From Deep In The Record Collection

You ever buy an album because it was in the used CD bin and you remembe liking a song or two off it when you first heard the band? Somehow my record collection is full of obscure bands that I picked up in college because they were a) cheaply priced in the used CD bin at one of my favorite indie record shops (which sadly have all but died out but that's a pos for another time) and b) something I had played on radio show and enjoyed the first time I heard it so I figued I might as well own the whole album (besides what's $4.00 going to do me any way?) So as I went trolling for new music to post on the blog I came across a golden nugget from an Australian band called THE EARTHMEN. So I thought I would re-live this record and share some it with you.

I did some research and apparently these guys are no longer together. Either that or they are playing in other bands and I couldn't track any of them down. I did find an article written by the bands guitarist in 1997 where he mentions the band but other than that they seemed to have vanished into the ether. So I'm left with this record, "Teen Sensations", and about a thousand quetions as to what happened.

Musically the album is a great slice of lo-fi pop with just enough feedback to qualify as indie. "Cool Chick #59" was the single and is a great pop song with a nice guitar hook. This would not be too far away from alot of the stuff coming out of the UK right now. The song that I first experienced, and for me the album highlight, is "Blonde". What starts out with a nice little acoustic riff develops into a ridiculously catchy song thanks in large part to the great bass line and drum beat that anchor and propel the music. The song is a simple song of unrequited love that is not too far off of what most young men might say when they are in love, but the beat and bass make it damn hummable.

So I feel like I found something new today. A record I had forgotten snuck it's way onto my IPOD and for awhile the band lived again. Not a bad way to spend a day in my estimation.

(m4a) The Earthmen -- Cool Chick #59

(m4a) The Earthmen -- Blonde