First of all, who says there were no good rock bands during the mid to late 1990s?? I think if you go back to some of our archived classics you will find that is not the case at all. I'm getting an early start on Sunday's music since the lovely Ms. Abigail (my daughter) will be joining me for shopping, some dinner (she loves sushi) and a sleepover DVD party. I can't think of a better way to spend a fall weekend. So as not to confuse anyone who is not from the Northeastern US... this is NOT a lost Buffalo Tom track. Instead, it is the music of that band's lead vocalist/guitarist Bill Janovitz's younger brother Paul. I loved this CD in college and probably would never have found it had it not been for the local record store lazily filing it in the Buffalo Tom bin back then. Almost 11 years later, this album is still a treasure (though slightly distressed) that ends up on my personal play list often.
Boston's Cold Water Flat was the power trio of Paul Janovitz, Ted Silva and Paul Harding that formed in 1990 while attending the University of Massachusetts. After moving to New York, the band signed to European label Play It Again Sam and recorded the album Listen in 1993. Soon after, CWF found themselves inking a deal with MCA to release their self titled major label debut today's featured song belongs to. The only current and useful link I could find was for Paul's photography website. There is little information on the internet regarding this great band... and even less in the way of pictures. I decided to take matters into my own hands and snap a few pictures of the CD inlay on my nightstand. They aren't great pics but will work just fine here. Another Cold Water Flat song will be added by midnight. Enjoy.
If anyone has additional info or current musical projects of the above mentioned musicians please share here or in the forum part of the MySpace group page. Please do!!
MP3: King of the Underground (1995)
Bonus MP3: Magnetic North Pole (1995)
16 comments:
Hello there. I unfortunately have no information to add, only wanted to express my happiness that I'm not the only one on earth who remembers Cold Water Flat. You're right - pretty impossible to find ANY information about them, old or new. Thank you for pointing me to Paul Janovitz's photo site, though.
The first time I heard/heard of/saw CWF was when they opened for Belly, way back in 95. I remember my friends scoffing that they were just Buffalo Tom rip-offs, but I didn't care, I fell in love with the songs and went out and bought the CD that very weekend. And like you say, it ends up on personal comps and playlists to this very day.
Anyway, I'm glad I found this blog. Thanks again.
I'm another fan of Cold Water Flat. My own copy of their CD was damaged. Any information you could give me about getting those songs would be a big help.
sundaypunch@gmail.com
Hello all...I just wanted to thank those of you who posted nice things about my old band(and anyone who deleted any negative ones though I enjoy reading those as well). Thanks for pointing people in the direction of my photography website. If anyone is interested go to www.myspace.com/pauljanovitz to listen to where my head is at these days musically.
Peace and Love,
Paul
I too am a huge fan of this cd..I am listening to it right now, and thought I'd do a little research, which is what led me here.
I purchased this cd in college simply because it was on a label with other artists I liked. I consider this cd one of my favourites and I am so glad that I found it. It's a real gem!
Hi, just moved house and bought a car with a tape player(yes they still exist) rooted through some boxes and came across 2 of my favourite albums 1/, C W F 2/. American music club - Mercury listened to both and are still amazing as ever. "i wanna push this flower, back into a bud and watch it grow........." still jealous of that chorus line!!! drove through the welsh valleys and had them on repeat all the way.
good memories of the bands and people of the time - still better than most of the shite that pollutes our airwaves these days. Anyway peace, love and handshakes to all.
Chris
Chris.williams@harryshotel.co.uk
Hey CWF fan. Just digging through the volumes and archives and digitizing the old collection to make it more portable. In your blog post you listed a European label as the first to release Listen.
The copy I have was released on Sonic Bubblegum based out of Brighton, MA also listed in the credits as Manufactured and Distributed by Twin City Imports.
Dead on about what a great band this was (so is BT who I think just released a new album in 2007).
Here's the track listing
Swollen Sonnet
Count Out Your Space
Lost & lazy
Listerine
Instrumental
Dig
Roll Me Over (elder brother signs on this one)
Blue Clowns
You Permanent Scars of Color
Everything You Are
I have the Sonic Bubblegum Listen CD as well. This band ROCKED live
I was a big fan, too. I saw them near Fenway Park once... Maybe at the Avalon? With Juliana Hatfield and Jeff Buckley.
I loved the passion of tunes like "Magnetic North Pole." Reminded me of another Boston favorite: Private Lightning.
I have Magnetic North Pole on some magazine comp cd, and it has popped up in head with regularity over the last 15 years or more. Great song, fantastic voice, so much energy. Love the guitarsound too.
Glad you're still doing music, Paul!
I loved CWF, I first discovered them when they opened for Juliana Hatfield June 2, 1995. It was CWF-Jeff Buckley and JH at the Roseland Ballroom in NYC. I felt a sonic "high" as soon as Ted Silva's bass blasted into my chest. Paul Janovitz made a few Buckley slams on stage to the legions of a-hole girls who disrespectfully kept yelling his name.
Paul had a great memory about that show in a regional magazine in the fall of that year where he just ripped Buckley for being a d-bag backstage and how his own tech crew disliked him. Good stuff!
I lost their entire catalog in a move, but not the memory.
First heard these guys on the Ft Apache compilation. The entire album is great!
Thanks!!
Wow! That's pretty accurate if I recall correctly !
Paul Janovitz is a very good and kind hearted dude.
Being from Boston, CWF meant a great deal to me. I also discovered them from the Fort Apache compilation, and later during a hazy early am weed haze watching MTV.
I remember thinking... fuck....i think that's Billy's brother....
I have three musical holy grails from the 90's. My three favorite albums, PERIOD arguably.
In Utero. The self titled Overwhelming Colorfast record. And the Cold Water Flat record.
I moved to Canada in 2007, and was feeling sentimental for, and missing dearly, the music from my home town, so I began to remodel my home recording studio, hanging it with all my favorite music and art from Boston and beyond.
I reached out to Paul via social media and and asked if I could send him my CD sleeve of the album to have signed, so I could hang it over my mixing board. I also regaled him with the tale of my then 4 year old son's joyous response to "Magnetic North Pole", dancing around like a Mupett.
Paul agreed, but when I received his return package in the mail, it contained much more than that.
Paul also included a 7" single of "Magnetic North Pole" (with a rare as fuck BSIDE ONIT) AUTOGRAPHED TO MY SON!!!
My son is now 8, and it is still hanging in HIS room.
Such a wonderful and kindhearted gesture. Ive had things go the opposite way...where a FUCK OFF was the best available to me.
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