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Sing Loud, Sing Proud by Dropkick Murphys (CD - 10/01/2004)
 

Sing Loud, Sing Proud by Dropkick Murphys (CD - ...

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Sing Loud, Sing Proud by Dropkick Murphys (CD - 10/01/2004)
"Sing Loud, Sing Proud" (10/01/2004) Hardcore/Punk Dropkick Murphys, Hellcat RecordsDropkick Murphys: Ken Casey (vocals, bass); Al Barr (vocals); Marc Orrell (guitar, accordion, background vocals); James Lynch (guitar, background vocals); Ryan Foltz (dulcimer, mandolin, whistle); Spicy McHaggis (bagpipes); Matt Kelly (drums, bodhran, background vocals). Additional personnel: Shane MacGowan, Colin McFaull, Desi Queally (vocals); Rick Barton (guitar); Johnny Cunningham (mandolin); Brian Queally (whistle); Carl Kelly (Uilleann pipes); Joe Delaney (bag pipes); Andreas Kelly (accordion); Zack Brines (piano); Katie Terrio, Ryan Whelan, Marissa Alterie (background vocals). Recorded at The Outpost Studios, Stoughton, Massachusetts. Personnel: Marc Orrell (vocals, guitar, accordion); James Lynch (vocals, guitar); Matt Kelly (vocals, drums, bodhran); Colin McFaull, Ken Casey , Shane MacGowan, Al Barr (vocals); Rick Barton (guitar); Ryan Foltz (dulcimer, mandolin, tin whistle); Johnny Cunningham (mandolin); Spicy McHaggis (bagpipe); Marissa Alterese, Brendan Alterese, Katie Terrio (background vocals). Recording information: Outpost, Stoughton, MA. Photographers: Amy Archer; Angela Giovine. Arranger: Dropkick Murphys. Boston's Dropkick Murphys exude an energetic rowdiness, a definite slice of punk-o-rama appeal. Fans raise their fists in the spirit of Oi!, and the Dropkicks playfully snarl into Irish-American song traditions and musical unity. On Sing Loud, Sing Proud, it became more than a family affair. The band's new lineup featuring James Lynch (guitar), Spicy McHaggis (bagpipes), and Ryan Foltz (mandolin) allowed the album a broad-based instrumentation, a spastic composition scaling above 1999's The Gang's All Here. The fervor surrounding a hearty jig, a group of hearty men, and social woes in the midst of relaxing with a scally cap is something commonly found among the Dropkicks' fun-spirited chants. "The Torch" resonates Celtic folk vibes, acoustics blending inside Barr's and bassist Ken Casey's roughcast duet. "Good Rats" and the vinyl-only version "The Wild Rover" feature ex-Pogue Shane MacGowan on guest vocals. One of the '80s biggest headaches, MacGowan's presence adds a hint of old school rock ambience, but his contributions are lackluster. Barr's throaty growl overshadows MacGowan's monotone; the songs might have done decently without him. But again, it is Shane MacGowan, one of the original barroom heroes who helped lead Irish rock to near mainstream level. The Dropkick Murphys do remain at the heart of things, particularly on "Fortunes of War." Dedicated in memory of a punk rock fan who was killed in Texas, Cock Sparrer's Colin McFaull joins Barr for a touching swan song, skatepunk style. Recognizing the working class' blood and tears while patronizing the use of societal scapegoats, "Fortunes of War" makes Sing Loud, Sing Proud a decent addition to the band's album roster, but thanks to a pint of ale, of course. ~ MacKenzie Wilson The Dropkick Murphys are to punk what House of Pain was to rap. They bring an explicitly Irish sensibility to their chosen style (there are shamrocks on the album cover, and there's a bagpiper in the band, for goodness' sake) while remaining true to the conventions of the genre. Still, despite the occasional jig-like detour or pennywhistle flourish, the Murphys aren't trying to reinvent punk. Their songs are presented the way punk was meant to be; loud, fast, hard, and simple. The driving guitars and pummelling drums that power these songs could be descended from the vintage Ramones (or at least Social Distortion) album of your choice. Admittedly, there aren't too many other punk bands that combine mohawks with kilts, or power chords with bodhrans, but that's what gives the Murphys their distinctive sound.

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Crimson: Deluxe Edition [12/6] *
 

Crimson: Deluxe Edition [12/6] *

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Crimson: Deluxe Edition [12/6] *
"Crimson: Deluxe Edition" (12/06/2005) Rock & Pop Alkaline Trio, Vagrant Records (USA)The deluxe edition of the Chicago-based Alkaline Trio's CRIMSON contains a bonus CD of demo and acoustic versions of songs from the original album, providing a raw and intimate look at the band's writing process. The disc also contains two videos. This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. Alkaline Trio: Matt Skiba (vocals, guitar); Daniel Andriano (vocals, bass guitar); Derek Grant (vocals, drums); Heather Hannoura (spoken vocals); Nolan McGuire (guitar); Warren Fitzgerald (strings); Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (piano, keyboards). Crimson is the best next step for Alkaline Trio. It keeps Good Mourning's blacks and reds and crack melodic sense. But it's also much more accessible with its measured aggression, rich piano (courtesy of Jellyfish and studio veteran Roger Manning), and production from Jerry Finn, who's worked with blink-182 and the very-relevant-to-Alkaline Trio Jawbreaker. Like those groups Alkaline Trio has grown away from punk-pop; they've grown up. On 1998's Goddamnit!, Matt Skiba and Dan Andriano let out rowdy "woah-woahs" and wished things like "I wanna wake up naked next to you." But then that happened, and the other side of the bed wasn't as pretty. By Mourning they were dealing with death metaphors and painful levels of self-medication. Crimson has a similar sense of emotional brokenness, but things never get so heavy that you'll need the goth eyeliner -- the album's pop sense glimmers steadily beneath its dour shroud. "Poison" and "Time to Waste" downshift into powerful choruses despite lines about dead eyes and meaninglessness, "Mercy Me" and "Dethbed" rock self-hate and cynicism over propulsive beats, and "Prevent This Tragedy" incorporates a keyboard descent that's a perfectly pretty foil for a line like "the flames of hell they give me hope." As great as Alkaline Trio are at relating their booze and blood-spattered lives to listeners, it does get a little tedious. But Skiba and Andriano's interlocking harmonies never flag, and the band's rhythms are just too catchy throughout. Let's see. They're writing smart, bright, punk-derived pop, but they're black and white and blocky-featured, and they like Depeche Mode much more than Duran Duran. That settles it -- Alkaline Trio are the bizarro-world Killers. ~ Johnny Loftus The bowler-hatted, three-piece-suit-wearing figure on the cover of Alkaline Trio's CRIMSON seems emblematic. The edgy, emo-tinged pop-punk group is dressed up a bit here, sporting a wherewithal and sophistication that distinguishes this 2005 release from its previous efforts. In part, this is thanks to producer Jerry Finn (of Green Day and Blink 182 fame), who gives the album an impeccable razor-like sheen, but the clincher on CRIMSON is the quality of the tunes. Nearly every cut here teems with memorable pop hooks integrated into tight song structures. But while sing-along choruses ring out for miles, harmonies chime, and bright guitar lines color the spaces in between, the band never sacrifices its trademark thunder. Alkaline Trio rocks plenty hard on CRIMSON: "The Poison" is a direct, punk-inspired tune, and a nu-metal riff crunches between the verses of "Time to Waste" before opening into a melodic chorus. And though "Burn," with its slow, spacious melody, recalls Love & Rockets-era post-punk, there is plenty of the familiar Alkaline Trio sound on songs like "Dethbed" and "Fall Victim." CRIMSON is the mark of a group underscoring its strengths by pushing forward in directions both familiar and new.

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Australasia [EP]
 

Australasia [EP]

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Australasia [EP]
"Australasia [EP]" (01/04/2005) Heavy Metal Pelican, Hydra Head RecordsAlthough they already released a self-titled EP that was longer than many bands' regular albums, Australasia is the first official full-length by Chicago art-metal instrumentalists Pelican. It's maybe too easy to draw comparisons to Isis, especially since that band's Aaron Turner signed them and released this album on his label, but there are similarities: the layered guitars, the sense of dynamics, and the expansive, slowly unfolding songwriting approach. One major difference is that while Isis uses vocals, sparingly at least, Pelican don't use any vocals. Another difference is that their songs actually veer into major keys for extended periods. Still, there is plenty of darker minor-key riffing as well, the band splitting the difference between Sabbath-Melvins-Neurosis-style heaviness and more post-rock epic tendencies. This CD has six tracks, clocking in at around eight or nine minutes apiece, and apart from one acoustic guitar/piano interlude, there's not a huge deal of variety over the course of the album. They do basically one thing, but they do it well. Australasia will likely please most aficionados of Hydra Head's growing roster of "instru-metal" talents, as well as that subset of indie/post-rock listeners who are interested in metal/hardcore music but tend to dislike the vocals. ~ William York

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A Day & A Thousand Years
 

A Day & A Thousand Years

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A Day & A Thousand Years
"A Day & A Thousand Years" (04/04/2005) Rock & Pop Walls of Jericho, EulogyWalls Of Jericho: Mike, Wes, Candace, Kevin, Aaron.

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This Is Satire [5/2] *
 

This Is Satire [5/2] *

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This Is Satire [5/2] *
"This Is Satire [PA] *" (05/02/2006) Rock & Pop None More Black, Fat Wreck ChordsNone More Black: SIT, DR (strings); C&C (drums); Silverfox (percussion); Janet Morgan, Heather McGinniss, J. Robbins. Personnel: Janet Morgan, J. Robbins (vocals); Heather McGinniss (acoustic guitar). Audio Mixer: J. Robbins. Recording information: Magpie Cafe, Baltimore, MD (12/2005-01/2006). On THIS IS SATIRE, None More Black offer up a selection of eclectic punk songs that range from blistering hardcore numbers to much slower, almost bluesy tunes (see the closer, "Majestic"). Most of the tracks, however, fall comfortably between the extremes: hook-heavy pop-punk songs with wildly infectious choruses. Led by former Kid Dynamite singer Jason Shevchuck, None More Black can rock as hard as they want to. On this album, though, it's great fun listening to the band turn their musicianship to other ends. With at least half the band coming from a hardcore background, None More Black mix things up on their second full-length, This Is Satire, producing a more diverse punk record with rock instincts than any random hardcore reference would suggest. Having had a pretty rocky time since forming in 2000 (i.e., lineup changes galore), the guys claim the attainment of a long-desired chemistry in their current lineup, and this feeling is evident in the album's overall contented feel. Sure, ex-Kid Dynamite frontman Jason Shevchuck continues to rant lyrical cynicism in his incessantly coarse snarl, but it's all delivered with a little more bounce in the band's collectively weary step. Aside from the almost suffocating nature of the grueling "I See London," the rest of Satire is very much full of rock-oriented -- often Americana-tinged -- anthems with upbeat, start-stop chords that dance over a steadily rolling rhythm section. Quivering guitars, handclaps, and a background support system of woah-ohs! and heys! are also continuously on hand to get even the hardest of hardcore kids shaking their hips. This is especially apparent on cuts like "My Wallpaper Looks Like Paint," "Zing-Pong," and "10 Ton Jiggawatts," the last of which delightfully reaches into '50s rock & roll to borrow a greaser's swagger. A notable progression from 2003's File Under Black, This Is Satire finds an aggressively confident None More Black starting to really hit their stride. ~ Corey Apar

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Life on the Ropes by Sick of It All (CD - 09/09/2003)
 

Life on the Ropes by Sick of It All (CD - ...

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Life on the Ropes by Sick of It All (CD - 09/09/2003)
"Life on the Ropes" (09/09/2003) Hardcore/Punk Sick of It All, Fat Wreck ChordsSick Of It All: Pete Koller (vocals, guitar); Craig Setari (vocals, bass); Armand Majidi (vocals, drums); Lou Koller (vocals). Additional personnel: John Joseph, Kevin White, Joe Garambone, Mei-Ling, Brian Franklin, Bob Strakele, Mike Dijan, Matt Henderson (vocals). Producers: Sick Of It All, Dean Baltolonis. Recorded at Atomic Recording Company, Brooklyn, New York. Personnel: Peter Koller (vocals, guitar); Armand Majidi (vocals, drums); Joe Garambone, Kevin White, Craig Setari, Dave Vision, Mei Ling Koller, Bob Strakele, Brian Franklin, John Joseph, Lou Koller, Matt Henderson , Mike Dijan (vocals). Recording information: Atomic Recording Company, Brooklyn, NY. Photographers: Kate Giegerich; B.J. Papas. Even after more than 15 years, Sick of It All's Life on the Ropes finds the band as heavy, fast, and fun as ever while still allowing plenty of room for some thoughtful lyrics. Throughout the entire length of the album, the band keeps switching back and forth between circle-pit anthems and singalong youth crew tunes. Thus, the band sounds like a good cross of old- and new-school hardcore mixed with good old punk rock. Street-tough vocals from Lou Koller spout out lyrics that seem to be predominately about philosophy and self-reflection, which may seem out of place among much of the hardcore scene, but Sick of It All makes it work and in an intelligent, respectable manner. Sixteen songs seems the perfect length, as the tunes are all pretty quick-paced and upbeat, and thus the album seems over before you know it. In the end, if nothing else, Sick of It All show that age and experience can help make a better hardcore album. Life on the Ropes is a fine album for both first-time listeners and fans alike. ~ Kurt Morris

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Underground Network [PA] by Anti-Flag (CD - 04/24/2001)
 

Underground Network [PA] by Anti-Flag (CD - ...

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Underground Network [PA] by Anti-Flag (CD - 04/24/2001)
"Underground Network [PA]" (04/24/2001) Hardcore/Punk Anti-Flag, Fat Wreck ChordsAnti-Flag includes: Chris Head, Justin Sane (vocals, guitar); Chris (bass, background vocals); Pat Thetic (drums, background vocals). Engineers include: Mass Giorgini, Fergus Daly, Donnie Switchblade. Recorded at Sonic Iguana Studios, Lafayette, Indiana between November 1, 2000 and February 3, 2001. Personnel: Justin Sane (vocals, guitar); Pat Thetic (drums, percussion). Recording information: Sonic Iguana Studios, Lafayette, IN (11/01/2000-02/03/2001). As WTO has proven, the revolution will indeed be televised, and judging by Underground Network, Anti-Flag's anthemic songs will be wafting across the frontlines. From their earliest days, the group have worn their politics proudly on their sleeve, a shared belief which has seen them through lineup changes and expansion from trio to a quartet. Some things have changed over time, however, both sonically and lyrically. After several label moves, Anti-Flag are now happily denizened at Fat Wreck Chords, a melodic punk home far removed from their early purer hardcore sound. The sea change in style was evident on A New Kind of Army, and now crests in an ocean of powerful pop-punk melodies, which bind them firmly to the Southern Californian sounds of their labelmates. That said, Underground Network contains more than enough pugilistic hardcore to keep their old fans loyal, as well as enough echoes of punk's past to capture old-school geezers' hearts. It's this solidifying meld of styles past and present into a unique sound of their own that is making Anti-Flag such a force to be reckoned with in the punk scene. Lyrically, the group are maturing by leaps as well, as they turn anger to action. It's a multi-pronged attack that combines giving voice to society's ignored and oppressed, while also educating the listener. "Veques Puerto Rico: Bikini Revisited," for example, not only musically expresses the band's outrage that this small, inhabited island is used as target practice by the U.S. Navy, but gives further details in the liner notes, and even includes website addresses for reports and studies of its effects. Underground Network's melding of political awareness and anthemic songs is an exhortation to resistance, a manifesto set to music, packed with passion and information; in all, the perfect revolutionary handbook. ~ Jo-Ann Greene

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Rock 'n' Roll by Potshot (CD - 03/23/1999)
 

Rock 'n' Roll by Potshot (CD - 03/23/1999)

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Rock 'n' Roll by Potshot (CD - 03/23/1999)
"Rock 'n' Roll" (03/23/1999) Hardcore/Punk Potshot, Asian Man RecordsRecording information: Studio NEST. Something of a cross between standard-issue ska-punk and the ingenuous amateurism of some of the Lookout! Records bands, Japan's Potshot are an unpretentious lot, seemingly uninterested in much beyond showing their listeners a good time. That helps Rock 'n' Roll immensely, since this brand of jumpy, danceable dance music isn't exactly geared toward weightiness of topic. From the brief opening instrumental, "Sing Along With Potshot," to the untitled bonus acoustic song 13 tracks later, Rock 'n' Roll powers along on a giddy wave of bouncy Madness-style horns and the kind of bubblegummy pop-punk that tends to flit in one ear and out the other. Lead vocals that occasionally -- seemingly deliberately -- deteriorate into utter incomprehensibility add to the "don't think, just dance" vibe of the album. On that level, songs like "Trashy Talk," with its impossibly catchy chorus, work just fine. Listeners who require more from their Rock 'n' Roll are advised to search elsewhere. ~ Stewart Mason

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Amplified Pillows [5/3]
 

Amplified Pillows [5/3]

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Amplified Pillows [5/3]
"Amplified Pillows" (05/03/2005) Rock & Pop Leaving Trains (The), Steel Cage Records

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Ball of Destruction by Madball (CD - 06/18/1996)
 

Ball of Destruction by Madball (CD - 06/18/1996)

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Ball of Destruction by Madball (CD - 06/18/1996)
"Ball of Destruction" (06/18/1996) Hardcore/Punk Madball, Century Media Records (USA)New York hardcore is insular, persisting unchanged for 15 years. If you don't like it, you can lump it. Madball singer Roger Miret and guitarist Vinnie Stigma go back that far (from Agnostic Front) and, like mice running the same wheel year after year, still believe in the old form. If, after all these years, you're still only satisfied by gnarled, growled vocals, dirty thrash sound/riffs/aesthetics, and super-short songs with lyrics celebrating skinhead-hood, then this collection of Madball's 1989 recordings is the place. Young thrash purists unite. ~ Jack Rabid

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Droppin' Many Suckers
 

Droppin' Many Suckers

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Droppin' Many Suckers
"Droppin' Many Suckers" (11/22/2004) Hardcore/Punk Madball, Wreck-ageMadball includes: Freddy Madball, Roger Miret. Madball: Matt Henderson (vocals, guitar); Roger Miret (vocals, bass guitar); Freddy Cricien (vocals); Vinnie Stigma (guitar); Will Shepler (drums). New York hardcore project Madball was first put together years before this debut EP hit record-store shelves, but it was still the first thing many heard from or about this Agnostic Front side project. Considering the group's close relation to one of hardcore's most essential artists, it is hardly a surprise that Droppin' Many Suckers packs a mean punch. The 1994 offering has all the force one would expect from an experienced, committed hardcore outfit. "Spit on Your Grave" starts things off on a high note with its heavy riffing and urgent vocals. Other standouts include "We Should Care," "Ready to Fight," and "Step on You," with its killer rock groove offsetting vocalist Freddy Cricien's gruff rasp. A solid first outing, Droppin' Many Suckers is vintage hardcore delivered straight from musicians who know exactly what the genre is (and was) about. ~ Vincent Jeffries

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A Foot Full Of Bullets [10/11] *
 

A Foot Full Of Bullets [10/11] *

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A Foot Full Of Bullets [10/11] *
"A Foot Full of Bullets *" (10/11/2005) Rock & Pop Peter & the Test Tube Babies, LocomotiveRecording information: Ford Lane Studios, Ford, West Sussex, England. Photographer: Gavin Watson. These perennial UK punk rockers are still resolutely ploughing the same furrow they began in the early 1980s, which says much both for their stamina and their loyal following. Though their sound has tightened considerably since the days of their first single, 1982's "Banned From the Pubs," their preoccupation with drinking and drinking establishments has continued, as witnessed by the raucous "Driven to Beers," the lachrymose "Ye Olde Pub Rocker," and the joyful "Still Love the Pub," with proof that they haven't forgotten their punk roots supplied by the scathing "Haves and Have Nots."

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The Only Beer That Matters by Free Beer (CD - 07/16/2002)
 

The Only Beer That Matters by Free Beer (CD - ...

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The Only Beer That Matters by Free Beer (CD - 07/16/2002)
"The Only Beer That Matters" (07/16/2002) Hardcore/Punk Free Beer, Alternative TentaclesFree Beer: Mike Cassidy (vocals); Dan Magee, Tony Guerrero (guitar); Tommy Guerrero (bass); Steve Tatum (drums). Producers: Free Beer, Tom Matlon, Tony Guerrero. Recorded at Diablo Tone, Mallon Studios, San Francisco, California. This is part of Alternative Tentacles' "Skate-Punk Reissues" series. Personnel: Tommy Guerrero (guitar, background vocals); Mark (background vocals). Audio Mixer: Tom Mallon. Recording information: Diablo Tone Studios, San Francisco, CA (2002); Mallon Studios, San Francisco, CA (2002). Skatepunk pioneers Free Beer blessed the San Francisco punk scene with a unique, driving sound that would go on to influence countless other bands through the years. While not the only ones planting the seeds for skate-friendly hardcore at the time, the bandmembers were genuinely made up of skateboarders who only wanted to make music that they could skate to. Railing against girls, religion, parents, the army, sobriety, and virtually any other thing that would get in the way of their lifestyle, the simplistic anthems offered by Free Beer were urgent messages to likeminded kids who were lucky enough to hear their records. The production varies wildly throughout the album, at times sounding like completely different bands if it wasn't for the presence of singer Mike Cassidy. But Cassidy's flat voice and sarcasm-free persona is a welcome change from the majority of bands from this era, making his efforts from song to song a welcome element. Anyone searching for one of the originators of the skatepunk scene needs to look no further than Only Beer That Matters, a solid chunk of aggressive rock that lovingly recalls an era when both punk and skateboarding were merely innocent escape routes for a small portion of America's disaffected youth. ~ Bradley Torreano

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Tree of No Return *
 

Tree of No Return *

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Tree of No Return *
"Tree of No Return" (01/04/2005) Rock & Pop Tusk (Group), Tortuga Records

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Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing
 

Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing

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Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing
"Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing" (06/02/1998) Hardcore/Punk Discharge, Castle Music Ltd. (UK)A punk rock landmark if ever there was one, Discharge's Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing is one of the most bleak, angry albums to ever grace the underground. The album is important on all sorts of levels, from what it did to the British hardcore scene to the long-lasting effect it had on heavy metal. And the worst part is that time has slowly erased the album from the minds of punk rockers, although the heavy metal tendencies of the band had always made them outcasts in their own scene. But this is the real thing, filled with bitter tirades against the government and predicting all-out nuclear destruction with chilling detail. The unrelenting pound of the music would create a huge movement in the hardcore world, starting first in their own country where bands like the Exploited would bring the metal sound into their music. Within a few years, bands like D.R.I., Agnostic Front, Stormtroopers of Death, and Suicidal Tendencies would make similar metal-flavored punk in the States. On the other side of the spectrum, the brutal chugging of the guitars would be a huge influence on the developing thrash metal scene. Anthrax, Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer were its earliest champions, while later bands like Helmet and Pantera would also credit the band with inspiration. Time has hardly dulled the effect of the music; this still sounds as relevant as it did in 1982 if only because the song topics are fairly timeless. Tracks like "Protest and Survive," "Hell on Earth," and "Free Speech for the Dumb" are not only incredibly catchy and simple, but pack their maximum impact because of this simplicity. The terrifying screams of "Cries of Help" may be one of the most haunting moments on any hardcore album, while "The End" is an excellent ending track that sums up the message of the album perfectly. The re-release from the mid-'90s appended several more excellent tracks, including the savage "Two Monstrous Nuclear Stockpiles" and "The More I See," a song that possibly has the catchiest riff they have ever written. Their music before and after this point is quite unpredictable when it comes to quality, but this moment in their career was a very vital one that left an enormous imprint on music, even if most people do not realize it. [Released in 1982, Hear Nothing was reissued by Castle in 2003, and again in 2007 by Captain Oi!] ~ Bradley Torreano

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Gig by Circle Jerks (CD - 09/08/1992)
 

Gig by Circle Jerks (CD - 09/08/1992)

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Gig by Circle Jerks (CD - 09/08/1992)
"Gig" (09/08/1992) Hardcore/Punk Circle Jerks, RelativityCircle Jerks: Keith Morris (vocals), Greg Hetson (guitar), Zander Schloss (bass), Keith Clark (drums). Recorded live at Iguanas, Tijuana, Mexico; Country Club, Reseda, California and Ventura Theater, Ventura, California. The Circle Jerks burst onto the explosive early-'80s L.A. punk scene with vocalist Keith Morris fresh from a short-lived stint in the legendary Black Flag, who were notorious for their raucous, riot-police-infested live shows. The Circle Jerks earned their credibility and reputation in much the same way; with energy-packed, near-riot-status live performances. While Gig was recorded about a dozen years after their inception, the Circle Jerks live shows still proved to be edgy and exciting, although a little less riot-police prone than their early days. Through a handful of shows in Southern California and Mexico, they manage to document their ear-splitting, sarcasm-laced legacy with sustained energy and a tightly coiled attack. Guitarist Greg Hetson, now serving in the still surviving Bad Religion, plays with the speed of his early days and the skill that results from years spent honing his craft. Keith Morris' sandpaper yowl and sarcastic wit survived their hard-lived years as well, with his legendary storytelling and midsong improvisations setting the Circle Jerks apart from the tough-guy mentality that often pervades the punk scene. Rhythm section Keith Clark and Zander Schloss provide a thundering backdrop for some of the heaviest and most scathing punk rock to come out of the '80s. Punk purists might cringe at the slightly metal influence that they adopted in the mid-'80s, but these years also contributed to the development of their sonically brutal live spectacle, and all the bases are thoroughly covered on Gig. Early favorites like "High Price on Our Heads" and "When the Shit Hits the Fan" embrace the incendiary past and offer listeners the chance to hear them the way they were meant to be: live, loud, and thoroughly obnoxious. Many songs from their mid- to late-'80s heyday make the live cut as well. The ironic "I Don't" and mainstream media critical "Casualty Vampires" take on even more visceral energy than their studio-recorded versions. This recording roars to a close on an old-school note with the anthemic "Wild in the Streets" and the last-second touch of Morris breaking up a fight between some overzealous fans with his razor-sharp tongue. Gig proves yet again that punk rock is meant to be experienced live, and if you missed the Jerks in their heyday, this is the next best thing. ~ Paul Henderson

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Scribblemania 2 [10/18] *
 

Scribblemania 2 [10/18] *

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Scribblemania 2 [10/18] *
"Hypermagic Mountain" (10/18/2005) Rock & Pop Lightning Bolt, Load RecordsLightning Bolt's 2003 album Wonderful Rainbow just kept getting bigger and bigger, like a 16-ton amplifier falling out of the noon sky. Its bass tone squashed round heads into wrecked ellipses, and the drums chattered away as if on a chain drive. The album was the opposite of Excedrin, a tension headache in ten movements. Lightning Bolt have done it again with 2005's Hypermagic Mountain. It's hard to say this is accessible; besides, if you did say that, no one would hear it anyway. But bassist Brian Gibson and drummer/default vocalist Brian Chippendal build an addictive structure into the manic pulse of "Captain Caveman," and "Riffwraiths" -- musicians' biggest fear next to unreliable drummers -- sounds like a song's break extended to three explosive minutes. And while Chippendale's vocals on "Birdy" are a distracting non-factor, its rhythmic throb is more relentless than a carbon-arc strobe light with no off switch. None of this is melodic in the traditional sense; Wonderful Rainbow wasn't, either. But Lightning Bolt's music beckons from a more elemental place, as a ferocious distillation of shattered punk fury, dance music release, and the purposely weird. Closer "For the Obsessed" ends abruptly in mid-freak-out, giving the silence that follows its own electricity, and in "Bizarro Zarro Land" Gibson and Chippendale are heavy metal soloists fighting to the death. What makes Hypermagic even more heroic beyond its immediate rhythmic grip is the musicianship, the furious dedication to a hyper, jagged groove. Longer tracks like "Dead Cowboy" and "Mohawk Windmill" build into giant fractals of epic noise, with weird little filigrees stolen from old Yes albums bursting forth from roaring bass guitar and splattering drum rolls. At its most chaotic, Hypermagic Mountain could tear open a wormhole into Comets on Fire's Blue Cathedral. It's clear that Lightning Bolt reach stasis at their noisiest, when they're caught deep in the zone. ~ Johnny Loftus

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Hardcore '81 by D.O.A. (CD - 11/14/2006)
 

Hardcore '81 by D.O.A. (CD - 11/14/2006)

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Hardcore '81 by D.O.A. (CD - 11/14/2006)
"Hardcore '81" (11/14/2006) Hardcore/Punk D.O.A., Sudden DeathInclude D.O.A.'s 1984 EP "DON'T TURN YER BACK ON DESPERATE TIMES" as bonus tracks. D.O.A.: Chuck Biscuits (vocals, guitar, drums); Joey Keithley, David Gregg (vocals, guitar); Randy Rampage (vocals, bass guitar). This Vancouver foursome was already a band to be reckoned with on their first three singles and debut, Something Better Change, but they went for the jugular on Hardcore '81, producing a rare and astonishing moment for the ages, a direct precursor to the Replacements' first LP torch job later that year. With the greatest drummer in punk history in Chuck Biscuits and an equally smokin' bassist in Randy Rampage, 1978-1982 D.O.A. had an unbelievably intense rhythm section to back the heavy, two-guitar power of Joey Shithead and Dave Gregg. With chops that actually bettered their primary influence, the Clash, and a take-on-all-comers attitude, these guys rocked -- and they knew it. With the exception of the much different, faster, more thrash Bad Brains debut, nothing else in the then-new hardcore genre came close to this wild LP. These 14 songs whip by quick with great thrill and tumult, an unusual, fun mixture of drinking buddy "I Don't Give a Shit" party tunes ("My Old Man's a Bum," "Fucked Up Baby"), wry, sardonic culture commentary ("M.C.T.F.D." aka "Middle Class Television Family Daughter," "Unknown"), and sobering sociopolitical outrage ("D.O.A.," "Smash the State," "Slumlord"). But what you can't forget are the machine-gun Biscuits fills, triggered by the merest hint of any looming chord change yet totally anchored on Rampage's booming bass. Or Gregg and Keithley's hot riffs that are so thick and yet slippery that they threaten to explode. Or Keithley's likable bear-growl vocals, as full of bonhomie good-guy spirit and wicked humor as they are with his sweat and vigor. Or songs so catchy, you want to sing them as loud as your lungs will take you. But like the '60s Who, '70s Clash, and '70s Buzzcocks (other bands of this same rank), they just don't come around often. Good thing they made Hardcore '81 before they left us. ~ Jack Rabid

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