Hey, so the thing that I hate about a lot of recent hardcore bands is that they almost to a single band, drench their vocals in reverb, making them a unintelligible …
A collection of releases all in one place and serves as a pretty good introduction to the band – starting off with a wail of feedback and off and running with …
I try to every Record Store Day, sift through the absolute dreck of releases and list what you should and shouldn’t buy – of course my tastes lead me to only …
So I try to be fair, I really do. I’m a collector like everyone else and yes, I like the idea of Record Store Day. But honest to fucking god, we don’t need Black Friday as well. If you think we do, take a look at what there is. Absolute dogshit. 27 live albums. 182 releases that are distilled down to a few that might be of interest to genre collectors. Now most of the stuff that gets released on Black Friday are even more novelty oriented than the normal Record Store Day fare, but in my humble opinion the best option is the William Shatner/The Cramps split and maybe the Devo reissue of the ’81 Live record.
So instead of the standard comsumerist bullshit inspired from Record Store Day, I thought I’d list some records that you should buy (that aren’t affiliated with Record Store Day and have been recently released or set to be released soon).
This thing is a straight up banger – probably their best thing – reminds me of Burning Spirits style hardcore punk from Japan (especially those ripping leads!) mixed with Poison Idea and modern Swedish hardcore (the singer sounds a lot like the singer of Sunday Morning Einsteins). Just excellent.
Rata Negra – La Hija Del Sepulturero EP
Lo-fi garage inspired mutant rock – with a heavy goth vibe doesn’t ever really disappoint, and Rata Negra do it extremely well. La Vida En Mus here: https://www.lavidaesunmus.com/ While you’re there pickup any of the Disclose reissues too. Never really surges past a mid-tempo and for old Canadian heads it tugs at the nostalgic strings of Deja Voodoo, but Rata Negra are much more accomplished musicians.
Lastly, I’d be remiss in not mentioning the slew of Iron Lung Records releases – two of which I’d recommend. Firstly this:
Under Attack are pretty much delivering hardcore in my wheelhouse – angry, but there’s songs there, and while things are drenched in overdrive or distortion, they aren’t overwhelming or overbearing. Absolutely a good record that is rooted in hardcore punk, but still has enough new flair (for lack of a better word) to keep it fresh. While we’re chatting about Iron Lung Records, the Doldrey – Invocation of Doom is worth your time as well. A touch more metallic than I normally accept in my ears, it’s got a couple of things going for it – first it’s from Singapore, which like Mexico is churning out the best hardcore going currently (I honestly think we’ll look back on Mexico and Singapore right now as fondly as many of us obsessed about mid-90’s Japanese hardcore).
So yeah, there’s a couple of releases that you should spend your time with rather than buying what you’re fed on Record Store Day Black Friday bullshit.
So on the heels of the last record purchase recap, here’s another one where I blew the budget and bought way too much. Best and most treasured of the bunch was …
So on the heels of the last record purchase recap, here’s another one where I blew the budget and bought way too much. Best and most treasured of the bunch was Really Red “New Strings for Old Puppets” 7″ but there’s something for everyone’s taste, from crust to power-pop infused keyboard laden garage rock, punk to, uhhh, hardcore? Enjoy.
I did mention that I would link up the Hamilton Punk History walks people who operate under the moniker Punk City Hamilton and are available on Instagram – they do quarterly events at least and are probably cooking up several other interesting and worthwhile projects. If you’re visiting Toronto, Hamilton is only 45 minutes away, and probably on your way to Niagara Falls.
Here’s the playlist:
DMBQ – Mo-Ya Mo-Ya
Killing Joke – New Cold War
Colin Newman – Round and Round
The Ex and Tom Cora – State of Shock
Nomeansno – Forget Your Life
SNFU – I Forget
The Subhumans – Moron Majority
Barn Av Regnburn – Ikkje Fan
Rattus- Sotahullat
B.G.K. – Arms Race
Toxoplasma – 1981
Rayos X – Yo No Conformo
Desordeiros – Mortos Vivos
Impact – Deboli Ai Vostri Occhi
Warhead – Change the Reality
Forward – Burn Up!!
Zone – Eraser
D.S.B. – Bastard Rock
Here’s where you can hear the podcast, subscribe to the podcast and follow/comment/rate the podcast:
Thanks for your support, please follow and subscribe on whichever platform you choose. Hopefully you dig what I’m putting down. Also, let me know, or the people who produce other stuff you consume, let them know you appreciate their work. Especially if they’re trying to do it as a living! Any errors, factual or otherwise, leave a comment below or on the podcast itself wherever you find it.
Oh, and one more thing, we’re hoping to start to do video content to accompany the traveler series of articles, so in preparation for that check out our YouTube channel which has some content and will be posting historical podcasts there. Feel free to like/subscribe/comment. on YouTube as well: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs02ejXyI1A2TenxqOWOMWA – we need 100 subscribers to get a name – so help us out!
So, I finally got a chance to take a vacation and really I felt obligated to knock off one of the last American cities I hadn’t seen yet; Portland (Los Angeles, …
So, I finally got a chance to take a vacation and really I felt obligated to knock off one of the last American cities I hadn’t seen yet; Portland (Los Angeles, San Diego and Seattle are left). Now with any vacation to visit family, you’re going to have to negotiate time, interests and other bits and bobs. With all that said, Portland is a beautiful city, surrounded by some of the most picturesque nature, but it is absolutely fucked to get around (by car). As usual I’ll be writing about record stores, food and things punks might want to know about. The one thing I missed was the Japanese gardens, but since we’re heading back to Japan again next year, I’ll have to make do with a garden in Japan.
This was a different trip for us as we typically are on our own and beholden to no one else. This time we did have Kate’s brother and sister-in-law to hang out with, who did show us some of the lesser known options in Portland – which didn’t really differ from what the Internet, guidebooks and YouTube videos told us – there’s lots of great options for food and beer, some great record stores for punk and hardcore, and some great short, or long, commutes to nature. Oh yeah, everyone telling you it rains all the time was true for our visit – except for the day we arrived and the day we left. Maybe we brought the rain? Sorry, Portland. Here’s my take (and a map).
Record Stores
So there’s a ton of record stores, some good, some overpriced, some reasonable. I was lucky enough to hit up five different stores in my time in Portland. Landfill Rescue Unit, Exiled, Jackpot, Black Water and Tomorrow Records. Each had their own niche and were all worth visiting for punk and hardcore – except Tomorrow which was overpriced for almost all the stuff I was looking for. Of note was a “first pressing” of Damaged for $150 on the wall. Other records were priced 20-40% over where they should’ve been to be moving. I did spy some relatively obscure reggae, but wasn’t really motivated to buy anything at those price points. And yes, I know I missed Green Noise, 2nd Avenue and Crossroads. Next time!
Landfill Rescue Unit was probably the closest to my tastes, having a huge selection of punk and hardcore 7″ EPs to dig through – all at reasonable prices. There’s two kinds of record stores, ones that are priced to move stock and constantly turn over stuff, and ones that are happy to sell at a more inflated price, and rely on profit to make their ends meet. Landfill is definitely one of the first types. Not to say they didn’t have anything – I bought the most of my trip here – including a Really Red “New Strings for Old Puppets” as well as a grip of Japanese hardcore. Well worth it.
Landfill Rescue Unit – the best (for me) record store in Portland.
I hit Exiled Records next as it’s a short drive – and I will say that Hawthorne St., where Exiled is, has a cool vibe (probably due to the extensive gentrification…) Exiled was set back from the street in a strip mall so it’s easy to miss, tucked away in the corner. Exiled had some deep cuts – but not as much stock as Landfill – worthwhile for a visit. We ended up picking up a Sister Double Happiness 7″, Colin Newman (Wire) solo LP and The Ex and Tom Cora LP.
Exiled Records. Exiled into the corner of a strip mall on Hawthorne St. in Portland.
That evening we hit up Jackpot Records to pick up some re-issues (Poison Idea and Wipers). With some more digging I’m sure there would’ve been more to grab, but the used-to-new ratio was low on the used side, which is what I’m usually digging for. Jackpot also has the Portland Record guide brochure, which gives you a sense of how spread out the city is, so if you hit it first you can grab that and probably have a killer time just browsing. Also, the brochure is not entirely comprehensive.
Jackpot Records, You can’t lose (anything but money).
Black Water Records was the final must-hit for me (of course, if you’re not as laser focused on punk and hardcore as I am, your mileage may vary). It was well worth the visit as it paid off a bunch in having a few records that I had been looking for for a while – in particular a Zoe 7″ and The Minds 7″ that I thought might be more plentiful in the Pacific Northwest.
Also, Powell’s bookstore is fucking overrated. Great selection online, but in their downtown store, I was underwhelmed with the selections. Actually, I think the branch on Hawthorne was better…
Venues
So I didn’t see any shows in Portland while I was there, but I imagine Black Water Bar and the Twilight Bar would be your best bets if you didn’t know anything else. However, this being the Internet, you should probably check out the PDX show guide: https://pc-pdx.com/show-guide/ – it’ll give you a better idea of who might be playing where when you are there.
Food/Restaurants
So Portland is well known for the food trucks and we ate really well without breaking the bank. Sizzle Pizza had a good metal quotient (and the pizza was actually good New York style slices). Pok Pok was excellent thai food that was fairly priced for a highly regarded chef. Cascade Brewery had a great selection of sour beers (holy shit, they were too many to choose from) and each of them were great tasting. Salt and Straw ice cream was good enough to visit twice. Almost every restaurant we went to had at least one vegetarian option, and often went beyond to have several vegetarian and vegan options. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, you shouldn’t have a problem eating in Portland.
So in short, Portland was as good as people had described? My determinant is usually answering the question “would I live here?” and the answer is, well, maybe. Driving is a really annoying feature in Portland, it was bad enough for me to say no – but I didn’t take public transportation, so maybe it’s better? Judging from how many buses and trams I saw, I’d say it’s not likely. However the beer alone was worth it, so I might. I think I’d have to go back again to answer that question definitively.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.