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Record Reviews
- March, 2001 Ann Beretta "New Union… Old Glory" CD/LP What
a shitty name for an album! "New Union… Old Glory"? What
a bunch of tools! You’d think they were some kind of Oi or Street
Punk band! Musically it’s the same deal as before, Rancid with added
pop preservatives. I can hear a bit of Dillinger 4 on the CD too. Still...same
old, same old… (JD) Authority "The Fight" 7" Is
this the same Authority I reviewed way back when? They sound better, punker,
fired up… The first tune "The Fight" is a rip-roaring outburst
of punk rock that just bores straight through you. But what really caught
my ear was the b-side’s "The End." It’s a ’77
punk rock song with remarkable guitar work, much like that of Cock Sparrer!
It’s just really catchy and anyone into true punk rock should love
it. (JD) Crimson Sweet "Foil Beach" CDEP "The glistening foil beach" Like an alien, an unknown armada on the radar screen, fast approaching. Unknown hostiles. It's ALWAYS the 'hostiles' isn’t it? Fighting for piece. Fighting for PEACE.... This vector is teeming up with attack formations. All-around. So you got The Crimson Sweet. A band I am close to. Allies in the coming battle. I will admit right from the start. I like them. I believe in them. I take every chance I get to write something good about them. They deserve it. They could have pulled off some Lou Reed Metal "Machine Music" shit on me and I would gobble it right up like the fucking Crimson Trooper I am. Talking biased opinions.... I’m totally biased toward the ‘Sweet. Like I said, I believe in them. ---------- ! I have been hooked on them right from the start too. Since that fateful day when their first self-titled 7" arrived in the mail to the Neus Subjex... I liked what I heard and I soon got to witness The ‘Sweet live. That’s when Crimson Sweet ceased JUST being a band and became fucking legends. Became warriors. Became friends... Later, in the formation periods of my neoteric Punk/Wave movement, Crimson Sweet would fit right in. Truth be known; Crimson Sweet played a VERY pivotal role in the recognition of the Neoteric Punk/Wave. Fitting in nowhere and somewhere at the same time… Crimson Sweet would inspire. Crimson Sweet would influence. Crimson Sweet would make me want to do better as a musician. As a writer and as a music enthusiast… It was fate that brought them to me. To my mailbox. To my attention. I was in such close proximity’s to performances like The Sweaty Weapons and Kill The Hippies that it would propel me to go home and bust out the first draft of My Neoteric Manifesto JUST AFTER seeing Crimson Sweet LIVE for the first time on a hot and humid night under a sky that was full of heat-lightning due to the harsh humidity of the southwestern parcels of The Ohio Empire. Electricity filled the air. Electricity gave birth to Frankenstein and my new way of looking at things, with thanks to Crimson Sweet of course. Just like Kent Ohio's KILL THE HIPPIES, anything Kenny "RockAction" as he is being called nowadays, does; be it The Sweaty Weapons, be it the Cock Spaniels, so be it The Detox Police... The Crimson Sweet is right there! Setting the scores. Turning the tides. Making the difference when nothing was asked short of just play. Laugh. Good to see you. Nice to meet you. "I Want To keep You Awake." After their first 7" and the follow-up, "Robot Bus Driver" I can’t help but to feel that this EP is a sort of turning point for this band. "Foil beach" seems to wrap up a certain era but at the same time unlocking the door to a new period. >From warriors to kings. From kings to gods. On this disc, The Crimson Sweet shows much maturity in their song writing ability. From "Size of My Thighs" to "Robot Bus Driver" to "Queen City"…they aren’t afraid to do a song like "Lost Planet", and they pull it off with precision. I hang on every note, every lyric. Together as a unit. Crimson Sweet are scary that way. One accents the other, which accents the other… Finally, this EP accompanies the darkness, accompanying the violence, accompanying the rawness. The Rasp. Beauty. Neoteric. And now, something I just noticed. It’s kill or be killed when you listen to Crimson Sweet. Desperation. It’s kill or be killed. Them or you and I walk away after every listen of "Foil Beach" killed and reborn. Capturing what they will from Glam, rock and roll, indy-pop, punk or whatever, The Crimson Sweet are much more than any old band. They are the Crimson Sweet. Beware and behold. "Open
Your Hands and Let the Bullets Fly." (SAB) Dirtshakes "The Kicks Are Alright!" 10" "Good
Golly Miss Molly!" The Dirtshakes, out of Germany, are a stunning
punk ‘n’ roll group featuring one of my favorite punk rockers
from my teens, Jenz Bumper (Lead singer of the now defunct Jet Bumpers)!
If you loved the Jet Bumpers, like I did, get this 10"! The Dirtshakes
are a snazzy, pop punk (pop punk in a good way, I.E. The Dickies, Buzzcocks,
etc…) band that’ll rock your balls off! This record might be
a tad on the expensive side (seeing how it’s an import on super thick
white vinyl and it comes with a large, full-color poster) but if you want
good music you gotta spend the big bucks. (JD) Dirty Johnny "Attitude? What Attitude?" CD The
guys from Dirty Johnny are getting their kicks playing classic 70’s
punk rock ‘n’ roll. Picture old Sonny Vincent and Thunders slowed
down and soaked in booze. The production sounds a little flat to me, like
a demo tape. But songs like "Dag, You’ll Never Get There"
and "Ultimate Rebellion" make my stereo come alive. Give ‘em
a try if you’re into the junkie business. (JD) Dogs "Fed Up!" CD/LP
Drunken Cholos "Livin La Vida Loco" CDEP This
rules! The Drunken Cholos are the original Queers lineup (Wimpy, Tulu
and Joe Queer) in a new band that plays songs that sound pretty much,
well EXACTLY, like the original Queers. What a concept! The Cholos keep
the music at the simple & stupid punk rock level pioneered by bands
like the Angry Samoans and original Queers, and continued more recently
by the likes of Loli & The Chones and The Zodiac Killers. It's about
time Wimpy started making records again as he's sure got the right flavor
for this kinda music: uncompromisingly, brash, slurred vocals and one
big, mean fuckin' attitude! 7 songs total in less than 10 minutes. I wanna
full length already! (SA) Dry Heaves "Shoot Yourself" LP
This is a better than average volume of Rave Up’s lost nugget series. Fast punk. Dirty, keyboards... snotty vocals... Windsor, Canada is just across a patch of water from Detroit, Michigan United States of Rock and Roll America, and you can hear it. This is the sort of punk where you nod yer head from side to side while you jump up and down. When they finish each song I’m sure the crowd would raise both fisted arms into the air and yell something to the effects of "You guys rock"... The Dry Heaves remind me of a mix between DETENTION and THE NERVOUS EATERS, with a touch of keys... Most of the tracks appear to be studio and, although it sez nothing to the effects, are mostly unreleased because Mark Murrmann said so in his column. When it comes to Rave Up and this series they usually tend to be pretty good after a listen or to two, but after a while it seems the test of time really brings out the worth of the records... That said, it’s been near 20 years since this music was originally made and it still sounds fresh. Why
is modern punk so lame? It’s the whole ups with the downs philosophy.
Records like this and labels like Rave Up are just carrying the torch
until the revival. (SAB) Face to Face "Standards & Practices" CD
Now, since my discovering of the Kids in the Hall in 1993 I have been fascinated with one Kevin McDonald. Why? Well, he is such a terrific comedian! I mean come on people! Sir Simon Milligan!? Jerry Sizzler!? Or how about the sketch where Kevin brought a sexual harassment suit on himself!? "Can’t have cereal without a whole lotta milkah!" This is classic comedy that is quite overlooked by many fans. Now
I know various patrons of the Kids in the Hall are fonder of say
Dave Foley or Bruce McCulloch. And yeah Dave looks better in drag than
Kevin does. And yeah Bruce is a better choice for playing small boys than
Kevin is. But when you get right down to it, Kevin McDonald far outperforms
the other cast members in creative and unusual comedy. So until next time,
stay "EVIL!" (JD) Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards "S/T" CD It’s
fuckin’ Rancid! No thanks bitch! No time! (JD) Lillingtons "The Backchannel Broadcast" LP/CD From
wanting to be the Ramones to wanting to be Bad Religion. This band is
colorless, staid, craptacular rock, not punk at all. Fuck ‘em. (JD) Loose Lips "Talkin' Trash" CD/LP Obviously
when you get a band comprised of 3/4 of the members that made up the Infections
to cut a record, they're bound to churn out some pretty good tunes, but
I was expecting a little more from this album than what it delivered.
Musically, The Loose Lips do show quite a bit of their Infections roots
on here, but this sounds more like the Dead Boys with fuckload of cheesy
80's Glam Rock thrown in than anything else. The tunes that lean towards
the Glam territory are pretty dull and not very rocking. The best songs
on here are naturally the ones that lean more towards the Infections side
of the camp. Half the songs on this record are good, the other ones are
just average at best, so I'd recommend getting it if you can find it cheap
-- Otherwise, consider it a near miss. (SA) Los Huevos "Man Love" 7" Cantankerous,
clamorous, and furious, Los Huevos are a garagey sludge of rock! If you
like the Motards, and the rest of the Texas Tussle, find yourself a Los
Huevos record. Like it raw, get with Goodbye Boozy. This record is way
limited to 300, so shake a leg Rocko! (JD) Lost Sounds "Memphis Is Dead" CD/LP
Mistreaters "Grab Them Cakes" CD/LP The Mistreaters are a raw boom of garage punk-rawk! Todd Trickknee describes them as a Crypt Records’ type band; I’d say that’s accurate. They have an Oblivians’ sound, but with more cheese and less gumbo. If you are searching for a powerhouse of garage rawwwk rock then check yourself into to Bigneck Records’ "Hospital for the Deranged." P.S.
I have to say SOMETHING about the cover art. What the fuck!? It looks
like a football ad! Not that you guys can see it here. Go to the BNR web
site and look for yourselves. Somebody should fire their artist. (JD) Nervous Eaters "No More Idols" b/w "Today And Tomorrow" 7" Its 6:16 PM. I’m waiting for Miami Vice to come on. Crockett, Tubbs.... I like the show even more now since I’m older and can understand the intricate story lines and intertwining plots. Dear
Penniman Records, Dear
Penniman Records, Dear
Penniman Records, This 7" is polished. It’s slick. Its Death Punk, Glucifer style. It’s Turbonegro style and I don’t hear the Urban Prince Death Song. Music store gurus doing the punk thing because the hair metal thing hasn’t come back yet... Pray it doesn’t with me… It’s
6:37 PM and I’m still waiting for Miami Vice to come on. (SAB) New Town Animals/Delateurs "Split" 7"
Niblick Henbane "Go Away" CD/LP Niblick
Henbane is on TKO Records? Well, they got Cock Sparrer; but that’s
because they paid for their tickets over here. So yeah, indifferent street
punk/oi/whatever punk that has been overused and over-saturated in this
"scene." (JD) Nikki Sudden "The Last Bandit: The Best of Nikki Sudden" CD Now here you got the frontman of The Swell Maps... I didn’t even know he had a solo career. Sometimes its like I’m on my own planet. I think back to my Le Tigre review... Some should create nations and not islands.... Still yet, some create planets. Some, in fact, I would say, create all new dimensions with all new sets of natural laws. New laws of physics. New math systems. Unimaginable life systems man! Dimensions! Uh... let me get back here. The stuff on this disc is a collection of his best shit it sez... a few songs have the similar spark that The Swell Maps had, like "Back to the Coast", "Back to the Start" (Hmmm, sounds like Brian Eno with Wire),"Behind the Lines" (reminds me of THEM WRANCH; rockin!), "Bethlehem Castle", "Countess" isn’t a bad tune and I actually like that disco bass line..."Curfew Island" could have stepped right off of that "Sweep the Desert" CD.... The rest of the CD and even the bonus disc, with all acoustical stuff, just isn’t my thing. I don’t mean to be disrespectful in any way... I at least respect this disc, whereas that Sylvain Sylvain LP still has me pissed off. It’s just that right now, as the person I am, I’m going to draw a line and place each of Mr. Suddens songs one the side I like or the side I don’t. Nasally. Country-like. If you like Bob Dylan or Willie Nelson AND the Swell Maps, well damn, you should come and hang out with me sometime.... I’m just having a hard time with this. You see, I like a lot of Willis stuff... I mean fuck, "Red Haired Stranger" is a downright creepy era for Willie, BUT one I can respect. Year of 01... burrr.... I like Dylan too.... Don’t own any of his stuff, but what I hear I like.... Just don’t come into a disc like this expecting a continuation of The Swell Maps. Some good tunes, but no Maps. In a place like Blank Generation that’s the best I can do.... I
bet when I’m 40 I will really like shit like this too. Just by sort
of not being turned on by it right now is setting myself up for being
nuts over something like this. I say that because when I was 12 I said
I would never quit playing with my GI Joe's.... Believe it or not but
I did eventually become interested in other things (like... Ah, never
mind let’s not go there). I’m still growing musically. Give
me a while. Be patient with me Doo (that’s a Loretta Lynn reference
from Coal Miners Daughter by the way which makes me seem much gayer than
I really am. I mean FUCK, I’m an artist and all, but not Lewis and
Clark about it and shit). (SAB) N.O.T.A. "Live at the Crystal Pistol" CD/LP None
of the Above – early 80’s punk rock. I hadn’t heard of
these guys before cause I usually stay far, far away from the 80’s
altogether. But I do like this band. They’re staple punk rock - fast
drums, no guitar solos, hardcore circle pits, aggressive, pissed off punk
rock. It’s the fun stuff that has been forgotten. The recording is
live, but they cut out the crowd’s hollering so it sounds like a
"normal" album. Ya ain’t got nothin’ ta lose. (JD) Offs "Live at the Mabuhay Gardens Nov. 7, 1980; in San Francisco California as it was...when it began" CD Now I have ran across mentions of The Offs and pictures of Don Vinil in just about every punk book I have came across but it was this disc that introduced me to their sound. The Offs are working with allot of different shit in their bag... including straight up punk-rock (with the dash) but expanding to reggae, art-punk ala Wire and I suppose most importantly, Ska-Punk. But this was ska-punk before there was ska-punk. I don’t even mind it either. I’m not calling it skay-punk or anything. I listen to this disc and appreciate what I hear. To be honest, the Offs sound like they were trying to rip off Black Randy and The Metrosquad, but with less funk and more ska. Take it or leave it. Fuck you. The Offs also appear to be one of the few bands that utilized Saxomophones to their fullest extent. Once again, fuck you. You got your raging punk rockers with tracks like "Black Sun", the minimal set topper "624803", "100 Dollar Limo", "The Pusher" (it’s downright scary when he sez: " I wanna go out and get me a gun") and "A Million to One"... You got your Black Randy type punk-funk, once again BEFORE there was punk-funk with their 'hit'; "Everyone’s a Bigot", "You Fascinate Me" and "Funk It Honey" You got your Reggae-punk explosions like "Die Babylon", which I played three times in a row after listening to it the first time because it was a fucking rager! You got your Ska-punk pick'em up pick'em ups (except they say that a total of ZERO times in their performance) that make Operation Ivy look like the wanna be's they were like "My World." The Offs also manage to pull off several covers like "Heroin", "Sweet Jane", and "I Got the Handle" to mention a few… They add a twist to the originals and make them sound like originals, which is what a band covering songs is supposed to do. They take James Brown’s "Think" and really make it sound unique. Since this is all live, let me dispel any preconceived notions of poor sound quality. It’s not bad. On a scale of 1-10 I would give it a 8 which is very suitable for me... So
you got this Vampir Records, which this disc is released on.... Its some
guy named Terry Hammer who was apart of the Mob scene back in the day
but now lives in the Empire of Ohio and is finding a use for all those
tapes he made of bands BACK IN THE DAY… He’s done something
by the Lewd and now the Offs. I like what I’m hearing. More, more,
(more)! (SAB) Scat Rag Boosters/Dixie Buzzards "Split" 7" The
Scat Rag Boosters, outta Canaduh, are a garage/blues/rock ‘n’
roll group with a swingin’ sound. The simplistic guitars, drums,
and vox make songs like "On My Own" that much more valued. It’s
real, trashy rock ‘n’ roll that makes me glad all over. The
Dixie Buzzards are Southern Fried and ready to party. They have a pop
twist intertwined with their own brand of whiskey & wine garage rock
‘n’ roll. "Save It For Me" is the finest sample on
the ‘Buzzards side. If you can’t handle your liquor then stay
outta my Boozy Records! Ha Ha… Ahhh, I’m too funny… (JD) Sick Pleasure "Destroy the Human Race" 7" Where’s the jelly stain on the cover? Oh yeah, this is a re-issue... no Jelly stains. No labels on the records... Re-issue MADNESS. The cows have Mad Cow Disease. I’m mad about cows too. Mad Vinyl disease. I’m MAD about vinyl! When I went to Maximum Rock and Roll headquarters a while back, when they were thinking about making me a zine coordinator, there I saw the original records this 7" came from. Four songs from a split with Code of Honor and three more from a full 7" (that’s what I call a 7" with just one band; nifty eh? Full 7!) Tim Yo Mama put that green tape shit on because he was an obsessive about records deteriorating. Nah, I just made up that shit about going to MRR HQ to be a zine coordinator... Pshaw. Whereas all that Tim Yo stuff apparently has some truth behind it (because I read about it in a MRR column, George Tabbs or Rev. Norbs- I can’t remember) I really don’t know that for a fact. Its just like this is one of those types of records you COULD see there. I know absolutely NOTHING about this band. I felt compelled to go to my handy-dandy (dandy - handy = ART; I found my red sunglasses today. Dangerous) blood-splattered COMPhellATION compendium BUT I ran across the chicks with dicks double LP by Flux of Pink Indians LP I recently acquired and decided to cease the trip to my FILES where CompHELLation is kept. I have begun the upkeep of a filing system for my various projects, art and even zines I appreciate and like. I have a Dewey like numbering system also in the works to further my file organization but it will be awhile for that... Well, when I saw that Flux record I decided to spin that instead of getting the compendium out to see if sick pleasure was OFFICIALLY a Killed By Death band. I mean FUCK. Nowhere on the record is "77-82" or anything. So what am I to assume? Well, what I assume, by looking at the picture of the band on the cover and listening to the music, I would put The Sick Pleasure at about 1981 or maybe 82. I could even possibly see a 1983 with them. Their music is fast thrash-hardcore/punk, definite nods to the LA Black Flag sound. I don’t know it for sure but if you play a Pist record right behind this one you could hear some definite similarities. Grovelly vocals. Lyrics full of angst. Disgust. Distorted guitars. Sloppy Black Flag type leads. Chains. Bandanas. The Lewd had the look that kids like these emulated. Song titles like 'I Wanna Burn My Parents" Cover art with weird distorted skeletons moshing, or slamming or whatever the kids are calling it these days in a distorted war-torn post apocalyptic cityscape showing a deep, well-hidden FEAR of Nuclear War (we all had one right? I was sure when I was a kid "1999" by Prince would be the song playing on the radio when I would hear the warning klaxons ring through my neighborhood. And I would turn on the radio to await the Russian missiles that would soon be raining down on the United States of Rock and Roll America. "The sky was all purple and people running everywhere" Prince would sing as I would see the warheads streak across the sky only to explode about 1500 feet above the General Electric Plant where they made aircraft engines, which was located only about 4 Nautical miles away from my childhood home. "1999" would be playing when I would see the initial blast that would blind me and "1999" would be still be playing when I would combust into fire and burn to death. How many 12-year-olds do you know who read books about nuclear annihilation? I know only one. Me. > The Day After> You get it? The well is continuing to run dryer and dryer for "classic" KBD punk and moving more toward mid-eighties gems and the sound that they all spout out. Not to say that some real treasures have yet to be found in the KBD... "Era" or after but I have my fucking doubts. The Sick Pleasure hit it. They don’t hit it hard like punching me in the face or anything... This is a good record and I’m not disappointed I bought it... It’s just like "hmmm… Sigh." Going back to my KBD era thing, just fucking bare with me here... Could we possibly divide the eras of punk in some sort of AD/BC type time frame? AKBD or AFTER KILLED BY DEATH) could be from 1983 and on.... The 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, and 82 could have KBD (which stands for KILLED BY DEATH before it: duh!). IE The Sick Pleasures is probably not KBD77 or even KBD82 but probably more like AKBD83... See? Like the Ramones first LP. BKBD76... Get it? As with any new SYSTEM OF TIME (this may take some work or refining) but hey, I barely sat through one side of that Flux of Pink Indians LP and put on a Pylon LP. I had a surge of creativity. Doing my part to make things more complicated! So, there you have it. The Sick Pleasure. Black leather jackets. Black Flag. Lewd Emulateers. Thrash-punk. AKBD83 mayhap... Faulty Wiring. Working
is no problem. (SAB) Silver Tongue Devil "Red Eyed and Tongued-Tied" CD/LP Who
let these fuckers outta prison! STD bring on da punk rock/metal like no
others! There’re lotsa dueling guitar solos…blarin’ back
in forth, back in forth. Motorhead fans might wanna look these dudes up.
It looks like these guys could teach Lemmy a few new lessons in filth.
You get 12 songs including, "Murder City Shakedown", "Two
Time Charlie", and "All Messed Up." (JD) Swell Maps "Sweep the Desert" CD The follow up to the International Rescue that came out last yer or so... The Swell Maps sound like a mix between ART ATTACKS and THE FALL... maybe throw in some "154" era WIRE too. No Shit! Good Shit!!! Art-punk. 77-80. Don’t you dare call it post-punk.... That sounds like a fucking fruit pie. Post punk is for pussies. Art-punk is for the rebels. Whereas International Rescue was more of what I would say was "in your face", or better yet; STRUCTURED. "Sweep the Desert" is more avant-garde. More OUT-THERE. More DIFF'RENT. At times it sounds like impromptu jamming or improvisational jamming. There is a difference and where better a place to share my thoughts with you than one of my reviews. If you haven’t caught on to the fact yet let me clue you in; when I write reviews you not only get some banter about the band or whatever BUT you also get a lil slice of Shawn Abnoxious in written form. I’m not rock critic, just a music lover.... Oh yeah, I’m an artist too but lets get re-focused on the Swell Maps. Impromptu jamming is like something that just happens. Imagine a band practicing and while someone goes to take a piss the rest of the band start fucking around. Well, now imagine if the tape was still running... Improvisational, or 'Improv' jamming as the "pros" sometimes call it, is planned. The band smokes their reefer, drinks their Steel Reserve, drops their acid or whatever the kids are into nowadays, and sets out to see what they come up with... of course with the tape rolling. You see, that shit up there, please feel free to re-read that 1st paragraph--- in fact I demand it at this time... Doubting you will show gumption enough to do that, and knowing that your probably a lazy American and demand to do the direct opposite of whatever is expected of you, let me just re-print that last paragraph for you because the paragraph after that one won’t make no fucking sense if you don’t re-read this part coming up... and to speak quite frankly, I have my doubts in you. IMPROMPTU jamming is like something that just happens. Imagine a band practicing and while someone goes to take a shit the rest of the band start fucking around. Well, now imagine if the tape was still running... IMPROVISATIONAL, or 'Improv' jamming (as Joe "#3" Domino sometimes calls it) is planned. The band smokes their reefer, drinks their WINE, drops their acid or whatever the kids are into nowadays, and sets out to see what they come up with... of course with the tape rolling. Now see, I made all that Impromptu/Improv shit up. I’m no fucking musician. Yeah, I play bass and shit, but I’m FAR from being a musician. I’m no fucking music scholar; I ain’t been to No Music School.... I’m an artist. Like The Swell Maps are ARTISTS with INSTRUMENTS!!!! Are you getting it yet? I still have my doubts you know. My doubts in YOU. Or as Kenny would sing in the Detox Police " My doubts in youuuuuuuu-ewwwww-ewwwwww" "Sweep the Desert" may sound like unused Tom & Jerry scores at times, but hey man, its not that bad. If yer looking for a repeat of International Rescue well, this ain’t it. It’s sort of not even comparable. Mostly instrumental. VERY avant-garde. You must understand the concepts of art-punk before you even consider buying this. If art-punk is something not new to you then start off with some easier introductory material... Wires "Pink Flag", The Fall "Palace of Swords Reversed".... Maybe go with some Mission to Burma. This is not a Photograph. I
mean fuck man, "Full Moon in My Pocket" is pretty inspiring..."BLAM"
is downright frightening. Minimal. Primal. Sounds as fresh as if the kid
who plays guitar in his backyard behind my house wrote it... But that
kid just plays Blink 182 and shit so nevermind. Dinosaurs still live.
All ages, shapes and sizes. We need a meteor. (SAB) Thug Murder "The 13th Round" CD
Trash Brats "American Disaster" CD Thee
Trash Brats are back again with another album! Are you ready to get all
dolled and go to the ball? Let’s go! This latest episode of thee
Trash Brats features a slick production, much to my dismay, but they’re
still the same old cheap Glam Rockers they’ve always been. I really
dig on the guitar solos; they’re tight and very catchy. Their classic
tunes are here, like "Rocket To Heaven" and "Must Be The
Cocaine", but we also get more melodic songs like "Making It
Right" and "Feeding the Mosquitoes." Most of the songs
on this CD aren’t as hard hitting as the singles I have. Could this
be the beginning of a softer Trash Brats? (JD) Turbonegro "Darkness Forever!" CD
US Bombs "Back at the Laundromat" CD/LP They
belong in wheelchairs. (JD) V/A "Cheap Shots and Low Blows - TKO Singles & EPs Collection Vol. 1 1997/1998" CD The
title says it all. Most of these 7"ers are out of print. And even
though if you just spent 10 minutes looking in your local record shop
you could find all of these records, you are probably too lazy and will
just get this CD. So yeah, the usual fair of street punk bands are on
here including, One Man Army, the Forgotten, Workin’ Stiffs, Dropkick
Murphys, Dead End Cruisers, etc… There are 28 tracks in all. So if
you want an easy way to listen to your TKO 45s you’re all set Bubba!
(JD) V/A "Got Danish?" CD The
Burnouts are on this disc. They’re a great punk ‘n’ roll
band on Bad Afro Records that everyone should be into. The rest of these
groups aren’t even punk, and we only review the rock ‘n’
roll baby! Got it? (JD) V/A "Punk at La Scala; Milan 1978-1981: The Drama" LP The weekly bath scene in Xena: Warrior Princess occurred in the first five minutes of this week’s episode. This fact is important because after each weeks bath scene I turn on the computer and sit down to begin writing reviews for the Generation of Blank, or as you call it, The Blank Generation. This weeks bath scene was exceptionally good. It even showed the naked asses of Xena and Gabrielle and even showed then naked from afar. You couldn’t make out any naked characteristics of a naked woman, be it the nipples or "the ball field"; it was almost like they were wearing skin colored body suits. None the less it showed their ass, but its all good. Since Xena peeked so early it was time to sit down for a spell and INFORM you of some recent releases..... Punk at la Scala was a real treat. When it seems Killed By Death Volumes are coming out less frequently with the well sort of running dry, Here comes a new re-issue full of bands that are up to par and better yet, new to my ears. Since the record was released by one of my new favorite labels, Hate Records which is based in Italy with the LP's main language being Italian. A big ol' zine type book which also comes with the LP that is also in Italian. But here’s the kicker, of the seventeen tracks, at least sixteen are English pronounced band names with titles in English. I feel sort of cheated because of the Italian book, but fuck...its really no big deal. What you got is performances by MITTAGEISEN, T.V. VAMPIRE, X-RATED, 198X, with most tracks being provided by THE GAGS, which are a pretty tough fucking band. All the bands seemed really influenced by Adam and The Ants, Wire, Siouxie and The Banshees and The Sex Pistols. Arty, dark and even remotely gothic at times. This
LP was a real treat to buy and listen to, and if yer a Killed By Deather
like me then you will probably be pleased too. All hail Hate!!!! (SAB) Varukers "How Do You Sleep????" CD Bands
from the past should stay in the past. I’ve never been a big fan
of the Varukers. Cause I don’t like the Casualties and the PUNK ROCK
ATTITUDE! ARRR! It’s the whole mohawk and bondage thing that irks
me nowadays. And Rancid being on the cover of Spin magazine a ways back,
mohawk fully erect, with a title like, "It’s Cute to be Punk!"
(or something along those lines) really destroyed that image for me. What?
How does this CD sound? Metal/punk, boring. Hey Varukers! Stay in your
retirement homes! (JD) Vomit Pigs "Useless Eaters" LP Think Electric Eels... Now... Imagine them on more speed. They find some reds underneath the couch cushions and drop those later on in the night.... It brings them down to tolerable, yet visibly agitated levels. I have awakened from my latest glue slumber and put on the Useless Eaters themselves.... It’s time for the Vomit Pigs!!!! Art damaged. Punk-rock. This band is from Texas and is one of the most prolific ones too.... The Legionaires Disease, The Bobby Soxx, The Huns, The Mystery Dates, The Nerve Breakers... The Vomit Pigs maybe the most outrageous of them all. Really though with all the attention that the VP's have been getting lately, one listen to songs like "Karen Ann Quinlan" and "Baby’s Playing Games", and you can see why. This band WAS amazing; this band is amazing! Once
again, this is what I would consider one of the better Rave Up Nuggets.
The 1978 "Take One" EP is included in its entirety along with
two tracks from the "Are We too Late for the Trend" LP, several
unreleased studio tracks and a few live recordings including one titled
"Halloween" that really shows the avant-nature of the band in
all its glory. You back a rat into a corner and that rat will fight. The
Vomit Pigs is what you get when the rat wins. (SAB) Whittingtons "I’m Young, Dumb & Full of Cum" 7"
Yum Yums "Funzone" 10" The
Yum Yums are a super melodic, super catchy, super girl-crazy, pop punk
band. I remember getting their LP a long time ago. I didn’t like
it much. It was just too clean sounding and every song was about girls,
girls, girls. Well, they haven’t changed too much. The keyboard player
is a nice touch, and I really liked the songs "Just Another Girl"
and "Ways To Do You In", but it’s just too much pop for
on guy to take. Now, if you’re the kind of person that can never
have too much pop, well then, the Yum Yums are just right for you. (JD) |
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blankgeneration.com 2003 |
Took
a while for my record store to even get this CD in. It must be a popular
disc. So what we got here are the Detroit Dog’s studio versions of
"John Rock & Roll Sinclair", "Slither", "Years
Gone By" and "Dog in the Cathouse." The rest of the tracks
are from a decently recorded live show. The Dogs were a dirty rock ‘n’
roll group, plain an simple. If you’re thinking about getting this
and absolutely love pub rock like Slaughter and the Dogs, you’ll
probably like this record too. Other wise, like most reissues these days,
this ain’t no necessity. (JD)
Windsor
Canadian Punk-rockers! It wasn’t just for the Viletones. It wasn’t
just for The Ugly.... The Dry Heaves were there too. What OPM passed up
on or fizzled out on Rave-up picks it up for a save.
I’m
sitting here, listening to Wire, trying to think of something to say about
"one of the best bands in their genre" when it hits me. This
is my zine. I call the shots. And instead of talking about a band that
I hate, I’m gonna talk about a guy that I love! And that man is Kevin
McDonald – My Favorite Kid in the Hall.
How
fitting it was to receive this CD on a dark and stormy Wednesday evening.
Sounding like a sinister fusion of Castlevania and Wire, the Lost Sounds
have exploded into the future, today. This record is a time capsule sent
to us by our progeny, Terminator style. One guitar, one keyboard,
one drum kit. The cause for this CD was inevitable. The walls around punk
rock are crumbling. Shawn sees it, Kenny sees it, and soon the rest of
the punk culture shall see it. The Lost Sounds, Le Tigre, The Piranhas,
they’re only the beginning. Leave your pop punk records at the door.
Leave your street punk records at the door. Leave your garage records
at the door. You won’t need them where you’re going… (JD)
Yeah!
Bring it on baby! The New Town Animals are a blast of punk and rock ‘n’
roll! They turn up the heat with their song "Baby You’re the
Reason." It’s a catchy tune with a snotty attitude similar to
the Chemo Kids, but better. Their cover of Sham’s "Little Rich
Boy" is right on, but I’d rather listen to their song because
it has more of a punch. The Delateurs have a Zeke/Tricky Woo direction.
Their song "Depecer la Planete" is my favorite on their side.
The beat is steady and the guitars are loud. What more do you need? This
is Canada’s finest, so get hip or fuck off! (JD)
I
thought all Japanese punk groups where supposed to be good! This is second-rate
street punk/pop punk/whatever the kids are calling it these days. And
who the fuck thinks they sound like the Toy Dolls?! No they fuckin’
don’t! (JD)
Come
On…... COME ON! I’m not going to describe one of the best rock
‘n’ roll groups in history for you. If you don’t
have the Apocalypse Dudes LP then just get the fuck out of here.
You are not wanted. You are unimportant. Go listen to the fuckin’
US BOMBS! Alright?! This is a live Turbonegro record that sounds almost…almost
as good as their studio recordings. Twenty tracks in all from their last
shows on this earth. This record also serves as a "Best of…
album with all their smash hits like "Get It On", "I Got
Erection", "Are You Ready for some Darkness" and many more!"
Their words…not mine. I need no words to explain the greatness of
TRB. (JD)
The
Whittingtons are a fast, energetic garage punk group from Illinois. When
I say fast, I mean their songs are about a minute long, if that! They
remind me a lot of early Wongs records; so all you Rip Off fans take notice.
There are 3 tunes on this slab o’ vinyl including "Talk the
Talk" and "Fill Your Hole." With titles like those I think
you know what you’re in for… (JD)