Bérurier Noir Nada 84 EP
One side sounds like METAL URBAIN gone beatnik with bongos. The flip is an unidentified live recording that’s really primitively done and recorded. French weirdness.
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One side sounds like METAL URBAIN gone beatnik with bongos. The flip is an unidentified live recording that’s really primitively done and recorded. French weirdness.
Super-gnarly growling and rapid thrash make for a more Japanese-sounding band than a Swedish one. There’s even special effects on the guitars, as well as leads. Noisecore.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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?)
Rockabilly, surf, SLIM HARPO, and more roots music are combined in a pop metaphor. It’s fun, just slightly manic at times. Basic rock ’n’ roll.
Yet another installment in this band’s slug-fest, wherein we’re slugged and sludged with a half-dozen oozing, sleazy, garage noise compositions. I think they’re pissed about something.
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.
This has a weird, dense, churning sound that compares with NO TREND and FLIPPER. The singer keeps the band from sounding like a bunch of whiners with his bewildered style. Noisy and fun.
Claiming to be Orange County’s “second worst band,” this outfit really is pretty good. While the tape recording quality is garage, they’re obviously a pretty tight unit. However, they are a bunch of goofs, with songs like “Killer Pigeons.”
Thrash garage music (?), cheaply recorded with some bitter-ass lyrics. It’s a nasty business, this punk rock, and I think this is the end result.
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.
This band churns out some tuneful SoCal thrash/punk with clear vocals. Yet another unheard-of combo with something to say and a good way of doing it.
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.
Medium-tempo hardcore, launching into fast. Plenty of melody, like early SOCIAL DISTORTION. Catchy songs don’t hurt either. I like it.
A lot of one-take, ad-libbed lyrics and a variety of musical combinations, too. Wise-guy garage stuff.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A decidedly ’60s raunch sound—’60s punk with organ, rock ’n’ roll drive, and pop melodies—all toughened up by strong rhythm guitar work. Live tape, and unfortunately not really mixed. EXOTIC HIPSTERS spinoff.
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.
Let’s be charitable here. The best thing this dark, keyboardy band has going for them is that their bass player used to be in NO ALTERNATIVE.
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.
This is their third tape, and no let-down; the first six songs are fine studio stuff, followed by what sounds like a bunch of four-track and live material. Catchy songs, all punchy, and tightly honed. They should tour.
Very impressive political thrash Á la CRUCIFIX, but with other cool influences too. Powerful as shit, this band has been working at it. Recommended.
This primitive effort by DEVIL’S NIGHT adds new dimensions to the word “garage.” The female vocals veer into psychosis more often than not (which is good), but the slow- to mid-speed offerings here aren’t quite as entertaining as they could be.
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.
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.
A big, noisy psych sound from this Philadelphia group. The tunes are propelled by a driving sax that manages to stay out of the way when it’s important. Put these guys on the same bill as the LYRES, FUZZTONES, and NOMADS and the room would explode in spontaneous combustion.
I was totally blown away by this one. With the quasi-religious cover drawing, I was expecting some devil drone wank, but instead I was treated to a sledgehammer-style thrash band that is mostly female! Should be a 7″ out soon!
This label, Mutant Baby, is obviously heavily into garage satire. Raunchy music and equally nasty lyrics are the vehicle for anyone to say anything musically—a truly democratic form. And BUDCORE certainly exercise their rights. But as the CRUCIFUCKS have suggested, “Democracy Spawns Bad Taste.”
This is a very strange, Dada-esque band from Milwaukee who use dildos for percussion and are heavily into pyro. There are even punk and heavy metal bands who ask them advice on how to blow up things on stage. Music here is slower and more dense than on their first cassette, Gravel on Urine. Lots of found vocals and scraping metal.
The B-side is forgettable. The A-side would be, too, except the vocals sound like Jello meets Beefheart at the Grand Ol’ Opry.
This one’s a real left-handed gem. Basically, they’re a pop band from the Northwest who are saved from the wimpy pop graveyard by a cool and grungy production from Greg Sage of the WIPERS. One side sounds like JONATHAN RICHMAN on acid and the other like YOUNG MARBLE GIANTS punking out. Great!
After releasing that ridiculous Into the Unknown LP last year, most bands would have broken up and hid their faces forever. But these brave fellows buckle under and come back with this five-song EP that has them on the road to recovery. While nowhere as good as their debut, it’s a promising restart. (New band has Greg Hetson of CIRCLE JERKS.)
Never thought from the cover that I’d like this…but life is full of surprises. It’s rhythm-machine-driven, but has plenty of chutzpah—sort of like SUICIDE meets PEARLS BEFORE SWINE.
These guys have been around for a while and have a couple of records out. Once you get past the singer (who sounds too much like Jello Biafra), you get a pretty good band with lots of different textures. They still sound a little like early BAUHAUS, but the sound here has some rough edges that sort of remind me of the EMBARRASSMENT.
With lines like, “It don’t matter how we win, even murder is no sin” and “Nigger nigger, go back home,” the National Front promotes their nationalist and racist ideology through 4 bands they’ve signed to their label : SKREWDRIVER, DIEHARDS, BRUTAL ATTACK, and ABH. Sad, and dangerous…
Six bands share this compendium of Spanish hardcore, including the likes of ULTIMO RESORTE, SHIT S.A., and MG-15. R.I.P., however, shame their competition with 13 ripping live songs in a well-orchestrated thrash style; their tracks alone make this compilation especially attractive. Give it a listen!
KAAOS and TERVEET KÄDET split this German release. While most tracks are available elsewhere, the materal is very hot, and at least available to more people in the world. TK is in fine form, although their new drummer (replacing Walde, who died) is not quite as tight. KAAOS is consistently powerful and productive.
A live release of ten Finnish hardcore groups with a major emphasis on the BASTARDS and POIKKEUSTILA. Good sound quality gives this the right edge, as it is gritting and raw, yet uncompromising in energy. Interesting listening from Rock-O-Rama.
