The Best Laid Plans...

So a few days ago it was gloomy and rainy here in Pasadena. So I dove into the collection to look for something musically appropriate for the weather. I pulled out a couple of CD's from the New York group BAND OF SUSANS. These guys were a minor obsession of mine years ago because they were making records that sounded a lot like MY BLOODY VALENTINE (and let's face it, MBV wasn't coming out with anything new at the time...or now for that matter). But then I got sidetracked and didn't post them that day. So of course what happens...the DAMN SUN COMES OUT!!! All of a sudden it's 90 degrees and people are back to the beach. So posting these songs seemed like it would kill the weather renaissance and I don't want to be accused of stealing the sunshine from SOCAL.

But I digress. This band is noteworthy in my life for three reasons. 1) It used to feature Page Hamilton (later to found the ridiculously good band HELMET) on guitars. 2) The lyrics had that vaguely political/ slightly depressed vibe that made me seem a little cooler than everyone else who was busy listening to Stone Temple Pilots. 3) This was the first band I actually interviewed. I was so nervous about this phone interview that I read the press kit the label sent me four times. I prepped something like 40 questions to ask. The lead singer, a very nice guy by the name of Robert Poss, must have thought I was an absolute freak. Later, after several other band interviews where I realized that you should really only ask like two questions, have them do a couple of radio ID's for your station then get the hell out of the way, I reeled in horror at what I complete dork I must have been to that guy. But I still dig their music on rainy days.

(mp3) Band of Susans -- The Red and The Black

(probably my favorite song of theirs. Just an absolute wall of noise that hearkens back to Spaceman 3 and MBV)

(mp3) Band of Susans -- Dirge

(more subdued and a little more mellow but still has a nice guitar bite to it)

(mp3) Band of Susans -- I Found That Essence Rare

(it was a toss up between this one and their version of Paint it Black, but this was live so it gets the nod)