Something I Learned Today

I’m debating which song to put up even as I begin typing this. Here’s the capper to a perfect week.

Arcwelder - Carpal Tunnel Song.mp3
Minneapolis’ Arcwelder made some beautiful noise in the 90’s, releasing 6 albums all told. Fuzzed out guitar, alternating vocals, strong hooks, noisy pop melodies - Arcwelder always reminded of a latter day Husker Du. In fact I often think Drummer/Vocalist Scott Macdonald sounds a bit like Bob Mould, despite the occasional falsetto.

“Carpal Tunnel Song” was released on 1994’s Xerxes and this thing didn’t leave my CD player for well over a month. Combined with 1993’s Pull these two albums are Arcwelder’s definitive moments ( Albums #3&#$ for the chronological ). Pull is solid from front to end, but I still prefer Xerxes due to it’s more off kilter moments, such as this track. A dense, darker tune, the song sticks with me due to chorus - “It’s Over and Done, that’s it” repeated several time by Macdonald in his breaking voice. I’ve found that line just gets into my skull and sits there ( as it did this morning for some reason )

Since I’m amazingly indecisive I’m going to include theopening track off of Xerxes. It’s provides some contrast to the first song, more light and airy and just plain positive feeling.

Arcwelder - Smile.mp3

Additionally, here are additional sounds from the bands page with Southern Studios. this track is from 1996’s album Entropy

Captain Allen

I didn’t plan on this being a “theme” week, but the past several days have brought bad luck, bad news, and bad weather to my doorstep. Why shouldn’t I just prepare for the worst? Actually, this song popped into my head this morning, so here it is. Look, it’s another DC band!

Government Issue - World Caved In.mp3
the GI’s always seemed to reside out of the spotlight in Washington DC’s hardcore heyday of the ’80’s, and I’m not sure why. Perhaps it was the fact they weren’t on Dischord, instead releasing many of their albums on the Fountain of Youth label. Who knows? Progressing from a traditional hardcore band to a near psychedelic hippie band ( well, not that extreme ) the band showed increasing songcraft over the course of 6 albums, 2 singles, and various live cash-in’s.

“World Caved In” was a standout track on an otherwise ho-hum album. The Fun Just Never Ends was released in 1985 and showed that while the band had slowed down the tempo the songs were still catchy. The biggest problem with this LP lies with the sterile, blah production, which robbed many of the songs of their power. Regardless, some of my favorites by the band are on here: “Mad at Myself”, “Vanity Fare”, “Massacre” and the honored track “World Caved In”.

Th entire Government Issue discography has been re-released on CD, creatively titled Complete History vol 1 and Complete History vol 2

Here’s a couple more:
Plain to See (1983)
Where You Live (1987)

I’m just having the best week ever. Yeah, that is sarcasm. This sums everything up.

Buzzcocks - Something’s Gone Wrong Again.mp3
You should all know the Buzzcocks, as their name is synonymous with British punk rock. They laid the groundwork for the pop-punk explosion of the ’90s and today. While I’m generally not a fan of “pop-punk”,  there is no denying Pete Shelley and the gang. Still at it today the Buzzcocks are pure melody welded to noise. “Something’s Gone Wrong Again” is not your traditional Buzzcocks song, relying more on repetition and dark ambience than their usually catchy hooks. This was released as the  B-side to 1979’s “Harmony in My Head” single and was included in the splendid singles comp “Singles Going Steady” which is a must have.

Additionally, here is a new Buzzcocks song recorded live in 2003:

  Friends

I originally had a pretty long post worked up on the details of DC’s Iron Cross. However, Blogger ate that post and fuck it, I just don’t feel like recreating it. Iron Cross released two 7″s in the early 80’s and could lay claim to be America’s first skinhead band. The first 7″ - “Skinhead Glory”- while labelled “Oi!” came across as a slower alternative to the loud & fast early DC scene. “Crucified” would become a hardcore anthem, but overall the 7″ is marred by goofy lyrics and drab sounds.

1983’s “Hated & Proud” was a vast improvement, incorporating melody, more intelligent lyrics, and better production. All three songs on the record are classics, my favorite being the tune posted here.

A CD retrospective was released in 2001 titled “Live for Now” and included all 7″ tracks, comp tracks, and a handful of unreleased tracks. It is worth it for historical purposes alone.

Iron Cross - You’re A Rebel.mp3
Iron Cross - Grey Morning.mp3
Iron Cross - Wolfpack.mp3

This one goes out to all the fine folks gathering in Boston this week for Democratic National Convention.

Christ on a Crutch - Ode to a Liberal Democrat.mp3
an album track from 1987’s “Spread Your Filth” LP, COAC played straight ahead old school hardcore - no metal riffs, no breakdowns, no tough guy bullshit. Political hardcore from Seattle WA, COAC were as tough on the so called left as they were on the right. ”Ode To A Liberal Democrat” seeks to bash those who simply pay lip service to their supposed values. Not a great deal of info out there on the group, This is what I know off of the top of my head: Band formed as a three piece in Washington DC before adding a fourth member and relocating to Seattle in the late 80’s. They recorded 2 albums ( “Spread Your Filth” and “Crime Pays When Pigs Die” ) and 2 singles between 1987 and 1991. Also appeared on a couple of comps released on the Dischord,Maximum Rock&Roll, and Hippiecore imprint.

A trivia note: bass player Nate Mendel went on to play with Sunny Day Real Estate and the Foo Fighters.

New Red Archives has released a couple of CD’s that essential collect their discography:
“Spread Your Filth: The Doughnut and Bourbon Years”
“Shit Edge & Other Songs For the Young and Sentimental”
“Crime Pays When Pigs Die” - possibly the best punk album title ever

The week wouldn’t be complete with out a little brother/sister husband/wife red/white, oh hell, the White Stripes

White Stripes - Let’s Shake Hands.mp3
there is nothing I can tell you about the White Stripes that you don’t already know. You know the drill: guitar and drums mixed with surprising melodies. flat out rockers with bluesy overtones. Four great and unique albums. “Let’s Shake Hands” is the A side to their first seven inch, released in 1997 on Italy Records. You either love this band or hate them. I love them, especially this early stuff. I’ve always hated the cute “red&white” cutesy crap, but there is no denying the quality of the music.

If you like this track ( or any of the others ) please leave a comment, be they suggestions, criticisms, complaints, deathr threats. Whatever. It would definitely give me the encouragement to keep this up. God knows my wife hates that I’ve been spending so much time on the damn computer.

Of course, if you don’t like these tracks then head out to the MP3 blog aggregator, you’re sure to find something to your liking there.

Enjoy the weekend. More on Monday

this week has definitely been dominated by two-pieces in the trash rock/blues vein. Why stop a good thing at this juncture?

Immortal Lee County Killers - Said I’d Find My Way.mp3
rising from the ashes of the Quadrajets, the ILCK from Auburn, AL pull no punches. There first album was called “The Essential Fucked Up Blues” and it was indeed truth in advertising. Home recorded by Cheetah ( Chet Weise ) and JRR Token ( I’m suspecting stage names here ), the album featured 9 cuts of psychotic slide guitar mayhem. The cut posted here is no different. Noisy, nasty guitar, growling vocals. Pure and simple. Released in 2001, the album was followed up with “Love is a Charm of Powerful Trouble” in 2003. Both were released on Estrus

More sounds courtesy Estrus. From “Love is a Charm…”
Shitcanned Again
Truth through Sound

Imagine if you took one of those 60’s “girl” groups, gave them guitars, amps, and old R&B records, and turned them loose in a studio. You’d probably have something like Mr Airplane Man

Mr Airplane Man - Make you Mine.mp3
Boston’s Mr. Airplane Man are two piece consisting of Margaret Garrett on guitar& vocals and Tara McManus on drums. Formed in the late 90’s under the guidance of late Morphine frontman Mark Sandman, the band caught the eye of lo-fi legend Monseiuer Jeffrey Evans, who would eventually record their Sympathy debut, 2001’s “Red Lite“.

Their name comes from a Howlin’ Wolf song and they make no bones about being influenced by early rock&roll and rhythm&blues.
“Make You Mine” is a cut off of the their latest disc ( “C’Mon DJ“) and features a straight up rock riff over a basic crash and bang drum beat. Sounds simple, but somehow it works. I don’t know if it is the raw, buzzing guitar, the pummeling beat, or the(buried in the mix) background harmonies, but this is my fav off of the new album. In short Mr. Airplane Man churn out convincing, unpretentious garage rock & roll.

More Mr. Airplane Man mp3’s can be found on the band’s download page.

this could have fallen under the cover category, but damn I had to include the Bassholes in any discussion of crazy 2-piece bands

Bassholes - Stack O’ Lee.mp3
The Bassholes have been laying low for the past couple of years since releasing 1998’s double LP “When My Blue Moon Turns Red Again” on In the Red. The Columbus, OH duo specializes twisted, off kilter blues/country/punk hybrid with a dark and twisted undercurrent. In fact, Don Howland is one of the pioneers of the whole broken blues thang, having been a founding member of cult heroes the Gibson Bros. Howland has an affinity for performing old, forgotten folk and blues numbers. Case in point is this here cut - Stack O’ Lee. An in depth look at the history of the song can be found here. Anyhow, the Bassholes turn this one on it’s ear, recording an uptempo version with thick, fuzzy guitar.

This version of Stack O’ Lee was recorded “live on the air” concert in 1998 as the band was in the midst ofrecording “When My Blue Moon… “. It was released in 2000 as part of “The Secret Strength of Depression” LP on Sympathy.

The band reappeared in 2003 releasing a double seven inch called “Out in The Tree Tops”. Check out the title track:

Out In The Treetops.mp3

I’m not sure if I want to keep this “theme of the week” thing going, but I got some stuff lined up now, so let’s do it.

Bantam Rooster - This Close To Suicide.mp3
Bantam Rooster kick up a mighty big racket for a simple guitar& drum combo. The Lansing, MI natives have been playing around since 1995, dealing out doses of blues and punk ( and some country and soul) over the course of 3 albums and a handful of singles. T. Jackson Potter (a sometimes member of the Dirtbombs and Seger Liberation Army ) mixes simple guitar riffs with an unearthly wail for some seriously fucked up rock&roll. “This Close to Suicide” is the closer from 2001’s LP “Fuck All Y’All” on Sympathy. Starting out with a somber countrified plea for help, things kick into distored overdrive mid way through. Just plain psychotic!

Desperately waiting for a new album. If anyone has any info then please let me know.