No description needed. Fucking brilliant band. I was lucky enough to grow up a few miles from where Mark Kozelek was from and can relate to a lot of his songs and references (especially those about Ohio). Just download this, period. Also grab any Sun Kil Moon or Mark Kozelek solo that you can find.
Chavez was a band from the mid 90s who shared a common sound/friendship with bands such as Polvo, Shiner, Pinebender, and Guided By Voices. Super angular, mathy, and heavy; not like metal-heavy, but just heavy riffs that would be followed by light twinkly riffs, all asymmetrical. Not many records have such a strong #1-3 as this record has - at least I cant think of any right now. This is their 2nd release and, still, their last (they claim to be writing a 3rd album). This can be found packaged up with their first record and 7” efforts on Matador Records reissue, Better Days Will Haunt You.
Members have gone on to play in Zwan, Early Man, Bonnie Prince Billy, and more.
The Maple State Say, Scientist
There’s a huge boom of indie/mathy/stop-start bands coming from the UK (and even Australia) right now. Most people in the states, where these trends started, dont give a shit anymore and have moved on to more hip genres. But across the pond things are stuck in the 90s - and its great (they are even slowly catching up to Japan’s stuck-in-the-90s-coolness)
The Maple State was the first band from the UK that I heard who sounded like this. Aside from the Get Up Kids, I dont know of any other band who pulls off the Rhodes/electric piano without making it either boring and non-existent or way over the top, taking away from the song.
Great fall record, great musicianship, and great songs.
Fall is for mixtapes. I’ve been listening to so many different bands lately I decided to make a mix instead of just one single post - made with Fall and headphones in mind.
I found this record in a give-a-way box at WBGU when I DJed there my freshman year in college. I fucking loved it - sparse, emotional, 3 piece indie not too far removed from Boys Life, Boilermaker, or Giants Chair. This is all I have by HFM; I dont even know if they have anything else, information is very hard to find on them (even though this was released on the much loved Caulfield Records and were from Lincoln, Nebraska).
Im tired of seeing an older genre come back to life without the mention of certain bands who helped raise the flag. I love revivals, but praise must be given - even to the little guys.
Gatsbys American Dream Ribbons & Sugar
You probably think you dont like Gatsbys American Dream. And youre, like, 3/4 right. GAD started as a more straightforward pop-punk band; the first record was boring. They then swapped their drummer and 2nd guitar player for different members (drummer from Waxwing, for one) and put out Ribbons & Sugar - this is when they got amazing. Tons and tons of crazy rhythm patterns, stops and starts, time changes, and songs about George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Then something happened and they put out watered down versions of this record for the next few years before they broke up.
If youre a fan of Mock Orange, Rescue, or Moneen PLEASE give this a listen (if you havent already) or revisit it. Its really a gem of a record hidden in piles of discography shit.
new brutalism 063
this is a song from new brutalism’s new record, actual record. theyre from knoxville, tn and make their own guitars, amps, and drums out of alluminum. im guessing thats what gives them that shellac-meets-criteria sound. you really need to buy this record, so im not posting the whole thing - just one song. but this song owns.
I’ve always liked Polvo. In high school, the internet made it possible to find out about a lot of bands only older siblings would be aware of and because of that, I stumbled upon Polvo. Exploded Drawing and Today’s Active Lifestyles were the two albums I’ve had since about 10th grade, listening off and on - thinking I understood and liked them. A few weeks ago I put Exploded Drawing on for the first time in a while and finally got it; everything finally clicked and I was hearing Polvo in an entirely new way, realizing I never truly got it before.
Although a later album in their career, it’s one of their best and has some of the most genius chord progressions/structures. I also really like the fact that, because of their chord choices, they were often accused of being out of tune.
LINK: Polvo on Alabama’s cable-access show We Have Signal during their reunion tour
Hunter/Gatherer Low Standards For High Fives
One time I was visiting my cousin in Athens, GA when I came across this CD on his desk. They had just played in town (they resided in Athens as well) and he picked up a copy a few nights prior. The artwork and layout got my attention enough to find it when I arrived home a few days later at a record shop. As it were, they sounded kind of like Hot Water Music with more call and response vocals (yes; more) and more chord progressions/changes. I listened to this record for about 3-4 months straight after that and, oddly enough, hadnt again until very recently. Things get lost in the shuffle, you know…
Jargon was a band on Lobster Records long ago; they did not fit the roster. They wouldve fit snuggly on Crank, Caulfield, or Deep Elm. Remnants of June of 44 and Boys Life can be heard on their final, self released and CD-only, album. One member went on to play in Tarentel.
The Grey AM Move The Monuments East
By popular demand, here is Grey AM’s first full length. This was put out by, the now defunct, Fiddler Records; long before they broke Dashboard Confessional, Recover, etc.
We all listened to music we’re not proud of at some point in our lives. I listened to Relient K. They were from my hometown and this was before all the MTV/Capitol Records business; I’m talking I used to see them at skating rinks with crust punk bands when the drummer of Narcissus still played with them. So at one show I’m paying close attention, like I still do, to the bands gear. On one of guitarist Matt Hoopes’ boxes was a sticker of a band I had never heard of: No Knife. I liked the name and a few days later I found Hit Man Dreams and bought it. Life has never been the same.
No band has made discordant chords sound so melodic.
The Dustin Change Soundtrack To A Chess Match
The Dustin Change was from Evansville, IN and included two little brothers of Mock Orange, as well as Mock Orange’s current bass player Zach Grace. They released STACM on Highstep Records before breaking up. There is also a 4 song demo that never saw the light of day. So many great memories of listening to these songs - before I had the EP I had ‘Spring In Staccato’ on a mix and listened to it every day for a few months straight. Some of the most passionate songs ever, you can’t help but hang on every word they sing/yell/scream.
Mycomplex was a band from Michigan that was one of the two bands that eventually broke up and formed Rescue. They released one record on Cargo Music’s highly influential Head Hunter imprint. Stops and starts that will make your head hurt.
They also had one of the best songs on the Weezer tribute record that came out on Dead Droid Records (before they, just like Cargo/Head Hunter, went under. Except Dead Droid was sued by George Lucas…)
