Jellyfishbabies – Jellyfishbabies (1986) – LITTLE LOST CLASSICS

There's a draft on the PCP posts panel that has been poking my brain for years (no joke), as if saying “just fucking finish writing to me!”, and I always procrastinate, in the best way “leave for later what you don't have time to do today”.

The draft is about the so-called 'Halifax Pop Explosion', a name taken from a festival that later named an independent scene that during the 90s put the beautiful city of Halifax, capital of the Canadian district Nova Scotia, on the alternative rock world map with bands like Sloan, Jale, Super Friendz and several others. And today, once again, the draft nudged me, but it will remain there…

Because once again time, or the lack of it, leads me to write another light text. Not about any album by any of the aforementioned bands, but rather about the first and eponymous official album by the guys who, without even knowing it, helped create the indie scene in their city, the aforementioned Halifax. Over to you, Jellyfishbabies.

Born in the mid-80s, the group originally formed by Scott Kendall, Peter Arsenault and Dave Schellenberg had a reasonably long life (they lasted until 1993), and although none of their three albums took them to high commercial heights, they were extremely important for those who came later. And of the three – Jellyfishbabies (1986), The Unkind Truth About Rome (1990) e The Swan and the City (1993) – I chose to feature the first one, released independently and before the band moved to Toronto and polished their music.

The album has 8 tracks divided into a lean 27 minutes, it's very raw, punk and yes, when you press play from “Messiah” onwards you will automatically be thrown towards Hüsker Dü, which let's face it is not remotely a demerit. And with due proportions, as well as its biggest reference, Jellyfishbabies extended its influence beyond musical labels, becoming ground zero of a badass scene.

Listen to the stalk!