Deformity - Shards EP

As I swim further and further into the deep end of my 20s I find myself getting a strange peaceful joy whenever a band I really like is made up of younger kids. After listening to this EP from Deformity a bunch of times, I found out at least one of the members was still in high school and I was ecstatic. If you lump Deformity, members are from Manhattan & suburban NYC, in with a lot of that area's "raw punk" acts you're during yourself a disservice. This EP has elements of garage rock and as accurately described in NUTS! [see below] groovy quality that separate it from otherwise similar current bands. Of the 3 songs, the super catchy rock & roll guitar solo half way through the first track is actually by far my favorite part of the record. Hopefully I get to see these guys live sooner rather than later.

Download.

The singer Shiva has a tumblr with a lot of his cool artwork but I can't seem to remember the link, sorry. His art has been featured in two of the best current zines NUTS! and Distort. Here is a link to buy his zine from Grave Mistake.

Here is a link to DL their new tape from icoulddietomorrow.blogspot.com

Live shot and interview are from NUTS #11. Buy issues of NUTS! HERE
Also check out the NUTS! site http://nutsfanzine.tumblr.com/
A new issue just came out go get it.

 

Nancy Demo Tape

Whenever someone compares a contemporary band to a relatively "legendary" act I cringe. At that moment it's nearly impossible to stop the cynicism from oozing out of my pores. Usually I don't ever even check the band out. Luckily with Nancy I didn't make that mistake upon hearing comparisons to people like The Ramones. Nancy would be completely in their element opening up some early Ramones gig in NYC. With a sound so reminiscent of a long gone era it would be real easy to come off as completely cheesy, but this doesn't at all. This demo is the most infectious thing I've listened to in years. I sat down to listen to it once before I started writing this, but that's impossible. Currently
I 'm listening to it for the 3rd time in a row. Enjoy.

This tape was released by Eat the Life Records. Go buy it here.

Download

Nuclear Spring - 12" EP

I was a huge fan of Nuclear Spring's demo so I was thrilled about being able to grab a copy of this record at Chaos in Tejas back in June. Unfortunately Nuclear Spring didn't play, but Daniel who runs Sorry State Records brought some distro items including this gem. Go check out the Sorry State Webstore by the way it is always well stocked with records and tapes you should be buying.

Anyway the demo got described in a variety of places as having a street punk kind of style to it and big names like Blitz and The Templars were thrown around for comparisons. Few bands successfully pull off the kind of catchy but still very much punk sound Nuclear Spring had on their demo.

This 12" has a noticeably cleaner sound that may take a track or two to adjust to if you played the demo to death, but don't take me bringing this up to mean it is something I disliked about the record. My favorite difference between this and the demo is that Lauren the sole Female member of the group, who plays in the excellent all girl La Misma, is given a lot more time on vocals. On the demo she was mainly only on backup vocals during some of the choruses, but on this 12" EP vocal duties are split much more evenly. Along with the cleaned up sound this adds another element to the band's sound that helps improve upon the demo. A great record you should download immediately.

Here is the band camp link if you want to check out 2 tracks before downloading [even though downloading won't cost you time or money] - http://nuclear-spring.bandcamp.com/

download

This record as well as the demo were put out by Hysteria Records http://hysteriarecords.bigcartel.com/

 

 

As a side note Hysteria is based out of 538 Johnson in Brooklyn and it is a huge bummer for me personally to see that since due to work I am barely able to get up there for shows anymore. Between 06 and 08 when I was finishing both undergrad & graduate school I was getting rides up to 538 for shows all the time. If you haven't been to a show there I highly recommend it. Seeing Darvocets, Inmates, Easter Kids [the name Salvation used to go by] and Dustheads there remains one of my all time favorite hardcore shows. A lot of great shows still happen there so check https://twitter.com/HC_GIG_VOLUME and other places around the internet.

Take care.

Contingent - Demo

With this blog I am going to try and only post things that I actually own. So, since I got this sick demo in the mail the other day I'd like to share the pleasure with you.

Like Savageheads, Contingent are another Boston area band featuring members of other bands you probably are already into. Oi-influced hardcore-punk seems to be all the rage these days, I'm certainly not complaining, but with these first 3 songs Contingent have already set themselves apart from the pack. A much more punk sound than some of the other current bands with similar influences. Melodic without sacrificing energy and tough enough to bang your boots and head to. Seems this is already hard to come by so DL and enjoy.

download

 

Upcoming Posts:

Nuclear Spring 12" EP

Gas Rag Human Rights EP

Creem - Curator EP

New York is producing the best hardcore and punk music in America right now. While not as "weird" as some of their NYC brethren Creem are nonetheless one of the best bands from the current class of NYHC. With a demo, single, and LP already released this is Creem's 4th and to me also their best release. I enjoy the LP a lot, but I think this new EP has a little more energy & rawness to it. Check it out below & also use the link to pick up a copy from Alex's Distro.

download

buy

Savageheads - Demo [2013]

Savageheads offer up one hell of a four song demo. Most descriptions you'll find online compare them to UK82 bands and this will make sense as soon as you hear it. Lyrically too Savageheads fit that era with song titles like Prisoner of the CIA and Detained which unfortunately for the state of the world fit in with the Thatcher/Reagan era as much as they do our current one. Personally I'll take lyrics of that variety over the self-loathing/my life is shit type which I see often and can only take so much of. Even though they have members busy in other bands, most notably the excellent Bloodkrow Butcher, I hope Savageheads have more planned because this is a nice start.

download

buy here

An Opening Ramble

 

            Like everything else subcultures begin with the hard work and dedication of a few committed individuals. Within every one of those beginnings is a group of founding fathers and mothers. Hardcore-punk is not exempt from this origin story; a story it shares with its inherent rival the nation-state it purports to fight or at least set itself outside of culturally. Since ancient times, governments created by these nation-states have celebrated their founding figures by building statues of them, naming institutions after them, and placing their images on coins and bills. From the outset hardcore-punk has established itself as a subculture that rejects this type of hero building. In that context, hardcore-punk’s current tendency for one-time reunion shows and tours featuring reformed headliners of yesteryear is concerning. For one, this borderline hero worship flies in the face of some of the subculture’s basic tenets. Remember, our band could be your life. More importantly though this trend seems to be, in the potential long-run, self defeating. What will happen when the reunions run out? If bands of today find it harder to be given top billing on larger shows who will grow to become the headliners down the road? Of all music based subcultures shouldn’t hardcore-punk be the one where new ideas and concepts are pushed to the front instead of being resigned to playing second fiddle?

We can recognize and obviously still enjoy the bands of the past without placing them on a pedestal that has the potential to stop or at least make it more difficult for current bands to have their moment.

                Of course, there is the very real possibility that everything I have said is completely off-base. It would be wrong of me especially considering the value system of this subculture to claim to be an authoritative voice on this or any issue. However, I think this discussion is at least one worth having.

                Having said all that, I want to use this blog to bring attention to current acts I find intriguing for one reason or another.

                Take care & enjoy.