Philadelphia’s own Strapping Fieldhands have been lo-fi since long before lo-fi was cool. Albeit somewhat unintentionally — the band recorded their early songs with cheap equipment more for lack of funds than for an intentionally underground sound — the group became a staple of the early 90s indie rock scene, touring the country with fellow lo-fi pioneers Pavement, Guided by Voices, the Grifters and many others. Their unique fusion of psychedelic, folk, and punk rock traditions won them many experimental fans in the indie music world, and earned them a place among the more influential bands of the period despite being relatively less well known. Almost two decades later, Strapping Fieldhands’ mark is now found in the music of a new, growing generation of lo-fi loyalists — a group who can thank their Philadelphian predecessors for first paving the crossroads of unconventional musicianship and DIY aesthetics.

After a late 90s hiatus and seven years since their 2002 LP, The Third Kingdom, 2010 finds the Strapping Fieldhands writing and recording new material alongside the re-release of their seminal 1994 debut Discus, now in digital form for the first time. For longtime fans, the return of Bob Malloy, Jacy Webster, Bob Dickie and Jeff Werner is long overdue. For fans of the new lo-fi movement, it looks like now’s the time for a little history lesson.

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  Strapping Fieldhands on Last.FM