All this Music; Young Widows / Coliseum Split (Relapse Records)

With almost daily trips to local records stores. My new life in Seattle has more than proven that I'm not ready to free myself from the grips of the addiction many of us in the record collecting community have come to know as  both an obsession and currently an untreatable  addiction. The split I picked uo on this particular day features the vaguely familiar Young Widows and Coliseum. This is a copy is the 2006 Relapse Records release. Scroll  down to give Young Widows 'Future Plans' a listen. It's fierce.  

Discogs

Relapse Records 

All this Music; French Toast, Bacon and Tops 'Sugar at the Gate'

Imagine if you can, the weekend. You're sitting in your new found favorite record store enjoying a heartly place of French Toast with a slathering side of bacon. Suddenly, the record store clerk slides in a CD and your already over stimulated senses go into overload. You jump from your stool to see just what has stimulated that part of your brain, but for the life of you. No matter how many sprints you take the counter. Your shorter than usual attention span can't remember the badly chosen band name or it's instantly forgettable title. Luckily, after entirely clearing my plate of any tangible evidence. I was able to focus my energy and attention to finding out and acquiring what had me tripping over my feet just moments ago. That band, Montreal's  Tops and their third proper album 'Sugar at the Gate' initially caught my attention with it's lush, chill and laid back vibe. In recent years, I've found my myself drawn to the more atmospheric charms of genres like dream pop, slow-core and shoegaze type stuff. Tops and their 2014 release 'Sugar at the Gate' fall into that realm rather nicely.

TOPS

Pitchfork Review

All this music; Vinyl Score at Seattle's Spin Cycle

Earlier today I headed up the hill to Broadway East where I accidentally came across "Spin Cycle" records. The store features an abundance used and new records, gaming and DVD's. As I got familiar with the stock and worked my way through the bins of vinyl. I picked out a vinyl reissue of Superchunk's "No Poky  for Kitty". A record that, more then twenty five years since it's original 1991 release, remains a favorite. After some serious digging, being left alone in the shop and being rightfully mistaken for an employee. I came across what would be my choice record of the outing. Ebullition Records #43 Yaphet Kotto's - "The Killer was in the Government Blankets". Perfectlly fitting the Ebullition blue print. San Jose, California's Yaphet Kotto (Named after the African American actor of the same name.) played great emotive Hardcore with sociopolitical lyrics. Released on both CD and LP. The LP came on green vinyl and was limited to a mere 1,000 copies. And while the cover of the copy I found was a bit beaten up the record and the inlets include show no wear, whatsoever. I'm glad I decided to stop in at Spin Cycle. They have a great stock, the prices are reasonable and the employee I chatted with was very friendly. I can't say enough about how he went  out of his way to point our some off the radar spots to catch live music.

Ebullition Records

Yaphet Kotto

 

Spin Cycle 

 

 

 

All this music; Citizens Arrest Vinyl Find

Though I may have stopped in at Singles Going Steady during my first visit to Seattle during my May visit to Seattle. I stopped short of making any purchases due to my fear of return flight and the fear of damage while in transit. A hard choice considering how many friends names, images and personal memories stared me right in the face. Some of whom I've called friends since childhood and my teens. Some of which I've grown to know from social media and reunions. While knowing I'd soon return as a newly transplanted resident.  The chance that those two Citizens Arrest records would be gone were pretty high.

Still in the first days of my new life as a WA resident. I was happy to find out that same record store I visited back in My was a seemingly short walk from my temporary digs on Taylor Ave.I took what tuned out to be a short walk over to Singles Going Steady to see what I could find. From the moment I walked in the door. I felt as if I had been transported to long gone days digging for Hardcore records in New York City. Everything from the Bad Brains "Live at CBGB's 1982" DVD to the many reiusses of classics from bands ranging  from Agnostic Front to Warzone. It wasn't long before I located the two Citizens Arrest records you see below. It wasn't until I brought those records to the counter that I found out the man running the store was a veteran of the early NYHC scene. Before I headed out. We were talking about bands like Reagan Youth and Urban Waste and why we thought their reunions were a joke. In the end. I can definitely see myself sending these back east to an old friend whose photographs are all over these.Only time will tell.

I've posted links to both records, as well as a live set. I highly recommend you checking them out. While the words "Savage" and "Brutal" come to mind. I, myself would have a hard time better describing their approach to Hardcore Punk.

Wardance Records

Citizens Arrest on LastFM

 

 

 

All this music; My first trip to Seattle's Easy Street Records.

I hopped my first Seattle bus for a trip to Seattle's Easy Street Records. With all of my records and CD's sitting in storage until my wife and me find a permanent home here. I've been experiencing some separation anxiety when it comes to my obsession with vinyl. Having heard the news of Chris Cornell's passing just before our morning flight to visit Seattle. I was left with the feeling that the copy pf Soundgarden's 'Screaming Life" I ordered from RevHq the week before may have sold out.
True to form, it did not arrive with my order a few days after my return to New Jersey.

My first impressions of Easy Street Records were lasting. Two floors of vinyl records, CD's, movies, books and apparel. I spent a good hour navigating the aisles and familiarizing myself with the stores abundant stock. The staff is both friendly and helpful. People who really know their stuff and are more than happy to pass on their knowledge. Easy Street features the ginormous stock you'd find in a big box music store. Yet they manage to keep the prices down. All while maintaining the intimacy and charm of a mom and pop type business.

As for the records and more importantly, the music. 1987's Debut SST records release "Screaming Life" and 1989's A&M records label "Louder than Love" perfectly bookmark 1988's sophomore release "Ultramega OK". The two releases I picked up on vinyl were the albums that originally introduced to the band and incredibly gifted singer / front man Chris Cornell. While I will be without a turntable for a good month or so. The download cards included will help me to further damage my hearing while listening on my headphones.

Soundgarden World

 

All this Music; Cheap CD's from Hoboken's Tunes

 

After coming up empty handed at Princeton Record Exchange and Vintage Vinyl last week.  I decided to stay local and visit Hoboken's Tunes to scope out some cheap CD options.Wanting to stay within a self imposed budget. I returned hauld a couple to their rightful bins before heading to the cashier with a small, yet satisfying. Below are some thoughts regarding my score.

Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup
This one has been on my list for a long time now. As a matter of fact. It was written on the list when I went record digging yesterday. My journey to Sterolab started with a kiss and an invitation to accompany  her to Maxwell's to see a then unknown (at least to me ears.) Stereolab headline a show with an act that went by the name Lois.
As much as I might have missed out on going to that show and perhaps perusing a relationship with that girl.Stereolab and "Emperor Ketchup" is even more rewarding than I could have imagined. This perfectly fits in with a lot of the music I've been listening to over the past years or two. I might have not been ready for this in the 90's. However, in 2017, it couldn't possibly be more fitting.

The Sundays - Blind
While there was a time I recall having a  copy of The Sundays "Blind". The overwhelming amount of musical intake probably has a lot to do with my not being able to recall anything remotely specific about the band with the name of the day God supposedly rested after making the mess we all have come to know as the human race. .... with a 27 dollar vinyl reissue over head and a 1.99 CD with the same exact songs in hand. I was willing to take a second chance.

Buffalo Tom - Skins (Deluxe Version)
I first heard of Buffalo Tom from the 90's teen drama "My So Called Life." More than twenty years later I began to revisit the bands catalog.


Dazed and Confused - Soundtrack
A cult classic with a stellar classic rock sountrack. How can I refuse? Why is Edgar Winter Group's "Free Ride" absent?

Garden State - Soundtrack
Great, quirky movie with a quirky, yet addictive soundtrack. One can't go wrong with either. 

All this Music: Crate Digging at Dave's

Welcome to a new feature on United By Rocket Science. "All this Music."  hopes to keep a tab on all the records and CD's that come in on a weekly basis. The thought of posting images, thoughts, reactions an maybe a few memories seemed like a good idea that hopes to have some staying power. 

Small 23 were and still are a very important band to me. Back in the early 90's the vibrant Chapel Hill indie and college music scene was to me what Seattle and Grunge was to the masses. The southern east cost was providing us indie kids with an abundant amount of new bands and noteworthy music. Small 23 just happened to be one of them. Having their early singles. I was lucky enough to see them live in both New York and New Jersey. I sat them down for an interview when they played Maxwell's and recall cramming the band into the clubs tiny bathroom for a picture. Seeing these records in one of Dave's sales bin brought back a lot of good memories of the band, their music and a time when my music palette was becoming more and more colorful. It also served as a reminder that the best record store I've ever been to is still located at my friends home. Thanks Dave G.

 

  

 

Alias Records

 Trouser Press