1 - Agro Jive: Planet Of The Apes - Agro Jive LP (P. Trash Records, Full Trash 49, 2011)
Basement recordings of a one man project out of Denmark. This whole record is chock-full of 4-track goodness, but Planet Of The Apes stood out above the rest.
http://www.myspace.com/agrojive
2 - Something Fierce: Before You Raised The Gun - Don’t Be So Cruel LP (Dirtnap Records, ZZZ-105, 2011)
Every time I think of Something Fierce I think of The Undertones. Not a bad association by any stretch, I just wish I would think more of Something Fierce and less of The Undertones. But that’s my problem, not theirs. Anyhoo, if you like The Undertones I feel comfortable in saying that you will very much like Something Fierce.
http://www.somethingfiercemusic.com/
3 - The Undertones: Whizz Kids - Hypnotised LP (Sire Records, SRK 6088, 1980)
Not new, just new to me, Hypnotised happens to be one hell of a good Undertones album. I’d say it’s the best, but since it’s the only one I have, I’ll just call it hella good. The song Whizz Kids is on just about every “best of” Undertones album out there. Enjoy.
http://www.theundertones.com/_/Home.html
4 - Modern Pets: The Last Nanosecond of the Universe - Modern Pets LP (P. Trash Records, Full Trash 66, 2011)
I had thought we’ve played Modern Pets songs on at least one previous Slewcast but a quick check proved me wrong. That is a sad, sad oversight as the Modern Pets have been kicking ass in Berlin since 2009. Good uppity punk with just enough pop to throw you back into the late 70’s pogo scene. Or something like that. Their first LP was just released on P.Trash and you should buy it.
http://www.myspace.com/modernpets
5 - Groupo Sub-1: Alguien Ha Secuestrado Al Nino Jesus - Nuevos Dioses LP (P. Trash Records, Full Trash 65, 2011)
I love it when we get a huge box of records from P.Trash every few months. Grupo Sub-1 is from Madrid, Spain and they play a great trashy garage-punk with a sweet sounding organ that runs through every song. Male and female singers alternate between the songs and I can’t decide which I like better, both are great. This could quite possibly make you pogo your face off. Follow the bandcamp link below for a free download of a bunch of their songs.
http://www.myspace.com/gruposub1
6 - Derby Dolls: Teaparty - Extreme Probleme LP (Erste Theke Tonträger / P.Trash Rec., 2011)
This is a great german record that P.Trash describes as “between NICHTS, HANS-A-PLAST and BUZZCOCKS, sounding like the No Fun and Schallmauer Records stuff from the early 1980s. The mixed German/English lyrics shuttle between life doubts, adapted subjects and people on the go, always with an irresistible and beat-twitching tendency to drag you to the dancefloor. The weighty female lead vocal of Helen totally reminds you of NICHTS singer Andrea Mothes.” Of course. I totally forgot about Andrea Mothes. Pick it up!
http://www.myspace.com/thederbydolls
7 - Toyotas: Remote Controlled - Radio Off 7” (P.Trash Records, PT 074, 2011)
Radio Off is the Toyotas’ newest 7” and is great 60’s/70’s inspired power-pop-punk gem. It reminds me of The Tranzmitors getting mixed up with The Shitty Limits at a rockin’ club somewhere. It’s a current policy here to get every Toyotas release we can get our hands on.
http://www.ptrashrecords.com/startseite.html
8 - Sonic Avenues: Two Tons of Dynamite - Sonic Avenues/Steve Adamyk Band split Euro tour 7” (P.Trash Records, PT075, 2011)
Another great Canadian band on the pop-punk side of thing, Sonic Avenues have a new LP coming out soon on Dirtnap Records. I don’t know a whole lot about them, but any band that does a Sweet Baby cover is alright in my book.
http://www.sonicavenues.com/
9 - Tongan Death Grip: Stupid Kids - Chula Vista LP (P.Trash Records, Full Trash 64, 2011)
http://halifaxcollect.blogspot.com/2011/07/interview-tongan-death-grip-premium.html
http://www.myspace.com/tongandeathgrip
10 - Night Birds: Oblivious - The Other Side of Darkness LP (Grave Mistake, Grave 050, 2011)
Sitting here I’m trying to figure out what the most kick-ass thing about the new Night Birds LP is. Like how this album’s lyric sleeve totally reminds me of, and feels just like, the AOD Humungousfungusamungus lyric sleeve. Though when I grabbed the AOD record I noticed that those lyrics were typed out and not in a clearly punkrock handwritten scriptand like this record. Anyway, while I focus on those minute details I loose sight of the big picture surrounding The Other Side Of Darkness. The big picture being that this is one of the best, if not THE best, platters to come out this year on the punk side of the spectrum. I could cite a litany of comparisons, AGENT ORANGE, CIRCLE JERKS, ADOLESCENTS, D.I., whatever. I know that what is left of those bands is but a shadow of their former selves while this album is RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!! Why settle for the oldies when you can spin this? I can’t stop talking about how great this album is. It’s a perfect blend of Southern California and New Jersey. Surf twang meets snotty punk with songs about movies that I thought only Chaz had seen. So many of these songs have gotten stuck in my head. Oblivious seems to be dominating right now. Mandatory.
http://night-birds.bandcamp.com/
http://www.facebook.com/NGHTBRDS
11 - Secret Prostitutes: Saigon Stinker - Fantasi Di Auschwitz 7” (Batshit Records, BS-017, 2011)
Continuing to be one of the highlights of Houston, Secret Prostitutes throw down six songs on this 7” right where their LP left off. Excellent snotty, trashy punk with lyrics sung in Indonesian. Look for them on the new compilation with CrimeWave out soon on AgroWax Records.
http://www.myspace.com/thesecretprostitutes
12 - Double Negative: Cunny Hop - Hardcore Confusion Vol. 1 7” (Sorry State, SSR-35, 2011)
http://www.facebook.com/thedoublenegative
13/14 - Raw Nerve: Dating Problems/Ill Of The Dead - Midnight 7” (Youth Attack, YA68, 2011)
For some reason this band keeps making me think of Black Flag even though the music is for the most part way faster. I picture the singer stalking the stage during the spoken bits as the music keeps building in intensity until everything explodes into chaos. Their live shows must be amazing.
http://rawnervenoise.blogspot.com/
15 - Suburbanite: Ruling Class Rebel - Suburbanite 7” (Youth Attack, YA70, 2011)
Tough as fuck hardcore ala Negative Approach through a NYHC filter. Way fuzzed-out urgency housed in a killer tri-fold sleeve. I would so be skanking around my bedroom right now if my wife wasn’t asleep.
http://www.ihateyouthattack.com/blog/2011/05/70-suburbanite-ep/
16 - Effigies: Haunted Town - Remains Nonviewable LP (Roadkill Records, RDK 005, 1989)
Old Chicago punk that I never really listened to as a kid. The Effigies were the first I’m aware of to play the melodic, slower kind of punk that spawned the whole “Chicago sound” deal that was later made definitive by Naked Raygun. This album collects their first three EPs and a couple of later tracks.
http://www.effigies.com/home.html
17 - Black Flag: Thirsty And Miserable - Thirsty and Miserable/Life In Pain 7” (Unicorn Records/SST, Bogus 001, 1981)
The Licorice Pizza 7” is one of the few Black Flag records I still didn’t have and was stoked to finally score a copy. For those not “in the know”, this EP was released as a gig giveaway in 1981 to help promote Licorice Pizza which, I am led to understand, is somewhere they liked to eat pizza. Two songs of awesome.
http://www.sstsuperstore.com/
18 - Teen Idles: Sneakers - Anniversary 7” (Dischord Records, Dischord 100, 2011)
Old DC band that spawned lots of other more famous DC bands. ahem. Minor Threat. ahem. Good stuff.
http://www.dischord.com/band/teen-idles
19/20 - Adrenalin OD: Old People Talk Too Loud / Trans Am - Let’s Barbeque 7” (Buy Our Records, 1983)
Adrenalin O.D. being one of my all time favorites, I was doubly stoked to get this record in the mail on the same day as the Black Flag Licorice Pizza 7”. Super fast and totally disrespectful, yet one more good thing about New Jersey.
http://www.myspace.com/adrenalinod
21 - Antidote - Real Deal
Totally classic New York HardCore. I listened to it and was like....”Oh, so that’s how Ray Cappo learned to sing”.
http://www.myspace.com/antidotehardcorepunk
22 - Melvins: Queen - Endless Residency
So The Melvins decided to spend a month playing Saturdays at some club in LA last year and each night they would play an entire album. They played Bullhead, Eggnog, Lysol, Stoner Witch, and Houdini. The Melvins then took the whole concept on the road playing the above albums over two nights in a few select cities. The tour was called Endless Residency and a box set of CDs recording the LA shows was sold at each stop. Later, the box set was reconfigured into a vinyl set and first sold in Europe. Later it released by Amphetamine Reptile in the U.S. in a crazier/fancier edition that comes in a wooden screened box.
http://www.facebook.com/melvinsarmy