Nancy - S/T CS [2013]

Punk n roll channeling the sort of AM radio sounds that probably inspired the Heartbreakers or the Dictators, or the more rockin' moments of Big Star. None of those name-drops are very accurate in describing Nancy, though. For a style that's been done to death for the past 60+ years, it amazes me that a band could come up with tunes that sink in as deep as these ones do. Really though I don't spend much time thinking about influences or the merits of 'originality' when I'm listening to this, because the songs quickly make that shit irrelevant.  And there are some serious earworms on here -- just try to remove "Midnight" or "Malt Licker" from your head once you've heard 'em. Hands down, this is one of the best releases of 2013.

Listen here, then get yerself a copy from Eat the Life (second pressing is now available!). And keep an eye out for the Nancy 7", comin' at you some time soon.

re-up'd: Sonic Youth - Hold That Tiger [1987]

Quick, here's a Sonic Youth boot some of you maybe don't have. Recorded at the Metro in Chicago on October 14, 1987. Thanks to quality mic-placement, this is some real clanging, articulately shredded-up EVOL and Sister material from what is maybe my favorite period of this band. People forget Sonic Youth was a punk band, and this gig demonstrates it. The version of 'Death Valley '69' rages so hard that you forget it's missing Lydia Lunch's vocal part. Following a soaring version of 'Pacific Coast Highway' is a Ramones coverset encore.

The Japanese text on the cover inexplicably reads 'my mother went shopping.' Perhaps the band was studying up for their semi-upcoming 1988 tour of Japan.

SY concert archive entry for this gig
"I have no desire to fuck Jessica Hahn but I would like to kill Jim Bakker"

Dipers - Shit House 7" [2012]

Dipers are the perfect antidote for the over-serious, bland, and humorless hardcore bands people complain about. Harking back to OG New York punks like the Dolls and the Dictators, Dipers have the 'smart guys playing dumb' schtick down pat. The lyrics are funny, the vocal delivery is perfect, and the instruments are a raucous jam of hardcore punk (as opposed to punks playing hardcore). On some of the songs the guitar tone is in the same mid-range, rotary-saw-cutting-metal-spitting-sparks-everywhere realm as Hüsker Dü.

You can read an entertaining interview with Dipers frontman Reed Dunlea at superchief.tv. The first picture is the cover of their excellent demo cassette which can be acquired here.

Shit House is out on Eat the Life, which is run by one of the dudes from Poor Choice and Buff Shit, among others. Be sure to check out all the other cool stuff there.

Shit Hawk Punks - Dipers website

Fuck technology except the internet

Vivienne Dick No Wave Cinema - Beauty Becomes the Beast [1979]

I just finished watching this and figured some of you would dig it too. Starring Lydia Lunch, though you'll probably recognize a few other names in the credits if you're into any of the no wave shit from end-of -the-seventies NYC. Starts off a bit slow but it's worth the watch. There is some great imagery of the city in the gutter here. Being a no wave movie, you'd be foolish to expect much real plot, but the themes of anti-patriarchy and urban decay are clearly present.  The soundtrack is superb as well. If numbers are important to you this has an 8.8 on IMDb (only five votes but hey). Runs approx. 45 min.

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Suicide - Suicide (Second Album) [1980] + Dream Baby Dream 7" [1979] + more

EDIT: I got DMCA'd, looks like you'll have to find it somewhere else.

So this is the second studio album by Suicide (clearly). Makes me think of what rock n roll would have sounded like in the Blade Runner world. Which is to say, it's awesome. Like First Album, you're getting raw, sharp synth-punk (and they were one of the first bands to do this). The drum machine sounds like heartbeats, and on 'Fast Money Music' you'll feel like your pulse is trying to catch up to the song. Second Album has synth-punk doo-wop stuff added to the mix. These guys liked the Velvet Underground's 'Sister Ray' so much they made their own and called it 'Mr. Ray.' It's a jam. Second Album was produced by Ric Ocasek of the Cars, so the added pop sound should make sense to you, and if you didn't like First Album so much but think the premise is cool, try this record.

This version does not contain the First Rehearsal Tapes disc, but does include the Dream Baby Dream/Radiation 7", plus the excellent track 'Super Subway Comedian.'

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