Laughing Hyenas

Laughing Hyenas were a punk/blues band from Ann Arbor, Michigan that were around from 1985 to 1995. In the band's ten year run, they only had two consistent members, which was vocalist John Brannon (formerly and currently from Negative Approach) and guitarist Larissa Strickland (formerly from L-Seven, not to be confused with L7). They had a few different bassists and drummers, though their original two (Jim Kimball and Kevin Munro) did later play in a fantastic band called Mule. Kimball also played drums in The Jesus Lizard a few years down the line. Those two guys were replaced by the bassist and drummer from Necros, to continue the hardcore punk lineage in this band.

Regardless, back to Laughing Hyenas. Though the band's background was definitely hardcore punk, they took a markedly different approach to punk as a whole. They came out with the same blisteringly intensity, but with more blues/garage rock influence, making these songs just as visceral, but with a larger musical palette to take from. Brannon's vocals just shred, and he does sound quite different to his distinct bark in Negative Approach. Strickland comes up with some very inventive riffs that blend punk, blues, and a hint of noise rock together effortlessly. Their sound did progress through the years, though. Their first two LP's are sonically similar, with their magnum opus Life Of Crime having slightly slicker production (with play sin their favour). It's their final LP, however, where the band's change is sound is definitely apparent. It kind of likes a cross between The Rolling Stones and Nick Cave (who was a definite influence on their whole career, especially his stuff with The Birthday Party), which is a fantastic mix. It's darker than the rest of the band's material, and the early raw punk influence has clearly matured into a full, deep sound in which the band really explores its ideas in length.

Since it doesn't really fit naturally anywhere in this post, I must as well as just lump it in and say that almost all their releases were put out through Touch and Go. After they break up, Brannon formed Easy Action, and years later reformed Negative Approach. Strickland sadly died in 2006, but with phenomenal music like this, her legacy won't soon be forgotten. Enjoy.

Laughing Hyenas (1986)

1. Stain

2. Hell's Kitchen

3. That Girl

4. Gabriel

5. Playground

6. What Tomorrow Brings

7. 18

Note: This was their demo tape

Merry Go Round (1987)

1. Stain

2. Hell's Kitchen

3. That Girl

4. Gabriel

5. Playground

6. What Tomorrow Brings

7. Soul Kiss

8. Candy [Bonus Track]

9. Dedications To The One I Love (Live) [Bonus Track]

10. Don't Bogue My High [Bonus Track]

11. Public Animal #9 [Bonus Track]

Note: Bonus tracks from a 1995 reissue of this EP

You Can't Pray A Lie (1989)

1. Love's My Only Crime

2. Seven Come Eleven

3. Black Eyed Susan

4. Lullaby And Goodnight

5. Sister

6. Desolate Son

7. Dedications To The One I Love

8. New Gospel

Life Of Crime (1990)

1. Everything I Want

2. Hitman

3. Let It Burn

4. Kick

5. Here We Go Again

6. Wild Heart

7. Outlaw

8. Life Of Crime

Crawl (1992)

1. Crawl

2. Living In Darkness

3. Walk

4. Girl

Hard Times (1995)

1. Just Can't Win

2. Hard Time Blues

3. You're So Cruel

4. Stay

5. Slump

6. House Of The Blues

7. Each Dawn I Die

Brave Bird

Brave Bird are a three-piece indie/emo band from Ann Arbor, Michigan that formed in 2010 and (sadly) broke up in 2014. They had the whole "twinkly midwest emo" (a la Grown Ups, Snowing, etc.) sound going on, but at the same time were very distinct. The guitar is very technically and math rock-like, but actually create distinct melodies (kind of like American Football) instead of just playing unnecessarily complex things to achieve the "twinkly" sound. Their songs are so catchy, especially for their niche of music. They write choruses that need to be sung along to, and their bass lines act as chord progressions that make every song feel new (they even have a very pop-like sound on their final EP). Each member is very technically inept with their respective instrument, and the way they play off of each other is astounding. They just know how to create some really good songs, I don't know what else can be said. Oh, and their vocals sound like Jesse Lacey (Brand New). They have two singers, and they actually both kind of share a similar vocal tone to him, if he fronted a midwest emo band. Anyways, here's their entire discography. Enjoy!

Ready Or Not (2010)

1. Scared Enough

2. Healthy

3. The Worst Things Happen To Me

4. Tired Enough

5. See You Next Year

Demo 2011 (2011)

1. It's My Pride That I Swallow

Maybe You, No One Else Worth It (2013)

1. Too Late Now

2. Scared Enough

3. Healthy

4. Tired Enough

5. (Thick Skin) Should I Give In

6. Whittle Down The Days

7. The Worst Things Happen To Me

8. Get Over What's Right

9. Maybe You, No One Else Worth It

10. I'll See You At The Ring Of Fire

11. It's My Pride That I Swallow

You're Not Quite Ready (2013)

1. Too Late Now

2. Scared Enough

3. Healthy

4. Whittle Down The Days

5. Tired Enough

6. The Worst Things Happen To Me

7. Maps (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)

8. Should I Give In

9. It's My Pride That I Swallow

10. Maybe You, No One Else Worth It

11. I'll See You At The Ring Of Fire

12. Make Time In Due Time

13. Get Over What's Right

14. Secrets

15. I Was Never Your Boyfriend (Tigers Jaw)

16. We Will Make It Home

T-Minus Grand Gesture (2014)

1. I Don't Wanna Know

2. Rekindle

3. TMINUSGRANDGESTURE

4. Hard Enough

5. Open Up Your Mouth

6. Macaroni Time

7. Killer Velocity

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Count Your Lucky Stars

Pity Sex

Pity Sex are a four-piece indie rock/emo band from Ann Arbor, Michigan that began in 2011. Before I say anything else, I must say that I absolutely love this band and suggest that everybody listen to them right now, regardless of anything, 'cuz they're the bestest best band in the whole wide world.

Pity Sex was formed in 2011 by members Brennan (vocals/guitar) and Sean (drums), who had played in bands together before, and soon added Brandan (bass) to finalize the line-up that recorded the demo. During the writing process for Dark World, Britty (vocals/guitar) was added to the band to finish writing and recording the EP. The four-piece signed to Run For Cover and put out their debut full-length Feast Of Love in 2013.

This band's sound is probably most defined by its huge influence from 90's indie/alt/emo bands. The emo influence is probably displayed most prominently on the demo/self-titled thing, and they progress into more indie/alt territory with each album. The guitar tones are quite reverb-heavy, and often switch between being very clean, jangly, to thick, heavy, and distorted. The lead guitar melodies are very reminiscent of J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.) and vocals tend to sound fairly downtrodden, though catchy because of the great melodies and harmonies (especially with the male-female dynamic). They've also got a very shoegaze/lo-fi (akin to My Bloody Valentine or Black Tambourine) kind of vibe going, which you can probably tell from the descriptions. It's time to throw a bunch of band names around: Dinosaur Jr., Superchunk, Built To Spill, Archers Of Loaf, Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Black Tambourine, Braid, The Promise Ring, and Mineral should give you a good indication as to where they're coming from influence-wise. As comparisons to more modern bands, a few might be Tigers Jaw, The World Is A Beautiful Place..., Dikembe, Dowsing, Brave Bird, Snowing, and Katie/Allison Crutchfield-related projects. Enjoy one of the best bands around now (I don't care if I say that a lot, it's still true):

 

Demo (2011)

1. Ever Green

2. Finding Sleep

3. Bloom

4. Pillow Talk

Dark World (2012)

1. When You're Around

2. Dogwalk

3. Hole Away

4. Coca Cola

5. Glue

6. Flower Girl

Feast Of Love (2013)

1. Wind-Up

2. Keep

3. Drown Me Out

4. Smoke Screen

5. Hollow Body

6. Sedated

7. Honey Pot

8. Drawstring

9. St. John's Wort

10. Fold

Off The Board: A Studio 4 Family Compilation (2013)

12. Euclid

Note: Full comp here

Adventures/Pity Sex (2014)

1. Adventures - Flowing Through

2. Adventures - Behind This Wall (Turning Point cover)

3. Pity Sex - Acid Reflux

4. Pity Sex - Gigantic (Pixies cover)

White Hot Moon (2016)

1. A Satisfactory World For Reasonable People

2. Burden You

3. Bonhomie
4. September

5. What Might Soothe You?

6. Plum

7. Nothing Rips Through Me

8. Orange And Red

9. Dandelion

10. White Hot Moon

11. Pin A Star

12. Wappen Beggars

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