Braid Releasing New EP, Download New Song "The Right Time" Now

In high school, I discovered this thing called "indie rock," and then went on to discover all of its multiple subgenres. One of the first band names tied to this special genre that I happened to read or hear was Braid. To this day, I know about as much about Braid as I do about my high school emotions -- which is to say, enough to get by. Semi-abstract, failed attempts at humor aside, Braid was a band that held, and continues to hold, special significance in the world of indie rock -- this I know. While they were active from 1993-1999, their output was primarily deemed "post-hardcore" and also labeled with the often unfavored tag of "emo." All I can tell you -- and all you probably need to know about that period of their existence -- was that it was raw, hard, and beautifully emotive.

Polyvinyl's Epic Braid Reissue Project

Polyvinyl will be reissuing Braid's first two albums (1995's Frankie Welfare Boy Age Five and 1996's The Age of Octeen) along with Movie Music Vol. 1 and Movie Music Vol. 2 on April 13th.

The making of Frankie Welfare Boy Age Five was an exercise in the DIY ethos of the early '90s punk/indie scene. Andrew Bedinni, a friend of the band, was just learning how to engineer records and offered up his services. For months, Bedinni and Braid were holed up in a Urbana, Illinois house chipping away at the band's immense 26-song debut.

Following the completion of the album, the band managed to pay for 500 pressed copies of the album but were not able to afford album jackets. Instead, they went to Goodwill and bought mounds of old records, painting over the jackets and hand-screening their own artwork over top of the original covers (as seen below).

original (left), reissue (right)

this original copy was printed over Zeppelin's IV cover (!)

reissue

For the reissue, John Golden (Nirvana, Melvins, Sonic Youth) remastered all 26 songs. The album has been pressed on 180-gram white vinyl (limited to 700 copies) and 180-gram black vinyl.

To coincide with the reissue of Frankie Welfare Boy Age Five, Polyvinyl is also reissuing Braid's 1996 follow-up, The Age of Octeen. This reissue was also remastered by Golden and is finally available after being out of print for over a decade. The Age of Octeen will be available on 180-gram blue vinyl (limited to 700 copies) and 180-gram black vinyl.

Movie Music Vol. 1 is also being released along with the reissues. The album compiles all of Braid's 7" and split 7" material from the band's six-year existence. Aside from three full-length albums, the band released nine (count 'em, 9) 7"s along with numerous songs for compilations.

And for those looking for Braid's compilation work, you'll be happy to learn that there is Movie Music Vol. 2. The album compiles all of the band's compilation work and cover songs. The release will also feature an additional five songs that have never been released.

Both volumes are available for the first time as 2xLP releases. Not only have they been pressed on 180-gram black vinyl, they have also been pressed on colored vinyl. The color for each album's limited edition colored vinyl was chosen to match its cover: red for Vol. 1 and orange for Vol. 2.

Oh, and that's not all (I said it was epic, didn't I?). Braid's most popular 7", I'm Afraid of Everything, is being repressed on mixed color vinyl.

Phew. So, to recap the reissues available April 13th:

Frankie Welfare Boy Age Five

The Age of Octeen

Movie Music Vol. 1

Movie Music Vol. 2

I'm Afraid of Everything 7"

BUY: You can now pre-order all the above here on vinyl or CD.

Braid - "Hugs From Boys"
from Frankie Welfare Boy Age Five


Braid - "Movie Clock Star"
from The Age of Octeen

Braid Artist Page @ Polyvinyl

Polyvinyl Records

Sunny Day Real Estate Announce Reunion Tour Dates

Pioneering rock band Sunny Day Real Estate is back, hitting the road this September and October with the original lineup (frontman/singer/guitarist Jeremy Enigk, guitarist Dan Hoerner, bassist Nate Mendel, drummer William Goldsmith). The tour marks the end of a nearly 10 year hiatus and the first time the original lineup has performed together since 1998.

The band reconvened in March for rehearsals, but only today officially announced any plans to tour. This announcement follows months of speculation about the possibility of a reunion tour with the original lineup.

The last time any of the members played together was in 2001 when original members Jeremy Enigk, Nate Mendel, and William Goldsmith formed The Fire Theft. In 2003, that band released their self-titled debut which has been their only release aside from 2004's Hands On You EP.

Sunny Day Real Estate's first two LPs Diary and LP2 will be reissued with previously unreleased material on September 15th, 2009 through their old label Sub Pop.

Sunny Day Real Estate Tour Dates:
Sept. 17: Vancouver (Commodore Ballroom)
Sept. 18: Portland, Ore. (Crystal Ballroom)
Sept. 20: Salt Lake City (Murray Theatre)
Sept. 21: Denver (Ogden Theatre)
Sept. 23: Minneapolis (First Avenue)
Sept. 24: Chicago (Metro)
Sept. 25: Detroit (St. Andrews Hall)
Sept. 27: New York (Terminal 5)
Sept. 28: Boston (House of Blues)
Sept. 30: Washington, D.C. (9:30 Club)
Oct. 1: Philadelphia (Trocadero)
Oct. 3: Atlanta (CW Center Stage)
Oct. 5: Dallas (Granada Theatre)
Oct. 6: Houston (Warehouse Live)
Oct. 7: Austin (La Zona Rosa)
Oct. 9: Tempe, Ariz. (Marquee)
Oct. 10: Anaheim, Calif. (House of Blues)
Oct. 11: Los Angeles (Fonda Theatre)
Oct. 13: San Francisco (Fillmore)
Oct. 15: Spokane, Wash. (Knitting Factory)
Oct. 16: Seattle (Paramount Theatre)

Sunny Day Real Estate (new website)
Sunny Day Real Estate Twitter