I've written about how I got into Bars of Gold before, but only briefly because it was when I wrote about a Bear Vs Shark record (nearly 8!) years ago, but I'm going to tell the story again, because the song that got me into them is on this record and it remains a favourite.
In 2011 I went to Fest for the first time, and had a great time getting into as many obscure and new bands as I could. It was a life-changing trip, if only because I discovered bands that I'm still listening to today and became some of my favourites. Mostly that was through seeing the bands play various dive bars across Gainesville, but a sweaty evening spent in the 1984 bar resulted in a sampler cd for a record label called Friction Records. We'd gone because Caves were playing, and I love that band (and it was great to see them playing to such an eager crowd half way around the world). Also on the bill were Charles the Osprey and Shores. I loved Shores and their halfway-between-punk-and-Low sound, and bought two of their records - I was chatting to the guy at the merch stall who was strangely cagey about prices, but said I could have two for $15, which remains a bargain - I imagine they were $10 each, but the exchange rate at the time was ridiculous, so I was keen either way. Sarah really enjoyed Charles the Osprey and bought their album. We both got the free Friction Records sampler cd, which featured Charles the Osprey.
A few days later, Fest was done and we were driving back to Tampa for a few days before flying home (I still wish we'd taken a few more days and gone to Fun Fun Fun fest in Texas the next weekend - that was a killer line-up featuring three of my yet-to-see favourites: Hum, Murder City Devils and Snapcase. Really should have gone). We'd played most of the cds we'd packed driving about before the festival, so any we got at Fest got a play in the car. I remember putting on the Friction Records one because we wanted to remind ourselves what Charles the Osprey were like. I have no recollection of what any of the other songs sounded like, except for The Hustle by Bars of Gold which hit like a ton of bricks and had me amazed.
If you've somehow read three paragraphs of me waffling on without having listened to Bars of Gold, then put on The Hustle. I can begin to explain how unexpected and brilliant it was. Maybe four nights of mostly straight-forward punk-rock was a factor, but I was amazed by that song. I still remember vividly driving along thinking "fuck yes, this is incredible". I remember turning to Sarah to check that I wasn't the only one floored by it - she was enjoying it, but not to the extent I was. I'm not sure anyone would have enjoyed it as much as I was at that exact point. The banjo propels the song at a great pace and Marc Paffi's vocals are everything I want from a singer - unique, distinctive and emotive - plus, gang vocals in the chorus and clapping; who could ask for more? I know that sampler cds are there to introduce you to new bands, but you never really expect to hear your new favourite band on a sampler cd. Usually you've heard the name before you hear them, or you've heard something good about them; it's rarely a complete surprise like that.
Anyway, after returning home, I played the cd again, still loved The Hustle and found the album on Bandcamp. I played Of Gold, Bars of Gold's first and only-at-the-time album, a lot - before that point I'd never seen the guilt-tripping recommendation to buy the album on Bandcamp (of course, that album also caused me to realise that you could listen in incognito mode and not be tracked). For years I meant to buy the album, but I kept putting it off. Postage from the states is always expensive and customs fees a secondary kick in the balls. And then it sold out, so I missed my chance.
Some years later, Equal Vision Records repressed their first two albums (I feel that Third Man Records was involved somehow, but I can't remember how) and I jumped on the chance to get a copy. The postage and customs fees were still horrific - in fact more-so because the exchange rate has tanked - but it was worth it. Yes, this album cost me nearly £34, which is a lot for a single LP (it's nearly £1-a-minute), but it was worth it (look at that colour! It's listed as gold and clear swirl, but what that means is the gold has this almost-chrome effect). Annoyingly, the album didn't come with mp3s but I finally caved on the first of the recent "Bandcamp days" (where BC waive their cut) and bought the mp3s. I love this album and I want to listen to it all the time and now I can.
I should probably say something about the other songs, because they're all remarkable in their own right: Boss Level sets things off to a perfect start with a brilliant riff played out on a keyboard, before Marc's unique vocals kick in, and the build-up/break in Heaven Has Heater is perfect. The guitars in Birds are great fun and Up Up Up teeters on the edge of falling apart but holds it together. Cannibals lulls you into the false belief that the closer would be a quieter affair, only to build up to a huge outro of "I was born a cannibal / Not like any cannibal you've seen before" and more glorious guitars.
Anyway, as I wrote about on that Bear Vs Shark record, this album led me to discover BVS, which has been a great journey too. Who knew that free sampler cd would result in finding two amazing bands and their five amazing albums.
Format: 12"
Tracks: 8
Cost: £33.74 new
Bought: Equal Vision website
When: 23/03/19
Colour: Gold and clear swirl
Etching: none
mp3s: none
