R.L. Stein - This Cover Was Left Intentionally Blank

Name: R.L. Stein
Album: This Cover Was Left Intentionally Blank
Year: 2004
Style: Improv Noise
Similar Bands: 90's Internet modem log-on sound
"One-Word" Review: Noisey Space Feedback
Based Out Of: Philadelphia, PA
Label: Breathmint

Cover, Insert, Record

Back, Record

This Cover Was Left Intentionally Blank (2004)

1. Untitled A1 3:29
2. Untitled A2 7:09
3. Untitled A3 3:40 / 
4. Untitled B1 6:23
5. Untitled B2 8:37

Album Rating (1-10): 2.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Matt Bacon (Broke Box, Cock E.S.P)
• Sarah Bernat (16 Bitch Pile-Up, Bad News, Work)
• Jared Burak (Distressed Signal, Sanguine Piss, Sanguine Vessel, Seekers of the Claw, The GTC, The Sound of Failure)
• Frank Falestra (Frankenstein Drag Queens from Planet 13, Laundry Room Squelchers, To Live & Shave in LA)
• Carlos Gonzalez
• E.W. (Emil)Hagstrom - Layout (Cock E.S.P, Coward Electronics, Hagony, New port, Origami Genitalia, Origami Republika, Paekong Mae's Integer & Real Fathom Band, The Amputease, Wrong)
• Valerie Martino (Unocorn Hard-On, Salt Swan, Russian Tsarcasm, Leslie Keffer)
• Andy Ortmann - Abstructum, Behold! The Living Corpse, Contradiction, Fashion Dictator, Glass Bath, O/W, Panicsville, Plastic Crimewave Sound, Pound of Flesh)
• Mat Rademan - Guitars, Electronics, Layout (Micronauts, Antler Piss, Chapter 9, Desiccant, FUN, Lotus, Milton, Sanguine Piss, Sanguine Vessel, Seekers of the Claw, Newton)
• Mike Schauwitzer (Mildew, Milton, Peter J Woods Free Jazz Ensemble, Slow Owls, SWWS)
• Ren Schofield - Drums (Dynasty, Form a Log, Gang Wizard, Mercy Light, Pool, Rods of God, Japanese Karaoke Afterlife Experiment, Container)
• Jason Verjagen (Cock E.S.P)
• Steve Albini - Recording
• Chris Pottinger - Drawing
• Ian Lynne - Dedecation

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, Breathmints. But it is a beautifully, creative and mysterious product, as there is really no information about the band at all except a few names printed on a clear plastic insert, like you'd use on an overhead projector. The picture disc itself is beautiful, with an insane MTV's The Head looking drawing on the "JAM" side, and the studio tracking/order sheet of this album's recording on the shark/ladybird side. No idea what the content is, since 2004, it could be anything. leaning toward arty indie rock.

Album Review: So this is an orchestrated noise record. Songs had general ideas, and the hired hands played improv-style noise through grit and feedback. They got insanely popular Steve Albini to engineer the album, What's interesting is that most of the tracks are isolated on the album. That is, when a track ends, the record spins in an infinite loop, and a needle re-drop is needed to advance. As the mystery far exceeds the music, I feel it is necessary to copy this anecdote from Mat Rademans hand (on the discogs page): "Approx, spring 2004 plans start being set into motion to record R.L. Stein's 1st LP.  At this point, the band was a duo of Ren Schofield on drums, myself on guitar/electronics & guest players depending on the city we were playing in. So talks between Ren & I began, who was gonna play on it with us? who was gonna record it? should we even really do this? After a few "uhhhs" & "mmmmm's" i basically said "fuck it, let's get Albini to record it, we'll get some rad people to play on it, get it pressed to picture disc, & i'll slave away on overtime at work the next few months & pay for it all!" Ren i believe responded with something like "cool.", delivered in a very monotone voice.So there it began....I had been running my mouth for years about wanting to record a record with Steve Albini. I can honestly remember calling Steve on the phone as far back as when i was in the Mirconauts to set up a session with him. I have been a long time fan of his work, & loved the sound he got on tape. So i got in touch with him and set up a date that worked best for all involved.Next to assemble the additional players, which ended up being a massive group of Breathmint's inner circle & other pals close to the heart.Matt Bacon Sarah Bernat Jared Burak Frank Falestra Carlos Gonzalez E.W. Hagstrom Valerie Martino Andy Ortmann Mike Schauwitzer Jason VerhagenI booked the Newton "Cruel Summer" tour around the session, and off we went.So on August 19th, 2004 A.D., the 12 of us met that for breakfast and i presented the "gameplan", a loose structure of "songs" & a list of who would be playing with Ren & I on what track. Then over to Electrical Audio ( a two-studio complex located in Chicago, Illinois and owned by Steve Albini) to record & mix this LP." - Mat Rademan June 13th, 2008

Stand Out Track:

Links:
Discogs
Breathmints
Steve Albini WIki
Mat Raderman Discogs