Amphetamine Reptile Revisited // Calvin Krime

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Before Sean Tillmann gained popularity as Har Mar Superstar, he was a member of Minneapolis trio Calvin Krime, along with Jon Kelson and Jason Ralph. All Music Guide described their style as “cranky noise pop”.
Future members of the band met at Perpich Center For Arts And Education and their primary audience was in the punk and hardcore scenes of Minneapolis, according to Minnewiki website. They debuted in 1995 with “Pretty In Pink” seven-inch and “Kids Incarcerated”, another single that followed a year later.
The band’s proper debut was 1997 “Dress For The Future”, which was described by Space City Rock website as “a brief, explosive ride full of quick rhythmic changes, plenty of fuzzed-out bass, tortured howling, and jagged guitars, somewhat reminiscent of Hammerhead, Steel Pole Bathtub, or maybe Houstonians Cedar Of Lebanon.”
1998 “You’re Feeling So Attractive” was described by AMG as “An unfocused but volatile sophomore album” and a “fractured continuation of the band’s cranky noise pop, with the addition of keyboards and violin fleshing out the sound.”
AMG concluded that “You’re Feeling So Attractive is an interesting record that tinkers with the DNA of post-punk and synth pop, but the band’s idea process was still gestating, leaving behind a confusing record pocked with superfluous instrumental interludes and a general sense that business has been left unfinished.”
The final document of the band’s existence was  “3×3 for 1/2” single, which came out in 1998 on Polyvinyl(much of the previous band’s material was on Amphetamine Reptile). AMG commented on “3×3” – “The songs are three of the band’s best, with Jon Kelson’s out-of-control screaming and guitar rock, Sean Tillman’s melodic yelp and fuzz-charged bass, and Jason Ralph’s drum kit destruction coalescing underneath some seriously weird keyboard wank. “Mascara” and “This Sad Horse” are trademark CK melody-infused noise rockers, while “Get Off It” is an eight-minute-plus exercise in post-punk synthesizer groove. Proponents of witty puns from the start, the great irony of Calvin Krime’s last and arguably best material is that it was released with a label outside of Amphetamine Reptile.”
11 years after their break-up, Calvin Krime played a secret reunion show at the Uptown Bar in Minneapolis.
Band Members:
Sean Tillman (Har Mar Superstar, Sean Na Na)

Jon Kelson
Jason Ralph
Discography:
Pretty In Pink 7″ (1995)
Kids Incarcerated 7″ (1996)
Dress For The Future CD (Amphetamine Reptile, 1997)

You’re Feeling So Attractive CD (Amphetamine Reptile, 1998)
3X3 For 3 1/2 CD (Polyvinyl, 1998)
Compilation Tracks:
“Fight Song” on Dope, Guns ‘N F—ing In The Streets Volumes 8-11 (Amphetamine Reptile, 1997)