|
|
 |
||
|
Record Reviews
- December, 2000 Bladder Bladder Bladder "No Control" 7"
B Movie Rats "I-94 Live" CD The
B Movie Rats… Live! Is this really that necessary? I mean,
I’ve seen the ‘Rats live, they’re not so fucking exceptional
that they need a live CD! Which isn’t to say they suck. By no means
am I saying that. In fact, if you don’t own their debut album you’re
a goddamn retard! Buy a ticket to a B Movie Rats show, do not buy a B
Movie Rats "Live" CD. In addition, there are 100 2XCDs floating
around with a bonus live show on a CDR. Again, what’s the point?
(JD) Bob City/Them Wranch 7" The
same can be said about the Them Wranch side as the other review I did
- go there. Bob City was supposedly one of the highlights of the recent
Columbus Fest, so say certain attendees. It's pretty powerful rock 'n
roll with a slight country edge. I guess they've added a new member or
two and are now "much better." They sound pretty good to me
right here. (TK) Chargers "Street Gang Funhouse" 7" I
saw these chaps last Spring or so and thought they were pretty good. Then
they came back a month or so ago and blew me away. Man... They cover Pere
Ubu and conjure up Iggy/MC5/Dead Boys like nobody's beeswax. They're also
one of the more energetic live acts you'll ever see. This 45 has some
odd production quirks that annoy me a bit, but this is pretty good all-the-right-influences
rock 'n roll. They've gotten better since recording this, so I think you
should stay on the lookout for future product. (TK) Clone Defects "Lizard Boy" 7" EP The
boys are at it again. I like that sentence; it sounds like the beginning
of a Disney movie! Who let the dogs out? Who? Who Who? Who? What’s
this, like the Clone Defects 3rd 7" or something? Being some of their
best work yet, the Clone Defects’ sound is really maturing to something
I REALLY like. Part Stooges, part Iggy Pop (you know, the lead singer
of The Stooges who had a lustrous solo career that many actually prefer
over his work with the Stooges), part Germs, ripping guitars... my only
complaint is that the songs tend to be a lil' bit longer than the stuff
I’m accustomed to and trust me, I really had to reach to see that
problem. In reality, Clone Defects’ song length is definitely something
I can learn to live with and hell, maybe even come to prefer. The first
song on "side a" I remember from the only time I’ve seen
the Clone Defects live (in the dank hole known as The Legendary Mantis
Gallery in Kent, Ohio). It’s called "Rouge River Rebel"
and it is the scorcher of the whole EP if you ask me. Not a weak track
on this one though. This EP is a turning point for this band. They are
soon to be legends as I see it. LEGENDS! So, does that mean that its time
for the Clone Defects to breakup and branch out that 90's Michigan Punk
root even more? I hope not. I want the Clone Defects to be around for
a LONG while. Please! I’m fucking begging here!! I’m fucking
pathetic. So fucking pathetic... Walt-Disney presents The Clone Defects
LIZARD BOY! Stay dirty boys. Stay dirty. (SAB) Compulsive Gamblers "Crystal Gazing Luck Amazing" LP
Contenders/Backstabbers "Live in the Big Sleazy" LP Think The Embarassment. Think The Testors. Think The Eat. Think The (Detroit) Dogs! Apparently these two bands, The Contenders and Backstabbers that is, are linked somehow. I read the liner notes twice, that means two times, and I still don’t fucking get it. Here, just today, I took a Screw Machine down at work that was making a particular screw... Well, I came back from first break and received the order to stop production on that machine's order. So as commanded, I began to re-tool the machine to make a different screw. This is something not everyone can do! I mean fuck I held my own against an Underwriters Laboratories guy when asked some pretty tense questions about my job. So, I changed the tooling, cut-off, form-tool. Re-set dimensions. I ground it to shoulder height on one tool with a surface grinder. I even fabricated a new pick-off using a lathe.... Not easy shit. I know I’m not stupid. I mean here I am doing all this shit to a fucking machine...I found out my trainee; someone I’m training who cant even sharpen a cut-off yet (I sharpened five today) BUT was a Lieutenant in The Special Forces in Vietnam. Shit, maybe I could have been a fucking major or something! I don’t mean to belittle the guy. I like him even more now since I found something interesting to talk with him about besides his need for eye-glasses... but what I’m getting at is that it really bothers me that I have read these liner notes twice AND STILL DONT GET THE BANDS STORY! Yeah, I could go for a third time but that would really be trying. I could read them out loud and use a sheet of paper to reveal one line at a time, but fuck it. THAT’S TRYING! Who cares!?! Both these bands are linked via the singer, I think. This
LP hit me like the Unnatural Axe CD did. Did you see that picture of the
Axe in that re-issue CD? Their fucking hair was feathered!!! Parted in
the middle!!!! Well, the Contenders and Backstabbers don’t fare much
better. Bet they were some real rock and roll lookers back in the 70s
and 80's. Thank god they had Dolls and Stooges records to mimic. Fucking
'classic' dudes! A hat? Fucking 'slick' cat! SLICK! Both bands absolutely
rage though! Especially The Contenders (latter of the two I suppose).
They bring to mind The Testors more and more each time I hear "Junkyard".
Song structures remind me of earlier Embarassment tracks and the songs
basic melodies bring to mind The Eat. The first two tracks are fucking
knifes, "Drug City" and "Little Murders"! The Backstabbers
are more Heartbreakers than the Contenders, but it's still all-good. They
cover "Pirate Love" and do it pretty well. They remind me of
The Dogs too. They aren’t as rocking but have a certain Detroit gritty-ness
to them. I suppose that grit is what bands like The Stooges and MC5 do,
or should I say did? Does it even still happen? Fucking liner notes. I
can hear some Testors in The Backstabbers too, which I’m not complaining
about. All in all, I will declare this volume of The Lost American Punk
Nuggets a worthwhile purchase. It’s no Los Reactors, Dogs or Testors
but then again it definitely kicks the fuck out of The Village Pistols.
I’m listening to what Susie Says... (SAB) Das Boot/Sweet Japanese American Princesses "Split" 7"
Demons "...Come Bursting Out" CD My
buddy LP from the Derks insisted that I buy "that Demons record,
cuz it sounds just like us." So I bought it. And sure - there are
"moments," but it's more slowed-down and polished. Then I found
out that I was supposed to buy the "other album." Oh well. This
one's pretty decent rock 'n roll punk, but the "other album"
is both better and more Derks-like, for the 4 of you that know what the
heck I'm talking about. Snuh. (TK) Dexter "Snackhouse" CD This
band has an unearthly vibe to them. They structure their tracks in waves.
One song will be a calm instrumental and the next track will shoot out
some frantic rock ‘n’ roll. Dexter combines different rock ‘n’
roll tones that sound totally Western America. You know what they remind
me of, that oddball movie Six String Samurai. If you digged the
music in that movie or just like more experimental rock ‘n’
roll that doesn’t sound like shit, you should check these boys out.
(JD) Dogs "Fed Up" CD/LP Here's
a band that was around in sum sorta' configured during the late '60s in
Detroit. They then moved to LA for the punk explosion. I feel that there
are a lot of apologists for the "Detroit Sound" ("The Up,"
anyone?), and while some of this falls into that category, tunes like
"Slash Your Face" are undeniable. They also do a pretty great
version of the oft-covered "Shakin' All Over" - not in the Cows'
league (perhaps too much to expect), but pretty fuggin' great nevertheless.
OK, complaints aside, I've listened to this a fuggova' lot, so there you
go. (TK) Donnas "Definitely a Classy Record from..." 7" EP I’m
not the biggest Donnas fan, and this isn’t the first record I own
by the Donnas either. This is a live EP featuring five songs. The recording
is lo-fi and really captures that realish feeling of being there. Let’s
face it, in the majority of any clubs any punk band may play in, the sound
system sucks. Let’s enjoy a record that embraces such uncontrollable,
yet constant, hurdles that face us. This record embraces things I rant
on and on about when I’m drinking Whiskey mixed with Sunny Delight.
This record isn’t going to make any new fans for the Donnas but is
one that already fans of the Donnas will love. Do the Donnas really need
any bigger fan base anyway? I mean do they REALLY want to be on MTV's
TRL? (SAB) Dream Dates "Moans On The Phone" 7"
Figgs "Sucking in Stereo" CD One
of the great live bands on the planet - believe it. They have a UK sound
that I'm not normally fond of, but they somehow overcome this aberration.
They just got dumped from a major label, and this is the "indie"
follow-up. It's been remarked that this album displays their "rock"
side over their "pop" side - normally a good thing, but not
so much in this case. What do they sound like? Kinks/Elvis Costello/Sonics/power
pop. A few of these tunes are so "radio friendly" that I wanna'
ralph, but the gems is still gems. If yer a fan, you'll remain so. (TK) Headgrenade "S/T" CD Oh…
Ooh… Ugh… I don’t really know say about these guys. They’re
not really wining me over with lyrics like, "Freedom is the car I
drive free to buy my fuck / Free to buy not free to die but free to choose
my fuck / Free from my sobriety not free from notoriety." I didn’t
know Headgrenade were so famous. This is your basic late 80’s hardcore
with a dash of death metal. If that’s your bag then here you go.
(JD) Highschool Rockers "Danger!" 7"
Japanic "The Social Disease" CD Yeah!
Neoteric all the way! Japanic is a total Servotron/Talking Heads inspired
no-wave punk group. Their music is very eerie and automated with the two
keyboards and two vocalists pulsating on the tracks. The perpetual beats
and melodies are like a synapse-surge to the brain. If Japanic isn’t
an originative band for the new millenium, I don’t know what is.
(JD) Le Shok/Ink and Dagger split 7" EP Ink
and Dagger. Whatever. Reminds me of second rate Circus Lupus or a third
rate Nation of Ulysses or a twice-removed Cupid Car Club. Each of those
bands I mentioned I like, but still, I just didn’t connect with Ink
and Dagger. The drummer of The Socials did though and that is saying something.
His name is Jerry. He actually liked them a lot and asked me who was playing
several times in an attempt to concrete the band’s name in his head.
"In and Dagger" I told him. You see, Jerry and his self-proclaimed
Millenium Falcon (his van) is the pilot of The Socials. That means he
drives us to the shows and hence, controls what we listen to. From his
days in a band called Croatan he makes us (meaning me, and the Ms. Communication
who rounds out our line-up) listen to what we call REALLY BAD MUSIC before
each show because he sez that its supposed to inspire us to rock out.
Well, that’s what it did with Croatan and the weird thing is, it
actually works with the Misses and me too. I can see Jerry hunting down
a CD by Ink and Dagger and playing it for us so I suppose I better listen
to their track on this split AND LEARN TO LIKE IT! Then when he puts it
on I can say how much I like Ink and Dagger so he will be inspired to
put on some really bad shit, like the best of Motley Crue AND WE WILL
ROCK OUT (but why cant the really bad music be Foreigner?). Making the
North Koreans proud with my own self-styled psychological war! Le Shok
once again kick some ass. Their song on this split is probably one of
their best. "Electrical Digits". Le Shok are fucking gods. They
are the most impressive thing on their side of the Mississippi. HANDS
DOWN! Playing a Le Shok record is like launching a five-megaton rock and
roll tipped Nuke at that one point in California where you hit it with
enough powerful explosives and Desert property turns into ocean front
real estate! Lex Luthor remembered! (SAB) Load "Feel The Power" CD Load
is a pretty hard rockin’ band with a bad attitude. Most of their
tunes are fast and full of guitar power. The guy on vox sounds like a
young Lee Ving. If you’re prone to ear-damage and snatching candy
from little babies look for Load. There’re 12 tracks including, "Whole
Lotta Nothin", "Fogerty Shadows", and "Eternally Stupid."
(JD) Loudmouths/Rocks "Split" 7" Come
on! You fuckers shouldn’t even need a reason to get any of the Loudmouths
records! Earsplitting, offensive, and fucked up, the Loudmouths are a
premiere punk band outta San Francisco. They have all the attitude you’ll
ever need, so get with it! The Rocks are a pumped-up Ramones. Their tunes
are pretty fuckin’ infectious and you know all the cretins are a’
hoppin’! The Rocks aren’t too bad, but I’ve gotta give
to the Loudmouths who have much more energy. *Good Shit* (JD) Metros "I Gotta Go" 7" "On
loan from Rip Off…" The Metros are an above average 60’s
garage punk group. Can I assume that you all have their LP on Rip Off
Records? It’s good asshole, get it. Now that I have disposed of that
riff raff, those of you who are not assholes do not need this 7".
In spite of the fact that their song "I Gotta Go" is pretty
decent and sounds like it was taken from their LP sessions (and probably
should have been keep on the LP), the Metros cover of "Lookin’
for Danger" is way better. And I make a point not to by a 7"
that has better covers than originals. It just makes the band’s material
sound like shit. (JD) Mistreaters "Grab Them Cakes" LP Muscular
Crypt-wallop of the highest order. This album (especially the near-flawless
A Side) takes the strengths of the single - loose garage hunch 'n roll
- and ups the ante with the rock-solid balls they've been, uh, flexing
onstage as of late. "Rico Rico Rico" and "SC Twist"
are particular standouts that display everything good about mid-period
Crypt, while remaining unique to the band. Methinks the upcoming Estrus
single will kill. (TK) Panther Burns "Panther Phobia" LP Not
sure on the release on this one, but I THINK it came out this year. Regardless
- Tav Falco is timeless. Tav is one of the few souls in the '80s who could
do the roots thang without making it into a joke. This album is pretty
laid back...I guess he'll never return to the early psychotic days, but
no matter. This is the kinda' record you could play for your "square"
pals, and they'd complain that the band couldn't play, etc…there's
something not so subtly off about the 'Burns. It's all part of Tav's plan,
lemme tell you. Once yer cued in on his song logic, yer set for a lifetime
'o great Panther Burns recs. (TK) Pekinska Patka "Plitka Poezija" LP Not
sure how long ago this boot was released (the songs are over 20 years
old, Paco, so lighten up), but this is mighty fab. These guys were one
of the highlights of the actually- great "Bloodstains Across Yugoslavia,"
and I was so impressed that I nearly released some '78 demos that a band
member had passed along (did they ever come out?). Varied punk-to-pop-to-near-hardcore
from that magical time period. Great fucking singer. This album contains
the first three singles and the best tracks (their words) from the second
album. Happy hunting. (TK) Penetrators "Kings of Basement Rock" LP (American Lost Punk Rock Nuggets Volume 12) 1960
Gibson Melody Maker (sold with accompanying amp) played CLEAN. Devilishly
clean. I like it. I don’t think that the Penetrators ax man, Elliot
"spike" Kagan is REALLY playing a Melody Maker but that’s
just about the exhaustion of my vintage guitar knowledge and that’s
just because that’s the same kind of guitar my fiancée plays (except
she runs out of a Marshall, and not as clean of a sound as Spike has).
Hell, I’m not even too sure it is 1960 even! I don’t know too
much about 60's garage punk but I do know enough to know this fulfills
the criteria. I like allot of what I hear on this LP, except the "#1
Band In Town Song"... songs like that remind me too much of rap music’s
boasting and self-glorification and since I see rap as the NEW disco (therefore
we must smash it) the song just didn’t do it for me. Side one has
"Stop Action" as a standout. I like all of Side B though. That’s
the side that basically has Spike and Mr. Curtis Seals doing the bit-nits
(business) and taking care of bit-nits they do! Well, they do have help
here and there but they kick some ass! "Rock and Roll Face",
"Shopping Bag", "Baby Dont'cha Tell Me"... that shit
just does it for me! I see Spikes name pop up on The Killed By Message
Board from time to time and I know he will get ahold of this review to
read it sometime... Spike, my message to you is to find Curtis, get a
bass player, get a set together and get out there AGAIN! There’s
definitely a place for the Penetrators in today’s punk rock scene,
well that’s what I think anyway. Its Sunday night as I write this.
I have to wake up at 4:30 AM tomorrow morning and make screws. I listen
to The Penetrators and I want to find some sunglasses and drink all night.
Dangerous. I can’t do shit like that. I wasn’t sure when I first
started listening to this LP if it really fit into the criteria Rave Up
has established for their 'American Lost Punk Rock Nuggets' series but
now, after several listens, I say with confidence that it DEFINITLY does!
Terrible, TERRIBLE cover art though. There’s no working around it.
Next time the sunglasses band members would be adequate. (SAB) Pinkos "To My Valentine" 7" The
first song really made me feel that I'd made a smart purchase - funny
(on porpoise? I dunno') and rockin' politico-punk. The other three were
acoustic and banal, at least too my feral tastes. Oh well. They must do
somethin' cool live. (TK) Ritchie Whites "Stop Me Before I Kill Again" 7"
Rotters "Pull and Yell" CD/LP Another
late '70s KBD band gets the singles-plus-unreleased treatment. This LA
band is probably best known for a couple tunes on various KBD comps and
the radio "hit" "Sit on my Face Stevie Nicks." They
make a big deal outta' their UK influence in the liner notes, claiming
to know nothing about the Ramones, and the earliest tracks seem to confirm
this - faux-accents ablarin'. By the time of, say, "Pink Flamingos,"
da Brudders' influence is loud and clear. I dunno', these tracks are amusing
and fun in individual doses, but a bit much to take over the course of
an entire album. Perhaps it's me??? (TK) Scared Of Chaka "Seven Stories Tall: Singles ‘94-‘99" CD Jeez,
Scared Of Chaka. Have they been around since 1993? You know I’ve
never really bought any of their records. I mean, I’ve heard them
on numerous comps that I’ve picked up over the years, but I’ve
really never thought much of their work. Thanks 702; this is a kickass
CD! Scared Of Chaka is melodic punk band. There is no other way to describe
them. They could be a pop punk band, but they just have too much fire
in their songs. Their feet are planted firmly in punk’s roots and
they keep their songs short and sweeeet, the only way they should be played.
If you’re a fan of the group you’ll definitely get your money’s
worth with 27 tracks off their 7"ers, 11 live tracks, and a bonus
organ styled ditty; that’s 39 tracks! Yeah, I’d say it’s
worth it. (JD) Screeching Weasel "Teen Punks In Heat" CD/LP I
guess I’m the resident pop punk fan here, so I felt like reviewing
this even if Joe already did one a couple of months ago. Lets set this
straight: In the early 90’s, Screeching Weasel was quite simply the
best pop punk band of all-time. The influence of albums like "My
Brain Hurts" and "Anthem For A New Tomorrow" on modern
pop punk is undeniable. However, the first two records they did after
getting back together in ‘96 sounded weak, uninspired and sadly,
like a band that probably shouldn’t have gotten back together in
the first place. So, just when it looked like they could have come out
with their worst and most uninspired album to date, they turned it around,
went completely against the grain and made a fan-alienating and highly
personal album that turned out to be one of their best records ever in
"Emo". It was a truly great album and a bold new direction for
a band that looked like they would be suffering from "bad reunion"
karma forever. While I really wished they would have taken that direction
towards their musical sound for good, "Teen Punks In Heat" is
not a step back, even though it is not as good of an album as "Emo".
What is apparent in listening to this album is that SW no longer sound
like they’re going through the motions. They sound like a band again
and not simply a nostalgic object. The fire, emotion and fun in their
songs have returned to Ben’s songwriting. So the pop punk crowd can
whine all they want about how SW "just ain’t the same no more".
I’ll take an inspired Screeching Weasel doing their own thing with
great new tunes like "Things Seem All Fucked Up Today" and "I
Don’t Want It" over the all hordes of generic, soulless pop
punk bands around any fucking day of the week. (SA) Screws "S/T" LP Yeah,
yeah - it took me long enough to buy this puppy, especially since I dug
it from the first spin over a year ago, but I can't own everything. Not
yet, mind you. This may be my favorite Mick Collins project, which is
saying a heap if ya' ever heard the Gories or the Dirtbombs. Killer covers
of "I Hate Music" and "Kill Someone You Hate" rub
shoulders with Collins' fucked up noise-garage swang 'n drang. It’s
definitely one of the better albums to come out in the last couple years.
If you haven't acted yet, you better do so. (TK) Strap-Ons "Prom Mom" 7" The
Strap-Ons, previously know as the Pimps, are an 80’s styled punk
band with a certain love for one of my favorite bands, the Circle Jerks.
And while they aren’t going to grab the Circle Jerks crown with this
record, they do mange to spit out some vile p-rock that’ll make any
boorish and belligerent punk rocker proud. The Strap-Ons get it on with
4 tunes including, "Park That Ass" and "Fist Fuckers."
(JD) Supersuckers "Can Pipe" 7" Late
again on the Supersuckers records… whatever. I think it’s worth
mentioning that this 7" isn’t as good a their "Evil Powers…"
LP. There are definitely rock ‘n’ roll tunes on this record;
however, they are not as thick and sturdy as the songs off their "Evil
Powers..." LP. Nevertheless, they do mention Cherry Coke in their
song, "Can Pipe", which will give ‘em some points with
me, but the songs still don’t rock my brain enough, so they lose.
(JD) Sylvain Sylvain & The Criminals "Bowery Butterflies (78 Vintage NYC Rock & Roll Gems)" LP Its war against the digital terrorist who just led to the deletion of a rather negative review that I was almost finished writing about this LP. I refrain from saying it outright sucked but not now. Not after the deletion of a scathing piece of criticism. I'm saying it! THIS LP SUCKS! It’s not worth the money I spent. There’s not one song on this LP I would say rocks or even comes close to rocking. The piano sucks. The guitars are too soft. Fucking Butterflies. Fucking Pussies. Sharks, Polar Bears, Vipers... Strong, vicious creatures. Butterflies? Pussies. Every record fits into one of three categories as far as I’m concerned. The first is for those truly great pieces of music that you feel privileged in hearing and do everything in your power to further promote. An example of this would be my Le Shock review. My Le Shock review in Blank Generation was my second time writing a review for the record. Both were excellent reviews. I did all I could for a record I totally believe in! The second category is the so-so category. These are the records that a reviewer like myself may or may not write a review on just because he has the gumption to, more like he has a obligation to. Its something not of a stark reverence, middle of the road. The Catheters LP I mentioned in the review for The Valentine Killers record I did a while back, that’s an example. I wrote a review for it because I was eager to enter Blank Generation with a bang, not because it was fucking groundbreaking. The
third category is the one where you just hate a fucking record to the
point where you, as a reviewer, feel some sort of obligation to WARN others
from wasting their money. This review is an example of that! The liner
notes speaks of this band as a rebuilding effort after a near fatal accident
involving a van and Sylvain. Aw, boo hoo!!! Hope that van is long since
out of commission because I was actually thinking about playing a show
in NYC with the band I am in. I won't with knowledge that such a accident
might happen to me, and I will be dammed I'm going to make very shitty
music upon my recovery. I want written proof that the van no longer functions
before I plan my big take over of New Amsterdam... You can take Kenny
Rock-Action for instance. This guy has been in a near fatal accident two
times in the past year, once with a van and once with a motorcycle. It's
fueled Kenny though, not softened him. If you have a past like Sylvain,
a person comes to expect certain things. Just think, he was once asked
to join the Sex Pistols! HA! No wonder I haven’t heard about this
record before this. $12.99 down the fucking drain. DOWN THE FUCKING DRAIN.
DOWN...THE FUCKING... DRAIN! RIGHT DOWN THE FUCKING DRAIN!!!! You want
to spend $12.99 on something? Take your pick; anything but this. The Testors
now there’s some REAL New York City Rock 'N' Roll gems! Find some
of their records. I’m pissed off that I bought this LP. I can’t
hide it either. If my first, even longer review, wasn’t deleted somewhere
by the digital terrorist, that must ultimately love this record enough
to fuck with me, I might not have been AS mad but STILL mad enough to
be so, UPSET. They’re out to get me... they have infiltrated my computer....
They are fucking with me. FUCKING WITH ME. They are out to get me. Me
and my views on what rock and roll is, what rock and roll should be. Dead
bodies in water towers. Boil-advisories posted. Excavating for bodies
at a Taco-Bell construction site. Shark hunters! (SAB) Them Wranch "God Bless Them Ranch" 7" Pretty
run-of-the-mill country-derived rock from Ohio. It ain't horrible - in
fact, it's a pretty decent representation of their live act. There just
be better stuff out there. "Podunk Punk" is pretty amusing;
I'll give 'em that. (TK) Victims "All Loud on the Western Front" LP I conquered X last time, now maybe the band that holds the position of Second most prolific Oz punk band, the Victims surface.... AND MY VENGENCE IS JUSTIFIED! Remember that Sylvain Sylvain review I wrote? Yeah, I was a mad motherfucker about that one. Even though I’m not the kind of guy who really trades in vinyl (I will keep a LP if it has just one good song on it; furthering my testament that that Sylvain Sylvain LP SUCKED!), I took that shitty ass Sylvain record down and was granted a even trade for this record in its place. JUSTIFICATION! I have all the songs on this LP already from other sources except one that I don’t rightly recognize but its not like I am getting up from here to glance over The Abbarant 2xCD, the Murder Punk CDs, or the Birdmen re-issues for the answers. If it really mattered the info would have been retained in memory. I mean, fuck! I must conserve myself. I only have one soda left and it’s a major brand! I am sitting here on Sunday morning without Generic Cola. Without Generic Kool-Aid... Without my fuels that sustain me! I have buzzed through three reviews so far and I’m waiting for the 'crash'. Generic products required... Anyway,
that one song I haven’t heard before (I think, but yet unsure of)
is "Perth is A Culture Shock" and is up to par with the other
Victims HITS also appearing on this LP, "Television Addict"
the modern lovers-esque, "High School Girls", "Flipped
Out Over You" and what I would deem one of the best punk songs ever,
"Disco Junkies". By the way, the only songs I failed to mention
which include "I Understand", "Open Your Eyes" and
"TV Freak" rounds out the rest of the LP. I will be honest with
you, the humble Blank Generation reader; I am not here to just FUCK YOU.
You're getting the real scoop of the scoop scoops so you better appreciate
this. You better put this in your pocket for a rainy day. You better nurture
this thought. Nurture my honestly and be proud that I didn’t accept
that job at Spin magazine because that would have been an end to my stint
here as a Blank Generation reviewer IF I SIGNED THAT DAM CONTRACT (fuck
it though, who wants 25K a year, apartment paid AND have to live in NY
where that one van is the one that really fucks you up? Not me!). RESPECT
what I am about to share with you as if you are a smack junkie getting
tha shakes outside the methadone clinic. Respect my honestly like those
in 'Nam learned to respect the men in the black pajamas. Respect motherfuckers!
I expected a different feel from buying and listening to these songs on
this LP. I wanted similar results, like I had with Rock N Roll Blitzkrieg’s
X "Home Is Where The Floor Is" 7", but it didn’t happen.
This LP is good though, but I guess I will just leave the whole purchasing
question up to you. I mean I bought this (or rather exchanged for this)
and I have no regrets. It’s all up to you. Generic drink products
requested please... (SAB) VooDoo Boots "S/T" 7" This
ain't a boot, but it's packaged like one. Any info on this release would
be much appreciated. Danka. This is "Bulb Japan Rock Series #1,"
and here's hopin' that they didn't stop here. Lo-Fi Jap garage punk muy
gusto. I really don't spend much time wishin' fer the salad days of Lo-Fi
to return, but this is ace. (TK) X "Home Is Where The Floor Is" 7" EP
So why would The Blitzkrieg bring us a 7" of music already available on CD? Easy one. When I put on side two (first mind you, a tragic reviewing habit of mine) and heard the magic vinyl accomplished with "Good On Ya Baby" I realized why. Warm! It’s a fucking kick to the jaw, a punch to the ribs. You loose your breath and await the loud and abrasive guitar. It lurches behind the bass like an eye-mask tied in the back (ala The McDonalds' Hamburgeler ©), striped shirt wearing thug with a store bought billy-club just around the corner in a dark alley hidden by shadows. Ready... Ready.... Ready..... BAM! It’s better than a mugging. I returned from my canine visitation with a high adrenaline level. The adrenaline would eventually manifest itself with the dry-heaves. Walking thru the house. X playing loud, even before the record press stuff told me to play it loud. X playing loud. Me? Dry-heaving. Drinking generic Kool Aid (cherry flavor, "Drink Aid" made and distributed by the infamous "Inter-American Foods Company out of Cincinnati Ohio; which has now graced two of my Blank Generation reviews). Dry-heaving. The Generic Cherry Drink Aid looks like blood when it is regurgitated. I navigated the 7" several times... with an upset stomach. Side A. Side B. Side B. Side A. Side B. "Hate City"... "Home is where the Floor is"... I see the error in my ways. Last winter when those joggers almost ran over me and some of my friends as we got out of a car and told us to get out of the way by saying, "Heads up!" Well, I yelled at them, "Hey why don’t you just tell us to get out of your fucking way next time assholes!" And believe it or not, the man of the couple (they were dressed alike too so its not like he was really a "man", just a sort of male servant to his so-called "better half," I say 'so-called' because they were jogging. Joggings for pussies. Pussies and Chip Slob. But Chip is a pretty cool guy so I hope he takes that like a grain of salt because I already have too much fucking blood on my hands). Anyway, the fucking dork came trotting back to us and asked us what OUR problem was... I mean me and my fiancée were entertaining guest who was in town after being in the Alaskan Wilderness. Their town is something like TWO hours from a fucking Burger King. You just don’t yell at someone "Heads Up!" no matter what fucking neighborhood your in. Much less if you have Alaskan Wilderness freaks with you that wake up every morning with black bears and fucking moose shit in your yard. That ‘TOUGH AS NAILS’ kinda shit goes on there! You know what I should have done? I should have just screamed the lyrics to X’s "Good On Ya Baby" and got my switchblade out and waved it around. THAT’S what I should have done, but I just laughed at him. He said I should watch who I mess with. Actually, that’s the other way around I think. I’m the motherfucker carrying hooks because he gets death threats. Who’s he? A fucking jogging lawyer? HE'S A FUCKING PUSSY! No wait, he’s a fucking PUSSIE! That spelling even looks weaker! So
fuck, like, get this record. TOUGH AS NAILS! Everyone should have this
7". Bands. Bad bands that I can hand-pick as requested, should break
up, be forced to listen to this 7" for about 3 months straight then
be allowed to once again form a band. If they still form that god-awful
pop punk shit, THEN we will write them off. Until then, let the X re-issues
by Rock and Roll Blitzkrieg hereby usher in a NEW era of art-punk. X:
Neoteric before Neoteric. Hey, I got thru this review without badmouthing
Los Angeles’ X. Bloody red eyes... (SAB) X "Home Is Where The Floor Is" 7" The
info: X is an Australian punk band circa the late 70’s. All four
of these songs were recorded in 1978 by the original four-person line-up.
The review: X will smoke the shit out of any punk rock band, past or present.
Not one song on this record outshines the other. "Good On Ya Baby",
"Hate City", "T.V. Cabaret Roll", all of ‘em
are raw, pulsating rock ‘n’ fucking roll! When the uncontrollable
convolutions begin, and you start gyrating until your brain oozes out
of your ears, you'll know X has done their job. (JD) |
||
 |
||
©
blankgeneration.com 2003 |
Bladder
Bladder Bladder is the punk rock band. These Brits could be the next Clash,
Generation X, fuck… even Jilted John! The songs are just sooo catchy
and jumpin’ you will fall in love with them the minute the needle
hits the vinyl. Good beats, great songs, and a must have for any punk
fanatic! (JD)
I
was a bit wary of this release cuz I wasn't a really big fan 'o album
#2. After constant prodding and probing (not that I'm against that sorta'
thing, mind you - prod away) from folks in the know, I finally picked
it up. Lo and behold, it's their best (and probably last). For the dummies
- the Compulsive Gamblers are pre-post Oblivians, and while they remain
more roots-reverent than that band, I think that any Oblivian-ite would
flip over this. Are there any "nons" out there? (TK)
Two
Japanese bands I have never heard, Das Boot- a rockin’ punk band
with lots of ferocity and vigor, and Sweet J.A.P.- a catchy, primitive
rock ‘n’ roll group. Das Boot’s first song, "Hate
Man", is a blaze of ultra fast guitars and feral screams. Their second
song, "Whole Lotta Baby", has an impressive, stompin’ rock
‘n’ roll beat with a lot of rhythm and energy. Sweet J.A.P.
is more to my liking. They remind me of the Titans or the Havenots’.
Their electrifying tune, "Dum Den Dum Den Dum De Den" is sooo
contagious I can still hear it thumpin’ in my head. This record is
highly recommended. (JD)
The
Dream Dates were out of Canada circa 1979. You might want to look into
these guys because they’re a fuckin’ great 70’s punk rock
band. Full of attitude and intensity, the Dream Dates come off like the
Heartbreakers, if they were on coke and not heroin. Too good for "Killed
By Death", you’ll have to get this 7" and await more rock
‘n’ roll from Ugly Pop. (JD)
Finally,
I get to hear this much-praised 7"! Unfortunately, I’m afraid
I don’t have many new things to say about these kids. They are a
total rock ‘n’ roll blast with a definite Supercharger and Ramones
influence. The recording is way-out lo-fi, just the way I’s ‘a
likes it! The whole record is remarkable, however I’m more liable
to listen to the b-side cause with catchy ditties like, "She Don’t
Care" and "Get Drunk", I’ll be dancin’ six ways
from Sunday! (JD)
When
I say a band has style I’m saying they have an intense look and an
even more intense sound. Style isn’t something a band should have
to work on; they have to be born with it. The Ritchie Whites are on the
top of my list for bands with unparalleled style. Just look at their sleeve!
I automatically knew they were fucking hot shit, and when that turntable
started to spin I knew my assumption was soundly accurate. These boys
are quite possibly one of the best punk bands I’ve heard all year!
They are just a loud, vibrant, pissed off rock ‘n’ roll band,
and they’ll astound the shit outta you! The Ritchie Whites are in
the same league as the Stitches, and with a little time I’m sure
they’ll even outdo 'em. (JD)
Fucking
excellent! This record brought up a question that I never took directly
to Mark Murrmann (Blitzkrieg general) but one that I assumed and found
to be correct, that the answers would come to me like a wolf-hybrid dog
came looking for a piece of Tortilla in my coat pocket. All of a sudden,
as it would end up, I would have to show the outstretched palms of both
my hands before they would face the facts; no treats for them, just me.
Me and my turntable. I didn’t bug Mark as to why he did a vinyl re-issue
of this material. I let life be life and sort itself out.