News

Hi strangers! So happy to pop in this week and talk about music with you. I hope everyone is doing well. Missed ya’ll!

It’s kinda weird to say I’m even doing ok against the backdrop of this fucked-up country and world. So, I guess me doing ok just means I have my physical health, I moved to a house I love, and I just got an adorable angel baby puppy named Bowie. I wanted to name him Ian MacKaye, but my daughter would’ve had a meltdown. Instagram was much more partial to Bowie as well. Oh, and I went to Iceland for a week. (hashtag blessed!). Please catch the overt sarcasm in that.

But truthfully, life is weird when there is a looming black cloud over your head no matter what happy things may come along. But, being happy as a state of mind seems ridiculous. I think we are meant to have moments of happiness if you can find them. And that’s it if you’re lucky. Which begs the question, why we can’t just have moments of depression or anxiety instead of a whole-ass existence? Man, isn’t this staff pick a blast so far? Reading too much nihilistic philosophy. Let’s change things up.

Okay, so I’ve been trying to keep up with newly released ragers and the like, but damn it’s hard when you take a break from record hunting and chatting with friends about the latest and greatest. I came back to life/started to see people in person and speak to them in April/May of this year after a 4-5 month hiatus, and felt so out of the loop. I never took a break from music, but definitely relied on nostalgia music mostly through these past several months.

So I checked out five or six releases from this year, and I was kinda hooked on the new EP from Skull Cult, Can’t You See What I Mean? Admittedly, it was the cat on the cover that drew me in initially. Anyway, they hail from Bloomington, Indiana. I don’t hear too much/anything out of those parts, so that’s cool.

So I’ve heard this band before, and some of the older stuff was just a bit grating. When it comes to noise punk / weird punk, it could go either way for me. I like it as long as it has something, just something, grounding it just a little. It’s gotta feel like they aren’t up there just fucking around. So I much prefer this newest EP over the last. First one released by the band since 2018!

So Skull Cult definitely dialed down the abrasive weirdness and increased the catchiness. Good move. Thankfully, it’s still somewhat chaotic, and it’s still weird, but I think they found their sweet spot. I have to mention that some of it could be looked at as egg punk, but the only really eggy part I picked up on was the intro to the Rocker and a little bit of Organization. But the record has great blown-out guitars, frantic vocals, good bass lines, and frantic drums that collectively make the record. It’s just better. And the vocals often sound like what that cat on the cover may sound like in a street fight, and that works here.

It’s more grounded and focused than previous works. I guess you’d have to hear the older stuff to make up your mind on what style you like. It doesn’t deviate so much from past EPs in terms of the foundation, but the execution of it just makes more sense. Language is for sure my favorite on the record. I just like the line “and there’s nothing you can DO about it,” with the emphasis on “do.” It’s short and sweet. The vocals aren’t insane on that one, but it feels like old nostalgic punk.

You definitely get some variety in these five songs. Some are more synthy and melodic, and some more chaotic. It all just fits together to make one well-rounded EP. There is a good balance. Like, if a song is lower tempo, the vocals will be much more abrasive. I think that’s what records like this need. Typically, we don’t want to hear a sing-songy voice on a lower-tempo punk track. I don’t know; you might.

I think the record is an easy listen. If you do like punk stuff like this that is a little synthy and melodic, you will probably enjoy it. It’s also kinda garage. I don’t know; it’s something different.

I have so enjoyed being a part of the newsletter again! Thanks for listening to me ramble, and give me some grace as I haven’t done one of these in a long time! Have a great weekend coming up.

If you scrolled down this far, and read my words, thank you!

-Angela

Hi Sorry State fam! Feels like forever since we’ve hung out! Hope all is well with everyone. It is scary how fast the year has flown by. The fact that Hopscotch is this week is nuts. I’m not going this year, but it feels like it was maybe 3 months ago that I was there last year. I really wish the Hopscotch gods would let us pay for individual late night shows at least, because ISS, Mutant Strain, and Zorn are playing a show that would be really fun to see.

Jesus, as I was adding the intro to my staff pick I was overcome by the worst smell permeating my abode. My cat pissed on the couch as though he’d been saving it for weeks. He is just a spoiled little demon who communicates his unhappiness with not getting 24/7 attention by pissing on furniture. The one day we forgot to put something on top of it to keep him off. I have another cat, Luca (yes from the song) who is an angel in every way. But Julien (named after Robert Downy Jr in the dark indie flick Less than Zero) is not. Maybe it’s the name. He was bound for trouble.

Oh well. Let’s get into it.

My pick this week is the latest release called We are Making a New World from the band Gimic. This is the second EP from the Bristol band known for their unique blend of punk and punk-adjacent sounds. Gimic is packed full of flavor drawn from punk, hardcore, art-punk, post-punk, and everything in between. It’s dancey and fun and manic and agitated and totally unleashed. The opening track called Irrational Demographic sucked me right in with its mean and taunting vocals that sound like a weapon that could lay you out in one minute and 47 seconds. I get that same feeling when I hear the singer from the band 7 Year Bitch. Totally different genre and style, but the vocals project a special kind of “fuck around and find out.”

They have big substantial riffs, tempo swings, and style shifts that keep it interesting start to finish. The closing track (same title as the record) is absolutely fucking killer. It’s my favorite but Irrational Demographic is a close second.

So on this last banger of a track, they ease into the song with a slower tempo. The bass and guitar start really clean and infused with a little groove, soon to be roughed up by the singer’s raw but measured words. This song is a blast. It’s that slow build when you’re heading up the steep hill of a roller coaster. Bad analogy because you know what’s about to happen in that situation, but the song’s next step isn’t so obvious. The only commonality is that both start slow then go fast.

It isn’t long before the speed builds, the bass gets faster and more melodic, and the guitar just rips. My favorite part is how the singer starts out with an almost spoken word style (for like 15 seconds, and it’s not a monologue, she’s just not quite singing yet). You see how defensive I just got there, to make sure you knew it wasn’t a spoken word song? Is there something in between spoken word and singing? If so, that intro part is that.

But very soon after that, she just seamlessly delivers a fast and incredibly infectious verse with such a catchy flow and great melody. It makes for a totally killer verse that makes you want to move. That’s the cool thing about Gimic. You could use these songs as a soundtrack to your meltdown OR to jump around and dance and have fun with.

What I love about this record most is when the bass and guitar are rather chill and clean, as it’s the perfect backdrop for the erratic and sometimes threatening vocals. I’m really drawn to the blending or meshing together of two totally different things. In pretty much any context. You know, like leather and lace (I borrowed that one), sweet and spicy, polite punks. The list could go on and on.

Something else I dig about this record is that it really is a mix of the things that characterize different sub genres of punk, but it’s hardcore at the foundation. If you listen close you catch some simple and dry art punk and the deconstructed nature of post-punk, some early 80s Dischord, classic snotty UK punk, and other unexpected twists and turns. They’re passionate, they’re all-in, and anything but predictable. Gimic is one to look out for. They know what they’re doing. More please.

Thanks so much for reading ya’ll! Until we meet again my friends…

-Angela

Hi Sorry State fam! Feels like I have been absent from class forever, but I guess I only missed one week. I went on vacation to Bermuda for a full week. I go to our local beaches every year for 4 nights typically, and it’s gotten kinda boring. So it was super extra amazing to go someplace special for a week, and it’s my favorite place I’ve ever been in terms of beauty and beaches and relaxation. I’ve been three times now, and the first time was literally 20 years ago. It’s only 3 hours away and is pretty much directly parallel to Charlotte. It’s a gorgeous, clean, quiet, friendly place with mind blowing beaches and coves where you can go way out in calm, crystal clear turquoise water and still be only four feet deep. And you can see lots of pretty, colorful fish just by looking down. No snorkel required.

Something that makes Bermuda extra special is that the sand has a pink tint to it because of coral reef that has broken up and washed up on shore over many years. I’ve been to other tropical places like the Bahamas and Jamaica and the only similarity to Bermuda is there is pretty water there too. But it’s very different in just about every other way. Now, it’s not that cheap to eat or buy groceries, and there is no coffee culture. So getting an iced coffee was no easy feat, but it’s very easy and cheap to get around the island in very nice air conditioned buses. They still won’t lead you to iced coffee.

It was kind of a bitch because my passport expired and Bermuda is British territory, so you do need a passport. But damn, I’ve never been through such a laid back and chill customs process. Highly recommend. One drawback is there is not a single vinyl on the island. I looked. But like I said, I was ready to go home and get back to my normal life, my records, my cats, and my staff pick. Which I promise I am gonna get to right now.

I wrote about the band Pura Manía early this year when they put out their Extraños Casos De La Real EP. They took me by total surprise with their big anthemic energy and just overall great songs. The band is from Vancouver and Mexico City. So I went back in time to take a listen to their 2016 LP, Cerebros Punk, and it kicks ass. So much ass. All the elements that made their later music so good started on this album. So it turns out that they’ve never not been good. The riffs on this thing are a key component to making this record interesting and impressive and so damn likable. Hot damn, do they know how to write a good song. The songs are hooky and catchy with big energy, and woah-oh-oh’s that get the juices flowing. They sound like a hardcore band, but more musical, more experimental, with a dose of weirdness. They insert some weird bits here and there, mostly at the end of the songs, that could pass for sound effects but could just be them in between takes.

The music can go in so many directions because there is a lot of versatility in the riffs. Sometimes they sound a little bit dungeon punk, a little bit pub rock, even a little power pop, but they maintain a toughness throughout. The tough gritty vocals keep the music in the punk temperature range, but they have some fun and play around with other sounds at the same time.

My absolute favorite track is the album closer, Cerebros Punk. I absolutely love the lead riff on this one. So catchy and so versatile. Ranks high on the danceability meter, and balanced so well with the more raw vocals. It’s a banger and worthy of a few listens in a row. This may be one of my favorite tracks of the year. At first I wasn’t super keen on the backing vocals, but the more I listened they grew on me. That guitar riff is what makes it. It’s so catchy. The catchiest on the album. You could write so many punk or indie songs around that riff. You could speed it up or slow it down depending on the genre, and it would work.

Another great track is 1000 Años Despues del Hombre. There’s a great big intro that sets the tone for the rest of it. It has a darker feel to it. It’s full-on, fast and fun, with a killer repeating riff that leads you to its close. The high energy is perfectly maintained by the next track, Grandes Esperanzas. This speedy track delivers some strong woah-oh-oh’s. It’s the best two-song run on the album. And right around the corner is my favorite track that I’ve already talked, Cerebros Punk. After the few songs that precede it, they knock it out of the park with that one.

This is a great album! If we have any left, give it a go! You won’t be disappointed. And if you are, listen to it 2 or 3 more times to correct that.

Thanks so much for reading! Until next time..

-Angela

Hello Sorry State readers! I hope all is well! It has been sweltering here, absolutely sweltering. I feel like we are 10 feet from the sun when I go outside midday. I’m definitely not a summer type of girl. I’ve always hated the summer. Unless I’m in water, I want to be inside. I’ve been checking out a lot of new releases and revisiting my collection. I feel like I’m getting the itch to make a splurge on a record. The kind of splurge that makes you feel uncomfortable for a couple days, and then you get over it. The last splurge was several months ago, and I usually limit them to twice a year. But I’m weighing my options and you will be the first to know when I’ve pulled the trigger. Let’s get into it shall we?

My pick this week is the new 7” released by the band Pyrex, called Bozo. This is my first time listening to the band, but the Brooklyn-based punk trio emerged a few years ago with a debut EP, and released an LP on Total Punk last year. Like I said, I don’t know a whole lot about them, but I’m always happy to take a noisy garage punk record for a spin, so this is me dipping my toes in the Pyrex pool. And I like what I hear! I like to start with a really general description of the music and then get into the weeds a little bit. The record is kind of a blend of ‘77 punk, KBD, post-punk, with glimpses of no wave. More specifically, I’d describe them as raw and noisy, chaotic garage punk. They have a primitive garage style sound, but there are several sonic deviations that make the music more interesting to me.

The vocals are really raw and kind of unhinged in a Greg Ginn type of way. There are three songs that are fast tempo for the most part with some mid-tempo shifts, a lot of rock and roll riffs, played with hardcore-style speed. The drums pound with intensity and there are some ripping riffs. It makes me feel a little anxious at times, but there are layers of interesting sounds and textures that add some welcomed dimension. It’s not for the faint of heart! But I don’t say that because it’s super heavy or ferocious. There’s just a lot going on all at once, but in a way that doesn’t bury or suffocate the melody. I’m a sucker for some melodic punk, so I kind of need it to enjoy what I’m listening to. It took a few listens for me to loosen up, unclench my fists, and enjoy the ride. I really like the first song, Bozo. It opens with a pretty simple mid-tempo riff but speeds up very quickly, and when the beat drops, I’m all in. There is also an ever so subtle surf rock vibe in there too, which sort of whizzed by and was over before I could be sure.

So yeah, after about the third spin, I found myself paying less attention to the vocalist’s raw and unfiltered vocals and more on how much I was enjoying the beat and the unpredictable nature of the song arrangements. Nothing too crazy, but nothing too common, either. The second song, Viper, is faster and meaner, with abrupt tempo shifts and pure chaos. But the third song, Muscles, might be my favorite. Again, I like the way they open up with a simple mid-tempo riff and then throw everything they’ve got at you before pulling back so you can catch your breath. And then dialing things all the way back up and ending abruptly. The three songs play very well together and I like the way they sandwiched the meaner and more agitated song in between the two that are a little more fun. It’s been a while since I’ve listened to really noisy music, and I really enjoyed this one. Give it a go!

Thanks for reading as always. Until next time!

-Angela

Hi Sorry State fam! Hope everyone is doing well and had a great weekend! I had a blast finally getting out of the house to see some good old local hardcore on Saturday night. Scarecrow played with a couple of bands I had never seen before called Hell is Here and Cyprian. Both were more of the metal persuasion. Always fun to see something new. And Scarecrow kicked ass of course. Their chemistry is unmatched, and they keep just getting better. I think the show officially pulled me out of my social funk and I’m ready to do it again!

So I’ve been revisiting parts of my record collection that have been gathering some dust. You know, those albums that you throw on and remember how great they are, and wonder why the hell you haven’t listened to them in so long. I have a lot of those. And one of them is Elastica’s self-titled debut. I remember how stoked I was to find this record locally. Nothing beats the feeling of coming across a record that you don’t expect to see, haven’t thought about in a long time, and need to buy right then and there. And even better when it’s a really great looking first pressing with the limited edition catalogue (i.e. the Elasticatalogue). Such a great extra. It introduces you to the band, gives some background, shows some merch, and dedicates a page or two to each band member. Flipping through it for the first time in a long time reminded me how much I loved Justine. Who didn’t love Justine? I love booklets like this because it’s so much fun reading about a band while listening to their record. The ultimate record nerd experience.

This album was released in 1995 and is the only album to feature the original line-up, and guitarist Donna Matthews! Elastica sort of exploded with the 90s Britpop scene with the song Connection, but I always thought they were so much cooler than the rest. Effortlessly cooler. Perhaps because they had cooler musical influences like Wire, who they would coincidentally rip a guitar riff or two from. Oopsie. But I mean, if you’re gonna rip a riff, let it be Wire’s riff. I still think the record is ridiculously underrated and under-talked about in the grand scheme of things. At the time, their sound was like a combination of old new wave and the new new wave. Elastica sounded refreshingly different, putting their own attitude in the music,. The record rocks and is consistently melodic the whole way through. One of those no skips kind of records.

This record takes you on a really fun and fast ride and then sort of throws you out of the car while it’s still moving. Leaving you wanting more. The ultimate measure of a great record. The kind of record that you need to play two or three times in a row to get your fill. Like I said, every track is a banger, but my favorites are Smile, Connection, Car Song, Stutter, and Vaseline. So go grab one of those amazing records in your collection that you haven’t played in a few years, and have one of those “why don’t I play this more?” moments.

Well, I’m gonna call it here. Thanks so much for reading! Have a great week! Until next time!

-Angela

Hi Sorry State fam! Long time no talk! As you probably know, half our staff is in the same absolutely killer band together (Scarecrow), and they just did a two week European tour. It’s so cool that they got to meet some of you in person and I’m also jealous! But it makes me stop and think about how cool it is that punk can do that, ya know? Things were chill around here and the store was still standing when everyone got back, so it was a success all around. Let’s just dive in, shall we? I’m excited about my pick!

So stoked to be writing about this classic from LA’s early deathrock punks, Legal Weapon. My god, who doesn’t love their legendary album, Death of Innocence? If you don’t love it, I will just assume you haven’t heard it yet, so definitely do that too. Before that prized piece of punk graced our presence, they released their debut EP, No Sorrow (1981). This is the first time it’s been on vinyl since its release, which is pretty exciting as the original is a rare and highly sought after piece that will cost you a fortune.

This EP featured the band’s earliest lineup, which means Patricia Morrison on bass! Total punk icon. It would probably be easier to list the bands she hasn’t been in, but prior to Legal Weapon she had been in the Bags, and then after Legal Weapon she peaced out and moved on to Gun Club, Sisters of Mercy, and The Damned! Quite the punk rock resume. And her bass work on this album is so killer.

No Sorrow is a fine example of early west coast punk. You can hear a subtle gothic influence in the music here, but their deathrock punk side wouldn’t fully emerge until the next record. But with No Sorrow, it was as clear as day that something special was brewing and they weren’t going anywhere for a while. This EP is high energy. It’s fun and catchy, and a little poppy in the most bad ass of ways. Like a darker, more rebellious, rougher, and riffier rendition of the Go-Go’s.

What really sets Legal Weapon apart from other punk bands of the time can be summed up in two words: Kat Arthur. RIP. Her smoky vocals are so strong, and they add so much interest and edge, power, and substance to the already kick ass music. Her ability to pull off different vocal styles with sincerity gives the band a lot of flexibility with their sound. Kat has one of the best voices in all of rock and roll, period.

This record is just banger after banger. No duds. There are five tracks from the analog master and two unreleased live tracks from the Mabuhay Gardens, straight from the board. The first track (No One Listens) takes a page out of the Ramones book, as it totally reminds me of Wanna Be Sedated in the first five seconds. Given that’s one of the best and most exciting punk songs of all time, it didn’t take long to sell me on this record. I actually started with Death of Innocence, so it’s interesting to rewind the clock a bit and go back to the beginning.

There is a really stand out part of the record in the middle. A perfect three-song run including Live My Way, No Sorrow, and Pow Pow. Now that’s one killer chunk of punk. Pow Pow is my favorite track on the record. The killer opening riff that’s joined a few seconds later by the deepest bass tone just gets me. The deep and dark melodic bass parts are so satisfying. This song really showcases how Kat’s vocals can easily change the mood of a song, and no matter what she does with her vocals, it sounds like that style was made for her. In particular, I love the way she sings the line (and other variations of the line) “little boy wants out now, so you let him have a pow pow!” I can picture her singing this to some dude who is pinned under her boot. The whole track has a playful and taunting vibe that makes it absolutely infectious.

The guitar tone and the beat in the title track, No Sorrow, reminds me of Black Flag’s Nervous Breakdown. Another LA band getting their start around the same time, and releasing their debut right before Legal Weapon released theirs. Big punk things were happening on the west coast at the turn of the decade. And I don’t think Legal Weapon got the credit or recognition they deserved for how good they really were. Easily one of the best and most underrated punk bands ever.

So if you haven’t already, grab this EP. The first batch we had went fast, and for good reason! Thanks so much for reading! Until next time!

EDIT: I am so sorry to report that by the time you’re reading this, the record has sold out again. But put your email in under the record’s listing on our website and be notified of any restock! Dammit! I hate when that happens. Sorry ya’ll. Thank you for reading! Until next time….

-Angela

Hi Sorry State fam! Hope everyone is having a good start to the summer! I don’t have much in the way of chit-chat so let’s dive right in, shall we?

Today’s pick comes from the archives of my collection. It’s The Fluid/Nirvana split released on Sub Pop in 1991. The songs are live versions of Candy and Molly’s Lips, respectively.

Nirvana was no stranger to Sub Pop, but Fluid, hailing from Denver, was the first band outside of the PNW to sign with the label. I can’t say that much about Fluid, but their song Candy became their best selling single, as Nirvana helped open them up to a wider audience. But I can go on and on about Nirvana records. I will never complete my Nirvana collection because of the insane prices on a few of the rare ones, but I haven’t stopped trying.

I love Nirvana 45’s and splits with other bands. But truthfully, I hardly listen to the other band on the record. I love that the very first Sub Pop singles were part of the Sub Pop singles club, which is still going strong after a few decades! I wish I could say I have been subscribed the whole time, but I did start subscribing about five years ago. And let me tell ya, it’s worth it.

So the early singles came with a fold out order form for the singles club, which makes these copies so cool. If you see an order form on any Sub Pop single, you likely have an original pressing. There are now six pressings of the Nirvana Sliver/Dive single in various colors and jacket styles, and order forms came with the first pressings.

As for this one, they made approx 7500, and 4000 are marbled green (this one) and the rest on black. However they made a small undisclosed amount of vinyl on solid green. And what a beautiful green it is. The thing about a lot of early Nirvana singles that came on different colors, is that there isn’t a definitive number for each color. But I know there are very few of the solid green Fluid/Nirvava split because 69 people have it catalogued in Discogs. Not that everyone uses Discogs, but it’s still a good measure.

Anyway, Nirvana really slayed cover songs and they knew how to pick em.’ They had an affinity for the Vaselines and would end up covering a couple Vaselines tracks, including Molly’s Lips. They took these simple catchy songs and roughed them up, while maintaining the same flow. However, Kurt didn’t want to release it because he just didn’t think it was strong enough. But, this release was supposed to be their last release because they had been bought out of their Sub Pop contract. in the etching of the record is the word “Later.” A rather ominous word, as a lot would change after 1991. But the Sub Pop years were exciting, and this is one of the records that marks that time.

Thanks for reading! Until next time!

-Angela

Hi Sorry State fam! As always, I hope everyone is doing well and feeling good. Sorry State has unfortunately been hit upside the head a few times with some shit this week. Sickness, soreness, and a car accident. Not my story to tell, and so glad she is ok, but that is a traumatic event. So, much love and hope for a speedy recovery to Daniel’s wife, Jet.

And Jeff was/is still sick! Not sure yet if he’s doing better. But glad to hear he partied his ass off and had a lot of fun on tour beforehand. I feel like I shouldn’t even complain. But I will. So I dropped an 8 lb. dumbbell on my foot Wednesday. It was “only” a two foot drop or so, but I collapsed in total shock by this unfamiliar type of pain. I was certain it was broken or fractured, but it wasn’t. The pain went away kinda fast and even after standing on it at work all day, it was fine. I wasn’t prepared to be fine, because I’ve heard you can break or fracture your foot if you drop a roll of toilet paper on it, let alone a weight. Ok moving on. Too much talk about feet can invite some weirdness, haha.

Changing gears. So, I was instantly hooked on the Remote Control S/T EP released by Under Heat Records and Under the Gun Records. You guessed it, another Melbourne gem. Perhaps you’ve heard of Ishka Edmeades? A Sydney artist known for his many projects, including Set-Top Box, Satanic Togas, G.T.R.R.C, Gee Tee, and Research Reactor Corp. He also recorded the smash hit, The Worst of… Itchy and the Nits LP. I ate that shit up and so did many of you. Come to find out he’s added Remote Control S/T to the resume.

Four songs in five minutes. A whirlwind of fast, noisy, gritty, manic, bold, and abrasive garage punk, but without burying the melody and catchy beats. A gritty blast of frenzied maniacal hardcore is unleashed immediately before you can catch your breath and untangle it, let alone explain it. Riffs from the left, riffs from the right. Everywhere a riff riff. They come at you like swords, and almost as sharp!

The vocals are garage in style, but snarling and relentless, which is how every instrument is approached. It’s a funnel cloud of cutting riffs, spacey and abrasive synth, with lots of electronic experimentation. The EP is fast-tempo start to finish with no real shifts aside from fast to faster to fast to faster. I lied. There is a slower track called Everyone Sucks??? That’s not a question, but the name of the song. And there’s a weird closing track I can’t really explain. We’ll call it experimental, when in doubt. My favorite is the second track, Everyone is the Same. It totally knocks my socks off. And the catchy riffs and straightforward beat on The Stain is something I typically gravitate toward. Such a good one.

Grab this one if you like your chaos, catchy! Thanks for reading and have a great long weekend! Until next time.

-Angela

Hi Sorry State fam! Hope everyone had a good weekend, and that all mothers and mother figures felt the love from their families. Well, maybe not all mothers. Some moms straight up suck. But I’m a mom and I think I’m pretty good, and my family made sure I had a really nice day with cards and gifts and dinner. Anyway, let’s get on with it.

So my staff pick this week relates to an artist who is I respect very much, who has been a big part of my music life for well over half my life, and who unfortunately passed away last week: Steve Albini. I gotta say I’m not that affected when many “famous people” die. But this one hurt. The last one was probably Robin Williams.

I’m gonna cut straight to the music because otherwise we would be here for a while. So this past week I have been listening to several albums produced by Steve Albini. I never realized how many I had in my collection. He had such a distinct style and produced so many incredible sounding albums. The ones that really stand out from a production perspective include the Pixies’ Surfer Rosa, Breeders’ Pod, PJ Harvey’s Rid of Me, and Nirvana’s In Utero. Holy drums. No one recorded drums like Albini. That damn PJ Harvey record may just be the finest in the bunch. So raw and powerful. Like the band is right there in the room with you.

I’ve also been listening to a lot of Shellac. Which brings me to my staff pick this week! At Action Park by Shellac. Self-described as a minimalist trio, and described by others as noise rock or math rock. I still don’t know what the hell math rock means. But to me they are quite possibly the best and most interesting noise rock band ever. Dark, punishing, arty, noisy, experimental, yet minimalist. Minimalist yet with great storytelling and dark humor. Minimalist yet still very colorful. Especially in the way the lead guitar is utilized. As if they threw away the directions to the instrument before ever seeing a guitar before. It wasn’t about the riffs but about the texture the lead guitar added to the music.

Something interesting about Shellac is how melody takes a backseat to the rhythm section’s more brutal, cyclical, grooves. Kind of repetitive but never boring. The tempo shifts are extreme and sudden. And the vocals are distant but abrasive and magnetic. Even a little creepy. Song of the Minerals embodies these adjectives the best. Definitely my favorite song on the album. Albini had a fascination with the darker parts of humanity, which you hear in his prior works as well as Shellac. But the way these themes are expressed and how they substantiate the music is more creatively mature and interesting than Big Black (in my opinion). While Big Black is hard to top in the Abini discography, I think Shellac does it with this album. And they definitely do it with 1000 Hurts (2000). Shellac’s sound is not as much a departure as it is a progression or expansion of Big Black. Their sound is more unhinged and less domesticated than other post-hardcore/post-rock bands like the Jesus Lizard, but if you like the Jesus Lizard or Slint and you missed out on Shellac, definitely give them a listen. Personally, the Jesus Lizard and I never really clicked, and not for lack of trying.

At Action Park is just what 1994 needed, and it was met with high praise. It feels like it could be the soundtrack to doomsday when only a handful of people are left and they are all really cool. Picture it. The song Pull the Cup feels like a perfect doomsday track. It’s the type of song where you kind of wait in anticipation. Will it brighten up? Stay the course? Go darker? No. But there is a curious intensity to it. The first few times I heard it, it made me feel a little anxious. I think that’s a good thing.

I’ve always loved the packaging of this record. It’s a folded hand pressed sleeve and what’s known as a uni-pak style album jacket. On one side of the sleeve is a fictional map of Action Park and on the other side the medical text, Resuscitation from apparent death by electric shock. I guess the text came from one of their old electronics textbooks. “Smoking is as natural as breathing. They’ve been doing it since before I was born... ... which is a shame, because I could have invented it. - Todd Stanford Trainer 1994” is etched on both sides of the vinyl. Perfectly fucking weird. Just like Shellac.

I don’t think Shellac is recognized and credited as much as they should be. I’m so glad they recorded a new album before Albini passed. Their first album in ten years, To All Trains, comes out Friday. And I cannot wait to hear it! Thanks as always for reading. Until next time..

-Angela

Hi Sorry State fam! What’s up? Happy Cinco de Mayo on this rainy Sunday (as I write this)! At least in Raleigh, the weather is pretty wet and humid. There’s a nice celebration going on at a park near me, but it just started raining harder, so I may not get to partake in any delicious Mexican cuisine. It’s kinda gross to eat in the rain, anyway. Let’s see what else have I been up to? Oh! I got to see Sunny Day Real Estate a few days ago here in Raleigh at a sold out show. It was the 30th (yikes!) anniversary of their album Diary, so they played it in its entirety! I’ve only been to one other show like that where a band plays one of their old albums, and it was Less Than Jake last summer. Those shows are so fun because you are guaranteed to hear many of your favorite songs. I got to see SDRE last year at Hopscotch, but festival set lists are a lot different. They are usually pared down and don’t typically feature any deep cuts. So after this last show, I am feeling satiated. It’s crazy how many old bands have come out of the woodwork post-pandemic to reunite and tour again, but I am not complaining.

So my staff pick is sort of bittersweet. I don’t know why I dropped the ball on this one when we first received it (AND in a specially Sorry State exclusive color!). I’m ashamed of myself because this album should’ve been drilling my ear holes the minute we got it in. I didn’t mean to make a pun. The record is by the band Drill and it’s called Permanent. Which is pretty ironic, as I learned that this is a posthumous release, and there’s nothing permanent about the band, as they’ve already broken up. But it’s still a permanently fantastic album, and one of the most uniquely likable and exciting LP’s I’ve heard in a long time. The second I popped it on I knew it was for me.

The Philly trio is comprised of drums, bass, and synth. It’s a blend of arty, synthy, noisy, cheeky, risk-taking, impact-making, melodic post-punk. I haven’t heard something quite like this record. It’s very bass-driven, and the bass anchors this layered and frantic whirlwind of sound perfectly. The vocals are cheeky and aggressive, and sometimes desperate and frustrated. The vocal style changes add so much flavor to the music. The title track, Within Reason, is by far the best song on the album. I have that one on repeat. Within seconds, I was hooked. It was like I stumbled across a buried treasure that I wasn’t even looking for. A song that checks all of my boxes, as though it was written for the sole purpose of satisfying me. A pure banger.

The music has a 90s indie rock foundation akin to the Breeders, in that’s it experimental, atmospheric, and noisy, but in a much more brazen way. They don’t sound like the Breeders, but I could see how a band like this may use their style as a blueprint and then make it their own. The song Eggs for Now makes me think of the Breeders’ beautifully warped masterpiece, Pod. The Breeders ruffled the feathers of their indie sound by pulling in weird sounds, but it was more like background noise to add dimension, whereas Drill puts their weirdo sounds right out in front. The vocals shift from soft and doll-like to manic and screechy, but more abrasive and with much less commercial appeal. That is certainly not a bad thing. Most of the tracks are catchy and interesting, but I will admit I’m not a huge fan of the last song called Rocks. I don’t like extended periods of noise. I like songs that are more structured, and I don’t want to search for the beat. But this is just a minor gripe.

Overall, the album is just so eclectic and jam-packed full of sound and creativity that you just have to experience for yourself. But if you like the hyper-bizarre sound of Spread Joy, the melodic pop of Divorcer, the incredibly infectious synth punk of Cherry Cheeks, and the hardcore style (and similar vocals) of Judy and the Jerks, this one’s for you!

Thank you so much for reading! Until we meet again, friends.

-Angela

Hi Sorry State fam! Hope everyone had a great weekend! I spent a large part of it doing some massive chores I’ve put off for literally years. Throwing away shit. It’s so hard! I have so many piles of stuff to donate, stuff to straight up throw away, and stuff that’s too expensive to donate and that I should sell instead. And tons of books from grad school I don’t see myself cracking open any time soon, but still can’t part with them. What’s not in my piles of shit? Records. At least I will have a lot more space for records after this whole spring de-clutter project!

Like the new JJ and the A’s EP, Eyeballer. I wrote about their S/T EP last September, which I obviously enjoyed, but I like the new one even better. They dial everything up a couple notches and they come out swinging and never let up. It feels like they’ve found their sweet spot and have settled in effortlessly. Brought to us again by the iconic La Vida Es En Mus, the Denmark trio knocked this one out of the park. An explosive mix of synth-punk, power pop, and hardcore. It’s only a little over six minutes and every song is killer.

The opener, Generation, is the perfect entry to the rest of the EP. It pogos its way into your ears and gets stuck there. It’s hooky, powerful, and chaotic, but it’s also structured and accessible. A little bit of everything. The same can really be said for the whole EP. The second track, Eyeballer, has become one of my favorite songs as of late. The beat is absolutely infectious. In my opinion, the vocals and drums are the standout instruments on this EP.

This EP is melodic and layered like their debut release, but it’s more aggressive, with little glimmers of positivity. You’ll hear all this in the closing track, The Runner. A great blend of aggressive punk and power pop. It’s the kind of song you’d put on to amp yourself up to do something you’re nervous about. The tight drum beats, razor sharp riffs, and crunchy bass parts are soaked in fuzz yet still sound clear and sharp.

And the vocalist sings more on this EP which I really like. She has a killer voice. Don’t get me wrong I love a good scream-sing, but the vocal diversity adds a lot of depth and interest. I really recommend this EP. It’s high-octane, high-energy, and fun. I’m really impressed with this one. Give it a shot! As always, thanks for reading! Until next time.

-Angela

Hi Sorry State fam! How is everyone? I hope you had a successful RSD if you participated! The last few days have been kind of shit. Wow, that was a harsh segue. I will sum it up by saying that life can be so draining. But for some reason, I woke up on Sunday in a pretty good mood, and I had a really nice day. I even went to the grocery store, and not once did I want to ram my cart into someone just for being in the same aisle I was in. Trust me, that was a major turning point. Anyway, it’s a new day, new week, and a new temperature outside, so let’s get started.

My pick this week is the 15 Minute City EP by Hygeine, brought to us by Static Shock Records. Fun fact: this EP marks the 15th anniversary of the band and the record label. DIY UK post-punk at its finest. I’m even reminded of Wire when I listen to it, particularly the second track (L.T.N.). In my opinion, this may be their best material!

The song 15 minute city is a whopping (almost) three minutes. It’s got a dry and arty post-punk sound that is layered with a fun, anthemic chorus, and a noisy, chaotic bridge. This is a song you will surely want to hear more than once. The next two tracks play off one another really nicely. L.T.N. is perfectly sandwiched in between 15 Minute City and Petrol, as it’s much shorter and more straightforward. It’s very tight with a stop and start style, and no nonsense approach. The faster and more urgent style is the kind of post-punk I typically gravitate toward. On the other end of the spectrum, the closing track (Petrol) is lighter and more sing-songy. All three songs just work really well together.

The music talks about the struggles of city life and labor operating in a society where big companies have more power than big government. Delivered with a heaping dose of sarcasm and disdain. And that’s what punk is for, right? It certainly helps anyway. I think you will really like this one. Give it a try! Thank you for reading! Until next time!

-Angela