Shrimp Boat, Speckly (side A)

Speckly reminded me how much the loosely-defined genre of indie rock has evolved since 1989.  Shambling performances and primitive recordings seem to have been common on both coasts, starting with then-prominent bands like the Thinking Felllers Union Local 282 and Uncle Wiggly.  In Chicago, though, Shrimp Boat must have stood out for following this style.  Speckly has a bit more of a rootsy, Americana influence, as they also drew from their midwestern home.  While not as diverse and jarring as early Thinking Fellers records, Speckly juxtaposes diverse styles, from driving rock songs with overly loud drums to a relatively faithful rendition of the old time standard "Shady Grove".  The cover design, which is obviously low-budget but also does not reference any punk rock antecedents, matches the music quite nicely.  And the mastering job with badly-managed high frequencies is typical of indie releases in 1989.