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Record of the Week: BB & the Blips: Shame Job LP

BB & the Blips: Shame Job 12” (Thrilling Living) Debut 12” from this new Australian band featuring members of Good Throb, Semi, and Housewives. I hadn’t heard BB & the Blips’ music before I listened to this record (they have an earlier demo but I missed it), yet I was already in love halfway through the first song. I don’t want to be too heavy-handed with the Good Throb comparisons because they only share one member (Bryony, Good Throb’s guitarist, sings here), but if you liked Good Throb’s sass and/or their fractured, poetic, yet very topical approach to lyrics then you should check out BB & the Blips. However, while Good Throb were stripped down and minimal, the Blips are maximalists, with a big, chaotic sound dominated by a fuzz-drenched, buzzing bass. The band touches on several different styles on this LP, from the manic pogo of “Bitcoin Baby,” to the Damned-esque proto-hardcore of “L.I.B.I.D.O.,” to grinding dirge of “The Ballad of Personal Growth,” but the bass is always at the center, holding down the groove and pushing everything else relentlessly forward. There’s always something memorable rising above the din, though, whether it’s an inventive vocal line or an angular, Buzzcocks-esque guitar lead (like on the standout track, “Cyborg”). Shame Job is a tour-de-force, and if you’re a fan of other bands on the Thrilling Living label like gSp, Warm Bodies, and Lemonade, checking out this record should be a top priority. It’s one of the best things 2018 has given us so far.

Featured Release Roundup: September 27, 2018

Electric Chair: Public Apology 7” (Stucco) Debut 7” from this band out of Olympia. The label highlights their Gang Green-isms in the description, but that’s only part of their style. While Electric Chair are great at fast and out of control hardcore that reminds me of early Gang Green or the Neos, they also know their way around a catchy, mid-paced punk tune a la Career Suicide or Social Circkle, though without the tightness or polish of either of those bands. The vocalist even incorporates a little bit of melody into their style, which is something you rarely hear from bands who play this fast and raw. Speaking of which, this has a nasty recording that sounds like they threw it together on a 4 track between knife hits. If you like bands like Alienation or Suck Lords but you still play your Adolescents and Zero Boys records you’ll flip for this.

Hologram: S/T 7” (Hysteria) Debut 7” from this Washington, DC band. While a lot of rather professional and polished-sounding music has come out of that city in the past few years, Hologram don't sound professional or polished. They are raw and confrontationally progressive, with a vibe more like a contemporary New York / Toxic State band than the more clean-cut sound I associate with DC. Their fast, hardcore parts are loose and wild a la Wretched or Negazione, which they accentuate with a mix that highlights a very trashy-sounding crash cymbal. If Hologram had filled a 7” with this kind of wild and out of control hardcore I would already recommend it, but they’re more than just a visceral hardcore band. “Reprieve” is a short noise piece that sounds like it could have been an outtake from the Eraserhead soundtrack, but my favorite track is “Mirroring,” which starts with an unsettling fast hardcore riff, then heads into a noisy breakdown that brings the abstract elements of “Reprieve” into the context of a hardcore song. There are plenty of bands out there with noise interludes (Geld springs to mind as a recent example), but I can’t think of another band off the top of my head who builds that sense of experimentation into their hardcore tracks as effectively as Hologram. If you like both experimental, genre-bending hardcore and the loose and wild sounds of the Italian classics I cannot recommend this record highly enough.

Droid’s Blood: On Trial Years Later b/w I’m Going to Die Poor 7” (Weirdly) Debut 7” from this Chicago band that is a new iteration of Sorry State favorites Broken Prayer. If you were a fan of Broken Prayer it’s hard to imagine how you wouldn’t be on board with Droid’s Blood, since they rely on a similar combination of noisy hardcore and whirring synth topped with Scott Plant’s trademark topical lyrics and distinctive vocals. The a-side is a mass of chaotic sound, but when you focus on any instrument you realize that every one of them is doing something memorable. Following the song is like tracking a great jazz track, where your ear might drift from one instrument to another, but wherever it finds itself will be enjoyable. Then on the b-side the guitar takes center stage, backed up by washes of white noise from the synth. Scott’s vocals are a little harder to discern than they were on the Broken Prayer stuff, which is a shame because his lyrics are always thought-provoking. Still, I’ve been playing this record constantly since it arrived. I hear the band has an LP in the can, so hopefully we'll hear more from them soon.

No streaming link, sorry!

Terrorist: The State Dreams Its Enemy Into Being 7” (Toxic State) Debut 7” from this New York punk band on the Toxic State label. As I’ve noted before, it seems like an unwritten rule that every New York band from the Toxic State scene needs to find their own style and voice, and Terrorist continue that trend by firmly establishing their own aesthetic on this debut EP. While I don’t know much about the personnel (they only list first names on the sleeve), it was recorded at D4MT Labs, home of Kaleidoscope. This EP bears some of the hallmarks of that crew, like the wah-drenched guitars that remind me of Shiva from Kaleidoscope’s psychedelic explorations. However, Terrorist isn’t a pscyh band; their primitive, propulsive thump reminds me a lot of standout Exploited tracks like “Attack” or “Dead Cities” even though, as a whole, the band doesn’t have a strong UK82 vibe. The contrast between the loose and jammy guitar sound and the powerful primitivism of the rhythm section is jarring at first, but it works and makes this record both singular and powerful. And, since it’s on Toxic State, you know the design and presentation is 100% on point.

Waste Management: Tried and True 12” (Painkiller) Long-awaited debut full-length from this Boston band. You’ll recognize the personnel from many Boston-based projects over the years, but Waste Management stands on its own within that complicated family tree of bands. To me, they sound like a mash-up of classic Boston hardcore like Last Rights or SSD (or maybe more recent bands in that style like Wasted Time) and blistering fast Japanese hardcore, Gauze in particular. The nods to the former style (and its progeny, late 80s straight edge hardcore) are more obvious: the cover drawing, the back cover layout, and the big mosh parts that pepper the LP. However, the bass player is wearing a No Side shirt on the back cover, the insert collage reminds me of the the back cover of Fuck Heads, and the whiplash changes on tracks like “Face the Fire” find the band dangerously close to replicating Gauze’s trademark speed and precision. The vocals remain a love it or hate it proposition, and whether you consider them an acquired taste or a dealbreaker will probably dictate your feelings on this LP. Tried and True stands confidently alongside records by other scene defining bands like Boston Strangler and No Tolerance, so if you’ve been following the contemporary Boston hardcore scene you’ll want to hear this.

The Shifters: Have a Cunning Plan 12” (Trouble in Mind) The Shifters seemed to spring out of nowhere a year ago, and after a spate of releases on several labels they’ve found a home for their debut full-length on Trouble in Mind Records. The jump to a bigger label hasn’t changed the band though. They still sound like a mash-up of early, pre-Brix Fall and Dunedin sound bands like the Clean or the Chills. The full-length format allows the Shifters to spread out, so more repetitive, Fall-esque songs get a little more breathing room, like “Andrew Bolt,” which begins with a synth intro that reminds me of early Tangerine Dream and evolves into the kind of zoned out, Krautrock-inspired excursion that the Fall would embark upon at least one or twice per album. There’s still plenty of pop, though, with tracks like “Molasses” and “Carlisle” bringing memorable melodies to the table. While I liked the more tightly wound aesthetic of the 7”s, if you’re into taking a longer journey with the Shifters you’ll enjoy Have a Cunning Plan.

Marbled Eye: Leisure 12” (Digital Regress) Debut full-length from this Oakland band, and I think it's a step up from their already great earlier material. While Leisure is full of memorable parts, where Marbled Eye excels is in their ability to ride a groove, building it up, bringing it down, and exploring every part with a Neu!-esque sense of musical curiosity. The angular riffing and inventive interplay between the instruments (particularly the bass and two guitars) remind me of Institute, but where Institute roll around in the gutter, Marbled Eye seem to glide above it weightlessly. Like a lot of motorik classics, it can seem repetitive until you realize that repetition is the point, that it gives the listener freedom to follow whichever melodic or rhythmic line you choose without fear you’ll miss out on some particular, fleeting moment. I can’t think of another recent record that so perfectly nails this style of meditative, zone-out post-punk.

Various: Nihon No Wave 2x12” (Mecanica) Exquisitely packaged compilation of vintage Japanese no wave, post-punk, and experimental music from the late 70s and early 80s. If you’ve been following the Bitter Lake reissue label, you’ll recognize names like C. Memi, Neo Matisse, and Dendo Marionette, but even if you’re familiar with this obscure, under-documented scene you’ll undoubtedly hear something that’s new to you. When I hear the term “no wave” I think of New York bands like the Contortions, DNA, or Theoretical Girls, who made rambunctious music with an unschooled vibe. I imagine these bands liked the unconventional skronk of free jazz and did their best to approximate it with their (often limited) musical vocabulary and rock-inspired drum-bass-guitar-vocal setups. However, the bands on Nihon No Wave are sleek, minimal, and futuristic. While I don’t know for certain, it sounds like they were listening to more European experimental music—particularly spacey, synth-focused Krautrock bands like Tangerine Dream and Popol Vuh—than the New York no wave groups. Consequently, what emerges here often sounds like a more avant garde version of the minimal synth scene happening in the UK, Italy, and other locales in the wake of punk. As long as you know that going in you’ll find a wealth of beautiful new music here, and the hand-stitched outer sleeve and beautiful graphic design will ensure that you’ll want to keep it around if only to look at how beautiful it is. 

Landline: S/T 12” (Digital Regress) Debut release from this new project featuring members of Wonder Bread and Toyota. While Landline shares characteristics with the recent crop of drum machine punk bands, to my ears Landline is on another level. Most of those bands have a rough and unschooled quality, but Landline make sophisticated pop music. Their songs are a lot more complex, with a sense of forward movement and rising and falling action to them, and this LP also sounds a lot better than most releases in a similar vein, with both stronger fidelity and a more professional, even-handed mix. Thus, when describing them I want to reach for comparisons to professional pop acts like Gary Numan or Missing Persons. Still, if you’re into bands like BB Eye this sounds like a more polished, professional take on that sound. With 12 songs the LP is longer than I’m used to for this style of music (where a slacker ethos is the norm), so the tracks that stand out are the ones where the group takes a different approach. The most memorable of these is “Stop It,” a slower, darkwave-type song that reminds me of something that might have appeared on a later Siouxsie & the Banshees album like Hyaena or even a slower, more meditative Boy Harsher song. As I noted, though, this moment merely stands out in an album packed with great songs. It wouldn't surprise me to see Landline move on to bigger and better things from here, so pick this up and get in on the ground floor.

IV: S/T 7” (Total Punk) Debut release from this band out of Minneapolis featuring members of Joust, Citric Dummies, and Color TV. I listened to this 7” before I knew they were from Minneapolis, and after that first listen I would have bet money they were from Atlanta. Not only do they have that fast, Dave Rahn-style drumming that every Atlanta bands seems to have, but also their way of writing a dark, haunting garage-punk song is very similar to Predator or Näg. Like the Atlanta bands there’s an unpretentious quality to this. It doesn’t scream “we are redefining music,” but rather offers four more high-quality garage-punk tunes to the earth’s musical stores. Consequently, if you’re not into the style, you’re probably fine skipping this one over, but if you can’t get enough of that sound you’ll get plenty of spins out of this.


All New Arrivals

BB & The Blips: Shame Job 12” (Thrilling Living)
Various: Nihon No Wave 12" (Bitter Lake)
Terrorist: The State Dreams Its Enemy Into Being 7" (Toxic State)
Genogeist: 5 Track Demo cassette (Vox Nihili)
Trash Knife: So Far... cassette (Suicide Bong)
Waste Management: Tried and True 12" (Painkiller)
Pure Pressure: Relampago de Furia 7" (Painkiller)
Burden: S/T 7" (Painkiller)
Marbled Eye: Leisure 12" (Digital Regress)
Landline: S/T 12" (Digital Regress)
Ammo: Demo cassette (Headcount)
Nylex: Demo cassette (Tenth Court)
Hologram: S/T 7" (La Vida Es Un Mus)
Droid's Blood: On Trial Years Later7” (Weirdly)
Electric Chair: Public Apology 7" (Stucco)
Zymotic: 8 Tracks demo cassette (Desolate)
IV: S/T 7” (Total Punk)
Alien Nose Job: Various Fads 12” (Anti-Fade)
Terry: I’m Terry 12” (Upset The Rhythm)
Shark Attack: Discography 12" (Six Feet Under)
Greg Sage: Straight Ahead 12" (Light In The Attic)
Ex Youth: Oakland Intervention 7" (Death Wish)
Gouge Away: Burnt Sugar 12" (Death Wish)
A-Moms: Algebra Mothers 12" (Third Man)
Joyce Manor: Million Dollars to Kill Me 12" (Epitaph)
The Shifters: Have a Cunning Plan 12" (Trouble In Mind)
Prince: Piano & A Microphone 1983 12" (Warner Bros)
Throbbing Gristle: Heathen Earth: The Live Sound of Throbbing Gristle 12" (Mute)
Throbbing Gristle: Mission of Dead Souls 12" (Mute)
Throbbing Gristle: Journey Through a Body 12" (Mute)
The Goo Goo Dolls: Dizzy Up the Girl 12" (Warner Bros)
Amorphis: Queen of Time 12" (Nuclear Blast)
Pharrell: In My Mind 12" (Interscope)
Ulver: Childhood's End 12" (Jester)
Univers Zero: Ceux Du Dehors 12" (Sub Rosa)
Witchcraft: S/T 12” (Rise Above)
Witchcraft: The Alchemist 12” (Rise Above)
Witchcraft: Firewood 12” (Rise Above)
Annihilation Time: II 12” (Tee Pee)
The Story So Far: Proper Dose 12” (Pure Noise)
 

Restocks


La Misma: Negociacoes de Pas Continuae Como Fazemas Fabulas 7" (Toxic State)
Hank Wood & the Hammerheads: 3rd LP 12" (Toxic State)
Haram: When You Have Won, You Have Lost 12" (Toxic State)
Inmates: Government Crimes 7" (Ultra Sonido)
Various: Charred Remains 2x12" (Radio Raheem)
The Abused: Loud and Clear 12" (Radio Raheem)
Acid Attack: Suburbia's Dream 12" (Radio Raheem)
Hellbent: 1983-1984 Demos 12" (Radio Raheem)
Scorpions: Taken by Force 12" (BMG)
Dinosaur Jr: Dinosaur 12" (Jagjaguwar)
Zero Boys: Vicious Circle 12" (Secretly Canadian)
The Cure: The Head on the Door 12" (Rhino)
The Cure: Pornography 12" (Rhino)
The Replacements: Please to Meet Me 12" (Rhino)
Ramones: S/T 12" (Rhino)
Jay Reatard: Watch Me Fall 12" (Matador)
Sunny Day Real Estate: Diary 12" (Sub Pop)
Mudhoney: Superfuzz Bigmuff 12" (Sub Pop)
Beach House: Depression Cherry 12" (Sub Pop)
The Fix: The Speed of Twisted Thought 12" (Touch & Go)
Polvo: Exploded Drawing 12" (Touch & Go)
David Bowie: Low 12" (Parlophone)
David Bowie: Heroes 12" (Parlophone)
David Bowie: Lodger 12" (Parlophone)
David Bowie: Ziggy Stardust 12" (Parlophone)
Gorillaz: Demon Days 12" (Parlophone)
Radiohead: The Bends 12" (XL Recordings)
Iron Maiden: Piece of Mind 12" (BMG)
Prince: Purple Rain 12" (Warner Bros)
Link Wray: S/T 12" (Future Days Recordings)
The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World 12" (Light in the Attic)
Big Boys: No Matter How Long the Line 12" (Light in the Attic)
Big Boys: Lullabies Help the Brain Grow 12" (Light in the Attic)
Thin Lizzy: Shades of a Blue Orphanage 12" (Geffen)
Zombies: Odyssey & Oracle 12" (Varese Vintage)
Nirvana: Incesticide 12" (DGC)
Lumineers: Cleopatra 12" (Dualtone)
Kendrick Lamar: To Pimp a Butterfly 12" (Top Dawg Entertainment)
Death Grips: No Love Deep Web 12" (self-released)
Death Grips: Money Store 12" (Epic)
Brand New: The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me 12" (Interscope)
Khalid: American Teen 12" (RCA)
Various: The Harder They Come OST 12" (Island)
Sleep: Leagues Beneath 12" (Third Man)
Sleep: The Sciences 12" (Third Man)
Jay-Z: Magna Carta Holy Grail 12" (Third Man)
Laughing Hyenas: Merry Go Round 12" (Third Man)
Laughing Hyenas: You Can't Pray a Lie 12" (Third Man)
Melvins: Houdini 12" (Third Man)
White Stripes: Complete Peel Sessions 12" (Third Man)
White Stripes: White Blood Cells 12" (Third Man)
White Stripes: Elephant 12" (Third Man)
White Stripes: De Stijl 12" (Third Man)
The Monks: Hamburg Recordings 1967 12" (Third Man)

Record of the Week: Ammo demo cassette

Ammo: demo cassette (Headcount) Demo cassette from this New York / New Jersey combo and it’s one of the most authentically raging NYHC homages I’ve ever heard. Antidote, early Agnostic Front and the Abused are the obvious reference points, and while most bands that go for this style sound too modern and tame, Ammo sound as raw and wild as the classics. While the sound quality is “bad” by conventional standards, the energy is there, and either Ammo got very lucky or they realize that’s what separates a memorable hardcore record from a forgettable one. Another thing that Ammo gets right that so many other bands get wrong is their combination of musical sophistication and don’t-give-a-fuck attitude. The playing is loose and there’s the occasional choice that strikes me as unconventional, like the lengthy guitar solo on the first track, “Nausea Nightmare,” that stands out even more because there isn’t a rhythm guitar track underneath it. But on the other hand Ammo can be quite musical, with tempo changes and tricky transitions that are way harder to pull off than they seem, much like the tracks on United Blood. The vocals also follow this pattern. PJ, Night Birds’ guitarist, is Ammo’s singer, and his musical ability shows through in the inventive vocal patterns he composes. But on the other hand his actual performance is fucking unhinged, like a prolonged convulsive fit that’s always just on the verge of losing its tether to the music. This is the real deal. Ammo haven’t just reenacted New York hardcore on this tape; they’ve embodied it.

Featured Release Roundup: September 20, 2018

Rubble: S/T 12” (Distort Reality) Much anticipated debut 12” from this Portland punk band. Their previous single on Distort Reality was one of my favorites of 2017 and I was eager to see if they could keep the magic going on a big slab of vinyl. Well, I think they have! That last single hinted that Rubble are more than your typical UK82 homage, and the 12” confirms it. The style here ranges from amped-up pogo punk a la Sad Boys to bruising, Partisans-esque UK82 to anthemic oi! to dark, atmospheric anarcho punk. Rubble excel at all of these styles (particularly the fast UK82 stuff… “Blue Lives” and “U.N.I.C.O.R.” are up there with Savageheads for top-notch Partisans worship), but it’s the weirder and/or more melodic parts I love the most. If you liked “Gaslighting” from the previous 7”, then “Eat the Rich” will be a highlight. “Missing Stair” (my favorite track) shows that the guitarist can throw out leads just as catchy as any of the vocal melodies, and the haunting, anarcho-style spoken-word breakdown is a great way to end the side. Like I said, the more mid-paced and melodic tracks are my favorite, but Rubble’s strong sense of song craft and arrangement are on point throughout. Rubble have a new bass player on this record, and his nimble playing is one of the record’s highlights. I also want to mention the lyrics, which are very strong. They’re blunt, avoiding metaphor and tackling contemporary topics like abusers in the scene, “blue lives matter,” and wealth inequality. That might sound like a list of trending Twitter topics, but Rubble’s lyrics neither toe the punk party line nor parrot information from other media. The lyrics strike me as one person’s honest, impassioned response to what’s happening in the world right now. Indeed, Rubble is a punk band for right now, and while they’re steeped in the past they don’t seem interested in rehashing it. 

No streaming link, sorry!

Zymotic: 8 Tracks cassette (Desolate) Demo cassette from this new band out of Montreal. This is raw, with a biting, Disclose-esque guitar sound that dominates the mix. However, Zymotic’s playing and songwriting remind me more of Framtid’s hard driving sound, with meaty, metallic riffs and a drummer who plays deep in the pocket. The production style of crasher crust can serve as a crutch for weak bands to hide behind, but that’s not the case here. Even with a crummy drum sound you can hear how burly this band is. I’m sure this tape will still turn plenty of heads, but I’m curious to hear what they sound like with a bigger, clearer sound.

Geisterfahrer: Sehr Entgegenkommend 12" (Bandscheiben) Archival release from this German band. They recorded these tracks as a demo in 1979, and (according to Discogs), made 3-5 copies for radio stations and record labels. Geisterfahrer are a long-running band with several full-length records and releases well into the 00s, but this is the first I’m hearing them so I can’t comment on how this release fits into their larger discography. What I can tell you is that, broadly speaking, the style of this recording is minimal, experimental punk that reminds me of Métal Urbain. While Geisterfahrer had four members, they did not have a full-time live drummer, and on most tracks they generate electronic rhythms with primitive synths and drum machines (some very cheesy and dated-sounding, a la the Fall’s "The Man Whose Head Expanded"). They fill out the lineup with a few layers of synthesizers and vocals, augmented with undistorted guitar, some live drums, and on the memorable Velvet Underground homage "Öl Auf Der Strasse," an additional vocalist with a Nico-esque baritone. The vibe is very art school, which will turn off some people, but if you like minimal, experimental groups from the late 70s you’ll enjoy this, particularly since there’s quite a lot of music here. Also note that this record plays backward, from the center out. Don’t be an idiot like me and spend 10 minutes trying to figure out what’s wrong with your turntable. 

Hyäne: Demontage Und Zerfall 12" (Static Age Musik) After an earlier 7”, here’s the debut 12” from Germany’s Hyäne. Stylistically, I’d put Hyäne in that fuzzy place between goth and punk: are they a goth-y punk band, or are they a punk-y goth band? It’s hard to say, but if you split the difference between Warsaw / early Joy Division and Crisis, you’re in the ballpark. To my ears, the band’s biggest strength is their guitarist, who packs this record with a wealth of memorable lead riffs, like on my favorite track, the Crisis-esque “Regress/Exzess.” The vocals sit back far in the mix, so the most exciting parts of the record are when Hyäne deviates from their normal approach, like on the intro to “Aquarium,” which substitutes a synth for the normal bass track and hints at something a little fresher and more exciting than the typical punk band setup. Like I said, those catchy lead guitar riffs are the main attraction, and if you’re a fan of Colin from Davidians / Voight-Kampf’s playing (which sounds similar) you’ll enjoy this a lot.

Mülltüte: S/T (2nd) 12” (self-released) Second 12” from this cryptic German band who has, since the early 2010s, self-released several records with similar covers, each of which features a background texture, an insect, and the band’s name hand-stamped in a different color. We’ve loved them all here at Sorry State, and this one is no different. In fact, it might be the best of the bunch, as it finds the band bringing in a few guest musicians and expanding their sound. Basically, Mülltüte work in two modes here. About half of the record is raging, stripped-down hardcore. They’ve always reminded me of Denmark’s Amdi Petersen’s Armé, and that remains the case here, so if you like that brand of meat and potatoes those tracks will hit their mark for you. The performances are tight and the production is clear and warm without sounding self-consciously retro. However, there’s another side of Mülltüte where they trade blistering fast hardcore for that sped-up garage-punk beat you know from the Carbonas and other Atlanta punk bands. While the cymbals are still pinging at record speed, this beat opens the sound up and allows room for more experimentation, which Mülltüte takes full advantage of here. Like Lost Sounds or Predator, there’s an ominous quality to these tracks, with a paranoid buzz enveloping the punk band at the core. Throw in a few wacky no wave-type rhythms here and there for some extra spice and you have a very distinctive sound. The record is short and jam-packed with ideas, so it’ll take a few listens for your ears to make sense of it, but I’m finding the process of untangling that knot to be very enjoyable.

Chiller: S/T 7” (self-released) Debut 7” from this band out of Pittsburgh, who I am assuming are unrelated to the Canadian band Chiller that recently released an LP on Dirt Cult Records. In case you couldn’t tell from the stark artwork, this is a straight up hardcore record with 6 bruising tracks, a loose and rough playing style, and warm, organic production that sounds like they could have done it on a vintage 4-track. The 3 songs on the a-side appear in order of tempo, starting with the slowest and getting faster over the course of the side. The lead track’s bouncy rhythm might remind you of S.H.I.T., but once the singer pipes up I can’t stop thinking of Fucked Up, as the vocalist reminds me of Damian and the catchy, mid-paced hardcore with slight oi! edge isn’t too far away from Fucked Up’s early singles. The second track turns up the Poison Idea knob while the third track is so fast that it reminds me of Heresy. The b-side continues in a similar vein, starting with a catchy, mid-paced track and gradually ratcheting the tempo to hyper-speed. The music is good, but what cements the experience is the self-released, homemade vibe, which gives the impression that Chiller is just expressing themselves rather than trying to engineer something to the scene’s tastes.


All New Arrivals

Rubble: S/T 12" (Distort Reality)
Mülltüte: 2nd 12" (self-released)
Lavender Hex: S/T 12" (self-released)
Chiller: S/T 7" (self-released)
No Statik: What Did You Give Away 7" (25 Diamonds)
Hyäne: Demontage Und Zerfall 12" (Static Age Musik)
Body Pressure: US Decay 12" (self-released)
Archgoat: The Luciferian Crown 12" (DMP)
Mogwai: Happy Songs for Happy People 12" (Pias)
Mogwai: Rock Action 12" (Pias)
Mogwai: The Hawk Is Howling 12" (Pias)
Uncle Acid: Blood Lust 12" (Rise Above)
Uncle Acid: Mind Control 12" (Rise Above)
Girlschool: Demolition 12" (Dissonance)
Thrice: Palms 12" (Epitaph)
Sleaford Mods: S/T 12" (Rough Trade)
Various: Basement Beehive: The Girl Group Underground 12" (Numero Group)
Capital Punishment: Roadkill 12" (Captured Tracks)
Billy Bao: Communication 12" (Insulin Addicted)
Amps for Christ / Failings: Split 12" (Insulin Addicted)
Godstopper: What Matters 12" (Insulin Addicted)
Probot: S/T 12" (Southern Lord)
Siouxsie & the Banshees: The Scream 12" (Polydor)
Korn: Follow the Leader 12" (Immortal)
John Bender: Pop Surgery 12" (Superior Viaduct)
Beowulf: S/T 12" (Mono)
Infernal Coil: Within a World Forgotten 12" (Profound Lore)
Robert Pollard: Waved Out 12" (Guided by Voices, Inc.)
 

Restocks


Mülltüte: 1st 12" (self-released)
Mülltüte: 1st 7" (self-released)
Mülltüte: 2nd 7" (self-released)
Mülltüte: 3rd 7" (self-released)
Bl'ast: Blood! 12" (Southern Lord)
Brotherhood: 'Til Death 12" (Southern Lord)
Offenders: Endless Struggle / We Must Rebel 12" (Southern Lord)
Paranoid: Satyagraha 12" (Southern Lord)
Uniform Choice: Screaming for Change 12" (Southern Lord)
YDI: A Place in the Sun / Black Dust 12" (Southern Lord)
Nails: Unsilent Death 12" (Southern Lord)
Mattin: Songbook #6 12" (Insulin Addicted)
King Diamond: Abigail 12" (Roadrunner)
Son House: Father of Folk Blues 12" (Analogue Productions)
Skeletonwitch: Devouring Radiant Light 12" (Prosthetic)
Panic! at the Disco: All My Friends We're Glorious 12" (Fueled By Ramen)
Bjork: Utopia 12" (One Little Indian)
SZA: CTRL 12" (Top Dawg Entertainment)
Curtis Mayfield: Curtis 12" (Curtom)
Parquet Courts: Light Up Gold 12" (What's Your Rupture?)
Neu!: Neu! 12" (Gronland)
Chet Baker: Sings 12" (Wax Love)
Queens of the Stone Age: Lullabies to Paralyze 12" (Interscope)
Magic Sam: West Side Soul 12" (Delmark)
Tyler the Creator: Goblin 12" (XL Recordings)
Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy 12" (Roc-A-Fella)
Mumford + Sons: SIgh No More 12" (Island)
Baroness: Blue 12" (Relapse)
Nirvana: In Utero 12" (Back to Black)
Tool: Lateralus 12" (Volcano)
Tool: Opiate 12" (BMG)
A Tribe Called Quest: The Low End Theory 12" (Jive)
Suicidal Tendencies: S/T 12" (Frontier)
Descendents: Enjoy 12" (SST)
Black Flag: Loose Nut 12" (SST)
Black Flag: My War 12" (SST)
Bad Brains: I Against I 12" (SST)
Husker Du: Zen Arcade 12" (SST)
Funkadelic: S/T 12" (Westbound)
Glenn Branca: The Ascension 12" (Superior Viaduct)
John Coltrane / Alice Coltrane: Cosmic Music 12" (Superior Viaduct)
Devo: Hardcore Devo Vol 2 12" (Superior Viaduct)
Alain Goraguer: La Planete Sauvage OST 12" (Superior Viaduct)
The Fall: Dragnet 12" (Superior Viaduct)
Crown Court: Mad in England 7" (Goner)
Crucifix: Nineteen Eighty Four 7" (Kustomized)
Jawbreaker: 24 Hour Revenge Therapy 12" (Blackball)
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard: Flying Microtonal Banana 12" (Flightless)
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard: I'm in Your Mind Fuzz 12" (Castleface)
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard: Polygondwanaland 12" (Blood Music)
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard: Paper Mache Dream 12" (ATO)
NOFX: The Decline 12" (Fat Wreck Chords)
Solid Space: Space Museum 12" (Dark Entries)
Wire: Pink Flag 12" (Pink Flag)
Wire: Chairs Missing 12" (Pink Flag)
Wire: 154 12" (Pink Flag)

New Release Cheat Sheet for September 17th 2018

Previews of the hot new releases at Sorry State Records. New releases from Rubble, Public Acid, Mulltute, Judy & The Jerks, Body Pressure, Dumb Punts, Hyane, Loose Nukes, Lavender Hex and Geisterfahren!




Featured Release Roundup: September 13, 2018

Dumb Punts: The Big One 12” (Pissfart) Debut LP from this band out of Melbourne, Australia. One thing I like about contemporary Australian punk is that a lot of it seems to exist outside the scene dynamics that keep comparable American groups boxed into their respective subgenres. At least in my experience, there’s a strong separation between punk and indie rock in the current US scene, and bands tend to fall on one side of that line or the other. Indie bands focus on melody and rarely sound tough or powerful while many punk rock groups fear letting melody into their sound at all. However, a band like Dumb Punts can sound breathy and gentle one second (like the beginning of “Heating Up”) and like a bunch of heavy-handed, drunken oafs the next. They remind me of their countrymen Deaf Wish in that their sound pulls from 80s American indie/college rock, muscular Australian garage (think Cosmic Psychos), and the best 70s pub rock (Slaughter & the Dogs, the Stranglers) in equal measure. Those influences don’t sound like they’d be compatible on paper, but they work here, and keep The Big One sounding fresh and exciting from track to track. It’s a shame that the one-two punch of an unfavorable exchange rate and high postage costs makes this LP an expensive proposition for Americans, but if you’re following the latest and greatest from down under you’re already used to that.

Midnite: Snaxxx: Let Me Do What I Want 7” (Bachelor) Sorry State has been recommending that you buy Midnite Snaxxx records as long as the band has been putting them out, and this latest single won't break that streak. The a-side, “Let Me Do What I Want,” will scratch your itch for more Midnite Snaxxx material with its Ramones-inspired chord changes and memorable vocal melody. However, the b-side is the real gem here, taking the Snaxxx’s sound further into power-pop territory than they’ve been since their “A Guy Like That” single. With a more melodic chord progression, killer guitar leads that recall power-pop greats like Paul Collins or Elvis Costello, and an earworm chorus, “Faded Pictures” is a gem. I love the band’s more Ramones-based material, but since those songs comprise the biggest part of their catalog, it makes the more melodic moments like “Faded Pictures” stand out even more. Like most great singles it’s shorter than you want it to be, but Midnite Snaxxx are so great I’ll gladly chase down every second of music they release.

Stimulators: Loud Fast Rules 7” (Frontier) Much-needed reissue of this NYC punk gem from 1980. I remember wondering about Loud Fast Rules for years because Jack Rabid wrote about the Stimulators so much in The Big Takeover, but for a long time this was a record that was difficult to hear. Like the Bad Brains (with whom the Stimulators played often), the Stimulators had a cassette on ROIR that later got reissued on vinyl, but I always heard this single was where the action was at. The dodgy vinyl rips I could find online did not confirm that fact, but this well-done official reissue seems to capture the record’s charms much better. Hearing it now, the record sounds more Anglophilic than most any US punk that springs to mind, particularly in 1980. One thing that makes this record sound so British is that, on the one hand, it’s nakedly commercial (“Loud Fast Rules!” is about as straightforward as a pop song gets), but it’s also raw and handmade. It reminds me of Good Vibrations Records bands like the Outcasts and Protex, bands that tried to make pop music, but were limited by the materials at hand and their still-developing skill sets. Even though a 13-year-old Harley Flanagan plays drums (and appears on the cover), there’s nothing hardcore about this record. The bonus track is good, but the liner notes (from Henry Rollins and Jack Rabid) aren’t especially informative and the bubblegum pink vinyl feels a little cheesy. However, I’m happy to have this one in my collection despite those minor quibbles.

Judy & the Jerks: Roll on Summer Holidays cassette (Earth Girl) Latest cassette from this band out of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. With a pile of cassette releases (no vinyl to date!) and hailing from a town few people have ever heard of, Judy & the Jerks aren’t on the path to worldwide fame, but you should check them out because they are so fucking great. That’s particularly true if you’re a fan of Warm Bodies, because Judy & the Jerks remind me of them in a few different respects: 1. they’re great players 2. their frontpeople have similar vocal styles and ranges and 3. they’re a hardcore band that plays with the flexibility and inventiveness of a seasoned jazz group… or maybe vice versa? Actually, Judy & the Jerks are definitely a hardcore band, a fact they signal both in their own songs (even the least straightforward track here, “Goblin Reprise,” has some blistering Angry Samoans-style fast parts) and their choice of covers (Gorilla Biscuits on this one, but they’ve also covered Negative Approach and Floorpunch (!!!) on past releases). I love the energy and power of hardcore, but I get frustrated by bands that let the genre’s unwritten rules paint them into a corner. I have shelves full of hardcore records and I don’t need another one that sounds just like a bunch of records I’ve already heard. Judy & the Jerks don’t sound like anyone, and it’s exciting to listen to them because they sound free… even if you know there will be plenty of ripping fast punk on their releases, you have no idea what the next track will sound like. If you’re in a similar position, i.e. you love classic punk and hardcore but you expect new bands to add something to the conversation rather than just reciting the same script, check this band out.


All New Arrivals


Scythe: S/T 7" (Discos Huayno Amargo)
Bloodletter: Protection 12" (No Patience Records)
Nasho: S/T 12" (No Patience Records)
Dumb Punts: The Big One 12" (Pissfart Records)
Mellakka: Singles 1984-1986 7" box set (Svart)
Bone Awl: Almost Dead Man 12" (Klaxon)
Ruler: Second Single 7" (Secret Mission)
Science Man: S/T cassette (More Power Tapes)
Cyber Bullies: Leather and Lazers cassete (More Power Tapes)
Loose Nukes: Violent Retribution 7" (Mutant Sound)
Midnite Snaxxx: Let Me Do What I Want 7" (Bachelor)
L7: Hungry for Stink 12" (Real Gone Music)
Escape-ism: The Lost Record 12" (Merge)
Fucked Up: Raise Your Voice Joyce 7" (Merge)
Sleep: Leagues Beneath 12" (Third Man)
Judy & the Jerks: Roll on Summer Holidays cassette (Earth Girl)
Hand Grenades: Demos to London 12" (Almost Ready)
The Normals: Demented Breakdown 7" (Almost Ready)
The Dogs: Slash Your Face 7" (Almost Ready)
Clutch: Book of Bad Decisions 12" (Weathermaker)
Gaslight Anthem: Sink or Swim 12" (XOXO)
The Skull: The Endless Road Turns Dark 12" (Tee Pee)
Haunt: Burst into Flame 12" (Shadow Kingdom)
Spiritualized: And Nothing Hurt 12" (Fat Possum)
Pig Destroyer: Head 12" (Relapse)
Stimulators: Loud Fast Rules 7" (Frontier)
 

Restocks


War on Drugs: Slave Ambient 12" (Secretly Canadian)
The Fix: At the Speed of Twisted Thought 12" (Touch & Go)
Negative Approach: Tied Down 12" (Touch & Go)
Big Black: Bulldozer 12" (Touch & Go)
Refused: The Shape of Punk to Come 12" (Epitaph)
Radiohead: Kid A 12" (XL Recordings)
Radiohead: OK Computer 12" (XL Recordings)
Sigur Ros: Agaetis Byrjun 12" (XL Recordings)
Mudhoney: Superfuzz Bigmuff 12" (Sub Pop)
Hot Snakes: Jericho Sirens 12" (Sub Pop)
Metallica: Master of Puppets 12" (Blackened)
Kraftwerk: Trans Europe Express 12" (Parlophone)
Joy Division: Closer 12" (Rhino)
Iron Maiden: Piece of Mind 12" (BMG)
Green Day: 39/Smooth 12" (Reprise)
Green Day: Dookie 12" (Reprise)
Bad Religion: Stranger than Fiction 12" (Epitaph)
Heterofobia: S/T 7" (Discos Huayno Amargo)
Dark Thoughts: At Work 12" (Stupid Bag)
Dark Thoughts: S/T 12" (Stupid Bag)
U2: Zooropa 12" (Island)
Brian Eno: Another Green World 12" (Astralwerks)
Nirvana: S/T 12" (Universal Music)
Kendrick Lamar: To Pimp a Butterfly 12" (Top Dawg Entertainment)
Pearl Jam: Vitalogy 12" (Sony)
Mumford + Sons: Sigh No More 12" (Island)
Black Flag: Nervous Breakdown 7" (SST)
Misfits: Legacy of Brutality 12" (Caroline)
King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King 12" (Inner Knot)
Entombed: Left Hand Path 12" (Earache)
Bolt Thrower: War Master 12" (Earache)
Carcass: Heartwork 12" (Earache)
The Cure: Disintegration 12" (Rhino)
Sex Pistols: Never Mind the Bollocks 12" (Rhino)
Celtic Frost: Into the Pandemonium 12" (Noise)
Can: Future Days 12" (Spoon)
Bauhaus: In the Flat Field 12" (4AD)

Record of the Week: Public Acid: Easy Weapons LP

Public Acid: Easy Weapons 12” (self-released) Debut 12” from this North Carolina band, combining blistering 80s hardcore with the chaotic sounds of wild Japanese punk and a tinge of primitive black metal. While Easy Weapons is Public Acid’s debut release, the lineup’s core has been together for well over 5 years, with several releases under the name Holder’s Scar (including one titled Public Acid). I’m glad they changed the name, first because Public Acid is a great name and second because with Easy Weapons they’ve found their own sound and figured out how to execute it. Like the later Holder’s Scar stuff, Public Acid has a lot of in-the-pocket mid-paced parts that make me think of Glue, but on Easy Weapons they balance them with fast parts that sound wild and out of control. The guitar sound and the intricacy of the riffing make me think of G.I.S.M., but Public Acid is heavier and more brutal, even recalling primitive first-wave black metal records like the debut EPs from Sodom or Sarcofago. They anchor the sound with straightforward, muscular drumming a la Poison Idea’s Record Collectors EP. Like that record, Easy Weapons seems to pull in two different directions, the rhythm section’s mechanistic power contrasting with the wild nihilism of the guitars and vocals. I always like when great hardcore bands get weird, and my favorite moments on this record are the ones that feel the most “out there,” like the noisy, Randy Uchida-esque guitar solo on “Incapacitate” (my favorite track) or the subtle tape loops during the closing “1000 Insane.” The beautiful, hand-screened jackets (designed and printed by Thomas Sara) make this feel like a cult Japanese hardcore record from the 80s, which perfectly matches the music’s vibe. Far more than just a standout record from a strong local scene, Easy Weapons matches the power of recent releases by top-shelf hardcore bands like Impalers, Glue, and Concealed Blade, so if you follow those bands you should snatch this up before its 300-copy self-released pressing disappears.

New Release Cheat Sheet for September 10th

Previews of the hot new releases at Sorry State Records. New releases from Scythe, Cyber Bullies, Midnite Snaxxx, Ruler, Science Man, Bloodletter, Fucked Up, Bone Awl, Escape-ism and Hand Grenades.




Featured Release Roundup: September 6, 2018

Scythe: S/T 7” (Discos Huayno Amargo) After a standout demo, here’s the debut vinyl from this California band and it does not disappoint. If you’re a fan of creepy-sounding, metallic Japanese hardcore like G.I.S.M., Mobs, our Zouo (or newer bands in that vein like Blazing Eye) the sound will be familiar, particularly the growled vocals and the wobbly chorus effect on the guitar. However, Scythe don’t sound like a modern interpretation of that style so much as a lost relic from that era. The record sounds warm, organic, and analog (or at least analog-ish… I’m not sure how they recorded it), and the lack of clarity only serves to heighten my interest. This feeling carries over to the cryptic and minimal visual aesthetic, which has me examining every square inch of the packaging to figure out what’s going on. Spending time with this record reminds me of discovering records by the Misfits and Black Flag when I was a teenager, long before you could Google a band’s name and instantly find their biography, discography, and other information. This music comes from another place, but I don’t know where that place is or how I can get there. All I can do is listen closer and let myself get sucked into the band’s world. This record feels real and immersive in a way that pulling up a bandcamp site and listening while you wash dishes or run on the treadmill just can’t replicate. So kill the overheads, light some candles, cue this up and let it take you where it wants you to go.

Couldn't find a streaming link for this one, sorry!

Nueva Fuerza:  Hitos Y Derrotas 12” (La Vida Es Un Mus) After an earlier 7” (which we still have in stock BTW) on the Spanish label Discos Enfermos, here’s the debut 12” from this Barcelona hardcore band, this time on La Vida Es Un Mus. While their earlier EP packed 10 songs onto a 7”, here they give us five songs on a 12”. Don’t worry, though; even though the songs are longer, they still have the clipped, jagged quality of the 7”. On Hitos Y Derrotas, however, they balance that Wire-esque sense of abruptness with longer passages that channel the same tense pulse as Destino Final. One minute the band is grinding into a deep groove, cymbal wash and guitar distortion blending into cascading waves of sound, the next they’re laying into Greg Ginn-inspired jagged and mind-bending guitar leads. Those leads are my favorite moments on the record, and while I wish there were more of them they’re more climactic for only popping up every so often. If you’re a fan of the artsier hardcore bands that LVEUM puts out—the aforementioned Destino Final, Una Bestia Incontrolable, and Permission, for instance—this will tweak your expectations in much the same way.

Ambush: S/T 12” (Diabolous) Debut one-sided 12” from this band out of New Hampshire (you don’t hear that every day!) featuring members of Aspects of War. While Ambush's music is rooted in d-beat and crasher crust, this 12” pushes past those sounds’ basic elements and arrives at something that’s even more interesting. Like Lebenden Toten or D-Clone, Ambush seem less interested in riffs and more interested in building compositions out of shifts in texture and timbre. In that respect they often sound more like industrial music than hardcore. Even the opening track, “Brain Dead,” which has some abrupt rhythmic changes, bleeds together into a vast lake of noise and feedback. Listening to this record reminds me of looking at one of Seurat’s pointillist paintings. Those paintings offer you a choice: you can step back from them and consider what’s being portrayed or represented, or you can get up close and lose yourself in the rhythmic pulses of abstract color. Similarly, any given second of this 12” sounds like inchoate noise, but take a step back and these are definitely songs with a sense of logic and movement to them. For me the magic of this 12” lies in the space between those two ways of listening, how you can’t quite lock onto both at the same time. It’s a tough feeling to describe, but if you’re a fan of super noisy bands like Confuse hopefully you get the gist of what I’m talking about and you understand that this is one of those rare records that can take you to that place.

I don't think this one is streaming either, sorry! Long live vinyl!

Hand Grenades: Demos to London 12” (Almost Ready) Almost Ready re-releases this 1979 obscurity from New York, expanding the original single’s two tracks to a healthier four. The record’s packaging gives essentially no information about how these recordings came to be and the label’s description doesn’t help to clarify things much either. What I know is that these recordings come from New York in 1979, but they sound much more like what you would expect to hear coming from a teen center rehearsal space in suburban London around the same time. In other words, this sounds like the major touchstones of UKDIY like Desperate Bicycles, Television Personalities, or Teenage Filmstars. Like those bands, Hand Grenades sound like they’re experimenting with home recording technology and becoming fascinated by the sonic possibilities, but they’re not weird or visionary enough to discard pop song structure and launch into Nurse With Wound-style abstract noise. Sometimes, it’s the song itself that’s interesting. That’s the case with one of the bonus tracks, “Murder,” which reminds me of the TVP’s / Filmstars’ wry, slightly twee take on punk rock. More often, though, it’s the sound itself that’s most interesting, how tape hiss might mesh with guitar distortion and ambient room noise to create lush swirls of sound that couldn’t have been created any other way. Long story short, if you go deep with the UKDIY sound you will enjoy this, though it begs the question of why weren’t there more American groups that sound like this?

All New Arrivals

Idiota Civilizzato: S/T 12" (Static Shock)
Negative Scanner: Nose Picker 12" (Trouble In Mind)
Rigorous Institution: Demo cassette (Self-released)
Second Sun: Autonomic Pilot 7" (Electric Assault)
Sufjan Stevens: The Avalanche 12" (Asthmatic Kitty)
Thou: Magus 12" (Sacred Bones)
Morrissey: This Is Morrissey 12" (Warner Bros)
Girlschool: Hit and Run 12" (Dissonance)
Watain: Sworn to the Dark 12" (Season of Mist)
Soundgarden: A-sides 12" (Universal)
Suicidal Tendencies: Lights Camera Revolution 12" (Epic)
Prong: Cleansing 12" (Epic)
Tony Molina: Kill the Lights 12" (Slumberland)
ESG: Come Away 12” (Fire)
Heavens to Betsy: These Monsters Are Real 7” (Kill Rock Stars)
Amebix: Slovenia 86 12” (Easy Action)
Red Cross: Smoke Seven 81/82 12" (Puke N Vomit)
Misfits: Descent Into Evil 12" (Fan Club)
Adrenalin OD: Rare & Unreleased 1982 Demos 12" (Munster)
Rattus: S/T 12" (Zurich Chainsaw Massacre)
Pelle Miljoona & NUS: S/T 12" (Svart)
Interterror: S/T 12" (Radikal)
Čao Pičke: Sonce V Očeh 12" (Ne!)
Wasted Youth: Reagan's In 12" (Fan Club)
Πανικός: The War Continues 12" (Labyrinth of Thoughts)
Crude SS: Killing For Nothing 12" (Distortion)
Kangrena: Estoc De Pus 12" (BCore)
Broken Bones: Demo 1988 12" (FOAD)
Raw Power: Wop Hour - Extended Version 12" (FOAD)
Kina: Nessuno Schema Nella Mia Vita 12" (Spittle)
I Refuse It!: Cronache Del Videotopo 12" (Spittle)

Restocks

Personality Cult: S/T 12" (Drunken Sailor)
Sex Tourists: S/T 12" (Paradise Daily)
Turnstile: Time & Space 12" (Roadrunner)
The Replacements: Let It Be 12" (Rhino)
The Moldy Peaches: S/T 12" (Rough Trade)
The Kinks: Kontroversy 12" (Sanctuary)
The Kinks: Face to Face 12" (Sanctuary)
Television: Marquee Moon 12" (Rhino)
Sleater-Kinney: Dig Me Out 12" (Sub Pop)
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Blood Sugar Sex Magick 12" (Warner Bros)
The Pixies: Doolittle 12" (4AD)
Operation Ivy: Energy 12" (Hellcat)
Metallica: Kill 'em All 12" (Blackened)
Metallica: S/T / Black Album 12" (Blackened)
Led Zeppelin: II 12" (Atlantic)
Led Zeppelin: Houses of the Holy 12" (Atlantic)
Led Zeppelin: Physical Graffitti 12" (Atlantic)
Jay Reatard: Matador Singles '08 12" (Matador)
Iron Maiden: S/T 12" (BMG)
Iron Maiden: Killers 12" (BMG)
Iron Maiden: Number of the Beast 12" (BMG)
Green Day: Kerplunk! 12" (Reprise)
Gorillaz: Demon Days 12" (Parlophone)
Dr. Dre: The Chronic 12" (Death Row)
Dinosaur Jr: You're Living All Over Me 12" (Jagjaguwar)
David Bowie: Hunky Dory 12" (Parlophone)
David Bowie: Aladdin Sane 12" (Parlophone)
Celtic Frost: To Mega Therion 12" (Noise)
Black Sabbath: Master of Reality 12" (Rhino)
Bauhaus: Mask 12" (4AD)
Bad Religion: Generator 12" (Epitaph)
Godspeed You! Black Emperor: F#A# 12" (Constellation)
The Scientists: Weird Love 12" (Numero Group)
Tyler the Creator: Scum Fuck Flower Boy 12" (Columbia)
Khalid: American Teen 12" (RCA)
Damned: Damned Damned Damned 12" (euro import)
Damned: Machine Gun Etiquette 12" (Chiswik)
Death Grips: Bottomless Pit 12" (Third Worlds)
Howlin' Wolf: Moanin' in the Moonlight 12" (Vinyl Lovers)
Neu: Neu 12" (Gronland)
Childish Gambino: Camp 12" (Glassnote)
Miles Davis: Kind of Blue 12" (Columbia Legacy)
Jimi Hendrix: Axis Bold as Love 12" (Legacy)
Beastie Boys: Licensed to Ill 12" (Capitol)
Beastie Boys: Hello Nasty 12" (Capitol)
Beastie Boys: Ill Communication 12" (Capitol)
Beastie Boys: Check Your Head 12" (Capitol)
Beastie Boys: Pauls Boutique 12" (Capitol)
Bob Marley: Legend 12" (Island)
Tool: Lateralus 12" (Volcano)
DJ Shadow: Endtroducing 12" (Mowax Recordings)
Black Flag: Damaged 12" (SST)

Record of the Week: Idiota Civilizzato: S/T LP

Idiota Civilizzato: S/T 12” (Static Shock) I liked Idiota Civilizzato’s earlier 7” on Static Shock (and we still have copies in stock(https://www.sorrystaterecords.com/products/idiota-civilizzato-la-vita-silenziosa-7)), but with this 12” the band catapults themselves to another level, placing them on par with the groups that set the current scene’s bar for intensity and complexity. Idiota Civilizzato rely on a similar stew of influences to their debut—in particular, I hear Wretched’s final LP and Negazione, Cheetah Chrome Motherfuckers, and Die Kreuzen—but they lay into their sound with newfound power on this 12”. At the risk of overloading this description with comparisons, this LP recalls the Impalers’ power, Blood Pressure’s complexity, and S.H.I.T.’s ability to get deep inside a groove. If you appreciate a powerful band, these musicians’ technical skill will melt your face. However, it might take a handful of listens to appreciate it because the riffs are so densely packed and layered. There isn’t a moment to breathe; there’s no space, no let-up in tempo, and no opportunity catch your breath. The only thing you can do is drop the needle and hold on for dear life. I expect that we’ll be seeing this LP on many best of 2018 lists, and deservedly so. If you have even a passing interest in the current DIY hardcore scene, you should make a point to check this out.

New Release Cheat Sheet For September 3rd 2018

Previews of the hot new releases at Sorry State Records. This week we have new music from Idiota Civilizzato, Nueva Fuerza, Negative Scanner, Chain Cult, Glue Traps, Rigorous Institution, Tony Molina, Second Sun, Uranium Orchard and Sleep.




Featured Release Roundup: August 30, 2018

Violence Creeps: Nephew Melting 7” (Total Punk) Presumably final 7” from this Bay Area band, since they recently played their last show. They had a great run, though, and put out a bunch of phenomenal records on a slew of different labels. As for this one, it finds them breaking new ground in their final moments as a band. “Nephew Melting” is a disjointed ride, starting with a bubbly, melodic part, then taking an abrupt left turn into a skronkier, no wave-influenced part that’s more akin to the bands earlier, Flipper-esque material. The song swings back and forth between the two modes, giving it an unstable, seasick quality that seems increasingly deranged as the song progresses. As for the b-side, it’s also Flipper-esque, the bass player improvising around a single riff while the singer delivers a biting rant against gentrification in Oakland. If you’ve been following Violence Creeps, you’ll want to pick up this final single, but just because they’re done doesn’t mean that their whole catalog isn’t worth checking out. They’re one of the realest and most vital bands to come out of the punk scene over the past several years, and their records will be worth revisiting long after their breakup.

Predator: No Face 7” (Total Punk) Latest single from this long-running (but slow-moving) Atlanta institution. A lot of the bands from Atlanta have a dark, pop-garage sensibility, and Predator fit the mold in many respects… if you’re a fan of other Atlanta bands and projects like GG King, Uniform, Näg, or Wymyns Prysyn then you’re virtually guaranteed to like Predator. However, Predator has their own take on the style. I’d describe them as “space garage:” Carbonas-esque, catchy, song-oriented punk delivered with the retro-paranoia of the Cold War. The voices sound robotic, the guitar leads hang in the air in a sinister way, and drums drive forward with the relentless, mechanistic thump of progress. The a-side is the pop hit (or as close as Predator get to one), while the b-side is mid-paced, jagged, and stomping. There are two little chords that remind me of “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” but instead of dropping into the expected third chord it snaps into staccato downstrokes that recall Devo’s “Mongoloid.” Predator knows their punk history, but they also know how to write a song that’s catchy and immediate, so you get the best of both worlds: something that’s dense and contextualized enough for the record collectors but still classic-sounding and straightforward enough to make the barflies wander over to the stage to see who’s playing tonight.

Khiis: Saboor 7” (Distort Reality) Debut 7” from this new band out of Oakland who might be the first punk band I’ve heard with lyrics in Farsi. I’d be interested in Khiis no matter what language they sang in, though, because this rips. Khiis has a dense, metallic sound that sits in a fuzzy space between punk subgenres. The mid-paced parts remind me of S.H.I.T. in their catchiness and pogo-ability, but for me it’s the fast parts where they shine. I might lose people with this comparison, but their fast parts remind me of the Cro-Mags. Like the best Cro-Mags songs, the riffing is straightforward and Discharge-influenced, but the drummer doesn’t d-beat, instead powering forward with a simple, confident 1-2-1-2 beat. I doubt that’s a conscious influence, but if you’re a crusty who acknowledges that the Cro-Mags up to and including Age of Quarrel are legit AF then you will love this. All three tracks are keepers and they’re different from one another, which makes me particularly eager to hear what’s next. I suspect Khiis has a killer LP in them, but I suppose time will tell. In the meantime, this will get plenty of play.

Beta Boys: Late Nite Acts 12” (Feel It) After a pair of 7”s, here’s the debut footlong from Beta Boys. To be honest, I liked but didn’t love their earlier records, but this one is a big step up. They seem to have found their voice here, or maybe their style just works better on the longer format. They’ve always had a chorus-drenched guitar sound, but here there are songs that sound more brooding, recalling the USHC-meets-death rock sound of the old Oxnard band False Confession. There’s flexibility in that style, allowing them space to do tracks as different as the brooding, Christian Death-esque title track that closes the record and “Red Devil,” the opening smasher. That song reminds me of the best 45 Grave songs or Dance with Me-era TSOL in the way it infuses Damned-esque punk/goth with the energy of early California hardcore. For such a short record there’s lots of variation in tempo and song structure, making this a quick and exciting listen. Plus, as soon as it’s done I can’t help but flip it over again because I have to hear “Red Devil” again.

Mosquitoes: Drip Water Hollow Out Stone 12” (Ever/Never) I rely on New York’s Ever/Never Records for a respite from my usual listening diet of punk and hardcore. Whether it’s the baroque post-punk of Patois Counselors, the chaotic no wave of Preening, or the cold, semi-industrial noise of Housewives, I know that the music coming out of a new Ever/Never release will be surprising and challenging. Their latest release is this debut from the UK’s Mosquitoes. The sound here is minimal, but the real watchword is "creepy." Listening to these tracks is like peering through the keyhole of an abandoned house in the country, glimpsing a dark, dusty, and sinister world that doesn’t revolve around the regular rhythms of the modern world. I don’t have a strong frame of reference for this type of music, but I’m reminded of the Eraserhead soundtrack, This Heat’s more abstract passages, or Duck Stab-era Residents, all of which share Mosquitoes’ unsettling minimalism. Like most Ever/Never releases it requires an adventurous and engaged listener, but it rewards that investment of time and attention with a listening experience you won’t get anywhere else.

Glue Traps: Future Shocks 2018 Promo cassette (self-released) Debut release from this new band out of Baltimore. When this came in at the store Jeff made an Instagram post describing it as We Got Power-style hardcore and he couldn’t have hit the nail more squarely on the head. Like the songs on the first We Got Power comp (aka Party or Go Home aka “Daniel’s favorite compilation ever”), everything here is short, quick, and very catchy. There are heaps of things you could compare this to: Angry Samoans, Acid Reflux, early Deep Sleep (who share a singer with Glue Traps), the Authorities, or anyone else you can think of who writes catchy as hell 30 second hardcore songs by the 7-inch load. Sure, it’s nothing new, but it’s a sound that is close to my heart and there aren’t a lot of bands doing it these days, so it sounds fresh and vital here. If you pine for the glory days of We Got Power and/or No Bullshit compilations, you will love this.

Innumerable Forms: Punishment in Flesh 12” (Profound Lore) Debut full-length from this death metal project out of Boston. Justin DeTore from Mind Eraser / No Tolerance / a bunch of other bands helms the project (and played most of the instruments on their earlier releases), but for this release he’s put together a hardcore supergroup, including (according to the label’s description): “co-writing partner/guitarist Jensen Ward (Iron Lung), guitarist Chris Ulsh (Mammoth Grinder, Power Trip), bassist Doug Cho (The Rival Mob), and drummer Connor Donnegan (Genocide Pact).” I hadn’t checked out Innumerable Forms’ earlier releases, but that lineup grabbed my attention, since it brings together some of the best musicians in the current hardcore scene. For all the musical ability of that lineup, though, Punishment in Flesh is not a flashy record. There are few guitar solos on the record (though when they pop up they’re highlights), and while the band plays everything with precision and power, no one shows off. Instead, the energy here is put toward establishing the vibe. If I had to describe that vibe in a word, it is “punishing.” The tempos are rarely fast, and the slow parts are agonizingly slow and heavy (in a good way!), like trudging through knee-deep wet clay. DeTore’s vocals are the centerpiece, and they bring new meaning to the term "gutteral." Every death metal band has low vocals, but DeTore’s are on another level. If this whole music thing doesn’t work out for him, he could make a solid living voicing Satan in Hollywood movies. The record is brilliant and listening to it alone in the dark is a great way to spend 40 minutes of your time. If I may be so bold as to venture one criticism, though, it’s one I have of several projects that come from DeTore’s crew of Boston musicians: it’s almost too perfect. For instance, when I listen to the Demigod cassette that was one of the band’s key inspirations(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksdNoONKvlg), there’s an untamed quality, a visceral wildness that Innumerable Forms doesn’t have. I’d love to hear what this crew sounds like when they cut loose and throw out the rule book, but even if it's a hair stiff it’s still a great record.


All New Arrivals

Violence Creeps: Nephew Melting 7" (Total Punk)
Predator: No Face 7" (Total Punk)
The Cosmic Sand Dollars: Let's Go Nuclear Woody! 12" (Cold Vomit)
Uranium Orchard: Knife & Urinal 12" (Cold Vomit)
Glue Traps: Future Shock 2018 promo cassette (self released)
Khiis: Saboor 7" (Distort Reality)
Protomartyr / Spray Paint: Irony Prompts A Party Rat 7" (Monofonus Press)
Pedro the Lion: Control 12" (Epitaph)
Tom Waits: Foreign Affairs 12" (Anti-)
Alice in Chains: Rainier Fog 12" (BMG)
Mac DeMarco: Salad Days Demos 12" (Captured Tracks)
Mac DeMarco: 2 Demos 12" (Captured Tracks)
Gorgoroth: Destroyer 12" (Soulseller)
Gorgoroth: Under the Sign of Hell 12" (Soulseller)
Manowar: Fighting the World 12" (Metal Blade)
Manowar: Kings of Metal 12" (Metal Blade)
Manowar: Triumph of Steel 12" (Metal Blade)
Nothing: Dance on the Blacktop 12" (Relapse)
Joey Bada$$: 1999 12" (Pro Era)
EPMD: Strictly Business 12" (Priority)
EPMD: Unfinished Business 12" (Priority)
Faust: The Faust Tapes 12" (Superior Viaduct)

Restocks

Crown Court: Mad in England 7" (Goner)
Panic at the Disco: All My Friends 12" (Fueled By Ramen)
Beyonce: Lemonade 12" (Sony)
Kendrick Lamar: Damn. 12" (Interscope)
Damned: Damned Damned Damned 12" (euro import)
Damned: Machine Gun Etiquette 12" (Chiswik)
GZA: Liquid Swords 12" (Universal)
Slayer: South of Heaven 12" (American Recordings)
Nirvana: Nevermind 12" (DGC)
Son House: Father of Folk Blues 12" (Analogue Productions)
Lumineers: S/T 12" (Dualtone)
Meat Puppets: II 12" (MVD)
Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy 12" (Roc-A-Fella)
Bob Marley: Legend 12" (Island)
Velvet Underground & Nico: S/T 12" (Vinyl Lovers)
Tool: Opiate 12" (BMG)
Misfits: Collection 12" (Caroline)
Descendents: Milo Goes to College 12" (SST)
Butthole Surfers: Live PCPEP 12" (Alternative Tentacles)
Dead Kennedys: Nazi Punks Fuck Off 7" (Alternative Tentacles)
DOA: Hardcore '81 12" (Sudden Death)
Innumerable Forms: Punishment in Flesh 12" (Profound Lore)
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard: Flying Microtonal Banana 12" (Flightless)
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard: Sketches of Brunswick 12" (ATO)
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard: Paper Mache Dream 12" (ATO)
Marked Men: On the Outside 12" (Dirtnap)
Neurosis: Pain of Mind 12" (Neurot)
The Urinals: Negative Capability 12" (In the Red)
Thee Oh Sees: Carrion Crawler / The Dream 12" (In the Red)
Thee Oh Sees: Master's Bedroom 12" (In the Red)
Thee Oh Sees: Mutilator Defeated at Last 12" (Castleface)
Portal: Ion 12" (Profound Lore)
Propagandhi: Less Talk, More Rock 12" (Fat Wreck Chords)
The Mekons: Where Were You? 7" (Superior Viaduct)