'97-2007

I just inherited about 1000 CD's from the decade 1997-2007, naturally all the bigger names from those years have been taken, so all that remains is the really obscure stuff. But no matter, what is interesting to me is that it covers the years that aside from the odd entry or three, the trouserpress staff went (mostly) awol. So, i'm stoked to be able to sift through an awful lot of dross in order to uncover a gem or two. Its not exactly the SIXTH edition of the trouserpress, but its the closest thing I will get. I will be happy to list the few curios I find interesting.

Very cool, Steve! Maybe you could single-handedly bring this site up to date.

Good times - in 1997 I was in my early '30s, still a regular club goer, Baby Fab and my current suburban dad life was still years away, so I associate that period with FatboySlim, The Beasties "Hello Nasty," Chemical Brothers, Arling & Cameron, "Portishead" (NOT a fun party album, but still rockin the sampler); wacky Japanese stuff like Towa Tei, Pizzicato 5; the new Frenchy sounds of Air, early Daft Punk, etc.; fonky African stuff like Antibalas. Guitars and rock were dead to me, old news. I came back around after a while tho. But it was good time to be young, drunk, and stoopid.



Post Edited (11-24-15 12:51)

Wow, that would be dangerous if I had the opportunity to get 1000 CDs. I'm not sure how my wife would feel. (Currently, one wall of our house, underneath the stairwell, is fully fitted in CD shelving; there's no room for more.) In 1997 I was living in Israel and then moved to DC in September, and that was really the height of my concert-going and record-shopping between 1997-1999. I was single, had enough money to buy records and see bands on a regular basis, and was a habitué of not only the bigger clubs like the Black Cat, 9:30 Club, and others, but also smaller venues like the Velvet Lounge. I was there regularly enough that some of the bands knew me pretty well and I was called out from the stage...

I really appreciate your recollections Fab and Michael. Thanks for the stoke Delvin, but I just don't see anything to write home about yet, as I'm just getting into a box or two now. Nothing I've come across yet matches up against say, the Smugglers (Rosie), Mr T Exp, Plimsouls (1998), the Glands (2000) or that 2001 Fletcher Pratt entry.
So my initial reactions are that most 'rock' music during this particular time frame seems to be split into at least three camps. The largest one is post Radiohead/Kid A-OK Computer. Unfortunately, its not a place that I feel comfortable pitching a tent. Another camp is clearly populated by bands that are influenced by other bands that were influenced by the late 70's/early 80's Manchers scene, retreads of retreads. Thanks, Interpol. A third camp that on the surface seems an unlikely but remains fertile in rocks development (not so much in the sixties though) is the south. From Elvis, to Jerry Lee Lewis to REM, the south produces. And lotsa bands sure are settin camp around the Kings of Leon.
Truth be told, its early in my search. But as of now (approx. 200 discs)all I can say is there's a shit load of bands with names a lot more clever than their music.
Ira was right, I haven't really missed anything after all. At this point, I hope to be able to just come across a few bands that are an amalgam/conglomerate ( ROCK metaphors anyone?) of the bands I love.

Hey, here is an okay one Michael z. and they're from D.C.
Julie Ocean- at twenty five minutes the CD is like an Ep, short. But its decent power pop. Not bad at all.

I've got two to three hundred solo artists discs, about one hundred Americana, some hip hop and electronica stuff to sort, but the bulk is definitely rock.

I plucked these out of the first 200 and they made a good first impression:

The All Girl Summer Fun Band-first and second albums
Asa Brebner-Best No Money Can Buy
two Bop Harvey albums
Pietasters-first and live album
A chill hop rapper named Mystic-cuts for luck...
the first Drink Me album (an odd little charmer)
Bigger Lovers-this affair never happened...(one of 2004's best rock albums. replaces the one I loaned out)
Col Knowledge and the Lickity Splits-falling (down, mostly) somewhere at the feet of Prince and Green, this one could be a guilty pleasure
Magnet-Caffeine Superstar (1999) (with Victor Krummenacher) this record has a nice vibe about it. It may end up finding a place on the shelf next to Yo La Tengo's 'Fakebook' and 'And Then Nothing...'



Post Edited (11-28-15 13:12)

I remember Julie Ocean - named after the Undertones track of course. Yes, they were good. And Magnet, too - I think I may have owned that once.

I like the one All Girl Summer Fun Band I've heard in my life but I'm going to check out Magnet-Caffeine Superstar purely because of their name.

Its a fun journey but very time consuming!



Post Edited (12-01-15 20:19)

The Pietasters! One of the best bands to bob up from ska's third wave. Later veered out of ska toward a more soul-based sound, which turned out to be equally valid for them.

Favorite album of the lot goes to....

Laureates- (from Chicago) There Are No More Gentlemen 2008

To just be given about a 1000 CDs would be a dream come true for me (and probably a nightmare for my gf).