Staff Picks

What’s up sorry state readers!?! My pick for this week is the mighty Cross: Human Spirit12” from New York, out on Roachleg records. Goddamn, does this record absolutely smoke. I’m an absolute sucker for anything that gives even a slight hit of the ripping fast sound that Out Cold gave us, so this is right up my alley. Each hit on the snare on this LP sounds like gunshots going off… love it. Go pick this up and get your speed fix on and run headfirst into a brick wall!!! While you’re at it pick up the other new Roachleg release, Pura Manía: La Banda Es La Ley. This record is killer and looks cool as hell. You definitely want it. Thanks for reading, till next time!

Hello fellow Sorry Staters! Back at it again with another week and another pick! This week is not really a pick ,but talking about a live show experience! I hope everyone has been picking up a lot of cool shit recently, as we have been getting in new stuff non-stop. If you haven’t already, go check out our new preorder page on the site. We have been putting up a lot of cool stuff for everyone to check out. Some of my favorites are the Ween reissues of Quebec and White Pepper as well as the new Këkht Aräkh.

This past weekend I went to a show at a local place called the Cat’s Cradle to see Violent Magic Orchestra and Full Body 2. I had FB2 as my pick a few months back and was really excited to see that they were touring with Nothing as an opening band. I have seen Nothing a few times, so I did not stay to see them. Honestly, most folks were there to see FB2. Violent Magic Orchestra opened the show, and after watching their Boiler Room set that came out a few weeks ago I was super hyped to see them. Imagine black metal vocals over gabber and hard house music. Yeah, it’s pretty wild stuff. Full Body 2 was the highlight of the evening. This was the loudest show I’ve heard in my life. They set up really quickly and just blasted into the set. There were tons of lights in the background that went with the music and it looked and sounded amazing. Screeching waves of shoegaze like My Bloody Valentine, but in my opinion they improve on the sound MBV coined. I grabbed a really great collection LP on YEAR0001 Records. If you are into shoegaze or electronic music, please check this band out.

What’s up Sorry State readers? I hope everyone is having a nice week. I have a quick little write-up this week of a cool record I found here in the store, Egypt Strut by Salah Ragab. I’m often flipping through our world section here at the store when I’m looking for something to play (we’ve got a solid selection right now) and this one caught my eye a couple weeks ago. Nothing crazy, but it’s got a solid groove throughout it. I also really like all the bongos and congas going on. The highlights for me on here would probably be Mervat and Neveen. Definitely check this one out if you aren’t already familiar.

What’s up everybody? How are you doing out there? Are you surviving? We hope so. It’s nothing but a shit show out there currently in so many ways that we are all affected no matter where we live. Life is changing rapidly and doesn’t look like it’s slowing down on the current trajectory. Every day we seem to be assaulted with more bad news and gloom. It’s hard to keep up or keep sane on current affairs. I know my head is a mess with trying to comprehend the full scope of things. Added to my confused state of mind was our time change this weekend to summertime. I don’t know why that always fucks me up, but it does. My weekend was further enhanced by a bout of food poisoning that had me jumping out of bed in the early hours to throw up. I am not sure what caused it as I hadn’t overindulged in anything or eaten something that I haven’t had before. Not fun. But you are not reading our newsletter for tales of upset stomachs, and I only mention it to give you an idea of my mental state as I talk about the record I have been listening to this weekend.

Recently in the store we had a used copy of an EP by the English group Ride. It was one from 2018, released a year or so into the band’s reformation. It wasn’t bad, and I enjoyed a couple of tracks when Jeff and I played it in the store. I’ll be honest, as much as I love Ride, I hadn’t really paid too much attention to the records they have made since reforming. I recall buying the first of the reunion albums, called Weather Diaries, and not really connecting with it and thus stopped paying attention. A few years back they played a tour, and I didn’t get to go when they stopped off in our area. Perhaps if I had gone, I would have heard those songs live and had a better feel for them, and would have also had their subsequent two albums on my radar. That was not the case, however. Over the past ten years since reforming, the group has released three studio albums and a further two of remixes of the first album Weather Diaries and the second, This Is Not a Safe Place. Their third during this second phase of the band was released in 2024 and is titled Interplay.

I noticed our distributor had a few copies left of the two most recent records and so I ordered myself a copy of each. My first impressions of This Is Not A Safe Place were that some of the production and style were not for me and that it left me disappointed. I’m not expecting the band to sound like they did on their early EPs or on their first couple of albums when they were the poster boys of Shoegaze. I’m not even expecting them to sound like the sixties psych-influenced band they were in the second half of their initial existence. I’ll need to play this one a couple more times to get a proper feel. I certainly heard tracks and moments that I liked, but also moments that I didn’t.

One can’t expect a group to keep playing the same thing repeatedly and releasing similar-sounding records over and over again. Although some do. I respect and enjoy when artists don’t play for the crowds and follow their own path and make whatever the hell sounding records they want. In Ride’s case, there are more current Shoegaze bands who sound more like classic Ride than they do themselves, and so I can see why they don’t feel a need to revisit their past.

However, I enjoyed the album they released in 2024 called Interplay. This one was recorded during the pandemic lockdown and with a different producer. I think that the mood of the world was obviously in a very different place back then, and the songs came out informed by that state of mind we were in during that unique moment in recent history. Now, with the world in a new kind of turmoil, those songs still seem to capture moods we are currently feeling. At least, I think so. The funny thing about this record is that the group has dialed back some of the “modern” production styles of the previous two, but has still made an album that sounds more like 80s New Order than 90s Ride. Perhaps not on every song, but there were a couple where I found myself thinking about the Manchester band. Admittedly, I have been playing some New Order recently. We’ve had some of their records come through the store of late, so perhaps that’s why I readily heard the similarities. In my book, sounding like New Order isn’t a bad thing, but many have tried and haven’t been able to pull it off. Not that I think Ride was trying to.

On other songs, the band sounds more like Ride of old, and I particularly liked the song Last Night I Went Somewhere To Dream and the song that ends the album, Yesterday Is Just A Song. Those are the two that I connected with and made me glad I bought the record. The album opener, titled Peace Sign, might not have the best title and might be a bit predictable lyrics-wise, but is still a nice pop song. Possibly a little stylized for my taste, but I’ll make exceptions for artists I like. Several of my favorite bands from the 80s and 90s like Jesus And Mary Chain, Cast, and Kula Shaker to name three, have put out records in the last few years, and for the most part they have all been good and offered up some interesting and enjoyable new music. I’d say that is the case for Ride. Not reinventing the wheel, not jumping on new bandwagons, not resting on their previous laurels, but just getting on with being a band and making music that makes sense to them. In that regard, you must applaud them.

So, if you are familiar with the band and haven’t heard these newer records, I would encourage you to check them out. I don’t think you need to be a fan to enjoy them necessarily, if you have an ear for more modern pop-sounding music. I think you might be disappointed, though, if you were expecting to hear the sonic palette of Nowhere or Going Blank Again, their first two albums. There are traces of those classics for sure, but those days are several decades in the past for Ride. I was there for the first time around, and it’s been fun reconnecting with them again in 2026. If not a bit late.

Okay, that’s all from me this week. Not all that I am listening to by a long chalk. I just got my copy of the new Station Model Violence for instance. Did you get yours yet? This is going to see some turntable action chez-moi for sure. In between the disco 12” s, Latin, Jazz, Reggae, Soul, Funk, Psych, Punk and Hip-Hop records that are always fighting for needle time. Music, it’s the best, right? Cheers and see you next time - Dom

What’s up Sorry Staters?

Firstly, I wanna mention an upcoming gig in Raleigh on April 8th. Indikator B from Croatia will be coming through town. I met the band and got to see them play when Public Acid was on tour in Europe last summer. They totally rip! Check out what I wrote about their 7” on Doomtown Records if you’re so inclined. They’ll be on tour with a band called Totalna Tama from the Bay Area, whose singer moved here from Croatia and sings in the language! Super cool. Locals Plastique Pigs and Sunyata are also playing. Don’t miss it!

So, let’s dive right in, shall we? I didn’t know what to write about this week, but just yesterday, I had a blast listening to the new episode of 185 Miles South. I must say, it feels like Sorry State has developed quite a kinship with this podcast. I’m sure Daniel and I have mentioned them several times here in the newsletter. They often shout out Sorry State on the podcast as well, which is rad. Daniel has even appeared as a guest on 185 Miles South to participate in their European hardcore bracket.

Doing these bracket/tournament style episodes that try to weed out the best of the best is a daunting task, I’d imagine. Between 185 and that Hardlore podcast doing these bracket episodes, I always know what I’m getting myself into when I listen to these things. Sure, I’ve got my gripes with decisions that are made, but everyone’s got their own perspective, right? And if you’ve got deep love in your heart for all things punk and hardcore, and the records discussed are important to you, you’re gonna get fired up about ‘em. I have nerdy debates with my friends about this kinda stuff all the time, so these tournament podcasts are admittedly super fun to listen to.

I’m just gonna do a full-on spitballing reaction here, which is just meant to be fun and conversational, so bear with me:

On this most recent episode of 185 Miles South, Zack and the gang debated the best first-wave US hardcore 7”, the criteria being it must have been released between 1981 and 1983. When I listened to the European hardcore bracket, there were certain records that lost out in matchups, and maybe I didn’t agree with the ranking. And I don’t know what it is, but for some reason, listening to this US hardcore 7” episode made me react more uh… viscerally, I suppose. Maybe it’s because I learned more about international punk later on in my young adulthood, and these early 80s American records were so foundational for me. Like where I really cut my teeth getting into punk as a teenager. And then also, because hunting down these USHC records has been my biggest nerdy record-collecting endeavor.

First of all, I think off the rip Zack even announced that records like the first Minor Threat 7”, Negative Approach, and Poison Idea’s Pick Your King were basically unanimously agreed upon as no-brainers. I was like, alright sick, we’re all good there. Which it’s a cool feeling to strap in for something like this and know that you as a listener, along with all the people participating by speaking on the podcast, are already in agreement. It’s like a “Dude DUH” moment. Super funny. But that’s the whole point, right? Still, these battles are tough. With the 185 podcast pairing these opponents fair ‘n’ square with the alphabet, you never know what the outcome might be. For example, the Deep Wound 7” is an all-time ripper for me, but you gotta hand it to Minor Threat. Maybe some people would say the opposite, but that feels like you’re just being contrarian. I bet J Mascis and Lou Barlow would even vote for Minor Threat. But hey, maybe not.

And as I speak about contrarian opinions… When it got to the second matchup between the Abused and White Cross, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that the Abused won. But I would have gone the other way, even if the Abused record is considered undeniable amongst my hardcore peers. I probably just have a soft spot for the White Cross 7”. Me being from the South and that record being the only one in 185’s bracket from that region, it feels like a big part of my world. It felt like a gem when I discovered that record many years ago. 80s hardcore always had a tribal thing about it, and I really dig that aspect. Like in the part in the American Hardcore documentary where that one dude talks about bands being like a pinpoint on a road map. It was nice to hear Zack give White Cross some love. And like I said, I get it. I think The Abused record is great, don’t get me wrong. But it just never appealed to me in the same way. The song “Drug Free Youth” kinda makes me roll my eyes. But whatever. And it’s like the stuff of legend, right? In the collector world, the Abused and Antidote 7”s are like holy grails. Over a G now? Maybe pushing $2,000 these days, I dunno. I’ll never have either of those, I don’t think haha.

I love Battalion of Saints, “Second Coming” being one of their best songs, but I would have given it to Rebel Truth. To me, the BOS EP is like a single. The 2 songs on the B-side are great too, but don’t stand out as much as the title track. The Rebel Truth EP as a standalone record feels stronger to me. I also understand Antidote beating out the State, I suppose. And again, Zack gave the State some love. I just think the State 7” is killer—and because it’s been in print for so many years, I am surprised people don’t talk about it more. Maybe people write it off because you can find the repress for $3 or whatever. But speaking of Havoc, I would have loved to see the Final Conflict 7” in the bracket rather than The State. That Final Conflict 7” is just so gnarly and pissed sounding, and right up my alley taste-wise. Maybe to me the superior Midwest hardcore EP in my opinion. No Mecht Mensch either. But you can’t include everything, right? Like you could have had more Pacific Northwest records represented in the tournament, like The Fartz EP, which was super early ripping hardcore for 1981, or even the Rejectors… but I digress.

It might just be in general that the NY hardcore stuff doesn’t appeal to me as much, and there’s a lot of it appearing on this bracket. And to some people, that’s the best of the best. I do like at least a good chunk of those early 80s NY records. Maybe because they’re a bit more punk sounding to my ears? Like, Urban Waste in particular, I just think is so killer. That said, as much as I love Victim In Pain, between the 2 “united’s” in question, the United Mutation 7” would have beat out United Blood. Easily. Some people will probably think that’s crazy.

But damn man, while we’re still on New York, one moment in the podcast that just hurt my heart was the way the Cause For Alarm 7” was discussed. Don’t get me wrong, Pick Your King should probably win the whole tournament, let alone that matchup. But I was just surprised how everybody talked about it. Describing this record as “baseline” NY hardcore? Seriously? To me, Cause for Alarm is like one of the best records FROM New York! Haha. I think that it’s easily better than a lot of other NY stuff people mention. Like the Mob for example. BOOM. (That record beating the Clitboys is insane, by the way.) Again, maybe it’s because Cause For Alarm is more on the punk side and less “hard” or whatever. But saying the songs don’t stand out? Dude, “United Races?” “I don’t wanna be labeled a punk or a skin!” The way the slow breakdown section kicks in on that song with the punches and stops and starts? Classic. Dude, and with everyone speaking about the drumming on Pick Your King (which agreed, it’s killer), BUT the drumming on Cause For Alarm is so groovy and has all those double kicks obviously done with one foot, getting into intensely raging and urgent territory unmatched by most bands of the era. Incredible. Just sayin’. I dunno man, I expected more love for that record even if it didn’t make it past the first round.

It’s funny to weigh in about Die Kreuzen, considering they won the round. But to say that “Think For Me” is one of the worst songs of the tournament? Come on, dude. I love that song. I appreciated John pushing back a little bit on that. Also, the Die Kreuzen LP is a masterpiece. And then also, even though the Youth Brigade EP isn’t as boneheadedly direct and ripping all the way through like SOA, I think it’s a powerful record top to bottom.

Then finally, speaking of Dischord releases. Don’t get me wrong, I fucking love Ill Repute. And obviously, I know the podcast does as well. I mean, it is the fuckin’ theme song, after all. But it beating out GI? Wiiiiild decision. Haha. Must be a West Coast thing. And honestly, it was kinda cool to hear the guys say they prefer Boycott Stabb. I might agree. Love the guitar playing and sound of that 12”. But I feel like in general, that might be the rare opinion. At least for most of my friends, they ride for Legless Bull all day long (no pun intended?). But it makes sense that 185 would cram some Nardcore into the discussion. I would’ve gone with RKL, personally, but I guess they don’t make the cut with the 7” coming out in 1984.

It was a great episode and super fun listen. Even if it made me audibly yell “WHAT” while I was listening. Haha. But getting heated is part of the fun, right? I’m hoping all the guys on 185 Miles South get a kick out of reading this. And trust me when I say this out of total respect, even if it is me vocalizing some opposition. Real quick, I just wanna mention that I’d never really checked out what a Substack is before. But man, I really encourage you readers to check out the one for this episode of 185. You can tell Zack really put in a lot of effort to show the records, flyers and ephemera, links to listen to the music, clippings of reviews from Maximum Rock’n’Roll… it was really cool to look at and helped contextualize the episode. Kinda pained me to click the “nah, I’m more into metalcore” link button to read it online. I guess I’ll have to subscribe to save myself the embarrassment next time.

I could write so much more, but I’ll cut myself off there. And if you’ve made it this far, I applaud you. As always, thanks for reading. And if you’re missing some of these records I discussed above, or have neglected ever giving them a listen, you’ve got no excuse. As Zack would say: Go handle business.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

I’ve been fighting the depression demon lately, so I’ve been struggling with that feeling of looking at my “new arrivals / recently listened” stack and feeling unexcited, like there’s no music I really want to hear. One nice thing about having a few thousand records, though, is that when this feeling strikes, I can usually dig through the stacks and find something I haven’t revisited in so long that it has become new to me again. That’s what happened this week as I flipped through my M’s and landed on this album from Croatia’s Majke (translation: Mothers). This album originally came out in 1988 on cassette only on the label Slušaj Najglasnije!, but my copy is the first-ever vinyl version, which came out in 2022 on the Šareni Dućan label.

While I couldn’t remember what Majke sounded like when I pulled this off the shelf, I remember exactly where and when I bought this record. In fact, I already wrote about that night in a previous staff pick back in 2022. Scarecrow had just played a gig at the MKNŽ club in Ilirska Bistrica, Slovenia, and my then-new friend Simon had a distro set up that was heavy on punk reissues from his part of the world. Some of it I recognized, but most of it I didn’t, so I basically said, “here’s how much money I have… tell me what to buy.”

This self-titled record from Croatia’s Majke was one of his recommendations, though in retrospect I’m surprised I picked it up because it has two pretty big strikes against it: it’s often described as garage-punk (a type of music I don’t hate, but also don’t really seek out) and it’s from 1988, which is a bit close to the 90s for my taste. I’m glad I took the recommendation, though, because this rips! While the group often gets the “garage” tag online, to me this album has more of a ’77 punk sound, both in the songwriting and the production. Specifically, Majke reminds me of the more rock and roll-influenced, pub rock-leaning bands of the ’77 set like the Lurkers or Eddie & the Hot Rods. When they get particularly high-energy and inject a little Buzzcocks-esque melody into their Chuck Berry-via-the-MC5 riffing, they can even sound like a rawer, nastier version of the Saints, which is not a comparison I drop lightly.

And don’t even worry about that 1988 recording date, because this has absolutely none of the sheen I associate with the 90s. It sounds like my favorite 70s recordings… raw and live, with minimal studio interference, but enough fidelity to appreciate what each musician in the group brings to the table. If you played me this with no context, I’d guess it was from the late 70s, which is clearly where this music lives spiritually.

While this record is an isolated blip to me, its only association with a beautiful Slovenian evening (actually, I recall having a lot of fun the next morning, too…), a little research reveals Majke has a long and storied career that continues to this day. While founding guitarist Marin Pokrovac was killed in a car accident returning home from rehearsal in 1989, the band soldiered on and in 1990 released Razum I Bezumlje, which seems to have been their most successful album artistically, if not commercially. I checked out a little of it online (it’s on streaming services and YouTube) and it’s definitely in a similar style to the debut, but with clearer, heavier production. I got some Laughing Hyenas vibes from parts of it. On the wantlist it goes! Sadly, the Balkan wars of the 1990s flared up shortly after _Razum I Bezumlje_’s release, which scattered Majke’s members across the newly established borders. Vocalist Goran Bare has kept a revolving-door lineup going since the early 90s, but the cover art and the number of wants these records show on Discogs do not indicate they are worth checking out. If anyone knows differently, please let me know.

And since I don’t have a proper ending for this, I’ll just say fuck war, fuck imperialism, fuck capitalism, and fuck the US government.

Hello Sorry State newsletter readers! Another week, another pick. I hope everyone is having a great week, and I’m so happy you made it down to my part of this small but mighty little publication that we put out weekly. My listening habits have been all over the place. I have been checking out a lot of new to me bands. Has anyone checked out that KEXP video of Angine De Poitrine? Wild and really amazing stuff. Check it out if you have a moment.

My pick for this week is the new album from Angel Du$t. I admit I was never into anything before this album. They just did not click with me, but this album is fantastic. Justice Tripp, the founding member of the band and ex-member of the great Trapped Under Ice, seems to be the only consistent thing going for this band. The sound has changed from album to album. The newest album Cold 2 The Touch is just a great hardcore record, well as far as “new” hardcore goes. I would put them up against Turnstile any day. I think they do it better and are more forward-thinking in their songwriting. They combine the best of hardcore with lots of alternative parts that could be plucked from the 90s. Just like Turnstile, this band just has that touch that no one is really doing. Which I think a lot of this newer generation is grasping onto. They want hardcore, but they want it different. Not sure if that makes sense to anyone but me, but yeah. This record rules. It’s fun and different, and it’s one of those records that folks will love in 10 or 20 years from now.

As always, we are listing records and CDs as fast as we can because everyone is buying them up so quickly. Lots of great stuff is added daily!

What’s up Sorry State readers? I hope everyone is enjoying their final week of February. I can’t believe we’re already here. Anyway, I just have a quick highlight for this week. I’d seen copies of Pylon’s Chomp come through the store, and the cover always caught my eye for some reason. I don’t know if it’s the dinosaur, the colors, or the rigid top that looks like a dinosaur literally chomped the top off, but it always stuck out to me. For some reason, though, I never just threw it on to listen. A couple of weeks ago someone must’ve traded in a newer reissue and we had it pretty cheap, so I checked it out and I really dug it. I’m always a sucker for some good female vocals, and the album has an infectious groove throughout. Just a nice refresher, cause sometimes I get stuck listening to the same artists/types of music over and over again, so this was a good switch-up. My favorite tracks on here are probably Yo-Yo, Italian Movie Theme, and Gyrate. Also, they give a shout-out to a random Winston-Salem restaurant on the back cover, which is kinda cool. I’m sure most of you have listened to this album before, but if you haven’t, check it out!

Hey there Sorry Staters! Thanks for giving the newsletter a read. Is everyone tuning in to see what photo wizardry Jeff will be up to next? Wait until he masters AI. Seriously though, I hope you enjoy reading his entries here in the newsletter as much as we all do. He articulated well the buzz many of us here have been getting from those two Eppu Normaali records and from the Modem album he talked about the week before. A lot of love for our Finnish friends, but we would be remiss not to mention how much we loved Fatamorgana from Spain too. Their record Ahora Aquí Todavía No that came out a few years ago was a Sorry State favorite. They are currently doing well with their full band Belgrado and just released a new album. Perhaps you already picked it up, but if not, go check it out.

Looks like you guys picked up copies of the Institute 7”, however. We sold out of the blue quickly and are getting through the black vinyl as I type. I stupidly missed out on snagging a blue copy, but have been jamming the black. Turns out the songs sound the same. I really like the B-side tune, Why Are These Men Still Alive? Good question. Nice job, fellows.

For my “pick” this week I wanted to share something for the reggae and dub heads who might be reading. I imagine there are a few of you. This is one that was released in 2024 that I discovered last year. Linval Thompson / Roberto Sanchez ‎– Linval Thompson Meets Roberto Sánchez At The Ark - Marijuana Sessions In Dub.

Basically, the story here is that legendary Jamaican reggae artist Linval Thompson linked up with contemporary Spanish producer and musician Roberto Sanchez, who runs his Ark studios in Spain. Thompson provided original four-track stems taken from the Channel One recordings from back in the day to Sanchez, who could then mix them and create new but authentic-sounding dubs. This album features dubs of songs from Thompson’s classic album I Love Marijuana and a few others from the same period. They sound great.

The liner notes get into all the technical details around the recordings and provide some great insight into how some of the classic reggae records from the late 1970s and early 1980s were recorded at Channel One studios and then sent to King Tubby’s for mixing. I won’t get too deep into the weeds with that here, but it should interest fans and those into recording engineering. Thompson has been good about keeping his music safe throughout the years, but unfortunately even carefully stored tapes can eventually erode, and unless saved through a baking process, the music contained can be lost forever. Through his partnership with Sanchez, a lot of his music has been saved for future generations to enjoy. The two met back in 2009 when Sanchez’s band, Lone Ark Riddim Force, backed Thompson on show dates in France, Portugal and Spain. The tour went well, and the artists got along. However, Sanchez had to tell Thompson that the band did not get paid by the promoter. He also took the opportunity to tell him about his studio in Spain and to show him some of the work he had done there. Realizing that the studio had the right vibe, setup and people, Thompson felt secure and confident to work with Sanchez, and after a couple of years began sending him files with original material recorded back in the golden days at Channel One. It’s this relationship that led to the creation of this album of dubs for the I Love Marijuana tunes and others. Staying faithful to the old methods, using analog delays, spring reverbs and the classic Altec low-pass filter, Sanchez has produced an authentic and crucial dub set that should please hard-core dub heads and newcomers alike, whether you love marijuana or not. It does give you a deep meditation.

Okay, cheers and spark it, if you got it. See you next time.

-Dom

What’s up Sorry Staters?

I’ve been stewing on writing this staff pick for a couple months now. Might be a dramatic gear shift from the last few things I’ve written for the newsletter. But here we go:

Perhaps it’s cliché around the beginning of the year, but I’ve been actively trying to cut back on drinking, and also trying to exercise more regularly. Of course I wanna be healthier and get in shape; don’t we all? And not to make excuses to refute any accusations, but I think my making these decisions grew less out of a silly “new year, new me” resolution. These actions come more from that I’ve been going through a difficult time and decided I need to start making healthy brain decisions.

I think my strategy has worked so far, at least to some degree. It feels good to channel mental and physical energy into something positive. That said, on any given day, I just don’t know how I’m gonna feel when I wake up. I have some days where I rise from my slumber super early (well 9am, that’s early for me anyhow ha), feeling energetic and motivated, and I think to myself, “I’m gonna hit the gym and get in a workout before going to work!” Then other days, my mind slowly drifts and declines into: “Ah, fuck it, I’m gonna go get a beer.” Don’t we all struggle with this? No, just me? That’s okay. It’s tough, man.

When I do have the energy to go to the gym—feeling all positive, as we’ve discussed—I often wonder, “What shall I listen to?” Lately, Uniform Choice’s debut LP Screaming For Change has been on regular rotation. Which I admit, is hilarious. Like I’m trying to lay off the booze and lift weights, and all of a sudden, I gravitate toward listening to straight edge hardcore. I’ve had my copy of Screaming For Change for a loooong, long time, but I rarely break it out to listen to it. But I guess positive choices = positive records.

Funny timing, because we’ve had a bunch of original Youth Crew and Revelation-style hardcore records come through Sorry State in used collections lately. We had that Straight Ahead 12” sitting on the wall, and of all people, both Usman and I were both kinda like, “Damn, I want that.” I even watched the episode of the HardLore podcast where they interview Craig Ahead from Straight Ahead (not to mention Sick of It All and Youth of Today). Pretty good watch, if you’re so inclined.

Now, did I own a copy of Start Today by Gorilla Biscuits when I was a teenager and think it was fucking awesome? Yes. Yes, I did. I even used to have a copy of the Unity 7” on blue vinyl, but I traded it many years ago. I do kinda wish that I still had that. Does the artwork depicting a cartoon skinhead with X’s on his hands punching away bricks of negativity do anything for me these days? Not really. But what can I say? We all grow. And I will say, at this point in my life, very little about Youth Crew hardcore or straight edge in general is appealing to me. The scene, the fashion, or the music. I identify with many other corners of punk and hardcore way more, obviously. But I think it’s important not to box oneself in. Because a few months ago, I put on Screaming For Change for the first time in many years, and it fucking RIPS. I only debated shaving my head again for like one second.

When the first track “Use Your Head” kicks in, goddamn it’s fucking killer. The riffs, the fast drumming… It just explodes. I even like that it’s kinda loose. Like on the song “Build and Break,” I’m not exactly sure I understand what the drummer is even doing rhythmically, but it’s just intense and exciting. Makes me feel all hyped up. “Positive youth!” Nah, just kidding. You won’t find me jumping and punching the sky or anything. But the record really is great. It feels fresh to me again. I will admit, every now and then while I’m listening to the LP, I’ll catch the singer singing certain lyrics and think, “Woof, that is SO corny.” I mean the record ends with a fuckin’ spoken word poem… I usually lift the needle before that last track. But it comes with the territory, right? My man Pat Dubar is writing some earnest ass lyrics.

One sort of eyeroll criticism I always hear about Uniform Choice is that they were musically derivative of Minor Threat. To which I often respond: Uuuh, what the fuck is wrong with that?? I’m way more interested in a hardcore band taking cues from Minor Threat than a band trying to sound like fucking Pearl Jam or something. If more bands in the year 2026 were more directly influenced by Minor Threat, I’d be all for it.

Having said that, quick tangent: People are haters. I will acknowledge that in the history of hardcore punk, Minor Threat’s importance and legacy has been overexplained. Sure, it’s not too far removed from people who are way too deep into classic rock, and all they wanna talk about is Zeppelin II or Dark Side of The Moon all the time. Trust me, I get it. But when I hear people saying things like Minor Threat is too overplayed, or it’s “entry level” punk or whatever… No pun intended: I don’t wanna hear it. Fuck that. I’m here to say that is a trash opinion. Minor Threat rules. Just as good to me today as the first time I heard them when I was a teenager.

ANYWAY, I think that Uniform Choice coming out in that wave of mid-to-late-80s bands and sounding more like Minor Threat, it just gives me the same feeling of excitement as all that early 80s hardcore I love so much. I just find it more appealing. I’d rather hear a band that sounds like that over most of the late-80s Revelation stuff any day—like the chunky riffs, the big, slick production, or anything. Call me crazy if you want. This Uniform Choice LP is fucking killer. Fight me. Not sure I can defend the 2nd LP with the same intensity, but Screaming For Change is awesome in my book. I think we could all use a little more screaming for changes in our world at the moment. Gotta get buff for the resistance. Ya know what? I’m gonna wear my Minor Threat shirt today, fuckers!

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

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

The record I chose for this week is the three-way split LP / compilation from 1981 called Paket Aranžman, which is Croation for “package deal.” And a deal it is! You get multiple tracks each from three OG Yugoslavian punk / post-punk bands: Šarlo Akrobata (Charles the Acrobat), Idoli (Idols), and Električni Orgazam (Electric Orgasm). Paket Aranžman came out in 1981 on the Jugoton label, which has an interesting history. Beginning early in the 20th century as a company called Elektroton, in 1947 the Yugoslavian government nationalized the company, which changed its name to Jugoton and became the leading record label, record manufacturer, and chain of record stores in Yugoslavia. Throughout its 44-year history (Jugoton changed its name to Croatia Records after Yugoslavian’s dissolution in 1991), Jugoton produced many licensed releases for Yugoslavia, much as other state-run labels like Poland’s Tonpress and Russia’s AnTrop did for their respective markets. However, Jugoton’s primary mission was to promote Yugoslavian artists. As with the aforementioned labels, Jugoton’s catalog is huge and diverse, and while most of what the label released isn’t of much interest to me, a few radical bands made it onto the roster.

Before I get into what each band sounds like, I should mention that Paket Aranžman’s track listing doesn’t present each group’s songs as a solid block, but bounces between bands. Šarlo Akrobata and Idoli each have four tracks, while Električni Orgazam has three. With three bands and two sides you’re going to end up with an awkward split no matter what you do, and while each band has music on both sides of the record, side A is dominated by Šarlo Akrobata, who contribute three tracks, while side B features three Idoli tracks (including one that’s over eight minutes long, by far the longest song on the album). Električni Orgazam has the second track, but then they don’t pop up again until track 8. It’s kind of weird, but it works… the LP listens more like a cohesive album than a compilation. It helps that the bands aren’t too far apart from one another stylistically, but it’s clear the record’s producers put some thought into the sequencing.

Šarlo Akrobata has the first track on the record, so let’s talk about them first. “Ona Se Budi” is a strong start to the record, leading with a fat bass sound and a heavy, in-the-pocket groove. The song is kinda reggae—especially when the guitars come in with their stabbing upstrokes—but isn’t quite there. The bass-forwardness and the locked-in groove remind me of the Stranglers, though Šarlo Akrobata’s playing is even more accomplished… they’re really at Ruts-level musicianship here. I wonder if Paket Aranžman’s producers thought Šarlo Akrobata was the strongest band, since their songs both open and close the album? Regardless, all four of their tracks are very strong, with that heavy bass tone providing the common link as they explore Pop Group-esque art-punk on “Oko Moje Glave” and frantic ska on the closer “Niko Kao Ja” (which also has a great vocal hook in the chorus).

Električni Orgazam is the second band, and oddly enough they kind of sound like the Stranglers too, though with them it’s not so much the playing as the presence of (I think) a monophonic synth. The synth takes a prominent role on “Krokodili Dolaze,” and it’s easy to imagine that track on Black and White or The Raven. The synth isn’t as prominent on Električni Orgazam’s other two tracks, both of which have a ’77-ish rock-and-roll flavor. It’s anything but generic, though… “Vi” has a dark swagger that reminds me of early Joy Division, and the song may even have nicked its central groove from “Warsaw.”

Idoli is the third band on Paket Aranžman, and while they are the scrappiest musically, I’d be willing to bet their big vocal hooks make them many listeners’ favorite band on the compilation. “Schwüle Über Europa - Omorina Nad Evropom” has a strong folk feel with a simple vocal melody, while “Plastika” is the punkiest song on the record, a high-energy, sub-two-minute sprint with a harmonica (I think?) adding some extra flavor. Something about this track reminds me of poppy 70s Finnish punk, so if you’ve been enjoying the Eppu Normaali records we’ve been pushing, give this song a listen. “Amerika” is another standout, but it couldn’t be more different from “Plastika.” “Amerika” is built on this nervous, repetitive groove, and despite its name, the vocal melody sounds like it’s in an Arabic scale, giving the song a Middle Eastern feel. It makes me think of “Punk Islam” by CCCP (which you might recognize since a live video of the track recently made the rounds on Instagram). While its eight-minute runtime might try your patience, I think it works well to break up the mostly high-energy second side of the LP.

While all three bands contribute excellent tracks, Paket Aranžman’s thoughtful sequencing and consistent production make it sound great as an album-length listen. And unlike a lot of punk from this time and place, it’s easy to hear. It’s on all the streaming services (here are links for Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube), and it’s been reissued many times, with a vinyl pressing as recently as 2021. So if you’re interested, there’s no excuse for not checking this out. I’m also looking forward to digging into each band’s discography, since all three have several full-lengths. I’m particularly interested in hearing more from Šarlo Akrobata, but don’t be surprised if you see me write more about all three bands in the future.

What’s up sorry state readers!?! For this week’s staff pick, I have this absolute heater…. thank got the wait is finally over! Mecht Mensch’s Anthology 12”! Been looking forward to this since I heard the news about No Coast doing this. Mecht Mensch is easily a top 5 80s USHC band for me. You get everything you need from them on this killer slab! Go snag this and Final Conflict’s In the Family 7” reissue on Havoc so you can have a full-on Midwest slam party in your living room! Thanks for reading!!