Subject:
Your music.
Wed, 01 Dec 1999 01:31:23 -0800
From:
Miltner Parsons <e6@juno.com>
To:
4@lotion.net

Oh man, 4, you are still my favorite band since your stuff came out. I
am so bummed that you guys are not together any more.. it would be fun
to see you guys play again.. you always had wierd drummers though, but
they were always good. AJ, you play a fuckin' mean bass, i'd like to
hear you play that style more now, nothing sounds like that anymore, the
stuff like Shellac, Unwound, Jehu. Matt - dude can we just hang out
sometime so you can teach me your guitar stuff? what are your tunings, i
want to see you play more and learn... you guys are gods.

-a guy

with emails like that, it just doesn't get much better.

• A.J. - Bass
• Matt - Guitar/Vocals
• Jamie - Drums

4! Three assholes who think jazz is better than punk rock! Actually, 4 is a high-powered trio from Costa Mesa, Ca. that has toured the West Coast and Mid-Western United States extensively. 4 have released their first CD "Unusual Warmth" in 1997 on Cargo Records. 4 has previously released four 7" records including two from Girth Records; "String Crack Effort," and a split single with Costa Mesa's very own f.h. hill co., as well as "The Power Of The Mind" compliation (Mindpower Records) and "The Past And The Present" (Goldenrod Records).
With the advent of drummers Miles Gilette (fluf) and Mike McHugh (f.h. hill co.), 4 have delivered their thirteen song album "Unusual Warmth" like a head on adrenaline rush with enough mesmerizing verve to ruffle your panties.

Enjoy.

REVIEWS

• Aiding & Abetting - 'Unusual Warmth' CD - The 7" was altogether incoherent, even for what I term "hardcore emo". I'm not asking for a big buttload of structure; just something to point the way. And 4 has come through on this disc. I don't know; maybe I was in a weird mood when I checked out the single. Now that I've heard more, I think I understand a little better. And I certainly like what I hear. There are quite a few moments of weirdness where the songs sorta lose track of themselves (tempo changes three minutes in, the dissolution of rhythmic ideas for no particular reason), but these tunes have been worked around pretty well. I like the idea behind this, and I like this execution much better than what I heard a month or so ago. There's still room for improvement, of course, but 4 is definitely on the right track.
  
  
• MAXIMUMROCKNROLL - 'String Crack Effort' 7" - Cool shit here, "Always Repair" sounds like some long long lost IGGY/J.WILLIAMSON nugget if somehow STEVE ALBINI returned back in time to produce the session (ie Detroit style grit with 80's midwest abrasiveness/grunt). The other songs have a cool WIRE-derived art aggroness which impressed me greatly. But "Always Repair" is the goods! (HD) (GIRTH Records, PO Box 11942, Costa Mesa, Ca. 92627.)
  
  
• PUNK PLANET - 'The Past and the Present' 7" - Noisy rock stuff going on here. Pretty good too, I wouldn't be surprised if these guys "made it" one day in the near future. There's some straight forward fast stuff, and some Jesus Lizard-esque off tempo type stuff on this record. All in all, it rocks pretty damn hard I think. (MM) (Goldenrod Records, 3770 Tansy St., San Diego, Ca. 92121)
  
  
• D.O.A. FANZINE - 'The Past and the Present' 7" - These guys from Orange County, including Miles, the drummer from fluf, have put together a nice little record with really neato neon blue transparent vinyl. This tempo changing record takes a few listens before it knocks your socks off, but once it does, don't even try to keep those smelly dogs covered. (Goldenrod Records, 3770 Tansy St., San Diego, Ca., 92121) -Scott
  
  
• RATIONAL ENQUIRER - 'The Past and the Present' - Definately the best Goldenrod release we received. Emotional, driving pop with somewhat of an edge. (Goldenrod Records, 3770 Tansy St., San Diego, Ca., 92121) -KS
  
  
• PRESS AND DRAG - split 7" 4/f.h. hill co. - Straight off the banks of the mighty Santa Ana come these two riff-rocking bands. They got that "Costa Mesa" thing going. Both bands really know how to rock. f.h. hill co. is what you get when the JESUS LIZARD and BLUES EXPLOSION get together. 4 is more along the lines of UNWOUND. Good job boys! (or is that a girl?) (Girth Records, PO Box 11942, Costa Mesa, Ca. 92627)
  
  
• BEAT BOX - 4/f.h. hill co. split 7" - Very interesting cover artwork. 4 kicks off with some really moving rock. Similar sound to the previous sock-knocking 7" on Goldenrod. f.h. hill co. comes in with some weird sort-of blues that really grows on you. I've seen both bands live and I dig it! (Girth Records, PO Box 11942, Costa Mesa, Ca., 92627)
  
  
• FLIPSIDE - "String Crack Effort" 7" EP - On this three song single, the vocals are distorted, and they end the first song, an Iggy style Dee-troit rock tune with a heavy dose of chaos. The second song is a more sped up and manic bit of old style rockin' punk. The third song is a slower drone of the college kid variety, which kind of drags, but two out of three in sot too shabby. On red vinyl.-Katz (Girth Records, PO Box 11942, Costa Mesa, Ca., 92627)
  
  

• SUBURBAN VOICE - VARIOUS-The Power Of The Mind (Mindpower) - Three good bands, two of which, Splitfinger and Pollen Art, include Marc Maxey (who was in Justice League years and years ago)- Splitfinger, Marc's latest band, favor a hooky, mid-tempo grungy punk style on their track while Pollen Art operated in a more Husker-ish vein. 4 have the best track of the three- emotionally charged and with a classic DC drive. (PO Box 280483, Northridge, Ca., 91328-0483)
  
  

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