… indie rock had balls?

Do a Google/Bing/Yahoo!/Whatever search for “milf”, and you’ll find plenty of porn links and a Wikipedia entry divulging the word’s slang usage.  Do another search for “milf band”; you’ll find a couple of links to a sexy-ass mom playing Rock Band naked , and one solitary link to a Myspace page for a band who, unfortunately, didn’t make the word ”milf” as notorious as the movie American Pie did.

A long time ago in the ’90s, an indie band from Buffalo, NY called themselves Milf and played the fuck out of alternative rock music.  Their two full-lengths, Ha Ha Bus! and Antidope respectively, show a nice progression from unbridled, drum-pounding rock ‘n’ roll to ambient layers enshrouding unbridled, drum-pounding rock ‘n’ roll.  Both perfectly under-produced, Ha Ha‘s primary appeal is its proximity to those forgotten feelings of passion in all things: emotions that wouldn’t let you sit still, unfulfilled desires that made you punch walls and run away from home, inspiration that instigated sick truck grinds and rail slides in bank parking lots at 3 a.m.

But where Ha Ha was angst, Antidope was daisies.  Showing a shift toward maturity and something internally personal, the album’s 14 songs flow unforgivingly from start to finish as if swallowed up in the great depths of abandonment and solemnity.  Punctuated by interludes of big rock drums and georgia pads, Antidope is a sophisticated concept of Milf’s apparent aggression with synth accents and sounds that shimmer languidly like pearls of rain in puddles.  In this underrated gem of auditory pleasure, Brett Essler’s drumming adds complex textures to the music, and Justin Chapman’s unique voice stretches out and wrangles notes in beautiful obfuscation.  Matt Roblee’s bass riffs, in conjunction with Essler’s big rock drumming, give each song that added touch of fuck off that was so prevalent in Ha Ha Bus!

My introduction to the band’s music in ’96 (a year after their last album) already seemed on the regrettable edge of their descent into obscurity.  The only insight their Myspace page (one of the last remaining remnants of their presence online) offers is that they are a band that “defined rock music in the late 20th century”; I will die defending that.  Nothing short of a full-scale inquisition can help me shine a light on this gleaming trio from upstate NY, and even as the bittersweet verses of “One Man” play, I find myself not only longing for answers to questions unvoiced, but for just a few minutes of my simple past when music made sense to me.

Who is Georgia Tucker?
Where is Tugboat Annie?
What’s become of Isao Minami?
On what day did Gram Parsons die?
Why is “Shoegazer” the lowest energy song?
Did Matt Barber ever get better on the drums?
Where can I get my hands on Feasting on Fried Dough?

… ornithology rocked so hard?

One of the most brilliant bands of the 90′s to emerge from Boston (perhaps even the entire U.S., if not the world) is the nor’eastern rock group, Swirlies.

Standing in artful contrast to the shoegaze praise critics and listeners often bestowed upon them, Swirles’ composed their unique sound of chaos hinging on bright melodies that existed between male/female vocals and guitars tastefully layered with effects pedals. And while that description may sound curiously like that of any generic shoegaze critique, one listen to “Park the Car by the Side of the Road” will obliterate any gaze reverie into which you may be expecting to slip.

Emerging from Boston’s hardcore scene in 1990, Swirlies (more appropriately dubbed “chimp rock”) began their illustrious career as a Go-Go’s cover band.  Though lineup changes affected the band’s entire existence (such as founding member Seana Carmody’s departure and cornerstone Andy Bernick’s one-year stint into ornithology), Swirlies’ sound – for the better part of a decade – remained remarkably consistent: loud hard rock crescendos dipping drastically into smooth electro-influenced pop segments, songs offset by quirky lo-fi recordings of radio shows and weed-induced conversations.

Swirlies are uniquely positioned at the forefront of their era, so much so that even the most subtle imitation of the band would be blatantly audible.  The 90s were about more than flannel, britpop, and dreamy alternatives…

…you thought you danced better than Richard Butler?

The Psychedelic Furs are one of the more prominent bands responsible for pinning your memory to the fabulous 80′s every time one of their songs plays.

This New Wave heavyweight combined light-hearted pop music with Richard Butler’s unique, smoky voice singing whimsical songs of love. Their debut album Talk, Talk, Talk featured the song “Pretty In Pink,” which would later inspire the classic John Hughes film (do we have to name it for you?).

In addition to the Pretty in Pink movie soundtrack, the Furs’ songs have appeared on many other movies, including Sofia Coppola’ s touching Lost in Translation. To wrap yourself in atmospheric warmth, try on such songs as “Love My Way,” “Ghost in You,” “Heaven,” “Until She Comes,” and “Sometimes.”

Feel pretty.

…feeling beautiful was perfectly accepted and praised?

Time to put on a white dress and dance around in circles while… you get the idea. England gave birth to the greatest dream-pop band ever to grace the sessions of John Peel: Slowdive. Forming in the late 80’s, Slowdive captured the lush guitar sounds and ethereal landscapes reminiscent of the Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine. They built an arsenal of really good albums on Creation Records such as “Just for a Day,” “Souvlaki” and “Pygmalion.” A number of EPs and singles were also released along with compilations and bootlegs. Slowdive is a very influential band in the shoegazing community. “The scene that celebrates itself” possesses a plethora of great bands that are worth a listen. Open your winter hearts and take them in.

…you thought you had more style than a quartet of British blokes?

Ride is a shoegazer favorite hailing from Oxford, England.  They formed in 1988 as innocently as any school-aged boy’s band until they caught the attention of Alan McGee, founder of Creation Records. The early 90′s brought the EPs Ride, Play, Fall, and Today Forever, which didn’t amass a lot of interest, but became crucial to the band’s early popularity.  Their first full-length, Nowhere, provided the momentum they needed, launching them onward to three acclaimed follow-ups, Going Blank Again, Carnival of Light, and Tarantula.

Ride definitively produced the ever-so-popular wall of sound indicative of the shoegaze community, becoming pioneers in the art of crafting the style that is still so highly-sought today.

Leave them all behind.

…Greg Norton’s moustache could slap your shitty beard?

Man, it’s like we’re in fuckin’ middle school all over again! The band that brought you such hits as “Broken Home, Broken Heart” and “Everything Falls Apart,” one of the most influential underground bands, HUSKER DU could drop you like a sack-o-dirt. Originating from Minnesota, this motley crew consisting of Grant Hart on drums, Bob Mould (Sugar) on guitar and Greg Norton on bass formed in 1979. After 8 years of rock and/or roll, several great albums, and lots of live performances, the band would ultimately succumb to its death due to the suicide of long time manager David Savoy and Hart’s heroin use. The DU wailed it for sure. Look for albums Everything Falls Apart or Zen Arcade, and I promise you they will be some of the best additions to your collection.