Repost

Velocity Girl - Gilded Stars and Zealous Hearts.

Live from Pittsburgh

I'm behind on the Internet. Posting. Reading. Job hunting.

The holiday. Hours of Good Times. A drive to Pittsburgh. A funeral.

Busier with nothing to do.

Playing catch up.

Velocity Girl - Copacetic. Newtown Book and Record Exchange. New.

Happy Thanksgiving...Sort Of

This was supposed to be published Thursday.

It is now Friday.

Nearly Saturday.

For those of you celebrating. Enjoy the holiday weekend.

Velocity Girl - 6 Song Compilation. eBay. Used.

English Only

Understanding lyrics has never determined how much I like or dislike an album.

I have always been willing to buy albums that are not in English.

French. Swedish. Japanese. Icelandic. Spanish. German. I am equal opportunity.

Sometimes there is a choice. Native language release. English release. I'll buy either. I'll buy both.

Kent - Verkligen. Amazon.com. New.

Solo Disappointment

With the exceptions of Ian Brown and Robbie Williams, I am almost always let down by solo endeavors.

The two biggest offenders. Without a doubt. Bernard Butler. Richard Ashcroft.

I had high hopes for their solo careers. These hopes were dashed on the first listen. Then with repeated listens.

Richard Ashcroft was given another chance to convince me with his follow-up.

After one listen, I was ready to weigh in with an opinion.

"Brian Wilson couldn't even save this record."

Thankfully I didn't buy the disc. It left with my relationship. Neither was missed.

Only one stayed away. It wasn't Richard Ashcroft.

Cathy made sure he found his way back into my life.

Here he is.

Richard Ashcroft - Human Conditions. Generation Records. Used.

Crown Confusion

I occasionally confuse The Crownhate Ruin with Crown of Thornz.

One I liked and actively search for. One I didn't like and stumbled upon.

I once located Crown of Thornz on Amazon.com. An obscene amount of money. Passed.

(Although a current search is showing me otherwise.)

I stumbled on The Crownhate Ruin at Generation Records. Used. Purchased.

When I find the Crown of Thornz compact disc. I may be let down.

With The Crownhate Ruin. I was pleasantly surprised.

The Crownhate Ruin - Until the Eagle Grins. Generation Records. Used.

Not Knowing What to Expect Is Half the Fun

Simple Machines, she's singing the songs of someone I don't know.

Wikipedia knows: Franklin Bruno.

Jenny Toomey - Tempting: Jenny Toomey Sings the Songs of Franklin Bruno. AKA Music. Bargain bin.

Repost

Edgewise - Silent Rage.

Please let me know if a link is down. I will reupload. Leave a comment in the post or email me at hedancesfornickels@gmail.com.

Also. If you would like something removed. Leave a comment in the post or email me at hedancesfornickels@gmail.com.

Sorry, I Thought You Were Someone Else

I knew Tanya Donelly had been in Throwing Muses with her sister.

I didn't know Kristin Hersh was her sister.

I didn't know Kristin Hersh was in Throwing Muses.

I thought Kristin Hersh was in Bratmobile. Or a similar band.

I thought I knew a little about Tanya Donelly, Throwing Muses and Kristin Hersh. Even Bratmobile.

I don't.

I know less than the little I thought I knew.

Throwing Muses - Red Heaven. AKA Music. Bargain bin.

Keyword Search

Somebody has been landing on my site via a search for Elements of Need.

It could even be somebodies.

All I have is a rip of the self-titled seven inch.

Although I would recommend tracking down the split with Jasmine. It came out on Kidney Room Records (I think). Both sides are worth your time.

Great live band. If you were into that sort of thing circa 1994/1995.

Elements of Need.

[Image via www.askdavetaylor.com]

Reposts

Super Furry Animals - Phantom Phorce (Disc 1).

Super Furry Animals - Phantom Phorce (Disc 2 - Slow Life EP).

Ova Looven - 58:34.

If a link is down, please let me know. Leave a comment in the post or email me at hedancesfornickels@gmail.com.

On the other hand. If you want a link taken down, please let me know. Leave a comment in the post or email me at hedancesfornickels@gmail.com.

Go Buy It

Blacklisted - Our Youth Is Wasted. Relapse Records. New.

Absolutely Nothing

I recall seeing the release when it came out.

I knew the label. New Age Records.

Nothing else.

I never owned it.

With most hardcore bands, I have some sort of reference point.

Members. Scene or locale. Prior bands. Post bands.

With this.

Nothing.

Nothing then. Nothing now.

Collateral Damage - Let Me Be Broken. Generation Records. Used.

Leaving No Room for Discussion

I've called them perfect albums in the past. I will continue to call them perfect albums.

Not only perfect for the particular band or artist.

Perfect overall.

Violator. Disintegration. The Joshua Tree. Automatic for the People.

R.E.M. - Automatic for the People. eBay. Used.

Young Pico

During December, January, February and sometimes March we would head to Vermont.

Not every weekend. Two or three times each month.

Mike's family owned a house in Quechee.

It was near Okemo. Pico. Killington.

An agenda of skiing, drinking and hot tubbing.

The drive took us through upstate New York. Heading east from Syracuse.

Me. Mike. Ben. Adam. Jennie. Packed into Mike's Buick. The Thule rack filled with skis and snowboards.

Mike often dictated the soundtrack. As a result, I developed an appreciation for Speedwagon. Rush. Journey. Buffett.

And Steely Dan.

"Mike, I don't know anything by Steely Dan."

"You probably know every song on the greatest hits."

With the exception of a few tracks. I did.

Influenced by these trips, I began to trade Strife and Earth Crisis for Mellencamp and Moody Blues.

A foray into normalcy. My music tastes are better for it.

Steely Dan - A Decade of Steely Dan. eBay. Used.

Slipknot and Modern Life Is War aka The Only Things I Know About Music from Iowa

The plan was to go to New York. Me. Rich. Zac. Nick.

Rich would drive.

We wanted to get there before the snow.

Modern Life Is War came up in conversation.

Nick was of the opinion that because he went to shows in the nineties, he didn't need to see bands doing a rehash of the era.

From there the conversation moved back to sneakers, My Bloody Valentine and making fun of freaks.

We never did make it to New York. Only as far as Cherry Hill. Stopping at the mall for a few hours.

Snow had started by the time we made our way back to Philadelphia.

The snow was getting worse when I decided to go to New York anyway.

I risked my life driving to the Hamilton train station. I arrived in Manhattan around midnight. I took the subway to the West Village. And met up with some friends.

Waking up. The snow was gone. Lunch at White Castle in Jersey City. Then dropped off in Newark. I went home.

Modern Life Is War - My Love. My Way. Very Distribution. New.

With A.R.E. Weapons and/or Glass Candy?

I might have seen them play. A few years ago.

It's entirely possible I'm confusing them with someone else. Something else.

Regardless. I bought this based solely on the artwork. The sticker/liner combination.

Their sound was unknown to me. Or not remembered.

One or the other.

Ratatat - LP3. AKA Music. Used.

No Alternative

To think about the bands that were once considered "alternative."

It was an umbrella term. Encompassing college rock, indie rock, grunge, punk, Britpop and everything else. Everything else that wasn't traditional rock, hair metal or rap.

An umbrella term pushed by MTV. Pushed by the record labels. A meaningless genre. That everyone understands the meaning of.

Nirvana. Soundgarden. The Smashing Pumpkins. The Breeders. Liz Phair. My Bloody Valentine. They were the alternative.

But Toad the Wet Sprocket. Blind Melon. Gin Blossoms. The Lemonheads. They were lumped in as well. Listening to any of them today. They all sound so safe. So accessible. So mom-friendly.

The Coldplays for Generation X.

I find it interesting when listening to any of their albums. To think about how they were once part of the alternative in music. Edgy. Different.

Lemonheads - Lovey. AKA Music. Bargain bin.

Reposts

Kent - Isola.

Embrace - Come Back to What You Know (Single 2).

Morrissey - Now My Heart Is Full.

Embrace - One Big Family.

Please let me know if a link is down. Conversely, please let me know if you'd like a link taken down.

Leave a comment in the post. Or email me at hedancesfornickels@gmail.com.

Story of My Life

They were not at all what I had expected.

When I first picked up an album at the Newtown Book and Record Exchange I thought I was buying something a little more punk.

They were on Dischord. I expected Fugazi. I expected Embrace. I expected Minor Threat.

Instead, I got something completely different.

After a few years. I finally sold it. As much as I tried. I was never able to get into it.

This was as a seventeen or eighteen year old.

Fast forward ten years or so. My tastes have matured. I'm buying a lot of items I had dismissed in the past.

Lungfish an obvious target.

I feel like I missed out on it. My own fault.

Every album that doesn't "wow" me. Should be filed away for ten years. Reanalyzed.

Money saved.

Lungfish - Indivisible. AKA Music. Used.

Of All the Bands to Show Up in the Game

Outside of a handful of friends. And myself. I didn't know anyone who showed more than a moderate interest in the band.

So it was surprising when I received the text from my brother.

I had just come out of the movies.

W.

He wanted to know if I had any Kent. I told him I did.

Only yesterday I realized why. It was because of Guitar Hero.

It's great that video games now introduce somewhat forgotten bands to a wider audience. Wider than it would have been when the album was released.

There is potential there. For underrated and undersold catalogs. Renewed interest.

Kent - Hagnesta Hill. eBay. Used.

Ebert? Roeper?

I couldn't tell you anything about the film.

Before stumbling on this soundtrack, I had never heard of it.

The soundtrack does not disappoint.

The film might. It might not.

There is no way it will match the star power, the guest power, of the album.

Including the deceased.

Shudder to Think - First Love, Last Rites. AKA Music. Bargain bin.

I Want That Era Saab

Matt asked me about the first Whale album.

I told him posting would not be an issue. As a bonus. I would post the follow-up as well.

Looking through my files, I realized I had never ripped the compact discs.

This meant I hadn't listened to either album in a few years. Tragic.

I love both. Especially the second one.

It's a shame more people aren't familiar with it. It is a strong release for the era. Sweden or otherwise.

Ten years since. I don't suppose another release is forthcoming.

Stranger things have happened.

(Portishead.)

Whale - All Disco Dance Must End In Broken Bones. ??? New.

Laid Off

And so ends my time in the mortgage industry of America.

You'd think with my newly found unemployment I'd have more time to post.

So far, that has not been the case.

Vegetating. Video games. The purchase of a new suit.

Somewhat productive.

Now the weekend has arrived. I will play catch up.

The Music - You Might As Well Try to Fuck Me E.P. eBay. New.

My Discount Went Towards Ridiculous Items, Most Ill-Fitting

I needed a job. The Carousel Mall seemed like a good place to start.

The mall did not have an Abercrombie and Fitch. So a transfer from my summer store was out of the question.

At the time I was lukewarm on Banana Republic. I decided to apply to the Gap.

I was hired.

Training was fairly intense. A focus on customer service. The total opposite of my experience at Abercrombie. For better or for worse. Actually for worse. Working retail with little or no focus on the customer made for an excellent social environment.

All of that changed at the Gap.

Things were strict. My manager meant business. She was older than me. I was into her. Not seriously. More like a teenage crush.

Almost every dollar I earned went right back into the store. Clothing for me. For family. For friends. For Christmas.

Shortly after my start date there was a big event. The release of Gap Blue. The store's focus was on the fragrance. I don't remember anything about the scent. I do remember an impractical square bottle. That constantly fell apart.

And more importantly. I remember an in-store soundtrack of "blue" songs.

Including my personal favorite: "Bluuuuuuue Savannah song Ohohohhhh it's a bluuuuuue Savannah song..."

It was only my favorite. Reviled by the rest of the staff.

Erasure - Wild! Princeton Record Exchange. Bargain rock.

Congratulations, President-Elect Obama

Kicking off a new era of American politics with: Mudhoney.

Mudhoney - Superfuzz Bigmuff plus Early Singles. Princeton Record Exchange. Unsorted bargain bin.

GOTV

If you are registered. Get out and vote.

Preferably for my team.

Waiting in line? Why not listen to Ride?

Ride - Smile. Princeton Record Exchange. Bargain rock.

When Doesn't It Snow Between Syracuse and Buffalo?

A two-plus hour drive through the snow.

Syracuse to Buffalo.

I guess it was a date.

Even with the time I spent in and around Buffalo between 1995 and 1997. Various trips from Syracuse. I never became familiar with the city.

So I was lost. Looking for the venue.

I couldn't tell you the name.

There were seats. Almost a concert hall. It was a concert hall.

We weren't there for the symphony.

My memories are of an empty venue.

It surely wasn't empty. Likely sold out. At the very least. Close to it.

People threw the obligatory flowers towards the stage.

The atmosphere was different than it had been in Philadelphia. Far less intense. A lack of people rushing the stage.

The whole night. Somewhat unmemorable.

Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart. Princeton Record Exchange. Bargain rock.

Beyond the Long Hair and Dirty Clothes

Outside of a few compilation tracks, I didn't listen to them. Even with my love of the Judgment Night soundtrack.

This was at the height of their popularity. Their relevance.

I ignored them.

If asked to venture a guess. A reason why. I think I perceived them as "hippies."

Viewing a lot of other Seattle bands of the era as more "punk." Or more "metal." More acceptable to me.

In the end. They were all "rock." Though I didn't see it like that.

The name. Something about the name. The name had me thinking "hippie."

Like many things. No real reason. Definitely no good reason.

Mudhoney - Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge. Princeton Record Exchange. Unsorted bargain bin.