Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography

SWEEP THE LEG JOHNNY

Post Rock/Math rock • United States


From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Sweep the Leg Johnny picture
Sweep the Leg Johnny biography
Alto sax player/singer Steve SOSTACK formed SWEEP THE LEG JOHNNY with guitarist Chris DALY while they were students at the University of Notre Dame in the early 90s. After graduating, they drafted bassist Matt ALICEA and drummer Scott ANNA while living in Chicago. 1997 saw their debut '4.9.21.30' released on Divot. After ALICEA was replaced on bass by John BRADY (SWING KIDS), the band signed with Southern Records and released 'Tomorrow We Will Run Faster' in 1999, mastering it at Abbey Road Studios. By 2002 their last full LP 'Going Down Swingin' was recorded, STOSTACK and DALY briefly formed CHECK ENGINE, and members have also played with ZZZZ and math rockers JUNE OF 44.

Math Rock through and through but never sacrificing their garage pedigree, JOHNNY are an uncompromising rush of aggressive energy and Punk rebellion led firmly by SOSTACK's saxophone and driven by the tight rhythm section and willing twin guitars. Cerebral but messy, noisy but not Noise, StLJ is Chicago Math at its most bold.


-- Atavachron (David) --




Why this artist must be listed in www.progarchives.com :
Important Chicago-based Mathrock ensemble with connections to other key Math/Post projects in the 1990s.




Discography:
4.9.21.30, studio album (1997)
Tomorrow We Will Run Faster, studio album (1999)
Sto Cazzo!, studio album (2000)
Live September 9, 2000, live album (2000)
Going Down Swingin', studio album (2002)

SWEEP THE LEG JOHNNY Videos (YouTube and more)


Showing only random 3 | Search and add more videos to SWEEP THE LEG JOHNNY

Buy SWEEP THE LEG JOHNNY Music


SWEEP THE LEG JOHNNY discography


Ordered by release date | Showing ratings (top albums) | Help Progarchives.com to complete the discography and add albums

SWEEP THE LEG JOHNNY top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

4.00 | 1 ratings
4 9 21 30
1997
4.00 | 2 ratings
Tomorrow We Will Run Faster
1999
0.00 | 0 ratings
Sto cazzo!
2000
4.00 | 2 ratings
Going Down Swingin'
2002

SWEEP THE LEG JOHNNY Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.05 | 2 ratings
Live September 9th, 2000 (with Rumah Sakit)
2002

SWEEP THE LEG JOHNNY Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

SWEEP THE LEG JOHNNY Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

SWEEP THE LEG JOHNNY Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

SWEEP THE LEG JOHNNY Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 4 9 21 30 by SWEEP THE LEG JOHNNY album cover Studio Album, 1997
4.00 | 1 ratings

BUY
4 9 21 30
Sweep the Leg Johnny Post Rock/Math rock

Review by siLLy puPPy
Special Collaborator PSIKE, JRF/Canterbury, P Metal, Eclectic

— First review of this album —
4 stars Named after a reference line from the film "The Karate Kid," SWEEP THE LEG JOHNNY proved to be a musical ninja in its own right with its unique mix of math rock, indie rock, post-rock, jazz, art punk and noise. Formed by alto saxophonist / vocalist Steve Sostak and guitarist Chris Daly when they were students at Indiana's Notre Dame University near South Bend, the duo started out as Check Engine in 1993 and then started their second band soon thereafter in 1994 before relocating to Chicago after graduation. There they met bassist Matt Alicea and released a couple singles before unleashing their debut 4.9.21.30 on Divot Records in 1997. The band existed until 2002 and put out four albums, each with its own distinct flavors and stylistic approaches.

This debut followed in the spirit of nerdy math rock inspired art punk acts like NoMeansNo, Slint and Minutemen with a combination of King Crimson inspired dissonant chord progressions, complex zigzagging compositions, forceful jackhammering punk angst and the oddball addition of Flipper inspired saxophone accompaniments. A tad of alternative heavy rock also reminds a bit of Jane's Addiction especially in some of the vocal parts. Navigating a labyrinthine series of eight tracks in its 43 minute run, 4.9.21.30 dished out a contrasting mix of fast tempo brashness along with more sensual moments of placidity. The album's opener "Shower Scene" evokes aspects of post-rock although the knotty math rock riffs dominate the soundscape.

The main gist of 4.9.21.30 is for the bass groove to provide a basic melody while the twisted chord complexities weave their way around it. Motifs change at the drop of a pin but recurring cadences offer a stabilizing force while the guitar and drumming techniques offer unique fills often employing a series of jazzy time signature moves to craft super tight yet freeform musical expressions. Vocals range from abrasive punk shouting to more relaxed subdued singing. Distortion is on the noisy side and the clamoring of the guitars offers a jarring [%*!#] it all demeanor amplified by free jazz saxophone blasts and abrupt hairpin turns. Together these attributes showcased an extremely disciplined technical wizardry coupled with the freewheeling explosiveness of anarcho-punk offset by slower moments of post-rock with a jazzy touch. Add a touch of emo fueled vocal angst and you have a wild ride!

Jagged dissonant guitar textures with saxophone smoothness sally forth in irreverent processions finding noisy outbursts pacified by cool-down periods and vocal harmony call and response sessions. The album delivers a steady yet agitating roller coaster ride of bantering mathy art punk ceding to more standard uniformity where the independent nature of the instrumentation suddenly plays together in unison. Abrasive tones and tumultuous timbres plunder the senses while frenetic chaos lurks around every musical measure. A triumph of rhythmic mystery and organized dystopia, SWEET THE LEG JOHNNY emerged as a veritable powerhouse of punk-infused art prog that melded its influences together so well that it's impossible to distinguish any particular passage as attributed to one source.

The band was notable for its ability to change things up significantly from album to album as members jumped ship and others joined the ranks. Bassist Matt Alicea would leave after this debut and replaced by John Brady for the band's second release "Tomorrow We Will Run Faster" which focused more on slower progressive post-rock elements more similar to "Godspeed You! Black Emperor" than the NoMeansNo meets Flipper and Minutemen approach of this debut. Overall an impressive beginning for a wildly unhinged band that was notable for its prolific live performances that kept the world of punk rock relevant in the alternative experimental 90s and beyond. I really love how the band crafted a huge arsenal of interesting experimental approaches on this debut. An amazingly strong piece of proggy art punk.

 Live September 9th, 2000 (with Rumah Sakit) by SWEEP THE LEG JOHNNY album cover Live, 2002
3.05 | 2 ratings

BUY
Live September 9th, 2000 (with Rumah Sakit)
Sweep the Leg Johnny Post Rock/Math rock

Review by Atavachron
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

3 stars Sweep the Leg Johnny takes the stage at San Francisco's legendary Bottom of the Hill club; sanctuary of the uberground scene, showcase for the best that local music's rotting underbelly has to offer, and haven to the truly subterranean and seriously unwashed. On this autumn evening the Chicago foursome - tight but completely out of control - destroy their music with uncompromising fun and desperation for all to witness, taking their time, torturing it with sadistic pleasure and improvising their way out of the darkness. Steve Sostack's saxophone leads the two guitars, bass and drums with blown-out caterwauls, atonal blurts and zoned-out mantras reminding us of Coltrane at his most liberated. This is Mathrock in its primordial state from a band that was on the cutting edge of the Chicago scene and barely resembles the cold calculations normally associated with the style. No, these guys want to push you around and piss you off, and they have a great time doing it. A painful chord repeats aimlessly until the band drops like a rock on your head and never lets up till it's all over 38 minutes later: 'The Fine Wrinkles, We Have All of Them' has Sostack's rusted vocals barely discernible amid the piles of broken machinery and spontaneous sidetracks. 'Walking Home on the Emergency Bed' is a Punk group with a bit more to say and tosses thrash and freejazz together in a blender. 'The Blizzard of 99' eases a bit, opening some room for the band to expand on the complex maze of pain and anguish, and closer 'Bloodlines' is almost a song.

Fearless, ripe with odor and completely aware of their unkempt appearence, StLJ is like a very satisfying bowel movement; hot, glorious and stinking.

Thanks to Atavachron for the artist addition.

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.