Monday, June 15, 2009

StapH - Keys EP (2009)



Sometimes I think I wait too long to review something and it feels like the more I like something and the more I listen to every tiny detail the further away I get from saying something coherent. Its at times like these that I feel like I should be a writing a haiku for all the albums I love. Capturing their essence so to speak, as opposed to surgically opening them up and scrutinizing all their intricacies.

Music so pretty
Would not be named after
A bad infection.

I dunno. I think I might need to practice with my haikus for a bit before I send them out to the world. But regardless, my point being that I find it very hard to describe this record as I have grown quite fond of it. I can describe my co-worker sitting across from me, but if I had to describe my friend Fooch*, I would have a hard time. I would be like "uhhhh, Awesome? hows that?"

So yeah, flip Fooch out for Staph...

Q: Sooo, whats this Staph band like?
A: uhhhhh... Awesome?

I mean, it leaves something to be desired. Dont you think?

Well, lemme try another stab at this. Staph rules... better? Okay, theyre "really really good"... okay, now im just toyin' around. Staph is really good. They jam out 3 amazing tunes on this, their first EP and they are going to be a band to keep an eye on, because if I'm not crazy (which I probably am) everyone still loves a healthy serving of the slow burn in their 90's styled hardcore. And by 'slow burn' I mean post-rock tendencies, and by 'hardcore' I mean bands like Still Life, Portraits of Past and Moss Icon as opposed to Minor Threat, NYHC or Earth Crisis.

So its with that explanation that I feel I can comfortably move forward and say that this album is one of the best emo hardcore records to not be released in the 90's. 'Harvest' starts with an awesome bass and drum rumble with all members screaming in unison before deconstructing and coming back together with guitars and the whole bit. its a tight fucking song and has great drums fills and offers up some really pretty breaks that would make some midwest emo kids happy. You might even call it twinkly, except they are still screaming, and not like Scream either... theyre really screaming.. and probably not screaming for change either. In fact, I dont have any lyrics, so ahem (HIT ME UP WITH SOME LYRICS) I can only assume they are screaming for dear life.

The songs go well together with a good sample tying them all together. The latter two songs exhibit a more subdued intensity that reminds me of Moss Icon at times while the majority of the album is something that could easily have a nice home on Ebullition with their great roster of bands. Skirting a fine line of overblown cacophony and outright prettiness Staph is clearly on the leading edge of this style. In fact, there are plenty of moments on this record that remind me of the amazing post-hardcore band Julia. Which, when I come to think of it, reminds me of DC stuff... I guess what I'm getting at is that this short 3 song EP exhibits a lot of style and variety without sacrificing continuity and, overall, this band is hard to pin down. Something I always look for in my music.

Label/blog - http://kidsisterrecords.blogspot.com/
Staph on MySpace - http://myspace.com/staphcamp

14 Comments:

Anonymous Ricardo said...

I really appreciate if anybody can upload it and post in the comments a good rip of the Yaphet Kotto´s "The Killer Was In The Government Blankets" LP.Is really easy find it in the web but I don´t know why always I
download the album,the first track have an error,maybe all the blogs upload the same bad rip.
I will pick up the vinyl version in the next days but,would be great have the record in digital and good form.

cheers from argentina!!

8:16 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Me gustan las mujeres calientes y tetonas XD.. I guess I did not have anything else to say :) Jeremy from Dominican Republik

9:33 AM  
Blogger blend77 said...

i also like hot women. ^_~

Ricardo, I have that at home and would be happy to post it for you.

11:09 AM  
Blogger blend77 said...

Apologies... I had to turn on Word Verification. I really dont like it, but since some fuckface bot is spamming the shit out of all my comments I figured its better than having 20 comments worth of Japanese links crowding everything up.

Word. and to the bot/fucker that is spamming. I will kill you. with kindness.

9:23 AM  
Blogger luciferyellow said...

All your base are belong to us

1:07 PM  
Anonymous ricardo said...

thanks blend!! I will waiting

6:55 PM  
Anonymous d. said...

Great post, great blog, and I hope you make mince meat out of the bot.

9:29 AM  
Blogger Kyle said...

You left out the most important aspect: it's ex-Lion of the North.

Srslyz, R.I.P. the most insane show/set of my life.

HI BLEND!

3:40 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Let's talk about real life, in the real world. Let's keep this to ourselves and never leave home.

3:16 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yooooooo Blend Que lo ke te pasa bro? no recent post, Im down with Comadre.. Hope u ok, here in DR same shit, taking guitar classes, well peace \m/ Jeremy From the Land of Mambo and Mosh

11:54 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey,

I saw your post about Sparkmarker's record and am hoping to get in touch with you. I'm writing an article on the band right now and am trying to gather quotes about them. If you could email me at info@atbothendsmagazine.com with Sparkmarker in the subject line that would be great. Thanks.

4:33 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=441317935&blogId=459961501

As it is called, Key's lyrics.

1:22 PM  
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