1989 was the bellwether year for Albuquerque's modern music era as the Duke City's nascent music scene finally pulled free of past stylistic associations in a sudden rush of DYI mania. Bold ideas delivered via less than adequate resources.
What was the origin of this unexpected surge of hip credibility upon what up until then had been the exclusive domain of plodding cover bands and big hair metal combos?
No big mystery there. Like other college towns (Athens, Seattle, Austin, Chapel Hill, Tucson) Albuquerque became a mecca for above average collegiate smart asses goosestepping along with jangle rock/indie movement as it swept across America in all its lo-fi splendor.
The stripped down minimalism and sad-sack pathos fit right in with “Burque's sense of desperation and almost pathological need for validation. This sloppy spirited awakening took root and just like a typical New Mexican weed, thrived under conditions that would kill off less hearty types. Albuquerque's music scene has never quite blended into any particular style. But, looking back in retrospect, the period between 1989-1999 was as close to a definitive “Duke City Sound” as we'll ever get.
What do the critics think?...
“Dirt City Chronicles podcast is the best microcosmic document yet of an erratic, invigorating and ever evolving local music scene” ~ The Rocky Mountain Oyster ~
“A postcard from the edge” ~ Mogollon Rim Review ~
“Southwestern Culture on the Skids” ~ Deming Graphic ~
“A nice break from 'Burque's typically folk driven guitar-rock (with banjo)” ~ The Deseret Gazette ~
“Dirt City Chronicles, better than one stop shopping on Record Day” ~ The Lordsburg Liberal ~
Boy Howdy! A nifty compilation of well-played, tuneful tunes that thunder along with concise energy and total whimsy. it's the opportunity for newcomers to glean a sensible summary of Albuquerque's long and storied musical history without spending hours mining the internet or digging through crates searching for insanely rare vinyl
~ Dirt City Chronicles ~
A Little Love (It's Alright) Lizard House
Breaker 19- Ant Farmers
Cracked From the Sun- Dead Leonard
And you Drive your Pretty Car- Strawberry Zots
Yeah- Elephant
Ycrad- Allucaneat
Kill- Angry Babies
Lockit- Naomi
Beautiful- Bellyachers
Girl in the Cake- Ant Farmers
Trans Am- Elephant
Kids I Hate- Ant Farmers
Waste of Time- Strawberry Zots
Kreig (One Black Crayon) January's Little Joke
Cast in Stone- Dead Leonard
Take Your Time- Lizard House
Colors- Lost Souls
Plastic Diamond Ring- Mumble
Bella- Naomi
Just the Beginning- The Affections
Get Me to the World on Time- Strawberry Zots
Spikey Aardvark- Treadmill
Brown Tablet- Ant Farmers
Piano in the Woods- Lizard House
