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.