Squirrel Bait (EP)

Squirrel Bait
EP by Squirrel Bait
Released	1985
Recorded	July 1984 to May 1985 at Sound on Sound, Crestwood, KY
Genre	Punk rock, post-hardcore
Length	17:45
Label	Homestead Records
Squirrel Bait chronology
Squirrel Bait (1985) Skag Heaven (1987)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Squirrel Bait is the first record by the American punk rock band Squirrel Bait, released in 1985 through Homestead Records.

The band had recorded its second demo in 1984 while its members were still in high school. Originally slated for release on the local label Upstart Records, Peter Searcy sang, David Grubbs played guitar, Clark Johnson was on bass guitar, and Britt Walford on drums. Over the next several months, Upstart Records folded, Ben Daughtry replaced Walford on drums, Brian McMahon joined on second guitar, and the band began touring to other Midwestern cities opening for prominent regional indie bands like Hüsker Dü, Big Black and Naked Raygun. Bob Mould wanted Squirrel Bait to sign to the Hüsker's imprint Reflex Records, but the band pursued and landed a deal with Homestead Records.^[2]

The group returned to the studio in April 1985 with engineer Howie Gano and recorded six songs. Two songs from the previous year's demo sessions were added to comprise Squirrel Bait's eponymous 8-song EP, originally released on Homestead with cover design by Steve Albini. The record and its follow-up, Skag Heaven, were reissued a decade later by Drag City.^[3]

Track listing

Side one
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Hammering So Hard"	2:56
2.	"Thursday"	2:12
3.	"Sun God"	2:47
4.	"When I Fall"	2:12

Side two
No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Final Chapter"	2:15
2.	"Mixed Blessing"	2:04
3.	"Disguise"	1:18
4.	"Perfect"	1:59

Personnel

Squirrel Bait David Grubbs – guitar Clark Johnson – bass guitar Brian McMahan – guitar Peter Searcy – vocals Ben Daughtry – drums Britt Walford – drums on "When I Fall" and "Disguise"

Additional musicians and production Steve Albini – front design Craig Brown – photography Howie Gano – engineering

References

1. Cook, Stephen. "allmusic ((( Squirrel Bait > Review )))". Allmusic. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
2. "Crunch Gods from Kentucky Call It a Day: The Saga of Squirrel Bait" (PDF). The Pope. 1987. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
3. Tennent, Scott. "The Pre-Slint Era: Languid & Flaccid, Maurice, Solution Unknown, Squirrel Bait". Pretty Goes With Pretty. Pretty Goes With Pretty. Retrieved November 24, 2012.