Small 23 – Chin Music – Cassette

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Small 23 – Chin Music – Cassette

Chin Music, released in 1994 by the North Carolina indie rock band Small 23 (often shortened to simply Small), represents a pivotal moment in the band’s short but potent discography. Known for their roots in Chapel Hill’s thriving indie scene—alongside bands like Archers of Loaf and Superchunk—Small 23 stood out for their blend of melodic sensibility, wry lyricism, and experimental tendencies. With Chin Music, they leaned into a fuller, more adventurous sound while retaining the scrappy energy that characterized their earlier work. The album was released on Zero Hour/Caroline Records and contains 11 tracks that range from bright and angular to moody and introspective, capturing the tension and texture of early-to-mid-’90s underground rock with both polish and grit.

From the opening moments of tracks like “Mona Skips Breakfast” and “Shaken Not Stirred,” Chin Music signals a shift toward a more confident and sonically varied direction. These songs are built on taut guitar work, catchy but off-kilter hooks, and lyrics that often straddle the line between the poetic and the absurd. The production quality is noticeably more refined than the band’s earlier EPs and debut album, thanks in part to a larger studio budget and more ambitious arrangement choices. Yet the record never feels overproduced—it still breathes with a kind of restless DIY authenticity, balancing polish with punch. Guitars snarl and shimmer in equal measure, while the rhythm section provides a propulsive backbone that keeps the songs moving without sacrificing atmosphere.

One of the album’s strengths lies in its diversity—not just in terms of musical style, but in mood and tone. Songs like “Weatherking” and “Pretty Side Down” reveal a more contemplative, almost melancholic side to the band, with layered instrumentation and subtly complex arrangements. Elsewhere, tracks like “Toastmaster” and “My Head Is Full of Chocolate” inject humor, swagger, and raw rock energy into the mix, showing that the band was not afraid to blend playfulness with sincerity. It’s this ability to shift between emotional registers—without sounding disjointed—that gives Chin Music its staying power. The record feels cohesive, even as it moves from introspective slow burns to jagged, power-pop explosions.

The lyrics on Chin Music often come across as oblique or surreal, yet they’re delivered with conviction and wit. There’s a literary sensibility beneath the noise—a kind of sideways storytelling that avoids cliché in favor of fragmentation, metaphor, and irony. This approach gives the songs an emotional ambiguity that invites multiple listens and personal interpretations. It’s not always clear what the songs mean, but the feeling they create is undeniable: a mix of urgency, detachment, humor, and vulnerability. It’s music for anyone who’s ever felt out of place in a crowd, unsure of where things are headed, but still moving forward with a smirk.

In critical circles, Chin Music was warmly received, especially among indie rock enthusiasts and college radio DJs. Trouser Press praised the album for its diversity and adventurousness, highlighting how the band managed to expand its sound without losing its identity. At a time when indie rock was beginning to splinter into subgenres—post-rock, lo-fi, emo, math rock—Small 23 managed to exist at a curious intersection: tuneful enough for pop fans, noisy enough for punk diehards, and smart enough to appeal to listeners seeking something more offbeat.

Sadly, Chin Music would be one of the band’s final releases before disbanding. Small 23 never achieved the breakout success of some of their Chapel Hill peers, but in hindsight, albums like Chin Music reflect a creative peak that stands tall within the indie rock canon of the 1990s. It captures a moment when alternative music was still unpredictable and filled with potential, when bands could make music that was smart, fun, strange, and deeply felt—all in the same record. For listeners revisiting the era or discovering Small 23 for the first time, Chin Music offers a rich, rewarding listen that bridges raw indie energy with thoughtful songwriting and stylistic curiosity. It’s an underrated gem deserving of deeper recognition and renewed appreciation.

Alias Records

Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic

Song List
1. Mona Skips Breakfast
2. Shaken Not Stirred
3. Weatherking
4. Tumble Dry
5. Pretty Side Down
6. Toastmaster
7. My Head Is Full Of Chocolate
8. Pet Rock
9. Could You Be On My Side
10. Scenic Route, The
11. Start With The Victim