Lavodrama - Zurich

I foolishly overlooked the debut from the Zaragoza (Spain) based trio of Lavodrama last year titled It’s Close, That’s What Matters that was released on Bcore Records. I didn’t really hear or check into what the band was all about until sometime earlier this year, which was a huge mistake on my part because their sound is right along with some of favorite tastes as far as music goes. Thankfully I don’t have to feel too late to the game as the band has recently released an EP titled Zurich, once again through Bcore.

The fact that Lavodrama finds its home on Bcore ought to give those out there a pretty good idea as to just what the band sounds like. Although, one should dive back into the labels catalog a bit to get a true idea of where the band draws most of its inspiration for Zurich and any of their previous releases. The days of Aina and Shanty Rd. ring loudly throughout the bands sound along with other mid-nineties post-hardcore acts like Jawbox, Bluetip, Seven Storey Mountain, and Kerosene 454. While many bands miss the mark on trying to recapture the days of when music like this ran rampant, Lavodrama are easily one of the best bands I’ve heard in the past year that truly capture the essence and spirit of that era. For those looking for a taste of Lavodrama, the Zurich EP is definitely worth checking out.

Zurich:
Lavodrama – Dear Friend [MP3]

It’s Close, That’s What Matters:
Lavodrama – The Process of Maturity [MP3]

For those looking to pick up Zurich or any of the bands other releases just head on over to Bcore Records. Definitely recommended.

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!

Go! Dog! Go! - Glad to be Unhappy

There is little to be found when searching around on the good old internet for the band Go! Dog! Go! and their one and only album Glad to be Unhappy. The album, which was released in 1997 through the Risk Records label, is one of those cheap used section shot in the dark buys that just happened to pay off. Judging by the lack of press or really anything about the band in general probably means that it wasn’t necessarily funded or backed heavily. It’s unfortunate too because Glad to be Unhappy really does have something going for it. Along with channeling the likes of Drive Like Jehu (no shocker here that Mark Trombino produced this album) and Fugazi, the band also enlisted a saxophone player. It certainly adds a different element to what would seemingly be another typical post-hardcore band with odd time signatures and all that. It would have been interesting to see where Go! Dog! Go! could have gone with it, but sadly this all we have aside from a couple more 7 inch singles floating around somewhere. I will admit, the sax doesn’t always necessarily fit within what the band was trying to do, however more often than not it proves to be an interesting and rewarding listen. It especially works well when the band simply pairs up the guitar and sax in a sort of effort to out duel each other. The odd but somewhat interesting lounge-esque intros and breakdowns definitely give the album an added and unforeseen twist as well. Glad to be Unhappy is definitely worth checking out, especially for as little as you’ll have to pay for it these days online. It’s hard to go wrong with that.

Go! Dog! Go! – Engine [MP3]
Go! Dog! Go! – Platter [MP3]

For anyone wishing to pick up Glad to Be Unhappy, it can still be had through Amazon used. Definitely pick it up if you like what you hear! Enjoy.

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.

Junction - A Collection of Random Mishaps

Formed in 1989, Junction was a four piece post-hardcore outfit based out of Pennsylvania that played a nice variation of the DC sound. Originally starting out with core members Gregg Foreman (guitars) and Ben Azzara (drums), it would be a rotation of members and breakups before member Garrett Rothman joined the group on bass. As a trio the band recorded their first single together, a split 7’’ with the band Separate Peace. Not long after the single was released the band then added singer Vanessa Downing. The band would go on to record two more EP’s, the Falling & Laughing EP and the Swingset EP before really calling it quits sometime around 1993 or so.

I really do wish littler known bands from this time got the discography treatment these days. Thankfully Art Monk Construction was able to put out the compilation disc for Junction, A Collection of Random Mishaps, not too many years after the band called it a day. The disc is out of print these days I think, however is fairly easy to track down and comes at a pretty cheap price used.

Junction – Mouth as a Gun [MP3]
Junction – Ivy [MP3]

Like I said, A Collection of Random Mishaps can be found online at Amazon and various other places used still. Definitely pick it up if you’re digging the tunes above. After Junction broke up Ben Azzara went on to briefly play in Delta 72 with fellow Junction member Gregg Foreman. Azzara exited the band and then played in Capitol City Dusters for a few years.

Dagobah...

It’s odd how things work out sometimes. I don’t have much of an update tonight due to all the storms going on and my connection not being as reliable as it I would like. Anyway, I’d been searching for physical copies of both the self-titled full-length and EP from the late and highly overlooked Osterville, Massachusetts based band Dagobah. I still am actually, but at that time I didn’t even have digital copies to listen to. However, just a few days ago by pure coincidence I received an e-mail from a reader of the blog that had a link to the bands recorded output up for download. Needless to say I have been spinning (well, looping on Winamp) the albums ever since. For those who haven’t heard the band, they were a three piece math/post-hardcore outfit during the mid to late nineties that put some serious riffs to record that definitely shouldn’t be missed. Check it out below.

Dagobah LP:
Dagobah – 55378008(life) [MP3]
Dagobah – Paas [MP3]

Dagobah EP:
Dagobah – Hot Dog [MP3]

If you’re enjoying the tunes above, then by all means head on over to the Sampson Records archive and download the full LP and EP for free. Enjoy!

Valina - A Tempo! A Tempo!

A Tempo! A Tempo! is the latest album from the Austrian three piece Valina. It marks their third album and their first release since 05’s excellent EP Epode. The album was released this past spring through Trost Records. I am not entirely sure if the album will be seeing a US release, however it’s available now though the labels website.

For those that may have not heard any of Valina’s material over the past 10 years that they’ve been around, well now is a perfect time to start as A Tempo! A Tempo! is probably one of the best things they’ve recorded to date. The album brings together all the past elements of the bands sound and sharpens them even further. An already fairly tight band on record, they’re swaggering brand of math-rock is deceptive in a way that it’s sometimes easy to overlook at just how skilled this band is. Interweaving incredibly catchy melodies with the stop start directional mayhem comparable to that of some of the early to mid nineties finest, the band creates a distinctive sound of their own that is somewhat helped along by the vocals of Anatol Bogendorfer that gently hint at the idea of being upbeat enough to sing along with.

Featuring a new drummer (Anselm Duerrschmid) this time around, the band doesn’t miss a beat, featuring the same skittish rapid speed blasts of thundering drums as before. Also helping them along on A Tempo! A Tempo! is some of their pals from the Chicago band Cougars who contribute saxophone and trumpet pieces throughout the album, which may be one of the finest additions to the bands sound.

Valina – Dogged [MP3]
Valina – Eye’s a Window [MP3]

As noted before, A Tempo! A Tempo! can be had over at Trost Records. I highly suggest picking this up and possibly any other Valina release you may come across. As a matter a fact, both Epode and their second album Vagabond are both available though 54º40' or Fight! still. In the meantime, enjoy!

The Catalyst - Marianas Trench + 9

Oh the sweet sound of filthy muddy distortion. I have a feeling I would get along with the guys in The Catalyst very very well if were to ever come into contact with them. This of course comes after listening to their recent release Marianas Trench + 9, which essentially is a re-release of their ’07 EP of the same name with their 12’’ split with Mass Movement of the Moth and their 7’’ split with Brainworms tacked on. All of which have also been remastered by Carl Saff (Pencil, Neutrino). The compilation was just released this past Tuesday through the excellent Perpetual Motion Machine, which has released fine albums from Tulsa Drone and Wow Owls! in the past as well.

The Catalyst has been kicking around since about 2002, playing their aggressive assault of down tuned sludgy distorted post-hardcore and most likely causing havoc around Richmond and the state of Virginia throughout it all. To imagine what the venues must look like after these guys have played is slightly scary to think about. I can imagine a few people probably being unconscious and on the floor, whether from being beaten or from alcohol poisoning. Either one seems completely fitting. No matter what though The Catalyst undoubtedly leave a mess behind, both on record and I can only assume live. The music is played at a hardcore tempo and ferocity, however there is just as much AmRep type of earth rattling noise making taking place here as much anything else. It’s loud, crude, and most importantly powerful. Well worth the price of admission.

The Catalyst – This Bike is a Gravity Bong [MP3]
The Catalyst – Smoke Crack Worship Satan [MP3]

For those looking to pick this up, which if you don’t own any of the previous splits then I highly suggest doing so, head on over to Perpetual Motion Machine and order a copy.

Algebra of Need - Self Improvement

If only I could have heard this album last year. I have a strong feeling that it would have made the year end list. And yet again, I have to thank one of the blogs loyal readers for directing me to the Philadelphia based Algebra of Need. A bit of poking around on the internet really doesn’t turn up much press or anything of the sort for them, which is a shame because their debut record Self Improvement completely smokes and definitely deserves some praise.

While a lot of bands out there struggle with combing through their influences to create something interesting, Algebra of Need has apparently had absolutely no trouble with that once so ever. They are channeling the absolute best of the past two decades of noise-rock while mixing it up a bit with sort of a post-punk groove and bounce that ultimately keeps it from being one giant wash of noise. Not that I would have much of a problem with that either, but on Self Improvement the band manages to create a sound that will likely appeal to quite a few people despite the explosive feedback and tempo changes that come at the listener with reckless abandon. At thirteen songs in just under forty minutes, it really actually feels much shorter than that due to the band not slowing down one ounce throughout it all.

Algebra of Need – Another Skyscraper [MP3]
Algebra of Need – Nothing to Report [MP3]

Definitely check this one out if the samples above are sparking any interest. Self Improvement was self-released by the band as far as I know and can currently be purchased over at their MySpace or it can be had over at CD Baby. Fantastic stuff.

Shutdown - Icarus

Just to get this out of the way, this is not the same band that is from New York and has released some records on Victory in the past. In fact, I sadly don’t know a whole lot about this Shutdown other than the basics. I do know that in their earlier stages they were a hardcore band from the UK however progressively ventured further towards a more melodic post-hardcore/emo sound. The band released the pictured album Icarus around 1996 on Golf Records. Shutdown might have already been defunct by that point; if they weren’t then they didn’t last much longer after this release. As far as I know they also had a self-titled 12’’ on Off the Disk records released in 1991 and one other album on Golf that I have absolutely no clue of its whereabouts, title, or year of release. If any of the readers out there know anything to help fill in the gaps for Shutdown, then by all means leave a comment or two. It would be very much appreciated. One other notable item is that the UK based label Boss Tuneage released a compilation of non album material a few years ago spanning the years 1990-1995, and that is still widely available.

As for Icarus, compared to the bands earlier material it still has a strong influence from late eighties/early nineties hardcore however by this point the band was more in line to comparables like Quicksand and earlier Shift. In fact the production and guitar tone on Icarus reminds me a lot of the latter. But anyway, this is definitely worth taking a look at.

Update: Reader Pete from the UK sent me a very informative e-mail about the band a day after this was posted, here is what he had to say...

"You're right about Icarus... it came out very late 96 if memory serves but
the group disbanded mid-late 97. I'm still unsure on the reasons, wasn't like a
major thing just a natural ending. Icarus was barely promoted to the extent you'd
hardly know it existed. Plastichead distribution who ran Golf were pretty slack to
say the least. They put more energy into the other Golf bands (mostly pop
punk/rubbish hardcore). The other Shutdown album you know nothing about was called
'Emits a Real Bronx Cheer' & although it has no date on it I'm certain is was
released in early 95? I listened to all their output last year & decided this album
was their high point. Its a perfect blend of uptempo melodic h/c with the DC
influence & their 'post h/c' tendencies."

Many thanks to Pete for helping out!

Shutdown – Kerbdrill [MP3]
Shutdown – Beacon [MP3]

Despite its import status, there are still copies of Icarus floating around on Amazon, Ebay, etc. I imagine for those that live in the UK that the album is pretty easy to find. Also, be sure to check out Boss Tuneage for the earlier mentioned retrospective of their non album material.

Prize Country - Lottery of Recognition

Prize Country originally caught my attention when I noticed that they would be joining Sirhan Sirhan on their upcoming tour which I think starts around April 3rd. I am hoping to make it out to their stop here in KC at the Record Bar on the 28th of the same month. It should be pretty great, even more so now after hearing Prize Country’s full-length album Lottery of Recognition just out this past year on Exigent Records. It is a hefty dosage of crunching guitars that I believe should appeal to quite a few out there that are into mid nineties post-hardcore. It definitely encompasses the same frenetic style of play that many of those bands from that period shared. Plenty of twisted guitar riffs nicely intertwined with heavy bass lines, which I’m always a big fan of. The nice thing about Prize Country though is they don’t get overly complicated, they are a band that is still definitely all about the big riff. Anymore that’s almost refreshing to hear. Apparently the band is from Portland, Oregon however there are a few songs on the album that definitely show a hint of Midwestern rock influence to them. Lottery of Recognition is an album that hits hard, which should hopefully translate well if I do make it out to that show. Anyway, definitely check out the tunes below.

Prize Country – Nice View [MP3]
Prize Country – Playing the Fool [MP3]

For some more tunes and to purchase their album Lottery of Recognition, head over to their MySpace. Also be on the lookout for an upcoming split 7’’ with Loom and another split 7’’ with tour mates Sirhan Sirhan. Enjoy!

Charlottefield - What Are Friends For

Charlottefield’s latest record What Are Friends For may have been one of the first new records I heard at the beginning of the year. I don’t really know why I’ve put off writing about it on the blog up until now, but in between then and now I’ve slowly grown to enjoy this album even more than I did when I first heard it. So maybe it all works out in the long run, and to cover up my laziness even further, it DID just come out here in the US very recently so I am not really THAT behind.

The bands latest disc is something I think most fans of post-hardcore/math-rock will appreciate whole heartedly. Charlottefield are definitely cruising down that pathway, although judging by the sounds on the album they aren’t necessarily happy about it. With vocals from Thomas Howell that are often being barked and shouted in a strained frenzy while a rising tension of guitar and bass swirl behind him as if they are constantly trying to catch up to him. The lead track “Beatings” is actually probably one of the more aggressive tracks on the album, which actually works quite nicely as it is followed up by multiple songs that more or less serve as a better representation of Charlottefield’s sound. While it may seem highly familiar some, it’s partly the execution that makes What Are Friends For such a strong album and one that shouldn’t be dismissed as just another math-rock album. There are plenty of great and challenging arrangements throughout the album and if that isn’t enough, the consistently amazing bass lines should at least intrigue some out there. Charlottefield most definitely are quite skilled at being able to almost perfectly marry technical skill to beautiful melodies and that’s more than a lot of bands trying their hand at the same thing can say these days.

Charlottefield – Pacifically [MP3]

For those looking to pick this record up, continue to check at Fat Cat.

Bitch Magnet...

The Chapel Hill based Bitch Magnet had a pretty good four or so year run in the late eighties, capping off their time together with the excellent album Ben Hur in 1990. The band featured singer/bassist Sooyoung Park, whom most know from his later and more prominent band the excellent Seam. The band released their first EP in 1988 titled Star Booty with a lineup that included Park, Jon Fine (guitar), and Orestes Morfin (drums). The Steve Albini recorded EP got them some attention, however still showed them trying to sort of gather their footing as a band. Star Booty did however layout the foundations of what the band would be known for, and that was a loud brand of post-hardcore/punk laced with plenty of distortion. For the bands second release Umber, they added second guitarist David Galt to the mix and it proved to payoff for the band as Umber sounds full and contains the extra bit of power that the band was sort of missing for Star Booty. I’m not slagging Star Booty either just for the record; it’s still pretty good which says plenty about how great this band was. Both Star Booty and Umber would later be released on one CD in 1995 I think.

Joining the fold not long after the release of Umber was ex-Squirrel Bait and then current Bastro member David Grubbs, who replaced David Galt on guitar just in time for the bands EP Valmead featuring slowcore pioneers Codeine on it as well. Their previous release Umber, along with being a pretty solid album, also served as a decent bridge into what would be in my opinion the bands finest work, Ben Hur. The album, which would be the bands last, was released in 1990 through Communion Records. It featured Bitch Magnet at their absolute best, showing off the excellent guitar work provided by Fine and Grubbs along with the amazing drumming of Morfin. Ben Hur may be one of my favorite records to listen to just for the drums alone, it’s definitely a treat. The actual songs were a bit of an expansive take on some of the things that were featured on Umber, there is a hint of moodiness however plenty of rocking and scorching feedback. The Grubbs and Squirrel Bait connection inevitably landed them some comparisons to Slint, which I suppose I can see at times but for the most part doesn’t really fit them.

Umber & Star Booty:
Bitch Magnet – Navajo Ace [MP3]
Bitch Magnet – Joyless Street [MP3]
Bitch Magnet – Carnation [MP3]

Ben Hur:
Bitch Magnet – Dragoon [MP3]
Bitch Magnet – Lookin’ at the Devil [MP3]

After the breakup, Sooyoung Park went on to do Seam and was then in a band called ee. I am not sure if they are still around or not. David Grubbs continued on with Bastro, which later developed into Gastr del Sol. He’s also released a number of solo albums. Jon Fine spent time in Vineland and then later a short period in Don Caballero. He was in a band called Coptic Light that released an album in ’05. Orestes Morfin would later reemerge playing drums for Walt Mink.

For those interested in picking up material by the band, Ben Hur can still be had over at Amazon. The Umber & Star Booty disc is a bit hard to track down. Regardless, at least pick up their final album, it’s truly worth it.

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.

Lync - These Are Not Fall Colors

I was online the other day streaming some online radio and a song from the Olympia, WA trio Lync came on. Better yet, it was one of my favorite songs that they ever did, “Cue Cards”. While listening to the song it occurred to me that I hadn’t ever mentioned their excellent lone full-length album These Are Not Fall Colors on the blog at any point. Sometimes it takes a bit of a jarring of the memory, but I am pleased to feature this album on the blog for the final post of this week.

Lync formed around 1992 and would only stay together for a short two years before splitting up. In between they released the aforementioned These Are Not Fall Colors and some singles to my knowledge. However, the little output they had is certainly up there in terms of quality among the 90’s post-hardcore/emo set.

The band would release These Are Not Fall Colors in 1994 through K Records. To me it’s one of those records that you hear it and everything just works in its favor. The slightly rougher production, singer Sam Jayne’s buried vocals, all the odd tunings…there is no other way this record should sound in my mind. While I throw the term “emo” around, don’t let it fool you. Lync’s sound was far more complex and dynamic than that, which is largely the reason that even now after listening to this album for the first time in a while it still holds up today. The songwriting was leaps and bounds above much of what Lync is commonly grouped with, and it most definitely leaves anything these days that tries to sport the dreaded “e” word in the dust. Take a listen.

Lync – Pennies to Save [MP3]
Lync – Cue Cards [MP3]

In 1997 K Records put out the posthumous collection Remembering the Fireballs (Pt. 8), which collects the bands singles and compilation appearances along with a few unreleased tracks as well. Well worth picking up as well, but a little rougher around the edges. For those looking to pick up These Are Not Fall Colors or the ’97 compilation definitely hit up the K Records online shop.

The Vehicle Birth - Tragedy

Tragedy was the one and only album released by the DC/Boston based band The Vehicle Birth. The album which was originally self-released by the band sometime around 1997 was later re-released by Crank! Records in 1998. The band would break up the following year while on tour, playing their last show in Portland. While it may be the bands single album, they sure made it count as it definitely is an overlooked gem within the math-rock/post-hardcore set. I think back to around 1998 and I remember a lot of the music that was becoming popular at the time and a lot of it wasn’t terribly good. I imagine Tragedy suffered the unfortunate circumstance of coming out when music was taking a bit of a shift and music similar to that of The Vehicle Birth was becoming rarer. Regardless, it still doesn’t really explain why a record like Tragedy doesn’t get its due.

The Vehicle Birth was a five piece that had originally formed in Fairfax, VA but later made the move to Boston, MA. They played shows with Dismemberment Plan on a number of occasions and were friends of the band. Unsurprisingly Leigh Thompson of The Vehicle Birth now plays in the band Statehood with former members of the Dismemberment Plan. But anyway, The Vehicle Birth’s music was a culmination of many things in a way. They had the odd/uneasy post-rock slant down to about every detail. Singer and guitarist Timothy James’ muttered rambling styled vocals were taken to the extreme in comparison to any similar acts that had come before them. What made The Vehicle Birth so special in my eyes though was the way their songs could go back and forth so easily. The buildups for the songs that rely on them are extremely well thought out allowing for all sorts of tension. Along with all of that though the band still shared a bit of the DC post-hardcore sound in which their roots lied. Songs like “Marathon” and “Yankeedom” are more straight forward not relying as inherently on the whole soft/loud approach, or just deceptively soft in some cases. Whatever the case may be, Tragedy is a record that shouldn’t be passed over when thinking about some of the finer math/post-hardcore releases during the 90’s.

The Vehicle Birth – Marathon [MP3]
The Vehicle Birth – 23 [MP3]

Now day’s member Leigh Thompson can be found playing in Statehood as earlier mentioned, Jeff Galusha can now be found in Certainly, Sir, Timothy James is currently in the band The Movies, Christopher Jackson played in the band Cracktorch for a bit, while member John Stephens can be found doing the solo thing as John vs. Anti-John.

For those interested in picking up Tragedy, which I strongly urge people to do, it can be had over at Amazon for basically any other online retailer. For those looking to go the digital route it also available on Emusic. Enjoy!

Empire State Games...

Empire State Games were yet another band that had an all too brief existence and broke up right as things were starting to roll for them. Although I would say for their nearly two years together they made the most of it by putting out three singles (including a split with King for a Day) and CD EP on Makoto. In 2001 Elkion Records put together compilation of all the bands past singles along with a couple tunes from the bands Makoto EP. Also tacked on is a cover of “Just What I Needed” originally by the Cars and two unreleased songs, one of them live as it was never properly recorded.

I know now days it may surprise a few out there that there was actually some very well done and highly listenable emo/pop-punk around back before it became as huge as it is now…bands like Knapsack come to mind real quickly. However, Empire State Games did it about as well as you can do it and it definitely puts anything out these days to shame. I realize I sound like a bitter old man whenever I say that, however I am not that old and really don’t mean to, it’s just the sad sad truth of it all. I’ll opt for the non-watered down catchy sweetness that is Empire State Games any day over that sort of fodder. Regardless, don’t listen to me…take a listen and decide for yourself.

Empire State Games – The Wrong Way to Hold a Microphone [MP3]
Empire State Games – Circus Strongman [MP3]

You can still pick up this discography disc over at Elkion Records. Definitely do it if the tunes above are of any 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!

The Farewell Bend...

Hope everyone had a nice holiday. Mine was surprisingly stress free, which is unusual around this time, especially when I am surrounded by my family. I managed to eat the best that I probably have all year. I imagine I will be feasting off of leftovers for a week or so due to all the food. I’ll find ways to get creative with the leftover turkey. Anyway, back to what this whole thing is about and that is the music…

The Farewell Bend was a great, however short lived, trio that released one album during their time together in 1998’s In Passing along with a seven inch single, and a split seven inch with Shiner. That’s all I know about at least. Anyway, making up the band were former Boy’s Life members Brandon Butler and John Rejba along with Giant’s Chair drummer Paul Ackerman. The Farewell Bend sort of sounded like what you’d expect a band made up of such members to sound like, it’s very Kansas City/Midwestern sounding however shares a bit of its sound with the DC 90’s post-hardcore set. However, throughout the album it’s not hard to hear instances of each member’s former band and they gel extremely well as evidenced in their one and only album on Slowdime. And as to be expected, Brandon Butler’s vocals are one of the focal points of the band, barely edging out the always impressive drumming of Ackerman for the spotlight here. It’s maybe one of the best resulting products from a band that contained members whose pasts were so deeply rooted in the Midwest.

In Passing:
The Farewell Bend – The Pen Ran Out of Ink [MP3]
The Farewell Bend – South for the Summer [MP3]

Self-Titled 7’’:
The Farewell Bend – Predictability [MP3]
The Farewell Bend – On-3 [MP3]

Although it appears to be out print, there are still used copies of In Passing available through the usual source of Amazon. For those that enjoy the tunes posted or just enjoyed any of the members previous bands, definitely pick this up it won’t disappoint.

Bob Evans - The Bradley Suite

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.

It makes me wonder what label execs must have thought of an album that contains two acoustic guitar based interludes squeezed in between nine other tracks of moody post-hardcore. Hearing albums like this only makes that time period more interesting to me and music that actually made it to majors due to the overwhelming response to grunge and anything resembling alternative.

Bob Evans – Lawyer [MP3]
Bob Evans – Asphalt [MP3]
Bob Evans – The Follow [MP3]

As mentioned earlier in the post, The Bradley Suite is currently available on Amazon for a penny. So, if the tunes above are of any interest then drop the money for shipping to get the album. Enjoy.

Juno...

Juno was a band out of Seattle that formed in 1995 and released a couple albums, This is the Way it Goes and Goes and Goes and A Future Lived in Past Tense, on Desoto Records before calling it a day. I like to think that they were a band that were just around during the wrong time, or hung it up a bit too soon. It might have not mattered, who knows. Despite that though, it seems as if an album like 2001’s A Future Lived in Past Tense was released now it would have a chance to be fairly successful due to the heightened interest in post-rock or just music that is of the epic rise and fall variety.

Members Arlie Carstens, Gabe Carter, and Jason Guyer made up a three guitar core that was joined with drummer Greg Ferguson. Over the years the band had a few different bass players both on record and on tour, one of them being Nate Mendel of SDRE fame. However, when it all came down to it Juno’s sound was very largely based around the interplay and the arrangements of the three guitarists that made up the band. They were certainly masters of creating a sound that weaved in out of different textures and riffs, and as to be expected they sounded massive when they completely let loose. Juno weren’t necessarily a one trick pony though. While they most certainly wrote songs that journeyed through the lows and highs of ambience, their sound was also very heavily based around the straight forward rock approach of post-hardcore music in the 90’s.

This is the Way it Goes and Goes and Goes:
Juno – The Young Influentials [MP3]
Juno – All Your Friends are Comedians [MP3]

A Future Lived in Past Tense:
Juno – When I was in _____ [MP3]
Juno – You are the Beautiful Conductor of This Orchestra [MP3]

Magnified and Reduced by Inches 7’’:
Juno – Magnified and Reduced by Inches [MP3]
Juno – Pablo Y Zelda [MP3]

Both of Juno’s fine albums are still available through Desoto Records. If you’re digging the music then definitely go and pick up a record or two. Well worth it.

Pending Disappointment - New York Penn, NY

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.

I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen a band that purposely makes their influences as known as Pending Disappointment does. Typically it’s the labels that want to throw around names and comparisons and all sorts of buzz words to get someone psyched about an album, and sure there are those types of things here but even on Pending Disappointment’s latest album the band themselves aren’t hiding much here. I am typically not a stickler for these types of things, unless it’s just completely offensive. The same applies here, as I could really care less so long as the music is good which for the most part it is. Maybe the one thing I could do without is the album closing with a song entitled “FFF=666”, that’s a bit much maybe. All of that aside though, New York Penn, NY pretty much accomplishes what it sets out to do and that is sort recapture the sort of sincerity that made some of the music during the earlier to mid portion of the 90’s so great. I think a lot of that shows up in the bands lyrics too, which sometimes comes off as maybe overly bitter, but in the end I can’t really blame them for feeling that way. I mean we all know and have heard the amount of disgustingly compressed and faux “rock” that passes for genuine music these days. Pending Disappointment are probably fighting against the odds here with a sound that finds itself middling between post-hardcore and indie-rock, I’d say they are leaning more towards the latter. Anyway, check out New York Penn, NY for a quick hit of nostalgia.

Pending Disappointment – Firedamp [MP3]
Pending Disappointment – I’ll Leave You Behind [MP3]

The album is actually due out today, so head on over to Midriff to pick it up if the tunes above are sparking some interest. Enjoy!

Tanner...

After Ryan Foxe left the notoriously oddball San Diego group Fishwife remaining members Gar Wood (Hot Snakes), Chris Prescott (Hemlock, No Knife, Pinback), and Matt Ohlin continued on as the trio known as Tanner. Although their existence was fairly short, only remaining together from 1993 to 1997, the band did manage to release a handful of singles and two pretty fantastic albums in 1995’s Ill-Gotten Gains and 1997’s (Germo) Phobic. Over the years the albums sort of have gotten lost in the wealth of great releases that came out of the San Diego music scene during that time. In a group where Yank Crime is sometimes considered the be all end all of post-hardcore records, some might be surprised as to just how well Tanner’s material holds up in comparison as personally I feel like both of their albums came close to or possibly matched the intensity levels of said peers. The bands sound was equally driving and explosive, both records of theirs deliver riff after riff in an uncompromising frenetic pace however they remained incredibly tight, which was undoubtedly due to years of playing together anyway in their previous band. For anyone that enjoys the type anxiety ridden post-hardcore that the Southern California scene produced during the early to mid nineties, then definitely check out Tanner. Although never receiving the type of praise they most definitely deserved, they were one of the finest of the bunch without a doubt.

Ill-Gotten Gains:
Tanner – Computers That Breathe [MP3]
Tanner – Noose [MP3]

(Germo) Phobic:
Tanner – 2 Parts Gas [MP3]
Tanner – Dolls of You [MP3]

For those looking to pick up either of Tanner’s albums, they are still copies available through various vendors on Amazon for relatively decent prices, so by all means pick these up if the tunes above peak your interest. It’s good stuff.

Arm...

One of the more overlooked bands to come out of the Minneapolis area in the 90’s was Arm. While some of their earlier recordings got the band gigs with some of the areas more prominent noise-rock acts like Hammerhead and Cows, their sound eventually moved away from the grittier and noisier AmRep style to something that, as they note in their bio, is more similar to Unwound or a more general melodic post-hardcore sound.

After a couple early singles, the band went in and recorded a self-titled full-length album that they would self release exclusively on vinyl. As one can imagine, that’s not the easiest thing in the world to find these days. Regardless, the album featured the aforementioned new direction that the band had taken, combining just enough melody to mix in with the bands more abrasive early stages to create a fully developed sound that still remains to be just as hard hitting as anything they had done previously. The band would then later go into record a five song EP in 1997 that sadly didn’t ever see the light of day due to the band breaking up before they could see it through. Have no fear though, thanks in part to Heart of a Champion Records released a compilation in 2003 of the bands long out of print and vinyl only album and the five song EP that had been previously unreleased up until then. The only downside of the compilation, which is titled Universal Standard Time, is that the earlier singles are left off of it. The reason I guess being the band didn’t really feel it represented their actual sound. Oh well, it’s still kind of disappointing though as I would have liked to have heard nice crisp quality recordings of those, but the fact that there is a compilation for Arm anyway is more than enough if you ask me and I give a tip of the hat for them putting it out. But anyway, for those that may have never heard this great band and are into mid nineties post-hardcore/indie-rock, then by all means check out the songs posted below from the Universal Standard Time.

Arm – Astrodraco [MP3]
Arm – Burning Season [MP3]
Arm – The Rhythm [MP3]

For those looking to pick Universal Standard Time up, it can be had over at CD Baby. Enjoy the tunes!

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!

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.