Teeth - The Strain

Label: Bandcamp
Year: 2012

First, the music: If you are here (here being this spot on the internet), then you can rest assured that you will enjoy this album. Money back guarantee (payable in hugs only). It's the kind of music that hearkens back to a day when Tad Doyle stood astride the Grunge-o-sphere, when pop songs were drug kicking and screaming into the foggy woods, defiled to the point where only their dental records could identify the body, when the hours where counted by the clicking of a thousand Rat pedals in unison. It's got all the hallmarks of the bands you used to love, and the modern fury of all the bands you will love tomorrow (yet claim to have loved since you heard their "first 7""...yeah, right). The Steve Albini engineering and Bob Weston mastering should pretty much tell you what you need to know.

Second, the story: Two brother sort of have a band called Teeth, and one of those brothers is diagnosed with cancer. As the cancer spreads and the prognosis gets worse, he decides he really wants to record an album with Steve Albini at Electrical Audio as a type of sonic legacy. Nothing earth shattering, just a good old fashioned rock record played the way guys with good record collections play. Well, word gets around about his plan, and before he can lay down his first dollar, Albini opens his studio to the brothers for free and lets them have at it. The band quickly pulls together their songs, drives to Chicago, and puts down a scorching record, something more than just a "bucket list" vanity project. It's honestly a great, great album, and the story itself is truly an inspiration to get off your ass and do what's important to you, quit letting bullshit stand in your way and just fucking do it.
There's a short video on the topic here.
John Grabski III passed away recently, but in his own words; "rock versus cancer, rock wins!" Fuck yeah! Rock always wins!

Please go listen to this, and then buy it directly from the band. The proceeds go to cancer related research and care.

DL