----------------------------------------------------
5/21/05 news! - i recorded a version of the lucksmiths song 'little distraction' it is here
4/20/05 news! - there haven't been any updates in a while... you know how things go sometimes... but there is a new video available made by the fine folks at black and blue productions. Contact them for all of your video making needs.
1/7/05 news! mfdoj doesn't have rob anymore but does have marie whiteford playing guitar. we played our first show at pearls the other day with the smittens, colin clary and the magogs and missy bly. It was a fun time. I also played my first solo show at colin clary and friends where I played the full petra ep and some songs of the album. here is a picture of that taken by matthew mcdermott
Also MFDOJ has a cover of the Smashing Pumpkins song "Bye June" on the asaurus records compilation "The Hiss That We Have Missed" Check it out here
10/9/04 news! I was trying to mix the MFDOB record and my mac hates me... so I recorded Petra her birthday EP through the tiny mic near the monitor of my laptop and Im'd them to her. I don't remember the exact day of her birthday. but does it matter? These are super lo-fi. I hope you dig them.
1.) Its about us breaking. 2.) No matter how hard. 3.) Fab 60s. 4.) It's ok. 5.) Hey
9/18/04 news! mfdoj is now a live band! featuring hannah from colin clary and the magogs, mfdoj and D43, rob from D43,John, bobby from the static age, colin clary from a million differnt bands, and me. no shows yet... just practices.
news! mfdoj has done a song for the asaurus records compilation tribute to the smashing pumpkins. the song we did is 'bye june' off lull. rob and hannah sang on it and i did the music and recorded it. hopefully they will like it and include us on their comp.
----------------------------------------------------
My First Days on Junk is something I did over a bunch of late nites during the same time the Colin Clary and the Magogs album was being recorded. My friends Hannah Wall from Dialogue for Three, Colin Clary from The Smittens, The Magic is Gone, Lets Whisper and various other bands and Jason Routhier helped out as well.
Mfdoj has never played live although Liberty Valance does a couple mfdoj songs country-ized and sometimes I will play a song or two acoustic if I am feeling brave.
Rob K from D43 is working on a video for from a parked car that has vanessa and hannah in it as well. I will post a link as soon as its done. This song was also on the spring edition of blisscent radio if you keep track of those things.
This is what the cover looks like:
isaac did the artwork.
You can buy it for 10 bucks from northofjanuary. please visit the site, buy the record and help me make enough money to buy lunch today.
Reviews:
sorry if some of the formats are weird on these I cut and pasted them. If I missed one or credited someone wrong or offended a reviewer in anyway please let me know.
Enregistré par morceaux en an et demi dans une cave, voici venir le premier album des enfants illégitimes et américains de My Bloody Valentine, à savoir MFDOJ. Avec un nom pareil comment voulez-vous qu'on enregistre autre part que dans une cave ? En tout cas c'est une cave immense, où s'empilent guitares électriques et acoustiques, où se cognent batteries et drumsloops, où les voix prennent un écho inhumain.
Les MFDOJ recherchent le mur du son et enregistre l'espace, l'air, comme cherchait
à le faire Phil Spector. Les compositions sont tantôt ambitieuses,
tantôt intimistes comme How do I tell if you've gone too far ou la reprise
atmosphérique de Forever, classique des Beach Boys.
Ces chansons dédiées à Darla montent et descendent comme
les effets de manque d'un addict quelconque. Leurs durée varient d'une
soixantaine de secondes intenses (Summer in a train) à cinq minutes de
blocage psychotique sur un même accord (Missing Darla). L'utilisation
sur Prescription for a saint et Getting through to somone new / From a parcked
car du fade in/fade out entraîne l'auditeur dans un glissement schizophrène.
Vous avez déjà remarqué que les titres des morceaux sont
assez longs. Le livret nous apprend que Hannah Wall, transfuge de Dialogue for
three, et Colin Clary, transfuge de The Magic is Gone, ont beaucoup chanté
sur ce disque. Le traitement du mix a rendu leurs voix presque inquiétantes
pour tout individu saint de corps et d'esprit.
Si vous voulez savoir ce que produisent des allumés enfermés dans
une cave avec des guitares, achetez ce disque, disponible sur le net. Ames insensibles
s'abstenir.
Par Vince
From
Bees Knees:
My First Days on Junk - Songs for Darla the Fake Girl (North
of January)
Blissed out pop some twee pop folk s like Colin Clary, jason Routhier, Steve
Williams and Hannah Wall showing that these kids are not just one trick ponies.
This record breathes some much needed cute life in a sad ho-hum shoegaze scene
that is starting to take itself way too seriously. One of the best records of
this issue without a doubt.
MY FIRST DAYS ON JUNK - SONGS FOR DARLA THE FAKE GIRL / DANGERFIVE
- NORTH OF JANUARY
Another awful band name (see above) had me thinking "sell pile" the
whole time but this is too good to get rid of. These are the recordings of one
guy (I think his name is Steve Williams) and w/ help from others (including
Colin Clary) and some of his favorite records propped up near him in the studio
(by the likes of Slowdive, MBV, Spacemen 3, etc) he grinds out 12 fuzzy near
classics. The opening, "Prescription for a Saint" is just brilliant!
(North of January; PO Box 5691 Burlington, VT 05402)
My First Days on Junk Songs for Darla the Fake Girl: Is there any type of music that Colin Clary hasn't experimented with? My First Days On Junk isn't totally his project--this is the brainchild of a mysterious fellow named Steve--but he's all over this record. My First Days on Junk is 100% pure shoegaze--you can tell because the guitars are blissed out, the vocals are blurry and fuzzy and the music is just generally dopey. It ain't bad, though; the boy-girl vocal interplay is quite nice, and Colin and Hannah's "Your World and the Way We Left It" is the "Summer Dreams" for the black turtleneck set. MFDOJ do a beautiful cover of Beach Boy Dennis Wilson's "Forever." There are some really great instrumental passages, too. A lot of this record reminds me of Hum, but only in the best of ways. I'm definitely interested in hearing more. Fun fact: while listening this review, I was inspired to write this phrase: "Dyslexic shoegazers of the world, untie!"(Dangerfive/North of January)
My First Days On Junk - "Songs For Darla The Fake Girl"
cd (North Of January)
Composed of folks from the Magogs, Smittens and The Magic Is Gone (among other
bands), this is the debut album from My First Days On Junk. A bit different
from those bands, this record is composed of songs that are a lot more layered,
a la My Bloody Valentine and Lenola, and some Neil Young-via-Biff Bang Pow
acoustic tunes. There are a few obvious MBV references here, but "Getting
Through To Someone New" is about as close to a Loveless rip off (err, I
mean
loving tribute) as you can get. There are some terrific songs on here, like
the
super-poppy "Your World And The Way We Left It", "Raspberry Tea"
and the very
Pastels-ish minute long "Tired From The Trip"; but there were also
a few duds,
like "How Do I Tell If You've Gone Too Far?", the plodding "Headfirst
For The
Good Guys" and the Spacemen 3 (ugh) droney "Missing Darla". On
the whole, it's
a pretty good record, but not terribly original... MTQ=8/13
Northeast
Performer (they must have bought it .. this
is a funny one.)
My First Days On Junk is the collective project of Steve Williams, Hannah
Wall, Jason Routhier, and Colin Clary, collectively of Dialogue for Three, the
Magic is Gone, the Magogs, the Smittens, and Colin Clary bi-polar outing. A
collaborative effort is a complicated enough feat for bands that are
completely committed to one kind of project. My First Days On Junk is a more
hi-fi effort with real potential, but may miss the mark and leave listeners
wondering. Assuming this album is a diversion from more underground genres,
most of the ethics that make for a radio-ready rock record are missing. My
First Days On Junk is on the whole an indecisive effort, uncomfortably
straddling the ethics of indie and mainstream. Songs start off with a bang,
but rarely establish themselves, and add to the content/ context confusion of
an indie band recording an album of this style. The content of the songs i.e
the words, the melodies, the lack of direction all might work for an indie
record; but within the context of a radio-rock album, the lack of hooks,
reliable song structure, and ability to distinguish the lead singer of the
band adds to the confusion. The effort to deliver the best of both worlds is
highly ambitious; it's basically like trying to blend a Picasso and a DaVinci
painting. The underlying principles between genres are incredibly different,
equally valuable, and exceedingly difficult to successfully synthesize. My
First Days On Junk seems suffers from a lack of center as a result of its
attempt to situate itself across styles and accommodate so many artists. Colin
Clary and Hannah Wall have highly individualistic voices, and as a duo are
often a bit competitive. Furthermore, the lyrics are for the most part
collectively written by the band which contributes to the confusion. In all
fairness, the recording sounds unbelievable, especially for being recorded in
a basement studio, and much of the playing is exciting. (North of January)
My First Days On Junk - Songs For Darla The Fake Girl
Recorded by Steve Williams Mastered by Jason at Hi-Fi-Lo-Fi
Reviewer -Jamie Rattner
-------------------------------
Hello!
Just thought I'd let you know that My First Days On Junk - "Songs For
Darla The Fake Girl" placed #8 on our Top-30 countdown for 2/10/04!!
Thanks,
The Music Department
KDVS Music Department
14 Lower Freeborn Hall
Davis, CA. 95616
http://www.kdvs.org
2004 Fundraiser: April 19-26!!
------------------------------
2003 Top 10From: Stewart Mason
Subject: 2003 Top 10
Date: Mon, 05 Jan 2004 00:16:11 -0800Title -- Artist (Label) ("Favorite
Song")
1. Lil Beethoven -- Sparks (Palm) ("How Do I Get To Carnegie Hall?")
2. Speakerboxxx/The Love Below -- OutKast (Arista) ("Roses")
3. Leap of Folly -- The Trolleyvox (Groove Disques) ("Le Fleur de Lys")
4. From the Attic -- Damone (RCA) ("Frustrated Unnoticed")
5. Nellie McKay -- Nellie McKay (self-released) ("Inner Peace")
6. Electric Version -- The New Pornographers (Matador) ("The Laws Have
Changed")
7. Three -- Slumber Party (Kill Rock Stars) ("No Sleep Tonite")
8. A New Devotion -- The High Dials (Rainbow Quartz) ("Morning's White
Vibration")
9. The Restoration of Culture After Genghis Khan -- The Jupiter Affect
(Orange Sky) ("You Are Wise In Your Conceit O Beautiful Woman of the Tartars")
10. It's the Ones Who've Cracked That the Light Shines Through -- Jeffrey
Lewis (Rough Trade) ("No LSD Tonight")
11. Permission To Build -- Waltham (Traktor7) ("All I Want Is You")
12. Chutes Too Narrow -- The Shins (Sub Pop) ("Turn A Square")
13. Her Majesty -- The Decemberists (Hush) ("I Was Meant for the Stage")
14. Strangely Beautiful -- Club 8 (Hidden Agenda) ("I Wasn't Much of a
Fight")
15. Welcome Interstate Managers -- Fountains of Wayne (S-Curve) ("Stacy's
Mom")
16. The Magic is You! -- Corn Mo (Guns A-Blazin') ("Lollipop Time")
17. About A Bird -- Peachfuzz (Dionysus) ("So Why Not Now")
18. Elephant -- The White Stripes (V2) ("Seven Nation Army")
19. Beet Maize and Corn -- The High Llamas (Drag City) ("The Walworth River")
20. Kogidaso! Shura-Shu-Shun! -- The Dudoos (Sound Pollution) ("Sarabretto
Hai-Yo-Hoy!")
ANY OF THESE 20 ALBUMS COULD BE #21 (alphabetical):
Carmin -- Bia (Saravah)
Apple O' -- Deerhoof (Kill Rock Stars)
The Stars of St. Andrea -- Devics (Bella Union)
Destination Girl -- Finishing School (Kindercore)
Monsoon: Out Trios Volume One -- William Hooker/Roger Miller/Lee Ranaldo
(Atavistic)
Piece of Mind -- Robin Lane and the Chartbusters (Windjam)
Obedience -- Larval (Cuneiform)
Underwater Casino -- Dom Mariani and the Majestic Kelp (Head)
Antistar -- The Marshmallow Coast (Kindercore)
Summer City -- Danny McDonald (Zip)
Career Objective -- The Methadones (Stardumb)
One Step More and You Die -- Mono (Arena Rock)
In the Fishtank Volume 10 -- Motorpsycho and the Jaga Jazzizt Horns
(Konkurrent)
Songs For Darla the Fake Girl -- My First Days On Junk (North of January)
Yours Mine and Ours -- The Pernice Brothers (Ashmont)
Liz Phair -- Liz Phair (Capitol)
L'Avventura - Britta Phillips and Dean Wareham (Jetset)
Year of the Rhinos -- The Rhinos (Rainbow Quartz)
Transcendental -- Slipstream (Hidden Agenda)
When I'm Falling -- Terminal 4 (Truckstop)
Don't remember where this is from (sue
me)
#05 - Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It In People
#06 - M83 - Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts
#07 - Justin Sullivan - Navigating By The Stars
#08 - Belle & Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress
#09 - Killing Joke - Killing Joke
#10 - Ronderlin - Wave Another Day Goodbye
#11 - Ulrich Schnauss - A Strangely Isolated Place
#12 - The Wrens - The Meadowlands
#13 - Spearmint - My Missing Days
#14 - The Legends - Up Against The Legends
#15 - Lightning Bolt - Wonderful Rainbow
#16 - The Clientele - The Violet Hour
#17 - Manitoba - Up In Flames
#18 - Architecture In Helsinki - Fingers Crossed
#19 - True Love Always - Clouds
#20 - Pipas - Golden Square
#21 - The Aislers Set - How I Learned To Write Backwards
#22 - Arab Strap - Monday At The Hug And Pint
#23 - Isobel Campbell - Amorino
#24 - Wire - Send
#25 - Imitation Electric Piano - Trinity Neon
#26 - Boy - Boy
#27 - Aarktica - Pure Tone Audiometry
#28 - Snow Patrol - Final Straw
#29 - Edson - Every Day, Every Second
#30 - Explosions In The Sky - The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place
#31 - Britta Phillips & Dean Wareham - L'Avventura
#32 - Buck 65 - Talkin' Honky Blues
#33 - Saturday Looks Good To Me - All Your Summer Songs
#34 - The Hidden Cameras - The Smell Of Our Own
#35 - Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever To Tell
#36 - Saloon - If We Meet In The Future
#37 - The Lucksmiths - Naturaliste
#38 - Camera Obscura - Underachievers Please Try Harder
#39 - Meeting Places - Find Yourself Along The Way
#40 - 1 Mile North - Minor Shadows
#41 - Mogwai - Happy Songs For Happy People
#42 - Dressy Bessy - Dressy Bessy
#43 - The Decemberists - Her Majesty
#44 - Meanwhile, Back In Communist Russia - My Elixir; My Poison
#45 - Plus-Minus - You Are Here
#46 - Clearlake - Cedars
#47 - Massive Attack - 100th Window
#48 - The Postal Service - Give Up
#49 - New Pornographers - Electric Version
#50 - Robin Guthrie - Imperial
Also rans.....In alphabetical order
Ballboy - The Sash My Father Wore And Other Stories
Broadcast - Haha Sound
Gorkys Zygotic Mynci - Sleep Holiday
Grandaddy - Sumday
Jetscreamer - Starhead
M.. Ward - Transfiguration Of Vincent
Melt Banana - Cell-Scape
My First Days On Junk - Songs For Darla The Fake Girl
My Morning Jacket - It Still Moves
Piano Magic - The Troubled Sleep Of
Prefuse 73 - One Word Extinguisher
Sodastream - A Minor Revival
Songs-Ohia - Magnolia Electric Co
Spiritualized - Amazing Grace
Sufjan Stevens - Greetings from Michigan The Great Lakes State
Super Furry Animals - Phantom Power
The Essex Green - The Long Goodbye
The Fall - The Real New Fall LP - Formerly Country On The Click
The Rapture - Echoes
The Raveonettes - Chain Gang Of Love
The Shins - Chutes To Narrow
The Strokes - Room On Fire
The Windmills - Now Is Then
From
Seven Days
Vermont CDs of 2003
In the past 12 months we’ve seen an impressive number of local releases
slide across the desk here at Seven Days. The music scene seems to be rocking
along, producing some fine sounds along the way. And with each year, the Vermont
music community expands into previously untouched territory.
Picking the Top 10 Vermont-made discs of the year was a daunting task. Each
of our regular critics weighed in as we tried to narrow a list of nearly three
dozen down to 10. With the increased accessibility of CDRs and home-burned 3-inchers,
the amount of material released in 2003 dwarfed what we’ve seen in years
past.
Many artists and releases that didn’t make the final 10 still deserve
special mention. Vermont: Kitchen Tunks and Parlor Songs provided a unique listen-in
on the state’s musical past. Hip-hoppers Eye Oh You released two splendid
discs in which they graduated from live party starters to studio mavens. Named
By Strangers offered a fresh take on the jam sound, while The Smittens pooled
their cuteness to produce an impressive collection of pop gems.
Some ex-locals and recent returns released records of merit over the past year
as well. Though now chillin’ in San Francisco, Arthur Adams finally got
it together to release a proper Lazy Songwriter album, full of the winking lyrics
and big hooks that made him popular in Burlington. Local legend Joshe Henry
returned to town after a foray out West, sporting a best-of collection that’s
both amusing and poignant.
On to the big 10. For the first time, we’ve given the top slot to a collection
of discs. Since forming last winter, Icebox Records has put out some of the
most intriguing music ever heard in these parts. From the hypnotic bliss of
Jason Cooley’s School Bus releases to the experimental noise of Chefkirk
and the pure pop of Ryan Power, IBR could do no wrong in ’03. Still, no
single record packed the punch of Lacuna by Eric Olsen, assuming the moniker
of E_O. In 21 minutes and 50 seconds, he crafted a record with stunning simplicity
and raw emotion. Congrats.
This was one hell of a year in tunes. Hats off to the lot of you.
ETHAN COVEY
1. The Icebox Records 3-inch CD series — School Bus, Painless;
E_O, Lacuna; Renaldoh, Naked; School Bus, Blue Button, Eric Olsen, Fieldings-Volume
1; Ryan Power, Making Friends Out of Strangers; Chefkirk, Swedish Topspin; Mus-Ok,
I’m OK, Tom’s OK; School Bus, Don’t Jesus Me
2. 35th Parallel —
The Green Vine
3. My First Days on Junk —
Songs for Darla the Fake Girl
4. Bluegrass Gospel Project — On Our Way Home
5. Concentric — Concentric
6. Class Clown — Wrong Side EP
7. Michele Choiniere —
Coeur Fragile
8. Manifest Nexto Me —
Victim Oblivion
9. Colin James McCaffrey — Make Your Way Home
10. Colin Clary — The Only
Boy in Town
December 2003
There was a time, way back in the early 90’s, when the whole alternate/college/indie
rock scene had a lot of good bands, that played pretty accessible music that
was also interesting to listen to. Y’know, Yo La Tengo, The Vaselines,
Galaxie 500, some of the early Simple Machines and TeenBeat stuff. I don’t
know if that has changed, or if I have just gotten older or stopped paying attention,
but I don’t hear that kind of music too often anymore, which makes My
First Days on Junk a pleasant surprise. The first half of the disc is catchy
with nice coed vox and layers of acoustic and fuzzed out electric guitars. They
even get in touch with their inner Kevin Shields on the back to back pair "Getting
Through To Someone New/From a Parked Car". As they head for the end they
get folky-mellow ("How Do I Tell If You’ve Gone Too Far", "Forever").
Sure it’s a bit influenced, but hey, they are my influences! If they are
yours, you will probably dig this also. The quality of the songwriting is really
what makes this type of music, and these folks do it well.
From
splendidezine.com
Steve Williams seems like a pretty well-adjusted guy from the general state
of things, so I'm going to assume that this album's title is not a mean-spirited
jab at the shoegaze standard-bearers over at Darla Records. And even if it is,
he's got nothing to worry about -- Songs for Darla the Fake Girl is as compelling
as anything in the vaunted Bliss Out series. Combining elements of My Bloody
Valentine, Slowdive and good ol' DIY, this record has both homespun intimacy
and cosmic sweep within its grasp.
The recent spate of excellent indie shoegazer records is interesting for a number
of reasons, but none more so that the incredible act of transmutation it has
performed: shoegaze is now kind of punk. Think about it -- years ago, shoegaze
records were expensive to make. You needed equipment, effects pedals, loads
of studio time -- ergo, big label support. But the advent of affordable home
recording technology has democratized the space rockoeuvre, bringing celestial
reverb within reach of almost anyone with a Visa card. The entirety of Songs
for Darla the Fake Girl was recorded in a basement by a rotating cast of non-professional
musicians. Elephant 6 has embraced Kevin Shields.
Of course, all of this paradigm-shifting wouldn't mean a damn if the songs didn't
stack up, and they largely do. Opener "Prescription for a Saint" lays
on the distortion heavy and thick, sculpting it into a form-fitting pop song.
Later on, the album downshifts into a contemplative acoustic mode, breezing
through a zero-gravity cover of The Beach Boys' "Forever". "Getting
Through to Someone New" swirls like vintage Chapterhouse and "Your
World and the Way We Left It" updates the sound, albeit only slightly,
with clattering breakbeats. Stickier melodies would be a nice addition next
time around -- the glow fades quickly after you've pressed the stop button --
but the all-important sonics pulse and heave, creating temporary spaces out
of guitar effects and harmonies. Shoegaze has been reclaimed from its corporate
handlers -- a "Vapour Trail" in every stereo and a flanger in every
guitar case. Huzzah!-- Ben Hughes
REVIEW
My First Days on Junk
"Songs for Darla the fake girl" (2002 North of January/ Danger five
records)After receiving this CD in the post , I thought I'd find out more about
the band/mastermind behind this release,
I like to do this before listening it gives me a feel for what the music is
about, also I have not heard of this band before.
A visit to the labels web site gave me some information and I found out that
it's the baby of Steve William,
(under the alias "My first Days on Junk"),recorded late night and
influenced by early dreampop/shoegaze/indie.
I was interested.
It seems over a year and a half Steve pulled in a host of friends and made this
nicely packaged cd. I contacted Steve to
find out more about him and MFDOJ and found out that he is involved in several
other bands and projects like The Magog's
,Liberty Valance and The Magic is Gone. He not only plays, but also puts himself
behind the mixing desk in his basement
studio for the recording side of things. He has also self financed a free cd
under the MFDOJ name, (which is long gone),
but this is his first real release.
Ok , onto "Songs for Darla the fake girl" . First off it has beautiful
artwork which is very refreshing to see as I find many
small releases look a bit too DIY. How does it sound??
I played the cd several times and over all this is a very nice cd , great songs
and great sound.
Twelve tracks of bliss. Now like most reviewers I will not force my "they
sound like" view as I feel that this release has some
influences from the early 90's, but it stands on it's own. So I'll go through
each track and give you the results of what I found on listening.
1. Prescription for a Saint - What a strong opening track! A wall of Guitar
and lovely driving drums with gentle vocals over the top.
This is 4:14 of pure delight with a dash of pop.
2. Your world and the way we Left - Straight into this track, no messing around
here. jangelly guitar and frantic drums
with a slight walk in noisy pop land. But what stands out is the lovely duel
male/female combo vocal. The chorus says it all "Beautiful, Beautiful".
3. Getting through to someone New - A mammoth sounding instrumental, layers
of wailing guitar driving percussions, you could get lost in
this track and not be seen again.
4. From a parked Car - This for me is one of the many highlights on this cd,
I love this song everything is just right here.All I'm going to say is **Listen
to this track**
5. Raspberry Tea - Pop, pop and more pop. Great little pop song thick guitar
and chirpy vocals.
6. Summer in the Rain - A short little track with a nice ring to it. I love
the guitar sound . This track should have been longer just so I could hear more
of guitar
7. Tired from the Trip - What a change a short little pop ditty with "Bup
Boo" chorus. At 51 sec it is short but the biggest change is the very stripped
back sound , acoustic guitar no wall of sound, just a simple nice pop song.
8. How do I tell if you've gone too Far? - A great guitar song , there is sadness
in this song. Reminds me of early,lonely cold morning and you realize that the
rest of the day will be no better.
9. Forever - A Beach Boys Cover. Yes, and it fits in nicely with a simple acoustic,some
synth and solo vocal.
10. Vacation head Revisited - A country/Alt style track with lovely girl vocals
and another string to the MFDOJ bow. A happy go lucky track , that makes you
feel good inside.
11. Headfirst for the good Guy - A power chord beginning with a dark layered
beast underneath. Powerful and sad at the same time a nice track to turn up
loud and turn off all the lights.
12. Missing Darla - What a way to end this cd. Guitar and more guitar, sounds
like the same chord being slammed at you in rhythmic march with the distant
vocals leading the way.
13. Untitled Track - Did I say the end ? I was wrong a great non listed track
finishes up this cd with a bang. Noise pop at it's best.
Buy this cd . It's a great find and at $10 there is no excuse . I think it's
well worth the money and I look forward to more from
"My first days on junk" .
Reviewer
Michael
From
Blisscent List
The topic has come up recently that 2003 may be a bad
year for shoegaze music. Although My First Days On
Junk may not exactly be shoegaze, I would definitely
compare them to it as well as somewhat dream poppy and
space rockish.
The album "Songs For Darla The Fake Girl" begins with
a couple of incredible songs. "Prescription For A
Saint" and "Your World And The Way We Left It" both
get me pretty pumped up to listen to this album. The
boy/girl vocals blend well together and are both
strong.
Through the middle of the album, there are some
lighter songs and an instrumental. Unfortunately, some
of these songs have great potential but are way too
short. "Summer In The Rain" and "Tired From The Trip"
are each only about a minute long.
As the album approaches it's end, track 10 reminds one
of the extreme talent this band has and that with some
more experience I could see this band doing some great
things.
I would recommend this album to shoegaze fans and
especially those who like indie pop in general.
I will definitely be looking forward to My First Days
On Junk's next release.
From
erasingclouds.com
My First Days on Junk, Songs for Darla The Fake Girl (North of January/Danger
Five)
The first three songs on My First Days on Junk's album Songs for Darla the Fake
Girl each begin with a loud, full, dreamy swirl of guitars that immediately
marks the group as My Bloody Valentine-lovers. There's no hiding it, not that
they're trying to. That lovingly warped MBV sound is pleasurable in its own
right to many of us, but My First Days on Junk's songs benefit from having at
their core great pop melodies. These songs don't need the blissed-out veneer;
they'd be great pop songs if stripped down to just a singer and a guitar. As
the album proceeds, that gets more and more evident, as by song #7, "Tired
From the Trip," they've done away with the effects and are down to the
basics. The songs that follow it, "How Do I Tell if You've Gone Too Far?"
and "Forever," are slower and more minimalist songs that sound like
the weary mornings-after the far-out trips of the earlier songs. Then there's
a bouncy summer pop song ("Vacation Head Revisited") before the group
dives back into the hurricane, announcing with a resounding crunch at the beginning
of "Headfirst for the Good Guys" that they're on a trip once again.
The album ends with "Missing Darla," one more fuzzed-out meditation
that should be played loud as hell. When the unlisted bonus track starts with
the line, "What kind of a band is this, I know", you laugh, cause
My First Days on Junk do seem to be jumping back and forth a bit. But that indecision
is A-OK with me; as long as they keep writing catchy hooks, they can dress them
up in a wall of sound or not…either way sounds great. After all, as one
of the group members, Colin Clary, sings on the first song, "Attention
deficit is what you make of it."
From
Seven Days
MY FIRST DAYS ON JUNK, SONGS FOR DARLA THE FAKE GIRL
(North of January/Dangerfive Records, CD)
A split release on Burlington’s North of January and Dangerfive Records
labels, My First Days on Junk’s latest release is an explosion of swirling
indie-pop gems. Taking cues from ’90s underground rock luminaries such
as My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive, the group crafts cute, shimmering pop songs
and cakes them in layers of buzzing, hypnotic guitars. Sure, the shoe-gazing
thang is fairly played out, but MFDOJ inject their compositions with just the
right blend of retro stylishness and modern songwriting. The long, instrumental
washes that end “From a Parked Car” blend seamlessly into the buoyant
fuzz-pop of “Raspberry Tea.” Likewise, slow-burning ballads such
as “How Do I Tell If You’ve Gone Too Far?” and “Forever”
complement the tender, country-tinged bounce of “Vacation Head Revisited”
and the massive guitar haze of “Headfirst for the Good Guys.” Songs
for Darla the Fake Girl is a remarkably solid and charming album.
ETHAN COVEY
From Bigtakeover
The Junks surely enter the Guinness Book of World Records for the most repetitions
of a word-in this case, "beautiful"-in a song ("Your world and
The Way We Left It"), and it is the most annoying damn thing I can conjure
short of the caterwaul of babies in a church. That aside, they play a relatively
decent mimicry ot The Jesus & Mary Chain and manage to fuse some nice melodies
amidst the prominent rhythm guitars. But it is later into the album, when they
generally lay to rest the weak male/female harmony and the bigger guitars when
Junks demonstrate a more somber , reflective and consequently more interesting
side.
Paul Regelbrugge