The Halo Benders - The Rebels Not In LP

K (2021, Reissue)

The Halo Benders are dually fronted by Calvin Johnson of Beat Happening and Doug Martsch of Built To Spill.  They put out three records in the late 90s with The Rebels Not In being the final one released in 1998.  I've had the first two on vinyl for a while, but only had the CD of their third album.  For a while now it's been a pretty expensive pick up on the second hand market, so I was pleased to see it available again on the K website.  Word has it that reissues of the first two are on their way as well.

While my favorite Halo Benders album will probably always be their debut, The Rebels Not In certainly has its share of greatness.  I often contend that The Halo Benders are the best vehicle for Calvin Johnson.  I've always been a fan of his vocals, starting with his guest appearances on Beck's One Foot In The Grave album.  I was never able to really get into Beat Happening, I think everything was just a little too jangly and cutesy for my personal taste.

Pairing Calvin with Doug's guitar work and vocals is the sweet spot for me.  Doug keeps everything messy and just loud enough to keep things moving along.  His vocals are such an amazing compliment to Calvin's, especially considering how fundamentally different they are.  But they work together seamlessly in song after song.  If you're going to buy one Halo Benders album to give them a chance, buy God Don't Make No Junk.  But if you dig that one, The Rebels Not In is right up there in terms of song quality.

The Halo Benders - The Rebels Not In
https://thehalobenders.bandcamp.com/album/the-rebels-not-in-klp081

Lync - Remembering The Fireballs (Part 8) LP

K (1997)

Lync is one of those bands that I want everyone in the world to hear, though it seems to me as the years pass, fewer and fewer people are aware of their greatness. Lync was Sam Jayne's first band before he started up Love As Laughter. Remembering The Fireballs (Part 8) is a singles compilations that contains all four of Lync's 7"s, a cassette only compilation track and a handful of unreleased tunes. I've had all of the Lync 7"s on this comp for decades.  They are some of the prizes in my collection and I hold them in such high regard.

I've also had the CD version of this album since it came out in '97.  The LP has been one of those records that just continuously eluded me over the years.  About five years ago I picked up a vinyl copy on the cheap, but once I got it on the turntable, I discovered that it was warped to the point where the first songs on both sides skipped like crazy when played.  Ever since them I've had my eyes peeled for a replacement copy.  Happily, I can report that I finally found one.

Lync was one of those bands that defies easy categorization. They're certainly on the indie rock side of things and are often mentioned in the same breath as bands like Modest Mouse and Built To Spill if someone is talking about them.  But to me, there was something really special about Lync.  I always felt like they pushed the envelope a little further and were content to be a little weirder.  Yes, every one of their songs has a subtle catchiness to it, but they were also noisy and dynamic when they needed to be.

While Modest Mouse and Built To Spill went on to be considered indie rock staples, Lync split up after their only full length, the phenomenal These Are Not Fall Colors.  Singer Sam Jayne moved on to Love As Laughter, a group with revolving members that has been putting out pretty great records for the past several decades.  As great as Love As Laughter is (and they are really great), there's magic in these old Lync songs and they feel like they've been part of my life forever.

Lync - Remembering The Fireballs (Part 8):
https://lync1994.bandcamp.com/album/remembering-the-fireballs-part-8