It only seems appropriate to start this blog off with a band that Mike Kirsch was in, but I'll save the majority of that whole spiel for another time. This band, in particular, really moves me in a way that most other punk bands fall drastically short of. "Emotive Hardcore" is the simplest term that I feel comfortable pigeonholing them into. Bread and Circuits (on this record) was comprised of Mike Kirsch (John Henry West et al.) on guitar/vocals, Jose Palafox (Struggle, Manumission, Swing Kids, Baader Brains, etc.) on drums, Chuck Shackelford (this is his most notable band) on bass/vocals, and Mag (famously of Yaphet Kotto, later on briefly played in Saviours) on guitar. A dream team of sorts for fuckers (much like myself) completely entranced in this very specific style of music.
There is a lot happening here, but in the context of the band it forms one cohesive aesthetic and sound. The music is mostly mid-tempo but seems to be specifically written that way in order to let the overlying melodies, accents, and elaborate transitions shine brighter. For those familiar with Kirsch's work, Bread and Circuits was the logical progression from Torches to Rome and the logical pre-cursor to the more left-field workings of Please Inform the Captain... and Baader Brains. Lyrically, this band focuses on the staunch politics and guilt-laden topics characteristic of their time, place, and peers. One primary focus of this band was on issues of racial privilege (such as the song "White Man"- "Brother / your time has come for you to awaken from your guilt encased tomb / your voice has taken up far too much room... White Man what have you done lately?") - which weighed a bit more heavily than other bands speaking on the issue considering the mixed racial make-up of Bread and Circuits.
This record has been available on the internet for some time, but this is my own vinyl rip and it sounds better than the other one floating around on the internet. I have also included all of the lyrics as well as scanned images of the covers as well as the entire insert (this will be the format of all posts on this blog).
Bread and Circuits released one other record (a split LP with Former Members of Alfonsin) which is their best material. If you have that record and wouldn't mind selling/trading it, get at me!
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