10/7/15

HDD Mixtape #3, Mini-Zines OUT NOW~!


A little HDD housecleaning here...

I'm hard at work on the big 10th issue of The Soda Killers punk, rap, and graffiti fanzine (previous issue here), as well as HotDogDayz no.7 (previous issue here), and a new Cassette Dubs collection (first two volumes here).

Until then you can get your chubby, doobie-rolling, selfie-taking, ink-stained little fingers on the two latest issues of the mini-zine If You Stink At Getting Ladies, Call Me, no. 7 & 8.

They come HDD mixtape no.3 that I made in the middle of night during a thunderstorm this past July. It's 90 mins of punk/HC jammers taped from vinyl. PayPal $5 to thee.n.o.b (at) gmail.

Oh shit, I almost forgot there's a couple copies of the mini-zine Restore The Power no. 4 left too (here).

Hit me up on Twitter at @OMG_NOB.

Thanks for all the support over the years. It really means a lot to me.

If you're ever up for contributing, just give me a holler.

Nathan

10/6/15

Record Review: Ivy - A Cat's Cause, No Dog's Problem 7"

Ivy - A Cat's Cause, No Dog's Problem 7" (Katorga Works, 2015)
By Nathan G. O'Brien for Scene Point Blank


Before I heard this I didn’t know a lot about this band other than that they were definitely not the indie-pop trio of the same name. I picked this 7” up based strictly on the artwork, the title, and the fact that Katorga Works is a fairly trustworthy label. Visually-speaking it doesn’t exactly scream punk. And the title, well, who the fuck knows? So why not roll the dice, right? What I found out later is that they’re from NYC, and that this a follow-up to an LP and likely their final release. Ivy play spastic and heavy garage-leaning punk. There's some psychedelic guitar parts that remind me of King Gizzard & the Lizzard Wizard, although subtlety and kind of buried in the mix. In fact there’s so much going on here that it’s intoxicating and, ah, suffocating. And I mean that in the best way possible. It’s like free-form jazz played by punks who inhale nitrous balloons on the regular. Vocals make me think the dude is singing through one of those old-fashioned mics used by like, Elvis or Mike Ness or some shit. Or maybe a telephone like those dudes in Japanther. Eh, whatever, the point is: this totally rules. It’s nice to gamble on something and have it pay off once in a while.  ...Originally posted here.

10/4/15

Record Review: Broken Prayer - Misanthropocentric AKA Droid's Blood

Broken Prayer - Misanthropoic AKA Droid's Blood LP (Sorry State, 2015)
By Nathan G. O'Brien for Scene Point Blank


There’s two things in particular that contribute to the band’s unique sound. Obviously one is Panella’s synths. Stylistically they are all over the place. They can surge forth with maniacal abandon as they do on “Blood Suckers”, be delicate and melodic like they are on “Colors”, or blister your brain until it feels like a burnt marshmallow that’s still too close to the fire ala “Kid.”

The other driving force is Scott Plant’s vocals. Plant (formally of Civic Progress) flexes the same type of self-loathsome, angry, in-your-face stance that Pissed Jeans’ Matt Korvette does. His lyrics and delivery have a tendency to push buttons, bouncing between societal cynicism and sociopath-like sarcasm. He never goes over the line and says anything outright offensive but he’s not shy about confronting the listener with the realities that this world we live in is just plain fucked up. Songs like “Good Dudes” exists somewhere between Pissed Jeans and Condominium, with Plant’s vocals resembling the latter’s Matt Castore. Meanwhile “Blood Suckers” shows Plant occupying the same headspace as Watery Love’s Ritchie Charles, as he sing-speaks, “This world is a piece of shit. I can’t wait to leave it.” And on “White Children” his needle-poking sarcasm comes to a head, as he asks, “How could God let this happen to white children?”  ...read entire review here.

10/2/15

Record Review: Rixe - Coupes et Blessures 7"

Rixe - Coupes et Blessures 7" (La Vida Es Un Mus Discos Punk, 2015)
By Nathan G. O'Brien for Scene Point Blank


While the hook on the first track is a tad bit Oi!-by-the-numbers for me, everything else about this four-song piece of wax is so badass and invigorating that I literally cannot listen to it without having some sort of physical reaction. As anyone that’s read my reviews knows, I listen to a lot of music while riding my bike. When I have this in the earbuds I ride with only one hand because the other one is vigorously pumping a fist in the air.  ...read entire review here.

10/1/15

HDD Radio #32: Punk Rap Kids (That Are Now Adults) Back At It Again


Listen as our fearless leader loses his mind, whilst playing a bunch of punk and rap music. Sets include all-DJ Premier production, all-new punk, and all-new rap. The rest of the playlist is rounded out with some Bad Brains and Beastie Boys. Nathan can be found on Twitter at @OMG_NOB, where he'll gladly follow you back provided you're not a robot or a complete asshole. A little bit of asshole goes a long way. I mean come on, have you ever listened to this show?


Tracklist:
Bad Brains – At the Movies (live)
Group Home – Livin’ Proof
Mos Def – Mathematics
Big L – The Enemy (feat. Fat Joe)
Dilated Peoples – Clockwork
Non Phixion – Rock Stars
Decades/Failures – Secret Superstitions
Institute – Cheap Time Morals
Haldol – Law of Indifference
L.O.T.I.O.N. – Computers Don’t Have a Heartbeat
Survival – Taboo
Anasazi – I Was a Teenage Criminal
Dawn of Humans – Babies
Blazing Eye – Kill You
Lesion – Secretarian Rights
Action Bronson – Terry
Paul Nice & Phil Most Chill (Fabreeze Brothers) – Fashion Plate
Ratking – Makeitwork
Git Beats & Bob Banner – Trio (feat. Sean Price)
DJ EFN – Crazy Dope (feat. Milk Dee, Sean Price & Murder Mook)
Gangrene – Sheet Music (feat. Sean Price)
Starvin’ B – Biological Threats (feat. Skanks, Sean Price & Shatike)
Beastie Boys – The Grasshopper Unit (Keep Moving)
Beastie Boys – Heart Attack Man

Subscribe in iTunes here. Direct download here.