Another Night, Another Abandoned Website

 

Yeah, I'm still binging on the Everly Brothers.
I mean, check this shit out. They're backed by an uncredited Hollies on this Lp and just fucking kill it with stuff like this. (and also make me realize that I've lost a few more notes on my singing range. It didn't used to be such a strain to sing along....)

 

But that's neither here nor there as far as this particular exercise is concerned. You're not here to listen to me hype up the Everlys. You either already know or don't. I'll just say that it's worth your time.

Here's what you, and I mean you, actually came for.


 

Flex Time (2005)

The Dials were from Chicago. They made a sweet farfisa garage rock and pop sound and looked good doing it. Not that I ever saw them or even knew that they existed. I got this as an add-on to a large online order based on Youtube and it being really cheap.

It's unfortunate. I would like to have dug them live. Garagey stuff is always better sweating with a beer in your hand...

But on the plus side, their Discogs entry has been updated with the existence of a second album since I last looked over there. So there's more to hunt down.

As it is, they have a website, but it hasn't been updated since 2009 so it's probably a pretty safe bet that they've been defunct for a long while...

Sure. Why the Fuck Not?

 

I didn't really feel ambitious about posting anything. I have no particular thing I want to say or put out there.

This caught my eye.

So here we are.

Jam Tarts in the Jakehouse (2008)

the Bitter Tears.

I had absolutely no preconceived ideas about this band when I purchased this disc on the internet as a two dollar add on to a larger order I was placing. I saw it. I listened to a couple of Youtube videos and decided I would add it to the order and the collection because I kind of liked what I heard.

It certainly didn't hurt its case that it was released on Carrot Top Records. The label that gave the world the Coctails among others.

A contemporary review gave it a 7/10 with comparisons to Neutral Milk Hotel and the Shins.
While I may quibble with the reviewer's perceptions, I'm not going to necessarily argue with their ultimate score there. But then this does have some of the earmarks of an album that could grow on the ears with each subsequent listen. So who knows where we'll be a few more years down the road.

For whatever reason this seems to be their swansong. They existed until they didn't.
Enjoy it as such.

One For the Road

 

It's after midnight.
I got tacos to eat and a nice warm whisky glow from the glass I poured like three queued posts ago.

Let's keep this brief again

2000 - Tokidoki

Mostly acoustic duo consisting of Peter Schaefer & Nora O'Conner recording painfully sweet little pop ditties that you could play for your grandmother if she wasn't more into Motorhead or something. (Well, you could probably still play it for her, but she'd just give you the finger behind your back for being such a wuss)

This was released unto the world by Sunday Records.

Google also tells me that Tokidoki is Japanese for "sometimes", so there, we both learned something today.

Busting Out All Over

 

It's June.

 

 

 

 

Stop-Me-Search-Me (1996)

 

the Velmas.

from Chicago Il

 

This is another one that if I were ever to get the chance to curate a compilation of indiepop singles from the 90s would feature on the first volume.

That's if I could ever decide which side to use because both sides are fucking awesome.

There's a full length somewhere that I still need to locate.

 

 

Diary & Herself (1999)

 

Starlet

From Sweden

 

Yeah, I might throw "Diary and Herself" from this single on Parasol on that same compilation since it makes the cut at 1999. 

Unrelated Seven Inches

I swear I'd posted this first one before...

Log-a-Rhythms (1981)

I think I had intended to post this along with the Painterband single that I haven't quite gotten to or maybe I already did post it. I remember stuff that I had written or wanted to write. But it doesn't appear in my site search. So, maybe I dreamed it.

Log-a-Rhythms is the work of Katherine Hughes, violinist. But strangely enough the bio on her page does not mention this single. An obvious omission on her part. Perhaps you could book her for your corporate event and request it.

I like it, myself. The world needs more songs about coffee.

You Did It (1983)

Liliput were from Zurich in Switzerland. This trio was originally named Kleenex until the Kimberly-Clark people asked them politely to call themselves something else. And such is how the legal world of names evolve in a corporate space.

It's on Rough Trade and occupies the same musical space as the Slits, Raincoats and the like of the post-punk sphere.

There was a double disc reissue of their complete recordings that Kill Rock Stars released in 2001 that I briefly considered for posting. You can consider this a sample. If there's interest perhaps I'll put it up. (Which is really just my thinly veiled plea for comments and attention. It gets lonely here when the cat's ignoring me.)

I Want to Finish Up on an Even Number

I've queued up a bunch of crap tonight.

This will by post number 640 which has no significance in itself, but seems like a better number to end on than 639. There's really nothing particularly wrong with 639, but 640 seems like a more solid number to close out on and a good place to start August.

And start it we will.

with this:

High (1988)

Choo Choo Train is the band that the musical partnership of  Rick Menck and Paul Chastain concocted before forming Velvet Crush. It's a lot lighter fare than would be provided by the Velvet Crush debut a couple of years later, but is still some fine late 80's pop. I'm getting to be somewhat of a completist for this duo's work...

Four lovely nuggets including "My Best Friend" written by Matthew Sweet who they've recorded and toured with for eons.

Just stop reading my blather and enjoy it while there's still a summer to enjoy here in the Northern Hemisphere...

This is just about as good as this stuff gets.

The Good and Bad and Things Reconsidered

It's another day. The next day from the previous post and I've still got a head cold.
Bear that in mind.

Matt Allison (1989)

I hadn't actually listened to this in quite a long time until now. I must have been having a bad time when I first played it because I'm totally reassessing my my original opinion. First off the a-side has the core of the Velvet Crush (Rick Menck & Paul Chastain) backing Matt Allison up to pretty sweet pop effect. The flip is all Matt Allison in his home studio.

Oh, and it's on the Bus Stop Label so if you've enjoyed anything else I've posted on that label, this is going to be right up your alley.

As for Matt Allison himself, it looks like he's been making his living on the other side of the recording booth with his own Atlas Studios in Chicago if you're in need of some recording done.

Neo Bar & Grill (1979)

I'd thought that I'd posted the second single by the D'gadband a long ass time ago, so this was supposed to be a simple follow up of a less interesting single for the sake of completeness, but alas, I hadn't posted the original. (or I just can't find the post. Holy shit I've done a lot of this crap...)

So anyway, we'll start with the first single from Minneapolis unknowns the D'gadband. And I'll preface it with a simple that it's not particularly good. It's the exact kind of Midwest 70's bar band noodling you might expect of the leather vest, mustache and bad hair on the band members on the back of the sleeve. It's competently done, but really really not my scene.

No Money, No Future (1980)

But what a difference a year makes.

It seems like the gents had ditched the 70's soft country rock sounds and found a bit more of an edge. Perhaps they just put the bong down for a little bit. It's not like the holy grail of lost punk rock records, but "No Money, No Future" is a start lyrically and in intent which hopefully scored them more gigs in the big city and maybe some coke.

The next year before the waters of obscurity swallowed them again they were on the "12x8" compilation that' on here somewhere if you search for it. It' compilation so check the 13th. That has some good trcks on it, but the boy in this band had obviously picked the bong back up for  tune they called "Mini Spliff". Don't let that deter you...

Storytime continues more or less.

Where did we leave off....

Aden (1997)

Those guys in the previous post who had formed a band and called it Dingle and then changed the name to Aden recorded and entire compact disc of material and set it loose on the world with a cover painting of two cows.

Who doesn't love cows? Or at least a good hamburger. Or cold glass of milk.

And really it was only an almost complete compact disc of material. There are a handful of songs that were on the previous two releases. Only this time in glorious digital fidelity.

Mid-90s vinyl can be pretty noisy and cheap sometimes.

But I digress...

This full length release brought them to the attention of Teen-Beat records which would go on to release a further three full length compact discs of Aden that I don't have, so this story doesn't really have much of an ending. Only a soundtrack. And a nice melancholy indiepop one at that. So....

the end?

Storytime

It's an old story.

Well, relatively so.

I mean, holy shit. 1995 was close to a quarter of a century ago....

Time flies even when you're not even having any fun.

Remember that and think of it sometime when you're about to fall asleep.

Dingle (1995)


So once upon a time there were three college kids in Chicago, Illinois who formed a band. They called this band Dingle.

Dingle was a good band. They played live and after a little while they went and recorded a little seven inch ep and named it after themselves. It had three little songs simply recorded and released it into the world for everyone to see. And nobody paid that much attention.

Aden (1996)

So our three stalwart and steady heroes made a bold decision. They changed the name of their band to Aden. That they decided was a much better name and one that was bound to grab them more attention and put them at the very front of the alphabet where people might see them. And then they waited.

And while they sat behind the hedge waiting they recorded another seven inch with three more songs on it this time. One of the songs on it was named "Aden" which they liked enough to name themselves after. It was a good bit of vinyl and they knew it.

And then they waited some more for people to notice.

(to be continued...?)

The Exclamation Point is Important

I'm heading out to work here shortly.

This is a post for today.



If you're interested in the history of the exclamation point read this.

DA! (2010)


A limited Record Store Day dealio of unreleased and live and various tracks from the band Chicago band DA! as previously posted and even discussed in the last post. (See that for relevant links and shit.)

Lorna Donley died in 2011 of a ruptured aorta, but not before they had a brief reunion in 2010. Here's a contemporary interview from then.

David Thomas, the guitarist not the Wendy's founder, has a Soundcloud page up with some more unreleased stuff and rehearsal tapes that you can enjoy. There's a live version of the Byrds "Why" from the 7th St Entry in 1983 that is quite good.

I really like this band.

They say I'm Maladjusted...

It's early in the morning hours.
Download this at a volume that won't disturb others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Busted At Oz (1981)

 

Side One
Naked Raygun - Bomb Shelter
Naked Raygun - When the Screaming Stops
Strike Under - Fucking Uniforms
Subverts - March Forth
Effigies - Quota
Da - Fish Shit
Silver Abuse - Anti-Hot Dog
Silver Abuse - Pink Port Now
Silver Abuse - Bomb Shelter

Side Two
Effigies - Guns or Ballots
Subverts - State of the Union
Naked Raygun - Paranoia
Naked Raygun - Libido
Da - The Killer
Strike Under - Anarchy Song
Silver Abuse - Jigaboo Jump


Another quality compilation of Chicago heavy hitters from 1981 on Autumn Records. The Silver Abuse tracks are my particular favorites because they are unremittingly dumb and funny and all the more punk rock for it. This is also recommended for the live DA! track who didn't really fit in with the whole punk rock at Oz scene, but they were already on Autumn Records with a single and an Ep (Which you may remember got posted a few years back)  so they made the cut.

AV Club has an article about a reissue done a number of years back.

Cold Pizza

I'm typing with on hand while I use the other to hold a slice of cold pizza.

 Don't Get Mad (1980)

Power Pop from the Bay Area from 1980 by the Imposters.
It's good stuff.

Hey Who (1967)

What would probably have been a Power Pop equivalent for the time by a band from the Chicago area called the Ingredients.

Also the good stuff.

Multi-tasking.

I'm not sure if that's one word or traditionally uses a dash.
I really don't care. I'm really only paying half attention to this while I type. I'm also listening to and digitizing other records at the same time. It's a lot of things to try and focus on at once. So you'll cut me some slack on the word "multi-tasking" if it's incorrect.

 Radio Dial (Don't Touch That) (1982)

There's really nothing I can come up with approximately five solid minutes of googling about the particulars of this Chicago band that called itself Broken English except that this their second single  before being swallowed by the aether of time. Both sides are pretty solid late era Power Pop that really don't deserve the dustbin of history where they are currently residing.

Punksation (1981)

Here's another power pop styled oddity rescued from the ash heap of eternity.

Coogie and the Zebra were from the Pittsburgh area of Pennsylvania and put out this sole single on a local label that otherwise only seems to have a handful of old time folk and country records to its credit. Strike one against them.

Strike two is naming themselves "Coogie and the Zebra" which sounds more like the name of a morning zoo crew radio team than a band that anybody with any self respect might want to associate with.

Then there's the song called "Punksation" which owes more than a bit of its guitar riff to Bowie's "Fame". The song itself feels like a very suburban concept of punk rock in a glam power pop wrapper. Even now, I'm unsure of how I feel about it.

The B-side feels like they've been studying the first couple of Cars lps in the meantime. It works better for me.

Let my ambivalence be your enlightenment.

I missed these

One of the perils of sitting for long periods and digitizing singles is that occasionally stuff doesn't get filed properly and things slip through the cracks and stuff that was meant to be thrust upon the unsuspecting blog reader is forgotten for the newest acquisitions.

This is one such story in the big city

 Immune System (1979)

This little slice of the state of the New Wave ca. the end of the 70's came from Chicago. Besides being quite an enjoyable little single their other claim to fame seems to be that a slightly later incarnation this guitarist was replaced by Al Jourgensen of Ministry fame.

Bourgeois Fun (1978)

I wasn't originally intending to post this one. I don't think it's really all that good. Ok, perhaps. But then I saw that are five of them for sale on Discogs with the lowest starting at forty bucks and thought, I should save some gullible member of the record buying public some disappointment and post it.
I mean, with a name like the Bodysnatchers with a song called "Bourgeois Fun" and on Proletariat Records, it ought to be a great lost punk rocker, right?
Nah, it's not.
It's not terrible. It's pretty primitively recorded and sparse, mid-tempo and with a bit of regular flavor rock around the edges. Nothing particularly special, but still much better than what was the top of the charts for the year (specifically the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack and "You Light Up my Life" by Debbie Boone).
You listen and decide if it's worth what people are asking. I got it for a buck, myself.

Where'd That Other Single Go

This is a place marker for some Coctails singles.

(ed. It has since been filled)

1991 - Songs for Children

Still probably better than the Wiggles for those who choose to reproduce.

 

1993 - Penguin/Powerhouse

Sometime in the early 90's at the tail end of the Lounge revival hipsters everywhere discovered the work of Raymond Scott. 

Most were already familiar with the two songs on this particular single because they had been cribbed by Carl Stalling for numerous Warner Brothers cartoons.

So this is early 90's hipsters covering what's hot in hipster circles in the early 90's.

And thus the circlejerk of life went on.

 1996 - Why?

This is the Coctails backing a T. Lance and making a garagey racket. This makes sense to me.

Another "Wait, I Didn't already post the previous singles" post

So here's another incidence where I thought I'd already posted some Coctails and the other two Dame Darcy singles I've got and was looking back so I could link to the previous posts and bring some closure to the world, only to discover I hadn't done anything of the sort.

Tardvark (1994)

It's Dame Darcy. It's the Coctails

The songs were recorded in a barn or something in a single day. Your enjoyment may vary depending on your tolerance level for singing saws and weirdness. I'm Ok with it personally.

( Now I have to figure out if I really need to cram those other singles into the queue...)

Because the other thing I had for this was this

the Cowboys (1981)

From Seattle WA.

So "Rude Boy" is that faux ska that one might expect. But the flip "She Makes Me Feel Small" is the power pop song you should pay closer attention to. It's not going to change your world, but it's better than getting a pencil lead jammed into your forehead. Trust me.

The difference a D makes

It was so much presumable fun posting like named bands last time I'm going to do it again.

the End - Memorandum (1966)

From Chicago. They apparently aren't big fans of paperwork and offices. They do apparently enjoy Buddy Holly enough to garage up a version of "Not Fade Away" on the b-side. Though it may be that they only learned the song from the Rolling Stones.

the Endd - Project Blue (1966)

From LaPorte, Indiana. Our first Hoosier record, I think. This is one of those great fuzz records. The b-side here is a cover of the Banshees recording of "Project Blue",  the fuzz makes it worth the trip. I think I like the sparer sound of the Endd myself. For my tastes though the Plug Side "Out of my Hands" is the fucking money shot. It's a heartfelt fuzz ballad. He met somebody new and he can't help himself. It's biology, baby. Teen tragedy at its finest and that drum fill just slays me.

Easily Amused

I may have made an error in the tags for this one. Correct it if you feel the need.

 

Book of Lies - Cryptic Memo (1983)

Avant-pop or something. It's artsy shit from Chicago anyway. Obscure as fuck and entirely enjoyable for those who like that sort of thing. I do, at least. 

I'm also amused that one of the cover images for it on Discogs is my exact copy with the radio station writing on it. I didn't take the photo. It was there before I bought the thing. Life is funny that way.

Billy Clone & the Same (1979)

Have we done Arizona yet? This one is from Arizona and will have to do until we get to JFA or Sun City Girls in the distant future.

Mostly Unintentional Novelty Songs

 It's hard to tell what they were thinking.

 

 the Cleaning Ladys (1984)

The extremely annoyingly improperly pluralized Cleaning Ladys  were apparently from the Chicago area. The lyrics are reprinted on the back of the sleeve in case you miss the jokes. (She won't French Kiss, but she'll otherwise bang you six ways to Sunday) There was an official video to go with it. You can youtube it yourself. I've got other things to do with my time.

               

 
the Bee Jays (1980)
Same song both sides. A hilariously droll gay take on the Angels hit. With only a few minor lyrical modifications. I smirk every time he gets to "He knows that you've been lyin'/Soon we will be KYing"

I'm funny that way.







  What Do We Do With the World (1967)

It's difficult to get people to really understand that the most popular and successful musical act of the 20th Century was not the Beatles that your grandparents like to remind you that nothing your generation will do will be half so awesome as. (fuck off, gramps.) It was Bing fucking Crosby. He dominated music, radio and movies for thirty plus years and then turned into a national treasure. He was also apparently a pretty nasty fucker to his kids, but beloved by millions otherwise. You may know him from "White Christmas" which is the only thing anybody remembers him for.

 For a while at one miserable cooking job doing Sunday Brunch prep over the course of salaried 60 hour weeks I used to listen to a radio show dedicated to the Bingmeister. He recorded a lot of hacknied dreck and dreary ballads which apparently went over like gangbusters during the Depression and WWII. This little number stood out the one time I heard it such that I  had to track this thing down. It's as close as Der Bingle ever got to Rock and Roll and ever so dingily and dimly psychedelic that I knew I would have to have it.

What would we do with Earth once we've started colonizing the stars?

Fucking progress...