Monthly Mix: August

It’s getting close to the end of the month, so that means it’s time for another installment of the monthly mix. Don’t really have much to say other than download it and if you like some of the music, then you know...buy it up! As always I’ve done my best to try and link the artist names to a place where a physical copy may be purchased. And with that, enjoy!

01 – Stella Luna – Change
02 – Looking for John G. – Boredom in Slow Motion
03 – Shotmaker – Driver
04 – Volplane – Two Worlds
05 – Black Engine – Bones Circus
06 – Canyon – The Long Weekend
07 – Greenmachine – Knowledge
08 – Nixon – I’d Tell You, But Then I’d Have Tequila
09 – Thee Speaking Canaries – Guitar Strings for a Holocaust
10 – El Ten Eleven – Keep
11 – Zeni Geva – Hate Trader
12 – Paw – I Hope I Die Tonight
13 – Stick Men With Ray Guns – Grave City
14 – Able Tasmans – Dog-Whelk
15 – Traluma – Head Up Seven Up
16 – Televise – Perfect Sound
17 – Channels – Mercury
18 – Buzzoven – Sore

Download (.zip file)

Clockcleaner - Babylon Rules

A lot of people out there are probably already aware of Clockcleaner’s fine outstanding reputation that they have developed with their live show. Their live antics have managed to get them banned from clubs and the reputation that follows has even scared away bands from sharing the stage with them. Who can blame them really? None of this probably concerns Clockcleaner all too much though as they keep rolling right along creating their own brand of downright filthy and creepy weirdo noise-rock. Their latest album Babylon Rules is due out at the beginning of October and I can safely say that if it doesn’t end up in my list of favorite albums by the end of the year…well then it’s been a pretty damn good year then. Regardless, Babylon Rules sees the band diving even further into the darker corners of the world while belting out tune after tune of psychotic trashy noise. For those that are fans of such bands like Killdozer, Pain Teens, Harry Pussy, and many other noise makers…then for the love of god check out Babylon Rules when it comes out. I can’t say enough about the album really, other than this is the type of music that is inspired by long nights of hard drug use and many nights spent lurking past dark alleys trying to find your way home. Incredibly effective in its mood setting and just down right fucking creepy at times. Anyway, enough rambling about the album, do check out a song from it below.

Clockcleaner – Vomiting Mirrors [MP3]

For those interested Babylon Rules will be available through Load Records on October 2nd. I think everyone out there knows what to do if you’re digging it.

Thumbnail...

In February of this year File 13 released a pretty awesome compilation of material from one of the best post-hardcore bands that existed in the mid-nineties, Thumbnail. The compilation, which is titled A Careless Act of Faith, collects the bands early and out of print singles, their split with Harriet the Spy, and few other rarities and demos. All in all a very nice compilation of material that would be a bit hard to obtain now days otherwise.

Thumbnail was originally formed in Knoxville, Tennessee with members Jason Morris, David Burns, and Justin Sinkovich. Under that lineup the band would release a couple singles, their Self-Titled album in 1994, and their split with Harriet the Spy in 1995 all through label File 13, which member Burns originally founded. After doing the split the band signed with Headhunter records and recruited bass player Steve Schmidt to add to the already existing lineup. Headhunter immediately put out a remastered version of their Self-Titled album, which sadly leaves off the track “Hajj” from the original version. Never fear though, the track can be found on the recent compilation, yet another good reason to pick this up. But anyway, not too long after that the band finished up the recording of their second album Red Dead with Mark Trombino of Drive Like Jehu fame and it was released in 1996 through Headhunter.

After relocating to Chicago the band started work on a third album called That Static. The album wouldn’t be finished until 1998 and by that time members of the band had become preoccupied with other projects. Most notably, Sinkovich and Burns could be found spending most of their time playing in Atombombpocketknife. With that it inevitably led to the band splitting up and the album got put on the backburner until File 13 came along and released it in 2001. The release of the album also sparked the band to get back together for a tour to back the album; however the tour couldn’t go on due to the events of 9/11 happening shortly before thus resulting in transportation issues that would make the tour impossible.

Throughout their years together though, the band put out three excellent albums, each one slightly different than the other. I personally favor their self-titled record which I feel has a slight charm due to its sort of grittier production sound, but really any of their albums are solid.

Thumbnail:
Thumbnail – Straight to Zero [MP3]
Thumbnail – Risk and Return [MP3]

Red Dead:
Thumbnail – General Observations [MP3]
Thumbnail – Bullshit Detector [MP3]

That Static:
Thumbnail – Lesson in Mind [MP3]
Thumbnail – Superhero’s Trick [MP3]

A Careless Act of Faith:
Thumbnail – Soundproof [MP3]

A Careless Act of Faith and That Static are currently available for purchase over at File 13 and I think the bands first two albums are still available through Amazon, whether it is used or new…your choice. Anyway, definitely pick up a record or two if you’re digging the music. Enjoy!

The Austerity Program - Black Madonna

It’s with good reason that Black Madonna, the latest record from New York’s The Austerity Program, is the release of the week over at Aquarius Records right now. Actually there are a number of good reasons, as more of them seem to pop up every time I give this album a spin. For those that missed out on the bands debut EP Terra Nova that came out in 2003, I would highly recommend not passing over Black Madonna.

The Austerity Program consists of members Justin Foley (guitar/vocals), Thad Calabrese (bass), and a drum machine simply called “drum machine”. They had the drum machine listed as an official member on the bands MySpace so I didn’t want to hurt its feelings, plus it plays a vital role in shaping the bands overall sound so I can’t really forget it now can I? Anyway, sometimes I can be a bit weary of a drum machine, especially going in with no idea on how it’s going to be utilized. Am I going to hear some cheesy ass beat for about 50 minutes? Is it just going to be ridiculously fast as in the “yeah, we’re using a fucking drum machine” approach? It’s always an interesting experience one way or another. Hearing The Austerity Program for the first time when they released Terra Nova was one of those blind experiences going in. However within a few seconds of listening to the EP I began to notice that these guys were obviously down with Big Black and with that all my worries were quickly washed away by a pulverizing force of loud as hell bass and guitar.

On Black Madonna the band are still waving the mid-nineties math/noise-rock flag high and mighty proudly judging by the tunes on this record; harkening back to just about anything and everything that was noisy and punishing back then. Black Madonna finds the band expanding their sound a bit, ranging from slower and sludgy at times or just busting out into an extremely mathy freakout like on “Song 12”. Oh yeah, don’t forget the drum machine, it’s back there too working its ass off. Actually, the drum machine is used quite conservatively and as the Aquarius review made mention of, it often comes close to sounding like a live drummer. Really though, Black Madonna is just a well rounded display of two dudes (with a drum machine) that know what the fuck they are doing when it comes to fully rocking with just a bass and a guitar setup. It’s full of buzzing low-end and enough riffing to satisfy just about anyone I would think, or hope. I mean honestly…what more do you want!?!

The Austerity Program – Song 17A [MP3]

If you’re digging the music, then by all means head on over to Hydrahead and pick this up. As most could probably already assume, this comes highly recommended, so please support these guys. Enjoy!

Castor...

While fans of Hum and Shiner are probably already very familiar with the band Castor, I figured it still wouldn’t hurt throwing up some of their songs on the blog. That, and I wanted to make mention of them anyway because they were pretty much brilliant and fairly overlooked unless you’re already a fan of the aforementioned bands or some of their peers.

Castor consisted of members Jeff Garber, Derek Niedringhaus, Ben Eversmann, and Jason Vance. They are often noted for having a very melodically “fluid” sound, which I imagine is about the best way to describe it. Their first album, which was Self-Titled, was released in 1995 on Mud Records. While probably not as accomplished and/or large sounding as their follow up, the bands knack for odd time changes and melodicism are still on full display. It wasn’t really until their second album Tracking Sounds Alone in 1998 that showed the band at their largest, fullest sound. Sadly the band had already disbanded by the time of the albums release.

Produced by Shiner member Paul Malinowski, Tracking Sounds Alone is just as spacious as it is gorgeous. Most likely it’s with this album where all the comparisons to Hum and etc. come from, but Castor is easily able to stand alone among this group with a sound that just drifts along while still providing a solid punch to it. Well worth checking out for those that just enjoy some good old fashion mid nineties alternative rock.

Castor:
Castor – Ceremal Frame [MP3]
Castor – Dust Gun [MP3]

Tracking Sounds Alone:
Castor – Trackstar [MP3]
Castor – Above Water [MP3]

After the bands breakup, Jeff Garber and Derek Niedringhaus later teamed up to work in National Skyline. Garber also eventually found himself in the Ken Andrews fronted Year of the Rabbit. Niedringhaus would later find himself in Centaur with former Hum vocalist/guitarist Matt Talbott. While both albums are sadly out of print these days and kind of hard to come by, they are still available for sale on digital sites like iTunes and emusic. You can also still purchase the bands one and only single over at Parasol Records.

Pencil...

Don’t know how many people remember this Indiana band, but Pencil put out two pretty good albums in the mid-nineties on Grass Records. I was actually reminded of the band when I happened to run across a website offering up a remastered digital download of their first album Skantron which originally came out in 1994, but suffered from some pretty poor sounding production quality. Anyway, I about fell out of my seat when I saw all fourteen songs of it just sitting there, I’d always wondered what some of these songs would sound like if I could actually here them with a bit more clarity. Well, I can say now that they sound excellent.

Originally formed in the early 90’s by high school friends Carl Saff (guitar) and Matt Wagner (drums), the two welcomed fellow Indiana University students Chris Morgan (vocals) and Karl Desch (bass). However, Morgan and Desch would soon exit the band and later be replaced by singer Rob Davidson and bass player Tyler Tribby. After playing around locally doing a number of shows they recorded a seven inch that sparked them a deal with Grass Records, which would go on to release their two albums Skantron (1994) and El Toro (1995). They also did a split with Big’n in 1993 on Spontaneous Combustion that featured in my opinion one of their best songs “Choice”, however the song can also be found on Skantron and thankfully now at a much better quality. The bass player slot was pretty much like a revolving door during the bands existence, as bassist Phil Sung would play on Skantron, later leaving the band after its release to then be replaced by Ryan Wilson for the recording of El Toro. They didn’t get much of a chance to make many more changes after that as the band broke up sometime in 1995 after the albums release. Carl Saff went on to play in the equally great Neutrino, with Brian Wnukowski of Big’n, Check Engine, and Cougars fame as well as doing work in the bizarro synth/guitar project Emperor Penguin. Saff can currently be found doing mastering work here. Anyway, definitely check out the tunes below from what I consider to be a couple overlooked math-rock gems.

Skantron:
Pencil – G.M.C. [MP3]
Pencil – Choice [MP3]
Pencil – Integrity [MP3]

El Toro:
Pencil – Cumulus Alto Cumulus [MP3]
Pencil – Zip it Up [MP3]
Pencil – Lickity Split [MP3]

As mentioned earlier, a remastered version of the bands first album Skantron can be had over here for download. El Toro looks to be out of print, however there are more than enough used copies over at Amazon for basically nothing but shipping. I’d definitely recommend picking up that album.

Electro Group...

Sorry for the sporadic updates lately. To be honest I’ve just been slacking, no other excuse really. I guess maybe some minor burnout, but nothing too serious…more of me being kind of lazy about it. However, I have been trying to do a bit of catch up with the plethora of albums that have come out this year that I want to listen to before the year comes to an end. Not a bad problem to have, but a task nonetheless. One more album that will soon be added to that list is the upcoming disc from fuzz rockers Electro Group titled Good Technology, which will be out on the always excellent Clairecords on September 4th. Don’t be surprised to see a review of that disc show up on the blog sometime next month. However for now I’ve thrown up some tunes from the bands debut album A New Pacifica from 2001 on Omnibus Records and their and their EP Ummo from 2004, also on Omnibus.

It doesn’t seem like I see the name Electro Group show up too often in discussion about current and worthwhile shoegaze/noise-pop groups, which is too bad because A New Pacifica is easily one of the better albums I’ve heard from the newer crop of bands. Comprised of singer/guitarist Tim Jacobson, bassist Ian Hernandez, and drummer Matt Hull the group plays some feedback heavy shoegaze, akin to My Bloody Valentine or early Ecstasy of Saint Theresa. The songs are greatly driven by the rumbling fuzzed out bass lines provided by Hernandez. Electro Group really creates the perfect blend between sweet sugary melodies and the harsher aspects of shoegaze/noise-pop, which kind of further confuses me as to why these guys don’t have a larger audience. Occasionally the band comes up in association with the twee outfit Rocketship, whom Jacobson is friends with and has spent some time helping out playing some instruments with here and there, but his status of being an actual member of that band has been a bit overblown a bit. Regardless, it still wouldn’t surprise me if that’s where some of the pop influence for Electro Group came from. Anyway, for those that haven’t heard Electro Group and are looking for some fuzzed out noise-pop with infectiously warm melodies then definitely check out the tunes below.

A New Pacifica:
Electro Group – If You Could See [MP3]
Electro Group – Cyrna Ruka [MP3]
Electro Group – Manimal [MP3]

Ummo:
Electro Group – Panzer Treat [MP3]

Both of their current albums can be had over at Amazon, along with a pre-order option for their upcoming full-length Good Technology. In the meantime, a couple new tracks from the album can be heard over on their MySpace. Do pick these up if you like the tunes above.

The Ancient Greeks...

The math-pop quartet Ancient Greeks came together in 1998. Comprised of Chris Warland (vocals/saxophone), Nathaniel Braddock (guitar), Andy Rench (bass) and Timothy P. Stevens (drums), Ancient Greeks deliver a sharp, guitar-driven hook. They're rooted in post-bop Jazz, bossa nova and 20th century minimalism while also influenced by the ecletic worldbeat sounds of 70s African pop. Over the course of two years, the band gigged in and around their native Chicago. In summer 2001, Ancient Greeks began work on their debut album. They joined TV Pow's Michael Hartman and Jeremy Boyle of Joan of Arc for the recording of The Song Is You. Flameshovel Records also inked the Ancient Greeks a deal in early 2002. The Song Is You appeared in January 2003. ~Allmusic~

I was actually going to type up this big old post about The Ancient Greeks myself, but then I realized that there just wasn’t much I could add to what had already been described. Regardless, I think AMG does a fairly nice job and getting the idea across in just what The Ancient Greeks are all about. As most that read the blog can assume probably, I was interested in the band originally because of the inclusion of former Table drummer Timothy Stevens. Upon first hearing the band on their first album I was pretty much floored. It wasn’t what I was expecting, yet it didn’t quite take me by surprise either. The mixture of styles and influences that combine to make the bands sound just seemed so effortless and convincing that there wasn’t any point in first hearing them that took some sort of adjustment. As a matter a fact, I completely ate it up. Being a fan of Jazz, it came as a delight to hear it mixed with the traditional Chicago math/post-rock sound.

The one thing the excerpt at the very top fails to mention is the bands second album Departure Suite, which was released in 2005 through the Japanese label And Records. The album is a bit harder to find, however I personally feel it’s their best.

The Song is You:
The Ancient Greeks – Lay Up [MP3]
The Ancient Greeks – Transcontinental [MP3]

Departure Suite:
The Ancient Greeks – Moonface [MP3]
The Ancient Greeks – Departure [MP3]

The bands first album The Song is You is still available through Amazon. As far as obtaining Departure Suite, I suppose it’s worth checking out the And Records site…that is if you can read Japanese.

UPDATE: It was brought to my attention in the comments section that Departure Suite is available if you contact the band through their website. Thanks to whomever the anonymous person is that pointed that out!

Crust - Food Eater (album download) / Kittens - Bazooka and the Hustler

After posting about Crust not too long ago, I ended up with a few inquiries about their final album Food Eater, which I think was briefly available online but to my understanding has long since been unavailable. Since it’s nowhere to be found on the net and there are no physical copies of the album that I am aware of, I’ve went ahead and made it available on here for awhile. I don’t know how long I’ll have it up, but for the time being feel free to grab Crust’s final album Food Eater. The quality isn’t the greatest; however it’s definitely better than nothing. So check it out.

Crust – Food Eater (.zip file)

Moving on…

Kittens were a noise-rock trio from Winnipeg, Canada. They released some early cassettes before signing to Sonic Unyon through which they put out a few more albums before calling it quits. Their high water mark, in my opinion, was their second album Bazooka and the Hustler which was released in 1997. The band played a pretty good variation of the dirty and grimy sound that bands on the AmRep and Touch & Go rosters were so commonly known for. An interesting part of the bands sound was that they had a slight western, or possibly even a bit of a bit of country influence in the mix. However, on Bazooka and the Hustler the band leaves very little time for that to really sink in, as their style is more of a no holds barred type that just flat out rocks. If these guys didn’t consume a lot alcohol during their time together, I would be shocked. Regardless, check out some of the tunes below…

Kittens – Great Dane [MP3]
Kittens – Orca [MP3]
Kittens – Sleeping Beauty [MP3]

It appears that Bazooka and the Hustler is still available through Sonic Unyon, however I can’t directly link you to it thanks to the flash setup they have going on over there, so those that want to find it will have to search their webstore, but I assure you it’s there. I wholly recommend picking up anything else that is available, as really anything that the Kittens put out is worth owning, some vastly overlooked mid nineties noise-rock goodness.

A Place to Bury Strangers - Self-Titled

The splitting up of the greatly underrated Skywave resulted in the creation of two whole other bands. One of those bands was A Place to Bury Strangers, while the other was Ceremony. Unfortunately I haven’t heard nearly as much from Ceremony as I have from A Place to Bury Strangers. Both bands have been recording material; however it’s A Place to Bury Strangers that I am focusing on in this post as they have just released a ten song self-titled album, which is more of a compilation really. The album collects various recordings from the band leading up to the present that have been sold at shows on CD-R’s and/or have been floating around on the internet and peer to peer networks for quite awhile now. However, the difference and the draw in here is that the tracks have finally been given a proper mastering job and a legitimate release through Killer Pimp. The only catch is that it’s limited to 500 copies.

There is no easy way to describe what A Place to Bury Strangers do. All I can say is that they are obscenely loud. I’ve tried to think of way to actually describe their sound that doesn’t constantly contain drop the words “feedback” or “distortion”, but it is very much attached to those making it damn near impossible. As was with Skywave, A Place to Bury Strangers absolutely drowns the listener in a type of static-like distortion that is practically always making its presence known. It’s definitely of the blistering white hot variety, simply being relentless. All the while underneath it all is the often distant and monotone vocals of Oliver Ackermann, whom also creates his very own guitar pedals to help further manipulate the bands sound into being something that will naturally destroy ear drums if listened to at a high enough volume. I’m led to assume that it wouldn’t have to be all that high really. But anyway, for those that enjoy their fair share of noise-pop or shoegaze on an ultra high Mary Chain kick, then definitely check out A Place to Bury Strangers.

A Place to Bury Strangers – Don’t Think Lover [MP3]
A Place to Bury Strangers – I Know I’ll See You [MP3]

While the disc is fairly limited, it appears it’s still available through the Brainwashed site. It’s worth a shot at least. Regardless, the band is currently re-working some of the songs for future release on a larger label and hopefully a wider release. However, for those that want to catch some of these songs at their most raw and aggressive stages, then act quick and see if you can’t snag one of these. It’s definitely well worth it.

The Wicked Farleys...

I’ve been meaning to throw up a few tunes from Boston’s The Wicked Farleys for quite awhile now. As with most things that I either mean to do or find myself wanting to do, they get eventually get lost in the shuffle until something jogs my memory again. That happened this weekend while I found myself listening to a hastily made MP3 disc in my car and setting it on shuffle. Eventually a tune from The Wicked Farleys popped up from their great Sustained Interest EP and that was all I needed really.

The band was formed sometime in the mid nineties and would go on to release one 7 inch, a split with Vehicle Birth, the Sustained Interest EP in 1999, and two amazing albums titled Sentinel and Enterprise in 1998 and Make it It in 2000. The bands sound could be simply described as being a beautiful mess. While that hardly does them justice, it’s not a bad description really. They could be pretty much anywhere at anytime during a song and simply just pull a complete 180 on you and turn whatever it was into a small ball of noise or something just going off in a whole other direction altogether. They were a band that really didn’t play into any one genre I guess you could say. Being part math-rock, part mid nineties indie rock, and at times lavishing in the dreaminess of bands like My Bloody Valentine it created this odd monstrosity that in a perfect world would be the most popular thing ever, however we all know that isn’t the case with bands that don’t play it by the numbers. While a description as such doesn’t exactly sound favorable on paper, it really comes together in the actual music. Somehow or another within all the warped guitar tones and oddball directions appear some great melodies and songs that eventually get played over and over again without any explanation other than it’s simply that damn catchy. For those that have never listened to this highly under appreciated and underrated band, then check out the tunes, especially if you’re into the type of atonal indie rock that was prominent during the nineties.

Sentinel and Enterprise:
The Wicked Farleys – Even Numbers [MP3]
The Wicked Farleys – 23 Red Devils [MP3]

Sustained Interest:
The Wicked Farleys – Fitchburg, MA [MP3]

Make it It:
The Wicked Farleys – Dig the Ring [MP3]
The Wicked Farleys – Opportune [MP3]

Thankfully both albums and the EP are still available on Amazon and for a pretty great price too. I can’t recommend picking these up at some point, some great stuff that shouldn’t be missed.

Alcest - Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde

It’s kind of odd in a way to see this album being praised upon on a bunch of metal sites due to just how this record sounds and where it fits in the whole musical scope of things. I suppose it shouldn’t be really a huge surprise or anything however considering the background for Alcest and the man behind it all Neige is fairly established in black metal. Still, it’s a bit interesting. While I can’t say I am too familiar with any of the projects previous material, I assume that most of it isn’t as beautiful and dreamy sounding as this. Still that hasn’t kept fans from saying plenty of good things about the latest album Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde and really it shouldn’t because the album is simply one of the most beautiful things that has come out this year. To sort of sum up Alcest on Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde, it’s basically black metal meets shoegaze/post-rock. Probably more shoegaze and post-rock than anything else, however the buzzing dissonance of black metal inspired guitar is still fairly prominent within Alcest’s sound. However, that’s about as black as this album will get, as the focus for Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde is not to be dark, depressing, and forlorn…rather it’s meant to instill a sense of hope and freedom within the listener. In actuality I remember reading that the album is actually about being a child and the innocence that comes with it, which is fine by me because the idea results in a very powerful and beautiful sounding album. The lyrics are all done in French anyway, so I suppose really to someone like me that can’t translate it, it could mean just about anything. Regardless, Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde is a great album that shoegazers and possibly even metal fans can find some interest in. As for me, I honestly hope Alcest remains heading in this direction. More music like what can be found on Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde would definitely be fine by me.

Alcest - Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde [MP3]

For those interested in checking this out, it can be had over at Profound Lore. Definitely comes recommended.

Seaweed...

Hot on the heals of the somewhat recent news of a Seaweed reunion, I figure now is as good of time to throw some tracks up from one of the bands that found themselves as a big part of my listening habits during the mid to late 90’s. Sadly I don’t get much of a chance to listen to a lot of their records much anymore. It’s the cold hard reality of what happens when you’re constantly on the search for new and exciting things to listen too. However, with the announcement I’ve found myself busting out their records here and there and they are pretty much as great as I remember them being from when I was in high school and before. Most likely if you were listening to a lot of post-hardcore/punk related stuff during the nineties, then Seaweed was probably somewhere in there. It’s good to see them back together, and it seems that they will be releasing a completely new album somewhere down the line, which is pretty exciting news. For those that may have missed out on the band during their first stint together, here is a quick summary which I’ve nabbed from their MySpace page…

“Seaweed is an aggressive, melodic, and powerful unit originally formed in mighty Tacoma, WA. Formed in 1989 by high school friends Clint Werner, Aaron Stauffer, Wade Neal, John Atkins, and Bob Bulgrien, Seaweed quickly earned a reputation as a powerful and energetic live band. Seaweed joined the 7” revolution and put out several cuts on local fave Leopard Gecko. The kids seemed to love them dearly, so Sub Pop records took a mild interest and signed the band. At Sub Pop, Seaweed produced an EP and two albums: the middling, yet endearing Despised, followed by hardcore-emo classics Weak and Four. As a result of incessant domestic and international touring, the band inexplicably attracted the attention of several major labels. Seaweed decided to brass ring it on Hollywood Records in 1995. Later, as a result of many recording sessions gently steered by producer Adam Kaspar, the majestic, yet understated Spanaway was released. The band earned slots on the first Warped Tour and opened for Bad Religion and Green Day on several of many nationwide excursions. Although artistic visions were realized, album sales did not accrue as quickly as the suits had hoped. Suddenly finding themselves too indie for the majors due to cruel corporate cost-cutting measures, they signed with beloved Merge Records for 1999’s Actions and Indications, a raw and clever set of melodic and punkish tracks. The band was also joined for the project by the great Alan Cage of Quicksand on drums, Bob Bulgrien having left the group in 1996. Despite lovely tours to Brazil and the US, the band found itself broken up by the end of the millennium.”

Despised:
Seaweed – Stale [MP3]

Weak:
Seaweed – Stagger [MP3]
Seaweed – Squint [MP3]

Four:
Seaweed – Wait for the Fade [MP3]

Spanaway:
Seaweed – Crush Us All [MP3]
Seaweed – Not Saying Anything [MP3]

Actions & Indications:
Seaweed – Antilyrical [MP3]

Most of the bands albums can be found on Amazon. For more information on reunion head on over to the bands MySpace page.

The Sky Drops...

It’s odd how coincidental things are sometimes. Just the other day I was going through various releases that I am anticipating due for release hopefully sometime this year. One of them that popped into my head was a potential new release from Delaware’s The Sky Drops. A few days later I open up my inbox and two new songs are sitting there waiting for me. Pretty good timing if you ask me.

The Sky Drops are the duo of Rob Montejo (vocals/guitar) and Monika Bullette (drums/vocals). Some might recognize Montejo from his days in the shoegaze group Smashing Orange and Bullette through her solo recordings. Despite only being together since 2005, the band is riding high off the current success of their 2006 self-released EP Clouds of People. Rightfully so as it was definitely one of most intriguing and better EP’s I had the pleasure of hearing last year. As for their sound, well it’s definitely very much shoegaze. While only being a duo they still manage to create a very full and large sound that is in no way limited to just a couple different directions. On Clouds of People, they managed to crank out five tunes that explore haze filled druggy atmospherics as well as being able to pull off a crunchier, almost sludgy rocker like “Now Would Be”. I actually remember hearing that song for the first time while cleaning the house and I basically just stopped what I was doing to hear it. Needless to say I made it a point to sit down with the EP to get a proper listen and really from that point on The Sky Drops have never left my memory bank. Considering at just how bad my memory is at times, that’s quite an accomplishment. However enough with the less than funny self deprecation, the two new songs that I obtained are probably even more impressive than the small dose of material that I’ve already heard. The songs show the duo exploring further with their minimalist drums and guitar setup while at the same time still cranking out some fine mid-tempo shoegaze. Definitely check it out.

The Sky Drops – Sentimental [MP3]
The Sky Drops – Million [MP3]

Bonus:
The Sky Drops – Now Would Be [MP3]

Be sure to pick up the bands EP Clouds of People if you dig the tunes above. It can be had online over here. Also keep checking out their MySpace for more music and further happenings with the band.

Yukon - Mortar

I owe this find to Hank over at Dark Forces Swing Blind Punches, who wrote about the Baltimore based Yukon back in December. With always having a backlog of music that I either need or want to listen to, it at times means I am late to the game, so to speak. Regardless, it took me awhile to fully listen to Yukon’s debut album Mortar, which came out on Terra Firma Records last year. When finally hearing the record, it really didn’t take long for it to find homes in my stereo here at the house as well my car.

For a lot of us out there, we yearn for the sound that made math-rock in the 90’s such a valued art-form. While it hasn’t ever really gone away, it’s definitely become a bit harder now to find groups that can truly display the same sort of power and innovative approach that was found then. Naturally, this is where I mention Yukon and praise them for being in the minority and putting out a fantastic record that absolutely should be heard by anyone that enjoys this type of music. That’s because they most definitely deserve it. Mortar is one of the finest slabs of post-hardcore/mathy goodness that I’ve heard for quite awhile really. It’s seriously a shame I didn’t find this record earlier in ’06, because I would have probably been giving it serious thought for a top twenty slot. With Mortar, it’s not only about the precision at which they pull off their craft, it’s also impressive in that they are able to cram so much into just thirty five minutes worth of music. While all the past math-rock favorites come to mind (Don Caballero, etc), Yukon throw in a twist of melody as well as dirtying up their sound a bit with a slight nod to The Jesus Lizard. There are a number of great things I could say about this album, but really what it all comes down to is that Mortar is everything that is great about math-rock.

Yukon – Legsick [MP3]
Yukon – Ribosome [MP3]

I’d definitely recommend heading over to Terra Firma and picking this up. It’s completely worth it.

Thrushes - Sun Come Undone

Sun Come Undone by the Baltimore quartet Thrushes has been out for a few months now, since March actually. However, it wasn’t until a few weeks that I finally found myself listening to this album. There really isn’t a good reason as to why, at least in my defense. I saw the album getting tons of great press over the span of a couple months and by reading these I should have been all over it. It could have been all the positive reviews made me wonder, can it really be THAT good? Well, after having the opportunity to finally sit down with this album, I can yes…it really is that good. It is quite possibly one of the best shoegaze related albums to come out this year like all those reviews have been saying.

Although anyone out there that is particularly interested in dream pop/shoegaze has probably already heard and fallen in love with this album, it was too good to pass up writing about on the blog. Plus, I feel a bit guilty ignoring it for such a long period of time. But anyway, Sun Come Undone is surprisingly the bands debut album for Birdnote Records. I say surprising because when listening to it you would never tell that this is the bands first stab at a full-length record. The song writing is just absolutely top notch and the band has pressed all the right buttons when it comes to adding textures and volume to their sound. With that Thrushes make brilliant use of atmospherics to which when the simple wash of distortion rolls in, it’s thunderously powerful and moving. While the album is gorgeous sounding, it never teeters into the territory being too delicate and sweet. There is enough bite and anger dwelling underneath all the feedback to steer it clear from succumbing to that. Really everything about this album is just done so well. Their sound comes together so naturally, as if shoegaze had never left in the first place and that it was most prominent form of music on earth. With a debut this strong, it’s fun to think at just how possibly amazing their follow up could be. All I know is that I’ll be waiting with much anticipation to it.

Thrushes – Into the Woods [MP3]
Thrushes – Ghost Train [MP3]

If you like what you hear, then by all means head on over to the bands website and pick this album up. It’s pretty a much have for anyone that consider themselves a fan of shoegaze and/or dream-pop.

Crust...

Hands down one of my favorite bands to come out of Texas during the early 90’s was Crust. The first band signed to the Trance Syndicate label, the absurdity of their music was reason enough to love them. Crust was also one of the most genuinely weird and creepy bands that came out of the whole noise-rock underground during that time. Their music was probably closer to “noise” than anything that ever came out on the label, choosing to use just about anything they could get their hands on to shape their sound, including electric door springs. The outcome was usually a lot of muddied bass propelled by a mixture of odd samples, distortion, tape loops, and genuinely unsettling lyrics. Most of the bands songs subject matter ended up in an area of which most people dare not to go or think. However, for those out there that question their own sanity day in and day out, then Crust was probably even more of a treat. I unfortunately never got to see Crust live due to my age, however it has been documented relatively well over the years, which is probably a good indicator that their live show was even more demented than their actual recorded output. While together the trio of John Hawkins, Jerry Page, and Richard Smith released one EP (Sacred Heart of Crust) and two albums (Crust and Crusty Love). They also recorded a third album titled Food Eater that was never officially released, however was available online in mp3 format for a short period of time. I don’t think there is any real way to track that down anymore unfortunately. Regardless, the band broke up in 1997 and the members moved on to different projects.

Sacred Heart:
Crust – Black Tuesday [MP3]

Feelings/When I Say Yes 7’’:
Crust – When I Say Yes [MP3]

Crust:
Crust – Mosquito Beach [MP3]
Crust – Dog's Prayer Day [MP3]

Crusty Love:
Crust – Bumblebee [MP3]
Crust – Dealer Mike [MP3]

Food Eater:
Crust – Flipcake [MP3]

VA – Love & Napalm (Trance Syndicate Comp.):
Crust – Traveling With Berlitz [MP3]

VA – Cinco Anos (Trance Syndicate Comp.):
Crust – Weekend Bell [MP3]


I think most, if not all, of Crust’s material is now out of print. However, used copies are always floating around on Amazon and the likes.

Film School - Hideout

Film School has been around since 1998, originally starting under the idea of it just being the solo project for lead man Greg Bertens. However, after assembling musicians for the first album A Brilliant Career the lineup ended up sticking around long enough and evolving into a full band. One of these days I think I am going to go through and count just how many bands have originally started that way that I’ve written about on here, because it sure seems like a lot. But anyway, thankfully it happened to Film School as well because the band is now on the verge of releasing their much anticipated third album Hideout through Beggars Banquet after last years well received Self-Titled album.

I’ve followed Film School since shortly after the release of their first album in ’01 and it’s great to hear the band really come into their own with the release of Hideout. While the band has undergone almost a complete transformation member wise, it hasn’t hampered Bertens in any way, at least not from what I can tell on Hideout. In actuality, the addition of the new members have probably helped further Film School’s already post-punk/shoegaze inspired sound. The addition of Lorelei Plotczyk is a notable one as she contributes vocals on a number of tracks for the album, which compliment Bertens vocals quite nicely. One thing I particularly enjoy about Hideout is that in combination with the glistening reverb and dreamy atmospherics there is a menacing and darker post-punk, almost gothic, edge to it. I have to say that the band has done a masterful job at recapturing a sound that seems to have become less and less prevalent within this new uprising of shoegaze/dream-pop. There just aren’t enough bands out there like Film School that are still bringing a bit of moodiness into the picture. Regardless, Film School seems incredibly comfortable with where they are at with their sound and the results speak for themselves on Hideout. Be sure to pick this up when it comes out in September.

Film School – Dear Me [MP3]
Film School – Capitalized I [MP3]

For those interested, Hideout is currently available through Beggars Banquet. Enjoy!