The 5 Most Underrated Albums of the '90s Part 2

2. Medicine - Shot Forth Self Living

(Def American, 1992)

The reason Medicine's debut LP was a commercial failure is apparent as soon as you press "play." Lead-off track "One More" begins with an huge, ear-splitting squall of guitar feedback that loops and builds for a full minute before a simple bassline and drumbeat fade into the mix. It then takes another 90 seconds for anything resembling a melody to begin, and even when it does, it's just a huge, layered pile of the same noise and feedback folding in on itself over and over like an origami puzzle. An uncompromising, nine-minute opening track undoubtedly led a bunch of critics and casual listeners to throw the disc in the shitcan before checking out the rest of the songs. What they missed out on was a classic set of beautiful noise by Brad Laner and his ramshackle band of musical miscreants.

Sounds a bit like My Bloody Valentine, does it? True, the influence is impossible to escape. The cooing, mumbled male/female vocals, sculpted noise, and machine-driven dance beats are straight outta Glasgow, but this isn't navel-inspecting UK shoegaze. Nah, this is what I would call "stargaze": a uniquely American sound born out of the gutters and alleyways hidden behind California glitz and palm trees. Each song reaches for beauty and optimism and looks to the heavens for inspiration and release. Album centerpiece "A Short Happy Life" sums it up perfectly. Vocalist Beth Thompson sings about crawling across the floor for what? Love? Drugs? Sunlight? Who knows. Her voice is buried underneath a massive blanket of reverb and blends into the mix. The song pulses and builds for over five minutes before Laner unloads with an epic, triumphant ascending riff that repeats until the track fades out. The result is honestly astonishing.

After hearing Shot Forth Self Living, you would probably assume Laner used a bathtub full of effects and processors to get all the ridiculous guitar tones and noises scattered all over the album. I was shocked to find out that everything was created by running his beat-up guitar through a wah-wah pedal into a 4 track recorder. Just dig this obnoxious riff from the track "Defective." It cuts through the hi-hat-heavy dance beat and swirling layers of echoing feedback like a dentist's drill. By the end of the song, the riff is brutally chopped to the first three notes looped over and over, and it goes on almost to the point of madness. Coming right before America's love affair with Nirvana and everything alternative, and after the UK moved on from shoegaze to Britpop, Medicine's debut fell between the cracks. It is currently out of print, but easy to find in used bins.

Check back tomorrow for the final three entries on the list! Hell yeah!

The 5 Most Underrated Albums of the '90s

In preparation for the next Random Old Records Podcast, I've been gorging on music from the 1990s. Since I've dubbed it the "Nuggets Of The '90s" episode, I've naturally been digging on the more obscure albums released during the last golden age of music. As a result, I've compiled a list of the five most underrated albums of the '90s. This isn't a smug, hipster-style list of the most obscure bands or albums, mind you, just five all-time classics that somehow ended up in dollar bin purgatory. I'll be countin' them down over the next three days, and today I'm starting off with #1.

1. Urge Overkill - Exit The Dragon

(Geffen, 1995)

You might remember Urge Overkill from their ultra-suave cover of Neil Diamond's "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon" from the Pulp Fiction soundtrack, or from their MTV semi-hits "Positive Bleeding" and "Sister Havana," which were short, sharp blasts of '70s Cheap Trick/Badfinger-style power pop. Steve Albini once famously slagged 'em off as "weiners in suits playing frat boy party-rock," and "the worst band I've ever recorded." After their initial brush with fame, all the bad vibes and excess came crashing down on Urge Overkill, and the result was this album, one of the darkest ever recorded. Opener "Jaywalkin'" sets the tone with the line "There's evil in this world, and there's not a damn thing you can do" and the bleak atmosphere just never lets up.

Tour burnout, mental torment, drugs, and disillusion are the main themes, so you can tell you're in for a good time. Exit The Dragon perfectly captures the late night, slopped-out atmosphere of '70s albums like Exile On Main Street and Big Star's 3rd, full of false starts, bum notes, awkward chord changes, and thinly-veiled drug references. Drummer Blackie Onassis was a heavy-duty heroin addict when the album was recorded, and his playing is all over the place. His solo spot "The Mistake" is probably the most harrowing song, detailing a lonely hotel room overdose that is so detailed that it can't be anything but autobiographical. First single "The Break" is frontman Eddie "King" Roeser's cry for help. He doesn't use the phone because he's too busy getting wasted alone while simmering, seething late-period Badfinger guitars crunch away in the background.

"Somebody Else's Body" was the second single, written and sung by bassist Nash Kato. Though the music takes the form of a jaunty, Beatlesque shuffle, the lyrics are no less bleak. This time, the protagonist is so numb to reality that they've totally forgotten who they are and what they're doing. No wonder Exit The Dragon was a complete flop upon its release in 1995. Fans expecting the good-time handclaps and power chords of their earlier hits had to have been confounded by the album's unending darkness. Critics also missed the boat, and eventually the label pulled the promo plug and sent it into dollar bin purgatory. Too bad, as Exit The Dragon is Urge Overkill's best album and the most underrated album of the '90s.

Tune in tomorrow for #2 and #3 on the list, and as always, thanks for readin'!

Psychedelia for a Rainy Day

So yeah, today's weather is the pits. It's rainy and gross outside, and the people here at work didn't get the memo that today is Friday. What's a person to do? Close your eyes and float downstream with some blissed-out psychedelic pop! It worked wonders on my mood, so I figured I would share that mellow mood with everyone. This Fall Friday mix is loaded with 13 unlucky tracks and 42 minutes of tripped-out pop old and new from the likes of Olivia Tremor Control, Fields, Stereolab, Can, Galaxie 500, Caravan, and more! Click the link below, download, and enjoy!

http://bit.ly/2iG7YX

Here's a sample: some joyfully goofy Canterbury rock from Caravan - "Love To Love You"

Thanks to everyone who checked out episode #12 of Random Old Records Podcast, and if you haven't, what are you waiting for?! Click the iTunes link on the right to subscribe, or point your internets to http://rorpodcast.mevio.com to stream, subscribe, or download FOR FREE! It's an hour of classic girl group tracks, plus interviews with Ellie Greenwich (RIP), and people have been saying it's my best one yet. Who am I to argue? While you're at it, add yourself to the Random Old Records Podcast fan page on Facebook! Episode #13 will be out in a couple weeks, and this one's the Nuggets of the '90s edition. Tune in for a heaping helping of obscure and unhearalded hits and never-were's from the last golden age of indie rock, alternative, and punk.

Don't forget, it's the freakin' weekend! Sunny days are around the bend, so don't forget to get out and enjoy 'em!

Rock N' Roll Weekend, Take 2

If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you might remember my epic rock n' roll weekend blog from a few months ago. Well, last weekend was more of the same, but instead of touring acts lighting it up, this time it was some of the most exciting bands the Queen City Tri-State area has to offer. What else could a humble blogger do but put on his drinkin' shoes, stand in front of some noisy PAs and EXPERIENCE the shit?! Let's discuss...

Thursday night brought a trip to Cincinnati's best rock n' roll dive bar, The Comet. Weakness, a bunch of baby-faced kids, brought some serious sloppy noise in an impressive fashion. The Comet's tinny speakers were filled with a screeching, crackling buzz as they busted through a set of short, sharp tunes highlighted by piercing keyboards and bratty vocals. They reminded me of Jason Lowenstein's fuzzy punk songs buried on Sebadoh albums mixed with the snot-nosed ADD energy of Long Beach's late, lamented Le Shok. Not that these dudes have ever heard those bands before. The singer rolled around on the floor, sweated up a storm, and basically put on a show. Forget Columbus' Times New Viking and their insane amount of hype. Weakness are the real deal. I'm sure you don't believe me, so thankfully the band has a whole LP available HERE to stream or download for free!

Weakness @The Comet, 10/15/2009

Photo: Kane Kitchen

Friday, I ended up at Molly Malone's In Covington KY, which is a pretty terrible "hipster" Irish bar (what does that even mean?!) on the first floor. Luckily, the third floor is a pretty kickin' intimate show venue with a stellar PA. The room was positively PACKED with local music scene supporters and band members alike. Cool people and cool vibes were literally coming out of the walls. Hmm, maybe that's what sets this whole Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky scene apart from any others. It is friendly and non-exclusive. Fuck a bunch of that cool guy bullshit. You can come to a local show and meet a new believer every time. Probably get some free beer out of it, as well. On this night, The Lions Rampant from Burlington KY came out and left folks slack-jawed and ecstatic!

The Lions Rampant @Molly Malone's 10/16/2009
Photo: Kane Kitchen

If you're not following me on Twitter, then first of all, what the heck is wrong with you?! Second of all, you missed out on this: "The Lions Rampant will take on the best garage rock bands from Brooklyn, LA, Atlanta, or Memphis and leave them lying. Believe it!" I don't have much to add to that, really, other than to say that they pump out an impressive mixture of Grand Funk power trio rock, chaotic Who-style buildups, Mersey-beat pop, and broke-ass white boy blues. What sets The Lions Rampant apart is that they actually INTERACT with the crowd, and it's not your normal, "Hey, how ya doin', we have two songs left" crap you've heard a million times. These aren't your average bunch of local rockers who plow through their 30 minutes with practice-space precision. They extend things, play around, bring it up, then bring it back down. This is REAL rock n' roll, like back in the day before computers robbed us of all our REAL emotions. The Lions Rampant sum up everything good about the Cincinnati music scene, and don't be surprised if they blow up your radar real soon.

Saturday night was all about Pat Rice. The Mad Hatter in Covington KY hosted an EPIC line-up of bands and the premiere of "A Queen City Girl," a video documentary tribute to Cincinnati's punk rock grandma. If you live in a different area code, I guarantee you are unaware of Pat Rice, but she is a credit to the local scene who puts most music supporters to shame. OK, she's 65 years old, rides the bus everywhere in a town full of apathetic public transport, and still has more energy than most 21 year olds. Really, she wins. It was a genuinely touching, loving, and amazing sight to see a packed house pay their respects to the glowing gal of honor. I had too much of a good time to provide an accurate review of all the bands, though. Just peep the trailer below:

Don't forget, episode #12 of Random Old Records Podcast is out NOW! It is my tribute to the den mother of the girl groups, Ellie Greenwich, and it features damn near an hour of classic '60s pop from the likes of The Ronettes, The Crystals, Darlene Love, and more! Download and/or stream it from here: http://rorpodcast.mevio.com. Thanks as always, and don't sleep on Cincinnati, we just might take over!

Random Old Records Podcast #12 Out NOW!

Yes indeedy, the latest episode of Random Old Records Podcast is now available for your streaming, downloading, and listening pleasure! Episode #12 is dedicated to the memory of Ellie Greenwich, the Den Mother of the Girl Groups, and features ALL of her classic collaborations with Jeff Barry. "Leader Of The Pack" by The Shangri-las? "Be My Baby" by The Ronettes? "Da Doo Ron Ron" by The Crystals? Yep, they're all here and then some! Greenwich had her hand in some of the greatest songs ever written, and I'm happy as hell to present 'em here! Also, you'll hear super-informative interview snippets with Greenwich herself, plus a selection of rare and tough girl group tracks from The Jaynetts, The Fabulettes, The What Four, and more! It's almost an hour of classic tunes, so ch-ch-check it out!

Just point your browser here: http://rorpodcast.mevio.com and you can either stream it right off the page by clicking the "play" button, or subscribe via iTunes, RSS, or Zune so you never miss an episode! You can also click the handy-dandy iTunes icon directly to your right and subscribe that way. Give it a listen and let me know whatcha think! Thanks a ton to all readers and listeners, old and new. More blog updates are coming this week, with a few sweet surprises in store. Hell yeah!

The Cynics/The Customs/The Long Gones @Southgate House 10/09/2009

Cincinnati's burgeoning garage rock scene keeps trucking along, as great bands keep popping up all over, filling the clubs and bars with a joyful, sloppy racket. Last Friday was a night of legends though, as the Southgate House in Newport, KY hosted Cincinnati rock n' roll icons The Long Gones and The Customs, along with The Cynics from Pittsburgh. The joint was pretty jumpin' despite one of the foulest monsoons I've seen around here and a steep $10 cover charge.

First up was The Long Gones, who reunited last year after a long hiatus. Back in the CPR (Cincinnati Punk Rock) heyday of '96-'98, they used to destroy local punks who showed up expecting the cutesy Lookout! Records-style pop stuff. I've had the pleasure of seeing these dudes a couple times this year, and every time one word sticks out: MEAN. The Long Gones are Cincinnati's meanest band. Not casting aspersions on their character, mind you, but on stage, they spit, cuss, and wail, stomping through a bevy of foul-tempered and ill-mannered tunes that make you stand back and wonder how a bunch of dudes in their 30s can RAGE like that. Picture a mix of Dead Boys swagger and Johnny Thunders guitar squall and you're close. They just exploded with renewed energy and fire, so take note, kids. Check 'em out NOW because you never know when they will go back into hibernation.

I wandered in a daze up to the Southgate House lounge and ran smack into Los Honchos. When I left the house that night, the last thing I expected was to see a six piece band in suits, but I got sucked in right quick. I was kinda blown away, to be honest. The only way I could describe 'em would be a '60s go-go bar band straight out of a time machine. They cooked up a SWANK mix of sleazy strip-bar white boy r&b with honkin' sax and shouted frat-rock harmonies. Remember the name, since they sound like nothing else in the city. I was dreaming of girls dancing in cages as I made my way back downstairs for The Customs.

The Customs @Southgate House, 10/09/2009

Photo: George DuChaine

If you've never heard of The Customs, I don't blame you. Led by Boston expat Peter Greenberg (famously of DMZ and The Lyres), they were the FIRST band in Cincinnati playing '60s garage with punk rock energy back in 1978 when the whole world was creaming their pants over the UK and NYC scenes. Their original singles go for absurd prices on Ebay with "KBD" tags on 'em, so thankfully The Cynics' label Get Hip has filled the void with a vinyl reissue of "Long Gone," the compilation Cincinnati institution Shake-It Records released in the mid '90s. This was a real EVENT, with Greenberg flying in from New Mexico specifically for the show. Kicking things off with a slowed-down cover of "Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In" (The Rezillos by way of Fleetwood Mac), The Customs then rattled off damn-near an hour of ass-shaking rock n' roll, mixing equal parts jangle and raunch, splashed with tambourine and organ, joined at certain points on vocals by Bryan from the Long Gones and a rotund African American man in a natty suit whose name I didn't catch.

The Customs @Southgate House, 10/09/2009

Photo: George DuChaine

It was obvious that this was a group of old pals that were seriously JAZZED to be on stage together playing their 30+ year old songs to a hyped-up audience. Bouncing around like sweaty pinballs, The Customs were tight as a drum, especially considering they've played maybe five shows in the past 25 years. Judging by the amount of wrinkled faces around me, there was a large contingent of fans from the first go-round in attendance, and it wasn't surprising that most of them took off before The Cynics started playing around 1 AM. Hell, I'm only 29 and it was almost past my bedtime! Good thing Cynics vocalist Mike Kastelic is pushing 50 and still has more energy than you or I.

The Cynics @Southgate House, 10/09/2009

Photo: George DuChaine

The Cynics are celebrating 25 years as a band, and the term "legends" certainly applies here. I saw them straight-up LEVEL the Northside Tavern back over Fourth Of July weekend, and unfortunately their performance on this night wasn't nearly as galvanizing. Last time, they had a female Farfisa player and tambourine shaker which added an extra thickness to the sound that was sorely missing here. Kudos to them, though, for not mailing it in to the 20 or so die-hards that stayed around to watch them play. Frontman Kastelic in particular ran all over the stage and into the crowd as they bashed through classics like "Yeah!" and newer tracks like "Here We Are." There was even a bit of classic punk rock mayhem as a bottle removed from the stage led to Kastelic screaming and flipping birds to an unknown figure at the back of the bar. They were pissed about something, to be sure, but I can't speculate as to why. All I know is that it added even more fire and energy to a band that already had it in abundance. Overall, it was a kickass show and well worth 10 bucks.

Watch this space for the NEW EPISODE of Random Old Records Podcast this week! Episode #12 is crammed full of classic Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich-penned girl group tracks, along with some of the rarest and toughest female-fronted rock n' roll of the '60s. Thanks for readin'!

The Brothers & The Sisters @The Yard 10/2/2008

Old people DIY venues have been sprouting up in the Cincinnati Tri-State area with alarming regularity recently, a development that has got me screaming for joy. I've been to my fair share of dirty, sweaty punk rock basement shows, but now I've gotten to the point where I just want to see bands in a chilled-out BYOB setting without having to deal with drunken fools pissing on rugs or getting into fights. Last weekend brought a show at the latest old people DIY venue, which I will dub "The Yard," since it's, well...someone's yard! Nestled on a quiet block of Covington, Kentucky side street, it's a place that fits perfectly with the wave of cool, overcast fall hoodie weather we've been experiencing.

First up was the lead dude from Hometown Show, a UK country-bluegrass band, and Jimmy Broomfield, who sounded like a more depressed Billy Bragg. Both of them carried a deer-in-headlights look and seemed a bit bewildered about how they ended up in a Kentucky side yard. When pressed, they both pled ignorance about the current UK music scene and seemed caught up in all the good vibes spreading around. Apparently Klaxons are still huge overseas. Make a note of it. The Brothers & The Sisters were up next, a new band with CVG and Cincinnati roots, boasting a two vocal/guitar/banjo/dobro/double bass/brush drums lineup. Cheesy as it sounds, the atmosphere was magical, I tell ya!

The Brothers & The Sisters @The Yard, 10/2/2009

Photo: Mccall Wilson

If you don't remember The Light Wires, I'm not mad atcha. One of the midwest's best-kept secrets, they sculpted a brilliant, downtrodden americana/shoegaze sound a few years back before fizzling out after two albums. Light Wires main man Jeremy Pinnel plays guitar and sings with The Brothers & The Sisters, and the songs are SAD. Not wrist-slashing sad, but beery, redemptive sad. Arms over shoulders, singing at closing time sad. Happy sad? No, defiant sad! Fuck you, punk rock sad. It's kinda hard to get depressed if the people playing sad music are exchanging knowing glances and mile-wide smiles. The secret weapon is Evangeline Bauerle, with her booming voice and wide, blissful eyes. Sometimes all it takes is a strong woman to keep some sad bastards on the straight and narrow. The lazy comparison is Gram and Emmylou, but in this case, it is apt. The band sounded absolutely perfect as the cold winds swirled across the Ohio River. Listen to The Brothers & The Sisters. They are recording an album right now, and you're a sucker if you miss out.

The Brothers & The Sisters @The Yard, 10/2/2009

Photo: Joe Lamb Photography

This is kind of a big week at Random Old Records headquarters. I saw my favorite band of all time LIVE last week for the first time. Yeah, I met the Manic Street Preachers and as soon as I get the pics back I'll be tellin' y'all about it. If you followed my live tweets about NBC's Super Night Of Rock N' Roll last night, expect a full report. The Cynics are comin' back to the Cincinnati Tri-State area tomorrow night too, so you know I'll be there! Oh, and if you listen to my podcast, Episode #12: the ALL GIRL GROUP edition will be out on Monday with some choice tracks written by Ellie Greenwich. She even provides the narration! If you read all this junk, THANKS! Don't forget to come back, because there's lots of good stuff coming soon!