Life Rocks "Ours Minds Are Made Up-There's Going to Be Trouble" CD (Burn It Down Rebuild/2004)

I think I have been pretty clear before about how much I despise folk punk. I never got it. I never understood the fascination with early Against Me or any period of Against Me for that matter...so I imagine it is a bit of a surprise to be sharing this album because Life Rocks and their lone release Our Minds Are Made Up-There's Going to Be Trouble is definitely a folk a punk album, make no mistake about it. Perhaps I give my friends a pass? Or perhaps there are actually some good tunes on the release? I am not known for just liking a friend's project just to be a nice guy because really how is that being supportive of their art by just just being a yes man or a body in audience. There enough pairs of deaf ears to go around why be another.

For those unaware Life Rocks was a project that consisted of Matt Canino (Latterman, Rvivr) and Ian Campbell (Bent Outta Shape) and it was a folk punk project where most of the tunes were focused around two acoustic and two sets of vocals, though there were a few numbers that involve more of traditional electric indie rock set up which are ironically some of the strongest offerings on the album. The songs generally feature poorly tuned acoustic guitars with shouting vocals that at times struggle to stay in key but that is pretty much what the whole charm about folk punk was right? The lyrics are generally focused around a very idealistic, youthful Peter Pan kind of thinking that I have hard time relating to any longer. Out of all of the releases I have shared thus far this is the one that I don't think has aged well as with me as a whole where I can spin it in any regularity BUT with that being said I do certainly believe there is still merit to be found. And more importantly, I know there a fans of both Matt and Ian's related bands who have never heard this and may appreciate it so that in itself is more than enough reason to share. Our Minds Are Made Up-There's Going to Be Trouble is a very honest document and proclamation from two young artists at a time where these songs and the ideas shared were very much alive not only in themselves but the people around them. The Long Island that is sung about in these songs seems like a world away and is just a very different place son in that regards it is hard to relate to. That isn't say that Long Island today doesn't have its own brand of dreamers and scene makers or what have you but there is no arguing that it is totally different. 

Life Rocks "Our Minds Are Made Up-There's Going to Be Trouble" track listing
1. Platt River Vs Long Island Sound
2. Stay Warm, Sweet Dreams
3. Expressways and Empty Skies
4. Smile Real Big
5. Dear Friends
6. North Shore Blues
7. Peanut Butter Garlic Hot Sauce
8. Mountains & The Beach
9. South Shore Blues
10. Keepers of the Fabled City
11. It Takes a Little Bit of Skill and A Little Bit of Not Giving a Fuck


Download Here

Matthew Winn "Home and Time EP" cd-r (self released/2004)

Here is a release that in listening to it once again for this post I do believe I enjoy significantly more than when I originally heard it and subsequently reviewed it for Under the Volcano. Home and Time EP is a five song EP that would serve as a precursor to songwriter Matthew Winn's Wildebeest project in which he just performed under his own name. The five songs captured on Home and Time EP is more or less identical to Wildebeest so fans of Wildebeest's wonderful Motion and Language will be very pleased to hear this batch of songs.In fact there is an early version of the song "Living and Dying" that goes under the name of "Blurring the Line" that is a fairly different arrangement so yet another treat for Wildebeest fans. Some of these songs I'd say give Motion and Language's finest tunes a run for their money; in particular "These Sounds Are From Home". Everything about this song sits pretty darn well with me. Winn on this batch of songs is able to mesh a musical maturity with a youthful exuberance which I don't think I full appreciated until recently. I am not sure how many of these cd-rs were circulated so I am absolutely thrilled to share this nice batch of tunes with everyone. I am certain there are fans of Motion and Language that never heard this who would be ecstatic. And for those not familiar with Winn or his Wildebeest project; if you are into indie/folk stuff like Simon Joyner, early Hayden or Will Simmons then you may really dig this.

Matthew Winn Home and Time EP
1. Battle of Fort Slongo
2. A View of Paris
3. Browns and Greens
4. These Sounds Are From Home
5. Blurring the Line

Download Here

Guadalupe "Contract the Stank" cd (Burn It Down Rebuild/2004)

It so cold out so I need something energetic to keep me going. Coming into a freezing cold office sucks but rocking out to Guadalupe's Contract the Stank for the first time in a long time certainly does not suck. Around 2003-2004 I started to notice that there were a lot of kids in the Northport area giving the Long Island DIY scene a real shot in the arm. It felt young and exciting again. And that is not to say that there weren't exciting things amongst my peers but perhaps there was some jadedness starting to peer through as at that time lots of people/bands who made Long Island DIY such a vibrant creative community in the late 90s-early 2000s started to or had already flocked to Brooklyn. In Northport shows were packed with kids, there were several solid bands and kids were making cds/tapes/zines/etc. And doing it all with a passion for living in Long Island which is something that really appealed to me as I have always loved living in Long Island and have not had the same scorn for it the way some others have. Sure, there are aspects of living here that suck but that is relative. Travel around the country and talk to people and you'll know what I mean.

Anyhow, one of those bands was Guadalupe who were DIY hardcore/punk off shoot of the Northport indie rock band For Those Who Can Not Wait. I remember going to a show at my now house wondering whom all these kids I'd never met or seen before were and that is when my buddy Jon Contra was like "That's Guadalupe and they rule". Or something to that effect. Regardless, he was right. It was fast, exuberant and fun. It wasn't rocket science by any stretch of the imagination but it was perfect. Songs about friends, DIY, bike riding, cops and of course "stealing shit from other boats". It was just fucking fun and I loved it. They also did pretty rad Minor Threat and Body Count covers. Yes, THAT Body Count.

According to the liner notes Guadalupe spent two days with Phil Douglas (from Latterman, Iron Chic) the fifteen songs that appear on Contract the Stank. Fifteen songs may seem like a lot but don't blink because the record can be over just like that. Remember this is hardcore punk we are talking about here. Anyhow, Contract the Stank was made originally as cd-r in the brown paper bag upside down American flag on Burn It Down/Rebuild. Later on Burn It Down/Rebuild pressed as "real" cd release with different artwork. I prefer the artwork on the original cd-r release as opposed to the cd as the cd version's artwork reminded me far to much of the cover to The Insurgent discography cd. To each is their own. To my knowledge this was the only release that Guadalupe had though I do recall them recording tracks once at my house for a 7 inch though I am not sure if that ever materialized. I do know that guys from Guadalupe went on to be in a few other bands like Nude Beach, Dustheads and Yellow Tears to name a few.


Guadalupe Contract the Stank track listing

1. Kick the Shit
2. Bike Tuff
3. Guadalupe
4. No Sleep Ever
5. Fly the Dos
6. Rock the Plank
7. Drop the Stank
8. Seeing Red
9. Patrol These Streets
10. Can't Stop
11. Instrumental
12. Prove It
13. Sign on the Dotted
14. Stay Alive
15. We Win

Download Here

Bricks For Shoulders "You Are, Therefore I am..." CD (Far Between Records/2005)

A good chunk of the releases that I have been sharing here I have reviewed at one point during my tenure as a writer at Under the Volcano magazine; and only know am I realizing that it would be cool to perhaps include those  reviews and mix it with current thoughts about the releases to see how time has affected my opinion on a release. Perhaps this weekend I'll find the time to pull out some reviews for some upcoming uploads. And I thought of this because I definitely recall reviewing Bricks For Shoulders You Are, Therefore I am and for some reason I think while I gave it a overall positive review I do believe that I did some critical nitpicking; perhaps getting on a journalistic high horse or something. Regardless, I honestly can't recall if that happened or if my mind is playing tricks on me.

Bricks For Shoulders was a band that morphed out of Prescott C; who while had some glaring similarities to their later self Prescott C was a bit more melodic whereas Bricks For Shoulders was certainly more aggressive as well as technical. At some point in Prescott C's tenure they transformed (albeit not by choice) to a guitar and drums duo and if my memory serves me correct Bricks For Shoulders was started not only as a stylistic change but because after many trials they found a bass player in Zach (ex-With Every Idle Hour) to have a solid three piece lineup. However, that was short lived as guitarist/vocalist Steven DeJoseph and drummer/vocalist Tom Crooke would carry on once again as a duo. I remember watching these guys play and it was always awesome and way loud. Like seriously loud. DeJoseph would play his guitar through a guitar cabinet and a bass cabinet on the opposite side of him all while screaming and howling like a maniac. Like I said, very loud and lots of low end. All of this while Crooke would pound away at his drum kit as if he were mad at it. Really mad. Musically speaking Bricks For Shoulders cherry picked elements of post hardcore, post punk, hardcore, screamo to make it their own. I hear a variety of bands influence in their sounds- Four Hundred Years, Sleepytime Trio, Castor, Smile, and even Hum. Though the latter's influence while there it isn't as apparent as it was in Prescott C. Maybe it was just me but I always felt these guys never got enough props from folks in the "scene". Solid musicianship, always tight as hell live and too boot good people-what's not to like? Fucking kids...

While Prescott C was fairly prolific with several releases under their belt before packing it in, as far as I know You Are, Therefore I am... was the only formal release that Bricks For Shoulders had though Crooke has informed that there was some unreleased material. If I can get my hands on it as well as have the band's blessing I'd be happy to share it. I shall be uploading some Prescott C in the coming months. Dejoseph in addition to playing guitar in Bricks For Shoulders/ Prescott C is also a very talented drummer and assumed the kit in Pretty Polly and for the last several years has been playing the band Playing Dead. And Crooke plays drums in Dude Japan and also creates music with him playing all the instruments under the name Swell As Hell. Check it all out.

Bricks For Shoulders You Are, Therefore I am... track listing
1. You've Got to Be Kidding Me
2. Non Prescription Glasses and Your Star Tattoos
3. Art and Narcissism
4. Segway
5. You Should Treat Your Kids as Well as You Treat Your Cars
6. You Fill in the Blanks, While I Load My .357
7. End of Transmission

Download Here

Come Down "Sender" cd (self released/2001)

Here is a band that came out of the ashes of Intransit as guitarists Mark Pernice and Scott Altmann teamed up with former On the Might of Princes drummer Nicole Keiper and Tom Mallon on bass, keyboards, and programming right around time the new millennium touched down. Come Down played moody, spacious indie rock that reminded me of a cross between The Verve, Radiohead, Spirtualized and Portishead as well as some of the slower tempo Pedro the Lion material. There is also an element of the post hardcore that most of the members played in previous bands that is evident at times but in a manner that isn't too obtrusive. Unlike, a lot of bands from the island at the time who relied on fast, aggressive bursts of distorted guitars and throbbing low end to express themselves Come Down reveled in quite the opposite as their songs were about playing at slower tempos and locking into grooves that would flow carrying with it touches of layered sounds that didn't make the presence so obvious. There was a maturity to the songwriting of Come Down where parts in songs didn't feel rushed and that was something that I wasn't exposed to a lot with most of my peers' bands.  It was most welcome. At the time it should also be noted that bands were definitely being more pronounced with their sense of dynamics thanks to bands like On the Might of Princes and Latterman, where parts and changes jumped out at you. Subtlety in songwriting wasn't the order of the day and that was something the struck me instantly about the songs Come Down wrote.
  
I only saw the band a few times and somewhere along the line I picked up a copy of the CD that I am sharing with you today- Sender which I do believe is the only release that the band had. If I am mistaken and someone does know of another recording please let me know. Furthermore, I am not very familiar if the members of Come Down went onto to pursue other projects. Once again inform me and I shall be happy to share that information here. In the meantime check out Sender.

 Come Down "Sender" track listing
1. Synesthesia
2. New Script
3. Fast Cars
4. Everyone With Guitars
5. I Drive With Closed Eyes

Download Here

Screen House Music "Volume 2: For Reading To" cd-r (self released/2006)

Last night it snowed and this morning it is raining so in searching for a soundtrack to get my day started I couldn't find a better collection of songs to fit the inclement mood outside than Screen House Music's Volume 2: For Reading To. So it is only fitting that I share this album with you. A lot of the music I share here is rare in the sense that not many physical copies of these releases were made. Mostly demos just to be sold at local shows or to be shared with friends, not to be part of some mass production. And no release would be truer than this sophomore Screen House Music release as my copy is numbered 11 out of 13! I don't point that out as some sort of collector nerd type of "hey look what I have" but more as man, what a shame that this music wasn't initially shared with more people as it is just a fantastic document of the growth that was taking place in songwriter Nicky Marino's wonderful little Screen House Music project.

For those of you missed my previous post regarding Screen House Music's debut cd-r release; first go download it now but as a brief recap/run down of what the project is all about...Since 2006 and based out of Northport Nicky Marino; also known for his work in the wonderful indie rock band For Serious This Time has released several cd-rs and tapes as well as compilation appearances that chronicles music that can best be described as a organic hybrid of folk, bedroom pop, ambient and lo-fi shoegaze. Automatically I am reminded of stuff like Dump, Secret Stars, and a whole slew of great music from 90s tape labels like Shrimper, Cactus Gum, Catsup Plate, etc. The bulk of his music is instrumental but has a strong voice in the sense that the melodies created within the music while subdued and generally minimal it all resonates rather nicely. Unlike a lot of music of this ilk that can just be forgettable background music; Marino has a uncanny ability to have listeners be completely enveloped by the layers of sound and melodies he creates. Plain and simple; if you like good music that is honest and comes from a place that is simply just about creating music then don't waste a minute in downloading Screen House Music Volume 2: For Reading To.

Screen House Music Volume 2: For Listening To track listing
1. Before Rain, Grey
2. Phone Rings, Start Over
3. Miss the Bus, Better Day
4. Discovering
5. Weeks Street
6. Things to Rely On
7. I Really Don't Remember
8. P.J Branch
9. Source
10. Landscape
11. Top of the Gap

Download Here

Advertisement-Last Yes Sensei Show

I just wanted to interrupt our normal broadcasting to pimp something as equally as important to me as all of the bands and releases that I have shared with all of you these last few months. A little over ten years ago myself and a couple of friends started the band Yes Sensei to create a type of music that we weren't hearing locally. The band went through several line up changes over the years and had the great fortune of releasing a few albums, a 7 inch and make some compilation appearances. And now the time has come to wrap it all up and put a little bow on it. It would mean a lot if people came out to say goodbye. It will also be the release show for our our fourth and final album In Excelsis.  You can stream the album here at Bandcamp:

We shall be playing our last show next Saturday at Mr Beery's with friends Everything Sucks, Thought & Memory and Risk (ex-Scent of Human History/United States). If all goes well we shall have copies of our brand new album In Excelsis with us.

While personally I have been comfortable with putting the beast to rest so to speak for awhile now, yesterday was the last practice I think now finally it is starting to sink in that a large chapter of my life is about to come to a close.

Here is a run down of our discography, most of which is still available at Rok Lok Records

- 2 song demo cd-r (self released) (out of print)
-What I Do Best is What I Do Worst cd (Rok Lok Records/The Children's Revolt)
-We Who Transplant Sustain cd (Rok Lok Records)
-s/t cd (Rok Lok Records)
-3 Songs 7 inch (Rok Lok Records/Russian Folk Stories) (out of print)
-In Excelsis cd (Rok Lok Records)

compilation appearances:
-"Russian or Retarded" on No Nucleus cd (Tone Library)
-"All of Your Bass Are Belong to Us" on Dead Broke Tape Comp Volume 3 cassette (Dead Broke)*exclusive track

Also later this year another cd filled with unreleased, demo, live material as well as the 7 inch and comps tracks will be released on Rok Lok Records

Grid Iron "Songs" cd-r (self released/2001)

It is Friday so that means it will be a quick post. Always too much to do on Friday! Anyhow here is a small release from Grid Iron, a 3 song ep that is definite improvement all around from their demo, which I liked a lot but definitely was a little rough around the edges especially in the recording department. The production values were stepped up for this batch of songs and also the song writing/performances were improved. Joining vocalist/guitarist Byrce Hackford on this collection of songs is the line up that included Adam Kuhn (Fellow Project/Small Arms Dealer) on drums and Mike Campbell (Latterman/The Brass) on bass and would ultimately be the line up for the rest of the band's life. In my previous post about their demo I stated that the only releases that existed were this cd-r ep Songs and the full length Quieter,Confider but in searching for stuff the other day I came across a generic cd-r labeled "Grid Iron 6 songs" that had songs that for the most part with the exception of one or two that weren't on any other releases. If my memory serves me correct this could've been the batch of songs that Bryce gave me for the proposed split cd w/ Yes Sensei that got scraped because we had a line up change, scraped the recording and opted to re-record our tunes for our second album. In time I will most likely upload those tracks as well.

Grid Iron Songs track listing
1. Climbing the Ladder
2. The Pretender
3. Tears


Download Here

Latterman "Tour Demo" cd-r (self released/2001)

For the Latterman completists out there here is rare little piece of the band's history. I know guitarist Phil Douglas  dreads knowing that I have this cd in my possession still. Every now and then to get a reaction out of him I'll pull it off my shelf. I think it has something to do with it being one of his earliest recording efforts. It definitely doesn't sound bad at all and it in terms of recording and song writing quality it is leaps and bounds over the band's previous offerings. What more could I possibly say about Latterman that hasn't already been said here or anywhere else for that matter? For those that really need more info, to put things as simply as possible next to On the Might of Princes-Latterman was one of the main reasons that the DIY scene on Long Island thrived so much in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It could certainly be argued that Latterman was met with even greater "success" with their later albums on Deep Elm.

This demo was put together for a US tour in 2001 and it served as a preview of what becoming on their first full length Turn Up the Punk We'll Be Singing as the four songs presented here were all re-recorded for the album which would be released later that year. As a tour demo it certainly does its job in documenting Latterman at that point in time and sharing that folks they encountered on tour.

Latterman "Tour Demo!" track listing
1. Rebellion Vs The Alarm Clock
2. There's No Wrong Way to Do Punk (You Clown Doctor)
3. King Tough is My New Idol
4. For Someone Easy Going You Sure Do Seem to Wear Pants A lot


Download Here

Portal "Lost in the Translation" cd-r (self released/2002)

It is a snowy night here on Long Island so I figured I'd do a late night (well late for this guy) upload. This offering is rather off beat but to me it really exemplifies what I love about the music that people make in their bedrooms. Being free from whatever scene aesthetics that may dominate people's attitudes to create and express themselves; music of this kind that doesn't really exist beyond the bedroom really excites me because it is completely uninhibited and it does whatever it wants to. Especially in the case of Portal to me it is documentation of a brilliant, creative musician exploring a myriad of ideas in his own unique way which is the complete opposite of what the musician is generally known for. Portal was the home recording side project of Contra guitarist Stephe Cooper. While Contra was known for furiously fast pissed off hardcore punk that relied on politically charged lyrics and a generally bare bones attack musically speaking; Portal was a project that explored prog/math rock, lsynth/midi music, kraut rock and even lo fi hardcore punk. Imagine taking the Mahavishnu Orchestra and cross it with Sonic Youh, Black Flag, Kraftwerk, Battles and Bjork's more experimental work and that should give you a rough idea. Cooper self released two Portal cd-rs both packaged in a DVD case. The first was a self titled 5 song ep and the second release which is posted here is the full length effort Lost in the Translation.

Publish Post

Lost in the Translation contains 13 tracks of tunes the run the gamut of genres explored and most of simply defies explanation. There are electronic bleeps and beeps that remind me of video game music but moments later you can get hit a with blast of guitar feedback only to be wrapped in a bordering psychedelic, jammy guitar freak out or even a frantic sound collage. Then there are surprise forays into a brand of lo fi hardcore punk that sounds like 5th generation bootleg Rorschach recording not too mention the Inside Out and Cave In covers that appear on the recording. Portal is not for everyone but for those that can brave the journey it is certainly a worthwhile trip to take

In addition to Portal and the aforementioned Contra, Cooper was also in the hardcore band Church of the Rowdy (with members of On the Might of Princes and Porcelain Decay) and later on he went on to be in two projects that were similar in scope to what Portal was doing but outside of the bedroom by way of B-Camel and the more lo fi basement art pop of Squeaky Bandits.

Lost in the Translation track listing:
1.The Printer Song
2. Hi Jonathon, How Are You? What's Up?
3. Minor Details
4. Queen Pineapple
5. (Excersion 1) Gina Opium
6. Validation
7. The Splitting of Our Species
8. (Excursion 2) Disappearance of the Spoons
9. All Around Me
10. No Spirtual Surrender *(Inside Out cover)
11. The End of Our Rope *(Cave In cover)
12. In the Land of Grey and Pink
13. Untitled

Download Here

Book Store "Sleeping On Glass Pillows" cassette (Eiffel Trousers Records/1999) +"Gonster"

Well here is nice little rarity, one that I wasn't sure ever existed until my good buddy J-Ro gave me a cd-r copy a few years ago and confirmed that yes,  his brother Matt Orphan did indeed release it as a tape on the mighty Eiffel Trousers Records label (whom I will speak more of later on). I knew of these songs because after chatting with Book Store bassist Jon Kaplan in a AOL chat room he sent me a tape with these songs on it but I wasn't aware of the "formal" release. The band never had them with them at shows or anything so I imagine to most this release was or is a mystery. I am not sure why that is. Maybe they weren't happy with the recording or something as it does have a fuzzy, lo fi quality to it but to my ears it sounds just grand. I do know that this recording features Book Store's original drummer Lou S. so perhaps that was a reason. Strange...

In any event out of the five songs presented here four were re-recorded for the self titled cd on Rok Lok Records (why yes, I still have some available...). Aside from some songs I think sounding better here than the album for my own personal aesthetic reasons; particularly "Dreamy" which is played a little faster and for the better; what makes Sleeping On Glass Pillows a point of interest for any Book Store fan is that it is the only place to get the song "Maggie Cassidy". It was a short lived song that I only saw the band perform once in the many, many times I saw the band while they were together. And the record nerd in me just loves stuff like that-forgotten tracks or rare exclusive comp or demo tracks. Sometimes when that stuff is dug up it is golden and while "Maggie Cassidy" certainly isn't the best song Book Store wrote but is definitely a strong slice of indie rock that far outshines some other tunes that the band played throughout their life span. In a way I am curious what this song would sound like if they kept playing and re-recorded it for the album like the did with the others. All in all, Sleeping On Glass Pillows is perfect basement indie rock to tap your toes to.

As a bonus I have included the original, and superior version "Gonster" that appeared on The Hope Machine compilation. Not that I don't like the version that opens up the self titled album I just find this version to have more energy, and I really like the guitar tones much better as they are really fitting for the song. Also I prefer the extended hyper jam outro presented on this version as opposed to shortened version on the album that went back to the verse, or "Radio Friendly Gonster" as some of us called.

And to wrap this post up I just would like to share a few thoughts about the label that released this tape and many other great releases through the mid to late 90s, Eiffel Trousers Records. This was the label that was started by Matt Orphan of The Microwave Orphans and with Eiffel Trousers Matt was able to mash together the label influences of Lookout Records, K Records, Kill Rock Stars and Shrimper to have nice diverse roster of releases. From the new wave tinged punk of his own Microwave Orphans as well as the Space Robot Scientist. Ska/surf/pop of Freaks from the Apocalypse. Melodic pop punk of Supermatchboxx, Embarrassing Wrecks, Whoopie Cushion, Milton, and 48 in the Basement,  4 track weirdness of Caroline's Pneumatic Drapery, Tork & Co., indie rock of Book Store, The Mutes Brothers, and Potbelly Bandits- Eiffel Trousers always kept it interesting from release to release as you never knew what you would get. And let's not forget, Eiffel Trousers Records was responsible for releasing the second pressing of the On the Might of Princes demo. No matter what your personal thoughts of each band were, there was no way you couldn't appreciate the sincere aesthetic that Eiffel Trousers was able to convey with every release.

Honestly, when Matt stopped showing up to shows with those shoe boxes of tapes a part of me felt rather empty. And that is not to take anything away from anyone, it is just Matt was the first person I met in the Long Island scene that was into the same kind of weirdo indie rock that I was into. He knew who Sebadoh and Shrimper Records were which as silly as it sounds that was huge for me at the age as I wanted to play in a band more than anything and finding people that didn't want do a pop punk or hardcore band back than was very, very difficult. If you said Sonic Youth or Jesus Lizard or Pavement to anyone- they laughed and would proceed to tell you that NOFX is the greatest band ever. Times have certainly changed...Matt introduced me to people who I'd later go on to create music with and essentially the core of the creative circle that I travel in so for that I am very grateful.  People reminisce a lot here on Long Island about many old bands, venues, and labels but I always feel very few people give the proper due to what Eiffel Trousers Records did in releasing music and coordinating shows in the mid to late 90s. Matt here is to you my friend, thanks for all that you have done over the years. Since I have finally have a reliable set up to rip cassettes I'll certainly be uploading more of the label's discography in the coming months. For those interested Eiffel Trousers has a old Myspace page that is still up, check ahoy

Book Store Sleeping On Glass Pillows track listing
1. October
2 Dreamy
3. Sweet Day
4. A Simple Notion
5. Maggie Cassidy

and then "Gonster" from The Hope Machine

Download Here

Sometimes Walking Sometimes Running "Unreleased" 2000/2001

A quickie but gem of a upload for y'all today. Here is another nice batch of unreleased tunes that have come into my possession, three unreleased songs from  Sometimes Walking Sometimes Running. I previously featured their 5 Untitled Songs CD and these 3 songs continue in the same tradition of chaotic screamo 'ala Pg.99 and City of Caterpillar though I do feel the band is a bit more experimental. On the first track offered here there is a long percussive, almost tribal section that reminds me of something of Neurosis' Enemy of the Sun. There are noisier, more bordering on psychedelic moments than the more fast paced, furious screamo blasts found on the 5 Untitled Songs ep. It is obvious that some of band member's various side projects or one off noise projects like Car Fire or Backspace were having its influence rub off on this last batch of Sometimes Walking Sometimes Running songs. All three songs offered here are untitled and I believe they were recorded in either late 2000 or early 2001; I am not 100% certain. I want to thank guitarist/vocalist Jay Melli for allowing me to share this with everyone. For you Long Island/NY area folks be sure to check out Jay's new band Risk who will be playing my band, Yes Sensei's last show on January 22nd at Mr Beery's in Bethpage.

Download Here

Knox Overstreet "Demo-2000" + " I Shot the Clerk"

Just the other night my girlfriend and I were watching Dead Poets Society, which reminded me that when I got back to the blog posting I needed to upload some more Knox Overstreet so without further delay here is the band's "demo" from 2000. And I say "demo" because I am not entirely sure if these songs were ever formally released. When I was putting together The Hope Machine compilation and I asked Knox Overstreet for a track bassist Owen Antku gave me this cd-r saying that "it was their new demo and I can use whatever track I liked". I ultimately chose to use "Take the Ticket", which became the lead off track on The Hope Machine. These songs certainly floated around on tapes and burned cd-rs  among friends but I never saw an official demo at shows. Like I said in my previous post about their 2003 demo, Knox Overstreet were not the type of band that shilled themselves with merch or going out of their way to do anything other than write good tunes and have a good time. While on one hand I found it refreshing on the other I found it absolutely maddening because they were certainly a band that I felt more people should've known about. The three songs captured on this demo showcase the band in their earlier stage where they definitely had a emo/indie rock, Garden Variety-esque vibe to their song writing. In a weird way at times I can kind of hear a guitar sound that I would later identify with bands like Life At These Speeds.

As a bonus I have included the track "I Shot the Clerk" which was recorded around the same time. It came out in 2000 on the It Certainly Was a Grand Piano compilation via the Abominable Records label whom also released Knox Overstreet's "Jammer Failed b/w Coming Around" 7 inch which I shall certainly upload once my vinyl ripping gets up to par. I am almost there and I will certainly be uploading a bunch of rare Long Island vinyl and many more tapes in the coming weeks.

And I just wanted to add a few more thoughts...in looking at the "cover" for the Knox Overstreet "demo" I glanced at the bottom and saw the email contact which was actually for Owen Antku's other band, Flying Train Committee which was a Samiam/Knapsack sounding project that he and Lord Humongous' Ned Overton (guitar) and Mike Simensen (drums) were a part of. Seeing that reminds me of a few things; the first if anyone has any Flying Train Committee recordings PLEASE send them my way (not sure if any of those guys read this blog or not) as I never got any though I recall pestering Ned a few times. And secondly, I absolutely loved going to and playing shows with Knox Overstreet, Flying Train Committee, Music/Casa Negro, Lord Humongous, With Every Idle Hour, and Intransit as there was no scene bullshit or whatever; it was always just good times. All those bands were awesome musically and had some of the coolest, most down to earth dudes. When I look back at shows and especially the early Yes Sensei shows; I feel pretty fortunate to have been able to have one of my projects welcomed into that fold of bands.

Knox Overstreet "Demo-2000" track listing

1. "Take the Ticket"
2. "Pabst Blue Ribbon"
3. "Blast Off"

It Certainly Was a Grand Piano comp
4. "I Shot the Clerk"

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