Boy's Life/Giants Chair Worn Thin B/W Ever Present Split EP HitIt! Recordings 1995

Boy's Life/Giants Chair Worn Thin B/W Ever Present Split EP HitIt! Recordings 1995 CAT#HIT-09

This 7" is so Kansas City...well, except Giants Chair had Wisconsin roots before attending KCAI and HitIt! Recordings was based out of Chicago...but, other than that, you can't get more Kansas City than this.

The bands were both torch carriers for the early, post-hardcore emo sound coming out of Kansas City in the 1990s. Boy's Life took their out of tune guitars and Dischord-esque style a bit more national because ultimately, they were on a better label than Giants Chair. The song "Worn Thin," is a perfect example of the band, strained vocals over the top of so much guitar.

Giants Chair stayed a bit more hidden than Boy's Life nationally, but their sound was equally as influential. The track "Ever Present," displays the band's attacking style. Everything up front, all at once before they take a step back and dismantle the song before bringing it all back together again. It's high energy and stands well on it's own in the context of this single.

Equally as Kansas City about this 7" is the sleeves were done at Hammer Press. The simple, elegant design make it worth every bit of $3 you probably had to pay when it was first released and the $20 you'd have to pay today.

Split 7"

Giants Chair Hot Boy Caulfied Records 1993

Giants Chair Hot Boy Caulfied Records 1993 NO CAT#

This, in the history of obscure KC related 45s, is up there at the top of the list. At the time of it's release in 1993, Giants Chair was still holding fort in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They hadn't come down to the Kansas City Art Institute and weren't well, art-damaged yet. This 7" is just some kids trying to make a record.

The songs featured here, "Commoncold" and "Weed Roses" aren't as filled with left turns and all the indie-rock tendencies bands draw themselves into. It's not better or worse for it, it's just a little more simple than what they'd go onto to do later. It's still aggressive, still has start-stop dynamics, but it's a clearer where they were taking you on the tunes. Also, on a side note, Giant's Chair was never an "emo" band, they came before it, but man, this sounds super-emo, especially "Weed Roses."

Hot Boy 7"

Giant's Chair Purity And Control Caulfield 1995

Giant's Chair Purity And Control Caulfield 1996 CAT# CR022

Had to hustle for this one, man.  This cost more than I'd like to admit, but it's so worth it.  A year after Red And Clear was released the band put together this album.  You can find abundant praise for their debut, but for whatever reason, Purity And Control, likely due to it's scarcity, doesn't get the same amount of mentions.  However, the obscure post-hardcore and emo blogs that do mention the album are high on it.

Despite the lack of info surrounding the release, those that do cite it are right to highly regard it.  Purity And Control is much more focused and dynamic than it's predecessor.  Moments on Red And Clear can sound a bit scrambled and overly excited.  This album as it's namesake suggests, is controlled.  The band doesn't run off on tangents and keeps it's focus.  The main reason the band is cited as emo pioneers is due to what you hear on this recording.  It's still jagged and edgy, but, Hobart's does throw down some emotive vocals.  Further, the band builds into the dynamics rather than employing start/stop dynamics (mostly, they don't abandon it completely).  To point out more emo cred, long before it was vogue and when Conor Oberst was 15 years old and just brimming on genius, Giant's Chair recorded tracks at Whoopass Studios with AJ and Mike Moogis

The album was primarily recorded in KC.  Hammer Press did the jackets, vinyl just shows the braille pattern, if I'm not mistaken the CD liner has actual braille type you can feel across.  The song "Ballad of Jody Hamilton" brings light to this artwork as it is a spoken word piece about a blind writer, it's pretty Velvet Underground-esq and has nothing to do with the word emo.  All told, it's a phenomenal album and highly recommended if you can track down a copy.  Even the CD is non-existent so below is a link to the full album, I don't think the band will mind at this point.

Full Album

Mystic Number National Bank Self Titled Command/ABC/Probe 1969

Mystic Number National Bank Self Titled Command/ABC/Probe 1969 CAT# CPLPS 4501

Oddly obscure Kansas City heavy psych band.  Very blues based, riding in on the style of Cream, with tons of pedals and effects to make up for the fact that they didn't feature the same level of talent.  Apparently, outside of some super obscure local 7"s, this is the entire output of the band.

Kind of head stractcher.  The whole package is strange.  It was put out by ABC's Command label which was mainly an output label for Enoch Light and released tons of easy listening and lounge albums throughout the 60's.  The label was heavily focused on recording techniques which might explain a the absurd amount of studio effects used on this album.  They weren't really known to release rock records.  They were also thrown on ABC's Probe label, which was focused on International success and progressive groups.  The gatefold LP also has a die-cut feature in which you can open up the vault to see the band.  Overall, it just seems like a lot of money to dump into a debut LP.

The inner gatefold does have some liner notes written by John Arnoldy of the band.  He says what everyone knows about the Kansas City area growing up, "Childhood was boring."  But, there's a brief KC history of the band, some members joined the army and others attended the Kansas City Art Institute until the band was signed and tried out San Francisco.  But, outside of that, there's not a lot of info out there on this band.

The album isn't bad.  It isn't great either.  Between 1969 and say, 1971, there was a ton of bands doing this sound.  The LP hasn't gone unnoticed, there was a German reissue done and people champion some of the tunes that are into obscure heavy blues rock from this era.  However, the production isn't as raw and threw in some horn arrangements as likely bid for radio play.  It doesn't blow you away with heavy psych sounds.  There is a few tunes though that are worth checking out, namely "Beautician Blues."  Apparently the lead singer, Glenn Walters stuck around in San Fran, gigged in some other bands and made a career singing for commercials and movie soundtracks.

Blues So Bad & Beautician Blues

Sea And Cake The Fawn Thrill Jockey 1997

Sea And Cake The Fawn Thrill Jockey 1997 CAT #THRILL039

Yeah, these dudes formed in Chicago.  And yes, no one is going to give Kansas City much cred for this band.  But hey, they have roots here.  I promise.

The Sea and Cake was brought about as project Sam Prekop and Eric Claridge after the band Shrimp Boat broke up.  Together, they recruited Tortoise drummer, John McEntire, as well as former Coctail and multi-instrumentalist, Archer Prewitt.  None of these folks are from Kansas City.  However, Sam Prekop attended the Kansas City Art Institute as did Archer Prewitt.  Prewitt played in numerous local bands, including the Coctails prior to that band relocating to Chicago.  Prekop, not known to play in KC bands and he hasn't really come back here, but he did have this to say in a September 24th, 2012 issue of Pitch Weekly on the formation of the Sea & Cake:

"Archer and I had met in Kansas City. We weren't really friends-- more like acquaintances. Somehow I decided he would be the right person to recruit. I had no idea we were going to become a band at that time-- I thought we'd just try it and see what happens."

So there you go, 2/4 of this band kind of, sort of met up in Kansas City.  Albeit years before the band's formation, they met first in KC.  Making Kansas City the beginning of all things cool in Chicago, IL.  (I sound like Milwaukee now, don't I?)  And, I know, Prekop moved around a lot, but his roots are clearly in Chicago, but, I'm pretty proud of Kansas City for introducing the two.

If you haven't heard the Sea & Cake, you're missing out.  Truly one of the first post-rock bands, they effortlessly blend jazz, soul, pop and electronic.  However, they are not like the bands now being labeled post-rock such as Sigur Ros, Mogwai, or Godspeed You Black Emperor, they're much more bubbly and pop-oriented.  But, the ambiance and electronic influence are prevalent and marks them as heavily influential in the current scene.

All the band's music is worth exploring.  This album is representative of the early half of their career and is just as good as any.  It's heavy on the electronics and cited as the first Sea and Cake album to do so, there is drum machines and synths, but they don't stray far from their previous work.  The newer stuff they have done is also incredible.  Whereas the first few albums tended to have similar weight and feel, in the 2000's the band explored different song writing techniques and  instrumentation.  Some albums came out very electronic, some much more experimental, yet there's even some guitar heavy stuff.  All undeniably the Sea and Cake, but not as immediately recognizable as their work in the 90's.

Civilise
Sporting Life

Rex Hobart & The Misery Boys A Couple of Hard Luck Favorites 7" Bloodshot Records 2001

Rex Hobart & The Misery Boys A Couple of Hard Luck Favorites 7" Bloodshot Records 2001 CAT # BS 075

First, in one of the all time weirdest moments in Kansas music history, Rex Hobart & the Misery Boys opened for Fugazi in Olathe, Kansas at Gee Coffee.  Oddly, the fact that the honky tonkers opened for Fugazi isn't the strangest part.  Members of Rex Hobart's Misery Boys (or a member) were in the Homestead Grays in Lawrence, Kansas back in the 80's.  And while the Grays were not a hardcore band by any means (they were rooted in Americana) they released on Lawrence's Fresh Sounds, Inc. label.  The same that released a few hardcore bands, the Embarrassment, and the Micronotz.  The Grays were in that scene of bands and throughout travels and shows, likely crossed paths with Ian MacKaye at some point.  Also, Rex Hobart is Scott Hobart of the band Giant's Chair (the previously discussed band) and I'm pretty sure Giant's Chair would have crossed paths with Fugazi in the 90's.  The strangest part is that it happened in a dump of a venue, years after it was considered cool and relevant, and 30 minutes South of KC, 45 minutes East of Lawrence.  The guy running Gee Coffee at that time was not the original owner and a huge douche.  All the same, it happened, and Rex Hobart & the Misery Boys were accepted and put on a great show and all that.

I believe at the present time, Rex Hobart has hung it up.  When the group entered the Kansas City scene, they were a great honky tonk band.  Members of Rex's Homestead Grays had left for Nashville to become BR-459, a genuine country band, he stayed in Kansas City.  His early stuff showcases a love for honky tonk and classic country.  Later in the band's career, they'd soften the edges in hopes of finding success, but were still rooted in real country sounds.

This 7" may be only thing available from the band on vinyl.  It falls on the later half of their career and features two covers.  Freddy Fender's "Wasted Days, Wasted Nights" and Poison's "Every Rose Has It's Thorn."  The Fender track is a solid pick, great tune, done well.  The Poison track has to represent some hope of a novelty hit, right?  I mean, I guess it's a decent song and yes, it's clearly a "country" song, but that doesn't mean you need to cover it.

Oh, and the best part about the 7", inscribed in the run off are the words "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Fucking Go."  D.L.R.

Giant's Chair Red And Clear Caulfield 1995

Giant's Chair Red And Clear Caulfield 1995 CAT # 15

This came out in 1995 and at the time, the group was best described as post-Hardcore.  Similar to other Kansas City bands such as Shiner, Season To Risk, and Molly McGuire, but with a high art value.  By the time the band called it quits, they had become a fairly influential and highly regarded as Emo pioneers.

I think the "emo" tag is mostly due to association with the Nebraska label Caulfield that released most the band's catalog.  Caulfield put out Denver band, Christie Front Drive, who were favorites within that scene.  At that time, indie labels were still thought of as a brand.  For example, you'd buy the Christie Front Drive CD, LP, or 7" and you'd get a small catalog of the labels other releases.  Each album would have a short blurb about how great it was and at some point, you couldn't resist, you started buying other stuff the label put out.  See Sub Pop and Dischord, those labels were brands and worked it to great success.  Caulfield was the same way on an even smaller scale and Kansas City's Giant's Chair was one of the first acts the label put out.

Ultimately, Christie Front Drive with their mumbled lyrics and 3 minute intros were very much an emo band.  Giant's Chair, not so much.  However, due to their popularity within the scene, many later bands began grabbing ideas from them.

Either way, they're a pretty phenomenal band and still sound amazing today.  I believe I'm correct when I say they formed as students at the Kansas City Art Institute.  Very much in the Quicksand realm of post-Hardcore, start stop dynamics, lots of guitar, sing to scream choruses.  They do throw in the high art value by concentrating on dynamics rather than volume.  Like Boys Life, they also loved to drop out of tune for effect.  I always loved how their songs would hang on an idea, like a choppy guitar riff for 30 seconds to a minute, before charging on into a totally different direction.  "Kick the Can" has always been one of my faves on the album and represents the group well and provides insight as to why everyone considers them "Emo".  "Full on Flat White" does as well and since I couldn't find "Kick the Can" on YouTube, it's linked below.

Full On Flat White

The Coctails Here Now Today Hi-Ball 1991

 The Coctails Here Now Today Hi-Ball 1991 Cat # RLP 12-312

The second self released Coctails LP isn't as fun as the first.  The back cover in all it's cheesy late 50's goodness reads that this is the Chicago Coctails, dudes from KC, MO now in Chicago.  Reviews and history present this LP as material recorded while the band was still students at the Kansas City Art Institute.

Listening to it, it's pretty obvious it's from the same era as the first LP if not the same sessions.  The back liner indicate the same in that they used the same 2 track recorder.  But yeah, this is the Chicago Coctails.  The guys that are on the verge of inventing Lounge-core.  To mention again, the Hi-Ball stuff

isn't the same as the later day uber-hip Coctails, it's a low key jazz affair.

What I think these tracks represent are the Kansas City stuff not originally intended for release.  I'm assuming once in Chicago and playing shows, demand for LPS grew.  They likely threw this LP together with stuff already recorded just to have something new at shows to sell.  Lots of ideas rather than fleshed out tunes.  A couple tunes under 2 minutes.  A lot of developed structures that you can tell are missing the lyrics due to the vocal qualities of the arrangements.

It's still a fun LP.  And, far more rooted in jazz than the previous effort.  Just has a rushed, unfinished feel throughout.

The Coctails Hip Hip Hooray Hi Ball Records 1990

 The Coctails Hip Hip Hooray Hi Ball Records 1990 CAT# LPC-8255

First, I stole this from Vinyl Renaissance.  $9 is all they wanted, I did initially say they should sell it for more, but yeah, I wasn't about to make them charge me $25 to $50 for it.  Furthermore, it's not like I haven't traded in some absurdly good stuff to that store.  A Niki Aukema album they are selling for $50, the first Police 7" they DID sell for $75, and some other rarities that weren't getting the bids on eBay.  It all comes back in the end, so I hope me and store keep a solid relationship of mutual ripping each other off.

I previously brought up this band when discussing the amazing Bangtails LP as it features Archer Prewitt who went onto form this band.  The Coctails initially started in Kansas City as students of the Kansas City Art Institute.  They weren't able to gig much around KC, but the story goes they did do the first two albums here in KC in a home studio.  They would later pack up and go to Chicago.  Which is better suited for this type of thing in all honesty.  They were able to cast a bigger net in that city and in the end, helped shape the 90's Chicago indie-rock scene.

You can read the back liners, it's a nod to old jazz LPS.  However, it's not entirely correct.  For one, at this time the Coctails were indie-pop with Jazz tendencies.  You aren't going to hear echos of Charlie Parker, but you do get a strong sniff of vocal jazz and the structures of Kansas City Jazz.  Later, they would develop what they termed "lounge core" and that's were the whole Thrill Jockey, Sea & Cake, Tortoise scene come into play.  Well, Tortoise is bit of their own thing and started around the same time.  But the Sea & Cake reference is easy as Archer Prewitt would play in that band with another Kansas City Art Institute alum, Sam Prekop.

The Coctails GO BIG TIME

Bangtails Hypnotic Downpour Revolver 1987

Bangtails Hypnotic Downpour Revolver Records 1987 CAT #001

A trusted friend turned me onto this when I asked him for the skinny on some solid 80s local stuff that I wouldn't know about.  He, being a one time employee at Love Garden Sounds in Lawrence, KS and a late 80s early 90s local musician himself, pointed me towards this.

He also put me under the impression, this was a self released EP by a group from Wichita, KS.  The self released part is pretty obvious.  The Wichita part, I haven't been able to confirm, but more on that later.

This is solid jangle pop.  The obvious comparison is REM Chronic Town era.  It certainly has that jangle and energy, but it's a bit more on the power pop/new wave edge.  I took it in a few times and the songs feel as if they could have been in a John Hughes film soundtrack.  There's something really familiar about the tunes and not just in the REM jangle-sense.  It's got a slight English tint to it, no synths, but in the atmosphere of the songs.

The killer part about the EP is the strained vocals of Mike Winston.  He goes into this gargling, pubescent, teen thing.  Fuck, it just kills me.  I mean, what more could you ask for with songs about (or sound like they are about) girls.  It literally sounds like Mike Winston's world is crumbling down upon him as the songs continue.  It's a shame this was the only released output by these guys, because it's a very promising set of songs.

The big news here is that this band is well footnoted as a stepping stone in the career of Archer Prewitt who was the bass player for the Bangtails.  So, my initial understanding that the band was from Wichita is a bit up in the air.  Prewitt, born and raised in Kentucky, attended the Kansas City Art Institute where this band must have formed.  Prewitt, of course, would go on to help form the Coctails in Kansas City before relocating to Chicago.  In Chicago, Prewitt would connect with another Kansas City Art Institute alum and Chicago legend, Sam Prekop, as a member of the Sea & Cake.  So there you go, you're welcome Chicago, you should probably thank us sometime for your kick-ass indie rock scene.

Bangtails - Patron of the Arts