[shiny grey monotone]

Gone fishing...and maybe sinking to the bottom of the lake.

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 15:45:00 +0000

For the foreseeable future, and likely beyond, let's assume that this blog space shall be dormant with no new posts forthcoming. Links will be active until the server they are on determines that they aren't. So, things that are gone, are gone, but the blog itself will stay here where we are leaving it. Until somebody decides they don't want to pay to host it. Which could be whenever.

Thanks to all who contributed.

Cheers to the founder Jeremy, aka Ipecac. I kept it going in his memory as long as I could, but ultimately...well...you know.

Thanks to all who who took the time to read what was posted.

- Gray

Casus Belli - Punishment

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 14:09:00 +0000

Label: Amphetamine Reptile

Year: 1990

I posted this one many moons ago (2009) on this very blog, but that link is long dead, and in celebration of pulling this 7" out (of your mom's butt...[I'm sorry, that was very rude]) for the first time in quite some time, I figured, "hey, what the hell? Let's give 'em a thrill."

Are you thrilled?

Casus Belli is a one man project from former Bastards bassist/vocalist Anthony Martin, but you will no doubt be impressed with the full sound he manages on his own. I assume he is using a drum machine, but it's entirely possible that these are live drums playing a very driving, borderline industrial backbeat. The guitar and bass lock in together to make for a grungy wash of simple pulsations. And the vocals deliver a very satisfying vitriolic warning that sound slightly buried in the mix, but work well in the overall instrumentation of the two songs here.

Another one of those Amphetamine Reptile gems that you probably thumbed past a hundred times in your local record store in the early 90's, but that has aged very well and reminds you how spoiled you were in those early 90's with the insane amount of killer bands around every corner. Or lodged in every 7" box at the record store.

Tired From Now On - Tired From Now On

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Sat, 04 Feb 2023 16:23:00 +0000

Label: Pelligrant

Year: 1995

Not sure how far out of the Southeastern United States that this band got, but for those of us spending too much time haunting local basements to see and hear whatever bands passed through town in the Southeastern United States, Tired From Now On was a "must see" band. At least to me anyway. They were from the super fertile (like your mom) Gainesville, Florida scene that was, at the time, running hot on No Idea and Toybox Records juice, churning out band after band after band. The thing that was cool about Tired From Now On was that they didn't fit into the either of the two prevailing Gainesville camps; the mosh metal camp or the earnest melodic hardcore camp (thought the members were drawn from some of those campsites; Clarimel, Bombshell, Vanbuilderass, Scrog [fucking Scrog!], I Hate Myself, Culture, As Friends Rust, Strikeforce Diablo, Asshole Parade, and Floor [fucking Floor!]). They existed in this murky, dark, posthardcore world of their own that was noisy and sort of strange. The songs came out as pulsating waves of grimy guitar, which appealed to me as someone who errs on the side of grime nine times out of ten. In retrospect they aren't "that" wild and crazy, but at the time they were doing something that didn't sound like anyone else stinking up your buddy's low-ceiling basement. Have to respect that.

Tight Bros From Way Back When / Inside Five Minutes - split

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 01:07:00 +0000

Label: Makato

Year: 2001

In 2001 Makato Recordings did a four volume set of split 7"s with bands you may or may not have heard of, but this is number four, and it's the only one I ever owned (or heard). Originally the series of splits was supposed to be a monthly subscription type deal, but as I'm sure you can imagine, putting out records on that tight of a schedule when you're name isn't Geffen, is a royal pain in the ass. And purse. So, not surprisingly, the series folded after four.

I bought the record on the strength of the Tight Bros From Way Back When contribution. And their contribution here is an MC5'd rave up of the Edwin Starr (the guy more famous for his big hit "War" [good god y'all....what is it good for])soul song "25 Miles" that originally (supposedly?) was the first real hit for the Motown label in 1969. It's a fitting song for the band to cover since they were fully committed to aping a Detroit rock/soul sound, so, it doesn't sound too far off one of their originals, just maybe more catchy and a little less bombastically cock-rocking.

The b-side was an unknown entity to me, the (actual) Detroit band Inside Five Minutes, who proceed to wreck the place with a swaggering post-hardcore bluesy rocker that comes across as confident, yet somehow not giving a fuck. Like, this would be the band that played in front of 12 people at your local bar, completely perform as if they had sold the place out, talk shit from the stage, but blow the roof off the place with a just-holding-on barrage. Wish I could have seen them. They had a full length and ep, also on Makato, but I'm far too lazy to have ever tracked those down. Plus, I think they only exist on CD or something. So. Strike two.

Anyhow, it's a fun little curio from a different time, and maybe you'll get turned on to Inside Five Minutes the way I was.

THE BEST OF 2022

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 02:51:00 +0000

Another one in the books. 2022 was filled with ups, downs, ins, outs, and the Top Gun sequel (which was fantastic…way better than it had any right to be). I tried really hard this year to stay somewhat organized and keep up with new music as I listened to it. Making notes in my phone when something really grabbed me, or when something was bad news, or maybe when something seemed like the type of thing I should go back and listen to a few more times later on. I was pretty good about that. This year I started playing shows again with a band, putting the proverbial money (current value: just under $78 USD) where the proverbial mouth is. That’s been a lot of fun. Switched jobs, but nobody really cares about that. Argentina just won the World Cup, and in a bizarre twist of fate (cain) I was rooting for Messi to take the title. The former President of the United States started hawking Garbage Pail Kids trading cards the week before benign referred by Congress to the Justice Department for criminal indictment. That somehow didn’t seem strange. A lot a really good people died, and not enough shitbirds for my tastes. Would like to see a few more shitbirds go. But that doesn’t really jibe with my current campaign to be nicer and less negative all the time (still a work in progress, and I still find hate to be the great motivator…but working on it). A lot happened, but maybe not that much in the grand scheme of things.

Regardless of historical context, here’s what I was listening to this year more than other things, if you don’t count all the old shit that I listened to way too much. Quick thank you to all the bands, the record labels, the promoters, the artists, the managers, the lawyers…whoever it took to get these tunes to my ears. I really appreciate it. And at the risk of falling back into my (patented?) negativity, a quick “no thank you” to all of the profiteers gumming up the record pressing plants with unwarranted and shamefully exploitative vinyl releases of bullshit like, Home Alone soundtrack, or Rick Springfield reissues, that are pushing new music out 8, 9 months in the queue. Sucks. I’ll be very happy when “vinyls” are no longer “a thing” with “squares.”

So, ok, here they are. If you hear something you like, by all means, go buy it, go see them play, grab a tshirt, whatever. Just get involved and let’s keep it going!

29. THE BLACK ANGELS - Wilderness Of Mirrors

Nearly twenty years into their psych-rock haze, and I’m still having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that the lead vocalist is a man and not a Grace Slick type of lady. I mean…I’ve SEEN that it is a man, but…it’s weird, my brain keeps telling me that cool delivery is more feminine than masculine. And ultimately, who cares if my old ass has issues with gender, The Black Angels are still the best of the best when it comes to creating that Velvet Underground smoke, with a side of stoner riff thunder from under a veil of black goth gossamer. I’m always up for it, regardless of the vessel.

28. SEAXES / IRON LININGS - Die Twice

Late entry into the countdown, this record squeaked in on a December 9th release date, and we’re glad it did. Two bands that your mother would have a hard time differentiating, but you, as a seasoned noise rock aficionado, will no doubt find a favorite between the two. They both bring the ruckus in a most satisfying way. A bombastic way, but not a completely over the top way. Know what way I mean? Ask you mom.

27. BIRTH ORDER - Farewell, Square Horse

Rock solid noise rock that has all the noise rock bits and pieces that make it what you like. You got your low rumble of a bassline that drives the song along. You got your thundering drums that crash all over the place and keep the song teetering on total collapse. You got your slashing guitar that weaves in and out of the rhythmic throb, and lays down a heavy hammer blow to the back of hand as required. And you got your vocalist who sounds as though he’s rambling through a fever dream about something you did to his car or something. And then they will take the whole mess and just rip through a punked out maelstrom. It’s all that stuff.

(The All Consuming Child)

26. MR. PHYLZZZ - Cancel Culture Club

A throwback to the adventurous early days of Amphetamine Reptile Records, when “noise rock” was still a loosely defined confederation of loud music that maybe was sorta based on classic 70’s rock as translated by folks raised on first wave hardcore. Kinda. Not yet beholden to any genre codifications or sonic regulation. Just going for it and letting your imagination (and distortion pedal) lead the songs wherever they want to go. Mr. Phylzzz also continue the tradition of two pieces making far more racket than one would anticipate, which is wonderful. As far as contemporary comparisons, I suppose you’d have to look at Melvins, and by default, Big Business. Or ignore those comparisons altogether and just live your life in the moment.

25. WENT WHITE - Went White

A quick, six song dose of furibund volume. As the good lord intended. It pummels where it needs to pummel. It yells at you as you often need to be yelled at. It blows your hair back regardless of how much time you spent working on it today, or how much you’ve realized over the last few years that your hair is really one of the few bright spots in your decaying life, and messing it up is sort of a dick move. I know they didn’t write these songs with my coif in mind, but it just should be noted that I didn’t have a hair out of place prior to listening to this, and now? Now I look like a goddamn hobo.

24. OPTIONS - Swimming Feeling

As I age (gracefully) into the twilight of my life, I am able to admit more that melody has become a larger piece of my personal musical pie. Or personal pan pizza. Whichever. Especially if the melody comes wrapped in fractured sensibility, with loose ends and noisy predilections. I can say this outloud now.

23. DEMONS - Swallow

Four songs, so extra points for brevity, of chaotic agitation that flies most closely to a modern hardcore sound, but has the nuance you’re going to want to hear in order to make the parts shine off of each other. If you get down with a band like Easy Prey, then I’d say you’re in good hands with this Demons record.

22. CANDY - Heaven Is Here

To describe this record as “unrelenting” might be an understatement. Candy have taken what was already an abrasive Integrity-esque hardcore pummel, and seemingly mechanized it into military grade assault weaponry. Fucking nuts.

21. DOOM BEACH - Copperhead

Talk about relentless. Good heavens, this one just goes fucking nuts from the get-go. Even when they drop the tempo, the song still jumps out of the speaker, all blown-out and fucked up and hateful like. Mean shit. Seemingly intentional in its animosity, which you may or may not choose to take as a personal affront.

20. FACES - London ‘71

I can’t speak to the validity of this release being available for purchase, since it popped up on Spotify for a brief time, and then disappeared (Spotify, in its infinite and unquestionable wisdom [algorithms] recognizes that I listen to an obscene amount of Rod Stewart, and thereby Faces, more than a man of my age should. So when a “new” Faces release pops up, they know where to go with it.). Discogs doesn’t acknowledge it exists, but it was there. I listened to it a whole bunch for about a month before it was gone. I don’t know what the deal is, but assume it has to do with rights and royalties. Anyway, the material is a BBC broadcast concert from the Paris Theater in London from 1971 (duh), highlighting Faces at the top of their game, when, if we’re being honest, they were pound-for-pound better than the Rolling Stones. Unimpeachable. Maybe this record will show up again?

Hip Hop Corner

Still convinced that hip hop and punk rock are essentially two sides to the same coin, and I’m suspicious of anyone who claims to love one but not the other. Or, for whatever reason my home cable provider in Winston-Salem, N.C. was an early adopter of the B.E.T. network, and they happened to program Rap City (shout out to the original mayor Donnie Simpson!) to come on at the exact time General Hospital ended (shout out to Frisco Jones!) after school, and I was indoctrinated at an early enough age that it just became part of my musical lexicon. Doesn’t matter really.

Slap - Busta, Conway, Kane

Honorary “Best Jam Of The Year” goes to this single that came out of the blue and reminded people that Big Daddy Kane has still got it, Busta Rhymes was never a novelty act, and the future is in good hands with Conway The Machine.

Dalek - Precipice

Never really gave Dalek much of a listen (despite having seen them maybe twice before?) until this record, and now I feel pretty stupid (or, more stupid than normal) for having not paid attention.

Action Bronson - Crocodrillo Turbo

Who would have ever guessed that this dude wasn’t a joke, playing around with Wu Tang tropes? Turns out, for all the baggage, he’s legit, and he makes really fun records. Keep ‘em coming!

Conway The Machine - God Don’t Make Mistakes

Grimy, noir, booming , and lots of collaborators. The wildly prolific Conway The Machine had a million singles and features this year, and managed two full lengths of his own. Putting in that work, and we applaud that.

Marlowe - Marlowe 3

Third album of super infectious, bouncy, bangers from Solemn Brigham and L’Orange. Very few skips on this one, no time wasting skits, pound for pound might be their best record yet. Has Prince Paul vibes all over it.

Nas - King’s Disease III

Sort of a cop-out to pick a record by a Top Five All Time MC when there’s so much new stuff constantly being released, but as long as Nas decides to put out records of this caliber, I have no other recourse.

Your Old Droog - The Yodfather

This fucking dude had FIVE full albums this year, plus showing up here, there, and everywhere, and random singles. Crazy. The last two albums of the year were my favorites, with Yodfather edging out Yodney Dangerfield, but it was the standalone single he did with Madlib that was the highlight of a bountiful year. (*edit: a sixth Your Old Droog full length dropped on December 16th)

Black Star - No Fear Of Time

Would of been super cool had Black Star not buried this release in a podcast streaming service, but, I guess controlling the product is important. Just means this one was tough to find. Once you did though, it was wonderful to hear Black Star back. In their 24 year’s off (as Black Star) both members have kept busy and kept sharp, which is evident on the album’s high points. Couple spots that drag a bit, but on the whole this is a welcome return, and I’m hoping they stick around.

Nord1kone and DJ Mrok - Tower Of Babylon

Complete and utter Golden Age Boom Bap throwback with thundering NYC beats and rugged bars. Tons of guests show up to amp the record way way up. Pretty close to perfect!

Pusha T - It’s Almost Dry

My son loves hip hop, and most of it holds no appeal to me…it’s not “for me.” But when this record came out, my son texted me (actual transcription):

“Favorite white rapper” - son

“Favorite white rappers are 3rd Bass. You know this” - dad

“No, I meant like white rapper. Not caucasian rapper. Like cocaine white” - son

“I’m your father…I’m not out here talking about ‘cocaine rappers.’ But I mean, yeah, for the record Pusha T is the best at cocaine based hip hop.” - dad

Danger Mouse and Black Thought - Cheat Codes

Still flummoxed that after only recently coming across Black Thought’s solo work, that “that dude from the Roots?” is quickly becoming an all-time favorite MC. I would have never thought that to be the case, but look at us now! This record is top to bottom bulletproof…all killer, no filler.

*back to our normally scheduled entertainment*

20. DAYJOB - Be A Friend, Make A Friend

Seems like every year there’s one record that I deem “the quintessential noise rock record of the year.” And for 2022 it just may be this Dayjob album. Which is in no way a knock on them, it is simply a way to describe a sound that is imprinted deep onto your lizard brain that we (me?) have been chasing since about 1987 or so. It’s what I like to hear, and since you’re reading this, I assume you like to hear it too. Dayjob also did a split with Wipes this year (more on them later) which is also essential.

19. THE GRASSHOPPER LIES HEAVY / WOORMS - Various Plants And Animals Under Domestication

The Grasshopper Lies Heavy remind me of both the band Shallow North Dakota and Easy Prey, maybe getting together for a good time. Or a bad time. I don’t really know how that would go down. It’s a heavy time, however you slice it. Woorms, on this release anyway (a single 20+ minute song) give off Thrones meets leaving-your-television-on-while-you-drift-off vibe. Obviously 20 minutes allows them to cover a lot of ground, and they do. And they take you with them, like it or not. Hope you have on comfortable shoes.

18. WEIRD NIGHTMARE - Weird Nightmare

Being out of touch is awesome, because it means that you can really like something for a few months, and it isn’t until the very day I am writing this that I bother to look up Weird Nightmare to see where they are from, and realize it’s Metz guitarist/vocalist Alex Edkins who is responsible for this glorious slice of hooky dream pop that I’ve been listening to on repeat all this time. Ignorance is bliss? Or just a red flag of stupidity? This album, and the handful of singles also released this year, have been jangling around that dumb, empty head of mine over and over, which seems to indicate a lasting quality of product. But who am I to say, I didn’t even know who the fuck this was until right now. So, why would you listen to me?

17. STILL/FORM - From The Rot Is A Gift

Was happy to see that one of the folks from Marriage+Cancer had bounced back from the dissolution of that band to become one third of this newly constructed nightmare machine Still/Form. In this band they take elements from the noirish Young Widows ghouling, and charge it with a healthy rumbling punch, not unlike what the band Tunic specializes in. It comes together as a propulsive menacing, the dark shadow that follows you down the hallway and makes the hair on your arms stand on end.

16. COORDINATED SUICIDES - This Could Be Heaven

This one took a couple of listens to settle into the ‘ole mushy gray matter in my skull-hole. Not, that there aren’t some very immediate, visceral moments (the lead-off track being one of them), but something wasn’t exactly clicking until a few more returns. Worth noting that there was something there that made me want to return…which should tell you(me) something. And now I’m rewarded with this burly album that combines some Today Is The Day with more straightforward heavy riffing. Works out.

15. COLONIAL WOUND - Easy Laugh

Fucking-a this record is mean. Straight out of the blocks it’s a fucking assault on all that is peaceful, calm, or smiling. This thing is just savage, and not “savage” in the way a teenager would have meant, but in an unbridled, out of control, vicious way. The way we like.

14. KAL MARKS - My Name Is Hell

Previously I would surmise that your ability to enjoy Kal Marks lived and died on your ability to process Carl Shane’s distinctive vocal delivery. A sort of dour yowl that narrated a series of unfortunate events from a worldview that didn’t seem to put much stock in the future. I liked it. Or rather, like it, present and past tense. And I love this new record. The musical delivery has amped up and maybe darkened up a bit since we last heard from Kal Marks, but it’s still a blend of testy post-hardcore muscle and worming, fuzzy melody.

13. BLACKLISTERS - Leisure Center

Only four songs are offered to us this year from Blacklisters, but when they are this damaging, maybe paucity is warranted, lest we become spoiled? It is worth noting that 2022 may go down as the year of the noise rock sax, with more and more bands incorporated the woodwind instrument to pepper their songs with all manner of bleats, squeals, drones, and squeaks. Blacklisters don’t overdo the saxophone, but it’s there to help make ugly songs even less attractive to the average ear(s). It’s appreciated.

12. ZZ TOP - Raw

Did you catch the insanely essential documentary on ZZ Top, ‘That Little ‘Ol Band From Texas?’ If not, what the fuck? If you didn’t watch it on purpose because you feel, for some reason, that ZZ Top are not “cool” or something, then please pull your sanctimonious head out of your fucking butthole. ZZ Top are of the highest quality, and have been since the day they began issuing the greatest boogie rock lessons known to man. You need to watch the documentary. For it, the band played a selection of their songs in a very…raw…stripped down blues heavy way. And it sounds like they enjoyed doing it, so they recorded more than what could be used in the movie, which they kindly packaged up for us here. It’s a master class, the band sound amazing, and Billy Gibbons remains an undisputed master of his craft. He was Jimi Hendrix’s favorite guitar player after all. Also, RIP to Dusty Bottoms.

11. BITTER BRANCHES - Your Neighbors Are Failures

Thirty plus years on from the No Escape demo and Tim Singer still brings the seething rage like no other, and it feels so good. As “good” as listening to a man’s spiraling litany of disappointments and complaints can be. Which, in this case, is good. The band aren’t fucking around either, and this record reacts accordingly to the mind-numbing cultural/political/socialogical disasters we’ve collectively been witness to the past few years. They weave and bob their way through a litany of scathing intonations that range from the tightly wound to the overhead haymaker. You sorta know what to expect, but that does not diminish the efficacy of the delivery when it shows up.

XXX Hardcore Roundup XXX

I was jogging (humble brag…and truthfully it’s more of a sad trot) and thinking about how ridiculous it is that people define themselves so thoroughly by the university they attended (or just fanatically support). I can absolutely understand the allegiance and fond memories and even continued financial support (if you have the means) to some degree, but the overarching sense that the time spent at whichever school in whatever town is the singular factor dictating your identity is nuts to me. And honestly sorta sad.

And then, I started thinking that tying yourself to a narrow subculture of music you discovered when you were 12 years old, is…maybe just as sad? Equally pathetic? Or…and hear me out, is it further proof positive that you’ve always had the best tastes ever, and there’s just no way that you’re not the absolute coolest? Hard to say.

PAINFUL CHOICE - Demo

Hints of melody, not unlike Verbal Assault or Engage, but stays with foot firmly on the gas.

(there was REALLY no evidence of this band on youtube...like, nothing even close, so, you'll just have to go listen to it)

COMBUST - Another Life

The current generation of hardcore raised by (whether they realize it or not) circa 1988 NYHC comes correct via Combust. Like an updated version of Killing Time meets Outburst.

SUNTOUCH HOUSE - Demonstration

I get Deadguy vibes from this, and I won’t ever complain about those types of tingles. Suntouch House aren’t a rip-off though, just so we’re clear. This demo is fucking great, regardless of whatever touchstone my old brain can come up with. Well worth seeking out.

ALMIGHTY WATCHING - Doubtless

Very solid and punchy with just the slightest hint of catchiness (which, let’s be honest, we like things to be catchy even when we don’t want to admit it sometimes). Has a very early 1992 “feel” to it, which, as a wizened person, appeals to me.

SCUMFIRE - Two Songs

As advertised, it’s a two song ep, which does the proverbial “leave them wanting more” showbiz trope. This is hardcore that’s in the same family as the blast furnace bellow of someone like Easy Prey. It’s a super big, full, punishing sound. Everything cranked. (this release is not on Bandcamp, so the link below is to their general Bandcamp page)

RABBIT - Halo Of Flies

Rabbit had a demo at the beginning of the year which most likely would have gotten them on this list (I bet they are so thrilled), but then, just under the wire they dropped the hammer on this ep of big, gnarly, Bolt Thrower x Amebix x D.R.I. hardcore.

TWO WORLDS ONE - TxWxOx

This is the new project from Mike BS of GO! (and SFA) with two friends from Hungary, and…surprise, it sounds like GO! And, no surprise, that fucking rules! Super stoked on this one, and hoping they can keep it together and keep the music coming. (sorry, but there is no visual evidence of Two Worlds One on youtube, apart from a clip of Mike BS talking about the record. So, instead here's Go! doing Holy Roller and being awesome)

THROES - New Gods / Miserable Being

Complete scorched earth, down-tuned, assault. Way mean. Love it.

WEAPONIZED FLESH - Hurtful

Extra points for having Jason Griffin on drums, but on it’s own merits, this is a beautifully ugly amalgam of metallic thrash that avoids any and all retro pitfalls, but pays sufficient homage to the source material (of which they were there for).

FAIM - Faim

Nothing flashy, just 100% hardcore that completely levels everything it comes up against. Absolute destruction. And yes, this was originally released as a 7" already, but it was re-released as a 12" this year, and this year I finally heard it. So...sue me.

*back to the not-specifically-hardcore countdown stuff*

10. WIPES - Making Friends

Continuing in the vein of preceding project Tiles, Wipes deliver on a really rich vein of loud rock music. You can tell that they have good record collections that cover hardcore, punk, noise rock, alternative rock, post-whatevers, country AND western. Mostly they go with a bass-forward, mid tempo stomp, but Wipes know how to kick out the jams and/or drag them behind their car as they slowly drive across a gravel parking lot.

9. EASY PREY - Unrest

These fucking guys…holy shit. Total catharsis via volume and mass. It’s a sustained roar that pushes you up against the wall and soils your shirt with its blood-flecked spittle. But you needed it. You’ll be better for it afterwards.

8. NERVER - Cash

You know those records that jump immediately out of the gate to wrap their hands around your throat? Yeah? Cause this is one of them. Not a whole lot of space in which to catch your breath, or recover before the next barrage comes raining down.

7. OFF! - Free LSD

It goes without saying that Keith Morris is a goddamn national treasure, and we are lucky that he continues to provide entertainment. It should also be noted that Dimitri Coats is a riff machine, not easily rivaled in this day and age. And while the past OFF! records proved how much Black Flag research Dimitri had done, and somehow mastered (which is a fucking difficult thing to do, since Greg Ginn is one of the most unique and…peculiar guitarists of all time), this time around the riffs start to circle back to Dimitri’s Burning Brides days. There’s still a very healthy dose of hardcore machine gunning, but now the band spreads out and allows the songs to get weird. They’ve got a rhythm section that can take those opportunities and run with them in ways a “traditional” hardcore bassist and drummer just don’t see. It’s exhilarating, and really fun to see this band push and pull on what a “hardcore” record can be.

6. ARCHERS OF LOAF - Reason In Decline

It will come as zero surprise that this one is here. May be a shock it isn’t number one, but you had to know it was coming. If it was possible to somehow quantify, I’ve probably listened to more Archers Of Loaf over the years than any other band. I find a great comfort and pleasure in their unmatched noisy pop. They mastered the genre in a time when the genre was pretty competitive (the underground is overcrowded), and they did it in one of the highest per capita noise pop markets to boot. So, here they come, a couple decades later to give you a new version of the same band. It’s admittedly not as explicitly visceral, or overtly rocking as the 1990’s output, but…what the fuck man, that was years ago. And if you remember, a record like ‘White Trash Heroes’ wasn’t overtly rocking upon first listen either…and that album is incredible. These songs worm around and latch onto your ears after a few listens to illuminate themselves as absolutely worthy continuations of the band’s canon. Sure, you can also compare some of these tracks to things Crooked Fingers might have put out, but this is in no way an Eric Bachmann solo effort, the band shimmers and fills everything out with that propulsive energy that the band has always relied on. My only complain is that they didn’t include recent single ‘Raleigh Days’ on the album, as that’s quickly become one of my favorite Archers Of Loaf songs ever. Minor quibble. All hail the Loaf! Forever!

5. KEN MODE - Null

Hey, how does one take an already claustrophobic and utterly nihilistic body of work, and up the ante? Well, you can add some art damaged saxophone squalls. That helps. You can lean into a near industrial percussive pounding. That seems to put people on edge. You can ratchet up the intensity to a near blood vessel popping level of anxiety. That’ll work. I suppose Ken Mode already knew, as they seem to have this all well under control.

4. CHAT PILE - God’s Country

You really have to hand it to a band that can show up with a completely original sound that works out some of the same neurosis we’ve all been trying to work out for decades, and distills it into such a distinct sonic signature. Those martial percussive machinations set against the deadpan, detached vocals, and driven home by the hammering guitar and bass generally in a lockstep. It’s a bracing sound, but exhilarating at the same time. The hype in this case is absolutely justified. This band rules. They also managed to release a movie soundtrack on their Bandcamp page towards the end of the year that covers a really wide spectrum of ideas and sounds.

3. HAUNTED HORSES - The Worst Has Finally Happened

I’d completely missed the previous albums by this band, which appears to have been a real oversight on my part. This one came out of the blue (to me anyway) and knocked my head clean off. Haunted Horses have based their sound on a survey of industrial music, post punk, noise, and hardcore, which allows them to go from the wide open, dusty landscapes of Swans, to the bristling menace of KIlling Joke, to the drilling pound of Godflesh, to the massive weight of Isis. It’s truly a spectacular record, that makes me feel like a real dipshit for not noticing until now.

2. MEAT WAVE - Malign Hex

The local (Atlanta) music monthly (Record Plug) made the astute observation that it should have come as no surprise that the worlds of Meat Wave and Swami John Reis would inevitably collide. It hadn’t previously dawned on me that their sound did have a lot of Drive Like Hot Snaking Pitchforking in it. Certainly they retain some of their own Midwestern lineage of Tar and Arcwelder and Poster Childern, and some Shiner (they don’t really count as Midwestern do they?). The whole album is pretty much perfect

1. OVLOV - Buds

My favorite record of 2022 came out in 2021, and even though I had it in 2021 I 100% spaced on including it last year, and over the course of THIS year I listened to it nonstop…so…this is where we are. I’m sorry if that breaks “Countdown Rules” or etiquette, but the heart wants what the heart wants, and ya’ll, my heart wants to go listen to Ovlov some more. It’s been my most listened to album since I got it, so that’s just the deal. It’s Ovlov’s year y’all.

THE (ALMOST) BEST OF 2022

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 01:36:00 +0000

We (I) say the "almost best" but really, isn't it all just sort of the "best?" People making music and connecting with something deep inside of your brain, or your heart, or, I don't know, your butthole? The fact that that people in this day and age continue to create new sounds in the face of an algorithmic hellscape of decreasing cultural values and even less of a hope in the world of making a living, is truly a miracle. So, whatever my "best" is, who gives a rip? Anyone who is giving it an honest shake and putting it on the line deserves our collective respect.

Unless they stink.

Then...all bets are off. Let 'em have it. Run them the fuck outta of town. If your can't bring the heat, get your realtor's license and go make some money and leave the rocking and rolling to those better suited for it. Ok? (my wife is a realtor, so I am allowed to make that joke. Oh, and if you're looking to sell your home or buy a new one in anywhere in Atlanta, holler at me...I'll put you in touch.)

The real point is this: We are all lucky that there are bands out there, and we need to make sure they know when we love them. Do what you can, when you can, to be patron of the arts. Buy something. Tell somebody. Give it a shot yourself.

This year I really reigned it in and kept the total list to 60 (minus segues into hardcore and hip hop...but...that's sort of expected at this point), which I am glad I did. So below, are the records I liked the most, part one, in descending order. And the order is the order as of now, when I'm typing this, and only used as a way to stay somewhat organized. We're all winners, right? I hope you find something on this, and the next, list that you like and will support.

60. PSYCHIC GRAVEYARD / USA NAILS - Split

This one certainly tips in favor of USA Nails for me, but I’m not really a very good judge of character. Or anything else for that matter. I mean, what the fuck have I done? I’m just over here being a dick about arbitrary shit. That’s not cool. Not at all.

And we’re off!

59. COLA - Deep In View

The lead-off track of this album (“Blank Curtain”) may be my favorite song of the year. It’s a perfect slice of Yo La Tengo styled catchy-drone-rock something. The rest of the record is really good, but that first song…ooooh child!

58. BLK OPS - The Heroic Dose

Admittedly a 2021 release, but a 2021 release that came out in December after I had stopped paying attention to new music in an effort to assemble THAT year’s list. So, here it is today, in all it’s wild, mechanized, clamorous glory. Two dudes, a ton of sometimes sludgy, sometimes acerbic craze.

57. KRAUSE - The Art Of Fatigue

Very compelling big, burly goodness. That’s bad. But bad in a good way. The Michael Jackson way.

56. HORSE JUMPER OF LOVE - Natural Part

A more hazy and lazy version of Horse Jumper Of Love, but they still manage to worm these songs into your brain and pull you back for repeat listens.

55. HELP - 2053

This record might have come out in 2020 and the physical release was delayed until 2022…I can’t really tell. Either way, I didn’t hear it until this year, so for our purposes here, it’s a 2022 banger. Loud, caustic, and shouted at close range. Noise punk from Portland.

54. TORPORS - TV Genius

(turns out there is no video evidence of the band Torpors anywhere...so here's some info on Torpor as biological state. Learning also rocks!)

Now, this one I KNOW came out in 2021, but it came out at the end of December, after I had submitted last year’s list. So…get off my back. Get down from there and give this one a shot, it’s a good listen. Assuming you like noise rock more than piggyback rides.

53. DUG - Pain Machine

To play slow and heavy and not boring requires restraint and real skill. I think Dug got it. Skill, that is. And volume. And heft.

52. HIVE - Spiritual Poverty

Of the many bands operating under the moniker “Hive,” this one gets my vote as the best. At least in terms of a blistering version of metal-y, modern, noisy hardcore type music. Maybe there’s a “better” Hive out there, but I’m sticking with these dudes until proven wrong.

51. PLOSIVS - Plosivs

This shows up here and not way up the list because I think that I had such high expectations, and when I finally head it, it didn’t jump out and grab me with the wild abandon that I guess I was hoping for. That being said, I still revisited it quite a few times, and do enjoy that it’s a super high quality rock-n-roll rave up, and a good time to boot.

50. SPIRITUALIZED - Everything Was Beautiful

Maybe not the “best” Spiritualized record, but in a canon as impressive as theirs, a “not the best” record is still “way the fuck better” than most other band’s “best.” Know what I mean?

49. BLACK MAGNET - Body Prophecy

Industrial strength…uhhh…industrial music. But on the heavier side, and less of the dance-y stuff that gets the Goths on the floor to ‘This Corrosion.’ I am not a good dancer, so I prefer my industrial music to be more biting and less throbbing, which this is. But if you want to dance to it, by all means, let’s see your moves.

48. SPICE - Viv

The songs on this record that are “on” are fucking on. There are a few moments between those bangers that take some of the excitement out of the listen, but it’s safe to say that 2/3rds of this album is fantastic. Pretty good numbers if you asked me.

47. ANXIOUS WAVE - Live From The Poison Factory

If you found yourself a bit let down with the new Drug Church record (me), then this one might come in handy to give you the gruff-but-kinda-catchy post hardcore punch to the gut you were looking for.

46. HOTLINE TNT - When You Find Out

I’m a sucker for the sorta ramshackle, could-seemingly-care-less, approach of a good, noisy indie rock band. Always have been, especially when it’s frayed around the edges, and lapses into overt rocking when the time calls for it. Hotline TNT know which buttons to push, and I appreciate them for that. Only a four song ep from them this year, but it does what I was hoping it would do.

45. TRAUMA RAY - Transmissions

Last year had more of the big, heavy shoegaze stuff (Narrowhead, Nothing…that type thing), but Trauma Ray are a reminder that when you commit, it’s still a rewarding little subgenre niche. Stomping on a distortion pedal will always be welcomed in my home. House rules.

44. ABSENT IN BODY - Plague God

Maybe we are all far enough beyond the Neur-Isis post-metal nadir from 15 years ago, or whenever that was. Or maybe there is enough mechanical industrial backbone to this record. Or maybe it just caught me at the right time. It’s big, expansive, heavy, and moody…like your mom.

43. CLOAKROOM - Dissolution Wave

Dreamy and shimmering at times, but it only reflects the darkness. Upbeat and catchy at times, but never cloying or reliant on the sunny hook. Big, warm, and fuzzy at others, but considerably downtrodden. Make sense?

42. GILLA BAND - Most Normal

I’ve not been following this band until this record. I didn’t pay much attention when they were Girl Band, and I honestly thought it was a little hackneyed when they changed their name to Gilla Band, which made me want to hear them less. But this one kept popping up, so I stopped being stubborn and gave it a fair listen, and guess what? Here it is.

41. DADDY’S BOY - Great News

Daddy’s Boy play their version of hardcore real loose and real wide open. I mean, I guess it’s hardcore. Maybe it’s more a post-hardcore, and post-punk blend with liberal doses of noise rock? Something? Steve Albini recorded it, so that’s something that people get interested in, right? However you define it, I think you’ll enjoy it.

40. PRAYER GROUP - Michael Does

Lots of good things happening here that will get the ‘ole toes tappin’ and fingers snappin’. It’s an immense sound that takes over whatever you may be doing at the time (making whoopee? If you are pleasuring your lover to the Prayer Group album, you may want to reconsider your choice of dates), and gets you focused on whoever has most recently wronged you, and what your options for recourse may be to remedy that transgression.

39. MOON PUSSY / MIRAKLER - Split

Two songs a piece, but quite enough to leave a lasting mark. I dig that both of these bands have the ability to go for the throat if they want, but the restraint to know when to hold back a bit. Not, that they ever completely take their foot off the gas and start three part harmonies about snuggling, but they are able to play with noise and dynamics in a way that accentuates the big gnarly shit even more. Well done everyone.

38. SOUL GLO - Diaspora Problems

Are Soul Glo going to be the next Fucked Up? A band that transcends their hardcore foundations and becomes a darling of the festival circuit and the likes of Pitchfork or Brooklyn Vegan? Maybe. If they want to, then I hope it happens for them. They’ve certainly made a record that has injected all types of sounds into it, so much so that I hesitate to call it “hardcore” anymore. And that’s a compliment I would think. That being said, in my personal opinion the hip hop moments on this record seem a little undercooked and take away from some of the more buoyant moments. But that's me.

37. BUNUEL - Killers Like Us

File under (un)Easy Listening. A guided tour through the darker, less hospitable, challenging back alleys of modern music. Probably most known in our circles as the newest Eugene Robinson project, and that is something to get itchy about, but we need to acknowledge the musicians here have come together to make a record that drills into the back of your skull in a percussive criterion.

36. PET FOX - A Face In Your Life

Forever impressed with the amount of restraint Pet Fox shows when crafting their indie rock, sorta post-emo songs. It would be so easy to hit the volume and rock out everytime, but they know about the law of diminishing returns, and instead take a more, dare I say, sophisticated route (sophisticated, like me). Makes for a more timeless sound (timeless, like me), and songs that more slowly render themselves after repeated listens. Keeps it interesting (interesting, like me).

35. GNOD - Hexan Valley

A truly weird record, that takes that low end rumble that Mama Tick was so good at, and then adds in a droning heaviness that disorients and destabilizes. I mean, they go with a 15 minute bludgeoner as the second track. The whole thing is a lot to take in, but give it the time and it’s, as they say, ‘a sweet ride mama.” Maybe this one should have been further up the list in retrospect.

34. ASBESTOS WORKER - The Seperation

Feel bad destructo rock that will appeal to the kind of guy who wishes Scissorfight had recorded one more record. It swings, in a lumbering, drunken kinda way, and pummels….also in a lumbering, drunken kinda way. I don’t know if they misspelled the album title on purpose or not, but it seems pretty on brand.

33. THE SMILE - A Light For Attracting Attention

It’s not Radiohead, but if you enjoyed Radiohead back when they used guitars, then The Smile has some songs you’ll dig. My intelligence relayed that in a live setting The Smile were pretty boring (tickets were over $90…fuck that), and I can see how they might devolve into jazzy explorations, but on record they keep my attention, and I’ve really come around to this album. Lots of sneaky grooves, and lush layers, and that voice…it carries a lot of weight. I’m in. Baby doesn’t got the bends or anything, but…it’ll do.

32. HAMMERED HULLS - Careening

Ultimately this record won me over after initially not really being bowled over by the band’s prior release. Takes a certain skill set to update a tried and true sound in a way that harnesses all of the energy and verve that got you excited by the source material however many years ago, and then give it enough of a reworking to avoid the lazy nostalgia trip that would have been a lot easier to simply fall into. Helps if you WERE actually the source material in question…Faith, Bells Of, Untouchables, The Warmers, Autoclave, Helium, Ted Leo + The Pharmacists, The Make Up, Chain And The Gang…

31. WAILIN’ STORMS - The Silver Snake Unfolds

I’m always down for a lantern-lit slow trudge through a midnight swamp with Wailin’ Storms. Even with my fear of snakes…and general distrust of natural surroundings. I love the echoing strains playing between the Bald Cypress under a humid moon, knee deep in the ink black waters.

The Murder City Devils / Botch - Edge Of Quarrel split

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 18:37:00 +0000

Label: Excursion

Year: 1999

Jocks vs nerds, punks vs heshers, mods vs rockers...the cultural landscape is pockmarked from the age old rivalries that establish our pecking orders and keep our niches well defined. But, when the "movie" Edge Of Quarrel (and I use quotes, because it's somewhere lower than a B-movie...it's like, a C-) based their narrative on a Straight Edge vs Punk schism (sorry...X Schism X) that was comically far fetched at the time, but in retrospect is even more ridiculous. The fact that the movie posits "hardcore" to mean "straight edge" and "punk" to mean "tattoos" would confuse your casual viewer for certain. Hell, your mother never could tell the two apart! But to think that wearing an Acme patch to a Trial show was some sort of red flag to the straight edge cops is wild, considering that by the time this movie came out most of the world's varsity jackets had been traded in for gas station jackets festooned in His Hero Is Gone logos, is rich. I mean, it's all in good fun, and maybe seeing your favorite Seattle scensters stumble through their stilted dialogue is worth the price of admission. Pioneer Square runs red with the blood of their fisticuffs! And where is Kim Thayil during all of this?! Seriously...how do the Grungers fit into this rift?

As we ponder this, and the many other questions the movie generates, we can collectively enjoy two tracks featured in the film. Two bangers that I suppose run the gamut from "punk" to "hardcore," but are satisfying either way.

Record oddity: I believe this is the only record that I own that has an 33rpm side a, and 45rpm side b.

Warhammer 48k - Uber Om

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 01:11:00 +0000

Label: Emergency Umbrella
Year: 2004

Last time we visited with Warhammer 48k was back in 2009 and their 'Ethereal Oracle' album. A great album mind you. The band showed a trans-Atlantic kinship with big, noisy, lurching, rabid bands like Hey Colossus, Part Chimp, Todd, and Vandal X (Belgian, but I'm going to count it on account of the pomme frites). This time around (which is...stay with me...actually further back in time) listening to Warhammer 48k I hear different influences. This time I look west from their Missouri home and see Thrones, Karp, and Dead Low Tide, with their murky thunder soaked melody. Not that this is a "feel good" pop record, far from it, it's still very twisted and sinister. It rides high on bad vibes much like the SST catalog did circa 1984-1986, but it has the chops to keep their heads above water. Despite all the waves of seemingly formless noise washing over the post-sludge rock ocean bottom, they never lose direction or succumb to self-indulgent wankery.
Of note; "Haunted Abortion" is one of the better song titles you will hear today.
After this band, they moved to Chicago and formed Cave, which had an offshoot called Lazer Crystal, and one called Bitchin' Bajas in case you want to continue digging.
I'm already hungry for lunch at 8:39EST....am I pregnant?

*originally posted 08.14.15, reposted 11.15.22

Pain Teens / God And Texas - Bondage / 1066 split 7"

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 15:00:00 +0000

Label: Rave
Year: 1991

Pain Teens offer sunburnt Texan noise warps full of bad vibes and shitty intentions. Cultish industrial bum-out that drones out on a cautionary tale of rough sex.
God And Texas offer a grungy and more blunt version of old Husker Du meeting up with Drain. Maybe God Bullies are in there somewhere too. Either way, it's rock-n-roll for animals.
Two songs, bingo bango, you're done.

*originally posted 01.15.16, reposted 11.10.22

Mogwai - Mr. Beast

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 14:15:00 +0000

Label: [PIAS] Recordings
Year: 2006

It's all the Mogwai you want. The slow, epic, swelling builds. The regal, post rock towering riff dynamics. The pastoral longview across time and space. That famous Scottish optimism.
Sorry, I misspelled "dour self-deprecation", my mistake.
The guy from Envy sings on one of the songs. Which, by the way, is anyone else here old enough to remember when Envy was a hardcore band? Hell, how about when they were called Blind Justice? Cause, no joke, I knew them as this kinda straight edge hardcore band, and I didn't realize they had morphed into some sort of post rock something or other, but by the time they did I had checked out on Envy (super open minded guy that I am), and missed that whole thing. I would go back now and look into it...but...pretty sure there's an episode of COPS on television that I've only seen 8 times.

*originally posted 10.04.18, reposted 11.10.22

Big Business - Tour ep III

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 13:54:00 +0000

Label: Wantage USA
Year: 2008

Three songs here, two of which would show up on the 'Mind The Drift' lp and one which is a Shocking Blue cover. I believe, and correct me if I'm wrong, that these are different recordings than what ended up on the album.
Is it possible to pull a muscle in your heart? Or, is there such thing as a three day long, extremely minor heart attack? I've had this pain in the left side of my chest since Sunday (today is Tuesday to all my Gregorian hustlas) that feels like I'm pulling on a sore muscle when I move in certain ways. Most notably when I raise my (double) chin up and to the right, or lift me left arm and pull it back. Seems like this could be death knocking on my door, so I sorta want to know if I should be expecting to live three more days, a month, twenty minutes? Somebody please call an ambulance.

* originally posted 08.25.15, reposted 11.10.22

Crust - Sacred Heart Of Crust

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 17:22:00 +0000

Label: Trance Syndicate
Year: 1990

Set the oven to "Fucked" and bake up another chilaquile layered with blues damage, warped honky tonk noise, industrial throb, and general raucous-n-roll. Sprinkle with mescaline prior to serving.

This is the record that started Trance Syndicate down a long and illustrious...and pockmarked, and dusty, and by all accounts unsafe...road.

Crust would earn money by passing a collection tray at shows. Shows that praised the Sacred Heart of Crust, a debauched and grotesque idol to noise. Beats the ole, "we have shirts for sale in the back" shtick. You'll hear the martial preaching theme run through this release, albeit preaching for that which is unholy and obscene. Church should be this fun.

If you've gotten this far in life without knowing what Crust sounds like, and find yourself on the fence as to whether or not this is a record you're prepared for, my best assessment would be: (old) Cop Shoot Cop mixed with Ed Hall mixed with a little bit of Feederz and a little bit of (old) Butthole Surfers. Unsanitary at best.

*originally posted 11.02.15, reposted 10.22.20, posted for final time 11.04.22

White Zombie - Gods On A Voodoo Moon

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 13:30:00 +0000

Label: self released
Year: 1985

Before he was know by the Zombie surname, and before all the thunder kissing and "yeeeeaahs" that would bring White Zombie fame and fortune, they were a scrappy, noisy, underground rock band that took their cues from punk, death rock, and noise rock. And it being 1985, and the band being broke, and recording studios being in short supply, this release SOUNDS like a scrappy, noisy, underground rock band from 1985. It's raw and wobbly (this file comes from the cassette release, complete with occasional warps), but if you like your Pussy Galore mixed with Helios Creed and 45 Grave, then this one is for you.
Numero Group gave this a proper remastering and re-release in 2016, but...that shit's expensive. This version has the two extra cassette tracks not on the original 7" version.

Wonder what ever happened to these guys....(actually, one of them turned up in Dead Heavens...but the others...who knows?)

* originally posted 07.11.18, reposted 11.04.22

Helmet - Blacktop

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 13:17:00 +0000

Label: Bootleg
Year: 1991

Live recording from February 28, 1991 prior to the release of 'Meantime', when the band was playing extra mean. And, bonus, they start the set with my personal favorite 'Sinatra', right into 'FBLA'...so, pretty hard to beat. And, double bonus (triple if you're keeping actual score), there are two unidentified, ostensibly unreleased songs in the set. Chances are there's a super sleuth out there who could identify them both (the first one sounds like the chorus is "Drag", the second one has some growled monosyllabic chorus I can't make out), but McGruff I ain't, so for now they remain 'Unknown'.
What are you waiting for?

*originally posted 11.28.16, reposted 11.04.22

The Theory Of Abstract Light - The Theory Of Abstract Light

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 13:09:00 +0000

Label: Tortuga
Year: 2002

One half of the formidable heavy drone duo 5ive, Ben Carr further pushes away from Earth to float across the galaxy on a wave of pulsating guitar manipulations. From acoustic, to electric, to something barely recognizable as guitar, he weaves in and out of your conscious mind on the ebb and flow of a wash of sound that hints at something terrible just on the edge of you vision.
The clumsy name aside, this record is something to let take over your environment, not something you listen to "for fun". Try it out while doing whatever creative endeavor it is that you do (would you like to see my collection of charcoal nudes some day?), and let its dark ambiance ride across your mind. See what you get.

*posted 06.30.17, reposted 11.04.22

El Buzzard - El Gringa

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 13:01:00 +0000

Year: 2006

Label: The Electric Human Project

Self described as a "noise metal" band, these fuckers came out of San Jose and laid waste to shit. You'd have never guessed they spawned from mid nineties screamo spazzes, Mohinder, but lo and behold, that's just what they did. Gringa was their last will and testament before breaking up and reforming as Breasts. On this record they continue to play slash and burn, loud as shit skuzz rock with heavy Unsane and Karp leanings, but this time around there's a slight late-period Black Flag vibe creeping in. The warped stoner proto-metal riffing that Greg Ginn was experimenting with round about 1985 rears it's ugly head here, and seems to fit in just fine. This is a dirty, raw, punked out rawk trip.

*originally posted 09-05-08, reposted 10-07-15, reposted for the final time 03-05-19...and then when I wasn't paying attention...reposted AGAIN 11-04-20

El Buzzard - El Buzzard

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 20:00:00 +0000

Year: 2004

Label: self released

I've posted another record by this band earlier on this blog, and I had this one cued up and ready to go a long time ago, but forgot to get it up here. Sorry about that. Not that you knew I was going to get it up here...but...well, you get my drift.

If you liked the aforementioned "Gringa" record then you'll like this one too. It was their first album, and it leaned a little heavier to the faster, more unhinged side of their songwriting prowess. Later in their "career" they slowed things down, started fucking with odd (anti)production techniques, and coated the punk with a creeping sludge. This version is kinda of a noise rock via west coast power violence attack. Whatever you describe it as, these motherfuckers were going for it, and the results were pretty alright by me.

*Originally posted 10.02.08, reposted 04.26.17, reposted for the last time 09.21.22

V/A - We No Fun - Athens-Atlanta 2009-2010

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 00:23:00 +0000

Label: We No Fun
Year: 2010

You are excused if the minor scene politics that accompanied the release of this record flew right over your head, as they weren't that big a deal anyway, and I don't think anyone cared 15 minutes afterwards.
Short version; Atlanta was chronicled in the documentary 'We Fun', which spotlighted the garage punk scene that centered around Rob's House and Die Slaughterhaus Records, and featured Black Lips and their satellite system. All good fun I guess, but those bands only represented one side of a much larger underground world of music, and the working musicians who made their own orbits may or may not have felt short changed by the lack of coverage in what was billed as a sort of "this is Atlanta" type film. Or maybe they never took it that seriously. Probably not. Or maybe.
Whatever the case, 'We No Fun' became the clearinghouse for another version of the city (and neighboring Athens), exposing a seedier underbelly of sorts. Less 'rock club' and more 'eviction house party', you know? The sounds of guys and girls weaned on smelly punk rock shows getting their kicks giving kicks.

The Bands:
Vera Fang - shout at the devil, and then continue shouting at everything and everyone else ever. Forever.
Brass Castle - the twin towers of power come staggering out of the gates with this motorik damage Kraut fuck that threatens to cloud over your weekend. Stay inside.
Retconned -try playing a Slaves 7" in a floppy disc drive and this paranoid chant is about right.
The Sunglasses - frayed edge post hardcore noise blow out. Easy cum, easy go home and eat a pizza.
Judi Chicago - dance floor freakazoid . I would hang the DJ, but he slit his wrists hours ago.
Hollow Stars - post punk informed stomper.
Lay Down Main - a touch of DC post hardcore propulsion commandeered by Atlanta noise rock alums who now how to rock noise.
SIDS - death-rock-y synth spazz that drags the corpse of a hundred mid-nineties emo bands through the swamps of your black memory. Their track gets split across two cuts.
Skin Problems - trash can Geza X ugliness, busted robot rock.
HAWKS - brutish, disrespectful, and easily agitated. Mouthbreathers to boot.
Thy Mighty Contract - threw you for a loop, but circles back to help you home. Loud on loud.
Chrissakes - back against the wall low blow throwing unstable types. Quintessential noise rock.
High Marks - Suicide solutions. Minimal to the max.
Chopper - if your friends started a motorcycle club for fun, this would be the house band.
Electrosleep Int'l - throw your future against the wall and laugh as the remnants slide dripping to the floor of your mind. Overboard always.

*Originally posted 05.17.16, reposted 09.14.22

Seaweed - Bill

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 01:46:00 +0000

Year: 1992

Label: Sub Pop

Seaweed sort of mastered a very specific version of punk rock that leans heavily into the catchiest parts of indie rock, but always keeps the guitars cranked and the tempo charging enough to steer it back onto the punk highway. I wish this could be called pop punk without conjuring up all the awful spirits of Fat Records and SoCal bros in boardshorts and Pennywise t shirts. Because truly, this is what the term pop punk SHOULD mean; it's punk but with pop harmony earworms buried in the charging guitars. But alas, much like the term "emo" has been co-opt and bastardized, so has "pop punk."

Oh well, Seaweed would probably appreciate not being labelled as such anyway. Can't blame them. But I do love them. And I love these two songs, one of which would show up on the 'Weak' album that came out the same year, which is an all time favorite record of mine. If you were keeping score.

Alabaster Suns - Alabaster Suns

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 19:15:00 +0000

Label: Iron Pig
Year: 2009

Previously mentioned in the Capricorns post below here you have a five song , the only five songs from this band that I know of, noise rock/post hardcore/semi-metal powerhouse.
In this band you can really hear the influence of Kevin Williams' old band Fabric shining through with the disjointed staggering rhythms, and the post hardcore heft. In this band, they have added more volume and thickness to the sound which becomes the link between this project and Capricorns (which this band emerged from). You will also note that while Capricorns are roughly 60% instrumental, Alabaster Suns are about 45% so. There are vocals in every song, just not lots of them. Which is fine. It works.
So, if you fancy your noise rock loud and with a dose of metallic swing (a la American Heritage), then I recommend going with this guy(s) here.

*originally posted 09.23.15, reposted 09.02.22

1.6 Band - Tongue Family Style

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 02:35:00 +0000

Label: Sunspot
Year: 1992

New York by birth, but D.C. in their minds? 1.6 Band took some of the scrappy ABC No Rio version of their hometown hardcore, but ran it through a deep love affair with the mid-to-late-80's Dischord Records discography. Comes across as a vibrant, punchy take on post hardcore, which, let's be honest with each other, is the kind of take you want taken if it's for the taking.
Kevin Egan from Beyond, and later of The Last Crime sings.
Vin Novara, later of Crown Hate Ruin, Alarms & Controls, and Crayon plays drums.
Lance Jaeger, also of Beyond plays bass.
Mike Yanicelli, briefly of Die 116 plays guitar.
Wharton Tiers who recorded most everybody recorded this.

It's good.

*originally posted 02.12.18, reposted 08.30.22

World's Fastest Car - Demo Recordings

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 02:50:00 +0000

Label: bootleg
Year: 1998

Lot's of Walter lately...what's going on?
Well, I'll tell you.
At the risk of revealing the proverbial "how sausage is made", or "inside baseball", or what the fuck ever phrase is correct, I'll grant you a sneak peek into the inner workings of this very blog. This one, right here. See, since this (the blog) has gone from a sweaty orgy of it's heyday (relatively speaking...the heyday, not the orgy...that part was happening on the regs) to a one man champagne jam of today (champagne of beers mainly) it can be difficult to stay motivated or productive when dealing with this (again, talking about the blog...the beers are not a problem, hence my quadruple chin). Sometimes I need a kick in the pants to stay on task and keep this ship afloat until our captain (oh captain, my captain) returns from his exile to regain control of the rudder.
Sometimes that inspiration can come from unlikely sources, as it did in this case. A short pep talk and the kernel of an idea has now blossomed into a blog related project (as nerdy as that sounds) of me compiling a list of favorite records to post. Specifically, in this case, I'm going for NYHC 7"s, since it's a particular sweet spot for me. More on that soon (I'm almost done pulling all the shit together).
Point being, I've been balls deep in a NYHC rabbit hole of late, and naturally that involves a whole heaping helping of Walter Schreifels related ephemera. Including his not so NYHC mid-late 90's post-Quicksand project, World's Fastest Car.

After a hasty break-up with Quicksand, Walter called on Arthur from Mind Over Matter/Bad Trip, Alex from Chain Of Strength/Inside Out/Against the Wall and drummer Erik Stams, and went about fleshing out a new batch of songs that broke away from the chugging staccato of Quicksand and went into a more melodic direction. It didn't last very long though, and while in retrospect Walter has said he gives this period and material much more credit than he did at the time, the band never really congealed into a working unit. Plus, a lucrative Quicksand reunion offer was offered...and taken (briefly), so World's Fastest Car came and went.

Two demo recording sessions are culled together here representing the whole of the World's Fastest Car demo repertoire (I think). A good amount of these songs were reanimated into Rival Schools numbers, but some were jettisoned and never heard from again. Which is a shame, as they are great songs. As you would expect. There is a whole album recorded that features some of these songs (different versions), but that was never released. Island and Revelation Records passed on it once the band broke up before it's release date was even set.

*originally posted 08.27.15, reposted 08.28.22

Spore - Giant

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 02:31:00 +0000

Label: Taang!
Year: 1994

Hey, look who's here!
Let's jump back into our old ways, alright? I'll write rambling non sequiturs about music, or my life, or what you could be doing for me, then I'll post a link to a record that I find enjoyable, and then you'll slink through the internets to download that album, and our business will be complete. No hugs.

And, what better way to get back on the horse, than to time travel back to Boston circa that city's high water mark of brutish, lumbering noise rock; 1994. Awash in ugly feedback, and fuzzed out low end stomp, Boston had a confederation of bands that were grinding alternative rock under their bootheels. Slughog, Pinto, Thrall, Black Helicopter, Green Magnet School, La Gritona, Luca Brasi, Bull-Roarer, Glazed Baby, Quintane Americana, Non Compos Mentis, and Tree. Tons of bands lurking in the shadows of that town. Well, Spore were front and center, plying their trade of volume and mass, deafening rooms one show at a time. And while they certainly fit within the Boston scene from whence they were birthed, Spore had two elements that set them apart from their peers (almost said "Beantown peers"...but changed my mind); they incorporated a hint of Midwestern noise rock into their sound, and they had the bonus of both make and female vocals trading off (it's a noise rock X!). Both are pleasant additions if you asked me...and I imagine you did. Don't you always?

*originally posted 04.15.16, reposted 08.28.22

V/A - Enlightenment 10"

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 02:25:00 +0000

Label: Soledad
Year: 1997

Four bands, each represented by one track. The common thread is written in the insert; "Tried to climb to new heights, but couldn't hold it together".
Thrones go first, and come out of he gate like a molasses covered lightening bolt. I assure you that the speed is correct, even though you will fight me about it for at least the first 30 seconds of this song. It's uglier than anything else you will encounter today (and knowing your mom, that's really saying something...ouch! Zinger!). Recorded by Justin Trosper of Unwound for extra points.
Spaceboy go second, and do a pretty convincing job of out-weirding Thrones. They go for a Breadwinner-after-a-hard-night-of-drinking sound that goes from here to there to back over there to out to the moon and then back under your thumbnail. All the metal in the world combined into all this metal.
Lice go third, and show no interest in making your day brighter or your whites whiter. They go wretched, they go gnarly, and I'm pretty sure they could give a shit if you go with them.
Toadliquor go fourth, and wrap this thing up with a slow motion bang. Psych resin that plods forth from within a collapsing star. Super fucked.

It's all super fucked.

*originally posted 04.18.16, reposted 08.28.22

Flipper - Sex Bomb Baby!

noreply@blogger.com (Gray) — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 02:18:00 +0000

Label: Subterranean
Year: 1987

Issued as a compilation of early singles and compilation tracks originally released in 1981 and 1982, this record served as a tribute to the (then) recently deceased bassist/vocalist Will Shatter, the creative impetus of Flipper.
The potency of these songs has not, and does not appear that they ever will, diminish. Flipper took hardcore and drove it into a wall, over and over. Beyond damaged. The sound they achieved was borderline maniacal, a warped dull drill bit boring into the front of your face.
If you haven't listened in awhile...it's still as fucked as you remember.
Mood music for bouts of dementia.

Enjoy?

*originally posted 11.07.17, reposted 08.28.22