Search Results for: dischord

CORIKY – s/t LP

Coriky – self-titled LP

Formed in Washington DC, 2015. Amy Farina (Warmers, The Evens) plays drums. Joe Lally (Fugazi) plays bass. Ian MacKaye (The Evens, Fugazi, Minor Threat etc) plays guitar. Warning! do not pass this off as a mere continuation of The Evens (not that that would be bad a thing); the addition of Joe Lally’s distinct basslines steers this much more in the direction of a follow-up album to Fugazi’s The Argument. Added to that is the great, and perhaps overlooked, album by the Warmers from 1996. End result is probably one of the most important full-lengths of 2020. Great socio-political lyrics, incredibly pertinent; and each song is expertly crafted, as you would expect from such experienced hands. An album to explore, and to inspire.

“God, I love New York,” Walter said. “There is something so profoundly wrong with Washington.”
“Plenty of things wrong here, too,” Katz said, sidestepping a high-speed mom-and-stroller combo.
“But at least this is an actual place. Washington’s all abstraction. It’s about access to power and nothing else…..”
“I will remind you that Bad Brains and Ian MacKaye came out of D.C.”

– Freedom, by Jonathan Franzen

UNITED MUTATION – “Dark Self Image” LP

United Mutation – “Dark Self Image” LP

Legendary pioneers of ‘outsider’ hardcore punk. In 1982, United Mutation entered Washington DC’s Inner Ear recording studio to lay down two sessions, the first with their original lineup of the Fox brothers, vocalist John “Monk” Harding, and drummer Sean Sumner, followed by a second session for the Outside Records compilation Mixed Nuts Don’t Crack, featuring new vocalist and former Dark Self Image drummer, Mike Brown. 1983 saw the band return to Inner Ear to record their debut 7″ EP, Fugitive Family, a split release between Dischord Records and the band’s newly minted D.S.I. label. This LP compiles all of the aforementioned recordings – 26 tracks total, six of which are previously unreleased – all faithfully restored from the original Inner Ear master tapes, and including a 24-page full-colour booklet.

 

 

TOO MANY VOICES – “Catch Me If You Can” LP

Too Many Voices – “Catch Me If You Can” LP

Good ideas get recycled again and again, it would be daft not to, and so the Dischord/Revolution Summer mix of hardcore punk and melodic rock will never go away – with the trademark sung-more-than-shouted vocals, picked guitar chords, and heart-on-sleeve earnestness: HDQ, Reason To Believe, 411, Bread And Circuits, Betrayed, Give are just a few past examples, and more recently Sunstroke and One step Closer. With their vinyl debut Too Many Voices, from Long Island, New York, add their name to the list. Hell, they even do a cover of 3‘s Swann Street. A dead cert for fans of Can I Say I’d say.

INSTIGATORS – “Phoenix” Double LP

Instigators – “Phoenix” Double LP (& CD)

An important UK band of the 1980’s, and one that has (perhaps) become a little bit over looked in more recent years (at least in this country): the Instigators managed to successfully bridge the early ’80s anarcho-protest-punk with the faster, beefier sounds that emerged in the mid 80s onwards; whilst also, through constant touring overseas, taking the UK hardcore sound and style out into the world at large (becoming pretty huge in mainland Europe as a consequence). This is their second full-length, originally released by Bluurg Records in 1986, repressed and extended into  double LP in 2015 as part of Boss Tuneage Record’s Retro series, with the addition of a live set from Berlin 1987 on side C and D. Hearing it again now, you realise how ahead of the game Instigators were at this stage – evolving their punk energy into the more calibrated pace and higher level of musicianship, not unlike various Dischord bands from that same period (Scream, Dag Nasty, Soulside, Beefeater).  

Phoenix (Deluxe Edition) by Instigators

DECADENT FEW – “lowlife” LP

Decadent Few – “lowlife” LP

Unsung heroes of the mid 80’s UK punk scene given a late but very welcome reissue. This LP compiles the 7 tracks recorded in 1988 for an unreleased mini album on Real World Records, plus 4 tracks from 1994 that only appeared on a long-deleted US compilation CD. A London based band that formed in 1984 (after the demise of Youth In Asia) and, much cherished by myself, but perhaps over-looked at the time – Decadent Few were perhaps too out-there for the Mortarhate/Conflict dominated punk ‘movement’ of that period of time in the UK. Absorbing both the anarcho/gothic vibes of UK Decay, Poison Girls, and the Mob; with subtle hits of US/Dischord hardcore; all topped off by the phenominal voice of Kay, whose soaring vocal range is off the musical scale. Powerfully expressive and dramatic in ways to make many a professional performer green with envy.

Inflammable Material bandcamp

 

 

GOVERNMENT ISSUE – “Boycott Stabb Complete Session” LP

Government Issue – “Boycott Stabb Complete Session” LP

When GI recorded Boycott Stabb in November 1982 they initially tracked 20 songs, including several older previously recorded songs. The band had been through a major line-up change and finally decided only to release only the newest songs. The outtakes have remained un-mixed and unreleased until now. Side A of this 12″ LP features the original Boycott Stabb songs and Side B features the outtakes. Produced by Ian MacKaye.

HEROIN – “Heroin” 7″

Heroin – “Heroin (Paper Bag)” 7″

The second 7″, also referred to as the “Pater Bag” 7″, because, of course, that was how it was originally presented (and, amazingly, still is ): within a screen-printed, hand built, brown paper bag, (which at the time, back in 1992,  was something of a novelty). Late 1980’s DC hardcore influence, reinterpreted with the dischordant intensity that was becoming the sound of San Diego of the early 90s. The first release for Gravity Records, the label run by Heroin’s vocalist, Matt Anderson.

HEROIN – “All About Heroin” 7″

Heroin – “All About Heroin” 7″

The highlight of early to mid 90s DIY music was, for me, listening to bands like Assfactor 4, The Swing Kids, Antioch Arrow, Clikitat Ikatowi and Mohinder. And to a certain degree this is the 7″ that started it all. Discreetly released by the San Diego based label, Vinyl Communications, in 1991 to the attention of virtually no-one-at-all (at first), this was the emotional hardcore of the Washington DC Revolution Summer injected with new rage and fury; dischordant and chaotic, like their local high school seniors, Drive Like Jehu. A fantastic piece of history, thanfully, kept in press.

All About Heroin on youtube

HAMMERED HULLS – s/t 7″

Hammered Hulls – self-titled 7″

Revolution Summer is back in town. Marking the welcome return of Alec Mackaye to the front of the stage, and joined by fellow veterans: Mary Timony of Autoclave; Mark Cisneros of Medications, Chain And The Gang, Make Up, Des Demonas, amongst others; Chris Wilson, renowned drummer for Titus Andronicus, Ted Leo and The Pharmacists, and the underrated Shake Ray Turbine (especially exciting for me, ‘cos I really rated them). I am so fucking relieved – Ignition have always been a big, big deal to me. Faith, and The Warmers, are held dear, too, of course. Weirdly – amazingly, even –  Hammered Hulls are as good as Ignition. And I’m talking 7″s and album. Not 12″. Weary at first, these songs have grown on me. Alongside Red Hare,  I haven’t enjoyed a new Dischord band as much in many years. But, catch it quick – first press already gone.

MINOR THREAT – “First Demo Tape” 7″

Minor Threat – “First Demo Tape” 7″

Minor Threat’s first demo tape, 8 songs (icluding Minor Threat, Straight Edge, I don’t Want To Hear It etc.) recorded in February and March of 1981 at Inner Ear Studios with Skip Groff and Don Zientara.”Though previously unreleased, these songs sound similar to the first Minor Threat 7″ EP”