February Mix...

I somehow managed to finish this months mix before the month actually ended. I think that has only happened a couple other times. Typically I find myself putting these things together still during the first two or three days of the next month. That is not my goal however...but it's usually what happens. Anyway, so with it being finished so early, that means it's being posted early too! So here is the tracklisting...and enjoy!

01 - Morphine - I'm Free Now
02 - Matthew Caws (Nada Surf) - Blizzard of '77
03 - Camber - First
04 - Pixies - Debaser
05 - Cosmicdust - Meditation
06 - Alif Tree - Enough
07 - Drive-By Truckers - Feb 14
08 - Astrobrite - Violet Eyeliner
09 - Grandaddy - The Animal World
10 - Barbaro - Angel
11 - Robert Pollard - Frequent Weaver Who Burns
12 - Barkmarket - Hack it Off
13 - Couch - Alle Auf Pause
14 - Nada Surf - Telescope
15 - Bellini - The Exact Distance to the Stars
16 - Loveliescrushing - Luma (Web-Like and Crescent)
17 - Orchid - Weekend at the Fire Academy
18 - Modest Mouse - Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset
19 - Far - I Like It
20 - Placebo - Drag

Jesu in April...

Reading over some news the other day I was pleasantly surprised to see that a new EP from Jesu was actually arriving as soon as April 11th through the great Hydrahead Records. I knew the EP was coming, however, just a little over a month away is pretty damn good news if you ask me. The new EP will be titled Silver and will feature 4 new tracks from what I can tell. Everything that has been released by this new project guided by former Godflesh mastermind Justin Broadrick and former Swans/Killing Joke member Ted Parsons has done nothing but impress. For those of you who haven't heard Jesu yet, do yourself a favor and give them a try.

Last years self-titled debut ended up being my number one record of the year, which says a lot considering it came out somewhat early in the year and managed to remain my favorite record throughout. When I first listened to it, as soon as it hit the second track "Friends Are Evil", I was immediately floored and any thoughts of it not being up to par with Godflesh were dashed. As a matter a fact, I enjoy this record probably more than I ever have any album by Godflesh. Regardless, the opening to "Friends Are Evil" is absolutely crushing to which then swells into an equally heavy but lush layer of melody. The song pretty much sets up the rest of the record. Broadrick's lyrics are sparse and for the most part are often repeated, however the music is clearly the focus of Jesu. Clocking in at somewhere in the mid seventies in minutes, the album is a hefty listen, especially when the majority of the songs are slow builders. Practically every song is gradually added to with more and more layers of tiny guitar nuances or ambiance. As lame as it may sound, the album is something that must be taken in rather being initially impressed with on first listen. The more listens it receives, the more you can hear from it. I've seen the album labeled as a million different things, however there is no real tag you can slap on this one. It's heavy, but at the same time it's equally fragile and beautiful.

Buy the Jesu self-titled album here.

Jesu - Friends Are Evil [MP3]
Jesu - Man/Woman [MP3]

Who Doesn't Need Therapy?

Therapy? has managed to endure the test of time it seems like. Maybe not so much in the mainstream corporate world of rock, however the band continues to plod along releasing solid albums of straight up hard rock. Even better, I've hardly ever seen any other bands as enthusiastic about releasing their music after being around for just over 15 years. Amazing really. Anyway, Therapy? are a rock band from Ireland who have pretty much done it all in terms of tasting success and hitting lows. Consisting now of singer/guitarist/founding member Andy Cairns, bassist Michael McKeegan, and drummer Neil Cooper the band is still going strong with a fairly sizeable loyal following over seas despite lineup changes and troublesome label problems. In light of that though, I like to think Therapy? wouldn't be as great as they are if it weren't for those things and I know it definitely wouldn't of produced the album I am about to talk about.

What album am I talking about? It would be 1998's Semi-Detached. For as long as I've been a fan of Therapy? I've found it odd that this release would be my favorite out of their entire discography. Sure, I could of just as easily said Troublegum or Infernal Love, which is easily a close second. However, every song on Semi-Detached just seems to sit just right with me. Consistency is probably the key word I am looking for here.

Coming off the release of the heavily depressing Infernal Love, original drummer Fyfe Ewing left the band and new drummer at the time Graham Hopkins was brought in. Before the recording Martin McCarrick was also officially added as a second guitarist and cello player. After those additions and subtractions, the band recorded Semi-Detached for, then current label, A&M Records. Unfortunately during 1998, mainstream music was making a drastic change and pure rock driven bands like Therapy? or bands that rode the coat tails of the grunge uprising found themselves being thrown to the curb with a huge "unmarketable" sticker attached to their foreheads. So, to no surprise really, when A&M took a listen to Semi-Detached it was decided that the album wouldn't make it over here in the US and the release of it was limited to strictly over seas, which is a shame as the album should of had its chance. However, it's kind of nice to know it's sort of a hidden gem.

I personally find Semi-Detached to be interesting partly due to the fact that Cairns would later mention that the focus of the album was lacking during recording. The pressures of trying to make a rock record within the small creative box that was given to them by A&M obviously had an effect on Cairns' and the rest of the bands ability to focus and to ultimately make a decision on the direction of the record. When listening to it, it's kind of evident that the band definitely wasn't taking nearly as of a daring approach to the songwriting with it, but in turn decided to return to a more pop sensibility, much akin to that found on Troublegum. The best way to me to describe an album like Semi-Detached is basically saying it's the type of rock record you wish you could here on the radio. It's straight forward, poppy at times but not enough to water it down. It's a damn solid rock record and basically that's the reason it remains as my favorite Therapy? album. Nevertheless, the self admitted lack of focus is lost upon me, maybe it goes hand in hand with records accessibility? I don't know, and personally don't care because there are enough great melodies and hooks thrown in that any issue of focus is quickly forgotten.

If you're looking for a good solid album full of straight forward rock, then by all means go to Amazon and get a used copy, seeing as this album is long since out of print. Even as an import, it won't cost you much.

Therapy? - Heavens Gate [MP3]
Therapy? - Black Eye Purple Sky [MP3]
Therapy? - Safe [MP3]

The Life and Times...

After the eventual disbanding of the great band Shiner, Allen Epley formed a new trio under the name of The Life and Times with fellow members Chris Metcalf (Stella Link) and Eric Abert (Ring, Cicada). Hearing the news of this after being a big fan of Shiner made me terribly excited at the time and when I finally got a hold of their EP, The Flat End of the Earth, it sent my excitement and anticipation for a full-length soaring even further. So last year was the year that The Life and Times dropped their Desoto debut on us, and for the most part it was everything I expected it to be...maybe a bit underwhelming just due to the fact that I had built this up in my head for at least a year and a half or so. Anyway, their album Suburban Hymns was released last year and it seemed to be received pretty well from most publications.

When first hearing their initial EP, it reminded me a lot more Shiner, except I could see then that Epley had decided to take a bit different of a route and focus a bit more on incorporating some melody into the mixture. Before that, Shiner had always been a bit more on the mathematical side of things and with a more plodding chunky guitar sound. With The Flat End of the Earth, it isn't a drastic change in sound, but this is still clearly a different band for Epley.

Although Suburban Hymns never fully overwhelmed like I had hoped it would, the album itself is actually really solid. To my surprise though, the similarities to Epley's former band Shiner, were almost all but gone. I had expected something similar to an albums worth of songs like on the EP. However, when I was listening for the first time, I was met with a wash of guitars and the use of vocal effects galore. Albeit a bit over the top, the whispy vocals were a nice surprise and a welcome addition. The melodies are all there, although coated this time with a greater white noise type of distortion delivered along with it. What ends up happening on Suburban Hymns is that it dabbles in just about everything rock after awhile. Encompassing everything that was great about 90's alt-rock and at the same time giving nods and winks to bands like My Bloody Valentine and the entire legion of post-rock bands in this day and age. The great thing about The Life and Times and their up to date output is that it's done right and it's done well. It may not be overwhelming or mind blowing, but there is no denying Allen Epley has a knack for creating music that will make the softest of alternative rock fans yearn for the days when music like this flooded the air waves and made label reps trip all over each other just to sign bands like this.

If your interested in checking them out, you can visit them at their site. Also, you can still purchase their EP from 5440 or Fight Records and their full-length from Desoto. It's well worth it if your a fan of either Shiner or just good old fashion 90's alternative rock.

The Life and Times - High Scores [MP3]
The Life and Times - Coat of Arms [MP3]
The Life and Times - Shift Your Gaze [MP3]

Keepin' up in '06...

As always, I return from my weekend off and am back to working for a stretch. Always fun. I need to use my vacation soon. However, now I will be back in the act of posting.

I can't really tell if this year has started off better than '05 or not in terms of music. I can't say I have been excited for to much that has come out so far, but the list of future releases has me pretty hopeful for this year being pretty great. However, despite the somewhat slow start, I have found myself enjoying a handful of albums, some of which I have already mentioned on here. It's time now though to catch up on a couple more, and coincidentally they happen to fall into the shoegaze label. So you have been warned...

This first album comes from Astrobrite, which is essentially Scott Cortez and whoever else he has play the backing instruments. It took me awhile to warm up to Astrobrite initially, but after hearing a track off a small shoegaze sampler, for which I forget the name of, I was sold on it. It's still not something that I oooh and ahhh over, but the sound Cortez can produce through a run of the mill 4-track is pretty incredible really. Think of it as a sort of lo-fi take on shoegaze. Anyway, this new album, titled Pinkshinyultrablast, is the labor of 10 years of Cortez recording in a bedroom on, yes, a 4-track. The material was then mastered by Narasaki of Coaltar of the Deepers fame, which I find to pretty nifty, being a big fan of that band as well. The result is fairly impressive. It's an achievement in its own right really, because it teeters on the fine line of either white noise or fuzzed out melodic bliss. Casual listeners may find it still to be a bit abrasive, but in the end it seems as if Cortez has really pushed the delicate combination of noise and melody to a whole new level. There is beauty to be found in this chaos of sorts. As of right now, unfortunately, the album is available as a Japanese import only with no set US date announced. However, if you're still interested, you can find it over at Tonevendor.

Astrobrite - Lollipop [MP3]
Astrobrite - Violet Eyeliner [MP3]

This is the debut album, titled Snow Noise Assemblage, from Tokyo based Cosmicdust, which is yet another one man shoegaze project. After listening to this, it becomes quite apparent that this is definitely a product of Japan. The songs occasionally incorporate their instantly recognizable brand of bubble gum pop that is becoming much more widespread these days, for good reason too. There are many more things to be found on Snow Noise Assemblage though, all the way from the small electronic nuances here and there to the sometimes harsh abrasive tones similar to those of MBV or even Medicine. A solid debut from an artist who obviously has something to give to the genre. Purchase the CD directly from Cosmicdust. You can also check out the MySpace page for the project.

Cosmicdust - Meditation [MP3]

January Mix...

For those that don't already know, I make a monthly mix of music (both old and new) that I find myself jamming along with on my computer. I have managed to keep this up for a little over a year now. Anyway, every month I will post the mix for a short time so others can take a listen and hopefully find something they might like out of it. The mixes will be taken down either midway, or at the end of the month in favor of next month. So get them while you can.

January 2006 (Fat Tracks for Fulci PART 14)

01. Jose Gonzalez - Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division)
02. Cave In - Inflatable Dream
03. The Decemberists - The Engine Driver
04. The Knife - Na Na Na
05. Knapsack - Thursday Side of the Street
06. Mixtapes and Cellmates - Static Oh Static
07. Eric's Trip - My Chest is Empty
08. Sufjan Stevens - Opies's Funeral Song
09. Orange 9mm - Can't Decide
10. The Ladies - Empathy on a Stick
11. caUSE co-MOTION - Baby Don't Do It
12. The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Spanish Bee
13. Chuzzlewit - Whispers
14. Drive Like Jehu - Here Come the Rome Plows
15. Polar Bear Club - To the Engravers
16. Film School - Harmed
17. Mellowdrone - Fashionably Uninvited
18. Flying Saucer Attack - Up in Her Eyes
19. Japanther - Change Your Life
20. Ester Drang - Valencia's Dying Dream
21. Jose Gonzalez - Down the Hillside

Wrapped in a Knapsack...

In the current era of where radio is filled with mostly worthless and disposable pop/punk or faux emo music, it's hard to imagine anything with that label being anywhere remotely worth listening to. However, years ago before this trend hit like an atom bomb on the US mainstream radio markets, bands were playing good tight pop/punk and borderline emo in almost complete obscurity. A good example of such would be Day Three of my New Life by a small band called Knapsack, who were formed in 1993 by two college buddies. Put out in 1997 on Alias records, this album borrows from the likes of indie vets Superchunk by dealing up a fat slab of catchy indie rock/pop, with a bit of an emotional edge. You couldn't really label this an emo record, however, it's obviously somewhat rooted in the genre.

The record isn't anything to write home about in terms of originality, cause this has been done a thousand times over. However, the key difference is that it's a solid album that just feels like a truly honest piece of work. If this were released right now, it wouldn't surprise me if it received a lot of attention. However, instead it remains hidden and serves as a timeless record that shows just how good something CAN be if it isn't taken and made into some huge marketing juggernaut for the Hot Topic youth. Take a listen if you want, it's definitely worth it. You can actually still pick this up new from most major online retailers.

Knapsack - Thursday Side of the Street [MP3]
Knapsack - Decorate the Spine [MP3]

We Are Built Around Misplaced Expectations...

As I mentioned with my first post on this blog, I would later come back and write about the criminally underrated Handsome. For most, you could of missed this band if you just happened to blink your eyes for a second in 1997. Gradually put together by guitarist Tom Capone (formerly of Quicksand, Beyond, and Bold) throughout the early 90's it wouldn't be until late '96/early '97 that the group was actually fully solidified. The eventual line-up read like a post-hardcore super group of sorts featuring guitarist Peter Mengede (Helmet), vocalist Jeremy Chatelain (Iceburn), bassist Eddie Nappi, and drummer Pete Hines (Cro-Mags and Murphy's Law). They managed to put out one record during their short tenure together, their self titled album released on Epic Records in 1997. To no surprise though, like a bunch of great bands, the record was lost among the plethora of other rock bands being signed and then tossed aside at the time. The hardships suffered with the label and the failing of the album to be a commercial success resulted in the band eventually disbanding in 1998.

I remember purchasing their only album sometime in 1997, I didn't rush out to get it, as I should of. Being a fan of both Quicksand and Helmet and following both bands religiously, I of course found myself purchasing it eventually. I had no idea at what to expect from it and other than the names Capone and Mengede, I had no idea who the rest of the members were. Being young and stupid is pretty shitty sometimes when you realize what you pretty much missed. Regardless, upon first hearing Handsome I pretty much wrote them off, however I do remember enjoying the album quite a bit. I had a friend though who absolutely loved the record, which I thought was weird because I didn't see what he liked so much about it. Seeing that now, I wish he would of forced me to listen to it more than I did. One thing I do remember about that though, is he ordered a video off the Internet of Handsome playing live on one of their tours, and I remember watching it and thinking at how terribly sad it was that the audience was standing there like totem poles while Chatelain ran across stage giving it his all. Not a single body moved during their set, except maybe a couple people up front jumping around and waving their arms. I think that right there just sums up how entirely under appreciated this band was throughout their entire time together. I unfortunately lent a hand in that under appreciation, which I truly regret.

Their sound was a bit different than most typical post-hardcore acts. Handsome played with a more prominent melodic sound to their music, and focused much more on catchy hooks with even a bit of a pop song writing influence. However, Handsome still rocked incredibly hard. Their lyrics were still noticeably rooted much in the members hardcore pasts, which was a nice touch. The vocals from Jeremy Chatelain were incredibly passionate and fit perfectly with the bands melodic post-hardcore approach. In actuality, everything about this band worked almost flawlessly together. The song writing was just that good that it brought everything together in one nice package. Odd way to put it, but it's the best I can do. Anyway, I never really heard of the band breaking up, but I kind of figured they did eventually. To me they just kind of disappeared, like a lot of bands during that time period. It's too bad, cause the records these guys could of put out would of no doubt been as equally amazing as their self-titled and even as good some of their past projects.

Handsome - Waiting [MP3]
Handsome - Thrown Away [MP3]
Handsome - Quiet Liar [MP3]
Handsome - Going to Panic [MP3]

After the split, Jeremy Chatelain joined up with indie rockers Jets to Brazil, you can now find Chatelain in the current reformed lineup of Helmet handling bass duties. Tom Capone would later go on to form Adharma and then later Instruction. Eddie Nappi would later find himself in Enemy.

You can probably find the self-titled album pretty cheaply on most sites like Amazon or Half.com being sold used. I would suggest checking either of those sites out for a good deal on their CD.