Line #24 Music/Jawbox


1	[[quoteright:205:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jawbox_4181.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:205:Jawbox (obviously)]]
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4	Jawbox was a UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC PostHardcore band active between 1989 and 1997. Despite being burdened with the usual "[[CriticalDissonance critics love it, but the public doesn't know them]]" that tends to befall such bands, their output proved influential for other AlternativeRock and AlternativeMetal bands, and they definitely established themselves as [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative one of the best alt-rock bands with a bassist named "Kim"]].
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6	The band was initially formed by J. Robbins, who had left Government Issue and decided to switch from bass to guitar/vocals. With Kim Coletta on bass[[note]] [[Music/SonicYouth of course]] [[Music/ThePixies there'd be a Kim]] on bass [[/note]] and Adam Wade on drums, Jawbox recorded a 7[=''=] EP before being signed to the fanatically independent, [[Music/{{Fugazi}} Ian MacKaye-owned]] Dischord Records. Here, they recorded two albums: ''Grippe'' and ''Novelty'', both of them showing a PostHardcore band with a PostPunk influence, and the latter representing the debut of second guitarist Bill Barbot.
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8	Sometime after ''Novelty'', Wade left the band to join labelmates Shudder to Think, and was replaced by Coletta's PromotedFanboy roommate Zach Barocas, whose jazz-influenced drumming represented an important contribution to the band's sound. With the "classic" lineup now established, Jawbox found themselves receiving attention from Creator/AtlanticRecords in the midst of TheNineties' AlternativeRock explosion. The fact that the band were self-sufficient and so {{Control Freak}}y they signed an incredibly favourable contract that kept their independence seemed to go unnoticed as the FanDumb erupted: one particularly psychotic fan wrote a letter wishing for their death in a van accident ([[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and a particularly clueless one quoted]] Music/TheClash's "Complete Control").
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10	Now afforded additional studio time and the ability to make Jawbox a full-time job, the band went into the studio with producer Ted Nicely. What came out was ''For Your Own Special Sweetheart'', an album greeted with strong critical acclaim (and terrible sales) and a landmark PostHardcore release. ''FYOSS'' spawned their SignatureSong, "Savory" (a minor MTV hit, later covered by Music/{{Deftones}}), and managed to somehow not bring extra attention despite the backing and resources of a major label.
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12	Using a split live album with Leatherface to bide time, Jawbox re-entered the studio with producer John Agnello and made the slightly more polished ''Jawbox''. While they were making it, Atlantic started a vanity label for alternative bands, TAG Recordings, and moved the band there. The self-titled once again limped out into stores, with the "Mirrorful" single becoming popular on CollegeRadio. However, Atlantic went through a large corporate reorganisation that led to TAG being axed and Jawbox dropped because they hadn't sold gazillions. Based on Barochas' decision to move back to New York and attend law school, the band called it a day in 1997, coincidentally on the same day that Music/{{Soundgarden}} broke up.
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14	Discography:
15	* ''Jawbox'' EP (1990)
16	* ''Grippe'' (1991)
17	* ''Novelty'' (1992)
18	* ''For Your Own Special Sweetheart'' (1994)
19	* ''Jawbox'' (1996)
20	----
21	!Jawbox provide examples of:
22	* CoverVersion: "Something Must Break" by Music/JoyDivision (on ''Grippe''), "Sound on Sound" by the Big Boys (on the "Savory" B-side), "Cornflake Girl" by Music/ToriAmos (HiddenTrack[[note]]understandably so[[/note]] on ''Jawbox''), "I've Got You Under My Skin" by Music/FrankSinatra (yes, really! It's on ''My Scrapbook of Fatal Accidents'') and "It's Expected I'm Gone" by Music/TheMinutemen (''Accidents'').
23	** And "Savory" was covered by Music/{{Deftones}}.
24	* HiddenTrack: ''Jawbox'''s "Cornflake Girl" cover.
25	* RecordProducer: self-production (''Grippe''), Iain Burgess (''Novelty''), Ted Nicely (''FYOSS''), John Agnello (self-titled).
26	* SelfTitledAlbum: The last one.
27	* StageNames: Barochas used a few early on, like Jim Schortz, El Jefe and Takashi Shimura.
28	* UncommonTime: Occasionally.
29	** Notably "Cruel Swing" from FYOSS, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin largely in 5/4 time with a swing feel throughout.]]

Context Music / Jawbox