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Review: Tsar
by Jordan Hoffman

published 7/17/00

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Jordan Hoffman is LeisureSuit.net's Queens-based Senior Editor.



MOST RECENT YAK ABOUT THIS ARTICLE:

Subj: awesome
this is the coolest effin song eva!

-- aimz
Jul 1, 2005 at 4:10PM

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The great Kerry Douglas Dye, who knows more about math or physics or coding in XML or anything else than I could never dream of understanding, is very honest about his ignorance of popular music. He knows one thing, though. He knows that "Runaround Sue" is a perfect pop song because, as he puts it, it stops. "I love a song that stops," he told me one night in a bar. "Runaround Sue is great because it stops a lot."

It's not just Mr. Dye that's picked up on this, but LA glam-pop band Tsar. Tsar not only fill their songs with "stops," but with flanges, cowbells, false endings, three-chord hooks plucked straight from jangle heaven and harmonies taken from Lennon and McCartney. It's hard to praise a band with a name like Tsar without saying it, so here goes: Tsar Rule!

Their eponymous album features ten perfect guitar-driven power-pop gems for and about the mythical lanky raggy-headed American youth who wants to soar and be free and be with his girl and zip down the highway with the top down and hum along and pump his fist. Tsar's album is better than Fountains of Wayne's much celebrated Utopia Parkway because, at a very real level, Tsar mean it. Call it peace or call it treason, call it love or call it reason, but Tsar, for better or worse, have not a hint of irony in their voice, falsetto or otherwise.

A few years back, music like Tsar's might have actually made money. Weezer and Blur and Green Day sold a bazillion records, now they're trumped by dreck like Eminem. For what it's worth, Tsar's "I Don't Wanna Break Up" is as kick ass as "Basket Case." And anything on Cheap Trick's Heaven Tonight too.

The gestalt psychology behind the success of "I Don't Wanna Break Up" is as basic as can be found in successful, good pop. Tub-tub drums, a simple riff, and, what can never be faked, the mix of desperation and the rock star accent (mid-west cum Brit) in the "heys" and "woos" and "ahhs."

"I tell you the truth, you're kinda' beautiful yeah," singer Jeff Whalen who looks all of 15 confides. A call to arms for the skateboard set, "The Teen Wizards," opens with a soulful piano accompaniment, some "hi-hih-hiiiiis," then crunch-crunch-crunches with "Over The Edge" chords as phrases like "rock city on the ra-d-io" get tossed around. Could the opening track, "Calling All Destroyers" actually be code for the second generation of the Kiss Army?

"MONoSTEReo" might be about King Kong or the Scopes trial, I can't tell. I got worried about the reference to Jean-Paul Sartre for a minute, but that quickly subsided when a phrase ending in "done" was rhymed with "5, 4, 3, 2, 1." And the chorus, "uh-oh, here we go."

Other cuts of merit include "Kathy Fong is the Bomb" about a high school hottie, and the troublesome thought that she may think one of us is gay.

Listen, man, I don't have to sell you on Tsar. Buy the record, it's like thirty-five minutes long. If you have a pulse, you'll like Tsar. But there are two ways to go. You'll either think, "this is fun," or you'll think, "this is it!" It's obvious by now which camp I'm in.

Tsar are opening for Duran Duran this summer. I may go, just to catch the opening act.


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Name: aimz
Subject: awesome
-- Jul 1, 2005 at 4:10PM
this is the coolest effin song eva!

Name: Toni
Subject: jeff whalen
-- Mar 23, 2001 at 10:58PM
Someone said that Jeff isnt the sharpest crayon in the box, becuz he doesnt know that one of the bsb's co-wrote a song. If he dont like the group why should he care? But also, when they say someone co-wrote the song it could mean they wrote one line.....doesnt mean he has any ability to write songs.

Name: The Editors Respond
Subject: Re: Tsar
-- Dec 28, 2000 at 10:19PM
Be sure to check back on Jan 2 for our year-in-review issue. You'll see that Tsar ranks pretty highly.

Name: roklovr
Subject: Tsar
-- Dec 28, 2000 at 9:52PM
I swear to God I have been all over this crazy internet and I cannot believe that more people, entities, whatever haven't named Tsar the best band and album of the year. Defies explanation, to put simply. Makes me think they should take their ball and go home, but I know they won't 'cause they're a real band, with real songs and Goddamn impressive amount of heart. Say hello to the latest Big Star everybody. And if it does take 20 years, it'll still be worth it.

Name: Kitty N.
Subject: Tsar
-- Dec 18, 2000 at 12:05AM
Hey you guys need to stop collecting Tsar MP3s and go buy their CD. I am sooo pregnant! Not too long ago Jeff W. and I met in Las Vegas and we were really drunk after his show so, we went and got an Elvis wedding. Don't worry though girls, cuz I didn't like it so we went through a drive-thru divorce. As a result of that night though, I am drinking pickle juice, if ya know what I mean. So please please please go buy Tsar's CD so Jeff can have some money to spare for our little monkey child! I mean every song on the CD just friggin' rawks man! I'm sorry Jimmy, its not your child.

Name: bbjessee
Subject: TSAR
-- Dec 1, 2000 at 2:57PM
Can you have any better stage presence than TSAR. I don't think so. They are going to be the epic rock band of this millennium. ROCK ON TSAR

Name: dreamwarrior
Subject: Jeff Whelan
-- Nov 28, 2000 at 3:23PM
Jeff W. rules
I think he is one of the coolest guys since Kurt Cobain! TSAR will become one of the most successful groups in this millenium!!!!!!

Name: ace china
Subject: sexrock
-- Sep 23, 2000 at 5:37PM
jimmy is really juest
beating off to Tsar.

Name: jimmy
Subject: Tsar: sexrock
-- Sep 23, 2000 at 12:13PM
that's what tsar is. sexrock. sexrock that'll get ya laid real fast if ya boom it near some hotties. careful though, a swarm of hotties can be dangerous boys. Tsar fucking rocks!

Name: STeVoPuNK
Subject: Re: Feces of the soul
-- Sep 17, 2000 at 10:29PM
Tsar is a band to be reckoned with. Nirvana did it to the white rain hair spray trailor park trash as Tsar will do it to the "poppers" of the industry. Tsar IS music as music is music. Corporate Execs. are in check..........go Tsar!

Name: lexi
Subject: jeff
-- Sep 12, 2000 at 5:50PM
Tsar kicks ass and jeff whalen is so hot! im only 14 but i would do anything with him!

Name: Sunny C.
Subject: Tsar
-- Sep 11, 2000 at 3:13PM
Groupies suck. I hope they're not banging them.

Name: Ms_MoDean
Subject: lead singer Jeff
-- Aug 20, 2000 at 11:45PM
Lead singer Jeff may be cute, but he's not the sharpest crayon in the box.

When I saw them in concert they sang "Larger Than Life" by The Backstreet Boys and afterward at the meet-and-greet Jeff was wearing a BSB t-shirt. So someone said "do you like the Backstreet Boys?" and Jeff said, "the Backstreet Boys suck." so the guy says "then why do you sing their song?" and Jeff said "It's not their song, they didn't write it."
Well, it's co-written by Brian Littrel. Who does Jeff think Brian is anyway?? Or is he so unaware of the songs that he performs that he doesn't know who writes them? Or would he just say something that is blatantly a lie? Or is he just ashamed of the fact that he really is a BSB fan?? (o:

Name: beth
Subject: openers
-- Aug 16, 2000 at 2:16PM
i seriously didn't think there was a band capable or worthy to open for Duran Duran. after i saw them last night in Cleveland, i changed my mind about that! i love Tsar! but they still can't top my DD.

Name: cultoftsar
Subject: tsar
-- Aug 9, 2000 at 9:45PM
You make me cry when you say things bad about tasr. they're happy. why can't you be?

Name: Tsarina_Tsarina
Subject: Fan Club!!
-- Aug 1, 2000 at 11:29PM
Join the Tsar fan club at:
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/tsar

Name: Hannahtoes
Subject: opening for Duran
-- Jul 31, 2000 at 1:46AM
I'm 38 and went to see Duran Duran tonight (7/30/00 at Kings Dominion). The opening act was Tsar. After seeing them Duran was a disappointment!

Name: Jordan Hoffman Responds
Subject: Re: tsar and pop groups
-- Jul 30, 2000 at 5:43PM
Power-pop and bubble-gum pop are about as different as baroque and 20th Century Classical, so long as everyone defines their terms.

Name: mgotlib
Subject: tsar and pop groups
-- Jul 30, 2000 at 2:49PM
If the secret to good pop song is "stopping",
I wouldnt mind if some of today's pop groups (Backdoor boys, oops I think its Backstreet, Lipsynk or is it NSynk, etc) would discover this secret and just STOP already.

Name: Nick Rhodes
Subject: best band since us
-- Jul 28, 2000 at 1:33AM
Simply put, we will be lucky if they don't blow us off the stage every night.

(But I don't think they like boys)

Name: TsarChick
Subject: Oh yeah...
-- Jul 27, 2000 at 4:07PM
... and hey, Jordan. Damn, your review nailed it. Nice work. Rock on!

Name: TsarChick
Subject: TSAR (duh)
-- Jul 27, 2000 at 4:01PM
I'd drink Jeff Whalen's bathwater, I would.

Name: Jordan Hoffman Responds
Subject: Re: tsar is god
-- Jul 26, 2000 at 7:27PM
It does not surprise me that Tsar get a lot of girls. Bastards.

Name: john demare
Subject: tsar is god
-- Jul 26, 2000 at 7:10PM
I love this band so much that I would do anything for them, including screw all their groupies. they get so many chicks you wouldn't believe it. they rock fuckers!!!!!

Name: tsarfan
Subject: tsarrules
-- Jul 26, 2000 at 7:08PM
tsar is the greatest rock band in a long time. if you don't think so, you simply do not rock!


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