The Karl Hendricks Trio - Declare Your Weapons LP

Merge (1998)

Here it is, the last Karl Hendricks full length that I needed to pick up on vinyl.  Sadly, 2003's The Jerks Win Again and 2007's The World Says only came out on CD, so until someone decides to press them, I'm all caught up on Karl Hendricks vinyl aside from a split 7" that I've been lazy about picking up.  And it feels good to have all of these records finally.  While I have had the CDs for ages, there's just something different about being able to listen to them on a turntable.

If there's one thing that you can say about Karl and company is that they are nothing if not incredibly consistent.  Their records mostly sound the same from album to album, and in this case I mean that as a huge compliment.  They were never a group that worked well within a 'recommended if you like' culture.  They always just made the sort of music they wanted to make and didn't ever really fit in with the popular sounds of any era that they put out an album during.  But while they may not have had the largest fanbase or the flashiest sound, they just cranked out album after album after album of incredible songs.  Declare Your Weapons is no exception.

As with most Karl records, I tend to favor the faster songs like "A Letter To The Coach," "The Policeman's Not Your Friend" and "The Smile That Made You Give Up."  That said, when Mr. Hendricks is feeling melancholy there are few songwriters that can hit you right in the guts the same way he can.  Sound-wsie, there's nothing 'emo' about The Karl Hendricks Trio, but if you're looking that can weave real emotion and pain into their songs, Karl is better at it than most.

Another great record by one of my favorite, if not somewhat overlooked, bands.  People really need to have more Karl Hendricks Trio records in their collection, and while I don't know that I'd recommend Declare Your Weapons as the first one they should pick up, it should definitely end up on their shelf after grabbing a few of the others.

The Karl Hendricks Trio - Declare Your Weapons:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_muZUn-k3iX-FJwIE2fkbDbXH_hO2Z_PO0

The Karl Hendricks Trio - For a While, it was Funny LP

Merge (1996)

Another LP in my quest to own everything by the Karl Hendricks Trio on vinyl.  For a While it was Funny is the band's fifth full length (again, depending on if you count Some Girls Like Cigarettes as a full length, which I tend to do for whatever reason), and it was their first proper full length release on Merge (though the just mentioned Some Girls... was rereleased on Merge the year prior).  It was a step up in notoriety for the group, but it certainly didn't see them ditching their lower fidelity aesthetic that they had been perfecting.

This is another wonderful record of scratchy guitar crunch, with emotionally charged lyrics.  It's not emo, it's assuredly in the indie rock wheelhouse, but there is a heft and intelligence to the lyrics that flys a little higher than is typical for bands of this era.  

Things start off hot with the full force "Naked and High on Drugs," but settle into a predominantly mid tempo groove.  There's some slower songs and some faster ones, but the bulk of the album cruises along at a pretty perfect speed, allowing the guitar work and vocals to shine.  They've always been a band that never felt like they were as popular or lauded as they should have been, but they sure did crank out a lot of albums, some it must have been clicking with enough people to keep things going.  ANd I'm very grateful for that.

The Karl Hendricks Trio - For a While, it was Funny:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kyM4Aj74s3s9dUETBRO7Imi32Q_lpe4O0

The Karl Hendricks Trio - Sings About Misery and Women LP

Fire (1994)

I recently decided to put my head down and finish acquiring all of the Karl Hendricks Trio full lengths that were released on vinyl.  I've had these CDs forever, but never really committed to snagging all of the vinyl.  I've now since corrected that and have a few of his records to write about in the coming weeks.

Sings About Misery and Women was wither the second or third Karl Hendricks Trio full length, depending on what you categorize Some Girls Like Cigarettes as.  It was the first time the group had released an album on a moderately sized label as in the UK this came out on Fire records.  I'm not exactly sure whether or not that made a huge difference for the band as it has never felt that Karl and company really got their due for being as great as they are.

This album is another prime example of that, song after song of powerful music, with Karls bitter, but never defeated lyrics.  Even though his subject matter tended to focus on some of the down times in one's life, there was always a little bit of unflinching optimism peppered through everything.  Glad to have finally picked this one up on vinyl.

The Karl Hendricks Trio - Sings About Misery and Women:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nJe9d3AI9Sz8LI3_mPpf949EOX-JyPxuY

The Karl Hendricks Trio - A Gesture of Kindness LP

Fiasco / Peas Kor (1995)

Karl Hendricks Trio was one of the early bands I got into as I started exploring the worlds of punk and indie rock my junior year of high school.  My friend Pat was the one who first introduced me to them via their first album Buick Elektra.  That remains my favorite of Karl's many records, though I'm sure a large part of that is the nostalgia and my general propensity for having the first record I hear by a band remain my favorite.

For whatever reason, A Gesture of Kindness is the Karl Hendricks Trio record I was least familiar with back in the 90s.  I'm not sure why it didn't get as much play as some of the others, though the fact that I was almost constantly listening to Buick Elektra and Some Girls Like Cigarettes probably played a factor.  That said, I recently decided that I could no longer exist having most of my Karl albums on CD, so I'm trying to pick up the missing ones on vinyl where I can.

I got a very nice deal on a copy of this in really excellent condition and I'm really happy I did.  This is such a great record.  It sounds old, in that it very much has a 90s feeling to it that you'll never hear today with it's blown out guitar sound, but it still manages to sound fresh and exciting.  There's just so much energy crammed into these songs and the quiet-loud-quiet-loud dynamic is one of those things I'll just never get sick of.  

For those not familiar with Karl Hendricks Trio, it's really not the worst place I could think of to start out.  While, as I mentioned, I like Buick Elektra more, I think A Gesture of Kindness or S0me Girls Like Cigarettes will probably yield the best results for first timers.  Give them a shot, they really were one of the great bands of the 90s.

The Karl Hendricks Trio - A Gesture of Kindness:
https://karlhendricks.bandcamp.com/album/a-gesture-of-kindness

The Karl Hendricks Rock Band - Thank God We Have Limes 7"

The Karl Hendricks Rock band - Thank God We Have Limes 7", a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Surplus Anxiety (2001)

This 7" was a bonus item that I received from Comedy Minus One when I pre-ordered the new Karl Hendricks Trio album, The Adult Section. There have been a few times where Karl has added a cuatro to his trio and become a full fledged rock band. This 7" came out back in 2001 during such a time. I was unaware this was released and I imagine it was somewhat hard to come by, or at least didn't travel the country on the shoulders of amazing distribution. But I am glad to add it to the collection as it showcases 2 more great Karl Hendricks tunes. The man can write a song!

The Karl Hendricks Rock Band - Thank God We Have Limes (Live):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cNGod2F8hQ

The Karl Hendricks Trio - The Adult Section LP

The Karl Hendricks Trio - The Adult Section, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Comedy Minus One (2012)

I first heard of the Karl Hendricks Trio back when I was in high school. A friend of mine named Pat let me borrow his copy of their first album, Buick Elektra. From the first minute of the song Dead Flowers, I was totally hooked. I've been buying Karl Hendricks Trio records for almost 20 years now. I'm always surprised when this band puts out a new release, and I'm even more surprised that they are always good. How a songwriter maintains that level of consistency for so long is beyond me.

The Adult Section pairs Karl's distinctive croon with the kind of soaring guitar solo's that fans of Dinosaur Jr. should probably pay more attention too. And while Karl has evolved from the 'heart-on-your-sleeve' broken down lyrics of his earliest material, The Adult Section finds him still able to connect with his subject matter, in this case often about the day to day slog of just getting through life. It's pretty insane that The Karl Hendricks Trio are able to be as relevant as they are after all this time. I've always felt that they were a band that never got their due and I'm hopeful things will change for them with this record. If not, I'll still be first in line when their next album comes out.

The Karl Hendricks Trio - The Men's Room At The Airport: