Engine Kid...

Engine Kid was a fairly interesting band to me and still is for the most part when I go back and listen to a lot of their material. Their sound took on a bunch of different influences that were easily detectable within their own music, however in the end they made it all work. Initially they got a bit of flack for sort of aping Slint’s sound, which isn’t necessarily unwarranted, they did in fact sound a lot like Slint in the beginning. The whole quiet/loud/quiet dynamic was pretty prominent and various mumblings throughout the quieter areas of the bands music were also pretty common. Despite all of that though, the band was good. People can say what they want about them obviously being big Slint enthusiasts but what they did with that influence was pretty impressive. It was heavier for one thing, which naturally sat well with me. However, following the release of their EP Astronaut they released their debut album Bear Catching Fish, which helped establish the group as a band that had something more to offer to the world of noise-rock/post-rock.

Their second album Angel Wings, which was released on Revelation in 1995, is what made Engine Kid so special in my eyes. There is just a lot to take in with this album. It’s hard to judge just as to where it will go, and it still seems like every time I listen to it that I am listening to a completely new album. It doesn’t allow the listener to ever become too familiar with it, which to me is a pretty big deal. The unpredictability of Angel Wings is easily its strongest point in the end. The cover of John Coltrane’s “Olé” at the very end of the album pretty much sums up the direction of it, in that it’s completely free and boundless. In a world of heavy music, it’s rare to see something like that unless you dive deep deep into the underground and even then the amount of shit you have to sift through is a chore. Engine Kid pulled out all the stops for this one incorporating jazz, post-rock, noise-rock, and probably a few more things too. It’s simply an amazing record that really needs to be listened to.

Astronaut:
Engine Kid – Furnace [MP3]

Bear Catching Fish:
Engine Kid – Treasure Chest [MP3]

Angel Wings:
Engine Kid – Windshield [MP3]
Engine Kid – Anchor [MP3]

Heater Sweats Nails 7”:
Engine Kid – Heater Sweats Nails [MP3]
Engine Kid – Husk [MP3]

Engine Kid released one more single before they broke up. Singer/vocalist Greg Anderson would later play in a few different bands, such as Burning Witch and Goatsnake. Currently he can be found in Sunn O))). As far as finding Engine Kid records go, you can still pick up Angel Wings and the split they did with Iceburn over at Revelation Records. Big thanks to Billy in the comments section for providing a link to purchase both Bear Catching Fish and Astronaut. Check out the C/Z Records for those.