Edith Pike

Edith Pike were a three-piece screamo band from Denver, Colorado that formed in 2022 and disbanded in 2024. In typical fashion, their output is inredibly limited, though showed a surprisiing amount of progression spread across their three releases. Throughout, they do all manage to keep things interesting by integrating a variety of sound, that extends from crushing hardcore influence to delicate arpeggios, all with tortured vocals that use the full range of the gas pedal. I'm trying to catch up on a lot of great modern acts that I've missed in the past few years, and Edith Pike is undoubtedly one of them, so enjoy.

edith pike (2022)

1. tunnel twenty-nine

2. ...then it all came down

3. rushing into a burning home

4. kiss me here beautiful for these are truly our last days

in passing (2023)

1. bigger than a great lake

2. how to play bad golf

3. one

4. a childish crush can destroy your marriage

5. 101 ranch wild west show

6. two

Sisters Of The Blessed Sacrament (2024)

1. herlovebeheadsdaisies - It's Like Holding A Ghost's Hand

2. edith pike - all that's left of you (swan song)

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Planes Mistaken For Stars

As we bring another year to a close, I've got to give some recognition to a long-awaited band to be featured here (which seems to mostly be this month's theme). Thanks again for a great year, we actually did over 100 posts this year, which hasn't happened in a long time. Admittedly my passion for keeping up with blog does wane from time to time, but I would never abandon it completely. It's been such an integral part of my life for over a decade now that I could never part ways with it, and do still love doing this when the mood strikes. I don't think I'd revisit as many bands I used to listen to or be on the prowl for new projects quite as much if it weren't for this blog, which I ultimately have to give it credit for. It's kept me active in something for a longer period of time than I ever imagined it doing (as one commentator pointed out, it's rare for anyone to stick to something for over 10 years of their life, which still baffles me that it's been this long). It means a lot to me to stay connected to this, so I do have to thank the people who continue to come back here after all these years for that. I'd still be doing this regardless, but to continue reaching an audience to share this with is a major factor in the desire to keep it going. So thank you again, and I will wrap up this long-winded self-import ramble by saying Happy New Year, and enjoy! 

Planes Mistaken For Stars were a four-piece post-hardcore band that formed in Peoria, Illinois in 1997. Shortly after, they relocated to Denver, Colorado in 1999. The band self-released their debut in 1998, which was reissued by Deep Elm Records the next year. This was followed up by an incredible split with The Appleseed Cast and Race Car Riot, also released by Deep Elm, and two EPs put out by Dim Mak Records (Steve Aoki's label, another cool reminder of his involvement in the hardcore scene early on in his career). They released three more albums during their initial run, which ended in early 2008. They quickly reunited, and were back by 2010, which their first new album in 10 years being released in 2016 by Deathwish. Tragically, founding member and vocalist/guitarist Gared O'Donnell passed away in 2021. Prior to his passing, the band did complete another album, which is set to be released at some point in the future, and would also mark the finality of this incredible project.

This band has evolved a ton over the years, managing to exist somewhere in an intersectional sweet spot between hardcore, emo, rock and metal. You'd be hard-pressed to find a band that singularly encompasses such a wide sonic palette with the same level of vigor and finesse as Planes Mistaken For Stars. Just to give you a quick surface-level rundown, their earlier work is rooted in a punk-emo hybrid, sort of akin to bands like Hot Water Music and Small Brown Bike. There's a raw, driving energy to it, but with a vulnerable and often melodic backdrop in play. Though never a band I would describe as "simplistic", their technical prowess did become more prominent as the years went on, with their varied influences piling on alongside of it. They kind of went in the opposite direction that most bands do, become increasingly heavier and more experimental. Having said that, they still weren't shy about bringing in slower, acoustic elements well into their later years, and always wore their love for straight up rock n roll on their sleeve. If you're new to this band, I honestly think the best way to delve into their discography is to go from the start and work your way forward (Planes Mistaken For Stars > Fuck With Fire > Up In Them Guts > Mercy > Prey), though you could easily inverse that order and work your way back as well. My personal favourite album is probably Mercy, though that's a fairly interchangeable stance. Definitely give this band a shot if you haven't heard them before, I think they're right up the alley for people interested in the general niche of music that this blog covers. Again, enjoy!

Planes Mistaken For Stars (1998)

1. Copper And Stars

2. Division

3. The Time It Took

4. The Past Two

5. Somewhere In September

6. Standing Still Fast

7. Knuckle Hungry

8. Where The Arrow Went Out

Planes Mistaken For Stars/The Appleseed Cast/Race Car Riot (1999)

1. Planes Mistaken For Stars - Staggerswallowswell

2. Race Car Riot - Broken

3. Race Car Riot - Raincheck

4. Race Car Riot - Racing California

5. The Appleseed Cast - Tale Of The Aftermath

6. The Appleseed Cast - Remedios The Beautiful

Fucking Fight (1999)

1. Fucking Fight

2. The Part You Left Out

Knife In The Marathon (2000)

1. Scratching Rounds

2. Leaning The Room

3. Pillbox

4. Anthem

5. 66 Crush

Fuck With Fire (2001)

1. Leveless

2. End Me In Richmond

3. Funeral For A Friend

4. Hollowpoint And Whiskey

5. Bloody But Unbowed

6. Fuck With Fire

7. Rhythm Dies

8. Sicilian Smile

9. I'll See You In Hell

10. Get Burned

Black On Black: A Tribtue To Black Flag (2002)

14. Police Story/Wasted

Spearheading The Sin Movement (2002)

1. Thunder In The Night Forever! (We Ride To Fight)

2. Earning Ire

3. Bastards

Up In Them Guts (2004)

1. To All Mothers

2. Belly Full Of Hell

3. Glassing

4. Dying By Degrees

5. Pigs

6. Dancing On The Face Of The Panther

7. Say Not A Word

8. No Prize Fighter

9. Spring Divorce

10. A Six Inch Valley

11. Bastards

12. The Last Winter Dance Party

Mercy (2006)

1. One Fucked Pony

2. Crooked Mile

3. Widow: A Love Song

4. Keep Your Teeth

5. To Spit A Sparrow

6. Never Felt Prettier

7. Killed By Killers Who Kill Each Other

8. Little Death

9. Church Date

10. Mercy

11. Penitience

We Ride To Fight! (The First Four Years) (2007)

1. Copper And Stars

2. Divison

3. The Time It Took

4. The Past Two

5. Somewhere In September

6. Standing Still Fast

7. Knuckle Hungry

8. Where The Arrow Went Out

9. Staggerswallowswell

10. Fucking Fight

11. The Part You Left Out

12. Scratching Rounds

13. Leaning The Room

14. Pillbox

15. Anthem

16. 66 Crush

17. Fall On Proverb

18. Wasted

19. Police Story

20. Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie

21. Depression

22. Thunder In The Night (We Ride To Fight!)

23. Earning Ire

24. Bastards

Prey (2016)

1. Dementia Americana

2. Til' It Clicks

3. Riot Season

4. Fucking Tenderness

5. She Who Steps

6. Clean Up Mean

7. Black Rabbit

8. Pan In Flames

9. Enemy Blinds

10. Alabaster Cello

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Deathwish

A Place For Owls

A Place For Owls are a five-piece emo/indie band from Denver, Colorado that formed in 2018. Following two EP's, their debut full-length came out in August of this year. Sonically, the band utilizes atmospheric, distorted and melancholic chord washes and reverb-laden guitar leads and solemn piano plucks. On top of that, there is some amazing bass work in its subtle melody, an earnest vocal delivery, and some very strong songwriting. Highlights include the folk-tinged "Smoke Monster", the gang-vocal crescendo in "Deliberate Practice" and the impossible question presented in "Do I Feel At Home Here". If you're a fan of bands such as Death Cab For Cutie, Manchester Orchestra, Jimmy Eat World, or Pedro The Lion, or the sad but melodic side of emo, this is an album you're not going to want to miss. Enjoy.

You Are Still In Every Song I Sing (2020)

1. Jefferson Bible

2. We Moved In The Dark

3. Tell Me You Are

4. Fear & Trembling

5. This Is Love

6. Last Night I Had A Dream

Airport / My Own (2022)

1. Airport

2. My Own

A Place For Owls (2022)

1. Press Start

2. Book

3. Dissolver

4. Do I Feel At Home Here?

5. Say What You Are

6. Write It Down

7. Deliberate Practice

8. Something Is Not Right

9. Where Do You Want To Go?

10. I'm Not Sure

11. Smoke Monster

12. Is It Love

Pt. 2 (2024)

1. My Own, Pt. 2

2. Tell Me You Are, Pt. 2

how we dig in the earth (2024)

1. go on

2. hourglass

3. broken open seed

4. huston lake

5. find your friends and hold them close

6. a tattoo of a candle

7. desmond hume

8. haunted

9. when your eyes close

10. no plans on saturday

11. what i have to say

12. help me let the right ones in

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The Blue Ontario

The Blue Ontario were a four-piece alternative/indie band from Denver, Colorado that were around briefly from 1997 to 1999. They were formed by members of the incredible Christie Front Drive and Crestfallen. In their time, they put out one split and one EP (although I could only find the EP, and next to no trace of the split). The band were fairly progressive, crafting drawn-out songs featuring melodic vocals, astral keyboards, and noisy, effects-laden guitars that come close to shoegaze/dream pop territory. Similar to Christie Front Drive, their songs build and fall, covering a lot of ground in the 5+ minutes they last. Though The Blue Ontario are nearly as heralded as their previous work, they put out a solid EP nonetheless. Enjoy.

New Frequencies EP (1998)

1. Lost Astronaut

2. Twenty Three

3. Permanent Wave

4. Halo

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Christie Front Drive

Christie Front Drive were a four-piece emo/indie rock band from Denver, Colorado that were around from 1993 to 1997. They've played two reunion shows since, one in 2007 and one in 2014. This band are one of the greats to come out of indie/emo in the 1990's, and though they may not get as much exposure as bands like Sunny Day Real Estate or Mineral, they are nonetheless an important and influential act. It's also 2017 now, and this blog has been going since 2012, so it's almost criminal that I've not gotten around to sharing them on here for so many years.

What Christie Front Drive really perfected were their melancholic guitar melodies that would often build up to a climax of shimmering chords in extended instrumental breaks. The band really worked together to create these massive songs with an attack and release tension, often topped off by some heartfelt, soaring vocals. The main attraction always remains the instruments, though. There are some truly fantastic rhythms and melodies within their discography, many of which would define what a midwestern "emo" band sounds like. From the gentle arpeggios at the beginning of "Valentine", to the dissonant outro of "Field", to the dynamic "Slide", to the massive choruses of "Seven Day Candle", this band can do no wrong.

There are a few things to mention in regards to their actual discography. First off, they have two absolutely essential albums. Both of them are technically self-titled, but are more commonly referred to as Anthology (which is a compilation) and Stereo (which is their sole full-length). The former contains all their material up until 1995, which would be their first two EP's (both also self-titled), as well as their first two splits, one with Sineater and one with Jimmy Eat World (which is available as well if you want the JEW side). The one thing Anthology does not contain is their split with Boys Life, which was released later in the same year. Their one album was released in 1997, which as mentioned before, is known both as Christie Front Drive and Stereo. The band also released a slew of compilation tracks throughout their career. I included them all in one download, though they are tagged with individual artwork and titles and such. The most notable appearance is their track on the legendary (Don't Forget To) Breathe comp, but the others are solid as well. Enjoy.

Christie Front Drive/Jimmy Eat World (1995)

1. Christie Front Drive - Slide

2. Jimmy Eat World - Digits

Anthology (1995)

1. Turn

2. Dyed On 8

3. Long Out

4. Lot

5. Pipe

6. Dirt

7. Slide

8. Now I Do

9. 4010

10. Away

Christie Front Drive/Boys Life (1995)

1. Christie Front Drive - Instant Romance

2. Christie Front Drive - Bowl

3. Christie Front Drive - Valentine

4. Boys Life - Sight Unseen

5. Boys Life - Homecoming

6. Boys Life - Two Wheeled Train

Christine Front Drive (1997)

1. Saturday

2. Radio

3. First Interlude

4. November

5. Second Interlude

6. Fin

7. About Two Days

8. Third Interlude

9. Seven Day Candle

10. Fourth Interlude

Compilation Songs

Mary Tyler Moore Theme - Punk TV 1995

After The Parade - For Want Of... 1996

Bag - Bread: The Edible Napkin 1997

Field - (Don't Forget To) Breathe 1997