Shimmer Kids

Whistle While You Weep (1999)

When I think of early '90s San Francisco bands, I tend to imagine music that is overly arty and hard to love--like the city itself. And yet, the scene was big enough to initially include Green Day and Third Eye Blind (both with Top 40 hits) and Thinking Fellers Union Local 242 and Caroliner (easily two of the strangest bands ever to make a mark on the indie scene).

The Shimmer Kids, then, who appeared towards the second half of the decade, seemed to point the way to a friendlier sound more reminiscent of the psychedelic pop that first put the city on the map.  The band never achieved much success, but they perservered. The Shimmer Kids originally formed at the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1996, with guitarist and vocalist Josh Babcock presiding over an unruly and sprawling bunch that included a theremin player, and a melodica player.

The band soon began recording at home and self-releasing cassettes which they sold at their shows.  Like their '60s heroes, they made elaborate, trippy fliers, and augmented their stage show with film loops and props. Despite their moderate following at home, the Shimmer Kids unknowingly tapped in to the same energy of the Elephant Six crowd, who were doing many of the same things across the country in Athens, GA.

The Shimmer Kids released their first album Bury My Heart at Makeout Point in 2000 to decent reviews and respectable sales. By 2002, Parasol signed them up for their sophomore release Natural Riot.   Both have their moments, but I think the band may have hit their peak in 1999 with their second single "Strange Signals" which features the slow-burning winner "Whistle While You Weep" on side two.

The Shimmer Kids broke up in 2004, but basically reformed intact as the Society of Rockets.  For tons more music and pics, check the band's site here.

Michelene Cherie

Razor Wind (1990)

"Razor Wind" is a rare find from the '90s four-track scene, a well-produced pop song that actually sounds huge and timeless, almost like Neko Case or something.  I got in touch with Michelene Cherie, who now works as a wardrobe and pop stylist in LA, to find out more about the song which I found on the B-side of her only single "Sincerely."

"[The single] was recorded and produced by Dave Peterson who played all the instruments," Cherie wrote me. "His sisters are Debbie and Vicki Peterson from the Bangles. Since I had a good relationship with the Bangles and I also worked for them, I asked them if I could release my single on their label Down Kiddie Records and they agreed to do it.

"We recorded it on four track in our apartment. 'Sincerely,' the original Dwight Twilley song, was recorded on 48 tracks and produced by Twilley. We knew him peripherally through Susan Cowsill and Vicki Peterson. Both he and Roger Linn (yes, the Linn drum Roger) called us to ask how we did it on only 4 tracks and how we figured out the backwards guitar solo played by Linn. We really tried to do a note-perfect version and according to the original creators and we pulled it off.

"'Razor Wind' was originally recorded by Dave's band The Howling Dogs, from Los Angeles. They were ahead of their time and people didn't really get them, which was a shame, because they had some cool songs. I fell in love with 'Razor Wind' and wanted to cover it.

"I released the single in 1990 and immediately went on tour with L.A's. Redd Kross as a backup singer in support of their Atlantic Records release  Third Eye. We toured the US and Canada supporting Sonic Youth (Goo era) and The Go-Go's first reunion tour. While on this tour, I met the Posies, from Seattle and after leaving Redd Kross I moved to Seattle to hang with my new pals."

After moving to Seattle, Cherie performed as a solo artist and eventually formed Michelene Impossible, who scored some critical notice for their sole release Aquamarine. They disbanded in 1999, but Cherie maintains their myspace page here.

Trick and the Heartstrings

Music U Want 2 Dance 2 (2003)

Alexander Gedeon, Leif Young Huckman, and Peter Hale first met at the Experimental Theater Wing at NYU.  There, they chain smoked cigarettes, talked endlessly about their favorite albums by the Police and the Talking Heads, and occasionally jammed.  After graduation, they agreed to form a band.

Gedeon, the band's singer and guitarist recalls, "I was envisioning a name, something silly and explosive and vulnerable. The first thing I said was "Bitch Ass Trick and the Heartstrings". Which would have been a complete joke. But I do have a penchant for long-winded and verbose titles and names, and the somewhat shorter 'Trick and the Heartstrings' stuck."

The trio began playing out in New York, building up a devoted following for their tight playing, choreographed dance moves and an irresistible groove that owed a sizable debt to Prince.  They started out by releasing a 6 song EP on their own label which they sold at shows.  They followed this two years later with "& I Feel" on North Street Records which featured the popular live staple "Joga," a funked cover of the Bjork classic.

In 2006, the band was riding high and played a series of shows in England. NME gushed, calling them a "perfect" band. 679 Records showed interest, but a deal never materialized. According to Gedeon, "The big brass didn't feel like any of our songs would make strong radio singles, so they kept throwing money our way, hoping that we would develop more. But there was too much tension in the band at that point anyway.  We had other options for label support, but it didn't matter by that point. We were over it."

Although they went their separate ways, the old theater buddies remained friends after it was all over and are still on good terms.

Christmas

This is Not a Test (1989)

Christmas was a true anomaly. With their dadaist sense of humor and restless musical exploration, they never fit into any scene comfortably and were hard to take seriously. And yet, the talent of main members Michael Cudahy and Liz Cox was undeniable, even on the early singles and compilation appearances. As a part of the Boston scene in the mid'80s, Christmas easily stood out from the packs of generic bar bands and REM clones, and Gerald Cosloy helped them secure a spot in history on his influential "Bands That Could Be God" compilation. Christmas seemed to have momentum as they released their debut full-length In Excelsior Day-Glo on Big Time, but the album fell flat and failed to deliver on the buzz.

Christmas fled to IRS for their second album Ultraprophets of Thee Psykick Revolution, a much-improved effort that propped up the band's offbeat lyrics with the catchiest melodies of their career. However, critics hated it and IRS dropped the band soon after the album's release.

Frustrated, Cudahy and Cox broke up Christmas and moved to Las Vegas, where they had more success with their new band Combustible Edison.

Trotsky Icepick

Dante's Flame (1988)

Trotsky Icepick were an interesting band from LA who were probably a little too smart for their own good. They had many of the ingredients for success: a hip label (SST), standout lyrics, and generally excellent songwriting. And yet, revisiting their discography now makes it clear that the band was perhaps too unfocused and odd to achieve anything more than cult appeal.

Formed by Kjehl Johansen (100 Flowers) and Vitus Mataré (the Last), the band released seven albums over a ten year career before moving on. All the albums had highlights, but my personal favorite is "Dante's Flame" from Baby, one of their stronger albums.  Although we tend to forget it now, many indie bands in the '80s toyed with post-punk rhythms well into the latter part of the decade.  "Dante's Flame" almost comes off as a Talking Heads tribute, but succeeds on the merits of its unstoppable exhuberance and killer guitar work.  Love it!

Bacon Ray

Diane Court (1999)

Bacon Ray was a part of Tallahassee, Florida's incredibly rich indie scene in the late '90s that also included Nel Aspinal, Frankenfinger, Flanders, the New You and bazillions more.   The band's origins start with Merlin Mann, a huge fan of Mike Coleman's prior bands the Singing Spoons and Ultraboy. When the latter broke up in 1994, Mann persuaded him to form Bacon Ray.

According to Mann, "Mike's old band, Ultraboy, was being interviewed on V89 (the FSU college radio station), and drummer Kelly Shane made reference to a notional "bacon ray." I thought it was hilarious and lobbied that it become the name of Mike's next band. (My other idea, "Kung Fu Grippe," became the title of a weblog I did for a couple years)."

Along with bassist Chris Gleasman from Gruel, the trio started crafting a set of original songs.  According to Mann, their sound "borrowed equal parts of Kiss, Big Star, Frank Zappa, and Jonathan Richman."

The lineup changed over the years, but Bacon Ray had a fairly long career for a college band, releasing three cassettes, two singles, two CD's, and numerous compilation tracks before breaking up in 1999.  Their final release was "Diane Court" on The Nervous System, a compilation of mostly Florida bands on AAJ Records.  The song is a fairly explanatory, and extremely catchy, ode to the movie Say Anything.

Mann is an active blogger today and can be found here.

Look Blue Go Purple - Cactus Cat
1986



In 1993, I cut out a review of a Tiger Trap album which I still have today. The review was noteworthy, if only for the role call of comparable bands. They all had such wonderful names and I had never heard a single one: the Shop Assistants, the Flatmates, Girls at Our Best, and Look Blue Go Purple (many of the same bands name-checked when the Vivian Girls started getting press). I did end up checking out all the bands, but I have a particular fondness for Look Blue Go Purple.

Look Blue Go Purple originally formed in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1983. Initially, the five girls in the band didn't really know how to play and rehearsed on borrowed instruments. However, the quintet made good on their potential and by 1985 were able to achieve recognition in the largely male-dominated New Zealand musical community. Influenced by peers like the Clean, Look Blue Go Purple played straight ahead pop with harmonies and an insistent beat.  Their first EP, Bewitched, was solid, but it was their second EP that captivated a wider audience. With the inclusion of the lovable "Cactus Cat," the economically titled LBGPEP2 was able to crack the top 20 in New Zealand.

Look Blue Go Purple broke up in 1987, but some of the members went on to other bands like the 3D's and Cyclops.  What do you say ladies, time for a reunion? Please?

The Cat Heads

Sister Tabitha (1988)

When the Cat Heads got their first gig in 1985, three of the four members didn't even know they were in the band. According to guitarist/vocalist Mark Zanandrea, "A manager I knew was booking a show for his band, but he needed an opening act. He asked me if I had a band. I lied and said yes. He gave me the slot, which was in a couple of weeks. I called Sam [Babbitt], Mel[anie Clarin] and Alan [Korn] and told them we had a good show booked, let's learn some songs."

The Cat Heads mostly played covers for their first show, but the eclectic mix of songs in their set was a harbinger of the band's wide stylistic tastes: Prince, Donovan, Howling Wolf, the Monkees. The show went over well, and they decided to continue as a band, slowly building up a dedicated following that included scene luminaries like Camper Van Beethoven's David Lowery and the Rain Parade's Matt Piucci.

Piucci helped get the band signed to Restless Records, who released two albums from the group. Piucci also produced the band's debut album, Hubba, which showed off the band's talent. All members wrote and sang, and the band seemed capable of playing any genre well.

With David Lowery on board to produce the follow-up, the band was able to synthesize it's influences better on the lovable Submarine. The album isn't perfect, and it starts with arguably the album's weakest track, Zanadrea's grunge howler "Little Less of Me." After that however, it is one highlight after another. Chiming pop songs like "Apologize" and "Alice on the Radio" sit alongside the unhinged garage rave-up "Hallelujah Dance" and "Grass," a neat approximation of Tom Petty writing kids' music. However, the band saved the two show stoppers for side two, the moving and folky "Bisho" (co-written by the mysterious P. Stirling) and "Sister Tabitha," Zanandrea's attempt at baroque pop in the Left Banke mold.

According to Zanadrea, "Sister Tabitha Babbitt was a real Shaker woman. I took note of her because her last name was the same as Sam's, and they're both New Englander's, so possibly related. The Shakers didn't believe in having sex, so they died out. They got their ya-ya's out with woodcraft (Their furniture is still highly valued). Sister Tabitha actually invented the circular saw."

Since I couldn't find them anywhere online, here are the official lyrics, provided by Zanandrea himself:

Sister Tabitha (M. Zanandrea/M. Clarin)

For those who were not concerned it seemed another normal day

But for sister Tabitha Babbitt there was a bolt out of the gray

And the tintinnabulations of the bells up in the tower

Sang out in praise of carpentry's second finest hour

And then it came to her - the motion circular

All I need is a leap of faith and I could soon be there

Shaking with the sister out in New England fair

And we'd speak in tongues to everyone as they'd skirt out of our way

And it's sad to think of how they slowly died away

But through the circular saw Sister Tabitha still lives on

And the saw goes round and round and round...

Link: The Cat Heads website

The Low Numbers - Josef Albers
1997

In 1996, Gerhardt Koerner formed the Low Numbers while in college at the University of Pittsburgh. Along with his sister Karola on bass, girlfriend Kara Crombie on guitar, and Jon Vital on drums, Koerner began putting together a set of new wave influenced art pop and playing out in Pittsburgh. As the band lineup changed over the years, Koerner continued to tinker with the band's sound, writing far more songs than they actually played or recorded.

In 1997, The Low Numbers released their debut single "Telekom" b/w "Josef Albers" on their own Instant Tunes label. The single showed big potential and helped to build anticipation for a full length from the band, but it never came. "I work on something every day," Gerhardt told Philadelphia Weekly at the time. "It's about putting a cohesive set together."

The album never materialized, but the band did put out one more single before disbanding sometime around 2002. The final single, on Roof Rack Records, featured "What Good Are Girls For" and "Sunlight Over Detroit." By now, the band was just calling itself The Numbers.

In 2002, Numbers recorded new material with Phil Manley of Trans Am, but Koerner was beginning to devote more time to the Lilys, who he had joined around that time. He eventually formed a new band called the Hi-Soft who released a great four song EP in 2006.

Majosha - Get that Bug Outta Your System
1989

I sure could have used the Internet in 1990. It was around then that I first heard the song "Get That Bug Outta Your System" by Majosha, a curiously named band that absolutely no one seemed to know about. I had discovered them on the late night Jacksonville radio show "Dangerous Exposure" and immediately went out searching for their cassette. However, every record store clerk I asked gave me the same answer: "Never heard of them." Eventually, I just gave up.

Luckily, I always taped Dangerous Exposure, and I had a rough tape dub of the song. I played it occasionally throughout the years and its charms never wore off. Sometime in 2004, I decided to do an Internet search just to see if anything came up. Much to my surprise, I discovered that Ben Folds (yes, the Ben Folds) was the main man behind Majosha. In addition to playing bass, he also played piano and wrote some of the songs, including "Get That Bug Outta Your System."

Folds formed Majosha in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1988 and their first show was at a Duke Battle of the Bands, which they won. Other band members included guitarist Millard Powers and drummer Dave Rich, one of Folds' friends from UNC-Greensboro.

The band played parties in the area and released a self-produced EP called "Party Night: Five Songs About Jesus". I haven't heard the tape, but according to a Ben Folds fan site, "There were 4 songs, and none were about Jesus. The 4 songs were: Get That Bug (Outta Your System), Kalamazoo, Where's Bohemia and Cool Whip."

The band started to get more popular in the area and eventually put out Shut Up and Listen to Majosha on vinyl and cassette. Many of the songs from the earlier cassette were re-recorded, including "Get That Bug Outta Your System." About fifteen years later after my initial search began, I finally found that album on the internet. Actual copies of the cassette and lp are extremely rare, with the vinyl fetching between $200 and $300, so this is probably all I'm ever gonna get.

Majosha broke up in 1990 and Folds went on to a few other short-lived projects before founding Ben Folds Five.

Weeping in Fits and Starts - You Do Everything But Heal Me
1998

Although times have changed now, indie-rockers tended to shun self-promotion in the '90s. In hindsight, this can partially be seen as a reaction against the overt commercialism of the '80s, but it was also ingrained into the ethos of DIY. Wanting it too badly was a faux pas; the music was supposed to stand on its own.

Greg Jacobs, the main songwriter behind Boston band Weeping in Fits and Starts, is a classic example of a talented musician who put enormous thought and creativity to writing and recording music but not nearly enough into getting it heard. Like many others, Jacobs opted to release his music himself.

"Rhubarb Records was my own half-assed attempt to have a record label," Jacobs says. "I quickly discovered I shouldn't be running a record label. I couldn't get any distribution or get any kind of foothold or leeway into the music scene at all. No one could buy it unless they bought one at a show or read a review somewhere and took the effort to write to us and buy one directly."

Growing up in Rochester, NY, Jacobs cut his teeth in the music scene playing drums for the Lynchbugs and later the Lotus Eaters. He started playing guitar in college and eventually began writing his own music with a rotating band of players. He had suggested Weeping in Fits and Starts as an album title for the Lotus Eaters, but ended up using it for his side project when they rejected the name. During the last half of the '90s, Weeping in Fits and Starts released two 45's, an EP, and two LP's. The final album, Blue Funnel World did garner some positive press notices, but sold very poorly.

"My friend Pete Weiss, who ran Zippah Studios where Blue Funnel World was recorded, had a joke that his last album went paper. Meaning that if selling one million is Platinum, and 500K Gold, if you followed that down to selling about 20 records, then hey, you can say it went paper! I have no idea how many sold, but not many at all."

"You Do Everything But Heal Me," possibly Jacobs' finest song, was originally released on an EP in 1998, and also included on the Blue Funnel World CD. Weeping in Fits and Starts dissolved in 2000 as the band members and Jacobs moved on to other projects. However, Jacobs recently decided to do a one-off reunion show in May.

LMP - Graduation Angel
2001

Only LMP, a duo with more ambition than Brian Wilson at his zaniest, could conceive and actually follow through with Century of Song (2004), a six-CD set of cover songs from every year since 1900. But LMP's strange story doesn't start there. In 1992, Ryan Bessler and Eric Haugen formed the band in Champaign, Illinois, naming themselves Lorenzo Music after a voice-over artist with the same name. Two years later, the group landed on Conan O’Brien's College Band Contest with the goofy, but catchy, "Where's the Zamboni?" By that time, they had changed their name to Le Musique Populaire, commonly shortened as LMP.

After this much-needed publicity boost, the duo developed aspirations that seemed to know no bounds. After building their own studio and hiring twenty guest musicians, LMP were beginning to look like the Emerson, Lake, and Palmer of indie pop. The duo kicked off their recording career with Aunt Canada, an extravagant album that often showed a band painfully out of their league. However, LMP more than made up for the album’s faults with ingenious arrangements and an endearingly loopy sense of humor.

The group encountered problems recording the follow-up LP. More than two hundred songs were attempted, but none were finished. Perhaps the duo just couldn't multitask; they were, after all, still in the midst of the Century of Song project at the time.

LMP finally released their first new original songs in 2001 on the EP The New Body Language. The five tracks showed a newfound maturity and a greater grasp of song craft surely absorbed from their two year affair with the American Songbook. "Graduation Angel," the EP's highlight, shows a terrific sense of melody coupled with thematic songwriting straight out of the Brill Building. "Nosferatu" is also a delight, showcasing the conceptual humor that LMP is known for.

The band released their final album in 2003, Love Conquers Alda, and slowly faded away. Sadly, the band appears to be on extended hiatus and there are no immediate plans for new material.

For an extended interview with the band that I wrote five years ago, click here.

Cerebral Corps - Pam's Purple Spyrograph
1986

Even in this age of hyper awareness and overnight hype, Jeff Saltzman’s story is a rare tale of a humble artist finding an audience solely on the merit of his music. With only a handful of live shows and no self-promotion, Saltzman was able to land a record deal in 1990 with Alias, one of the biggest indie labels at the time. However, by the time his debut came out two years later, all was not right. Despite overwhelming praise from critics, Saltzman was dissatisfied and hampered by self-doubt. He would never release another song again.

A middle-class kid from the suburbs of San Jose, California, Saltzman bought his first four track in 1985 at the age of eighteen. Inspired by Dukes of Stratosphear and British psychedelia, Saltzman coined the name Cerebral Corps and recorded “Pam’s Purple Spyrograph” in 1986. The song stood in stark contrast to the jangly college rock of its day with its overt ‘60s influence, sinister vocals, and driving tambourine rhythm. Saltzman’s friend, Gary Lucy, was impressed with the song and borrowed the tape so he could play it on KSJS, the local college station. To everyone’s surprise, listeners latched on to the song and made it one of the most requested songs of the summer.

Saltzman continued to record for the next few years, eventually releasing Oxide Sox, a homemade tape featuring more of his distinctive four track recordings. Local stores routinely sold out of it, and Saltzman estimates he sold close to 300 copies over the years. By 1989, one of the tapes made its way to the Alias office in San Francisco and quickly became a favorite there. It wasn’t long before they offered him a contract to record an album.

Alias fronted Saltzman enough money to upgrade to a 16-track recorder and plenty of new gear but he took over a year to acquaint himself with the new equipment. The label started to get antsy, especially when Saltzman's recording partner, Robert Vickers, left. Alias finally sent in Bruce Kaphan from American Music Club to make sure Saltzman delivered the album.

In the liner notes, Saltzman claimed that the songs were recorded in one evening. “It was a joke, mostly for the label, since it took so long to record,” Saltzman said. “If it was true, it would be quite impressive. And it certainly would have made my life a lot easier.” Still, the misinformation was often taken as fact and repeated in the press. It still persists today on the Internet.

The album, released under the name Cerebral Corps and titled Attributed to… had many factors working against it. Just before the release date, Alias’ San Francisco office closed. The other office, located in LA, knew little about the album or its reclusive creator. Saltzman didn’t exactly help his cause by refusing to play live or tour in support of the album. At the time, he thought it was a fair request, but looking back now he says, “I was kind of a jerk.” Furthermore, the artwork was high-concept and probably confusing to many people. Saltzman, who was studying art in college at the time, arranged all the graphics to look like an Art History catalog. There was an even a portrait inside of him and Vickers, nude.

Despite ample critical praise, Saltzman was unhappy. He refused to read reviews, even when friends shoved the glowing notices in his face. Saltzman went into what he calls “a sort of post-partum depression” and was unable to begin recording a new album. Eventually, he and Alias parted ways.

Saltzman spent the rest of decade engineering and producing for other bands, and later moved to Portland, Oregon where he still lives and works today. He has worked with Menomena, Sleater Kinney, the Decemberists and many more. However, he has little time for his own projects and says that it would be difficult to do it all himself, especially since it would feel like his day job. But, he adds, “Knowing what I know now, I could still make a great record. I probably should.”

For more, be on Jeff Saltzman, be sure to check out Art into Dust.

Mills and Nebraska - The Marlon
1992

Named after an intersection in Orlando, Mills and Nebraska was formed by two high school friends in 1991 as an acoustic duo. The two friends, Gabe Fowler and Brian Salmons, recorded hundreds of songs in their parents basement,but only managed to play one live show in their five year existence. They released nothing. In 2001, Fowler put together Technological Abomination, a CD-R retrospective culled from the band's enormous catalog. "The Marlon," a joyful instrumental, is included on that compilation.

After Fowler left Orlando for college, the duo played less frequently, and eventually called it quits in 1996. Fowler later played in a series of bands and now runs a comic shop in Brooklyn called Desert Island. Salmons is now a family man and a collector of business cards.

King of Prussia - I Work for Ryder
2002

Philadelphia's Sam Henderson had been recording for nearly ten years before his first album came out in 2002 under the King of Prussia moniker. The album was compiled from close to 400 tracks recorded at home on a four track or DDclip. Henderson's friend Ben Warfield released the album Blood Rains Down on my Hometown on his Best Friend label and it slowly got passed around the Philly scene.

According to Henderson, "people started coming over to the house we lived in and listening to me record, which I just did all the time. That's how the band happened: people would hear the record and want to be in the band. It sounds dumb, but that's actually how it happened. There ended up being about 15 different people in the band, and we played around Pennsylvania and New York and Chicago about 25 times at the most."

Warfield folded his label in 2003 and Henderson moved to New York, effectively ending the band. After a year spent touring with Man Man, Henderson formed Whales & Cops in 2006. That band released an EP called Great Bouncing Icebergs which is Henderson's only other recording to date. However, he is currently working on new material.

"I Work For Ryder" was recorded in 2002, right before the final mix of Blood Rains Down.

Galaga - Winter
1992

Galaga existed for a decade, but barely released anything in that time. They started out promisingly enough, releasing the excellent "Winter" single in 1992 on their own Spider label. The track garnered some radio play in England on the Gary Crowley show and in America on CMJ.

The band formed in 1991 as a four piece with Matt Ayotte on drums, Dave Lampton on Guitar, Peter Park on Bass, and Andre Vogel on Guitar. The latter two sang vocals on "Winter," an excellent, driving slice of early '90s indie rock.

Vogel, like many others at the time, was experimenting with different tunings and setups for his guitar. "I was heavily influenced by Sonic Youth, tweeking tunings," he said. "So for 'Winter' I just doubled the stings in unison. It sounded like a sitar."

Later, in 1997, the band released a single on the Noise Pop label that included "Arilang," a trippy melding of Hendrix and Kevin Shields that is featured on the Tiny Idols, Vol. 2 CD.

Galaga called called it quits in 2000.

Blue Sparks - Paint it Gold
2004

Lost in the post-Strokes deluge of NY rock-revivalists was Blue Sparks, an interesting quartet that had the talent but lacked the distinctive voice to get noticed. Of course, the other New York bands that achieved more success at the time--The Witnesses, Elefant, The Flesh, the Fever, Ambulance LTD--are all forgotten now too. Perhaps the band's biggest problem was their outsized expectactions. After the Strokes blew up overnight, every talented New York band thought they could do the same.

The Blue Sparks were actually far less rock-oriented than their press pics suggested. If they were retro-anything, it was more late-'80s college rock in the mold of the Feelies or Yo La Tengo. The quartet, fronted by Phil Aceto and Kerry Kennedy, were long touted as the best unsigned band in the area, but they only managed to release a five song, self-titled EP in 2004 before breaking up the next year.

"Paint it Gold" was written by Kennedy. I wonder what she is up to now...

Big Louise - Angels
1991

Big Louise was less a band than a collision of various talents on their way to other projects. Naming themselves after a Scott Walker tune, the New York band formed in 1990 around the core of Spike Priggen and twin sisters Laura and Leslie Sink. Priggen soon brought in bassist Robert Vickers and drummer Doug Wygal to complete the lineup, but Lisa Jenio and Mark Mulcahy also had brief stints with the band.

Big Louise began building up a set of songs, most of which were written by the Sink sisters, with contributions from Vickers and Priggen. In 1991 they did a short north-east tour opening for Jack Frost and later recorded a live to air performance on the WFMU show "The Water Faucet".

In May of 1991, Big Louise went into the studio and cut two songs for a 7" single that they released on their own label, #1 Records. The A-side featured Leslie’s "Angels" and the B-side was Vickers’s "Morning Glory." The label, named for the Big Star album, also released singles by The Streams, The Caroline Know, The Hello Strangers and Deep Six. The Big Louise single was released that September.

In 1992 the band drifted apart to pursue other agendas, Robert Vickers and Spike Priggen to record with Malcolm Ross (ex-Orange Juice) and the Sinks to return to college. Vickers later formed The Mad Scene with Hamish Kilgour (The Clean), recording two albums for Merge Records.

In August 1993, Rough Trade Record store in London compiled an album of US 7” vinyl singles called Unnecessary Niceness, for release in the UK and included the track "Angels." It was however, too late for a band who had already moved on, leaving only the merest trace of vinyl behind.

New Idea Society - Alibi on the Menu, Weakness on the Menu
2002

Mike Law formed New Idea society with Steve Brodsky in Boston around 2001. By the next year they recorded a self-titled EP with four songs, all of which were written in one day. According to Law, "We borrowed an 8 track that we didn't really know how to use and recorded the songs at my Dad's house, all in a day as well. I remember trying to sing really softly because we didn't know how to stop the microphone from making that popping noise. We didn't know what windscreens or compressors were. Somehow it ended up on CD and New Idea Society became my full time band."

After releasing the EP, Law moved to New York and brought the band name with him. He recruited new bandmembers and the group recorded a full length in 2005 called You Are Awake or Asleep. They followed this with The World is Bright and Lonely in 2007 and have a new album on the way.

"Alibi on the Menu," which comes from the debut EP, is a great slice of lo-fi power pop in the Elephant 6/Guided by Voices mold that I find myself singing any time someone says "Can I get a witness?"

Grit - Where the Red Fern Grows
1993

Anyone looking to peg Grit’s sound need only scan the song titles of their first cassette, Teach Me To Rock, Baby. One song is called "Haley Mills" and another is a cover of a song from Degrassi High. Tony Perkins and Marc Mazique, who met while attending Rutgers university, formed Grit in 1992 after the demise of Mazique’s other band Sponge. The band never played outside of New Jersey, opting instead to play informal shows in dorm halls on campus.

After recording this cassette, Perkins and Mazique went into a studio to cut a few tracks for an upcoming compilation that their schoolmate Mark Gutkowski was putting together for his Jiffy Boy Label. Tony was still tweaking the lyrics to "Where the Red Fern Grows" the night before the session, but the song made the cut and appeared on the comp, Ten Cent Fix.

By 1994 the band broke up, and both went onto to other projects. Marc Mazique lives in Seattle and Tony Perkins lives in Olympia, Washington with his wife Carrie and daughter Imogen.