BRRR "Tone Poems" cd-r (self released/2004)

Tone Poems is the second release from Brrr, and it most likely my favorite release from them, though the reality is that I love every single song that this band wrote and recorded. It is a release that have played with a great deal of regularity since it came into my possession several years ago. Thank you Herbie for not only writing great music but also for sending it my way! I definitely recall listening to Tone Poems intensely for a period of time when I first got it. It was the perfect soundtrack on a lonely morning in a cold office wanting to just sleep or stare out the window or whatever. The six songs on Tone Poems found themselves on constant repeat as the elicited a calm in my being that I have seldom been able to cull from any other music before. It was a feeling a liked.

For those of you who missed my previous posting about Brrr's first cd-r Summer Songs (Part One) and are unfamiliar with Brrr they were a indie pop project masterminded by Herbie Schellenberger of Brown Recluse and Pet Milk fame. The music was somber and subtle but most certainly pop, but pop that tugged at your heart as opposed to tapping your toes. So if you like stuff like Jens Lekman (whom they cover on this release), Thanksgiving, Mt Eerie, etc than you may want to check this out. Tone Poems is a collection of six beautiful yet fragile bordering on ambient (as mood not sound) crooners. The instrumentation is varied but the key is that everything is subtle. In fact very few records I have listened to over the years has been to capture subtly as well as Brrr does on Tone Poems. I feel joy when I hear these songs but at times particularly with "Remember Me" and "The Waves" I am nearly brought to tears. But good tears as in that perhaps I'd put these songs on when I'd be down and just the mood and melodies bring a calmness to me that I am able to see the beauty in all that is around me a little more clearly. I know it may sound corny but it is totally true. Funny thing about "The Waves" is that I originally preferred the original recording (which I wish I had a mp3 of) but I grew so accustomed to this version that I can't imagine the song any other way at this point. Anyhow, enough jibber jabber just download Tone Poems as I am 100% positive you will love it as much as I do.

Brrr Tone Poems track listing

1. 21 December
2. The Waves
3. Something About Birds
4. If  You Were the Topic on Jeopardy
5. Remember Me
6. Crickets, Just Visiting

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La Mi Vida Violenta "We Are Ghosts" cd (22 Over 7/ 2004) + bonus tracks

Up until a few minutes ago I was not aware that this awesome band released anything other than the cd which I am uploading you for now. So in addition to sharing their two song ep We Are Ghosts I shall also add two songs I found courtesy of the band's old website. La Mi Vida Violenta were a band from Massachusetts that became aware of when my band Yes Sensei and our comrades Empty Silos Echo War made a stop at the wonderful Pirate's Cove in Allentown, PA and happened to play a show with them. La Mi Vida Violenta were a great, fun and sonically diverse band that played grooving post punk  that can best be described as a cross between A Certain Ratio, The Pop Group, !!!, and Boces era Mercury Rev. There is also a clear influence of free jazz, fusion era Miles Davis, soul and early hip hop as well various Latin music. Honestly, this is a band I wish I would've known more of and seen again. And know confirming how little the band's output was I can also certainly wish that they there more releases. In addition to this cd We Are Ghosts they released a split ep with the band Sentai, and La Mi Vida Violenta contributed five tracks-one of which I have added here as a bonus. I also wish there was more to say in this post. Regardless, just download this as it is excellent.

La Mi Vida Violenta We Are Ghosts track listing:
1. Down Tiger
2. Mash Note

Bonus tracks:
1. Blanks
2. Oh Asbestos


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Halftime Parade "Minor Freaks and Other Side Show Attractions" cd (Death is a Dance Move/2006) + "Next of Kin"

Do you like indie rock? If so then don't waste a minute more reading this post just download Halftime Parade's Minor Freaks and Other Side Show Attractions and you will hear a absolutely fantastic indie rock album. Based out of Exeter, United Kingdom Halftime Parade play super catchy indie rock/pop that is a cross between  bands like Urusei Yatsura, Pavement, Superchunk and The Wedding Present. The first time I heard the song "Hate" with it's super infectious sing along choruses I was absolutely hooked and found myself hitting repeat quite a few times. The album is a cornucopia of sounds shifting from buzzing guitar indie rock to slow to mid pace crooners. Even some acoustic guitars are thrown into the mix.

Eventually my buddy Thomas joined the band as their drummer and I issued a split 7 inch for them and Marshall Teller (Thomas' other band). As a bonus I have added Halftime Parade's track from that split, "Next of Kin". As fas as I can tell Halftime Parade never officially broke up but from what I can gather are just inactive but still have a new yet to be released album called The World After the Day Ended due out on Russian Folk Stories. I have been listening to rough mixes of that album for the last two years and it is just an incredible collection of songs. When it officially comes out it will certainly be one of the best indie rock records to be released in the last several years. In the meantime check out this debut release from Halftime Parade that I am sharing with you folks today.

Halftime Parade Minor Freaks and Other Side Show Attractions track listing
1. Injuries
2. Random Road
3. Indoor Sunshine (Doors With No Hinges)
4. 36
5. Hot Hands of the Liplessssssssss
6. Hate
7. Never Guessed It Was
8. Tiniest Pieces
9. October Antelope
10. Recovery

split 7 inch w/ Marshall Teller
1. Next of Kin

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Shock Treatment "...So Many Little Things" cd (Rumble Fish Records/2003)

One of the great benefits from doing the record label all of these years has been through trading records with other labels to distro I have been afforded the great opportunity to hear some truly great music. So not only do I get to distro it, generally speaking if I really like something it finds its way into my personal music collection. And that is exactly what Shock Treatment's ...So Many Little Things represents. Hailing from Italy and released by DIY label Rumble Fish Records in 2003, Shock Treatment play loud, discordant post punk that reminds me a lot of bands like Shellac, Uzeda, Bellini, etc. It has that fingernails on a chalk board Steve Albini-esque guitar sound all over it. ...So Many Little Things is pummeling albeit in a good way. Over the years the band has been very prolific releasing a few albums, eps, 7 inches, and comp appearances but for whatever reason this was the only release I was able to ever get my hands on. This is one of the finest releases that I have ever carried in my distro and I do believe I have a copy or two remaining.

Shock Treatment ...So Many Little Things track listing
1. Once Upon a Time
2. What I Am
3. Box Me In
4. Silvya' Nightmare
5. Missing
6. ...So Many Little Things
7. I Need a Place
8. It's So Fucking Cold
9. Silvya's Dream
10. zzz

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Officer May "Helping Others Help Themselves" cd (Random Noise Records/2001)

I mentioned this release previously in my post about The Migration Trap and I am very happy to now share the release with you fine readers of this blog. I first became aware of Officer May in 2003 when Yes Sensei played a show with them at Saints and Sinners for a show my buddy Charlie put on. Previously, he told me how much I'd love the band and while he is a great dude I had heard that sentiment before only to have my expectations crushed. Well not on that night my friend, as Officer May delivered and thensome. They were so loud, so intense and above all very rockin'. My mind was blown and my body was moving to the music. Officer May was a trio and I couldn't get over how loud they were. Right away their bombastic music struck me as a mixture of Shellac, The Jesus Lizard, Drive Like Jehu and Nirvana which is almost without question because guitarist/vocalist Chris Warren bore an absolutely uncanny vocal resemblance to Kurt Cobain. But regardless, Officer May's tunes absolutely stand on their own without being purely resorted to grunge worship. Within seconds of them unplugging their instruments I absolutely needed to own everything this band did. After a night drinking from the wonderful tap selection Saints and Sinners had to offer I was a bit skint so they were kind enough to trade a copy Helping Others Help Themselves for a Yes Sensei cd and then I purchased their then new album Smoking In a Minor on Ace Fu Records which I do believe was the band's only other recorded output. In fact Helping Others Help Themselves features an early version of the song "My Heart the Boomerang". Officer May were supposed to come back to Long Island to play a show at the Long Island Freespace with Yes Sensei and after weeks of hyping everyone in a earshot about them they never showed up. And that was the last any of us ever heard from the band. Regardless, Officer May fucking ruled and their two albums have been in regular rotation over the years. Man, I wish this band was still around to give a swift kick in the ass to lame modern indie rock/post punk. I am telling you within the first minute of "The Cancer" you will be absolutely hooked. Download this and prepare to be floored.

Officer May Helping Others Help Themselves track listing
1. The Cancer
2. A.D.D
3. Song to End All Songs
4. Unsex Complex
5. Fuck My Luck
6. Proud Parents of an Absolute Zero
7. Snake Attack
8. Head Down
9. The Stooge
10. My Heart the Boomerang
11. Misery

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Imaginary Baseball League "The Letter EP" cd (Stagnant Industries/2002)

Back in 2002 my band Yes Sensei played in a basement Quogue with Radio Raheem and this awesome indie rock band from Nashville called Imaginary Baseball League. They were the coolest guys and the played really catchy indie rock that had a alt country vibe at times. Their music had an upbeat vibe for the most part but even live I could tell that the vocals and lyrics came from a different place as they were certainly more introspective. Lead singer Aaron Robinson is the driving force behind Imaginary Baseball League with a wonderful melodic voice that you can get lost in as it guides you through the songs. That is not to take away from the musicianship,as The Letter EP is filled with  smart, hooky melodies but never are the performances over bearing. There is a maturity and balance in Imaginary Baseball League's song writing that is seldom witnessed, I for one applaud it.

I picked up copies of this cdep The Letter  for the distro as well as myself and I am excited to share it with everyone today as it is a absolutely solid release. I tried keeping up the band's activities over the years and they continued on for a bit releasing a ep called Cardiact as well as a fantastic full length called Revive. Sadly by 2005 the band had broken up, however before they did the recorded the tunes for what would've been their second full length album. Kindly the band has put these tracks up on their website for free download. Check it out!

Imaginary Baseball League The Letter EP track listing
1. From Arkansas With Love
2. Paternize
3. Heal
4. Plaza of the Cats
5. A Song No One Likes
6. Posing For Stills

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Brown Recluse Sings "Selected Hymns (of the Evening Tapestry)" cassette (Dead Format/2008)

When I first starting ripping my cassette collection this is the one that I was really psyched to rip regardless of it being a fairly recent release. I searched high and low for a mp3s. Heck, I am friends with one of the dudes in the band and one of the guys that run the label yet for some reasons no matter how many times I asked I couldn't get any mp3s of this awesome collection of songs that I could listen to in the early morning at my old office job or on those rainy days where I just want to stare into nothingness and get lost in a album. Selected Hymns (of the Evening Tapestry) is the perfect album to get lost in as the songs have this lo fi recorded in a dusty old bare room vibe to it, a very raw under produced indie pop album. And when I say under produced I don't mean that in a sloppy, let's make everything sound like shit on purpose way but where every sound is just raw, live production which when acoustic guitars and vocals are the driving element in music is a style that my ears prefer. Following up their wonderful debut cdep Black Sunday, Brown Recluse Sings' Selected Hymns (of the Evening Tapestry) is a wondrous collection of eleven instant indie pop songs to cap of the period of the band where they added "Sings" at the end of their name. Not sure why they dropped it, I rather liked that touch, giving a really traveling folk or gospel kind of vibe.

And as it turns out several of the songs that appear on Selected Hymns (of the Evening Tapestry) have been re-recorded with full arrangements for the new Brown Recluse album, Evening Tapestry on Slumberland Records  which I highly recommend you pick up. It is rather impressive how the secluded serenity of the songs on this cassette were transformed into something even grander. It is nice to see something transform a embryonic state to something fully fleshed out, and especially when the original renditions found on Selected Hymns (of the Evening Tapestry) are so strong. The talent that Brown Recluse's principal songwriter Timothy Meskers has for crafting perfected melodic indie pop tunes and for exhibiting such incredible vocal skills is a real treat to someone who has been surrounded by tone deaf would be vocalists for most of my time involved in independent music.

As much as I enjoy relevant music from my generation and current projects peers are working on I'd seldom tag the phrase timeless to much of if, but the music Brown Recluse creates is absolutely timeless. I have played their music for people who don't even like indie music or travel those circles and those people have responded "who is this? this music is great."- meaning that their music, like all great music transcends any silly genre or tag one subscribes to. Fear not you indie clown doctors afraid that your mom will dig this and eventually find her way to borrowing your Pavement bootlegs and your Sarah Records singles- Brown Recluse is definitely a indie band but a above that a great band.  Bias aside, and this is as a music lover speaking, I would be hard pressed to find another current band making better indie pop than Brown Recluse.

Before you get to the free downloading of Selected Hymns (of the Evening Tapestry) do the smart thing and head on over to Slumberland to pick up the new Brown Recluse album Evening Tapestry as well as their previous 12 inch The Soft Skin, which is easily one of my favorite records in recnt years. For you lazy bastards I'll even provide links.

BUY Brown Recluse "Evening Tapestry"
BUY Brown Recluse "The Soft Skin"

Brown Recluse Sings Selected Hymns (of the Evening Tapestry) track listing
1. Hobble to Your Tomb
2. Foreign Correspondent
3. Impressions of a City Morning
4. Cattail Bouquet
5. Evening Tapestry
6. Monday Moon
7. Ascending the White Mountain
8. Summer
9. Wooden Fingers
10. Rinse Off the Newsprint
11. Alpha 60

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Tasharah "Tasharah" cd-r (Alone Records/2002)

Maintaining two different blogs is definitely proving to be more work than I anticipated. With my unemployment about to come to a end  I am going to try and get a regular schedule going so both this blog and Here On This Island get fair attention. With that being said on with the show...

This will most likely be the heaviest release that I feature here. While my heart mainly bleeds for indie pop and noisy post punk I definitely have a warm and fuzzy spot for screamo and loud, abrasive hardcore. Hands down one of my favorite hardcore bands has always been The Assistant. Their music was brutal yet very intricate and the message expressed was something that I appreciated. Even if I didn't agree with every sentiment I genuinely appreciated the sentiments and how they were conveyed. It didn't strike me as overtly preachy. My band Yes Sensei played with them twice and to me it was like playing for Led Zeppelin or something like that as silly as that may sound to most. Anyhow, while this isn't it a release by The Assistant, Tasharah was a screamo/hardcore side project of The Assistant's guitarist Tom Schlatter who  for this project did vocals and played drums while Sean Andrews played the guitar and vocals. Musically, while it does have some of the technical yet brutal guitar work that was similar to The Assistant I would say that Tasharah is closer to This Ship Will Sink than The Assistant. There is a throbbing, distorted low end to everything that just makes everything sound even heavier. And remember this project was a two piece. When listening to this six song ep the fact is almost hard to comprehend even with the luxury of overdubs. The recording and songs just sound very raw and fluid. I picked up copies of this ep for myself and the distro when Yes Sensei and On the Might of Princes played a massive basement show in New Jersey with The Assistant, Radio Raheem and others.To my knowledge this was the only output that Tasharah had.

Tasharah Tasharah track listing:
1. The Arrangement
2. What is the Primary Function of People Like Oprah Winfrey Anyway?
3. Sleeping With the Enemy
4. Where to Begin
5. If You Were a Pentium, You'd Be a 133
6. Doing Favors for Criminals

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Bridge Made of Bats "Aplomb at The Temps of The Tomb" cd-r (Leedspoint Records/2005)

My first memory of Bridge Made of Bats comes sometime around winter 2003, my band Yes Sensei was on tour with Scent of Human History and as per the routine I collected all the fliers made for our shows because I am a nerdy archivist (which is a fancy way of saying junk collector. Or is hoarder the in term these days?) Anyhow on a stop at a house show in New Jersey one of the fliers had listings of other upcoming shows and one of the shows had a band named Bridge Made of Bats and instantly thought what a cool name for a band. Our drummer at the time said they played Philadelphia (where he attended school) often and were awesome. Later that year I had a long distance relationship going on with some girl in Philadelphia who was generally removed at that time from punk/hardcore and that sort of thing and discovered a love for country music. Anyhow, she asked me if I listened to Bridge Made of Bats and if I hadn't I should because I'd love them. Just who was this band? And why was everyone convinced I'd love them? I soon found out in the summer of 2004 when a fragmented version of Yes Sensei (we came home two weeks early from a tour sans our bass player) as Evan from Empty Silos Echo War bailed us out learning a few songs in a pinch when we headed to Philadelphia to play a show at The Fire with Bridge Made of Bats. Finally, I found out first hand why everyone was telling me I'd love this band. Their performance was just absolutely awe inspiring. The music was loose, noisy and very percussive. It sound like The Ex, Brainiac, DNA, Teenage Jesus & the Jerks, The Slits meets Fugazi's at their most experimental. It was just great. Like I said the music was very percussive not just in the sense that there were a lot of drums but even the noisy guitars had a percussive clang to it all. But definitely from the drumming stand point it was unlike anything I had seen in "the scene", as there was a influence on the drums that just didn't came from punk/indie rock or whatever.

Their full length cd-r Aplomb at the Temps of the Tomb captures absolutely everything I loved about that performance and more. It is music that you can just get lost in at times as each time I listen to it new sounds, rhythms or grooves stand out. There was a point where I was listening to this cd-r almost every day and it never bored me. In fact I probably got more into it the more I listened to it. It is music that certainly has the element of surprise which is something I truly yearn for in music but very seldom are my ears granted such a treat. At some point I tried to cajole the band into letting me release some of their music and even get them to Long Island for a show though nothing materialized. A split 7 inch with Yes Sensei was planned but that didn't happen either. Eventually the band just quietly folded. I recently was able to obtain unreleased demo material which is just as awesome. As long as I get the okay from the band I'd be happy to share those as well.

Bridge Made of Bats Aplomb at the Temps of the Tomb track listing
1. Suppose
2. Death Comes to Berlioz
3. Standing Outside a Cloven Head
4. Like a Train Running Him Through
5. Splitting Bones With a Note
6. Neither God
7. Nor Bach Could Strike

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We Leave At Dawn "January 06" cd-r (Russian Folk Stories/2006)

Shortly after I started my label Rok Lok Records, I started receiving regular mail orders (yes through the mail) from a kid named Thomas from Exeter in the United Kingdom. He would always include typed out letters or handwritten letters with his orders and I'd return the gesture. Eventually, we didn't need any sort of commerce related transaction to communicate as letters and emails became fairly regular practice (as they do til the this day). At some point Thomas started sending me cd-rs of his various bands and then he and has girlfriend Hannah started a record label that was built upon strong DIY ethics and ideas. The packaging to all of their releases would be handmade, pieces of art almost where it was more than something just to put on a shelf. And this cd-r release from We Leave at Dawn is not only one of Thomas' bands but one of the label's earliest releases.

This debut effort from We Leave at Dawn, January 06 is a full length album consisting of nine tracks of emo done right. Not the hair in your face nonsense but the extension of Rites of Spring, and Moss Icon type of emo. The good kind. For anyone familiar with any of the United Kingdom's recent brand of emo bands such as What Price Wonderland, Jupiter Lander and Kids Return (another of Thomas' bands who just released a new split 10 inch with Saturday's Kids on Time as Color and Art for Blind) then you'll certainly dig We Leave At Dawn. For those of you not hip to the current UK emo scene then perhaps if I mention Life At These Speeds, Damezumari or Sinaloa does that ring a bell? If not you are on your own...

We Leave at Dawn came from the ashes of the band Structures and January 06 is just a great example of fantastic UK emo. The only other release We Leave at Dawn did was a 2 song 7 inch with the songs "Copernicus" and "to Infinity and Beyond" taken from the January 06 cd-r and thrown on a piece of vinyl. If anyone is interested I do have a copy or two remaining of the 7 inch in my distro. While I got burned out a lot on screamo and hardcore in the last couple of years emo of this ilk still is a joy to my ears Passionate vocals over a sprawling tidal wave of sound of driving rhythms and open strummed guitars. I love it. I also love all of my buddy Thomas' bands. I highly recommend that you check out Kids Return and Marshall Teller both of whom are emo bands and also Halftime Parade which is a 100% pure indie rock band in the vein of Urusei Yatsura and The Wedding Present.

We Leave at Dawn January 06 track listing
1. Another Cry
2. You're Never Online Anymore
3. Spectres and Spectators
4. Copernicus
5. To Infinity and Beyond
6. Goodnight
7. Earthman Come Home
8. I am At War
9. Untitled

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Yukon "Furnaces" CD (self released/2005)

Here is a release that I am posting not only because I enjoy it a lot but because I want to know more about this band and I am hoping that someone out there in the blogosphere or indie pop world can be of assistance. I have searched online and can't find any of information what so ever. What I know is that I saw this band play in a garage in Northport in the summer of 2005 with Jason Anderson, Wildebeest, Fellow Project and some others. They were really good but awkwardly referred to themselves as a different name in between every song and said they were changing their name. Not sure why, Yukon is a awesome name for a indie pop band. Regardless, I picked up a copy of the cd and intended to get some for the distro later on but for whatever reason that didn't happen. It certainly wasn't the first time I got someone's contact info at a show and later lost the little piece of paper.

In any event Yukon's Furnaces is a outstanding collection of indie pop songs that I find myself spinning on repeat when ever I put this cd on. Musically I am reminded of stuff like Jason Anderson and Thanksgiving but also the way the vocal melodies flow I am actually reminded a lot of indie pop song smith genius Franklin Bruno. In fact the resemblance to Franklin Bruno is almost uncanny. Most of the songs are built around acoustic guitars and various instrument accompaniment with vocals playing a large part, however the funny thing when I saw them play they were very much an electric indie rock band. It is interesting to me how they were able to translate their material to a live forum. But considering I hadn't heard the cd until after I saw them perhaps they didn't perform anything from Furnaces. Regardless, they were awesome live and Furnaces is an awesome cd and I am eager to know more about this band and any further output.

Yukon Furnaces track listing
1.What Was It
2. Sweden
3. Builders
4 Human Pyramid
5. Theme
6. Grandylion
7. Hulls

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The Migration Trap "Songs From the Number Fifteen" CD (Random Noise Records/2000)

Holy shit this band rules and I wish I knew more about them! Lame beginning to a blog entry I know... My only knowledge of the band and their output is very limited but it doesn't change the fact that this ep Songs From the Number Fifteen rules. How I came to know of The Migration Trap was sometime in early 2000 when my band Yes Sensei was just getting started I got a call from our bassist Paul who was like "holy shit. I just saw the best band. We HAVE to get them to come to Long Island for some shows". Immediately I took note because quite frankly Paul never said that. And so it went The Migration Trap came to Long Island for show that was a part of a two day bash that Paul was doing at The Spot on Stony Brook University Campus. And Paul was right, The Migration Trap smoked just about everyone off the stage that night with a energetic, visceral post punk onslaught. It was tight yet discordant but the music had a groove to it. Not a dancing groove mind you but the songs just plod around nor was it just noise. It reminded of a amalgamation of sounds that included bands like The Last Crime, Unwound, Drive Like Jehu, lowercase and in retrospect I'd have say that at times they remind me of Off Minor. Not the fast, screaming Off Minor moments but the more introspective pulled back moments of the band. That night I picked up copies of a two song cassette for myself and the distro. I have long since misplaced that tape but I do know that the two songs would be later be on Songs From the Number Fifteen though I can't recall which songs exactly. I do recall weeks later thanks to the fact that in demo tapes bands used to include their phone numbers I ended up calling guitarist/vocalist Victor Servello and chewing his ear off trying to get Migration Trap to contribute a track to a compilation I was doing. That never happened which bummed me out but hey...

The Migration Trap came to Long Island one more time to play a show with Yes Sensei at the Village Pub, we picked up copies of Songs From the Number Fifteen (which I gave a glowing review of in Under the Volcano) and that was the last anyone heard from them, which was rather unfortunate. I have no idea if they did any other releases or what not. They just went off the radar as far as I can tell and I can't find anything on the good 'ole internet to tell me other wise. The only other bit of info I do know is that Random Noise Records, who released Songs From the Number Fifteen, also released the first album by Officer May. If anyone knows anymore info about The Migration Trap and if they had any other releases please let me know.

The Migration Trap Songs From the Number Fifteen track listing
1. Cracking and Packing
2. Grudge Fuck
3. It Could Go Either Way
4. Panic Attack
5. Sunday Neurosis

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The Good Good "The Wants and The Want Nots" CD (self released/2005)

1. Here is a band I really miss a lot as they were the most fun, energetic band I have ever seen. They were around since 2001 but I never heard of  them until 2004. As far as I can tell they disbanded in 2007. I was first exposed to them when I went to go see my buddies band United States play their first show, and The Good Good happened to play later that night. I was blown away. Their music grooved and they were capable of being very experimental while at the core writing just really smart pop music. To me it was a cross between Mt Gigantic, The Delta 5, Half Japanese, Sonic Youth, lullabies and songs that children would sing playing hopscotch or some other school yard activity. They mixed frantic rhythms with a strong sense of melody and harmony that was propelled by discordant guitars, hypnotic bass lines, driving drums and miasma of sounds including keyboard, triangle, megaphone, field recordings, etc.  The Good Good displayed a high level of musicianship and inventiveness but never  taking themselves too seriously. I was fortunate enough to see them a few times, and even one of my short lived bands ( Birds of Prey a Swans/GSYBE esque band that me and few dudes from Guadalupe, Empty Silos Echo War, Yes Sensei, and Latterman did briefly) played our one and and only show with them in a basement in Northport. For a spell I was even trading letters and music back and forth with Good Good guitarist/vocalist Natalja Kent. 

This is one of the releases, the band's 2005 self released cdep The Wants and The Want Nots, that Natalja sent my way. The packaging and artwork is so striking that the picture I have provided doesn't even doesn't even come close to serving it justice. The cd is housed in a quad folded circular like piece of construction paper that has intricate printed artwork on both sides and there is stencil image around the edges while the hand image is painted in metallic gold paint. And pretty much every Good Good record I own (which now in looking at the complete discography courtesy of Harlan Records isn't as many as I thought I had) has incredible artwork/packaging, particularly their lp A Fem Era. I am gonna wrap this post up so I can go adjust my record want list with more Good Good releases!

The Good Good discography:

6 Song Demo cd-r (2001)

10 song Demo cd-r (2001)

Demo Mini cd-r (2002)

split 12 inch w/ Cha Cha Cha (2003)

Giver cd-r (2004)

A Fem Era 12 inch/cassette (Harlan/self released,2005)

The Wants and The Want Nots cdep (2005)

All the Days Are Numbered So comp CD (Harlan, 2005)

split 12 inch w/ Chocolat Billy (2006)

split 7 inch w/ Querent (2006)

split 12 inch w/ Api Uiz (2006)

Furrows cd (Menlo Park, 2006)

Nerds, Birds, Turds Live D.U.M.B.O cd-r (2006)

split 7 inch w/ Japanther (Altin Village, 2006)

The Good Good The Wants and The Want Nots track listing

1. Silhouette

2. Clouds

3. All the Voices

4. Paper, Metal, Marble

5. Flies

6. Three Voices

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Five Stars for Failure "Tour cd" cd-r (self released/1999)

Sometime in 1999 I went to see what I believe was the only show ever at the Power Play Dek Hockey rink. Not only was it weird that a show was being held on the actual hockey rink but it was also where I played on a few teams at the time so it was a meeting of both my worlds if you will. Regardless I went down to go see my buddies Prescott C and With Every Idle Hour play and in the process I witnessed this incredible band from out of town called Five Stars for Failure absolutely knock me out of  my socks. They were on tour from somewhere in Pennsylvania and still to this day of the many out of town bands that came to Long Island to play Five Stars for Failure remain one of my favorites. Sonically speaking they played driving yet discordant post punk/emo stuff that was a mix of Drive Like Jehu, early Unwound and Honeywell. In fact when you compare their sound to the first Unwound album the resemblance is absolutely uncanny. The funny thing is when I told them after the show how much I dug the set and wholesaled some stuff for my distro I remarked at how much they reminded me of Unwound, and they said they never heard of them. Today that is hard to imagine but back then I was so used to not knowing anyone that liked Unwound so big deal right? Bottom line  is they were playing the type of high energy, loud music that I saw in a lot of bands coming from the Pacific Northwest region at the time that I wished bands on Long Island would've channeled.

So I picked up a copy of their 7 inch on One Day Records (which I will upload at a later date) and this cd-r tour demo of which only 50 copies were made and it contains four songs; two re-recorded demo tracks, a compilation track and a previously unreleased tune. Four songs that left me wanting more. Even with the four songs on the 7 inch I was still left wanting more. And to be honest with you I am not entirely sure there was more. I tried to get them to come back to Long Island like once or twice when booking shows but that never happened and I guess any trace of what came of Five Stars for Failure or if there was any further output has remained a mystery to me. I do know that folks from Five Stars for Failure went on to be in rather good screamo band called Fighter Hayabusa who released one lone cdep called Can Kill a Shark With Their Bare Hands on Appliance Records.

Five Stars for Failure  Tour CD track listing
1. East Monument
2. Fired
3. Stuffing
4. Break, Eye

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Fire Engine Red "Demo" cd-r (self released/2000)

Considering I was waxing nostalgic over at Here On This Island today about the series of shows I booked at the North Shore Public Library in Shoreham that for today's entry I shall share with you the demo (and I do believe only recording) from a band who was the first out of state band to play at the library. Based out of Amherst, MA Fire Engine Red first came to my attention in early 2000 when they jumped on a show as a favor to my friend Thea who knew the band attending college with them. They joined Book Store, Space Robot Scientists and Bo Coach for an awesome show that led to and even better party at my house afterwards. (In fact photo evidence is in the liner notes of the Book Store s/t cd). Fire Engine Red were a trio that played fuzzy melodic, heart warming indie rock that was a cross between Buffalo Tom, The Lemonheads and maybe a noisier Blake Babies if John Strohm sang more. Their songs were noticeably long but still very much pop songs. The song "Encouragement" which I later included on The Hope Machine compilation is 6 minutes and 19 seconds long and somehow still one of the catchiest tunes my toes have ever tapped to. The demo consists of three songs and I always wanted more. And sadly I never got any more tunes from this awesome pop trio. Guitarist/vocalist Dave Hadden was a super cool gut who I traded emails and phone calls with for a bit when I was nagging them for a track for the comp and even after the fact.  He hung out with Yes Sensei when we played the Flywheel for our first out of state show. He even sent me copy of his post Fire Engine Red project called Paris, which I reviewed for Under the Volcano. That was solid too. Anyhow, check out the Fire Engine Red demo it is aces.

Fire Engine Red Demo track listing
1. Meaning of the Words
2. Encouragement
3. Coffee Shop Girl

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BRRR "Summer Songs (Part One)" Cd-r (One Forest/2004)

In similar fashion to how I kicked off Here On This Island with a entry from the band whom led me to start my label, with Away From This Island I'd like to get things rolling with a release by a band who was the first non Long Island band to have a release on Rok Lok. For years I was solely interested in releasing records for bands from Long Island and the creative circles that I was traveling in. However, on the first night of a tour my band Yes Sensei embarked on in the summer 2004 we stopped off in Bethlehem, PA and played a show at a awesome community space called The Globe (RIP). Playing Lehigh Valley has always been an incredible experience but this time was even more special than usual as the last band of the evening was a real treat, a somber and fragile  indie pop band called BRRR. The setup consisted of two guitars (one acoustic & one electric), bass, drums, cello and trumpet. From the first note to the last I was absolutely mesmerized. We got to hang out with them and go to party afterwards where somehow after only one day of tour we made a swimming pool absolutely filthy which was a joke revisited every time Yes Sensei came back to Lehigh Valley. Anyhow, everyone at the show was awesome and we got to talk to the cats in BRRR and they were super nice. I picked up their cd-r Summer Songs (Part One) and we played it in the van whenever Adam would let us take out The Get Up Kids cd...  For the remainder of the tour while on those long drives or those nights where I escaped to find some personal space my mind kept on replaying BRRR's set in my head. When I returned home I found their Myspace page and I listened to every song at least 5 times in the first sitting except a song called "The Waves" which I easily listened to no less than a dozen times consecutively. Not sure why but something about that song grabbed me (and still does) in a way not much music can. I needed to speak with the genius behind this music again immediately...

I got in touch with the main guy behind BRRR Herbie Schellenberger and was just flat out with him out of the gate-I wanted to put out a record for BRRR. And plans were immediately made for the self titled 7 inch that I put out on Rok Lok later that year. The songs on the 7 inch as well as the bonus cd-r that only came with pre-orders exceeded my expectations but it brought everything full circle from where my introduction to the band began months earlier. BRRR came down a few times to Long Island to play shows and it was awesome, especially the time they played in my living room. Initially there were plans to follow up the 7 inch with a full length 12 inch but that never happened as Schellenberger continued to focus his efforts on his other project Brown Recluse who have just released their second 12 inch on Slumberland Records this week. In addition to playing in the wonderful Brown Recluse, Schellenberger is also playing in a awsome indie pop/shoegaze band called Pet Milk. I highly recommend that you check out all of his projects, he is talented musician and it really shows in everything he does.

The 7 inch I put out for BRRR is one of my favorites but I always come back to Summer Songs (Part One) as it represents the songs I first heard that wonderful night in Bethlehem. If you like moody bedroom indie pop like Jens Lekman, Mt.Eerie or Thanksgiving than I highly recommend you give BRRR a listen. The song "Mayfield" has made its way onto several mix tapes that I have made over the years. In addition to Summer Songs (Part One) and the self titled 7 inch there was another cd-r called Tone Poems that is quite possibly the band's finest work.. There were a couple of compilation appearances as well as a limited cassette that collected a sampling of the band's out put  A Small Collection of Old Songs on Chrysanthemum, Etc. One of their last shows was a trek down to Long Island playing the Smithtown Masonic Temple and I recorded the whole set. In addition to some older tunes they played a few songs that were never recorded and to my knowledge never used for another project. I need to find the time to rip those tunes. In August of 2008 I was able to convince Herbie (along with his Brown Recluse band mate Timothy Meskers) to do a "reunion set" as part of Rok Lok Fest, celebrating the 10 year anniversary. It was nice to hear those songs performed live again. Below I have posted the BRRR discography as I know it, though I don't recall the names of the compilations that they appeared on or what tracks. I am fairly certain both were exclusive tracks. If anyone has any info please pass it along.

BRRR discography
-Summer Songs (Part One) cd-r (One Forest)* two pressings. First in a DVD case. Second in polybag
-Tone Poems cd-r (self released)
-s/t 7 inch (Rok Lok Records) 200 on black vinyl, 100 on clear vinyl. 30 pre-order editions w/ clear vinyl, gold numbered paper record sleeve, a bonus hand stamped cd-r w/ 2 bonus tracks, and one inch pin. 30 test press editions w/ alternate cover art and hand stamped labels were made as well
-A Small Collection of Old Songs cassette (Chrysanthemum, Etc)

Summer Songs (Part One) track listing
1.Little Bug
2. Mayfield
3. Muddy Pawprints
4. Untitled
5. Smiles of a Summer Night
6. Dusk

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Another beginning...

Working as a spin off from my other blog Here On This Island with Away from This Island I would like to start documenting and sharing the large amount of music I have amassed over the years from DIY bands/artists and labels from all over the world.  I have been fortunate to come across so much great music made by great people who I have met from booking a show, sharing a bill locally or on tour, reviewing the music for a zine, trading with a record label and carrying the release in my distro and now I am excited to share all this great music with everyone.