« I know Duluth has high gas prices, but... | Main | Hometown shame »

You wanna debate? I'll give you something to debate.

Top-five albums from Duluth bands:

[no particular order]

Low, Trust. "Last Snowstorm of the Year" is awesome, as are the rest of the songs. Somewhere, someone has a tape of them playing most [all?] of this album on KUMD.

Charlie Parr, Backslider. LIve at the Brewhouse. Crowd noise. Charlie, despite his cell-phone hawking proclivities, is amazing. The studio albums are great as well.

Giljunko, Gaspump Graveyard. I think I've listened to this album more than Lifter Puller's Fiestas + Fiascos. That's saying a lot.

Crew Jones, Who's Beach. If you ever need to foster indie-rap cred with college kids, this is a good way to begin things. Burly and Mic Trout: Record & release something soon. Even if it's a musical monograph about how the two-party system is a sham.

Bone Appetit, Straight Outta Coffin. Love, Lust and Rock 'n' Roll is the Eric Swanson-produced record, but I think the boombox recording they made to get into Homegrown is a more accurate representation of the ridiculousness of the band. I'll disable comments if someone begins to explain how awful these guys are .

Honorable mention: Both's The Inevitable Phyllis. Black-eyed Snakes, Rise Up!.

Album which would be on the list, had he been living in Duluth when it was recorded: Jamie Ness's Dodging The Landlord.

Song which could be covered by some crappy teen group -- most likely a group of brothers -- and net millions of dollars: "Dream Day", by Sunny Wicked, off the Hagstrom produced Superior Street Rocks. Don't seek this one out, less you get it stuck in your head for many, many years. My laws, is it bad. But, my laws, is it catchy.

Comments

What? No Gild?


"So when you come down from your death-defying labors
I'll still be in love with you."

La La La Song.


cork1: good selections. I would add Jerree Small's 'Mobius' to the list.


Mine would have to be Trampled by Turtles, Blue Sky and the Devil.


Cork1 -
HA. Dream Day just came on yesterday while I was listening to shuffle. It really is a pretty not-good-song. Those boys were friends of mine from College. That's really funny that you mentioned it...it's sorta...old.


Swivelhead's "Mother's Day" cassette EP was pretty solid and more representative of them as a live band.

The Dames "Divorce" and "S/T" should have been mega hits.


I know this is a compilation cd, but I submit "Duluth Does Dylan" for yourconsideration.

When I picked it up about ten years ago, it served to re-introduce me to the local music scene after I had been gone for about five years. Five VERY big years (91 - 96) as it turns out ...

Now I might need another one as I have been somewhat domestic for the last three years and I am considerably OUT of the loop on local music


@Mel -- I gave the lead singer of Sunny Wicked a note at Beaner's once. It said "Play Dream Day I have a gun". At the time, it seemed like an excellent way to get a song played.

AMrAshley: Yeah, that Dames CD with "Taiwan" on it rocked my brain out.


Rise up! gets my vote.


Ditto on the Gaspump Graveyard and Dames records. I still put "Taiwan" on every time I'm in the CC Club.

Little Black Book's Black Out is pretty darn good.

Also:

Charlie Parr - King Earl
Bone Appetit - Love, Lust and Rock 'n' Roll (Cork or HotRod if you've got a copy of that Straight Outta Coffin recording I'd love to hear it)
Cars & Trucks - s/t
LOW - Things We Lost In The Fire
The Tisdales - Whatever 2-song EP Tony gave me before I left town (is there a full length now? If so, I need it.)
Trampled - Blue Sky
Fair-weather Friend - Whatever EP "Trestle" is on
Portrait Of A Drowned Man - s/t

Honorable Mention:
Lo-fi- s/t
The Castle Band - EP (sentimental choice)
The Keepaways - Decay
WTAFS - EP (don't think that I ever got the full-length, for whatever reason)


I was cleaning out my basement the other day and found a whole bunch of recordings from Puddle Wonderful (1996), and Swivelhead (Live at RT's NYE, 1994 and people are funny. I probably have some Fromunda's down there too. Oh the good old days. May have to break out the scanner and post some old photos soon.


Baci...come on and post Aliens.


I have to give The Very People , The Alrights, and James & Younger props.


1.Keepaways Decay
(Wrecking Ball,mix wise has to be one of the best I have ever heard!!!! Rythm change ect...)
2. Tisdales (what ever they do-just Rich's experience alone warrents top five)
3. Bon Appetit (what ever again!!!!!!!) just thier sheer fuck you attitude is enuff to get ranked!!!!
4.Good god Charlie Parr (pick one!!!!!!!)
5.Cars and Trucks - That Maze thing blew my mind and thats just the cover.

Crew Jones Who's Beach
Jerry Small Mobius
Gallows The baby book Thing?

Hey Lvingston when are you gonna put something out?


How could I forget
Sara Softich - Pipe Dreams (throw that circle of fifths out the window because thats "THE MAN" holding you down)recently released SNOW IN AUGUST (Yeltze)the song VALENTINE with Kathy McTavish is how do you say lushesly morose.


The unreleased Accidental Porn project at Dog Talk Studios featuring among others, tracks from Crazy Beatty, Jim Hall and what I think is Max Dakota's most tasty song ever being interpreted by said hosts could possibly be the best album never to be heard by the general public. Also, the Black Labels have probably something that has never seen the light of day.


Bill, do you know if it's possible to get that AP album out?


I believe that either Hagstrom or myself have those tapes, sadly never finished or mixed.

I wish I could find the time...

I have a lot of other cool stuff in the can that has never seen the light of day; Hattie and the Black Frames comes to mind...

I agree with a lot of the albums mentioned but would also like to name Haley Bonar, The Size of Planets, Bill Meier, No Body Mind, Dave Mehling, How Do I Make You Lonesome,
Father Hennepin ,Crooked With Gin, Gild, Satellite Images (RIP Baby Judy) for your consideration as well.

And I know I'm forgetting a lot more


I am pretty sure that Hag has those tapes. We did a rough mix and burned a couple of cds while I was recording in the old Dog Talk. There are some great tunes that never came out of that project. Witherspoon's tune comes to mind.


This is the best debate on PDD in about three months!

"And I know I'm forgetting a lot more" Indeed. What a great line, Eric.

Just reading through these gets my adrenaline going , thinking of all the awesome music, creativity, and beauty out there in our community. I know a good chunk of these artists personally or have heard them live myself. Others I -wish- I could hear. ALSO, I want to go out and find a bunch of these recordings (I have few if any, myself)

Thanks for all the reminders about how great Duluth is. Keep 'em coming.


My all-time favorite Giljunko recording is the Old Men Fighting EP, which has "Rappers are Cooler," "Gangsta Spur," "Misbent Life," "Mohawks"...

Though I've never heard, but have laid eyes on, a Giljunko cassette called "Giljunko Shits the Covers."

Laurie, I'd like to hear those Swivelhead and Puddle Wonderful tracks! I'm pretty sure I was at that RT's NYE show.


i concur with several of the above. (Gaspump Graveyard for one.) additions: Accidental Porn, Live at the Brewhouse, Glenda Thuner's Skip the Red Dress and Poorus' CD from Silent Film Night. (the one i have didn't have a title, so i made one up.) and i really like some of those compilations from Green Man, Undergroundhog Day, Random Radio and Duluth Does I & II.


That thing Eric recorded in the hallway with Suzy Ludwig playing the accordion on Father Hennepin mix is just amazing. I also agree with Eric and jp and I am sorry for the others I have missed because lord knows I fuck up.


Barrett, let me see if I can burn it to a CD otherwise you'll have to settle for cassette.


Little Black Books - Black Out...just help 'em along..


Hey, I really want to buy a copy of Dodging the Landlord. I checked the Fetus a while back and googled it once and neither helped me much. Can I buy a copy from you, Jamie, if you're reading this?


the Undergroundhog Day comp is great!

I'da liked to have seen something come out of Duluth Does Diamond.

The Retribution tour EPs are the shizz...

as is the PoaDM EP.

Huge fan of ifThousands, the split disc with Whisper in the Noise is great...(i have two copies with two different packaging, thanks to gwanto)

and I think I still have the Crew Jones/Slow Dancing Umbrella split somewhere around here.


Oh shit!

Thanks for reminding me about that Crew Jones/IATSDU split Ezra!

I remember getting it at the old MAC during Homegrown in, like, 2004(?).



'04 sounds about right. found said split and was listening to it at work today...I think (and i'm going out on a limb here) that Marisa made the felt jacket with the button (mine's black with a yellow button) for packaging inside a plastic sleeve. Twas a Shaky Ray release, and Paul Connolly did the vellum art for the sleeve. The jacket might be different colors but the plastic sleeve is the same.

Anyone fortunate enough to have an extra Keepaways CD with the handmade jacket? I'll gladly fork over some dough for i


Zra,
I have one that I will not part with but I bet Nikki Mindy or Dubs has one that you could purchase.


tankee Todd...ya sneaky S.O.B....

I'm kinda geek like that. packaging packaging packaging.

Whilst we're on the subject (an cus I'm such a fan)

Lindquist's (Mr. Lindquist?) s/t with his Atmosphere cover tune is a fine piece of work as well.

Dirty Knobs - Pune

and a second on Jerree Small's Mobius.

Random Acts of Radio, anyone? (always good for a listen.)


Dodging the Landlord went out of print in about 2003. I have one cd left with Brian and Marisa's packaging design. Rich, I'll make you a copy.


Nothing is better than when someone you know produces a great piece of art that you really appreciate. It takes all that aloof, unproductive, idol worship of artists out of the picture. Instead of wondering, "Geez, I wonder what so-and-so was thinking when they made this great song?" we can just go down to the bar, give them a call, or run into them in the street and ask them. Just like food, when it comes to music- go local.

That being said here's a few faves that come to mind:

1)Hans Johnson's Christmas Album!

Sample lyric-
"Santa Clause is a rebel without a cause"

2)If Thousands- I have nothing

Puts the "post" in post-modern.

3)Jake Larson has put together a private compilation of stuff he's recorded at his studio over the past year or two mostly as a way to promote the studio to potential artists. But after listening to it, I'd like to convince him to release it somehow because it's a fantastic representation of the what'a going on NOW in the music scene. Its got Charlie on a track with a guitar that's PLUGGED IN, one of the best Keepaway tunes ever, some Little Black Books, Accelerati, Eric Pollard's Death's Pardon, Prince Paul, RGC, Manheat, Cougar Conley, etc. Really a very listenable party compilation. If you see him, ask him for a copy. Not all the good Duluth music happened 7 years ago.


Jamie,

Can I have a copy, too? I listened to it incessantly when I lived in MPLS, after you played some songs in my backyard. I lost the copy in the breakup. Let me know and I'll come and pick it up...

Tom


Tom, I will try and have some copies of "Dodging .."
by thursday night at the brewhouse, Brad and I have a weekly gig there.

By the way there have been a lot of equally good albums made in town over the years.

I heard the Eric Pollard cd that hasn't come out yet and I predict it will be the most listened to disc of the year.


Excellent! Thanks, Jamie. See you Thursday.


All this talk of old ghosts has me hankering for the old days...Sounds like halloween gonna be a barn burner in the metroplex...just like back in the day...bands every where...and good ones too!


Hey, thanks Jamie! I'll be there on Thursday, too.


Hotel Coral Essex- "Glisten" is a good album too.


"Divorce" completely floored me from start to finish..somebody remind me why the Dames didn't end up on top of a national deal.

This is the best post in a long time, I'm too old to keep up, so I am stoked to have all these formidable opiinions!


Dodging the Landlord is shockingly good. I heard a rumor just this morning that it was being remastered. It's a record with more utility than shovels to me. I use it more than I do conditioner.

Also, Death's Pardon, the aforementioned, as yet unreleased Eric Pollard record, is really something. Cop that shit when it drops.


Post a comment


Seriously: If you click "post" more than once, you're going to end up looking really stupid.

If you don't see your comment after it's published, try refreshing your browser.