You’re on a serene train ride at night through the mountains and wilderness of the west. Now imagine the train suddenly being robbed by Butch Cassidy and The Hole in The Wall Gang. That’s what I see when I listen to this album. A mixture of beautiful dark songs peppered with some dynamite explosions that at times are off in the distance and move gradually closer and even sometimes explode in your face. It does sound Nick Cave-y mixed with some Spanish Bolero type undertones which blend quite well together, adding to the mystique. Why Butch Cassidy? I don’t know I just love that movie. – Jay Castro
Superb melodic punk and dare I say “poppy” punk. I think this band has so much more to offer than a lot of other groups that fall into this category though. The hooks are definitely there, but not in your face. Steve Adamyk Band somehow writes hooks that are catchy enough to make you come back for more, but you don’t get sick of the songs after repeat listens. The thing I really like about this record is the production. Mixed terrifically for this type of music, not over produced which leaves a lot of punk records sounding like a bucket of sap. The record sounds tuneful, hard hitting, and raucous all at once. Yummy! -– Jay Castro
Another band that at times sounds like it would have fit in perfectly in the Lookout Records Can of Pork compilation. Hints of heroes from times gone by like Monsula, Jawbreaker and Fifteen, this record is far from dismissible though. The thing about punk music, especially scenes believing in the DIY philosophy like Lookout Records/924 Gilman St Project/MRR, is that it lights a fire in the soul, it inspires. It makes these younger kids want to get up and play, not just mimic their heroes. Sure your influences are going to show, that’s inevitable, but the music of Abolitionist is most definitely their own. That’s why punk will truly never lie down and die. -– Jay Castro
This is charismatic punk pop from France that runs along the same rails as say The Rezillos. In fact, every time I listen to this record I like it more and more. France has sprouted some pretty great punk in its day, if memory and my Bloodstains/Killed By Death records have served me right, so it’s really no surprise to me that a record like this can come out of there. For some reason the band told us that this record was not only recorded in a basement, but a flooded basement. Soggy galoshes and all, a pretty enjoyable listen! – Jay Castro
Quick sonic blasts of guitar driven garage punk Rock N’ Roll seem to be the modus operandi on the debut 7” from Tempe, Arizona’s French Girls. I wish I had the ear to listen past the female voice and not compare this record to other female fronted garage punk bands. Sadly I don’t, and the first thing that comes to mind is bands from the Rip Off Records roster like Loli and The Chones, The Spastics or even The Dirty Sweets. Not a bad comparison in my opinion, after all it was the soundtrack to my high school/college years so anything that sounds remotely like this I gravitate towards. French Girls is not a piece of nostalgia though, its Rock N’ Roll done up right in any decade. – Jay Castro
In the movie A Few Good Men they described people known as mirrors. For every U.S. Guard standing on the U.S. side of the border at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base there was a Cuban guard standing opposite of him on the Cuba side. That’s kind of how I viewed the Gaggers and The Stitches, as U.S./UK mirrors. So the concept of this record really blew my mind. Here are two bands that carry the banner high for ‘77 snotty, snobby, snooty what have you punk. Both bands are in top form here. Could you ask for a better record? Only if you were asking for more tracks from each band, but let’s not get greedy, it’s unbecoming of a punk. – Jay Castro
Riky Barnes (of the Pushers fame) now leads this Southern California punk outfit with personality and vigor to spare, along with some members of Smut Peddlers who don’t do such a shabby job themselves! It’s a terrific blend of hard driving, super catchy Southern California punk rock that rages like a comet jetting into your ear canal. In the song “Society & The Robot,” Junk hurl the sword like William Wallace signaling the instigation of the anti-tech wars “disconnect from your mainframe and reattach to your thinking brain” well said Mr. Barnes, well said! – Jay Castro
The Crazy Squeeze is at it again, throwing out more delicious goodies to the Rock N’ Roll starved masses like bread loaves from the back of a truck at a depression era food line. Johnny Witmer and Co. crank out two more classic Glam/Power Pop/Pub Rock/Rock N’ Roll gems. Including a track off the debut LP, “Younger Girl,” and a flawless rendition of The Boys “Terminal Love” featuring original Boys guitarist Sir Honest John Plain himself and a newly updated fallen rockers tribute interlude. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, Crazy Squeeze is one of the best bands out there right now, and this record only adds evidence to that. – Jay Castro
This band has a hand full of 7”’s and an LP out in the world and completely rage through all of them without any let up in volume or quality. This new EP is no exception to that. Neighborhood Brats remind me of a lot of a band from San Francisco called The Loudmouths that was around in the mid to late 1990’s. They played a brand of blazing fast, tuneful punk Rock N’ Roll capable of laying waste to any living animal or vegetation within the blast radius of their amps. Neighborhood Brats is pretty similar and are also capable of such destruction. Ferocious female vocals, guitars in your face, and a rollercoaster thrill ride of a record. – Jay Castro
More 1990’s Bay area influenced blasts from this New Haven, CT band. They would have rounded out the bill well at a 924 Gilman Street show back in the day with bands like Monsula, Pinhead Gunpowder and Crimpshrine. This is some fun, fast, and catchy punk rock with growling vocals. There aren’t a lot of clunkers in here, the album keeps its quality pace pretty much from beginning to end and isn’t front or rear loaded. In fact my favorite track Playing Around lays pretty much smack dab in the middle. – Jay Castro
All I know about Doug Mason is that he has half a dozen fantastic LP’s out and he is from the east coast. He plays hook filled, mid tempo, indie pop similar to Sebadoh, Pavement and early Flaming Lips. The songs display the heart on the sleeve, thinly masked by irony and sarcasm, a lyrical trademark of the above bands. These two songs brought to you here by Noyes Records are alright. Neither really shines out though. They are a good starting point, but to find some real gems pick up Doug’s last couple excellent LP’s Naked Wine and Gravy Nights. – Jay Castro
These are some pretty catchy songs of irreverent folksy material from the former Anniversary front man. It’s got the intimacy of a singer/songwriter release and also reminds me of All Shook Down era Replacements stuff, which in my opinion is a criminally overlooked record in their catalog. One thing that really struck me when reading Josh’s bio is his tenacity and commitment to being a musician. His former band The Anniversary ended in a nuclear mushroom cloud of a break up and he even got a “regular” job for a while, but the dude didn’t give up. This says a lot about his spirit and love for music. This mood translates into this collection of well-crafted songs that seem to come from deep within the soul. – Jay Castro
This is one peculiar, sloppy and cynical ride with Toronto’s own Ketamines. Slow to mid tempo shots of psyche/bubblegum hybrid songs that never take it to a serious level. According to their bio, they love Kim Fowley and there is plenty of that Sunset Boulevard avant-pop packed in here. You can tell their lack of sincerity just by looking at the cover of this EP! Not that that’s a bad thing by any means, the world already has too many pompous world crusading musicians. No soul saving of starving African children for the Ketamines. All they can offer is their hand in welcoming you onto their bizarro fun bus ride, and it’s hard not to accept that invitation. – Jay Castro
LA Drugz – Outside Place 12” EP (Hovercraft Records)
The punchy, power pop/glam hits just keep on rolling out of this part of the country with no end in sight and L.A. Drugz keeps the barrel of fun rolling on. The first song and the title track kicks the saloon bar doors wide open with unrestrained pogo energy that doesn’t let up. This is for fans of early Damned and Vibrators records. If you have any sense at all you count yourself among those ranks. Goes well with The Crazy Squeeze! – Jay Castro
Described by La Ti Da records as “gentleman punks” and looking like a bunch of Mafioso contract killers in some of their promo pictures, I will go ahead and agree. Maniac is a virtual super group of Los Angeles punk bands consisting of current and past members of bands like Cute Lepers, Images, Clorox Girls, Rough Kids and more. The music is reminiscent of The Undertones or something that could have been on Belfast’s Good Vibrations records in the late 70’s. There’s riffs-o-plenty, it’s well poised, and the energy is barely contained and bubbling over the sides like early Who records. I eagerly anticipate more! – Jay Castro
Loud mid-tempo Rock N’ Roll offerings from the Philly band’s second LP; following 2007’s The Secret History of the Thirteen. This album sounds rawer as compared to their debut, a good fitting production style considering the direction the band wants to go in, which according to their bio is power pop Rock N’ Roll. This came out last year, but barely found itself at the doorstep of Audio Ammunition Command Center. The Thirteen kind of remind me of The Joneses, only with a bit less of Jeff Drake’s charisma and drunken merriment. Fun, catchy bar room Rock N’ Roll that would probably sound great live. – Jay Castro
More Lookout Records inspired music from former Krupted Peasant Farmers! This San Jose band sounds like a more serious Love Songs for the Retarded era Queers. Instead of singing about “Granola Heads” and “Noodle Brains,” Utter Failure throws in some more political and socially conscious lyrics. The music is fun and fast paced, the recording is a bit raw so these messages don’t seem thrown in your face, which is definitely a good thing! – Jay Castro
Those feisty Italians are stirring it up once more, with great results! Their first album, 2010’s Racey Roller was crammed full of Gary Glitter worship. This time around the band seems to have expanded their sound on some of the songs, ever so slightly I might add, to include other glam influences like a dollop of New York Dolls and Hollywood Brats flavored Rock N’ Roll to spice up the pot. Hooks and enjoyment run wild and plentiful. – Jay Castro
Wow, what we got here is a dark Rock N’ Roll record similar to Christian Death’s Only Theater of Pain. The record is definitely rocking, but doesn’t quite cross the punk rock threshold. Don’t get me wrong; this is totally fine. There are a few bands around now taking queues from early goth bands: TV Ghost and A Place To Bury Strangers come immediately to mind. The problem that a lot of “goth” bands have is that their front men become so pompous and vain they take the rest of the band down megalomania hell, see Andrew Eldrtich and Peter Murphy, so these great bands have a couple good releases and a parade of crapola afterwards. This is a great record, here’s hoping everyone in Happy Noose keeps their heads on straight! – Jay Castro
San Pedro’s BTJR cranks out a highly infectious brand of catchy, punk-y, doo wop-y influenced lo-fi Rock N’ Roll similar to Brentwoods or the Donnas; when Darin Raffaelli had them Donnas under his Kim Fowley-esque hypnotic control. So that’s to say when The Donnas were actually worth listening to. Benny The Jet Rodriguez has more sweetness and melancholy than both of the above-mentioned bands though. If anyone remembers Kamala and The Karnivores, add a pinch of that band in there and you got yourself a closer match. Great record! – Jay Castro
Subsets – Ape Facin’ EP (Granado Records)
This is some solid hard hitting gruff/tuff street punk similar to some of those old GMM or Pogo Stick New Jersey bands that were making a fuss up there a while ago. The songs come at you hard right out the door with thick guitars and catchy hooks among the punk chaos being hurled at your face. Makes me want to throw a pack patch onto my jacket and break out my old Bristles and Wretched Ones records! A good quality street punk record, hope there’s more to come! – Jay Castro
4-song EP of some pretty tasty late 70’s California inspired punk music rocketing out of Cincinnati, OH. When I heard this I immediately thought of Avengers, The Bags, VKTMS type bands. This fits right there nestled in all that good company, no exaggeration here folks. Vocalist/guitarist Julie Social does double duty laying on the thick, catchy riffs next to her non high pitched wailing yet burning vocal style which makes for some pretty anthemic punk music. – Jay Castro
The hype surrounding this LP has been out of control. In a rare instance this record actually does deliver. It’s quick in tempo and highly melodic. The thing that threw me a bit is its air of cheerfulness, no doom and gloom found here. This is quite welcome; don’t get me wrong. The band is another songwriting vehicle for Jeff Burke of Marked Men/The Reds fame. The history of this band is a bit convoluted. Apparently Jeff, who once resided in Denton TX, moved to Japan and formed a band called The Novice. He then moved back to the states and Radioactivity is a continuation of his work with that band. If you are familiar with Dirtnap Records or Denton TX, you know the sound: Think The Ramones Rocket to Russia fused with your favorite Devo record. This is one of my favorite releases of the year. – Jay Castro
Mark Ryan (Marked Men, High Tension Wires) releases yet another Mind Spiders record, the third in three years! It’s a bit more “Mr. Robot-o” than the previous records. The synth and drum machines are laid on a bit more thick than the ‘Spiders previous record Meltdown. It ranges from Screamers/Ivy Green ferocity all the way to something reminiscent of Human League or Gary Numan atmospherics. I am torn with the idea that a good band has to evolve and grow to stay relevant otherwise they become a watered down parody of themselves; I’m winking at you Bad Religion. However the Mind Spiders don’t tread any new musical territory here. Just goes to show that so long as you stay inspired, the music will continue to have fire behind it. Another winner for team Dirtnap. – Jay Castro
This Massachusetts band has been around for quite a while; I remember hearing their name many times before. This has the trademark sound of what Fat Wreck Chords and Epitaph built their empires on: Pennywise, Strung Out, Lag Wagon with some Face To Face sensitivity/philosophy thrown in. This is some really fast paced rock punk played by folks that sound like they can actually play their instruments! This band sounds like it would fit right in with the Vans Warped Tour type crowd. – Jay Castro
WOW, this is a fantastic good time rockin’ record blasting out of Milwaukee, WI! It sounds like it would have fit right in there with the Twin Tone records family in the early to mid 1980’s. The music rolls around in the glory of all those great Midwest bands from that era like Soul Asylum, Replacements, and Husker Du. This is not however some cheap, standing on the shoulders of giants rip off band though. These guys play their guts out and it’s obvious their hearts are in exactly the right place, which makes listening to this record all the more blissful. The record has sweat, heart and hooks that fizz up uncontrollably like a fine frosty beverage poured into a glass too quickly. It takes more than one listed to try and slurp in all up before in hits the table. Highly recommended! - Jay Castro
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