Reviews

Drunk Dial

Ditches Lost in Time EP

Another excellent release from Drunk Dial. Bands get together and record an original and a cover song in a day with whatever ingestant or inhalant needed. The result is often impromptu, energetic, and inspired. It’s as if label boss Jordan Stamm is orchestrating his own version of the Peel Sessions. This one has Stockholm’s DITCHES playing their angsty power punk pop burner “Lost in Time” as the title track, with the B-side being a more inspired cover of “Abra Cadaver” from their fellow Swedes the HIVES. DITCHES has their own version of the Denton, TX sound, honed by bands such as MARKED MEN and RADIOACTIVITY. Jeff Burke of said bands has recorded DITCHES in the past, and does the mixing here.

Drakulas Shame / Three Sisters 7″

What we have here is the tenth entrant in a series of 7”s where Portland label Drunk Dial invites a band to drop by the studio, drink to excess, then record an original track and a classic cover. How is this different from a typical recording session? Not sure! I listened to a handful of these, and none of them seemed overly loose or sloppy. I mean, that’s probably for the best, but then what’s the point of this concept? Anyway! Here we’re getting a couple of tracks from Austin band DRAKÜLAS, made up of folks from the RIVERBOAT GAMBLERS and RISE AGAINST. The original is a gothic pop punk number similar to the stuff fellow Texans HEX DISPENSERS were putting out back in the day, but a little slower and less catchy. It’s not great. But, hey, at least this cover is solid! They’ve picked “Three Sisters” from oddball new wave punkers the JIM CARROLL BAND. They play it straight, which is the right move, but they give it a punchier production and take the vocals in a glammier direction. It’s pretty cool!

Escare Infinity Crime cassette

Advanced lifeform creates neanderthal and/or ethereal punk sounds. BEEFHEART meets ERASE ERRATA, and there’s this comforting lilt to the (main) vocals that I can’t shake. When they get caught in a jam (the end of “Brain Island” into the start of “Infinity Crime,” for example) this outfit is like a fukkn drug. If this is the New Sound Ov Punk then I am completely on board. Short, sharp bursts of creativity—and when they drop a hook (“Long Letters”) it’s one that doesn’t let go.

Hakan Tempuras Never Come / Mr. DNA 7″

This is right up my alley. Two songs, including a DEVO cover, each clocking in at under two minutes? Yes! If it’s good, I can put it on again. If I don’t like, I got away with not too much commitment. Up-tempo and catchy, super head-bouncy melodic, straightforward coming right at you, this is the complete package. These guys are all about business. Each song starts, they whip you into a frenzy, and before you can finish, the song is over, leaving you wanting for me. Nice work. They’re from Italy, if you pay attention to stuff like that.

Steve Adamyk Band Do You Wanna Know / Slip Away 7″

In a sea of power pop with garage muscle, STEVE ADAMYK has always sailed truer than most. Likewise his bandmate Dave Forcier, who plays (and drinks) here with ADAMYK, blasting through classics of the genre (including one from ADAMYK’s earlier band SEDATIVES). I’ve always dug the Drunk Dial series in its simplicity and novelty. Get rockers in a room, get them loaded, and let ‘em rip through covers. The results are always fun, and it’s remarkable how tight this installment is considering the case of Coronas that laid the foundation for the session. The update to “Slip Away” sounds note-perfect to the original, and the version of the KIDS’ “Do You Wanna Know” is a perfect love letter to that late ’70s sound that never grows old. If you’re into this stuff, it’s a great addition to your collection, even if what you get on paper is what you get on your turntable with few surprises.

The Dumpies Flamed Out EP

These guys fall in the “they’re really nice people” category of music. Pretty unoriginal pop punk and garage from what looks like record collector types. I guess this series of records requires bands to record while fucked up. Whose brilliant idea was that?! If you’re not the GERMS, why would I care? Three uninspired originals and a cover. Why? It looks like they’re able to schlep this act all over the world and somebody’s watching so don’t listen to me. Zzzzzz.

V/A Stay Home CD-R

A compilation of RAMONES covers from a variety of bands that I’m completely unaware of (which I’m sure says more about me than said bands). One of the beauties of the RAMONES is that it’s really difficult to make such a great collection of tunes sound bad. While those folks doing more or less faithful renditions still sounds great, those doing something a little different (female backing vocals, a bit of slide guitar and a country twang, electronic drums and keyboards), or radical reinterpretations (CHRISTIAN BLUNDA’s “I Remember You” stands out) just further enhances the majesty of the originals. Indeed, the only disappointing (somewhat) tracks on this effort, all recorded under lockdown, are those couple of folks who did even less lo-fi iterations than the originals. Personal faves of mine are DRAKULAS “Carbona Not Glue” and HAYBABY’s “Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment,” but anyone that loves the RAMONES (which is everyone, right!?) will dig this, indeed.