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