Please Stand By

Will return with new reviews next week (2/01).  Sorry for the lack of updates this week.

By Default By Design - Rise 7" - Red Vinyl

3345 Music (2015)

Last year I was sent the first By Default By Design 7".  I didn't like it and gave it quite the shellacking (or schlonging if you prefer) here. I guess that didn't discourage the fellow behind the music to send me his next 7", Rise.  Amazingly, this might even be worse.

By Default By Design is still working with the worst sounding guitar tone known to man.  Not quite acoustic and not quite electric, but rather a combination that somehow highlights the worst elements of both.  On top of that, on this 7" he seems to have forgotten how to sing.  A-side "Rise" is delivered in the goddamn weirdest falsetto you've ever heard.  You would almost think it's a Ween joke song if not for the heavy handed, over sentimentality of the lyrics.  Then if you flip this to the B-side "Beautiful Boy" he's just whispering the entire song.

This is terrible.  I can appreciate that this guy is psyched about having a kid, but I don't need to be beaten over the head with that while listening to a 7".  I see from the By Default By Design Bandcamp page that this guy is working on a full length.  I've never said this before, but please don't send it to me.  You'll just waste a copy and money on postage.  I don't want to listen to a full album of stuff like this.  I appreciate you sending what you have, but I think at this point we should agree to disagree.

By Default By Design - Rise 7":

https://bydefaultbydesign.bandcamp.com/album/rise

Wavves x Cloud Nothings - S/T LP - Red Vinyl

Ghost Ramp (2016)

For starters, I ordered this months and months ago.  I'm the sort of person who does enough pre-orders that I understand the delays that can happen, but I ordered and paid for this record in June and didn't get it until about a week ago.  That's a little ridiculous and the label now has a monthly vinyl club subscription up for sale.  Don't be surprised that I don't have a ton of faith in that one...

So as far as I'm concerned, this record came out in 2016, not 2015.  When first reading about this collaboration between Wavves and Cloud Nothings, I was pretty intrigued.  I like Wavves and I really loved the last Cloud Nothings record, so this was sure to be good right?  Well, it is good, but that's all it is.  In pooling their talents, for some reason Wavves and Cloud Nothings sort of cancel each other out and this collaboration isn't nearly as good as either band on their own.

In general they mostly sound like lesser Cloud Nothings throwaways.  They don't have the oomph or the strong production that Cloud Nothings has and end up sounding a little murky. It's a short nine song record as is, plus two of the songs are just minute and a half instrumental noodling, so you really only get seven full songs.  This record isn't bad and a couple of the songs are actually pretty good, but it ended up being a bit of a let down compared to what I know both bands are capable of.

Wavves x Cloud Nothings - S/T:

https://wavvesxcloudnothings.bandcamp.com/album/wavves-x-cloud-nothings

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

Pavement - The Secret History, Volume 1 (1990 - 1992)

Matador (2015)

Even though I wanted this record from the moment it was announced, from the get go I've been trying to contain any disappointment concerning this release.  I knew from the second the track listing was revealed that this particular record would essentially just be the bonus tracks from the CD reissue of Slanted And Enchanted from 2002 on vinyl for the first time.  And that is what it is, no more no less.  Yet I'm still somehow a little let down.

I think the real tipping point for me was opening this guy up and seeing all the liner notes were still dated 2002.  They refer to Slanted and Enchanted as being ten years old.  I realize there probably aren't any new songs to add to this, but some new liner notes couldn't have been that hard, could it?  All of this only matters if you bought the deluxe CD reissue back when it came out.  If you didn't, why this record is essential my good friends.  Early Drag City 7" tracks, some compilation rarities, Peel sessions and a live performance pack this double LP.

I could take or leave the live show.  I've never been much of a live album or bootleg guy.  But everything else is either a great song or just something fascinating to listen to in order to see where the band was at during this time frame.  I'm admittedly much more eager to see what comes out in further volumes of this series.  The rumor has it that everyone is aware this first volume is mostly just to give a vinyl release to these songs, but going forward there are more unreleased gems to share.  We'll see how that goes, but at the end of the day this is Pavement.  It's unlikely that I won't buy everything that comes out no matter what it is.

Color T.V. - Demo 2015 Cassette

Self Released (2015)

I'll be honest, right about now I'm getting sick of reviewing tapes.  Even though the last few (including today's) are ones that I actually bought myself, give me a slab of wax or even a CD any day over these dumb little things. Despite my cassette fatigue, this demo tape from Color T.V. is enough to shake some of my blues away.

I hunted down these guys while trying to find out what happened to the band W.H Walker.  Those guys released a perfect LP and then just seemed to vanish.  My quest (eventually) led me to the Color T.V. Bandcamp page where you can listen to the three songs on this release and order a copy of the tape.  Never one to be satisfied with only having digital copies of songs, I of course plunked down for the cassette.

While Color T.V. doesn't quite have the same kind of free wheeling, house party stomp, good time vibe of W.H Walker, they have still managed to crank out three songs that I think are pretty incredible.  The infectious vibe of W.H. Walker still exists in these songs, but they are a little more straight forward.  You have a similar downstroke guitar action like The Marked Men or Chinese Telephones, but the hooks are filtered through a completely different lens.

I really, really dig this release and am hopeful to hear more from these guys as soon as possible.  Someone should jump on Color T.V. and get some vinyl out ASAP.

Color T.V. - Demo 2015:

https://colorteevee.bandcamp.com/album/demo-2015

Herzog / Chomp - Split Cassette

Exit Stencil (2015)

This split was another tape that was released as part of Cassette Store Day.  Luckily I didn't have to figure out what a cassette store was and go in search of it out in that cold, cruel world.  I was able to pick it up from the website directly.  I grabbed this and the Chomp cassette from yesterday within a day or two from each other.

Speaking of Chomp, I would discover when both tapes arrived the songs from Chomp on this split are both already on the Bruise Cruise cassette as well.  My opinion of these two songs hasn't changed since yesterday.  They're both pretty awful.  After posting my review of the Chomp cassette yesterday I went back and re-listened to their older full length to see if I was giving them a hard time without reason.  I can assure you I was not.  The Buddha Jabba Mumma album is still fantastic, no clue what happened to these guys in the mean time.

Luckily on the flip side is Herzog.  They have stayed true to the spirit of their last album and haven't disappointed me one bit.  Their nearly ten minute long opus "Slow Days / Arizona" is just a fantastic little slab of great song writing.  As the title suggests, it is essentially two different songs that are joined together by a little intermission meandering in the middle.  Both sections of the song are stuffed with catchy guitar riffs, soaring harmonies and all of the early-Weezer-filtered-through-a-garage-band goodness that I've come to love about this band.  I may be off Chomp at this point, but I am counting down the days until a new Herzog record.

Herzog / Chomp - Split Cassette:

https://herzog-cleveland.bandcamp.com/

Chomp - Bruise Control Cassette

Mirror Universe (2015)

While I was initially bummed that this new Chomp release was only coming out on cassette, I was really excited to hear some new tunes out of these guys.  Having been a huge fan of their 2012 Buddha Jabba Mumma I was eager to enjoy some fuzzy and catchy songs.

Somewhere between 2012 and the release of this new tape, there have been some big changes in Chomp.  The pop has vanished.  Where there was once hints of Superchunk and Wavves there is now a bunch of unnecessary yelling.  The guitar work is muscular and loud, but the hooks that this band used to cram into every song have also disappeared without a trace.  The biggest issue I have with this album is the total lack of singing.  Even on the songs where they are not screaming for the entirety, the vocals have this odd talk-sing thing going on.  Chomp has somehow gone from a band writing perfect pop songs to one that sounds like that crummy 'punk' band at high school shows that you tend to avoid.

Bruise Control is a huge disappointment for me.  It's hard to reconcile how this could even be the same band as the one that released Buddha Jabba Mumma.  Before listening to this album I figured my review would be full of pleas to put this out on vinyl, but having listened to it I don't think anyone should bother. 

Chomp - Bruise Control:

https://mirroruniversetapes.bandcamp.com/album/mu53-bruise-control

Beach Slang - Here, I Made This For You Cassette

Polyvinyl (2015)

I'm going to try to keep knocking out some of these cassettes I have lying around.  Throughout the pages of this website, you'll see me saying how much I don't like the modern day cassette revival over and over again.  I will say this about Here, I Made This For You: If there was ever an actual reason to make something a cassette only release, this is a pretty good one.  

Released on Cassette Store Day (That's seriously the best name they could come up with? What the hell is a cassette store?) This tape is made up of five songs from other bands that Beach Slang has decided to cover.  It's presented as an old school mix tape, something very near and dear to my heart.  The band selection that they've decided to cover is great.  They've tackled groups that are likely long forgotten by the vast majority of their fans like Best Kissers In The World, Ride, Dramarama, The Plimsoles and my personal favorite of the bunch Senseless Things.

The Beach Slang version of "Too Much Kissing" really is stellar.  It's even better than the Travis Cut version of the song, which is quite the compliment coming from me.  Beach Slang take it slow and steady and have made a really spot on version of the original.  You could argue that maybe they should have taken some chances with this song to distinguish it a bit more than the original, but for me it's really the vocals than shine through here as they have an earnestness and sincerity to them that really makes this song.

This tape is labeled as "Volume 1"so hopefully this is something Beach Slang will revisit again in the future.  If they're looking for songs, may I suggest some Mega City Four or Doughboys for volume 2?

Beach Slang - Here, I Made This For You:

https://beachslang.bandcamp.com/album/here-i-made-this-for-you-beach-slang-mixtape-vol-1

Space Wolves - V Cassette

 

More Power Tapes (2015)

This is the last of the More Power Tapes releases that were sent to me and I saved the best for last.  I've reviewed prior albums from Space Wolves on this website and if you've read those, you probably already know that I really dig these guys. Their fifth album V is no exception.

I really wish someone was putting these Space Wolves records out on vinyl.  I'd certainly buy a copy.  Heck, put them out on CD and I'd pick one up. Sadly all five Space Wolves records are confined to cassette tape hell, but that shouldn't dissuade you from giving these guys a shot.

Jangly, treble heavy guitar can be one of my favorite sounds in the world. It can be used in so many ways from the power pop of folks like Gentleman Jesse to the slower groove of a band like Silver Scooter.  Space Wolves actually sit very nicely in the middle of those two bands, calling on each side of the spectrum throughout this record. You've got some uptempo fast and catchy burners and then there are a fewer that slow things down and take a more melodic approach.  The band is equally successful at both.

I only have two negatives on this album.  One isn't even really a negative as I think this tape is a little too short and I wish there was more to listen to.  So that's more me being selfish than the band doing anything wrong.  The other one is more of just a pet peeve of mine as there are quite a few songs that end with the song fading out.  I couldn't tell you why that bugs me, but it's just one of those things that I don't like.  Still, these criticisms are very minor and I really dig this as a whole.  Keep it up guys.

Space Wolves - V:
https://morepowertapes.bandcamp.com/album/space-wolves-v

3 Cassettes - Facility Men, Blobs & Found Drowned

 

More Power Tapes (2015)

Here we go, three more Cassettes form More Power Tapes:

Facility Men - S/T - This is another one where I was hopeful based on the artwork, but this time I didn't end up being as into it as I hoped.  Facility Men is playing a dissonant sort of punk rock.  If I had to guess, I think they might be trying for an early Unwound sort of vibe.  They are using some of the thudding bass guitar, screeching guitars and odd transitions that remind my of Unwound, though vocally, the singer from Facility Men isn't quite as dynamic.  There's a lot of shouting and that takes away from the interesting guitar work these guys have.

Facility Men - S/T:

https://morepowertapes.bandcamp.com/album/facility-men

Blobs - Shame - Six more songs from Blobs, who you probably remember from me not liking their first cassette yesterday.  What I can say about Shame is that it's a bit better than their debut.  The vocals aren't quite as monotone as they were on their first tape, but they are still the worst thing about this band.  I think the music portion is kind of interesting. It's fast and dynamic; even catchy in some places, but I could never listen to this unless the singer changes something.

Blobs - Shame:
https://morepowertapes.bandcamp.com/album/shame


Found Drowned - Spooky Sounds - I was very please to find out that Found Drowned was another surf band.  As far as More Power Tapes goes, in general they do much better with their surf bands than with their punk bands.  At least as far as getting me to like the record goes.  Like the Hamiltones, Found Drowned has something of a movie monster vide to it, though it's not as pronounced as the Hamiltones.  You can tell these guys like their cult horror movies (the tape is called Spooky Sounds afterall), but they don't beat you over the head with it.  Of all the surfy tapes in this recent batch, Found Drowned is my favorite.

Found Drowned - Spooky Sounds:
https://morepowertapes.bandcamp.com/album/spooky-sounds

3 Cassettes - The Televisionaries, Blobs & Kharlos

 

More Power Tapes (2015)

I'm going to keep trying to get through this cassette backlog I've got brewing, so here's three more tape reviews:

The Televisionaries - Freezing To Death - Of all the cassettes sent to me by More Power Tapes, this was the one I was most hopeful about.  The band name and the art set it apart from everything else.  Happily, I can report that this is pretty good.  It's another instrumental surf band, though I would say much more straight ahead and less gimmicky than the Hamiltones tape More Power Tapes had sent also sent me.  The tones are full of reverb and The Televisionaries bring a lot of energy to their songs.  The recording could use a little help on the low end side of the sound spectrum, but this is fun stuff.

The Televisionaries - Freezing To Death:
https://morepowertapes.bandcamp.com/album/freezing-to-death

Blobs - S/T - I wasn't expecting much from this Blobs cassette, but it's actually much better than I would have thought.  I can't go so far as to call it good, because the vocals are awful and really kill this band dead.  The music itself isn't so bad as the band is playing fuzzy, fast paced chords with some interesting change ups and a ragged garagey feel.  I've never heard high pitched vocals like this that somehow still managed to sound monotone.  Kind of weird.

Blobs - S/T:
https://morepowertapes.bandcamp.com/album/blobs-demo


Kharlos - Don't Think About Dying At My Party - This one is kind of interesting.  It's one of the more full sounding recordings from this batch of tapes.  I might be wrong, but I would bet these guys like The Blind Shake.  They're not making the same sort of music really, but I get the sense that on some songs they are aiming for that kind of noisy, but still catchy chaos that Blind Shake does so well.  Then again, parts of this just sound like the singer is trying to be in Jane's Addiction or in a power pop band, so what do I know.  It's alright.

Kharlos - Don't Think About Dying At My Party:
https://morepowertapes.bandcamp.com/album/dont-think-about-dying-at-my-party

3 Cassettes - Dudes, Cruelster & The Hamiltones

More Power Tapes (2015)

I've said before that I don't get a lot of records sent to me to review. The vast majority of what I write are records I buy myself however I do get the occasional record sent to me and that's always fun.  Every vinyl record that anyone ever sends me will always get reviewed.  Always.  I'm less excited about tapes, but I tend to get more tapes sent to me than records for some reason.  It's probably due to the difference in cost in sending out a review copy, even though it's pretty much a lock that if you send me a tape I'll almost always write in the review that I really don't like cassettes (or tapes).

I've fallen a bit behind on these, mostly because the folks at the label More Power Tapes decided to send me this freaking gigantic pile of cassettes over the course of a few days several months ago.  It's been a daunting pile to look at, but I'm going to do my best to go through as many as I can.  I'll start with three for today.

Dudes - Ultra Vague - I decided to write these up in something of the order they appear on the label's Bandcamp page.  I can't say I was super looking forward to this based on the artwork.  It looks like the sort of crummy demo that a high school band would release.  Still, I was somewhat optimistic when the first guitar riff kicked in on "Dudes Just Wanna Have Some Fun."  That quickly faded when the vocals kicked in.  There's far to much yelling on this tape for my tastes.  To me, this is just kind of generic punk rock.

Dudes - Ultra Vague:
https://morepowertapes.bandcamp.com/album/ultra-vague


Cruelster - First Demo 2006 - Even though their tape is called First Demo 2006, there is a little note saying it was actually written and recorded in February of 2015.  That's not as good of a joke as Ween's 12 Golden Country Greats album only having ten songs on it.  This is a different strain of punk rock than Dudes.  There's yelling, but not as much of it.  The guitars are quieter and this is very much built on the rhythms of the bass guitar and some sort of end of song freak out.  Again, I wouldn't say this is particularly inspired and it's not really the sort of thing I'd listen to.

Cruelster - First Demo 2006:
https://morepowertapes.bandcamp.com/album/cruelster-first-demo-2006


The Hamiltones - S/T - Last up for today is The Hamiltones with their self titled cassette.  I'm not sure why, but I had higher hopes for this one than I did for the other two.  Some of it was the artwork being less silly looking and part of it was the fact that I kind of dig the name.  I try not to judge books and covers and all that, but sometimes I do end up being right.  Turns out that The Hamiltones are a pretty fun instrumental surf band.  They definitely have a Hex Dispenser-ish haunted house sort of vibe to them, but I can definitely get into a spooky sounding surf band. There's only six songs and two of them are under thirty seconds long, plus one of the remaining four is a cover of the Batman TV show theme.  I actually wouldn't have minded this being a little long.  Far and away the best of the three I've written about today.

The Hamiltones - S/T:
https://morepowertapes.bandcamp.com/album/the-hamiltones

The Absolute Best Records Of 2015

 

Many times throughout the year I had commented on how 2015 seemed like a year that had a lot of really good records, but seemed to be lacking in drop dead great ones.  I'll admit that when I sat down to work on this list, I ended up being presented with a lot more records that I loved this year than I was expecting.  The top 20 in particular is damn strong.  Aside from Clearance, I didn't have those records that I just played non stop over and over again this year, but looking back at it, 2015 was nothing to sneeze at.  Some pretty good records came out this year.  I don't have time to discuss them all, but I do have some extra thoughts on a few.

The record that really did it for me this year was Clearance.  I am a sucker for Pavement, so when Clearance decided to pop by and pick up that torch, I was all too pleased to follow along.  It's such a perfect record from top to bottom.  I can't think of a record that I went back to over and over again as much as Clearance.  These guys are on the right track and I really hope they keep pumping out new tunes.

The Mountain Goats and Royal Headache also both received a ton of play out of me this year.  Even though the record was about pro wrestling and I figured that would be fun for a listen or two, I was shocked at how much I genuinely enjoyed the Mountain Goats, especially as I had never been that much of a fan previously.  Royal Headache was top notch, but there were a couple of songs in the middle of the record that slowed things down a bit and may have kept it from the top spot. Third of the year is still pretty great.  Good Shade technically was released digitally in 2014, but the LP came out this year, so it's going on my list.  Wonk Unit may not totally deserve to be on the list on a technicality as it's a compilation of previously released songs, but it was their first time on vinyl, and I hadn't heard them previously, so on it goes.

Lastly at number fourteen is Unlikely Friends.  I didn't review that record this year.  It didn't come out on vinyl, so I kept putting off buying it hoping it would eventually be released.  It didn't happen so I finally ordered the CD but I waited too long.  I'll get a review of that up first thing in the new year, but it's really worth a listen.

01 - Clearance - Rapid Rewards - Tall Pat (Listen)
02 - The Mountain Goats - Beat The Champ - Merge (Listen)
03 - Royal Headache - High - What's Your Rupture (Listen)
04 - Good Shade - Good Shade - Gut Genug (Listen)
05 - Wonk Unit - Feel The Wonkness - Drunken Sailor (Listen)
06 - Swami John Reis & The Blind Shake - Modern Surf Classics - Swami (Listen)
07 - Warm Soda - Symbolic Dream - Castleface (Listen)
08 - Red Dons - The Dead Hand Of Tradition - Taken By Surprise (Listen)
09 - Outtacontroller - Television Zombie LP - Southpaw (Listen)
10 - Lost Balloons - Lost Balloons - Alien Snatch (Listen)

11 - Widows Watch - This Message Repeats - Toxic Pop
12 - Radioactivity - Silent Kill - Dirtnap
13 - Hungry Tiger - Hungry Tiger - Sex Sheet
14 - Unlikely Friends - Solid Gold Cowboys - Jigsaw
15 - Sweet John Bloom - Weird Prayer - Tiny Engines
16 - Ash - Kablammo - E.A.R.
17 - Tenement - Predatory Headlights - Don Giovanni
18 - Beach Slang - The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us - Polyvinyl
19 - The Barreracudas - Can Do Easy - Oops Baby
20 - Beach Party - Broken Machine - Sex Sheet

21 - The Ballantynes - Dark Drives, Life Signs - La-Ti-Da
22 - ИO​​/​​​/​​​/​​sé - Lower Berth - 1859/Man In Decline
23 - The Blind Shake - Fly Right - Slovenly
24 - Nervous Talk - Nervous Talk - Hosehead
25 - King Khan and BBQ Show - Bad News Boys - In The Red
26 - The Sonics - This Is The Sonics - ReVox
27 - Built To Spill - Untethered Moon
28 - Mikal Cronin - MCIII - Merge
29 - Legendary Wings - Do You See? - Dirtnap
30 - Apocalypse Meow - The End Is Nigh - Sex Sheet/Rad Girlfriend

Other Records I Picked Up This Year:
Archers Of Loaf - Curse Of The Loaf - ARRA Music
Baby Shakes - Starry Eyes - Lil Chewy
Built In Sun - Built In Sun - PIAPTK
The Butterscotch Cathedral - The Butterscotch Cathedral - Trouble In Mind
Casual - Casual - Dead Broke / Square of Opposition
Hex Dispensers - III - Alien Snatch
Hysterese - Hysterese - Dirt Cult
Hospital Job - Never Get Cold - Rad Girlfriend / It's Alive
Jaill - Brain Cream - Burger
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Freedom Tower - Mom + Pop
The Knew - Schmew - Greater Than
Mandates - In The Back Of Your Heart - Hosehead/Taken By Surprise
Maniac - Demimonde - La-Ti-Da
Mac McCaughan - Non Believers - Merge
Nervosas - Nervosas - Dirtnap
Pale Angels - Imaginary People - Recess
Phylums - Phylum Phyloid - Dirtnap
The Rubs - The Rubs Are Trash - Tall Pat
Sanhose - Pi - Snuffy Smiles
Shadow In the Cracks - Shadow In The Cracks - Goner
The Soaks - The Soaks - Riot House
Spraynard - Mable - Jade Tree
Wavves - V - Mom + Pop
World's Fair - Leisurely - Rok Lok

Previously:
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009

Hospital Job - Never Get Cold LP - Purple Vinyl (/100)

Rad Girlfriend / It's Alive (2015)

It's very difficult to tell from this picture, but the vinyl color is actually a very dark purple.  You can really only notice when you hold it up to the light, but it's there.  This will be my last normal review for the year.  Tomorrow I'll be posting my end of the year list and then I'll take another little break until Monday of next week.  

Hospital Job comes in right under the wire as the last record I picked up in 2015.  It'll be the last one eligible for my year end list, but it's kind of difficult to rank (and review for that matter) as I've only been able to go through it a couple of times.  I am, however, familiar enough with the band from their past albums to know that if you like the prior Hospital Job records, chances are you'll dig this one as well.

I've always felt that Hospital Job walks a tightrope between the big guitar rock of ill fated major label rock bands of the mid 90's and poppy-punk sounds of the late 90's/early 2000's.  When the band is leaning on the crunchy guitar attack of bands like Treble Charger and The Figgs is when Hospital Job is at their best.  The times where they drift over to the sounds of bands like Blink-182 (which vocally they are always on the cusp of doing) are the times where Never Get Cold doesn't resonate as strongly with me.

The one thing you can count on when you listen to a Hospital Job record is a solid album with a handful of pretty great songs.  They never write any bad songs and there's usually enough monkeying around and weirdness thrown into the mix to keep things interesting.  I'm not sure that I'll ever rank them as one of my favorite bands, but I always end up enjoying their songs and will always buy their new records.

Hospital Job - Never Get Cold:

https://radgirlfriendrecords.bandcamp.com/album/never-get-cold

Apocalypse Meow - The End Is Nigh LP

Sex Sheet / Rad Girlfriend / Bigger Boat / Catnap / Night Animal (2015)

I ended up getting a few albums kind of late in the year and now I'm scrambling to get them reviewed in time for my end of the year list. Last year I posted my list on the 29th of December. This year, it's looking like the 30th will be when I'll be able to get it up.  I have to review today's record and one more LP for tomorrow.  There's a third, final album that I really should get to, but it's not going to be here in time.  I've listened to it enough times to rank it on my list, but it never got the proper review for the year that it should of because I held out hope for too long that it would eventually be pressed on vinyl.  The CD is now finally en route.

That being said, 2015 is ending on a positive note.  For today we have Apocalypse Meow.  They're a band with a silly name, but they are definitely not a jokey band.  The End Is Nigh is seriously good and I'm thrilled that Sex Sheet sent me this to review.  That's three for three from those guys; they are definitely a label to keep an eye out for.

If you have to categorize Apocalypse Meow, they definitely lean towards the pop punk end of the rock and roll spectrum.  They are not, however, one of those goofy pop punk bands singing about high school love problems.  The songs are tight, catchy and lyrically they stand out from the crowd.  One of the things I like the most about the album is the tone the band gets out of their guitar.  They eschew the big loud fuzz that you may expect from a band like this and instead employ a less distorted, but somewhat muddy tone that adds real warmth to their songs.  It sounds a little dirty, but it compliments the mood the band is creating on the album.

I honestly didn't go into this record with super high expectations.  Apocalypse Meow were a band I was aware of, but hadn't taken the time to listen to.  Aside from a goofy rap part in the middle of "Life Is Hard" that sounds like it was taken right out of the song "Tangerine Speedo" by Caviar, this is a great record top to bottom.  I wish I had a bit more time to spend with it before I make up my end of the year list, but rest assured,  The End Is Nigh will make the list.

Apocalypse Meow - The End Is Nigh:
https://sexsheetrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-end-is-nigh

The Knew - Schmew LP

Greater Than Collective (2015)

The fine folks from the band The Knew sent me their LP recently as I had written some nice things about a prior 7" of theirs that had come out on Snappy Little Numbers.  While I'm not sure anything on this album hits me quite as hard as the two songs on that 7", there is no denying that Schmew is a fun album to take for a spin.

What originally drew me to The Knew, and what continues to be what I like most about this band, is their infectious party attitude.  The energy very much reminds me of the band W.H Walker.  The big difference is that where W.H Walker leaned more on older 60's rock references, The Knew take it a decade later and really seem inspired by poppier 70's glam.  Cheap Trick and Thin Lizzy and all that.  For a modern reference, this album reminds me a lot of the band Napalmpom, though I think The Knew pulls off this style of music significantly better.

While I'll admit to being partial to the songs that are heavier on the power pop side of things like "We're Coming Back" and I could probably do with a few less screaming guitar solos, the record as a whole is just an upbeat good time.  While it's probably not the kind of record I can see myself listening non-stop on repeat (I'm just not as big on glam as some), if you are looking for a record to motivate you while you are dusting the living room, give Schmew a try.

The Knew - Schmew:

https://theknew.bandcamp.com/album/schmew-vinyl-cd-tape-digital

Just Jeffrey - Coffee, Tea & Me LP

La-Ti-Da (2015)

The man behind this Just Jeffrey album is Jeffrey McCloy, familiar to me (and maybe to you) from his work in Tranzmitors.  While McCloy recruited some musicians to help flesh out the tracks on this album, this is essentially his solo album and very much plays like one.

It's not unusual for someone who is used to the dynamics of being in a band to let loose a little when they start up a new project.  You can see lots of examples of this going well, but you'll find even more examples of this not working out at all (hi Eric Bachmann!).  Just Jeffrey kind of runs the gamut over the course of this record.  I really enjoy the more upbeat, mod leaning songs on Coffee Tea & Me like "Hello Eleanor" and "Disposable Culture".  He's tapping in to a catchiness that always gets my attention.  

Less successful are the handful of songs that are sparser and more introspective. There are times where I'm very much reminded of bands like So Cow and The 'Tone over the course of Coffee Tea & Me, but there are some times where it just sounds like some dude dicking around by himself.  Those are the songs that I don't get as much mileage out of.  Still, at eighteen songs there is a lot to like on this record.  A little editing probably could have made it tighter, but it's worth checking out regardless.

Just Jeffrey - Coffee Tea & Me:

https://latidarecords.bandcamp.com/album/coffee-tea-me-ltdr-lp005

Outtacontroller - Television Zombie LP

Southpaw (2015)

Sorry for the unannounced break at the end of last week.  Real life occupied my mornings for a bit, but things are getting back on track.  I can't think of a better return than being able to write about this Outtacontroller LP.  I really dug their last album and couldn't wait to get my hands on this new one.  It was definitely worth the wait and is every bit as good as their debut.

For some reason I think Outtacontroller tends to get left out of the conversation when people talk about all of the great Canadian bands that are floating around right now.  They very much fit in with the heavy hitters of that scene like Sonic Avenues and Steve Adamyk Band.  This album, in particular, also reminds me a lot of the second Something Fierce album There Are No Answers (also known as the really, really good Something Fierce album).

Outtacontroller are masters of stitching together downstoke heavy chord progressions, vocal harmonies and ultra catchy choruses.  The hooks on this album are, pardon the really, really bad pun, out of control and I've been playing this album pretty much nonstop since getting it in the mail the other week.

2015 is wrapping up and I'm getting my best of the year list in order.  Television Zombie is so good that it's really shaking up my list.  Don't be surprised to see them quite high on my list when it is eventually posted.  This is a hell of a way to close out the year.

Outtacontroller - Television Zombie:

https://outtacontroller.bandcamp.com/album/television-zombie

Chandeli'ers - S/T 12"

Tender Buttons (2012)

This record is a few years old, but it just ended up on my radar recently courtesy of a tweet from the fabulous Dead Broke Rekerds.  All I needed to listen to was the first 30 seconds or so of the opening track "Sweet Time" and this was an immediate purchase for me.  The lightly distorted guitar with the bouncy riffs and mod-ish tendencies immediately made me think of the band Smalltown and that's all I needed to convince me to buy this 12".

The rest of this EP has some ups and downs, at least as far as song tempo goes.  The other two tracks on side A slow things down a bit but the alternating boy/girl vocals are wonderful and create some killer harmonies.  The B side picks the pace back up and at times reminds me a little bit of the poppier moments of The Ballantynes, especially with the prominent keyboards.

Chandeli'ers is a really easy band to listen.  They simply write good, catchy songs.  The rumor is these guys are working on a full length for next year and this EP has certainly built my anticipation to hear more from these guys.  

Chandeli'ers - S/T 12":

https://chandelierstheband.bandcamp.com/album/chandeliers

Lawsuit Models - Dudeman 7" - Red Vinyl

Snappy Little Numbers (2015)

Somewhere along the line the word pop-punk turned into a criticism as opposed to a description.  These days, I feel like if you call a band pop punk you're somehow insinuating that you shouldn't be taking their music seriously.  It seems a bit silly to me as I've been know to take pop punk pretty seriously myself.  You should feel totally fine calling Lawsuit Models an awesome pop punk band and know that the band should take that as a compliment.

These guys have put two songs down on this 7" that take me right back to 1995.  You want a catchy hooks?  Both songs have them.  Want some of that palm muted, chugga-chugga, start/stop guitar work?  That's here too.  Octaves and guitar leads? Check and check.  You could just run down the list of everything that makes for a great punked out pop song and Lawsuit Models always seem to fit the bill.  Vocally, they remind me of a slightly smoother Paddy from Dillinger Four, though the songs in general are more upbeat and lean towards that 90's West Coast sound.

Snappy Little Numbers has done it again.  They always send me records by bands I have never heard of and miraculously they're always good.  Very few labels have that kind of track record.  I really dig this 7" and I'm hopeful the band is already hard at work mixing up some more pop punk greatness.

Lawsuit Models - Dudeman 7":

https://snappylittlenumbers.bandcamp.com/album/dudeman-b-w-hot-garbage

Conan Neutron And The Secret Friends - The Enemy Of Everyone LP - Blue Vinyl

Seismic Wave (2015)

I virtually always mention when I am about to write about a record that someone sent me to review to help distinguish them from the records I actually buy.  I'm not sure where that need comes from, but it is just one of those things I do.  When I opened up the package containing this record I very much did a book/cover/judgment sort of thing based on the artwork.  It just didn't look like the sort of record that would be up my alley.  That being said, if you send me a full length record to review, damn it, I will review that record.  Luckily The Enemy Of Everyone was much better than I thought it was going to be.

That's not to say that I love this record or that it's the sort of see I can see myself listening to all that often.  It is heavier and more 70's glam rock leaning than I typically like.  But, it is way poppier and catchier than I would have anticipated from the art.  There are a lot of big, crunchy guitar riffs, some strong vocals and the drumming is really tight and locks down this entire record.  That's probably due to Dale Crover of the Melvins on drums.  Not that I'm really much of a Melvins fan either, but that guy sure can hit those drums with those sticks pretty good.

The albums starts out with a bang and "Casuually Intense" is arguably the best song on the album.  It's one of those upbeat and infectious songs that has a way of making you nod along whether you realize you were doing it or not.  The rest of the album is hit or miss for me.  The slower sludgier songs aren't really my bag and some of the faster ones drift a little too far into glam for my tastes as well.  While someone with more of an affinity for heavier bands would probably enjoy this record a lot more than me, Conan Neutron And The Secret Friends doesn't really captivate me in a way that would make me go back and listen again and again.  It's not bad (OK, the song "Fight Math" is kind of bad, but it's really the only one), it's just not really the sort of thing I tend to spend time with.

Conan Neutron And The Secret Friends - The Enemy Of Everyone:

https://neutronfriends.bandcamp.com/album/the-enemy-of-everyone

Shadow In The Cracks - S/T LP

Goner (2015)

Discovering The Blind Shake is one of the smarter things I've done over the past few years (thanks again @swamipat).  Their potent blend of noise, punk and hooks have made quite an impact on me.  Shadow in The Cracks is two thirds of The Blind Shake (Jim & Mike Blaha) and chances are if you dig The Blind Shake, you will dig parts of this record as well.

I won't pretend to like this quite as much as I like The Blind Shake.  One of the things that I think really defines that band is how deceptively catchy they are.  Sure those hooks are buried deep in the grime, but they are there.  Shadow In The Cracks is much more of a dissonant record.  Not to say that there aren't any hooks, but the grime is thicker and there is a more experimental sound.  If anything, you'd have to say these are much more in line with the further out there, weirdo Blind Shake songs.

This Shadow In The Cracks album is an economical nine songs and thirty minutes long.  It's long enough to let the ideas of each song play out, but not so long that they become self indulgent or overbearing.  It's an interesting listen, with lots of unique ideas.  I hate to bring up The Blind Shake in nearly every sentence in this review, but that's going to be your touchstone as what to expect.  If you like one, it's probably likely that you'll like the other as well.

Shadow In The Cracks - "Timeless":

https://soundcloud.com/gonerrecords/shadow-in-the-cracks-timeless

Lost Balloons - S/T LP - Clear Vinyl

Alien Snatch (2015)

Very few things will get me to buy a record quicker than saying one of the guys from The Marked Men is in the band.  Not only was The Marked Men one of my very favorite bands, but every single other band that has splintered off in their wake tends to be incredible as well.  Just add the fact that the particular Marked Man on this record is Jeff Burke and there is literally no way I am not buying this, import from Germany or not.

The other important factor in Lost Balloons is Yusuke Okada of Suspicious Beasts and formerly of the great, great Japanese band Blotto.  Combine these two songwriting titans and you are essentially guaranteed a great record. Lost Balloons does not let down.  Both Burke and Okada share the singing duties on this record, but I would say that in general the sensibilities of Burke shine through a bit more.  You can certainly hear echoes of his other bands in quite a few of the songs.  Chances are that if you like The Marked Men or Radioactivity, there's a pretty good chunk of this record that will make you just as happy.

The remaining chunk tends to slow things down a bit and play with the texture of the songs.  While most of the songs on this album tend to be a bit poppier than the Suspicious Beasts records, Okada brings an element of experimentation to the party.  But don't assume catchy aspects of the songs are all Burke as when Okada was in Blotto, he knew a thing or two about creating perfect two minute punk rock hits.

Needless to say, I really dig this record.  If forced to choose (and I will be in a couple of weeks while making my best of the year lists), I might even say I like this album even better than the stellar Radioactivity release from earlier this year.  Lost Balloons is a can't miss collaboration of two tremendous songwriters.  Even as a pricey import, it's still very much worth picking up.

Lost Balloons - "Too Many Eyes":

https://soundcloud.com/aliensnatch/lost-balloons-too-many-eyes

The First Part - S/T EP (CD Single/Cassette)

Self Released (2014)

I stumbled across The First Part through fellow Texas band Gentleman Rogues.  As it turns out, both have members who were previously in a band that was active in the mid 90's called Jill.  I enjoyed those guys immensely and still go back to their their small, but potent discography all these years later.  While The First Part is not as straight up 1990's pop punk as Jill was, they still write supremely catchy songs and I really enjoy this first release of theirs.

This EP is available on two formats, a cassette and a CD single.  No vinyl, which is obviously the format of choice for me, but I'd rather have a CD any day of the week over a cassette only release.  So, kudos to the band for providing some options.  This EP starts out with the songs "Would Be Queen" and "The Catalyst."  Both are hook filled, mid tempo rockers that remind me a bit of Hospital Job if I'm going to make a current reference. Really good stuff.

Just when I thought I had The First Part pegged, the third song comes on, "Perfect Hair."  To me, this is totally different than the prior two songs.  It's heavy on harmonies and has a slight British Invasion feel to it.  It immediately makes me think of the Resonars and that is certainly not a bad thing.  Things wrap up with "Honor Among Thieves."  It's a great closing song with a driving rhythm section, jangling guitar riffs and soaring vocals.  A great capper to a very strong debut EP.  I hope to hear more from these guys soon.

The First Part - The First Part EP:

https://thefirstpart.bandcamp.com/album/the-first-part

Beach Slang - The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us LP - Clear Vinyl (/800)

Polyvinyl (2015)

The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us is the first full length from Beach Slang, following up on two prior 7"s that I've also reviewed on this site.  While they maintain a similar sound, there's something about The Things We Do... that gives it more impact and makes it feel like it's making a real statement.

When I listen to the record, the statement I hear it making is that singer James Snyder is getting older and at times doesn't really know what to do with himself.  He spends a lot of time singing about being young or conversely being older.  I described James Snyder to a friend as a living, breathing Instagram filter.  There are times where things come across a little over dramatic and perhaps borderlining on cheesy, but in general Synder's filter is one that highlights specific details and brings aspects of his stories into sharper focus.

Musically, this is a band that's trying to channel the raw emotion of bands like The Replacements and to a lesser extent Jawbreaker.  Snyder's prior band Weston dealt in the currency of upbeat catchy pop punk tunes.  Beach Slang is much more somber in nature, but still manages to maintain the hooks that you'd come to expect from a guy who served time playing 90's pop punk.  As I'm sure it's obvious to long time readers, I'm a total sucker for 90's pop punk, but Beach Slang blows away anything Weston ever did. 

As someone who is also getting older (today is my 39th birthday, actually) and who also doesn't always know exactly what to do with himself (let's face it, look at all these records I'm still buying), it is interesting to hear a record that seems pointed towards folks in my age group.  While I may not love this record quite as much as a lot of other people seem to judging from the never ending stream of extremely positive reviews I've seen, I do think this is a pretty great record and absolutely one worth checking out.

Beach Slang - The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us:

https://beachslang.bandcamp.com/album/the-things-we-do-to-find-people-who-feel-like-us

Sanhose - π Japanese Cassette

Snuffy Smiles (2015)

I had already discussed the music on π Japanese back when I reviewed the CD version of this album a couple of months ago.  You can read that here, but to briefly recap, this is a sterling example of a Japanese punk rock band putting out a record on Snuffy Smiles.  Fast, catchy and just one of my favorite strains of melodic punk rock music.

Despite my typical aversion to cassettes, the real reason I needed to get this on top of already owning the CD version really just comes down to the matrix number used.  Snuffy Smiles has 2 matrixes that they use: SMILE-xxx for CDs and SNUFF-xxx for 7"s and LPs.  While I do not quite have a complete collection of Snuffy Smiles CDs, I do have all of the 7"s, all one hundred and thirty something so far.  When this cassette was released, Snuffy Smiles used the SNUFF-131 matrix number and that meant there was sort of a hole in my 7" collection.

I realize that probably doesn't make a ton of sense.  Sure, I'm not actually missing a 7" but just having that gap in the numerical order drove me crazy.  Luckily the Dead Broke Rekerds distro restocked this tape, so I picked it up and once again the collection is complete.  At least until the next batch of 7"s.

Wavves - V LP - Purple Vinyl

Mom + Pop (2015)

V is the newest album from Wavves, though it's only the III one of theirs that I've picked up.  I've been paying attention since 2010's King Of The Beach.  Since then, Wavves has been a pretty reliable band for me.  While I don't think they've ever released a slam dunk classic of an album, they have a respectable catalog of songs and it's always a good time when I break out one of their records.

V starts off the way it seems that most Wavves albums start, with the very best song right up front.  "Heavy Metal Detox" is everything you'd look for in a Wavves song.  Upbeat, tight chorus, wacky lead riff thing...you could go so far as to say it's quintessential Wavves.  The rest of the album follows suit.  I would rank this ahead of 2013's Afraid Of Heights album, but it doesn't quite reach the level of King Of The Beach.

Chances are that if you are playing catchy, punk pop with big guitars and bigger choruses I'm going to like your record.  Maybe Wavves haven't knocked me on my ass with the perfect song, but there's something to be said for putting out three extremely solid records that are fun to listen to.  That's a formula that will get me to pick up the next record every time.

Wavves - "Heavy Metal Detox":

https://soundcloud.com/wavveswavves/wavves-heavy-metal-detox

Beach Party - Broken Machine LP

Sex Sheet (2015)

A few weeks ago I had reviewed another Sex Sheet record by a band called Hungry Tiger.  At the time I called it potentially the best unsolicited record I was ever sent to review.  One of the records that is its main competition came in the same package from the same label.  Sex Sheet also sent this Beach Party record and it's also on the short list of greatest records anyone has ever sent me for review.

There are a lot of beach bands these days: Beach Slang, Beach House, those pesky Beach Boys.  For future bands, I think the word beach is pretty well used up at this point.  That being said, Beach Party is worth every bit as much of the attention that those other bands have been receiving.  Beach Party is playing a 90's leaning indie rock that owes something of a debt to the lead guitar shredding of bands like Dinosaur Jr.  I wouldn't say that Beach Party sounds much like Dinosaur Jr. overall, it's mainly the lead guitar riffing.  

The band leans more towards the poppier side of things reminding me at times of Superchunk, but certainly occupying the same space that melodic bands like Overwhelming Colorfast did. The two singers layer on some great harmonies in the always catchy choruses and elevate each vocal melody.  Songs like "Hardwick," "Nightmares" and "Carelessly Undefined" really drive the point home and are some of the highlights of the album.

Beach Party was not on my radar at all.  If I hadn't been sent this record to review, I'm not sure I would have ever found it on my own and that would have been a real shame.  It's one of the better records of the year so don't miss out.

Beach Party - Broken Machine LP:

https://sexsheetrecords.bandcamp.com/album/broken-machine

Pleasers - Reject Teen 7" - Yellow Vinyl (/100)

Southpaw (2015)

This will conclude my three day run of Matthew Melton related 7"s released on Southpaw records.  I have saved the best for last as this Pleasers 7" is miles better than the other two.  That being said, I don't completely understand why Melton formed another band that for all intents and purposes sound pretty much exactly like Warm Soda.  If Warm Soda broke up, I could understand, but I'm a bit confused as to why he needs two bands that sound like this (and a solo record that only strays slightly from the formula).

I'm not going to get too worked up about it as both songs on this 7" are quite good.  A-side "Reject Teen" spins a yarn about not fitting in during high school and some of the hijinks gotten into.  It's a bit goofy, lyrically, but the song is saved by a super catchy vocal melody and some good lead guitar work.  The thing that most reminds me of Warn Soda is the same type of click track style drumming and what ever they do while recording to make the snare drum sound like it was plucked from a 1986 Boogie Down Productions album.

On the flip is "Judy."  It's slightly lower key in nature, but just as easily stuck in your head.  The highlight being the way the pre-chorus gradually builds into the simple but ultra catchy hook.  Of the two songs I probably prefer "Judy," but both are excellent and could easily work their way on to a Warm Soda full length and fit right in.  Of the three 7"s I've reviewed this week, this one is the one I most recommend picking up.

That's going to wrap up this week as tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  I'll be back on Monday, but don't forget that PopKid records is having a black Friday sale at http://www.popkid.com.  Help me clear out some of these old records and make room for a new LP coming in 2016.

The Pleasers - Reject Teen 7":

https://pleasers.bandcamp.com/album/reject-teen-7-b-w-judy

Matthew Melton - Too Many Hearts Lack Lovers 7" - Red Vinyl (/100)

Southpaw (2015)

As I had mentioned yesterday, I was a little disappointed with the newest Warm Soda 7".  After knocking it out of the park with their full length earlier this year, I felt that the 7" was OK, but not anywhere near as good.  Today, we have Matthew Melton of Warm Soda's solo 7".  This is also following up a solo LP that I enjoyed quite a bit, but just like the Warm Soda 7" from yesterday, these two new songs are something of a let down.

I'm not sure what exactly is going on with these new Melton tunes, they feel so weirdly produced and so very, very 1980's.  The recording has this swirling ambience that gives the songs an odd dream-like feeling.  I don't really like either of these two songs.  "Too Many Hearts Lack Lovers" covers Melton's often revisited topic of heartbreak.  Typically, he wraps those discussions in a power pop coating that makes everything seem optimistic despite the breaking of the heart.  This time, the song is just a major league bummer.  I have about as much hope for the situation as I do after listening to "Sweet Dreams" by the Eurythmics.  Which is to say no hope at all.

On the B-side "Was It A Song" isn't quite as much of a downer, but it's kind of a throwaway song.  It's a simple mid tempo song with a clockwork drum pattern and is just sort of there.  I wouldn't say it's bad, but it's just not the sort of thing that really grabs your attention.  

It's kind of odd writing such a critical review of something Matthew Melton is involved in.  He's done so much that I really love including releasing one of my very favorite albums of the year with Warm Soda.  Unfortunately this 7" just doesn't work for me.  Hopefully it's more of a blip on the radar than a sign of things to come.

Matthew Melton - "Too Many Hearts Lack Lovers":

https://soundcloud.com/southpaw1/matthew-melton-too-many-hearts-lack-lovers

Warm Soda - Renegade Mode 7" - Blue Vinyl (/100)

Southpaw (2015)

I think I'm going to knock out the 3 new Matthew Melton related 7"s that I recently picked up from Southpaw records.  I'll start up with the Warm Soda one.  I was relieved to have been able to pick up a copy on the limited to 100 blue vinyl.  My understanding is those sold out pretty quick.  While I'm not sure either song is as good as anything from the most recent Warm Soda full length, it's still a fun little 7".

"Renegade Mode" is upbeat with a little dash of synthy keyboard lead.  It's not the octave rock party that that their full length Symbolic Dream was, but it still keeps the music catchy and the vocals breathy.  The song was originally available on a split cassette that the band sold on a tour, so it's nice to have the tune committed to wax.

On the B-side we have a completely new song, "No Place To Fall."  I can't say I'm as big of a fan of this one.  It's built primarily on low key drums and bass, with a smattering of guitar accenting here and there in the verse.  The chorus sounds much fuller than the skeletal verse, but in general this feels very much like the kind of song that would have come out in the 80's.  It's not really my thing as I prefer when Melton & co keep things fast and loose.

Oh, in other news and if you care at all, I just posted a news update about PopKid records on the PopKid website.  So give it a look if you can.  Or don't if you can't.  Your call: http://www.popkid.com 

Warm Soda - "Renegade Mode":

https://southpawrecords.bandcamp.com/track/warm-soda-renegade-mode

Your Pest Band - Never Fall You Again 7" - Test Pressing (/10)

Brassneck (2015)

I'm not going to write about the music again, you can read yesterday's review of this same 7" for that.  When I purchased the regular version of this record, I also won a copy of the test pressing.  I was pretty psyched, I never really win anything, so that was neat.  Brassneck made a special sleeve and they're hand numbered out of ten copies.

Pretty neat.

Your Pest Band - Never Fall You Again 7":

https://brassneckrecords.bandcamp.com/album/your-pest-band-never-fall-you-again

Your Pest Band - Never Fall You Again 7"

Brassneck (2015)

I've been a huge fan of the Snuffy Smile(s) record label for decades at this point.  They've released records by some of my very favorite bands of all time.  But of all the bands to spring from that fertile scene in Japan, I have never seen one as prolific as Your Pest Band.  These guys put out so many records it's actually difficult to keep up at times.  In addition to the sheer number of records they release, the myriad of different styles they manage to incorporate into their songs is kind of nuts.

This wonderful 7" on Brassneck records is a great example of Your Pest Band in a nutshell.  The record starts off with "Never Fall You Again," a slower paced song with liberal use of a keyboard melody that accentuates the earnest vocals.  On the surface it may seem like an odd song for Your Pest Band, but the way it's recorded and the sounds they are able to capture makes it fit right in with their prior work.

We then move on to "Escape" which is much more of a traditional upbeat and catchy punk rock ripper.  When Your Pest Band unleashes a song like this, they do it better than almost any band I can think of.  There's a certain strain of punk rock that Japanese bands have perfected and this is a shining example of that.  The 7" closes with "You Fit."  With its bouncy rhythm section and shining acoustic guitar, it almost has something of a Tom Petty sound to it.  It's impressive the way the band can put out a 7" with three absolutely different songs, but yet they all manage to compliment each other and all sound unquestionably like Your Pest Band.

Your Pest Band - Never Fall You Again 7":

https://brassneckrecords.bandcamp.com/album/your-pest-band-never-fall-you-again

Archers Of Loaf - Curse Of The Loaf 2xLP

ARRA Music (2015)

Let's stick with another 90s band this week, and one of my absolute favorites, Archers Of Loaf.  Curse Of The Loaf is a live album recorded over 2 days at Cat's Cradle in 2011.  At the best of times I don't love live albums.  Some of my favorite bands have them, Rocket From The Crypt, Snuff, Letherface and more, and they don't come up in rotation all that frequently.  It was more of a need to keep my collection complete that I purchased this Archers record.  I will admit, I'm pretty surprised by how great it is.

First off, the song selection is stellar.  There's only one song from that turd of a record White Trash Heroes and only a couple from the somewhat disappointing All The Nations Airports.  Everything else is solid gold taken from the high point in the band's existence, their first two albums and their Vs. The Greatest Of All Time EP.  The recording quality is quite amazing.  The vocals are crisp and clear, but they're not unusually loud sitting on top of the music the way a lot of live albums can go.  The band sounds big and powerful and still tight after all that time apart.

Even when they played the one song that I actively don't like, "Dead Red Eyes," within the context of the show, surrounded by all of these other amazing songs it doesn't even sound so bad.  I think I would have saved it for a deeper cut rather than plop it down as track number three, but still, it's the most I've ever enjoyed that song.

Usually when I have a live album from a band I listen to it once, maybe twice and file it away into the collection.  I've already listened to Curse Of The Loaf way more times than I typically would.  It's a testament to just how good the recording is and also how great this slice of songs from their catalog is.  It sounds like one of the best shows you could have gone to, although since the songs were culled from 2 days, I'm not entirely sure which day each song was recorded or what the actual set list from either looked like.  Still, it's a hell of a live record.

Oh, it comes with a live DVD as well, but I haven't actually watched that yet.

Archers Of Loaf - Curse Of The Loaf 2xLP:

https://archersofloaf.bandcamp.com/album/curse-of-the-loaf

Jawbox - S/T LP

Dischord /DeSoto (2015, Reissue)

Since I was already in the reissue state of mind with yesterday's Built To Spill LP, I figured I would keep that going today with the new reissue of the final Jawbox album.  The big difference between yesterday and today is that with Built To Spill, I was writing about an album that I had 20 years of history with and had listened to hundreds of times.  Jawbox, on the other hand, is a band I completely missed out on the first time around and have only started picking up their records over the past couple of years.

The good news about getting into Jawbox right now is that most of their albums have recently been reissued.  This S/T final album of theirs was the last one I needed.  I'll still be on the hunt for some 7"s, as I want to complete the collection, but I do have all of their full lengths on vinyl now.  I'm not sure what the perception of this record was when it originally had been released.  I don't remember it being as big of a deal as some of their prior albums, but again, I couldn't say I was paying very close attention back then.  

What I can say is that this is a pretty stellar record.  The one thing I didn't know back in the 90's and the thing that I still don't think Jawbox gets enough credit for is how catchy some of their songs can be.  Even though their music is complex, with lots of interesting shifts and chord progressions, they manage to sneak in some of the catchiest hooks into their choruses.  All you need to do is look to songs like "His Only Trade," "Excandescent" or "Mirrorful."  While decidedly more complex than your run of the mill poppy punk song, you can argue that they're every bit as catchy the moment the chorus blasts off.  It's a remarkable show of songwriting talent and it's really what keeps me coming back to these records.

Hopefully you were paying more attention than me and already know how great Jawbox is, but if not, you can grab just about all of their records on the cheap now.  Too me, they seem like the sort of albums that should be n everyone's collection.

Jawbox - "Mirrorful":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXuIQa9uzpg

Jawbox - "Excandescent":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09_TEOIXaeU