Blacklisters - BLKLSTRS

Label: Brew
Year: 2012

If the demise of Hawks left a Jesus Lizard shaped hole in your heart, then maybe Blacklisters can help pull you back together again? And let's not quibble about how this record came out five years before Hawks pulled their own plug, or chronologies in general. Y'all motherfuckers know I cannot bothered by such constructs like "journalistic accuracy", or "telling the truth", or whatever square shit you seem to expect from a free blog helmed by an overweight old man. Can't abide.
The point was, just as Hawks gave the noise rock genre of kick in the proverbial pants by chewing up and spitting out the rulebook, Blacklisters follow a similar gameplan; synthesize twenty years of skuzz damage into a vitriolic maelstrom of familiar-yet-exhilirating full frontal attack.
Seems easy enough. But then...why didn't you do it? Or me? (why didn't you "do" me, is what I mean).
This is the band's first full length, and I'm here to report that it is essential listening from this point until the point at which you listen to their second full length. Or one of the eps or splits they've done. You choose.
I'll be over here trying to come to grips with numerical order and shit.

DL

Auxes - Boys In My Head

Label: Gunner / Field Bastro / Lovitt
Year: 2014

If you like shouty, sorta indie-rockish, kinda Les Savy Fav meets Pitchfork type music...then, boy have I got a....something.
It's smaller than a breadbox. It features an American ex-pat in Germany who used to be in Milemarker. It eats no less than twice a day, but no more than five times a day. It's the fourth full length under this moniker. It is not current on its vaccinations. It can only run for five minutes twenty one seconds before showing signs of being winded (though, ultimately it can jog up to twenty four minutes in a row). It has a lot of post punk records at home.
Do you give up?

DL

Useless Children - Skin

Label: Criminal IQ
Year: 2010

Why would you ever turn something down when the option to turn it up is on the table? Useless Children have never meet a volume knob they didn't turn as far clockwise as possible (real question: Useless Children are from Australia which is, by all accounts, "down under" on the opposite of the world from where I am [I can't speak for your street address, nor would I dare run the risk of offending you by doing such a think], and besides being a continent stocked with every classification of man-eating animal species known to man [AND Crocodile Dundee!], from what I understand the laws of physics get all kind of topsy turvy, with toilets flushing backwards, and sticks you throw that return to your hand, and some version of football that appears to consist entirely of punting...it's wild! So the question is - do volume controls operate in the same manner as I am accustomed to in the Northern Hemisphere [of Earth...not some dumbass other rinky-dink celestial bullshit]? Does an Australian Boss HM-2 pedal require a counterclockwise motion of the wrist to achieve max overdrive sludge?), and we appreciate that about them.

DL

Season To Risk / Glazed Baby split 7"

Label: AFFA
Year: 1995

Two songs.
Two bands originating 1400 miles apart, but somehow managing to share membership.
A record label never to be heard from again.

Noise rock as done by professional noise rock musicians. Gross, unhinged, rowdy, and relentless.

DL

Double Boar - Wrong b/w Friction Circus 7"

Label: Bovine
Year: 1993

The year and label should be enough. Should be.
If not, try the personnel:
Bob Schaeffer - Festering Rinyanons, Virgo Snakes on bass and vocals
Tim Mescher - Tar, Blatant Dissent on bass (right...the other bass)
Todd Rittmann - U.S. Maple, Mercury Players, D. Rider on guitar
Mike Waterman - on drums (I'm sure he's done awesome other stuff...please fill me in)
Brad Wood - King Kong, Tortoise, Shrimp Boat recorded it
So, there.
Only complaint you could possible lodge with management is that this is limited to two songs. Two gloriously nasty and ugly songs.

*originally posted 04.28.15, reposted 08.06.18

DL

The Last Crime - 2

Label: Sunken Temple
Year: 2018

Chalk this one up to eagle eyed SGM cub reporter Phil-Fay-Fock, working out of the Athens, Georgia bureau, as he hipped me to this one earlier this week. And we (royal we) thank him for his service.

From what I can gather the two songs here were recorded with J Robbins for a follow-up to their 1997 self titled 10" ep, but the band broke up, and the songs were shelved. Until now, when they have been remastered and released on cassette (ugh) in an edition of 100. Which we should all be thankful for,  as these two jams are spot-on jamming jammers. They continue and improve upon the band's post-hardcore previous output with a bigger, more fleshed out sound. Still paying homage to DC circa 1989, still picking up elements of Drive Like Jehu, June of 44,  and singer/guitarist Kevin Egan's former band 1.6 Band. Super good. And you get your money's worth, both songs are long, over 6 minutes apiece. What more do you want?

I think you will like it. Phil did. I did.

DL

Hoaries - Crudforms vol. 3

Label: self released
Year: 2018

Look who's back in the U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!
Survived the English capitol without being locked in (or even seeing) the London Dungeon. Did see the Tower of London though...which was pretty sick.

Hey, you know what else is sick (segue alert), this Hoaries record! The third in an apparent series of "Crudforms", whatever that means to them. What it means to you is a very familiar tightly coiled noise rock that lashes out with terse guitar stabs and shouted vocals. Lots of elements that you will undoubtedly find enjoyment in (so long as you enjoy a good challenge [physical and mental]). And you like bands like Arcwelder, Bitch Magnet, Johnboy, and maybe a Steel Pole Bath Tub. That type of thing.

Ok, I'm off to do American shit (gain weight and get a mediocre education), but we will talk soon!

DL

V/A - The Good The Bad And The Ugly

Label: Insolito
Year: 1998

Listen up everybody; I'm heading out on vacation starting tomorrow. Deuces, imma get my rest and relaxation on.
What does that mean to you? Probably not much. Unless you live in London and want to buy me beer/records/vegan food/party with my children. But chances are, that's not the case. Chances you are you won't even notice. And that's perfectly ok.
But, since I do feel a since (a minor sense, if we're being honest) of obligation to you, the reader, I want to leave the country (U-S-A!, U-S-A!) having posted the best music I can post (today...who knows about tomorrow, or next month, or next year).

And in that spirit, please find below the criminally underrated triple 7" release, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. A convocation of some of the burliest, most fucked up bangers formerly working the darkened streets of hardcore, noise rock, grindcore....just loud music type streets. Dead end, shitty streets.

The first 7" is:
La Gritona
Fork
Craw
Slughog

The second 7" is:
Cavity
Floor
16
Toadliquor
Thug

The third 7" is:
Ice Nine
Discordance Axis
Apartment 213
Devoid Of Faith
Spazz
Damad
Enemy Soil
Suppression

Right? That pretty much tells you what you need to know.

Footnote: again...I swear to Yahweh that I posted this years ago, but when I search the archives it's not there...are there ghosts and ghouls afoot in the archives?

Alright, well, I'll see you on the other side, barring any unforeseen instances or international incidents. Be well.

DL

White Zombie - Gods On A Voodoo Moon

Label: self released
Year: 1985

Before he was know by the Zombie surname, and before all the thunder kissing and "yeeeeaahs" that would bring White Zombie fame and fortune, they were a scrappy, noisy, underground rock band that took their cues from punk, death rock, and noise rock. And it being 1985, and the band being broke, and recording studios being in short supply, this release SOUNDS like a scrappy, noisy, underground rock band from 1985. It's raw and wobbly (this file comes form the cassette release, complete with occasional warps), but if you like your Pussy Galore mixed with Helios Creed and 45 Grave, then this one is for you.
Numero Group gave this a proper remastering and re-release in 2016, but...that shit's expensive. This version has the two extra cassette tracks not on the original 7" version.

Wonder what ever happened to these guys....(actually, one of them turned up in Dead Heavens...but the others...who knows?)

DL

Mannequin / Transistor Transistor - Mannequin / Transistor Transistor split 7"

Label: Robotic Empire
Year: 2003

Another, "didn't we post this already?" post.
But whatevers...it's worth it.
Mannquin play a punk'd out, blown out, peddle to the metal version of Nirvana. The older version of Nirvana that was playing punk'd out, blown out, peddle to the metal versions of Wipers songs and stuff. Members of Pygmy Lush, Pg. 99, Crestfallen, Haram, Passing Phases, Big Hush, Nit-Pic, and whatnot.
Transistor Transistor (so nice they named 'em twice) also tap into a Sub Pop-y circa 1991 vein, but with a little more of the mid-90's Gravity Records sensibility...they scream more. Sort of a Dead And Gone meets grunge arrangement. Dark and lovely.Members of Trap Them, and this and that.

DL