No Handle

Vice Magazine
8 out of 10.

Product Description
Icewater Scandal started out under the moniker AM Radio at the turn of the brave 21st century in the most unlikely of places. Some misguided barrista had convinced the powers that be to try to turn the Starbucks on the edge of the East Village into a music venue. Sean, DW and Travis, who were all students at the School Of Visual Arts at the time and had been holed up in an abandoned studio space experimenting with guitars played at very high volumes, got roped into performing at one of the ill fated events. In the audience was Andrea Hansen, who took to the sounds, which were a bit too much for the cafè-latte crowd. Andrea had been cutting her teeth playing to a completely different yet equally confused audience; playing her strange rock-oriented material around Staten Island hardcore scene (the closest music venues she could get to with her bus pass).

From there DW switched to drums, they all moved into a tiny railroad apartment on the very tip of Williamsburg. Maturing at breakneck speed, the band cut a six song EP/Demo at Funhouse NYC with ex-Honeymoon Killer Jerry Teel (who went on to produce Yeah Yeah Yeah’s first EP and a slew of other great records from the period).

Shortly thereafter Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth volunteered to produce the bands first record at SY’s Echo Canyon Studio. These sessions are now available on Icewater Scandal’s debut album No Handle. This album further hones their musical instincts taking 60’s experimental music a la the Dream Syndicate et al, and merging that with the elan of 80’s indie rock. No Handle is at times muscular and other times cerebral, without losing any flair.

Six songs in fifty minutes (or seven in sixty five if you¹ve get the double LP); a sprawling record which uses those ideals of rock that have been for the large part ignored: psychedelic exploration, rhythmic dynamics, careening vocals, crafted noise, epic long format composition, and, lets face it, a group of people that are just not willing to compromise. It is a confidence that is bolstered by the music. No Handle is sure to carry you along with it.

Tracks:

Family
Secret Love
My Romance/What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?
Trust the Wind
Wind Beneath My Wings
You'll Never Walk Alone
Everything Possible
Dream on, Little Angel
Let Me Be the Music
Prideful Mary
God Loves a Woman
When October Goes
Last Day
For All We Know/I'll Be Seeing You
Empty Chairs Medley: Empty Chairs at Empty Tables/No One Is ...
I Shall Miss Loving You
I Have Loved

Tracks:

Psalm 92
Ave Maria
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
White Christmas
O Holy Night
Cup of Christmas Tea
Silent Night
Auld Lang Syne
How to Handle a Woman/Some Enchanted Evening
Ain't No Mountain
Donna's Song
Not While I'm Around
I'll Be Here With You
All Is Well
God Bless America
Cup of Christmas Tea [CD-ROM Track]

Average customer rating:

[3 CDs / 40 Tracks] Mystikal/Tim Smooth, BOX, Kane & Abel, Mr. Serv-On, Skull Duggery, Big Ed, Steady Mobbin, Uzi, Too Short & Layzie Bone, Kool Ace, UGK & Too Short, Paper View, Playas United, Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz, Jay Mac, Beanie Siegel, Jamal & Keith Murray, T.W.D.Y., Truck Turner, Newsense Of Psychodrama, G-Side, C.O.L., Free Style Lee, Snoop Dogg, M.C. Eiht, Daz, Spice 1, Kid Frost, Brother Lynch Hung, Mac Dre, E40, Celly Cel, Lighter Shade Of Brown, J.T The Bigga Figga, Mac Mall, Silke, The Delinquents, 187 Fac, The Mossie, L.A. Nash, Don P
Professional Stone Crooks / West Coast Parlae / Money / Gorilla Milk / 535% / , West Coast / Spread Yo Hustle / Come Talke A Ride / What You Do / Game Tight / The Experience / The Fatha Figga / East Oakland , Something About Your Pimpin' / Pimpin' Ain't No Illusion / Something About The Game / I'm Gone / , Swing / Snitches 7 Bitches / Peep The Steelo / All My Dogs / , Lifestyles / My Pimpin' (We Don't Trust Them Hoes) / Universal Sessions / It's All About Me / , Cash Rules / M.C.'s / Straight Off The Tank / Handle Ya Business / , Smokin' Joe / The Swamp / What U Want / Aga Aga / Fuck Fest / , Record Executive / My Time 2 Shine / I'm The Hardest / Let Me Get Up In Ya / , and Chiefin / Zone / I'm A Dog
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000OUFGVY

Average customer rating:

title of review

No Handle
Icewater Scandal
Manufacturer: The Social Registry
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0001L3M6M
Release Date: 2004-04-06

Tracks:

Klat
Muddy Blue
Shiny Gold
Banana Ssplat
Oh Shoot
See Saw

Album Description

Icewater Scandal started out under the moniker AM Radio at the turn of the brave 21st century in the most unlikely of places. Some misguided barrista had convinced the powers that be to try to turn the Starbucks on the edge of the East Village into a music venue. Sean, DW and Travis, who were all students at the School Of Visual Arts at the time and had been holed up in an abandoned studio space experimenting with guitars played at very high volumes, got roped into performing at one of the ill fated events. In the audience was Andrea Hansen, who took to the sounds, which were a bit too much for the cafè-latte crowd. Andrea had been cutting her teeth playing to a completely different yet equally confused audience; playing her strange rock-oriented material around Staten Island hardcore scene (the closest music venues she could get to with her bus pass).

From there DW switched to drums, they all moved into a tiny railroad apartment on the very tip of Williamsburg. Maturing at breakneck speed, the band cut a six song EP/Demo at Funhouse NYC with ex-Honeymoon Killer Jerry Teel (who went on to produce Yeah Yeah Yeah's first EP and a slew of other great records from the period).

Shortly thereafter Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth volunteered to produce the bands first record at SY's Echo Canyon Studio. These sessions are now available on Icewater Scandal's debut album No Handle. This album further hones their musical instincts taking 60's experimental music a la the Dream Syndicate et al, and merging that with the elan of 80's indie rock. No Handle is at times muscular and other times cerebral, without losing any flair.

Customer Reviews:

title of review.......2004-08-21

This album reminds me of Rodan's album Rusty, in that it only has six songs (two of which are shorter than 3 minutes, while the other four all run over seven minutes), and the style of music isn't too dissimilar. They used to be called AM Radio, and I kinda disliked the song I heard from them under that name. I decided to check out the new album anyway, thinking I'd just hear one song and lose interest, but I liked the first song, and ended up checking out the whole album. Klat reminds me of Sonic Youth and Shellac. The vocals on this one are very Kim Gordony. The guitar opens with a nice jagged dark disharmony, then finds its way to a rock riff that reminds me of Polvo and Rodan. It's the best song on the album. Muddy Blue is one of the short songs. The first minute is just pointless noise, then they make a decent pop song out of the next minute and a half. The most accessable song on the album. Shiny Gold is one-chord monotony on one guitar, while the other layers a fragmented uninspired lead part over the top. Worst song on the album. Oh Shoot is the other short song. It's ok. Banaba Ssplat starts out as a slightly bluesy rocker, then disappears into one-chord soundscapey monotony pretty fast. I wish they put more effort into giving their songs a more focussed melodic flow. More intricate composition and less jam-band lameness. They clearly have some great pop instincts, but too often they let pretention override them. See Saw is very Catpowery in the simple two-chord base and vocals. It feels a bit pointlessly drawn out and simple, but it's still nice to listen to. Some of the lead guitar bits are nice.

Average customer rating:

Best of Broadway

Manufacturer: Intersound Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000DUNW
Release Date: 1996-03-04

Average customer rating:

Things That Have No Handle

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B0002IQ1C6

Rock Music:

Rock Music