Iron Chic - Spooky Action 7" - European Tour Version, White Vinyl (/140)

Iron Chis - Spooky Action 7" - European Tour Version, White Vinyl (/140), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Drunken Sailor / Yo Yo (2013)

Finally some new Iron Chic songs. These guys put out a hell of a record called Not Like This back in 2010 and I've been anxiously awaiting the follow up. It seems like this 7" (and the companion American version that we'll talk about tomorrow) is the warning that their new record is finally on the horizon.

There's 2 new songs as well as a Butthole Surfers cover. The 2 new tracks are both great, employing passionate vocals and soaring, urgent choruses. They are a bit slower than the bulk of the songs on Iron Chic's last full length, but are some of the best the band has written. The Butthole Surfers cover is kind of a throwaway for me. I'm not familiar with the original and Iron Chic's version doesn't speak to me like their original tracks do.

Drunken Sailor/Yo Yo put out 3 versions of this record: red vinyl (/400), clear vinyl (/400) and the white vinyl version that I picked up which was limited to only 140 copies. Iron Chic is one of those bands that while I don't buy every variant, I do want to have the rarest, or at least the earliest pressing of their records. I'm quite eager to hear more.

Iron Chic - Spooky Action 7":
drunkensailorrecords.bandcamp.com/album/spooky-action-7

Sweet Faces - S/T 7" - Blue Vinyl (/100)

Sweet Faces - S/T 7" - Blue Vinyl (/100), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Douchemaster (2008)

Another entry in my low key quest to pick up the colored vinyl versions of the entire Douchemaster records catalog. I'm honestly not sure why I didn't pick this up when it originally came out in 2008. I was buying records from the label at that point, but for one reason or another, just never ordered this particular 7".

I've been missing out as this little 7" is an excellent four song slice of pop music. It's a little fuzzy, but definitely owes more to the early 60's pop rock scene than it does to any garage underground. Simple catchy songs with very memorable choruses. The highlight for me is actually "Here Come The Nice Boys," a song with a minimal guitar riff endlessly repeated. For some bands this could be a total throwaway, but for Sweet Faces, they really turn it into something special.

Sadly it looks like this 7" is the only record Sweet faces ever put out, which is a real shame as I would have loved to hear more from these guys. Well, at least I have the limited to 100 blue vinyl mailorder version of the record. There's some solace in that.

Sweet Faces - ST 7":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U2-6MCcIg8

The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds LP

The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds LP, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Capitol (2008)

There's not much to say about this record. One of the best pop albums ever released. Capitol put out this reissue a few years ago. This version is in mono and truly sounds great. The artwork was faithfully reproduced right down to the inner sleeve advertising the Capitol '66 line up. Pet Sounds is one of those records that just has to be in the collection. I can't imagine I need to describe anything else for you, it's just one of those records that you grow up with,

Superchunk - Me & You & Jackie Mittoo 7" - Blue Vinyl

Superchunk - Me & You & Jackie Mittoo 7" - Blue Vinyl, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Merge (2013)

I've been listening to Superchunk for a long time. A really, really long time. They were actually one of the very first shows I ever went to. So the fact that all of these years later Superchunk is still cranking out 7"s just makes me feel good inside. This is a teaser for their new album that's coming out soon and it has 1 album track and an unreleased B-side.

I would classify these as upper-mid tempo Superchunk songs. While they don't have quite the punch of some of the stand out tracks on Majesty Shredding, they certainly have more oomph than Come Pick Me Up era songs. Really, it's just a taste of some new music and maybe I won't be spinning this 1000 times a day, but it certainly has me geared up to hear the new full length.

Superchunk - Me & You & Jackie Mittoo:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmL9T2pRjvU

Rumspringer - Stay Afloat - Yellow Vinyl (/111)

Rumspringer - Stay Afloat - Yellow Vinyl (/111), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Dirtcult / Drunken Sailor (2013)

Please, just remember all of the good things I said about this album yesterday, because they all still apply. Rumspringer is one of the best current bands out there and this is the best album they have released to date. Go get it.

The yellow vinyl variant was pressed up to be sold through Drunken Sailor records out in the UK. There's only 111 copies floating around, plus Drunken Sailor is another label that you just cannot go wrong with. If you're going to grab this Rumspringer record from them, you're a fool if you don't also pick up the Exit Condition reissues at a minimum. Dirtcult did sell a handful of this version on their website, but they sold out very quickly. If you want it now, off to Europe you go...

Rumspringer - Stay Afloat:
dirtcultrecords.bandcamp.com/album/stay-afloat

Rumspringer - Stay Afloat LP - Red Vinyl (/113)

Rumspringer - Stay Afloat LP - Red Vinyl (/113), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Dirtcult (2013)

Yes, I'm going to say it again. And again. And probably again. What a year 2013 is for amazing records. Case in point is the latest from Rumspringer, a band that I have been following since they first started putting out 10"s & 7"S on Traffic Street records a few years ago. I've watched them grow from a really promising new band to one of my current, most reliable favorites. Seldom have they let me down and Stay Afloat is no exception.

The band manages to to hit all of those calling cards from the 90's that made me love punk rock to begin with. I hear a little Crimpshrine here, a guitar trick that reminds me of bands like Walker there, but it never sounds dated or ripped off. Multiple vocalists help to keep things dynamic; but it's the energy and the sing along choruses that keep me coming back over and over. Of all the bands that I try to get my friends to check out, Rumspringer is the one that has been the biggest hit with them and Stay Afloat is their best release yet. My top 10 is getting awful crowded already and it's not even August yet.

The first 113 copies sold through the Dirtcult website were available on red vinyl. There was also an exclusive color for Drunken Sailor records out of England, but that's tomorrow's picture.

Rumspringer - Stay Afloat:
dirtcultrecords.bandcamp.com/album/stay-afloat

Canadian Rifle / Zapiain - Split 7" - Blue Vinyl (/100)

Canadian Rifle / Zapiain - Split 7" - Blue Vinyl (/100), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

All In Vinyl (2013)

I'm not only a huge fan of singles series, but in particular I love All In Vinyl's version. It's rivaled only by the Art Of The Underground series (which I can't even remember the last time I got a record from that) and I've been a subscriber to every year so far.

That being said, I'm a little perplexed by this record. Canadian Rifle was a band I've heard of, but am now hearing their music for the first time. Over a swampy, sludgy storm of feedback & guitar the band wails out some of the most intense vocals I've ever heard, to the point where it's almost silly. The singer reminds me of the noises that the Balrog makes in Lord Of The Rings. It's definitely not for me.

But then there's the Zapiain side, which features crystal clear pop music. This band has a very mid 90's rock feel to them and the songs here remind me of the album Betty Pickup by Muzzle. I realize that's likely only a reference old people that once trolled around the CD used bins in the 90's will get, but it's pretty darn accurate. I really like this side of the 7" and for the life of me, I can't think of a more bizarre pairing.

Regardless, this record has provided me two great new songs and another band to keep track of, so as far as I'm concerned it's another success for All In Vinyl and for singles series in general. Keep them coming.

Canadian Rifle - Fire & Born:
soundcloud.com/allinvinyl/fire-born

Zapiain - Tou Always Said It Was:
soundcloud.com/allinvinyl/you-always-said-it-was

Warm Soda - Tell Me In A Whisper 7"

Warm Soda - Tell Me In A Whisper 7", a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Goodbye Boozy (2013)

The Warm Soda LP that came out on Castle Face records earlier in the year is top notch, and this follow-up 7" for the band's European tour follows in those same footsteps. 2 more songs of jangle guitar, breathy vocals and simple, but insanely catchy, melodies. The 2 songs here are akin the the more mid tempo moments of that band's full length, but they are just the perfect companion piece to that album.

There were 2 versions of the 7" available, the cover I have with the band blowing bubbles in the supermarket as well as another illustrated cover. Each variant was limited to 150 copies and according to the label, both versions are already sold out. Hopefully the band still has some copies and they roll through your town as this is worth grabbing.

Warm Soda - Tell Me In A Whisper 7":
warmsoda.bandcamp.com/album/tell-me-in-a-whisper

Jawbox - For Your Own Special Sweetheart LP

Jawbox - For Your Own Special Sweetheart LP, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

DeSoto (1994)

I missed out on Jawbox the first time around. I can't say that I ever heard much by them, but what I did hear didn't captivate me. I always considered them a bit too noisy and dissonant for my liking. Well, much like my experience with the band Seaweed, I've really come around now that I'm older.

It actually started off with the Burning Airlines reissues that came out a little bit ago. I enjoyed them enough that I decided I should probably give Jawbox another try. My wife is actually a big Jawbox fan and she recommended I start off with For Your Own Special Sweetheart, her first Jawbox record. This album was reissued on vinyl recently with new artwork, but I decided I needed to hunt down the original pressing and came across a copy for a totally reasonable price.

From the opening moments of "FF=66" I was a little worried as it starts off with an awful lot of shouting. But that quickly morphs into an unexpectedly memorable chorus. That's what strikes me most about this record, it's loud, the guitars are crunchy and there's a real undercurrent of angst and doom, but every song has this nugget of a hook embedded into it. It's one of the most deceptively catchy records I've heard.

I am very eager to explore more of the Jawbox catalog, though all of their LP's seem to be out of print right now. I'll just have to keep my eyes open and hope I get another good deal like this one.

Jawbox - FF=66:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAVH4dNG4oA

Jawbox - Breathe:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=daqLfl4OByU

Dead Mechanical - OK Night LP - Screened Cover (/40)

Dead Mechanical - OK Night LP - Screened Cover (/40), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Toxic Pop (2013)

This Dead Mechanical record is coming out in the next month on Toxic Pop records. There's a pre-order for it on the label's website right now, and I put in my order the very day it went up. However, since Dead Mechanical was playing Insub Fest in late June, Toxic Pop had a some test pressings of the record rushed and they made special screened covers for the occasion. They only sold 40 copies of this record at Insub Fest, but I was very luckily that a quick email to Toxic Pop had them put aside a copy for me. I guess being a loyal customer that buys almost every single thing the label puts out the day it goes on sale earned me some karma points.

I love the screened cover and as cool as it looks in the picture, it really pops in person. Now, as for the music, I could not possibly say enough good things about this record. Over and over I've stated what a great year for music 2013 has been, but it's just getting downright insane at this point. This is an album of the year most years. It's a surefire top 5, it's probably a top 3. In all seriousness, just stop reading this review as you are wasting time that could be better spent buying this record.

The band weaves together some of the best influences in punk. You've got your early Jawbreaker vocals, there's Leatherface inspired guitar play, Dillinger Four-esque catchiness in parts and it's all presented though a filter of incredible energy and passion. I always say that to me, the most important thing about a band is that I want to believe in them. I want to feel the conviction they have in their music. Dead Mechanical has this in spades. I believe every word, every note that comes out of this band. It's a soundtrack for life kicking you low, and your quest to crawl back.

OK Night is essential, just absolutely essential. After 3 perfect records, I do not understand how this band is not one of the biggest in the US. Dead Mechanical should be huge. They should be the first thing anyone mentions when talking about today's great punk bands. Go buy this record, you deserve it.

Dead Mechanical - OK Night:
firestartertoxicpop.bandcamp.com/album/ok-night

Rocket From The Crypt - Live From Camp X-Ray LP - Bootleg

Rocket From The Crypt - Live From Camp X-Ray LP - Bootleg, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Bootleg (2013)

A couple of months ago I started seeing this record show up online claiming to be a promo LP pressing of the last Rocket From The Crypt record, Live From Camp X-Ray. Had I only seen 1 pop up, I may have been inclined to believe that it was a promo, but dozens and dozens of them showed up at the same time. Since it wasn't particularly expensive and since I will not allow any holes in my Rocket From The Crypt collection, I picked it up for about $30 shipped from Europe.

It's a very good quality bootleg. The artwork is lifted from the advance CD that Vagrant sent out to radio & press prior to the album originally coming out. The quality of the sleeve is solid and the quality of the record itself is also completely fine. Maybe the slightest bit heavy on the bass, but honestly I can tell no real difference between this and the 2 official Vagrant pressings.

I'm not completely sure why this was the Rocket album that was picked to bootleg. It was just re-released and I don't even think the original is THAT hard to find, but as far as bootlegs go, at least it's a nice one. Oh and it should go without saying that the album is just outstanding, but you probably know that already.

Rocket From The Crypt - Bring Us Bullets:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=02Yrl4nfEAo

Rocket From The Crypt - I'm Not Invisible (Live of Craig Killborn):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=02Yrl4nfEAo

Steve Adamyk Band - Desecrate 7" - Stamped Cover (/17)

Steve Adamyk Band - Desecrate 7" - Stamped Cover (/17), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Taken by Surprise (2013)

A reader of this very website actually alerted me that this variant was coming out, so for that I am most thankful. Taken By Surprise found a handful of Desecrate 7"s with no covers. So they did the only thing any self respecting record label would do; they made an instant collectible. The 7"s are hand stamped, limited to just 17 copies in total and allows me to continue to keep my Steve Adamyk Band collection up to snuff.

The 3 songs on this record are some of my favorites as well. Especially the b-side "Unglued." This is the kind of record that really helps cement a band as one of the best out there. Steve Adamyk Band has 3 new 7"s coming out this summer (Well, one is actually out already), so expect to see more of them on this website really soon. Also...play the US East Coast already!!

The Steve Adamyk Band - Desecrate:
takenbysurpriserecords.bandcamp.com/album/desecrate-7

Paper Dragons - Die To Please LP - Red Vinyl (/110)

Paper Dragons - Die To Please LP - Red Vinyl (/110), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Toxic Pop / Wallride / Southpaw (2013)

I've been sitting on this Paper Dragons LP for a few months now, not exactly sure what to write about it. I picked it up based on Hot Snakes/Wipers comparisons and I see that in the music for sure. The band just attacks their instruments with a fury that's something to hear. Lot's of downstrokes, interesting chord progressions and the kind of believable energy that I value so highly in a band.

I think where Paper Dragons loses me is in the vocals. They lean more towards the snotty 80's punk sound than is my cup of tea. This is very much a punk album and I think I need just a bit more melody in a band to really speak to me. By no means is this a bad record and I actually recommend it quite highly if you're looking for a band that can incorporate this vocal style with some truly stellar music. It's just not 100% what I'm looking for.

Paper Dragons - Die To Please:
paperdragons.bandcamp.com/album/die-to-please

Buzzer - Disco Kiddz 7" - White Vinyl (/100)

Buzzer - Disco Kiddz 7" - White Vinyl (/100), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Douchemaster (2008)

This Buzzer 7" is a bit older, but I recently came across it used. I have it in my head that I would like to be able to get the entire Douchemaster catalog on colored vinyl. I'm going to keep my eye out, but I'm not planning on going crazy tracking everything down. This also brings me to where the hell has Douchemaster records been? It's over a year since their last release. I hope they start cranking out the hits again soon.

This Buzzer 7" is fun. Short bursts of garage rock guitars mixed with slightly distorted yelping Cars-esque vocals. The 3 songs are catchy and enjoyable. It's not the sort of record that will blow your mind, but it's a good way to spend a few minutes in front of your turntable. "Heavy Weather" in particular would be great mixtape fodder if you're inclined to make those. Couldn't find the songs streaming anywhere, sorry.

RVIVR - The Beauty Between LP

RVIVR - The Beauty Between LP, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Rumbletowne (2013)

Many times over the past 6 months I've taken to this website and proclaimed that 2013 has been a hell of a year for music so far. Please reuse that statement for today's record as well. Another top shelf punk rock record has come down the pipes in 2013, courtesy of RVIVR. I've actually been following RVIVR since their first 7". I had read a review of it that compared it to some other band that I liked. Though I couldn't tell you what band that was anymore, what I can tell you is that I knew right from the start this was a band I would be keeping tabs on.

Fast forward a few years later and we have RVIVR's 2nd full length, The Beauty Between, easily their crowning achievement to date. It's an incredibly dynamic blend of male/female dueling and harmonizing vocals combined with more complicated and nuanced guitar interplay than you'll find on a lot of punk rock records. While that could keep some bands from latching on to catchy hooks and choruses; RVIVR combines all of these elements into one hell of a record that's so easy to listen to but never feels saccharine or hollow.

In a year that's been full of hit after hit it's going to be hard for an above average record to make an impact in 2013. Luckily for RVIVR, what they've turned in is probably their masterpiece. No pressure on the next record...

RVIVR - The Beauty Between:
rvivr.bandcamp.com/album/the-beauty-between

Goodbye Maxwell's - Hoboken, NJ - 07/14/13

Goodbye Maxwell's - Hoboken, NJ - 07/14/13, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Though what I am writing about today isn't a record or even a record store; this place had so much to do with building the foundation of my taste in music, I had to write a little about it to say goodbye.  On July 31st, 2013 Maxwell's in Hoboken, NJ will close its doors for the very last time. I have been going to Maxwell's for shows for almost 20 years. I've seen so many incredible bands play here and it was such an institution that the impact this little building has had on my life is difficult to measure.

The entrance to Maxwell's

I've seen almost every band that has ever meant anything to me play at Maxwell's. The very first show I ever went to was a Rocket From The Crypt/Pee Chees show. It was the sort of experience I'll never forget. It was only the 2nd time I had seen Rocket play live and it was one of the most influential shows I've ever seen. I can trace my undying love of Rocket From The Crypt to this show; it was when I truly saw the light.

Another incredible show I was at was when Beck played solo acoustic here in 1996. I didn't have tickets to the show, but I arrived at about 3 in the afternoon and just did everything I could do to get in. I ended up talking to one of the sound guys for a while and he put me on the guest list. It was a perfect show. Only about 200 people can fit in the venue and it was packed. Beck played for almost 2 hours with no setlist, taking requests and talking to the crowd. It was just another magical night in Hoboken.

Front of Maxwell's

I could never list all of the bands I saw there over the years, but from Archers of Loaf to Doo Rag to The Supersuckers to Ted Leo to the Mr. T Experience to Gentleman Jesse to Hot Snakes to Night Marchers I was simply there all the time. Now, it's been a while since I've been to Maxwell's recently, having less to do with the venue or the bands and more to do with the fact that I'm not as into going to shows as much as I used to be. But I wanted to go back one more time before it shut down.

I couldn't begin to tell you how many times I walked this
hallway into the back room where the bands played

I'm not going to be able to go to Maxwell's for one last show.  Nearly everything between now and July 31st is sold out; certainly all of the band's I would like to see have one last hurrah.  So, last night my wife and I went to Maxwell's to have dinner (they were also a full service sit-down restaurant in addition to a music venue), take some pictures and to give me the chance to lament about old times and the end of an era. The food was fine, but seeing that room for what I knew would be the last time was tough. We ate, we talked and I tried to soak in as much of the atmosphere as I could for the last time. I picked up a T-shirt, complained about the closing to the waiter and paid my check for the last time.

There was also a bar and restaurant that I didn't go to as
much as a kid, but really appreciated as I got older

I've lost a lot of cool places around here over the years. Coney Island High, Tramps, Brownies and a myriad of record stores. Most of those were in NYC. Maxwell's was always the place that was ours in New Jersey. It just seems wrong that it's being taken away, that other young kids won't have a chance to discover a band that will change their life. I'm so sad that Maxwell's is going to be gone and I will truly, truly miss the hell out of this place.

A T-shirt to remember the good times

The Repos - Armed And Using 7" - Yellow & Red Vinyl (/100)

The Repos - Armed And Using 7" - Yellow & Red Vinyl (/100), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Cowabunga (2013)

I signed up for the Cowabunga records singles club (It's call Sick Club) in order to get an exclusive color variant of a Tenement 7". There was also supposed to be a Mean Jeans 7" as well, but I'm not sure that is actually happening anymore. What i have received is a handful of hardcore 7"s that really aren't my thing.

The Repos play load screamy sludgy hardcore. It's a style of music I've never really understood. The yelling, the swirling bludgeoning guitar noises...if you like this sort of thing, that's great, whatever music speaks to you is important. But this sort of thing completely throws me for a loop. I think the colored vinyl looks really great though.

The Repos - Armed And Using:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqqowBxDGEM

Plow United - One 7" & Two Split 7"s

Plow United - One 7" & Two Split 7"s, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

West Chester Rock City 7" - Total Jayos (1996)
Plow / Weston - Split 7" Coolidge (1995)
Plow United / Stressboy - Split 7" (1996)

Even though they're from Pennsylvania and I'm from New Jersey, I always considered Plow United to be the best local band that we had back in the mid 90's. They constantly came up to play shows with the North Jersey bands and they were often tapped as support when some of the bigger punk rock bands came though town. I always loved them live and in particular played the hell out of their 2nd album Goodnight Sellout.

For some reason, I never picked up too many of their 7"s. I think I just had the mentality that they're always around, I'll just grab them next time. Then suddenly they weren't around anymore and all of the 7"s disappeared. I never even picked up their first full length on vinyl. Really kicking myself about that all these years later because you hardly ever see these old records anymore.

The three 7"s here represent a prime era of Plow United. Even though I never had these records before, all of these songs are familiar and feel like home. A few had ended up on Goodnight Sellout but the others are ones that I'm sure I know having seen the band play so many times. It's a real trip back to a very exciting time in music for me. I'm hopeful that at some point I can find the remainder of the Plow 7"s I'm missing and fingers crossed that a copy of their first S/T LP turns up at some point.

Plow United - West Chester Rock City (Live):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mVLqN7LokI

Future Virgins / Toys That Kill - Split 7" - Blue Vinyl (/100)

Future Virgins / Toys That Kill - Split 7" - Blue Vinyl (/100), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Drunken Sailor (2013)

Over a very short period of time, Drunken Sailor records has become one of those labels I really trust. They started off gaining a ton on goodwill with me by releasing 3 LPs worth of Exit Condition songs and they continue earn my favor putting out 7"s like this.

Toys That Kill is a band I became enamored with, courtesy of their fantastic Fambly 42 album last year. Their song on this split carries on that same tradition of warm lived in guitars and melodic, but extremely unique vocals. A truly great song.

Futures Virgins is a band I'm less familiar with, but if the 2 songs here are any indication of what they are capable of, I think it's time to hunt down their full length as soon as possible. They're a pop punk band by trade, but they lean more towards the gruffer side than the Ramonesy way of going about things. "Passing Curses" is a full force rocker, while their 2nd entry "Counting Sheep (Show Me)" slows things down and has something of a late 50s early 60s pop vibe going for it.

3 great songs, 1 great label, 1 great 7". And I definitely need to check out more Future Virgins records.

Future Virgins / Toys That Kill - Split 7"
drunkensailorrecords.bandcamp.com/album/split-7-7

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

Chestnut Road - S/T LP - Clear Vinyl (/300)

Chestnut Road - S/T LP - Clear Vinyl (/300), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Brassneck / Speedowax / Boss Tuneage (2013)

In the mid 90's one of my favorite record labels was a label based out of Japan called Snuffy Smile records. If you've been on this website before, you probably know they are still one of my favorite labels, nearly 20 years later. But back in the 90's in addition to putting out great records, they had a little slogan that made it on to some T-shirts and stickers that they made. That slogan was "you have your punk, I have mine." Something about that saying really spoke to me and stuck with me over the years as even within the context of punk rock, the bands that really spoke to me weren't always the ones that other kids in America were particularly excited about.

In the mid 90's the bands that meant everything to me were bands like Hooton 3 Car, Chopper, Skimmer, China Drum, Mega City Four, Broccoli, Reverse, Gan, donFisher and the granddaddies of them all, Snuff and Leatherface. There was such an amazing scene in the UK and I remember waiting for packages from Crackle Records to arrive at my local record store so the feeding frenzy could begin. Those bands are some of the most important ones to me, but that kind of music seemed to go out of style. Aside from a band called Blocko that came out a few years later; I never heard much out of the UK that really carried the torch of this kind of music.

This is where Chestnut Road comes in. They're from France, so it's possible I've just been looking in the wrong country all these years. Right from the start I have high hopes as they've named themselves after my 2nd favorite Broccoli song. Then the record starts and I'm immediately transported back to my old record store digging through the Crackle box. What we have is a fantastic melodic punk band with gravely Broccoli influenced vocals and Leatherface/Hooton 3 Car inspired guitar play. This is a band that would have immediately been putting out records on Rugger Bugger, Crackle or Rumblestrip records.

You have your punk, I have mine completely sums up this record for me. It is perfect, it is flawless, it is everything I want out of punk rock. It's an update on the sounds that formed my taste in music 20 years ago and it's everything that I want to see in punk rock today. Please Chestnut Road, stay together forever, put out records all the time and show everyone how exciting punk rock can be.

Chestnut Road - S/T:
brassneckrecords.bandcamp.com/album/chestnut-road-chestnu...

Mirrorism - Night Flight 7" - Dark Red Vinyl

Mirrorism - Night Flight 7", a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Trouble In Mind (2013)

Trouble In Mind really hit me with a one-two punch with their latest batch of singles. Between the Proto Idiot 7" I wrote about a few days ago and this Mirrorism 7", this is one of their stronger batches. Records like this are the reason I always buy every single they release, odds are I haven't heard of the band, but the potential for greatness is always there.

Mirrorism are from Italy and fill the A side of this single with jagged guitars and yelped vocals. Not always my thing, but the band does it well enough that I'm engaged. It's the B side, "Exit The Loop," that really grabs me. A bit more of a straight up rocker, this is the kind of song that you instantly sit up and take notice of when the needle hits the wax.

Other than a demo tape, this 7" is all the band has to offer currently. Though I expect that to change pretty quick once word gets out about this band.

Mirrorism - Exit the Loop:
mrrrzm.bandcamp.com/track/exit-the-loop

Midway Still - Slugabed 10"

Midway Still - Slugabed 10", a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Roughneck (1992)

This is a record I actually picked up a little bit ago, but I hadn't gotten to write it up yet for the site. I found this in the Generation Records used bin in NYC for $2, so there was no way it wasn't coming home with me. I've been slowly trying to pick up the remainder of the Midway Still releases that I don't have on vinyl, but they don't turn up too often in America.

This 10" is a classic slice of Midway Still. Released when Snuff, Leatherface, Senseless Things & Mega City Four ruled the Earth, these guys have always been a favorite of mind. Their quiet-verse-to-loud-chorus mastery is on display particularly during the lead off song, "Just Get Stuck." It's a real time capsule of a time when the UK punky pop bands of the early 90's were really elevating the game.

While looking for some of these songs to share I actually stumbled across the fact that the band put out a new album last year. Sadly it seems it's CD only, no vinyl, but I'm going to have to pick that up at some point as well.

Midway Still - Just Get Stuck:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK-aHs0h0B0

Rad Company / Tight Bros - Split 7"

Rad Company / Tight Bros - Split 7", a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Drunken Sailor / Rad Girlfriend / Throwing Things / Soapy Hands / No Breaks / 86'd / On The Real (2013)

Split 7" put out by an awful lot of labels. I think this actually might be the most logos I've ever seen on the back of a record before. But, as this is a pretty great 7", I can't blame so many people from wanting to get in involved.

This is my first exposure to Rad Company. They play a fuzzy, catchy style of pop punk with slightly gruff vocals and a lot of enthusiasm. Certainly not earth shattering, but very good and a band I will be keeping an eye on going forward.

I've been pretty crazy about the Tight Bros LP that came out this year as it's been spinning pretty frequently on my turntable. This 7" is a nice follow up with 2 more tracks of Marked Men-esque guitar pop with really strong vocal harmonies. These guys are quickly becoming one of my favorites and I actually have another split 7" of theirs on pre-order, so I'll be writing about Tight Bros again pretty soon.

Rad Company / Tight Bros - Split 7":
drunkensailorrecords.bandcamp.com/album/split-7-5

Proto Idiot - You're Wrong 7" - Maroon Vinyl (/500)

Proto Idiot - You're Wrong 7" - Maroon Vinyl (/500), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Trouble In Mind (2013)

Back again for another Trouble In Mind 7". I've been buying these since day one and have amassed a complete collection on colored vinyl. So I don't miss out, I always buy the moment they go on sale. This time we have a band called Proto Idiot, who I had never heard before, but had heard of from a friend.

The 2 songs on this record are very strong, with the A-Side "You're Wrong" being a catchy pop romp with a sing along chorus. The B-Side is a little darker, still very catchy and for some reason reminds me of The Animals. Definitely one of the stronger entries in the Trouble In Mind series and I plan on checking out more records by Proto Idiot in the near future.

Proto Idiot - You're Wrong:
proto-idiot.bandcamp.com/track/youre-wrong

Tenement - Freak Cast In Iron 7" - Green Vinyl (/100)

Tenement - Freak Cast In Iron 7" - Green Vinyl (/100), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Cowabunga (2013)

The whole reason I subscribed to the Cowabunga Records Sick Club singles series was to get the limited version of this Tenement 7". A bonus was the Mean Jeans 7" that they advertised which seems to no longer be mentioned anywhere on the label's website. So that might be out at this point.

Tenement is a band that I will always buy everything they put out. One of the things I like about the band is how diverse and creative their output is. While I prefer some of their songs to others, I love that you never know what to expect until the record starts spinning. These 2 songs are more a part of their lower fi cannon, with the first being short & catchy while the flip side is a bit longer and a bit weirder. Both enjoyable songs, though I personally prefer their slightly higher production punchy numbers.

There's no way I'm not buying this record, and I can't wait for the band to finish working on their next LP. It's nice that we've gotten a fairly consistent stream of 7"s being released in the meantime.

Tenement - Freak Cast In Iron 7":
tenement.bandcamp.com/album/sick-club-vol-3

Public Enemy - 25th Anniversary Vinyl Collection LP Box Set

Public Enemy - 25th Anniversary Vinyl Collection LP Box Set, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Def Jam (2013)

In the late 80's and early 90's, there were very few things in the world I liked more than Public Enemy (& Boogie Down Productions). As an impressionable young person, I was really drawn the the conviction of these bands. Not too mention the beats and rhymes were really strong and innovative for the time. These bands were the measuring stick I used to judge all hip hop bands until Del The Funky Homosapien changed everything for me in '91.

This box set should have been too expensive for me to buy. When pre-orders for it started popping up it was averaging around $200 (It's actually come down a bit and there's a few places selling for $175 now). Given that I do have a tight record buying budget, despite what you probably think if you're a regular reader of this site, I just figured I'd have to pass.

Then one day, I was tipped off that the Best Buy website had this for sale for $79. I immediately bought it, figuring it was doubtful they'd actually fulfill my order. I was even more sure of it when hours later the price on the Best Buy website was right back up to $200. The box set was delayed, the release date got pushed back months at a time and I just waited for the cancellation notice to come through. Then one day, I got an email telling me my ordered shipped. Victory, I got this box set for $79 plus $6 shipping and I'm thrilled with it.

The box for the set itself is really hi quality. The records all sit in the orange part and the red top slides over top. I would have liked some sort of retrospective liner notes, but I'll forgive as the records themselves are identical to the originals, even down to the ads for buying Public Enemy VHS tapes.

The music is still greatest at the peak. Yo! Bum Rush The Show always felt a little half baked to me and the production quality wasn't quite there yet. It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back was always my favorite and still holds up today as one of the greatest hip hop records ever released. Fear Of A Black Planet is also amazing, and to me doesn't feel dated at all. I vividly remember buying the Apocalypse '91 CD the day it came out when I was a freshman in high school. It still blows me away. This is kind of where Public Enemy and I parted ways.

They released a CD called Greatest Misses a few years later (It's not included in this box set) and I just hated it for some reason. I never bought another PE record after that, so this box set was the first time I heard Muse Sick-N-Hour Mess Age and the He Got Game Soundtrack. Muse Sick is pretty good and has a handful of real stand out tracks, but it loses me on the songs that sound like they were built off of leftover Pete Rock and CL Smooth beats. He Got Game didn't really hold my interest at all. They both are just missing the cutting edge urgency of the earlier records.

Despite the set ending on a whimper and not with a bang, this box set is completely worth owning for the Nation to Apocalypse trilogy. Three of the best albums ever released in the genre. It is doubtful I would have ever picked this up for $200, but for $79, I would never pass it up.

Public Enemy - Rebel Without A Pause:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8apEcVO5dbA

Public Enemy - Burn Hollywood Burn:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=71un0nkjKB8

Public Enemy - Can't Truss It:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=am9BqZ6eA5c

Occult Detective Club - Alright Gentlemen 7"

Occult Detective Club - Alright Gentlemen 7", a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Dirtcult (2013)

There are a lot of bands that write good songs, but then do something screwy when they're recording. You've got the garage bands writing killer pop songs, but then they put a huge layer of static over the vocals. Then you've got the pop punk bands that have catchy tunes, but everything sounds so slick and clinical you lose all emotion. And finally there's a band like Occult Detective Club; a band doing everything right.

Occult Detective Club play extremely catchy punk rock with gruff vocals and unlike a lot of bands, they recorded this 7" perfectly. The guitars sound huge, but there's no unnecessary gloss here. The vocals have that great lived in, rough around the edges quality, but not so fuzzed out you can't understand them. It's really a perfect sounding record which makes it even more depressing that it appears the band has split and this 7" is their swan song.

Hopefully they come to their senses and make some more rock, in the meantime I need to finally go buy their other LP's. Anyone know of an online store selling both of them?

Occult Detective Club - Alright Gentlemen:
dirtcultrecords.bandcamp.com/album/alright-gentlemen-7

Masked Intruder / Dan Vapid & The Cheats - The Wedding 7" - PurpleVinyl (/100)

Masked Intruder / Dan Vapid & The Cheats - The Wedding 7" - Purple Vinyl (/100), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Solidarity (2013)

This 7" was put out by Solidarity Recordings, it also doubled as the invitation to the guy that runs it, (Randy) and his fiance Valerie's wedding (There's another variant used for the actual invitation). I think this is such a cool idea and certainly something that popped in my head when I was planning my wedding Though it would have been difficult to get new songs from Rocket From The Crypt and Shiner in 2010 I think.

Anyway, in addition to the records used for the invitation, there was a batch released to the general public for sale. The version above was sold only through the Solidarity website and was limited to 100 copies on purple vinyl. It does look black in the picture, but you can see the color easier when you hole the record up to the light.

The songs are both straight up, mid tempo pop songs with Masked Intruder singing about Valerie and Dan Vapid doing the honors for Randy. I actually really like both songs, despite never really being into Dan Vapid's other work. Masked Intruder, on the other hand, are becoming one of the more reliable pop punk bands out there these days. Great songs and a great idea. I don't know Randy or Valerie, but I wish them the very best for their wedding. Have a great time!

Masked Intruder / Dan Vapis & The Cheats - The Wedding 7":
solidarityrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/the-wedding-7

Sundowners - The Larger Half Of Wisdom LP - Green Vinyl (/100)

Sundowners - The Larger Half Of Wisdom LP - Green Vinyl (/100), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Dirtcult (2013)

Dirtcult records has become one of those labels that I implicitly trust with pop music. Sure, they put out a few things that lean more to the hardcore side of things that are not really my style; but when they've got a melodic punk band lined up, I'm on board just about every time. They've done it again with Sundowners.

Sundowners play a punked up indie rock that immediately makes me think of the band Sundials. Both have a singer with similar inflections, but Sundowners blow Sundials out of the water with hooks and energy. At times, Sundowners also remind me of the more off kilter moments of Statues. A little shake up in the rhythm, but also like Statues, just blast into ultra catchy choruses.

Even though this is the band's 2nd full length, they are still a newer band to me. The Larger Half Of Wisdom is the type of record that will absolutely make me keep tabs on Sundowners in the future, just waiting for more records. The first 100 are on green vinyl and as of right now, Dirtcult still has some for sale on their website.

Sundowners - The Larger Half Of Wisdom:
dirtcultrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-larger-half-of-wisdom

Manifesto Jukebox - Desire LP

Manifesto Jukebox - Desire LP, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Nabate / Combat Rock (2000)

I wrote about a later period Manifesto Jukebox record earlier in the year and mentioned that while good, it was not as good as Desire. Oddly enough, just a few weeks later a used copy of Desire popped up in my favorite online distro, Green Noise. I actually don't remember how much I paid for it as I grabbed it with several other records, but I know it wasn't much. Less than $5 I think.

It's a good record and I've had the CD of it ever since Sean Rugger Bugger recommended the album to me back when it came out. I contend to this day that I think the band would be better if the singers vocal were just slightly more melodic, but the band burns through these songs like a really pissed off Leatherface. Glad to add it to the pile. Now I just need to keep and eye out for their 2nd LP on the cheap. Couldn't find any of the album streaming, but i found a few live versions of songs on YouTube.

Manifesto Jukebox - Paralyzed (Live):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6tZqEcB_VA

Manifesto Jukebox - Desire (Live):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYVpwMfDe28

Bear Trade - Belief is a Graveyard 7" - White Vinyl (/100)

Bear Trade - Belief is a Graveyard 7" - White Vinyl (/100), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Everything Sucks (2013)

The main reason I wanted to pick up this Bear Trade 7" when I first heard about it was because one of the members was previously in a band that I loved, Blocko. It was a sad day when Blocko split up and I've been doing my best to try to keep tabs on all of the various other projects everyone has been involved in. It took a little bit to get this record as I was trying to navigate some pretty expensive shipping options from the UK, but my buddy Julian @ Drunken Sailor picked this up for me and shipped over with a bunch of records I was ordering from him. Top guy!

Bear Trade, musically, do tread some of that same territory that I loved from bands like Blocko or Broccoli. While the singer of Bear Trade doesn't possess some of the more melodic vocal qualities of the aforementioned bands, musically they are right in that same ballpark with roaring choruses, palm muted bridges and a really tight rhythm section. Vocally, I hear more similarities to bands like The Great St. Louis. A harsher, gruffer delivery, but completely fits the music. It's a great 7" and I'm eager to hear the full length that I believe the band is currently working on.

Bear Trade - Belief is a Graveyard:
everythingsucksmusic.bandcamp.com/

Sack - Get Wrecked LP - White Vinyl (/50)

Sack - Get Wrecked LP - White Vinyl (/50), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Clearview (2013)

When I ordered the Lillingtons box set that I wrote about yesterday, I had the option to add this Sack LP to my order. It was a minimal price and only the 1st 50 were on white vinyl, so I decided to take a chance on it. I figured that worst case scenario; I would just sell it if I didn't like it.

Sack was a band that Kody from The Lillingtons started in between his time in The Lillingtons and Teenage Bottlerocket. It's described as a party record by most people and the subject matter of just about every song is drunken shenanigans. While in know way is this a bad record, it's not a great record either. It falls in that solidly above average category. Good enough to keep, but I'd probably unload it if someone decided to offer me too much money for it. I'm in no rush to sell though, so don't take that as an advertisement.

If you like either of Kody's other bands, I can't imagine not liking this as well. My only complaint is that the subject matter seems a bit one dimentional, especially considering how much the Lillingtons varied things up from album to album.

Sack - One Helluva Party:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=puxDKu-PVKo

Sack - King Of The Beach:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS9ZyAI-q2g

The Lillingtons - 6xLP Box Set - Metal Version (/50)

The Lillingtons - 6xLP Box Set - Metal Version (/50), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Clearview (2013)

The Lillingtons are a band that I never got into the way it seems a lot of people did. At the time they were around, I never really ranked them with the bands I truly loved. They just weren't as good as The Mr. T Experience, Sicko, Zoinks! or Green Day. I held them in the same regard as I did more 2nd tier bands like Squirtgun or Chixdiggit. I have no problem with either of those bands, they just always seemed way more straight forward and not quite as dynamic as some of the others.

With a decade or so of hindsight, I can look back at these Lillingtons records with a new found respect. I still don't think they're in that upper echelon of pop punk, but I do enjoy their records more than I used to. I've grown more accustomed to the vocals of Kody Templeman. His crystal clear, but somewhat nasal delivery doesn't allow for as much melody as I tend to like, but it absolutely works within the context of the band.

Individually the records stand very strong, with Death By Television and The Backchannel Broadcast absolutely being the highlights. Having this box set is great, because it puts just about the entire recorded output of this band at my fingertips, however, I have to say that this is a band that's not meant to listen in large doses. If you try to sit down and listen to this entire box set, it's very fatiguing. The albums are best left enjoyed on their own.

The box set itself came in several super limited versions. The one I managed to grab was limited to 50 copies and came with all of the records on 200 gram red vinyl. They really do sound fantastic and the weight of these records is really something else. This version also has a metal box that goes over the regular cardboard box set. The metal box has the Lillingtons "L" die cut out of it so that the printed white "L" of the cardboard box shows through it. It's a really slick looking set, but it is really, really heavy. Don't drop it. I do wish it had come with some sort of liner notes, but that's not really a deal breaker for me.

It probably sounds like I'm not as excited as I am about picking up this set. I'm thrilled to have all of the records on vinyl now. It was even better to manage to grab one of the limited variants. Anyone who wants these records on vinyl should pick up this set. It's beautifully put together, and everything sounds great. Are they the best band in the world? No. But if you like some old school Ramones influenced poppy punk, it's a pretty essential set.

The Lillingtons - Black Hole In My Mind:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEoapQdUJ_M

The Lillingtons - Final Transmission:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j0vce4mcQI

The Lillingtons - All i Hear Is Static:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=puxDKu-PVKo

Gentlemen Rogues - S/T 10" - Blue Vinyl (/300)

Gentlemen Rogues - S/T 10" - Blue Vinyl (/300), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Shifting Sounds (2013)

Gentlemen Rogues is an Austin, TX based band whose singer Danny has spent time in quite a few other bands that I've enjoyed over the past decades. I first came to know of his music through his 90's pop punk band Jill. They released a CD EP and a few 7"s that I just adore. After Jill had run its course, Danny was in a band called Quimby. Aside from a compilation appearance, I don't think they released anything else, but I could be mistaken. Lastly a band called The Fall Collection made an appearance with a CD EP in the mid 2000's. I hadn't heard anything from him since, but as soon as Gentlemen Rogues showed up on my radar, I immediately picked up this 10".

I really enjoy this EP and I hope it's the first of many records to come. While there is obvious growth and maturity compared to some of Danny's earlier bands, he absolutely has not traded in his ability to craft a heck of a pop song. While Jill was more Sicko or Zoinks inspired; Gentlemen Rogues explore that punky indie rock area that you can hear from bands like Tugboat Annie or Indoor Living - Come Pick Me Up era Superchunk. Maybe a little Ted Leo, especially considering that the songs are all over 4 minutes long. A lot of bands couldn't pull off something that long; but Gentleman Rogues keep it interesting and aren't just retreading the same 2 minute long song over and over.

Again, this is a really great EP. To the best of my knowledge, Danny hasn't been in a band that has released a full length album. If there was ever a band of his ready for the long album format, this is the one.

Gentlemen Rogues - S/T 10"
gentlemenrogues.bandcamp.com/album/gentlemen-rogues-ep

V/A - Snuffy Smiles Presents: Puke & Destroy 2 7" (Gleam Garden,What-A-Night's, Tenement, Holy Shit)

V/A - Snuffy Smiles Presents: Puke & Destroy 2 7" (Gleam Garden, What-A-Night's, Tenement, Holy Shit), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Snuffy Smiles (2013)

Life doesn't get much better than a Snuffy Smiles compilation. Especially when it pairs 2 of my absolute favorite Japanese bands and 1 of my favorite American bands. The deal with this 7" is that each band contributes 2 songs. One quick 30 second long one, then another longer track.

I could go on for days and days about how much I love Gleam Garden and What-A-Night's and you really need to look no further than this 7" to see why. Gleam Garden's 30 second long song isn't anything special, but their 2nd one, "It Smelled Good," is pretty great. Neither is quite as good as their most recent CD, but this band is outstanding. What-A-Night's just kill on both of their contributions. They cram a lot of greatness into the 30 second one, and "Cry for Nothing" is also a hit. This band has tons of energy and write some of the best hooks coming out of Japan right now.

For the US side Tenement 30 second long song (like What-A-Night's) isn't really a standout, but "The Block Is Safe Again" is a really strong mid tempo rocker with great backing harmonies. Tenement is one of the best US bands going and I suggest you buy as many of their records as you can. Holy Shit isn't really my copy of tea, they lean more to the hardcore, really fast side of things and that was just never a style the clicked with me, especially as I've gotten older.

All in, this is a great 7", but really you should always be buying everything that comes out with the Snuffy Smiles logo on it, they can do no wrong.

Modern Action - Molotov Solution LP - Clear Vinyl (/100)

Modern Action - Molotov Solution LP - Clear Vinyl (/100), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Ptrash (2012)

Part of the Ptrash club that just took me a while to get to here, it's a band featuring ex-members of the Briefs and it's a pretty good little record. Molotov Solution features 10 catchy punk numbers. While they don't quite have the hooks or melodies of a band like The Cute Lepers, they are definitely cut from the same cloth with a penchant for quick blasts and a little guitar solo-ing thrown in for good measure.

The Ptrash version came out 2 years after the regular LP was released on another label, but it was worth the wait as the screened artwork looks great and there's only 100 on clear vinyl. While I wouldn't call this record truly essential, I would absolutely recommend grabbing it if it's for sale at a distro you're already buying something from.

Modern Action - Molotov Solution:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHB3rABNFBo

Modern Action - Self Destruction:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3dzd4q2Qa8

Tight Bros - S/T LP

Tight Bros - S/T LP, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Rad Girlfriend / Shout Out Load / Let's Pretend (2013)

Tight Bros are a band that I stumbled across a few weeks ago. This is their 1st full length album and from the second I put the needle on the vinyl I was floored. Absolutely floored. This is a band that is flat out great. They manage to build fast, catchy Marked Men style punk rock, but without all the fuzz & distortion that the Marked Men weave into their vocals.

This Tight Bros record has fantastic vocal melodies, super catchy choruses and it really feels like each song is better than the last as you're going through the album. For me the absolute highlight of the bunch is "Summertime." This song builds off a simple guitar riff and just explodes when the whole band joins in. On top of all of this are laid back vocals that, honestly, should be out of place but for some reason it just works. On a record full of amazing songs, this is the kind of song that you'd put on every mix tape for 6 months. If anyone still made mix tapes.

I can't recommend this record enough, I just love it. One of the best of the year and if you've been keeping track, that's pretty high praise because 2013 is just killing it so far.

Tight Bros - S/T:
radgirlfriendrecords.bandcamp.com/album/tight-bros-s-t-lp-2

Your Pest Band - In My Doom 10"

Your Pest Band - In My Doom 10", a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Snuffy Smiles (2013)

Your Pest Band has rapidly been becoming one of my absolute favorite Japanese exports over the past few years. The way they channel energy & excitement into their songs is unrivaled. I haven't had the chance to see them play live, but I can only imagine that they blow the doors off places on a nightly basis.

In My Doom sees Your Pest Band expanding their sound a bit. In addition to their fast paced straight-up Snuffy Smiles style pop punk, theirs also a few songs that dabble in other genres. There are times when they slow things down a bit like on the songs "In My Doon" or "Here" where it works. But then there's "Entertainment," a song that sounds a bit too much like "Don't Fear The Reaper" for my tastes.

Despite 1 song I don't like, this is a great album that just flies by when listened to. I can't recommend this band or this label enough.

Your Pest Band - In My Doom:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz8sh2aG9S8

Car10 - I Don't Meet You 7"

Car10 - I Don't Meet You 7", a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Snuffy Smiles (2013)

Snuffy Smiles is my all time favorite record label. Based out of Japan, they've been cranking out hits for nearly 20 years and it just thrills me every time they put out a new 7". That being said, I don't know that I can say that Car10 is my favorite thing they've done lately.

Car10 is playing slightly mod leaning, jangley guitar rock. The vocals are kind of fuzzy and overblown, but it doesn't really suit the way the rest of the music was recorded. The vocal melodies tend to drone a bit and it's an odd contrast to the bouncy guitar hooks throughout the songs. The songs are also quite short, so there's not much time for them to build.

There's a lot of potential here that I don't think was realized on this record. I will definitely check out any future releases as I think they could get great, very quickly. It's also probably not fair to the band that I'm judging them on the Snuffy Smiles scale of excellence, so anything that's not out of this world will probably feel like a bit of a let down. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any of these songs streaming anywhere to share.

Prisonaires - Baby Please b/w Just Walkin' In The Rain 7"

Prisonaires - Baby Please 7", a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Third Man (2013)

I wasn't going to buy this 7" in the Third Man Sun Records reissue series and in fact, I didn't buy it. I ordered the Johnny Cash reissue, and they shipped me this record by mistake. When I sent an email alerting them to the mix up, they said to just keep the extra 7", so I will.

I don't see myself listening to it much, but it's certainly a perfectly fine record. Old timey 50's country with some interesting doo wop-esque backing vocals. It's good and I do enjoy it, but I don't think it's really worth shelling out any money for. As a free record though, it's worth keeping.

Prisonaires - Baby Please:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoG0EFI5M0E

Johnny Cash - Get Rhythm b/w I Walk The Line 7"

Johnny Cash - Get Rhythm b/w I Walk The Line 7", a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Third Man (2013)

Third Man Records has some wacky ideas. I've seen some pretty terrible ones over the years, and that gold vinyl/wooden box $300 version of the truly terrible looking Great Gatsby soundtrack was right at the top of the list of bizarre things to do. But then they will always redeem themselves with a project like this. Third Man is going to be reissuing a lot of the original Sun records 7" singles. While I'm not likely to buy all of them, I absolutely intend to cherry pick some of the cooler ones to add to the collection.

First up, the reissue of the Johhny Cash classic Get Rhythm b/w I Walk The Line. There's very little to say about songs as iconic as these, other than they're obviously incredible. What I'm most impressed with is the faithful way that Third Man has reissued the original artwork. Plus there's the fact that these songs sound better on this 7" than I've ever heard. Though I have miles of Johnny Cash, virtually all of it is on CD. I've been wanting to start replacing that with vinyl, but when you buy as many records as I do with the budget I'm working on, you have to pick and choose your battles, so Johnny is still waiting for some vinyl.

When I ordered this record from Third Man, they actually sent me the wrong record and sent the Sun reissue of the Prisonaires 7" they released by mistake. But as soon as I alerted them they immediately sent me the correct Johnny Cash record and also let me keep the Prisonaires one, so I'll write something up about that tomorrow.

Johnny Cash - Get Rhythm:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QQC-C3sCwQ

Johnny Cash - I Walk The Line:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAC0vuL3A3c

Outer Spaces - I Was Divided 7" - Yellow Vinyl

Outer Spaces - I Was Divided 7" - Yellow Vinyl, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Matador (2013)

The April edition of the Matador singles club came in the same package as yesterday's entry for March. They're a little behind, but that's OK. Apparently it's impossible to get normal records pressed in the days leading up to Record Store Day which I can beleive considering the sheer amount of nonsense that happens for RSD these days. I am hopeful to get another 2 record package soon as June was scheduled to be the Royal Headache 7".

Outer Spaces is a vast improvement for me from the Cian Nugent 7" yesterday. For starters, there's vocals. Jangle-y female fronted indie pop. It's very 90's sounding and really reminds me of a more mid tempo speed Go Sailor or maybe The Crabs. A definite K Records vibe for sure. This 7" isn't a total slam dunk and I don't think it'll get a whole lot of replay value, but it's a solid record for sure.

Cian Nugent And The Cosmos - Hire Purchase 7"

Cian Nugent And The Cosmos - Hire Purchase, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Matador (2013)

There's a downside to singles clubs as well, and it's 7"s like this. I'm on record over and over touting my love for the singles club. The excitement of a new record every month or so. Getting to check out a new band you wouldn't otherwise buy. Exclusive records by bands you love. It's always a cool idea I think.

But then you get this 7" in the mail. Boring folky guitar instrumentals. These guys couldn't even be bothered to come up with 2 different names for the songs on the A and B side. It's just Hire Purchase (Part I) and Hire Purchase (Part 2). I'm not down on the Matador singles club because of this record; you can't expect every month to be amazing. But this is one boring 7".

Maybe it's just me, maybe I haven't evolved to the point where I can appreciate the musicianship of a record like this. I don't know, I think I'll just go play my Superchunk 7" again and keep checking the mailbox for the Royal Headache entry to the series.