Meet Me In St. Louis

Meet Me In St. Louis were a five-piece post-hardcore/emo/math rock band from Guildford, Surrey that were active from 2005 to 2009 before reuniting for a tour in 2023. If you're interested in doing a deep dive on the band's history, they conducted a retrospective interview you can read here. In terms of sound, imagine trebly guitars, syncopated rhythms, odd time signatures, robust bass lines, and impassioned vocals that create this cacophony of sound that's as beautiful as it is blistering, just as melodic as it is technical. Their sole LP Variations On Swing is incredible, but if you're looking for just one release a compilation of all their recorded material was put out by Big Scary Monsters, so that's probably your best bet to start with. Enjoy.

Promise me that we'll never be like them. I don't want to wind up like that. Relax, baby. We're going to wind up like us. (2005)

1. I am Champagne and You are Shit

2. Why Thank You, Suzie

3. Corey Feldman

...And With The Right Kind OF Eyes You Can Almost See The High Water Mark That Place Where The Wave Finally Broke And Rolled Back (2006)

1. We Need To Act Like We Don't Need This Shit, Then you Give Us Shit For Free

2. The Kid Who Had His Ear Slapped By The Druggiest

3. Why Thank You, Suzie

4. What Happened To You Dylan? You Used To Be Someone I Could Trust

5. You Said Your Finger Was A Gun

Variations On Swing (2007)

1. The Torso Was Severed In Mid Thorax

2. Well You Damn Well Should

3. Right This Way, You Maverick Renegade

4. I Am Champagne, You Are Shit

5. I Beat Up The Bathroom, I'm Sorry

6. Ein Zwei Drei Hasslehoff

7. All We Need Is A Little Energon, And A Lot Of Luck

8. Come To New York, There Were Fewer Murders Last Year

9. I've Got Knives In My Eyes I'm Going Home Sick

10. You're Doomed

MMVI - MMIX (2015)

1. The Torso Was Severed In Mid Thorax

2. Well You Damn Well Should

3. Right This Way, You Maverick Renegade

4. I Am Champagne, You Are Shit

5. I Beat Up The Bathroom, I'm Sorry

6. Ein Zwei Drei Hasslehoff

7. All We Need Is A Little Energon, And A Lot Of Luck

8. Come To New York, There Were Fewer Murders Last Year

9. I've Got Knives In My Eyes I'm Going Home Sick

10. You're Doomed

11. I am Champagne and You are Shit

12. Why Thank You, Suzie

13. Corey Feldman

14. 1. We Need To Act Like We Don't Need This Shit, Then you Give Us Shit For Free

15. The Kid Who Had His Ear Slapped By The Druggiest

16. Why Thank You, Suzie

17. What Happened To You Dylan? You Used To Be Someone I Could Trust

18. You Said Your Finger Was A Gun

Note: Compilation including their LP and both EP's

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Pennines

 Pennines are a four-piece emo/math rock band from Norwich, England that were initially active from 2006 to 2009, with a reunion occurring in 2023 that's still on-going. They recorded a handful of songs during their initial tenure, though didn't reach a wider audience until years later thanks to the virality of tracks such as "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? Lima Oscar Lima!?" and their overall sound only starting to gain traction after their initial tenure. If you're interested in their history, there's a fantastic, in-depth retrospective interview conducted by the band here. Notably, one of their members is Henry Tremain, TTNG's vocalist/guitarist post-Animals. That's actually a good point of reference for what they sound like, as they employ similarly clean, mathy melodic guitars with reposeful vocals. You guys will undoubtedly love this if you've never heard it, so enjoy.

Demo (2008)

1. whiskey tango foxtrot? lima oscar lima!

2. open closed open

Fair D'os (2009)

1. billie jeans

2. collapsing new buildings

3. does not want

TTNG/Pennines (2009)

1. Pennines - Pilot Holes

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Dead Swans

Dead Swans were a five-piece melodic hardcore band from Brighton, England that were active from 2006 to 2013, with a few reunion shows played in 2016. Since then they're hasn't been any activity that I'm aware of, though vocalist Nick Worthington is currently active with Still In Love, who just released their first LP this year (which also just got featured here). When I was working on that, I realized the major oversight on my part that Dead Swans had yet to make it on here. In all honesty, they're a band I never listened to a ton but certainly enjoyed, as they were one of the premier "melodic hardcore" bands that bridged the 2000's and 2010's (no pun intended, as they were also a Bridge Nine band). They crafted a dark and raw pummelling brand of hardcore that you could say is in a similar vein as American Nightmare, Carry On, and More Than Life, but they're a distinct entity to hold their own, and Nick's scorching vocal delivery and poetic lyricism certainly hold their weight. They're also great with the gang vocals, and who doesn't love a good gang vocal? Anyway, if you're new to this band they're well worth your time, Sleepwalkers is the obvious starting point as its their only LP. Enjoy.

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Demo (2007)

1. Tin Heart

2. Preferring The Worst

Southern Blue (2007)

1. Into Dust

2. Lines Of Separation

3. Dead Until Dark

4. 20/07/07

5. The Hanging Sun

Architects/Dead Swans (2008)

1. Architects - We're All Alone

2. Architects - Broken Clocks

3. Dead Swans - In The Half Light

4. Dead Swans - Swallow

It's Starting (2009)

1. Thinking Of You

2. Ivy Archway

3. Fix Me (Black Flag cover)

4. When You Sleep (My Bloody Valentine cover)

Sleepwalkers (2009)

1. Thinking Of You

2. Ascension

3. Ivy Archway

4. Swallow

5. So Far You've Only Made Things Worse

6. 20.07.07

7. Winter Overture

8. Hide And Seek

9. ...And It Seemed So Bright

10. Montpellier To Home

11. Today, Tonight, Tomorrow

12. Tent City

Anxiety And Everything Else (2012)

1. I've Been Trying To Leave

2. Summer Of Hate

3. Dead Until Dark

4. Keep Them Shut

5. Since Day One

6. You Can Only Blame Yourself

7. Southern Blue

Before And Through (2016)

1. Tin Heart (Demo)

2. Preferring The Worst (Demo)

3. Ascension (Demo)

4. Sleepwalkers (Demo)

5. Montpelier To Home (Demo)

6. Preferring The Worst (Live)

7. In The Half Light (Live)

8. 20.07.07 (Live)

9. The Hanging Sun (Live)

10. Southern Blue (Live)

Note: Compilation including demos and live tracks

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Joy Division

Your eyes do not deceive you. To close out 2024 we're doing Joy Divison, because nothing rings in the New Year better than this optimistic bunch. They may be in an echelon of popularity not usually shared here, but I figured why not, we've got a few major bands on here, and it doesn't get much more influential on the usual fare shared here than this. Ergo, Joy Division. They were a post-punk act hailing from Salford, England that lasted from only 1976 to 1980. In the span of just a short few years, they cemented their legacy as one of the most important and influential bands of their era, with a widespread relevance across multiple genres that has not wavered in the years since they met their untimely end.

For a quick history lesson, the band was technically first formed in 1976 by guitarist (later keyboardist as well) Bernard Sumner and bassist Peter Hook, who were then joined by drummer Terry Mason and vocalist Ian Curtis. Their early inspiration was taken from the burgeoning punk scene at the time, featuring the likes of The Sex Pistols and The Buzzcocks. The band was initially called Stiff Kittens before changing their name to Warsaw. With drummer Stephen Morris taking over in 1977, their line-up was finalized, and changed their name to Joy Division shortly before self-releasing their debut EP An Ideal For Living in 1978. The power chord-driven punk influence is most present on this, though the stiff rhythms, prominent punchy bass work, and Curtis' frenetic vocal delivery do suggest the band was already headed in a different direction. After scrapping their planned debut LP with RCA Records in 1978 (though the recordings have been circulating as bootlegs since 1980), they reconvened in the studio in 1979 for what became their true first full-length, Unknown Pleasures. 

Their debut album is so celebrated that its artwork has taken on a life of its own. I don't know what else I can add to the conversation here; the chilling synths, wiry guitars, airy reverb, driving melodic bass lines, and Ian Curtis' emphaticly poignant lyricism have all transcended its era to create a bona fide classic album. Joy Division could be as dancey as they were brooding, as rhythmic as they were melancholic. Picking a "favourite song" of all time is virtually impossible, but "New Dawn Fades" off of this album is a definite contender. That track simply makes time stop, with some of most devasting lyricism ever written. In addition to that, you've got the cavernous question posed on "Day Of The Lords", the spindly whirring of "Disorder", the frantic chugging dynamics of "Shadowplay", the jittery centerpiece "She's Lost Control", and the dismal clanking atmosphere of "I Remember Nothing" all playing integral roles in making this a virtually perfect album. If you haven't heard this album yet, please do yourself a favour and give it a listen.

For years Unknown Pleasures was my preffered dose of Joy Division, but as I've gotten older I find myself gravitating towards their sophomore effort Closer more and more. It's a colder, more percussive, sheeny slow burner that doesn't have the same immediacy as tracks like "She's Lost Control" or "Disorder" do, but is an equally astounding effort as far as I'm concerned. "Isolation" is as catchy as it is morose with one of the most walloping verses ever penned, "Heart and Soul" is a pulsating night crawler,"Twenty Four Hours" is pure poeticism, "Atrocity Exhibition" is a noisy masterpiece that pulls you into its trance, and "Decades" is a synth-laden closing statement of youthful retrospection.

Unfortunately, Closer was released with an irreplaceable shadow cast over it, as singer/lyricist Ian Curtis had taken his own life two months prior to its release. He had struggled with depression and epilepsy for much of his life, and prior to the band's North American tour he died at the age of 23. As tragic as this was, his music and lyrics have had such an indelibly cathartic impact on generations since with his transparent conveyance of introspection and distress.

Post-Closer, the remaining members of Joy Division decided to carry on together, reforming as New Order. Guitarist Bernand Sumner took over lead vocals, with Gillian Gilbert joining them soon after as a keyboardist/guitarist. Under the new moniker, they released a slew of incredible albums throughout the 80's, including some radio hits that are staples to this day ("Blue Monday", "Bizarre Love Triangle"). Their debut album (1981's Movement) is clearly bred with Joy Division DNA, but following that they fully embraced the synth/electronic sound that they had been tinkering with and went full-fledged in the dance/pop/new wave arena to critical and commercial successs. New Order are an incredible band, but Joy Division has always been the project nearest and dearest to me, and I think that's true for most people.

To wrap this up, we've got a couple of discography notes. Unknown Pleasures and Closer are the obvious two essentials as the only two studio albums here. They released a slew of singles, including some of their most seminal songs including "Transmission", "Atmosphere", and "Love Will Tear Us Apart", not to mention essential deep cuts like "Digital", "Dead Souls", and An Ideal For Living's "Warsaw". I've included the aforementioned EP because I tend to think of it as its own proto-thing, despite its inclusion on Substance. I didn't include individual singles because I consider Substance a quintessential piece of their discography, which covers all essential non-album bases. If there's demand for them individually then sure, I'll add them, but for now, Substance is what's required. To add to that, the Still compilation is a crucial component of their discography, but will appeal to dedicated fans moreso than casual listeners. It contains select studio outtakes and b-sides, along with a live recording of their final show that includes "Ceremony", one of their final songs written together, which was later recorded and released as New Order's debut single. We've also got the Warsaw album bootleg (including a 1977 demo), the self-explanatory Peel Sessions (which are worth your time if you're interested), some later live releases which are decent, and The Best Of Joy Divison. I'm not normally one for "greatest hits" albums, but just in case there's someone out there that has yet to sink their teeth into this wonderful band, I do think it's an effective career-spanning on-ramp for a first-time listener, especially since it consists their most beloved and (I mean this positively) accessible songs. Finally, there's the gargantuan Heart And Soul box set. It contains nearly every recorded track by the band between 1977 and 1980, with some anecdotal exceptions. The vast majority of their discography is here, so if you're interested in a singular comprehensive release, this is for you.

In summation, not many bands last for a few short years and have the immense, everlasting effect that Joy Division has had. There are tons of artists cropping up today that are clearly influenced or indebted to this band in some way, even beyond the goth rock/post-punk stuff that they're most closely associated with. On a personal note, they've steadily remained one of my favourite bands for a long time now, and have yet to cease being profoundly resonant, on top of just awe-inspiring to listen to. Two perfect albums, a slew of stellar singles, and a deep well of underrated cuts, it doesn't get much better than this. To close out 2024, thank you again, and I'll see you in the New Year. Enjoy.

An Ideal For Living (1978)

1. Warsaw

2. No Love Lost

3. Leaders Of Men

4. Failures

Unknown Pleasures (1979)

1. Disorder

2. Day Of The Lords

3. Candidate

4. Insight

5. New Dawn Fades

6. She's Lost Control

7. Shadowplay

8. Wilderness

9. Interzone

10. I Remember Nothing

Closer (1980)

1. Atrocity Exhibition

2. Isolation

3. Passover

4. Colony

5. A Means To An End

6. Heart And Soul

7. Twenty Four Hours

8. The Eternal

9. Decades

             

Still (1981)

1. Exercise One

2. Ice Age

3. The Sound Of Music

4. Glass

5. The Only Mistake

6. Walked In Line

7. The Kill

8. Something Must Break

9. Dead Souls

10. Sister Ray (The Velvet Underground cover) (Live)

11. Ceremony (Live)

12. Shadowplay (Live)

13. Means To An End (Live)

14. Passover (Live)

15. New Dawn Fades (Live)

16. Transmission (Live)

17. Disorder (Live)

18. Isolation (Live)

19. Decades (Live)

20. Digital (Live)

Note: Compilation including studio outtakes and select b-sides, along with a recording of their final show, which occurred at High Hall in Birmingham University on May 2, 1980

Substance (1988)

1. Warsaw

2. Leaders Of Men

3. Digital

4. Autosuggestion

5. Transmission

6. She's Lost Control

7. Incubation

8. Dead Souls

9. Atmosphere

10. Love Will Tear Us Apart

11. No Love Lost

12. Failures

13. Glass

14. From Safety To Where...?

15. Novelty

16. Komakino

17. As You Said

18. These Days

19. Love Will Tear Us Apart (Pennine Version)

Note: Compilation including singles and b-sides

The Peel Sessions (1990)

1. Exercise One

2. Insight

3. She's Lost Control

4. Transmission

5. Love Will Tear Us Apart

6. Twenty Four Hours

7. Colony

8. Sound Of Music

Note: Tracks 1-4 recorded on January 31, 1979, tracks 5-8 recorded on November 26, 1979

Warsaw (1994)

1. The Drawback

2. Leaders Of Men

3. They Walked In Line

4. Failures

5. Novelty

6. No Love Lost

7. Transmission

8. Living In The Ice Age

9. Interzone

10. Warsaw

11. Shadowplay

12. As You Said

13. Inside The Line

14. Gutz

15. At A Later Date

16. The Kill

17. You're No Good For Me

Note: Bootleg including the 1978 RCA recordings (1-12) and a 1977 demo (13-17)

Heart And Soul (1997)

Disc 1: Unknown Pleasures Plus

1. Digital

2. Glass

3. Disorder

4. Day Of The Lords

5. Candidate

6. Insight

7. New Dawn Fades

8. She's Lost Control

9. Shadowplay

10. Wilderness

11. Interzone

12. I Remember Nothing

13. Ice Age

14. Exercise One

15. Transmission

16. Novelty

17. The Kill

18. The Only Mistake

19. Something Must Break

20. Autosuggestion

21. From Safety To Where...?

Disc 2: Closer Plus

1. She's Lost Control (12" Version)

2. Sound Of Music

3. Atmosphere

4. Dead Souls

5. Komakino

6. Incubation

7. Atrocity Exhibition

8. Isolation

9. Passover

10. Colony

11. A Means To An End

12. Heart And Soul

13. Twenty Four Hours

14. The Eternal

15. Decades

16. Love Will Tear Us Apart

17. These Days

Disc 3: Rarities

1. Warsaw

2. No Love Lost

3. Leaders Of Men

4. Failures

5. The Drawback (RCA demo)

6. Interzone (RCA demo)

7. Shadowplay (RCA demo)

8. Exercise One (John Peel demo)

9. Insight (Genetic Records session)

10. Glass (Genetic Records session)

11. Transmission (Genetic Records session)

12. Dead Souls (Transmission sessions 1)

13. Something Must Break (Transmission sessions 1)

14. Ice Age (Genetic Records session)

15. Walked In Line (Piccadilly Radio session)

16. These Days (Piccadilly Radio session)

17. Candidate (Piccadilly Radio session)

18. The Only Mistake (Piccadilly Radio session)

19. Atmosphere (Chance Version)

20. Colony (John Peel session)

21. Colony (John Peel session)

22. As You Said

23. Ceremony (rehearsal)

24. In A Lonely Place (detail) (rehearsal)

Disc 4: Live

1. Dead Souls

2. The Only Mistake

3. Insight

4. Candidate

5. Wilderness

6. She's Lost Control

7. Disorder

8. Interzone

9. Atrocity Exhibition

10. Novelty

11. Autosuggestion

12. I Remember Nothing

13. Colony

14. These Days

15. Incubation

16. The Eternal

17. Heart And Soul

18. Isolation

19. She's Lost Control

Preston 28 February 1980 (1999)

1. Incubation

2. Wilderness

3. Twenty Four Hours

4. The Eternal

5. Heart And Soul

6. Shadowplay

7. Transmission

8. Disorder

9. Warsaw

10. Colony

11. Interzone

12. She's Lost Control

Les Bains Douches 18 December 1979 (2001)

1. Disorder

2. Love Will Tear Us Apart

3. Insight

4. Shadowplay

5. Transmission

6. Day Of The Lords

7. 24 Hours

8. These Days

9. A Means To An End

10. Passover

11. New Dawn Fades

12. Atrocity Exhibition

13. Digital

14. Dead Souls

15. Autosuggestion

16. Atmosphere

Note: Live album, tracks 1-9 recorded at the titular venue in Paris, December 1979. Tracks 11-16 are from two separate shows in the Netherlands, January 1980

The Best Of Joy Division (2008)

1. Digital

2. Disorder

3. Shadowplay

4. New Dawn Fades

5. Transmission

6. Atmosphere

7. Dead Souls

8. She's Lost Control

9. Love Will Tear Us Apart

10. These Days

11. Twenty Four Hours

12. Heart And Soul

13. Incubation

14. Isolation

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Deathcrash

deathcrash are a four-piece slowcore/post-rock band from London, England that formed in 2018. They debuted with a series of self-recordings featuring relatively, reverb-heavy lo-fi arpeggios and meandering, drawl-like vocals. Along with the occasional distorted, dissonant climaxes, you get a sound that sits at the intersection between Codeine, Mogwai, and Slint. They quickly progressed and refined that foundational sound over an EP and debut LP, which saw them craft these sprawling songs with cleaner production. They also come more into their own sonically, moving away from the obvious influence that permeated their earliest material.

Earlier this year, their sophomore album Less was released. This is a much more subdued, almost sparse affair. There's a tinge of midwest emo influence, along with these whisper-thin, quivering vocals. This is a somber, reflective and melancholic listen, with each note seeming to ring out and linger. The build-ups are layered but still sound spacious, with some potent highs being hit, particularly on "Empty Heavy" and "Dead, Crashed", which incorporate these layered, almost screamed vocals. It's a stark contrast to the record's predominantly slow pace, which makes it sound that much more immense. Anyway, this is one of the year's finest albums in my opinion, so if it sounds like it's up your alley, do yourself a favour and give it a listen if you haven't already. Enjoy!

Slumber / Bones (2019)

1. Slumber

2. Bones

Sundown (A Collection Of Home Recordings) (2019)

1. Don't Shoot!

2. Slowed

3. Sclarb

4. Hydraulic Jump

5. Speed

People thought my windows were stars (2020)

1. People thought my windows were stars

2. Bind

3. songs m i-iv

Return (2022)

1. Sundown

2. Unwind

3. Horses

4. American Metal

5. Matt's Song

6. Wrestle With Jimmy

7. Metro I

8. Slowday

9. Was Living

10. What To Do

11. Doomcrash

12. The Low Anthem

Less (2023)

1. Pirouette

2. Empty Heavy

3. Duffy's

4. And Now I Am Lit

5. Distance Song

6. Turn

7. Dead, Crashed

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