Secret Decoder Ring

Cinnamon Toast

2010-07-18T16:45:00.000-07:00

Washington, D.C. native Johnny Riggs founded the Cinnamon Toast project sometime in the late 90's, and along the way recruited a revolving cast of band members. Some notable members included Melissa Farris of Tuscadero and Pat Ferrise of Trampoline (Spin Art), who I've previously featured here. This track, "Ether, Yeah!", appeared on a split 7" w/ Trampoline, and Margo, and showcases Rigg's knack for merging lo-fi fey indie pop with classic 70s glam and power-pop.

Cinnamon Toast - "Ether, Yeah!"

from I Don't Want To Be Stopped compilation (199?, Radiopaque)

Motorhome

2010-07-17T13:45:00.000-07:00

Co-ed spacey fuzz-pop band Motorhome was formed in 1993 by three art school students in Chicago. The band released their debut single the following year on Dirt Records. '95 saw the release of their first full-length, Sex Vehicle (pictured), also on the Dirt label - which was produced by fellow Chicagoan, Pulsars-frontman and noted producer Dave Trumfio. The band followed the album with this 7", "My Spaceman" b/w "Little Bird", in 1996 - making the jump to New York's Zero Hour Records. "My Spaceman", produced by Brad Wood (Liz Phair, Smashing Pumpkins), recalls the loud/soft dynamics and spaced out guitars of several of their Chicago-native peers, perhaps most noticeably the wall-of-guitars approach of The Smashing Pumpkins' earlier work.

Motorhome - "My Spaceman"

from "My Spaceman" b/w "Little Bird" 7" (1996, Zero Hour)

Polara

2010-03-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

The self-titled debut record from Minneapolis natives Polara sparked a minor bidding war among the majors, which led to the band signing with Interscope for their next few releases. On this track, "Source of Light", from said debut - you can hear why the majors came calling. It's a super hooky and finely crafted alterna-pop song that could have, and should have been huge with the 120 Minutes crowd - though elsewhere on the album they veer into much spacier territory. Their tenure with Interscope never yielded that kind of acclaim, but the band continues to put out great records to this day.

Polara - "Source of Light"

from Polara (1995, Twin/Tone)

Duochrome

2010-03-10T08:45:00.000-08:00

Formed in 1992, lo-fi noise poppers Duochrome released a number of 7" singles before compiling them as the full length compilation album All Day I Dream About Sex, in 1998 through the Vital Cog label. This track, "Theremin" appeared on their second single, the Neon Ground Effects EP, released 1994 on DaDa Records. It's a fast and crunchy one typical of its era, but its up there with the best of them.

Duochrome - "Theremin"

from Neon Ground Effects (1994, DaDa)

Beatrice Nine

2010-02-24T08:41:00.000-08:00

Californian band Beatrice Nine took a fairly straightforward college/indie rock approach on their Zero Hour Records album Little Stars Hung Upside Down, released in 1996 at the height of post-grunge-dom. Moody vocals, quiet/loud dynamics, chunky guitars, and the rest of the standard alterna faire are all present, but the songwriting is solid, and this track, "To Girlfriend", brings an interesting psych-pop element to the mix. The band went on to release one more record, Incredible Husk, in 1998.

Beatrice Nine - "To Girlfriend"

from Little Stars Hung Upside Down (1996, Zero Hour)

Honeyburn

2010-02-24T08:21:00.000-08:00

Obscure Dayton, Ohio shoegazers Honeyburn released only a very limited output during their existence from 1992 to 1996, including a 7" on Trout Records and a split 7" with fellow Dayton area band Cigarhead. This track, "Sister", appeared on SpinART's 1995 compilation LemonLime Vol.1, alongside tracks by Ultra Cindy, The Mommyheads, Holiday Flyer and more. Towards the end of their existence they were joined by drummer Matt Schulz (Enon, Holy Fuck).

Honeyburn - "Sister"

from LemonLime Vol.1 (1995, SpinART)

Supersport 2000

2010-02-03T13:07:00.001-08:00

Los Angeles natives Supersport 2000 were part of the mid-90s L.A. scene, and held ties to other bands from that era & locale like That Dog, The Rentals, Weezer, etc. The songs contained within their only release, a 3-song EP called Pinkslip, bare a lot of sonic similarities to the aforementioned bands (vocalist Cherielynn Westrich would later join The Rentals). The EP was released in 1995 on Boy's Life Reords, a label that also put some other associated L.A. bands like Lifter, Plexi, and Campfire Girls (whose frontman Christian Stone is referenced in this E.P.'s third track).

Supersport 2000 - "Pinkslip"

from Pinkslip (1995, Boy's Life)

Yum Yum

2010-02-01T07:06:00.001-08:00

Yum Yum was a short-lived indie-pop act which was largely the project of Chris Holmes, who had previously led the Chicago post-rock band Sabalon Glitz. He released only one album under the Yum Yum moniker, Dan Loves Patti on Tag Records in 1996. Much of the album falls into the chamber pop territory ala Cardinal, Trash Can Sinatras, or Belle & Sebastian. This track, "Apiary", however, showcases Holmes' incorporation of fuzzed indie rock guitars into his orchestral pop.

Yum Yum - "Apiary"

from Dan Loves Patti (1996, Tag)

Comet

2010-01-27T11:08:00.000-08:00

Texan noise-pop band Comet's lone album, Chandelier Musings, was produced by original Mercury Rev singer David Baker -- and the early albums by that band, along with the earlier work of the like-minded Flaming Lips serve as fine reference points for the intensely overlooked Comet. This track, "Rocket Flare", sports a loud, blistering guitar attack, but elsewhere in the record the band sometimes takes a softer approach - even occasionally employing string sections.

Comet - "Rocket Flare"

from Chandelier Musings (1997, Dedicated)

Dunebuggy

2010-01-10T16:37:00.000-08:00

Dunebuggy was a short lived indie-pop band from Hoboken, New Jersey that put out a few releases in the early to mid-90s, including two 7"s for Armchair Records and two 7"s for SpinART Records. This track, "Pelican", was featured on March Records' 1996 compilation "Pop American Style" alongside tracks by Rocketship, Further, Elf Power, Tullycraft and many more.

Dunebuggy - "Pelican"

from Pop American Style (1996, March)

Butterflies

2010-01-07T19:41:00.000-08:00

"Quiet World" comes from Butterflies' self-titled sophomore record, released in 1997 on Ng/Volcano records. It's a nice piece of spacey guitar pop that somewhat resembles Pavement's lazy charm. This was also the last album to be released by the Atlanta-based band.

Butterflies - "Quiet World"

from Butterflies (1997, Ng)

Seade

2009-12-24T14:44:00.000-08:00

"Watered Eyes" appeared on the one and only release from Baltimore band Seade (pronounced "shade"), the Perf EP, released 1996 on Grass Records. Seade was part of the mid-90s Baltimore indie scene alongside bands like Candy Machine and Liquor Bike, but took a more melodic straightforward rock approach, channeling Sugar-era Bob Mould a bit on this track in particular. Sadly, frontman Jack Osiecki passed away in 2001 from a severe asthma attack.

Seade - "Watered Eyes"

from Perf (1996, Grass)

The Black Watch

2009-11-23T22:44:00.000-08:00

"See You Around" comes from The Black Watch's second record Amphetamines, which was issued by Zero Hour records in 1994. Though the band was largely a vehicle for the songwriting of main-guy John Andrew Fredrick, this dream-pop leaning track was sung by violinist J'Anna Jacoby. The song also features some of the trademark swirling guitar work of Medicine guitarist Brad Laner.

The Black Watch - "See You Around"

from Amphetamines (1994, Zero Hour)

Junket - S.F. Claremont Hi (1996, RoadCone)

2009-08-10T14:02:00.000-07:00

The San Francisco based Junket emerged from the early 90s scene associated with the Shrimper label along with bands like Refrigerator, Nothing Painted Blue, Franklin Bruno, and The Mountain Goats. The band existed from 1991-1993, and this collection of their entire recorded output was released posthumously on the Portland, Oregon label Roadcone records. Junket's sound had a lot in common with 90s indie heavyweights Pavement and Sebadoh, but often borders on the slower style of Seam or Bedhead. On a side note: apologies for the long absence from posting, hopefully there will be less of a gap between posts in the future.

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Skinner Pilot - This Parking Lot Is Being Videotaped (1997, GoodSin)

2009-04-10T14:50:00.000-07:00

Skinner Pilot began as a side project for Elizabeth Sharp, who was then the drummer for Massachusetts noise-pop favorites New Radiant Storm King. Around 1995 she left New Radiant Storm King to focus on Skinner Pilot, a band in which she played bass and split the vocal duties with guitarist Andrew Zarou. The previous year, the band had contributed the track "Traces of Alignment" to the Hotel Massachusetts compilation released on Chunk Records (you can read up on the fascinating story of the Chunk label here). Skinner Pilot's one and only full length release, This Parking Lot is Being Videotaped was released on GoodSin Records in 1997. Its a dark record characterized by slinky, angular guitar work reminiscent of Unwound and early Sonic Youth. Sharp would soon shift her focus yet again, this time to her current project, the rhythm-focused one woman band Ill Ease.

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Spoiler - Crashpad (1994, PCP)

2009-03-16T16:37:00.000-07:00

Following the dissolution of legendary no-wavers Live Skull, guitarist Mark C. founded Spoiler, a band that retained some of his previous band's noisiness, yet included a newfound pop sensibility. So while Live Skull had been an integral part of the 80's NYC no-wave scene alongside contemporaries like Sonic Youth, Swans, and Band of Susans, don't expect quite as harsh or experimental tendencies from Spoiler's 1994 debut, which was released on PCP Entertainment, and distributed by Matador Records. Spoiler featured a male/female vocal approach, with lead vocal duties being split between Mark C. and Lin Culbertson. The band at one point included bassist Scott McEwen, a former member of the band Cancer (a precursor to Flower, Versus, etc.), however bass on the record is credited to current album art designer Ben Wheelock. Spoiler's drummer was Mike Belitsky, who has also played with more alt-country acts like Neko Case, The Sadies, and The Pernice Brothers. Mark C. has gone on to play with the International Shades with original Sonic Youth drummer Bob Bert, while Lin Culbertson went on to co-found the free improv group White Out, who have recorded for Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace label.

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Mars Accelerator - I Am The South Pole (1996, Rx Remedy)

2009-03-13T21:31:00.000-07:00

I like to think of Mars Accelerator as the missing link between a band like The Swirlies and a band like Polvo, straddling the line between space rock and math rock. Hailing from Seattle, I Am The South Pole was the band's debut, released in 1996 on the Sub Pop imprint label Rx. Remedy Records. Though the band is still active, Sub Pop appears to have since dismantled the Rx. Remedy label, leaving Mars Accelerator's excellent early output unavailable (including their equally rewarding 1998 followup Frankfurt: Telephonics). Of course, I would remove their download link if it were to be digitally re-released at some point in the future. For now, enjoy Mars Accelerator's debut in all its sonic complexities.

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Trampoline - I Want One of Everybody (1996, SpinART)

2009-03-03T14:57:00.000-08:00

Trampoline's claim to fame was being the band led by WHFS (Washington, D.C. radio station) DJ Pat Ferrise with a revolving cast of backing musicians from notable D.C. area indie bands like Edsel, Chisel, Poole, Velocity Girl, and Girls Against Boys. This was Ferrise's second album under the Trampoline moniker, and was a slight departure from his 1994 debut, Dormer - shifting from jangly pop to more straightforward indie rock. Though it occasionally flirts with polished alterna/radio rock tendencies, the album's cast of indie rock luminaries ultimately saves it from non-credibility. The album was produced by Rich Costey, who at this point had worked with bands such as Swirlies and Lilys, and has since gone on to work with some of the bigger names in rock music.

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The Martians - Low Budget Stunt King (1995, Allied)

2009-02-17T15:46:00.000-08:00

The Martians were an Athens, GA-based band that included noted drummer Jerry Fuchs, who would later go on to drum for Vineland (ex-Bitch Magnet), Pitchblende, Turing Machine, !!!, Maserati, and others. According to this post at the Beyond Failure blog, The Martians were closely associated with the fellow Anthens band Fiddlehead, who were also signed to the Allied label. Like Fiddlehead, The Martians spent some time in the studio with the legendary Steve Albini as engineer. The resulting record, 1995's Low Budget Stunt King, is a collection of noisy math rock not unlike Albini's own bands. The songs tend to be on the shorter side, and feature some great angular, dissonant guitar work (including the occasional Slint-esque harmonics). Martians member Kyle Spence (also of Fiddlehead) would later join Harvey Milk.

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Nectarine - Sterling Beat (1995, Grass)

2009-02-09T20:12:00.000-08:00

Nectarine were a short-lived band from Chicago who released just one album, Sterling Beat, for Grass Records in 1995 before disbanding. The album, which was mixed by Shellac member Bob Weston, is a lo-fi indie rock affair loaded with subtle hooks and the occasional burst of guitar noise. The band did a fair amount of touring during their brief experience, playing with the likes of Built to Spill, Silkworm, Red Red Meat, and The Wrens. The band did record a second album - reportedly a response/tribute to The Velvet Underground's White Light/White Heat, which never saw the light of day. After playing one final show in Chicago with Built to Spill, Nectarine broke up in May 1997.

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Mariner Nine - The Shallow End Of The Gene Pool (1996, Meltdown)

2009-02-04T15:53:00.000-08:00

Mariner Nine was a fine indie rock band who, despite their Pennsylvania origins, sound to my ears like equal parts Chapel Hill scene (the hooks of Superchunk, the quirkiness of Archers of Loaf or Polvo) and the poppier side of midwest emo (early Promise Ring, Vitreous humor). The band's history can be traced back to the very early 90's when they existed under the name Mother's Garden, before switching to the Mariner Nine moniker in 1994. This here record, The Shallow End of the Gene Pool, was the band's debut full-length as Mariner Nine and was released in 1996. The album was recorded with Gray Matter frontman Geoff Turner, who at that point had built an impressive resume behind the studio boards working with Jawbox, Edsel, The Raymond Brake, New Wet Kojak, among others. Also in 1996, the band appeared on Polyvinyl Records' Direction compilation, along with Braid, Rainer Maria, Boilermaker and other names big in the mid-90's emo world. After this record, the band took a turn into more experimental territory for their second and final release, A Little Something from the Weathervane's Perspective, which was recorded at their own Miner Street studios and released on their own label of the same name. The band split in 1998 when bassist Dave Boyd relocated to California for professional reasons.

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