Frodus - And We Washed Our Weapons in the Sea

While undoubtedly going out while on top of their game, Frodus released the amazing And We Washed Our Weapons in the Sea in 2001 which was their final album. Oddly though the record was recorded in 1999 and the original label that was supposed to release it folded. The record remained in question until Fueled by Raman was kind enough to put it out. It’s a good thing they did, as the album is widely considered to be their most amazing work and to me personally is one of the best post-hardcore records ever.

The album was an eye opener to a lot of fans of the band as they had all but abandoned their original sound, which had often led to the group being associated with the spazzcore genre. However, And We Washed Our Weapons in the Sea was a completely different animal. The album showed them experimenting a lot more and sporting a sound that on the outside was toned down but proved to be incredibly complex and a challenging listen as well. The band had taken such a large jump that they did the unthinkable and pretty much surpassed the expectations that fans or anyone else had for them.

Frodus – Red Bull of Juarez [MP3]
Frodus – Year of the Hex [MP3]

I am pretty sure this album is no longer in print; however it is available on iTunes for anyone that may be interested in that. Otherwise, check around for used copies and whatnot.

Oxbow - An Evil Heat

Since there isn’t much in new music hitting right now, I will just stick with a past favorite for the time being. I was putting together a mix a couple weeks ago in which I wanted the first disc to be sort of menacing in a way. Although it didn’t take me long to compile enough songs for that disc, one band that immediately jumped into my head was San Francisco’s very own, Oxbow. Really, they were almost perfect. When it comes to all things deranged and possibly borderline insane, they are pretty much one of my top choices. The toughest part was choosing a song from them. I mean, I could have pretty much closed my eyes and pointed and whatever it was would have worked. However, I went with the song “Sorry” off of their magnificent release on Neurot titled An Evil Heat.

I hold it in such high regard when compared to the rest of the bands catalog because it was recorded five years after their last album. With such a layoff, one might have expected a bit of rust. However, to even once think that or doubt them was a mistake in the first place. An Evil Heat ended up becoming my favorite album of theirs, as they pretty much came back and blew me away. Although Eugene Robinson’s maniacal tirades and fairly disturbing lyrical content might be a bit much for some, I’ve always personally found it to be quite compelling and if anything, brutally honest. You can’t ask for anything more than that from music.

An Evil Heat is probably the most in your face album of theirs. Although quite simplistic, it manages the mood and balance of psychological prodding that it performs on the listener better than any record I’ve heard from them. Its effectiveness is undeniable in that area. Even to this day I honestly don’t see Oxbow mentioned enough, but having the ability to make a casual music listener highly uncomfortable has its price and that’s probably one of them. However, those that find some sort of solace and understanding within their music absolutely love it.

Oxbow – S Bar X [MP3]
Oxbow – Sorry [MP3]

I am thinking that the majority of Oxbow’s earlier material is out of print, however you can still pick up An Evil Heat and the great compilation that just came out this year Love That Lasts on Amazon. Enjoy!

Polvo - Today's Active Lifestyles

I have returned. I hope everyone had a nice holiday. I finally got with the times and got an iPod after a couple years of pretty much putting it off. It’s pretty cool thus far, although it was a gigantic pain in the ass to try and do anything with it on Christmas Day that involved logging onto the iTunes store (registering, album artwork, etc.). I am guessing I wasn’t the only one to receive an iPod for Christmas judging by how often their server was down and whatnot.

Anyway, I’ve found myself listening to Today’s Active Lifestyles by the amazing Polvo a lot lately. It had been awhile since I had really listened to anything by Polvo. I think I remember busting out Exploded Drawing awhile back, but nothing real recent. I basically rediscovered just how great Today’s Active Lifestyles is and even though I hadn’t listened to it in awhile up until this past week or so, it does contain one of my favorite songs of all time. I imagine if I had some sort of comprehensive list of all my favorite songs that “Stinger (Five Wigs)” would easily be near the top of that list. It’s an amazing song clocking in at around seven and a half minutes; it just seemingly covers so much ground and is one of those songs that have such a captivating sound to it that I wish it would just continue on forever. You might say that this whole post is just an excuse to talk about that song, and that’s partly true. However, they had plenty of other great songs as well…so that isn’t entirely the case, haha.

I imagine most are quite aware at just how great they were, so there is no real reason to blab on about them. I consider them to be one of the best bands that could be thrown into the whole math rock circle. They were considerably different though, way more off in their own world with a sound that was practically all over the place and full of oddball rhythms.

Polvo – Stinger (Five Wigs) [MP3]
Polvo – Action vs. Vibe [MP3]

You can by Polvo music over at Insound. I am pretty sure most, if not all, of their material is still in print.

I’ll be back tomorrow with a bit lengthier update. I got to get myself back into the swing of things again.

Built on a Weak Spot: Top 20 of 2006

Well, it's finally done. Another year in the books. It's been a good one and I am extremely thankful for all the great music that came out this year. I am also extremely thankful for all the people that have commented and sent e-mails over the entire year showing their appreciation for BOAWS. It really means a lot. Anyway, enough of my babbling. Here it is, my 20 favorite albums from this year. I'll probably not be updating until after Christmas, so I hope everyone has a great holiday and a safe one at that. Enjoy!

20. Pinebender – Working Nine to Wolf
[Lovitt]
Buy Here!
Possibly one of Chicago’s loudest bands, however they do it while playing so damn slow. Not to mention they open up Working Nine to Wolf with an almost 14 minute long song. That’s what Pinebender is, completely bombastic in their approach. Their sound is helped by a baritone guitar instead of a traditional bass, giving them an almost psychedelic feel. However, the album is bursting with distortion laden melodies that are so deep and rich that it’s practically worth just sitting there and letting it rattle your walls. Having been recorded at electrical audio, it’s no surprise that this record sounds as good as it does.

Pinebender - Polly Gray [MP3]

19. Channels – Waiting for the Next End of the World
[Dischord]
Buy Here!
I’m glad that J. Robbins felt like coming out from behind the controls to record with his new band this year. I had practically forgotten about this record before it came out because it had been so long since I had heard anything about the band. Seeing the release date listed on AMG practically made me fall out of my chair, and by the time the album was released it was completely worth it. Robbins undoubtedly still has every bit of the enthusiasm and skilled touch that he has been able to apply to every band he has ever been in. His lyrics are even sharper than ever, applying at times some very scathing wit and sarcasm. Although I liked Burning Airlines, Channels is probably the best thing he’s been a part of since Jawbox. Hearing this puts a big old smile on my face and “Helen Mirren” may be one of the best songs I’ve heard all freaking year.

Channels - Helen Mirren [MP3]

18. Rx Bandits - …And the Battle Begun
[Mash Down Babylon]
Buy Here!
If anyone would have told me that I would have an Rx Bandits album on my year end list sometime in the future, then I probably would have laughed and maybe even punched them. I doubt the punching part however as I am pretty skinny and can’t afford to get my ass completely handed to me in a fist fight. It took me until this album to realize what a talented group of musicians this band is made up of. They were just as, if not more, impressive this year live. If I could count their live performance then they would probably be even higher on this list. Such an amazing time and it sounded absolutely flawless. This isn’t your average flash in a pan ska band, so to those who may have written them off like I did for so many years, well…you should probably give them a chance. They’ve come so far from what they initially started as and during the same time have morphed into an amazing band.

Rx Bandits - Only for the Night [MP3]

17. Kayo Dot – Dowsing Anemone with Copper Tongue
[Robotic Empire]
Buy Here!
I am aware that this was being sold near the end of ’05 while the band was on tour. However, I believe that the CD wasn’t actually released until the beginning of January. So, as you can imagine, this was one of the first records I heard at the beginning of the year. It’s always impressive to me that an album can stick it out a whole year, fending off tons of other releases and still remain to be one of the best records I hear all year. I just find this album so incredibly interesting, with various bits of jazz and its continual nightmarish dreamlike vibe. It’s the perfect album to lie in bed with headphones on and let it completely take over. Even after a year of hearing this, it still remains mysterious and like a completely new listen each time I put it on. Consider me in love with whatever disturbingly surreal and fucked up world that Kayo Dot considers itself a part of.

Kayo Dot - Gemini Becoming the Tripod [MP3]


16. Sonic Youth – Rather Ripped
[Geffen]
Buy Here!
After all these years, Sonic Youth still manages to creep on to this list. There just isn’t much to say about them at this point. Rather Ripped is yet another solid record. Oddly enough however is on this album they sound so incredibly settled and, dare I say, consistent? After endless amounts of experimentation over the years it’s with Rather Ripped that they band has finally made a record that could possibly be as close to “pop” as they will ever come. Who knows though? That is what makes Sonic Youth so great in my eyes. They never fail to surprise me with each record they release. And as accessible and relatively clean sounding Rather Ripped is, only they can make it seem like such an off the wall move.

Sonic Youth - The Neutral [MP3]


15. The Paper Chase – Now You Are One of Us
[Kill Rock Stars]
Buy Here!
Although this album is no real departure for The Paper Chase, it kind of brings together all the best qualities from their past releases. Still as creepy and maniacal as ever, their music has been perfectly crafted and put together here on Now You Are one of Us. If there is one thing that The Paper Chase should be considered excellent at doing, it’s the ability to create an atmosphere that makes me feel like I am taking walk through a murderer’s completely warped and eaten mind. For those that haven’t had the pleasure of hearing this, then it should be known that the group employs the use of strings, a piano, and many panic inducing samples to add to the already tortured guitar sound. The vocals from John Congleton only do more to make that vision that much more believable.

The Paper Chase - We Know Where You Sleep [MP3]


14. The Brother Kite – Waiting for the Time to be Right
[Clairecords]
Buy Here!
The new album from The Brother Kite was that of a surprise to me…a big one actually. I had almost completely written off Waiting for the Time to be Right from the get go because of all the press and word of mouth that the band had drastically moved away from the “wall of sound” shoegaze approach they had previously used on their debut album. A lot of the opinions on the album that I saw leading up to its actual release were less than positive, which worried me a bit. I was greatly rewarded though, and this album is even better than their debut in my opinion. Yes, it is quite different, it may even sound like a completely new band to some. Long gone are the swirling guitars and feedback, their sound is much warmer now. They take a note or two from the great pop sound of the 60’s and apply it to the drifting and soothing qualities of dream-pop. They’ve definitely stumbled on to something good here with Waiting for the Time to be Right and it will be a great to hear them continue in this direction.

The Brother Kite - Out of Sight [MP3]


13. Tim Hecker – Harmony in Ultraviolet
[Kranky]
Buy Here!
Tim Hecker is excellent at what he does. Ambience and atmosphere are pretty much the main focus with his records. The warm fuzzy qualities of his music that drone and melt into such beautiful melodies, it’s nearly perfect for so many different settings. I am sure people listen and get a completely different picture in their head than the next, but that’s what is so amazing about his music. Honestly, I picture waking up in a hotel room of some sort with the sunlight beaming through the cracks of the shades. I can’t necessarily see straight yet as I haven’t rubbed my eyes and waken myself fully yet. Stepping up to the window I lift the shades and the light pretty much is blinding. As my eyes adjust I can see the heat coming off the pavement and being near the top floor I can peer over the tops of many buildings and see the haze of humidity loom over a gigantic city. Yeah, that is what I picture when I listen to this album. Maybe at one point it will change, but for whatever reason I like that particular scenery in my head and I need this album in order for it to be provided.

Tim Hecker - Dungeoneering [MP3]


12. Mahogany – Connectivity!
[Darla]
Buy Here!
Although I just posted about it and only heard it recently, this album deserves a spot on here for sure. I am just thankful that I was able to listen to it before I decided to start on this list once and for all. Mahogany is an innovative group of individuals and Connectivity! is all the proof I need to back that statement. Every song on the album is a different offering of driving beats, sparkling guitar, and keyboards. While it is a dream-pop album, it’s full of hooks and catchy melodies that are almost unconventional for that type of music. In the end, I just have an absolute appreciation for the album as it’s truly pushing the envelope when it comes to shoegaze, dream-pop, or anything of the likes.

Mahogany - My Bed is My Castle [MP3]


11. KEN Mode – Reprisal
[Escape Artist]
Buy Here!
KEN Mode stand in my mind as to what I would want my band to sound like if I indeed had a band…and we played noise rock. That sound is, to put it simply, completely fucking huge. While I’ve been a fan of the band for a long time, I don’t think they’ve ever managed to sound any larger than they do here on Reprisal. For being only a three piece, that’s pretty damn impressive. Their music is a bit of a throwback, however a bit touched up for the current times adding a bit more metallic texture to the overall sound. However, it’s the rattling thunder like bass that oh so reminds me of many past great AmRep bands that have now come and gone. I can honestly say I’ll never grow tired of hearing that sick low-end bottom heavy sound that makes my floor rumble whenever I put it on my stereo. Reprisal is a truly heavy and punishing album that hopefully has gained the band a few new fans.

KEN Mode - I Simply Am Not There [MP3]


10. Ventura – Pa Capona
[Get a Life]
Buy Here!
I can’t say enough as to how glad I am that I ran across Ventura this year. When I discovered Pa Capona I was completely floored. Not only because it was insanely good, but because it’s a combination of just about everything that I’ve come to love over the past 15 years of music. It’s also a constant reminder of how much I miss that type of music, the classic post-hardcore sound. It’s just so hard to come by anymore and it really shouldn’t be. Thankfully there are bands out there like Ventura that obviously still remember how great that sound is. Pa Capona is 13 songs of how it’s done. Other bands please take notice and follow suit.

Ventura - I Keep Starting [MP3]


09. Jesu - Silver
[Hydrahead]
Buy Here!
After recording what was my favorite album of 2005 Jesu returned this year with Silver, an EP that has and will hopefully hold me over until their next album Conqueror comes out in early 2007. Silver differs slightly when compared to the bands self-titled debut or even their EP before that, Heartache. While Jesu’s formula is essentially the same, it’s on Silver that it seems like Justin Broadrick has taken the sound to a more hopeful and monumental sound. It’s still every bit as heavy and crushing as their debut, however the songs on Silver find themselves to be more up-tempo at times like on “Star”, which is probably the most diverse piece the group has recorded. Regardless of whether this sound carries over to their next album, Silver is a nice glimpse of what Jesu can do if they do indeed intend on taking a more dynamic and uplifting approach to the composition of their music. Either way, I am and always will be for whatever direction Broadrick decides to take this project. They haven’t failed me yet.

Jesu - Dead Eyes [MP3]


08. Across Tundras – Dark Songs of the Prairie
[Crucial Blast]
Buy Here!
I remember when I first wrote about this album I mentioned that it captured the complete sense of desolation and isolation that the Midwest or the Great Plains can make someone feel after awhile. Across Tundras did a miraculous job in maintaining that vibe throughout the whole album. Even more so is the way they carry out the whole theme through the artwork all the way to the name of the album itself. Of course, the music is the most important element, and the druggy haze of Dark Songs of the Prairie undoubtedly creates a backdrop for what is a practically barren and at times a lonesome place to be in. I’ve seen the album get referenced to Neil Young and the Crazy Horse many times over the year; however I think it’s pretty legit. I mean obviously it doesn’t sound exactly like that, but its evident the bands music has a direct influence from it, which makes it all the more appealing.

Across Tundras - Ramblin' in the Shadows [MP3]


07. Mew - …And the Glass Handed Kites
[Sony]
Buy Here!
While this was out in the UK in ’05, it wasn’t released here in the US until this year. Plus, I hadn’t even heard it until this year. The album is by far and away Mew’s greatest achievement to date. It’s so grandiose and over the top sounding. I am particularly fond of the vocals, which show tremendous range and aside from being absolutely beautiful they are also a bit unlike anything I’ve really heard before. I think I mentioned this when I originally wrote about the album, but it surprises me that it got a major release over here in the US. I do wish it would do well, but I never foresee it gaining much of a following. Sure, it could win over indie audiences, if it already hasn’t. It’s just not the type of accessible or “easy” record to get into but for those that manage to, the payoff is huge. Everything about the album seems to be an oddity and it’s amazing that Mew is able to make it all work with such flawless execution. The only downer about this album is the horrific cover art, which looks like some half assed photo shop job. Despite that, the step that Mew has taken with this album is gigantic and hopefully more people will begin to embrace its abnormality.

Mew - A Dark Design [MP3]


06. Cheer-Accident – What Sequel?
[Pravda]
Buy Here!
There really isn’t much Cheer-Accident can’t do. It’s pretty interesting when a band is self aware of that fact too. Cheer-Accident has been putting out records for years now that constantly push boundaries and ignore any and all rules. Pretty much staples of the avant-rock community, the band released The Why Album in 1994, which at the time sent many into a frenzy wondering what the hell was going on with an album full of straight up pop songs that were even fairly accessible when compared to the bands other output. Well, 12 years later and here we are with the sequel to that album titled What Sequel?. Over that period of time fans of course have come to love The Why Album, as have I, and when I realized they were putting out a sequel to it you can imagine I was pretty excited. Really the album is just like its predecessor. Thymme sings fairly similar to that of which he did on The Why Album and really the songs don’t differ too much in structure and sound than they did the first go around as well. The use of horns and piano are pretty common. I would have actually liked to have heard more horns, but regardless of that it’s still a magnificent album full of greatly written ambitious pop songs that only a band like Cheer-Accident could pull off.

Cheer-Accident - Go Gone Green [MP3]


05. Mission of Burma – The Obliterati
[Matador]
Buy Here!
Time has absolutely no meaning to these guys. The Obliterati brings the rock more than almost any album than I’ve had the chance to hear this year. I would say it’s surprising, but it’s freaking Mission of Burma and if anyone out there was to do it then it would be them. While their previous album OnOffOn was a bit more of a difficult listen, The Obliterati is much more accessible in this area. However, it doesn’t take away from anything as the album is just as aggressive and raw as anyone could have hoped for. I am greatly impressed with how deep and rich sounding the bass is. However the album was recorded with Bob Weston, so I guess it shouldn’t really be all that surprising. For a bunch of guys that is getting up there in the years, they haven’t lost a step. They are still able to out rock the majority of bands that are around today.

Mission of Burma - 2wice [MP3]


04. Traindodge - Wolves
[Ascetic]
Buy Here!
After hearing last years Under the Black Sails EP I was kind of confused as to where Traindodge’s sound was going to go on their next album. I was even more thrown off when I finally got to hear a track off of Wolves. It sounded completely different than what I had envisioned, especially after I felt Under the Black Sails was more of a return to their older On a Lake of Dead Trees math/post-hardcore sound. However, they surprised me with Wolves, which contained 10 songs that are indeed rocking, however in almost a completely new way for the band. The use of synth on the album is much more prevalent than in past releases, and even features a couple songs that are solely based on it alone. After being together for 10 years, Wolves really shows the band maturing into something that will be exciting to witness. Although I’ll always love their older material, it’s really great to see this band heading into unknown territories while still not forgetting to throw in the occasional epic ending as found on “You, The Disaster”.

Traindodge - Wolves [MP3]


03. Mikaela’s Fiend – We Can Driving Machine
[Strictly Amateur Films]
Buy Here!
It’s hard to come up with words for this album. It’s loud, noisy, and fairly unforgiving in its pacing. One song leads into another and before you know it you’re being absolutely bludgeoned to death all over again. Mikaela’s Fiend are only a duo, they are a young duo at that, and somehow or another they are able to create some highly interesting and colossal sounding music from just their guitar and drum kit. It’s just wrong to say that the bands music could simply be passed off as just another couple of kids making a bunch of racket, that’s just not how it is. We Can Driving Machine is simply all about being able to work with one another and completely being able to sense and feel each others direction. The fact that the two are cousins probably plays a big part in that. The ability to create such intensity from it is pretty amazing in itself. Did I mention that it’s only two people? Listening to this now, I still can’t grasp at how they can possibly be this devastating. Hearing the drummer only makes me wish I could witness this chunk of insanity that much more, those poor poor drums.

Mikaela's Fiend - Untitled 10 [MP3]


02. Blunderbuss - Blunderbuss
[Self-Released]
Buy Here!
Although it’s not number one, I can safely say I had to think long and hard about putting it there. I would have never in my wildest dreams thought that there would be another Blunderbuss record. I mean why would have there been? Their last recorded output was sometime in the mid-nineties and even then almost all of it went practically unnoticed. Really, this album was a complete and utter shock to find. It was even more shocking to listen to it and find a band that was probably tighter than ever before. A lot of that can be attributed to the fact that this IS the original lineup with an additional guitarist to help fill out the sound. Listening to this is like stepping into a time warp when noise-rock was at its absolute peak during the 90’s. I can’t even begin to describe just how much this album kills. It just rips through song after song of buzzsaw guitar riffs and with some actual nice melodies thrown in as well. Who would have thought that one of the most complete albums that I’ve heard this year would come from a band that pretty much no one has heard from in years.

Blunderbuss - I am a Prayer [MP3]


01. The Goslings – Grandeur of Hair
[aRCHIVE]
Unavailable
When it came down to it, I had to choose this as my number one album of the year. Why? Well, it’s because it’s so goddamn satisfying to listen to. It’s abrasive, completely in the red, and yet somehow still beautiful despite it sounding like it’s being played out of a wall of blown speakers. Listening to this on a large stereo turned way up is really the only way this record should be listened to, any other way is just limiting its potential to absolutely blow you away. This is without a doubt one of the heaviest albums that has been released all year. It’s filled with an ungodly amount of distortion and fuzz that just surrounds and rattles the Earth. I do believe that it could knock down walls if played at a loud enough volume. Any more listens and I might be purchasing new speakers here in the near future. In all seriousness though, The Goslings are amazing and Grandeur of Hair is such an interesting and accomplished record in that it maintains a certain catchiness and underlying beauty to it that is just so so hard to obtain when creating music that is so naturally abrasive that it will turn off most listeners. However, when it is all said and done, for those that stick with it they’ll find that it’s probably one of the most rewarding albums of the year.

The Goslings - Golden Stair [MP3]

Mahogany - Connectivity!

I feel absolutely silly for not having listened to Mahogany’s latest record Connectivity! until now. I finally got the time to sit down with it recently and give it a proper listen after only skimming through various tracks for the past couple months or so. I almost can’t believe some of the records that I gave priority over this. I am truly ashamed. I am sorry Mahogany…I’ll never do it again. I swear!

Now that I am through beating myself up over my mistake I can tell you Connectivity! is the second album from the Brooklyn octet. Think eight members is overkill? Well, if so…then you haven’t listened to this album yet. It’s riddled with catchy pop hooks, shimmering shoegaze like guitars, and a never ending amount of electronic ambience. Basically, there is A LOT Mahogany has to offer the listener and every single bit of it is of extreme importance.

Although the album probably has more to do with the dream-pop/shoegaze crowd, it’s a record that will undoubtedly wake people up and force them to see that there is indeed some originality left in those genres. At times I’ve even doubted that, however thanks to bands like Mahogany they’ve, with the help of Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins), managed to craft an album that could be looked at as an essential and/or classic album in future years. I say that with the utmost confidence. It’s just that damn good and unlike anything else falling under those same labels. There is no one element of the groups sound that stands out among the others, as they all meld together to make for a sound that has an eye for the past however is revitalized to take it further than what I think most people had thought was capable.

Mahogany – Supervitesse [MP3]
Mahogany – My Bed is My Castle [MP3]

Honestly the two songs above are just the tip of the iceberg. Please, by all means find out for yourself just how great this album is by picking it up over at Darla Records. It’s honestly an album that should be listened to as a whole as every song has something different to offer up.

On a completely different note, my e-mail is now functioning again.

Outhouse - Welcome

I think my e-mail is down, or at least isn’t receiving e-mails. So if anyone has e-mailed me in the past 24-48 hours, then I probably haven’t gotten it. I’ll let everyone know whenever that problem is resolved. For now though, don’t resend anything as it won’t do any good.

I was doing some CD shopping the other day and while rummaging through the selection I ran across the album Welcome by Outhouse. I immediately remembered the single they had of the same name that was all over the radio here around 1997 when the album came out. I don’t know if it got that much airplay in other parts of the country, but it did here for a short while due to the band being from KC. I always really liked that song and I figured for as cheap as it was it would be worth having for that song alone, so I picked it up.

The trio of Bill Latas (vocals, guitar), Brad Gaddy (bass), and Shawn Poores (drums) formed in 1994 and after a bunch of touring and soliciting their demo around the area they were eventually signed to Mercury Records. The label put out their debut Welcome in 1997 which led to a couple of large tours. However, I think this is the only release the band was able to put out due to Mercury dropping the band and at the same time restricting the band from recording until they officially received word that they were dropped. Odd, but unfortunately that’s the way things happened and is another prime example of majors fucking another band.

Their music was that of the common hard rock/alternative variety that was winning over airwaves at the time. Nothing completely mind blowing, but they were a very solid band that crafted some pretty good tunes. Apparently after being dropped from their label they continued to play out here in KC and even recorded some new material for a second album but as far as I know it wasn’t ever released. If anyone out there does know, please drop me a line whenever the e-mail gets fixed or just leave a comment. It would be greatly appreciated. Anyway, the band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2001 and since then Brad Gaddy and Shawn Poores have gone on to play in the band The Zeros.

Outhouse – Welcome [MP3]
Outhouse – Undressed [MP3]
Outhouse – Bleed [MP3]

The album Welcome is available on Amazon for practically nothing. For anyone that likes the tunes above, it’s definitely worth the penny plus shipping.

Boutros Bubba...

Only have time for a quick update, so I apologize in advance for that. I’ll be back in the swing of things here shortly. I should also have the BOAWS top 20 to unveil soon. I noticed that their starting to pop up here and there on other sites, so I need to get my ass in gear and get that done. Like I might of have mentioned in an earlier post however, I just can't seem to bring myself to decide on a cutoff point and be content with the amount of material I've managed to hear.

Anyway, I ran across this EP today by the Dutch group Boutros Bubba and it caught my attention. They have just released their first batch of material in the form of an EP called Hearing Voicst in a Beer Commercial Makes Me Wanna Get Drunk. The release is four songs of noisy garage tinged rock with a bit of a mathy side to it. According to their bio, a couple members of the group used to be in the math rock band Quarles Van Ufford, so for it to be carried over into this project probably isn’t any accident I am sure. Regardless, the EP is fantastic and has been put out on the net label Narrominded, which offers up a number of their releases for free download, which includes artwork and all that nice stuff. The label has been offering up mostly electronic related releases up until ’05 and has only recently started putting out avant-rock related releases. Judging by this EP, I’d say they have a pretty good ear for quality music. I look forward to hearing what else the label puts out, electronic or not.

Boutros Bubba – A Year in Gong Therapy [MP3]

For those interested, head on over to Narrominded where there entire EP is available for download along with artwork. Take some time to also check out the rest of the labels roster, as they have some other fine tunes to offer. Enjoy!

J. Robbins, Janet Morgan, and their child need your help!

By reading on a few blogs, I’ve come to find out that the two year old son of J. Robbins (Jawbox, Burning Airlines, and Channels) and Janet Morgan (Channels) was born and diagnosed with a genetic neuron motor disease called Type 1 SMA, or Spinal Muscular Atrophy. This disease often kills children and sadly due to it their son Callum will never be able to walk. He will forever be bound to a wheelchair. You can read more about Callum's situation and the disease over at the Desoto website.

The good folks over at Desoto Records have also set up a PayPal account so that anyone that feels like donating to the fund to help towards the costs for Callum's treatment may do so. That can be done here.

Like me, I am sure many of you have enjoyed J. Robbins’ music and work as a producer over the years. BOAWS has donated and for those that have some spare cash, please think about sending some of it their way as well. I am sure every dollar helps.

I’ll be back Monday with regular updates.

Fudge Tunnel...

I was looking through some of my CD’s near the bottom of one of my racks and I saw Fudge Tunnel and immediately wondered why I hadn’t written anything about them on here. Even worse, I realized I hadn’t listened to them in quite some time either. Needless to say I put on Creep Diets and later spun Hate Songs in E Minor, both of which are fantastic albums. So yeah, I feel ashamed I haven’t brought them up on here before. Like being overshadowed by many of the other albums on my CD rack, the same could be said for much of their actual time together as a band. Eventually they were sort of second fiddle to Alex Newport’s other project Nailbomb with Max Max Cavalera of Seputura fame.

The band was originally formed in 1988 in the UK and after a quick lineup shuffle the band was set with Alex Newport (vocals, guitar), David Ryley (bass), and Adrian Parkin (drums). The group released the 7” Sex Mammoth in 1989 and then followed it with The Sweet Sound of Excess 12” in 1990. Soon after that the band was signed to Earache Records where they released their first album Hate Songs in E Minor in 1991. I have always been in love with the guitar tone on this album. They never quite had that distinct sound to them ever again; however the later albums were almost if not equally great. Hate Songs in E Minor though stands as my favorite album by the band. It’s sludgy, heavy, and completely pummeling. It’s just and an overall bad ass sounding album to put it simply.

Fudge Tunnel followed that up in 1993 with their second album Creep Diets. While still being an awesome record, it was a bit tamer than their debut, however not by a whole lot. Newport was never seemingly happy with the categorization that the band received. Always fighting to not be a metal band or constantly trying to shake the “grunge” label which US music critics had oh so mistakenly tagged them. At one point during their career new found fans of the band even believed that they were from Seattle. Their music never struck me as having any sort of relation to the whole grunge thing; it was just too uncompromising and downtrodden to really fit that bill.

By this point, frustrations with the press and other matters had done the band in. They released The Complicated Futility of Ignorance in 1994, which would be their final album. It wasn’t very well received, however was equally as heavy and relentless as any of their albums. It was obvious though from the album that matters were serious this time around. All the way from the songs to the album title itself, the album is no holds barred lashing out at just about anything it possibly can. Shortly after they split, Earache released In a Word, which is a collection of past singles, etc.

It’s unfortunate the band never really struck it big or was able to be completely be satisfied with their position in all things rock. They did deserve better, or so I think so.

Hate Songs in E Minor:
Fudge Tunnel – Hate Song [MP3]
Fudge Tunnel – Tweezers [MP3]

Creep Diets:
Fudge Tunnel – Grey [MP3]
Fudge Tunnel – Tipper Gore [MP3]

The Complicated Futility of Ignorance:
Fudge Tunnel – Backed Down [MP3]
Fudge Tunnel – Circle of Friends [MP3]

In a Word:
Fudge Tunnel – Sex Mammoth [MP3]

The Sweet Sound of Excess:
Fudge Tunnel – Shit for Brains [MP3]

Some of you might be familiar with Alex Newport as a record producer, as that’s what he did a lot of after Fudge Tunnel. He also formed another band called Theory of Ruin. Adrian Parkin played briefly in Tubesurfer and Dave Ryley ran a record label called BGR for awhile.

You can still find used copies available on Amazon of practically all of their albums. I do suggest picking up Hate Songs in E Minor if it comes down to a choice among them all. Enjoy!

Sianspheric...

Sianspheric have been at it for around 12 years now and during that time the band has gone through a number of lineup changes and even broken up once. However, through all the relentless touring and hardship the band has endured, it has undoubtedly fueled them to carry forth and progressively top their selves. It’s always great to see a band get better as they get older, rather than regress or continually rehash ideas. In keeping away from that mentality, Sianspheric have developed into one of the premier shoegaze bands currently going right now. Or I at least assume they are still going. Someone please correct me if I am wrong, with the bands history I am a little weary.

Their last official album was in 2001 titled The Sound of the Colour of the Sun, but has made small appearances in the form of a split CD with Toshack Highway, a DVD compilation, and a 7 inch since then. There were rumblings earlier in the year of another album on the way, which I am still crossing my fingers for. If it manages to somehow surpass The Sound of the Colour of the Sun, then it will surely blow me away. Originally the bands sound was more in the area of ambient and heavy on the reverb dream pop, but after one album of that they moved into much more noisy territory, hooking up the distortion peddles and squeezing every bit of life they have out them. Don’t be mistaken though, Sianspheric is one of the few bands that can seem so noisy and loud on the exterior, but maintain a collective mellow chill/calm to their music. The swells of distortion and squalls of feedback seem to just enter the music unnoticed, mostly due in part to the hypnotic bass lines and melodies that the band has come to be so good at constructing.

Sianspheric – QFD [MP3]
Sianspheric – Slightly Less Sunshine [MP3]

You can still pick up some of their albums from Amazon, including The Sound of the Colour of the Sun. If there is an album of theirs to get, it is that one for sure. Anyway, please do pick it up if you like the tunes above.

Microwaves - Contagion Heuristic

The closer it gets to Christmas and the end of December, the more it reminds me that I need to start compiling my year end list. This year it might be a bit hard, I don’t necessarily have a clear cut number one choice for what I guess is album of the year. That and I always hate the feeling that I’ve missed so much and that the list will undoubtedly become irrelevant by mid next year. I always seem to run across some amazing albums after the year is up. That is partly due to other peoples/sites lists, which I find very useful. Regardless, I think I am going to spend some time working on that this week, although it probably won’t appear on the site for awhile longer.


Despite being considered over and done with as of 2004, Microwaves regrouped with a new bassist/vocalist and released a new album here in ’06 through Crucial Blast titled Contagion Heuristic. For those that aren’t familiar with Microwaves, the Pittsburg trio is an uncompromising assault to the senses. Some people might consider their music to be a gigantic fucking mess, however for someone like me that every once and awhile needs an escape from their completely contained and organized lifestyle, I say bring on the mess! Hell, come over and destroy my bedroom if you like. That’s what Microwaves basically sound like they are doing and shall do if they are able to unleash their sonic barrage of guitar and drums in your home. Thankfully, it’s kept relegated to my stereo and a simple daydream. I can’t afford a disaster like that. Basically there is no other way to describe what Microwaves do other than saying that it is absurd and just a little a bit on the disturbing side. That however sits just perfectly fine with me as I am sure it will with many others out there as well.

Microwaves – Song X [MP3]
Microwaves – Executive Indecision [MP3]

Contagion Heuristic is available over at Crucial Blast. Do please pick it up if you enjoy the tunes above!

The Gersch

Hope everyone had a nice weekend. There is nothing much to say on my end of things. My fantasy football team continues to tank. Most weeks I think I do fairly well and just have terrible luck, but this week my team actually just tanked. There is no other way to put it. Next year, I am going to make more of an effort to not draft players that are on perennial losing teams. I am fairly sure that is what hurt me this year and the fact that Shaun Alexander was featured on the front of a Madden game. Oh, and in other news…owners of major league baseball teams continue to spend large amounts of money on players with practically no talent. If anyone out there can throw a baseball, you can probably make a million dollars easy. Give it a go! Anyway, on with what I am really suppose to be talking about…

Tortuga Recordings has put together this nice compilation of various material of The Gersch, which featured current Isis and Red Sparrows multi-instrumentalist Clifford Meyer. The band originally formed in late 1994; however their output was quite limited. They had one 7 inch on Tortuga, which also stands as the labels first release. The band also managed to appear on a couple compilations as well. To those that come looking for this in hopes of hearing something identical to that of Isis, well…you’ll probably be met with a bit of disappointment. However, to those that are fans of slowed down, bottomed out, and just overall sludgy rock then this is something that could quite possibly spark some interest. The Gersch was the combined effort of three guitarists and a drummer. There was no bassist, as the plan was to just play all three guitars tuned low and for the most part it worked. As with any compilation of scattered works and rarities, it’s bound to have a couple misses or items that just leave you scratching your head. However, surprisingly enough the majority of The Gersch’s material is rock solid and ends up being quite a treat to hear. Obviously it’s nothing revolutionary and something that bands like Kyuss and/or The Melvins haven’t already covered before, but I am of the type that will gladly welcome something like this with open arms.

The Gersch – Listwish [MP3]
The Gersch – ‘taker [MP3]

For those looking to pick this up, it can be had over at the Hydrahead shop featured at Blue Collar Distro.

Swirlies - They Spent Their Wild Youthful Days in the Glittering World of the Salons

I hadn’t planned on writing about this album because awhile back before I started this blog I had already written something about it in what was sort of a much smaller version of this site. However, I love this album way to much and I eventually realized that no one visited that thing anyway so why not do it over again? So yeah, I am taking this opportunity to once again express my liking towards the Swirlies and their masterpiece They Spent Their Wild Youthful Days in the Glittering World of the Salons. How about that for long winded titles?

The album was released in 1996, a time in which shoegaze was pretty much gone from mainstream music culture. So naturally this album caught some flack for having some similarities to the style. I find it a bit difficult myself to understand how this album could have been pigeonholed as such. It definitely has its moments where the guitars live up to the groups name and they “swirl” for a lack of a better term, however throughout the album there are a ton of pop like melodies that are obstructed by touches of unhinged noise and synthesizers. That’s not even all really, the band basically took the whole “kitchen sink” approach employing just about any form of oddball noise they could lay upon songs that were built along a traditional pop structure. Some of the songs sound like they are hanging on by a mere thread, sounding so loose that it’s a wonder that the whole thing doesn’t collapse. It just feels like every sound and tiny nuance has the utmost importance, helping meld the fractured parts of the groups sound with upbeat and poppy melodies. Simply, whether they know it or not, the Swirlies created one of the best noise pop albums that I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing.

Swirlies – In Harmony New Found Freedom [MP3]
Swirlies – San Cristobal de las Casas [MP3]
Swirlies – The Vehicle is Invisible [MP3]

They Spent Their Wild Youthful Days… is still available from most major online retailers and such, so by all means pick it up from Amazon or wherever you people like to do you’re online shopping. I urge everyone to do so.

Codeine

I honestly don’t know what it is about gut wrenchingly depressing music that moves at a snails pace, but whatever it is, it has and will forever have me under its spell. I don’t even have to be feeling miserable to listen to it, and I don’t even know if listening to it when you are feeling miserable is much of a healthy thing to do anyway. However, I am a sucker for it. One of my favorite go to bands in this category is Codeine. Originally formed in 1989, the band released two full-lengths (Frigid Stars and The White Birch) and an EP (Barely Real) before calling it quits in 1994. Along with Galaxie 500, Codeine pretty much helped lay the foundation for what is commonly labeled “slowcore”. Not the greatest name for a genre of music, but it’s probably one of the most self-explanatory.

If you didn’t gather from the above, Codeine played music that was at such a slow pace that if it wasn’t for the sudden bursts of droning distortion then it would probably lull you to sleep. Along with it sounding completely lethargic, it also laid on the melancholy pretty thick. I consider Codeine to be one the saddest sounding bands I happen to own records by. The mood throughout both of their full-lengths lingers in everything from depression, hopelessness, and loss. For all the bands that eventually followed in Codeine’s footsteps, hardly any were able to equal the level of emotional exhaustion that their music contained.

Frigid Stars:
Codeine – Pickup Song [MP3]
Codeine – Cave-In [MP3]

The White Birch:
Codeine – Loss Leader [MP3]
Codeine – Washed Up [MP3]

Both full-lengths are still widely available and can be had at Amazon. Pick ‘em up if you’re looking for more music to fill the winter time blues.

Accelera Deck - A Landslide of Stars

For 9 years Chris Jeely has recorded solo work under the name Accelera Deck, which has resulted in 8 full-length albums all varying style. Keeping in tradition with his continual experimentation, Jeely has turned Accelera Deck into an actual band here in 2006. The latest record A Landslide of Stars is the product of this venture and once again shows Jeely’s prowess to do good work no matter what category the music may fall under.

Although this is practically a new deal for Accelera Deck, there are moments that dive back into the projects past discography of dreamlike electronica. However, now playing as a full band, those moments are almost completely concealed by loads of dirty sounding distortion and Jeely’s similarly inaudible vocals. The albums finest songs are it’s longest in my opinion. Both “Fire Sermon” and “Wolf-Christ”, both show Jeely really excelling in his craft. I say this because they don’t feel like songs that stretch out past 8 minutes or so. No, these are the type of songs that propel themselves with the type of melodies and atmospherics that fans of shoegaze long for and wish would just go on forever. Really, Jeely and the rest of Accelera Deck have outdone themselves with this album and it just may be one of the best shoegaze related rock albums to come out this year.

Accelera Deck – Fire Sermon [MP3]

For those that dig what they here, A Landslide of Stars is available here at The Blue House. Also check out the MySpace for Accelera Deck for more tunes and bit more information.

Hardvark - Memory Barge

In the mail a couple days ago I received the album Memory Barge from a band called Hardvark. I’d been eagerly anticipating this record ever since a reader had suggested it to me and at the same time learning that the band was originally from Champagne, Illinois, which is also considered home to past favorites like Hum. So, to say that I was excited upon learning this is probably an understatement. My geeky fan boy love for that band always gets the best of me.

Thankfully, that nerdy obsession didn’t steer me wrong with this purchase. Not that it could really being all of a dollar that I laid down for it. Regardless, the album is a steal for that price. Sadly, Memory Barge stands as the bands only album. It was originally released on Cargo Records, but was later re-released when the band signed to Geffen. However when the hammer dropped from the major labels on grunge/alternative in general, it spelled the end for Hardvark and for many other bands as well.

After having the chance to listen to this album a few times now, it comes off as pretty impressive. Naturally it sounds a lot like indie rock during that time, but its most redeeming quality lies in Randy Towner’s guitar work. The sound he achieves is pretty unnatural and often times sounds a little warped, which gives it a bit more flavor. Obviously this didn’t help Hardvark in the long run or achieve the sort of success that Geffen was looking for, but when listening to it, how could have anyone expected it too? It definitely wasn’t accessible enough and regardless of whether it contained well written music, with those circumstances the album was pretty much destined to fade away. Music like this has its audience though and thankfully in this day and age with blogs, file sharing, and whatnot…people will find it and appreciate it the way it deserves to be and keep it from being banished to the bottom of cut out bins for eternity.

Hardvark – Fawn [MP3]
Hardvark – Logan [MP3]
Hardvark – Ropes Tricks Blues [MP3]

An interesting thing I realized about Hardvark while trying to dig up as much information on them as possible, which is pretty much none, is that Bob Rising played drums for the band. For those that don’t know Rising, he also played drums with The Poster Children and Lustre King. He also played drums for Seam on my favorite album they ever released and one of my favorite albums of all time, The Problem with Me.

For those interested, Memory Barge can be had for a penny and shipping on Amazon. That’s a pretty good deal right?

EDIT: Big thanks to Billy for sending me links to a few more items by Hardvark. You can head on over to Parasol Records to find a couple 7 inches and a compilation that the band appeared on. Enjoy!

Monthly Mix Time!

Like I promised at the end of last week, here is the monthly mix for November. As like any other time, artist names link directly to place of purchase...if applicable. Enjoy!

01 - The Drones - Jezebel
02 - Tornavalanche - Man, I Love the Beatles
03 - Brainbombs - No Guilt
04 - Sprites - George Romero
05 - The Breeders - Iris
06 - The Gersch - Taekr
07 - Live Skull - 5-D
08 - Helmet - Thick
09 - Leaf - Intelligent Design
10 - Sightings - ICH-IC
11 - Bivouac - Big Question Mark
12 - Floor - Bombs to Abbadon
13 - Mahogany - Domino Ladder Beta
14 - Table - Unwind
15 - The 90 Day Men - When Your Luck Runs Out
16 - Saltillo - Backyard Pond
17 - Hurl - Four Feet to Infinity
18 - Cougars - Who's Got the Sniff?
19 - Grey Daturas - Golden Gate Blues

Download (.zip file)

Hammock - Raising Your Voice...Trying to Stop an Echo

Well it’s finally here. The snow has moved in and has covered all of the ice that was laid down the evening before. However, with it being so cold and basically feeling like winter for the first time this year for me, it fits right along with the album I wanted to briefly touch upon before I head off into the weekend sunset. Within roughly two years Hammock has been able to put out some very fantastic material that somehow connects the dots between post-rock, shoegaze, and ambient music. On their second album Raising Your Voice…Trying to Stop an Echo the duo has pretty much out done themselves once again. Moving forward with their interesting combination of all things dreamlike, Hammock has unleashed over 70 minutes worth of songs that will wrap and melt around you. It’s a large number I know. However for fans that like their music sort of chilled and dreamy then there shouldn't be any problem. For the first time, Hammock has added slight touches of vocals to some of their songs which are done very well and add to what is already a pretty impressive palette of swirling sound. Basically this is the type of album to get completely lost in while you’re stuck inside watching everything get completely buried underneath the snow.

Hammock – Raising Your Voice…Trying to Stop an Echo [MP3]
Hammock – Disappear Like the Morning [MP3]

You can pick this up now from the Tonevendor. You can also pick up their debut Kenotic and their EP Under Endless Skies from CD Baby. I would highly suggest those that enjoy Sigur Ros, Boards of Canada, or Tim Hecker’s latest album to give this a good listen. With that, I am out for the weekend and will return Monday with the monthly mix hopefully.