BOOM CRASH OPERA Fabulous Beast 1993

.

Discogs

Artist Biography by Kelvin Hayes

Originally a five-piece formed in Melbourne in 1985, Australian rock band Boom Crash Opera, like many before them, got their grounding from the pub rock circuit. Their striking debut blended the muscular rock of "Listen Like Thieves"-period INXS with an almost English melodic richness not dissimilar to Tears for Fears. Power vocalist Dale Ryder was backed by trademark chant style vocals from the other bandmembers, including group co-founders and writing partners guitarist/bassist Richard Pleasance and guitarist Peter Farnan (credited also as executive producers), alongside producer Alex Sadkin, who tragically died shortly after he finished working on the band's 1987 self-titled debut. Keyboardist Greg O'Connor and drummer Peter Maslen completed the BCO lineup. After five hit singles at home, including the number one "Great Wall," another single, "Her Charity," did well in getting them noticed in the States, as did "Onion Skin" (a Top Ten rock chart hit) and "Talk About It" from the band's second disc, These Here Are Crazy Times. However, the hand of fate that helped INXS, Icehouse, and Midnight Oil find success abroad eluded BCO, although many argued they deserved wider acclaim and recognition. Further misfortune would occur upon the departure (due to tinnitus) of Pleasance, as well as wrangles with their label. They finally settled on BMG for their next album, Fabulous Beast, which marked the debut of Pleasance's replacement, Ian Tilley. Many more singles were notched up in Australia, culminating in a 1998 best-of appropriately titled Best Things, after which O'Connor left. Pleasance went on to produce other artists such as Deborah Conway (Do Re Mi) and Noiseworks' Jon Stevens; he also worked with Suzanne Vega and Elvis Costello. Two Pleasance solo albums, Galleon and Colourblind, were issued by John Farnham's Gotham Records.

Tracklist

1	My Revelation	5:46
2	This Isn't Love	3:30
3	In The Morning	3:57
4	Bettadaze	4:01
5	The Colour Of Love	4:35
6	Strike A Match	3:47
7	Look Up What's Coming Down	4:13
8	What A Goodnight	4:37
9	You Wouldn't Want To Know	4:08
10	I Am Nature	4:27
11	Don't Let On	4:07
12	The Last Place On Earth	4:53

JULES SHEAR Unplug This 1991

by request

 

Discogs

Tracklist  

1	Following Every Finger	4:55
2	All Through The Night	2:56
3	Whispering Your Name	3:38
4	If She Knew What She Wants	3:39
5	If We Never Meet Again	5:06
6	Jewel In A Cobweb	5:46
7	The Sad Sound Of The Wind	5:09
8	Never Again Or Forever	4:09

THE SUPER FRIENDZ Slide Show 1996

by request

 

Discogs 

 

 

Artist Biography by Gina Boldman

Like fellow Murderecords bands Eric's Trip, Jale, and the Inbreds, the Super Friendz broke up before they reached success -- if success means big U.S. sales. The group was well-known and respected on Canada's East Coast, with each member writing and singing his own songs, but their many talents ultimately led to the band's demise.

Formed in 1993 by Matt Murphy (guitar), Charles Austin (bass), and Drew Yamada (guitar), the trio was influenced by Television, the Clash, the Kinks, Neil Young, the Beatles, and the Meat Puppets. They played the burgeoning Halifax rock-pop scene with a myriad of stand-in drummers, including Thrush Hermit's Cliff Gibb and Sloan's Chris Murphy (no relation, though they've influenced each other's music). The Super Friendz released their first EP, By Request, in 1993 on the then-local Murderecords label. The cassette-only Sticktoitiveness was released in 1994, and in late 1994 they recorded their full-length debut, Mock Up/Scale Down, in ten days. The album was produced by Brenndan McGuire (Jale, Thrush Hermit, Sloan) without a permanent drummer -- local percussionist Dave Marsh filled in. After Mock Up's release in 1995, Lonnie James signed on as the fourth member of the Super Friendz. The refreshingly pop album had solid reviews and sales, and was nominated for a Best Alternative Album Juno in 1996. The band's second EP, Play the Game, Not Games, was released in 1996; the full-length gem Slide Show was issued in 1997, as was the U.S. release of Sticktoitiveness, which combined Mock Up and Play the Game. Like other Halifax groups, the bandmembers had many side projects, but soon the Super Friendz project itself was pushed aside. The group disbanded in September 1997, and the old Friendz worked on their other music activities full time. Matt Murphy formed the Flashing Lights, Austin opened his own recording studio and formed Neusiland, Yamada toured with Mike O'Neill (of the Inbreds) and played with Neusiland, and James formed Lonnie James and the High Five Band. Murphy and James later lived and played in Toronto, while Yamada and Austin stayed in Halifax.

Tracklist  

1	Up And Running	3:28
2	No Good Reason	2:18
3	Stop-Start	3:24
4	Two Songs	4:19
5	Prattle On	3:27
6	Everything Writes Itself	2:50
7	Fooled At First	3:34
8	Forever A Day	2:57
9	Absurd Without It	2:00
10	Slow-Motion Blues	4:09
11	Citizens Banned	4:48
12	Star In One	3:54
13	Evening Sun	3:11
14	The World's Most Embarassing Moment	5:31

 

SIX CAR COLLISION Infinite Summer 1997

.

Six Car Collision is the one-man musical concern of Boston-born singer/songwriter Keith Ransom.

Ransom got his musical start as a teenager in the early 90’s indie trio Plankton. After making two studio albums over two years with them, the then 17 year old Ransom decided to build his own studio and start experimenting and making records by himself. 

Infinite Summer (1997) is the second album under the Six Car Collision moniker, and its songs are equal parts melodic guitar bombast, and intimate acoustic numbers. Raw and immediate sounding, Ransom’s songwriting is in the vein of his musical heroes; Bob Mould of Husker Du/Sugar fame, and Robert Pollard. Recorded on a Tascam 8-track machine, the album was written and recorded in just over ten days.    

Over the next 20 years, Ransom would set a prolific pace; going on to independently release over 25 full length albums, several E.P.’s and many side projects and collaborative efforts with other like minded artists including Atlanta based artist Charles Ryan Lambert, and Brett Warwick of the New York power pop band Trembling Turncoats.

In 2017, Ransom released a 25 track retrospective Six Car Collision compilation entitled Noise Treasury 1997-2017.

link: https://sixcarcollision.bandcamp.com/album/noise-treasury-a-history-of-six-car-collision        

Ransom relocated to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada in 2007, and is still active under the Six Car Collision name, as well as with his side project, OHMWRECKER. 

 

Tracklist

 

  1. Tiger Feet

  2. For Sissy

  3. The Server

  4. Thank You

  5. Cartwheeling

  6. Love You the Same

  7. At Your Service

  8. Grafton's a Shithole

  9. (Intro) 4 Liana

10.  For Liana

11. Out for Rides

12. Dirty Lungs

13. Christmas Face

SATAN'S PILGRIMS Around The World With Satan's Pilgrims 1997

thanks to Jim

 

Discogs 

 

Tracklist  

1	Spanish Head	3:11
2	Theme From Beat Girl	1:19
3	Wave	2:34
4	Downshiftin'	1:53
5	Malaguena	3:49
6	The Fountain	3:03
7	Devil's Punchbowl	2:50
8	Hamilton Beach	1:31
9	Ginza Lights	2:27
10	The Godfather	2:36
11	La Cazuela	3:07

 

JULES SHEAR The Great Puzzle 1992

Discogs

Artist Biography by Chris Woodstra

Though he's never been able to record a hit of his own, singer/songwriter Jules Shear has recorded several albums of highly accessible, hit-worthy material, and as a testament to his abilities, he's penned hits for others, including "All Through the Night" for Cyndi Lauper and "If She Knew What She Wants" for the Bangles. Born in Pittsburgh, Shear began writing songs as a teenager. He relocated to Los Angeles in the mid-'70s, joining his first band, a typically laid-back combo called the Funky Kings. The band released one album for Arista in 1976. While "Slow Dancing" from the album (written by Jack Tempchin) would later be a hit for Johnny Rivers, the three Shear songs were clearly the highlights of the album. Shear left the following year to form his own group, Jules & the Polar Bears, who released two critically acclaimed, though commercially overlooked, albums for Columbia. When a third album was rejected by the label, Shear forged on as a solo artist.

Signing on to EMI-America, he released two solo albums, 1983's Watch Dog and 1985's Eternal Return; both received critical praise but few sales. Once again, he was dropped by his label and unable to secure another deal. Shear then formed the Reckless Sleepers with the Cars' Elliot Easton. In 1988, without Easton, the Reckless Sleepers released their sole album for IRS, Big Boss Sounds; it failed to make much impact, though "If We Never Meet Again" from the album was later covered by Roger McGuinn. In contrast to the Reckless Sleepers' hard rock tendencies, Shear teamed up with the Church's Marty Willson-Piper for an all-acoustic, Dylanesque album, The Third Party, in 1989. The album ultimately led to a spot on MTV, where he hosted the first 13 episodes of Unplugged -- he left when the show switched to the single-artist format. Shear followed with two critically acclaimed, more or less pop-oriented albums -- 1992's The Great Puzzle and 1994's Healing Bones -- two of his finest albums to date.

In 1998, he released Between Us, an album of duets for High Street Records. Shear moved to Rounder Records subsidiary Zoe Records for his April 2000 release, Allow Me, and to Valley in 2004 for Sayin' Hello to the Folks. Dreams Don't Count was released on the Mad Dragon label in 2006, followed by More, billed to Jules Mark Shear rather than Jules Shear, on Funzalo Records in 2008. He was back to identifying himself as Jules Shear on the independently released 2013 album Longer to Get to Yesterday. In 2017, Shear delivered One More Crooked Dance, which included a guest appearance by Lovin' Spoonful founder John Sebastian on harmonica. 

 

Tracklist

1	The Trap Door	4:13
2	The Great Puzzle	6:15
3	We Were Only Making Love	5:03
4	The Sad Sound Of The Wind	5:09
5	Something Else To Me	4:41
6	Make Believe	5:23
7	Much Too Much	4:54
8	Dreams Dissolve In Tears	3:44
9	The Mystery's All Mine	3:55
10	Jewel In A Cobweb	5:07
11	Bark	2:19

 

PLEASURE THIEVES Simple Escape 1992

Discogs

Artist Biography by Michael Sutton

There are some bands that were born in the wrong decade. Caught in between the sultry, danceable rock of INXS and Depeche Mode and the gloomy pop of Peter Murphy, the Pleasure Thieves certainly loved the ‘80s. Unfortunately, releasing a new wave album during the grunge hype of 1992 was a guarantee of failure, especially if it had any synthesizers. Consisting of the husky-voiced Sinjin-William Dolan, Desamond McLean (guitar), Nick Fawcett Kozonis (bass), Matt Everett (keyboards), and Andy J.G. (drums), the Pleasure Thieves recorded a single, "Chasing the Runaway", in 1988 prior to signing with Hollywood Records. In 1990, they appeared on the film soundtrack of Arachnophobia, covering the Who's "Boris the Spider". The group then released their debut full-length Simple Escape in 1992. Receiving scant promotion and even less airplay, Simple Escape quickly vanished in the cutout bins along with the band. The early ‘90s single "Blue Flowers" was discovered by new wave radio DJs in the Philippines in 2002, turning the obscure track into a collector's item.

Tracklist  

1	Turn Me On	3:51
2	About You	4:24
3	Blue Flowers	4:07
4	Beautiful Disguise	3:51
5	Pictures Of Madness	6:22
6	Wild Miracle	4:14
7	My Favorite Drug	4:42
8	You Make Me Feel Right On	4:12
9	Without A Sound	4:28
10	Into The Arms Of Love	4:13
11	Blue Flowers (Orchestral)	4:27

HAPPY FLOWERS Lasterday I Was Been Bad 1990

.

Discogs

 

 

Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny

Evoking the nightmare world of childhood trauma with insight, humor and surprising heart, the duo of ex-Landlords members Mr. Anus (guitarist Charlie Kramer) and Mr. Horribly-Charred Infant (vocalist John Beers) teamed as the Happy Flowers in their native Charlottesville, Virginia in 1983. They debuted the following summer with a pair of EPs, Songs for Children and Now We Are Six (later collected as 1987's Making the Bunny Pay), establishing their singular aesthetic -- brutal, improvisational noise laced with wailing, infant-like vocals -- over the course of tracks like "Mom and Dad Like the Baby More Than Me," "I Wet the Bed Again," "Mom, I Gave the Cat Some Acid" and "All the Toys Hate Me."

With 1987's My Skin Covers My Body and the following year's I Crush Bozo, the Happy Flowers found a growing audience within the ranks of the U.S. hardcore community. With 1989's Oof, their music grew slightly more accessible -- scattered amongst the usual fare like "There's a Soft Spot on the Baby's Head" and "Charlie Said the F-word Again" were attempts at the blues ("Ain't Got Nothin'") and even a surprisingly melodic cover of Yoko Ono's "Mrs. Lennon." 1990's Lasterday I Was Bad was even more straightforward, with renditions of Big Star's "Thirteen" and UFO's "I Don't Want to Share" mixed in with the likes of "If This Gun Were Real (I Could Shoot You and Sleep in the Big Bed With Mommy)" and "I Shouldn't Have Eaten That Stuff." 

 

Tracklist  

1	We Rock	1:22
2	Leave Me Alone	3:07
3	I Don't Want To Share	2:05
4	Rock Bottom	2:49
5	Not A Happy Birthday	4:04
6	Embryo	1:27
7	Simon	5:13
8	Call Me Pudge	2:27
9	I Shouldn't Have Eaten That Stuff	2:33
10	Mr. Fuck	3:29
11	Thirteen	2:19
12	If This Gun Were Real (I Could Shoot You And Sleep In The Big Bed With Mommy)	4:15
13	Pull Off Its Head	2:16
14	A Pox On You	3:53

 

FALLING JOYS Wish List 1990

by request

Discogs

 

Tracklist

Shot In Europe	3:35
Lost Addiction	3:30
Robinson Crusoe	2:15
Things To Come	4:50
Lock It	5:46
Jennifer	3:01
Dream Hangover	3:07
Nearly A Sin	3:57
Puppy Drink	4:39
Fall	3:07

VIRGINIA DARE self titled 1994

lo fi/experimental band from San Francisco

Discogs

Tracklist

1	Wicked Head
2	Nothing's Enough
3	Scratch
4	Girl King
5	Too Many Times
6	Bend & Sway
7	How Does It Feel
8	Aurora Borealis
9	Liberation Day
10	Alice
11	Anywhere But Here
12	I Knew Confusion
13	Five & Ten
14	Shipwreck
15	Division Street