Forgotten Gems: Spinecar-Autophile

Spaceboy
2001 or 2002?

Um, my copy says 2001 while other sources say that this album came out in 2002. Who is right? Why am I starting out to review/article that way anyway? What is going on with this 3-piece band anyway? Alright, here is the facts as I know it. I signed up for Swap A CD. In case you don't know Swap A CD is a  site where you can post CDs for trade and order CDs that others have posted for trade. For example you send 1 CD and get 1 CD "credit" that you can use for a CD listed. Easy enough. I signed up and sent off some old CDs I no longer needed or wanted. After receiving a few credits I decided that it was time to roll the dice (as it were) and check out a couple of bands that I'd never heard of. Why not? Life is full of those moments when you just have to step on out and take a chance. Of course I should heed my own advice sometimes, but that's a story left for another time. Anyway, Spinecar was smack dab in the middle of Swap A CD's "Hard Rock & Metal" section. Whether this New York 3-piece could (or should be) called "hard rock" or "metal" is open to debate. The band was formed in Upstate New York in 1996 and features Eric Braymer (guitar & vocals), Larry Gagliardi (bass & vocals) and Art Berstein (drums). In 1997 the band independently issued their self-titled debut album which was followed by 1999's "Up From the Mud". Amazon has an EP listed (2003's "Passive Aggressive") and a 2008 album, "Revenge". As stated up above some sources say 2001 and some say 2002 for this release. In the grand scheme of things it really does not matter one bit I suppose. Here's the bit that really matters: the music. Here's the real deal, scoop on that matter: I have no idea how to describe this one other then to rattle off a list of bands that seem to serve as it's influences. A bunch of bands that come to mind right off the bat are Korn, Deftones, Kyuss, Tool, Filter, Soundgarden, Quicksand, Helmet, Butthole Surfers, Dumpster Juice, N.I.N. and Ministry. Yes you hear those bands, but this is more like a couple of random guys deciding to record an album of (heavy) gritty and raw alternative rock/post-grunge/metal that would serve to groove even as it grabbed your fact to rub across gravel. As much as last part sounds like it would hurt though it's all good as the band's rock is rough to the touch while just the thing needed to unwind and become unhinged. It's a nice serving size of heavy "whatever" from a band that might not easily fit into any one scene, but even so should serve as a template for young bands these days to emulate.