V/A Skate Ratz, Vol. 2 LP
Very much in the spirit of Thrasher magazine’s old Skate Rock comps, Skate Ratz Volume Two brings us fourteen tracks from seven different “skateboard bands” from across the USA. It’s a diverse assemblage of skate-friendly styles, packed complete with a little zine that tells a little bit about each band. Arizona goof-punk veterans DEPHINGER throw down some high-octane, low-brow stoner rock on their two tracks. STREET FREAK plays melodic So Cal-style hardcore with metallic guitars à la the OFFSPRING. The SM PROJECT, solo project of Shane Medanich from cool-ass NYC punkers PEACE SIGN, closes out Side A with the stripped-down and catchy “Satan Was a Hippie,” and then opens up Side B with the weird march of “Crestroy.” The laid-back, blown-out grooves of Portland’s LÁGOON hit a vibe that lands somewhere between Dirty-era SONIC YOUTH and the most recent WEREWOLF JONES LP. From Boston, LABOR HEX emits some angsty ’90s indie rock that ends up sounding like the FOO FIGHTERS on the closing track. It’s a cool spin, and it looks like there’s another volume with a whole new set of bands lined up for 2024.