in the case of darkness
p.s.: i've got another blog as well.
#134: KING FOR A DAY - “s/t”
another initial records release. i really trusted the label back in the days. i liked most of their releases and bought lots of them. i don’t know, where i got this KING FOR A DAY-7” (released in 1997), but it was quite satisfying too. especially “sleeping hero” on side a, which reminds me of TEXAS IS THE REASON or SPLIT LIP/CHAMBERLAIN. emotional indie-rock, i would say. “lazy” on side b is in the same vein, but not that good actually.
the packaging is very nice too. through the cut-out-cover you see a picture on the front side of the paper sleeve. on the backside there are pictures of the band-members with the lyrics printed over it. very cheesy for today’s standards, but it’s 15 years old already.
#116: INK & DAGGER/LE SHOK - “split”
i think i bought this one at sacro egoismo in vienna. the price-tag on the cover (50,- austrian schillings) looks a lot like the ones they used.
“catch the flashback” by INK & DAGGER was recorded in 1998 and is a lot different from their earlier stuff. it’s definitely not that raw anymore and it has something like a chaotic prog-rock-/metal-structure. still with punk-attitude, but it sounds more grown up. but somehow the power and freshness is missing. their older stuff was better.
“electric digits” by LE SHOK sounds like disco-punk meets JOY DIVISION meets rock’n’roll. it’s a really weird mixture and the rock’n’roll-riffing is a little bit annoying. but the song isn’t that bad actually.
the record was release by initial records in 1999. damn, i really loved many of their releases.
#115: INK & DAGGER - “sensation ep”
another very fine record by INK & DAGGER. this time just two songs (“mayor withdrawl”, “part time prophet”) that were recorded in 1998 and released by the german label music is my heroin in 1999. sean mccabe’s voice is so unique, it’s incredible. you have to give a close listen to what he is singing though, because he had his own way to pronounce the words. and the music is some kind of post-hardcore, that definitely was influenced by the early washington, d.c. emo-stuff. which is very good of course.
#72: ELLIOTT - “in transit”
this definitely is one of the most listened to records in my whole collection. already FALLING FORWARD was one of my favourite bands ever and ELLIOTT became it too.
some years ago it was an honor for me to interview singer chris hidgon in munich at the kafe kult for the magazine the gap. it became one of the most interesting interviews i ever did. after some time it became more like a chat. which is pretty good actually if you have to write an article. if you just type and publish the interview, it can get pretty boring.
this evening in munich was pretty important im my life acutally. i met several people that became relevant later on in my life (almi, julia, vanessa, irena). there are certain occasions in life, that change a lot. so ELLIOTT somehow was the soundtrack for that.
but back to the “in transit”-7”. this was the first ELLIOTT-release (recorded in late 1996). “watermark high” was on the upcoming “us songs”-album as well and is a fucking great song. you still have to think of FALLING FORWARD a bit. it’s definitely rougher than the later ELLIOTT-stuff. the b-side (“halfway pretty”) is more calm and sounds a little bit like 90ies-emo-rock at this time.
beside the music the cover is fantastic too. there’s a black cardboard with some holes in it. the front shows the band-name and one of the scenery-pictures on the inner-sleeve. there are 24 pictures inside. chris hidgon said that those pictures belonged to his dad, who was a teacher or something like that (i forgot it, like so much else). on the backside there are two holes - one for the logo of the label (initial records) and one for a very blurry and tiny picture of the band.
one of the best covers and records in my whole collection. i really love that one…
