Sunday, January 24, 2010

The Tear That Shines In Your Eye

The prescription of the day is... you need to get more in touch with your EMOtions. I'd like to think there's an emo-wuss in most of us, perhaps yours just needs to be uncloseted. I'm not talking about the pretty-boy Hot Topic bands of a few years ago; I'm talking about the disjointed, DIY, small town bands from the '90's with their wardrobe of thrift store clothes and hand-made 7"s for sale at $2 a pop. More specifically, I'm focusing today on how the French mastered and continue to rule over this style. Ignore the band name (as you may have had to do with Jasemine), ignore even the lyrics in some cases, and Vanilla will treat you to some elegantly-wrought hardcore painted in broad strokes of speed and angst, edged subtly with shadings of sad, clean guitars, beautifully in-tune with the feelings you sublimate daily with your regiment of Insect Warfare and Weekend Nachos records (maybe that's just me). As with the cousin-bands of Vanilla (Ivich, Jasemine, Finger Print...), speed is not completely sacrificed, nor are harsh vocals or energetic drumming. What results is this first LP by Vanilla, which succeeds in merging "true" hardcore and that 90's experimentation so seamlessly, that it may one of the more perfectly realized records to come out of that exciting fiasco of a decade.



Act now and you can also get the above early Vanilla 7" which sees the band working out their method to very pleasing effect.

I've been planning on posting these records for quite some time. The process was sped up by these great posts here and here. Thanks to the two of you for unknowingly putting the cattle prod in my back!

7 comments:

thuglifebaldwin said...

any time dude!


im always updating!

lloyd said...

Wow, thanks! Only recently tracked down that LP, and never heard that 7". But i was in love with their track from the "In Words of One Syllable" comp. LP for years.....

Batguano said...

Thuglife... right on. I check in often, and will continue to do so.

Lloyd... cool; I actually have something you're missing?! Unheard of! Yeah, I have had these recs. for ages and they never get old. I'll see if I can find that comp. for cheap, 'cause it sounds good.

Mike said...

Thanks for the kind words here and on my blog... Glad you dug the French set I posted. That was one of the more fun ones to put together - mixing and mashing the emo, grind and straight up HC. Take care and keep up the good work!

j said...

Thank you! Ever since ive downloaded these two releases a day doesnt pass that i give it a listen. And its on my mp3 player as well. Simply amazing! I would really appreciate if you could post more bands similar to them.

Batguano said...

Hey J, good to see that they affected you so powerfully. I'm not sure any bands sound QUITE like Vanilla, but I've got some ideas for future posts...

j said...

Great! Cant wait! Ill keep on jamming to Vanilla till then.