Cap'n Jazz

Cap'n Jazz formed in the Chicago area in 1993 with Tim Kinsella on vocals, Victor Villareal and David Grubbs on guitars, Sam Zurick on bass, and Mike Kinsella on drums. They put out two albums before breaking up, including the 1994 release with the famously long title and 1998's 'Analphabetapolothology.' Their sound had some emo and punk in it, but it was pretty scattered and didn't fit neatly anywhere.

Songs like 'Little League' and 'Basil's Kite' had this jittery, off-kilter energy that felt both urgent and a little unhinged. The lyrics could be personal and messy, which connected with some listeners even if the band never found a wide audience. They didn't last long as a group, and their recordings have a rough, immediate quality that feels like it's about to fall apart.

After they split, different members went on to other projects that became better known, like Joan of Arc and American Football. But those early Cap'n Jazz songs, with their tangled guitars and Kinsella's yelped vocals, stuck around in certain corners of the underground. They're one of those bands that more people heard about later than actually heard at the time.