Reviews

For review and radio play consideration:

Please send vinyl (preferred), CD, or cassette releases to MRR, PO Box 3852, Oakland, CA 94609, USA. Maximum Rocknroll wants to review everything that comes out in the world of underground punk rock, hardcore, garage, post-punk, thrash, etc.—no major labels or labels exclusively distributed by major-owned distributors, no reviews of test pressings or promo CDs without final artwork. Please include contact information and let us know where your band is from!

Instigators Nobody Listens Anymore LP

Simply one of the finest efforts I’ve heard in ages, a five-star rating for those of you who rate. The INSTIGATORS combine such a harmonious charisma in the music they create that the rhythms stay with you, bouncing through your head. Well-structured musical slices utilize crafty guitar work, pulsating bass boomage, drum smashings at the right moments, and a very unique vocalist whose voice travels with the music. Strong lyrical melodies have you humming along in no time. With each play, you’ll discover more magic and be totally hooked. The INSTIGATORS are a band to notice.

Human Being C’était Beau Hier, C’est Déjà Moins Beau Aujourd’hui EP

This odd release features French post-punk in a sporadically interesting vein. The A-side’s brisk tempo and catchy, spare guitar riffing makes for pleasant listening, though the flip moves into a more freeform mode with disappointing results. An original effort, but this band needs much more discipline.

HIijokaidan Viva Angel LP

Hey, Tesco, heard any good “industrial” stuff lately? Well, you’re missing out on this one! HIJOKAIDAN (ESCAPE EXIT) is absolutely bizarre, distortion gone mad. Wild little noises playing havoc with your ears as sometimes frenzied vocals splurt out psycho noise. Has the makings of a great soundtrack recording. You know, this went into Tim’s trade pile, so you better call fast; it’s from Japan to boot!

Gas / Niku-Dan split EP

GAS is sort of a Japanese SIOUXSIE-in-more-pain-than-usual, with an accompanying hard post-punk backup. But watch out for those rock guitar solos and wah-wah pedals! NIKU-DAN (MEAT HUNTER) is heavy on complex structures, high production, and atmospheric hard post-punk. All you “hardcore is pass锝 BIRTHDAY PARTY freaks will like it. I don’t.

The Delmonas Comin’ Home Baby: Vol. 1 EP / Hello We Love You: Vol. 2 EP

Liner notes say these three lasses are backed instrumentally by the MILKSHAKES, though on their Vol. 2 EP (nearly the same front cover as Vol. 1), it shows them posing with their instruments. Anyway, both 7″ers are chock full of great girl-group trash…without sounding self-conscious or too pop. A delight!

Les Coronados N’importe Quoi LP

Some records are pretty unmemorable. In fact, I just played this one and can’t remember shit about it. No, actually there were a few pretty rockin’ moments for this ’60s-influenced-yet-more-’77-style band. Pretty poppy though, with the accent on rhythm guitar.

Carnage Face the Facts LP

Could any band intentionally be this, bad? On first listening, I thought it was unintentional—that they’re just plain bad. But now I don’t know. It’s so offbeat, even on the simplest of punk beats, that they’ve got to be trying to be this bad. Does anybody out there know the answer? Good lyrics, though.

Asexuals Be What You Want LP

The fact that I viciously slagged the ASEXUALS for their lyrics to “Contra Rebels” in a recent review helps to disguise that I’ve always really liked their music, both on the EP and in the offending song. And now that I’ve learned that I’ve unjustifiably criticized them for said lyrics, which were apparently meant satirically, I have no qualms about admitting that this is an impressive album combining ’77 punk structures, fast tempos, and strong choruses. I apologize for the mistaken interpretation, but the lesson to be learned from it is that poorly composed satire can easily be misconstrued as dead seriousness.

Abortti 13 / Pyhäkoulu Lapsuusmuistoja split EP

Two Finnish bands of very different styles share this one. ABORTTI 13 is a slower, grinding guitar band, although they do play one faster punk song here. PYHAKOULU, on the other hand, is a manic thrash outfit, heavy on shredding vocals. They will be one to watch.

Youth in Asia Pulling Out the Plug LP

Yet another eclectic punk band signs on to Mutha Records. This one has an older style US garage/punk sound, but with elements of metal, pop, etc., weaving their way in. Sometimes it works, sometimes not (especially the electronic keyboards). Different.

Voodoo Idols Temptation LP

The IDOLS are from Florida and have had a couple of singles out before, most notably “We All Dig Nixon.” With this new LP, they blend a disjointed MINUTEMEN-like thrash with a nasty swamp punk sound. They also have a nice way of using a saxophone over the din to create a full-bodied sound.

VOA Punk Sux cassette

VOA addresses a basic thrash style with loads of spunk, though their songs structures are highly reminiscent of early ILL REPUTE. With added songwriting finesse, these guys could really develop into contenders; that’s why I can recommend this tape, and look forward to future releases.

Vipers Outta the Nest! LP

While this is undoubtedly ’60s punk revival time, this particular approach leaves me somewhat unexcited. It’s on the pop/folk-rock side of the genre, with a little too much cuteness and too many “girl” songs. There are some rough edges (good!), but they’re few and far between.

Toiling Midgets Dead Beats LP

This is a posthumous release from this experimental guitar band. The two guitarists weave a chiming type of rhythm with burning, fuzzed-out leads that, together with rock-solid drumming, beat a lot of English bands to the punch. Mostly instrumental, these tracks should appeal to fans of SISTERS OF MERCY or JESUS AND MARY CHAIN.

Subliminal Fault Girls Behind Bars cassette

Brian Edge sez “soothing after a hard day’s thrash,” “eclectic.” This band has a ’75-era garage sound—audible lyrics, driving rock, pre-punk feel. Can you judge a band by its covers? VELVET’s “Pale Blue Eyes” and BYRDS’ “Rock ’n’ Roll Star.”

Stevie Stiletto and the Switchblades 13 Hits and More cassette

We received three tapes simultaneously from these guys, two of which were released last year. This one, though, is typical of their sound, which is driving, melodic punk done at a rapid-fire pace—it’s really tight and catchy. Lyrics are sort of in a sicko BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN mold. Professional sound.

Steps Universal Studios cassette

Jeff Bale threatened to do this review himself unless I gave this a rave review. So I guess I better…. It’s excellent ’77-style punk with SoCal ’81 tinges, making for some hot, melodic, and tuneful pop-punk. (Jeff…good enough?)

Shockabilly Vietnam LP

Another one from the SHOCK-heads! These guys are to music what Hershel Gordon Lewis is to gore: cheap and great. Besides the fuzzed-out spazz cover of “Born of the Bayou,” we get treated to a wonderful cover of “Nicaragua” sung by Ed Sanders. The best thing is the poster inside that chronicles their last tour of the US and Canada that’s so strange you’d think they were making it up.

The Offs First Record LP

Misleading title, as they put out three 7″ers and have tracks on compilations, too (Deaf Club, etc.). Early OFFS were the raunchiest band in SF, heavy into VELVET’s white noise. They later got “funky,” and ska predominated. This LP represents their latter period (disappointingly), where slick production and saxophones are up front. Find the 45s.

Mystery Girls Missing in Action 12″

A six-song job that’s quite enjoyable. Since the vocals are largely female harmonies (two of three band members are femmes), there is a pop “girl group” sound of sorts. But the instrumentation, while still pop R’n’R, has more of a ’77-’79 bite, which makes for a pretty neat combo.

The Libertines Everybody Wants to be My Sister / Swayback 7″

A smooth and murky pop single in the area of BIG STAR and RICH KIDS. The B-side wears better over time because it doesn’t try to hit you over the head with a hook. With bands like DUMPTRUCK, LOVE TRACTOR, GREEN, and now these guys, there’s an encouraging sign of underground pop bands who don’t feel it’s necessary to wimp out to be good.

Lepers I Wanna Be God EP

The LEPERS’ latest four-track EP ranks, in my opinion, as their best to date. This band blends a simple thrash style with distinct rock ’n’ roll elements, and emerge with a treat in their piledriver, “Concentration Camps.” While this outfit will win no awards for originality, they deliver their measure of aggro with agility.

Killdozer 85 There’s No Mistaking Quality LP

This is not the same KILLDOZER from the Midwest that released Intellectuals… Instead, this is a debut by an enthusiastic NY thrash band. Give these guys some time and I’m sure they can come up with a psychosis that could rival even the BUTTHOLE SURFERS. Mix equal parts of thrash, psychedelic, country, noise, and ten pounds of mud, and you start to get the picture.

JFA Mad Garden 12″

This is where JFA comes back to releasing fast thrash with no apologies. “Mad Garden” is a tribute to the Madison Square Garden in Arizona, a wrestling arena/punk rock club that now sells plants. And I highly approve of the punk cover of the Charlie Brown Show theme.

Hüsker Dü New Day Rising LP

What more can be said about these guys—even traditional rock critics like them. That shouldn’t be held against them, though, because they have more brilliant ideas up their sleeves than 50 normal bands, and they can play rings around the competition. Here, they come up with yet another platter full of classics that combine innovative structures, every exciting species of guitar noise, loads of intensity, and diversity of mood. Ace all the way, and “The Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill” is amazing.

Fastbacks Every Day is Saturday 12″

Seattle’s FASTBACKS return to vinyl once again to showcase their solid, chunky pop/punk compositions. Of the four songs here, “Midnight Confessions” and “See and Say” win the top song honors, though the general standard here is somewhat lower than their debut 45 and 12″. As always, the plaintive female vocals fit the music well.

Roky Erickson Don’t Slander Me / Starry Eyes 7″

The fog has lifted and ROKY is back. Or has it? ROKY sounds wide awake on this one and he’s got his Texas bar band racing to keep up with his nasty vocals. He’s sacrificed much of his psychotic edge to get a more controlled sound here, and fans of CREEDENCE rock should snatch this up. The flip is a smoother re-make of an earlier song he did.

Das Damen Too Hot for Hollywood cassette

What’s this? A new Australian discovery? A mid-’70s guitar band? A neo-Mod outfit? Actually, it’s our buddy Lyle Hysen (ex-MISGUIDED) and friends turning in a pretty neat, rockin’ set of three songs, except for the offbeat drumming. (No, no—just kidding, Lyle!) Fun.

DYS DYS LP

Well…forewarned is forearmed. So beware that DYS, like SSD, have changed and, yes, it is heavy metal. And yes, there is a ballad on this record. While far from being the worst metal record I’ve heard, it doesn’t set the world on fire, y’know? I mean, if you’re gonna do a goddamn heavy metal record…GODDAMN IT, make it knock down people, make walls shudder, and make it have women take their kids off of the streets because of it, for chrissakes! Look, if you need to hear the old DYS, change the speed to 45.