Razorcake

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S.P.I.C.:
Day Drunk: CD
Pedestrian, punky rock with a singer that sounds like he’s actively avoiding singing in tune. Cute acronym for the band name there. –Jimmy Alvarado (Pop-2121)

S.S.S.P!:
Skinheads Still Scare People: 7”
Oi meets hardcore with good results. It’s tough and really well played. I’d like to hear more. –Ty Stranglehold (Koi!)

S.T.P., THEE/ BINGO:
Action: Split 7"EP
Hoo, doggie! Some crankin’ punk rock‘n’roll from two bands I initially thought were one, both of which are apparently vying for the title of Italy’s answer to the Candysnatchers. Some wild shit here that ranges in tempo from overdrive to nitro-injected full-throttle. After being stuck in traffic for more than three hours today, this is exactly what I need. –Jimmy Alvarado (Rapid Pulse)

SABERTOOTH SNATCH :
Project Sherm : 7"+CD
A five-song, lowish-fi, jazz-core mini-opera that the producers claim to be about some wacky space adventure of some sort, but sounds to me like it is actually about the life and times of Stephen Egerton. Comes with a fold-out poster sleeve, a CD-R, and a libretto ((well, a piece of folded-over paper detailing the story)) ((which in and of itself is quite amusing and well done)). I hope Project Sherm means a lot to some people. I may not be included in that particular subset of humanity. BEST SONG: “Space Niggas” BEST SONG TITLE: “Red Light Planet” FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: Shermy, along with Patty and Charlie Brown, were the three characters featured in the first-ever Peanuts strip in 1950. –Rev. Norb (Goin’ Ape Shit)

SABOTEURS:
Self-titled: 7"
Lo-fi art/proto punk with multi vocalists of both the genders. Not very fast, yet surely fast enough to still rock. Sadly whatever this was recorded on doesn’t seem to have had the capacity to capture the entirety of this band, which leaves me grieving what I don’t get to hear. Whatever, that’s just the price of DIY sometimes, and this 7” is still really good anyways. –Daryl Gussin (Commodity Fetish)

SACRED SHOCK:
Self-titled: 7"
Hailing from Austin, Texas and featuring members of Army Of Jesus, this new band impressed me quickly. It hits you right in the gonads as soon as the sound pours out of the speakers. I was overtaken by the energy and felt like I was in the comfort of an old friend. It’s hardcore that is tough as nails, but still retains bits and pieces of melody to add character to the charging music. For a modern day reference, this band reminds me a lot of the Swedish band, Victims. The bands share the same intensity and show a genuine drive. Some bands try to sound like they are trying to play U.S. ‘80s-style hardcore and not quite pull it off. Some bands do it right and sound like a band that came from that time period. I classify this band as the latter. –Donofthedead (Schizophrenic)

SACRED SHOCK:
You’re Not with Us: LP
A lot of the time when I go to a hardcore show or a metal show, afterwards I walk away talking about how blown away I am by how tight, fast, and intense the bands were. My girlfriend usually then will ask if I want to go buy the band’s record and almost always I find myself saying “Oh, no. I would never listen to that at home.” That’s the feeling I get with this record. These dudes probably slay live. The band is supremely solid, plays with epic ferocity, precision, and speed. But, at the same time, you won’t ever catch me pitting in my room to this. For a quick description, imagine if the Husker Dü that recorded Land Speed Record got angrier, louder, and faster over time, maybe dabbled in metal crossover territory, rather than going on to record New Day Rising or Flip Your Wig. As a matter of personal preference, I enjoy the latter more so than the former, which isn’t to say that there aren’t folks out there who wouldn’t enjoy this record. I’m sure some of you are certainly going to salivate all over this, and I might even join you at the shows. This just isn’t going to get a lot of plays on my turntable. –Jeff (Residue, residue-records.com)

SACRILICIOUS:
Seven Songs: CD
More fucking emocore. Wouldn’t have been so bad if the singer didn’t sound like such a whiny prat. –Jimmy Alvarado (New Disorder)

SAD LIVES OF THE HOLLYWOOD LOVERS, THE:
Silencer: CDEP
Decent enough indie pop with liberal sprinkles of ‘80s Brit-pop, loud guitars, and gloominess to keep things interesting. –Jimmy Alvarado (Spinsgood)

SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS:
Self-titled: CDEP
Modern day hardcore with youth crew background vocals and metal guitar riffs. Are you tough enough? –Donofthedead (Spook City)

SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS:
Self-titled: CD
Modern day hardcore with youth crew background vocals and metal guitar riffs. Are you tough enough? –Donofthedead (Spook City)

SAD TROPICS:
Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt: CDEP
Full disclosure: The drummer of this band got me into punk rock, the singer/guitarist’s former mother-in-law was my eighth grade science teacher, and the bass player will, to me, forever be twelve years old. That being said, this is the Indiana-based band’s first release. It’s a six song EP, with one of those songs being a bonus track (a cover of a song by the singer’s solo act, The Rutabega). The band is a three piece with the bassist also doing some background vocals. Although the band states their influences range from Minor Threat to Redd Kross and the Flaming Lips, it’s much easier to hear the Flaming Lips than the other bands. This is total pop with a lemony twist of intelligence (take that, generic emo band of the month!) with much of the album focused more on ideal songwriting and less on energy and punk-inspired mass mayhem. Thus, the clean recording and engineering really emphasizes the band’s music. Having known the band members’ previous acts—singer/songwriter, math rock, atmospheric alterna-rock—Sad Tropics seems like the logical next step in the musical lives of these individuals. The sound may be too unsoiled for most readers of this zine, but the hooks and catchiness of the choruses really shouldn’t be lost on any fan of the poppier side of punk. –Kurt Morris (Self-released, Sad Tropics, www.myspace.com/sadtropics)

SADDAM’S ANGELS:
We’re Saddam’s Angels and You Suck: CD
One original and three covers—Black Flag, Skrewdriver and the Canadian Subhumans, respectively—recorded live in San Francisco, apparently intended as an attempt to bunch up the underwear of the PC-punk brigade. While such an act is akin to shooting whales in a glass of water, and it would’ve been nice to hear more original tunes, this was still a hoot. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.maltsoda.com)

SADDLE TRAMPS:
Nashville Swinger: CD
Wait'll the big guns get a whiff of this one. The Saddle Tramps are on par with legendary gold-standard groups like BR5-49, Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash, the Derailers, Shaver, the Paladins, and the Blasters—well-balanced and well-written country rock. Capable of pounding out spaghetti westerns, blistering psychobilly, and Mariachi/ Norteño-infused country (Tex-Mex), the band rounds out their sound with a light-hearted wit similar to Robbie Fulks and the swaggering confidence associated with Twistin' Tarantulas. Snicker-inducing titles include: "How Can I Say I Love You (with a Shotgun in My Mouth)?" "My Dick's Too Big," "Cotton Pony Express," and "(You Put the) Cunt in Country." They've also thrown in a surprising cover of the Vandals' "Susanville." Live with three studio tracks. –Jessica Thiringer (Split 7)

SADO-NATION:
The Teal Project: CDEP
Holy moly. It’s the original Portland Sado-Nation from 1978. Well, sorta. The first and last songs are Sado-Nation (with three original members, excluding the drummer Chuck) and the middle two are a band called Those Powerful Pheromones, which share singer/guitarist, David Corboy. My favorite track of the quartet is the first. “Nuke Up Now!”’s got that loose, chargey female-fronted wickedness. It’s a re-recording more off the We’re Not Equal LP from ‘82 that’s a lot less shrill (Mish Bondage’s voice is deeper, more powerful), less flirting with metal, more straight ahead, and more powerfully recorded. Pretty darn cool. Didn’t much care for the second track, “Insomnia Insomniac,” which overlapped with what I’ve been exposed to Jethro Tull a tad too much for my liking. “When the Sun Stops” picks it up with a bouncy beat and toe tappability. “16 Again” - I just really like the tension that Sado-Nation is capable of. They capture the vibe of sirens going off and people running by you and getting caught in a fun riot. Not sure why it’s not a clean split (two songs then two songs) between to the two projects. –Todd Taylor (Cordical Music Co.)

SAETA:
Else another Light Might Go Out: CD
I fully lay the blame at the feet of Spontaneous Disgust, but when I see a disc indicating cellos are part of the instrumentation, I expect some wild shenanigans to be afoot. Unfortunately, these kids are not of the same mind, preferring instead to mine soporific, mellow gloom. While the songs are well crafted, it lacks any heft to make it anything more than post-goth parlor music. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.saetamusic.com)

SAFE INSIDE:
Self-titled: 7”
This little record—packed with fourteen midget-sized songs—reminds me of Henri Pougard, a Frenchman famous in fighting arts circles for his “Parisian Halitotic Attack” whereby he could render a man unconscious with nothing more than his own rancid hell breath. I love Safe Inside’s asshair-burning brevity and shriek-core intensity, but it all kind of sounds the same to me, no matter how many song-like bursts you cram on this little piece of vinyl. –Aphid Peewit (Black Matter)

SAFES, THE:
Well Well Well: CD
My friend Rick wants to like power pop. He digs the guitar hooks and appreciates the melodies. He can deal with the occasional skinny tie. He hates the lyrics, though. He can't sing along to tales of broken hearts. He's not chasing nineteen. I think he's wrong about power pop. I tell him to ignore the meaning of the words and focus on the sounds—that's where the fun is. Rick is going to love the Safes' Well Well Well. It's got the hooks and melodies and the lyrics are personal without being pandering. "Everybody in the world but me/ Is on the inside of the joke apparently...the rules I need they hide" (“Everybody in the World”). A skosh cynical, sure, but perfectly counter balanced by the glass-is-half-full "Cool Sounds" ("Cool sounds are here again"). Rick's going to ask who the Safes sound like. He won't believe me when I say the Beatles, the Clash, and the Replacements. Phrases like "power pop hooks with punk rock conviction" won't seal the deal either, but they'll pique his curiosity and Well Well Well will do the rest. One of the best records of the year. –Mike Faloon –Guest Contributor (O'Brothers)

SAFES, THE :
Sight of All Light: CD EP
“Sunshine is finally mine/Everything’s going to be okay.” Sounds like Shirley Temple optimism, right? Blinders on. Denial in full effect. But Sight of All Light is a different enchilada altogether. Intense pop tunes played through clenched teeth. Trying to convince yourself that it’s all good but knowing otherwise. These songs are heavy and dark. They feel like that The Safes are venting and purging. Sight of All Light captures the same tone that’s come into my head every time I’ve thought about national politics in the last eight years, only with guitars. I hope the Safes come back to the pop side on their next record, but this is a really good departure. –Mike Faloon (O’Brothers, www.thesafes.com)

SAFES, THE:
Sight of All Light: CDEP
This is good power pop! The songs are highly original and punchy, with loud guitars and awesome vocals. The songs are original in a genre not known for originality, but stay anchored to the classic sound that they capture very well in five quick songs. This is worth finding. –Will Kwiatkowski (O’Brothers, no address)

SAFES, THE:
Boogie Woogie Rumble: CDEP
Sounds like a quarter-century-younger version of the Angelic Upstarts all cracked up on those energy drinks so popular with our nation’s youth singing Undertones songs that aren’t about girls, except for “Mental Wheelchair,” which kind of sounds like it could have come from somewhere in the middle of the second side of the Adolescents first album. If this record gets you on the floor, watch out for your brisket! BEST SONG: “Mind Meltdown” BEST SONG TITLE: “Mind Meltdown” i guess FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: 75% of this band appear to be brethren. –Rev. Norb (Pro-Vel)

SAFETY PINS:
Invite Us to Your Funeral: CD
This is real trashy punk'n'roll from Spain. It doesn't really sound like garage music, but it sounds like it was recorded in a garage. You can almost hear the big door rattling and the neighbors calling to complain. You can literally hear the singer hock a loogey. I point all this out by way of complimenting the band, of course. They sing in English, but judging from songs like "Suburban Twat," "Kill the Hippies," and the title track, lyrics aren't what these guys are all about. What they are about is playing fast and loud punk that falls somewhere between Turbonegro and the Smut Peddlers. It's good stuff. –Sean Carswell (Dead Beat, PO Box 283, LA, CA 90078)

SAGE FRANCIS:
A Healthy Distrust: CD
The beats are good, and the man certainly has some rhyming skills and a smooth flow, but I kept thinkin’ “Eminem’s whiny little brother” when I listened to him ask God not to take any more of his friends, and a couple more songs elicited the same response. In short, this is quasi-socially conscious hip-hop that misses the mark a little too often. –Jimmy Alvarado (Epitaph)

SAGGER:
Self-titled: 7”
Three songs, very stripped down and raw rock‘n’roll. It’s good, but nothing about it makes it stand out from a zillion other bands that have this sound. If you see it at the record store it might be good to pick up, but it’s not something that you should put a lot of effort into finding. –Guest Contributor (Goodbye Boozy)

SAGGER:
Self-titled: 7"
I’ve liked most of the releases I’ve heard on Goodbye Boozy, but this is a clunker. It sounds like southern, ‘70s classic rock. Ugh. –Josh Benke (Goodbye Boozy)

SAGGER:
Self-Titled: 7"
I’ve liked most of the releases I’ve heard on Goodbye Boozy, but this is a clunker. It sounds like southern, ‘70s classic rock. Ugh. –Josh Benke (Goodbye Boozy)

SAHARA HOT NIGHTS:
Jennie Bomb: CD
Being from Sweden, this all girl outfit has benefited from having a Hives connection. It’s interesting how other countries absorb American culture. There’s a definite Suzy Quatro influence here but also quite a bit of ‘80s arena pop/metal. The songs basically rock and have the kind of themes you’d expect to find on a Runaways record (or the earliest Donnas record, for that matter) such as “Alright Alright (Here’s My Fist Where’s the Fight?).” More of a garage influence may have made this more palatable. –Bob Cantu (Jetset)

SAHARA HOT NIGHTS:
Jennie Bomb: CD
Being from Sweden, this all girl outfit has benefited from having a Hives connection. It's interesting how other countries absorb American culture. There's a definite Suzy Quatro influence here but also quite a bit of '80s arena pop/metal. The songs basically rock and have the kind of themes you'd expect to find on a Runaways record (or the earliest Donnas record, for that matter) such as "Alright Alright (Here's My Fist Where's the Fight?)." More of a garage influence may have made this more palatable. –Bob Cantu
–Guest Contributor (Jetset)

SAHN MARU:
Never Too Late: CD
If I remember correctly, this band has a former member of Blown To Bits. Looking at the provided info, that fact is correct. It was over a year ago that I saw this Bay Area band. I was impressed with their take on Swedish d-beat. The set was very aggressive and heavy. I was truly impressed. I never got around to getting their 7”, but here lays before me their full length. As mentioned before, the band plays d-beat, Discore, or whatever you want to call it. But they also add the metallic elements of crust in their music, which gives it a dreary, dark feeling, adding to the power. An added plus is that it sounds like it was recorded in a decent studio. Everything seems to be in the right place and the instruments are clear and loud. Nothing is worse for me these days than listening to something recorded on the cheap and not sounding even half good. But when recorded properly, the music stands out and keeps my attention. Attention I have, as I have listened to this numerous times. Something about the brash vocals, heavy, distorted guitars, and solid and punchy-sounding drums and bass gets my adrenaline pumping. Adding the metal riffing makes my head bang with appreciation. You either do this genre wrong or right. This band has done it right. –Donofthedead (Inimical)

SAHUA:
Arm a Ghetto: CDEP
Full disclosure up front: I’ve been friends with both Tito and Billy (Sahua’s vocalist/rhythm guitarist and bassist, respectively) for more than half my life (and did time in Plain Agony, Los Traviesos and Ollin with one, the other or both) and remember when their lead guitarist (and Tito’s son) Michael was but a few days old. Does that bias me favorably towards their music? Maybe, but my affinity for their musical efforts (Tito was singer for the legendary Chainsaw Blues, which changed its name to The Fingers and became a trash punk institution; and Billy has been in tons of off-kilter L.A. punk acts, including Trash Can School, Aphrodesian Heads, and Jazz from Hell, to name a few) has always been an honest one. Both have much in their past of which they can be proud, and this latest venture is no exception. As illustrated by both the sly appropriation of the cover layout of the Circle Jerks’ Group Sex and the drawing of a gun-toting Virgen de Guadalupe inside, they incorporate non-punk influences amassed over the years into a punk sound and come up with something decidedly different in approach and content from the slew of vapid pop punkers whoring for the elusive big money label deal. From the outset, the music is a rough and tumble ride of both subtle experimentation with form and primal thud-punk reminiscent of proto-hardcore bands like the Cheifs and The Klan, while the poetic lyrics address the use of fear as a tool for population control, the appropriation of religious imagery, fascism, police brutality, and the plight of both the poor in southern Mexico and the hundreds of murdered women in northern Mexico. Though some of the songs may run a little on the long side, the strongest of the five tracks here is the longest, “Sheriff’s Gonna Die,” which pulses with righteous anger and recounts a bleak reality many of us know too well: “Count the black and whites/Count the flashing lights/Chasing cars at night/Better run the end is near/Believe in what you hear/The force the rounds are here/To knock your voice down.” All told, this is some good stuff. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.myspace.com/sahua13)

SAIBON:
Number Two: 7" EP
Who the fuck are these guys? This is some righteous fast punkrockdon'tgiveashittearthefuckinghousedown genius! Eight brilliant tracks on this piece of shit disc, every one of them crucial listening matter for anyone even pretending to have a clue. I suggest you buy out the pressing of this and give 'em to all those Blink fans at your school so that they'll know what real punk rock sounds like. –Jimmy Alvarado (Hard On, Jarntorgsgatan 10, 703 61, Orebro, Sweden)

SAIBON:
Number Two: 7"EP
Who the fuck are these guys? This is some righteous fast punkrockdon'tgiveashittearthefuckinghousedown genius! Eight brilliant tracks on this piece of shit disc, every one of them crucial listening matter for anyone even pretending to have a clue. I suggest you buy out the pressing of this and give 'em to all those Blink fans at your school so that they'll know what real punk rock sounds like. –Jimmy Alvarado (Hard On)

SAINT ALVIA CARTEL, THE:
Self-Titled: CD
This kind of threw me for a loop. I really had no idea what to expect other than the bio that came with the disc said something about some of these guys being from some known hardcore bands from days gone by (I’d name ‘em, but I forget, and I lost the bio). The last thing I was thinking I’d hear was what I can only equate with what Dillinger Four would sound like covering some lost Clash song that they happened to leave off of London Calling. And that was just the first song! The second song got caught up in some kind of reggae thing that I wasn’t really into, but by the third, they were right back at it. Did I mention the organ? No? Well, it makes them have a very Snuff-like quality to them as well. For all of the “sounds like” and “influenced by” I can toss at you, they still manage to sound fresh and original. This is a great record. –Ty Stranglehold (Stomp)

SAINTE CATHERINES / WHISKEY SUNDAY:
Split: 7”
I’m no math guy, but I think that the band, The Church Of The Saturday Morning Saints (reviewed elsewhere in this issue) features members of both these bands, since the dude’s voice in the Sainte Catherines is so distinctive: swallowing nails while blowing smoke rings through a rough cloth. The Sainte Catherines also have that secret button that other bands can’t seem to find: they can go from mellow, interesting acoustic-laced ballads into full-throttle, break-the-sky-with-guitars riffs anthems without compromising the heart of the first or the power of the second. Big stuff. Whiskey Sunday: This is all just a guess, but I hear a distant metal past meets the same approach as Altaira, which means they’re earnest, love early Hot Water Music, and take time to let their songs breath between the words to let the notes soak—like beer and fine pharmaceuticals—into the listener’s bloodstream. It feels very “brotherhood of the musical notes” and steers far from “dude, bro. Light beer. Bangin’ chicks! Woo!” Strong split. –Todd Taylor (Vinehell)

SAINTE CATHERINES, THE:
Dancing for Decadence: CD
I had the pleasure of drinking with these Canucks in Gainesville, FL for Fest III. I can honestly say that they live what they sing about. Pissed about the state of the world, government corruption, dispossessed poor, power in the hands of the rich, etc. This record, as well as their last, is an angry yet melodic voice of discontent. Scum pride for the dirty drunk in all of us. Raise one fistful of whiskey and the make the other available for throwing the Molotov cocktail to burn down City Hall. Best line, “I’m waiting for a sign from god or his son. Don’t call him Christ. I lost faith years ago when I came to love life.” They have a sense of humor as well, saying in the song “Emo-ti-Cons:Punk Rock Experts,” about themselves nonetheless, “They’re a clone of Born Against, I can hear some Lifetime, he can’t sing, the drummer’s not tight, and there’s no passion.” There’s a song apparently playing on the best Refused record entitled, “The Shape of Drunks to Come”. This is their first Fat Wreck release. I think The Sainte Catharines beats the hell out of Lagwagon and Face To Face. –Buttertooth (Fat Wreck)

SAINTE CATHERINES, THE:
Dancing for Decadence: CD
I remember in the summer of 1993, the big talk of the U.S. punk scene was Avail. They were awesome live, but all their records up until that point were pretty weak. Nothing they’d released had done a really good job of capturing their live energy. Then Dixie came out and Avail became the big shit of the ‘90’s. Dancing for Decadence is The Sainte Catherines’ Dixie. Finally, an album that is as dynamic and powerful as seeing them live. Imagine Tragedy playing Leatherface songs with catchy, anthemic choruses a la Strike Anywhere, and you’ve got a pretty good idea of where these six French-Canadians are coming from. Hugo’s lyrics straddle the line between personal emo-ish stuff and social statements calling the scene out on its shit, but always with enough intelligence to not sound cheesy. The three guitars are just different enough from one another to create a warm, dark melodic texture, but without losing their bite. I’m so glad The Sainte Catherines finally have a good recorded representation of how awesome they can sound. This band is gonna get fucking huge, so you might wanna get in on the ground floor and get this now. –Ben Snakepit (Fat)

SAINTE CATHERINES, THE:
Dancing for Decadence: CD
Hey! Another band that flew under my radar and pops up out of nowhere! I see this band has already put out a couple of LPs, an EP and two splits. Where have I been? Clueless, as usual. A posse of six from Montreal, Canada is the culprit of creating this wall of noise. A mixture of small hints of Strike Anywhere, Hot Water Music, and maybe a double pinch of Strung Out. Melodic, but still hard driving. The production is top-notch in Fat fashion where every instrument is separate and identifiable, but melds as one. The vocal delivery is slightly gruff, but is in key and sung with conviction. The three guitars play a game of Twister with their intertwining harmonies and layers. There is no doubt these guys can play and show some anger in the process. A great introduction to another band I have never heard of before. –Donofthedead (Fat)

SAINTE CATHERINES, THE:
Dancing for Decadence: CD

I remember in the summer of 1993, the big talk of the U.S. punk scene was Avail. They were awesome live, but all their records up until that point were pretty weak. Nothing they’d released had done a really good job of capturing their live energy. Then Dixie came out and Avail became the big shit of the ‘90’s. Dancing for Decadence is The Sainte Catherines’ Dixie. Finally, an album that is as dynamic and powerful as seeing them live. Imagine Tragedy playing Leatherface songs with catchy, anthemic choruses a la Strike Anywhere, and you’ve got a pretty good idea of where these six French-Canadians are coming from. Hugo’s lyrics straddle the line between personal emo-ish stuff and social statements calling the scene out on its shit, but always with enough intelligence to not sound cheesy. The three guitars are just different enough from one another to create a warm, dark melodic texture, but without losing their bite. I’m so glad The Sainte Catherines finally have a good recorded representation of how awesome they can sound. This band is gonna get fucking huge, so you might wanna get in on the ground floor and get this now.

–Ben Snakepit (Fat)

SAINTE CATHERINES/WHISKEY SUNDAY:
Split: 7"
The Sainte Catherines, there’s so many of them! Seriously, there’s like six of them, cranking out heavy, dark hardcore with pretty little melodies that peek out and kiss you on the cheek every now and then. I heard their next full-length is gonna be on Fat Wreck (good move, Mike!). Whiskey Sunday is equally dark, but not as heavy as the Sainte Catherines, with guitars that are a little more rock and a little less hardcore. Imagine if Storm the Tower were less Austin and more Chattanooga, if that makes sense. This is a good split record ‘cause the two bands are both similar enough and different enough to compliment each other well. Recommended! –Ben Snakepit (Vinehell/Yo Yo)

SAINTS, THE:
Cabaret at the Roundhouse, Live 1977: CD
The live record we have been waiting for. Rude, raw and in your face. The original line-up, playing their first show in London. “Do the Robot,” “I’m Stranded,” “Miss Understood” and “Perfect Day” spew fire and brimstone. Crank the unbridled fury of The Saints UP! Way UP! I’d put this up against any live official releases by The Clash, The Ramones, and even The Damned. Guess what—I’d win. Ed Kuepper—where are you? –Sean Koepenick (Swashbuckler)

SAINTS, THE:
Imperious Delirium: CD
New record from the punk rock legends. There’s no “I’m Stranded” here, but some great songs throughout. I’m guessing they are down to a trio again since Marty Willson-Piper of The Church has flown the coop after one release. Chris Bailey carries all the guitar parts quite well without him. Amazing how cohesive this sounds considering it was recorded in Amsterdam! “Other Side of the World” could be a radio hit if the radio didn’t just play shit all the time. –Sean Koepenick (Cadiz)

SAINTS, THE:
Nothing Is Straight in My House: CD
Yeah, it’s not (I’m) Stranded. Yeah, it’s not Eternally Yours. Yeah, there’s only one original member. But it’s still Chris Bailey, and he still sounds like an eighteen-year-old spending his paycheck on whiskey and cigarettes. The music is fine; it’s not gonna burn your eyebrows off, but it’s pretty good. To me, though, he’s in a league with Joe Strummer and Phil Lynott—his voice is so good that he could sing over pretty much anything and I’d probably like it. I mean, this is the guy who sang “Messin’ with the Kid.” Cut him some slack. –Josh (UFO)

SAINTS, THE:
Live in Brisbane 2007: CD
During the Queensland Music Festival, July 2007 to be exact, The Saints got back together. I mean the original Saints. Well, three out of the four. (Where are you Algy Ward?) Ed Kuepper and Ivor Hay came back to burn it up with Chris Bailey. Twelve songs that sound they never broke up, although the last time they played together was 1978. “This Perfect Day,” “Know Your Product,” and “Messing with the Kid” really drive the nail into the bloodless heart of some of today’s bands output. Save up your pennies. It’s a pricey import, but it’s well worth it. –Sean Koepenick (Fatal)

SAIRAAT MIELET:
Controversial History 1988-1992: CD
Loud, fast and fucked up—can’t ask for much better than that when you’re talking about Finnish hardcore, and these kids deliver on that promise and then some. Two EPs are collected here and both fall somewhere in the “Bermuda Triangle” of hardcore, meaning that if you take Assfort and teach them to play Raw Power’s early set at a Scandinavian hardcore show, you’ll pretty much get this. The whole thing is totally over the top in all the right ways and, best of all doesn’t rely on cheap “blast beat” parlor tricks to up the intensity. The lyrics? They were supposedly a “hard line” straight edge band, but considering the lyrics would be no doubt unintelligible even with a lyric sheet in hand, homeboy could be screaming at me to ingest road apples with a side of peach cobbler and a butane cocktail chaser and I’d be none the wiser. –Jimmy Alvarado (Six Weeks)

SAIRAUS:
A Sickness Called God: 2 x Mini-CD
The name’s Finish, meaning “disease.” The band’s composed of the ever-revolving, constantly incestuous L.A. hardcore/grindcore scene, featuring current and ex-members of Kontraattaque, Hated Principles, Cthuwulf, and Progeria. Sairaus sounds like the wall between Mexico and America being blown up. Or the dismantling of the houses of all the men and women who penned, voted for, and are currently enforcing Arizona’s Senate bill 1070, which demands that all immigrants meet federal requirements to carry identity documents legitimizing their presence on American soil. Sounds like that, with some Motörhead sweating it out with Terveet Kädet. –Todd Taylor (Self-released)

SAKES ALIVE:
Act 2: EP
Modern hardcore with a definite rock influence, and it’s for the better. Sakes Alive are noisy and thrashy, but solid, tuneful, and catchy at the same time. Kind of like a gutsier and punker Gallows. All three songs on here do the job of getting down and dirty. Mainly mid-tempo, and a tad heavy, the music takes over the room with thick guitar sound and a drum kit that sounds like it’s getting beat to hell and back. The production on here is big and roomy, allowing the songs to develop and reveal themselves as they move along. “Images of Modern Man” on the flipside is the standout cut. Comes on greenish yellow vinyl. Chartreuse? –Matt Average (Cavity, cavityrecords.com)

SALVATION CITY ROCKERS:
Self-titled: 2 x LP
This band brings a lot of different things to the table, and unlike most bands, succeeds in putting forth an album with varying sounds as opposed to varying quality. There’s good street punk, some solid oi, and a few tracks smack dab in the vein of the “punky-reggae party” genre best exemplified by Los Fabulosos Cadillacs’ Rey Azucar album. The songs are in French, which is great, since that way I can just assume all the lyrics rule. Also, it’s a lot easier to read when you are not being distracted by song lyrics you feel somehow embody your trials and tribulations. This is a really solid release from a genre you don’t hear very often, so definitely check this out. –Rene Navarro (Joe Pogo)

SAM LOMBARDI:
Take Your Pic: CD
Picture if you will, Kelly Clarkson weaned on Johnny Thunders. Well, maybe not weaned, but told by some A&R weasel to dress that way because it’ll sell. Yep, this is pure teen pop crap. There’s quite the team of writers here. Some songs have up to five or six writers. Too bad Sam herself is only credited on four of them. The first song was kind of catchy (in an embarrassing, shameful kind of way), but I was redeemed when I couldn’t stand the rest of it. This should be standard mall fare in no time. –Ty Stranglehold (Black Sea)

SAME-SEX DICTATOR/REQUIN:
Split: 7”
SSD: Bass-heavy black metal (I think? There’s no screeching, high-pitched vocals) without a bassist. Lyrics aren’t bad. They left me thinking I was going to die in a terrible, terrible world all alone. Good job. Requin: Similar, but less complex lyrically and musically. A simple man’s Same Sex Dictator, if you will. This 7” has been approved for the masses by… –Bryan Static (Artificial Limb, no address)

SAMIAM:
Whatever’s Got You Down: CD
I wish this record was the JFK assassination. Because everyone would remember where they were when they first heard about it. I wish this record was the Zapruder film. Because we’d spend the next forty-plus years analyzing it. More than anything I hope Samiam will finally get their due. Whatever that “due” might be. Be it a million copies sold or recognition outside the legion of snotty ass old timers claiming they used to be better and some snotty ass youngsters claiming their new record should be as big if not bigger than a presidential assassination. Samiam has been away from a studio for over five years and they come out with a new record this year like they’ve spent the time fine-tuning their game. That and playing no fucking shows in the U.S. but touring plenty in Europe and South America. If you liked their last record Astray, you’re a true gentleperson of distinction and you shan’t be disappointed. If you didn’t like Astray, you’re a no class fucking tool. –Steveo (Hopeless)

SAMUS:
Desengano: CD
This is either a joke or a mistake, ’cause what is on this disc is Hawaiian wedding music. My computer identifies it as being a compilation called A Place Called Hawaii. Pop it out, looks like it should’ve been anything but a Hawaiian record. Fuck, it ain’t even cool Hawaiian music. Just some lame crap white people in ugly shorts would probably buy in a souvenir shop so that they can relive the moments when the photos come back from the developer. Ugh. (Jimmy, the label emailed me. Yeah, it was a fuckup at the pressing plant and I was supposed to tell you, but I thought it'd be funny if you liked it. I'm an asshole like that. –Todd)
–Jimmy Alvarado (Crucial Blast)

SANBOX ROCKS:
Self-titled: CD
Oh ick, another stab at Green Day superstardom. Where’s that bottle of Pepto? –Jimmy Alvarado (www.umbilicalrecords.com)

SANBOX ROCKS:
Self-titled: CD
Oh ick, another stab at Green Day superstardom. Where’s that bottle of Pepto?
–Jimmy Alvarado (www.umbilicalrecords.com)

SANCTIONS:
Home Sweet Home: CD
Not to be confused with the Sanctions (post Satanic Malfunctions) from the late eighties, early nineties. This Sanctions is from Tennessee, and are smitten with the sound of Tragedy and From Ashes Rise. So many bands have cloned these two aforementioned bands so much this style is loosing its impact. If you keep repeating the same stimulus over and over, it will eventually go by unnoticed. While Sanctions do have the ability to write songs that are sonic, they should focus a bit more on being original. Otherwise, they’re just another drop in the sea of Tragedy clone bands. –Matt Average (Meat Cube Label/Anti-Corporate Music Inc, www.icfyrecords.com)

SANDWORMS:
It’s a Fucking Demo: CD-R
With a name like that, I’m thinkin’ this is either gonna be some sorta sludge punk band or complete noise, right? Well, they choose option C and throw a wrench into all my name-pigeonholing efforts. Five tunes of punky pop residing somewhere between Replacements Road and Plimsouls Place, all of which is well written and performed. I halfway wish the recording had a wee bit less reverb pumped in, but am also afraid that any deviation from its current incarnation would somehow spoil the magic. Best to leave well enough alone, then, and be content with the fact that they have succeeded in delivering my pic for sleeper fave of the issue. –Jimmy Alvarado (myspace.com/ohnosandworms)

SANITY ASSASSINS :
Speed of Death: LP
I don’t have any recollection of what this band sounds like anymore. I know my old band was on a French comp with them. I initially thought this band was from the U.K. because some of their releases were released in Europe. I came to find out they are from Connecticut. They have had a number of releases put out through the last couple of decades—not just in Europe and the U.S.—but all over, including Japan, Mexico, and Brazil. Boy, these guys got their music listened to around the world. This LP compiles their 2000 demo and live recordings from that year. From reading the back cover, the band had various sounds through the years. This LP focuses on their more straight-up early ‘80s punk sound: snotty with three chord, middle finger in the air attitude. Thoughts of Litmus Green meets Stukas Over Bedrock come to mind. –Donofthedead (Tornado Ride)

SARAH BLACKWOOD:
Way Back Home: CD
A departure from her pop psychobilly princess vocals with the Creepshow. Sweet and heartfelt indie-folk-country vocals accompanied with an acoustic guitar on some songs, a simple country band on others. Closer to the Avett Brothers or Two Gallants than new school psycho punk. –Jessica Thiringer (stomprecords.com)

SARAH SHANNON:
Self-titled: CD
Hey, isn’t this the singer from Velocity Girl? I’m not really sure how this CD made it’s little way into the Razorcake review pile. This is a little different from what I’m used to seeing, which I guess is why Todd and Sean gave it to me. It’s a little jazzy, but not in a Miles Davis sort of way. More so in that late seventies, early eighties Wurlitzer-and-Hammond-organ type of way. She also uses a tambourine on a few songs which adds a little pizzazz here and there. Some of the faster songs even remind me of the Strokes a little bit. It has a little bit of a retro feel to it, but without trying to sound retro. Sarah has a great voice which makes this CD so easy to listen to. I’d like to hear her put out a CD of all faster songs. Some of the slower stuff is a little too Coldplay for me. I could see her maybe opening up for Papas Fritas at Spaceland, or something close to that. I’m a sucker for a Wurlitzer. I can’t help it. I’m a dork that way. –Harmonee (Casa Recordings Co.)

SASS DRAGONS:
Mancandy: CD
I picked this up from the review pile, put it back, picked it up, put it back, decided I really did want to check it out (because truth be told, I’m a girl who’s a sucker for drawings like dudes with snakes where their cock should be), but Todd had already sent it off to Newtim (who gave it a glowing review last issue). Luckily, I had a friend hand this off to me while I was in Milwaukee as something he thought I’d be into. Holy shit was he right. Spastic, spastic, dance, dance, dance. –Megan Pants (Let’s Pretend)

SASS DRAGONS:
ManCandy: CD
Illinois is one lucky state. It houses the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, it lovingly claims the wonderful city of East St. Louis, and they happen to also be home to one of my new favorite bands, the Sass Dragons. I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am to have received this from Razorcake HQ. Now that Hickey has been gone for a few years, The Bananas don’t seem to ever want to record a new album, and The Minds have disappeared off the map, I am reassured that fun, sloppy, inventive pop punk isn’t going to die along with some of my favorite bands. I actually was surprised that these guys weren’t from the Bay area. There is a distinct feeling I get from their music that I automatically associate with northern California, which I should probably stop doing now. I am finding it really hard not to jump and flail around the living room right now with a huge smile on my face. Now to clarify, the band comparisons above are not entirely accurate, because there will never be a replacement for any of them. The Sass Dragons seem to borrow from the best aspects of each of them, creating a sound original to them. Well, it’s official. My pick for best album of 2006 thus far. PLEASE COME TO PORTLAND, DEAREST SASS DRAGONS! –Guest Contributor (Lets Pretend)

SASS DRAGONS:
Bonkaroo!: CD
I don’t like getting caught up with labels. It seems like too many people get caught up in having, “Well, I’m only into [insert whatever little sub-scene/genre here]” attitudes. What’s great about this record is that the Sass Dragons are clearly not those kind of dudes. At its core, this plays like a crass pop punk record, in the sense that it’s catchy as hell, and switches the ever popular “why don’t girls like me” sentiment with “I WANNA TOUCH YOUR BOOBS, GIRL” approach, which make me crack up while bobbing my head as I listen. But here’s the clincher; these guys are good musicians—like, really good. They know what they’re capable of, and come up with some really creative stuff (like the blues number). Dare I say; I think if The Dwarves did that last album of theirs with the main collaborators being The Beatles (both remaining and non), the output would sound like this. And it sounds great. –Joe Evans III (Johann’s Face/Let’s Pretend)

SASS DRAGONS:
Bonkaroo!: CD
The “kitchen sink” approach to punk has been the death knoll of many a band. “Endless experimentation” gets tedious because it seems like the band is testing the waters of musical escape routes. (Lesser Fishbone and Bad Brains records come to mind.) Sometimes, you just want to be rocked instead of diddled by a wet noodle in your ear. (I’m all for “experimentation.” Just do it without hitting record. Hit record when the experiment was a success.) Yet, with the Sass Dragons, they’re all over the fuckin’ place—from sounding like Weezer and The Dwarves simultaneously in the same song, to a track that sounds like an STD’d Sesame Street stoop jam—and it works. Much like The Weird Lovemakers (seek out Electric Chump and Back 20 for more evidence) could go from straight-ahead scorchers to ranchero to Doo Wop without losing momentum, the Sass Dragons have hot glued and belt fought something into submission that could have been a big, fuckin’ stupendous mess into a fuckin’ glorious mess. (With a staunch anti-Alan Thicke message.) Lesser bands, just listen and enjoy. Don’t try to copy ‘em, because you’ll sound like dill weeds diarrheaing into your fans’ ears. Awesome in the original biblical sense, not the Kirk Cameron, just-found-god sense. –Todd Taylor (Johann’s Face/Let’s Pretend)

SASS DRAGONS:
New Kids on the Bong: CD
The Sass Dragons shouldn’t work as a band. Their music’s akin to a food fight at a well-stocked buffet. It should be an unholy, sloppy mess. Blues riffs spalook off of Dwarves-chug-alongs. Reggae openings to songs splash onto and stain the carpet of dirty DIY punk. Saxophone intros juicily horn slide down the bib of a doo wop ditty. There are fast-thrown thrashers, indie rockers (“The Tails of Meow-Meow and Fuck-Fuck”), and banjo solos. What holds it together is the glue of absolute glee. The Sass Dragons, instead of being a gross, entire-random-meal-of-unassociated-music-genres-chucked-into-a-blender-in-order-to-suck-it-through-a-straw-because-we-have-no-identity-of-our-own type band, are like the lead-footed bus drivers of the developmentally challenged bus. They actively encourage the seemingly random outbursts and request that all limbs hang outside the windows while taking the corners so fast that the tires squeal along with you, the listener. Plus, they have a lot of songs about fuckin’ and stalking, which just sweetens the pot. Highly recommended. –Todd Taylor (Johann’s Face)

SASS DRAGONS:
New Kids on the Bong: CD
If you have not yet experienced the Sass, then be warned, they are all over the fucking place. However, this is why I love them. It’s not like they don’t have a sound of their own, but part of that sound is doing the most random genre bending that they can think of. It’s all the pleasure of watching a surrealist art house movie without all the work of pretending you understand the thematic implications. Long live the Dragons. –Bryan Static (Johann’s Face, johannsface.com)

SASS DRAGONS / BROKEDOWNS:
: Split 7”
Try this out on a new person or a jaded fuck with easy-to-push buttons. “Dude, have you heard that Black Flag/Dwarves split 7”? Then put this on without letting them see the label or cover. If any eyebrows of incredulity are raised, go, “From ’84. They were playing that Slip It In bullshit and decided to stop wanking around for a couple of songs. The Dwarves were just starting out. Super rare.” If that still doesn’t work, go, “Oh, it was members of Youth Of Today when they lost their edge. The non-Buddhist dudes who didn’t go into Shelter.” But what it really is, is just two great Chicago bands losing their shit in the best possible way, and one of them throws in a Breeders cover that’s mangled like a slow possum on an unrelenting freeway with its dead, popping eye following your every movement. –Todd Taylor (Let’s Pretend, myspace.com/letspretendrecs / Cassette Deck, cassettedeckmedia.com)

SASS DRAGONS / PARTY GARBAGE:
Split: 7”
First: I don’t know if it’s just my copy, but the labels were switched on my copy of this. Sass Dragons: Sweet merciful crap. Take the spastic energy, as well as the “no two songs sound alike” aspects of FYP, combined with the chaotic “we will fuck you up” attitude of the Dwarves and the tightness of The Ergs!, and you’ve got The Sass Dragons. Even for just three songs, I had to listen to it a few times in a row, as it’s further proof of some of the awesome stuff that’s going on in DIY punk today. Party Garbage: Speedy, melancholy songs about, well, partying (so to speak). Not as good as the Sass Dragons side (but I mean, come on), and while I wasn’t that into the earlier stuff I’d heard, this is probably my favorite output of theirs, so here’s hoping they keep doing stuff like this. Both bands: Yeah, way to look crazy with a picture of yourselves all naked, when it’s completely blurred out and pixilated to the point where you can’t really tell what’s going on anyway. Nerds! –Joe Evans III (Lets Pretend)

SATANIC SURFERS:
Unconsciously Confined: CD
Dude, what the fuck?!? With a name like Satanic Surfers, the last thing you’d expect is lame, emo-infused popcore. Ugh, now I feel all dirty. Another week’s worth of showers with a steel brush. Thanks, guys. –Jimmy Alvarado (Bad Taste)

SATANIC SURFERS:
Fragments and Fractions: CD
You’d never expect that the singer for these guys is also the singer in Intensity and plays in Sewn Shut. Two very different bands from Satanic Surfers! Anyway, this is their latest, and perhaps best. I’m not much of a fan of this style, but I like the fact that their lyrics are of real substance and not the ilk of all those lame ass bands that write song after song about girls. –Matt Average (Bad Taste Records)

SATAN’S PILGRIMS:
Plymouth Rock: CD
I’ve had a soft spot for surf music ever since I became fascinated with both Agent Orange and JFA, so this collection, an apparent “best of” set from a Northwestern group who were contemporaries, but apart from, the grunge scene that took over that area of the country in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, was a nice bit of listening for me. It’s all surf instrumentals—thirty tracks worth—and they’re mighty fine tunes at that. I’d heard the name before, but had never bothered to investigate, so this was a nice, welcome surprise. Cool take on the Godfather theme, too. –Jimmy Alvarado (MuSick)

SATAN’S TEARDROPS/LEGENDARY HUCKLEBUCKS:
Split: CD

Happily unleashed on Rock N Roll Purgatory, Satan's Teardrops (New Hampshire) and the Legendary Hucklebucks (Pittsburgh) team up to spew punka/rocka/psychobilly en masse. Standard three-chord punkabilly, Satan's Teardrops (new school) really bang the blower (no, not good) with a rickety version of "Crazy Crazy Lovin'" and an uncomfortable cover of "Shame On Me." However, they drop the hammer (good) on their last two chances to impress: "Dark City Lights" and a beyond rockin' rendition of "I Got Stripes." Those two songs are glimmers of hope that maybe the band could always be that good, despite their foul start. Conversely, real punk, real psycho and real 'billy, the Legendary Hucklebucks blister right off the line and all the way down the track, flattening everything in range with a "Hell yeah!" as loud as 315 mph. As exciting and inspiring as Blazing Haley, but with a healthy dollop of East Coast muscle. Artwork by a legend.

–Jessica Thiringer (Rock N Roll Purgatory)

SATELLITERS:
Self-titled: CD EP
This long-standing beat/garage/psych unit from some country where they issue funny website addresses never truly connected with me; much like pretty much everything else on the Dionysus label, they always seemed like a slightly sterilized version of something that was supposed to be intrinsically rawer and cooler. Be that as it may, the band seems to have “progressed”—arguably for the better (gasp!)—mutating/evolving into something more akin to some of the less-horrible quote-college-rock-unquote units from the Southern Hemisphere ca. 1985 (Hoodoo Gurus… uh… shit, that’s all i can think of right now), and not at all un-Bigtime Records-ish, if you follow (and even if you don’t). What this means to the layman is that, although i still am not enervated in any meaningful way by this band, i am now somewhat more interested in the ways and means of how they go about not enervating me. BEST SONG: “It’s Not True” BEST SONG TITLE: “Your Stuff” FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: Band uses a Vox amp. Goodness. –Rev. Norb (Dionysus)

SATELLITERS:
: 6-song CDEP
This long-standing beat/garage/psych unit from some country where they issue funny website addresses never truly connected with me; much like pretty much everything else on the Dionysus label, they always seemed like a slightly sterilized version of something that was supposed to be intrinsically rawer and cooler. Be that as it may, the band seems to have “progressed”—arguably for the better (gasp!)—mutating/evolving into something more akin to some of the less-horrible quote-college-rock-unquote units from the Southern Hemisphere ca. 1985 (Hoodoo Gurus… uh… shit, that’s all i can think of right now), and not at all un-Bigtime Records-ish, if you follow (and even if you don’t). What this means to the layman is that, although i still am not enervated in any meaningful way by this band, i am now somewhat more interested in the ways and means of how they go about not enervating me. BEST SONG: “It’s Not True” BEST SONG TITLE: “Your Stuff” FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: Band uses a Vox amp. Goodness. –Rev. Norb (Dionysus)

SATELLITERS, THE:
Hashish: CD
I bought a Satelliters record what feels to be about ten years ago, and the only thing i really remember about it was that it looked way cooler than it sounded. Hashish, however, filed under “Psychedelic Garage Punk” as the cover requires, actually sounds about as good as it looks: I am unsure as to whether this calls for a pat on the back for the band, a kick in the pants for the graphic designer, or, as a mere example of regression to the mean, none of the above. Be that as it may, although i quite understand why many people gravitate toward That Which Is To Be Filed Under Psychedelic Garage Punk—i mean, it’s kind of a fun aesthetic, what with all the inherent promises of “BIKINI GIRLS! CHELSEA GIRLS! PSYCHEDELIC GIRLS!” and cool lettering and Riots on Sunset Strips and what-not—i’ve always thought that the universe’s existing reserves of this music were far in excess of my projected lifetime demand for it, so, like, ah, why bother? I personally can scrape by quite nicely by merely spinning a Pebbles or Nuggets type collection every so often, and therefore have no pressing need to cram my dome with covers of We the People’s “You Byrn Me Up and Down” and songs with titles like “1969—The End of Time,” but if you’re looking for this kind of thing, i think you’ve found it. BEST SONG: “Anything I Do” BEST SONG TITLE: Against my better judgement, “1969—The End of Time.” But isn’t it supposed to be “Tyme?” FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: Band conveniently provides French language version of “Wham Bam Thank You Mam” for those of you whose pent-up demand for Small Faces covers en Français was not slaked by Plastic Bertrand’s 1978 version of “Sha La La La Lee.” –Rev. Norb (Dionysus)

SATELLITERS, THE:
Where Do We Go?: CD
Fuck, this is surprisingly good. I was really ready to slaughter this record. I typically really hate neo-’60s folk-rock/psychedelic bands. They’re usually unimaginative, affecting a style of music that died nearly forty years ago. But The Satelliters have a lot going for them: a singer who can sing, great musicianship, and a considerable knowledge of mid ‘60s rock‘n’roll (Love, early Byrds, Kinks, etc.). I mean, a lot of the Satelliters’ shit is directly stolen from Kingsmen records (dubbing crowd noises on a studio LP) and Byrds albums (guitar effects taken from Notorious Byrd Brothers); and I’m sure the Satelliters are quite proud of it. So, while the Satelliters are not raising the bar on garage revival (like Greg Cartwright), they’re certainly fun and “authentic” enough to throw onto your turntable. –Ryan Leach (Dionysus)

SATURDAY NIGHT KIDS:
self-titled: 7"
These are the guys who would’ve been intimidated by Fonzie. Fifties pop inspired pop punk with wimpy, not quite whining, but still annoying as all hell vocals. –Megan Pants (Route 13)

SATURDAY SUPERCADE:
Everyone Is a Target: CD
Generic. I’m not at the TV watching MTV and I still hear Blink 182, New Found Glory, or Good Charlotte. –Donofthedead (Liberation)

SATURDAY’S KIDS:
Demo: CD
I’m not really sure how to describe this band. The music is melodic, slightly “quirky” mid-tempo post punk, I guess. These folks are no strangers to early ‘90s Dischord bands, that’s obvious. The vocals certainly leave something to be desired, however. Monotonous, as the subgenre would suggest, but kinda obnoxious, as opposed to the requisite strained, passionate thing you’d expect from a band of this ilk. Anyway, it’s not terrible, but there are a lot of bands doing this kinda thing who happen to be doing it better. Cool lyrics and rad handmade packaging, though. –Dave Williams (Self-released)

SATYRASIS:
Creation of Failure : CD
Decent metal from Michigan here. The music is solid and the playing is tight. Matt Trzcinski’s solo in the song “Stench of the Earth” is a rager. The vocals are mixed weird to me. They sound flat, despite the singer’s growly hardcore punk style. I could see these guys playing at the Relax Bar. When they hit their stride, they do quite well; the songs are dynamic and steeped in energy. The guitarists are really good, and have the classic metal sound. That alone is worth checking these guys out for. They hit some flat spots here and there, but on the whole, not bad. –Matt Average (Satyrasis, www.satyrasis.net)

SAVAGE CITY OUTLAWS:
Revenge My Rock‘n’Roll: 7” EP
Portuguese punky rock stuff here that ain’t too terrible, but no doubt would’ve been much stronger if they’d stuck to singing in Portuguese instead of English. Yellow vinyl, limited to 300. –Jimmy Alvarado (Wrecked ‘Em)

SAVAGE HENRY AND THE INFAMOUS ONE POUNDERS:
Abuse It or Lose It: CD
If it weren’t for the silly, sleazy lyrics, I’d swear this was a long lost Dicks album. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.100percentwild.com)

SAVAGE LAND:
Honor Among Thieves: 7"
Modern day Bridge Nine style hardcore that reminded me a little of the band Strife. –Donofthedead (Tension Head)

SAVAGE REPUBLIC:
Box Set: 4 X CD
Back when the battle lines were still just being drawn between different factions of punk rock and the ridiculous level of pigeonholing prevalent today was still in its infancy stages, some bands were hell-bent on not fitting into any one mold. Savage Republic was one such band, one that created an unholy mélange of hardcore, industrial noise, proto-goth death rock, surf and Middle Eastern drone and somehow made it work. Over the course of nearly a decade, they played a slew of shows and released four studio albums, a couple of live albums, a few EPs and a handful of singles before calling it quits in 1989. Collected here are the bulk of their studio recordings, including the Tragic Figures, Ceremonial, Jamahiriya, and Customs albums, the Trudge EP and assorted singles and compilation tracks, all of which have been damn hard to find for quite a while now, and now all packaged in individual, full-color letter-pressed envelopes not unlike the covers the original releases came in. Although, in hindsight, some comparisons can be made to some of their contemporaries like the Swans and early Sonic Youth, the band’s sound is still as singular, revolutionary and wholly difficult to classify as when they were still a consistently active band. If you like your punk a little more adventurous than the next guy, you would be hard pressed to find more satisfying tuneage, ’cause not only is this stuff all over the map, it’s consistently good, a rare feat for any band. If you like your punk to sound just like Social Distortion, Blink 182 or whatever spiky-headed boy band is hot this week, you’re in the wrong scene, my friend. Might I suggest heavy metal? They LOVE conformity over in that camp.
–Jimmy Alvarado (www.mobilization.com)

SAVANT:
Self-titled: CD-R
I’m all for art-damaged weirdness, but you gotta draw the line somewhere. As far as Savant is concerned, it’s recording quality. I’m hearing some great sounding Jesus Lizard-style screech and skronk in there, but it’s overshadowed by the fact that it had to be recorded on that shitty ghetto blaster that sits on the dusty shelf next to the stack of ‘70s Hustler mags in Grandpa’s garage. Blown speaker fuzz can be cool at times. This isn’t one of them. –Ty Stranglehold (myspace.com/savantatl)

SAVES THE DAY:
Stay What You Are: CD
Saves the Day is one of those bands that people tend to namedrop, i.e. “Oh, I just got the new Saves the Day record.” Perhaps the name doesn’t come up as often as Modest Mouse, but it still floats around hopelessly boring conversational exchanges. Despite their reputation, I’ve never actually heard Saves the Day. So, when Stay What You Are arrived in my mailbox, I was struck by an odd curiosity. The next day, I slip the disc into my CD player while driving to work and react like so: “ACK!”… car swerves while attempting not to lose my breakfast… Think pop-punk guitars meet whiny emo vocals spouting the chorus, “At your funeral, I’d sing the requiem/I’d offer you my hand/It hurts too much to see you die.” Perhaps it is wrong to judge an album on the first song, particularly one as insipid as “At Your Funeral.” So, I fight the urge to fling the CD out of my car window and continue the listen. The second and third songs pass without a second thought as it is just sort of the same thing with less annoying lyrics. By the eleventh song, “Firefly,” the album has faded to background music, with the only notable exceptions being “Freakish”-a sweet little melodic ballad and “As Your Ghost Takes Flight,” which is basically the same as the other up-tempo tracks on the album but, for some odd reason or other, comes across as less annoying. –Liz O. (Vagrant)

SAVING FACE:
Holiday Cruise: CD
Squeaky clean, apple-pie-face pop punk. Includes songs with titles like “Fuck You” and “The Slut Song” to show that they’re mischievous and edgy. Truth be told, I don’t know what’s more pathetic: that this was even made or that there’s a demographic in existence that would pay money to own a copy –Jimmy Alvarado (High Fidelity)

SAVIORS, THE:
Ruby Gloom b/w Recipe for Disaster: 7"
The singer is a boy but looks like a girl, the first side sounds like later Replacements or the Lemonheads or something lame and late-‘80s like that, and the second side revs it up a tiny bit, like a lawnmower at a stock car race. A little tiny bit. –Cuss Baxter (Rapid Pulse)

SAW WHEEL:
The Next Train: CD
Though three people are listed as being part of Saw Wheel, this album sounds more like a one man band: acoustic guitar, some harmonica when no one’s singing, and very basic percussion. The vocals are gruff and heartfelt, singing lyrics about hopping trains, drinking too much, trying to find some kind of hope in life, and wallowing in a doomed working class. It’s kinda like an acoustic Avail album with one of the Hot Water Music guys singing. There’s even a cover of Avail’s “Lombardy Street.” Saw Wheel definitely wear their influences on their sleeve, but it’s still a solid album. –Sean Carswell (Hill Billy Stew)

SAW WHEEL:
“Raw Words” b/w “The Old Days”: 7"
Earnest, glowing-ember music that’s a mix between Rumbleseat (think the more acoustic side of Hot Water Music) and John “Cougar” Mellencamp. It’s intimate, well played, direct, and could be in a folk punk lineup or a bill with more country influences, like Ninja Gun or Drag The River. There’s some nice, quiet security here, and it sounds like Saw Wheel comes from a small town, even if they aren’t. Well realized. –Todd Taylor (Anti-Creative)

SAW WHEEL/ MILKCRATE RUSTLERS, THE:
split: 7"
Saw Wheel: This makes me feel like taking a road trip. It’d be the perfect soundtrack to going home after a long absence. That feel of familiarity is captured here. Milkcrate Rustlers: Man, this confused me. There’s no way to tell which band is on which side, or any indication of what sped to play. I went back and forth, kind of deciding it sounded better on 33 1/3, but the Saw Wheel side made it obvious it was a 45. At the right speed, I like the banjo more, but the vocals get a bit annoying. –Megan Pants (Hill Billy Stew)

SAW WHEEL/MADELINE:
split: 7"
Saw Wheel: I really like this. I can’t quite pin down who the singer sounds like other than the singer for Lucero. It’s that acoustic rock with a folk influence rather than folk rock. Madeline: The warbles of Joan Baez meets the cadence of Tori Amos. I’m ashamed I can compare anything to them. –Megan Pants (Hill Billy Stew)

SAY BOK GWAI:
Chink in the Armor: CD
An erratic affair from this duo that melds punk, thrash, metal and everything in-between. For some weird reason, the music puts me on edge and a rush of anxiety washes over me. It’s a level of aural discomfort that is disturbing in a way. Vocals that reach an extreme level of snottiness is what stands out here. The music has that recorded live in the studio feel. This band reminds me of a cross of Stukas Over Bedrock and the Dead Kennedys on a bag of mushrooms in the hot desert sun. This band definitely is not playing it safe and trying to fit inside the box. –Donofthedead (Edgetone)

SAY UNCLE!:
Self-titled: CD-R
The vocalist/guitarist is twelve-years-old and the drummer is thirteen-years-old—the bassist is twenty three years old. Their glossy, full-color one-sheet has a picture of the three of them from an extremely low angle lookin’ hella serious and tough; it also mentions that they are “punk rock prodigies.” There are two dancing skeletons and six skull and crossbones gracing the cover. Needless to say, my expectations weren’t exceptionally high. Regardless of my expectations, these dudes hold it down instrumentally—and the vocals ain’t horrible, especially considering that the average age of the band members is sixteen. Anyhow, these dudes could give The Distillers (Sing Sing…) a run for their money. I don’t care for The Distillers and I doubt I’ll ever listen to this again, but for two hella young dudes to break out some shit this solid is fucking surprising. Also, there are two covers: Bad Brains’ “Big Take Over” (not so great) and the Gits’ “Second Skin” (not so bad). –Vincent Battilana (Self-released)

SAY WHEN:
I’m with the Band: CD
Reminiscent of something I’d hear on the late night “alternative” program on the local rock radio stations, where everything they played sounded just like all the stuff they normally do. This isn’t bad, just not my thing. –Joe Evans III (Self-released)

SAYYADINA:
Mourning the Unknown: CD
No bullshit, straight kick-in-the-teeth thrash/grindcore. These Swedes pull a no-holds-barred approach to their music. Songs that are so intense with venom that there is no mistaking the anger, all mostly under the two minute mark. If the songs were too long, the attention span would definitely be depleted. Wailing, screamed vocals that probably can blows holes through walls. Masterful, distorted guitar attack that can take you heading banging one minute and thrashing about in another. Drumming that is precise but pounding in speeds that, at times, seem humanly impossible. Bass guitar playing that ties everything together and adds that eerie tone of evil. Not for the weak at heart or someone who is looking for melody. This is music for people who are pissed. –Donofthedead (Sound Pollution)

SBV/ FEELIN’ FINE:
Split: 7” EP
SBV: Imagine Uniform Choice minus the straight edge pose and sped way the hell up. Better than I expected, actually. Feelin’ Fine: Grunt, grunt, bleat, grunt, bleat, yawn, yawn, yawn. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.retardedrecords.com)

SBV/FEELIN’ FINE!:
Split: 7"
SBV (no indication for what it stands) from SD (stands for San Diego) play very very fast most of the time, especially on the Ripcord cover, and the singer has a high youthcrew voice. I can’t even figure out what speed the Feelin’ Fine! side goes on, but they both sound great! At both speeds, they’re heavier and scarier than SBV, and they get five songs, two more than SBV. They’re from Fresno, but they sound like some of the radder Japanese thrashgrinders of today. Who’s feeling fine now? Me! –Cuss Baxter (Retarded)

SCA:
Decadence & Rage: CD
Heavy, big sound hardcore with a slight metal tinge here and there, not unlike bands like Voorhees or the Horrors. Lyrics appear to lean toward the angry and nihilistic; the beats are fast, the playin’ furious. –Jimmy Alvarado (SCA, no address)

SCALLY:
Coto De Deportivo De Caza: 10"
Spastic hardcore with lyrics wholly in Spanish from a band that apparently hails from Germany. Go fucking figure. –Jimmy Alvarado (Scally)

SCALPING SCREEN:
13 Revolting Strains: CD

When I hear the words “Finland” and “thrash” occupying the same sentence, I expect the trademark fjordcore sound of bands like Mob 47 and Terveet Kadet that put Scandinavian punk on the map. These guy apparently are either oblivious of that history or are disinterested in it, as they are content to opt for macho grunt-metal a la Pantera. To their credit, they aren’t bad at it, but that shit just ain’t my bag, baby, and bores my blood rather than boils it.

–Jimmy Alvarado (www.scalpingscreen.com)

SCALPLOCK:
On Whose Terms?: CD
Brain-numbingly fast political hardcore with a singer who sounds like he’s about to cough up a lung, kinda like Hellnation meets Crucifix, if you will. The CD booklet provides lyrics as well as explanations for each song. –Jimmy Alvarado (Sound Pollution, PO Box 17742, Covington, KY 41017)

SCARDEY CAT/APATHETIC YOUTH:
This Is LA, Not the South Bay: Split 7"
I'm fearful yet attracted to Scaredy Cat because I get the feeling they've got a good sense of humor, like Spazz did, but I'm not a hundred percent sure where it ends. The first song, "Flag Football," melts Iron Maiden with Charles Bronson: rippin' metal licks and the vocalist shows no fear of slipping into falsettos. But the other four tracks are straight anvils-to-the-nads, three-hooks-in-three-seconds thrash that are seamless and sound angry but have titles like "Don't Stub Your Toe on the Little Guy." Good stuff. Apathetic Youth are straight-ahead angry, have clean vaginas in their thank you list, and have full comprehension of pile-driving thrash villains like Los Crudos, Neos, and Vitamin X. No fault in that.
–Todd Taylor (No Label)

SCARE, THE / OK PILOT:
Split: 7” EP
Says on the insert that this is the first installment of a split series of seven-inchers featuring one band from the U.K. and one from the U.S. The Scare: Poppy hardcore stuff that sounds very late-’80s in a good sorta way—not too fast, with just enough dissonance to give ‘em an edge. OK Pilot: Pretty much ditto for these guys. –Jimmy Alvarado (allinvinyl.com)

SCARED OF CHAKA:
Seven Stories Tall: CD
An anthology of sorts, compiling various singles, B-sides, comp tracks and a live set. If you've heard 'em before, you know what you're getting yourself into. If you haven't, picture the Supercharger with a tad more hardcore sensibilities playing pop punk. Pretty good stuff. –Jimmy Alvarado (702, PO Box 204, Reno, NV 89504)

SCARED OF CHAKA:
Live at Jays!: 7”EP
Man, I’d be hating a review of this 7” if I was reading it. Here’s a 7” of five live Scared Of Chaka songs recorded in Montana at a Jays Upstairs that served the quite excellently debilitating Moose Drool beer (and unfortunately closed in 2003). This record was made by the band as a single for one show in Chicago. The line to get the vinyl was longer than the amount of 7”s available. Some people went home vinyl-less. I got one and I wasn’t even within 1,500 miles in the vicinity of the show. (Thanks, Ms. Pants.) It’s awesome. If you already celebrate the entire SOC catalog—as I do—these songs aren’t anything new, but dammit, if they ain’t a party on a platter. It’s sort of like seeing chimpanzees in their native habitat; and they’ve figured out how to light fireworks and throw them right at you. –Todd Taylor (Slovenly)

SCARED OF CHAKA:
Crossing with Switchblades: CD
Of course I'm gonna give this a good review. I'm a huge fan of this band. I don't understand why little girls don't run screaming after Dave and Ron and why every skater in middle America doesn't have a Scared of Chaka sticker on his deck. I don't understand why Scared of Chaka's fame hasn't risen to the point where Chuck Berry is forced to open for them, then, upon hearing what Dave has done to the traditional Chuck Berry riff, Chuck Berry dies just so he can start rolling in his grave. That's how much I like this band - I'm willing to sacrifice Chuck Berry to the altar of rock'n'roll for Scared of Chaka. And am I disappointed with "Crossing Switchblades" because they actually slow the tempo on a couple of songs? Am I cursing them for going to a "big" label like Hopeless and playing the Troubadour? Fuck no. I'm just keeping this CD in high rotation and getting ready to bore legions of new SOC fans with my "I knew them when" speeches. –Sean Carswell (Hopeless)

SCARED OF CHAKA:
Seven Stories Tall: CD
An anthology of sorts, compiling various singles, B‑sides, comp tracks and a live set. If you've heard 'em before, you know what you're getting yourself into. If you haven't, picture the Supercharger with a tad more hardcore sensibilities playing pop punk. Pretty good stuff. –Jimmy Alvarado (702)

SCAREDYCAT:
Self-titled: CD
Goofy, funny hardcore from a group of very proficient musicians. This is a pretty fun disc and the music’s tight, but I think they probably go over much better in a live setting and, not having seen them live, this album most likely wouldn’t make it to a second listen here. Put another way, this ain’t bad, but it ain’t mind blowing, either. –Jimmy Alvarado (No Label)

SCARIES, THE:
Souvenir: CD
Why in the fuck did I get a Good Charlotte (or Sum 41 or New Found Glory or Simple Plan or whatever shitty fucking pop punk band this is) CD? This CD will pay for approximately half of a beer or shot and I'll probably need the whiskey to get the taste out of my mouth. –Puckett (Law Of Inertia)

SCARLET LETTER, THE:
Scattered, Smothered and Covered: The Collected Letters: CD
A weird melding of metal, emo and hyperspeed hardcore here. I appreciate the effort to fuck with boundaries a bit and search for something new in the resulting mess, but the end product here didn't really do much for me. –Jimmy Alvarado (Hater of God)

SCARLET LETTER, THE:
Scattered, Smothered and Covered: The Collected Letters: CD
A weird melding of metal, emo and hyperspeed hardcore here. I appreciate the effort to fuck with boundaries a bit and search for something new in the resulting mess, but the end product here didn’t really do much for me. –Jimmy Alvarado (Hater of God)

SCARLET LETTER, THE:
How is Your Heart?: CD
Sincere, well-intentioned hardcore. Sadly, heart only takes a band so far; memorable music needs to carry the music for the remainder of the journey and that’s where this stumbles. It’s not bad, but it isn’t memorable. Besides, I’ve had an issue with the idea of writing an essay about what a song means that’s longer than the song is for some time now. –Puckett (Black Matter)

SCARRED, THE:
No Solution: CD
Young mohawky goodness, pure and simple. The Scarred somehow look and sound the part of punk from days gone by without going down the rehash road. It’s refreshing. The songs have an urgency and lack of hope that has me on the edge of my seat. I guess they kind of remind me of Broken Bottles (but not quite as good). –Ty Stranglehold (Punkcore)

SCARRED, THE:
Demo: CD
Mid-tempo, mid-’80s sounding OC punk rock, coming off like a cross between MIA and Shattered Faith. You get four tracks here, all of which could’ve easily garnered airplay on Rodney B.’s radio show back in the day. Don’t be surprised if Hostage doesn’t latch onto ‘em and a single follows in short order. Recommended. –Jimmy Alvarado (The Scarred)

SCARRED, THE:
At Half Mast: CD
Had to go back into my CD archives and pull out the demo I reviewed some six years ago to make sure I was listening to the same band. It was. It appears over the course of that time they have gone from a sound owing much to the glory days of OC punk rock to a sound owing much to Green Day. Is this a bad thing? My personal preferences lean toward their former sound, but I’ll be the first to admit that tunes like “21^st Century Girl” are catchy enough to earn a major label deal and each member beachfront condos in Malibu if given enough airplay. This is probably the last thing I’ll pay attention to by ’em, but I imagine they do just fine without me. –Jimmy Alvarado (Basement)

SCARRED, THE/VOID CONTROL:
Split: 7”
The Scarred: Seem to remember liking a demo of theirs I got a while back, and I still dig ’em just fine. Two tunes of mid-tempo punk with a heavy early OC beach punk influence, which makes perfect sense considering that’s exactly where they hail from. Good stuff. The Void Control: More mid-tempo stuff, nowhere near as catchy as the flip, but not exactly on a one-way trip to sucklandia, either. –Jimmy Alvarado (Puke N Vomit)

SCARS OF TOMORROW:
All Things Change: CD
Booyah! Death metal played like it is a rock opera. Cookie monster vocals over crunching guitars that have almost a ballad feeling to it. The riffs are very eighties in the progressive kind of way. Double bass drums pounding into your chest to emphasize the tribal beat. Pounding yet beautiful and energetic in a spastic way. –Donofthedead (Thorp)

SCARS OF TOMORROW:
The Beginning of: CD
Two early lineups of a band I’ve never heard of playing burp-metal with occasional flashes of melody. The results are—you guessed it—about as exciting as a fistful of downs with an Everclear chaser. –Jimmy Alvarado (Thorp)

SCARY CRICK:
Some Low Glow: CD
This debut from The Rubes’ side project hasn’t left my CD player since I got it. The melody for the traditional song “Blackberry Blossom/Cooley’s Reel” has been stuck in my head for days. This afternoon I caught myself doing a little jig to my imagined version. Labeled as folk punk, these boys display solid, complex finger work on the mandolin, banjo, and guitar. The bluegrass tablatures and group vocals is what this genre is all about. Some of my favorites are “…And Then I Pissed My Parachute Pants” and “So Long,” but the whole album deserves a listen. Recommended. –Kristen K (Rube)

SCAT RAG BOOSTERS:
Self-titled: CD
Strong, bluesy swamp punk that stands smack dab in the middle of Poison 13, Billy Childish, and The Gun Club. –Jimmy Alvarado (Delta Pop)

SCATTER THE ASHES:
Devout/The Modern Hymn: CD
Modern rock that is being funneled through a punk label. If your vibe is atmospheric and moody, this is for you. I think you emo cats would probably dig this also. –Donofthedead (Epitaph)

SCATTERBOX:
Infection III: CD
A couple of these guys are in Moral Crux. Moral Crux is a fucking great band, not only one of the forerunners of Screeching Weasel-ish pop punk but also capable of writing political lyrics that aren't finger-pointy or blatantly obvious. Buy any Moral Crux record that you happen across. I'd recommend I Was a Teenage Teenager, but regardless of which one you get, you'll be doing a lot better than this mid-'90s Fat Wreck Chords rehash. –Josh (Blackhouse)

SCATTERBOX:
Infection III: CD
A couple of these guys are in Moral Crux. Moral Crux is a fucking great band, not only one of the forerunners of Screeching Weasel-ish pop punk but also capable of writing political lyrics that aren’t finger-pointy or blatantly obvious. Buy any Moral Crux record that you happen across. I’d recommend I Was a Teenage Teenager, but regardless of which one you get, you’ll be doing a lot better than this mid-’90s Fat Wreck Chords rehash. –Josh (Blackhouse)

SCATTERBOX :
Enemies: CD
Meat and potatoes hardcore here—pissed off, straight, no chaser. The demo quality of the recording gives it an early ‘80s feel. Would’ve been bowled over if a wee bit more oomph was put into the delivery, but the results still ain’t bad at all. –Jimmy Alvarado (Blackhouse)

SCATTERED FALL:
For All I’ve Lost: 7"
Two speedier numbers on the A-side, neither of which were too shabby. Singer’s raw-voiced, band is tight, etc. The flipside’s where the meat is, though, with slower tempos, strong musicianship apparent, and just a tinge of that old OC dual harmony sound to add some ‘oomph” to the proceedings. Damn fine work. –Jimmy Alvarado (Deadpan)

SCENE OF ACTION:
20 Minute Hour Glass: CD
Modern rock dreck primed for radio saturation and big buck contracts. –Jimmy Alvarado (Pop Smear)

SCENIC:
Spheres: CD EP
The band name is an apt one, for they paint vivid landscapes using sound instead of oil or acrylics. What you get for your buck are three lush instrumentals that seem to ebb and flow like waves, sinking back, then rising to a crescendo and then repeating. I’ve been a Savage Republic fan for almost as long as I can remember, have been wanting to hear Bruce Licher’s latest project for some time and I am not disappointed. While the music is not as Middle Eastern-influenced as Savage Republic, the songs are no less breathtaking in scope or sound. This puppy is gonna stay glued to my player for some time to come. –Jimmy Alvarado (Independent Project, Post Box 20255, Sedona, AZ 86341)

SCENT OF HUMAN HISTORY/MEMORY AS PERFECTION:
Split: LP
Memory as Perfection plays mediocre screamo with kinda wimpy-sounding guitars. They cite Page 99 and Shotmaker as influences, and they definitely draw heavily from both bands, but unfortunately don't add anything of their own, and the end result is not insincere, but pretty uninspired. Scent of Human History's side starts off a bit slow, but as the record progresses it gets better. I hear a lot of Maximillian Colby and the Exploder in here, with some nice fast parts a la early ‘90s Ebullition stuff. It's not bad. Overall, this record seems almost like an homage to days past, more than a document of anything new. –Ben Snakepit (Waking Records/Mccarthyism)

SCEPTRES, THE:
Self-titled: 7”
Cover reminds me of something that would’ve sat in the 45 bin at Pasadena’s Poobah Records for ages, waiting for someone to polish it off ‘n’ give it a much deserved spin. “Flatline Generation” is a nice bit of thuddy punk with some definite artiness buried in the heft. The flip, “The Tow,” follows pretty much along the same lines; catchy, but packing a bit of punch to get the point across. This’ll definitely grow on me. –Jimmy Alvarado (Dire, no address)

SCHATZI AND HAZELTINE:
Happy Birthday Baby b/w When Yr Alone: 7”
Two pleasant retro-girl group songs with a bit of country jangle to them. I’ve never heard of them before (admittedly, this is the kind of stuff that I enjoy, but don’t tend to actively seek out), and get the impression this is a one-off project. Probably for someone’s birthday. I’m smart like that. Neat stuff! –Joe Evans III (Burger)

SCHEMERS:
Self-titled: CD
The Schemers remind me of just how fun it can be playing in a band—too bad they have too many other distractions. SoCal Beach Punk in the spirit of Agent Orange. A predictable EP that does manage to throw in a few morsels. JasonK –Guest Contributor (self-released, schemers13@hotmail.com)

SCHINDLER:
Transverse Mercator: CD
English indie-rock that wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be. I still didn't think much of it, though. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.plastichead.com)

SCHINDLER:
Transverse Mercator: CD
English indie‑rock that wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be. I still didn't think much of it, though. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.plastichead.com)

SCHLEPROCK:
Learning to Crawl: CD
The East L.A./San Gabriel valley punk scene has long been one of varied sounds and bands both good and, um, not quite as good. Schleprock was one of the better ones—a band that took the hardcore they were raised on and used it to fuel a post-oi punk rock monster with loud guitars and catchy choruses. They were popular in the ‘hood long before the rest of the world caught on, so as surreal as it may have been to hear one of their tunes in a Budweiser commercial, it wasn’t surprising in the least to those of us who had seen ‘em come up. They were a good band, one that deserved the attention they received, and while they took it as far as they could before imploding, they always managed to keep one foot planted firmly in the home scene and did their best to help out their peers when they could (one particularly embarrassing memory involved, at the insistence of our singer, Pogo, hounding a patient Doug to discuss the logistics of the Black Jax touring with Schleprock when I knew full well the Black Jax weren’t in any condition to be touring anywhere). To that end, this collection of assorted demos, b-sides, and other rarities intended as a tribute to their guitarist Jeff Graham, who died a few years ago of an overdose, is also a fine retrospective of the band itself. Unlike many other comparable collections, the sound and performances on the tracks culled here are consistently top notch and showcase the band at their finest. True to form, it is also meant to serve as a benefit for Jeff’s wife Monica. Good guys, them Shleppers remain. Recommended listening. –Jimmy Alvarado (Fiend)

SCHOOL JERKS:
Self-titled: EP
Gawwwwwwwd damn! The best record I’ve had the chance of reviewing this issue! Raw hardcore punk that reminds me of early Black Flag (a comparison I don’t make often—do your research if you doubt me) with the guitar sound and the sinister way it all plays out. The vocals are seriously killer, totally spat out and foaming-at-the-mouth style. Sounds like someone throwing a shit fit, and they’re so mad the words are a series of splats, blats, and bluhs. Not that cheesy Cookie Monster grindcore growling shit, either! This is the real deal hardcore punk rock. Worthy of repeated listens and phone calls to your friends; “Dude, you gotta get this record!! Seriously!” type conversations. I hear this is their second EP, and that half of them are from TerminalState. Huh?!?! Never mind all that. Get this and crank it the hell up! One of the better records to be released in some time. Definitely worth driving to a record store for, or even going to some shitty show and rummaging distro boxes to get. –Matt Average (Cowabunga, cowabungarecords.com)

SCHOOLYARD HEROES:
Fantastic Wounds: CD + DVD
Seattle band that are apparently quite the shit in their hometown. Unfortunately, I had a tough time hearing why. The vocals are too overwrought and operatic. Incessant guitar noodling and off the wall song titles do not make a good album. Also, the bonus DVD contains one video. A live concert video of one song. Why would I ever watch one song ever again on this DVD? Marketing 101: This should have been an enhanced part of the original CD. But it will make a cool drink coaster with the Frankenstein cover art. Did I just hear this singer do some yodeling? –Sean Koepenick (The Control Group)

SCHULZ:
What Apology: CD
Weird one, this is. Starts off in bad metal/rock territory, stops off in industrial thrash metal land, returns to bad metal/rock territory, then ends things off with two decent industrial dance tracks. Truly a mixed bag here, where what’s good here is quite good and what isn’t sucks somethin’ fierce. –Jimmy Alvarado (Sudden Death)

SCHWARZEN SCHAFE, DIE:
24 Years of DIY: CD
They sound like yer average German bald boy punk stuff, but based on the pics, there doesn’t seem to be a skinhead anywhere near the vicinity. Stuff here follows the basic oi template; not revelatory, not horrible. –Jimmy Alvarado (sp-records.com)

SCI-FI NIGHTMARES, THE:
Cold and Blue: 7"
This is one dude who seems to be preoccupied with an ex-girlfriend. It’s simple, poppy punk, taking its queues from the Ramones and Misfits (with Glenn, in poppy moments) and making it more basic. “How does that work?” you ask. Well, I’m not sure how, but it does. Not too bad. –Vincent Battilana (608 Kisses)

SCIENCE OF YABRA / GLASS AND ASHES:
Split: 7"
Science of Yabra: A not-so-good mix of DIY, instrumental prog-doom that morphs into blah Jesus Lizard. Glass and Ashes: They just seem so "ehh." Rough, screaming vocals. Reaching for that "epic" feel of early Hot Water Music, but not able to saddle up on that winged horse. They're like sand. I can't get mad at it. I guess I can bag it and dam a river with it, but I don't give it a lot of thought if it's not right in front of me. They don't feel impending, which is what I suspect is the feel they're going for. –Todd Taylor (Code of Ethics)

SCIENTISTS:
Swampland: CD
To totally jack the always quotable Mr. Jake Smith, America has room for only two Australian rock bands, AC/DC and Air Supply, which leaves quite a few bands truly worthy of some attention sorely lacking any. Such is the case with the Scientists. Hailing from the land of Bon Scott and the Hard-Ons, these guys sound like the missing link between the primal punk of the Saints and the psychosis of the Birthday Party, but also manage to throw a wrench in the gears by distilling the rockabilly out of the Cramps to get at their best, most minimal essence. This is some really good stuff here, stuff that should be played loud and often, and yet at the same time, it’s something that the corporate formats calling themselves “indie” anymore would never drop into regular rotation. Stupid Americans. –Jimmy Alvarado (Cherry Red)

SCISSORFIGHT:
Mantrapping for Sport and Profit: CD
I guess this could be correctly categorized as scum-metal madness and mayhem, but to be perfectly honest, I hear waaaaay too much of this shit around town to even consider giving it a second listen. No offense meant to Scissorfight, though, ‘cause they proficiently and energetically tear it up somethin’ fierce on this here devil-dog of a disc, but it just ain’t my bottle of brew, so therefore I can’t fuckin’ be bothered with it. If ya dig a maniacal bit of Ministry crossed with Soundgarden’s grungey roar, Black Sabbath’s dark’n’decadent instrumental delivery, and the robust fiery expulsions of Satan’s flatulence, then Scissorfight is certainly the band for you. But not me, bub, so I will now loudly crank the Link Wray compilation that Santa brought to me this past Christmas (HoHoHumbug and up yers!). –Roger Moser Jr. (Tortuga)

SCORE ONE FOR THE FAT KID:
Plan B Is for Suckers: CD
They must’ve thought that recording this would make womyn-types think that they’re these sensitive guys, so that they could get otherwise unattainable lovin’. Good lord I hope that’s why they did it. –Megan Pants (Losing Blueprint)

SCOTCH GREENS:
Professional: CD
On the case is a sticker, which says, “punk rock and American roots. When was the last time you heard originality?” With regards to the first part, when I think “punk rock and American roots,” I think of the Gun Club, The Blasters, Los Lobos and maybe The Knitters. As for the second part, outside of the occasional inclusion of a banjo, what I’m hearing, while not terrible by any stretch, ain’t exactly teeming with originality. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.scotchgreens.com)

SCOTCH GREENS:
Professional: CD
In the same way The Pogues and The Dolomites (and even the Real McKenzies, if you want to stretch the analogy a bit) have built off the foundations of Irish and Scottish ballads, the Scotch Greens have done the same with American country. More rooted in bluegrass and country traditions (as opposed to, like, rawk) than bands like The Lazy Cowgirls and the Supersuckers, these guys have a pretty unique thing going on here. It’s generally urgent and up tempo and tight as shit, with galloping drums, banjo, and an occasional organ fighting for dominance over guitars that stay amped up in the double digits nearly the entire record. If you’re familiar with bands like Duck Duck Gray Duck and The Dickel Brothers then you’re in the ballpark; it’s just that the Scotch Greens are like the younger brother of those two groups, a kid who still loves the Misfits a little bit more than Merle Haggard, a kid who just can’t stop stepping on the distortion pedal and steadfastly refuses to acknowledge that people who wear duck’s ass haircuts and roll their cigarette packs into their shirtsleeves look silly. Liked this one a lot more than I thought I would. –Keith Rosson (DRT)

SCOTCH GREENS, THE / THE IRISH BROTHERS:
Split: 7"
The Scotch Greens: A porch riot, replete with devastating banjo. Yep. Banjo. A band has to be great for me not think they’re using that little, round-butt guitar ironically, and the Scotch Greens do just that. My ears hear ultra-confident, believable punk/bluegrass music displaying hummable songs that make me want to slap my knee with one hand and drink from a passed jug with the other. And not in a hokey, Hee Haw way, either. Good times. The Irish Brothers: Modern honky-tonk by way of Reverend Horton Heat with a half a jigger of Throw Rag strangeness clacked on the side of its skull. Ain’t gonna give you a wedgie for putting it on the jukebox, but would never put it on myself. Kudos to the Scotch Greens. –Todd Taylor (Split Seven)

SCOTCHGREENS:
O.C.6.16.02: CD
Live country/roots-punk like Flogging Molly tearing a jig with the Supersuckers. Pretty good sound. Perhaps you will dance your own dance. –Cuss Baxter (Accident Prone)

SCOTT DUNBAR:
From Lake Mary: CD
This is mud-swirled Mississippi-swamp blues that colorfully conjures Delta South images of catfish and cane-poles, alligators lazily baskin' on steamin' slices of sunbaked sandbars along the river's mosquito-infested edge, dragonflies precariously buzzin' through the thick'n'heavy mugginess of summer's late-afternoon air, an effervescent flurry of lightning bugs delicately illuminating the hushed solitude of dusk, a lovelorn whippoorwill sweetly crooning a passionate heart-stirring song in the distant calm of late evening's darkness, and a lantern-lit breeze-swept scenario of drinkin' home-brewed hooch and smokin' a corncob pipe while sittin' on the stoop of a bayou shack's front porch and reverently absorbin' the surrounding sights and sounds. Mr. Dunbar's garbled grandpappy scarecrow vocals, frenzied smokestack sizzlings of downhome'n'charming guitar pickins, and bootheel-tappin' feverish zeal cause my ears to broadly smile and brightly glow forevermore. Man, this moves me every which way possible... –Guest Contributor (Fat Possum)

SCOTT FARKUS AFFAIR, THE:
We Will Become Destination: CD
Emo/college rock. It sucked. –Jimmy Alvarado (Ambiguous)

SCOTT MARROW:
For All the Time You Spend Losing…You Better Enjoy Your Failure: CD
Experimental indie pop that reminded me a little of Wolf Parade. By no means bad, but I didn’t really get into it. Sarah Shay –Guest Contributor (Whiteroom)

SCOTT MORGAN & MISS GEORGIA PEACH:
Self-titled: 7"
Scott Morgan, an icon at the forefront of the sonic assailment of ‘60s Detroit garage and contemporary of the Stooges, MC5, etc., teams up with Miss Georgia Peach, a soulful, husky-voiced redhead. Noisy garage trash with bluesy, ‘60s R&B vocals like the Detroit Cobras, the Hard Lessons and their ilk, including the West Coast incarnation of such classic sounds, the Bell-Rays. –Jessica Thiringer (ramorecords.com)

SCOTT REYNOLDS & THE STEAMING BEAST:
Adventure Boy: 2xCD
I really like this album. When I think of early ‘90s rock, I usually think of Nirvana and Pearl Jam, but whenever I see reruns of Beavis and Butthead, there are always videos of a bunch of also-ran college and alt rock bands. A lot of these bands definitely were quirky and unique sounding in a way that’s just a little bit different from bands today. The Steaming Beast managed to snag all the good bits about the jangly and poppier sides of the alt rock spectrum (like the Flaming Lips and Urge Overkill), and avoid the crappier aspects (i.e. the pseudo adult contemporary kibble that is the Counting Crowes and Goo Goo Dolls). From what I understand, The Steaming Beast is really more of a concept than an actual band, sorta like Steely Dan, but the record holds together really well and has great lyrics which easily could of fit on records from Scott’s most famous past band, All. This is really great chill music that keeps one’s attention. Also, Scott provides really great liner notes in the CD. There’s also a second CD included with this which is a pretty good label sampler of the Suburban Home roster. –Adrian (Suburban Home)

SCOTT “DELUXE” DRAKE:
The World's Strongest Man: CD
Fans that recognize Scott’s name will likely remember his tenure with his old band, the Humpers, one of America’s best bands to make spaced-out and fucked up rock‘n’roll accessible to loads of punk rock folk across the globe. Now on his own, Scott’s been tooling around with his love yet again on this disc, along with a few familiar faces from his old gang (Mark “Anarchy” Lee and Billy Burks). A large portion of this CD is in tune with what Scott was churning out with the Humpers, like “I Made a Mistake,” “The Girl with the Titanium Heart,” and “The Bolivian Mind Bender.” I even dug on the Stonesy, organ-speckled “The World’s Strongest Man,” but then there’s “A Boat Named Mischief,” which sounds a helluva lot like a ‘luded-up Jim Morrison singing Van Morrison’s “Moondance,” and the Pink Floyd-ish “Dementia.” As long as Scott doesn’t go and decide to put out a full-length of vocal standards and continues to put out the rawk, things are good. And Mr. Mark Lee: animal husbandry, fer crying out loud? Someone call Animal Planet. –Designated Dale (Dionysus)

SCOURGE OF RIVER CITY, THE:
Self-titled: CD
When I saw the band name, I kinda half-hoped this would be the latest from a Dwarves-affiliated band called the River City Rapists, but no, just some kids with a stand-up bass fiddle listening to too much Misfits and daydreaming of hitting it big like the Living End. Ah, well. –Jimmy Alvarado (Cherry Red)

SCOUTS HONOR:
I Am the Dust: CD
From what I hear, this band is a touring machine. I haven’t seen them through San Diego, but I’m looking forward to it. Originally a two-piece band, they added a bassist to thicken things up. I hear the influences of 16 Horsepower and Murder City Devils in the vocals and dirges of the slide guitar lines. No Idea made a great choice to put this record out. Of course, many will assume these guys to be derivative of Against Me!, but the similarities are slight. A country feel is evident in some tracks, but the raspy vocals maintain some urgency. Albeit not exactly coefficient, this is worth looking into if you dig the Murder City Devils as much as I do. –Guest Contributor (No Idea)

SCRAGS:
One with Everything: CD
A big rock sound resulting in a big fucking yawn. –Jimmy Alvarado (Wonton)

SCRAGS:
One with Everything: CD
A big rock sound resulting in a big fucking yawn. –Jimmy Alvarado (Wonton, no address)

SCRAGS, THE:
A Three Act Trash’n’roll Show in Mono: Demo CD
The title of this demo pretty much says it all. It’s three trash’n’roll songs that sound like they were recorded in someone’s basement. The Scrags tread the same ground as The Humpers or The Loud Pipes. It’s beer soaked rock’n’roll. On one hand, it’ll get a punk rocker’s foot tapping, but on the other hand, if The Scrags played the bar in a bowling alley, the greasers there would probably dig it. Not totally original, but well done. –Sean Carswell (www.thescrags.com)

SCRAMS, THE:
Self-titled: 7”
The Scrams hail from Albuquerque, New Mexico and sound like they have a pretty good thing going: Keyboard-driven rock’n’roll that’s raw and unrefined, kinda like the first Cococoma and Okmoniks 7”s. The songs don’t develop much past their initial inspiration or idea, but there is promise and hope contained in these grooves. Take “Molasses.” The Scrams hearken back to the ‘60s, writing a song about a brand new dance, the Molasses. The lyrics are jokey and the tune doesn’t move much past the novelty of a dance based on being lazy in a climate known for extreme heat. But, the guitar riff clearly references the Sonics version of “Have Love Will Travel,” and the keyboards dance over the top of the melody without drowning it out completely. The band bio says they’ve only been playing together since 2009, so I’m betting their songwriting will improve vastly over the next few releases. –Josh Benke (Self-released)

SCRAPING FOR CHANGE:
Self-titled: CDEP
This band is fronted by Sterling Selover, who is the creative mastermind behind this project. How do I know for sure? Because he plays guitar and handles vocals. He also plays keyboards on four of the six songs on this EP. He wrote all the songs. All the lyrics and melodies were by him. He is also the “executive producer” of this release. I have never seen a band member’s name mentioned so much in the liner notes. The sticker on the front tells me that “track one” is the hit single. Being the diligent reviewer that I am, I listened to more than the first song. I really should be getting hazard pay for having this overproduced emo schlock in my possession. Unless you like over-emoting cock rock bands like Creed and Three Doors Down, this is not the band you are looking for. This is not a CD you need. No Jedi mind trick needed to avoid this one. Ugh! –Sean Koepenick (Self-released)

SCRAPS AND HEART ATTACKS:
Still Sick: CD
Pissed-off hardcore with that big Marshall sound. Surprisingly stronger than expected. –Jimmy Alvarado (Triple Crown)

SCRAPY:
Local Pub/Skank N' Roll: CDEP
Quick taster from these street punks/skins who infuse ska into their music. This is one large band to tour around with. Almost like a gang, they are ten deep. They take elements of street punk, oi, ska and '50s rock'n'roll to make their songs enjoyable like a good pint of your favorite ale. These are tracks from their full length titled Saturday Night. From what I've heard off this release, further investigation needs to be instigated. –Donofthedead (Mad Butcher)

SCRAPY:
Unsteady Times: CD
In the past, I received a CD single from this band that was pretty good. So it’s good to see that I received a copy of their full length. Same stuff as before. A great mix of street punk meets ska and two-tone. The production is so much better on this release. It establishes a good groove that is not only smooth but silky. The street punk songs are pint-in-the-air fun. The ska stuff is the stuff that stands out here. It makes me want to put on a trenchcoat with a target on it or go shopping for a pork pie hat. It’s that good. Nine guys make music for a soundtrack for a good party. –Donofthedead (Mad Butcher)

SCRAPY:
Local Pub/Skank N’ Roll: CDEP
Quick taster from these street punks/skins who infuse ska into their music. This is one large band to tour around with. Almost like a gang, they are ten deep. They take elements of street punk, oi, ska and ‘50s rock’n’roll to make their songs enjoyable like a good pint of your favorite ale. These are tracks from their full length titled Saturday Night. From what I’ve heard off this release, further investigation needs to be instigated. –Donofthedead (Mad Butcher)

SCRAWL, LE:
Eager to Please: CD
Every now and then you get a CD that just walks up, grabs you by the shirt and proceeds to slap you silly. This bizarre little ditty is one such record. This is like one big schizophrenic nightmare, a cookie monster vocalist backed by a hardcore band that every now and then feels the urge to fuck off into left field and delve into a little ska, metal, surf or lounge music for a few seconds, then goes back to thrashing things up. Somehow (don’t look at me, ‘cause I haven’t a clue why) it works. Not quite sure I can say I dig it, but it is one mind-spinningly interesting listen, that’s for sure. –Jimmy Alvarado (Life Is Abuse)

SCRAWL, LE:
Eager to Please: CDEP
I had the pleasure of experiencing this band in a live setting here in jolly old LA recently. I can’t believe this band from Germany is playing in LA! They have been around for ten years and I believe they are stepping on these shores for the first time. I’m wasn’t going to miss it for the world! It’s truly amazing to see a band play with so much precision and pull off what is produced in a studio. I purposely waited until after the gig to listen to this CD. I wanted to be charged when I got to preview the new songs. I was not disappointed. Thirteen songs of Cookie Monster-induced grindcore mixed with acid jazz, keyboard, sax, and sheerly ingenious song structures. Who knows what the hell these guys actually sing about? The singer could be mumbling about how he got his cat to toss his salad. No one would know. But the songs are infectious and truly outside the box in design. It almost sounds like nursery rhymes. I grin like a flatulent man after a good round of expelling fumes of unknown digestive nature while listening to their music. I highly recommend this band when you need to be challenged or want to see what a commercial band like System of a Down would sound like if they took their weirdness to a level of LSD-induced Disney reality. I do have to make my whiney cry, though. Why did I have to get a CD-R instead of the real thing? The label sent the real packaging. –Donofthedead (Life is Abuse)

SCRAWL, LE:
Too Short to Ignore: CD
Grindcore can get monotonous at times. Like any genre, someone comes along and makes things interesting. Imagine eating a handful of gummy bears, down it with a large cup of coffee, followed with two chili dogs, a cobb salad, popcorn and warm beer. Go to any carnival or amusement park and go on any ride that spins. When you go into full g-force spins, projectile vomit toward the center of the ride and for a split second what appears in the middle is physically what this German band plays musically. To give music references, I would say, take your typical grindcore with cookie monster vocals, add some acid jazz, some ska and love for R&B and it still doesn’t describe it. Most grindcore has an evil, angry tone to the music. This band reverses the formula to make the music sound almost happy. I could picture the band with their keyboard player and horn section on stage smiling while playing their material. Surreal. Another reference Matt Average gave me about this band was “along the lines of No Less or Plutocracy, but darker.” This is supposed to be a complete discography of released, demo and live tracks from 1990 - 1999. Sixty-six tracks in total. I first heard of this band from my brother. The band was a on comp titled Rotten Fake! with Agathocles and Seven Minutes of Nausea. The tracks were cover songs of De La Soul, The Exploited, Terrorizer, Chic and the Mission Impossible theme song. I was hooked but never ran across any of their releases. I noticed my friend’s distro had the discography in stock, so, I snapped it right up. I can’t wait for more to come my way! Truly twisted! –Donofthedead (Life Is Abuse)

SCRAWL, LE:
Too Short to Ignore: CD
Holy Christ-crankin muttonchops, if this ain’t the fucked-upedest record I’ve heard in years, if not ever! I’m gonna call them a grind band, as that’s the common element, but EVERY SINGLE SONG (there are sixty-six) jumps from grind to one or more other things and back again like a flea on a meth binge: lounge jazz, ska, other kinds of jazz I don’t know the name of, disco (they cover “Good Times”), flute solos, you name it. I wanna say it’s like the Residents doing Napalm Death, but that seriously barely approaches the amazingly curdled reality of these German fruitcakes. I don’t even know if I like the fucking thing; every time I put it on, my jaw drops open and stays that way until it goes off. Jeez. –Cuss Baxter (RSR/Life Is Abuse)

SCREAM HELLO:
Smart & Stupid!: CDEP
I guess this is a good sign as any that there’s still a degree of segregation between all these little different “scenester/sub-genre/whatever you want to call it,” because I think I see a fair amount of shows in New Brunswick NJ, where these dudes are from, and I’ve only heard their name come up on the internet. This particular EP looks like a teaser for an upcoming full length, with four songs that kind of sound like that “emo”/pop punk that you used to see come out on Jade Tree, in the sense that it’s really polished, and gets kind of arty, for lack of a better word—I kind of prefer New End Original. It’s not bad, but to have four songs last almost twenty minutes just seems way overkill, in my opinion. –Joe Evans III (Red Leader)

SCREAMERS, THE:
Demos : LP
As highly revered, sought after, talented, and influential as The Screamers are, they never officially released single piece of vinyl. Recent (and gorgeous) double-CD bootlegs (containing live shows and audio tracks from their Target Video appearances, among other things) have been released, and since Tomata Du Plenty died, it doesn’t look like a truly legit release will ever come out. (I have no idea who owns the rights to these songs.) The simple synopsis of The Screamers: a punk band that was at times out of Seattle and LA, was huge on the club circuit, that had no guitars. And they didn’t suck. Jello Biafra’s been quoted as saying The Screamers were, “The best unrecorded band in the history of rock’n’roll.” I personally can’t think of another one. The result is easily the first example of West coast techno punk, a genre that got raped all to hell, but was as vital and real as anyone plugging in a guitar. The Screamers are aggressive, tension-filled, exciting, and different – different not just to be different, but exploring something wholly original. Visionary? Yep. Iconoclastic? You bet. Worth getting? For the adventurous or if you think you’ve heard it all before. The only caveat to this? There’s a high pitch hum all the way through the LP and it’s fucking murder listening to it on headphones. And when I played it on the stereo, the neighbors dogs freaked (which is rad in its own way.). –Todd Taylor (SOB Records)

SCREAMING FAT RAT:
Idiomatic Breakdown: CD
Picture Husker Du and sushi and meaty hooks. Then splice in The Clash (especially “White Man in Hammersmith Palais”) and California rolls and shimmering guitars. Cut with immaculate harmonies. Rising suns with snap, crackle, and pop. The lead vocalists sings in a clipped, almost Big Drill Car delivery with humming and driving melodies. The band’s from Tokyo. Their execution’s perfect. Undeniably to their credit, they do make original pop punk (a genre that - as a whole - is as robust and exciting as an uninflated fuck doll right now). I’ll be honest. There’re right up to the teeter totter of being too perfect. Not in a calculated way, but in a way that they studied it very hard and have it down too pat. They’re almost too proficient. They make it sound almost too easy. And maybe because I’m a fan of barely contained rage when I’m served a bowl of punk rock without songs about girlfriends and bubblegum, but I was expecting more of a raw charge. The last song is a loungey dubbed-to-English version of the aforementioned Clash’s “I’m Not Down.” Drop me a line in six months to see if it’s still in my CD rotation. It’s definitely not bad. It just didn’t bomb my head or bowl a strike. –Todd Taylor (Snuffy Smile)

SCREAMING FEMALES:
Baby Teeth: CD
Kind of a weird record, and not just because it’s a CD and there’s only one female and practically no screaming: starts off with this heavy groovy Kyuss thing, and then generally avoids that neighborhood for the rest of the time, sticking mostly to a sparse pop deal with tasteful bits of funk here and there and some very competent guitar work (though with too much soloing for my taste) by the female who also is the singer. And while the music doesn’t sound much like the Yes Yes Yesses, the vocals do sound a lot like those of Karen O, maybe doing a Dylan impression. Totally grew on me, just like hairs. –Cuss Baxter (Self-released?)

SCREAMING FEMALES:
Arm Over Arm: 7”
I tried to get into this, but just couldn’t. Kinda slow, jagged punk rock with really bad cover art. Not my thing, but hey. If this were a cereal, it’d be regular corn flakes. Not for me! –Maddy (Self-released)

SCREAMING FEMALES:
What If Someone Is Watching Their T.V.?: CD
Here’s indie rock’s answer to basement punk (I guess making this basement rock). Youthful-sounding (hey, I look like I’m twelve. It’s not a dig), with a touch of New York City hipster to them—despite being from New Jersey—just enough that you get the idea they know what’s up. –Joe Evans III (Self-released)

SCREAMING FEMALES:
Power Move: CD
Blistering, howling, incapacitating, surreal music that draws heavily from Jefferson Airplane, Black Sabbath, Bikini Kill, and Sonic Youth. While trying not to trample the term weird punk further into the ground; I classify Screaming Females with modern day oddity bands that are all fucking rad at what they do: Shellshag, anything with John Geek, Hunchback, Stupid Party, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, and any other group around that’s using more than three effects pedals and not annoying the fuck outta me. Pick up this album and let Screaming Females lead you into the deepest caverns of your psyche. It’s a trip worth traveling. –Daryl Gussin (Don Giovanni)

SCREAMING FEMALES:
Singles: CDEP
Before seeing Screaming Females live, I hadn’t done the math in my head. All of those tricky guitar parts—Jimi Hendrix by way of Pussy Galore’s Cristina Martinez—was coming from a shy, soft-spoken lady who turned into a lion on stage. Watery waver to full roar; she does all the singing, too. Apparently, Marissa self-taught herself years of guitar when she was taking care of her grandmother, which explains a couple of things: her proficiency and the fact that she doesn’t sound exactly like any other guitarist I can think of. This CDEP is a six-song collection of their little vinyls—splits and 7”s—and if you’re into loud guitars doing wicked things, here’s your ticket. –Todd Taylor (Don Giovanni, screamingfemales.net)

SCREAMING FEMALES / HUNCHBACK:
Split: 7”
Hunchback: Make me re-think my not liking Neil Diamond. My mom loved The Jazz Singer. Just joking. It’s a Neil Young cover and in Hunchback’s able hands, I can see what others see in Mr. Young, even though I feel no compulsion to buy, or listen to, any of his records directly. Screaming Females: apparently another Young cover and it reinforces what I was thinking with Hunchback. People with wider ears than mine can interpret him for me; I’m cool with that. I totally bonered my last Screaming Females review, saying that Miranda was Marissa, and she’s not; she’s two different people. Marissa has a great, shaky, watery voice, but she’s not in Full Of Fancy. That would be Miranda, who was also in Hunchback, Neil Young’s first band, before the one where he was with that ill-tempered, fat, mustachioed hippie. –Todd Taylor (Freedom School)

SCREAMIN’ CYN CYN AND THE PONS:
Screamin’ Target Heart Rate: CD
Whoa. This album blew me away. Looking at the band’s name and the cover art I thought it might be some overly ironic hipster garbage. But no! This is actually a collection of hilarious, clever, pop punk songs (and lots of them! Twenty tracks!) performed with an almost alarming amount of energy and skill. My favorite track on the whole thing is the pro-dance, anti-standing-around anthem “Rock Your Body,” which includes the line “Get on the floor/ turn off the emo-core.” If my aerobics teacher had taste, this is what she would play during class. –Jennifer Whiteford (Crustacean)

SCREAMPLAY:
Don’t Tell Me: 7”
Hollywood rock girl screams and hits a keyboard. Its not new wave or edgy, its someone trying to get popular by “not caring” and playing bad. No one else cares either. The drummer looks exactly like Alex Van Halen, for what its worth. –Speedway Randy (Lady Kinky Karrot Records, ladykinkykarrot@yahoo.com)

SCREECHING WEASEL:
Kill the Musicians: CD
A reissue of a collection of B-sides, EPs, and assorted rarities by this venerated band. While I can't say that listening to it has made me a fan by any stretch of the imagination, I do find that I can appreciate their take on the punk template when they veer away from the Ramones worship and branch out a bit. Nothing wrong with the Ramones thang, mind you, but after literally decades of being inundated with thousands of bands aping both Screeching Weasel and the Queers, even the original strain of the virus is a bit much to take after a while. –Jimmy Alvarado (Asian Man)

SCREECHING WEASEL:
Weasel Mania: CD
You don't realize it sometimes until you see it in front of your face. Time flies by in a blink. I'm looking at this CD and Screeching Weasel has been together on and off since 1986. For some strange reason I keep thinking that they are a new band. But seeing 1986 is a reality check. That is almost twenty years ago. It also shows how many things can pass you by if you don't pay attention. I can't believe how many releases Screeching Weasel has. But then again, I really didn't follow this band or bands like Operation Ivy or Jawbreaker either. Heard the name around, heard some songs, maybe have a comp track here, and maybe have a release or two that I haven't listened to in years. That's about it for me. But those bands have placed themselves in punk history because of their music. But I do remember Screeching Weasel were heavily influenced by the Ramones. As I listen to this, I hear the influence all through their songs-songs that sound like anybody could write if they are actually inspired and enjoy what they're doing. There are thirty-four songs on this greatest hits release. I'm sure that is not even twenty percent of what the band has written in their life span. So they plugged along longer than most bands in existence and wrote a large body of material. This sampler is a great way to see what the meat of their output tastes like. –Donofthedead (Fat)

SCREECHING WEASEL:
Boogadaboogadaboogada: CD
It's awesome that Asian Man reissued this, but it's kind of a shame that it ever went out of print in the first place. You see, back in 1988 when this first came out, the state of punk rock, especially pop punk, was not doing so hot. Most of the hardcore bands had crossed over into the lucrative metal scene, and the only other “alternative” was indie college rock. (Fugazi's first record was out by then, but you kinda had to be a scenester to know about them.) So here comes Screeching Weasel playing pissed off, snotty pop punk with melody, and that goddamned one-string guitar solo that every pop punk band in history has since copied. If you like (or have ever liked) pop punk at all, this is a must-have. This was the beginning. Essential. –Ben Snakepit (Asian Man)

SCREECHING WEASEL:
My Brain Hurts: CD
No matter how much I hate Ben Weasel and his moronic (egotistic?) one-sided blog posts, and repeated unleashing of websites only to never update them—I admit that he is a great pop punk songwriter. Some of my favorite songs ever are SW tunes, and as far as I'm concerned My Brain Hurts is quite literally the best album released by the band. This is Asian Man's re-issue of it (which I own on tape, CD, and vinyl through the Lookout original pressings) was remastered by Mass Giorgini (SW bassist on the last few CDs) and contains new layout work. The mastering job was done well, and I like how you can hear the backing vocals much clearer than on the 1991 versions, but the recording still sucks. Nothing you can do about that—blame it on low-end equipment and a speedy recording session. Oh, don't get me wrong, the sucky recording is part of the reason that makes this the best SW album of all time. Sometimes gritty, low-budget warmness feels better than recordings that cost more than homes in Chicago go for in 2005. I also noticed that Martin from Los Crudos took all the pictures. Too cool. Joe King's bio/liner notes commentary and the band members' song descriptions and flashbacks were also a nice treat. –Mr. Z (Asian Man)

SCREECHING WEASEL:
Weasel Mania: CD
According to my pop punk expert source, “Some of the songs that they pick are pretty good, but other time it’s the worst—like on Emo, they only picked two songs, and they picked the two worst ones.” I honestly missed having a Screeching Weasel phase, and, in general, my pop punk exposure has been pretty limited until the past couple of years. I’m sure I’ve heard them before, but this was my first time actually putting them on of my own volition. For my money, I’d rather throw on Rivethead, who, some ten or fifteen years later, are doing much more inventive things with a similar sound, but I have taken someone up on their suggestion to make me a more representative comp. (Note: since this was written, Rivethead has broken up, causing me much sadness in the pop punk part of my heart.) –Megan Pants (Fat)

SCREEN VINYL IMAGE:
Interceptors: CD
Occasionally ethereal, occasionally reveals possible Chrome and space rock influences, often loud and electronic/organic based. Good stuff if any of that sounds interesting to ye. –Jimmy Alvarado (Safranin Sound, no address)

SCREWDRIVERS, THE:
Shape of a Bird in Transit: CD
When you take a name so similar to that of a quite well known band with a strong Nazi slant, you’re kind of asking for trouble. Then again, when you make pretty bland sissy music, I guess you’re asking for trouble too. Note: This was only based on the first song because even though it says there are ten tracks, my players only found one. –Megan Pants (www.thescrewdrivers.com)

SCREWS, THE:
Shake Your Monkey: CD
Considering where this comes from, I thought that it might be the old OC punk band of the same name, but Todd says it ain’t, and seeing as he’s more in a position to know, I believe him. Some sloppy music here (that’s meant as a compliment) that alternates between blues, ‘60s pop and minimalist trash rock. Kinda cool in the same way that the first Gun Club record was cool. –Jimmy Alvarado (In the Red)

SCREWS, THE:
Shake Your Monkey: CD
Considering where this comes from, I thought that it might be the old OC punk band of the same name, but Todd says it ain’t, and seeing as he’s more in a position to know, I believe him. Some sloppy music here (that’s meant as a compliment) that alternates between blues, '60s pop and minimalist trash rock. Kinda cool in the same way that the first Gun Club record was cool. –Jimmy Alvarado (In the Red)

SCRIPTS, THE:
Six Song Demo: CD-R
Oh, great! Another band that wouldn't even exist if it weren't for the '80s AC/DC records! Please make this stop! –Josh (no address)

SCRIPTS, THE:
Six Song Demo: CD-R
Oh, great! Another band that wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for the ‘80s AC/DC records! Please make this stop! –Not Josh –Guest Contributor (no address)

SCRUBS, THE:
Return to the Basement: CD
Painfully plain Midwest-mall emo punk watered down for the most suburban of appetites. Nice guys finish last. –Jessica Thiringer (Nice Guy)

SCUDWORTH:
Demo: CD-R
The cover of the demo is of Max (Where the Wild Things Are) alone and depressed at a party. It’s been hella long since I’ve even seen the book, so I can’t say if the drawing was lifted or not. Either way, it’s nice. The recording quality is not so nice. Forgetting that, the band seems full of energy and into what they are doing. But, what they are doing is very Lifetime. It just reminds me that I haven’t listened to Jersey’s Best Dancers in a bit and that I really should. –Vincent Battilana (Self-released)

SCUM OF THE EARTH:
Better Late Than Never: CD
Mid-tempo hardcore from a long in the tooth, and allegedly very lazy, Australian band. Most of the songs are good, if uneventful, but the song "Search & Destroy," which is not a Stooges cover, caught my attention and will definitely make the rounds on future tapes made for the long drives in the Orange Death Machine. –Jimmy Alvarado (Boot to Head, Box 9005, Portland, OR 97207)

SCUM OF THE EARTH:
Bad Decisions: LP
…i’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for Florida rap-rock bands who share their name with songs from U.K. Subs b-sides, and Scum Of The Earth are no exception to this sage hunchwork. I actually think that rap is, in theory ((and i can’t stress those last two words enough)), “cool.” I think it is worthy, valid, and still, to this day, underexplored by caucazoidal nerd-punk types. Now, needless to say, i can’t quite… uh… RELATE, shall we say, to about 99.44 percent of rap-based musical products, but the idea of basing the rhythm AND melody ((such as it is)) of a song off of words, and getting on the computer and pasting a bunch of samples together for the background, is, at root, still a really good, really valid one, i think. “Bad Decisions” is not life-affirmingly great like the first Beastie Boys album is/was, but it’s decent enough that you’ll spin it all the way through and listen to it a second time on your own dime. Uh, i guess that’s “own dime, YO.” BEST SONG: “Revision” BEST SONG TITLE: “Revision” i guess. BEST RHYME: “Anything that i am for you has kicked the bucket / any points you might have earned have been deducted” FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: This is a hand-stenciled edition of fifty, and i’ve got number 21. That should be helpful the next time i go to the casino. –Rev. Norb (Destroy All Hipsters)

SCUMBAG ROADS:
Bad Girl Attraction: 10”
...one of the things that i find wholly unsatisfying regarding the majority of European punk rock (especially the stuff that might be seen as having descended in some way, shape or form from the Ramones, regardless of how nth-generation the bloodlines run) is that once The Punk Rock has made its initial mutation – has staked out its defining deviance from the norm, or what have you – it very rarely mutates further. Once a band sounds like what it sounds like, it sounds like that forever, or until they “progress,” which is different from mutation. Bands will be FAST and LOUD and PUNK, yet an entire set can pass by without the band ever finding some virgin cubic millimeter of your brain that hasn’t yet been trampled by rock ‘n’ roll – some tiny cluster of heretofore unused synapses, ripe for the pickin’ – and jabbing their own little pushpin in there, marking their turf forever and ever, or until you forget. I just never feel like a lot of the bands establish much of an identity above and beyond the identity they’ve established merely as a precondition to their existing; like, once the initial sonic character of the music is there, everything else could just be plotted out by some manner of punk rock algorithm. Of course, i freely admit that there may well be things in the music that i’m not picking up on, but i’m gonna give myself the benefit of the doubt and write that off as idle speculation right now. That said, about two-twelfths of this record is genius – and, of course, those twelfths would also be the two stupidest songs, “Deadly Potion” and “Dirt.” The other ten-twelfths blaze along in a quite pleasant punk rock fireball, with the blaring guitar assault upon my eardrums feeling as nice as the hot water in the shower does when i’ve finally coaxed myself out of bed in the morning. However, sorta like the shower, the feeling only lasts ‘til the towel. Rocks hard, but debatably non-essential. BEST SONG: I already told you this, it’s either “Dirt” or “Deadly Potion.” Now, since you made me repeat myself, i will tell you the BEST LYRIC: “I grab my giant noodle/pissing on the whole kaboodle” BEST SONG TITLE: Well, “Smash It Up,” “Dirt,” “I Don’t Like You” and “Yeah Yeah” are all pretty good... too bad they’re already taken. I guess i vote for “Bad Girl Attraction,” contingent on it being some sort of pun on “Bad Guy Reaction.” FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: Guitar player Andi Scum was (is?) in the Returners. The Wag!!! The Wag!!! THHHHEEEE WAAGGGGGGGG!!! –Rev. Norb (Swindlebra)

SCURVIES, THE:
Nightprowler: CD
I’m usually not privy to Alaskan punk rock—think the last bands I heard were Skate Death and the Clyng-Onz back in the ‘80s —so seeing this in the review pile was a bit of a surprise. Pretty solid meat and potatoes punk rock here, mostly mid-tempo with catchy chorus bits and loud guitars. While it took a while to grow on me, some flashes of greatness and the promise of future brilliance are in evidence. Hafta say that a little more chutzpah and audaciousness in both the writing and delivery would push ‘em onto the filet mignon tray, but in all, this ain’t too shabby. –Jimmy Alvarado (Boot to Head)

SCURVY BASTARDS:
Gold Fever: 7”
I really dig the pirate motif here and the music was a nice change of pace. It made me want to hang out in the New Orleans section of Disneyland with a parrot on my shoulder. –Jimmy Alvarado (702)

SCURVY DOGS:
Relieve Yourself: 7"
Hell yes, Bay Area HC strikes again! Great, fast, and catchy snotty hardcore on this five-song single. Between Deadfall, Funeral Shock, and this band, Northern California is the place to be right now for great current original style hardcore. The band name made me think this might be gutter punk, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that was not the case. This is a great, raging, and catchy hardcore single. First three hundred are on red/black swirl for the scum. Eat up! –Mike Frame (Tankcrimes)

SCURVY DOGS:
It’s All Gonna End: CD
These San Francisco punks have a sound that I would say fits in perfectly with the music that was being hosted in the now-defunct Burnt Ramen and Mission Records, but may not fit in with what I see booked at Gilman. I’m not a local of the Bay Area by any means, but from my personal experiences the past couple of decades and first-hand accounts from friends, this is my perception. A fast punk sound that has dirty almost gutter punk edge to it that reminded me of the Battalion of Saints. Screamed vocals over fast guitar parts that are played precisely but can fall apart at any moment. The drummer sounds as if he had one too many speedballs and bangs away trying to release all the built up adrenaline. If this is how they sound in a studio, imagine how they will sound live. Brutal. –Donofthedead (Rodent Popsicle)

SCURVY DOGS:
It’s All Gonna End: CD
San Diego Hardcore, a la Battalion of Saints. These boys must have been drinking whiskey down in Davey Jones’ locker when they recorded this in-your-face album. Teetering right on the edge of being full-on thrash, the screaming vocals are right at home with the super-slick bass riffs and rapid tempo changes. Don’t expect any crucial breakdowns, just fast hardcore that makes no apologies. JasonK –Guest Contributor (Rodent Popsicle)

SCURVY DOGS:
Relieve Yourself: 7” EP
The Scurvy Dogs play workmanlike hardcore punk that goes back to a time when geeks, misfits, socially awkward retards, drunks, and foreigners were on equal footing in the underground (the early ‘80s). They triangulate, roughly, between Vitamin X, Neos, and early DRI, and have reclaimed a nice corner of hardcore from the sports teams playing short hair metal masquerading as hardcore. They also cover a lot of ground in this EP, from French diplomacy, responsible drinking, and the social contract between hooker and pimp. Abrasive and cleansing, the Scurvy Dogs get the job done. –Todd Taylor (Kangaroo)

SCUTCHES, THE:
Self-titled : CD
This music sort of has that post-Weezer college rock feel. It reminds me of Matt Sharp’s first solo album with new wave-y female back up vocals mixed with old school Beach Boy aesthetics. These are eleven finger-snapping, chorus-hooky melodic pop songs. The album exhibits modern doo wop rock, stretching one song, “Cherry Cherry Coupe,” to include those deep vocal harmonies. This is one unabashedly fun album. It just lacks punk edge. If you’re in the need to blast tunes suitable for an eight-year-old to an eighty-year-old then ten out of the eleven tracks are perfect. There is some cussing on the tune “DSA,” so you just might take that out of the mix, but the cover of “Will You Still Love Me” is a smiley classic your dad—or maybe by now your grandpa—would love. –N.L. Dewart –Guest Contributor (PAF!, www.pafdisques.com)

SEA DOG:
Wizards of the Coast: LP
The titles really tell the story: What do you call a technically proficient metal song with a lo-fi bottom end? “Cave Mustaine”! If you like old school metal but hate the super douche posturing that comes with it, then this six-song instrumental onslaught from Ireland is for you. –Jim Ruland (Stitchy Press, www.stichypresshq.com)

SEA OF TOMBS:
Self-titled: CD

Standing proudly in that large area of overlap between stoner and prog rock, Sea of Tombs sound quite a lot like early Sabbath without that whiny goofball they had singing for them, with plenty Blue Cheer thrown in for variety. Six long, heavy instrumentals you’ll miss when they’re gone. Makes me wish I smoked stuff.

–Cuss Baxter (Gravity)

SEA, THE:
Love, Love, Love: 7”
Definitely a White Stripes influence here. Especially obvious on the flipside, “My Brother Blues.” Not to mention the vocal style is similar. Not bad, but nothing to seek out. –Matt Average (Lusty, www.theseasounds.co.uk)

SEAN:
Bike Messengers Aren’t as Cool as They Think They Are: CD
Sean’s latest release should come with a bottle of Exedrin attached to it. It’s a jumble of fucked-up keyboards, jazzed-up powerviolence riffage, and insane drumming time changes that will shatter your skull into a million little pieces if you’re not prepared for it. I swear to god, my stomach makes the same noises as these songs after I’ve eaten at Burger King. Bike Messengers… is far too complicated for me to enjoy. One should have a Ph.D. in mathematics with a focus in chaos theory before attempting to listen to this. –Josh Benke (Blackhouse)

SEASICK:
Awakenings: 10"
When taking this record out of the sleeve I expected screamo or some generic straight edge band, however I got a pleasant surprise. The music is hardcore reminiscent of mid-‘80s bands with hints of metal but never really crossing the line. The lyrics were really good and contained words that may or may not be in the English language. I look forward to future releases from this band. It comes on pretty bumble bee-colored splattered vinyl. –Guest Contributor (BrainDrain)

SEASICK:
Ouroboros: One Sided 12”
This is some thinkin’ man’s hardcore. Fully equipped with a two minute instrumental intro packed with worldly noises and Gregorian-esque chant, and then—BLAM! Clear the floor hardcore that makes you want to swing your arms in ever direction possible and throw your body into complete strangers. I’d read multiple interviews with this band and they always seemed like they had a lot to say; their lyrics are no different. I kinda feel like I need a degree in Cultural Anthropology to even understand what they’re talking about, but, luckily, anger and aggression are universal and I understand that. –Daryl Gussin (Soul Rebel, myspace.com/xsoulrebelrecordsx)

SEASICK:
Ennui: 7”
Thick, dark hardcore from New Jersey. It’s got a metal influence that comes through in the melodic leads and adventurous, but smooth, tempo changes. You can tell that the guys in Seasick are great musicians; the playing is tight with technical flourishes, but they hold back and concentrate on kicking ass instead of impressing you with shredding or weird time signatures. If you like skewed hardcore like Born Against, His Hero Is Gone, or Deadguy, there’s something here that you’ll find worthy. Each side has two songs that run into one another, and if I hadn’t looked at the insert, I would have just thought there were two five-minute songs on this record. Also, if I hadn’t looked at the insert, I wouldn’t have seen the grouchy, “I hate the scene” lyrics. Hey chief, if you can’t go on with your life, then cheer up—your band just put out a ripshit record. –CT Terry (Headcount, headcountrecords.com)

SEASON TO RISK:
The Shattering: CD
These Kansas City stalwarts come out swinging with heavy, stop and start rock, accompanied by vocals that sound like they were screamed through a megaphone. It reminds me a lot of Jesus Lizard. The rhythm section is pounding and precise, and the guitar is doing a lot of noisy, discordant stuff over the top of it. The vocals pick up little bits of melody along the way, and the instrumentation gets almost ethereal at points. This is mostly due to the guitars and light use of synthesizer, as the bass and drums stay pounding all the way through. I can’t tell you much about the lyrics, because they’re nowhere to be found. This was produced by Bill Stevenson (Descendents, ALL, Black Flag) and Jason Livermore at Stevenson’s Colorado studio, the Blasting Room. This didn’t really grab me or blow me away, but it’s well executed and has its moments of ferocity that made it interesting. –Dan Yemin –Guest Contributor (Owned & Operated)

SECOND ACADEMY, THE:
Grave from out of Which We Briefly Wander: LP + CD
This album lacks some serious consistency. It’s got more consistency than a Ween album (what doesn’t?), but I don’t think it’s supposed to come off that way. It is more like two or so bands doing a split LP, but mixing the all the bands’ songs together instead of segregating them by artist. At times, the better times, they sound like they listen to X and The Kills. At other less good times, there is some Americana/indie/acoustic business going on. –Vincent Battilana (Tsurami, no address)

SECOND OPINION:
Youth Revolt: CD
Co-released by Tank Crimes and 625, so you know what you’re getting here—friggin thrash, man. Hit Me Back, Total Fury, maybe a simplified Cut The Shit. Fourteen straight-ahead studio songs and some live tracks thrown onto the end, the whole thing’s done in a little over twenty minutes. The cover features a bunch of zombies carrying wakeboards, if I’m not mistaken. –Keith Rosson (Tank Crimes)

SECRET ARMY:
Redemption: 7”
Four songs of totally solid street punk from a Spanish trio singing in English. Nice-looking packaging with a thick, clearish golden 7” enclosed in a sturdy double sleeve with sweet artwork, to boot. The first song, “Hypocrites and Parasites,” starts off very strong with a guitar overture that adds strings before doing an about face into energetic and appealing punk rock fury. The following three songs on the record are also consistently quality material with obvious similarities to better known American counterparts like Rancid and The Forgotten. Without a doubt, the best record I had the pleasure of reviewing for this issue of Razorcake. –Jake Shut (Longshot)

SECRET CUTTER:
Self-titled: EP
This sounds like what would happen if Brutal Truth and Hewhocorrupts happened to swap members after being double booked at the same venue and having shared a brick of hash. It’s good stuff, yes. –Juan Espinosa (Square Of Opposition, Discontent)

SECRET MOMMY:
Very Rec: CD
Quirky techno stuff with lotsa found sounds, not unlike Aphex Twin's more offbeat work. –Jimmy Alvarado (Ache)

SECRETIONS:
Faster Than the Speed of Drunk: CD
First the cool: There’s a bottle opener hidden under the CD tray. It’s a small thing, but it still was a pleasant surprise. As for the music… well… I dunno. This is my first exposure to the Secretions, but based on the Ramones-core of most of the songs I doubt if most of their other stuff is that different. I love, love, love, the Ramones, but there’s a lot of Ramones-core bands I don’t like at all. A lot of the bands seem stuck on writing self-reflexive songs about being a clichéd, drunken, punk rocker. It’s like that sad feeling you get when you see a band of forty-year-olds in leather called something like the Punkasfucks who seem to only play songs about drinking, about being punk, how punk it is to be drunk, how punk they are ‘cause they drink a lot, and be in rabid denial that anything has happened in the world since 1984 or so. Punk becomes a parody instead of anything honest. This album tends to keep drifting into that zone for me. The music itself feels pretty shopworn and unexciting for the most part, but it’s okay enough pop punk. The “Viva la Lucha Libre” song though… that flat-out sucks a truckload of ass. –Adrian (Silver Sprocket)

SECTION 802:
Last Call for Wishful Thinking: CD
Standard hardcore fare, but it sounds like it was recorded on a boombox in a basement. This is one of those bands which need a bit of production value to bring everything together. The tunes are good, but it sounds like the instruments and vocals are compartmentalized; if they were to blend together a bit more, Section 802 could have a much fuller sound that would kick me in the gut. “El Carajo” was really neat, though; it sounded like hardcore done over a Bach fugue. And it sells for four bucks on the label’s website, certainly a plus. –The Lord Kveldulfr (Incest, www.incestrecords.org)

SEDACED:
Self-titled: CDEP
Melodic post punk out of the UK that sounds like Leatherface meets Hot Water Music. –Donofthedead (Newest Industry)

SEDATIVES:
Self-titled: 7”EP
It’s strange to not be able to think of the last band I’ve listened to that took such a liking to “New Rose”-era Damned and the first track, “Cannot Calm Down,” starts off with an unwinding church organ until the drums gallop in and the guitars slide into their dark places. I’ve always enjoyed the charred-remains, desolation-at-dusk feel of the Damned and the Sedatives nail that feeling and atmosphere. When they speed up the tempo, the references jump forward in time to the cretin cheering of the Spits and the tense, creased power pop of fellow Canadians, Statues. A nice, unexpected surprise. –Todd Taylor (Going Gaga)

SEDATIVES:
Human Beings: 7”
Straightforward, no frills punk stuff along the lines of bands like the Spits, only without the intentional dopiness. Good stuff. –Jimmy Alvarado (Taken by Surprise, no address)

SEE YOU IN HELL:
2003-2007: CD
CD discography of 7”s and their full-length released in the last five years. Awesome stuff. Fast, angry, and abrasive like a wolverine that’s been poked with sticks. A blood-boiler. A rager. I want to desecrate graveyards. Random acts of mayhem. Go blow up cars and throw watermelons randomly. See You In Hell have made me twenty years old again. I will destroy dutifully with them as my soundtrack. –The Lord Kveldulfr (Not Very Nice)

SEED:
(If I Can Catch a) Baby Rainbow: 7" EP
...on first blush, the title track appeared to be virtually musically identical to "Here Comes a Regular," the essentially-acoustic ballad that ends the Replacements Tim album, but, with the onset of the ill-pitched vocals, i realized i was errantly playing the record on the wrong speed – which isn't the punch line, the punch line is that i was actually playing it TOO FAST. To keep the ghost of Tim Yohannan off my ass, i will refrain from further coverage of the song in question; i mean, this is the sort of thing that makes Oasis sound like they're hung like John Holmes. The handwritten letter which accompanied this record on its transatlantic zig-zag from England to my turntable conceded that the title track is "a bit mellow," but that the EP had a "double A" side (oh, well, in THAT case i guess everything's all right!), and that if i/we played "Ammonia," i/we would "see" where they were "coming from." So, i dunno. I guess they come from Ammonia, England. All i heard of note in "Ammonia" was a DK-style bass riff (the English have some peculiar obsession with the Dead Kennedys, apparently America's Only Punk Band, Ever) played a la grunge, so, by and large, i'd give the A-side an F and the AA-side a C-minus or something; what's completely unexpected though is that what i guess would be the BB-side (Side 2, Song 2) – "Here It Comes" – rates a solid B, kind of like a dirtier-sounding Flop minus the pop genius bits, and the B-side (which is actually on the A-side – don't look at me, i didn't tell them to drive on that side of the road), "Girlfriend," is actually an A-minus! It's some kinda benign collision involving Brit-pop, Alt-rock, and Punky-Pop that actually makes one muse on whether or not this band is stockpiled with a vast array of Songs That Don't Suck and just stuck crap on their alleged "A" and "AA" sides because they were confused about their sexuality, or if the band actually DOES suck, and just got lucky with the "B" and "BB" sides. I played "Girlfriend" four or five times in a row and came up with no definite answers, not even whether or not the record's dirty-ish sound was a result of punky disdain for fidelity or merely the shortcomings of the 7" 33 format... but with a name like "Seed," one might be well advised to err on the side of caution. WORST SONG TITLE: "(If I Can Catch A) Baby Rainbow" BEST SONG: "Girlfriend" FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: Letter enclosed with record proudly states "Limited edition – 200 violet vinyl. That's HEAVY violet vinyl!" The scale at the post office says the vinyl alone does, in fact, weigh a full three ounces – that's more than twice as heavy as most leading brands!
–Rev. Norb (Rabbit In The Rain)

SEEMLESS:
Self-titled: CD
Like the dude sings, “Something’s really got to change.” Like, for example, the record I’m listening to which is currently this erroneously labeled Creed or Collective Soul—like there’s a difference, honestly—CD. –Puckett (Equal Vision)

SEGER LIBERATION ARMY:
Down Home: CD
This album is pretty good. The band sounds a bit like (International) Noise Conspiracy, but with a whole lot more soul and old-time rock’n’roll influence tucked in under the belts. I can almost see the seedy ‘70s car chase movie this stuff could be the soundtrack for, and that’s a compliment! –Mr. Z (Big Neck)

SEGER LIBERATION ARMY:
Heavy Music b/w Chain Smokin’: 7"
Not sure what Bob Seger needs to be liberated from besides the '80s and '90s, but that’s exactly what this single does, covering two numbers that I have to assume (with very little actual knowledge on the subject of Seger’s career output) are from the late '60s/early '70s days when his band probably opened for the MC5, whose sound was a slightly raunchier version of the white R & B present here. In other words (in case that wasn’t really a sentence), MC5-era Detroit rock‘n’roll from the hand of the youth. –Cuss Baxter (Big Neck)

SEGER LIBERATION ARMY:
2 + 2 = ? b/w East Side Story: 7"
I suppose the fact that I was never a big Bob Seger fan explains the fact that I JUST DON’T GET WHY THIS BAND EXISTS. Adequate garage rock. –Cuss Baxter (Big Neck)

SEITAN:
D Beat Hippie Lovers: CD
Seitan dole out some Swedish D-beat, crust punk. I’m guessing it’s about being anti-fascist, animal-friendly, pro-feminist, and gay-positive, since that what it says on the back cover. All the lyrics are in Swedish though, and even if they weren’t, they’re pretty much indecipherable, so it very well could be that this is a fascist band with satirical cover art who are really singing about the awesomeness of Machiavelli. I have two complaints with this album. The first is just related to D-beat in general, which is that a lot of these bands don’t seem to have a grasp on the importance of dynamics. There’s not a lot going on musically in most D-beat, so the drama in the music needs to be drawn out with contrasts. The ultra fast drums lose a lot of their power after a while, especially over multiple songs. If Discharge-inspired bands all just released a single each and then broke up, I think it would be some of the most awesome music ever, but, except for bands that take some chances with the basic sound like Acursed, it tends to become a boring blur after awhile. The other thing I don’t like on here is the vocals. There are two vocalists, from what I can tell. The one who shows up less has an awesome getting-stabbed-while-selling-your-soul-to-the-devil voice, but the other one has that low-flushing-toilet death metal growl, which I find pretty boring. I’m not a fan of good voices, so much as interesting voices, and the Cookie Monster growl is pretty low on the ladder for me after the novelty of first hearing Cannibal Corpse wore off. –Adrian (Inget Jävla Chafs, Distributed in North America by Profane Existence)

SEIZURE 17:
Too Pretty for a Riot: CD-R
Two piece band with a drum machine that sound too much like the Velvet Underground for my liking. –Donofthedead (Seizure 17)

SELBY TIGERS:
The Curse of…: CD
I love it when you can listen to an album and tell that the band has a great record collection. Take the Selby Tigers, for example. You can hear a bit of the Undertones, a little Vibrators, a healthy dose of X-Ray Spex, some of Dillinger Four’s give and take, some of Eddie Cochran’s guitar work, but you can’t nail down any of those bands and say, “These guys sound like this band.” That’s the brilliance of the Selby Tigers: they have great influences and know how to blend them together and come out with something very original. Every time I listen to this album or their first album, Charm City, I wonder why everyone isn’t going nuts over this band. Everything is here. Their music is honest and sincere and energetic and rockin’, but they’re also really skilled musicians, and they write great songs. So why aren’t they huge? It has to do with the Curse of the Selby Tigers, which is this: you have to listen to a Selby Tigers album five times to love it. The first time you listen to it, you’ll like it, but you won’t know why. You’ll think, it’s different. It’s quirky. I think I like this. The second time you listen to it, you’ll still like it, but you won’t be so sure. Maybe it’s too different, too quirky. The third time you listen to it, you’ll think, yeah, it is too different. It just doesn’t match the rest of my record collection, like a collared shirt in a punker’s closet. The fourth time you listen to it, you’ll think, I don’t understand what I saw in this album in the first place. So you’ll listen to it once more, and everything will open up to you. It’ll be an epiphany. You’ll have listened to the album enough to start picking up bits and pieces that you didn’t notice before. A guitar riff. Drums gathering speed. Arzu ripping through her vocal chords, then softening back into key. A hidden bass line. It all comes together. You’ll be hooked. You’ll want to listen to the album every day for months on end. You’ll wonder why everyone doesn’t love the Selby Tigers. Then, you’ll realize that no one listens to an album five times to understand it. You’ll realize that the Selby Tigers are victims of snap judgements. It would make you sad, but the album is too fucking good. You can’t be sad. All you can do is keep listening and singing along. –Sean Carswell (Hopeless)

SELDOM:
Places I Haven: CD
Ugh. This is easily a narcoleptic’s worst nightmare. Mellow college pop dreck at its most annoyingly arty and introspective. Seeing as the label is based in Seattle, my initial reaction is to suggest that someone take the initiative of tossing all remaining copies of this into Puget Sound, but there’s gotta be a law there that prohibits polluting. –Jimmy Alvarado (Casa)

SELECTER:
Real to Reel: CD
A mixed bag here. When they stick to the ska-oriented originals, one can still hear the creative spark that made them such hot shit back during the height of the original two-tone thang. Their covers of reggae standards like “Stepping Razor” and “Armagideon Time,” however, pale in comparison to the originals and come off here as nothing more than space fillers and time killers. Maybe I was expecting more than I should have, but when we’re talking about a band with as strong a rep as the Selecter has, it’s kind of hard not to. –Jimmy Alvarado (Captain Oi)

SELF DEFENSE:
Shooting Punk Terror: 7”
Packaging can make or break an unknown band in regards to impulse purchase. This band sold me by the effort put in by its label. It’s a nice silk screened cover with a silk screened band that wraps it. It’s on yellow with white swirled colored vinyl and has a large glossy insert. In this case though, I was influenced by the package and a good reference from a friend. Musically, as I see the trend, punk bands are slowing it down a tiny notch and playing more of an ‘80s style of hardcore, this band included. The first band that popped into my head was the Nihilistics and adding their own touch of fury. Raw, fast, and agitated punk that makes you grit your teeth while you go along for the ride. –Donofthedead (Uncle Slam)

SELF DEFENSE:
Shooting Punk Terror: 7"
Packaging can make or break an unknown band in regards to impulse purchase. This band sold me by the effort put in by its label. It's a nice silk screened cover with a silk screened band that wraps it. It's on yellow with white swirled colored vinyl and has a large glossy insert. In this case though, I was influenced by the package and a good reference from a friend. Musically, as I see the trend, punk bands are slowing it down a tiny notch and playing more of an '80s style of hardcore, this band included. The first band that popped into my head was the Nihilistics and adding their own touch of fury. Raw, fast, and agitated punk that makes you grit your teeth while you go along for the ride. –Todd Taylor (Uncle Slam)

SELF-ABUSE:
Self-Titled: 7" EP
How can a band—who, obviously, understands hardcore’s first wave, and Black Flag surfing the face of that wave—tap right into the root of that powerful, swelling force and not suffer from neither nostalgia nor just be blowing dirty, foamy bubbles of admiration for a form of music that hit our shores over twenty years ago? I have no idea, but, much like Career Suicide, Out Cold, and Government Warning, Self-Abuse has made a record that feels like it couldn’t have been made at any other time, except in the now. Plus it sounds like it’s busy carving out all of the joining tissue between the listener’s skull and face. Powerful. –Todd Taylor (Suburban Waste)

SELF-ABUSE:
Self-Titled: 7"
How many good bands can Colin be in? Most people barely get away with one, but he pulls it off. If you’re a fan of Defect Defect, you’ll probably dig this too. It’s well-played hardcore punk but just rawer and a little more… primal? Four pissed-off punks playing songs about people they hate and what they’re gonna do to them. Full of old school guitar riffs and gang vocals; the only problem is my stereo can’t get as loud as I wanna blast this. –Daryl Gussin (Suburban Waste)

SELF-EVIDENT:
Self-titled: CD
I’m not entirely sure of what to make of this. It goes back and forth from almost mellow indie pop, to fairly rockin’. At first I wanted to say it was like some late ‘90s indie rock, though the singer’s voice sounds like the guy from Motion City Soundtrack. –Joe Evans III (DPG)

SELF-MADE MONSTERS:
Give Me My Rabies Shot: 7"EP
Trash punk a la the Reatards, albeit minus the vitriol. The songs are simple and the lyrics aren’t exactly Longfellow, but fuck if this wasn’t a fun listen. Primal in all the right ways and a definite keeper. –Todd Taylor (Self-Made Monsters)

SELL OUTS, THE:
Songs for a Knife Fight: 10"
Well, allrrrright! Slip’n’slide rollicking guitar work and inspiring, snotty man/boy vocals from the Sell Outs is definitely not one to miss. Reminds one of the great punkers of the past without really breaking down and copying them to an annoying “T”(eengenerate) – like most bands, you know who you are… Give it a try if you liked The Dirtys and instinctively know what to do when someone yells out, “Gimme action!” or better yet, “It’s beer time!” –Namella J. Kim (Ken Rock)

SELLOUT POSERS:
Bad Mood Music: CD
This is one strange box o' cookies here. Take yer average hardcore band and poison their brains with way too much Birthday Party. A unique and very interesting take on a pretty rigid form, and how. –Jimmy Alvarado (f4thwave@aol.com)

SELMANAIRES, THE:
“Princess Illusionist Frankenstein” b/w “Beneath the Brights”: 7”
Slightly droning, almost psychedelic, Brit-flavored postpunk that makes me think of the phrase “pop sensibilities,” even though I’m not sure why. Slight ‘80s feel, and not at all in a bad way. I initially thought side A had two songs, titled, “Princess Illusionist” and “Frankenstein.” “Princess Illusionist Frankenstein” is my new favorite song title. –Sarah Shay (Rob’s House)

SEMI FOUR:
Self-titled: 7”
If Blotto! was a little less instantaneously catchy, they’d be pretty close to Semi Four. Japanese pop punk that definitely grew on me with time. I swear they’re singing “Rumspringa” (the time in the Amish tradition where young adults can experience life outside of their community to decide whether to spend their life as part of the church or as part of mainstream society) at one point. Good stuff. –Megan Pants (Anti-New Waves)

SEMI FOUR:
Boring and Endless: CDEP
They fit well within the family of sound formed by Blotto!, The Urchin, and The Because. This is one of many bands out of Japan right now that I’m keeping my eyes on. Super-catchy and super-good. –Megan Pants (Akinori Serizawa)

SENIOR DISCOUNT:
There Were Four Who Tried: CD
This sucks worse than being stuck next to some blabbering, pretentious moron at a bar who says things like: “I haven’t heard it since it came out, but I like it.” And, “We’re driving in Brian’s hybrid car through all of these muscle cars, and there’s this fantastic bluegrass band that’s über good. They ask if there are any requests, and I yell out ‘Sweet Emotion.’ And he played it! It was great. It was fuckin’ rippin’.” –Megan Pants (www.seniordiscountmusic.com)

SENTIMENTALS, THE:
Self-titled: double 7" EP
This is a catchy, enjoyable, street punk band. No surprises here, but that’s O.K., since I don’t really like surprises much anyway. The recording is really rough, but in this case that’s an asset instead of a liability. I’ll definitely listen to this again. Eight songs in all here. There’s also a rendition of the traditional “When Johnny Comes Marching Home.” -Dan Yemin –Guest Contributor (Head Line)

SERGEANT:
Midnight to Midnight: CD
I’m a bit of a sucker for spacey music with female vocals. I grew up digging PJ Harvey and admit to having a fondness to Opium Den and Midnight Movies’ music. This band reminds me a little of both those bands. This isn’t quite as original, though. These guys hail from S.F. I think they’re at their best when it leans to the darker and heavier side of their sound. More droning and dissonant chords, less Tori Amos and more Siouxie. Worth trying out, though. –Buttertooth (Self-released)

SERIOUS:
Rejected: 7”
Ack! I can hardly figure out what the name of this band is! The 7” is covered with words, and I’m too stupid to figure it out! Sadly, I had to resort to MySpace for the answer. For shame! Anyway, although I was intrigued to learn that they’re recording their next record at Sonic Iguana (recording studio of choice for many pop punk legends), I must say that this didn’t get past your basic Cheerios for me. However, it does include the lyric, “All the other girls were laughing at me/I’ll piss in their face.” –Maddy (High School Reject)

SERIOUS GENIUSES, THE:
You Can Steal the Riffs, But You Can’t Steal the Talent: CD
For me, the reason for reviewing handfuls of bands that I’ve never heard of or listened to before doesn’t simply lie in creating a dialogue about underground music, but in the search to uncover new material that should warrant attention that it wouldn’t necessarily normally receive. After about a dozen samples, I’ve finally found my first band of this kind. Playing agile power pop/pop punk that’s got a little bit of a mid-’90s indie rock vibe to it, the Geniuses pull out some seriously fantastic guitar intros that sound buoyant and fresh, evoking a nostalgia for something I can’t place right now. Most of the songs tend to be crowded with gang vocals at the end, which can get a little repetitive track after track, but would probably work to fine effect in getting crowds riled up at a show. My only real gripe is the vocals that resemble a more nasal and high-pitched version of The Loved Ones’ Dave Hause’s singing. Make the vocals a bit more sparse and lower-pitched and let the sound on this awesome album run the show. –Reyan Ali (Kiss Of Death)

SERIOUS GENIUSES, THE / JEAN CLAUDE JAM BAND:
Split: 7”
A screen printed cover. Lyrics and artwork on a fancy screen printed card. Nice. Punk’n’rollers JCJB represent with two songs off their 2006 demo: “Two Dollar Headache” and “Rattlesnake Love.” Of these two Massachusetts bands, I gravitated toward the Geniuses. “Hoffstra” is probably my favorite off this record with its head nodding guitar line and closed eyed screaming. –Kristen K –Guest Contributor (Kiss of Death)

SERLINGTONS, THE:
Root Beer Fueled Rock N Roll: CD-R
Ramonesy pop punk, with liner note dedications to, um, Joey, Johnny, and Dee Dee Ramone. Hey, at least they didn’t thank C.J. Sadly, nothing interesting here. Although they did manage to design their CDR to look like a record. If this were a cereal, it’d be generic corn flakes. Give me something new! –Maddy (Idiot, xidiotrecordsx.com)

SERMON, THE:
Volume: CD
Stop me if you’ve heard this one in the last twenty years or so, but i think the hottest rockin’ album of the month is on... Alternative Tentacles? Straight-up garage a la the Makers or Cynics (minus the fixation on the tambourine as an instrument of male pleasure), with the operative difference being that they actually print the lyrics—and they’re not about how the singer’s penis is actually that of a large, fearsome, stylish wolf or anything of that nature, either. Wacky! What can i say? A garage album that would not sound at all out of place taped on the back of the same cassette as you have your Knockout Pills album taped on the front of. What i find most amusing is how the songs with outright sociopolitical content—“No Beast So Fierce,” “Luzerne County,” “Hand to Hand”—are smirkfully reminiscent of the two-“worship”-songs-minimum that i understand performers are required to commit to before obtaining gigs at Christian coffeehouses. All the same, i can’t say as i saw this ‘un coming. Keen. BEST SONG: “Tender Sin,” but i also really like the psychedelic “Surprise,” although it kind of pissed me off that i spent so much time trying to figure out who originally did it before i saw that it was written by the drummer. BEST SONG TITLE: “491”—what can i say? Prime numbers command respect! FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: If the song “Exterminator” is, as it appears, to be about the William S. Burroughs book of the same name, my understanding is that it should end with an exclamation point. –Rev. Norb (Alternative Tentacles)

SEROTONIN:
Future Anterior: CD
When is this trend going to end! Emo must die! –Donofthedead (Bifocal Media)

SEROTONIN:
Universal Time Constant: CD
I commend the energy of Serotonin captured on this CD. Their kinetic drumming and hard strumming are struggling out from underneath a net of mushing sounds recorded here. The problem is that every song on Universal Time Constant is that it is like the content of ten songs put into a pot and slow cooked until they fit into the measure of one. Their push and pull between hard-driving, post-hardcore spazz and quiet deconstructed art rock is so changing and unrepetitive it is migraine inducing. Some might call it dynamic, but I found myself screaming for a road map back to the hook of the song. The problem of the clean, jangly breakdown is that if it is overused, it will be the death of your music. The rocking parts of this outfit are there but they are lost when they refuse to throw down their fucked up time signatures and overwritten parts. –Nathan Grumdahl –Guest Contributor (Bifocal Media)

SERPICO:
Everyone Vs. Everyone: CD
Pleasant post-Mould alternative/college rock. I wouldn’t pay to see them, but I like ’em enough that I wouldn’t change the station if they were on the radio. –Jimmy Alvarado (Boss Tuneage)

SERVICE GROUP:
Principals of Electronic Circuitry: CD
The first song has that riff The Cult built itself on. And so does the fourth or fifth song. Just can’t do it. –Speedway Randy (Squid Vs Whale)

SERVICE INDUSTRY:
Limited Coverage: CD
It’s a chore climbing over Service Industry’s questionable claims—“for the first time life in the service industry is the concept behind a band”—because every band I’ve ever known has slugged their way through life with name tags, and those jobs have played a pivotal role in shaping their songs. And, just for one example beyond my own experiences, the streets of Nashville are littered with songwriters trying to strike the “work sucks” motherlode. I don’t doubt that the members of The Service Industry have ample experience in the minimum wage trenches but their lyrics rarely rise above cliché. I wish they’d sing about the things they think about when they’ve had those crummy jobs, because I kind of like their country rock, especially when Curt Kirkwood of the Meat Puppets guests. –Mike Faloon (Wee Rock)

SERVICE INDUSTRY, THE:
Keep the Babies Warm: CD
The quasi-Pink Floyd cover makes promises the faceless alt-rock inside can’t keep. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.sauspop.com)

SERVO:
Everything: CD
Finally! A discography has been compiled! This band was a favorite of mine for the duration of their short existence from 1997-2000. It all started for me with their Blueprint 7” and the full-length, Everything’s Difficult CD. Both got heavy rotation in my house. A dreamy blend of infectious melodies and strong pop hooks filled the air. I always got a cheery feeling with a hint of despair from their songs. Female-led vocals are delivered with innocence and a striking, honest quality. The bass stood out for me as the driving force of the songs, while the guitar complimented and added texture to the songs. The drums are what add the punk flair to tie everything together. So glad to finally hear songs from various splits that I missed and the unreleased tracks are a bonus. Hope a renewed interest in the band emerges so that a reunion is possible. –Donofthedead (Crackle)

SESS, THE:
Agendumb: CD
This one’s all over the map—one minute you’re on a trip with a band that seems to be suffering through serious bouts of schizophrenic art punk ADD, the next you’re zipping through the fringes of the land of soul with a trash rock band. These guys are better than they’re willing to let on, preferring to throw a wrench in your expectations just when you think you have ‘em pegged. I rather like that. –Jimmy Alvarado (Single Screen, no address)

SESS. THE:
Agendumb: CD
The Sess (pronounced sesh) kick out some over-amped, garage, rock’n’roll that would be right at home on In The Red or Swami Records. The press sheet says these guys are San Diego’s version of the Black Lips, which is a pretty apt description. There are little bits all over this record that tend to stand out, such as the Beach Boys vocal harmonies that suddenly pop out in the circusy “Silly for Sirius,” or the song “Don’t Look Back” which sounds like it has a chorus melody borrowed from AM radio pop rock, like Three Dog Night. It’s an interesting album which grows on repeated listening. I don’t think this CD will change the garage rock landscape, but it keeps things interesting and is really worth a listen. –Adrian (Single Screen)

SET TO EXPLODE:
Self-titled: CD
These guys specialize in a melding of the Minor Threat and Negative Approach strains of early ‘80s hardcore and they’re quite good at it. Not too impressed with their lyrics, but I guess they’re serviceable at worst and the tunes have the requisite rough execution. –Jimmy Alvarado (Grave Mistake)

SETH DREW:
The Road Back Home: CD
Seth was the lead singer of SuperChinchillaRescueMission, a favorite band of mine when they were around. After the band’s break up, Seth moved from Louisiana to L.A., sobered up, and put an incredible amount of time and energy into becoming a union electrician. He was also a Razorcake columnist for awhile; his stories were all forthright, full of real detail, and sympathetic. Seth then relocated up to Portland, Oregon where he still lives. Knowing all of this about Seth, it would be a big mistake to make the assumption that the reason that he recorded a solo acoustic record was because other punk notables—like Tim Barry of Avail and Chuck Regan of Hot Water Music—had done the same. I’ve always had a high regard for Seth. His creative work is poetic, stark, and un-aggrandizing, even though his work deals largely with lives lived hard and restless. I’ll be honest; ten years ago, I wouldn’t have given this quiet, burning-ember music much thought. But with the time passed and bands like Whiskey & Co. and The Evens using quiet music not for sleepiness but introspection and looking at the more subtle hardships and softer beauties in life, The Road Back Home is an honest testament to life and music. Funnily—because I’m writing this in L.A. and days like this don’t happen often—it’s raining outside, a soft patter, and it sounds almost like Seth’s playing in the front room. And that sounds like the perfect accompaniment to today. –Todd Taylor (Self-released, sethdrew32@hotmail.com)

SETTING SON, THE:
Self-Titled: CD
Sounds like a thick pancake-thin ((that’s right. Thin as a thick pancake. Fuck you, it isn’t that hard a concept to get your brain around)) version of the Cynics ((keyboards! Fuzz guitar! Me oh my!)), but with the vocalist of Lancelot Link & The Evolution Revolution instead of the other guy. In their eminent punky/psychy/poppiness, i can imagine just about every one of these songs fitting perfectly into the Stiv Bators catalog circa “Disconnected,” although they’d sound a lot different because Stiv has throatiness and tendons and sweat and stuff. A small amount of these songs traipse off into legit Jefferson Airplane-style psych, but, all in all, you could spend a lot worse 32.5 minutes than this. BEST SONG: “I’m Down” BEST SONG TITLE: “I’m Down,” if you’re the Beatles. FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: Actually, there are two songs on here that have the same titles as, but are not, Beatles songs: “I’m Down” and “I’m a Loser.” It would be three if “I Wanna Be Your Boy” was called “I Wanna Be Your Man” instead. –Rev. Norb (Bad Afro)

SETTING SON, THE:
Spring of Hate: CD
The first two songs on this album did not really grab me. The album got better on the third song, “Soulmate,” which is a catchy song with the heavy psych-pop sound that is indicative of what is coming out of Denmark pretty regularly. Then song four and five were also very good and I decided I was listening to the album wrong, so I started over. I still didn’t like the first two that much. Then I listened from track five on down to the end and the album held up its quality, so I tried songs one and two again. I was still not moved. The Setting Son play on the pop side of psychedelic music that is prevalent among retro psych bands right now, and they do it well, mixing their catchier Love-style riffs with bass heavy breaks over jangly, Byrds-style guitar playing. They also turn up the bass, which is key to me with this type of music. The recording is lo-fi; that is always a plus with me. This album is well worthwhile for fans of pop-psych, so hang in if the first two songs don’t do it for you. –Billups Allen (Bad Afro)

SEVEN DIRTY WORDS:
Hard Boiled and Dirty: CDEP
The band’s name is a George Carlin reference, the EP’s cover places the CD’s title, Hard Boiled and Dirty, next to a picture of Dirty Harry and the music is a meaningless copy attempt at Motörhead. With all this low-grade rehashing, it’s hard to find a shred of anything creative here. Sure, all the EP’s production standards pass quality control, but as for the music inside?...All the references to fast cars, drugs, and sex make me want to snort lines of creatine and try out for the football team. Don’t waste your time on this. –N.L. Dewart –Guest Contributor (Loaded Bomb)

SEVEN SIOUX:
Argue Again: CD
This appears to be the work of an older Austrian band, who have re-recorded some of their tunes. The results fall kinda in a less abrasive post-Leatherface poppy punk void where some of the tunes aren’t too bad but the vast majority just fail to stick to the wall. –Jimmy Alvarado (Fettkakao)

SEVEN SIOUX:
We Are Not the Sacred People: CD
There’s nothing bad about this, but I so completely forgot it was on that I couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t eject it (while it was still on play mode) to put it another CD for a full three seconds. –Megan Pants (Fettkakao)

SEVEN STOREY MOUNTAIN:
At the Poles: CD

Phoenix, Arizona produced this punchy, indie post punk band. They remind of the ‘90s-era stuff like Trenchmouth, Nation Of Ulysses (a bit), minus the spazzed-out vocals, and

with more solid driving tendencies like Jesus Lizard. Although this isn’t quite up to par with those bands, they definitely lean in that direction. It’s good to see that post punk is alive and well today, harnessing the intensity we all grew up with. –Buttertooth (Thick)

SEVENONEFIVE:
We Don’t Feel Like This for Free: CD
Sounds like the second coming of Good Riddance. Recording at the Blasting Room only elevates my theory. –Donofthedead (Crustacean)

SEVERANCE PACKAGE:
All Down Hill : 7"
Raging and engaging garage rock by a trio from Chico, California on their three-song 7”. Primarily, Severance Package is mining ‘60s style Nuggets rock along with primal ‘70s punk. Current bands you could compare them to would include Dead Moon, The Candy Snatchers, and Shark Pants. All three songs, with their mastery of melody and sheer velocity, grab you from the outset and don’t let go. This is a band to keep your eye on. –Jake Shut (Shut Up, shutuprecords.com)

SEVERANCE PACKAGE:
All Down Hill: 7”
This here is some speedy basic punk, falling somewhere between maybe the Loudmouths and the Motards or something like that. Good, solid punk featuring the singer and guitar player from Black Fork along with the drummer from Special Forces. Fans of Black Fork would certainly find plenty to like here, and I would love to see them live because every time I saw Black Fork, they were drop-dead incredible. Look out for this one if you like simple and fun punk rock. –Mike Frame (Shut Up)

SEVERED HEAD OF STATE:
Power Hazard: LP
These guys mete out some great hardcore here that sounds rooted in the metallic wing of the celebrated U.K.82 tradition while managing not to sound a whit like the hordes of “drunk punx” who profane said tradition with endless tirades on the glory of hops and generic calls for rebellion. Eight tunes here, all pitch perfect, heavy and worth a listen. –Jimmy Alvarado (Havoc)

SEVERED HEAD OF STATE:
Anathema Device: CD
I really don’t know much about this band other than I have purchased a few of their releases for a friend in Finland. I never did listen to them before I mailed them off. So for quick research, I saw on the Ebullition Records site that the singer Jack runs Mind Control Records, bassist Kelly is from Detestation, guitarist Todd is from His Hero is Gone, and Chris the drummer is from Meadowlark. I do have records by Detestation and His Hero is Gone. I don’t think I have anything that’s on Mind Control, and I’ve never heard of Meadowlark. During my first listen of this band, I feel like there are equal parts of HHIG and Detestation that are brought over to make you feel like you are experiencing the apocalypse. The guitars are over-driven and dark and the bass has a distorted edge while remaining bottom heavy. Add elements of the Scandinavian D-Beat sound and some metal riffing to the mix and that is what I hear. The vocals are delivered with a fierce growl that is slightly behind the mix. The drums bang in a way that makes the music seem like a full-throttle blast of energy firing towards your ear. To get me interested in any new band, I have to actually feel the music to even pay attention. When songs seem like they are played without passion, I lose interest real quick. The band plays with an intensity that backs up the lyrics with a vengeance. I paid close attention to this one. Now here is another band to put on the shopping list. –Donofthedead (Hardcore Holocaust)

SEWER TROUT:
From the Forgotten Memories of Punks Failed Hopes and Dreams Loom...: CD
1988 did pretty much suck as far as punk rock went – everybody kind of fucked off and was either into REM-like collegiate blandness or Guns’n’Roses-like bandana rock, and what passed for punk rock at that point was dreary, monotonous and self-important (not to mention being kind of a fuckhead magnet at that point as well). Thus, one of the leading problems facing the scientific community was “How can we make punk that doesn’t suck?” It was kind of an ongoing project that took several years to get right (and, in all fairness, it did also take several years to get it wrong as well). Sewer Trout – what with their dippy humor and harmonies and occasional sprigs of melody and Ian Woodcock-esque bass runs – were obviously something that, were i to have popped in a demo of theirs or something while delivering pizzas in my ‘74 AMC™ Matador, i would have doubtless concluded were on “my” side. That said, i can’t imagine too many more occasions left in my life when i’ll need to hear “President of the Anarchist Club” or “Vagina Envy” to really set the mood, let alone every recorded version thereof. Hey, are cassettes cool again yet? BEST SONG: “Garbage In, Garbage Out” BEST SONG TITLE: “TSOL Esidarap” FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: Coors™ still sucks. –Rev. Norb (Sactoe Punk Archive)

SEWERGROOVES, THE:
Revelation Time: CD
Sweden produces an amazing amount of bands for a country of its size. Maybe I’m biased, but I never seem to go wrong when the band originates from that country. Here is a band I haven’t heard for a few years, but I am glad they are still rocking strong. The music is straight-to-the-balls rock and roll with tinges of garage, southern, and ‘60s to this reviewer’s ear. No frills and no bullshit. With the current state of rock released by the majors being stagnant and packaged, it’s hard for me to listen to that crap. With a band like this, the energy of punk is displayed with its raw and genuine energy. The songwriting has improved since the last time I listened to this band, with the addition of a more permanent lineup. A minor historical note is that the drummer for the Hellacopters played drums for this band in early incarnation. I believe since the hype in major music magazines is so big right now for the Hives and the International Noise Conspiracy, which both originate out of Sweden, these guys could be also have greater exposure to the world. –Donofthedead (Low Impact)

SEX POSITIONS:
Self-titled: CD
Okay, so I hate damn near everything I hear these days. So I hate on pretty much everything with equal (and, I might add, well deserved and honestly earned) malice and loathing. So I’d as soon flay most bands as listen to even one song on their shitty fucking records. So what? There are some albums that are so gleefully destructive that I forget that I hate almost everything and, for my money, Deathwish is well on its way to being my favorite label of the year. I’ll spare you the bullshit about saving hardcore and punk from itself, but in 2004, Deathwish seems to be bringing Molotov cocktails to a switchblade fight. Sex Positions, as one example, features traditional elements of modern hardcore (think about bands like Give Up The Ghost and The Suicide File for a starting point) and quickly veers off into experimental territories not unlike those mapped by Black Dice, Arab On Radar and other bands that venture into the more extreme realms of noise. It’s loud, fucked up and sounds like a car wired with about 200 pounds of C-4 in a demolition derby. When I listened to this on headphones, it was even better because it features panning effects, lots of frequencies which elicit feelings of nausea, and bits of stuff that really won’t be audible on speakers, no matter how good they are. While I can’t yet say that this will be one of my favorite records of the year, I can say that this collection of songs reminds me that punk and hardcore were once aggressive, confrontational, defiant, and uncompromising, and that some bands make it a point to embed those qualities in everything they do. –Puckett (Deathwish)

SEX ROBOTS:
Self-titled: CD
It’s like if the spirit of Killed By Death was fused to pop punk. The Sex Robots sound like an obscure, smoking, gawky, retarded Midwestern band on a limited budget. It’s like the Gizmos or Unnatural Axe or Zero Boys rammed up against early Descendents. Actually, I’m astonished not more bands have done this: take that early, anonymous, anxiety-riddled punk from shit-tiny towns of the early ‘80s and channeled its spirit into no-pretense, choking-on-stucco, chain-stores-are-killing America punk in 2006. Recommended. –Todd Taylor (Roadhouse Tunes)

SEX ROBOTS:
2004 Sampler: CD-R
So, what would you say the odds would be that, two days in a row, i receive two completely different CD-R’s in the mail, and both CD-R’s contain the song “Put Anotha Rekkid On” by the Sex Robots? I guess if you’re not a total douchebag, the odds are actually pretty good! In any event, it’s been a while since i listened to any Sludgeworth or Naked Raygun, but those seem to be the associations these three songs are provoking (if i really wanted to be analytical, i might play this back to back with a Jawbreaker record, but, since Jawbreaker, unlike the Sex Robots, suck, i have no experimentational materials of a Jawbreakerly nature in my Rock Lab) (nor do i intend to obtain any). Pop-punk which is neither particularly happy nor angry, nor, for that matter, particularly poppy, and appears to be the better for the absence of all three. Fuckin’ STAUNCH. Not that this is the first time i’ve ever said this, but I NEEDMORE SEX ROBOTS! BEST SONG: “Put Anotha Rekkid On” BEST SONG TITLE: “Put Anotha Rekkid On” FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)” is a really stupid song. –Rev. Norb (Roadhouse Tunes)

SEX ROBOTS / BUNNYGRUNTS:
Tribute to St. Louis: 7”
Two songs by a couple of old St. Louis bands are covered by newer St. Louis bands. Having never heard the originals, I can say the Sex Robots’ version of “Crazy (On You)” is a nice bit of catchy poppy punk, and Bunnygrunts’ take on “Frankie Is a Killer” is a nice bit of rock-informed punk. Good split single on the whole, and it kinda made me wish I knew the originals. –Jimmy Alvarado (Bert Dax Cavalcade Of Stars)

SEX ROBOTS / THE MEGA HURTS:
Split: 7”

The Sex Robots boil down and sieve the gelatinous spirit of Elvis Costello into a contemporary musical Jell-o mold that’s just as good as Sweden’s The Flakes and Psychotic Youth. They’ve nailed the swinging, crisp, forlorn quality of “everything may be fucked, but we’re still dancing” vibe that most bands attempt, and fail, when approaching power pop. Cool stuff. The Mega Hurts: Come close to nailing it. They’re a sloppy, charming, three women, one dude band, but they’re not as catchy as the Pinkz or Bitch School, not as vocally powerful as The Beautys, but they’ve definitely got a stripped-down, acid sweetness Headcoatees potential that, admittedly, got better and better with each spin. Not bad at all.

–Todd Taylor (Roadhouse Tunes)

SEX SEX SEX:
Like Crows on the Slaughterhouse Fence: CD
The Misfits decide to play Swedish punk’n’roll and let a four-year-old write their lyrics. Throw away the lyric sheet and rock out. –Jimmy Alvarado (NDN)

SEX SLAVES:
Bite Your Tongue: CD
Looking at the cover and hearing the first song, all I can think is that I’m listening to what it would sound like if Poison were to play Rancid songs. With the partially naked girls on the cover making out, it comes off as these guys are more worried about getting laid than playing music and it shows. I pass. –Donofthedead (Radical)

SEX WITH GIRLS:
Self-titled: CD-R
I am fairly certain that if I had heard this band before moving to the Pacific Northwest, that I would have strongly reconsidered my decision to live in Portland. It is disappointing to see that a city so full of amazing music can slip something like this into the scene and have the hipsters just eat it up. Instruments are played not to create any sort of melody, but to sound as rudimentary and off rhythm as possible. Tape noise or electronic drums are thrown in to distract you from how boring the music sounds. I admit to almost enjoying two tracks, but only because they had a similar feeling of a Dead Milkmen spoken song. Then the lyrics made me cringe out of embarrassment for anyone who would find this mildly entertaining. The saddest aspect of this release isn’t in itself, but the fact that there are more than a handful of these “artsy” and “hip” fashion bands in Portland, and the local papers can’t write enough praise. I am entirely grateful for the amazing bands here now like the Clorox Girls, Observers, Flip Tops, Dead Moon, and the list goes on. If it wasn’t for them, I would have already moved far away. –Guest Contributor (jamessqueaky@yahoo.com)

SEX WITH LURCH:
Self-Titled: CD EP

If Redd Kross had been a death rock band, I have no doubt they would’ve sounded just like this.

–Jimmy Alvarado (www.sexwithlurch.com)

SEX, THE:
Statutory Rock: CD
This doesn't do it for me. Just kind of unremarkable rock. –Megan Pants (Oh the Humanity)

SEX, THE:
Statutory Rock: CD
This doesn’t do it for me. Just kind of unremarkable rock. –Megan Pants (Oh The Humanity)

SEXIST PRISON:
: 7”
I had such high hopes for this one. What, with the illustration the size of the insert of a cock and balls with “SEXXIST PZZN #1” on it and clear vinyl with bad drawings I seriously thought I had a winner here. How wrong I was. Synthezied samples (though the notes say “no samples ever”) and echo-y vocals. –Megan Pants (Omnibus)

SEXUAL SUICIDE:
Old School Rules: 7”
You wrote a song about Venom and Mary Jane gangbanging Spider-Man? What possesses people to do things like that? I’m not disgusted or offended or anything, but I just can’t comprehend why you would go out of your way to write, record, then use money on expensive vinyl to print something like that. I’m sorry I didn’t write about any of your five other songs, but that is just distracting. I guess if I were in a generic hardcore band, I’d try something strange like that too. –Bryan Static (United Riot)

SEXY:
Boma Ye!: CD
I can’t describe how happy I was to see this when it came in. Por Vida is one of my favorite albums. But this walks a very different path than Por Vida. The instant infection of the songs, that immediate catchiness that made each track of Por Vida essential from first listen, just isn’t there. I’ve listened to this over and over trying to get it under my skin, and it has to a degree. It almost sounds as if this would be the album that precedes Por Vida, the album they would have grown from and built off of, so I almost see it as a regression rather than a new step for them. I was worried that it may have been my bias due to my adoration of Por Vida, so I got tricky. I’d put it on for people who loved the first album without telling them what it was. They would listen with half an ear and then by about the fourth song ask who was it was, and were always surprised that it was Sexy. With time, it’s grown on me, and I find some songs (like the run of “Choke the World” through “T.K.I.YT.”) that I play over and over again. It’s still a strong record; I just had really, really high expectations. –Megan Pants (Plan-it-x-south)

SEXY:
Por Vida: LP
I was a bit conflicted on this. My friend Rawl said it was great. My friend Josh said that one of them had to be physically removed from his house after spray painting their bathroom. I gave it a listen. It’s really fucking good. Spastic in the vein of Fleshies and The Bananas. My advice: Definitely pick up the album, but pat ‘em down before letting them in your pisser. –Megan Pants (Onion Flavored)

SEXY:
Por Vida: LP
Musical regrets are a dime a dozen. But, I think this one hits many DIY punk folks more acutely. Por Vida was initially released on Onion Flavored in 2002/2003 in a pressing of five hundred. Poof. Gone. No re-press. And although the CD version remained (remains?) available for quite some time, I’m with you on this. The CD isn’t the same as the LP, especially with a band like Sexy that seems at home being played on shitty stereos with milk crates of records by the side. Christians can have their Easter Bunny, Buddhists can Big Wheel into the next life on their reincarnation wheels, and I’ll put my chips in with the importance of keeping great music (especially records) in print, long after other bands from 2002 are understandably buried and forgotten. It’s because this shit makes me feel happy and alive and good and human. Sexy’s great. Sexy’s dead. Long live Sexy. –Todd Taylor (Thrillhouse)

SFTM:
Too Weird to Live: CD
Full discography release from this North Carolina punk trio that existed from 1999-2005. The CD starts off strong with “Animals” and plows through another twenty-six songs after that. Fans of Fear and Murphy’s Law would probably dig this record. Other than an ill-advised ska number and a throwaway instrumental at the end, there is solid material here from start to finish. Don’t expect a reunion show though, since one of the members joined ANTiSEEN. –Sean Koepenick (Mystery School, myspace.com/mysteryschoolrecords)

SGT 6 ASSAULT:
self-titled: 7"
“True drug-addled, hate-inspired, precision punk rock in the form of one minute tunes.” That’s what their label says about this record and even though the tunes were a little over one minute, that’s a good description for this. It’s a two-song punk rock single with all the trimmings. If you like fast and furious punk, here you go. Don’t mind that the band has long since split. The music will still remain the same: fast and rockin’. Well done and put out by Rapid Pulse, who are known for mainly doing 7”s of their favorite bands –Guest Contributor (Rapid Pulse)

SGT. 6 ASSAULT:
self-titled: 7"
Two short blasts, of lean, mean punk rock, the first being an original clocking in at 1:12 and the second a cover of Slaughter and the Dogs’ “The Bitch” that ain’t much longer. Good stuff. –Jimmy Alvarado (Rapid Pulse)

SHACK SHAKERS, TH’:
Lower Broadway Lo-Fi: CD
We can talk about punk rock: dissect it, categorize and compartmentalize it. But the fact remains, for this reviewer, a lot of times what draws me to a band is something that’s absolutely unclassifiable: the energy involved: that intangible but immediately apparent thing that, frankly, you either got as a band or you don’t. That said, Th’ Shack Shakers aren’t punk in a sonic sense—this is country music, straight up. But goddamn, energy? Are you kidding me, here? Energy, they’ve got buckets of. Recording’s live and raw—busted speakers, tiny amps, and fuzzed-out as all hell—and all the better for it. LBLF is apparently the only existing recording of this band (culled from the one cassette copy they gave out) and it’s a story like that, that sense of bucking the odds, that can’t help but endear me to the music. It was recorded live but as a session, not in a show environment—but Jesus Christ, it sounds like a live show, like a crazed and chaotic stomp of a live show, full of frenetic bluegrass and the kind of translated energy that you so rarely get outside of the punk scene. Fans of everyone from rockabilly to country would dig this—if your record collection holds anything by The Pine Hill Haints to Reverend Horton Heat, you’ll be all over this. There’s something to be said for an album that could’ve come out last week or in 1955 and still makes you grin with the uncontained and relentless fury and joy of it. I rarely even listen to bands of this genre, but the sheer guts and sweat is so audible here that I’ve found myself putting it on long after I could’ve written a review and been done with it. –Keith Rosson (Arkam)

SHACKLES, THE:
Self-titled: 7"
I like the name of this band (It’s cute! Even though I imagine shackles aren’t really very cute at all!), and I really like the paper the record comes in, thick and textured with a gorgeous pink color. Unfortunately, the singing is a little watery for my tastes. The songs overall didn’t do much for me or stick with me after the first listen, but I did like the sound of the keyboards in the second one. The guitar is kind of garage-y, but for me it just doesn’t rock. I am missing the rock spirit! It’s sweet, it’s nice, but it’s a bit mild, even when the last song picked up at the end. –Jennifer Federico (Sweet Rot)

SHADES OF GREY / MASSMORD:
Split: CD
Don’t know if it’s always the best choice to put two bands who sound very similar to one another on a split. There really isn’t too much difference between either band. Shades Of Grey drink deep from the well of From Ashes Rise. Even their style of lyrics sticks close to the F.A.R. style. Shades of Grey are definitely adept musicians. The songs are solid and sonic, but they need to inject a bit more individuality into their sound if they want to stand out. Otherwise they will sink in the mess of a zillion bands who have the Tragedy / F.A.R. sound. Massmord have a bit more going for them. The songs are more dynamic and explosive. They mix From Ashes Rise with some Tragedy. Not much difference, really. But it’s there if you listen closely. If they, too, were to inject more of their own personality into their sound, Massmord could be a force to reckon with. Until then... –Matt Average (Profane Existence)

SHADOW REICHENSTEIN:
Self-titled: CD
Surfy, circusy goth rock with a (man) singer who’s a cross between Wendy O. Williams and the lady from Christian Death. –Cuss Baxter (www.shadowreichenstein.com)

SHADOWCOPS, THE:
A Big Pot of Hot: CD
Raucous rock music with a punk afterburn. Heard better, heard worse. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.tnsrecords.co.uk)

SHADRACK WILDE:
Unforgiveable Things: CD
This Louisville musician plays country-influenced songs of self-deprecation, loss, and hardship (which I guess is to be expected on an album called Unforgiveable Things) in a style akin to Ryan Adams or any of his various projects. There seems to have been a lot of sorrow in Shadrack’s life, but he does an effective job of sharing it in a means that doesn’t seem too tiresome. I like the addition of harmonica, violin, and electric guitar to the songs, which give them a fullness and strength. Wilde is a decent songwriter, too, although his focus on the morose could stand to be tempered to a degree. I wouldn’t mind hearing the next album, though. –Kurt Morris (myspace.com/shadwickwilde)

SHAI HALUD:
A Comprehensive Retrospective or: How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Release Ba: CD

Two awful singers, mediocre riffs, and four songs at the end of the guitarist’s practice tapes? Complete tommyrot. This is sixty-five minutes of my life that I will never, ever get back. I would rather watch golf all afternoon than listen to this CD again. To add insult to injury, Revelation Records neglected to include a jewel case so I can’t even use it as a coaster for my vodka tonic. Bastards.

–Sean Koepenick (Revelation)

SHAI HULUD:
A Comprehensive Retrospective: CD
Demo, live, and warehouse recordings of a band who has become one of the biggest names in hardcore. Compiled by original member Matt Fox, this is one more to add to your collection if you’re a fan of this stuff. Otherwise, it’s a complete waste of time. –Mr. Z (Revelation)

SHAKE IT LIKE A CAVEMAN:
Or It Will Take Everything: CD
My general disdain for one-man bands notwithstanding, this, um, group is steeped with a nice, slow-burning Delta blues influence, which makes for a not too painful listen. –Jimmy Alvarado (no address)

SHAKEDOWNS, THE:
Self-Titled: CD
Take a little Hives, thrown in some Northwestern nouveau-punk and add an Endino production and you get this. –Jimmy Alvarado (Morphius)

SHAKES, THE:
The Rise and Fall of Modern Living: CD
I loved The Shakes last release, with its lighthearted, bouncy pop delivered with sincerity to rival Jonathan Richman. And, in general, I hate when a band goes from themes like changing the world with songs about girls to more “serious” topics. And I almost always hate concept albums. But guess what? Peter Gilabert is such a good songwriter, and the band does such a brilliant job of melding the more intellectual side of The Kinks with the more innocent side of The Modern Lovers, that you can’t help but love every moment of The Rise and Fall of Modern Living. One of my favorite bands right now. –Brian Mosher (Teenacide)

SHAKING HANDS, THE:
Self-titled: LP
When I hear some jackass saying, “There’s no political punk anymore,” I just wanna punch the douche. Granted, there are less shrill, blunt political songs asking Phyllis Schaffley to “ram it up her cunt” (The Dead Kennedys said it; I’m just quoting.) nowadays, but I think this is a good thing. Why? Because I find no shortage of smart folks taking stock of their lives and looking at pictures much bigger than they are—from the neighborhoods they live in, to the national political scene, to the glaciers melting (all which The Shaking Hands deal with), but it’s all wrapped together into a seamless burrito of life. It’s one big log. Feeling like absolute shit is directly tied in with a dickhead running the country with regressive policies. And this makes the songs more timeless than being so literal and making a song called, say, “Sarah Palin Would Look Great with a Moose Cock Moustache,” that has its place fixed in such a short period of relevant time. (Quick, who was Phyllis Schaffley?) So, I put the Shaking Hands in the same gruff-voiced, anthemic vein of No Truth Lies and Watson, with some distant echoes of the Beltones in the background. Powerful, motivating songs that sing about a life looked at fully, and, often, achingly, in a subtle way that doesn’t need to separate daily life from political statements. –Todd Taylor (ADD / Kiss Of Death)

SHAKING HANDS, THE:
Self-titled: CD
If there’s a CD that I wanted to like this month it’s this one. Decent, passionate, social, political, and personal lyrics and they’re obviously into it. It’s that melodic sort of hardcore. But it’s a bit too clean and accessible for my tastes. My roommate said it sounded like H2O and that’s probably fair. –Craven (A.D.D)

SHAKING HANDS, THE:
Self-title: CD
The lyrics here are substantive and well thought out, and the music is new millennium anthemic punk, kinda reminiscent of bands like Anti-Flag. The fact they don’t sound like some cheap Blink-182 or Rancid knockoff is a definite plus, but they ultimately just ain’t my thang. –Jimmy Alvarado (Kiss Of Death)

SHAKING HANDS, THE:
Self-titled: CD
Two of the dudes from The Young Livers put together The Shaking Hands, a melodic streetpunk band that’s more hit than miss. At their best, The Shaking Hands strike a chord in the vein of Reducers SF, but some of the songs are awfully bland. Overall, I’m falling for it and am considering picking up the vinyl version. This simplistic, 1990s street sound is in jeopardy, after snoots turned their backs on it. Yet most people would need to be strapped to a chair to not want to get up and hop around while The Shaking Hands play. Count me in with the unashamed. I’d shake their fucking hands any day. –Art Ettinger (ADD/Kiss Of Death)

SHAKIN’ NASTIES/ THE HATE PINKS:
Split: 7”
Shakin’ Nasties: They’ve got a nice balance between the modern beach punk sound (a la Hostage Records), mixing snideness with sharpness, and splint it with the best trappings of new wave: tight transitions, great interludes, and spot-on songwriting. They made me think of a stylish suicide. Everything’s well ordered, but feels fatalistic. Hatepinks: French version of the Briefs, which isn’t bad at all. They’ve got the snot, sarcasm, and the bounce in spades, and with catchy song titles like “Kissing Cops with My Ass,” they’re fun to hum to when you’re getting groceries. Not essential, but fun nonetheless. The packaging is great. Clear insert over a full-color cover gives it a ton of dimension, and it’s on thick vaseline-clear vinyl. –Todd Taylor (Relax-O-Matic Vibrator)

SHAKIRA:
Laundry Service: CD
Assimilation. For those not in the know, she is the Colombian equivalent of Alanis Morrisette. I sneaked into the record store to pick this up. It was right near the front and I grabbed a copy and made a mad dash to pay for it. I covered up my punk rock t-shirt and walked quietly up to the counter to pay. I had my credit card out so that the transaction would happen quickly. Everything seemed to be going fine until the slightly hip store clerk had to engage me in conversation. The store clerk asked, “Did you see her at Tower Records in Hollywood today?” Mortified, I stuttered, “No, this is a closet pleasure for me.” Now I was pissed, all I wanted to do was buy and leave. I didn’t need a friend. The clerk responded with, “This release is not too good if you like her earlier releases.” In my mind I’m thinking, “Why the fuck are you taking to me?” I composed myself and said, “I heard a track on an internet radio station and I liked it.” The clerk handed me my credit card slip to sign, I signed it and I was out of there. I got in my car and proceeded to put the CD into the stereo. I started the car and started driving down the street. I am really hesitant about this release. This is supposed to be Shakira’s breakthrough crossover record to the masses. She normally sings in her native tongue of Spanish, but she wants to make it in the USA. She enlists Emilio Estefan (Gloria’s husband) as executive producer. Bad move number one. I pull over to sample what is in store for me. First song is a dance number mixed with a tango theme and does not have the energy of her previous release. Me being me, I fast forward towards the tracks that are sung in Spanish. Familiarity comforts me and her trademark octave changes are prevalent. Spanish is a more romantic sounding language to me. There are two tracks that are repeated here that are in both languages. The Spanish versions sound to me more flowing. Many of the English lyrics sound confused and jumbled. I have a hard time interpreting the thoughts she is trying to put forth. Also confusing is all the different styles of music that are represented here. I guess she is trying to please everybody at once and hope something would stick. My mind scattered, I switch CDs and listen to the latest Crispus Attucks CD to get my hardcore rage in balance. –Donofthedead (Epic)

SHAM 69:
Tell Us the Truth / That’s Life / The Adventures of Hersham Boys / The Game: CDs
After the Ramones and the Clash, Sham is easily one of the most influential bands to come out of punk rock. From them one can trace most, if not all, strains of oi and what is now called “street punk.” Not only can those influential seeds can be heard scattered throughout their four original releases, one can also track the band’s progression from rudimentary musicians to more accomplished songsmiths. Their first, Tell Us the Truth, is pure minimalist thud-punk—angry, violent, outraged. A number of their better known songs—“Borstal Breakout,” “Hey Little Rich Boy,” “Ulster,” and “Rip Off” to name a few—can be found here, as well as their most direct working class attacks on a power structure that favors the more affluent, which is interesting to note considering the decidedly reactionary bent of many of the bands that followed in their wake. That’s Life, while essentially following along the same lines as its predecessor, experiments a little with the template, adding occasional keys to the songs and spoken bits between tracks. Hersham Boys, progresses things along even further, and by The Game—paradoxically the band’s worst selling album—the songs are finely honed missiles, providing the band’s unpretentious beginnings a fine craftsman’s sheen without sacrificing a whit of power or anger. Spread out over the four discs are twenty-nine bonus tracks culled from assorted demos, singles, and EPs for a more comprehensive collection of what remains Sham’s finest years. –Jimmy Alvarado (Captain Oi)

SHAM 69:
Punk Singles Collection 1977-80: CD
Cleopatra released this collection of Sham's singles some years back (and they no doubt licensed it from somewhere else). Captain Oi has taken it, purtied it all up, added a few more tracks that were left off of the Cleopatra version, and sent it back out into the world. All the big hits are here, twenty-six in all, from "If the Kids are United" to "Hurry Up Harry," plus some rarities, like "What Have We Got," which was only available as a freebie given out at their shows. If by some fluke of nature you've never heard a single Sham song, this is the perfect place to dive in. –Jimmy Alvarado (Captain Oi)

SHAM 69:
Hollywood Hero: CD
I ain’t gonna get into the semantics of whether this is or isn’t a release by the “real” Sham 69 ‘cause, frankly, I’m more interested in it being good than whether Jimmy Pursey’s singing or not. That said, it definitely sounds like Sham—the good Sham, mind you. Whoever Dave got to take Jimmy’s place does a fairly good impersonation of him, delivering the lyrics (the bulk of which were apparently written by Jimmy before he, um, departed) with just the right mixture of venom, conviction, and harmony. The rest of the band sound top notch, resulting in one of the better Sham releases I’ve heard since their “classic” period. If “I Want Glory” and “I Don’t Believe a Word” are any indication, they might actually do all right without Jimmy, as both tracks are quite solid in their own right. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.sosrecords.us)

SHAMS, THEE:
Sign The Line: CD
I saw this band once, because a friend of mine insisted that they were a great live act. He was in error. Which one's Jimmy Pursey again? BEST SONG: "Something Happening" BEST SONG TITLE: "1-2-3-4" FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: I think this band played an Allman Bros. song (or something) the time i went to see them. –Rev. Norb (Shake It)

SHANG-A-LANG:
Summertime: 7”EP
I’ve said this before with Tulsa. A bit of me is worried that I’m just way too predisposed to liking what they’re dishing out. It’s like I’ve stopped thinking and worrying and classifying; like band members could come poop on my porch and I’d slap ‘em on the back and say, “Thanks for ‘Caught In Between.’ Great song.” Shang-A-Lang makes music I like instantly. All four songs on Summertime are “perfectly” executed. It’s DIY punk with charm bounding to self-doubt, musical chops that never stray from melody, yet retain a comforting sloppiness, and it’s all taped together in a rough yet clear recording. Much to like. –Todd Taylor (Dirt Cult / Let’s Pretend)

SHANG-A-LANG:
Sad Magic: LP
Shang-A-Lang is one of the few bands that I actively check in on every few months to make sure I haven’t missed any releases. I stumbled upon their songs a bit before their first 7” was released. It was amazing stuff, and with every release their momentum just keeps increasing. I was the first of my friends to have a copy of this record and waited forever for someone else to get a damn copy so we could talk about how good it was. If I had the money, I would buy everyone I know a copy, but I’m poor and I’d be lucky if this convinces someone, somewhere to buy a copy. So, get off your ass and find this, because you will not find any tighter science. –Bryan Static (Fast Crowd)

SHANG-A-LANG:
Sad Magic: LP
What a perfect title; this record’s both that adjective and that noun in equal measure. Shang-a-Lang’s first foray into full-length territory reveals what I’ve guessed all along: the more songs they write, the better they get, the more I like them. It’s knot-in-throat music. I understand that “being real” is a cliché and means as much as “street cred,” but S-A-L aren’t afraid of looking at the ugly in themselves and their situations. (Perhaps I’m reading too much into it, knowing that lead singer Chris has a tough job in the social services, yet he helps turn that anxiety into an all-ages space in Las Cruces while running Dirt Cult Records.) But it’s these doses of self-doubt and self-depreciation funneling themselves into songs that act as mysterious, inspirational catalysts. (Instead of being total life crushers.) My guess is if the world didn’t have so many shit bits flinging up and cracking S-A-L’s windshield, there’d be less of a constant catalyst to create music. It’s because they just can’t stop doing it—it’s their antidote, their inoculation and booster shots—which is such a different place to make music from than making it because you don’t have anything better to do. (And let’s laugh at making music for fame, sex, or money in this review.) For anyone interested in an unadulterated archetype of what DIY punk’s up to in the late ‘00s, drop the needle on Sad Magic. –Todd Taylor (Fast Crowd)

SHANG-A-LANG / BRICKFIGHT:
Split: 7"
Even before listening, this recording has ticked off each box on the checklist of cool in my book: 1. Sweet-ass artwork by Mitch Clem (can he please create a dinosaur coloring book?) and 2. Clear vinyl. Obviously, these could be very, very misleading characteristics, but I am happy to say that the contents more than accurately portray the awesomeness that is this split. This 7” is one you get bummed out when you spend your last three dollars at the bar, before noticing the merch table. Maybe I am a little biased for Brickfight, but they blew me away live, and I’ve been collecting any Shang-A-Lang stuff I can get my grubby hands on since I first hear ‘em. Both bands sound great, this would be an excellent primer/gift for a person unfamiliar with the bands. This split has found a very happy home in my collection, and I will be humming these songs all day long. –Samantha Beerhouse (Facepalm, silversprocketlabs.com)

SHANG-A-LANG / BRICKFIGHT:
Split: 7"
Shang-A-Lang: Turn that frown into kickass DIY punk jams. As the dust of time settles on the shoulders of Las Cruces, New Mexico’s musical heritage, I do hope that these four troubadours tricking out every last watt, amp, and atom out of their testy 4-track get remembered as being as a flickering flame of hope. I also hope Chris Mason never starts a cult, because that’s something I might consider joining, and I think cults are stupid. Brick Fight: Since I know nothing about musical equipment, I’ve always wondered if there was an amp or effects pedal that you could switch on that’s labeled “sound British.” Perhaps Rancid’s got that patented. Speaking of, sounds like a lot like early Rancid and late ‘90s not-very-pop pop punk with a lot of snot, say, like the Nobodys, with less porn in the monitors. Hey Mitch, congrats on your first release. –Todd Taylor (Facepalm, myspace.com/facepalmrecords)

SHANG-A-LANG / JONESIN’:
Split: 7”EP
Shang-a-Lang: Hang in with me on this. Imagine if the Dead Milkmen weren’t goofy, and instead of the goofiness was a self-deprecating earnestness. (All of this through a DIY, 2008, slightly Crimpshrine’d punk rock lens, mind you.) I mean, shit alive, the Dead Milkmen were catchy as hell, made you sing along to things you wouldn’t necessarily come up with singing by yourself, and it’s cathartic to scream along to. They’re the slightly stained, well-worn T-shirt to the Milkmen’s paisley shirt with a collar. Land of Enchantment, indeed. Jonesin’: From the ashes of Down In The Dumps. Sounds like Dukes Of Hillsborough by way of Gunmoll: burlaped voice, like someone’s throat is a bedroll of knives, dirt, and glass shards. Florida-ation facial grown rock by way of NYC that’s working on, and beginning to succeed, in sounding epic. Not bad at all. –Todd Taylor (Dirt Cult/ Dead Broke)

SHANG-A-LANG / SEX ADVICE:
Split: 7”EP
Shang-a-Lang: Dudes are bummed, but somehow turn songs of bummerdom and “I’m-about-to-crack” into these finger-snapping, duct tape anthems of basement salvation. Don’t know if I want them to get happier since their pain is my gain. Any sort of life-issue resolution may make their songs suck… Anyhow, I may be committing some sort of sin here, but I think if they took a sock or two off the microphones and took the sleeping bag out of the bass drum when they recorded, it’d punch up the recording a bit. The songs shine through, though. Sex Advice: Don’t want to force them in a place they’d find uncomfortable, but I think they’re the missing link between high-quality Queers (Love Songs for the Retarded) and Black Flag (all the way up to the B-side of Damaged). Bubble gum with jagged edges that wants to kill you. Nice split. –Todd Taylor (Repulsion)

SHANG-A-LANG / TURKISH TECHNO:
Split : 7”
Turkish Techno’s first appearance on vinyl and, boy, is it a great start. Like a drunken boy’s choir of Riverside, these four dudes belt out two songs of Leatherface/Stiff Little Fingers/Jawbreaker punk rock. A mainstay in today’s DIY Riverside scene, these guys always put on a lively, energetic show. Shang-A-Lang: these Las Crucians know how to put together poppy, self-examining songs of substance. Two more songs that will make your work week a little more tolerable or your hangover a little less excruciating. Highly recommended. –Daryl Gussin (Muy Auténtico, myspace.com/totallyofficial)

SHANG-A-LANG / TURKISH TECHNO:
: Split 7”
Turkish Techno: In this post Hot Water Music world, it’s difficult to tread water in that band’s wake. But, Turkish Techno pulls it off by casting their net into good, old-fashioned hardcore aggression’s waters. While it sounds like several contemporary bands are deep frying frozen fishsticked of parts of HWM’s catalog in an attempt to recreate previous magic while ultimately sounding greasy and clogged, Turkish Techno adds the acidic lime of bands like early Black Flag to “cook” the raw fish. A ceviche, if you will. A delicious one. Shang-a-Lang: Still choke me up more than just a little when I listen to them or see them live. They play with an earnestness usually reserved to musicians ten or fifteen years younger, the music is the perfect sloppy tightness, and, having personally put all of their songs onto a more versatile digital format, I can support the thesis that even their anti-work songs made a day of pick axing all the more tolerable, bordering on pleasurable. Duct tapedly awesome. –Todd Taylor ((Muy Autentico, myspace.com/totallyofficial)

SHANG-A-LANG: ERROR:
You Cannot Add Yourself as a Friend: 7" EP
Even though I’d never heard Shang-a-Lang before this 7”, I felt like saying, “Hello, old friend.” They come across as a comfortable quilt of bands I already enjoy muchly. The good news is that they don’t remind me too much of just one band, nor do I suspect they’ve got musical photocopy machines tucked away in their back pockets. Their music musical radar blips in the storm front populated by Scared of Chaka, The Bananas, ADD/C and Dead Things (and it’s a toss up if they’ve ever heard those bands). It’s not as straight ahead as initial listenings would indicate, easy-to-sing-along-to DIY punk, that’s as fun to listen to, I imagine, as it was fun to make. It’s also super easy to smile along to. 300 made. Hand numbered. Good news. –Todd Taylor (Dirt Cult)

SHANGHAI RIVER:
Demo: CDEP
Panning for gold is all about the promise of future riches. This demo is muddy, murky, dirty socks, Bill Beltone guitar, and whacked-sponge-sounding drums. However, if your ears are used sorting out the slime and slurry, finely blown out after years of basement and backyard shows, one can recognize the faintest glimmers—future nuggets—in the shape of the songwriting. ShanghaiRiver has that; a nice basic shape. Sonically sounds like Frankie Stubbs with mumps or the dude from Fat Albert that no one could understand—not just the vocals, almost everything—leading the Chop Sakis’ first practice. Yeah, I’d listen to ‘em after the demo takes a shower, gets cleaned up and smells better. –Todd Taylor (myspace.com/shanghairiver)

SHANGHAI RIVER:
Binary Code Will Enslave All of Humankind: LP
Right off the bat, I should disclose that this band contains a Razorcake columnist. It really doesn’t matter though, because he seems to me like the kind of guy who would rather appreciate honesty than ass kissing. Wooo! Good thing I can do both now because I love this record! It’s almost scary how so many of the songs on this record are situations that I’m dealing with in my life (particularly the ones pertaining to getting old and still playing in bands and partying). The tunes are sloppy and fun (also attributes I’ve been told describe me). I had a smile on my face the whole time (except on the one about the guy who got trampled at Wal-Mart on Black Friday. That was sad.). Get the record and join the party... At least until you bleed out your butt. Then it’s time to stop. –Ty Stranglehold (ADD)

SHANGHAI WIRES:
Upsetter Democracy: LP
Fans of The Stitches, listen up! Did you spend the mid- to late-‘90s as I did, scarfing up every 7” release from Witmer/Lohrman and company like it was gold? And, have you been in Stitches withdrawal ever since they went inactive, at least on vinyl? Then Shanghai Wires may well be the band for you. They may be from England, but they have clearly soaked up the vintage Southern California punk rock vinyl so much that it courses through their veins as much as any of their native country’s fine bands do. If I have any criticisms about this at all, it would be that I wish the mix had a little more bottom end to it. Other than that, I’ve played this many times through and it more than holds its own. –Chris Peigler (May Cause Dizziness, mcdrecords.com)

SHANK / THE ENDLESS BLOCKADE:
Split: 7”
A good pairing for a split, since bass player Andy Nolan is/was in both bands. Limited to three hundred copies pressed total and one hundred mailorder copies are on white vinyl with special hand stenciled second cover and a bonus 7” with stenciled band logos. That second 7” is unplayable but looks cool, if you were wondering. Shank: They do a cover of Citizen’s Arrest Number that has the same production sound of the last two Victims records. Absolutely powerful and yet raw at the same time. One of the last songs recorded before their break up. The Endless Blockade: A cover of Judge’s “Fed Up” is presented on their side. The band definitely put their own spin on their contribution. It’s a dirtier and harsher version which, I believe, is much faster than the original. –Donofthedead (Schizophrenic)

SHANKS, THE:
Big Feelin: 7"
Blown-out garage punk from this Nebraska band. Seems like the type of thing that any fan of In the Red Records or the review page at Terminal Boredom would love. If you have got a lotta P.Trash or Solid Sexie Lovie Doll singles in your collection, you will wanna be all over this. As good as most of those bands and from the Midwest, to boot. –Mike Frame (Boom Chick)

SHANNON AND THE CLAMS:
I Wanna Go Home: CD
Bastardized ‘50s riffs seems to be flavor of the month, but Shannon And The Clams are having a lot of fun with it and are able to bring the listener along. The guitars are laden with reverb, as are the vocals some of the time. This dynamic creates a bit of necessary chaos for a band that likely sounds really good live. “Troublemaker” and “The Warlock in the Woods” are mid-tempo ‘50s rock while “Blast Me to Bermuda” gets into faster realms. There are slower songs that are well done, but become a bit tedious after two minutes. That two minute pop standard must occasionally be adhered to. The songs, as they appear on the album, are occasionally grouped too closely by tempo, which is a shame, because the diversity in speed would have been an opportunity to create a better flow for the album. But all in all, the songwriting is solid. It’s a great record for fans of the new old. –Billups Allen (1-2-3-4-Go!)

SHANNONWRIGHT:
Dyed in the Wool: CD
This is a soft, lilting, well-orchestrated musical marvel that’s celestial and brightly sparkling but dark, pained, and morosely dismal as well. It’s sonically sparse, yet intricately detailed, a soul-soothing, spiritually moving collage of sweet swirling-in-the-breeze songs richly laden with the deepest of heart-wrenching emotion. ShannonWright is a uniquely gifted vocalist/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist who’s illustriously comparable to PJ Harvey, an all-acoustic Siouxsie, and a female impersonator Nick Drake. She’s absolutely the most articulate composer since Ludwig van Beethoven or, at the very least, Lennon and McCartney. Damn, I’m gettin’ all gooey and fuzzy on the inside, ‘cause my ears are irreversibly transfixed, dazzled, hypnotized, and deeply in love with the seductively bewitching sounds of Dyed In The Wool. –Roger Moser Jr. (Quarterstick)

SHANNONWRIGHT:
Dyed in the Wool: CD
This is a soft, lilting, well-orchestrated musical marvel that’s celestial and brightly sparkling but dark, pained, and morosely dismal as well. It’s sonically sparse, yet intricately detailed, a soul-soothing, spiritually moving collage of sweet swirling-in-the-breeze songs richly laden with the deepest of heart-wrenching emotion. ShannonWright is a uniquely gifted vocalist/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist who’s illustriously comparable to PJ Harvey, an all-acoustic Siouxsie, and a female impersonator Nick Drake. She’s absolutely the most articulate composer since Ludwig van Beethoven or, at the very least, Lennon and McCartney. Damn, I’m gettin’ all gooey and fuzzy on the inside, ‘cause my ears are irreversibly transfixed, dazzled, hypnotized, and deeply in love with the seductively bewitching sounds of Dyed In The Wool. –Guest Contributor (Quarterstick)

SHAPES, THE:
Songs for Sensible People: CD
The Shapes are another criminally obscure band hailing from England who apparently left a lasting enough impression that someone cared about, as well as remembered, them so that this compendium of their recorded output could see the light of day, and the punk world is a much better place as a result. One of the architects of what later became “punk pathetique” (think Toy Dolls, Splodgenessabounds and the like), they married to some very silly subject matter (how silly? How do “Jennifer the Conifer,” which is a love song to a tree, or “{I Saw} Batman {in the Laundrette}” strike you?) to the punk template and came up with catchy songs that weren’t afraid to be just as flat-out funny as sound pissed off. Their “Wot’s For Lunch, Mum (Not Beans Again!)” is a bonafide classic and its inclusion here is more than enough reason to pick this up and provide it with a properly reverential spot in the ol’ collection. One more thing: the liner notes are a fuckin’ riot: “The pressure of drink, women, and rock‘n’roll debauchery totally failing to manifest in their lives began to affect the band badly….Dave began wearing a curly wig and false mustache, claiming that he was really Carlos Santana and that, therefore, he should get double helpings of ‘eggs, beans and chips’ when the band stopped off for a nosh…. Brian demanded that his knees be removed so that he could have the front of his legs paved. It was all getting too much….” –Jimmy Alvarado (Overground)

SHAPESHIFTER:
Self-titled: 7”
Like The Degenerics, this is another band that my friend Joe had sent to me not knowing I had gotten this for review. Unlike The Degenerics, I’m not really that into what I hear here. I like what he sent; I listened to it over and over. Wait, I’m a complete moron. It’s the same exact release. I listened to Joe’s copy on my little jambox and I listened to mine on my laptop. World of difference to me. What I thought was tinny sounding wasn’t at all. Really lyricaL crust that isn’t without melody. If, in the song “Feeding the Beast,” the lyrics actually correctly spelled when it says, “as the bones enrich the soil under our feat,” then I applaud you on your word play (it easily could go over the top, but is always well-balanced, and not a groan was induced). It was suggested that this is reminiscent of Aus Rotten, but seeing as I’ve avoided them for (apparently misguided) presumptions, I’m not sure. If they are (but I think I might just give Aus Rotten a chance now). A strong release with a cover photo of old cars that had me mesmerized. –Megan Pants (Don Giovanni)

SHARK MATTER:
Chum Bucket: CDEP
Popped it into the stereo and couldn’t figure out why it wouldn’t play. Then I noticed the glue (or glue-like substance) caked all over the disc. –Jimmy Alvarado (sharkmatter@gmail.com)

SHARK PANTS:
Porno Snakehead: CD
I saw Shark Pants play in Torrance last year. They were sandwiched between two of my favorite bands: the Knockout Pills and Toys That Kill. Much to my surprise, Shark Pants stole the show. No disrespect to the Knockout Pills and Toys That Kill; they were both awesome, but I expected them to be awesome. I didn’t expect anything out of Shark Pants and they blew me away. It was a solid wall of sound that carried with it all of what I love about punk rock from Tucson: the noisy insanity of The Blacks, the trashy humor of the Weird Lovemakers, sneaky melodies like the Knockout Pills. Beyond all of this, Shark Pants seemed to simultaneously explode and keep shit tight as hell. That night in Torrance still ranks among my all-time favorite shows. I think of it so fondly that any Shark Pants album would have a tough act to follow. For me to fully endorse Porno Snakehead, Shark Pants would have to take all the energy and rock from their live show and capture it into plastic. That’s a pretty tough thing to ask of any band. Still, at first, it seemed as if Shark Pants were equal to the task. The first four songs explode out of the speakers like free beer and 2 AM promises. I thought we had a classic in the making. Then, “Later Alligator” takes its turn as the fifth song on the album, and, through some inexplicable force of nature, someone in Shark Pants starts screaming like Robert Plant “Baby, baby, baby (keep repeating).” And it bummed me out so much that I almost couldn’t listen to the next song. In fact, I get so mad every time I hear those baby, baby, babies that I can’t seem to enjoy the last four songs, though they do have all the rock I’d hoped for. In fact, this album is about seven baby, baby, babies from being perfect. But seven baby, baby, babies is a lot, especially when they’re right in the goddamn middle of everything, goddamn it. I think I’m just gonna burn the first four songs and the last four songs onto a CD of my own and start telling people that I have the elusive Shark Pants demo and that it’s way better than Porno Snakehead. –Sean Carswell (Recess)

SHARK PANTS:
Automatic Pinner: 7”EP
Well, this one’s easy. Shark Pants released this one several years back on Underground Government in Japan in support of a tour there, only as a CDEP. And since I’m becoming sort of a jackass in this digital era where I don’t consider music one hundred percent real until it’s released on vinyl (there hasn’t been one instance reported of a record player downloading a virus and you never have to worry if your record player just erased your entire collection in one digital belch), I can now fully rejoice that this four-song capsule that’s a great distillation of Shark Pants. It’s a wonderful introduction to these three Tucsonian wizards. Strip Hendrix of any hippie tendencies, feed him a steady diet of norteños, Underdog, and file under complex, not busy. A band that other bands absolutely adore and are mystified by. –Todd Taylor (Dirt Cult)

SHARK SOUP:
Self-titled: CDEP
Psychobilly from Germany with one part stand up bass, one part guitar, and one part drums to create a trio; more fun than the Stray Cats and in league with Tiger Army. I’m grateful that this was released in the EP format instead of a full length. With songs not clocking in more than three minutes, this is an easy and enjoyable listen. –Donofthedead (Shark Soup)

SHARKS AND SAILORS:
Builds Brand New: CD
Chock full of dissonant, odd chord progressions guaranteeing them oodles of hipster alt-rock points they can collect and later cash in for expensive pre-stressed jeans, T-shirts, and name brand sunglasses. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.sharksandsailors.com)

SHARP EASE, THE:
T-Spin: 7"
The title track reminds me of Psychocandy-era Jesus and Mary Chain, except fronted by some ladies: more fuzz than a shaggy mohair sweater, sexy drippings of vocals, restrained keyboard, inviting guitar. "Lick My Ass" has the keeper of a line, "If you're going to gonna lick my pussy, you're gonna lick my ass." Then the word "lick" is repeated a bunch. It almost sounds like a nasty, finger-jamming Bjork. Not a bad world to live in. "Rock'n'Roll Detox" pulls the erotic dancing pole of the Pixies between their legs and starts swinging around. Occasional high squeaks, down to breathy Kim Deal interludes, dappled with smooth, heated guitar bursts. Not a bad (debut?) at all.
–Todd Taylor (Soft Spot; www.softspot.com)

SHARP ENDS:
Northern Front + Crack Trap: 7" + 7"
Lotta sounds over the four tracks on these two discs. “Northern Front” has no shortage of moody gloom in its grooves, bringing to mind Death In June circa The Guilty Have No Pride, while its flip bops along with an early Joy Division feel. “Crack Trap” is by far the catchiest tune of the four, with a catchy odd hook and an air of ‘60s rock to counter the warbly vocals, while “Loaded Hearts” is about as straightforward punk as they get here. Hopin’ they’re working on a full-length, ‘cause it should be a doozy if these two singles are any indication. –Jimmy Alvarado (Mammoth Cave Recording Co./Hozac)

SHARP KNIFE / LOVES SONGS:
Split: Tape
Yay! Three Sharp Knife songs and two Love Songs (featuring Craigums!) songs on a tape! Punk rock! Love Songs use the phrase “apples and banaanaas” from one of the most ridiculous children’s songs of all time! Score one! Sharp Knife just rocks and rolls until your neighbors are pounding on the wall begging you to turn it down. Punk fucking rock! If this were a cereal, it’d be a single-serving double pack with silly, fun Froot Loops (Love Songs) and amazing, innovative Rice Krispie Treats cereal (Sharp Knife)! I am a dork! –Maddy (Grateful)

SHARP KNIFE/QUEER WÜLF:
Split: LP
Both of these bands are fucking great. They both have bits and pieces of Fleshies and the Thumbs coupled with a fine tradition of bands that might not be revolutionizing rock and roll or anything, but will sure as hell rock your living room like their lives depend on it. Both of them play catchy, scruffy, sweat-drenched punk rock, which is just the way this reviewer likes it. This is the perfect excuse for buying a record player. –Josh (This Here)

SHARP TEETH:
Self-titled: CD
These songs are dark, slow to mid-tempo haunts delivered from front women/guitarist Erica Krumm’s deadpan vocals. This three-piece from Minneapolis may take a minimalist approach on this album, but they manage to clamor the far edges of grunge distortion within a moody soundscape. I’d place this CD amid the vocal styling of Liz Phair circa 1993 and musical deliverance of a tempered Slant 6 song, minus any riot grrrl connotations that that comparison may invoke. All the songs here are cut from the same cloth without any standing out from the rest of the album. This is an interesting full length from Sharp Teeth, but I hope their next release will pack a little more punch. –N.L. Dewart –Guest Contributor (myspace.com/sharpteethmpls)

SHARP TEETH:
Lines and Stars: CD
Female fronted, dirge-tempoed noise pop heavy on the early ‘90s influence and rife with sloppy guitar chords. –Jimmy Alvarado (No address)

SHAT:
Cuntree: CD
Upon completion of this release I felt as if I walked into an inside joke that leaves only the band in a state of furious, madcap laughter. This record has managed to place in the top slot for my own “Most Infantile Record I Have Listened To” list in my own head. This consists in entirety of punk-cum-metal-idiotic-odes to pussy, boobs, bodily fluids, and sex. Shat features an ex-Dillinger Escape Plan member and underground porn star, Jeff Wood, on bass. This album is terrible but it should be noted that the band is highly enthusiastic about the material and lyrics. This release sets a somewhat high standard for low brow humor. The lyrics reach a point of being so intrinsically dumb that they reach a level of almost being avant garde: “Eating a girl out is the most brilliant thing.” They were also clever enough to sequence the sixty-nine songs so that they would fit into sixty-nine minutes in length. The all-knowing genius squad over at Buddyhead (who actually spent money on this) tagged this fact as a selling point, enough to provide this information for the discriminating listener as a sticker on the cover. Perhaps such marketing antics are necessary when the songs cling so tightly to gimmicky nothingness. The winner of Buddyhead’s top tax write off of 2006 is Shat’s Cuntree! –Chris Prorock –Guest Contributor (Buddyhead)

SHATTERED FAITH:
Bootleg: CD
Okay, gripes first: 1) What is this insistence in using the version of “Right Is Right” with the guitar intro cut off? If the original master wasn’t available with the intro intact, why not find a pristine copy of the second Rodney on the Roq comp and use that instead? Most perplexing of all, who decided starting off the disc with that song was a good idea? 2) Why are the Life Is… comp tracks absent and replaced with the vastly inferior Volume 2 versions? Goblin did a fine job singing on them, and one of ’em, “The Omen,” isn’t represented here at all. 3) Given the number of rarities that didn’t make it on here, why the inclusion of so much stuff readily available on the CD GTA put out a couple of years ago? Seems like such a waste, you know? Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, let me say that any collection highlighting Shattered Faith’s “golden era” is friggin’ mandatory listening. Although much is missing here, the fact that the inclusion of all the tracks from The Future Looks Bright comp, “Discontent” from the Who Cares comp, and one of the two tracks from the Destroy L.A. comp make this an invaluable addition to the collection of any self-respecting punker. Bitching aside, I’m stoked as hell to hear these songs again. –Jimmy Alvarado (Finger)

SHECKIES, THE:
Go On a Diet: CDEP
I’m usually a bit concerned any time I get something that looks like it’s going to be by-the-1-2-3-4 Ramonescore pop punk, but this was okay. Think Ramonescore that lays on the Weasel vocals pretty heavy. A bit geeky at points, but I was impressed by the Ultraman shirt (not the band, the series), so who am I to judge? –Joe Evans III (Cabana One)

SHEGLANK’D SHOULDERS:
Endless Grind: CD
I’ve been blessed with some amazing skate rock this time around. First of all, you need to watch the classic Powell Peralta video The Search for Animal Chin in order to understand the band’s name. Now that’s taken care of, it’s time to rock out. Sheglank’d Shoulders are a skate rock band in the purest form. Yes, every song on Endless Grind is about skating and its many facets. From the amazing ups of “Skateboard Hooligans” (the first skateboard oi song I’ve ever heard) and “Paradise Is an Empty Skatepark,” to the tragic lows of “Flatspot Hell,” and “Too Twanked to Skate,” these boys rip it up. Anything on this disc would fit in on Thrasher Magazine’s hallowed Skate Rock compilation series. Calgary has a rich heritage in skate rock and I’m happy to report that Sheglank’d Shoulders are representing nicely. Now shut up and skate! –Ty Stranglehold (Handsome Dan, www.handsomedanrecords.com)

SHEGLANK’D SHOULDERS:
The Final Grind: 7"
I really hope the title of this single doesn’t signal the end of one of Canada’s best skate punk bands. Sheglank’d Shoulders bring three rockers to the party this time with the A-side being the title track to their last disc, and the flip side sporting another ode to energy drinks and a Skrewdriver cover. Now before you get your hackles, up I’ll quote the liner notes “All songs by Sheglank’d Shoulders except “I Don’t Like You” (originally by some Nazi fuckheads). Somehow the thought of a spastic, Jewish punk rocker singing this makes me smile. At any rate, I’ll be plenty pissed off if this is the final release from these guys. –Ty Stranglehold (Handsome Dan, www.handsomedanrecords.com)

SHELL SHAG:
Destroy Me I’m Yours: LP (comes with CD)
You know what’s great sometimes about DIY punk rock? For all the petty shit that can go down, it can be an open door which interesting, inventive bands are invited to play, even though they may not fit a recognizable pattern. Shell Shag’s a perfect example of that, as they remind me simultaneously of bands as far flung as Bongwater to the Pixies, from labels like AmRep to Merge, but it ultimately sounds like a big bang has exploded in these two folks’ heads and they’ve done a great job of worm-holing that unique universe down on vinyl. And they’re welcome to play backyards and basements, down with strumming This Bike Is A Pipebomb tunes when equipment malfunctions, and putting out a record that’s as challenging and ethereal as it is melodic, snappy-crunchy, and feisty. For those of you who don’t mind some mental stretching, via the naked cult of Hickey, to Fleshies, to Guided By Voices, to made-up lullabies, and who also want a rump-shaking payoff for all of that experimenting, look no further. Neat, neat, neat. –Todd Taylor (Starcleaner)

SHELL SHOCK:
Born to Kill: CD
Musically, this is some pretty strong, straightforward hardcore. Lyrically, things lean more toward the more personal “you pissed me off so I wrote a song” school of thought. Any larger political attitudes are a bit ambiguous, although they do openly question the validity of anarchism as a viable alternative to the current societal order. Not bad overall. –Jimmy Alvarado (Puke N Vomit)

SHELLAC:
Excellent Italian Greyhound: CD
First new record from the Chicago power trio since 2000. J Robbins stated he only liked the first four songs on this one. I like the whole thing. The rest of the record consists of a couple of instrumentals and a Bob Weston vocal. But if you’re lookin’ for fresh Albini—the first few songs are kick ass. “The End of Radio” is so true, so true. –Sean Koepenick (Touch & Go)

SHELLSHAG:
Rumors in Disguise: LP
Shellshag is hard to define. If you’ve read any of the reviews from their first record, the word “experiment” usually appears at least once in some form or another. After two years, I still can’t figure out how to describe this band to people, but I do know that everyone should at least listen to them once, if not just for the strangeness of it all. Shellshag has also done the impossible task of ruining themselves. If you’ve ever seen them live, you know exactly what I mean. I can’t help but imaging them playing in a cramped living room at my friend’s house when listening to this. Their songs, no matter how well they’re recorded, never capture the amazing talent and fun they exude when in front of an audience. Oh yeah, the record is fucking great. Essential listening. Nothing I said should undermine how good of a record this actually is, but if they’re ever in your town (or within proximity), go to them. You shall understand. Amen. –Bryan Static (Don Giovanni, dongiovannirecords.com)

SHELLSHAG:
Rumors in Disguise: CD
If this album were to be described in household appliances, it would be some kind of humidifier-juicer-slow-cooker hybrid. Just soothing, nutritious, delicious, patient, songwriting with maximum payoff. I’ve been a huge fan of this duo since I first heard their debut, Destroy Me, I’m Yours, and, if anything, Rumors in Disguise is their best work to date. If you’ve yet to check this band out, imagine if This Bike Is A Pipebomb decided to become a minimalist psych-garage Pixies cover band that would only play the Pixies songs that were actually good. If that doesn’t make any sense, here’s a much clearer rundown: Shell plays guitar while Jennifer plays drums. They both sing and together they create these spectacularly indefinable songs that I’m convinced almost everyone has a place for in their lives. –Daryl Gussin (Don Giovanni)

SHELLSHAG:
Rumors in Disguise: LP
Shellshag are wonderful. They’re a husband-and-wife duo. Shag stands up when she plays the drums. She has bells strapped on her legs and dances as she drums. Shell plays his guitar directly facing Shag. It’s endearing to see and hear that their music is primarily created for one another. Beyond casual listening, it’s almost impossible to not hear the love they have for one another ringing out from the grooves in the songs. Rumors in Disguise is their most cohesive LP to date—which is astonishing because this album is a collection of songs they’ve been working on for over a decade (only the first song, “1984” was recently written). The sonic stakes in the ground are far-flung and may not sound like they map out a sound musical foundation that will hold considerable weight, but they do. The architectural spaciousness from the best of the Pixies. The playful scampering, pranking, and challenges of Hickey. Feedback laced into pop hooks and the “it’s so simple yet so catchy”-ness of Masters Of The Obvious. Rumors in Disguise sounds a batch of love songs, both to one another, and to the creation of this music itself. DIY punks’ own version of Sonny And Cher (the happy years)? –Todd Taylor (Don Giovanni)

SHELLSHAG / THIS BIKE IS A PIPE BOMB:
Split: 7"
Plan-It-X Records paved the way for a ton of shitty PC folk-punk and pop-punk bands and labels. I’m proud to say that I’ve loved almost all of those shitty bands and labels. This record typifies everything that is oh so right about this minor, laughable, and ultimately irresistible subgenre. Shellshag is an absolute must, a two-piece male/female off-key folk-punk duo that always sounds like they’re performing on a spaceship. First wave Plan-it-xers This Bike is a Pipe Bomb likewise continue to amuse with their stripped-down, folksy, pop-punk purity. Unplug your electric guitar and see if you can come up with something as rocking. It’s doubtful. –Art Ettinger (Starcleaner/Plan-It-X South)

SHELLSHAG / THIS BIKE IS A PIPEBOMB:
Split: 7” EP
Shellshag: Jesus, this is going to sound corny, but Shellshag’s songs sound like a handmade card made just for you on a special occasion. I understand that the record that’s spinning wasn’t made just for me, but their three songs are just so warm, personal, and direct. The nutshell is that it’s arty, noisy rock but not mechanical, pretentious, or privileged. Think Hickey, not a party where people look at one another’s asses, eyeballing for labels in envy and/or judgment. This Bike Is A Pipebomb: This is coming from a guy who, for the past eight years, alternates between two identical cut off pairs of grey shorts—there’s a comforting expectation with TBIAP. Within acceptable parameters, one knows what to expect from them—no techno, no made-for-ringtone songs, just fiery, catchy, stripped-down rock and folk, delivered, well, like folks who’ve been doing it awesomely well for years and years. Two originals and a Shellshag cover. Sing-a-long fun times. –Todd Taylor (Starcleaner / Plan-It-X South)

SHEMPS, THE:
On 45: 7”
Dirty garage with hot, crusty bubble gum stuck to the bottom of Converse and a lot of shimmy tuned into the guitars. The recording seems a little thin, like you can imagine the instruments punching you in the chest and doing some damage, but it just doesn’t come through the headphones. Apparently, this was a transitional time for the band – the vocalist and guitarist have been replaced since this was recorded. It’s okay. –Todd Taylor (Weekend)

SHEMPS, THE:
On 45: 7"
With a name like The Shemps, it must be another crappy pop punk band with ten CDRs on Mutant Pop, right? Wrong! Surprise! Surprise! The Shemps are a garage punk band and they rock! Great jump-up-and-down music - catchy, with a nod to The Jam and the Rip Offs, and here we go! This is Cracklin' Oat Bran! The name makes it sound awful, but it's so fucking good! –Maddy (Week end)

SHEMPS, THE:
Spazz Out: CD
With the demise of the New Bomb Turks, The Stupor Stars, and the Devil Dogs, America—okay, I—has been patiently waiting for a party garage rock to flick the switch to expose all that lame trust fund hipster rock for what it is: tomorrow’s single-ply toilet paper, the type where your finger pokes through, right to anus. What better band than the Shemps? This shit’s supposed to be fun, dirty, and barely competent. But with a beat you can dance to. It’s supposed to, you know, hit you in the ding ding or the vage really hard and make your feet skitter around. This music’s about slipping in puke, dirty taps, and faulty amps. It’s about being poor and fucked and being a perpetually second class citizen. Then providing the party-time escape for twenty or thirty minutes so you can forget that stuff for a bit. It’s reclamation time. Do it for James Brown. Do it for Chuck Berry. Do it for the Dirtbombs. It’s time to heave dirty underwear into the faces of the perpetually pouty designer rockers and say, “This injustice just won’t stand! You are from penthouses, not the gutter! Slum somewhere else, charlatan! Real garage is not a mere diversion for the effete!” Or just take my word for it. This is a great record. It’d behoove you to buy this instead of some manufactured, over-produced poo rock that’s going to be out of fashion quicker than ponchos. –Todd Taylor (Reservation)

SHEMPS, THE:
On 45: 7"
With a name like The Shemps, it must be another crappy pop punk band with ten CDRs on Mutant Pop, right? Wrong! Surprise! Surprise! The Shemps are a garage punk band and they rock! Great jump-up-and-down music – catchy, with a nod to The Jam and the Rip Offs, and here we go! This is Cracklin’ Oat Bran! The name makes it sound awful, but it’s so fucking good! –Maddy (Weekend)

SHEMPS, THE:
Self-titled: CDR
Here’s seventeen raw tracks from those New York hooligans, The Shemps, who introduce rock’n’roll into their unabashed punk rock with glorious results. It’s catchy, toe-tapping fun that brings to mind the renaissance of the garage years, pre-mock blues and major label interest, when bands like The Devil Dogs, The Candy Snatchers (god bless the bleeders), etc. brought the clubhouse walls down, back when nobody really cared for this type of music. So, The Shemps went through a major lineup overhaul since we last heard from them several years ago when they invaded Japan two years ago. Dave the Spazz (of WFMU fame) left his post as lead singer under mysterious circumstances. Taking over the helm is Artie – the loveable, diminutive yet energy laden new vocalist that howls and hoots like Screamin’ Jay Hawkins in the punk rock era. Artie brings a fresh shot of urgency and Bill Florio, their long time be-boppin’ bassist and MRR contributor told me Artie crashed his car into the side of a club where The Shemps were playing one night – they’ve been inseperable since. Ah, I love a good love story. Rounding out the line up is Sue (who has left since this writing) on rhythm guitar, Jimmy The Love Machine on those solid drums and our good friend Squeaky (ex-Flipside, Fizz contributor/ Voluptous Horror of Karen Black go-go dancer/ Larry Clarke model/ ex-Stallions guitarist and all around good guy) who takes a violin bow to his guitar like a headhunter goin’ to work on the other tribe. Eat your heart out The Creation! The best thing about The Shemps is that their longest song clocks in at an epic 2:18. I love a band that doesn’t waste my time with Beatles chord progressions and all that unnecessary studio time wanking! The Shemps came down here back in December where they played a series of shows with The Stupor Stars, which brought us the long awaited reunion of old friends, Mr. Rick Hall and Squeaky (they were both in the Stallions.) The shows were fun filled with breakdancing, dildoing mics, Squeaky doin’ the splits, and a couple of unnamed girls doin’ their best “Don’t Talk to Me” GG Allin karaoke. Artie topped it off by telling me he once macked on a chick with one arm. Those zany Shemps! –Namella J. Kim (The Shemps)

SHEMPS, THE:
On 45: 7"
Dirty garage with hot, crusty bubble gum stuck to the bottom of Converse and a lot of shimmy tuned into the guitars. The recording seems a little thin, like you can imagine the instruments punching you in the chest and doing some damage, but it just doesn't come through the headphones. Apparently, this was a transitional time for the band – the vocalist and guitarist have been replaced since this was recorded. It's okay.
–Todd Taylor (Weekend, no address)

SHEMPS, THE/ TO HELL AND BACK:
Split : 7”
The Shemps: Like a fawn getting its legs, stumbling out of the placental sac, and then learning how to wield a chainsaw, The Shemps started out in the world as mild mannered and have quickly evolved into a ripping unit. Parts pop, parts life of the party, part solid rock’n’roll mystery, I’d put them in league with The Stupor Stars. Nothing’s missing, and Artie’s vocal snot ratchets the proceedings up a couple notches. Plus, if you put “Suzie Werner played guitar on this recording, got arrested on tour, and quit the band a month later as a condition of her parole. Good luck Suzie!” in your liner notes, you know you’re dealing with a band that tests the edge of the blade. To Hell and Back: With ex-members of Devoid of Faith and John Brown’s Army, I was expecting more, uhhh, hardcore than a slowed down Zeke. I fall on the side of the pyramid that got their ass kicked while heavy metal got played on swung-open monster truck stereos in the parking lot in high school and those scars still haven’t healed, no matter how progressive. I’ve just recently embraced Motorhead and AC/DC as part of my rehabilitative therapy, but this it too much of a step. Sorry. Go Shemps! –Todd Taylor (Gloom)

SHERMY D:
The Spark of Life: CD
Uh, I hope you haven’t quit your day job, gee. Seeing as the only songs of any interest on the entire disc were the tape splices and not your raps, I figure you’re gonna need that job. –Jimmy Alvarado (Nook & Cranny, 15 NE 1st Ave., High Springs, FL 32643)

SHERYL CRO(W) MAGS, THE:
1 Hit b/w Watch for Repetition: 7"
Tied in a two-way split for Best Band Name, 2001 with Super Chinchilla Rescue Mission, The Sheryl Cro(w) Mags are spit and stained jeans punk by a couple of roommates who happen to be Hot Water Music’s Chris Wollard and Radon’s Bill Clower. The name’s funny but the music’s not a joke. It’s got that same instant depth and musical firebranding of HWM and the seemingly unbreakable musical spine of Radon. It’s different enough from their other bands to warrant its own praise but in the same vein to easily recommend to fans of both. Short, powerful, and recommended, even if it was three guys I’d never heard of before. –Todd Taylor (Crow(s) and Pawns)

SHIELDS UP:
Self-titled: CD
Fast, relentless hardcore from Edinburgh, Scotland. It’s tough and tight without resorting to youth crew clichés. The second guitar player keeps it bigger than power chords, adding some interesting melodic bits. At thirteen songs in just under twenty-five minutes, the assault blows by and leaves you panting. Good shit. –CT Terry (Wasted State, wastedstate.com )

SHIFTERS, THE:
Mix it Up: 7”
I guess this warranted a second pressing. A punk band that has melody and rawness with a lead singer that has hints of Billie Joe from Green Day. Average. –Donofthedead (Radio)

SHIFTERS, THE:
Mix it Up: 7"
I guess this warranted a second pressing. A punk band that has melody and rawness with a lead singer that has hints of Billie Joe from Green Day. Average. –Donofthedead (Radio)

SHINER:
The Egg: CD
About eight years ago these guys could have been all over the radio. “Alterna-rock” for lack of a better term. Sort of like Juno crossed with Foo Fighters. Not bad, but nothing to go crazy over. –Matt Average (DeSoto)

SHINING, THE:
The Word is Fiction: 7" EP
Warp-speed thrash from the Netherlands here. There’s just a tinge of metal in the guitars, but it fits in quite nicely with the overall sound. –Jimmy Alvarado (Pick-Up)

SHINOBU:
Westward, Ho!: CD
I was really impressed a year or two ago when I heard Colossal’s Welcome the Problems; I thought it marked a big change in the type of stuff Asian Man was releasing and made me hopeful that the once stereotypical ska label might be able to stretch and expand their roster. So when I saw Shinobu’s bio and the references to Weakerthans, Pavement, and Sebadoh, I thought that Asian Man had done it again. I guess not. Shinobu seems to be a band not living up to their full potential. Most of their songs just tread water as the singer tells a story that didn’t seem to interest me enough to even want to read the lyrics in the booklet. In a number of the songs, the vocals were just annoying; out of tune or either really flat. It seemed it was hard for a happy medium to be found for the band. And in some regards, like many of Sebadoh’s albums, some of the songs on Westward, Ho! come across as jovial wankery, the musical version of an incomplete sentence; or if it is complete, it’s using the wrong adjective or verb. In the end, it just doesn’t add up and makes for not only a disappointing listen, but a fairly annoying one at that. –Kurt Morris (Asian Man)

SHINS, THE:
Oh, Inverted World: CD
Having grouped together in Albuquerque, NM in 1992, the members of The Shins have spent the past nine years recording ten records and touring with the likes of Modest Mouse and Califone. Oh, and they changed their name a few times as well. Previously known as Flake and Flakemusic, the Shins formed in 1997 - same members, just with different instruments and a different vision. Oh, "Inverted World" is the Shin's second full length release and their first for Sub Pop. From the moment James Mercer's slightly high pitched, though never whiny or squeaky, vocals break through on "Caring is Creepy," this reviewer was hooked. The lyrics may not be readily apparent, but the vocal melody is immediate. With a sweet pop sound that never leaves a pixie stick aftertaste, "Oh, Inverted World" can't help but bring to mind the likes of XTC. Songs like "Know Your Onion," "Girl Inform Me," and "New Slang" (for which there is a video) feature those steady toe-tapping beats and infectious melodies that made Andy Partridge an intellectual pop hero two decades ago. Hmm... maybe the press release was on to something when referring to the Shins as "the Miracle of the Great Southwest." –Liz O. (Sub Pop)

SHIRKS, THE:
Self-titled: 7”
The sides of this record should have been reversed, since the A-side consists of two generic, predictable, sub-Problematics-esque tunes that blow past the threshold of the mundane into the realm of the banal. They’re fast and loud and not over soon enough. The B-side, while not breaking any new musical ground, has a much more memorable melody and rocks in a manner more closely resembling the Dead Boys. The chorus is sticky and snotty, with a message everyone can relate to: “Get out of my house, get out of my bed, get out of my sight/Get out of my heart, get out of my head, get out of my life.” Fuck, I’ve listened to “Get Out” at least seven times in a row now, and it gets better each time. Beautiful in its simplicity, simple in its execution, and exactly the kind of song one needs to hear post-breakup. It’s a goddamn punk masterpiece. High recommendation solely on the basis of “Get Out.” Also comes with a download card so you can put these three songs on your computer. –Josh Benke (Big Neck)

SHIRKS, THE:
Self-titled: 7”
The Shirks help destroy the community’s idea of what goes on in the Washington D.C. punk scene with one of the most driving 7”s of the year. “Dangerous Girl” features loud rock riffs played at a blistering pace. “Young and Filthy” and “Get Out” are more of the same. The Shirks deliver Saints’-style singing from the singer/guitar player of the long-gone and great Problematics. He even sings a little better. Much needed for fans of the golden age of Rip Off Records. –Billups Allen –Guest Contributor (Big Neck)

SHIRKS, THE:
“D.C Is Doomed / Long Time” b/w “China” : 7”
The Shirks are a good band who excel at speeding up standard rock’n’roll riffs. D.C. Is Doomed is the highlight of the band so far; a catchy rocker filling a hole in the very punk scene for which they raise a gripe. All three songs are first-class for fans of fast-paced ‘70s punk, particularly those with a penchant for the Australians. –Billups Allen (no address)

SHIT EAGLE:
Self-titled: 7” EP
Heavy Reatards influence here, with enough weirdness of its own in evidence to keep it from sounding like some sorta rehash, and a recording quality sure to lay waste to yer eardrums if you play it loud enough. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.floridasdying.com)

SHIT GETS SMASHED:
Smash This Shit: 7”
The Battalion Of Saints meets Sin 34 came to mind when I dropped the needle and sat through the first side. Something about how the vocals are delivered and the guitar riffs are played. The vocalist here is female and the way she sounds reminded me how Julie from Sin 34 sang. This band bleeds early ‘80s punk rock, from their raw, almost home-studio-recorded sound to their three chord punk rock basics. If this band stays together past the two year break-up mark, I would like to see what they develop into. –Donofthedead (Shit Gets Smashed)

SHIT OUTTA LUCK:
Family Tradition: CD
Holy shit! No punches being pulled here. Right from the intro: “This one is dedicated to our fuckin’ families/It’s dedicated to the ones who fucked us up before we had a goddamn chance!” Wow. Those’re some pent-up issues right there. From there it sinks into some kind of Monster Magnet-esque sludge stoner fest. These heartfelt, angry songs to drinking and hating had me simultaneously wanting to give up the booze and wishing I had a big bottle to get me though the rest of the disc. Thankfully, there are only six songs on this thing. As a bonus, it goes out on the epic “Friday Night Fights.” Towards the end of the five minute-plus song, we get the speaking rant over the music. Pure gold. It goes from bitching about the price of beer, to people who drink “pussy ass” drinks other than whiskey, to shoving a frat boy’s balls up his ass(?!). It finishes off with a bunch of tough guy banter about picking fights blah, blah, blah… I don’t think you can blame your families for this shitty record. –Ty Stranglehold (Organized Crime)

SHITGIVEITS, THE:
Freedom from Reality: CD
Competent hardcore that falls into the “meat and potatoes” category—a staple of any diet, but nothing too exotic or overtly interesting. –Jimmy Alvarado (In Your Face)

SHITGIVEITS, THE:
Let’s Get Shitfaced: CDEP
It’s hard to place exactly what these guys have been influenced by. It definitely reminds me of a mixture of early Grimple with the bass lines and hints of pop. I can also tell these guys like the Meatmen because of the over-the-top lyrics and early ‘80s hardcore style. The recording is shitty, but it’s hardcore, so it works. A few songs are sung and a few screamed. There are a few songs where they throw in some blast beats. This is a decent hardcore record that brings the early ‘80s and early ‘90s styles together nicely. This looks like a bootleg of some early stuff, because there are notes saying this was recorded in ‘94 and ‘96. I wouldn’t call it groundbreaking, but I’m pretty into it. –Guest Contributor (In Your Face)

SHITGIVEITS, THE:
Next Time They Want to Beat up a Punk: CD
I’m not sure how many apes are attempting to sing here, but none of them can sing for sour apples. What a collection of homely voices. But if you can get past the earthworm-lousy voices there’s some solid blue collar hardcore here along with some throwaway metal interludes. With a good snot polish and some pruning of the “sour apples” these guys could be the next Murderers. And that would be a good thing in my book. –Aphid Peewit (In Your Face/Shitgiveits)

SHITGIVEITS, THE:
Vicious Circles and American Dreams: CD
Mediocre hardcore/crusty punk. So-so recording. But I can't be a hater, because I've probably made demos that sounded exactly like this. –Mr. Z (Loud and in Your Face)

SHITREIGN:
Self-titled: CD
Reminds me of Anti-Schism, without the dark, atmospheric elements. While I may agree with the messages from Shitreign, their delivery leaves me cold. I feel like I’m being preached at. It’s like the oxygen is being sucked out of the room. –Matt Average (Stu Morris)

SHITTY LIMITS, THE:
Espionage: 7”EP
Total mongo rock in the vein on Henry Fiat’s Open Sore and Dean Dirg, but they sound British instead of Scandinavian or German: obscured identities, bad teeth, bad breath, kidnapping scenarios, hammers and knives instead of guns, and band-as-gang affiliations. Tightly wound paranoia rock played pitch perfect. Nice. –Todd Taylor (Sorry State)

SHITTY LIMITS, THE:
Beware the Limits: LP
Beyond the monkey-fisted initial impact of a completely focused punk band getting down to the business of not fucking around, the U.K.’s Shitty Limits affect the little-understood glandular and deep brain systems. Pituitary punk rock? Endocrine rock’n’roll? Insect instinct? There’s an amazing amount of post-shorn sheep of notes, a chopping down to the inner rings of trees, and an ammunition-like reassembly in Beware the Limits, all ready for the right crack, plunge, or push for the shaped explosions to burst into deep places in your body for maximum affect. Imagine Minuteman-like bursts, swapping funkiness for Wire taughtness. Motivated and spot on. –Todd Taylor (Sorry State)

SHIVER:
Never Too Late: CD
For this review, just read any Pennywise review and apply it to this band. That is exactly what they sound like. Like Pennywise, it has that real clean sound. I don’t know how else to describe it. I guess it is over-produced. It has a kinda polished sound, both the voice and the music. This isn’t the sound I look for in my punk. I want something a little rougher around the edges. I can do without the “whooooooah-o-ooohs” also. If you are a Pennywise fan, check this out. You should like it. Me. Not so much. –Toby Tober (Bratville)

SHIVER:
Last Rides of the Midway: CD
An excellent recording of a wholly unremarkable pop punk band. Kudos to Billy Stevenson and Jason Livermore for their ability to make even the mundane sound good. –Jimmy Alvarado (Da Core)

SHIVS:
They’re Here: CD
Speedy hardcore stuff that sounds like it was recorded in ‘85 (it wasn’t) and features lyrics that often seem almost pathologically obsessed with being drunk. Not bad at all. –Jimmy Alvarado (No Front Teeth)

SHIVS, THE:
They’re Here: CD
I love it when a local band does good. The Shivs are pretty much the top of the heap as far as hardcore bands go in Victoria, and this record is a good representation of them. Fast and heavy is the order of the day. A couple of Blind Marc’s favorite bands are FUs and the Stretch Marks, and you can tell. They tend to creep over to the metal side of things here and there, but for the most part, it’s stripped down early ‘80s hardcore thrash. Add the musings of a drunk blind guy who is obsessed with aliens, and you’ve got a fine batch of songs. Throw in a couple of my favorite older tunes “15 Pack” and “86’ed” and some cover art featuring some Jaks Team aliens and call this a full blown winner. –Ty Stranglehold (No Front Teeth)

SHIVS, THE:
Blind Drunk: CD
Pissed off gallop-core from a band I know nothing about. Song topics range from getting drunk to railing against Bush, religion, losing canes and, most poignantly, a psychiatrist whose writing of a prescription resulted in a person’s death. While they might not exactly break new ground, they do thrash things up pretty hard, which alone makes this worth repeated listenings. –Jimmy Alvarado (No address)

SHOCK:
This Generation’s on Vacation: 7"
My pet peeves first. I work a shitty job so I got really good at talking shit. Why is it that the record label’s logo is bigger than the band name on the record itself? I thought the band name was Impact because the font was a bit bigger. Second, why didn’t I get one of those cheap ass white sleeves to protect my precious red vinyl. Music fans or record collector geeks cherish to the point of obsession on how well a record can rate and how immaculate it is. Third, the sleeve shows a group of ‘60s garage dudes and what do I hear? I hear a vocalist who either hasn’t reached puberty or is a transsexual. Pet peeves aside, a very good garage punk release that is not only catchy, but raw enough to make it worth while. The title track is the most amusing track and hums along long after it ends. The look is there, the sound is there, and I want to see and hear more! –Donofthedead (Impact)

SHOCK + THE SILENCERS:
Self-titled: CD
With some of the very early punk on the west coast of America, you’d almost swear that LA was a suburb of London. English accents abounded, so did Clash-isms and Sex Pisol-itry. But the endearing fact was that Los Angeles sucked so fucking bad and there was plenty of original material to pluck up from the rubble. Here are sixteen prime tracks that further plot out how feral and widespread punk was in ’78. It’s great to have an economical CD of one of the at-the-time-well-known and not-so-lucky original Hollywood punk rock bands. The first nine tracks are by Shock. Four of the tunes come from two singles (made incredibly sought after by Killed By Death). The standout, which could stand toe-to-toe with any punk anthem, is “This Generation’s On Vacation.” After a lineup change, they became the Silencers, and the biggest change is that Kat takes the mic. She’s got the fire, clarity, and conviction on parallel of The Avengers’ Penelope Houston. The Silencers never released anything on vinyl when they were a band (although I’m sure some European vinyl hound label has gotten around to it), and that’s a damn shame. If you’re interested in the deeper history of LA punk, that goes beyond the usual suspects and is really fun to listen to, this one’s a complete gem. Highly, highly recommended. –Todd Taylor (Wankin’ Stiphs)

SHOCK NAGASAKI:
Year Of the Spy: CD
This album is great all around, from the production, style, lyrics, originality, and catchiness. A good word for this album is raw. The album starts off strong with “1968” which follows with “I Get High on Low Society.” Many of the songs discuss capitalism, having an affinity for the lower classes, and an ever present questioning of politics and religious propaganda in the U.S. It’s abstract while still making a point without being preachy. I love track ten, “Hit the Beach.” The simplicity of the guitar riff is so intoxicating. It lodges itself in my brain and hits repeat. The vocals and sound are some freak baby accident birth between the U.S. Bombs, Johnny Thunders, and The Clash. It’s a fun listen, what else can you ask for? –Jenny Moncayo (TKO)

SHOCK NAGASAKI/STRAITJACKET:
Split: 7”

Shock Nagasaki: Big oi influence, lots o’ reverb for that anthemic sound, and chant-friendly choruses. They’re catchy, but a little more manipulative than’s comfortable. Bet they get a lot of fist pumping from the crowd when they play. Straitjacket: similar to their record mates, in that they’re obviously into the English punk thang and are just as catchy, but they also have a nugget of early OC hardcore buried in there as well, which makes things just a tad more interesting on their side.

–Jimmy Alvarado (TKO)

SHOCKER, THE:
Up Your Ass Tray—The Full Length: CD
I am a big Jennifer Finch fan. She is one of my rock heroes for sure. To this day, L7 is one of my all time favorite bands and I was a big fan of her last band, Other Star People, as well. Somehow, she has managed to perfectly merge the sound of both bands with The Shocker. This is a perfect cross of the heavy riff rock of L7 and the poppy that dog / Rentals sound of Other Star People. For the most part it works and this is a solid disc. I doubt I would have given this as much notice if not for Jennifer Finch being involved, but it is a good solid record. –Mike Frame (Go Kart)

SHOCKER, THE:
Up Your Ass Tray: CD
Upon seeing that The Shocker is the latest outfit former L7-er Jennifer Finch has up and rolling, I was more than interested to see what she has going on here, being that I’ve always been quite a big fan of the mighty L7. The Shocker pretty much stick to the formula Jennifer rocked out of the speakers back in her L7 days, and there are some pretty bad-ass cuts here, my faves being “Your Problem Now” and “Break in Two.” There’s a cover here of Kim Carnes’ “Angel of the Morning” that will make even your hippy-dippy Mom break out in fist-pumping glee. And while she’s busy rocking, you can frisbee all her Fleetwood Mac and Eagles vinyl out the window, replacing it with more suitable LPs such as this one – if you love yer Mom, you’ll do it. Good release here and I’m looking forward to seeing it roar live. –Designated Dale (Oglio; )

SHOCKER, THE:
Up Your Ass Tray: CDEP
Former L7 member, Jennifer Finch, groups up some people and creates a new band. It’s very much in the same vein of L7 and musically has elements of punk and Joan Jett. I remember young Jennifer and L7 opening up for my punk band that was headlined by St. Vitus in a shitty Hollywood club on a Wednesday or Thursday night. They played a rocking set for a band that was new. We went through our set. It had songs, at the time, that were almost ten years old mixed with current ones. They were right out front and rocked out to our set. We had a singer people hated, so it was great seeing people enjoy what we were doing. We made no money that night. But I do remember L7 enjoying our music. On this disc, I drew close to the cover song. The band covers the Juice Newton (Fuck you, Dale. It’s not Kim Carnes!) hit “Angel of the Morning.” It takes a certain voice to carry that song and the band backs it up. Other songs that I dug were “Smoke Rings,” “Break in Two,” “Your Problem Now,” and “Bad Brain Good Head.” Rocking punk’n’roll that should be burning though the club scene soon after their stint on the Warped Tour. –Donofthedead (Little Pusher)

SHOCKS, THE:
More Cuts for You in Zero 2: CD
A German punk rock band up to its eyeballs in Killed By Death worship. Features that twangy, non-distorted guitar sound that gets the trash-punkers’ trousers all sticky. –Jimmy Alvarado (Dirty Faces)

SHOCKS, THE:
Bored to Be Zero 3: CD
Excellent eleven tracks of punk rock from this German three piece. I love it. The music is killer! It’s snotty, fast, and snappy most of the time. They show a little sign of new wave from time to time and sometimes they remind me a little of an early ‘80s post-punk pop band, but for the most part this is all-out punk. It’s done very well. The cover art is great and the packaging is nice, too. The booklet is all high gloss. You can tell they put some time and effort into the design of this CD. It all worked out. I can’t tell you what they are saying ‘cause all the lyrics are in German, but if you can read German (unlike me) you will be set! If you like punk rock, get this CD. You will be glad you did! –Mike Beer –Guest Contributor (Dirty Faces)

SHOCKWAVE:
The Ultimate Doom: CD
Growly-voiced, tough guy eunuch metal. –Jimmy Alvarado (Triple Crown)

SHODS, THE:
Stop Crying: CD
This disc is living, breathing proof that life sucks big time. I reviewed an album by these guys a couple of years ago and was so completely taken by their Jam-y approach to rock’n’roll that I’ve pretty much wore the vinyl down to nothing. Naturally, I was more than a little excited to see this smiling up at me from the “review me” pile. The verdict? Life sucks pretty hard, boyo. Gone are the great hooks bristling with tense energy and in their place are bad ‘70s/ ‘80s rock trappings. Only one song, 13 tracks in, has any semblance of that old spark. Fuck, I wish I still drank heavily, ‘cause this wouldn’t be so painful. I hope they at least got paid well to suck this hard. –Jimmy Alvarado (Acme)

SHOEMAKERS, THE:
Turn Me On: LP
Amazingly, my old band wound up playing in Rosswein, East Germany once…and, although we played with a bunch of bands that night, The Shoemakers were not among them (unless i got drunk and forgot something). I mean…what are the odds that you travel halfway around the world, play in some not-exactly-on-the-map burg like Rosswein, and NOT manage to hook up with the local punk kingpins? The mind boggles. In any event, The Shoemakers can be perhaps semi-adequately described as a broke-ass East German street punk version of 999, which perhaps i don’t mean in the nicest way, but i do mean in the, oh, i dunno, second nicest way or something. This record is completely adequate for many applications! BEST SONG: “No Money” BEST SONG TITLE: “F.U.C.K.” FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: Neither “No Money” nor “I Don’t Care” are the songs of identical nomenclature from the first Boys album; 2. I gave the girlfriend of one of The Shoemakers my cool light-up watch from Wal-Mart™, because she was taking money at the door and adored it greatly. –Rev. Norb (Wanda)

SHONEN KNIFE:
712: CD

Man, I used to be a total Shonen Knife geek! These three girls from Japan were an obsession for me. I loved their handcrafted matching outfits, the songs about their favorite bands and especially all the songs about food! I saw them the first time when they came to Los Angeles to play. They flew here without their bass player Michie because she couldn’t get off work and they had to teach another woman how to play bass in two weeks. If I remember correctly, she barely could do it so the guys in Redd Kross and White Flag helped out. The second time they came to L.A. to play was the same day as the release date of Metallica’s black album. I went after the show to Tower Records who were selling the new CD after midnight. Whole different experience all together at that show. The first time was at a place that was like a school auditorium/gym. Seeing them at a club like the Roxy was great because of the good sound system and acoustics. I thought I was seeing a different band. When this CD was originally released, this was the period when I was tapering off my obsession even though I have the original release both on vinyl and CD. My favorites are the Burning Farm cassette (I heard it was re-released on CD in the ‘90s) and the Pretty Little Baka Guy LP. Any lover of cutesy, simplistic bubblegum garage pop can not deny this band’s appeal. I can’t believe it took so long to have this reissued.

–Donofthedead (Oglio)

SHONEN KNIFE:
Pretty Little Baka Guy: CD

Sugar-sweet, barely competent pop tunes sure to send even the casual listener into hypoglycemic shock is Shonen Knife’s territory, one they have never strayed from in nearly twenty years. In the annals of punk history, only Shonen Knife has managed to get away with not only writing some of the most innocent sounding, syrupy pop songs ever put to tape, but also straight-up ripping off their heroes (“Devil House,” for example, is a total bite of the Buzzcocks’ “What Do I Get”) and have you think it was the greatest, most original stuff you’ve ever heard. I wore out my cassette copy of the Gasatanka version of this album years ago, so it’s a treat getting this on disc. Seem to remember the tape having more live tracks than this does, though. No matter. Shonen Knife is an acquired taste, no doubt, but those with just such a sweet tooth would find this more than satisfies.

–Jimmy Alvarado (Oglio)

SHONEN KNIFE:
Genki Shock!: CD
I was a huge Shonen Knife fan back in the early ‘80s. I have a decent collection of their releases that I have amassed through the years. Like having your favorite pair of underwear or brand of beer, that tends to change over time. I kind of fell off their map when they went on a U.S. major label. Nothing of their later material has the magic of the early material to my ears. The magic in their earlier music was they could barely play and recorded in cheap studios and the songs were bubblegum cute. The new material is not the same for me. It sounds like they are trying too hard to sound garage. They play the same formula as their later material and worse, they continue to sing in English. When they were singing mostly in Japanese and broken English, the music was great. I read that for this U.S. release, they re-recorded the songs in English. I much would have preferred the Japanese vocals. –Donofthedead (Glue Factory)

SHONEN KNIFE:
Burning Farm: CD
A record originally released in ‘83 (with extra live tracks from ’84) by cute Japanese ladies who can barely play, and when in doubt, they sing the parts to cat food commercials: “Meow, meow, meow, meow.” And when the words are formed, it’s quaint stuff, like, “Heart is pitpat and dancing.” Fun, easy-to-listen-to, proto-bubblegum stuff that requires absolutely no thought at all and can be played when parents or authority figures are listening in. –Todd Taylor (Oglio)

SHOOK ONES:
Facetious Folly Feat: CD
New full length from a self-professed “Lifetime rip-off band” (see Verbicide #17). I could just leave that as the review, but I’d feel bad. So… I bought my first Lifetime record, Hello, Bastards, sometime in the late ‘90s. As blasphemous as it’ll sound, I didn’t really care for it at the time: there was something too… warm about it. They were blending these really tight tempo and chord changes with a certain… bounciness (God, my adjectives are blowing today); it initially came across as a bit too imprecise, almost sloppy—I appreciated the verse-chorus-verse aspect of punk back then, and Lifetime discarded that to some degree. They weren’t actually sloppy, not by any means, but they were altering the template, expanding on it, and that threw me. Jump forward nearly ten years and there’s a glut of bands tilling their ground. I really can’t tell you how many reviews I’ve read recently in which bands are getting compared to Lifetime now. With all that in mind, I’m not going to say that Shook Ones are a straight up Lifetime rip-off, but the similarities are definitely, absolutely there. Difference is that I actually appreciate that warm “bag full of rocks and Jello” aspect of Lifetime now, and the Shook Ones sound like the more precise, straight-forward version of the band I was looking for back then. So that’s it, in a nutshell—super-similar to Lifetime, if that band concentrated more vigorously on the sharp angles and taut edges in their songs. –Keith Rosson (Revelation)

SHOOT IT UP:
Self-titled: 7” EP
Sloppy punk stuff with enough snottiness pumped into what they’re doing to keep ’em interesting. What seals the deal, though, is they manage to cover of the Consumers’ “Teen Love Song” without looking like total ninnies. No easy feat, my friends. –Jimmy Alvarado (Criminal IQ)

SHOOT IT UP:
: 7”

Terrible music, played fast.

–Megan Pants (FIR)

SHOOT ‘EM DOWN:
Self-Titled: 7"
Aaaahh! The song “No Complaints” is awesome! I haven’t heard this sound since the first Goo Goo Dolls record. This is a very high compliment from me, even though people who don’t have any knowledge of early Goo Goo Dolls are now thinking I am a complete moron. You really have to trust me and give it a listen sometime. It’s called Jed. It rocks. I promise. As does the first song on the B-Side of this record. The sad part is that they totally ruin it by following up / finishing the record with some horrible attempt at hip hop. Ouch. This is not a cool thing to do. The first side of the record is more straight forward southern bar rock with a punk beat at times. Catchy, but entirely too overplayed here in the Northwest for my tastes. I do like the vocals a lot though. There was no insert for this 7”, so this is all I can tell you. –Guest Contributor (Arkam)

SHOOTER MCGAVIN:
Saving the Day: 7”
These cats reminded me a tiny bit of that one and only outfit known as The Other, yet come nowhere close. In fact, no other band has. Skip this and go track down The Other’s CD. Trust me on this. Depending on your sex, you’ll either be pitching a tent or getting wet as a mop upon hearing The Other. Sorry, Shooter Mcgavin guys, this just don’t do the above mentioned for me. –Designated Dale (jizzysheets@yahoo.co.uk)

SHOP FRONTS:
So Sick: 7”
I gotta give a heartfelt apology to the bands that sent releases to Razorcake and were unfortunate enough to have them passed on to me. Personal blahblahblahs got in the way of my review duties and I’m just now working through the backlog of records and CDs piled up on my floor. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in this review—the “So Sick” 7” came out nearly a year ago. This release is everything a 7” should be—short, punchy songs that are catchy as hell, rudimentary guitar leads, vocals dripping with attitude and cover photos courtesy of Canderson. The one sheet says there’s a full length coming out on Rip Off Records. Sounds to me like the perfect match. –Josh Benke (NoMa Beach)

SHOP FRONTS:
Self-titled: 7”
Decent punk rock with enough thud to make it interesting, but not enough oomph to make it crucial. Compared to some of the other amazing releases this label is responsible for, this was a bit of a letdown. Not that the band sucked or anything, but I was just expecting outright amazing considering the source. –Jimmy Alvarado (Rapid Pulse)

SHOP FRONTS:
So Sick b/w Shop Fronts & Polish Hammer: 7"
…i thought their first 45 pretty much bit, to tell you the truth, but, although i am still gonna hold off on anointing these guys (and girl) the sorely needed saviors of punk rock, i have no problem in admitting this is a three-song sampling of highly increased keen-ness. The a-side sounds like a stripped-down, female-vocalized version of the Spaceshits “More Abuse,” but with more of a Red (not “Redd”) Cross (not “Kross”) style Robo-beat; the b-side causes my reptilian brain-stem to want to excavate the Manic Depressives’ “Out With The In Crowd” three-song 7” for a quick compare/contrast session. Catchy, crunchy, under-produced and primitive, i now officially “see great promise” in this band. Huz the fuck Zah. BEST SONG: “So Sick” BEST SONG TITLE: “Polish Hammer?” FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: If “Polish Hammer” is in reference to Ivan Putski, another childhood wrestling hero of mine, Wikipedia says that he’s now a security guard in a high school in a suburb of Austin, Texas. Huh. –Rev. Norb (Noma Beach)

SHOP FRONTS:
Don’t Quit b/w Frustration & Just Don't Know: 7"
A-side reminds me of the Deadly Weapons: A bunch of people pointlessly attempting to play at speeds beyond their capabilities to achieve. The two songs on the B-side are cooler, and, curiously, either song on the B-side is longer than the one song on the A-side. I’m gonna give this band a Mulligan for this record, and suggest that the next time they commit tracks to 7” vinyl, they do so with a clearer idea of what constitutes a potentially viable A-side, because “Don’t Quit” is not the correct answer. That will be all. BEST SONG: “Frustration” BEST SONG TITLE: “Frustration,” i guess. FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: This record features esteemed NYC promoter Tom from Dot Dash on drums, so i probably should have given it a better review. –Rev. Norb (Rapid Pulse)

SHOPPING:
Cowards: LP
Kickass peppy punk with nasally singing and a nice rough edge to it all. A less polished version of the Peechees in some—not a bad thing—really driving pop punk with some math angles in there, which is great. You can pogo and feel like the band understands your depression from work and love, yet feel aggro enough that you are sweating it all out when emo is just not doing it for you. I liked a Shopping split 7” and thrilled that the whole album lives up to that. Recommended. LP has a CD with two extra songs. This record should solve all those annoying drives home from work. –Speedway Randy (Do The Math, dothemathrecords.com)

SHOREBIRDS:
Self-titled: 7”
Over the summer I set up a show for two Olympia bands who were touring with tapes that they had made. Tapes? I’m not a fan so I was pretty glad to see this DIY release come in from Olympia on vinyl. Shorebirds play melodic punk that’s less poppy than Delay, but poppier than Witches With Dicks. Think of a less smart-ass Bent Outta Shape. Contains ex-members of Jawbreaker and the Latterman, which could explain why it’s such a solid release. –Daryl Gussin (Shore Birds)

SHOREBIRDS:
Self-titled: 7”EP
I don’t think I’m alone in my affection for Big Drill Car, for punk that’s poppy, but not it the super-obvious ways, where the guitar work sneaks up on you over time, and you realize that all the instruments (usually lead by the guitars), regardless of the lyrics, sound hopeful and swelling; then you also come to realize that the lyrics are thoughtful and meaningful. It’s music which openly suggests that the listener can start believing in them. Shorebirds do exactly that. One song’s made and sung along by David Hayes, a golden dude if there ever was one; the guy who helped form Lookout! and walked away from it clean when he saw the shit sandwich it would become (and look how right he was), and formed Very Small Records. This is fantastic. –Todd Taylor (Self-released)

SHOREBIRDS:
Self-titled: 7”EP
This has been a long-awaited release for me. When rumors regarding the break up of Latterman began circulating, my heart sunk down to the soles of my shoes. It jumped right back into my chest, however, when word of a new band being formed involving Matt Canino from Latterman and none other than Chris Bauermeister from Jawbreaker began getting around. It stayed firmly planted there after the first listen of this record. This 7” is served up on clear gold, hand-labeled vinyl in sleeves of several different colors with two songs on each side. It doesn’t sound as close to a Latterman record as I expected, but you can definitely pick up on the influence. These songs have a bit more of a simple structure with Matt as the only singer. “The People I Live with,” first song side B, is the winner of this record. It will take some digging to find out where to get this, but some searching of Internet message boards eventually led me to an address that you can mail your four bucks to. Be sure to grab this before it’s gone. –Dave Dillon (Self-released)

SHOREBIRDS:
It’s Gonna Get Ugly: LP
One 7”, a split 7”, a track on a compilation, and now an LP that some are claiming to be the best record of the year. In the short period of time that the Shorebirds were a band, they definitely produced some great music that not only sounds great but is also quite the testament to doing things yourself. Many people may have initially sought them out on the merits of their previous bands, but there is no denying that their catalog of songs stands on its own in both originality and quality. As for this particular slab of wax, if you haven’t been paying attention and I’m sure most people know, there’re some pretty hard times ahead and this LP is playing over the house speakers of the collapse. Highly conceptual while still being poppy and rocking; it’s hard for a band to go out on a higher note. –Daryl Gussin (Rumbletowne)

SHORES OF THE TUNDRA:
Heart of the Beckoning: 12" EP
Experimental metal, in the sense this has no focus. Nor is it heavy. This song—there is only one song on this record (the other side is a screen print)—sounds like a mish mash of half-baked ideas. Pointless. File under “forgettable.” –Matt Average (Scenester Credentials)

SHORT ATTENTION:
Clever, Maddening, Annoying: 7"
A novelty? Maybe. Novel? Definitely. Short Attention is a pop punk super group that plays extremely short, yet surprisingly catchy, songs. On this 7” there are twenty-six originals, two Chixdiggit covers and a Velvet Underground adaptation. It contains members of the Ergs!, the Unlovables, Dirt Bike Annie, Slaughterhouse Four, and the Steinways. This is the record you go for when you can’t decide which song to put next on the mix tape. There are so many different songs with different topics and levels of seriousness you’re bound to find one that fits. I even have a sneaking suspicion that’s what they were going for, too. If you are fanatical about any of these members’ other bands, you need this. If you are just a fan, this would be fun to have. And if you don’t really care about pop punk, then just keep on doin’ what you’re doin’, you silly bastard. –Daryl Gussin (Cold Feet)

SHORT ATTENTION:
Clever, Maddening, Annoying: 7" EP
To make it short: New York City pop punk super group plays thirty second (and shorter) songs. I’m not going to say “THESE SONGS ARE SO DEEP AND PERSONAL TO ME”, but it’s a fun listen, and I’m interested to see if they keep going on, or if this just ends up being a one 7” of forty-some songs deal. Also, “Numbers” is a great song. –Joe Evans III (Cold Feet)

SHORT CHANGED:
Burn Down Wagon Town: 7”
I can smell the stale beer and garlicy body odor in the air when this record is on. EastBay punk (not pop!) that moves at a moderately fast pace. Nothing really stands out about the music though. It’s just “there.” Plus the vocals, main and back up, sound a bit tired, or uninspired. Ehhhh... Nice split green and gray vinyl though. –Matt Average (Goat Power Recreation / Pyrate Punx)

SHORT CHANGED:
Self-titled: CD
Dirty, crusty hardcore. The cover has a rad drawing of a zombie pirate with a skateboard and a piece of pizza. Was this somehow made with me in mind? I usually don’t delve into the crusty end of things, but I gotta say that Short Changed are kicking some ass here. Sure, the lyrics are a bit screamy, but it’s not over the top and you can actually hear what he’s saying. The music is solid with lots of good breakdowns and machine gun drums. I picture kids with bandannas going nuts when these guys play. I’d go see ‘em in a heartbeat. –Ty Stranglehold (Rodent Popsicle)

SHORT FUSE:
Get the Hell Down: CD
Sounds like the BellRays with more restraint. A pinch less soul and a dab more metal. Either way, the formula's still the same but the ingredients aren't quite right. Maybe the oven wasn't at the right temp. A few listens and I'm disappointed. –Guest Contributor (SFTRI)

SHORT FUSES:
Get the Hell Down: CD

Sounds like the BellRays with more restraint. A pinch less soul and a dab more metal. Either way, the formula's still the same but the ingredients aren't quite right. Maybe the oven wasn't at the right temp. A few listens and I'm disappointed. –Jessica Thiringer (Sympathy for the Record Industry)

SHORT SHARP SHOCK:
SSS, Self-titled: CD, 7” EP
These guys live in that spot right smack in the middle of SOD, Slayer, and Metallica-land and manage to evoke the long gone memory of time when no one could touch those three. While never achieving such lofty heights, the full-length is nonetheless a solid enough piece of work, neither professing to be anything other than a metal record nor drowning the listener in tales of dragons or Satan. Musically, the three tunes on side one of the EP are easily the most spot-on impersonation of early SOD I’ve heard in a while. Unfortunately, the lyrics possess none of the edgy desire to piss off as many people as possible. Flip sounds like just another ‘80s speed metal tune, sans speed. Comes complete with an “Adventures in Thrash with SSS” comic insert so’s you can yuck it up whilst banging thy head. –Jimmy Alvarado (Dead and Gone)

SHORTCUT TO NEWARK:
Gearing Up for Getting Down: CD
It would be so rad if they’d make their video next to a pool because then hi-jinks could ensue! Ringer-T pop-punk complete with strategically cropped shots of the one chubby dude with man-tits. –Megan Pants (Sucka-Punch)

SHORTCUTS, THE:
Self-titled: CD
This self-titled and self-released album comes charged with nine pop punk jams. This all-girl Midwest band sings about relationships, roller derby, and hitting people with chains without skipping a beat. While this band doesn’t bring anything new to the table, they provide a good representation of the pop punk genre. Mad props for putting the record out themselves, as opposed to waiting for a label or just putting it up online. –Rene Navarro (Self-released, www.myspace.com/theshortcutsband)

SHORTCUTS, THE:
Self-titled: CD
Minneapolis girl poppy punk! The vocals sound sorta like Tilt and the music is upbeat and bouncy! Yum! If this were a cereal, it’d be Frosted Flakes! Recommended! –Maddy (Self-released?)

SHORTCUTS, THE:
30 Pack: CDEP
Pretty straight forward, all lady pop punk from Minneapolis. Does it make me sexist that I want to say they remind me of The Soviettes? I mean, the guitars sound a lot like them (with a little more noodling), the vocals sound a lot like them (if only Susy sang). Fuck it, I’m going to say they sound like a really early Soviettes, and refuse to believe that makes me a jerk. –Joe Evans III (Self-released, myspace.com/theshortcutsb)

SHORTCUTS, THE:
30 Pack: CD
Minneapolis pop punk! Five catchy songs about relationships (duh, it’s pop punk!), including a Carbonas reference! Yay! The local comparison would be the Soviettes. With “Hey! Hey! Hey!” and “Come on! Come on!” back-up vocals! I’m really glad that the current pop punk revival has way more girl-led bands than the original Lookout heyday. (I’m not saying that I want Ben Weasel to be a girl, but you know what I mean!) If this were a cereal, it’d be Frosted Flakes! –Maddy (Self-released)

SHORTHAND FOR EPIC:
Self-titled: CDEP
I’m a sucker for good vocals. I will probably follow Billy (formerly the frontman of one of the most underrated bands of the last five years, Mea Culpa) through all of his musical journeys because of this. While you won’t find much musically in common with his former band (the snarl and fangs have been traded in for a much more upbeat approach), the message (through poetic lyrics that have the rare ability to not come off as wimpy or trite) is a pretty similar outcry of the world going to pot around us. Shorthand For Epic takes these societal laments, which could just as easily work in dirges, and makes them danceable and fun. And, for me, that’s a necessity because, when everything is failing around me, dancing, if only for a moment, makes it at least bearable. –Megan Pants (www.shorthandforepic.com)

SHOT BAKER:
Awake: CD
Straight ahead punk rock from this Chicago four piece: great melodies, tight chops, and thoughtful songwriting. This band takes bits of what other bands from their city blazed a dark trail with but add their own identity into it. “Friendship” and “Bred to Be Perfectionists” stick on this platter, but all the songs have their strengths. Let’s put it this way kids—would Naked Raygun take this band out on tour unless they brought it? I think not. –Sean Koepenick (Underground Communique)

SHOT BAKER:
Time to Panic and Awake: CDEP and CD
These guys are several heaping slices of great. The general sound is up-tempo, melodic punk with big choruses one has the urge to sing along to even when they don’t know the actual words (which would probably result in enthusiastic mouthing along if one saw them live). The singer has one of those great low voices that sound pretty fuckin’ forceful and epic, like Shawn Stern from Youth Brigade. In fact, Time to Panic and Awake sound like the great, lost, follow-up albums that Youth Brigade never really got around to making, albeit with a Chicago rather than California slant. These albums are actually re-releases, but the provenance gets a little complicated. Awake was Shot Baker’s first proper full length and was originally released a few years ago with their first demo Time to Panic tacked on (for a demo, it’s actually a really good release on its own, instead of just sounding like rough sketches of future songs). Unhappy with the original release of Awake, the band rerecorded the album, included a new song, and separated Time to Panic. Whoa, kinda like how Youth Brigade did the same thing twenty-five years earlier with their Sound and Fury album. Déjà vu! Anyway, check this shit out, for this music makes me happy. –Adrian (Underground Communiqué)

SHOT BAKER:
Take Control: CD
Taking their influences and putting them in a blender, the Baker boys come up with a smooth vanilla shake on their second full length. Heartfelt lyrics, tight riffage, and overall slick tuneage makes picking this one up a virtual no-brainer. “Falling Apart” and “All Paths Lead to Nowhere” are anthems, but each song will stay with you for awhile. “Lost Today”’s intro even reminds me of vintage Dag Nasty. Buy this. It is your destiny. –Sean Koepenick (Riot Fest)

SHOT BAKER / SERF COMBAT:
Chicago vs. London: 7”
Shot Baker: One original, one cover. Their original is great. If you’re not a fan of Shot Baker already, this one isn’t going to convert you, though. They cover “England Belongs to Me” which sounds really cool with Tony’s voice and I’m still not convinced that the song is as big a deal as some of my friends think it is, but I am now one step closer to admitting that it can be good. Serf Combat: I’m fairly impressed with their original on this record. Folksy indie punk: hints of Lemuria and the Measure [SA], except with a male singing. Really, really good, but the vocals might not be for everyone. –Bryan Static (Home of the Brave/Underground Communiqué)

SHOT BAKER / VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL:
Vindictive Tribute Split: 7”
The Vindictives are perhaps the most under-appreciated of all 1990s pop punk bands. So, imagine my delight upon receiving this Vindictives tribute record! The problem with this sort of thing is that it just makes me want to put on a Vindictives record instead! Plus Joey Vindictive & Co. have got to be one of the hardest bands to cover—crazy Muppet-ish vocals, over-the-top energy and craziness, ack! I’ve heard Shot Baker are a decent band, but their covers of “Future Homemakers of America” and “Glad to Be” lack the insanity of the originals. Vacation Bible School cover “Assembly Line” and “Automatic,” and get a little bit more of the Vindictives craziness, and rock, um, a little harder. That said, if I ever heard either of these bands (or, really, almost any other punk band) playing a Vindictives song at a show, I’d be jumping around like crazy! And I wholeheartedly salute the production of anything in homage to one of the best bands of all time! If this were a cereal, it’d be the revival (about ten years ago?) of Quisp, one of most amazing cereals ever! –Maddy (Underground Communiqué)

SHOTGUN MONDAY:
Read Compare Adjust: CD
It’s ex-members of two bands whose other members went on to be Sean Na Na, Har Mar Superstar, Pretty Girls Make Graves and These Arms Are Snakes (kind of a weird selling point if you ask me. I mean, I was in a band with people who were later in Avail and the Debbie Harry Band, but that doesn't mean Anxious Poop was any goddamn good) creating scads of mopy tension with their dense guitars and drum-hitting, but frankly the guy’s Fread Moon whine kills it for me as often as not (the not times might be when another guy sings, or maybe the first guy just sings quietlyer). I guess one of the parent bands, Calvin Krime, was on Amphetamine Reptile, though I don’t remember them, and that sound is here, but I think they lean more toward a poppier Mergey sound. –Cuss Baxter (Modern Radio)

SHOTWELL:
Patriot: LP
Recently I made my first visit to San Francisco’s Thrillhouse Records, which I discovered to be totally awesome in every aspect. While I was there, I picked up some great 7”s from the bins and Thrillhouse’s most recent release, Shotwell’s Patriot. This is a release that the band, the label, and the city should be proud of. Like a more positive Onion Flavored Rings, or more subdued Tulsa, Shotwell’s music has embodied the SF scene for many a release. With those crisp but warm guitar tones and the perfect combination of optimism, skepticism, and probably some other -isms, this LP is an obvious win for fans of the bands mentioned above, long-running Bay Area zines, and DIY anything. –Daryl Gussin (Thrillhouse)

SHOTWELL / GIANT BAGS OF WEED:
Split: 7"
Shotwell: Imagine if Fifteen’s music didn’t suck almost as bad as the lyrics, that it was smart, duct tape and crossed-fingers Crimpshrine-glorifying punk with a few more pop elements. Then, you’d get Shotwell. The music smells of rotting sneakers and shirts that have mildewed and fused to the body from weeks of unwiped sweat. That’s a compliment. GBOW: Before Jawbreaker as we know it gelled, they released a demo under the name Rise and Blake didn’t sing lead. (A guy named John Liu did.) This reminds me of that demo tape, while mixing in some Husker Du guitar wash. It’s swelling, creative punk that’s sensitive and subtly complex, but isn’t being a pussy about it. For two bucks, you could do a lot worse. –Todd Taylor (Half Day)

SHOTWELL/ ZERO FAST:
: Split 7" EP

Let's hear it for Snuffy Smile for continuing their tradition of connecting two cool Japanese and American bands. I love this series. This one's a double up of pop-leaning political punk. Shotwell: I often try to think of what Fifteen would sound like if they didn't musically suck so hard and weren't so lead-pipey/car bomby with the lefty lyrics. Shotwell answers that question. It's "resisting dominant culture" dirty pop, recorded in a garage that the Buzzcocks could have used, with this cool hummy, buzzy quality to the recording. I know it's a stretch, but imagine if Smogtown moved away from the beach and started singing about property rights. They've got kick, hooks, and heart. Neat shit. Zero Fast sound like they're from Gainesville or early-'80s Minnesota, not Japan. They perform a compelling synthesis of what's great about early Replacements, Jam, Husker Du, and Radon. They're not all that flashy, but certainly strong as shit at making songs' melodies and rhythm weave together, and they sound better with each listen. I always love the translations of Japanese bands. The standout on this one is: "There's a park by bayside in my town where I used to go. Now, it's covered with new buildings and a million bullshits." Two bands I knew dick about when I woke up today and now very much enjoy.

–Todd Taylor (Snuffy Smile)

SHOW IS THE RAINBOW, THE:
Perfect Push: 7”
This is difficult music. Difficult to classify. Difficult to listen to. Difficult to figure out why someone would produce such music and subsequently release it. Are you a weirdo? Do you like somewhat electronic spazz rock made by nerds? Are you ready to get stoked out by a 7”? If the answer to all three is “yes,” write Yosada records for your copy of this gem today. That was weird. That sounded like one of those reading rainbow segues. Segue isn’t spelled how you’d think it would be. I think I wrote that in another review awhile back. With the way I ramble in these things, you’d think they paid me by the word. They don’t. –Steveo (Yosada)

SHOW ME ACTION:
We Know Hawks from Handsaws: CD
Slick, polished record from this Long Island five-piece. I tried to get into this, but it still ended up reminding me of Incubus or Puddle of Mud or something in that vein. Just not my cup of tea, boys. But I wish you well in your future endeavors. –Sean Koepenick (Demo)

SHOW ME THE PINK:
Velocipedomania: CDEP
New wave should be fun and at the same time sound weird because of the electronic sounds. This band never takes off to the party and come off as kind of arty. The pace of the songs are tedious and make the songs drag. The pictures of the band make them look fun, but what comes out of the speakers is a totally different picture. –Donofthedead (Chainsaw)

SHOWER WITH GOATS:
Getting Lucky!/Reflection: CD
One “greatest hits” collection plus one new album from this newly reformed New Jersey pop punk band. Admittedly, I never really left the house until the late ‘90s, but I’d never heard of them, ever. There’s pretty comprehensive liner notes (including “god” in the thank you list, and pictures of the dudes wearing Deicide shirts), and, overall, the whole thing reminds me of Boogada-era Screeching Weasel. Best of luck to ‘em. (Trivia: the old lady in hipster sunglasses sitting next to me on the subway shook her head disapprovingly when she looked down and saw one of these). –Joe Evans III (SP/Poor Boy, no address)

SHOWERING ASHES:
Birth, School, Work, Consume, Death, the Melting of a Scene...: 7” EP
I’ll admit that when I first laid eyes on this here record, I was ready to slip into my bee-keeper suit. It looked for all the world like the moment the needle hit the grooves, the room would be abuzz with a pesky and potentially lethal cloud of emo. Thankfully, I was wrong. This is good ol’ stomping black bile music – sort of screamy crust with a metallic edge. Sounds like a migraine feels. Probably not good to listen to when you’re hung-over. Not bad though. –Aphid Peewit (Scenester Credentials)

SHOWERING ASHES:
Birth, School, Work, Consume, Death, the Melting of a Scene, I Fucking Hate Toda: 7" EP
I'll admit that when I first laid eyes on this here record, I was ready to slip into my bee-keeper suit. It looked for all the world like the moment the needle hit the grooves, the room would be abuzz with a pesky and potentially lethal cloud of emo. Thankfully, I was wrong. This is good ol' stomping black bile music – sort of screamy crust with a metallic edge. Sounds like a migraine feels. Probably not good to listen to when you're hung-over. Not bad though.
–Aphid Peewit (Scenester Credentials)

SHOWOFFS, THE:
Noma Beach: 7"
The music here is fast, energetic punk that reminds me of The Motards. I only wish the singer was the same. This is a good 7”, but the singer is just a little too monotonous. A snotty vocalist would fit this band well; however, this guy just yells along at the same pitch throughout all four songs. It’s kinda like he is reading the lyrics for one of the first times as he sings and is just yelling them out without knowing when to add a little emotion or inflection in his voice. I could karaoke this album better than him. Just a little added passion and dynamics in the vocals would do wonders for this band. –Toby Tober (Noma Beach)

SHOWOFFS, THE:
Shocker: 7"
The Showoffs have a lot in common with bands I really like. This is fast and raw and fucked up enough to sound like it could’ve been on the legendary Beach Blvd. comp. These songs have a lot to do with the early Crowd songs, but also sound a lot like the Bodies and other Hostage bands. This record would come heavily recommended, but the lyrics are just too repetitive. Shocker is one of those records that you listen to and you can guess the names of all the songs on the first listen because “Psycho Girl” goes, “She’s a psycho girl/ psycho girl/ psycho girl/ (repeat indefinitely)” and “Pyromaniac” goes “Pyromaniac/ pyromaniac/ pyromaniac (repeat indefinitely).” There’s also a naked lady on the cover, too. I just thought that would be a good thing to mention. –Sean Carswell (Noma Beach)

SHRED SAVAGE:
2007 Demo: CD-R
At times I hear traces of what made early Adolescents so swell (specifically not being afraid to let the bass and guitar occasionally diverge from each other, adding odd textures to an otherwise straightforward song) buried here and there in the four songs these kids offer up on this disc. Other times, though, I also hear a wee bit too much Maiden-type metal in them geetars. Lotsa promise also in there, though, and I’m betting they turn into one of the greats soon enough. –Jimmy Alvarado (Small Pool)

SHRED SAVAGE:
Demo: CD
What if the Adolescents liked heavy metal guitar solos, but enjoyed the rhythms of bands like Sexy and Scared Of Chaka? Yeah, I didn’t think it would sound this good either. –Bryan Static (Small Pool, www.myspace.com/smallpoolrecords)

SHRED SAVAGE:
Self-titled: 7”
Do you remember when I said these guys sounded like the Adolescents? (No, you don’t.) When I got this, I noticed on the back it said Frank Agnew was on vocals and I got really confused, thinking it to be some joke. I did some research and Frank Jr. is the vocalist in this here band. Anyway, the Adolescents vibe isn’t as strong on this release and it’s for the better. They are beginning to sound like their own band and it sounds great: punk rock with just a twist of metal, but not overwhelmingly so. I can’t wait to see a full-length from these guys. –Bryan Static (Small Pool)

SHRINKS, THE:
My Mind’s Gone: 7” EP
Taut, straight-ahead punk rock falling somewhere in the gray area between the Hostage beach punk and the Rip Off trash punk sounds. After two smokin’ singles, these guys are making a name for themselves and you’d be a complete idiot not to add this to your collection. Also included is an uncredited Skrewdriver cover, which, although devoid of any nazi lyrics, should piss off all the right people. –Jimmy Alvarado (Radio)

SHRINKS, THE:
My Mind’s Gone: EP
Decent punk rock in the Rip Off vein. Four songs, all rockin’, all catchy. Plus, the back cover has a photo of Corky from Life Goes On! I bet these guys put on a good show. If this were a cereal, it’d be Cheerios – a cereal you can always count on to be at least pretty good. –Maddy (Radio)

SHRINKS, THE:
My Minds Gone: 7”
Super hot set of four Rip Off-styled mongolisms. All method, no message – there’s something to be said for purity of vision, and it’s “fuck, yeah!" –Cuss Baxter (Radio)

SHRINKS, THE:
My Minds Gone: 7"
Essentially this is the Trust Fund Babies with Mundo (ex- Workin’ Stiffs) on the geetar. Killed By Death style punk on a hell bent search for a good time. Tightly wound, but loose just the same. Like a high strung paranoid crashing after a weekend of white crosses. There’s an extra unlisted track with a different vocalist as well. –Matt Average (Radio)

SHRINKS, THE:
Nowhere to Live: 7" EP
A picture perfect marriage of Hostage neo-beachcore and the Rip Off redux of ‘60s slop/ ‘70s punk rock. Four songs here, not a bad one in the lot and all coming to you with enough velocity to put a foot clear through your ass. –Jimmy Alvarado (Rapid Pulse)

SHUDDER TO THINK:
Curses, Spells, Voodoo, Mooses: CD
A reissue of this long-running DC band’s first album, long out of print and making its debut on CD. Originally released in 1988 on Sammich, this is very much a product of the time and place from which it came, in that it is intelligent pop with punk influences coming from the same primordial soup that spawned emo (a term I use in reference to the post-DC hardcore sound and not the insipid drivel that goes by that name these days), creative and inspired in both delivery and structure. Also includes the band’s first 7” and an unreleased track. –Jimmy Alvarado (Dischord)

SHUDDERS, THE:
Self-titled: 7”
The drummer of this band used to put on the best house shows in Santa Cruz, CA. I saw some great bands play there. The likes of: Carrie Nations (the good one), Hit Me Back, This Is My Fist, Fleshies, Abi Yoyos, Two Gallants, and the house band who she used to drum for, Spag. I could cut this record down cause she didn’t let my old band play at her house, but 1.) That’s not like me, and 2.) No one let us play anywhere, so she was only being consistent. The Shudders play glammed-out rock’n’roll somewhere between raw and minimalist. Distortion, make-up, and gin seem to be the active ingredients, and the white vinyl, photo booth pictures, and spray painted cover–hand numbered at three-hundred–are the spices that make it delicious. –Daryl Gussin (Compact, theshudders@hotmail.com)

SHUDDERS, THE:
Self-titled: 7”EP
Starts off in step with the A Lines, Headcoatees, and early Mudhoney and, the longer it played, an alternate universe Bikini Kill (less anthemic, less hubris, more “this has no obvious immediate alignment”). Garage-infested proto grunge with lungs, squall, and poetic defiance. Think lipstick smears, crushed smokes, beaten instruments beat upon, hearts beating and beat upon, and rusty steamer with a crisp flag flying. Nice paint-stenciled cover, too. –Todd Taylor (Compact, theshudders@hotmail.com)

SHUTDOWN:
1990-1995: CD
There are moments when this resonates with something more meaningful and emotionally stirring than generic hardcore, brief passages that sound more like the Mega City 4 or Hüsker Dü than another hardcore-by-numbers band with requisite youth crew anthems, but those moments are scarce and – considering what surrounds them – not worth finding. –Puckett (Boss Tuneage)

SHUTDOWN 66:
Welcome to Dumpsville: CD
How do I not notice that there's a guy holding maracas on the cover of the CD when I pick it up? Fuckin maracas! That said, I do not like this. Sounds pretty much like every other hipster '70s rock/garage-ish/trashy facade/yelling type thing going around now, but with worse vocals. –Megan Pants (Get Hip)

SHUTDOWN 66:
Welcome to Dumpsville: CD
How do I not notice that there’s a guy holding maracas on the cover of the CD when I pick it up? Fuckin maracas! That said, I do not like this. Sounds pretty much like every other hipster ‘70s rock/garage-ish/trashy facade/yelling type thing going around now, but with worse vocals. –Megan Pants (Get Hip)

SHY GUYS, THE:
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do: CD
Decent rockin’ pop punk from a band that broke up in 2002. One really good song (“Cloudy Vertigo”) and some lesser Queers-esque songs. The coolest thing about this are the liner notes that say, “Through the years we were fortunate enough to meet other people who had the same ideas and convictions, people who also thought ranking Connie Dungs albums was not a waste of time.” I thought Milwaukee punks were the only ones who ranked Mutant Pop bands! I tried to get into this, but I think it’s really more suited to a basement show than to my apartment. If this were a cereal, it’d be regular Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, with sugar added on top by the consumer. In other words, they have the potential/ability to truly rock, but sometimes end up being regular corn flakes. –Maddy (myspace.com/theshyguys)

SHYBOY / CRUMP, THE:
Split: 7”
It’s been well established that everything from Japan is pretty awesome, right? So when I realized this was on Snuffy Smiles, I was pretty stoked for it, even though I’ve never heard of either of these bands. Shyboy: To me they sounded like if Social Distortion were good. Did I just say that? Yeah, I did. The Crump: They sounded like One Man Army, if they were better. Japan: Taking things from America and making them sound better, since for a long time now. –Joe Evans III (Snuffy Smiles)

SICBAY:
Suspicious Icons: CD
Third release from this Minneapolis trio. Led by singer Nick Sakes (ex-Dazzling Killmen, Colossamite), this is raw, emotional rock that burns like a defective socket being gingerly rammed into your eardrum. The title track rocks thanks to Greg Schaal’s frenzied back beats. “Riposte in Pieces” sounds like a tune Roger Miller would dig thoroughly. Dave Erb’s guitar collides with Sakes’ playing to glorious effect on songs like “The Paper Blanket.” Fans of old SST bands like Saccharine Trust will worship Sicbay. The only complaint Bones may bring up is there’s no bass player—but hey, you can’t have it all! Recorded in a studio that used to be Blackberry Way. I bet Bob Stinson’s beer-soaked guitar strings are still in the corner. Nice. –Sean Koepenick (54 40 or Fight!)

SICK BEES:
My Pleasure: CD
This was kind of a harsh listen at first, but I worked it in like a pair of Docs. Sick Bees are a duo (guitar and drums) but they do have bass and some keyboards on the album. This album experiences many attitude changes throughout its entirety. Songs go from light and twangy to harsh and heavy. A clarinet gets some good use. Overall a good listen. –Harmonee (Up, Box 21328, Seattle, WA 98111)

SICK BEES:
The Marina Album: CD
Arty skronk pop that manages to muster enough weirdness to remain interesting for the sixteen-minute duration of this release, but is not dazzling enough to elicit a “wow” upon its completion. –Jimmy Alvarado (Up)

SICK ELECTRIC:
Haywire: CD
This band’s songs are populated by lyrics that seem like they were thrown together because they sounded neat, rather than to put forth any particular meaning. The first line you hear is, “Grab your board and ride the wave… straight to the grave!” That’s about as cool as they get. Each line is followed by an exclamation point. Some are followed by two or three exclamation points. Do you really need to use so many exclamation points in lyrics printed in a booklet with a rock CD? No, you don’t. Of course, you don’t need to put out boring indie hardcore CDs either, but this band went right ahead and did it anyway. –MP Johnson (Self-released)

SICK ELECTRIC:
Death by Electrocution: CD
Quirky guitar rock. –Jimmy Alvarado (no address)

SICK E’S:
Whispers: 7” EP
Gloomy death rock/punk stuff, emphasis on the “punk,” more along the lines of 45 Grave than Christian Death. –Jimmy Alvarado (Going Underground)

SICK FITS:
Self-Titled: LP
Is this really the same bunch of Stitches-sounding punks from a few years back? This record is much better than anything I have heard from Sick Fits in the past. It’s a real cool album filled with glam and punk influence; a little Velvets here, a dash of Thunders over there, some Mott licks. They have got some real playing and songwriting chops! Looking forward to hearing more from this band. Pick up this killer Gatefold LP. –Mike Frame (Full Breach Kicks)

SICK FITS:
Mirror Creeps: 7”
More mid-tempo punk from these guys, very vaguely reminiscent of the Flesh Eaters without the poetic flair, although the proceedings here are not as interesting as their CD EP from a year or so ago. –Jimmy Alvarado (Big Neck)

SICK FITS:
Are We the Young Savages?: CD
Lo-fi trash punk not unlike your average Rip Off Records release. Pretty good overall, sometimes sounding like a revved-up Controllers. Some “bonus” tracks here as well, including a live cover of the Urinals’ “Ack Ack Ack” that is recorded so poorly that you can’t help but wonder what the point was in including it. –Jimmy Alvarado (Longshot)

SICK FIX:
Self-titled: EP
Bleak as hell. Yet, so good. Sick Fix mix it up with a heavy and speedy combination. Thrashing away, then suddenly shifting down into a brooding tempo to further emphasize their disgust with drug addiction, rape, standards of beauty, and more. No mincing words, just straight to the point. Delivered with an honest rage. Like a kick in the gut. –Matt Average (Third Party, www.thirdxparty.com)

SICK LIPSTICK:
Sting Sting Sting: CD
Atonal no-wavy skronk with a singer who sounds like she repeated the third grade four times too many. Don't know what it is about this particular subgenre that I find so fascinating, but this is the third disc I've listened to this reviewing cycle and it's the third one I've found a really cool listen. Probably because I know that my repeated spins of this stuff is sure to drive my wife crazy. See, you GOTTA do shit like that every now and then to keep your significant other on her toes. –Jimmy Alvarado (Tiger Style)

SICK LIPSTICK:
Sting Sting Sting: CD