Polyvinyl Record Co. and emo veterans Braid are excited to release the 25th-Anniversary edition of the inimitable ‘Frame & Canvas.’ Entirely remixed and remastered from producer J. Robbins‘ original tapes with unseen press photos from the era by Andy Mueller, and expanded liner notes, the renovated ‘Frame & Canvas’ is the brightest articulation of a document that’s been an inextricable force of influence and inspiration since it arrived more than two decades ago.
For those already well-familiarized and imprinted with ‘Frame & Canvas,’ this updated rendering offers a new way to hear an evergreen classic, and in doing so, perhaps find some new layers of meaning, new angles of remembering the people we were when these songs first became a part of our lives. For those lucky souls hearing the album for the first time, this is a perfect entry point to Braid’s world of explosivity and self-searching.
‘Frame & Canvas’ is a landmark. Released in April of 1998, Braid’s third studio album and first full-length with Polyvinyl wasn’t their first nor last important statement, but its urgency, precision, and non-stop rush of innovative ideas lined up perfectly with the time it was created in to effect a profound shift. In the small but growing circles of Midwestern emo of the late-‘90s, nothing was quite the same after this record.
‘Frame & Canvas’ 25th Anniversary Edition tracklist:
01. The New Nathan Detroits
02. Killing A Camera
03. Never Will Come For Us
04. First Day Back
05. Collect From Clark Kent
06. Milwaukee Sky Rocket
07. A Dozen Roses
08. Urbana’s Too Dark
09. Consolation Prizefighter
10. Ariel
11. Breathe In
12. I Keep A Diary
Produced by Jawbox’s J. Robbins and recorded during five blurry days at the legendary Inner Ear Studios within a tour from IL to DC, these twelve songs were not just the culmination of everything the band had been building up until that point, but an energized advancement. Guitarist/vocalists Chris Broach and Bob Nanna, and bassist Todd Bell had recently been joined by new drummer Damon Atkinson, but even less than a year into this new configuration, Braid was locked in and making some of their most inspired work. There are moments on every song that reflect the excitement and possibility of youth that the members of Braid were actively living at this point. These were four friends living, breathing, and constantly finding their way together with their music. With ‘Frame & Canvas,’ they reached a new apex.
“When Braid asked Polyvinyl to release ‘Frame & Canvas,’ it was a true ‘jump in the pool and swim’ moment for us,” said Matt Lunsford of Polyvinyl. “We worked tirelessly to release and distribute the album on a worldwide scale, while Braid worked tirelessly touring behind it. That relationship defined Polyvinyl’s 50/50 ethos not only as a financial model but as a fundamental work ethic between our label and our artists, which is something we are still very proud to practice 25 years later. I will forever be grateful that Bob, Todd, Chris, and Damon took a chance on partnering with my and Darcie’s [Lunsford] barely two-year-old record label to release the album. Polyvinyl likely would not have existed without Braid.”
In September of 2021, J. Robbins received a message from Inner Ear Studios founder Don Zientara letting him know that the studio was closing and scheduled to be demolished soon. Zientara invited Robbins to stop by to see if there was anything there he wanted to salvage before the bulldozers started showing up. As Robbins was rummaging through the studio, he was surprised to find the original 2” tape reels ‘Frame & Canvas’ was tracked to so many years earlier. Discovering these tapes got the ball rolling for ideas about the upcoming 25th anniversary of the record. Budget constraints severely limited the band’s time in the studio back in December of 1997, but now Robbins was able to take his time crafting an entirely new mix from the excavated tapes. This newly crafted mix is given the perfect finishing touch with fresh mastering from Dan Coutant at Sun Room Audio. These careful and detailed revisions bring a newfound clarity to the album without sacrificing any of the original spirit or intention.
“As the original recording and mixing session of the album was done in a five-day panic, we’re thrilled that J. had the idea and the opportunity to take the time to revisit the raw tracks and create new mixes,” Nanna said. “In addition, working with our long-time friends Polyvinyl on this reissue has been a major burst of nostalgia and joy. We look forward to bringing that energy back on the road this year and look forward to playing the album for excited friends, old and new.”
Check the band’s upcoming tour dates, and watch the music video for ‘Killing A Camera’ – a clip compiled from the original tape recordings used to create the ‘Killing A Camera’ documentary released in 2004 that features never-before-seen live and behind-the-scenes footage below.
July 13th – Tellus 360 – Lancaster, PA
July 14th – Crossroads – Garwood, NJ
July 15th – Music Hall of Williamsburg – Brooklyn, NY
July 16th – The Sinclair – Boston, MA
July 18th – Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH
July 19th – The Loving Touch – Detroit, MI
July 21st – Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA
July 22nd – Echoplex – Los Angeles, CA
July 27th – Trees – Dallas, TX
July 28th – Paper Tiger – San Antonio, TX
July 29th – Come and Take It Live – Austin, TX
September 22nd – Furnace Fest – Birmingham, AL