Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments

Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments
Origin Columbus, Ohio
Genres Lo-fi music
Years active 1989 (1989)–2000 (2000)
Labels American Records
Associated acts Great Plains
Past members Ron House, Bob Petric, Ted Hattemer, Craig Dunson

Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments was a band from Columbus, Ohio active from 1989 to 2000.[1][2]

History

The band was formed in 1989 by Ron House, the former frontman of the band Great Plains.[3] The band is named after Thomas Jefferson's slave quarters at Monticello.[4] Soon after their formation, they released several 7"s in the Columbus area.[1] They followed these up with their debut album, Bait and Switch, which they recorded at a cost of $800,[5] and which was released in 1995 on American Records.[2] This album was followed by their second album, Straight to Video, in 1997 on Anyway Records.[3] Also in 1997, the band released a compilation album, You Lookin' for Treble,[6] which contained singles the band had released from 1990 to 1992, as well as songs from an EP released during that time.[7] Their third and last studio album, "No Old Guy Lo-Fi Cry", was released in 2000 on Rockathon Records, a label owned by Guided by Voices frontman Robert Pollard.[8]

Critical reception

Bait and Switch received a favorable review from Entertainment Weekly's Ethan Smith, who wrote that the album was "short on polish, long on charm" and gave it a B+ rating.[9] Greg Kot also reviewed the album favorably, writing that there is "Nothing new here, just a clangorous, nasty good time courtesy of some saw-toothed riffs and a supremely estranged wit."[10] Robert Christgau gave Bait and Switch an A- rating, writing that the first five songs on the album "rush by in a perfect furious tunefest".[11] Another review of this album appeared in Spin, in which Eric Weisbard wrote that "House was right to reground his art, putting the way music flows and falls before singer-songwriterly commentary." He also said that on the album, House begins the process of doing something with noise, but that he does not go far enough.[12] In Billboard, David Sprague wrote that Bait and Switch "retain[s] the relaxed, lo-fi vibe" that was apparent on the band's early singles.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 DaRonco, Mike. "Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Lost Classics". Magnet. 15 April 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  3. 1 2 Sprague, David. "Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments". Trouser Press. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  4. 1 2 Sprague, David (27 May 1995). "Slave Apartments Find a Home at Onion Imprint". Billboard. p. 13. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  5. ↑ Wojciechowski, Mike (8 June 2012). "1995: Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments - Bait and Switch". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  6. ↑ Graves, Karen E. "You Lookin' for Treble? Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  7. ↑ Bruno, Franklin (March 1998). "Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments". CMJ. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  8. ↑ Graves, Karen E. "No Old Guy Lo-Fi Cry". Allmusic. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  9. ↑ Smith, Ethan (28 July 1995). "Bait and Switch Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  10. ↑ Kot, Greg (7 September 1995). "Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments Bait and Switch". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  11. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Consumer Guide: Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments". Village Voice. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  12. ↑ Weisbard, Eric (August 1995). "Bait and Switch". Spin. pp. 94–5. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
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