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| Basement Records is keeping it going with their Radio Disaster comps. Here are a series of comps with a wide range of bands from various labels like Super Speedway Music, Fueled by Ramen, Lobster Records, BYO, Asian Man, Rise Records, Fearless, Hopeless and many more. In this issue we received ‘Radio Disaster Volume 8’ and it’s packed with 29 tracks. Starting it off is The Eddie Haskell’s with their incredibly unoriginal three chord snor fest, it leaves the listener really wanting to turn this shit off but than you realize that it’s a comp-i-l-a-tion cd meaning there just might something good up next. As I skip past the first few I’m only hoping it gets better with bands like Only Crime, The Briefs and The Lawrence Arms amongst the lot. The fact that Basement records is getting together with other record labels and putting out these samplers really says a lot for their character and dedication to music. Most, if not all these bands have been around for a while. They’ve put out full length albums and have toured, so you’ve probably heard of them from someone somewhere. If not, here ya go. Tracks from None More Black, Another Damn Disappointment, Mr. Gravedigger, MakeOutMusic, Brazil, Cropknox, Amber Pacific and Bullet Treatment wind this promotional sampler out. Click here for more info. |
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| Dead by Gun a brutish bluesy punk rock band from Turku, Finland. Big ass mohawks, punk anthems and street attitude clearly drive the lyrics and direction of this band. Although, the addition of piano gives the music another dimension that may take a few listens to fully accept. |
| Bankrupt a gang vocal punk band of crazy Hungarians. Straight forward rough edged songs about life, politics and playing music the kind that's just not accepted in their home town, homeland or anywhere. Even with all the obstacles, you can find them in a barn in the hills of Budapest ripping it up, or you can find them like I did on the internet. If you want to find bands in other countries you need to search and understand the language. Easer said than done actually, I just listen to the band’s music and who fuckin cares where they’re from. |
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| Autonomadic from Seattle. I was contacted in early October 2004 by a member of the Seattle based punk band Autonomadic. He was inquiring about playing some show here in Anchorage and he was looking for someone to set something up. In my email reply I asked for a “pro-mo pack” you know something that would help in promoting the shows. A few days later a package had arrived from Chad Shultz the drummer and PR guy for the band. Enclosed was one the best promotional pack I’ve ever received. An 8X10 glossy of the band, a 6 song cd, 3 song ep, stickers, a bio, the whole nine yards. First thought was that these guys are serious about their band and coming up to Alaska. After listening to their CD I was stoked about their pending arrival. Autonomadic are a bare bones rhythm and hooks kinda punk band nothing too flashy or technical just some really good energy and spirit. Songs like Pigtails (which is also featured on the Punks and Pints comp) and Everything are unpolished punk rock gems. Short, slurred songs with solid rhythms and memberable choruses kinda got stuck in head and left the kids in Anchorage wanting more. Autonomadic keep it simple and catchy in the vain of bands like Social Distortion, Husker Du and maybe even the Violent Femmes. The shows at Bitoz and The Carousel went off without a hitch and I’m hoping someone in the Anchorage scene is going to do a review and submit it for all our reading pleasure. For more info on the band go to Autonomadic.com |
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| Day to Dismember from West Springfield Massachusetts, They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky, they’re altogether ooky, they’re Day to Dismember. A weak version of AFI that is trying to hard to be goth and sinister. Some Blazing fast emo punk with dark imagery and some technical song structuring. |
| Fat Sally Hardcore punk coming from Cary Illinois and it’s down right brutal. The vocals dig deep and give the most gut wrenching rapid fire growls song after song. The structure and content hold strong in this over saturated genre called punk. Laser guitars and double bass carry the mid tempo music with deep influences from Thrice, Good Riddance and Strike Anywhere. |
| ‘Punks and Pints,’ a 22 song compilation from some of Seattle’s best punk bands, or at least the best of Trailer Trash Tuesdays at the Central? Since I live in Alaska I’m guessing the Central is a venue in Seattle. And after a little research I can confirm it. The Central is a club that features 2 dollar PBR’s and the best in Seattle’s local Punk, Hardcore, Psychobilly, Thrash and Ska bands. With a city that size I’m sure there are a lot of bands to pick from and on this comp you have 22 chances to find a band from Seattle you’ll like. Most of the bands on this comp sound a bit similar, like they may have all shared the same guitar or recorded at the same studio. With 22 bands to totally pick apart you’re sure to find something you can appreciate. For me I found bands like GutBomb, Last1Out, InstantWinner and The BlackTop Demons really separated themselves from the rest of the pack of bombastic simpletons. Still at least, all the bands on this comp are serious about their music and have high quality recordings and fully loaded websites. I know this Punks and Pints is just a portion of what the pacific North West has to offer. |
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One more comp from Basement records this one has a little better concept to it. Instead of just one song from each band 331/3 RPMS gives you three songs from each band. Not a bad deal and real good way to get a clear idea of what a bands going to sound like. The female fronted Neon Maniacs start it off and than some street punk with Texas Thieves with last man alive. Comps like this are life or death for a band in three songs. Click here if you want more info on bands like Cell Block5, The Nipples and The Rattlesnakes. |
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| Microcosm Publishing submitted the first vinyl 7” to the zine. First The Roswell’s from Mentor Ohio. This record was put together back in the late 90’s and is comprised of songs about getting fucked by aliens and the fact that mxpx and religion are dumb. The music is a little grimy and sloppy but holds true to the style in which it is presented. Fast ass juvenile punk with all the angst of life in Ohio! Next is Organic another 7” from Microcosm, we revisit this band of long time friends from Las Vegas playing more fast sloppy punk the way it’s supposed to be played (Purposely sloppy). So/cal emo with a nice gallup. Organic are clearly big fans of Crimpshrine, Jawbreaker and other east bay bands. I wonder if they are another one of those bands that never really represents their live sound on recordings. I bet their live performances are out of hand crazy, then again this is how they could sound like live? |
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| Delphi from Monroe Michigan. I don’t even know where this submission came from or who sent it in, but we would like to thank them for the good laugh cause I don’t know if this shit is even serious. Nerd rock from kids that were called geeks and dweebs! It’s like weezer on crack and nasal spray. These guys are mad dillard’s with asthma and it shows in the lyrical content and the fact they have to stop in the middle of the song so the drummer can hit his inhaler. This should be incorporated into the song better. He needs it with the erratic beats and off time riffs from the bass and guitar. If you’re not down with geekcore and don’t care to finish your homework than find Delphi and beat’m up. |
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| Ak ink was sent a cassette tape from Microcosm Records. I have a tape deck in my Jeep so they give it to me. Tapes are cool. They are still the easiest way to record music and nobody breaks into your car to steal a tape deck. The tape is a six song EP entitled ‘Adelante de la Estrella’ by a band called ‘Rock, Star.’ I put the tape in and it starts with about 30 seconds of guitar feedback. So at this point it could be anything. Then, bam! the drums kick in with the gallop beat. The first track is mostly an instrumental with a dash of vocals at the end. The other songs follow the same type of style. Fast paced verses with poppy jumpy courses. And the singer sounds like a cross between Tim Armstrong and Mike Ness. Until the last song, ‘Wave of Mutilation’ where the singer really wants to sound like Tim Armstrong. All you Rancid fans can imagine what he sounds like when he sings the word ‘mutilation.’ The song is pretty catchy though, cuz I found it stuck in my head. So if you like a mix of a bit of pop punk with an old school vocal style you can contact Microcosm Records and get your own cassette. --CRS |