Record Review: Dark Ages - Vapor

Dark Ages - Vapor
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

“You have been wasted. You have been taken for a ride.” That line from the title track of the new Dark Ages LP accurately sums up the feeling you get listening to it. Which is to say it’s difficult to compartmentalize exactly what’s going on here. (Not surprisingly there’s a number of bands named Dark Ages. We’re talking about the one from Kansas City, MO that features drummer Jason Shrout—formerly of 18 Visions, Trial, and Renouncer—and is often referred to as “hardcore punk.”) Yes, in the simplest of terms Vapor is a hardcore punk record. But there’s a lot of manic directional changes taking place within’ these songs that will catch you off-guard and leave you slightly bewildered. These musical gradations lend a math rock, prog-y vibe; not in an eye-rolling, groan-inducing way though; rather an incoherent way fitting for hardcore. You're rarely allowed the comfort of settling into a groove. And the analog recording adds an element of richness to the overall tone. As the cliché goes, this is hardcore being pushed into yet another new direction. For real this time though. In summation there are three things I can say about this record with absolute certainty: It’s confusing, it’s good, and it’s confusingly good. Layout and art-wise, Vapor is another impressive package from the Sorry State camp. For the collectors there’s 100 copies on black & blue swirl vinyl out there. And for the rest of us there's regular old black. Go get 'em.

Originally posted here.

Record Review: Gay Kiss - Preservation Measures

Gay Kiss - Preservation Measures (Sorry State)
By Nathan G. O'Brien for Scene Point Blank

In this current age of ‘80s hardcore worship overload, it’s refreshing when something this original
comes along, even if said originality is the result of a convergence of styles. Phoenix, AZ four-piece Gay Kiss grind and groove forth with teeth-clenching, throat-ripping, temple-piercing rage on their new LP, Preservation Measures. The production is slick but not glaringly clean; perfect for the transmittal of varied nuance. There’s metal-core guitar parts creeping through the squealing uproar, noise-punk gradations filling any would-be voids, elusive bro-free mosh-downs, and vocal outbursts that bring to mind any number of Martin Sorrondeguy or Mark McCoy-fronted acts.

13 songs that average around two minutes a pop, for a total run time of 25 minutes. This thing is a violent ripper from front to back. At roughly three and a half minutes, “Relent” is the longest song on the album and shows the musicians traversing through heavy, art-damaged yet subtle sludge grooves while the vocalist lays down drawn-out, pleading Swarrrm-esque screams on top of it. The final track on the album is a cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “March of the Pigs.” This is surprising not only for its mere inclusion but because it’s really fucking good.

As is always the case with Sorry State releases, the layout, packaging, and art is impeccable and eschews any trappings of stereotypical punk imagery. The mail-order version is limited to 100 copies on white vinyl, which will likely be gone by the time you read this. But you can still get your hands on the regular copies, and I strongly suggest that you do.

Originally posted here.

Scene Report: Record Stores I Went To Recently

Nathan wrote about some record stores he's been to for Scene Point Blank's Record Store Day feature. You can read the whole thing here, or you can just read his parts below.
-BNB

Record Stores I Went To Recently 
By Nathan G. O'Brien

Green Noise Records - Portland, OR
Green Noise is the physical storefront for the online webstore and distro of the same name and is run by the people that do the excellent label Dirtnap Records. It’s pretty specific to punk and all things that fall underneath that umbrella but they do have some other genres in their used section. I’m still kicking myself for not picking up the copy of Cinderella’s Night Songs that was in really good shape because the one I currently have is warped as shit. Most of the store is dedicated to new and used 12” vinyl but there’s a sizable 7”s area and smallish selection of cassettes. The walls are covered in tee shirts and notable collectors’ items. The owner’s don’t mind cranking the volume on the stereo either. The last time I was in there the dude was blasting Total Control’s Henge Beat so loud that I was hearing parts of it that I never knew existed. The prices are very reasonable, with new LPs starting around $14 and used at $7. There may be CDs but I don’t recall seeing them. One of my favorite things that I walked out of Green Noise with is a used copy of PiL’s live in Paris album Image Publique S.A.: Paris au Printemps for eight bucks. The store has recently moved to a new location than when I last visited it but I can’t imagine it’s changed much.

2nd Avenue Records – Portland, OR

2nd Avenue Records is a real record store person’s record store. It’s not the kind of place a novice (or anyone with dust allergies) would want to wait around for two hours impatiently looking at their phone while you dig through the racks. It’s the kind of place where you go alone or with likeminded record store people, and with no time constraints. Just walking in the place can be overwhelming. It’s crammed with vinyl, CDs, and cassettes. A large tee shirt selection drapes above you, begging your attention as you flip through the tightly-filed vinyl. Pretty much all genres are represented on wax, but the most thoroughly stocked sections are probably the punk, metal, reggae, and surprisingly, hip-hop. Like many record stores in the Northwest, there’s plenty of Sub Pop, Kill Rock Stars, and K Records to get your hands on as well. Prices are reasonable and the staff is friendly. I asked one of the shop guys about the recent Mudhoney reissues and half an hour later we were comparing fishing stories…and I don’t even fish. On a recent successful 2nd Ave trip I walked out with the Pink Turds In Space discography LP I’d been looking for a while and one used LP deeper down the Sacred Denial rabbit hole.

Record Surplus - Los Angeles, CA
Record Surplus bills itself as “The Last Record Store.” And while that isn’t exactly true, in these days of iTunes, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, and disposable zip files, the sentiment is on point. What the store lacks in character it more than makes up for in product; hence the name. I can’t speak on the CDs, but the vinyl is a little on the pricier side. But there’s just so much in the store that you’re guaranteed to find something to tax your bank account. While they have punk, metal, indie, and all the normal stuff, what impressed me most was their selection of exotica. I’m not even going to pretend to be a tikiphile, but I was weirdly overjoyed to find an adequately-priced copy of Martin Denny’s Quite Village in excellent condition. In addition to that, before I left I would add Fugazi's First Demo, Y&T's In Rock We Trust, and something from the reggae section to my swelling recently-purchased vinyl pile. Because I can’t leave a place like Record Surplus without emptying my wallet.

Spin Cycle - Seattle, WA

Spin Cycle is a small shop in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood that deals primarily in used music, movies, and video games. I have no interest whatsoever in video games, and very rarely shop for movies, so I can’t speak on those selections. However, their vinyl assortment is pretty reliable. It’s on the smaller side but perfect for the store’s size. In addition it’s well-curated and browsable; the shelves are roomy enough to easily flip through the LPs in a way that won’t leave you with irritated cuticles. Pretty decent punk and metal sections but keep your eyes on the recently arrived area. That's where you’ll find the unexpected gems some Cap Hill resident had to dump to pay the rent, shoot heroin, or you know, to get coin for pinball. On a recent rainy Sunday morning I walked out with Motley Crue’s first three LPs in great condition and for dirt cheap.

Singles Going Steady – Seattle, WA
This is a long running shop in the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle. Named after the Buzzcocks song, Singles Going Steady specializes in punk and all the tentacle-like excursions the genre encompasses. I’ve made a few visits here and always find something unexpected and worthy of my dollar bills, the most recent trip was Jawbreaker's first LP, and the one before that was the Dödsdömd - De Sju Dödssynderna 7". It takes some commitment, as the subgenre labels for the vinyl selections aren’t completely accurate. You’ll need to browse the entire store if you’re looking for something specific because it might be in the wrong section. Especially when it comes to hardcore and crust. And even metal for that matter. Great if you’ve got adequate time set aside, but probably frustrating for a kid who only has 15 minutes while dad sits in the car listening to the Mariners game, wishing his children were into sports or like, something normal. It’s not uncommon to find the same record in multiple areas. I actually like when stores do this, as, especially with punk, stuff is not always easily defined by one genre tag. The walls are covered in rad punk shit; you'll think you've been transported back in time to your teenage bedroom. Nice selection of patches, tees, pins, zines, and all the punk necessities. Small area of reggae and ska to boot. Guy who runs the place is always friendly, which is a huge plus. If you’re into punk, Singles Going Steady is no brainer.

Zion’s Gate – Seattle, WA

Nestled in the Capital Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Zion’s Gate is literally jam-packed with vinyl. The layout is slightly confusing, with new genre sections popping up mid-alphabet where another one drops out. When browsing the punk section you’ll notice that it all of sudden it stops at like, L and turns into metal. You’ll have to spin around in the aisle to find the rest of the punk because it picks back up directly behind you...where the reggae is. The overly attentive shopkeeper is aware of the confusion and will ask you several times if you need help finding a section or a particular item, which is both helpful and annoying. The knock on this place is that it’s overpriced and there’s no arguing that it is. I picked up a used copy of the Meat Puppets’ Monsters LP for $18 and got home only to realize that it had already been sold used somewhere else for $8. Despite the drawbacks, visiting the shop is a must even if it’s just to check out their impressive stock. They have an incredible selection of reggae, dub, and other Jamaican music, as well as a healthy chunk of metal, electronic, and old stuff from labels like Cruz, Cargo Music, and SST. If you’re looking for hard to find dancehall LPs or that one black metal album you haven’t been able to track down yet, and you have some extra cash in hand, Zion’s Gate is the spot.

Restore The Power #4 OUT NOW~!

Find 'em around town or in the mail...

HDD Radio #29: Zine Release Special

Hello and welcome to the 29th episode of HotDogDayz Radio. We just put out a new issue of our punk, rap, and graffiti fanzine The Soda Killers. To celebrate Nathan took to the HDD studios to spin some records. He plays Bob Mould, old Philadelphia and Minneapolis punk comps, new wave, post punk, new hardcore, Nine Inch Nails, and more. Check it out and let us know what you think. Or get in touch if you'd like a copy of the new zine.

Nathan G. O'Brien on Twitter at: @OMG_NOB
 
Tracklist:
Husker Du – Divide and Conquer
Husker Du – Back From Somewhere
Bob Mould – Stop Your Crying
Bark Hard – Scene Aint Dead
Anthropobia – Rude Awakening
Pagan Babies – Dirty Knees
Legitimate Reason – He Steals
Deadspot – Suicide City
Arden Chapman – Role Playing
Scorned – Work Imprisonment
Pontius Pilate – Why?
Segue – The Undermining Yearn
Bark Hard – Reagan’s Death March
Public Image Ltd. – Sale Bebe (live in Paris)
Craze – Spartans
Kenny Vaughan – More and Better Sex
The The – Infected
Urban Guerillas – Shimmy Shimmy Koko Bop
The B-52’s – Legal Tender
Barcelona – Ansiedad
Barcelona – Seguidores del Orden
Broken Prayer – Kid
Broken Prayer – Blood Suckers
Dark Ages – Into Gray
Dark Ages – Uneasy Peace
Gay Kiss – Shiver
Gay Kiss – March of the Pigs (Nine Inch Nails cover)
Nine Inch Nails – Physical (You're Just So)
Nine Inch Nails – Suck Artwork

Direct download here. Subscribe in iTunes here.

The Soda Killers issue #9 OUT NOW~!

THE SODA KILLERS//PUNK, RAP & GRAFFITI FANZINE//ISSUE #9

This thing just dropped. Music, show, and zine reviews, photos, columns, scene reports, travel journals, and graffiti collages. 23 pages, photocopied in black & white on white.

GET IT NOW SOLD OUT

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HDD Radio #28: Head Cold Mix

Nathan has returned from a lengthy excursion south of the border, but he brought back with him a nasty head cold courtesy of some Canadian spring breakers that were coughing all over the plane they road back on. He sat down and made a mix of tunes that, despite being all over the place stylistically, seem to work really well together. Or at least we think so. See for yourself!
-BNB 

 

Tracklist:
Donovan – Colours
The Doors – Black Polished Chrome
Mikey Dread – Break Down the Dubs
Massive Attack – Karmakoma
Dum Dum Project – Keep Rocking
The Doors – Curses, Invocations
Sonic Youth – The Sprawl
Smashing Pumpkins – Rocket
Mikey Dread – The Source Dub
Faith No More – Jizzlobber
Comin’ Correct – DIY Stay True
Fuck on the Beach – ???
Free Kitten – ???
Dinosaur Jr – Bulbs of Passion
The Cure – Pictures of You

Direct download here. Subscribe in iTunes here.

Record Review: WAR//PLAGUE - Temperaments of War EP

WAR//PLAGUE - Temperaments of War EP (Profane Existence)
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

Over the course of their last few records these Minneapolis crust punk stalwarts have really honed their metal chops. I’ll do my best to avoid any “who put their metal in my punk” type of argument and just say, as someone who prefers my metalpunx leaning more to the punk side, I find Temperaments of War a little less intriguing than any of their previous releases. Aside from a few subtleties they’ve gone pretty much full-on metal this time around.

Their evolution into metal shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that’s followed WAR//PLAGUE’s string of releases thus far. They have largely eschewed the mucky subterranean type of crust (a style that fellow Minneapoltans Kontrasekt do very well) in favor of masterful instrumentation, decipherable vocals, and clean production. That is to say they’re more “punk” in their approach and application (and lifestyle no doubt) than they are in their sound. And this time around they’ve got a really big sound that, sonically speaking, is more fitting for larger stages than tiny basements.  ...read entire review here.

HDD Radio #27: Best Hip-Hop & Rap 2014

In a surprising turn of events Nathan has somehow managed to record a new episode of HotDogDayz Radio just two weeks following his last one. This time he takes to the HDD studios to play some of our favorite hip-hop and rap records from last year. Check it out and let us know what you think.

Follow Nathan G. O'Brien on Twitter at: @OMG_NOB

 

Tracklist:

Gangsta Boo & Beatking – Come Off Dat

Gangsta Boo & Beatking – Bass N Da Trunk

Run The Jewels – Love Again

The Underachievers – Radiance

The Voyagers – Dedicated

The Voyagers – Bring Dat Funk

Adam “MCA” Yauch & Mike D – DJ Cut Killer Novamix Freestyle 1994

Joey Bada$$ - Paper Trail$

HaLo – Pretty Birds (feat. Masta Killa & Talib Kweli)

Has-Lo & Castle – Yoga Pants

Souls of Mischief – There is Only Now (feat. Snoop Dogg)

Dilated Peoples – Good As Gone

Dilated Peoples – Figure It Out

Apollo Brown & Rass Kass – Strawberry

Apollo Brown & Rass Kass – Giraffe Pussy (feat. Royce Da 5’9, Xzibit, and Bishop Lamont)

Konfident – Hate It

Konfident – Dropkick

Meyhem Lauren & Buckwild – Can’t Fuck ‘Em All

Direct Download here. Subscribe in iTunes here.

Cassette Dubs, vol. 1: '90s Rap Radio & vol. 2: '90s Punk Radio OUT NOW~!

Hey guys, it's 2015 so here's this cassette tape project I've been working on...

Cassette Dubs, vol. 1: '90s Rap Radio & vol. 2: '90s Punk Radio.

Each cassette is an hour long compilation extracted from my collection of taped radio shows, duplicated via dual cassette recorder, and includes extensive liner notes written by me.

PayPal $5 to thee.n.o.b (at) gmail.

Hit me up on Twitter or Instagram.

Thanks!

-Nathan



Also, we still have some new issues of HotDogDayz #6 left, which is great to read while you're listening to the latest episode of HDD Radio.

HDD Radio #26: Best Punk & Hardcore 2014

Happy New Year! Hope it's off to a great start for everyone. It's been a while since we sat down and recorded an episode of HotDogDayz Radio, so we're glad to be back. Nathan figured what better way to celebrate the new year than by playing some of his favorite punk and hardcore from last year. So he stayed up late on Saturday night, drank a few strong beers and slurred his way through nearly two hours loud, fast, fucked-up, reverbed, and resonating shit noise just for you. Check it out!



Tracklist:
Stinky Rats – Giorni  
Institute – Giddy Boys
Condominium – Thug
S.H.I.T. – Collective Uncciousness
S.H.I.T. – Masochism
Kontaminat – Team Player
Deep Creeps – Skeletonized
Tied Down – No Hope
Sem Hastro – Sem Vida
Narcoman – Bag Men
Wriggle – Huff Marks
1/4 Dead – Fire Truck
Javla – Warped Ones
Padkarosda – Halott Varos  
Decades/Failures – Everyday is the Same
Dark Blue – Here On My Street
Teenanger – Negative Zeros
Puff – Identitatsverlust
Nots – Reactor
Good Throb – Pale Grey Suits  
Ex-Cult – Midnight Passenger
Eastlake – Gina
Vexx – Clairvoyant
White Lung – Down it Goes
Bl’ast – Fuckin’ With My Head
Death – Born Dead
Electric Funeral – World Wide Genocide
No Fraud – Blowing Chunks
Frantix – My Dad’s a Fuckin’ Alchoholic  
Watery Love – Piece of Piss
Watery Love – Face The Door

Direct download here. Subscribe in iTunes here. Thanks for listening!

HotDogDayz issue #6 OUT NOW~!

HOTDOGDAYZ//ISSUE #6

We have a brand new issue of HotDogDayz available for your viewing pleasure. It's chock full of art, photos, graffiti, mail art, punk, rap, columns, comics, and whole bunch more. It's full size, 38 pgs, and photocopied in partial color.

Featuring contributions from the likes of:

Nathan G. O'Brien
BNB
Dan Lactose
Dylan Chadwick
Luke Sick
Lance White
R.L. Wallace
Jason Rodgers
Janne Karlsson
Dr. Art Jones
The Haddock
Hey Zeus Publishing

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The Best Punk & Hardcore Records of 2014

The Best Punk & Hardcore Records of 2014
An excerpt from 2014: A Year In Review
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

If you haven't done so, please check out previous installments of our 2014 year-end best-of coverage:
The Best Albums of 2014
The Best Cassettes of 2014
The Best Reissues of 2014

The Best Hip-Hop Records of 2014

Another year has passed and another million punk & hardcore records have been ingested. I find it interesting how my tastes within the genre have altered over time. This past year I shifted slightly away from the thrash, crust, D-beat, and blown-out raw punk that had been ruling my turntables for several years; instead becoming increasingly interested in post-punk revivalism and stuff that's a little bit more, for a lack of better term, experimental. In addition I've allowed myself to enjoy some of the more melodic, poppy punk that I'd all but sworn off a more than a decade ago. (I'm not totally comfortable admitting that last part actually.)

While this list isn't comprehensive by any stretch, I am confident that those who like their music loud, fast, dirty, and totally fucked up will find plenty to identify with here.

I encourage you to share your thoughts. If I missed something, tell me what it was. If you don't agree with me, tell me why. But before you question my validity know that I wrote this in the middle of the night while wearing pajama pants and an Aus Rotten tee shirt that I found in the gutter after a giant rainstorm in 2000. So I'm pretty much an authority on this stuff.

Acid Fast – Rabid Moon (Protagonist)
Angst-y, bouncy punk rock from Oakland. Melodic male-female vocal tradeoff gives it a sense of charm that’s hard to ignore. Close your eyes and let the fuzzy basslines, driving drums, and spirited guitar transport you to some damp basement party in 1993.

Boston Strangler – Fire (Boston Strangler)
One of the more anticipated albums of the year that nobody knew about. And by nobody I mean me, until I heard about it on Twitter, at which point I began anticipating it being sold out everywhere.

All the angry, punishing hardcore mosh from Primitive is still intact, but they've expanded their overall sound somewhat. These songs are more melodic (think Blood For Blood) and there's even a touch of Oi! in there, which is likely the result of being from the same area as legendary groups like The Bruisers. This is tough guy stuff but not in a shoving-kids-in-lockers-y way.

Good luck finding this one. Maybe sell plasma or something so you can pay collector scum prices on Discogs.

Brain F – Empty Set
Same as Acid Fast, except the amps have been cranked, the riffs are harder, and the cocaine guy just showed up.

Condominium – Thug 7” (Condominium)
The latest from this Twin Cities veteran trio, and the first offering since their Sub Pop excursion a year ago. Pounding pissed-off hardcore and art-damaged creepiness that has you grinding your teeth so hard you need a mouth guard just to listen to hit. My friends are probably really sick of hearing me talk about this band, but I’m sorry, I just can’t stop. Totally essential.

Creative Adult – Psychic Mess (Run For Cover)
Moody, reverb-heavy post-punk/post-hardcore with flourishes of goth and garage rock. Underneath everything lays a pulsing rhythm that allows them to hop in and out of genres while maintaining a cohesive tone.

Cross Examination – Dawn of the Dude (Organized Crime)
Sometimes I just want to eat a bunch of pizza, drink a 30 pack of Special Export Light, smoke one million doobies, make out with chicks in a swimming pool, stay up all night tripping on mushrooms while watching hippies swirl glow sticks and eat fire, and then make out with more chicks in a tent as the sun comes up. And sometimes I’m way too old and way too married to actually do those things anymore, so I just want listen to a record that reminds me what it was like to do those things.

Dark Blue – Pure Reality (Jade Tree)
This Philadelphian trio traverse in the dark-punk/post-punk/gothic style that's risen in popularity in the last few years. John Sharkey III nails the Ian Curtis/Andrew Eldritch harrowing baritone style in a way that will make you forget a band like Interpol ever existed.

So if I understand this right, this dude John moved his family from Philly all the way across the world to Australia where he worked as a night watchman on a college campus. It was cool kinda cool. After two years he moved them back to Philly where he hates his neighborhood and his life, which is not cool. Somewhere in the midst of all of this he wrote this really fabulous album about it.

Eastlink – Self-Titled (In The Red)
Featuring members of Total Control, UV Race and other Melbourne acts, these guys bring fuzzed-out, droning punk weirdness to the forefront and then slather it in laborious riffs and monochromatic dual vocals for maximum LSD brain burn.

Ex-Cult – Midnight Passenger (Goner)
Like the majority of the bands on this list, this Memphis crew—led by Chris Shaw of Vile Nation on vocals—understand that the best punk is a result of mashing a whole bunch of styles together to create something uniquely original. They take Krautrock, post-punk, psych, anarcho-punk and whole bunch of other stuff and throw it all in a blender. Then they pour it in a turkey baster, jam it in your ear, and force it deep into the recesses of your brain. You’re totally fucked but you feel kind of tough. Like a lanky punk walking down the street in the dead of winter, smoking a cigarette and wearing an open leather jacket with no shirt underneath.

Gas Chamber – Hemorrhaging Light (Iron Lung)
I think I like this mostly because it confuses the shit out of me by combining genres of music I don't normally listen to, and often times, don't even like. It's like some bizarre amalgamation of tech metal, prog, and grindcore. I took a nap to this once and had the most messed-up dreams ever.

Gas Rag – Beats Off 12” EP (Beach Pediment)
With a title like that, do I really need to say anything here? Snarling, hurtful, thrashing, D-beaten, and dumb as shit. Basically the best punk rock ever. Saw 'em this summer at Extreme Noise's anniversary bash and I instantaneously got twice as drunk as I already was, which was already questionable.

Institute – Salt 12” EP / Giddy Boys 7” (Sacred Bones / Katorga Works)
This year saw two more solid releases (in addition to the 12" vinyl reissue of their 2013 demo cassette) from this Austin, TX-based group. Anarcho-influenced post-punk is the name of the game. If someone told me this stuff came out on Crass Records in the '80s I would have no reason not to believe them. I totally dig the dejected teenage loner vibe the singer puts forth, even if it is a bit contrived. One of the better new bands of the last two years.

Iron Hand – Injected Fear (Safety Meeting)
D-beat hardcore that swims in the Scandinavian / Portland epic crust end of the pool; in the instrumentation at least. The vocals lend it some tough-guy-metal-core vibes, but not in a way that conjures up images of varsity logos, sXe calf tattoos, and Nike Cortez’s. Nike Cortez’s are dope though.

Kontaminat – Self-Titled 7” (Lengua Armada)
Another in a long line of great releases from Martin Sorrondeguy's Lengua Armada label. Angry USHC with flourishes of Oi! mixed in. Call it working class hardcore if you will. I call it badass. Red, unlabeled vinyl and a jacket and liner notes that are printed on tracing paper makes for a really nice package too.

Legendary Wings – Do You See (Dirtnap)
Anthemic poppy garage punk. There's a nice amount of distortion, especially on the vocals, that keeps the sound from veering into straight '90s pop-punk. Take any Dillinger Four song, add an extra shot of whiskey, and ramp up the pop sensibilities. I dislike a lot of similar-sounding stuff but this shit's A-OK by me.

Now let's all go to the bar—somewhere in the Midwest preferably—have some drinks, sing along to the band, and then get sentimental about some stuff and maybe send a few texts we'll regret/not remember in the morning.

The Murder City Devils – The White Ghost Has Blood On Its Hands Again (Murder City Devils)
Off-stage Spencer Moody is a quiet, awkward if not unassuming man. But when he takes center stage for The Murder City Devils he transforms into a rascally, howling maniac. On this album, the Seattle-based band's first full-length since 2000, he's more hoarse-throated and irate than ever before. The White Ghost, in all its eerie, emotive garage punk glory, is quintessential Murder City Devils.

Nots – We Are Nots (Goner)
I'm kind of sick of the term "weird punk" because punk by nature is supposed to be weird. That being said, Nots is weird punk (i.e., they have a keyboard player and wear sunglasses indoors.). Also, I predict Nots will blow up and become a band that's not supposed to be cool to punks anymore. And oh boy will that ever be a shame for those silly punks.

Obediencia – El Angel Exterminador 7” (Solo Para Punks)
Spanish language female vocals that are melodic and urgent. Garage-ish punk that's played a little bit faster than mid-pace. You pretty much have to dance to this or risk having your punk membership card clipped yours truly. Reminds me a lot of the Weird TV demo from a few years ago. Also of a band that would play an in-store performance during the day where you'd sneak a beer in.

Oblivionation – Cult of Culture 7” (Hardware / Man In Decline)
Ex-Out Cold dudes doing their thing. Loud fast rules. Super strong build-ups, mean riffs, and throaty vocals that remind me a bit of DS-13. Really tough-sounding hardcore that vibes intelligent rather than meatheaded.

Priests – Bodies and Control and Money and Power 12” EP (Don Giovanni / Sister Polygon)
A lot of people have a lot of things to say about this Washington DC band. I am not one of them. I have only a few things to say about them and they are this: This EP totally reminds me of Bikini Kill’s first EP and that’s never a bad thing. I saw them play early in the year and they totally killed. That is all.

Puff – Indentitatsverlust 7” (Slovenly)
Classic-sounding punk punk. Albeit a little bit faster than they were doing things in the '70s and with enough erratic synth tossed in that it also makes it kind of new wave-y. The oddball vocals and German lyrics really give it that old-school punk effect I was talking about two sentences ago. Probably not as difficult to describe as I'm making it but oh well.

Replica – Beast 7” (Prank)
Take menacing bass lines; mash them against blast beat drums (the kind that predate grindcore) and mean-sounding guitars; top it all off with Dharma Moony’s pissed-off snot-tinged vocals, and you’re left with this erratic little monster.

S.H.I.T. – Collective Unconsciousness 7” / Generation Shit 7” / Feeding Time 7” (Iron Lung / Lengua Armada / Static Shock)
Big year for these Torontonians. Same as with Lumpy & the Dumpers, everyone from Maximum Rocknroll to DIY fanzine writers to Noisey/Vice is singing their praises, and not for lack of reason. They have all the style and grace a punk band could ask for. Leather jacket-clad front man who sings with nasally, echo-y vocals and puts forth creepo energy galore, backed by skilled players that bring the hardcore noise.

Teenanger – E P L P (Telephone Explosion / The Orchard)
More Toronto folks here. Weird nasally vocals and Gang of Four/post-punk-driven garage rock. They toss in a bit of saxophone on one track which lends it some fringe punk/no-wave mileage. Soft female vocals on another for the '90s alt effect. Love the album cover pic of them posed inside a mall food court, taking pics with their cell phones. Also kind of want to try that burrito place they're standing in front of.

Teledrome – Self-Titled (FDH / P. Trash)
How many hardcore bands screaming about “until the day we die” can you take, am I right? When some super ’80s style digi-punk comes along, it gives my eardrums a boner and my actual boner a hard-on. Dark, moody, and synth-heavy one man gig out of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

The Estranged – Self-Titled (Dirtnap)
The Estranged’s members are associated with crusty hardcore acts like Hellshock, From Ashes Rise, Lebenden Toten, and Remains of the Day so it might come as a surprise that they play post-punk, death-rock, and other subgenres that require hyphenated descriptors that sounds textured, un-cold, and, well, fun.

Lumpy & The Dumpers – Collection (Space Ritual)
Like S.H.I.T. these St. Louis dirtbags have had a prolific couple of years. Thanks to a handful of slimy demos and singles and noteworthy live shows they've caught the attention of purest-of-heart punks and taste-making culture vulture media conglomerates alike.

This LP brings together all of their recorded material to date, including the Total Punk 7", which features the punk song of the year, “Gnats in the Pisser." It's hard for me to continue talking about this band without using the F word multiple times a sentence, so I'll fucking quit right the fuck now.

Vexx – Self-Titled 12” EP (M’lady’s / Upset The Rhythm)
This has all the fury and forwardness of hardcore but with a healthy dose of Pacific Northwestern rock 'n' roll punk attitude shot all up in its guts. Lead vocalist Maryjane zig-zags between rugged soulfulness and abrasive wailing, bringing to mind revered throats like Mia Zapata and Kathleen Hanna. It’s enchanting and terrifying all at the same time. These guys are from Olympia, so like, duh.

White Lung – Deep Fantasy (Domino)
Word is White Lung singer Mish Way doesn't like when you compare her band to a certain other now-defunct PNW-based band, which is weird because it's pretty much undeniable and usually meant as a compliment of the highest regard.

If there's one album from this year who's songs I walk around humming even when it's not on it's been this one. This is this Vancouver punk’s third and most spirited album to date. Chock full of anthemic melodies and pulse-manipulating guitar work that sticks with you long after the tone arm has returned to its resting position.

Watery Love – Decorative Feeding (In The Red)
Aside from rap music, this is probably the one record that annoyed my wife the most this year. And that's usually a pretty good indicator that it's the best punk. Shit, this record is so damn good I can hardly stand it myself. They're from Philly, and much like fellow Pennsylvanians Pissed Jeans, they play loud, heavy punk that's driven by an unsettling vocalist who screams scathing admonitions.

On "Face The Door" Richie Charles (formerly of Clockcleaner) repeats the line, "unlike you dickheads, I welcome death" so many times that by the end of the song I'm like, yeah me too! The first few times I heard it I thought he was saying "I like you dickheads", which was funny. But either way is cool to me because he's using a childish, derogatory term and welcoming death at the same time, which is so punk I can barely handle it.

I didn't put any compilations on here, but one that's worth mentioning is Maximum Rocknroll Magazine's 2xLP international punk comp, Sound The Alarms!! Do yourself a favor and track that one down.

Follow Nathan on Twitter at: @OMG_NOB

The Best Hip-Hop Records of 2014

The Best Hip-Hop Records of 2014
An excerpt from 2014: A Year In Review
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

If you haven't done so, please check out previous installments of our 2014 year-end best-of coverage:
The Best Albums of 2014
The Best Cassettes of 2014
The Best Reissues of 2014

Its unlikely that there's another year-end rap list like this one, as outside of a few guilty pleasures I have little interest in the popular, hook-driven, thinned-out drivel that passes as "hip-hop" these days. Call me a grumpy curmudgeon if you must, but do so knowing that are very few things that I'm as passionate about as rap music. My approach to hip-hop is like that of a big man holding down the lane on a basketball court: Don't Bring That Weak Shit In Here.

Run The Jewels (El-P & Killer Mike) – Run The Jewels 2 (Mass Appeal)
There's a common misconception that Kim Kardashian and her bare naked cosmetically enhanced buttocks broke the Internet. But that's impossible because the Internet was already broken by Run The Jewels 2. 

On the surface El-P and Killer Mike may seem like an oddball paring. But onstage, like on wax, their interplay is seamless; surely a result of extensive recording and touring together. El-P, for all his titled cap buffoonery takes hip-hop very, very seriously. And Killer Mike, well he just goes hard. One of the things that makes Run The Jewels work so well is the personality that that pair have cultivated as a duo. While their music is tough-as-nails hip-hop, their outwardly appearance is a satirical caricature-like ode to a much more dangerous time in rap music.

Schoolboy Q – Oxymoron (Top Dawg / Interscope)
Oxymoron is the first album out of the TDE/Black Hippy camp since good kid, m.A.A.d city catapulted Kendrick Lamar to stardom. And with its arrival, Schoolboy Q has emerged much in the same way: a conflicted individual whose rhyme scheme and subject matter is as varied as his beat selection.

Apollo Brown & Rass Kass – Blasphemy (Mello Music Group)
If you've heard one Apollo Brown loop you've heard them all. And that's a compliment. Dude is so consistent it should be illegal. Paired with D.I.T.C. legend OC and fellow Detroiter Guilty Simpson, he's made some of the best hip-hop in recent memory. This year he teamed up with veteran Cali emcee Rass Kass and the results are no different. Rass Kass been in the game for a minute—with releases dating back to ’96—and is enjoying somewhat of a resurgence thanks to Blasphemy. The synergy between the two is irrefutable; recalling rap history’s most revered deejay & emcee combos.

Dilated Peoples – Directors of Photography (Rhymesayers Entertainment)
Continuing the revitalization that began with 2011's Cats & Dogs on through to Lord Steppington, his Step Brothers collaboration with Alchemist earlier this year, Evidence regroups with fellow emcee Rakaa Iriscience and deejay DJ Babu for the first Dilated Peoples album since 2006. The result harkens back to those early underground backpack days: hard beats, record scratching, and slick dual emcee interplay.

Has Lo & Castle – Live Like You’re Dead (Mello Music Group)
Two relatively unknown emcees coming together to create an album that is rooted in boom-bap but has a fair amount of experimental parts interwoven throughout it. Live Like You're Dead recalls Native Tongues legends like De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest but still manages to sound unmistakably current.

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – Piñata (Madlib Invazion)
Piñata is straight-up gangster rap. Madlib’s beats, which are culled from old-school soul, funk, and Blaxploitation, are the backdrop to Gangsta Gibbs signature misogyny, drug dealing, and pistol play. He’ll give the listener a glimpse of his softer side but he always holds back just enough as to not compromise his rugged ghetto-hardened exterior.

Ratking – So It Goes (XL Recordings)
Ratking is a group of youngsters from NYC made up of rappers Wiki and Hak and producer Sporting Life. They mix an alluring cocktail of post-everything/no-nothing (punk, wave, EDM, graffiti culture, whatever) noise that is strangely and undeniably hip-hop. So It Goes is their debut full-length LP.

Meyhem Lauren & Buckshot – Silk Pyramids (Thrice Great LLC)
Meyhem Lauren, the man responsible for the standout mixtapes Respect the Fly Shit and Mandatory Brunch Meetings, returns with an official album alongside legendary D.I.T.C. beatsmith Buckshot. And as expected from these two New Yorkers the result is straight boom to the bap. Silk Pyramids is the perfect soundtrack for a transit commute through the city, which is a great way to judge a rap record's worth.

Gangsta Boo & Beatking – Underground Cassette Tape Music (mixtape)
In what very well may be the Internet’s greatest achievement to date, Memphis’ legendary Gangsta Boo and Houston’s mostly unknown Beatking join forces to intermingle the best parts of their respective cities’ rap histories. Underground Cassette Tape Music is dark, sinister, hood shit, and a re-energizing shot of down south hip-hop that pays homage to the past in a brand new way.

The Voyagers – Rise of the Black Kings (mixtape)
This Connecticut group released once of the year’s best mixtapes to absolutely no fanfare whatsoever. Plug in your headphones, close your eyes, and get transported back in time to an era of hip-hop when everyone was sporting construction boots, baggy jeans, and puffy jackets; and the beats were simplistic and big. This is a lot like Flatbush ZOMBiES but more focus on lyricism and delivery than psychedelic gimmickry. Rise of the Black Kings is on some Pharcyde / Lyricist Lounge / early Wu-type ish. Totally banging.

Timeless Truth – Dominican Diner EP (Timeless Truth)
Oprime39 and Solace, the largely unknown New York City-based duo that makeup Timeless Truth, returned with a new EP. Dominican Diner is a perfect combination of laid-back summer-y hip-hop and traditional New York rap at its most authentic.

Your Old Droog – Self-Titled EP (mixtape)
Amidst a shroud of mystery and speculation this 20-something Russian white guy from Long Island dropped one of the best rap records of the year. And it’s not the best just because he sounds like a younger, hungrier version of a certain legendary rapper (who many people still believe him to be despite there being loads of inarguable evidence to the contrary) but because he’s really fucking good.

HaLo – Mansa Musa (Guest Starring Masta Killa) (Jamla)
Although Wu-Tang's Masta Killa gets a mention in the title he appears on only five tracks. Mansa Musa is ultimately emcee HaLo's big coming out party, as much as it is a vehicle to showcase Jamla Record's production team, The Soul Council. Ka$h, AMP, Eric G 9th all contribute tracks, as does their newest member Nottz. But the brunt of the workload behind the boards is attributed to Khrysis, whose muted bass hits deep and lends the album a sonically cohesive tone.

Adrian Younge & Souls of Mischief – There Is Only Now (Linear Labs / Essential Music)
Producer Adrian Younge's highest profile project to date was last year's Twelve Reasons To Die with Ghostface Killah. Using the momentum from that record he's teamed up with Oakland veterans Souls Of Mischief for another outstanding concept album. There Is Only Now is a fluid stream of storytelling raps. It's largely uninterrupted, save a few interludes by A Tribe Called Quest’s Ali Shaheed Muhammad, who plays a radio DJ who is narrating the developing plots in the story, not unlike Lynn Thigpen in The Warriors.

Mutual Daps – Self-Titled (Megakut / Solidarity)
Heads may remember Luke Sick from Sacred Hoop and more recently Grand Invincible and Grand Killa Con. Mutual Daps, his latest project, is a Bay Area supergroup of sorts with fellow emcee White Mic and producer TC BoneLoc. Mutual Daps takes the listener on an underground rap journey through the Bay, flexing a variety of styles from boom-bap to G-funk and back again. This thing is so chock-full of guest spots that it plays like a Bay Area variety show. Emcees QM, Philo, Lightbulb, Trunk Drank, and Z-Man all get verses. Although TC BoneLoc has the majority of the production credits, DJ Eons One, Brycon, and Sick himself also contribute beats. And DJ Quest and DJ Pause take turns adding cuts to a few tracks. Destined to be criminally underrated, Mutual Daps is underground hip-hop at its finest, courtesy of some cats that have been in the game a long-ass time.

There are a few things that didn't make the cut. Both Wu-Tang Clan and Ghostface Killah put records out but due to their late in the year release dates I was unable to digest them properly. In addition I left deejay and producer-based albums off the list. A-Villa's Carry on the Tradition got a lot of play around HDD HQ though. And I would urge mix fans to find Unearthed, DJ Revolution's mix of the Coalmine Records catalog. As for additional mixtape suggestions, both Ugly Frank's Bobby Hill EP and Da Mafia 6ix's Hear Sum Evil are worthy downloads.


Follow Nathan on Twitter at: @OMG_NOB