All right, consider me back in action for a while. Summer is winding down, but the fall semester is on the horizon, so updates may dwindle in the coming weeks. Nevertheless, I enjoy writing these little diddys too much to pull myself away.
And GOOD NEWS: I managed to score a great low-end Sony turntable to replace my RCA warhorse that lasted me a decade. So, expect some new tunes from my record collection soon!This one goes back to 2007, which wouldn't seem so long ago if I could remember half of it. I'm glad I kept this particular show's flyer because otherwise my photographic memory wouldn't be working overtime as I type this. I picked up this CD when I saw
Themes at an Apgar House show in Oakland that year, a pitstop on what I assume was the band's first west coast tour. My friends and I arrived quite late but managed to catch half of Themes' set, the likes of which we could hear down the block; a very loud, eclectic band and sound, with two brilliant voices on top. What we saw was enough for us to hassle the vocalist and baritone guitarist (!) Jacy McIntosh for a copy of their album,
War Over the Great Plains.
(Despite the omission, Loma Prieta also played this show. They were a three-piece at the time, and I believe that their EP had just come out.)
The album is about an hour long and rife with melancholy imagery and historical influence; very effective lyrics, too.
War Over the Great Plains is truly all over the place: from creepy to longing, from psychotic to complacent, but absolutely beautiful and calculated 100% of the time. Some songs seem a little off in first half of the "sit down" (as the vocalist lovingly referred to the album as, if I'm not mistaken) but their already unstable foundations may be to blame for that. The songs switch off between piano and baritone guitar driven folk-influenced rock tunes, which is an interesting combination in itself. Haven't heard much like this band, although at moments throughout the album I am vaguely reminded of
Black Heart Procession, as well as their friends
The New Trust, due to similar emotions and themes (no pun intended.) I must say, though, the occasionally uncomfortable dual vocals of Jacy McIntosh and Kelsey Crawford are mostly what do it for me - honestly, what a pair these two make!
Per the artists' request, the links to this album have been removed.Themes - MySpace
No sleep, more posts. This is the newest 7" from this Olympian ex-Sisters threesome. Two more tracks of heavy Sonic Youth influenced punk from the hazy alternate universe of Broken Water. Like their preceding LP Whet, it's as catchy as it is dejected. Unlike the LP, it's a bit slower, although not without the band's signature distorted effervescence.
Managed to finish my collection of this now defunct band's music. These demos from 2008 and 2009 are the last of it. Lots of otherwise abandoned recordings on the second demo in particular. Very excited to finally get these and equally excited to share them. Punishing noise rock from New York that, in my opinion, transcended their peers during their short time together.
Per the previous entry, here is another oldie, and probably the only other instance of screamo discussion on this blog unless I dig up something else notable. A Company of Heroes passed through one fine summer evening in 2006 with (*the*) Kidcrash and Arse Moreira while those bands were on tour together. The notability of that alone is twofold: first, that Kidcrash passed through my tiny insignificant hamlet, and second, that they were at the top of their game back then. But I digress since that was the first and last time I saw/listened to them. I believe that A Company of Heroes opened the show, totally stealing the thunder from the locals' egos by being a remarkably tough act to follow.
All right, consider me back in action for a while. Summer is winding down, but the fall semester is on the horizon, so updates may dwindle in the coming weeks. Nevertheless, I enjoy writing these little diddys too much to pull myself away.
A limited edition single on Sticky Records by the Boyracer and Hula Hoop side-project, Hulaboy. Get it? Imagine my surprise, coming upon this in a hole in the wall shop for a quarter! I believe both of these songs are recorded live given the sound check (??? you'll see) and laughter from an audience at the beginning of the first song. This was released alongside their Mermaid Girl single which I admit I like a little bit more. Pop-oriented rock music. Signature Boyracer vocals on the second track. Apparently this project is still active. This is technically one sided; the record has two sides, but has the same songs on both.