I'm sure everyone is busy gearing up for the holidays and is out spending their hard earned cash (if you haven't spent it all already!), but I needed to sneak a couple more updates in before the year is up (hopefully I'll have one more right before the New Year as well) ... the new releases and distro titles just keep on piling up!
This update isn't too overwhelming, so I'll try and keep it brief. First off, some awesome new releases from DERANGED, including singles compilation LPs from both MARVELOUS DARLINGS and CULO; New LPs worth checking out from UNLEARN, PORKERIA and WARNING/WARNING; an reissue of early material from Holland's FUNERAL ORATION; finally picked up some copies of that latest FUCKED UP double LP along with a couple of JAY REATARD LPs from the fine folks at MATADOR; some cool singles from CREAMERS, HOUNDS OF HATE, and more; picked up a bunch of SUNDAZED titles, classic garage / surf / psyche from bands like CHOCOLATE WATCH BAND, BLUE CHEER, DICK DALE, THE TRASHMEN, THE SONICS, SHADOWS OF KNIGHT, LOVE, and more! Finally, some demos and zines to round it all out ...
Some restocks of note include the NEW BREED TAPE COMPILATION 2xLP, the TERRIBLE FEELINGS "Blank Heads" 7", the IMPALERS demo tape, and although I don't have them YET, I'm expecting a restock of the POISON IDEA "Darby Crash Rides Again" LP any day now ... so keep checking back if you have yet to pick that one up because more are on the way!
That's all for now, thanks for reading and everyone please have a safe and happy holidays! If all goes well, you'll be hearing from me in a few weeks with one final update to end 2011!!!
Alex / Grave Mistake Records
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NEW FOR 12/15/11
CULO "LIFE IS VILE...AND SO ARE WE" LP (DERANGED)
‘Life Is Vile … And So Are We’ compiles CULO’s three sold out 7"s (Nuke Abuse, Military Trend, and Toxic Vision) plus nine bonus tracks from the same recording sessions which were previously only available on limited tape releases or not at all. Total piss and vinegar hardcore delivered at high velocity and at no expense to catchy riffing. This is a hardcore punk monster and absolutely mandatory! Comes with full color newsprint poster and download card.
MARVELOUS DARLINGS "SINGLE LIFE" LP (DERANGED)
For the uninitiated, the Marvelous Darlings features Ben Cook from FUCKED UP doing some of the best 77’punk meets power pop since the EXPLODING HEARTS. Single Life compiles a string of 7" vinyl releases by the Darlings, which have all now long sold out. As great as the singles are on their own, this is one of those cases where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. CD format and download coupon (for LP) includes 5 bonus demo takes of their hits.
UNLEARN "S/T" LP (DERANGED)
Posthumous album by Vancouver’s noisy raw punks. Follow-up If you’ve witnessed this bands live set you already know what to expect. A loud and noisy fury of raw punk leveling everything in their path. Vocals distorted in anguish and a wall of guitars tweaked to ear splitting frequencies held down with an impressive d-beat attack. These guys are definitely into Disclose and Meanwhile.
PORKERIA "LA MIERDA DE SIEMPRE" LP (ADELANTE)
Mexican/Latino raw punk from deep south Texas!!! Featuring ex-BASTARD SONS of APOCALYPSE. Ten tracks of hardcore punk/ punk rock that at times is fast and blistering and is also melodic and catchy. Their style is very similar to the early second-wave of UK '82 and international punk like G.B.H., Appendix, and R.I.P.
FUNERAL ORATION "THE GODSEND" LP (GUMMOPUNX)
This is the vinyl-version of FUNERAL ORATIONs´ "godsend demo" from 1984, which was only available on it´s original tape-format and as a very shitty bootleg released a few years ago! The material on this demo is one of the best and intense recordings FUNERAL ORATION ever did and it´s a pity that it hasn´t been available as a proper release in the last 20 years! For those who are not familiar with the band: FUNERAL ORATION were one of the longest running and most influential bands from holland playing snotty and angry punk/hardcore, which became very special through the melodic vocals! They also could be called the european version of HÜSKER DÜ! This material has the combination of snotty/raging hardcore punk mixed with melodic vocals, maybe like Agent Orange (the Dutch one!) mixed with early Bad Religion-esque vocals? If 'What We Want Is Free'-era Articles Of Faith and early Husker Du? gets you going, definitely consider checking this out. Comes with liner notes and lyric sheet. You can see that this was a bit of a labor of love for everyone involved.
WARNING/WARNING "THERE'S NOTHING LEFT" LP (SOLAR FUNERAL)
11 nuclear ear blasts of noise punk from Bordeaux, France, taking influence from bands like Gai and Lebenden Toten. The sound is noisy, but not without a catchiness and attention to songwriting that most bands playing "raw punk" lack.
FUCKED UP "DAVID COMES TO LIFE" 2LP (MATADOR)
Right from the start, Toronto’s Fucked Up have been pushing musical and conceptual boundaries. Their third album, the 18-song, 78-minute David Comes To Life, is a rock opera, an album set to a play. Though no less monumental, it is far more melodic than their breakthrough The Chemistry of Common Life. There are more female vocals, which work in perfect contrast to Damian Abraham’s highly effective wounded bull growl. The band sound tighter, with more space for the flourishes and imaginative songwriting that entwine their love of British indie pop with heavy riffing, and some genuinely twisted turns. Perhaps most grippingly, the triple-guitar interplay between Mike Haliechuk, Josh Zucker and Ben Cook has risen to symphonic levels. They channel musicians from Angus Young, Pete Townshend and Noel Gallagher to Bob Stinson and Lyle Preslar with ease and grace. As for the story, more on that to come...
JAY REATARD "WATCH ME FALL" LP (MATADOR)
For his second studio album and proper Matador debut, Memphis prolific punk wunderkind Jay Reatard has moved beyond his roots and recorded an album chockful of irresistible melodies, the songs cascading with joyous hooks. He would not be Jay Reatard, however, if there wasn’t a certain aggro negativity, and the song titles and lyrics do much to undercut the pop sensibility: I’m Watching You, Hang Them All, Can’t Do It Anymore, Wounded, It Ain’t Gonna Save Me. The perfect summer album for disaffected youth across the country, Jay will be trekking from coast to coast all summer with his ex-In The Red labelmates The Oh Sees and TV Smith (of the Adverts).
JAY REATARD "MATADOR SINGLES '08" LP (MATADOR)
This collection collects all 6 7"s from the Matador singles series (with the exception of the Deerhunter track on #4), plus one extra song (13 in all). Every song is a perfect snarling pop-punk gem, but the collection evolves interestingly (and erratically) from punk to pop.
COPYRIGHTS, THE "NORTH SENTINEL ISLAND" LP (IT'S ALIVE)
It's hard to believe it has been eight years since The Copyrights released their first album way back in 2003. Pop punk had long since burst onto the scene, into the big leagues and retreated back to the basements by then, leaving behind the last of the diehards. Among those diehards were The Copyrights. Still teenagers then, these guys took everything good about the old style and made it new again... and better than ever. They were among the first of a few young bands to really take pop punk, turn it on its end and redefine the genre. Eight years, a slew of singles and five full length albums later they are still at it. They continue to define and redefine the genre with each successive album. No two Copyrights albums sound exactly the same, but they are all unmistakably Copyrights through and through. Bands like this make sticking to the music you love despite all of its lows worth it every day. North Sentinel Island is the best Copyrights album to date. But ask any Copyrights fan and they will have said the same about each new album when it came out. They aren't wrong - this band just gets better and better with each new record.
HOUNDS OF HATE "NO REDEMPTION" 7" (KATORGA WORKS)
No Redemption is the debut 7" from Braddock, PA/NYC's Hounds of Hate. Featuring current and former members of CREEM, Natural Law, and Pissed Jeans, Hounds of Hate plays unrepentantly straight edge hardcore in the vein of late 80s NYHC, particularly that of Sick of It All and Warzone with a production striving for a sound akin to the Free For All comp.
CREAMERS "SLOW BURN" 7" (SECRET BEACH)
The second EP from Austin’s CREAMERS packs the snarl and immediacy of their first record with a slightly hookier and more frantic sound. KBD-style punk with some of best and most cynical lyrics in hardcore today. Comes with a righteous double-sided poster-sized insert and one of the sides has a drawing of a knife cutting eyes out of a heart, okay?
SALTED CITY "REBIRTH" 7" (ADELANTE)
Portland, Oregon, does it again with this four-song EP rager. Featuring current members of WARCRY and TALK IS POISON, and also featuring ex-members of CALL THE POLICE, this little slab drops four hard hitting d-beat/ hardcore punk tunes that will stick in your brain for weeks. As is mostly the case with punk bands from this particular city in the Northwest of the country, this EP is drenched in that distinct PDX sound with thick, heavy, and dark guitars, a tough rhythm section to boot, and strong female vocals that really tie everything in on this wax assault!
PANZRAM "A NEW MENTAL DISORDER FOR YOUTH IN DISAPPROVAL" 7" (DRUGGED CONSCIENCE)
Three new tracks from Ft Myers FL, a town void of inspiration or culture. A truly bleak place for a bleak band to emerge. Featuring 2/4ths of Merkit, Panzram cut through brooding hardcore in vain of BORN AGAINST or MILHOUSE. From shouted to sung to screamed, both members on vocal duty. This single keeps with the concept of humans regaling their pitiful human achievements or originality, guitarist John Fahy tongue-in cheekily shouting "DON’T DROP THE NEWBORN, WEED CREATIVITY.BUT WE BUILT THE HOOVER DAM!, BUT WE BUILT THE WORLD TRADE CENTERS! ABORTED MAN, ABORTED MAN! I WANNA TRAVEL AFTER I GRADUATE". The final song on side B is a Psychedelic Furs cover of "THE FALL", a song on the similar topic. A one time pressing of 500 copies with two color silk screened covers.
SFN "ITCHING" 7" (DRUGGED CONSCIENCE)
Latest blasting & pummeling from Wisconsin's SFN. These guys have been around a long time and have really found their sound on this recording. For fans of No Comment, Despise You, etc.
COPYRIGHTS, THE "CRUTCHES" 7" (IT'S ALIVE)
Crutches is the first single off of The Copyrights' newest album North Sentinel Island. Like all of their jams it is both instantly recognizable as a Copyrights song at the same time just different enough from previous works to keep you guessing where they are going with it. Having already heard the new album, Crutches is really much more of a teaser than a indicator of what's to come. The safest bet is just to expect the best because every longtime Copyrights fan will tell you each successive album is better than the one before and North Sentinel Island is no exception to that rule. The flipside of this EP contains two demo tracks that didn't make the cut for the final recording of the new album; One a straight forward punk jam. The other a total pop ballad. A band that can nail it both ways is definitely doing something right.
MAXIES, THE "GOING CLUBBIN" 7" (IT'S ALIVE)
Greenland is melting! Is global warming to blame? Definitely. But it's not climate shift... it's the motherfucking Maxies! These assholes may be jerks of the highest order, but they sure know how to melt faces (and polar ice caps) with their power pop punk jams! It's Alive Records in incredibly proud to present The Maxies' first domestic release, Going Clubbin'. Having already dominated the airwaves of Greenland and Iceland (Fuck those guys!), The Maxies have taken their act south in an effort to attain world domination. Their weapons of choice? Killer hooks, infectious melodies, bad attitudes and ridiculous costumes. This band's better than your band. That's all you need to know.
MALL'D TO DEATH "THE PROCESS OF REACHING OUT" 7" (IT'S ALIVE)
Mall'd To Death is what happens when you take that Minneapolis punk rock Dillinger-core sound, add some Jeff Ott-esque vocal growlings, mix in some mid-nineties melodic punk sound of the EpiFat variety (complete with the occasional ska-punk breakdown!), put together some meaningful songs about life and personal politics, follow those up with some silly songs about important shit like video games and graffiti, and then round it all out with some of that good ol' J Church! It's like Mall Punk if "Mall Punk" meant a little bit of everything under one roof. I was totally taken by surprise and blown away by Mall'd To Death's debut full length Can't Make A Living released last year on CD by GC Records on and then on vinyl earlier this year by Bitter Melody Records. The Process Of Reaching Out is Mall'd To Death's second release of what I hope to be many more to come. I don't know of another band out there that really sounds anything like these guys. It's fresh; and in that way reminds me of when I was first discovering punk rock.
CITY MOUSE "S/T" 7" (IT'S ALIVE)
City Mouse has been kicking around for quite a few years now. Though the line-up has seen many changes over time, the awesomeness of the passionate and heavy-hitting songs has constantly been improving with each new incarnation of the band. Mainstay front-woman Miski Dee Rodriguez knows how to write a solid pop jam and can belt out the whoa-mama lead vocals like nobody's business! The four tracks that make up this s/t vinyl debut release are reminiscent of the mid-nineties pop punk rock n roll that was being played by some of the toughest ladies of punk rock from the midwest and upper south at the time - powerful, sultry lead vocals over an incredibly melodic, driving rhythm. Danzig-approved.
YOUR PEST BAND "GROUND ZERO" 7" (SNUFFY SMILES)
The E.P for their U.S tour in September 2011. 3 new songs and 2 cover songs of “please mr.postman” and “punk guy” by NOFX. It's a very good stuff to know them at first time. Best recording too.
PIXIES "DOOLITTLE" LP (4AD)
Doolittle is the second studio album from the American alternative rock band Pixies, released in April 1989 on 4AD. The album's offbeat and dark subject material, featuring references to surrealism, Biblical violence, torture and death, contrasts with the clean production sound achieved by the newly hired producer Gil Norton. Doolittle was the Pixies' first international release, with Elektra Records acting as the album's distributor in the United States and PolyGram in Canada. Pixies released two singles from Doolittle, "Here Comes Your Man" and "Monkey Gone to Heaven", both of which were chart successes on the US chart for Modern Rock Tracks. The album itself reached number eight on the UK Albums Chart, an unexpected success for the band. In retrospect, album tracks such as "Debaser", "Wave of Mutilation", "Monkey Gone to Heaven", "Gouge Away", and "Hey" are highly acclaimed by critics, while the album, along with debut LP Surfer Rosa, is often seen as the band's strongest work. Doolittle has continued to sell consistently well in the years since its release, and in 1995 was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album has been cited as inspirational by many alternative artists, while numerous music publications have ranked it as one of the most influential albums ever. A 2003 poll of NME writers ranked Doolittle as the second-greatest album of all time, and Rolling Stone placed the album at 226 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time".
PIXIES "SURFER ROSA" LP (4AD)
Surfer Rosa is the first full-length album by the American alternative rock band Pixies, released in March 1988 on the British independent record label 4AD.[2] The album's unusual and offbeat subject matter includes references to mutilation and voyeurism; this is augmented by experimental recording, low-fidelity production and a distinctive drum sound. Surfer Rosa contains many of the themes present in the Pixies' earlier output, including Spanish lyrics and references to Puerto Rico. Surfer Rosa is often cited as a favorite of music critics, and is frequently included on professional lists of the all-time best rock albums. Many alternative rock artists, including PJ Harvey and Billy Corgan, have cited the album as inspirational; Nirvana's Kurt Cobain frequently acknowledged that Surfer Rosa was a strong influence on Nevermind, and in 1993 hired the album's producer Steve Albini to produce his band's album In Utero.
CHOCOLATE WATCH BAND "THE INNER MYSTIQUE" LP (SUNDAZED)
The Inner Mystique, the hypnotic second album by the Chocolate Watch Band, takes up exactly where its sacred predecessor left you: looking for your perfect match at the local Love-In. When Watch Band lead singer par excellence Dave Aguilar grabs you by the lapels and tells you "I'm Not Everybody Else," you have no choice but to believe him. He's not. And when he cools down enough to extol the virtues of "Medication," who could doubt his sincerity? Especially when he stokes the fires to the boiling-point where medication may not really make much difference. But the real stunner here is the Watch Band's exhilarating cover of Bobby D's "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue." In typical CWB interpretive bliss, nobody has ever done this hallowed song any better. Not Bob Dylan, not Van Morrison. Nobody. A San Jose, Calif. band whose reputation has grown exponentially over the decades, the Chocolate Watch Band are now revered as one of the Seven Wonders of the World of garage rock. Spotlighting the classic lineup—the inflammatory vocals of Dave Aguilar and the roof-rattling guitars of Mark Loomis and Sean Tolby, fronting the rock-solid bass of Bill Flores and the letter-perfect drums of Gary Andrijasevich—the Watch Band's first two albums have it all. Stones swagger snake-hips its way through cosmic significance with just a dusting of eye-opening psychedelic legerdemain to make your neck snap backwards in pure joy.
BLUE CHEER "VINCEBUS ERUPTUM" LP (SUNDAZED)
Blue Cheer looms large in the annals of hard rock, laying down the sonic foundations of heavy metal, and serving as a crucial influence on the birth of punk, grunge and stoner rock. While the rest of the rock world was mellowing out and embracing the spirit of the Summer of Love, the seminal San Francisco power trio was churning out ballsy blues-rock anthems whose fuzz-heavy, adrenaline-charged intensity helped to alter the course of contemporary music. Vincebus Eruptum, Blue Cheer’s landmark 1968 debut, is widely regarded as Ground Zero of the heavy metal explosion. The album, featuring the classic Blue Cheer lineup of guitarist Leigh Stephens, bassist/vocalist Dickie Peterson and drummer Paul Whaley, includes the trio’s mind-melting reading of Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues,” which became a Top 20 single, along with such raw, overdriven originals as “Doctor Please” and “Second Time Around” and distinctive reworkings of the blues standards “Rock Me Baby” and “Parchment Farm.” Long out of print on vinyl, with original copies trading for steep collectors’ prices, this legendary debut is available once again in its original format, complete with its unique original cover design.
DICK DALE "SUMMER SURF" LP (SUNDAZED)
The originator of the surf guitar sound returned in 1964 with another killer collection of instrumental and vocal tracks that perfectly captured California beach culture. Listen to the stinging glissandos on minor key mood piece “Tidal Wave” and then kick up some sand while dancing the hand jive to “Mama’s Gone Surfin’.” Regardless of what the weatherman says, it’s always summer with Summer Surf on the turntable! Sourced from the original Capitol Records stereo masters, this Sundazed Music edition of Summer Surf is pressed on 180-gram vinyl and includes complete original artwork. Calling all Rebel Surfers!
JERRY COLE AND HIS SPACEMEN "SURF AGE" LP (SUNDAZED)
Could anything be better than surf music played by crazed spacemen? Not likely! And here’s the proof: guitar-wrangler Jerry Cole and His Spacemen’s stupidly rare 1964 LP, Surf Age! While most of Cole’s albums were cranked out at the astounding pace, Surf Age, was by comparison a production of epic proportions. For the sessions, Cole and his hand-picked all-star crew of LA studio cats labored to create an album unlike any other, an endlessly inventive amalgam of surf and ‘60s pop. The original liner notes say it most eloquently: “One listen to the music of Jerry Cole and His Spacemen will tell you that theirs is the sound of the SURF AGE! Their beat is as dynamic as tomorrow’s crashing waves; their instrumental blend is as fresh and modern as tomorrow night’s surfing dance party; their tunes are definitely for swingin’ moderns." Numbered, limited edition of 1,000 copies on high-definition vinyl.
WE THE PEOPLE "TOO MUCH NOISE" LP (SUNDAZED)
Garage fans agree: We The People’s raging, tough-as-nails punk tracks “Mirror of Your Mind” and “You Burn Me Up and Down” rate among the era’s best. But believe it or not this band was capable of even more. Along with the above two hammer-down classics, Too Much Noise collates everything the seminal—and surprisingly diverse—Central Florida outfit cut for the Challenge label during the band’s mid-’60s heyday, including the raga-rock fave “In the Past” (covered by the Chocolate Watchband) and the tender folk-rock ballad “(You Are) The Color of Love.” Sourced from the original analog masters, here are We the People’s three scarce and essential Challenge single sides plus material recorded for the label but unreleased at the time—all of it in raw, skull-crushing fidelity on high-definition vinyl.
BUBBY PUPPLE "A GATHERING OF PROMISES" LP (SUNDAZED)
In 1969, Texas acid-psych warlords the Bubble Puppy burst onto the U.S. Top 20 with “Hot Smoke and Sasafrass,” the slashing, frenzied 2:33 freakout that kicks off the band’s brain-bending debut, A Gathering of Promises. Signed to Houston’s legendary International Artists imprint, the foursome were label mates of such hallowed acts as the 13th Floor Elevators and the Red Crayola. But A Gathering of Promises, the group’s sole International Artists album, stands out from the rest of the roster with its rich vocal harmonies and heavier, Cream/Hendrix/Who sound. Descended from Corpus Christi garage kings the Bad Seeds, the Bubble Puppy’s trippedout calling card was its combination of soaring, fuzz-drenched guitars, frantic drumming, stop-on-a-dime arrangements, and tight, graceful harmonies. The Bubble Puppy may have been a one-hit wonder (and what a hit!) but after a trip through the manic “Lonely,” the cryptically twisting “I’ve Got to Reach You,” and the majestic, guitar-searing “Hurry Sundown,” any psych fan will be left scratching their head and wondering why—if they still have a head to scratch, that is.
LOVE "DA CAPO" LP (SUNDAZED)
1967’s Da Capo captured Love in a transitional phase, evolving from the frenetic garage folk of their debut album to the lush, psychedelic textures of their third release, Forever Changes. Da Capo’s first single, the tremolo drenched rave-up “Seven & Seven Is,” is a direct link to the energy and verve of the debut and rightfully became a garage-punk classic. In contrast, the Bryan Maclean-penned “Orange Skies,” with its subtle samba rhythms and exotic instrumentation, pointed the way forward for the group. Regarding the instrumentation, for this recording the band expanded to include Michael Stuart on drums and Tjay Cantrelli on flute and saxophone, while the band’s erstwhile drummer, Alban “Snoopy” Pfisterer, moved to harpsichord and organ. The closing song of side 1, “She Comes in Colors” features the larger combo to full effect in an intricate arrangement that foreshadowed the “baroque rock” of The Left Banke. Side 2? Well, that’s a different story entirely! “Revelation,” the sole track on the second side, grew from a hard-driving live group jam, giving all the musicians a chance to improvise and elaborate on the song’s melodic lines. The side-long track was daring for the time, with only Bob Dylan’s “Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands” (from Blonde on Blonde) and Frank Zappa’s “The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet” (from Freak Out!) beating it to release. Incidentally, “Revelation”’s sonic similarity to the Rolling Stones’ “Going Home” may have been less than coincidence. The Stones saw Love perform the song live and, interestingly, both tracks were recorded at the same studio, RCA, studios a few months apart. Hey, it’s only rock and roll, right? This legendary LP has been meticulously remastered by Sundazed from original Elektra analog session tapes and is presented on high-definition vinyl for your listening pleasure. Listen and revel in the revelation!
LOVE "S/T" LP (SUNDAZED)
After gigging around the Los Angeles scene for three years, Arthur Lee was ready for something different. Inspired by seeing The Byrds live, he decided to merge their folk-rock sound with the driving r&b he had been playing to create a new group, dubbed Love. Recruiting guitarists Johnny Echols and ex-Byrds roadie Bryan Maclean, bassist Ken Forssi and drummer Alban “Snoopy” Pfisterer, Love began recording their eponymous debut LP in January 1966. Their first single, Bacharach/David composition “My Little Red Book,” spotlights an insistent, menacing riff that sounds nothing like what their contemporaries were committing to vinyl. Other cuts highlight the writing talents of Lee and the band members, notably on Lee’s anti-drug essay “Signed, D.C.” and Maclean’s “Softly to Me.” Also included is their version of the rock standard “Hey Joe,” rivaling The Leaves’ hit version for power and sporting some lyric alterations. The group, which lived communally at the time in a house formerly owned by Boris Karloff (they are pictured in the house’s garden on the LP cover), quickly coalesced into one of the West Coast’s most influential and exciting groups; here is where it all began. Sundazed is proud to bring you this remastered classic, sourced from the original Elektra analog session tapes and lovingly pressed on high-definition vinyl.
SHADOWS OF KNIGHT "GLORIA" LP (SUNDAZED)
Originally forming as the Shadows in 1964, this band of Chicago high schoolers became the Shadows of Knight after learning of the great UK band already named the Shadows. It was an interesting coincidence, as all four band members, then attending Prospect High School (“Home of the Knights!”), were major British invasion fans. While the English bands were busy crafting their interpretation of American blues, The Shadows of Knight, in their own words, “re-added a Chicago touch” to the Brit sound. The resulting music, dubbed “blues-punk,” was a high-energy mix of Chess and Cheshire, Chicago meets London in a back alley garage. Lead singer Jim Sohns could snarl like Howlin’ Wolf and move like Mick Jagger, a wicked combination guaranteed to generate pubescent pandemonium. It was clear that this was a band that was going places. For much of 1965, the place they went was the Cellar, a teen club in nearby Arlington Heights. They served as the venue’s house band for a six-month run, drawing hundreds of teenage fans every weekend. It was at one of these shows that Dunwich record executives saw the band performing a potent cover of Them’s “Gloria” and subsequently offered the band a recording contract. Ultimately, the single sold over a million copies and became an enduring garage classic. Fortunately, their club apprenticeship served them well when it came time to record Gloria!, their debut album. The revved-up versions of Chess Records classics they had worked up for the live set, like Muddy Waters’ “I’ve Got My Mojo Working,” Chuck Berry’s “Let It Rock” and Bo Diddley’s “Oh Yeah,” sounded positively explosive when committed to tape in the studio. Continuing the Chess theme, the album includes three Willie Dixon-composed blues standards: “(I’m Your) Hoochie Coochie Man,” “You Can’t Judge a Book By Looking at the Cover” and “I Just Want to Make Love to You.” Add John Lee Hooker’s classic “Boom Boom” and three self-penned rockers and you’ve got one hip-shakin’, rule-breakin’ inaugural LP! Sourced directly from the original Dunwich master tapes for the first time in over three decades, this Sundazed edition of Gloria! sounds more glorious than ever! You’ll hear every drum beat, every guitar lick, every guttural growl in stunning sonic clarity as you peruse the authentic reproduction of the album artwork. C’mon, do I have to spell it out for you? Okay, here goes: “G-L-O…”
TRASHMEN, THE "SURFIN BIRD" LP (SUNDAZED)
Hailing from the wintry heartland of Minneapolis, the Trashmen achieved cult immortality with a passel of landlocked surf anthems and reckless garage-rock gems, best exemplified by their immortal anthem "Surfin' Bird," two and a half minutes of inspired, unhinged mayhem that's never been equaled. But "Surfin' Bird" is just the tip of the iceberg of the 1964 album that bears the song's name. The only longplayer that the band released during their original lifespan, Surfin' Bird demonstrates that the Trashmen were no novelty act or one-hit wonder, but a brilliant, original outfit who filtered their R&B and surf influences through their own cheerfully demented sensibility to make some of their era's most reckless, uninhibited rock 'n' roll. In addition to the iconic "Surfin' Bird," the album features the surf-and-drag killers "King of the Surf," "My Woodie" and "Tube City," along with the "Bird"-themed sequels "Bird Bath" and "Bird Dance Beat." Elsewhere on the album, the Trashmen's surf-rock skills animate the instrumental standards "Misirlou," "Malagueña" and "Kuk," and the band delivers storming readings of Buddy Holly's "It's So Easy" and Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)."
TRASHMEN, THE "GREAT LOST ALBUM" LP (SUNDAZED)
Yep, it's the legendary, unreleased followup LP to Surfin' Bird (ca. 1964) and another 2 rarities recorded in Iowa (ca. mid-1966). Ultra-cool liners by Miriam Linna plus super rare photos of our favorite land-locked surfers. Rock 'n' roll history set straight!
SONICS, THE "INTRODUCING THE SONICS" LP (SUNDAZED)
The Sonics - fronted by Gerry Roslie's banshee vocals - blow-torched the mists of Seattle in 1966 like the fiery exhaust from a jumbo-jet. With their trademark scorched-earth guitar sounds, they created a mind- numbing assortment of Sonics' classics: "You Got Your Head On Backwards," "Like No Other Man," "Psycho," "The Witch" and simultaneously reinvented garage rock powerhouses like "I'm A Man," "Diddy Wah Diddy" and much more. This heavy-duty BeatRocket vinyl edition of the group's 1966 Jerden album adds 4 rare bonus cuts to the original killer disc. No one has done it this raw ever since!
SIAMESE TWINS - DEMO TAPE
"This is the best demo I've heard in as long as I can remember, so much so that I've been listening to it almost regularly for the past two months. Siamese Twins consists of three ladies from around the punk block playing vaguely gothy, post-punk tunes. At least, that's what the production strives for and succeeds at. I might just be looking for this, but when I listen more closely, I get a sense that the songwriter(s) has a gift for writing solid indie pop songs, as well. I wouldn't hesitate to label this dark twee." -icouldietomorrow.blogspot.com
CRIATURAS - DEMO TAPE
"This cassette is pure, unabashed sonic perfection and we’ve been blasting this thing around my house for weeks now, non-stop. On first listen, the first thing that caught me off guard was the guitar. Its tone is crazy and flanged or something throughout, which in itself sounds crazy enough, but the leads and hidden little tickles that are thrown into the spaces between the riffs, are fucking mind blowing and are what really catapult this from being a great demo with great songs, into its own fucking orbit of great cosmic importance in my world. There is this real subtle melody in the last song, “Hay Viene la Muerte,” that makes me psyched to geek out on this kind of shit every goddamned time I hear it. It’s not really just the guitar that’s brilliant either — everything here is great, from every word of Dru’s amazing vocals to every drum hit. It’s punk, it’s hardcore, and it sounds like nothing else out there. CRIATURAS hails from Austin, TX, and some of them have been in other bands you know and probably like, but it doesn’t matter ’cause this shit is head and shoulders above almost every other release that will come out in 2010, and that’s a promise. A flawless example of everything I love about music. Period." - MRR
RAMLORD / CONDENSED FLESH - SPLIT TAPE
Two bands from the small but devoted New Hampshire punk community. First is Ramlord, they play Blackened Stenchcore, reminiscent of Dystopia or Disrupt to give you an idea. Second is Condensed Flesh they play straight noisy raw black metal. This is limited to 90 yellow tapes, professionally pressed.
SUSPECT DEVICE #53 ZINE
Newest issue of this long running UK zine! This issue features interviews with Martin Sorrondeguy (Limp Wrist, Los Crudos), Section 13, Destructors, Crocodile God, and Epic Problem. It also features a cool feature on different contributors telling stories about their first gigs, along with columns and reviews.
MAXIMUMROCKNROLL #344 - JAN 2012
It’s the beginning of the end! January 2012 is here and thus we present you a new issue of Maximum Rocknroll, number #344 to be precise! This month we have Austin, TX’s furious garage punk brutes the OBN IIIs, San Francisco’s hardcored-by-death savants the NEO CONS, we have Brazilian brutality courtesy of SOCIAL CHAOS, some Midwestern crust from WARTORN, some D-beat destruktion from Boston’s BLOODKROW BUTCHER, Australian noize mutators, the attractively named VAGINORS, the legendary WRETCHED, architects of Italian hardcore! Plus we got street punk from SLICK 46 and the TOUGHSKINS who interview each other, a report on the Means to an End fest, as well as the final SHITTY LIMITS show, plus No Gods No Mattresses zine and a talk with the awe inspiring Alice Bag about her new book Violence Girl! All this madness plus the most extensive review section in punk rock print and all of those columnists you love to hate!
BLOODKROW BUTCHER - S/T 7"
CHRONIC SICK - REAGAN BANDS 7"
CULO - MILITARY TREND 7"
HOAX - S/T 7"
HUMAN MESS - CAGED ANIMAL 7"
MALE NURSES - S/T 7"
MEAN JEANS / HOLLYWOOD SPLIT 7"
NIGHT FEVER - TRANSPARENT 7"
TERRIBLE FEELINGS - BLANK HEADS 7"
TERRIBLE FEELINGS - IMPENDING DOOM 7"
CHRONIC SICK - CUTEST BAND IN HARDCORE LP
FAITH / VOID - SPLIT LP
HUMAN MESS - FOLLOW YOU HOME LP
MEN, THE - IMMACULADA LP
NO PROBLEM - AND NOW THIS LP
SOCIAL CIRCKLE - CITY SHOCK LP
V/A - NEW BREED TAPE COMPILATION - 2LP
YOUNG OFFENDERS - LEADERS OF THE FOLLOWERS LP
ZERO BOYS - HISTORY OF LP
ZERO BOYS - VICIOUS CIRCLE LP
IMPALERS - DEMO TAPE
This update isn't too overwhelming, so I'll try and keep it brief. First off, some awesome new releases from DERANGED, including singles compilation LPs from both MARVELOUS DARLINGS and CULO; New LPs worth checking out from UNLEARN, PORKERIA and WARNING/WARNING; an reissue of early material from Holland's FUNERAL ORATION; finally picked up some copies of that latest FUCKED UP double LP along with a couple of JAY REATARD LPs from the fine folks at MATADOR; some cool singles from CREAMERS, HOUNDS OF HATE, and more; picked up a bunch of SUNDAZED titles, classic garage / surf / psyche from bands like CHOCOLATE WATCH BAND, BLUE CHEER, DICK DALE, THE TRASHMEN, THE SONICS, SHADOWS OF KNIGHT, LOVE, and more! Finally, some demos and zines to round it all out ...
Some restocks of note include the NEW BREED TAPE COMPILATION 2xLP, the TERRIBLE FEELINGS "Blank Heads" 7", the IMPALERS demo tape, and although I don't have them YET, I'm expecting a restock of the POISON IDEA "Darby Crash Rides Again" LP any day now ... so keep checking back if you have yet to pick that one up because more are on the way!
That's all for now, thanks for reading and everyone please have a safe and happy holidays! If all goes well, you'll be hearing from me in a few weeks with one final update to end 2011!!!
Alex / Grave Mistake Records
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NEW FOR 12/15/11
CULO "LIFE IS VILE...AND SO ARE WE" LP (DERANGED)
‘Life Is Vile … And So Are We’ compiles CULO’s three sold out 7"s (Nuke Abuse, Military Trend, and Toxic Vision) plus nine bonus tracks from the same recording sessions which were previously only available on limited tape releases or not at all. Total piss and vinegar hardcore delivered at high velocity and at no expense to catchy riffing. This is a hardcore punk monster and absolutely mandatory! Comes with full color newsprint poster and download card.
MARVELOUS DARLINGS "SINGLE LIFE" LP (DERANGED)
For the uninitiated, the Marvelous Darlings features Ben Cook from FUCKED UP doing some of the best 77’punk meets power pop since the EXPLODING HEARTS. Single Life compiles a string of 7" vinyl releases by the Darlings, which have all now long sold out. As great as the singles are on their own, this is one of those cases where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. CD format and download coupon (for LP) includes 5 bonus demo takes of their hits.
UNLEARN "S/T" LP (DERANGED)
Posthumous album by Vancouver’s noisy raw punks. Follow-up If you’ve witnessed this bands live set you already know what to expect. A loud and noisy fury of raw punk leveling everything in their path. Vocals distorted in anguish and a wall of guitars tweaked to ear splitting frequencies held down with an impressive d-beat attack. These guys are definitely into Disclose and Meanwhile.
PORKERIA "LA MIERDA DE SIEMPRE" LP (ADELANTE)
Mexican/Latino raw punk from deep south Texas!!! Featuring ex-BASTARD SONS of APOCALYPSE. Ten tracks of hardcore punk/ punk rock that at times is fast and blistering and is also melodic and catchy. Their style is very similar to the early second-wave of UK '82 and international punk like G.B.H., Appendix, and R.I.P.
FUNERAL ORATION "THE GODSEND" LP (GUMMOPUNX)
This is the vinyl-version of FUNERAL ORATIONs´ "godsend demo" from 1984, which was only available on it´s original tape-format and as a very shitty bootleg released a few years ago! The material on this demo is one of the best and intense recordings FUNERAL ORATION ever did and it´s a pity that it hasn´t been available as a proper release in the last 20 years! For those who are not familiar with the band: FUNERAL ORATION were one of the longest running and most influential bands from holland playing snotty and angry punk/hardcore, which became very special through the melodic vocals! They also could be called the european version of HÜSKER DÜ! This material has the combination of snotty/raging hardcore punk mixed with melodic vocals, maybe like Agent Orange (the Dutch one!) mixed with early Bad Religion-esque vocals? If 'What We Want Is Free'-era Articles Of Faith and early Husker Du? gets you going, definitely consider checking this out. Comes with liner notes and lyric sheet. You can see that this was a bit of a labor of love for everyone involved.
WARNING/WARNING "THERE'S NOTHING LEFT" LP (SOLAR FUNERAL)
11 nuclear ear blasts of noise punk from Bordeaux, France, taking influence from bands like Gai and Lebenden Toten. The sound is noisy, but not without a catchiness and attention to songwriting that most bands playing "raw punk" lack.
FUCKED UP "DAVID COMES TO LIFE" 2LP (MATADOR)
Right from the start, Toronto’s Fucked Up have been pushing musical and conceptual boundaries. Their third album, the 18-song, 78-minute David Comes To Life, is a rock opera, an album set to a play. Though no less monumental, it is far more melodic than their breakthrough The Chemistry of Common Life. There are more female vocals, which work in perfect contrast to Damian Abraham’s highly effective wounded bull growl. The band sound tighter, with more space for the flourishes and imaginative songwriting that entwine their love of British indie pop with heavy riffing, and some genuinely twisted turns. Perhaps most grippingly, the triple-guitar interplay between Mike Haliechuk, Josh Zucker and Ben Cook has risen to symphonic levels. They channel musicians from Angus Young, Pete Townshend and Noel Gallagher to Bob Stinson and Lyle Preslar with ease and grace. As for the story, more on that to come...
JAY REATARD "WATCH ME FALL" LP (MATADOR)
For his second studio album and proper Matador debut, Memphis prolific punk wunderkind Jay Reatard has moved beyond his roots and recorded an album chockful of irresistible melodies, the songs cascading with joyous hooks. He would not be Jay Reatard, however, if there wasn’t a certain aggro negativity, and the song titles and lyrics do much to undercut the pop sensibility: I’m Watching You, Hang Them All, Can’t Do It Anymore, Wounded, It Ain’t Gonna Save Me. The perfect summer album for disaffected youth across the country, Jay will be trekking from coast to coast all summer with his ex-In The Red labelmates The Oh Sees and TV Smith (of the Adverts).
JAY REATARD "MATADOR SINGLES '08" LP (MATADOR)
This collection collects all 6 7"s from the Matador singles series (with the exception of the Deerhunter track on #4), plus one extra song (13 in all). Every song is a perfect snarling pop-punk gem, but the collection evolves interestingly (and erratically) from punk to pop.
COPYRIGHTS, THE "NORTH SENTINEL ISLAND" LP (IT'S ALIVE)
It's hard to believe it has been eight years since The Copyrights released their first album way back in 2003. Pop punk had long since burst onto the scene, into the big leagues and retreated back to the basements by then, leaving behind the last of the diehards. Among those diehards were The Copyrights. Still teenagers then, these guys took everything good about the old style and made it new again... and better than ever. They were among the first of a few young bands to really take pop punk, turn it on its end and redefine the genre. Eight years, a slew of singles and five full length albums later they are still at it. They continue to define and redefine the genre with each successive album. No two Copyrights albums sound exactly the same, but they are all unmistakably Copyrights through and through. Bands like this make sticking to the music you love despite all of its lows worth it every day. North Sentinel Island is the best Copyrights album to date. But ask any Copyrights fan and they will have said the same about each new album when it came out. They aren't wrong - this band just gets better and better with each new record.
HOUNDS OF HATE "NO REDEMPTION" 7" (KATORGA WORKS)
No Redemption is the debut 7" from Braddock, PA/NYC's Hounds of Hate. Featuring current and former members of CREEM, Natural Law, and Pissed Jeans, Hounds of Hate plays unrepentantly straight edge hardcore in the vein of late 80s NYHC, particularly that of Sick of It All and Warzone with a production striving for a sound akin to the Free For All comp.
CREAMERS "SLOW BURN" 7" (SECRET BEACH)
The second EP from Austin’s CREAMERS packs the snarl and immediacy of their first record with a slightly hookier and more frantic sound. KBD-style punk with some of best and most cynical lyrics in hardcore today. Comes with a righteous double-sided poster-sized insert and one of the sides has a drawing of a knife cutting eyes out of a heart, okay?
SALTED CITY "REBIRTH" 7" (ADELANTE)
Portland, Oregon, does it again with this four-song EP rager. Featuring current members of WARCRY and TALK IS POISON, and also featuring ex-members of CALL THE POLICE, this little slab drops four hard hitting d-beat/ hardcore punk tunes that will stick in your brain for weeks. As is mostly the case with punk bands from this particular city in the Northwest of the country, this EP is drenched in that distinct PDX sound with thick, heavy, and dark guitars, a tough rhythm section to boot, and strong female vocals that really tie everything in on this wax assault!
PANZRAM "A NEW MENTAL DISORDER FOR YOUTH IN DISAPPROVAL" 7" (DRUGGED CONSCIENCE)
Three new tracks from Ft Myers FL, a town void of inspiration or culture. A truly bleak place for a bleak band to emerge. Featuring 2/4ths of Merkit, Panzram cut through brooding hardcore in vain of BORN AGAINST or MILHOUSE. From shouted to sung to screamed, both members on vocal duty. This single keeps with the concept of humans regaling their pitiful human achievements or originality, guitarist John Fahy tongue-in cheekily shouting "DON’T DROP THE NEWBORN, WEED CREATIVITY.BUT WE BUILT THE HOOVER DAM!, BUT WE BUILT THE WORLD TRADE CENTERS! ABORTED MAN, ABORTED MAN! I WANNA TRAVEL AFTER I GRADUATE". The final song on side B is a Psychedelic Furs cover of "THE FALL", a song on the similar topic. A one time pressing of 500 copies with two color silk screened covers.
SFN "ITCHING" 7" (DRUGGED CONSCIENCE)
Latest blasting & pummeling from Wisconsin's SFN. These guys have been around a long time and have really found their sound on this recording. For fans of No Comment, Despise You, etc.
COPYRIGHTS, THE "CRUTCHES" 7" (IT'S ALIVE)
Crutches is the first single off of The Copyrights' newest album North Sentinel Island. Like all of their jams it is both instantly recognizable as a Copyrights song at the same time just different enough from previous works to keep you guessing where they are going with it. Having already heard the new album, Crutches is really much more of a teaser than a indicator of what's to come. The safest bet is just to expect the best because every longtime Copyrights fan will tell you each successive album is better than the one before and North Sentinel Island is no exception to that rule. The flipside of this EP contains two demo tracks that didn't make the cut for the final recording of the new album; One a straight forward punk jam. The other a total pop ballad. A band that can nail it both ways is definitely doing something right.
MAXIES, THE "GOING CLUBBIN" 7" (IT'S ALIVE)
Greenland is melting! Is global warming to blame? Definitely. But it's not climate shift... it's the motherfucking Maxies! These assholes may be jerks of the highest order, but they sure know how to melt faces (and polar ice caps) with their power pop punk jams! It's Alive Records in incredibly proud to present The Maxies' first domestic release, Going Clubbin'. Having already dominated the airwaves of Greenland and Iceland (Fuck those guys!), The Maxies have taken their act south in an effort to attain world domination. Their weapons of choice? Killer hooks, infectious melodies, bad attitudes and ridiculous costumes. This band's better than your band. That's all you need to know.
MALL'D TO DEATH "THE PROCESS OF REACHING OUT" 7" (IT'S ALIVE)
Mall'd To Death is what happens when you take that Minneapolis punk rock Dillinger-core sound, add some Jeff Ott-esque vocal growlings, mix in some mid-nineties melodic punk sound of the EpiFat variety (complete with the occasional ska-punk breakdown!), put together some meaningful songs about life and personal politics, follow those up with some silly songs about important shit like video games and graffiti, and then round it all out with some of that good ol' J Church! It's like Mall Punk if "Mall Punk" meant a little bit of everything under one roof. I was totally taken by surprise and blown away by Mall'd To Death's debut full length Can't Make A Living released last year on CD by GC Records on and then on vinyl earlier this year by Bitter Melody Records. The Process Of Reaching Out is Mall'd To Death's second release of what I hope to be many more to come. I don't know of another band out there that really sounds anything like these guys. It's fresh; and in that way reminds me of when I was first discovering punk rock.
CITY MOUSE "S/T" 7" (IT'S ALIVE)
City Mouse has been kicking around for quite a few years now. Though the line-up has seen many changes over time, the awesomeness of the passionate and heavy-hitting songs has constantly been improving with each new incarnation of the band. Mainstay front-woman Miski Dee Rodriguez knows how to write a solid pop jam and can belt out the whoa-mama lead vocals like nobody's business! The four tracks that make up this s/t vinyl debut release are reminiscent of the mid-nineties pop punk rock n roll that was being played by some of the toughest ladies of punk rock from the midwest and upper south at the time - powerful, sultry lead vocals over an incredibly melodic, driving rhythm. Danzig-approved.
YOUR PEST BAND "GROUND ZERO" 7" (SNUFFY SMILES)
The E.P for their U.S tour in September 2011. 3 new songs and 2 cover songs of “please mr.postman” and “punk guy” by NOFX. It's a very good stuff to know them at first time. Best recording too.
PIXIES "DOOLITTLE" LP (4AD)
Doolittle is the second studio album from the American alternative rock band Pixies, released in April 1989 on 4AD. The album's offbeat and dark subject material, featuring references to surrealism, Biblical violence, torture and death, contrasts with the clean production sound achieved by the newly hired producer Gil Norton. Doolittle was the Pixies' first international release, with Elektra Records acting as the album's distributor in the United States and PolyGram in Canada. Pixies released two singles from Doolittle, "Here Comes Your Man" and "Monkey Gone to Heaven", both of which were chart successes on the US chart for Modern Rock Tracks. The album itself reached number eight on the UK Albums Chart, an unexpected success for the band. In retrospect, album tracks such as "Debaser", "Wave of Mutilation", "Monkey Gone to Heaven", "Gouge Away", and "Hey" are highly acclaimed by critics, while the album, along with debut LP Surfer Rosa, is often seen as the band's strongest work. Doolittle has continued to sell consistently well in the years since its release, and in 1995 was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album has been cited as inspirational by many alternative artists, while numerous music publications have ranked it as one of the most influential albums ever. A 2003 poll of NME writers ranked Doolittle as the second-greatest album of all time, and Rolling Stone placed the album at 226 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time".
PIXIES "SURFER ROSA" LP (4AD)
Surfer Rosa is the first full-length album by the American alternative rock band Pixies, released in March 1988 on the British independent record label 4AD.[2] The album's unusual and offbeat subject matter includes references to mutilation and voyeurism; this is augmented by experimental recording, low-fidelity production and a distinctive drum sound. Surfer Rosa contains many of the themes present in the Pixies' earlier output, including Spanish lyrics and references to Puerto Rico. Surfer Rosa is often cited as a favorite of music critics, and is frequently included on professional lists of the all-time best rock albums. Many alternative rock artists, including PJ Harvey and Billy Corgan, have cited the album as inspirational; Nirvana's Kurt Cobain frequently acknowledged that Surfer Rosa was a strong influence on Nevermind, and in 1993 hired the album's producer Steve Albini to produce his band's album In Utero.
CHOCOLATE WATCH BAND "THE INNER MYSTIQUE" LP (SUNDAZED)
The Inner Mystique, the hypnotic second album by the Chocolate Watch Band, takes up exactly where its sacred predecessor left you: looking for your perfect match at the local Love-In. When Watch Band lead singer par excellence Dave Aguilar grabs you by the lapels and tells you "I'm Not Everybody Else," you have no choice but to believe him. He's not. And when he cools down enough to extol the virtues of "Medication," who could doubt his sincerity? Especially when he stokes the fires to the boiling-point where medication may not really make much difference. But the real stunner here is the Watch Band's exhilarating cover of Bobby D's "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue." In typical CWB interpretive bliss, nobody has ever done this hallowed song any better. Not Bob Dylan, not Van Morrison. Nobody. A San Jose, Calif. band whose reputation has grown exponentially over the decades, the Chocolate Watch Band are now revered as one of the Seven Wonders of the World of garage rock. Spotlighting the classic lineup—the inflammatory vocals of Dave Aguilar and the roof-rattling guitars of Mark Loomis and Sean Tolby, fronting the rock-solid bass of Bill Flores and the letter-perfect drums of Gary Andrijasevich—the Watch Band's first two albums have it all. Stones swagger snake-hips its way through cosmic significance with just a dusting of eye-opening psychedelic legerdemain to make your neck snap backwards in pure joy.
BLUE CHEER "VINCEBUS ERUPTUM" LP (SUNDAZED)
Blue Cheer looms large in the annals of hard rock, laying down the sonic foundations of heavy metal, and serving as a crucial influence on the birth of punk, grunge and stoner rock. While the rest of the rock world was mellowing out and embracing the spirit of the Summer of Love, the seminal San Francisco power trio was churning out ballsy blues-rock anthems whose fuzz-heavy, adrenaline-charged intensity helped to alter the course of contemporary music. Vincebus Eruptum, Blue Cheer’s landmark 1968 debut, is widely regarded as Ground Zero of the heavy metal explosion. The album, featuring the classic Blue Cheer lineup of guitarist Leigh Stephens, bassist/vocalist Dickie Peterson and drummer Paul Whaley, includes the trio’s mind-melting reading of Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues,” which became a Top 20 single, along with such raw, overdriven originals as “Doctor Please” and “Second Time Around” and distinctive reworkings of the blues standards “Rock Me Baby” and “Parchment Farm.” Long out of print on vinyl, with original copies trading for steep collectors’ prices, this legendary debut is available once again in its original format, complete with its unique original cover design.
DICK DALE "SUMMER SURF" LP (SUNDAZED)
The originator of the surf guitar sound returned in 1964 with another killer collection of instrumental and vocal tracks that perfectly captured California beach culture. Listen to the stinging glissandos on minor key mood piece “Tidal Wave” and then kick up some sand while dancing the hand jive to “Mama’s Gone Surfin’.” Regardless of what the weatherman says, it’s always summer with Summer Surf on the turntable! Sourced from the original Capitol Records stereo masters, this Sundazed Music edition of Summer Surf is pressed on 180-gram vinyl and includes complete original artwork. Calling all Rebel Surfers!
JERRY COLE AND HIS SPACEMEN "SURF AGE" LP (SUNDAZED)
Could anything be better than surf music played by crazed spacemen? Not likely! And here’s the proof: guitar-wrangler Jerry Cole and His Spacemen’s stupidly rare 1964 LP, Surf Age! While most of Cole’s albums were cranked out at the astounding pace, Surf Age, was by comparison a production of epic proportions. For the sessions, Cole and his hand-picked all-star crew of LA studio cats labored to create an album unlike any other, an endlessly inventive amalgam of surf and ‘60s pop. The original liner notes say it most eloquently: “One listen to the music of Jerry Cole and His Spacemen will tell you that theirs is the sound of the SURF AGE! Their beat is as dynamic as tomorrow’s crashing waves; their instrumental blend is as fresh and modern as tomorrow night’s surfing dance party; their tunes are definitely for swingin’ moderns." Numbered, limited edition of 1,000 copies on high-definition vinyl.
WE THE PEOPLE "TOO MUCH NOISE" LP (SUNDAZED)
Garage fans agree: We The People’s raging, tough-as-nails punk tracks “Mirror of Your Mind” and “You Burn Me Up and Down” rate among the era’s best. But believe it or not this band was capable of even more. Along with the above two hammer-down classics, Too Much Noise collates everything the seminal—and surprisingly diverse—Central Florida outfit cut for the Challenge label during the band’s mid-’60s heyday, including the raga-rock fave “In the Past” (covered by the Chocolate Watchband) and the tender folk-rock ballad “(You Are) The Color of Love.” Sourced from the original analog masters, here are We the People’s three scarce and essential Challenge single sides plus material recorded for the label but unreleased at the time—all of it in raw, skull-crushing fidelity on high-definition vinyl.
BUBBY PUPPLE "A GATHERING OF PROMISES" LP (SUNDAZED)
In 1969, Texas acid-psych warlords the Bubble Puppy burst onto the U.S. Top 20 with “Hot Smoke and Sasafrass,” the slashing, frenzied 2:33 freakout that kicks off the band’s brain-bending debut, A Gathering of Promises. Signed to Houston’s legendary International Artists imprint, the foursome were label mates of such hallowed acts as the 13th Floor Elevators and the Red Crayola. But A Gathering of Promises, the group’s sole International Artists album, stands out from the rest of the roster with its rich vocal harmonies and heavier, Cream/Hendrix/Who sound. Descended from Corpus Christi garage kings the Bad Seeds, the Bubble Puppy’s trippedout calling card was its combination of soaring, fuzz-drenched guitars, frantic drumming, stop-on-a-dime arrangements, and tight, graceful harmonies. The Bubble Puppy may have been a one-hit wonder (and what a hit!) but after a trip through the manic “Lonely,” the cryptically twisting “I’ve Got to Reach You,” and the majestic, guitar-searing “Hurry Sundown,” any psych fan will be left scratching their head and wondering why—if they still have a head to scratch, that is.
LOVE "DA CAPO" LP (SUNDAZED)
1967’s Da Capo captured Love in a transitional phase, evolving from the frenetic garage folk of their debut album to the lush, psychedelic textures of their third release, Forever Changes. Da Capo’s first single, the tremolo drenched rave-up “Seven & Seven Is,” is a direct link to the energy and verve of the debut and rightfully became a garage-punk classic. In contrast, the Bryan Maclean-penned “Orange Skies,” with its subtle samba rhythms and exotic instrumentation, pointed the way forward for the group. Regarding the instrumentation, for this recording the band expanded to include Michael Stuart on drums and Tjay Cantrelli on flute and saxophone, while the band’s erstwhile drummer, Alban “Snoopy” Pfisterer, moved to harpsichord and organ. The closing song of side 1, “She Comes in Colors” features the larger combo to full effect in an intricate arrangement that foreshadowed the “baroque rock” of The Left Banke. Side 2? Well, that’s a different story entirely! “Revelation,” the sole track on the second side, grew from a hard-driving live group jam, giving all the musicians a chance to improvise and elaborate on the song’s melodic lines. The side-long track was daring for the time, with only Bob Dylan’s “Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands” (from Blonde on Blonde) and Frank Zappa’s “The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet” (from Freak Out!) beating it to release. Incidentally, “Revelation”’s sonic similarity to the Rolling Stones’ “Going Home” may have been less than coincidence. The Stones saw Love perform the song live and, interestingly, both tracks were recorded at the same studio, RCA, studios a few months apart. Hey, it’s only rock and roll, right? This legendary LP has been meticulously remastered by Sundazed from original Elektra analog session tapes and is presented on high-definition vinyl for your listening pleasure. Listen and revel in the revelation!
LOVE "S/T" LP (SUNDAZED)
After gigging around the Los Angeles scene for three years, Arthur Lee was ready for something different. Inspired by seeing The Byrds live, he decided to merge their folk-rock sound with the driving r&b he had been playing to create a new group, dubbed Love. Recruiting guitarists Johnny Echols and ex-Byrds roadie Bryan Maclean, bassist Ken Forssi and drummer Alban “Snoopy” Pfisterer, Love began recording their eponymous debut LP in January 1966. Their first single, Bacharach/David composition “My Little Red Book,” spotlights an insistent, menacing riff that sounds nothing like what their contemporaries were committing to vinyl. Other cuts highlight the writing talents of Lee and the band members, notably on Lee’s anti-drug essay “Signed, D.C.” and Maclean’s “Softly to Me.” Also included is their version of the rock standard “Hey Joe,” rivaling The Leaves’ hit version for power and sporting some lyric alterations. The group, which lived communally at the time in a house formerly owned by Boris Karloff (they are pictured in the house’s garden on the LP cover), quickly coalesced into one of the West Coast’s most influential and exciting groups; here is where it all began. Sundazed is proud to bring you this remastered classic, sourced from the original Elektra analog session tapes and lovingly pressed on high-definition vinyl.
SHADOWS OF KNIGHT "GLORIA" LP (SUNDAZED)
Originally forming as the Shadows in 1964, this band of Chicago high schoolers became the Shadows of Knight after learning of the great UK band already named the Shadows. It was an interesting coincidence, as all four band members, then attending Prospect High School (“Home of the Knights!”), were major British invasion fans. While the English bands were busy crafting their interpretation of American blues, The Shadows of Knight, in their own words, “re-added a Chicago touch” to the Brit sound. The resulting music, dubbed “blues-punk,” was a high-energy mix of Chess and Cheshire, Chicago meets London in a back alley garage. Lead singer Jim Sohns could snarl like Howlin’ Wolf and move like Mick Jagger, a wicked combination guaranteed to generate pubescent pandemonium. It was clear that this was a band that was going places. For much of 1965, the place they went was the Cellar, a teen club in nearby Arlington Heights. They served as the venue’s house band for a six-month run, drawing hundreds of teenage fans every weekend. It was at one of these shows that Dunwich record executives saw the band performing a potent cover of Them’s “Gloria” and subsequently offered the band a recording contract. Ultimately, the single sold over a million copies and became an enduring garage classic. Fortunately, their club apprenticeship served them well when it came time to record Gloria!, their debut album. The revved-up versions of Chess Records classics they had worked up for the live set, like Muddy Waters’ “I’ve Got My Mojo Working,” Chuck Berry’s “Let It Rock” and Bo Diddley’s “Oh Yeah,” sounded positively explosive when committed to tape in the studio. Continuing the Chess theme, the album includes three Willie Dixon-composed blues standards: “(I’m Your) Hoochie Coochie Man,” “You Can’t Judge a Book By Looking at the Cover” and “I Just Want to Make Love to You.” Add John Lee Hooker’s classic “Boom Boom” and three self-penned rockers and you’ve got one hip-shakin’, rule-breakin’ inaugural LP! Sourced directly from the original Dunwich master tapes for the first time in over three decades, this Sundazed edition of Gloria! sounds more glorious than ever! You’ll hear every drum beat, every guitar lick, every guttural growl in stunning sonic clarity as you peruse the authentic reproduction of the album artwork. C’mon, do I have to spell it out for you? Okay, here goes: “G-L-O…”
TRASHMEN, THE "SURFIN BIRD" LP (SUNDAZED)
Hailing from the wintry heartland of Minneapolis, the Trashmen achieved cult immortality with a passel of landlocked surf anthems and reckless garage-rock gems, best exemplified by their immortal anthem "Surfin' Bird," two and a half minutes of inspired, unhinged mayhem that's never been equaled. But "Surfin' Bird" is just the tip of the iceberg of the 1964 album that bears the song's name. The only longplayer that the band released during their original lifespan, Surfin' Bird demonstrates that the Trashmen were no novelty act or one-hit wonder, but a brilliant, original outfit who filtered their R&B and surf influences through their own cheerfully demented sensibility to make some of their era's most reckless, uninhibited rock 'n' roll. In addition to the iconic "Surfin' Bird," the album features the surf-and-drag killers "King of the Surf," "My Woodie" and "Tube City," along with the "Bird"-themed sequels "Bird Bath" and "Bird Dance Beat." Elsewhere on the album, the Trashmen's surf-rock skills animate the instrumental standards "Misirlou," "Malagueña" and "Kuk," and the band delivers storming readings of Buddy Holly's "It's So Easy" and Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)."
TRASHMEN, THE "GREAT LOST ALBUM" LP (SUNDAZED)
Yep, it's the legendary, unreleased followup LP to Surfin' Bird (ca. 1964) and another 2 rarities recorded in Iowa (ca. mid-1966). Ultra-cool liners by Miriam Linna plus super rare photos of our favorite land-locked surfers. Rock 'n' roll history set straight!
SONICS, THE "INTRODUCING THE SONICS" LP (SUNDAZED)
The Sonics - fronted by Gerry Roslie's banshee vocals - blow-torched the mists of Seattle in 1966 like the fiery exhaust from a jumbo-jet. With their trademark scorched-earth guitar sounds, they created a mind- numbing assortment of Sonics' classics: "You Got Your Head On Backwards," "Like No Other Man," "Psycho," "The Witch" and simultaneously reinvented garage rock powerhouses like "I'm A Man," "Diddy Wah Diddy" and much more. This heavy-duty BeatRocket vinyl edition of the group's 1966 Jerden album adds 4 rare bonus cuts to the original killer disc. No one has done it this raw ever since!
SIAMESE TWINS - DEMO TAPE
"This is the best demo I've heard in as long as I can remember, so much so that I've been listening to it almost regularly for the past two months. Siamese Twins consists of three ladies from around the punk block playing vaguely gothy, post-punk tunes. At least, that's what the production strives for and succeeds at. I might just be looking for this, but when I listen more closely, I get a sense that the songwriter(s) has a gift for writing solid indie pop songs, as well. I wouldn't hesitate to label this dark twee." -icouldietomorrow.blogspot.com
CRIATURAS - DEMO TAPE
"This cassette is pure, unabashed sonic perfection and we’ve been blasting this thing around my house for weeks now, non-stop. On first listen, the first thing that caught me off guard was the guitar. Its tone is crazy and flanged or something throughout, which in itself sounds crazy enough, but the leads and hidden little tickles that are thrown into the spaces between the riffs, are fucking mind blowing and are what really catapult this from being a great demo with great songs, into its own fucking orbit of great cosmic importance in my world. There is this real subtle melody in the last song, “Hay Viene la Muerte,” that makes me psyched to geek out on this kind of shit every goddamned time I hear it. It’s not really just the guitar that’s brilliant either — everything here is great, from every word of Dru’s amazing vocals to every drum hit. It’s punk, it’s hardcore, and it sounds like nothing else out there. CRIATURAS hails from Austin, TX, and some of them have been in other bands you know and probably like, but it doesn’t matter ’cause this shit is head and shoulders above almost every other release that will come out in 2010, and that’s a promise. A flawless example of everything I love about music. Period." - MRR
RAMLORD / CONDENSED FLESH - SPLIT TAPE
Two bands from the small but devoted New Hampshire punk community. First is Ramlord, they play Blackened Stenchcore, reminiscent of Dystopia or Disrupt to give you an idea. Second is Condensed Flesh they play straight noisy raw black metal. This is limited to 90 yellow tapes, professionally pressed.
SUSPECT DEVICE #53 ZINE
Newest issue of this long running UK zine! This issue features interviews with Martin Sorrondeguy (Limp Wrist, Los Crudos), Section 13, Destructors, Crocodile God, and Epic Problem. It also features a cool feature on different contributors telling stories about their first gigs, along with columns and reviews.
MAXIMUMROCKNROLL #344 - JAN 2012
It’s the beginning of the end! January 2012 is here and thus we present you a new issue of Maximum Rocknroll, number #344 to be precise! This month we have Austin, TX’s furious garage punk brutes the OBN IIIs, San Francisco’s hardcored-by-death savants the NEO CONS, we have Brazilian brutality courtesy of SOCIAL CHAOS, some Midwestern crust from WARTORN, some D-beat destruktion from Boston’s BLOODKROW BUTCHER, Australian noize mutators, the attractively named VAGINORS, the legendary WRETCHED, architects of Italian hardcore! Plus we got street punk from SLICK 46 and the TOUGHSKINS who interview each other, a report on the Means to an End fest, as well as the final SHITTY LIMITS show, plus No Gods No Mattresses zine and a talk with the awe inspiring Alice Bag about her new book Violence Girl! All this madness plus the most extensive review section in punk rock print and all of those columnists you love to hate!
BLOODKROW BUTCHER - S/T 7"
CHRONIC SICK - REAGAN BANDS 7"
CULO - MILITARY TREND 7"
HOAX - S/T 7"
HUMAN MESS - CAGED ANIMAL 7"
MALE NURSES - S/T 7"
MEAN JEANS / HOLLYWOOD SPLIT 7"
NIGHT FEVER - TRANSPARENT 7"
TERRIBLE FEELINGS - BLANK HEADS 7"
TERRIBLE FEELINGS - IMPENDING DOOM 7"
CHRONIC SICK - CUTEST BAND IN HARDCORE LP
FAITH / VOID - SPLIT LP
HUMAN MESS - FOLLOW YOU HOME LP
MEN, THE - IMMACULADA LP
NO PROBLEM - AND NOW THIS LP
SOCIAL CIRCKLE - CITY SHOCK LP
V/A - NEW BREED TAPE COMPILATION - 2LP
YOUNG OFFENDERS - LEADERS OF THE FOLLOWERS LP
ZERO BOYS - HISTORY OF LP
ZERO BOYS - VICIOUS CIRCLE LP
IMPALERS - DEMO TAPE
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