Suburban Voice blog #47

COLA FREAKS

I’ve managed to fall way behind on shit, once again. Story of my life. I was hoping to have a section devoted to the cool zines I’ve been getting in recent months. I’ll try to get that in the next blog, which won’t take as long. In the meantime, it’s been too long a gap since I last posted one of these so I wanted to get something up this weekend.

So, over this past weekend, I attended a crazy-ass show at the Baby Safe Haven house in Somerville. Not a fancy venue. Not in the least and this show had it all. Drunk punk rockers, weed, a couple of fights, allegedly a dead cat in a bucket, which I did NOT see and a puddle of sewerage in a corner of the basement floor and it was making a steady advance but, fortunately, things wrapped up before it moved too far. That didn’t stop someone from falling into the puddle around the end of the show. I also saw people outside hosing down their feet between sets. My sneakers are a rather clay-ish color right now. Basement show dirt. But I don’t think it’s anything more than that. I hope…

Who played, you asked? I’m getting to it. Patience. The show featured the Cola Freaks, from Denmark, plus locals Praxis, Fruit Salad and Unholy Goatfucker. Quite a diverse bill. As usual, the show was on punk rock time. I figured showing up two hours after the time listed on the flyer would suffice but, when I got there, they were still waiting for microphones. I think I should keep a microphone in my bag for situations such as these. No matter—I marched into the living room, announced I was going to be watching baseball and demanded to know where the giant remote was. This remote is around 12 x 18 inches. Fucking huge. The games was Sox/Yankees—do you think I’m going to miss the end of that? Not on your life. I figure who’s going to stop the cranky old guy from getting his way. And when one local punk rock artiste made a bit of a wisecrack about it, I told him that the fact he was wearing a Mickey Mouse t-shirt and was over the age of 12 disqualified him from commenting on it. I don’t think he heard me since he was already just about out of the room but others got a chuckle from it. So, the bottom line was I didn’t mind waiting, especially since the Red Sox were crushing the Yankees at that particular moment. As I told the others, life doesn’t get much better—baseball and punk rock in the same space.

A quick story before I finally get to the review here. In 2004, when the Red Sox were in the American League Championship Series against those same Yankees, there was a huge show at a Polish hall in Dorchester with Hammer, from Japan, Caustic Christ, Signal Lost and Mind Eraser. That happened to be the night of Game 5 of that series. So Jeff, one of the guys involved with the show and a huge Sox fan, brought a TV and set it up in the back of the room in case anyone wanted to keep tabs on the game. As the night progressed and the game went into extra innings, some people were staying in the back and watching the game and not paying attention to some of the bands. I kept going back and forth and didn’t miss any of the bands’ sets. This annoyed the wife of one of Jeff’s bandmates at the time and she attempted to unplug the TV. It set off a bit of an altercation, but peace was restored and the TV remained on. This situation also irked some of the out-of-town people playing or accompanying some of the bands. Not being from Boston, they just didn’t understand the passion for the Red Sox, especially since, the night before, in a win or go home game, the Sox pulled off a 12^th inning win. Same for this game—as I said, it went into extra frames and lasted 14 innings, stretching into when Hammer were playing. At that point, David Ortiz of the Red Sox got the game winning hit and, in a moment of euphoric jubilation, about 20 die-hard Sox fans charged the dance floor and set off one motherfucker of a pit. So the moral of the story is there’s room for both!

UNHOLY GOATFUCKER

Back to the show—Unholy Goatfucker began with some truly evil, tongue-in-cheek death metal. All made up in Gene Simmons-goes-to-hell fashion and more musical than your metallic mayhem unit. And yes, those really are two goats’ heads in the picture. Lovely, eh? Next up, Fruit Salad did the thrash and grind thing to an enthusiastic response, ending with a cover of Youth of Today’s “Put It Aside” that created a nice youth crew mosh. As I’ve said in previous reviews, they’ve really evolved as a band over time. I passed on Praxis, since I needed a bit of a breather and just saw them a couple of weeks ago. Finally, the Danes took the stage, uh, floor. Some tall guys in that band, especially their vocalist, who has to go around 6’5”. A jittery, nervy, tuneful punk mix that fits in with the bands who proudly exhibit an affinity for those vintage sounds. People were worked into delirium and, as I said, the sewerage was mainly held at bay until they were done.

One hell of a good time… a real punk rock show, to quote Craig, who put this together.

BANDANOS-We Crush Your Mind With The Thrash Inside (625, CD)
DESTRUCTION’S END/BANDANOS-Thrash From The Dead (625, CD)
Thrash? Don’t mind if I do. Where have I heard that before?* I’ve certainly heard bands like Bandanos and Destruction’s End before. Bandanos are from Brasil and have the retro crossover sound down pat. A rough ‘n tumble Bay Area thrash influence, stripped down and throwing in a touch of early COC. The strangled vocals have some Mike Dean in ‘em, tag-teamed with Blaine Accüsed. Another throwback is the photo collage in the centerfold for “We Crush Your Mind.” Oddly, the songs on the split, which was released before the full-length, have fuller-sounding production and it creates more impact. Either way, it’s throat-grabbing fodder. As for Destruction’s End, it’s a good fit with Bandanos. Another band blurring metal and hardcore with a straight-forward speed attack. Hell, they make the 80s tribute more complete by including a sample from the Rambo “First Blood” movie and that’s the title of the leadoff song, as well. This band have gotten quite a bit better since their ’04 album on Mike Fitzgerald Records. It’s tighter, and has better drumming and recording quality. Viva la crossover! (*the answer is Municipal Waste, in case you didn’t know) (www.625thrash.com)

CLUSTERFUCK-How The West Was Won (Vital Center, LP)
Rip-roarin’ hardcore punk with a rowdy spirit. Short songs that seamlessly blend into each other without missing a beat. It’s not just simple thrash, either—busy bass and guitar lines and stop-on-a-dime tightness. Donn has a memorable voice in much the same way Jello does. A higher pitched snotty yelp-croon that drips with sarcasm. That sarcasm is coupled with a sense of anger, a sense of numbness as mentioned on “I’m Fine, Thank You,” followed by “OK, Now I’m Unhappy,” expanding the numbness into hopelessness. The notes on the inner sleeve call it an “exercise in American protest music.” Even with those feelings, the songs are imbued with an irresistible liveliness. Only 300 of these suckers so you best not sit still. (38 Wall St., Valhalla, NY 10595, www.myspace.com/clusterfuckcthc)

CULT RITUAL-s/t (Burrito, 7” EP)
Boiling over hardcore—a forceful clatter of white hot guitar, thick, bulldozing bass-lines and wild drumming. Lurching savagery interspersed with thrash and more straight-forward riffing. The vocals are buried in the mix a bit and Dan does his damnedest to cut through the din. Some mighty intense and crazed sounds emanating from the purplish-brown grooves of this record. That may seem hyperbolic and reminiscent of an old Pushead MRR review but it’s the truth. (PO Box 3204, Brandon, FL 33509-3204, www.soundideadistribution.com)

DEADLINE-8/2/82 (Peterbilt, CD)
Deadline appeared on the “Flex Your Head” compilation and, after those songs were released, recorded 11 more. Those sat in the can until ’89, when Peterbilt records released a one-time pressing of 1000 copies and that’s been scarce as hell, ever since. So, finally, here’s a long-overdue reissue. Deadline very much kept in the HarDCore sound—rough hardcore punk played with youthful agitation and aggression, mixing up fast and slower tempos. In fact, several of those songs fall into the latter category. I’d have to say, out of all the other bands from that era, they came closest to the Faith, sound-wise. Maybe a notch below their better-known brethren but still a worthy artifact. (distr. by Dischord, 3819 Beecher St. NW, Washington, DC 20007, www.dischord.com)

DEATH TOKEN-4 Track Attack (Even Worse, 7” EP)
A primitive D-Beat or Dis-attack, more accurately. The reverb on some of the vocals is a combination of cheesy and cool. They address the recording method on the title track, calling their sound “a busted ear tape salad to go” and they also endorse their “exclusively crap equipment.” The last track, “Eye Hardly Exist,” is a moody instrumental with guitar and ocean effects—there will be quiet after the storm? Oops—wrong band. Otherwise, Death Token keep things in a purely pillaging mode, definitely busting eardrums along the way if you hold ‘em too close to the speakers. (www.geocities.com/evenworserecords)

DISNIHIL-s/t (Chainsaw Safety, CD)
A strong debut album for this Swedish hardcore-inspired band from New York. Dark, dramatic riffing and a heavy, powerful approach. Hell, they even offer a Sabbathy tip of metallic hat during the bridge of “Markings Consistent With Butchery.” Speedy, stun-kill fodder with the occasional somber passage, although the latter isn’t a dominant characteristic. In other words, you’re not going to hear me bandying about terms like “epic.” Besides, only two songs top the three minute mark. A chip off the From Ashes Rise block and those are winning qualities. (PO Box 260318, Bellerose, NY 11426, www.chainsawsafetyrecords.com)

ENDLESS BLOCKADE/HATRED SURGE-Split (Schizophrenic, LP)
Two mayhem-oriented bands—grind is part of the deal for both of ‘em. The Endless Blockade start and end their side with dirge-like compositions, with the opener “Abraxas” sounding like a walk to the entrance of hell and then the listener is forced through the door and immediately savaged with brutal blasting. Hatred Surge’s side was created by two people—Alex and Amy, both contributing vocals and Alex handling all the instruments (they have a full band for live performances). As with the Endless Blockade, the final song is a slow piece that takes up nearly half the side. Actually, the coolest moment is their over-the-top cover of Agnostic Front’s “Society Sucker.” Both bands have the modus operandi of blastbeats, thrash, heaviness and harsh vocals. This style continues to remain an acquired taste and I still haven’t really acquired it. (17 W 4th Street, Hamilton, ON Canada L9C, www.schizophrenicrex.com)

NIGHTMARE/BURIAL/CRUDE-Axis Of Wolves (HG Fact, CD)
Three bands, two of ‘em Japanese, one of ‘em German (Burial) and two songs apiece. This is ostensibly their tour CD and each band contributes powerful material. Nightmare trade in lengthy songs and somehow hold the flailing attack together. With Burial (who have some other solid releases), if I was going to take a blindfold test, I’d guess that they were a Japanese band, stylistically. A relentless aggression. Crude’s songs have a stripped-down roughness and it works to their advantage. Each band have their own sound and, taken together, it’s a strong lineup. I wish this tour was coming my way. (www.interq.or.jp/japan/hgfact)

NIPPLE VIOLATOR-Double Suck (Bloody Stump, LP)
What hath Maine wrought? I’ve heard and seen some weird and/or fucked up bands from that state over the years. In any case, this was recorded in 1993, unleashed on the record-buying public in 2007 and it showed up in my mailbox on a nice sunny day this summer. I imagine you could say what GG Allin was to New Hampshire, Nipple Violator are to Maine. Well, maybe not quite as extreme as that and I don’t think these guys will ever reach that level of infamy but Nipple Violator hold their own with the scatological content. The music is snotty, semi-competent punk rock—and, once again, the GG comparison is inevitable. They get by on attitude and it provides the backdrop for such tender songs as “You’re My Fuck Toy,” “Feces Addict” and their ode to the lord, “Jesus Wants To Fuck You.” Share it with that special someone. Hmm… if you want them to remain special, maybe that’s not such a good idea. (distr. by Foreign Frequency, http://www.foreignfrequency.com)

SOCIALCIDE-Burn In Hell, Bundy (Kangaroo/Even Worse, 7” EP)Slam-bang hardcore, following a rip-snortin’ demo that Even Worse pressed on vinyl. One interesting thing is the new recording sounds rougher than the demo. In any case, Socialcide’s calling card is raw, old-school hardcore, established ca. 1982, although their cover of Wolfpack NYC’s “Suicide” dates from the later part of the decade. In fact, there’s an early Revelation Records feeling, as well, with the fuzzed-out guitar and breakdown style. And those bands were trying to bring back an older feel, as well. These guys do justice to those influences. (www.geocities.com/evenworserecords or www.geocities.com/tysonkangaroo)

UNDER PRESSURE

UNDER PRESSURE-Black Bile (Fashionable Idiots, LP)
Under Pressure continue with their dark blend of hardcore and fired-up rock ‘n roll. Maybe rock ‘n roll is a misnomer since that will sometimes conjure up visions of guys in clichéd poses but, well, this is pretty rockin’. The lead licks are worked into the arrangements instead of dominating them. It should be noted that their guitar player does come on like Angus Young live but it’s more like Angus in the midst of a caffeine jag. Cam’s hoarse, strangled vocals sound like Celtic Frost’s Tom G. Warrior with a bad cold—kind of. So there are some heady tunes here, especially the speedy “Whip and Rein” and the charged-up title track. Unfortunately, the momentum comes to a screeching halt with the snail’s pace, endless “The Last.” This song painfully drones on for over half of the second side and is a tedious exercise, intense effect aside. Otherwise, it’s another strong release for this Winnipeg band. If it had been a one sided 12”, without “The Last,” it would have been 100% killer. (PO Box 580131, Minneapolis, MN 55458, www.fashionableidiots.com)

WATCH IT BURN-How America Motherfucking Works (Trigger On The Dutendoo, 12”)
The cover for this record weighs a ton—it consists of two pieces of black and white vinyl tile with stickers slapped on the front and back with the track list and the like. And I like the cover a bit more than the record itself. Recorded in ’98 (Oct 30-32? Huh?) and they indulge in some heavy jams. Not hippie stuff and it’s structured—guitar/bass/drums with the first side featuring shorter compositions and the flip a lethargic, extended exercise. Metallized riffage, howling vocals and a solid rhythmic foundation. These muck-monsters do have the right idea on occasion and the playing skill to pull it off, but the songs don’t really go anywhere. (http://www.myspace.com/triggeronthedutendoo)

Suburban Voice blog #46

“THAT’S NOT MUSIC!”

So there I was, one summer night in 1980, working at the Richdale store in Marblehead, MA. The classic summer job and I’d encounter some interesting characters. Like this one kind of sketchy looking dude who would come in every night, walk around for awhile and then usually buy a box of muffin mix or something like that. I wondered what he was doing the rest of the time. One night, I ventured out from behind the counter and found him over at the magazine rack, looking through the “personals” section of the Boston Phoenix with his hand down his pants. When I caught him, you never saw anyone bolt out a place so quickly and I don’t think I ever saw him again. We also sold beer and wine and I’d have to “card” people. At the time, the drinking age was 20. I sold some brew to a guy who looked as though he was over 20. Nope—he was 18 and the cops nailed him when he left the store. Then they came in to have a little talk with me. Fortunately, nothing happened, not even when they called my boss. He told me not to worry about it. Can you imagine what would have happened to me today? There’s no doubt I would have been fired and possibly busted for selling to the kid.

As usual, music helped keep me sane, both at work and not at work. The radio brought much joy. WERS, the Emerson College station, had a cool show called “Niteklub,” named after the Specials’ song. WMWM, the Salem State station, had some crucial programming, as well, particularly “Depraved Dave’s Cave,” hosted by Dave Dodge. That was where I first heard the Dead Kennedys’ “California Über Alles.” I also heard a local band called the Transplants and a few of their songs ended up on a mix tape along with that DK’s song, DOA, SLF and the early GG Allin single “Cheri Love Affair.” Other songs that stood out were “This World of Water” by New Musik, “African Reggae” by Nina Hagen,” the salacious “Stained Sheets” by the Contortions (basically phone sex between James Chance and Lydia Lunch, performing as Stella Rico), “Burn It Down” by Dexy’s Midnight Runners, two years before “Come On Eileen” and “Academy Fight Song” by Mission of Burma (what an awesome record). Incidentally, the first time Ellen and I saw Burma, in late spring, we walked out on them because they were bad that night. Then I heard the single a few weeks later and we've both been fans ever since. Some of the other songs mentioned didn’t really stick with me back then but I’ve come to love them ever since.

One night, I was working at Richdale and either listening to a tape or the radio. All I remember is “Suicidal Tendencies” by the Transplants came on and I was digging it. A woman in her 40s or 50s came up to the counter. She definitely was NOT into the music playing at that moment. She was friendly enough and we started talking a bit and I still remember her saying, about that song and the stuff I liked in general, “that’s not music.” It’s one person’s opinion but it’s stuck with me ever since. It’s been a point of pride that I like music that falls outside the mainstream. I can’t remember what she did consider music Maybe it was Dixieland jazz or blues or something like that. I honestly can’t recall it. If it was older rock ‘n roll, then we were on the same page. I guess where we would part company is a lot of early rock ‘n roll, the non watered-down type, had a sense of spirit and rebellion that remains at the core of a lot of punk and hardcore. And if that’s noise instead of music then, to quote a well-known hip-hop group (also considered worthless non-music by many people), bring the noise!

MUSIC AND NOISE:
Catching up, as always. Some of these records came out awhile ago.

BEOWÜLF-Westminster & 5th (I Scream, CD)
Beowülf’s first, self-titled album that came out in ’87 was a killer (and I still need a copy of the original vinyl). It was the crossover era, they were on Suicidal Tendencies’ label and had a solid Tank/NWOBHM-meets hardcore-inspired sound. That album also had some rather ribald songs, such as “Drink, Fight, Fuck.” At some point, vocalist/guitarist Dale Henderson discovered Jesus and later put out the wretched “Un-Sentimental” in the early 90s, an album that I no longer own. So here’s his first album under the Beowülf name since the mid-90s and it has the metallish sound of their early material. Only the religious references remain and it’s tough for me to get past that—the title track has the refrain “God is watching over me” and there ain’t no irony. That’s not the only thing to critique, though. The music is solid but doesn’t have nearly the heaviness and crunch of those old recordings. Yeah, I know it’s been over 20 years but a comparison is inevitable. In any case, there’s a reissue of the band’s first two albums that came out a few years back and that’s a hell (sorry) of a lot better. (www.iscreamrecords.com)

BIRDS OF A FEATHER/IN DEFENCE-Split (Give Praise, 7” EP)
Yet another record that got sat on—well, not literally, but I’ve had it since May. Birds Of A Feather play sweeping hardcore and fly the X, at least on the sleeve. The usual speed/breakdown transitions but lively and none of it plods. The two In Defence songs also have the youthful spirit, although vocalist Ben Crew is in his early 30s—that’s the point of “Hardcore Is Dead,” an affirmation of sorts. Sounding angry and posi at the same—maybe a tad corny but coming across as sincere. (www.givepraiserecords.com)

FIX MY HEAD-s/t (tape)
The first missive from this Oakland band that includes former Scurvy Dogs vocalist Mike. Four songs of potent, 80s inspired hardcore punk, with some double-speed touches that don’t detract. Pretty straight-forward lyrics, albeit with sarcastic properties at times. The main emphasis is an extended middle-finger/fuck you mentality and that also comes out through the band’s aggressive musical nature. (248 Third St., #725, Oakland, CA 94607, www.myspace.com/fixmyheadhc)

I ADAPT-From Town To Town (Six Feet Under, 7” EP)
Three songs spread over two sides, including the lengthy (trying to avoid saying epic) song “Future In You.” I Adapt have the heavy, somber soul-screaming style of hardcore also explored by Modern Life Is War and the faster part of “Subject To Change” conjures Tragedy, a bit. Powerful stuff although I liked it more in the live setting. (http://www.myspace.com/iadapt)

INTELLECTUALS-Invisible Is The Best (Dead Beat, CD)
Another disc I sat on for some inexplicable reason—I think I’ve had this since the end of last year. Sorry about that. I’m reviewing it ‘cause it’s pretty good. Primitive bluesy garage punk with guitar, drums and organ. Besides their own rough tunes, the Intellectuals do a good job bashing around some cover versions—X-Ray Spex’s “Identity” and the Jesus and Mary Chain’s “Never Understand” in particular. It took me maybe 15-20 seconds to realize they were decimating the latter song and that kind of ravaging is more intriguing than a straight-forward cover. Kind of the same change-up as when the Hex Dispensers covered Gary Numan’s “Down In The Park” awhile back. Better late than never with this review, I suppose. (PO Box 361392, Cleveland, OH 44136, www.dead-beat-records.com)

JOHN THE BAKER/MILLIONS OF DEAD COPS-Unplugged (Tankcrimes, 7” EP)
I have respect for both John the Baker and Dave Dictor. It’s humorous to hear John singing “the cops are fucking little girls” and Dave turning “Let’s Kill All The Cops” into a jaunty campfire singalong. In other words, this is a punk rock approach with acoustic guitars. John’s liner notes about how he had to deal with a bullying pig in Woodstock, NY says a lot about the power trips in which these so-called protectors of the law engage themselves. It also shows how they don’t often live up to those “lofty” standards. Still, I’m not into acoustic music but do find the spirit inspiring. (PO Box 3495, Oakland, CA 94609, www.tankcrimes.com)

KULTURKAMPF-Too Cold To Smell The Dead (Trench Rot, 7” EP)
The title track is a long, ominous instrumental with some Black Flag-ish guitar squiggle pressing into a thrashy burst. The first part is actually the most interesting thing on the record. Raw UK-style hardcore played with enthusiasm if not always the best musical skill, especially the drumming. “Macho Man (Jock Song)” quotes from Survivor’s “Eye Of The Tiger” and Sabbath’s “Iron Man,” with the balance of the fast punk arrangement wrapped around. Standard “up the punx” fodder and just fair, at best. (www.myspace.com/upthebonerpunx)

LIFE TRAP

LIFE TRAP-Bleak Reality (No Way, 7” EP)
Jeezus… nope, I haven’t converted. It’s more a matter of renewal, of inspiration and Life Trap provide that on their first EP. Boiling over hardcore from Nashville. My guess is all these guys were born after the music that influenced them was created. Hell, even their logo appears to be inspired by Articles of Faith’s. They’ve learned their lessons well. Fast and tight as fuck. On the lyrical front, “Lost Cause” deals with racism and I imagine that comes from personal experience since two members of Life Trap are people of color. Critiques of the American dream, conformity, stale suburbia—universal, timeless laments and a timeless musical style, as well. (3211 Idlewood Ave., Richmond, VA 23221, www.nowayrecords.com)

LOST BOYS-Fuck You (tape)
In the middle of the front cover for this tape, there are stencil style letters that spell out “Fuck You.” This snotty hardcore/punk/garage band most assuredly convey those feelings. There’s a bug up the ass about working, clean-cut assholes and, let’s see, what else—I’d imagine a good chunk of the human race. Hell, on “Nerds,” the record collection means more than death, destruction and torture. Priorities! My priority is to wear out this tape in the car. (Louche Bertrand, 10 quai de la pêcherie, 69001 Lyon, FRANCE, stillholdingon.free.fr/lostboys.html)

MASSMORD-Unleashed (Yellow Dog, CD)
Heavy crust with male/female vocals and a thick, intense sound. This is a pure Scandinavian hardcore attack. Some Tragedy-like guitar lines and since that band takes cues from this style, it boomerangs back. Lyrically, there’s the well-worn laments about oppression, the rise of racist regimes, soul-crushing daily existence, but also a tip of the hat to the activist community. There’s a sonic thickness, a dark cloud-like ambiance created with all of these elements and played in speedy fashion from start to finish. (PO Box 550208, 10372 Berlin, GERMANY, www.yellowdog.de)

108-A New Beat From A Dead Heart (Deathwish, CD)
The heavy crush of metal core. Metal? Sure—the repetitive chug of the riff on “Angel Strike Man” is separated at birth from Slayer’s “Criminally Insane.” Rob Fish howls as though his limbs are being ripped from his torso and the lyrical matter carries as much weightiness. A heaviness, a groove, even a reggae turn for “Our Kind.” This album was recorded in Salem by Kurt Ballou from Converge and there are definitely some similarities. I’m not really into this sort of soul-screaming heaviness although there’s one blindsiding moment here—the soul stirring chord change on “Guilt.” Incidentally, Kurt’s studio is less than 10 minutes from where I live and I’m kind of surprised I couldn’t hear them laying down the tracks. (www.deathwishinc.com)

RINGERS-Detention Halls (1-2-3-4 Go!, CD)
I’m not quite as enamored of Ringers’ second album as the first. The sound is similar—tuneful punk that comes across as a combination of the Clash and the late 80s Bay Area pop/punk sound, but it doesn’t always have as much of the boisterousness. Such songs as “Duck and Cover,” “Walking Ghost” “New Sins” and “Amateur Hour” do possess the punchiness that made “Curses” such a treat and the lyrical eye (if I may use such illiteration) remains sharp. Being a parochial MassHole, I like the local references to such spots as Harvard Ave and the Back Bay. When played back to back, though, there seemed a tad more grittiness in the sound on “Curses” and, interestingly, they were both recorded at Dead Air in Western Mass. Ultimately, just a slight let-down and there are some strong moments here. (S. Stevenson,1321 Glenfield Ave,Oakland, CA 94602, www.1234gorecords.com)

SHOOT IT UP-s/t (Fashionable Idiots, 7” EP)
Guitar/drums/vocals garage punk-a-rama. The vocals are snotty, the guitar has a slashing primitivism and the drummer sounds as though he’s using garbage can lids for cymbals. It’s probably Shoot It Up’s intent to create such an ugly, occasionally disjointed clatter but I think they’d benefit from fleshing out their sound with a bass-player. Either way, the results would be nasty. (PO Box 580131, Minneapolis, MN 55458, www.fashionableidiots.com)

VARIOUS-Twin Cities Hardcore 2007 (Give Praise/TC Hardcore Journal 7” EP)
State of the scene? Well, there are 8 bands here, one side representing Minneapolis, the other representing St. Paul. Is there a winner? What a trite question. No matter the home base, most of these bands acquit themselves quite well. It’s mainly fast, thrashy hardcore from the likes of In Defence, Pandamonium, Complete Waste and Useless Wooden Toys. Twenty Seven Shots, who had a pretty good full-length not too long ago, add a more tuneful element to their song without losing the hardcore drive. My copy doesn’t have a booklet or insert (maybe misplaced but I can’t find it) but that’s a small distraction. The aforementioned state of the scene is pretty good. (www.givepraiserecords.com)

VICIOUS CYCLE-I’m Watching You (Vinyl Addict, 7” EP)
Mining the old-school hardcore sound and, as I’ve written countless times, if done right, it remains inspiring. Vicious Cycle, from Sudbury, Ontario, have it down. Fast and pissed-sounding and it has my foot pounding the floor as I listen. Some feedbacky guitar on occasion, especially in the middle part of “Bent.” “I’m Watching You” also slows it down and has an early 80s west coast punk vibe. More, please. (1835, De Bourgogne, Sherbrooke, QC, CANADA, J1J 1B1, www.myspace.com/vinyladdictrecords)

Suburban Voice blog #45

Who the hell is Kenny Chesney? And why did 50,000 people go to see him? I know he’s a country singer. I assume he’s a country singer since I always see him pictured in a cowboy hat. Man, I must REALLY be out of touch, eh? Proudly so. I’m also glad I didn’t drop $95 or $225 on the Police shows at Fenway Pahhhk. As stated before, I’m not opposed to reunions but this smacks of a cash-in. No duh, Al. I suppose these are the shows I’m supposed to go see. After all, I’m in the age range of people who went to see artists such as the Clash, Police, Elvis Costello, Blondie, et al in the late 70s/early 80s.

On that list, the only one I got to see was the Clash. In fact, I got to catch them on their first tour, in early ’79, when they played the Harvard Square Theatre. That’s still one of the greatest shows I’ve seen in my life. I wasn’t a Costello fan. In fact, I’m still not that big a fan although I’ve come to appreciate some of his earlier stuff. “No Action” is one hell of a catchy song. I managed to miss the Police’s Boston debut at the Rat in Kenmore Square, where they played four nights. Nor did I ever see them play live, as I alluded to above. I’d heard the “Fall Out” single on Greg Riebman’s show on WERS, the Emerson College station, sometime in late ’77 or early ’78 and thought it was a pretty good punk song but never did get the record. So I was a freshman at Boston University and it’s late October, 1979. I stop by the room of one of my dorm-mates, Mark, and see a 45 record on his desk. He tells me they were giving them out at Strawberries, a record store in Kenmore near the Rat. It was “Roxanne” by Police, as they were listed on the record. I told him I’d heard of the band, that they were punk and he seemed repulsed by that fact and told me I could have the record. I thought it was OK—kind of surprised to hear the reggae in the verses but the chorus had a pretty punk rock feel to it, I thought at the time.

I did like the first two Police albums. In fact, I tried to convince myself I liked stuff after that. I suppose “Zenyatta Mondatta” had a few good songs. I remember listening to “Ghost In The Machine” when it came out and even thinking some of that wasn’t bad but, these days, it’s “Outlandos D’Amour” and “Regatta De Blanc.” Hell, I think there are some incredibly underrated songs on those records--at least I think they’re underrated. “Contact,” from “Regatta.” The subtle tempo shift for the chorus and the brittle guitar line pack a subtle wallop—if a wallop can be subtle. On “Outlandos,” I have a real soft spot for “Be My Girl—Sally,” where the song starts and ends with a charging arrangement and harmonized vocals repeating the title over and over. The middle section, “Sally,” is a spoken word segment from Andy Summers that’s an ode to a blowup doll, with his words accompanied by whimsical-sounding piano. Maybe it’s the fact that it brings back some pleasant memories of the spring of ’79, when I met the woman who’s now my wife and that line, “be my girl,” still rings through my brain and there was a happy outcome there.

Maybe it’s the memory of how I got that album. It was in early April of ’79—or maybe late March—and it was a beautiful spring afternoon. I was sitting in a classroom at Boston University, waiting for the start of my class in Quantitative Methods aka Linear Programming aka a fancy way of describing what was ostensibly a math course, as taught by Melanie Lenard. I remember that Prof. Lenard had brownish hair with a white patch and, thinking back, kind of a Midwestern-ish twang. In any case, I was sitting there and Tom Hetrick, another guy from my dorm, had the idea of blowing off class and going over to Harvard Square to pick up the new Police album. So we hopped in Tom’s pretty fancy car (it might have been a convertible) and hit Discount Records to purchase said record and it took up residence on my turntable for the rest of the semester.

TOM

That's quite a photo of Tom, eh? Taken in his dorm room, guerrilla style, that spring. Nice shorts and socks. At least he had the legs to pull it off.

So those are the types of memories the Police conjure up. Maybe they would have been revived had I seen the show at Fenway. But I seriously doubt it. Playing my well-worn copy of that album works better. Still—I saw a recent photo of Andy Summers standing next to a blown up copy of an early set list and it had songs from the first two albums, plus “Fall Out.” If they had guaranteed to only play the songs on that list, I might have taken the plunge. Hell, do what Cheap Trick did, when they played their first three albums in order, over three consecutive nights at the Paradise in Boston. They did the albums and then added on some “greatest hits” after, which was hit and miss but getting to hear the likes of “He’s A Whore,” “On Top Of The World” and “Stiff Competition” made it worthwhile. Hell, Sonic Youth just played “Daydream Nation” in order at the Pitchfork festival and an acquaintance of mine was talking about how great it was and how that’s the only Sonic Youth show he’ll ever need to see. So if the Police play their first two albums in order and MAYBE include a few later songs, I’d be there. But it’s not going to happen and I just saved myself nearly $500 on two tickets.

YE NEW MUSIC REVIEWS:

CANCER BRIDES-Like Fairy Tales Of Modern Times (Brass Jacket, CD)
Can I get away with calling this emo? Well, emo-ish? Before you start puking, realize that I’m talking about the mid-to-late 80s style of this music. You know, when it was still rooted in hardcore and didn’t sound like whining. I mean, sure, you could say that Guy from Rites of Spring sounded like he was bawling and I’ve heard stories of their audience chucking flowers and being moved to tears. In any case, the Brides’ vocalist Abel is gruffer. Second, while it’s melodic, the arrangements have brawn. Hell, metal inclinations show on occasion—especially for “A Former Lie”—with some Maiden-esque guitar trills and a fiery lead break. And goddamn if some of the melodic guitar lines on “Pipe Bomb” and “The Wrong Kill” effectively go in for the kill. Even with the “poetic” type lyrics and occasional penchant for a sacrifice of brevity, the Cancer Brides still mainly win me over. (PO Box 1468, Tucson, AZ 85702, www.myspace.com/cancerbrides)

CRIMSON SWEET-Wired For The Last Move/Basement Star (Slow Gold Zebra, 7”)
Haven’t heard from this NYC band in a bit. Poppy yet burning and vocals that go from angelic to something a bit more south of heaven. “Wired For The Last Move,” in particular has a real strong hook while “Basement Star” isn’t quite as stirring. A hit and miss proposition but when they hit, it strikes paydirt. Unfortunately, since this record's release, they've called it quits. (PO Box 20506, Tompkins Sq. Station, NY, NY 10019)

DIMWITS-Hey Man, Good Set (Winter St., CD)
If I was going to say anything to the band about this album, it’d be “hey guys, adequate set.” The agenda is wise-assed lyrical swipes a-la The Queers—in fact, there’s a name-check on the song “Maggie.” Overall, it’s fair-to-middling punk with oi-ish (some “hey hey heys”) and a modicum of tunefulness. The Dimwits are the type of band who aren’t terrible but I probably wouldn’t go out of my way for, either. (64 Tell St., Providence, RI 02909, www.myspace.com/winterstreetrecords)

THE EAT-It’s Not The Eat, It’s The Humidity (Alternative Tentacles, 2xCD)
Oh ho-ho-ho, what a clever fuckin’ title. OK, I can appreciate a pun as much as the next person and I can appreciate the Eat, as well. Maybe not two hours and twenty minutes at once, so you’ll want to space it out. The Eat put out a few of those holy grail records that diehard collectors jizz themselves over—the “Communist Radio” 7” and “God Punishes The Eat” EP. They also include the cassette-only “Scattered Wahoo Action,” recorded in 1982 and a ’96 EP. There’s other unreleased stuff, too. I’m not sure of exact details since one of the pages in the booklet ran twice and I wonder if that’s where info was. No matter. So does the music match the collectability factor? Is it that awesome? Overall, it’s pretty sweet. These guys mixed it up. Sure, there was a punk attitude but the some of the songs also had a gloriously poppy bent, especially the famous “Communist Radio.” The Eat were definitely a band that didn’t take themselves too seriously—irreverent and funny. The second disc is all live and, while it’s probably a one time listen (maybe), these are solid, spirited performances. Their own songs are here but they also bash around some “classic rock”—“LA Woman,” “We’re An American Band,” “Wooly Bully” and “Flower Punk” is a sideways cover of “Hey Joe.” They sound as though they were a whale of a band in that setting. Maybe even a manatee of a band (my own bad pun)—and please smack your knees, not those gentle giants, as mentioned in “Manatee Smacker.” And you can easily skip over the white boy funk of “Nixon’s Binoculars,” as well. I’m sure the Eat were a welcome alternative in the land of Skynyrd—no fuckin’ “Free Bird” here, thank whatever. (PO Box 419092, SF, CA 94146, www.alternativetentacles.com)

EPISODE-s/t (self-released, 7” EP)
A mystery band with no info or song titles, just lyrics. Actually, I do know the participants but if I tell you, it could mean BIG trouble for me. OK, it’s the guys from Fall Out Boy trying to regain punk cred. Enough joking. The first song comes out of the gates like 9 Shocks Terror, at least in the vocal and musical delivery and the words are a warning call against the warmongering “leaders.” A swell of feeback leads into the next song and offering the solution. Episode orders the listener to take out a certain leader but I’d better not be any more specific since I don’t need the Secret Service breaking down my door and giving me a one-way ticket to Gitmo. Thorny punk with heart and adrenalin and not amelodic, either—the piercing guitar line on the last song has a good amount of sting and, if I was once again going to put it in a bit of context, it made me think of some of the 80s era Euro hardcore bands who would have those kinds of leads. This is some kickass stuff. (http://www.myspace.com/episodesellouts)

GHOUL-Splatterthrash (Tankcrimes, LP)
This is my first time entering Ghoul’s evil demimonde or, rather, the fictional place called Creepsylvania. The Ghouls are hooded, covered with blood and I’d imagine put on quite an entertaining live show. Their third album, or chapter, and it’s a wild, spot-on amalgam of thrash metal, more Euro-metal flavored stuff, creepy theremin and robotic effects and even surf music (“Psychoplasm,” “Baron Samedi”). Some of the vocals sound slowed down a bit to add to the wickedness. We’re talking high concept here, most likely allegorical in nature—I’d be here all day offering details but it’s a battle to the death for Ghoul, along with the former bullied “twerp” turned “Mutant Mutilator” by their side, as they take on the insidious cult leader. Something about a grail called the Crystal Skull. As I said, I came into this story in the middle. But it turns out this so-called leader is bent on Creepsylvania’s conversion into a community of Christo-Fascism—hell, he even puts in a Disney Store—NOOOOOOOO! I said allegory before? We may be on to something here.The full color gatefold sleeve, with front cover art by Greg Oakes, is a perfect accompaniment to Ghoul’s tongue-in-cheek, comic book come to life. It’s horrorific! (PO Box 3495, Oakland, CA 94609, www.tankcrimes.com)

KILL YOUR IDOLS (2004)

KILL YOUR IDOLS-Salmon Swim Upstream (Vicious Circle, 7” EP)/Something Started Here (Lifeline, CD)
KYI have reached the end of the line and I don’t know if these will be their final releases but “Salmon” features five songs recorded as demos in 2006 and, as a result, the sound quality is rough. That’s absolutely fine with me—KYI were always a back-to-basics hardcore punk band and this provides the perfect ambiance, so to speak. Four rousers of their own plus a cover of “Skinhead Girl,” popularized by The Oppressed—the latter could have been excised and the EP wouldn’t lack for it. “Something Started Here” is an “odds and ends” anthology of EP and split tracks, comp appearances outtakes and the like and it spans KYI’s entire history. Kill Your Idols always maintained the aggressiveness and would let melody seep in on occasion. One thing that never changed was Andy West’s barking cadence, no matter the song. For that reason, KYI would never be too sweet-sounding or saccharine. And they also had a knack for putting life in overdone cover versions. Just when you think the world doesn’t need another cover of “Can’t Tell No One,” they pull it off and it takes brass ones to cover Sheer Terror (twice), but I’m sure Paul B. would approve—if he ever approved of anything. No slick production on most of these songs means it’s a bruiser of a disc. The detailed liner notes give a play by play behind the songs, what was going on in the ranks and it’s obvious this band meant a great deal to Andy and Gary, who wrote the text. That enthusiasm always came through in the power of their music. (Vicious Circle: www.vcrecs.com/Lifeline: PO Box 682, Midlothian, IL 60445, www.lifelinerecords.net)

LOOK BACK AND LAUGH

LOOK BACK AND LAUGH-State Of Illusion (self-released, 12” EP)
A quick four song, one sided EP—with a skeletal figure looking over a pair of TVs on the flip and the message being how media can be used to anaesthetize the public. If you haven’t heard this band before, it’s a thorny, thrashy style with US hardcore and Scandinavian touches mixed together. Tobia’s vocals are snarling and nasty and it makes for a visceral combination. Impressive packaging, impressive music, as always, and they’re also one of the best live bands out there. (PO Box 3103, Berkeley, CA 94703, www.lookbackandlaugh.net)

PYRAMID SCHEME-House Arrest (Art Squad, 7” EP)
For Pyramid Scheme’s second 7”, it’s more rough hardcore plowing straight ahead, sometimes indulging in some double-speed thrash. Smart-assed lyrics, whether dealing with their Pittsburgh ‘hood of Squirrel Hill on “Under The Radar” (I did like Jerry’s Records when I visited there, though), chug-a-lug christian hardcore (“Jesus Floorpunching Christ”) or wannabe-rockstars (“We’re A Band”). Pissed and pretty damn raging. (1749 Broadway Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15216, www.myspace.com/pyramidscheme)

SOUL CONTROL-s/t (Rivalry, 7” EP)
Melodic thrash/chug hardcore—a tad Bad Brains-ish but with a heavier bent. There’s a groove to the songs, solid production but it falls into a joyless, angst-ridden trap. (PO Box 5242, Concord, CA 94524, www.rivalryrecords.com)

TILTWHEEL-s/t (Razorcake, 7” EP)
TOYS THAT KILL-s/t (Razorcake, 7” EP)
I’m reviewing these together because they showed up together, have similar packaging and, besides, I figured I’d pay attention to the liner notes. It ‘splains that they should be viewed as a pair, part of their “sister series” and the two sleeves form a big picture. In any case, each band does two of their own songs and one of the others. Got it? Both bands operate in a melodic realm. Tiltwheel don’t sound as overpowering as in the past, although the songs still have a winning tunefulness and ridiculously long titles (well, for the originals) that would give me carpal tunnel if I typed them out. The Toys That Kill cover (“Birds In Catsuits”) has a tad more punch. Moving on to Toys That Kill, I found their songs underwhelming. The best of the three cuts is their cover of Tiltwheel’s “All I Care About Is Me, My Rum and You.” Their own songs, “O” and “O^2,” have the pop but not much snap or crackle (oof—I deserve to have my writing license revoked for that). The urgency and drive aren’t there. (PO Box 42129, LA, CA 90042, www.razorcake.org)

TOE TAG-Machete Killah (Bag Of Hammers, 7”)
Blaine Cook from the Accused fronts this band, joined by two other ex-Accused dudes, and it’s a heavier rock sound. That’s obvious since the b-side is a cover of a semi-obscuro Sabbath song “Junior’s Eyes” (off “Technical Ecstasy.” “Machete Killah” picks up the pace, Seattle rock (if that’s still a valid term) with more roughness and Blaine’s always-distinct yowl. They included a live DVD with the 7” and it comes closer to the Accüsed aggro and I’d be curious to hear that material in the recorded format. (PO Box 70513, Seattle, WA 98127, www.myspace.com/toetagofficial)

ZERO DEFEX-War Hero—1983 Demos (Get Revenge, 7” EP)
This disc is part of Get Revenge’s “Demolition Series,” where they’re exhuming hardcore demos lost to time. One listen to this raw, fast Clevo band and it’s easy to figure out where some of the more recent scummy bands from that city drew some inspiration. Incidentally, scummy is meant in a positive sense. I’m talking about the yowling vocals, rip-snortin’ guitar and anti-social attitude. Here’s an origination point—I’m sure the likes of the Inmates, H-100s, 9 Shocks, et al had this demo in their various tape decks at one time or another and those bands have the same shit-flying spirit. It’s not all a lightning fast pace—“Drugs,” for instance, has segments that sound like an aural withdrawal although there’s the sped up chorus segment. Bile unleashed. By the way, the guitarist Tommy Strange later moved to the Bay Area and took a different musical turn with the likes of Strawman and Songs For Emma. A limited pressing so don’t fuck around. (PO Box 27071, Knoxville, TN 37917, www.getrevengerecords.com)

Suburban Voice blog #44

ERIC FROM CAUSTIC CHRIST SINGS ALONG WITH BILL DURING THE PIST'S SET

MAKING UP FOR SOME LOST TIME HERE

It’s been a little longer than I’d like between installments. Sorry about that. Well, one excuse was another punk rock road trip I took, this time to Pittsburgh, PA to see a pair of shows celebrating the marriage of Bill Chamberlain from Caustic Christ and the Pist (among a ton of other bands on his musical resume) and his longtime girlfriend Rachel. Was it a perfect trip? Not exactly. Well, the shows were a lot of fun and it was cool getting to hang out with friends and meet people I’d only corresponded with via the internet. Jerry’s Records is one of the better stores I’ve been in lately. I could have spent the entire day in there—literally thousands of LPs and 7”s. Maybe over a million. It was fun going through the boxes of old 45s and getting replacement copies of the ones I had trashed during my childhood. “Superman” by Ides Of March? Hell yeah… and I got a copy of “Vehicle,” too.

It compensated for the horrendous traffic I had to endure over the weekend (and I wasn’t the only one who dealt with that). Part of the highway was shut down, traffic was diverted through various neighborhoods and I got stuck in that crap at least three times. My dear friend Trish couldn’t make it down from Cleveland. The frame on my glasses broke and I had to tape them together for the trip home.

Enough complaining. Here’s a brief wrap-up of the shows. 14 bands over two days—not as crazy as the No Way Fest. The first show was at the DIY space, the Mister Roboto Project and Boston could certainly use a steady space like that one. The space isn’t in the city but Wilkinsburg, a borough of the city, and it’s pretty desolate, at least around the venue. Lots of boarded-up buildings and not many food options around the place. The Chinese food I got from a bit down the block was serviceable, no more or less. Five bands played—Night Terror, FLAK, Brain Handle, Caustic Christ and Thought Crime. I thought Brain Handle stole the show that night. Ed has a unique presence, staggering around, microphone held like an ice cream cone and there’s a dark-hued hardcore sound varying between medium speed and slowing it down significantly for the last song, which they had to start twice because some nimrod crashed through the drum kit the first time. Caustic also brought it—I like seeing bands on their “home turf” and they didn’t disappoint. The crushing, slower “The Caustic Curse” has been a stand-out of late.

The next night’s show was in the borough of Braddock, an even more desolate area that’s definitely fallen on hard times. There was literally no place for food within walking distance. There WAS a bar at the venue, at least. Thankfully, through the generosity of kind folks, I was taken care of. The venue was an Elks lodge, right next to the loft where the city’s mayor, John Fetterman, lives. He’s an interesting guy. He’s making an attempt to revive the area, with rent and tax free space being offered to artists, musicians and the like. An article from the Pittsburgh City Paper has a piece you can read at this link about Fetterman and Braddock.

Fetterman’s an imposing figure—tall, wide, with a shaved-head and he was hanging out at the show all night. In fact, the most memorable moment came when he introduced Municipal Waste, concluding his brief comments with the band’s salvo “Municipal Waste are gonna fuck you up!” I mean, I can’t picture the mayor of Boston, Tom “Mumbles” Menino, doing that. Hell, he’d probably try to shut the show down. And if he did say it, it might be hard to understand his diction-impaired words. He may be the only mayor who needs subtitles when he speaks.

CRIMINAL DAMAGE

The bands! Nine of ‘em. The biggest buzz seemed to be for Criminal Damage, with Paul Burdette from Tragedy on guitar and vocals and a sound obviously rooted in ’82-era No Future Records punk, Blitz in particular. Tribute or not, the songs are catchy and memorable and perfect for audience singalongs. Plenty of participation, throughout. Annihilation Time are a rock machine—no question about it. The Bl’ast thing is still there but the blatant 70s hard rock/metal is the overriding element these days, although Jimmy’s vocals are snotty, as opposed to bombastic. The Waste didn’t have their props—well, they did bring out the beer bong—but their crossover shreddability doesn’t need gimmicks, anyway. High On Crime were one of the loudest bands of the night, a pummeling combo of thrash, crust and heaviness. Hammering away on their instruments and creating quite a ruckus. The Pist sounded as good as they did in the 90s and “We’re The Pist” made for a strong introduction. Everyone was gathered around Al, singing the words and they’re one of the few so-called “street punk” bands for whom time has been kind. They’ll be in Boston on September 8 at the Cambridge Elks. Getting lost after the show and turning a 15 minute drive into an over-an-hour ordeal didn’t seem so bad. OK, it did, but let’s just dwell on the positive here.

To see more pictures from these shows and other recent musical events, please go to my Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/MrAlQ

MUSIC REVIEWS

DACTYL-Teething (Reptilian, CD)
In recent years, I’ve occasionally pined for the days of aggressive indy rock that caught my fancy in the late 80s/early-to-mid 90s. Not the grunge stuff but music that had an edgy power and heaviness that didn’t get bogged down by lumbering tempos nor necessarily attempt to rekindle the spirit of Zep or late 60s RAWK. With a band name like Dactyl, one would expect a colossal sound and that’s more or less what you’ll get on this disk. It’s noisy and there are anguished sounding vocals. Sure, these Baltimoreans engage in some swirling, lumber-hammering tempos. There are also sonic squalls that bridge some of the tracks and “Pull The Pin” is a tad self-indulgent in its bombastic-ness. I really got tired of this stuff after awhile but, every so often, it’s refreshing to hear bands that still have the urge to bash it out this way. (2545 N. Howard, Baltimore, MD 21218, www.reptilianrecords.com)

DT’S-Filthy Habits (Get Hip, CD)
DT’s got soul—both from a musical standpoint, as they dish out the fired up 70s-inspired rock ‘n roll and vocally, as Diana Young-Blanchard is a dominating, yet gritty shouter. They’ve got it down pat and people who are into such bands as the Bell-Rays won’t be able to get enough. Still, to be up-front about it, this is a style that doesn’t really pull me in most of the time. The best song, “Turn Loose” does what the title implies, at least. Maybe if it had a nastier garage element, I’d be more into it but the overall polish to the sound/production has too much of a smoothing effect. (PO Box 666, Canonsburg, PA 15233, www.gethip.com)

ERGS-Upstairs/Downstairs (Dirtnap, CD)
These guys are a blast live and bring out some of the more spirited devotion I’ve seen in the past few years. Who’d believe such a nerdy-looking band (all of ‘em wear glasses) would cause people to go out of their minds? Their second album is a pop/punk that takes a pumped-up Descendentsian spirit and has more aggressiveness that I’ve heard in the past. There are a few twists and turns, such as the country-flavored (and not too hot) “Girls Of The Market Square” and solo guitar/vocal “Books About Miles Davis” (also not so great). The concluding, title track is actually a 18 minute jam of sorts that goes from the aching pop into a steady instrumental workout accompanied by the song’s title repeated ad-infinitum underneath the fray. Probably something you’d only want to hear a few times but kind of cool. Not the same ‘ol melodic fodder. (2615 SE Clinton St., Portland, OR 97202, www.dirtnaprecs.com)

GOVERNMENT WARNING-Arrested (Grave Mistake, 7” EP)
Four new songs by GW—on first listen, I had it a notch below their 12” but it definitely holds its own. The title track has a mid-tempo west coast punk sound and that distinguishes Government Warning from the pure thrash revivalists. In fact, that’s a part of their overall sound—I can hear early Circle Jerks in “Safe and Sound,” for instance. That song deals with a bit of “controversy,” as seen in the letters pages of Maximum Rock ‘n Roll, over Kenny using some perhaps ill-advised terminology when they played in Raleigh and the band covering Vile. His reply is that he never meant it, “political correctness has become a plague” and “I’m not intolerant/I just don’t give a fuck.” Hmm… I have mixed feelings. I don’t like when ANYONE acts self-righteous (and I resemble that remark) and some folks do need to be wound up, on occasion. On the other hand, using words like “faggot” from the stage is tiresome, at this point. OK, speech over. If snottiness and a bad attitude are assets, these guys have that in spades. (PO Box 12482, Richmond, VA 23241, www.gravemistakerecords.com)

HEX DISPENSERS-s/t (Alien Snatch, CD)
Dispensing (or delivering, if you’re in a Judas Priest state of mind) the goods. The goods being a dark, thick garage/punk rock sound that has a purpose and urgency to paraphrase the first song, “H.D. Local 23.” The coolness quotient is increased with the “Apocalypse Now” reference for “Are You An Assassin” and the pounding yet catchy properties of the song don’t hurt, either. They also have one of the best cover versions I’ve heard in a bit—a stripped-raw version of Gary Numan’s “Down In The Park” and it took me a second to realize what song it was. I also didn’t realize there were only two guitars and drums/tambourine making this racket since the sound has so much fullness that it sounds like several instruments, including keyboards. Definitely got the hex on me. (distr. in the US by Get Hip, PO Box 666, Canonsburg, PA 15317, www.gethip.com)

HIGH TENSION WIRES-Midnight Cashier (Dirtnap, CD)
Pretty nifty ‘n nervy punk/garage/pop. I think that covers it. It’s not bash-over-the-skull fodder but the songs have presence and inherent catchiness and taut, concise arrangements. The drive of a song such as “Wax Lips and Blood On The Telephone” is irresistible. And I could be crazy but, once in awhile, there’s a guitar/keyboards jab along the lines of Stereolab that’s more punk, less Velvets, such as “Not Enough For Me.” That song has a cool semi-freakout bridge, as well. It’s funny—I was about to say some of the songs also remind me of the Marked Men and, lo ‘n behold, some of these guys play in that band. How perceptive! In fact, I like it better than the most recent Marked Men album in that it’s rougher around the edges. (2615 SE Clinton St., Portland, OR 97202, www.dirtnaprecs.com)

J CHURCH-The Horror Of Life (No Idea, CD)
Bill O’Reilly, in his execrable book, “Culture Warrior” (coming soon to a remainder table near you) talks about how “secular-progressives” are essentially wrecking this country. J Church’s song “We Play Secular Music” was penned before that screed was published but it makes me want to raise my fist in solidarity. J Church’s latest album is a seamless blend of melodic and, also, angry punk—some of the songs here, such as “Eric Dolphy,” New Ho Chi Minh City” and “Viva La Muerte” veer into hardcore territory, albeit without losing the tunefulness. Hell, Lance Hahn raises the rage in his voice for the last one. Thought-provoking lyrics that question the established order, taking issue, for one thing, with the co-optation of “revolutionary ideals,” as it’s put on “If I Have To Dance Then I Don’t Want Your Revolution.” There are also quite a few songs dealing with love and its difficulties and heartbreaks and it’s obvious that these words come from personal experiences. J Church’s lyrics go between straight-forward and, perhaps, more metaphorical but not to the point where one loses the point. Following me here? Ah hell—it’s punk rock and, even if some of the songs don’t always pack as much of a musical punch for me, it’s got more burn than anything I’ve heard from them in awhile. Also, the suggested “eating list” (instead of reading list) on the inlay card is a clever idea. (PO Box 14636, Gainesville, FL 32604, www.noidearecords.com)

REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY-Dreamland (Underground Communique, CD-EP)
RSA, the band with Vic Bondi (Articles of Faith) and J. Robbins (Jawbox) have expanded to a four piece for this four song EP. Melodic, rhythmic, driving rock that connects best on the brief “Brezhnev” and “The Long War,” less-so on the drone-like “Dreamland.” A different mode of expression than straight hardcore yet it’s effective at times. (1220 W. Hood Ave., #7, Chicago, IL 60660, www.undercomm.org)

STRAIGHTJACKET NATION-6 Song EP (self-released, 7” EP)
Thanks to Beau for sending me this 7” all the way from Australia—goddamn this is a good one. Six fast, overpowering hardcore songs and one blending into another without a break (well, except when you flip the record over--duh). The ghost of Pig Champion is channeled through guitarist Dave’s fingers and Daniel’s going to get a sore throat if he keeps yelling like that. It’s worth the risk, I suppose. I’ve seen this EP lurking in some distro boxes and you’d be doing yourself a favor by checking this out. (PO Box 239, North Carlton, Victoria 3054 AUSTRALIA, www.culthardcore.org)

TIME TO ESCAPE-s/t (Grave Mistake, 7” EP)
The ambiance with the sleeve and even record label screams early 80s hardcore but I also hear an early Youth Of Today influence, at least musically. Parsons’ vocals are ranty and the lyrics express boiled up frustration and keep the edge thing out of it. Raw and fast and loud with the obligatory breakdowns. The medium-paced, bashing “Thick Enough” shows that a song can be tough without the tedious chug. This is a vinyl pressing of a demo recorded in the fall of ’05 and I’d like to hear more. (PO Box 12482, Richmond, VA 23241, www.gravemistakerecords.com)

TRICLOPS-Cafeteria Brutalia (Sickroom, CD)
There’s a pattern here. Triclops’ songs start out with a blast of jarring, edgy post-punk rock played with power and authority. Focused and aggressive but the songs are lengthy and expansive. That’s not necessarily such a good thing. It’s kind of the same beef I have with the Fleshies, with whom this band shares vocalist John Geek. Flashes of brilliance interspersed with some dross and some judicious editing would make this material absolutely killer. (PO Box 47830, Chicago, IL 60647, www.sickroomrecords.com)

WASTED TIME-No Shore EP (Grave Mistake, 7” EP)
Metallica were Damage Inc. Wasted Time are Agitation Inc and their vocalist Mark is the CEO. Finally, some new sounds from this band, who had one of my favorite 7”s of ’06. Complexity? Nah, just full-speed ahead battering with a raw ambiance, although the concluding “Same Story” has a slightly less frantic speed level. Having Brandon from Direct Control/Gov’t Warning behind the drum kit is never a bad thing either. And I love the slam at Christian Coalition führer Pat Robertson on “Hey, Pat,” particularly since the wife of an ex-friend of mine works for that wackjob at his Regent University. Bruisin’. (PO Box 12482, Richmond, VA 23241, www.gravemistakerecords.com)

WEDNESDAY NIGHT HEROES-Guilty Pleasures (BYO, CD)
I wouldn’t call it a guilty pleasure but I’ve always had a soft spot for this rousing sort of tuneful, charging punk. Charging is an apt description since most of these songs are played full-speed. What the Heroes offer are catchy songs that occasionally cross over into anthemic territory and never waver in their surging, bristling energy. When the Blitz-ish guitar lines for the likes of “Dead End Street,” “Move To Press” and “Action” kick in, it’s all over—cast out and reeled in with no fight whatsoever. (PO Box 67609, LA, CA 90067, www.byorecords.com)

SLAAAAAAAAAAYER REISSUE (Sorta)
There’s a limited edition re-packaging of Slayer’s “Christ Illusion” album that includes a couple of new songs—well, one new one, the heavy, brooding “Final Six” and an alternate take of “Serenade” that doesn’t sound a whole lot different. They’re also throwing in a three track DVD. There’s a smokin’ live version of “South Of Heaven,” plus a five minute video collage of happenings at a Slayer show and both of those tracks provide amusement in viewing their diehard minions. I mean, I’m a huge fan, I once did an acapella duet of “Raining Blood” with another guy in a café in Berkeley, CA, much to horror of my wife and my friend. And I’ve used the exhortation that tops this review. Still, one wonders where these folks lurk when not at a Slayer show. In any case, the third track is a conceptual video of “Eyes Of The Insane” that is a close-up of an eyeball and what it views, juxtaposing peaceful home scenes with the intense war imagery and it’s not a pleasant vision but one doesn’t ever expect pleasant visions from this crew.

It kind of sucks that people who bought the album last year have to buy it all over again to get the new material. Perhaps a multimedia EP with the music and video content on one disk would have been preferable. In any case, the new stuff provokes the eyes and ears and “Christ Illusion” did mark a real return to form for these guys.

NEW PRINT ISSUE OF SUBURBAN VOICE!

Well, kind of. While you're waiting for the next full-sized issue, I did a two page zine to give away at the Warkrime/Rabies show that's happening this weekend (7/21) that I can't attend due to family obligations. Exclusive content that won't appear in this blog. To get your copy, send a stamp to Suburban Voice, PO Box 2746, Lynn, MA 01903

Suburban Voice blog #43

NO WAY RECORDS FEST, JUNE 23-24, RICHMOND, VA
It was time for one of my occasional punk rock roadtrips. In the past few years, it’s mainly been the Pointless Fest in Philly but, last year, that got shut down after two days and the organizers had to scramble to put together a bar show at the last minute. In any case, a change of scenery wasn't a bad idea--check out a different city and all that.

I missed out on the huge Chaos in Tejas fest last month so there was no way (HA!) I was passing up this fine collection of bands in Richmond. The fest was put together by Brandon and Lauren from No Way Records (obviously) and took place over two days at the Alley Katz club, plus there was an “after-party” at the Incubate Warehouse space. I think the total of bands I saw was 22 and that was in a space of around 30 hours or so. Even with all that activity, I didn’t hit the proverbial wall until late in the second day. All that walking and exercise must have paid off.

I don’t want to attempt a band-by-band review. I mean, for the most part, these bands play old-school hardcore punk rock. That’s kind of a catch-all description and there are definitely some stylistic differences. Caustic Christ, for instance, have more of a raw, crust-inflected sound that still remains rooted in US-style hardcore. Career Suicide mix in snotty ’77 era punk and garage inspiration. The Inmates also have the snotty, antisocial punk thing going on. Deep Sleep operate in a slightly garagier domain. Double Negative have a COC-ish vibe and a crazed/damaged guitar sound. And Fucked Up are an entity unto themselves, I suppose—fusing fired-up rock ‘n roll to bellicose punk. Also, while not every band was a mind-blower, no one was downright awful, either.

I didn’t much care for the club—that’s due to my general dislike for rock clubs in the past few years. While it didn’t stop people from diving, the stage barricade is lame. At the beginning of the first day, the door-guy announced that “no bags of any kind” would be allowed into the venue. I didn’t stand by the door and see how strictly that was enforced. There was a large open window further down the building and I handed my backpack to a very helpful young woman, thus avoiding any sort of hassle. After having to plop down $3 for a half-liter bottle of water the first day, I added a large jug of water to my ‘pack the next day and thus avoided giving any more money to the club. While the club was lax about allowing people on the side of the stage to take pictures on the first day, they cracked down on that the second and eventually started hassling people to leave the “band area” towards the end of the show—although folks with cameras (myself included) were allowed to stay. It may seem like grousing or nit-picking but I really hate that kind of crap. I’m also glad I’m not under 21 since there were no “ins and outs” for those under that age.

I liked the warehouse space more, even if things got somewhat out of hand and there were some extremely wasted people at that point. At least I didn’t see anyone snorting coke, like I did on the third level of the club earlier in the day. I know it probably wasn’t feasible to do the whole fest there, especially since it’s basically in the middle of nowhere and probably somewhat difficult to get to without a car…

So, to keep this from turning into a novel, here’s a wrap-up of what happened over the two days…

DOUBLE NEGATIVE

BAND OF THE FEST: Double Negative, from North Carolina. As I said above, there’s definitely early COC in their sound. I imagine that could be a product of their environment but it’s not the whole story. I was on the side where Justin was playing and his bass sound was thick and distorted and that certainly adds to the fullness of their sound. Also, these guys are not kids. The baby of the band, their bass-player Justin, is 35 and the other guys are 39-42. I know I sometimes get hung up on age but it’s more a matter of feeling good about sticking around so long and realizing that I’m not the only person growing older in the punk scene. Also, I’m not privy to every conversation but, given the response those guys got (there seemed to be more buzz on them than any other band), I’d argue that their age isn’t an issue with the largely-younger audience. And, by my count, there were a total of four performers over the age of 40 and quite a few over 30. One cool thing about Double Negative is they seem genuinely surprised/humble about the response they’ve been getting.

INMATES

CRAZIEST SET: Inmates, at the warehouse. When a band from Cleveland plays, you expect shenanigans and, while I’m sure it pales in comparison to a show in their hometown, it still had an element of danger. Firecrackers throughout the set, flying milk crates (one of ‘em fucked up my right index finger a bit), hula hoops being tossed, a broken hula hoop used as a bullwhip (someone I know intimately was responsible for that) and a light fixture knocked down. In the midst of this tumult, the Inmates still bashed out one hell of a punk ruckus.

MAKING ROOM FOR YOUTH: Life Trap. Youthful energy doesn’t begin to describe their set. I mean, these gentlemen were born in the late 80s/early 90s, several years after the music that inspires them was created. That’s true with a lot of the bands here. Steve Blush from “American Hardcore” can moan all he likes about younger hardcore bands aping the past—when the music is played with this much passion and enthusiasm, I don’t give a shit.

OTHER STELLAR PERFORMANCES: Set To Explode. I don’t understand why these guys only have an EP out but they nail the Minor Threat-meets-tougher hardcore style. Dave Byrd paces the stage with agitation in his eyes; Wasted Time. Finally get to see this band and their boiling-over hardcore punk. Played with ravenous brilliance. Chronic Seizure. These guys just bring it with their thrash attack. Pat Kelly attacks his bass like a madman.; Deep Sleep. Differentiating themselves a bit with a west coast-influenced punk sound; Cloak/Dagger. Also differentiating themselves with a slight garage impulse; Career Suicide. Pure mayhem when they played and the band clearly fed off it. Direct Control. Always reliable with their searing, energetic hardcore.

BEST COVER VERSIONS: “Bad Attitude” by Articles of Faith (Life Trap)—AOF are a band who haven’t been covered to death and this is one of their best songs; “It’s OK” by Koro (Life Trap)—once again, not covered to death and Life Trap can stake a claim to it since they're Tennesseans; “Cult Band” by Poison Idea (Life Crisis)—if you’re going to cover Poison Idea, you’d better do it fucking right and they did, “New Age” by Blitz (Fucked Up)—it takes cojones to open your set with a cover and this singalong classic was stirring. Hell, I’m humming it to myself right now.

WORST COVER VERSIONS: “Just To Get Away” by Poison Idea (Fucked Up)—Fucked Up truly mangled this song; “Sonic Reducer” by Dead Boys (Sick Pleasure)—overdone, at this point.

GOVERNMENT WARNING

THE SHOW MUST GO ON AWARD: Kenny from Government Warning. Kenny fucked himself up pretty well the day before when he took a stage dive and landed on his tuchus. Or so I heard. I didn’t see it happen and have no idea if anyone quipped “Oh my god, they killed Kenny.” Sorry. In any case, that didn’t stop him from taking the stage with Government Warning, even though he asked people to be gentle since he was hurting so badly. What a trouper! And their set was frenetic.

BEST FASHION STATEMENT: The Budweiser Sweater, provided by Pat Kelly from Chronic Seizure. It was a big hit, as people took their turn posing while wearing said garment. There’s even a MySpace page for it (http://www.myspace.com/thebudweisersweater). If someone was enterprising, they could make a killing by selling photos to people wearing the sweater but, in the name of punk rock benevolence, the service was provided gratis.

DRUG REPORT: Well, besides the copious amounts of alcohol consumed, there was weed, the aforementioned coke sniffing and Percoset being sold at the merch table by one of the bands at the warehouse show. I’ll protect the guilty party here, lest they become inmates. Oops… Also, once again, I don’t care how cheap it is—I’d rather drink cat piss than another can of Pabst Blue Ribbon. Ugh…

NUMBER OF WOMEN IN THE BANDS: Only one… Sandy from Fucked Up. I think that’s kind of sad, to be honest. And there were only a handful of African-American and Latino performers, as well.

BEST REUNION: (pictured above) Yours truly with Brian Walsby (drummer for Double Negative/illustrator and cartoonist) after 22 years. I almost wonder if he feels out of place in the hardcore punk realm or finds it odd that’s he’s involved again but harnesses that perceived sense of alienation into some kickass drumming. And, it goes without saying, in his drawings. Hell, he even sketched a personalized cartoon for me:

COOLEST THING ABOUT THE WEEKEND: This is strictly personal and it was getting to hang out with my friend Donna, who is one of the best people I know. She drove me everywhere, including to and from the airport, and showed me around the city. Spending time with her was just as enjoyable as seeing the fest itself…

*****

That wraps up the No Way Fest report. If you’d like to see a complete set of photos from the fest, check out my Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mralq/. I just have a smattering of reviews this time as I haven’t had a chance to scribble too many this week. There will be plenty more in the not-to-distant future. You have my promise…

DIGITAL LEATHER-She Had A Cameltoe/Abrasion (Goner, 7”)
After hearing this cool 7”, it’s inspired me to go back and give his (it’s one guy—Sean Foree) “Monologue” album another chance. Getting to the record at hand, “She Had A Cameltoe” would be memorable for the title alone but the song itself is an enjoyable bit of synth-driven new wave whimsy with distorted vocals. Flip it for “Abrasion” and you get a muddier, darker ambiance with a repetitive keyboard signature and it sounds as though it could have come of the artsier Clevo or SF scenes of the 70s. (2152 Young Ave., Memphis, TN 38104, www.goner-records.com)

FINAL SOLUTIONS-Songs By Solutions (Goner, CD)
Hyper punk minimalism done with a variety of styles—for instance, there’s the stomping garage punk of “In A Coma” and they follow that up with the mechanical drum drill-press of “Lightning Bug.” The whompalama of “Rubber Stamp Test” begins with a hearty 1-2-3-4 as the drums bash (provided by the always-busy Jay Reatard) through the floor. The single note piano plink for the final song, “I Am the Now,” momentarily conjures the Buzzcocks’ “Something’s Gone Wrong Again” in a different jarring and thumping setting. Nervy, driving and buzzing a hole through your brain. (2152 Young Ave., Memphis, TN 38104, www.goner-records.com)

RAKKAUS-Kuolevan Maailman Kirious (Tuska & Ahdistus, 7” EP)
Raw, crusty hardcore that goes from thrash into double speed and, as I’ve opined a million times before, works better at the slower tempo. Also, Katri sometimes has difficulty fitting the words into the musical framework. The power and impassioned delivery are immediately apparent but they come up a bit short, unfortunately. (Papinkatu 7 B 57, 33200 Tampere, FINLAND, www.elisanet.fi/tuskajaahdistus)

JAY REATARD-I Know A Place/Don’t Let Him Come Back (Goner, 7”)
A somewhat quieter effort than Jay’s recent “Blood Visions” album. There’s a semi-twisted pure pop impetus here and the melodies are engaging but I prefer the more savage side of his repertoire. (2152 Young Ave., Memphis, TN 38104, www.goner-records.com)

RED HANDED-s/t (Rivarly, 7” EP)
Bruising hardcore that hits the right buttons. Red Handed mix up thrash and heavier (but mosh-core free) parts, along with chanted vocals. There’s an appealing roughness and anger in the sound that gives it presence. Those sentiments are expressed immediately, with the opening salvo of “You look at me, you fuckin dick…” and warns to “never fuck with Red Handed.” OK, not exactly subtle nor all that posi but hardcore wasn’t always meant to be a love-fest, I suppose. (www.rivalryrecords.com)

SIGNAL LOST-Prosthetic Screams (Prank, CD)
The second (and final) album for Signal Lost continues in the somber, melodic vein but is a bit more polished, for want of a better term. And that’s not to say this is quiet music, by any stretch—a punk burn remains part of their sound, especially on the quicker-paced “Stop Motion Reality,” “Casualty Routine” and “Therapy,” with a cool guitar line from Stan. Ashley’s voice retains a hint of roughness and her singing is a good accompaniment to the band’s textured sound. I said it wasn’t quiet but there’s an understated power here. (PO Box 410892, SF, CA 94141-0892, www.prankrecords.com)

VIOLENT MINDS-Eyes Of Death (Parts Unknown, LP)
If this album had come out in either 2005 or 2006, it would have been a contendah for record of the year. When this year wraps up, it’ll receive similar consideration or at least be on my best-of list. A long delay—“Eyes Of Death” was supposed to come out on another label and I’ve had MP3s of it for two years. Finally, Parts Unknown have unleashed this hardcore punk rager. Most of the songs have a jogging rhythm—what I mean by that is they fit in perfectly when I pick up the pace for one of my walks, as I try to keep up with the driving drums/bass tandem. The guitar riffs possess a brilliant simplicity, throwing in the occasional lead line. There’s a perfect balance between the instruments and Zach’s hoarse vocals. The last track, “Wolfblood,” flexes some New Wave of British Heavy Metal muscle. The only complaint is the smidgen of surface noise on the colored vinyl in my possession but, dang, this was worth the fucking wait. (PO Box 4835, Toms River, NJ 08754, www.partsunknownrecords.com)