The two LPs by J. Robbins and Bill Barbot’s post-Jawbox band, Burning Airlines, have been pressed to vinyl for the first time ever and are now in stock over at the store. Both records - MissionControl and Identikit - come on colored vinyl and include a bonus CD featuring the album songs and one unreleased track.

Ian Svenonius – Supernatural Strategies For Making a Rock ’n’ Roll Group

A new must read text from Ian Svenonius, the author of The Psychic Soviet and a former member of the revolutionary musical outfits, The Make-Up, and The Nation of Ulysses . Here, Svenonius communes with the spirits of long-departed rock stars –Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, and Jim Morrison, etc. – seeking insight into the history, meaning, and effective creation/destruction of the rock ’n’ roll group. “Supernatural Strategies” has everything the would-be star should know to get started: Including sage advice on sex, drugs, sound, group photos, vans, and the manufacture of nostalgia. The book is available in paperback and also in a hardbound special edition signed by the author.

Oldest – S/T

Six tracks of raw, soot-caked avant-hardcore from New York’s OLDEST, a duo that includes guitarist Mick Barr (Orthrelm, Krallice, Crom-Tech) and drummer Brooks Headley (Born Against, Wrangler Brutes, Universal Order of Armageddon). Heavy stuff.

The Evens’ The Odds and E.D. Sedgwick ’s We Wear White are out now and available through our webstore on CD, LP, and digital download.

Also, today marks the re-release of Bikini Kill’s self-titled EP on the band’s own label, Bikini Kill Records. The 12” EP includes a poster/fanzine featuring interviews with Ian MacKaye, Molly Neuman, and liner notes by Layla Gibbon.

We are now accepting pre-orders for our November 20th releases. Pre-orders will ship the week before the release date and digital tracks will be activated once your order has been marked "shipped." Pre-orders that include regular in-stock items will be held and shipped together.

As a special offer, those who order both the Evens full-length The Odds, and We Wear White by E.D. Sedgwick will receive a free copy of either Jawbox's Tongues 7" or the Egg Hunt's CD single, (depending on the format of your order).

We are also taking pre-orders on the Bikini Kill 12” EP and the Regents full-length Antietam After Party.

Rites of Spring’s Six Song Demo, a newly mixed and mastered version of the band’s oft-bootlegged first recording session, is now in stock and available through our webstore on CD and 10”+MP3.

Buildings: Everything in Parallel

A couple of weeks back we picked up two LPs from DC’s Sockets Records to sell through the webstore. Among these: Buildings’ Everything in Parallel.

Buildings started out sometime around ’08 as a trio with guitarist Collin Crowe, drummer David Rich, and bassist Nick McCarthy (though a few other folks drifted in and out of the fold over the years, myself included). Collin’s old band, Sentai , took a lot of cues from early ’00s DC groups like Q and Not U and El Guapo, but also dumped a lot of old-school Nintendo sounds into the mix. It was sort of the missing link between Black Eyes and, like, Nyan Cat, I guess.

But Buildings had a more focused, meditative character. Collin stopped singing in order to concentrate on his guitar playing, which had become heavily informed by the Sublime Frequencies LPs, old school new age music, and goofball Japanese psych-rock. Nick’s tastes skewed a little more toward indie-pop, so he was writing basslines that were highly melodic, but sort of shaky and off-center. David was sort of forced to dwell in the space between those two poles. By the time they recorded Everything in Parallel, they had somehow made all of these elements align with one another. The first track, “Upwards Through Ever-Expanding Light” is pretty unstoppable. The record came out last year, but it’s still well worth picking up.

Heavy Breathing: Body Problems

The debut record by Heavy Breathing, a new band featuring Amanda Kleinman, Erick Jackson, and Jeff Schmidt, all formerly of The Apes. Seven heavy, kraut-rock-style psychedelic tunes.

Marriage: Gelatin Roots 7”

The two-song debut-single by Marriage, an Austin, Texas-based quintet that features former Black Eyes member Michael Kanin on Drums. Heavy percussion and eerie, damaged vibes.

Make-Up: I Want Some

Make-Up’s double LP singles collection, first released by K Records in 1999, is back in print via M’Lady’s. Includes many of the band’s best-loved cuts – “Blue is Beautiful,” “Born on the Floor,” “Walking on the Dune,” etc. Essential listening.

— Aaron Leitko

The next two titles in our Lungfish reissue series, Talking Songs for Walking and Indivisible, are now in stock and available through the webstore. Both records have been recut and remastered by Chicago Mastering Service.

Also out now: Alarms & Controls’ debut 7”, Reanimus Cataract b/w Kirtland’s Warbler. The band features guitarist Chris Hamley (ex-Circus Lupus, Monorchid), drummer Vin Novara (ex-Crownhate Ruin), and bassist Michael Honch. The single includes a free MP3 download of the two songs plus two additional tracks.

Although we have yet to set exact release dates, we’ve been busy working on some reissues and new releases, most of which should be out this fall.

Available in October:
Rites of Spring – Six Song Demo (10” vinyl and CD release)
Lungfish – Talking Songs for Walking (vinyl reissue)
Lungfish – Indivisible (vinyl reissue)

Available in November:
E.D. Sedgwick – We Wear White (11 song LP and CD release)
Lovitt Records is releasing a new full-length from Regents (ex-Sleepytime Trio and ex-Frodus), which J. Robbins recorded and played bass on.

And finally …
The Evens are currently mixing a new record, due out at the end of this year (or early 2013 at the latest).

In an effort to make a bit more room on our distro shelves, we’re having another sale. Everything we carry from DeSoto Records is being sold at a reduced price: CDs are only 5 dollars, and seven inches are only 2 dollars.

For those not familiar with Desoto, here’s the lowdown:
The label was started by the band Edsel back in the early ‘90s as a means of self-releasing their first 7 inch. When Jawbox got started, Kim Coletta asked the Edsel folks if she could use the DeSoto name for the first Jawbox single. Edsel agreed, and from there the label blossomed into what Kim called a “full-time labor of Love.”

Here’s a list of the releases we have left:

Candy Machine – Tune International
This is a band that I hope is never forgotten. My brother and I used to see them from time to time at D.C. Space ‘cause they were part of the Baltimore/Lungfish contingent. They had this one song where the singer, Peter Quinn, shouted, “One-Two, Jesus Christ! Discipline will suffice!” We couldn’t get enough of that one live, and my brother used to regularly shout that on mics during Most Secret Method soundchecks. Years later, while driving for Channels on tour, we stayed with Derrick Buisch (who played bass for Candy Machine from 1990-’92) in Madison, WI. While there, he was kind enough to burn a Candy Machine CD for me that featured that “one two Jesus Christ” song. Super nice guy, too. Incidentally, Derrick is the cover artist for the Office of Future Plans full-length.

Big Heavy Stuff – Birthday
I’d write a review for this one, but I’ve actually never listened to it. However, I do know that they’re from Australia, which is the same country that gave us The Saints, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, The Birthday Party, and AC/DC. Now, I’m not saying that Big Heavy Stuff sounds anything like those bands, I’m just saying that if you’re up for taking a chance, Australia’s got a pretty great legacy for music.

Edie Sedgwick – Her Love Is Real … but She Is Not
This is the second full length from Edie Sedgwick, capturing an era of Edie that I’m pretty fond of. Here, she sticks to a singular theme: Hollywood royalty. Edie’s live show at the time was solo, super loud, and pretty amazing. Routineers played with Edie in Richmond around the time this record came out, and as we watched her performance with the rest of the audience, I couldn’t help but notice that we were all doing the same thing – we were bobbing our heads in time with the music and looking around the room, catching eyes with strangers as if to say, “Hey! Are you seeing this? I’m not the only one seeing this, right?” The shows were incredible, and played at a face-melting volume. And even though Edie’s moved to a new phase in her career now – I have to say, the current live show is not to be missed; it’s better than ever. The jam on this record is “Robert Downey, Jr.”

The Life and Times – Suburban Hymns
If you’re a fan of Shiner, you’ll like this. I highly recommend it.

Doris Henson – Give Me All Your Money
Here’s another one that I’ve never listened to, so I don’t know how to describe it. I do like the title though.

Juno – This Is the Way it Goes and Goes and Goes
While this is a great record in its entirety, the jam on this release is the second song, “Rodeo Programmers”. Totally worth it for that song alone. Great lyrics, to boot. Seems they’re complaining about “repetitive soft-hits” on the radio, and the soulless music from a “mess of dilettantes and malcontents.”

Maritime – Glass Floor
This band started playing in 2003 and features Davey von Bohlem and Dan Didier from The Promise Ring, along with Eric Axelson from The Dismemberment Plan on bass.

The Dismemberment Plan/Juno – Split CD
This CD either came out in conjunction with a tour that actually did happen with both bands … or maybe the tour was planned and then got canceled after Arlie Carstens from Juno literally broke his neck (he’s better now, by the way; he made a full recovery). I can’t remember the details, so maybe I’ll update this post after I make some phone calls (if you can remember these two bands touring/performing together, feel free to leave a comment below). What I can remember, however, is that I was asked to illustrate a poster for Dismemberment Plan and Juno’s shared European tour, and my design was shot down. Every time I stumble into the drawing tucked away in a portfolio, I have to say … I still like it. But I suppose my aesthetic isn’t for everyone, so no love lost.

Various Artists – Play, Compilation CD
Kim Coletta put this comp together after the birth of her son, and the project was designed to create cool music for children. I can only imagine it was a response to some of the amazingly “uncool” music promoted and pushed down the throats of parents and children alike.
The CD features songs by Channels, Mudhoney, Mary Timony, Supersuckers, Soccer Team and more.

Okay. As Always, thanks for reading.

-Ryan

The Evens have begun tracking at Inner Ear for a new full-length album. There’s no official word as to when we should expect a release yet, but we’re hoping for sometime in the fall. We’ll have more information once the recording is complete.

Edie Sedgwick is currently wrapping up their recording for a new full-length, which is being mixed by Trans Am’s Phil Manley. The tentative title is We Wear White, and it'll most likely be released this fall.

Our pursuit to repress the Lungfish records on vinyl continues this August with the return of Indivisible and Talking Songs for Walking. We’ll post an official re-release date in the weeks to come.

We’re now accepting pre-orders for Redgrave’s new 12 inch EP (released by Lovitt Records). For those not familiar with Redgrave’s music, I’ll try to explain…
They’re a two-piece band from Chicago with a massive rock sound and some pretty powerful vocals. This is a great sounding record, and it’s not studio magic either. I saw them play down in Austin a few months ago, and their live show was fantastic. Angie Mead has an enviable guitar sound – deliberately gritty and blown out (without being too gritty and blown out). Top-billing (for me, of course) goes to the last song: “Taunt”. Total scorcher.
I should add … Beth Hoeckel’s cover art is a perfect fit for the overall mood of this record.

We’ll start shipping on Monday, June 11th.

-Ryan

Over the last few weeks, we’ve picked up another batch of new records from other labels.
Here’s the list:

From Windian:
Spider Fever – Self-Titled LP
The Penetrators – Teenage Lifestyle
Testors – Together
Bizarros – Complete Collection 1976 – 1980

From Chapeau:
The John Francis – Voyage of the Daring Cornelia

From Magic Bullet:
Ancient VVisdom – A Godlike Inferno

From Grave Mistake:
Sectarian Violence – Self-Titled 7 Inch

From M’Lady Records:
Grass Widow/Nature – Split 7 Inch
Brute Heart – Fever 7 Inch
Julianna Barwick – Sanguine

Considering today’s date, I suppose some sort of song recommendations are in order ...
Side B of Shudder to Think’s Hit Liquor 7 inch comes to mind. Another great B-side from Dischord #61.5 features a song with a similar theme (but you’ll really have to do some digging to find that one). Then of course there’s the more obvious choice from Red Medicine (song #4) – a song I first heard at this show, which took place in a packed living room (seriously, if you have a tape or any photos from that show, do not hesitate to send a message to [email protected]).

Thanks to everyone who sent a birthday shout-out today. We’ll pass ‘em along.

If I’ve forgotten any obvious song recommendations, feel free to chime in down in the comments section.

-R.

While flipping through Susie Horgan’s Punk Love today, I spotted a photo of a bunch of punks hanging out in the long hallway of the old 9:30. And even though the photo was taken prior to my entrance into DC’s punk scene (I was only 7 when the photo was taken), this particular shot stood out as a visceral memory for me. Between ‘88 and ‘95 I certainly had my share of frequent hangout time in that same hallway, and I was immediately flooded with memories from a slew of transformative shows I saw during my high school years: 7 Seconds, Marginal Man, Shudder to Think, All (whose set consisted of mostly Descendents songs), Soulside, Ulysses, The Grifters, Slant 6, KMD, Fugazi , Rocket from the Crypt, PJ Harvey on her first US tour, etc. This one photo also made me remember the smell of that club. For anyone who’s been there, you know the smell I’m talking about – it was a unique and pungent aroma that would kick you squarely in the nostrils as soon as the door opened on F Street; it would seep into every fiber of your clothes, burrow down into your pores, and remain present the following day while suffering through Geometry class. Everyone knew you went to a show the night before, partly because of the odor, but mainly because of the massive/blurred skeleton stamp draped across the back of your hand.

A few pages later, I was struck by another photo – an image of a similar gathering of punk kids hanging out on

the steps in front of Wilson Center. And again, even though I wasn’t there when the photo was taken, I have my own associative memories from those same steps (most notably, this show).

The draw toward digging through record bins, going to shows, helping to set up shows, being a part of an audience, and even performing in bands, had/has everything to do with contributing to an active community and subculture. We found ourselves in the underground and somehow found solace in activity rather than lethargy.

Although there are no photos (that I know of) of my friends and me hanging out in the hall at the old 9:30, on the steps by the pillars at Wilson Center, in the grassy area in front of St. Stephen’s on 16th, or even on the corner of 7th and E outside of DC Space (which is the current location of a franchised coffee shop that will remain nameless), I still feel some warm, relatable affinity for the images within Punk Love.
Susie’s book exists as an important and endearing look at the sort of energy and urgency that occurs when you find that your presence actually means something – when you find that you count in the underground.
For fans of Banned in DC, consider it an extended look at the birth of DC’s punk scene, with text provided by Susie Horgan, Alec & Ian MacKaye, and Henry Rollins.

-Ryan

BCore (from Barcelona) released some top-quality 7 inches between 1998 and 2000 from the following bands: Fireside, Kepone, June of 44, The Capitol City Dusters & Aina (split), Bluetip & NRA (split), and The Dismemberment Plan & Juno (split).

A bit later, BCore made a CD collection of all 13 songs released from their 7 inch series. We just rediscovered a small stack of these CDs here in the office, and we’re selling them at a reduced price: 2 bucks each. This is a lot of good music for cheap.

Obviously, picking up songs from bands like June of 44 and Dismemberment Plan may be a particular draw, but do not overlook the others. One of my favorite songs from this collection is Kepone’s “Conjure Man” – clocking in at just a minute and a half.

If you’re not familiar with Spain’s Bcore, I highly recommend checking out some of their releases. If you have no idea where to begin, you could always start here.

While reorganizing the office the other day, Amy June and I stumbled across an old Black Eyes poster buried within a flat-file, used for their European tour back in 2004. The poster was printed in a slightly larger format and limited to just black & white, but the design is fantastic. It somehow perfectly captures the unruly and frantic energy from their live performances, shared by the both band and audience.
Seeing the poster made me miss Black Eyes.

Their live shows were incredible and unpredictable (I seem to recall a cymbal flying across the room at the Warehouse Nextdoor on 7th Street, crashing against the wall on the side of the stage). In order to get the full experience, you had to be up front, near the band. The show itself was up front. And the audience got involved, singing/shouting along with “Deformative”: I’m sixteen, driving south from Baltimore! These shows were events not to be missed.

After seeing Black Eyes live, I doubted that the

vibrant and controlled mania I witnessed on stage would actually translate to vinyl, but the first song from their self-released 7 inch, “Some Boys”, made me a believer. A convert and devotee. And as an extension to that first 7 inch, their follow up LP not only matched the single – it went beyond.

It’s a punk record. Not to be confused with some sort of repackaged, retro punk. Punk as in progress, building a lot from a little, pushing music forward while being completely inhibited – the true and absolute opposite of afraid and self-conscious. I liken it to the appeal of discovering Public Image’s Second Edition and realizing that there was a band on Earth clearly breaking ground, while not at all concerned about appeasing a specific market.

I also love the fact that Black Eyes titled a song “King’s Dominion”.

The record is still available on vinyl, CD, and as a digital download. Check it out.

Jason Farrell's (Bluetip, Swiz) Retisonic return with a new full-length CD/LP+MP3 (that we are carrying) titled, Robots Fucking, released on the German label Arctic Rodeo. Jason is again joined by his mates Jim Kimball (J. Majesty) and Joe Gorelick (Garden Variety). Robots Fucking features all the quality song-craft and innovative package design that we have come to expect from any project Jason is involved with. Welcome back!

Every Teen Beat release we have in stock is now on sale.
Each CD, 12 inch record, and 7 inch record is now priced somewhere between 1 and 4 dollars.

Teen Beat is (and always has been) one of our favorite independent labels, and they’ve released a ton of unsung, often overlooked, releases. If you’ve ever been curious about Teen Beat Records but had no idea where to start, now’s your chance to dip your toe in the water (more like a massive ocean) without breaking the bank.

While going through the list below, DO NOT OVERLOOK THE SAMPLER CDs. You can always find cool individual tracks on the comps, and maybe some of those songs will help steer you toward something else.

For a complete list of Teen Beat stock, click here.
For direct links to each of the Teen Beat CDs and a list of bands from each of the compilations, please read on …

CDs
Jonny Cohen’s Love Machine – Self-Titled
Wakefield – Volume 1
(TeenBeat Sampler featuring BOCS, Versus, Gastr Del Sol, Tuscadero, Eggs, In Camera, Air Miami, Butch Willis & the Rocks, Vomit Launch, Los Marauders, Bells of, Uncle Wiggly, Cobalt, No Trend, Jonny Cohen’s Love Machine, The Sisterhood of Convoluted Thinkers, and Grenadine)
Blast Off Country Style – Rainbow Mayonnaise Deluxe
Butch Willis & the Rocks – Conquering the Ice
Wakefield – Volume 3
(TeenBeat Sampler featuring Versus, Unrest, Grenadine, BOCS, Jonny Cohen, Scaley Andrew, Mark E. Superstar, Dustdevils, Barbara Manning, Romania, Sexual Milkshake, Tuscadero, Gastr Del Sol, Flowers of Discipline, Eggs, and Cath Carroll)
Phil Krauth – Cold Morning
Cath Carroll – True Crime Motel
Wakefield – Volume 4
(TeenBeat Sampler featuring Synthetic Socks, Thirsty Boys, Unrest, Bratmobile, Clarence, George Jungle & the Plague Scaley Andrew, Gamma Rays, Flying Saucer, Phil Krauth, and Cobalt.)
Blast Off Country Style – In My Arms
Viva Satellite – Nishma
Air Miami – Fuck You, Tiger
1996 TeenBeat – Sampler, featuring songs by Air Miami, Bells Of, BOCS, Cath Carroll, The Feminine Complex, Phil Krauth, Romania, Tel Aviv, Tuscadero, Uncle Wiggly, Versus, and Viva Satellite
Tel Aviv – TeenBeat #193
The Olympic Death Squad – (solo project from Mark Robinson formerly of Unrest)
Phil Krauth – Silver Eyes
Los Marauders – Every Song We Fuckin’ Know
Tel Aviv – The Shape of Fiction
The Ropers – The World Is Fire
Jonny Cohen’s Love Machine – If Six Were Eight
True Love Always – When Will You Be Mine?
Phil Krauth – One, Two Three…
Viva Satellite – Extra Eye
1998 Teenbeat – Sampler, featuring songs by True Love Always, Tel Aviv, The Rondelles, Viva Satellite, Evelyn, Tuscadero, Phil Krauth, Versus, Andrew Beaujon, The Ropers, K-Stars, Robert Schipul, Flin Flon, and The Feminine Complex
Flin Flon – A-OK
Andrew Beaujon – A Raw-boned June
Air Miami – World Cup Fever
Robert Schipul – The American Scene
Flin Flon – Black Bear EP TeenBeat @#35;263
Aden – Black Cow
True Love Always – Hopefully
1999 TeenBeat – Sampler, featuring Hot Pursuit, Flin Flon, Butch Willis, Rob Schipul, Screamer, Aden, The Rondelles, Phil Krauth, Tel Aviv, Bossanova, Andrew Beaujon, Olympic Death Squad, True Love Always, and Versus
Flin Flon – Boo-Boo
Bells of – 3’s Company
Butch Willis – Superstitious Mummys
Aden – Hey 19
Hot Pursuit – The Thrill Department
Mark Robinson – Canada’s Green Highways (with cover illustration by Ryan Nelson)
True Love Always – Torch
Flin Flon – Chicoutimi
Mark Robinson – Taste
Mark Robinson – Tiger Banana
True Love Always – Spring Collection (The Singles)
Tracy Shedd – Blue
Mark Robinson – Origami and Ubanism
The Pacific Ocean – So Beautiful and Cheap and Warm
Aden – Topsiders
Pocket Rockets – Love or Perish
True Love Always – Clouds
Currituck Co. – Unpacking My Library
Horse ing Two = Hit – Tilt
+/- – Holding Patterns
Holland – I steal and Do Drugs
Tracy Shedd – Red
The Sisterhood of Convoluted Thinkers – Better Days Coming Now
The Fontaine Toups – T-F-T
TeenBeat – Commemorative Sampler, featuring songs by Unrest, Eggs, +/-, True Love Always, The Fontaine Toups, Jonny Cohen, Tuscadero, Versus, Flin Flon, Aden, Hot Pursuit, Holland, Tracy Shedd, Stick Insect, Mirah Ginger, The Positions, The Sisterhood of Convoluted Thinkers, Bossanova, Currituck Co., Triple Threat, and Bells of
+/- – VS Bloodthirsty Butchers
Phil Krauth – Tight Fit
Holland – The Paris Hilton Mujahideen
Bossanova – Hey, Sugar
Flin Flon – Dixie

While driving through the south last week with Soccer Team, the three of us participated in what I’m certain is a common activity during long drives: we played DJ for each other. Whoever was lucky enough to sit shotgun was charged with the important task of entertaining the driver and backseat passenger with a continuous mix of music that would often be immediately familiar, sometimes brand new, but always interesting and engaging enough to keep the driver awake (you know you’re on the right track when you spot the driver swaying his/her head along with the tune; for best results, try pretty much anything by AC/DC).
Due in part to the appeal of singing along as a means of staying awake at the wheel, instrumentals rarely come into play during a Shotgun-DJ’s shift. Instrumentals have to be worked into a set strategically. The timing has to be just right, and the song has to fit the mood established by the previous song. It’s not a job for a novice (although there’s more than enough time to become an expert while driving on I-10 East), but if you’re up for giving it a try the next time you’re on a road trip, here are my recommendations from the Dischord catalog:

FUGAZI: “Sweet and Low” from In On the Kill Taker
Killtaker has always been a favorite of mine, and a massive (but often unspoken) part of the charm of that record is the sequencing. “Facet Squared” butted against “Public Witness Program” has to be one of the better 1-2 punches in history. Flip the record over and side two opens quite differently (yet equally gripping) with the instrumental, “Sweet and Low.” It’s an incredibly delicate and thoughtful way to coax the listener into flipping the record. Brendan Canty somehow found a way to be both subtle and bombastic with each drum roll that coasts smoothly into each build-up of this short song. And it’s impossible to avoid bobbing your head along with the steady pace of the ride and snare.

THE AQUARIUM: “Maxxo Sesh” from their self-titled CD
Like “Bone Machine” or “Taxman” or Lungfish’s “The Words” (from Necrophones), I’ve got no problem putting Aquarium’s “Maxxo Sesh” up on the list of Greatest Opening Songs Ever. Don’t let the instrumental factor fool you: by no means is this background music. Crank the car stereo as loud as it can go and prepare to drown in the majesty and wonderment of The Aquarium.
I love this song because it transcends genre. Huge beat, massive fuzzed out bass tones, dreamy delay – is it rock? is it hip-hop? is it punk? is it some weird outtake from Check Your Head?
Nope … it’s just ... it's just Aquarium.

LUNGFISH: “At Liberty to Say” from Pass and Stow
Clocking in at just under two and a half minutes, this song has been a favorite of mine since Pass and Stow was released in 1994. It opens with some nonabrasive feedback and fades into a beautifully noisy, layered, and remarkably alluring song. This is the perfect tune to have queued up when you need to cleanse the palette after bombarding the road trip listeners with everything from Mingus to Off.

As always, thanks for reading.

-Ryan

For those who have lingering credit for digital downloads and don’t know where to start, here are a few recommendations:
(If the credit option is new to you, simply click here for an explanation.)

Read on…

Medications: “Seasons”
This is a fantastic gateway into the songwriting prowess of Medications. The hook is established immediately, and it’s powerful and memorable in every way. I love this song. Chad Molter plays drums and bass, Devin Ocampo plays guitar (which totally revs up at 2:50, fair warning), and they both trade off between lead and background vocal parts.
On a personal level, I find this whole record, Completely Removed, particularly fascinating because I used to live in the house where this album was recorded, and I spent a lot of time working on my own recording projects in that basement. It’s thrilling for me to hear Devin’s approach to recording and how, tonally, that very familiar room has been transformed.
I may as well add … the first song on side B, “Kilometers and Smiles,” is a scorcher, too.

Scream: “Who Knows – Who Cares?”
Back in the days of making mixtapes for road trips, this was a pretty standard feature on my mixes – mainly because I never got tired of hearing it. And this was usually the song that made someone in the car stop talking for a second to ask, “Hey, who is this?!” Recorded in 1982, Still Screaming features a ton of great songs – it’s actually relentless with the hits – and my guess is that it influenced a lot of bands that came along a few years later – especially out west.
For one reason or another, “Who Knows – Who Cares?” was always my jam. (Of course, “Solidarity” and “Came without Warning” are pretty unstoppable, too.)

Antelope: “Dead Eye”
You won’t find bigger Antelope fans than every single person in the Dischord office. I realized this when Michael Fussell started our morning one day by blasting the Antelope EP, which was followed immediately by the 7 inch, which was then followed by their full-length, Reflector. No one complained. In fact, we were all in full agreement that once the sequence had begun, breaking the cycle was not option.
Simply put, Antelope is a band to obsess over.
While it’s tough to choose a favorite (because I don’t think they wrote a bad song), I’m recommending “Dead Eye” as a starting point ‘cause the lyrics have some art history appeal. Anyone who’s familiar with the Blue and Rose Periods should know what I’m talking about.

As always, thanks for reading.

-Ryan

Plates – Self-titled LP, Big Neck Records

(Stop Worrying and) Love the Bomb – I’m Haunted 7 inch, Big Neck Records

Möbius Strip – Escalate 10 inch, Left Out Records

For descriptions of each, please, read on …

Plates – Self-titled LP
Once again, the folks at Big Neck Records release some quality rock music. I pretty much love this Plates record. It opens with a bass and drum groove. But don’t read me wrong here: it’s not the kind of bass and drum groove you might hear on late ‘90s Acid Jazz records – I mean, it’s more like Flipper and not at all like Portishead. While I like the whole record, this band selected the perfect opening song to really grab your attention. The bass is fuzzed out in the best possible way (not too much and not too little), the beat is set to a perfect head-bobbing tempo, the guitar switches between an in-your-face effect and later lands on riffs somewhere between the Stooges and Minor Threat, and the singer’s vocals strike a classic punk approach (ie Black Flag’s Damaged).
Honestly, Plates have their own sound, but if you listen carefully, they have all the right influences. Fans of Black Flag, Flipper, Dead Meadow, Minor Threat and various Amphetamine Reptile bands should dig this. The punk moments are super punk (without ever stumbling into the monotone shriek category), and the rock moments are heavy and killer. Listen loudly.
(Song #4 “Arrows” is the other jam to look out for.)

(Stop Worrying and) Love the Bomb – I’m Haunted 7 inch
Also from Big Neck Records is this 3-song seven inch, and it’s certainly in the same vein of quality as the other Big Neck releases. The music is fast-paced and upbeat, and all three songs are catchy without being corny – they’ve all got serious bite. The songs are short and super good. Great lyrics from the chorus of side A, “Haunted” (that is, of course, if I’m deciphering the words accurately, but if I am … I like the idea that everyone is haunted and everyone is someone else’s ghost). And side B’s “Yellow Black & Blue” ends with one of the better guttural screams in rock.

Möbius Strip – Escalate 10 inch
This is a 6-song ten-inch on blue vinyl by local trio, Möbius Strip. Most songs are fast-paced punk jams (with two exceptions), and the lyrics are mostly political, referencing topics such as animal rights and drug abuse. Recorded with Don Zientara at Inner Ear studios, the overall sound quality of this release is top-notch. The last song on side A is the scorcher – “Battery Cage.” Hat’s off for sending shout-out to H.P. Lovecraft in the opening line of that song.

As promised, here’s a list of some of the other releases we picked up this week:

Host – Heavy Clouds 7 inch
Hubris – Base Desire 7 inch
War on Women – Improvised Weapons
Des Ark – WXDU Vol. 3

For more information on each release, read on …

Host – Heavy Clouds 7 inch
This is a four-song 7 inch on white vinyl, released by Cricket Cemetery. I’m not gonna lie to you … it seems that this record exists as the very definition of the word “heavy.” Doesn’t get much heavier than this. Honest. If I had to guess, it sounds like these guys tune down to C, or maybe B, to play these jams. Side A is appropriately titled “Heavy,” and the lyrics for the first song have a bit of a Jack London vibe. Seriously, go blow the dust off of your copy of “To Build a Fire” and tell me I’m wrong. This band is super fast, super tight, and their drummer is bangin’ it out. If you like your music fast and intense, this is the way to go.

Hubris – Base Desire 7 inch
This is another four-song 7 inch from Cricket Cemetery, and I know I just mentioned that Host was the definition of “Heavy” … well … okay, we should probably go ahead and add Hubris to the list. The sound of this record is tough to describe. Let’s just say that everything’s very deliberately in the red. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything quite like it. Other bands have certainly recorded to tape and pushed those pesky meters ‘til they no longer move to the right, but not quite like this. If I had to select a favorite jam, it would be the last song, “Dejected.” Something about the guitars in that song made it the standout track. Again, this is a record for folks who like their music fast and intense.

War on Women – Improvised Weapons
War on Women is a band from Baltimore, and this is a new release from Exotic Fever Records. It’s a 6-song ten inch, and the recording is top-notch (shout-out to Brooks Harlan who recorded and mixed this at The Magpie Cage). War on Women have been described as co-ed feminist hardcore-punk, and after listening, I suppose that’s a pretty accurate description. The scorchers from this record are “Effemimania” and “I like Science.”

Des Ark – WXDU Vol. 3
For everyone who has ever seen Des Ark live, you know already (before even hearing it) that this record is worth picking up. For all those out-of-the-loop, Des Ark is something to obsess over. To say Aimée Argote is a prolific songwriter is a complete understatement. She’s constantly creating and constantly touring, and you shouldn’t ever miss an opportunity to see her perform live. The 9 songs on this twelve-inch were recorded live on WXDU 88.7 by Ross Grady back in January of 2010. The vinyl itself is sort of an orange marbled color, and the cover art features a beautiful two-color screen-print; if you were to open up the gatefold and throw this album cover behind a frame, you’d have one seriously dynamite print to display in your house.

As always, thanks for reading.

-Ryan

We’ve picked up some new releases from other labels in the last week. I’ll post the full list a bit later, but for now, here’s a quick shout-out to a new CD-only release from Noble Task Records:

Garland of Hours – Lucidia

This is a 7-song release from Garland of Hours, fronted by Amy Domingues. Amy’s got a pretty interesting history as a working musician in DC (aside from just being one of the better people on planet mud-ball earth). Her work as a cellist is featured on quite a few of the records currently found in your collection, Fugazi, Faraquet, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Bob Mould, Jets to Brazil, Dead Meadow, and Mary Timony (I’m really just scratching the surface). She’s sort of the go-to person for cello work when people make records around here, but I’m always interested to hear her approach to song-writing. This is the 3rd Garland of Hours release, and as per usual, she continues her tradition of shaking things up with a rotating cast of musicians. For this one Amy recruited Stefan Bauschmid on drums, while Mary Timony plays guitar on 3 of the 7 songs.

Fans of our beloved Lungfish may want to check out song #6, “The Evidence.” Garland of Hours took it all the way back to Pass and Stow for their Lungfish cover.
(That being said, my jam on this record is the opening track: “Wive Me.” It’s the perfect opener – sets the tone for the whole album.)

Thanks for reading.

-Ryan

Daniel Higgs – Beyond & Between
Zomes – Improvisations
Minutes – Self-titled LP
My Fictions – I Want Nothing
Weak Teeth – What a Plague You Are

For more information about each release, read on …

Daniel Higgs
Daniel Higgs traveled to Spain in May of 2011 to record this 7-song album in beautiful Sant Feliu de Guíxols. Fans of Daniel Higgs’ other works will not be disappointed. On this release, titled Beyond & Between, Higgs provided the cover art, sang and played banjo, and he was accompanied by Marc Clos on the vibraphone, marimba, flexatone, drum, tamborello, tamtam, gong, tar, bendir, timpani and vocals.

Zomes
Zomes is the solo work of Asa Osborne, guitarist of the much-beloved Lungfish. The songs on this record, titled Improvisations and released on Thrill Jockey, were self-recorded in 2010 and originally released on cassette only. For all those new to Zomes, I recommend listening loudly; this isn't background music. When Asa performs live, the music is at full volume, and I think the idea is to let the hypnotic/meditative sounds of Zomes wash over you completely.

Minutes
It feels a bit awkward to bring up my own band here, but this is a new release, we carry it, and I really do want people to know it’s out in the world, so I’ll try to make this quick and painless:
Minutes just self-released a self-titled LP that is limited to only 300 copies. It’s available through the Dischord site for 11 bucks. It’s a rock record. We (the band, that is) really like it, and we hope you will, too.
(Just as with the Soccer Team records and the Minutes 7 inch, some recording nerds out there may find it interesting to know that this record was made using a Tascam 388. Full disclosure … we used a Tascam 424 cassette recorder as well.)

My Fictions
This is a five-song 10 inch from My Fictions, titled I Want Nothing and released by Flannel Gurl Records. It’s fast-paced hardcore from Lowell, MA. Lots of remarkably precise drumming and guitar parts on this one. According to the liner notes, their guitarist, Tyler Bradley, recorded, mixed and mastered this album, while the layout was done by their bassist, Bryan Carifio. It’s pretty great to see a band do so much behind-the-scenes work for their own release; it usually means a lot of love went into the process. Keep in mind that this record spins at 45 RPMs. I made the mistake of listening at 33 at first, and … well … let’s just say I heard a very different record.

Weak Teeth
This is another release from Flannel Gurl Records, and this particular album is by a band from Providence, RI, called Weak Teeth. The album is titled What a Plague You Are , and like My Fictions, Weak Teeth play some pretty fast-paced hardcore. Lots of parts, lost of precision. Along with song-writing, it's apparent that Weak Teeth spent some quality time on their song titles and liner notes, so make sure you spend some of your own time with the album insert. I get the feeling they’d be offended if you referred to their songs as “track 1” or “that 3rd song on side A” (the latter of which is actually the gem on the record). Also, don’t let the typical 12 inch format fool ya’… This one spins at 45 RPMs as well.

Thanks for reading.

-Ryan