slowcoach

A very abrasive release incomparable to Silver Girl's usual array of light-hearted space pop. Slowcoach, rather, has an edgy San Diego influence that looks up to Drive Like Jehu. Occasional pop tendencies of Modest Mouse and Built to Spill save New Strategies... from a feedback-ridden scream fest, no matter how much the vocalist resembles Mudhoney's Mark Arm. This could simply be placed under the category of "post-rock," but Slowcoach is far better than to be stuck in one genre. - All Music

This band plays music that’s a mix between grunge and indie. The word grunge is lame, but the music on this CD is not - it’s very good, actually. The singer kind of screams, but in a good way - our art director says they sound like Mudhoney. I haven’t heard much of Mudhoney’s music, but if Slowcoach sounds like them, I’d venture to say that they rip. This is mid music - meaning it’s not soft, but it’s not super hard, it’s right in the middle between hard rock and indie rock. They sound a little like Archers of Loaf, which also is a good band. Check out Slowcoach if you’re fed up with MTV shit-rock. - Transworld Surf

This album deserves any rock fan's attention. I think fans of Archers of Loaf, Seaweed, or Guided by Voices especially will dig this. - Rockist

The debut album from Slowcoach, out of central California, puts together rock and some very trippy mood tracks for a strong first showing. They get a little left of center on "Black Tar" which is reminiscent of Phillip Glass on quaaludes. When they stick to the rock they're good, just wander off to get a snack during the intermission tunes. - Impact Press

Gosh, do you remember the first time you heard Pavement’s Slanted and Enchanted? I mean, honestly, can you think back that far? Remember how from the very first, perfect, fuzzy chord of “Summer Babe” you were hooked on lo-fi for life? It was so imperfect. Most groups searched for sonic perfection (Smashing Pumpkins anyone?), but Pavement seemed like they were drawing a picture with a marker whose tip had been bent and smashed. All of the lines were blurred, unclear, and it was, somehow, clever and beautiful. To be quick, Slowcoach is not Pavement. They do however, translate that superfuzz lo-fi vibe into the world of emo, a welcome step in a genre that is becoming cliche really fast.
Much like Slanted and Enchanted, Slowcoach’s debut album (that with the insanely annoying and pretentious title) grabs you with its fuzzy rumble. Slowcoach do not lyrically attempt the absurd yet brilliant stylings of Stephen Malkmus, but their album has that same distinct charm. The vocals are charmingly off-pitch (just slightly) and buried beneath the paper-thin distortion of the winding guitars. Most of the time, you cannot tell what Slowcoach is singing about (the unclear, single-panel liner notes sadly omit the lyrics), but its not just standard emo fare.
Slowcoach aspire to tell a story with their album, but its not just with the lyrics. An Eerie, keyboard-laced instrumental (such as “This Nation”) drones build quietly and prettily, before launching into emotional rockers like “Shackels & Bows.” In fact, most of the time, the lyrics don’t matter. It’s the way they’re sung. The singer (Robert Reich) sounds emotionally charged, and not just because he’s in an emo band (like so many singers in this flailing genre). Reich can be quiet and affecting, such as on “Black Tar” or charged and angry, such as on the aforementioned “Shackels & Bows.”
No matter what style Slowcoach leans towards, they remain unmistakably punk. The pretty melodies are scared by a breaking voice, distorted guitars and abrupt endings (the most melodic moments here come in bursts, such as “Ode to Rekha,” which clocks in at a bittersweet 1:45). When Slowcoach slow things down, they still remain distorted and fuzzy. The scant production on this album does it more good than anything. If these songs were done in a hyper-professional studio, they would lose most of their charm.
Despite the fact that many emo bands have turned the genre into a formula, groups like Slowcoach will bring hope and a tear to your eye. With groups like Slowcoach and Camden expanding the parameters of a sinking movement, there may be hope yet. Slowcoach reside on the relatively obscure Silver Girl records, so finding this album may be slightly tough. Slowcoach is, however, one of the year’s greatest surprises. So, I plead with you, if you are a fan of emo, of punk, perhaps of lo-fi, locate this band. Order them through the label, rummage through record shops from town to town, but locate this band. They are worth your time and attention. Slowcoach is one of those few bands that seems to have some sort of magic hovering around them. A perfect record? No, but perhaps it’s better that way. - Delusions Of Adequacy

Brian Miller's work in Rose for Bodhan has been as much hip-hop as anything else in ways, and a similar aesthetic has been at work with many of the bands signed to his Deathbomb Arc label. That's what makes Why Is Anything Forbidden? -- and rarely has a title been so on-the-money in terms of intent and results -- such a fun collection, at once a label sampler and a tribute to a specific sound. This certainly isn't a Master P extravaganza as such, though the acknowledgements to his work and that of his stable are both lyrical (consider Slowcoach's "Old Dirty Bastard Fuck Fuck Master P" or the Meths' "Master P's Theater") and sonic. - All Music Guide

This morning I shared the news that two songs released on Deathbomb this year were chosen by Gimme Tinnitus in their list of best songs of 2012 so far. One of those Deathbomb tracks is Robert Reich’s cover of Books on Tape for the DBA100 pt 1 free online compilation. Just a few moments ago, Robert noted that he is stoked that people are checking out his music on bandcamp because of this. Which made me realize, since Robert is a bit of musical hermit, maybe not many folks that read the Deathbomb news are familiar with Robert’s work. That is just a shame.

Robert Reich is someone I’ve known since about 1997. Back then he was in an incredible band called Slowcoach. Their debut album came out on Silvergirl (the label responsible for giving great bands like Track Star and Kill Me Tomorrow some of their first releases). In the early years of Deathbomb, Robert helped record a lot of the bands we worked with. Since then, he has mostly just made music to share with his friends. But thankfully for everyone, Robert has put almost everything he has ever been involved with as a musician up on his bandcamp page. Below is one of my favorite tracks he made, in a band called The Bitters. Then I’ve also posted some songs that he recorded for Deathbomb releases. In any case, go check out his stuff, if you like it, share with your friends! Trust me, if you don’t, there is no publicist poised to do so. DIY or DIE, right? - Deathbomb Arc