We Blame Chicago

by The 90 Day Men

Overview

90 Day Men were active for just under a decade between their 1995 formation and when they broke up in 2004. In that time, while operating mainly out of Chicago, the band steadily progressed from dissonant post-hardcore and math rock beginnings into something more heady, conceptual, and specific, pulling experimentalism and oddball pop tendencies into their sound. We Blame Chicago offers a detailed look at how 90 Day Men quickly developed into one of the more influential yet consistently underground acts of their time, collecting remastered versions of their three studio albums, as well as a scattering of miscellaneous tracks that includes songs from various 7"s and a Peel Sessions recording from 2001. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of We Blame Chicago is how it illuminates how rapidly the band changed during their relatively short run. The songs from their 2000 full-length debut album, (It (Is) It) Critical Band, are in keeping with the abstract but decidedly punk-derived style of their earliest days. At that point, 90 Day Men would have fit perfectly on mixtapes alongside Unwound, the Jesus Lizard, Drive Like Jehu, and the like, with vocals that muttered and yelped, drums that exploded into open rooms, and guitars that clashed with themselves in infinite confusion. Just two years later, however, 2002's To Everybody sounds like a very different band, heavy on piano, synthesizers, and experimental production choices, and veering quickly away from the basement punk chaos of their earlier releases. "Last Night, A DJ Saved My Life" is a pivotal moment for this change, with vocalist/guitarist Brian Case still seething more than singing, but doing so over a network of acoustic guitars, nervy electronics, and acoustic piano. Here 90 Day Men take a turn toward the post-rock sound of some of their Chicago contemporaries like Joan of Arc or Gastr del Sol, adding oddity to their baseline of tension. This only continued on the group's 2004 swan song, Panda Park, which includes moments of glam theatricality on "Silver and Snow," spaced-out weirdness on the Pink Floyd-by-way-of-Radiohead tune "When Your Luck Runs Out," and more intricate arrangements and unexpected twists throughout. 90 Day Men evolved ravenously from one album to the next, leaving behind a rich catalog to puzzle over as the individual bandmembers went on to further exploration in new projects after their breakup. We Blame Chicago presents 90 Day Men's spiky timeline in a way that highlights just how ambitious all of their transformations were, and how fearlessly they allowed themselves to wander. It also exemplifies the quiet impact they had on anyone who was listening, going very quickly from being just another of many cathartic and shouty post-punk bands to creating sounds that would be ahead of their time for years to come. ~ Fred Thomas

Product Details

Release Date:	01/19/2024
Label:	Numero / Numero Group
UPC:	0825764122641
Rank:	62528

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Dialed In
2. Missouri Kids Cuss
3. From One Primadonna to Another
4. Super Illuminary
5. Hans Lucas
6. Exploration Vs. Solution Baby
7. Sort of Is a Country in Love
8. Jupiter and Io

Disc 2

9. I've Got Designs on You
10. Last Night, A DJ Saved My Life
11. Saint Theresa in Ecstasy
12. We Blame Chicago
13. Alligator
14. A National Car Crash

Disc 3

15. Even Time Ghost Cant Stop Wagner
16. When Your Luck Runs Out
17. Chronological Disorder
18. Sequel
19. Too Late or Too Dead
20. Silver and Snow
21. Night Birds

Disc 4

22. My Trip to Venus
23. Sink Potemken
24. Streamlines and Breadwinners
25. Sweater Queen
26. Hey, Citronella!
27. From One Prima Donna to Another
28. Studio Track Four
29. Methodist
30. To Everybody: Outtake 1
31. To Everybody: Outtake 2
32. Harlequins Chassis
33. Eyes on the Road

Disc 5

34. Sort of Is a Country in Love
35. The Methodist
36. Hans Lucas
37. National Car Crash
38. To Everybody: Outtake No. 2
39. Harlequin's Chassis
40. Eye's on the Road
41. Sort of Is a Country in Love
42. Methodist
43. Hans Lucas
44. A National Car Crash

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The 90 Day Men   Primary Artist
Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe   Bass,Vocals
Cayce Key   Drums
Brian Case   Guitar,Vocals
Andrew Lansangan   Vocals,Keyboards

Technical Credits

John Congleton   Producer,Engineer
Ken Shipley   Reissue Producer
Rob Sevier   Reissue Producer
Chris Godbey   Assistant Engineer
Carl Saff   Engineer
Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe   Composer,Group Member
Adam Luksetich   Reissue Producer
Cayce Key   Composer,Group Member
Brian Case   Composer,Group Member
Judson Picco   Editing
Andrew Lansangan   Composer,Group Member
Heba Kadry   Mastering
Farbod Kokabi   Design
Riley Manion   Production Coordination
Gwen Greenaway   Production Coordination
Rebeka Arce   Design
Hallie Newnam   Transcription
Tim McConville   Direction
Will Lovell   Transcription
Tim Iseler   Assistant Engineer
Greg Norman   Engineer,Assistant Engineer