Various – “20 Years of Dischord” Triple CD (and book) Box Set
A staggeringly impressive multi-media project, compiled together in 2002 to celebrate the anniversary of Dischord Records. Two CDs document those twenty years, like a ‘best of’ mix-tape, everyone from The Teen Idles – to Q And Not U, and a track from pretty much every single band that had a release on Dischord in those intervening years. The third disc is an assortment of 23 rare and unreleased tracks – including S.O.A., Youth Brigade, Minor Threat, Government Issue, Void, Fugazi, Dag Nasty etc. Also includes a 134 page, full colour booklet (a fab book in it’s own right), plus 6 video clips on one of the enhanced CDs. 73 tracks in total. Click-on/enlarge photo for full tracklisting.
Gouge Away – “Deep Sage” LP
The Florida band finally graduate to a third full-length. Where the debut album, Dies, of 2015 was a straight ahead fast hardcore recording, the 2018 follow-up, Burnt Sugar, now feels like a transitional record that enabled the band to arrive at where they are at now with this new album, Deep Sage. The mix of Dischord/Fugazi and Pixies influences have bedded in even more (they even covered the Pixies “Wave Of Mutilation” on their 7″ EP of 2020, Consider), and now everything sounds more considered and better constructed. Fine-tuned with some fine tunes. Of the three albums this is the one. Christina Michelle’s intense vocal delivery has always sounded great, but on Burnt Sugar they sometimes felt a little at odds with the instrumental foundations of the song. Whereas Deep Sage is a fully realised beast of an album, with vocals and instruments uniting perfectly into a cohesive whole. Delivering – with lush singing and shouting – some of the finest songs of recent years. End track, “Dallas” is the evidence that provides the proof, beyond all doubt.
Jade Dust – “Grey Skies” 12″ EP
The third 12″ by this Portland, Oregon band finds them continuing in the same vein as before while also revealing a upgrades and improvements, much as you would hope for, three years down the line. The reverence towards Revolution Summer/Washington DC/Dischord is still strong, (a brave cover version of Ignition’s “Anger Means” firmly plants the flag in their staked territory), and as with their previous releases, Jade Dust are also perfect for fans of 1990’s Heartattack/DIY emo – the bands who were, likewise, heavily influenced by 80’s Dischord.
Four way split “Screaming Death” LP
A four way split is a scarce thing. Essentially four 7″s on one disc, (literally, in the case of Dischord’s First Four 7″s LP). This four way split follows the tradition of Pusmort’s classic Thrash Til Death LP (1987’s Shall We Dance on Meantime Records also comes to mind. There must be more?), an international bombardment of non-stop käng! 4 bands from 3 different countries – Destruct (USA), Scarecrow (USA), Dissekerad (Sweden), Rat Cage (UK) – each contributing several hardcore offerings of fresh material unique to this compilation.
“Good Night and Good Riddance: How Thirty-Five Years of John Peel Helped to Shape Modern Life” – Book
By David Cavanagh
An informative exploration of the music played by the notorious DJ on his radio show, from the years 1967 through to 2003, all placed within the cultural and social context of the time. The legacy of a hugely important figure in world music, from proto-punk to American hardcore, hip hop to acid house, grindcore to screamo, along with every other underground sub-genre of music. Who else was playing tracks from Dischord’s Flex Your Head compilation LP in 1982 anywhere, not least on national radio? A reputation somewhat tarnished since his passing (I wouldn’t like to be the judge), but, if he was alive today I’m sure he would be the loudest and the most contrite critic of the twattery he may have committed in his younger days.
Paperback 620 pages, 13cm x 20cm. (RRP £14.99)
Skull Practitioners – “Negative Stars” LP
The first album for this hard-riffing garage-psych trio based in New York. Following their 2019 EP Death Buy for In The Red, this eight track full-length applies the aggression of early 80’s L.A. punk to the stoner grooves of 70’s hardrock. Add the sweat and swagger of Jon Spencer, along with some Sonic Youth dischord. I can’t pass on a skull laden sleeve that looks this good.
Minor Threat – “Out of Step Outtakes” 7″
When the DC band recorded the Out Of Step 12″ at Inner Ear Studio in January 1983, they found themselves by the ned of session with a little extra blank tape still left on the reel, so they decided to record an instrumental with the very appropriate title of “Addams Family” (which became an ending for “Cashing In” on the 12″) and then recorded new versions of “In My Eyes” and “Filler” to hear what they sounded like with the new line-up (now that Brian Baker had switched from bass to second guitar). Remaining lost and forgotten for 35 years, the two tracks were discovered and remixed in 2021, and now released as a 7″ to mark the 40th anniversary of the release of Out of Step.
The Evens – Self-titled 7″
Two songs from Ian MacKaye and Amy Farin, released on November of 2011.
J. Robbins – “Un-becoming” LP
Twelve songs of post-hardcore melody by studio/recording legend J. Robbins (who also, of course, fronted Jawbox and then Burning Airlines, as well as playing bass in the final years of Government Issue). Recorded at his Baltimore-based studio, The Magpie Cage, between 2016 and 2019 with the assistance of Pete Moffett of Burning Airlines/G.I. (drums), Brooks Harlan from Jawbox (bass), Gordon Withers (cello), Chris Brooks (keyboards), and Andrew Grimm (pedal steel). An album with a broad range of styles, quite sweeping in its grandeur – not surprisingly delivered with expert production values and confident musicianship.
Open City – “Hands In The Honey Jar” LP
A group of experienced musicians based in Philadelphia who have worked and lived through many eras of punk and hardcore. Vocalist Rachel Rubino previously sang in Bridge And Tunnel; Andy Nelson and Dan Yemin play in the recently revived Paint It Black (and between them have also played in Ceremony, Lifetime/Kid Dynamite and countless others); Chris Wilson has a lengthy resume of past experience, and significantly, is currently drumming in Hammered Hulls. Finding their feet within Open City, this new album feels like a profound step-up from their self-titled debut of 2017. Hey Dischord and DC heads, does a mix of Fire Party and Swiz sound like a good idea? Then, bingo, you got it. And, keeping in mind their combined past/present experience, you get a lot more too. Contemporaries of Praise, Gouge Away, The HIRS Collective and Truth Cult.
