Obits have a debut single on Stint Records (ST71):
“One Cross Apiece” b/w “Put It in Writing”.
I saw this being distro'd on Sub Pop and the fanatic review/listing from Stint records. I know every label is excited about their releases, I would be too. But maybe 'this record will change your life' is either joking or they say that about everything. I just can't take it seriously. What is actually going on here? But they caught my interest:
“The shot heard ‘round the world. The two best songs ever written by the best band in the world. Best guitar and bass playing and skin beating. The best lyrics ever sung. This record will change your life and give you a new start. Best packaging, easily. Genius. Mensa, mensa, mensa! Makes everybody else look real bad. Buy the shit out of this record.”—Lonnie Manx, Stint Records
I mean....really? It sounds like they didn't have anything specific to say...other than this is the greatest single ever? How? How about this is Rick Froberg from Hot Snakes and Drive like Jehu? Do those names not mean anything to anyone anymore? Or is he trying to distance himself from the history?
The vocal is unmistakable...it's completely Hot Snakes style, half yelling...but here is a very particular phrasing or melody's he sticks to that you can pick out right away.
I missed out on Drive like Jehu...I knew it was the beginning influence on Emo, but I might have been past it already with the Promise Ring. I think that might be one fallout from the MP3-age...the amount of time you stay within a genre or line of thinking has shrunk. The cycle has gotten smaller and I move on in a week or so after I've exhausted everything.
First impressions from the crapity crap myspace tracks of a live cakeshop show is they sound like that modern garage sound going around with bands on Rob's House records. Kind of Atlanta, driving chunky, a little sneery, really guitar driven...all power chords. You know what... my description is even worse.
hey jason,
ReplyDeletejust for edification, like new wave, lonnie manx does not exist. at least not in the flesh.
his presence has accompanied you in line at the post office, behind the counter of the bagel joint and, no doubt, in the aisle of the hardware store. he's been around. he knows stuff.
quite honestly, we were asked to write a "one sheet," which is inherently a silly thing. we decided to go full throttle with its ridiculousness.
sorry if it caused confusion, but really, when was the last time you used a press release as any measure of a record's worth?
cheers,
-sohrab/obits.
That's what I get for taking Lonnie seriously.
ReplyDeleteIs he available for PR work? He really nailed it.
What does that say about the state of one sheets that I took this seriously.
Thanks for clearing that up.
lonnie is elusive and, like a dragonfly, often misunderstood.
ReplyDeletebut he's a generous and hard working guy. i'll share with you what he often says to me: "find the lonnie manx inside of yourself."
despite what sometimes sounds like just a platitude, his gruff and rhetorical nature belies a wisdom that can only really be understood by staring into the deep lines of his raw knuckles.
and that is a public relations campaign i can get behind ...
see you in the 'hood!
Yeah, that's it. I'm a figment. Great.
ReplyDeleteYou know, everyone has their priorities. I have mine, you have yours. Mine involve selling my records. MY records. What would you have me do? How am I supposed to describe this record for you? "Sounds a bit Atlanta..."? "Sounds like some Chinese guys howling bullshit at you"? Who the fuck is gonna buy that? People want the best, they want to FEEL again. I bring you that. Buy Stint or skin an eel.
Lonnie,
ReplyDeleteMensa mensa mensa! Is my new mantra. I repeat it over and over sitting in my mom's basement and looking at the internet for porn and records.
The feeling is coming back.
This has been ordered....I'm sold.