Three killer EPs: This "Blue Piano," Holiday, and Downy Mildew

As mentioned a few nights ago I'm forgoing my usual Chanukah singles cluster (again), but I've got the next best thing, a collection of some of the better EPs that made it to my turntable in 2021.  These three doses of collegiate indie rock that are at minimum very good, and at max are off the charts altogether. I buy roughly 20-30 or these short format 12"s every year it seems, and even if the continuing pandemic has slowed me down a tad I haven't run out of gas yet, so let's begin, starting with...

...Montreal's startlingly great This "Blue Piano" who bled cyan hues of the best English exports of their era including but not limited to early Aztec Camera, Orange Juice and to a lesser degree Prefab Sprout. You can draw your own comparisons, but TBP had the UK indie aesthetic down pat and didn't sound contrived or forced in the slightest, forecasting the C86 gold rush just as effectively as the aforementioned acts that actually resided in Britain. The John the Baptist ep's two bookends "I Before E" and "Euphoria," delight and dazzle as much as any era Postcard Records or Rough Trade release. Mighty lofty words, I know, but don't take my word for it. Hear for yourself, and while you're at it check out the band's Soundcloud space for even more.  

This "Blue Piano" - The John the Baptist ep (1984, Waste Island)  MP3 or FLAC
01. I Before E
02. Ground's Gone
03. Summertime
04. Euphoria

Equally as superlative, we have D.C.'s Holiday. No, this isn't the same Holiday that made waves in the '90s, rather the co-ed quartet this blurb concerns featured Lynda Hopper, alum of noted Georgia wunderkinds Oh-OK. Last year I discussed at length the virtues of the then newly released Strum & Thrum compilation on Captured Tracks, and mentioned I had familiarity with the bulk of that double-albums prestigious roster.  There were however a handful of exceptions that even I hadn't been tipped off to yet, with Holiday being one of them. More advanced and virtually doubly rewarding as Oh-OK, Hopper and Co. were groomed on REM's early catalog, and somehow managed to shoehorn even more of an accessible pop angle into the five songs populating hello.  I never tire of those bright, clangy chords, not to mention a little reverb.  This very well could have been a Mitch Easter production, but the band took the reigns themselves for their stunning and regrettably lone record. 

Holiday - hello ep (1987, Nightshade)  MP3 or FLAC
01. John Buffalo
02. At the Movies
03. Change
04. Ingrid
05. Problem to Problem 

Of the three bands featured tonight, Downy Mildew actually boasted something of a pedigree, releasing a succession of albums in the 80s-90s that may not have made strides on the Billboard album charts, but to their credit were a staple of college radio playlists during their run. While virtually every piece of music they attached their namesake to was at minimum listenable the early stuff did it for me, and it didn't get much earlier than this self-titled 1986 platter. Generally speaking, with four songs eps there isn't much room for slack, yet on the second tune in, "The Drive" DM took their sweet time (seven minutes to be precise) and came up with something a bit, um, repetitive and frankly, boring.  This record's more convincing salvos, "Experience in the Far Southwest" and "Purple Parlor" are concise by comparison, and are downright rewarding in their jangly acumen and bright, textured execution. All four cuts comprising Downy Mildew were appended to the CD addition of the band's 1987 Broomtree album, but I think my vinyl rip of this one offers a slightly richer sonic experience.  

Downy Mildew ep (1986, Texas Hotel) MP3 or FLAC
01. Experience in the Far Southwest
02. The Drive
03. Purple Parlor
04. Bad Dream

VA - The Iodine Book Report - Virtuous Precognitions 1967-1972 (four cd-r set assembled by Robert Pollard)

A quick read of the header to this piece will indicate Wilfully Obscure is in relatively uncharted territory.  "Since when did he start covering music from 50+ years ago?" you might be asking yourself.  Indeed, this collection is a rarity in more ways than one. First and foremost The Iodine Book Report is not an assemblage of bygone punk or even proto-punk artists, and in fact traditional power pop, as we knew it by the late seventies isn't represented among this compilations 85 tracks.  So what gives?

Well, the fact that this set was curated by Robert Pollard of Guided by Voices was a major draw for me. Secondly, I'm actually partial to vintage psychedelic and garage, and comparatively less so beat music.  Though it isn't one of my fortes I'm actually a bit of a Nuggets guy.  No, you won't find me plunking down $300 for a first pressing of a 13th Floor Elevators or Seeds single, nor will I ever own an original 1967 mono copy of Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Nonetheless, I'm happy to indulge in CD reissues of the aforementioned and I have a modest appreciation of everyone from Bubble Puppy to the Creation. Regarding the album at hand however, IBR delves much, much deeper than the aforementioned acts I just mentioned. By and large it has to given it's status of an unofficial and unlicensed release, one that was printed up in an edition of merely twenty copies on cd-r. The publication date of Iodine is unknown, but almost certainly within the past two decades. It may have only gotten as far a few of Bob's close associates and friends, and I don't recall it being made available for purchase at any time/place online. And no, I don't own a physical version myself.

The scope of IBR is period specific, but geographically things get a bit more vague, drawing on a pool of artists largely from Europe and the UK, with homage paid to the Netherlands as well. There are contributions from a handful of Stateside acts, but they seem to be minimal by comparison. I haven't done a side-by-side comparison but from what I'm able to glean there isn't much overlap here between the rosters populating the Nuggets and Pebbles compendiums, and I'm not even spotting much common ground between the much loved-upon Chocolate Soup for Diabetics CD series. As prolific of a recording artist Pollard is wont to be, he's an avid record collector, with many of the tracks here presumably culled from scarce singles in his own personal archive. In fact, the total net worth of all the original vinyl copies IBR is pieced together from might be enough to mortgage a modest trailer home.

Diversity is a watchword as far as this one goes, ranging from the heavy, epic-length acid rock of  Stray's "All in Your Mind" to Gordon Waller's prim orchestral pop on, "Rosecrans Boulevard," the latter of which Zumpano went to the trouble of reinterpreting in the '90s.  If you're looking to delve into pure amped-out psych and rawer garage selections you can largely stick to the first disk. It lends itself to some of Iodine's longer, headier and frankly more ragged pieces, with recommended selections by Wimple Winch (pictured above), Juganaut, Flower Traveling Band and The Hush.

Strangely enough, this compilations other odd-numbered disk (that would be #3) houses a disproportionate share of quality songs, by worthy but unheralded Brit Invasion combos The Poets and Mandrake Paddle Steamer. The Virgin Sleep deliver a spartan dose of minimalist psych in the form of "Halliford House," The Smoke exude what can be best described as "power-folk," The Stray wow us with another uptempo banger, and The Four Kinsmen's "Glasshouse Green, Splinter Red" is harmony-laden pop that yields a colossal Beatles-esque hook. The most intriguing item on disk 3 is by the curiously monikered The Sound of Imker, a fiercely distortion-prone Dutch troupe who's "Train of Doomsday" was once described by Jello Biafra as possibly qualifying for the first hardcore punk song ever. To this day I swear it sounds likes Credence Clearwater Revival interpreting Motorhead, and has earned it's rightful spot in this collection.

For whatever the reason Iodine's second and fourth cds weren't as effective in maintaining my interest, but even they boast a small bevy of keepers including a couple of relatively renown Dutch exports, Q65 and the Outsiders (the latter pictured to your left). BTW, The Outsiders were aggressive beat enthusiasts, responsible for one of the best albums to ever emanate from the Netherlands, 1968's excellent C.Q.  Disk two's most enticing contributions come courtesy of Paul's Collection, Elli, Argosy and the aptly dubbed Euphoria. 

The fourth and final quotient of IBR, is notably limp by comparison (save for the aforementioned Q65/Outsiders). To these ears The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band sadly never lived up to their lofty premise (boy, I've wanted to get that off my chest for ages, but I digress). Nonetheless, disk four isn't a complete loss - Timebox and the Traveling Salesman channel jangly inclinations, mild as they may be. Fire's bouncy "Man in the Teapot" bears a winsome gate.  California's Millennium were downright mainstream given the standards of this other wise obscuro collection, and The Action have long been coveted by acolytes of early UK mod. 

If the Iodine Book Report strikes you as a fish-out-of-water endeavor for Wilfully Obscure it generally is.  Yes, there's a lot here that will have you reaching for the advance-button...but when the going is good you'll be hitting 'repeat' in equal amounts. Hopefully I've pointed you to some of the more worthwhile moments.

CD 1
01. Stray – All In Your Mind
02. Mother Sunday – Midnight Graveyard
03. Cloud Burst - Fragile
04. Weird Stoat – Rising Heartbreaks
05. Honeysuckle - She Brings Me Down
06. Juganaut - A Taste Of Hell
07. Blonde On Blonde – Ride With Captain Max
08. The Savage Resurrection – Thing In "E"
09. Wimple Winch – Atmospheres
10. The Ballroom – Baby, Please Don't Go
11. Flower Travellin' Band – Satori Part One
12. Wimple Winch – Save My Soul
13. Damascus – Mighty Mushroom
14. The Hush - Grey
15. Nimrod – The Bird
16. Vamp – Floatin'

CD 2   
01. The Petards – Tartarex
02. Kiss Inc. – Hey Mr. Holy Man
03. The Cool - Highway Song
04. The King Biscuit Entertainers – Stormy
05. Serendipity - Round & Around
06. Paul's Collection –    Man
07. 1st Century – Dancing Girl
08. Flowers, Fruits & Pretty Things – Wanting You
09. Chris Carpenter – Waterfalls
10. The Calliope – Ryan 5
11. 1st Century – Looking Down
12. The Ark - Poverty Train
13. Paul's Collection –    What Have I Done?
14. Elli - Never Mind
15. Whichwhat –    The Wind Out Of Nowhere
16. William Sheller – Living East, Dreaming West
17. The Exception - Don't Torture Your Mind
18. Blackthorn Winter – I Will
19. Euphoria – Hangman's Rope
20. Argosy – Mr. Boyd
21. Tuesday's Children – A Strange Light From The East
22. Andy Ellison – Cornflake Zoo
23. Tidal Wave – Spider Spider

CD 3   
01. The Poets - That's The Way It's Got To Be
02. The Klan - And I Love It So
03. The Glass Opening – Does It Really Matter?
04. The Virgin Sleep – Halliford House
05. The Executives – Moving In A Circle
06. Brains Ltd. – Change Your Life
07. The Nicols – She Had A Name To Find Out
08. Global Village – Keep Your Feathers Fine 2
09. The Smoke – Utterly Simple
10. Andromeda –    Let's All Watch The Sky Fall Down
11. St. Giles's System – Swedish Tears
12. Sound Of Imker – Train Of Doomsday
13. The Dream – The Doting King
14. Crying Wood – Blue Eyed Witch
15. Group 1850 – Don't Let It Be
16. Linda Van Dyck With Boo & The Booboos – Stengun
17. Mandrake Paddle Steamer – Overspill
18. Stray – Mama's Coming Home
19. The Four Kinsmen – Glasshouse Green, Splinter Red
20. The Poets – I Am So Blue
21. The Attack – Strange House

CD 4   
01. The Eastern Alliance – Love Fades Away
02. The Driving Wheels – One Year Ago Today
03. Primrose Circus – In My Mind
04. The Outsiders – I Love You No. 2
05. Timebox – Poor Little Heartbreaker
06. Wimple Winch – Marmalade Hair
07. Gordon Waller – Rosecrans Boulevard
08. Los York's – Mi Mente En Ti (When My Mind Is Not Alive)
09. The Third Power – Lost In A Daydream
10. Fire – Man In The Teapot
11. Now – Marcia
12. Q65 – It Came To Me
13. Bodast – Mr. Jones
14. Mandrake Paddle Steamer – Strange Walking Man
15. The Traveling Salesmen – Days Of My Years
16. Gordon Alexander – Miss Mary
17. The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band – I Won't Hurt You
18. The Millennium – It's You
19. Curt Boettcher – Sometimes
20. The Action – Brain
21. Wally Tax –    You Don't Have To Say You Love Me
22. Wally Tax –    The Dream
23. Wally Tax –    Last Night
24. Wally Tax – You Didn't Call Me
25. Wally Tax – I've Been Too Good To You

Disk 1  Disk 2  Disk 3  Disk 4

Material Issue - Live Chicago 1991, Chatter interview tape & V/A - Just What This World Needs: a Tribute to Material Issue (2000, Veronica)

 Welcome to night numero uno of the Festival of Lights...which might actually resemble resemble night eight of Chanukah 2018, when I also featured Material Issue, with the selection that evening primarily focusing on rare and unreleased studio offerings.  This year I decided to go with an (almost) complete live show, a promo interview circa International Pop Overthrow, and a relatively hard to come by tribute album.

To recap MI's career would be something of a redundant exercise, simply because so many of you know the story, but I'll be as concise in this blurb as possible. A power trio from the Chicago suburbs kicked off their tenure in the mid-80s and slowly but surely ingratiated themselves into the greater metro area scene, flirting with punk and soon settled into a well-honed power pop modus operandi.  After excising every morsel they could out of their local DIY circuit by way of consistent gigging and well received indie releases, Material Issue signed to Polygram and released a stunning 1991 debut, the aforementioned International Pop Overthrow featuring signature singles like "Diane," "Valerie Loves Me" and "Renee Remains the Same." It sold roughly 300,000 copies, but the band saw diminishing returns with their sophomore LP Destination Universe in '92, and Freak City Soundtrack two years later. They were eventually dropped by Polygram, but continued to play and record.  Frontman Jim Ellison took his own life on June 20, 1996.  A posthumous fourth MI album, Telecommando Americano arrived in 1997, and to a modest extent the band's legacy grew over the ensuing decades.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and my appreciation of Material Issue seems to have accumulated exponentially post-1996.  I was aware of Jim and Co. as soon as IPO dropped in '91, and considered myself an appreciative listener, just not a hardcore devotee. There wasn't necessarily one red-pill moment that suddenly thrust me into the latter camp, rather the build-up to mega-fandom was slow but steady.  It's easy and certainly tempting to reflect on MI with an air of melancholy, but the liveliness and poignancy of their music makes it almost impossible to adopt such an attitude.  While there is likely little material left in the vault for surviving bandmates Ted Ansani and Mike Zelenko to release to the public at large, the two infrequently perform as Material Reissue with past guest vocalists often entailing Phil Angotti. A Material Issue bio-pic Out of Time is slated for it's debut showing later this week. 

As for the music this entry concerns, the meat and potatoes is a live soundboard recording of a June 1991 performance at the Vic Theatre in their hometown. If not a gig of seismic proportions it does capture them at the peak of their prowess and popularity, with all of the key cuts from IPO represented, as well as an encore heavy on covers (Simon & Garfunkel, Thin Lizzy and The Sweet). John Haggerty of Naked Raygun was enlisted as a guest guitarist for this show, not an obvious pick. This concert is one of the volumes in the MI Issues bootleg series (no. 15 to be specific). I've got it for you in MP3 and lossless FLAC below. 

Though it was only made available as a promo to radio outlets, record shops and the like, a relatively well circulated interview cassette, Chatter was issued by Polygram in conjunction with the release of IPO in 1991, and a copy made it into my hands. The eleven minute reel features snippits of assorted album cuts and is interspersed with interview soundbites, with Jim assuring potential listeners of Material Issue's "real band" bona fides. Though it's not specifically mentioned, you can almost bet he makes this point on the heels of Milli Vanilli being outed as frauds. A little further in he reveals the inspiration for "Valerie Loves Me," but since this thing is such a brief listen as a whole I shan't indulge any more info than that. 

Finally, a Material Issue tribute album from 2000 that I acquired just within the past year.  Just What This World Needs, features thirteen relative unknowns from Chicago and surrounding environs "issuing" (so to speak) their spin on MI favorites and the occasional deep cut.   Notably absent is "Renee Remains the Same," one of the band's most recognizable numbers that amazingly none of this album's participants were willing to adopt. What is on here is typically satisfactory, with the renditions usually skewing in the direction of the original compositions.  One exception is Ness' take of "She's Going Through My Head" featuring piano accompaniment and a lovingly fucked with arrangement.  And with that, let's all hope Material Issue's songs remain resident in our respective noggins for many years to come.  Track lists and links are as follows:

Issues #15 -  Live at The Vic Theatre, Chicago, IL, June 1991

01 Li'l Christine (intro missing)
02 Very First Lie
03 The Kids Are Alright
04 Diane
05 International Pop Overthrow
06 Out Right Now
07 She's Going Through My Head
08 Renee Remains The Same
09 This Letter
10 So You Want To Be A Rock N Roll Star
11 Echo Beach
12 Trouble
13 Valerie Loves Me
14 Jet
15 The Boxer
16 Cowboy Song
17 Ballroom Blitz

MP3  or  FLAC

Chatter interview tape 1991 - Hear

V/A - Just What This World Needs: a Tribute to Material Issue

01. Muchacha With Scott Lucas – Diane
02. Land Of The El Caminos – Valerie Loves Me
03. Marvelkind - Trouble
04. Moreno - Kim The Waitress
05. Dorks - Goin' Through Your Purse
06. Kiss n Ride - What Girls Want
07. Joygirl - Chance Of A Lifetime
08. Aberdeen - A Very Good Thing
09. Made 2 Fade - International Pop Overthrow
10. Dragon Girls - Funny Feeling
11. Box-o-Car - A Very Good Idea
12. Ness - She's Going Through My Head
13. Today's My Spaced Out Day – This Letter

Hear

John Davis (Superdrag, Lees of Memory) - The Sincerest Form Of Flattery (Choice Covers-1995-2014)

Here's a quick one (or at least a quick write-up anyway) before the eight night of Chanukah get underway.  In 2018 I posted a collection of covers (mostly Beatles) by a guy going under the alias of Johnny Flame.  That gentleman was actually John Davis of Superdrag and Lees of Memory renown. Not long ago he bundled some of these songs along with several other covers into a collection, The Sincerest Form Of Flattery available on Bandcamp. Unfortunately it was removed for some reason unbeknownst to me, but I was able to secure a download of it and pass it along to you. Among these 24 "choice" nuggets are not merely Beatles covers, but renditions of tunes by Big Star, Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, Prince, Guided by Voices, and the Beach Boys along with a few others. In the folder you'll find which of Davis' assorted projects or aliases that each of the songs are credited to (usually Johnny Flame or his actual name). Some really intriguing takes here, and an absolute must if you're a Superdrag fan. Enjoy.

01. Yer Blues
02. Happiness Is A Warm Gun
03. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
04. Beginning To See The Light
05. Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For Me & My Monkey
06. S. Soup
07. Take Me With U
08. What'cha Gonna Do About It?
09. The Ballad Of El Goodo
10. September Gurls
11. Never Understand
12. When You Sleep
13. Three-Dee Melodie
14. What You Want It To Be
15. I'll Be Back (Chopped & Screwed)
16. If I Fell (Chopped & Screwed)
17. If I Fell (Record Speed)
18. Tractor Rape Chain
19. Destination Paradise
20. Cross Road Blues
21. Henry Lee
22. Theme From "Twin Peaks"
23. Surf's Up
24. Strawberry Fields Forever 

Hear

Watching the candles burn - the eight nights of Chanukah returns this Sunday evening.

It's right about that time again.  Chanukah commences pretty darn early this year, and though I'd prefer it begin somewhere in DECEMBER (is that too much to ask?) we'll take what we can get.  Hopefully you'll join me for eight consecutive nights of my most bodacious shares of the year, beginning this coming Sunday November 28th, somewhere in the neck of the woods of sundown EST.  Can't promise everything will be a hit (heck, I haven't even settled on what some of the titles are yet) but expect the typical spread of choice bootlegs, demos and standout vinyl scarcities like those I've offered every Chanukah since 2012.

If you're new to the site please check out the preliminary details for past Chanukah roll-outs (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, etc).  You might be asking what initially motivated me to begin this tradition altogether.  For one, it gives me a convenient excuse to share several mind-blowing "gifts" instead of just one big reveal on Christmas.  Secondly, Chanukah represents personal relevance to me.  We all know you were envious of that kid down the block who had a yarmulke festooned to their head, who was given the privilege of lighting the menorah, and of course, reveling in eight glorious nights of presents.  Once again, I'm paying it forward.  Previous Chanukah entries have featured Wire, Velocity Girl, Jellyfish, Husker Du and Teenage Fanclub, but name recognition is hardly a guarantee.  As in past years, there will definitely be familiar faces, but also several entrants that have never garnered face-time on W/O.  Bear in mind that what's crucial to my ears may not be of equal essence to yours, but kindly, try to humor me.

At the top of each Chanukah upload will be a thumbnail photo of a menorah, with the appropriate number of lit candles to denote each succeeding evening until all eight slots in the candelabra are occupied on the concluding night, December 5th.

• Look for the first Chanukah posting this Sunday evening, and then for the remaining seven nights 'round supper time all next week.
• Mystery Monday will be taking a break this coming Monday (Nov 28th) so as not to disrupt the continuity of the eight consecutive nights of the holiday.
• Some offerings will be made available in FLAC (in addition to standard MP3).
• I'm probably going to be skipping singles this year (yet again), but I'm pretty certain they'll return in '22
  

And as always, download responsibly.  Enjoy.

...and we all stumbled without you around.

The 2008 release from a thankfully still extant indie troupe who emulate the sound and spirit of mid-90s Guided By Voices.

**Please do not reveal artist in comments!**

Hear

The Auto-No - This Is (1991, Big Ball)

Here's proof that even when some bands opt to color within the lines they can still make an impression.  The Auto-No (an American trio who point of origin isn't exactly clear) played it pretty much straight down the middle in the alt-rock realm of the early/mid '90s.  No histrionics, gimmicks, or even flashy fashion sensibilities here, just punchy and heartfelt indie guitar-pop not far removed from what the Buck Pets, Dramarama, or even the Goo Goo Dolls were sporting during the same era.  As a whole, This Is, isn't thoroughly revelatory, but a fairly consistent listen with a clutch of downright great tunes, including but not limited to "Cross the Line," "There's a Reason Why," and "Never Let Me Down." Apparently a couple more Auto-No albums followed This Is, but this CD is all I've pinned down thus far.

01. This is Your God
02. True Love Always
03. All This Time
04. Coming of the Tide
05. Cross the Line
06. If This Was Happiness
07. Blue Lights
08. Only One
09. Never Let Me Down
10. Celebrate Until Tomorrow
11. There's a Reason Why

Hear

The Slugs - Back to the Playgrounds 7" (1987, Pravda)

"Rock band from Chicago that like The Who a lot," so says the handwritten critique on the back sleeve of my copy of this rather white hot 45. Recorded in front of a live audience at the West End in Chicago in late September '86, I'm downright craving to hear the entirety of The Slugs performance that evening, and I think you will as well. Yes, they are indeed astute mod revivalists/renovators, but given the era they came of age in they also had the benefit of turning to The Jam and Elvis Costello to garner inspiration from.  Two deftly crafted, and smartly written numbers here, and not only is there another Slugs single out there in the ether to imbibe, but count 'em, THREE whole albums to glean as well, spanning 1988 to 2000.  This was an absolutely killer find.

A. Back to the Playgrounds
B. Now They Can All Lie Down

Hear

I took the wrong turn, I know my brain is on the back burn.

Primo indie rock from 2017, courtesy of a band that threw in the towel far too prematurely. 

**Please do not reveal artist in comments!**

Hear
 

The Myst - Hit or Myst (1991, Canned Laughter)

What little I've seen spelled out about this Denver trio makes reference to their psychedelic inclinations, and precious little else.  I suppose you can truthfully shove a "psych" reference onto a majority of selections on Hit or Myst, but I'm picking up on trace elements of post-punk, goth, and a relatively wide assortment of American indie rock and pop too.  It's rare to hear a band with such a mid-fi aptitude convey the kind of mystique that The Myst lend to their songs, the most memorable of which bear something of a hook - "Sympathy," "Seen it All Before" and the winsome, bittersweet closer "Orbit." Amazingly, the entire record was knocked off in one day on the cheap.

The Myst have made a vinyl rip of their lone LP available on Bandcamp.  I thought I could make an improvement over it, but in all honesty there was a heck of a lot of surface noise on my copy I was only able to remedy so much. That being said, since it's available through them, I'm only going to make this one available for a couple weeks before I nix the link. Don't sleep.

01. Midnight Act
02. Hopeless Folk Party
03. Seen it All Before
04. Powerlunch
05. Death By a Pretty Blade
06. Hey Little Sister
07. Sympathy
08. Kool-Aid Guru
09. That Same Sharp Light
10. Entwined Circumstance
11. Inky Deed to Your Soul
12. Orbit

Hear