The Get Up Kids Guilt Show Vagrant/Heroes & Villains/BMG 2004, 2016 Reissue

The Get Up Kids Guilt Show Vagrant/Heroes & Villains/BMG 2004, 2016 Reissue CAT #VR4397

Man, so much to say about the final Get Up Kids album. First story that I have is that years ago, when I first started thinking I should start a vinyl blog based on local music I realized there were huge holes in my Get Up Kids collection. I had everything on CD at least and some scattered vinyl, but mostly everything I had was on CD. So, I called my friend in the band and asked if he had some stuff laying around and since I'm sure EVERYONE asks him the same, I offered to give up some choice LPs in exchange. He was agreeable and got what was available to him, even a member of the band doesn't have the ultra-rare limited stuff anymore. I got most of my holes filled, but asked, "Dude, where's Guilt Show?" The answer was he didn't have anymore, but gave me a CD copy. What's funny, as I was visiting another time and looking over records, there was multiple copies of this LP mixed into the collection. Basically, I don't think certain members of the band remember this one too fondly. If any of that is true (which it's probably not) I assume most of it would be from the fact they disbanded shortly after it's release.

It is a bit Matt Pryor heavy, the LP seems pretty focused around his type of tracks, introspective Superchunk-esque indie-pop. But, they are strong songs, although the energy could have been higher throughout the whole album. They don't have the teenage heartbreak and angst that early albums had, but, the band was older, full-fledged adults by this point. When you compare it to their 2002 album, On A Wire, it's certainly more of a Get Up Kids album, they ditched the roots rock and went back to their indie-rock roots, but found a lot of room for clever harmonies, clever lyrics, and jangly rhythms. It's not an album to be ashamed of, it's very enjoyable and easier to dance and shake to than On A Wire, was.

The other question is what would have happened if this came out in 2002 instead of On A Wire? It's difficult to say, but following the success of Something to Write Home About, the band was on the verge of something big, all they had to do was make Something to Write Home About Mach II and they may have become MTV indie darlings for a year or two. I don't sense a huge hit single here, but, it may have fit into 2002 better. And, had it been made following Something to Write Home About, it probably would have been a lot snappier. Either way, it would have been better received than On A Wire, fans would have been ready for this LP in 2002.

For what it is now, the first track, 'Man of Conviction' should be considered a Get Up Kid classic, equally as good as their most cherished songs. Next to last song, 'Is There A Way Out' is a deep cut by the group highlighting that these guys had soul and ideas that could have led to something amazing had they kept it together.

Man Of Conviction
Is There a Way Out

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

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.

The Vexed Suburban Scum Nuke the Midwest Split 7" Anarchy's For Squares 2004

The Vexed Suburban Scum Nuke the Midwest Split 7" 33RPM Anarchy's for Squares 2004 No CAT#

Well, I picked this up a while back for a quarter because it looked new-ish and the stuff it was next to was easy to sell on eBay.  While researching prior to selling, I found out the VeXed is from KC.  So, figured I'd hold onto it.

Upon listening it, first thought was, "They still make music like this?"  Second thought was, "They make music like this in KC?"  It's what I would term hardcore, in the vein of Minor Threat.  It's a little more abrasive and metallic than 80's hardcore.  I'm also going out on a limb and assuming the X in the band's name is larger to accentuate the straight edge lifestyle.

I'm not sure I'm at an age that can get into new bands that sound like this.  As a fourteen year old, I'd would have thought this was hot shit.  But, I'm too old now.  I get it, it's angry teenager stuff, pissed at the system.  I used to be that way until I sold out to the man.  The one thing that drives me insane is that I can't figure out what the singer is even talking about.  I know every word to the 'Banned in DC' and I can't make out  what this guy is screaming about.

Better yet, there's a song by the VeXed titled "Lawrence Will Burn."  Really?  A college town pisses you off that much?  Is it a racist reference to the Free State/Bleeding Kansas?  Certainly, it can't be a nod to Quantrill's raid from Columbia?  I mean that's about slavery, it can't be a nod to burning a town down because they didn't own slaves?  I wish I knew what Lawrence, KS did to these kids, but fuck, I can't make out the lyrics.

The flipside is Surbuban Scum, they are from Iowa, so I won't talk about them much.  There is a song entitled, "Kill Yourself," which I am pretty sure is about people who look like me.  It doesn't offend me, I'm square, and Marilyn Manson already told me more or less the same thing.