June of 44 - Tropics and Meridians

There's a good review of this album at Time Isn't on My Side, where I first learned about the band. Tropics and Meridians (1996) is my favorite of their albums, and is their second release over all (Engine Takes to the Water was released a year earlier). The group consisted of Fred Erskine, Sean Meadows, Jeff Mueller, Doug Scharin, all of which appeared in numerous other bands mostly around the Louisville, KY area, including Lungfish, Codeine, Rex, Hoover. "Post-hardcore", "math-rock" appear to be thrown around in describing June of 44, but math-rock seems to have evolved into being synonymous with "chaotic" music, which June of 44 and particularly Tropics and Meridians is not. Creativity exists in the song structures, writing, and in the ways they explore the reaches of their instrumentation. Only six songs appear on this release, though the length of songs can be quite long with only one song under five minutes. The recording is solid enough, not spectacular, but does the job.

June of 44 - "Anisette"

"Anisette", the first song on the album also happens to be its longest. Its a groovy song, that builds from the drums outward. Interplay from both muted guitars, flows into open strumming setting the tone. Vocals cease the guitars and stand out as calls in the distance. Spoken lyrics begin while both guitars reappear, one panned hard right, the other hard left, playing beautifully off each other,while cymbal accents highlight their unified dance.

The fret slides, going back and forth between the guitars, define the song in my mind. I literally, haven't heard anything like that used like that in a song before. The middle of the song becomes another back and forth, this time between the vocals and the instruments. A return to the fret slides that break into single chord plucks. Then a breakaway and change in direction occurs, slowing the beat down. This rhythm becomes softer while previous lyrics are very subtly spoken in background, almost too quite to be audible to the ear, I didn't pick them up until after a few listens. The song closes by a return to its beginnings.

June of 44 - "Sanctioned in a Birdcage"

The final song on the album is one that is built on a base structure, steady pummeling drums and bass drive this song. One guitar keeps simple time through muted notes spaced over the measure. The other guitar branches out, sometimes adding lush distortion filled chords playing along with the others, than at other times creatively exploring other ways to build the feel and flow of the song. The vocals and lyrics are a perfect fit within the music, mirroring the music, providing an intensity and social-political tint.

Tropics and Meridians can still be found at Touch and Go Records. There's a wonderful instrumental song, "Lawn Bowler" that I didn't mention, be sure to check that out for further evidence of the outstanding guitar interplay by both guitarists. Also, "June Leaf" for an example of the band's understanding of solid songwriting.

Eulcid - The Wind Blew All The Fires Out

Continuing from my previous post on New Idea Society, and Mike Law in specific, I figured I'd post on his previous band Eulcid. The Wind Blew All The Fires Out (2000) sits pretty well in the post-hardcore genre, lots of discordant guitar and abrupt shifts, though not enough to weaken the song structures and continuity. The Boston group was composed of Law on guitar and vocals, Matt Redmond on drums, and Chris Rache on bass. As a band they existed between 1988 and 2002, when the members splintered off. There's definitely an element of Fugazi in here, and the band did open for them in Boston, and some of that Boston metal/hardcore sound (Converge/Kid Kilowatt) in the instrumental portion.


Eulcid - "Reaction Impulse Theory"

This is the first track on the album and is a pretty good introduction into the band's sound. Drums lead right into jagged vocals and steady guitar and bass, that finally relent, though the drumming keeps active all the time. A wall of guitar briefly allows the bass to take prominence for a short interlude than back into the jagged vocals and guitar, until Law's line, "...I move too slow" indicates a change in both instrumentation and vocals, a calming little bit of the song, before the final minute of the song which goes in many directions (and can be quite rewarding if followed).

The flow from one song to another is a strength within this album, and
unfortunately not something I'm able to really demonstrate here as the next song I'm posting occurs later in the album. But on the album this first song "Reaction Impulse Theory" runs right into, "To The Death Of Intellectualism", which slides right into "Single Sender". Its very well done and obviously a conscious effort to linking the album as a whole was made.


Eulcid - "The Ocean Vs. The Sand"

Here's a bit of a departure, a song that moves a bit slower than the others, similar to the title track on the album in its pacing and structure. The guitar sores over the bass and drums, leading the way and adventuring off on its own. The drum beat remains a creative little play on the snare throughout the background. The instruments come together for a few lines then fall back into the pattern already described. The vocals are sung with a bit softer edge relative to the rest of the album. I enjoy how the song just seems to end and has a moment of silence before the final song of the album starts.

Most of the songs are complex in that they pack many individual yet cogent parts. Certainly something that is best listened to intently to fully enjoy. Following this release was Hope: And Songs To Sing there last release and in some ways a bridge from Eulcid to New Idea Society in regards to Mike Law's musical development.

New Idea Society - You Are Awake or Asleep

New Idea Society was a collaboration between Mike Law and Steve Brodsky when You Are Awake or Asleep was being recorded (released in 2005). Though its Law who remains and New Idea Society is really his project at this point, releasing another album The World is Bright and Lonely in 2007 without Brodsky (who has fronted Cave In and his own solo project). Law, was part of Eulcid, prior to beginning New Idea Society, which was a pretty good band in its own right. New Idea Society progresses through the post-punk/indie sound, but doesn't immediately resemble anything I've heard exactly. This album is interesting to me in how it comes across as a collection of songs with little cohesion in their sound, less fluid than the following album, but is enjoyable in its variety.


New Idea Society - "Create Your Own Emergency"

Simple yet catchy guitar is followed by electronic blip and vocals, harmonizing well. The keyboard elements are also fairly simple, but really brings life to the song. I really like the lyrics and whole premise of the song.

This tank that I am in.
How I am feeling. I am feeling.
Put a piranha in with me.
Emergency.

Hang a picture on the wall.
On a hook that is too small.
Sit on a chair underneath until it falls.
Create your own emergency.

Sometimes going away from what's safe and comforting leads a person to growth that would otherwise not happen. Facing one's own anxieties and throwing themselves into it, overcoming it, and truly experiencing different elements of life. This song stands out in its lightness, more upbeat than most of the songs on this album.


New Idea Society - "The Aching Bells"

Rare use of the harmonica starts things off. Acoustic guitar and a few different percussion sounds along with supporting keyboards. First instrumental part is covered by a little harmonica, then electric guitar comes in along with the harmonica during the second instrumental part, bridging right along. The backing/supporting vocals are powerful, not in loudness or anything of that nature, but rather accenting the lyrical passages, adding an almost church choirish element.

There really isn't a bad song on here, and the recording is solid enough, I'm sure the band may have liked to do a more formal job on it, but it doesn't detract. There's very little flash in this release, and they don't come off as trying too hard to be "poppy", which is good. One of my favorite moments within this album is the perfect pairing of "Storm In My Eyes" being followed by "Create Your Own Emergency". The former song is just so wonderfully slow paced, somber, and introspective, having it be followed by "Create Your Own Emergency" was an excellent choice as I noted above, the song really sticks out in its upbeat and catchy writing. I'm looking forward to reviewing the second album here, and also heard that Law and the other members that form the band now are prepping the third full length release in the coming months.

Assault - (2nd s/t)

Its a little confusing, as this album is sometimes listed as Assault 2nd, Breakthrough, or Assault (i.e. s/t). The reason being that there was already a self titled cd released on HG fact records that featured a different vocalist. In any case, this album released in 2004 in the U.S., is the second one released by the record label, there also exists a 7" entitled Martyrdom, and I believe another Japanese only released EP, that I do not own and no little about. Assault is a Tokyo, Japan hardcore band, that appear to no longer exist (as the broken translation over at HG fact seems to indicate that the band disbanded in '05/'06 and unfortunately because the bass player had died in an accident). I was lucky enough, many years back, to see Assault on their U.S. tour with From Ashes Rise.

Their music is fast, but not chaotic, hardcore punk, with strong bass lines running under thrashy (the punk variety) sounding drums and sometimes discordant guitar. The vocals are fairly consistent throughout, hoarse yells, with some harmony during choruses, and occasional backing vocal supports. The vocals sit a bit back in the mix, but not bad enough to be hidden by the rest of the music. Lyrics are mostly Japanese with some English mixed in the choruses of songs. This record sits at about 22:30 minutes wrapped up in six songs, typically under three and half minutes each, with the exception of, "The end of silence" which ends up at 7:36 and is one of the strongest songs within the record, as a pounding bass and drum beat continues almost endlessly while guitar soloing builds throughout the second half of the song.


Assault - "Stay Away"

"Stay Away" starts out paced by driving drumming and vocals, its only seconds before the chorus and some limited vocal harmonizing takes place. The guitar leads into a shift, slowing down a bit while finding a nice groove. The bass guitar really becomes pronounced at this point accenting the beat along with the drumming. Not too long and the pace picks up again, a strong guitar solo takes us into returning vocals and finally chorus closing out the song. 

It looks as though Hardcore Holocaust Records still has this and the first cd available through their distro. HG Fact records also appears to carry the cd in Japan.