Irked (1998) - Contusion

 

Some rare stuff in time for Christmas. You'd think with the events of the year I would be stuck here in my dungeon uploading all of the rest of the obscure goodies I've rescued from opshops over the years, but no, I was super busy doing work. Plus, the op shops were closed.

There's scant info on this EP, aside from this mention on the old Triple J Unearthed website. 

Sort of grungy rock in the vein of Tumbleweed. Actually quite well produced and mixed for a little independent release.

Sorry for the poor quality cover picture - scanner is still in storage.

1. Turning On The Waves        2:05
2. Fugly        3:05
3. R.U.S.H        1:24
4. Paradise Within        3:18
5. Dark Corner        2:53

Irked (1998) - Contusion

Whoosh (1997) - The Mercy Bell

 

 

 Indie pop with emotive female vocals. I'm not sure how to characterise this one, so you'll need to listen to it yourself. Reminds me a bit of Litany, actually. See Discogs for more info.

There are a few Sonic Youthy guitar moments which are quite nice.

1. All We Can Do        4:10
2. Wallpaper Faces        3:37
3. Always        5:37
4. Spare Us        4:16
5. Get Out        3:13
6. Home        4:31
7. Picking Daisies        2:48
8 .Headless Turtle        1:29
9. Follow        4:52
10. Far Too High        4:30
11. Breath Of Fresh Air        3:30

Whoosh (1997) - The Mercy Bell

Organarchy Sound Systems: B.P.M Conspiracies (1999) - Various Artists

 

 

 The network of references that conspired to bring me to Organarchy Sound Systems is too complex to go into here, but I'll add some links and backstory as I can be more bothered.

Organarchy Sound Systems was a sound system associated with the C@T Anarchist Collective in Sydney (famous for developing the software that IndyMedia ran on and for having late Sydney Cave Clan founder Michael 'Predator' Carlton as a member). Their early websites were hosted by C@T and early email addresses point to a cat.org.au server. See here for a mention of an Organarchy tape in a C@T-hosted tale of a doof in Darwin.

There was also a Clan Analogue connection with some of the artists who featured on the Organarchy comps.

Most of the music is amateurish techno, but there are a few sublime moments as you will see.

The Discogs page has a lot more info, including more period links than what I have (bump them into the Wayback Machine).

If anyone has a copy of the 'Filthy Jabilucre' release they'd be willing to share PLEASE get in touch!

1. Sine On        7:44    Fatty Acidz V's Earth Metal
2. Tofu        5:16    John 'badger' Jacobs
3. Apple Song        5:19    The Meddling Kids
4. Hypnotize (Safety Dub Mix)        4:24    Disco Stu
5. Moral Xxxciter        6:42    Nam Shub Of Enki
6. Give Me Funky Disco..Yeah (Late Saki Mix)        6:43    Dee Dee
7. Fizz        4:57    Gasm
8. Freequency Response        5:05    Non Bossy Posse
9. Dance Food        5:45    Sleaze Louise
10. Bush Bebe        5:45    El Toro
11. Party People Politics        6:53    Grumblemorf
12. Softest Thing        6:15    Adrenalentil

Organarchy Sound Systems: B.P.M Conspiracies (1999) - Various Artists

4ZZZ's Hot 100 (1997) - Various Artists

 

One of the best compilations of 1990s Aussie indie that I've found, this 1997 release from Brisbane community station 4ZZZ is studded with gems. Aside from the obvious domestics (Magic Dirt, iNsuRge, Regurgitator, Spiderbait, Clouds, Dirty Three, The Fauves, etc.) there are a few international alternative anthems on board (e.g. Lush's 'Ladykillers' and Butthole Surfer's 'Pepper') and some more obscure Brisbane locals (e.g. Small Fantasy's very cute 'DSS' and the jangly almost-emo of Turnpike's 'Straight to Video').

Even my girlfriend likes it. Enjoy on a hot sunny day.

[Disc 1] 

1. Fish & Chip Bitch From Ipswich        4:27    Escape From Toytown
2. Static        3:21    Screamfeeder
3. DSS        2:21    Small Fantasy
4. Speculator        3:02    iNsuRge
5. Thunder        3:33    The Mavis's
6. Sexual Deviant        3:04    Blowhard
7. Pepper        4:57    Butthole Surfers
8. Spitboy Girl        3:00    Godnose
9. Big Mouth        2:35    Big Heavy Stuff
10. No KFC        1:21    Scrumfeeder
11. Kong Foo Sing        2:58    Regurgitator
12. Aussie Song        6:19    Lee Harvey & The Oswalds
13. Straight To Video        2:11    Turnpike
14. Chunky Doh        3:13    The Melniks
15. Purple Girl        4:46    St. Jude
16. Benediction        5:05    Blood Party
17. Napalm Sticks To Kids        4:10    Alien Virus

[Disc 2]

1. Her Royal Fisticuffs        3:39    Superchunk
2. Punch In The Face        1:46    Frenzal Rhomb
3. Ladykillers        3:15    Lush
4. Will Drop Pants For Airplay        2:04    Nancy Vandal
5. Neon Pressure        2:27    Fur
6. Trophy Girlfriend        3:04    Heavenly
7. Buy Me A Pony        1:46    Spiderbait
8. Down from the Sky        2:58    Clouds
9. Kneecap        2:41    Budd
10. I Remember A Time When Once You Used To Love Me        6:12    Dirty Three
11. I Was Cruel        6:57    Magic Dirt
12. Horny In The Morning        1:36    Pansy Division
13. Kissing The Sun        4:32    The Young Gods
14. Stop & Go Man        2:41    Even
15. Tarmac & Lime        5:12    Gaslight Radio
16. Living Dead        4:43    Discordia
17. Self Abuser        2:53    The Fauves

4ZZZ's Hot 100 (1997) - Various Artists

 

Bad Hair Life (1995) - Rail

I had a go at this one, thinking it'd be like Glide for some reason. Ash Naylor was in it, and he was on TV a lot.

Yes, I did pinch the cover from Discogs because I can't find my scanner. It's buried in here under all this junk... somewhere...

1. Never Whole        4:03
2. Freebird        4:23
3. Billy & K        5:52
4. Immune Deficiency        3:41
5. Rock Dreams        4:17
6. Gonna Bury You        6:20
7. Volume Creep Vs. Nature Boy        3:26
8. The Coolest Thing        3:05
9. Bridget Fonda        3:12
10. Theatre Of Yr Soul        4:47
11. My Last Beer        2:08
12. People Who Look Like Things        0:29
13. Spinning Ball        5:22

Bad Hair Life (1995) - Rail

Something's Wrong With Our Heroes (1993) - Nursery Crimes

Really freaking good EP from another Melbourne band that, like Dweebs, also supported Fugazi in Croydon. From the same sort of suburban punk stable as Rootbeer, Nursery Crimes are more towards the melodic end of the spectrum and verge on the sort of indie quality of Peachfuzz. Hooky pop punk without being quite so nasal as either Frenzal Rhomb or Bodyjar (whom vocalist Phil Rose later worked with).

Plus the artwork was done by Dillon Naylor, who did the Batrisha comics and Da'n'Dill (and about a zillion gig posters).

1. Running Blind        2:31
2. Demand the Impossible        2:19
3. Person Fading Out        3:06
4. 1000 Days        2:31
5. Shot Gun        2:38
6. Second Face        2:38

Something's Wrong With Our Heroes (1993) - Nursery Crimes

Dogbuoy (1998) - Dogbuoy

Frankly bizarre rocky hip-hop in the vein of the Beastie Boys and early Avalanches (not the MTV programme of a similar name). 'D.B.I.T.H', the final track on the album, is the punkiest, sounding like the earlier output of the former band.

According to discogs, copies of the album came with a 3.5" floppy disk containing a screensaver. Why didn't mine come with one of those!?

I think they were from Sydney?

Anyway, see what you think...

1. Mozzies        2:56
2. Alienz        2:34
3. Mk II        4:26
4. Squid Ink        2:58
5. D.B.I.T.H.        2:17



Dogbuoy (1998) - Dogbuoy

Who Wants To Play? (2001) - Sally's Grip

Good lord, someone else has found this album in a Salvos (albeit on the other side of the country!) and uploaded it for your enjoyment, lest it get consigned to be permanently forgotten. As it happens, I picked it up from an op shop somewhere in Melbourne and remarked on the awful cover artwork. What's inside? Surprisingly good cheerful early 00s pop punk. A local production, I seem to recall they had a website but just like the last upload, half my archive of links appear to be on another computer so some period materials will need to wait until I can dig them out. Until then, enjoy Sally's Grip (which was a play on some kind of Selley's adhesive if I remember correctly).

From 'Shoofin Friend on YouTube:

Now let's state the obvious, you might have clicked on this because it featured some of the worst cover art you've ever seen right? Yep you're completely right but like anything you can't always judge a book by it's cover. I picked up this album from Salvos in Freo. Scuffed to the max CD, along with Kermit's swamp years and a heap of old surf VHS tapes for a friend. I was in hysterics about how god awful the album art was. I went out on a whim and picked it up. Took the protective tape off the side and was pleasantly surprised. The little cover booklet was actually pretty cool and showed the actual band members of Sally's Grip. Luke, Adam, Sam and Steve. Recorded at Rangemaster studios in Victoria, (whom i may or may not receive some additional information from, very soon).I'm also trying to get in contact with Jade, seeing as her number is on the album credits. But yeah otherwise, this album is album/ep? is surprisingly ok. I thought it'd be hot garbage, but it's good early 2000's punk-rock (i think it's punk-rock i'm not great with genre's). this was the response from Rangemaster studio : "Hi there, that was some time ago but I'm still mates with Luke who was the primary songwriter. He can be found here" I'll keep the link for myself and message Luke real soon. He's making some really nice stuff now :) expect me to update this when i learn more :)) This album does not belong to me i am merely sharing music i have found and enjoyed, thanks :))

 There you go. Info on a postcard, as per usual, please.

1. Da Di Dah        2:36
2. Let's Go        3:16
3. Tell Ya Friends        0:33
4. Rash        2:04
5. Sally's Grip        3:16
6. [Untitled]        2:46

Who Wants To Play? (2001) - Sally's Grip

Higher Up The Firetrails (1995) - Bluebottle Kiss

Sorry for the lo-res cover image, I stole it from discogs. I can't remember if I even have the proper album release to scan, or just the promo edition with a plain-ish cardboard sleeve. In any case, here's the sort of slow indie Sebadoh-worship that was going on at the time, with Jamie Hutchings capably handling the maudlin indie on this number from 1995. I've never been a huge fan of his voice, but he's a solid songwriter.

As to period web links, hmm... here's a geocities mirror of a mention on the Kill the Cod zine website. I might have some more links on another computer, so when I dig that one out, I'll let you know...

A Melbourne band also appears to have called themselves Firetrail.

1. Beautifully Tragic        4:17
2. One Way Ticket To Antarctica        7:05
3. Dead Again        3:56
4. Paean For Sandpaper Mouth        4:10
5. Requiem For The Holden        5:52
6. Don't Care Anymore        2:13
7. Crush        3:12

Higher Up The Firetrails (1995) - Bluebottle Kiss