Warp Lines - Human Fresh LP - White Vinyl (/200)

Dirt Cult (2019)

I've bought fewer new records released in 2019 than any year I can remember since the darkest days of my music consumption in 2004-2005.  The big difference between this year and those years where the passion was being forcefully driven out of my by the music industry is that although I have bought fewer records, the quality of the records I've picked up this year is pretty through the roof.  There have been several albums that I've listened to and thought, 'this could easily be the album of the year.'  Add Warp Lines to that list.  This record is hot shit.

When I found out that the band was from Canada and had a member that did time in the Steve Adamyk Band, I knew it would be worth taking a listen to.  That said, I was totally unprepared for how incredible this album is.  Warp Lines manage to take the sort of riffs and innovative chord progressions that you would hear on a Hot Snakes album, but use them with completely different guitar tones and melodies.  There's a retro vibe in the production with a bit of a dreamy haze floating over the record, but the band cuts through that with sharp hooks and creative song structure.

There are times where I hear a Jawbox sort of vibe emanating from the band's killer rhythm section.  The drumming in particular is outstanding and elevates the songs even higher.  Pounding toms and punchy fills create the backbone of the band's compositions, allowing the guitars to explore new ground, while staying rooted to the goal of ultimately providing a catchy song.  It's rare that I hear a band that can change things up and create interesting soundscapes without losing the plot.  This is an album full of pop songs at the end of the day, but they're delivered through a band that is taking chances and building off of many disparate influences.

To sum it up, this record is outstanding.  It's definitely one of the best I've heard all year.  Maybe the best to be totally honest.  There's nothing I can say to recommend it as much as it deserves.  Just go buy it immediately.

Warp Lines - Human Fresh:
https://dirtcultrecords.bandcamp.com/album/human-fresh

Record Store Day Haul #2: Otis Redding - Do It One More Time LP - Red Vinyl

Monterey International Pop Festival Foundation (2019)

The second and final Record Store Day album I picked up this year (online, not in store due to illness) was this Otis Redding LP.  As I'm sure many know, I absolutely love Otis Redding and reviewing the various albums in his box set this past year was a ton of fun.  There are still a few posthumous albums that weren't part of that box set that I need to add to my collection, but Record Store Day gave me the chance to add his iconic set from the Monterey Pop Festival.

This is the first time the entire Stax set has been released including the three song opening set by the Booker T & The M.G.s with The Mar-Keys.  Those three songs are "Booker-Loo," "Philly Dog" and "Hip Hug Her."  Booker T is another one of my favorites, having become familiar with them via the Blues Brothers as I did with so many other classic soul bands.  "Philly Dog" is the highlight of the set with the Mar-Keys horns just sounding so great.

With all of these years of hindsight, it seems kind of weird that Otis Redding only played five songs at the Monterey Pop Festival.  Considering how important it is looked upon by history as his breakout moment, I'm not sure I knew it was essentially only a half set.  That said, it's a ridiculous great set with definitive versions of songs like "Shake," "Satisfaction" and "Respect."  I'm thrilled to have it in the collection.

Booker T and the M.G.s - "Hip Hug Her":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRbXx7iKOTI

Otis Redding - "Shake" (There's also another live song, but not from Monterey, tacked on to this youtube video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIoQDG-iRn4

Otis Redding - "Satisfaction":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrPxlWEsFSE

Steve Adamyk Band - Paradise LP - Yellow (/200) & Black Vinyl

Dirtnap (2019)

Paradise is the sixth Steve Adamyk Band full length.  I was trying to think how many bands there are that I have six great records by.  It's not many and the ones who have that many have probably been kicking around my record collection since the mid 90's.  If you look at this specific decade, since 2010 there isn't anyone on the planet who has put out as much great music as Steve & co.  It's amazing.

You can say a lot of great things about Steve Adamyk band, but if there's one accolade I want to bestow on them it's that there isn't any band that kill the opening track of their record as hard as these guys do.  And they do it every single album.  "The Letter" starts things off with a bang.  It's built off of a simple, catchy lead guitar riff, packs a knock-out chorus and has the perfect backing 'oooooh' vocals that elevate this great song even higher.  From there it's off to the races with hit after hit like "In Death," "Something Vicious, "Left In Pieces" and "The Deep End."

That list is comprised of the faster, punchier songs that I like best.  But even when they slow it down on a song like "Waiting To Die Part 1" or "When I Was Gone,"  There's so many great hooks and energy crammed in.  Nothing feels like filler padding out an album, every song on here stands out as something great.  Production-wise, everything sounds full and clean.  They've managed to find that sweet spot between slick production and still being rough enough around the edges to not feel over done.

Nothing I'm saying could possibly be a surprise if you've read this website with any sort of regularity.  I've been saying great things about Steve Adamyk band since I got their first 7" on Ptrash.  Paradise is just another fantastic record. Go buy it and the other five.

Steve Adamyk Band - Paradise:
https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/steve-adamyk-band-paradise

Raise Mind - Farewell 7"

Anti-New Waves (2002)

This Raisemind 7" is another record that I grabbed while I was record shopping in Tokyo a couple of years ago.  I was especially excited to stumble across this 7" as I've had Raisemind's full length album since it came out back in the early 2000s.  I didn't know that the band had released anything else, but I came across this 7" along with a CD EP while in Japan.  According to Discogs, there is also a split CD that I don't have.  Hopefully I can track that down at some point to complete the collection.

This 7" is great, just like everything else I have by Raise Mind.  They play the sort of fast, melodic punk rock that would be right at home on Snuffy Smiles in the late 90s.  That's some of my favorite kind of music in the world.  Raise Mind are right up there with some of the other bands of the era like Just One Day or 8Roof.

Two of the four songs on this 7" also appeared on the album Back Number.  Of the other two, "Half A Wake, Half A Die" looks like it was also on that aforementioned split CD that I don't have, but the opening track "Farewell" seems to be exclusive to this 7" as far as I can tell.  Even if all of the songs had appeared elsewhere, I still would have bought this to have them on vinyl.

Stephen El Rey - Poor Born 7"

Pig Baby (2017)

I'll admit it, I absolutely was prejudging this record based on the cover.  Even after all this time, I'm always a little weirded out by pictures of the band or artist on the cover of a record.  There's no rationale to this, I own an uncountable number of great records that feature some version of a band picture on the cover.  For whatever reason, that doesn't stop me from wrestling with some Larry David-esque rule I have in my head that bands shouldn't do that.

Anyway, I'm happy to report that my initial trepidations about Stephen El Rey were washed away once I actually listened to this 7".  I'll say this much, it's a varied 7" showcasing a lot of different things over 3 songs.  Opener "Poor Born" is a messy garage-y stomper, with reverb soaked vocals that jump in and out of the song like a pumped up Jon Spencer.  While not my favorite song of the three, it's an energetic intro and I'm always in favor of that.

When we move on to "Buried Under The Future," there's an immediate shift to a slower, surf tinged instrumental.  A start comparison to the song before, but a nice break in the middle of the record.  Things close out with "Drunk Again."  This time, El Rey slows things down even more and enters that sort of low voice crooner territory that Dan Sartain once inhabited so perfectly.  Now, the song does build into something bordering on a jumbled freak out at the end, but it manages to have a sort of charm that I find endearing.  

In my opinion, this is one of those 7"s where each song is better than the rest.  I can't say I'm completely sold on Stephen El Rey, but I would certainly be curious to see what he's able to do over the course of a full album.

Stephen El Rey - Poor Born 7":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOYxG49X6AY

Out - Swim Buddies LP

Comedy Minus One (2017)

We're nearly through March and I think that today is the day where I will come out and say that 2017 isn't starting out all that strong as far as new releases go.  It's been really, really quite for these first three months with only a few good records in my humble opinion.  What's even more frustrating is I don't really see all that much on the immediate horizon.  Sure, I absolutely have a few preorders for things I'm excited about, but I feel like it's far fewer than I normally would have.

Anyway, what this is bringing me to is that Out is one of the few brights spots in an otherwise lackluster beginning of the year.  Containing three quarters of the wonderful band Minutes, Out is somewhat following in their footsteps with an album full of 90's sounding indie rock.  You've got your crunchy, powerful songs that are reminiscent of Archers of Loaf.  There's a few that go for a more wonky pop sound like Pavement and a few noisy ones that remind me of bands like Polvo.

All those comparisons mentioned, Out mostly feels like the next logical step in what Minutes probably would have done on another record.  Aside from one song called "Dance, Like" that I really don't like for whatever reason, this is a very strong album that scratches that indie rock itch I have every so often.

Out - Swim Buddies:

https://outkzoo.bandcamp.com/album/swim-buddies

Turquoise Feeling - S/T LP

Heel Turn (2016)

If you know my taste in music, you know that in general I prefer when bands are a little rough around the edges, especially when it comes to recording.  I've always felt that when bands get a little too produced, it tends to gloss over some of the raw energy that they bring to the table.  Occasionally, things can go a bit too far in the other direction.  

What keeps coming to my mind when I listen to Turquoise Feeling is that I wish this album was recorded just a bit better.  I'm all for a little noise and some hiss, but in the case of this LP everything is so raw and overblown, you can't really hear anything that is going on.  The vocals are a bunch of ramblings that are completely buried in the mix and the instruments are just a jumbled pile of chaos.

It's a bit of a shame too, as most of the songs on the record are pretty good.  They're short, catchy bursts of garage fueled energy.  They are catchier than you'd think considering all of the noise you need to wade through.  If I could hear everything, I think I'd be singing a much different tune about this record.  I actually stumbled across a YouTube video of the Turquoise Feeling playing one of the songs from this record live.  It sounded so much better than the recorded version did.  It makes me wonder what could have been.

Turquoise Feeling - "Fever Few":

https://soundcloud.com/user-542431893/turquoise-feeling-feverfew

Turquoise Feeling - "Post Partum" (Live, not the LP version)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_DWHMy3kiU

Boat - Setting The Paces LP - Orange Vinyl

Magic Marker (2009)

Since discovering Boat through their tremendous album Dress Like Your Idols, I've been gradually working my way through their back catalog.  This was gradual on purpose.  There have been times where I was so enamored by a band that I went out and bought a bunch of their earlier records all at once.  The result tended to be that I would end up so overwhelmed by sheer amount of music, nothing would really stick.  Don't believe me? Come over and I'll show you the seven Screamfeeder CDs that I haven't listed to since 1998.

Setting The Paces is the third Boat album that was released and it is now the fourth one of theirs that I've checked out.  It's kind of a cop out to say this, but really, if you've heard and enjoyed any of their prior records, it's a pretty safe bet you'll dig this one as well.  Most Boat songs just reek of 1990's indie rock in the absolute best possible way.  There's copious amounts of high pitched guitar interplay and shifting rhythms. The vocals have a Doug Martchs meets Stephen Malkmus vibe and the lyrics are quirky, but still manage to suck you into the story.

It looks like there's only one more Boat record that I don't have and that is 2007's Let's Drag Our Feet.  Seems to be CD only at the moment, but I'm hopeful someone will kick up a vinyl reissue.  Otherwise, I'm going to give Setting The Paces some more time to sink in and then I'll spring for that CD.  Of course the best case scenario is a new batch of Boat songs.  The band has been quiet for a bit.  Hopefully they'll start making some noise again real soon.

Boat "Lately":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTWaQRzPLSI

The DTs - Dirty Jack 7" (/300)

Five-Five Hole (2015)

It's always interesting opening up a package of records that I didn't specifically order.  When someone sends something for me to review, I've been sent more misses than hits, but I'm still always hopeful that something new is going to pop in and blow my mind.  When you open the package and you see that the band in question is sporting ex-Mono Men, you tend to think there's a better than average chance that you've hit pay dirt this time.

This 7" is my first exposure to the DTs and if this 7" is any indication, this is a band I could get behind.  The A-side "Dirty Jack" is a slow building, guitar chugging beast of a song.  With the wailing vocals of Diana Young and the repetitious, but hard hitting guitar riff, it's a pretty good time.  In many ways it reminds me a lot of a tougher Boss Hogg.

On the B-side we have "Restless."  This is a cover of a song by the Cobras.  The Cobras only released one single on Stax back in the 60's, but you'd be hard pressed to find anything that Steve Cropper and Duck Dunn touched that wasn't pretty stellar.  The DTs version is a little meaner and a little louder, but every bit as fun and grooving.  

The DTs - Dirty Jack 7":

https://five-fiveholerecords.bandcamp.com/album/dirty-jack-7

Mother's Children / Mandates - Split 7"

Taken By Surprise (2015)

I'm not sure if I'm just buying fewer 7"s this year or if we're starting to see a down tick in the number of them being released.  One that I sure hope doesn't become extinct is the split 7".  It's always been one of my favorite music listening vessels.  Though I love getting split 7"s that have a new band I wasn't familiar with on it, there's something extra fun about a split 7" that has two bands I already know and enjoy.

Mandates are first up, off the heels of their recent full length album.  Their song "Sycophantic Romantic" picks up where their last record left off; with fast paced and catchy power pop.  A slight coating of glam on the vocals and start/stop guitar riffage in the verse leading up to a bit hook with stuttering vocals in the chorus.

Mother's Children are definitely cut from the same cloth as Mandates.  They serve up their own power pop masterpiece with "No Rules."  To me, Mother's Children are a bit more subtle with their hooks and are not quite as in your face as Mandates can be.  Their song is probably my favorite of the two on this 7" and stacks up easily with anything the band has released in the past.

Mother's Children / Mandates - Split 7":

https://takenbysurpriserecords.bandcamp.com/album/mndts-mthrschldrn-split-7

Radioactivity - Silent Kill LP - Clear Vinyl (/500)

Dirtnap (2015)

Over the past 10 years or so, Jeff Burke has become one of my favorite songwriters and easily one of the most reliable people out there when it comes to putting out records that I like.  I became a fan when the Marked Men record On The Outside came out and watching his bands gain popularity since that moment has been a really wonderful thing to see.  The clear vinyl version of this record sold out in about a day and Dirtnap did 500 copies of that version.  While I realize those aren't the kind of numbers that will be impressive for gigantic bands, to me, that sounds like a good amount of records for a punk band from Texas to be selling.

Silent Kill is the second Radioactivity full length.  Like it's predecessor, it builds on a foundation of fast downstroke heavy guitar, extremely dynamic chord changes and Jeff's howling in the wind vocals.  Unlike the first Radioactivity full length, there's more slower songs (well slow in comparison anyway) that showcase a different side Radioactivity.  These songs aren't some new weird maturation process or anything, they are still cut from the same cloth as the two thousand mile an hour rippers, but they give the album more depth and show that Jeff doesn't only rely on lightning quick guitar to build a catchy hook.

Silent Kill is every bit as great as the first self titled Radioactivity album.  You can hold it right up next to the best Marked Men records and still be impressed.  Sometimes I think the drumming could use a little more flair, it has something of a metronome quality to it, but these songs are just so expertly crafted it is impossible to not have them lodged into your brain all day long after you've had a listen.

Radioactivity - Silent Kill LP:

https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/radioactivity-silent-kill

Jawbox - Tools & Chrome 7" - Clear Vinyl (/1000)

Dischord / DeSoto (1990)

As I've said in the past, I overlooked Jawbox the first time around and have been playing catch up the last few years.  I've been picking up their full lengths and when I see them lying around, I try to grab the 7"s as well.  This one popped up on the Green Noise site when I was placing another order, so as usual it was the old 'add to cart' button for me.

The thing that I noticed the most about this band is that they became much more sophisticated in the way they wrote their songs in a very short amount of time.  From album to album (at least on their first three albums, I'm still waiting on the reissue of their fourth) there is tremendous growth as far as the band's sound.  That growth it also very apparent listing to this, their first 7" from 1990.

All four songs are significantly more straightforward than the band would become known for.  There's palm muted guitar into chunky riffs on "Tools & Chrome."  "Secret History" showcases some dynamic drumming with a few more varied change ups and a big chorus that kind of sneaks up on you.  When "Ballast" hits, the band is at their most upbeat with poppier vocals and lots of fun guitar riffage.  Closer "Twister" blasts out with furiously pounded drums in the verse.  That moves to a lower key transitional moment into an explosive, big, hooky chorus.

While the recording is a little rough and the band is obviously just getting their feet wet, I love this 7".  Sure it's not as complex as some of the songs that Jawbox would go on to write, but there's something to be said about a no frill, punk rock 7".

Jawbox - "Tools & Chrome":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxi28cgCMUs

Hell City Kings - One Night Stand Ego 7" - Purple Vinyl

Artificial Head (2014)

I'm still trying to tear through this little pile of records that were sent to me to review.  Next up on the list is a 7" from Hell City Kings.  The artwork didn't make this seem like a particularly inviting 7" to throw on the turntable, but looks can be deceiving.  I wouldn't go so far as to say I like this record, though it's not nearly as bad as some others that I've reviewed lately.

Hell City Kings are very much your prototypical rock and roll band.  More than anything I hear a big time Supersuckers influence.  It's grimy, driving rock with lots of lead guitar licks and chord changes.  The singer has something of a gruff wail that certainly suits the music, even if it doesn't really thrill me.  I can't say that either of the 2 songs really stand out as they are both pretty similar.

If you like your rock and roll or really like the Supersuckers but thing Eddie Spaghetti's voice is too finely tuned of an instrument, Hell City Kings may be just the band for you.  If you think there's already plenty of this sort of thing out there, you can probably pass on this.

Hell City Kings - One Night Stand Ego 7":

http://artinstitute.bandcamp.com/album/hell-city-kings

Napalmpom - The Unconditional Love Of Napalmpom LP - Red Vinyl (/500)

Teenage Rampage (2014)

I picked up this Napalmpom record at the recommendation of a friend.  I didn't check out any of the songs prior to ordering, I just took a blind leap.  I can't say the album was exactly what I was expecting.  I wouldn't call it bad and I wouldn't call it great, all I can really say is the band is playing a style of rock and roll that's just not my favorite.

Napalmpom are a rock and roll band, very much in the traditional late 70'sand 80's version of the term.  The songs are poppy enough where I enjoy them, but they tend to go a little further into a glammy, lead guitar driven direction that isn't my thing as much.  If you like Thin Lizzy or maybe T. Tex or if you really love "Jump" or "Panama" by Van Halen, this is probably the album for you.  

Napalmpom are all about on huge guitars, backing vocals and making the sort of music where I assume the guitar player jumps up in the air and kicks from time to time. They do this style of music very well, but it's the kind of thing I really have to be in the mood for to listen to.  A big plus is that the artwork is super cool and the record also came with a set of colored pens so you can color the cover yourself.  I may actually do that while I'm off from work next week.

That's going to wrap up 2014 for me as far as new reviews go.  I've been able to knock out just about every full length that came out in 2014 that I bought.  On Monday I'll be posting my Absolute Best Records of 2014 list, and Then I'll be hibernating for the rest of the week.  When I come back, I have a ton of reissues to get to that I've been putting off, so there's never a shortage of things to write about.

Napalmpom - The Unconditional Love Of Napalmpom:

http://napalmpom.bandcamp.com/releases

Jacco Gardner - End Of August - Green Vinyl (/500)

Jacco Gardner - End Of August - Green Vinyl (/500), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Trouble In Mind (2013)

This is the 2nd single that Trouble In Mind has released from Jacco Gardner. While it's certainly not my favorite kind of music out there, I can say that it is infinitely more listenable than his previous offering. Jacco is playing really laid back, ornate psych-pop, but has toned things down a little, to his benefit.

"End of August" seems like it could have been written by a more subdued Donovan who decided to tinker around with some more vocal effects. The B-side "Notus" is an instrumental that while not a spectacular showcase for Jacco's musicianship; is still a reasonably interesting wander. It's actually a very good pair with the "End of August" A-side as it too kind of conveys a gradual change-of-seasons kind of tone.

Not my favorite Trouble In Mind record, but better than I thought it would be based on how I felt about his prior 7".

Jacco Gardner - End Of August:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=91hDm-cVQuM

R. Stevie Moore - I Missed July 7" - Red Vinyl (/300)

R. Stevie Moore - I Missed July 7" - Red Vinyl (/300), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Sweaters & Pearls (2013)

This is one of 3 7"s that the label Sweaters & Pearls sent to me to check out. This is the record label run by the same guy that does the great website 7inches.blogspot.com/. You should check it out as he's a better writer than I am, or at least hasn't completely run out of adjectives to describe bands (I ran out in about 1997).

I started out with the R. Stevie Moore 7", mostly because it was noted that these 2 songs were recorded in Montclair, NJ (my town). The 2 songs are a slice of eclectic bedroom pop that I probably would have been up for when I was in high school/early college. At that time, I was going through my tape label phase and was listening to similar lo fi warriors like Charlie McAlister, Simon Joyner and Gary Young. Eventually that scene either started to dry up or I just lost interest as that time in my life (we'll say 1995-1996-ish) is really the only time I had the patience to listen to real off kilter rock.

This R Stevie Moore 7" really takes me back as a reminder of that time. The recording quality, the wavy guitar sounds, the speed manipulation of the recording; it all sounds so comfortable and familiar. While it's not the sort of thing I would typically listen to anymore, it's a flashback to a time when you'd throw a few dollars in an envelope and get a package of music in the mail a few months later. Often times way after you forgot you even ordered it.

R. Stevie Moore - I Missed July:
https://soundcloud.com/7inches/s-p006-a-side-i-missed-july

Arms Aloft / Leagues Apart - Split 7" - Yellow Vinyl (/100)

Arms Aloft / Leagues Apart - Split 7" - Yellow Vinyl (/100), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

All In Vinyl (2012)

2nd 7" from the All In Vinyl 7"s series year 3. As mentioned before, I love subscription 7" series, getting to try out new bands, getting limited 7"s by bands you already like. It's just a good time. The yellow vinyl version of this particular 7" was limited to 100 copies and only available to subscribers. You can get a different color of vinyl just ordering the single 7" direct from the label if you want to get a copy on its own.

The 2 bands on here are both bands I'm not familiar with. They're both playing gruff, melodic pop. Considering the distance that separates the 2 bands it's actually quite remarkable that both sound so similar. They're the sort of bands that obviously find inspiration from the likes of Dillinger Four, The Lawrence Arms and to some extent Hot Water Music. Arms Aloft seem to be taking a more straight ahead approach to their punk while Leagues Apart are exploring bouncier guitar riffs and change-ups.

Both bands are good, but I don't know if I'm inspired enough to track down more records by either band.  I feel like if I saw another 7" by one of them in a distro while I was placing an order I'd take a shot at it, but we'll see when the time comes. Still, if bands playing this kind of punk rock is your cup of tea, I can't imagine you'd be disappointed with this 7".

Arms Aloft / Leagues Apart - Split 7"
soundcloud.com/allinvinyl/sets/arms-aloft-leagues-apart-s...