The albums for today’s songs were all from a single music recommendation conversation with Philip. Each album was released within the month between August 23rd and September 23rd, 2003. Prior to this, I was unfaimiilar with the bands, save for knowing that The Lawrence Arms was another project from Brendan Kelly (a distinction shared by the @NihilistArbys twitter account).
They don’t have a lot of similarities sonically or lyrically, but the three albums are forever linked in my mind. For consistency and a realistic ask, I’ve chosen one song from each album, but you should know the rest of the tracks are quality as well.
Small Brown Bike “Safe in Sound”
I remember a particularly cold Durham night where I hopped off the East-West bus at Central to walk home through the Duke Gardens. The River Bed album blaring through my clickwheel ipod headphones, I walked aimlessly among the blanketed white paths. My chaotic frustrations dissipated with each step and chord, chrunchy.
I’d never seen a Small Brown Bike video until making this post, but I’m definitely a fan of the Super8 style.
The Weakerthans “Reasons”
It’s not my favorite track from the record, but this is one of a few videos from the Reconstruction Site release. I figure in this format, the music video is preferred. Looking back on it, I’m still surprised it was Philip that put me onto them. Either way, he was right, they are an awesome Canadian rock band.
Random Facts: The title track, “Reconstruction Site”, was selected as the music for the opening credits and first scene of The Brothers Lowe screenplay.
The Lawrence Arms “Drunk Mouth Kitchen Smile”
The album could have easily been called The Greatest Liner Notes Ever Told. They are full of outstanding turn of the century typography, witty annotations, Kafka references, and self-depricating humor. Concerning a line about “taking a chill pill”:
My wife thinks this is the dumbest lyric that I have ever written. She is quite possibly correct.
Christopher “McCooch” McCaughan
