Breadcrumb Trail | |
---|---|
Directed by | Lance Bangs |
Produced by | Lance Bangs |
Starring | |
Edited by | Alex Morris |
Music by | Slint others |
Release date |
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Running time | 93 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Breadcrumb Trail is a 2014 documentary film directed by Lance Bangs [1] about the Louisville, Kentucky band Slint.
Breadcrumb Trail focuses on Slint's seminal album, Spiderland , and the Louisville music scene from which the band originated. [2] Appearances are made by former members of Slint, their friends and family, Steve Albini, Brian Paulson, and other musicians. [3] The film includes songs, demos, and live performances from Slint and other bands; most of these bands had contained one or more members from Slint's lineup.
Breadcrumb trail had a limited theatrical release on March 10, 2014. [4] On April 15, Touch and Go released a remastered Spiderland box set containing a DVD copy of the documentary; it was also included with the remastered vinyl edition of the album.
Reception for Breadcrumb Trail has been positive. James S. Rich liked the film, calling it "an exciting examination of the more ephemeral aspects of artistic creation." [5] Dan Nixon of The Quietus stated "while its subject matter isn’t going to appeal outside of some pretty narrow boundaries, that’s a shame, as the story is refreshing in the way it demystifies the process of creating music." [6] In a review for tinymixtapes, Paul Bower called it "an extremely well put-together documentary" and "without a doubt the best film he’s ever made" (in reference to director Lance Bangs). [7]
Math rock is a style of alternative and indie rock with roots in bands such as King Crimson and Rush. It is characterized by complex, atypical rhythmic structures, counterpoint, odd time signatures, and extended chords. It bears similarities to post-rock.
Slint was an American rock band from Louisville, Kentucky, formed in 1986. The band consisted of Brian McMahan, David Pajo (guitar), Britt Walford, Todd Brashear, and Ethan Buckler. Slint's first album, Tweez, was recorded by engineer Steve Albini in 1987 and released in obscurity on the Jennifer Hartman Records label in 1989. It was followed two years later by the critically acclaimed Spiderland, released on the independent label Touch and Go Records.
Spiderland is the second and final studio album by the American rock band Slint. It was released by Touch and Go Records on March 27, 1991. Slint's lineup at the time of recording comprised Brian McMahan on vocals and guitar, David Pajo on guitar, Todd Brashear on bass guitar and Britt Walford on drums. Spiderland was engineered by Brian Paulson and recorded over four days in August 1990. The music and vocal melodies were composed throughout the summer of 1990, while lyrics were written in-studio.
Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. Like the term "post-punk", the term "post-hardcore" has been applied to a broad constellation of groups. Initially taking inspiration from post-punk and noise rock, post-hardcore began in the 1980s with bands like Hüsker Dü and Minutemen. The genre expanded in the 1980s and 1990s with releases by bands from cities that had established hardcore scenes, such as Fugazi from Washington, D.C. as well as groups such as Big Black, Jawbox, Quicksand, and Shellac that stuck closer to post-hardcore's noise rock roots. Dischord Records became a major nexus of post-hardcore during this period. The genre also began to incorporate more dense, complex, and atmospheric instrumentals with bands like Slint and Unwound, and also experienced some crossover from indie rock with bands like The Dismemberment Plan. In the early- and mid-2000s, post-hardcore achieved mainstream success with the popularity of bands like At the Drive-In, My Chemical Romance, Dance Gavin Dance, AFI, Underoath, Hawthorne Heights, Silverstein, the Used, Saosin, Alexisonfire, and Senses Fail. In the 2010s, bands like Sleeping with Sirens and Pierce the Veil achieved mainstream success under the post-hardcore label. Meanwhile, bands like Title Fight and La Dispute experienced underground popularity playing music that bore a closer resemblance to the post-hardcore bands of the 1980s and 1990s.
King Kong is an American indie rock music project fronted by musician Ethan Buckler. Buckler left his previous band, Slint, in 1989 to start a new musical project. King Kong's first release, Movie Star, featured the other three members of Slint, David Pajo, Britt Walford, and Brian McMahan. King Kong would go on to feature an ever-changing lineup of performers including John McEntire, David Grubbs, and Peter Townsend.
"New Slang" is a song by American rock band The Shins, released on February 19, 2001 as the lead single from the group's debut studio album, Oh, Inverted World (2001). Written by guitarist and vocalist James Mercer, it concerns his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico and his experiences there in his late 20s. The lyrics are fueled with "angst and confusion," as Mercer was finding himself constantly depressed and disconnected from his friends and scene. The song attracted attention from Sub Pop Records, who issued the song as a single in February 2001. The buzz created by the song led to positive press for the group's debut album, Oh, Inverted World.
Don Caballero was an American instrumental rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
David Pajo is an American alternative rock musician. He has played a wide variety of music, loosely fitting into several other genres such as hardcore punk, math rock, post-rock, electronica, folk rock and indie pop. Though a multi-instrumentalist, he is best known for his guitar work, most notably with Slint. He is currently a member of Gang of Four.
Tweez is the debut studio album by American rock band Slint and the only studio recording released before their disbandment. It was originally released on the label Jennifer Hartman Records in 1989 as the only record put out by the label, which was run by their friend, Jennifer Hartman. It is the only Slint album to feature bassist Ethan Buckler.
Mogwai are a Scottish post-rock band, formed in 1995 in Glasgow. The band consists of Stuart Braithwaite, Barry Burns, Dominic Aitchison, and Martin Bulloch (drums). Mogwai typically compose lengthy guitar-based instrumental pieces that feature dynamic contrast, melodic bass guitar lines, and heavy use of distortion and effects.
Crain was an indie band from the late 80s and early 90s from Louisville, Kentucky. The band was similar to Slint and Rodan, as a part of the math rock and post-rock genres. They were formed after the demise of the Louisville band, Cerebellum.
Steve Albini is an American musician, record producer, audio engineer, and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, Flour, and is part of Shellac. He is the founder, owner, and the principal engineer at Electrical Audio, a recording studio complex in Chicago. In 2018, Albini estimated that he had worked on several thousand albums over his career. He has worked with acts such as Nirvana, Pixies, the Breeders, PJ Harvey, Gogol Bordello, and former Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page and Robert Plant.
Crass were an English art collective and punk rock band formed in Epping, Essex in 1977, who promoted anarchism as a political ideology, a way of life, and a resistance movement. Crass popularised the anarcho-punk movement of the punk subculture, advocating direct action, animal rights, feminism, anti-fascism, and environmentalism. The band used and advocated a DIY ethic approach to its albums, sound collages, leaflets, and films.
Dead Child is a heavy metal band from Louisville, Kentucky. The band played its first show at Lisa's Oak Street Lounge on August 19, 2006, with Pusher, Lords, and Blade of the Ripper.
Aidan John Moffat is a Scottish vocalist and musician, and member of the band Arab Strap.
The White Birch is the second and final album by the New York City band Codeine. Released in April 1994, the album is considered by many to be the band's best album and a clear influence on Low, among other bands.
Britt Walford is an American musician best known for being the drummer, co-founder, and occasional guitarist for the post-rock band Slint.
The following is a comprehensive discography of Slint, an American math rock band which formed in 1986. The band has released two studio albums and one EP.
Skag Heaven is the only full-length studio album by the American punk rock band Squirrel Bait, released in 1987 through Homestead Records. Squirrel Bait disbanded after the album's release and the band's members went on to form Slint, Bastro and a number of other influential indie and post-rock bands.
Ethan Buckler is an American musician and songwriter best known as a founding member of the bands King Kong and Slint. He is currently living in Louisville, Kentucky.