This week I don’t have a staff pick for you as such, but I thought I’d still check in and let you know where my head is at. One reason I don’t have a staff pick is because I’ve been so busy with Sorry State stuff I have had little time to do anything but work. With the new Scalple, Lasso, and Cochonne releases keeping us busy, plenty of new distro stock coming in, and coordinating upcoming projects and the day to day work around here, I’ve been left with very little of what feels like my own time. While I feel overwhelmed, I’ve been working to keep myself from getting stressed out, spending a little time each morning prioritizing what I need to do each day and trying not to beat myself up if I don’t get to every single thing I planned to. That’s always a struggle as this type of self-imposed pressure is often the fuel that powers me to run that extra mile, but I think I’m doing OK.

One thing I made time for this week is getting outdoors. Here in North Carolina, the weather is unbearably hot between June and September, and everyone is too hot-natured to get outside much once the weather cools from November to March. That leaves a brief window in spring and fall when you try to get outdoors as much as possible. I can’t imagine living somewhere like Southern California or Italy where the weather is pleasant all year long… it seems like everyone would just waste the days away, confident there’s another one that’s just as good coming a few hours later.

I try to walk a few miles each day, usually on the trail by my house. I walk down the hill to the Neuse River, where the trail winds along the fast-moving river, crosses a bridge over Crabtree Creek, then empties into a park, Anderson Point, with a pleasant mix of manicured and wild spaces. I have a bunch of favorite spots along the trail. Of course, the bridge is a highlight. While the sight lines aren’t great (the thick steel railings are chin-high), if you stand on your toes or climb up a little, you can see a long stretch of river, and when the water is clear enough (maybe 50% of the time), you can see lots of fish. Sometimes I see a big creature—I think it’s a river gar—that’s 6 or 8 feet long. There’s also the beaver damn, which walls off an area that can be a large pond or bone dry depending on how much rain we’ve had, and the wildflower areas in the park, which attract an extraordinary number of butterflies, dragonflies, and other insects.

Usually I listen to music on large, over-the-ear headphones when I’m taking my walks, but lately I’ve been carrying the headphones more than wearing them. They’re hot, which inhibits my enjoyment of the weather. Sometimes I’ll go months without taking them off, and whenever I remove them for the first time in a while, I’m struck with how noisy and alive the area is. The sounds that stick out most are the birds calling to one another high in the trees. I think I heard something on the radio a while back about how the forest canopy is its own very unique ecosystem, which has prompted me to daydream about what it would be like to wander around up there.

What’s up Sorry Staters?

So this week, I’m tempted to go ahead and write about the new Quarantine LP, cuz for my money, it could easily end up being the best record of the year. I need to take a copy of the LP home and really dig into it to write something proper. I know my fellow Sorry State staff feels similarly, so I’m sure we’ll all gush about it next week.

Before I write about records or anything I’ve been listening to this week, I wanna acknowledge the gig coming up in Asheville this Saturday. If you’re in the greater NC area, I will obviously encourage you to try and make it if you can. The mighty Warthog are coming down from New York, and I’ll be pulling double duty on guitar in both Public Acid and Scarecrow. Even with my lingering anxieties about covid, Public Acid has already played some cool gigs this year – BUT this will be Scarecrow’s first gig in our home state in well over a year, so I’m stoked on that. It’s at a place called the Grey Eagle, which I know nothing about but I’ve heard is a cool ass venue. Hope to see some of y’all punks there.

Between getting ready for the upcoming gigs and all the energy that we’ve been putting into the hot new releases on Sorry State coming out for pre-order over the last week or so, I want to keep my blabbing to a minimum this week. I’m exhausted. But hey, what else is new? I really wanna talk about this Lasso record. I think Scalple and Cochonne both kick ass, but I already had some familiarity with those bands, both musically and also with the people involved. If I remember correctly, Lasso from Brazil reached out to Sorry State out of the blue to have us check out their new recordings. Daniel had me take a listen to see what I thought. I couldn’t have been more than a few songs deep, and I remember thinking, “Dude, we have to put this out!” I just remember being super impressed with the ferocity but also how tight and interesting the music sounded. The guitar stuff is right up my alley because it has that dissonant, leftfield melodic chording that always scratches my Die Kreuzen itch. It reminds me a lot of what I was (probably unsuccessfully) trying to nail in one of my previous bands Vittna. I wouldn’t exactly say Lasso has any gothy vibes, but their music does hit these moments of eerie, otherworldly discomfort that makes you grit your teeth. But for all their moments of abnormality, this record is 8 tracks of all-out aggression. The drums are absolutely pummeling, the vocals are throat callusing… And I’m not even saying you have to be an open-minded punker to appreciate Lasso. But for all you Sorry Staters out there who are hesitating, get with the program. Lasso rips.

This record is still available for pre-order, but the limited version is almost gone! Don’t worry, the whole pressing is on beautiful yellow vinyl:)

That’s all I’ve got. Keep rippin’, y’all. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

Good morning, good afternoon and good evening to you all wherever you are. I hope this past week has been a good one for you. I don’t really have a proper staff pick for you this week as per usual I haven’t managed to get my act together and write anything worth your reading time. Writing is not my strong suit. However, I would like to briefly mention one record that came into my hands this week and it certainly is worthy of being a “staff pick” and your investigation. The record is Mesh & Lace by Modern English.

Released in 1981 on 4AD in the UK and through Beggars Banquet in some countries, the copy I have now is one of those and was pressed in Canada. Modern English came from Colchester, Essex in Southern England, the same town that would birth Blur a decade later and are of course most known for their worldwide hit I Melt With You. That song came from their second LP called After The Snow from 1982. Mesh & Lace was their first album and follows on from their first few singles in being a darker affair than their later work. Those singles and the first album are much more in the post-punk camp than new-wave and Mesh & Lace has more in common with the type of stuff Joy Division were making. It makes sense that the 4AD label would sign them.

I am not trying to front and say that I am a big Modern English fan. Like most I thought they were a one hit wonder band and did not give them much thought until a friend turned me on to Mesh & Lace. I bought the CD and hoped to come across the vinyl one day. It took way longer than I thought to finally own a copy. Amazingly, in over twenty years of looking, I had never seen a copy in the wild. This past weekend I was given an incredible surprise when Daniel told me that the incoming mail had a package for me. I opened it and it was a copy of the album. Daniel had found someone with a copy and bought it for me. How kind, thoughtful and totally rad is that? Seriously. Working at Sorry State already rules but when your boss does things like that for you it almost brings a tear to your eye. Thank you Daniel, you are the best.

Playing back the album this week from vinyl felt good. I hadn’t listened to it in ages, and I think it has held up very well. The sound is almost hipper and more relevant now than it was then. I have a couple of those early singles but still need their debut Drowning Man from 1979. That song is killer. So is Gathering Dust. If you ever see those whilst record shopping grab them. I myself might even dig into the bands later discography as I know there are some gems on the second and third albums. Perhaps you’ll join me?

Anyway, here’s a link to one of my fave tunes on Mesh & Lace to get you started or to remind you of how good Modern English were. This song is called Move In Light and is quite good.

Thanks for reading. Thank you Lord Lupton and I’ll see you next time.

Peace & Love - Dom

Hello, and thank you for reading my brief Staff Pick,

I have been anticipating the QUARANTINE LP since I heard the tape earlier this year. I wrote about it when we got copies, if you read that. ‘Agony’ is fucking insane. I don’t care what kind of hardcore you like, this record is for you. Buy it now, seriously. This is the best record I have heard a long while, straight-up. It’s not trendy, it is straight up not-give-a-fuck hardcore. The songs are so fucking good, often times I feel like I am listening to cover songs. Does that make sense? The songs are so well written, they seem familiar and perfect in this way that it feels like listening to a favorite cover song. It’s weird, I’m not sure if I’ve ever felt that way about a record before... does that mean I am gay? Buy it now. Or tomorrow I mean if you're reading this Thursday; its release date is Friday 10/7/31 and we have two monstrous distro stockpiles. Thanks for reading, ‘til next time... Oh shit, I guess should maybe tell you I’ve been fan-boying the fuck out of the drummer for years now.. I was so lucky he sent me a test press of this shit. I’ve been playing it non-stop since I got it. I actually made Daniel a tape dub too cos I was so obsessed haha. Anyway, my frequent and punishing questions to Chris, the drummer, eventually turned into me interview the vocalist (and song-writer) of QUARANTINE, Jack. I should have helli copies printed by tonite, so you can expect to find copies of that in your SSR mail-order!! Alright, cheers.

It’s finally the best month of the year! Of course I spend my days off trekking to Spirit Halloweens and driving around neighborhoods looking at decorations. This is the first year I’ve lived somewhere where I’ll be able to participate in Trick R’ Treating and give kids candy and I want to make it awesome! A while ago, a customer told me about how his mom would play haunted house sound effect records on Halloween to spook anyone that came to their door. I immediately started scheming and figured out how to do the same thing. I don’t think the jangly chains and creaking door sounds will scare today’s kids as much, but hopefully I can put together some decorations to scare the shit out of children. Don’t worry, we’re going to be a full size candy bar house so it’ll be worth the scares for the kids. I’ve been rooting around my collection and listening to a bunch of the Halloween records and decided to share some of my favorites.

Alfred Hitchcock: Ghost Stories for Young People

I mean, it’s a record with the master of horror. If you don’t play it in October, why even own it? My favorite part of this record is the beginning where Hitchcock sets the mood and asks you to turn the lights off. Spoooooooky! The stories are short, cheesy, and GREAT.

Cherny Berg & Gabriel Dell: Famous Monsters Speak

This was the very first Halloween record I got and it’s been on rotation throughout the years because it’s so entertaining. One side is Frankenstein, the other is Dracula. I’m such a sucker for things that pretend to be real and this record starts off with an introduction by a scientist, talking about how these monsters are ‘actually real’.

Goblin: Suspiria score

This needs no introduction (hopefully). Hands down one of the best and most iconic scores, it HAS to be played at any Halloween gathering.

Tales from Beyond the Pale: The Grandfather

I wrote about other TFBTP records way back when I first started. My favorite release from that label is hands down this one, though. It is TRULY freaky and so well done. Narrated by The Tall Man from Phantasm, if you don’t get shivers up your spine from this one, check your fucking pulse.

Various: Great Ghost Stories

CLASSIC. I love this record so much. The cover is great, the stories are cheesy… this is a perfect Halloween record.

Ghostly Sounds

This is the newest buy in my Halloween section. Grabbed it from a box at work with way more Halloween records (maybe coming to our bins soon...shhhh) and it does not disappoint. I started collecting Halloween records because of the art on the covers, but I quickly figured out that the sounds in the grooves are just as good. This one has all the classic sounds and will hopefully bring a good spooky ambiance to our house when the Trick R Treaters come by.

This week I thought I’d give you a quick roundup of what I’ve been reading (besides the new issue of Razorblades & Aspirin, of course, which I cover in the Featured Releases section). As a wise man once said, check it out!

At Home No. 3 zine

The other day Jeff was tidying up around the store and produced a few copies of this issue of At Home zine. I’m not sure where they came from… perhaps the editor sent us a couple of freebies? I apologize for not getting back to whoever gave them to us! I hadn’t heard of the zine before, but an interview with Ian Mackaye was enough to draw me in, and I’m glad I investigated further because there’s some quality reading here. My favorite pieces are the interviews with Mackaye and Tim McMahon of Mouthpiece. I’ve read plenty of interview with both of them, but these interviews focus on shows both musicians played in South Carolina in the 90s, which provides an interesting angle. It made me think a lot about my own experiences going to shows in Virginia and North Carolina in the 90s, and I even went over to the Fugazi live archive to sample the audio from the first time I saw Fugazi live (Norfolk, Virginia 1995). I’m not sure how to get this zine, but if you see it, grab it.

Razorcake #124

Razorcake is such a steady presence in the punk scene that it’s easy to take it for granted, but I still check out every new issue. (It helps that they always send a big stack to Sorry State for free, which we then hand off to our customers.) This issue’s cover star is Martin Sorrondeguy, and he’s another person whose perspective I’m always interested in hearing. Here he talks with Michelle Cruz Gonzales of Spitboy, and as you might expect, the conversation is fascinating. Martin’s lengthy interview is reason enough to grab this issue, but as usual Razorcake is crammed to the gills with interesting art and writing.

Cometbus #54

About a year ago, when I got COVID, my friend Shane in Portland sent me a cool care package full of books, records, and zines to keep me occupied while in quarantine. (Thanks so much, Shane! I miss you, buddy!) Unfortunately, the package didn’t arrive until just as I was finishing my quarantine, so it’s taken me some time to look at everything, and one of the last pieces was this issue of Cometbus, a 2011 issue which chronicles Aaron’s trip to Southeast Asia with his old buddies in Green Day. I wrote about the most recent issue of Cometbus a while back and I was surprised how much I liked it. I’ve been aware of Cometbus forever, but I’m not sure I’d ever sat down and read an entire issue before then. I loved that issue, and I loved this one too. While I don’t have an inherent interest in what Green Day was up to in 2011, Aaron’s reflections on how people and friendship evolve over decades is fascinating, and I devoured all 97 pages in two sittings. New addition to the to do list: read more Cometbus (though I’m still terrified of the tiny handwritten text in the Cometbus Omnibus that has lived on my bookshelf for well over a decade now).

Joe Banks: Hawkwind: Days Of The Underground: Radical Escapism in the Age Of Paranoia (2020; Strange Attractor Press)

I’m only about halfway through this book, which one of Sorry State’s Instagram followers recommended after I posted about Hawkwind’s Hall of the Mountain Grill album. The book is dense with information about Hawkwind and I’ve learned a lot, but despite its density it’s a light read that keeps the pages turning. The writer has a strong sense of Hawkwind’s contribution to rock music and to British culture, infusing the book with a fan’s enthusiasm without drifting into hagiography. I wish Banks took as much time setting the scene as some rock biographies I’ve read. The book jumps right into the beginning of the band with little attention to the members’ lives before the group, and a minimal portrait of the London counterculture from which they emerged. I’m sure plenty of music heads will appreciate the fact that Banks doesn’t spend hundreds of pages describing Ladbroke Grove in the 70s, but it sounds like a fascinating place. (I know a little about the area from reading books about the early days of Rough Trade, which was headquartered in that part of London.) Maybe I need to find a book just about that counterculture scene? Anyone have any recommendations?

What’s up Sorry Staters?

This week for my staff pick I’m writing about the new LP Absortos En El Tedio Eterno by Algara, just released by the fine folks at La Vida Es Un Mus. I remember when Sorry State stocked the first 7” by this band and I don’t think I ever really gave it a fair shot. To me, they looked like an anarchist version of a costumed Fat Wreck band like Masked Intruders or the Aquabats. I guess I have a tendency to avoid punk records that put off a perceived aesthetic of silliness. But yes, looking further into it, I now understand that the intention behind Algara wearing masks is to remain anonymous in delivering their political agenda. And damn, now that I’ve given this LP a listen from start to finish I have to say shame on me for not giving this band more of my attention.

Speaking strictly from a musical standpoint, Algara is kinda all over the map. The first few songs on the LP have an energetic post-punky feel to them, with earworm catchy single note guitar lines. But by the time you hit the halfway mark on this LP, all constraints are lifted and it’s time for drum machine! I’m picky about a punk band’s usage of drum machine, but for Algara, I think it really works. A song like “Hedonistas” really caught me off guard. After a bunch guitar driven, up-tempo numbers, this song really stands out with its slow tempo and cold, sparse Gary Numan-esque instrumentation. The singer is really charismatic and sassy in their vocal approach. I feel like they harbor a lot of venom behind those catchy vocal melodies. Even though Algara are from Barcelona, something about the energy of the singer and the riffy garage-paced feel reminds me a lot of Sorry State alumns Smart Cops. But I gotta say, the more melancholic, synth-based tracks on this record I’m drawn to much more. That may be purely be because I happen to think those songs are the better songs on the record. “Máquina, Cuerpo, Soga” is my personal favorite. I wish I understood Spanish better because I imagine beyond the music, the lyrical content is the core driving force behind this band.

Definitely a cool and interesting record. If you haven’t checked out Algara yet, do yourself a favor and scoop a copy of this LP from your friendly neighborhood Sorry State.

That’s all I’ve got this week. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

Hey there Sorry Staters, I hope we find you well this week. Another full week of life with plenty going on. More legends in music, entertainment and sports passing away unfortunately. Special mention to Jazz organ legend Lonnie Smith, who put out a bunch of cool records in the 60s and 70s. Pop singer Barry Ryan, he had a huge hit in the 60s with the song Eloise that The Damned covered well and had a hit with. Also remembering Liverpool FC legend Roger Hunt, who also passed this week. He is the club’s second highest goal scorer of all time. May they rest in peace.

The past week has been a good one football wise though. Liverpool had a good result in Portugal against Porto in the Champions League and the world got to see Barcelona and Real Madrid get beaten. The Madrid result was a shocker, although minnow team Sheriff from Moldova has been getting some upset results this season. It will be interesting to see whether they can continue their run.

Music wise, this week I have been listening to and enjoying the new E.P. from Los Angeles band Smirk. Seems like they are getting good reviews from folks who have seen them play, apparently being one of the better groups playing at this year's recent Goner Fest according to reliable sources. We brought in their LP on Feel It Records earlier this year and I confess to not giving it the full attention I should have. This new E.P. is out on Total Punk and should do well for them. I say them because they are a band who play shows but are mostly the brainchild of main man Nick Vicario and this seven-track record does kind of sound like a solo studio project, albeit with a little help here and there. Vicario has another band called Public Eye, and we have carried their records here at Sorry State. The last one was pretty good, as I recall. Post punk sort of sounds mixed with a Pavement like attitude was how we described it. With good lyrics.

This new E.P. being on Total Punk sits comfortably with some of the other bands the label has released. The sound is indeed wiry punk and honestly, I could see our own Rich and ISS playing a double bill with these guys. The analogue approach coupled with good songwriting is always a winner in my book. Smirk aren’t necessarily breaking any new ground with what they are doing but at least they seem to be doing it well and you get the sense that you are still listening to something new even though you are getting comforting retro sounds coming at you at the same time. I’m always partial to a good E.P. You get four or five tracks, and nothing generally outstays its welcome and typically the cuts are exclusive to that release and often a track will stand out more than when buried on a full-length LP. Do you know what I mean?

Early to say which is my favorite track but I’ll leave you with Precious Dreams which I like.

Check it out and if you like them, you can buy the E.P. plus LP from us. Plug, plug.

That’s all I got for you. Peace and love and see you next time – Dom.

Hello readers, and thank you for reading.

“Power For Them, Pennies For You” was initially released with Demo Fest back in December of last year. It was a digital only release I am pretty sure, as a benefit. I am stoked that DHsK made physical copies of this release! DHsK is from Asheville, so naturally, I am even more excited there is another raging band in North Carolina. This tape is 5 tracks of straightforward, no-nonsense hardcore with a heavy Scandinavian influence. They have some breakdown parts that are reminiscent of other U.S. bands TØRSÖ and G.L.O.S.S. They cover fucking HERÄTYS too, one of the greatest bands that existed in the past decade or so… I lost my mind when I heard that cover track. If you don’t know HERÄTYS check ‘em out. Anyway I think this tape is so killer and you should give it a listen and grab a copy from our webstore! Our copies are out for delivery today. Thanks for reading, back to work for me. ‘Til next time...

This week I’m going to write about a couple of things rather than focusing on just one, ripping off the format that Rich uses for his picks. Hopefully Rich is back soon with another staff pick. I haven’t caught up with him in a few weeks, but I know he’s been super busy. I think right now he’s on the road traveling to Gonerfest. I’m sure our loyal newsletter listeners can agree that sounds like an interesting thing to write about HINT HINT RICH.

Ronan Fitzsimmons: The Toy Dolls: From Fulwell to Fukuoka book

The Toy Dolls have been on my mind lately. Of my few post-lockdown trips out of town, two of them have been to Philadelphia, and on both trips I stayed with my friends Jim and Amy, both of whom are big Toy Dolls fans. Shout out to Jim and Amy! I’m pretty sure that on both trips I told the story of when I got to see the Toy Dolls live. I can’t remember the year, but it was in Richmond in the late 90s, and they were fantastic. I didn’t know much about the Toy Dolls other than that they were an old UK punk band, but that was enough to get me to the show. Maybe it’s because I had no expectations, but the Toy Dolls blew me away that night, and their set lives in my memory as one of the best punk gigs I ever saw.

About a month ago, Scarecrow was in Richmond for a gig and, as usual, we stopped by Vinyl Conflict to check out their wares. I spotted this book on the shelf and grabbed it immediately. I have quite a few books like this that were printed and distributed primarily in the UK and it was a giant, expensive pain in the ass to get them, so even if this book sucked, I was willing to take the risk at only twelve bucks. Thankfully, though, it’s a great read.

From Fulwell to Fukuoka is based mostly on a single long interview with Olga, the Toy Dolls’ founder and mastermind. Over the course of the interview, the author and Olga discuss the entire history of the Toy Dolls and they go deep, even if (as the author notes) the rounds of pints take their toll after a while. The author is a die-hard Toy Dolls fan who grew up in the Northeast of England, just like Olga and most of the band members. He’s knowledgeable and passionate about the band, and Olga’s answers to his questions are rich with detail, if self-deprecating (he dismisses about 90% of the Toy Dolls’ output as “crap”). Olga’s recollections are rounded out with details culled from other sources, and the author spends a lot of time explaining the references in the band’s lyrics. There is some summary of Coronation Street plots, but the book remains readable throughout, thanks to the author’s combination of wit, humor, and passion for the Toy Dolls’ music. There’s also a surprisingly touching section at the end where fans share their stories of how they discovered the Toy Dolls and what the band means to them. From Fulwell to Fukuoka reminds me of Parks and Recreation, hilarious and unexpectedly heartwarming at the same time.

The Fall: Live in London 1980 12”

Loyal newsletter readers might remember several months back when I wrote at length about the recent Fall live album on Castle Face Records, throwing around the idea of a series of staff picks about live albums by the Fall. I’ve listened to Live in London 1980 five or six times since I had that idea, but even with all that attention I haven’t come up with an “angle” that could support an entire staff pick. I think said everything I have to say about Fall live albums in general in that piece, so I’ll just fill you in on the details on this record.

Live in London originally came out as a cassette on the Chaos Tapes label in 1982. The Fall was an odd fit for Chaos Tapes, whose other releases were by bands like Discharge, Chron Gen, and G.B.H., but the release sold out its edition of 4,000 copies, making it to #7 in the independent charts. The recording is magical (it became known among fans as “The Legendary Chaos Tape”), capturing one night of a two-night stand where the Fall showcased material from the recently released Grotesque and numerous songs from Slates and Hex Enduction Hour, neither of which they had recorded yet. Some of the newer songs are rough around the edges, but you don’t want a bootleg to sound exactly like the studio versions, do you? According to Mark E. Smith, the label pressed up the recording from the wrong gig and the other night was the better performance, but this may be a bit of attempted myth-making. While hardly exceptional, the sound quality is solid and the band’s intense performance shines through the grit. Mark E. Smith famously hated London, and one gets the sense he channels some of that ire into this performance.

The Fall: The Wonderful and Frightening World of the Fall 12” (1984)

Spending so much time listening to Live in London 1980 gave me a hankering for some Brix-era Fall, so I pulled out this gem. Coming just before the landmark This Nation’s Saving Grace album, Wonderful and Frightening captures a very cool moment in the band’s history. While Perverted by Language always sounded tentative to me, like they were still figuring out how to integrate Brix into the band (though the album has its proponents… I know it’s Dave from Cochonne’s favorite Fall record), and This Nation’s Saving Grace is so perfectly synthesized and realized, Wonderful and Frightening splits the difference. It’s not so much that individual tracks seem to look forward or backward; rather, songs like “2x4,” “Lay of the Land,” and “Slang King” have something of both the art rock / pop sensibility Brix brought to the band and the amphetamine jitter of the Grotesque / Slates / Hex era. It’s also, despite its title, a ridiculously fun record. Paired with a too-late-in-the-evening cup of coffee, it prompted me to clean my entire house, a process that stretched well past midnight.

Hey there Sorry State Gang. I hope all is well with you. We mark another week off the calendar and say goodbye to summer and hello to autumn. How time flies. I’m hoping that we’ll still have some nice fall weather down here in Raleigh so that I can get my Exotica night in. We had to cancel last week due to the threat of rain and are going to try again for this week. Damn pandemic preventing responsible social gatherings.

As I didn’t get to play the records I had pulled for the evening on the night, I’ve decided to feature one of them for a special mention here. I hope you don’t mind. It’s called Africa Speaks, America Answers by Guy Warren with Red Saunders Orchestra under direction of Gene Esposito and came out on Decca in 1957.

This record has been in my collection for a while but did not get the proper attention it deserves. I had it in a box of other similar odds and ends sitting in a back-room closet. Most likely because it’s a bit of a beater copy found at a thrift store that has some weird marks on some tracks, making them almost unplayable. Fortunately, most of it plays great, and I was pleasantly surprised when I previewed it for potential play at my gig. It is an awesome record, and I am angry at myself for letting it sit unappreciated for so long. However, I played a cut on Worldy this past Monday and will slip another in at tonight’s gig. Even with the weird scuffs that make a swooshing sound when the needle passes through the grooves on the first track and a half, I have played it several times at home this past week and it am really digging it.

Naturally, my ignorance of this record is not shared by the world in general. Turns out the album is quite collectable and highly regarded critically and a nice original copy will set you back a few bucks. In addition, Guy Warren is a total bad ass and worthy of your investigation. I can’t do his career justice here, but basically he has been credited with introducing the African “Talking Drum” to the Jazz world and inventing Afro-Jazz. Such was his virtuosity on the drums that he became known as “The Divine Drummer.”

Born Warren Gamaliel Kpakpo Akwei in Ghana, West Africa in 1923, which was then known as The Gold Coast. He was an exceptional student, athlete and musician, graduating with honors. During the Second World War, he worked for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the American Army department concerned with secret operations and intelligence. He worked as a journalist and broadcaster, becoming one of the first Africans to have his own show on the BBC.

He played in local bands but in the mid 1950s moved to the US as he was eager to ingratiate himself into the American Jazz community. In Chicago, he joined up with Gene Esposito and his band as percussionist and arranger. It was with Esposito and American drummer and band leader Red Saunders that he made his first album, Africa Speaks, America Answers for Decca in 1956.

During his dozen or so years in America, he worked with many of the jazz greats, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Max Roach and Louis Armstrong being four of the biggest and most recognizable names. In 1974, he returned to Ghana after becoming disillusioned with America and the west but in between recorded several more albums under his own name and played on quite a few others. A couple that came out in the UK during the late 1960s are very desirable. He even has a music library album called Native Africa on the legendary UK KPM label, those of the famous green covers.

The Africa Speaks album is where it began, though, and I can see why people are willing to part with their cash to own a copy. It’s more than just a record of music; it has historical and cultural significance. Jazz was changed just as much with his drum sound and authentic African language chants as it was with the Latin influence that had previously turned the jazz world on its head.

My poor prose would never do such great music justice, so I think I will just leave you a link to the whole album and let you all judge for yourselves. I promise it to be a rewarding experience. Click here to dig in.

As always, thank you for reading and I hope I was able to steer you towards something enjoyable that will enrich your lives for listening. Peace and love - Dom

In an ideal world, I would just write about TURNSTILE again, cos one write-up simply will not do ‘Glow On’ justice! Instead of punishing you with a repeat Staff Pick, I would like to mention a few releases. Some time ago we got this 12” from MESS released on Mendeku Diskak. Mendeku Diskak is a label based in the Basque Country. I remember getting it in and thinking about the killer Japanese band ME♀SS. Their 1986 flexi is unfuckwithable!!! I’m sure I’ve mentioned it before. Unfortunately, I never took the time to listen to the new MESS cos of the old ME♀SS I love so much. Yesterday I had an order for one and tossed a copy on the turntable for the hell of it... man was I in for a treat!!! This shit is top-notch UK82 style. This release sounds like it could have been on Riot City or No Future. Of course, it is just a bit more modern sounding than the hot slabs on those labels, but in a nice crisp kind of way. The leads remind me especially of BLITZ. I hear bands who often try this style and it just comes off too ‘tough’ for me, but MESS perfectly executes this style. Shit man, as I am writing this I see the MESS has dropped a new album this month! Check it out. I will too.

Alright next note is DEATH SIDE. I’m sure most everyone has seen the new 7" plus DVD release being talked about heavily on social media. This release is coming soon on Break The Records. I didn’t think it would be possible for us to get copies at the shop, but it looks like we will get a small amount for distro! Hell yes!!! Keep your eyes peeled cos these are bound to sell-out extremely quickly. “Two out of the four songs were previously released for digital charity benefits, but the remaining two songs are completely unreleased. These songs were recorded in ‘89 for Slice Records’ compilation ‘Game of Death’ when each member recorded their own vocals. How these songs remained hidden is truly a mystery. The DVD contains footage from the late 80s to the 90s compiled with current interviews with the members. Much of this footage is also unreleased and has never been uploaded to the internet. The liner notes are written by ZIGYAKU of GUDON (愚鈍), SYSTEMATIC DEATH, BASTARD, JUDGEMENT, HALF YEARS, etc. who alongside DEATH SIDE, built the history of the hardcore scene in Japan as we know it.”

Did you see Svart Records is doing a PYHÄKOULU re-issue?! I am so excited! I don’t think we have solidified our copies yet, but I am certain we will get some for distro. You can read about it here but I will still paste some info from the page here. So exciting!! On top of loving this band, I love Svart re-issues! “This band-approved compilation includes PYHÄKOULU’s tracks from their split with ABORTTI-13, their self-titled 12″, Sankari EP, live recordings from 1987, and previously unreleased studio quality tracks the band recorded in 1989 just before calling it a day. The audio material has been carefully restored and remastered from the original tapes, and the package comes with a thick booklet full of old photos, interviews, lyrics, flyers and other memorabilia.”

Alright, DISARRAY. I decided to write about this cos it was my obligatory weekly ‘Now Playing’ post haha. I have no idea if Black Water keeps this in print or if these are just copies from the initial pressing in 2014, but Sorry State just re-upped on copies. I first heard DISARRAY when Black Water released this discography, I think? I can’t remember, but I don’t imagine me diving deep into ‘80s Japanese hardcore until around that time cos I was too busy obsessing over Swedish and Finnish hardcore. (That probably still applies today.) I moved to NC in 2014 and that is when I got access to internet at home haha. Soon after, a friend showed me Soulseek, and I went nuts on international hardcore downloading rampages. Before that time, I would have to sit outside Panera Bread or Starbucks on a laptop to steal internet and download shit off 7" Crust Blogspot or Anarcho-Punk.Net if I wanted to hear stuff like that. Anyway, there is a chance I heard DISARRAY in those days, but I am just gunna put all my praise on Black Water for properly introducing me to the band. The flexi is great. It was released on legendary ADK Records. I think this release is what they are most known for. When I first heard this flexi, I remember confusing it a lot with THE EXECUTE’s flexi. While the sounds/song-writing have some strong similarities, not much can match THE EXECUTE. When I heard DISARRAY’s second EP, it caught me off guard cos it is much more melodic and catchy than their flexi, but I still enjoy it almost just as much as the flexi. Even if you already have the flexi and the EP, this 12" is worth grabbing cos it has their 1985 demo as well. This demo has a handful of previously unreleased songs alongside a few songs that have been re-recorded, played with even more raw intensity! The sound on this tape is excellent. Before these recordings appear on the record is their 1984 demo. It is cool to hear this, but to be honest, the sound is not good at all. It is still the perfect fit for a compilation 12" though. Peep our web-store to grab one!

Speaking of Black Water, I have another note. I have been highly anticipating the NIGHTFEEDER EP coming soon on Black Water. I wrote about this band previously when we distro’d their debut cassette release. I’m assuming it is delayed just like every thing in vinyl production right now. Black Water is a fucking excellent label. I love the re-issues they do, and I love lots of the current bands they release. Alright thanks for reading everyone, ‘til next time...

Charles Kuralt from the Bob Timberlake Collection

Yesterday Dominic found a really plain looking record in a collection Daniel had just picked up, but one of the few bits of text on it was a North Carolina address, so he handed it to me. Not much comes up on Discogs, but a quick google search came up with some really expensive box sets. Like literal hand made wooden boxes with a book, this record, and some Bob Timberlake prints. If you’re from or have lived in NC for a while, you know Bob Timberlake. Every southern grandparent had one of his landscapes hanging in their house; his paintings are almost as ubiquitous as the nature he paints. Growing up with these images lining thrift stores and inoffensive walls in locations I can’t quite put my finger on (but know I’ve been to), I took for granted how state specific his work is.

I put on this record not fully recognizing Charles Kuralt’s or Bob Timberlake’s names, and as the words describing the surroundings I grew up around came on the speakers I started remembering why the record felt so familiar. The internet helped me put a name to the paintings I grew up seeing and the signature on this record. I knew who Bob Timberlake was, but I didn’t know who he was... ya know? When I looked up Charles Kuralt on Discogs, I realized I’ve owned a record he’s on for years! I found ‘North Carolina is My Home’ years ago; it was the start to picking up records having to do with my home state. Charles Kuralt was also a prolific host on CBS, so I’m sure I’ve seen his face before. My parents are transplants to the south so I didn’t grow up as steeped in Southern culture as some, but hearing Kuralt describe traditions that are so distinctly North Carolina—the tobacco sheds dotting the landscape far outside of town, apple season in the fall—made me feel nostalgic and homey.

I can’t find any recordings of this record online, but I dug into my collection and pulled out another NC gem. This was a bargain bin find I picked up because there was an NC address on the sleeve and I absolutely love it.

Dulcimer is a great instrument and very, very Appalachian. I have a lot of zither music in my collection, so it makes sense I would gravitate towards a record with a dulcimer on the cover. The Strayaway Child is a great collection of Appalachian folk songs and also happens to be one of (if not the) only record from an NC based group that I can find a recording of online. I would love to show y’all Stoney Runn, too, but alas, nothing comes up Google. If you ever see this record on Discogs, or more likely in a bargain bin, you should grab it. Somehow a group of teens got into a recording studio and a small run of vinyl pressed in Cary, NC. Not sure how it happened, but the music is great!

I’ll leave you with the best/worst NC song I found on North Carolina is My Home: the title track.

Celtic Frost: Parched with Thirst Am I and Dying (1992, Noise International)

A few weeks ago I picked up the vinyl for this 1992 compilation album by the almighty Celtic Frost. I’ve owned the CD of Parched with Thirst for years, but picking up the (slightly abridged) vinyl version prompted me to dig back into this weird and wonderful record.

Even on the surface of it, a Celtic Frost compilation album seems like a curious proposition because the band reinvented themselves, often rather drastically, with each album. It’s a long way from the primitive eruption of Morbid Tales to the more measured and confident Vanity / Nemesis, and there are numerous detours along the way. Parched with Thirst doesn’t attempt to make sense of Celtic Frost’s complicated artistic trajectory, nor does it revel in the band’s eclecticism. As you might expect from Celtic Frost, the selection of tracks and the sequencing is idiosyncratic, at first glance kind of strange, but with some indescribable logic holding it all together, even imbuing it with a strange magic.

While I was researching what people had to say about Parched with Thirst, I encountered frustration from listeners who couldn’t put the record into a particular box. It’s not a greatest hits collection or highlight reel from across the band’s career. Nor is it a “rarities” compilation; while it includes rare and unreleased tracks, there are several previously released album tracks too. It’s unclear what Parched with Thirst is or who it is for, but part of being a Celtic Frost fan—I’d say one of the best parts of being a Celtic Frost fan—is surrendering yourself to the band’s unintuitive logic, trusting them to take you wherever they’re going to take you.

For all of this conceptual and philosophical muddiness, Parched with Thirst is an engaging listen, questioning conventional wisdom about the band’s artistic peaks and valleys. “Downtown Hanoi,” a track from Cold Lake that appears here in a version re-recorded in 1991 (though not drastically different from the original), sits right next to “Circle of the Tyrants,” a classic track from the classic Emperor’s Return EP, and it doesn’t sound weird at all. John Peel famously said of the Fall that they were “always different, alway the same;” perhaps the same statement could apply to Celtic Frost?

Along with the eclectic mix of tracks from earlier in Celtic Frost’s career, Parched with Thirst is bookended by two unreleased tracks, “Idols of Chagrin” and “Under Apollyon’s Sun,” both demos intended for Celtic Frost’s next album, though the band abandoned the project. Original drummer / not-so-secret weapon Stephen Priestly programs the drum tracks for these two songs (more successfully for “Idols of Chagrin” than “Under Apollyon’s Sun”), and the riffing and songwriting are characteristically left of center. “Idols of Chagrin” is an intriguing song, with a grungy main riff and reverb-soaked production held over from the hair metal era, but with a heavy and nasty bridge part that sounds like classic Frost. I’m sure Under Apollyon’s Sun would have been a divisive album, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

What’s up Sorry Staters?

I found myself midway into my week, and once again, not even close to being dead set on what to write about for my staff pick. As much as I’m stoked about the Genetic Control reissue, Imploders 7”, and a whole bunch of other new releases we’ve recently stocked at Sorry State, I can’t stop listening to this new tape by Personal Damage.

Consistent with the weird world of punk we live in in the modern era, I discovered this Personal Damage tape through the wonderful world of the internet. At first, I had no idea this was the case, but apparently, a few people from Hate Preachers are in this band. So duh, no wonder this tape is so damn good. Within the first 10 seconds of the first song, “Shits Fucked,” I already knew I would love this shit. The guitar riffs have that specific rhythmic style that to me is an obvious nod to early 80s California hardcore. Specifically, I hear a lot of Wasted Youth or Anti. But then the vocals kinda hit an aloof tunefulness that reminds me of Shawn Stern from LA Youth Brigade. Lyrically though, it’s kinda the opposite where the dude seems less earnest and more snotty, almost humorous at times. When I got to the track “I Need A Cup”, I had a nice little chuckle to myself. So yeah, I guess this band don’t take themselves too seriously, but goddamn does this thing rip.

I would have loved to lock down a physical copy of this demo for myself, but I guess it’s already sold out. Hoping that Personal Damage makes another run of these bad boiz for all our sakes.

Keepin’ it brief this week. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

Hi friends, hope everyone is doing well?

The busy week continues for me personally, with the first of hopefully a series of DJ curated evenings at a cool spot here in Raleigh, The Longleaf Hotel & Lounge. Outside too. For the entire night I’ll be spinning Exotica, Tropical Latin and other mid-century Tiki Hut favorites. Easy listening for those not needing their BPMs in the hundreds whilst enjoying a craft cocktail. I’m hoping people will respond and enjoy it. I’ve wanted to have a venue and audience for this type of music for a while but typically when employed as a DJ the expectation is to be keeping the dance floor busy and rocking the joint with choice tunes and not chilling them out with gentle Latin grooves etc. It’s one thing to slip in a few of these types of numbers into the beginning of a set but another to make it the whole evening. It felt funny packing my record boxes and not including some of my go to bangers. Still, this gig is an early evening one and I think it’ll be fun playing Exotica for people.

Over the years, whilst digging for records in thrift stores and bargain bins, I have managed to collect quite a few Exotica records. For the most part, they had such great covers enticing the buyer with visions of far away places and mysterious sounds. In the mid-1950s through early 1960s, the craze for music like this, along with anything Latin, was at its peak. There are literally thousands of records that feature a mambo rhythm, bongos and other exotic percussion instruments. One name associated with the Exotica craze was Martin Denny, an American who lived in Hawaii. He released a bunch of records with the title Exotica and other similar inspired names. In 1959, he scored a huge hit with Quiet Village, a tune written by Les Baxter, another American musician who was scoring hits with his own blend of Jazz and Afro-Latin sounds. As well as these albums, Baxter was also busy scoring soundtracks, something he continued for many years to come. Similar to Baxter and Denny was a fellow named Enoch Light who made a name for himself by experimenting with recording technology and who released tons of records showcasing new stereo recording techniques, etc. A lot of these records have covers of pop hits and feature percussion instruments to the fore. In 1959, he formed Command Records and was one of the first to try and push the quality of recording to higher levels.

As I packed my record boxes for the gig, it was obvious how big an influence these names had on the genre and how many of their records I have managed to accumulate. In all honestly, these records are maybe not killer all the way through and to our modern ears sound dated, but on each one there are a couple of nice little moments, and I am hoping that I can select a good batch of tunes from my collection to entertain folks with. Wish me luck. It should be fun.

Next time you are out digging for records and see some of these exotic covers, I encourage you to investigate. They’re usually cheap and somewhat easy to find, but of course, in today’s upside-down world, maybe that is not the case for some of the better ones. Good luck.

That’s all I have for you this week. See you next time.

Cheers - Dom

Man, this album is the absolute pinnacle of the Hardcore of today! What an excellent album to follow up with! Oh shit, I guess you don’t know what album I am talking about… I am too busy to take a photo of the cover cos I’m fucking Hardcore dancing while I blast the LP instead. Turnstile, everybody. I see all you salad-eating pansies out here talking shit, but I want to see who the fuck can hang with me and my crew in the pit. You probably can’t take the heat this hot ass slab radiates. There’s no shame in that. You are just weak-minded, with poser blood pumping through your veins. All you want is the latest hype, the latest fads. All you want is D-beat and Japanese hardcore. You are blind. Turnstile is woke. All the trends will die, and Turnstile will still stand, proudly wearing their fucking Hardcore Heavyweights of the World Championship title belt. Turnstile is for the trve punks and Hardcore freaks. This album is so revolutionary. Me and my friends were at our weekly circle jerk (thank God we are back on schedule, Covid really fucked that up!) and my homie Chad threw on the new Turnstile, “Glow On.” I lost my mind at how good it was. I busted a nut immediately. “Don’t Play” is one of my favorite tracks! While Turnstile mostly reminds me of 311 mixed with a little Red Hot Chili Peppers, the ripping guitar on this track plus the gang vocals really remind me of The Casualties! What a great song! The fucking pinnacle of hardcore, you guys! You can listen to it here. Even though they have some absolutely ripping parts in the song, they still remind me so much of 311. (Another killer fucking band!) The song ‘Freak Out’ by 311 must be a really huge influence on Turnstile. There are so many parallels between the two bands. Hell yeah! So last week I had to cast another poll aside from HC Knockouts, but this time on my IG account @bunkerpunks. I had to ask the world this huge debated question!

To be honest, I knew 311 would take the cake! Turnstile fucking rule and have the capacity to crush 99.99999% of competition, but you can’t beat the originators. I know I go on about 311, but I know that Turnstile has other influences aside from 311 (and R.H.C.P.). But I really think they take influence from other killer artists like Rage Against the Machine, Dave Mathews Band (it’s true!), Good Charlotte, and of course 25 Ta Life. Sorry State sold our copies of ‘Glow On’ lightning fast (of course what a great fucking album, album of the decade!) but don’t worry, we have a restock on the way, for all you trve Hardcore motherfuckers. Alright everybody, keep glowin on!

Reverend Jim Jones: Last Sermon at the Peoples Temple

This record probably isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Hell, even when I put it on, I asked myself why I purchased it. It’s hard to listen to, but I’m so fascinated by Jim Jones and the cult he created, I found myself just sitting there, mouth open, while it played. Cults, serial killers, most true crime is fascinating to me and it’s been a cool experience watching it go from a fringe interest to something that is widely consumed by the public.

One of the most popular podcasts on the subject, Last Podcast on the Left, had an episode about a new graphic novel depicting Ed Gein’s life. Why bring him up? Well, the interview was great (just like most of the episodes of that podcast) but there was a moment that stood out to me and made things CLICK in my head. They talked about how Ed Gein has become this character, more than a person, and some of that is probably attributed to the lack of media there was to document his case. There are very few pictures of Gein, no videos, and he spent most of his time alone in his house. In the interview, they attribute Gein’s larger than life cultural persona to the lack of media surrounding his life and crimes. So many of the fascinating true crime stories have minimal media to consume, so we’re left with eyewitnesses and experts telling us about it. Jim Jones and his cult are a bit different.

There are tons of photos of Jim Jones, his followers, and the lives they created for themselves in Guyana. Anyone with a feigning interest in this cult has probably seen the aerial footage after the mass murders. For me, it is hard to quantify; it is hard to view Jim Jones as real. It is hard to see the aftermath photos and think about the bodies laying there. 918 people died, and that’s an impossibly large number to wrap my head around. Hearing the last recordings on this record has added voices to the bodies, grounded these individuals as people and not merely “cult members.” Jones recorded most of his drug fueled rants that were blasted on speakers all over the commune, day in and day out. There are hours of incoherent rantings you can listen to but, to me, it just made him more fantastical. How did a person like that exist?

The recording on this record, the last moments before the mass murder/suicides make the events at Jonestown so much more real. You can hear people crying, you can hear his followers trying to justify this decision, you can hear and FEEL the chaos erupting. So why the fuck did someone press this on vinyl? I’m not sure, but my morbid curiosity on all things Jonestown has been quelled by this release. I know this is the closest I’ll be to that event and it is STILL incredibly hard to wrap my mind around as something Real that Actually Happened. I can’t tell you why or what makes me want to delve deeper into these fucked up facets of humankind, but I’m glad I’m not the only one.

I’m not going to share a link to the recordings at Jonestown; it’s easily found by a quick Google search. I respect that not a lot of people would want to hear it, so I’m going to leave you with a trailer for the movie ‘The Sacrament’. It is a modern retelling of the last moments at Jonestown and will bring you just as close to this event as the record brought me…if that’s something you even want.