Archers of Loaf
Archers of Loaf were an American indie-rock band originally from Asheville, North Carolina. Never as acclaimed as Pavement, or as prolific as Guided by Voices, they carved their own niche in the genre with their unique and quirky sound.
They were formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina in the early 1990s by singer/guitarist Eric Bachmann, guitarist Eric Johnson, bassist Matt Gentling, and drummer Mark Price. Following their first single, Wrong, they signed to Alias records. Their second single, Web in Front, was a big success in college rock circles, and remains one of their most well regarded tunes. They followed up in 1994 with the album Icky Mettle, feted by many as the indie-rock record of the year (possibly decade), a collage of spiky guitar riffs and white noise, tuneful mumbling and angry shouting, angst and nonsense humour.
In 1994, the Archers unleased a wall of white noise that to this day remains one of the pre-eminent indie noise albums ever recorded. Vs. The Greatest of All Time. From the opening creaky'ness of "Audiowhore" to the hammertones of "Revenge," the EP stands among the top rock offerings of the '90s.
1995's Vee Vee followed a similar template, still skipping between noise and harmony, seriousness and absurdity, but sounded more well-rounded and better produced. 1996 saw them release The Speed of Cattle, which despite being a collection of B-sides, singles, and John Peel session tracks, sounds remarkably consistent and coherent, "Like the band had a secret plot to release the record one single at a time"[1].
Their third studio album, All the Nation's Airports, was more sonically sophisticated and lyrically complex album, but no great departure from their first two albums. Then after a gap of two years, they released their final LP, White Trash Heroes. Standing apart from their other releases, sounding much more melancholic and mature, with an increased use of keyboards and even drum machines, the album deviated drastically from their first three albums as Bachmann explored his darker, moodier, and quirkier songwriting abilities. The band amicably split in late 1998, with singer and songwriter Eric Bachmann moving on to multiple solo projects, including Barry Black and Crooked Fingers.
In 2000, Alias released Seconds Before the Accident, the band's first and final official live album off their final tour.
Discography
- Albums
- Icky Mettle (Alias, 1994)
- Vee Vee (Alias, 1995)
- All the Nations Airports (Alias, 1996)
- White Trash Heroes (Alias, 1998)
- Seconds Before the Accident (Alias, 2000)
- EPs and other collections
- Vs the Greatest of All Time (Alias, 1994)
- The Speed of Cattle (Alias, 1996_
- Vitus Tinnitus (Alias, 1997)
- Singles
- Web in Front/Bathroom/Tatyana (Alias, 1993)
- The Results After the Loafs Revenge: What Did You Expect/Ethel Merman (Merge, 1994)
- Funnelhead/Quinnbeast split with Treepeople, (Sonic Bubblegum, 1994)
- Harnessed in Slums (Alias, 1995)
- Mutes in the Steeple/Smoking Pot in the Hot City (Esther, 1995)
- Vocal Shrapnel/Density (Alias, 1996)
- Jive Kata (Alias, 1997)