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What’s up Sorry Skaters?

It’s my last week of my spring semester for welding school and we’ve been cleaning up the shop. I’ve been listening to more egg punk while grinding and cleaning the work tables and blocks and something about being in a shop at like 2:00am using power tools and hearing an ocean of loud industrial noises while blasting The Coneheads just fits, at least for me. So I’m going with LP1 aka 14 Year Old High School P.C.-Fascist Hype Lords Rip Off Devo For The Sake Of Extorting $$$ From Helpless Impressionable Midwestern Internet People Punks LP by The Coneheads for my staff pick this week.

The other day I was blasting this in my office at work and Usman walks in and stops by the door, maintaining a wide-eyed stare and a limp-like posture almost as if he was frozen in time. We begin the stare battle and he starts flicking the lights on and off to the rhythm of the fourth track called Hack Hack Hack. For a few brief moments we transcended time and space and entered the realm of the Coneheads. A place outside reality, existence, and even Twitter. I love me some egg punk, but the Coneheads are on their own plane. Here are the lyrics to Big City Baby. “I’mma big city baby & I gotta fade, When I lived in the suburbs I got all A’s, Now I’m in the city and I feign dumb when I wax intellectual ‘bout suburban scum, I got a big city baby she’s just like me, we both listen to the Smiths ain’t that interesting? Were two big city babies don’t believe in love, I’mma true post modern urban transplant scrub, I’mma big city baby.” I’m here for it.

With how chaotic the music sounds on the surface, the members actually show how musically knowledgeable they are with super catchy and original chorus parts and some really solid bass lines. They also do a lot of fun and abrupt rhythmic changes, but it never seems over the top cause that can get old quick.

There is a phone number on the lyric insert 1(708) 846-9494.

I haven’t tried it yet, but you should.

That’s all I got for y’all today, keep rockin’ and for heaven’s sake go listen to THE CONEHEADS!

Hi Sorry State fam! How’s it going? I’m coming off of a gnarly sickness. Possibly food poisoning. The worst has passed, but now I feel all beaten up and worn out. Like the aftermath of a hurricane. I wasn’t going to do a staff pick because my brain doesn’t feel like it’s operating at an appropriate capacity, but I got something cool in the mail and I feel inspired.

My pick this week is the new release by Abi Ooze called Julia’s Apartment! I think they planned to make around 100 copies according to Bandcamp, so I hopped on it, not knowing whether we would be able to get some for the store. We did get a grip of their Forestdale Sessions tape last year and it sold super fast. Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll be getting the latest release at Sorry State, but not for lack of trying. Even though my copy just came in the mail yesterday, I had already been playing the digital version since it became available. It was love at first listen.

It’s hooky, fuzzy, scuzzy, and sometimes bouncy. Sonically, it sounds influenced by bands like X-Ray Spex and the Slits. Can’t get much cooler than that. The music is melodic, but it’s not squeaky clean melody. It sounds like there is a layer of film over the melodies, sort of like a dirty camera lens. In a good way.

It’s fun and poppy but it’s also edgy, mean, and weird. Abi Ooze can do it all.

The song Problematic is one of my favorites. It’s a mid-tempo song about hating yourself. I love the chorus “I am a problem with no solution!” The mood shifts on the next track called Alien. Are you ever just trying to hang out and chill but an alien is all up in your business and killing the vibe? That’s what this song is about. The chorus “Leave me alone. Get back in your UFO” makes me laugh. It’s just the casual way she’s telling the alien to go home. Maybe the alien is symbolic of something. Who knows.

My favorite track is Problematic 2. Not to be confused with Problematic. It’s a slow tempo song for the most part with a nice melody, although the lyrics are rather cutting. I love that type of dichotomy in music. The best part is when the intensity builds and builds toward the end of the song until she is now yelling “you know that I want to make you feel bad!” She sings that line throughout the song but it just hits differently with more emotion behind it. It’s a great closer.

What I love about this release is the different styles and emotions and moods it encapsulates. It goes from soft and kind of sweet to snotty and snarling, and from slow to mid to fast tempo. It’s never boring, not even for a second. They don’t promise anything pretty and polished. Abi Ooze is no frills, pure and simple punk. It just sounds good. Check out the link below if you want to give Julia’s Apartment a listen!

Thank you for reading!

-Angela

https://abiooze.bandcamp.com/album/julias-apartment-demos

Hello and thanks for reading. LASSO kicked off their US tour in North Carolina last night. The show was sick, and it was a great turnout for a Wednesday night. We all went to get burritos after the gig, and it was so much fun just to hang out. I can’t believe LASSO flew into Miami and drove to NC to start their tour. And to top that off, they are touring the entire time in a sedan. That is some die-hard shit right there. I don’t think I know many people willing to sacrifice so many comforts for the sake of touring. Super cool. SCARECROW played with them last night, and we will travel north to Norfolk to support the gig up there. I was surprised to learn that LASSO was a three piece. I feel like when the guitarist also sings the vocals are like way less a thing, but Marcelo yells his head off the entire time. I look forward to that Norfolk gig tomorrow even more, since I won’t be stuck working the door and I will get to really witness them live. It’s been quite busy at Sorry State per usual and I’m sure missing work tomorrow will set me back even more. Luckily, I have a very cool boss… While tomorrow night I will be enjoying a killer gig, I wish tonight I was in fucking Philadelphia to catch the DELCO MFs record release gig. God damn. This band is easily one of the sickest bands of late. They play so insanely good live. The first record is just Jim playing everything. It didn’t really sound like them live, but it was still an awesome EP none-the-less. This new EP is actually their live line-up on the recording, and man does it fucking rip. I usually wait til SSR gets copies of shit, but I went ahead and mail ordered this one. Check it out immediately if you missed their new release. Speaking of new releases… coming out sometime soon on Bunker Punks Discs and Tapes will be the U.S. version of the debut EP from SLAN! If you haven’t heard this EP yet, I would check it out without a doubt. SLAN plays real deal Swedish mangel from Göteborg, Sweden. It’s super exciting that Jeff and I will do our first international release on our label with them. Alongside this release will be a debut cassette from BLOODY FLAG. I won’t say too much now, but I am beyond honored to be releasing this one with Jeff!! It’s definitely similar to SLAN, in that they are both noisy d-beat bands, but BLOODY FLAG takes the KAWAKAMI approach to things. Stay tuned to get your ears blown to hell. Alright, that’s all for today. I’m about to rehearse with my new band FUCKING WAR, haha. Thanks for reading my diary entry, and thanks to everyone for support.

Greetings Sorry Staters. How was your week? Good, I hope. There certainly has been plenty going on since I last wrote in these pages. A new king crowned in Britain, an ex-president further disgraced in America, excitement and drama in sports and our favorite band from Brazil, Lasso are stateside and playing gigs. I would like to use this space to apologize to Lasso for not being able to make it out to their gig in Durham last night. I am unfortunately suffering from lower back and shoulder pain (among other ailments) and am basically toast by the end of the day. I had to call out for a couple of days last week, hence missing the newsletter. Anyway, we all have our problems so not to moan about it. Good luck to Lasso on the rest of their tour here. If they are hitting your town, get along and check ‘em out. Tour details posted in the gig section of the newsletter.

Here at the store, new and used records are coming at us thick and fast. If we tripled our floor space, there still wouldn’t be enough room for everything. You can be guaranteed that whenever you visit the store, there will be plenty of cool stuff to browse. So many awesome used records across multiple genres and as always we endeavor to keep all those classic titles that are still in print available for you too. If Dischord, SST, etc. keep making ‘em, we’ll keep stocking ‘em.

Talking of keeping titles in print, I, along with millions of others, have been so happy to have the De La Soul records back in print again. This month saw my personal favorite from them finally becoming available once more. Buhloone Mindstate was the group’s third album and has been hard to score on vinyl even when it first came out in 1993. I’ve been lovingly holding onto my CD copy since then, hoping to find a copy. Finally, the day came. I’ll take a reissue on this one, having only seen an original on a few occasions. Since De La Soul has retained ownership of their catalogue, they have been releasing a title a month. Next month should be Stakes Is High. I love that record too; it was the first that wasn’t produced by Prince Paul and at the time it seemed like a new era and sound for the group. My affection for Buhloone Mindstate has endured over the years and only grown stronger. Perhaps it is because of the jazz samples used, the guests–Guru from Gang Starr, Maceo Parker blowing sax, Biz Markie being Biz and a female MC called Shortie No Mas who was Posdnous’s cousin. It all mixes and comes together to form a perfect record. We have copies in stock currently—go grab yourself one.

Listening wise this week, I pulled out a few selections for my radio show Worldy this past week as a nod to the coronation of King Charles. Some of you may have heard that over the weekend football games in England began with the playing of the National Anthem, and that at Liverpool the sound was drowned out by the fans in protest. As a Liverpool supporter, I know why that happened, but many don’t and are unaware of the history the club and the city have with the British government and the relationship with the rest of the country. If any of you are curious, please google and read up. Start with the Hillsborough disaster. Anyway, one of the records I pulled for play was the debut by Liverpool band The La’s. Easily a contender for my all-time top ten albums list. So much has been written about this record and the circumstances and trials behind its creation that I couldn’t do it justice here. Suffice to say, for many of us who were around in the late 80s, this was an important record. Of course, most folks only know the band for the global hit they had with the song There She Goes, although even that tune didn’t hit at first and went through a couple of re-recordings. As did the whole album. The group spent close to two years recording and re-recording the songs, going through line up changes, producers and studios at a rate that wouldn’t be tolerated today and barely was back then. Critical praise and acclaim did come once the album finally saw release in 1990, although overall sales were not massive by comparative standards. Front man Lee Mavers described their sound as rootsy, raw and organic. They were certainly more retro than most of their contemporaries, with a distinct Merseybeat and sixties influence in their sound. Throw in a dash of Captain Beefheart, Bo Diddley, Beatles and Kinks for good measure and you just about have it. Those are all great influences, as far as I am concerned.

Have a read about the band and their story if you have the time and interest, but certainly give the album a listen if you haven’t heard it before and even if you have. I have heard these songs so many times now that they are almost in my DNA. Over the years, all sorts of alternate versions of the songs have come out, and I have gobbled them all up. It is interesting hearing the earlier demo versions and alternate takes. Just like classic folk songs, the song remains the same, just the interpretation differs. Or something like that.

I can tell you that among the many, many things that make working with Jeff here at SSR so cool is that he is also a fan of The La’s and rates this record as much as I do. When I discovered that fact, I knew for absolute certainty that I was in the right place. For a lad from England to end up working in a store in Raleigh, North Carolina where The Fall, Wire and The La’s are held in high regard is a beautiful thing. Here’s a link to the album if you need one. Enjoy it. If you need more, I would highly recommend listening to the BBC sessions and a collection titled Callin’ All. The BBC sessions is great. The songs flow with urgency and, dare I say, rock. Check it.

Up the Reds. Cheers - Dom

What’s up Sorry Staters?

Last night was killer. So good meeting our new homies in Lasso. They absolutely killed at the Fruit last night in Durham. I’m feeling a little fried today post intake of MD 20/20 and tequila. Had a good time, though. We’re gonna do it all again on Friday in Norfolk. Woohoo!

I feel the storm of life getting busy with gigs on the horizon already. I’m prepared for a fun and exhausting summer. Public Acid has some cool gigs in June, including a rad event in Minneapolis hosted by Thrasher Magazine. I can’t wait to see Tony Trujilo, Elijah Berle and Lizzie Armanto shred during the day and then go rip a killer gig with Electric Chair that night. Insane. Then we got boss hawg Jim’s fest in Philly. And THEN, Meat House just announced we’re playing a few gigs in the Midwest at the end of the month going into July. Hoping our new record will be out by then. It’s gonna be rad.

Alright, let’s talk about records:

I keep on thinking I’m going to be writing about a new release in the world of hardcore for my staff pick. Alas, here I am talking about yet another pop record, but it’s all connected! I had a vague awareness of this group Nuovo Testamento, mainly because I knew that Giacomo from Tørsö was involved. Their new record, Love Lines, just arrived at Sorry State. I decided to crack a copy open and give it a shot. And I have to admit, it was really difficult for me not to love it. In my mind, I imagined Nuovo Testamento sounding kinda goth. It’s not. It’s like total synth-drenched pop music. When I listen to the songs on this record, everything about it from the synth melodies to the vocal hooks to the production sounds so familiar that I almost question whether it’s exactly like something I’ve heard before. But I think that’s just because they happen to totally nail this very particular brand of 80s synth pop they’re clearly trying to emulate. It’s like they went into the studio where Miami Sound Machine recorded all those 80s hits and simply dusted off the same synthesizers and electronic drum pads used in 1985. It recalls all the hits produced by Stock Aitken Waterman. Total freestyle or HiNRG vibes goin’ on. As much as I expected to hear a record that sounded like Siouxsie & The Banshees, I think Love Lines comes across more like an album by Samantha Fox or Kylie Minogue. People out there probably reflect on this period of 80s pop music as sounding dated or cheesy, but I think Nuovo Testamento does not care. They are dedicated to this sound.

There were already a few music videos for songs off of this record uploaded on YouTube. I half expected to see some neon dayglo colors and like… I dunno, like scrunchies or something. Because when I listen to this record, I’m instantly transported to a rollerskating rink during a romantic couple’s skate. I’m talkin’ disco ball, crimped hair, the whole nine. It pulls on that nostalgic emotional feeling of when you would coyly try to sneak glances at your middle school crush across the room while she was chewing bubblegum leaning up against a pinball machine. Imagery wise, Nuovo Testamento presents a much cooler vision than what my mind conjures. We’re talking moody blue lighting and smoke. Hot people in leather dancing. Were they dripping wet? I can’t remember. Maybe I’m just imagining that. It’s funny to see decidedly punk looking people who I know are connected to the hardcore scene looking tough, walking the streets, but then paired with this music. My man Giacomo is slamming those hexagonal synth drum pads while dressed like a member of Sick of It All… well, either that or a member of Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation.

When I listen to this record, I feel like if it was released in 1987, Nuovo Testamento would have been in regular rotation on MTV. The singer Chelsey in another universe could have an 80s pop star, but she’s got decidedly cooler style than Tiffany. The way she navigates vocal melodies is like surgically perfect, simultaneously channeling the coolest singer from your obscure post-punk collection, but then also like… Madonna. And then lyrics… Given the album title, I feel like the lyrics are thematically based around love and relationships in a manner that, for better or worse, don’t exist in our current cultural reality. Intentional or not, maybe this falls more in line with the prophetic expression of love you would find in a lot of 80s synth pop. Whether with demanding confidence or earnestly pleading vulnerability, she belts things like “Show me your emotional siiiide!” It’s awesome.

If you’re trying to hit the rollerskating rink/arcade any time soon, then hit my line. All jokes aside, I think this record is incredibly well-crafted and a super enjoyable listen. Put aside your pretensions about lovey dubby synth pop and give into the best pop record since “You Spin Me Round” by Dead Or Alive. No sarcasm there. That song bangs. So does Nuovo Testamento.

Anyway, hope you had fun reading that one. That’s all I can muster this week.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

Punk rules.

This m̶o̶r̶n̶i̶n̶g̶ afternoon I’m riding high after an excellent gig last night. It was the first night of Lasso’s US tour. Not only did I get to see the band but also they’ve been staying at my house and hanging around at Sorry State for the past two days, so we’ve had some time to get to know one another. Then last night we got to introduce them to our NC punk friends and have an epic show and hang. And better yet, we get to do it again in Norfolk tomorrow, where we’ll add all our Norfolk homies to the mix. It’s going to be epic.

Sorry State has put out 3 of Lasso’s 7”s now. Their most recent EP, Ordem Imaginada, arrived at Sorry State HQ a few days ago, just in time for them to bring copies along on their tour. Lasso is one of a handful of bands whose records I put out based on an unsolicited email. As you might expect, we get lots of messages from bands asking Sorry State to release their music. Much of it we don’t even consider… I think sometimes people just google something like “North Carolina record label” and email every search result, not even taking the time to realize we only release punk rock. It’s easy to ignore those messages, but it’s tougher when a band submits something and there’s a connection there, whether it’s that they’re fans of Sorry State, we know the members, or their music is just good. A band being “good enough” isn’t the only factor in deciding whether we want to release something, though. That’s one thing I learned being on this side of running a record label, and it sunk in even more when we started hiring employees at Sorry State and I had to conduct job interviews and decide between competing candidates. Those decisions are less about being “good enough,” because plenty of people are “good enough,” and often way more than that. It’s more about whether the timing is right and the fit works in other respects. I know rejection can sting, though, and whenever I can, I try to write polite rejection letters that explain all this.

Back to Lasso, though. When I first clicked the link to listen to their music, it blew me away. As I do when I hear something I like, the first thing I did was show it to Jeff and Usman, who confirmed that my response wasn’t idiosyncratic… this band is really good. I can’t remember what other factors I was weighing, but I knew right away I wanted to put out their record. I felt even better about the decision when I saw their friend Carlos Casotti’s illustrations, which they’ve used for the artwork on all their records so far. Lasso had the total package… great music, great performances, great sound, and great artwork. And across their second and third EPs they’ve only gotten better.

Seeing Lasso live, though, gave me an even deeper appreciation for their music. Not having met the members before they arrived at my house on Tuesday afternoon, I didn’t know what to expect from them. I don’t think I’ve even hosted a band from Brazil before, so I didn’t know what to expect from them as people. I could tell right away, though, that they take their music seriously. Raleigh was the first stop on their tour and they had all their gear shipped to Sorry State ahead of time, so the first thing they did when they arrived was check everything to make sure it was in good shape. I could tell by the way they plucked the snare drum’s head or checked the intonation on their guitars that they are meticulous. They confirmed that impression when they rehearsed at the Sorry State warehouse later that evening. I was working in my office down the hall while they played, but it sounded more like someone was playing their records than a band playing live, which is impressive given they’d just endured two and a half days of exhausting travel and were using unfamiliar gear.

The sound I heard carrying down the hall at the warehouse, though, paled compared to what I saw and heard at the gig last night. The vibe last night was great. I love going to shows at the Fruit… even though it’s in Durham, the next city over from Raleigh, the club feels like home. It was my wife Jet’s birthday, so there was a lot of love in the air. Overgrown Throne got the night off to a great start, playing the best set I’ve seen them play and setting the crowd off. Then it was time for Lasso, and it was transcendent. That spark I felt when I first heard their music returned in force as I experienced the band’s power live in front of me. Just like at their rehearsal the day before, their performances were totally locked in. Lasso’s songs are mazes of subtle rhythmic shifts and accents, and the band seemed to execute them with one body, each note as precise and visceral as a hammer hitting a nail right on the head. They moved like a massive bird of prey, their grace difficult to reconcile with their heaviness and power. They were fucking great.

Scarecrow wrapped up the show, then the two bands and some of our friends went out for late-night burritos, hanging out until 2AM on the patio at Cosmic Cantina, our go-to spot for a late night meal after gigs at the Fruit. The vibes were great, everyone having taken a deep swig from punk’s goblet, and even though it was super late and I knew I had a newsletter to write today, I was reluctant to leave.

How amazing is punk, that we have this community where we can all share in this incredible music, and that the music creates a bond that can transcend differences in language, culture, education, class, and every other way humans can differ from one another? When we stand together in front of roaring amps and pounding drums, we taste something profound and elemental. Perhaps not every time, but often enough to keep me coming to every gig I can. I can’t wait to do it again tomorrow night. Viva Lasso! Viva punk!

What’s up Sorry Skaters?

Today I am exactly 10,437 days old. Pretty sure I could feel the 10,000 day mark back in February of 22’. A lot of people will experience almost 30,000 days in their lifetime. That’s pretty wild to think about. Anyway I’m going with Skemata’s A Bright Shining Hell for my staff pick this week. I really like that I can write about this record and band because half of the staff here would probably never choose this as a staff pick because Daniel put this record out through Sorry State, Jeff played guitar, and Usman did vocals. It kinda makes it feel more special. I remember being at a Skemata show years ago at the Bunker and it was upstairs in the living room. I don’t remember exactly who, but somebody was thrown into a wall and busted a huge hole in the drywall and I remember everyone being stoked on the chaos in the moment, but I’m sure some landlord anxiety ensued the next morning. I miss this band. Maybe I mainly miss Usman doing vocals. The lyrics are mostly a list of crimes against humanity and are often times the opposite of prosaic, which I LOVE. Usman said, “Fuck poetry, here’s some concrete shit.” My favorite track is “A Decade of Drone Attacks Over Pakistan.” It’s got this wild bridge part that has pretty-sounding guitar riffs and goes back and forth between dark and pretty-sounding. It kind of made me think of a child seeing the sun break through the dense cloud of dust remaining from a drone strike. The title of the record and the lyrics from the title track is inspired by Mumia Abu-Jamal’s writings from prison. He was on death row from 1982 to 2011, when his sentence was overturned by a federal court. He supported the MOVE organization in Philadelphia, which was involved in the nationally famous conflict with Philadelphia police in which officers resorted to dropping two bombs on a townhouse where MOVE members were living. The resulting fire killed six MOVE members and five of their children, and destroyed 65 houses in the neighborhood.

Here is a sample of some of Mumia’s thoughts while on death row.

A bright, shining hell

Imagine.

Imagine living, eating, sleeping, relieving oneself, daydreaming, weeping—but mostly waiting—in a room about the size of your bathroom.

Now imagine doing all those things—but mostly waiting—for the rest of your life.

Imagine waiting—waiting—waiting—to die.

I don’t have to imagine.

I ‘live’ in one of those rooms, like about 3.000 other men and women in 37 states across the United States.

It’s called ‘Death Row’.

I call it ‘Hell’.

Welcome to Hell.

Each of the states that have death rows has a different system for its ‘execution cases,’ varying from the relatively open to the severely restrictive. Some states, like California and Texas, allow their ‘execution cases’ work, education and/or religious service opportunities, for out-of-cell-time up to eight hours daily.

Pennsylvania locks its ‘execution cases’ down 23 hours a day, five days a week; 24 hours the other two days.

At the risk of quoting Mephistopheles, I repeat:

Welcome to Hell.

A hell erected and maintained by human governments and blessed by black-robed judges.

A hell that allows you to see your loved ones, but not touch them.

A hell situated in America’s rural boondocks, hundreds of miles away from most families.

A white, rural hell, where most of the caged captives are black and urban.

It is an American way of death.

Mumia has spent exactly 14,589 days incarcerated and spent well over 10,000 days on death row. Hard to imagine.

I told everyone at work the other day I wanted to do a silly staff pick, nothing serious... and here I am. Thanks for reading and we’ll see y’all next week!

Hi Sorry State readers! What’s up? I procrastinated this week which wasn’t smart, as Thursdays are already rather hectic for me. So I’m just gonna jump in.

I blindly purchased this Poison Ruin single last summer (side note: you get three songs) and it sold really fast. So I’m glad they did another run. It’s been a steady seller so grab one if you want one! Check out the new album while you’re at it. It’s sick. But let’s back up and chat about the 2022 release.

Poison Ruin has a really interesting sound. It’s kind of a blend of post punk, synth punk, and dungeon synth. The latter descriptor is a new one for me. The music is indeed swimming in darkness and gloom, but how deep they go in that pool varies, and that’s part of what makes the sound interesting. It’s also why the doom and gloom doesn’t define their sound.

In the title track (my favorite) they spend a little extra time creating a haunting intro and setting the tone. I think there’s even some thunder. I could do without such literal sound effects. But they make up for it with the rest of the song and it kicks ass. It’s not long before the drums kick in to speed up the tempo to lead into a welcomed explosion of gritty and urgent punk. I gotta say, the rhythm section goes hard.

Although the songs are atmospheric in a dark wave kind of way, they’re still melodic and hooky and exciting in a way that maintains cohesiveness with the overall vibe. There are several tempo changes per song, and typically a build up to an anthem style chorus. The big choruses are what I like most about the album.

With the mix of sounds and tempo changes, I actually felt a little anxious listening to the record for the first time. Like you don’t know what’s around the corner. Any of the tracks would be kinda perfect for a soundtrack to a suspenseful B movie. Like for a chase scene or something.

That all said, Poison Ruin has a unique sound that makes for some fresh punk. Give it a try. Thanks for reading!

-Angela

Hello and thanks for reading. I can’t remember how I initially heard STATE OF FEAR. There is a chance I heard it randomly cos they have an EP on Profane Existence, but I’m guessing it was cos I was checking out what other bands members did from DISRUPT. Jay Stiles did like all killer bands after, and this was the first. While he didn’t play an instrument in DISRUPT, in STATE OF FEAR he took on guitar alongside vocal duties. The band leaned away from the grinding aspects of DISRUPT and way into the Scandi-side of things. This EP is for real a d-beat masterpiece. While I am a definitely a d-beat-aholic, I am not the kind that consumes anything and everything that comes into my path. I have an acquired taste that is usually found on the top shelf. The 1990s were saturated with boring crust and power-violence bands. Still, regardless of the bullshit, there were flawless EPs every now and again like Wallow in Squalor. The sound of the self-titled EP is more “thrashy” than the other. The drummer is not ever really playing a proper d-beat, but who cares? The song writing and overall sound is a bit heavier, and they even have a song that blasts all the way through. The second song, Consumption, is so good, from the lyrics to the fuckin’ riff. It makes me want to wreck shit. I didn’t realize either of these EPs were in high demand now. I think they both rule, so I am happy to see them back in print. Sonarize put the first two EPs one 12” as the first volume. It’s always nice not to have to get up to flip so much, haha. Also, this 12” comes with a booklet loaded with photos, flyers, and interviews. This was definitely a good way to top off the reissue. It helped me straighten out the history of the band. Alright, thanks for reading and take care.

What’s up Sorry Staters?

Kinda hard to believe we’re already approaching the end of this week. After this past weekend, my work week was kind of a blur. I had such a blast hanging out in Virginia all weekend. Firstly, in Norfolk on Friday night where Public Acid played with Lethal Means, Spore, and a bunch of other cool bands. Personally, I would’ve gone just to eat those fries at the venue! Then just hanging out all day in Richmond with the homies on Saturday was so awesome. The show on Sunday in Richmond was so killer. I knew to expect Sirkka to be good, but damn, they DESTROYED. So stoked I got to see them and hang out. But then I had to drive thru the night on Sunday and return to work Monday morning. Totally worth being tired for the all the good times. Now I’m ready to celebrate Cinco De Mayo with a margarita or 7.

It’s weird… Every week when time comes around to crank out our little sections for the newsletter, I often feel like I’m scrambling to find a record to talk about. But this time around, I was ready. I’ve been obsessed with this new LP by Tiikeri. I’m pretty sure “Tiikeri” translates to Tiger in English? The band is from Finland, and upon first glance, I assumed this record was a reissue. The flat black & white, haphazard collage-style graphic design looks like a classic record on Propaganda or something. The record even comes with this booklet that looks like a an old cut & paste zine. Then finding out this record is brand new in the year 2023 kinda blew my mind.

Even before the LPs arrived, I streamed Punk Rock Pamaus!!! on bandcamp like I usually do with new releases that we know are due to arrive at the shop. I found myself just sitting there and listening to the entire record. It was just immediately infectious. Maybe I was expecting a ripping Finnish hardcore record, but instead it sounds like Tiikeri is going for that hyper-melodic KBD style Finnish punk from the late 70s. If I were to strip away the visual presentation and understated production, the songs are so saccharine and hyper-melodic that it almost borders on straight up pop punk. In fact, if this record sounded or looked any different, I might even hate it. Usually, when bands write songs that go for the throat in terms of sweet, catchy songwriting, they totally miss the mark. I’m usually instantly turned off. But with Tiikeri, the songs are so good and the overall package is so well put together that I can’t help but just love it. The band also clearly has a sense of humor and lays heavy into some silliness and poking fun at themselves.

Before the first track on the record even starts, the singer shouts, “Okay! Let’s PUNK!!” to kick the whole thing off. It’s hilarious. The record is smattered with cartoon doodles of tigers and cupid’s arrows poking through hearts with circle-A’s on them. The lock groove at the end of side B has the band just chanting “PUNK!” over and over. Oh, and of course there’s also the paper & pencil game on the back cover with an illustration of a bald punker and step-by-step numbered dots so that you can draw on your own mohawk. Everything about this record: the tunes, the lighthearted attitude, the silly yet somehow still cool and uncorny artwork… It all just makes me smile. This record is designed to lift your spirits and put you in a good mood. If you like punk and are able to suspend your bummer over-serious attitude or sense of irony, then let Tiikeri into your life.

Alright, that’s all I’ve got in the tank this round. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

The Fall: Live 1977 LP (2023, Cherry Red Records)

A few years ago, when Castle Face Records released The Fall’s Live at St. Helens Technical College 1981, I wrote about that record and toyed with doing a series of staff picks dedicated to live records by the Fall. You can consider today’s installment the second entry in the series, and maybe one day I’ll get to Live in London / The Legendary Chaos Tape, Fall in a Hole, A Part of America Therein, and then to the scores of releases that have come out in recent years. For now, though, let’s turn our attention to Live 1977, which Cherry Red Records released as a Record Store Day exclusive this year.

These tracks (well, most of them… we’ll get to that later) first appeared on 2022’s 8 CD box set called [1970s]. That box set purported to compile all the band’s 1970s studio recordings along with several live sets. Honestly, that box set seems like a mess. What person who wants to hear eight different early live sets by the Fall, but also still needs copies of Live at the Witch Trials and Dragnet on CD? I can’t imagine it’s many. Mercifully, though, Cherry Red put the entire box up on streaming services. I spent a couple of days with the set playing in the background when it came out last fall, but my friend Rich pointed me toward the May 23, 1977 gig, specifically the songs “Race Hatred” and “Sten Gun Rock” that (unless I’m mistaken) don’t exist on any other recording, live or in the studio. I wouldn’t say either is a lost classic, but it’s cool to hear early songs by the Fall that I’d never heard before.

Live 1977 is basically a vinyl version of the full May 23, 1977 gig that appeared in the [1970s] box. I’m glad to have this as a stand-alone release rather than buried on disc 5 of an 8-disc set, because it’s a brilliant gig and historically significant to boot. The band is on fire here, ripping through great early tracks like “Repetition,” “Industrial Estate,” and “Frightened,” all of which sound remarkably similar to the versions the band recorded in the studio. For a group that had just started, the Fall sounds so confident here. The closeness of the arrangements to the recorded versions shows they were well-rehearsed, and they play with power and confidence. I don’t think it’s in appropriate to say they’re on fire. The fidelity is also pretty good… noisy, but with every instrument present and accounted for. It can get a bit blown out during the loudest parts, but the power comes across even if some of the subtlety gets lost.

While the music on Live 1977 is great, the packaging is a massive disappointment. The front and back covers are pictures of (presumably) the box the tape was stored in, and it is as uninspired as it is aesthetically unpleasing. There is a printed inner sleeve, but it’s all but worthless. One side features a grainy photograph of the building where the gig took place and the other side has two newspaper clippings, one of which doesn’t even mention the Fall and the other of which is so poorly scanned that it is illegible. On the evening of Record Store Day, when I first put the record on, I was grooving out to the music, excited by the strength of the performance and the quality of sound, when I picked up the packaging to learn more about the gig. I quickly grew frustrated that Cherry Red gave us essentially no information about the gig.

Thankfully, though, there is an active community of Fall nerds online, so I could glean a little information from other sources. Live 1977’s credits refer off-handedly to this being the Fall’s first gig, but that isn’t the case. While the Fall’s first gig was at the same venue and also in May 1977, keyboardist Una Baines didn’t play the first gig because she hadn’t yet saved up the money to buy her instrument. This recording has clearly audible keyboards, leading one to the conclusion that it’s the Fall’s second gig and Una’s live debut. At least that’s what guitarist Martin Bramah said on Twitter… it would have been nice if Cherry Red had gotten the details straight so the people who bought this record could understand what they’re listening to.

The other big mystery with Live 1977 is the last track. It’s an instrumental tune that doesn’t appear on the 1970s box set, which means it’s exclusive to this Record Store Day vinyl release. The first time I listened I suspected something was amiss, because it doesn’t sound like the Fall at all and has no vocals, hence no Mark E. Smith. (Perhaps your granny is there on bongos somewhere low in the mix.) Maybe members of the Fall play on this jam (but then again, maybe not), but there’s nothing musically that indicates it’s part of the Fall canon. You can hear the musicians chatting before and after the jam, and folks on the Fall message board note the accents don’t sound Mancunian. Of course, the packaging for the record doesn’t even mention the track, so I’m at a loss what to make of it. Is it something unrelated that happened to be on the same tape? Who knows?

While the above details are still cloudy, it seems to be the case that Live 1977 is the earliest known recording of the Fall. With so many books, articles, and podcasts devoted to the band, you’d think Cherry Red could have found someone to put this recording into its proper context, but I’m glad that at least the music made it into the world.

What’s up Sorry Skaters?

It’s been a solid week at Sorry State International Headquarters. When I end up getting through with picking orders, I’ve been putting together the Savageheads: Service to Your Country records and I know a lot of y’all are gonna be wanting to get a copy. It’s definitely one of those albums that you won’t get bored with revisiting it often and come on... are we in any kind of excess of bands who worship The Partisans? That’s a hard argument to make.

This week I’m going with 3D and the Holograms S/T LP for my staff pick. Who isn’t a sucker for blisteringly fast high hat hits? It seems impossible to play the hi hats as fast as JJ. I mean it’s approaching the AK-47 speed. We got Bill on vox with what sounds like just the right amount of effects. Also, I really like how on the back of the cover when it is listing members, there is JJ, TV and then just Bill... Shout out to Bill and all the Herberts out there! Your name doesn’t have to be Asstoilet or Fredastairesasshole or Therighttoeatfredastairesasshole. Follow your dreams… anyway this record is killer and I love that they take a chance on getting really weird with the 6th track titled 3D Theme. It sounds like punk that got digitized/transformed for a 32 bit video game in which the main character must conquer the challenge of finding all the half full cans of beer at parties that people have forgotten about. I’d play that game and then defend myself by denying there being any nostalgic feelings there. Moving on, this LP also reminded me to revisit Tarantula’s S/T 7" from 2017 just because of the crazy fast hi hats. Love that record. As far as lyrics go, they make me think of Maniac by G.B.H. Here are a few excerpts from different songs that all share some sort of central theme: “He’s loud, he’s tough, he’s so obscene” “He cries and fights n kills” “He severs your hands” “His brain’s a piss drenched slimey ball” “He can’t see he can’t think, He’ll end your life if you blink”. It’s like if Maniac was fleshed out over half a record, but stupid fast. Brilliant. Anyways, that’s all I got for all of you this week. Hope everyone is drinking life’s cup and enjoying it. See ya next week!