We the Living, Volume One

Description

We the Living, Volume One is a multi-artist compilation released on True Tunes/Etcetera Records in 1998, distributed by Avalon Music Distribution. Featuring tracks by pop, rock, alternative, emo, and hardcore. It is first of three compilations in TrueTunes’ We The Living Series, We The Living, Volume Two (2000) and We The Living, Volume Three (2000) being the second and the third, respectively. It was March 1999 Pick of the Month at The Phantom Tollbooth.

Here’s a great compilation album of indie hard music artists. Songs from several albums we’ve reviewed in these pages are here, from Aunt Bettys, The Violet Burning, Crux, xDisciplex, Pink Daffodils, and more. It’s a high quality listen from track one through 18. Distributed by Avalon Music Distribution, this album gives folks who walk into retail shops a chance to sample some of the best indie material out there. Nice move on Etcetera’s part. [DV, HM Magazine, Issue 78]

Kudos to Todd Brown and True Tunes for the first in what looks to be the best series of independent Spirit-driven music compilations ever. By track two I was convinced this was the best underground rock compilation I’d ever heard. The unbeknownst-before-to-me Daniel French was henceforth declared to be an emo/grunge/alternative deity. By track five I was ready to proclaim to the world that this was the most amazing assemblage of music ever. Within’s chaotic hardcore, while nothing new, exploded with authority in the midst of mellower fare. A new track by Mack, the Coffee Man showed their melodic indie rock web of superbly intertwined bass, drum, and guitar lines to be better than ever, and The Violet Burning’s track was my first taste of their new album. Yummy.

By track eight, disillusionment and disappointment subdued my brash statement-making to the ground. Some unappealing songs joined the party, mostly bland indie popsters like Pony Express and Jetenderpaul, but those guys are considered brilliant by many an indie scenester, so what do I know? By track fifteen, my faith was restored, timid but wiser, by some familiarly strong songs from albums I own. Track eighteen had me smiling and thinking I’d like to share this very cool compilation with a few friends. Tess Wiley saved the day.

Like all collections, this had a few stinkers and yawners, but the lovely tunes were numerous and inspired enough to take up the slack, and then some. You have veterans gone underground (Aunt Bettys, The Violet Burning, Tribe of Dan), brave indie masters (Mack, the Coffee Man; Blaster the Rocket Boy; Steamboat), new and improved (Crux), upstart ruffians (Within, xDisciplex), new to CD (Never Enough, Tess Wiley and Her Orchestra), and more!

It was all done to raise money for industry insider David Bunker’s overwhelming cancer surgery bills. If you consider yourself one of the living, fork over some cash for your brother in need…and get some groovy rock, pop, alternative, emo, and hardcore in return. [Josh Spencer, The Phantom Tollbooth, 3/1/99]

CD tracklist:

01. Aunt Bettys – Motor Queen – 3:36
02. Daniel French – Cardigan And Corduroy – 4:42
03. Within – Doubt – 2:43
04. Mack, The Coffee Man – The Bomb – 4:49
05. The Violet Burning – Sugarlight U.S.A – 5:53
06. Pony Express – Together We’re Electric – 2:30
07. Crux – Ingrown – 1:33
08. Jetenderpaul – The Maracas Of Suspicion – 1:10
09. xDisciplex – Eyewitness – 2:19
10. Pink Daffodils – Listlessness – 3:35
11. Somerset – Gloria – 7:14
12. Tribe Of Dan – Steely Mob – 3:41
13. The Danes – K. West – 4:33
14. Steamboat – Enoch’s Reprise – 3:19
15. Blaster The Rocket Boy – King Of The Beach – 1:59
16. Never Enough – Upon You – 4:06
17. Officer Down – A Polemic On Consumption – 2:29
18. Tess Wiley And Her Orchestra – Idle – 2:52