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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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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