The One AM Radio - Loose Ends: Rare & Unreleased Tracks (2009)

As always, apologies for the lack of updates. Something is amiss in my existence and I find it necessary to concentrate my time and energy on other preoccupations. To tide you over, here is a companion post to the One AM Radio single that I shared some time ago. If my memory serves me well, this package was created in 2009 prior to the band's/man's tour that year. Utterly, characteristically sparse recordings that are most likely to appeal to longtime fans of the band than the causal meandering reader. The CD includes various covers, some more interesting than others, that I will leave you to ponder yourself. There were 55 of these CDs made. I am looking into my turntable problem and I hope to return to your respective worlds shortly.

The One AM Radio - Loose Ends: Rare & Unreleased Tracks MediaFire

Buellton - Avenue of the Flags (2001)

Now here's something from 2001 that's thoroughly worth a damn!

Buellton were a band that remain as much as a mystery to me as they are to most. For a band evidently doomed to obscurity, they crafted an album so wonderful that it is as carefully heard as it was created. Avenue of the Flags certainly didn't hit me the first time around, and it in fact took about a week of repeated listens to wrap my head around just what about it kept it afloat. At first, one may find the piece amateurish, with occasionally, admittedly predictable songwriting paired with equally ho-hum lyrics ("The Flow", "What Do You Suppose" immediately come to mind.) What I find sets this album apart from other early-2000's indie rock churned out during the era is their thoroughly original approach to pairing alt. country (if you'll forgive the term) tendencies with slowcore themes and Pavement-esque riffs. There is seldom a moment in this album that isn't somber, but despite their subject matter being so melancholy, Buellton keep one listening with catchy, varied sadcore with unique textures and techniques. It's interesting to me how every song retains its sadness while simultaneously jumping from country twangs, pop chorus lines, and slow-burning slowcore contemplations. Avenue of the Flags has a little something for (almost) everyone, really. I encourage multiple listens if it doesn't stick the first time. While some slowcore bands stick to a beaten horse with one trick in its mouth, Buellton embraced many influences and sounds, and created a multifaceted full-length built to envelop you. You know how it rains during the summer sometimes? That's exactly how this album feels.

With all this said, I own every Seam record ever made. Buellton were John Nygren, Erik Herzog, Andrew Giacumakis, and Tad Wagner.

Buellton - Avenue of the Flags MediaFire

34 Satellite - Stop (2001)

Seeing as how my stereo receiver is currently in revolt, I find it pertinent to share a CD instead. I think I actually picked this up a couple years after it was released, in the bargain bin. 34 Satellite were a Colorado quartet that had another full-length in addition to this one. Their music was put out entirely on Hideaway Records. I don't know anything about the band and I practically forgot I even owned this until I dug it out of my drawers. Definite "radio music" vibes going on here, but there are little tinges of spacey, shoegazey images thrown in to mix it up. The first few songs are somewhat interesting, if not rife with cliches, but the formula seems to be rehashed throughout the album. Other than that, mix R.E.M. with the Replacements and this is the most likely result; I mean, look at the release date! This is one of those entries posted purely for the purpose of archival, if you want to know the real truth... It has its moments, though. Similarly, maybe you'll also occasionally like it.

34 Satellite - Stop MediaFire

Red 40 - Discography (1999)

Surely not an unfamiliar sight to most, but Red 40 still seem to a band that is perpetually under the radar. I just recently picked up this discography CD after having the MP3s for easily a few years. I'm genuinely at a loss for anything coherent or fresh to say about this band that hasn't already been said before. This is not groundbreaking music, and any fan of Jawbreaker (a band which I more or less abhor incidentally) will immediately hear the influence they had on this band. The lyrics are longing, juvenile and rife with adolescent desperation. And the frontman, Ben Nichols, went onto to form Lucero... I'll let you draw your own conclusions. What I'm saying is, this has its drawbacks... but how much more catchy can this get! This stuff will get in your head and stick around past the afternoon, perhaps even later. It's apparent to me that these songs were written while Nichols was relatively young, or young enough to warrant lyrics so painful (pun intended), and probably going through a transitional period in his life (read as puberty).

With all that said, about halfway through the CD you'll probably turn it off. I find that their niche unfortunately becomes tired near the end. The first half is worth a at least a couple listens though. If you didn't figure it out, this was a pop-punk, Jawbreaker-influenced band from Little Rock and the predecessor to a more successful band, Lucero. This discography CD was issued twice, my copy being from the re-release. It is out of print and hard to come by - like all of this band's output - but there are a few copies on eBay as of this posting. For anyone reading who still has this, grab this if you want a higher bitrate; I was able to replace my 128kbs MP3s with this. Highly recommended!

Red 40 - Discography MediaFire

The Summer Hits - Beaches and Canyons 1992-96 (1996)

Ripped this more for myself, as I wanted to replace the poor digital copy I had on my computer. My musical upgrade equates to your musical gain. The Summer Hits were a Further-related project that included guitarist Brent Rademaker, who gave me this CD for free. They released many 7" records, but I'd think that this CD is their most recognized and listened-to release. "Criminally overlooked" is a beaten cliche that I will begrudgingly use to describe this band; I can't think of a band more overlooked, given its pedigree. This has been tossed around for years and years, but this band remains one that listeners give an instant pass. A compilation of noisy, carefree pop music that someone sober may not get the first time around, but give it a shot and you're sure to find a cozy, cacophonous niche worthy of an edgebreak. Just kidding.

The Summer Hits - Beaches and Canyons 1992-96 MediaFire

Matsuri - Endship (2010)

Matsuri are a band that never get old for me, despite seeing them play a hundred times over the past few years. I still get just as excited by their energy, positivity and presence in 2010 as I did in 2007. I caught the end of their set last night at their very own DIY space and had a blast. While I was there, I picked up the CD version of their new LP, which has yet to come out. They had to push back the release date due to delayed mixing, so they were still taking pre-orders... at the show. Never before last night had I seen a band take pre-orders in person. But that's okay. It probably happens more often than I am aware. If you checked out any of the music I posted in my previous Matsuri-related post, you're bound to like this as well.

Matsuri - Endship MediaFire
Matsuri - Endship Buy It

Ova!/Happy Mother's Day, I Can't Read - The Number on My Forehead is Gone (2004)

I once had a cat. Her name was Sugarfoot. She was the best cat I ever had; my current cats pale in comparison. She was always following me around and rubbing up on me and actually drank her milk, and really loved me. The feeling was mutual. But then she ran away or was eaten or was blown up by a firework. That made me very sad, and angry, and frustrated, and confused, and full of pent up rage. It made me want to play sloppy, guitar-driven noise rock with a slight prog lean, maybe sorta. It also made me want to create coagulating harsh noise that isn't quite tough enough to induce vomiting, but sweet enough to leave one longing for the embrace of an incinerator. Finally, it made me want to mix the two with a group of good friends, and to name our subsequent collaboration "Awesome." That's how this split on Freedom Form makes me feel. It makes me miss my cat. I love you, Sugarfoot.

(Apologies for the pauses in between tracks. It was pressed that way.)

Ova!/Happy Mother's Day, I Can't Read - The Number on My Forehead is Gone MediaFire
(The previous link was erroneous, as it was missing the first track. Sorry.)

Toss - Titles of the Greatness of Been (2002)

Teetering on the edge of drone-drenched electroacoustic jams and full-on noise, Toss was a Belgium trio who put out two impressive albums on Kraak (or (K-RAA-K)³, if you really want to), the same fellas who brought you a Dolphins Into the Future LP this year, among other notables. Their last one, this one, Titles of the Greatness of Been, is a nervous, wandering guitar-based improvisation jammer that's just malleable enough to be deemed amorphous. Some tracks linger in heavy electronic contemplation, while others oscillate wildly with bursts of various instrumental buzzing, dubbed field recording and foamy mumbling and/or gurgling. There. Is that mailing list enough for you? Also, if I attach the word "lo-fi" to this, will you download it?

Toss - Titles of the Greatness of Been MediaFire

Megapost #2: Bay Area/Not Quite Bay Area DIY Emo & Screamo from 2005 - 2010

Of course, this is by no means an exhaustive post. The title should have "that I have copies of" at the end to be a little more accurate, but I thought that would look silly. An ear-to-the-ground screamo geek in the Bay Area that's been conscious for the last few years might recognize some of these. And if not, here's a gift from me to you.

A recent outing to the first screamo-related show I had been to in months prompted me to rip my old demos and EPs by bands that I've met over the years. These bands did, and some still continue to do, DIY punk like it should be, and unless I'm mistaken all of these CDs were handmade, heartfelt jobs that are worth every penny I spent on them when they were new. And these guys always had tables full of stuff, be it music, artwork or whatever. I have so much attached to this music, it's ridiculous; the above picture along brings out a lot. I'm reminded of the last few years, the friends I made, the strange places I went, all the spaces around the Bay Area we discovered - a whole network of kids with enough positivity to power the houses they played in. I digress, though, as I'm speaking as if those memories are a thing of the past - they are as much the present as they were four, five years ago.

This is almost a vanity post, since I consider some of these people friends, and since I am also sharing the latest John Cota tape in this entry, which incidentally is their whole, remastered discography. Even though this may be a little more for me than it is for anyone else, I hope I can provide enjoyment to someone else by sharing this music. That being said, there are still so many more bands whose music I didn't pick up way back when. Some of these bands intertwine and often played with each other, so it's a given that, with a little digging, you're bound to find more. And go buy some of their music! Some of these bands are still together and still tour with other bands. Every person in these bands, that I've personally met and even those I haven't, were genuine, enthusiastic people who made great music free from ego, image, aesthetic, and other bogus stuff.

The following means a lot to me.


John Cota - "2009" Tape/Remastered Discography (these are the MP3 masters - thanks Max)

Home Is Colored Gold - Spring Tour Demo (this didn't come with a tracklisting, and I couldn't find one on the Internet - sorry!) - one member went onto John Cota
I Was The Explosion - Three Songs - one member went onto John Cota
Moldar - Last Five
Matsuri - Demo (this was their first, first demo I believe. I think their later demo had four songs, while this one only has three.)
Nord Mariner - 4 Songs
Nord Mariner - S/T CD - Redwood City emo band, who, unless I'm mistaken, are on hiatus but not broken up.
John Cota - Demo CD
John Cota - Tour CD
Matsuri/Moldar - Summer Tour 09 Live - great live recordings from last year, but I don't know where from
Moldar/Calculator Split

Twin Stumps - Demos (2008/2009)

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.

Twin Stumps - Demo #1 MediaFire
Twin Stumps - Demo #2 MediaFire
Twin Stumps - MySpace

A Company of Heroes - S/T (2006)

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.


I am halfway kidding, but in all seriousness, for being a band that continued to beat the still beaten horse, something I partook in myself for a time (hell, still do), they did a very good job. This was halfway through a decade that saw the rise of bands like Funeral Diner and Orchid, as well as people who were so earnest in their quest to educate the masses by spreading the word about "real screamo"... Wedged between the heaps of monotony and screachings of Half Moon Bayinite heavyweights were this little known quartet that stepped in for a moment then gradually faded away, leaving only this handsome package (pictured above) in their wake.

(Take note any bandanas and gym shorts in this video... mid-2000's, I do not miss you)

I haven't the slightest clue whether or not this band is still active. As far as how the album sounds... even speaking on it now I can say with confidence that it's a very firm work that can still hold its own four years later. The absolutely shrill, desperate vocals of Bryan Goss wrap together these nine standard, though sophisticated screamo compositions tightly; something about his voice alone does it for me, regardless of what he's saying. Besides the music, the CD was put in a hand made package with a taped-on photo, stamped label on the back, professionally printed CDs and a fancy insert on wax paper... all for $7, but I (or was it my brother?) paid $5 because I didn't have enough on me. Also, Final Fantasy-themed track titles.


A Company of Heroes - A Company of Heroes MediaFire
A Company of Heroes - MySpace

Hijack The Disco - Working Is Easy (2004)

Switching back to sentimental feelings for a little while, and sharing some more little-known bands that passed through my town in the early 2000's. I'm cruising all the way back to 2004 or 2005 for this one. Hijack The Disco played a show at a now-defunct pizza shop in town that, if I'm not mistaken, presented about nine bands for $4. I tried looking for the flyer, but came up with nothing unfortunately. I'll keep looking.

Despite my blurry memory, I remember this band putting on a reasonable set. Although I was lost in a haze of oi! punk and screamo (more on that in a later update) back then and thus had a temporary disinterest in pop music at the time, I was nonetheless impressed with this Oakland threesome's (?) alternative rock-oriented pop tunes. I was also quite broke at the time, and I couldn't afford their new album, so I was only able to pick up this EP, Working Is Easy, for the cheap price of $3. A few bucks well spent, as this EP turned out to be a five-song gem of quality, imagery ridden pop music worthy of praise. Crisp, cleanly executed with catchy hooks and variegated moods.

Another popular band around this time was Panic! At The Disco. No, I am not a fan myself, but many other people were, so much so that Hijack The Disco apparently garnered some confusion regarding the name conflict. To dispel this, the band changed their name to HIJK, and thus they have been ever since. I have neither seen nor heard them since watching the aforementioned set many years ago, but I trust the band is doing well.

Hijack The Disco - Working Is Easy Mediafire
HIJK - MySpace

Themes - War Over the Great Plains (2007)

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

The Trouble With Larry - The Trouble With Larry (1992)

Picking through racks at the local Goodwill today, I came across this intriguing gem. The cover art alone should catch anyone's eye, but upon closer inspection I found familiar names in the thanks section, among them Balcony of Ignorance. It seemed I wasn't dealing with an average find, so I bought it for about a buck. Upon getting it home and putting it my stereo, the catchy post-punk tunes of The Trouble With Larry filled the room. This eighteen-track CD tip-toes the border of post-punk and Dead Kennedys-esque punk rock, delivering dark, heavy and occasionally humorous songs with dual male vocals. While the music seems to hint at dance music with an industrial twist, it really sounds more like a punk record than anything to me.

I couldn't find a thing about this band or their label Good Kitty Records, but I am guessing they are from New York or at least from the east coast given the location of their label and the Balcony of Ignorance mention. (Given comments I've received on this entry, they were from Richmond, VA. Thanks!) If anyone can provide more information or tunes from this band, it would be appreciated.

The Trouble With Larry - The Trouble With Larry Mediafire

Twain Harte - A Sunny Place For Shady People + S/T EP

Speaking of talking about local music, let's fast forward a bit. In about, I'd say, 2007, a band called Twain Harte was created by three guys in the area. What was made in the process was surprisingly phenomenal math rock, a genre that I admit I know very little about other than a handful of big names and a few obscurities. Two members switched off on bass and guitar in between songs during their sets. The drummer remained stationary. All members possessed musicianship not seen often in these parts. Probably some of the best live sets I've seen, too; everyone was always dancing and having a good time. I don't want to put down a predictable list of similar bands for two reasons: one, because most of those bands are very overrated, and two, because Twain Harte did well enough not to sound like a cut-and-paste version of them. While, yes, the similarities are apparent, A Sunny Place For Shady People is focused more on upbeat, happy (despite the subject material) and fun feelings with a punk edge. They obviously had as much fun creating their music as they did performing it.

It was a shame to see them break up considering how honestly talented they were, apart from a few botched performances that should be expected from, let's be frank, a group of teenagers. I don't know what the front members are up to, but I know Logan, the drummer, is playing in a couple bands here and there. This band was playing shows in Livermore at the about the time that the "music scene" was on life support. As they disappeared, so did (most of) the other bands, and the last remnants of our venues and shows.

Twain Harte - A Sunny Place For Shady People + Self-Titled Tour EP Mediafire
Twain Harte - MySpace

Love Songs - All Branches, No Trunk

I started going to shows when I was about twelve, when my town still had a "scene" and shows still went on every Friday during the summer. I saw so many no-name bands that I couldn't possibly name them all, which says something about my memory and my lack of nostalgia-driven flyer collecting. There were very few bands that really caught my attention during those years, but Love Songs were one of them. Love Songs is a band that is criminally underrated in the Bay Area punk scene, which is a surprise considering the vocalist/lead guitarist is Craigums from What Happens Next? and Your Mother fame (one of the nicest guys I've had the pleasure of meeting by the way!) I don't doubt that their popularity has waned - their shows seemed to have shrunk down a bit in size since 2004 - but they haven't let that get to them. They're still just as good, if not better, after all these years.

Their first full-length All Branches, No Trunk is, in my opinion, their best material: thirteen catchy, humorous pop-punk tunes about love and testicle shaving (among other things) told in the best, most upbeat way possible. "Sweet-ish" in particular is a memorable track for these reasons, but then so is every other song on the CD. The only thing that tops this record is their live show, which happens to be one of my favorites six years later. This band is just fun; there's no better way to put it. Did I mention the Weird Al influence?

This CD is apparently out of print, but it was on 625. Don't fret about that though, because Love Songs happen to have a new record entitled Another Guaranteed 40 Minute Music Set (a blatant reference to a Bay Area radio station for the curious) out on Little Deputy Records. This includes a bunch of new material as well as a few old songs that have been re-recorded for the next generation. If you dig this, you'll dig that even more.

Love Songs - All Branches, No Trunk Mediafire
Love Songs - MySpace

The Fertile Crescent - Lips Wide Moths Pour Out

Yesterday, I decided I would start up this blog again. I didn't have a very big following here, and I think that was part of why I decided to stop posting. Now, however, I am going in with renewed vigor. If nobody ever sees this, at least it's a nice archive of memories for myself.

Now that that's out of the way... This is The Fertile Crescent's "Lips Wide Moths Pour Out" CD-R, a strictly experimental, 34-minute piece consisting of a variety of Indian instruments. What was apparently an electronica band in a past life became a pseudo-folk/psychedelia group, a conversion I'm having trouble piecing together. In any case, I wouldn't be uploading this if I didn't enjoy it thoroughly. The piece consists of six movements, notated in the song's title, all with its own unique and chilled vibe. There were 50 of these made on a label called featherspines (evidently not capitalized.) I picked this up after catching their set in the summer of 2008. I believe I picked up pretty much every bit of music they had to help them on their way across the west. I remember them being very weirded-out by my friends and I, but maybe they were just high. Who knows.

The Fertile Crescent - Lips Wide Moths Pour Out Mediafire