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| Our Band Could Be Your Life dedexbinge
So I just started reading Our Band Could Be Your Life and it's pretty rad so far. I decided to discorun the bands profiled in the book in the meantime and I know it's gonna take me forever but these are all artists I wanna (re)visit. Will update as I listen to new records. | | 1 |  | Black Flag
Nervous Breakdown
Nervous Breakdown - 4.5 - ESSENTIAL
Jealous Again - 3.1
Six Pack - 3.4
Damaged - 3.7 - HISTORICALLY ESSENTIAL BUT DOESN'T MAKE ME PP AHRD
TV Party - 3.6
Everything Went Black - 3.6
The First Four Years - 3.7
My War - 4.1 - ESSENTIAL
Family Man - 1.7 - DOGSHIT
Slip It In - 2.7
Loose Nut - 3.0
The Process of Weeding Out - 3.9 - UNKNOWN GEM
In My Head - 3.2
Annihilate This Week - 2.5
I Can See You - 3.2
What the... - 1.4 - DOGSHIT
They really are an interesting band with almost all their records having a distinct knack. But, as absolute legend Gennaro Gattuso said: "sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe shit". | | 2 |  | Black Flag
The Process of Weeding Out
THE ONE BLACK FLAG RECORD YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO:
The Process of Weeding Out actually is the process established by the band to weed out (ie: they were tokin tha reefer) those who were still expecting Black Flag to be a basic run-of-the-mill hardcore band. This is free jazz with punk instrumentation, in all its noise and dissonance. So yeah at times it's obnoxious, but it always evolves into something weirdly cool. While not all of their outputs are, well, good, Black Flag have proved they are one of the nicest surprises in music. Always evolving (not always for the best, but eh not every band can be Fall of Efrafa), they didn't care about what could be said of them. They just be playin' what they wanted. And if what they wanted was a brutal free jazzpunk record, then let's fucking go for it. | | 3 |  | Minutemen
Double Nickels on the Dime
Paranoid Time - 3.8 - UNKNOWN GEM
Joy - 3.7 - TOO SHORT BUT DAMN IT'S TOO GUD
The Punch Line - 3.4
Bean Spill EP - 3.4
Buzz or Howl Under the Influence of Heat - 3.7
What Makes a Man Start a Fire - 3.8
The Politics of Time - 2.6
Double Nickels on the Dime - 4.4 - ESSENTIAL
Project: Mersh - 3.6
3-Way Tie (For Last) - 2.9
Loved the band before doing this discorun, and I love 'em even more. I'd say they are less "interesting" than Black Flag as they experimented much less with their sound. They're much more consistent overall tho, all their EPs and LPs up to 1984 are really really good. And yeah Double Nickels is a monster album. | | 4 |  | Minutemen
Paranoid Time
THE ONE MINUTEMEN RECORD YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO:
Like a mix of hardcore and art punk, this was SST's second release, all 7 songs and six minutes and thirty-nine seconds of it. It's already interesting, as the drums are agile, the guitar is piercing and the bass is wobbling. If it's not really hardcore punk, the tempo and rhythm sure remind of it. And they already had the knack for politically cool lyrics: I try to talk to girls but I keep thinking of World War III. Quite amazing the material is already on point within such a short amount of time. | | 5 |  | Mission of Burma
Signals, Calls, and Marches
Signals, Calls, and Marches - 4.1 - ESSENTIAL
Vs. - 3.7
The Horrible Truth About Burma - 3.6
Mission of Burma - 3.2
Forget - 3.1
Peking Spring - 2.8
ONoffON - 3.3
The Obliterati - 3.5
The Sound, The Speed, The Light - 2.4
Unsound - 3.1
Their 80s stuff is extremely interesting noisy post-punk, "Signals, Calls, and Marches" being the best they've done, and "Academy Fight Song" being an absolute banger. Their live shows were a different beast though: one member of the band was only there to tape something that was going on, manipulate it and then send it back so that it would sound like something totally different. Their live recording "The Horrible Truth" is a good example of that ~ the horrible truth being that when these tape loops worked, they were amazing; when it didn't, they were an absolute horrid mess. On top of that, their first two 2000s comeback records are surprisingly solid for a band that was on hiatus for 20 years, make sure to jam 'em | | 6 |  | Minor Threat
Complete Discography
First Demo Tape - 3.0
Minor Threat - 4.0 - ESSENTIAL BUT IT'S ONLY A SEVEN-MINUTES EP
In My Eyes - 3.5
Out of Step - 3.7
Salad Days - 3.3
First Two 7" - 3.0
Complete Discography - 4.0 - THE ONE ESSENTIAL MINOR THREAT RECORD
Easy discorun, I heavily jammed these dudes back in da dayzzzz and their discog is really short (I'd say less than 3 hours to listen to all their records). This particular type of early hxc doesn't please me as much as it used to (had the s/t and the Complete Discography at 4.5d before re-listening) but these mates knew how to create anthemic hardcore punk that still make you wanna jump and shout in the pit almost 40 years after. Also no need for another entry, just jam the complete discog. | | 7 |  | Husker Du
Zen Arcade
Statues/Amusement - 2.7
Land Speed Record - 2.4
In a Free Land - 3.2
Everything Falls Apart - 2.9
Metal Circus - 3.6
Zen Arcade - 4.2 - ESSENTIAL
New Day Rising - 4.1 - ESSENTIAL
Flip Your Wig - 3.6
Candy Apple Grey - 3.6
Warehouse: Songs and Stories - 3.5
Fucking hell I didn't realize these dudes were so ahead of their time. Basically every 90s alt rock band that drenched their pop structures into a noisy aesthetic own to them. Once again, their evolution is super interesting: starting as a hardcore band, they slowly started incorporating poppy choruses - read: you can shout along the lines and you'll feel good about it. They didn't rush this process though: you can truly hear the difference between each record, moving from hardcore punk to post-hardcore to noisy power pop to alternative rock. Btw now they are the godfathers of 90s alt rock in my book. | | 8 |  | Husker Du
Warehouse: Songs and Stories
THE ONE HUSKER DU RECORD YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO:
Their final one. Why is that? Because the songs are good, man.
Truly, the only thing you could nitpick is that the band kinda spent the second half of their career emulating Zen Arcade. What's interesting is that, in a way, they couldn't not emulate it: signing with Warner Bros meant that any change was a move to sell out. But if you can criticize Husker Du for emulating their one legendary record, you can't criticize them for writing fucking good songs. Legendary band. | | 9 |  | The Replacements
Let It Be
Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash - 3.0
Stink - 2.6
Hootenanny - 2.9
Let It Be - 4.4 - ESSENTIAL
Tim - 4.1 - ESSENTIAL
Pleased to Meet Me - 3.7
Don't Tell a Soul - 2.9
All Shook Down - 2.7
I'm in love. Basically what I said about Hüsker Dü can also be said about The Replacements: they found their greatness by incorporating pop melodies into their harsher sound. The 'Mats never were as abrasive as Hüsker Dü, and the songwriting greatness was more apparent from the get-go - and that's why they had much more contemporary success than HD, the band being somewhat of an indie darling at the time. Their adolescent persona was perfect for their "always-on-the-edge" vibe and the vibrancy of their best tunes, like "Unsatisfied" or "Bastards of Young". If there's one thing I remember from this book so far, it's that 1984 is a pivotal year in the development of alternative rock and, more generally, the whole "alternative" 90s culture. | | 10 |  | Sonic Youth
Daydream Nation
Sonic Youth - 3.5
Confusion Is Sex - 3.1
Bad Moon Rising - 3.4
Evol - 3.9
Sister - 4.1 - ESSENTIAL
Daydream Nation - 4.4 - ESSENTIAL
Ciccone Youth - The Whitey Album - 2.7
Goo - 4.0 - ESSENTIAL
Dirty - 3.6
Experimental Jet Set, Trash, and No Star - 2.4
Washing Machine - 3.6
SYR1: Anagrama - 3.8
SYR2: Slaapkamers met slagroom - 3.4
SYR3: Invito Al Cielo - 1.9
A Thousand Leaves - 3.2
SYR4: Goodbye 20th Century - 3.0
NYC Ghosts & Flowers - 4.0 - OVERLOOKED AS FUCK
SYR5 - 3.2
Murray Street - 3.6
Sonic Nurse - 3.8
SYR6: Koncertas Stan Brakhage Prisiminimui - 2.5
Rather Ripped - 3.1
SYR7: J'accuse Ted Hughes/Agnes B Musique - 3.0
SYR8: Andre sider af Sonic Youth - 3.0
The Eternal - 3.4
SYR9: Simon Werner a disparu - 3.7 | | 11 |  | Sonic Youth
Sister
Woah, that's a hugeass discog they got there. What was the most interesting was their constant evolution: from their early no wave endeavors to their more alternative rock albums, they changed their formula between each album. It results in a mammoth discography that generated - and still generates - countless debates about their best album - it's Daydream Nation y'all know it. Seriously though, their discography is so stacked with excellent releases it's difficult to even come up with a top 5. Last, but not least, Sonic Youth clearly are the most experimental band off Our Band Could Be Your Life. Being part of the NY avant-garde scene, their self-released Sonic Youth Recordings series is a must-listen, as it shows how broad their influences were. It's difficult sometimes, but it's also the most rewarding OBCBYL band. | | 12 |  | Sonic Youth
NYC Ghosts & Flowers
THE ONE SONIC YOUTH RECORD YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO:
After the theft of their instruments in 1999, the band relied on oldass gear and prepared guitar. That kind of was a blessing, creating a clear separation with their other 90s material. Indeed, Sonic Youth in 2000 sounds like early 80s Sonic Youth: noise and dissonance are at the service of cryptic lyrics and surreal suspense. It builds up again and again, never reaching its conclusion. There is inherently no problem with that: the day you die also is the day everything that you built reaches its non-conclusion. That last sentence was pompous innit? It's still way less pompous than that 0.0 Pitchfork review. | | 13 |  | Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers - 4.0 - ESSENTIAL
Psychic...Powerless...Another Man's Sac - 3.9
Rembrandt Pussyhorse - 3.5
Locust Abortion Technician - 3.6
Hairway to Steven - 3.8
Pioughd - 3.2
Independent Worm Saloon - 3.9
Electriclarryland - 3.1
Weird Revolution - 2.2
If Sonic Youth if the most experimental Our Band Could Be Your Life band, the Butthole Surfers sure are the weirdest. Including people vomiting in their songs is only one aspect. The way the guitars use feedback and dissonance differs from Sonic Youth's: while the NYC arty bunch used noise rock as a mean to convey their symphonic desire, the 'Surfers simply wanted to be as fucking disgusting as possible. It worked. Their first albums/EPs are masterclasses of snuff music: psychedelic, noisy, vulgar, raw, and above all fucking manic. | | 14 |  | Butthole Surfers
Independent Worm Saloon
THE ONE BUTTHOLE SURFERS RECORD YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO:
Produced by John Paul Jones (!), Independent Worm Saloon sees the band muscle up and make their psych rock heavier - almost stoner - at the expense of the noisy experimentalism sported by their 80s albums. This is thus less gripping, but a newfound coolness emerges from this stylistic change: the 'Surfers are not as obtuse as before. Sure, some moments are there for them to remind you they like to fuck around a bit, but overall the album is - almost, they conclude the album with a noise improv jam - as digestible as any alt rock album of that era. It's heavier, more psychedelic , and noisier than their counterparts, but the 'Surfers still successfully softened their formula while still swaggily rocking out. | | 15 |  | Big Black
Atomizer
Lungs - 2.8
Bulldozer - 3.5
Racer-X - 3.7
Atomizer - 4.0 - ESSENTIAL
Headache - 3.6
Heartbeat - 3.2
Songs About Fucking - 3.8
The most uncompromising band so far. The way Albini renders noise is in total contradiction with Sonic Youth's or the 'Surfers, Roland the drum machine adding a mechanical vibe only supported by the industrial guitar tones. Also, the use of synths was innovative, as Albini saw the instrument as another way to create dark vibes instead of the poppy synths that flooded the music industry at the time. What should not be forgotten, however, is how good of a songwriter Albini was in these years. Songs like "Kerosene" or "Passing Complexion" are brutally noisy, yes; but they stand tall as the band's best work simply because they are fucking great songs (yes I say that many times but really, these bands know how to fuse an uncompromising artistic vision with amazing songwriting). | | 16 |  | Dinosaur Jr.
Bug
Dinosaur - 3.6
You're Living All Over Me - 4.0 - ESSENTIAL
Bug - 4.1 - ESSENTIAL
Green Mind - 3.8
Where You Been - 3.9
Without a Sound - 3.3
Hand It Over - 3.4
Beyond - 3.6
Farm - 3.9
I Bet on Sky - 3.5
Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not - 3.5
Sweep It Into Space - 3.5
Ok, so this was a positive surprise. Not that I'm blown away by the band's quality, nope; rather, I'm impressed by their capacity to consistently release great records. Whereas the other OBCBYL bands had at least of couple of records that were merely above-average, here each single one of Dino's albums contain enough energy and songwriting qualities to be appreciated on its own. Fucking hell, my least fav Dino Jr is a 3.3, how strong is that? | | 17 |  | Dinosaur Jr.
You're Living All Over Me
Retrospectively, this might be the band - off this book eh - that carries the most classic rock features, which partly explains their success, and the influence they have had on 90s alt rock. Their folk influences were infused in the hardcore origins of the band, as well as the typically-80s solis that would soon become *the* Dino Jr trademark. Apart from Sonic Youth, Goo-era, this is the one band that sounds the most like a 90s alt champion.
Also, Dino Jr. summarized:
"I'm starting to struggle soundoff'ing Dinosaur Jr's albums. Not that it's bad, it's just that I've rarely seen a band so deeply focused to one sole aesthetic. Because, yes, be prepared: in 2016, Dino Jr. released another solid indie rock record with noisy antics and a lotta cool solis. Nobody was surprised, but is it the goal? Do y'all listen to Dino Jr to be blown away? Nah, you listen to them because they rock." | | 18 |  | Fugazi
The Argument
Fugazi - 4.1 - ESSENTIAL
Margin Walker - 3.7
13 Songs - 3.9
Repeater - 4.3 - ESSENTIAL
Steady Diet of Nothing - 3.6
In On the Kill Taker - 3.8
Red Medicine - 4.4 - ESSENTIAL
End Hits - 3.7
Instrument Soundtrack - 2.7
Furniture - 3.5
The Argument - 5.0 - ESSENTIAL
This was the band I knew the most before starting this binge (you can tell). I love them even more now. Their slow but steady incorporation of artsy elements into their hardcore roots was consistently done intelligently, in the sense that none of their records feels like a misstep. Some albums do succeed less in what they are doing (eg End Hits), but they nevertheless have the merit to offer something different. Their progression is nothing but logical, from "Waiting Room"'s first dub influences, to the anticapitalist manifesto that "Merchandise" was, to all the way through "Argument", a track that alternates between almost-spoken soft bits to the final hardcore fury closing the track, the album, and their careers. | | 19 |  | Fugazi
Red Medicine
check fugazi | | 20 |  | Mudhoney
Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge
Superfuzz Bigmuff - 3.6
Mudhoney - 3.4
Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge - 3.8
Piece of Cake - 3.1
My Brother the Cow - 3.5
Tomorrow Hit Today - 3.5
Since We've Become Translucent - 3.2
Under a Billion Suns - 3.4
The Lucky Ones - 3.0
Vanishing Point - 3.2
Digital Garbage - 2.8
Consistent band. Their formula hasn't changed much over the years (get the Big Muff and Superfuzz and rock it out), which makes for a less interesting second career half. At least none of their albums is downright bad or annoying, or even boring - their consistency is truly to be lauded - but you don't need to jam it all to get an idea of their sound. Just jam their late 80s/early 90s record and you'll be alright. Kudos for coming up before everybody else with the whole grunge package - I think that's the main reason why Azerrad included them, as I've personally struggled to find any 4+ album in their discog - all albums are 2.8-3.8 material. | | 21 |  | Beat Happening
Beat Happening
Beat Happening EP - 3.5
Three Tea Breakfast - 3.3
Beat Happening - 3.9
Crashing Through EP - 3.0
Jamboree - 3.7
Black Candy - 3.4
Dreamy - 3.8
You Turn Me On - 4.3 - ESSENTIAL
Sonically, Beat Happening were the least punk band in this whole book. When it comes to attitude, they are sending back each and every one of the other protagonists to their mama's hugs. They couldn't play or sing, but no single fuck was given: they went for it, exchanging instruments and sharing vocal duties in a pure indie tradition. They also played - according to Azzerrad - a huge role in broadening the "punk rocker" image. Featuring Heather Lewis on drums (and other things) or a dude like Calvin Johnson, which was cuter than tougher than anyone else in the punk rock scene. | | 22 |  | Beat Happening
You Turn Me On
When it all comes together on swansong You Turn Me On, it's simply a twee bliss, taking their simple but damn effective formula and developing it to create epic pop songs, or poppy epic songs. Because if neither their sound nor their musicianship were always on point, they knew how to write heartwarming songs. So, yeah this is their masterpiece. This is fusing everything that made their previous records good, but all elements are given their proper place and are extended into epic and ambitions longer tracks. It's also more polished, "Godsend" being the first time the band used multitrack recording (with multilayered vocals!!!). It's, quite simply, their best album, with no bad song, and some of their best tunes ("Tiger Trap", "Godsend", "Hey Day"). That's one hell of a finale. | | 23 |  | Fugazi
Repeater
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And now a book description woohoo
If you're at all interested in rock history, 1991 retrospectively looks back on as "The Year Punk Broke", and Nirvana's Nevermind album is said to have "changed rock'n'roll overnight". Okay, great, but how does one year, and more importantly, one album, change the game? This is the basic question that Michael Azerrad, an author who wrote a biography of Nirvana during Kurt Cobain's lifetime, asked himself. To answer this, he looked at the US independent punk scene of the 1980s. Tracing the decade through thirteen bands and as many chapters, the author achieves above all a work of memory. | | 24 |  | Black Flag
My War
Beyond having allowed, in its time - the book is celebrating its twentieth anniversary - the rehabilitation of important 80s punk bands such as Minutemen or Fugazi, we tha readers understand, not why Nirvana turned everything upside down, but rather which bands allowed Kurt & Co to reach the ultimate punk formula. Bands like Hüsker Dü or The Replacements laid the foundations of the Nirvana sound: almost constant distortion that hides pop songs with catchy riffs and choruses - but oh so much more sulfurous than the arena rock that was dominating the charts at the time. Alongside them, long descriptions explain how Sonic Youth or Dinosaur Jr. were respectively exploring noise rock and a new approach to guitar heroes. | | 25 |  | Husker Du
New Day Rising
Each chapter thus focuses on a particular band, and while one can appreciate the diversity of the forces at work, one can also wonder where some American indie behemoths like R.E.M., Bad Brains, or Pixies are. Truth is, that's not the point: with an incredible sense of detail obtained from the many interviews Azerrad conducted, this book is best seen as a history lesson told through the solipsism of a fan - who knows how to write damn well by the way. | | 26 |  | The Replacements
Tim
But the main message is that these bands, legendary as they are, were, after all, made up of normal people - although this remains to be confirmed for Steve Albini. The stories told are those of bored, music-loving young people who pursued their passion with what little means they had. This whole philosophy is summed up in the title of the book, taken from a song by the Minutemen: "Our Band Could Be Your Life". What transpires from this book is a state of mind. It's about making the music you love, despite half-empty gigs, lack of moolah, and a touring life at least as rough as an arctic winter. A veritable ode to DIY. | |
dedex
03.31.20 | P S Y C H E D | ArsMoriendi
03.31.20 | For 8, don't forget their s/t EP, it's one of their best works | ArsMoriendi
03.31.20 | Mudhoney is grunge, and their lead singer Mark Arm was in Green River (the first grunge band ever) | dedex
03.31.20 | Don't worry, I'll make sure to listen to the EPs too!
Thanks for the info, wasn't expecting a grunge band in the bunch tbh | ArsMoriendi
03.31.20 | I like 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12 on your list
I have an interest in 3 | dedex
03.31.20 | 3 indeed is intriguing
You didn't mention Fugazi, you never listened to the dudes or you don't like 'em? | parksungjoon
03.31.20 | some of these are the best albums ever | dedex
03.31.20 | ya man I'm pretty much very hyped | WeepingBanana
03.31.20 | I've only read a few chapters from this but it's good. Especially the part in the minutemen chapter about mike watt having diarrhea on stage | ArsMoriendi
03.31.20 | @dedex: I've heard some Fugazi and it's not really for me | dedex
03.31.20 | The part where Rollins explains how he held an English punk's mohawk while beating the living shit out of him was funny if a bit frightening
Legit Ars, can't love everything | WeepingBanana
03.31.20 | Also "consistent" is the last word I'd use to describe butthole surfers lol | Bedex
03.31.20 | dope list, will watch | GhandhiLion
03.31.20 | Butthole Surfers have 5 good albums and 2 good eps. Well above average consistency. | GhandhiLion
03.31.20 | Not to mention the 'Double Live' album. | ArsMoriendi
03.31.20 | "Butthole Surfers have 5 good albums and 2 good eps. Well above average consistency."
The first 4 albums, the s/t EP, Widowermaker, and Worm Saloon? | GhandhiLion
03.31.20 | 3 good eps then | SandwichBubble
03.31.20 | I never got around to reading this one.
Beat Happening 4ever. | ConcubinaryCode
03.31.20 | Mission of Burma is good. Jam vs | WeepingBanana
03.31.20 | I mean I like a few butthole surfers albums but they're pretty shakey from track to track. They have some incredible songs and some literal dog shit on the same album. But that kinda part of the appeal I guess | dedex
03.31.20 | Weeping you make me wanna listen to them even more tbh | WeepingBanana
04.01.20 | Good! Their debut is prob my favorite. This is prob my fav song of theirs tho
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fFXuZF-uC30 | WeepingBanana
04.01.20 | Also their 1991 lolapalooza live vid is nothing short of legendary gettin drunk watching youtube material | dedex
04.01.20 | Just watched the live vid and boy am I impatient to jam these druggy fuckers
it will be a long time from now unfortunately, gotta be structured | ResidentNihilist
04.01.20 | later husker du > early husker du | dedex
04.02.20 | Man I almost was disappointed with Damaged :( I used to love that record and now, while it's still a great great punch, I couldn't help but feel their best tracks are infinitely better than their average ones. | dedex
04.20.20 | Black Flag's discography - done!
They really are an interesting band with almost all their records having a distinct knack. Ofc the most famous records are worth checking out if you haven't, but I'd really recommend The Process of Weeding Out, it's like brutal free jazzpunk and showcases how the band/Ginn always wanted to try new stuff.
Next: Minutemen!
| SandwichBubble
04.20.20 | Can't wait for 7 and 13.
Might need another entry for 7 though, it's a big discography | robertsona
04.20.20 | for whatever reason i've always really liked that first minutemen album The Punch Line nobody rly talks about it tho | robertsona
04.20.20 | the replacements are amazing though check em check em check em | SandwichBubble
04.20.20 | Only band on here MAYBE not worth checking is Mudhoney
I'm sure 1 of the 12 ardent Mudhoney fans in the world will appear at any moment to tell me I'm wrong. | GhandhiLion
04.20.20 | 2020 - Touch me, im sick | SandwichBubble
04.20.20 | Mudhoney frontman skips the formalities and just coughs directly into people's mouths | GhandhiLion
04.20.20 | Superfuzz is destined to keep you interested | SandwichBubble
04.20.20 | True that
First two albums aren't that bad either. | robertsona
04.20.20 | oh yea I like mission of burma a lot too. "einstein's day"!! | dedex
04.20.20 | You guys keep me excited in discorunning the rest of this, nice
Gonna take me a whole year tho | SandwichBubble
04.20.20 | I'll wait an entire lifetime for a Beat Happening discography rating, no worries. | dedex
04.21.20 | Your patience will be rewarded | dedex
05.07.20 | Minutemen - DONE
Loved the band before doing this discorun, and I love 'em even more. I'd say they are less "interesting" than Black Flag as they experimented much less with their sound. They're much more consistent overall tho, all their EPs and LPs up to 1984 are really really good. And yeah Double Nickels is a monster album.
Next: Mission of Burma! | WeepingBanana
05.09.20 | You're nuts for rating politics of time that low. Tune for the wind God is the ultimate jam | SandwichBubble
05.09.20 | "Signals, Calls, and Marches - 4.1 - ESSENTIAL"
Nice. | Ryus
05.09.20 | replacements and beat happening are two of the best bands here | NeroCorleone
05.09.20 | Fugazi and Minutemen > | dedex
05.10.20 | @Weeping: I liked Politics of Time, I just think it lacks the fun vibe off their first two EPs, and its melodies did not stick as much as those on Double Nickels or What Makes a Man Start Fires?
yeah Sandwich this one has been on repeat, so anthemic | WeepingBanana
05.10.20 | If you like MoB I def recommend checking out other Boston area psych/indie bands like Volcano Suns, Crystalized Movements, Major Stars, Magic Hour, etc. Shared members and has tie ins w Galaxie 500 too iirc. Back when Boston produced actually good weird music | dedex
05.29.20 | Mission of Burma - DONE
Never listened to these dudes before, and I'm glad I eventually did. Their 80s stuff is extremely interesting noisy post-punk, "Signals, Calls, and Marches" being the best they've done, and "Academy Fight Song" is an absolute banger (CAUSE I'MNOTNOTNOTNOTNOTNOTNOTNOT YOUR ACADEMY). Their live shows were a different beast though: one member of the band was only there to tape something that was going on, manipulate it and then send it back so that it would sound like something totally different. Their live recording "The Horrible Truth" is a good example of that ~ the horrible truth being that when these tape loops worked, they were amazing; when it didn't, they were an absolute horrid mess. On top of that, their first two 2000s comeback records are surprisingly solid for a band that was on hiatus for 20 years. So, yeah, cool band, their vision of what was musically possible is almost avant-gardiste, and they rock. Check em.
Next: Minor Threat! | Demon of the Fall
05.29.20 | Cool list. Love Big Black, really dig most Fugazi. Only dabbled in a few of the others mind. Sonic Youth are a work in progress but I enjoy Sister.
Bookmarked. | tom79
05.29.20 | Great book, read it years back. The Replacements' are a top 5 band for me and "Let it Be" and "Tim" are essentials, don't miss those. | dedex
05.29.20 | Thx Demon! It's really cool to dive into these bands' discographies, really puts the US indie scene in context
Almost finished reading it tom, great great great book indeed! I listened to some Replacements tunes and I luv'd it, excited to give their discog a proper run. Will be nice to listen to something "smoother" than hardcore and post-punk
| tom79
05.29.20 | Their discog is all over the place, musically. If you want "rough" Replacements check out the debut and the "Stink EP" (which is the closest they've ever sounded to hardcore - they were just playing a part there though. With the hardcore sound, I mean). Right in the middle is the best stuff, 1984-1987. | dedex
05.29.20 | Oooooh sounds nice. What I love in these discoruns is that I can truly experience the bands' evolution, so it's a good thing if their discog is all over the place musically | dedex
06.16.20 | Minor Threat - DONE
Easy discorun, I heavily jammed these dudes back in da dayzzzz and their discog is really short (I'd say less than 3 hours to listen to all their records). This particular type of early hxc doesn't please me as much as it used to (had the s/t and the Complete Discography at 4.5d before re-listening) but these mates knew how to create anthemic hardcore punk that still make you wanna jump and shout in the pit almost 40 years after.
Next: Hüsker Dü! | dedex
07.15.20 | Hüsker Dü - DONE
Fucking hell I didn't realize these dudes were so ahead of their time. Basically every 90s alt rock band that drenched their pop structures into a noisy aesthetic own to them. Once again, their evolution is super interesting: starting as a hardcore band, they slowly started incorporating poppy choruses - read: you can shout along the lines and you'll feel good about it. They didn't rush this process though: you can truly hear the difference between each record, moving from hardcore punk to post-hardcore to noisy power pop to alternative rock. Btw now they are the godfathers of 90s alt rock in my book. Now imma re-write what I wrote on my latest soundoff 'cause I think it's very fitting: the only thing you could nitpick is that they kinda spent the second half of their career emulating Zen Arcade. What's interesting is that, in a way, they couldn't not emulate it: signing with Warner Bros meant that any change was a move to sell out. But if you can criticize Husker Du for emulating their one legendary record, you can't criticize them for writing fucking good songs. Legendary band.
Next: The Replacements!
edit: k so basically nobody cares imma continue nonetheless 'cause I like doing this shit | WeepingBanana
07.16.20 | Side two of disc one of zen arcade is some of the best heavy music out there. Surprised you rated everything falls apart so low tho, that record has many tracks for me | dedex
07.22.20 | Agreed on Zen Arcade! Regarding Everything Falls Apart, I do like some tracks (From the Guts, Target, Gravity) but I find it too messy, and their pop melodies do not shine as much as on In a Free Land, or any subsequent record. | WeepingBanana
07.22.20 | I hear ya. New Day Rising has some of their best songs but also some songs that really make you wonder wtf they were thinking. But Celebrated Summer, UFOs, Girl Who Lives one Heaven Hill, and especially Terms of Psychic Warfare (my fave du song) are more than enough to make up for it | WeepingBanana
07.22.20 | I also always found it interesting how the trajectory of Bob and Grant differed over their careers. Like in the beginning Bob wrote the more aggressive songs and Grant wrote the poppier ones, but that seemed to get a bit inverted the longer they existed. Seems like the band was sort of a healing power for Bob but Grant's drug habits only got worse. Prob maybe not, idk | Satellite
07.22.20 | just bought this book. can't wait to get to it. | dedex
07.22.20 | Hell yeah New Day Rising's best cuts are absolute bangers! It's true some tracks are almost a pain to get through though | dedex
07.22.20 | "Seems like the band was sort of a healing power for Bob but Grant's drug habits only got worse."
That's what I got from the book tbh, starting 1986 heroin really hurt Grant and his songwriting
Nice Satellite, you'll see it's super immersive! | WeepingBanana
07.22.20 | Never listened to Grants solo stuff except for a few tracks but it seems like it might be decent, should prob check it out
https://youtu.be/NkiHm-YodhE
This vid is the ultimate Du | Bedex
07.22.20 | "k so basically nobody cares imma continue nonetheless 'cause I like doing this shit"
nah bruv I'm watching | dedex
07.22.20 | Only skimmed through your vid WB, sounds and look fucking rad
thx dexbro
| dedex
08.05.20 | The Replacements - DONE
I knew absolutely nothing about them before reading the book. Now I'm in love. Basically what I said about Hüsker Dü can also be said about The Replacements: they found their greatness by incorporating pop melodies into their harsher sound. The 'Mats never were as abrasive as Hüsker Dü, and the songwriting greatness was more apparent from the get-go - and that's why they had much more contemporary success than HD, the band being somewhat of an indie darling at the time. Their adolescent persona was perfect for their "always-on-the-edge" vibe and the vibrancy of their best tunes, like "Unsatisfied" or "Bastards of Young". If there's one thing I remember from this book so far, it's that 1984 is a pivotal year in the development of alternative rock and, more generally, the whole "alternative" 90s culture.
Next: Sonic FUCKING Youth wooooooo | robertsona
08.05.20 | the replacements are one of the best bands ever. I actually love that debut straightup punk album too | dedex
08.05.20 | Fuck yeah they rule. I liked the debut, especially the uncompromising attitude they have on that one | Bedex
08.05.20 | Hey you're pretty much halfway already that was quick | dedex
08.05.20 | yeah I think the whole thing is gonna take a year or stg like that
goddamn a whole year | Bedex
08.05.20 | meanwhile I'm like at 10% of the thrash binge and it's over a year old | dedex
08.05.20 | yeah but it's thrash | Bedex
08.05.20 | tru | WeepingBanana
08.06.20 | I personally prefer Tim to Let It Be. Also Paul Westerberg's solo stuff has some real gems if you're curious, especially the Grandpaboy Mono/Stereo stuff | dedex
08.06.20 | The two records are neck in neck so I get that. Haven't checked Westerberg's solo stuff, thanks for the tip! | dedex
10.28.20 | Sonic Youth - FINALLY FUCKING DONE IT TOOK ME 3 MONTHS
Woah, that's a hugeass discog they got there. What was the most interesting was their constant evolution: from their early no wave endeavors to their more alternative rock albums, they changed their formula between each album. It results in a mammoth discography that generated - and still generates - countless debates about their best album - it's Daydream Nation y'all know it. Seriously though, their discography is so stacked with excellent releases it's difficult to even come up with a top 5. Last, but not least, Sonic Youth clearly are the most experimental band off Our Band Could Be Your Life. Being part of the NY avant-garde scene, their self-released Sonic Youth Recordings series is a must-listen, as it shows how broad their influences were. It's difficult sometimes, but it's also the most rewarding OBCBYL band.
Btw, my top 5 would be: Daydream Nation (best album off OBCBYL so far) > Sister > NYC Ghosts and Flowers > Goo > EVOL
Next: Butthole Surfers! | SandwichBubble
10.28.20 | Yay!
Decent top 5, though goo would be a lot lower on my own personal list.
Surfers are gonna feel like a walk in the park after SY I bet. | dedex
10.28.20 | Goo is just fun time for me, but I get that it's not as appealing to everyone
Yeah man all other discogs are so tiny compared to SY | ArsMoriendi
10.28.20 | Harsh Ciccone Youth rating | Ryus
10.28.20 | this period of alt rock is one of my favs
| dedex
10.28.20 | Sorry Ars, I really didn't vibe with this one 😶
Agreed Ryus, I've come to LOVE that era. 1984 has become a goat contender year | Ryus
10.28.20 | kinda wish IRS-era REM got a shoutout in the book | dedex
10.28.20 | they are mentioned in the book iirc, but it's true they could have had a dedicated chapter | Bedex
11.12.20 | Missed this update boppidy bump | dedex
11.12.20 | thx bro | dedex
11.26.20 | Butthole Surfers - DONE
If Sonic Youth if the most experimental Our Band Could Be Your Life band, the Butthole Surfers sure are the weirdest. Including people vomiting in their songs is only one aspect. The way the guitars use feedback and dissonance differs from Sonic Youth's: while the NYC arty bunch used noise rock as a mean to convey their symphonic desire, the 'Surfers simply wanted to be as fucking disgusting as possible. It worked. Their first albums/EPs are masterclasses of snuff music: psychedelic, noisy, vulgar, raw, and above all fucking manic.
Next: Big Black! | Bedex
11.26.20 | Hell yea vomitcore | dedex
11.26.20 | and pipicore too! | ArsMoriendi
11.26.20 | Way too generous to pioughd, but I'm glad you liked their 80s stuff
You skipped the Widowermaker EP though! I love that one | widowslaugh123
11.26.20 | Oh shit big blacks got some bangers | dedex
11.27.20 | Pioughd was aight imo, and yeah their first few albums are cryptic bangers
dammmn too late to apologize my mind is already on Big Black
ya widow, super excited to jam dem industrial noisy riffs | WeepingBanana
11.27.20 | Psychic and Hairway are prob my favs. I Saw and X Ray of a Girl Passing Gas is such a tune. Maybe my fav Surfers song
Big Black has a couple tracks but is pretty overrated imo | dedex
11.27.20 | it's in the top 'Surfers tracks yah
so far I only know "Kerosene" but it's a certified banger
| dedex
12.21.20 | Big Black - DONE
The most uncompromising band so far. The way Albini renders noise is in total contradiction with Sonic Youth's or the 'Surfers, Roland the drum machine adding a mechanical vibe only supported by the industrial guitar tones. Also, the use of synths was innovative, as Albini saw the instrument as another way to create dark vibes instead of the poppy synths that flooded the music industry at the time. What should not be forgotten, however, is how good of a songwriter Albini was in these years. Songs like "Kerosene" or "Passing Complexion" are brutally noisy, yes; but they stand tall as the band's best work simply because they are fucking great songs.
Next: Dinosaur Jr.! | widowslaugh123
01.18.21 | Fugazi write ups when | dedex
01.18.21 | Soon! Once I'm done with Dino imma work on Fugazi | SandwichBubble
01.18.21 | I'm in this for the beat happening soundoffs.
Don't even care if you end up not liking them, I'm excited. | ArsMoriendi
01.18.21 | Good series | dedex
01.19.21 | @Sandwich: I've been enjoying all bands so far, no reason I will not enjoy Beat Happening!
thx Ars bb | WeepingBanana
01.19.21 | Good indie pop (not the horseshit that certain users foist) is very severely underappreciated on this site | dedex
01.28.21 | Dinosaur Jr.: DONE
Ok, so this was a positive surprise. Not that I'm blown away by the band's quality, nope; rather, I'm impressed by their capacity to consistently release great records. Whereas the other OBCBYL bands had at least of couple of records that were merely above-average, here each single one of Dino's albums contain enough energy and songwriting qualities to be appreciated on its own. Fucking hell, my least fav Dino Jr is a 3.3, how strong is that?
Retrospectively, this might be the band - off this book eh - that carries the most classic rock features, which partly explains their success, and the influence they have had on 90s alt rock. Their folk influences were infused in the hardcore origins of the band, as well as the typically-80s solis that would soon become *the* Dino Jr trademark. Apart from Sonic Youth, Goo-era, this is the one band that sounds the most like a 90s alt champion.
Next: Fugazi! | Cygnatti
01.28.21 | This looks fun and interesting! | parksungjoon
01.28.21 | retrospectively | dedex
01.28.21 | yah this is super interesting Cyg, but damn it's taking a mighty long time to finish this
thx park, fixed! | parksungjoon
01.28.21 | ive been meaning to go back to the post-my war stuff for a while now | dedex
01.28.21 | dude check The Process of Weeding Out if you haven't. Massive and underrated brutal free jazz punk shit. | parksungjoon
01.28.21 | all in due time my son | dedex
01.28.21 | m/
| parksungjoon
01.28.21 | fugazi tho let me tell ya thats gonna be a ride | dedex
01.28.21 | that's the band I know the most, im so excited to discog run 'em again | dedex
03.03.21 | Fugazi: DONE
This was the band I knew the most before starting this binge. I love them even more now. Their slow but steady incorporation of artsy elements into their hardcore roots was consistently done intelligently, in the sense that none of their records feels like a misstep. Some albums do succeed less in what they are doing (eg End Hits), but they nevertheless have the merit to offer something different. Their progression is nothing but logical, from "Waiting Room"'s first dub influences, to the anticapitalist manifesto that "Merchandise" was, to all the way through "Argument", a track that alternates between almost-spoken soft bits to the final hardcore fury closing the track, the album, and their careers.
Next: Mudhoney! | Pheromone
03.03.21 | beat happening ! | dedex
03.03.21 | ALMOST | Bedex
03.04.21 | almost done incredible m/ m/
| dedex
04.06.21 | Mudhoney: DONE
Consistent band. Their formula hasn't changed much over the years (get the Big Muff and Superfuzz and rock it out), which makes for a less interesting second career half. At least none of their albums is downright bad or annoying, or even boring - their consistency is truly to be lauded - but you don't need to jam it all to get an idea of their sound. Just jam their late 80s/early 90s record and you'll be alright. Kudos for coming up before everybody else with the whole grunge package - I think that's the main reason why Azerrad included them, as I've personally struggled to find any 4+ album in their discog - all albums are 2.8-3.8 material.
Next: Beat Happening! Woop woop it's the last band of this almighty list
@SandwichBubble be ready bro | someone
04.06.21 | oh how have i not noticed this thread before. this is great, really wanted to read the book at some point.
Mudhoney's later output gets undeserved hate i think | dedex
04.06.21 | I can only recommend the book then! Great fun read
It's definitely decent yes, I just don't find it worth more than a couple listens each | WeepingBanana
04.06.21 | My feeling on mudhoney is SFBM is just wayyyyy better than anything else they made haha. I haven’t listened to them in years tho. Excited for your Beat Happening journey, sput is severely lacking in twee love | Bedex
04.06.21 | almost done with this mananannan time flieth | dedex
04.06.21 | I didn't vibe that much with SFBM tbh :[
I'm excited too! | SandwichBubble
04.07.21 | Didn't see this eariler,
but I'm here, don't you worry.
I'm ready to be rocked, socked, and awed. | Koris
04.07.21 | If you're still doing this, Down I Go would be a really solid discog to check out. Pretty underrated hardcore/post-hardcore :] | dedex
04.07.21 | I'll take a break after Beat Happening tbh, but I'll keep Down I Go in mind :] | SandwichBubble
04.29.21 | The best lists take the longest to complete, it's true.
Good work. | dedex
04.29.21 | damn i deleted my comment im a dumbass | GhandhiLion
04.29.21 | lol what a dumbass | dedex
04.29.21 | Well, this is finally DONE. I started this at the beginning of the lockdown. It took me a whole fucking year to finish this, but these bands - and this book - are absolutely essential to understand the whole "90s alt rock" culture. I hope this list will help some of you to discover some rad shit.
Thanks to all sweethearts who dropped comments, you da real MVPs. | SandwichBubble
04.29.21 | The best lists take the longest to complete, it's true.
Good work. [2] | dedex
04.29.21 | thx baes | parksungjoon
04.29.21 | fuck you | Pheromone
04.29.21 | woo go dedex we love dedex this is amazing dedex | parksungjoon
04.29.21 | im crazy and im huuuurttttt | dedex
04.29.21 | no thank YOU park
ur amazing phero | Pheromone
04.29.21 | i wish i had both of your lowercase name energy :( | parksungjoon
04.29.21 | head on my shoooouldeerrssss | dedex
04.29.21 | park, jam 2 | parksungjoon
04.29.21 | soon, like i said | dedex
04.29.21 | wheeeeeeeeeeeee | parksungjoon
04.29.21 | our arms could be your hearse | Bedex
04.29.21 | m/ m/ /m/ m/ m//m /m//m/ /heck ye BRUTHA | dedex
04.29.21 | m/ frérot |
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