Pretty much my favorite debut album of 2000.
So, you might be asking why I've sat on this pair for so long. In 2009 I was informed that a reissue of Breadmaker was literally imminent, via legit download and on CD with a bonus track. Thus far I have seen evidence of neither, so in the meantime I thought I'd put them up for public consumption. Enjoy (you will). 1992 single
A. And Never Pull
B. Sea Change
Breadmaker
01. 5 Listens
02. Simon's Day
03. And Never Pull
04. Tsunami
05. Flat
06. Bugpowder
07. Epiphany
Ok. So a little bird has been whispering in my ear lately about a new album coming down the pike from The Nines, who are something of a cult power-pop favorite from north of the border. September 16 is the street date for both the physical and digital versions which you can learn a little bit more about here.
My introduction to Steve Eggers and Co. was their contribution, "Ghost Town Sunday," to the Pop Can compilation from 1997. I quickly followed up that mesmerizing slice of XTC-inflected goodness with the band's Wonderworld of Colourful album. The Nines absorption of the Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding catalog couldn't be understated in the least, however the deeper I delved into Wonderworld... there was more than simple XTC homage to be had. The Nines sublime pop craftsmanship offered a wink and a nod to the likes of Jellyfish and Marshall Crenshaw as well, but it was apparent they were quietly putting their own spin on things to boot. Unfortunately, given the glut of new releases that were coming out in the late '90s, I kinda lost track of the Nines, despite the fact that they were churning out new material. I still have a lot of catching up to do, but in the meantime, I thought I would share this curio with you. A ten song demo from 1994, featuring prototypes of several songs that would occupy the aforementioned Wonderworld... and many others that failed to carry over. If you're new to The Nines, this cassette isn't a bad intro, but treat yourself to Wonderworld... at CD Baby, not to mention the rest of their back catalog - and of course the new platter coming out this Monday.
01. What Can I Do
02. Here it Comes Again
03. Morning I Wake
04. Jennifer Smiles
05. Orange & Blue
06. "Jules Maxi"
07. Going So Far
08. Days and Days
09. Overblown (King's Crossing)
10. Free of it All
Instead of going with just one full length this week, how about three EPs? All from different artists, different years, (and at least slightly) different genres. Two of the three artists have never been featured on Wilfully Obscure until today. Thirteen tracks between all of them. The only clue I'll forfeit is that one of them contains a Rilo Kiley cover, that in my opinion smokes the original. Enjoy (or not). 
It would appear that Jef 'Left' his short-lived music industry perch promptly after this ep was released, cos' so far as I can tell, there wasn't hide nor hair of him evidenced again (at least not according to many a search engine). Kind of a shame on A&M's part, because the naggingly catchy "Street Survivor" could have been marketed as "power pop," at least in that Rick Springfield sort of manner. Ditto for the mellower "Girls in Cars." "No Security" could pass for a slightly more mainstreamed Devo, and "The Beat's" rasta tones make for some very obvious reggae plundering. And from the 'obvious' we shift to the painfully 'gratuitous,' specifically the tank-top shot of the man in question gracing the back cover. Of course, you'll have to swallow a morsel of your pride in the name of downloading this to examine for yourself. 
Much like the end of summer itself, Treble Charger's third and most accomplished jewel in their crown is lovingly bittersweet. The Ontario quartet's power pop stunner Maybe It's Me arrived after a pair of merely okay albums, NC17 and Treble Charger that I would loosely compare to Sloan's Smeared. Maybe, on the other hand, was tremendously robust and sonically layered, each song chockablock with a self-contained tackle box worth of hooks to call it's own. The songwriting was considerably more developed and thoughtful as well. Though it does brandish notable studio luster (and a walloping, big fat '90s rawk sound), Maybe It's Me is something of a major label miracle in that the quality control is really on the up and up, parallel to records of the same era like the Doughboy's Crush and Summercamp's Pure Juice. The Treble's decision to tap Lou Giordino as producer didn't hurt either. Two more T/C albums followed, 2001's respectable Wide Awake Bored, and Detox in '03, the latter of which I thought catered a little to closely to a demographic that was frankly beneath them. At any rate, they had all their ducks in a row on this one. 
In the past couple years I've done features on a number of cassette releases by Kent State, a noisenik Baltimore by way of L.A. crew whose raw sonic sprawl melds mangled melodies to scuzzy no-fi guitars. So impressed am I with their disorienting, abrasive penchant, I'm sharing in it's entirety a newly minted compilation of those limited-run KS tapes, Wrong Side of History, which is now available on LP. 
Sandwiching the Weakerthans between Rocket From the Crypt and Iggy & the Stooges was an absurd proposition at Toronto's installment of Riotfest! this past Sunday (yes, I saw the Replacements). So much so that I relegated their set to background music while I went in pursuit of sustenance (if you must know, I settled on a very week ice cream sundae, after my friend dissuaded me from purchasing something from the token poutine booth).
You could say that any friend of Tommy Keene is a friend of mine. What aroused my interest in Nightman, was drummer Doug Tull, who I learned was formally enlisted in the greater D.C. area Razz in the late '70s, a group which prominently featured a pre-solo Tommy Keene in it's lineup. In fact, the label that released No Escape, Limp Records, was also home to the Razz. For a record of it's caliber, I'm damn near shocked that No Escape hasn't been reissued, or found it's way into the sharity blogosphere. It will come as no surprise to most of you that Nightman slotted nicely into the power-pop side of the tracks. Think more Knack than say, Shoes. There are some occasionally routine moments here, but the truly inspired selections (e.g. "Waiting" and "Headline") glisten superbly. The band's ska parody, "Skanky" would have been better left on the shelf, however. As it would turn out, Nightman generated a rising star in bassist Ted Niceley, who would subsequently launch a prolific career as an in-demand record producer. 
This is not the same Lines from Long Island that I featured a few years back, nor is it the slightly more renown Brit post-punk act of the same name. Nope, these Lines were jotted down in the environs of Boston a good three decades ago ago. A highly competent and polished wave/power-pop quintet steeped in '80s synthy nuances, (the) Lines were helmed by one Eric Hafner, who had an occasional propensity for hitting an unmistakable Ric Ocasek-like timbre (check out the title track if you want to call my bluff). Standby's key saving grace is that it's every bit as much fun as it is derivative. Considering it's a product of such an excess-fueled era to begin with, this is one you're liable to love or hate. And with that, enjoy (or not).
01. Standby
02. Ran Away
03. Wake Up
04. Friends
05. Fear the Dark
06. Living End
A devastating pop platter from 1982, masterminded by a true wizard of his craft. 
Well, Wilfully Obscure has been a tad lax this week, so until we get the chance to rip more wax, please partake in this Church bootleg from 1982. The first eight tracks are derived from a Stockholm, Sweden concert, plus a bonus version of "Is This Where You Live," comes from an April '82 performance in Melbourne. Blurred Crusade era. Audience recording. A big thanks to whomever taped these shows some three decades ago, and also to the individual who was conscientious enough to prepare the artwork.
02/10/82 The Ritz, Stockholm, Sweden
01. You Took
02. Secret Corners
03. Field of Mars
04. Is This Where You Live?
05. Unguarded Moment
06. Fraulein
07. Just For You
08. Fighter Pilot, Korean War
04/04/82 Prospect Hill, Melbourne
09. Is This Where You Live?
Per the sleeve notes, this compilation was slated to be issued in 1984, but the unintended layover accorded DB Records to include selections that were recorded beyond the year George Orwell so famously prophesied. HQ'd in Atlanta, DB was one of the preeminent Southeasten indie labels of it's era. Squares Blot Out the Sun functions not so much as a label sampler, but as a summary of rarities and unreleased material from key players in said label's roster.
To be perfectly frank, not only wouldn't I be sharing this one with ya'll, I probably wouldn't have purchased it to begin with were it not for the inclusion of a cover of the Flamin' Groovies quintessential "Shake Some Action." For better or worse, this strummy Buffalo, NY duo were coming from a far different place than the Groovies. Instead, Populuxe's stripe of acousti-pop is even more economical than say, the Posies Failure. As far as powerless pop goes, I still find merit in these tunes, though it took multiple listens to garner much of an appreciation for them. Lightweight religious connotations crop up on "Under My Feet," but not enough to scare me away. I dunno. Give 'er a listen and feel free to share your thoughts. 
Was the best indie rock album of 1989 actually released on a major label? Pretty much.
This 45 turned out to be a precursor to the much more exhaustive Nils tribute project, namely the Scratches and Needles various artists LP that was issued in 1998. The Stand GT turn in a very faithful reading of the band's undeniable punk-pop classic, "When Love Puts on a Sad Face." While that tune carried over to the aforementioned Scratches and Needles, Potbelly's offbeat rendering of "Scratches and Needles" was left to languish on this split single, and by and large, I understand why. Stretching what was originally a less-than three minute song into a protracted seven minute jam, saps much of the energy out of it, but when the needle finally lifts from the groove, the general aesthetic of "Scratches..." loosely prevails.
Truth be told, I'm posting this one just as much for the sleeve art as the music, with each band taking to task spot-on parodies of two classic Nils albums sleeve. The Scratches and Needles tribute comp is available from Amazon and iTunes, while original copies of this 7" may still be obtainable through Mag Wheel Records mailorder.
A. Potbelly - Scratches and Needles
AA. The Stand GT - When Loves Puts on a Sad Face
