Friday, April 11, 2008
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Friday, April 4, 2008
Free Old Maryland Art Punk Part 2: Reptile House
Sorry about the mess involving the show cancellation today, but luckily that gibes me a chance to really sit down and write this post about Reptile House, which I've been meaning to do for a while. Enjoy!
I Stumble As The Crow Flies EP (1985)
Recorded by none other than Ian MacKaye and jointly released by Dischord and Reptile House's own Druid Hill records, this is Reptile House's best known release and their finest moment. This record is a personal favorite of mine and a criminally overlooked art punk classic, which I wrote about at length back when I first downloaded it. Bassist David Rhodes is replaced here by Leigh Panlilio, whose playing style is highly reminiscent of Mission of Burma's Clint Conley, and the proceedings here are much tighter and more song-centered than what one imagines the group who produced "Talons and Claws" playing. Additionally, this record sounds years ahead of its time: Between Joe Goldsborough's angular, noisy, and effects-tinged guitar playing and Daniel Higgs' (credited here as Daniel V. Strasser) lyrics and delivery, slightly different than his better known work in that here there's far more humor and even some pop culture references, this EP is arguably more at home along side the likes of Videohippos and Ponytail than 1980s hardcore. Truly, an archetypal hidden post-punk gem.
Track 1-"Keelhaul Love"
Track 2-"Social Champion"
Track 3-"Mrs. Rain"
Track 4-"Sleestak Weather"
Listen To the Powersoul LP (1988)
Although Listen To The Powersoul contains some of Reptile House's weakest work, it nonetheless has its moments of redemption. To use a cliche, Powersoul is the sound of a band breaking up. Among its failures, there's a lack of the energy which informed earlier recordings, Daniel Higgs, usually one of my favorite lyricists, is weak here at least in that regard, and forays into traditional hard rock fail abysmally. The lineup around Daniel Higgs and Joe Goldsborough is radically different. London May left the band in 1986 to join Samhain and was replaced by Gary Breeze, and according to Bandtoband.com, it would appear that a solid line up wasn't even maintained through the sessions. Also, Asa Osbourne, whom would work with Higgs to great acclaim in Lungfish, joined the band for these final sessions. The songs on Powersoul come more or less in pairs, with the chiming, Byrds-via-post-punk numbers "Powersoul" and "Mother Michigan," probably the record's strongest cuts. There's also "Ike's Hammer" and "Evil Iron Any Day Now," brooding garage rockers in the vein of the Stooges and Flipper and both solid songs, and "Para Polyana" and "Engine," dated experiments with classic rock sounds that are Reptile House's two worst songs. On a plane of its own is "Skyhead," which closes Powersoul, really much more the first Lungfish song than the last Reptile House song. Listen To The Powersoul is a disorganized mess with its share of low points, but nonetheless a fascinating final statement from Reptile House.
Reptile House-Listen To The Powersoul (ZIP File)
(Special thanks to 30 Under DC, Something I Learned Today, and Lo-Res Viscera for pictures and MP3 Links, thanks to last.fm for picture up top)
Reptile House
Reptile House were a melodic art punk band from Baltimore active during the 1980s, today most notable for featuring future Lungfish singer Daniel Higgs, and, to a lesser extent, Samhain drummer London May among its ranks. Histories of the group online, comprising an All Music Guide entry, an interview with London May on his Samhain years which touches on Reptile House, and a few scattered blog entries, are few and far between, often conflicting one another. The basic facts, though, are that the band was started in 1983 by guitarist Joe Goldsborough and Daniel Higgs, then going by his given name Daniel Lindensruth. They were a fixture of the Baltimore hardcore punk scene during that time, opening for some of the leading groups of that movement during their tenure. The group's lineup had changed drastically by the late 1980s, with Goldsborough and Higgs the only constant members, finally breaking up after Higgs left and was briefly replaced by a member of Grey March, another Baltimore art punk band that's something of a perpetual white whale for me whenever I go looking for music online. Both sonically and culturally, the group occupied a middle ground between the bizarre backwoods post-punk of bands like Pylon and Metal Urbain and Washington, D.C. Revolution Summer-style punk. Here are my thoughts release-by-release on Reptile House:
"Talons and Claws" appeared on Bouncing Babies Various Artists comp. (1983)
Reptile House's first appearance on record was on this 1983 DC/Maryland compilation. This track owes much to Joy Division in its extended introduction, in addition to its use of a deep yet prominent sounding bass, played here by David Rhodes, to drive the melody while Joe Goldsborough's angular guitar provides hooks and atmosphere. Nonetheless, when the song kicks in full force there's no denying the effect hardcore had on the band. The end result is something as much rooted in the art punk avant-garde of those times with the spartan, high-velocity energy of contemporaneous hardcore punk. It leaves today's listener with an interesting question: Is this the earliest example of something truly post-hardcore on record?
Reptile House-"Talons and Claws" MP3
"Talons and Claws" appeared on Bouncing Babies Various Artists comp. (1983)
Reptile House's first appearance on record was on this 1983 DC/Maryland compilation. This track owes much to Joy Division in its extended introduction, in addition to its use of a deep yet prominent sounding bass, played here by David Rhodes, to drive the melody while Joe Goldsborough's angular guitar provides hooks and atmosphere. Nonetheless, when the song kicks in full force there's no denying the effect hardcore had on the band. The end result is something as much rooted in the art punk avant-garde of those times with the spartan, high-velocity energy of contemporaneous hardcore punk. It leaves today's listener with an interesting question: Is this the earliest example of something truly post-hardcore on record?
Reptile House-"Talons and Claws" MP3
I Stumble As The Crow Flies EP (1985)
Recorded by none other than Ian MacKaye and jointly released by Dischord and Reptile House's own Druid Hill records, this is Reptile House's best known release and their finest moment. This record is a personal favorite of mine and a criminally overlooked art punk classic, which I wrote about at length back when I first downloaded it. Bassist David Rhodes is replaced here by Leigh Panlilio, whose playing style is highly reminiscent of Mission of Burma's Clint Conley, and the proceedings here are much tighter and more song-centered than what one imagines the group who produced "Talons and Claws" playing. Additionally, this record sounds years ahead of its time: Between Joe Goldsborough's angular, noisy, and effects-tinged guitar playing and Daniel Higgs' (credited here as Daniel V. Strasser) lyrics and delivery, slightly different than his better known work in that here there's far more humor and even some pop culture references, this EP is arguably more at home along side the likes of Videohippos and Ponytail than 1980s hardcore. Truly, an archetypal hidden post-punk gem.
Track 1-"Keelhaul Love"
Track 2-"Social Champion"
Track 3-"Mrs. Rain"
Track 4-"Sleestak Weather"
Listen To the Powersoul LP (1988)
Although Listen To The Powersoul contains some of Reptile House's weakest work, it nonetheless has its moments of redemption. To use a cliche, Powersoul is the sound of a band breaking up. Among its failures, there's a lack of the energy which informed earlier recordings, Daniel Higgs, usually one of my favorite lyricists, is weak here at least in that regard, and forays into traditional hard rock fail abysmally. The lineup around Daniel Higgs and Joe Goldsborough is radically different. London May left the band in 1986 to join Samhain and was replaced by Gary Breeze, and according to Bandtoband.com, it would appear that a solid line up wasn't even maintained through the sessions. Also, Asa Osbourne, whom would work with Higgs to great acclaim in Lungfish, joined the band for these final sessions. The songs on Powersoul come more or less in pairs, with the chiming, Byrds-via-post-punk numbers "Powersoul" and "Mother Michigan," probably the record's strongest cuts. There's also "Ike's Hammer" and "Evil Iron Any Day Now," brooding garage rockers in the vein of the Stooges and Flipper and both solid songs, and "Para Polyana" and "Engine," dated experiments with classic rock sounds that are Reptile House's two worst songs. On a plane of its own is "Skyhead," which closes Powersoul, really much more the first Lungfish song than the last Reptile House song. Listen To The Powersoul is a disorganized mess with its share of low points, but nonetheless a fascinating final statement from Reptile House.
Reptile House-Listen To The Powersoul (ZIP File)
(Special thanks to 30 Under DC, Something I Learned Today, and Lo-Res Viscera for pictures and MP3 Links, thanks to last.fm for picture up top)
No Show Today
WCUA's computer is down, I'll be back next week. Reptile House blog post up soon, though!
-Mac
-Mac
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Afternoon Fix #6 Playlist March 27, 2008
Playlist up late this week! Again, if you like it, buy it. Free Old Maryland Art Punk #2 should be up soon, too.
LCD Soundsystem-“Get Innocuous” Sound of Silver (2007)
Dag Nasty-“Circles” Can I Say (1986)
Dinosaur Jr.-“Little Fury Things” You’re Living All Over Me (1987)
Wire-“Map Ref 41°N 93°W” 154 (1979)
Double Dagger-“[Untitled (Hoo?)]” Live at Hampdenfest (2007)
Audionom-“Kein Bock” Retrospektiv [comp.] (2007)
The Minutemen-“Political Song For Michael Jackson to Sing” Double Nickels on the Dime (1984)
Saetia-“Notres Langues Nous Trompent” [s/t] (1998)
New Order-“Hurt” [b-side b/w “Temptation"] (1982)
Lungfish-“Descender” Talking Songs For Walking (1992)
These New Puritans-“Numerology” Beat Pyramid (2008)
Action Beat-“Maximum Bletchly” [demo] (2007?)
Metal Urbain-“Snuff Movie” Les Hommes Morts Sont Dangereux (1981)
Unwound-“Abstraktions” New Plastic Ideas (1995)
Ramsey Lewis Trio-“How Beautiful Is Spring” Another Voyage (1969)
Mika Miko-“Capricornations” C.Y.S.L.A.B.F. (2006)
A Certain Ratio-“Shack Up” [single] (1980)
The Velvet Underground-“Rock and Roll” Loaded (1970)
Bauhaus-“Endless Summer of the Damned” Go Away White (2008)
The Dismemberment Plan-“The City” Emergency and I (1999)
Navio Forge-“Weaponizing” As We Quietly Burn A Hole Into [mini LP] (1993)
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Free Old Maryland Art Punk Part 1: Moss Icon
No show this week due to Easter break, but in lieu of one here's a good blog post. This is a biography of Moss Icon, plus links to some downloads. Next week, part 2 of this Blog series, I'm linking up some material by Reptile House, who featured future Lungfish singer Daniel Higgs. Both Moss Icon and Reptile House, while not as terribly well known as contemporaries like Rites of Spring, are among the most essential groups at that time in terms of establishing underground rock in greater DC and central Maryland. Although I don't usually condone downloading whole records, especially by punk and art rock bands whose music doesn't bring in much money for the musicians, this music is long out of print and very hard to find. However, word on their semi-official Myspace page indicates Moss Icon is reuniting soon, which may see a reissue of the Lyburnum collection at least, and if that occurs I'll delete the link. Either way, I hope I've hooked you up with good music for your Easter holiday!
Moss Icon
(Picture from Myspace.com)
Of these two groups, Moss Icon is by far the more famous, often name checked as an influential emo band. That's something of a dubious distinction in my estimation, but nonetheless they were one of the first post-hardcore groups to break with the relatively traditional songwriting and playing styles that were practiced by the likes of Embrace and the aforementioned Rites of Spring, and move into more progressive territory. The Annapolis group was founded in 1987 by guitarist Tonie Joy and singer Jonathan Vance, along with bassist Monica DiGialleonardo and drummer Mark Laurence. Their sound at that time was based in Black Flag-style hardcore punk as much as it was in the cold angularity of post-punk. Combined with a songwriting approach that bucks traditional verse-chorus-verse structure, very early tracks like "Hate In Me" and "What They Lack" from Moss Icon's 1988 debut 7", officially self-titled but frequently referred to as Hate In Me, are hard-hitting art rock micro-epics. One of their most confrontationally avant-garde tracks, "I'm Back Sleeping Or Fucking Or Something," also saw release on this 7". Best described as a collision of Bauhaus and Black Sabbath on Void's* anarchic plane, "Sleeping" is a harrowing roar of a song detailing the experience of meeting a long lost childhood friend and finding them as a nihilistic, oversexed post-adolescent.
Throughout 1988, Moss Icon recorded much with the intent of releasing a full-length album which was ultimately not released until 1994 as Lyburnum Wit's End Liberation Fly, and even then only available on vinyl. Nonetheless, these sessions at least yielded 1989's Mahpiua Luta 7" ("The Life or This Grape Juice Drink" b/w "Kick The Can"). One of the notable highlights of the session is the title track, which plays something like a post-hardcore response to "Stairway to Heaven," or perhaps more accurately The Doors' "The End." 1990 saw all four members of Moss Icon participate in a project called Breathing Walker with a second guitarist, a percussionist, and a Violinist, though by 1991 the original lineup was back recording under the Moss Icon banner with second guitarist Alex Bardertscher . Their sound from this era, captured on a split LP with Bay Area group Silver Bearing and on the "Memorial" b/w "Moth" 7", is much more lush, bright, melodic and jam-oriented, with "Moth" even evoking classic Rhythm and Blues ballads. The group broke up after these releases. Most of the tracks along with some live recordings from these two releases were compiled on to the It Disappears LP, again vinyl only and released in 1994. Lyburnum Wit's End Liberation Fly and the studio tracks from It Disappears were compiled onto a single CD as simply Lyburnum and released in 1997. Singer Jonathan Vance released an EP of electronica in 2005. Moss Icon reunited for two shows in 2001, and are set to do so again this year, with perhaps even some new music.
Moss Icon-Lyburnum [compilation] (1997) (ZIP file)
Moss Icon-Hate In Me [EP] (1988)
Track 1-"Hate In Me"
Track 2-"What They Lack"
Track 3-"I'm Back Sleeping Or Fucking Or Something" (Same recording with better sound quality found on Lyburnum collection)
Track 4-"Kiss The Girls and Make Them Die" (Low Quality MP3
Moss Icon-"Sioux Day" Superpowers [v/a comp.] (1993)
Free Old Maryland Art Punk Part 2: Reptile House coming next week!
*Void not linked up: couldn't find a decent representation of them in one place. Do check them out, though.
(Picture from Myspace.com)Of these two groups, Moss Icon is by far the more famous, often name checked as an influential emo band. That's something of a dubious distinction in my estimation, but nonetheless they were one of the first post-hardcore groups to break with the relatively traditional songwriting and playing styles that were practiced by the likes of Embrace and the aforementioned Rites of Spring, and move into more progressive territory. The Annapolis group was founded in 1987 by guitarist Tonie Joy and singer Jonathan Vance, along with bassist Monica DiGialleonardo and drummer Mark Laurence. Their sound at that time was based in Black Flag-style hardcore punk as much as it was in the cold angularity of post-punk. Combined with a songwriting approach that bucks traditional verse-chorus-verse structure, very early tracks like "Hate In Me" and "What They Lack" from Moss Icon's 1988 debut 7", officially self-titled but frequently referred to as Hate In Me, are hard-hitting art rock micro-epics. One of their most confrontationally avant-garde tracks, "I'm Back Sleeping Or Fucking Or Something," also saw release on this 7". Best described as a collision of Bauhaus and Black Sabbath on Void's* anarchic plane, "Sleeping" is a harrowing roar of a song detailing the experience of meeting a long lost childhood friend and finding them as a nihilistic, oversexed post-adolescent.
Throughout 1988, Moss Icon recorded much with the intent of releasing a full-length album which was ultimately not released until 1994 as Lyburnum Wit's End Liberation Fly, and even then only available on vinyl. Nonetheless, these sessions at least yielded 1989's Mahpiua Luta 7" ("The Life or This Grape Juice Drink" b/w "Kick The Can"). One of the notable highlights of the session is the title track, which plays something like a post-hardcore response to "Stairway to Heaven," or perhaps more accurately The Doors' "The End." 1990 saw all four members of Moss Icon participate in a project called Breathing Walker with a second guitarist, a percussionist, and a Violinist, though by 1991 the original lineup was back recording under the Moss Icon banner with second guitarist Alex Bardertscher . Their sound from this era, captured on a split LP with Bay Area group Silver Bearing and on the "Memorial" b/w "Moth" 7", is much more lush, bright, melodic and jam-oriented, with "Moth" even evoking classic Rhythm and Blues ballads. The group broke up after these releases. Most of the tracks along with some live recordings from these two releases were compiled on to the It Disappears LP, again vinyl only and released in 1994. Lyburnum Wit's End Liberation Fly and the studio tracks from It Disappears were compiled onto a single CD as simply Lyburnum and released in 1997. Singer Jonathan Vance released an EP of electronica in 2005. Moss Icon reunited for two shows in 2001, and are set to do so again this year, with perhaps even some new music.
Moss Icon-Lyburnum [compilation] (1997) (ZIP file)
Moss Icon-Hate In Me [EP] (1988)
Track 1-"Hate In Me"
Track 2-"What They Lack"
Track 3-"I'm Back Sleeping Or Fucking Or Something" (Same recording with better sound quality found on Lyburnum collection)
Track 4-"Kiss The Girls and Make Them Die" (Low Quality MP3
Moss Icon-"Sioux Day" Superpowers [v/a comp.] (1993)
Free Old Maryland Art Punk Part 2: Reptile House coming next week!
*Void not linked up: couldn't find a decent representation of them in one place. Do check them out, though.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Afternoon Fix #5 Playlist March 14, 2008
The playlist for this week. Again if you like, buy!
One Last Wish-“My Better Half” 1986 (recorded 1986, released 1999)
Videohippos-“Narwhals” Unbeast the Leash (2007)
The Clash-“Spanish Bombs”
Moss Icon-“Sioux Day” Superpowers [v/a comp] (1992)
Brian Eno-“Baby’s On Fire” Here Come The Warm Jets (1973)
From Safety To Where-“Clockwork” [s/t] (1999)
The Blood Brothers-“Love Rhymes With Hideous Car Wreck" Crimes (2004)
Black Flag-“My War” [demo] (1982)
The Modern Lovers-“Modern World” The Modern Lovers (1976)
Slint-“Good Morning Captain!” Spiderland (1991)
The Ponys-“Shine” Turn The Lights Out (2007)
Electrelane-“To The East” No Shouts, No Calls (2007)
Gang of Four-“Glass” Entertainment! (1979)
Field Music-“You’re So Pretty” [s/t] (2005)
Computer Cougar-“Too Much” Rough Notes On High Street (2001)
Angel Hair-“Witch Hunt Scene From Star Trek” Insect Mortality (1997)
Neu!-“Hallogallo” [s/t] (1972)
Pylon-“Precaution” Gyrate (1980)
Blonde Redhead-“In Particular” Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons (2000)
Les Savy Fav-“Dishonest Don Pt. II” The Cat and the Cobra (1999)
TV On The Radio-“Dumb Animals” [
The Nation of Ulysses-“Love Is A Bull Market” 13-Point Program to Destroy
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