Album Notes

Having gotten over on the sophomore slump with last year’s Soft Targets Must Be Destroyed!, Chicago’s Soft Targets have finished their third full-length album for RoosterCow Records. Don’t Put Out was recorded by engineer Kris Poulin (Pinback, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Smog) at Armitage Shanks in Logan Square. Sharper, more focused, better songs? Perhaps, but the record still contains the Soft Targets trademarks; there’s the short bursts of punk rock energy on “When the Apocalypse Comes,” and “Idiot Clause” (a song sung by new drummer Chris Negrete). And there are longer sonic stretches too, as on the disc opener “Figure it Out” and the slightly eerie “Some Days.” Reg Shrader takes on vocals for a cover of “Frustration” by the psychedelic garage band, Mystic Tide, featuring some manic guitar work from Adam Scott (The Peelers, The Mediums). Don’t Put Out ends big with “Big Cats” getting a little help from former Soft Target bassist/vocalist, Tina Finch.

Soft Targets is formed in 2004 by Chris Auman and Carol Bales after the break up of Reagan National Crash Diet. Perry Finch (Vambo Marble Eye) joins on drums. Carol leaves to join Coupleskate. Tina Finch (Smitten) joins on bass. Reg Shrader (Circus Lupus, Seam) joins on guitar. Mrs. Finch departs to concentrate on being pregnant and is replaced by Tim Davison (The Clerics). Soft Targets record the “(Let it) Ricochet” seven inch at Semaphore. Perry departs to concentrate on grad school and is replaced by Dave Potter (Lustre King) who responds to an ad he sees in a local paper (Dave does not have the Internet). They record the Whatever Happened to Soft Targets? EP at Electrical. Tim departs to concentrate on becoming a CPA (what the--?) and is replaced by Dan Kiss (which is his real name. It’s Hungarian). They record their debut CD, We Hate You Soft Targets! for RoosterCow and "The Kids Want Action” seven inch for Loud Devices, and Soft Targets Must Be Destroyed! the following year. Dave Potter’s life spirals out of control after the Cowboys lose the playoffs in early 2008. Chris Negrete (Vamplifier) joins on drums and that’s the line up that records Don’t Put Out.