FACS

I jumped on the bandwagon with Negative Houses: https://wearefacs.bandcamp.com/album/negative-houses

I listened to Lifelike a ton but didn't internalize it the way I wanted to: https://wearefacs.bandcamp.com/album/lifelike

They just released a new single called "Teenage Hive": http://www.ifitstooloud.com/2020/01/facs-teenage-hive.html

They are from Chicago and are really, really, great. Come enjoy them with me.

Flow-assisted cell sorting?

Dig FACS a lot and excited to see they have a new album coming out. That said, I admit to preferring Brian Case and Noah Leger's previous band, Disappears, for their noisier take on things.

The new drummer is GREAT

Isn't it still Leger? At least that's what Trouble In Mind's pre-order page for the new album says.

Oh I misread something and thought the bass player was the drummer. Oops.

The old drummer is still GREAT

is a FAC like a gec

Haha, yes he is. You had me worried that there was a different one and it would seem a big shift for them. Anyway, yes he is terrific and I'm excited for another new record.

Was a big Disappears fan and did not realize until a couple of days ago that they had evolved into FACS. Enjoying this new album.

I like these guys and I like it when bands I like put out at least one album every year.

I think they are better than Disappears

"Ultra" was my favorite Disappears album. Haven't spent enough time with FACS to decide how this album measures up.

oh shit! been listening to this band for a bit now (because I listen to anything Trouble In Mind puts out) and did not realize it's Disappears-connected!

For your extended listening pleasure, here are some great non-Disappears records from the members' back catalog:

Acteurs - Acteurs (Brian Case)

Hurl - We Are Quiet in This Room (Noah Leger)

Milemarker - Satanic Versus (Noah Leger)

90 Day Men - 1975-1977-1998 (Brian Case)

90 Day Men - To Everybody (Brian Case)

The Ponys - Turn the Lights Out (Brian Case)

We Ragazzi - Suicide Sound System (Alianna Kalaba)

90 Day Men and Ponys were so crewsh

Okay, the new FACS is absolutely incredible. I didn't really warm on the first two albums, but I think that was more because I wanted more Disappears and wasn't ready for the different direction (even if they hinted at it on Irreal). I think it all clicked for me with this one, I love it. I need to go back and listen to the first two with fresh ears.

New one is growing on me, I honestly haven't really had a chance to really listen to it much, Lifelike I think is one of the best albums of recent vintage.

The newly dropped (yesterday!) Disappears + Steve Shelley + White/Light collab (from 2009) is a fat slab of kosmische musik jams, highly recommended

Another year, another killer album from these guys. Love the new one.

Yeah, this band is pretty badass.

I loved Disappears so much that it took me a couple albums to really accept FACS on their own terms, but they continue to just power ahead with one killer album per year.

Playing this again this morning, this might be my favorite one of theirs yet. Noah Leger is an absolute monster and Kalaba is bringing some massive low end base this time around.

FACS seems like a natural evolution from where Disappears were heading - which basically means I like it but don't love it. I still prefer the first three or four Disappears albums (basically everything before Irreal which I didn't really connect with). There's something more... malevolent? about FACS. Much more menacing and immersive. There was an economy to the early Disappears albums which I really loved.

Agreed on the "malevolent" aspect, there is definitely a darker and more sinister approach here, which was why I was initially a little disappointed by FACS when compared to Disappears.

here's my yearly reminder to go see them live if you can-- like disappears they are about 10x better live than on record. not sure why they've never been able to capture that spark onto wax.. probably the visceral physicality of the drummer

i had the privilege of seeing them at a private social-distanced show and boy was that cathartic for me after a year of lockdown

I hope to catch them soon, that's for sure.

I want to know if DJP has heard the new one yet. Have a feeling he's going to love it.

I am listening to it right now! I bought it on Bandcamp and it arrived about a week ago but I'm just getting to it.

this band rules

I agree that they continue to be awesome and I don't understand how the menace is turning people off as that is the primary thing I love about them

Tbf the menace didn't turn me off at all, it's great. Coming at them as a huge Disappears fan, it just didn't connect with me right off the bat. I had to realign my expectations a little.

I'm now on the other side of my first listenthrough of this album and HOLY SHIT

New album predictably rules, these guys are so fucking good.

i love that literally the last three revives are you saying "new album, this band rules"

haha, well, they do consistently rule

I heard the 1st and last song and they are both "rules" worthy.

yeah, those last two epic songs on this one point to some fascinating new directions

we need a thread for bands that rule. but no posting bands that don't rule, plz.

Oh wait new album?

Seems formulaic postpunk to me on first listen, but y’all and others I know are fans , so maybe will give ‘em another shot

DJP, did you ever get around to hearing it?

Another new album, Wish Defense, due out in February. Apparently the final album engineered by Albini too.

First single and title track sounds good to these ears, excited for it.

https://wearefacs.bandcamp.com/album/wish-defense

Thought this thread was about Factory Records numbering practices

new LP out today

yes, really excited for my copy to get here, looks like Monday

It is great

This band is so goddamn good. "Ordinary Voices" is killer.

I AM SKYLARKING YOU ARE SKYLARKING

Gonna be late to my own meeting because I’m listening to FACS

hell yeah

I saw them last night as they are heading out west on tour and they are as good or better then anytime I have seen in the past, really firing on all cylinders right now

I've only heard Negative Houses, adore it, need to check out more, any aficionados want to recommend next one to check out?

Jesus, just skimming through the thread, it's the guitarist from 90 Day Men?!? That makes so much sense, ha! My secondary school band's first proper gig was supporting 90 Day Men, they were so so so good. Shame there's barely any footage of them live around that time (To Everybody / 2003) - they were incredible, I swear Rob went down and did the splits Prince style bang on the 'drop' in 'We Blame Chicago'. That was a good year, first time seeing Deerhoof, Hella, Oxes on the boxes, Lightning Bolt.

I never really liked the recording style of 'To Everybody' and 'Panda Park' - very much of its time I guess.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soq_0RnI2o0

I also always get FACS mixed up with E who released a record called 'Negative Work' the same year - also super good and if you like FACS you'll prob like them.

I have no specific recommendation because I like all their stuff. I’d say just grab something else and see if you like it.

I've only heard Negative Houses, adore it, need to check out more, any aficionados want to recommend next one to check out?

New one Wish Defense is great, like Albini doing the first Bauhuas record, I really love Lifelike and Void Moments, but I celebrate the whole catalog.

All the records are really short, 30 minutes mostly, so you can blow through most of the catalog in short order

Cheers, not a lot affordable on Discogs, off to Bandcamp. I am weirdo who tries to avoid streaming / playing music from my computer as much as possible ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I take it Maggot Brain isn't like Bardo Pond doing 'Maggot Brain' ha

Seems like their record label is not releasing any more records so everything is going out of print sadly, at least for now

The Maggot Brain LP is a self-release live set at the Smashed Plastic party, I believe the venue was briefly known as Maggot Brain

Have you heard anything official about Trouble In Mind? Such a killer label, I’d hate for them to go away, but I’ve also noticed the major slowdown in new releases.

What I heard was from Brian in FACS, haven't seen Trouble in Mind post anything official and yeah it would be a real loss

I heard through the grapevine that Trouble In Mind is, more or less, done.

I realize that doesn't feel very solid, but their public-facing activity seems to back it up.

Off the grapevine (had known about it for a year or so) and official:

https://pitchfork.com/news/trouble-in-mind-records-ceases-operations/

RIP to a good one.