***It was 2008 and Tony Molina was a man possessed. Over the span of six months, the then 24-year-old San Francisco Peninsula native would record three different records at Bart Thurber’s studio, House of Faith. Two were with Ovens – an LP and a 7” – and the third was a solo album, his first, called Embarrassing Times. “I had these songs that were not totally in the Ovens style,” says Molina. Whereas Ovens had a strong influence from classical music, the Beatles, and Baroque ’60s pop, these new songs had a woolly ’80s/’90s underground bent to them, channeling bands like Dinosaur Jr., the Replacements, and Guided By Voices. His friends had to cancel two days of studio time with Thurber at the last minute, and offered them to Molina. Without giving it too much thought he accepted, and decided to record these songs that didn’t quite fit Ovens. He enlisted lifelong friend and Ovens drummer Beau Monnot to join him, and Embarrassing Times is what came out of that session. The album has a warm, casual, off-the-cuff charm that reflects its humble origins. The original songs on the album are terrific, but what Molina feels sets this record apart are the covers – Roy Wood, the Dead Milkmen, Camper Van Beethoven, and his friend Kyle Spleiss – all of which glow with a sweet nostalgia. Until now the album has only been available on cassette. This release marks its first appearance on wax and its first time receiving proper...
LP $26.95
08/25/2023
***Eight-song 7" from TONY MOLINA and company recorded in 2008. All previously unreleased. Edition of 500 copies.
7" $7.00
09/30/2014
***Eight-song EP from long-running San Francisco-based pop band led by TONY MOLINA but their first time on vinyl! OVENS has alternately been described as "Bach meets LÄRM" and "Weezer meets the Beatles meets the Beach Boys meets old Bee Gees meets Guided By Voices meets the Fucking Champs." There's more than a kernel of truth in these statements, but perhaps a more helpful comparison for those who haven't heard them would be the energetic, earnest pop of the Fastbacks, as might be Teenage Fanclub and Dinosaur Jr. Recorded between 2009-2010 and originally released in 2011 (in a mere 300 copies on black vinyl), this is a limited, identical repress of 150 copies.
7" $6.75
12/24/2013