Muler - 20th Century Masters: The Singles Collection (1993-98)

In a nutshell (BTW, can anything really fit into one of those suckers?), Muler were the best band in Rochester, NY during the '90s - considering they released but one full-length, that's saying a mighty lot. With the backing of BMG boutique label Dedicated Records, the quartet's 1997 outing, The State of Play eventually became a routine, coast-to-coast dollar bin find. For shame. Muler's roughewn, yet emotively tuneful indie rock bore a bit of a resemblance to another fave New York band of mine, Lotion. It also didn't hurt that guitarist Kristin Durso packed the kind or roar that made Bob Mould so legendary. And dynamics, boy did these guys know to wield some serious dynamics. Finally, add a sprinkle of sinewy dissonance, and you had something pretty devastating on your hands.

In addition to State of Play was a quartet of singles (and a split 7" with locals Lift) that held up just as well. I've assembled all of them here, however One Base on an Overthrow blog already did a piece on the Deep Elm 7" which you can see here. Among the eleven Muler cuts this post concerns, two of them, "Thrush" and "Share an Apple" were rerecorded for the LP. The "Thrush" 45 on Carbon Records (which may still be available for purchase, as well as their final 1998 7") was released as a regular picture sleeve, and again in a die-cut corrugated cardboard sleeve. Very unique and exquisite indeed. "Ghost Writer" from that '98 single would also appear on Muler's swan song, the motelbibleschool ep, also released on Carbon.

The split 7" mentioned above features two early Muler gems exclusive to it's release. Since I don't have very much positive to say about Lift, I shan't say much else at all, other than the fact that I have included their side of the record for, ahem, posterity. Muler vocalist David Baumgartner would go on to front another Rochester band, The Bird Circuit in the early half of this decade releasing two albums that I know of, possibly more. As often is the case, I apologize in advance for any potential vinyl noise. 

Muler 7" discography:
01. Share an Apple
02. Unashamed
03. On the Rug
04. Slowpoke
05. Thrush
06. Toothfairy’s Favorite
07. Smell
08. Here Comes Nod
09. Ghost Writer
10. Rollerskate
11. Naked Frame
 
Lift
12. Tequila Sunrise
13. Valentine

1 & 2 from Gamma Ray Records 7” (1993)
3 & 4 from Deep Elm Records 7” (1995)
5-7 from Carbon Records 7” (1995)
9 & 10 from Carbon Records 7” (1998)
10-13 Muler/Lift split 7” (1994/95?)

Hear

New noise: Muler, Slanted, Smug Brothers

Out of all the indie-rock hopefuls to emanate from Rochester, NY during the Clinton-era none charmed me as much as Muler fronted by the deftly skilled David Baumgartner.  Many singles came and went between 1993-98, but more notably a smashing debut platter in 1997, The State of Play, chockablock with tuneful turbulence and heart-on-sleeve text.  In 2010 or thereabouts, I was happy to learn of Muler's exceedingly belated followup, Hope You Found a Home.  That record signaled Baumgarterner and Co.'s graduation from post-adolescent to common ailments of maturity.  It was a Muler album alright, but to varying degrees I was able to discern that the record stylus was slightly amiss of the grooves, lacking some of the spark and verve of a more vibrant and visceral past.  To my delight Muler's needle is locked right back in place all over the freshly minted Unlikely Soldiers, which if anything picks up where 1997's State of Play left off.  The rush of clangy chords and dense arrangements is thriving on "Soldier," "Jumping Jack Queen" and "Olivia," and the guys are still suave enough to dig into the well of small-scale dilemmas, eschewing any potential emo schmaltz to the curb.  I still have Muler loosely pegged as a fusion of Buffalo Tom and the Promise Ring, but that strikes me as more of a tasty coincidence than deliberate plundering.  In any event Unlikely Soldiers isn't an unlikely return to form, so much as a welcome one.  It's available digitally through Bandcamp, Amazon and iTunes.  Excruciatingly limited physical runs on LP and cassette are available per the Bandcamp link. No CDs?  It's like 1982 all over again. 

We checked in with Cincinnati based denizen Casey Weissbuch (aka Slanted) a year ago via his premiere offering, the slanting and often enchanting Forever, crammed fulled of maneuvers that signaled allegiances to inspirational antecedents of yore like Polvo and Dinosaur Jr.  Slanted's new ep, Desire for Lust delves a bit further into the weeds, downplaying verse-chorus-verse song structures in exchange for tweaked and decidedly more introverted motifs.  "Santa Fe" occupies a downcast, droney space, entailing a smidge of avant weirdness, a la Creeper Lagoon, while the concluding "My Universe" indulges in a chilled-out, lackadaisical stride.  I do believe I'm picking up some co-ed vox here as well - either that or Casey is really adept at throwing his voice.  Check out Desire for Lust at a price of your own discretion here, and lay yours ears on the aforementioned Forever if you haven't already. 

I haven't dedicated much space to Dayton's Smug Brothers in a good five years, specifically not since the insertion of 2011's Fortune Rumors into the marketplace.  Hardly ones to sit idle, they've been churning out roughly an album a year and their latest salvo, Echo Complex is split release between the Bros and Brat Curse.  I'm not going to avoid saying it - these guys do exude a considerable resemblance to their hometown boys done good, GBV (think Under the Bushes, Under the Stars era).  They even involve an alum of that recently disbanded American treasure, Don Thrasher in their lineup, but the going here isn't as derivative as I might be leading on.  Try the pop-sided "(A Minute for) Ruby Skate" and the mildly angular "Razor Thin Races" out for a spin and you'll get the idea.  Lot's of bite-sized "shorties" here, some of which clock in around a mere thirty seconds.  As usual, Bandcamp has you covered.

Muler - The State of Play (1997)

When I compiled Muler's volley of '90s singles for a blog post all the way back in 2009, I'm not sure why I wasn't prompted to share their fantastic debut album that was released in the midst of all those crazy cool 45s.  Well, here it is all those years later.  The State of Play was a week-to-week (if not day-to-day) staple for these ears when it dropped some fifteen years ago.  Glorious, distortion-soaked noise pop, comprised of equal parts propulsion and melody.  Muler would almost certainly have been branded with the “emo” tag had State of Play arrived with a post-9/11 copyright date (and they probably would have moved a helluva lot more copies too).  In that first entry I did on these Rochester, NY wunderkinds, I mentioned they bore more than a passing resemblance to New York's Lotion, but even more so they would have slotted perfectly with The Promise Ring (think, Nothing Feels Good or Very Emergency) and to a lesser extent, Tugboat Annie, also from that era.  Numerous highlights here - "Share an Apple," "Thrush," and "Something Sour" to name three particularly great ones.  In 2010, Muler resurfaced with their second full length, Hope You Found a Home, available on vinyl or digitally.  BTW, the d/l to the Muler singles thingy I talked about earlier has been revived.  

01. Wrong Coat
02. Thrush 
03. Share an Apple
04. Caesars Palace
05. Birthday Cake
06. Aspirin
07. Something Sour
08. Yellow
09. Honey Fondue
10. Sneakers
11. Son of Karate
12. Rubber Shoes
13. When They Were Ultimatum

 Available thru Amazon.

Restored links!

Almost seventy of 'em, based on your requests.  Enjoy!

Summer Suns - Greatest
Catherine Wheel - four eps
Rich Kids - Burning Sounds
The Germs - GI rough mixes
Semantics - Powerbill
Howard and Tim's Paid Vacation - I Never Met a Girl...
The Love In - s/t ep
Teeze - s/t ep
Pipe - singles collection
Centro-matic - singles
Splitsville - Amateur Hour
Greenberry Woods - Shorty ep
Diesel Park West - Shakespeare Alabama demos
Ten Ten - Ordinary Thinking
Not Shakespeare - Edge of the World
Chainsaw Kittens - High in High School ep & Mother 7"
The Flies - Alternatoid
Figgs - singles
Muler - singles
Pluto - singles
Wool - singles
Bum - singles
Jolt - Proof of Total Collapse tape & singles
Luxury - EP #1
Bangtails - Hypnotic Downpour ep
New Flamingos - In the Pink ep
Instructions - s/t LP
Christmas - In Excelsior Dayglo
Tiny Lights - Know It You Love
Four Color Manual - Guardian For a Year
Blank Schatz - The Grand Prize
Jo Broadbery & the Standouts - The House of Love
V/A - Here Comes the Summer - Undertones tribute
V/A - The Patio Collection
V/A - Super Mixer
V/A - More of Our Stupid Noise '98
V/A - Cinnamon Toast: Trim Crusts if Desired
V/A - Self Mutilation
V/A - Half Assed ep
V/A - Vehicle ep
New Musik - Straight Lines ep
Propaganda - Calling on Moscow ep
Green on Red - Rev. Luther 12" 
The Restless - s/t LP
Pink Noise Test - Electric Train ep & single
Superscope - Generally Electric ep
Grady Sisters - 7" ep
Dish - Mabel Sagittarius ep & single
Harvey Street - What About George? ep
The Harlows - 1995 tape & 1996 tape
Mrs. Svenson - 1995 demo
Five Ticket Ride - demo
Bluebird - The Two
aMINIATURE/Drip Tank - split singles
Second Childhood - Figure Skating
Revellaires - Pop of Ages
Carmine - Carpe Patio Flounder
Vim - 7" ep
Bright - Plymouth Rock 7"
Gone Daddy Finch - Sunshine Sister 7" 
Gardener - Intermission 7"
Zoinks!/Narcissistic Freds - split 7"
Bomb Bassets - Please Don't Die 7" ep
Girlpope - Teenage Jesus 7"
Smackmelon - Space Shot 7"
Forty - Lightswitch 7"
Revelers - This Little Light of Mine 7"
Sweetcream USA - 7"
Shelf Life - 7"
Lemons - Keep Diggin' 7" 

Golden City - s/t mLP (2009, Magic Bullet)

Sorry I wasn't able to offer you more this week, but for what's it's worth this one is pretty excellent. You've probably never heard of Golden City. Fair enough, but you may be familiar with frontman Eric Richter's relatively more visible mid-90s proposition, Christie Front Drive, who were regarded as one of the flag-bearers of the rekindled emo movement of that decade, alongside contemporaries Boys Life, Mineral, and most famously, Sunny Day Real Estate. CFD split after an album and several short form releases, with Richter going on to helm The 101 in the aughts.  Golden City was the band that followed shortly after that, with Richter again leading the charge and Jeremy Jones also making the migration over from 101. To the handful of you that have heard G/C's lone album (with some people technically referring to it as an ep) you know there's not much separating it from The 101 (whom I might try to cover in a Mystery Monday at some point). Loud, chiming guitars with just-right distortion plied to relentless melody lines, and driving, up-tempo arrangements. Golden City is love-at-first-listen caliber indie rock with nods to latter era Promise Ring and lesser known greats Muler, minus any dramatic entanglements.  This one is available digitally from Bandcamp, and possibly Spotify, so I won't be leaving this up for long.  If you enjoy what you hear I encourage you to support the band!  Enjoy. 

01. Gray
02. Diamond Suits
03. Cars in Space
04. Ragdoll
05. Big Country
06. Cavalry
07. Stars
08. Hit the Ground

Hear

The Lanes - You & Your Ideas (2002, Linear B)

Winnipeg's Lanes strike me as something of an indie guitar-rock holdover from the '90s.  Chunky riffs, sweet tunings and endearingly roughhewn arrangements are thoughtfully deposited into You & Your Ideas ten generally smart ideas (albeit a tad soggy behind the ears).  Two different vocalists keep things interesting, though I'm much more preferable to the one that handles the better half of these selections.  Think early Get Up Kids and Muler intermingled with a smorgasbord of Chapel Hill influences.  The only pertinent copy I was able to locate for this trio was a review floating the idea that the Lanes were akin to "Rush attempting to write Weezer-type tunes."  Perhaps the most laughably and grossly inaccurate assertion I've read in my entire life...and that's saying a lot. 

01. She Treats Me Like a Magazine
02. Comic Reliever
03. Pain
04. Sun/Stereo
05. Atlantic Ocean
06. Farrah
07. Banter Between the Pictures
08. Microfilm
09. The Beige Capital
10. King of the Cool Kids

Hear

There is hope for the hopeless now. 2011: The year in rear view, Top 25 albums, plus: Best of the Blog mix for the year past

To anyone who espouses the notion that my musical persuasions are solely relegated to the past (specifically the '80s and '90s) you're right...and wrong.  The emphasis on Wilfully Obscure is and will likely remain retro, but I'm still enthused about new music from both emerging and classic artists.   I thought I'd run down twenty-five of my favorite releases of 2011, not only as a way to catalog them for my own remembrance (in the event senility sets in later in life) but for your amusement and recommendation as well.  2011 was not a banner year for music, but in fact slightly superior to 2010 which I conveniently summarized.  On the proverbial one-to-ten scale, there were in fact no tens, or nines, or even eight and a halves (save for maybe my top pick).  Nonetheless there was plenty to pique my interest and maintain my curiosity, thanks to a clutch of inspired newbies.  A little synopsis follows each title on my hallowed and coveted album list.  Bear firmly in mind that your results may very. 

In addition there are short lists (in no particular order) for honorable album mentions, and some of my favorite reissues of 2011.  Towards the end of this lengthy diatribe, I've also included a link where you can download a  "Best of the Blog" compilation featuring songs from twenty of my most cherished blog entries and retro discoveries for the year, including a handful of songs from albums not previously featured.  A huge thanks goes out to anyone who has contributed in any small way to Wilfully Obscure over the past year.  You have sincerely made this a more robust and substantive site.

Top 25 albums of 2011:

01. Farewell Continental – ¡Hey Hey Pioneers! (Paper and Plastick) - Justin Pierre of Motion City Soundtrack goes the co-ed route with Kari Gray turning in the most neurotic and endearing rock album of the year.  Bravo.
02. Maritime – Human Hearts (Dangerbird)- Ex-Promise Ring frontman Davey von Bohlen follows up 2007’s Heresy and the Hotel Choir with a record that’s nearly as visceral and inspired.
03. Doleful Lions - Let's Break Bobby Beausoleil Out Of Prison! - Space age hooks paired with an often surreal indie rock stride.  Many happy returns.
04. Parachute Musical – Kill It Cut It Down - Probably my favorite singer/songwriter album of year.  Piano rock bliss.
05. Yuck – s/t (Fat Possum) - Everything you've heard about them is 200% true and then some.
06. Ringo Deathstarr – Colour Trip (Sonic Unyon)- Delirious, engulfing dream-pop revisionism that virtually none of their ‘90s forebears had the smarts to come up with on their own.
07. Tim and Jean – Like What - Passion Pit-inspired techo pop from this prodigious and infectious Australia duo.  Too bad it didn't see the light of day in North America.

08. Street Chant – Means (Arch Hill) - This sucker picks up where Dinosaur Jr.’s Bug left off, and furthermore, is indicative of the trajectory Sonic Youth should have charted in following up Goo.  Nearly as revelatory as Yuck, and that’s saying quite a bit.

09. Pocket Genius – Nordic - Wasn't expecting something this potent after a decade hiatus.  Pocket Genius bear the charismatic nonchalance and zesty reverb of The Replacements, Doughboys and Soul Asylum, in an oddly unique context.  

10. Neon Indian - Era Extraña - True blue innovators.  In the electronica venue, they are currently without peer. 

11. Saves the Day – Daybreak (Razor & Tie) - This was my most anticipated album of 2011, and even though it didn’t quite live up to my lofty expectations, Chris Conley is still the consummate melody weaver.
12. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light - A milestone for Dave Grohl and Co.  The Foo Fighters are the only arena band whose concerts I’m not embarrassed about attending. 

13. Shy Mirrors – Sailed Blanks (Big School) - The Superchunk and Weezer (blue album-era) aesthetic is alive and kicking up a storm.
14. The Strokes – Angles (RCA) - Returning a few years late, and IMO a song or two short, Justin Casablancas and Albert Hammond Jr’s inspired recent solo endeavors spilled over into their fourth platter, giving the Strokes the shot in the arm they were overdue for.
15. Under Electric Light - Waiting for the Rain to Fall - A sublime fusion of shoegazer headiness, suave keyboard-enhancements and breezy melodies. Thoroughly transporting songs.
16. Male Bonding – Endless Now (Sub Pop)- Not as wall-to-wall bonkers as they were on 2010’s static laden Endless Now, but still plenty nervy and voracious.
17. Patrick Stump - Soul Punk - Soul? A few notches shy. Punk? Not a trace. Savvy? Like you wouldn’t believe.
18. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Belong (Slumblerland) - The not-so-difficult second album. Irresistible.
19. Foster the People – Torches - 2011's soundtrack to summer
20. Joey Cape – Doesn’t Play Well With Others - Another devastating helping of acoustic missives from the brainchild of Lagwagon and Bad Astronaut
21. Office of Future Plans – s/t (Dischord) - Burning Airlines with a little cello thrown in? Works for me. Welcome back Jay.
22. The Drums - Portamento (French Kiss) - Doesn't match last years debut, but strives to anyway.
23. Sea Lions – Everything You Always Wanted to Know... (Slumberland) - A stirring update of classic C86-era Brit Pop with a bevy of old school hipster influences to die for.
24. Wire – Red Barked Tree (Pink Flag) - Still on the cutting edge after all these years, delivering a record that distills many of the key sonic attributes of their five-decade long run.
25. Lunch - s/t ep - fuzzy indie rock newbies drawing on a cornucopia of '90s influences.  Check out their song "Turn Around" streaming on a number of websites. 

Runners up:

Rival Schools – Pedals

Graham Repulski – Into an Animal Together

Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean

Sway – This Was Tomorrow

Samiam – Trips

Stuyvesant – Fret Sounds

The Forms – Derealization ep

Sloan – The Double Cross

The Cars – Move Like This

The Active Set – 11

Real Estate – Days

Dot Dash - Spark>Flame>Embers>Ash

Janes Addiction – The Great Escape Artist

High Tension Wires – Welcome New Machine

The Feelies - Here Before

Fountains of Wayne - Sky Full of Holes
Muler - Hope You Found a Home
The Raveonettes - Raven in the Grave

 

Recommended reissues and compilations:

Nirvana - Nevermind super deluxe edition

Jesus and Marcy Chain - discography reissue series (Edsel) 

Bitch Magnet - three CD discography (Temporary Residence) 

Radio Dept - Passive Aggressive, Singles 2002-2010

Lagwagon - Putting Music in It's Place box set (Fat)

Ben Folds - The Best Imitation of Myself - 3 cd deluxe edition

Jayhawks - Tomorrow the Green Grass deluxe

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Tape Club (Polyvinyl)

Sebadoh - Bakesale deluxe (Sub Pop)

The Modulators - Tomorrow's Coming (Kool Kat) 

Although it's well out of my price range (and I've only heard the main album portion), it's a safe bet to say that the Beach Boys Smile Sessions box takes the cake in terms of deluxe reissues for 2011. 

Finally, here's the tracklist and link to our 2011 best of the blog mix:

01. Humidifier - Nicotine
02. Slumber - Valliat

03. Dissonant Blue - Practical Harmony

04. Beauty Constant - It's One Life (demo)
05. Beat Clinic - Brenda on the Big Bed

06. Rhythm Corps (Method) - Solidarity (1984 vers)

07. Alter Boys - Piles

08. Ups and Downs - Painted Sad

09. Pedaljets - Sensual Cardboard Event

10. Reaction Formation - Galesburg Bound

11. The Spliffs - Merry-Go-Round

12. Not Shakespeare - Turnaround

13. Blanket of Secrecy - Love Me Too

14. Five Cool What - Rescue Me

15. Brave Tears - Flippin' Through

16. Delusions of Grandeur - Carousel

17. 100 Flowers - Roof Tops

18. Naomi's Hair - Tilt-a-Whirl

19. Trusty - Bus Stop

20. I-Rails - Sticks and Stones

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