Teenage Bottlerocket – Mutilate Me 7” (black / 1219)

I picked this 7” up when I saw Teenage Bottlerocket play at The Metro supporting Frenzal Rhomb. They have two new songs and a Bad Religion cover (‘Henchman’ which I’m pretty sure they played at that show).

You know what you’re in for with this. Ramones worship punk rock

FFO: Ramones, The Queers, Screeching Weasel and Descendents.

Website: http://www.teenagebottlerocket.com/

The Flatliners / The Snips – Split 7” (clear and solid blue second press/ 133)

This is a split between two Canadian bands which I’m assuming are from the same ska/punk scene. Both bands are pretty similar in style, that being fast punk rock with ska influences. I’m a big fan of The Flatliners and need to hear some more from The Snips.

The Flatliners offer ‘Run Like Hell’ which sounds like a track that could have easily found itself on ‘Cavalcade’.

The Snips put forward their song ‘Old Engines’. I’ve only herd one other song by The Snips from a Fest comp dedicated to Canadian bands by Juiceboxdotcom.

The artwork is pretty cool, though it’s ruined by the cracking effect put over the top.

Website:

The Snips: http://thesnips.com/

            http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Snips/196698313798

The Flatliners: http://www.theflatliners.com/website/news.php

The Ergs / Lemuria – Split 7” (black / 1,500)

I got really excited about this split. I really like both The Ergs and Lemuria and having them together in the same place rules.

The Ergs play pop punk rock. If you like pop punk you need to listen to this band. The Ergs have one orginal and a cover of The Gin Blossom’s ‘Hey Jealousy’, which rules!

Lemuria play lazy fuzzed out pop punk with duel female and male vocals. I think that this band is pretty damn dreamy. Lemuria offers 2 songs on their side of the split.

I couldn’t be bothered to dig out the camera to take a shitty picture of this so deal with it.

FFO:

The Ergs: The Get Up Kids and The Descendents

Lemuria: Alex Kerns and Laura Stevenson and the Cans

End Of A Year Self Defense Family - I Heard Crime Gets You Off b/w To Your Scattered Bodies Go 7” (clear red / 150)

This single is the second in the Run For Cover Records Subscription Series. This single is more stripped down and calculated than their album ‘You Are Beneath Me’. I really enjoyed these songs. I haven’t spent too much time on End of a Year’s music (and that tends to happen a lot with bands for me due to the sheer amount of music that I try to listen to) but this single made me put on ‘You Are Beneath Me’ and pay more attention.  

This 7” also helps to bridge the gap for the band between changing their name from End of a Year to Self Defence Family.

The artwork is pretty cool as well. Titties!

FFO: Fucked Up and Joy Division

Website: http://selfdefensefamily.blogspot.com/

            http://selfdefensemusic.com/

Hostage Calm – War On A Feeling b/w Donna Lee 7” (baby blue / 150)

This Hostage Calm 7” is the first in a series of singles in the Run For Cover Subscription Series. This is my introduction to Hostage Calm, although I have their demo 7” and a download of their self titled album but I haven’t gotten around to listening to either of these yet.

Both songs on this 7” combine elements of pop punk, power pop and rock n roll. This single hasn’t sold the band for me and I thought that these songs were a little bland and soft.

FFO: Polar Bear Club

Website: http://hostagecalm.net

Deep Wound – Deep Wound LP (clear / ???)

Deep Wound are an early 80’s hardcore band from Westfield, MA featuring members that when on to form Dinosaur Jr (J Mascis and Lou Barlow). This LP is a compilation of releases including tracks from the Deep Wound 7”, ‘Bands That Could Be God’ and their ‘1982 demo’. There are 24 tracks in total. . This LP was released by Damaged Goods.

The artwork by Sean Clarke is also pretty damn good.

Title Fight – Shed LP (black / 1,400)

Title Fight’s latest LP ‘Shed’ brings back the same mix of rough pop punk and melodic hardcore, but this time with a more of a twist of 90’s emo.

With this record Title Fight are slowly taking their song writing to the next level and evolving into a more interesting band.

FFO: Lifetime, Tigers Jaw and Texas Is The Reason

Website: http://titlefight.tumblr.com/

             http://titlefight.bandcamp.com/

Kevin Seconds / Mike Hale – Split 7” (black / ???)

This is an acoustic split between Kevin Seconds, of 7 Seconds, and Mike Hale, of Gunmoll and In The Red.

Kevin Seconds offers ‘Big American Thing’, which to me was a bit bland and boring.

Mike Hale’s side of things, Wasted Youth’, is the winner of this split for me.

The artwork is by Mark Fox. I’m unsure if I like this artwork or not. 

Title Fight – Flood of ’72 7” (black / 667)

 This is the 7” single of Title Fight’s ‘Flood of ’72’. The B-side is an acoustic version of the same song.

‘Flood of ’72’ appears on their full length ‘Shed’ and is a great snippet of what to expect from the album, the same melodic hardcore with gruff pop punk but this time a little 90’s emo thrown has been thrown in.

The acoustic version of ‘Flood of ’72’ is an interesting take on the song. It is not just an acoustic take of the song, it is an acoustic remake of the song. 

Title Fight – The Last Thing You Forget

 

Since I was introduced to Title Fight by my friend Grace I have been hooked. I am addicted to their rough edged pop punk mixed with melodic hardcore. I can listen to this over and over again and never get sick of it.

I have this record on 4 different vinyl variants and the CD version. The CD version is a compilation including ‘The Last Thing You Forget’ EP and some past releases.  

The vinyl variants I have are:

Yellow (pre-order with screen printed cover) / 84

Yellow / 200

White / 300

Black / 500

I highly recommend this EP.

FFO: Lifetime, early Saves The Day and Seaweed

Website: http://titlefight.tumblr.com/

            http://titlefight.bandcamp.com/

Grand Fatal – Chaser/Eraser

If Grand Fatal recorded this EP and left it at that, that would be good enough for me. Sorry Jonny.

Graf Orlock – Doombox

This is Graf Orlock’s first release with their new vocalist. Personally, I find this new guys voice a little grating. It is way too nasally in my opinion. That is all that is new with Graf Orlock. They still have all the good movie quotes, the music is still great and the packaging is INSANE! Unfortunately I only have this in digital format, but as soon as I see this record I am going to snatch it up. The packaging folds out to make a boom box for fucks sake!

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

Refrain – Demo 2011

Refrain play melodic, youth crew inspired hardcore from Perth. The quality of these songs is pretty good. The only problem is that it is too short with 3 songs and clocking in at 2:58 minutes in total. They do a Straight Ahead cover of ‘Straight Ahead’.

You can find this demo up for free download, as well as an earlier demo, here.  

Website: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Refrain/167141636631219

http://refrainhc.bigcartel.com/

Ghosts – All Killer, No Filler (cassette blue 19/30)

This EP/demo is practically the same as their pre-demo demo which I posted about earlier, only 57 seconds shorter. I also have a CD version of this. As with the pre-demo demo this is pissed off hardcore in the vein of Ceremony, though not as serious.

The band put some effort into the tapes which is cool. The paper is glossy and there are colour variants of red and blue. The artwork is hilariously good as well. The dude on the cover is the one and only Skordy. What he lacks in teeth, he makes up for in awesomeness.

 

This demo is actually worth checking out. You can download this for free on their bandcamp (see the below link).

They are playing Jerry’s last ever house show as well. Jerry’s shows have been some of the craziest I have ever been to. Come and throw some couches and jump off TVs.   

Website: http://ghostshardcore.bandcamp.com/

Ghosts Of Television – Forsaken Empire

This was the final release from Sydney’s experimental post punk band Ghosts Of Television. This was only released on vinyl and cassette. Unfortunately I only have this in digital format, even though I had ample opportunity to buy this on vinyl from Beatdisc Records.

This is insanely creepy and dark.

Bush Tetras – Boom In The Night

A friend from work gave me this album. Bush Tetras are an all girl New York post punk/new wave (on the boarder of no wave) band from the 80’s. This is haunting, funky and raw at the same time.

FFO: Talking Heads, The Contortions and Sonic Youth

 

Teenage Bottlerocket – They Came From The Shadows LP (Black / ???)

I picked up this LP from Hot Topic while I was in Vegas a few years back. This is straight up Ramones worship. Hey I’m not gonna complain. Just like ‘Warning Device’, these songs are fun, catchy and insanely good. I’m leaving this short so go pick up your skate board, drain your pool and thrash out to this.

The packaging of this is great. I’m always a fan of a gatefold sleeve.

FFO: The Ramones, Dear Landloard and Screeching Weasel

 

Teenage Bottlerocket – Warning Device

13 tracks of Ramones styled pop punk. This is catchy and insanely fun! These songs will get stuck in your head and will never leave. I found myself singing ‘Social Life’ aloud at work without even realizing it.

FFO: The Ramones, Off With Their Heads and The Dopamines

Website: http://www.teenagebottlerocket.com/

Mike Hale / Chris Wollard – Split 7” (pink / 250)

This is the second pressing of the split 7” between Mike Hale (Gunmoll and In The Red) and Chris Wollard ( Hot Water Music and The Draft).

Both artists offer 2 songs of their solo material each.

Mile Hale puts forward two laid back and beautiful acoustic songs, much in the vein of the current acoustic solo material that punk rockers turned solo acoustic artists are putting out now. These songs are really good!

Chris Wollard’s side of things is more of a rock n’ roll affair. These two songs sound not too dissimilar from material by The Draft, but with more of a folk twist.

The quality of both sides of this 7” is great. Its pretty hard for me to pick a favourite side.