Hey, old man! What's in the bag? - Trixine

Fugazi “The Argument”
In reviewing this record, you’ve got to put it all in perspective.
This is a band that most of us have grown up with in some
way, going from a hardcore punk band that always strayed
from the norm, to running one of the most diverse studios,
meanwhile maintaining a strong and respectable work ethic.
So I wonder what the guys who are recording all these other
not-so-punk punk bands are doing themselves. The first half
of this is album is faster and noisier than their past couple
albums, which have been more relaxed and experimental,
and the second half slows down a little, but still doesn’t let
up. There’s noticably more singing and, like most of the current
bands of the DC area, they still focus heavily on weird
syncopation and dissonance. (Dischord)
Nation of Ulysses “The Embassy Tapes”
Lo-fidelity 4-track sessions from their Embassy, recorded
back in1992, now finally mixed and produced by Ian
MacKaye. Nine unadulterated, out of control songs, along
with the endless, yet always intriguing, ramblings of Mr.
Svenonius. You can definitely pick out the certain lovable
pieces that stayed with them when they matured. This is an
endearing and eventually essential album for any long-term
fan, but if you’re just getting into it, I’d stick with something
newer and discernable by, say, the Make-Up. (Dischord)
Bluetip “Post Mortem Anthem”
Five hard-to-find tracks from 7-inches and comps, and five
previously unreleased tracks. Bluetip are more rock than anything,
but as I was saying before, they concentrate on weird
syncopation and tight breaks, along with lots of half-note
singing and chromatics. I think I like them because it’s really
hard to bob your head to- you can tell that they put loads of
effort into their songwriting. Though their songs are seamless,
you can still feel the underlying complexities. (Dischord)
Love As Laughter “Sea To Shining Sea”
LAL sound like a definite cross between 70’s and 90’s guitar
rock. My first impression was possibly something along the
lines of the Meat Puppets, but LAL’s music is a little more
serious, progressively focusing on tighter grooves, and the
lyrics are surely deeper. I know I’m putting my foot in my
mouth by saying this, but there is no denying their ‘Seattle
sound’, from where they hail. This is pretty much a straightforward
rock album, and I personally enjoyed it very much,
and I think others will, too. On a side note, Mr. Jayne’s voice
sounds like Tom Petty in a few of these songs. (Sub Pop)
Beachwood Sparks “Once We Were Trees”
The CSN&Y, Simon & Garfunkel, Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, or
any tripped out 60’s band reference is inevitable, so what
about the album production, in terms of back then? Imagine
if CSN never got all cheesy, and kept making incredible
albums like Deja Vu, and as studio quality became crisper
and brighter with no cracks, hisses, or pops, the music still
stayed the same, just with ever-changing chord patterns and
lyrics. That might be a good description of the Beachwood
Sparks. However, the night before I wrote this review, I just
happened to be listening to Dark Side of The Moon on my
friend’s 8-track player, and there was an overwhelming sense
of nostalgia. This album is pretty hard not to like, but it’s difficult
to say if people are really going to take it all in. (Sub Pop)
Flag Of Democracy “Fodworld”
The last time I got anything by PA’s FOD was at a punk show
in Wilmington circa 1988, and it was a 4-way split 7”...I think
Trained Attack Dogs were on it. This latest album is their first
US release in over a decade, so you can see that I was sort of
blown away when I saw it. The CD bangs into super fast Dead
Kennedys style punk, and continues to thrash away like
nobody’s business. There’s also some general noise intermissions
to keep things interesting. FOD have an ever-lasting
style that you just don’t get from newer punk bands. (Creep)
Super High Five “Songs For Working”
I’m don’t want to call this hardcore, because that will have
too many connotations. If anything, this is a punk CD that
really rocks out, using cool melodies and hooks. There’s lots
of both screaming and singing, and the guitar is both fierce
and catchy at the same time. Either way, the lyrics seem to
come from the heart, and the music goes right along with it.
These Downingtown natives have been playing in this area for
quite some time now, and have another release on Creep.
(Creep, pmb 220, 252 E. Market , West Chester, PA 19382)
Apparatus Engine “Save”
This album starts out distinctively different than the rest of it.
It initially sounds like it’s going to be hardcore, but as the CD
quickly moves on, it slows down and starts to remind me of
Karate, where the singer sounds breathy, and the music
becomes tight, melodic indie-rock. Is this what they call
emo? Enter to win this CD by answering my simple survey a
few pages back! (apparatusengine@yahoo.com PO Box 768,
Downingtown, PA 19335 or visit www.creeprecords.com)
Faith And The Muse “Vera Causa” (2xCD)
“The Morning CD” features out-takes and demos, acoustic
versions, comp. appearances, and a few covers of songs originally
by Kate Bush, Bauhaus, Christian Death, and others.
“The Night CD” features live pieces from their European tour
last year, plus 7 remixes of their songs by other bands that
are part of that circle, like Rhea’s Obsession.
FATM manage to create goth music that isn’t horribly original
(go figure), but is still both memorable and stylistic, both of
which are characteristics not easily obtainable in that genre.
Their talent as musicians shines through in their songs, and
it’s pretty obvious why they are quickly becoming a favorite
for the new breed of teenage vampires. (Metropolis)