Friday, July 9, 2021

Super Friendz (the) - Mock Up, Scale Down

Name: The Super Friendz
Album: Mock Up, Scale Down
Year: 1995
Style: Jangly Pop
Similar Bands: Sloan, Gin Blossoms, Replacements, Thrush Hermit, Posies, Big Star, Bicycles, Young Guv
"One-Word" Review: Preppy-Rock
Based Out Of: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Label: Murderecords, MCA
Cover & Back
Liner Notes, CD Back, CD

Mock Up, Scale Down (1995)
  1. 10 Lbs 3:41 (single)
  2. Karate Man 3:05 (single)
  3. Undertow 3:06
  4. Down In Flames 3:20
  5. Dear Old Ireland 3:13
  6. Restricted 3:18
  7. Come Clean 2:39
  8. Rescue Us From Boredom 4:09 (single)
  9. Fireflies 3:10
  10. Kiss the Land 4:21
  11. Stone Alone 2:57
  12. Better Call 2:33
  13. When They Paid Me 3:38
  14. One Day 3:22
  15. Length of Heart (bonus track) 3:37
Album Rating (1-10): 8.5

Members & Other Bands:
  • Brenndan McGuire - Producer (Jale, Thrush Hermit, Sloan)
  • Drew Yamada - Guitar, Vox (Neuseiland, Mike O'Neill, Rhinoplasty, Yoneda)
  • Charles Austin - Bass, Vox (Neuseiland, Buck 65, Matt Mays, Joel Plaskett, Garrett Mason, Rhinoplasty, Al Tuck, Aqua Alta, Fantasy Eye, Iron Egg, Psychic Fair, Savant Garde, Skreech, The Entity, The Lodge, Menotti, Matt Reid, Play Guitar, David R. Elliot, Tanya Davis, Leonard Conan, Mike O'Neill, Jean Schwarz, Graven, Bontempi, General Electrics, Jon Epworth, David Myles, Norma MacDonald,  Jenny MacDonald, Ruth Minnikin, Jenn Grant, Jim Cameron, Isador, Walrus, Dennis Ellsworth, Matthew Grimson)
  • Matt Murphy - Guitar, Vox (The Flashing Lights, City Field, Cookie Duster, TUNS, Deluxe Boys. Ink Stains, Blackpool, Al Tuck, All Good Children, City Field, Leonard Conan, Certain Someones, The Forum, To The Power of Three, Snob Shop, Neko Case & Her Boyfriends, Mike O'Neill, The Heat, Matt Murphy, Dave Marsh, Matthew Grimson, Skreech, Inbreds, The Vees, The American Flag, Hershel Savage, Jonathan Andrews, David Myles)
  • Dave Marsh - Drums (No Damn Fears, Blackpool, Joel Plaskett, True love Rules, Cheticamp, The Flashing Lights, Matt Mays, Matt Murphy, Erin Costelo, Graven, Yoneda, Mo Kenney, Dennis Ellsworth, Leanne Hoffman)
  • Catherine Stockhausen - Artwork, Photos
  • Chris Mueller - Artwork
  • Colin Mackenzie - Mgmt
Unknown-ness: Not sure why i picked up this CD from the discount bin back in the late 90s...don't specifically remember the name or any of the songs. But it looks like something i'd be into... it has a poppy rock, DIY feel to it, including the band photo. So i'm going to guess it's along the lines of The Rentals or Fountains of Wayne.

Album Review: The music is on the lighter, jangly pop side, like the Posies, but it is catchy with clean hooks. Most of the songs bound forth with a happy bouncy demeanor, with a tinge of slacker delivery. "Rescue Us From Boredom" has a little of a Dismemberment Plan feel to its driving progression. "Stone Alone" has some slide guitar, giving it a little of an alt-country rock sound. "One Day" has a twee, jangly power pop sound, with a little psych.

This record was nominated for Juno's Alt record of the year up in Canada in 96, and was released on Sloan's murderecords label. The album was apparently re-released in the US as "Sticktoitiveness," so i'm guessing this is the original Canadian version. They did not remain a band for very long, only recording from 1994 - 1997, releasing a couple other EPs and a follow-up full length in that time. The band reformed a bunch of times in 2002, 2006, 2009, 2012, and made a third record in 2003. 

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