About time we had another interesting band from Athens Georgia , The bristly “No Crying In Baseball” is just one mode of many for this young Athens-based band. The project has its roots in Kristine Leschper’s powerful voice and hard-line lyricism, and the rest of the group supports that weight with a considered and compelling restraint. Their songs toe the line between free-falling folk and embittered punk, somewhere between baring your soul and baring your teeth. Mothers are kristine leschper – guitar, vocals // matthew anderegg – drums // drew kirby – guitar // patrick morales – bass
On this day (August. 10th) in 1982: Athens, Georgia alternative rock band R.E.M. released the ‘Chronic Town’ EP, the first result of their signing with IRS Records the previous May; the tracks had been recorded with producer Mitch Easter back in October, 1981 when the group was considering setting up their own label; the disc provided the first extended illustration of R.E.M.’s signature musical style – jangling guitars, chords played in arpeggio, murmured vocals & obscure lyrics – & introduced such early, lo-fi classics as “Gardening At Night” & “Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)”.
I.R.S. released Chronic Town in August 1982 as its first American release. Reaction to the EP varied; one I.R.S. radio promoter said that many of his contacts at universities radio didn’t know what to make of the record, but added, “The Georgia stations and some of the more together college stations across the country jumped on it.” The band filmed its first video for “Wolves, Lower” to promote the record. The EP sold 20,000 copies in its first year.
“Chronic Town” is five songs that spring to life full of immediacy and action and healthy impatience. Songs that won’t be denied.” NME praised the songs’ auras of mystery, and concluded, “R.E.M. ring true, and it’s great to hear something as unforced and cunning as this.
The debut 5 track EP from R.E.M. titled ‘Chronic Town’ was the beginning of a long love affair for many of us with the boys from Athens, GA. The original vinyl EP R.E.M. labeled the A side (tracks 1–3) as the “Chronic Town” side and the B side (tracks 4 and 5) as the “Poster Torn” side.
Post-worldbeat” trio Algiers, who originally hail from the US’s muggy Deep South, have signed to Matador Records,they have announced a self-titled debut LP, and unveiled a fresh single.
“But She Was Not Flying” is a tormented slab of dark soul-rock; it’s a Southern Gothic death rattle, riddled with the possessed howls of lead singer Franklin James Fisher, warped gospel vox and rapture-inspired keys. It’s dramatic, horror-scorched and frighteningly fascinating. Algiers is a band of musicians born in Atlanta, Georgia, the rotten hub of the Ol’ American South, where W.E.B. Dubois once saw a riot goin’ on, and where the hell and highwater swirls ‘round to the knees.
Algiers will be released by Matador Records later this year.
Echoes very proudly presents the entire FM broadcast of Bruce Springsteen s legendary performance at the The Fox Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia from 30th September 1978 in its definitive edition. Originally scheduled for 23rd July (but postponed due to Springsteen s occurring throat infection), the 30th September 1978 performance in Atlanta offers a valuable snapshot of The Boss in his energized, formative years. The show was broadcast on twenty FM radio stations in the southern eastern states.there is an awesome version of ” Prove It All Night” this is another of the wonderful sets available now through Amazon
Setlist From Atlanta 30th September 1978 Fox Theatre,Atlanta 1. Good Rockin’ Tonight 2. Badlands 3. Spirit In The Night 4. Darkness On The Edge Of Town 5. Independence Day 6. The Promised Land 7. Prove It All Night 8. Racing In The Street 9. Thunder Road 10. Jungleland 11. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town 12. Night Train World prem 13. Fire 14. Candy’s Room 15. Because The Night 16. Point Blank 17. Not Fade Away 18. Gloria 19. She’s The One 20. Backstreets 21. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) 22. Born To Run 23. 10th Avenue Freeze-Out 24. Detroit Medley 25. Raise Your Hand
REMTV is released on November 24th. The 6 DVD set includes allR.E.M.‘s MTV live performances, award show highlights, and television appearances, as well as a new documentary about the band and network’s mutual history.
Atlanta based post-punk named after the infamous gummi bears, raised on a mixture of the Smiths, My Bloody Valentine and the Wedding Present, reverb fuzzed guitar pop with Lo-Fi
R.E.M’s “Reckoning” was the second album from the alternative rock band released this day in 1984, 30 years ago on IRS Records label, The five albums REM issued on IRS were among the best music ever of the 80’s. Produced by Mitch Easter and Don Dixon and recorded over a sixteen day period the pair who had also produced their debut “Murmur” stepped in after some 22 songs had been recorded with Elliot Mazer who had worked with Neil Young but Peter Buck wanted a more live and crisper sound.
The Intro into “Pretty Persuasion” even now is still magical, With its jangly, arpeggiated chords and driving rhythm section, “Pretty Persuasion” doesn’t seem out of place on 1984’s Reckoning, even though R.E.M. allegedly penned the song years earlier. There’s a clear power-pop influence here, and Peter Buck’s sparkly intro riff sets the tone for a darker, more ominous version of The Records’ “Starry Eyes” (released a year before R.E.M. formed, in 1979). Michael Stipe almost sounds like a punk singer as he rails against the “hurry and buy” impulse of consumerism, his anger intermingling with the jangly melody to create something odd and inexplicably captivating.
Other stand out tracks “Harbourcoat”, “South Central Rain (I’m Sorry)” are still as fresh as ever. Micheal Stipe was exhausted after the 1983 tour and the sessions were difficult for him ,his vocal evolved after some of the mumbling on “Murmer” although Mitch Easter had to coerce Stipe to sing the songs in a more pronounced manner. The songs have a darker edge lyrically with Water a recurring theme. Peter Buck had wanted the album to be a double with some of the songs that had been played in the live set since 1980.
The Fat Angel Sings 