Les Savy Fav - Root For Ruin [2010]

n their more than dozen years of existence, Les Savy Fav have gained a reputation as an exhilaratingly wild live act. While the band is known for working up a sweat-drenched crowd chaos, though, their career trajectory has been one of a band focused on truly honing their hard-charging craft. LSF's last full-length, 2007's Let's Stay Friends, represented the full realization of their sound, with exacting, catchy-as-hell songs that possessed the neck-snapping kinetic energy that was found in rougher form on previous records. A polished "crossover" effort, yeah, but also fun and rollicking in all the right places.
Root For Ruin, the band's fifth proper LP, re-asserts that sound rather than expanding upon or altering it. There's not many surprising moments on this record; if anything, it feels like the first Les Savy Fav album that sounds more comfortable in its own clothes than twitching to tear apart its own skin. This isn't necessarily a bad thing: LSF still excel at constructing miniature explosions of songs, even if they sound a bit tidier now.
Guitarists Seth Jabour and Andrew Reuland prove to be aces in the hole for this record, continuing to prove their worth as two of modern indie rock's smarter, more bruising axe-wielders. They layer colorful lines over each other like it's a competition, bringing the hook-laden pain on the smashing, bashing opener "Appetites" and "Lips n' Stuff". Elsewhere, they create nervewracking warning calls on "Excess Energies" that dovetail in and out of Tim Harrington's metronomic shouts. On the whole, there are still very few bands that do this arty, shitkicking stuff as well as Les Savy Fav do.
And yet Root For Ruin feels slightly sluggish, more so than any of the band's previous records. The distinct lack of new ideas plays a small part in this letdown-- "Dear Crutches"' dripping guitar line sounds a little too close to "The Sweat Descends", a standout on 2004's kickass singles collection Inches-- but mostly it's the presence of a few lukewarm cuts that make the record one of LSF's more minor efforts. "Sleepless in Silverlake" and "Let's Get Out of Here", notably, bring the album to a near-flatlining halt. The latter is a midtempo would-be rager that never takes off the ground, while the former is the life-in-Los-Angeles snoozer that you hoped Tim Harrington would never write. The slow jams aren't the only duds here, as the speed-addled "Calm Down"'s monochromatic chorus squarely locates the song on the wrong side of the "post-hardcore" tag.
Dull tempos, disengaging moments, recycled ideas-- all egregious offenses, yes. Luckily, Les Savy Fav have earned a decade's worth of goodwill to cushion a just-OK album or two landing in their discography, which makes Root For Ruin a well-deserved victory lap, if nothing else. The lone pair of surprising songs on Root For Ruin, the dissonant howler "Poltergeist" and menacing closer "Clear Spirits", serve as a gentle nudge as well that this band surely has some creative juice left in them. Let's hope they utilize it well in the future, because Les Savy Fav simply being Les Savy Fav can't retain its charm forever.
pitchfork.com
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FUTURE OF THE LEFT - TRAVELS WITH MYSELF AND ANOTHER [2009]

"If Future of the Left's debut album, Curses, initially sounded like a retread of two-thirds of the band's work as Mclusky, it feels like a dress rehearsal for the power they unleash on Travels with Myself and Another. While there are plenty of songs that uphold the traditions of FOTL's previous incarnation and Curses -- "I Am Civil Service" and "Land of My Formers"' self-aware studies in isolation and violence are still too impassioned, too heavy to be merely acerbic, and Andy Falkous still channels irony and fury through his clipped vocals and raspy screams -- the band's jagged din sounds fuller and more muscular (if a shade less frenetic) than before. They spend just as much time expanding their music as they do underscoring its strengths: "The Hope That House Built" puts their fondness for slogans for lost causes and failed ideals to a bracing oompah beat and a layered coda; "Yin/Post-Yin"'s keyboard stabs and bouncy guitar reveal a more overtly playful side to Future of the Left than Mclusky ever showed. The band's sardonic storytelling is also at a peak, especially on "Throwing Bricks at Trains," the tale of two military officers who might be Wild West terrorists (and opens with the attention-getting line "Slight! Bowel movements!"). Everyday evil is a common theme on Travels with Myself and Another, whether it's the hilariously pragmatic Satanist of "You Need Satan More Than He Needs You" or the all-pervasive materialism of "Drink Nike," the only song from the stopgap live album Last Night I Saved Her from Vampires to make the cut here. That commitment to economy makes "Lapsed Catholics" that much more surprising and effective an end to Travels with Myself and Another: over a relatively epic four minutes, the band rails against Rupert Murdoch; praises the old-school, pitchfork-wielding Devil; and drops food for thought like "the problem with these people is that they understand their vices, not their faults" as the music moves from contemplative acoustics to blasting fury. And, on top of all that, it's also a love song. Travels with Myself and Another distinguishes Future of the Left from Mclusky without completely severing ties, and proves they're a band that can keep post-hardcore exciting with righteous anger and merciless wit." AMG
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SHUDDER TO THINK - PONY EXPRESS RECORD [1994]

Shudder to Think's major-label debut, Pony Express Record, boasted a better sound/production than past releases (courtesy of producer Ted Nicely and mixer Andy Wallace), and signaled more focused songwriting on the group's part. It was by no means a sellout, because even on earlier releases the group's ambitious songwriting was in full effect. And "focused" songwriting from Shudder to Think does not mean three-chord, predictable verse-chorus-verse compositions, either. Pony Express Record challenges the listener in many ways: stop/start riffing ("X-French Tee Shirt"), oblique lyrics ("Earthquakes Come Home"), often dramatic, Freddie Mercury-like vocals ("Gang of $"), and everything-but-the-kitchen-sink song structures ("No Rm. 9, Kentucky"). The music is consistently unpredictable, mixing jazz, metal, art rock, folk, experimental, and alternative in the band's melting pot. And all of the songs boast strong melodies, which initially draw the listener in until you realize that there's more than meets the ear. Pony Express Record also marked the studio debut of guitar whiz Nathan Larson and drummer Adam Wade (Larson became an integral member of the group, helping to write five tracks, while Wade left after the supporting tour). One of the most underrated rock records of the '90s. AMG
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TIME TO BURN - BURN THE LIE DOWN [EP] [2004]

"Motivated and characterized by an uncritical devotion to the most extreme sounds. A wild-eyed, unbalanced and obsessive familiarity with post noise hardcore and melancholic mammoth soundscapes impregnated with the saddest melodies." LAST.FM

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TAINT - ALL BEES TO THE SEA [2009]

"Taint of South Wales are something of an enigma. Many have striven to place their sound within a handy genre definition, only to find themselves wondering whether a band so dynamic and full of surprises can really be called ‘sludge’, or whether music so antithetical to boredom can justifiably be termed ‘post-hardcore’. Taint’s 2005 full-length debut for Rise Above, ‘The Ruin Of Nova Roma’ was a crafty beast that revelled in constructing such riddles for the listener and, of course, the critic. Pigeonholes are for pigeons, after all. It’s the purpose of great rock groups to not quite fit in.
Formed as teenagers in 1994 amid the South Wales DIY punk/metal scene, Taint released a few demo cassettes of epic Helmet-influenced riffology which landed them with a stoner/doom tag that would, eventually, become superfluous. In 2000 the ‘Die Die Truthspeaker’ mini-album was released on London’s Household Name Records and national shows were played with the likes of Acrimony, Canvas, Capdown, Cathedral, Consumed, Converge, Clutch, Earth Crisis, Hard To Swallow, Iron Monkey, Stampin’ Ground, Spirit Caravan and Will Haven. Where many of those bands have disbanded or changed beyond all recognition, Taint are still here, following their own path with determination and purpose, their recent UK tour with Clutch leaving many jaws dangling open at the sheer intensity and fervour the band are able to generate live. Which brings us to their second full-length album release, ‘Secrets And Lies’." LAST.FM

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YOUNG WIDOWS - SETTLE DOWN CITY [2006]

"Young Widows are pretty much former Jade Tree band Breather Resist without the vocalist, but you can barely tell. Are they still indebted to the Jesus Lizard? Sure. Just listen to the queasy, seasick guitar lines in the title track or "Glad He Ate Her" (see what they did there?) to find that same oppressive head-bob rhythm between galloping drums and sludgy bass. But they've learned a whole lot of patience and found at least a couple other bands to rip off, making Settle Down City a thoughtful and more original record-- if a little less manic-- with far more potential than their former band. Don't sleep on this late-2006 album like I nearly did; the halls of nu-pigfuck are beset with obstacles, and it might be only these three penitent men who pass.
For one, the vocals of Evan Patterson are much calmer, recalling the flat, ominous delivery of early June of 44. That's exactly who they remind me of-- albeit a nastier version-- on the opening title track, when after a few bars of pounding the downbeat with Neanderthal drumming and a bass tone that hits like a bowling ball dropped in mud, everything recedes for guitar plinking and some idle warnings from the singer ("Why'd you come around, the city left you/ Should have settled down..."), just before more furious grinding.
The production is dry, truer to those mid-1990s grails, and rather than the middling distortion tone of Breather Resist, the guitars have more of a free-floating echo above the din, crunchy but clear. Songs like "Small Talk" are less riffing and more incidental noise, punching in and out of the verses with an almost dub-like abruptness and ghostly reverb. Meanwhile, that starkness gives room for drummer Geoff Paton to stomp like a fuming animal over tracks like "Formererer" and makes moments like the staccato full-band thwack at the finale of "Bruised Knees" that much scarier.
While the tempo and tone get pretty homogenous, save for some backing vocals on "Mirrorfucker", Settle Down City is consistently dynamic and surprising, from the title track's twists and turns to the many change-ups and fake-outs of tracks like "Glad He Ate Her" and "Formererer". Young Widows borrow from a narrow selection of influences, but it's forced them to come up with a stronger-- and uglier-- result. It may not step too far out of the shadow of its heroes, but it is taking a step. Either way, it's a worthy entry to an undermined corner of the underground." PITCHFORK

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TAINT - THE RUIN OF NOVÁ ROMA [2005]

"When it came to recording a full-length album, Taint was definitely a late bloomer. The Welsh trio was formed in 1994, but it wasn't until 2004 that Taint finally recorded their first full-length album, The Ruin of Nová Roma (although they were heard on various EPs, split CDs, and demos along the way). Stylistically, this excellent CD isn't easy to pin down. Taint plays metal -- that much is obvious -- but what kind of metal? Their sound is quite sludgy -- sludgy as in doom metal and stoner rock, sludgy as in grunge-influenced -- and there are parallels between Taint and bands like Fu Manchu, Orange Goblin, Eyehategod, and the Melvins. But it would be a mistake to think of this album as strictly a by-the-book doom/stoner/sludge outing. Doom and stoner bands are often Black Sabbath-obsessed, and the abundance of slow, plodding riffs that have come from doom metal and stoner rock clearly worship at the altar of Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi. But Taint, instead of going out of their way to emulate Sabbath, also gets plenty of inspiration from the speed and velocity of punk, thrash, and hardcore; they know how to be both sludgy and thrashy at the same time, which isn't to say that the CD doesn't have its share of slow-tempo material as well. Throw in some twangy Southern alt-metal influence (of the Alabama Thunderpussy variety) and a bit of Neurosis' atmospherics, and you have a band that is clearly striving for originality -- a band that is definitely relevant to the doom/stoner/sludge field but also has its share of punk, thrash, hardcore, and alternative metal appeal. And never let it be said that Taint lacks a sense of humor; "I'm Going to Kill Henry Ford" and "Drunken Marksman" are among the song titles on this promising, memorable release." AMG

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TIME TO BURN - STARTING POINT [2005]

"Motivated and characterized by an uncritical devotion to the most extreme sounds. A wild-eyed, unbalanced and obsessive familiarity with post noise hardcore and melancholic mammoth soundscapes impregnated with the saddest melodies." LAST.FM



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BIG BLACK - ATOMIZER [1986]

"After countless rock and neo-industrial outfits attempted to one-up each other's levels of extremity over the years, Atomizer holds up extremely well. It's not every day that one hears a song considering self-immolation as "just something to do" or another that tackles the case of an alleged parent-child molestation ring from the viewpoint of the offender. Instrumentally, Atomizer is a wailing behemoth of assaultive Roland beats, Steve Albini and Santiago Durango's clanging and whirring guitars, and new member Dave Riley's lumberjack bass. Their musical invention went a couple steps further, most obviously on the warped-beyond-recognition guitars of "Passing Complexion" and "Kerosene." The latter is undeniably Big Black's brightest/bleakest moment, an epically roaming track that features an instantly memorable guitar intro, completely incapable of being accurately described by vocal imitation or physical gesture. It's also Albini at his most plainspoken and bleak: "Stare at the wall/Stare at each other and wait 'til we die." It's Big Black's "Light My Fire," literally. "Bad Houses" tops Killing Joke in affecting moodiness, serving as a perhaps unintentional reply to John Mellencamp's "Pink Houses." Both Albini and Mellencamp were commenting on the Midwest, so why not? Other points of interest include the demented, storming menace of "Fists of Love" and a live version of "Cables" that features an extended guitar wobbly from Albini. The record remains as horrifying as the day it was recorded. [Atomizer was released on CD as part of The Rich Man's Eight Track Tape. The mediocre, largely instrumental "Strange Things" was removed from the digital version. Touch & Go kept the original record in print on vinyl.]" AMG



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SCRATCH ACID - THE GREATEST GIFT [1991]

"Scratch Acid played a huge part in the noisy underground movement of the 1980s; they took punk to the dirtiest, dingiest mudhole they could find and sullied it from top to bottom until it looked and sounded like some hell-bound bogeyman. It's not too far-fetched to think of Scratch Acid as the American equivalent of the Birthday Party, the Texans donning the mantle that was dropped when the BP disbanded. The Greatest Gift contains everything the band ever recorded, including a few lo-fidelity instrumentals. Scratch Acid never received the notice it deserved, but the musicians could pound out brilliantly frenzied and highly original post-punk/noise rock that sometimes rivals the material released by singer David Yow and bassist David Sims' future (and much more well known) project, the Jesus Lizard. The first eight songs were originally released in 1984 as an eponymous EP; from the opening crashing bars of "Cannibal" to the terrifying lyrics heard on "Lay Screaming" (a song which reads like something culled from a medieval book about torture), this band obviously never had any desire to control itself. Only one slight reprieve can be found in the relatively tender "Owner's Lament," a song replete with weeping strings. Songs nine through 20 first saw the light of a sickly day as Just Keep Eating, Scratch Acid's one and only full-length that found the band expanding its musical palette: insane noise rock numbers ("Eyeball," "Holes"), jaunty, faux lounge grooves ("Amicus"), goofy Zeppelin-esque riffs ("Cheese Plug"), and a spot-on cover of the Webber-Rice rocker "Damned for All Time," complete with exclamatory horns. The remainder of the disc comprises the songs from their definitive statement, the 1987 Berserker EP. A little more money went into this recording; as the sound quality is better than on Just Keep Eating, it was definitely worth it. "Mary Had a Little Drug Problem" and "Flying Houses" are whirlwinds of pounding drums, foreboding basslines, and scathing, blinding guitar phrases. The band never played so well or wrote better songs. Highly recommended to any Jesus Lizard fan and noise rock/hardcore punk aficionado. " AMG

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JAWBOX - FOR YOUR OWN SPECIAL SWEETHEART [1994]

"The screams of a thousand chain wallet-clad indie purists could be heard across the nation once word spread of Jawbox's signing to Atlantic; no band had left the good ship Dischord for a major label prior to Jawbox, so it was seen by more closed-minded types as an unforgivable crime against D.I.Y. If they'd stuck around to hear the record that didn't bear the Dischord logo, they'd hear the band's best record, the one they had always wanted to make. And it wasn't just the label change that made For Your Own Special Sweetheart (a phrase taken from a Barbie product) a transitional record. Adam Wade left the band for art rockers Shudder to Think, and he was replaced on the traps by Zach Barocas.
Even more bristly and blaring than Novelty, Bill Barbot's and J. Robbins' guitars are about as tingly as a jump into a cactus. Their interplay reaches a zenith on Sweetheart. Imagine two Andy Gills in Gang of Four, and you'll see what they're getting at. Though not quite as jagged and dry as Gill, the guitars employ a little distortion to slightly round the edges out. Producer Ted Nicely knew just what to do with the rhythm section -- Kim Coletta's bass is more prominent, and uber-drummer Barochas' complex tom shots run rampant. (He was more likely to emulate Jack DeJohnette than Topper Headon.)
Subject matter includes JG Ballard's Concrete Insland-inspired "Motorist," leaving Robbins wrecked in an ugly part of Chicago; "Savory" examines the objectification of the female species. Otherwise, you need your Jawbox decoder ring to decipher lyrical content. Sonically, the terrain is expansive. Though "Whitney Walks" is stuck at the end of the record, it's relative quietude deserves just as much attention as anything else. Otherwise it's a manic, thrilling ride, nothing short of brilliant." AMG

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AT THE DRIVE-IN - DISCOGRAPHY [1994 - 2005]

"Combining emotional melodies and an upbeat rhythm moving at an unpredictable rate, At the Drive-In definitely stuck out in their hometown El Paso, TX. Formed in early 1994, the group debuted soon after with their first EP, Hell Paso, followed by a brief tour across the Lone Star state. With a lineup secured around Cedric Bixler (vocals), Omar Rodriguez and Jim Ward (guitar), Paul Hinojos (bass) and Tony Hajjar (drums), At the Drive-In continued on with a second EP (Alfaro Vive, Carajo!) and toured mostly empty houses and clubs across the western United States. A small gig in Los Angeles -- with an audience consisting of only nine people -- somehow got the attention of Flipside Records, who released the band's first full-length Acrobatic Tenement in 1996. With constant energy and a stubborn enthusiasm to continue, At the Drive-In began to develop an audience, helped out by constant touring and word-of-mouth hype. Their 1997 follow-up EP El Gran Orgo had more of a melodic bite, but their musical depth and originality still remained. In Casino Out followed in 1998, and 2000 saw the release of Relationship of Command. Then in 2001 the band went on indefinite hiatus. Bixler and Rodriguez formed the Mars Volta, while Ward, Hajjar, and Hinojos moved on to Sparta. By May 2005 that hiatus looked pretty permanent, with both Sparta and the Volta's careers thriving and At the Drive-In issuing a retrospective compilation. This Station is Non-Operational, released through Fearless domestically, included hits, rarities, cover songs (Smiths, Pink Floyd), and DVD content. " AMG



[1994] HELL PASSO
[1995] iALFARO VIVE, CARAJO!
[1996] ACROBATIC TENEMENT
[1997] EL GRAN ORGO
[1998] IN/CASINO/OUT
[1999] VAYA
[2000] ROLODEX PROPAGANDA
[2000] ONE ARMED SCISSOR
[2000] RELATIONSHIP OF COMMAND
[2000] LIVE AT FLAMINGO LOUNGE, TEXAS
[2001] INVALID LITTER DEPT
[2001] LIVE ON AIR AT EAST, TOKYO
[2005] THIS STATION IS NON-OPERATIONAL

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LVMEN - MONDO [2006]

"Long and groovy songs where Lvmen, from Czech Republic, build dark, monumental sound walls and tear them down with atmospheric instrumental fields. Teasing keyboards, captivating screaming vocal and sampled sequences from 60’s movies (mostly from famous film of czech director Frantisek Vlacil - Marketa Lazarova, which became a band’s trademark.) That all is tied together by an astonishing drummer. Brutal music blending the apocalypse of Neurosis, math-metal of Isis, desperation of Swans and nervousness of Slint’ “Spiderland” album" LAST.FM

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THE DEAD ELEPHANT - LOWEST SHARED DESCENT [2007]

"Claustrophobic, visceral, vicious, heavy, psychedelic, unpredictable these are the first adjectives that come in mind if you are trying to describe the North Italy power trio. The loud sonic assault of the band has a whole range of influences that pass through the energy of noise band like Unsane, Cherubs, Jesus Lizard, Colossamite and the psychedelic attitudes of Ash Ra Tempel, Cluster, Neurosis. Trying to go over the stagnant preconceptions of heavy music Dead Elephant speak to the Cerebral and to the Bowels including elements of doom, krautrock, noise, post-hardcore and industrial." LAST.FM

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JUNE OF 44 - FOUR GREAT POINTS [1998]

"June of 44's fourth full-length, Four Great Points, is their most experimental effort to date -- fractured melodies and dub-like rhythms collide in a noisy atmosphere rich in detail, adorned with violins, trumpet, severe phasing effects, and even a typewriter." AMG

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RYE-COALITION - LIPSTICK GAME [1999]

"Childhood friends Ralph Cuseglio (vocals) and Jon Gonnelli (guitar) yearned to play rock music and at the helm of grunge, the two formed Rye Coalition. David Leto joined in to play drums and brought along his childhood mate, Justin Morey, to play bass. A dynamic within the group was tight, while Herb Wiley was added to make it a sure fit. The members of Rye Coalition were barely 20 when they issued their five-song demo, The Dancing Man, in 1994. A few shows in and around their native New York sparked a fervent desire, but they were a working-class band who came from well-educated households. Cuseglio and Gonnelli attended college in New Jersey, whereas Wiley left the group in 1996 to do the same. Now a four-piece, Rye Coalition issued several 7" EPs, one split with Karp, and toured the country. Hee Saw Dhuh Kaet, the band's first studio effort, was released on Gern Blandsten in 1997; however, Morey departed for a West Coast venture. Leto's brother, Gregg Leto, moved in on drums, allowing Dave to take over bass duties. Rye Coalition, who's driving punk snarls were taking hold of scenes overseas, embarked on their first European tour in late 1997. Two years later, The Lipstick Game appeared and Morey returned after Gregg Leto left for college. By the new millennium, the band's regular responsibilities fell short when Cuseglio went to graduate school and the others took on day jobs in education. A six-month break was well-deserved, but Rye Coalition came out to play a gig with Shellac, Seam, Don Cab, and Uzeda in mid-2000. After such a powerful performance, they finally decided to make Rye Coalition a full-time thing. A deal with Tiger Style surfaced in 2001 and Wiley came back in time to record On Top with producer Steve Albini. A shared tour with Trans Am followed that winter, prepping Rye Coalition for the release of their third album." AMG

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FUGAZI - REPEATER + 3 SONGS [1990]

"Fugazi is a post-hardcore band formed in Washington, DC. Fronted by ex-Minor Threat vocalist Ian MacKaye and ex-Rites of Spring vocalist Guy Picciotto, both on vocals and guitar, Fugazi also consists of Joe Lally on bass and Brendan Canty on drums. Since its inception, Fugazi has been self-managed and have released almost all their material through Dischord Records, an independent label founded by MacKaye and partner Jeff Nelson in 1980. The band maintained a policy of affordable access to their work through low record and ticket prices and all-ages concerts.

Says AMG All Music Guide, “Along with their stridently underground ethics — which were more out of pragmatism and modesty than anything else — they gained an extremely loyal and numerous global following. To many, Fugazi meant as much to them as Bob Dylan did to their parents.”

They played their first show in the fall of 1987 and since then released 7 albums and toured the world extensively covering all 50 United States, Europe, Australia, South America, Japan and many points in between.

In addition to their recorded output Fugazi released a documentary film/video called “Instrument” in collaboration with independent filmmaker, Jem Cohen. The feature length video offers a documentary overview of the the band’s career with footage shot in a variety of formats over the last 10 years combining concert, tour and studio material backed with a musical soundtrack by the band unique to the movie." LAST.FM

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JUNE OF 44 - ENGINE TAKES TO THE WATER [1995]

"June of 44 was an American rock band which was formed in 1994 from ex-members of Rodan, Lungfish, Codeine and Hoover (Sean Meadows had yet to participate in the Lungfish music band by 1994; his first album with them was actually in 1996). Clearly influenced by Slint, the band’s music is often described as post-rock. June of 44 released their work on Quarter Stick with the exception of Fish 6.

June of 44 split up in 2000." LAST.FM

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PITCHFORK - EUCALYPTUS + SATURN OUTHOUSE EP [1990]

"One of the earlier punk bands on the San Diego scene, Pitchfork are most remembered for being the first collaboration between Drive Like Jehu guitarists John "Speedo" Reis and Rick Froberg (then calling himself Rick Fork). Influenced primarily by SST (Sonic Youth, Meat Puppets, Hüsker Dü) and proto-emo bands (Rites of Spring, Squirrel Bait), Pitchfork formed circa 1985 or 1986, with a rhythm section featuring drummer Joey Piro and a bassist known -- with typical punk informality -- only as Nick. At first, Reis led this lineup as a trio; new lead vocalist and guitarist Froberg's arrival brought not only a beefed-up instrumental sound, but a greater dedication. Pitchfork signed with the indie label Nemesis and released their debut 7" single, "Saturn Outhouse," in 1989; they'd already recorded a full-length album the year before, and it was finally released in 1990 under the title Eucalyptus. By that time, Reis and Froberg had decided to pursue other projects. Reis founded and led major-label trash-punkers Rocket From the Crypt, and he and Froberg teamed with a new rhythm section to form the acclaimed, progressive post-hardcore band Drive Like Jehu. " AMG

SIMILAR/RELATED: HOT SNAKES, ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT, DRIVE LIKE JEHU, THE NIGHT MARCHERS, BLUETIP, TANNER, BACK OFF CUPIDS

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THE JESUS LIZARD DISCOGRAPHY [1989-1999]

"Willfully abrasive and atonal, the Jesus Lizard emerged in the early '90s as a leading noise rock band in the American independent underground. During the first part of the decade, the band turned out a series of independent records filled with scathing, disembowelling, guitar-driven pseudo-industrial noise, all of which received positive reviews in underground music publications and heavy college-radio play. By the mid-'90s, the group's following had grown large enough to convince a major label, Capitol Records, to sign the band.

The Jesus Lizard was formed by Duane Denison (guitar), David Yow (vocals), and David Sims (bass), the latter two being former members of the Austin-based post-hardcore noise group Scratch Acid. After ..." AMG

SIMILAR/RELATED: SCRATCH ACID, RAPEMAN, SHELLAC, BIG BLACK, QUI, COWS, MELVINS

[1989] PURE EP [320KBPS]
[1990] HEAD [320KBPS]
[1991] GOAT [320KBPS]
[1992] LIAR [128KBPS]
[1993] LASH EP [256KBPS]
[1994] SHOW [256KBPS]
[1994] DOWN [320KBPS]
[1996] SHOT [320KBPS]
[1998] BLUE [320KBPS]
[1999] GONG [320KBPS]