MANDELA STRIKEFORCE

Recently, on my last Assfactor 4-related post, a commenter described their day as a time "when we called bands 'emo,' and it wasn't a negative thing." Well hey, alright, fair enough, I dug those days. It was the early-to-mid '90s leg of the sound. There were "who is really emo?" arguments flying left and right between the purists and the liberals, and amidst it all was a roster of bands who were pretty unlistenable. But...

Bands like Harriet the Spy, Portraits of Past, Great Unraveling, Unwound, Salvo Rain, UOA and whoever else of bizarre, non-straightforwardness that may have acquired the "emo" tag, however arguable, made the process of sifting through the many bad bands darn well worth it.

Mandela Strike Force were among the day's good memories. They could be discordant without trying too hard, they employed blues-y chords with invention, they were melodic without the crybaby-ness, they layered eletronic noise-y-ness free of pretense, and they stuffed every song with intelligent subtlety. Mandela's members, which included Don Devore, were in other bands like Frail, Goodbye Blue Monday, with some Lilys interaction, and later, Ink & Dagger.

So if that commenter, "Branch," is reading, here's one of those moments.

Have a zip file.

Title: The Sound of Revolution In Stereo
Label: Ladder
Year: 1995
Tracks:
What? (Or How the Grapevine Works Sometimes)
Did You Need It Specially Engraved?
The Power of Posi-Thinking
The Mathematical Invasion of Everything

SLEEP CAPSULE

This one's actually a request of sorts: I want more information on this band. All I know about Sleep Capsule is that they were outta Seattle and Sub Pop released an awesome, awesome moment for them in 1996. I've seen references to another 7" from '91 (a wink to anyone who can procure it), but the remaining strands of info I've found are too insignificant to pull on.

So any help...

Below I've posted a couple cuts from this EP (since it's still commercially available through Sub Pop, it's up to you to get the complete release, and I strongly advise you do). Folks from the Unwound/Melvins/Polvo/Great Unraveling side of the tracks are going to find themselves in hog heaven, and since I'm there as well, I'm looking for anything else I can get from these noisies.

Here's a zip of two Sleep Capsule songs, and thanks in advance.

SQUIRREL BAIT

Happy St. Pat's. You ever been pinched by an Irishman? Come hither.

My last post on The Homestead Records Compilation apparently spiked forth a memorable hit amidst its composition, and after an overwhelming response (actually just one, lone comment) in its regard, coupled with a lot of participation of my own, here's a resulting post on its authoring band.

The group is Squirrel Bait, and as I responded to the fanfare of the last post (that one, lone comment), they beat the punch of Jawbreaker's Unfun by yeeeears.

That's not to say they were of the same crowd (they weren't) or trying to play the same brand of punk (I'm fairly certain they weren't), but in production, mood, licks and shrills there's a lot to compare. (Oh yeah, and am I at odds with many of you in saying Unfun is Jawbreaker's best moment? It so is. Either way, it's hard to compare it to their other albums. But back to the matter...)

Squirrel Bait was a band of youngsters in Louisville, KY, flourishing under this moniker from 1983 to 1988. They didn't leave much to show for their legacy of recorded output, being just a couple 7"s, a s/t 12" EP (Homestead, 1985) and an LP, Skag Heaven (Homestead, 1986) (both were limitedly reissued by Drag City in 1997, but are unavailable today), but the marks they made were seriously potent.

Since the Unfun Jawbreaker comparison couldn't yet be made in Squirrel Bait's day, a lot of their sound reflected fanship of early Replacements (in the vocals), Husker Du (in presence) and One Last Wish (in mood). They had a dramatic dynamic sans all cheesy elements to deliver a melodic sort of punk that stands time through all the failed incarnations and attempts on the same genre it prompted. Squirrel Bait was really that good.

Sadly, their name didn't make the rounds on a grander scheme until critics went back in time to find it. Other than their small spot of output, Allmusic writer Steve Huey cites their age and inability to tour as the prime reason for their failure to break through. But as each member got on in years, they hardly hung it up. In fact, they all went on make names for themselves.

David Grubbs, Peter Searcy, Brian McMahan, Britt Walford, Ben Daughtry, and Ethan Buckler either had solo careers, or can be traced to Slint, the For Carnation, Bitch Magnet, Gastr del Sol, the Lemonheads, King Kong, Brise-Glace, and maybe some others I don't know about. Point is, they started in a place that all members should be proud of, which is a rare scenario. Squirrel Bait rocked. Why don't you ask your favorite bands about their first projects? Heck, I'm a nobody, but ask me too. Watch all our faces turn red.

Here's a zip with a few essential Squirrel Bait songs.

THE WAILING ULTIMATE: The Homestead Records Compilation (1987)

If anything, this is a decent primer on what the Homestead-loving jockeys were broadcasting across campuses in the mid to late '80s. Squirrel Bait, Volcano Suns, Naken Raygun, The Reactions and Dinosaur (pre-Jr.) give this comp its worth, with just a dud or two among a remainder of fun tracks.

(Let's see...what do we need to know, here...hmmm. Well, we all know the rest of the story on Dinosaur. Naked Raygun's no secret either. Hmm. Ah yes...) the Squirrel Bait gang went on to form bands like Slint, Bitch Magnet and King Kong among others, and contributed to the Lemonheads and Brise-Glace. Another group here worth mentioning is Volcano Suns, formed by drummer Peter Prescott after his previous group, the esteemed Mission of Burma, blew its tires. Phantom Tollbooth member David Rick touched the early Yo La Tengo line-up, and was a helping hand for Mark Kramer's Bongwater. (Let's see here...uhh) the NYC no-wave people will know Live Skull. (And ummm...) well whatever. I was only seven when this was released so I'm not gonna make like I was already introducing my He-Man buddies to Big Black. I was likely out dunking basketballs on the mini-goal. I had a couple more corners to round before discovering the underground.

Have yourself a zip file, and enjoy.

ARTIST: v/a
TITLE: The Wailing Ultimate: The Homestead Records Compilation
LABEL: Homestead
YEAR: 1987

Dinosaur Repulsion
Volcano Suns White Elephant
Phantom Tollbooth Valley of the Gwangi
Squirrel Bait Sun God
Breaking Circus Song of the South
Big Black Il Duce
Salem 66 The Well
Death of Samantha Blood and Shaving Cream
Antietam In a Glass House
Live Skull Fort Belvedere
Naked Raygun I Remember
The Reactions Don't Look Back
Big Dipper You're Not Patsy
Great Plains Letter to a Fanzine

-

P.S. Look at my blogroll over there to the right. Notice a new addition? Yeah! Click on Egg City Radio, the new podcast site from Bret of the dismantled Post Punk Junk, which was arguably the finest mp3 blog going. The new Egg City Radio offers two great podcasts a week from a mind deeply educated in his discourse. Give it a visit and drop Bret a comment.

SMUDGE

In America we had the Lemonheads and in Australia flourished Smudge. While both bands could've happily existed independent of each other, there was a little symbiosis going on that resulted in some of the former’s better-known songs.

Here’s the quick version: While the Lemonheads were touring Australia in ’92 (fact-check that year, somebody, it may’ve been ‘91), frontman Evan Dando was introduced to Smudge’s Tom Morgan through a friend with whom they were both in collaboration. After discovering the two were basically songwriting twins, Dando and Morgan started co-writing material. One of the songs you know as the title track to the Lemonheads’ It’s a Shame About Ray (Atlantic, 1992). Another favorite-to-be, “Down About It,” appeared on the following Lemonheads’ record, Come On Feel the Lemonheads (Atlantic, 1993). Smudge’s version of “Down About It” was recorded the same year for their fantastic Manilow full-length (Half a Cow/Shake). Both bands continued to respectfully cover each other’s work as time progressed.

Of course, the Lemonheads were the successful ones, and rightly so—to a small degree. Dando and Morgan have very similar voices, but while the latter’s form was a bit more slack, the former had great pitch control and presence for a style that didn’t necessarily demand it. The rest of the story for Smudge is that relatively few people outside their native land have heard of them.

But for me, Morgan may have been the songwriting victor with Smudge, and I’m not just saying that because they were the underdogs. While Dando really is a hit factory, Morgan wrote some potent stuff, which, song for song, would’ve outnumbered that of the Lemonheads had their career spanned as far.

I dunno, you decide. Or don't. Doesn't matter. Just enjoy the shit. Here’s a zip file with some of my favorite Smudge songs. Their official titles can be purchased here at the Half A Cow site.

DR. POWERFUL

Here’s a first at UBF: I’m giving you a heads up on something that isn’t out yet, which is perhaps contradictory of this blog's title. Fuck it. Here goes!

The finest of fine bands are comprised of members who “get it.” Know what I mean? These folks know their material, don’t feel the need to be insincerely different (hello, young art types!), take nothing beyond its worth, probably have some degree of abhorrence for the hip, but then again don’t really care that much either way. They can be themselves without worrying about a bad review from Pitchfork Media. Often, the inadvertent result of this accidental formula is something remarkably good. And that, to me, is what music ought to be.

So, uh, let’s talk about a band called Dr. Powerful. While many validate 21st century indie cred by the music’s danceability, you’ll find members of this Sanford, NC quartet operating a bulldozer poised to demolish the disco, while singer/guitarist Gordon Anderson drunkenly sings Gang of Four's "Damaged Goods" at the carnage (ya know, just to rub it in their faces). When I said the get-its have a degree of abhorrence for the mistakenly hip, well, Dr. P have the C-4 and plastique ready to go under the buttocks of drama queens and their obnoxious lady-boyfriends with black dye jobs and hospital bracelets. I could go on.

At the same time, the members (who are very nice people) aren’t so concerned with leaving a crater that they let their music suffer. With tasteful winks to Unwound, Athletico Spizz 80, Drive Like Jehu, Brian Eno and Polvo (matter of fact, Polvo’s Eddie Watkins is the drummer for this band), Dr. Powerful craft the kind of material no one seems to write anymore. It’s music that really has no use for studio magic, massive budgets or zinester hype. I mean, remember the old days of Jesus Christ Records and rock with dirty elbows? Perfection was never the point. All those seemingly desirable things (which inevitably ruin bands) can go piss off (but I’m sure they’ll take a wad of cash if you’re offering).

And so to capture the band’s true intentions came underground production legend Jerry Kee at his Duck Kee Studios. With the works of Superchunk, Polvo and Archers of Loaf bearing his engineering credit, the band felt quite comfortable at his home studio in Mebane, NC. The end result is a wonderfully tangible and honest affair that actually sounds like a real band playing! Sorry Radio 4, Hot Hot Heat, et al—y’all blew that honor. Plus, your music stinks.

Due out soon on Grand Palace Records, Dr. Powerful’s debut full-length is pretty much the indie record to restore your faith. It's a good, good thing. But hey now, don’t let this whole thing sound like some kind of ad, but at the same time, let it, because I want this band to stick around.

Here are a few tracks from their disc. Enjoy, and I’ll post a bulletin or something when their album is commercially available.

For your files, here's there official webspace and here's their Myspace.

LOS CRUDOS

Ah, here's one o' them bands that upon first listen, you find yourself saying "holy shit" several times on end. Obscure? Hell no. Exceptionally fantastic? Absolutely. Rare? Eh. Out of print? Sadly.

A 74-song discography was issued a while back, but now even that's under water.

It's no wonder Ebullition Records boasts Los Crudos' 1995 split LP with Spitboy as the label's "most popular release to date." It's a goddamned rager of a hardcore record, though I confess I've listened to the Spitboy side a total of one time. After absorbing the Crudos side, this basically became a Crudos record. Sorry if that came off as being assholeish.

You can read some fairly comprehensive bio notes here, but if ya trust me:

Los Crudos was from Chicago, IL. In the mid-to-late '90s they proved themselves one of the most thoughtful and effective hardcore bands of their "scene" (an often unnerving word). An easy and accessible surface comparison is Minor Threat, but Crudos certainly had a personality of their own. With an all-Latino personnel, their lyrics were almost entirely in Spanish, the well-carried translations of which could be found in the liner notes for the non-speakers out there. The subject matter was non-stop political, but never got carried away into the realm of unrealism. Everything was thought out and sensical. Singer Martin Sorrondeguy's energy is, to use a weak cliche, "off the charts." And then there's the music. Simply put: holy shit, holy shit, holy shit. Man, I loved that band. Still do.

Like I said, they had a massive catalogue of perfect hardcore songs, but here's one of their more epic and widely loved moments: the split with Spitboy. Aaaand it's just the Los Crudos side you're getting.

Since the average song length is just over a minute, each mp3 in the zip file contains two songs (save for the final song, which holds its own. Plus it was an odd number of total songs, so...).

Here you go: Zippity do da.

-

UPDATE: Remember my post on early '80s NC hardcore band A Number of Things? Well, my rip of their Toasterhead LP has been used for the official downloadable reissue, which I highly advise you purchase right here. It's a fun, fun record.