Random Records with Steve O

Spanish Love Songs - Brave Faces Everyone

I had no idea what I was getting into with Spanish Love Songs. I ordered Brave Faces Everyone for the library I work at, thinking it might go over well. I hadn’t heard them before and figured they were one of those indie/punk/emo bands that populate the Pure Noise Records roster, but maybe a couple notches closer to the indie side of the scale. So imagine my surprise when I get a band that reminds so much of the Menzingers instead. The ten songs that make up Brave Faces Everyone hit a lot of the same vibes as the recent Menzingers records, but it also reminded me of a poppier version of Off With Their Heads or Arms Aloft. Or Junior Battles or the Wonder Years if they sounded dark and moody instead of being so upbeat.

You know a record is catchy when you find yourself singing along at the top of your lungs in your car while driving to work, despite never having looked up the lyrics. Spanish Love Songs write choruses that ingrain themselves into your head, straight out of the OWTH school of self-deprecation. “It won’t be this bleak forever / Yeah right / I hope you’re right / Have you seen me lately?” from “Self-Destruction (As A Sensible Career Choice).” “My bleak mind says it’s cheaper just to die / The prick inside my head’s / laid off and daring me to try / My bleak mind says this is all you got / Hoping all this time but all you’ll find is / It gets harder, doesn’t it?” from “Losers.” Or maybe my favorite line on the whole record, in opener “Routine Pain”, a sly, little (and I hope intentional) nod to Motörhead: “Everything lower than everything else.” Then there’s “Losers 2” a perfect lyrical ode for a generation that sees the rich get richer while trying harder to stay afloat – “Don’t you know you were born to die poor man? / Don’t you know that you’re gonna do yourself in? / And you’ll always wake up tired / Cause there’s nowhere to go from here.” Lyrical perfection for the struggling generation.

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Random Records with Steve O

Murder By Death - The Other Shore

One of the best parts about doing the bracket is finding out about all the cool records you missed throughout the year. If it slipped past my radar, somebody else probably caught it. Still, there are records that we all miss the boat on. Murder By Death’s 2018 release The Other Shore is one of those that we all somehow missed. For me, Murder By Death feels a part of that DeKalb era – they’d come through and play the House Café and there’d always be a bunch of us that would go. For whatever reason, I didn’t keep up with them after that point. Which makes getting into The Other Shore that much more exciting. It’s like meeting up with an old friend again after years have passed. All the familiar parts are still there, from Sarah Balliet’s hauntingly majestic cello melodies to Adam Turla’s thought-provoking lyrics and incredibly distinctive and powerful vocals.

The Other Shore starts off with “Alas,” five minutes that remind me everything I loved about Murder By Death. There’s times where Turla’s voice reaches into the Johnny Cash register, reinforcing just how good of a singer he is and spotlighting that if he ever wanted to go on a man-in-black-eqsue detour he’d surely knock it out of the park. Both “Chasing Ghosts” and “True Dark” are more up-tempo and highlight how unique their sound is when Balliet’s cello takes the lead; in “Stone” it’s the driving force, propelling the song along, meshing perfectly with the emotion in Turla’s voice and some horns.

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Random Records with Steve O

Joe Vickers - Waiting on a Muse

It was either when I interviewed him a handful of years ago for this site or one of the times we were hanging out when Joe Vickers was down here in Chicago to play a show, but we both talked about how much we like the ‘complete album package’ idea and getting lost in the music and reading along with the lyrics. Listening to records is a whole experience that you don’t get when you just stream a song. So it should come as no surprise that Vickers’ new record, Waiting on a Muse, goes full force ahead into that idea, with what’s basically a chapbook for the insert, with notes, lyrics, chords (is there anything more punk than including how to play your songs?), and photographs. It’s a gorgeous presentation and reinforces the fact that music is more than just something you play on your phone.

Musically, Waiting on a Muse is a folk treasure. It’s a mixture of all folk song traditions – you get the slow, plaintive, mournful tunes (such as “Moses Lake Diner,” “Spiral Stairs,” “Keeper of the Flame,” “Artery of the Continent”) along with upbeat, catchy, storyteller numbers like “Gunshy,” “Deadly Sins,” or “Thief-Taker.” There’s the odes to those that came before and inspirational figures, like in “Stray Bullet,” or the straight up, standing-on-the-shoulders-of-giants tribute of “Any Other Way,” a cheery, inspirational tip of the cap to all folksingers/troubadours/wanderers/etc. It also sums a love for playing and sharing music with a perfect succinctness – “I sing for my supper and a bed on a stranger’s floor / I sing for the downtrodden and the long lost troubadours / I sing for the song’s sake / I don’t know any other way” – that mirrors Against Me!’s “Reinventing Axl Rose” mindset.

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Random Records with Steve O

Wenches - Effin' Gnarly

Are you ready to rock?! Well, Wenches don’t care what your answer is, so you better get ready to rock out with Effin’ Gnarly, which is, well, pretty effin’ gnarly. Straight up filthy and fuzzy rock n roll, this is what happens when you have guys with histories in metal and punk who decide they just wanna rock. 70s rock influences are filtered through that booze-blurred lens and the result absolutely rips. Full disclosure here, vocalist James is a good friend and regular contributor to this site, regularly giving you recommendations in our Monthly Metal Mixtape and guesting us a year-end best-of list.

The formula here is to play with dynamics – look at songs like “Mama, Wake Up,” “My Lady's on Fire,” or “Break Up to Make Up.” Mid-tempo fuzzed-out rockers with loud, quiet, loud passages. In each one you get some hard-driving moments that give way to more stripped-down passages that give you a breather to run to the bar to grab another drink and by the time you get back it’s time to rock the fuck out again, at which point you promptly spill your drink or wave it above your head in sheer exuberance, expelling its contents all over your fellow sweat-and-beer soaked peers who have been doing exactly the same thing. Then it’s time to repeat during the next song. Damn do you miss shows as much as me?

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Random Records with Steve O

The Lawrence Arms - Skeleton Coast

I’ve been putting this off for like half the year now, vacillating between a lack of motivation and a there’s too much other important stuff going on to talk about records sort of mood. But I’d be remiss if I let the year slip by without telling you how fantastic the new Lawrence Arms record is. Skeleton Coast came out in the middle of the summer, which feels like eons ago the way this year has gone, packing a decade’s worth of exhaustion into a (so far) nine months. Alas, there’s a comfortable escapism here, knowing that, for at least a half hour, you can delve into the known quantity of a consistent Lawrence Arms release.

So, where do we start here? If you know me, or if you’ve read any of my reviews on here of Lawrence Arms, or Lawrence Arms-adjacent, records you know how much I love Brendan Kelly’s work. The bassist/vocalist melds high-brow influences with the lowest of low-brow humor, and his lyrics still come out impactful and impressive, all delivered through his gravelly rasp. But, honestly, I think my favorites here, for the first time ever, are guitarist/vocalist Chris McCaughan’s. He’s the more melodic voice of the two, and on his songs he absolutely hit it out of the park.

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Random Records With Steve O

Cattle Decapitation - Death Atlas

Okay, so I guess I’m doing this. I’m gonna tell you why you should listen to a record that has a song on it called “Bring Back the Plague.” During a pandemic. Maybe not the best idea? But still smarter than Karen wanting a haircut or demanding Baskin Robbins open. First off, Cattle Decapitation clearly has their tongue planted firmly in cheek; just watch the video for the aforementioned song. Karen does not. Secondly, Cattle Decapitation has a long history of pointing out the fallacies of a modern human culture built off destroying our environment and exploiting our ecosystems, including other living animals. Unsurprisingly, Karen does not. And that haircut is the least of your worries.

So why should you sink the hour into experiencing the extremes brought forth on Cattle Decapitation’s eighth full length Death Atlas (man, we’re leaning into that apocalypse hard, aren’t we)? Well for one, Cattle Decapitation has been on an insane run lately. I raved about The Anthropocene Extinction on here five years ago, and 2012’s Monolith of Inhumanity is equally awesome. So, they’ve got their sound nailed down and the refinements are impressive. But as with both of those records, the introspective (though blunt) nature of the lyrics really hits home, especially as the planet is dealing with a catastrophe that they fictionalize in their lyrics. And while I’m sure Travis Ryan and crew would much rather us have taken heed through the imagery portrayed alongside a grind-refined death metal (just as they would when all the impacts of climate change really start hitting us), there are lessons to be gleaned from this auditory blunt force trauma and the absolute shitshow humanity finds itself in right now.

After a foreboding electronic intro, we are welcomed to Death Atlas with a fantastic, screeching roar courtesy of Ryan’s phenomenal range. He’s an incredible vocalist, and once again shows off a range from the deepest, harshest of growls and grunts up to this creepy, raspy, totally one-of-a-kind version of singing and everything in between. Seriously, I cannot find a good comparable for this in the death metal pantheon (but please drop recommendations if you do). And if you thought “Bring Back the Plague” was blunt, well opener “The Geocide” let’s fly like a line brawl in the movie Slapshot. I could drop any line from the song in here, but let’s go with this one: “Life exists to infuriate, berate, and subjugate / The hapless mortals shit-birthed on a human-altered planet Earth.” Yeah, we’re talking about you, Karen. And in-between, please note the sweet soloing by longtime member Josh Elmore. It’s not all doom and gloom.

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Random Records with Steve O

After The Fall - Unkind

I wrote about Postage the other day and alluded to my time living in Albany. It also surprised me because it made me realize that I haven’t written about After the Fall on here before. Which is amazing, because I started this whole writing shindig when I was living out there and I can’t believe that I didn’t document this rad band that I was seeing all the time and make everyone listen to them. I discovered After the Fall with 2010’s Eradication. It’s basically the kind of melodic hardcore punk mix that I rave about all the time. Fast, heavy songs, with catchy riffs, some strong licks, memorable sing-alongs, thought-provoking lyrics that flew by in twenty-five minutes. It’s great. Check out “Stagnation” for just one example. But today I’m gonna talk about all twenty-three minutes of 2013’s follow-up Unkind. I was living in Albany between 2012 and 2014, which meant I got to be around when this record was coming together and got to see most (all?) of these songs live. Unkind is an awesome record and got even heavier/faster than its predecessor.

From the opening notes, it's clear Unkind is gonna be intense. But opener “Unkind” is one of the poppier songs here, discounting the opening shout, and the fact it’s about a relationship falling apart. But despite the anger, that pretty much feels present throughout the record, there’s a light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel feel, with lines like “Don’t blame yourself for what’s been done / just move forward / and keep pushing on.” And then there’s “Tilburg,” which is … oh shit. It’s about a dead pet. Forget everything I said about lights at the end of the tunnels and things looking up and all that. Everything sucks, everything’s awful. “Tilburg” is actually a good example of the melding of the pop punk influences with all the hardcore elements that are present throughout. It’s kinda poppy, but it’s kinda bludgeoning too, with a sweet little solo to close the song out. There’s a few melodic songs here, like “Back and Forth,” “Cathedral” and “Writer’s Block”, which is an upbeat little ditty about losing motivation.

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12 Weeks, How Many Records? Part 4

So I’m working at a library again and there’s this guy who’s put over 200 CDs on hold. At the same time. That’s led to some discussion about how he’s going to listen to them all. Someone floated the idea he’s a DJ; I like to think trucker. Regardless, there’s widespread doubt he’d listen to them all. Checkouts for three weeks, then you get three renewals – so in theory, twelve weeks to listen to 200 records. And all these discussions got me thinking. I could listen to 200 records in twelve weeks. Right?

Well I decided to keep track. What follows will be every record that I’ve listened to in full over the next twelve weeks, starting August 5th. I’m not gonna include repeats, even though I’ll definitely give a good chunk of these more than one spin; the idea is to see how many different records I listen to, not to count how many times I listen to, say, Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes, in three months.

I’ll break it up into three week segments: 1) initial checkout (8/5-8/26), 2) first renewal (8/27-9/16), 3) second renewal (9/17-10/7), and 4) final renewal (10/8-10/28). That’ll take me up to October 28th. I’ll have a few short sentences about the record and a link to check it out. And so, without further ado, let the great experiment begin!

Post-script: The great experiment is fucking exhausting! Yeah, it was fun to keep track of everything I listened to for a while. It’s neat to notice any patterns that emerge. But it is now March 22nd, almost five months after the counting ended, and about a month after the last segment was posted. You can tell the motivation for this waned. Alas, enjoy the stretch run.

181) Primordial - Spirit The Earth Aflame (2000, Hammerheart Records)
182) Primordial - Storm Before Calm (2002, Hammerheart Records)
183) Primordial - The Gathering Wilderness (2005, Metal Blade Records)
184) Primordial - To The Nameless Dead (2007, Metal Blade Records)
185) Primordial - Redemption At The Puritan's Hand (2011, Metal Blade Records)
186) Primordial - Where Greater Men Have Fallen (2014, Metal Blade Records)
187) Primordial - Exile Amongst The Ruins (2018, Metal Blade Records)

If you’ve been following along on here for a while, you know how much I love Primordial. Every release is epic and grandiose, punctuated with some amalgam of black and doom metal, with a Celtic twist owing to their Dublin roots. A.A. Nemtheanga is easily one of the best vocalists in metal, with a totally unique delivery. There’s standout tracks on all these releases, but your time is best spent putting some headphones on and sinking into a darkened room to enjoy the whole thing.
Listen to Spirit The Earth Aflame on Bandcamp
Listen to Storm Before Calm on Bandcamp
Listen to The Gathering Wilderness on Bandcamp
Listen to To The Nameless Dead on Bandcamp
Listen to Redemption At The Puritan's Hand on Bandcamp
Listen to Where Greater Men Have Fallen on Bandcamp
Listen to Exile Amongst The Ruins on Bandcamp

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Random Records with Steve O

Postage EP 1 & 2

My favorite part of living in Albany was getting to see After the Fall all the time. Playing a heavier take on punk, with some definite hardcore leanings (especially on 2013’s Unkind), they were right up my alley musically, and played very frequently, often organizing/opening shows for the larger bands that came through town (i.e. A Wilhelm Scream, Iron Chic, Lemuria). I’m actually quite amazed I haven’t written a Random Record for them yet. Maybe that’ll happen during this quarantine, let’s see how nostalgic I get.

Anyways, we’re gonna fly through one of the spin-off bands, Postage, which is 3/4 of After the Fall. So yeah, Postage, like the ALL song, is clearly inspired by ALL/Descendents. It’s fast, it’s poppy, it’s catchy, it’s a good time. Vocalist/guitarist Mike Moak drives the (mail) van here; for example on “Return to Sender” (see I’m not the only one making puns). The four tracks on their first EP are all in this same vein, full of a driving energy, solid riffs, and catchy lines you’ll find yourself singing along with. The highlight here is undoubtedly “8085,” an ode to old school punk, including “Banned in D.C.” (Bad Brains), Rocket to Russia (Ramones), Milo Goes to College & I Don’t Wanna Grow Up, (Descendents), Earth A.D. (Misfits), My War & Damaged (Black Flag), amongst many more. It’s an awesome tip of the hat to their influences, a spiritual predecessor to After the Fall’s “1994.”

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Random Records with Steve O

The Suicide Machines - War Profiteering Is Killing Us All

So, the other day Phil talked about how great the new Suicide Machines record, Revolution Spring is. It’s fantastic and you should go listen to if you haven’t already. But I wanna take a minute, or more accurately a half hour, to visit their previous output – 2005’s War Profiteering Is Killing Us All.

You remember 2005, right? Back when we had a horrible Republican president with an overactive imagination who decided to agitate and invade a foreign country. Oh, remember those days when we thought it couldn’t get worse than George W. Bush? Simpler times. This is also back when people bought CDs. Remember what those are? Well, back in 2005 I picked up the CD for War Profiteering Is Killing Us All, which stands up as my favorite Suicide Machines record. Yeah, that’s right, I prefer this one to Destruction By Definition, which is a close number two.

Anyways, you’re probably aware of the Suicide Machines because of “New Girl,” which was on the Tony Hawk Pro Skater soundtrack and is a ska song. If so, you’ll be in for a shock when you first put on War Profiteering… and hear the title track. “War Profiteering Is Killing Us All” is a blistering hardcore track, that feels closer to what frontman Jay Navarro would later do with Hellmouth than the ska-punk stylings of the Suicide Machines. (As an aside, he has stayed quite busy in the intervening years with rad bands like Hellmouth, Break Anchor, and J. Navarro & the Traitors.) Even the vibe in the video feels more hardcore than ska. And this is the point where I inevitably remind you how much I prefer loud and fast and heavy and it makes sense why I prefer this record; it is absolutely full of those songs. The title track, “Red Flag,” “17% 18 – 25,” “Rebellion is on the Clearance Rack (and I Think I Like it),” amongst others, all sound furious.

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Random Records with Steve O

MooM

Those of you who are long time followers of the bracket will have noticed two appearances by Israel’s Not On Tour, a rad, laser-fast punk band with some definite hardcore leanings. You can blame both of those bracket entries on me. 2015’s Bad Habits immediately hit me and I snuck it on the bracket at the last moment. So, when last year’s Growing Pains came out, it was high on my list and didn’t disappoint. It was actually one of my favorite records from last year and ended up winning three rounds on the bracket.

But you know what wasn’t eligible for the bracket and equally awesome? Vocalist Sima Brami’s other project, powerviolence band MooM. That’s because those consist of a series of three EPS and a split, which have been deemed ineligible via Phil decree. And since we’re all sitting at home with nothing better to do, let’s take a trip through that collection.

First up is 2015’s First EP, which drops four tracks, varying in length from one minute four seconds to one minute twenty-four seconds. Yeah, let’s blast away. Leadoff “Cages” features some cool blast beats before dropping into a rad sludge groove to wrap up the track. “Ancient Scripts” brings some rad dueling vocals on the low and high end. Sima’s vocals have a much rougher edge to them than anything from Not On Tour, a higher pitched bark that contrasts great with the lower growls here and on “Fate.” Honestly, it kind of reminds me of what Nasum was doing with the vocal pairings. “Ancient Scripts” feels especially like a product of location – calling out the patriarchal structure of the Holy Land religions that wield such an overwhelming influence on the region.

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Random Records with Steve O

Agnostic Front - Get Loud!

When you’ve been a band for nearly forty years, how do you stay fresh, while also keeping the identity that you’ve built over the decades? The ‘godfathers of hardcore,’ Agnostic Front have found a niche that they employ on full-length number twelve Get Loud! – reminisce and honor the past. If the cover art, a clear throwback to 1986’s Cause For Alarm doesn’t give it away, songs like “Spray Painted Walls” or “I Remember” make it clear: Agnostic Front are staying true to themselves playing the music that has made them legends throughout the decades.

In just barely over a half-hour, Get Loud! blasts through nostalgia (“Spray Painted Walls”, “I Remember”, “Urban Decay”), politics (“Conquer And Divide”), calling people out (“Snitches Get Stitches”, “Attention”), the struggles of life and the passage of time (“Get Loud!”, “Pull the Trigger”) and an undying love for NYHC (“In My Blood,” and let’s be honest, “Spray Painted Walls” and “I Remember” are basically odes too). This has been a theme in some of their recent records, recognizing family (not the immediate kind, but the kind built through bonds of fellowship – magic ring not required) and unity and the band’s history. In an era when so many bands opt for throwback style, it’s somehow refreshing to have one of the originals do throwback even better, as well as taking the opportunity to remind you they know of what they speak firsthand. Just admire some of the old photos/video clips in the video for “I Remember”:

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12 Weeks, How Many Records? Part 3

So I’m working at a library again and there’s this guy who’s put over 200 CDs on hold. At the same time. That’s led to some discussion about how he’s going to listen to them all. Someone floated the idea he’s a DJ; I like to think trucker. Regardless, there’s widespread doubt he’d listen to them all. Checkouts for three weeks, then you get three renewals – so in theory, twelve weeks to listen to 200 records. And all these discussions got me thinking. I could listen to 200 records in twelve weeks. Right?

Well I decided to keep track. What follows will be every record that I’ve listened to in full over the next twelve weeks, starting August 5th. I’m not gonna include repeats, even though I’ll definitely give a good chunk of these more than one spin; the idea is to see how many different records I listen to, not to count how many times I listen to, say, Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes, in three months.

I’ll break it up into three week segments: 1) initial checkout (8/5-8/26), 2) first renewal (8/27-9/16), 3) second renewal (9/17-10/7), and 4) final renewal (10/8-10/28). That’ll take me up to October 28th. I’ll have a few short sentences about the record and a link to check it out. And so, without further ado, let the great experiment begin!

117) Rancid - Let's Go (1994, Epitaph Records)
118) Rancid - ...And Out Come The Wolves (1995, Epitaph Records)
119) Rancid - Life Won't Wait (1998, Epitaph Records)
120) Rancid - Indestructible (2003, Hellcat Records)

Rancid’s one of those bands I probably should’ve seen live by this point and still haven’t. That makes missing them at Riot Fest this year a bit more of a bummer. But it’s always a blast to listen to those classic 90s records. I love Let’s Go, and …And Out Come The Wolves is a fucking classic, packed with some of their best. Life Won’t Wait is heavy on the ska, and I really liked Indestructible when I was in high school, so for me that’s still a lot of fun to listen to.
Listen to Let's Go on YouTube
Listen to ...And Out Come the Wolves on YouTube
Listen to Life Won't Wait on YouTube
Listen to Indestructible on YouTube

121) The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Devil's Night Out (1990, Taang! Records)
122) The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - More Noise And Other Disturbances (1992, Taang! Records)

Everybody and their dad knows “The Impression That I Get.” But you should check out early Mighty Mighty Bosstones if you haven’t. They give off the same impression (see what I did there?), but they’re heavier than you would expect such a popular ska band to be. And continuing the topic of Riot Fest, were absolutely incredible when I saw them there back in 2014.
Listen to Devil's Night Out on YouTube
Listen to More Noise and Other Disturbances on YouTube

123) Venom Prison - Animus (2016, Prosthetic Records)
124) Venom Prison - Samsara (2019, Prosthetic Records)

Venom Prison is this kick-ass death metal band from the UK, who hopped across the pond for a tour. It’s impressive hardcore influenced death metal on record, but live they absolutely slay. Vocalist Larissa Stupar is all over the place with her voice and she does it without even looking like she’s trying. Impressive stuff.
Listen to Animus on Bandcamp
Listen to Samsara on Bandcamp

125) Gorilla Biscuits - Start Today (1989, Revelation Records)

This falls into the category of ‘of course Steve O would listen to this.’ Love my straight edge youth crew hardcore, what can I say.
Listen to Start Today on Bandcamp

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Random Records with Steve O

Good Riddance - Thoughts and Prayers

I’ve written on here before about how awesome Good Riddance is and how underappreciated too – I definitely don’t think they get the recognition they deserve for being around since basically the Epitaph/Fat Wreck glory days of the mid-90s to today (with a short hiatus in there). And then, back in 2015, Peace In Our Time came out and rocketed its way up our bracket, ultimately losing to Leftöver Crack in the final. So I don’t know if I can still call them underappreciated. And that’s where the wonderfully snarky titled Thoughts and Prayers comes in. I don’t need to elaborate any on the political climate that this record is a statement of – we’re all too depressed to hear any more about that. Good Riddance has always been prescient on their social commentary, and a record titled Thoughts and Prayers, in this social climate, is scathing in its own way.

They start with a brilliant illustration of the cyclical nature of history with “Edmund Pettus Bridge,” which you might recognize from the Civil Rights Movement. “Rapture” flies by in under a minute, “Pox Americana” is barely longer, and “Don’t Have Time” doesn’t waste any, well, time, either. It’s one of the themes of the record – clocking in at under a half hour, Russ Rankin and crew get straight to the point. Tracks like “Edmund Pettus Bridge,” “No King But Caesar,” and “Who We Are” build to epic conclusions. “Lo Que Sucede” is the first Good Riddance song in Spanish. But throughout Good Riddance doesn’t beat you over the head with heaviness, indeed, the melodic rules on most of these twelve tracks, driven by Rankin’s decisive vocals. The message is clean, as is the aim, in lines like “Build walls out of fear and greed discard the ones in need of / Humanity and grace and so we falter as before,” from “Our Great Divide.” But Russ lets the venom come across in the words instead of the delivery.

Read more here

12 Weeks, How Many Records? Part 2

So I’m working at a library again and there’s this guy who’s put over 200 CDs on hold. At the same time. That’s led to some discussion about how he’s going to listen to them all. Someone floated the idea he’s a DJ; I like to think trucker. Regardless, there’s widespread doubt he’d listen to them all. Checkouts for three weeks, then you get three renewals – so in theory, twelve weeks to listen to 200 records. And all these discussions got me thinking. I could listen to 200 records in twelve weeks. Right?

Well I decided to keep track. What follows will be every record that I’ve listened to in full over the next twelve weeks, starting August 5th. I’m not gonna include repeats, even though I’ll definitely give a good chunk of these more than one spin; the idea is to see how many different records I listen to, not to count how many times I listen to, say, Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes, in three months.

I’ll break it up into three week segments: 1) initial checkout (8/5-8/26), 2) first renewal (8/27-9/16), 3) second renewal (9/17-10/7), and 4) final renewal (10/8-10/28). That’ll take me up to October 28th. I’ll have a few short sentences about the record and a link to check it out. And so, without further ado, let the great experiment begin!

52) Russian Circles - Blood Year (2019, Sargent House)
Ever see a band live and think, ‘this would be great without the singer?’ Well that’s Russian Circles. Eschewing a vocalist, they manage to deliver some kick-ass, guitar driven compositions that operate absolutely perfectly in absence of the written word delivered over-top. Blood Year is their seventh full length, so they’ve got their system down.
Listen on Bandcamp

53) A Wilhelm Scream - Ruiner (2005, Nitro Records)
Back in high school, I really enjoyed Ruiner. And then I kinda forgot about A Wilhelm Scream for a long time. I saw them live when I lived in Albany and they’re incredible. Very few punk bands play that fast, that tight, and that technical. Ruiner’s got some great moments where they show that all off.
Listen on YouTube

54) Brutal Youth - Stay Honest (2013, Get Party Records)
I could be lazy and tell you to just head over here, cause I’ve already written on here about how awesome Stay Honest is. But I could also just tell you again, because every song on here is super short and fast hardcore and you should probably just go listen to them all again.
Listen on Bandcamp

55) Ahab - The Call Of The Wretched Sea (2006, Napalm Records)
Winter is always used in metal for it’s dark and grim narratives. You know what else is dark and deep and foreboding? The bottom of the fucking ocean. Ahab mine the depths for their nautical inspired funeral doom and none is better than their masterclass The Call of the Wretched Sea. If Herman Melville wrote a funeral doom soundtrack to Moby-Dick, this is it.
Listen on Bandcamp

Read more here

12 Weeks, How Many Records? Part 1

So I’m working at a library again and there’s this guy who’s put over 200 CDs on hold. At the same time. That’s led to some discussion about how he’s going to listen to them all. Someone floated the idea he’s a DJ; I like to think trucker. Regardless, there’s widespread doubt he’d listen to them all. Checkouts for three weeks, then you get three renewals – so in theory, twelve weeks to listen to 200 records. And all these discussions got me thinking. I could listen to 200 records in twelve weeks. Right?

Well I decided to keep track. What follows will be every record that I’ve listened to in full over the next twelve weeks, starting August 5th. I’m not gonna include repeats, even though I’ll definitely give a good chunk of these more than one spin; the idea is to see how many different records I listen to, not to count how many times I listen to, say, Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes, in three months.

I’ll break it up into three week segments: 1) initial checkout (8/5-8/26), 2) first renewal (8/27-9/16), 3) second renewal (9/17-10/7), and 4) final renewal (10/8-10/28). That’ll take me up to October 28th. I’ll have a few short sentences about the record and a link to check it out. And so, without further ado, let the great experiment begin!

1) Marissa Nadler & Stephen Brodsky - Droneflower (2019, Sacred Bones Records)
Nadler’s ethereal vocals mix with some sort of dark indie folk to create some light soundscapes with the right mix of ambiance and direction. Brodsky doesn’t bring much of Cave In’s bite, but the vibe works well.
Listen on Bandcamp

2) Killswitch Engage - As Daylight Dies (2006, Roadrunner Records)
I enjoyed the early era Killswitch more, with Jesse Leach on vocals. This is still decent, fitting into their formula, with some solid riffs throughout these songs. And that “Holy Diver” cover? Fuck yes, I could listen to that all day.
Listen on YouTube

3) Torche - Admission (2019, Relapse Records)
Sludge pop? Torche mix their sensibilities of sparkle with doses of crunch and drone, making catchy, grimy rock n roll.
Listen on Bandcamp

4) Inter Arma - Sulphur English (2019, Relapse Records)
Take all the colors of the extreme metal rainbow, mix them up, add in extra dollops of death and doom and you get something like Inter Arma. Pacing varies from funeral doom to more or less old school doom amidst their grandiose compositions.
Listen on Bandcamp

5) Urrnil - Inheritor (2018, High Cathedral Records)
The best ambient music makes you feel like you’re somewhere else. Urrnil’s dungeon synth is epic, giving you the feel of being off on some medieval adventure to some grand locale up in the mountains.
Listen on Bandcamp

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Russian Tim and Pavel Bures - Greatest SuperHITs

Every once in a while I’ll randomly stumble upon something that’s just so awesome I gotta tell everyone how awesome it is. And thanks to a post on Dying Scene and an awesome band name, I stumbled upon Russian Tim and Pavel Bures. I gotta tell ya, everyone, it’s awesome. But first I gotta explain the name, right? Please tell me someone out there knows who Pavel Bure is? He was one of the fastest skaters to play in the NHL and one of the best goal scorers of the mid-90s. Watch some highlights in awe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFbSpvb8QUA. He played for the Vancouver Canucks during his best years, and has been honored by the Vancouver based Russian Tim and Pavel Bures for those glorious years.

And it’s that love of speed that shows up on Russian Tim and Pavel Bures’ second release Greatest SuperHITs, the follow up to the gloriously titled SuperHIT & The Other Song. All six songs here are blazing fast and the barrage of backing vocals give off a total party vibe. “Marshmellow” and “Skandal,” probably my favorite of these six tunes, particularly have a party atmosphere with the accompanying horns. And they bring up some melodies that you’ll recognize—Against Me!’s “Miami” in “Marshmellow” and from NOFX’s wonderful opus “The Decline” in “Skandal”.

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VRVLVM - VRVLVM

Wenches - 3 Song Demo

It’s the middle of December. It’s cold, it’s dark, it’s dreary, and winter’s just getting started. Actually, it’s like 50 degrees outside and it’s sunny and fuck you climate change. But let’s pretend it’s a gloomy and despondent December, because that’s the perfect soundtrack for VRVLVM (pronounced Verulum). This self-titled debut is the brainchild of James, guitarist for spazzed out hardcore punks Racebannon, as well as bands such as Medusa and Torturess, and well, it is eerie. “This wasn’t created to be appreciated” reads the liner notes to VRVLVM and it falls into that category of unpleasant and disquieting noise. But what sweet noise that is. “I Adevarat Intuneric” is a cacophonous barrage of grinding discord. “II Vantul Revine” is downright haunting and sinister. “III Dhmmona” has a recurring blast of what sounds like strings impersonating a foghorn, which has never sounded so glorious, over some pounding drum machine and even what sounds like an evil snicker right in the middle. “IV Lopata Sange” sounds like a black hole devouring all space around it with an undulating groan. “V Sin Namah” is a mix of feedback laden drone and screeching noise, with a sense of hollowness compared to these other noises that makes it downright frightening. “VI Cenusa Raman” features some of the only traditional noises here, with some ominous riffing, pounding drums, a croak that wouldn’t be out of place on Deathcrush, and a sound coming right out of Helvete’s basement, circa 1992. VRVLVM may claim not to be enjoyable, but there’s a method to the madness here that makes this barrage of noise, which is literally what VRVLVM is, dismally enjoyable.

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Brendan Kelly and the Wandering Birds - Keep Walkin' Pal

As has been made clear here before, I’m a big fan of Brendan Kelly’s work. So while a new Brenden Kelly and the Wandering Birds record was announced and, relatively quickly, released, it was quite a pleasant surprise. And it should be pretty clear what you’re getting here. Keep Walkin’ Pal is very much a spiritual successor to 2012’s I'd Rather Die Than Live Forever; it’s got the same twisted lyrics, that same dark vibe, that same weird-Americana-meets-punk feel to the songs. From the mellow, reflective opener “Keep Walkin’ Pal,” (“In a shitty club where I’m the last band member / I blacked out seventeen of my best years”), through an eclectic mix of jaunty tunes, to the straight up weird numbers, ending with the heavily programmed/electronics closer of “I’m the Man,” Keep Walkin’ Pal is an experience; a trip (with all the drug-addled connotations that word carries) through the dark imaginative corners of Kelly’s musical inventions.

And what a damn good and catchy trip it is. “Shitty Margarita” is a catchy as hell song revolving around little more than drinking shitty margaritas. “Huggz” is absolutely hilarious and fantastic, with some sweet synth lines in the background. Lyrically everything about “Huggz” makes me think of that Parks & Rec episode, where Andy Dwyer (played by Chris Pratt) has to change the lyrics of his songs to play a kid’s birthday party. This is probably my favorite BK and the Wandering Birds song yet. The synths are in the background of a lot of the songs, adding a really trippy and engaging vibe with their presence. They mirror the rest of the soundscape perfectly, giving a lot of depth to the tracks; “The Lies” is a perfect example of this. “Black Cat Boy” is probably the most TLA/Falcon song here. The whole song, but especially the intro and outro, bring to mind “The Redness in the West,” but twisting into a MIDI soundscape instead of a punk-rock singalong. “The Ballad of Buffalo Bill” is probably the closest thing here to what one would expect a punk luminary to record on an “acoustic” album. Elsewhere “Boardin’ USA!” is a totally entertaining take on surf rock about America’s favorite torture method, that I never would have imagined being as much fun as it is, a seriously goofy-sounding interlude near the middle of the record.

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Gouge Away - Burnt Sugar

Back in 2016, we pretty much went unanimously for Gouge Away’s debut , Dies as the record of the year. We all loved it and I’m not sure any record on our bracket has ever been as universally approved of as that record. So clearly we were all eagerly awaiting any follow up, while watching Gouge Away get bigger and bigger the whole time. Which was great, and it brings us to their latest, released on Deathwish(!), Burnt Sugar.

As a whole, Burnt Sugar doesn’t quite hit as hard as , Dies. It is a more polished record, providing a spotlight to shine in. Gouge Away has refined their sound, one that mixes the callous, chaotic blend of songs like “Bleed” and “Uproar” off that debut with the more intricate arrangement and restraint we saw on last year’s Swallow/Sweat single (neither song shows up on Burnt Sugar by the way). That’s not to imply a mellow quality to Burnt Sugar, as six of the eleven songs here blast by in under two minutes, including the opener, “Only Friend,” which—no surprises here—features vocalist Christina Michelle’s distinctive shout, spitting venom with haunting lines like “Paranoia is here again / She's my only friend.” “Fed Up” has some jaunty melody during the chorus to break up the chaos, while the A side continues with angry numbers such as the outstanding “Hey Mercy” or the barrage of “Subtle Thrill,” with its mid-tempo lurch, closing with the repetitive, gang-vocal-esque chant: “Hurt is a commodity”.

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Goodbye Blue Monday - Misery-Punk Ruined My Life

I had never heard of Goodbye Blue Monday before last week. I saw that Dying Scene was streaming their new EP, Misery​-​Punk Ruined My Life, admittedly an awesome title in its own right. But Goodbye Blue Monday caught my attention, because I can’t just turn down checking out something that is so blatantly Vonnegut inspired. Breakfast of Champions, his 1973 novel about the converging of Kilgore Trout’s outlandish science fiction and the depressed Dwayne Hoover, essentially living the American dream as a car salesman who takes Trout’s word as truth, is subtitled Goodbye Blue Monday. You should probably go read it now if you haven’t; like all Vonnegut novels it is a fast read, and this one is full of pictures too!

So I absolutely had to check out the band Goodbye Blue Monday. And it’s pretty rad too. The music is fast and catchy, but on the heavier side of pop punk. The songs are structured to make you want to sing along, and the lyrics, while deep and intense at times, are easy to sing along to. Hailing from Scotland, they definitely have that sense of self-deprecation found in countrymen the Murderburgers. But I totally hear Off With Their Heads too. When frontman Graham Lough rasps in the chorus of the title track, “Why must I be so miserable? / Why are misery and I inseparable?” not only does he sound like Ryan Young, but it sounds like something Young would sing in any OFTW song as well. And the whole track is so catchy you could be the happiest person in the world and still want to sing along to lines like “How can there be so many good things? / How can none of these good things come to mind?” “Worst in the Morning” has some great lines about procrastination and self-induced isolation that we can all relate to, rolling through a more mid-paced number. “Love is a Noose for Two” is equal parts somber and upbeat as hell, with Lough wondering “There must be more to life than this” regarding the steps we go through as we age (“Get a job, get married / Get a house, reminisce / Have kids, get buried”). Perhaps a thought bouncing around Dwayne Hoover’s mind too.

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Oh My Snare! - Murk Matinal

Tucked in pretty much at the end of 2017 was Murk Matinal, the new release from Montreal’s Oh My Snare! Our friends north of the border hit it out of the park with this one, so much so that we quickly had to find a way to include it on our best of the year bracket (where they unfortunately drew Propagandhi for a first round matchup). But Murk Matinal continues pretty much along the path laid by debut Høyeste Gang: Clever song titles, catchy tunes, thought-provoking lyrics, and a level of musicianship and composition that goes beyond the stereotypical three chord punk rock.

Opener “You Can Always Tell a Milford Man,” with its honest take on self-identification, contains one of my favorite lines on the record, both in its honesty and creativity. “I'm done challenging, I yield / I'm just not the walrus, I'm checking out / To be honest, I'm a wuss / And I'm chickening out, yes I'm chickening out / Could there in parallel dimensions be uncompromising versions of me?” There is a lot of power and emotion in this song, which has fun playing with dynamics, with a number of intense moments rearing their head. The song is an intriguing way to consider the way we think about ourselves and shows that throughout the eleven tracks here we’re in for a journey—yeah, it’s gonna be deep, but it’s gonna kick ass too and leave you with a new sense of empowerment.

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Primordial - Exile Amongst the Ruins

I’ve written about Primordial on here before and I’ll probably be writing about Exile Amongst the Ruins again when Danny and I put together our list of favorite black metal records of the year. So let’s talk some more about how awesome the Dublin act’s kinda-black metal, but also rather unclassifiable, latest record is. Every Primordial record is awesome (if you don’t believe me, check out their Metal Archives page, on which reviews are usually finicky, but are unanimously positive for Primordial) and Exile Amongst the Ruins, their first in four years, definitely follows suit. It is blackened, but the group definitely incorporates Celtic folk metal elements amongst doom metal vibes and post-metal atmospherics to create one of the most distinctive and recognizable metal acts around. There is no mistaking the epic sound of Primordial for anything else.

Look at opener “Nail Their Tongues,” with its transition from doom to the black metal blasts around the four-minute mark, as vocalist A.A. Nemtheanga’s familiar haunting voice gives way to black metal rasps, to its minimalist outro. “To Hell or the Hangman” stands as my favorite and is a straight-up rocker and one of the catchier numbers in the Primordial catalog, with a bit of a post-punk influence. From Nemtheanga’s opening roar, you feel the emotion of every word, a hallmark of his delivery. There are few vocalists, in any genre, who can come close to matching the sincerity present in every line he delivers, with the pain, the bitterness, the anger dripping off every word. The riffing here is hypnotic too, drawing you into the tale of a young Irishman executed by his father for committing murder. “Where Lie the Gods” rocks like an ode to Bathory’s most epic outings, not at all surprising given Nemtheanga’s role in Bathory tribute band Twilight of the Gods. The epic doom vibes present throughout the record also make since with his involvement in Dread Sovereign, who have released two records between Where Greater Men Have Fallen and now.

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The Shell Corporation - Fucked

So I was reading an interview with Slugdge, that rad, slug-inspired death metal band where they put the idea of being fucked into a really nice, cosmic box. Who’s fucked, you may ask? “Not our stupid Western civilization, or our ridiculous notion of our nation state. Our entire species [emphasis theirs].” (It’s a really cool interview that you can read here).

And that totally somewhat-relevant tangent will lead to the latest release from Southern California’s the Shell Corporation, the aptly-titled Fucked and not remotely death metal at all. The Shell Corporation previously jumped onto our radar with 2014’s fantastic Mandrake, which placed, and even won a round, on our yearly bracket. And then I didn’t really hear a whole lot from them for a while. But they have returned triumphant with Fucked, a record that, right from opener “Kumbaya,” makes clear that this is a response to the current time and place – “it hasn’t been like this before”. And for a half-hour, in an extreme blast of melodic, catchy, quick-paced, sing-along pop punk, the Shell Corporation remind us how fucked we are. “Make It Rain” laments our changing climate and the refusal to acknowledge the stark reality that repeatedly keeps hitting us over the head. “Not Funny” echoes this same idea, which is part of what makes being fucked so sad. “Take a selfie as the ship begins to sink / Comment and tweet / while the lifeboats leave / Post memes as we drown and / our lips turn blue.” Pretty accurate assessment.

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Municipal Waste Family Tree

2017 was a busy year for the dudes in Municipal Waste. Not only did it bring the Waste’s latest record, Slime and Punishment, their first in five years, but the side projects were active too. Vocalist Tony Foresta and bassist Land Phil (Hall)’s other crossover behemoth, Iron Reagan, released their third LP in Crossover Ministry, while Hall’s project combining love of weed and Cannibal Corpse, the brilliantly named Cannabis Corpse, unleashed their latest smoke-filled ode, Left Hand Pass. And drummer Dave Witte was a part of River Black’s self-titled debut; essentially a Burnt By The Sun reunion record. So it was a busy year for the Municipal Waste extended family.

Let’s start with the Waste. Slime and Punishment, a brilliant title in its own right, is Municipal Waste’s sixth LP, and you should know what to expect by now. Crossover thrash at a rapid pace, solid riffs, an occasional flashy lead, with Foresta barking humorous lyrics (i.e. “Shrednecks”). None of the fourteen tracks here break the three-minute mark, but compared to Hazardous Mutation or Waste ‘Em All, this record feels slow. Slow being relative, as you’ll never get this confused with a band like Mournful Congregation. Not that the pace is a bad thing though, as it gives the riffs crafted by Ryan Waste and new guitarist Nick Puolos (formerly of Cannabis Corpse) more room to breathe and to shine. Classic crossover riffs are packed into every song here, of which the title track and “Amateur Sketch” are great examples. Particular standouts are found in the more punk-vibe “Dingy Situations,” the rapid-fire attacks of “Enjoy the Night” and “Excessive Celebration,” and the riff-filled “Low Tolerance”. Good to know that after all these years Municipal Waste can still fuck you up.

Listen to Slime and Punishment here.

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Propagandhi - Victory Lap

So I’ve had a couple months and like a hundred listens of Propagandhi’s latest, Victory Lap, to digest their new offering of punk/thrash rippers. And my initial reaction pretty much holds. Victory Lap reminds me a lot of Potemkin City Limits. The pace on both records is similar, both are a little less thrashy — at least compared to Supporting Caste or Failed States — though both still have some fantastic guitar work. Both have some sneaky good songs; you know the kind — songs you always underestimate, but every time you hear them you think to yourself how fucking good it is. And both have those blatant political lyrics and brilliant storytelling that Propagandhi is famous for.

Album opener “Victory Lap” is a perfect distillation of Propagandhi’s sound. Clocking under three minutes, it’s packed full of solid riffs, a fun little pace change in the middle, and Chris Hannah’s distinctive voice delivering biting (and brilliant) lines like “When the free-market / Fundamentalist steps on a roadside bomb outside Kandahar / Bleeding to death / I swear to Ayn Rand / I’ll ask if he needs an invisible hand.” “Cop Just Out of Frame” is one of those sneaky good songs, with some impressive guitar work shadowing Hannah as he waxes poetic about sacrifice (despite their influences, he’s not talking about the band), media misrepresentation, and the power of Quang Duc (who you know from the cover of Rage Against the Machine). “Letter to a Young Anus” is a blazer, probably the heaviest and sonically angriest song on the record, as Propagandhi passes on their wisdom accrued over two decades of activity/activism to a younger scene. “Lower Order (A Good Laugh)” returns animals rights to the scene after a bit of an absence with an autobiographical tale. Though it fails to reach the lofty heights set by “Purina Hall of Fame” or “Human(e) Meat (The Flensing of Sandor Katz),” it still pulls all the emotional punches. “Tartuffle” is a feminist anthem, fitting right in with the growing consciousness of a rape culture, calling out male privilege (while brilliantly/hilariously referencing Less Talk), with the call to arms of “single moms to the front!”

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The Lillingtons - Stella Sapiente

October can be a great time for a record to come out. You’ve been waiting for a good chunk of the year from when it’s announced, so you’re stoked to finally hear it. It’s late in the year, so it’s fresh in our minds when it comes time to start thinking about the bracket. If it’s a grower, that sucks, cause it’s only got a couple of weeks to convince you. But if it’s one of those records that hits you immediately, you’re hooked when it’s time to start thinking about what goes on the bracket.

Such is the case with the Lillingtons first record since 2006, Stella Sapiente. I got into the Lillingtons through their classic – 1999’s Death by Television. We were hanging out in DeKalb somewhere when Henry Brawlins put it on—it had that sci-fi, somewhat spooky vibe, mixed with straight up fun Ramones-core and the distinct voice of Kody Templeman (of Teenage Bottlerocket). I was hooked, but I never really listened to any of their other records all that much. But when they released the first single off Stella Sapiente, “Insect Nightmares,” I knew this was gonna be a good one. There’s an ever more haunting vibe to this record—it just feels so dark, with its mystical lyrics focused on, as Templeman says “secret societies, astrology, and the occult.” But it was “Insect Nightmares,” which I immediately connected to Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, that drew me in. “In the dead of night I’m hiding in my bed / That’s when the bugs come alive creeping through my head / They say it’s just a dream and simply nothing more / But now it’s 2 AM I’m crawling on the floor.” It’s kinda creepy, but it’s incredibly catchy. Fast paced with a little bit of melody, “Insect Nightmares” was the perfect way to tease the new record.

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Wasted Potential - Living Up to the Name

Back in 2014 Wasted Potential released their self-titled EP. It was awesome. It was arguably the best twelve and a half minutes of music in 2014. But Phil wouldn’t let it on the bracket because it’s an EP, and you know, rules and stuff. Whatever, I still made sure to tell you how awesome it was (you can read that review here if you so please). After a couple years, another EP, a pair of splits, and some other random recordings, we now get their debut full length, the cheekily titled, Living Up to the Name. (Wasted Potential. Get it?) Rejoice! It’s time to celebrate, as Living Up to the Name gives us…, uh, almost 19 minutes of music. Well, they’re calling it a full-length, so it’s bracket worthy now.

And Living Up to the Name fucking rips. “Crusades” opens the record up with a bang, has a heavier feel than some of Wasted Potential’s other material, and has a fun woah section as things slow down, before a little bit of shred time. Since their debut EP Wasted Potential has learned that you don’t have to blaze through everything all the time—indeed, none of these songs go under the minute mark. The more mid-paced “Never Asked” totally has a sing-along vibe, and is pretty damn catchy. “East Enders” and especially “Turbo 90s” also hum along at a slower pace. They give the record the chance to breathe, and the transition from the blazers to these more relaxed numbers feels totally natural. None of these songs are longer than three minutes though, so this definitely isn’t going to be mistaken for a drone record. “Jazz Age” feels like one of the most spastic pieces in their catalog, while “Palm Mutes” maintains the breakneck pace from that debut EP. After a slow, heavy riffed build up, “Curt Murder Face Rip” absolutely, uh, rips. Some of these rapid-fire tracks feel heavier than their earlier material, like they’ve figured out the appropriate amount of crunch to put into these songs. Or they’re letting that metal influence creep in a little more. Danny Kidd’s vocals sound harsher and more aggressive here too, spitting a little more hot sauce on their pentagram pizzas. Closer “Weekend at Bernice’s” is one of the catchiest songs they’ve written. In the space of 19 minutes, we get spastic, heavy, and catchy as hell. In short, spinning Living Up to the Name is one of the best ways you can spend 19 minutes. Bravo dudes, looking forward to you getting down to the States one of these days.

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Whelmed - Whelmed

Bloomington is famous for folk punk, thanks to the Ghost Mice/Plan It X history. But with Plan It X calling it quits, it’s about time to recognize some of the other fantastic new music coming out of here. Whelmed’s debut, self-titled EP is a good starting point. Though, to be honest, this isn’t exactly “new” in a sense; 2/3 of Whelmed also play in CTR faves High Dive. But Whelmed is full of 2-3 minute fun, catchy pop punk songs. Nothing groundbreaking, but here are four solid songs that remind you why you listen to this music and why punk is so important.

“Empty Vessel” is a great opening track—simple with a super catchy chorus. It’s the kind of self-reflective punk song that we all need to sing along to when we’re having a rough day or a reminder that we’re all in this together. And goddamn, that chorus just begs you to sing along at the top of your lungs. “Slow Jam” is perfectly named as it is exactly that; a chill, slow-tempo reflective song featuring the brilliant line of “Shut your shit-storm of a mouth / Some silence helps you think.” The last minute picks up the pace, with the hopeful refrain of “Maybe we'll do better next time,” really adding to the reflective nature of the song. “Leech” closes the record out with the shortest song here with another self-reflective pop punk song, reminding us that it’s okay to ask for help when we need it. These are songs that are super easy to connect with; they’re all of the ‘we’re all in this together’ mindset of pop punk. It’s awesome and it’s supportive and it’s uplifting in its own way, especially when you’re afraid to read the news every day (dear god I don’t want to know what Trump did today).

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Torturess - Kiss the Whip

Finding out you work with someone who listens to the same music as you is awesome, especially when it comes to punk or metal. I mean, basically everyone listens to the Beatles, and these days it’s probably easy for people who listen to, let’s say Lady Gaga or Taylor Swift, to find each other within their working environment. But it is so much cooler when it’s something like, “you know Propagandhi?! Hell yeah!” It’s like that Slayer fan, you know. But maybe a little more subtle, like being a part of a secret group. You know about bands/records that are classics, which no one else in the office has ever heard of before.

And that’s how Torturess’ Kiss the Whip came to my attention. I work with bassist/vocalist James, guitarist of hardcore/noise punks Racebannon, who brought a bag of goodies to work one day. As opposed to the spastic hardcore of Racebannon, Torturess is a fuzzed out, sludgy, straight-up rollicking doom band, in the vein of 16, High on Fire, or that Georgia scene that brought out bands like Black Tusk or Kylesa. But with an extra emphasis on the low end. Because while all of those bands have some guitar work, and some pretty damn good stuff, Torturess eschews that classic instrument of rock and roll for another bass. That’s right, Kiss the Whip brings a wallop with a double bass attack. But you don’t miss the guitar; the basses hold down the rhythm and bring some pretty good leads as well, as in opener “Ravenous.” They basically use the bass in the way that most bands would use a guitar, so the songs have that deep, dark sound, without having to tune a guitar way the hell down to B or drop D or whatever.

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Mobina Galore - Feeling Disconnected

Time’s a weird thing. Like how I can cross an imaginary line and all of the sudden, it’s 2 o’clock instead of 3? Or how we just “spring ahead” an hour which has me getting home at 4 in the morning instead of 3. What the hell? Sometimes though, time works out so absolutely perfectly.

It was a Friday when I was talking to Joe Vickers of Audio/Rocketry and he mentioned he was going on a European tour to open for Mobina Galore. The name was familiar, because I remember seeing that they were opening for Against Me! in Palatine. Unfortunately, that show practically down the street from my parents’ house sold out before I could get tickets. The next Monday at work, I check out Mobina Galore’s new record, Feeling Disconnected. Then I spent a good portion of the week listening to both that record, and their 2014 full length debut, Cities Away, unable to shake the impression that they were totally fucking awesome. That weekend I was going to be back in Illinois, and, coincidentally Mobina Galore were playing in Milwaukee on Saturday. In the span of less than a week, I discovered an awesome new band and got to see them live. Making all of this even more perfectly coincidental is that they’re from Winnipeg. What are the odds? Now that’s good timing!

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Crusades - This is a Sickness and Sickness Will End

The third Crusades full length is a little different beast from the ones that preceded it. While previous releases had strong trappings of satanic, atheistic, and anti-deistic imagery, they’ve brought a slightly different vibe on This is a Sickness and Sickness Will End. It is, however, just as dark and foreboding as everything the Ottawa quartet has done up to now. The record revolves around the death of loved ones, a trend we’ve been seeing more of lately (recent releases by Touché Amore and After the Fall come to mind). It’s a topic that is a lot easier to find a relationship with, than say, the life and death of Giordano Bruno, the man who was burned at the stake for vocally and publicly supporting Copernicus’ heliocentric theory and the subject of 2013’s fantastic Perhaps You Deliver this Judgment with Greater Fear than I Receive It.

But it’s not just a lyrical shift that makes This is a Sickness… stand out. There’s a metal influence found in all of Crusades’ music. Previously that’s been rooted in the Mercyful Fate/In Solitude realm, sans the falsetto, but it had that upbeat pace and satanic imagery. There’s some of that here, see opener “1590 (Sickness Never Ceasing),” or “1866 (Porch and Portal),” but you get the feeling they’ve been listening to stuff like Neurosis, post-metal, and maybe a little funeral doom slightly more than the King (Diamond, not Elvis…come on) when composing these songs. “1828 (Father of Waves)” and “1940 (Whirr and Chime)” are both slower paced ballad-eqsue haunts, clocking in over five minutes, while the latter and “1846 (Once Drinking Deep)” feature some haunting keyboards and strings, while songs like “1713 (The Scorching Fevers),” and majestic closer “1657 (Black Curtains Draw)” blend both worlds.

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Petrol Girls - Talk of Violence

So here’s a record that probably should’ve ended up on our end of the year bracket. It’s the day after Christmas, and I’m sitting on the couch in my parents' living room. We’re meeting up to vote on the bracket later that day, so I should be finalizing my list. Instead, I randomly remember this band that I’d been hearing about were supposed to have a record coming out that I wanted to listen to. And so, I play Petrol Girls’ “Restless,” with its bombastic opening line of, “I’ll give you motherfuckers restless.” There’s no turning back now. I’m listening to the whole record in the living room. Sorry, Mom. Bad timing?

Petrol Girls’ Talk of Violence is largely a full-frontal, blazing hardcore attack, with enough melodic noodling and breaks in the pace to make that post- prefix feel appropriate (still don’t get why/how that’s a thing). Lyrically, it’s basically all radical gender politics and feminism. No matter how deep your head is in the ground, you can’t miss it. And it’s fucking awesome. Album opener “False Peace” proudly proclaims that: “We will disturb the false peace / Expose the violence that they / Teach in the way that they designate gender / Code our expression and sexual behavior / We're not a binary.” Along with the aforementioned “Restless” and the explosive “Touch Me Again,” these three songs not only bring the hammer down musically, they are blatant in their feminism. “Touch Me Again" is particularly brilliant. A line like “My liberty my body as the base of my autonomy,” just seems like such a definitive statement. And listen to the end of the song where all the music drops out, the intensity and emotion are simply harrowing. “Treading Water” has all sorts of fun dynamics, with some clean vocals. “Deflate” also has a similar vibe, while “Fang” has more of a rock and roll vibe at times.

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Random Records with Steve O

Gouge Away - ,Dies

,Dies. I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of another record that features a comma in such a significant position. I supposed we could concentrate on it, but after 12 seconds of feedback, you’re immediately distracted by something else. The blazing fury of “Bleed,” the opening, bombastic 35 seconds of ,Dies. Gouge Away have created an incredibly intense and visceral debut record. It’s in your face from the second the feedback gives way and doesn’t let up throughout 13 aggressive and energetic spurts. This is hardcore that veers into the powerviolence and grindcore territories. Yeah, occasionally songs feel different, like the slower, almost muted feel of “Who Needs Language” or the uplifting, almost poppy, vibe of album closer (and longest song) “Wildflowers.” Otherwise, the Gouge Away crew are perfectly adept at holding nothing back in their attempt to annihilate you. Whether it’s the shouts of “Fuck off / Get out / Eat shit” at the end of “Exhibit: Closed” or the lyrical bluntness of “No White Flag,” ,Dies is uncomfortable in the best ways possible.

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Random Records with Steve O: The Falcon - Gather Up The Chaps

If you listened to us discuss the merits of every record on our 2015 Bracket, you heard me mention how I’m not a part of that group that deems everything Jeff Rosenstock does gold. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I fit into a different group, one that seems much more Chicagoan than New York’s Rosenstock. I fall into that demographic that is obsessed with everything Brendan Kelly puts out. The Lawrence Arms were my introduction to Kelly’s gruff voice, his lyrics which masterfully mix crude humor, pop culture, and literature with a somewhat depressing glance at life, and songs that hit hard and fast. But the man keeps busy, writing music or tweeting as a nihilistic fast-food chain (or as his humorous self).

Ten years ago, the Falcon released their first record, Unicornography. And now, here we are with record number two, Gather Up The Chaps. Just a couple of listens to Gather Up The Chaps really makes you wish records like this came out more often. Hopefully it won’t be another ten years til Kelly gets the band back together for another record. This iteration of the Falcon got together to play Red Scare Industries’ 10th Anniversary show back in October 2014. And it went quite well. (I was there and I can attest that it was a great performance.) And so, that team, consisting of Kelly, his Lawrence Arms bandmate Neil Hennessey, Alkaline Trio’s Dan Andriano, and the Loved Ones’ Dave Hause, have put out 2016’s record of the year. That’s right, bracket committee; I’m calling it in April.

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Z is for Zombie Dogs

Zombie Dogs

Self-Released, 2010

We made it. We finally made it! The letter Z was one of the toughest, because there’s not a whole lot of bands that start with the letter (duh). And also because I’m tired of this and I just want to be done. I’ve had it with the alphabet. Damn thing is overrated. Anyways… I’m finishing up with the Brooklyn band Zombie Dogs, who appear to have not existed for at least the past five years. It’s hard to find much info about them. I discovered them on the site Female Fronted Hardcore, which is a great place to discover some awesome new bands, and should give you an insight into Zombie Dogs. By all accounts, they were short lived and only released one record in their time, 2010’s short and sweet, Zombie Dogs.

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Y is for Yankee Brutal

The Everlasting Greed

Dying Scene Records, 2012

So Dying Scene is one of my favorite sites to go for punk news. In addition to being a great site to hear about tours and new bands and other news, they have a digital record label on bandcamp. There’s some good stuff on there, like the new Stray Bullets record, Texas hardcore punks Some Nerve, and New Mexicans Stabbed in Back. But my favorites are Sacramento’s Yankee Brutal. Playing punk rock on the heavier spectrum with some thrashy guitar riffs and pissed off vocals, Yankee Brutal have a political consciousness that hits as heavy as their music. Politically scathing lyrics, lightning quick guitars, some skillful riffs, and lots of whoas, Yankee Brutal remind me a lot of the heavier punk bands like Death by Stereo.

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X is for xTrue Naturex

For the Innocent

Self-Released, 2008

It’s not cheating. The first letter in xTrue Naturex is X, so therefore this is a legitimate entry. The fact that you don’t pronounce it doesn’t disqualify it. It’s not like Tsjuder wouldn’t count for T just because you don’t pronounce the T. (Let this count as the only time Tsjuder will be mentioned with a vegan acoustic project.) So yes, X is oddly stacked thanks to every straight edge band who puts Xs around their names. So thank you for making this letter much easier than it would have been otherwise.

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W is for Worriers

Cruel Optimist

Don Giovanni Records, 2013

Worriers' debut full length Imaginary Life came out last year and did pretty well on our bracket. If it was up to me, that wouldn’t have been their bracket debut. I would’ve given that honor to their 2013 EP Cruel Optimist. But, as you know, EPs don’t count, despite its longer play time than some records that have been on the bracket. I don’t remember how I discovered Worriers, but once I heard Cruel Optimist I was instantly hooked. I loved Lauren Denitzio’s voice, and the heartfelt, sincere lyrics meshed perfectly with the catchy pop punk. I was listening to this record all the time on bandcamp until I finally picked up the vinyl when they played in Chicago in 2014.

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V is for Vreid

Milorg

Indie Recordings, 2009

World War II as a topic has been beaten to death over and over and over again. Having worked at a library, where that particular section is beyond overflowing, and a bookstore, where I was in charge of military history no less, where WWII took up half the section, I feel I can say this with a high degree of confidence. It’s a topic that culturally we’re obsessed with, maybe for that idea of fighting the ultimate bad guy. It hasn’t worked its way into becoming a common lyrical topic for metal bands though (I don’t count NSBM), despite their obsession with violence and gore. Bands like Sabaton, who lyrically take on the whole of military history, or Eastern Front, whose lyrical focus should be somewhat obvious, are nowhere near as common as bands worshipping the lyrical stylings of Cannibal Corpse or Carcass.

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U is for Unleash the Archers

Time Stands Still

Napalm Records, 2015

I was super bummed when 3 Inches of Blood announced they were calling it quits. They were one of my favorite bands, Advance and Vanquish is one of my favorite records of any genre, and they were incredibly nice and cool people. I’ll never forget hanging out with them in the alley behind Bottom Lounge or that time guitarist Justin Hagberg wanted to trade with me for my too small Bathory shirt (regardless of the fact Hagberg is much larger than me). If there is any consolation to found in this vast void, it is the fact there has emerged from their hometown of Vancouver a band that is actually quite similar: Unleash the Archers.

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T is for This is Hell

Sundowning

Trustkill, 2006

Part of the fun of doing the Random Records is getting to go back and revisit records that I haven’t listened to as much recently. Sundowning, the debut record from Long Island’s This is Hell, falls into that category. Way back when this came out in 2006, I loved this record. I was super into hardcore back in high school and This is Hell masterfully straddled the line between viscously heavy and the melodically catchy, punctuated with gang vocals. There’s something about everyone shouting “If the good die young we’ll fucking live forever,” that’s cathartic, whether you’re just hearing it or shouting along at the top of your lungs. Whether you’re into the tough guy stuff or more classic youth crew, there’s something for you here.

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S is for Senmuth

Jurassic

Self-Released, 2014

So I missed yesterday because I went to the Milwaukee Public Museum to see a new special exhibit called Ultimate Dinosaurs, which is all about the dinosaurs of Gondwana, or the continents of the Southern Hemisphere. Those of you that know me are aware of my interest of paleontology, how much I enjoy talking about them, and pointing out all the pop cultures’ botches when it comes to portraying dinosaurs. I never grew up out of that 5-year-old-dinosaur-obssesed-kid stage. So you can imagine how excited I was to stumble upon Senmuth’s Mesozoic trilogy. For the uninformed, the Mesozoic is the Age of Dinosaurs, stretching 186 million years, starting with the greatest extinction event the planet has ever seen (the Permian Extinction) and ending with the most famous, which annihilated the non-avian Dinosaurs (known as the K-Pg, or K-T Extinction).

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R is for Red City Radio

The Dangers of Standing Still

Paper + Plastick, 2011

So it was Change the Rotation’s own Davey who introduced me to Red City Radio in early 2011, probably not long after the release of The Dangers of Standing Still came out. And holy fucking shit! I fell in love with the band and record after that. The vocal combinations of Garrett Dale (the gruff voice) and Paul Pendley (the not-gruff voice) is perfect and the way the songs are written lines up perfectly with the incredible sing-alongs, which are present on every single song. Whether it’s just a bunch of ‘whoas’ or lines like “Together we can burn this fucking city to the ground” off of “Two for Flinching,” these are the kind of songs to sing along with. And when you see them live, you wanna be right up front, screaming at the top of your lungs, fist in the air, and not caring who is sweating on you doing the same thing. Back in 2012, we actually drove down to Bloomington-Normal to see them play at a pizza place. It was as amazing as it sounds.

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Q is for Queen

A Night at the Opera

EMI, 1975

So I was debating what to do for the letter Q. It is far and away the letter with the fewest options. Yeah, there’s the Queers, but I’ve never been huge into them. Queensrÿche had some pretty decent stuff in the 80s. The first few Queens of the Stone Age records are good; I think Songs for the Deaf is a fantastic album. On my iTunes I’ve got a band called Qwertzuiop, an ambient band from Hungary. I could write about them and see if anyone checks out a random ambient noise band. But there really isn’t much choice. As obvious as the answer is, I gotta write about Queen.

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P is for Primordial

To the Nameless Dead

Metal Blade Records, 2007

There’s about 50 seconds of calm, before the storm hits, and A.A. Nemtheanga howls “A cold wind is blowing.” And so begins To the Nameless Dead, just one of the many flat-out fantastic records in the Dublin-based band’s catalog. Primordial have been around long enough and have such a distinct sound that they can be difficult to classify. There’s a definite black metal feel, and Nemtheanga has that blackened rasp down. There’s an epic, doomy feel as well. Excluding instrumental interlude “The Rising Tide,” not one song on To the Nameless Dead is shorter than five minutes. And Nemtheanga’s voice is melodic, yet haunting, enough to sound fit for the genre. In fact, he also sings in the band Dread Sovereign, who have old-school doom down pat. Then there’s the part that falls into folk metal, owing to their homage in their native Ireland in lyrics and melodies. Whatever you want to call them, Primordial are definitely their own, distinct beast. And they know that and they have it perfected.

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O is for Oh My Snare!

Høyeste Gang

Say-10 Records, 2015

Oh My Snare!’s debut Høyeste Gang, not only made the bracket last year, but managed to win a round as well. Høyeste Gang was released in early 2015 and seemingly came out of nowhere (or Montreal). One moment, they were some random band I discovered online, and by the end of the year they released one of my favorite records. And in the sake of full disclosure, I booked them a show in Chicago. I messaged them and about a month later, they were playing in a Chicago basement. It was a great success.

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N is for NOFX

The War on Errorism

Fat Wreck Chords, 2003

I was well aware of NOFX by the time The War on Errorism came out. I had heard some of the more well-known songs, like “Bob,” “Linoleum,” and “Dinosaurs Will Die.” I really enjoyed them, but they never prompted me to dig a whole lot deeper into NOFX’s extensive back catalog. I was building on a foundation of AFI’s heaviness (remember, this was the early 2000s—I started with The Art of Drowning and worked backwards quickly), Anti-Flag’s sharp political commentary, and Alkaline Trio’s heartfelt sincerity. NOFX didn’t really have much of those elements, and I didn’t really get their sense of humor.

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M is for The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

Let’s Face It

Mercury Records, 1997

I am well aware that you and everyone you know—your mom, your neighbors, the people you work with, that weird kid you knew in grade school that had to drink everything out of a crazy straw—has heard “The Impression That I Get.” At least that’s the impression I get. So we’ll get that out of the way first. Yes, it’s a good song, it is extremely catchy, and the Bosstones got huge because of it. Their timing was perfect with punk and ska getting huge in the late 90s. But not only is Let’s Face It full of other great songs, the Bosstones had four records before this that are all equally fantastic. For those who only know of “The Impression That I Get,” they are missing out, not only on the rest of a great record, but also on one of the best ska bands.

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L is for Love and Squalor

New Blood, New Songs

Self-Released, 2007

I discovered Love and Squalor because of Henry Brawlins. More specifically, a Love and Squalor shirt that he had, with an otter or ferret or some other mustelid wearing a top hat and monocle, and holding a jug of booze, as seen in the design on this flyer:

(Side note: remember Ronny’s? That place was great. Anyone know if it’s still an empty building?) So thank you for having a shirt with an awesome design on it. We all have stories like that, I’m sure. It’s safe to say, the music is as awesome as that design. It’s straight up Chicago punk rock, in the same tradition of bands like Naked Raygun, 88 Fingers Louie, Alkaline Trio, and the Lawrence Arms. The songs are Chicago working-class: fast, heartfelt, and they get stuck in your head.

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K is for Korpiklaani

Tales Along This Road

Napalm Records, 2006

Back in my late teens/early twenties, I was really into folk metal. It was like the ska of metal. The music was lots of fun, it was relatively light-hearted and not too serious, it used instruments not traditional to the genre (like strings, flutes, and accordion), and the live shows were full of energy. Korpiklaani, which translates to “Clan of the Wilderness,” is near the top of the genre. The music is fast, fun, and full of energy. There was a seriousness in the sense of incorporating Finnish folklore into the lyrics, but at the same time, when a band has lines like “Beer, beer! / I want beer, from beer I get really drunk,” in the aptly named “Beer Beer,” it’s clear they are having some fun with their music too.

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J is for Joe Vickers

Valley Home

Self-Released, 2011

I used my ‘A’ on Against All Authority, which was a good choice, but it means that I didn’t get to highlight Audio/Rocketry. Audio/Rocketry are one of my favorite folk punk bands, writing catchy sing-alongs about music, friends, and travelling over three full lengths between 2009 and 2011. They haven’t been as active lately, which is a shame, but that’s been mitigated a bit by frontman and bandleader Joe Vickers’ solo output.

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I is for Ignite

A Place Called Home

TVT Records, 2000

My introduction to Orange County’s Ignite was in 2006 or 2007, when I saw them play with Comeback Kid back at the old Clearwater Theater. I was previously unfamiliar with them, which comes as a real shock, cause I was really into hardcore in high school. Ignite play that melodic hardcore, nothing metallic here, full of sing-alongs and uplifting, call to action, lyrics. You might be familiar with them due to frontman Zoli Téglás' brief run with Pennywise (he recorded one album, 2012’s All or Nothing with them.) Ignite hasn’t been a very prolific band. Their newest record, A War Against You, was just released last month, a full decade after Our Darkest Days, which came six years after A Place Called Home. So if you’re keeping score at home, that’s three full lengths in sixteen years.

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H is for Hoth

Infinite Darkness

Self-Released, 2012

I missed the golden opportunity of writing about this record back in December, when it would have been posted in conjunction with The Force Awakens. Alas, that thought never entered my mind back then. Instead, I’m taking the opportunity to write about it now, when there is no snow on the ground and it is decidedly un-Hoth like outside. Poor planning part two!

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G is for Guerilla Poubelle

Amor Fati

Guerilla Asso, 2013

Fast paced, gruff vocals, and catchy as hell pop punk is a worldwide phenomenon. There are a lot of great bands playing this kind of music, and too often the international bands tend to get overlooked in favor of the bands playing down the street. This is not to disparage the local bands, and by all means, please go support your local bands, but since there are bands playing in Europe, or Asia, or Australia that rarely make it over here to play live, we tend to either not be aware of or pay the attention to some of these bands that they deserve. Guerilla Poubelle fall into that category. These Parisians put out their first record in 2005, but I had never heard of them until 2014, when I saw them play with Arms Aloft. Using borrowed gear, since the U.S. customs wouldn’t let them bring anything into the country, Guerilla Poubelle played a fast, tight, catchy set, of gruff pop punk (orgcore if you recognize that as a genre) and definitely left their mark as a band I needed to check out.

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F is for Fucking Invincible

It’ll Get Worse Before It Gets Better

Atomic Action Records, 2014

Fucking Invincible. The name conjures forth an intensity and strength that cannot easily be matched. And so it is with Providence’s Fucking Invincible. Featuring members of Dropdead and Daughters, this is furious grinding powerviolence at a breakneck pace. It’ll Get Worse Before It Gets Better is the debut full length from Fucking Invincible, though flying through fourteen songs in fourteen minutes it barely qualifies as a full length record. That didn’t stop me from giving them a spot on 2014’s bracket, where they, perhaps not surprisingly, didn’t do too well. It’s angry and uncomfortable, an attribute that Fucking Invincible have on all their records. Just look at the title, or of their newest seven inch: I Hate Myself and Want You To Die. There is no happiness, no peace, no calm here. Just rage and vitriol, and a violent, intimidating, brutal grindcore.

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If you listened in on our 2015 Bracket discussion, brought to you by Brown Bear on the Air (http://brownbearontheair.blogspot.com/2016/01/change-rotation-guest-episode.html), you heard me proclaim the February Alphabet of Random Records. Not one of my brightest ideas, but I’m on record of saying it, so I’m stuck.

So, without further ado…

E is for Empyrium

Weiland

Prophecy Productions, 2002

We’ve seen a lot of heavy and chaotic stuff lately, and we will again soon, so let’s take a short, nice, relaxing breather here with Empyrium. The German band started as doom metallers who had a touch for the symphonic and a deep interest in folk music. There are songs on their debut, A Wintersunset…, that are just dripping in symphonic doom, slow and melancholy. They kept getting moodier, resulting in the neofolk record Where at Night the Wood Grouse Plays. This was followed by digging deeper into their roots, with the masterful Weiland, a 50-minute neofolk masterpiece, sung entirely in German, and the pinnacle of Empyrium’s career. For the unfamiliar, neofolk is darker than folk music, and often brings in more orchestral instruments. A lot of the imagery focuses on paganism, or, as in the case with Empyirum, nature.

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If you listened in on our 2015 Bracket discussion, brought to you by Brown Bear on the Air (http://brownbearontheair.blogspot.com/2016/01/change-rotation-guest-episode.html), you heard me proclaim the February Alphabet of Random Records. Not one of my brightest ideas, but I’m on record of saying it, so I’m stuck.

So, without further ado…

D is for Direwolves

Aegri Somnia

Throatruiner Records, 2013

Part of the fun of Random Records is picking out bands that I don’t think any of my friends know. Sometimes it’s a miss and no one cares about it. Other times, it ends up being a hit. Look at the success Caves had in the 2013 bracket for an example of that. France’s Direwolves is another one of these bands who I have to shine the spotlight on. I don’t quite remember how I discovered Direwolves, but wherever it was, it was the name that drew me in. Dire wolves are more widely known now thanks to Game of Thrones, but my interest in looking into the band was born entirely of my paleontological obsessions. The dire wolf, or Canis dirus, was a large species of wolf that flourished during the ice age and is famous for its obscene numbers at the La Brea tar pits in California, where specimens represent over 4,000 individuals. The pack hunters were major carnivores during this era of megafauna, going extinct along with the rest of them around 10,000 years ago.

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If you listened in on our 2015 Bracket discussion, brought to you by Brown Bear on the Air (http://brownbearontheair.blogspot.com/2016/01/change-rotation-guest-episode.html), you heard me proclaim the February Alphabet of Random Records. Not one of my brightest ideas, but I’m on record of saying it, so I’m stuck.

So, without further ado…

C is for Crusades

Perhaps You Deliver this Judgement with Greater Fear than I Receive It

No Idea Records, 2013

If you have been paying close attention, you’ll know that this record earned a spot on our initial bracket back in 2013. If you’ve been paying really close attention, you’ll know that members of the Ottawa (that’s Canada, eh) quartet haven’t been resting at all. In fact, they’ve been busy enough to earn a spot on both the 2014 and 2015 brackets with the Creeps and Black Tower, respectively. Now all three of those bracket spots were filled by my votes, so that gives you an idea of what I think of the work of Skottie Lobotomy (who appears on all three), Dave Williams, and Jordan Bell (two each) and company.

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If you listened in on our 2015 Bracket discussion, brought to you by Brown Bear on the Air (http://brownbearontheair.blogspot.com/2016/01/change-rotation-guest-episode.html), you heard me proclaim the February Alphabet of Random Records. Not one of my brightest ideas, but I’m on record of saying it, so I’m stuck.

So, without further ado…

B is for Bones Brigade

I Hate Myself When I’m Not Skateboarding

Fight Fire With Fire Records, 2003

Everything about this record should make it abundantly clear that Bones Brigade are a skate punk band steeped in glory days of the 80s. The band name, the record title, the record cover, songs like “Skate or Die” or “Trashin’ USA” just scream crossover skatecore, similar to bands like ANS or S.T.R.E.E.T.S. For your information, the Bones Brigade was a skateboarding team back in the 80s, featuring names you’ll know such as Tony Hawk, Rodney Mullen, Steve Caballero, and Mike Valley. Merging hardcore and thrash and blazing through 13 songs in 18 minutes, Bones Brigade do indeed, “All Go No Slow.”

Read more here

If you listened in on our 2015 Bracket discussion, brought to you by Brown Bear on the Air (http://brownbearontheair.blogspot.com/2016/01/change-rotation-guest-episode.html), you heard me proclaim the February Alphabet of Random Records. Not one of my brightest ideas, but I’m on record of saying it, so I’m stuck.

So, without further ado…

A is for Against All Authority

The Restoration of Chaos and Order

Hopeless Records, 2006

I’m sure I’ll get some shit for this, but The Restoration of Chaos and Order might be my favorite Against All Authority record. This should not be a statement against any of their other fantastic records. Seriously, the preceding three (1996’s Destroy What Destroys You, 1998’s All Fall Down, and 2000’s 24 Hour Roadside Resistance) are incredible records that you should listen to. And then listen to them again. The Miami-area band combines ska and hardcore punk with lyrical skill akin to bands like Dead Kennedys and Propagandhi to craft some excellent songs with some strong messages. And there’s something about the songs on The Restoration of Chaos and Order that keep me coming back to this incredible record.

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Random Records with Steve O

Wombat In Combat - The Bro Show

A long, long time ago, when I was either still in high school or shortly out of it, I stumbled across a band with an amazing name and only 4 songs to their credit: the brilliantly titled Wombat in Combat. A name like that simply implores you to check out their music. It’s like Shark in the Park, or Bear-thing in a Boxing Ring, or Hippopotamus in … yeah, guess I backed myself into a corner with that one. Anyways, the name was intriguing enough to warrant giving them a listen. And if memory serves, they had some sort of connection to the Leftöver Crack / crackrock steady / Tompkins Park scene in those late 2000s. It was probably through browsing those highly intertwined bands that all seemed to have some lineage back to Choking Victim that the name Wombat in Combat popped up. And you cannot pass up an opportunity to listen to band with a name like that.

And the music verified that decision. With only 4 songs and 11 and a half minutes on their only recording (at least to my knowledge), The Bro Show, Wombat in Combat show quite a diversity given the short play time. (Look close at the wombat on the cover. It has a 666 on its forehead). “A.I.T.” is a minute-long, frenzied hardcore blast about AIT: Arizona Iced Tea. “Jump Jim Crow” alternates from a chaotic chorus to something akin to a southern twang during the verses. “Live by the Bike” maintains this chaos, while closer “My Bike Lock” is a chill closer, with a ska punk feel. Both extol bike riding and villainize driving cars.

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Random Records with Steve O

Cobra Skulls - American Rubicon

So I’ll admit it, I was a little late getting into Cobra Skulls. I remember friends trying to talk me into going to see them, being a little baffled that I didn’t really listen to them. “I’m surprised you don’t like them,” I remember being told. It even took a while after seeing Cobra Skulls live before I got hooked in. And it was largely due to their second record, 2009’s American Rubicon.

After the slow delay of “Time and Pressure,” we come upon a stretch of smart, quick, and catchy songs that highlight the lyrical skills of frontman Devin Peralta. “There’s a Skeleton in my Military Industrial Closet” explores the big business that is the modern military-industrial complex; “Muniphobia” is a minute-long blast about public transportation, done Dead Kennedys style; while “Overpopulated” is a ska-style jam about, obviously, population pressure. In the second half of the record, we get “Bad Apples,” calling out the violent, hardline, straight edge scene, opening with the brilliant, not-so-subtle lines “I don’t think that Ian / Would approve of what I’m seeing / The substance you abuse / I call another human being.” And despite all the serious political messages bandied about, there’s still a sense of humor here. Example A, the title of the instrumental track in the middle of the record: “I Used to Like Them When they put ‘Cobra’ in the Titles,” referencing debut record Sitting Army, in which the word “cobra” is in every song title.

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Random Records with Steve O

Cattle Decapitation - The Anthropocene Extinction

The Anthropocene. As a geological epoch, I’m rather hesitant and skeptical. As a method to explain the damage humans are doing to the environment on such an extreme and planetary scale, I think it’s a useful tool. Anthropocene Extinction sounds much more menacing than the Holocene Extinction (many will recognize the prefix anthro-, few can tell you what holo- means) and the Sixth Extinction doesn’t have the same vibe because, well, five other ones came first. And if you know one, it’s the K-T (or K-PG), the one that wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs. (Side note, that one was nothing compared to the Permian Extinction, the one which led the way to the dinosaurs, and proceeded to wipe out over 90% of the species on the planet in the process).

The Anthropocene Extinction, the newest record by death metal/grindcore, pro-animal rights band Cattle Decapitation is the very menacing soundtrack to the dire situation with the planetary ecosystem. Opening track “Manufactured Extinct” spends about a minute building up, like the slow process of Homo sapiens diverging from their chimp-like ancestors. When Travis Ryan’s vocals kick in, it’s at a steady death metal pace, perhaps comparable to the slow but steady expansion of Homo erectus like peoples across the Old World, their technology moving at the slow rate of taking a million years to strike both sides of a stone to create a sharpened edge. When Ryan grunts out “Technology defines the ages,” we’ve reached the emergence of our own species. (Phil, can I have a column about paleontology/geology/evolutionary biology?) The lull after that is Homo sapiens going through a bottleneck, the one that reduced our genetic diversity and nearly led to our extinction. Then the blast of an exceedingly fast shift, from agriculture, to the Industrial Revolution, to today; the merest of fractions of a second in the grand sense of geologic time.

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Random Records with Steve O

Black Tower - The Secret Fire

So you’re all familiar with the band Crusades, right? Their last record, Perhaps You Deliver this Judgement with Greater Fear than I Receive It, earned a place on our initial Best of the Year Bracket. Brilliant atheistic tomes, repeated enough that it was impossible they would not be stuck in your head, with some of the most recognizable vocals in punk. It should come as no surprise then, that some of the same individuals responsible for those vocals showed up again the following year, placing the Creeps record, Eulogies, into our Bracket. So, that brings us to this year. Let’s make it a hat trick for these Ottawa natives.

Skottie Lobotomy, present on both Crusades and the Creeps, brings fellow Crusades member Dave Williams into this year’s entry, Black Tower and their debut record The Secret Fire. Joining them is the forceful and dominant voice of Erin Ewing, who also played with Lobotomy in the Visitors. Her voice carries the lead here; with her melodic tones meshing well with Lobotomy’s distinctive timbre. But her varied vocal cords command this record in its darker, heavier, and more evil sounding moments as well. She veers into black metal-esque shrieks masterfully, demanding your undivided attention, to hear of the horrors she has to tell us. “Unquiet souls trapped in the black / A call from the dark; they’ve broken the pact.” Dark stuff indeed.

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Random Records with Steve O

Casey Jones - The Few, The Proud, The Crucial

If I was born about 20 years earlier, and in D.C., I would’ve been one of those kids X’ing up and going to every Minor Threat show. As it happens, I discovered Minor Threat around the time their Discography was re-released, in 2003. But as profound of an impact as Minor Threat had on me, and let’s not mince words, there are very, very few bands that can be spoken in the same breath as them in terms of influencing my life, they were old. And a SteveO starting high school wanted something current. Yeah, you had the straight edge back in ’81, I’ve got it now, but does anyone else? Or I am just wanting to live in the past, identifying with something that doesn’t really exist anymore?

But then, lo and behold, I discovered, around that same time, Casey Jones. Blatant and unapologetically straight edge. Their debut, The Few, The Proud, The Crucial, was released back in 2003, and probably showed up on my radar because it featured members of Evergreen Terrace, chief amongst them Josh James (currently plying his trade in Stick To Your Guns,) who traded in his guitar for the microphone. Featuring short songs that barely push two minutes, with plenty of gang vocals and sound clips (the Family Guy ones date the record today) interspersed among songs like “Know This X” and “If You’re Smoking In Here You Better Be On Fire,” Casey Jones were the modern Minor Threat I was looking for. Every one of their three records features some variation of the “I am proud to be drug free” line. Mixed with a slight sense of humor amongst the seriousness, (you know what you’re getting into with a song called “Dead Kid? Try A Nice Memorial Tattoo,”) Casey Jones were the Minor Threat for me to grow up with, along with the likes of Bane and Champion.

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Random Records with Steve O

Wasted Potential - Wasted Potential

So when Phil said that it was time to start compiling our lists for the Best of the Year Bracket he laid down one ground rule: no EPs. Seems like a good call; after all, how can you compare a short 7 inch to one of those packed longer players? Well, I have to take issue with it this time. It has cost one of my favorite pieces of recorded music from this year its place on the bracket: the debut, self-titled 7 inch from London, Ontario’s Wasted Potential.

With 8 songs in 12 minutes, it doesn’t take long to give this record a spin (and the vinyl edition omits the last two tracks). And many a spin I have given it. In addition to being one of my favorite records this year, it is easily one of the most listened to records of the year as well. Legitimate competition with Against Me! and the Lawrence Arms. And in those 12 minutes, there is no let up, at all. All go, no slow. Fast paced, not powerviolence fast, but old school hardcore punk fast. Their Facebook lists the band members as “dudes,” and two of those dudes sure can fucking shred. In addition to being super-fast, the songs are laced with some fantastic guitar leads, weaving in and out of the main riffs. And from the opening scream on “Two Pumps and a Quiver,” you’re going to want to sing along too. There’s even the classic “woahs” for when you realize the vocals go by too quickly to catch all the words. On the whole, Wasted Potential is fast and catchy, a perfect combination.

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Random Records with Steve O

Fall of Efrafa - Owsla

So this could be the nerdiest random record post ever. Why so you ask? What’s so nerdy about a crushing, doomy, epic crust band with a funny name? Well, let’s examine that funny name. Fall of Efrafa. Any guesses what Efrafa is? Hint: it’s a literary reference. From Richard Adams’ fantastic Watership Down, Efrafa is the warren (home territory) of a police state run by a violent, dictatorial rabbit. Yes, that’s right, rabbit. As in what’s up doc. Fall of Efrafa existed for three records (and a couple other songs); a trilogy that is loosely based on Watership Down and its mythology, while also channeling their own political critiques, into a metaphorical storyline. The three records are a continuation of the same story; running in reverse order, i.e. their first record, Owsla is the end of the cycle. The records show a progression, as the finale (and story-starter), Inlé, leaves out much of the crusty, d-beat influences in favor of a slower, gloomier, doom and post-metal (how can you be post- something that isn’t time?) vibe.

Owsla, while being the end of the storyline, is Fall of Efrafa’s debut record, released back in 2006. Owsla is one of the words Adams invented for his novel, and refers to the strongest rabbits in the group, who form a sort of police/security force for the head rabbit. In the novel, the Owsla of Efrafa forms what is essentially a paramilitary unit, keeping strict control over their own group and violently forcing any encountered outsiders to join or die. I’m not making this up, honestly.

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Random Records with Steve O

Kid Dynamite

You like Kid Dynamite, right? Of course you do, that was a dumb question. As one of the best and most influential hardcore bands in recent times (a great tribute record can be found here, Kid Dynamite crafted a sound of their own. And when you’ve worn out their too short discography and want to listen to something else (wait… that happens?), check out some of these similar bands.

Brutal Youth

Gotta start with the best, right? Honestly, Brutal Youth probably deserve their own Random Record instead of sharing with these other bands, but they fit the theme wonderfully. Short, fast, to the point, and energetic as fuck, these Canadians are right at the top of the best hardcore bands today. They’re fantastic live, with singer Patty running all over the place, and they’re super nice people too. 2013’s Stay Honest earned its place in our Best of the Year Bracket. Give it a listen here.

Highlight(s): “xPiss&Winex” and “Albatross”. Songs about friends and one of the best articulations about being straight edge (and not having m/any straight edge friends – something Patty and me share) that I have ever heard. If these songs don’t get your toe tapping or bring a smile to your face, check your pulse, you might not be alive.

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Random Records with Steve O

Ramshackle Glory - Live the Dream

So two of the Change the Rotation team (Davey and myself), will be at Plan-It-X Fest in Bloomington, IN this weekend. To celebrate there’s three Random Records, highlighting one of the bands playing each night. In addition to placing the spotlight on some great folk punk records, it’ll be a three day story of my relationship to the genre, through three of the more influential acts. So check in throughout the weekend for some good music (definitely) and good reading (hopefully).

While Ramshackle Glory is a newer band than both Ghost Mice and Andrew Jackson Jihad, its origins lay in Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains, who, much like Ghost Mice and Andrew Jackson Jihad have laid much of the foundation for folk punk today. Johnny Hobo led to Wingnut Dishwashers Union, which in turn led to Ramshackle Glory. The constant throughout was the voice: Pat “the Bunny” Schneeweis. Both Johnny Hobo and Wingnut had a sense of nihilism, self-destruction, and despair. While I really enjoyed it for a period of time (say, 2007-2009), it got old. Ramshackle Glory brings a completely new feel. Instead of despair there is hope, instead of nihilism there is a sense of wonder and acceptance with the world.

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Random Records with Steve O

Andrew Jackson Jihad - People that Can Eat People are the Luckiest People in the World

So two of the Change the Rotation team (Davey and myself), will be at Plan-It-X Fest in Bloomington, IN this weekend. To celebrate there’s three Random Records, highlighting one of the bands playing each night. In addition to placing the spotlight on some great folk punk records, it’ll be a three day story of my relationship to the genre, through three of the more influential acts. So check in throughout the weekend for some good music (definitely) and good reading (hopefully).

Where to start with this one… I guess let’s start with the name: People that can Eat People are the Luckiest People in the World. Interesting, eh? It just so happens to be a Kurt Vonnegut reference. Well now that we’re talking about awesome things, let’s talk about the awesome music contained on People that can Eat People… The root of Andrew Jackson Jihad is Ben Gallaty on upright bass and Sean Bonnette on acoustic guitar and together, along with a cast of additional characters, they play sad songs sung happily. Look at the opener “Rejoice” for example. “Rejoice despite the fact this world will year you to shreds.” Yeah, that’s uplifting. Or how about their derivation on Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson”? “In fucking fact, Mrs. Robinson, the world won’t care whether you live or die. In fucking fact, Mrs. Robinson, they probably hate to see your stupid face.” But they aren’t sung with any hint of despair or depression. And the simplicity with which the songs are played and the slight lunacy in the lyrics gets them stuck in your head.

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Random Records with Steve O

Ghost Mice- The Debt of the Dead

So two of the Change the Rotation team (Davey and myself), will be at Plan-It-X Fest in Bloomington, IN this weekend. To celebrate there’s three Random Records, highlighting one of the bands playing each night. In addition to placing the spotlight on some great folk punk records, it’ll be a three day story of my relationship to the genre, through three of the more influential acts. So check in throughout the weekend for some good music (definitely) and good reading (hopefully).

We wouldn’t be here without Ghost Mice. Besides the obvious fact of Chris Clavin running Plan-It-X Records and curating Plan-It-X Fest, Ghost Mice are one of the bands who can claim to have a hand in starting modern folk punk as we know it. For many, it was likely 2004’s The Debt of the Dead that served as their introduction, both to Ghost Mice and possibly folk punk in general. (Their split with Saw Wheel served as my introduction to both. While originally released in 2003, I stumbled upon it probably sometime in 2006.) The Debt of the Dead is classic Ghost Mice, with live staples such as “Figure 8” and “Up the Punks,” underappreciated and uplifting songs such as “The Road Goes on Forever” and “Alas Babylon,” and an awesome cover of the Smiths “There is a Light That Never Goes Out.” Like most Ghost Mice records, the booklet is full of Chris Clavin’s distinctive art and handwritten notes describing each song.

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Random Records with Steve O

Propagandhi - Today's Empires, Tomorrow's Ashes

So I’ve been all over the place here lately, what with the 5-records-guess-the-connection thing and playing the classical music card (you gotta admit though, Seasons was pretty appropriate). Well, now let’s get back to the regular programming. With a band of vegans, singing about radical politics, and mixing punk and metal. Oh, and they’re huge hockey fans. Not sure if there’s a band I’d want to hang out with any more than the almighty Propagandhi.

Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes, released in 2001, was Propagandhi’s transition album. The preceding ones were heavily borrowing the NOFX punk rock formula. From this point on there were more and more metal influences, particularly thrash elements (just check out some of the guitar work on Supporting Caste for proof). Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes documents that shift. Songs such as “Fuck the Border” and “New Homes for Idle Hands” highlight the hardcore elements, songs like “Today’s Empire, Tomorrow’s Ashes” and “Natural Disasters” contain a modern punk vibe, while the fantastic album closer, “Purina Hall of Fame,” displays the technical guitar work that would appear on later records.

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Random Records with Steve O

Antonio Vivaldi - The Four Seasons

Wait a minute, this isn’t punk rock! Well, thank you Captain Obvious. Did you know the first hominin-made tools are from around 2.5 million years ago? They were rocks with one side stuck to create an edge. It took about a million years for someone to turn the rock over and hit the other side, creating a bi-facial tool. A million years. Think about that. I think you’re needed back there Captain Obvious.

[Captain Obvious walks off, dejected, to his time machine.]

But I digress. Antonio Vivaldi is probably most well-known for this work, The Four Seasons. You probably know some of these melodies without realizing it. Melodies in the first movements of “Spring” and “Winter” are some of those classical melodies that are known in popular culture for some reason or another, kind of like Beethoven’s Ode to Joy or Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King. You know it without knowing you know it. How’s that for mind bending?

Anyways, I highlight The Four Seasons because it’s the time of year where you can get weather that feels like all four seasons. Last week I went out wearing my winter coat. Today I went for a bike ride wearing shorts. The weather is unpredictable. So Vivaldi gives us a feeling for all four seasons. From the uplifting spirit of “Spring” to the melancholy of “Winter”, this has it all. “Summer” has those relaxing moments where you’re just lounging around followed by sudden bombasts (like at the very end of the first movement), just like an arriving afternoon thunderstorm.

And that’s one of the coolest things about classical music. The dynamics. It can get so soft and calm you have to turn the speakers way up to hear it, and a split second later it can be so overwhelmingly loud, that you rush back to those same speakers to turn it down. It’s dynamic element, those sudden bombasts of noise and furor are just like punk music. Just listen to Night on Bald Mountain (also known as the best part of Fantasia) or anything by Wagner (Kill the Wabbit anyone?) for proof. Captain Obvious might have missed that. But Captain Subtle Observation sure caught it.

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Steve O - February 14, 2014

So we’re gonna try something a little different for Random Records this time. Five records that sound nothing alike, but there’s something connecting all of them. See if you can figure out what it is.

In 2012, during the same weekend NATO was in Chicago, so was Nasum. One of those things is awesome, the other… well, not so much. Quite obviously, Nasum is the one that falls into the awesome category. They also fall into the list of bands I never thought I would get to see live, with founding member Mieszko Talarczyk passing away in the tsunami of 2004. But 2012 brought them on a short tour with Rotten Sound’s Keijo Niinimaa handling vocals.

Steve O - February 13, 2014

So we’re gonna try something a little different for Random Records this time. Five records that sound nothing alike, but there’s something connecting all of them. See if you can figure out what it is.

This is the second live record on this list. Both are from highly influential musicians, but on quite different levels. Regardless of that, Mayhem had as much to do with the rise of black metal as Pete Seeger did with folk music. This was one of the few records to feature the legendary Dead (a.k.a. Per Yngve Ohlin) on vocals.

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Steve O - February 12, 2014

So we’re gonna try something a little different for Random Records this time. Five records that sound nothing alike, but there’s something connecting all of them. See if you can figure out what it is.

After leaving Black Sabbath after two albums, Ronnie James Dio started his own band, giving a new outlet for his distinct voice and mythical storylines. Holy Diver, in 1983, was the debut, and probably receives little debate for being the best Dio record (though “Last in Line” deserves a mention). I think it's hands down the best, and might be Ronnie James Dio’s best (though Heaven and Hell, his debut with Black Sabbath, and Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow are both amazing records).

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Steve O - February 11, 2014

So we’re gonna try something a little different for Random Records this time. Five records that sound nothing alike, but there’s something connecting all of them. See if you can figure out what it is.

I love Queen. They wrote some awesome songs and Freddie Mercury was a great vocalist. And guitarist Brain May is an astrophysicist. How fucking cool is that? Queen had a huge influence on a lot of genres, one of which was giving metal an alternative to blues based guitar structure. And their 1973 self-titled debut was where all of that started.

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Steve O - February 10, 2014

So we’re gonna try something a little different for Random Records this time. Five records that sound nothing alike, but there’s something connecting all of them. See if you can figure out what it is.

So I found out Pete Seeger died, at 94, in quite a shitty way. I made a rare trip onto Facebook, to send a friend a couple questions for my thesis. The first thing I see? A Pete Seeger memorial post that Davey made. I found out that Lou Reed died in a similar way. Now you know why I rarely ever go on Facebook.

Anyways… Pete Seeger was a phenomenal musician who had some wonderful things to say. There is nothing that I’ll write here that is better than the memorial Davey has written. So let’s talk about Seeger’s 1963 live album, We Shall Overcome, recorded live at Carnegie Hall.

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Random Records with Steve O

Boysetsfire - While a Nation Sleeps...

So the other night Change the Rotation voted on the best records of the year. We had a bracket with 32 contenders, randomly arranged. This resulted in some interesting matchups and some early outs for a few heavy hitters. The biggest upset? (Well, it upset me at least.) Boysetsfire’s new record falling to Stomp, the new Big D & the Kids Table record.

While a Nation Sleeps… is the first record from the reformed Boysetsfire since 2006’s The Misery Index: Notes from the Plague Years. I had the privilege to see them in April 2013 in a small bar in Newburgh, NY. This was the only time I’ve ever met anyone else that liked this band, something I never understood.

At their roots, Boysetsfire are a melodic hardcore band. However, their sound ranges from raging blasts like “Everything Went Black” and “Far From Over” to melodic sing-alongs like “Never Said” and “Closure.” Lyrically, BSF cover radical politics (“The system’s dead and we spit on the grave / Let it fucking rot until nothing remains” – from “Until Nothing Remains”), though with a touch of hope, as illustrated by songs like “Reason to Believe” and “Never Said.” Adding to the songs are sound-clips of Charlie Chaplin’s phenomenal speech from The Great Dictator. They provide interesting transitions, especially since the sound-clips are not arranged in the order of the speech.

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Random Records with Steve O

Good Riddance - Operation Phoenix

So I think of Good Riddance as one of those legendary 90s, Fat Wreck bands. And yes, I’ll admit the fact that singer Russ Rankin is vegan, straight edge, and a huge hockey fan might have something to do with why I love this band. Now that that’s out of the way, they were doing the political, melodic hardcore thing years before Rise Against got huge doing the same thing. They were prolific, releasing 7 records in 11 years. They broke up in 2007, but reformed in 2012 playing the occasional show. 1999’s Operation Phoenix stands as my favorite of their releases. It has blazing political songs like “Indoctrination”, “Shit-Talking Capitalists”, and “Winning the Hearts and Minds” along with more melodic numbers like “Letters Home” and “The Hardest Part”. The longest song, “Article IV” peaks at 3 minutes, but it sandwiched with sound-clips, giving it some extra length. The record is full of sound-clips, which personally I’m a big fan of, adding a different feeling to the songs. It also has a sweet cover of Black Flag’s “My War.” Check out Operation Phoenix in full.

Random Records with Steve O

Hanson Brothers - Sudden Death

In honor of the start of the NHL season this week, Random Records is all about hockey. Which means the Hanson Brothers! Now would be a good time to mention that if you haven’t seen the movie Slapshot, drop what you are doing right now and go watch it. The Hanson Brothers obviously take their name from that movie. It’s the side project of the guys from Nomeansno, playing Ramones-core all about hockey and beer. Sudden Death was their second record, released in 1996.

It should be pretty obvious what kind of music you’ll find on Sudden Death. While Nomeansno tend to have rather intellectual songs, the Hanson Brothers are juvenile. Musically, they sound like every Ramones-core band. Lyrically, it’s beer, girls and hockey. The best part of the Hanson Brothers is all the hockey references. Sudden Death features songs like “Stick Boy,” “Third Man In,” “Rink Rat,” “Danielle (She Don’t Care About Hockey),” “He Looked a lot Like Tiger Williams” and their version of “The Hockey Song” (see below). Yeah, hockey’s great.

Random Records with Steve O

The Sainte Catherines - Fire Works

So the next Random Record is the last one released by Montreal’s the Sainte Catherines. Fire Works was released in 2010, while the Sainte Catherines called it quits in 2012. Their full length prior to this one, was 2006’s Dancing For Decadence, released on Fat Wreck Chords. I stumbled across it at Record Breakers, before they moved to the city, I thought it looked cool and the fact that it was released by Fat Wreck was all the convincing I needed. That ended up being a great decision, as Dancing For Decadence is fucking amazing and definitely one of my favorite records of any genre. But I’m not gonna rave about that record here. I’m gonna talk about the follow up, which I had huge expectations for…

…Only to be let down. I was totally bummed the first time I heard Fire Works. Dancing For Decadence was this blazing fast, catchy punk record. Fire Works slowed down and didn’t seem very catchy. Yeah, there were some good songs and it has Hugo Mudie’s awesome gravel voice, but it wasn’t like Dancing For Decadence, which didn’t have a bad song on it. But I persisted and kept giving another try after another try. And it took a while, but I came to love Fire Works for what it was. Some of the songs on here have become my favorite Sainte Catherines songs (i.e. “No Friends,” “Reinventing Ron Hextall (I Don’t Wanna Say Goodbye),” and “D’You Guys Wanna Fuckin’ Party After This? No.”). They seem much more heartfelt, more meaningful, more sincere. More hockey references! Both of these are records I still listen to regularly.

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Random Records with Steve O

Antillectual - Perspectives & Objectives

So Phil had told me he was starting up his music blog again and asked if I wanted to contribute to it. And I’ve finally come up with a worthwhile way to participate. Random Records with SteveO! I’ve got more music on my computer than I know what to do with and I seem to spend a good amount of time listening to it. The point is to highlight a record or band you might not be very familiar with (or even know at all) and just have a short write-up about them. Who knows, maybe you’ll find your new favorite band.

So for the initial Random Records… I bring you Perspectives & Objectives, released just last month by the Dutch band Antillectual. I saw these guys last year in Albany while they were on their way down to the Fest. They put on a great show with lots of energy, which was made more impressive by the fact that the energy was missing from the crowd. I bought a record and talked to them for a while after the show, about vegetarianism, what it was like touring in another country, where they were going next. They were super friendly guys and were willing to chat with people despite with their accented and limited English.

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