Broke down and got a digital camera. Here's some art pictures, you can decide if I'm laughing with you or at you. All taken in my room. Next to godliness.

Wtf Pt. 2

WTF Pt. 1

Slow week for new records. Poison Control 7" was pretty good, even if they got their name from a Formaldehyde Junkies song(not kidding). Germ Attack 2nd 7" was exactly the same as their 1st...take that as you will. And the Go It Alone LP gets better the more I listen to it. I'm not really feeling like I need to elaborate on any of this today.


My new project is to try to get as many different copies of Flipper "Sex Bomb/Brainwash" as I can. I've only got 2 so far (one with the printed Subterranean cover, and the one posted below), if you see one with a different cover in the 10-15 dollar range pick it up and make me smile.




The weekend included getting mugged by a 12 year old, seeing a good movie twice, eating nice food, and the company of my dear friends(old, new and unexpected). Details can wait as I've got to get some sleep. You should too.

Perfect Album Vol 1

From A Look At Tomorrow blog (alookattomorrow.blogspot.com)

"perfect
• adjective /perfikt/ 1 having all the required elements, qualities, or characteristics. 2 free from any flaw; faultless. 3 complete; absolute: it made perfect sense."


"I work at a job that requires very little thinking and a lot of sitting. Because of this I make a lot of lists to keep myself busy. "Classic" or "essential" albums can change and are always open to argument but "perfect" ones are purely subjective. This might not make sense to you but it does to me and that's what matters.
After a full shift of brainstorming I managed to come up with about 20 albums give or take that I deem to be flawless. I wouldn't change the artwork, I wouldn't make something quiter and something louder and I wouldn't take out a song or even a riff. In order to be considered for the list I worked out two rules for myself:
1) I can't have heard the album for the first time less than 2 years ago. This means that I can't look really cool by declaring something totally underground that I just downloaded from 7inchpunk or Soulseek "perfect."
2) The album can't have been released less than 5 years ago. 10 years ago is even better. Let's face it, people make a lot of claims to convince someone how good something is. Usually they're wrong. Plus music needs to age like a fine wine."





Makes sense to me too, seems simple enough. While I am firmly of the opinion that "Damaged" is the BEST album of all time, it's not perfect. Unfortunately our heroes decided to include what should have been a B-Side at best (TV Party). While this may have been excusable, 25 years of poseurs and try-hards saying that it's the best Flag song have made it unbearable. While some might call this needless nit-picking, it proves that the best need not be perfect.

Enough bullshit(don't you wish!), at Tyson's (the author of A Look At Tomorrow) request, I'll attempt to spoil the broth.




SUBHUMANS-THE DAY THE COUNTRY DIED LP (SPIDERLEG/BLUURG 19@T2)

When I was younger, I sorta passed on these guys . It must have had something to do with seeing some 90s punk explosion kids with SUBHUMANS next to EXPLOITED and the CLASH on their jackets. However sometime later I decided to give it a chance, eating my hat in the process. This record is everything that you could possibly want from a punk album.

Musically it's extremely original without falling victim to the "expanding horizons" of the dregs of the anarcho scene. It's planted firmly in punk, yet not afraid to throw bass noodleing, spoken word, drum rolls and guitar weirdness around. It's seething anger, melodic, short, memorable and loud. A lot of the UK bands were either playing standard 1-2 street punk or just completely going off the wall in attempts to out do each other. This takes the best parts of both of those, mixes them together and creates a sound unlike any other. At least until Instigators totally ripped the whole thing.

Lyrically it's nothing short of genius. Extremely political, never overly dogmatic or knee-jerk leftist like so much UK peace punk stuff. Not afraid to throw criticism at the clueless politicos or glue-headers. There is a sinister sense of humor and atmospheric presence to the lyrics, similar perhaps to the shinning moment of DEAD KENNEDYS(but not as silly). This is almost, for lack of better(or less abused) terminology a theme album. While DISCHARGE were screaming about how the bomb's gonna fall, SUBHUMANS were asking what's gonna happen next. While CONFLICT were screaming about
how the system's got to be overthrown, SUBHUMANS were asking the same question. This is not meant to be a slight against either of those bands, as they are essentially perfect themselves, but rather to illustrate that there was extreme care being placed in the lyrics.

The Day the Country Died is perfection.
Me=No Apologies.
You=No Excuses.

"It's 1984,
and there's gonna be a war"

Top ten of the decade so far.

Realize that I spend over a quarter of my work week killing time at home, so no list really seems too trivial to make. Since I didn't recognize that good punk was still being made until I was 19 or so(in 2000), I was in no position to make a best of the 90s list. I'm looking forward to making a more definitive list in 3 years, but this will do for now. The cut off is January of 2000, even though the decade begins in 2001(since there was no year zero, doye), but it doesn't matter anyway. Plus, who cares? Of course this list is extremely subjective (and subject to change), so don't lose any sleep over it. There are several records that I thought would make this list when they were released, but haven't aged well("Police" for example), so too bad for them. This was a lot harder to make than I thought it would be, and that's great. Shows that there is still an amazing amount of great music being made today. A big fuck off to those whose idea of punk in 2007 is a new Bad Brains album and a Radio Birdman tour. Apologies to Knife Fight, Young Wasteners, Tear It Up, Career Suicide, whoever...not today.

10. Pedestrians- Why Kill What's Dead 7" (Southkore 2005)
Probably the best record to come out of the excellent Chicago scene(just beating out "Dumb Hardcore" and the 1st Chronic Seizure). Fucking great mid-west punk, great lyrics, unique packaging, this has it all. Pedestrians is still a dumb name for a band though.

9. World Burns To Death-Sucking of the Missile Cock 12" (Hardcore Holocaust 2003(?))
This is a record that everyone was all about when it came out, but now they are too cool for. Personally I could care less and will stand behind this %100. In a scene of pretenders, they are true hardcore. Lyrics that make no apologies, and weed out the poseurs. Of course it can all become a bit much(see their 2nd, albeit still great, Lp), but this could make the list based on only the hilarious message board accusations that their logo is anti-semetic and the such. This is the hammer.

8. Kieltolaki- 1st 7" (Moo Cow 2006)
A perfect record. Right up there with the classics of Finnish Hardcore, even though I don't think it sounds all that much like them. More of an American HC, and less of a Dis-influence, but when it sounds this good, who gives a fuck. Unbelievable.

7. Criminal Damage- 12" (Feral Ward 2006)
Absolutely perfect, sing-along, fist in the air punk. While the pedigree is intact, none of that matters when the tunes are this good. I'm not the first to rave on this, so I'll leave it at that, but it's a fucking crime that I had a copy of this for distro for 6 months and no one would even give it a chance.

6. Formaldehyde Junkies- Are a Total Wreck 7" (Firestarter/Underestimated 2005)
For anyone who has seen their early, out-of-control early shows, this record did not make any sense. I remember how my band had traveled to play the release show for this, getting home, throwing this on the turntable and just being in awe. Somewhere along the way they learned to play, and layed down probably the most authentic 80s hardcore of the decade. Sure not sit along side the Dragnet and Crucial Unit 7"s in the used bins of tomorrow.

5.Framtid- Under the Ashes 12" (Crust War 2002)
The Crust War scene has made a slew of great records and this is the best of the best. Taking the sound of bands like Mob 47 and then blowing it away by taking it to the next logical evolutionary step. For all the (sometimes deserving, sometimes not) hype that surrounded Japanese bands for a couple years, this is one that deserved it all (and more). You can get this for 8 bucks from Black Water now, so you have no excuse. For punx.

4. Sex Vid- Drugging 7" (Kill Test 2006)
For all the bands that are formed by punk "experts" trying to meld a million different obscure references, I can't deny that at least one band got it right. Read any issue of MRR in the past year if you wanna know anything else.

3. 9 Shocks Terror "Paying Ohmage" LP (Sound Pollution 2001)
Okay, maybe 2 bands got it right. Usually the huge production would be a major turnoff, but it totally works here. 9 Shocks Terror is the band that could (hell, did) save hardcore. Give me a band that I can throw a garbage can at after waxing philosophically about them for the 20+ hours it took to get to their show(happened). This is their best record, despite the cardinal sin of the dreaded recorded cover. God.

2. Asbest-Nyt Blod 7" (Hjernespind 2002)
While everyone was losing their shit over Amdi Petersen's Arme and No Hope for the Kids, this totally flew under the radar. The apex of the K-Town scene. Just absolutely perfect rough hardcore. If this came out in 1982, it would be a $300 record. I realize that this record epitomizes the subjectivity of my list, but no apologies.

1.Tragedy-Vengeance LP (Tragedy 2002)
Definitely not the "coolest" thing to put at the top of this list, and I'm sure anyone whose read a zine in the past 5 years doesn't need to hear anymore wannabe rock criticism of this. However this is a record that made a thousand kids trade their Throwdown shirts for From Ashes Rise shirts. For once the hype was right on. The band learned from the failures those who turned underground success into mainstream failure, and played it all on their own terms. The hype has died, but I'm still right here. It's gonna take a real monster to knock this off the top spot in the next 3 years.


Here's hoping this bummed you out.

I thought I was gonna die last night, but I never.

More 7" Inch Reviews AKA the never-ending story.

Again, only the stuff I wanna talk about

Cola Freaks 7"
Good Danish punk, maybe like Gorilla Angreb without an X influence, or a less sugary Knugen Faller. While this is very enjoyable, unless you are a glutton for this kinda stuff (like me, and those I hold dear) I wouldn't say this is essential. Your call on this one, but I'm all for it.

Off With Their Heads/ Practice split 7"
I've been staying away from splits for the most part, cuz they never get pulled out, but since I've been gushing over OWTH, I picked this up. Practice (from Japan) played some enjoyable(if forgettable) basement-style pop punk, their cover of "Silly Girl" is ROR-funny. OWTH continue to be the best band of this style since D4(Paddy used to be a member). "Fuck This, I'm Out" is perfect. Wish it was all OWTH, but this is still worth whatever trouble you go through to track this down.

Pigs "Youthanasia" 7"
First wave, summer of hate, Brit-punk. This isn't the Sick Things(what is?), but still killer classic early punk with the best parts of early Jam(but I pray they aren't Mods). Shouldn't be too hard to find to download if you want to test drive it. The prices vary on this a lot, most seem too high, but I was glad to drop 7 bills on this.

Catholic Boys 2 new 7"s
I could never find their earlier 7"s, so I jumped on these. I don't know if I'm just spoiled from those Tyrades and Busy Signals(probably a good reference point) 7"s of the last few years, but this is really In-one-ear-out-the-other. They've got a really great sound, but when it's done you realize the hooks just aren't there. Maybe I'll give these a few more spins, see if I can remember any of the songs and get back to you.

Complications 7"
Supposedly this is the new Born Dead Icons(still a band?) project. When I heard people say it sounded like The Mob(gods), I was skeptical, as I find Peace Punk very era-specific and dated. Not to say that it's not responsible for plenty of classic bands and songs, but we should all have learned by now that retro is poison. This is nothing like The Mob, it sounds like Born Dead Icons without the Motorhead(or Tragedy) influence. Gloom spiked punk that really grows. At first the guitar sounded almost country-styled, but I don't hear it anymore. As good as anything BDI has done, and I'm looking forward to anything else they put out.

I've also been jamming the new Wasted Time, the Giant Haystacks, Reagan Youth, Swell Maps, Kaaos and Cockney Rejects. You should too.






I'll be here if you need me...

I'm sick as all fuck.

Whoppeeeee!

Again I'm gonna skip over the stuff that I got that's been out for a while. I went to Minneapolis this weekend, which was uncharacteristically slim pickings, but I was glad to get a Teengenerate split, the 1st Tyrades and a 2nd copy of the Burn 7" for a couple bucks a piece. Also I got the 1st Wu-Tang Lp, I think it may become a cool thing and I wanted to get on at the ground floor. Here's what I felt was worth yapping about...

IMPACT/EU'S ARSE split 7"

I already had the EA discography LP, but this kinda stuff is way better in small doses. Really nasty, lo-lo-fi Italian hardcore with more of a Dis-influence than most. Kills. The Impact side is even better. Sounds like a less manic version of early Wretched. This is actually a legit reish, so I would definitely pick this up soon. Probably one of the top 5 split 7"s ever.

EXTORTION "CONTROL" 7"

I thought their 1st 7" was one of the best records of last year, but their LP was kinda disappointing. Still I picked this up without any hesitation, and I'm glad I did. Sure to be on my year end list. Power violence influenced hardcore from Australia(fuck it), that still sounds original and is hard as hell. This is what Ceremony thinks they sound like.

SHOOT IT UP 1ST 7"

Not as distorted as their 2nd 7" from earlier this year(which could be good or bad). The songs are also more distinct and there is less of a thrown together feel. A guess of few copies of this surfaced without covers, so the Fash Ids threw these together(ha!). Limited to 8. Yes, 8.

CANADIAN RIFLE 7"
1st 7" from this Chicago band made of members of a few bands you might care about (Chronic Seizure, 14 or Fight and most importantly Shock Em Dead). Less of a hardcore feel, more "Fill Your Boots"-era Leatherface without the accent (or a prevalent D-beat). I think there is also another 7" out, but the covers look so similar I didn't buy it cuz I wasn't sure which one I had already bought. My loss, this rules.

RAPPRESAGLIA 1982-1983 LP
Another old Italian HC reissue. While I kinda wish it had their 7", it's not too big of a deal since the demo tracks are great and this record is the perfect length. An exhaustive discography can be nice, but too often it's just overkill. When was the last time you listened to the, for example. Gudon 2xLP that Partners put out start to finish. You might be skeptical since this is comp and demo cuts,but is a total classic, with the stand out being "Attack".


Also I saw Off With Their Heads totally own at a basement show in Money-apolis. Usually a house full of drunken r-tards is a major turn off, but since I was a long way from home and didn't know any of them, it was bearable. I was just left thinking they are a bunch of losers rather than being surrounded by people I have personal vendettas against. I had seen OWTH previously, but it was at one of those lame PBR-sponsered bowling alley shows, so I was hyped to see them in a basement. They played all the songs that I wanted to hear (their Hospitals 12" is god), they didn't play too long and it ended with the singer in a fist fight.

EMS&D

Area 51-Discography 10"

This came out about many years ago, was recently re-released as a 12", which reminded me that I had wanted the 10", so that's what we have here.. I'll go on record and say that the Death Wish Kids 7" is one of the 10 best records of the 90s, so it even seems strange that I lagged so long on picking this up. To the best of my knowledge this is the first band of Andrea Zollo, of Death Wish Kids (God), Murder City Devils and Pretty Girls Make Graves(no thanks). Don't let those last two scare you away, this is amazing out-of-control hardcore, with no cheesy retro trappings so common today. Even though this is over 10 years old, it's still extremely unique, without tripping over itself trying to be so. Those paying attention have probably noticed that I hate talking about the music when I write music reviews. Just get this (or the new 12"), this is a fucking classic.

Finally...

At the sterling age of 26, and in 2007, I finally bought a computer. Why am I such a spend thrift?

A few new records.

I missed a few weeks...oh well, such is life. I also am gonna skip reviewing a lot of the older records I get, since it seems extremely redundant ( totally classic...yawn). I'll still write about things that I feel should be better known, but if you need someone to tell you to check out the Adverts, you're in the wrong place. Maybe Spin will do another "Punk" issue soon.

Black Lips-Live Lp
This was put out by Vice, who I've always thought was extremely intelligent and insightful, but responsible for fostering stupidity in impressionable hipsters. Black Lips are extremely charming and enjoyable, and this live album is a lot of fun. Being on Vice, this is distributed by Warner(WEA), which is total bullshit, enough that I probably wouldn't have bought it had I known that(I'm one of the few left who actually care about that). However I'm kinda glad I was in the dark about that, since this is great. Make up your own mind.

Life Trap-Bleak Reality ep
No Way Records has been really solid and this is no exception. A lot of people were saying "Koro, blah, AOF, blah, 7 seconds", which is really off the mark to me. If there is any band that would be the reference point, it would be Direct Control. And not in the way that Direct Control sounds like Ill Repute, I mean that it sounds like these kids were very clearly influenced by Direct Control. As "uncool" as that might sound, there is nothing wrong with that. This record totally kills and don't be surprised to see it all over year-end top ten lists.

Look Back and Laugh-State of Illusion one-sided 12"
The one-sided 12" is one of the stupidest formats ever, but the fact that it was only 6 bills eases the pain (although don't be surprised if it's 15 or more at your local "hip, underground" record store though). This also has got the worst cover art of any record in my collection. The write up by the artist is some of the dumbest sloganeering ever and a total LOL. I'm all for some new ideas for cover art (the Knife Fight 12" cover was fantastic) but this is a joke. The record sounds good, very similar to the other recordings. You should already know if you want this, but I would suggest also getting a brown paper bag.


later...

Weak Sausage

Heavy.


The red ones make more noise.


Gross Jar, no, unfortunately that's not blood.

True Love.

The Weekender

We Got Ways

If you are not aware, Hjernespind has just reissued the Young Wasteners LP. This records originally came out about 5 years ago on Kick N Punch and had become a bit of a collector's item. I missed out when it originally came out, but was able to secure a copy in trade for a Th'Inbred LP. Either way, I'm not sure how long this will be easily available, so you'd best get on it before you miss out again.

Lots of people might complain about the lack of originality of We Got Ways, but that seems pretty unfounded. While at times it's very referential(even so far as to have a song about Ecuador and mentioning Maggie and Ronnie), it's not overly so, at least not in a way that I feel detracts from the enjoyment of the record. The band plays hardcore punk with a very sincere innocence that's sadly missing from a lot of bands today. While I'm sure a language barrier is at play, it's easy to see that they are not worried about sounding stupid. "It's the irony of the society". And what's more the record is great not in spite of this, but because of it.

The problem with a lot of bands in the punk scene today is they are watching themselves from the outside. While this "self-awareness" works for bands like Tragedy, the Final Solutions and Framtid(and bands like Born Against, that practically based their whole identity around it), these are the minority. For every Lebenden Toten there is a hundred bands that are just too fucking worried about appearing immature, or juvenile. Did you like Fucked Up more when they had lyrics about "trying to get some sleep, they throw me in their jeep", or when they had 8 minute songs about "what lies underneath the immediate, visualized world"? I think you get what I'm saying.

We Got Ways is one of the top 10 LPs of the 2000s. Fantastic vocals, catchy songs, stupid(the good kind) lyrics. Buy this or give up.

A day in the life...Pt. 2

Today at work some 80-ish year old man was shaking in his wheelchair(he had a seatbelt), repeating over and over "I'm in the navy". After about 20 minutes of this, I was treated to a few minutes of "Who's in the navy", followed by 30 seconds of silence, then he said "Me". Then some old woman began to heckle him "Like they'd accept you in the navy", "You'll never make it to the navy" and so on.

Doye!