EVICTION PARTY / LEPER: Split: Cassette
Eviction Party: I’ve reviewed a fair amount of tapes put out by Sharpie Fumes now and have started recognizing names of band members that continue to crop up in various releases. Thusly (and I’ve got no idea how accurate I am) Halifax strikes me as a fairly small but very tight-knit, active, and way fun scene. Eviction Party (and Sharpie Fumes as a whole) seems to reflect this perfectly: blank tapes with spray-painted stencils, Xeroxed covers, frequently dodgy recordings, and tons of passion. Vocally and lyrically, they’re treading some heavy Crimpshrine ground, while the clean guitar and strumming style almost brings to mind the Ne’er Do Wells or some other ‘60s-inspired jam—though that lack of distortion and oomph might just be a question of gear or recording. Either way, it’s decent, smart, and melancholic stuff—given a slightly brighter recording (though the levels on this one are generally pretty good), I’d probably be all over this band. Leper: Some fairly dark and political hardcore with strained vocals and spot-on lyrical content. Plenty of group vocals and the occasional odd, jazzy interlude—can’t help but feel like I’ve heard stuff like this before (Forced March, maybe?) but also more than willing to admit that they’re really good at it. I liked the menacing ska undertones that continued to pop up in “Creep Anthem.” Definitely one of the more consistent Sharpie Fumes jobs, and if these aren’t just a few bands that got together for a weekend and recorded some songs, I’d say we all might want to keep our eyes out for future releases. –Keith Rosson (Sharpie Fumes)

EXPLODING HEARTS, THE: Shattered: LP
Hopefully I’m not being presumptuous, but since you’re reading Razorcake I’m assuming you know something about the Exploding Hearts tragedy (if not, check their website, www.explodinghearts.com, which is an informative tribute). Anyway, Shattered is an odds and sods collection of singles and alternate takes and mixes from Guitar Romantic. I’m typically weary of these collections (stuff left in the vaults is usually there for a reason), but the Hearts were one of those bands whose outtakes were better than most groups’ best tracks—a short-lived band whose limited output calls for a release of just about everything recorded—a lineage that includes the Young Marble Giants, LiLiput, etc. For rabid Exploding Hearts fans—a group that grows daily—this is a must. For those benighted to the Hearts and their ‘78 Mick Jones “Gates of the West” sound, start with Guitar Romantic then venture here. On a personal note, I’m glad to see that Dirtnap is releasing this record. Dirtnap, like In The Red, is a label whose existence is vital to up-and-coming bands—groups like the Exploding Hearts found a safe haven with Dirtnap’s broadminded, eclectic palette. –Ryan Leach (Dirtnap)

FAILING MYSELF: Every Day: Cassette
Solo acoustic stuff on an unmarked, one-sided tape. The recording quality was a little shoddy, but it was sparse and fairly haunting stuff, somewhat reminiscent, I guess, of that Liza Kate song off the Wayfarers All LP. I was digging it, until I came across the last song, “The Jailbait That Stole His Heart,” in which the dude waxes poetic in a first-person narrative about sawing a woman’s head off. Next. –Keith Rosson (Rally Point)

FAMILY PET: Self-titled: 7”
The first side of this record is about six or seven minutes of redundant noise made with percussion and keyboards. When I say redundant, I mean if you were to pick up the needle and move it anywhere on that track it would be doing the exact same thing. Side two is an actual track—as in it’s cut into the record—of complete silence. I liked the second side better. –Craven Rock (Self-released)

FAREWELL: CD
Boring Epitaph punk! If this were a cereal, it’d be Lame-Ohs. The End! –Maddy (Epitaph)

FATALITY / THINK FAST: Split: 7”
Two hardcore punk bands, neither of which is doing anything amazingly original. Think Fast kind of reminds of Minor Threat if an oi singer was trying to front it. I really want to like this because of the vinyl color (half black, half clear), but something doesn’t quite add up. This record doesn’t sound right at any speed. On 45, you get the chipmunk effect and on 33 1/3 the vocals just sounds too slow for bands named Fatality or Think Fast. I suppose the vocals aren’t what I should be thinking fast about, eh? Get it? Moving on, the songs did seem to go by fast enough that I only counted three per side, but the Think Fast side had five. Go figure. –Bryan Static (Spacement)

FATALITY: Self-titled: 7”
Interesting release from this band from Nevada. At first, the guitar sound comes off a bit off kilter and twangy. But as time moves on, it actually benefits the sound of the music. It creates a foggy atmosphere. The band has a sound of old analog recording equipment and recorded live inside a garage. The songs swish along and then you are taken for a ride where they punch up the speed and thrash you along. Then they return to wash you over with a dissonant dirge of harsh drone while the singer/guitarist screams and yells with a pained delivery. As an introduction, I like what I hear. In a better studio setting with bigger production, this band should make a larger population take notice. –Donofthedead (Spacement)

FEAR OF LIPSTICK: Indie Band: 7” EP
There is an axiom in rock’n’roll that says you can’t really go too wrong buying a record with a black cover and pink lettering ((and i should know, because i just now made it up)), and, in a general sense, that’s true here; however, what i really can’t get my brain around is how a band that writes such laughably shit-tacular lyrics like “your college boy brand of rock is doing mighty well for you and that’s just fine / you’re packing your shows, making more than a dime” could actually have the balls to include this line in their press writeup: “Pop punks ((sic)) songs absolutely need to have the hooks, but without quality lyrics and solid song structure they’re just fodder for the bargain bins of tomorrow.” I’m reading that, i’m like “Fuck YOU, ya little douches! Your lyrics are so bad i spent ten minutes trying to figure out if you were native English speakers, or from fuckin’ Lithuania or some god damn thing! Who the hell are YOU to go off on ‘quality song lyrics’ this, and ‘solid song structure’ that?! YOU FUCKIN’ DORKS WRITE SONGS WITH TITLES LIKE ‘CHERRY BOMB!!!’ HAVEN’T WE HAD A PERFECTLY GOOD SONG WITH THAT TITLE FOR LIKE OVER THIRTY YEARS NOW??? I HOPE JOAN JETT KICKS YOUR ASS WHILE LITA FORD EATS TIM HORTON’S STREUSEL CAKES OFF YOUR MOTHER’S BEST CHINA!!! AAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!” Not a terribly bad record, really, but... i mean... holy crap, mon, get it together. BEST SONG: “What You Do” BEST SONG TITLE: “Cherry Bomb”...if you’re the FUCKING RUNAWAYS!!! FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: I wrote the song “Motherfucker Are You Ready To Rock?” in the front row of a Joan Jett concert. –Rev. Nørb (It’s Alive)

FEAR OF LIPSTICK: Indie Band: 7” EP
Punky, ramped-up pop from a buncha guys who apparently prefer “independent” rather than “indie” when it comes to describing them, and I can totally empathize. The songs are catchy, opinionated and strong overall, which means you could do much worse than picking this up. –Jimmy Alvarado (It’s Alive)

FEAR OF LIPSTICK: Indie Band: CDEP
About two minutes into “Bad Motel,” as the song is going from the second chorus into the solo, there’s a bit of guitar noodling that tugs the track in a different direction. It’s not dissonant or off key (it reminds me of the Soft Boys, actually). It’s unexpected and hard to categorize and I wish Indie Band had more moments like it. The rest of the disc, a decent blend of Green Day and the Clash (Billy Joe Strummer?), too goes where I expected it to. –Mike Faloon (It’s Alive)

FILTHY 42’S, THE: Positively South Jersey: CD
I notice I tend to get a lot of stuff from New Jersey lately, presumably because everyone assumes I already know about it. This pretty much comes across as just another band trying to hit it big. I mean, the tunes aren’t bad, but anything heartfelt here has been polished away. I mean, it came with a press sheet that included “target markets.” People aren’t assuming I’m into that kind of stuff, right? –Joe Evans III (Boot To Head)

FLAGS OF CONVENIENCE: Self-titled: CD
Yikes. Is this part of an official Razorcake campaign to send me total crap to drive me crazier than I already am?! Really, really bad political punk. Lyrics like: “Straight boys are taught to rape with their eyes.” I only hope that they’re all fourteen years old and will look back on this one day and get a good laugh. If this were a cereal, it’d be Cap’N Crunch (It hurts the roof of my mouth!). –Maddy (Sharpie Fumes)

FOR SCIENCE: Way Out of Control: CDEP
1) This is a serious contender for best EP of 2007. 2) Mikey Erg producing and on bass and Chris from Sinkhole on drums! 3) Has nothing to do with the last Clash album Cut the Crap, originally entitled Out of Control. WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT?! –Bryan Static (It’s Alive)

FORCED FAILURE: Self-titled: CD-R
When one thinks of Arcata (in Humboldt County), California, visions of hairy people, the pungent stench of patchouli, and blurry memories of quality buds come to mind, rather than punk rock. True, it was once home to Brew ‘n’ Beats, a fairly nice bar with a fairly eclectic booking policy, but the thought of a scene of thrash-happy kids taking root there was kinda remote, although apparently that was an incorrect assumption. To wit: this disc, a demo from a bonafide hardcore punk band from Arcata, was passed on to my courtesy of East L.A. punk legend Morgan Hunt, who while living down here in the early ‘80s, did time as a writer for Ink Disease as well as putting out his own zine, Multiplication of the Typical Joe, and as singer/guitarist for the sorely missed A.D. Do. He seems to have kept up with his old days as a rambunctious punker and has now added drums to his repertoire of instruments played. True to form, this is steeped in enough ‘80s influence to look (check the Agression-esque skull skater on the cover) and sound (is that some early Die Kreuzen quirkiness I hear in there?) familiar, but not so much that it sounds like some fawning rehash circle jerk. The beats are kept mostly at a driving pace and the band smashes along with enough conviction to keep things interesting. In all, it’s a fine debut and, hopefully, a good indicator of even finer things to come. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.myspace.com/forcedfailure)

FORENSICS: Green Lions: 7”
Isn’t it against the rules to put an instrumental song on the A-side? My bet is it’s also not smart to have the B-side be so much better than the A-side. Not bad, maybe a little less organ and then you’ll be going somewhere—specifically somewhere that doesn’t have really lame organ lines. –Bryan Static (Timberline)

FORTY MARSHAS: Self-titled: CD
Appears to be some big rock dude collaboration project, with a bunch of people (ranging from member of Death By Stereo to the Goo Goo Dolls), and a bunch of sounds (ranging from really long, drawn-out ambient noise, to metal). It’s not bad and has its moments, it’s just kinda weird for me to be able to sit down and enjoy it in one sitting. –Joe Evans III (Beatville)

FOUR STAR ALARM: Tilted b/w Cities in Dust: 7”
I couldn’t figure out what was familiar about this at first. Was it Dag Nasty? Then after listening to it a bunch of times, I looked at the little info sheet, and realized the a-side was a Sugar cover (that song’s going on a Sugar tribute, the other’s just an extra b-side). So that’s what I decided; this band sounds like Sugar and Dag Nasty. With a slight indie rock side to them. Yes. –Joe Evans III (Underground Communiqué)

FRANK TURNER: Campfire Punkrock: CDEP
As a music critic, it is sometimes difficult to write an objective, concise, and articulate review about an album when all you want to say is “Ohmygodohmygodohmygod SO GOOD.” I hope you all appreciate the effort, because that was my exact reaction to first hearing Frank Turner’s Campfire Punkrock. Turner has taken a life of rock shows, touring, waking up in strange places, and (of course) loveless sex, and channeled it into an excellent folk record. He’s a Woody Guthrie for the modern punk scene, with a voice like an earthier, British Jeff Magnum. He may be riding Billy Bragg’s anti-folk wagon, but as he says in the excellent “NashvilleTennessee,” “I try to make it sound my own.” He succeeds. –Sarah Shay (Welcome Home)

FRIGITS: The Guilt: CDEP
(Note: The first two references in the upcoming review were in mind prior to the reviewer looking at the CD insert and seeing a) the Aaron Cometbus-style graphics and b) a band member named Paddy.) There are many places in this world in which people revere the early less-than-poppy East Bay/Lookout releases and, in forming their own bands, attempt to infuse such sounds with a more contemporary Dillinger 4 style. It is within these circles that The Guilt will be very well received. They will love this scruffy, melodic post-hardcore with gruff vocals and goofy-on-the-outside-earnest-on-the-inside lyrics. Those of us who favor half or neither of those influences (I’ll sign up for D4, pass on the inconsistent early East Bay/Lookout) will likely shrug with indifference. –Mike Faloon (Hide Away)

FRUSTRATION: Self-titled: EP
I thought Frustration might be another side project of NoMeansNo, sounding similar but updated. Pretty good stuff. But its members from Anteenagers MC, Operations, and No Talents, cool bands on their own. So consider the crowd. –Speedway Randy (www.bornbadrecords.com)

FULL OF FANCY: Sweet Baby Jesus: CD
It’s fitting that the cover art is full of gummy bears; at the core, this is super sugary, ultra fun, catchy pop. But then, there’s a strange, distinctive aftertaste, that leaves you unsure of what it is, just that it’s GOOD. In this case, it stems from a distinct mid-’90s alternative rock influence that becomes a little more noticeable with every listen. Think a stripped-down version of The Soviettes putting out a record on Sub Pop in its heyday. Think jelly beans dipped in fudge. Think one of the best first full lengths of the year. Think highly recommended. –Joe Evans III (Whoa Oh)

GAGFACTORS: Self-titled: 7”
First off, the fabric record sleeve is really nifty. First time I’ve run into such a thing, frankly. The music is Marshall-heavy punk with more than a passing fascination with old power pop, right down to the A-side cover of The Records’ “Starry Eyes.” Limited to 100 copies, and I dunno if it’s part of the packaging, but this copy also came with a mini-CD with an additional nine tunes, which itself is apparently limited to 500 copies. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.thegagfactors.com)

GEORGE LEWIS JR.: Hold Me: CD
George Lewis Jr. of the crazy artsy speed punk band Mad Man Films slows things down with this R&B solo album with a punk edge. I found it irritating and would rather listen to a straight R&B record any day. –Art Ettinger (Make or Break)

GET BACK UP: Weathering the Storm: CD
The music is pretty heavy, but it’s hard to get into the spirit of the music when the vocals are all but unintelligible. When even the backing vocals are incoherent, you’ve got problems. –Sean Koepenick (Organized Crime)

GET RAD / PROTESTANT: Split: 7”
Yikes. Why did I get this for review? Maybe it was the silly cartoon drawings on the cover! How deceptive! This is metal-ly, trashy hardcore with total dude vocals! In other words... argh! The closest I ever got to this brand of punk was when I lived with someone who liked Neurosis. Ack! If this were a cereal, it’d be Wheaties. Tough! –Maddy (Barbarian)

GOODNIGHT LOVING: Crooked Lake: CD
Pretty capable country-fied pop music, reminiscent of something one might hear in a redneck bar. The singer said in an interview that the best way for the listener to approach the band is “probably getting stoned and listening to it by themselves.” I’ve never been stoned and really don’t want to, but if I would, I sure as hell wouldn’t start with a band like this (Phil Collins, duh). –Kurt Morris (Dusty Medical)

GORDON GANO’S ARMY: Self-titled: CD-R
The first time I remember wanting to go to a show was when Violent Femmes were playing at the University of Maine about an hour from my house. I was in fourth or fifth grade and my mom absolutely refused to let my brother and I go to a college without supervision and she wouldn’t take us because she absolutely detested Gordon Gano’s vocals. They were the only band banned from the car when she was driving. After all those years of battles, I feel a kinship with Gordon Gano’s Army. They sound nothing like the Femmes though. The guitar meanders between Dead Milkmen and some of the more typical Plan-it-x fare, which the vocals fit well with. The lyrics are sometimes nothing more than “Ba ba da da,” which is actually a good thing to me. Overall, it comes together to feel like the perfect band to play to a living room full of dancing, smiling friends. One song took its lyrics from A. A. Milne (Winnie-the-Pooh and When We Were Very Young to name a couple), whom I adore. I can’t think of an album more seemingly made simply for the purpose of winning me over. Originally recorded in one day in 2005, I’m so happy this was re-released so it could find a way into my heavy winter rotation to lift the winter blues. –Megan (At The Library)

GRAYCEON: Self-titled: CD
I’ll be up front about this. I don’t like twenty minute songs. I also don’t like twelve minute songs. And, come to think of it, I don’t generally appreciate eight minute songs, either. These ADD predilections cancel out three of the four tracks on this EP. I’m also not a big fan of the metal genre. My friend Lesley says that there are a lot of metal bands out there who have more in common with classical music that with what we’ve come to think of as metal. This is that sort of band. Adept players writing ambitious music but it is so not my kind of thing, I barely feel qualified to write this review. –Jennifer Whiteford (www.vendlus.com)

HARAM: Drescher: CD
A melansquallic post-hardcore wall-of-sound concept record about the Super Mario-style rescue of “The Nanny” herself, Fran Drescher. Haram, from Virginia’s D.C. suburbs, come with the tuneful, shouty vocals and Jehugazi guitar hooks that I’d want to listen to on one of those roadtrips where the drive is so fun that the destination winds up being boring. Eat at Anita’s! –CT Terry (Lovitt)

HEAR THE SIRENS: Anywhere but Home: 7” EP
Warped Tour punk rock with all its whoas in all the right places. –Jimmy Alvarado (Silly Girl)

HELL ON HEELS: Dogs, Records & Wine: CD
I’m not sure where Hell On Heels has been all my life, but wow, I’m sure glad this CD ended up in my review pile. This is the kind of album I would actually go out and purchase of my own accord. These ladies know how to write a great rock’n’roll song and, thankfully, they also kick ass when it comes to playing those rock’n’roll songs. The guitar and vocals are particular highlights, but I also love the fact that there’s a keyboard player who knows how to add to the songs without once making me think of The Doors. Checking out the liner notes made me love them even more because, number one: these girls are seriously foxy, and number two: some of the proceeds from the album are going to the animal rights charity Last Chance For Animals. These ladies like their dogs just as much as their records and wine. –Jennifer Whiteford (Dionysus)

HELLHAAK: Self-titled: CD-R
Punk metal mix that is fairly entertaining. But all the vocals are in German. There is a U.S. translation in the booklet. But trying to follow along felt too much like homework. I got a brain freeze and gave up. Nice effort guys, but if The Scorpions learned to sing in English, maybe you should give it some thought. –Sean Koepenick (Self-released)

HOGANBEACH: Bleed Sadness: CD
Ack. I just couldn’t get into this. The vocals are pretty boring and slow and (and I know this makes me look like an idiot) the songs have too many words. Who thinks that punks have attention spans for this stuff? If this were a cereal, it’d be non-frosted Mini Wheats. Soggy! –Maddy (Self-released)

HOLLYWOOD: Girl?: 7”
It’s not necessary for a label to have similar bands—but it helps when you pick up a record without knowing the band, and it helps that all the bands on Big Neck are pretty great rock’n’roll. Big Neck has releases from The Blowtops, The Mistreaters, and the Baseball Furies: rough and tumble rock. So now you should know if you are gonna be into Hollywood or not. –Speedway Randy (Big Neck)

HOT TODDIES, THE: Smell the Mitten: CD
I recently quit eating sugar which is no fun at all, but it allows me to get through my days without headaches and dizziness. What, I wondered, will fill the sugary void? Enter The Hot Toddies. I love all-girl bands. I love harmonies. I love 1950’s style drum beats and shoop-shoopy background vocals. And so it logically follows that I love The Hot Toddies. These girls play clever retro-pop with a punk sensibility. Their debut album is so sweet I almost don’t crave ice cream anymore. And a lot of their songs are about sex, which cuts the cuteness in a very enticing way. There are also songs about nerdy things like HTML and photosynthesis, so frankly, I don’t see how this could get much better. I even put the song “Motorscooter” on a mixed CD for my mom’s kindergarten class to dance to. –Jennifer Whiteford (Asian Man)

i: Get to Know Your Own Fluids: CD
Some parts of this record are truly inventive, interesting, and on the verge of genius mind-blowing, and some parts of the record just blow. I know that part of the reason for this is that I’m foisting low-fi rock’n’roll expectations on a record that is not intended to live up to such motivations, but if I’m bored or annoyed regardless of what I want a record to be, then in the end I’ve been bored and annoyed. But when this record works, it works well, especially the stuff on it that’s heavily influenced by Middle Eastern sounds. Those songs captivated me, but when it gets away from that I got dulled out right quick. Get to Know Your Own Fluids does have sincerity and rock’n’roll desperation, but in the end it’s one of those records that I wanted to like a whole lot more than I actually did. –The Lord Kveldulfr (Sling Slang)

IMPULSE, THE / BOY GIRL: Split: 7”
The Impulse: “Get Ready to Go!” is a great song from Dirt Bike Adam’s new band. The cover art will hook the mod crowd—vivid colors and double-headed arrows zig-zagging this way and that—but rockers will be pleased too. We can all get along with the Impulse. Boy Girl: did I mention that Adam from Dirt Bike Annie has a new band? –Mike Faloon (the-impulse.com)

INFANTRY ROCKERS: Boombala: CD
Given the press sheet, I was totally expecting to be wowed by a mélange of reggae, cumbia, ragga, meringue, and some African riddims. Well, they got reggae and its myriad progeny up the wazoo, but the cumbia and such don’t really make an overt appearance here. Don’t get me wrong, this stuff is really good, and it especially sounds good at excessive volumes, but I was expecting a wee bit more of a mix of styles. –Jimmy Alvarado (Near and Far)

ISABELLAS: Partner, Don’t You Pull No Guns: CD
It takes a lot of balls to put out a press release for your band comparing your vocalist to P.J. Harvey. Especially when the vocalist sounds very little like P.J. Harvey. That said, this band isn’t bad. The songs are relatively catchy, with sparse arrangements and poppy guitar and bass lines. If this band was from my town, I’d probably really enjoy seeing them in dive bars and basements. Unfortunately, the CD is really just mediocre. –Jennifer Whiteford (Feacs)

J CHURCH / SOUND ON SOUND: Split: 7”
J Church: Awesome. Awesome to the max. Their side has a cover of “Where Eagles Dare” with Ben Snakepit on vocals. Sound On Sound: This is the band’s first release, and I must say I’m impressed. They aren’t entirely dissimilar to J Church, but they seem to have a more, how you say, progressive sound to them. They do a cover of “Old Chunk of Coal.” Also, and I cannot stress this enough, R.I.P. Lance Hahn. –Bryan Static (Underground Communique)

JAILBIRDS, THE: Going to Stab the Killer Gang: LP
Ugh. Another group aping that mid ‘60s Sonics/’76 Adverts hybrid. File under “B” for boring. –Ryan Leach (www.rudosandrubes.com)

JEANIE & THE TITS: Slut Fame: 7”
In seventh grade we were dicking around in the schoolyard and playing soccer. Except we didn’t have a ball so we were using a crumbled-up ball of paper. The bell rang and we had to get one more kick in. I went for the ball of paper. So did a girl. I hit the paper. She smashed my shin. Literally. I flipped over and fell down. Cracked my shin, broke my leg. She ran away to class and I hobbled in numbing pain to the nurse and into a cast for weeks. Like to think she grew up to sing in a punk band. –Speedway Randy (www.floridasdying.com)

JOE JITSU: The Perfect Life:CD
Road to Ruin-style mid/slow tempo pop punk. Most of the songs have a Dear You-sounding guitar tone, and a few are more jangly, but I preferred the former over the later. It’s a little repetitive at times, so while I don’t imagine myself listening to it constantly, it’s good for the kind of day that’s mostly cloudy and gloomy, with that little bit of sun shinning through. –Joe Evans III (Top Five)

JOE LALLY: Nothing Is Underrated: CD
Remember when you first heard Fugazi’s Red Medicine and got to “Fell, Destroyed” and thought to yourself, “This doesn’t sound like Ian or Guy. Who’s the guest vocalist?” And you looked at the liner notes to see that it was bassist Joe Lally. Wow. Like me, you’d probably never heard him sing, but he was pretty good. Well, a solo Joe Lally album is pretty similar to that song in many regards. It’s as if the rest of Fugazi said, “Hey Joe, we’re really busy with some other shit. Can you write and arrange all the music for the next album and write the lyrics and we’ll play whatever you decide to set up? This other shit we’re involved with has just got to get done.” “I don’t know guys. That seems like you’re asking for a lot.” “Um, well, how about we’ll let you sing all the songs.” “I’m in!” That may seem like an exaggeration, but it’s not too far from the truth. The music (it’s not like he went R&B or reggae) sounds very similar to Fugazi’s mellower stuff on the last few albums. Ian and Guy even play guitar on a number of songs. What’s wrong, Brendan? You too busy for the pseudo-reunion? –Kurt Morris (Dischord)

JOSH SMALL: Tall: CD
This guy plays the Fest in Gainesville every year. It fits right in with the folk element of some of the Gainesville stuff, like Whiskey & Co. stylistically, at least. Josh Small is from Falls ChurchVA, a small suburban township in central VA that is away from the politics of WashingtonDC and the big city lights of NYC. The idea seems to lean toward a mountain man approach to modern living. The music is mellow and very folky with banjo. If you like bluegrass, Bob Dylan, and maybe, as a stretch, some Crooked Fingers stuff, you might like Josh Small. Mellow out by the campfire with a bottle of whiskey to keep you warm with this one. –Buttertooth (Suburban Home)

KARATEHIGH SCHOOL: The League of Tomorrow: CD
I’m doing my best to overlook the press release that came with the CD. “Playing on the Warped Tour.” “Conrete Commercial approved aired for the entire month of May.” Okay, moving on. “Endorsed by Rockstar and Amp energy drinks.” Endorsed by an energy drink—TWO energy drinks? Sorry, I don’t like boy bands. I finally got to the music on the CD and it needs some energy. And some fucking ideas. –Speedway Randy (Evolution)

KILLER DREAMER: Rapid Armor: 7”
The most recent Killer Dreamer LP left me wanting more and this 7” definitely does not satisfy that need. Three more short songs of sun-damaged, cigarette-burnin’, flannel wearin’ punk rock is not enough. This band is so good and the world needs more. As always, the hand screened covers are a great touch. One of L.A.’s best. –Daryl (Johnny Cat)

KILLROY: Football Chants and Angry Rants: CD
Killroy were a bit of anomaly in L.A.’s early ‘80s punk scene. While much of the scene was either indulging in post-Adolescents OC melody-tinged hardcore or opting for the full-on thrash embraced by Wasted Youth, Circle One, and others, Killroy found inspiration in the slower churning of England’s then-contemporary oi scene. The merits of their efforts depended on how one felt about oi, I guess. Looking back that far into their (and my own) past is hampered by the blur of more than twenty-three years. I remember them as being more or less unmemorable, although interesting enough to remember they were on the bill of some long-ago show I attended. That assessment might be a little disingenuous, though. More accurate, bolstered by the music on this disc, might be that they were too often in the unenviable position of sharing the stage with some of Southern California’s most formidable bands. Seriously, how well do you think your band would fare sandwiched between Channel 3, Sin 34, Angry Samoans, and Battalion Of Saints? Listening to this, though, which is essentially the band hitting a studio some twenty years later to run through their set for posterity, it’s clear they might’ve upped their profile considerably and had a fighting chance if they had toured more religiously and steered clear of Mystic Records. While the lyrics are a bit dated in places (“Rush the Doors” romanticizes bum rushing the door at gigs, a practice often instigated by the late John Macias of the aforementioned Circle One rallying the troops and surging through the doors in a mad dash to gain entry, thereby allowing tens of skint punks to see a gig without paying to get in and more skint punks getting an ass-whooping by the bouncers who caught them as they piled by), the music itself is solid and rife with all the chanty bits indigenous to the music of their baldie primary influences. The fact that what’s on here doesn’t suffer from Mystic’s infamous “Wall of Shit” sound helps immeasurably as well. All told, they weren’t quite as middling as recollected and left a much better impression this time ‘round. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.killroypunk.com)

KYLMA SOTA: Self-titled: 7” EP
Ahhh, nothing like some Finnish hardcore to give life perspective again. Four tunes here, all of ’em Discharge-influenced ragers done like only those hailing from that part of the world can. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.raakanaama.fi)

LAIBACH: Nova Akropola: CD
Listening to this reissue of Laibach’s second album brought back wistful memories of a sound not often heard anymore. Released at a time when industrial music was moving away from the experimental noise of groups like SPK, Throbbing Gristle, and Einstürzende Neubauten and starting to embrace the more dancebeat-oriented stuff of Ministry, KMFDM, and Nine Inch Nails, Nova Akropola serves as a nice bridge between the two. The dance beats are in evidence in places here, but the poppy current that became so integral to the style later is tempered here by deep, almost operatic vocals and a grandeur that is more Wagner than Reznor. Laibach’s stage persona and flirtation with totalitarian imagery (although they insisted they were neither fascists nor sympathetic to Nazi sensibilities) did manage to stir some controversy, but the singular quality of the music they created is something, indeed. Like contemporaries like Coil and Foetus, they manage to take disparate musical influences and create something that may indeed have a beat, ain’t really gonna make you wanna dance, but is interesting enough (the key ingredient) to make you wanna really listen. That kinda musical subversion just doesn’t happen often enough anymore. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.cherryred.co.uk)

LAMPS: Self-titled: CD
Another band here exploring the gray area between skronk, hardcore, and lo-fi trash rock. Though some of the tunes are quite interesting in their utter tunelessness (what can I say, sometimes I like noise), what’s most impressive is the level of racket they manage to create—the guitars alone sound like two sheet metal airplanes colliding in mid-air. I like it lots, but I’m not betting on ‘em getting much air on KROQ or Indie 103. –Jimmy Alvarado (In the Red)

LAST HOPE, THE: Violence, Vengeance and Retribution: CD
Their drummer is named Chippy; I think that’s the nicest thing I can say about this band. Chippy, that just sounds like a nice kind of guy you’d like to get to know better, you know? Maybe go out for an ice cream soda or swing by the local roller rink with. Just make sure he doesn’t trick you into going to see this bullshit. Three guitars for pretty basic anthemic punk? What the hell for? –Megan (Self-released)

LEE MONSTER: No World Order: 2 x CD-R
This looked like a handmade indie hip hop record at first, and while there’s some rapping, it feels like more of an art project, with all sorts of different stuff, a decent bit instrumental, and some fairly political stuff, too. Pretty cool, though two CD’s worth of stuff is a bit lengthy for me. –Joe Evans III (Self-released)

LEFTOVERS, THE: On the Move: CD
Yay! Yesterday’s Kids-esque power pop recorded by Justin Perkins, of Yesterday’s Kids fame! This is such a cool album! Great harmonies, power pop yumminess, and lyrics about girls! And it’s firmly on the punk end of the power pop spectrum (and that’s a good thing)! If this were a cereal, it’d be Cinnamon Toast Crunch! Seriously, it’s just that good! –Maddy (Rally)

LEFTY LOOSIE: 100 Miles an Hour: CD
Yay! Milwaukee punks are go! Female-fronted punk rock, ideally suited for the basement show! If you’re ever in Milwaukee and you DON’T go see at least one band, you are an even bigger dork than me! If this were a cereal, it’d be Fruit Loops. Pop punk yumminess! –Maddy (Fast Crowd)

LEGION DCLXVI: Black Goat Armageddon: LP
Do you know your roman numerals? Going by the title and if you actually had the release in front of you, you could highly guess what roman numeral number it may be. But that is a little deceiving also. Musically, two things pop to mind. Swedish d-beat/crust and the almighty Motörhead; adding those distinctive rock-meets-metal riffing with the energy of bands like Skitsystem and Wolfbrigade. A burly set of songs that show that this Canadian band has matured greatly from release to release. The production is superb with the sheer bombastic attack of sound. Vocals that are guttural but not cookie monster-like. Guitar sounds that are heavy and charging. Bass guitar sounds that are solid and punchy with a strong presence. Drum beats that keeps time and are bashed out with a fervor of rage. Lyrics that, in the past, were more in the satanic/death metal theme now are more thought provoking and better written. A band, I believe, that would sit in-between scenes. I think they need to get out and tour the states and Europe. With their output and the maturity of having been together for sometime, many more would come to appreciate them. Musically, I think this band is as good or better than many that is being lauded today. –Donofthedead (Schizophrenic)

LIBBY LAVELLA: Sometime in the Morning: CD
“Is this an album you’re reviewing?” Lesley asked. She was all curled up under the covers of my bed while I sat at my desk, typing. It should have been the perfect set up to listen to Libby Lavella’s album. Two sensitive ladies, hanging out inside, late in the afternoon on a cold, snowy Saturday. We should have been really into slow, female fronted, sentimental indie pop. Lesley poked her head out from the covers. “You know what it reminds me of? It reminds me of when I was dating that guy Chris Ikonomopoulos and he sometimes got hired by the government to write background music for training videos. The instructions were always write something that sounds kind of boring.” Enough said. –Jennifer Whiteford (www.libbylavella.com)

LIGHTEN UP: I’d Rather Be Snoring: 7”EP
Listening to Lighten Up is a little like listening to a Lifter Puller 33 on 45. These Philadelphia punks are loud and fast, with just enough snotty attitude to give it a little swagger that is well-deserved and not at all posturing. I can’t wait for the full-length! –Sarah Shay (www.braindrainrecords.com)

LOT LIZARDS: Leave Me Alone (I’ve Got a Bomb): 7”
At one time the Lot Lizards had Lemmy Caution from Black Time in their ranks, and this three-song blast sounds like something he’d be involved in—sordid and lo-fi; lead singer GG Cicciolina’s vocals sound like they were recorded in Hasil Adkins’s chicken coop. Meg Slim provides Psychocandy thumb on this 7” that’s indebted to the Stooges’ Funhouse and Greg Cartwright’s mid-‘90s output. Leave Me Alone (I’ve Got a Bomb) is a refreshingly solid debut. –Ryan Leach (Perpetrator)

LOUIS TULLY: 7” EP
I don’t know what kind of crack these guys pump their keyboardist full of ((if crack is indeed a pumpable item)), but he starts out sounding like a church organist on crack ((not to mention possessed by high Naz Nomad & The Nightmares-ism)) on “What a Horrible Night for a Curse,” quickly shifts gears to “dude from Styx on crack” mode in “Werewolf Lincoln,” switches to comparably less uncommon “dude who really wants to play stuff like Genesis or something, but winds up falling in with a punk band playing at seven times the speed ‘cause he’s weird, not to mention on crack” mode in “Zodiac,” but then in “Society’s Been Canceled” he really doesn’t sound like he’s on crack at all, only, like, Red Bull® or something. Well, crack is kinda pricey i guess. Meanwhile, the band blazes on, yelling about curses and werewolves and shit, but you probably gathered that from the song titles. Although this quintet hails from my home state of Wisconsin, i can best describe them in terms of two Pacific Northwest bands, as they sound like what i imagine the Minds would sound like were the Minds possessed by the aesthetic desires of the Dead Vampires. Fuck you, Seattle, we took your baseball team! When Portland has something we want we’ll take that too. BEST SONG: “Society’s Been Canceled” BEST SONG TITLE: “What a Horrible Night For a Curse” FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: The front cover depicts the band in matching pairs of 3D glasses; however, count the number of lenses and you’ll find that the blue lenses outnumber the red lenses five to four. Ha, Wisconsinis a blue state, but not by much. –Rev. Nørb (Repulsion)

LOUIS TULLY: I Was a Dog Once: 7” EP
I’ve never seen a 7” with a layout like this. Okay, close your eyes to visualize it. Well, maybe read it and then close your eyes. Think of the 7”s that have a full front cover that folds to the back, but then only goes up about half of the way in the back. Okay, now take that idea, turn it sideways. Now, slide the sheet so it’s centered and there are two flaps coming in on either side. Got that? Okay, then in the exposed part, where you would see the record, they’ve slipped in a sheet of paper with more artwork. So, you’ve got the cover artwork (on green) with the both complementing and contrasting artwork of the interior artwork (on white). Sue me: totally get off on stuff like that. So, they’ve definitely got a concept going here with Ghostbusters being a huge influence (I’m saying three of the four songs, but I could be wrong and “Wet Brain” could make it a full four). They’re dancey and fun (The drumset calls them the Louis Tully Party Program for good reason). And it may be schticky, but I like schtick every now and again. I’ve heard they did a 2-D show involving paper cutouts, but I did make it to their 3-D show (which is pictured on their second 7”) where they handed out 3-D glasses to everyone in the audience. Fun, fun, fun. Oh, and fun trivia: they’re not joking around with their love of the NES (the controller is in the artwork): their keyboardist has beaten Super Mario. Playing with his feet. Drinking beer. Seriously. That shit’s on YouTube. –Megan (Repulsion)

LOUIS TULLY: I Was a Dog Once: 7” EP
Retro-ish, lo-fi garage punk, that’s as minimalist as it is arty. First thing I instantly liked about this: NES controller on the back of the artwork Second thing I instantly liked about this: First track title is a Ghostbusters reference (“Don’t Cross the Streams”). Wasn’t familiar with them before, but now I’m a fan, and will check out more from this band. –Joe Evans III (Repulsion)

LURKERS: Fullham Fallout: CD
One has to hope that the Lurkers have an exalted place in punk heaven waiting for ‘em, ‘cause lord knows they haven’t gotten their well-deserved due here. Part of the U.K.’s initial wave of punk, they specialized in a blissful mutation of pub rock’s stripped-down aesthetic and the Ramones speedy buzzsaw-guitar attack, and this reissue of their debut album shows just how truly good they were. Adding eleven assorted singles and demo cuts to the original album’s already generous fourteen tracks, you get in one fell swoop a good chunk of the band’s prime output, including “Ain’t Got a Clue,” “Total War,” and two versions of “Shadow,” the latter of which was resurrected nearly two decades later by the Rip Offs on their debut album. If you like your early punk lean ‘n’ mean, it rarely gets better than this. –Jimmy Alvarado (Captain Oi)

MAGNET SCHOOL: Tonight We Drink…Tomorrow We Battle the Evil at Hand: CD
Early ‘90s influenced guitar rock form this Austin foursome. I dig that they cover a Swervedriver tune on here. They also have a song called “Colettalicious” which is about Jawbox’s bassist! But if you ever liked Catherine Wheel or Ride, you may enjoy what this band is teaching. Who knows, you may not be able to break the bond once you start. Especially if you have a metal plate in your head. –Sean Koepenick (Arclight)

MALADIES: Self-titled: CD
When I heard the first verse in “Donna Said”—“Big house party in the Hollywood Hills…Red Hot (Chili) Peppers on the stereo”—I reached for the eject button. It conjured images of Don Henley partying with Flea, lines of coke, and bubblebrained conversations about how Thoreau speaks to them. But then the Maladies uncork this catchy chorus that tips its cap to the Kinks (“D-O-N-N-A/Sounds like L-O-L-A/Ray Davies sang about it but I must tell my story”). Two songs into the disc it’s a draw—the repulsive kept in check by the potentially appealing. Singer Erik Gillberg’s clever vocal lines are outweighed by the brass ring feel that permeates the disc—the party guy lyrics, the slicker-than-catshit-on-linoleum production (thanks for the phrase, dad)—it’s like being around those people at a party who look past you because they’re scanning the room for someone cooler. Let’s move on. –Mike Faloon (Darkjoy)

MANIC DONKEES, THE: Manic Rock and Roll: CD
“Hey.” Hi there, CD I’ve never heard before. “Listen to me, I’m awesome.” Are you sure about that? I’m a bit skeptical. “No, totally, we have a song called ‘Shit Hot.’“ Shit hat? “No, hot.” Oh, that makes it less cool. “We also have guitar solos.” Really? “And a five-minute gothic dirge.” Oh, well... “And our singer does a Danzig impression.” I... I think I’m going to go now. “WAIT! We also have incredibly slick produced garage rock! Come back!” –Bryan Static (Self-released)

MANNEQUIN MEN / SHOPPING: Split: 7”
Mannequin Men are more oddball rock than pure punk, but the way the Riverboat Gamblers and High Tension Wires are. Listed as “gritty” and from Chicago, which can equal good things. Shopping is a real find I didn’t know about—nasal peppy punk in the vein of Peechees, and that’s a damn good thing. Takes you up and down in waves and who doesn’t want that. Wait, Do the Math records, and that’s a Peechees album… its all good. –Speedway Randy (www.dothemathrecords.com)

MARQUI ADORA: White Buildings: CD
Here we have some polished, semi-danceable pop new wave. The lyrics are commenting on the role television plays in controlling the masses and there is a retro ‘80s tendency throughout the CD. Think Depeche Mode or The Cure a bit. For people who still are closet fans of Duran Duran, or maybe the Faint with less electronics. They do have a song called “Die in a Disco” for all its worth. It’s a bit too polished for me, but at least they realize that the masses are suffering from an identity crisis. –Buttertooth (www.marquiadora.com)

MATTY POP CHART: Everyone Does Everything: CD
Yay! Matty Pop Chart plays more silly dorky songs! He does occasionally go too far into the earnest/cheezy end of things, but never too far (unlike other similar bands). So, while you might wince once or twice, it’s GOOD wincing, got it? If this were a cereal, it’d be Rice Krispie Treats. Sure, there are some pieces that are broken and more like regular Rice Krispies, but most of it is congealed sugary goodness! –Maddy (Plan-it X)

MEASURE [SA], THE: Historical Fiction: CD
This rules! Think a (lyrically) depressed Discount with male and female vocals. Catchy mid-tempo punk rock that appears ideally suited for your local basement! Unlike most of what I get for review, I’ll actually listen to this again! If this were a cereal, it’d be Golden Grahams. There have been times in my life when I’ve forgotten about Golden Grahams/Discount, but then I always kick myself and prepare the cereal bowl in anticipation of my forgotten treat! To re-commence speaking English: This is awesome and you need to buy it! –Maddy (Team Science)

MIDDLE CLASS TRASH: Self-titled: CD
This band hails from Paducah, Kentucky, where I spent a few days while researching my master’s thesis on people who reenact the French and Indian War (seriously!). If I had known that there was a good band there, maybe I could have hung out with people other than middle-aged men with 1760s era replica muskets! Anyway! Middle Class Trash rules! Awesome mid-tempo punk rock with influences apparently including everything from the Adolescents to the Ramones to DRI! Non-stupid political lyrics! I know I like something when I immediately want to see the band in a crowded basement show while slightly drunk and dance-y! On a serious note, it’s amazing that the punk scene continues to produce awesome bands from the most random locations! If this were a cereal, it’d be Fruit Loops! –Maddy (thetrash@hotmail.com)

MYSTECHS: Escape from Planet Love: CD
Glimpsing at the cover art, a fella might reasonably hope for the contents within to contain some modestly unexpected merger of the Minds, Lords of Acid, and Manplanet ((to say nothing of mid-80’s Aussie college rockers Painters & Dockers, whose 1985 Love Planet album was far superior both musically and graphically)). Unfortunately, the contents contain nothing of the sort, instead subjecting me to a substantial barrage of white dork funk/hip-hop with “wacky” lyrics, albeit a well-played and recorded version of same. Never cared much for funk, Zappa, nor Ween, thus i would feel few pangs of remorse were i to re-gift this item to someone who might actually enjoy it, like Jenny Jones. BEST SONG: These guys don’t seem like bad folks, but there is honestly not one song on this disc i like at all. BEST SONG TITLE: “Quasimojo” FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: Not only is “Orgasmatron” not the Motörhead song of the same name, but “Astroglide” is not the Mocean Worker song of the same name, either. You fuckers didn’t think i knew Mocean Worker, did you? No. No you did not. Ha. I’m down. I’m so down. Ha. –Rev. Nørb (Omega Point)

NANCY: The Fear of Missing Out: CD
Unless you have a strong desire to listen to standard pop punk/whatever it’s called nowadays, you don’t need to fear missing out on anything. –Kurt Morris (Sex Cells)

NARROWS, THE: Benjamin: CD
If you play punk or rock’n’roll, it’s gonna be pretty damn hard to break any new ground. But lucky for you, if you can rock hard enough, you’re completely forgiven. But should you so choose to play arty, post-hardcore, which is also hard to break new ground in, you’re probably just going to be another boring, arty, post-hardcore band like The Narrows and pull off a halfway decent song or two at best. –Craven Rock (Wantage, USA)

NICE BOYS, THE: “Very Mary” b/w “Wake Up Girl”: 45
Liked but did not love the Nice Boys’ album; it seemed to veer into “cool hair rock boys” territory a bit too much for my stoic tastes. I find myself much more intrigued by this 45; the A-side is a sharp, sweet slabbette ((too intentionally un-massive to be rightly called a “slab”)) of US bubblegum, vintage ‘69-‘70 ((i.e., when even bands as marginally “real” as the Monkees or Ohio Express were deemed more trouble than they were worth, and were replaced by cartoon characters or chimpanzees)), satisfactorily melding Archiean song structure with Evolution Revolution-esque drive ((although failing to display much of the chops or polish of either)). The references to “second base” seem mind-blowingly innocuous, which might cause a greater man to ponder whether or not second base is the new first base. Perhaps that hypothesis needs to be field tested extensively? Well, you know me, anything for science. The B-side is marginally more “psychedelic,” veering more towards a Redd Kross direction, which is actually quite fine with me as long as the target date is as close to 1990 as you can get it. Both sides come equipped with some kinda crackly old calliope music at the end. Easy on the bong sauce, Jack. BEST SONG: “Very Mary” BEST SONG TITLE: “Very Mary” FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: I ordinarily hate the font “Hobo,” but it looks okay here. –Rev. Nørb (Green Noise)

NITE NITE: Self-titled: CD-R
I’m not sure what you would call this. I don’t know if it’s a demo or an EP. It comes in a stenciled sleeve and only contains three songs on a CDR painted black. The only information enclosed is a pretentious write-up by somebody in a Nashville alternative weekly and a business card from their manager. But anyway, this is pretty good stuff nonetheless. Kind of quiet stuff with a woman singing in a weird, kind of spooky, kind of sexy way over a pulsing kind of new wave style beat. It gives off a mood that’s both calming and unnerving at the same time. It creates an atmosphere that brings you right in and then it’s over, because it's only three songs long. I’ll be hoping for more from these folks. –Craven Rock (myspace.com/niteniteband)

NOFX: They’ve Actually Gotten Worse Live: CD
Second live record from the band, compiled from a batch of shows in their hometown of San Francisco in January 2007. No repeats from their last live record, so we get clever songs against religion (“You’re Wrong”), government (“Murder the Government”), and bad vegetables (“Green Corn”). “I, Melvin” is the tune I’ll be coming back to on this bad boy. If you like the band, you need this just for the onstage banter. NOFX is really obsessed with bras, apparently. If you don’t like Fat Mike, then I don’t think we have anything more to talk about. –Sean Koepenick (Fat Wreck)

NUCLEAR DEATH TERROR: Self-titled: CD
Metallic crust from Denmark who used to be former tenants of the forcibly evicted squat Ungdonshuset in Copenhagen. In dark times, music to feed the anger and depression is a necessity. Images of a bleak apocalypse are portrayed in the artwork and are the mood set by the music. Guttural vocals play against the thrashing tones of the bottom-heavy riffs. The delivery of the music is direct and played with conviction. Taking the architecture created by Discharge and adding elements of bands like Doom, Bolt Thrower, and Extreme Noise Terror, the band delivers a sound of dirty aggression. Comparisons can also be made to modern bands like Hellshock and Sanctum, who are also torch bearers of the latest wave of crust. I hope there is a tour in the works to come to the states. I definitely want to witness this band’s music live. –Donofthedead (Fight For Your Mind)

OFF WITH THEIR HEADS: All Things Move Toward Their End: CD
I’m going to try get this out of the way first because I tend to drone on and on about some esoteric and self indulgent bullshit before getting to what the record/band actually sounds like. Which is usually why people read reviews in the first place. Not that I give a shit, but I thought I’d shake it up a bit. If you have depression and anxiety issues, and not in the “aren’t I so deep and introspective” way but in the “There are several times a year, if not every day, that I truly wish I was dead” way, Ryan Young has written a prodigious amount of lyrics dealing with the subject that you may appreciate. I have a fair amount of said issues myself and I usually don’t like to surround myself with music that deals with them. Being depressed usually isn’t helped by listening to downer music. I can relate but I also want to see a light somewhere or at the very least get up and get moving. I can’t think of another band that combines lyrics as truly emotionally dark with music that actually makes you want to get up and jump up and down. All this without eyeliner or a stitch of clothing from Dogpile. It’s comforting to know that there are other people out there dealing with the same shit but still raising themselves up to get through it and try to have a good time when they can. This record is a compilation of most of their songs from their beginning to somewhere in early 2007 or late 2006 and you know what? I’m glad I didn’t put this record out. It would annoy the piss out of me to put out a compilation that is supposed to be all-inclusive of their singles and what not up until early this year and have it not be all-inclusive! They’ve left out their first 7” from what I have dubbed “The Murder City Years” called Fine Tuning the Bender. Which is a mystery to me because it’s not bad or all that different from the To Hell With This... 7”, which they did include. “What the fuck?!,” I say. At any rate, this thing is laid out in pretty much reverse release order, as far as I can tell. Starting with their split with J Church and working backwards. The material goes essentially from great to not too shabby at all. There’s also a previously unreleased song called “Sadie” from a few years back that I really didn’t like at first but actually grew on me. Believe it or not, but these assholes already have enough material for another compilation like this (and, as of this writing, it isn’t even the end of 2007) and they’ve got a brand new full length coming out next year on No Idea. Hardest working bum outs in the industry!... and probably one of the best U.S. bands of the last few years. –Stevo (No Idea)