Archive for the 2000s Category

Bunnydrums

Posted in 1980s, 2000s, bunnydrums, philadelphia, post-punk, synth on August 21, 2007 by Frankie Teardrop

Please pardon the lack of updates over the past few days, my dears…but I have been indisposed and out of town. That said, I’ve dug up an old favorite for you folks today, one that were once on to something great before disbanding prematurely, but have since resurrected themselves and are a currently active and coherent unit.

Bunnydrums culminated with various members of the Philadelphia punk rock scene in 1980. Keen on expanding the punk aesthetic with a slew of dance rhythms, saxophones, and electronics, Bunnydrums would set up shop and focus most of their energy recording, but would occasionally gig out in support of such bands as R.E.M., Pere Ubu, Bauhaus, and the Cult.

The band released a handful of singles, a duo of EPs, and two full length, 1983’s PKD and 1984’s Holy Moly before their split on New Year’s Eve, 1986. Though the current lineup occasionally explored other musical avenues and managed a few one-off shows the year after they split, the band would remain dormant until the new millennium, when the band shockingly reunited. Though they have yet to release new tracks, they’ve been gigging steadily in the east coast, and after signing to Metropolis Records, they have since remastered and re-released most of their back catalog on the compilation PKD/Simulacra.

For your listening pleasure, I’ve uploaded two seminal Bunnydrums tracks, the driving synthetic drone of ‘Smithson’ and the funky dark groove of ‘Holy Moly.’
Enjoy!

download Bunnydrums- ‘Smithson’
download Bunnydrums- ‘Holy Moly’

and here’s a youtube video of the revamped band performing the song ‘Closed Eyes’ live at the Trocadero in July of this year.

Keep your eyes peeled for Bunnydrums live dates in the east coast, including a gig in NYC with our little band, Funeral Crashers in October! For interested purchasing parties, here’s a link to order PKD/Simulacra on CD:

Purchase PKD/Simulacra
Bunnydrums on myspace

(thanks to Marc for chiming in with a few corrections!)

The Lost Patrol

Posted in 2000s, dreampop, new jersey, shoegaze, the lost patrol on August 8, 2007 by Frankie Teardrop

Late night storms leave me a bit sleep-deprived this afternoon, and today’s choice is a band perfect for such moments. They are the Lost Patrol, a currently active dark dreampop outfit based in New Jersey.

The Lost Patrol has been gigging and recording since the late 1990s, combining a love of all things dreampop with soft touches of drum machines and synthesizers; the result an organic, dreamy sound reminiscent of Mazzy Star or Julee Cruise. The Lost Patrol sound much like the soundtrack those fleeting moments and late nights, powerful and ethereal female vocals leading an orchestra of lush instrumentation and catchy hooks. Despite their myriad of influences, the Lost Patrol sound completely unique, especially in these times.

Over the course of their tenure, the band has released five self-released full length records and an EP, each one developing their luxuriant soundscapes further as they perfect their craft.

For your ears today, I’ve uploaded three tracks. The first is the opening number from their 2004 record High Noon. The second is a featured and favorite song of mine from their most recent effort, 2007’s Launch and Landing. Last but not least, the third a sleigh-bell ridden dirge from Lonesome Sky, released in 2005.

download The Lost Patrol- ‘All Around’
download The Lost Patrol- ‘Only Love’
download The Lost Patrol- ‘Velveteen’

Though some of their earlier efforts are sadly out of print, all of their material is available on the Itunes music store to purchase, and most of their full-lengths can be ordered both directly from their website and through Cdbaby.com. For more information on the band, I bring your attention to these links:

Official Lost Patrol homepage
The Lost Patrol on myspace
The Lost Patrol on Cdbaby.com

P.S.- Is there any certain artist or style you folks would like to see featured in these pages in the near future? Feel free to toss out some comments and requests anywhere along this blog!