The Repo Zone: 1999

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85:2. The Origins of Alt Rock


Gas Food Lodging by Green On Red

(Paisley Underground, Roots Rock)

Uncle Tupelo, despite popular lore, were not the first Alt Country band. Not even close actually. The American Underground had a surprising bunch of 'em. Bands like Giant Sand, The Long Ryders, & Eleventh Dream Day. All bands worth exploring if you like like straight up, low fidelity, gritty rock with a nice dose of country twang to spicen things up.

Green on Red were one of the best of the bunch. A driving mixture of psychedelic garage rock organ and Neil Young guitars. I'm a big fan of their debut - Gravity Talks - which came out two years prior but have never really delved properly into its follow up.

First Impression: A-
RIYL: Nuggets style garage rock, Neil Young, Uncle Tupelo, & The Dream Syndicate

[Komorebi-D]

[dihansse]

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'85:3 A Classical Detour


J.S.Bach: Mass In B Minor by John Eliot...erdi Choir

I don't listen to a lot of classical. And that's going to change. Starting with this highly touted classical from the upper echelons of RYM's 1985 chart. It will take me a bit to learn to describe this kind of music since I have such little experience with it, but even a heathen like myself can recognize the grandeur that is this record. It's triumphant. Joyous. Rejoicing in the coming of the messiah is my guess. I've read absolutely nothing about this recording, but it rings with a freshness of things anew. Of things being born. Great stuff to rejeuvenate the spirit.

First Impression: A
RIYL: um....Classical stuff. lol.

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'85:4 Eno Goes To Space


Thursday Afternoon by Brian Eno

How fitting, right? It's a lazy afternoon here in Chicago. The sun is out. I'm chilling on my back deck having just finished up some tai chi. And it wasn't until I was halfway through this that I realized I was listening to Thursday Afternoon on a Thursday afternoon. I'm (finally) in sync with the universe I guess.

Anyways, it's my very first time listening to this. And it's striking how similar it is to the spacier, mellow elements in The Orb's classic Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld. It can't be a coincidence. I'm sure if cornered & given enough alcohol, those guys from The Orb whatever their names may be would fess up to cribbing major parts from this album.

It's a relaxed , spacy proto-electronica album. Very different from Eno's previous ambient albums but still very much Eno. It hasn't really gelled with me quite yet since it's only my first listen.

First Impression: B+
RIYL: The Orb's Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld

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'85:5 We're Just A Minor Threat


Can't Close My Eyes by Youth Of Today

It's the mid-80s. Hardcore still reigned supreme at my local punk bar called The Rocket and upstairs at AS220. Black Flag's unending tour of every little shithole in America was still in full force. And on the East Coast, Youth Of Today were probably the most important old school hardcore band. I never got into them back then. Too into all the new sounds that were creeping out of the American Underground.

Which was a mistake. Because it turns out they RULE! They sound A LOT like Minor Threat. A LOT! In a good way. I mean Minor Threat only really had two EPs. So more stuff that sounds like Minor Threat is a really, really good thing and mana for those of us who kneeled at the Minor Threat altar. Next time your in a pissed off mood and want a POSITIVE kick in the ass so u don't just wind up melting into your couch like a day old burrito in the noonday sun, throw this beast in the deck. Get yourself a coffee. And rip shit up, brothers & sisters. Because this is harcore at its (second) best.

First Impression: A-
RIYL: Minor Threat (duh.)