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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