'Somewhere In The Swamps of Jersey'
(Jade Tree)
I've spent quite a few years mulling about this tiny little incestuous town in New Jersey called New Brunswick. In the present day, the place offers up few endearing qualities aside from cheap places to eat, but there once was a time when New Brunswick was the hub of something magical; a music scene unlike most others. And from this music scene, just over ten years ago, grew forth a band known simply as Lifetime. To be honest, I hated Lifetime when I first heard them. It was slow and sloppy and way too whiny for my tastes at the time, but as the band matured, Lifetime's music took on a life of its own. Lifetime's music revolted against the metal-influenced hardcore of the day in favor of melody and emotion, all the while maintaining speed and aggression. Lifetime's music was just as angry as anything else being done at the time, but they directed their energy into resolution rather than confrontation. This unique take on hardcore music garnered Lifetime a legion of fans over the course of their final two albums, but not long after the release of 'Jersey's Best Dancers,' the band self-imploded, leaving in its wake a handful of ex-member bands including Kid Dynamite, Zero Zero and Paint It Black; not to mention a legion of two-bit imitation bands that would go on to find much more commercial success than Lifetime ever did.
In the Summer of 2005, Lifetime reunited for a handful of shows, and word started to spread about the release of a Lifetime compendium, detailing the earlier days of Lifetime. That compilation, 'Somewhere in the Swamps of Jersey,' has finally arrived. The two-disc set contains singles, compilation tracks, covers and demos, but also two versions of their crucial, out-of-print 1993 debut, Background. Disc one’s version has been completely remixed to now foreshadow the tight, loud and exuberant sound that would eventually define the band. Disc two presents a remaster of the untouched original, complete with the bonus live set. A 52-page perfect-bound book of liner notes, lyrics and over 40 rare photographs completes this collector’s dream.
Even if you're just a little bit curious about how Lifetime got to the point they were at on their final two albums, even if you don't know anything about Lifetime past those two albums, even if you never heard of Lifetime but wanna know what all the fuss was about, this two-disc set is an essential element of understanding a movement that was started by five kids in a second floor apartment above a florist sometime in the early 90s....
