Alpha Hopper - S/T LP - Coke Bottle Clear Vinyl

Radical Empathy / One Percent Press / Swimming Faith (2019)

I wanted to like this album more than I actually do.  One Percent Press has put out some really cool records over the years and I'm always grateful that they take the time to send some to me to check out every now and again.  I also really like the colorful artwork and palm trees on the front cover.  Not too mention the little note that was packaged in with the album made reference to all of the Weird Al reviews I did last year.  It was a charming little package and I went in with positive expectations.

Unfortunately, the tunes are a little too out there for me.  It's an arty style of punk rock with dissonant chords and vocals that veer a bit too much into yelling for my personal taste.  There are elements of the song construction that are positives, such as the Unwound style riffage, but there's also a few unnecessary sound effects/synths that spoil the party for me on a few tracks.

One of the things I have liked about bands like Unwound was their ability to go from quite whispers to uncontrolled roars in a surprising, but totally effective way.  Alpha Hopper seems to be stuck on loud throughout the record and it's missing some of the dynamics I look for when venturing out of my pop punk bubble.  In particular, the vocals just seem to sound the same to me on every song, regardless of what the music is doing.  As a whole, it's not a bad record, but it's somewhat one dimensional and it just isn't my cup of tea.

Alpha Hopper - S/T:
https://alphahopper.bandcamp.com/album/aloha-hopper

Governess - S/T LP

Radical Empathy / One Percent Press (2017)

I will admit, I've had this album sitting around for a a while, unsure of what exactly I wanted to say about it.  I find it kind of perplexing and it's difficult to articulate the things about it that don't quite land for me, but without insinuating that it's inherently bad.

The album was sent to me to listen to by the folks at One Percent Press.  It's an LP reissue of Governess' self titled album, originally only released on cassette.  For that reason along OPP and co releasing label Radical Empathy should be commend.  I'll always support liberating albums from tape hell.  That being said, this isn't really the sort of album that I would really ever listen to all that often.

The production on the entire record is very soft.  Instruments register in the background, sometimes seeming like they were recorded on a different plane, not quite in the studio and not quite of this dimension.  The vocals are otherworldly, giving a gentle but haunting vibe and they glide over the sparse drumming and even sparser guitar work.

If you are looking for something that's perhaps a bit more chill than your typical punk rock diet or if you are a bit more into soundscape type stuff or albums that make strong use of audio texture, this might be up your alley.  For me, it's just kind of pleasant background noise.  Not present enough to offend or delight.

Governess - S/T:

https://governessdc.bandcamp.com/album/s-t

Spit-Take - Frog Rock LP

One Percent Press / Ice Age / Cat Dead Details Later / Shitty Present (2017)

It seems a little weird to me that I'd never heard of Spit-Take prior to this record being sent in for review.  It seems like they're the sort of band I would have stumbled across in some capacity, but it wasn't meant to be for whatever reason.  All I can say is that I am glad this was sent in.  I might never have heard it otherwise.

Spit-Take hail from Connecticut and they released eleven of the songs on this LP as a cassette back in 2016.  Four other tracks were originally released as a 7".  Luckily a handful of labels stepped in and let it be known that these songs deserved more than a cassette and a fifteen song LP was born.  Spit-Take seem to be pretty obviously influenced by Superchunk, structuring their songs into hooky little gems.  While they don't quite capture the same type of energy on these recordings as Superchunk does (hey, let's be honest, few bands do), Frog Rock has moments where it truly shines.

Songs like "Something Sometimes," "Gloom" and "The Natural Facts" showcase the very best of Spit-Take.  They also are some of the faster songs on the album, which is where I think the band really shines.  More than anything I feel like this is a band who have a ton of potential.  Let's remember, the bulk of these songs are almost two years old.  I bet Spit-Take already has a batch of newer songs ready to blow these tunes out of the water.  I can't wait to see what they do next.

Spit-Take - Frog Rock:

https://spit-take.bandcamp.com/album/frog-rock-lp-version

Why+The+Wires - Flame Failures LP - Clear Vinyl

One Percent Press / Jetsam-Flotsam (2015)

There's a few things about this album that I really like.  I'll always be partial to gruff vocals like this.  They have a sort of lived in quality that reminds me a bit of Eric Bachmann from Archers of Loaf.  Those gruff vocals are really the only similarity to Archers on this record.  I also really enjoy the saxophone.  It's used very much in a Circa: Now sort of foghorn blast.  But again, for me, the Rocket From The Crypt comparisons end there.

More than anything, this reminds me of the sort of somber, midwest rock that was prevalent the late 90's and early 2000's.  I immediately start thinking of bands like Sweep The Leg Johnny or Karate or Dianogah.  Basically, I could really see this as the sort of thing Southern records would have put out.  It's a mixed bag for me because although I never had anything against those bands and thought they were all fine, I never bought any of their records.

There's just a bass fueled darkness that surrounds records like this.  While I can appreciate the craft and respect the musicianship, it's never been the sort of thing I wanted to spend much time listening to.  So, if that's the sort of thing you can get behind, absolutely give Why+The-Wires a chance.  But if you're looking for something upbeat and hooky, this probably isn't going to scratch that itch.

Why+The+Wires - Flame Failures:

https://onepercentpress.bandcamp.com/album/flame-failures

Wooden Waves - Wilder Dreams LP

One Percent Press (2015)

If you send me a full length LP, it's a guaranteed review out of me.  Though honestly, if you send me most anything I'll eventually review it.  (Though the dude in Buffalo that sent me 13 cassettes is probably going to have to wait a little bit for those.)  When I received this Wooden Waves album in the mail, I had high hopes.  The artwork made it look like the sort of playful indie rock record that I enjoy.  Low and behold, I do enjoy it.

Playful indie rock is a reasonably good description for Wooden Waves, but I can't help but feel it sounds somewhat dismissive of the band's songwriting chops.  These are not throwaway novelty songs.  Wooden Waves has gathered a very stong set of songs rooted in a sort of jumpy, 90's indie rock sound.  Perhaps a more upbeat Silver Scooter with some early Jejune style of back and forth vocals?  Maybe a slightly less fuzzy version of Tugboat Annie?  Regardless of what touchstones you want to use, fact is, this is a pretty great record.

One of my absolute favorite things about doing this dumb little website is discovering a new band thanks to someone else getting in touch with me.  So thanks One Percent Press, you've made a new fan for Wooden Waves.  Hopefully I can do the same for someone else reading this.

Wooden Waves - Wilder Drerams LP:

https://onepercentpress.bandcamp.com/album/wilder-dreams-2