OSWEGO – EP

 It was only this year I became familiar with OSWEGO. I remember thinking to check them out but it’s only now I get round to it (in the meantime 9 years have passed!). I can honestly say it was worth waiting for and I’m not sure how much I would’ve appreciated it back then anyway. It’s very hard to describe this band, the obvious reference would be KEROSENE 454 with both Darren Zentek and Erik Denno in this band. Stylistically imagine artier D.C. stuff: SHUDDER TO THINK (circa Pony Express Record), BURNING AIRLINES or FUGAZI mixed with ‘Discipline’ era KING CRIMSON or early POLICE. It’s a really interesting record to say the least, there’s a lot to take in even considering this is an EP. It’s the kind of music that you simply won’t hear unless these guys decide to play together again. I think this EP is out of print but if you like this B-Core disc is selling the full length for only 3 Euro!

FINE DAY – January CD

 I think the FINE DAY ‘Sunspot’ 7″ has been posted on other blogs but I’ve never seen their discography… I say ‘discography’ but the other five songs didn’t appear until the ‘January’ CD was released. This CD appeared on the Spread label from the UK in about 1998, I recall ‘pre-ordering’ this & they personalised each one with a custom printed vellum insert. Great label and a fantastic distro, I always wondered what happened to them? If you’re out there Issac get in touch! Anyhow, of these tracks ‘Extinct’ and ‘Soot’ were released as their 7″ in 1992. The rest were recorded in January 1993 at WGNS studio with Geoff Turner. Here is a scan of the liner notes detailing the bands history etc: 

I don’t really need to go into how this sounds other than to say it is fucking good early 90’s D.C. post hardcore that veers on the heavier side of things.  Check it out

01-peach-trees

02-slowdive

03-a-sleeping-boy-awakes

04-little-dust-wonder

05-flight-of-a-bomb

06-extinct

07-soot

OPIUM TAYLOR – Fade machine fade magazine CD

 Who? yeah exactly. Opium Taylor were a Caulfield records band hailing from  Lincoln, Nebraska (like Sideshow) and existed from the mid 90s to late 90s. ‘Fade Machine fade magazine’ was released in 1999 and saw the band travel to D.C. to record at Inner Ear with Don Zientara. It’s no suprise that this band have heavy Dischord leanings, in particular they pay service  to the early Shudder To Think sound much the same as Party of Helicopters did. Caulfield records had these guys billed as  ’Lungfish meets Pere Ubu’, and that’s a fair approximation in terms of  their more unique approach.

01-spooked

02-squint

03-a-popular-mechanic

04-fuckeyes

05-saints-pistol-and-pete

06-kookie-kutter

07-no-mississippi-river

08-live-from-knickerbockers

09-sip-slip-shot-snapshot

10-like-a-priest

11-kill-the-neon-lights

12-scheutzenfest-fever

13-japanese-sunflower

14-run-boy

CALABASH CASE – Constantly Parading

 Another posting about an obscure San Diego band, no such thing as too many where this stuff is concerned. I’m not exactly sure of the full Calabash Case discography… I have ‘Constantly Parading’ (Wrenched, 1996) & I once owned a 7″ (presumably thier first?) while there is also a self titled album from 1998. Calabash Case definately fits in with the Wrenched records vibe with a looseness that brings to mind Trumans Water or Chune… basically you can tell these guys are from the West coast!

HEMLOCK – Valvestate

 Following on from the Fishwife post… Hemlock features members of Fishwife, Reclyner, Rocket From The Crypt, No Knife, Tanner, Radio Wendy, Shortwave Channel, Camera Obscura etc. I’m sure that has pricked a few people’s ears up & it also keeps things in line with this blog’s title. ’Valvestate’ (Goldenrod, 1996) fits somewhere between Tanner and early No Knife,  it’s more of an indie vibe here than clattering hardcore. Incidentally Chris Prescott plays guitar/vocals here but has spent time drumming  in both Tanner and No Knife. The last three tracks on this CD are from Hemlock’s second 7″ recorded by Gar Wood, also note the rather decent cover of Duran Duran’s ‘Save a prayer’.