There’s something about the Midwest—the weathered landscapes, the endless
highways, the restless search for meaning between nowhere and everywhere. Red and
Clear isn’t just a document of its time; it’s a product of that geography, an album that
channeled the raw urgency of ‘90s post-hardcore into something more patient, more
melodic, and more enduring.
Originally released in 1995 on Caulfield Records, Red and Clear was the debut full-
length from Giants Chair, a Kansas City band with roots in Green Bay. The trio—Scott
Hobart (guitar, vocals), Byron Collum (bass), and Paul Ackerman (drums)—had spent
the prior year honing their sound, a mix of angular riffage and anthemic melancholy,
before tracking the record with Mike and A.J. Mogis at Whoopass Studio in Lincoln,
Nebraska. A three-piece with the weight of something far bigger, Giants Chair crafted
an album that remains a benchmark of Midwestern emo, though at the time, it was just
a rock ‘n’ roll record made by three friends with a van and a vision.
Recorded in a whirlwind few days, Red and Clear is the sound of a band fully formed,
moving with a tightness that only comes from relentless practice and an unspoken
understanding. The Mogis brothers captured that essence, creating a mix that let the
band’s natural dynamics shine—sprawling yet sharp, dense but never muddy. And from
the opening notes of “New Orleans” to the closing strains of “Full On Flat White,” the
album never lets up, each track a study in tension and release, melody and might.
Thirty years later, Red and Clear has only grown in stature. With the 2025 reissue on
Spartan Records, the album has been given a respectful, era-appropriate remaster by
Duane Trower (Weights & Measures Soundlab). The goal wasn’t reinvention—Giants
Chair and Spartan knew better than to fix something that wasn’t broken—but subtle
enhancements bring a new clarity and depth to the original mix. The guitars snarl with
just a little more bite, the rhythm section locks in with fresh urgency, and the entire
record sounds as vital as it did when it first landed in the mailboxes of basements,
bars, and anyone lucky enough to stumble across its singular energy.
More than a relic, Red and Clear is a testament. A reminder of a time and place, yes,
but also proof that great records—ones built on heart, instinct, and honesty—only get
better with age.
Red and Clear (30th Anniversary Edition) arrives on April 11, 2025, via Spartan
Records.
Sat Jul 26 2025
8:00 PM
$18.88
Ages 21+
Share With Friends
Giants Chair / Key Of Evil
-
Giants Chair
Emo
$18.88 Ages 21+
There’s something about the Midwest—the weathered landscapes, the endless
highways, the restless search for meaning between nowhere and everywhere. Red and
Clear isn’t just a document of its time; it’s a product of that geography, an album that
channeled the raw urgency of ‘90s post-hardcore into something more patient, more
melodic, and more enduring.
Originally released in 1995 on Caulfield Records, Red and Clear was the debut full-
length from Giants Chair, a Kansas City band with roots in Green Bay. The trio—Scott
Hobart (guitar, vocals), Byron Collum (bass), and Paul Ackerman (drums)—had spent
the prior year honing their sound, a mix of angular riffage and anthemic melancholy,
before tracking the record with Mike and A.J. Mogis at Whoopass Studio in Lincoln,
Nebraska. A three-piece with the weight of something far bigger, Giants Chair crafted
an album that remains a benchmark of Midwestern emo, though at the time, it was just
a rock ‘n’ roll record made by three friends with a van and a vision.
Recorded in a whirlwind few days, Red and Clear is the sound of a band fully formed,
moving with a tightness that only comes from relentless practice and an unspoken
understanding. The Mogis brothers captured that essence, creating a mix that let the
band’s natural dynamics shine—sprawling yet sharp, dense but never muddy. And from
the opening notes of “New Orleans” to the closing strains of “Full On Flat White,” the
album never lets up, each track a study in tension and release, melody and might.
Thirty years later, Red and Clear has only grown in stature. With the 2025 reissue on
Spartan Records, the album has been given a respectful, era-appropriate remaster by
Duane Trower (Weights & Measures Soundlab). The goal wasn’t reinvention—Giants
Chair and Spartan knew better than to fix something that wasn’t broken—but subtle
enhancements bring a new clarity and depth to the original mix. The guitars snarl with
just a little more bite, the rhythm section locks in with fresh urgency, and the entire
record sounds as vital as it did when it first landed in the mailboxes of basements,
bars, and anyone lucky enough to stumble across its singular energy.
More than a relic, Red and Clear is a testament. A reminder of a time and place, yes,
but also proof that great records—ones built on heart, instinct, and honesty—only get
better with age.
Red and Clear (30th Anniversary Edition) arrives on April 11, 2025, via Spartan
Records.
highways, the restless search for meaning between nowhere and everywhere. Red and
Clear isn’t just a document of its time; it’s a product of that geography, an album that
channeled the raw urgency of ‘90s post-hardcore into something more patient, more
melodic, and more enduring.
Originally released in 1995 on Caulfield Records, Red and Clear was the debut full-
length from Giants Chair, a Kansas City band with roots in Green Bay. The trio—Scott
Hobart (guitar, vocals), Byron Collum (bass), and Paul Ackerman (drums)—had spent
the prior year honing their sound, a mix of angular riffage and anthemic melancholy,
before tracking the record with Mike and A.J. Mogis at Whoopass Studio in Lincoln,
Nebraska. A three-piece with the weight of something far bigger, Giants Chair crafted
an album that remains a benchmark of Midwestern emo, though at the time, it was just
a rock ‘n’ roll record made by three friends with a van and a vision.
Recorded in a whirlwind few days, Red and Clear is the sound of a band fully formed,
moving with a tightness that only comes from relentless practice and an unspoken
understanding. The Mogis brothers captured that essence, creating a mix that let the
band’s natural dynamics shine—sprawling yet sharp, dense but never muddy. And from
the opening notes of “New Orleans” to the closing strains of “Full On Flat White,” the
album never lets up, each track a study in tension and release, melody and might.
Thirty years later, Red and Clear has only grown in stature. With the 2025 reissue on
Spartan Records, the album has been given a respectful, era-appropriate remaster by
Duane Trower (Weights & Measures Soundlab). The goal wasn’t reinvention—Giants
Chair and Spartan knew better than to fix something that wasn’t broken—but subtle
enhancements bring a new clarity and depth to the original mix. The guitars snarl with
just a little more bite, the rhythm section locks in with fresh urgency, and the entire
record sounds as vital as it did when it first landed in the mailboxes of basements,
bars, and anyone lucky enough to stumble across its singular energy.
More than a relic, Red and Clear is a testament. A reminder of a time and place, yes,
but also proof that great records—ones built on heart, instinct, and honesty—only get
better with age.
Red and Clear (30th Anniversary Edition) arrives on April 11, 2025, via Spartan
Records.
Giants Chair
Emo
Share With Friends