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Record Reviews1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 | 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| < Prev Section | Next Section >  RSS Feed
GIRLS, THE:
Self-titled: CD
Ordinarily, i’d like nothing more than to come out here with my Slide Rule and Protractor of Rock & Roll and illustrate how the XTC corollary transects the A Frames molecule, thereby enabling the Diodes transmitter to bifurcate through the Epoxies prism and into the Mission of Burma gonad from the Brainiac central basin, and then a little shuck and jive about the record having that new car/new wave smell, but the band live just smelling like sweaty guys with funny colored hair just to ground it all in the Wreck modulator, but then i remembered that the Girls were the guys who held up the Boris/Girls split 45 (eventually unto death) so then, like, fuck it. Right? I am right! Oh, yeah, forgot the Saccharine Trust adapter. BEST SONG: “Derek I Can’t Go to the Beach” BEST SONG TITLE: “Making Plans for Derek” FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: Both this and the Wildhearts Riff After Riff album, reviewed elsewhere in the issue, contain unrelated songs entitled “Return to Zero.” “Return to Zero” – apart from being the name of an amazingly horrible post-Boston project ca. 1990 – is a control button on an analog tape deck that returns the tape to whatever spot you set your counter at.
–Rev. Norb (Dirtnap)
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GIRLS, THE:
Yes No Yes No Yes No: CD
Call me old fashioned, but
I miss Devo and I didn’t mind Max Headroom. I understand Devo’s still around, but given that their last studio
record Smooth Noodle Maps (not so good) came out eighteen years ago, I think there’s room in this
world for some heavy-duty Devo worship on the ground level (as opposed to the
Disney level, where Devo 2.0 was Devo-endorsed kids re-recording Devo songs).
I’ve always liked the icy, more evil Devo, too. I mean, Devo pretty much strip
mined and devoured any chance that future synthesizer and male-fronted
electronics punks could follow in their Energy Domes without being compared to
them… And with that said, The Girls more than carry their weight in Yes No
Yes No Yes No. Your individual waves of remembrance
and urges to reach for Freedom of Choice may vary. Not bad at all. Funny, the last time I saw The Girls, I don’t
even remember seeing a synthesizer. Maybe they got one of The Epoxies’ ones at
a yard sale. (Damn you for breaking up, Epoxies.)
–Todd Taylor (Dirtnap)
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GIRLS, THE:
Self-titled: 7"
If you miss the punky new wave of the Epoxies and don’t mind a smidge of power pop thrown into the mix, these kids’ll do the trick.
–Jimmy Alvarado (http://www.milkandchocolate.de/)
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GIRLS, THE:
Return to Zero: CDR
Good fucking God! It’s Turbonegro meets the Cars with a lot of ooohs and oh, oh, oh’s. It was clean and pretty darn catchy. Word to the wise: buy this, listen to it, and if you don’t like it… well, I guess you’re shit out of luck if you don’t like it, but I’m pretty sure you will.
–erika (Self-published)
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GIRLS, THE:
“Remote View” b/w “Lord Auch”: 7"
Two more tracks of damaged new wave for all you fuck ups to get fucked up to. In the past, I’ve put this band’s Dirtnap full-length on simply to annoy people, and sometimes the people I’m trying to annoy end up being pretty stoked on it. It’s a catchy chaos. The Pacific Northwest does an amazing job of crippling people’s psyche, often resulting in wonderfully deranged music. Here is one more example.
–Daryl Gussin (Hozac)
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GIRLUSH FIGURE:
Rotten to the Core: CD
This runs along the lines
of very early Hole, although more Babes in Toyland in their delivery, right
down to the handwritten lyric sheet.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Rodent Popsicle)
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GIT SOME:
Cosmic Rock: CD
A couple ex-members from Planes Mistaken For Stars decided to continue playing music together. This new combo of theirs, I tend to think is better than their previous. Git Some just have a bit more teeth in their sound. There is definitely a heavy Drive Like Jehu sound, but mixed with a rawer, purposely less polished edge. Also throw in some Hell No and Dead & Gone for the darkness and slow-fire burning in the guts. The playing is tight and, despite being a studio recording, there’s an intensity that is usually found in live performances. The songs go from one to the other without pause, and the sequencing is spot on. You start off up, and around the middle, they bring the energy down a smidge, then up again, ending somewhere in between. With a debut this good, I can only imagine what lays in store.
–Matt Average (1-2-3-4 Go!, www.1234gorecords.com)
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GIT SOME:
Loose Control: LP
This is a weird record to get around. As in, listen to and enjoy. Not weird in some avant garde sort of way, but more in the way that it’s not as good as the first, but it’s not horrible either. The songs are more chunky and drawn out, with a Scratch Acid influence, and where they once reminded me of Drive Like Jehu, I now here a later period Dead And Gone influence. The songs are tight despite their sometimes complex structures that stretch into near jam territory, and they can deliver the goods without breaking a sweat, it seems. However, the one thing that really keeps me from completely enjoying the record is the singer just cannot let the music stand on its own for long. It seems like there’s not a moment of silence from his wailing. It’s too much. A lot of over singing, and it sounds like he really wants to be Chris Cornell here by holding on to the end of some of the words when it’s time to either let the riff come forth, or just let the rhythm section display its power. On the fence about this one....
–Matt Average (Alternative Tentacles, alternativetentacles.com)
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GIT SOME:
Self-titled: 7”
This 7” offers up three tracks of noisy and distorted rock’n’roll: catchy riffs—with just the right amount of guitar wankery—and sung/yelled vocals. Side A features two short rippers in “Exhaustion=Feracity,” and “Wipe the Brain.” While Git Some are good when they tear through riffs like demons, the real gem for me was the slow burner “Accountability Starts with Me,” on the B-side. Here, the band gets slower, heavier, and a bit more lumbering with their riffs. It allows room for a more expansive sound. The sticker on the cover says that Git Some Features two members of Planes Mistaken For Stars, but this 7” is so good I think we can forgive them for past sins. It’s a follow up to their 2010 LP Loose Control, and highly recommended.
–Paul J. Comeau (Alternative Tentacles)
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GITO GITO HUSTLER:
What’s My…!?: 7”
Catchy and cute. If the
Dickies toured Japan in the late ‘70s and their illegitimate offspring formed a
girl band, they’d sound just like Gito Gito Hustler. I could spin this record
all day long.
–Jim Ruland (Big Neck)
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GITOGITO HUSTELR:
Love & Roll: CD
Like Shonen Knife or the 5, 6, 7, 8’s before them, this is possibly another girl group from Japan that will create a buzz here in the States. A cross between power pop and punk and roll, these girls seem to know how to put their rock on—but not angry with gritted teeth stuff, but let’s all dance together and have a fun time. They go all the way with self made matching outfits. Live, they must be fantastic. Judging by their recording, this isn’t the last time I will be hearing about them.
–Donofthedead (Gearhead)
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GITOGITO HUSTLER:
Gito Gito Galore: CDEP
There’s just something about punk rock played by Japanese girls. It’s got a certain chaos and beauty that you just can’t find anywhere else. Gitogito Hustler demonstrates this well. They have some heavy guitar riffs, not unlike their countrymen, Thee Michelle Gun Elephant. There’s a sweet, explosive energy to all the songs, like their countrywomen The 5.6.7.8.s. And, as Rev. Nørb very well may say prior to fouling the CD insert, it all comes in a tight little package. A worthwhile EP here.
–Sean Carswell (Gearhead)
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GITS, THE:
Frenching the Bully: CD
The Gits were an early-nineties punk band from Seattle. They released Frenching the Bully originally in 1992, but shortly after the release, the lead singer, Mia Zapata, was murdered. Recently, The Gits have been creeping back into the scene in the sense that a movie is being made about them, this album has been re-released, and it looks like the murderer has finally been found. The whole story is both interesting and sad, but I'm not going to tell it here. I'm just going to talk about the music. It's tighter and faster than what you would expect to come out of Seattle in the early nineties. Zapata's vocals and her lyrics are streetwise and tough. The guitars have a tendency to slip off into a solo, which is something I'm not fond of, but Steve Moriarty's drumming makes up for it. If you judge this album by 2003 standards, it's mediocre. There are a lot of bands taking punk rock fronted by a tough, female vocalist and driving it into directions far beyond what people were doing in 1992. But if you compare Frenching the Bully to some of its contemporaries like L7, Seven Year Bitch, or even male-fronted Seattle punkers Seaweed (whose song style sounds pretty similar to The Gits), The Gits blow them away. This re-release also has nine songs from a live recording of one of The Gits shows in 1993. It's a pretty good recording, but all of the songs that they played at their show are on Frenching the Bully, so it's kinda like hearing the album twice in a row with the songs in a different order.
–Sean Carswell (Broken Rekids)
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GITS, THE:
The Conquering Chicken: CD
Tragedy makes it tempting to overestimate the Gits. In light of the brutal rape and murder of vocalist Mia Zapata, who would want to say anything bad about her group? But before her death, her band was simply one in a long line of second-ran Seattle punk bands, little known outside the Northwest. That’s not to take anything away from a group, which held a lot of promise until some pathetic bastard robbed the world of one of the best rock vocalists ever. Zapata, at her best, alternates from the painful wail of P.J. Harvey to the enraged howl of Courtney Love to the poetic musings of Exene Cervenka. And when she covers Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come,” she recalls the soul of Janis Joplin. Listening to Enter: The Conquering Chicken, one can’t help but feel that this was a band who was still finding their voice while at the same time laying down several standout tracks that only hint at the future. The Gits are at their absolute best when Zapata is firmly in control. The album’s opening tracks “Bob (Cousin O)” and “Guilt within Your Head” are indisputably strong, but the band occasionally misfires, especially on tossaways like the dopey, quasi-sing-along, “Italian Song.” And while most of her words have a guttural, soul-purging quality to them (“Seaweed”), sometimes Zapata’s lyrics sound forced and perhaps a little too self-conscious, like the poetry of a broken heart, crammed with as much emotion as possible into every word. Then again, it’s an uncomfortable position to put one’s self in, second-guessing the raw emotion of a woman who more often than not produced gems not junk. Repackaged to include a (slightly muddled) seven-song live set, …The Conquering Chicken leaves little doubt that the Gits, despite the rough edges and occasional goofs, were destined to become one of the best bands Seattle had to offer, rather than a simple footnote in a scene fraught with much lesser groups.
–eric (Broken)
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GITS, THE:
Enter the Conquering Chicken: CD
Wow, this takes me back. Although the Gits were one of those bands I never got around to listening to back when they were originally making the rounds, I do remember them being the big cheese in the scene, as well as the shockwave that hit when their singer, Mia, was murdered a decade ago. Listening to this now, I can’t help but wonder where they might have ended up had her life not ended so abruptly ‘cause they were quite proficient at what they did. Although songs like “New Fast One” and “Sign of the Crab” show an ability to punk things up with ease, there’s also a bar band undercurrent to the proceedings as well, sorta like a grungier Big Brother and the Holding Company. Tacked onto this reissue are some additional live tracks showing they could pull off live the quality of work they put into their studio recordings. Poignant, but a good listen if you’re in the mood for something a little different.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Broken Rekids)
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GITS, THE:
Frenching the Bully: CD
The Gits were an early-nineties punk band from Seattle. They released Frenching the Bully originally in 1992, but shortly after the release, the lead singer, Mia Zapata, was murdered. Recently, The Gits have been creeping back into the scene in the sense that a movie is being made about them, this album has been re-released, and it looks like the murderer has finally been found. The whole story is both interesting and sad, but I’m not going to tell it here. I’m just going to talk about the music. It’s tighter and faster than what you would expect to come out of Seattle in the early nineties. Zapata’s vocals and her lyrics are streetwise and tough. The guitars have a tendency to slip off into a solo, which is something I’m not fond of, but Steve Moriarty’s drumming makes up for it. If you judge this album by 2003 standards, it’s mediocre. There are a lot of bands taking punk rock fronted by a tough, female vocalist and driving it into directions far beyond what people were doing in 1992. But if you compare Frenching the Bully to some of its contemporaries like L7, Seven Year Bitch, or even male-fronted Seattle punkers Seaweed (whose song style sounds pretty similar to The Gits), The Gits blow them away. This re-release also has nine songs from a live recording of one of The Gits shows in 1993. It’s a pretty good recording, but all of the songs that they played at their show are on Frenching the Bully, so it’s kinda like hearing the album twice in a row with the songs in a different order.
–Sean Carswell (Broken Rekids)
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GIUDA:
Racey Roller: LP
First off, it is aesthetically necessary for you to realize that this band’s name is not pronounced “GWEE-da,” nor is it “gee-OO-da,” “GWI-da,” “gee-eye-OO-da,” nor any such thing. The band’s name is pronounced “JOO-da,” and is, apparently, Italian for “Judas” ((which begs the question of whether fans occasionally yell “DYLAN!” their way during periods of moral disgruntlement)). Their bag, if you will, is to strip-mine the velvet tinmine of early-to-mid 70’s glitter rock, which isn’t a half-bad idea, because i’ve always liked bands like Sweet, Slade, Mud and T. Rex ((well, except for “Find Yourself A Rainbow” by Slade, i carved that one off my copy of the “Old, New, Borrowed & Blue” elpee with a steak knife when i bought the album as a cut-out as a fourteen-year-old, several years past its expiration date in 1979)), and my dad would never let me watch SuperSonic on whatever weekend late night it was on, probably because, quite frankly, he thought it was kinda too gay to have on in the house, and households usually only had one teevee back in the 70’s, so what can ya do??)), so, like most other Americans my age or younger, the whole UK glitter thing is a scene which i have, in large part, observed thru the rear view mirror of history ((and someone else’s rear view mirror at that)). And, further, whilst various musical ensembles often STATE that they want to, er, rip these bands off ((in the nicest way)), it is kinda rare that these bands are ripped off effectively or successfully, really. I state emphatically, and with gusto, that Giuda have done a fuckin’ SUPERLATIVE job of ripping these bands off! From the magnificent faux-import packaging ((what, no Jem Records sticker??)) to the spot-on faux Chapman-Chinn ((Phil Wainwright?)) production-isms and the title itself ((name-dropping both late-stage Chapman-Chinn prodigies Racey and the Bay City Rollers, don’tcha know)), this glorious slab captures the outward form of its subject matter as well as anyone’d have a right to expect ((except for the Arial Black on the front cover. Fuck you, Arial Black)), and, as far as i can tell, this kinda music is about as what-you-see-is-what-you-get at it gets, so he who controls the outward form controls the entire situation, IMO. So far so good. Now, where it starts to get slightly weird is here: This album is, indeed, an album ((stop me if this is going too quickly for you)). Amazingly, there really is not a great UK Glitter ((“Junkshop?” ok, if you say so)) Rock album from the 70’s that acts as a template for The Way Things Ought To Be in these cases. There just isn’t. The first album from Sweet – a band whom i consider the gold standard for all else of their ilk – was a bunch of wuss pop songs on which i don’t think they even played most of their instruments, Monkees-style. They then released a string of the fabbest glitter-glam singles known to man – “Little Willy” “Wig-Wam Bam” “Blockbuster” “Hell Raiser” “Ballroom Blitz” “Teenage Rampage” ((stretch a little bit and you can toss the Japanese b-side “Rebel Rouser” in there for good measure)) – and, by the time they released their second album, they were already veering towards a “we’re sick of releasing strings of the fabbest glitter-glam singles known to man” hard rock vector. In other words, NO ALBUM WAS ACTUALLY RECORDED during Sweet’s most vital period, circa 1973. The blueprint for “Racey Roller” was never actually created. We have to go off hunches and approximations. So, looking at my hunch/approximations – T. Rex’s “Electric Warrior,” Slade’s “Slayed?,” Sweet’s first US elpee ((itself a compilation of various singles, like their first UK album, but unlike it in that said singles did not suck)) – i can say with some assurance that the only thing this record lacks is one really, really, really, really, REALLY good song. I mean, they’ve got the “Bang A Gong”-ish cockshaker, they’ve got “Back Home” which, by dint of dink-dink-dink piano, sounds like a glam version of the Boys ((without sounding like the Hollywood Brats)), they’ve even got the title track instrumental which sounds like what would’ve happened if Chapman & Chinn would have gotten their hands on one of those instrumentals from the second Buzzcocks album ((“Walking Distance” i’m thinking)). But the BIG HIT – the crème de la crème de la slam de la glam – is, on obviously highly meticulous inspection, absent. These guys have no “Ballroom Blitz,” no “Gudbuy T’Jane,” no “Tiger Feet.” They try to position “Number 10” – the “Bang A Gong”-ish cockshaker of previous mention – as a legit album-leader-offer song; the song is great and all, but it’s not THAT great ((and what is “you’re a number ten” supposed to MEAN, anyway? Do they mean, like, a PERFECT ten or something? I don’t know about where you come from, but where i come from, a “number ten” means “a full 1/4 pound of fresh sliced medium rare roast beef, provolone, lettuce, tomato, & mayo”)). And wasn’t “Bang A Gong” the leadoff track on side TWO of “Electric Warrior” anyway? Dude, from what little we know about Glittery Junkshop albums, they ALWAYS have a big hit starting out side two! Meanwhile, Guida’s side-two-leader-offer, “Tartan Pants,” is merely ordinary, and sounds, minus the Bay City Rollers reference, like the kind of songs Sweet were trying to write when they weren’t interested in trying to write songs like the songs Giuda are trying to write. In any event, i am currently in the process of growing out my bangs like Dave Hill of Slade in this album’s honor, but i’m holding out on growing the Noddy Holder muttonchops until they DELIVER MY DAMN SOUL next time. BEST SONG: Tough call, but i think i’m in love with the title track. BEST SONG TITLE: “Tartan Pants” FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: Some of these guys used to be in TAXI, so you know Jim Budds has gotta approve.
–Rev. Norb (Dead Beat)
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GIVE:
Boots of Faith: 7"
Wasn’t quite sure to make of ‘em based on the cover, but the music on the vinyl is deeply entrenched in that brief period between the harDCcore of Minor Threat and the proto-emo of Embrace and their fellow summer revolutionaries. Both tracks are hard hitting without sacrificing a drop of catchy tunefulness and serve as an example of just how far from the point the bulk of today’s emo kids have strayed. Impressive stuff.
–Jimmy Alvarado (derangedrecords.com)
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GIVE:
I Am Love: 7"
This has been out awhile, but I felt the need to show it some love. If you’re not familiar with Give, they are ex-Lion Of Judah, playing jams in the vein of their previous project, but a bit more rock’n’roll sounding. Catchy riffs and vocals you can’t help but want to scream along with. If you’ve yet to check out Give, this 7” single is a great place to give them some love.
–Paul J. Comeau (Triple-B, givemusical@gmail.com)
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GIVE:
“Petal Pushing” b/w “Taste of Smile”: 7”
Playing post hardcore jams with a rock’n’roll vibe, every Give song is catchy and loaded with epic guitar riffing, but on “Petal Pushing,” the band approach an even higher level of greatness. Not only is this track roaring with intensity, it’s by far the catchiest of all their tunes. The B Side track “Taste of Smile,” is a little more mellow, but equally awesome in overall quality. It’s difficult picking a favorite when Give has so many great 7” singles, but after only a few listens, I’d say this is the winner for me. Pick up any of their releases if you come across them, but if you have a choice, get this one first.
–Paul J. Comeau (Painkiller, givemusical@gmail.com)
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GIVE:
“Boots of Faith” b/w “Going Confetti”: 7”
Another single from post hardcore rock’n’rollers Give. The A Side, “Boots of Faith” has some fast, more hardcore-sounding verses, but gets groovy on the choruses. “Going Confetti,” on the B Side, is a sweet jam with some great sing-along parts with the chorus, “We no longer need to dream / we can create everything.” If you haven’t checked out this band yet, you’re seriously missing out.
–Paul J. Comeau (Deranged, givemusical@gmail.com)
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GIVE:
“Flower Head” b/w “Kiss the Flame”: 7”
Post hardcore rockers Give return with another single. “Flower Head” is one of my favorite of their songs for its noodly bass intro and grooving riffs throughout. It’s yet another song with an epic sing-along in the chorus. The B Side, “Kiss the Flame,” is equally awesome for the sheer amount of guitar wankery going on. This is easily one of my favorite of their singles.
–Paul J. Comeau (Youngblood, givemusical@gmail.com)
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GIVE:
“Heaven Is Waiting” b/w “One” : 7”
Give shred another epic post hardcore single on this 7”. I love that Give has such a plethora of 7” singles out right now, and it’s cool to see that each of them is on a different label that they want to support and work with. I also noticed that each one features a photo of a different member of the band as a cover, which was also neat. On this 7”, “Heaven Is Waiting,” is another track showcasing the band at their best, but the real gem on this for me is the B Side track, “One.” Of the two tracks, I feel that “One” captures the essence of Give much better than “Heaven Is Waiting,” though each are excellent for someone new to the band to check out. Rock’n’rolling post hardcore doesn’t get much better than this!
–Paul J. Comeau (React!, givemusical@gmail.com)
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GIVE:
Singles Going Confetti: LP
These guys remind me of late 1980s Dischord/DC bands like Soul Side and King Face, but with a bit more of a “rawk” side. Crucial John’s vocals sound, to me, like Sean Brown (Swiz / early Dag Nasty), with the strained from-the-gut delivery. You can hear the classic DC guitar sound here, and the drums are really good. However, most of this stuff doesn’t ever take off; instead it just kind of lays flat, despite their efforts to rock out. “Solid White” is a good song, but the rest is filler. Then there’s the absurd lyrics of “Kiss the Flame”: “Watching you kiss the flame / And you make love to the fire.” Ummm, okay.... Nice photos and layout though.
–Matt Average (Deranged, derangedrecords.com)
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GIVE UP:
Discography: CD
Short-lived Albany band (members from Acid Reflux, Devoid Of Faith, JBA, To Hell And Back, Dead Unicorn, Limpwrist, etc.) gets their due with this forty-three song discography. Hardcore punk with a dark and evil edge. There’s a metal influence, but that’s more for the heaviness and darkness. For the most part, the execution is at a fast tempo. Liz’s vocals sound blown-out and possessed, as though she’s escaped from the basement in Evil Dead. The guitar is great. Solid and abrasive, with the classic hardcore tone. I like how the songs will race, build up tension, then shift to a mid pace to break up the speedy attack. You get their 1999 demo, first EP, and the second unreleased EP (only exists in one hundred test presses - until now), and a live set. Comes packed in a regular jewel case stored inside a slip case, and a button. Nice! This is the second pressing of one hundred, so it might be time to pick it up.
–Matt Average (Peterwalkee, peterwalkeerecords.com)
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