Tommy Keene - The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down

Today we have a very hard to find Tommy Keene record released in 2002 called The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down.

Isolation Party was one of Tommy Keene's career peaks, and one of the times where he managed to gel his taste in sonic crunch and his ability to write hooks in one place. Unfortunately, the winning streak doesn't continue for the spotty The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down, Keene's first new studio album in four years. While much of the record sounds as fantastic on the surface as Keene's earlier material, none of the songs have a hook on par with Places That Are Gone or Long Time Missing. The album's highlight and centerpiece is the 16-minute-long "The Final Hour," which sits right in the middle of the disc and bizarrely slices it into three parts. Despite its length, "The Final Hour" is fundamentally a basic Keene rocker, and more or less follows basic verse/chorus/verse conventions -- albeit for a wee bit longer than the other cuts on the album. And shoving it in the middle of the album's running order is certainly an attempt to thwart convention -- one would expect this to be the closer -- but it doesn't really help the disc (and, in fact, it destroys any semblance of flow) as much as show that Keene is open to trying new things. Apart from "The Final Hour," which -- qualms aside -- is actually one of the better cuts on the disc -- the album's best moments come in the other places where Keene tweaks with his own formula. After repeat listens, it's songs like the boozy closer, "The Fog Has Lifted," or the New Orleans R&B-influenced, horn-spiked "The Man Without a Soul" that stand out and beg to be regarded with the best of Keene's work. Despite its flaws, The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down is still a decent Keene record with enough highs to please anyone who came onboard with one of his earlier releases -- it's just not the place to start. - AMG

1. Begin Where We End
2. The Man Without A Soul
3. Hanging Over My Head
4. All Your Love Will Stay
5. Technicolor
6. Big Blue Sky
7. The Final Hour
8. Time Will Take You Today
9. The World Where I Still Live
10. How Do You Really Say Hello?
11. Circumstance
12. The Fog Has Lifted

http://www.mediafire.com/?08vlmasow0lux27

Guided By Voices - The Best of Jill Hives

In honor of the news that Guided By Voices is reforming to play Matador Records 21st Birthday Bash we have one of the last singles that Guided by Voices released. This single features the track "The Best of Jill Hives" off of the album "Earthquake Glue" and two b-sides including a rare Doug Gillard vocal on "Free of This World" and a cover of Cheap Trick's "Downed"

Enjoy!!




1. The Best of Jill Hives
2. Free of This World
3. Downed

http://www.mediafire.com/?zynzinmymgdi03y

BR5-49 Bonus Beats

1998

Here is a rare promo cd from Nashville's BR5-49. The band recorded this session with Chicago producer/engineer Steve Albini. The EP features tracks from their first two albums re-recorded. The session is full of energy and is a great listen.

Enjoy!





BR5-49 - Bonus Beats

1. Out Of Habit
2. Seven Nights To Rock
3. Little Ramona
4. Wild One
5. 18 Wheels and a Crowbar
6. Even If It's Wrong

http://www.mediafire.com/?knzyvjnizle

Regal - Cromwell's Western Designs

Circa Summer 2001

Kyle was back with new material and a new direction for Regal. Gone were the electronic experiments of the first album and the rock quotient was up. Some of the songs were demoed as far back as 1999. Unfortunately the album was never properly finished. After graduating Kyle spent some time with ex-TRJK mate Jason to record the songs on 4-Track. Kyle and Jason finished work on 8 songs, so an LP became an EP and all was good. To pad the running time Kyle included a song from the Infamy in the 90's compilation and 4 demos of album tracks. Guests include Jason on Keyboards and Synths, Richard on Drums and Dale on Backup Vocals and Slap. Standout tracks include the sad, plaintive Death of the Party, the rocking Freedom Song, the folk of Ode to Sublime, the pop of I Don't Know and Pop Band and the slightly psychedelic Yellow Cloud. Enjoy!

Regal - Cromwell's Western Designs

1. Death of the Party
2. Freedom Song
3. Grandfather
4. I Don't Know
5. Ode to Sublime (You're A Hit)
6. Pop Band
7. Raghead Blues
8. Three Days
9. Yellow Cloud
10. Freedom Song (demo)
11. Pop Band (demo)
12. Three Days (demo)
13. Yellow Cloud (demo)

http://www.mediafire.com/?h3gxzemm0nh

Dave and Kyle - Fun With Books

Circa January 1998.

Fun With Books was a mini-album recorded by TRJK Alums Dave and Kyle in the midst of a big snowstorm when neither could leave Montgomery. The album features original instrumentation with lyrics read from old books found around the house. All tracks feature Dave on Guitar and Vocals and Kyle on Drums except Shoreline and Communist Manifesto which feature Kyle on Guitar and Vocals and Dave on Drums. Standout tracks include Kyle's Shoreline is a rollicking ode to the east coast of North America and Dave's sad lament on making a present for your mom in Container. Enjoy!


Dave and Kyle - Fun With Books

1. Shoreline
2. Container
3. Eat That Slop!
4. ROmE
5. golf RULZ!
6. take 1
7. The Rhine
8. Truman
9. Prostate
10. Communist Manifesto
11. Fishin and Hunting

http://www.mediafire.com/?uftwzcdwmyl

Regal - Hi-Fi, Lo-Fi, No-Fi

Circa 1997-1998.

Regal is the solo project of Kyle from TRJK. This was Regal's debut album recorded in a dorm room on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University. Kyle figured that this was more fun than studying. For those of you wondering, Kyle did graduate with honors, so this diversion didn't really hurt the G.P.A. Hi-Fi, Lo-Fi, No-Fi was a strange mixture of Acoustic ditties and Electro-punk. Instrumentation on the album includes: Acoustic Guitar, Snare Drum, Ice Cream Tubs, Samples and Loops and Drum Machines. Jason from TRJK does show up on the final track La Femme Node (Trevor is Home) a track that was recorded at the Party Trailer in Danville. Featured on the album cover is the 1981 Buick Regal that not only survived a late night drive through a fence, but it also served as the name of the band!

Regal - Hi-Fi, Lo-Fi, No-Fi

1. Audiomania
2. You
3. Abraham Lincoln Ghetto Underground
4. Regiern der Furher
5. Omicron's Promise
6. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
7. Go Away
8. Everything's Wrong
9. Virgin Surgeon
10. Call Me
11. Yo Soy Nacho
12. Funkey 4 Strings
13. Groove Thang
14. La Femme Node (Trevor is Home) Prt 1

http://www.mediafire.com/?ui4y0zkim3g

TRJK - Greatest Hits

Recorded from 1995 to 1998.

Rising from the ashes of the Raving Lunatics like a triumphant Phoenix was That Retarded Jimmy Kid or TRJK for short. The three Lunatics (Jason, Jay and Kyle) were joined by Dave in the summer of 1995 to form the core of TRJK. Throughout the remainder of their high school years they would record largely improvised garage punk. Improvisation was chosen because who wants to practice stuff to remember it in the future anyway? Instrumentation on the TRJK sessions was more traditional rock 'n' roll: Guitar, Bass, Drums, Casio, Trombone, Recorder, etc. are all present in the following recordings. The core four of TRJK would be joined through the years by many various friends and family members. They were dubbed the TRJK All Stars. Some of the All Stars featured on this album include Joe, Jeremy, Richard, Jeremiah, Heath and Dale. TRJK and the All-Stars would record straight to cassette tape in many different locales around Montgomery County, MO (Jay's Shed, Jay's House, Dave's House, Dave's Porch and Heath's Basement) and one legendary session in Memphis, TN at Jason's Apartment. These songs are the only artifacts that survived to become digitized, the fate of the original cassettes were lost to the ravages of time. Some of the highlights include the Rap/Rock fusion of Kill the White Man, the garage rock of Pizza and Oranges, the loud/soft bass/drums workout of Demolition Derby, the covers of Ice Ice Baby and The Joker, the "practiced" Emily that was played at least three times, the acoustic Cannibal Corpse homage Hammer Smashed Face Girl and the topical and humorous Hey OJ. Only the great rock gods would know if they could have been something if they had tried a little bit harder, but let's face it, they probably had more fun this way.

TRJK - Greatest Hits

1. Kill the White Man
2. You Are My Sunshine
3. Masturbation Nation
4. Pizza and Oranges
5. Tim the Pizza Man
6. I'll Make Love To You
7. I Like to Walk Around In My Underwear
8. Big Ol' Titty Girls
9. Ice Ice Baby (Recorder Solo Version)
10. Cop Killer
11. No Sleep Til' Danville
12. Forming
13. Demolition Derby
14. Shawn James Blues
15. Heaven's Gate
16. Sweet Home Dreams
17. Mike Vaughn
18. The Joker
19. Rock Out the ABC's
20. Porn Ballad
21. Ice Ice Baby
22. Groove Fracture
23. Hammer Smashed Face Girl
24. Jamaica/Fuck Burger King
25. Hey OJ
26. Instrumental
27. Teenage Mom
28. Emily
29. Instrumental (Final Session)
30. Sloppy Polka (Final Session)
31. The Joker (Final Session)
32. Two Trains Passing in the Night (Kyle solo demo)
33. Suburban Rebellion (Kyle solo demo)

http://www.mediafire.com/?k2l1uzmc0c3

Raving Lunatics - Demo #1

This little guy dates from March 1995.

The story goes like this:

Three friends in high school got off early one afternoon. Bored, they decided to do what most kids do, start a band. Thus The Raving Lunatics were born. Having amongst themselves one drummer, one trombone player and one saxaphone player they proceeded to borrow an electric guitar, an amp and an effects processor and assorted pots and pans and make the Great American Demo Tape.

On Guitars, Pots, Pans, Television and Dryer were Jason, Jay and Kyle. Guest appearance by Asta the dog.

This was the only time they would record in this configuration.

Raving Lunatics - Demo #1

1. Anarchy in Danville
2. Stay
3. Having A Heartattack
4. Instrumental
5. Nipples
6. Pantera Song

http://www.mediafire.com/?tddn2n5tgjz

Mission Statement

Hello -

Welcome to another music blog on the inter-web. As the title of the blog indicates I plan on some of the rarer nuggets that I have come across in my years collecting music. The first posts that I have planned come from some local bands back in my high school and college days. Some of them are barely listenable because of all the tape hiss, but if you like "lo-fi" or "no-fi" music then you might find something you like. I'm new to all of this, so you'll have to bear with me if I have some growing pains.

"The Salvager"