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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