cuppa joe - Tunnel Trees (2012, Dromedary) - a brief overview

A highly intermittent entity gestated in the early '90s, the New Jersey duo known as cuppa joe consisting of Doug Larkin and Steve Spatucci dropped a new album last week, their first since 1999.   Tunnel Trees is the title, and just so happened to be my introduction to this not-so-gruesome twosome, who commence this disk with the chiming post-punk inflected, "A Couple Whiles," which smacks of For Against circa their soothing and oft overlooked Shelf Life album.  Yeah, I know that comparison doesn't exactly shed much of a light on things for the bulk of you.  At any rate, I was hoping the remainder of Tunnel Trees would follow suit, but cuppa joe had an alternate brew on tap for this pair of ears. 

The nine numbers succeeding the aforementioned "A Couple Whiles" are comparatively homespun organic guitar pop, occasionally whimsical and brimming with a potpourri of variations of the well-worn genre.   There's a bit of a kiwi vibe infiltrating "Giving Up the Day" and "Some Might Call Us Happy," with both songs hinting at what Chris Knox/Tall Dwarfs were so blithely trying to convey a quarter century or so ago.  "In the Shade of Tunnel Trees" and "Blue Sky Moon" flaunt a more robust sonic palette, while another key album highlight, "Forty" is a brisk, minute and a half burst of campfire pop, packing an infectious harmony.  In short, even though I wasn't treated to the new For Against album I had initially anticipated, I got something just as rewarding, and you just might as well.  cuppa joe have a healthy discography under their belts, just about all of which can be streamed under the "music" header of their webpage.  If you're looking for even more of a shortcut, you can check out two tracks from Tunnel Trees below.  You can obtain a hard copy of the album from Dromedary Records, as well as digital available from your vendor of choice.

https://rapidshare.com/files/3018209925/cuppajoe.rar

Singles Going Single #199 - Indian Rope Burn "End of the Line" 7" (1991, GGE)

Shame for me for being so completely oblivious to Kent, OH's Indian Rope Burn when they were still roaming the land some twenty years ago.  This three-songer is my first, and thus far only encounter with IRB, who were a trio at the time of this release.  Slightly askew, but driving pop/rock, informed by gobs of college radio dispatches circa the late '80s.  The vocals are largely monotone, but then again so were Nico's and we loved her, right?  In addition to this wax there were three IRB cds, and from what little I was able to glean online, they took more of an industrial tack later in the career, but I can't say those inclinations crop up here.  Enjoy (or not). 

A. End of the LLine (XYZ)
B1. Mirrors
B2. Diedre

https://rapidshare.com/files/223891083/indianropeburn7.rar

The Grip Weeds - See You Through 7" ep (1992, Ground Up)

Upon rediscovering power pop in the mid-90s, The Grip Weeds were a staple on my stereo, particularly their 1998 sophomore platter, The Sound Is In You, which I consider to be their utmost achievement.  Much had been made of the Weeds' psyche-pop proclivities, but unlike their Californian revivalist counterparts from a decade prior, this sublime New Jersey quartet was decked out in all things Merseybeat, not paisley.  If that notion is evident anywhere in their generally excellent catalog, you can bet it's front and center on these three beauties.  It's as if the British Invasion came back with a screaming vengeance on See You Through, which in all honesty derives just as much Ricken-kissed bliss from Roger McGuinn as across-the-pond pioneers the Hollies and Zombies.  When the band's first proper full length House of Vibes was reissued in 2007, this ep would have functioned as perfectly logical bonus track fodder, but a hodgepodge of demos and live material were favored instead.  Fear not, for I have the entire thing digitized for you below, taken straight from an original vinyl copy (though I've borrowed the sleeve scans from The Grip Weeds website).

A. Used to Play
B1. Gone From the Day
B2. Hard to Take

https://rapidshare.com/files/3039760843/gripweeds_seeyouthrough.rar

The Heartbeats - Pulsator (1981, Vertigo)

Given their moniker of choice, I figured The Heartbeats were a no-brainer to tie in with Valentine's Day.  Too bad I don't have much in the way of background details to offer, or for that matter an original copy of the disk.  I've had it on my hard drive for almost three years, but don't have the foggiest idea of where I snatched it from (a defunct blog or Soulseek perhaps)?  This mop-topped trio, ostensibly hailing from the UK, are imbued with traces of Badfinger, The Records, Flamin' Groovies, Eddie & the Hot Rods, not to mention Beatles homage in spades with a singer who often smacks of Paul McCartney.  Plenty of straight-up power pop here, most capably exemplified by "Look at the Eyes" and "Thinking of You"  Pulsator gets even more cracklin' with "Stuck on You," three perfecto minutes of infectious Fab Four inspiration, by way of a Flamin' Groovies-esque delivery system.  Elsewhere, faint but discernible pub rock maneuvers crop up, as does the occasional flashy guitar solo.  I'm stupefied that a record of this caliber has gone so utterly overlooked, given that big swaths of Pulsator exude the type of acumen and timeless aplomb of the lost classic that it's frequently tantamount to.  

01. Don't Leave Me Tonight
02. Don't Do It
03. Well Well Well
04. Look at the Eyes
05. In the Name of Love
06. Mean to Me
07. Stuck On You
08. Into the Night
09. Thinking of You
10. Long Time
11. Out of My Way
12. I'll Be True

https://rapidshare.com/files/1355078230/heartbeats_pulsator.rar

Jet Black - Escape Measures (2011) - A brief overview

Perhaps I was too hasty in assembling my top albums list for 2011 this past New Years day.  It never ceases to amaze me that I find some of my favorite albums of any given year, the January of February after, and I'm more than happy to have Quebec's Jet Black fill that belated void this time.   The amped-out swath cut out by this co-ed quartet isn't wholly innovative, but is startlingly visceral at times.  

Austere, but not brooding, and slyly angular without alienating, Jet Black's debut Escape Measures packs some serious musculature.  Muscle I might add, that's carefully allocated to mesh with the bittersweet melodicism of the scintillating opener "6 AM" and a little further in "Daydreamer" and "Archives."  Coincidentally or not, much of this album exudes the finer aptitudes and facets of so many of my personal favorite '90s underdogs including Sprinkler, Skiploader, Monsterland and Failure.  In fact, I never thought I'd see the day where I could use even one of the aforementioned as a comparison, let alone all four in one fell swoop, but this is the kind of indulgence Escape Measures delivers, yet Jet Black's aesthetic strikes me as far too advanced to be deemed as a mere throwback. 

Between all the gritty and gauzy guitar grandeur, the record offers some quieter respites in the form of "Engine Up" and "Elevator," but in toto, Escape... is a sparks-flying corker, blistering and beautiful.  Many happy returns.  You can sample "Daydreamer" and "Control" via the link below.  A limited vinyl edition run is available through Jet Black's website, but if you're looking for more instant gratification, iTunes, Emusic and Amazon have you covered. 



https://rapidshare.com/files/2026259796/jetblack_2songs.rar

Singles Going Single #198 - Tanger "Landmine" 7" (1996, Springbox)

Residing on the aggro end of the post-hardcore continuum, Colorado's Tanger undeniably put the "power" in power trio, with roiling, barreling delivery bearing all the subtlety of a steamroller.  These guys owed a huge sonic debt to the likes Hoover, Thumbnail, Helmet, and to a lesser extent Jawbox.  By and large the two numbers on this wax speak for themselves, but there's a bona fide technical finesse to them that shouldn't be overlooked either.  The back cover lists three songs: A. Landmine, B. Gary, AZ & C. Balance, but only the latter two occupy this record, with "Landmine" functioning as the single's encompassing title.  Confused the hell out of me at first.  In 2000 Tanger released a self-titled album on Owned & Operated Records. 

B. Gary, AZ
C. Balance

https://rapidshare.com/files/59474971/tanger7.rar

Bender - tape (1993)

Thought this would be a fitting follow-up to Pollen.  Bender were from Toronto.  They had some singles and a full length, Funny Kar, out on Ringing Ear Records, but this preceded those releases from what I can recount.  Chunky, no frills riff-pop along the lines of their more famous neighbors to the east, the Doughboys, but Bender had some jammy inclinations too.  Two thirds of these catchy cuts would be rerecorded for their one and only album (to my knowledge), the previously mentioned Funny Kar.  These guys were almost indispensable to me back in the day, but in retrospect they strike me as merely satisfactory.  Not that I'm complaining.  Enjoy (or not). 

01. Certain Circles
02. Spend Some Time
03. Go-Kart
04. Don't Say No
05. Slumber Party
06. Stooched

https://rapidshare.com/files/3863711086/bender_tape.rar

Pollen - Bluette (1994, Grass)

With more than a wink and a nod to renown pop-punks All, Pollen unleashed their debut, Bluette onto an unsuspecting, and a seemingly indifferent public in 1994.  The profile of this Pennsylvania five-piece (who later in their career migrated to Tempe, AZ) would improve in years to come, but not by leaps and bounds.  Bluette (evidently a play on the word "brunette") is a commendable start with some fairly stimulating flashes of brilliance: "Couch," "Scared Kid," and "Paper."  The momentum trails off as the album wears on, but not enough to blunt it's overarching effect.  Speaking of All, the Pollen crew would have the honor with working with the dream team of  Stephen Egerton and Bill Stevenson on their next two records, 1995's Crescent and the thoroughly excellent, Peach Tree from 1997, the latter of which I shared several years ago and is still available by accessing the above hyperlink.  I'd also recommend Pollen for fans of early Gameface and G-Whiz.  BTW, if anyone wants to hear the Pollen split CD with Co-Ed make yourself heard in the comments.

01. Gumdrop
02. Scared Kid
03. Crest
04. Pocket
05. Couch
06. Duster
07. Bait
08. Paper
09. Paint Some Size
10. Back to Nothing
11. Brass
12. Nope

https://rapidshare.com/files/1936271784/pollen_bluette.rar

Here Kitty Kitty - Kiss Me You Fool ep (1994, Iteration/Dutch East India)

Speaking in terms of the '90s "popcore" circuit, for my time, effort and money, I really don't think I could have done much better than The Wynona Riders, a visionary San Francisco treat that concocted some of the smartest and most substantive pop-punk of their era, and who for all intents and purposes really have no obvious parallel in 2012.  I shared some singles a couple years ago, and even delved into a pair of WR spinoff bands, Toyboat and Latter Day Saints, and today I'm hereby offering the final piece of the equation (that I know of anyway).  Here Kitty Kitty featured Riders frontman Skip and bassist Richie Bucher, along with drummer Krieg.  Eschewing much of the Riders nervy angst and slicing power chords, Here Kitty Kitty opted for a demonstrably more subtle tack, offering bittersweet and lamentable sentiments that were fortunately devoid of navel-gazing ennui.  The six-song Kiss Me You Fool is a grower, but is ultimately as engaging as anything Skip did with Riders, and that's saying a lot.  It also represents the entirety of Kitty's released output, which according to the Wynona Riders Wikipedia page the trio toured behind in 1994.  BTW, sorry about that damn hole punch adorning the cover.

01. Secret Goldfish
02. N Judah
03. Empty Gestures
04. Hold
05. Sleeping Dogs
06. Rain Formula

https://rapidshare.com/files/1837931686/herekittykitty.rar

Otis and the Elevators - Cross the Bridge (1989, Smoking Munchkin)

I'm pretty certain I received an email request for this disk after I posted Otis and the Elevators first album, Some Career last summer.  If I didn't seem overly enthusiastic about that record, you can just about triple my reticence for Cross the Bridge, an album which kicks things off spaghetti western style with a brisk hoedown of sorts "The President Stumbled."  For better or worse, Otis and the Elevators' Americana bent ebbs and flows for the remainder of side one.  The flipside offers the reggae-lite morsel "Dominate," reprised from the first album in almost identical form and intonation.  "Hole in the Jungle" is CSN&Y by way of Dream Syndicate, and "One Woman One Man" throbs with a certain fervor that ideally would have cropped up elsewhere, but Cross the Bridge is far from a total loss. 

01. The President Stumbled
02. To Touch the Sky
03. I Got What I Deserve
04. Escape
05. Hole in the Jungle
06. One Woman One Man
07. Dominate
08. Desperation and Chains

https://rapidshare.com/files/1488279974/otiselev_bridge.rar

Stew and the Negro Problem - Making It (2012) - A brief overview

It's been ten years since we've seen an album bearing The Negro Problem moniker and for good reason I suppose, considering prime movers Stew (aka Mark Stewart) and seemingly permanent collaborator Heidi Rodewald wrapped themselves up in all things Broadway for a sizable chunk of the '00s, by virtue of Stew's semi-autobiographical Passing Strange rock musical (which btw earned a Tony).  Much like that less than ballyhooed stage production, TNP/Stew have yet to approach anything resembling a household name, and quite frankly that's to the loss of an unarguably fickle music industry and it's wilfully slavish patrons.  I guess that means more for us, and Making It is a welcome return.  It's a record that sounds as if it was constructed in a new era, because quite frankly it's the product of a new era. 

TNP's initial salvos, namely 1997's Post Minstrel Syndrome and Joys & Concerns, which followed two years later, were wondrous troves of pocket symphony and slyly baroque power pop.  While those are still the records to start with for folks not acquainted with Stew's universe, Making It is many times over sonically advanced.  Boasting a lucid, I-can-hear-a-pin-drop fidelity and bright, streamlined execution, this is a record that sounds like the logical halfway point between TNP's nascent ethos and Stew's increasingly refined solo ventures. 

There are few concurrent threads needling their way through Making It, rather we're treated to a pastiche of styles and themes, starting with the cacophonous instrumental opener bearing the same title as the album.  This eventually leads into carefully measured, ballad-esque pieces like "Curse" and "Leave Believe" the latter of this pair bearing a particularly confessional tone with a recently split up Stew and Heidi trading verses.  If it's Stew's colorful couplets and witty wordplay that you've come to know and revere, "Black Men Ski" fits the bill to a fault, while the methamphetamine concerned "Speed" escalates to a robust quasi-anthem by song's end, incorporating shades of his late '90s orchestral leanings that endeared me over a decade ago.  And on the lusciously tuneful "Therapy Only Works When You Tell the Truth," our man is posed the question as to when he first noticed his relationship was on the rocks.  In typical fashion, Stew responds "When she left."  I shan't give away anything else, save for two songs you can sample below.  Making It is available from Amazon and the usual digital retailers.

https://rapidshare.com/files/2275434424/stew_tnp_-_2_songs.rar

Singles Going Single #197 - Gleaming Spires 7" (1982, Posh Boy)

Meeting somewhere at the nexus of Todd Rundgren and The Tubes, Los Angeles' Gleaming Spires featured two guys who were moonlight from their gig as the rhythm section of the much more celebrated Sparks.  And speaking of all things celebratory, their 1983 platter, Walk on Well Lighted Streets, possessed a jubilant air to it that shook my usually austere foundations (case in point, the rousing "A Christian Girl's Problems.").  I thought I'd do a little backtracking with this 1982 single when I happened upon it for a song on Ebay last year.  "How to Get Girls..." (which also appeared on their '80 debut LP, Songs of the Spires) is vaguely tongue-in-cheek synth pop with a strong singer/songwriter bent, and a vocal performance by Leslie Bohem that approaches Freddie Mercury at points.  "Walk Right," an exclusive b-side offering an equally acerbic, but an even more sophisticated arrangement, that probably would have been better without the offbeat little juxtaposition towards the end.

A. How To Get Girls Thru Hypnotism
B. Walk Right

https://rapidshare.com/files/1795794055/gleamingspires7.rar

The Trypes - demos (198?)

Word on the streets has it that Acute Records is in the process of assembling an anthology release of sorts from The Trypes under the tentative title, Music For Neighbors.  The Trypes were a mid '80s New Jersey start up that featured The Feelies Glenn Mercer and Bill Million, but weren't actually founded by that pair.  In fact, the Trypes primary period of activity was situated during the six year layover between the Feelies Crazy Rhythms and The Good Earth albums.  As fate would have it, Glenn and Bill would absorb two members of the Trypes, Brenda Sauter and Stan Demeski for the long belated second Feelies LP, The Good Earth.  The Trypes lineup, generally speaking, mutated into the group Speed the Plough by the late '80s, with a string of albums (including two recent ones) to show for themselves.  The Trypes have caught the reunion bug, performing in 2011, but in their initial lifespan they only issued one record, the four song Explorer's Hold ep in 1984, which can be read about here.

As for the nine hissy demos comprising this collection I'm offering, I am unaware if they will make any appearance at all on the forthcoming Trypes reissue (though the entirety of Explorer's Hold  will).  The Trypes aren't far removed from the Feelies, but with a decidedly more pronounced psychedelic inflection, and a tendency to noodle around with woodwinds and other sundry noises when it struck their fancy.  A cover of the Beatles "The Inner Light" provides a reasonable indication of where they were coming from.  These songs may only be available here temporarily, so don't sleep.  I'm missing song titles for three of them, btw. 

1. A Plan Revised
2. The Inner Light (Beatles)
3. ?
4. Return to Zion
5. Eternal Ice
6. ?
7. ?
8. The Obedient Atom
9. When Company Comes

https://rapidshare.com/files/4133790704/trypes_demos.rar

Singles Going Single #196 - Connections 7" (1981, Guza)

From a cosmetic standpoint, the rather iconic pose and garb of choice Seattle's Connections sport on this record sleeve leads one to believe this combo would be prime contenders for a slot on a Killed By Death or Teenline compilation.  As it turns out, that observation isn't far off the mark, at least as far as aesthetic is concerned.  "Tug of War" is Television styled "punk," with a more acute semblance of melody.  Good, but a notch or two shy of time capsule worthiness.  "Give Me the Knife," belted out by the lone female (no name provided) in this septet, takes a more aggro tack, packing punchy chords and a heaping dollop of sass that goes a long way in defining it's three potent minutes.

A. Tug of War
B. Give Me the Knife

https://rapidshare.com/files/2384442517/connections7.rar

Singles Going Single #195 - Kashmir 7" (1984)

Never mind the mullets...here's Kashmir.   Okay, so let's not ignore the elephant in the room.   In short, if you can get past the sleeve of this 45, which is gratuitously seeped in the '80s as you could ever possibly get (not that you'd want to...right?), the proceedings within the grooves are surprisingly flattering.  Don't let their moniker fool you, there's not a shred of Led Zeppelin homage occupying a stitch of these songs, rather a straightforward new wave motif reigns here.  The sublime "Outside" packs a hook far more devastating than any of their mainstream competition could muster, thankfullyy deriving more from U2 and the 415 Records crop than say, Duran.  "Boy" is a bit darker, but no less approachable.  I have not a shred of info to pass along regarding Kashmir, save for their whereabouts, potentially in the Portland, OR area, which is where this single was cut.

A. Outside
B. Boy

https://rapidshare.com/files/243423700/kashmir7.rar

Alarming Trends - You Make Me Live in a Trailer (1987, Scorched Earth)

Details are a bit sketchy, but starting life in the mid-80s, Denver's Alarming Trends, helmed by Rebecca Watson released this album three years into their career and recorded sporadically thereafter.   The most revealing piece info I have to offer on this coed quartet is that a cult-classic movie of the same name was directed by guitarist Ronnie Cramer in 1987, which naturally featured the band.  You Make Me Live in a Trailer kicks off in almost disarming fashion with "What Does Your Heart Say," a relatively conventional pop tune before launching into a cornucopia of songs that range from surly no-wave to icy post punk with modest goth overtones, not to mention intermittent, avant excursions.  The frantic, punky "Mangled Never Center" stands out vividly among Trailer's comparatively calmer environs, making me long for more selections in a similar vein.  I think I need to live with this record more before reaching a definitive conclusion, and luckily enough you have the luxury of partaking in such endeavors at your leisure.  Alarming Trends continued to churn out music as late as 2001, and have two additional albums available through CD Baby.  Ronnie Cramer has a robust selection of solo albums to his credit, as well as low-budget films, which from the looks of his website is more than just a casual hobby.   This rip was taken from a very static-laden slice of vinyl, so don't say I didn't warn you.

01. What Does Your Heart Say
02. Out at Night
03. Without You Fine
04. Echoes in the Dark
05. Mangled Nerve Center
06. X-15
07. White Cross
08. Some People
09. I Wonder Why
10. Fever Dreams
11. Rude Seduction
12. Fabrications

https://rapidshare.com/files/2604375206/alarmingtrends.rar

Various - Blackbox compilation (1992)

Punk rock.  Blackbox Records, based out of Germany I believe, released a spate of punk/pop/grunge type records in the early '90s, and this CD compilation manages to gather up nearly 20 songs, many of which had only existed on vinyl prior to.  Some fairly renown American outfits are present and accounted for:  Samiam who contribute an acoustic take of their 1990-era chestnut, "Home Sweet Home," Big Drill Car's live rendering of Billy Joel's "Big Shot" is phenomenal, and the Doughboys take on Kiss' "Stole Your Love" live in the flesh.  As for the other Yanks that appear on Blackbox, there's in-concert Big Chief goodness, Nova Mob's "Evergreen Memorial Drive" is a tuneful pop reprieve from this disks overall mayhem, and Bone Club and The Heretics who never got their due on either side of the pond, round up the US contingent.

The most prominent of the European participants, Leatherface contribute a pair of songs from the Mush-era (or thereabouts).  Probably worth the price of admission alone for more than a few of you.  Spoon (track four) are not the Austin indie idols of the same moniker.  The Speed Niggs assault our collective senses with their version of Murphy's Law's "Secret Agent S.K.I.N," and the Big Drill Car indebted Thud! pose the musical question, "What is comfort when you're dead?"  Indeed.

01. Big Chief - Jungle Jam (live)
02. Nova Mob - Evergreen Memorial Drive
03. Samiam - Sky Flying By
04. Spoon - Fearless
05. EA 80 - Wo steht die Uhr?
06. Heretics - Gotta Go
07. Boxhamsters - Auf Wiedersehen
08. Leatherface - Eagle
09. Bone Club - With Me
10. Thud! - What is Comfort...
11. The Nozems - Psycho
12. Maximum Bob - Way 2 B
13. Speed Niggs - Secret Agent S.K.I.N.
14. Big Drill Car - Big Shot (live)
15. Doughboys - Stole Yer Love (live)
16. Leatherface - Dreaming
17. Heretics - Straight On
18. Bone Club - Time of Day
19. Thud! - If I die...

https://rapidshare.com/files/486868496/va_blackbox.rar

I thought that you had asked me an all-important question…

Upon sharing Lustre's album and single a few days ago, it was brought to my attention that there was yet another single kicking around from these unlikely Chapel Hill, NC denizens.  Actually, make that an ep, a promotional one at that, supplied to radio stations and the like in support of the "emphasis track," "Kalifornia."  I've gone on about how utterly addictive Lustre's melodious riffola is (which you can peruse my testaments to via the links above), so I'll get right down to the disk at hand and point out that the Kalifornia ep features two really excellent b-sides, "Great" and "Drag" that so far as I know appear exclusively.  Things close out with a slightly edited version of "Nice Overalls" which can be found on the Lustre record, as well as the Empire Records soundtrack.  Unless some demos or outtakes surface this is likely to be the final words on Lustre, so far as these pages are concerned anyway.  Cheers.

01. Kalifornia
02. Great
03. Drag
04. Nice Overalls (edit)

https://rapidshare.com/files/346922762/lustre_kalifornia.rar

Dimestore Darlings - What is My? What is Mo? tape (1994, Forged)

The curiously titled What is My? What is Mo? is one of a handful of demo eps recorded by the Dimestore Darlings, a spirited New York bunch who possessed the nonchalant moxie and charisma of some of their key inspirations which thankfully included Dramarama, the Replacements and Soul Asylum.  A familiar recipe, but one that's aged nicely since these four cuts were committed to tape the better part of two decades ago.  The Darlings are what the Hold Steady could have amounted to if their singer ever attempted to carry a tune (harsh, I know).  Turns out these guys have a Tumblr page with streaming audio of these tunes and about eight more, plus a super thorough and entertaining bio.   Highly recommened.  I've plucked a paragraph from that bio which specifically addresses this tape.  Enjoy (or not).  But you will.

We emerged 30 hours later with the second EP in hand: What Is My, What Is Mo?—the title the result of a Justin and Steve misread of Gene Simmons asking the musical question “What is my charisma?” It was heavy on the kick drum, frenetic, and a strong move forward. Justin’s “Sometimes It’s Me” and “Damage” were both genuinely surprising with their lyrical depth, and the grooves themselves had a dizzying, reckless feel, a kind of walloping gait that left no room for instrumental niceties, but were still both interesting and accessible, particularly “Damage,” which had a rough-hewn Keith Richards vibe and a drunken nose-sung vocal that worked perfectly. It’s a great song. In all, What Is My, What Is Mo? was an adrenaline-fueled, determined sound of a band blasting off, which Jay nailed when he yelled “I’m stressing out” in the second track, his “Waste of Time.” And Aaron plays the living hell out of his kit throughout. A fun time had by one and all: Imagine the Keystone Kops, loaded, making a record against an insane deadline and you get the idea—fun but exhausting.

01. Sometimes It's Me
02. Waste of Time
03. Summary
04. Damage

https://rapidshare.com/files/1423594807/dimestoredarlings.rar

Graham Repulski - My Color is Red 7" ep - (2011, Big School) - A brief overview

Thought I'd give everyone a heads up on this one, as the physical edition of this title is limited to a mere 200 copies.  If you're already a Graham Repulski convert you're likely to be a completist, and since this fella is on the creative tear that he is (six releases in roughly two years) I wouldn't sleep on this. 

For those of you who can recall your first encounter with Guided By Voices 1994 magnum opus, Bee Thousand, experiencing any given record by this New Jersey progidy is bound to induce déjà vu all over again.  Graham has all the classic Pollard-ian earmarks set to “stun” in an enjoyably slavish fashion, including but not limited to: a doggedly lo-fidelity recording ethic, slightly manipulated vocals, esoteric and oblique scripture, and a doctrine that screams, “if the song exceeds the two minute mark, time to hit erase"  Truth is, Graham has virtually picked up where Mr. Pollard left off in say 1999, doleing out melodicly rich colossus' namley the title track, and "Mommy's Dreaming" (which in all fairness exceeds the 120-second threshold). 

Among his other four-track forarys 2011's Into an Animal Together is the bona fide full length, racking up 24 songs, but if that strikes you as too imposing for your virgin pallete, My Collar is Red, by comparison tallies up a mere four and serves as equally a convincing introduction.   For those going the clear red vinyl route, head over to Big School Records, or if the streaming/downloading method gets you through the night, head over to Bandcamp, and please check out more of this gentleman's surprisingly fresh back catalog. 

Parade - Love and War (1987, Dangerous Rhythm)

It was nearly three years ago that I shared a scarce slice of wax by Concord, CA's Parade, titled Circle of Deception.  Still got that one in your ipod?  Yeah, I thought so.  It wasn't until I was browsing at Jerry's Records in Pittsburgh that I discovered there was a second Parade album, which I'm featuring today.   Turns out they were up to their same old tricks on Love and War, copping a pint or two from the 'Mats/Magnolias/Junk Monkeys wet bar.  Ringing guitars and punchy, high strung exuberance all around, with a number of comparatively refined ballads on side two.  If any of you can offer some details on Pariah, Parade's precursor band.  The singer/bassist is Ray Lujan, and I have to wonder if he's the same Ray Lujan who writes for Maximum Rock 'N Roll.  I suppose I'll keep wondering 'til someone confirms that suspicion. 

01. Flowers For Pretty
02. True to Life
03. Heaven Help Us
04. One Step Closer to Home
05. Torn in Two
06. The Forgotten Man
07. Love and War
08. When Hope Walks By
09. Time Won't Stop for Us
10. Prisoners of Our Dreams
11. How Can You Win?
12. Dignity

https://rapidshare.com/files/3390270371/parade_loveandwar.rar

Graig Markel - Graig Markel (2012, Recovery) - A brief overview

Upon discovering his Seattle noise-pop trio New Sweet Breath back in 1995, via their first full length, Supersound Speedway, my appreciation for Graig Markel's music grew and grew with each successive record that he had any involvement with, whether it be more outings with NSB, his electronic offshoot Animals at Night, and not the least of which solo recordings.  By my count, 2012's brand new self-titled platter is his sixth under his own name, following up 2007's Via Novella.  Hardly spending the last four years slaving over an ornate, orchestral rock tour de force, a la Brian Wilson in the late '60s, Markel instead returns to the table with a refreshingly lucid batch of ten acoustic songs, tracked straight to analog tape in his domicile studio.

Far from a wordsmith in league with the likes of Waits, Westerberg, or Pollard, Graig Markel's isn't an erudite or arty scribe, rather it's the voice that sinks in so indelibly.  His sparse, no-frills arrangements lend a purity to this collection, perfectly befitting it's melancholic tenor, that wisely eschews any wrought or maudlin transgressions.  Par exemple, "My Last Words," as it's title implies, mines a mournful vein, but no more so than Nick Drake's Pink Moon, a classic he's apparently taken to heart.  Economical yet thoroughly substantive, Markel's balled-esque soliloquies are undeniably straightfoward, but soothingly uplifting.  Graig Markel is available from CD Baby, and on white vinyl through his website, but if you need any further convincing embrace the sound on his Soundcoud page.

Cherry Blades - In-Dependance (1990, Imaginary)

I'm not sure what the UK music press had to say about the Cherry Blades at the time In-Dependace made its way into the shops, but in all likelihood it wasn't very concise.  Why?  Judging from these eight songs, the Blades were serial genre-hoppers, sounding like a different band on damn near each one, making any sort of broad stroke review all but impossible.  Some of the tangents explored include patently trippy pysche revival ("Happy Families"), ragged indie guitar excursions ("Everyday is Extreme" and "Face #1") to relatively linear Britpop ("Everything Is Extreme"), with plenty of halfway points in between.  Some of the heavier cuts belie faint dream-pop undercurrents, blending in seamlessly.  Though they were unlikely deliberate in doing so, the Cherry Blades assembled an album delivering a makeshift microcosm of where British indie music was headed at the dawning of the '90s.  To my knowledge, the band had at least one more record to their credit, an ep titled Imperial. 

01. 7-12-12
02. Happy Families
03. Everyday is Extreme
04. Everything Is
05. Down #1
06. Face #1
07. Soul
08. Morphine Waves

https://rapidshare.com/files/2972551205/cherryblades.rar

The Jet Age - Domestic Disturbances (2012) - A brief overview

Maybe it's the hypocritical cynic in me but even with all the technological advances that make obtaining (and for that matter learning about) any given piece of music so instantaneous, I still yearn for, dare I say 'a more complicated' era when fanzines, 120 Minutes, college radio, and last but not least, word-of-mouth was the delivery system for virtually any and all exposure for new and exciting new zounds.  Maryland's Jet Age don't necessarily brandish the same musical motifs of my nascent discovery years (late '80s/early '90s) but the essence of Domestic Disturbances is more then than now.  Ironically, their encompassing sonic foundation is constructed on one that's a little more current, say firmly in the realm of Ted Leo, and to a lesser extent The Thermals. 

As with most musically inclined trios, economy is key, and the Jet Age don't fritter away one iota of it, endeavoring in the stripe of sharp, rhythm-centric post-punk that employs an abundance of clipped, clangy chords, heavy-goes-it snare drums, and occasional plumes of static, executed as only a lean, hungry skeleton crew can.  Disturbances is one of those rare records that's as lovingly roughewn as it is painstakingly tight.  Most bands operating under such similar premises would likely convey themselves as insular, even dry, but in their case the Jet Age write songs that are thoroughly heartfelt.  "Hey, Captain" is searingly soulful in that Stonesy Some Girls kind of way, "Left for Dead" boasts hefty swells of distortion, with a dash of tremolo tossed in, "Home" unfurls guitar god solo's amidst an engulfing echoing stew, and on "I Want to Touch You Again," the guys manage to seize Gang of Four's metronome for an infectious four minutes.  And that little synopsis covers only one third of the album.  As an aside, mouthpiece Eric Tischler possesses a vocal timbre very much on par with Joel Plaskett (who you might know from bygone Halifax rawkers Thrush Hermit).  In any event, live with two of the tracks I mentioned above, and if you're as chuffed and heartened as I am, put a little Jet Age in your life and order  Domestic Disturbances here, or go the digital route via Bandcamp. 

https://rapidshare.com/files/3943838171/jetage_2songs.rar

Sunnychar 7" ep (1994, Shredder)

I'm not about to purport to have any firsthand knowledge, or even a rudimentary awareness of Japanese indie rock and/or so called "J-Pop" in general.  In fact, my only entry for a Japanese artist, The Playmates, stretches all the way back to 2008 for their stupefyingly impressive Short Wave album.  It's not so much a matter of prejudice, rather utter lack of exposure that would point to a deficit of music from the nation with that nice, plump red dot on their flag.  Sunnychar were a coed five-piece from Tokyo, whose chipper punk-pop conveniently brings to mind one of the only Japanese acts I am notably familiar with, Shonen Knife.  On what is presumably their only stateside release, Sunnychar ooze vivacious charm and vigor, decked out in harmonies and cutesy pizazz that only a female-fronted combo from the Land of the Rising Sun could so capably deliver, particularly on the leadoff cut, "You're My Battery."  Two more originals ensue, as does a cover of Yoko Ono's "Sisters O Sisters."

01. You're My Battery
02. My Little Girl
03. Sisters O Sisters
04. La-vi La-vi

https://rapidshare.com/files/3714812245/sunnychar7.rar