Top Releases of 2011

1. trap them - darker handcraft
2. beneath oblivion - from man to dust
3. lee bozeman - giftmouth b/w the moment is gone
4. lee bozeman - the secret's always safe with  me b/w soft sins
5. pj harvey - let england shake
6. washed out - in and without
7. justin ww - ...of arches ep
8. vaccine - crimes in blood ep
9. enabler - year one
10. jay-z and kanye west - watch the throne
11. jedi mind tricks - violence begets violence
12. rise against - endgame
13. drainland - and so our troubles began
14. today is the day - pain is a warning
15. waka flocka flame and gucci mane - ferrari boyz
16. gigan - quasi-hallucinogenic sonic landscapes
17. radiohead - the king of limbs
18. custodian and gnawed (collab)
19. cloud rat/oily menace/wolbachia - split lp
20. cloud rat - fever dreams
21. nukkehammer - soviet rust belt ep
22. pusha t - fear of god II: let us pray
23. tyler, the creator - goblin
24. authority - stone craft cs
25. discretion - the scrubbing hole cs
26. vacation - s/t
27. rank/xerox - rank/xerox
28. dead north - spot remover (demo)
29. nukkehammer - demos lp
30. trophy wives - old scratch
31. white lung/nu sensae - split ep
32. disma - towards the megalith
33. hatred surge/mammoth grinder - split lp
34. negative plane - stained glass revelations
35. exit hippies/asocial terror fabrication - split ep
36. solstafir - svartir sandar
37. northless - clandestine abuse
38. warning//warning ep
39. fuck the facts - die miserable
40. immolation - providence ep
41. peter j. woods - songs for nothing
42. iceage - new brigade (came out in the US this year)
43. from ashes rise - live hell
44. oathbreaker - maelstrom
45. authority - protect us, o lord

reissues:

nirvana - nevermind super deluxe (disc THREE only...)
no comment - downsided ep
no comment - common senseless ep
dishammer - vintage addiction
general surgery - necrology ep


honorable mentions:

witch mountain - south of salem
brody's militia/breathilizor - split ep
austra - feel it break
heartless - hell is other people
brainoil - death of this dry season
gucci mane - the return of mr. zone 6

(Local bands are bolded.)

The Best British Pop You've Never Heard... from America?!??

"Vanity" by Luxury

The sun and the air loved her best, so buried at sea,
we couldn't take the mirrors, there were too many.

Drown like you mean it,
I said, drown like you mean it,
I said, drown like you mean it,
It's vanity.

That's vanity.

Can you see her floating?

That's vanity.

Can you see her floating?

I closed up the bottle with a note to read,
said, "Who is there that you would love to see?"

Drown like you mean it,
I said, drown like you mean it,
I said, this time with some feeling,
I said, this time with some feeling,
I said, drown like you mean it,
I said, drown, drown, drown, drown, drown.

It's vanity.

Can you see her floating?

That's vanity.

Can you see her floating?

I bet you can,
I bet you can,
I bet you can,
I know you can,
I bet you can,
I bet you can,
I bet you can, 'cause you're a foxy man.


Luxury, from Toccoa, Georgia was on Tooth and Nail Records in the mid-to-late 90's.  This was during the early days of the label, when they were releasing good, relevant music (mewithoutYou and Starflyer 59 were a couple of the only good bands to have survived that period).  They played a style of British Pop influenced by The Smiths and 70's glam-rock.  Virtually everything they've written (as well as their side projects) is timeless.  A number of their releases, including this, their debut album, are available for FREE on a Bandcamp site that their lead singer runs.  He and his brother, who is also a member, has a side project up there, too.

While they started out as Evangelical Christians, the brothers Bozeman ended up converting to Eastern Orthodox Christianity and became priests.  For those of you who aren't aware, Orthodox priests are allowed to marry.  Which both of them did before going to school and taking their vows.  This is obviously a much healthier stance than the one that their counterparts, the Roman Catholics, took during the Middle Ages (and unfortunately have continued with today...).  I cannot recommend this band enough and I URGE you to at least give them a listen.

Rank/Xerox (San Francisco Post-Punk)

Official Site:
http://rnkxrx.tumblr.com

Free Downloads and Streaming Audio:

http://soundcloud.com/ros-records

Here's a review of their recently-released self-titled LP (on Make a Mess) from Maximum Rock’N’Roll

An urgent, desolate sound that evokes collapsing modernist architecture, awkward photographs and polyester trousers. Post-punk nausea for those that would rather reach for Soma Holiday than anything out of Leeds in 1982. This is my favorite local band. Their music is constantly moving, a million parts in action creating a picture that’s stark and powerful, and there’re only three people in this band - one Australian accent and two American ones. Former members of HC acts BURNING SENSATION and JUMP OFF A BUILDING now making out of place music for desperate times. They are excellent live, propulsive energy and power to flatten all dispassionate audiences. I’ve heard people compare them to ZOUNDS, I think they are more in like with the PROLETARIAT with some MIDDLE CLASS aggro snot injections. At any rate, this LP is a totality of nervous energy and dark movement, it sort of makes me think of the KEBAB song "We Live In A System", that paranoid force. It’s hard to write about a band you love sometimes, it’s easier to dismiss things than to explain what the secret ingredient is that makes something rule…Listening to this on headphones in a dark review corridor it feels like a transportation device. Lyrics are incisive surgical cuts, evocative and nightmarish constructions. It’s stark, dark music with underlying currents, PETER HOOK-ish basslines and scratched out guitars and the drums are like a more organized PALMOLIVE! For real, if you like skating around town with WARSAW on your headphones, this is your sound. (LG)

WARNING/WARNING (French "Raw Punk")

November 14, 2011Witler House
4114 Witler St
Cincinnati, OH
45223


WARNING//WARNING (Bordeaux, France; ex-Gasmask Terror)
Noisy hardcore Japanese style a la Confuse, Frigora, GAI, Framtid
http://punkislove.free.fr [Site currently down]

GREY HOST
Local stoner/doom
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Grey-Host/115821031812813

SILO
Ohio raw punks

+ more sick ragers TBA

ALL AGES
8:30 pm. $5.
BYOB (and the door money)

Heavier Than Sabbath and Existed the Same Time...

Mokoka (Basque Punk from France)

Egin zazu zure lana
Mokoka | Myspace Music Videos

http://www.myspace.com/mokoka

Via Google Translate...

"The sound of Mokoka revolves around a punk-rock-core direct where the melodies are as catchy as the choruses heady! .. And if singing in Euskara, the Basque language, is already is a commitment, do not forget all his companions. The group then turned into association to help families of Basque political prisoners and meet their financial needs. .. The Euskara, therefore, to denounce the repression in Franco-Spanish Euskal Herria. Words and melodies to carry the fight beyond the artificial boundaries of politics. .. Also, if etymologically means Mokoka Barney, the group is also the symbol of the claims he wants to get in his texts. In addition to the Basque cause, more generally Mokoka tackles the problems of society today (unemployment, individualism, illiteracy ...). .. But the group does not lose sight of the sense of fun and knows how to combine text with thoughtful and serious themes lighter, always punctuated with music and pogotante. Their concerts are all tense moment, shooting stretched as time of derision and humor. Their recovery, in Breton in the text, Tri Martelod is an example !.... Mokoka occurred in nearly one hundred and fifty concerts in Paris (Fahrenheit, Euskal Etxea, Reflex-CICP, Guinguette Pirate, Dial Omnibus, Vendémiaire and bars), in Britain, Iparralde (Baiona, Itxassou, Senpere, Baigorri) and Hegoalde (Irun, Gernika, Bilbao, Gasteiz), the festival Euskal Herria Zuzenean 98 ... .. And played with Fermin Muguruza, La Polla, Etsaiak, Anestesia, Betagarri, Skunk, Ten Little Indians, Kargol's, The Sheriff, Brigada Flores Magon, Rude Boy System, P4 to Attack ....... .. The group was arrested in 2000. But the struggle continues ....."

Doktor Bitch/Billy Crystal Meth - split CDr

Live footage of DOKTOR BITCH (ex-Sockeye, Schnauzer, Minch, Boulder, Breathilizor, The Lettuce Vultures, Poopy Dys, The Snack Food Association, etc) can be viewed HERE.

You can hear a BILLY CRYSTAL METH song off of this on youtube HERE.  The split is available on BCM's webpage and probably elsewhere.  I don't care enough to look further, though, because I just ate an entire bag of Swedish Fish.  Oh man, be right back...

This is pretty good...

NEW RELEASE BY CAUL UP FOR FREE DOWNLOAD!!!!!!!!!!!

More darkwave for your enjoyment!  Check out the new album, Lacuna, which he put up for FREE DOWNLOAD here:

http://soundcloud.com/caul

Here's some other links for Caul:

http://caul.org
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Caul

http://www.last.fm/music/Caul

The Spirit and the Bride

I came across this group on facebook.  They're from San Francisco.  Self-described as a mix of darkwave, goth, and dream-pop.  I hear some Dead Can Dance and British pop influences in it.  It's very mature and well-written, so I'd strongly recommend checking it out.  Here's some links for them:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spirit-And-The-Bride/230191209886?sk=app_178091127385

http://soundcloud.com/spiritandthebride

$7.40

I went to Half-Price Books today with a friend and discovered that they still have $0.48 comics... and that their VHS section is $0.25 to $0.50.  Here's what I came away with...


COMIX

Predator "Cold War" #1-4 (of 4) - Dark Horse
Predator "Sands of Time" #1-2 (of 2) - Dark Horse

VHS

Alien (1992 reissue)
Aliens
Batman (1989)
Dune (David Lynch's version, Sealed)
Fantasia
The Postman (Sealed)
Predator
Robotech - Vol. 7
Sepultura - Third World Chaos
Spaceballs
Spawn 3 - The Ultimate Battle
Terminator
Terminator 2 - Judgment Day
Tombstone
Total Recall
Universal Soldier
William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (1997)

RECENT LIBRARY CHECKOUTS

From Cincinnati's Main Public Library and my local branch:

Einsturzende Neubauten - 1991-2001 (Strategies Against Architecture III) 2xCD
Earth Crisis - Destroy the Machines
Dead Boy and the Elephantmen - We Are Night Sky
Flyleaf - Remember to Live
Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotten Vegetables
Dead Kennedys - Plastic Surgery Disasters & In God We Trust, Inc
Dead Kennedys -Frankenchrist
The Pomegrantes - One of Us
Ornette Coleman - The Shape of Jazz to Come
Bright Eyes - The People's Key
Leadbelly - Absolutely the Best
The Seedy Seeds - Verb Noun
Bruce Springsteen - The Ghost of Tom Joad
Zwan - mary, Star of the Sea
Peter Murphy - Ninth
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
Lenny Kravitz - s/t
Yeaysayer - ?????
Yeaysayer - All Hour Cymbals
Best Coast - Crazy for You
Galaxie 500 - This is Our Music/Copenhagen 2xCD
Galaxie 500 - Today/Uncollected 2xCD

EMPEROR X - LIVE IN A TUNNEL UNDER GLENDALE AVE. IN LOS ANGELES

Like I told a friend, don't ask me where this guy came up with the name for his act (sounds like the name of some epic metal band...), but this stuff rules!!!! Catch him in Newport, Kentucky (just over the bridge from Cincinnati, Ohio) tomorrow (Oct 11th) at the Southgate House with Margaret Darling (of the Seedy Seeds) and Billy Wallace. Buy tickets here, at Shake-It Records (today's the last day to do so), or at the Southgate House itself.  Here's the rest of the details for the show: 8 pm doors / 9pm show, $5 ADV / $8 DOS, Ages 18+ (sorry, kids!!!). And then he's playing for free at Mayday (in the  neighborhood of Northside in Cincinnati, OH) on Nov. 17th for FREE (21+ again...).  I know that's not listed on the site yet, but the booker informed me of it today...

WHERE DID ALL THE GOOD NEW DEATH METAL GO?!?? RIGHT HERE, DUDE!!!!!

CHECK IT OUT!!!!!!!

NEW IMMOLATION EP IS FREE ON CD, VINYL, AND DOWNLOAD!!!!!!!!!

Both from their upcoming EP "Providence"

Scion A/V Presents: Immolation - Providence EP" will be available as a free download via http://www.scionav.com. The EP will also be distributed for free in CD and vinyl formats at shows during the IMMOLATION North American tour 2011 and at select Scion partner retail locations.

Get it here. http://www.metalinjection.net/av/immolation-providence-track-premiere

BRODY'S MILITIA/RUPTURE SPLIT 7" EP + INVOCATION OF OBSCENE GODS ZINE ISSUE #1 !!!!!!!!!!

In keeping with the theme of punk rock tributes, here's Brody's Militia's cover of "Earth's Dead, So Stop Crying" by thee one and only late, great RUPTURE!!!!!!!!"   It's on their 7" split with Rupture, which came out on Haunted Hotel Records. Buy it from the label or directly from Brody's Militia at Backwoods Butcher Recordings.

And while you're at it, get a copy of the first issue of Doug's new zine, Invocation of Obscene Gods. Here's Doug's description of it -

“Invocation Of Obscene Gods” Issue #1 featuring interviews with Japanese black metal banshees ABIGAIL, Dutch noisecore mutants CROWD SURFERS MUST DIE, American death metal legends NUNSLAUGHTER, Aussie grindcore destroyers THE KILL and the undisputed heavyweight champions of punk rock brutality ANTiSEEN. Also includes a re-print of an old interview with RUPTURE conducted by Food Fortunata of SOCKEYE plus shit talking, ass kissing, an advice column by Dr. Jason Wade and one million reviews of records that you’ve probably already downloaded and outgrown. Forty-four glorious half-sized, pro-printed black + white pages of punk n’ metal bullshit for a measly $3 USA / $5 world postpaid.

Please send well-hidden US cash to: Douglas Long, P.O. Box 704, Hebron, KY 41048 USA or paypal to dudehate at gmail dot com. Trades for other music fanzines are totally cool but please write first.

Jeff DAHL & POISON IDEA - DEAD BOY (STIV BATORS TRIBUTE)

I had no idea this even existed and while i never really listened to much Stiv Bators, I like Poison Idea a lot and Jeff Dahl does an amazing vocal performance on the songs he's on.  Highly recommended, especially if you like Poison Idea.




Click here to listen to the rest of the album on Spotify.

UNBLEEDING JOINS THE B.A.G.

Shawn Abnoxious and Gunther8544, long-time inspirations for me, invited me to join a facebook group called the Blog Alliance Group (B.A.G.). We're on facebook, located here.

Archie Comics Tackles Gay Marriage

There will be an issue next year supporting gay marriage and a wedding will take place in it.  And no, I'm not joking.  Read about it here.

RIVERDALE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME!!!!!!!

Shawn Abnoxious has a new blog

Be sure to check out ...THWART, Shawn Abnoxious (co-host of Functional Inconvenience, published poet, longtime un-zine producer (The Neus Subjex) bassist for The Socials, artist, Author of "Teetering On The Brink of Science" as well as consultant to an un-named soon-to-be finished dystopian novel)'s new blog (his previous one was Kill Tomorrow, on Myspace).  He's an incredibly insightful writer who has influenced me a lot.  I can't recommend his work enough.

Obscure Christian Folk Artists from the 60's and 70's

Found these on Waxidermy.com...

Linda Rich - There's More to Living Than I Know So Far

(Click the above link to go to a page with the album for free download.)

Linda Rich's first lp on the Chicago based IVR label from 1969 is an amazingly beautiful set of original xian folk-pop. Outstanding sparse production, excellent songwriting, and Linda's understated, yet confident vocals make this a record that reaches way beyond any kind of novelty factor often used to "handicap" Christian records. In fact, like many of the best Xian records, there are not constant knock-you-over-the-head Jesus saves type lyrics – rather, her songs are very personal and introspective. All tracks are either totally acoustic, or very lightly and tastefully orchestrated in a style somewhat reminiscent of an early Leonard Cohen album. Apparently she has two other lp's on IVR that I'm anxious to hear."

Barbara Sipple - Barbara Sings for Life

Obscure private press christian folk recording by pro-lifer Barbara Sipple, released on the Lazarus label out of Willingboro, NJ. The majority of the record is pretty deep (and good) folk music, while a few of the tracks are accompanied by a group of kids called the "Lollipop Express Chorus," who join Sipple on some sing-a-long jams. I don't necessarily hate those but it's pretty clear that the tracks where the LEC are out on the playground and not in the studio are a bit more listenable.

"Song for Life" has recently been included on a female folk compilation entitled, "Wayfaring Strangers: Ladies from the Canyon". Fans of Linda Perhacs' Parallelograms LP could probably get with this; sublime acoustic guitar joined by cello a minute or so into the song. "Hold On" will appeal to the folk-funk crowd and is probably my favorite on this record. Oh and I can't forget "Song of the Unborn" which is the most "out there" of the tracks — is that a heart beating?

Sipple is supposedly still active in the music business, however she's retired her xian folk guitar stylings to be an opera singer.

Listen to a few tracks:

Song for Life
Hold On
Song of the Unborn


Here's a message from Barbara (from the back cover):

"This collection of songs is a joyful celebration of every man's most precious possession, life itself. The offering is made as an expression of personal gratitude to my friends of the National Youth Pro-Life Coalition who have helped put my values into perspective through their love."

Barbara — March 1973

Upon the Occasion of the Royal Wedding...

...I would like to dedicate this footage to the happy couple:



"Sex Pistols, River Thames, London 1977: The Sex Pistols blasting out songs as they sailed down the River Thames to ‘celebrate’ the silver Jubilee. Playing Anarchy in the UK whilst slowly drifting past the House of Parliament a defining moment of punk rock rebellion came as the gig ended with the boat being raided by police."

- NME (UK)

Photo: Photoshot

Added: Oct 2, 2009

May 6th - Aaron Dilloway (ex-Wolf Eyes), John Mannion (Cathode Terror Secretion), Being, Iovae, DJ Pete Fosco

Aaron Dilloway (ex-Wolf Eyes, ex-Couch, ex-Universal Indians and is the guy behind Hanson Records) is playing the basement of the Comet on May 6th for FREE (21+) with John Mannion (of Cathode Terror Secretion), Being (Harsh noise walls artist from Dayton), and Iovae (my favorite noise artist in Cincinnati). DJ Pete Fosco will be spinning between sets.

MIDWEST COAST GRINDVIOLENCE - PART I

Pizza Hi Five at The Eagles Nest (1/3/10) from Bullart. on Vimeo.

Pizza Hi-Five
Powerviolence from Lima, Ohio
http://www.myspace.com/pizzahifive


Check out their split tape with Dayton, Ohio's Hooker Spit Windex (RIP) ( Myspace and Facebook) on Feel Good Grind Tapes (RIP?).  I got it from Scab on My Brain.  So should you!!!

Palindrones - No-Wave Improv'd Creeper Jams

Jon Lorenz (Wasteland Jazz Unit, Art Damage Radio) recorded and uploaded a live set of Palindrones (NSFW) from Cincinnati, Ohio.  The lineup is made up of Chris Adams, Emilie and Brad from Pink Film, and Troy Gallagher.  So what is this like?  Well, just look in the subject line for this, genius!

Anyhoozle, it needs to be said that there's something special about the music that comes from places where the word "cornhole" is used to refer to a game that's a safe version of horse shoes, Christian rock and hardcore are considered cool, there's entire neighborhoods of racist rednecks who attempt to pull off Brooklyn accents, local talk radio is dominated by this guy, and there's nothing to do aside from eating out and going to one of a bazillion multiplexes and crappy shopping malls.  There is nothing to do here (or anywhere in the Midwest, save Chicago).  Which means that if you want to entertain yourself (or simply maintain your sanity), you're going to have to do it yourself.  And the people making it don't simply stare into the abyss... they become it.  So when they find an outlet, you better believe that even a flooded river isn't gonna keep the whole shithouse from goin' up in flames.  'Cuz that's just how it's done in the NO COAST, motherfucker.

You can look forward to the Palindrones making some noi... uh, i mean doing some stuff soon.

Audio from live set (3/11/2011)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=W738MDEU

This Just In: JESU SOUNDS GOOD AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It looks like Justin Broadrick (ex-Godflesh, Napalm Death)'s project, Jesu, finally pulled out of the slough of mediocrity that it's been mired in for the past five years. Check out "Birth Day" off the new release, Ascension, on Stereogum.

PINK FILM (New Cincinnati Power Electronics / Harsh Noise)

Emilie and Brad are friends of mine who make power electronics and harsh noise.  I've been catching their sets since their first show and have been really impressed with what they're doing.  The noise scene here has always been very strong and they're just the latest female/male noise project to come out of here.  Last night, I bought their first tape, Seppuku.  It's unusually good for a demo and the lyrics are taken from Jenny Holzer's "Inflammatory Essays" and Valerie Solanas' "S.C.U.M. Manifesto".  Emilie is very interested in Japanese culture (some of you probably caught the reference of the band name), which shows up in the tape's artwork and song titles.  There are a limited number of them left, so get ahold of one while you can.  Their website, where you can download a couple of live sets from, is here:

http://pinky-violence.blogspot.com  (WARNING: Mature Content, NSFW)