CRIMESCENE MERCH has put up shirts to correlate with all of the Cult of The Seven Crowns releases that came out on A389 earlier this month, the Penetration Panthers seven inch is available on clear vinyl with pink swirls real radical, and all that Gehenna related ish is fucking choice as hell you should stop by A389 and scope around they just dropped a bunch of stuff that has never really been heard except for by small circles of people in darklit rooms and copious wafts bongsmoke. All the stuff is out on Itunes too if you are so inclined....I tell you what I never expected something I recorded to be on Itunes but thats the modern world for you I suppose.
Well now two splits that I had no idea were coming out and completely took me by surprise, haven't listened to either just passing it along lemme know what you think should be interesting at least.
If the blog has been neglected its cuz all of us have been having a pretty fruitful real-world. In January the Penetration Panthers recorded twelve songs in Costa Mesa California, three of those songs are gonna be released on a seven inch coming out on A389 sometime in the near future keep checking back, anyways plans for a full length by the end of the year and some dates around California and the Northwest this summer, here's a lil' taste of what we've cooked up, Lipstick and Leather is on the seven inch but the version on Youtube is a demo from a couple years back, Wasted Mind is from the sessions earlier this year. LOOKOUT + TELL YR FRIENDS
your boi here from Spitting Image is playin a show Easter with oakland weirdo punx Uzi Rash..
"...the only thing that makes the Church endurable is that it is somehow the body of Christ and that on this we are fed. It seems to be a fact that you have to suffer as much from the Church as for it but if you believe in the divinity of Christ, you have to cherish the world at the same time that you struggle to endure it. " Flannery O' Connor
Get down on deez links and
ENJOY YOUR SUNDAY EVENING
actually just found out about this just recently and am waaay surprised that someone has ripped this....what you have here is a bit of the Old Guard gettin' the fuck down, Toby owns Pnuematic, Spencer is the drummer for Huck(also Tate Labianca featured on the blog), Beau Shaver was mentioned in a previous post, and Jake Griffin tatoos at Ace's).
ps-they all have at one point lived on Sinclair st. yeehaw!
Yes yes I can't say anything new about the Descendents....except that maybe they should change their name to the TRANSCENDents because their music transcends any all forms of pigeon-holing or whatnot. It's just pretty much essential to the identity of anyone who is worth their salt and claiming punk. I lean heavily towards the super sappy songs in their repertoire but their musicianship carries even songs about hot dogs or farting to a level of high art.There really isn't a bad Descendents record but I think this one is their most adventurous and well-rounded album they've got. Bill Stevenson is just about the best punk drummer out there and he also penned most of my favorite Descendents tracks including "Silly Girl" "Can't Go Back" and one of my all-time favorites ever "Good Good Things"...if I ever found a karaoke with that song it would be over.
As a self-identified "Barbarian clawing at the walls of Western Civilization" I naturally am fully supportive of Piracy and Pilfering. Duh. However, that doesn't mean I don't think KAPITALIZM can be a uesful tool here and there. But honestly, most of the bands getting bummed out over the illegal availability of their music need to sack the fuck up and make better music. If anything the whole internet has re-introduced a realness or sincerity to an industry(when did music become industry?)that was lacking both. With music being so available, whenever you buy some it means a whole lot more. Nowadays I buy music as a sign of respect, and to align myself with things that I feel are important. Yeah it's a bummer that your shit could get leaked the weekend before and you can see you record sales disappear-BUT! It should make musicians feel all the more stoked when those same people STILL buy their record. Anyways that's the way I see it.
I've gotten a whooole lottta music the free-way, but this year I've tried to get back on my vinyl game, and I will directly attribute that to the kind of exposure the internet can offer.
My pick for SINGLE OF THE YEAR. Just that perfect nexus of shit that people nowadays wanna hear(i.e Twee-ish, jangly, Three-part harmonies.....yaddayaddayadda). Myself definitely included. PLUS you've got a Roky Erickson B-side. That is ON-POINT!!! I guess this is a fairly hip record, butt fuck it. Captured Tracks is one solid ass label.
Seeing Ian Svenonious in the flesh was definitely a highlight in my career as a punk. This record is so on-point and relevant, and seeing these songs live was tight. I had to wonder what people thought of it who didn't know what to expect. Preaching about reparations and spilling the beans on Government orchestrated assassinations can really go either way as far a crowd receptiveness. Chain and the Gang pulled it off, good for them and you too. Down With The Liberty
I must give props to The Holland Project for setting up some righteous ass shows so far this year. I can foresee Rainshadow being a very cool and important part of Reno. If my teachers taught skateboarding and sang for hardcore bands, and I could go watch the latest Captured Tracks artist in the front room of my high school, I just might've stuck around for all four years....not likely, but it wouldn't have hurt. But anyways Grass Widow was off the richter, you should probably already know....
These dudes opened up for Chain and The Gang, I didn't see the whole set but what I saw really impressed me. I never saw them before so I can't say for sure, but the guitarist from Mika Miko totally made them more interesting.
RAH! RAH! This is some super stoney shit. Reverb-drenched sassy, loosey-goosey funky ass soul typed chit. Downloaded this last year, and when I went vinyl-hunting in the bay this February this was one of my most sought. Super stoked I got it too.....the best bars would have dj's who played this and kept the lights down low. Anyone looking to hire?
I really wanted to hate on this band. But I can't. They are fucking rad, and every move they made last year they continued on ruling. At first I thought that they were a fluke until this EP came out, and they proved they had some depth. Their live performance floating around the internet kind of solidified their goodness for me. But that song Higher than the Stars fucking does it for me, and especially the Saint Etienne remix, makes me wish people did as many Quaaludes as they say they they did back in the day...
Now if only my Best Coast seven inch would arrive, and all these assholes would stop picking up five million copies and selling them on ebay for a hundred times the cover price. ARGH!!!
Cleaning up the Itunes I came across this little ditty. A barely released demo by Tate-Labianca, yet another band with Jawsh Hagemen in it. This one is notable because it's pretty much the last time he played guitar in a hardcore band and the shit straight knocks. Local skate-dude Spencer B. did vocals, and he was among the most thrilling to watch live. Morgan's got it down pat, but Spencer is the original writhing floor creature. Musically simillar to This Computer Kills, Disconnect, stuff that was coming out on Ebullition 8 years ago. A little harder edged than Disconnect, and not all robotic like This Computer Kills....if only they would have been more of a presence! I remember asking for a demo back in the day and he kind of danced around the question saying there wasn't really one. Well by golly what am I listening to now?! All I know is if they shelved it for quality reasons they were some straight fools...Unfortunately I have no access to a picure of these dudes live, so instead be bummed out by the desecrated corpse of Sharon Tate. Would You Like To Know More?
Nu Sensae is the shit, i've been fortunate enough to see them a couple of times now. Imagine the most chaotic Nirvana songs played with a chainsaw, and barked and screamed. There is definite No-Wave tendencies, but they balance it with vitriol, and fury. Plus they have the kind of basslines that make Rudimentary Peni one of my favorite bands. They come from Vancouver which has had many really good bands Shearing Pinx, and Terror Bird, being two of my favorite. This year they already have two dates lined up for Reno, so hopefully they'll get a good foothold on the residents. The first of which is on February 24th with another band from Vancouver(seriously, Vancouver has like a million badass bands) called White Lung that Im not familiar with but none the less seem very promising. Nu Sensae have a one-sided 12", a tape or two, and as least one seven inch. They are a hardworking band and one to follow.
Why o' why is it that everytime I hang with my mistress Molly she leads me like an albatross to the rocky crags of "talk hella shit to the oinkers"? The definition of insanity is insulting someone with the power to fuck you, and not expecting him to fuck you. Guilty as charged
A little lesson in Doublespeak- Being arrested for resisting arrest only. It takes a syntax genius to explain that one.
Im not gonna give a play-by-play since I've already done that like fifty million times. So I'll keep it short.
I talked shit to the cops. The cops got offended. I got arrested. My friends disagreed with the cops decision. They got arrested. We went to jail.
Just another episode of When Keeping it Real Goes Wrong.
I'm starting to feel like getting arrested downtown is turning into a Ronnie Dobbs thing for me. Oh well.
Not all too familiar with Atari Teenage Riot. But this is a side-project of sorts. I picked it up when I worked at Recycled Records, mainly cuz it was on Grand Royal and I was feeling adventurous. The cover too, that shit's pretty tight. Technically this is drum-n-bass. Too me it just sounds like if some eastern European speed-freak tried to make punk with electronics. Just an odd pick up, if I knew what it was I probably wouldn't have grabbed it, but it's an interesting listen at least.
Bay Area raize up! Fuck yes, I am seriously seriously crushin' on this band baaad. Homeboy Jack from Don't Trip(Rest In Pot my brothers) was bumping this on a recent trip up here. After a spin or two I had to know who the hell this was. Well for the last month or so I have bumping this at least once daily, which is saying a whole damn lot. I don't even eat everyday, or anything. No bull, straight up Pop, with punk tendencies. I refuse to call it pop-punk because it just doesn't do this shit justice. I am a songwriting guy, regardless of the type of music, I just care that their is some thought and effort put into the craft. Perfect pop music sounds instantly familliar. That's all it really takes, and every song hits you like a bad case of Deja Vu. Like that time you smoked salvia and swore up and down that you were married to your friends Grandmother in another life. I swear that happens. Anyways I got a soft spot for this shit for some other reasons too. I am a sucker for literally anything with a female vocalist-From Walls of Jericho to the Wizard of Oz soundtrack. Punk rock romance is also a fun subject to dwell on. Sometimes I get tired of all the vegan potlucks, and bike rides down by the river. But honestly that shit beats bangin' your dick on a chicks tailbone in a drunk, sweaty frenzy at Tonic........sike. Lastly, there is something about the Bay Area punk scene that I just have always had an affinity for. Probably the proximity. Anyways, I relate to this shit faar more than other stuff(call me a regionalist). There you have it. I love this band and this damn cd. Just cuz it's technically a demo I won't call it my favorite release of '09. But 2010 better watch out cuz they are scheduled to drop something proper at the end of the year. Speaking of which, they'll be taking pre-orders soon so get on that, it's seems like a pretty good package with a tote bag and all. Pre-Order Full Length
It seems kind of redundant to upload since it's already up so you can thank these dudes for putting it up!
Feeling rather Reno-ish at the moment. This right hurr is the "Great White Hope" of Reno Punk right now. Featuring members who's ex-bands list could fill up a post in itself. I would say this is the most professional and solid band Reno has to offer. They consider themselves a skate-punk band. However they have more in common with The Jesus Lizard or Big Black, than they do with JFA or Bones Brigade. But then again, Punk is a state of mind, not a set of riffs. Along with being arguably some of the better musicians in this town, they also have the undisputed best recording. period. None other than Steve Albini recorded their first full length. Lending his penchant for monstrous drums, and gritty tone to accompany the cacophony inside. If you want to pick that bad boy up, you can do so HERE Not much else to say...if you are on the westcoast and are lucky enough to have seen these dudes than you know Morgan is one crazy motherfucking front-man. Up there with Darby Crash or Ian Svenious. No lie
Right here we have their first ep, a live track, demos, and seven inch tracks. Just some odds and ends, but seek out Bound + Gagged, you won't be disappointed...
Where oh where has this band been all my life? If only there was any meaning to the word Hardcore nowadays. Because when I say this band is Hardcore I mean it as the highest compliment and term of endearment that I can muster. When I say Hardcore I mean to distinguish this band from 95% of all music that claims to be punk or metal or hardcore or any combination of the three. In a parallel universe where punk and hardcore never got watered down or transmogrified into a million meaningless genres this band would be nothing special. However, we live in a world where Fallout Boy gets cred cuz the drummer was in Vegan Reich, and New Found Glory is practically as seminal Youth of Today because their guitarist sang in Shai Hulud for a year. So you better believe that sounding like a carbon copy of the year 1984 is near and about's the most original thing you can do. Government Warning has main themes of paranoia, depression, anxiety, and confusion. Yet listening to them brings me feelings of clarity, and relief, kind of like scratching an itch you didn't know you had, and didn't know you could scratch.
