The One Up Downstairs

While in Cambridge, MA this summer I happened upon this Ep in Newburry Comics. Polyvinyl must have just re-released all of their old stuff onto vinyl, which seems to be a common trend amongst record companies these days. Anywho, The One Up Downstairs was an emo band from the Chicago area from '96 to '97, whos line up consisted of Allen and David Johnson on bass and guitar, Steve Lamos on drums, and Mike Kinsella doing vocals. Aparently the band recorded these songs back in '97, but broke up before the record could be pressed. Polyvinyl didnt get around to releasing these songs until '06, and even then it was just a digidownload. Kinsella and Lamos went on to form American Football, while the Johnson brothers(I'm assuming they are brothers) went on to play in Very Secretary and Favorite Saints. Kinsella was once in Cap'n Jazz and Owls, and currently plays in Joan of Arc and makes music as Owen. Lamos plays in The Geese and DMS.


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The One Up Downstairs EP

Noyes

If it seems like I've been posting almost exclusively 90's midwest emo bands and their scattered disciples and side projects, it's because that's pretty much all I've been listening to. There's something to be said for a scene that has produced so many amazing artists and spread it's influence across the entire country, if not by now (with the help of the wonderful internetz) the whole world.

Many would argue that the Kinsella clan stand at the center of this world; the OG's, the musicians that continue to push everyone else ever forward...or whatever. But there are other, although maybe more obscure, equally important players. Perhaps the one most shrouded in mystery is Victor Villareal, guitar wizard (seriously, this guy is one of the best guitar players I've ever heard, anywhere) and songwriter for legends like Cap'n Jazz, Owls, and Ghosts and Vodka. Amid a flurry of guitar riffs and sudden rumors of serious drug addiction, he seemed to fall off the face of the planet.

The world after Villareal must have seemed bizarre to those who had cut their teeth on Cap'n Jazz records: Braid was playing reunion shows, The Promise Ring released Wood/Water (much to many people's dismay), and MTV began playing Dashboard Confessional and Taking Back Sunday videos in between the new Jessica Simpson and the latest Nelly joint.

Sometime before the world went to shit, Villareal entered the studio, recorded a short, four song EP with the aid of Ryan Rapsys, (sonic guru responsible for Euphone), and released it under the Noyes moniker.

Noyes is like a more spacy Ghosts And Vodka, with compositions featuring jazzy elements, guitar riffs that are as spastic as they are pretty and subtle, and racuous drumming. The record plays through like a lost Pele EP, kicking in with a snappy drumbeat, and ending out with a punctuated picking pattern that repeats, and then fades into silence.

Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately, depening on your stance on the recent youtube videos displaying his solo acoustic material) for us, Villareal has recently re-emerged for a possible Ghosts and Vodka reunion (as previously discussed in the Ghosts and Vodka post on this blog).

It seems we have not seen the last of Victor Villareal.

View the myspace.

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Noyes EP (2003)

Ghosts & Vodka

This was posted by Ghosts and Vodka all over the internet recently:


Hi.


We just got done having our first practice in 8 years or something like that. Honestly I can't remember the last time we were all in the same place at the same time. At any rate... It happened.


We will keep you posted... or not. One or the other.



-GnV

So, in light of Ghosts and Vodka's recent reunion, I've decided to stop being lazy and start updating more, although I've been telling myself that since they got back together, which has been at least a week. Whatever. All you need to know is that Victor Villareal (Cap'n Jazz, Owls) and Sam Zurick (Joan of Arc, Make Believe) are playing the guitars. Great post-Cap'n Jazz era band that plays midwest style post-emowhateverthehell. They put out a seven inch and one full length LP (Precious Blood) between 1998-2001. Addicts and Drunks, a discography release put out by Six Gun Lover in 2003 after the band broke up, compiles these two releases.

If you used to listen to this band back in the day and lost your CD or you've never heard of them before, get it. Because apparently we'll be seeing more of these guys soon. Although videos of Victor Villareal's new solo material, which had an album slated for release originally sometime last month or so, is a bit puzzling, to be honest:





Now, some bizarre video of Ghosts and Vodka I found on youtube.



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Addicts and Drunks (2003)