Squirrel Bait “Squirrel Bait” 1985. Clear red vinyl EP, Homestead Records (and cover designed by Steve Albini). Young punks from Louisville, Kentucky, at times melodic and others more hardcore. Six of the eight tracks were originally recorded in ’84 when the band members were still in high school. They toured the Midwest in the mid-80’s, opening for bands like Hüsker Dü, Naked Raygun and Big Black (hence the Albini hookup). I have vague recollections of seeing the band’s name on flyers – and it’s entirely possible I saw a show if they ever played Wisconsin back in the day – but I honestly don’t remember Squirrel Bait; their style of punk isn’t my favorite. If pressed my top picks would be “Hammering So Hard” and “Disguise” – both are alright when the band stays sharp and tight, but the emocore sound is not my jam. “Perfect” is interesting, with tempo changes, some angularity along with its rhythm — mathcore. Although there is a fair amount of fawning over the band and this EP (they are torchbearers for Fugazi, they were a huge influence on Dave Grohl, blah blah) and about what some of the band members went on to do (playing with The Lemonheads, the Breeders, forming and dissolving a bunch of punk bands), Squirrel Bait isn’t doing it for me. And because it was the mid-80s’ and punks had no money, there’s virtually nothing out there visually but I did find this performance of “Sun God” from Squirrel Bait: