Monday 2 September 2013

Cap'n Jazz

I know I've been pretty inactive with the blog lately, and I'm sorry about that. A ton of things have been keeping me very occupied lately, but hopefully I can get back into the habit of working on the blog and responding to the stack of requests and submissions it's got. Thanks for being so patient, and thanks to Robert for the request.


Cap'n Jazz are legendary, seminal, influential, important, a plethora of adjectives can be used to convey the gravity of what they were. They were a five-piece band from Chicago, Illinois that initially existed from 1989 to 1995, and reunited for a shows in 2010. They are arguably THE "emo" band, pioneering the upbeat, twinkly, nostalgic energy that so many bands after them emulated, though could never quite match. The band consisted of very young members (most of them were in their mid-to-late teens) that would continue to be play major roles in many other integral bands to follow, such as American Football, The Promise Ring, Joan Of Arc, Owen, Owls, and Ghosts And Vodka. Cap'n Jazz only released one full-length, titled Burritos, Inspiration Point, Fork Balloon Sports, Cards In The Spokes, Automatic Biographies, Kites, Kung Fu, Trophies, Banana Peels We've Slipped On And Egg Shells We've Tippy Toed Over, though it is more commonly referred to simply as Shmap'n Schmazz. They also released two 7"'s, and appeared on numerous compilations. All of their recorded (and some live) material can be found on their discography album, titled Analphabetapolothology (only one song of theirs is known to be missing, which is "Naive"). This band is absolutely essential, and have had a huge impact on me as well as many others, so if you have yet to hear Cap'n Jazz, or are just getting into them, I mean this in the most sincere way: enjoy.

Disc 1
1. Little League
2. Oh Messy Life
3. Puddle Splashers
4. Flashpoint: Catheter
5. In The Clear
6. Yes, I Am Talking To You
7. Basil's Kite
8. Bluegrassish
9. Planet Shhh
10. The Sands Have Turned Purple
11. Precious
12. Que Serte!
13. Take On Me (a-ha cover)
14. Tokyo
15. Ooh Do I Love You
16. Hey Ma, Do I Hafta Choke On These
17. Forget Who We Are
18. Olerud

Disc 2
1. We Are Scientists!
2. Sea Tea
3. Troubled By Insects
4. Rocky Rococo
5. In The Clear
6. Soria
7. No Use For A Piano Player When You Got A Player Piano
8. Scary Kids Scaring Kids
9. Bluegrass
10. Winter Wonderland
11. AOK
12. Geheim
13. Sergio Valente
14. Easy Driver
15. Theme To '90210'
16. Ooh Do I Love You (acoustic)