The Episode

Alright, back from vacation. What's up? I've been talking with Dave from Action Patrol about a good post to come, so, for warm up, here's an old UBF post on the excellent, post-AP Episode. As you will read, lukewarm I was on them at first--then bam.

From UBF, October 26, 2006: After disbanding in 1996, Action Patrol singer Dave Grant, bassist-turned-guitarist Tom Baisden and drummer Rich Green formed the Episode, which neighbored AP stylistically but couldn't quite deliver the same greats. To my knowledge, they only released one album.

Posted on UBF some time later: I still hang onto the editorial part of that first sentence, but not like I used to. I picked up their eight-song s/t as soon as it came out in 1998, and, after a few semi-enjoyable spins, I shelved it. Action Patrol, I thought, was so much better. The Episode wasn't bad, no, not remotely. But something was missing from their sound. It didn't have--I dunno, something. The crazy, snotty factor? That was probably it. But I never sold the record, just in case something, at some point, popped and I was able to find new bond with it.

Well, about three months ago, I pulled it off the shelf and HOLY CRAP WHAT WAS I THINKING ALL THESE YEARS? What's wrong with this recording at all? I had no complaints and I replayed it time after time and again. More darkness and (here comes that word) introspection (maybe), but, again, complaints none. It wasn't AP's blast of confetti, yeah, but the Episode was in a different mood, and hey, maybe because they were a different project and AP was dead. So simple.

AP fans lacking this release need it. The old spirit resurfaces in "Ronald Reagan Memorial Wing." The rest is boss either way. I'll close by saying that I really hate it when 'critics' review a band based on what its members' older band(s) sounded like, and boy am I guilty here. Why not go back and rewrite it? Ehe, well...

Really is true: The best releases are the ones with which we don't click at first.

P.S. "Good Fear [Up 1/4%]" is just as catchy as all heck.

Oh, and looks like I, in the earlier posts, failed to mention the band was based in Richmond, Va.

Oh, oh, P.P.S. As for the nowadays, Dave has new band with a forthcoming (or potentially out already?) seven-inch. I'll provide details soon if you haven't already learned them. Or, perhaps, a knowledgeable employee can carry that out in the comments area.

Fer now, here's the Episode.

TITLE: s/t
LABEL: Whirled
YEAR: 1998
TRACKS:
My Cartography Internship / Ronald Reagan Memorial Wing / All The Chickens In Hong Kong / Good Fear [Up 1/4%] / Mercy Trophy / Enameled / Fleering / Palindrome