Scrawl - Velvet Hammer

 1993; 12 tracks  Scrawl was an underrated grunge/shoegaze (I have no idea) three-piece band from Ohio formed in the late 80s by Marcy Mays (guitar, vocals), Sue Harshe (bass, vocals), and Dana Marshall (drums). I'm pretty sure they were discovered by Steve Albini, and their first show was a 20-minute opening for the Meat Puppets. Scrawl were active throughout the 90s, and Velvet Hammer was the band's fourth full-length. It is a simple, emotional record, containing an atmosphere potentially that of a "coming-of-age" story. I don't know. It's a river full of stories that I could relate to.


do you wanna scream?
do you wanna take a swing?

Pain Teens - Destroy Me, Lover

1993; 10 tracks

For the first post of February, here is Destroy Me, Lover, one of the final full-lengths recorded by the Houston, Texas experimental noise rock band Pain Teens. Pain Teens formed in 1985 by Bliss Blood and Scott Ayers, and Bliss sings on nearly every track. She reminds me of Jarboe (Swans), but for some reason I feel like she would do well singing for Electric Wizard or something. She also has some Lady Gaga moments (that's not a bad thing!) Her menacing low female voice that I love so much - that's what makes this album, for me. Not to mention the incredibly heavy and distorted guitars, and just everything. Um.

I really, really feel like Destroy Me, Lover is what I've been searching for for a long time. I love this album on such a level that I didn't even know I could even feel something this strong. Well, yes I am being quite serious.

Download.

The Ocean Blue - Cerulean

1991; 12 tracks

Here we have the second album of American indie/dream pop band The Ocean Blue, from Pennsylvania.

Wikipedia states that the band's influences include The Smiths, Cocteau Twins, R.E.M., Echo & the Bunnymen and New Order. Not being familiar with any of those aside from the first two, I only have the authority to say that they do have a degree of Cocteau Twinsiness about them, in atmosphere at least (nothing will ever compare to the vocals of Elizabeth Fraser). Succulent, dreamlike pop. The tracks "Ballerina Out of Control" and "Marigold" are both quite lovely - The Chameleons without the British accent.

Download.

The Sun and the Moon - The Great Escape

1999; 15 tracks

The Sun and the Moon was started by Mark Burgess, the frontman of The Chameleons. The Great Escape is a marvelous conglomeration of new and old - of Script of the Bridge-era Chameleons, and of music completely new to the world. Mark's amazing voice lingers above music that sounds of post-punk at times, but also a burgeoning jazzy style that I literally can't find the words to describe. The lyrics to "Death of the Imagination" bring me to a certain Doctor Who episode, one that I really love:

I bathe in the glare
Of a thousand explosions
With child-like fascination
And time the impact
That ends my existence
With the rhythm of my heartbeat
I taste the sweetness
Of mystical moments
Re-living and savouring
Every sensation
As gravity grips me
In giddy rotation
In my concrete overcoat
A prisoner of reason am I

Music like this deserves to be heard by every citizen of earth, then reflected upon for centuries to come. I am just glad I didn't go my whole life not hearing this...

the great escape

Brainbombs - Genius and Brutality... Taste and Power

1994; 9 tracks

This is the second album of Swedish noise/punk rock band Brainbombs. It's one of the most disturbing and brutal albums ever, but I am so mesmerized by it. I tend to like extremes. Everything in middle just doesn't cut it. Genius and Brutality..., if you play it loud, is so abrasive it hurts... but I really like that. Even if you're not really into necrophilia I swear this album fucking kills.

You have blood on your body
Blood on your mind
Blood in your dreams
Screams in your dreams
And a leg sticking out under your bed

You can't remember
You can't forget
Sweat from your skin
When you put the needle in
And a leg sticking out under your bed

Five in the morning
You're staring at the wall
Insects coming out
Angels crawling over your floor
And a leg sticking out under your bed

You have blood on your body
Blood on your mind
Blood in your dreams
Screams in your dreams
And a leg sticking out under your bed

You can't remember
You can't forget
Sweat from your skin
When you put the needle in
And a leg sticking out under your bed

Throbbing, minimal, repetitive face punches.