TAR BABIES Death Trip 1992

 

Discogs 

 

Tar Babies Biography

by Steve Huey

One of the lesser-known bands on the legendary SST roster, the Tar Babies emerged from Madison, WI, with a distinctive brand of punk-funk that often drew comparisons to their labelmates the Minutemen, as well as the Texas-based Big Boys. Colored with bits of psychedelia, jazz, and avant-noise skronk, their music quickly progressed beyond their roots in hardcore and evolved into a scratchy but danceable, groove-centered hybrid complete with horns and George Clinton-style jamming. The Tar Babies were formed out of the ashes of Madison hardcore punkers Mecht Mensch, who disbanded in 1982. Guitarist/vocalist Bucky Pope, bassist Robin Davies, and drummer Dan Bitney debuted with the 1982 EP Face the Music, issued on local indie Bone Air. By the time of their second release, 1985's Respect Your Nightmares, their funk influence had begun to come into focus, which helped catch the attention of SST. The Tar Babies' first album for SST was 1987's Fried Milk, on which their punk-funk fusion truly crystallized. For the follow-up, 1988's No Contest, they played up that funk connection by adding horns -- most courtesy of woodwind player and multi-instrumentalist Tony Jarvis -- and even flirting with Washington, D.C.-style go-go. Their third SST album, 1989's Honey Bubble, also proved to be their last. After a brief hiatus, during which some of the band's personnel shifted, Pope reconvened the Tar Babies, now with second guitarist Bobby Vienneau and new horn player Andrew Lawton; this lineup cut one record, Death Trip, for the small Sonic Noise label in 1991. Following its release, the group disbanded permanently. Dan Bitney moved to Chicago and joined the seminal post-rock combo Tortoise as a percussionist and effects manipulator, also playing with Isotope 217 and several other local projects. Pope and Davies later reunited as the Bar Tabbies for local gigs, and Davies' son Jesse Collins-Davies was also a member of the preteen hardcore band Old Skull.

Tracklist

1		Swarm Of Devils	2:24
2		Time Or Tempo	3:55
3		Out In Space	1:54
4		Death Of A Star	2:47
5		Odios	0:33
6		Out Of Bullets	2:49
7		Trials And Tribulations	3:28
8		1979	3:11
9		Walking Dead	3:09
10		Well Hell	4:27
11		Cheryl	3:38
12		Great Equalizer	2:34
13		My If List	3:15
14		Mutt	3:15
15		A Little Melodramatic	0:39
16		Backseat Driver	1:26
17		Porcupine Pie	3:37
18		Before You Hit The Floor	2:33
19		Wedding March	2:26

THE FOR CARNATION Marshmallows 1996

 

Discogs

 

The For Carnation Biography

by Steve Huey

The For Carnation was a low-key, mostly acoustic vehicle for ex-Slint/Squirrel Bait member Brian McMahan, whose previous projects had all made their impact through jagged, noisy art-punk. Mirroring his old bandmate David Grubbs' evolution with Gastr del Sol, McMahan continued to explore the complex, cerebral patterns that were his stock in trade, but with delicate arrangements and far subtler dynamics. Slint fans were taken aback by the For Carnation's low-key sparseness, and while it wasn't as groundbreaking as McMahan's earlier efforts, the quietly unsettling creepiness of its best moments was rooted firmly in the leader's trademark aesthetic. McMahan was the lone constant in the For Carnation, which shaped up as a revolving-door outfit with collaborators coming and going from other projects; the initial lineup featured several members of Tortoise, who gave way to a collection of Louisville and Chicago scenesters.

McMahan formed the For Carnation in 1994 as the latest in a series of high-profile indie outfits. Beginning his career in Louisville's seminal post-Hüsker Dü punkers Squirrel Bait, he next moved on to the groundbreaking math rock unit Slint; following their breakup, he moved to Chicago and played for a short time as a sideman in Will Oldham's Palace Brothers project, along with former Slint bandmate David Pajo. McMahan and Pajo started jamming on their own, along with ex-Slint/Squirrel Bait drummer Britt Walford, who stayed around only briefly. Pajo had begun playing with post-rock bigwigs Tortoise, and two of that band's members -- Doug McCombs (bass) and John Herndon (drums) -- came on board to fill things out, completing the first version of the For Carnation. This lineup recorded the three-song EP Fight Songs, which was released on Matador in 1995. Pajo subsequently left to concentrate on his other projects, which included Tortoise as well as the solo venture Aerial M and several sideman gigs.

McCombs and Herndon continued to play sporadically with the group, but their full-time commitment to Tortoise made things difficult. McMahan pieced together the next For Carnation record, 1996's relatively brief full-length Marshmallows, from contributions by McCombs and Herndon, and those of a new lineup featuring onetime Rodan drummer John Weiss, guitarists Tim Ruth (also of Slint offshoot) Evergreen) and Michael McMahan (Brian's brother), plus additional contributions by hotshot Chicago producer Brad Wood. The For Carnation subsequently embarked on its first national tour, with a lineup featuring the McMahan brothers and an all-Louisville supporting cast of guitarist Tim Furnish, bassist Todd Cook (both ex-Crain), and drummer Kip McCabe. By this time, the group's brand of post-rock was drawing comparisons to Gastr del Sol, as well as slowcore bands like Codeine and Low.

The For Carnation later split from Matador to sign with Touch & Go, and McMahan returned to Louisville and set about crafting new material with a lineup of Michael McMahan, Todd Cook, and the returning Britt Walford (then also in Evergreen). Meanwhile, Runt reissued the band's first two EPs together under the title Promised Works. Walford returned to his other commitments later in 1997, and was eventually replaced by Steve Goodfriend; guitarists/keyboardists Bobb Bruno and Rafe Mandel later came on board as well. Finally, in 2000, Touch & Go released The For Carnation, the band's most substantive and fully realized record to date. Boasting considerable involvement from Tortoise's John McEntire, the album also featured guest spots from the Breeders' Kim Deal and that dog.'s Rachel Haden.

Tracklist

1		On The Swing	2:06
2		Wear The Gold	5:27
3		Lmyr, Marshmallow	2:09
4		Winter Lair	5:39
5		Salo	6:45
6		Preparing To Receive You	8:51

GOLDEN MOMENTS OF CITY SLANG Various Artists 1997

 

Discogs 

Compilation on the City Slang record label. All artists appear courtesy of City Slang. Release came with the magazine Rockdelux #137, January 1997.

 

Tracklist

1	Gallon Drunk–	To Love Somebody	2:39
2	Sebadoh–	Ocean	2:45
3	Trans Am (2)–	Cologne	4:04
4	Built To Spill–	Randy Described Eternity	6:04
5	Jawbox–	Desert Sea	3:03
6	Tortoise–	Glass Museum	5:25
7	Eleventh Dream Day–	Two Smart Cookies	3:42
8	To Rococo Rot–	Lips	4:11
9	Lambchop–	I'm A Stranger Here	4:33
10	Wuhling–	Enno	4:56

 

A MEANS TO AN END (THE MUSIC OF JOY DIVISION) Various Artists 1995

 

Discogs

 

Joy Division songs covered by various alternative bands


Tracklist

1. Girls Against Boys - She's Lost Control
2. Honeymoon Stitch - Day of the Lords
3. Moby - New Dawn Fades
4. Low - Transmission
5. Codeine - Atmosphere
6. Further - Insight
7. Stanton-Miranda - Love Will Tear Us Apart
8. Starchildren - Isolation
9. Kendra Smith - Heart and Soul
10. Versus - Twenty Four Hours
11. Desert Storm - Warsaw
12. godheadSilo - They Walked In Line
13. Face To Face - Interzone
14. Tortoise - As You Said

IN FLUX US Various Artists 1997

 

Discogs

 

Tracklist

1

A Minor Forest–

That's Not Pink, It's Salmon

3:53
2	Eleventh Dream Day–	Love To Hate To Love (Live)

3:22
3	Freakwater–	Dollar Bill Blues

2:44
4	Freakwater–	Binding Twine

5:09
5	Sue Garner–	Goodnight

3:52
6	The Lonesome Organist–	Swarm Of Bullets

1:32
7	The Lonesome Organist–	Mullard

1:39
8	Nerves–	Here Comes Love

3:17
9	The Sea & Cake*–	I Took The Opportunity To Antique My End Table (Jim O'Rourke Remix)

7:31
10	The Sea & Cake*–	Pamphlet

4:49
11	Tortoise–	Jetty

8:19
12	Trans Am (2)–	Asian Taste

3:50
13	Trans Am (2)–	Chi Town Kung Fu

5:17

 

UNITED MUTATIONS LO RECORDINGS Vol. 3 Various Artists 1996

 experimental/drum and bass on the Lo Recordings label

Discogs

Tracklist 

1	–Barbed	Vibrators	2:23
2	–Luke Vibert	Controlling Transmission	6:12
3	–Sycophants*	Second	1:05
4	–Springheel Jack*	Sweep	5:20
5	–Ui	Out	1:31
6	–The Mellowtrons	I Want You So Mad Because You're Bad	3:58
7	–Wormhole*	Headbanger	2:35
8	–David Kristian	Strange Mountaineers	4:07
9	–Tortoise	Why We Fight (D Version)	5:50
10	–Margoo	Villain	5:03
11	–Sycophants*	Fourth	1:11
12	–Thurston Moore / Infrastructure (2)	Yvonne/Thaw	4:47
13	–Ui / Luke Vibert	Unknow	5:20
14	–Echo Park	Razor Kiss	5:26
15	–Newt	Epsilon Boot	4:49
16	–Sycophants*	First	1:43
17	–Mike Flowers Pops vs The Aphex Twin*	Debase	5:47
18	–Stick Basin	Pin	5:29
19	–Sycophants*	Third	0:52

THE LOUNGE AX DEFENSE & RELOCATION COMPACT DISC Various Artists 1996

 

Discogs

Tracklist  

1	–The Jesus Lizard	Uncommonly Good	2:47
2	–Shellac	Killers	1:26
3	–Sebadoh	Whole Hog	1:54
4	–June Of '44*	Rivers And Plains	4:55
5	–The Coctails	Wood Bee	2:09
6	–Guided By Voices	Beneath A Festering Moon	3:04
7	–Archers Of Loaf	Mark Price P.I.	2:03
8	–Bad Livers	Wild Bill Jones	3:07
9	–Yo La Tengo	Attack On Love	2:14
10	–Mekons*	Axcerpt	2:57
11	–Superchunk	Fader Rules	5:52
12	–Seam	The Prizefighters	3:15
13	–Tortoise	Restless Waters	3:44
14	–Rachel's	Those Pearls ...	6:14

CAUTION! HOT TIPS! Various Artists 1993

by request

 

Discogs

Tracklist

1	–The Dambuilders	Colins Heroes	4:15
2	–Table	Gag Box	4:45
3	–Swell	Suicide Machine	3:38
4	–Sentridoh	Same Old, Say Mould	3:33
5	–Monsterland	Chris' Clone	5:22
6	–Grenadine	Gillan	4:01
7	–St. Johnny	Go To Sleep	3:32
8	–Hum (2)	Hello Kitty	4:00
9	–Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet	Exit From Vince Lombardi High	1:28
10	–China Pig	Everyone Wears A Mask	4:53
11	–Don Caballero	Puddin' In My Eye	2:54
12	–Tortoise	Lonesome Sound	3:36

THE FOR CARNATION Promised Works 1997

Discogs

The For Carnation are a post-rock band led by Brian McMahan, the group's only constant member. The roots of the band began when McMahan reunited with his ex-Slint bandmates David Pajo and Britt Walford in an attempt to resurrect their old group. The reunion didn't work out, but McMahan and Pajo eventually recruited some other musicians and The For Carnation was born. The band released an EP, 1995's "Fight Songs", and an LP, 1996" Marshamallows", on Matador Records. Both records were combined into one release, "Promised Works", in 1997 by Italy's Runt imprint. McMahan and company then jumped to Touch And Go for their second LP, a self-titled affair released in 2000.

Tracklist

1	Grace Beneath The Pines	7:44
2	How I Beat The Devil	1:36
3	Get And Stay Get March	5:58
4	On The Swing	2:06
5	I Wear The Gold	5:28
6	Lmyr, Marshmallow	2:09
7	Winter Lair	5:39
8	Salo	6:45
9	Preparing To Receive You	8:51

TORTOISE Rhythms, Resolutions & Clusters 1995

Discogs

Artist Biography by John Bush

Tortoise revolutionized American indie rock in the mid-'90s by playing down tried-and-true punk and rock and roll influences, emphasizing instead the incorporation of a variety of left-field music genres from the previous 20 years, including Krautrock, dub, avant-garde jazz, classical minimalism, ambient and space music, film music, and British electronica. At odds as well with the shambling framework of alternative rock's normal song structure, the group -- as large as a septet, with at times two vibes players -- relied on a crisp instrumental aesthetic, tied to cool jazz, which practically stood alone in American indie rock by actually focusing on instrumental prowess and group interaction.
 

Tracklist  

1a	Alcohall
1b	Your New Rod
1c	Cobwebbed
1d	The Match Incident
1e	Tin Can (Puerto Rican Mix)
1f	Not Quite East Of The Ryan
1g	Initial Gesture Protraction

AERIAL M Post Global Music 1999

by request

 

Discogs 

 

Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny

 Aerial M was the alias of multi-instrumentalist David Pajo, a seminal figure in the development of the post-rock aesthetic whose tenures in bands including Slint and Tortoise set the stage for some of the most innovative and influential music of recent decades. He first surfaced in 1985 playing guitar in the legendary Louisville, KY, teen thrash band Squirrel Bait; following their 1987 breakup, Pajo joined Slint, a band whose revolutionary instrumental sound continues to resonate throughout the American underground scene. Slint proved short-lived as well, however, and after their 1991 dissolution, he joined the Palace Brothers, appearing on their early recordings; from there Pajo relocated to England, where he spent over a year studying at Norwich Arts College. Upon his return to the U.S. he rejoined the Palace Brothers, additionally playing guitar in the For Carnation and drumming in King Kong. Most important, however, was his tenure as one of two bassists in Tortoise, which began in 1996 with the landmark Millions Now Living Will Never Die; Pajo soon left the group, however, to focus on Aerial M, a solo project that he debuted with the single "Safeless." "Vol de Nuit," one half of a split single recorded with Monade, followed in late 1996, trailed a year later by Aerial M's self-titled debut LP, issued on the Drag City label. Post Global Music followed in 1999. Pajo also recorded and performed under the Papa M alias in the late '90s and early 2000s; performed as a member of Zwan; and used the Pajo moniker in the mid-2000s. 

Tracklist 

1	Wedding 3 Mix	9:06
2	Wedding Song Remix	4:20
3	Wedding Song No. 3 Remix	7:18
4	Attention Span Deficit Disorder Disruption	18:57

BASTRO Sing The Troubled Beast 1990

Discogs

 Artist Biography by Steve Huey

Bastro was the more prominent of guitarist David Grubbs' two immediate post-Squirrel Bait projects (the concurrently running Bitch Magnet being the other). Grubbs originally joined the Louisville, KY-based Squirrel Bait while still in high school, and was actually one of the oldest members of the group; when he and bassist Clark Johnson left for college, it effectively spelled the end of the band after two important releases. Grubbs went to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and formed an early version of Bastro in 1987 with bassist Dan Treado, who soon left. Even though Clark Johnson had gone to Chicago, he and Grubbs reteamed as the new core of Bastro, and pursued a more twisted and abrasive style of post-hardcore punk than their former band. Backed by a drum machine, they issued a six-song EP, Rode Hard & Put Up Wet, on the Homestead label in 1988. They subsequently played some tour dates with My Dad Is Dead, whose drummer at the time was Oberlin College percussion major John McEntire. McEntire wound up joining Bastro full-time for their LP debut, 1989's Bastro Diablo Guapo, which drew comparisons to the blistering extremity of Steve Albini and the precision and shifting dynamics of another Squirrel Bait offshoot, Slint. Their second full-length, 1990's Sing the Troubled Beast, found the group straining against their established blueprint to follow a relatively subtle and melodic path. Bassist Johnson subsequently left the group and was replaced by Bundy K. Brown; meanwhile, Grubbs relocated to Chicago to attend graduate school. Feeling limited by the extremity of their power-trio format and afraid of stagnating, Bastro tried to push into more atmospheric territory, and wound up deciding to retire the name altogether and continue as a completely different project, dubbed Gastr del Sol. Brown and McEntire appeared on Gastr del Sol's 1993 debut, The Serpentine Similar, after which the group became a vehicle for Grubbs' collaboration with Jim O'Rourke, as well as a touchstone of the post-rock movement. Brown and McEntire subsequently became charter members of the even more seminal post-rock outfit Tortoise.

Tracklist

1	Demons Begone
2	Krakow, Illinois
3	I Come From A Long Line Of Shipbuilders
4	Tobacco In The Sink
5	Recidivist
6	Floating Home
7	Jefferson-In-Drag
8	The Sifter
9	Noise / Star
10	Recidivist