The White Octave - Style No. 6312 (Deep Elm / Broken Circles, 2000 / 2014)

The White Octave
Style No. 6312
Deep Elm / Broken Circles
2000 / 2014

Rating: 9 empty cake boxes out of 10

Why write about this first release by the White Octave, a nearly fifteen year old regional emo album that I doubt many people outside of North Carolina have heard or give a shit about?  Because not only do I love this record and get to write about whatever the hell I want to, but it finally got released on vinyl by Broken Circles!  

For those who don't know, this group was what musician Stephen Pedersen did between quitting Cursive and starting Criteria.  If I remember correctly, Pedersen moved from Omaha to the Triangle area to attend law school (Duke maybe?), or at least that was what I was always told.  The band always got lumped in with the emo crowd, at least partially because the album was released on Deep Elm, but I always thought of them as being a little heavier and/or more post-punk than that scene.  They're sort of a combination of something like Pedersen's old band Cursive with heavier Dischord-ish fare like Fugazi.  And they killed live, something I recently got to re-live during the 2014 edition of the Hopscotch Music Festival.  

I have no idea if anyone outside of old timers like myself will give a shit about this re-release, but they should and hopefully will.

Tristeza - Macrame 7'' (Rocket Racer, 2000)

Tristeza
Macrame 7''
Rocket Racer
2000

Rating: 6.5 ebola scares out of 10

Another slab of slowcore post-rock from Tristeza.  Nice song but nothing special in the title track on side A, and a remix from Rafter on side B.  I wish I had more to say about it than that.  Great looking record though.  Probably bought this at a Tristeza show back when it came out. 

Alan Sparhawk / Charles Atlas - Split 7'' (Star Star Stereo, 2000)

Alan Sparhawk / Charles Atlas
Split 7''
Star Star Stereo
2000

Rating: 7.5 reckless hearts out of 10

I'm not entirely sure why the a-side here, "Sleep Song," is called an Alan Sparhawk solo track when it sounds exactly like Low and I'm pretty sure even has Mimi contributing backing vocals.  Of course anything that has him (or them) singing on it is just going to sound like a Low song.  Good track too, for the record. 

The Charles Atlas b-side "Pondcup" is good but not particularly exciting.  It's basically just some nice guitar playing and nothing else, a style I've never gotten worked up about but given the popularity of William Tyler and that ilk, seems like this would be popular if released today.

Fin Fang Foom - Ravenous 7'' (Tritone, 2000)

Fin Fang Foom
Ravenous 7''
Tritone
2000

Rating: 6 botched murders out of 10

Fin Fang Foom are a local Triangle three-piece that I used to skate with all the time back during my college years.  They still seem to play from time to time, but their heyday was the late nineties into the early oughts. They were/are math rock, but of the slightly more melodic variety, and occasionally a little weird.  Neither song here, "Ravenous" and "Blood and Iron," appear anywhere else that I can find.  The title track has a long piano intro and then sounds a little like an off-kilter Joan of Arc song, and the other track lends a heavy PArty of Helicopters vibe (this is a good thing, for the record). 

The Cave-Ins - Know That You Will 7'' (Visalian / Omnibus, 2000)

The Cave-Ins
Know That You Will 7''
Visalian / Omnibus
2000

Rating: 6 firetruck calls out of 10

The Cave-Ins were an SF band from the early 2000s that would often appear on gigs I would go see.  Much like this record, they were always ok but never got me overly worked up.  I would call their sound "lullaby indie pop," as this would likely be good music to put on late at night while going to sleep. 

The Kingsbury Manx - Been Passed Over 7'' (All City, 2000)

The Kingsbury Manx
Been Passed Over 7''
All City
2000

Rating: 7 organ sisters out of 10

The Kingsbury Manx have long been a favorite, so I was excited to find this in the sale box at Amoeba some years back.  I think this seven inch is the first thing they released, even pre-dating their excellent self-titled album that I can't listen to enough.  Both of these songs (the title track and "Down with Circumstance") are very much in line with that early material - dreamy pop music that sounds vintage and new at the same time, somehow.  Both tracks appear to be unique to this record, at least at first glance. 

Half Film - The Only Direction Is South 7'' (AudioInformationPhenomena, 2000)

Half Film
The Only Direction Is South 7''
AudioInformationPhenomena
2000

Rating: 6 burned hands out of 10

Half Film was a thing out in the Bay Area at the same time I lived there, so not only did I hear about them a lot I saw them a couple of times.  They always felt equal parts shoegaze and post-rock, though the title track of this seven inch has a distinct Beta Band vibe to it (a very mellow Beta Band that is).  B-Side "Assemblage" is somewhat more of the same, though not nearly as catchy as the title track.  I don't really have anything else to say about this record or this band...they're pretty good I guess?

Kilowatthours - Lessons In Time Management 7'' (Temporary Residence Limited, 2000)

Kilowatthours
Lessons In Time Management 7''
Temporary Residence Limited
2000

Rating: 6.5 pizza parties out of 10

I guess Kilowatthours changed their to Up The Empire somewhat recently, but since that's a stupid name I'm going to pretend it didn't happen.  This seven inch falls very much in line with the sort of melodic post rock that the band played on all of their full-lengths you probably didn't listen to.  In fact both of the songs here, "Kayla" and "Run Home," are featured on their first record "Strain of Positive Thinking."  So, yeah.  Decent songs though, regardless of format.

Henry Fiat's Open Sore & Spider Babies - A La Italiana 7'' (Proud To Be Idiot, 2000)

Henry Fiat's Open Sore / Spider Babies
A La Italiana 7''
Proud To Be Idiot
2000

Rating: 6 upset reviews out of 10

Two bands, five songs of punk hardcore, an Italian label, and a mostly good time.  Side A is Henry Fiat's Open Sore with three tracks that lean more to the hardcore side, and they are the better of the two bands IMO.  Spider Babies have two songs on side 2, have a hint of a party punk vibe, and are perfectly listenable but not crucial. 

The Clap Band - This Is My Notebook 7'' (Rodent, 2000)

The Clap Band
This Is My Notebook 7''
Rodent
2000

Rating: It's Fuckin' Weird.  

You know when you can't find it on Discogs you've got something.  The Clap Band were a special gem from SF in the early 2000s, a band likely to end up on one of those outsider/weirdo record compilations at some point.  Just two dudes clapping and sorta singing/chanting about topics like auto-asphyxiation masturbation.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Obviously, words cannot do justice this band. 

The Hives - Veni Vidi Vicious (Epitaph/Burning Heart, 2000)

The Hives
Veni Vidi Vicious
Epitaph/Burning Heart
2000

Rating: 7.5 custom suits out of 10

Forget The Strokes, The Hives are the future of rock and roll (and are already being heralded as such in Europe). They bring back that great garage rock feel that was made so popular in the 60s and 70s by bands such as The Stooges, MC5, and some of the early Who stuff. While "Veni Vidi Vicious" is their first big release in the US, they’ve been doing this rock thing in their homeland of Sweden since 1993, and have released a couple of short players and one full length to add to their quiver of records. This is not one of those bands where a lot of flowery language is needed to describe their sound, because one word sums it up – rock. If you like good rock music, buy this. If you do not like good rock music, go buy an O-Town record, or something similar.

Oh yeah, and if The Hives come to your town to play, whatever you do, do not miss them. They are on a short list of bands that I think anyone would enjoy live, even if you’re not crazy about the music, because they put on such a good stage show. Their singer, Screamin’ Pelle, is the reincarnation of Mick Jagger if there ever was one, and their drummer, Chris Dangerous, is a force to be reckoned with as well.

Idlewild - 100 Broken Windows (Capitol, 2000)

Idlewild
100 Broken Windows
Capitol
2000

Rating: 7.5 new panes of glass out of 10

It doesn’t happen often, but every once in a while I will hear a band that has me grasping at straws when it comes to describing how they sound. Idlewild is one of those bands. I know that I like it, but I would be hard pressed to tell you exactly why, or what it sounds like, or who to compare it to. These lads come from Scotland, and given the amount of great music that comes from such a small land – Mogwai, Belle and Sebastian, Ganger, Aereogramme, Snow Patrol, Arab Strap, Boards of Canada, Reindeer Section, Teenage Fanclub, etc – you expect good things. And while there may be some similarities among those other bands listed, Idlewild manages to sound nothing like any of them. Their sond has been described as pop-punk, without sounding like either pop or punk. This adjective is probably the best one to describe them with though – many of their songs contain the type of pop hooks that get in your head for days, and they have moments of rocking out that would surely make your ears ring if you saw them live.

There are many highlights on this album, including "Idea Track", "Actually It’s Darkness", and "Quiet Crown," but this is one of those albums that you usually listen to from start to finish because it has no weak spots. If there is a weakness, it’s the production value. On first listen, it seemed a little over produced, but with each successive listen I've gotten somewhat used to it.

Looking back at this review, it has come to my attention that I have put together quite possibly one of the vaguest record reviews ever(do I get a prize for this?). So to further clarify my overall sentiment, which is "this is a good album," take heed of the following as well: the music magazine Magnet had nothing but good words for this release. Pitchfork stated that the album was some odd mix of REM and Superchunk, which they meant as a good thing (although I’m not sure what they’re talking about really). And if those indie stalwarts don’t convince you, even Rolling Stone, when not espousing the virtues of every teen pop and rap metal act out there, gave this album a good review.