Car Vs. Driver

At the back end of last year I picked up a bunch of Wreckage Records rarities from a friend who was selling his collection, which included a bunch of Mind Over Matter test presses. I hadn't listened to the band in a while, so when the records were on the way I wanted to listed to them again. So I went to Soulseek and downloaded the second LP, which I had been missing digitally. I wanted to play it through my computer while I worked. So I pressed play, and got on with my work. But it was only about 3 songs in when my brain clicked that I had no idea what I was listening to. Whatever came out of my speakers was definitely not Mind Over Matter, but the distraction of work meant that I got through 3 songs before realising it was not what I had intended to listen to. That said, I was quite enjoying whatever it was... although I had no idea what it was. I had downloaded a Mind Over Matter LP, and the artist was showing as Mind Over Matter in itunes, but the songs coming out were not Mind Over Matter. So what the hell was I listening to?

Well, I remembered that there was an app that had been around for a few years that could tell you what any song was that was playing. I googled it, downloaded it, and then pressed play on my Mind Over Matter imposter song. Within about 5 seconds, the app told me that I was playing a song by a band called Car Vs. Driver. As soon as I got this name, I went youtube and searched the song out, which confimed that the app was right, and then I went to discogs and checked out whatever I could about the band... which wasn't much.

Around the same time, I picked up some record from someone on discogs and noticed that they had a Car Vs. Driver LP for sale for only $5. So of course I grabbed it instantly. The band had two full lengths, and this is the second, titled 'Out Of A Silent Sky'. It was released on a label called Lunchbox Records.

All I know about this band is that they were from Atlanta, Georgia, and existed circa 1994 - 1996. The style that they played is described as 'emo', but that word probably meant something different in 1994 to what it does now. I can't describe their tunes, but it isn't really what I would call emo at all. But it is very much typical mid 90s 'hardcore'. I guess that's why I love it. I figured I would give you a chance to trial it too if you've never heard the band. But if you listen to this song you have to listen to it all the way through. It gets more interesting at the 2:15 mark.

For some reason I feel a lot more interested to go back in time when it comes to discovering 'new' music. I love discovering bands that have been gone for many years, although obviously its bitter sweet as there is no chance of ever seeing them play live. But goddamn, the 90s was a good time. So many great bands and new styles being born. I lived through it and these days it feels like I barely scratched the surface. I could probably be discovering new bands from the 90s for the rest of my life.