So somebody posted a comment on Friday's post in which they recommended an old Bowery Electric album. I have it. In fact, since (a) I'm so gassed that somebody actually read this thing and (b) I own exactly three Bowery Electric records, I'm making this Bowery Electric week.
The band's first album was released on the post-rock/dream-pop label Kranky in 1995. It's credited to a three-piece, the principal pair plus a drummer.
I think I first heard them when a track from this album turned up on the Monsters, Robots and Bug-Men compilation, making this the second week in a row I've referenced it. It's really good if you can find it.
The track was "Slow Thrills", and it's similar to the rest of the album. You've got a simple bassline, plodding drumbeat and a guitar playing a three-chord progression with so much reverb you can't hear where one note ends and the next begins. It's a terrific formula because it's exceedingly simple, it works, and you can milk it quite a bit. The whole album sounds like that and it's great.
I've posted the opening track, or rather first two, and well, you get the idea. The division is curious. It's listed, with track times, as two tracks on the sleeve; "Sounds In Motion" is the first 1:55, "Next To Nothing" the remaining 7 minutes and change. But the times listed on the album's allmusic page list the first track length at 3:01. Is this how it's tracked on the CD? I have no idea. I guess it doesn't really matter because it's clearly the same song. I guess it changes over somewhere around when the drums kick in.
From my deck to you: Bowery Electric – "Sounds In Motion/Next To Nothing"
NOTE: To order the CD from Kranky, you have to either mail them a cheque (?!?) or follow a bunch of links to their Paypal page. Click here for the catalogue page, then scroll down. The albums are listed in reverse order by catalogue number; Bowery Electric is KRANK 007.
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