Suburban Voice blog #63

CATCHING UP ON SOME DVDs

It’s a rainy day, there’s no baseball game so I decided to have a bit of a marathon and watch some of the DVDs I’ve been neglecting. I still have some others to check out but it’s a start, at least. First on the list is TSOL’s “The Early Years Live” (MVD Visual, PO Box 280, Oaks, PA, 19456, www.mvdvisual.com). It’s a little bit of a misnomer in that it’s not the band’s earliest days. It’s also a rather glaring misnomer to print, on the back of the box, that “this footage clearly defines TSOL as the founding fathers of vicious grindcore.” HUH? Attention Marketing Dept: these guys had about as much to do with grindcore as the Bay City Rollers.

The performances are from around ’82-83. The bulk comes from a college performance with the “Beneath The Shadows” lineup and the set-list leans heavily towards that album although some of the band’s earlier classics, like “Code Blue” and “Superficial Love” are included. It’s kind of humorous to see a mix of punks and more normal-looking college kids looking on. It’s a single-camera shot and, as the crowd activity picks up towards the end, the view gets blocked quite a bit. “Beneath The Shadows” was a marked change for the band, moving into poppier territory (it’s been called their take on the Damned’s “Black Album” and that’s not completely inaccurate) but the songs have more punch in this setting. That set came from a Flipside video release. There are also a pair of songs from a Target Video, probably shot in ’82 and taken from the “Weathered Statues” EP. I’d really like to see stuff from the time of the first EP or “Dance With Me,” if it exists. One thing that’s never changed throughout the band’s history is Jack Grisham’s imposing presence. He almost seems playful at times but someone who could do serious damage if fucked with. The “extra stuff” includes a lengthy interview with Jack, guitarist Ron Emory and keyboard man Greg Kuehn, done at the same time as the college gig and it’s disjointed but occasionally humorous, with some of the tales of debauchery. There’s also a live song from ’07 where they look as imposing as ever—and a funny moment where Jack stops the song to offer a critique on a kid’s stage diving technique and give him another try at it. Finally, there a brief reading from Jack’s upcoming autobiography that promises to be quite vivid in its imagery. It’s not any sort of comprehensive TSOL document, just capturing a certain moment in the band’s transitional history.

Also on MVD Visual, The Dead Boys’ “Return Of The Living Dead Boys” is taken from a 1986 NYC reunion show on Halloween night. No bells and whistles—as with most of the TSOL DVD, it’s a one camera shot that keeps focusing in and out but you get the idea. If Stiv Bators isn’t quite as crazed as in the 70s and there really isn’t any sort of dangerous, chaotic vibe, they don’t look like they’re phoning it in, either. Far from it. Stiv, by himself, has learned his lessons from the School of Punk Rock Frontmen, black hair flying everywhere, throwing himself, skinny/muscular frame and all, into the crowd and, for the final encore of “Sonic Reducer,” revealing quite a bit more, if you catch my drift. Incidentally, you KNOW it's the 80s from the parade of idiotic stage divers. I cheered when a mulleted bouncer gave one of ‘em a pretty good heave-ho.

This is over an hour of mayhem, covering just about everything you’d want to hear, including the disarmingly sentimental/melodic “Won’t Look Back” and “Calling On You,” along with thorny favorites like “Sonic Reducer” (duh), “Ain’t Nothing To Do,” “What Love Is” and “Caught With The Meat In Your Mouth.” Even with the scuzz punk rep, the Dead Boys’ weren’t afraid to exploit their poppier instincts and Stiv acknowledged that before their cover of the Stones’ “Tell Me.” He also acknowledges the band’s obvious debt to the Stooges before doing “Search and Destroy” and it’s never been any secret how much these guys drew from “Raw Power.” In a more whimsical (?) vein, Stiv mentions how if Mama Cass hadn’t had that meat in her mouth and if Karen Carpenter had had the meat in hers, they may both still be alive. He also comments on how much the bald-pated Cheetah Chrome bears a resemblance to Uncle Fester. But it’s unlikely that Uncle Fester could dish out the spark ‘n burn emitting from Cheetah’s guitar.

The one bonus feature is a segment taken from a Yougstown, OH morning TV show featuring a smarmy host named Gary Cubberly. Cubberly interviews Stiv and Frank Sechich, who joined the Dead Boys after Jeff Magnum left and then worked with Stiv on his solo album “Disconnected.” After a few minutes, you get the urge to smack this guy silly for his inane questions and I’m sure the thought crossed Stiv and Frank’s minds a few times. Interestingly (or maybe not), Cubberly moved on to have a TV news career in Detroit that ended abruptly after he was killed in ’92 when he suffered a heart attack and crashed his car. Moving on from that irrelevant tidbit (thank you Google), that clip also includes a cool music video of “Sonic Reducer” that I’d never seen before.

As long as I’m writing about the “old timers,” there’s another Clash DVD, “Live: Revolution Rock” (Epic/Legacy). 22 live songs from ’77 to ’83, up through the last show with the Strummer/Jones lineup at the US Festival in ’83 (no “Clash Lite,” in other words). The songs are presented mainly in their entirety—some have appeared on other Clash DVDs and video releases but it’s a good career spanning retrospective. And I’m eternally grateful for the option to watch the songs without the cheesy documentary-style voiceovers in the regular format. That boils down to every dodgy rock-doc cliché imaginable. There’s still the occasional voiceover from Joe Strummer on the audio-only setting but that’s not any sort of annoyance. I know there are plenty of people who think the Clash were overrated, sold out their principles, etc etc and it’s definitely kind of odd seeing them play at Shea Stadium, opening for the Who. But I’m biased—they’re still one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen and these videos reinforce that opinion. In the earlier days, in particular, the performances are impassioned, every drop of sweat genuine. Appended with two interview segments, one from a NYC news/talk show and another from Tom Snyder (there are also two songs from that show). In those settings, the Clash didn’t interview well—it almost seems as though they were reserved in the more “mainstream” arena, much like Stiv’s interview on the Dead Boys DVD.

Finally,“La Escena” (“The Scene”) is a documentary about punk in Puerto Rico, created by Guillermo Gómez Álvarez. The dialogue is in Spanish, with English subtitles and the film centers around interviews with a handful of people who have been and/or are still involved and are also at different points in their lives. One person is homeless and addicted to heroin. Another is working on a PhD but is still connected to the skinhead movement. The person who runs the Discos de Hoy label (a co-distributor of this DVD) exudes enthusiasm about the DIY aesthetic. At the outset, there’s an introductory manifesto, so to speak that says, in part (translated), “Aren’t we looking for authenticity or being heard? Or is it a relief from our frustrations? Or is it simply pure fucking rage?” The film tries to create a sense of punk history in Puerto Rico and what’s interesting is how the motivation for involvement doesn’t differ that much from the US or anywhere else. Chafing against a conservative society, what’s expected from an individual. For many, the attraction is the loud/fast/energetic music. People come and go, different influences come and that could apply to punk rock anywhere. There is mention about how things evolved from talking about just records and turned more towards protest

The film traces Puerto Rico’s punk scene’s ups and downs, including an upsurge in activity in recent years, after things were nearly destroyed with violence and drug abuse. There’s a segment about “Rock en Espanol,” where there was an attempt at mainstream cooptation of the scene (sound familiar? Lollapalooza? Warped?) and some bands took the bait and tried to cash in. This set up a dividing line and, like in the US and elsewhere, the DIY community became more defiant about creating an alternative to the commercialization of their music.

There is a passing explanation of what makes punk in Puerto Rico unique compared with the rest of the world but maybe it could have gone a little more in-depth there. There are certainly universal motivations, influences, etc. but when I’ve seen bands from Puerto Rico (like Tropiezo, Juventud Crasa and Cojoba), those bands undoubtedly offer their own musical twist and a perspective that comes from their surroundings. I also wouldn’t have minded seeing a bit more of a sociopolitical context. Finding out more about Puerto Rico itself although the film’s scope is likely aimed at educating people in the country of the existence of this scene. There’s plenty of musical footage covering the past decade and a half or so, of varying quality and covering a variety of punk and hardcore genres. One commonality is there seems to be a joyousness at many of these shows, people bouncing around and singing along, creating their own refuge from the “real world.” Where it can encompass all of the elements mentioned above—being heard, relieving frustrations and expressing “pure fucking rage.” An interesting glimpse into the Puerto Rican scene. (SouthKore Records, 2814 S. Spaulding, Chicago, IL 60623, www.southkorerecords.com)

VINYL PRESSINGS OF CDs ALREADY REVIEWED

... and they all sound better. Many of you are reading this and saying, “of COURSE they sound better, idiot” but I needed to be reminded of that on occasion. Anyway, I’ve acquired three records of releases already reviewed in these pages and that will be the format pulled out of the stacks when I need a fix.

There really is a sonic difference with the Red Dons’ “Death To Idealism” LP. Their vocalist Doug Burns told me that this was a different mix than on the CD and it has much more punchiness. As mentioned previously, this is pretty much a continuation of the Observers, with Doug’s mannered vocals paired with a melodic, driving ’77 impetus and, in case you didn’t figure it out from the title, a rather disillusioned lyrical approach. “No Pain,” the song that directly mentions this idealistic demise, brings the album to a slashing conclusion. Definitely a case where some tweaking makes things better. (Deranged, 2700 Lower Road, Roberts Creek, BC V0N 2W4, CANADA, www.derangedrecords.com)

Unseen Force’s “In Search Of The Truth” is given a long-overdue vinyl repress on No Way Records (3211 Idlewild Ave., Richmond, VA 23221, www.nowayrecords.com). In this case, owning the CD isn’t necessarily a bad thing since it also included a live set and demos from 2000 Maniacs, a predecessor to Unseen Force. This remains an underappreciated album from that time. Originally released in 1986 and this Richmond band created a stinging, scrappy hardcore sound with a whiff of metal guitar. In retrospect, they could be seen as east coast brethren (and sister, since they had a female bass-player) to Christ On Parade. If hardcore was dead or dying by ’86, as reported by certain clueless authors, no one told Unseen Force. The opening line on the album declares “Some people in this world make me sick....” and ain’t that still the truth in way too many of life’s situations.

Meanwhile, Black Water Records (PO Box 5223, Portland, OR 97208-5223, www.blackwaterpdx.com) have unleashed the LP version of Blowback’s “Living Vibration,” originally released on CD on HG Fact in their native Japan. Completely obliterative, overdriven hardcore-meets-steamhammer rock ‘n roll. That covers it—over the top in every way, from the unhinged, hoarse vocals to the band’s blazing approach. Blowback are definitely in the upper echelon of Japanese bands and it’s a shame their recent tour didn’t hit the east coast. I suppose the west coast deserves to get good international touring bands on occasion. As mentioned in the previous review, this album features new material and re-recordings of a few older songs.

... AND THE REST...

BAD REACTION

ANTI YOU-Making Your Life Miserable (No Way, 7” EP)
“Guess what? You suck!” Yeah, I’d say that’s a good way to get your attention. Nothing like coming out and saying exactly what you think. Thrash thrash thrash from Italy’s Anti You plying the early 80s-inspired sound with bright guitar, spot-on drumming and those anti-social (natch) lyrics. Andrea has the vocal attitude to pull it off and this is a brash statement. They’ve got a newer 7” on Puke ‘n Vomit that I still need to get. This will do for the time being. (3211 Idlewild Ave., Richmond, VA 23221, www.nowayrecords.com)

BAD REACTION-Had It Coming (Reflections, CD)
This CD includes Bad Reaction’s two recent EPs (on Flat Black and Blind Spot) plus a cover of the Bad Brains’ “Pay To Cum” as a bonus. Catchy, energetic hardcore punk with punchy (but not overdone) production that brings out the band’s surge and the occasional lead guitar lines are done tastefully—there’s definitely a love for the rock in the background here. The lyrics touch on standard topics of employment, religion, people who act pretentiously and I’ll give ‘em bonus points for the title “Keep Your God Out Of My Peanut Butter.” A handy format but track down the vinyl if you can. (www.reflectionsrecords.com)

BESTHÖVEN/SUBURBAN SHOWDOWN-split (Subterranean, 7” EP)
With Besthoven, you pretty much know what to expect at this point and that’s dead-on D-crush and they don’t disappoint. Production is actually fairly clean for these songs but the rawness remains. Suburban Showdown, from New Hampshire, offer a Dis-inspired feel for “Victims Of Conformity” but stretch out on “Time Runs Out,” a different hardcore punk tack going through tempo shift, complete with a heavier breakdown to wrap things up. First release for this label and it’s a good one. (106 Fourth St., Dover, NH 03820, DIYcrust@yahoo.com)

DANGERLOVES-Easy (DeadIdeas, 7” EP)
Heart-on-sleeve pop/punk tuneage and I was about to say they share the same approach as the Bayonettes (both bands are from Toronto)—and, it turns out, two people from that band are in this one. “Home” has what sounds like a toy xylophone to add some cutesy content and I need to check my sugar content after that one. And while the upper register vocals are also rather precious, the other pair of songs have more than enough drive to avoid the dreaded twee region. (PO Box 851, Austin, TX 78767, www.deadideas.com)

DEFIANCE-The Very Best Of Defiance (HG Fact, CD)
You’d usually associate a collection with this title with more mainstream bands—a greatest hits package for the holiday season or the casual fan. That’s not meant to denigrate this 15 song disc, released to coincide with Defiance’s Japanese tour. Besides, the ‘subtitle’ of the album is “And We Don’t Care.” Over the years, the personnel might have changed (the most significant being the departure of vocalist Gibby, with guitarist Mike Arrogant taking over that job) but Defiance always stuck with the pure punk attitude. An undeniable affection for the rousing, catchy sound of the No Future bands and the Cockney Rejects, plus adding a faster attack on some songs. That was more evident with these guys than other bands on the Punk Core label, who have maintained the band’s catalog. Defiance’s lyrical mentality is laid out right at the start, with “No Future No Hope,” but the tuneful, singalong nature of the song almost sounds contradictory to what they’re singing. The first five tracks here come from that album and it remains Defiance’s defining (couldn’t resist) album. The later songs aren’t always as inspiring but don’t represent any sort of drastic departure, either. It’s wrapped up with a cool bonus cover of the Partisans’ “Time Was Right.” (www.interq.or.jp/japan/hgfact)

FORBIDDEN TIGERS-Magenetic Problems (Dead Beat, CD)
Shake ‘em up rock ‘n garage trash but not really on the lo-fi tip. There are a few songs that sound like my right speaker has been blown out, though, and I had to take a look to make sure that wasn’t the case. These guys do like to fuck with sonic effect and not maintain a similarity in tone for every song. The overall ambiance is bluesy with an echo in the lower-timbred vocal—coolness without crossing over into caricature. Showing an affection for the source material. T’ain’t bad at all and gettin’ real gone for “Neanderthal.” (PO Box 361392, Cleveland, OH 44136, www.dead-beat-records.com)

LAUDANUM-s/t (Pyrate Punx, 7” EP)
Somewhere between epic crust and thrash (just a minor part of the equation) along with some metal for good measure. The lead vocals are occasionally countered with subhuman grunts that sound like a frog expelling its lunch. The playing exhibits a high degree of technical skill and packed with aggression but the songs aren’t particularly memorable. (3704 West St. #A, Oakland, CA 94608, http://pyratepunxrecords.com)

VIOLENT SOCIETY-The Complete Punk Collection (Puke N Vomit, CD)
Well, almost complete—they left off the debut “You’re Gonna Fall” 7” from ’94 but, far as I can tell, all other 7”, comp and split appearances are here, plus a few unreleased goodies. Violent Society were a 90s bright spot, one of those bands who helped revitalize the no-bullshit punk sound. An assimilation of spiky, UK-inspired punk and US hardcore—there’s no way they could deny the “quotation” from Minor Threat’s “Seein’ Red” for “Indivisible,” for instance--and with an inherent catchiness. The sound of frustration but also played in upbeat fashion. A lot of slash ‘n agitation, especially in the way Pat Society spits out the words. Unlike Pat’s recent band Cranked Up, which directly tackled certain political issues, the words here are of a more bellicose, personal nature—the diissafection of the outsiders and the pissed-on and an unwillingness to deal with life’s bullshit. And these guys got increasingly aggressive as time passed, as well. This disc provides a crash course of Violent Society’s sonic blitz. (PO Box 3435, Fullerton, CA 92834, www.punknvomitrecords.com)

Suburban Voice blog #62

TOTAL ABUSE

THE SUMMER DOLDRUMS

Actually, no doldrums in terms of quality music coming through SV world HQ, either from the generosity of bands, labels, etc or my own purchases. The doldrums come from a lack of shows I’ve felt like attending. I did skip this year’s No Way Fest. Definitely some regrets there. I should mention, though, that there are finally some good shows coming up so I can now stop whining! As of this writing, it’s been four weeks since I’ve been to a show—Total Abuse, at the Ratscellar. It ended up being a six band show on a Monday night, although late minute additions Tipper’s Gore and Bad Reaction basically split a set. And wouldn’t you know that the show started at the advertised time of 9 on the dot, I got there at 9:15 or so and managed to miss Tipper’s Gore. FUUUUUUUUCK!! Oh well. Total Abuse were an interesting band. Their earlier material was more or less straight hardcore. There was an indication something would be different when there were a bunch of effects set up on a table in front of the stage and their vocalist started banging around on them, including a wired-up tin can. Alternating between the expected thrash and heavier, more (for want of a better term) offbeat material. Something other than expected and that’s meant in a positive fashion.

Another apology for the delay and, yes, I know I’m behind on reviews. Believe me, I feel badly about it. No excuses but there has been some writer’s block of late and I don’t want to half-ass it... although some might feel this batch of reviews are half-assed. Well, let’s get to it...

AMEBIX-No Sanctuary—The Spiderleg Recordings (Alternative Tentacles, CD)
These early recordings, from ’82 to ’85, are exercises in often-potent, anarcho-primitivism. The liner notes by vocalist/bassist Rob “The Baron” Miller, seem almost dismissive of some of the earliest work but I think he sells it a bit short. You can hear that they’re in an embryonic phase but the Stooges “1970”-inspired “Curfew” is a liberating sonic blast. For much of the material, there’s a numbing repetitiveness but, for the most part, it’s entrancing. A doomy ambiance with sheets of guitar underpinned by tribal rhythms and pumping bass-lines, strained through Killing Joke ca. “What’s THIS For.” It sounds like a blueprint for what followed with “Arise.” It may be sacrilege to the Amebix diehards but I like some of the songs here better than on that album. (PO Box 419092, SF, CA 94141, www.alternativetentacles.com)

ANGRY 4 LIFE-Some Songs We Recorded 2004-2006 (Vinehell, CD)
As it says, an anthology from this band. A tough melodicism and encompassing a few different styles—rootsy and folky elements but played with loud electric instruments, except for the fiddle on “The Sky Is Falling.” I’d prefer to live without those influences on some of those songs but they do hit the mark every so often. There’s the sturdy/catchy “Smoke,” for instance. Covering Asta-Kask’s version of “Who Can Sail Without The Wind” (aka “Vem Kan Segla”) makes me think there’s some kinship with that classic Swedish band’s approach, as well. Hitting the middle ground with the occasionally inspired moment. (PO Box 36131, San Jose, CA 95158, www.vinehell.com)

BILL BONDSMEN-Swallowed By The World (Dead Beat, LP)
Finally, the Bondsmen’s first album and it maintains the trigger-finger animosity of other compatriots from their native Midwest region—the guitar buzz certainly sounds like some of the wanton Cleveland acts like 9 Shocks Terror or the Inmates. Add to that the pure rage of MassHoles (that’s a term of endearment for people from Massachusetts) Out Cold, with whom they shared a split 7” last year. It’s not a musical carbon copy but it’s all in the attitude and feel and the Bondsmen still manage to add their own stamp onto it. Lyrically, it doesn’t present all that cheery a picture. These songs scream about lousy jobs, making mortgage payments, paying for prescriptions, having the electricity shut off when they can’t pay the bill. These guys KNOW the score. Instead of going for any sort of slick sound, things sound rougher, especially with the vocals. To my ears, the production on those sound cruder and that’s meant in a positive sense since it enhances Gabby’s larynx-rending utterings. There’s an abundance of go-for-the-throat thrash but other little elements. The circle-pit inducing breakdown for “Another Wave” is one such moment. So is the stop/start thrash of “It’s Always Darkest After Shutoff,” interspersing guitar and bass atonalities, if that’s the term. Everything comes to a screeching halt for the final cut, “A Bird In The Hand Means You’ve Been Dead For A Few Days” and it’s a slower, desperate-sounding song, the culmination of all that’s been touched on already, building up and then slowing down as the guitar mimics the sound of something/someone lingering and abruptly stopping. Think of it as a cautionary tale and, as Black Flag sang on “Depression” all those years, “they say things are gonna get better—all I know is THEY FUCKING BETTER.” “Swallowed By The World” may not make you feel better but it’s still some damned good scream therapy. (PO Box 361392, Cleveland, OH 44136, www.dead-beat-records.com)

DESTROY EVERYTHING-Freedom Of Speech Means Talk Is Cheap (Tent City, CD)
Destroy Everything are a punk rock band, in case you couldn’t tell by the haircuts and silly names like Stiff Mittens, Señor Citizen and Cheddar Nines. If those are their given names, I apologize. But looks are deceptive. This isn’t simple-minded street punk. Instead, it’s a tuneful mix of influences—speedy west coast-inspired stylings, old-school hardcore and some ’77 era UK nods—the intro to “Alter Or Abolish” nicks from The Professionals’ “The Magnificent,” for instance. They sport two vocalists, one of ‘em handling backups. The lyrics are far from cliched—there’s not a lot of optimism, a strong disdain for everyday life and an outsider’s perspective. That perspective applies to the world in general but also to those who turn rebellion into money (my words and where have I heard that before?), rebellion co-opted, as stated on “The Kids Are All Liars”: “the road to pop-star opulence is paved with false belligerence/And every time the call goes to take it to the streets, the kids turn to the corporate mother and suckle at her teats.” The guys in this band aren’t kids and I imagine that cynicism is born from experience. Definitely a heartfelt quality, both lyrically and musically. (101 W. 23rd St., Box 2341, NY, NY 10011, www.tentcityrecords.com)

THE ESTRANGED

THE ESTRANGED-Static Thoughts (Dirtnap, CD)/Entranced (Dead Ideas, 7”)
I could mention the band members’ resumes but that’s kind of irrelevant—they’re from Portland, OR and have played in some other bands that are stylistically different. So I’ll just attempt to review the music from the Estranged on its own terms and this is one of the better albums I’ve heard, lately. Considering they’re from Portland and are a trio, Wipers comparisons have been inevitable but it’s not really accurate, although “The Message” veers into that territory. There’s definitely the emotionalism in the vocals and Mark Herman’s voice also has a similarity in timbre to Clint Conley from Mission of Burma. I could mention a plethora of bands that give the Estranged inspiration—early 80s US and UK post-punk, mainly, but there’s a harder-edged undercurrent. On this album, they assimilate it into something striking and contemporary-sounding. The playing is tight as fuck and the songs engaging, blending power with strong hooks. And, just before posting this installment, a new two song 7” showed up. These tracks were recorded before the album, at the same time as the band’s previous 7”. Slashing and energetic, possessing more raucousness than on the album—particularly for the title song. “Vilified” isn’t quite as manic but still packs a nervy hook. (Dirtnap: 8615 SE Clinton, Portland, OR 97202, www.dirtnaprecs.com/DeadIdeas: PO Box 851, Austin, TX 78767, http://deadideas.com)

IMPERIAL LEATHER-Do You Know Where Your Children Are? (Profane Existence, CD)
Since Imperial Leather’s last album, “Something Out Of Nothing,” they’ve shed the twin vocalist lineup and tweaked the sound a bit. Guitarist Kenko contributes secondary vocals but Amyl Nitrate becomes the focal point and there’s a raspy grittiness that wasn’t there before. And, for want of a better term, the musical approach sounds a tad more stripped down. Jarring punk with an older California vibe and garage/riot grrrrl tandem and Amyl’s commanding vocals. Lyrics expressing disillusionment, disappointment with the human condition—that’s a rather catch-all description but it fits for several songs here and the words seem to be directed at specific individuals without naming names. Wedded to a musical performance that’s taut, edgy and muscular-sounding. (PO Box 18051, Minneapolis, MN 55418, www.profaneexistence.com)

KAIBOUSHITSU-Dokuro Dokuro Dokuro (HG Fact, CD)
An interesting amalgam of hard rockin,’ metal-tinged punk that would have fit in well with some of the Amphetamine Reptile bands of the early to mid-90s but also operating in a faster hardcore vein on some of the songs. An aggressive guitar fusillade equally capable of dishing out the powerchords and heady, falling-apart effects, especially on the last track. The semi-melodramatic vocals are something of an acquired taste but, ultimately, add uniqueness and the playing is solid throughout. Something a bit different. (http://www.interq.or.jp/japan/hgfact)

MOB 47-Dom Ljuger Igen (Communichaos, CD-EP)
There’s always skepticism/controversy/what have you when a band with “legendary” status gets back together. What are these guys thinking of? Shouldn’t they leave their legacy alone and not tarnish it? Out with old, in with the new. Well, if I didn’t know this 8 song EP was a new Mob 47 release, I’d still think it’s a ripper. Pillaging hardcore going over the rails, the drums scamper but things somehow stay together. “Brutal Nedladdning” works in more “Dis”-ability (sorry) than the other songs, a very slight change of pace. The production isn’t raw distort but not slick, either. Whatever the motives, these songs hold up on their own merits. (www.communichaos.com/distributed in US by Profane Existence, PO Box 18051, Minneapolis, MN 55418, www.profaneexistence.com)

NIGHTSTICK JUSTICE-s/t (Even Worse/Way Back When, 12”)
As mentioned last time, the first copy that showed up was warped and that’s now been rectified (thanks Noel!). For their first big-sized record, the mode remains the same—pulverizing hardcore punk done right. One change, though, is in the production. The thick bottom end on previous recordings is muted and the recording has a slightly cleaner sound. That doesn’t negate the band’s power—the hot guitar licks emerge from the speakers like poisoned tentacles and equally poisonous or venmous or what-have-you is Jeff Corso’s vocal agitation. “Calling you out, bringing you down/black and blue... callin’ you out/now it’s coming back to you.” Paraphrasing Slapshot, ain’t no friend of his! This record has become a friend of mine, though, having spent a fair amount of time on the turntable, already. (www.geocities.com/evenworserecords or www.waybackwhenrecords.com)

RELIGIOUS SS DISORDER-Demo (tape)
Scrappy hardcore from this band, with former I Object bassist Ryan on guitar and, as with that band, there’s a female vocalist. Claire expresses the words in sort of a spoken/sung cadence and the songs favor a medium speed, for the most part, with occasional bursts of thrash. Despite the band’s moniker, the lyrics are more about personal issues, such as commenting on such things as sexism and overuse of prescription medications. Very basic but not a bad start. (PO Box 1148, Grand Rapids, MI 49501, www.myspace.com/punksbeforeprofits)

RESTARTS-Outsider (Rodent Popsicle, CD)
UK vets with a new full-length. Tough, catchy 82-era inspired punk punctuated by gruff vocals (low ‘n high), buzzsaw riffs and pealing melody lines. I can even live with the ska songs here, since they’ve got a punk pulse to ‘em. One ironic thing, though, and this isn’t blaming the band—they’ve got a song on here called “Bored,” which talks about how “as soon as we get a venue, the council shuts us down.” The Restarts recently played Welfare Records around here and, due to the stupidity of some of the show’s attendees (as mentioned in the last blog), it ended up being the last show there. So perhaps their audience should consider those words. Come to think about it, one of the Restarts was complaining a little about the prohibition against alcohol at the venue. Sigh... In any case, some good ‘ol headbangin’ punk rock here. (PO Box 1143, Allston, MA 02134, www.rodentpopsicle.com)

SATANIC THREAT-In To Hell (Gloom, 7” EP)
Clevo crazies—members of Gordon Solie Mofos, Nunslaughter and Midnight--doing a darkside tribute to, well, you can probably guess the subject of the tribute but, if not, visualize DC and pay attention to titles like “Guilty of Hating Christ” or “Don’t Follow Him.” The over-the-top vocals, though, are from more of the Pat Dubar (Uniform Choice) school and best taken in short doses. They nail the old-school hardcore sound. Scorching songs and scorching sentiments taking a dim view of religious topics. Packaged inside a six panel sleeve with two overlaps. (1463 Ocean Ave Apt 2 B, Brooklyn, NY 11230, www.gloomrecords.com)

SEE YOU IN HELL-2003-2007 (Not Very Nice, CD)
An anthology of this band from the Czech Republic, covering the years mentioned—I’m sure my astute readers were able to figure that out themselves. Solid hardcore punk with some 80s era European influences but still managing to not sound dated. Metal leads pop up from time to time and that adds some flair to the proceedings, but it’s not a constant element. Ripping, full-bore material. On the inside of the sleeve, it says to “play loud” and I recommend you obey that suggestion. (PO Box 2, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303-0002, chaosnonmusica@gmail.com)

SQUALORA-s/t (Repetitively Futile/Wantage USA, CD)
Released in late ’07, Squalora consists of guys from Ass End Offend, now transplanted from Montana to Portland, OR. This is visceral hardcore with some crust elements, not dissimilar from what the boys were doing in Missoula. Thick slabs of riffage, dished out at both a raging pace along with the heavier crush. “Sugar Coated Submission” has a weighty, ominous tone yet doesn’t get bogged down in the mire. The same description could apply to the intro of “Identity Crisis,” before turning on the speed attack. A prevailing doominess, an appropriate sonic setting for the lyrical mood, yet avoiding an oppressive murkiness. That mood expresses disappointment with inertia, with allowing shit to happen unchallenged and, when brought up, being labeled as “pc nazis.” And the anger is produced with a powerful sound encompassing varying musical shadings. (Wantage USA: PO Box 8681, Missoula, MT 59807, www.wantageusa.com)

STATE OF THE UNION-To The Bitter End... A Discography (Profane Existence, CD)
A band originally from South Dakota who eventually relocated to Seattle and were around from ’92-’01. Lumbering, drawn-out compositions drawing from the well of Neurosis, especially with the gloomy, ominous intros. Heavy and plodding, with harsh, throat-rending vocals, metallic guitar riffs and a rhythmic undercurrent that does hit a solid groove. This 79 minute disc features an unreleased album recorded in 2000 plus an earlier LP and trio of EPs. In all honesty, none of the material here, earlier or later, is all that scintillating. The differences are in the recording quality, with the earliest songs sounding muddy and the performances less-refined--if refined is an appropriate term. Whatever the appropriate description, the results are tedious, in spite of the nimble musicianship. (PO Box 18051, Minneapolis, MN 55418, www.profaneexistence.com)

STRAIGHTJACKET NATION-Cheap Kicks (Shortfuse, 12”)
Hard kicks from SJN... kicks, punches and other attacks of brutality. That’s in the figurative sense although seeing this band live brought out quite a physical reaction and some of that was provided by their vocalist Daniel. He howls his way through these rampaging compositions. One cool transition is the conclusion of “Winter,” with a nasty concluding exhortation, then it stops cold, there’s a break and it goes into the appropriately-titled, floor stomping “Get In The Boot.” I could just say “old school” influence at leave it at that but, to put a finer point on it, there’s a strong nod to early Boston hardcore on some of these songs. There’s no need to put a fine point on it. There’s nothing fine—it’s quite blunt in execution. If you have any interest in current hardcore punk, you need to hear this band. (PO Box 239, North Carlton, Vic. 3054, AUSTRALIA, www.culthardcore.org/straightjacketnation)

TEACHER’S PET-s/t (Smog Veil, CD)
Obscuro late 70s Ohio noo-wave/ garage punks who played catchy ditties laced with cheese-whiz vox organ and a whole lotta teen angst. A bouncy vibe with rapid-fire vocals and nervous-tic musical accompaniment. The lead guitar breaks give away a rock ‘n roll background (some of these people were in a covers band called Wizard) that indicates familiarity with the Dolls, for one, although it’s wrapped in an era-fashionable cocoon. The band only released one single so everything else here is previously unreleased and it also includes three live songs. The cover band origins surface for an eclectic selection including Herman’s Hermit’s “I’m Henry VIII (I Am),” given a lyrical tweaking, 999’s “Let’s Face It” and Status Quo’s “Big Fat Mama.” The disc also includes some very badly lip-synced video clips with hilarious posing and dubious fashion sense—just the sort of entertaining visual element one would expect. (www.smogveil.com)

VARIOUS-Fuck Detroit, This Is Grand Rapids (Punks Before Profits, 7” EP)
Done in one day, with 8 different bands recording one song apiece at the same locale, namely Ryan from PBP’s livng room. The results are widely varied. The thud-core of Final Word is quite wretched, for instance. The best song (by far) comes from The Real Bitters, who dish out their straight-forward punk with gritty aplomb. Attention Span’s raw hardcore comes across fairly well, as does the twin vocal/speed attack of Jesus Crisis—definitely no love for religion on some of these songs. Religious SS Disorder have a similar musical vibe as I Object, Ryan’s former band. Overall, there are competeent moments but, for the most part, not a lot that transits into anything that blows me away. (PO Box 1148, Grand Rapids, MI 49501, www.myspace.com/punksbeforeprofits)

YOUTH OF TOGAY-Tossed Salad Days (Rejected, LP)
The balancing act of tribute, parody and, at its core, attempting to combat homophobia in the hardcore scene—particularly in the straight edge universe. I guess their modus operandi has created some controversy with some folks from that corner of the hardcore spectrum (Have Heart, in particular). This is ’87-inspired youth crew hardcore brushed with modern elements, such as the tougher sounding “Tough Gays.”. Some of the songs are covers with altered lyrics—“Banned In Tennessee,” for instance, which borrows a riff from a certain Bad Brains song and there’s more irony when you consider the Brains’ undisguised homophobia. The slide whistle (in lieu of a guitar solo) is a humorous touch. So is the “sproing” noise on their cover of Righteous Jams’ “Bust It.” Still, I think Limp Wrist do this sort of thing better a lot better, especially from a musical perspective. (mero32@eircom.net)

Suburban Voice blog #61

... hot weather edition... posted while wearing minimal clothing...

Leasa from Instant Asshole... one of the last bands to play at Welfare Records

THANKS “PUNX”

Indeed, thanks from the bottom of my heart. And if you detect a note of sarcasm in my voice, it’s not just a note but an entire fucking symphony. Yep, thanks to the thoughtful “punx” who caused the demise of yet another local venue, one looked as though it might last awhile. I’m talking about Welfare Records in Haverhill, MA. It’s a bit out of the way--about 45 minutes north of Boston, but Mike, the owner, made a strong effort to create a DIY, all-ages space. The building houses a record store, a recording studio, has two apartments on the second floor and, around the back in the downstairs area was a show space that could hold somewhere in the vicinity of 200-300 people (I’m guesstimating). Considering how tough it’s been to find completely DIY venues with halfway decent amenities, this is an unfortunate development. And while I wasn’t into quite a few of the bands who played there and some of the shows occasionally attracted some real knuckleheads, the bookings had a pretty diverse array of punk and hardcore styles. Mike’s actually been talking about selling the business for awhile but, in the meantime, it was a reliable space.

I should mention that the “punx” shouldn’t get 100% of the blame. The cops have been giving Welfare a tough time and it got worse over the past month or so. At the last show, several cops showed up and were trying to bait people and threatened to arrest a woman who worked there when she asked them why they were yelling at kids. But when you have people--some of whom are more than old enough to know better--drinking outside and bringing booze inside, when there are kids hanging out in the parking lot across the street and one of ‘em mentions getting caught pissing in the bushes and when one drunk kid pukes in the parking lot of the convenience store a few doors down, then what the hell do you think is going to happen? And then these same kids will wonder why there aren’t places to have shows anymore. Common sense, people.

One always hears the term “respect the space.” Well, why not pay attention to it? Perhaps there would have been the same police harassment even if some of the “punx” hadn’t engaged in such stupid behavior but it’s inevitable when they do. At a recent show at the Democracy Center at Harvard University (another great space--the building also houses the Papercut zine library), there were some people drinking along the side of the building and gave some attitude to one of the staff people when she asked them to stop. In the interest of full disclosure, I was there for a few minutes talking to those folks and didn’t ask them to stop drinking. And I also got busted while drinking a beer on the roof of the building the summer before by this same staff person. I’d gone up there with guys from one of the bands. So, yeah, I’ve been stupid on occasion, myself and I really felt like an asshole that time.

On a message board I frequent, someone posted a link to a punk band whose name I’d rather not mention since I don’t want to give them any publicity. On their MySpace page, they say “… is a 4 piece punk band. We like to fuck shit up and have a good time. If you have any shows and want us to play, send us a message. If you book us, you will not be sorry, but the club owner may be.” Now THAT’S fucking punk. I’m sure it’s meant partially in jest but it’s not beyond the realm of possibility.

Maybe I sound like an old fogey, an anti-punk snob but I’ve seen this nonsense going on for years. I’ve seen too many venues ruined by idiotic people who think punk’s about destruction and chaos, mindlessly fucking shit up before trading in their punk clothes for something else. Everyone has their own definition of punk, I suppose. I’m not even sure if I can define it for myself anymore. I guess it’s just an outlet to get all the shit that brings me down out of my system. Of course, it gets exacerbated when certain elements of the punk scene itself bring me down, increase my sense of alienation and make me question why the fuck I bother anymore. And the reason is it’s a catharsis through loud music, comfort food for my ears, if I’m allowed to be pretentious for a moment. I don’t care how people dress--to each their own. There’s nothing wrong with having an anti-authoritarian attitude, questioning social mores, trying to go against the grain. There are plenty of sources of that anger but there are more positive, constructive ways to express those thoughts and channel those emotions. And still have one hell of a great time, flaws and all.

PUNK ROCK ‘N STUFF...

BAD SAMARITANS-Re-gur-git-tate (Nickel and Dime, CD)
Fast, thrashy hardcore—a simple yet fitting description for quite a few of the songs on this band’s third album although there are also some mid-tempo rockers, as well. At times, it makes me think of Out Cold and Poison Idea, in terms of guitar tone and vocally. “It Hurts” changes the pace to something a bit more lurching ‘n creeping and the same applies to “Sundance.” “Ted Offensive,” a graphic tale of abduction and abuse, would appear to be a paean to serial killer Ted Bundy and the lyrical imagery ain’t pretty. Their cover of the Partridge Family’s “I Woke Up In Love This Morning” isn’t the definitive cover of that group—that honor will always go to Ism’s “I Think I Love You,” but it brings a momentary lightheartedness. Verdict? Good, if not great, and worth a listen or two. (PO Box 555712, LA, CA 90055, www.nickelanddimerecords.com)

BLACK SS-Terror Of The North East (2004-2007) (Reaper, CD)
The complete, unabridged Black SS story, with both of their demos, first 7”, splits, comp tracks and a live set recorded at WERS in Boston. Whew—a lot to digest. Things haven’t changed much—they’ve always stuck to a no-nonsense, aggressive style of hardcore, complete with Chuck Hickey’s inner Choke forcefully expressed. But you can hear an evolution in playing ability and the production values improve as the disc progresses. Speaking of no-nonsense, that’s the gist of the lyrics. First off, this is a straight-edge band but they stay away from the mosh/tough-core elements that have come to represent modern sXe music (thankfully) although there’s no compromise when discussing drugs or alcohol. The sentiments are pointed, whether dealing with abuse of those substances, “the state of the nation,” to quote “I Want Out” and, to use an ancient song by some DC band, being out of step with the world. Inspiring title: “Droppin’ Many Cider Punx.” Aggro unleashed and also catchy in spots. And I hope this is only anthologizing this band’s first chapter. (PO Box 2935, Liverpool, NY 13089, www.reaperhardcore.com)

CLOAK/DAGGER-Kamikazes/She Cracked (Grave Mistake, 7”)
An honest-to-goodness 45 RPM record like I grew up with, with an album track and the unreleased b-side. “Kamikazes” has the Wipers/Hot Snakes guitar tandem and a good amount of rhythmic bash. The flip is a Modern Lovers cover—a harder-edged take than the original with jittery guitar filling in for the keyboards on the original. Not bad but not essential. (PO Box 12482, Richmond, VA 23241, www.gravemistakerecords.com)

DEEP SLEEP-Manic Euphoria (Grave Mistake, 7” EP)
There’s a nerviness, an edginess to Deep Sleep’s music and it hardly fits into a standard punk definition, although that’s the motor that drives things. Busy guitar and bass interplay, particularly for “Textbook Timebomb” but the nimble musicianship doesn’t detract from the overall punch. Four of the songs here clock in at under a minute and “Nothing Left” and “Not Coming Back” throw some thrash into the mix—something of a throwback to their first EP, which had a slightly rougher approach. It’s been a few years since that debut and it was worth the wait. (PO Box 12482, Richmond, VA 23241, www.gravemistakerecords.com)

86 MENTALITY-Final Exit (Deranged, CD)
To quote 86 Mentality’s vocalist Steve Clark, RRRRROWF. This is the CD version of 86 Mentality’s final EP tacking on a cover of Blitz’s “4Q,” one other uncredited bonus song (not sure if it’s an original or a cover) and a live set from 2005 in Belgium. Tough ‘n bruising hardcore with a decidedly oi-ish inflection—adjectives I’ve used in previous reviews but just in case you missed it the first time, it’s worth reiterating. Paying tribute to the roots and capturing the bare-knuckled vibe although they have a much more pronounced street punk edge than other retro-leaning hardcore bands. The live songs are taken from their first two EP’s plus a version of the Varukers’ “Soldier Boy.” Not a bad addition although I’m thinking a few live video tracks might have been a good way to convey this band’s no-bullshit presence. One more time, with feeling... RRRRROWF! (2700 Lower Road Roberts Creek, BC V0N 2W4, CANADA, www.derangedrecords.com)

INMATES-Now We Talkin Hardcore! (Kangaroo/Even Worse, 7” EP)
Paul E. Wog is back with his phony English accent and the Inmates are back with their completely shredding version of hardcore. Now we definitely talkin hardcore and that comes from the intro to the whole shebang that pokes fun at the two label proprietors who co-released this slab. Raw, fast swill with buzzbomb guitar, wrecking ball drumming (courtesy of the one and only Wedge) and a whole lot of bad attitude. This time out, there’s slightly cleaner production than in the past but that doesn’t mean they’ve gone high-tech or anything. Nor gotten any nicer—the first lyrical line heard is “do the world a favor, kill yourself today.” This is the real hardcore punk rock shit, accept no fucking substitute. (www.geocities.com/tysonkangaroo or www.geocities.com/evenworserecords).

KNUCKLEHEAD-Lost (HG Fact, CD)
Yammering and hammering—the former coming from the ranting, regurgitated vocals, the latter from the aggressive riffing and tumultuous drumming. Hardcore with a metallic bent and making the best impact on track #9 (translating to “To The Crowd”)—that’s a hard-driving speed roar which culminates in blasting rhythms and it fades out ominously. A savage presence for sure, even when the execution threatens to fall apart. This will apparently be their final release and includes some re-recordings of earlier material. (http://www.interq.or.jp/japan/hgfact)

NIGHTSTICK JUSTICE-Claustrophobic EP (Grave Mistake, 7” EP)
These guys are very quickly becoming one of my favorite bands. NSJ are fucking relentless, each song bridged by a whine of feedback. There’s a tinge of the over-the-top Cleveland hardcore burn in their sound. Guitars on stun, bass on bulldoze and goddamn does Jeff Corso sound pissed off. Hardly taking a break with the speed until the stomping conclusion of “Hypocrite,” an epic at over 3 minutes. They’ve also got a new 12” EP, that’s a split release between Even Worse and Way Back When (and there will be a US pressing on Tankcrimes) but my copy showed up warped and another one is on the way. I did listen to the part that was playable and it’s just as blazing—and I’ll have a more thorough review when I have a non-warped copy in my mitts. (PO Box 12482, Richmond, VA 23241, www.gravemistakerecords.com)

PANDAMONIUM-s/t (One Percent, 7” EP)
TOTAL FURY/PANDAMONIUM-Tour 2007 (One Percent, 7” EP)
Despite some occasionally leaden-sounding drumming and out-of-sync vocals, the four ladies/one guy in Pandamonium play with a winning old-school hardcore spirit. Jimena’s yelping cadence reminds me of Mish from Sado Nation and the songs on both their own EP and the split with Total Fury rip without any let-up in the speed department. Total Fury begin their side with a cover of Second Wind’s “Bitch,” kind of ironic since that song is a rather nasty put-down of a relationship gone awry and they’re sharing the record with a mostly-female band. But I’m reading into it too much. It’d be tough to top Total Fury’s first 12” but this is better than their last couple of releases. Hard/fast early 80s inspired hardcore given a good throttling. (PO Box 141048, Minneapolis, MN 55414, www.onepercentrecords.com)

Cissie from Pedestrians, 2006

PEDESTRIANS-Killing Season EP (Residue, 7” EP)
Following the same blueprint as in the past—mid-tempo, tuneful but darkly-hued punk, although “Salvation” picks up the pace a bit. As straightforward as the rhythms are, the guitar lines have good blend of sting and warm melody. Vocals that convey outrage without being obvious in a lyrical sense—if there’s any sort of theme, it’s about the senseless loss of life, be it in the inner city or overseas and that indication also comes from the title. The obligatory caveat—if you liked ‘em before, you’ll like this and, if not, get on the bandwagon. (residuerecords@gmail.com)

SOLID DECLINE/RUIDOSA INMUNDICIA-Split (Thought Crime, LP)
These two European bands (SD are from Germany, RI from Austria) both tear through their brief songs with unfettered aggression. Solid Decline’s members all used to be in the band Y and, after a few EPs (including a double), this is their first 12” release (same for RI). Whereas Y operated mainly in grind realm, this band have staked out slightly different territory. Kickass hardcore punk but with other twists and wrinkles. A wild ride executed with super-tightness and including everything from thrash to west coast punk and there’s one song that starts with almost a country-ish shitkick intro before turning on the speedjets. Ruidosa Inmundicia don’t allow any breaks between the songs either. Caro howls at the top of her lungs, accompanied by the musical flail. After a demo and 7” (also on Thought Crime), they’ve perfected their fast hardcore approach. The packaging is top-notch, as well--a screen printed/heavy stock cover presenting an image of tranquil tropical beach scene underneath a black and white image of fighter planes and a bombed out building. (Thomas Franke, Muskauer Str. 19, 10997 Berlin, GERMANY, www.thoughtcrimerecords.de)

Dave from Splitting Headache, 2007

SPLITTING HEADACHE-The World’s My Aim (Chainsaw Safety, 7” EP)
Splitting Headache’s latest missive shows the band in typically ass-kickin’ mode. Fired-up hardcore punk with some sputteringly inspired lead riffs. If offering a comparison with Tear It Up (some of these folks’ previous band) is allowed, this is a more refined approach, not going for the double-speed thing that TIU sometimes relied on. It’s a more reasonably-paced speed attack infused with strong, but not leaden breakdowns. The life of pain and disillusionment continues for Mr. Dave Ackerman, at least from a lyrical standpoint. He says “ten years later and nothing’s changed.” The intent, though, is a critique of someone else pissing their life away. Hell, switch that to 25 years and you’re on to something—OK, that’s not completely true from these quarters. Whatever demons are being fought off, I suppose this kind of outlet keeps ‘ya at least PARTIALLY sane. (PO Box 260318, Bellerose, NY 11426, www.chainsawsafetyrecords.com)

URBAN UNREST-s/t (Evil Corporation/United Shoebrothers, 7” EP)
If you’re going to have a name that not only could be perceived as generic and also have a band logo that’s not far from a certain early 80s NY hardcore band who also had the name Urban in their name (Waste, for the uninitiated), you’d better be pretty damned good because it takes balls to do something like that. Urban Unrest, from Finland, have balls—well, all the band members are guys so that’s a given. Sorry—that’s lame. Something this record isn’t. The sound definitely conjures up that period. Undistorted guitar dishing out the flail and sticking to the loud/fast blueprint. No-bullshit wallop. (www.myspace.com/evilcorporationrecords)

Suburban Voice blog #60

... about fuckin' time, 'eh?

THE GODLIKE POWER OF THE PAGANS

Those words are the god-danged truth, friend. In 1984, there was a student at Boston University who had just moved here from Cincinnati and I became friendly with him. He asked if I’d ever heard the Pagans and when I answered in the negative, he schooled me fast. He had an extra copy of their classic “What’s This Shit Called Love/Street Where Nobody Lives” 7” and we worked out some sort of trade. I’ve been a diehard fan ever since. That single, above everything the Pagans ever did, is their calling card. On the original LP anthology, “Buried Alive,” which included that single, there were testimonials from Tesco Vee and Byron Coley, whose little essay was called “Scorch” and that applies to that single and other songs from the band’s repertoire. Incidentally, not to namedrop, but the guy who turned me on to the Pagans was later the vocalist in the Chrome Cranks under the stage name Peter Aaron. For which I own him an undying debt of gratitude. This is snarlin’ and snotty punk rock with a high scuzz element. Mike Hudson spat out the words with phlegm-encrusted attitude and the “1-2-3-4” leading into the hornets nest of guitar buzz that starts “Shit” is one of those transcendent musical moments that stays with you for eternity. This was a rough-sounding band but, buried in there were 60s rock ‘n roll/garage/protopunk touchpoints and their covers included the Who, Stones and Velvets.

I stole the above title from a Pagans’ live album that came out on Treehouse Records in 1987. Incidentally, the back cover of that record features some rather hot-looking leather-clad dominatrixi (is that the plural?) and one of ‘em went on to be in Babes In Toyland. There’s your trivia for tonight. But I’m not here to write about forgettable 90s rock. I here to tell you about Hudson’s autobiography Diary of a Punk: Life and Death In The Pagans (Tuscarora Books, PO Box 987, Falls Station, Niagara Falls, NY 14303, tuscarora@sysr.com).

Hudson’s book is unflinchingly honest. He’s up front with his sentiments and calls out those who wronged him. People who ripped him off, like their manager Johnny Dromette and Mark Trehus from Treehouse Records, who released several Pagans records for which the band received little if any compensataion. For one thing, he has no respect for the Cleveland rock ‘n roll “establishment” i.e. the press and radio, who never paid any attention to the Pagans when they were around. He particularly had it in for the big FM rock station WMMS. He writes about their buzzard logo and opines “I always thought that the station’s choice of a leering buzzard as its logo was unwittingly appropriate. It was the most honest thing to use that, a carrion bird picking over the rotting carcass of our mortally wounded but not quite dead metropolis.” He laments the death of the old Cleveland, writing about the gentrification of the Flats area that birthed the local scene. That story could be told about any large city.

Hudson’s intelligence and talent as a writer is obvious and it makes sense since he’s had a career as a newspaper reporter as well as a punk musician and this is his second book—the first was Niagara Falls Confidential, co-written with his wife Rebecca. With this autobio, you get a feel for what it was like then, warts and all—drugs, ripoffs, miserable touring experiences, homelessness, interpersonal squabbles and, sadly, the death of his brother, son and close friends. Somehow, Hudson has survived, even with his liver ravaged from years of severe alcohol abuse and he’s not sure how much longer he’ll last. This is all standard rock-bio jazz/boilerplate and well-worn ground but Hudson doesn’t try to romanticize it in any way. He writes that his aspiration was to be “Mick Jagger and Jack Kerouac rolled into one.” The thing is for all his bad-boy imagery, Jagger was a product of the art school universe; Hudson was a 10th grade dropout but carved out a journalism career in addition to a thorny, no-BS musical legacy.

Speaking of live albums, there’s a new CD release, “The Blue Album” (Smog Veil, 1658 N. Milwaukee Ave., #284, Chicago, IL 60647, www.smogveil.com). It was recorded in Madison, WI in 1988, during one of the band’s brief revival periods. I don’t know if you could consider it a companion piece to “The Pink Album”; that widely uneven release included various live, demo and unreleased recordings. I imagine this would be something to compare to “Godlike,” although it was recorded a few years after, in ’88. Sound quality is OK—not pristine but not bootleg quality either. Only nine songs and not hitting the 20 minute mark, which seems kind of odd, unless that was the whole set (my copy does have “Multiple Personalities” as a bonus track found on the “extras” section).Some of the band’s better-known songs aren’t here but they do include hard-hitters such as “She’s A Cadaver (And I’ve Gotta Have Her)” and “Real World” and slam through the Who’s “Can’t Explain” with a fiery recklessness. But this really falls into the “fans only” category and the best introduction for the novice is the one of their anthologies. That’s the soundtrack to have on while reading through Hudson’s tome.

THE REST

BATTLETORN-Terminal Dawn (Mad At The World, CD)
Falling into the “came out awhile ago/just sent to me category, this one is a complete rager. A two band thrash machine, although not always relying on brute speed. In the main, “Terminal Dawn” (the CD is also appended with tracks from an earlier EP) stays to a fast, raw and aggressive route, straddling the hardcore/speed metal divide, albeit without any lead guitar lines. With the two piece bands, you wonder if it would benefit from having a bass-player but given the recording’s roughness, just having the guitar and drums makes this a piledriving musical outing. (PO Box 230367, New York, NY 10023, www.matwrecords.com)

BEAR PROOF SUIT-The Objects In The Mirror May Be Fucked Up EP (Repulsion, 7” EP)
Shit, seems as though this came out awhile ago and they’ve now got an LP out. But I’ll review the record I have and this doesn’t follow any sort of predictable path. “Past Tension” starts off in a conventional thrash vein but then a melodic rock influence surfaces midway through that song. I’m not talking about any sort of cock rock thing here but from more of a Black Flag point of view, as the roots remain in punk. It’s in the guitar approach and there’s some heady sputter for “Apothecary.” Not on a mind-blowing level yet but I’ve heard promising elements on both of their 7”s. (2552 N. Booth St., Milwaukee, WI 53212, www.myspace.com/repulsionrecs)

BLOWBACK-Living Vibration (HG Fact, CD)
A whizzle of feedback, a stomping intro and it announces the return of Blowback. This is a savage musical attack. There are some immediate Motörhead-isms at the outset of “Cut Off The World” and other rock-out moments but it’s wrapped up in a full-on sonic nailbomb. It’s relentless, pulverizing and whatever other adjective you want to attach to a band that has a huge, hard-edged sound. Searing leads, gigantic throbbing bass and vocals that sound as though the tonsils are about to burst. Yes, this is an exercise in hyperbole but it’s the only way to convey Blowback’s sheer power. New stuff plus re-recordings of a few earlier songs. (www.interq.or.jp/Japan/hgfact/)

THE BREAKS

BREAKS-… Are Broke (Firestarter, 7” EP)
I remember these guys being pretty good when they hit Boston with The Spark in ’05. A one-sided epitaph for this Midwest hardcore dynamo, five songs that were recorded at the same time as their previous 7”. Plying the thrash in short, agitated bursts driven by hyper drumming and the requisite nettled vocals. There’s not much to distinguish the Breaks from the endless parade of bands playing in this vein but they do it right. A non-stop charge. (2981 Falls Rd., Baltimore, MD 21211, www.firestarterrecords.com)

CRUNKY KIDS-Hardcore Malarkey For Sure!! (Motorchest, 7” EP)
With the nasty vocals, dirty guitar/bass tandem, you’d probably guess this is a Cleveland band and you would be correct. The Crunky Kids have been bashing things around the entire decade and this is their latest missive. If you need a pedigree, it includes Bomb Builder, 9 Shocks, Gordon Solie Motherfuckers etc etc and the current lineup is a power trio with Thuggy Bearbomb, Wedge and Matt Upstab. Thrash and pure punk rock coalesce into a formidable elixir and they’re sure pissed off about things, starting with a certain overseas military conflict and also taking time to comment on a poor Christian Scientist kid who died because of huge amount of fecal backup on “Shit Out The Poison.” That could apply to what the band are doing here. (PO Box 725, Poplar Bluff, MO 63902, www.myspace.com/nocausepunk)

DOG SOLDIER-At My Throat (HG Fact, CD)
There are hellacious shrieks and screams to start things off here, appropriately titled “Chainsaw Intro” and I’m not so sure I want to know what’s going on there. Crust metal, for want of a better term, from this Portland, OR band. Basically, it’s crossover-style thrash metal with grunted, strangled vocals and somewhat echo-y production that brings Sacrilege to mind. One difference, though, is the brevity of the compositions. Pretty good, although I liked the sharper, punchier production of the previous 12” on Hardcore Holocaust. (www.interq.or.jp/Japan/hgfact/)

GLASS AND ASHES-s/t (No Idea, CD)
Heavy, driving hardcore/rock with a howling presence. Letting out the scream, in other words, but you won’t see me tacking an “o” onto the end of that word, even though it’s tempting. There’s an immediate surge for the opening songs “Seconds Before The Floor Drops Out” and “To The Point Of Paralysis.” At other points, there’s a twisting in the wind, melodic somberness that hurts the momentum, a bit. The final song, “The Rebuttal,” merges both properties—a full-on pummel that gives way to bombastic heaviness and a long, frayed fadeout. If there’s a theme here, it could be “dark days coming,” to borrow a line from the old DC band 3 and the stormy photo images on the cover and gatefold seem apropos. While hit and miss, the intensity is convincing. (PO Box 14636, Gainesville, FL 32604, www.noidearecords.com)

GOD FODDER-No Sleep (Motorchest, 7” EP)
Nice ‘n snotty hardcore stripping it all down to its essence. These guys could be a midwet counterpart to Acid Reflux in the rant department and a bright guitar sound working in their favor. Succinct? How about “got no money, got not job, dress like a fucking slob” on “Dead Weight.” Why get poetic when the direct route is more effective? There’s not a lot more to elaborate on here, except that you have to manually remove the needle from side one unless you want to be called a dumbass ad infinitum. Really—these kids today! The kids in God Fodder got it goin’ on. (PO Box 725, Poplar Bluff, MO 63902, www.myspace.com/nocausepunk)

JEAN MILLS SOCIETY TORCH-Start Tomorrow (Firestarter, 7” EP)
Double-speed thrashin’ from this oddly-named band and recorded in 2005. Some humorous and sarcastic lyrics—I like the sentiment about bringing back the old “Headbanger’s Ball” with “the old days of AC/DC, Iron Maiden and Slayer,” but, unfortunately, it’s only fair-to-middling from a musical standpoint. (2981 Falls Rd., Baltimore, MD 21211, www.firestarterrecords.com)

PAINT IT BLACK-New Lexicon (Jade Tree, CD)
Over the past few years, I’ve really become bored with clean (for want of a better term) sounding hardcore. Not chug stuff but hardcore without any grit in the production. The type of music that attracts people with long sleeve t-shirts or hoodies, fingers pointed skyward, sometimes having X’s on the hands. I think you know what I’m getting at, here. In any case, Paint It Black have a clean sound but still grab my ear and there’s some originality. The songs surge and combine rage with unexpected catchiness—that happens with the chorus of “Past Tense Future Perfect,” where Dan Yemin’s rants are accompanied by background harmonies and melodic guitar. There are also some interesting transitions between songs with ambient effects. Maybe the fact that J. Robbins helped produce the album but there’s a Jawbox air to some of the songs—or if Jawbox’s arranging was fused to driving hardcore. The songs have a strong rhythmic base, with Andy Nelson’s bass lines forcing their way up front. You won’t find any rawness here, except in Dan’s frayed, hoarse vocals but there’s a presence and purposefulness here. (2310 Kennwynn Rd., Wilmington, DE 19810, www.jadetree.com)

2ND DEGREE-Chain (HG Fact, CD)
A compilation of 2nd Degree’s EP, including the songs from their recent “Tar” 7” and a re-recording of an older song, “Chain Of Rage.” There’s some power-rock on the newer songs (with a revamped lineup) but this band mainly have 80s era European hardcore (Upright Citizens, et al) and UK-82 trappings. Mid-tempo, catchy compositions with a gritty approach. Plenty of vocal rasp, boys-in-the-gang backups and razor-sharp riffs. (www.interq.or.jp/Japan/hgfact/)

WRETCHED ONES-Less Is More (Headache, CD)
An alternate title for this album could be “KISS” or “Keep it simple, stupid.” Wretched Ones are back with another collection of street punk rock ‘n roll, to steal a phrase. No nonsense, straight ahead both in a musical sense and lyrically. Buzzin’ rhythm riffs with some rockin’ flare-ups and Pit’s gruff vocals. Actually, there’s a little variety in the tempos and arrangements (but no fuckin’ ballads or emo or any of that shite) and Pit shows some vocal range, as well. They’re not above a bit of thievery either—the main riff for “Skin Neighbor” is lifted from “Gigantor,” but I won’t tell anyone. The theme here, if there is one, is don’t let life get you down, have a beer and a laugh and keep things uncomplicated. On the tray is a recycle symbol surrounded by the words “work, drink, sleep, repeat.” A regimen broken up by this type of sturdy, workmanlike musical expression. (PO Box 204, Midland Park, NJ 07432, www.headacherecords.com)

Suburban Voice blog #59

LIBYANS

THIS IS BOSTON AND I’M NOT GOING TO SAY “NOT L.A.”
So what’s happening in Boston, you ask? Well, let me tell ‘ya. This ain’t gonna be about the Dropkick Murphys nor the Unseen nor any of the other higher-profile punk or hardcore bands. As always, underneath that radar, DIY is alive and well here, with new bands emerging all the time and fun shows all over the place, from basements in Somerville and Boston to the Ratscellar warehouse space to various college spaces and halls. Hell, I just saw a fun show in a classroom at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts with Belgian band Sunpower (LP review below) and there was a pretty good turnout for a Monday night. Even the Midway club, in Jamaica Plain, has been doing all-ages shows, although a lot of ‘em feature bands that don’t interest me all that much.

Getting to those recordings, though, first up is the three song 7” by LIBYANS, “Welcome To The Neighborhood” (Shock To The System, PO BOX 300991, Jamaica Plain, MA, 02130, www.myspace.com/shocktothesystemrecords) The poppy title track owes more than a little to the Avengers’ “Cheap Tragedies,” although vocalist Liz Panella has a lower, somewhat rougher voice. I imagine the Dangerhouse type logo on the record isn’t meant to be ironic—and I don’t mean that as a slight, either. It’s a catchy song. The two songs on the flip, “Cough It Up and “Higher Standards,” take a faster hardcore punk turn.

Next is a demo tape by GENERAL INTEREST (59 Myrtle St., Somerville, MA 02145, generalinterestpunk@gmail.com), who are a fairly new band with two people from the Conversions and one from Red Thread, all playing different instruments than in their other bands. Meanwhile, lead mouth Steve Shea conveys some sarcastic sentiments. You can’t read along to his words because the lyrics sheet features a passage about Hitler’s sexual history but “Out With A Bang” is an undisguised slam at the Italian band (“would it shock you if I called you a fag?”) and their so-called shock value, no doubt inspired by a show they played in Boston last year, where there was a fight during their set. “Myth of The Female Musician” pokes fun at the all-too-prevalent mentality from some males that, in essence, girls can’t rock. From a musical standpoint, it doesn’t fit an easy definition, although shards of post-punk mix with a punk attitude. “Bagley,” the final song, has a serious Minutemen jones. Stretching the boundaries like the Conversions, albeit without the hardcore element.

Another new band with a cassette demo is LIKE RATS (likeratsboston@gmail.com), who have the Conversions’ vocalist Terry Cuozzo on guitar and Pat Wilding (Mecchanibal, Daggers Rule) on vocals. An energetic hardcore sound with a hint of Poison Idea, particularly in Pat’s raspy vocals. A quick-paced, no nonsense approach and thoughtful lyrics on a variety of topics—“Grandfather Clause,” which is about moving on and refusing to acknowledge what you were a part of. I imagine that weighs on the so-called “older” punks, who sometimes question their continued involvement in what some perceive as immature pursuits.

WEAPONS GRADE (PO Box 301426, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, www.myspace.com/weaponsgradeboston), the latest band fronted by Craig Lewis (ex-Melee, Keep Laughing) use a combination of raw thrash and more melodic properties that isn’t easily pigeonholed. The lyrics are intense and personal, dealing with very real pain and emotional trauma and passionately exorcised. In all honesty, it’s tough to listen to, at times. This recording sounds like a band still looking for its footing, although there are solid moments (“Put To Sleep,” Razor Blades”). Having seen Weapons Grade improve in the live setting over the past few months, I hope that will be reflected the next time they hit the studio.

In a loud ‘n spirited garage/punk vein come HOSPITAL RATS (www.myspace.com/thehospitalrats). Their CD demo is packaged in a paper bag. Organ-drenched gnash as these four guys effectively bash their way through their material. There’s definitely ­a 60s mind-bending angle, particularly the chaotic conclusion for “The Beast,” but it still doesn’t come across as a Nuggets/Pebbles retro trip. That tune is one of four live tracks that accompany five studio (or maybe basement) tracks. Sure, there’s no denying where the Hospital Rats are coming from, but they add their own appealing (?) crudeness to it, each song introduced with a bit of hiss/hum and a hearty “1-2-3-4.” Just so you know, the bag has enough room for a 12oz Pabst, if that’s your brew of choice—and at least you’ll have good musical taste, if not taste in beer.

Ending the Boston segment, NOTHING BUT ENEMIES, formerly known as Slimy Cunt and The Fist Fucks (for real), have their first album, “Mental Damage,” out on Welfare Records (58 River St., Haverhill, MA 01832, www.welfarerecords.net). There’s a declaration from this band’s vocalist Opie at the outset—a shout-out to all the rejects, freaks, drunks, mentally ill, dropouts and others, including the people “that ain’t even accepted by your so-called friends in punk rock… come join us!” A-fuckin’-men to that sentiment and the pure hate is conveyed with a direct hit. Opie rants and brays and the music is a heady, mainly mid-tempo hardcore punk bash. A visceral ugliness but it’s also a controlled, concise assault. A Blitz-ish touch figures into “No Apologies” and “Detonation” reminded me of the Dead Boys a little. This is music for the anti-social, the ugly and proud, to quote the late, great Sheer Terror.

Incidentally, the General Interest and Like Rats demos were recorded at Side Two studios, which is located in the building that hosts the Ratscellar and the recordings coming out of there sound good and the rates are reasonable. For more info, check out their site at http://www.sidetwostudio.com).

THIS AIN’T BOSTON… BUT THAT’S OK!

DFC/PRESTO?-Inferno Na Terra (Peculio, CD)
Both of these Brazilian bands have the crossover thing, to an extent. Hardcore ‘n thrash with a driving and a ruthless, murderous attack. Another commonality the brevity of the compositions. As for differences, Presto? throw in some blastbeats , chuggier elements, plus slightly lower tunings, as well but it doesn’t impede the power—but since DFC eschews those things, I like their half a bit more. I have to say that the sampling of the “1-2-3-4” from Pantera’s “Fucking Hostile” on one Presto? song is pretty damned clever, too. If you like metal in your hardcore or vice versa, there are worse ways to spend 24 minutes. (CX Postal 393, Santos-SP, 11001-970, BRAZIL, www.peculiodiscos.com.br)

D.O.N.D.O.N.-Last Warning (Schizophrenic, CD)
Reissue of this Japanese band’s 1991 album, long out of print and appended with three compilation tracks. The initials stand for Detestation of Negative, Destruction of Nuclear and it’s throttling hardcore that would have made much better listening for yours truly than the grunge shit I was into at the time. Let’s not talk about that—let’s talk about the pummeling content here. D.O.N.D.O.N had a visceral aggressiveness and, along with the thrash, incorporated metallic guitar trills and even a few odd effects. There are a couple of slower songs that sound like they came off the “Protest and Survive” assembly line but, for the most part, it’s raw, clattering thrash in the traditional Japanese style. Not on the same level as the Japanese hardcore legends but still making a loud statement. (17 West 4th St., Hamilton, ON L9C 3M2, CANADA, www.schizophrenicrex.com)

IRON LUNG-Sexless//No Sex (Prank, CD)
This is death or, more accurately, Iron Lung’s latest opus is about death. Physical death, mainly, but also death of the soul and one could say those often go hand in hand. It’s a hammer-shock musical effect, grinding out ultra-fast thrash and oozing slowdowns that are far from accessible or tuneful but appropriate for the mood, here. For a two-piece, Iron Lung have a huge sound. The final track, the lurching “Cancer,” ending with another blast and an abrupt ending, seems a fitting conclusion. Accompanied by haunting artwork from Rudimentary Peni’s Nick Blinko. I’ve never really been an aficionado of powerviolence (everyone who reads my stuff knows that by now), except seeing it live. But this never gets completely out of control and one thing that stands out here is Voivod-ish guitar touches, especially effective on a song like “Politics Of Science.” Enough inventiveness and variety to keep it interesting. (PO Box 410892, SF, CA 94141-0892, www.prankrecords.com)

NO PEACE-Zombie Brains (Decision Of Fate, 7” EP)
Raw, nearly blown-out sounding hardcore and there are both old school Swedish and Japanese hardcore influences, at least to my ears. It’s just a way to give an indication that it’s high energy fodder. From Cleveland and definitely sharing the devil-may-care aggro of other DIY bands from that region. The fact that other Clevo hardcore “luminaries” were involved in the mixing and mastering of the recording is another indicator that this ain’t gonna be no pleasant-sounding sonic excursion. Feedback, wheedling lead guitar and agonized vocals. The only misstep is the semi-sung, off-key vocal for the slightly slower-paced “Thanks Friend.” (2122 Robbins Ave., #108, Niles, OH 44446, play_it_faster@hotmail.com)

PERTH EXPRESS-s/t (Teenage Disco Bloodbath, CD)
A 22 song anthology for this band from Germany and, after listening to nearly an hour of this heavy, doom-laden music, it’s had a draining effect. I don’t really mean that in a positive sense, either. The effect is largely overbearing and oppressive. Anguished, lower-register vocals and tuned-down, thick ‘n ominous arranging. On occasion, it connects—the speed roar of “Schon Gewusst? and “1001,” although the drumming seems a bit out of sync. Probably of interest to people who like the newer Swedish hardcore/metal stuff and maybe it would have been better in shorter doses but it gets numbing after awhile. (www.tdbrecords.com)

STATE-Verboten EP (Statement, 7”)
On the State’s latest record, the hook is that two of the songs are in German and the other pair in English. The EP was originally supposed to come out in Germany but the band ended up doing it themselves. Gritty hardcore punk, as always, imbued with speed and agitation and the songs here are better than the ones from their recent split with I Object. The not-so-secret weapon in this band remains guitarist Art Tendler, adept at both scorching leads and buzzing rhythm work . Lyrics casting a jaundiced eye, especially towards those who genuflect before their god or their government. Age is only a number and they kick the ass of many bands half their age and younger. (www.statenoillusions.com)

SUNPOWER

SUNPOWER-Pain For Profit (Holy Shit!/Still Holding On, LP)
Ah, the LP with the gatefold cover—how I love them, even with the depressing drawing of an animal about to be murdered so the woman on the back can wrap its fur around her neck. Sunpower are from Belgium but are clearly influenced by US punk and hardcore. “BXHell,” for instance, has surfy guitar ala the Dead Kennedy and.Mike Meat’s vocals sound like a cross between Jello and Willy from Young Wasteners. Once in awhile, there will be a change-up, such as the jazzier rhythm for “Gore’s World.” Most of the time, though, they play at a faster speed and songs are short and catchy. And add “Stuck Inside The Midlife Crisis” to the ever growing library of “getting older in the scene” odes. I don’t necessarily “wish I was a teen again,” like Mike sings, but also have similar feelings of ambivalence. But fuck it… do what you want and look at this as a musical fountain of youth. (www.myspace.com/stillholdingonrecords)

SUPERBUICK-s/t (Motherbox, CD)
I’ll avoid the car references in this review—like “souped-up” “high octane” rock ‘n roll,” “taking a manic ride,” etc etc. Nope, not my style. Errr… moving right along, this is some pretty rockin’ rollin’ stuff from dudes with a hardcore punk background—people from Violent Society, Race To Die (who had a pretty good demo awhile back), Fisticuffs and more. There’s some bad-assery in the vocal department, although there tends to be an overbearing element to them, as well. To be honest, that’s not always that great a thing and the one thing here about which there are any reservations. Otherwise, while it’s well-tread rawk terrain, Superbuick’s songs have a lively punch and plenty of adrenalin and feisty guitar riffs. This isn’t strut ‘n swagger—it’s more like tearing down the road with the pedal to the metal. Oops—there I go again. (12 Madison St., Lynbrook. NJ 11563, http://www.myspace.com/motherboxrecords)

YOUTHS-Generationless (Still Holding On, 7”)
It’s been awhile since the Youths’ demo, which was pressed on vinyl by Criminal IQ, came out so I was happy to see this 7” show up. Catchy, anthemic punk with a garage tinge. Not a lot of variation from track to track—just sturdy, tuneful songs with bright-sounding guitar and plenty of rhythmic punch. Along with the boisterousness comes some sharp commentary about flag waving and religion, to name a few. Restless youth, to borrow a trite phrase but nothing trite about the music. (www.myspace.com/stillholdingonrecords).