Artist: Brain Handle
Album: Baseball 7"
Label: Self-Released/Mind Cure
Label: Self-Released/Mind Cure
Release: 2010
Tracklist:
1. Baseball [Live]
2. Trapped In A Toilet (Beautiful Member)
3. Shocking Pee (Club Ed)
This curious lil' Record Store Day 2010-exclusive release (limited to 200 copies and given away by the band at a show) might end up being the last release of one of the most underrated contemporary hardcore bands, Pittsburgh's Brain Handle. I will always maintain that they are one of the finest hardcore bands of the primes (2000-2009), even if they suffer from the dreaded No Way overpressing syndrome and one can find their records in dollar bins around the country. Let's just consider that a blessing to all those out there who want great music for cheap!
Anyway, this record features two "new" songs from the band and a pseudo-skit. Part of what made Brain Handle so great was not just their oddball take on fast 80s hardcore, but their ability to write insanely catchy, midtempo stompers, like "Wallet Sniffin'" and "Cold Pavement." This 7" highlights this gift with a stomper on both sides.
The A-side is a live version (I think?) of "Baseball," a song that I believe was supposed to end up on their aborted 12". As you can tell, I'm not so clear on the details because the packaging (a term I use lightly) of this record is absolutely retarded (and erroneous), complete with a weird brainbiker and oddly-placed Facebook photos of one of the guitarists. Ultimately, though, it's the music that really matters, and "Baseball" is one of the finest songs the band ever wrote, with the band plodding forward with headbanging force and sick soloing. The B-side is a cover of "Trapped In A Toilet" by the legendary Beautiful Member, a band so good that even I've never heard them. It's more of the same, which is to say it's awesome. The side is rounded out (with locked groove and all) with a recording of one of the band members peeing into a toilet and electrocuting himself. I sincerely hope this did not affect his procreative abilities.
Brain Handle might not exist anymore, but at least they can say that they went out on both a ludicrous and satisfying note. How apropos. Also, I'd like to add that this rip and cover image comes from Harry's Rex. Thank you, as I was not able to rip the vinyl or scan the cover myself because my friend Pat has had my copy for months. I gotta get that back...
Anyway, this record features two "new" songs from the band and a pseudo-skit. Part of what made Brain Handle so great was not just their oddball take on fast 80s hardcore, but their ability to write insanely catchy, midtempo stompers, like "Wallet Sniffin'" and "Cold Pavement." This 7" highlights this gift with a stomper on both sides.
The A-side is a live version (I think?) of "Baseball," a song that I believe was supposed to end up on their aborted 12". As you can tell, I'm not so clear on the details because the packaging (a term I use lightly) of this record is absolutely retarded (and erroneous), complete with a weird brainbiker and oddly-placed Facebook photos of one of the guitarists. Ultimately, though, it's the music that really matters, and "Baseball" is one of the finest songs the band ever wrote, with the band plodding forward with headbanging force and sick soloing. The B-side is a cover of "Trapped In A Toilet" by the legendary Beautiful Member, a band so good that even I've never heard them. It's more of the same, which is to say it's awesome. The side is rounded out (with locked groove and all) with a recording of one of the band members peeing into a toilet and electrocuting himself. I sincerely hope this did not affect his procreative abilities.
Brain Handle might not exist anymore, but at least they can say that they went out on both a ludicrous and satisfying note. How apropos. Also, I'd like to add that this rip and cover image comes from Harry's Rex. Thank you, as I was not able to rip the vinyl or scan the cover myself because my friend Pat has had my copy for months. I gotta get that back...
-Adam
11 comments:
Honored to have my crappy pics and sloppy rips on your fine blog. Rad record.
thanks a lot for this one. have been looking forward to hear for quite some time.
greetings from sweden
// Andreas
have orders for those new natural law tapes went out yet? I ordered that and the neon blud lp the day they went up but haven't gotten em yet so I was just wondering. didn't know where else to post this so if there's somewhere else I should hit up just let me know, thanks!
no worries. and no, they have not. huge delays on them, but they're finally in the mail to us from NAC and will be here on Monday, which means all of them will be shipped out on Tuesday. sorry for the delay!
for future reference, our email is on our webstore.
-Adam
hey at least no way kept shit available unlike certain labels that released limited garbage records to too much hype
that is very true. No Way is actually one of my favorite labels, so I meant no hate with my comment.
-Adam
Side A was recorded live at Side 2 Studios in Boston, Massachusetts in May of 09. The entire live set can be heard here: http://www.sidetwostudio.blogspot.com/
Side B was recorded on the same day as the "Smiling/Smiling Again" ep. Beautiful Member was a Pittsburgh band, active for the latter portion of the 2000s.
"Shocking Pee" has not produced any documented, long term detrimental effects to date.
there you have it!
I do still have this
I see nothing wrong with printing enough copies of a record so that everyone who wants one can get one.
i never said there was anything wrong with it. i agree with that, but itseems as if there are more copies than people who want it, apparently. why else would so many be sitting in record store bins?
i'm all for overpressing than underpressing.
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