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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
SLAKTRENS :
Stalande Tider: CD
Raging hardcore punk from this Swedish duo. Take DS-13, put a couple drops of Mob 47 in the beaker, and you may get some mutation like Slaktrens. It’s fast and chaotic, with bone-breaking percussion and a vocalist who sounds like he’s going rabid. The songs are short bursts of aggression that aim to break the speed barrier every time. However, they are not some faceless, tuneless thrash outfit. They switch up the tempos, throw in some stop-go breaks here and there, build tension, and play like their very lives depend on it. What’s really interesting is this was entirely put together by two people in a practice room, despite it sounding like a full band recording live. Oh, the wonders of technology! “Jag Vill Inte Ha” is a burner that slows down a tad and stands out. Glad I grabbed this! Thrash hounds, dig in!
–Matt Average (Suburban White Trash, suburbanwhitetrashrecords.com)
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SINGING DOGS:
Deja-Voodoo Blues: 10”
The ten-inch is the dumbest standard vinyl format and the two-piece is the dumbest standard band format. This is a ten-inch recording of a two-piece band. Do the math. Two-piece bands that come out of the punk scene ((or something tangent to it)) usually seem like they’re favored by guitarists who imagine themselves to have much more of a psychic mandate to publicly explore the blues idiom than they actually have; without anything but a lone guitar, drums, and some vocals to hold my attention, said attention usually gets shanghaied right quick. Note how much things perk up when the band tosses some vaguely “Sympathy for the Devil”-esque guitar overdubs in “Whisky & Blues!” Case in point, Magoo! I can say no more because, as described elsewhere this issue, i live in fear of voodoo reprisal. Pass the chicken. BEST SONG: “Whisky & Blues” BEST SONG TITLE: “Sick of Being Sick,” which is not the Damned song. FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: Last time i checked, a ten-inch record cost more to press than a twelve-inch.
–Rev. Norb (Primitive)
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SHELLSHAG:
Fuck Society, Vol. 1: LP
As one may predict, the husband/wife duo known as Shellshag have an intimate relationship with music. This may seem all to obvious, ‘cause when I think of Shellshag, I think of music and intimacy: two powerful, distinctive personas singing songs to each other while everyone crowds around and enjoys the collateral affection. On Fuck Society, Vol. 1, they blaze through thirteen covers of songs that hold a dear spot in their hearts. Finishing up the record is the title track “Fuck Society”—the only song that’s not played by Shellshag—performed by Chattanooga’s AK77. If you’ve ever caught Shellshag, chances are you’ve seen them cover at least one of these songs, bringing life to old memories,and igniting the audience with their integrity and candor. A covers LP can be a hard sell, but if you can’t trust Shellshag, who can you trust? Features covers by Shotwell, Inxs, The Undertones, Warsaw, Hickey, Liz Phair, Archers Of Loaf, URTC, When In Rome, Descendents, Fleshies, Wipers, and The Jam.
–Daryl Gussin (Mauled By Tigers)
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SHARP OBJECTS:
Self-titled: LP
SHARP OBJECTS: Self-titled: LP
I know I have become a bit of a fanboy for all things Modern Action, but I am unapologetic. Especially with bands like Sharp Objects leading the pack. This here is a slab of punk rock perfection: driving beach punk riffs and catchy words. “Whoa-ohs” and “hey hey heys” in the right places. Short and to the point, I just keep playing this one over and over. And it keeps getting better! Now, if I could see them on a bill with Night Birds, I could die happy!
–Ty Stranglehold (Modern Action)
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SHANG-A-LANG:
Waiting for the End: 7”EP
Fuck you, funeral. Fuck you, wake. Fuck you, death. Fuck you, swan song. Goodbye Shang-A-Lang. Never liked your charming, shambolic, honest, inclusive music anyway. I never thought you were the musical equivalent to a T-shirt that lasts for years and years and fits better with every wear. Fuck you, Shang-a-Lang. Las Cruces punk rock gets its collective face tear tattooed at the passing of one of its defining bands. I’ve got the feeling that we’ll be lacing on happy shoes soon, as these guys are too insuppressible to give up on playing music… Oh, hello Low Culture. You played Ben Snakepit’s wedding? Rad. Want to go in on a twelver with me?
–Todd Taylor (Dirt Cult plus five other labels)
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SEVEN SISTERS OF SLEEP / CHILDREN OF GOD:
Split: LP
This is a good pairing of two heavy hardcore bands with similar styles that are able to hold their own. Seven Sisters Of Sleep are heavy with vaguely melodic guitar lines that push themselves up in the mix at the right times. They remind me of Scandinavian crust with a heavier sludge/doom slant to it. Children Of God thrash much harder, but their sound is equally bleak. The sludgy parts sound like old Iron Monkey, and their raging still has crust edge to it. I listened to this a few times while writing this review, and was impressed with how many new things I noticed about each band when I went back to their sides several times. Definitely a recommended listen.
–Ian Wise (A389)
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SENSITIVE SIDE, THE:
Moon Kids: 7” EP
There’s a bit of a punky feel to their new wave here, which, in and of itself, ain’t a bad way to start, but the addition of someone playing what sounds like an organ (you never can quite tell these days) gives this an added ‘60s feel, making for a bit of a unique take on a couple of templates that have gotten more attention in recent decades than they did when they first came into existence. Tunes are quite good ‘n’ I’m betting these guys go over like gangbusters live.
–Jimmy Alvarado (VD)
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SENDERS:
Lucidity/Lividity: LP
You know how Hot Water Music bands play slow for dramatic affect, like they’re struggling to bash out each chord and rasp into the mic? Well, what if they beefed up the guitars until those slow parts sounded like stoner rock? And, what if they kept the emo guitar flourishes so that they sounded like mid-’90s indie/hardcore bands like Sunny Day Real Estate of Engine Kid? It comes together really well thanks to a huge guitar sound, a super tight drummer, and catchy, concise songs. Thank you punks for taking a few things that were lying around the yard and making something new and cool. It’s alchemy!
–CT Terry (Kiss Of Death)
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SECRET PROSTITUTES / TALK SICK BRATS:
Split: 7”
Secret Prostitutes are mysterious. My understanding is that it’s two Texans and a Malaysian (the titles are Malay, at least) drummer/singer, singing in his native tongue. Weirdly, it sounds like 1977-’79 Scandinavian Killed By Death punk. Think Lama. I’m predisposed to love this; your DNA may differ, depending on how much obscure-punk-record-collector blood cells flow through your veins. The drill’s familiar: limited pressings, hard-to-find release, internet dudes relish in making fun of other people for not having this, and eBay sales will follow. I didn’t break the seal/sticker at the top that listed the band names, but sliced through the bottom of the bag, as to preserve the “provenance.” (Thanks, Antiques Roadshow.) As your financial advisor, this stock will go up. Talk Sick Brats: Pretty good. Get the feeling that there’s some previous deep appreciation for Discharge, but it’s pegging on the trash/glitter/rock/The Ends side of the meter. Not bad at all.
–Todd Taylor (Batshit, batshitrecords.com)
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RULETA RUSA:
La Ley: 7”
The title track is an attack on asshole cops told in the first-person. The flip, “Psoriasis,” is both about how fun suffering from that particular malady can be and a comment on the state of America’s healthcare system. This one’s a bit of a departure from the usual Modern Action fodder, in both delivery (both songs are in Spanish, which is no surprise considering a member or two were in Peligro Social) and sound (less reliant on late’70s/early ‘80s West Coast punk conventions and a bit more hardcore welded into their DNA), but it’s no less crucial. It’s limited to 450 copies, but act especially quick ‘n’ order direct from the label and you may be lucky enough to get one of the one hundred copies that has a bullet casing wedged into the record’s center hole.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Modern Action)
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RUBRICS:
Sow Your Seeds: 7”
This trio out of South Carolina’s May 2011 release includes four new tracks of kick your ass power punk. Combining growling, death metal vocals, amphetamine-induced percussion, and meaty chords the likes of Propaghandi and Born Against, this oughtta be the next thing you pit to. Hitting on topics like freedom, injustice, and that steely-eyed commitment to punk theology, Rubrics brings some of the principle concerns of the genre to the table. Switching things up, “Never Grow Up” passes the mic to female bassist/vocalist, Kerri, whose vox reminds me of Eve Libertine spliced with Joan Jett. Well written, well played. I dare you to stand still while listening to this. Recommended.
–Kristen K (Sidejar, sidejarrecords.com)
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RESIST:
Self-titled: 7” EP
Wow, been a while since I’ve seen this name on a new release, and, according to what info I was able to glean from the ‘net, this is their first new output in fifteen years. One thrasher and two comparatively mid-tempo workouts here, with socially aware lyrics screamed out and a musical approach that manages to be both straightforward and non-generic.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Profane Existence)
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RED MASS:
Self-titled: 7”
Dark, unique, hypnotic, and faboo, this definitely had a more lasting impact than the previous release I heard from ‘em. At times, they sound here like The Dicks trying to hit one outta the art-punk field. Fuggin’ love it.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Certified PR)
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RECKLESS:
Ocean: LP
Phenomenal. On one hand, sure, you can pin this record down in a sentence: melodic crust with personal lyrics. That’s its center. But, goddamn, there’s something really awesome going on here that takes it beyond that. Taking the swagger and fury of bands like Tragedy or Fighting Dogs and blending it with a thrumming undercurrent of melody, Ocean is eight songs that manage to perfectly hit that stride. Vocalist Chainsaw (!) has a great range—she generally sticks with a more gravelly approach that suits the music perfectly (think of the Distillers and you’ve got the right idea), but there a few softer moments scattered throughout that she softens. The lyrics deal with domestic violence, alienation, struggle, and loss—in a way that’s smart and moving and transcendent. The solo on “Forget About It”—one extended note at a time—is bone-simple, but it’s searing and awesome and works ridiculously well. Like I said, Reckless seems like a band that’s pretty easily summed up—but this is one of the records that just came at the right time, and I’m all the better for it. This shit is punk, and get my highest recommendation.
–Keith Rosson (Reckless)
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REACTORS:
“It’s Not Important” b/w “Cold Eyes”: 7”
One of many bands to adopt “Reactors” as their moniker, this band hailed from early ‘80s Austin, Texas. They never reached the level of popularity of fellow citizens Big Boys, the Dicks, or even The Huns, and only managed this sole single as their recorded legacy. Both tracks are potent bits of dingy punk rock, but it’s the flip, “Cold Eyes,” that seems to get the Killed By Death clones all hot ‘n’ bothered, and with good reason. A nice reissue here, with a replication of the original cover, plus photos and an interview with one of the members gracing the inside of the sleeve.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Rerun)
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RATIONS:
How Much Land Does a Man Need?: 7”EP
I loved Rations last record, so it was no surprise that I love this one, too. There are many adjectives that come to mind to describe their music, but beautiful is the one that keeps coming back to me. It makes me feel warm inside. Not necessarily a happy, warm feeling, but maybe something between that and that warm numbness in your face after taking a shot of whiskey out of a metal flask on a cold winter night. Rations takes me to my early twenties. All ages halls and basement shows where the bands said what they wanted with feeling. It’s a good place to be.
–Ty Stranglehold (Drunken Sailor, drunkensailorrecords.co.uk)
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RAPID LOSS:
A Dark Place: 7” EP
This screams prime-grade Midwestern U.S. hardcore circa 1981, but it’s not only of recent vintage, the band hails from Alberta, Canada. Sound’s tight, angry ‘n’ gruff, and it’s clear right off the first listen they aren’t just going through the motions.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Rapid Loss)
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PUSHERS, THE :
“750 Bonneville” b/w “Bad Bank Blues”: 7”
Predatory piano and a punchy saxophone are right in the middle of straight-ahead New Beach Alliance punk brawl? Huh? The two new instruments work—no ska taint, no jazzy Bill Clinton-isms, no la-ti-da twinkling the keys—and add a new, memorable dimension to the Pushers usual street fight on wax. The two songs give a strange, but cool, mental image. Like Little Richard and the Pinetoppers getting sun with tattooed, teeth-missing punks on a nuclear beach, all getting along and raising a ruckus. Recommended.
–Todd Taylor (Hostage)
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PUMPHOUSE GANG:
Self-titled: LP
The Sing Sing label seems to be taking up where Radio Heartbeat left off in the power pop reissue department. The unfortunately-named Pumphouse Gang played punk-inflected rock’n’roll and pop in the U.K. in the mid-’70s. I can’t help but chuckle looking at the guys in the band and thinking about them singing songs about teenagers. All kidding aside, a quality reissue of a lost power pop gem. Heavy stock glossy cover and informative, if brief, liner notes. For fans of The Beat, The Boys and RadioCity.
–Sal Lucci (Sing Sing)
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PSUDOKU:
Space Grind: Cassette
Intergalactic, hyper-speed grindcore madness from Poland: shit your pants riffage, incredible tightness, and precision that would make Jon Chang smirk with envy. All this performed by a one man band that also goes by the moniker of Parlamentarisk Sodomi, a powerviolence band. Constructing this album must have been a labor of love, for sure, because the consensus is that grindcore’s definitely not for everyone (too metal for punks, too punk for metalheads.) Love it or don’t, get the fuck out of the way if you hear this blasting from someone’s car stereo!
–Juan Espinosa (Revulsion, revcords@gmail.com)
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POST TEENS:
Self-titled: 7” EP
Sometimes that overdriven, lo-fi approach to recording is pitch perfect to what a band’s trying to get across, and this is a perfect example. The muddied, blown-out sound complements well the piledriver beats ‘n’ slashing hooks the band’s doling out like some sorta hardcore band trying their best at breaking the Top 40. Not quite as poppy as, say, the Marked Men, but no less intense.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Post Teens)
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PENETRATION PANTHERS:
Perpetual 80’s: 7” EP
A member or two of Gehenna and Gravehill get their punk on. The results have a sorta “what if Black Flag had come from Detroit” feel—sludgy, but raw and rockin’.
–Jimmy Alvarado (A389)
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PEEPLE WATCHIN’:
Demo: Cassette
For those of you, like me, who were bummed out that The Credentials called it quits way too soon, Zack is back with a brand new band and it’s a total rager: pop punk that could have come right out of the early ‘90s Gilman scene. But they’re a bit more mid-tempo and melodic that Zack’s previous band. A couple of these songs have been stuck in my head for days, something that The Credentials, no matter how good they were, never seemed to do.
–Chris Mason ((Self-released)
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PALE CREATION:
Twilight Haunt: LP
I sense some kind of dark, spiritual connection between Dom at A389 and myself. Not only does A389 consistently release the best current hardcore records around (and thanks to A389 and Deathwish, there are a ton of great new bands getting the exposure they deserve), but it also re-releases some essential records that could otherwise be doomed to obscurity. A389’s newest reissue is an absolutely crucial slab of Clevo “Holy Terror” hardcore: Pale Creation’s sole full-length release to date, the crushing Twilight Haunt. Admittedly, I was never completely sold on Pale Creation at the time of this record’s initial release. Perhaps my angry, youthful exuberance was so deeply entrenched in the more linear and breakdown-smattered writing of Integrity and Ringworm (and yes, One Life Crew) to understand why Pale Creation garnered so many comparisons to these bands. But as my musical priorities evolved from kickbox-moshability to complexity, atmosphere, and proficiency, Pale Creation became a staple in my listening. Sure, one can still draw comparisons to the more visible Clevo/Holy Terror bands, but Pale Creation are an incredibly unique beast, incorporating off-kilter rhythms, bleak soundscapes, and nods to a plethora of darker genres and subgenres across the musical spectrum. A phenomenal record (not unlike their newer releases!) that I never managed to pick up back in the day, so it’s safe to say I’m thrilled to have my paws on it now. Brilliant.
–Dave Williams (A389)
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ORCA TEAM:
Take My Hand: 7”
Seattle’s Orca Team offer up three tunes that recall a time where guys would wear suits and ladies would wear dresses to go dance to rock bands, after flipping a nickel to a soda jerk for a glass of pop. This is some classy stuff that has hints of proto psychedelia (that would later be fully realized in the hits of Nuggets). Neat stuff! Get on it.
–Vincent Battilana (HHBTM)
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