GUMBALL The Damage Done EP 1993

 

Discogs

 

Tracklist

1. The Damage Done
2. Thunder (Alt. Version)
3. Chew The Chew
4. Straight Line
5. Upsetters Theme Song (Live)
6. Accelerator

JOSHUA Joshua EP 1996

 

Discogs

 

Indie rock band from Orange County, NY.

 

 

Tracklist

1		Lovers Quarrel
2		Forever
3		Disassociation
4		Kickstand
5		Impossible
6		Safe

 

THE WHITLAMS Introducing The Whitlams 1993

 

Discogs

 

Artist Biography

by Jonathan Lewis

Named after former Australian prime minister Gough Whitlam, The Whitlams became one of Australia's more successful alternative acts of the late 1990s with their piano-driven pop.

Forming in Sydney, Australia in 1991, The Whitlams was originally a side project for local musicians Stevie Plunder (born Anthony Hayes in 1963) and Tim Freedman (b 1964), who had also worked with, among others, The Hummingbirds and The Sunnyboys.

Going through a number of lineup changes throughout the 1990s, it was Plunder and Freedman who were the mainstays of the group. The Whitlams built considerable local support with their live shows, but their first two albums, 1993's Introducing The Whitlams and 1995's Undeniably The Whitlams, failed to earn the band more than a cult following.

In January 1996, Plunder died after falling over a cliff in the Blue Mountains near Sydney. The future of the band was put in doubt after this, although when a track from Undeniably The Whitlams, "I Make Hamburgers", began to receive significant airplay, Freedman decided to continue with the group.

In late 1997, The Whitlams returned with Eternal Nightcap, an album dedicated to Plunder. Although there were numerous musicians who contributed to the album, the core lineup of the band had become Freedman; vocals and piano, Bill Heckenburg; drums, and Cottco Lovett; bass. Eternal Nightcap became a surprise success for the band, riding mostly on the single "No Aphrodisiac", a melancholy, piano-driven song about long-distance relationships. Another single from the album, "You Sound Like Louis Burdett", also received significant airplay on Australian radio.

In 1998, The Whitlams received three ARIA awards (the Australian equivalent of a Grammy), including best independent release for Eternal Nightcap.

 

Tracklist

1		The Ballad Of Lester Walker
3:26
2		Where Is She
4:18
3		Happy Days
1:42
4		Gough
3:18
5		Mum's Going Out
0:26
6		Pigeons In The Attic Room
1:56
7		Woody
1:16
8		Jumpin' Leprechauns
2:15
9		I'm Different
2:05
10.1		Winter Lovin'
3:48
10.2		Hidden Track	3:02

 

LUCKY ME Glue 1995

 

Discogs

 

Some alt pop rock with female fronted vocals on Will Records

Tracklist

1		The Water Lily Is My Favorite Flower
2		Saint Joan
3		Glue
4		Platinum Autumn
5		My Man
6		Rosey
7		Worthy
8		Somatic Footing Overture
9		There Are No Others
10		Doc
11		The Witch
12		Untitled

 

45 SPIDERS Standard Forms of Communication 1997

 

Discogs

 

Standard Forms of Communication Review

by Heather Phares

45 Spiders' debut album, Standard Forms of Communication, presents a dozen indie rock songs influenced by all the "right" bands -- Galaxie 500, Unrest, the Wedding Present, Yo La Tengo, and Polvo all spring to mind -- that never quite make the leap to sounding original. Despite some clever lyrics ("You're so post, you're pre" from "Carter Stanley or Jacques Lacan?" is a highlight), pleasant melodies, and appealing playing and production, Forms of Communication rarely rises above competency. The result is a very pretty, paint-by-numbers indie rock portrait; with any luck, 45 Spiders' future albums will use a more distinctive palette.

 

Tracklist

1		Carter Stanley Or Jacques Lacan?
2		All Souls Day
3		Hot Head Don
4		Sickbed
5		Northhampton
6		Club Anthem
7		Hoosegow
8		Pentimento
9		Another Polvo Song
10		Naomi Yang's Thoughts On Bass And Life Parallel My Own
11		Me And Seamonsters
12		Fuck The Canon

 

ADDICT Stones 1998

 

by request

Discogs

 

Artist Biography

by Tom Demalon

British quartet Addict's roots go back to childhood friends Mark Aston and James Denham. With Aston singing lead and Denham on bass, the two went through a succession of bands in their hometown of Cambridge. Relocating to London in the early '90s, they added Danish-born guitarist Nikolaj Juel and completed Addict's lineup when drummer Luke Bullen joined in 1995. The band signed to Big Cat/V2 late the following year after tightening up as a live unit. In early 1997, there was the release of a limited-edition EP, which was well-received by the press and earned comparisons to Radiohead. Enlisting producer David Bianco, who had come off working with Teenage Fanclub, Addict recorded their debut album, Stones, in Los Angeles, releasing it in 1998. Despite more favorable reviews, Stones failed to make much of an impact on either side of the Atlantic and Addict has been quiet since its issue.

 

Tracklist

1		Dust	3:36
2		Monster Side	4:11
3		All Change	3:14
4		Red Bird	5:35
5		Heavy	4:21
6		Teenage Angel	3:52
7		Caned	3:36
8		Underneath	3:54
9		Nobody Knows	3:16
10		Stones	4:33
11		Black Hole	4:10
12		Abused	4:46

 

RAILROAD JERK One Track Mind 1995

 

Discogs

 

Over the span of ten years, Railroad Jerk - the celebrated, premiere, industrial-folk, junkyard blues, rock band of the 90's - made four full-length LPs for the independent label Matador and toured the world. Beginning with "Railroad Jerk" (1990) and "Raise the Plow" (1992) the quartet defined the blues-punk sound of the era. Although never achieving the kind of mainstream recognition enjoyed by other bands of the time, Railroad Jerk was an influential force in what became known as "alternative rock." With the release of "One Track Mind" (1994) and the legendary line-up now in place, Railroad Jerk reached its biggest success. Drummer Dave Varenka, guitarist Alec Stephen, bassist Tony Lee, and guitarist/vocalist Marcellus Hall brought the RRJ sound across America and to Europe and Japan.  

Tracklist

1		Gun Problem	3:56
2		Bang The Drum	2:46
3		Rollerkoaster	5:09
4		Riverboat
3:50
5		What Did You Expect?	4:49
6		Home = Hang	3:50
7		Forty Minutes	4:28
8		The Ballad Of Railroad Jerk	5:29
9		Big White Lady
2:39
10		Help Yourself	4:25
11		You Better Go Now	4:03
12		Some Girl Waved	3:30
13		Zero Blues	4:14

 

STICKY Double Superbuzz 1997

 

by request

Thanks to ForAllItsWorth

Discogs

 

Indie / Punk / Pop / Rock band from Boone, North Carolina, USA. Active around 1993-1997.

Tracklist

1		The Probability	3:58
2		You've Got A Weird Way	3:14
3		The Big Ones (Goldar, Silvar & Gam)	3:01
4		Get Around	2:58
5		Pete Best	4:16
6		Id I'd	3:40

 

FEAR OF FALLING Welcome To Wonderland 1991

 

by request

Discogs

 

Female fronted alternative band from Australia

 

Tracklist

1		Watching The World Go By	3:50
2		Crossroads Of Reality	3:30
3		For The Tourist	4:21
4		Candy	0:38
5		Steamtrain Of Youth	4:28
6		Your Place	3:45
7		Black And White	4:51
8		Butler To Your Masquerade	4:01
9		Manic	3:02
10		Hand In Hand	3:42
11		Answering	3:36
12		South Of Nowhere	3:58
13		Acid Rain	3:27
14		Slave (To The Unexpected)	3:25

THE MORTALS Ritual Dimension of Sound 1992

by request

 Thanks to ForAllItsWorth

Discogs

 

Garage rock on the Estrus Records label

 

Tracklist

1		I Want More
2		World Turns On
3		I Dream She There
4		Leaving For Good
5		Hangin' On
6		Disintegration
7		Glow
8		Paralyzed
9		She's So Dangerous
10		Everything But Time
11		Blues Theme
12		I Am Alive
		CD Bonus Cuts Yippee!
13		Tell Me Why
14		Looking At You

 

POP POPPINS Delight In Disorder 1991

 

by request

Discogs

 

Power pop/alternative rock band from Dallas, Texas.  

Tracklist

1		It Hasn't Been Long
2		Be Patient
3		A Certain Person
4		Enlighten Me
5		I'm Alive
6		On A Moving Train
7		On Top Of A Building
8		Bridges And Towers
9		Lovin' A Stranger
10		Shy
11		Train

 

JIMMIE'S CHICKEN SHACK Bring Your Own Stereo 1999

 

by request

Discogs

 

 Tracklist

		Side A
1		Spiraling	3:41
2		Lazy Boy Dash
3:13
3		Do Right
3:02
4		String Of Pearls
3:55
5		Ooh	3:04
6		Let's Get Flat
3:38
7		Trash	3:01
		Side B
8		Fill In The Blank	3:20
9		Face It	3:20
10		Silence Again	2:59
11		Pure	4:29
12		Waiting	4:03
13		30 Days	3:56

 

 

 

 

TRIP SHAKESPEARE Volt 1992

 

 Discogs 

 

Artist Biography

by Stacia Proefrock

Playing engaging and imaginative alternative rock with a pop twist, Trip Shakespeare were a Minneapolis-based combo who earned a loyal cult following for their playful but literate, rhythmically inventive music. The band's story began in the early 1980s, when Harvard anthropology grad Elaine Harris answered an ad looking for "wicked percussion hands" posted by English major Matt Wilson, who would soon abandon school for music to relocate to his hometown of Minneapolis. Harris and Wilson would found Trip Shakespeare, along with John Munson, a Chinese-language major at the University of Minnesota. After issuing a debut LP, 1988's Applehead Man, on local label Gark Records, the album was picked up for national distribution by Restless Records. Not long after the album came out, the band expanded to include another Harvard student, Dan Wilson, a graduate student in art and Matt's elder brother. With an arty sound but unpretentious approach which attracted new fans, the band released their second album, 1989's Are You Shakesperienced?, on Twin/Tone. In 1990, the band signed with A&M, releasing Across the Universe the same year, followed by Lulu in 1991. These two major-label albums showed off a bright melodic style with increasingly tight production values, providing a nice package for their arcane lyrics and free-ranging instrumentation. Unfortunately, neither album became a major commercial breakthrough, and after Trip Shakespeare recorded a six-song EP of cover tunes entitled Volt, A&M rejected the project and dropped the band. (Twin/Tone records would belatedly release Volt in 1994.) Shortly after severing ties with A&M, Trip Shakespeare broke up. Elaine Harris returned to the Boston area, Matt Wilson performed with several Minneapolis-area bands, and Dan Wilson and John Munson joined with Jacob Slichter to form Pleasure, later known as Semisonic. Dan Wilson would go on to a successful career as a songwriter and solo artist, and performed occasional shows with Matt Wilson, two of which were documented on live albums. In 2013, Wilson was invited to perform with the Minneapolis jazz/rock band the New Standards (featuring John Munson on bass) for their annual Christmas show, and Wilson had a surprise for the audience -- he brought out Elaine Harris and Matt Wilson, and the complete Trip Shakespeare lineup performed for the first time since their breakup. In 2014, Omnivore Records released deluxe, expanded editions of the first two Trip Shakespeare albums, Applehead Man and Are You Shakesperienced?

 

Tracklist

1		What's So Funny About Peace, Love And Understanding?
2		Something In The Air
3		The Ballad Of El Goodo
4		Time Of The Season
5		Dead Set On Destruction
6		Helpless

SEMISONIC Great Divide 1996

 

Discogs

 

Artist Biography

by Steve Huey

American rock trio Semisonic injected post-grunge grit into harmonic power pop, a catchy formula that helped them score an enduring radio hit with 1998's Grammy-nominated "Closing Time." That single featured on their breakthrough sophomore effort, Feeling Strangely Fine, which helped them peak in the mainstream before they went on indefinite hiatus in the early 2000s after the release of their third album, All About Chemistry. In the late 2010s, '90s nostalgia brought the band back together after nearly two decades, resulting in the 2020 EP You're Not Alone.

Formed in the early '90s after the breakup of alt-rock outfit Trip Shakespeare, Semisonic were started by bandmembers and Minneapolis natives Dan Wilson and John Munson, who later recruited drummer Jacob Slichter. While Trip Shakespeare had spent years amassing a loyal audience with artistic harmonies and unexpected guitar counterpoints, bandleader Wilson took Semisonic in an entirely different direction, embracing a tightly crafted sound that proved to be more appetizing to mainstream audiences. It didn't take long for Semisonic (which had initially formed under the name Pleasure) to secure a record deal with Elektra. However, before the band could record, management reorganization at Elektra's headquarters resulted in the termination of Semisonic's contract.

The group bounced back in 1995 by signing with MCA and releasing a self-produced EP, Pleasure. Full-length debut The Great Divide followed in 1996, garnering favorable critical reviews for its simple but sparkling take on modern pop. However, it was the musicians' sophomore effort, Feeling Strangely Fine, that marked their major breakthrough in 1998. Lead single "Closing Time" topped the modern rock charts and became a lasting radio smash -- even into the 21st century -- while follow-up single "Secret Smile" became a Top 20 hit in the U.K.

All About Chemistry, Semisonic's third album, was issued in early 2001 and yielded additional U.K. hits such as "Chemistry," but the record failed to maintain the group's popularity in America. The band wrapped up the year by contributing "Over My Head" to the soundtrack for Summer Catch, a baseball-themed teen flick, and covering Wings' "Jet" for a Paul McCartney tribute CD entitled Listen to What the Man Said. Wilson also took time out to lay the brickwork for his solo material, playing a slew of dates around the Midwest, while his brother Matt hooked up with John Munson to form the Flops. As these side projects mounted, Semisonic went on indefinite hiatus in late 2001.

Over the years, Wilson garnered additional accolades as a solo artist. He also co-wrote material for other artists, including the Dixie Chicks' 2007 Grammy-winning effort, Taking the Long Way, and Adele's 2012 Grammy winner, 21. Munson remained active in a number of Minneapolis-based projects including the New Standards and the Twilight Hours, the latter of which saw him again collaborating with Matt Wilson. For his part, Slichter enjoyed some success in the literary world with his charming 2004 memoir, So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star.

In 2017, Semisonic reunited for a handful of hometown shows, playing The Great Divide and Feeling Strangely Fine in their entireties. A 20th Anniversary Edition of the latter album arrived in 2018, packaged with quartet of B-sides from the era. Feeling a bit of renewed momentum, the trio took their reunion to Wilson's L.A. studio and recorded the 2020 EP You're Not Alone, their first new material in nearly two decades.

Tracklist

1. F.N.T.
2. If I Run
3. Delicious
4. Down In Flames
5. Across The Great Divide
6. Temptation
7. The Prize
8. No One Else
9. Brand New Baby
10. Falling
11. In Another Life
12. I'll Feel For You

SP!N In Motion 1991

 

Discogs 

 

Sp!n was Steve Mason and Matt James' original band before Gene. Matt, John Mason, AKA Steve Mason's brother, and Lee Clarke met studying at Thames Polytechnic. In 1987 the trio recorded a single "Flight Of Angels" and released it under the name The Go Hole. The Go Hole was apparently considered an "experimental pop band". The single was released on their Big Pop Records and 'cleverly' distributed by Pinnacle. John Peel did in fact have them in the studio on 17 November 1987. They played three other tracks titled "Bayonet Practice", "Treacherous", & "I'll Be Waiting".  

Tracklist

1		Many Sides Of You
2		Let's Pretend
3		Everything
4		Ask Me
5		Shafted
6		Sweet
7		Colour Of Your Eyes
8		Mary
9		Scratches In The Sand
10		Sister Pearl

 

GENE Sleep Well Tonight 1994

 

Discogs

 

Artist Biography

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Gene will forever be haunted by comparisons to the Smiths, especially since lead singer Martin Rossiter favors the same strangled croon and tortured loneliness of Morrissey. Nevertheless, under the direction of guitarist Steve Mason, Gene developed a tougher sound than the Smiths, drawing not only from the fey tradition of British indie-pop, but also from the three-chord raunch of the Faces, the working-class punk of the Jam and the soulful stomp of Motown. Most critic s didn't hear such subtle differences, and opinions on the group's worth were fiercely divided upon the release of the group's first single in 1994, with the band earning as many detractors as supporters. Amidst such divided reaction, Gene developed a devoted following which helped them become one of the leading artists of the Britpop second tier in 1995, even if the band had trouble breaking into the States.

The roots of Gene lay in a band called Spin, which featured guitarist Steve Mason and drummer Matt James. Spin disbanded after their career was sidetracked by their bassist's injury in a car crash, yet Mason and James continued playing together, recruiting bassist Kevin Miles through a mutual friend. The trio eventually met Welsh native Martin Rossiter, and the quartet formed Gene in 1993. Over the course of the next few months, the band wrote a batch of songs and had performed a number of concerts by the end of the year. A pair of music journalists, Keith Cameron and Roy Wilkinson, formed the Costermonger label in order to release Gene's debut single, "For the Dead," in April 1994. Nearly every copy of the limited-edition release sold out within the first week, and Gene soon became favorites of the British music weeklies. That July, "Be My Light, Be My Guide" became a number one hit on the indie charts, and Gene had emerged as one of the leading new bands of the burgeoning Britpop movement. Major-label interest beckoned, and the group signed with Polydor, who subsidized Costermonger in the U.K. An acclaimed third single, "Sleep Well Tonight," followed in September, and in January of 1995, Gene was named Best New Act at NME's Brat Awards.

Until the release of the group's debut album, Olympian, in the spring of 1995, Gene had continued to build momentum, partially because Martin Rossiter had adopted Morrissey's technique of giving articulate, outrageous and witty interviews. Olympian, however, was greeted with mixed reviews, and although the group had a sizable fan base -- the album debuted in the Top Ten -- they were soon overshadowed by the legions of groups that popped up in the wake of Blur and Oasis' success. Even so, "Haunted by You" and "Olympian" both became Top 20 hits. Early in 1996, To See the Lights, a collection of B-sides and BBC sessions, was released in England. For the remainder of the year, Gene was quiet, preparing their second album, Drawn to the Deep End. "Fighting Fit" was released as a teaser in the fall and became a Top Ten hit, but Drawn to the Deep End didn't follow through on its success. Although it debuted in the Top Ten upon its release in early 1997, it was greeted with decidedly mixed reviews and quickly fell down the charts, although the group's core audience remained loyal. By the new millennium, the band was without a label. They founded Contra and issued the live set Rising for Sunset: Live at the Troubadour in 2000. The album went almost unnoticed among the indie scene, however a true comeback loomed ahead. In mid-summer 2002, Gene emerged with Libertine, their strongest material since Olympian. A late summer/early fall trek across America coincided with the release.

Tracklist

1		Sleep Well Tonight	4:17
2		Sick, Sober And Sorry	2:53
3		Her Fifteen Years	2:51

 

WHARTON TIERS Brighter Than Life 1996

 

Discogs

 

Artist Biography

by John Bush

A longtime engineer, guitar tech and noisemaker, Wharton Tiers has worked with the cream of the East Coast's alternative/noise community, including Glenn Branca, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur, Jr., Helmet, Unsane, Gumball, Quicksand, Shudder to Think and Run On. Over the period of half a decade during the 1990s, he also worked on solo recordings with a unique four-guitar ensemble; the album, Brighter than Life, was released in 1996.

 

Tracklist

1

Sheet Metal Workers

9:13
2		Heat Seeker

3:22
3		Lasmo

3:53
4		Spring Training

4:36
5		Not Just Yet

3:02
6		Moon Beam Slant

2:55
7		Guitar Overture # 2

5:42
8		Fooled Again

8:50

 

JACKIE ON ACID Moink! 1996

 

Discogs

 

Hard-edged alternative rock with funk and metal influences from Seattle, Washington. Jackie On Acid formed in 1993.  

Tracklist

1		Bunker
2		Flavor On A Stick
3		Chrissy
4		More Like Television
5		Later On
6		Choke
7		Cold
8		Open Season
9		Lucky Dog
10		Manifest Density
11		Hole Thing

 

SWOB Persis Hussey 199?

 

Discogs

 

Unreleased album by this Pennsylvania noise rock band

 
Tracklist

1. Oops you've smeared your lipstick on your
2. The Brunt One
3. Rocket Morton
4. Destroy the General
5. The Brunt Two
6. Big Shark About to Burst Out and Swallow a Skier
7. Mystery Event
8. Sweer
9. Eyelash
10. Belts
11. Chocolate Grinder #1
12. Chocolate Grinder #1 et 2
13. Six Point
14. Veigus Cat Killer
15. Up and Aliens
16. Lepas

SWOB

 

Tragus
1992

The Explosion of Scilence
1996

 

Discogs

 

American noise-rock / math rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  

Tragus 7 inch

Tracklist

A1		Four-Alligator
A2		Blowwheeldaddy
B1		Chokefoot
B2		Zoom (Out)

The Explosion of Scilence 7 inch

Tracklist

A1		The Green Light
A2		Cookie For Snack
B1		BR5741A029
B2		We Took A Swing At Evil And Missed

TUBETOP Three Minute Hercules 1997

 

Discogs

 

Three Minute Hercules Review

by Michael Frey

Consisting of the Posies former rhythm sectionMike Musburger and Dave Fox, as well as primary songwriters Gavin Guss and Brian Naubert, Tube Top represents a gathering of Seattle power pop veterans. The quartet's debut album, Three Minute Hercules, which contains two tracks produced by R.E.M.'s Peter Buck and was mixed by Posies singer/guitarist Jon Auer, provides 12 refreshing bursts of guitar pop that will please fans of Velvet Crush and Fountains of Wayne. "Passes for Love" captures the spirit that made the former's Teenage Symphonies to God a classic '90s power pop album, while "Erika Smiles" would clearly mesh well among the tracks on the latter's Utopia Parkway. Though Tube Top is probably just a one-album project, tunes such as "Full Bloom" and "If I Were You" will no doubt leave listeners wanting more. 

 

Tracklist

1		Full Bloom
2		Erika Smiles
3		Passes For Love
4		M.I.A.
5		Bleeder
6		What You See
7		With You
8		If I Were You
9		Once Upona China
10		Oceans Cracked
11		The Weight Of The World
12		The Rules