Reviews

Upset Condition

Loose Lid Loose Lid cassette

Midwest hardcore that’s heavily distorted and poorly recorded, resulting in crazy raw punk. Seems recorded live or at home, which I like. Mad and noisy, filled with crusty vibes close to D-beat but much more chaotic, it seems like something from decades ago. Suggested track: “Unite,” offering us some fresh cuts exuding violence. Really dig the vocals on this messy chunk of hardcore punk. If they were searching for a live vibe, they achieved it. Recommend the use of headphones for this one, or you’ll miss a lot of things—listening first on speakers, I didn’t like it a bit, but then I gave them another chance on headphones and it was way better. Interesting raw darkness impregnated in the songs’ raw energy, delivering extreme sounds comparable to those in glorious ’80s USHC.

V/A Paul Henry’s Benefit Compilation cassette

Twenty-six-song cassette compilation benefiting Paul Henry’s, an art gallery and performance space in Hammond, IN that’s played an important role in nurturing the NWI punk scene. The cassette features tracks from a bunch of NWI bands and some other like-minded weirdos. You can expect plenty of the egg-punk/DEVO-core you’ve come to associate with the area, but there’s also some more straightforward punk, ripping hardcore, shoegaze, power pop, and more. Not all the tracks are great, but all the bands are interesting at the very least, and the variety is nice enough in of itself to make for a compelling listen. The physical cassette, which is housed in a handsome cardboard outer box with artwork from LIQUIDS’ Mat Willams, will only set you back $10. That’s less than 40 cents a track! Definitely worth it, especially when you consider how influential the NWI scene has been to punk in general these past five years or so! Highlights include tracks from LIQUIDS, RESEARCH REACTOR CORP., previously unreleased stuff from C.C.T.V. and BIG ZIT(!), and a song called “Jesus Christ Super Hard” by a band called WATERWORKS. Label says tapes will be available until people stop buying them, so go grab one!