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Stiff Richards: Dig 12” (Erste Theke Tontraeger) With Stiff Richards, Germany’s Erste Theke Tonträger Records has added some straight up garage punk to their already eclectic roster. That said, while Stiff Richards resemble the New Bomb Turks or the Rip Off Records roster, it’s clear why their huge, catchy riffs would appeal to the label that released records by Bib. Like Bib, Stiff Richards hang on simple riffs for a long time, and while the repetition helps the songs stick in your memory, it never feels like they’re belaboring the point. Lyrics are in the Iggy mold of just a handful of lines per song and, judging by the photo on the cover of the album, Stiff Richards' live show also summons the Stooges’ style of chaos. That photo says everything there is to say about Stiff Richards… if you want to hear music that sounds like it’s made in the middle of a wild, drunken show where the floor is littered with beer bottles and everyone in the band and the crowd is stumbling and falling over themselves, Dig captures that spirit.
Kohti Tuhoa: Elä Totuudesta 7” (La Vida Es Un Mus) Elä Totuudesta is a new 5-song EP from this Finnish band that has built an impressive discography over the past several years. I’m always interested in hearing extreme music from Finland, and this record is a perfect example of why. It totally rips! Like my favorite 80s Finnish hardcore bands like Appendix and Lama, Kohti Tuhoa’s music strikes the perfect balance between catchiness and intensity without sacrificing either. The riff to the opening track, “Taas Sivussa,” could almost be a Pennywise song, but it’s played so mean that no one will mistake it for mall punk. The vocals are also great. Like the music, they’re powerful and commanding while remaining clear and catchy, and the timbre and phrasing remind me of another great band, Poland’s Post Regiment. If the references above intrigue you, don’t waste any time checking this one out.
The Chisel: Deconstructive Surgery 7” (La Vida Es Un Mus) Debut release from this new punk/oi! band featuring a bunch of familiar faces from the contemporary London scene. The sound reminds me of Ultra Violent, the Insane, or the best moments from the early part of the Exploited’s discography. Like those bands, the Chisel makes punk that’s straightforward and catchy, but matches the intensity of hardcore without losing an ounce of catchiness. I think this features some Charlie Fresh (Chubby and the Gang, Violent Reaction, Crown Court) guitar work, so if you’re a fan of his style from those previous bands—50% hardcore, 50% catchy oi!—you’ll want to give this a listen. Great vocals, too, that tread the catchy / tough line just as well as the music.
Cuir: Single Demo 12” (Offside Records) I’ve seen people hyping Cuir online for a while now, but I haven’t given their music a close listen until we got in this LP, which compiles an earlier single and demo cassette. Their aesthetic struck me as a little cheesy, so I was resistant to investigating further, but it’s easy to see why people are hyping them. They’re excellent and don’t sound like anything else I can think of. The basic formula is tough, fist-pumping punk with an oi! edge, overlaid with super melodic synth parts. If you took away the synth, Cuir would sound like a mix of the Carbonas and Rixe, but those synth lines take these songs to places I never would have expected them to go. Every track is short, punchy, and all impact. I’m sure some people will think the synths are cheesy, but the more I listen to this, the more I think I love it.
The Times: Red with Purple Flashes 7” (Static Shock) Static Shock brings this slice of brilliance from 1981 back into print, and I am beyond stoked to have it in my collection. Just last week I wrote my staff pick about how much I love the early Television Personalities, a love that extends to related groups like the Times, Teenage Filmstars, and O Level. This single might be the single best record from any of those groups, as both tracks are DIY pop classics delivered with all the ramshackle brilliance you want from this sound. Seriously, if you don’t love “Red With Purple Flashes,” I don’t know what to tell you. If you’re a fan of this style of music, you need this. Pro tip: the Times’ second single, “I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape,” is a banger too.
Gaffer: demo cassette (Helta Skelta) Gaffer is a new band from the Helta Skelta camp out in Perth, Western Australia. Their sound is tough, mid-paced punk spiced with elements of post-punk, anarcho-punk, and garage-punk. The tape starts off strong with “Hang,” whose Crisis-esque lead guitar line makes it my favorite song on the tape. The others don’t lag too far behind, though, as Gaffer keeps everything catchy. Two of the tracks even break three minutes, and while I like a lot of music that holds nothing back, Gaffer’s slow boil is a welcome counterbalance to all the frantic hardcore in my listening diet. Not to belabor the point, but I’d recommend this if you’ve put a lot of wear on your Crisis vinyl.Cybotron: Colossus 12” (Dual Planet)
When Record Store Day announced their 2020 releases earlier this year, this record was one I was most excited about. I knew nothing about Cybotron, but when I checked a sample on youtube, I was eager to hear the whole album. While most of this year’s Record Store Day releases were delayed until late summer and into the fall, some are already trickling in, including this one. Colossus is the band’s second album, originally released in 1978, and it sounds like Neu!, Pink Floyd, and Tangerine Dream had a baby. It’s entirely instrumental, and most songs glide along at the same mid-paced tempo. Synths recite classical-sounding motifs in a way that reminds me of prime-era Goblin, and other instruments weave in and out of the mix a la Can. Like Amon Duul II, some parts sound jammed out while others have a tighter, prog-ier backbone. I could see someone complaining the songs on this album are too similar, but I like that… it makes for a more effective zone out session. I’m curious what Cybotron’s other albums are like, but Colossus is a gem.
Rudimentary Peni: Wilfred Owen the Chances 7” (Sealed Records) Sealed Records digs up this obscurity from the Rudimentary Peni catalog and puts it on vinyl for the first time. As the label’s description notes, this track originally came on a CD that accompanied Nick Blinko’s book The Haunted Head. That book came out in 2009, and while there are no recording credits or other information, one must assume it comes from around the same time as the No More Pain E.P., which came out in 2008 and was Rudimentary Peni’s last release to date. Like No More Pain, “Wilfred Owen the Chances” sounds like Rudimentary Peni, a band that no other group has been able to emulate. The track is mid-paced, with a catchy riff and that trademark claustrophobic guitar sound. I am a person who celebrates Rudimentary Peni’s entire catalog, and I’m not willing to miss one second of music they make, so I’m stoked to have this track in my collection. Just as importantly, this release also features new Nick Blinko illustrations on the front and rear sleeve, printed with debossing that accentuates his striking line work. Just as no Rudimentary Peni music should be missed, so is every Nick Blinko illustration well worth your time. My only complaint is that the beautiful, full-color illustrations that came with the original CD release don’t reappear here, though I suppose they would have upset this tight packaging design. While this single may not offer as much value for money as a Mystic Records compilation, greatness is well worth paying a little extra for.
Newtown Neurotics: Kick Out! 12” (Sealed Records) Kick Out! compiles the first six Newtown Neurotics singles in their entirety (originally released between 1979 and 1984), along with the two tracks they contributed to 1983’s Son of Oi! compilation. Kick Out! is a companion release meant to come out alongside a recently completed documentary film about the Neurotics, but the film’s release was delayed because of COVID-19. Fortunately they decided not to delay the vinyl, as jamming these great tunes is a welcome relief during these turbulent times. While I’d been familiar with tracks like “Living with Unemployment” and “Kick Out the Tories!” for some time, the band first hit me hard when a spate of reissues of their early singles appeared around six years ago. When Brazil’s Nada Nada Discos reissued their first single, “Hypocrite,” in 2014, it stayed on my turntable for a long time and made it onto a mix tape that I played into the ground over the next few years. I still think “Hypocrite” is the Neurotics’ best song (it appears in two versions on Kick Out!, though I prefer the original), but I don’t think there’s a dud on this compilation. Newtown Neurotics’ lyrics have all the simple directness of classic anarcho-punk, but their music is straight up pop, combining the driving, riffy energy of the early Clash with the melodic sensibility of the Ramones (whom they cover twice on this LP). While the lyrics might be a little “heart on sleeve” for some, you can't deny these chaps had a way with a tune, and Kick Out! is earworm after earworm. Lovers of upbeat, catchy ’77 punk (think the Boys, the Lurkers, Eater, or Peter & the Test Tube Babies) should have these tunes in their collection in some form. And, needless to say, I’m eagerly anticipating the documentary.
Various: Days of a Quiet Sun 12” (Feel It) Most of you know Feel It Records as one of the top labels in contemporary punk and hardcore, but they’ve been in the reissue game for a while; their first release was a 7” by the 80s hardcore band Lackey Die, and they’ve also reissued recordings by the Landlords and Insinuations. With Days of a Quiet Sun, however, they take things back a little further, exploring Virginia’s music scene during the 60s and 70s. This compilation focuses on bands involved with the producer Martin Gary, who worked with bands throughout the state and across a wide range of genres. Days of a Quiet Sun covers a lot of sonic territory, from the soul group King Edward & His B.D.’s to garage groups like the Hazards and Jokers Wild to psych groups like the Barracudas to the heavy acid rock of the Bosom Blues Band and even one Fahey-style finger-picking guitarist, Duck Baker. It’s an eclectic listen, but the tracks are tied together by their great-sounding, vintage mono recordings. The inside gatefold also features detailed liner notes that give background information on Martin Gary and the musicians he worked with, notes and/or label scans for each track, and scans of other vintage paraphernalia to set the scene. It’s a top shelf job from Feel It, and as a native Virginian it’s interesting to hear what was happening in the state in the 60s and early 70s. Even though these groups clearly take influence from national acts, it seems like Virginia was slower-paced and less connected to the national zeitgeist than it is nowadays (though maybe that feeling also comes from the fact that these groups seem to come from the southern part of the state rather than the metro DC area). As you might expect given Feel It’s background in punk and hardcore, most of the tracks here are upbeat, energetic, and short, exactly the 60s music you dig if you grew up listening to punk rock.
Robodrum: Elektro Mafia 12” (Detriti Records) From what I’ve heard of their output, Germany’s Detriti Records specializes in an under-explored area of music where post-punk intersects with electronic dance music. I’m approaching this intersection from one direction, being that I’m much more knowledgeable about post-punk music than dance music. In fact, my knowledge of dance music is more or less nil. I think that’s why Robodrum was the first one of the fresh batch of Detriti releases I wanted to listen to. It’s that dance music flavor that makes the post-punk-ish releases on the label so interesting, and I wanted to see how far that influence could go before I lost interest. It turns out it’s further than this, because I love this Robodrum LP. To my ears, it’s pure electronic dance music, with a constant, pounding beat and minimal vocals. The steady beat creates a trance-like effect while the synth sounds that populate the higher registers skitter and swirl, creating interesting rhythmic and melodic interplay. My favorite track is the b-side opener, “Przepraszamy Za Usterki,” which has a seasick, psychedelic quality that contrasts with the ever-present boom bap. Who knows if knowledgeable dance heads would be into this, but I'm feeling it.
Goldie Dawn: S/T 7” (Drunken Sailor) Drunken Sailor brings us the debut release from this Scottish band, and if you’re a fan of high-energy, catchy, and biting garage-punk, it’s worth a listen. Two of the tracks, “Gone with the Wild” and “What’s Inside (Never Dies)” are high-speed punkers that remind me of the Carbonas or (as Jonah Falco’s blurb notes) the Rip Off Records catalog. My favorite track, though, is “Crime,” with its big, mid-paced metallic riff that would have been a highlight of the Runaways catalog. It’s not unlike the classic hardcore dirge, where you drop the tempo and tilt the scales toward hard rather than fast. The EP ends with the country-tinged “It’s Nothing to Me,” which leaves me wondering if it’s possible to pin Goldie Dawn down. This EP is an embarrassment of riches, and it makes me very curious to hear where Goldie Dawn might go from here.
Osbo: demo cassette (self-released) Debut cassette from this hardcore band out of Sydney, Australia. While I associate Australia with poppier sounds these days, this is pure hardcore with a snotty, ranting vocalist and simple, driving rhythms. The sound is raw and live, and I love how primitive the playing and the recording are here… it gives Osbo a very old school feel, like you would discover them buried in the middle of a Mystic Records comp LP, investigate their discography further, and find that they have a bunch of cool tracks. The snottiness of the vocals might interest fans of the Crucifucks, and the closing track, “Time,” slows things down for a Flipper / No Trend-informed dirge. The j-card may be a little on the artsy side, but the music is raw and immediate hardcore punk.
Sniffany & the Nits: The Greatest Nits 7” (Thrilling Living) Sniffany & the Nits are from Brighton / London and they play a high-energy combination of straightforward punk and anarcho that fits well on the Thrilling Living label. Like CB Radio Gorgeous, Judy and the Jerks, and Good Throb, Sniffany & the Nits bang out big, catchy punk riffs with a thin and scratchy guitar sound, occasionally speeding up to hardcore tempos, but the ranting, Eve Libertine-esque vocals serve as Sniffany & the Nits’ calling card. It’s hard to say what separates spectacular vocals from mediocre ones, but whatever it is, Sniffany has it. When I was listening to this EP in the living room, my partner poked her head in from the kitchen and said, “what is this? It RULES!” and immediately dialed up their Bandcamp site. The lyrics are also great, each song building an extended metaphor rich with detail. “Spider Husband” is the record’s climax, casting an obedient wife as “a silly little fly” whose titular husband devours and digests her. If you love Good Throb and Cold Meat, you shouldn’t be without this EP, but it deserves way more than just a simple “for fans of…” recommendation. 
Primo!: Sogni 12" (Anti-Fade) Australia’s Primo! returns with a second album and it’s excellent. I’ve listened to Sogni several times, and the word I keep coming back to is “gentle.” Primo! reminds me of the Shifters in that they sound a bit like the Fall, but unlike most bands who share their loose playing style and emphasis on rhythm, Primo!’s approach is feather-light and delicate. The songs on Sogni are all melodic, but they don’t use the stark contrasts I associate with pop music. The melodies are too blurred and hazy, lulling you into a tranquil, dreamlike state rather than prompting you to stand up and raise your fist. Sogni remains interesting throughout, though, proving that pleasant does not necessarily equal bland. I’d recommend checking out Sogni if you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard of contemporary Australian indie and punk, particularly if the Shifters and/or Parsnip are among your favorites.
Carnivorous Bells: The Upturned Stone 12” (Human Headstone) The Upturned Stone is the debut vinyl from this Philadelphia band. I recognized two of the band members’ names: Matthew Adis from Salvation and David Vassalotti from Merchandise, Cult Ritual, solo recordings, and many other projects. Salvation’s fans will be happy to hear Adis’s distinctive voice and strong lyrics carry over to Carnivorous Bells, but Carnivorous Bells’ overall sound departs from hardcore. To my ears, at least, they’re a prog band. Their songs are full of unconventional time signatures, virtuosic instrumental flourishes, and spaced-out, sometimes jazzy interludes. While there’s a heaviness and intensity that makes sense given the members’ backgrounds in hardcore, punk, and noise rock, The Upturned Stone doesn’t foreground its heaviness. Many moments remind me of King Crimson’s Red album, and fans of that record should make it a point to check out The Upturned Stone, though the complexity and virtuosity will also impress anyone who loves Slint, Tortoise, and related strains of math and/or post-rock. It’s a heady, demanding album, but Carnivorous Bells rewards listeners up for the challenge.
Scheme: demo cassette (Slow Death) If you’re in the market for some ripping d-beat, look no further than this 10-song smasher out of Vancouver, BC. Scheme’s big sound and tight playing might drift toward pro d-beat in the wrong hands, but their lean and catchy songwriting style leaves no room for pomp or pretense. While there are clear nods to Discharge, I also hear elements of driving USHC and anthemic oi! in Scheme’s sound. Like Social Unrest or Upright Citizens, Scheme’s songs feel sleek and aerodynamic, with no discernible drag on their relentless forward momentum. Fans of Iconoclast should also take note as Scheme has a similar vibe. This one will get you out of your chair faster than a quadruple espresso.
Battlefields: 4 Track Demo cassette (self-released) Four tracks of blown out rippage from this all star project band. This tape reminds me of the Shitlickers 7” in its relentlessness and the way it’s blown out and raw, yet also sounds huge and powerful. A couple of members of Blood Pressure appear here, and while Battlefields’ tape is harsher and more blown out than any of Blood Pressure’s stuff, there’s a similarly inexorable approach here, with riff after riff raining down without letting up for even a second. Don’t come to this tape looking for breakdowns, melodies, or anything but unfiltered hardcore intensity.
Cement Shoes: A Love Story of Drugs & Rock & Roll & Drugs 7” (Drunken Sailor) After recording their recent LP, Too, Cement Shoes shifted their lineup and their drummer Trevor took over the mic. While Cement Shoes’ recordings until that point felt like they were mocking the punk scene, Trevor led the band into full-on antagonism, an attitude that reaches full flower on this EP, recorded during the band’s recent Australian tour. Trevor’s vocals sound manic, swinging unexpectedly from gruff hardcore shouting to Jello-esque mocking to drugged-out babbling, often shifting drastically in tone over the course of a song (or even a single part). The music does the same, moving from crunchy punk to ripping hardcore to goofy mockery in a way that feels intuitive and stream of consciousness rather than schizophrenic. More than any other recent record that I can think of, A Love Story of Drugs & Rock & Roll & Drugs captures the feeling of being drunk and speeding and getting knocked around the mosh pit in a sweaty basement, not sure whether you’re immersed in the moment or on another planet. If you’re even slightly uptight you should steer clear, but for everyone else, this is an extraordinary record.
Skitklass: Sekaino Byoudou Sayonara 7” (Distort Reality) Japan’s Skitklass has been bumping around for a few years now, releasing a steady stream of cassettes and vinyl that somehow fell just off the edge of my radar. A few months ago I listened to their debut full-length, Primitiv Känsala, and it blew me away. After listening to that record a bunch and spending some time with this latest 5-song EP on Distort Reality, I can sense them charging toward the top of my list of favorite current punk bands. Skitklass sounds like a straightforward and raging Cimex / Shitlickers-style d-beat band, but with one important difference: rather than using a guitar sound that is beefy and metallic or noisy and blown out, their guitarist has a sound that’s scratchy and minimally distorted, more in line with garage-punk bands like the early Hives stuff or Henry Fiat’s Open Sore. It’s amazing how much this subtle difference changes the vibe. While there is, perhaps, a hint more punk catchiness in some of their riffs that you might expect from your typical d-beat band (which comes out a little on the third track, “Specimen,” here), most of the riffs, vocals, and songwriting style are pure Discharge worship. However, as modern d-beat as a genre grows a little stale and formulaic, Skitklass sounds urgent and explosive. Maybe it’s just that they’re a great band and their unique guitar sound is just a hook to make them stand out from the d-beat crowd. Whatever the reason, this band rules and this EP is a certified ripper.
Sin Ritmo: Sonidos Barbajanes 7” (Planeta Destrozado) Debut 7” from this band whose members are split between Mexico City and California, and who also serve in Fuga and Cadenaxo, among others. Sin Ritmo’s sound isn’t tethered to any particular punk subgenre, incorporating elements of d-beat, UK82 punk, USHC, and even garage rock (they love that Ramones-style ultra fast closed hi-hat thing). Rather than sounding unfocused, on Sonidos Barbajanes, Sin Ritmo sounds agile and flexible, packing these songs with dramatic shifts in rhythm and tight technical flourishes. The recording sounds great, and they strike a unique balance between catchiness and anger. I can’t think of another record that sounds quite like Sonidos Barbajanes, and that’s a very high compliment in punk circa 2020.
Various: Pinch and Ouch 12” (Fan Club) Fan Club reissue of this 1985 Japanese punk / hardcore compilation with great sound and questionable graphic design, as is the way these days. While we’re all into Japanese hardcore here at Sorry State, none of us claimed to be too familiar with Pinch and Ouch. While I might have mp3s sitting on a hard drive somewhere, it’s not a compilation I’ve spent much time with. It does feature three bands I like—Gai, Kuro, and Aggressive Dogs—and three others I don’t know, and none of them are un-punk outliers you sometimes get on old compilations. All of the bands recorded their tracks for Pinch and Ouch in the same studio, so there’s a consistent sound and high fidelity throughout. While the production is cleaner than on Gai and Kuro’s other records (and, consequently, not quite as powerful), it’s interesting to hear them so clearly. It’s disorienting but fascinating, like finding a high-resolution photograph of a historical figure you’d only seen in paintings. I wouldn’t say any of the bands I already knew deliver their best material here (Gai’s songs are a little silly, including a cover of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” and Kuro’s are powerfully played but too clean), but it’s all worth hearing. The three bands I didn’t know—No-Cut, Gedon, and Gess—aren’t undiscovered gems, but are interesting, all of them having a UK punk and oi! influence. The punkiness of Pinch and Ouch sets it apart from most Japanese punk compilations. While I wouldn’t start my journey into Japanese hardcore with Pinch and Ouch, it’s a solid comp that is a little more noteworthy because of its great recording quality.
Launcher: Bone Saw 12” (Wanda Records) Bone Saw is the debut LP from this Los Angeles punk band, and it’s a unique and interesting record. The core of Launcher’s sound is fast punk that’s either “punk at hardcore tempos” or “hardcore with catchy punk elements.” In other words, it’s in the same pocket as bands like Career Suicide, injected with the grimy vibe of Total Punk Records and a snotty vocalist who is, at times, a dead ringer for Lumpy. It’s clear Launcher isn’t just doing a genre run-through, though, because their songs are so quirky. While there are a handful of punk smashers here, many tracks are built around melancholy chord progressions and that, when combined with quirky flourishes like the upstroke guitar in “Fingers Crossed” or the lead guitar runs in “Shrunken Head,” makes me think of Naked Raygun. Like Naked Raygun, Launcher sounds like they could write great punk anthems, but they can’t help weirding their songs up. While it might make the music less immediate, those of us who value originality in our punk appreciate the move. Bone Saw is too quirky to get sucked into the hype machine, but if you’re a fan of weird records that are really good in spite of the fact—or maybe because—they fall in the spaces between genres, give this a try.
Program: Dehumanized Progress 12” (Mutant Sounds) Dehumanized Progress is the debut LP from this Japanese hardcore-inspired band from Texas, not to be confused with the Australian band Program whose records we also carry. Program isn’t just a weak imitation of their influences, either. The recording sounds huge, the songs are built around powerful, driving rhythms, and they’re full of catchy vocal lines and explosive lead guitar breaks. In particular, Dehumanized Progress reminds me of Forward’s last few records, streamlined attacks from a band confident enough to do what they’re great at and leave it at that. Recommended for fans of Destruct, Selfish, and other Western bands who do the Japanese hardcore tradition proud.
Executioner: Hellbound 12” (Puke N Vomit) We first stocked Hellbound a few weeks ago, but I wasn’t able to grab a copy before it sold out. However, it’s back in stock now, so it’s not too late for me to point your attention toward this rager. Executioner was from San Jose, California, and played their first show in 1982. The flyers in the insert booklet show them playing numerous gigs with Northern California punk luminaries, but in particular it seems like Crucifix and Social Unrest rubbed off on Executioner’s sound. Like Crucifix, Executioner was explosive when they were in full-on hardcore mode, but like Social Unrest their songs were shot through with the melodic sensibility of Southern California bands like (early) Social Distortion and the Adolescents. I love all those sounds, and the fact Executioner could nail them so perfectly makes Hellbound a slam dunk for me. Most of the a-side is devoted to a 1983 recording session with a clear and powerful sound, while the rest of the record is filled out with recordings that are rougher but still powerful and legible. I’m confident any early 80s punk fanatic will love all 23 tracks. Hellbound also has great packaging, so if this is your thing, there’s no reason not to pull the trigger.
Cool Hiss #10: The Guitar Tab Issue!! zine Just like it says on the cover, this latest issue of the Richmond, Virginia zine Cool Hiss is devoted to guitar and bass tabs from your favorite current and recent hardcore and punk bands. Hopefully I can find the time to learn a couple of these (I’m particularly stoked to get into the Public Acid track), but for now the most interesting thing about this zine is how each band has chosen to present their tabs. It looks like each band designed their own page, so each band has their own graphic style, but the tabs themselves are also presented very differently. Dark Thoughts just gives you a chord chart, which Jeff pointed out is a very songwriter-ly move. Some bands’ pages are dense with tablature, while others try to make their music as simple and approachable as they can. Quarantine dumbs it down the most, showing you how to play four power chords and instructing you to “repeat twice, third time strum out more!” If you’re a punk who owns a guitar, this is a very cool thing to have lying around.