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Fresh Sounds from Middle America (vol 3)
Fresh Sounds from Middle America (vol 3)
Compilation album by Various Artists
Released	1986
Recorded	1986
Genre	Punk rock, alternative rock
Label	Fresh Sounds (FS 213)
Producer	Bill Rich
Various Artists chronology

Fresh Sounds From Middle America (vol 3) was the third album released in the series of compilations featuring bands from the Midwest region of America. The mix of styles was about half punk rock and half alternative rock. The best known of the bands included are the Micronotz, the Pedal Jets and the Homestead Grays.^[1] This volume was presented by "Redline and KJHK".^[2]

General info

The "Fresh Sounds" series was organized by Bill Rich, of Talk Talk magazine,^[3] as a way to promote regional bands nationally.^[4]^[5]

The previous two albums in the series were cassette only releases, released in 1981. This album was the first to be released as a vinyl LP and it was a more conventional compilation, with one track per band, whereas the previous two albums had multiple tracks from each band. Bill Rich chose to release this volume of the series on vinyl because he felt that unknown bands were given more legitimacy when their music was released on vinyl.^[6]

This was the only vinyl appearance for bands such as Von Bulows, Hundreds & Thousands, Brompton's Cocktail, and Near Death Experience.^[1]

Track listing

Psychic Archie - Didn't Love Her
Von Bulows - Summer Song
Homestead Grays - Rev. Cross
Boxes of Love - OK
The Yardapes - Superstitious
Lions & Dogs - Be My Something
Thumbs - Jericho
Hundreds & Thousands - The Girl in Little Rock
The Iguanas - Market
Brompton's Cocktail - Hypocritical Success
Bum Kon - Steam Engine #9
Near Death Experience - Dolphin Torture
The Micronotz - Gimme Some Skin
Short Notice - Beg for Mercy
Pedal Jets - Hide & Go Seek
Rabbit Scat - Gimme Some of that Go-Go Juice

Reception

"A fascinating tour of a wide-open rock & roll prairie, and value for money to boot - sixteen just out-of-the-garage bandsand close to an hour of music. There's more to Lawrence, Kansas than William Burroughs." (David Fricke, Rolling Stone, 1987)^[7]
"There are 15 bands that really show world that the Lawrence's "scene" is as good or better than any around. Among them are the Homestead Grays, Micronotz, Lions and Dogs, Thumbs and the PedalJets." (Doug Hitchcock, Lawrence Journal-World, 1986)^[8]
"This sampler resents diverse sounds from some familiar (MICRONOTZ, BUM KON, IGUANAS) and mostly relatively unknown bands. While side one is composed of adequate alternative pop tracks, the flip really lets loose with hard-edged punky tunes spanning most of the punk/HC spectrum. Interesting comp--and worth your attention." (Steve Spinali, Maximumrocknroll, 1986)^[9]
"Sound quality varies from track to track, but performance quality is top notch. The album is roughly divided into a new wave side and a punk side. The Punks: I dug the Micronotz' fiery take on 'Gimme Some Skin' and Pedal Jets' 'Hide and Go Seek' " (Option Magazine, 1986)^[10]
"These sounds may not be that fresh but at least there isn't anything truly rotten on this compilation either. Most of these bands, as usual, look to folk-rock and psychedelia for inspiration, but often with original results. There are too many groups and songs here to go into individually, and many of them blur into each other, sound-wise, but all in all this is a decent collection. Strangely, an early Talking Heads-type rhythm is utilized by most of these combo. No complaints, though." (Jordan Oakes, Jet Lag magazine, 1986)^[11]

References

^ ^a ^b Jaerisch, Burkhard. "Fresh Sounds From Middle America (vol 3)". Flex: Discography of US Punk and Hardcore. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
^ Enthal, Andrea (April 1986). "College Radio". Spin. p. 110. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
^ Blush, Steven; George Petros (October 19, 2010). American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Feral House. p. 262. ISBN 978-1-932595-89-5. Bill Rich of Fresh Sounds (and Talk Talk zine) put out the Fresh Sounds From Middle America comp tape and early cassettes by local greats The Embarrassment and Mortal Micronots (later The Micronotz).
^ Jensen, Ron (January 17, 1982). "Local music critic promotes 'Fresh Sounds' of Midwest". Lawrence Journal-World. p. 16. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
^ Fricke, David (December 18, 1986). "The Underground Empire". Rolling Stone. pp. 116–122. Archived from the original on June 6, 1997. Lawrence, Kansas, has been a hotbed of alternative music for several years, thanks principally to the indefatigable Bill Rich, who runs the hardy, little Fresh Sounds label there. As far back as 1981, Rich was issuing the first pressings by the Lawrence bands Get Smart! and the Embarrassment, both of whom went on to underground-cult fame. More recently, Rich, the University of Kansas radio station KJHK and Redline Productions (a local concert promoter) issued a sampler album entitled Fresh Sounds from Middle America #3 (#1 and #2 were cassette only releases put out by Rich in 1981). Of the sixteen bands featured on the LP, twelve are from Lawrence or nearby Topeka. Alt URL
^ "Fresh Sounds' Album Features 16 Local, Regional Bands". Lawrence Journal-World. March 9, 1986. pp. 3D. Unknown bands on tape are not accorded the legitimacy that bands whose songs are released on vinyl get
^ Fricke, David (January 1, 1987). "A selective guide to indie LPs". Rolling Stone. p. 122. Archived from the original on June 6, 1997. Alt URL
^ Hitchcock, Doug (Feb 8, 1986). "Look For Fresh Sounds From The River City". Lawrence Journal-World. pp. 5D.
^ Spinali, Steve (May 1986). "Record review". Maximumrocknroll #36. p. 16. Archived from the original on May 8, 1999. Retrieved February 15, 2011. Alt URL^[usurped]
^ "Record review". Option (magazine). 1986. pp. Issue #52. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
^ Oakes, Jordan (May 1986). "Record review". Jet Lag magazine. Retrieved March 16, 2011.^{[permanent dead link‍]}