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Record Reviews1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 | 0-9| A| B| C| D| E| F| G| H| I| J| K| L| M | | N| O| P| Q| R| S| T| U| V| W| X| Y| Z| Below are some recently posted reviews.  RSS Feed
SWEETPUPS:
Self-titled: CDEP
Bubble gum popping, hair twirling power pop from this Seattle quartet pervade these five tracks. Forged on hooky choruses resulting in a pre-adolescent version of Le Tigre, the Pups are helmed by snappy female vocals that pogo through the various stages of courtship dating. The Pups stray into Sleater K territory with “No Clue” for a darker shade of pop’n’roll. Perfect for those riding the pink cloud of infatuation.
–Kristen K (Self-released, facebook.com/sweetpupsseattle)
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SWEARIN’:
Self-titled: LP
Wow! What an amazing debut. It doesn’t happen all that often, but every once and a while I’ll come across a record that knocks me on my ass and leaves me staring at the player, waiting to flip it over and over and over again. And this record made me do just that. Simply perfect pop, punk, rock... whatever... with deeply personal lyrics that seems to draw from a variety of influences, from That Dog to Future Virgins to Guided By Voices, that somehow gets better with every listen. Listening reminds me of the time a friend and I took two days to drive the 350 mile Oregon coast: “Pull over! This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen!” “No wait, this is!” I’m finding myself doing similar with this record: “This is totally my favorite song!” “No wait, this is!” A definite contender for record of the year.
–Chris Mason (Salinas, saliniasrecords.com)
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SUPER FAMICOM:
Punishing the Faithful: Cassette
To my knowledge, Famicom is the only guy doing acoustic grindcore. Shedding the gruff screamo exterior, SF shows us his pink underbelly with a singular unplugged collection. Twenty-one tracks trade hands between Daniel Johnston styled off-key ballads to stripped-down metal arrangements. Like David Foster Wallace, SF pulls from confessional break up songs to ironic, plinky odes to loneliness. Most tracks top off at two minutes, but “I Will Only Be Yours (Devil Eyes)” stretches past six, revealing Famicom’s signature throat-scraping demon cry over a chugging acoustic guitar riff. A minor gripe: Famicom’s website suggests there is a non-acoustic version of this album but doesn’t have it up for a free listen. For those who want something a little off center and surprisingly tender
–Kristen K (Get Better, getbetterrecords.com)
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STRIPMINES:
Crimes of Dispassion: LP
Dark, claustrophobic hardcore from North Carolina that shifts constantly, on top of frantic drumming with ripping solos that fade in and out of nowhere, and devastating riffage that leaves me short of breath. Obvious influences like Deathreat collide with even more esoteric crusty hardcore and tight, organic rhythms. This thing fucking slays and is tomorrow’s classic for fans of the Prank Records style of hardcore. Get this immediately!
–Ian Wise (Sorry State)
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STEVE ADAMYK BAND:
Self-titled: LP
Who the fuck? Oh wait… the Sedatives? Dug that band—this is sorta that band, I mean it isn’t obvious, but most of the folks in this were in that—so it makes sense that these heads have a handle of the make-up of a song. I don’t mean two minutes of noise… I mean a song... you know? Something that grabs you by the neck, not just grooves in black plastic. By no means am I calling these cats “old,” but I’m sure they’ve spent time with the Real Kids and the Shoes, and I’ll bet my last dollar they are familiar with the Tranzmitors and the Marked Men. This is reallllly well crafted pop punk. I’m not talking kids in the mall pop punk; I’m talking late ‘70s skinny tie shit. Really great guys… really great.
–Tim Brooks (Dead Broke)
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STATE LOTTERY:
Fistfuls of Sand: 7”
Members of Get Bent and Laura Stevenson And The Cans splitting the difference between new style: non-twang “Americana” and a band like The Anniversary or Koufax.
–Mike Frame (Salinas)
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SPENT FLESH:
Self-titled: 10”
Blur/blender hardcore with a heritage that owes tips of the hat to Spazz and is in a contemporary league with Brain F≠ and Rose Cross. This may be exhibiting how dumb I am, but when I first heard “electro-hardcore” over fifteen years ago, I was thinking of Spent Flesh, not Atari Teenage Riot. Spent Flesh is way more punk than hyperventilating techno. It doesn’t hurt that the band’s punk-informed up the wazoo: snippet odes to several Bad Brains riffs, wig-flipping nods to Hüsker Dü in the lyrics, locked grooves at the end of each side. Is it possible to simultaneously move the clock backwards and forwards? Does that fuck up the time-space continuum, like in those Back to the Future movies? One can only hope. Spent Flesh is the hovering skateboards of hardcore and simultaneously the white-light pain one feels after falling ten feet directly onto concrete.
–Todd Taylor (P.Trash, ptrashrecords.com / FDH / Sit And Spin)
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SPEED KILLS:
Self-titled: 7”
Blistering hardcore from Brazil that has more in common with noisy Japanese hardcore than the more straightforward stuff I’ve heard from South America. To be fair, I haven’t heard a lot of hardcore from this part of the world in the past few years, so maybe their sound is indicative of the current style down there. If so, I’m sure things are going great because this band shreds. All the lyrics are in Spanish but English translations are included with some talking points about their content. They cover the anti-cop/anti-capitalist territory and there’s a great song about how much they hate cops on bikes (“…wouldn’t it be better if the cops would ride bikes instead of cars. I said it would be better if they didn’t exist at all.”) The recording is great and the packaging is well designed and easy to follow (which is not always the case with releases that include translations).
–Ian Wise (Nada Nada Discos, info@nadanadadiscos.com)
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SOMETHING FIERCE / OCCULT DETECTIVE CLUB:
: Split 10”
Something Fierce: Three London Calling-long songs from this Texas power trio. Anti-war pop? Like “Lost in the Supermarket,” Something Fierce’ll have you humming, “marketing… marketing slavery” like it’s an advert for soap, gum, or shoes. (Come to think of it, any overthrow should have a memorable tagline that you can’t get out of your head. Brilliant (both meanings: smart and bright), convicted. For those cynics who solely look to doom-black-and-barbed-wire imagery when recognizing political punk, Something Fierce will have you dancing on those flag-covered coffins in no time. Occult Detective Club: Clipped, spit-out delivery—to shamelessly borrow from the band—ODC are fucking craftsmen. There’s an artistic lyricallity, a hammer-and-nails workmanship, but it’s neither too in-the-head or too stuck-in-the-machine-of-endless-toil. Their songs remind me of people who can make something of utility that lasts a long time and is beautiful—be it a handicap ramp to the front door or a chair that’ll last generations. Their songs have that quality of durability, like soles on well-made, long-wearing boots. Highly recommended.
–Todd Taylor (Dirtnap)
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SOMETHING FIERCE / OCCULT DETECTIVE CLUB:
: Split 10”
My love of bands from Texas continues with this brain-squeezing, amazing double LoneStarState blast of power pop punk whatever. Houston’s Something Fierce are new to me (other than that great set at Awesome Fest) and they kick this record off with a bang. Hard driving, yet kind of dreamy feeling pop, it just feels right. Denton’s Occult Detective Club commands the flip side with laser precision. They’ve been a favorite of mine for a while, and the new songs are more of the same greatness. It’s obvious to me that Dirtnap shares my affinity to Texas bands. Marked Men, Mind Spiders, Bad Sports, High Tension Wires, now Something Fierce and Occult Detective Club. Bring on more!
–Ty Stranglehold (Dirtnap)
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SLUT RIVER:
Off White: EP
Off-kilter, lurching, abrasive sludge punk with snotty femme vocals: this is the sound of Iowa after too many PBRs, no niceties, just a smack round the chops and a kick to the head. Bringing to mind the abrasiveness of the Bags coupled with the drunken ramblings of the grunge years… Dickless, L7, Amphetamine Reptile… ugly and deranged. Totally into this, just wish the cover and lyric sheet weren’t a pile of horrible pixilated crap.
–Tim Brooks (Salt Water)
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SIREN SONGS:
Demo 2011 II: Cassette
“I didn’t experience fireworks, as they call them, until I was thirty three,” a deep and scratchy-voiced woman says on this tape long after the songs are over. It’s not a sample, it’s because this demo was recorded over a thrifted or dumpstered tape promoting some kind of love enhancing pill or potion. This is also probably the reason for the drag in parts of the songs, too. The fireworks, however, weren’t on this tape until Siren Songs started recording their punk songs over the original program. Siren Songs play female-fronted pop punk that is scrappy and raw enough to be irresistible. Legs’s voice is full of integrity and the sloppy warmth of young punk, but what stands out is how wonderfully imperfect her voice is. I’ve really been enjoying the wave of female-fronted bands with flawless and immaculate vocals like P.S Eliot, The Measure [SA], and Reading Group, but it’s refreshing to hear a return to some good ol’ punk rock grit, which Legs has by the score, for instance, on “Nuclear Son,” by far the best song on the album with its fast drumming and bouncing bass line. It’s a song written by a male member of the band whose ragged voice comes in on chorus and it’s a fast and desperate barnburner of a love song. “Nuclear Son” isn’t quite topped on the rest of the album, but the tone is definitely set for a bunch or really great pop punk songs from a band that you’ll be hearing about soon enough. So you can either download from their Bandcamp site or get a copy recorded over something that sucks for five dollars or trade. I would recommend the latter. It’s got some awesome art and I’m starting to like that part where it drags during the second song. Maybe you’ll get a similar idiosyncrasy.
–Craven (Self-released, sirensongs.bandcamp.com)
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SHORT CHANGED:
We Will Bury You: LP
EastBay hardcore punk with that metallic, sinister darkness bands from there have a knack for pulling off. The songs are mainly in the mid-tempo range, with some speedy bursts here and there. I like the vocals with their raspy and strained sound. Sometimes you can hear them crack, which gives them more character. The songs have a lot of low end and some drive, with a slightly abrasive guitar sound. The downside of this record is that none of the songs really stand out much. They tend to run together without too much variation between them. This would have more effect as a four-song EP.
–Matt Average (Rodent Popsicle / Goat Power Recreation)
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SHORT ATTENTION:
Polished Turds: 25 Decent Songs and One by Chris Grivet: 7” EP
Pop punk’s response to grindcore. In the early-to mid-‘90s, there was a race between Anal Cunt, Spontaneous Disgust, and Agathocles to turn grindcore into mincecore. On a 45 7”, the record for “songs” was way over one hundred. If you count the sound of a blip a “song.”It’s “interesting” in a Phillip Glass sort of way, but pretty aggravating listening. On the other side of the pendulum—but folded into the same envelope—are “The Chipmunks of Pop Punk,” Short Attention. This record is reminiscent of the Fat comp, Short Music for Short People, where the song limit was thirty seconds, only reduced into further absurdity. Twenty-six “songs.” I’m a man of a long attention and this aggravated me by its very design. If you constantly scan and never land, this is tailor made for you… assuming you like minced chunks of pop punk.
–Todd Taylor (No Breaks)
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SHORES:
Leavening: CD
I like the slow, heavy, openness of this album. This band shows its post-rock DNA in the way that the instrumentation is more interested in building atmosphere rather than crushing with attack. Vocally, the singer’s eased dead pan reminds me of the more restrained moments of my beloved I Hate Myself. In short, this album feels like a perfect audio summation of the over-exposed black and white photography of the pictures on the album artwork—picturesque and given to contemplation.
–Adrian Salas (No Idea, jennifer@noidearecords.com)
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SEVEN SISTERS OF SLEEP:
Self-titled: 7”
Man alive, do I love this band. SSoS’ debut 12” was in heavy rotation for months on end upon its release, and I can pretty much guarantee that the same will be true for this 7”. Seething, ominous, bludgeoning, heavy hardcore that is equal parts classic doom, late ‘90s/early ‘00s Clevo/Cali metalcore, and blackened thrash. This band is as much about atmosphere/aesthetic as it is about sound, and both elements are fucking painful and stunning. Do not sleep on this shit.
–Dave Williams (A389, a389records.com)
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SENSIBLES, THE:
Dino: 7” EP
Not to be confused with the Notsensibles—which would indicate you are a very, very poor listener—this is an Italian quartet who slap out deep-dish slabs of mid-tempo punky-pop, heavy on the guitars, whilst a toy-voiced starlet chirps over the top in adorably accented English. “Open Book” is definitely the hit here, but that’s not for lack of trying on the other three songs. Meaty AND cute, like a good calzone! BEST SONG: “Open Book” BEST SONG TITLE: “Dino” i guess. They didn’t really seem to have much money in the budget for song titles. FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: After perusing the lyric sheet, i have decided that “cluntched” should, in fact, be a real word.
–Rev. Norb (Sensibles, thesensibles@gmail.com)
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SCREAMING FEMALES:
Ugly: CD
Ugly is the fifth studio album from Screaming Females. On this go-round, the band continues exploring the boundaries of their singular brand of catchy garage punk. Song structures built around strong hooks typify Screaming Females’ songs, and the same goes for this album. Guitarist/vocalist Marissa Paternoster shreds through each track, but especially so in tracks like “High,” which was one of my favorites on this. If you’re already a fan, this has a bunch of new jams you’re sure to dig, and if you’ve never checked out Screaming Females before, this is a great place to get started.
–Paul J. Comeau (Don Giovanni, screamingfemales@gmail.com)
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SCHOOL JERKS:
Self-titled: LP
Ever since their first EP, I’ve been wondering if and when these hereSchool Jerks would put together a long player. Well, it took a couple more EPs I believe, and we finally have twelve hefty inches in our hands. Indeed, baby! This record is exactly along the same lines as their previous efforts. Pretty much what I was hoping for, since I always wanted to hear more from their short, short seven inches. Even live, when they played here with Cülo a couple years back, the set was a chaotic blast, and... well, short. This record is a smidge longer and definitely worth the wait. Somewhere between early Black Flag and Sick Pleasure. The vocals have a nasally sound with a disturbed growl. The guitars sound scratchy and gritty, and you can hear the drums stumbling and racing through the mess. Though they come from the frigid wastelands of Canada, you would think they live in Los Angeles, circa 1981. Kind of fast, but not really, though the urgency and tension create this auditory illusion of speed. It’s mostly mid-tempo and the songs sound gloriously filthy! Yep, they’re that fucking great. I wish they would come back to Los Angeles.
–Matt Average (Grave Mistake, gravemistakerecords.com)
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SAILBOATS ARE WHITE:
Turbo II: 7”
Not listening to music as much as I used to, prior to the birth of my son, has been detrimental to me at times. I get hung up easily and stumped to come up with words when something comes my way that is not familiar to me. Take this, for instance. I definitely hear punk rock. But I hear drums that sound like a drum machine. Synthesizers or something listed as a Stylophone take a part along with the usual suspect of instruments. The vocals are delivered with a moaning and painful approach, yet it seems to be with intentional with careless abandon. Put it all together and it’s a unique package that shows originality and appeals to me. I can feel the conviction. The energy is absorbed in my ears. Some may say this is indie and others may say punk. Either way, nothing is wrong when you don’t always paint by numbers.
–Donofthedead (Schizophrenic)
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RSO:
Awl: 7”
The third release off Ryan Owens’ revolving door of an ensemble is a no wave, bluesy punk version of sittin’ on the porch with a triple x jug of hooch. Like Tom Waits’s later material of howling, vocal-centric tracks lightly seasoned with a rattling guitar thrash, these four new songs take a second or two to mature. Regrettably, Owens’ screechy Bobcat Goldthwait vocals seem contrived and at best; this is his version of PJ Harvey’s lo-fi, raw, minimalist Rid of Me, that fell short of the mark.
–Kristen K (Self-released, r-s-o.bandcamp.com)
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ROT IN HELL / VEGAS:
: Split 6”
A cool, screened, split 6” featuring one song each from top-of-the-Holy-Terror-heap creeps Rot In Hell and Vegas. I believe this was initially a part of Organized Crime’s mysterious Halloween package and is now available on its own. The Rot In Hell side is pure RIH, and anyone familiar with their LP on Deathwish or their slew of 7”s will recognize their perfect amalgam of Integrity, Ringworm, and early Pale Creation. The elusive Vegas offers a creepy acoustic track ala Roses Never Fade that only serves to reiterate their statement of weirdness. Very cool record.
–Dave Williams (Organized Crime, organizedcrimerecords.com)
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RIVER CITY TANLINES:
Coast to Coast: LP
The Tanlines are back! Been a long time, but fans of I’m Your Negative will want to pick up Coast to Coast. Alicja’s songwriting covers the gamut—from power pop to (almost) prog rock. John Bonds (drums) and Terrence Bishop (bass) form one hell of a rhythm section. Bishop, in particular, stands out. It’s crucial to have a great bassist in a three piece. The production on this record is unbelievably high—and it actually sounds good. Coast to Coast is a nice return LP for the Tanlines.
–Ryan Leach (Big Legal Mess, biglegalmessrecords.com)
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RIDGEMONT / TWO HAND FOOLS:
: Split 7”
I really didn’t want to like Ridgemont’s beard punk with its “Stay Gold, Pony Boy” type lyrics, but I have to say that it grew on me after several listens. Damn you, youth! They are, however, still pretty by-the-book and unremarkable at this point. If they spend some time developing their own sound, they have a chance at being a pretty good band because they certainly have the verve for it. Two Hand Fools are fucking awesome. They play a jangling and jagged post-hardcore full of progressive build-ups which lead to crashing breakdowns and gang vocals. The song “Hot Tongues” is a fucking uncomfortable and misanthropic love song that brings to mind the edgy, false sweetness of the best of Sugar songs without sounding anything like Sugar. When the band shouts out together, “I’m stepping on your tongue / and I hope you fucking feel it / you’re talking in the dark / your tongue so hot I can see it,” it’s so thick with angst and displaced rage that it’ll give you chills. By the time they get to the part where they sing, “So I’ll need to have you calm down / I’ve seen both sides of this,” you know that all is lost. It’s a fucking killer track.
–Craven (Mindless, mndlsrcrds@gmail.com)
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RIDGELANDS, THE:
Corey Webster Must Die: CD
Right off the bat, these guys get points for name checking the ultimate in cheesy ‘80s skate movies Thrashin’. Hell, the shot on the cover of Hook on the verge of smashing Corey’s arm is worth the price of admission. As for the tunes, we’ve got some good mid-tempo pop punk on the go. To be honest it, wasn’t what I was expecting, but it’s really catchy. I’d like to hear some more. Now, “Beat it ya Val jerks!”
–Ty Stranglehold (Sexy Baby)
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