SPENT Songs of Drinking and Rebellion 1995

 

Discogs

 

biography

[+] by Stephen Cramer

New Jersey's Spent debuted their intelligent style of indie rock with the Keeping Secrets EP on Ringer's Lactate Records. They followed that with the Sinking In EP on spinART Records. The band garnered attention from college radio and independent record labels on the strength of John King's delicate guitar work and vocals. Joe Weston and Ed Radich served as bassist and drummer, respectively. Annie Hayden was the band's guitarist and keyboardist, as well as occasional vocalist, her sly vocals enriching the band's recordings. Spent's full-length debut, Songs of Drinking & Rebellion, appeared on Merge Records in 1995. Their composed and graceful rock sound quickly garnered accolades. A Seat Beneath the Chairs followed in late 1996. It was preceded by the Umbrella Wars EP. The band toured extensively with bands like Superchunk and Seam, among others. Throughout their recording career, Spent appeared on compilation CDs from Ba Da Bing Records, the Now Sound, Traumatone Records, I Sore Records, and Motorcoat Records. In 1997, King joined forces with Superchunk's Jim Wilbur on the Humidifier CD Nothing Changes. By 1999, although the band's demise had already been confirmed, the song "(I'll Clean Up) The Mess That You Are" appeared on the retrospective Oh, Merge compilation.

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Tracklist  

1	Brewster Station	3:04
2	Excuse Me While I Drink Myself To Death	3:48
3	West	2:35
4	Minty Ballard	2:53
5	Sense Of Decay	4:27
6	Bottled Mouth	2:53
7	Open Wide	3:02
8	Landscaper	1:52
9	Santa Claus To The Rescue	1:37
10	View From A Staircase	4:19
11	Halfshirt	5:33
12	Ready OK	4:00
13	Brighter Than Day	3:18

454 BIG BLOCK Your Jesus 1995

Discogs

Tracklist

1	Your Jesus
2	Hold Down
3	Calcagno
4	Cold
5	Dead Inside
6	No One
7	Kevorkian
8	Noah
9	Home
10	My Father's Eyes
11	Dirt

I HATE THE 90S LOUD Volume 5

   Latest compilation, this time featuring the louder side of the 90's. Enjoy.

  1. THE MARTIANS Willy the Hypnotist
  2. COP SHOOT COP Traitor/Martyr
  3. DESCENDENTS Everything Sucks
  4. WOOL Kill the Crow
  5. THE MONORCHID Oral Fixation Anonymous
  6. THE GITS Seaweed
  7. UNSANE Blame Me
  8. TRENCHMOUTH The Volcanic Action of My Soul
  9. FUGAZI Bed for the Scraping
10. FLOORPUNCH Not for Me
11. CRAW 405
12. DEADGUY Pins and Needles
13. DAMNATION A.D. No More Dreams
14. KEPONE Loud
15. KEROSENE 454 Anti-Magnet
16. INK AND DAGGER Philapsychosis
17. FURY Space Love
18. BASTRO Pretty Smart on My Part
19. CRAIN Blistering
20. DAZZLING KILLMEN Blown
21. COLE The Art of Bleeding
22. ENTOMBED Eyemaster
23. FITZ OF DEPRESSION Power Shack

RODAN Rusty 1994

biography

[+] by Steve Huey

A seminal influence on the avant-garde wing of indie rock, Rodan were habitually likened to fellow Louisville natives and math rock pioneers Slint. And it was true that Slint were a crystal-clear influence on the group's loud, angular art-punk -- easily heard in the extreme dynamic shifts, deliberate tempos, lengthy compositions, and half-spoken vocals. Yet Rodan put their own stamp on the basic blueprint, ratcheting up the energy and writing fuller, more complex arrangements. In doing so, they helped codify the pummeling yet intellectual aesthetic of what was soon dubbed math rock: textured, patterned soundscapes built on the controlled, precise use of abrasive noise and high volume. Although Rodan's existence was short, producing only one album, their impact on math rock and post-rock was far-reaching; what was more, most of the members moved on to new projects that were often just as challenging, whether they resembled Rodan's musical modus operandi or not.Rodan were formed in Louisville, KY, in 1992 by guitarists Jason Noble and Jeff Mueller, who'd been playing together since high school and had gone to art school before deciding to concentrate on music. They enlisted bassist Tara Jane O'Neil, and initially dubbed themselves Kinkhead International. With the arrival of drummer Jon Cook -- also a member of local stalwarts Crain -- they switched their name to Rodan, after the pterodactyl character in the Godzilla monster movies. Still committed to Crain as his primary gig, Cook didn't stick around for long; he was replaced briefly by Jon Weiss, then permanently by Kevin Coultas.

Rodan made their recorded debut as part of the four-song various-artists 7" Inclined Plane, on Tsunami's Simple Machines label (their track was "Darjeeling"). It was followed by a one-off single for Three Little Girls called How the Winter Was Passed, which featured two tracks, "Milk and Melancholy" and "Exoskeleton." With the help of that work and the self-released cassette Aviary, Rodan landed a deal with Touch & Go Records subsidiary Quarterstick. They issued their debut album, Rusty, in the spring of 1994, taking its title from engineer Bob "Rusty" Weston. It received highly positive reviews and fairly widespread press attention, quickly turning the group into a cult phenomenon. Surprisingly, they elected to disband by the end of 1994, perhaps overwhelmed by the response. They still managed to appear in the indie-themed film Half Cocked, with O'Neil playing one of the lead characters; Rodan also contributed one song, "Tron," to the soundtrack.Rodan's early breakup only served to enhance their cult reputation, as did the band members' subsequent projects. Jeff Mueller formed June of 44, which continued in a similar -- if more conventionally structured -- fashion as Rodan, and released several albums over the rest of the '90s. Tara Jane O'Neil teamed with Cynthia Nelson (ex-Ruby Falls) in the indie pop outfit Retsin, which also issued several albums. Jason Noble formed the post-rock chamber trio Rachel's, which enjoyed a level of acclaim that generally matched or exceeded that of Rodan. Kevin Coultas played with Rachel's for a short time, as well as Thalia Zedek's Come, before reuniting with O'Neil in the Sonora Pine (which also featured June of 44 guitarist Sean Meadows). O'Neil embarked on a solo career in 2000, while Mueller and Noble simultaneously reunited in the Shipping News.

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SHADOWLAND The Beauty of Escaping 1990

by request

Discogs

 

 

The Beauty of Escaping Review

by Steven McDonald

Shadowland are another one of those '60s-oriented bands, but this time with a little bit of a twist. While you'll hear sitars and tablas and the odd burst of weird stuff on "Sweet Mystery," and it's really the sort of '60s orientation that allows for other influences. There's a little bit of R.E.M.-style Georgia acoustic rock here and there; there's a feel that's got a little Lou Reed and a little Led Zeppelin on "Heroin Eyes," yet doesn't get into that endless nasally drone. In some respects, part of the direction that Shadowland seems to want to take is a mix of Tom Petty and Creedence Clearwater, with a touch of clean Beach Boys-style harmonies. This isn't a thin mix by any means -- these guys are quite capable of starting quietly and breaking into a full-fledged wall of sound at a moment's notice (which they do at least one time too many, leading you to anticipate that everything that starts slowly is about to explode in crashing drums and roaring guitars). For all the divergence, too, it's a surprisingly uniform album -- even despite the "live in the studio" style of "Something On Your Mind," which has a good-naturedly ramshackle air about it, leaving it as one of the most engaging numbers on the album, along with the terrific "The Deepest Indigo Blue," which was apparently recorded with the band sleepy from an extremely long day; the relaxed air helps it considerably. The '60s ambience certainly comes through, though --"Miss Yesterday" is the one consciously '60s-oriented song, but then you also have "Evil That You Do," "The Deepest Indigo Blue," and "Sweet Mystery" sounding directly '60s-inspired. The nature of the whole album, for all the crashing around with percussion instruments, is organic, rather than technological, right down to the use of Rockfield Studios. The Beauty of Escaping is an entertaining album, good in terms of ambience, and certainly listenable, even when the songs are fitted with a message and fired point-blank at the listener. 

 

Tracklist

1		Miss Yesterday	4:10
2		She's Shooting Fireworks	5:00
3		Hypnotised	5:01
4		Heroin Eyes	4:26
5		Garden Of Eden	4:54
6		My Escape	6:13
7		Something On Your Mind	3:47
8		Evil That You Do	2:15
9		The Deepest Indigo Blue	3:36
10		Sweet Mystery	5:05

 

LAPDOG Near Tonight 2000

By request

Debut album from former Toad the Wet Sprocket guitarist Todd Nichols and bassist Dean Dinning.

GLIDE

1995

1996

year unknown

1997

 

Thanks to Sposob Rocks for this big post from an obscure indie rock Australian band.

HEATMISER Cop and Speeder 1994

biography

[+] by Scott Sepich

The Portland, OR, band Heatmiser was best known for launching the career of singer/songwriter Elliott Smith, but other members of the group went on to have successful music careers long after Heatmiser's demise. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Neil Gust went on to form the pop/rock band No. 2, while bassist Sam Coomes formed the popular indie pop duo Quasi with his then-wife, Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss. Drummer Tony Lash, who produced some of Heatmiser's material, went on to do production work with a variety of artists, including the Dandy Warhols, Death Cab for Cutie, and the Minders. Heatmiser was well-known in the northwest rock scene of the early '90s, but despite Smith's burgeoning solo career, the band never achieved more than a cult following. Smith shared songwriting duties with fellow guitarist/vocalist Neil Gust, whom he met while both were attending Hampshire College, and their contrasts in styles made Heatmiser's records compelling but incohesive. Gust's songs were typically darker and harsher than Smith's melodic folk-rock contributions. The fact that Heatmiser toiled in relative obscurity during their active years and has remained unknown to the masses despite Smith's popularity is puzzling to say the least. Heatmiser formed in Portland, OR, in 1992, a time in which labels large and small were scarfing up all the unsigned talent they could in hopes of finding the next

Nirvana or Pearl Jam. Sub Pop records had signed several decidedly non-grungy Portland bands, such as the Spinanes, Pond, and Hazel, but Heatmiser somehow escaped Sub Pop's grasp. The band released its debut album, Dead Air, on Frontier Records in 1993. A second album, Cop and Speeder, appeared on Frontier in 1994 as did a five-song EP entitled Yellow No. 5. By 1996, Smith had released two critically acclaimed solo albums and it was becoming clear that Heatmiser was not his first priority. The

Tony Lash-produced Mic City Sons was released in October of that year by the independent label Caroline. Hailed by critics as the best Heatmiser record yet, Mic City Sons unfortunately was released as the band was in the process of breaking up. Thus, despite all the makings of a breakthrough effort, Heatmiser was grinding to a halt and would never record as a group again. Smith reported in an interview in 1997 that Heatmiser had signed a contract with Virgin, but an album never materialized. The bandmembers have maintained working professional relationships, appearing on each others' various projects in some capacity. Quasi toured with Elliott Smith in 1997, and both Smith and Coomes contributed to Gust's No. 2 album, which was released in 1999.

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LOVE SPIT LOVE self titled 1994

By request

 

biography

[+] by Jason Ankeny

Love Spit Love marked the second coming of vocalist Richard Butler, previously known for his work as the frontman of post-punk favorites the Psychedelic Furs. In the wake of the Furs' 1991 break-up, Butler relocated from his native Britain to New York City, where in 1992 he teamed with guitarist Richard Fortus to found Love Spit Love, so named in honor of an erotic art exhibit. After enlisting drummer Frank Ferrer, Butler brought in his brother Tim, a fellow Psych Furs member, to assume bass chores on Love Spit Love's eponymously-titled 1994 debut; the album scored a Top 100 single with the shimmering "Am I Wrong," but the group's label, Imago, soon went bankrupt, and apart from a cover of the Smiths' classic "How Soon Is Now?" recorded for the soundtrack of the 1996 film The Craft nothing was heard from the band for several years. After signing to Maverick, Love Spit Love -- now with bassist Chris Wilson replacing Tim Butler -- resurfaced with Trysome Eatone in 1997.

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LUBRICATED GOAT Psychedelicatessen 1990

review

by Skip Jansen

The third album from this Australian noise rock project led by Stuart Gray (aka Stu Spasm) and first for Minneapolis noise label Amphetamine Reptile is no less fierce than the previous two released on Black Eye, still fusing Suicide, Captain Beefheart, and Pere Ubu to sheet-metal guitar noise and depraved lyrical content in the formula of the Black Eye albums but with additional deviations into nightmarish jazz, hip-hop, and lurching industrial noise. "Give Chance a Piece," "New Kind of Animal, and "Spoil the Atmosphere are classic noise rock in the vein of Helios Creed, the Jesus Lizard, and Halo of Flies.

TOASTED HERETIC Another Day Another Riot 1992

By request

Wikipedia

The band was formed in Galway in the mid-1980s and came to national attention with a self-published album, Songs for Swinging Celibates (an allusion to the Frank Sinatra album Songs for Swingin' Lovers), in 1988. With resources tight, the album was recorded on cassette tape via a TASCAM Portastudio in drummer and producer Neil Farrell's home, and distributed only on cassette. Their characteristic style was immediately distinguished by their unorthodox lyrics, the virtuosity of guitarist Declan Collins, and the eccentric showmanship of frontman (and Nenagh native) Julian Gough.

CRAZY ALICE Bender 1996

by request

Discogs

Tracklist

1	My Hole
2	Only Friend
3	Paranoid
4	Trash Heap
5	Fast
6	Infected
7	Bleed
8	Vodka & Hope
9	Clean
10	Family Curse

NO MEANS NO In the Fishtank 1996

Tracklist ▼

	Would Be Alive	5:55
	The River	5:35
	Joy	5:18
	You're Not One	4:05
	Big Dick	4:39

LOW and DIRTY THREE In the Fishtank 7 2001

.

Discogs

review

[+] by Thom Jurek

In late 1999, the Dutch label KonKurrent invited Minneapolis band Low into an in-house studio to record one of the label's near-legendary In the Fishtank sessions; bands have two days to record between 20-30 minutes of all new material of their choosing. Also touring at the time were Low's pals, the Australian instrumental dynamos the Dirty Three. Low invited them in, and in the same collaborative spirit as another In the Fishtank session involving Tortoise and the Ex, this half-hour session is the document. What is truly amazing about this hookup is how natural these two bands sound playing with one another. Low has been striking out lately, playing different kinds of material while keeping its signature slower-than-slow approach to songwriting. the Dirty Three has taken a more melodic and dynamically restrained tack since their landmark Ocean Songs recording of a few years back. Of the six songs recorded here, none is more successful that the nearly ten-minute cover of Neil Young's "Down By the River." Mick Turner's trademark guitar style opens the work with lots of brush and cymbal work. It's unrecognizable for the first five minutes; it's just an opening shimmering drone with guitar strings wafting in and out of the atmospherics before Low's Mimi begins singing the verse and Alan teams with Turner to entwine guitars. And when Warren Ellis' violins slip into the middle of the stream, the eerie effect is complete, and the trancelike motion of the song takes hold and won't let go until silence takes over. The other five tracks are sensual Low originals full of longing and resplendent minimalism. The D3 hold their place in the Low mix, painting it out over a vaster, more colorful expanse, creating more space in their trademark suffocating mix. Alan and Mimi croon together, singing like lovers rather than as bandmates on "Invitation Day." Mimi's vocal and Turner's guitar playing sound enmeshed on "When I Called Upon Your Seed." Drummer Jim White is also a perfect foil for Low; his off-time washes of brush and muted rimshots split the notion of time in two, making the vocal and the tune's time signature two separate entities in a sea awash with the driftwood of the other instruments. Alan's harmonium and organ and Turner take the tune out with Ellis' haltingly shimmering strings. He opens "Cody," however, with the most lonesome, forlorn fiddle line this side of Hank Williams' "Six More Miles to the Graveyard," though it echoes Fartein Valen more than country music. This is really The D3 with Low lending textural ambience and structural balance. It's full of a haunted, hunted beauty that only The D3 can muster up, and it is enhanced by the addition of Zak Sally's bass playing. The disc closes with "Lordy," featuring Low's Alan (providing banjo accompaniment) and Mimi in a gospel-drenched duet before The D3 kick in full-tilt with sawing violin from Ellis tearing the tune apart from the inside; Turner plays slide and counters him to keep in it in a blues mode as White and Mimi duke it out on the trap kits. Turner's scree ends just as the banjo re-enters and Alan forlornly pleads for his soul to be saved as the track just falls apart before ending properly. This is a studio collaboration that works. It's half an hour of music made from the heart of goodwill and the desire by six musicians to do nothing more than play together to see what happens. What resulted is some of the best material either unit has produced.

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Tracklist  

1	I Hear... Goodnight	3:09
2	Down By The River	9:35
3	Invitation Day	5:03
4	When I Called Upon Your Seed	3:58
5	Cody	4:05
6	Lordy	4:23

WOOL Your Choice Live Series 1995

 

Live CD from Wool recorded around 1995. Decent sound quality.
A vinyl release of this was done with the record being blue marbled vinyl. I never saw any copies of the CD or LP. Must have been a small press run of both.

 

Discogs

 

Tracklist

1	SOS	3:55
2	Kill The Crow	3:19
3	Soundchecksong	2:06
4	Carcrash	3:22
5	Clear My Head	3:27
6	Eden	3:06
7	B-350	7:26
8	Zitty	1:22
9	Blackeye	4:11
10	Coalinga	3:23
11	Superman Is Dead	2:22
12	Medication	4:15
13	Wait	3:39
14	Eff	7:23
15	Sistersong	2:28

 

HUGGY BEAR Her Jazz 7 inch 1993

Discogs

biography

by Jason Ankeny

While groups like Bikini Kill and Bratmobile were leading the riot grrrl charge in America, across the Atlantic, Huggy Bear were spearheading their own revolution, girl-style. A multi-gender unit comprised of vocalist Chris, vocalist/bassist Niki, guitarists Jo and Jon, and drummer Karen -- in addition to their refusal to reveal their full names, they also rejected all requests for interviews and photographs -- the group debuted in late 1991 opening for Heavenly, and soon began recording their first demos. After the British indie Wiiija issued a collection of their demos, Huggy Bear became the subject of a major label bidding war, but the quintet steadfastly rejected all offers to remain with Wiiija -- they did, however, agree to an offer from the Nude label on the condition that the company drop its flagship act, Suede. (Nude declined the offer.) In 1992, Huggy Bear released their debut EP Rubbing the Impossible to Burst, a blistering collection of musical rants and tape pastiches issued in a sleeve adorned with political manifestos. Two similar 7" releases, Kiss Curl for the Kid's Lib Guerrillas and Her Jazz, followed before Huggy Bear teamed with Bikini Kill for a British tour and a joint 12", Our Troubled Youth/Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah, released as the riot grrrl movement was reaching its media fever pitch both in the U.S. and the U.K. In late 1993, Huggy Bear compiled their early material on the collection Taking the Rough with the Smooch before disappearing for a year, resurfacing in late 1994 with a pair of EPs, Long Distance Lovers and Main Squeeze. After finally releasing a proper LP, Weaponry Listens to Love, Huggy Bear disbanded; Niki and Jo later joined Wiiija labelmates the Blood Sausages, Karen signed on with the Phantom Pregnancies, Chris performed with Skinned Teen, and Jon enlisted with I'm Being Good.

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Tracklist

A		Her Jazz
B1		Prayer
B2		Pro No From Now

ADICKDID Dismantle 1993

By request

Discogs

From LastFM

Adickdid was an all-female punk band started in the early 1990s in Eugene, Oregon, USA, by Kaia Wilson (The Butchies, Team Dresch) Nalini Deedee Cheriel (Juned, The Teenangels, The Hindi Guns) and Sara Shelton Bellum (Bella Low). Their first single “All American Girl” b/w “Columbus” was put out by Imp Records in 1993. They toured along the American West Coast and played on the radio station KXLU in Los Angeles. One of their opening acts was Beck at the Jabberjaw in Los Angeles. They played shows opening for Hole, Fugazi, Heavens to Betsy, Bikini Kill and Lunachicks. 

Tracklist

A1	She's Dangerous
A2	Eye Level
A3	Telephone
A4	Song No. Two
A5	Hey Sister!
A6	Mailbox
B1	Ask Nicely
B2	Stare Right Past Me
B3	Bugs In Nevada
B4	All American Girl
B5	Adickdid
B6	Joe's Stubble

APPALACHIAN DEATH RIDE Hobo's Codebook 2003

By request

Here's a review of their self titled album from 1996:

review

by Stephen Howell

Galloping rhythms, squelching feedback, three- or four-chord changes per song, and moments that sound like R.E.M. and Pink Floyd under the musical direction of George Jones are all part of this album. A bumbling Southern-type growl leads the track "Willow Garden," which is a trip to Texas without actually having to go there. Highlights such as "Sunrise," with its gurgling bass and drums, sound like a forest filled with amazingly loud electric guitars that are shaking squirrels down from the trees. Other numbers like "St. Anthony" mix banjos and guitars, making you envision indie rock kids square-dancing at a slightly askew hoedown. Tragedy does strike though, as the band comes close to plagiarizing Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World" riff on "Slick." The group also has the tendency to overindulge in its fancies, as displayed on "M.I.B.," where the guitar solo decides to rattle the listener's teeth for over half the track in wild abandonment. With its mixed bag of well-planned compositions and half-baked mental snippets, you're bound to view this release as a glass that's either half full or half empty.