BASSHOLES Deaf Mix Vol. 3 1997

Discogs

 

Artist Biography by Chris Handyside

In the wake of the 1992 demise of the posthumously-fabled Gibson Bros., three bands that were to define the garage rock and blues music underground emerged -- Bassholes, '68 Comeback, and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Of these outfits, Bassholes remained closest to the rural isolated vision of traditional American folk-blues while simultaneously taking the sound the furthest from traditional rock & roll. Formed as a duo in Columbus, OH, featuring Gibson Bros. drummer Rich Lillash and songwriter/singer/guitarist Don Howland (taking the lead on everything else), Bassholes have since reinvigorated the blues duo sound that such artists as Lightnin' Hopkins had made so potent, and have added elements of punk, folk, and the "Old Weird America" Greil Marcus described when writing about Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music. The band has produced a prodigious amount of singles and full-length records, but it's their albums that mark the high points of their career. Their debut album (as with most subsequent releases) was released on In The Red Records in 1992 and soon after, Lillash left the band and Howland joined up with then-19-year-old drummer Bim Thomas. The pairing proved fruitful as Thomas' enthusiastic, seemingly free-form drumming (which was, of course, always grounded in blues and rock rhythms) provided a launch pad from which Howland could make his guitar and voice wail, weep, shout, and scream. Preferred Bassholes subject matter includes sexual and social frustration as well as the introduction of rock, folk, and blues' fringe underlying strangeness. Howland points to the lyrics and music of such idiosyncratic country blues artists as Skip James, Blind Willie McTell, and Furry Lewis -- as well as the Ramones first album as touchstones ("There's a menacing undertone, something not quite right, but really catchy," said Howland). Bassholes' records are, for the most part, extremely lo-fi affairs recorded on the cheap. But Howland still manages to get the point across. And it wasn't lo-fi for its own sake, either. Bassholes made the best albums with the resources they had at hand, connecting folk's one room microphone ambience with punk rock's DIY ethics. High points in the band's recorded output (both critically and according to Howland himself) include the albums Blue Roots, Long Way Blues, and Deaf Mix. Each of these albums feature Bassholes at their most eclectic, mixing genres, recording fidelity, instrumentation, subject matter, and voice via an expansive musical palette. Other recordings point toward
Bassholes' punk roots and revel in a rock & roll volume, pace, and attitude. Howland calls North Carolina home and Thomas stays in Cleveland, OH, but Bassholes continue making irregular music for misfit fans of misfit music nevertheless. 

Tracklist

1	Ear Candle Boogie	1:07
2	Bowling Ball	2:37
3	Florida Bus	1:56
4	Serena's Song	2:49
5	Swimming Blues	3:33
6	(Gonna) Write Me A Letter	2:19
7	Basshole Luv Theme	2:52
8	Daughter	2:44
9	The Cornfield Again	2:23
10	Wife Blues	2:16
11	Hospital Bus	2:36
12	In The Red Seats	3:00
13	The Ovenbird	2:08

 

ISOTOPE 217 The Unstable Molecule 1997

Discogs

Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny

The Chicago-based jazz-funk fusion ensemble Isotope 217 featured guitarist Jeff Parker along with percussionists John Herndon and Dan Bitney, all three better known for their work in Tortoise; the roster on the group's 1997 Thrill Jockey label debut The Unstable Molecule also includes trumpeter Rob Mazurek, bassist Matt Lux, and trombonist Sara P. Smith. Utonian Automatic followed in 1999, along with a split collaboration with Commander Mindfuck and Designer. A year later, Who Stole the I Walkman was released. 

Tracklist 

1	Kryptonite Smokes The Red Line	3:26
2	Beneath The Undertow	5:52
3	La Jeteé	6:15
4	Phonometrics	5:20
5	Prince Namor	7:26
6	Audio Boxing	2:44

SOUL WHIRLING SOMEWHERE Pyewackit 1997

by request

 

Discogs

 

 

Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny

The ethereal goth-rock project Soul Whirling Somewhere was essentially the solo vehicle of singer/songwriter Michael Plaster. Upon signing to the Projekt label, Soul Whirling Somewhere debuted in 1995 with the bleak Eating the Sea, followed in 1997 by both the full-length Everyone Will Eventually Leave You and the EP Pyewackit. The two-disc Hope Was appeared a year later. 

 

Tracklist

1	Piece Of Wick Alight In A Pine	4:07
2	Every Female Werewolf Ever, Listed Alphabetically By Crime	3:48
3	I Should Throw Myself Under A Train	3:21
4	Fair	3:50
5	Pyewackit	5:02
6	God In Heaven	11:25

 

 

 

THE FLAMING STARS Songs from the Bar Room Floor 1996

Discogs

Artist Biography by MacKenzie Wilson

The garage band the Flaming Stars came together in 1994 under the guidance of ex-Gallon Drunk drummer Max Decharne (vocals/keyboards). Joining him are Paul Dempsey (bass), Joe Whitney (drums), Mark Hosking (guitar), and Huck Whitney (guitar). the Flaming Stars, who spark a haunting swagger similar to Nick Cave and the Tindersticks, spent the next year wowing European audiences while honing a dark, guitar-driven sound. In March 1995, the Flaming Stars issued their debut EP, Hospital, Heaven or Hell. U.K. radio personalities John Peel and Steve Lamacq were instant fans of the first single, "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye," and praised the song on their respective radio shows. Several John Peel session releases would be issued throughout the remainder of the '90s. In spring 1997, the Flaming Stars recorded and released Bring Me the Rest of Alfredo Garcia while Sell Your Soul to the Flaming Stars appeared three months later. Tours of the U.K. were massively successful, gaining the Flaming Stars momentous airplay in England. They weren't exactly superstars, but fans quickly absorbed the band's sinister rock appeal. The band issued the dramatic, epic A Walk on the Wired Side in winter 2001. It was an angry, cynical record, but equally passionate and sultry. "Some Things You Don't Forget" was a moderate hit in Europe, but the Flaming Stars remained practically unknown in America. Still, the band trudged on; they inked a deal with Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles label, giving the Flaming Stars an outlet to introduce themselves to America. The theatrical performance of Ginmill Perfume appeared in October 200, tantalizing tales of exotic travels were found on the Sunset & Void album in fall 2002, and the down-and-dirty saga of Named and Shamed arrived in 2004. Soon after, the group's longtime label in the U.K., Vinyl Japan, folded and they moved over to the Big Beat label, which wasted no time in releasing the excellent career retrospective London After Midnight: Singles, Rarities and Bar Room Floor-Fillers 1995-2005. The band's eighth studio album, Born Under a Bad Neon Sign, followed in fall 2006. 

Tracklist

1	The Face On The Bar Room Floor
2	Forget My Name
3	You Can't Lie
4	Who's Out There?
5	Burnt Out Wreck Of A Man
6	Bring Me The Rest Of Alfredo Garcia
7	Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
8	The Ballad Of The Walking Wounded
9	Downhill Without Brakes
10	Theme From 'Dog Instruction'
11	Back Of My Mind
12	Down To You
13	Oncoming Train
14	Tubs Twist
15	Like Trash
16	3 a.m. On The Bar Room Floor

IDLEWILD Hope is Important 1998

Discogs

 
Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny

The Scottish alt rock group Idlewild formed in Edinburgh in late 1995, originally comprising singer Roddy Woomble, guitarist Rod Jones, bassist Phil Scanlon, and drummer Colin Newton. A year of steady touring preceded the release of the band's 1997 debut single, "Queen of the Troubled Teens," which immediately found favor with Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq. The resulting media exposure brought Idlewild to the attention of Fierce Panda, and the London-based label agreed to issue their sophomore single, "Chandelier," which doubled as their first recording with new bassist Bob Fairfoull. A mini-album, Captain, followed in early 1998, and as word spread of their chaotic live shows (described by one U.K. magazine as "a flight of stairs falling down a flight of stairs"), the group signed with Food Records and released Hope Is Important in late October. 100 Broken Windows followed in early 2001, with a subsequent U.S. tour launching later that spring. 

Tracklist

You've Lost Your Way	1:30
A Film For The Future	3:28
Paint Nothing	3:12
When I Argue I See Shapes	4:26
4 People Do Good	2:00
I'm Happy To Be Here Tonight	3:11
Everyone Says You're So Fragile	2:18
I'm A Message	2:28
You Don't Have The Heart	2:08
Close The Door	2:20
Safe And Sound	3:15
Low Light	5:32

MOCKET Bionic Parts 1996

Discogs

Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny

Olympia, Washington-based punk-futurists Mocket originally comprised singers/multi-instrumentalists Audrey Marrs and Matt Steinke, debuting in 1996 with Bionic Parts. Drummer Carolyn Rue -- a one-time member of Hole -- joined Mocket prior to recording their second LP, 1997's Fanfare. 

Tracklist

1	Photon
2	Bionic Parts
3	Spark Plug
4	Devilpups
5	On It
6	3.5
7	Caller I.D.
8	Name Tag
9	Mad Cow
10	Pearl Drop
11	Mailbomb

COLD COLD HEARTS self titled 1997

 

 

Discogs

Artist Biography by Stephen Cramer

Indie rock supergroup Cold Cold Hearts formed in Washington, D.C., in the mid-'90s when Bratmobile's Allison Wolfe and Erin Smith joined forces with Katherine Brown and Nattles of the Cutthroats. Having survived the flurry of attention during the riot grrrl phenomenon of the mid-'90s, the bandmembers regrouped, and Cold Cold Hearts was the result. With its unapologetic punk rock etiquette, the group gave the D.C. indie scene an undeniable shot in the arm. After releasing the "Yer So Sweet" single on Baby Donut Records, Nattles recruited fellow Flin Flon member Mark Robinson to perform on Cold Cold Hearts' self-titled debut album on Kill Rock Stars Records in 1997. The collaboration fizzled soon after, serving as a notable pit stop in the careers of some of indie rock's most influential women. 

Tracklist

1	Vx Rx
2	Any Resemblance...
3	5 Signs: Scorpio
4	Cute Boy Discount
5	Broken Teeth
6	Lady! Reversible! (Alleged.)
7	Maybe Scabies
8	1-2-3...Many!
9	Sorry Yer Band Sux, ("Rebels Without A Brains")
10	(You're So Sweet) Baby Donut
11	State Trooper In The Left Lane, Nattles!

STAR PIMP

1993

1996

 

 

Discogs

 

 

 

LastFM:

Star Pimp was one of those bands that defied any sort of good description that could really capture what they sounded like. The result of their legitimately weird brand of bizarro noise-rock left them without much exposure during their time together, and they are now one of those often overlooked and forgotten gems from the early to mid-nineties era. Star Pimp released their first single/EP, Treasure Trail, in 1992 through bassist Tom Flynn’s own record label Boner Records; the band eventually put out one full length for the label, titled “Seraphim 280z” in 1994 before making the move to Kill Rock Stars for their second and final album in 1996 titled Docudrama.

 

 

 

 

Seraphim 280Z 

 

1		Slave Girl
2		Size Zero
3		Yoko Phono
4		Snowball
5		Little Tattoo
6		Pee Test
7		Greatest Hits Of Love
8		Human Dolphin
9		Palmolive
10		Vegan Pussy
11		Gold
12		Titty
13		Vocal Fader

 

Docudrama

1		Blood On The Mountain
2		Mighty And Superior
3		Labios Azules
4		Ion Doily
5		Leave Your Childish Ways
6		Smoke Detector
7		Hot Links
8		Grendel
9		Le Mans
10		Recalcitrance
11		Polanski Reprise
12		Shoe Shine
13		I Wish We'd All Been Ready

 

THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE Their Satanic Majesties Second Request 1996

by request

 

Discogs 

 

Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny

Named in tribute to the legendary Rolling Stones guitarist and his influence in introducing Eastern culture and music into the world of Western rock & roll, the Brian Jonestown Massacre formed in San Francisco, California in 1990. Some 40 different members passed through the group's ranks over the next half-decade, but the focal point always remained singer/guitarist Anton Newcombe, who, along with bassist Matt Hollywood, guitarist Dean Taylor, organist Mara Regal, accordionist Dawn Thomas, drummer Brian Glaze, and "Spokesman for the Revolution" Joel Gion, recorded the Massacre's 1995 shoegaze-influenced debut LP, Methodrone. A collection of early recordings, Spacegirl and Other Favorites, followed on the band's own Tangible label in early 1996, and was the first of four Brian Jonestown Massacre LPs to appear that year; next up was the brilliant Their Satanic Majesties' Second Request, a full-blown homage to the Stones' glorious psychedelic-era excesses. Recorded live in the studio, the grittier Take It from the Man! found the band exploring even broader territory. Finally, the year ended with the release of Thank God for Mental Illness, a showcase for their strong country and blues leanings.

In 1997, the BJM -- now consisting of Newcombe, Hollywood, Gion, Taylor, guitarists Jeff Davies and Peter Hayes, and drummer Brad Artley -- resurfaced with Give It Back! After signing to TVT, they released Strung Out in Heaven the following year, but the band and Newcombe's own eccentricities kept them from staying on the label. After a few scattered EPs, they resurfaced in 2001 with Bravery Repetition and Noise, distributed by Bomp. And This Is Our Music followed in 2003. Despite a continued lack of major distribution, the Brian Jonestown Massacre earned the largest profile of their career in 2004, when the band became the unlikely focus of an award-winning documentary, DIG!, which charted the trials of Newcombe and those of his rival, Courtney Taylor, leader of the Dandy Warhols. The We Are the Radio EP followed in August 2005. Three years later, the band reinvented itself with My Bloody Underground, featuring yet another lineup and a hint of shoegaze and noise pop. Who Killed Sgt Pepper? followed shortly thereafter, being made available in streaming format at the end of 2009 and receiving an official release on January 1, 2010.

By this time, DIG! was fast becoming a cult classic, and even though the lineup had changed many times over since the movie premiere, Brian Jonestown were as popular as ever. In 2012, Newcombe announced that he and Matt Hollywood would be teaming up again to record what he considered his most cinematic record, Aufheben, scheduled for release that May. In 2014 the project's 14th full-length album, Revelation, materialized, featuring tracks toiled over in Newcombe's Berlin studio between 2012 and 2014. In 2015, Newcombe returned to the themes of Aufheben with Musique de film imaginé, a collection of soundtrack cues for a nonexistent movie, inspired by his love of classic French cinema.  

Tracklist

1	All Around You (Intro)	5:35
2	Cold To The Touch	3:32
3	Donovan Said	4:42
4	In India You	3:40
5	No Come Down	5:48
6	(Around You) Everywhere	0:56
7	Jesus	6:30
8	Before You	1:59
9	Miss June 75	7:33
10	Anemone	5:34
11	Baby (Prepraise)	0:30
12	Feelers	5:27
13	Bad Baby	0:24
14	Cause, I Lover	7:28
15	(Baby) Love Of My Life	1:06
16	Slowdown (Fuck Tomorrow)	3:42
17	Here It Comes	3:04
18	All Around You (Outro)	4:48