Hunter and Collectors – The Very Best Of cassette (/???)

I have two Hunters and Collectors tapes. They are both titled ‘The Very Best Of’, though the have different track lists and this tape has dropped the ‘s’ from Hunters. I have a feeling that this one is a bootleg.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Australian 80’s rock with extremely catchy hooks.

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

Hot Knives – Ruins Lives

HK mix elements of hardcore, rock n roll, grind and metal making for a weird sound. These guys played a pretty frenetic live show.

I really hope these guys are still together and continue to get weirder.

The band has this for free download on their Facebook.

Website: http://www.facebook.com/pages/HK/179180458785940

Jerk Store – Language Barrier cassette (/???)

Jerk Store come from Canberra, Australia. Female fronted, thrashed out punk rock layered with a bunch of melody. Released via English record label Eat A Book. I have no clue if the band is still together anymore but I would love to see these songs played live.

I REALY enjoyed this tape. Plus, I can never resist a good Seinfeld reference.

FFO: Hot Snakes, Punch and Seinfeld

Website: http://eatabookrecords.bandcamp.com/album/language-barrier

Hostage Calm – Demo 7” (black / 350)

I picked up this 7” from Missing Link Records for cheap. Released via Headcount Records, this demo from 2007 demonstrates this band’s early beginning as a melodic hardcore band with an old school feel.

FFO: Dag Nasty

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

            http://hostagecalm.net/

            http://twitter.com/#!/hostagecalm

http://www.hostagecalm.bigcartel.com/

Hawks and Doves – Hush Money 7” (raspberry /250)

I first herd of Hawks and Doves on ‘The Fest 7 comp’. They had an acoustic version of ‘Hush Money’ and I fell in love with the track. Hawks and Doves is Gared O'Donnell of Planes Mistaken For Stars. I found this 7” while flicking through records at Repressed.

The A side of this 7” is a full band version of ‘Hush Money’ sung with a whiskey drenched despair.

The B side is a cover of Springsteen’s ‘I’m On Fire’. I don’t really listen to much Springsteen, actually I don’t really listen to Springsteen at all, so I can’t really judge on the quality of the cover. I enjoyed it though.

Released via No Idea Records.

FFO: Like…Alaska, Planes Mistaken For Stars, The Enablers and Lucero  

Website: http://www.facebook.com/pages/HAWKS-AND-DOVES/276585989120

The Wonder Years / Heroes For Hire – A Split Record 7” (green/yellow split / ???)

This split was pressed for The Wonder Years first Australian tour by Hopeless Records and Boomtown Records. I was really disappointed when this split was announced due to the band on the b-side, Heroes For Hire.

There are three colour variations of this split, a red/white split, a blue/red split and a green/yellow spilt.

The Wonder Years offer up two songs which are found on The Upsides (‘Melrose Diner’ and ‘Washington Square Park’). Both songs are great, though it would have been good to have some new and unreleased songs from The Upsides sessions.

Heroes For Hire…I can’t believe I’m posting about this band. Cringe worthy, over Americanised pop punk from Sydney. I have had the great misfortune of seeing this band live so you don’t have to. I recommend you avoid this band at all costs.

Website: http://thewonderyearsband.com/

Harmony – Harmony 7” (white 333/500)

Two hauntingly depressing and beautiful tracks. Harmony features Tom Lyngcoln of The Nation Blue, Jon Chapple of McLusky and a three girl choir. A side ‘Cacophonous Vibes’ can be found on the self titled LP while the b side ‘Soul Destroyer’ is exclusive to this 7” (to my knowledge).

If you get a chance to see this band I urge you to go.

Woodblock print on the jacket is by Alex Gillies

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

            http://harmony.bandcamp.com/

Hard Corpuscles – Decide LP (black / 1000)

 Melbourne hardcore punk rock from ’87 via Reactor Records. This is the only release that this group did, besides an appearance on a comp.

I love the artwork as well. If you can get a copy of this, do it!

FFO: Black Flag, Avail

Hard Stance – Face Reality 7” (black / 1000)

This 7” jacket has seen better days. I think this 7” was used as a promo (the jacket corner has been cut off). NYHC and youth crew inspired band from California. Released in ’88, Hard Stance featured Zack De La Rocha (of Rage Against The Machine) on lead guitar.

The copy I have is released via Conversion Records. ‘Face Reality’ was originally released via Workshed Records. I think that this is the 4^th pressing of this 7”, I’m not 100% sure though.

FFO: Gorilla Biscuits, Judge and Inside Out

George Harrison – Got My Mind Set On You 7” (black / ???)

Pop rock from ’85. For some reason this reminds me of watching Full House.

B side is ‘Lay His Head’.

FFO: The Cockroaches 

Bill Haley and His Comets – Rock Around The Clock 7” (black / ???)

This makes me want to hang out at burger joints, watch Happy Days and have some good clean fun.

Great rock n roll single! I’m really happy to own a copy of this.  

B side is ‘Thirteen Women’. 

Man Is The Bastard / The Locust – Split 10” (black / ???)

This split is terrifying!

Man Is The Bastard is what I bought this for (I do like The Locust though). MITB managed to scare the living daylights out of me! 12 songs that will leave you in the corner of your room rocking back and forth.

The Locust grind through 9 raw as fuck tracks. After being terrorised by MITB these tracks were a little overshadowed.  

Website: http://www.myspace.com/thelocust

http://thelocust.com/

http://www.myspace.com/mitbpower

Handguns – Anywhere But Home

Pop punk from Harrisburg, PA. This is alittle more cleaned up than the Summer Demo, which I’m not sure that I like. Catchy and melodic but nothing overly new.

FFO: Daggermouth, The Story So Far and Maker

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

            http://thehandgunsfamily.tumblr.com/

            http://handguns.bandcamp.com/

Handguns – MMIX Summer Demo

Fast and melodic pop punk with a hardcore edge. Has abit of punch.

FFO: Daggermouth, The Story So Far and Maker

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

            http://thehandgunsfamily.tumblr.com/

Happy Families – Demo ‘09

8 songs in 5 minutes. Perth powerviolence. I’m not sure if these guys are still around or have had a name change.

FFO: Infest, Betercore and Charles Bronson

Website: http://www.myspace.com/vxpx

Halal, How Are You? – Live From Halaloween (/100)

Recorded at Teale Place on Halloween 31^st October 2008 during a house show with Lilies at their house.

I’m actually on the front cover. I was super drunk at this show after drinking way too much wine. You can hear me yelling out at the band as well. I also sung Desendents’ ‘Suburban Home’, but needless to say that did not make the cut for this.

Even though I loath live albums I think that it is kind of fitting that this was released. Halal were way better live than they were on CD. You never really knew what was going to happen next. If the Lilies guys hadn’t have recorded this and Lesstalk Records not released this then these songs probably would’ve never been recorded for any releases.

I also chipped Zacc’s tooth at this show. I’m not sorry though. Serves him right for taking that first sip of my Mountain Dew at Happy Chef. Never forgive. Never forget.

FFO: Zombies, Happy Chef and garage shows

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

            http://lesstalkrecords.bandcamp.com/album/live-halaloween

Halal, How Are You? – A Life That Tastes Like Tonic Water

 Halal, How Are You? would have to be my favourite Sydney band. These guys were my best friends in high school and I went to the vast majority of all their shows. It’s a shame that they are no longer together. The band won a free recording session after winning the Oakhill College Battle of the Bands and this demo is a result of that recording.

The songs range from taking your mum out for Thai to playing Daytona 2, all of them jam packed with sexual innuendos. There is also a Beatles cover of ‘I've Got) Norwegian Wood’.

This band sounds like unlike any other. They combine the Beatles with Tom Waits effortlessly.

I have the first ever burned copy of this demo as well as two different versions.

FFO: Time Zone, The Lewisham Hotel and Prince

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

The Haggard – I’ve Been Sick 7” (clear/???)

I picked this 7” up for a dollar while flicking through some records at Missing Link, killing time before getting tattooed. The description on the sleeve said ‘late 90’s Portland queercore duo’. I figured this meant that they sounded like The Queers, so I bought it. Turns out that this is queercore as in gay-core.

This sounds like a riot grrrl going out with a crust punk.

Looses points for having the A side and B side labeled wrong.

Website: http://www.jitter.co.uk/ladyfest/docs/thehaggard.txt

           

Halo Fauna – Senescence

I have listened to this EP quite abit. Jangly guitars, raw recording, free download from If You Make It. You know it has to be good!

FFO: Bridge and Tunnel, Eric Ayotte and Thousandaires

Website: http://www.ifyoumakeit.com/album/halo-fauna/senescense/

The Flatliners – Count Your Bruises 7” (black/???)

I just can’t get enough of this Canadian punk band! ‘Count Your Bruises’ (found on  ‘Cavalcade’) is super catchy and fun with a big chorus. The two songs on the B-side were

recorded during the ‘Cavalcade’ sessions and are equally as good. As usual, The Black Axe provides some killer artwork, though I’m finding myself frustrated with Fat Wreck singles not having inserts. They are a big enough label and I’m sure they can afford it.

It was recently announced that The Flatliners will be touring Australia with Anti-Flag and Strike Anywhere. Get excited!

FFO: Attack in Black, Smoke or Fire, Dead To Me

Website: http://www.theflatliners.com

            http://www.facebook.com/theflatlinerstoronto?ref=ts

Foo Fighters – Wasting Light

Foo Fighters’ seventh album and back to basics. Recorded in Dave Grohl’s garage with analog equipment, and produced by Butch Vig. I cannot fucking stand Butch fucking Vig! He over polishes everything and destroys bands! FUCK OFF AND DIE BUTCH VIG!

Ok, back to ‘Wasting Light’. The songs are written well and have a bit more edge to them which they had on their earlier albums. I would’ve liked the album to be a bit more raw but I guess that couldn’t be helped seeing how big Foo Fighters are now and Butch Vig was producing the album.  

It’s good to see that Pat Smear (The Germs and Nirvana) has come back into the band. And the guests on ‘Wasting Light’ made me very happy. Bob Mould adds some vocals and guitar to ‘Dear Rosemary’ and Krist Novoselic contributes bass and accordion to ‘I Should Have Known’.

Website: http://wastinglight.foofighters.com/