, and an easy-going lyrical sensibility"
"they own the clever hooks that make the tunes so special, making several of the songs endearing treasures"
"Witty, guileless and sometimes folksy...The loose sounding arrangements and uncluttered production add to the charm."
21 Tandem Repeats "Never wanted to be anyone"
The album opener, “Come Again,” is the strongest track—a gloriously breezy and catchy semi-pastoral backporch gallop celebrating the upside of the downer life: the authentic sense of freedom and parity found in good friends and good times. And who can’t get behind that?
"The beautiful guitar riffs are worth listening to."
Singer/songwriter/guitarist Shockk has been responsible for some of the finest music to come out of this sleepy scene in the past decade. From his contributions to fusion-istic rock pioneers Roadbed to his exploits with perfectionist punk purveyors Mongoose, Shock has proven himself one of the most important, influential and underrated musicians around. And, as if that's not enough to put this virtuoso on the map, Shockk has even been rumoured to be a protege of the infamous rock outlaw Motorcycle Man.
But while most of Shockk's other projects are all about the rock, his latest effort - a smooth and sweet electro jazz jam that goes by the name Interior Design - is all about the roll.
Written, performed, recorded and mixed solely by Shockk (with a little trumpet added by local scene fixture and fellow songwriter extraordinaire Roger Dean Young), Interior Design's latest release, entitled Interior Design 03, is everything we have come to expect from this fearless innovator. And while the tip of Interior Design 03 is definitely a modern one, Shockk still manages to hold true to that which has made him such an underground icon all these years: Great songwriting.
“After recently finding out that The Rheostatics had broken up after nearly 2 decades of stellar service, I was left with the question of "who now will assume the mantle of most Canadian band"? Early returns had such established acts as The Sadies and The Weakerthans vying for my attention. Either one could probably be annointed as the promised ones without too much grumbling from the masses. But you know, "Most Canadian Band" is a tough thing to quantify. Ya gotta be kinda folky to show your Gordon Lightfoot roots... kinda Country like Stompin' Tom Connors (of course)... ya gotta rock like The Guess Who and you gotta be real smart, like Neil Young. That's a lot for any band to aspire to, but 21 Tandem Repeats shows real promise in all those areas... they are the quintessential 5 tool player, and will be making their move on the front runners any time now.” Red Cat Records
" On the 16 tracks that make up Last Dance @ the Shockcenter, the group proves itself a progressive jazz-rock outfit of the finest sort. Stellar musicianship, mind-bending lyrics, and adventurous arrangements make it clear that Roadbed would be much better off sending well-rolled doobies to prospective reviewers rather than lowly boxes of ale.