Pedaljets Self Titled The Communion Label 1989

Pedaljets Self Titled The Communion Label 1989 COMM13

There's a hype sticker on the back of this copy that states the following; "2nd recording from K.C.'s greatest quartet. D'ya like Zen Arcade? Raymond Carver stories? Lots of guitars? Then, come on down to Stipple County!" High praise indeed, but you'd expect it from the band's label.

To address everything there, though... Greatest quartet? Well, again, label hype. The Zen Arcade comparison is warranted. The Pedaljets sound like the rural in between to Husker Du and Replacements. Like Zen Arcade, this album is trying to tell a story. Thus, the Raymond Carver hype. The Pedaljets aren't Carver-good at telling stories, they aren't even as good as Husker Du, but A for effort. They fall shy of Westerberg on a lyrical front. The group is more about being a rock band than poets, anyway. The "lots of guitars" is also warranted. The band picked up an additional guitarist, which let them spread their sound out a bit more. This is much more ambitious than the previous album, Today Today. Initially, it sounds weaker than Today Today, but repeated listens prove this LP is the band's best work.

So, despite the shortfalls of the hype sticker, what the Pedaljets do well is make a great sounding album. This isn't awash in late-80's style. In fact, you'd think with the multiple guitars you're hearing something from the 90's. And, yes, the band is very similar to the Replacements and Husker Du, but this isn't a poor man's version. Musically, they're on the same level. Repeated listens are all you need. Just keep listening to this, it's better every time.

Also of note, the original artwork was done by Archer Prewitt who was a Coctail at the time, but went onto to form the Sea & Cake with Sam Prekop. This copy is also pressed on virgin vinyl, which may not have been standard for all copies, but the sound benefits greatly because of it. The Pedaljets would reissue a CD of the album with new artwork and mastering...it wasn't needed, it's great as is.

Melissa Etheridge Brave and Crazy Island 1989

Melissa Etheridge Brave and Crazy Island 1989 CAT# 7 91285-1

Melissa Etheridge was born and grew up in Leavenworth, Kansas.  Leavenworth is notable for a large Federal prison, but hey, after Etheridge, the town has a freakin' Grammy winner.  She attended K-12 in the town, her dad apparently still teaches at the area High School.  Further, she doesn't seem to bag on Kansas, even when the reporter tries to bait her in.  From my quick research, she's been quoted saying it was lonely in Kansas (it is) and occasionally, the reporters say things like, "Growing up gay in Kansas," not Melissa.  That's hard anywhere, it isn't easier to be a gay teen in California than it is in Kansas.  Those things are usually just a reporter trying to make something out of nothing, because from I what I can see, Etheridge describes her Kansas upbringing like anyone else would: boring.

I first heard this album shortly after she became a big deal.  My mom feel in love with it, playing it all the time and telling me constantly how much she loved Etheridge's voice.  At the time, I was growing up in Wisconsin and into heavy metal and the Dead Milkmen.  I could have cared less about Etheridge's music, never mind where she was from.

Now-a-days, I still don't care much about Melissa Etheridge's music.  For me, it's pretty MOR and I'm not impressed just because she's a girl.  She treads on some pretty well-worn territory, throws in a few blues riffs, keeps it folk-y, and occasionally even gets funky.  There's just better music out there.  She does have a good voice and a flair for dramatics, but eh, I just can't get all that wrapped up in it.

I'm a bigger fan of her being from Kansas and winning Grammy's.  That's solid.  Further, if her music and popularity lead others (this time I'm all for the girl-power) to create and appreciate music, that's awesome.

Kill Whitey Dig B/W Tired Shrinking Violet 1989

Kill Whitey Dig B/W Tired Shrinking Violet 1989 NO CAT #

Kill Whitey was kind of a local legend in Lawrence, KS by the time I got there.  I remember asking the host of KJHK's metal show, Mean Dean, about them.  He gloated and seemed to associate them with the small metal scene in Lawrence and Kansas City.

Further, I found what was once a fairly valuable compilation CD of the band that covered their entire output.  I remember listening to it and thinking "heavy metal."  They stood apart from other bands because they had a female singer who could wail in Kim Czarnopys.  They were also well remembered for founder, Mark Smirl, who later formed one of the many 90's local major label bands, Stick.

Regardless of what I remember and heard about the band's metal tendencies (I don't have the CD any longer to reference) I wouldn't typify this 7" as "metal."  It was 1989 when it came out, though.  There is definitely aspects, heavy riffing and Czarnopys wails out the tunes.  But, it's hard rock metal kids could enjoy, kind of in the vein of a bands like the Cult or Guns & Roses.  Huge guitar riffs and nods to 70's stoner rock which was once called metal, but by the 1980's those bands sounded tame.

This came out early in the band's career and I got to think as they continued their sound got heavier and heavier.  I just can't verify it because I don't have that CD anymore.