Send your Records, Cd's, Casettes, Zines and DVD's for review to: Talk's Cheap Magazine3813 Saul St Victoria, Bc V8x 1S4 Canada mail@talkscheapmagazine.com
All reviews by T. Depression(TD), Damien Inbred(DI) and Brad Attitude(BA).
 TEMPLARS - Out Of The Darkness 7" (Templecombe Records: PO Box 602, Bayshore NY, 11706-0660; www.thetemplars.com)
The first thing I noticed when I put this 7" on was the production. I'm used to Templars records featuring a tinny, lo-fi sound, which has seemed to define these lads for as long as I can remember. This time around, however, the production is fuller, and more in-yer-face. Even the guitar tone seems to be more gruff and less jangly than before. This isn't a complaint, it just sounds less like the Templars I'm used to. That being said though, this EP is chock-full of the high quality oi! that we've all come to expect from the mighty Templars. There's only two tracks here, but what mighty tracks they are! Once again these lads have proven that they're the finest oi! band active today - hands down. As usual, they bring to mind the classic UK oi! bands while maintaining a sound that is truly unique. All hail the mighty Templars! (DI)
 WHITE WIRES - Girly, Girly, Girly LP (Going Gaga Records www.myspace.com/goinggagarecords)
OK...for the sake of full disclosure, I'll mention a couple things. The White Wires got their name from a song I wrote for a band that I played in with Ian,the primary songwriter for The White Wires. Also, one of the songs on this album was written and performed in that band we were in together. I don't know how fair this review is going to be, since I am good friends with Ian, but here it is, for what it's worth. First off, I do not like the song "Girly, Girly, Girly". I don't know if it's the recycled Eddie Cochran guitar bit or what, but I always skip over it to the second track on the record. Similarily, "In My Bed" off the B-side instantly brings to mind The Romantics, but in this case it works, and I like that song. This is actually a pretty solid LP with lot's of decent songs that pull influences from all over the past 5 decades. You can hear some 50's Rock'n'Roll, 60's girl groups and 70's punk and power-pop...sometime all in one song. The songs are all pretty much mid-tempo and actually quite reserved. This album doesn't have any of the nervous energy I usually look for in punk records, and the approach is far more subtle than that which usually attracts me to certain garage and pop acts. In fact, The White Wires have kind of an innocent or naive sound. They don't sound like they're trying to sound like anything or anyone at all. They don't sound contrived or manufactured...it just sounds like they've listened to a bunch of different music, and this is just what came out. Perfect...that's not something everyone can do. While most LP's I listen to these days should have been distilled down to a decent 4 track 7", this actually works as an LP. The only tracks I woulda left off are the previously mentioned title track and "Is everything Square?"...every other track is a keeper. I especially like "I Remember How", which sounds really familiar, but I can't figure out what it reminds me of. Maybe that's the key to The White Wires...they pull little bits from all over the place, so they sound familiar, but not TOO familiar. Definitely one of the better LP's I've heard in a while...I'm curious to see what other people think of it. I know that The White Wires are alot of people around Ottawa's favorite local band...they'd be mine too if I lived there.(TD)
 PHOBIA - 22 Random Acts of Violence LP (Deep Six Records: PO Box 6911, Burbank CA, 91510; www.deepsixrecords.com)
The latest grind juggernaut from California's Phobia definitely lives up to it's title. This is absolutely violent brutality condensed into a twelve-inch slab of vinyl. As I was listening to this (in between my air-guitar attempts and air-vocal attempts, that is), all I could think of was the recent street battles between the Greek anarchists and the police. Play this album over footage of the riots, and you'll see what I mean. In short, this is another fine release from Phobia, which is even better than their last effort, "ruel. This could be their finest disc since Serenity Through Pain. I own a number of albums by these dudes, and I'm still amazed that they only have one vocalist - Shane's range is amazing and seems effortless. I do have one complaint about this record, though (and I hate to be that guy, but it's gotta be said): what the hell is up with the track "Beer, Bitches and Bullet Belts?" Satire? Commentary on fashion punks, or a really dumb macho song? The lyrics are too vague, so I fear the latter. That aside, this album is killer. (DI)
 NOBUNNY - Give It To Me 7" (Hozac Records www.horizontalaction.com)
Another couple slices of retardo, lo-fi pop from everyone's favorite masked moron. "Give It To Me" is great...up there with your fave Nobunny hits from the LP, and definitely A-side worthy. "Motorhead With Me" deserves the B-side treatment. It's not a bad tune, but it ain't no hit. There's no doubt about it, NoBunny can write a catchy tune. You know the scoop...if you like a dose of mindless fun with your music, buy a copy of this 7". If you like you like meaningful music with a serious message...buy two copies.(TD)
 PINHEAD GUNPOWDER - West Side Highway EP (Recess Records: www.recessrecords.com)
This EP from Bay Area super-group Pinhead Gunpowder is their first new music in over 8 years. And oh, what a wait it's been. If you're not familiar with Pinhead Gunpowder , all you have to think of is early Green Day meets Crimpshrine in a 24-hour diner drinking cheap cups of coffee before running around Berkeley to hedge-dive. Pop-punk with an emphasis on the word punk. As with any band involving Aaron Cometbus, the lyrics read like an excerpt from his fanzine - full of emotion and heart, while still telling a story that doesn't come across as false or pretentious. And as usual, this package is delivered by the hella-familiar voice of one Billie-Joe Armstrong of the well-known mainstream rock band Green Day. (Note to the younger audiences here: once upon a time, Green Day was a simple pop-punk band from the East Bay releasing records on a then-independent label. Pinhead Gunpowder was a side-project of Billie's that has existed off-and-on over the last 19 years or so. End of history lesson) I'm so happy this EP came out this year - perhaps this means a new full-length is in order? God, I hope so! (DI)
 BUZZER - Disco Kiddz 7" (Douchemaster Records: PO Box 5209, Atlanta GA,31107, USA; www.douchemasterrecords.blogspot.com)
A friend told me this was a really decent, quirky, pop record that I'd probably dig. When I threw my copy on the turntabble, it wasn't what I had expected based on his description. The A-side is straight up 70's glam. Not bad, but nothing as good as your favorite Brit bands were turning out in glams heyday, and nothing I'd make a point of spinning for friends. They turn it up a notch for "Cool Feeling" on the B-side, which is like an uptempo pub-rock number but still with glam sensiblities. "Heavy Weather" slows the tempo down a bit, but still carries on with the 70's british, pre-punk influences. I was worried by the A-side, but the B-side was alot better. I can definitely see myself spinning "Cool Feeling" every now and again, but the A-side won;t get any wear. This is a decent debut, and it's great to see band that's pulling it's influences from somwhere different for a change. I'll be interested to see what these guys turn out in the future.(TD)
 CLASS WAR KIDS - A Strong People Need No Leader CD (Rebel Time Records: 2-558 Upper Gage Avenue, Suite #162; Hamilton ON; L8V 416; www.rebeltimerecords.com)
Who said that political punk has to be dark, serious and depressing? Oh wait - that was me? Well, I take it back. The Class War Kids come from Newfoundland with a highly energetic melodic hardcore sound that you can't help but dance along to. The music makes the highly political lyrical content very easy to digest and understand. This is the perfect band to get young kids involved in politics and DIY punk in general. The CWK sound like early Good Riddance if they were raised on the AK Press catalogue. Highly recommended! (DI)
 GOLDEN TRIANGLE - Prize Fighter 7" (Rob's House Records www.robshouserecords.com)
I don't really know what it is about Golden Triangle that I like so much, but I do know I like it. It's melancholy, garage-pop that's catchy and unnerving at the same time. These guys are like a straight forward garage band, with high pitched, female vocals adding a pop tinge, and then spoken or chanted male vocals behind it all, adding a sort of haunting edge. I like female vocals....I like jangley guitars...I like things that make me feel a little uneasy. This has got that over all 3 songs...and I like it. If I wasn't so broke, I'd probably own their other two records too.(TD)
 MALACHI - S/T CD (Halo Of Flies Records: c/o Cory von Bohlen; 430 E. Lloyd St, Milwaukee WI; 53212; www.myspace.com/halooffliesrcds www.myspace.com/halooffliesrcds )
Another contender for the soundtrack to the impending apocalypse, Malachi have picked up the gauntlet as thrown down by Neurosis. Ultra heavy doom-laden apocalypticore which will haunt this reviewer as he gasps for breathable air while the embers of the earth descend around him. This CD compiles the band's self-titled four track LP and the brand new LP, Wither to Cover the Tread conveniently on one disc. As I keep listening, the word Neurosis keeps hitting me over the head. From the ultra-long songs and the ultra-complex song structures, right down to the vocals (sort of). There's also a tinge of Fall of Efrafa in some of the symphonic build-ups, thanks to the use of cello. Holy fuck, this is intense! This is the sort of record you want to crank up when the missionaries come to your door on a Sunday morning. (DI)
 THE PARALLELS - Arms To Hold You 7" (La-Ti-Da Records; 1152 A Goldstream Ave, Victoria, BC, V9B-2Z1, Canada; www.latidarecords.com)
I really want to love this record. I mean, it looks good...shit, it even sounds pretty good...but it's just missing something. On this, their first vinyl release, this Vancouver band (featuring members of the Tranzmitors) runs through a couple tracks of tidy, Brit influenced, mod-pop. "Arms To Hold You" is a really decent mid-tempo number that sounds like a late period Prisoners or Prime Movers track. The problem is that it sounds like a Prime Movers track circa the first LP(one of my favorite albums)...without Graham Day. I just can't listen to the track without imaging it as sung by Graham Day...but the guy handling the vocals for The Parallels is no Graham Day(Did I say his name enough yet?). Know what I mean? OK...so the track on the A-side is good, but my stupid brain won't let me enjoy it properly. Whatever."Skinny Little Arms Made Of Paper" on the flip is a decent enough track too, but like I said before, it's just missing something. What do you say about a record when the recording sounds good, the playing is decent, the songs are pretty solid and the packaging looks good, but the record just kinda leaves you flat? Hmmmm...I guess I just said it.(TD)
 PROTESTANT - The Hate. The Hollow. CD (Halo Of Flies Records: c/o Cory von Bohlen; 430 E. Lloyd St, Milwaukee WI; 53212; www.myspace.com/halooffliesrcds)
Apparently Wisconsin is the new Midwest hardcore mecca… who would've thought? Case in point, Protestant from Milwaukee. These cats play heavy hardcore in the vein of Tragedy, but without being another T-beat clone. This shit's dark and furious, with killer riffs throughout. The lyrics are extremely bleak and well-written. The product of trying to survive in an extremely fucked up world. Something we can all relate to. I anxiously await more from Protestant. (DI)
 SWEET FACES - On Top Of That Girl 7" (Douchemaster Records: PO Box 5209, Atlanta GA,31107, USA; www.douchemasterrecords.blogspot.com)
First off, Sweet Faces is one of Brianh Hermosillo, from The Fevers, side projects. I believe this was recorded in Holland, so top marks for that (everything Dutch is good, right?)...and bonus points for not sounding like The Fevers, even though the Sweet Faces are still playing in the same ballpark. We'll call this power-pop...and we'll even call it good. It's simple, and it's catchy enough that you'll be humming along. The question is...will you be singing any of these songs aloud a couple days from now when you're washing the car? Maybe? Good record with at least 3 out the 4 songs being really solid pop numbers. Is there a hit? I'm not sure yet.(TD)
 DEATH A.D. - Fuck Your Life CD (Say Uncle Records: www.myspace.com/sayunclerecords )
Woah!!! Powerviolenthrashacre in your fucking face!! Crazy technical guitar leads, glass-eating vocals, short songs, and all sorts of tempo changes to cave your fucking head in. Hot damn, this is off the hook! How many exclamation marks can one review have?! How many exclamation marks can convey how awesome Death A.D. are?! Not nearly enough! (DI)
 NICE FACE - Exterminator 7" (Hozac Records www.horizontalaction.com)
There are some really decent moments on this record. In fact I'm pretty sure I'd love "Exterminator" if the vocals weren't so fucked up with effects. There are bands like this popping up all over the place...people taking your regular guitar punk and adding cheap keyboards, drum machines and vocal effects. Awesome...some of it is great. There are alot of these records coming out though, and some of them are total shit. Some bands have a good thing, but then go too far trying to weird it up. I think Nice Face is one of those bands. I mean, under different circumstances, I might love these guys. Shit, seeing 'em live, I might love 'em...but it doesn't work for me on this record. At least it has a pretty cover.(TD)
 HUNX - You Don't Like Rock'n'Roll 7" (Rob's House Records www.robshouserecords.com)
Some people hate Hunx and His Punx, and others love 'em. I don't have the other 7", but after seeing the video for "Gimme Back Your Love", I had to get this one. I had that song playing on repeat in my head for 5 days...I had to get the record just to get it out of my head. It's bubblgum pop, and there's no doubt that it's a novelty record. Justin NoBunny supposedly wrote this stuff, so you know it's catchy as shit...and as juvenile as it is catchy. Like I said, I got it for "Gimme back Your Love" (go youtube that shit and see what I'm talking about), the other track is the same thing but not as catchy. It's the perfect novelty record, complete with scratch off cover, which I have yet to scratch off. Why bother? It's obvious from his singing voice that Hunx has a massive cock! (TD)
 SHEGLANK'D SHOULDERS - Final Grind 7" (www.handsomedanrecords.com)
For those of you not in the know, the Sheglank'd Shoulders were Calgary's number one skate rock band. A sort of Calgary punk supergroup featuring members of The Diabetics, The Motherfuckers, and Mico. Before these guys came around, the common perception of skate punk was the shit that Epitaph and Hopeless Records were throwing at us. The Shoulders do not fit that mould. Think 80s American hardcore with some oi sensibilities… or, as singer Dan calls it, "skate-Oi!" This is unfortunately their swan-song release, as they've thrown in the Sparks recently. This is a perfect follow-up to their full-length. I just wish that they would've included their Black Flag cover instead of a goddamn Skrewdriver cover! Okay, they picked a pre-racist Skrewdriver song, but I hate having to mention those nazi fuckheads. And to piss me off even more, it's a hella catchy cover tune! Dammit. At least they credited the original to "some nazi fuckheads". Keep in mind that the Shoulders are the furthest thing from Nazis. Seriously. Buy this record, drink energy drinks, skate and annoy! (DI)
 V/A - KNUCKLEHEAD / HOSTAGE LIFE split 7" (Longshot Music: 980 Harrison Street, San Francisco CA, 94107, USA; www.longshotmusic.com)
In case you don't know, Knucklehead have been rocking Calgary's punk scene for close to fifteen years now. They play a highly anthemic style of punk in the style of Reducers SF, Stiff Little Fingers, Swingin Utters, and sometimes even early (really early!) Bad Religion. This is their first release since 2005's New Black List CD, and it's a pretty damn good follow-up. The first track "Hearts on Fire" reminds me a little bit of early Rancid, but thankfully not too much. Knucklehead has always been able to deliver intelligent topical lyrics without being preachy. They're not a political band per-se, but topical. On the other side of this split we get Toronto's Hostage Life who are definitely the weaker of the two bands here. Through repeated listens, they started to grow on me, but I still really can't get into them. The song "New Aryans" has good lyrics about plastic surgery and 'physical improvement' for young girls. It's too bad that the song itself isn't that exciting. While Hostage Life aren't bad, they're certainly not memorable in any way. Knucklehead wins. (DI)
 BAD REACTION - Dare To Be Dull 7" (Blind Spot Records: PO Box 40064, Portland OR, 97240, USA)
Hot damn! Fast and furious 1980s style hardcore in the vein of I Object. They sound like they could be some 'positive hardcore', but fortunately they're as jaded and bitter as I am - especially on the song "Shittin On Your Subculture". Yeah! Short record, short review. This rules! (DI)
 V/A - Emergency Room Vol. 1 LP (Nominal Records: 726 Richards St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 3A4, Canada; www.recordsnominal.com)
Let me start by saying that this is an essential scene comp. This record (and the accompanying, 18 page booklet) cronicles the noisy, art-punk rumblings centered around Vancouver's venue/recording studio/art space, The Emergency Room. As far as I'm concerned, there has never been as many decent bands in Vancouver as there have been in the last year or so, and this comp gives you a peak at one of the more motivated sectors of the scene over there. There are 8 bands represented here, with the more straight forward punk sounds on the A-side, and the noisier/artier stuff filling out the flip. The A-side is definitely more my speed...in fact, I predict that I'll play the A-side 5 times for every 1 time I bother flipping this record over to listen to the back side. Defectors, Vapid, White Lung and Twin Crystals all rate really high for me...but the Petroleum By-Products turn in my two fave tracks of the album...we need a single from these guys, now! Some really exiting sounds...I hope the Emergency Room scene doesn't totally lose steam before I can check out all these bands. (TD)
ACURSED - Tunneln I Ljusets Slut LP (Prank Records: PO Box 410892, San Francisco CA, 94141-0892; www.prankrecords.com)
To call the liner notes of this disc 'minimalist' would be an understatement. Shit, there's absolutely no tracklisting anywhere to be found here! This would be one of those occasions to let the album cover speak for itself. Acursed play dark, metallic hardcore with a solid d-beat background. Very much His Hero Is Gone influenced, but with the melodic qualities of Tragedy. This style has been done to death in recent years, but these folks are heads and shoulders above the rest. (DI)
SKIN, BRAINS AND GUTS Fanzine Issue #1
(Skin, Brains and Guts; www.myspace.com/skinbrainsandgutsfanzine)
This is the first issue of a new Calgary punk-rock zine, bent on the pop side of the spectrum. First off, this is the best zine to come outa Calgary in at least the past 12 years. The contributors are all young and enthusiastic, and it shows. The meat of this issue is made up of interviews with Paul Collins, The Pointed Sticks, Let's Dance, a piece on a trip down to Texas for a power-pop festival and a handful of reviews. Honestly, I couldn't care less about Let's Dance...and I've read enough about Paul Collins and The Pointed Sticks, but the zine has enough other content that it kept me more than interested. I loved the fact that it was laid out by hand, had a hand drawn cover, and was peppered with cool little illustrations and photos from local shows. Great first issue and and ambitious start at 68 pages. I can't wait to see what these guys turn out with future issues...I'm hoping for an expanded review section and alot more of the same shit they packed into their first issue. (TD)
 MOTHERFUCKERS - I Wanna Be A Cop 7" (www.handsomedanrecords.com)
Calgary's punk heroes have returned with their latest release, a six-song 7" slab-o-wax. This EP shows a slightly stripped down Motherfuckers with a much more raw sound than ever before. Even though these bastards have been in the game for ten years now, they somehow sound younger than they have on previous releases. They sound rawer and faster than they ever have before. If you dig The Pist, Submachine, Restarts, or even a stripped-down Fleas & Lice, you'll be loving this. You know the score - dirty drunk punk for dirty drunk fucks. Personally, I can't fucking wait until the next full-length comes out! I just hope that they don't skimp on the liner notes next time… (DI)
IMPERIAL LEATHER - Do You Know Where Your Children Are? CD (Profane Existence: PO Box 18051, Minneapolis MN, 55418; www.profaneexistence.com)
Life is grand - Sweden's best supergroup after ABBA have returned with a new full-length! And as much as I loved their last one, this one is so much better. Amyl's vocals have a harsher tone to them, which makes the songs sound so much more urgent. Musically, the band has more of an 80s hardcore edge to them to add to the UK82 vibe. Add in some intelligent personal/political lyrics, and you have another winner for Imperial Leather. (DI)
 V/A - The Last Pogo DVD (www.thelastpogo.net)
I bought the live album that was recorded at the Last Pogo when I was a teenager, thinking I was in for the best that Toronto had to offer in the way of late 70's punk. To say I was underwhelmed by that record, at the time, would be an understatement. My tastes have broadened since then, and I appreciate the record far more now, than I did then...but there's plenty of Toronto punk I'd rather listen to. This DVD is 26 minutes of footage from the two nights worth of shows that made up "The Last Pogo". Two guys booked punk shows at The Horseshoe Tavern for 9 months before they were told they couldn't do shows there anymore. They booked a weekends worth of Toronto's "best" punk bands as their last shows there. They billed it as Toronto's last punk show, and people in the Toronto scene that were and weren't there for it, have placed far too much importance on it over the years. I really enjoyed the DVD for what it is...a far too brief look at one section of the Toronto punk scene in 1978. Bands who turn in a song each on the DVD are The Scenics, Cardboard Brains, The Secrets, The Mods, The Ugly, The Viletones and Teenage Head. I could pretty much take or leave The Scenics and Cardboard Brains. The Secrets were probably my fave performance of the disc...I never really dug their LP, but with seeing them live, I think I finally get it. The Mods do there best to ape The Jam...I never knew how annoying the singer was...hard to watch. The Ugly and Viletones both turn in solid performances, but both are a little more subdued than you'd expect from two of Toronto's most notorious punk acts, near the height of their "careers". Teenage Head get shut down by the cops, who let 'em perform one song...a small riot ensues. The audience barely moves throughout most of the bands performances. I dunno, I really enjoyed the DVD, and I'm really glad to finally see this movie and live footage of some of these bands. I can't help feeling that the best performances from these shows never made it to DVD, though, and I was left wanting alot more. Here's the deal...you've all seen better punk shows than anything on this DVD, but this IS a really cool snapshot of a certain place at a certain time. It's something you've, no doubt, heard about before...now you can finally see what it was all about. (TD)
V/A - KURSK / Think DON'T PRAY split 7" (Self-Released: www.myspace.com/kursk)
I threw on this split while I was getting over a flu, and this fucking slab of wax beat the shit out of me so badly I wont be getting healthy anytime soon. Think Don't Pray start things off with the most brutal and techy grindcore that has ever come out of Calgary. TDP delivers an explicitly feminist message, which is hammered into our heads care of Lana's amazing screams and growls. There's so many amazing tracks to choose from, but the standouts are "Project Rachel" and "Sylvie". It's a goddamn shame that they broke up! On the split side, we have Winnipeg's masters of audio brutality, Kursk. I saw them a few years ago and was blown away, but holy crap they've grown even more intense with age! What we get here is grind-influenced hardcore violence on a political tip. When I say 'political', I'm not talking about straight-up sloganeering and catch-phrasing. The lyrics are deep and meaningful, especially on the song "Burning Cedar". This is a great split! (DI)
SHADES OF GREY/MASSMORD split CD (Profane Existence: PO Box 18051, Minneapolis MN, 55418; www.profaneexistence.com)
Here we have a split disc from two Swedish neo-crust juggernauts. Shades of Grey start things off with five tracks of post-Y2K dark hardcore in the vein of From Ashes Rise. Powerful epic hardcore coupled with in-depth political lyrics. The only downfall I see is that it seems a little bit overproduced for my liking, but that's just me. Massmord have the same sort of sound, but the production isn't as clean, which makes me prefer their side of the split. There's a bit more of a His Hero Is Gone influence in addition to the Tragedy sound. This is a really good split, but I do prefer a bit more variety. (DI)
LILI Z. - The Two of Us Lp (In The Red: PO Box 50777, Los Angeles, CA, 90050, USA; www.intheredrecords.com)
I'm glad to have a relatively cheap, domestic version of this record in my hands...finally. When the CD came out on Pollymagoo Records, months ago, I couldn't justify spending like $22 on a record that I was pretty certain would be available, cheaper, at a later date. I ended up downloading it...and listening the hell out of it. Lili Zeller is one of my top 3 favorite punk guitarists. I'm a huge fan of everything she did in The No-Talents, The Splash 4, and I love Volt and her solo stuff too. I wish I had the patience to record an album like this by myself...tons of variety with noisier, more experimental stuff, straight up punk killers and even poppier numbers. Lotsa drum machines, noisy guitars, echo chamber vocals and electronic noise...great! This is my favorite thing In The Red has done...shit, it's probably my favorite album of the past year. Having said that, I would REALLY like to see Lili get back to some more trad "guitar punk"...a band with her playing guitar and singing lead would be heaven to me. (TD)
WARTORN - Tainting Tomorrow with the Blood of Yesterday CD (Profane Existence: PO Box 18051, Minneapolis MN, 55418; www.profaneexistence.com)
After a few well-received EPs, Wisconsin crust bastards Wartorn have finally released a full-length. After hearing this album, I definitely want to see these cats live. Classic Scandi-influenced crust with ultra-gruff vocals, the occasional acoustic bridge, and good personal/political lyrics. This sounds like something that could have come out in the mid-late 90s (and that ain't a bad thing!). To sweeten the deal, there's a State of Fear cover and a Poison Idea cover. And here's the deal-sealer: the CD includes two enhanced videos. There - you can't go wrong. Up the cheesehead punks! (DI)
What We Do Is Secret DVD (www.rhinofilms.com)
I was contacted a while back by some promotional company, asking me if I wanted to give away some copies of the DVD for "What We Do Is Secret", the Hollywood film based on Darby Crash and The Germs. I hadn't see the film, and knew a bunch of people in town who were exited to see it, so I said sure. The ended up sending 15 copies of the DVD as well as a buncha wristsbands with the Germs circle logo, and I decided to do a private screening at a theatre a friend works as a projectionist at. We did the screening at Midnight on a Saturday, I handed out wristbands and DVD's and then we all headed into the theatre to watch the biggest piece of shit I've see in ages. Now, I see alot of crappy Hollywood films...especially shitty "teen" movies...but this was seriously terrible shit. I mean, I'm no big Germs fan. I like a couple songs, and read the book on Darby Crash, and though it was pretty interesting...but fan or not, this is a crap film. One person who attended the screening called it a "Disney version of punk". That's pretty much what it was. An bad episode of Dawson's Creek was more edgy than this film...and probably more memorable. I even watched it again at home to see if it was as bad as I thought it was the first time through. Yep....it was that bad. (TK)
REMISSION - Ninety-five to Ninety-eight CD (Profane Existence: PO Box 18051, Minneapolis MN, 55418; www.profaneexistence.com)
Until I got this disc, I had never heard of this band. A bloody shame, because this shit is fucking intense! Brutal crusty hardcore which brings to mind classic bands like DISAGREE, DISRUPT, amongst others. However, they do sometimes go for a more straight-up punk sound, a'la CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE. I'm a sucker for multiple vocalists, and REMISSION doesn't fail there, either. Lyrically, this band is in your face politically, which definitely ain't a bad thing. I wish I could have been around when these kids were still kickin'. I don't know what they're putting in the water over in Wisconsin, but I want some! (DI)
WAX MUSEUMS- S/T LP (Douchemaster Records: PO Box 5209, Atlanta GA,31107, USA; www.douchemasterrecords.blogspot.com)
When I got my $3, home made Wax Museums CDR in the mail a couple years back, and first laid my ears on tracks like "I Eat Vomit", I was blown away. Imagined these guys as a buncha 13 year old kids with a variety of mental handicaps, writing their version of 2 minute pop songs while on a play-date supervised by a trained medical professional. I know this isn't quite reality, but it's still how I think of this band while I listen to a whole LP of juvenile genious. I would never imagine anyone (other than myself) wanting to put out one of their records, based on that CDR...but here we are, a couple years later, and they've got a handful of sold-out 7 inches on various labels, and a whole freaking LP! I don't know what kind of musical climate allows for bands like this to enjoy any degree of success, but I'm so happy it exists. The Wax Museums have gotten marginally more polished over the past couple years, but they still have a knack for writing some great, juvenile punk tunes. The 7 inches were great, but I was questioning whether or not we needed a whole LP. Turns out we do, cause this is full of hits. Sure, I need to take an intermission to recover between sides...but I'm not complaining. Another ace record for the Wax Museums, and another winner from Douchmaster Records. (TK)
PUBLIC SERPENTS - Feeding of the Fortune 5000 CD (Tent City Records: 101 W. 23rd St #2341, New York NY, 10011; http://www.tentcityrecords.com)
Here's another entry into the increasingly-popular crack-rock-steady scene. If you've listened to Choking Victim or Leftover Crack, you should know the score. (Public Serpents features Skwert of Choking Victim on vocals) Fast, slightly raw punk accompanied by ska and reggae throughout. When it works, it works. When it doesn't, it can get pretty tedious. At this point, it's all pretty predictable… until it diverts into just straight awful territory. I love rap and hip-hop, but the rap that appears on this disc has no flow whatsoever, and doesn't fit into this style of music at all. I was going to give them a pass on the horrible reggae vocals they try, but the even-worse rap is just too much. At least these dudes have a good head on their shoulders politically. A few years ago, I would have eaten this right up, but it's not my bag anymore. At best, it's not terrible, but not something I feel I need to ever listen to again. And please guys - drop the bad rap… it just comes across as fifth-rate Fred Durst. (DI)
BROADCAST ZERO - Yesterday You Could Change the World CD (Rebel Time Records: 2-558 Upper Gage Ave, Suite 162, Hamilton ON, L8V 4J6 CANADA; www.rebeltimerecords.com)
Every city has at least one band that sounds like these guys. Fast, energetic, sorta poppy. The drumming is tight and fast, the lead vocals are pissed off but still poppy, and the backup vocals are in your face. Definitely mid-90s melodic hardcore not unlike Good Riddance or Lagwagon. Unlike most bands in that genre though, these kids have something to say, which puts them above and beyond all the others. As simplistic and clichéd as this subgenre of punk has become over the years, the lyrics on this album show promise - personal/political songs which go beyond the typical empty sloganeering we're all too sick of by now. Recommended for fans of Rebel Spell, The Fallout, and Good Riddance. (DI)
WORLD BURNS TO DEATH - The Graveyard of Utopia LP (Prank Records: PO Box 410892, San Francisco CA, 94141-0892; www.prankrecords.com)
Austin hardcore heroes WBTD attack us from all sides with a Japanese-influenced record dedicated entirely to the living hell that was Soviet Russia. Normally the domain of ultra-right-wing fascist bands, this subject matter has rarely been touched upon within radical punk circles until now. Every song is accompanied by a few paragraphs about the subject matter, from the 1917 Revolution all the way up through the collapse of the wall. Make no mistake, this is NOT some sort of flag-waving neo-fascist record. There's so much material out there dedicated to the genocidal whims of the right-wing factions of our world, but virtually nothing that shines a light on the so-called utopias of history. Left or right, humans with ultimate power will use that power to oppress and condemn others. On to the music. Holy fuck, this is intense. As heavy as anything this band has produced before, but much more stripped down. It lacks the chaos of the "Sucking of the Missile Cock" LP, but is much faster than the "Totalitarian Sodomy" album. There's a vague Motorhead sound to a few of the songs, and some guitar chaos thanks to the various Japanese hardcore guitarists who made guest appearances throughout the album. Oh, and guest vocals from the singer for Signal Lost! Just as their last two LPs, the new WBTD is going to become a hardcore fucking classic! (DI)
Suspect Parts - S/T 7" (Deranged Records: 2700 Lower Road, Roberts Creek, BC, V0N 2W4, Canada www.derangedrecords.com)
This is the newish project featuring Justin from the Clorox Girls and Chris from The Briefs. I think alot of people have chosen to ignore this record for a couple of reasons. 1. Justin swamped the market with so many Clorox Girls records that people just stopped caring. 2. The Briefs last couple records were pretty fucking terrible. Let me start by saying that 2 out of the 3 songs on this record are really decent. "Seventeen Television" is a slower version of something you might find on the second Clorox Girls LP (there were three, right?)....just a tight little, mid-tempo punk number...and pretty much exactly what you'd expect from these guys. "Lesson" is a little speedier and snottier...more like something you'd find on the second Briefs album, but with less balls. The third track is a throwaway. They didn't even write it either, so you gotta wonder why they bothered recording it. If you ask me, this is a pretty solid debut record...I won't hesitate to buy the next thing these guys put out. Shit...nobody hesitated to buy every Tranzmitors record that comes out...this is better than 2/3 of their shit. (TK)
Send your Records, Cd's, Casettes, Zines and DVD's for review to: Talk's Cheap Magazine3813 Saul St Victoria, Bc V8x 1S4 Canada mail@talkscheapmagazine.com
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