Sixto - Sixto

Formed out of the ashes of the brilliant Dis- (see my post on them here) in 1997, singer/guitarist Chris Fuller formed Sixto with former Travis members Matt Scholl and Craig Hutler along with Chris Manfrin who spent time in Seam. The band released one full-length album in 2001 that was Self-Titled on the Milwaukee based Star Star Stereo label before eventually disbanding not long afterward.

Although their existence was brief, their one album is worth tracking down or picking up if you run across it. There are definitely some compelling influences that work with each other successfully in a way I wouldn’t have originally thought until hearing it, combining the styling of early 80’s post-punk/no wave with the more bombast approach of arena rock. Not necessarily the most enticing thing on paper maybe, but Sixto pulls it off quite nicely. Fuller’s near emotionless vocals are a perfect fit for the type of post-punk sound that dominates the record. One of the interesting aspects of it though is that while Fuller’s voice lends itself to the cold and monotonous style that comes with the genres territory, it’s ultimately the dual guitar work that gives it an unexpected liveliness and almost mathy quality. The disc is definitely worth listening to for anyone that were fans of any of the members’ previous bands, if anything it’s an interesting take on a couple different styles of music.

Sixto – The Asphalt Audience [MP3]
Sixto – The Naughty Mime [MP3]

For anyone looking to pick up Sixto’s self-titled album there are still multiple used copies available on Amazon for a pretty good price. Definitely grab a copy if you like the tunes posted above.

Sharks and Sailors - Builds Brand New

I don’t think I’ve heard a record for quite awhile that is as two sided as the debut Builds Brand New from Houston, TX’s Sharks and Sailors. And I don’t mean that as any slight towards the band or their record, it’s just kind of interesting to hear an album that starts one way and ends entirely in another. Sharks and Sailors however seem to have a pretty good feel for whatever they choose to play though as evidenced through their debut which was self-released by the band at the beginning of this month.

Through the first few songs on Builds Brand New it appears that Sharks and Sailors are band that is firmly entrenched in a Midwestern post-hardcore sort of sound, albeit a bit more of a dreamy variation. I suppose that could have been my first indication that this band had something more up their sleeve. Songs like “Builds Brand New” and my personal favorite “Terminal Lesson” both feature the large riffs and gripping melodies that are to be expected, however it’s the laid back and intriguingly chill vocals from both Melissa Lonchambon and Michael Rollin that push these songs into more captivating territory. Thrown in the mix is “Cliffs”, which is a glimpse of the other side of the Sharks and Sailors coin and the shape the album takes more so towards the last three songs. With their shift to a moodier and darker sound, the band almost appears to be influenced by the burgeoning post-rock crop, at times even sounding a bit shoegazy. However, thanks in part to the bands overall soothing tone throughout the album nothing ever sounds out of place. Builds Brand New is a solid debut that covers a lot of ground in its ten songs and certainly leaves the door open for unexpected developments with future material.

Sharks and Sailors – Terminal Lesson [MP3]

For more information on the band and for those looking to pick up Builds Brand New, just head on over to their MySpace to do so. Enjoy, and everyone have a great weekend!

Sleepwall - Come in From the Cold 7''

After seeing names like Seaweed, Hum, and Dinosaur Jr. thrown about when reading up on the fairly new Long Island outfit Sleepwall, I felt obligated to take a listen to their new single out now on Toxic Pop Records. The band doesn’t take long to impress on this three song effort, leaping back in time a bit to the rich times of 90’s indie rock/post-hardcore where they’ve managed to put to tape some excellent no bullshit rock. Side A features the track “Come in From the Cold”, which is probably the most upbeat of the three tracks included while being jammed packed with riffs galore. The B side contains the absolutely smoking and more punk driven “The World is Too Dark”, which may be my favorite track of the bunch. It’s funny, as the description on the labels site mentions, if I weren’t told who this was by or when it came out I would be surprised to learn that this 7 inch was released this year, let alone this decade. However, as much as it draws from indie-rocks past it’s still entirely refreshing to hear something like this that has such an emphasis for tapped out distortion AND plenty of jangly melody to boot. Definitely check this out if you get the chance.

Sleepwall – Come in From the Cold [MP3]

For anyone looking to pick this up, and I highly suggest doing so, it can be had over at Toxic Pop Records. Enjoy and everyone have a good weekend!

This Ain't Vegas...

Around three years ago I remember checking and reading through various online zines that I frequent and reading a review for the album The Night Don Benito Saved My Life by This Ain’t Vegas. At the time I didn’t know it was their second album, but after listening to the aforementioned disc it would compel me to seek out more and thankfully I did. Their debut Black Lung Captain is absolutely worth listening to as well.

After hearing This Ain't Vegas back in ’05 or so it seemed like that was really the last time I heard about them or even read about them. Probably has something to do with the fact that I don’t live in the UK where they call home and formed in 2001 in Sunderland. That and the band has adamantly stuck to their guns when it comes to maintaining their presence in the UK underground indie-rock scene while peers within the scene have since went on to larger labels and larger fanbases. However, as far as I know they are still alive and kicking as they just released a 7 inch through the Longest Mile label at the end of last year.

While they are often mentioned alongside the likes of The Futureheads and Maximo Park due to their locale, This Ain’t Vegas are largely more aggressive than any of those bands and really in my opinion have little to do with each other in terms of sound. The band really draws a good portion of it’s musical style from the mid to late nineties Dischord camp, think Q and Not U and Bluetip and you’ve got a pretty good idea where these guys are coming from and obviously why they grabbed the attention of my ears in the first place. They are tuneful, but hardly restrained with a sound that would likely appeal to anyone that enjoys a solid dose of post-punk/post-hardcore. I just hope they have one more album in them.

Black Lung Captain:
This Ain’t Vegas – Your Name is a Real One [MP3]

The Night Don Benito Saved My Life:
This Ain’t Vegas – Always a Trial [MP3]

For those interested in picking up releases by This Ain’t Vegas, then check out Amazon for The Night Don Benito Saved My Life as they still have copies available. Black Lung Captain can apparently still be had either through Amazon UK or the bands MySpace page.

Svelt...

Svelt was one of many projects for the brothers Chris and Nate Slusarenko, who have made a name for themselves among the Portland, OR music scene and more for the past couple decades or so. Svelt might even look like a blip on the radar these days, during their brief period together the band released a full-length album titled Souvenir through Schizophonic Records in 1996 along with an EP that same year called The Shetland Sessions also through Schizophonic. The band also contributed a track to the It’s Finally Christmas compilation, which I sadly don’t have.

Svelt was formed after the brothers previous band Sprinkler disbanded, who are also worth checking out as well. Their one and only album Souvenir is a fine slab of rock that sort of had a carry over sound from their days on Sub Pop while with Sprinkler. The music on Souvenir in particular contained a larger sound that was partly due to the constant wallop of N. Slusarenko’s drumming. The band also didn’t shy away from poppy melodies, in fact both Souvenir and their EP Shetland Sessions are full of them, but the band worked in a few interesting twists and turns that often times couldn’t be found in the more mainstream alt-rock bands of the time.

Souvenir:
Svelt – Very Real [MP3]
Svelt – Shrunken Head [MP3]

Shetland Sessions:
Svelt – Ditty [MP3]

Nate Slusarenko played in a number of bands with his brother Chris along the way and has done artwork and design for various things over the years. Chris Slusarenko formed his own record label called Off Records. Chris played bass with Guided by Voices from 2003-2004 and is one half of the duo The Takeovers with Robert Pollard. Chris was recently named as part of Pollard’s newly announced band Boston Spaceships as well, which plan on having an album out sometime later this year.

For those interested in picking up material by Svelt, both the album and the EP are still available through CD Baby, so head on over there to pick those up. Highly recommended.

Tiger Shower Caps - Self-Titled

The Self-Titled debut from Germany’s Tiger Shower Caps is the latest release from the Radio is Down label. Formed in 2006, the band is made up of formers members from Are We Electric?, Sabet, Bhang Dextro, and Motorambo. While their name alone was almost interesting enough to get me to listen to the record, I was glad to find out that the album also contains a number of good tunes on it as well. Sometimes artist bios aren’t necessarily the most accurate thing whenever I get a chance to read them, but with Tiger Shower Caps I think they were pretty close on theirs. The band does in fact sound like a mixture of 80’s post-punk and the burgeoning 90’s indie-rock set, although I would say more so the Chicago scene more than anything else as the guitars are full of that razor thin and trebly goodness that you would expect. The vocals fit the bill especially, with the singer’s frantic yelps that nicely off set the bands casual hooks and infectious melodies, not allowing the listener to get too comfortable with the record. With a name like Tiger Shower Caps, it’s obvious the band has a bit of a sense of humor as well, that works its way into the record too here and there.

Tiger Shower Caps – Low Budget King [MP3]

For those interested in picking up the debut from Tiger Shower Caps, then head on over to Radio is Down to do so.

Placer...

Since I’ve highlighted both Slughog and Barbaro in the past on the blog, I figured it makes sense to go ahead to give a full post to the next step for Andrew Schneider and his band Placer. While time together was brief, the band did release one full-length through Dopamine Records titled Summer and after a couple lineup changes the band eventually disappeared.

Formed not long after calling Barbaro quits, Schneider rounded up fellow musicians Kate McGlaughlin and Pat Gleason to form Placer, whom partly appear on Summer. However, the lineup was quickly shifted to that of Tom Korkidis (Alienist Outfit, On Fire), Michael Ushinski (Barbaro, Stricken for Catherine), and Jeff Turlik (Stompbox, Milligram). To me Placer always sounded like a continuation of Barbaro in a lot of ways, except maybe a bit more drawn out and with a few more odd rhythmic changes that reminded me a bit of Shiner especially when combined with the bands unabashed love for low end. Their album Summer I thought was pretty good, albeit maybe a bit repetitive and slow churning for it’s own good. However, for those that enjoyed Barbaro I don’t think there is much to dislike about it.

The band was around for a little while after the release of Summer, making the move to New York sometime during that period. While in the process the lineup for the band was completely overhauled and scaled back to a trio. Ethan Dussault (Garrison) and J.R. Conners (Cave-In) filled in on bass and drums respectively, but as mentioned before they drifted into obscurity after that. Both Schneider and Dussault do recording work these days for the most part it seems like.

Placer – The Drag [MP3]
Placer – Fly [MP3]

The bands album Summer is still available through Dopamine Records for as little as five bucks, so I recommend anyone that digs what they here to definitely go over there and pick it up. Enjoy!

Bellafea - Cavalcade

After roughly four years Bellafea has finally returned with their brand new debut album in hand titled Cavalcade. Just released at the beginning of June through Southern Records, the band spent two years of that time off between the release of their EP Family Tree and now recording the nine songs that make up Cavalcade. The time has proved to work in the bands favor though as the album is simply a great piece of work that should have fans of nineties inspired indie-rock smiling from cheek to cheek.

It’s not really a surprise to find that Bellafea is based out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Although I’d say their sound doesn’t necessarily reflect that as much as some might want you to believe. Sure there are parts that can be picked out of the scenes past, but Bellafea are looking to continue to push it forward and I’d say Cavalcade does well in separating them from the past just as much as it intelligently takes from it. There will always be a special place in my heart for the jagged and tumbling guitar sound that made up a lot of the past decades prime indie-rock, Bellafea work within that territory to present a lively set of songs that are bursting with noisy free falls for Cavalcade. At the same time though, and this was a more so particularly on their previous EP Family Tree, Bellefea contain a small beauty within their music that is mostly due in part to singer/guitarist Heather McEntire. With vocals that have no trouble meeting the expectations of the bands varying moods, whether it be a cacophony of strings and guitar or just the power dual punch of bassist Eddie Sanchez and drummer Nathan Buchanan. It doesn’t matter as McEntire’s voice fits the bill for each and every moment on the album.

Bellafea – Depart (I Never Knew You) [MP3]

For anyone that is interested in picking up Cavalcade then head on over to Amazon to do so. It definitely comes recommended.

Caterpillar...

Coming out of Philadelphia during the early 90’s was the band Caterpillar, who would go on to release three albums up until the end of the decade. Like many great bands during the time, Caterpillar are all too often forgotten these days with their first couple records showing up in bargain bins and going for a couple bucks on Amazon marketplace. However, as that all too true saying goes, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” (yeah, it’s kind of corny I know). As I hope turns out to be the case for some out there after previewing some tunes below.

Starting out in the early 90’s with a single on Compulsiv records the band soon after found them sharing a split single with indie stalwarts Superchunk on the Simple Machines label. That in itself kind of gives an idea as to where Caterpillar's sound lied, although not nearly as straight forward as them and with every bit of pop punch. Don’t look into that too much though, as Caterpillar's sound was a fairly all over the place one, full of quirky and odd tunings and often going back and forth between up front rockers to a more sleepy and laid back sound with songs about dirt, rocks, and fossils.

Anyway, the band returned to the Complusiv label in 1994 to release their debut full-length A Thousand Million Micronauts, which showcased the bands interesting brand of indie-pop nicely. They followed that up with a split 12’’ with Zen Guerilla in 1995. In 1996, once again through Compulsive, the band released their second album Macdorium Chlorium Chloe. The band had one final album released posthumously in 1999 through the Tappersize label titled Peace, Love, and Popularity. Personally my favorite of the three, but I am sure arguments could be easily made for the other two albums as being their best…so I won’t go that far to say that. Anyway, the album seemed to contain everything that made Caterpillar so interesting and fun to listen to with strong hooks and the unexpected odd rhythmic twists that really seemed to define indie-rock in the 90’s.

A Thousand Million Micronauts:
Caterpillar – My Buddy Ballantine [MP3]
Caterpillar – Prismatic Core [MP3]

Macdorium Chlorium Chloe:
Caterpillar – Betty Ann and Vinny [MP3]
Caterpillar – The Great Evolvo [MP3]

Peace, Love, and Popularity:
Caterpillar – Serious Thrill [MP3]
Caterpillar – HBK [MP3]

For those that are interested in picking up releases from Caterpillar, their first two albums can still be found fairly cheaply on Amazon. For anyone that is looking to pick up Peace, Love, and Popularity it still seems to be available through Tappersize Records. As always, enjoy and definitely pick up some records if you like what you here.

Dirty Old Man River...

After the Chicago based Drunk Tank came to an end around 1992 or so, Julian Mills went on to form the even darker and dirge driven Dirty Old Man River not long after. While the band was together they released three pretty solid albums (Self-Titled, The Saddest Movie Screen, and Ageless respectively) through Radial Records. Interestingly enough, joining Mills for the last two albums was Ben Miller (brother of Mission of Burma’s Roger Miller) on stereo pre-prepared guitar.

While Dirty Old Man River traveled down the same dark murky paths of that of Mills’ previous band, they were still two completely different beasts. This wasn’t the same raucous guitar attack that Drunk Tank was. Still though, one of the center points of the band was the raspy and chilling grate of Mills’ vocals. However, picture those to the backdrop of a menacing piano and the random clinks and buzzes, that of which remind you of the sounds that a larger older house makes when you’re sitting alone in it late at night trying to convince yourself it’s nothing but the house itself. Dirty Old Man River operated on the same level of “spooky” I suppose. Doing away with most melody in favor of the tension mounting random oddball noises and bringing together the seedy red lighted sound of a late hours dive bar. Dirty Old Man River is essentially what “creepy” music should sound like. It’s basically every long drunken walk home alone in the dark you’ve ever taken…

Dirty Old Man River:
Dirty Old Man River – Katy Did [MP3]

The Saddest Movie Screen:
Dirty Old Man River – Ghosts on the River [MP3]

Ageless:
Dirty Old Man River – One More Round [MP3]

For those looking to pick up any of the releases from Dirty Old Man River, I believe all three of the albums are still available through Amazon, both used and new. So definitely pick one, two, or all three of these if you enjoy what you here!

Singer - Unhistories

With U.S. Maple being on hiatus for the foreseeable future, guitarist Todd Rittman and later era drummer Adam Vida set out and teamed up with former 90 Day Men member Rob Lowe and the brother of Adam, Ben Vida to form Singer. The band has just recently released their full-length debut, Unhistories, this past March on Drag City.

I remember first hearing about Singer and where it would lead. Their debut kind of snuck up on me, but something like Singer is definitely a good surprise. I guess it’s not terribly surprising the band resembles U.S. Maple in quite a few ways, most notably continuing on with the off-kilter guitar arrangements and general “making something from nothing” type of mentality that the previous outfit so successfully pulled off. There are a few key differences interspersed throughout the record though. One being that the name of the band is something to be taken quite literally, which was a complete surprise to me. I had no idea that the foursome would be collectively providing vocals. Furthermore, I didn’t expect them to be harmonized in such a way that they are on the album, albeit it’s Lowe that often takes center stage with the vocal duties. It’s quite a difference and really contrasts well with overall uneasiness that is created by the deconstructed rhythms floating along behind them.

I hate to use the word accessible, but Singer provides a bit more of a gentler approach than what was previously experimented with in U.S. Maple. But let me remind you that I am using the term “accessible” very very loosely. Singer does a pretty good job at diving into the odd guitar/rhythm experimentations of Rittman’s and A. Vida’s previous group and delivering something with a few interesting twists that ultimately work better than I think most would expect.

Singer – Dumb Smoke [MP3]

For those looking to pick up Singer’s debut album Unhistories, then head on over to Drag City to do so. I definitely recommend this purchase for fans of U.S. Maple.

Trance Syndicate: Cinco Anos / Love & Napalm

Here are a couple of compilations from the defunct label Trance Syndicate. I’ve posted about many of the excellent bands that appear on both Cinco Anos and Love & Napalm in the past (Cherubs, Johnboy, Crust, and etc), however there are still quite a few I haven’t gotten around to posting about. These comps manage to cover many of those in one nice swoop. And for anyone reading the blog that haven’t listened to anything found on these comps in the past, then by all means give them a download and take a listen. Some good stuff to be found here for sure. Just click the album covers for the download.




For anyone looking to pick up physical copies of these discs, there are still numerous copies available through Amazon (here & here) for basically nothing but the cost of shipping. Along with that, many of the bands featured on them also have albums still available used on there too, so if you like something you hear, definitely pick up an album or two. You can’t go wrong with something like Cherubs. Enjoy!

Thalia Zedek Band - Liars and Prayers

What a great way to kick off the week by being able to post about the new record from Thalia Zedek, which is due out tomorrow through Thrill Jockey records. The new album, Liars and Prayers, isn’t necessarily a solo record, rather it is Zedek expanding upon her usual touring band of Daniel Coughlin and David Curry to include the new but familiar additions of Winston Braman (Fuzzy and Sherperdess) and Mel Lederman (Victory at Sea) to form the Thalia Zedek Band.

On Liars and Prayers we see Zedek take a slight step back into the bluesy guitar rock of her previous band Come, which to me was one of the most brilliant yet underrated bands of the early to mid nineties. However, all the nuanced arrangements that were an important factor on her solo records are again part of the idea here as well creating an interesting balance between the power found in the work of Come and the gut wrenching beauty of her solo work. While I’d say the record stays more in accordance to her more recent output, it’s yet another example as to why Zedek should be considered one of the top singer/songwriters of the past couple decades.

Fans of Zedek’s past work shouldn’t be disappointed with the results on Liars and Prayers. The subject matter may have shifted to a more political focus; however the down and out beauty of her songwriting and singing is in full swing and as effective as ever.

Thalia Zedek Band – Lower Allston [MP3]

For anyone interested in picking up Liars and Prayers, head on over to Thrill Jockey to order it. The vinyl version also comes with high quality MP3’s at no extra charge. It’s a solid album so definitely buy this one when it comes out tomorrow. Enjoy!

Citified - The Meeting After the Meeting

Back in ’05 before I was doing the blog thing, I had run across a fantastic little mini LP by Greensboro, North Carolina’s Citified that was released on Eskimo Kiss Records. As far as catchy indie rock albums went, I think it was definitely my favorite of the bunch that year. Part of it had a lo-fi 80’s college rock type of feel to it, while also managing to sprinkle in dabs of reverb throughout. It had me hooked pretty quickly, to say the least.

Anyway, I think at the time of the first recording Citified was mostly the one man project of Chris Jackson with maybe a couple other guys helping out here and there. Just this past month or so though Citified has returned, and this time Jackson has recruited a full band to back him. The bands second release, The Meeting after the Meeting, is yet another small dose of nostalgia and reverb drenched melodies. It took me a bit to get used to cleaner and fully fleshed out sound, however everything that made the first LP so special is successfully worked into the seven songs on this EP. The clarity allows the glistening guitar lines to add a bit of a dream-pop element to the bands overall sound that couldn’t or didn’t really make as much of an appearance on the first record. The distance in Jackson’s vocals fit right along with the underlying melancholic small town trappings, which was one of the things that initially endeared the bands music to me when I first discovered them.

The Meeting After the Meeting:
Citified – Read Like a Number [MP3]

Citified:
Citified – I’ve Seen You Older [MP3]

Part of me wonders what a proper full-length album from these guys would be like, but then again the songs are so short and sweet I don’t necessarily see it happening or how it would work in the first place. Regardless, I’ll settle for the small dashes of output from Citified over most “indie” bands entire discography any day. For those that are interested, then head on over to Eskimo Kiss to pick up the bands latest EP The Meeting After the Meeting. The bands first LP is also available too, so definitely pick that up if you have the chance.

Loomis...

Another sad and unfortunate tragedy of the Grass to Wind-Up Records switchover in the late 90’s was the promising Milwaukee, WI based indie-rock/emo outfit Loomis. After burning through a couple bassists in the bands earlier stages the group settled on the lineup of Mike Chubbuck (vocals/guitar), Dave Kawczynski (guitar), Chris Rosenau (bass), and Eric Marshall (drums). Although being based in WI, the band played a very similar sound to that of the Chapel Hill bands of the same era (Superchunk, Archers of Loaf, etc), but maybe with a bit less of the quirky nature of most of those. Instead they opted for some of the big melody approach of the Midwestern indie/emo bands of the time as well. While the combination didn’t really do enough to make them stand out, their lone 1996 album You’re No Tiger Meow, Meow, Meow released on Grass Records contained plenty of fine songs that should have and still could interest those that consider themselves fans of this type of thing. Solid all the way around, even if it isn’t something completely new or that hasn’t been done before. The band also released a few singles throughout their run together. Some of the odds and ends of the bands discography were collected on the 1999 2 disc compilation How Much is Too Much released on Sun Sea Sky Productions. Anyway, for those interested here are a few tracks from their fine 1996 album You’re No Tiger Meow, Meow, Meow.

Loomis – Conquistador [MP3]
Loomis – Kung Fu Girl [MP3]
Loomis – Pillow [MP3]

Like I mentioned earlier, the band was ultimately left in the dust after Grass eventually morphed into Wind-Up. Loomis was in the process of recording new songs during the time of the switch; however the band split up not long after being dropped from the label. Since then the band has reunited once back in December of 2006 with fellow reunited Milwaukee greats Compound Red and Alligator Gun. Talks of newly recorded/re-recorded songs surfaced both before and after the show, but have since been quiet for a little over a year now. Regardless, for those interested in their one and only album and are digging the tunes above by all means head on over to Amazon and snatch up one of the many used copies available for cheap. Good stuff.

The Raymond Brake...

The Raymond Brake was formed around 1994 in Greensboro, NC. Most, if not all of them, not even of legal drinking age yet when they got together. Being not too far away from the Chapel Hill scene at the time, it’s not surprising that The Raymond Brake sported some resemblances of some of the areas big hitters such as Archers of Loaf and Polvo. However, for those that have never listened to the band, don’t expect any sort of carbon copy as The Raymond Brake were definitely great in their own way and don’t get the props they deserve when speaking of that great early to mid-nineties indie-rock class.

The band released a couple singles, including a split with Rebar, before releasing their album Piles of Dirty Winters in 1995 through Simple Machines. I can’t recommend picking this album up enough if you’re a fan of anything mentioned in this post thus far. It’s a great album that somehow continues to float under the radar 10+ years later. The band would follow that up with a fairly solid EP titled Never Work Ever through Hep-Cat Records before calling it quits sometime around 1998.

These days you can find singer/guitarist Andy Cabic playing in the highly acclaimed indie outfit Vetiver.

Piles of Dirty Winters:
The Raymond Brake – Philistine [MP3]
The Raymond Brake – Slink Moss [MP3]

Never Work Ever:
The Raymond Brake – Easter [MP3]

For those looking to pick up releases by the band, there are still copies of the album and EP for sale through Amazon or if anything head on over to Simple Machines and hit them up. Either way, pick these up…well worth it.

Heroes of Switzerland - Comfort in Fear

Bands that list My Bloody Valentine in their bios as an influence are supposed to have loud swirling guitars and obscene amounts of feedback right? This apparently isn’t the case for Heroes of Switzerland, who hail from Nottingham, UK. The band cites a number of other bands within their bio and basically makes it clear that their only concern is to play good rock music. In the end they accomplish that on their debut album Comfort in Fear, which was just released at the end of this past February.

Heroes of Switzerland mix in various elements from indie-rock and the early days of shoegaze within their sound. There are no endless walls of feedback or layers of woozy sounding guitars here though. Instead one should think more in the direction of past bands like Swervedriver or post-Ferment Catherine Wheel (You know, when they wanted to become rock stars?). But anyway, this is the type of music that Heroes of Switzerland have decided to dwell in and they have made good on it for their debut Comfort in Fear. The album is full of solid tracks that feature a number of great melodies to hook you in. This is a band that gets it done with pure songwriting as opposed to lying heavy on the effects pedals or just drowning the listener’s ears in an auditory assault. Good stuff indeed.

Heroes of Switzerland – Compliancy [MP3]
Heroes of Switzerland – Soaring [MP3]

Those looking to pick up Comfort in Fear can do so through CD Baby. Definitely do so if you’re enjoying the posted tunes.

Experimental Aircraft - Third Transmission: Meet Me On Echo Echo Terrace

Third Transmission: Meet Me On Echo Echo Terrace is the third album from the Austin, Texas based Experimental Aircraft. Having been absent for quite some time now, the band has come back as strong as ever with this wonderful album. As far as spacey/shoegaze releases go so far this year, this has definitely found a place among the top of the early pile. In actuality I should use the word shoegaze somewhat loosely with them, as they are much more than your average distortion heavy “wall of sound” type of band. They manage to blend elements of indie-rock and hints of psychedelic influence within the distant sounding fuzz. Experimental Aircraft sound very much like a product of where they are from, with songs that stretch and reveal a hint of haunting loneliness that one can easily be consumed by living in such an area. It sets the mood perfectly. Adding to it all is one of my favorite aspects of the band, which are the gorgeous vocals from singer Rachel Staggs. Her soft drifting vocals complement the bands overall forlorn sound perfectly with her injecting that slight ounce of hope among it all. Also making an appearance, more here than on their previous albums, are the additional vocals from TJ O’Leary. Who often sounds a bit more fluctuant but adds nicely to the bands palette. This is definitely an album to check out for fans of hazy/spacey indie-rock. Good stuff all around.

Experimental Aircraft – Stellar [MP3]
Experimental Aircraft – So Simple [MP3]

If you’re interested in picking up Third Transmission: Meet Me on Echo Echo Terrace, then head on over to Graveface Records and order a copy. Definitely comes recommended. Enjoy!

Ides of Space...

Ides of Space was an Australian shoegaze/indie-rock group that was formed in 1999, however despite a bit of exposure here in the US and doing well among college radio they still went fairly unnoticed here. They seemed to have a bit more success in their home country of Australia though. They recorded two EP’s, First Translated in 1965 and We Have Nowhere to Be, both of which were released in 2001. Those two EP’s would be collected onto one single album titled There Are No New Clouds through the US label Better Looking Records. It was actually with that album that I first heard them and instantly liked what I heard. While it isn’t anything terribly original, the songs are definitely strong, consisting of good but also restrained use of dense feedback to help craft them. Sometimes maybe a bit too somber, however the band does well to make sure it doesn’t dwell on those moments too long. I definitely recommend checking out There Are No New Clouds, since it’s the easiest thing these days to track down by them and because it’s close to, if not, the best thing they did while together.

Ides of Space – This Side of the Screen [MP3]
Ides of Space – Random Noise Generator [MP3]

The band did record an actual album that was released in 2004 called Sleeping Fractures. I don’t really know too much about it actually, although I think it was originally planned for a US release through The First Time Records, but evidently never happened. It’s definitely worth listening to if anyone out there can find it/afford it. After the release of Sleeping Fractures the band pretty much disappeared, at least it seemed that way to me. However, this past year a few of the members turned up in a new project dubbed Line Drawings. You can find them over on their MySpace.

As for obtaining a copy of There Are No New Clouds, it’s still available through Better Looking Records. Definitely give it a spin.

Cold Water Flat...

So as of this week I can officially consider myself part of the working force again, which I am extremely excited about. I’ve been off for longer than I’d like to admit, so it feels good to finally be back and doing something I enjoy. I don’t think the blog will suffer any from it as I do most of my updating very late at night or very early in the morning; however you want to look at it. I’ve lined up about 10 or so updates for the next couple weeks, so everything should continue as normal. With that said, on with the tunes…


I am going to venture a guess and say that there are at least a few others out there like me that were turned on to Cold Water Flat through their connection to Buffalo Tom. Cold Water Flat’s guitarist and vocalist Paul Janovitz is the brother of Buffalo Tom lead man Bill Janovitz, which forms that interesting little connection. Unsurprisingly there are some similarities between the two bands in terms of sound, along with Paul and Bill sounding somewhat alike vocally as well. For the most part if you were a fan of one of the two bands then you in all likelihood did or would like the other one.

Cold Water Flat was formed around 1990 and released two pretty solid albums. Their first album titled Listen was released in 1993 through the Sonic Bubblegum label. The album gathered them a bit of attention amidst the whole alternative major label sign-o-thon of the 90’s and they were inevitably signed to MCA. Their second album, which was Self-Titled, was released in 1995 and despite making the rounds on some college radio they didn’t get the sort of push and/or support they needed and the album didn’t sell. That sounds like a broken record for so many bands at that time, but for people like me it makes searching bargain bins that much more exciting these days. But anyway, Cold Water Flat disbanded not long after the album. Paul Janovitz spent some time in the band Dragstrip Courage. These days you can find him by checking out his photography website or head on over to MySpace to listen to some of his solo work.

Listen:
Cold Water Flat – Listerine [MP3]
Cold Water Flat – Dig [MP3]

Cold Water Flat:
Cold Water Flat – Magnetic North Pole [MP3]
Cold Water Flat – It’s Over [MP3]

Both the albums are still available used through Amazon, although for whatever reason they don’t come up together when you search the band. So, to purchase Listen head over here and to purchase the bands self-titled disc head over here. As always, enjoy!

A Ten O'Clock Scholar - Quietest

Quietest was the one and only album from the Dayton, Ohio band A Ten O’Clock Scholar. Released in 1996 through the Grass Records label, this little gem of a record probably graces many cut out bins across the country these days. That seemed to be the fate for many bands that were on Grass before they eventually (and unfortunately) mutated into Wind-Up records. Regardless, before that there was plenty to love about their roster, including A Ten O’Clock even if they were fairly short lived. For those that haven’t heard this and are fans of a noisy and loosely arranged indie-rock, then this is definitely something that you may want to check out. It’s kind of funny though, as I was digging around trying to see what happened to these guys I took at their AMG page and some of the listings under “similar artists” were so incredibly misleading. For the record, these guys sound nothing like Gravity Kills or Orgy. Seriously, who came up with those? Plus, I would never subject any the readers out there to anything similar to those bands. You can count on that.

But anyway, A Ten O’Clock Scholar could probably be better described as Pavement if they had become fascinated by 80’s no wave. Quietest contains quite a bit of dissonant guitar playing and it rides strongly on that. It’s not so indigestible in that it will only appeal to a small select few people; however it’s harsh and unsettling enough to scare away a fair amount. It’s one messy sounding record that prides itself on being just that.

A Ten O’Clock Scholar – Hooded Figure at the Foot of My Bed [MP3]
A Ten O’Clock Scholar – Excellence in Safety [MP3]
A Ten O’Clock Scholar – Infant [MP3]

Some of the members went on to spend time in Ohio Casket and Lab Partners. I am not so sure what any of these guys are up to these days however. Regardless, definitely pick up Quietest over at Amazon if the tunes above are of any interest. There are million used copies up on there for basically nothing, so definitely check it out.

Die! Die! Die! - Promises, Promises

Finally making its way over to the US after being released in the bands homeland of New Zealand in late ’07, Promises, Promises from post-punk/hardcore outfit Die! Die! Die! has just been released here by the wonderful S.A.F. Records. While the record in most ways isn’t as abrasive as their previous self-titled debut back in ’05, it’s still a wonderfully crafted album that in my opinion out does their debut despite the aforementioned sacrifices. Promises, Promises won’t gather much attention for breaking new ground or anything like that, however it’s a highly refreshing take on the tunefulness of early to mid nineties post-hardcore/indie-rock and the sort of energy that some of those records had back then. It’s amazing what that sort of thing will do for an album and in turn a record like Promises, Promises is the perfect antidote to much of the lifelessness that plagues too much of similarly classified music now. Definitely check this album out for those out there that haven’t already done so.

Die! Die! Die! – Blinding [MP3]
Die! Die! Die! – Echoecho [MP3]

Promises, Promises is, as of yesterday, now officially out so if the tunes above are striking a chord then by all means head on over to Strictly Amateur Films and pick this up. It’s an excellent record.

The Muggabears - Night Choreography

While this was released back in April of last year, I only happened to receive this in the mail a few days ago. So yeah, I am a bit late to the game and it would appear that a few blogs out there have already had some nice things to say about it. However, after listening to Night Choreography from the Brooklyn trio The Muggabears a few times through now it’s definitely worthy of throwing up here and helping further saturate the blogging world with their tunes.

I won’t lie, this EP plays right into my tastes and my gigantic weak spot for all things 90’s indie-rock. The Muggabears on Night Choreography weave, swerve, and tumble their way through seven very solid songs that harkens back to some of the best of 90’s deconstructed/experimental indie-rock. I imagine you could throw out any number of names here and someone could find a piece of it within the The Muggabears sound, and that’s in no way meant to take away from the bands originality. I mean, the more things I can pick out the better it has to be in my opinion and to be able to wrap it into such a finely tuned and highly rocking package definitely leaves lasting positive impression. The crashing swells of distortion featured in songs like “Dead Kid Kicks” and “Now I’ve Got a Sword” are more than enough to hook me in every single freaking time. For those out there like me that love oddly tuned fuzz filled guitars then don’t wait to pick this up.

The Muggabears – The Goth Tarts [MP3]
The Muggabears – Dead Kid Kicks [MP3]

For anyone looking to pick up Night Choreography, that can be done through Insound. Also check out the bands MySpace for some more tunes and links to purchase their previous EP and album.

Her Vanished Grace - Twilight

Although being around for nearly 15 years, this is the first time I’ve ever had a chance to hear Her Vanished Grace, the husband/wife tandem of Charles and Nance Nieland. The band has released a number of records together over the years, developing a respectable cult following. Their album Twilight serves as their latest, released just at the end of ’07, and is my introduction to the band. First and foremost I got to respect a band that has spent so many years playing music that they genuinely love, even if it comes at the expense of accessibility and maybe even a larger audience. That obviously takes dedication. Her Vanished Grace, from what I can tell, has been putting out their brand of finely crafted shoegaze/dream-pop tunes for awhile now and look to have no plans of stopping on Twilight.

Featuring the warm and recognizable fuzz of shoegaze’s past, Twilight wraps it in a welcome influence of eighties new wave with a hint of Cocteau Twins-esque looming in the background. One thing I did notice was the front end of Twilight is surprisingly riff heavy drawing the majority of its power from that source as opposed to a cacophonous swirl. As the album progresses though, the band eases into calmer shoegaze/dream-pop territory and is where it really begins to take hold. The albums closer “Alone” is a highlight, showcasing some of the bands stronger qualities and is also where the band is at its most ethereal.

Her Vanished Grace – Twilight [MP3]
Her Vanished Grace – Alone [MP3]

For those interested in picking up Twilight, it can be currently had on CD Baby. Definitely check it out for those that are fans of a bit harder edged shoegaze sound. Enjoy!

Lorelei - Everyone Must Touch the Stove

The Washington DC based Lorelei originally formed right around 1990 as a five piece but was quickly stripped down to a trio after the release of their first single. Their initial stint together lasted all of six years before calling it quits after they released their only full-length, Everyone Must Touch the Stove on Slumberland in 1994. The album was released sort of right on the tail end of the whole shoegaze wave of the early nineties, which may have actually been a good thing for the band because it proves to be one of the more interesting releases that still sort of falls into that category. While there are plenty of lush and blanketed moments of distortion scattered throughout the album, it draws from many other sources as well. The band enlisted the use of a number of different instruments on Everyone Must Touch the Stove, which is what truly makes this album much more fun listen than many other albums that fall under the same umbrella. I imagine an album like this seemed sort of out of left field for what people might have expected, however the hint of experimentalism that it contains definitely gathers it some respect from at least me. It’s different, while still managing to be highly listenable. Songs like “Throwaway” and “Inside the Crimelab” are a couple of prime examples of the bands overall approach to sort of expand the genre in a way.

Lorelei – Thigh for a Leg [MP3]
Lorelei – Inside the Crimelab [MP3]

Lorelei reformed back in 2003 resulting in the recording of a three song 12'' called Informed by the Future that was released on the bands own label, Textile Sounds. The band apparently has plans to release material this year, which will great to hear. Also, be sure to check out the bands EP Asleep, which was precursor to the full-length. Well worth checking out. If the tunes above are of interest then please by all means head on over to the Slumberland website and pick up Everyone Must Touch the Stove.

Toenut...

Kinda sorta formed back in 1991 was the highly underrated and quite interesting Atlanta, GA based band Toenut. I say “kinda sorta” because there wasn’t really a solidified lineup until the band was eventually signed to Mute Records in 1995. Up until that point the band had been playing with a number of drummers and a core lineup that was essentially singer Katie Walters, guitarist Skipper Hartley, guitarist Richie Edelson, and bassist Chris Collins. However, before making the jump to Mute the band enlisted the services of full-time drummer Colin English.

The band would put out a couple full-lengths for the label, their debut in ’95 titled Information and ‘97’s Two in the Piñata. Sadly though the band was struck with tragedy in early April of 1997 when Chris Collins was killed in an automobile accident. The result of the tragedy was basically a name change for the band to tyro and the exiting of members Edelson and English.

Toenut were an amazingly talented group of musicians that may have been overlooked due them being sort of swept up in the alterna explosion of the 90’s. However, they were fairly different from many of those sorts of bands in a lot of ways. The bands quirky and often challenging choice of song structures probably didn’t solidify them consistent airplay, we’ll just say that. Along with the bands tendency to use various odd samples throughout their albums and the soft vocals provided by Katie Walters, it made Toenut a genuinely fun band to listen to. They were definitely among the more interesting groups to touch the mainstream during that time, if anything.

Information:
Toenut – Information 32nd Theme Song [MP3]
Toenut – Mouthful of Pennies [MP3]

Two in the Piñata:
Toenut – Feeder [MP3]
Toenut – Debug Me [MP3]

Walters and Hartley these days can be found still making music under the name of tyro, while other former members have since moved on to various other endeavors. For those interested albums can still be purchased on Amazon. Regardless, if the tunes above are of interest please do pick one or both albums up. Both are worth it in my opinion.

Kolya...

While many may remember Caulfield Records for some of their earlier releases in the early to mid nineties, it’s easy to sometimes forget about some of the better records that came out on the label in its final years. Kolya were a trio out of Boston, MA that put out one self-titled record through the label in 2001 and then were not heard from much after. However, that record makes for a fairly decent example. Not exactly obscure, but not as big as some of their early 90’s predecessors. They also put out a couple singles as well on other labels that are completely worth tracking down or purchasing if they happened to be stumbled upon one of these days

I hate to make it sound as simple as just mashing two genres together and leaving it at that, however I can’t honestly figure out a good way to describe what Kolya did other than saying that it was a very interesting and (in my opinion) successful cross between early to mid nineties emo and the rhythmic styled math-rock that was commonly coming out of Chicago almost during the same time. The vocals, which were shared between two of the members, give it a very nostalgic feel for some of those early DC bands, as they are often presented in a spoken…sometimes shouted manner. It works quite well however. The way in which the songs work through like a rollercoaster of climbs and falls, occasionally remind of past greats Boys Life and Christie Front Drive. On it’s own though, Kolya’s only album is a great piece of work definitely worth having for anyone that may have missed it the first time around and are fans of this type of thing.

Self-Titled:
Kolya – Robots Dream in Black and White [MP3]
Kolya – Resuscitation [MP3]

Iditarod 7’’:
Kolya – Iditarod [MP3]
Kolya – Still Life with Candle [MP3]

Kolya 7’’:
Kolya – The Story Becomes the Vehicle [MP3]
Kolya – Conversations and Smokescreens [MP3]

Kolya split up shortly after the release of their self-titled album; I am not so sure what followed. Although I do know that guitarist Todd Giles and bassist Craig Schechter later were in the band The Union Ares. Todd Giles these days is in bluegrass band called Poverty Line Old Time Band. If anyone else wants to fill in any gaps, then feel free. As for the Kolya record, it can still be had over Amazon and many other places of online retail. So do check that out and pick it up if the tunes posted are of interest.

Thinking Machines - A Complete Record of Urban Archaeology

Well I hope everyone had a good and safe New Years. With all the holiday stuff out of the way for awhile, hopefully I can get back into the swing of things around here. To kick off things for ’08 will be for a record I have been spinning quite a bit over the past week from the Philadelphia based trio of Thinking Machines. The band is prepping to release their third album and first through TMvFM Records. The album, which is called A Complete Record of Urban Archaeology, is set to come out sometime later this January or possibly early February according to the bands MySpace.

Apparently the record was originally due out this past December; however delays in production have caused it to be pushed back. Honestly I am kind of glad it did because otherwise I don’t think it would have gotten a fair shake at the year end list or anything like that. That’s always the worst thing about late December releases; they really stand no chance amongst the clamor to conjure up some sort of favorites list. Anyway, A Complete Record of Urban Archaeology is a fine record that instead of being a forgotten end of ’07 release is in fact a great way to kick of my ’08.

The album continues with the bands thick guitar crunch that manages to work in fair amount of catchy riffs while leaning heavily on a post-punk disjointedness. While their past albums occasionally had some dreamier elements, it would appear on A Complete Record of Urban Archaeology that it’s featured to a lesser degree here. However, the fuzz and distortion is still bound to leave ears ringing on this one. It’s definitely reminiscent of some the better loud guitar driven rock of the past decade.

Thinking Machines – Waste of Time [MP3]
Thinking Machines – Urban Archaeologist [MP3]

For those interested, you can stream the entire album currently at the bands page on Last.fm. And for those looking to purchase the album, that can now be done through iTunes. Enjoy!