GRTT
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Golden Rules the Thumb is the self-titled debut from Portland songwriter/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Tyler Jackson’s new project, a seven-piece collective that includes fellow and former Foam Castles/Endless Jags bandmates Shannon Allen (bass, keys) Peet Chamberlain (bass), and Jonas Eule (drums, percussion, harmonium). Along with vocalist Tess Van Horn, former Fur/Rattlesnakes/Gully bassist Greg Bazinet, and Portland rock elder statesman Flash Allen (Shannon's dad, on keys), the group have made an album about memories and time with a shocking twist — you might think it’s about them, but it’s actually about you. It’s about all of us! M. Night Shyamalan is in some dark corner seething with jealousy right now.

GRTT’s jangle-pop meets psychedelic folk-rock is really interesting to me because it tweaks a lot of my ‘80s and ‘90s college rock strings while giving me a better production experience. I hear so much of that Athens, Georgia-style grit and chaos on this record (think REM’s 1983 debut Murmur), but it’s a smooth, intentionally crafted and produced collection of songs, too (think Tame Impala’s 2010 release InnerSpeaker).