Jessamine | |
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Origin | Galion, Ohio, United States |
Genres | Post-rock, space rock, psychedelic rock, drone, experimental rock |
Years active | 1992–1999 |
Labels | Kranky |
Members | Andy Brown Michael Faeth Rex Ritter Dawn Smithson |
Website | www |
Jessamine was an American post-rock band, that recorded three albums for Kranky records between 1994 and 1998, [1] and a number of singles for other record labels. These singles were later collected by the band on a self-released compilation album in 1997 entitled Another Fictionalized History.
Their single "Cellophane" was a minor college radio hit in the band's native Seattle, getting frequent airplay on KCMU (now KEXP).
The band's sound was influenced by the works of Krautrock bands such as Can and Neu!, and their first album also bore some sonic resemblance to the sounds of early 1990s bands from the UK shoegaze scene. [2] This mesh of krautrock, shoegaze, drone, space-rock, and experimental electronica helped the band forge a unique sound, which helped them stand apart from other active bands in the Seattle scene that were more grunge, metal, or indie-rock based.[ citation needed ] Their success in solidifying a unique sound however did not translate to album sales, and the band remained a relatively obscure act, with a small cult following.
The band split in 1998, and Ritter and Brown recorded together as Fontanelle for a couple more years. [3]
Post-rock is a music genre characterized by the exploration of textures and timbres as well as non-rock styles, sometimes placing less emphasis on conventional song structures or riffs than on atmosphere, for musically evocative purposes. Post-rock artists can often combine rock instrumentation and rock stylings with electronics and digital production as a means of enabling the exploration of textures, timbres and different styles. The genre emerged within the indie and underground music scenes of the 1980s and 1990s, but as it abandoned rock conventions, it began to show less musical resemblance to conventional indie rock at the time, becoming regarded as a form of experimental rock. The first wave of post-rock derives inspiration from diverse sources including ambient, electronica, jazz, krautrock, psychedelia, dub, and minimalist classical, with these influences also being pivotal for the substyle of ambient pop.
Babes in Toyland was an American alternative rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, formed in 1987. The band was founded by vocalist and guitarist Kat Bjelland, along with drummer Lori Barbero and bassist Michelle Leon, who was later replaced by Maureen Herman in 1992.
Alternative rock is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s with the likes of the grunge, shoegaze, and Britpop subgenres in the United States and United Kingdom, respectively. During this period, many record labels were looking for "alternatives", as many corporate rock, hard rock, and glam metal acts from the 1980s were beginning to grow stale throughout the music industry. The emergence of Generation X as a cultural force in the 1990s also contributed greatly to the rise of alternative rock.
Shoegaze is a subgenre of indie and alternative rock characterized by its ethereal mixture of obscured vocals, guitar distortion and effects, feedback, and overwhelming volume. It emerged in Ireland and the United Kingdom in the late 1980s among neo-psychedelic groups who usually stood motionless during live performances in a detached, non-confrontational state. The name comes from the heavy use of effects pedals, as the performers were often looking down at their pedals during concerts.
Space rock is a music genre characterized by loose and lengthy song structures centered on instrumental textures that typically produce a hypnotic, otherworldly sound. It may feature distorted and reverberation-laden guitars, minimal drumming, languid vocals, synthesizers, and lyrical themes of outer space and science fiction.
Can were a German experimental rock band formed in Cologne in 1968 by Holger Czukay, Irmin Schmidt (keyboards), Michael Karoli (guitar), and Jaki Liebezeit (drums). They featured several vocalists, including the American Malcolm Mooney (1968–70) and the Japanese Damo Suzuki (1970–73). They have been hailed as pioneers of the German krautrock scene.
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Flying Saucer Attack is an English space rock band formed in Bristol in 1992, led by songwriter David Pearce. Rachel Brook of Movietone was a member during the band's early incarnation; Other musicians contributing to the group's recordings and live performances included Rocker, Matt Elliott and Sam Jones.
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Pat Thomas is a San Francisco-based musician, music journalist and compiler of music reissues.
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