Frizbee- Richard Moss 7"

this one is excellent. it was released by bubblegun records in 1996. unfortunate things: i don't know too much more about this band, other than they were from ontario (that's in canada, friends) and that they also released a 5 song cassette ep. unfortunate things continued: there is a skip in the first track. but this comes highly recommended. listen & love.

tracklist:

the gimmick
one man bland
just lettuce and air


something profoundly useless

Beezus- I'll Call You Blue

the original tune on this is nice enough i suppose, though the real reason this is worth listening to is because they cover a most excellent superchunk song (i'm working, but i'm not working for you. slack motherfucker!). these cats were also on a split with braid. the more you know, the less you know.

tracklist:

i'll call you blue
slack motherfucker (superchunk)


business ventures of bottling air

split! Will Sheff / Charles Bissell covers 7"

this split, put out in 2008 by jagjaguwar, sees will sheff of okkervil river and charles bissell of the wrens cover a song penned by each other's band. all quiet and pretty-like, give the hearing machine an early non-returnable easter gift.

tracklist:

will sheff- ex-girl collection (the wrens)
charles bissell- it ends with a fall (okkervil river)


stars awash in galactic nectar

V/A- Anything Goes When You Go... Girl Crazy! LP

this here's a compilation of all female-fronted pop/punk bands put out by remedial records in 1998. mixed results here. some songs are definitely better than others, and there's surely a fair share of subpar tunes. the band maow is neko case's old band (pre-new pornographers). kitty badass also does a fun enough rendition of the oft-covered game of pricks. test the waters for yourself.

trackist:

catfight!- not in love
the eyeliners- you lose
the chubbies- vegas song
junior varsity- party tonight
the neptunas- shapes of things to come
budget girls- tinklebee
me first- drunk and walking home alone
maow- just fine
the hissyfits- wish
the beautys- small meat driver
red #9- dependency
bombshell- condescending boy
kitty badass- pricks
swoons- my grandpa is joey ramone
east coast panic- all you
ballgagger- sidedish
ninety-nine- woekenender


disreputable and drunk, the sales pitch hit a snag

Charlie McAlister- Carolina Bi-Product 7"

more excellent lo-fi folksy weirdness from charlie mcalister. great throughout. standout track here is i don't love you anymore. spend as much time as you'd like to wondering if you should hear this, and then decide to listen, and by listen i mean listen ad nauseum.

tracklist:

carolina bi-product beachball boogie
i'm freezin'
i don't love you anymore
memories in the rain


sad sack of potatoes and earth

A Boy Named Thor- Lonely Summer Days

totally wimpy stuff, and that's not a knock, just a factual description. it's decent enough though. the musical stylings of six cents & natalie would give you a fair idea as to what you might be getting here. really soft vocals over really minimalist instrumentation. relaxing pop tunes worthy of a listen.

tracklist:

lonely summer days
if you are awake
a history of kissing


presently presenting presents sans pretenses

The Crabapples- For Change 7"

slumberland records put this number out in 2006, which is close to the beginning of when this excellent label caught their second wind and started getting back into the game. the crabapples offer up four quick bursts of pretty swell noisy indie pop with this one. the band also had a single put out on (wait for it) a floppy disk. another useless bit of information for the crowded bank of things you didn't need to know.

tracklist:

quality (not quantity)

crabapples for change

london belongs to me pt. 2

all the earnest young men

anticipatory aches & predetermined pains

Belreve- Ron 7"

another single by belreve. this one came out on slumberland records a year after the other belreve 7" i posted. i think this one is better. both songs here are good, and if it's shoegazin' nosie-makin' melodic indie pop you're looking for, you've found it. underrated skills those are, them finding skills. but they've served you well. or at least they have today.

tracklist:

ron
look out


a spastic flail and the shame sets in

split! The Serious Geniuses / Jean Claude Jam Band 7"

the serious geniuses are pretty excellent, and although short-lived, more people should hear what they offered up. they also released an album, which is definitely worth checking out. jean claude jam band plays some punk that pops, and it goes without saying that their band name rocks. split release by kiss of death records and clubhouse records.

tracklist:

the serious geniuses- marc attack

the serious geniuses- hoffstra

jean claude jam band- two dollar headache

jean claude jam band- rattlesnake love

bloated and blissful with little bones all broken

split! The Van Pelt / Chisel- Live At WMUC 7"

this record consists of one live track from each band. chisel is ted leo's older band. the van pelt offer up a damn good rendition of a pretty excellent song off of their sultans of sentiment album. this split was released in 1997 by air king alliance. my opinion? the pelt take this one for sure. but surely i jest? no, likely not.

tracklist:

the van pelt- yamato (where people go to die)
chisel- towncrusher



lucky losing streak

Suretoss- Quiet Christmas 7"

minimalist lo-fi pop. self-released on his jigsaw records label, the dude who goes by suretoss put this out in 1999. three short songs, including an elevator to hell cover. it's worth checking out this little one-sided record. ties to the band sandy city.

tracklist:

quiet christmas
snowless winter
forward to snow (elevator to hell cover)


clipped wings, clipped beak: forever grounded and never to speak

Super Falling Star- Someday 7"

slow shoegaze pop like thick soda. quiddity records put this out in 1996. i knew that this record was limited to 500 copies, but i didn't know that they apparently also made 500 unique sleeves for this release, which is totally time-consumingly fucked, but also nice. let it trickle like tree sap.

tracklist:

someday
falling girl
shipwrecked


blatant and subtle like contradictions

split! Silver Scooter / Tiara

songs from 1998. put out by voice of the sky. both are solid enough, but i prefer silver scooter's side of this split. it's a sweet little ditty. pretty and understated like all the sunrises you never wake up to see.

tracklist:

silver scooter- morning view
tiara- swingset


scuba dive before your flight and welcome the bends

Tiara- It's A Message 7"

never heard any mention of this band before, which is too bad. complete obscurity is fitting for few, much less a band that put out at least a couple of decent tunes. they've got a split with silver scooter which i'll also be posting. check this band out. the songs here are pretty good.

tracklist:

it's a message
circle of friends


blacking out beneath a sky that's still blue

Spool- Callous Makers 7"

this band does a pretty good pavement imitation with this 1994 release put out by derivative records. really nothing further to say about this. if you like pavement, you will more than likely dig these songs.

tracklist:

callous makers
forget all the clean things


braving the days that are less than great

Plumtree- Water Had Leaked Into My Suit 7"

not a big fan of this release, but i am a big fan of canada's east coast indie/pop movement of the 90s, which this label (cinnamon toast records) definitely helped facilitate. the song sodium chloride ain't bad. and the cover rocks. merry shark week, one and all.

tracklist:

sodium chloride
the phone the phone
uno


so deft at being so daft

Silver Scooter- 1353 7"

the swingline record co. put this out in 1996. this release features a cover of an eric's trip song (allergic to love- a track from the almighty love tara) and is a pretty listen throughout. silver scooter seems under-appreciated. rake it over the auditory coals and recognize.

now you've gone and damned it

split! Wand / Golden Boots 7"

people in a position to know put this split out, which features two songs apiece from wand and golden boots, the latter of which takes the proverbial cake. the wand tunes are worth listening to, but when you're down on your luck and kickin' a rock across that ol' dusty road, these golden boots tunes'll keep you conscious. their second track (a nothing) sounds wilco-esque.

tracklist:

wand- dirty penny
wand- i'm afraid of little girls
golden boots- passerby (penelope)
golden boots- a nothing


blasphemous? yes. but i know you've got it bad at best.

The Van Pelt- The Speeding Train 7"

art monk construction put this out in 1997. how many descriptors need to bend to give you an idea of what you're getting? post-punkish partly sung, partly spoken borderline-emo germs that wink at melody well they threaten to dismantle her completely.

tracklist:

the speeding train
democratic teacher's union
evil high


last one to die buries himself