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

Download Here

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

Download Here