Alparchie – Space Rock Vol. 2 7” (Zaxxon)
The diverse
sounds that are coming out of the Zaxxon Records headquarters never ceases to
amaze. Bearmace, word on the street is that the new Fashionism 7” is coming,
and now the way out sounds of Alparchie. The Montreal foursome describe
themselves as “space punk/queer core.” This band is certainly difficult, if not
impossible to pigeonhole. The vocals and guitars are sometimes screamed in pain
and frustration like you’re listening to The Locust and sometimes they’re
quieted down a bit like some sort of lost Fugazi track from the Red Medicine sessions. At times the
rhythm section breaks into a hook laden groove but then the vocals come in soon
after and everything goes ballistic, the autopilot comes off and the plane
flies out of control and crashes into the mountain side in an explosion of
fiery death. To watch a band violently collide with itself and then pick
themselves up and do it over again is what makes Alparchie so interesting to
listen to and I’m sure to watch live as well! - J Castro
Ausmuteants/Housewives – Split 7” (Total Punk)
Kind of a cool
thing about this record, I guess each band wrote one song each and then sent it
to the other with just the lyrics and chords without the other band ever
hearing the original, just leaving it up to the others interpretation. So there
are technically 4 songs here, but both bands do the same two songs. However
they are all done so differently and both bands, albeit are both punk bands,
still have dissimilar enough styles that it hardly matters. You’ve got
Melbourne’s prolific Ausmuteants playing the songs with uncharted levels of
maniacal, angst riddled energy, sounding like lost children of The Screamers
with the keyboards blazing about. Then in the other corner there’s Sydney’s
Housewives doing it with equal amounts of combustible fuel but serving it up
with a bit more slopped up, chaos. Both bands deliver, in a big way. Both bands
are young, daring, hungry and don’t care what you think and that’s what makes
them so great!
- J Castro
Babyshakes - She's a Star 7" (Surfin' Ki)
Taking their
cues a little more from ‘70's big catchy rock hooks, New York City's own
Babyshakes confidently kick in the saloon doors and instantly command the room.
Imagine Suzi Quatro if she had fronted 1910 Fruitgum Company. Babyshakes
consists of three gun-slinging ladies (Mary, Judy and Claudia) that take
command of the gang and some dude (Ryan) they got to drive the getaway car on
drums. Babyshakes have been around for 10 years now and have released an LP, a
10-inch, and a fist full of 7"'s. They've played with bands like The Boys,
The Undertones, The Romantics and The Beat, all of which they fit right in
with. Over the years the ladies have slightly tweaked their sound a tad from
record to record, some leaning towards a more Motown/‘60's girl group
influence, to a leaner and meaner Ramones sound. This record I believe
perfectly and triumphantly captures all sides of Babyshakes and it makes for
one highly enjoyable record from start to finish. – J Castro
Bad Weed – Bad Weed 7” (Bachelor)
Is slacker punk
a thing? Well maybe not, but Bad Weed is lazily good. Bad Weed almost have a
“we’re gonna jam a couple songs together and see what happens” and what happens
is those songs come out quite good. Bad
Weed is a mix of lesser-known UK bratty power-pop punk; think of the bands
that mostly reside on comps like Powerpearls and unfortunately never get a
well-deserved release of their own. Bad Weed really comes into their own
especially on songs like “Rocket Reducer” and “Keep Running” that are both
rough edged and melodic at the same time. – Ed Stuart
The Beltones – My Old Man 7” (Just Add
Water)
Yes, you read correctly! The
label is Just Add Water and it is indeed THAT same Just Add Water! There were a
handful of labels that I would just blindly buy whatever I could find of theirs
not reading the reviews just because I knew it would be a quality record and
Just Add Water was one of those. Now Just Add Water is reassembling and
gathering strength to deliver to us more quality product! Starting things off
is a reissue of one of their most shining moments: the melodic street tough
sounds of The Beltones! In the same school as Cocksparrer, Stiff Little
Fingers, and Swingin’ Utters. Singer Bill McFaden with his tough as nails voice
that sounds like he chews and swallows glass for kicks and his band that cranks
out loud fast blue collar anthems like poet laureates for
the working class. The band has been active on and off since the mid-90’s and
have a number of releases. This one was one of their first and remains as one
of their best and most essential. – J Castro
Bikes – Und Gut 7” (Alien Snatch)
The German band
Bikes have been around for a few years now and they’ve released an LP and
another 7” prior to this record that I am aware of. All of the music that I’ve
heard has been consistently great though. I’ve heard Bikes being compared to
bands like The Count Five, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, and blah, blah, blah
you get the picture. One thing that is evident is that these guys like to have
a good time, they know their rock n’ roll roots and all of this hits you in the
face as soon as you drop that needle on this record and you hear the first guitar
riff and the tone. Although Bikes earlier stuff had that manic bounce you off
the wall ‘60’s garage feel, the two songs on Und Gut slow things down a bit, but makes up for it with bigger
louder hooks. This record has more of a T-Rex, Real Kids vibe. Instead of being
the wild kids jumping off the couches with the lampshades on their heads at the
party, Bikes are now the cool guys with the leather jackets and sunglasses on
in the back of the room with all the girls. There’re the guys that you never
saw come in, and you won’t see leave. The guys you wish you were, but will
never be. - J
Castro
Boys Order – Tomorrow Dancing 7” (Secret
Mission)
Japanese
power-pop featuring members of Radio Shanghai and Zero Numbers. Boys Order
really has a Rezillos mixed with Epoxies fun new wave-punk-pop vibe. Both songs
on Tomorrow Dancing are filled with
futuristic synth-y parts, out front guitar and some Missing Persons style
vocals. – Ed Stuart
Brain Traps – S/T (Alien Snatch)
This is the band
that re-kickstarted the Teen Trash series from over fifteen years ago. In their
other release Brain Traps were the next new band to be the third installment of
Alien Snatch’s Teen Trash series. On their S/T, Brain Traps are a cool mix of
1966 and 1996. They effortlessly go between Supercharger lo-fi garage punk
abandon with touches of late-‘60’s garage peppered in throughout maybe best
evidenced on “Mellow Yellow Frien.” This LP would have it in perfectly in Rip
Off’s heyday just as it does on Alien Snatch now. – Ed Stuart
Brat Kings – Good Drugs 7” (Hosehead)
Members of First
Base, Sonic Avenues and Pow-wows make up Brat Kings. Reading this beforehand
the review is like walking into a party that you already know is going to be
good before you even step through the door and Good Drugs is much the same way. Arguably, more a little more
straight-ahead then the member’s other bands, but without losing the
catchiness. This single is the second from the band and leaves you wanting
more. – Ed Stuart
Broken Talent– Rules No One LP (Total
Punk)
Born from the
pre-neon 1980’s days of Miami and its county outskirts comes Broken Talent.
Broken Talent were a band that truly believed and lived the D.I.Y. lifestyle
especially considering at the time there wasn’t really anything resembling a
scene in Miami at the time. Rules No One
compiles all their songs from various cassette recordings of the band. Broken
Talent’s sound is much like Flipper and the band’s origins were built more from
frustration than musicianship which has made up many a punk band’s origins and
will continue to fuel a million more. – Ed Stuart
Bummer’s Eve – Fly on the Wall 7” (Almost Ready Records)
This trio of
turbulent trip rockers comes to us from Cincinnati, Ohio with what I believe to
be their debut record. Some of the other reviews I read about this record lump
Bummer’s Eve with all the Burger Records “now sound” crew. I don’t think that’s
entirely accurate. Where a lot of the stuff on Burger is missing, well for lack
of a better term “cajones.” That’s not a bad thing really, not every band has
to sound just right for blasting from a speeding lifted pickup truck to be
good. But when it comes to rock n’ roll, a little bit of the ol’ “heave ho” is
essential in my book and that’s what separates Bummer’s Eve with their west
coast comparisons. The two songs here have the velocity and the melodic hooks
taken from old Ramones battle strategies. Both songs do lean a bit heavy with
that echo-y hollow sound and the vocals and guitar sound like they’re being
hurdled hard at you from a distance but they do hit their mark and the drums
are set a bit louder to help the song solidify and not spill out all over in a
melted watery mess.
- J Castro
Canadian Rifle – Sexually
Fucked EP (Dirt Cult)
From what I
understand, this band is from Chicago but recorded these two songs in Berlin
while they were on tour. On Canadian Rifle’s Facebook page, they list band
interests as “bummers, downers, bad times.” There’s even a hilarious picture of
them playing live in front of a banner that has the words “Dreams” and “Goals”
with a circle and a slash through them.
The title track, sure maybe the lyrics are a bit on the self-loathing
side, but the music is way “fist in the air” anthemic. It almost reminds me of
something that wouldn’t sound out of place on Monsula’s ’92 classic Sanitized record or something like that
from that area and era. The guitars are big, loud and have a soaring melody,
the vocals are screamed/shouted by a guy that sounds like he’s barking out
orders from a battleship that’s under attack, and the rhythm section is right
there front and center reloading and firing steadily. The B-Side, a little
ditty called “You Are My Junk” has a similar kind of feel. If you keep asking
yourself: why couldn’t Crimpshrine have made just one more LP or why couldn’t
Jeff Ott’s band Fifteen had stayed good longer than two records, then this band
is for you! - J Castro
Car Crash – Bright Future? EP (Secret Mission/Mangrove)
When I write
reviews, I am sometimes torn when trying to compare or describe a band’s sound
to you guys. If I use obvious comparisons, people might see it as too obvious
or even “lazy.” If I use comparisons that are too obscure, people might not
know what I’m talking about and dismiss it as something it’s not. So I’ll start
with this: Car Crash is a band from Japan, they’re two guys and a girl that
cause enough rock n’ roll chaos to levitate the island nation off the planet!
Loud, hard driving, lo-fi garage punk the way I remember it, and the way I
expect to hear it when people reference the exhausted term of “Garage Punk,”
but yet I seldom do. This however is the real deal. The only thing that sucks
about this record is that, also like the Dials 7” it’s very limited here in the
states. The good thing though is that this Car Crash 7” just came out in early
June so you’ve still got a bit of time on this one. So yeah, killer Japanese
garage punk, I’ll leave it up to you for further comparisons. - J Castro
The Connection – Labor of Love LP (Rum Bar)
The boys from
New England are back with a collection of 10 new tunes to help keep your
disposition at an elevated level! Ten songs that are so stellar, packed with
that good old-fashioned rock n’ roll charm usually only found in records from
decades ago that you’d swear some of these have to be covers, but THEY AREN’T!
The Connection carefully pick a little here, a little there and use it to
create their own unique sound. This band plays a type of music that sounds so
wonderfully warm and familiar yet injects their unique brand of rocket fuel
that comes inevitably from being young and living in the times we do, making
the songs have an air of familiarity yet hard to pigeon hole. When I first
listened to this band the same feeling came over me that’s similar to when you
first meet someone and you swear you’ve met them before but unsure where. If
you like Buddy Holly, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Dwight Twilley, The Ramones,
Cheap Trick, and Rockpile: go immerse yourself in this band, you’re welcome. - J Castro
Cozy – Kiss Me Dummy 7” (Secret
Mission)
If it hasn’t
yet, it eventually will. Kiss Me Dummy sounds like a line from a romantic
comedy, but for Cozy it’s a glam punk anthem. Yes, the men in vests are back
and bringing more of that Slade, Sweet, Bay City Rollers and New York Dolls
sound especially on “Show and Tell.” Kiss
Me Dummy is a fun two-song stomper that plays glam bubblegum without all
the production gloss and instead runs it through lo-fi Rip Off record blender. –
Ed Stuart
Daily Ritual – S/T LP (Sabotage)
If you haven’t
started paying attention to Sabotage, now is the time to start. Daily Ritual is
a little like the player you had on the bench all year, but never played for
some reason. Then when the starting player gets injured, in comes the bench
player and the bench player does such a good job that they become the starting
player. This could be Daily Ritual. The band is from Singapore and do sound in
the ballpark of Red Dons, but don’t let that stop from enjoying this melodic
anthem filled punk surprise. – Ed Stuart
Dany Laj and the Looks – Word on the Street LP (Squirtgun)
This record had
me at the first song; I almost just wanted to start writing the review right
then and there. After all, if the first song on the LP is this good, the rest
of the record can’t be too far behind! So I forced myself to listen to the rest
of the record and just as predicted, it did not disappoint. Singer and
songwriter Danny Lajeunesse comes from a small mining town
outside of Toronto, and it shows, in a good Springsteen sort of way! The collection
of songs on this LP are a perfect blend of country, folk, power pop, sweat and
volume. When I was listening to this record the likes of Jesse Malin, Ryan
Adams, The Hold Steady, and a touch of Replacements came to mind. The songs are
smart, but not arrogant, raggedy without being sleazy, catchy but holds away
the sap, loud yet not obnoxious, and just plain likeable. The Looks are the
kind of band you hear in a local dive bar not expecting much and after they
start playing for a while you think to yourself, this band is way too good to
be playing this crap hole, what gives?!
-
J Castro
Der Faden – Best Guess 7” (Dirt Cult)
Before Canada
became the hotbed of all things power-pop, bands like Statues were paving the
way. Der Faden is Rob from Statues with his fiancé on drums. Der Faden is hook
laden melodic power-pop punk rock. It does reminds me of early Futureheads
mixed with some Pointed Sticks. I’m not sure how Dirt Cult finds these guys,
but they really have a knack for finding this style of bands. “Best Guess” is a
radio hit while “Filaments” is it’s follow-up, but has enough angular riffs and
quirky edge so Der Faden is not a one-trick pony. – Ed Stuart
Dials – School Girl 7” (Secret Mission/Mangrove)
Two scalding
garage rock n’ roll monsters that recall the glory days of the mid 1990’s when
we were all spoiled and bands like this seemed to come out of the woodwork
every month along with the great labels like Rip Off, Estrus, and Dionysus to
help bring them out to the masses! What a wallop these 2 songs pack! Lo-Fi
energy that’s anchored by some killer heavy yet melodic hooks, sassy handclaps,
and a singer with actual swagger in his voice! You know it’s good if Secret
Mission saw it fit to throw it in the trough and feed it to us hungry hogs here
in North America! Only 200 copies of this dynamite bundle are floating around
here in the states, the rest are in Japan. So with this band being Japanese,
the obvious comparisons to certain bands that start with a “T” and end with an
“eengenerate” and another that starts with an “R” and ends with an
“egistrators” pop into mind, and rightfully so. But those bands are long dead
and have had their time in the sun, now is the time for Dials to rule! - J Castro
Digital Leather – All Faded LP (FDH)
This is Shawn
from Destruction Unit and Lost Sounds along with Todd from The Faint so this
might give you an idea of their sound, but not the whole picture. All Faded is catchy synth-pop with not
one, not two, but three people playing synths. Digital Leather strips away most
of the drone-y tendency of synth and replaces with new wave pop hooks. “Stay In
Bed” may just become the lazy day anthem because of its message and Devo-esque
memorable hooks. It’s like the Cars and later Devo are having a new wave party
and you are invited! – Ed Stuart
Dirty Fences – Full Tramp LP (Slovenly)
I’ll start by
saying that I won’t be surprised if Full
Tramp makes several top ten lists at the end of the year. At first look,
you might think here’s another party band that plays throwaway tunes talking
about how wasted they are or are about to get, but you would be so, so, so
wrong. Dirty Fences have combined both equal parts punk and rock, tough and
tender and caring and bravado. Where the opener “Deep In Your Heart” is full
rocker the next track “Judy Don’t Go” is its musical counterpart full of
power-pop-rock sing-along catchiness that makes the duality of this record so
appealing. Dirty Fences channel The Dictators, Ramones, early-Kiss, MC5, Johnny
Thunders and many others to make this one hell of an LP. – Ed Stuart
The Disconnects – Wake
up Dead LP (Baldy Long Hair)
I just read in USA Today that New Jersey is the most
hated state in the union according to some new poll. I’m not sure why that is
exactly, maybe it still conjures up images of those lunkheads in Jersey Shore
but I think if these people knew a band like The Disconnects resides there
they’d back off! The Disconnects debut album that came out earlier this year is
full of junkie desperation, the tension of not having rent when it’s due and
your landlord getting in your face about it, those few and fleeting moments
when everything is going alright with you and your lady friend, and the time
you lost when you thought you had a sure hand. Wake up Dead is rock n’ roll from the city, in all its L.A.M.F.
back alley grime and glory. The Disconnects songs reek of urban blight, power
pop charm, and punk rock unruliness. When you put this record on, all of these
factors come together and start swirling around your turntable like a sonic
hurricane, creating the perfect rock n’ roll storm! - J Castro
Dysnea Boys – Find
Water/Mind Stories EP (Self Released)
This band is based out of Berlin, Germany yet Jason
Honea, former singer of the Bay Area band Social Unrest is the vocalist and
C.C. Voltage from Vancouver’s Black Haloes is the bass player! So as you
might have guessed they’ve got the old school hardcore/skate core flavor
similar to Jason’s old band and others like Los Olvidados, or Rebel Truth did
back in the day. The only difference is that the improved production really
adds to the music. I don’t mean actual clarity or anything, it’s just that
people nowadays seem to know how to mix records a bit better and know what to
do to make music like this sound bigger on record. Dysnea Boys crank out
tremendously aggressive hardcore punk without venturing into the dreaded metal
zone. Vocals are mean as hell, the guitars are ready to leap out of the
guitarist’s hands and start killing people for sport and the drummer (from what
I understand may be the only actual German in the band) beats on actual human
skulls to keep everything sane! -
J Castro
Flesh Rag – S/T (Surfin Ki)
Sonny Vincent
fronts the Stooges and what happens next is an alternate universe where the
Stooges sound gets even rougher, tougher, meaner and more nihilistic. According
to one review, Flesh Rag is “[t]he only rock n roll band in Ontario. Or at
least the only rock n roll band that seems to matter” and after listening you
might be tempted to agree. In some ways, it’s like Teenage Head started playing
with razorblades instead of pop melodies. This S/T LP is a no holds barred blown out scorcher from members of TV
Freaks and Rocket Reducers. – Ed Stuart
Golden Pelicans – Oldest Ride Longest Line LP (Total Punk)
From the first
few moments of the opening song “Knuckle Dragger” you can already tell what
you’re in for. You hear a voice that sounds like it’s been beaten down yet
keeps getting back up just to spit in your face. The guitars encircle you like
a pack of wolves, just waiting for the signal to launch the imminent attack,
and percussion that beats hard and steady like ancient war drums signaling the
coming of the conquering army. The four men that make up Florida’s Golden
Pelicans play pissed off, agitated, tired of the same ol’, same ol’ punk rock
n’ roll. What are they so pissed about? It’s like what Brando said in The Wild One: “What’ve you got.” Who
knew there was so much to get all riled up about in The Sunshine State anyway,
but apparently there is! Golden Pelicans are the flash before the mushroom
cloud, the meteorite that craters the earth several miles wide, they are the
monster that rises from the depths of the ocean and crushes cities beneath its
feet. - J Castro
Hakan – S/T LP (One Chord Wonder)
Not knowing what
the word “hakan” means, and since the label this record is on; One Chord Wonder
is Milan, Italy, yet it doesn’t sound Italian I decided to look it up. This is
what I found – “Hakan is a common Turkish forename. The name is produced by
using two Turkish titles for rulers: Han (Khan) and Kağan (Khagan). Therefore
by joining Han and Kağan, a new title which is higher than Kağan is achieved:
Han Kağan. It has transformed into Hakan over time.” Well one thing is for sure, the name of
this band is certainly fitting! Goes to show you (and me) that you just can’t
judge a record by it’s cover! With all that gutless stoner “psyche” moping
around, an album cover like this instantly fills me with dread. But much to my
hap hap happiest of surprises I found an honest to goodness, bonafide, killer
melodic punk rock record in here! Fast, irreverent, super catchy, music that
also makes you want to drive fast (yes, I first heard this while I was driving
on the interstate!) - J Castro
Kidnappers – Pills 7” (Secret Mission)
After releasing
records Alien Snatch and Rip Off and a couple years off, Kidnappers are back
with Pills. Kidnappers play a punk
rock n’ roll with a mean ’77 knife-edge especially on the title track “Pills.”
Think The Kids, Saints, Joneses and Testors with “Diamonds” taking more from
New York Dolls: three solid songs from these ex-Highschool Rockers. – Ed Stuart
Kuken – Kuken LP (Bachelor/Dumpster)
If someone
spread the word that Kuken was a new re-issue of a ’77 German punk band, you
might be tempted to believe them based off the band’s sound, but you would be
wrong. Kuken is the two brothers from the Kidnappers new band and yes they
stripped the little pop elements of the Kidnappers and focused on two main
things, punk and rock. Kuken is a mix
of Saints, Kids and all you’re other favorite ’77 punk bands. – Ed Stuart
The Lame – The Lame Shall Enter First LP
(Alien Snatch)
The Lame are a
case of musical schizophrenia. The Lame
Shall Enter First is a mix of multiple musical personalities that feature
lo-fi pop, country-esque balladry, garage-punk-blues hybrid that will keep the
listener on their toes. The Lame features members from Cave Dogs and Movie Star
Junkies. I’ve read in other reviews this being compared to Gories and Hunches,
but in a lot of areas reminds of some Cramps and other trash rock. – Ed Stuart
Legendary Shack Shakers - Cockdoodledon’t
LP (Hound Gawd!)
After over half
a century of rock n’ roll, you start to think: what else could anyone possibly
combine, combust, or combobulate in their devious minds that would sound even
remotely fresh, or exciting. It’s at that very moment a band like this is
conceived, just to prove your jaded ass wrong! I never thought I would be
reviewing a record by a Grammy nominated band, a band that Robert Plant
handpicked to open his tour with, a band that Jeff Beck called “a cross between
The Sex Pistols and The Yardbirds.” Yes boys and girls these are all indeed
true facts surrounding Paducah, Kentucky’s Legendary Shack Shakers! What our
friends over at Hound Gawd! have done is re-unleashed this bands legendary 2003
LP on vinyl. If you’ve never heard this band, what you have waiting for you is
one of the most explosive American roots influenced music played by individuals
made of fire and passion and led by a front man that slinks and slides around
the stage as if the souls of Jim Morrison and James Brown were trapped in the
body of an ostrich. Entertaining to say the least! - J Castro
Los Pepes – And I Know EP (Wanda)
If you call
yourself a power-pop fan and you’re not listening to Los Pepes, then start
questioning why you’re not. Los Pepes are hot off the heels off last year’s Los Pepes For Everyone. This follow-up
EP, And I Know, is one smoker right
after another of Buzzcocks/Undertones power-pop that will have you put both
band’s classic LP’s on the shelf for a while and listen to Los Pepes instead. This
is power-pop straight from ’77-’79 that isn’t afraid to go full pop either with
their song “Say Anything.” – Ed Stuart
Loud Boyz – Tough Love, Hard Feelings LP (Cricket Cemetery)
If you’re going
to be pissed off and loud, then I guess DC may be the best place to do it, but
Loud Boyz are not only that. Loud Boyz mix skate punk (more D.R.I. than
Faction) and hardcore (not growling, scream/sing vocals either) that always
stays on the heavier side. Tough Love
has songs that could and should be used for skate videos and tearing up your
local skate spot. This is 100% high-energy full throttle ride that doesn’t know
what the brakes are for. – Ed Stuart
Louder – S/T 7” (Secret Mission)
Japan’s louder
unleash their 3rd release and it might just melt your face off.
Louder is full of high energy melodic punk meets ‘90’s garage punk. For the a
split second on “So Alone” you think Louder might have gone soft and then
before you know it the song is a burst of high energy and already over. “Tear
Me Up” shows off more of their melodic side without losing any of the raw
energy. If you were ever a fan of ‘90’s garage punk and there is a wealth of
bands right now playing this stuff, Louder is as catchy and frenetic on these
two barnburners as anyone in the genre. – Ed Stuart
Thee Marvin Gays – Sleepless Nights (Alien Snatch)
All the reviews I read about this record, which are mostly in German (thank you Google translate!) always mention two things: 1. Is that there is a girl in the band (the lovely Ms. Lulu Sabbath on the Bass) and 2. That they’re from Belgium (the French speaking town called Tournai located in western Belgium and one of the country’s oldest cities). So there, now I don’t feel left out! Now for the music, this is the bands 3rd release and second full length. Their self-titled debut, which came out in 2011, was pretty much a straightforward Sonic type wild ‘60’s garage rock n’ roll barnburner. Now it seems that the years have matured thee Gays just a bit. This new record is a fantastic blend of killer ‘60’s garage mixed with the Velvet Underground’s dark twang and jangle, all of which are coated in a healthy layer of reverb. Thee Marvin Gays do a really good job of writing songs with a consistent sound yet diverse and unpredictable enough to grab a hold of your attention and keep it in a tight grasp for the duration of the LP. Fantastic record, fantastic band! - J Castro
The Memories – Home Style LP (Randy)
Chicago’s own
Randy Records bring us the latest installment of Portland’s self-proclaimed
“kings of slacker pop.” I’ve never heard this band before just because I’ve
read about them and they’ve been described in press releases and reviews and it
just didn’t seem like my particular brand of tight pants. Needless to say that
after listening to this 17 song sprawling record, those other descriptions
weren’t too far off. I did enjoy
some of the songs on here though: the opener “I’ve Got That Feelin’ Once Again”
and later on the last half of the record, the songs, “Crash on My Heart,” “Do
You,” and “Labor of Love” all reminded me of early Belle & Sebastian or a
less political R.E.M.’s delicate jangle pop only a little more, oh how should I
say this, a little more “abstract” I guess. Some of the songs were a tad too
hollow sounding for my taste; giving them that “way out” sound the kids are
going wild for these days. - J
Castro
M.O.T.O. – Shitty Kids 7” (Secret Mission)
Yes, this record
did come out a couple of years ago but we’re reviewing it because (A. HEY, It’s
a M.O.T.O. record! and B. we want to show you the scope of how killer a label
Secret Mission really is!) If anyone out there is still unfamiliar with
M.O.T.O. go and correct this deficiency immediately. This band has been making
melodic Ramones-y punk with a Dictators-esque style of wit and cheeky humor
since the late ‘80’s! There are some punk bands that you listen to and the
music is just so driving that you don’t pay much attention to the lyrics and
even if you did, you’d probably be disappointed because they usually don’t say
much. There are some bands that have that same musical drive, yet the vocals
command to be heard. One of them that comes immediately to mind is Portland’s
Moral Crux, another is of course M.O.T.O.. Whether singer/songwriter/main
driving force behind M.O.T.O., Paul Caporino is
singing about the state of society, love or hate his songs have remained
poignant, fun to listen to, and never preachy.
- J Castro
Nervosas – S/T LP (Dirtnap)
From Columbus, Ohio by way of Portland, Oregon comes this
gripping sophomore LP by Nervosas. This whole album is dark, gritty, and hard
hitting with each song bringing on a distinctive feeling of desperation,
lightlessness, and peril. Listening to this felt like someone clocked me in the
head with a brick and I woke up in a wet, dimly lit alley way (I think it’s
time I take a break from that Daredevil show). This band has more in common
with their other Dirtnap label mates The Estranged more than say Sugar Stems.
I’ve seen Nervosas name plenty of times and have even read about them but I
haven’t actually heard them until now. I liked them so much I went and listened
to some of their other releases and what impressed me the most was how well put
together and cohesive their songs are, even their demos! Let’s hope these 3
young Ohioans keep tapping deep within their tempestuous hearts to bring us
more of these entrancing punk songs full of shadow and substance. - J Castro
Peach Kelli Pop – III LP (Bachelor)
It’s easy to
dismiss records like this as just a handful of sugary fun snacks to enjoy in your
car on the way to get ice cream with your friends when you’re not really
listening. Yes, there are some songs that just seem like pure fun, such as the
opening track “Princess Castle 1987,” but there is much more in here if you
just sit and pay attention. There is some melancholy thrown it there (see the
closing line in the song “Shampoo” as Allie is talking about shampoo going down
the drain she throws in “remembering how you’d say my name.” Plus there’s songs
like “Heart Eyes” and the last song “Please Come Home” that seem like they’re
written from the blue side of the heart. These two tracks happen to be my
favorites on the album. Over all though, this is a fairly sunny record with
playful melodies laid over fuzz ripping guitars and sand bucket drums but like
I said before, it’s the expressive side of Allie Hanlon’s songwriting that sets
Peach Kelli Pop’s music apart from their peers. – J Castro
The Penetrators – She’s The Kind of Girl 7” (Slovenly)
This is the
brand new single from the Penetrators. Just to fill in the history, The
Penetrators are a protopunk band from Syracuse, NY from the late ‘70’s whose
out of print Kings of Basement Rock
was released by Slovenly a few years back. “She’s The Kind of Girl,” reminds me
of Ian Dury playing with the Voidoids that has this loose rock n’ roll
aesthetic while “Take a Stand” takes more of an anthemic stance and while the
production is a little better than Kings
the same garage looseness prevails. – Ed Stuart
Radioactivity – Why b/w Danger 7” (Secret Mission)
The men of
Denton, TX are back and still in the prime of their longevity as evidenced by
this fine record I have before me! Two more songs of Radioactivity’s trademark
quick pulsed, high strung, high anxiety punk rock. The A-Side “Why” has a
feeling of desperation and urgency, maybe even a bit of darkness to it. The
B-Side “Danger” has a much more soaring chorus, giving it a bit more of an epic
feel to it. Together these two tunes packaged together make a killer release,
like the yin and the yang. I saw that Radioactivity played a few shows with
Ceremony earlier this year, what a killer bill that would have been to witness!
Radioactivity seems to be everywhere right now, for those of you that are
reluctant to believe the hype, I’m here to tell you that this band is worth
investing in. Not only have they been quite prolific the past year or so but
their songs always seem to be well crafted and executed even on their EP’s, no
clunkers thus far! - J Castro
Radioactivity – Silent Kill LP (Dirtnap)
Two years later
and here is the follow-up most of the punk world has been waiting for.
Radioactivity set the world on fire with their debut LP and Silent Kill is more of the same, but with
a different type of burn. If you were expecting a repeat of the S/T LP you would be both right and
wrong. Silent Kill has their Marked
Men meets Ramones meets Buzzcocks trademark sound of the first LP without
losing their energy, but incorporates more of the darker pop elements that the
debut only hinted at. “Where I Come From” is a good example of a song that
relies more on melody than velocity and on Silent
Kill Radioactivity isn’t afraid to let the pop do the talking this time. – Ed
Stuart
Rail 27 – The Great Unwashed LP (Self-Release)
The title makes
think of a crust band or a band taking a swipe as the crust scene, but Rail 27
play a punk-ska that sounds like Operation Ivy in both style and production.
For fans that having been missing Operation Ivy or that Gilman/mid-90’s era
should check Rail 27 out. – Ed Stuart
Raydios – Brand New Kid 7” (Slovenly/Mangrove)
Fink and his
Tokyo troublemakers are back with two more blue ribbon winners! But, you
already knew that didn’t you. Has any band that Fink’s been in or had anything
to do with over the years ever been a clunker? No, it hasn’t and this record certainly doesn’t signal the
beginning of his or this bands downward descent into mediocrity by any means.
What this record does have imbedded within its tiny grooves is a colossal
offering of 2 Radio Birdman inspired songs that are big, loud, and have more
hooks than a seaworthy pirate vessel. Raydios have been sporadically releasing
records since 1998 and even had a demos LP on Germany’s Screaming Apple
Records. The band sounds sharper and more focused than ever on this EP. If this
band would begin releasing records on a more regular basis and get the ball
rolling, they would cease to be Fink and Sammy from Teengenerate’s new band and
start a new reign in the rock n’ roll world by just being the Raydios: no
questions asked! - J Castro
The Rippers - I Wanna Know About Something 7" (Surfin’ Ki)
This mob of
Italian garage titans has been together for over a decade now! They've got a
few LP's out into the world and a barrage of 7"'s floating around too, my
advice is to grab any of them if they happen to float by you within arm’s
reach. This here particular release from our friends at Surfin' Ki Records is a
2 song offering of what exactly The Rippers are capable of. What is that you
ask? These are two songs bubbling with early Rolling Stones swagger, Billy
Childish's manic energy and Monks charisma. With the two words "garage
rock" becoming almost a parody and being used to describe any group of
hipster schmucks in tight jeans that just play loud and fast, Sardina, Italy's
The Rippers are the genuine model. Yes they do play loud, a tad fast, but with
direction and with an eye on the prize. The Rippers have a solid rock n’ roll
foundation beneath all the screams, wild guitar spasms, and uncontrollable drum
assaults. That is what separates them from all the fleeting trends and soon to
be forgotten musical memories. – J
Castro
The Rubs – The Rubs Are Trash LP (Tall Pat/Dumpster/Why Pick On Me?)
The Rubs are a
trashed up Ramones/Dolls infatuated with bubblegum, but have the budget production
to get them a bedroom recording. The Rubs
Are Trash is a welcome surprise because tracks like “Until He’s Mine” is a
like a ‘60’s girl group stomper recorded by the Rip Off Records crew. The Rubs
may claim to be trash, but what they are doing is the opposite by hiding their
pop melodies in a lo-fi coating. – Ed Stuart
Strange Lords – S/T LP (Surfin Ki)
Strange Lords is
Andrew Seward’s (ex-Against Me!) new band. Instead of Against Me!’s
socio-political outlook, Strange Lords have chosen to remain relatively quiet.
Is the entire record silent? No, it’s they’ve just released nine songs of
instrumental (with the exception of “Canneros”) psych, surf, garage punk with a
touch of weirdness. Strange Lords is a two–piece guitar and drums machine that
lives in the highly treble world of Back
From The Grave. – Ed Stuart
Sweatshop Boys – Always Polite Never Happy 7” (Twintoe/Crapoulet/SP)
All the way from
Isreal comes the Sweatshop Boys and man this is a winner. I can’t recall many
Isreali bands that come to mind, but if they are in the same ballpark as
Sweatshop Boys we have a new player in the game. This is the follow up to their
LP, Great Depression. Always Polite Never Happy is a mix of
’77 UK power-pop-punk mixed with ‘80’s melodic punk while songs like “Special
Mood” have some parts that are reminiscent of more ‘90’s bands and all together
it works. – Ed Stuart
Terrible Feelings – Tremors LP (Sabotage/Deranged)
Catchy, powerful
female fronted melodic punk rock from Sweden. Tremors is a range of emotions, but mostly seems dark tinged mainly
due to Manuela Iwanson’s vocals. Terrible Feelings shares a couple of
members with another Swedish band named Hurula. Terrible Feelings is a mix of
mid ‘80’s new wave, dark pop and punk rock that in some parts reminds me of a
tougher Shivvers. – Ed
Stuart
Thing – S/T LP (Solid Sex Lovie Doll)
From what I can
gather, this band first existed in Chicago in 2013 and quickly dissipated back
then, but is now reformed. The band is/was led by former Jay Reatard
collaborator Rich Cook. The music reminds me of a reverb drenched Head. Quick
echo-y poppy bursts of aggressive snootiness quickly floats to the top. The red
and white splatter vinyl that this record comes on is truly a sight to behold
and so are the two covers! One of
them is by Jeff Mahannah of the band Legendary Wings and Eat to Survive comics
and art. If you aren’t familiar with his work, he does some hilariously
irreverent comic/cartoon type stuff. The other one is by Haut Love, who I know
nothing about but the art is a tremendously eye popping macabre sci-fi horror
piece. Not only is it great to have this band back in action and I hope they
keep releasing new material, but also so have Solid Sex Lovie Doll back in the
battle trenches after a long absence. - J Castro
12 Gauge Pinup – Grind EP (Self-Release)
After a hiatus
from music in which he decided to focus on writing and getting Fear/Loathing to
become a force in the blog world, Kevin from The Prostitutes is back with his
new band 12 Gauge Pinup. Grind has
got New York influence all over it. It’s like Johnny Thunders solo stuff with
the sax player from the Psychedelic Furs joining in. McGovern is doing his own
version of “London Boys” style material with bits of Psychedelic Furs thrown
in. Good stuff that’s not a comeback, but a new beginning. – Ed Stuart
Uh Bones – Honey Coma LP (Randy)
Honey Coma is sometimes a psych trip out like 13th
Floor Elevators/Velvet Underground and then at sometimes incorporates some
Kinks/Seeds too. Overall, Uh Bones are embedded in the late ‘60’s lo-fi garage
and psych. Honey Coma dances between
both styles, which gives Uh Bones the opportunity to spread it’s wings later. –
Ed Stuart
The Vapids - Punitive Damage 7" (Surfin' Ki)
The planet Earth
went half a decade without The Vapids roaming and pillaging its surface, and
now the Burlington, Ontario band is back and making up for lost time. This
record consists of Jimmy Vapid and the boy’s usual high decibel, street tough,
melodic pop punk sound. We’ve got the two titled songs on the A side (“Punitive
Damage” and “Thin Skinned”), and the B-side is an untitled scorcher as well
with the tempo slowed down just a tiny bit. They’ve been described as a mixture
of The Dead Boys and The Ramones, whoever said this isn’t wrong by any means.
The Vapids definitely have the obvious Ramones/Screeching Weasel influence in
their music, its a bit tougher and hits a bit harder though which is why I can
see the Dead Boys comparison. What I don’t see in The Vapids is the grit and
sleaze The Ramones and the Dead Boys had crawling and oozing all over them, but
that probably just came from living where they did when they did. Another solid
release from The Vapids and Surfin’ Ki!
- J Castro
While – More LP (Dirt Cult)
I don’t feel
like I have the most eclectic tastes in music by any means. I do like some
Jazz, and Classical but from very specific periods only. Same goes for rock
music, although I do enjoy listening to many form of rock depending on my mood,
generally I tend to stay in the same realm. But sometimes something catches me
unaware and drags me to a place I never knew existed. In my early high school
years, I had the chance to hear Cocteau Twins at some festival I attended. I
had never heard of them, but they absolutely blew my mind inside out. I had
never heard music so fluid and so airy yet had the power to carry the weight of
my soul. That’s what the Serbian duo While’s new LP reminds me of. It’s music
that flows around you and through you like a breeze through a screen door
clearing out all the stagnant air. While their music isn’t quite so buoyant as
Cocteau Twins though, they have a My Bloody Valentine, Ride and even some Joy
Division in them to keep the music at a steady velocity. It’s great to see
labels like Dirt Cult taking chances and bringing music like this to North
America! - J Castro
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