What's the sound in my headphones today?

jackhammer · 08-26-2009, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schizotypic

That was some seriously awesome guitar. Is most their stuff like this or is this song just really good? I gotta check these guys out.

This particular bunch of songs are of the same sound. I will get a link to you!

Terrible Lizard · 08-27-2009, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackhammer

Broken Bones

A part of the British Hardcore Punk scene from the early 80's that was as influential to crossover punk and thrash bands as the more lauded American bands of the time. Formed as an offshoot of the seminal band Discharge, Broken Bones sound incorporated the ferocity of punk with the Metal orientated sound of early Thrash bands.

What do you mean you have never heard of them? now you have and if this genre is your bag, then this 12" E.P is essential.

Consider me a believer.
A link would be greatly appreciated.

jackhammer · 08-27-2009, 06:26 PM

During one forty-hour period in 1973, folk musician Gary Higgins and his band of five -- guitarist Jake Bell, cellist Maureen Wells, keyboardist Terry Fenton, mandolin/flutist Paul Tierney and bass player Dave Beaujon -- laid down one of the saddest, loveliest acoustic recordings you'll ever hear, the now semi-legendary Red Hash. Time was tight because Higgins had recently been arrested on drug charges and was facing years, maybe decades in jail. Money, too, was in short supply. The entire album was recorded on four-track, giving it the warmth and immediacy of live performance, but making it hard to hear instruments like bass and drums. Even so, its haunting harmonies and wistful mood are amazing; in addition to being an absolute distillation of 1960s and 1970s folk, it hints at the skewed purity of contemporary psyche folk.

Higgins disappeared after Red Hash was released, first serving out his sentence and later marrying, having a child and spending his time as many of us do, making a living rather than pursuing his dreams. Although Higgins and his friends recorded a few more songs together -- two of them appear on the Red Hash reissue as bonus tracks -- there was never another record. The whole unlikely experience seemed likely to drop into the black hole of lost albums.

Then, during the 1990s, word began to spread about Red Hash. Pirated copies appeared for sale on the Internet. Tracks were played on influential freeform radio stations like WFMU. Musicians, most notably Ben Chasny of Six Organs of Admittance and Comets on Fire, cited the forgotten disc as an influence; Chasny even covered "Thicker than a Smokey" on his 2005 album School of the Flower. Zach Cowie, then negotiating to bring Comets on Fire to Sub Pop, received a burned copy from Chasny and immediately became fascinated with the album. He embarked on a quixotic quest to find its author, mailing off hundreds of letters and calling every Gary Higgins he could find in Connecticut phone books. Finally, he located that Gary Higgins -- still in northwest Connecticut, still writing and playing songs in his spare time, still holding the master tapes to his one and only full-length album. The album was remastered and reissued on Drag City in 2005.

Engine · 08-28-2009, 06:49 PM

I like that song! Also a great story - I had never heard of Gary Higgins before

beszpilman · 08-29-2009, 09:18 AM

Oh, yeah, great preview and story behind the album! Definitely will be checking out, I love folk and love those decades as well.

Rainfall · 08-29-2009, 11:35 PM

It's sad that so many things like this go unfound for so long. Jackhammer, you do a good deed here, uncovering hidden stashes of beautiful works that should be appreciated.

jackhammer · 09-01-2009, 03:59 PM

If anyone want's a link for the Red Hash album PM away!

FaSho · 09-05-2009, 07:38 AM

I do! I do!

I haven't looked in this thread in awhile, but it's great to see it's still full of music I'm pretty interested in.

jackhammer · 09-05-2009, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FaSho

I do! I do!

I haven't looked in this thread in awhile, but it's great to see it's still full of music I'm pretty interested in.

Link on way and please to all who I have sent the album to-let's have some opinions whether good or bad!

Engine · 09-06-2009, 10:23 AM

Red Hash is definitely a good album. Classic melancholy folk that goes somewhere. Almost every song is really interesting despite how soft and low key they are. My one complaint is that one or two of the songs sound horribly dated. "Unable to Fly" for example is just way too authentically hippie-ish for me. Really cloying flute and high-pitched vibrato vocals remind me of why I don't like much late 60s/early 70s folk. But still - I do really like most of the album a lot. Makes me think of Nick Drake if he was an American hippie.

08-27-2009, 06:26 PM	#153 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	During one forty-hour period in 1973, folk musician Gary Higgins and his band of five -- guitarist Jake Bell, cellist Maureen Wells, keyboardist Terry Fenton, mandolin/flutist Paul Tierney and bass player Dave Beaujon -- laid down one of the saddest, loveliest acoustic recordings you'll ever hear, the now semi-legendary Red Hash. Time was tight because Higgins had recently been arrested on drug charges and was facing years, maybe decades in jail. Money, too, was in short supply. The entire album was recorded on four-track, giving it the warmth and immediacy of live performance, but making it hard to hear instruments like bass and drums. Even so, its haunting harmonies and wistful mood are amazing; in addition to being an absolute distillation of 1960s and 1970s folk, it hints at the skewed purity of contemporary psyche folk. Higgins disappeared after Red Hash was released, first serving out his sentence and later marrying, having a child and spending his time as many of us do, making a living rather than pursuing his dreams. Although Higgins and his friends recorded a few more songs together -- two of them appear on the Red Hash reissue as bonus tracks -- there was never another record. The whole unlikely experience seemed likely to drop into the black hole of lost albums. Then, during the 1990s, word began to spread about Red Hash. Pirated copies appeared for sale on the Internet. Tracks were played on influential freeform radio stations like WFMU. Musicians, most notably Ben Chasny of Six Organs of Admittance and Comets on Fire, cited the forgotten disc as an influence; Chasny even covered "Thicker than a Smokey" on his 2005 album School of the Flower. Zach Cowie, then negotiating to bring Comets on Fire to Sub Pop, received a burned copy from Chasny and immediately became fascinated with the album. He embarked on a quixotic quest to find its author, mailing off hundreds of letters and calling every Gary Higgins he could find in Connecticut phone books. Finally, he located that Gary Higgins -- still in northwest Connecticut, still writing and playing songs in his spare time, still holding the master tapes to his one and only full-length album. The album was remastered and reissued on Drag City in 2005. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

08-29-2009, 11:35 PM	#156 (permalink)
Rainfall Not your best friend. Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 67	It's sad that so many things like this go unfound for so long. Jackhammer, you do a good deed here, uncovering hidden stashes of beautiful works that should be appreciated. __________________ Rule #7 – Trust only when trusted.

09-01-2009, 03:59 PM	#157 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	If anyone want's a link for the Red Hash album PM away! __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

08-28-2009, 06:49 PM	#154 (permalink)
Engine air quote Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: pollen & mold Posts: 3,108	I like that song! Also a great story - I had never heard of Gary Higgins before

08-29-2009, 09:18 AM	#155 (permalink)
beszpilman Groupie Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 11	Oh, yeah, great preview and story behind the album! Definitely will be checking out, I love folk and love those decades as well.

09-06-2009, 10:23 AM	#160 (permalink)
Engine air quote Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: pollen & mold Posts: 3,108	Red Hash is definitely a good album. Classic melancholy folk that goes somewhere. Almost every song is really interesting despite how soft and low key they are. My one complaint is that one or two of the songs sound horribly dated. "Unable to Fly" for example is just way too authentically hippie-ish for me. Really cloying flute and high-pitched vibrato vocals remind me of why I don't like much late 60s/early 70s folk. But still - I do really like most of the album a lot. Makes me think of Nick Drake if he was an American hippie.