The Queers – A Day Late and a Dollar Short LP (black / ???)

I suggested this LP to Jade while flicking through records at Ritual. She liked ‘Love Songs for the Retarded’ and a bunch of other songs so I thought she would be into this. She hasn’t listened to this yet but I have a feeling that this may be a little too raw for her.

This LP consists of 33 songs compiled from singles, EPs, comp tracks and other rarities. I really like it and having all these songs in the one place is pretty damn cool.

Asian ManRecords put this out.

FFO: Screeching Weasel, The Ramones and Black Flag

Website: http://www.thequeersusaband.com/

Grinspoon – Thrills, Kills And Sunday Pills

More rock n’ roll than ‘New Detention’ which is good though they have more radio friendly songs than ever.

FFO: Powderfinger

Website: http://www.grinspoon.com.au/

Football, Etc – Football, Etc 7” (black / 1,000)

Football, etc are a female fronted twinkly, 90’s ‘emo’ post rock band from Houston, Texas. I really dug their EP ‘First Down’ (which you can download from If You Make It) so when I saw it while flicking through records at Ritual I snapped it up. This two song 7” is really damn good. You could even mistake this for Sunny Day Real Estate. Side-A is ‘Away Game’ and side-B is ‘XXL’.  

This is released between three record labels: Count Your Lucky Stars, Keep It Together and strictly no capital letters.

FFO: Sunny Day Real Estate, Mineral and Lemuria

Website: http://footballetc.wordpress.com/

            http://footballetc.bandcamp.com/

http://www.facebook.com/footballetc

The Promise Ring – Boys + Girls 7” (black / ???)

This is another 7” which my girlfriend Jade bought from Ritual that I am really jealous of. She better watch out or I might steal it.

This is awesome Jade Tree Records indie pop/’emo’ (I really hate describing bands as having an ‘emo’ sound). Two songs can be found here with the A-side being ‘Tell Everyone We’re Dead’ and the B-side being ‘Best Looking Boys’.

The Promise Ring have now reunited (for the second time I think) which is pretty cool.

If you can find this, buy it!

FFO: Pretty much anyone on Jade Tree Records

Website: http://www.jadetree.com/bands/artist/the_promise_ring

Green Day – American Idiot

Urgh….This is now a musical…Please stop.

Website: http://americanidiotthemusical.com/

Grenadiers – Promo CD

I picked up this 3 song promo CD when I saw Grenadiers play Blood, Sweat and Beers. They play a pretty sweet mix of rock n roll with punk round the edges. Check out the video of ‘Old Uncle Scratch’. Not a great music video but the song is decent.

FFO: The Bronx and Foo Fighters

Website: http://www.facebook.com/grenadiersmusic

            http://www.myspace.com/grenadiersmusic

Grinspoon – New Detention

Nu-rock or something. This came out in 2002 and I liked it when it came out. This hasn’t aged well though.   

Q and not U – On Play Patterns 7” (white / ???)

My girlfriendbought this 7” while we were in Melbourne from Ritual Music and Books. Ritual is a really cool store, check it out.

This release was the first when Q and not U became a trio after their bassist left.

There are two songs found here. On the A-side ‘Ten Thousand Animal Calls’ and on the B-side ‘Soft Pyramids’. Both songs are really cool angular, dancy and creative post punk/hardcore/whatever.

I’m pretty jealous that I didn’t buy this myself.

FFO: Cursive, Fugazi and My Disco

Cleave - The Circle / Skeletons In The Closet

Cleave are from Tokyo and play heartfelt melodic punk rock with a hint of modern twinkly pop punk thrown in. I picked up this two song download card from the guys in Anchors when I was in Melbourne for the Poison City Weekender. I can’t find the code to post here so sorry about that.

The Microsoft word sheet that comes with the download tells me that these songs were recorded for their tour of Japan with Such Gold.

FFO: Polar Bear Club, Such Gold and A Wilhelm Scream

Website: http://www.cleave-rock.com/jkt/index.html

            http://cleave-rock.blogspot.com/

            http://www.cleave-rock.com/shop/

            http://www.facebook.com/CLEAVEJP

Green Day – Nimrod

Things started to change a bit with this album. They started to clean up and I can notice more ‘singles’ on this than previous albums (‘Hitchin' A Ride’ for example). There are some pretty good songs on here despite this. EXCEPT I fucking hate that song ‘Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)’! Fuck off! If I never hear that song again it will be to soon.

Green Day – Insomniac

This is a CD that I borrowed from an ex that I failed to return. I thought that this was ‘Kerplunk’, but the CD in the case was ‘Insomniac’. I enjoyed this album quite a bit but it didn’t leave any impact on me like its predecessor, ‘Dookie’. That being said it is a good follow up to that classic album.

Website: http://greenday.com/

The Hawaiian Islands - Live Fast, Get Tropical

Tropical, garage punk party anthems. These songs are mostly about getting wasted, fucking and pulling chicks. Good songs to party to basically. I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. I think seeing them live also had a lot to do with me warming to them. Which was a total party as you would expect.

I picked up a promo version of this for $1 which is pretty damn awesome.

FFO: The Hives, The Drips and Hawaiian shirts

Website: http://thehawaiianislands.bandcamp.com/

            http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Hawaiian-Islands/140377063432

Great Lakes (MA) – Life’s Rough

Melodic and passionate punk rock. I’m quite into this EP. You can find it for free download at Death To False Hope Records.

FFO: Captain, We’re Sinking and Lawrence Arms

Website: http://greatlakes.bandcamp.com/

Grazes – Demo ‘10

Grazes play hardcore. Nothing to overly special. The band has this demo up for free download on their bandcamp (see the below link).

Website: http://grazes.bandcamp.com/

Gray Ghost – Gray Ghost

Gray Ghost from Atlanta, Georgia play dark and moody hardcore with an overpowering metal influence. Calculated tempos and atmospheric guitars keep a mood of desolation throughout the length of this EP. I only have a downloaded version of this and I think that the 10” is sold out.

FFO: Isis and Cult Of Luna

Website: http://grayghost.bigcartel.com/

The Grates – Teeth Lost, Hearts Won

Packing a bit more punch and better production this time round The Grates have managed to write a pretty damn good follow up to ‘Gravity Won’t Get You High’. The song writing has developed and the songs are now more layered than before making for a fuller sound which does justice. The songs are just as fun and even the darker tunes manage to keep the good mood going.

FFO: Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Young And Restless

The Grates – Gravity Won’t Get You High

Brisbane trio The Grates play extremely poppy and energetic garage rock. I found this album to be pretty consistent and at times cutesy. The Grates are also really fun live. I recommend you catch them when they are in your town next.

Website: http://thegrates.com/

            http://www.facebook.com/thegrates

            http://gratesontour.tumblr.com/

            http://www.youtube.com/thegrates

Grandaddy – Under The Western Freeway

This is the 1997 debut album by Modesto, California’s Grandaddy. Knowing nothing of this band before listening to this I wasn’t expecting much but I was pretty blown away by their poppy and experimental indie rock. I had this on while lazing around one sunny Sunday with a beer. This is perfect to chill out and float away to.

FFO: The Flaming Lips

Website: http://grandaddymusic.com/

Gratitude – You’re Invited

This is a promo EP which the band had streaming online to drum up some hype for their self titled album which was released in February of 2005. From my understanding, just looking through the internet, physical copies of this was pretty hard to get hold of. I stumbled over a copy of this while looking through the CDs at Beatdisc.

On to the music though. Gratitude play poppy emotionally driven rock along the lines of Jimmy Eat World, just not as good. I mean it is pretty good and I did enjoy this EP but I haven’t bothered to try and find a copy of the album.

FFO: Saves The Day, Jimmy Eat World and New End Original

Grand Master Flash, Melle Mel and the Furious Five – The Best of: Message from Beat Street

This group made me start to branch out of my punk rock world and start to pay some attention to hip hop. They manage to pack a powerful message, seen in ‘The Message’, ‘New York New York’ and ‘White Line’, and also bring the party, ‘Freedom’ and ‘The Birthday Song’.

Early hip hop at it’s finest.

The Smith Street Band – No One Gets Lost Anymore

This band blew me away when I saw them live so I immediately needed this CD. The Smith Street Band, fronted by Wil Wagner, mix folk punk and rock n roll with vivid story tale lyrics that are extremely relatable.

Every time I listen to this record another piece reveals itself and falls in place making me fall more in love with this. Give this record a few listens and everything will eventually click. Be patient, you won’t regret it.

The Smith Street Band are touring early next year as well. Be sure to catch them. See below for dates and venues.

FFO: The Hold Steady, Frank Turner

Website: http://www.facebook.com/thesmithstreetband

Graf Orlock - Destination Time: Today LP (white / 850)

This is the third and last instalment of this cinema-grind band’s ‘Time’ trilogy. The chaotic mix of grind and hardcore is quality, as usual, which helps me get past the whole gimmick element of the band to be able to stick with the band’s releases.  

The artwork is also pretty damn awesome, this time going with the theme of assassinations over time and giving you the ability to choose which person in time you want in your cross hairs.

Overall this trilogy has come together pretty well.

FFO: Time travel, quoting bad action movies and sick riffs 

Website: http://www.graforlock.com/

Top 10 of 2011

I was asked by a friend to submit my top 10 releases of 2011 for a Christmas Party (Beatdisc Records check them out). I thought that I would post  them here as well.

So here is roughly my top 10 (though I’m sure I’m forgetting some especially some EPs and 7”s):

 - The Wonder Years - Suburbia I've Given You All And Now I'm Nothing

 - Cerebral Ballzy - Cerebral Ballzy LP

 - Fucked Up – David Comes To Life LP

 - Fireworks – Gospel LP

 - Title Fight – Shed LP

 - Touché Amore - Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me LP

 - TV Colours / Assassins 88 – Split 7”

 - Brutality Will Prevail – Sleep Paralysis EP

 - Campaign – Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! EP

 - Bridge and Tunnel – Rebuilding Year LP

Honourable mentions:

 - Miley Cyrus – Can’t Be Tamed

 - The Smith Street Band – Nobody Gets Lost Anymore LP

 - Harmony – Harmony LP

Feel free to post your own.

Cerebral Ballzy - Cerebral Ballzy LP (white / ???)

I think I’ve gone back in time to when hardcore punk was dangerous and exciting. This is a raw and blistering throwback to the days of old!

The packaging of this LP is great as well. The artwork by Raymond Pettibon and Nicholas Gazin is great. The gatefold folds out to be an ouija board with the download card as the planchette. The LP also comes with a bonus two songs for download (‘Meet Me At The Spot’ and ‘Underage Drink Forever’).

Check out Cerebral Ballzy’s music videos as well. They are probably the best video’s I’ve seen in a while.

Skate, drink and puke to this.

FFO: Bad Brains, Black Flag, Fucked Up and OFF!

Website: http://cerebralballzy.com/

            http://fuckyeahcerebralballzy.tumblr.com/

http://cerebralballzy.com/yt.html

http://www.facebook.com/cerebralballzy

Touché Amore - Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me LP

By now we know what to expect from Touché Amore. As with their last album, …to the Beat of a Dead Horse, the songs are short, they carry an extremely powerful emotional punch and they are played with a sense of desperation as if each not will be their last.

Even by knowing what to expect I am still blown away by this band. This album has to be in my top albums of 2011.

I have this record on two different pressings. The white is part of the first pressing and is out of 2,000, while the clear green is part of the second pressing especially for their Australian tour and is out of 209.

FFO: Defeater, Modern Life Is War and La Dispute

Website: http://www.moshcam.com/touche-amore/metro-theatre-905.aspx

http://toucheamore.com/

Graf Orlock – Destination Time cassette tape ( /???)

This tape compiles part one and two of the Destination Time trilogy in the same neat package, Destination TimeYesterday and Destination Time Tomorrow. Quote and grind packed, this is what I love about Graf Orlock. The music and the movie samples play off each other perfectly.

FFO: Arnie, riffs and fuck you

Pretty sweet set up.

I thought that I would post a picture of my new record cabinet that I made recently. I’m pretty damn proud of it. All I’ve got to do now is build some boxes to house my 7” and tapes and hook the new speakers up.

Graf Orlock – Destination Time Tomorrow 10” (first press flesh / 500)

First up, this has to be the coolest packaging in my collection. The vinyl release of this (as you can see from the pictures) is a pop up of the alien from Alien bursting out of some dude’s chest and the CD version is the face hugger/vagina alien face hugging the shit outta the CD.

This is the second part of Graf Orlock’s Destination Time trilogy, the first being Destination Time Yesterday. With sound bites aplenty and lyrics taken from movie quotes these songs get you both moshing, reminiscing over your favourite movies and laughing. This is cinemacore at it’s best, well it’s the only cinema grind band that I know.

With the combination of killer tunes and amazing packaging this is a record that you need to own.

FFO: Movie quotes

Website: http://www.graforlock.com/

Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five – The Message 12” (black /???)

This song made me pay attention to hip hop. This single from 1993 is a perfect intro into both Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five and hip hop. ‘The Message’ carries a powerful message of what the streets are like while ‘It’s Nasty’ (the b-side) is fun and upbeat.

FFO: The Sugar Hill Gang and The Beastie Boys

Website: http://grandmasterflash.com/

Touché Amore – …to the Beat of a Dead Horse

If you didn’t like Touché Amore’s demo then you won’t like their debut full length which sees Touché Amore further perfecting their short and passionate bursts of melodic hardcore and emo. The songs are short (the whole album is 11 songs long and only lasting 18 minutes), raw and heartfelt.

There is a sense of desperation and anguish through the whole record which adds to the abruptness of the record which hits you and stays with you.

FFO: La Dispute, Defeater and Modern Life Is War

Website: http://toucheamore.com/

            http://www.facebook.com/ToucheAmore

Touché Amore – Demo 2008

Touché Amore toured Australia recently with Title Fight on the back of their (great) album ‘Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me’. I was completely blown away with their set and by how many kids knew every single word. So here are some belated reviews.

To be honest I downloaded this a while ago (back when I was in uni actually) and never bothered to listen to it. What a stupid move. Bringing both melodic hardcore and emo together to make for an extremely passionate songs. All the songs are pretty damn short. Majority hit just over the 1 minute mark and the longest song being just over 3 minutes.  

FFO: La Dispute, Comadre and Dangers 

Website: http://toucheamore.com/

            http://www.facebook.com/ToucheAmore