Squirrel Bait

Adored by critics and a small cult following, the seminal Squirrel Bait remain consistently underrated in terms of their influence on post-hardcore punk and alt-rock. A big part of that is due to their unfortunately scant recorded legacy: two albums, both under half an hour, both only sporadically available. Their visibility certainly wasn't helped by the lack of a bustling scene in their native Louisville, KY, at the time (though they helped kick start one), nor by the high-school-age members' youth, which made it difficult to tour and to make the transition to college. Furious and melodic, Squirrel Bait's music was most often compared to Hüsker Dü and the thrashier side of The Replacements, but that only began to capture the essence of their high-tension dynamics and angst-riddled mania. Their sensibility was often compatible with the emerging Dischord stable, yet indebted to heavy metal as well, and their musical chops foreshadowed the intense prog-punk that would become one wing of the emo movement. Most of Squirrel Bait's members remained active musicians after the band's dissolution, playing in bands that ranged from grunge and indie rock to experimental math rock and post-rock.

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