Pinhead Gunpowder - Unt LP - Yellow w/ Red and Teal Splatter Vinyl (/1000)

1-2-3-4 Go! (2024)

I certainly wasn't expecting a new Pinhead Gunpowder album as 2024 started wrapping up, but here we are with Unt.  Yes, Unt.  I've read more than a few 'hot takes' on this album in the last few weeks since it has been released and there are definitely people with opinions.  Shocking for the internet, but true.  I do realize that by writing this I am adding to it, but I'm not sure my take is as hot as most others.

What it boils down to is that I like this record.  It's fun to listen to and it has good songs on it, for the most part.  Is every song on it a smash hit?  No, but there's much more to like about this album than to dislike about it, I think.  It starts off particularly strong with "Unt," "Difficult But Not Impossible" and "Scum of the Earth" being particularly strong.  Maybe I don't like songs like "Oh My" or "Green" quite as much.  And while I can understand the sentiment behind "Hola Canada," it's a pretty goofy song.

I lot of what I've seen is from people saying that this album isn't as punk or aggressive or angsty as their albums from 20-20 years ago.  That's true.  But I'm also not as punk or aggressive as I was 30 years ago either.  It feels like a record aimed at someone a little older, like me.  And for that reasons I can relate to it more as a new album that's being release now as opposed to something being released purely to try to drum up feelings of nostalgia.  I have plenty of records from that era that make me feel nostalgic, I'm perfectly happy with a new record that's just fun to listen to with 2024 ears.

Pinhead Gunpowder - Unt:
https://pinheadgunpowder.bandcamp.com/album/unt

Pinhead Gunpowder - Compulsive Disclosure LP - Green/White Split Vinyl

1234 Go! (2022, Reissue)

This is the fifth and final 12"/LP Pinhead Gunpowder reissue from 1234 Go.  Compulsive Disclosure originally came out in 2003, back when I worked in the music biz.  I actually got to promote this album to college radio when it was released as the company I worked for promoted most of the Lookout releases at the time.  The fact that this came out twenty years ago at this point is pretty insane.

I'm not sure why this ended up being the final PHG album, but it was a pretty solid way to go out.  Lots of great songs, though my favorite will always be "Landlords."  The version on the full length is acoustic, and great, but the electric version on the 8 Chords, 328 Words 7" will always be held in slightly higher esteem by me.

This reissue has all of the songs from the original Lookout CD, plus three extra tracks: "Anniversary Song," West Side Highway" and "On The Ave."  All of these were from the West Side Highway 7" that came out around the same time, but of course I bought the reissue of that as well (even though I have the original release).  1234 Go! did a pretty great job with this reissue series.  Everything sounds great and brought some wonderful records that had been out of print for way to long back into circulation.  They're all worth picking up and I'm stoked to have these in the collection.  Even though I already had the original pressings of most of them, these are improved enough to be worth the double dip.

Pinhead Gunpowder - Compulsive Disclosure:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_niNDoPH7mtYFOSYfH3Q9Opbpxq7Dmx_sg

Pinhead Gunpowder - Shoot The Moon 12" - Blue & White Split Vinyl

1-2-3-4 Go! (2022, Reissue)

This Pinhead Gunpowder reissue is another that I already had the original pressing of.  There's really no reason as to why I needed to pick up another version, mine's essentially immaculate.  But the lure of a reissued version on colored vinyl that's part of an overarching reissue campaign was something I just couldn't pass up.

This EP originally came out in 1999, when I was the music director of my college radio station.  I was really excited to have a new Pinhead Gunpowder release to put out for everyone to play.  The only complaint I had then is that it was just so damn short.  Seven songs in twelve minutes with only one breaking the two minute mark.  

This reissue helps that out a little bit by including two bonus tracks that were previously on the Recess version of Compulsive Disclosure.  I'm not sure why they were added here instead of kept there, but since the 1-2-3-4 Go! version of Compulsive Disclosure isn't out yet, I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Pinhead Gunpowder - Goodbye Ellston Avenue - Black/Blue Split Vinyl

1234-Go! (2022, Reissue)

Like so many records in the bin next to me, this one has been sitting around for a little longer than I would have liked.  While it did come out this year, I still feel like I could have gotten to writing about it a little bit sooner.  

Throughout the 1234 Go! reissue campaign, I have expressed my affection for Pinhead Gunpowder and Goodbye Ellston Avenue is no exception.  This one came out when I was in college and is probably the first Pinhead Gunpowder album I ever wrote about as I was writing at my college newspaper at the time.  This is also another one that I have the firat pressing of, so I really only bought this for the colored vinyl/remastering/keeping the reissue collection going thing.

I know that a lot of people weren't as in to the later couple of Pinhead Gunpowder records.  It's the first two or bust for many, but I've always been really into their entire catalog and I think this album is still great.  The songs are really short, for the must part, but they sure do cram in a mountain of hooks during the album's twenty-four minutes.  

There's more than a few highlights, but "Train Station" has always been one of my very favorite songs by the band. with it's building verse over chugging guitar riffs and its sing along chorus, it's one of the poppier moments in the band's catalog and a song that I just can never get enough of.  Everything looks and sounds great and as we get closer to the end of the Pinhead Gunpowder reissue campaign, I'm really pleased with how well these have all been coming out.  One more full length to go.

Pinhead Gunpowder - Goodbye Ellston Avenue:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nQ9ZNvcF6hwF7Z_mNIvau5zW6GiMVpZcQ

Pinhead Gunpowder - At Your Funeral 7" - Yellow/Orange Split Vinyl

1234 Go! (2022)

Another in the Pinhead Gunpowder reissue series.  This one takes the songs from the Dillinger Four split 7" and unsplits them.  Then a few compilation songs were added to the B side making this a Pinhead Gunpowder standalone release.  I actually dig that concept as part of this reissue.  While I do have all of their 7"s already, I have been rebuying them as they look great and most of these reissues do sound better than the original versions, particularly the LPs.

I can't say that I can hear massive improvements in the fidelity of these songs, but I think that's probably because they were released later on in Pinhead Gunpowder's discography and already sounded pretty good to begin with.  In addition to the songs from the original D4 split, they've added an acoustic version of Beastly Bit" and live on the radio versions of "Reach for the Bottle" and "Swan Song."

Pinhead Gunpowder - "AT Your Funeral":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah-1XRKfAKE&ab_

Pinhead Gunpowder - Carry The Banner LP - Black & White Split Vinyl

1-2-3-4 Go! (2021, Reissue)

Another day, another 90s reissue to write about.  I've said it before, but I feel like those are the only kind of records that I've been buying this year.  But it's hard to complain too much when you have a band as good as Pinhead Gunpowder.

Unlike with Jump Salty, I didn't really need to buy this particular LP.  I've had the 10" version put out by Too Many records since the 90s.  But, the Jump Salty reissue sounded so good, I figured I'd just collect all of these new versions that 1-2-3-4 Go is putting out.  I'm glad I did as this one sounds massive.  The bass is full and warm.  The guitars are crunchy, but with the crackling fuzz that still reminds you it's punk rock. I'm also a sucker for split color vinyl.

While I do think Jump Salty is my overall favorite of the PHG releases, this one is probably a very close second.  I think it's aged really well and I am still as into these songs as I was when I first heard them. 

Pinhead Gunpowder - Carry The Banner:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kBaN3UQkKMHVz1XAvMJF2tDnJPPt6yaX8

Pinhead Gunpowder - Trundle & Spring 7" - White & Black Split Color Vinyl

1234 Go! (2021)

If pressed, I really can't give a good reason why I bought this Pinhead Gunpowder 7" reissue.  I have the original pressing of this from the 90s and all four songs are also on the Jump Salty LP.  I think I was mostly suckered in by the split colored vinyl.  It is my favorite colorway when there is a limited version.  Pinhead Gunpowder is also one of those bands where I am a bit more prone to grabbing a variant, though there are two additional versions of this reissue that I didn't buy.

Honestly, there's no really good reason other than it looks cool, they're a band that I really like and I still have that collector bug that sneaks up on me, even when I'm trying to be good.  Plus it's only a 7" and wasn't that much money.

If you don't have these songs, you should really buy Jump Salty.  If you're a weirdo like me and need multiple versions of the same songs, go to town.  It's what I did.

Pinhead Gunpowder - Trundle & Spring 7":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXDg71H9IDs&ab_channel=sweetbabyjaysus

Pinhead Gunpowder - Jump Salty LP - Yellow w/ Red Splatter Vinyl

1234 Go! (2021)

I could not possibly happier about vinyl reissues of the Pinhead Gunpowder catalog and specifically Jump Salty.  I love Pinhead Gunpowder, I've actually always liked them more than Green Day for whatever reason.  I've had the Jump Salty CD for twenty five-ish years and also had the two seven inches and three of the four compilations that make up the album.  That was the rationale I used when Recess started putting out the Pinhead Gunpowder records on vinyl in 2010.  'I already have the 7"s.'  So I didn't buy them.

I don't know exactly what happened after that, but those reissues vanished.  I don't know if they were pulled or what, I've read all sorts of interesting theories, but whatever happened, they just vanished from the face of the earth.  In that time frame I realized that I would really like to be able to sit in front of my record player and listen to Jump Salty without having to pull out five different records.  So I started looking around to no avail.

Luckily, the preorder for these new 1234 Go reissues were announced before I did anything too stupid and paid way too much for a copy.  Now I have a fresh clean album on a pretty nice looking piece of vinyl to boot.  The record sounds really good for what it is.  These songs were recorded a hundred years ago and they don't have the sort of bass heavy fullness that became easier to capture just a few years later. But that's not a slight on this pressing, that's just a reality of the master recordings.  

I think this LP, cut as 45rpm, is the best these sounds have ever sounded.  It was a joy to plop this down on the turntable and crank the volume.  I really like all of the Pinhead Gunpowder records.  Each has a handful of songs you could argue are the best of the best.  But when push comes to shove, Jump Salty is probably my favorite.  I will likely buy the rest of these reissues (despite having the originals of several), but Jump Salty was the one I was most excited to finally get my hands on.

Pinhead Gunpowder - Jump Salty (YouTube Music full album playlist):
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k26W9-71l-MDKs_byf94KcPaXiTGGABGQ

Pinhead Gunpowder - Kick Over The Traces LP - Green Vinyl

Recess (2010)

I've been on a real kick of listening to early 90s Lookout records style pop punk lately.  I think it's in part because of the Mr. T Experience reissues that have been coming out, but I certainly haven't limited my playlist to their records.  I've been listening to a lot of Pinhead Gunpowder and while I do have all of their 7"s and the other 10" and LPs that came out in the 90s and early 2000s, I am missing a few key pieces on vinyl.

I don't have Jump Salty on vinyl.  I have all of the singles and comps on vinyl that make up that album, but I only have the CD Lookout put out of Jump Salty.  I want this on vinyl bad, but apparently there was some sort of issue when it was pressed and most of the copies were recalled.  I'll just say this, if anyone has a copy they'd be willing to sell or trade to me, please get in touch.

In order to fill the gaps a bit, I decided to pick up Kick Over The Traces.  This is essentially a Pinhead Gunpowder greatest hits album.  It has six songs from Jump Salty on it, so at least that's a start.  It's actually a really solid compilation of the band's best songs.  All eras are represented and it features tracks from Carry The Banner, Goodbye Ellston Ave, Compulsive Disclosure, Shoot The Moon and more.

I've always loved this band and I even prefer them to early Green Day when push comes to shove.  Their songs have that little extra grittiness to them that I like while still managing to cram in all of those wonderful pop hooks that drive me wild.  Plus I finally have the electric version of the song "Landlords" on an easy to play format.  It's one of my favorite Pinhead Gunpowder songs, but only has existed on a 7" previously.  When the Compulsive Disclosure CD was put out, an acoustic version of "Landlords" appeared.

Typically I'm not the biggest fan of greatest hits records.  I own very few as I would much rather listen to a band's full album concept.  But in this instance, it's kind of a placeholder until I can find my own copy of Jump Salty.  Plus, Jump Salty was just a compilation of other previously released Pinhead Gunpowder songs anyway.  This will do for now.

Pinhead Gunpowder - "Landlords":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG3oz803RZc

Pinhead Gunpowder - "Losers of the Year":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j5UHfRQrkI

Pinhead Gunpowder - "Swan Song":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6MBvuTR-l0