Kalamazoo’s Minutes started playing music together in the summer of 2008. The band began as an outlet for songs written by each of the four members – Chafe Hensley, Mark Larmee, Ike Turner and Ryan Nelson.
Minutes is one of those bands, one that switches around on stage, but they try really hard not to be too show-offy about it.
Their eponymous first record was very well-received, with Pocket Jury writing:
“For a debut album so steeped in the lore of independent music and pleasantly reminiscent of past greats such as Mission of Burma, Archers of Loaf or Vitreous Humor, Minutes has an embarrassment of incredible moments and terrific ideas of its own.”
After a couple of years of contemplation, writing, and family-raising, Minutes reconvened in the basement in July of 2013 to record “Roland.”
The album was recorded over a furious week, fueled by LaCroix and pizza, Ricola and mad tape hiss, and a general sense that THESE GUYS REALLY LIKE HANGING OUT WITH EACH OTHER.
Although Minutes set out to record a longer album than their first (“Roland” does have twelve songs!) they didn’t quite get there and somehow shortened it by nearly two minutes.
The album is named after Larmee’s dog Roland, who passed on right after the recording of the record. Roland (the dog) was at every single Minutes band practice. EVER. Do you know how significant that is? Super significant! He was their buddy, their confidant, and was way, way into licking sweat off of the drummers’ legs after a hot rock session. He’ll be missed.
Comedy Minus One is handling the worldwide digital distribution for “Roland,” which is available as of January 27, 2014. If this is the first time Minutes is hitting your radar, thank you for your interest in their little corner of the world.
Notes of note:
-The Michigan Independent Network (MIN) will be releasing this album on actual vinyl in a limited run of 500 copies. There ain’t no way in hell a Cd version of the record will come out, unless a rich business person has money to burn. Comedy Minus One is stocking this title in our shop. Order a copy here.
-Minutes’ Ryan Nelson has previously been/presently is a member of Beauty Pill (Dischord), Most Secret Method (Superbad/Slowdime) and Soccer Team (Dischord).