Die Scum Inc. - Flight Of The Infinite (2020)

As folks who grew up with new wave, we're still a bit unsure what to make of the current crop of synthwave bands. We kinda really like them, but we also kinda really wish we could still get away with popping our collars and using mousse in our hair.

That aside, Die Scum Inc. is a local band that's doing synthwave well - and backing it up with solid packaging. Their "notion picture soundtracks" are a cross between an imaginary soundtrack and synthpop; it's fun, catchy, and  well-executed.

Get it via the Die Scum Inc. bandcamp.

Basic Black - Envy The Dead (1990)

Corey Hamilton sent along a second Basic Black tape, so... here it is! This tape sees the band paring back to a threesome (we assume Randy Burton was off playing with the mighty Ded Souls by this time), but one that's no less powerful. Despite this pointedly negative review in VOX:

Please note also that there's a negative review of the Wheat Chiefs in here, along with a somewhat positive review of the Barenaked Ladies. Maybe they had been sniffing too much glue that month?

Or maybe they were just envious.

Basic Black - Dreamer's Unit (1989)

Big thanks to Edmontonian Corey Hamilton for passing a couple of Basic Black tapes our way. These ones somehow weren't in the collection, and we're happy to have 'em. Because, you know - no tape left behind!

We're not quite sure how to peg Basic Black - there are elements of bands like Ninth Configuration in their sound, but also a bit of that Seattle grunge thing, which makes sense after reading this VOX article, which starts with the band rhapsodizing about the greatness of that city's music scene:

Get back to basics here!

Day of Eden - Day of Eden (1990)

 

We recently did something ridiculous, and put the entire CCPS library into Discogs, including this one - which we've had on the shelf for years, but somehow neglected to post. Why? We really have no idea. 

And despite scouring our VOX archives, we can't find anything about Day of Eden. The band roster consists of two former Beat Apostles, but that's all we got. The band plays a very dramatic and epic flavour of music, with bits of pop, rock, folk, and, uh, drama. We suspect Day of Eden put on a good live show...

Get it here!

Sheldon Overboard - Fill Your Voids Accordingly (2000)

We've been a bit side-tracked of late, posting gig posters over on the CCPS facebook page. We've got a stack of odds and sods that have shown up during the pandemic - starting with this CD, passed to us by PJ Lavergne. 

Sheldon Overboard was Chris dela Torre's all-Filipino mall punk band, prior to the formation of his Axis of Conversation. A rock-focused band made up entirely of people of colour is a very, very rare thing in Calgary - and dela Torre hints that they sometimes didn't have the warmest of welcomes in this article. Which is probably not completely unexpected, but is completely dumb - this is CD is pretty great.

Go overboard here!