Shiner Starless Private 2000/2015

Shiner Starless Private 2000/2015 NO CAT#

This album was originally released as a CD on Owned & Operated Recordings in 2000. It was the third album in the Shiner catalog and I remember having it and being bored by it. I had loved Splay, tolerated Lula Divinia, but didn't have the patience for this album.

Looking back, I was in college when it was released and trying to understand complex subjects in class, I didn't want any complication in my music. I was feeling the lo-fi scene featuring Pavement, power-pop of the late-70's, and punk rock. I didn't have to think about that music, that stuff was plug and play. And, if I did have to concentrate on tunes, it was at KJHK and by the year 2000, post-hardcore had run it's course in the college radio scene. I just thought I had to have some sort of persona. I used to like Shiner, but couldn't anymore. They were like Rush at this point, way too old-man rock.

Looking back, I'm a bit embarrassed by that version of me. I had lot more of my own pretensions than this album has. Sure, it's math-y and each song is like an equation that only makes sense upon it's conclusion, but, its got a lot of depth and emotion to go along with it. Listening to it now, I get why they were big in Chicago and signed to a label owned and operated by post-hardcore darling, Jawbox frontman, J. Robbins. It's cause they were pretty great.

This new reissue was put out by the band themselves, vinyl only on blue/white splattered vinyl. The colored effect does go well with the original artwork which is greatly enhanced by the size of the cover. The pale guy in the suit and crown standing over a skyline looks much more grand staring at a LP jacket versus squinting at the old CD liner. Got to think Shiner may be able to get the rights to give the same treatment to Lula Divinia and Splay at some point. The doors are closed at DeSoto with Dischord only paying attention to the Jawbox catalog. I'd hope J. Robbins is a cool enough guy that he'd just let Shiner do what they want if asked.

SHINER - STARLESS

Appleseed Cast Mare Vitalis Graveface/Deep Elm 2015

Appleseed Cast Mare Vitalis Graveface/Deep Elm 2015 CAT# GRAVE032

Been on the hunt for this for a long time. There’s an original, then a reissue, both put out in limited pressing and both of which typically cost near the $100 mark. They’re available, I just don’t want to front that kind of change.

Initially, I was pretty stoked to hear about this Graveface 20 year anniversary repress, then it turns out they only put out 150 on black vinyl and an additional 150 on some goofy splatter vinyl. Second, it was like the thing was never on sale. I tried going to the Graveface website on the supposed release date and it was nowhere to be found. I believe it was sold out through pre-order and Graveface subscriptions. Next thing I knew, it’s on the internets for $75. Luckily, I was able to grab one without being to ripped-off, I was willing to spend the $50 someone asked for the copy I know have.

Fortunately, I got straight black vinyl, because splatter, colored or picture discs don’t really excite me like they do some people. In fact, they kind of piss me off. There’s people that spend upwards of $100 on a single album to own all variants? Why? What good does it do anyone to have 5 copies of the same album regardless of what it looks like?

Anyway, I’m glad to have a single copy of this LP. The second track, “Fishing the Sky” is the best thing the band ever did. I’d pay $50 for just that song. However, the whole album is 10 steps ahead of their debut, The End of Ring Wars.

For one, the band added Kansas Native, Josh Baruth, a.k.a. “Cobra”, on drums. His work took the band to another level. He’s a surgeon back on the set. He practically own the album. I’d give him all the credit for the LP, but the band’s songs were also improved.

The tracks put together are still heavy on the emo-side, paying homage to Sunny Day Real Estate and the band’s personal favorite, Mineral. However, there’s experimentation going on, noodling, and feedback throughout. The band was nearing their sound. But, they almost perfected the emo-version of themselves here. No one would have been upset if they decided to stay.

Fishing the Sky

Manilla Road Invasion Cult Metal Classics 2005 (Reissue)

Manilla Road Invasion Cult Metal Classics 2005 (Reissue) CAT# CultMetal019

If you mention the name Manilla Road to a random person in Kansas and probably this band's home city of Wichita, it's probably fair to assume less than 1% you talk to will have any idea who Manilla Road is. Mention the band's name in Power Metal circles and you're sure to get a number of opinions. Many of which would cite the band as one the finest examples in the genre.

However, before this gets all metal, this was Manilla Road's first release. It was originally released in 1980 on the band's own label, Roadster. This vinyl reissue was put out in Europe in 2005 on Cult Classics, but apparently there is an additional version that was released in 2004 on the label Iron Glory. Perhaps a situation in which Iron Glory has the CD reissue and didn't have interest in vinyl so passed it along to Cult Metal...either way, Cult Metal is a label in Greece and indicative of the band's primary fan base, power metal is apparently big in the European countries...that's the rumor, anyway.

But again, don't want to get too attached to metal. This release, Invasion, is heavy, but much more in line with proto-metal and progressive rock. The band came into their Power Metal years on the release Crystal Logic, which is few years later. While that era gets the most recognition, this is pretty great too. In Wichita, these guys were secluded, had no intention of fame or fortune, just clearly wanted to play LOUD music. It's dark, menacing and filled with guitars. The sound, at least on this version, the sound quality is pretty poor and comes across like it was recorded in a damp basement. Maybe it was or maybe it was just the limitations of the bands equipment.

One thing is clear, the group's primary Mark Shelton is brilliant. Nothing about this album carries any pretense...sure, maybe a band like Iron Maiden was knocking around all this fantasy lyric stuff at the same time, but c'mon, those guys still wanted to be "cool." Nothing about Manilla Road is trying to be cool. In fact, it seems as if they wanted the opposite. They'll play loud, fast, and sing about swords and death and if someone buys it, great, if not, they're still going to kick around their ideas.

Manilla Road The Dream Goes On

Bulbous Creation You Won't Remember Dying Numero Group 2014

Bulbous Creation You Won't Remember Dying Numero Group 2014 CAT# NUM1227

A now legendary story surrounds this release and the first thing to point out when telling it is that this album was never actually "released."

It seems the tunes are primarily the brainchild of Prairie Village, KS native Paul Parkinson.  He returned home from tour in Vietnam, put together this band and they cut an album's worth of dark, boogie-rock in Independence, Missouri's Cavern Studios circa 1970.  The band didn't stay together long enough to put out any sort of private release.  Further, they probably didn't hand out many demos of the group's sound.

Despite the fact that band would have only played a handful of shows and demos were probably limited to a few friends of the band, the gloom and doom of the recordings got heard.  Those that did hear even snippets of the groups work were likely overwhelmed by not only all the dark, satanic references, but the band's adept psych rock arrangement.  The songs were recorded in the Cavern, so there's a echo and basement feel to everything.  The tunes go from the morose, war-damaged opener, "End of the Page", to basic blues-rock based psych and stoner jams.  It occasionally borders on Sabbath inspired proto-metal, but the real surprise is the lyrical themes and content: 1970's suburban Kansas is not the place you'd expect to find a group tackling topics like death and drug use, but this band went one-step further titling a song "Satan."  It's all very war-damaged and serves as a reminder to what these young guys like this were dealing with when coming back from Vietnam.

In 1995, 8 of the Bulbous Creation songs were issued on Rockadelic Records (same label that issued a Wizards of Kansas posthumous release of Cavern recorded tracks).  It was unauthorized release and doesn't sound that great, but it represented Bulbous Creation's first release 20 years after it recorded the material.

The Rockadelic become somewhat of a collector's LP as it soon went out of print and word spread on the band.  In 2001 Paul Parkinson passed away.  It's reported that while going through his belongings, his brother found a complete copy of the Bulbous Creation LP, previously, the Rockadelic material was thought to be it, but 2 additional tracks were unearthed.  So there you have it, 10 songs, representing a single band's short-lived existence, now released officially 44 years after it was initially recorded; that's legendary.

Check out the tunes.

Joe Williams with Count Basie and His Orchestra Everyday I Have the Blues Roulette 1959

Joe Williams with Count Basie and His Orchestra Everyday I Have the Blues Roulette 1959 CAT# R52033

I love these Basie/Williams albums.  Mostly because for the rest of his life, Joe Williams spoke so highly of Count Basie.  One of his early solo albums, he's quoted gloating about his work with Basie, then later performances, everywhere, always just gave huge thanks and credit to Count Basie.  He never forgot his roots.

This album is in all actuality considered a solo LP for Williams.  Joe Williams' popularity had reached it's peak.  Williams' popularity was also instrumental to Basie's continued success.  Basie's work on the album was a thank you to Williams for the years served as his band's singer.

Basie worked the arrangements with a smaller backing band than normal.  You still get the huge sound expected from Basie's standard and title track, "Everyday I Have the Blues."  However, after that, the album is laid back.  The swing style of "Going to Chicago" is a vocal workout for Williams with your basic club group from Basie.  The album flows like that for the most part, even a smoker like "Shake, Rattle and Roll" is toned down (but at a good clip, for sure).  It's a jazz vocal album that finds Williams showing off and Basie adding flourishes that don't normally appear on similar albums.

Everyday I Have the Blues

The Appleseed Cast Two Conversations Tiger Style/Graveface 2003

The Appleseed Cast Two Conversations Tiger Style/Graveface 2003 CAT# GRAVE035

If you can come up with an original Tiger Style issue of this release, it's still worth a pretty penny.  However, to save money, this is fine.  The Graveface reissue series has done an amazing job with the Cast.  The album is the first the band did after leaving the notrious Deep Elm label and at the time, was highly anticipated following the buzz of the Low Level Owl albums.

Personally, I find the release a bit more focused than the sprawling Low Level Owl LPs.  My only real complaint is it's a very slow-moving album.  Whereas the previous album had bursts of emo-ness thrown in to keep you off balance, Two Conversations steadies the pace.  This album certainly shed the emo tag, Chris Crisci's vocals are strained here and there, but he isn't crying like a baby anymore.  And the band, fucking brilliant, can't throw them in a punk-teen scene any longer, they're too good to emo.  The album finds the band with confidence, like they know who they are.  It also finds the band aligning themselves further with post-rock movement, building songs rather than writing them.

Overall, it's a fantastic mood album.  That is, you have to be in a certain mood to enjoy it.  If you want something immediate that you can sing and dance to; this is not your answer.  But, the deeper you get involved with it, the more rewarding it becomes.  The chilling loniliness that you hear on side one with songs like "Hanging Marionette" and "Fight Song".  And, if you make it through, you get rewarded here and there with the energy of "Innocent Vigilant Ordinary" and the slowcore beauty of "How Life Can Turn" and "A Dream For Us," on the flip.

Innocent Vigilant Ordinary

Count Basie & His Orchestra Kansas City Suite The Music of Benny Carter Roulette 1960

Count Basie & His Orchestra Kansas City Suite The Music of Benny Carter Roulette 1960 CAT# R52056

Love this LP and wish I didn't own a beat up later pressing on the Roulette Birdland Series, nice original would fit the bill, but, then again, there's a lot of records I want.

This LP was written by Benny Carter (not from Kansas City or a part of the scene, at least in the way Basie was) for Count Basie and his orchestra.  Carter named his tunes around clubs and areas in Basie's old stomping grounds, Basie gave it his KC swing, and they got a solid later day jazz album.

It's a solid outing and some featured soloist give the recordings an added flourish.  However, I just love it for all the Kansas City in it.  The skyline photo is great.  Song titles are fantastic: "Vine Street Rumble," "Miss Missouri," "Jackson County Jubilee," and the "Paseo Promenade" all still hold immediate relevance today.  The other tracks apparently are centered around KCMO as well, but would likely require more research.  I'm content with the obvious.

Vine Street Rumble

Coalesce Give Them Rope She Said v2.0 No Idea 2004 (Repress)

Coalesce Give Them Rope She Said v2.0 No Idea 2004 (Repress) CAT#153

This is a remastered and remixed edition of Coalesce's ahead of it's time 1997 release, Give Them Rope.  The mix is brought up, mainly the guitar.  It sounds good, don't know if it was needed, but it's got cool artwork and the remix highlights some things that may have been missed the first time around.

Between the years of 1997 and 2004 lots of thing happened with Coalesce.  Numerous breakups and line up changes, the scene they helped develop passed them by, and they found time to do an entire album of Led Zeppelin covers (which is fucking awesome).  The original bass player, Stacy Hilt left and was replaced by Nathan Ellis.  Ellis stayed with the band for a substantial amount of time, but became focused on his own group, The Casket Lottery to which he recruited Stacy Hilt, the same bass player he replaced in Coalesce to play in his band.  Hilt however, would return in 2001 to play bass yet again for the band.  James Dewees left after the groups album, Functioning on Impatience, to play keyboards for the Get Up Kid, later he did his own project, Reggie & the Full Effect, and even later wound up as the touring keyboardist for My Chemical Romance.  Singer Sean Ingram filled in briefly for the Dillinger Escape Plan and embarked on other projects.  Guitarist Jes Steineger remained a constant member, however, it's rumored his numerous religious conversions were reason for many of the band's numerous break ups.

So yeah, tumultuous history and all, but, brutal, hardcore metal needs that to continue, I guess.

Shiner The Egg DeSoto/Son Of Man 2012 (Repress)

Shiner The Egg DeSoto/Son Of Man 2012 (Repress) CAT #SOM-002

People love this album and swear by it.  However, when it came out in 2001, I could have gave a shit less.  1996, I thought Splay was one of the greatest things I had ever heard.  High school age boys love angry rock music and that fit the bill.  I remember being excited to get my hands on their follow-up, Lula Divinia which was released in 1997.  However, the glow of Splay started to wear off quickly.  The songs become incredibly long and pretentious, shoegazer moments mixed in with odd time signatures and even stranger song structures.  There was nothing immediate on Lula Divinia so you couldn't get sucked into all it.  By 2000 when Starless came out, I really didn't care anymore.  I believe I picked up Starless cheap in a used bin and was even more turned off by it than I was by Lula.

I had completely moved on and forgot about Shiner when The Egg came out in 2001.  I never even picked up.  Then, several years ago I became obsessed with collecting all the locals I once listened to in the 90's on vinyl.  Since then, I've been searching feverishly for a copy of Splay.  I still haven't found it, but last year while searching the internet for it, I discovered that Son of Man did a limited vinyl pressing of  The Egg for the band's reunion tour.  At this point in my local vinyl obsession, I wasn't just trying to collect favorites, I was just obsessed with finding any local artist on vinyl, so I needed this.

Not knowing too much about The Egg, I read up on it pre-purchase.  Damn, if it isn't widely considered the band's masterpiece.  Anxious and worried that the hype was going to ruin this LP for me, I was pleased upon the first listen.  Everything is so crisp and perfect on the album, there are moments that are immediate on it, namely the song "Top of the World," which could easily be mistaken for a Sunny Day Real Estate tune or a Radiohead tune, depending on which aspect you focus on.  But, even at first listen, you sense the band's direction on the LP, there's a definite groove and feel surrounding all the songs.

For the last year or so, I've spun this more than most albums I own.  Every time you put it on, you pick up something new, a nifty guitar riff buried in the background, a reprise to a previous song, a shift you didn't fully grasp the previous spin.  The band had clearly figured it out on this album.  Inevitably, it's still very pretentious with all it's shifts in song structure, but they found a way to make it more accessible.  They focused their efforts on creating a whole LP and experimenting throughout its entirety rather than trying to cram every good idea they had into a single song.  It's an amazing album, complex, and more rewarding after every listen.  If more people would have been listening to it when it was released, it would have reinvented and reinvigorated the then played out angular post-hardcore scene.

Truth About Cows
Top Of the World
Pills

Marva Whitney It's My Thing Polydor/King 1970 (2012 Repress)

Marva Whitney It's My Thing Polydor/King 1969 (2011 Repress) CAT #PD 1062

One year ago today, Marva Whitney passed away.  She was Kansas City born and raised and started her career in KC.  She played the Kansas City scene, leading the group Tommy & the Derby's, did the Motown revue's and opened for touring artists when they passed through.  She was asked to tour with Bobby Bland and Little Richard, but turned both down opting to join the James Brown Revue as a featured vocalist as she thought it was the best move for her career.

It certainly was the best move, Brown did all he could do to make her successful as a part of his act.  During the shows, Marva Whitney would provide the audience a couple of songs while Brown rested.  He recorded her and provided her some of his best material.  There are singles cut for Federal and King while she hung with Brown.  There is also the above album, as well as live LP from the King years.  The title song of this LP, "It's My Thing (Part 1)" was released as the single, "It's My Thing (You Can't Tell Me Who To Sock It To)" and as a response to the Isley Brother's "It's Your Thing".  It represented her highest charting single.

While she never became a mainstream R&B artist, her time spent with James Brown kept her active and in front of large audiences.  The move to go with James Brown far exceeded anything she would get by backing Bobby Bland or Little Richard.  However, most say that this was among the most difficult times of her life.  When she moved back to Kansas City after her time with James Brown she told friends and family just how true the name "Hardest Working Man In Show Buisness" was.  Brown was known to work his artists relentlessly.  She had a child from her marriage to Kansas City soul singer, Harvey Whitney.  However, she was never able to spend time as a mother due to constant touring and recording.  Homesick, she left the Brown stable in 1970.

She would record some unsuccessful singles for the T-Neck label afterward.  Afterwards, she would marry Ellis Taylor, the owner and operator of Kansas City's Forte label and cut some sides.  After little success on the regional label, her recording career largely ended aside a few sporadic singles and one-off LPS.  She only briefly stopped performing and would later be a member of the J.B.'s All Stars which were a group of former Brown artists.  She didn't stop performing until 2010.

This LP represents her best work.  The material is top shelf and the players were the best in the business as they were Brown's backing band.  It is a compilation of mostly singles released for the King label, some of which we re-recorded for the LP, others that were not.  It's absurdly collectible due to it's scarcity and the fact that Whitney is one of the greatest female funk performers of all time.

The girl did not hold back, she's a screamer.  The band gets most of the attention by the collectors, the cuts have been heavily sampled throughout hip-hop, especially the track "Unwind Yourself."  But, Whitney gives these songs personality.  She's got to be the only women that could match Brown's delivery.  Further, she's got to be the only women allowed to shout out "Maceo!" when the groove needed to get deeper.  You're not going to find any ballads (well, there is "If You Love Me," but she screams that one out, too) or anything that would have played well to a white Motown crowd, this is brassy, funk, floor stompers meant for the live crowds.  There were plenty of noted soul diva's out there, but only a few funk divas like Whitney belting out tunes like this.

Unwind Yourself
It's My Thing (Live TV Performance)
You Got To Have a Job (Duet with James Brown)

The Wizards From Kansas S/T Mercury 1970

The Wizards From Kansas S/T Mercury 1970 CAT# SR 61309 Repress

Very cool, hyper obscure LP from a Lawrence, KS, college band that headed West in the late 1960's for fame only to break up.  However, before doing so, they were able to record their sole album and despite disbanding before it came out, Mercury still released it.  Of course, with no band to promote the album it faded into hyper-obscurity only to be discovered years later and hailed as a lost psych classic.

The band first formed in Lawrence, KS as college students from the KC area.  They were first called the New West then a Californian joined the band and they became Pig Newton which was followed by Pig Newton & the Wizards from Kansas.  As Pig Newton, they gigged locally and were able to tour the East Coast landing a gig at the Fillmore East.  That show put the band in front of major labels, most of which they turned down for lack of funds and control.  Eventually, they agreed to sign with Mercury under the notion the they would have almost complete creative control.  However, Mercury was able to convince the band to drop Pig Newton from the name.

With Mercury footing the bill, the band went to San Francisco to be at the epicenter of the American psych scene and record their debut album.  The album feeds off the likes of Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, A Beautiful Day and the Grateful Dead.  With the exception of Quicksilver, they album is far more country orientated than contemporaries.  The Wizards excelled at using the spatial aspect of country music, the drawn out phrasing and "high lonesome sound" are used to great affect.  Other bands took the twang only, the Wizards had plenty of twang, too, and they combined it almost effortlessly with the psychedelic sounds of the time.

It was a strong debut LP, promising original material with well thought out covers.  There are genuine highlights like "Hey Mister" and "Misty Mountainside", which are just as classic as any gems from their psych contemporaries.  There's also the hippy-dippy track, "912 1/2 Mass.", which is clearly a reference to the band's college town of Lawrence, KS.   Mass. St. being being the  main strip for both college kids and townies.  At the address named now sits a large bank building, not sure what would have been there in the 1960's, early 1970's.

912 1/2 Mass.
Hey Mister
Misty Mountainside

The Embarrassment Sex Drive B/W Patio Set Last Laugh Records Reissue 2011

The Embarrassment Sex Drive B/W Patio Set Last Laugh Records Reissue 2011 NO CAT #

Even in underground rock circles, there are songs that just completely ignored rules and did their own thing.  In garage rock the song 'Blackout of Greetly' by Gonn comes to mind.  All the rockers around them doing 2 1/2 minutes tracks and they released a 5 minute behemoth of fuzz and acid.  More popular example, the Velvets releasing a 7 minute character study around 'Heroin'.

After the 70's had ended and England claimed punk, there were tons of rules.  You couldn't be slow, you couldn't be long winded, and you had two choices, political with an agenda or total gutter sleaze.

In comes the Embarrassment, living in the middle of the country probably caring very little about the punks to the East and West.  They crafted a 5 minute epic called 'Sex Drive.'  Just driving drums and whirling guitars, lyrics about a highschool jock type character with sweet wheels getting the chicks into his car and showing no respect.  It's amazing.  It didn't subscribe to any rules to stand apart.  The isolation of Kansas allowed these guys to be more punk rock than they probably wanted to be.  Because, that's what the genre was supposed to be about, not following rules and creating something yourself.

'Patio Set' is seriously got to be the most labeled "The B-Side is good, too" song ever.  It's literally about a patio set at first, but it turns into some sort of metaphor for a girl.  It was his favorite patio set, then it gets old, I guess.  I don't know.  It better showcases what the band would later become, jangly, 80's indie rockers.  But, when compared to 'Sex Drive' everyone is right when they just state, "The B-Side is good, too."

Two years after its initial release in 1980, Flipper would release a song titled "Sex Bomb," a 7 minute repeating rant.  Everyone gives those Northwesterners a ton of credit for being a game changer, truthfully, I think they heard 'Sex Drive' first.  There was really nothing that sounded like either tune in the genre.  Black Flag would later perfect sludge rock, but this masterpiece from Wichita, KS came first.

To score an original 'Sex Drive' 7" is near impossible.  If you spot one and it's not over $100, buy it.  This is a near perfect reissue with everything you need.  And, last I check they are still available from Last Laugh Records.

Sex Drive

The Blue Things Listen & See RCA Victor 1966

The Blue Things Listen & See RCA Victor 1966 Reissue Orignail CAT # LSP-3603 (Stereo) LMP-3603 (Mono)

Here's another Kansas band that is one of best band s in a generation no one ever heard.  Hays, Kansas' own The Blue Things.

Led by Val Stöecklein this group of Kansans was in the vein of the Byrds.  Great original tunes, clever and well picked covers, the band could have easily been a national act.  Unfortunately, the bands fan base only went as far as Texas.

The whole thing is puzzling, the group's sound is very accessible.  It's folk-rock but very in line with the British Invasion sounds of the Beatles and the Searchers.  They dipped their toes into pyschedelic sounds.  And, their folk-rock feels natural, not forced like other bands doing the same thing.

The album is lost classic.  You hear their version of Dylan's of "Girl From North Country" and have to think, this version should have been a huge hit.  You hear the original tune, "Doll House," with chiming 12 string and clever lyrics and wonder why teenage girls weren't screaming for these guys.  Their Dale Hawkins cover, "La Do Da Da" and Jimmy Reed cover "Ain't That Lovin' (You Baby)" are solid ravers.  And while there is some expected 60's type filler, the album's consistency is superior to what most bands releasing on full length LPS during this time.

The band would split when Val left to pursue solo work.  It's unfortunate, as the LP is so promising as are the singles that were released around the same time.  Really great Kansas band, folk rock with a Midwest appeal and sensibility, no radicalism attached, just good music.

Doll House
Ain't That Lovin' (You Baby)
Girl From North Country

Get Up Kids Four Minute Mile Blue Vinyl Repress Doghouse 1997

Get Up Kids Four Minute Mile
Blue Vinyl
Doghouse America Records
CAT #DOG047 1997 Repress

The singer is from KC and the rest of the Get Up Kids are from Olathe, Kansas.  If you've been to Olathe, KS, this doesn't make any sense.  I grew up in Olathe, KS.  In junior high and high school I attended school with members of this band and despite that, this album makes no sense to me.

Olathe, KS is fucking blackhole.  People get lost in it and forget the rest of the world exists.  Sure, it's a great place raise your family and most parts of the city are safe, but why does it need so many strip malls?  Why is there nowhere cool to hang out?  Why is everyone so into Nascar?  And, why does everybody park their car on the street and not in their garage?  What are Olathians hiding thier garages?

In high school, I was in the backseat of Jimmy Suptic's VW Bug on the way to a parking lot.  (Because, that's what you did in Olathe on the weekends as a teenager, you hung out in 711 parking lots until the police moved you along to the next place you weren't allowed to hang out).  I had been feeding the drummer of this band stuff by the Dead Milkmen and the Red Hot Chili Peppers (pre- Blood Sex Sugar Magic, mind you) thinking I was hot indie rock shit.  This obviously got back to Jimmy who turned to me and asked, "Have you ever heard Fugazi?"  "Yes," I replied which was a total lie to sound cool.  He puts in the tape and on comes the song 'Repeater.'  My mind is racing, I can't keep up with the song, my mouth is wide open while the rest of the car is chanting, "1, 2, 3.  Repeater!"  The song ends and I ask Jimmy, "Where did you get that?"  "Recycled Sounds" he replies.  Recycled Sounds was a record store in downtown Kansas City.  That's how bad Olathe is.  You had to drive 45 minutes to get a fucking Fugazi tape.

Yet, Olathe, Kansas is where most of this band is from.  The album cover, that's the Olathe South track, those runners, Olathe South Grads.  And from that, comes this album.  The late 90's scene .emo darlings (along with Promise Ring) are from a boring suburb.  The band that the now Mighty Pitchfork e-zine MADE THEIR NAME TRASHING, is from Olathe, Kansas.  That's equivalent to Lester Bangs making his name bashing James Taylor and the whole California soft rock scene.  (Kicker being, no one remembers a bad review, but they'll still pay money for the albums that were scorned).

It would make sense then that this album is about girls, right?  Teenage kids from suburbia, what else do they have to write about?  Well, it's about being a teenager, but it's not all about girls.  The theme of this album is about moving on.  The Four Minute Mile is about achieving something that no one thought possible.  The Get Up Kids were literally just kids at the time, the drummer was still in high school when their first release came out.  All four members were at an age prime for parental expectations and other pressures.  They are from the suburbs, they lived in fairly affluent neighborhoods and had good parents.  Rather than continue in college, they took a chance and dropped out to be in a rock n' roll band.  Don't believe me?  Let's talk about some of these tunes.

Track 1. Coming Clean - 18 year old kids don't feel this way about girls, yet.  They do feel the disappoint though when they tell their parents, "I hope you'll forgive me but what you want from me is killing me."
Track 2. Don't Hate Me - Amy is not a girl, she's a metaphor for college, parents, religion.  Try it, it's the fear of failure, running back to Amy is giving up on a dream.
Track 3. Fall Semster - Oh fuck, this is obvious.  "If I tried, would you still call me a son?"
Track 4. Stay Gold, Ponyboy? - The Outsiders reference is priceless.  I will cut you if you disagree.  But, yeah, pretty emo.
Track 6. Washington Square Park - "Though that ring again, through that sick machine doesn't that make you any stronger than you or anything choose."  I feel this is the teenage role-reversal--this the coming of age child dismissing the life their parent's want to choose for them.  The 9-5 Monday through Friday doesn't seem all that great.
Track 7. Last Place You Look - This one is kind of heartbreaker.  I like to think it is a son hoping, despite the arguments, his parents will still support the choices he makes and trust him.  But, more likely about a girl.
Track 8. Better Half - A little of a mish-mosh, mostly about a girl.  But there is the line, "I saw my baby boy digging his own hole, keeping alive family traditions."

I've listened to this album countless times, multiple formats, over the last 15 years now, and every time it's the same: Brilliant.  It's recorded like shit, the band sounds like teenagers (they were), it's a bit pitch-y and the tempos are too fast, but it's bursting at the seams with nerves and energy.  It's exciting and loud, there are pick slides and yelps, it never tries to be "underground" and was never trying to be "emo."  The band just wanted you to hear what they created.  I put this album right next to other debuts like the Police's 'Outlandos d'Amour', the Talking Heads '77' album and R.E.M.'s 'Chronic Town' E.P., because it's that type of debut, raw and nervous, all energy.  It's a band dying to get the fuck out of Olathe and discover the rest of America.