Showing posts with label big neck. Show all posts
Showing posts with label big neck. Show all posts

Monday, June 9, 2025

Cyclo Sonic - Heathentown LP - Green Vinyl

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Big Neck (2025)

Bandcamp says this came out on December 30th or 2024.  I don't think that can really count as a 2024 release can it?  You truly only had two days to listen to it before 2025 came roaring in.  I think you have to count this as a 2025 release personally, so I will.  And with that little bit of housekeeping out of the way, let's talk about the second Cyclo Sonic album.

When I wrote about their prior record in 2022, I mentioned that I liked their guitar riffing, but wasn't the hugest fan of the vocals.  On their second album, I still mostly feel the same, but there are improvements on both fronts.

As far as the music goes, everything sounds tighter and crisper.  Not in an overproduced sort of way, but the fuzzy chords have a little bit more shine to them now.  They just sound brighter and in turn, better.  From a vocal standpoint, there are still those moments where we tread closer to the glam side of things, with the track "Prethentown" perhaps being the biggest example on the album.  But most songs are upbeat, the good kind of aggressive with some catchy hooks thrown in for good measure.  I think this is an improvement on their debut.  

Cyclo Sonic - Heathentown:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/heathentown

Friday, September 20, 2024

Teen Cobra - Buzzkill LP - Yellow Vinyl

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Big Neck (2024)

There's lo fi and then there's no fi.  Teen Cobra fall in the latter category and that just makes this album even more fun.  Buzzkill is an LP full of loud, fuzzy garage stompers.  As far as production goes, the album is certainly rough and ready.  The vocals are fuzzed out and constantly in the red, the guitar is also ultra-distorted, but still manages to maintain an element of jangle to it and those components are fueled by a primitive, primal drum beat.  It's a lot of noise out of two people.

I think the thing that I like the most about this album is how it feels like a sister record to something that Doo Rag or The Black-Eyed Snakes would have released decades ago.  A lot of that is the percussion and the way the deceptively simple sounding drums add an energy and propulsion to every song.

It also helps that the vocals aren’t the standard garage snarl posturing.  I mean, there's a little of that, but you've never heard an album trying to cram in so many vocal harmonies while keeping the vocals so intentionally blown out.  It's really unique and makes Teen Cobra stand out from the pack.  I dig this.

Teen Cobra - Buzzkill:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/buzzkill

Monday, September 9, 2024

Trenchkoat - Apocalypse Hits LP

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Big Neck / No Front Teeth (2024)

If we're going to venture into judging a book by its cover land, I had an inkling while looking at this album by Tenchkoat that it might not be up my alley.  But with the minimalist design and the straight lines, I figured, who knows - maybe there's a chance it's gloomy but not super evil.  I was wrong, Apocalypse Hits is, in fact, super evil.

I feel bad when I write about records like this, because I'm never quite sure what to say about a band that sits so far outside of the scope of what I tend to listen to.  I can say that from a music standpoint, the band is certainly tight, it's not a sloppy hardcore crew.  The guitar work has some interesting riff and lead work and the drummer is absolutely pounding the hell out of the kit.  If you are looking for aggressive, dark music, this could be for you.

That said, I absolutely cannot understand the appeal of vocals like this.  They are so shredding, and cartoonishly dark.  It sounds like an orc from Lord of the Rings in the midst of some sort of incantation.  Lots of yelling, lots of reverb.  It just sounds kind of insane to my ears, but I'll say again - I am definitely not the target demographic for this sort of thing.  

I dig a lot of what Big Neck sends my way.  Even the stuff that's not always in my wheelhouse is usually interesting or at least a top notch example of the band's given genre.  This is one of those rare bands that just completely puzzles me.  I'm sure it makes sense to someone, but it's not for me.

Trenchkoat - Apocalypse Hits:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/apocalypse-hits

Monday, July 22, 2024

The Stools - Live At Outer Limits 12-28-19 LP - White Vinyl

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Big Neck (2024)

I'm never going to be a big fan of live albums.  Even the live albums that I like aren't records that I play very frequently.  For me, it's always just been one of those things where the experience of being at the show will always dwarf anything that gets recorded.  Despite not being at this Stools show, or being super familiar with them in general, I have to think the folks who were at that show had a significantly different experience than the one that I have listening to the record.

Starting off with the positives, I really like the music and in particular the guitar playing that The Stools are bringing to the table (yes, that's sort of a joke about stools and tables, all apologies).  There's a lot of blues riffs played at warp speed that makes me thing of that first Black-Eyed Snakes album, but with less of a Doo Rag feeling.  The pounding rhythm section just further highlights this riff-a-polooza and I imagine watching it live was pretty incredible.

Where this album dips down for me a bit is the vocals.  They're a little screamier than I usually like, but I think the main issue is this is where the fidelity of the live recording breaks down.  It's all very muffled, particularly compared to the instruments and more than anything, it makes me feel like this is the recording of someone with a tape player in their pocket.  I imagine that's not the case, but for me it's tough to get into the record when the vocals are so muted.

The Stools - Live At Outer Limits 12-28-19:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-outer-limits

Friday, May 31, 2024

Spells - Past Our Prime LP - White Vinyl (/300)

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Snappy Little Numbers / Big Neck / Rad Girlfriend / Keep It A Secret / Shield (2024)

Spells are back with their third LP, not counting their two excellent singles comps.  Past Our Prime has been a long time coming, and while I realize bands are not on the yearly album cycles of yesteryear, four years sure feels like a long time since their last full length.  I always wonder if the band is going to undergo any sort of major change or if they we still keep cranking out the tunes that I like.  In the case of Past Our Prime, it's kind of a bit of both.

One of the key selling points of Spells for me is just how so many songs sounded like a party.  Huge energy, catchy riffs and singalong choruses.  While I would never say that this album is lacking in energy, riffs or singalongs, the vibe in general feels more serious to me.  The songs feel a little slower and at times lean into a darker territory, with churning bass and pounding drums.

What this album also has is a huge old pile of gang vocals.  Do you like gang vocals?  My friend, do I have an album for you.  Essentially every song has a thunderous chorus with what feels like the entire world singing along.  Even outside of the choruses, there's a ton of dueling vocals and combo vocals between Stevie and Dusk.  That's not really a surprise when a band has two dedicated vocalists, but it really stands out on this album.

So what does this all mean at the end of the day?  Past Our Prime does feel different than past Spells albums to me.  I don't get the same sort of Rocket From The Crypt leanings or upbeat-ness (unsure that's a word, but let's go with it).  But what I do hear is a band that is coalescing into something bigger than their back catalog.  Every member moves in lockstep with each other, you can hear just how ridiculously tight and on point everything is.  The album is massive sounding and everything has a feeling of being more important than it used to be.  It's an extremely well done and great sounding album.  As I've said, I always felt like Spells was a party band.  They still are, but there's a chance you might get punched in the face at this party.

Spells - Past Our Prime:
https://snappylittlenumbers.bandcamp.com/album/past-our-prime

Monday, April 29, 2024

Moron's Morons - Go Pop! 7" - Orange Vinyl (/300)

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Big Neck (2023)

There's something about the bold colors and the vaguely 60s retro aesthetic that made me pretty sure I was going to like this 7".  There's a lot that can be said about book/cover judgments, and a lot of those judgments can be wrong, but I think there's often a success rate that isn't discussed that much.  Can I tell that a record is good by looking at it?  No, but I can usually make an educated guess that's probably right more often than it's wrong.  And if it's wrong, I tend to find it's because the record is better than the cover suggests, not the other way around.

I'll say right of the bat that Poland's Moron's Morons do not have my favorite vocals in the world.  There's a bit of blown out moicrophone fuzz on them and they definitely lean towards a gararge-y snarl.  But they work in the context of the songs and the songs are quite good.  

I would never say these are straight up pop songs, but there's enough pop sensibilities to their stripped down rock and roll sound that they do hold my attention.  Maybe the hooks aren't the biggest, but there is an inherent catchiness to the guitar riffing that goes a long way with me.  If you like the poppier moments of the 90s Estrus catalog, there's probably a pretty good chance you'll be able to get down with Morno's Morons as well.

Moron's Morons - Go Pop! 7":
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/go-pop

Friday, April 12, 2024

The Shirks - Talk to Action: Singles and Unreleased 2008​-​2013 LP - Blue Vinyl

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Big Neck (2023)

This is one that lingered in the pile to write about longer than I would have liked it to, but until I'm able to sell this website to a conglomerate and cash out, I'm going to fall behind sometimes while trying to balance other things.  The Shirks didn't deserve to linger for so long as this is pretty fun record full of fast paced punk rock.

These songs could have easily broken the wrong way for me.  There's a fine line between playing fast and energetic and playing dumb, meathead punk.  Luckily The Shirks are on the right side of that line for me.  They remind me a lot of some of the poppier bands that Ptrash Records used to release.  

There's definitely a snotty, sneer to these songs, but they're catchy in a way that's probably in a somewhat similar wheelhouse to The Marked Men.  There aren't any choruses or hooks quite as obvious as the boys from Denton, but there's a similar vibe that I'm latching on to.

The Shirks - Talk to Action: Singles and Unreleased 2008​-​2013:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/the-shirks-talk-to-action-singles-and-unreleased-2008-2013

Monday, March 18, 2024

The Hamiltones - In Space LP (& Moon People 7")

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Big Neck / Swimming Faith (2024)

I have been lucky enough to have been listening to The Hamiltones since their first tape release on More Power Tapes back in 2015.  Since then, they've graced my turntable with some new tunes every few years and 2024 is the year for their new full length, In Space.

In Space is another twist on The Hamiltones brand of sci fi surf music.  You can certainly draw a pretty straight line from Man or Astro-man to these guys and the soundscapes created by The Hamiltones evoke the same sort of drive-in movie vibes.  In Space is a film soundtrack to a film that doesn't exist, but listening to this, I kind of wish it did.  You can really feel the authenticity of those 50s and 60s sounds, but always pepped up and never sounding dated.  Along with Swami John Reis & The Blind Shakes, the Hamiltones records have been the surf tunes that I tend to play the most often.

Included with this LP is a bonus 7" by the Moon People.  It comes in a sealed envelope and is shrouded in mystery.  Who could have created these tunes.  My guess would be some entities that have a similar musical experience as The Hamiltones, but access to lots of synth-y gear.  I can't say for sure there's no guitar on the 7", but the vibe of the 7" fits in well with the soundtrack theme of the overall LP.  The Packaging and stories for a Hamiltones album has been top notch in the past and In Space is no exception.  A great band that I always get excited to hear more from.

The Hamiltones - In Space:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/in-space

Monday, March 4, 2024

Nightfreak - Nightfreak LP - Green Vinyl

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Big Neck (2024)

Woof, this is an intense record.  Admittedly, Big Neck Records releases can be hit or miss for me.  There are some that I love, and others that are just not in my wheelhouse.  Those not in said wheelhouse tend to be records with this sort of vibe.  Loud, fast and aggressive with raw-throat vocals.

There's definitely a little bit of a metal vibe that shows itself in the guitar riffs, but predominantly I would say this reminds me of 80s hardcore, but with showier guitar work.  There's a whole lot of shouting going on and I can't help but think the singer probably meeds some Robitussin after shows and recording to get things back to normal again.  There's no denying the bands conviction to these songs, but at times that conviction sounds kind of painful.

Judging the record for what it is, the band is very good at this sound (even if it's not a sound I gravitate towards).  They are tight as hell, obviously stellar musicians and the recording quality really helps the songs stand out from other bands venturing down this path.  If you are into more hardcore leaning albums, this is one to check out.  But for me, it's just a bit much.

Nightfreak - Nightfreak:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/nightfreak

Monday, July 31, 2023

Pharma - See? 7"

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Big Neck (2023)

I feel like the 7" is a dying art form.  The cost of getting one pressed these days is so high and the resulting price that you need to sell it for to not lose money seems a bit crazy to me.  I'm not saying that labels are over charging for them in general (though some probably are for sure), but it's just how much they cost now.  As someone that's been buying 7"s since my dad let me buy the "Walk Like An Egyptian" one at Sam Goody as a kid, it's kind of crazy to see $15 7"s becoming the norm.

Now, Big Neck isn't charging $15 for theirs, so kudos to them for that.  And kudos to them for releasing a 7" at all.  So many bands and labels have given up on them completely.  In some ways, Pharma is the perfect band for a 7".  It's five songs long and all but one are under two minutes long.  A throwback to punk rock 7"s of yore.

That said, there were a lot of punk rock 7"s back in the days of yore that I didn't buy because they were kind of like this.  There's lots of yelling over distorted guitar, at times frantically placed and kind of sludgy at others.  It's just not the kind of punk that ever really connected with me, though I have to give the band credit for their ability to make the vocals sound truly otherworldly and insane.  There's a chaotic energy captured that really is above and beyond a lot of bands playing this sort of thing.  Unfortunately, this sort of thing isn't really my speed.

Pharma - See?:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/pharma-see

Monday, July 24, 2023

Chinese Junk - Fly Spray LP - Clear Vinyl

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Big Neck (2023)

I wanted Chinese Junk to sound like Chinese Telephones, but that's an unfair expectation to put on a band only based on their name.  Funny enough, they do have some sonic similarities, but the tunefulness of the songs is a separating point between the two bands.

Chinese Junk are playing fast, Ramones-style, downstroke heavy punk rock.  Musically, it's catchy in a similar way to Johnny & co., but it's very much a rougher, lower fidelity version.  All but one of the albums fourteen tracks clock in at under two minutes and that one outlier only breaks the two minute mark by four seconds.  It's maybe a bit trashier than is my usual cup of tea, but there are endearing qualities about a band that just sets up and blasts through a dozen of so songs at warp speed.

The vocals are where things are a little dicier for me, and it's the same observation that I've made a thousand times.  The recording quality of the vocals is just a bit too rough and distorted for me.  Now, I don't like over-produced, slick vocals, but I don't prefer them to be blown out to this extent.  The Marked Men are about as distorted as I can take before they've gone overboard, Chinese Junk is a bit past that.  That said, I really think the record is pretty strong for this style of band.  If the vocals were reigned in a bit more, I could probably get behind it.

Chinese Junk - Fly Spray:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/chinese-junk-fly-spray

Friday, July 7, 2023

Spells - Loose Change, Vol. 2 - Red w/ Black Smoke Vinyl (/300)

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Snappy Little Numbers / Motorcycle Potluck Records / Big Neck Records / Keep It A Secret Records / Shield Recordings (2023)

It's been about ten years since I first discovered Spells when I picked up one of their 7"s on a lark while buying an LP by Hooper.  In those intervening years, Spells have unleashed a torrent of releases.  A couple of full lengths, yeah - but their bread and butter, to me, feels like singles and one offs.  Loose Change, Vol.2 compiles eighteen songs that had previously been available on singles, splits, comps and some that were digital only.  That's a lot of songs, and I'd like to point out that this is the second volume of Loose Change.  Vol. 1 just came out in 2018.

For a band as prolific as Spells, there's sort of a little trepidation.  Is a band releasing this much material just recording every idea, noise and fart that they can think of?  Which is why it is always so surprising to me how high the quality of all of their songs are.  Everything on this LP is really great.  There a a few really short songs, but there are no throwaways on this edition of Loose Change.

I always compare Spells to having a similar vibe to Rocket From The Crypt.  That's not to say they sound alike, because they don't most of the time.  But, they are a band that exudes that same sort of infectious energy and every time the next song fires up, it's a party.  I'm always psyched when a new Spells record is released, and even though I've heard some of these songs before, having everything put on a single LP just makes my life so much easier.  It's a blast to be able to throw this LP on, sit back and join the Spells party.  And yes, I see that Zoinks! sticker on the cover.

Spells - Loose Change, Vol. 2:
https://snappylittlenumbers.bandcamp.com/album/loose-change-vol-2
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/spells-loose-change-vol-2
https://motorcyclepotluckrecords.bandcamp.com/album/loose-change-vol-2
https://keepitasecret.bandcamp.com/album/loose-change-vol-2
https://shieldrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/spells-loose-change-vol-2

Monday, June 26, 2023

Toeheads - A Cruel Winner's World LP

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Big Neck (2022)

Toeheads aren't a band I was familiar with prior to listening to this album, but it looks like they've had a bunch of singles and tapes and the like released over the past few years.  This is their first proper full length LP on Big Neck.

I can't say that I love this album, and it's really down to the vocals more than anything else.  They have that echo-y, howlin' from a cave thing that is kind of prevalent in some garage rocking bands.  I'm not saying I need smooth, clean vocals - Frankie Stubbs is one of my all time favorite singers, after all - but sometimes when vocals are this blown out, I feel like it takes away from the overall package.

Musically, I think this record is pretty fun.  The guitars are loud and cutting, the rhythm section has a stomping propulsion and the energy level is right where it needs to be. You can tell this is a band that is into what they are doing as it really shines through.  But for my personal taste, the vocals are just a little too rough around the edges and it takes me out of the album a bit.  

Toeheads - A Cruel Winner's World:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/a-cruel-winners-world

Friday, June 2, 2023

Steve Adamyk Band - Live Cassette

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Big Neck (2023)

While I acknowledge that it has been four years since 2019's Paradise, this stretch of time since the last Steve Adamyk Band album came out feels like an eternity.  Granted, there are some real world events that probably adds to that feeling, but I'l not used to waiting quite so long to hear something new from Steve & co.

For now, I'll settle for this live tape that Big Neck has released.  Now, I'm on record as to not really loving tape only releases, but if you're going to do it, a live album really feels like the way to go.  In a lot of ways it brings me back to my days in the mid 90s trading live bootleg tapes on the internet (so help you if you don't use Maxell XL II as your blank).

This was recorded in various spots, with the biggest chunks being five songs recorded in Philadelphia and another five from Brooklyn.  Then we have a few from Toronta, Japan and WFMU in New Jersey for good measure.  The songs are mostly focused from the band's first three albums and include some of my personal favorite heavy hitters like "Better Off," "Forever Won't Wait" and "Speed It Up."  The recording quality of each song is really solid and really captures the live energy the band has.  This is a really fun release, even though live albums are not usually my thing.  It's worth checking out.

Steve Adamyk Band - Live:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/steve-adamyk-band-live

Friday, May 26, 2023

208 - Nearby LP

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Big Neck (2023)

As soon as you put the needle on this record, you are immediately blown back by a massive wave of swirling, distorted guitar and screaming vocals.  Typically, if you are me, that's about the time where I am already checking out.  Loud screaming isn't usually my bag, but there's something about 208 that differentiates them from your typical howlers.

Immediately, I'm flashing back to the mid 90s when I was finding my way around the sort of punk and indie rock I wanted to listen to and I stumbled into buying a couple of godheadSilo albums.  That was a band pushing the extreme of decibel containment on a recorded medium, but I was nevertheless drawn to their energy and craziness.  208 has a similar vibe to them, just pushing everything into the red for the sake of it.

The other thing this record has going for it is a propulsive, stumping rhythm.  There's a bluesy undercurrent that reminds me a bit of the first Black-Eyed Snakes album, another band that was able to capture lightning in a bottle.  Combining these elements creates an album that at first brush seems way outside of my wheelhouse, but as you peel back the layers, they're using a lot of the same ingredients that have drawn me to others.

208 - Nearby:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/nearby

Monday, April 3, 2023

Werewolf Jones - Rot Away LP

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Big Neck (2022)

This Werewolf Jones record came in at the very tail end of 2022, but to me it feels like a 2023 release.  Anything coming out in December is a record my brain tends to push to the next year.  Regardless of the year, I'm not positive this is a band that would be the sort to make one of my personal end of the year lists.

I've reviewed other releases by Werewolf Jones, tapes mostly, but I am always amused by their name, which I think is a tremendous band name.  I haven't been as enamored with their music, but it's mostly because stylistically, they don't fit that well into the sort of thing that I typically am drawn to.  A lot of that is in the vocals, which are of the throat shredding variety.  I can't say they are particularly melodic, but I will say that they are better than most bands that pursue this sort of thing.  I can feel genuine passion and energy, it doesn't just sound like screaming for the sake of it.

The other thing that I can say is that for the most part, the music itself works, for this sort of thing anyway.  This is a band that is tight and when they play at a million miles an hour, it never feels like things are going to go off the rails.  The recording quality really shines through here as the bass in particular sounds really full and drives home the lightning fast guitar riffs.  Again, this isn't really my sort of thing, but as far as bands straddling that divide between hardcore and garage, Werewolf Jones does it better than most others out there.

Werewolf Jones - Rot Away:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/rot-away

Monday, December 19, 2022

Cyclo-Sonic - Everything Went Stupid LP

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Big Neck (2022)

Cyclo-Sonics is a group of punk rock lifers, boasting a resume of bands that in some instances I'm not as familiar with (Choosey Mothers) and others whose reputation is far more well known (The Fluid).  I wasn't sure exactly what I was getting into as the needle was about to hit the turntable, but I came away from Everything Went Stupid pretty damn impressed.

The thing I like about this record the most is the big, fat, chunky guitar sound.  It's deep and crunchy and the riffs that pour out of this album straddle the punk and rock lines not unlike a Supersuckers or a Hellacopters.  All of the songs are pretty hooky really, and I often find myself nodding along to the driving rhythm section as the riffs soar along side.

I can't say I love the vocals.  They tread dangerously close to the glammy side of the street, but they never really cross over to where I'm put off by them.  They've kind of old school punk rock with some good natured screaming here and there, but for the most part they are carrying the songs melodies and playing off some really fun backing group vocals.  

All in all, it's a pretty strong record.  I could nit pick little things about it that I don't love, but when I just put it on and let it play, I find myself enjoying it more often than not.

Cyclo-Sonic - Everything Went Stupid:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/everything-went-stupid


Monday, November 28, 2022

The Battlebeats - You Don't Know Me 7"

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Big Neck (2022)

The moment I put this record on, I immediately got the same vibe I got when I would put on a new record that came out on the sadly missed Ptrash record label.  We immediately blast off into a garage stomp, simple but effective drum beat and fuzzed out guitars riffs.  It's nothing if not instantly catchy.

I don't love the vocals.  They have that gargled with glass feeling, but lack the smoothness of say a Frankie Stubbs.  These vocals end up being very harsh and it definitely takes away from the melodic tendencies of the songs themselves.  If you just focus on the music, Battlebeats are a hook machine and every song has something catchy to latch on to.

Aside from the vocals, the only other thing that I wish I could change would be the length of the songs.  While I understand the impact of an economical blast, three of the four songs clock in under two minutes.  If you doubled the length of each, it would only make them better, I think.

The Battlebeats - You Don't Know Me:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/you-dont-know-me

Friday, June 17, 2022

Klazo - 'Demik Dementia

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Big Neck / No Front Teeth (2022)

When it comes to bands on Big Neck records, I find that I'm usually presented with a band I was not previously aware of before and Klazo is no exception.  They are a two-piece act, making the equivalent noise of a six piece.  In that way, they remind me a little bit of godheadSilo.  Just a wall of distortion and drums, though Klazo has more of a garage vibe and the songs are, in general, much faster than what godheadSilo would typically crank out.

Vocally, I hear a little bit of The Blind Shake, mostly in the yelpy sort of delivery, but Klazo is definitely less melodic than The Blind Shake are.  And when you combine the vocals and the music, you certainly get a band bristling with energy and it honestly comes together in a way that has me liking it a lot more than I would have expected if you described it to me.

I am guilty for leaning into groups that are more melodic, but there's something to be said about a band that's just got their foot on the gas pedal, smashing it into the floor.  The energy and the vibe from these guys is more than enough to make up for a shortage of super obvious hooks.

Klazo - 'Demik Dementia:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/demik-dementia


Monday, February 28, 2022

The Hamiltones - Live at the Jungle Gym 2/22/2014 Cassette

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Big Neck / Primitive Screwhead

I've been saving this tape for last.  Here we are at tape number eight of eight from the Big Neck/Primitive Screwhead package, The Hamiltones.  I have been lucky enough to have been following The Hamiltones since I got their first cassette on More Power Tapes back in 2015.  That label sent me a lot of stuff (it looks like they've gone dormant since about 2018), but The Hamiltones were far and away my favorite thing that they ever sent.

This live tape is from a show in 2014 and it mostly features songs from that first More Power demo tape.  The recording quality is OK for what it is.  As they're an instrumental bands, there's no vocals to worry about balancing so that's good.  It gets a little muffled here and there when the band really kicks it into high gear, but it's a perfectly serviceable recording.  

To me, what it really shows is how great of a live band The Hamiltones must be.  This was recorded in 2014, before their first tape even came out, and the crowd is hot and totally up for everything they're doing.  Now that they have some proper releases under their belt, I can only imagine how they'd be able to engage a crowd that really knows their songs.  This is a fun tape and there's a reason I wrote it up last.  I'm the sort of person that tends to save the best for last.

The Hamiltones - Live at the Jungle Gym 2/22/2014:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/the-hamiltones-live-at-the-jungle-gym-2-22-2014