Scene Report: Royal Headache live at the Triple Rock Social Club

Royal Headache, The Arrivals, Condominium live, Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis, MN, 6/9/12
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

It was with some intrigue and, admittedly, mostly trepidation that I made my way to the Triple Rock last night to see Sydney, Australia’s Royal Headache. Originally my curiosity had been piqued because Extreme Noise, the beloved local volunteer-run punk rock record store, was sponsoring the event. Rarely do they attach their name to something that isn’t completely worthwhile. Yet, my apprehension levels had skyrocketed right about the time I read Royal Headache’s press release, which stated “They craft tight, irresistible, R&B-inflected punk songs, and hone a universal message of redemption through passion.” Now I understand a thing or two about drumming up interest in a band, especially when paid to do so, so I was not scared off so much by the “universal message of redemption through passion” part. That’s just one of those puzzling strings of words that press release writers craft in hopes that it will give their product some attention. No, what made me cringe was the “R&B-inflected punk songs” part. Other than hip-hop or the increasingly rare musical side of Justin Timberlake, I don’t really get into “R&B-inflected” anything, let alone punk. In the early ‘00s when everyone was in front of the stage shaking their hips to the Bellrays or the Dirtbombs, I was at the bar irritably ordering more drinks, wondering how I got duped into believing this was punk. So, despite the chances being high that Royal Headache would be something I ultimately wasn’t going to enjoy, I begrudgingly drug myself off the couch and out the door to see what all the hubbub was about anyway. Besides, Condominium was one of the opening acts, and passing up an opportunity to see them would be foolish.  ...continue reading entire review right here.

HDD Radio #5: Beastie Boys and more

After a lengthy break, HotDogDayz Radio is back! Taking to the airwaves in the middle of the night, this episode pays homage to the late great Adam "MCA" Yauch and the Beastie Boys! Listen as our DJ goes off-topic with relative ease; mispronounces words; talks about all the things he is "obsessed with"; describes records as "really good", "really great", and "really awesome" a whole bunch of times; tries to remember things from his rapidly vanishing youth; repeatedly says the wrong release date for Ill Communication; and then goes off-topic again. Sets include: '80s and '90s rap, '80s and '90s hardcore, and some of the best rap from 2012 so far.

Tracklist:
Beastie Boys - Slow and Low
Ultramagnetic MCs - Give the Drummer Some
Gang Starr - Step in the Arena
Eric B. & Rakim - The R
Main Source - Looking at the Front Door
Beastie Boys - Brass Monkey
Beastie Boys - Tough Guy
DFL - Minus Adam
Void - Organized Sports/Annoyed
Void - Black, Jewish and Poor
Flipper - Living for the Depression
Black Flag - Beat My Head
7 Seconds - Regress, No Way
DFL - Action Everybody
Beastie Boys - Heart Attack Man
Beastie Boys - OK
Killer Mike - GO!
El-P - Full On Retard
I Self Devine - Cycles
Apollo Brown & OC - People's Champ
Beastie Boys - Non Stop Disco Power Pack
Beastie Boys - Dr. Lee PHD.

Thanks for listening!  Subscribe in iTunes here.

OG Logo Sketches

Record Review: Martyrdöd-Paranoia

Martyrdöd-Paranoia (Southern Lord)
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

Swedish ragers Martyrdöd, along with Acephalix and fellow countrymen Wolfbrigade, are the latest to be chosen in the great Southern Lord crust roundup. Featuring former and current members of Skitsystem, Agrmonia and others, Martyrdöd have been unleashing their brand of blackened everything to the crust-consuming masses for over a decade now. Their latest offering Paranoia was recorded at Göteborg’s famed Studio Fredman, the studio run by producer Fredrik Nordström and recording home to mediocre metal acts Dimmu Borgir, Arch Enemy, the increasingly less-relevant Opeth, and former luminaries like In Flames and Amon Amarth. Not surprising then, the record has a richer-sounding production value than Martyrdöd’s back catalog of stench on smaller labels like Havoc and Plague Bearer. That is not to say that fans of their mid-century masterwork In Extremis, will feel alienated by this; perhaps just a bit startled at first.

The most notable difference is how the guitars come across really clean. There is still the full-on power and blunt straightforwardness indicative of D-beat but it’s been polished up enough that listeners are allowed to hear the multitude of layers created by skilled axemen Pontus Redig and Mikael Kjellman—incorporating, among other things, aspects of punk, hardcore and classic Swedish death metal. In that same regard, the partition of instrumentation lets the rhythm section make its mark on the overall sound as well. Bassist Anton Grönholm and drummer Jens Bäckelin plod and pound their way through a thunderous Dis-laden low end backdrop. While the guitar work hints at it, it’s really the hateful and tortured vitriol of Kjellman’s vocal styling that adds a heavy dose of black metal to the mix. He furiously spews a poisonous snarl that sounds like he’s been gargling with ammonia and bleach—a distinction that longtime fans will recognize and appreciate. It all makes for a very dark and toxic landscape, in which Martyrdöd ascends the lordship.

Crust, and all that it infects—D-beat, grind, doom, etc.—is often times the amalgamating factor that unites metal heads and punk rockers. By that same token, it’s the quality of the production that can create the dividing line where crust becomes either too metal or too punk. Punk is best served by a raw inflammation of unharnessed potential and noise, whereas metal benefits from attention to detail, subtle nuance and skilful craftsmanship…or something. All that being said, what side of the fence this album lands on is a non sequitur because it has all those effects functioning in accordance—it’s metal, it’s punk, and it’s really fucking good. These Swedes are glistening a little more than usual; but far from being fully sanitized. With Paranoia Martyrdöd makes small strides towards large audience exposure, all the while keeping intact venom and unrefined sonic muscle that placed them atop of the indie crust heap years ago.  ...Continue reading right about here.

Record Review: Quelle Chris-2Dirt4TV EP

Quelle Chris-2Dirt4TV EP
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

Hot off the heels his under-appreciated 2011 debut full-length Shotgun & Sleek Rifle, Detroit MC/producer Quelle Chris drops his latest EP, 2Dirt4TV. This time around Quelle steps from behind the boards, leaving the production to “Legendary underground MySpace producer” Mr. Dibia$e. The result couldn’t be more seamlessly harmonized, as Dibia$e’s laid-back boom-bap balances Quelle’s nonconformist flow in way that recalls the arty weirdness of rappers like Das Racist, fellow Detroiter Danny Brown, Devin the Dude and oddly enough, Native Tongues.  ...read all of this awesome review at this jam right here.

Scene Report: Punk Night at Memory Lanes Block Party

Memory Lanes Block Party, Punk Night, Mpls, MN, 5/25/12
Things got off to an early start on the bigger stage with ska-punkers Rocksteady Breakfast. Yes, you heard that right: in the year 2012 AD, there is still such a thing as ska-punk. And the band is not made up of junior high kids like you'd expect. Yawn. Pretty sweet street-punk looking crew though. Lots of attention to detail when it comes to their, ah, outfits.

Brain Tumors, one of the bands that will be on the HDD All-City First Team of Punk, played next on the tent stage.  (They will be #2, 3, 4, or 5, but not #1.  That spot belongs to Condominium.  We'll be addressing our first and second teams in upcoming posts.)  The lead singer Drew is a maniac; a drunken maniac.  He comes from the school of thought that hardcore is supposed to be violent and confrontational and he does it really well.  He was bleeding from his lip, forehead and arm by the time the first song ended.  He actually punched me in my eye at one point.  They were as impressive as ever.

Children of Euler were next up on the big stage.  They play some technical, prog-ish black metal type of thing.  I dig it sorta.  Pretty sure I’ve seen them before but I can’t remember where.  There was lots of mathematical and scientific kind of chatter between songs.  Someone told me they are all really smart math dudes and that the lead singer even teaches math somewhere.  I cannot confirm that; it's just something some drunken chick with Addicts, Misfits and Subhumans patches said to me.  I'm pretty much over anyone that is still wearing any of those patches when they are legal drinking age.  Those patches are for the young'ns who are just getting into punk.  Once you can legally buy booze for yourself, you should get into D-beat or crust or something.  You’re like, old and shit.  Speaking of young'ns wearing patches, I will never get over kids wearing any patches of any punk band ever.  That shit is the bomb, and makes me smile and/or tear up every time I see it.  What can I say; I'm a sentimental wreck when it comes to this shit.

Back on the small stage was Chicago hardcore ragers Manipulation.  Pretty fucking rad, but dude's mic cord wasn't as long as Drew's, so he couldn't be as in-your-face as Brain Tumors was.  Not that they didn't give it their best shot though.  I dug it for sure. I also started drinking at this point, as I was tired of waiting for Lars the Heathen to get there.  I went to take a piss after Manipulation was done, and literally five seconds after I stepped in the honey bucket, a dude started pounding on the door and screaming at me for being in there too long.  I finished pissing and waited for him to hit the door again.  Then just as he did, I kicked that motherfucker open as hard as I could and nearly broke the dude's hand.  He immediately stepped down like, "Ah man, it wasn't me."  I'm like, no I'm pretty sure it was you and that’s why your hand hurts now—because you were being an asshole.  He walked away.  He must not have had to use the bathroom so bad anymore.

Varix played next on the big stage.  They were good but that stage was way too big for them, and as result, they sort of lost the crowd.  Lars arrived and we started pounding beers in a bad way.  Some dude sat on the edge of table that Lars had set his beer.  It flipped into the air and all over the Brown Sugar LP that I had just purchased from the Manipulation distro.  Dude gave us a look that pretty much said, "I'm not going to apologize for shit."  I had to physically stop Lars from pummeling this guy.  He wouldn't calm down until I reminded him that he probably doesn't want to go back to jail.

Once again back to the small/tent stage where In Defence did their thing that they always do.  I'm fairly certain that anyone that has made it this far knows what In Defence is all about, so I'll spare you the details.  I'll just say this: their performance and subsequent crowd reaction was enough to make the guys from Needles, who were watching intently from the side, decide they were going to play on the small stage instead of the ridiculous big one where they were scheduled.

By the time Martin and crew cranked out their first screeching note, the crowd had nearly doubled in size and everyone was seemingly wasted and/or psyched to see Oakland's Needles.  And they did not disappoint!  As with Martin's previous bands, energetic thrashy hardcore is the name of the game.  Big circle pits, empty pizza boxes being tossed about, and stage diving was just a few of the ways in which the audience reacted.  One dude even attempted to climb one of the poles that was holding the tent up.  Lars disappeared with some woman he knew from Black Label Bicycle Club for awhile.  I was pretty sure they were making out and/or snorting blow in the handicap honey bucket. But I was too buzzed and too wrapped up in the chaos to care.  Needles is the shit, man.

Inside for the late show, I caught Cognitive Dissonance's set on the bowling lane stage.  They pretty much get better every time I see them.  And I had just seen them last Sunday opening for Tragedy and I thought they were awesome then.  (Cog-Dis, like Brain Tumors is also on the HDD All City First Team.  Come to think of it, In Defence might be on there too--they will for sure make Second Team if anything.)  On my way out the door I ran into Lars, who confirmed my suspicion.  He had been making out AND doing blow in the handicap honey bucket with one of the girls from Black Label.  That is until some of the dudes in Black Label got pushy with him and made the girl leave with them.  That was probably for the better anyway.  I decided to call it a night, as I had some shit to do this morning, already had about seven beers, and little interest in seeing The Arrivals.  Plus there was no way I could keep up with a coked-up Lars the Heathen at this point.

On the ride home, I stopped at Cub Foods and bought a Red Barron, which I ate almost all of before passing out on the couch.  I never did that shit I was supposed to do this morning and I hate myself for eating like a pig.  Not sure how Lars’ night ended, but I’m crossing my fingers that it wasn’t in some sort of police standoff.  The end. 
  

Sweetest kids ever in history of punk rock.

Manipulation

Needles circle pit

Needles circle pit2

Martin Needles

Needles

Record Review: Police Bastard/WAR//PLAGUE-Attrition split LP

Police Bastard/WAR//PLAGUE-Attrition split LP (Profane Existence)
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

Attrition brings together two punk bands from opposing sides of the Atlantic Ocean—England’s Police Bastard and the United State’s WAR//PLAGUE. Most of the material was recorded at various points in 2009 but not released on vinyl until May of 2011, when Profane Existence Records pressed up a couple thousand slabs of wax to unleash to patched-up masses.

WAR//PLAGUE is from Minneapolis, MN and is made up of veterans of that scene—members having previously played in bands like Pontius Pilate, Provoked and Scorned, among others. It’s hard to pinpoint their sound exactly, as they swim in the coagulated genre scum pond that is modern day crust, but also do a fragment of D-beat the way it was done in the ‘80s and ‘90s—the guitars are lower in the mix but not buried, and the vocals, while gruff, are clear enough that you can understand the lyrics.  ...read full-length review at this place.

Record Review: Reks-Straight, No Chaser

Reks-Straight, No Chaser (Brick Rec./Showoff Rec.)
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

Where Reks’ previous albums have featured beats from a variety of producers—DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Large Professor, Alchemist, Hi-Tek, etc.—Straight, No Chaser’s weakest point comes as a result of the singularity in production. Having saturated the market with an impressive grip of projects with other MCs in the last couple years—Action Bronson, Terminology, Freddie Gibbs, to name a few—it’s not surprising that there are moments here that indicate Statik Selektah may be set on autopilot. The whole thing loses some serious steam about two thirds the ways in. In fact, it’s hard to tell if Statik just took a timeout or hit the wall completely. Being a long-time collaborator with Reks and even the godfather of one of his children, it’s hard to imagine Statik just gathering a bunch of throw-away or rejected beats from some of his other projects for this album, yet it does seem only half-motivated. Lyrically, Reks spans a variety of autobiographical-slanted themes in an honest manner in which the title implies. Straight, No Chaser is a personal reflection on a number topics such as political upheaval and empowerment, Capital Vices, divorce, and living with regret. On “Parenthood”—wherein the message is simple: “be a parent in the hood”—he goes at fathers who are continuing the succession of leading their sons into street life: “A boy needs a father to lean on/If he gone, the cycle gonna repeat/Just keepin’ On.” In short, despite some lackluster production, this is Reks most grown-up and progressive outing to date. ...read full review right about here.

One Minute Reviews: Sharkpact-Ditches and Total Control-Henge Beat

One Minute Reviews
By Nathan G. O'Brien exclusively for HotDogDayz

Sharkpact-Ditches (Rumbletown), Total Control-Henge Beat (Iron Lung)

As long as I've been reading it (not going to date myself here) and as much as I am 100% supportive of what they do, I sometimes find myself shaking my head at the ridiculous collective entity that is Maximum Rock-n-Roll Magazine.  The slightly annoying things like not having a healthy sense of humor and/or irony and offering blatant contradictions from month to month are a given, but you just sort of ignore that stuff because it matters little in the grand scheme.  What I find comical is how after years of shoving various sub-genres down our throats, they turn on a dime and all but denounce said trends for something "totally new," and often times, well, not very punk. (Yes, I do realize that the most un-winnable argument in the history of the universe is what-is-and-what-is-not-punk, and I do not care to get into it now...or ever for that matter.)  Such is the case with Sharkpact and Total Control.  Suddenly all the hardcore, raw punk, noise-not-music, D-beat, and garage we've been told was "crucial" is considered "played out", and we should be listening to bands that are doing something "wholly unprecedented" like Total Control and Sharkpact.  Well, Total Control sounds like Crocodiles and Sharkpact sounds like Matt & Kim...or a less punk Japanther.  So, there you go.  My minute is almost up, so I'll make this quick: the Total Control album is actually really excellent, whereas Sharkpact is, like Matt & Kim, pretty annoying.  But you don't necessarily have to take my word for it--if you're capable of forming your own opinion, and I know you are, there are plenty of really punk things like Spotify or iTunes where you can sample them yourself.  The end. 

Record Review: Anatomi 71-Från Primat till Reptil

Anatomi 71-Från Primat till Reptil (Power It Up)
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

This is a heavy slab of melting Scandi-core.  Anatomi-71 has always been good at making pertinent songs fairly free of cliché, all the while prevailing within’ a genre that’s relevance stretches a bit thinner with each notch in the collective bullet belt.  Från Primat till Reptil shows the four-piece simultaneously picking old scabs and generating new wounds—this is a very rock-n-roll infused brand of stench.  I find it incredibly alluring, despite my usual disinterest in this sort of cleaned-up D-beat. ...Read entire review after the cliff jump.

In Memoriam: Yauch

In Memoriam: Adam

In Memoriam: MCA

A large gigantic portion of the groundwork upon which I live my life was laid forth by three kids whom I never met, yet it felt like they were my best friends.  One of them passed away today.  And with him, a little bit of everything.  It's the saddest of dayz.  "I cuss and I grab my nuts.  Got a six-fingered ring that says 'Excuse Our Dust.'"--Adam MCA Yauch.

-Nathan G. O'Brien

Making Mail

Shits in the mail ya'll. Look for it soon...

Record Review: Mean Jeans-On Mars

Mean Jeans-On Mars (Dirtnap)
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

Much in the way Teenage Bottlerocket appropriated the early to mid-‘90s Lookout bands like Screeching Weasel and the Groovie Ghoulies, which were puréeing the Ramones, Beach Boys and macabre cinema, you can’t really credit Portland, OR’s Mean Jeans for bringing anything new to the pop punk landscape whatsoever. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a single ounce of originality anywhere on this record. And oddly enough, it’s just that redolent familiarity that makes it so goddamn gratifying. As much as it may bruise my crust-craving ego to admit, I find On Mars to be overwhelmingly adorable. This is punk rock for skater kids, alternateens, and hopeless romantics raised on frozen pizza and gas station nachos, just as much as it for those fending off adulthood; still lurking around the dim corners of fringe society in worn out Chucks and pinned-up hoodies, swilling tall boys of whatever the cheap beer of the moment is, and hipping “the kids” to the days when Danny Panic, B-Face and Danny Vapid were in The Queers instead of, well, whoever is now. ...continue reading after the jizzy.

HDD Radio #4: Art Crawl

This episode is a weird one.  We headed down to the St. Paul Spring Art Crawl and rounded up a handful of artists to sit down and chat about their respective crafts.  Well, at least that was the idea.  Instead what happened is; we all drank a bunch of ‘90s nostalgia beers like Killian’s Red and Rolling Rock and the conversation turned to questionable dating advice, classic rock, and briefly, RuPaul.  We were only able to salvage some of the audio (which is probably for the best) but on the upside, it was a great excuse to play a bunch of arty shit. 

Tracklist:

DJ Dicksuck - Arrrt

Black Face - I Want To Kill You

Condominium - Why Be Something You’re Not?

Condominium - I Don’t Hate Any Of You

Raw Nerve - Dating Problems

Raw Nerve - Ill of the Dead

Raw Nerve - Nervous Habits

Sonic Youth - In the Kingdom #19

Black Humor - Kill Them

Migraine - Blood

Migraine - Black Bile

Triumph of Lethargy Skinned Alive to Death - No Hope Here

Butthole Surfers - Pittsburgh to Lebanon

Pissed Jeans - Spent

Free Kitten - John Stark’s Blues

DNA - Not Moving

Crass - Nineteen Eighty Bore

The Dead Milkmen - You’ll Dance To Anything

Beastie Boys - Cooky Puss

Subscribe in iTunes. Thanks for listening.

The Soda Killers issue #2 OUT NOW~!

Brand New: The Soda Killers Issue #2 

40 pgs of new music & show reviews, columns, photos, and more. 

Digest size, B&W, w/full-color pin-up. 

$5 ppd worldwide! 

Also available for trade. 

Contact andersdinero@yahoo.com or 

bnb@hotdogdayz.com for info or click the button below to purchase.

All pre-orders have been shipped!

HDD Radio #3: Raaaaap

Back again for the very third time, it's HotDogDayz Radio~!  This time around a mysterious man with a soothing NPR-esque drawl takes over the airwaves in the very late/early hours of the evening/morning, after imbibing some beverages, to spin what turns out to be an all hip-hop show.  Sets include: Early '80s rap, '11 rap (x2), and some new rap from the last 4 months.
Tracklist:
Super Lover Cee & Cassanova Rud - Girls I Got 'Em Locked
Fat Boys - Stick 'Em
The Treacherous Three - The Body Rock
Intelligent Hoodlum - The Super Kids (live at Hip Hop USA)
Action Bronson & Statik Selektah - Stick Up
Pete Rock & Smif N Wessun - Fire
Evidence - It Wasn't Me
The Away Team - Bad News (feat King Mez & Blue Raspberry)
Quelle Chris - Shittin' on Niggas
Black & Brown - Zap
Random Axe - The Hex
KRS-One - All Day
Gangrene - Flame Thrower
Big K.R.I.T. - 1986
Action Bronson - Ron Simmons.

A new issue of our mostly music zine, The Soda Killers is out today!  Ask us how you can get your well-manicured little hands on one.

Subscribe in iTunes.

HDD Radio #2: Dirty Biker

In 5, 4, 3, 2 (1)...Aaaaaad we're back! Wow, was that ever quick. In this episode we sit down with longtime friend and co-conspirator Jason, on location at his upstart motorcycle shop in downtown Minneapolis called Dirty Biker. We try to be serious for like, a second before things go off script. The script we didn't have, that is. We do our best to make it work for you, but in the end we just end up telling inside jokes and snickering at our ridiculous selves. We also played a bunch of jams, coming from all over the place. Sets include: movie soundtrack rap from the late '80s and early '90s, gunk punk, metal, and some random stuff thrown in.

Tracklist:
Hookers (pre-Murder City Devils) - Broken Glass
GG Allin & The Murder Junkies - Be My Fuckin' Whore
Dwarves - Is There Anybody Out There?
Compton's Most Wanted - Growin' Up in the Hood
UGK - Pocket Full of Stones
Ice T - Colors
Speedealer - Drink Me Dead
Bad Wizard - Hurricane
Zeke - Arkansas Man
High on Fire -  Bloody Knuckles
Vallenfyre - Ravenous Whore
Gravediggaz - Nowhere to Run
Cloak & Dagger - New Year's Resolution
Ministry - Thieves
Psychadelic Furs - Sister Europe.

Check out www.DirtyBikerMpls.com for all your motorcycle needs.

Subscribe in iTunes.

HDD Radio #1

I casually mentioned this was coming in the comment section a week or so back, and, well, surprise!: here it is...

If there is one thing the Internet is in dire need of these days, it is another podcast. Well who are we to ignore the demands of the Internet?! And so it begins...the first ever episode of HotDogDayz Radio~! Expect some nervous chatter, a visit from The Soda Killers issue #2 cover girl, and a whole bunch of tuneage. Sets include: '80s punk-ish stuff, '77 punk, early '00s white boy rap beef, '90s rap, and demo cassettes of newer hardcore bands.
Tracklist:
Sex Pistols - Bodies
Omega Tribe - ???
Christian Death - Spiritual Cramp
Joy Division - These Days (live)
Dead Boys - Caught With the Meat in Your Mouth
The Jam - In The City
The Stranglers - Ugly
Smut Peddlers - Smut Council
Cage - Suicidal Failure
High & Mighty - Artillery
Masta Ace - Acknowledge
Masta Ace - Slaughtahouse
Big L - Danger Zone
Company Flow - Definitive
Cold Lake - Boat Shoes
Hunting Party - Red Summer
No Power - Changing Grips.

Subscribe in iTunes.

The Soda Killers #2 nearly finished

We're mid-assembly line on this shit, and as usual, it's going slower than you think it will when you map all this stuff out in your head. I tell you, there is a lot of work that goes into DIY zine-making on nearly every level. When it's done, all you can hope is that it is to your liking...and to those who are generous enough to purchase and/or trade for it. TSK #2 will be finished and available for both, come Wednesday! Holla if you wanna get into it.  Alright, now back to work. Anders, grab me a soda!

Scene Report: Record Store Day Wrapup

Record Store Day has come and gone once again. This afternoon I made my way over to Extreme Noise for the second year in row. Saw great live sets by Daylight Robbers from Chicago and thee best band in the TC right now, Condominium. Also, snagged six slabs of wax of my want list and a couple zines, AND somehow managed to resist the temptation to ingest a double veggie dog...I was close to caving in to the pressure though.  Decided to end on a high note and not go to any other places afterwards...other than to get dollar pastor tacos at La Taquiera Hacienda.  I won't tell you how many I had but let's just say, I spent five bucks.

Loot List: 
Bannilyst-Discografi-LP
Black Humor-Love God, Love One Another-LP
Migraine-Four Humors-7"
Raw Nerve-Midnight-7"
Void-Sessions-LP
V/A-Maximum RockNRoll presents Noise Ordinance-LP
Maximum RockNRoll #348 May-'12-zine
More Noise #8/Torturamierda #6-split zine

The Soda Killer Stomp Baby, Let's Go!

Well this fucker should be wrapped up by the end of the weekend. We would like to thank everyone that put in a pre-order. Anders is especially happy because that saved him a little cash, since he's  the one paying for all the printing photocopying.  If everything goes according plan, they will be in the mail on Monday.  As well, everyone else can snag them then too.  We'll post up all deets, don't you worry.  In the meantime, here is a pinup to put on your bedroom wall or inside your school locker, right between the A$AP Rocky cutouts and Blake Griffin posters...    

One Minute Reviews: The Sensitive Side-Demo

One Minute Reviews

By Nathan G. O'Brien exclusively for HotDogDayz

The Sensitive Side-Demo CD-R (self-released, 2011)

The Sensitive Side play snottified garage punk with a touch of ye olden ‘60s style Brit Invasion tossed in. Imagine The Reatards if they were mentored by Billy Childish and only allowed to listen to new wave records once a month. I’m thinking leather jackets, black hair, and bright colored—probably striped—tee shirts. The keyboards—while ear-piercing and amateurish—remind me a little of the Murder City Devils. With subject matter like friendless lost summers and reading on the toilet, it’s probably safe to assume these guys are teenagers. If not, then their adults capitalizing on the opportunity to act like teenagers that punk rock so graciously affords us. Being that this is a demo, it has an under-produced quality to it, which is actually quite enduring and is complimentary to the overall feel. With repeated plays, this has really grown on me, which is something I didn’t initially expect. I believe these are exactly the same songs on the Moon Kids 7” that came recently out on Vinyl Dog. I imagine rock-n-roll fans would be happy with either. I wouldn’t be surprised to see these guys getting signed to In The Red, Goner, or, like, HoZac or something. Yeah, definitely HoZac.

Record Review: Digital Leather-Modern Problems

Digital Leather-Modern Problems (FDH)
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

On one hand, Modern Problems is an oddly appealing record, loosely rooted in ‘80s-esque new wave and goth. Amass with catchy hooks and trappings of what was once long ago referred to as “college rock,” it comfortably holds a place alongside the familiarity of Hughes’ movie soundtracks, Joy Division, and even the lo-fidelity alt-punk of early R.E.M.  Without knowing what the intention behind Modern Problems is, it makes it is difficult to perceive it in an easily understandable way. But then again, that’s precisely the type of thing that makes good art. ...Read entire review after jumping off the bridge.

One Minute Reviews: Calvaiire-Rigorisme EP

One Minute Reviews

By Nathan G. O'Brien exclusively for HotDogDayz

Calvaiire-Rigorisme EP (Throatruiner, 2011)

Calvaiire reign from Northwestern France—Laval to specific—and are described by their record label as an “intense and pissed off dark hardcore/crust band.” From listening to Rigorisme I don’t really get a crust vibe at all. Sure it’s hardcore but it’s not really crusty at all. Rather, it sounds like metal-core duking it out with nü-grind in a suburban Quiznos parking lot. I’m not really sure how Quiznos ties in—I was just trying to find something rather normal and widely available to illustrate how disappointingly ordinary this is, and since there a Quiznos all over the place out the suburbs I figured it apropos. There was a band from Minneapolis in the ‘90s kind of like this called Disembodied, except they were about a thousand times better. I suppose this might be comparable to Converge or something these days. Whatever; I’ve been listening to it for a week now and I’m not really feeling it. To be fair though, this sort of ‘core isn’t really my thing.

The Soda Killers issue #2 on the way...

One Minute Reviews: Hunting Party-Demo

One Minute Reviews
By Nathan G. O'Brien exclusively for HotDogDayz.

Hunting Party-Demo cassette (self-release, 2011)
Hailing from Oakland, CA is the latest entry into the rapidly paced, high turnover rate that is the new Bay Area bands schedule. As is the modus operandi in hardcore, Hunting Party is made up of members from a million other bands—Vacuum, Face The Rail, and Ecoli, to name a few. The tunes are near frenzied but never spinning out of control. It’s good and heavy on the bass and drums, while the guitars keep along nicely; stepping to center stage for a few tics once in a while but never wanking. The vocals are really rad. The singer reminds me of a punkier Matt Pike. Except here it’s gargled, lower pitched, and more prevalent in the mix than High On Fire, and with a hint of nasal discharge. Shaun Dean—of Cold Sweat and Men’s Interest, among others— is another name that comes to mind as far as comparisons go. I realize those are two completely different vocalists, but whatever, I hear both on here. Someone said this reminds them of “‘90s hardcore” or something. When I think of ‘90s hardcore I think of basketball shorts and New Balance running shoes. But this is not that…at all.  Dig it.  

To aquire an address where you can send your CDs/tapes/records/videos etc. contact: bnb@hotdogdayz.com

One Minute Reviews: Nö Pöwer-Demo 1

One Minute Reviews
By Nathan G. O'Brien exclusively for HotDogDayz

Nö Pöwer-Demo 1 cassette (Statue Story)
These guys are from Charlotte, NC or somewhere near there I believe. There are miniscule garage and psych touches but mostly it is raging hardcore punk, with a noticeable emphasis on the noise. So noisy in fact, that I can’t quite determine if it’s supposed to D-beat or not. Who cares either way, because it rules! It reminds me a little of Condominium, but with less prominent bass. The guitars are overblown and the vocals zigzag between depressing and angry and the inexplicable...in a good way. This makes me wish I still had someone to get wasted with at basement shows. The first side is six songs, ranging from a one to two minutes long, while side B is one long jam—roughly four and half minutes of remixed racket, while the band’s name repeatedly shouted atop an inordinate drum beat. I’m so into this. Nö Pöwer released a couple 7”s since this came out but I haven’t heard them yet. I’m sure that if they are as good as this tape, they will be my new favorite thing.

To aquire an address where you can send your CDs/tapes/records/videos etc. contact: bnb@hotdogdayz.com

Top 5 Songs Whose Meaning Eluded Us

The Jimi Hendrix Experience-"Purple Haze"
And excerpt from The Set List: Top 5 Songs Whose Meaning Eluded Us
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

Okay, maybe this one has been done to death, but in 6th grade I really did think he said "Excuse me while I kiss this guy." And it wasn't so much the meaning of that one line that eluded me, as much as it was the whole song. But mostly I just wanted to know what the heck purple haze was.  I liked Prince, but if it was anything like purple rain, that would have only added to my confusion.  I had no idea (and still don't) what that’s all about.  I asked my mother what purple haze was.  She told me it was a Jimi Hendrix song. Ahh, gee mom, thanks for the help.  So I asked my dad one day while we were driving across country.  He had been to Woodstock; certainly he must know.  He replied, "Purple Haze? Ahh, it's an acid rock thing.  You won't understand now, but you will someday."  He paused for a moment, as if having a flashback, and then continued, "It's, you know, really head-y stuff."  And as he said this he lifted one hand from the stearing wheel to the side of his head and made an egg-beater motion. Err, okay?  I eventually moved on to punk rock and rap, and forgot about Hendrix or "Purple Haze" or any "head-y stuff" until several years later.  One night in a nebulous college dorm room with Jimi on the stereo I finally figured it all out.  Ohhh, he's saying “THE SKY," not "this guy." And at that very moment, about an hour into my first experience with a mind-altering acronym—kissing the sky, if you will—I finally figured it all out.  "Purple haze all in my brain..." 

See what else made the list after the leap.

Book Review: Root For the Villain-by J-Zone

Root For the Villain: Rap, Bullshit, and a Celebration Failure-by J-Zone (Old Maid Entertainment)
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

In his memoir Root for the Villain: Rap, Bullshit, and a Celebration of Failure, J-Zone, born Jay Mumford, chronicles a lifetime spent playing the lead role in an endless comedy of errors.  The brunt of the stories are culled from a decade or so chasing fame and fortune in the rap game.  J-Zone, an MC and producer, somehow managed to be too late and too early to party at the exact same time.  By the time his records were coming out, the heyday of late ‘90s/early ‘00s hip-hop had gone increasingly underground and the Internet rap world, a place an artist like J-Zone would have made waves, was not yet the taste-making blogosphere it is now.  Root for the Villain, in a twist of irony, successfully encapsulates what it’s like to be considered (at least in terms of the music industry) a failure.  ...read entire review after the leap of faith.

Five Records to Look Forward to in 2012

Black Face

Five Records to Look Forward to in 2012
An excerpt from Coming in 2012: the Bands, Artists, and Releases You Have to Hear This Year
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

Murder City Devils-???
In a recent interview (recent, as in two years) MCD lead singer Spencer Moody claimed the band, while not totally back in full swing, was indeed recording a new album. Late last year a new two-song 7" quietly marterialized, confirming that they are at least doing something. Every Day I Rise b/w Ball Busters in the Peanut Gallery shows them moving a few steps away from ferocious garage punk and into an artier area, encapsulating the influences from the band members various other projects. It's a natural extension from where the MCD left off on the Thelema EP back in 2001, leaving me fully intrigued by what comes next...provided something actually does. 

Black Face-???
Another hypothetical one here. Last summer news broke that former SST Records co-owner and OG Black Flag bassist Chuck Dukowski had teamed with avant-punk vocalist/writer/real-life-kicker-of-human-ass Eugene S. Robinson to form Black Face, a band that would play unheard songs from and influenced by My War-era Black Flag. Word is that four songs had been recorded, yet only two surfaced on a 7" only release. That means there are at least two more to be heard. Add that to the fact the band has added some live dates, with an entire set list, finds me hopeful that there will be a new record as well. 

Action Bronson-various projects
2012 looks to be just as busy a year for the Albanian descending Flushing-Queens,NYC MC as last year was. Bronson is expecting a whopping five releases this year!  Four albums: Rare Chendeliers with Alchemist, Mr. Wonderful with Tommy Mas, as well as one each with Lex Lugar and Harry Fraud, and a mixtape with Party Supplies called Blue Chips. That's an overwhelming amout of material to digest, but I'm up for the task. 

Strong Arm Steady & Statik Selektah-Stereotype
Cali cliq SAS is back at it again, this time with production/DJ powerhouse Statik Selektah behind the boards. For the past two years these two have quietly created some best hip-hop records: SAS with the Madlib collabo In Search of Stoney Jackson and the follow-up Arms & Hammers, and Selektah lacing a number of MCs, from up-n-commers like Freddie Gibbs and Action Bronson to veterans like Edo G. and Reks. My finger is eagerly hovering over the "purchase" button, ready to click as soon as this pops up in iTunes. 

Dilated Peoples-Directors of Photography
After being enamoured with their first two albums, and especially their live show (they could rock a crowd like no other), I had completely lost interest after the lackluster outing Neighborhood Watch, and never really paid much attention to anything that came after. That is until last year when Evidence dropped his excellent second solo album Cats & Dogs. The fire has been reignited with me. Here's hoping the same goes for them. After all, it's been six years since they have done anything as a group.

Runner Up: a whole bunch of punk records
It's election year here in the United States. Naturally there is going to be some really good punk rock comming out. And I, for one, am looking forward to every bit of it.

Read entire Coming in 2012 feature here.

Record Review: After The Last Sky-There's No Light at the End of This Tunnel

After The Last Sky-There's No Light at the End of This Tunnel (Power It Up Records)
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

While this is not a particularly good album, as a band After The Last Sky does possess some promising attributes. It takes only one listen to realize they are undoubtedly talented musicians. A fact that is not surprising, considering the rate at which they genre-hop their way through There’s No Light at the End of This Tunnel. The two axe-slingers flex their skills in a variety of styles, whether it is lightning fast thrash, atmospheric riffing or tech-metal accuracy. In turn, the drummer is just as well-versed at providing the appropriate backdrops, ranging from a precision pummeling to machine gun-like blast beats. Whether it’s plodding at a stoned-out doom pace or approaching the rapidity of powerviolence, the bassist holds down the bottom end in whatever necessary fashion the particular song calls for. And while the vocals are predominantly your standard deep-growl-to-high-pitch interchange, the singer does furnish it with somewhat of an edgier feel. ...continue reading review after the leap.