Band: BLAKE
Genres: Punk / Math Rock / Post-Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz / Jazz
Related artists: Rockets Red Glare, Holding Pattern, Mr. Penny, Picastro, Horse Hands, Sympathy Girls, Die!venom, Burn Rome In A Dream, Jim Guthrie and Sea Snakes.
Country: Toronto, Ontario CANADA
Years Active: 1996-1999
Song: "Götterdämerung"
Album: "Blake"
Year: 1997
For fans of: Off Minor, Shotmaker, The Exploder, Indian Summer, Maximillian Colby, Ahleuchatistas, Ten Grand, Serotonin, Campbell Trio, Clikitat Ikatowi, Okara, Amber Inn, Four Hundred Years, Anasarca, Slint, Frodus, Twelve Hour Turn, Colored Moth, Faraquet, 1.6 Band and Sleepytime Trio.
Related artists: Rockets Red Glare, Holding Pattern, Mr. Penny, Picastro, Horse Hands, Sympathy Girls, Die!venom, Burn Rome In A Dream, Jim Guthrie and Sea Snakes.
Country: Toronto, Ontario CANADA
Years Active: 1996-1999
Song: "Götterdämerung"
Album: "Blake"
Year: 1997
For fans of: Off Minor, Shotmaker, The Exploder, Indian Summer, Maximillian Colby, Ahleuchatistas, Ten Grand, Serotonin, Campbell Trio, Clikitat Ikatowi, Okara, Amber Inn, Four Hundred Years, Anasarca, Slint, Frodus, Twelve Hour Turn, Colored Moth, Faraquet, 1.6 Band and Sleepytime Trio.
Label(s): Blue Skies Turn Black / Spectra Sonic Sound / The Mintaka Conspiracy / Organic Records
BLAKE were an Toronto-based trio that existed from 1996-1999 in Canada, releasing only two 7"s and an LP of emotive hardcore/math-rock that sound influenced equally by Slint and Sleepytime Trio. Members also spent time in Rockets Red Glare, Holding Pattern, Mr. Penny, Picastro, Sea Snakes and a bunch more, but I only recognize the the first in the list.
Their first 7" was a self-titled released in 1997 and features some excellent debut songs. "Lamplight" is pretty jazzy and abrasive, falling somewhere between Ahleuchatistas and Shotmaker. "Fortune" and "Divination Sequence" are decent songs, but "Götterdämerung" is my fucking jam. After a very playful and light first minute that is definitely reminiscent of Faraquet the song breaks into a ridiculously catchy 4-note-repeat dance-fest from 1:36. The groove on this is stellar, as is the hi-hat work, the soft/hard dynamics and that drum switch-up at 1:58 and again at 2:20 generally make me salivate out of the left corner of my mouth.
The following year they released two songs on a 'Spirit split' 7". "Supply and Demand" is essentially Indian Summer spliced with Twelve Hour Turn (which is a helluva good thing), but it's "Three Quarter" (which also appears on the 12"LP) with it's commanding bass and Four Hundred Years-esque vocals that really get me.
Their final output, 1999's 'Blake' 12"LP. It's kind of a weird mix of stuff, as side A houses "Three Quarter" from the split 7" before jumping into five more tunes recorded back in 1996. "Bottles for the Contents" and "Layman's Terms" both remind me a lot of Shotmaker and The Exploder, while "No Vote" is a killer tune that sounds like Sleepytime Trio...except for that obtuse Snack Truck part at 2:17. "Bishop" is instrumental and reminds me of Ahleuchatistas, while "Idleness" is more like instrumental Off Minor, as it is faster and more reckless than the previous tune. Side B contains new tracks recorded in 1999, which have a very different feel as they are much slower and rely on dark, groovy instrumental stretches with crooned vocals over top. Kinda Cursive. Kinda Medications. Very Slint. I like it, but not as much as the earlier material. My favourite, "RS", is 4:17 of chill, well-orchestrated Slint-worship with a hint of Frodus that packs a wallop come 3:30.
I am surprised how often this band is overlooked when talking about 90s emo and Canadian hardcore in general. Full discography link below!
BLAKE were an Toronto-based trio that existed from 1996-1999 in Canada, releasing only two 7"s and an LP of emotive hardcore/math-rock that sound influenced equally by Slint and Sleepytime Trio. Members also spent time in Rockets Red Glare, Holding Pattern, Mr. Penny, Picastro, Sea Snakes and a bunch more, but I only recognize the the first in the list.Their first 7" was a self-titled released in 1997 and features some excellent debut songs. "Lamplight" is pretty jazzy and abrasive, falling somewhere between Ahleuchatistas and Shotmaker. "Fortune" and "Divination Sequence" are decent songs, but "Götterdämerung" is my fucking jam. After a very playful and light first minute that is definitely reminiscent of Faraquet the song breaks into a ridiculously catchy 4-note-repeat dance-fest from 1:36. The groove on this is stellar, as is the hi-hat work, the soft/hard dynamics and that drum switch-up at 1:58 and again at 2:20 generally make me salivate out of the left corner of my mouth.
The following year they released two songs on a 'Spirit split' 7". "Supply and Demand" is essentially Indian Summer spliced with Twelve Hour Turn (which is a helluva good thing), but it's "Three Quarter" (which also appears on the 12"LP) with it's commanding bass and Four Hundred Years-esque vocals that really get me.
Their final output, 1999's 'Blake' 12"LP. It's kind of a weird mix of stuff, as side A houses "Three Quarter" from the split 7" before jumping into five more tunes recorded back in 1996. "Bottles for the Contents" and "Layman's Terms" both remind me a lot of Shotmaker and The Exploder, while "No Vote" is a killer tune that sounds like Sleepytime Trio...except for that obtuse Snack Truck part at 2:17. "Bishop" is instrumental and reminds me of Ahleuchatistas, while "Idleness" is more like instrumental Off Minor, as it is faster and more reckless than the previous tune. Side B contains new tracks recorded in 1999, which have a very different feel as they are much slower and rely on dark, groovy instrumental stretches with crooned vocals over top. Kinda Cursive. Kinda Medications. Very Slint. I like it, but not as much as the earlier material. My favourite, "RS", is 4:17 of chill, well-orchestrated Slint-worship with a hint of Frodus that packs a wallop come 3:30.
I am surprised how often this band is overlooked when talking about 90s emo and Canadian hardcore in general. Full discography link below!
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1997 - Blake 7"EP
1998 - Spirit split 7"
1999 - Blake 12"LP
2005 - Collected Works 1996-1999 cdLP
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(1997) BLAKE - "Götterdämerung" (from 'Blake' 7")
(1998) BLAKE - "Three Quarter" (from 'Spirit' split)
(1999) BLAKE - "No Vote" (from 'Blake' 12")
(1999) BLAKE - "Layman's Terms" (from 'Blake' 12")
(1999) BLAKE - "RS" (from 'Blake' 12")
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BLAKE out of print mp3 discography download
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1) Blake were from Toronto
ReplyDelete2) the anthology CD is not out of print - still available from spectrasonic
3) spectrasonic also has very limited copies of the 7" and split 7"
How come no one talks about their debut cassette "Good News For Bad People" which pretty much has all of their most popular songs, especially from their live set? If anyone has a link or a copy please post it here!
ReplyDeleteYeah what Richie said! The cassette is a holy grail, can’t find it anywhere.
DeleteAny videos or interviews of this band out there???
ReplyDelete