If you’ve ever looked through the other label “stuff we sell” and thought, “I have no idea where to start,” please allow me to help:

Start with The Shirks.

I just went through and listened (again) to all four of their records (all of which are seven inches), and they’re all equally good. I love this band because they’re a shining example of the very best aspects of a classic punk sound. They’re a contemporary band capturing everything that was (and still is) incredible and inspiring about late ‘70s punk (a time when punk sounded like faster/dirtier/snottier rock n roll) without ripping off any of the greats. Al Budd’s vocal delivery lies somewhere between Stiv Bators (Dead Boys) and Chris Bailey (The Saints), the riffs are killer and constant, the bass lines hit Rezillos quality, and Andy Gale’s drumming (as always) just destroys.

The other thing I love about The Shirks is this: There’s almost no information about them on the Internet; meaning, you have to catch them live or buy their records in order to be in-the-know. In a way, it’s a return to the true spirit of the underground, an underground where you actually have to do some digging to find the worthwhile records. And when you find The Shirks, you've hit pay dirt.

Below are links to each release:

The Shirks – Dangerous
The Shirks – DC Is Doomed
The Shirks – Disease
The Shirks – Cry, Cry, Cry
(This last one was recorded by Nikhil and features fantastic cover art by Laura Harris.)

Thanks for reading.

-Ryan

At this point, most people are fairly in-the-know regarding the assorted musical endeavors of J. Robbins. He’s been a prominent and prolific song-writer in the DC area since joining Government Issue back in 1987, on through the Jawbox days, and currently with Office of Future Plans (not to mention the various bands and projects in between). Since the release of the Office of Future Plans record, I’ve been on a bit of a listening-frenzy with J.’s music, spanning the years, and I thought I’d take a moment to share some of my favorites. This is, by no means, a complete list of J.-related projects – that would take an eternity to write and there’s only so much time in a day; this is merely a list of some highlights:

Office of Future Plans – Self Titled
If you haven’t picked this record up yet, do yourself a favor and get to it. This record (besides being a straight-up rocker) is beautiful and thoughtful throughout. If you're looking for an individual song to check out before committing to the whole album, I recommend the song "Ambitious Wrists" for one of the better opening lines ever. Actually, it's not just the opening line … lyrically, this one's tops. All the champion trivialists will race to "see Angkor Wat by satellite," just you watch.

Rollkicker Laydown – Self-titled seven inch
This record is long-since out-of-print, and we have exactly one copy left in the office (which I imagine will get purchased pretty quickly after posting this).
I heard a rough mix of these songs back in 1991 when my brother's old band was recording with Geoff Turner at WGNS. Geoff was kind enough to play it for us in his basement studio, and I immediately couldn't wait for this record to come out. We were already fans of Jawbox, Gray Matter, and 3, so the union of J. and Geoff's vocals was of particular interest. If you read the brief liner notes on this seven inch, you'll notice that the band is made up of Tom Lyle, J., and Pete Moffett, all of whom were in the last incarnation of Government Issue. "No Voices in the Wire" is a great, great song. J.'s voice gets super gruff toward the end, and Pete really lays into the triplet fills.

Channels – Waiting for the Next End of the World
I've got a soft spot for Channels because I was their driver/roadie on their singular tour to Chicago and back. The tour was great: the band played perfectly every night, the Beauty Pill van actually held together for the duration of the trip, we met a lot of nice and generous folks, and I ended up having all of Channels' songs run through my head for months afterward. Please, please listen to the song "The Licensee," and let Janet Morgan's vocal delivery remain in your head for the rest of the day. It's like incorporating all the beautiful phrasing and hookiness of Stereolab's Mary Hansen (circa Emperor Tomato Ketchup and Dots and Loops) into a powerful and upbeat rock song. I absolutely love this track. Most will probably hang on to "Chivaree" as the song that has it all (especially if you hone in on whatever it is Darren Zentek's playing during the chorus – impossible! and he makes it look so easy), but I'm still sticking with "The Licensee."

Jawbox – Grippe
Here's another record that I couldn't wait for – mainly because I had the Jawbox demo tape on constant rotation during high school and I was anxious to hear new studio versions. With this release, I've always had a certain affection for the song "Green-Line Delayed." I used to look at the DC Metro map in the late '80s and early '90s (while living in Suitland) with tremendous frustration; it seemed the Green line would NEVER be finished. Now I don't know if that's what this Jawbox song is about, but that's the meaning I took from it when I was in high school.
We have one vinyl copy of Grippe in stock right now, and it's missing the cover. Seriously, I've looked everywhere for an extra cover, and there are none here in the office. If you end up buying this copy (sans cover), it will be marked down on our website to 5 dollars.
If you end up buying the CD, do not overlook the song "Footbinder." The lyrics are heartbreaking and poignant.

Various Artists – Play (compilation)
When J. recorded the Soccer Team song for this record, "I'll Never Fear Ghosts Again," Melissa and I asked him to provide a guitar solo for it, which he did, and it's my favorite moment in the song (besides Melissa's vocal part during the chorus, of course). I think J. was channeling his inner-DEVO when he came up with that, which was perfect and appropriate.

Jawbox – Tongues
Many people don't know, but we actually still have a lot of these in stock at Dischord. This marks the first appearance of Bill Barbot on the Jawbox records, making the band a four-piece and expanding the live vocal parts quite a bit.

Jawbox – Motorist
We still have these in stock, too (although not nearly as many). This record, engineered by Ian and Don, marks the first appearance of Zach Barocas on drums. It's mostly known for the B-Side, "Motorist," but the unsung hero is the A-side: "Jackpot Plus." The lyrics clearly paint a scene that references the ugliness of gambling. And the chorus trails off simply, "Someday I …"

Office of Future Plans – Self-released, Self-titled seven inch
We don't have any more copies of this record, but if you see it out on planet Earth somewhere, pick it up. The B-Side features a fantastic Stranglers cover, "Everybody Loves You When You're Dead." A great tribute to a great band.

Thanks for reading.

-Ryan

Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve acquired many new releases from other labels. To see images of each record, take a look at the "Featured DC Bands/Labels" section on our store page (click on the Stuff We Sell tab). For a quick run down of what we picked up and what’s available through our web store, read on...

The Gift – Mostly in Sickness
This is an eight-song 12 inch released on Amor y Lucha, and it’s a dark and intense rocker throughout. This is the type of record that won’t work as background music. I suggest listening loudly while actually engaging with it: read the lyrics and spend some time with front and back cover art (I’m a sucker for good hand lettering). Songs to obsess over… "Corpse Reviver," "No Nothing," and "Quitter."

The Fordists – Watch You
The first thing that should grab you about this record is the cover art (if the tiny jpeg doesn’t appear too impressive, trust me, the 12 inch version looks incredible). A lot of love went into both front and back covers. This is a ten-song LP released from Amor y Lucha. The songs are up-tempo and played with serious precision. Fans of Hoover, Louisville’s Crane, and the mighty Minutemen might be interested in this one. I’m not saying that the Fordists sound like any of those bands… they really have their own sound… I’m just saying that there’s a similar vibe when it comes to song-writing approach. The jam on this record is the second song on Side B, possibly known as “Killed Your Dog.”

More Humans – Demon Station
Five-song 10 inch record released on Cricket Cemetery, featuring the work of Clinton Doggett, Andrew Fishbein, and Marko Sonevytsky. The songs are thoughtful and wonderfully produced (the drums sound exactly the way drums should sound – great job, Nick!). Each track is heavily vocal-driven with a focus on a sort of classic rock approach to harmonies. This record is TOTALLY worth it for the songs “Mason-Dixon” and “You’re a Liar” (the latter of which is a particular highlight of the record).

The Bam Bams – s/t 7 inch
A three-song 45 with tons of lo-fi pop/garage appeal. I like this record a lot. It’s a return to the hook! Great cover art, too. If you look carefully at the front cover collage, you’ll see there’s a tiny illustrated body builder peeking out from the bottom of Mickey Mouse’s red shorts. The back cover appears to be screen-printed and hand numbered (in crayon).

Hollywood/Mean Jeans – split 7 inch
This is a two-song split 45 released on Big Neck Records. For those of you who like riffs and hooks akin to the Ramones (should be anyone with a pulse), this record is for you. A perfectly matched split single – it’s tough to pick which side I like better.

The Shondes – Searchlights (CD only)
This is a ten-song CD released by Exotic Fever. The Shondes have been around since 2006, and this is their third album. Their sound (bass, guitar, drums, and violin) is polished and super-produced, mixing elements of charged pop, punk, and rock.

-Ryan

A little bird dropped 3 Smart Went Crazy Con Art CDs onto our doorstep. This album is out of print. We'll make these CDs available (1 per customer) to those quick on the draw.

Dischord has a new crop of DC-related releases that we are helping to make available for download (all for the first time). El Guapo's first three albums, Burden of History, Phenomenon of Renewal, and The Geography of Dissolution (on Resin and Mud memory Records) are now available to download, as is Edie Sedgwick's first album, First Reflections.

We have also released two full-length downloads from Rain Like The Sound Of Trains'. Their debut Self Titled full-length album will be available as one download and tracks from their two 7" singles will be combined with their rare final EP, Waiting For The Water, as a second download album. RLTSOT were an influential 90s band that fused political punk with dub, funk and a hint of The Clash. The band featured ex-members of Verbal Assault, Beefeater, Jack O' Fire and Soulside.

Find all these releases on the Dischord website and on all the digital services that carry the Dischord catalog.

We just received 4 cool new titles from M'Lady's along with a bunch of re-stocks. Yellow Fever Bermuda Triangle 7", Nature Workout 7", Talk Normal Lone General 7" and the LP version of Religious to Damn's Glass Prayer album.

We've been out of these LPs and CDs by the Make-Up and Chain and the Gang for a while. Not to worry!

We've got Down With Liberty, Up With Chains, Music's Not for Everyone, and the new-to-us Privilege 7" from Chain and the Gang. From the Make-Up, we have Save Yourself, Sound Verite on CD, and I Want Some on CD.

We've been out of the Chalk Circle LP since the week we first got it in. We've got a few more back in stock, so snap up the only LP by the first alt-female punk or rock band to record and play live in the District. Surprisingly, this is the first time this fantastic record has seen a vinyl release.

We also have more copies of We Owe You Nothing by Dan Sinker, which is a collection of interviews from Punk Planet magazine. Artists featured include Ian MacKaye, Henry Rollins, Sleater-Kinney and Bob Mould.
We should be getting more of The Argument in the coming weeks, and we've just received a few spare copies of Margin Walker, which we were out of for a while.

We are now taking pre-orders for the new Joe Lally (Fugazi) record, Why Should I Get Used To It. The album, Joe's third, was recorded in Rome with band members Elisa Abela and Emanuele Tomasi. It is being released in conjunction with Joe's label, Tolotta Records. Why Should I Get Used To It will be available to ship next Monday along with two impeccable new releases from Lovitt Records: Pygmy Lush - Old Friends and Des Ark - Don't Rock the Boat, Sink the Fucker.

We've also got a new 7" from Pygmy Lush, Cold World/Guilt, which is available to ship now.

Asa Osborne's (Lungfish, Pupils) Zomes has released its second solo album, Earth Grid, on Thrill Jockey. Asa will be joining Lungfish partner Daniel Higgs on tour as Zomes will be playing dates in the US and Europe with Skull Defekts.

The latest from Zomes, Earth Grid, (Thrill Jockey) is now in stock on CD and LP! Zomes features Asa Osborne (Lungfish) on guitar. The album is "is the culmination of Osborne's years of exploring meditative modal models." Osborne is currently on tour with Skull Defekts, and will tour Europe with Kogumaza in May.

We've also got a new 7" from Skull Defekts, Gospel of the Skull, which features Dan Higgs, who played with Osborne in both Lungfish and the Pupils. Both bands are currently touring together.

Daniel Higgs (Lungfish, Pupils) has joined Sweden's Skull Defekts on their new album, Peer Amid and is touring with them now in the USA. Also on the bill is Zomes, the solo project from Asa Osborne (Lungfish). Dates can be found on the Tours page listed under Daniel Higgs.

Skull Defekts, "Sweden's answer to Sonic Youth," are on tour with our own Dan Higgs in support of their Thrill Jockey release, Peer Amid, which features the Lungfish frontman. Catch them on the East Coast this week! Read some positive reviews of the album here, here and here.

Title Tracks will continue to play shows after their European trek winds down. The band will venture to the Midwest in support of their soon-to-be-released second album, In Blank, out this month as a split between Windian Records and the Ernest Jenning Record Co.

We've got the latest release from D.C.-bred drummer Andrew Black, "Mozart Place." The A-side features plenty of go-go flavor, "Mozart Place" combines the kit, congas, tambourine and cowbell in a blend that pays homage to the genre, which, like Black, was born in and around the District. The track is backed with another instrumental, "Arpeggiator 2.0," which includes a live drum track over a sample of Fugazi's "Arpeggiator."

We've got three FOUR new releases that we are carrying from three FOUR members of the extended Dischord fraternity: J. Robbins' (Jawbox) new band Office of Future Plans has just released a fine new single (limited to 500); Ian Svenonius (Nation of Ulysses, Make-Up) has released a new album, Music's Not for Everyone from his new band, Chain & the Gang; Dan Higgs has joined Sweden's Skull Defekts on their new album, Peer Amid; And finally, Harris Klahr (ex-Q And Not U) has a new single from his new band, Clear Band.

Daniel Higgs of Lungfish and Pupils has joined Sweden's Skull Defekts on their new album, Peer Amid, on Thrill Jockey. This album, in a bit of a departure from the more esoteric experimental music Dan has produced over the last couple years, represents a return to a more grounded "rock" form. Dischord is selling this album, as well as all of Daniels' other projects, on the webstore.

Fred Erskine, who played bass in Hoover, has a new band called Freddie T. and the People. The uptempo debut album, People In, can be previewed here before your purchase!

Former Q and Not U member Harris Klahr has put out a three-song 12" under the name Clear Band. The record is in an edition of 300 copies and comes on clear vinyl.

In other Q and Not U news, John Davis will take Title Tracks on a European trek in the coming months. For now, though, the band has a gig at St. Stephen's Church in D.C. on February 26. More details to come!

Office of Future Plans, the latest project from Jay Robbins of Jawbox, has put out its first 7". The band features Darren Zentek (Kerosene 454/Channels), Brooks Harlan and Gordon Withers. The initial pressing is limited to 500 copies and comes with an mp3 download card.

The debut album from Poor But Sexy, Let's Move In Together, came out this week! You can see the video for "Cherry Delicious" before getting your copy. The band features Jason Caddell of the Dismemberment Plan on guitar.

We've also got a slew of new releases in from Big Neck Records. The late Jay Reatard is featured on Lost Sounds - Memphis Is Dead and We Heart the Blowtops.

Beginning this Saturday, February 12, the National Gallery will highlight the work of Jem Cohen, who directed the Fugazi documentary Instrument. Cohen will present shorts and excerpts from works in progress along with the film. Fugazi members will be in attendance at a screening of the film on February 27. For more information, visit the National Gallery of Art on the web.

Instrument can be purchased on DVD through the Dischord webstore. We also carry the film's soundtrack.

Jem Cohen also directed Benjamin Smoke, a documentary about the legendary underground musician.

A box of each of these titles has come into our posession, and we're down to the very last of them. Because the covers are a bit dinged (not bad at all, just not in mint condition), we're offering them at a discount for $8. You can buy the Make-Up LP here and the Jawbox LP here.

The latest release from Imminent Frequences, who brought us a very popular Zomes tape late last year, features Jacob Long from Mi Ami and Black Eyes. Earthen Sea's Waves is a cassette with "Radiation" on Side A and "Ocean / Stormy" on Side B.

Black Eyes released their self-titled debut full-length LP on Dischord. They followed it up with Cough in 2004. The first time I heard "Deformative" from the s/t album, I was hooked.

I've been more than impressed with what the former band members have accomplished since. Both Jacob and Daniel Martin-McCormick played in Mi Ami and put out a slew of records - Steal Your Face and Watersports, to name a few. Jacob left the band last year, but Martin-McCormick and bandmate Damon Palermo recorded Dolphins, which will be released on Thrill Jockey in 2011.

The long-awaited Emergency & I reissue from the Dismemberment Plan is here, for the first time on vinyl! Former Q and Not U member Chris Richards wrote a nice piece - with a personal touch - on the band's reunion for the Washington Post.

There's a fresh batch of singles from the M'lady's crew. Buoy, the second release from La La Vasquez, a trio of London ladies in harmony. For something on the shoutier side, check out the Landlord Song 7" from Portland, Oregon's Magic Johnson.

There's a 4-song 7" from noisy Brighton, UK, band The Sticks, Scrapes, and something new from Coasting, whose single The One We Both Like received a lot of positive feedback from both customers and stores. This new one's called Same Old Same Old.

And finally, we've got the debut 4-song 7" from DC-based rockers Beasts of No Nation. The band features Andrew Black, who had a stint in Title Tracks and put out a 7" of his own, and Mike Schleibaum of Darkest Hour. Also features members of Majority Rule and Trial by Fire.

Orthrelm, with Mick Barr on guitar and Josh Blair on drums, will play at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival curated by the band Animal Collective.

The three-day music festival takes place in Minehead, United Kingdom, from May 11 - 13.

Barr is known for his incredible guitar skills. The record is written in the band's own language, and it's one of the first things someone played for me in the office when I started working here because there's just nothing else like it. There's nowhere to even begin wrapping your head around the record - he's extremely adept at playing guitar ... and very fast.

We currently have Iorxhscimtor in stock on LP.

Mick also played in Crom Tech. We have that self-titled LP in stock as well, and it's on sale!

Congrats to Orthrelm for this great nod to their talent.