Blue Cadet-3: A Music Blog by Josh R.

  Eels - Electro-Shock Blues (1998) My copy: 2015 reissue by Geffen Records and Universal Music Group International After the relative mainstream success of his first release for the Dreamworks label, Mark Everett followed up with the much more personal Electro-Shock Blues. Inspired largely by the tragic demise of Everett’s sister as well as his mother’s cancer diagnosis, the lyrical content frequently represents the author’s struggle with depression and anxiety though the music itself only dips into true catharsis occasionally.  “Elizabeth On The Bathroom Floor” recreates emotional numbness with quiet background distortion situated behind gentle guitar that brushes slightly with dissonance. Deep, buzzing bass dominates the mood of “Going To Your Funeral Part I” with instrumentals that borrow from the dirges of Tom Waits albeit with dramatic falsettos and dampened hand drums. Pseudo-industrial samples propel the slick choruses of “Cancer For The Cure” while the vocals bord...

  The Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I (1999) My copy: 2011 limited reissue with bonus tracks by Barsuk Records. After building up steam through the mid 90s with two full-length releases, The Dismemberment Plan had reached the zenith of their sound in 1999’s Emergency & I. Spanning 12 operatic and demented rock songs that borrow from a slew of subgenres, the album’s biggest catch is its further synth experimentation, with the band often coating songs in slick, droning keys that exaggerate the frequently cold demeanor of the music and lyrics.  Easing in, the squirting bass and simple rhythms of “A Life Of Possibilities” may fool you at first. Chords rattle with each strum as guitars calmly ascend scales over Travis Morrison’s voice, which is delicately swinging between a middle register and falsetto. Even as the opening song becomes more forceful, it only hints slightly at the dystopian themes that are coming soon. The schizophrenic vocal and instrumental syncopat...

  Unwound - Repetition (1996) My copy: 2021 limited reissue on silver marble vinyl by Numero Group.  Repetition was Unwound’s fifth full-length for the Kill Rock Stars label and is the best hybridization of their post-hardcore roots and fresh, psychedelic influence. While not as sprawling and deep as Leaves Turn Inside You, it is indeed the best of their harsher, noise-rock-centric sound.  The introductory samples of “Message Received” pull listeners in before the music forcefully enters with spasming, snake-like bass riffs wriggling under sharp, raking guitar and dynamic drums. Trosper’s voice is once again a pure manifestation of desperate anger, though they break into pockets of reflection more frequently on Repetition, creating unique emotional swings. “Corpse Pose” is their biggest claim to fame, understandably so as it is a near perfectly executed beacon of post-hardcore music; from Vern’s undeniable bass groove to Justin’s rigid, tearing guitar riffs or Sara’s ...

  Planning For Burial - Leaving (2010) My copy: 2020 deluxe box set with bonus 10” by Flenser Records. Thom Wasluck’s debut as Planning For Burial technically released earlier in 2009, though it was swiftly picked up by Enemies List Home Recordings after spreading online, impressing Dan Barrett and Tim Macuga. Wasluck’s approach borrows both from slowcore and black metal, though the actual pacing is focused on repetition and gloomy-but-spiritual ambiance.  “Wearing Sadness And Regret Upon Our Faces” is a slow, sentimental barrage of distorted crashes, with whispered vocals and sleigh bells clashing against wheezing feedback. There are moments where the structures border on post-rock, though this is more easily attributed to Wasluck’s simplistic songwriting approach. In spite of their basic compositions, the songs on this debut are masterfully layered and balanced, which is impressive considering the general lack of low-end and limited instrumentation. “Memories You’ll Neve...

  Modest Mouse - Night On The Sun (1999) My copy: 2016 reissue by Glacial Pace. This is a reissue of the original Japan-only EP that was released in 1999 ahead of Moon & Antarctica. Only two tracks are exclusive to this EP (“Night On The Sun” and “You’re The Good Things") though slightly modified versions of these two would end up on a later compilation of b-sides ( Everywhere And His Nasty Parlour Tricks ) from the same era. The biggest draw of this EP is the lengthened version of the title track, which descends further into an ethereal trance of acoustic hammer-ons and pull-offs, dedicating additional time to this meditative outro. The other tracks are mostly the same as their counterparts apart from “Dark Center Of The Universe” which is more obviously an earlier demo, given its raw sound and heavier emphasis on the violin as a lead. The EP also includes the two Isaac Brock solo tracks “Wild Pack Of Family Dogs” and “Lives,” that also appear on Moon & Antarctica....

  Stereolab & Nurse With Wound - Simple Headphone Mind (1997) My copy: 1997 limited press by Duophonic Super 45s. An exciting collaboration between two genre-bending artists, Simple Headphone Mind draws out the distinct and contrasting personalities of both in fascinating ways. Both Stereolab and the more abrasive Nurse With Wound (by this point in time mostly just the alias of Steven Stapleton) are heavily influenced by German kraut-rock bands, with this style of hypnotic percussion serving as the backbone for their collaboration. The ten-minute title track starts out smooth with steady, with warm bass and gentle guitar melody. The momentum flows continuously, even as hints of ghostly synth ambiance begin leaking in from another dimension. While the guitar does occasionally flirt with dissonance, the mood is never dire, rather it is almost eerily calm at its compositional core - this vague anxiety increasing as new pulses of alien synths and tweeting samples shapeshift in ...

  Fly Pan Am - C’est Ca (2019) My copy: 2019 press by Constellation Following a lengthy withdrawal from releasing material, Montreal’s Fly Pan Am returned in 2019 with C’est Ca; a mysterious cloud of atmospheric guitar cut by beams of eccentric digital experiments and furious rhythmic detours.  The introductory “Avant-Gardez Vous” is immediately haunting with electronic samples that contract and convulse like the rubbery muscles of an extraterrestrial creature, only bound slightly by flickering drums and processed synth; this fearful soundtrack eventually being replaced by the vibrant keys and electronic mock distortion of “Distance Dealer.” Fly Pan Am are not only masters of sound - they also collect accomplished rhythmic structures with post-punk melodic bass offsetting pockets of guitar distortion and chirping samples. A muted industrial march introduces us to “Bleeding Decay” which boots to life with electronics that flash rapidly, as if to score images of neurons firi...

  Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 - Admonishing The Bishops (1993) My copy: 2022 reissue by Bulbous Monocle.  The Fellers released this four track EP in 1993, bridging the gap between their abrasive lo-fi masterpiece Mother Of All Saints and the critical high point of Strangers From The Universe. The band’s recording had improved considerably, simultaneously dialing back their usually chaotic sonic pranks. It is instantly apparent how much more in focus the production actually is as the guitars of “Hurricane” glide through chords with a subtle tinge of dissonance. The writing is more fleshed out at the cost of some personality, though their refined understanding of restraint and dynamics go a long way as they move from bleeding lead riffs to the sweet caress of reverberating vocal yodelling. The stilted, flickering march of bass and guitar on “Undertaker” keeps things mildly uneasy, carrying a subdued anxiety even as the drums pick up a rolling rockabilly beat. The lead g...

  The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Days Of Abandon (2014) My copy: 2014 press by Yebo Music. After splitting with Slumberland Records, Kip Berman and co. released Days Of Abandon, which seemed intent on trading what personality the band once had for a shot at deeper pop success. The dialed back acoustic jam of “Art Smock” is at least somewhat restrained, though the comically hammy, seductive vocals attempt to discredit their dreamy synth sounds. The band abandons all hope of originality on “Simple And Sure,” instead baiting for airplay on major “alt” radio waves with generic clapping and grocery-store-friendly vocal melodies - in their defense, the bass sounds wonderfully thick, with the whole of the production feeling relatively balanced. “Kelly” is a clear stab at 80’s jangle pop (The Smiths, etc.) and does provide one of the catchiest choruses though it is still bogged by cheap clapping and sickly sweet progressions. The gently stuttering electronic drum loop of “Beautif...

  Unwound - Fake Train (1993) My copy: 2017 reissue by Numero Group. After deciding to shelf what was intended to be their full-length debut, Washington’s Unwound traded Brandt Sandeno on drums for Sara Lund, who would help the band define their unique take on post-hardcore for years to come. What came as a result of this new lineup would be a much more bombastic effort in Fake Train, which dilutes typical hardcore chugging with psychotic forays into noise and indie-rock. The mid-tempo, swaying syncopation of “Dragnalus” is a perfect introductory statement with wheezing feedback choking around Justin Trosper’s passionately unsatisfied vocal cracks. This album is also solid proof of Vern Rumsey’s genius ear for bass melody. “Lucky Acid” packs a lifetime of density and fury into a short frenzy of squealing guitars and dynamic rhythmic blasts before “Nervous Energy” instills tension with anticipatory harmonics, paying off into hardcore breakdowns.  Then comes a true masterpie...

  Charles Mingus - Mingus (1972) My copy: 1972 stereo compilation by Prestige. This 1972 double album collects two live shows recorded in 1955 at the Bohemia Cafe in New York ( Mingus At The Bohemia and Charles Mingus Quintet & Max Roach ) . Mingus and his crew tackle a variety of styles here, even inviting famed jazz drummer Max Roach to perform on three songs. While there are many typical passages of smooth jazz, Mingus also delves into free jazz and hard bop, experimenting frequently with dissonance and bluesy compositions.  Mingus’s own iconic method of double-bass playing is integral to his original “Jump Monk” where the bass rattles and bursts, even after the cool, swung drums come to even things out. There are erratic moments to keep the audience on their toes, with the saxophone and trombone melodies almost always acting as mediators to the more chaotic piano and bass. “Serenade In Blue” revels in anguished bass dissonance - unwinding slowly with angst until th...