Reviews

For review and radio play consideration:

Please send vinyl (preferred), CD, or cassette releases to MRR, PO Box 3852, Oakland, CA 94609, USA. Maximum Rocknroll wants to review everything that comes out in the world of underground punk rock, hardcore, garage, post-punk, thrash, etc.—no major labels or labels exclusively distributed by major-owned distributors, no reviews of test pressings or promo CDs without final artwork. Please include contact information and let us know where your band is from!

Mob 47 Tills Du D​ö​r LP

Absolute legends from Sweden that have been perfecting the art of käng punk on-and-off since 1982. Kärnvapen Attack is one of the best recordings to come out of the Scandinavian punk scene, influencing countless bands like RATOS DE PORÃO mainly because of their faster style of käng, and making a huge impact on the worldwide scene. The track “Kärnvapen Attack” appeared on the now-mythic P.E.A.C.E. compilation alongside bands that definitely shaped hardcore forever. The mängel meisters continue to claim the title of most brutal hardcore band from Sweden with Tills Du Dör. Just as expected, sixteen songs in twenty minutes, fast-paced and brutal punk that only has one goal: to charge forward and run over everything that stands in the way. The production only adds to the ferocity of the songs; I’m sure some purists will whine about it, but who really cares about their opinion? Also, a terrific comeback from one of the best labels in the D-beat business, D-takt & Råpunk. 100% mängel.

Moyamoya Triple Double Single cassette

Perth trio MOYAMOYA gets their tunes on tape. Experimental and noisy, they pack a big sound for just drums, bass, and guitar. While this does diverge from the straight-ahead egginess of other Aussie bands, there’s still an undeniable irreverence in songs like “Fuck Life, Pa! Ma!” that ultimately dives deeper and darker than its title may suggest. Really great pedal work/effects happening on both bass and guitar, adding to that big sound, creating lots of contrast when the guitar steps aside for verses, letting bass and drums leg along, only to come blasting in for bridges and choruses, the whole lot working in lockstep, tight as can be. This Permanent Residence cassette compiles all six digital-only songs that were released over three singles, the cover art here picturing all three. This music is frantic, fun, and a little morose. Sign me up!

Neuroot False Profit LP

Marcel Stol’s NEUROOT has lasted decades, and this latest full-length continues to fuel the classic EU HC flame they rekindled in 2012. There are some new tricks here, of course, veering into a more industrial rock sound on tracks like “They Lie We DIY,” which sounds something akin to the heyday of MINISTRY with throatier punk vocals. Likewise, there’s the moodier, goth-tinged “Determinate Yourself.” Overall, it would be hard to criticize a band for doing their thing since 1980 (with some time off). There’s definitely no new ground being broken here, but it’s a solid entry in a continuing legacy. If I have a gripe, the production does lean fully into an industrial chilliness when I think some warmer tones might really help boost these songs. But it’s hard not to simply applaud the doggedness of continuing.

Picket Line Est. 2024 cassette

Seattle’s PICKET LINE plays meat-and-potatoes punk from with a sprinkle of Oi! and a focus on class consciousness. While they sound good here, with proficient playing and well-structured songs, overall it sounds a little generic. I appreciate the message and the delivery, but something is missing.

Ruines Episodio I cassette

Four snappy cuts of uptempo punk on this Chilean outfit’s debut EP. RUINES are hitting the ground running with this limited cassette. Catchy and well-produced, it’s an impressive introduction. The first couple songs have a garage punk bent that reminds me of SMART COPS. The second two songs inject subtle post-punk elements that complement their general sonic profile nicely. The closer “Cara O Sello” ramps up the guitar modulation and rounds out the tape with an oddly memorable chorus. I look forward to seeing what more RUINES have up their sleeve!

Shrykull Beyond Subconscious Realms cassette

Nowt but guitar, drums, and vocals on here, one reads, but you might not think it—there’s plenty of bottom-end heft to Nottingham two-piece SHRYKULL’s sound, which splits the difference between death metal and crust with intermittent grind-y and/or blackened deviations. The song titles on Beyond Subconscious Realms might have you expecting some BLOOD INCANATION-type goings-on (“Chaotic Disforms of Cosmic Misalignment”), but the music is way punkier and more direct than that. “Gateway of Nightmares” and “A Glint in the Basilisk’s Eye” bend matters towards DARKTHRONE spiked-wristband chug as these nine songs variously gallop and crawl to a full-blooded conclusion.

Sihir Ullar Akan Patuk LP

Intense hardcore, noisy at times, a little tighter and sharp at other times. Sometimes I swear that I am hearing things being broken and other times things being built, and then the music gets even more intense with one of the best song starting riffs I’ve heard in a little while. All energy and intensity. Everyone should check this out if you like hardcore.

Straight Arrows Surface World LP

STRAIGHT ARROWS have been at it for a long-ass time. This LP, their fourth, now means the Sydney act has released a record in three different decades, something that’s pretty hard to fathom thinking back to their 2007 debut 7”. That was a record of unsustainably wild garage punk—two songs that elicited the same sense of danger you’d get from the best tracks off a Back From the Grave or Teenage Shutdown comp, the sound of a band burning too hot to last more than a couple of 45s. They’ve kept at it though, polishing their sound and sharpening their songwriting chops over the years, and they’ve put out a handful of excellent tracks in that time, but they’ve also noticeably cooled off a little with each release. Unfortunately, Surface World doesn’t see them bucking that trend. You can’t argue that the eleven songs that make up the record aren’t expertly crafted. They’re in some sense good, but they also never really feel like anything. A slick-as-shit production doesn’t help either—everything sounds super thin and distant, making for moments that can at best theoretically rock. It’s a collection of songs that sound tailor-made to be featured over the speakers at J Crew. Music to shop for sweaters by!

Three Minute Movie March Winds and April Showers Bring May Flowers LP

For 25 years, this Japanese act has been cranking out power pop with a punk crunch, and while not a hair is out of place on their seventh album, I wish it weren’t such a tidy affair. The facile guitar leads that dot these tracks don’t do much to boost them and the hooks just don’t grab me like others working in the genre. That isn’t to say there’s anything wrong with this music, but that’s sort of the point. It’s polished to a point of diminishing returns. Pop songs can sound too calculated, and that’s exactly what happened here. They even straight up steal the lead from BLONDIE’s “Dreaming” in the track “Talking to My Heart,” and that’s about the most brazen move they make. That’s not to say there isn’t heart and craft on display, it just ultimately doesn’t grab me.

Unjustified Violence Cyanide City LP

UNJUSTIFIED VIOLENCE has their boots laced up tight and is ready to rock. Musical kin to bands like NO TIME, NEGATIVE APPROACH, and the earliest 7″ records put out by FUCKED UP. Tough-sounding hardcore filled with melodic hooks. If that sounds like it’s up your alley, these guys might just be waiting in the shadows for you. Good hardcore punk all around.

Weegee Primitive Thrill LP

Dirty, sludgy, sexy—Brooklyn/Queens-based WEEGEE plays vampire rock that’ll have you sharpening your incisors. Sink your teeth into this debut LP made up of six longer-format songs, leaving plenty of room for dirgeful rhythms, squawking saxophone solos, muddy pummeling, and breathy snarls. Julie Congo plays guitar and contributes most of the vocals, saving room for drummer Michael Rekevics and guitarist/synth Adam Kastin to add some low-end verses before giving way to John Rekevics’s saxophone and clarinet madness. I hear deathrock inspired by the CRAMPS and SONIC YOUTH mixed together to form something that is as ghoulish and cunning as it is heavy and driving. Each song is tragic, hungry, and compelling, to put it plainly. No skip tracks here. I find great catharsis in this Primitive Thrill.

Zealot 2024 cassette

Violent and fiery two-track tape from this Houston, TX mayhem power trio, providing a dosage of blackened crust and metallic punk. Demonic forms are exalted and the lyricism is great in both songs regarding the doom we are all in (and that which is to come). Great dragging sludge cadences with gracefully executed string sections. Recommended.

Antihéroes Presentes Urbanizados / Algo Nos Sucede 7″

In the mid-’80s, a five-piece band from Argentina scraped together their meager resources and recorded a two-song cassette. The cassette was a success and helped ANTIHÉROES gather some momentum, but the recording became quickly lost in time. Fortunately, Munster records and Twistin’ Bones have gotten together to issue a 7″ containing the two original songs recorded by ANTIHÉROES. Danceable post-punk with a raw edge; bass-and-drums-driven macabre. Occasionally, synthesizers and guitars take angular jabs back and forth. It’s bittersweet knowing these two songs were the only ones recorded by ANTIHÉROES, but at least they have that bop and can now be a unique artifact from a sparsely documented scene.

Brain Bleed / Infuriate / Riot Division / Shit Tax Four Way Split CD

Four-way split effort delivered to us by Hey Fuck You! Records, featuring two tracks per band coming from Chicago, Minneapolis, Richmond, and Montreal. Crust punks BRAIN BLEED really stood out here with their forceful, female-led vocals in the track “Empty,” while INFURITATE grasps at much more precise, metallic-driven crust punk that features a minimum of powerviolence stances. RIOT DIVISION lacks precision and the mixing efforts are missed, as it sounds like rotten bananas, perhaps better live. SHIT TAX is near noisecore in its purest form, recommended for lovers of such, as it still lacks mixing effort, or rehearsal, hard to tell.

Burning Bush Demo 2024 cassette

While hardcore continues to grow in all sprawling directions, it’s refreshing to hear someone doing it as concisely and ’80s-indebted as this. Think more NEGATIVE APPROACH and MINOR THREAT than some of the more metal-leaning HC swinging hard today. It’s funny to think that resembling anything like those two giants of the genre would feel novel in 2024, but here we are. There is an undeniable punk energy here, along with juicy riffs and a lyrical ethos that peers into singer Aaron Rhodes’ interior landscape of modern day stresses through the lens of Jewish tradition and folklore. It’s an interesting angle, adding another layer to an already noteworthy hardcore act.

Busted Head Racket Go! Go! Go! LP

Third LP from Newcastle, Australia’s BUSTED HEAD RACKET! While Riley Gardiner takes care of most of the drumming on the album, this project is otherwise the solo effort of Arden Guff, blasting us gracious listeners with a the lo-fi bedroom sounds of farty bass, piercing synth, and cuddlecore vocals that, while playful, still ask for our attention with tracks like “Poor No More” and “Girl Anymore (I Don’t Wanna).” The songs are catchy, fun, carefree, and short, necessitating many replays. You may ask, do we need more of this thing? This heartfelt yet fun synth-driven journal entry music? The answer is yes. With a back catalog of two other LPs and a few singles/EPs, there is plenty to enjoy here, even a collaboration with BILLIAM on Genetic Southern Hemisphere Christmas from November of 2023. Go! Go! Go! will serve a variety of purposes, from not getting out of bed all day (“Anxiety”), to enjoying the freedom of the road (“Need for Speed”), to loosening up a crowd on the dance floor (“Doo Wop”)—whatever it’s use, get your head busted by this racket now!

Citric Dummies Trapped in a Parking Garage EP

Hyperactive, absurdist goofball punk that has me imagining the SPITS on speed in a street brawl with HENRY FIAT’S OPEN SORE. I saw DEAN DIRG once and their singer was wearing sweatpants. CITRIC DUMMIES wear matching satin jackets! They may be dummies but they ain’t no idiots. Trapped in a Parking Garage takes all the vim and vigor of the 2023 full-length Zen and the Arcade of Beating Your Ass and cooks it down to six minutes of sheer lunacy. Fast and fun garage punk where the punk part should actually come first. Look out world…they’re eating Arby’s!

Dezinformacije Pijesak u Oči cassette

Croatian egg-punk via the Fort Myers, Florida-based Xtro label. This is six tracks of high-energy, all-gas-no-brakes, synth-laden freakouts, a twelve-minute sugar rush after-hours. The short runtime plays to the band’s favor here; much longer and a cavity might set in from just too much of everything. It’s fitting that the last track translates to “Electric Orgasm,” because that really seems to illustrate what is happening here. The build-up is fast, the pace is almost unsustainable, and the result is an explosion of synth, guitars, and wails all over the place.

Evening Standards Rainbow Shrimp cassette

I’m a total sucker for male/female vocals, always have been. While this is pop/power pop/folk music, it’s got a darkness to it. There’s a kind of jitteriness to the guitar which reminds me of SONIC YOUTH, and the harmonies have a somberness to them. At first I was unsure whether I liked it or not, but by the time we were midway through the third cut, I was hooked. Plus, the band name and the album name are pretty sweet.

Frvits The Great Internet EP

FRVITS’ The Great Internet EP is a garage rock whirlwind from this Montreal-based four-piece, cranking out five multilingual tracks with samples and spastic synthesizer noises like it’s a party you’re barely keeping up with. The energy is relentless and unapologetically wild, driving the whole thing forward at breakneck speed. Their thrashy cover of “Wipe Out” by the STUPIDS doesn’t mess with the original’s raw energy—it just adds to the frenzy. This whole damn EP is an absolute riot.

Goat Rope / Killed By Florida DCxPC Live Presents, Vol. 27 split LP

Another nicely-produced live LP from DCxPC, this time a split between two bands who have a similar style of beer-drenched political punk. On the A-side, KILLED BY FLORIDA plays street punk with some blastbeats and occasional Jello Biafra-style banter. I particularly enjoyed the parts where they drag Tucker Carlson and Ron DeSantis. On the flipside is GOAT ROPE, who lean a little more into a ’90s skate punk vibe with a fairly odd mix of vocal styles ranging from deep growls to melodic singing. They also end with a cover of BEASTIE BOYS’ “Sabotage.” Overall, I can’t knock it too much. While none of this is really my style, it definitely sounds like everyone involved had a fun time at these shows, and at the end of the day, that’s all that really matters.

Hans-a-Plast Ausradiert LP reissue

Ausradiert is a wonderfully vintage-sounding 1983 re-release from the label Tapete, a vampiric LP reawakened from its sleeping undead coffin. While keeping with HANS-A-PLAST’s upbringing as a punk band, this album has distinctly goth and new wave influences, heard in tracks like “Monstertanz” and “Schwarz und Weiß.” Vocalist Annette Benjamin’s severe voice, aided by the German language’s declarative sounds, adds a hypnotic, almost Siouxsie Sioux delivery to sarcastic lyrics such as in “Gut im Bett,” with an additional X-RAY SPEX ode. Jangly, echoing guitar, occasional synth, and sporadic reverberating drums serve to create an exciting veiled atmosphere. The song “Sacco Di Roma” cements the dark, gothic themes of the LP by utilizing church organs and undertones of catholic irony. As the sun comes up and all night-walkers must head indoors, “Barfuß in Scherben” ends the sabbath with an upbeat, poppy melody and lends this album a deserved iconic status in the post-punk genre.

Ryan Kidd Dead in Memphis LP

Stripped-down, SPITS-as-a-genre punk here from RYAN KIDD. This juicy long-player is the band’s second release following their 2023 EP, delivering sixteen tracks with a familiar sci-fi RAMONES feel emboldened by searing guitars. These rocking tunes conjure up classic and iconic vibes, and the nihilistic title cut name-checks ALEX CHILTON, JEFF BUCKLEY, ISAAC HAYES, and JAY REATARD, in that order. Clearly, the guy has taste, as further evidenced by his choice of the ALAN MILMAN SECT’s “I Wanna Kill Somebody” as a cover song.

Middle Edge I Lost My Mind LP

MIDDLE EDGE is from Japan, and offers melodic punk rock that is gloomy and gentle in the best ways possible on their I Lost My Mind LP. There’s something here that reminds me of early 2000s rock like the LIVING END or maybe TIGER ARMY. Clean, spaciously-placed riffs soar over a rhythm section that generates hip-altering momentum while a loveable voice croons in a very rock’n’roll way. Yes, give me more.

No Time You’ll Get Yours LP reissue

Hot on the heels of a most unexpected remontada after a 2018 hiatus with a second album that was easily one of the best of 2023, here’s a reissue of the 2016 debut from these Pittsburgh rockers, and a timely reminder of what an absolute belter of a record it is. An intoxicating mix of 86 MENTALITY-style Oi!-flavoured hardcore, AC/DC-style guitar peacocking, and TEMPLARS-style pitbull vocals. Fans of PRESSURE PACT would find a lot to enjoy here. Indispensable.

Oh Telephone Kill Kill Kill CD

Hailing from the Swiss mountains of Glarnerland, OH TELEPHONE offers a unique flavor of ’60s-tinged psych garage. With production assistance by Detroit studio wizard Jim Diamond, known for his work with the DIRTBOMBS and WHITE STRIPES among many others, this LP showcases the band’s penchant for neat, uniform rhythms—they’re militant in delivery of their slithering, smoky rock din. The songs are fundamentally simple in structure with fuzzed-out vocals delivering poetic and often repetitive lyrics, but they’re layered in reverberating noise, sometimes ending up as vibrating puddles of sound. This equation pushes the boundaries of the band’s identity, eclipsing expectations of the genre and blurring lines between garage and post-punk. As lofty as this all may sound, the overall vibe of the album is grounded in traditional dum-dum punk. Hell, the title track is a damn SNEAKY PINKS cover. Love it or not, it’s an undeniable sonic tour de force.

Peace Talks Will You Be Next? flexi 7″

Two tracks from the same sessions as PEACE TALKS’ 2023 LP Progress. Seething and caustic, PEACE TALKS sound as strong as ever, and I can only presume there’s a good reason for these not making it onto the full-length. “Bloody Murder” absolutely rips, featuring a great breakdown in its last thirty seconds that will force you to two-step. Highly recommended.

The Protos Drain in My Brain LP

Garage punk with good whiny shouting to hop around to. There were a couple of tracks where I felt my mind wandering as I wasn’t particularly captivated, but then the track would change and I’d be alerted back to the present with something new. Every song had a good hook to start with (usually either feedback or unique riffs), but a couple of the tracks started to lose that in the rest of the song. That being said, I loved “Forever,” with heavy ghost notes and noise with intense screaming. There were other elements too that kept luring me back in, like different tempo changes with “I’m Into It,” or the witty lyricism in “Stab a Speaker.”

Rad Max Party McFly LP

Female-fronted new wave dance stuff from Portland, Oregon. I find this just a little too easy for my liking. The vocals are this funny combo of sometimes stilted and sometimes real singing. With a focus on goofy lyrics, it’s just a little too cutesy for me. But if you’re in the mood for dance and you like lyrics about all the things you can find in a convenience store, this could be your thing.

Skrewball Deluxe Edition Hardcore ’24 EP

With a title like this, there is little left to the imagination. SKREWBALL puts the “hard” in hardcore with their very moshable stomp. The introduction “Stretch” quickly sets the tone for what’s to come. The rest of the songs fluctuate between slam-fuelled grooves and fast-paced aggression. “Punchline” is a seventeen-second-long song enriched by a quirky solo that could be on any VOID track, and closer “Reality Smarts” is a five-second-long song, but it doesn’t feel that short at all as so much happens in that time. Pure stomp, pure hardcore, nothing more. Hardcore for hardcore people!

Snarling Dogs Snarling Dogs LP

This record from Pittsburgh’s SNARLING DOGS is worth a left turn. It sounds like Stiv Bators lives, and he has been pumping out songs with the ZERO BOYS doing back-up duties. Snarling Dogs is eleven eruptions of homage to late ’70s street rock’n’roll. The album contains the full list from the band’s previous demo release, not sure if the mix changed up much at all. It’s good shit-kicking punk. “Televised Violence” is a menacing, imbibed provocateur of a song that sounds tough enough to go ‘til the sun comes up. Start there.

The Squirt Men and Their Masters LP reissue

Remastered reissue of this fairly obscure Swiss band’s LP from 1983. If I didn’t read the bio, I would have placed them on the US West Coast, as they pull from the early recordings of bands like BLACK FLAG and DEAD KENNEDYS with their speedy, simple hardcore attack and occasional dissonant solo runs. If this is an era of punk you enjoy, it completely rules. What is striking is how crisp the production is and how it accentuates the playing, especially the killer drum patterns. This is a tight band playing hyper-speed rock music, stripped of all the feedback and grime that accompanies a lot of modern HC. Drop the needle for a full-tilt Alpine time capsule that is just as potent now as it was in ’83.

Squishers Evenin’ All Over the World LP

This twelve-song LP from SQUISHERS feels a little like a back-porch jam session with a bunch of over-the-hill punks, and I mean that in the best possible way. Featuring Ryan Modee and Teddy Helmick of THIS BIKE IS A PIPE BOMB, Marie Davenport of the BANANAS, and Daniel Westcott of ADD/C, this folk-punk-meets-country mashup isn’t what I’d normally reach for, but it  grew on me with repeated listens. Rymodee’s vocals flirt with just enough twang to keep you on your toes, while Marie Davenport’s bass lines hold it all together with style. Perfect for fans of THIS BIKE IS A PIPE BOMB and punks who can handle turning it down without losing their edge. Check out the song “Wavicle.”

T.T.T.T. I Saw You on the Bloody Floor EP

Buffalo psych/garage/blues trio T.T.T.T. unfolds three new ones into a second EP. There is nothing wrong with these three songs, with a great sound (a very Detroit sound) that steps a little further away from what the band has put up in the past. I would recommend it to anyone who is into PUSSY GALORE, DEMOLITION DOLL RODS, GORIES, etc. “On the Sleigh of the Damned” shoulda been the opener. Let’s see more.

W-2 Demo Tape 1980 cassette

After the supremely damaged mid-’70s New York proto-punk/no-wave-anticipating band JACK RUBY splintered, vocalist Robin Hall started W-2 with Russell Berke (pre-CERTAIN GENERAL) in 1979. The project lasted for less than a full year and only circulated a four-song demo for purposes of landing shows, thought to be lost to the sands of time until turning up recently in the archives of Danceteria manager Jim Fouratt and now collected here (with one additional rehearsal recording) as part of W-2’s first-ever legit release. At times hitting closer to the menacing, messy precariousness of Jim Shepard’s early work with VERTICAL SLIT than the overly art-conscious downtown sound of early ’80s NYC no wave (“Toxic Love” and “Sprezzatura” especially), the collapsing mutant funk beats of “Dancing on the Head of a Pin” and “Soho What” have some definite parallels to the likes of COME ON, if COME ON had been scuzzy punk degenerates instead of geeky clean-cut nerds. What’s not to love? The B-side of the tape is given over to a seventeen-minute interview with Robin Hall that digs into some interesting background history—there’s an anecdote about hooking up with Berke because Hall was searching for a guitar player in the style of Pat Place of the CONTORTIONS/BUSH TETRAS or Andy Gill of GANG OF FOUR, then recruiting a non-musician video editor for the band because she wanted to play bass, and it all makes total sense after hearing the demented disco of the A-side.

X-Eyes X-Eyes cassette

Seattle, Washington self-proclaimed “aggro-surf,” but I’m not entirely sure what is special enough about X-EYES to warrant a brand new genre. Considering myself a bit of an amateur surf music aficionado, I cannot understand attaching surf as a genre on this tape. There’s a couple songs with noodly guitar lead parts? Is that it? If I had to give this a non-existent genre tag referencing pre-existing musical genres, I would go with something to the extent of “politically-driven melodic karaoke bar-rock punk.” The band is tight and the songs are well-played. The singer clearly has a good voice and can actually sing, but at times it feels that they are hamming it up a bit in the spotlight rather than having their voice be one of the instruments in the band. There are a few moments that kinda reminded me of TEM EYOS KI, but without the harmonized guitar leads. Seven-song cassette with only a few tracks from it being available on the band’s Bandcamp, so the only way to hear all the songs is on a physical cassette or the included download code. Attempting to use that download code, I was told that it had already been used too many times. I assure you, I did not download this cassette multiple times.

Yuasa-Exide Information and Culture + Naturally Reoccurring cassette

The lo-fi bedroom jangle of YUASA-EXIDE finally lands on hardcopy! From the Twin Cities of Minnesota, Douglas Busson and a close group of contributors have been making music under this band name since 2006, releasing albums directly to Bandcamp on Busson’s Ape Sanctuary label, with over twenty-five singles, EPs, and LPs on offer. YUASA-EXIDE’s latest two recordings (Naturally Reoccuring and Information and Culture, both from 2024), are packed on this Round Bale two-album cassette. The first releases of the band, nearly twenty years ago, are much more experimental, sparse, and noise-focused, featuring solo guitar instrumentals, distorted vocals, and mechanical grating. After undergoing spinal surgery from a 2021 injury, Busson could only play guitar lying in bed, where he proceeded to record the majority of his work under YUASA-EXIDE and where he developed something closer to the bedroom sound we hear on this cassette. That said, the experimental and noisy roots are not forgotten—songs like “Fuck You Duracell” feature ringing feedback and bleak, groaning vocals pushing out a bleaker-still subject matter, with lines like “When I say petrochemical / What does that call to mind? / It recalls to mine / The acidic slime.” Whether you’re an ardent fan or coming by with passing interest, this Twin Pax cassette offers a great take on the prolific YUASA-EXIDE.

V/A Action Rock Jukebox 45 Series, Vol. 1 CD

Fun little comp with a neat theme. Each band submits two songs: one original, and one cover song from a band commonly found in jukeboxes from the ’70s and ’80s, with pop punk renditions of groups like GOLDEN EARRING, KISS, and my personal favorite, the J. GEILS BAND. The originals are decent enough; it’s just your typical, modern day pop punk teetering on the indie side of things. If I’m being honest, the meat of the record comes solely from the tributes. If you loved that Punk Goes… compilation series from the mid-to-late ’00s, then you’ll adore this. It’s a throwback to a throwback.

The Accelerators Moving Fast​!​!​! Selected Recordings 77​/​79 LP

These recordings from ’77 to ’79 are new to me, despite the fact that six of the twelve cuts were released on an EP way back then. From Liverpool, these cats were part of that first wave of UK punk that were fond of the R&B side of rock’n’roll. The RADIATORS FROM SPACE are another band that I would put in that category. There were lots of them. Some of the cuts make me think of the JAM. Also some new wave and reggae influences. Mid-tempo and catchy throughout, this very much captures the sound of the era.

The Apostles There Can Be No Spectators 2xLP

This is a compilation of the APOSTLES’ earliest EPs. Anarcho-punk, post-punk, a combination of both—either way, this is great stuff. I love music that has a message or that really explains how I personally feel, and the APOSTLES do it in a big way for me. Musically, it reminds me of bands like ZOUNDS, FLUX OF PINK INDIANS, SUBHUMANS, and CRASS, ranging from standard anarcho-punk anthems to well-thought-out post-punk and an experimental sound of their own making. This is an excellent collection from an excellent band and the preeminent anarcho-punk label of our time.

Bad Anxiety No Shit EP

Hattiesburg, MS has in recent years cultivated a reputation for churning out some killer punk and hardcore—BAD ANXIETY upholds and furthers that tradition with their first vinyl release. This slab ‘o wax absolutely smokes! The ten cuts were originally released on two separate tapes, the COVID-era brainchild of Mississippi madman Hampton Martin. This solo project cum full band has stirred a lot of interest in the punk world for good reason. The songs are quick, ferocious, and catchy as hell. Smart, biting lyrics are delivered with the right blend of snot and snarl, backed by an aggressively overdriven rhythm section and contrastingly clean guitar. This combination leads to the perfect lo-fi cohesion, where the production doesn’t get in the way of the songs nor detract from the eruptive energy. The release has a timeless quality that makes me think it could’ve come out forty years or forty days ago. The second track, “Police,” bears a striking resemblance to the CIRCLE JERKS song “Red Tape.” I doubt that’s coincidental, but either way, it rips. As someone who has mostly lived in small towns, “Big City” strikes a particular chord, and when BAD ANXIETY barreled through my town, I’m pretty sure the kids picked up some of their “Cool Moves.” This is a crucial ripper of the finest variety. 10/10.

Black Ends Psychotic Spew LP

Vocalist Nicolle Swims must get this a lot, but she seriously sounds like Gwen Stegani pivoted to a career in swampy ballads and Seattle post-punk experimentation. Upon a first listen to Psychotic Spew, it’s clear BLACK ENDS has chemistry between members and a shared goal in mind. Quite frankly, it sounds really good, rehearsed, a perfect witchy brew of alternative girly rock. However, I cannot shake the utterly contrived feeling I get from this release. Maybe it’s from them making a self-proclaimed genre of “gunk-pop,” or the fact I cannot figure out how a small-ish band can headline its own EU tour in 2023 without a single album released. I am no Debbie Downer, though; they do deserve recognition for this debut album. Comprised of pleasantly discordant melodies and sultry lyricism, tracks like “Pour Me” and “She Speaks of Love” speak to the release’s off-kilter but inventive sound. Bassist Ben Swanson’s and drummer Billie Paine’s rhythmic spell over the songs never gets old, and I also appreciate cellist Lori Goldston’s addition of an instrument you don’t often hear in releases like these. With the satisfyingly clean guitar on “Suppin’ on Stage” and the fun sample near the end of “When I’m Alone,” I’ll forget the curious self-insistence and categorize this as a stellar premier of albums to come.

The Black Nasty 30th Anniversary 2xLP

Double-disc vinyl re-release of THE BLACK NASTY’S 1994 debut (and only) CD. The first record in this collection is the aforementioned CD itself, but the second slab is a live recording ripped straight from a VHS, remastered for our modern listening pleasure. It actually sounds great. I love shit like that. I also love the little BLACK NASTY history packet that comes included with this set. Well, the first quarter of it at least. The remaining 75% of said insert is a transcript from a Zoom interview they had with Stop All Wars fanzine, which reads more like a stenographer’s report from traffic court. Regardless, there’s a decent amount of information here for anyone new to the band, such as myself. They even included an old MRR review of this same album from 30 years ago, likening the band to a modern STOOGES. I’m inclined to agree, although they are a tad more poppy than Iggy and crew. You can especially hear the STOOGES influence in their live recordings. Important to remember that this was the burgeoning era of the DIY pop punk sound, so there were fewer comparison points at the time. If I were to compare them to someone from the last 30 years, I’d say they’d fit in better with the NOFX/BAD RELIGION/PENNYWISE crowd. This is your classic Gen X punk featuring songs about fast cars, cheap beer, and dirt weed. Fun stuff here; lots of bang for your buck.

Corker Hallways of Grey LP

Darkwave post-punk with the occasional touch of gothic or otherworldly synths. CORKER’s LP starts off with a powerful rhythm section of pounding drums and a menacing bass line, setting the tone for the rest of the record. I appreciate the variety they managed to capture with the spoken word in “Forever Silent,” to a short noise section in the middle of “Distant Dawn,” to the faster, more punky guitar in “Wiring.” Some of the tracks blended together a bit for me, but I loved the choice of ending the LP with “No Necessities,” as it’s the darkest and gloomiest track that seemed to encapsulate their vibe as a whole.

Décima Víctima Décima Víctima LP reissue

Originally released in 1982 by Grabaciones Accidentales, the label that DÉCIMA VÍCTIMA helped form, this self-titled debut LP has been reissued by Munster. Formed in 1981 by Swedish brothers Lars and Per Mertanen, playing guitars/keys and bass respectively, they later brought on Spaniards Carlos Entrena for vocals, and José Brena to replace their drum machine with a full kit—all to form this legendary, yet very short-lived darkwave group, ultimately playing their last show at Madrid’s Rock-Ola in 1983. These tracks are largely bass-forward, with that classic JOY DIVISION way-up-on-the-neck fretting; guitars rattle simply in the background and emerge through a veil of reverb for lead lines, vocals are hollow yet give off a certain warmth in their resonance, drums are precise and may, in some way, aim to replicate their machine origins. For a piece of Spanish darkwave/post-punk history, and in the genres globally, this reissue is a must! I wasn’t able to learn how much the members of DÉCIMA VÍCTIMA contributed to Grabaciones Accidentales after they disbanded, but the label had quite a run before it was incorporated with fellow independent label DRO, and before both were ultimately and sadly bought up by Warner Music in 1993. But that is not the legacy of DÉCIMA VÍCTIMA! With this LP, Un Hombre Solo two years later in 1984, and a handful of singles and EPs, there is a lot to listen to (if you parse through streaming service comps or cough up the dough for fleeting original copies), starting with this perfectly haunting self-titled reissue. Enjoy.

The Exile Don’t Tax Me EP reissue

The EXILE was a 1977–1978 punk band from Scotland  This is a reissue of their first EP, and they give us some tuneful punk influenced by the mod bands in the UK. The sound is similar to Canada’s BUREAUCRATS. This is a great listen and a piece of punk history that I had missed; I am extremely happy to be able to get this now. If you like your punk tuneful, this is a great record to get.

Food Fight Zeitgeist Impressions LP

Absolutely stellar power pop out of France. Sounding like Joe Strummer fronting a mod revival band, these twelve tracks are truly top-tier. I was pulled in from the jump with the call-and-response of “What’s Wrong?” and locked in till the end. Truly surprised to find this their debut full-length; it’s clear that this group is made up of veteran musicians who know their way around a three-minute tune. There was also clear attention given to the sound on this record, as the bass tones are so clean and warm, the group vocals sound so full of life, and the guitars are crisp and bright. If you dig the 101’ERS, PROTEX, the NIPS, or any notable ’70s punk, this album will feel familiar. One of the finest albums in a minute, Zeitgeist Impressions is an absolute standout.

Geoduck Diodes Must Fry All Planets! cassette

Fourteen-song cassette, though two of the “songs” are each a mere two seconds long, so I’m not sure if those truly count. Bonkers, lo-fi, spaced-out boppy egg-punk, a whopping ten minutes and fifty-seven seconds worth of it! Only one track here just barely crosses the one-minute threshold, aside from the bizarre two-minute-forty final outro track “Trapped Here.” Physical cassette is dubbed on a ninety-minute cassette with the recording repeated over and over on each side. Absolutely wild solo project from Tübingen, Germany, “recorded on my intergalactic couch and bed’.” If you’re of the mindset that egg-punk is over, I suggest you let GEODUCK DIODES have a word with you. Personally, I am in full support of the home-recorded solo projects. I mean, what are the truly maniacal wacko punkers out there supposed to do? There’s no way a group of friends could be convinced to learn and record this mayhem, so it’s off to the intergalactic bedroom! Keep ‘em coming, GEODUCK DIODES rule.