Monday, January 5, 2009

Smackmelon - Blue Hour (Relativity, 1995)

Boston's Smackmelon was formed by Duke Roth after the dissolution of his previous band Bullet LaVolta, a band which also included guitarist Clay Tarver, who would go on to play with the mighty Chavez (as well as direct the "Got Milk" commercials, and the "Jimmy the Cabdriver" clips for MTV). After recruiting Eric Jarmon (Voodoo Dolls) and Robert Brazier (Orangutang) the band was quickly signed to Cherrydisc records, a Boston-based indie label. Cherrydisc released the band's self-titled debut EP in 1994, which spawned the single "Space Shot" (video included below). When the band's manager was hired as an A&R rep for Clive Davis' Sony/Red imprint label, Relativity Records, the band found themselves with a major label deal. The band's lone full-length, Blue Hour, was released on Relativity the following year in 1995. The album, which was recorded with Tim O'heir (Sebadoh, Buffalo Tom) at the legendary Fort Apache studio in their hometown of Boston, saw the band continuing the Bob Mould-esque approach established on the EP. These days, Duke Roth is serving as the sideman to 80s rocker chick Patty Smyth.

4 comments:

JRR2OK said...

I was working as an intern at CMJ when this album came out. I loved everything about it; the passion in the vocals, the dissonant chord structures, the tight rhythm section, the production that walked the line between raw and intentional. Truly a lost gem.

Anonymous said...

you might enjoy my band's old album...

band was called "sins tailor "
album called " ticket for a destination "

artwork included in zip file..........

thanxs....

david a burdick

here's the link

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=JXO80IR7

i think it may only be up for 90 days..........if no one downloads it....email me if it disappears and i'll re-up it...

you can do a google search for me or the band to get more information..............

we used to be sold on notlame ....and we were scheduled to play the ipo long time ago when we lost our drummer....
we are from tulsa....like dwight twilley...and 20/20

you can send me a donation at my email address at paypal if ya feel like helpin a fella out....
here's my email address....

davidaburdick@gmail.com

we also still have plenty of these cd's if you wanna buy a hard copy..........just let me know....

i'm on myspace and facebook as well....

http://www.myspace.com/sinstailor

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=1125731270

or you can always go to my bulletin board

http://musiciansandfans.yuku.com/

thanxs to all the fans....
david a burdick

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