Artist description Black Market Pop is a 7-piece machine of pure rocking ska power from Bloomington, Indiana. Their debut album, "Starts," was released in February 2000 to rave reviews, and they blew the minds of countless Southerners on tour in March. Without a doubt, poised to take over the world.

Music Style Ska-Punk-Rock

Musical Influences All over the map, from the Specials to Sunny Day Real Estate, from Madness to Metallica

Similar Artists Less Than Jake, the Clash, the Specials, MU330

Artist History Founded in late 1997, and after about a million lineup changes, stablilized somewhat in its current form in late 1999.

Group Members Thom Atkinson- vocals/tromboneBen Carnahan- guitarFrancisco Cutter- vocals/bassLisa Hammersley- saxophoneClint Merkel- drumsRebekah Olsen- trumpetJoe Siefert- trombone

Instruments guitar, bass, drums, trombone, bari saxophone, trumpet

Albums Starts

Press Reviews Black Market Pop no longer tartby Heidi DrockelmanBloomington Independent, January 20, 2000 Does a rose by any other name smell as sweet? Well, in the case of the newly dubbedBlack Market Pop (minus the Tarts), it's sweeter. This Friday marks the two-yearanniversary of Black Market Pop's first performance, held at Rhino's all-ages club. Onthis occassion, this winsome group is preparing to release their new CD, STARTS, forpublic consumption. This kick-ass show featuring national darlings and Asian Manrecording artists MU330, will help BMP kick out the jams in style - where it all started.Of course, the name change the band has undergone was subject to my speculation: Iwondered, after the BI's own battle with print giants at the Village Voice, is it possiblethat another Bloomington-based group has been subjected to corporate abuse as well?Has Tony the Tiger gone loco?Vocalist/trombonist/flailing-madman Thom Atkinson elaborates, "We did not get suedby Kellogg's. We weren't scared of getting sued by Kellogg's. We haven't fired ourhorn line and turned emo-punk (as so many others seem to be doing these days...though it would probably help our album sales)."He continues, "Seriously, I was just sick of people calling us 'The Pop Tarts' all thetime. The Pop-Tarts was an all-girl disco group from New York City back in theSeventies. And I think 'Black Market Pop' sounds a little more dark and indie and lessinfantile. It fits with where I think the band is going. BMPT really did fit the bandwhen we started a couple years ago, by really tapping into the irreverent, 'fun'approach we took to the music. And we're still into fun and irreverence, but with anewfound respect for ourselves and the music. It's the same youthful energy, but witha more refined 'heart', I guess."And a more refined sound. After listening to the 10-track disc, it's apparent that BMPwent into the studio with polished material and a sense of purpose. The productionitself, recorded locally at Farm Fresh Studios, is top-rate and pretty much blows mostlocal recordings, from a technical point of view, right on their ass. The time and carethat each member (eight strong, plus guests) took in making their part of this recordinga harmonious venture, is evident in the excellent quality of overall sound. More thanthis, however, BMP sounds TIGHT. There are enough bubbles and squeaks to makethis believable punk/ska, but an overall sound and song quality to make this anultimately accessible collection of songs.With musical influences and preferences that march all over the musical map, includingMadness, Less Than Jake, Metallica, Sunny Day Real Estate, Soul Coughing, DavidBowie, and many more, it's clear that there is a complex undercarriage driving theband. At times, BMP seems to channel the Specials, the Clash, and theaforementioned Madness in spots here and there, but they retain their individuality bycreating songs that are energetic, on occassion frenetic, and well-constructed toshowcase their many instrumental talents.The opening track, "St. Pete", is a great introduction to the disc, a little bit poppier thanthe rest of the disc, but a good way to get their hooks into the listener. Enter "BigEasy", with a monster guitar riff and an old-school punk ambition that could easilymake Joe Strummer pump his fist. "Woodstock", which features a recreation of thefamous Snoopy sidekick's theme song on a sweet horn line and guest pianist StanleyFlorek, rocks into apop-culture consciousness. If there is one song that breaks the traditional mold (but notnecessarily the momentum) on this outing, it's "7:30", finding an almost torch-singerCutter churning out an old-style rock ballad.Launching into "Big Bad Tom", a song that seemed destined for Blink 182-dom at firstbut later redeeming itself as less reviling by a longshot, a cover of Billy Joel's "OnlyThe Good" that most definitely feels like you're on speed, and the self-proclaimed"BMPT Manifesto" finishes off a disc that is entertaining, listenable, and shows greatpotential for Black Market Pop in the future.

Location Bloomington, Indiana - USA

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