Indian Summer - "Science 1994"
So this marks my first blog in the newer, faster, sleeker format. I hope you enjoy it as much as the older ones.
While the truth is that Indian Summer never titled any of their songs, per se, they did title several of the releases and the liner notes (note?) to Science 1994 is less than clear as to what are album titles and what are single titles. So I've taken the liberty of assiging the three tracks going up today with the titles that seem to directly precede them on the little piece of colored paper included with the band's discography CD.
This band was a group of young fellas from Oakland, California who helped to establish the modern "screamo" sound. Not like "My Chemical Romance are so screamo!" screamo, but like Orchid and Bucket Full of Teeth screamo. You know, the kind that involves actual screaming and not a lot else. Their music is chaotic (and from what I understand, largely improvised), churning and wildly dynamic. Indian Summer really knew how to start with a whisper and build up so loud that they'll take you to the brink and back on just about every song.
What's especially clever about their recorded work is the motif that runs between the tracks--a crackly old Bessie Smith record wails mournfully after each piece ends and the next one starts. Now, I don't know how old these kids were when they recorded this stuff, but I think it's a damned neat thing to do. The use of an old blues record shows the connection from old black music (which the white establishment laregely viewed the same way people nowadays tend to view real screamo--which is to say, a whole lot of noise and whining) with this modern strain of expression. Employing a classic "outsider" record really effectively adds to the sense of alienation and desolation to be found in Indian Summer's own songs. It's a very post-modern idea, but it works; part of why it works is the contrast between the styles, though after a few listens it really is the similarities that stand out.
Anyway, I obviously found out about Indian Summer through fourfa.com, which seems to be the best online guide to the emo genre around. At least, insofar as Andy Radin (the site's proprietor) seems keen on providing lists of bands and their better records. This makes it easier when you're trying to track down and study the better elements within a given genre. I'd always thought emo meant Dashboard Confessional until I heard Drive Like Jehu, and then I had to hear more stuff like that. While I never found anything quite as good, there were a few bands that came close and to me, IS is one of them. You can obtain a copy of Science 1994... well, just about nowhere, anymore. Apparently it was a pretty limited edition run, what with the cover being hand-stamped and all. I bought my copy on eBay from a dude who used to be in the band, he had about 800 of them up for sale but he said after those ran out, that'd be it. They have, however, just recently released a set of live recordings which I will likely obtain and which you should consider getting, too. Word on the street is that it's pretty good stuff.
http://storeandserve.com/download/638285/Indian_Summer_-_Science_1994_-_01_-_Science_Fiction-Digital.wma.html
http://storeandserve.com/download/638290/Indian_Summer_-_Science_1994_-_04_-_Blue_House_%
http://storeandserve.com/download/638294/Indian_Summer_-_Science_1994_-_07_-_Untitled.wma.html
While the truth is that Indian Summer never titled any of their songs, per se, they did title several of the releases and the liner notes (note?) to Science 1994 is less than clear as to what are album titles and what are single titles. So I've taken the liberty of assiging the three tracks going up today with the titles that seem to directly precede them on the little piece of colored paper included with the band's discography CD.
This band was a group of young fellas from Oakland, California who helped to establish the modern "screamo" sound. Not like "My Chemical Romance are so screamo!" screamo, but like Orchid and Bucket Full of Teeth screamo. You know, the kind that involves actual screaming and not a lot else. Their music is chaotic (and from what I understand, largely improvised), churning and wildly dynamic. Indian Summer really knew how to start with a whisper and build up so loud that they'll take you to the brink and back on just about every song.
What's especially clever about their recorded work is the motif that runs between the tracks--a crackly old Bessie Smith record wails mournfully after each piece ends and the next one starts. Now, I don't know how old these kids were when they recorded this stuff, but I think it's a damned neat thing to do. The use of an old blues record shows the connection from old black music (which the white establishment laregely viewed the same way people nowadays tend to view real screamo--which is to say, a whole lot of noise and whining) with this modern strain of expression. Employing a classic "outsider" record really effectively adds to the sense of alienation and desolation to be found in Indian Summer's own songs. It's a very post-modern idea, but it works; part of why it works is the contrast between the styles, though after a few listens it really is the similarities that stand out.
Anyway, I obviously found out about Indian Summer through fourfa.com, which seems to be the best online guide to the emo genre around. At least, insofar as Andy Radin (the site's proprietor) seems keen on providing lists of bands and their better records. This makes it easier when you're trying to track down and study the better elements within a given genre. I'd always thought emo meant Dashboard Confessional until I heard Drive Like Jehu, and then I had to hear more stuff like that. While I never found anything quite as good, there were a few bands that came close and to me, IS is one of them. You can obtain a copy of Science 1994... well, just about nowhere, anymore. Apparently it was a pretty limited edition run, what with the cover being hand-stamped and all. I bought my copy on eBay from a dude who used to be in the band, he had about 800 of them up for sale but he said after those ran out, that'd be it. They have, however, just recently released a set of live recordings which I will likely obtain and which you should consider getting, too. Word on the street is that it's pretty good stuff.
http://storeandserve.com/download/638285/Indian_Summer_-_Science_1994_-_01_-_Science_Fiction-Digital.wma.html
http://storeandserve.com/download/638290/Indian_Summer_-_Science_1994_-_04_-_Blue_House_%
http://storeandserve.com/download/638294/Indian_Summer_-_Science_1994_-_07_-_Untitled.wma.html
posted by The Public Image at 4:12 AM
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