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Hey there everyone! Thanks for clicking on the SSR newsletter again this week. It gets worse by the hour here in America so I won't try to keep up with the latest lawless and fascist moves our government is making, but suffice to say it's bad.
What to pick this week? We've had a bunch of cool new records and tapes come in this week along with some tasty used titles. If you hadn't heard, the store currently has a lot of in demand video game soundtracks and a whole bunch of pop punk records from the late 90s and early 00s. Not my bag personally, but a lot of people were geeking out hard on these over the weekend. Stop by and take a gander if you are in town.
The kind of early 2000s pop punk I like is the kind made by a band that I know many of you reading will know and love dearly. I'm talking about The Exploding Hearts, the terrific but tragically short lived band from Portland who effortlessly combined punk and power pop so well.
Again, I have Jeff here at SSR and our always homie Eric Chubb for turning me on to these guys. When a copy of Guitar Romantic came into the store, their first and only album, back when I started working here, we jammed it and I instantly fell in love with record. I'm not sure whether that was an original pressing or a reissue, but finally a couple of years ago the album was reissued in a remastered and expanded edition, and it's that version which I now have. Such a great record. So many hooks and earworm riffs and sing-along choruses. If they were trying to sound like a cross between The Clash, early Scientists and Buzzcocks, to name three potential influences, then they nailed it.
The story about the band is a tragic one though, and very sad. Poised on the brink of major success, everything came to an abrupt end when traveling home from a triumphant gig in San Francisco in late July 2003. They were involved in a horrific accident that took the lives of three of the band members. Adam, Jeremy and Matt were all still in their early 20s. My heart goes out to their family and friends and everyone else that knew them. I can't imagine how hard it was to hear that news, and I'm sure it hasn't got any easier. RIP guys. For the world they left behind we have this album, some singles and a great collection of unreleased mixes and demos plus hard to find singles collection called Shattered. That collection recently came into the store and I had to exercise my record store employee privilege and snag that bad boy. It's brilliant and has their awesome single (Making) Teenage Faces on it, which if you can find a copy will cost you a fair penny.
Luckily there is also video footage of the band available if you dig around the internet. These clips and the records will ensure they won't be forgotten. Their legacy will live on. If you already know then you know, but for those late for the party like me then I would highly recommend you seek out Guitar Romantic and Shattered asap in whatever form you consume your music. Obviously we all prefer vinyl, but until you can get yourself a copy go stream 'em.
I've had to write this on my phone as my computer decided to act weird, so I can't leave links, but you're all smart people and know how to use the Internet.
Okay, that's going to have to be it for me. Have a great week and see you next time.
Cheers - Dom