‘Lie Lack City’ Is Spokane’s Gift To The World
Local recordings ‘95
In 1995, we undoubtedly saw the most local releases venture into local record stores ever.
Though I liked a great deal of the releases, the following are my Top 10 for the year.
1. Various Artists, “Lie Lack City” - Too Many Records CD
This is hands down the best compilation to ever be released in this town. A total of 17 Spokane bands whip out 31 songs in 72 minutes. There are just too many highlights to list. Hopefully, “Lie Lack City” will grab the interest of the rest of the Northwest - and the country.
2. Too Slim And The Taildraggers, “Swamp Opera” - Burnside CD
Too Slim and the Taildraggers have always been an essential blues force in the Northwest. With “Swamp Opera,” the trio has undoubtedly churned out its best work yet. Too Slim and company surf through several styles with grace and dexterity while always staying true to the blues.
3. The Makers, “Shout On” - Sympathy For The Record Industry Double 7-inch
This nine-song, double 7-inch EP (actually, 10 songs) was recorded by notable garage rock figure Tim Kerr last year while the band was on tour. There are a lot of reasons why this is one of the best Makers recordings yet. First, as an alumni of bands of this type (Poison 13, Jack O’Fire, The Monkeywrench and the Big Boys), Kerr knows how to draw the band’s sound out in a studio recording. Secondly, the group was on the road at the time, which makes the band’s performances tighter. In short, “Shout On” is rock ‘n’ roll when the genre was as dangerous as it was cool.
4. The Flies, “Alternatoid” - Too Many CD
The Flies pay tribute to one of the most substantial eras of rock: Late 1970s punk. The only difference between the Flies and many of its predecessors is the band can actually play their instruments.
5. Cringe, “Dark Wishing Well” - Nervous CD
Though this band gets a little too carried away with its noisy barrage on stage, Cringe manages to find a nice balance of dissonance and melody on its debut album. The 11 songs are cathartic releases for a band with a bleak outlook.
6. The Makers, “All Night Riot” - Estrus LP
The Makers really turn up the low-fi garage rock on this outing, the band’s second full-length. Truthfully, “All Night Riot” should be listened to on vinyl because the more wornout the record becomes, the better the songs sound.
7. The Fumes, “Spine Tingling Excitement” - eMpTy 7-inch
What The Fumes really proved with this release is that the band doesn’t have to barrel along at the speed of light in its music. The punchy quartet is equally good and comfortable cruising through more deliberate, slower grounds. The combination of both lighting-fast blasts and mid-tempo rumbles will likely make for an exciting album next year.
8. Homeward Bound, “More Than Once” - BopTone CD
The Herricks, “After Sunday” - Self-released CD
These talented country bands aren’t obsessed with becoming the next big thing. Both Homeward Bound and the Herricks are just trying to do their own thing. On these two CDs, both bands, consisting mostly of family members, offer plenty of memorable moments.
10. Black Happy, “The Last Polka” - Capricorn CD
This is Black Happy’s swan-song release. It’s got eight live songs (two of which are the hidden tracks), unreleased material and lots of other gems. This CD documents the band from its humble beginnings to its final recording session. “The Last Polka” will make a nice addition to your collection.