Labels: mixes
Fluf could be considered one of the most highly overlooked bands during 90’s, especially in a time when catchy melodic punk was probably at a high for mainstream consumption. However the mainstream never saw it fit to really take a long hard listen to Fluf throughout the decade, and all that time Otis “O” Barthoulameu fronted the trio with his unique vocals and catchy guitar playing while putting out album after album of completely solid and no frills rock. Honestly I had a hard time going through Fluf’s catalog trying to decide which songs I wanted to post from their main albums. There were just so many good tunes as lead man O crammed each song with as many hooks and melodies as he possibly could that practically each one makes its case for inclusion. And because of that it just blows my mind that they weren’t any bigger. Fluf did spend a small amount of time on a major label for their album Waikiki, however were dropped after it didn’t sell well.
One thing that I always loved about Fluf was that their sound was so very large for just a trio. They got the most out of it, that’s for sure. For me it’s something I like to throw on to lift my mood a bit, as Fluf’s carefree tunes were more than enough to do just that. And while it has nothing to do with the music really, the kitsch/classic looking album designs were a draw in too for some reason. Anyway definitely check out the music below.
I can’t remember or not, but I think a long time ago in the comments section (before all of them were lost) for one of the older posts on the blog someone brought up the band Wool. I’d kind of forgotten about it until I recently listened to their only full-length Box Set from 1994 and remembered how catchy/solid that album was, despite its fairly polished and radio friendly feel.Labels: rock
I must admit, when something happens by coincidence it’s fairly neat. I was originally turned on by the Copenhagen electro/pop/shoegaze outfit epo-555 not too long ago by a reader of the blog that dropped their name while recommending a few things to me. I took a listen to their 2004 album Dexter Fox and enjoyed what I heard. So fast forward a couple or so weeks later and their second album and US debut Mafia ends up in my mailbox. Good timing on their part, since they were still relatively fresh in my mind. Like I said, coincidences can be pretty neat. However, it’s by no coincidence that their second album follows up their debut with an equally strong set of songs. They are simply a good band.Labels: indie-rock, noise-pop, shoegaze
The Bradley Suite was the last album that the New Jersey trio of Bob Evans released before splitting up in 1995. The album got the major label treatment, however it’s no surprise that it now qualifies as one of those 1 cent used CD’s that are often found on Amazon. It’s kind of disappointing that such a good album gets that sort of treatment, but at the same time it’s kind of nice for those rare people out there that want them. Before making The Bradley Suite Bob Evans had two albums under their belt, both of which were chock full of powerful punk/post-hardcore tunes. Their earlier material was especially more punk fueled than that of what is contained on The Bradley Suite. What I imagine was an attempt for Elektra Records to cash in on the alterna-boom of the 90’s, The Bradley Suite really doesn’t fit that mold. Their earlier pop tinged punk material probably made the band attractive at the time, however what was delivered on this album was something fairly different and honestly I find it to be their best album. The band is ultimately a bit more melancholic here on The Bradley Suite and the songs greatly reflect it. It sort of steers into that whole mid nineties emo sound with songs like “Rome” and “The Follow”, however that’s about as close as it ever gets.Labels: post-hardcore, punk
Tim Cronin formed the short lived band Daisycutter in 1991. Some might remember Cronin from the brief time he spent as Monster Magnet’s vocalist before taking over the bands light show duties after Dave Wyndorf assumed vocal duties. Daisycutter was all Cronin’s though and although short lived they did put out one EP titled Shithammer Deluxe in 1993 and one full length for Rockville Records titled Truck Fist in 1994, which was their finest work by far. While the EP was certainly inspired, it sounded like a combination of what Cronin had originally intended to do with the project, which was something centered on tribal drumming. The result on Shithammer Deluxe sounded almost like a compromise between where the band was naturally heading and the original intention. By the next year when Truck Fist rolled around and after a couple of lineup changes the bands sound had developed into what was hinted at on the EP.
Cutting away basically all of the skronked out pretensions of the EP, Truck Fist was loaded with a much fatter and straight forward Daisycutter sound. Very reminiscent of a lot of the sludgy rock being produced in the early 90’s Truck Fist certainly establishes itself as a worthy member of that family. Although not completely varied through its thirteen songs, the album is still worth tracking down these days as it definitely does feature more ups than it does downs, with loud buzzing guitar work and nice raspy vocals to compliment it all. It would have been nice to see the band not completely lose the acid inspired oddness that they displayed on their EP, however without they still made a pretty good album in the end, so oh well.Labels: noise-rock, sludge
Earlier this year I took a trip to the Grand Canyon and Vegas. We opted to drive, which took us through parts of New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada. It being my first trip out there I wasn’t really prepared for how barren and desolate those areas are. Every once and awhile I would drive past these tiny little communities that somehow inexplicably sprung up in the middle of the desert. And every so often you’d see one lonely bar placed off to the edge of the highway, which made me begin to wonder what it would be like to spend my life in one of these places. Trust me, I had plenty of time to think about this as it was all I saw for hours upon hours of scorching hot highway. Pictures of lonely nights sitting with maybe one or two other patrons at a bar staring face down into the bottom of my drink emerged from time to time. And then other times I just envisioned taking the truck I was driving and pulling off onto one of the number of dirt roads that shot off from the highway and then driving aimlessly for miles and miles with the windows down. The only thing missing from this was the perfect soundtrack, which sadly I didn’t have for the trip. However, I believe I have found it, albeit a few months late, but regardless now when I recall those same images all I have to do is put on Liquidate Paris the third and latest album from Vancouver’s Blood Meridian.Labels: alt-country, americana, indie-rock
Labels: emo, post-hardcore, post-rock
It sure is great when one great band can split up and result in the formation of two other great bands. I am not saying I like it when a group that I greatly enjoy breaks up, but if it’s going to happen then this is the type of scenario in which I can only hope for. In this case it was the breakup of the amazing Skywave in which the members splintered off into A Place to Bury Strangers and Ceremony. I already wrote about the new A Place to Bury Strangers record earlier this year, now it’s time to take notice of Ceremony’s new record Disappear, which solely consists of both ex-Skywave members Paul Baker and John Fedowitz.
Labels: instrumental, math-rock, metal
It’s always an interesting time when I listen to a new record from Boston’s Midriff Records as each one always seems to tackle something different. Some might know Midriff as the label that houses veterans of the Boston music scene The Beatings and basically all of their many side projects along with a few other Boston based bands. The labels latest album is from the trio Pending Disappointment called New York Penn, NY. Don’t get any wild ideas; they too are from Boston despite the albums title.Labels: indie-rock, post-hardcore
Labels: post-hardcore
Labels: noise-rock
Continuing with the increasing amount of new material that I’ve been listening to lately in order to squeeze in as much as possible before years end leads me to this new record by Gouédé Oussou called Nothing Matters. The album vaults itself into the territory of late 80’s/early 90’s noise-punk and industrial, to which has consistently found itself falling further into obscurity so it’s both interesting and very refreshing to hear an album like Nothing Matters these days. The late part of the 80’s and early 90’s saw great bands like Godflesh, Terminal Cheesecake, Head of David, Cop Shoot Cop, and a ton of others all sort of emerge with a noisier and abrasive take on industrial music, giving it a bit of a metal flair whilst still reveling in the trashy cold sensibilities that made it so wonderful in the first place. Gouédé Oussou has created a record in Nothing Matters that draws a lot of influence from this time period and kudos to them for doing so. Full on with schizophrenic beats and loads of samples to boot; the disc rips through twenty tracks (five of which are remixes) that drench themselves in a hollow distant slow burn of distortion while jumping back and forth between countless eerie vocal tracks and samples that blend in very nicely with the overall vibe of the disc. In fact, one of the many highlights of the disc is a cover of John Carpenter’s theme for Assault on Precinct 13, which is a perfect choice as Carpenter’s compositions for his movies were fairly chilling in a heartless/lifeless sort of way as it was.Labels: electronic, industrial, noise-rock
Windpipe is technically the first official release from the Brooklyn trio Stay Fucked. After participating in a split release with Archaeopteryx and self-releasing a couple of CD-R only EP’s the California based Unfun Records has stepped up and will be putting out this fine three song EP this Tuesday.Labels: math-rock
Labels: mixes
