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Bored Teenagers

bitemefanboy — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 03:24:37 +0000

Right from the start I would like to thank yazzwho for sharing his copy of Mass. Ave.: The Boston Scene (1975-83) and for CentralMassMomerath for offering to do likewise.

If someone has a copy of Come Out and Play - American Power Pop I (1975-78) that they would like to share kindly let me know.

Mass. Ave.: the Boston Scene (1975-83) is the last disc in Rhino Records D.I.Y. series and while considered by the critics to be the weakest of the nine disc does showcase some of Boston's best; the punk of Mission of Burma, the garage rock of the Lyres, the roots rock of the Del Fuegos and the demo of the Car's "You're All I've Got Tonight" ... but I'll let you be the judge.

I originally posted Die Toten Hosen's Learning English, Lesson 1 in August 2006 but felt that it was a natural follow-up to last weeks post as is The Adverts The Wonders Don't Care.

I'd like to point out that in the case of both Die Toten Hosen and The Adverts I did not list, as I normally do, the various compilations that they've appeared on. This was simply due to both time and space. Since 1988 Die Toten Hosen has appeared on at least 115 compilations, while The Adverts have appeared on at least 50. With Die Toten Hosen I've also only included the albums that they sing entirely in English or in English the majority of the time. I apologize in advance to any German readers I might have for doing it this way.

Mass. Ave.: The Boston Scene (1975-83)

Playlist length: 59 minutes 9 seconds

1. Willie Alexander - Mass. Ave (2:45)
2. Real Kids - Do The Boob (2:19)
3. Nervous Eaters - Loretta (2:17)
4. Unnatural Axe - They Saved Hitlers Brain (2:49)
5. La Peste - Better Off Dead (3:10)
6. Cars - You're All I've Got Tonight [Demo] (4:13)
7. Neighborhoods - No Place Like Home (2:18)
8. Human Sexual Response - Jackie Onassis (3:52)
9. Maps - I'm Talking To You (3:04)
10. Mission Of Burma - That's When I Reach For My Revolver (3:57)
11. Classic Ruins - 1+1 2 (3:29)
12. Lyres - I Want To Help You Ann (2:31)
13. Neats - 6 (2:47)
14. Thrills - Hey! (Not Another Face In The Crowd) (2:45)
15. Robin Lane & The Chartbusters - When Things Go Wrong (3:18)
16. Alantics - Lonelyhearts (4:23)
17. Dangerous Birds - Alpha Romeo (2:57)
18. Del Fuegos - I Always Call Her Back (3:28)
19. Outlets - Knock Me Down (2:47)

Buy Mass. Ave.: The Boston Scene (1975-83) from Amazon.com

DIE TOTEN HOSEN

Die Toten Hosen formed in the early 1980's from the remnants of two Düsseldorf bands, ZK and KFC. With roaring musicianship, soccer-stadium rabble-rousing and anthem-like choruses that owe much to Slade and Gary Glitter by the end of the 1980's they had become Germany's biggest homegrown rock band. 1991's Learning English - Lesson 1 was the group's first album to receive an American release.

"The excellently performed and impressively reverent Learning English is less a tribute than a precise re-creation."

"Prevailing upon representatives of the original bands to join them in the recording studio" the list of guest performers reads like a whose who from punks first wave: Joey Ramone singing "Blitzkrieg Bop", Jimmy Pursey singing Sham 69's "If the Kids Are United," Wreckless Eric singing his own "Whole Wide World," Johnny Thunders (in what proved to be his final session) with ex-Dead Boy Cheetah Chrome and ex-Dictator Handsome Dick Manitoba singing "Born to Lose," and Captain Sensible singing the Damned's "Smash It Up." The cd even features one song, "Punk Was," by escaped U.K. convict Ronald Biggs, famous for his association with the post-Rotten Sex Pistols.

The 1994 American re-release of the cd features a new cover and "replaces the Lurkers' "Just Thirteen" and Chelsea's "Right to Work" with 125 Jahre's "New Guitar in Town" and "Diary of a Lover," from a Johnny Thunders tribute album.

Loosely held together by the irrepressible and irresistible Janet and John this will be one time you'll be glad you didn't skip language lab.

SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY

Singles, EPs and Full-Length

"Carnival In Rio (Punk Was)" (7" Single) (Totenkoph, Virgin Schallplatten GmbH) 1991
Learning English, Lesson 1 (LP, CD) (Virgin Schallplatten GmbH, Charisma) 1991
Baby Baby (CD, Maxi) (Totenkoph, Virgin Schallplatten GmbH) 1992
The Nightmare Continues E.P. (CD, EP, 7", 10") (Virgin Schallplatten GmbH) 1992
Whole Wide World (CD, Maxi) (Totenkoph, Virgin Schallplatten GmbH) 1992
Love, Peace & Money (CD) (Totenkoph, Virgin Schallplatten GmbH) 1994
Bonnie & Clyde (CD) (East West Records GmbH) 1996
"If The Kids Are United" / "Individual" Sham 69/Die Toten Hosen Split (CD, 7") (Musical Tragedies) 1998
Crash-Landing (Cass, CD) (JKP, East West Records GmbH) 1999

Learning English - Lesson 1

Play Time: 52 minutes 20 seconds

1. Learning English - Step One (0:32)
2. Blitzkrieg Bop (1:50) (The Ramones)
3. Brickfield Nights (3:34) (The Boys)
4. Step Two (0:12)
5. Just Thirteen (2:30) (The Lurkers)
6. If the Kids Are United (3:08) (Sham 69)
7. Nasty. Nasty (2:07) (999)
8. Step Three (0:17)
9. Dirty Pictures (2:15) (The Radio Stars)
10. Baby Baby (3:13) (The Vibrators)
11. Gary Gilmore's Eyes (2:15) (The Adverts)
12. Born to Lose (3:22) (Johnny Thunders)
13. How the Rockafellas Went to Hollywood (0:18)
14. Do You Remember (3:27)
15. Carnival in Rio (Punk Was) (3:07) (Ronald Biggs)
16. Step Four (0:18)
17. Right to Work (3:05) (Chelsea)
18. Whole Wide World (3:18) (Wreckless Eric)
19. Smash it Up (2:58) (The Damned)
20. Stranglehold (2:11) (UK Subs)
21. Step Five (0:23)
22. Love and a Molotov Cocktail (2:31) (The Flys)
23. Do Anything You Wanna Do (4:28) (Eddie and the Hot Rods)
24. Goodbye From Janet & John (1:01)

Buy Learning English - Lesson 1 from Amazon.com

THE ADVERTS

Although The Adverts never garnered the critical acclaim as did fellow first wave punk groups the Damned, the Clash, or the Buzzcocks the group's first album, Crossing the Red Sea With the Adverts, and the classic single "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" have certainly stood the test of time. Formed in 1976 the group featured the vocals of T.V. Smith, bassist, Gaye Advert, one of the first female stars of punk rock, keyboard player Tim Cross and guitarist Howard Pickup. While playing London's Roxy Club in 1976 they caught the attention of the Damned's guitarist, Brian James, who offered them the opening spot on the Damned's tour and an introduction to Stiff Records. Thought the band could barely play Stiff released their self-deprecating debut single, "One Chord Wonders," in 1977. Their second single "Gary Gilmore's Eyes," would propel them into the U.K. Top 20 on a storm of controversy.

Their first album, Crossing the Red Sea With the Adverts,

"is the equal of the first Sex Pistols or Clash LP, a hasty statement that captures an exciting time. Smith's tunes almost all offer a new wrinkle on issues of the day... but the second, 1979's Cast of Thousands, sounded like they poured all of their musical ideas into their first album."

and by 1980 the group had broken up.

The Wonders Don't Care compiles 18 songs the Adverts recorded for BBC Radio sessions between 1977 and 1979, and in the album's liner notes Smith contends

"that the set allows listeners to "hear a band get born, grow up, get old and die, all in less than an hour."

The songs on the first half of the album are a bit less polished than on their records, but they capture the band's youthful energy. The second half of the album finds the group slowing the tempo and writing more complex melodies.

While Crossing the Red Sea is undoubtedly their best album The Wonders Don't Care captures their sudden rise and fall.

SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY

Singles and Full-Length

Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts (Cass) (Bright Records) 1977
"Gary Gilmore's Eyes" / "Bored Teenagers" (7" Single) (Anchor Records) 1977
"One Chord Wonders" / "Quick Step" (7" Single) (Stiff) 1977
"Safety In Numbers" / "We Who Wait" (7" Single) (Anchor Records) 1977
Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts (LP) (Bright Records) 1978
"No Time To Be 21" (7" Single) (Bright Records) 1978
"Television's Over" / "Back From The Dead" (7" Single) (RCA Victor) 1978
Cast Of Thousands (LP) (RCA Victor) 1979
Cast Of Thousands (Cass) (RCA) 1979
Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts (LP) (Butt) 1981
"Gary Gilmore's Eyes" (7" Single) (Bright Records) 1983
The Peel Sessions (12") (Strange Fruit) 1987
Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts (CD) (Link Records) 1990
Live At The Roxy Club (LP, CD) (Receiver Records Limited) 1990
Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts (CD) (Essential) 1997
The Punk Singles Collection (CD) (Anagram Punk UK) 1997
The Wonders Don't Care: The Complete Radio Recordings (CD) (Burning Airlines, Pilot) 1997
The Best of the Adverts (CD) (Anagram Punk UK) 1999
Singles Compilation (CD) (Get Back Italy) 2000
Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts - The Ultimate Edition (CD) (Fire UK) 2002
Live and Loud (CD) (Harry May) 2002
Live at the Roxy Club 1977 (LP) (Earmark) 2003
Anthology (2 x CD) (Fire UK) 2003
Cast Of Thousands - The Ultimate Edition (2 x CD) (Fire UK) 2005

The Wonders Don't Care

Playing Time: 56 minutes 18 seconds

1. One Chord Wonders (2:31)
2. Bored Teenagers (1:54)
3. Gary Gilmore's Eyes (2:17)
4. New Boys (3:20)
5. Quickstep (3:20)
6. We Who Wait (2:05)
7. New Church (2:33)
8. Safety In Numbers (3:23)
9. The Great British Mistake (3:33)
10. Fate Of Criminal (3:10)
11. Television's Over (3:23)
12. Love Songs (2:35)
13. Back From The Dead (1:39)
14. I Surrender (3:07)
15. The Adverts (3:18)
16. I Looked At The Sun (4:28)
17. Cast Of Thousands (4:59)
18. I Will Walk You Home (4:43)

The Wonders Don't Care [Part 1] [Part 2]

Buy The Wonders Don't Care from Amazon.com

Do It Yourself

bitemefanboy — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 03:12:38 +0000

Over the last few months I've had several requests to repost some or all of Rhino Records D.I.Y. series... so for those who missed it the first time... or the second time, perhaps the third time will prove to be the charm. Since I my original post I've ripped We're Desperate - The L.A. Scene (1976-79) which I have the cassette version of; plus a friend gave me a cd-r copy of Shake It Up - American Power Pop II (1978-80) which I've also posted. Now if someone should happen to have Come Out and Play - American Power Pop I (1975-78) or Mass. Ave. - The Boston Scene (1975-83) and would care to make a contribution.

Several notes:

1) I used dbpowerAMP's Auxiliary Input to copy We're Desperate - The L.A. Scene (1976-79) as wave files, encoded the waves to mp3s using dbpowerAMP's MusicConverter and then tagged the files using both WinAmp and MP3TagToolsV12.

2) The cassette version of We're Desperate - The L.A. Scene (1976-79) is different from the cd version, the cd version has twenty-one tracks to the cassette's fifteen. Missing from the cassette version are:

Dogs - Younger Point of View (3:14)
The Weirdos - A Life of Crime (2:22)
Zippers - You're So Strange (2:48)
Furys - Say Goodbye to the Black Sheep (2:28)
Eyes - Taqn (1:34)
Bags Survive (2:47)

Released in 1993 Rhino Records D.I.Y. series was a nine disc set that covered the British and American punk and pop music scene of the mid 1970's to the early 1980's. The complete collection consists of:

DIY 1: Anarchy in the UK - UK Punk I (1976-77)
DIY 2: The Modern World - UK Punk II (1977-78)
DIY 3: Teenage Kicks - UK Pop I (1976-79)
DIY 4: Starry Eyes - UK Pop II (1978-79)
DIY 5: Blank Generation - The New York Scene (1975-78)
DIY 6: We're Desperate - The L.A. Scene (1976-79)
DIY 7: Come Out and Play - American Power Pop I (1975-78)
DIY 8: Shake It Up! - American Power Pop II (1978-80)
DIY 9: Mass. Ave. - The Boston Scene (1975-83)

This series provides a good over view of what was happening musically between 1975 - 1983. Conspicuous by their absence are groups like Talking Heads, The Clash and Elvis Costello and the Attractions, but this was chiefly due to contractual issues. Few of these groups ever achieved main stream acceptance or success, but all helped to shape todays music. As a historical document the D.I.Y series provides a snapshot of the messy, but exciting beginnings of punk, and what would later become "the New Wave."

Anarchy in the UK: UK Punk I (1976-77)

Playing Time: 57 minutes 51 seconds

1. Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK (demo) (4:05)
2. Damned - The Rose (2:45)
3. Saints - (I'm) Stranded (3:33)
4. Eddie & the Hot Rods - Teenage Depression (2:59)
5. Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen (demo) (3:35)
6. Stranglers - (get a) Grip (on yourself) (4:04)
7. Damned - Neat Neat Neat (2:44)
8. Jam - In The City (2:19)
9. Adverts - One Chord Wonders (2:37)
10. Vibrators - Baby Baby (3:43)
11. Only Ones - Lovers Of Today (3:14)
12. Boomtown Rats - Lookin' After No. 1 (3:11)
13. Adverts - Gary Gilmore's Eyes (2:24)
14. Generation X - Your Generation (3:21)
15. Stranglers - No More Heroes (3:30)
16. X-Ray Spex - Oh Bondage Up Yours! (2:51)
17. Buzzcocks - Orgasm Addict (2:03)
18. Penetration - Don't Dictate (2:56)
19. Wire - 12XU (1:57)

[PT. 1] [PT. 2]

Buy Anarchy in the UK: UK Punk I (1976-77)

The Modern World: UK Punk II (1977-78)

Playing Time: 55 minutes 32 seconds

1. The Jam - The Modern World (2:34)
2. Generation X - Wild Youth (2:53)
3. The Rezillos - (my baby does) Good Sculptures (2:53)
4. 999 - Emergency (2:46)
5. Sham 69 - (there's gonna be a) Borstal Breakout (2:08)
6. Magazine - Shot by Both Sides (4:05)
7. Buzzcocks - What Do I Get? (2:56)
8. Wire - I Am The Fly (3:09)
9. X-Ray Spex - The Day the World Turned Day-Glo (2:52)
10. Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device (2:44)
11. The Lurkers - Ain't Got A Clue (2:12)
12. The Soft Boys - (i want to be an) Anglepoise Lamp (3:02)
13. Sham 69 - If the Kids Are United (3:49)
14. Alternative TV - Action Time Vision (2:33)
15. The Fall - Bingo Master (2:25)
16. Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster (2:46)
17. Siouxie & The Banshees - Hong Kong Garden (2:57)
18. 999 - Homicide (3:44)
19. Subway Sect - Ambition (3:04)

[PT. 1] [PT. 2]

Buy The Modern World: UK Punk II (1977-78)

Teenage Kicks: UK Pop I (1976-79)

Playing Time: 58 minutes 57 seconds

1. Nick Lowe - So It Goes (2:32)
2. Eddie & the Hot Rods - Do Anything You Wanna Do (4:06)
3. Nick Lowe - Mary Provost (2:47)
4. Wreckless Eric - Whole Wide World (3:00)
5. The Motors - Dancing the Night Away (3:17)
6. Tom Robinson Band - 2-4-6-8 Motorway (3:19)
7. Kursaal Flyers - Television Generation (2:40)
8. Squeeze - Take Me, I'm Yours (2:51)
9. The Only Ones - Another Girl, Another Planet (3:03)
10. XTC - This Is Pop? (2:44)
11. The Boys - Brickfield Nights (3:14)
12. The Motors - Airport (4:14)
13. Jilted John - Jilted John (2:59)
14. The Rezillos - Top of the Pops (2:58)
15. Rich Kids - Ghosts of Princes in Towers (3:35)
16. The Undertones - Teenage Kicks (2:27)
17. Yachts - Look Back in Love (Not in Anger) (2:26)
18. The Pleasers - A Girl I Know (Precis of a Friend) (3:29)
19. Skids - Into the Valley (3:16)

[PT. 1] [PT. 2]

Buy Teenage Kicks: UK Pop I (1976-79)

Starry Eyes: UK Pop II (1978-79)

Playing Time: 1 hour 3 minutes 33 seconds

1. Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen in Love (with Someone You Shouldn't've?) (2:42)
2. Undertones - Get Over You (2:46)
3. Yachts - Yachting Types (2:50)
4. Joe Jackson - Is She Really Going Out with Him? (3:38)
5. Starjets - Schooldays (3:23)
6. Bram Tchaikovsky - Girl of My Dreams (4:09)
7. The Squares - This Is Airebeat (3:07)
8. XTC - Life Begins at the Hop (3:49)
9. Squeeze - Up the Junction (3:13)
10. The Jags - Back of My Hand (I've Got Your Number) (3:23)
11. The Radiators - Lets Talk About the Weather (4:21)
12. The Records - Starry Eyes (4:25)
13. Zones - Mourning Star (3:28)
14. Purple Hearts - Millions Like Us (3:12)
15. The Distractions - Time Goes By So Slow (3:24)
16. The Searchers - Hearts in Her Eyes (3:22)
17. The Revillos - Where's the Boy for Me? (2:03)
18. Mo-dettes - White Mice (3:39)
19. The Tourists - So Good to Be Back Home Again (2:39)

[PT. 1] [PT. 2]

Buy Starry Eyes: UK Pop II (1978-79)

Blank Generation - The New York Scene (1975-78)

Playing Time: 1 hour 1 minute 9 seconds

1. The Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop (2:14)
2. The Dictators - Cars And Girls (3:58)
3. Patti Smith - Ask The Angels (3:11)
4. Tuff Darts - All For The Love Of Rock 'N' Roll (3:16)
5. Mink Deville - Let Me Dream If I Want To (2:55)
6. Wayne County And The Back Street Boys - Max's Kansas City 1976 (5:38)
7. Blondie - X Offender (3:13)
8. Richard Hell And The Voidoids - Blank Generation (2:45)
9. Television - See No Evil (3:53)
10. Blondie - In The Flesh (2:32)
11. Mink Deville - Spanish Stroll (3:41)
12. Television - Venus (3:55)
13. Dead Boys - Sonic Reducer (3:08)
14. The Heartbreakers - Chinese Rocks (2:55)
15. The Ramones - Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (2:48)
16. The Mumps - Crocodile Tears (2:10)
17. Richard Hell And The Voidoids - Love Comes In Spurts (2:03)
18. The Heartbreakers - Born To Lose (3:06)
19. Suicide - Cheree (3:48)

[PT. 1] [PT. 2]

Buy Blank Generation - The New York Scene (1975-78)

We're Desperate - The L.A. Scene (1976-79)

Playing Time: 39 minutes 40 seconds

1. The Pop! - Down On The Boulevard (2:44)
2. The Motels - Counting (Demo) (4:32)
3. The Germs - Forming (3:03)
4. The Dils - I Hate The Rich (1:41)
5. The Zeros - Don't Push Me Around (2:24)
6. The Quick - Pretty Please (4:28)
7. The Last - She Don't Know Why I'm Here (3:26)
8. The Dils - Mr. Big (1:40)
9. X - We're Desperate (2:03)
10. The Weirdos - We Got the Neutron Bomb (2:55)
11. The Germs - Lexicon Devil (2:07)
12. Alley Cats - Nothing Means Nothing Any More (3:13)
13. The Plugz - La Bamba (1:35)
14. The Dickies - You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla) (1:37)
15. X - Los Angeles (2:12)

Buy We're Desperate - The L.A. Scene (1976-79)

Shake It Up - American Power Pop II (1978-80)

Playing Time: 55 minutes 49 seconds

1. The Cryers - Shake It Up (Ain't It Time) (3:12)
2. The Rubinoos - I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend (3:21)
3. Chris Stamey & The Db's - (I Thought) You Wanted To Know (3:15)
4. Gary Valentine - The First One (2:35)
5. Prix - Love You Tonight (Saturday's Gone) (3:09)
6. 20-20 - Giving It All (2:47)
7. The Romantics - Tell It To Carrie (3:18)
8. Shoes - Tomorrow Night (2:58)
9. 20-20 - Yellow Pills (4:16)
10. The Beat - Walking Out On Love (1:46)
11. Shoes - Too Late (2:44)
12. The Beat - Work-A-Day World (2:55)
13. The Pop - Waiting For The Night (3:32)
14. Pearl Harbor & The Explosions - You Got It (Release It) (2:30)
15. Off Broadway USA - Stay In Time (2:55)
16. The Romantics - What I Like About You (2:55)
17. The Plimsouls - Zero Hour (2:34)
18. The Know - Like Girls (2:08)
19. Holly & The Italians - Tell That Girl To Shut Up (2:59)

[PT. 1] [PT. 2 ]

Buy Shake It Up - American Power Pop II (1978-80)

Trio

bitemefanboy — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 02:37:32 +0000

This weeks post we take a look at three of the bands featured on last weeks post of Alias Records Year of the Wagon sampler and Fueled by Ramen's Year of the Rat Sampler.

Formed in the summer of 1991 North Carolina's Small was part of the influential (and highly hyped) Chapel Hill, NC music scene that formed around the group Superchunk and its Merge Record label. Unfortunately for the group, at the same time there were three similarly named groups, Rhode Island's Small Factory, Canada's Smalls and Oregon's Small. A threat of legal action by the Oregon group prompted the group to change their name to Small 23 for a time during the True Zero Hook period.

The group's original line-up consisted of singer/guitarists Mike Kenlan and Eric Bachmann, bassist Matt Walter and ex-Superchunk drummer Chuck Garrison. The group's debut single, 1992's "Makes Me High" and a Small/Pipe split were financed by Walter and attracted the attention of Rockville Records, who released 1993's Cakes EP. With it's twin guitar attack, solid vocals and an emphasis on melodic pop-punk the ep clearly showed the influences of Dinosaur Jr/Superchunk but its modest success attracted the attention of the much larger Alias Records.

Just before Cakes release Bachmann left in order to commit full-time to his other project, Archers of Loaf. His spot in the line-up was filled by Dave Hollinghurst.

Released in 1993, True Zero Hook, along with Icky Mettle by contemporaries the Archers of Loaf

are exciting snapshots of a post-Nirvana/Husker Dü moment when it seemed like great indie guitar rock was poised to take over the world.

With it's combination of circular riffing, chorus-based singing, an appealingly melancholic lyrical directness, great indie-punk melodies, the ability to rock out, and subtle hooks that reveal themselves with repeat listening True Zero Hook is

a don't-miss album for any serious fan of the early-'90s indie rock genre.

DISCOGRAPHY

Small (23)

Singles, EPs and Full-Length

"Makes Me High" (7" Single) (Matt Label) 1992
"Chopsocky" b/w "Useless" (7" Single) (Alias Records) 1993
"Noodles b/w Wet Cement" (7" Single) (Matt Label) 1993
"True Zero Hook" Small/Archers of Loaf split (7" Single) (Alias Records) 1993
"Toastmaster" (7" Single) (Alias Records) 1994
"Chew It Down" Small 23/J Church split (7" Single) (Honey Bear Records) 1994
"B Is For Bridge"/"Happy Days (Are Here Again)" (7" Single) (Alias Records) 1995
Small/Pipe Split (7" Single)
Cakes EP (CD) (Rockville) 1993
True Zero Hook (CD) (Alias Records) 1993
Free T-Shirts For Spain EP (CD) (Alias Records) 1994
Chin Music (CD) (Alias Records) 1994
Silver Gleaming Death Machine (CD) (Alias Records) 1995

Tracks Appear On:

"Something Stupid" Chairman of the Board: Interpretations of Songs Made Famous by Frank Sinatra (2 x CD) (Grass Records) 1993
"Eb" A Day In The Park... A Compilation Of Now Sounds (CD) (The Now Sound) 1994
"Vega And Boston" We Don't Give Jack (Cass) (Alias Records) 1996
"The Bert Factor", "True Zero Hook" The Year of The Wagon (CD) (Alias Records) 1997
"True Zero Hook", "A Wall to Paint On" Alias with a Bullet (CD) (Alias Records)
"Toastmaster" IndiE-Gestion IV: Indie Goes to Hell (CD)

Small 23 - True Zero Hook (1993)

Playing Time: 43 minutes 24 seconds

1. True Zero Hook (3:42)
2. Off Balance (3:03)
3. Noodles (2:40)
4. Makes Me High (3:19)
5. Red Comes Up (4:54)
6. Recharged (3:22)
7. Finding It Hard To Believe That There Was A Floor (3:26)
8. Saturday (2:32)
9. A Wall To Paint On (3:26)
10. Before We Forget (3:27)
11. Get Used To It (3:21)
12. Chopsocky (6:12)

Buy True Zero Hook from Amazon.com

Emo core indie-rock group Knapsack was founded in 1993 by vocalist/guitarist Blair Shehan and drummer Colby Mancasola; two high school friends studying at the University of California at Davis. The original group also included guitarist Jason Bokros and bassist Rod Meyer. Constant touring and a 7" single, released by San Diego's Goldenrod Records, brought them to the attention of Alias Records who signed the group in May 1994.

Their debut full-length, Silver Sweepstakes, was released by Alias in April of 1995. The group toured extensively in support of it with groups like Pavement, Jawbox, Drive Like Jehu and Rocket from the Crypt.

If there is one flaw to Silver Sweepstakes it's the "guitars' unwavering sizzle-roar" because except for the tracks "Effortless" and "Centennial", the album is without major changes in tempo and melody, causing it at times to feel monotonous... however, if you like your guitars loud this album might be your cup of tea.

DISCOGRAPHY

Knapsack

Singles and Full-Length

"Dropkick" (7" Split) (Alias Records)
"True To Form"/"Effortless" (7" Single) (Alias Records)
Silver Sweepstakes (Cass, CD) (Alias Records) 1995
Day Three of My New Life (Cass, CD) (Alias Records) 1997
This Conversation is Ending Starting Right Now (Cass, CD) (Alias Records) 1998

Tracks Appear On:

"Trainwrecker" I Hear Ya! Winter 1994-1995 (CD)
"Cellophane" We Don't Give Jack (Cass.) (Alias Records) 1996
"Cellophane" American Pie 2 (CD) (Rubber Records, Australia) 1996
"Decorate the Spine" Premium: New Music With a Golden Glow (CD) (Alias Records) 1996
"Cellophane" The Year of The Wagon (CD) (Alias Records) 1997
"Thursday Side Of The Street" CMJ New Music April - Volume 44 (CD) (College Music Journal) 1997
"Less Than" Don't Forget to Breathe (CD) (Crank!) 1997
"Thursday Side Of The Street" HITS Post Modern Syndrome 39: Spite Girls (CD) 1997
"Shape Of The Fear" ADA Sampler September '98 (CD) (Alternative Distribution Alliance) 1998
"Shape Of The Fear" September 1998 (2 x CD) (Virtuallyalternative) 1998
"Katherine" Vans "Off the Wall" Sampler (CD) 1998
"Katherine the Grateful" CMJ New Music Monthly Volume 64: December 1998 (CD) (College Music Journal) 1998
"Decorate the Spine" Nowcore! The Punk Rock Evolution (CD) 1999
"Effortless" Spin This 6 (CD)

Knapsack - Silver Sweepstakes (1995)

Playing Time: 40 minutes 3 seconds

1. Cellophane (3:32)
2. Trainwrecker (3:55)
3. Effortless (3:14)
4. Fortunate and Holding (3:51)
5. Casanova (2:44)
6. Makeshift (1:28)
7. Centennial (3:47)
8. Symmetry (3:17)
9. True to Form (2:24)
10. Addressee (5:55)
11. Silver Sweepstakes (5:56)

Buy Silver Sweepstakes from Alias Records

Buy Silver Sweepstakes from Amazon.com

Sarge we hardly knew you. Lead by singer/songwriter Elizabeth Elmore Champaign, IL, punk-pop group Sarge formed in late 1995 and originally included Rachel Switzky on bass and Russ Horvath on drums. They played their first show in January 1996; and just months into their existence were being compared to Sleater-Kinney, Scrawl, and even Throwing Muses; but by 2000 they had disbanded. Signed to Mud Records their debut single, "Dear Josie, Love Robyn", was released in March 1996 and received some exposure and media attention as the group toured the US. Charcoal, the group's debut full-length was also released in 1996, but shortly after its release Horvath left the group and was replaced by drummer Chad Romanski.

Their sophomore full-length, The Glass Intact, recorded with second guitarist Pat Cramer was released in 1998 and proved to be their breakthrough record. This emotional, punk rock-style album received serious media attention, being reviewed by Salon.com, The Village Voice, and would also make Spin Magazine's top twenty list for 1998. The year also saw them dubbed "Hot Band of 1998" by Rolling Stone Magazine. The album would go onto sell nearly 20,000 copies. Following the album's release Cramer left the band and was replaced by Sue Roth; but line-up changes continued to plague the band as original member Rachel Switzky left at the end of 1998 and was replaced by bassist Derek Niedringhaus. Elmore enrolled in Northwestern Law School in 1999 and opted to dissolve the band.

Distant, released in 2000, is a posthumous collection of Sarge demos and live tracks. Opening with the band's final new recordings and concluding with a pair of Elmore solo efforts, the the core of the album consists of a

half dozen live tracks recorded in August of 1999 while opening for another late, lamented Champaign band, Braid.

Rolling Stone magazine would write about the group

"Sarge understands what you need from rock & roll: punk guitars, girlie vocals, power-pop melodies and songs that find new ways to say "Love stinks."

and if there is one track on this album that summarizes all of the above it's definitely Detroit Star-lite. This is an indie group that could flat out rock and knew regardless of what the lyrics were about that the basic purpose of rock n' roll, those big guitars, the drums, that big beat is get the audience up out of their seats and out onto the dance floor. Listen to this song and you can see enjoying every minute of this song and enjoying their ability to move the audience. Sometimes it takes the girls to show the boys how it's suppose to be done.

DISCOGRAPHY

Sarge

Singles and Full-Length

Charcoal (CD) (Mud) 1996
"Dear Josie, Love Robyn" (7" Single) (Mud) 1996
"Backlash" Sarge/Supporting Actress (7" Split) (Grand Theft Autumn) 1996
"Stall"/"Time After Time" (7" Single) (Mud) 1997
The Glass Intact (LP) (Mud) 1998
The Glass Intact (CD) (Mud) 1998
Distant (CD) (Mud) 2000

Tracks Appear On:

"Dear Josie, Love Robyn" CMJ New Music November - Volume 39 (CD) (College Music Journal) 1996
"Beguiling" The Year of the Rat (CD) (Fueled By Ramen) 1998
"A Torch" No-Fi Trash (CD) (Suburban Home) 2001
"Dear Josie, Love Robyn" Ooh Do I Love You (2 x CD)
"Last Christmas" The My Pal God Holiday Record (2 x CD) (My Pal God Records)

Sarge - Distant (2000)

Playing Time: 52 minutes 19 seconds

1. Detroit Star-lite (3:33)
2. the end of july (4:33)
3. Clearer (4:00)
4. Stall (live) (3:26)
5. Fast Girls (live) (2:59)
6. Half as Far (live) (4:03)
7. Dear Josie, Love Robyn (live) (3:00)
8. Homewrecker (live) (3:55)
9. the first morning (live) (3:54)
10. These Boots Are Made for Walkin' (3:05)
11. Last Christmas (3:56)
12. Time After Time (4:38)
13. distant (1:28)
14. all my plans changed... (5:49)

Buy Distant from Parasol Records

Buy Distant from Amazon.com

An Introduction - Falling in Autumn

isadorebiffin — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:25:01 +0000

Over the duration of my project and organising the concert, I have been struck by the power of community, and what it has the potential to achieve. Falling in Autumn have just confirmed, bringing our band count to five.

Through the connections of one of my brothers, we are lucky to have scored this great duo who are bursting at the seams with enthusiasm about the concert – which, I must say, is ever so refreshing! In fact, I take my hat off to all our wonderful bands; they are ever so supportive and always ready to go out of their way to help. Without them, the concert, quite literally, could not happen.

Without further ado, I am honoured to introduce you to our fifth band – Falling in Autumn.

Falling in Autumn is a Sydney-based group which revolves around the cathartic folk songs of Carissa Lehmann and Simon Williams.

Meeting through a mutual friend, the group’s dual songwriters found in each other a musical partner in whom to confide their acoustic confessions.

The pair have spent the past year quietly writing on a backbone of ‘love, loss and the unknown’, honing their sound and the songs which would become their recently self-released Tree EP.

Falling in Autumn have crafted a lush, ambient sound; spawned from both a love of classic folk artists as well as their respective surroundings in the Blue Mountains and Northern beaches. They have drawn comparisons with acts such as George and Angus & Julia Stone and continue to convert new fans with their warm, honest songwriting.

2008 is set to be a big year for the group as they expand their lineup and plan to record their next release.

Check out their myspace: www.myspace.com/fallinginautumn

Unprepared

bitemefanboy — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 13:09:14 +0000

I'm back from vacation. Very nice, no phones, no computer, but very, very, very expensive. Did you miss me? Unprepared as I am I've cobbled this post together over the last few days.

According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Year of 2008 is a Year of the Rat, and with the Beijing Summer Olympics just completed Fueled by Raman's Year of the Rat artist sampler is an altogether appropriate choice.

Todays other artist sampler is The Year of the Wagon from Alias Records. While a group like Yo La Tengo soldiers on most of the groups featured on this cd have long since called it quits.

Both of these samplers date from the late 1990s and are representative of the state of indie and punk rock at that time.

The Year of the Wagon

Playing Time: 46 minutes 39 seconds

1. Chug - Water Torture (3:34)
2. Archers Of Loaf - Harnessed In Slums (3:18)
3. Knapsack - Decorate The Spine (2:42)
4. Blithe - Man/2 (3:44)
5. Trunk Federation - Bad Dog-Reject (4:05)
6. Archers Of Loaf - Vocal Sharpnel (2:46)
7. Chug - Sassafras (3:14)
8. Small - The Bert Factor (2:21)
9. Archers Of Loaf - Web In Front (2:07)
10. Blithe - Head Is Mighty (2:59)
11. Yo La Tengo - Upside Down (2:39)
12. Knapsack - Cellophane (3:33)
13. Small - True Zero Hook (3:43)
14. Archers Of Loaf - What Did You Expect (3:13)
15. Picasso Trigger - Buckshot Goodbyes (2:41)

Year of the Rat

Playing Time: 48 minutes 49 seconds

1. Ann Beretta - Bottle Caps (3:06)
2. Impossibles - Eight Ball (3:11)
3. Fun Size - Hyper (2:44)
4. Discount - Accident Waiting to Happen (3:19)
5. Animal Chin - Tell Me What It Means (3:03)
6. Limp - Exit (3:31)
7. Sarge - Beguiling (4:51)
8. The Hippos - Diane (2:23)
9. Empire State Games - Dialogue [From A Movie] (2:17)
10. Supaflies - Shit Is Going to the Dogs (1:58)
11. J Church - Don't Bring Me Down (2:33)
12. Impossibles - Plan B (2:23)
13. Jimmy Eat World - For Me This Is Heaven (4:07)
14. Cooter - Pin the Tail on the Donkey (3:27)
15. Animal Chin - Seven (1:55)
16. Jersey - Class War (4:01)

Buy Year of the Rat

Beneath the Southern Cross

bitemefanboy — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:22:15 +0000

Australia has helped rock the world by exporting the music of super-groups like AC/DC, INXS, Midnight Oil, Men at Work, Crowded House and on a smaller scale the music of Australian alternative groups like The Triffids, The Church, Hunters and Collectors, Celibate Rifles, The Saints and Laughing Clowns who also found an audience beyond the confines of Australia, but where a group like

"The Triffids were big business in England, Holland, Germany, France and particularly Scandinavia, particularly with their album Born Sandy Devotional. In Belgium, they played to 70,000 fans."

they, like the majority of Australian musical acts, have failed to connect with America's music buying public; and groups like Godstar and Glide have simply fallen through the cracks.

Godstar is the singular creation of Nic Dalton (vocals, guitar, bass) and a revolving cast of musicans. A member of Canberra punk band the Plunderers he had taken to writing songs that he felt were inappropriate for that band.

Conceived as a creative commune, he named the band Godstar after a 1986 single by Psychic TV. Besides leading Godstar he also fronts the group Sneeze and runs the independent Australian record label Half a Cow. He's also found time to be a member of the Lemonheads (1992-1994), Love Positions and Hummingbirds, touring extensively with the Lemonheads.

Besides Dalton the bands original line-up included Smudge's Tom Morgan and Alison Galaway. In 1992 the band released their debut EP The Brightest Star. The vinyl version included the Dalton song "Kitchen", later covered by The Lemonheads on their It's A Shame About Ray album.

While busy preparing for Godstar's debut album Sleeper he accepted the position as touring bassist for a revamped Lemonheads. Produced by Lou Giordano Sleeper was recorded in Boston with The Lemonhead's Evan Dando, Smudge's Tom Morgan and Alison Galaway, Rachael King of the Cakekitchen, ex Hummingbirds/Love Positions bassist Robyn St. Clare and Shellac's Bob Weston.

Released in 1993 on Half a Cow in Australia and Taang in the U.S. Sleeper features chiming guitars and charming vocals, with many of the albums 16 songs showing the influence of British "C86" groups like the Razorcuts and the Pooh Sticks, while "Forgotten Night" and "Every Now & Again", two solo drone poems, show the influence of the Velvet Underground.

The groups second album, 1995's, Coastal, was recorded in a variety of places while Dalton toured with the Lemonheads. For this album he was backed by Boston group Fuzzy, the Lemonheads Evan Dando and David Ryan and John Encarnacao, Tania Bowers and Robyn St. Clare of the Hummingbirds. The original 14 track album has been re-released with 4 extra tracks that were originally b-sides and a 14 track bonus disk that includes unreleased recordings, rare tracks and a live show from November 1995.

During the Lemonheads 1993 UK tour he recorded The Glasgow EP. While bass and drums were played by Scottish studio musicans he was able to get Eugenius' Eugene Kelly to help out on vocals and guitar.

Besides the two studio albums Godstar released a slew of 7" singles that have been released in Spain, England, Australia and the U.S. The promotional only compilation, Way Out Jim, was released only in Japan.

In late 1996 Dalton decided to quit recording under the Godstar moniker and concentrate on his other group, Sneeze.

"Sneeze was a way for Dalton and Morgan to clear out songs too "goofy" to put on albums and too good to throw away."

Backed by members of Australian bands Swirl and Ratcat Sneeze, and no song over 2 minutes, Sneeze condenses 20 of them on two 7-inches.

Not to be confused with Will Sergeant's (Echo and the Bunnymen) solo project of the same name Glide was an Australian band that recorded during the 1990's. The group formed in Sydney in 1991 and was led by songwriter William Arthur. The group attained a cult following in their native country on the basis of their live shows and their hard-hitting and melodic sound which they referred to as the "wall of harmony." Critically acclaimed they failed to attract much attention beyond Australia. Prior to releasing a fourth album Arthur died of a heroin overdose in 1999.

Produced by Wayne Connolly Disappear Here manages to meld the genre's of late-'60s psychedelia, '80s Midwest post-punk, and hints of garage rock, dream pop and Brit-pop with guitar work that draws on the musical stylings of Buffalo Tom, Man Sized Action, Soul Asylum and Hüsker Dü.

Godstar Discography

Singles and EPs

The Brightest Star (7" Single-Aus) (Half A Cow) 1992
Bad Bad Implications: The Chemcraze EP (CD Single) (Half A Cow) 1993
Chemcraze (CD) (Half A Cow) 1993
Glasgow EP (Rugger Bugger) 1993
The Brightest Star (7" Single-US) (Bus Stop) 1993
Lie Down Forever (Aus Half A Cow/ Taang) 1994
Single (Taang Records) 1994
Four Seventy EP (Bus Stop) 1994
Take the Money and Run EP (Elefant) 1994
Has She Got Your Time Now? (45:PicSleeve) (Blind) 1994
Pushpin/Seeing Stars (Half A Cow) 1995
Table for One (Half A Cow) 1995

Full-length

Sleeper (CD, Cass, LP) (Aus Half A Cow/ Taang) 1993
Coastal (2xCD) (Half A Cow) 1995
September (Half A Cow) 1997

Tracks Appear On:

"Single" Half a Cow Records Compilation (CD) (Half A Cow) 1993
"Duje Daisy" Music for Film & T.V. (disc 1) 1995
"Speak Memory Speak", "Fly Me to the Moon" Heard It Through the Bovine (Half A Cow) 1996
"Parking Lot" Snowstorm: A Tribute to Galaxie 500 (disc 2) 2004
"Lie Down Forever" AP: Indie-Gestion, Volume 2
"Lie Down Forever" Quarantine (DVD-US) 1994
"Pushpin" Love and Other Catastrophes (DVD-Australia) 1997

Godstar - Sleeper (1993)

Playing Time: 39 minutes 58 seconds

1. Ersatz (0:51)
2. Bad Bad Implications (3:22)
3. Little Bit About (2:21)
4. Single (3:23)
5. Everything You Give Me Breaks (2:59)
6. Wigram (4:21)
7. Forgotten Night (2:00)
8. Lie Down Forever (3:26)
9. The Brightest Star (2:18)
10. Had The Time Of My Life (2:50)
11. Stranger (3:09)
12. Days Gone By (3:56)
13. Something Unplanned (3:40)
14. Every Now & Again (1:22)

Buy Sleeper at Amazon.com

Glide Discography

Singles

"Here She Comes" / "Tangled" 1996
"Surfaced Euphoric" (Hypnotized) 1996

Full-length

Open Up and Croon (Hypnotized/Shock) 1995
Disappear Here (Hypnotized) 1996
Shrink Wrapped Real Thing (Independent) 1997
Last (Independent) 1999

Tracks Appear On:

Fade Young Blood 3 (rooArt) 1990
"This Faced Man" The Big Backyard (Polydor)
"Ride With Me" Totally Wireless: The Triple J Acoustic Sessions (Polygram Australia) 1993

Glide - Disappear Here (1996)

Playing Time: 39 minutes 46 seconds

1. You Were Always More Than A Trick To Me, Ray (3:54)
2. What Do I Know? (3:15)
3. Two Wrists (4:11)
4. Tangled (3:40)
5. Wrapped In Fingers (3:19)
6. Here She Comes (3:12)
7. Surfaced Euphoric (4:43)
8. To Your Side (2:58)
9. Hole In The Middle (3:09)
10. Ripped And Stripped (3:59)
11. Cradlesong (3:26)

An introduction - The Shipwrecked

isadorebiffin — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:00:58 +0000

I've introduced myself, I've introduced the project and the concert - so it's now time to introduce you to your entertainment.
Over the next few days I will post about some of the bands who will be performing at the concert. If you like what you read, check out their sites, provided at the bottom of each post.
To stay up to date with all the latest updates, changes and announcements, subscribe to my blog!

The Shipwrecked are a Sydney based four-piece comprising singer/guitarist Damien Lane, singer/pianist Nicole Smede, drummer Darren Ireland and recent addition Ryan Kalkman on bass. Their eponymous debut album was recorded at Megaphon Studios and mixed at the Sydney Opera House by Jason Blackwell (Clouds/Lovetones).

The music has a cinematic scope with shimmering, interweaving guitars underpinned by piano, bass and emotive drumming. Above these float the haunting harmonies of the vocalists, heard to stunning effect on standout track The Unsung. The songs vary stylistically with melancholy, acoustic-driven songs nestling among more explosive rock-oriented tracks.

Nicole is a graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and has recorded and performed with Melbourne's Plastic Palace Alice. Darren and Damien hail from shoegazer/noise merchants Dropping Honey, as the drummer and guitarist/singer/songwriter respectively. Damien has also spent several years accompanying Sydney singer/songwriter Tim Ireland both live and on record as a multi-instrumentalist. He spent 2004-05 writing, recording and performing in London - an experience which was the catalyst for The Shipwrecked.

Web www.theshipwrecked.com
Myspace www.myspace.com/theshipwrecked

An introduction - Tim Ireland

isadorebiffin — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:00:29 +0000

Tim Ireland
Debut album - Down in the Well

The lyrics of Tim Ireland poke around in the darker corners of the psyche.
Tim's years of songcraft have culminated in the recording of his debut album Down in the Well, a collection of enigmatic tunes.

But the loneliness in the songs is balanced by the home-grown quality captured by recording in various lounge rooms, kitchens and bedrooms on the NSW South Coast and Southern Highlands and in homes around Sydney's inner west.

"Tim Ireland's full-length solo debut is a cohesive, strong effort, dynamite in the lyric department, and with melodies that nag at the mind until you surrender to them time and again. Ireland knows exactly the phrase to dress a musical mood, a climax or a poignant chord sequence"

Ian Cuthbertson, The Australian, 13/8/05

"Intimacy is the calling card of Sydney's Tim Ireland. Lyrically, he works over doubt, fear and other things we normally hide from strangers"

Bernard Zuel, Sydney Morning Herald, 6/1/06

Web www.timireland.com.au
Myspace www.myspace.com/timirelandmusic

An introduction - Peregrine

isadorebiffin — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:00:43 +0000

Peregrine
In mid-2002, some lads hailing from Sydney's Northern beaches began recording tracks at bigjesusburger studios in Surry Hills. The studio - built by Chris Townend, had recently become the studio of choice for the likes of Augie March, Darren Hanlon, Paul Greene and even Portishead. The tracks recorded in late 2002, produced by Townend, would eventually be released as peregrine's debut album, "one big happy heart attack." The album consisted of 11 songs that singer-songwriter Brett Winterford and his band had been performing in Sydney and surrounds over several years - in which peregrine amassed some 300 gigs. The album would receive immediate critical acclaim as an independent release, with a sell-out launch at the Gaelic Club, rotation on such radio stations as Triple J, FBi and Bay FM, and finally a distribution and publishing deal with Shock Records. The past few months has seen the band break from its two-year residency at the Excelsior of Glebe to take the album on the road with several trips up and down Australia's eastern seaboard. The band's latest tour saw them perform in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Newcastle, Wollongong, Geelong, Wagga, Byron Bay and even small regional areas such as Murwillumbah, Nowra and Tathra. The year also saw the band's single "Fingerpointing" featured on Triple J's "Home and Hosed: First Harvest" compilation.

"Heart Attack hums with life, both sprightly and seductive."
- Mike Gee, The Brag

"Proficient, infectious, acoustic popsters with intelligence
- The OzMusicProject

Web www.peregrine-music.com
Myspace www.myspace.com/playthings

Greetings From New Zealand

bitemefanboy — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 03:36:59 +0000

Like the Phoenix Straitjacket Fits sprang from the ashes of the Dunedin, New Zealand group DoubleHappys. Formed in the early 1980's by childhood friends Shayne Carter (guitar and vocals), Wayne Elsey (guitar and vocals) and John Collie (drums), they debuted with the "Others Way" b/w "Anyone Else Would" single and followed that with the Cut It Out EP which made the Kiwi Top 20. Following the death of Elsey in a 1985 train accident the group reconstituted itself as Straitjacket Fits with the addition of Andrew Brough (guitar and vocals) and David Wood (bass).

Straitjacket Fits debut, released in 1987, the Life in One Chord EP would spend ten weeks in Kiwi Top 50; and in the process define the group's sound:

"the seemingly incongruous but highly effective pairing of Carter's rough abrasive voice and strident guitar and Andrew Brough's saccharine-sweet vocals and pop hooks."

All four songs on the ep are considered New Zealand rock classics, none more so than "She Speeds", which would become the band,s signature song:

"with its edgy lead vocal (from Carter) was underpinned with a dynamic jagged guitar and stabs of strings which tumbled into a churning melodic chorus on which Brough's voice soared."

Relocating to Auckland from Dunedin in 1988 the group recorded their first album Hail with producer Terry Moore (ex-The Chills). Released to critical acclaim the band toured both Australia and Europe in support of the album.

1990 saw the group back in the studio with producer Gavin Mackillop to work on their follow-up album Melt. Notable for it's ultra-lush production that often blurs instruments and vocals Melt is

"a swooping, swooning, swelling, surging, soaring (and all that) rush that beautifully captures the intensity of the band's live shows."

The album would produce two moderate hits with the Brough composition "Down In Splendour" and Carter's "Bad Note For A Heart".

In 1991 the group was back out on the road, supporting My Bloody Valentine in Australia and the La's in the US. "With reputed "musical differences" between Brough and Carter Brough left the band at the end of the tour and was replaced by guitarist Mark Petersen.

The band released the Tony Cohen produced EP Done in 1992. Without Brough the album proved to be a louder guitar driven record. The group would move to California to record their third full length, 1993's Blow. Produced by Paul Fox (XTC, Robyn Hitchcock) the album features atonal guitars and unpredictable shifts but many of the songs have a harshness to them. The album would yield two singles, "Cat Inna Can" and "If I Were You", but following their appearance at 1994's Big Day Out the group decided to go into a semi-permanent hiatus.

"In 2001, as part of the Australasian Performing Rights Association's 75th anniversary, a poll was conducted to vote on New Zealand's top 100 songs of all time. Straitjacket Fits' song "She Speeds" was named at number nine, and "Down In Splendour" at number 32, and "If I Were You" at number 88."

Following his departure from Straitjacket Fits Andrew Brough formed the guitar-pop band Bike in 1995 with Tristan Mason (bass) and Karl Buckley (drums). Signed to Flying Nun Records the groups debut single, 1996's "Save My Life",

"earned them a nomination as Most Promising New Band at the NZ Music Awards, and was also a finalist for APRA's Silver Scroll songwriting award."

The group's full length debut Take In The Sun mines the sonic terrain that Melt was so noted for, the

"dark, ringing shimmer full of reverb (and some delay) and speaker-filling density."

Since Straitjacket Fits break-up Carter has recorded several tracks both solo and and in collusion with Peter Jefferies. In 1994 he formed the group Dimmer which debuted with the 7" single "Crystallator" on Sub Pop in 1995.

After releasing one album with Bike Andrew Brough moved back to Dunedin and retreated from the music scene; while John Collie has become a photographer of some note who has exhibited his work widely.

I should point out that Melt was copied from a tape using dbPowerAMP's Auxiliary Import and then ripped using dbPowerAMP's Music Converter and LAME 3.93

I also should note that the original m3u file for Melt is incorrect and I've posted the corrected m3u file as a separate download.

DISCOGRAPHY

Straitjacket Fits

Singles, EPs & Full Length

Hail (LP) (Rough Trade UK) 1987
Life In One Chord (12") (Flying Nun Records) 1987
Hail (LP) (Flying Nun Records) 1988
Hail (CD, Album) (Rough Trade US) 1988
Blue Thunder / Hail (7" Single, Promo) (Rough Trade UK) 1989
Hail (CD) (Rough Trade UK) 1989
Hail (CD, Album) (Victor Musical Industries) 1989
Victory Garden / Hail (Flexi) The Catalogue 1989
Bad Note For A Heart (CD, Maxi) (Flying Nun, Festival Records) 1990
Bad Note For A Heart (12", EP) (Flying Nun, Festival Records) 1990
Hail (CD, Album) (Flying Nun, Festival Records) 1990
Melt (CD, Album) (Arista) 1990
Melt (LP, CD, Cass) (Flying Nun, Festival Records) 1990
Down In Splendour (CD + VHS, PAL) (Flying Nun Records) 1991
Missing From Melt (CD, EP) (Arista) 1991
Roller Ride (CD, Promo) (Arista) 1991
Done (CD, Maxi) (Flying Nun Records) 1992
"If I Were You"/"Brother's Keeper" (CD Single) (Flying Nun UK) 1993
Blow (CD, Album) (Arista) 1993
Blow (CD, Album, Cass) (Flying Nun, Festival Records) 1993
Cat Inna Can (CD Single) (Flying Nun, Festival Records, Mushroom Records) 1993
Straitjacket Fits (2xCD) (Flying Nun) 1998

Tracks Appear On:

"She Speeds" In Love With These Times (CD) Flying Nun Europe 1989
"She Speeds" In Love With These Times (LP) (Flying Nun Records) 1989
"Dialling A Prayer" Getting Older 1981-1991 (LP, Cass) (Flying Nun, Festival Records) 1991
"Down In Splendour" Stand Strong Aotearoa 91 (Cass) (Festival Records) 1991
"Cat Inna Can," "Burn It Up" 12 Hours Fast (CD) (Flying Nun UK) 1993
"Brittle" No Alternative (CD) (Arista, BMG Victor Inc.) 1993
"Cat Inna Can" Collision II (CD) (White Records) 1994
"She Speeds," "Such A Daze" But I Can Write Songs Okay (3xCD) (Yellow Eye Music) 1996
"Down In Splendour," "She Speeds" Topless Women Talk About Their Lives (CD) (Flying Nun Records) 1997
"She Speeds" Thirty Songs (2xCD) (APRA) 2001
"She Speeds" Nature's Best (2xCD) (Epic) 2002
"She Speeds," "Bad Note For A Heart" In Love With These Times / Pink Flying Saucers Over The Southern Alps (2xCD) (Flying Nun Records) 2004
"Down In Splendour" Nature's Best 2 (2xCD) (Sony NZ) 2004
"If I Were You" Nature's Best 3 (2xCD) (Sony NZ) 2004
"Down In Splendour" Second Season - Flying Nun DVD II (DVD) (Flying Nun Records) 2004
"Done" Kiwi Rock 1996 (CD) (Kato) 2005
"She Speeds" Very Short Films (DVD) (Flying Nun Records) 2006
"Dialing A Prayer (E.P. Version)" 25 Years (4xCD) (Flying Nun Records) 2006
"Grate (Live)" A Flip And 2 Twisters (2xLP) (Kingsland Vinyl Appreciation Society) 2007

Bike

Full Length

Take In The Sun (CD) (Flying Nun, Mushroom Records) 1997

Tracks Appear On:

"Old & Blue" 15 (CD) (Flying Nun Records) 1995
"My Love, My Life" Abbasalutely (CD, LP) (Flying Nun, Festival Records) 1995
"Save My Life" Pop Eyed (CD) (Flying Nun Records) 1996
"Welcome To My World" Second Season - Flying Nun DVD II (DVD) (Flying Nun Records) 2004
"Save My Life" Very Short Films (DVD) (Flying Nun Records) 2006
"Save My Life" 25 Years (4xCD) (Flying Nun Records) 2006

Straitjacket Fits - Melt (1990)

Playing Time: 42 minutes 23 seconds

1. Bad Note for a Heart (3:40)
2. Missing Presumed Drowned (2:52)
3. Melt Against Yourself (3:31)
4. Headwind (3:20)
5. Down in Splendor (3:34)
6. A.P.S. (4:12)
7. Quiet Come (3:16)
8. Such a Daze (3:01)
9. Skin to Wear (3:13)
10. Hand in Mine (2:46)
11. Roller Ride (3:06)
12. Cast Stone (5:52)

Corrected Melt m3u File

Straitjacket Fits - Blow (1993)

Playing Time: 47 minutes 2 seconds

1. Done (3:18)
2. Falling (3:35)
3. Joyride (3:27)
4. Cat Inna Can (3:52)
5. Sycamore (3:26)
6. Brother's Keeper (3:24)
7. Train (3:43)
8. Let it Blow (3:51)
9. If I Were You (3:59)
10.Turn (3:14)
11. Way (3:53)
12. Burn it Up (3:55)
13. Spacing (3:25)

Bike - Take In The Sun (1997)

Playing Time: 41 minutes 1 second

1. Take In The Sun (3:14)
2. Circus Kids (3:39)
3. Tears Were Blue (3:04)
4. Welcome To My World (3:54)
5. Inside (4:13)
6. Anybody Know (3:48)
7. Old And Blue (3:18)
8. Keeping You In Mine (3:17)
9. Sunrise (4:32)
10. Save My Life (3:43)
11. Slide On by (4:19)

An introduction - The Dawn Collective

isadorebiffin — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:02:17 +0000

The Dawn Collective is a band that continually escapes classification. Just when you think you've got it worked out, along comes the next song, stretching beyond whatever genre you've just placed them in. They've been described as orchestral acoustica, jazz infused jangly rock, and even baroque indie pop — whatever you want to call them, they're certainly not your standard rock band.

Over the past four years the band has released three EPs (The Dawn Collective EP, The Affirmation EP and The Russian Trilogy Demos) and played with the likes of The Devoted Few, The Red Paintings, Fourth Floor Collapse, The Fumes and Faker, as well as appearing at festivals such as The Great Escape, Peat's Ridge and Festival Of The Sun.

Their debut album was recorded over the last year with producers Tim Whitten (The Panics, Gersey) and Tony Dupe (Holly Throsby, Jack Ladder), and will be released sometime this year — stay tuned!

Web www.thedawncollective.com
Myspace www.myspace.com/thedawncollective