Hours and Hours:
A Tribute to Seaweed
With HOURS AND HOURS: A TRIBUTE TO SEAWEED, we presented our second tribute album on Engineer Recs, to yet another band that holds an integral influence over our label. Seventeen bands from various countries show that Seaweed's influence was not one-sided. From post-punk to metal, hardcore to indie-rock and even singer-songwriter, a diverse roster was purposely chosen. Many of these bands have been influential themselves in their own vibrant music scene, busy on various taste-making record labels, yet still humble enough to help us realize this project. With a blessing by the members of Seaweed themselves to launch this project (insert enormous smile here), the band member's genuine outlook continues to inspire.
Familiarize yourself with their albums first and foremost, then set your ears upon Hours and Hours: A Tribute to Seaweed we boastfully, unabashedly desire you to hear via streaming platforms (which we've easily linked a few below), as well as if you're inclined to purchase the compact disc we first brought you this on, just email us a note and we'll surely look for any we have left (artwork put together wonderfully by Sons of Nero with scattered photos throughout shot from the Tacoma streets by Tom Seyss).
"Seaweed has been an important role-player of both myself and label partner David (Engineer/Ignition Recs) in not only our label, but musically for both of us as well over the years. An impression was made in our formative years, that still hangs on us, just as strong to this day. They were a post-hardcore landmark in the 90's next to the likes of Quicksand, Samiam and Jawbox and easily just as vital in their own way. Remembering how much I wore out "Four" and "Spanaway" is as easy as reciting the alphabet. I'm definitely a die-hard fan. I hold high regard to their sense of jagged melody, charge, and just plain gut permeating Seaweed's catalogue of releases. -Craig Cirinelli
Background: Seaweed, from Tacoma, Washington, had the blood, sweat and intensity which musically charged us in our formative years, as well as both the attitude and spirit which we look for in music today. They started out releasing material on their own Leopard Gecko imprint in 1989, before moving onto a vinyl single with K Records, signing to Sub Pop a few years later for their career building albums Despised, Weak, and Four. Then Hollywood Records picked the band up in 1993 and released their largest album to date, 1995's Spanaway, their bombastic major label offering. Lasting only 1 album on Hollywood, the band and label unhitched and Seaweed then moved back to the indies. Merge Records issued their final release in 1999, Actions and Indications turned into their swan song at the time and the band split later the same year and Seaweed's decade of existence came to an end. Later, they reunited and did a handful of reunion shows, both in their home state of Washington as well as New York City while also releasing a 2-song 7" on No Idea Records.
Releases
HOURS AND HOURS: A TRIBUTE TO SEAWEED
ARTISTS:
RYAN MILLS
FOUR STAR ALARM
THE COMPANY WE KEEP (membs. of The Receiving End of Sirens & Moneen)
FAVEZ
STEPHEN BRODSKY
NORA
ELEMAE
THE ACTION DESIGN
THE PORTER (membs. of We're All Broken, Thursday
& The Gaslight Anthem)
KILLWHITNEYDEAD.
LOOK WHAT I DID
THE STORY CHANGES
WORLDS | BETWEEN | US
JOSHUA
KANE HODDER
ROB AVERY
Reviews
Punk Rock Theory: http://www.punkrocktheory.com/music_reviews/va-%E2%80%93-hours-and-hours-tribute-seaweed
Never really listened to Seaweed, just saw a shitload of it on the beach when I was a kid. Nowadays, there doesn’t seem to be so much seaweed washing up on the shores anymore. Is that a result of the seas becoming too polluted or because the seaweed simply doesn’t bother anymore? I don’t know but I do know the band that went by the same name, doesn’t make music anymore.
They were this emotional punkrock band that dabbled in grunge and apparently had a big influence on a whole lot of punk and post-hardcore acts. That’s not something I copied off the bio sheet, I just took one good look at the tracklisting… Favez, Steve Brodsky, Nora, KillWhitneydead and members of The Gaslight Anthem, Boysetsfire, Thursday and Moneen. It’s pretty darn impressive! As are most of the songs on here.
Ryan Mills of Kover starts things off with umm “Start With”, a loud rocker with a big chorus. And I already feel myself becoming a fan of Seaweed (the band, not the sushi ingredient). And things keep going nicely. Whether it’s The Company We Keep’s electronic take on “Steadfast Shrine”, KillWhitneyDead’s brutal take on “Baggage” or Brodsky’s acoustic take on “Chalk The Cracks”, you can always tell that the original must’ve been a solid track.
Granted, with 17 tracks you’re bound to like a couple of them less. But I have to say that compared to other tributes or compilations, I’m digging a whole lot of the material featured here. You can tell this was a labor of love for the folks over at Engineer Records… just a shame that The Draft and This Is Hell didn’t make the final cut with their rumored contributions!
Now Toronto: https://nowtoronto.com/music/album-reviews/hours-and-hours-a-tribute-to-seaweed
In a hilarious photo of Seaweed being interviewed by MTV during Seattle’s peak, the band looking nervous and dumbfounded by the attention. From Tacoma, no less, Seaweed didn’t jibe with the grunge movement. Hence they never benefited from its explosion, even though they were signed on Sub Pop at the time. They left their mark nonetheless with a hard-driving, unique punk sound led by Aaron Stauffer’s powerful vocals.
Engineer Records found 17 bands who agree. Many stay faithful, like Ryan Mills on Start With or Elemae on the diamond of Seaweeds’ catalogue, Magic Mountainman. But Nora does a death metal take of Clean Slate, and Emily Whitehurst of the Action Design sweetly sings a slowed-down rendition of Kid Candy, a highlight of the disc.
It may not be a proper introduction, but it’s a worthy dedication.
-Jason Keller
Exclaim: http://exclaim.ca/music/article/various_artists-hours_hours_tribute_to
Tribute albums can be complicated beasts. Too often, theyre just obvious emo bands like Weezer? Metal bands are into Guns N Roses? You dont say! While the recently released tribute to Leatherface was an example of the concept done right, solid records like that are few and far between. Which is what makes Hours and Hours such a pleasant surprise, in that it totally kicks ass. The variety is a testament to Seaweed's power as a band, as emo wimps and hardcore kids alike have found something to latch onto in the bands aggressive brand of post-hardcore. On the heavy end of the spectrum, Killwhitneydead's cover of "Baggage is most excellent, bringing out the most brutal sonic elements possible. For the wimps, there's The Company We Keep (Kenny from Moneen and Brian Southall from Receiving End of Sirens) and "Steadfast Shrine, a fully realised and seriously awesome electronic pop take on a post-hardcore song. Fans of Seaweed, whatever their chosen genres, will be stoked.
-Sam Sutherland