I Breathe the Underground

Large Water-Dwelling Mammals Playing Trombones?

A post over at AP.net today got my mind whirring. A slot machine of bands I used to listen to in high school spun mercilessly until it stopped on three Hippos. I hit the jackpot.

Does anyone even remember the Hippos? They were an upbeat ska-punk band that were bought by Interscope -- shortly before the pop-ska movement began losing steam, Reel Big Fish began losing their short-lived airplay, and Mighty Mighty Bosstones began losing their ties to a major label. The Hippos just barely missed the transition into synth-fueled power-pop a la Ozma (or, later, Motion City Soundtrack, HelloGoodbye, etc.) that would have put them ahead of their time. Instead, they went the way of the buffalo and earned a prominent spot on my underground music "Where Are They Now?" list -- although I think a lot of those mid-to-late 90s poppy ska-punk made that list.

I thought of these guys because an ex-girlfriend of mine used to make these spectacular perfume-doused mixtapes for me that often featured a Hippos song or two. There's an element of nostalgia that plays into the love I've got for these guys, but the band sells itself as a legendary key to the door of post-OpIvy ska. If you're interested in giving these guys a listen, your best bet is to check out 1996's Forget the World, a true ska-punk classic if ever there was one. (Released jointly by then-young labels Vagrant and Fueled by Ramen, the Hippos were an important part of establishing each label in the scene.) Complete with RBF-esque harmonizing vocals, strategically placed punk beats, and upbeat horn sections, the extinct Hippos are fun, catchy dance music.

Again, Universal is killing me with this no embedding shit, so go here to check out the band's video for "Wasting My Life." To hear some more stuff, check out the band's LastFM page.

Should my next post be dedicated to the Impossibles? I've got a feeling today's ska kick is going to fade faster than the fad itself did.

"I'm not a large water-dwelling mammal / Where did you get that preposterous hypothesis? / Did Steve tell you that, perchance?"
- Hiphopopotamus, "I'm the Motherflippin"

They Didn't Last Quite as Long as the Candy

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand we're back.

For the past three weeks, it's become increasingly clear to me that Jawbreaker needs to do a reunion tour.

Do you remember when everyone criticized Michael Jordan for coming back to the NBA because they wanted to remember him at the top of his game, the way he was? And then he came back and won three more championships? He went out on top of his game, before he really needed to, just so he could maintain some sort of respect in the eyes of his fans -- and, lucky for Bulls fans, he realized there was no reason to consider himself done before it was too late.

Jawbreaker's Dear You (1995) was a classic release from a band that helped define the course of much of modern emo and punk rock, a band that also decided to vacate the scene before their time.

What was Jawbreaker's problem? No one really understood how great they were when they reached their pinnacle. True fans scoffed at the band for playing shows with Nirvana, while Nirvana fans just didn't get it the way the real fans did. To a lot of people, they were just another punk band. In some instances they were -- until the release of Dear You (polished and neatly packaged by Geffen Records). And voila! It turned out they were one of those bands that sounds better polished than they do raw. But still, no one really gave a shit.

Then, suddenly, a few years afterward, everyone gave a shit. A wave of bands began citing Jawbreaker as an influence, including Alkaline Trio, Saves the Day, Brand New, Set Your Goals, Fall Out Boy -- hell, even Face to Face covered a song on 2003's tribute album Bad Scene, Everyone's Fault.

I wouldn't be able to pick a favorite from Dear You if I tried. I could certainly narrow it down; 'Jet Black's narrative death sequence is morbidly enchanting, while 'Fireman's lovelorn stream of consciousness is equally as charming (even if the video, posted above, is admittedly not). But then again, I could listen to 'I Love You So Much It's Killing Us Both' eight times in a row.

As for a reunion -- the band is currently in the process of filming and editing (what appears to be) a documentary about themselves. I guess true art really doesn't breed true humility. But, more importantly, the guys got together and played music again.

The question remains: is it too late for Jawbreaker to reunite? Well, it sure as hell couldn't hurt to try.

" So color me obvious / I just want to be happy half the time / And blue only when I have the time."
- Blake Schwarzenbach

Following the Flashing Lights to the End of the Tunnel

RIP: The Receiving End of Sirens (2003-2008)

Two full-lengths later, Massachusetts "experimental post-hardcore" rockers The Receiving End of Sirens have called it quits. If you've never heard TREOS, picture yourself looking through a telescope at a hardcore band playing in slow motion on a cloud, each note rippling on your skin like a tiny rain-drop.

They're like an ambient parade of melodic elephants, grazing loudly at an electronic pool.

You stop it, Mark. You stop it now.

Really, there's no way to pigeonhole these guys into a category, so I'm trying to find the most colorful picture to paint. The chord progressions aren't incredibly unique, but the sound is. The vocals are strong, the guitars stronger, the drums strongest. The sound is ambient in a heavenly and futuristic way, not overtly noisy and chaotic. In fact, the electronics almost always fit like a glove into the song's theme.

Apparently, the band broke up after bassist/vocalist Brendan Brown decided he couldn't stand being on tour away from his newborn child. Kids, always ruining everything.

Between 2005's Between the Heart and the Synapse and 2007's The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi, there isn't a tremendous musical progression. But there's definitely a consistency that almost transcends the missing progression, like the first album was an unfinished masterpiece and the second album was the final part of the saga.

Also, between the two albums, TREOS picked up ex-Boys Night Out drummer Brian Southall. A great drummer, but I bet he's reconsidering his career move, especially after BNO's outstanding 2007 self-titled.

Anyway, TREOS hint that they might actually in some sort of musical limbo, but all signs point to the end.

If you haven't heard these guys, I highly suggest you check them out. They might be broken up, but that doesn't mean they haven't left some good listenin' behind.

"We die to stay alive, we kill to survive."
- The Receiving End of Sirens, "The War of All Against All"