Various Artists-Ground Rule Double (1996)

 

Artist: Various Artists  (Braid, Dianogah, Gainer, Poonjab, Hitmen, Gila Bend, Bollweevils, Scout, Friction, Lustre Kings, Blue Meanies, Cinco de Gatos, Hubcap, Shellac, The Promise Ring, The Fighters, Orwell, 88 Fingers Louie, The Trigger Quintet, Big'n, C-Clamp, Mineral, Jerkwater, Back of Dave, Apocalypse Hoboken)

Title: Ground Rule Double

Label: Divot/Action Boy 300 Records

Format: 2 LP

Cat #: DVT 003/ACTBOY 004

Year of Release: 1996

Country and Year of Edition Issue: US 1996 Limited Edition 510

Listed Condition: VG+/G+ 3 1" tears in middle of spine otherwise NM

Sell Date: 3/17/21

Sell Price: $29.99 

Discogs Last Sold:  1/21/21 $30.00 NM/NM

Low: $20.00

Median: $27.00

Average: $26.67

High:  $35.00

Current low price: $69.44 NM/NM

Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 1

Have/Want: 185/174

Where Sold:  PIttsburgh, PA

Time it took to sell:  6 years

Where and When Bought: guessing Kims on St. Marks NYC new around time of release

Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: B

Sad To See It Go: No

2 Chicago labels of the "math rock" era.  I bought this for the Shellac track.  I also liked Braid, having seen them on a trip to NC with my old friend JImmy, and had a couple singles of theirs around this time.  The other one of note was Big'n who Mark from Kudgel brought to my attention making me buy a few singles.   Lustre King also made their way into my collection and the track on this is a "punishment rock" standout.  Big'n of course stood out as well during tonight's headphone listen.  I liked the C-Clamp cut that comes right after it, as well as the Orwell track.

For some reason I opted to buy the vinyl of this, a rarity in the CD era.  I guess I assumed this was a vinyl only release.  I have no recollection of buying it, but anything Albini graced was mandatory for me at the time plus I was doing air at WFDU when this came out, so there were plenty of bands to check out and play on my show.

This comp represents bands that for the most part stayed in the independent realm and locked into the 90's.  You get some HC covers (Minor Threat, Misfits).  Ska-core band Blue Meanies made it to MCA and they are represented here with an "Ace of Spaces" cover that sounds straight forward. Shellac and The Promise Ring are the only bands that broke out, and The Promise Ring was an emo bridge too far for me.  The track here is dirty enough for me to like in a Superchunk sort've way, but I kept away all but a few of the indie emo backpackers and their music as the 90's progressed.  I was open, but not engaged.  At somepoint the Gwiazdowski mind closed to this a viable type of music I could stand to listen to.

One thing I was noticing were the contingent of bands on the record that sounded like a variation of Superchunk.  I probably would've chopped all those bands off the comp even though I like Superchunk.

Most of the best indie rock of this era were "called up" to the majors whether they deserved it or not,  leaving a mid-level bench.  They might get a hit every not and then, but for the most part, with the exceptions I mentioned the music on this record didn't jump out at me for multiple plays.  I doubt I dragged it with me to NJ for more than a few weeks when it was new to play on the air, if that.  I probably played Shellac and Big'n on the air and filed this away.  Relistening to this, I instantly remembered the Shellac phrase but I'm not sure if it was due to seeing their gigs or this records version.

Copper.

Will never be gold.