The Pastels - Sittin' Pretty

Artist: The Pastels
Album: Sittin' Pretty
Release: 1989
Label: Chapter 22/Homestead

Tracklist:

1. Nothing To Be Done
2. Anne Boleyn
3. Sit On It Mother
4. Holy Moly
5. Ugly Town
6. Zooom
7. Baby, You're Just You
8. Ditch The Fool
9. Sittin' Pretty
10. Swerve

For those who've yet to be introduced, the Pastels are quiet possibly the archetype of the c86 or Anorak Pop band. Led by vocalist Stephen Pastel, the band endured as one of the giants in the indie pop world in the late 80s and early 90s. Their sophomore LP, Sittin' Pretty, is probably their most accomplished full length effort.

The album kicks off with "Nothing To Be Done," which is the best thing the band ever did. Surprisingly not an official single, it's the Pastels most infectious song. Stephen's numb-mouth, British vocals are not alone on this one, though, as we are blessed with another legendary vocal appearance from Aggi, the bassist of the Pastels, sometimes vocalist of Shop Assistants, and the bane of Pam Berry's existence.

The rest of the album is split up with some of the sweeter moments you would expect, but also with some more garage-y songs, like the one-two punch of "Sit On It Mother" and "Holy Moly" that give the album way more of harder feel than their first album, Up For A Bit With The Pastels. Of course, the use of "hard" is completely relative, so don't expect a band with a frontman with "Pastel" to be anything but a Gummi Bear. Speaking of gummies, I still enjoy the poppier moments of Sittin' Pretty the most: the single "Baby, You're Just You" stands as another crowning achievement for the band, with the song moving along at a slow crawl with buzzing guitars and heavenly organs. The band is at its best when it layers a tasteful amount of noisy and other clatter atop sweet, sweet melodies.

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-Adam

Poison Idea - Pick Your King 7"

Artist: Poison Idea
Album: Pick Your King 7"
Release: 1983
Label: Fatal Erection

Tracklist:

1. Think Twice
2. It's An Action
3. This Thing Called Progress
4. In My Headache
5. Underage
6. Self Abuse
7. Cult Band
8. Last One
9. Pure Hate
10. Castration
11. Reggae (I Hate)
12. Give It Up
13. Think Fast

Rarely has a band burst out of the gates like Poison Idea. The Pick Your King 7" is the perfect hardcore record as played by the perfect hardcore band: short, fast, and catchy blasts of pure aggression played by the only band with the right to claim they were the most hedonistic around. [Note to wannabes: excessive fast food is as mandatory as dope.] Almost every song is a classic, with "Think Twice," "It's An Action," "Self Abuse," "Cult Band," and "Pure Hate" being my favorites. Please note that I just named almost half the 7", so you know you're dealing with quality. Or someone who likes everything he hears. Both, probably.

There's not much for me to say that hasn't already been said about this classic. A serious contender for best hardcore record ever released, Pick Your King firmly placed Poison Idea, the original fat guy hardcore band, in the forefront of the genre, a place they would remain for almost ten years, which, in punk years (like dog years), is an eternity. Is it J.C. or Elvis?

R.I.P. Pig Champion.

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-Adam

Iron Lung - Exposed 7"

Artist: Iron Lung
Album: Exposed 7"
Release: 2009
Label: Iron Lung

Tracklist:

1. Exposed
2. No Room (Sex/Vid)
3. Nothing

Lets just get this out of the way now; this is a power violence record and I’m writing this in 2010. Either you think that’s totally cool, and you and I will get along, or you (perhaps more likely) think that’s lame, and probably shouldn’t read any further than this.

Sexless//No Sex came out at the tail end of 2007, right? And I think that title has described the life of everyone reading this right now. Lets just all admit that to ourselves, and move on. The cover art is loose and sloppy, and decidedly sparse – it tries to make sense where there is none. The change in visual style reflects a change in the music as this band goes further into the deep end.

Their lyrics have always been about disease and medicine as an allegory for the harshness of our existence. When they sing “Always exposed, always alone, alone with disease” It’s less about Polio, and more about the cold reality of life. Or maybe it is about Polio, and this band is a total gimmick. Maybe there’s nothing deeper to all their lyrics about disease and medical malpractice. Maybe their cover of Sex/Vid on track two is a sincere homage to a band they know/like/are friends with, but maybe they’re aping this song to have a laugh. After all, one can never truly know, but I think these guys are more interested in laughing at their peers than with them. Maybe I’m just trying too hard to read between the lines, but I can’t help but take it sort of personally when they shout “At the end of your life, your useless, worthless life, you will regret your time.” But then again, I have a tendency to take things personally, and Jensen Ward said he was going to give me a car, which I still haven’t seen.

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-Fritz

Slack - Bates Stamper CS

Artist: Slack
Album: Bates Stamper CS
Release: 1991
Label: Simple Machines

Tracklist:

1. Bates Stamp
2. Word Traffic
3. Shrunken Head
4. Glass Man
5. Basket Case

First off, thanks to Jimmy Buttons for ripping this little gem, as it didn't seem to be in digital existence until the benevolent one put it on his blog. I first heard Slack on the Simple Machines D.C.-Baltimore-Richmond comp Neapolitan Metropolitan 3x7", which had their song "Word Traffic" on the D.C. 7". Unsurprisingly, the D.C. 7" slays the rest (featuring Lilys, Whorl, and Dave Grohl's project Late), but that's neither here no there. I had never heard of them before, but instantly recognized Tsunami and Simple Machines leader Jenny Toomey's voice and the song stood out as a clear highlight amongst most everyone else.

Featuring members of the aforementioned Tsunami, the Hated, and Ida, Slack's sound is definitely of the early 90s D.C. indie school. Actually, it kind of sounds like Tsunami meets adult contemporary rock. I know that sounds terrible, but it's actually pretty good. Actually, it's great! The band only released this tape, Bates Stamper, as part of the Tool Cassette Series that Simple Machines was doing. The title track and "Word Traffic" are my two favorite songs on the tape, both exemplifying the band's affinity for great, untamed boy-girl vocals and great guitar interplay between the shredders.

So, for all you indie pop nerds out there, here are five more gems for you to unearth. For the rest of you with more "discerning tastes," EVASIVE MANEUVER.

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-Adam

Rebel Truth - Self Titled 7"

Artist: Rebel Truth
Album: Self Titled 7"
Release: 1983
Label: Self-Released/Version Sound/Doing It For The Kids

Tracklist:

1. Child Hosts The Parasite
2. Moneyman
3. Where The Heart Is
4. The Good Life
5. Unscene Effort
6. The Request
7. Try
8. In The Red
9. Trickle Down

A lost classic of early 80s west coast hardcore, Rebel Truth's lone 7" has seemed to fallen through the cracks of time. This Sacramento, California band plays fast, thrashy hardcore with sick melodic hooks and very peculiar yet powerful vocals spouting off lyrics of standard hardcore fare: the fetishization of capital, keeping the scene strong, bureaucratic oppression, and championing the merits of Reaganomics. This band was so good that they were able to count Morrissey as an avid fan, who even initiated written correspondence between the two parties. This matters and should affect the way in which we view the music.

While relegated to hardcore obscurity, we can still enjoy their incredible 7", as well as their contributions to the Charred Remains, Not So Quiet On The Western Front, and We Got The Power compilations.

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-Adam

Oral Fixations

It's high time ICDT features the blog of our friend (and for Adam, roommate), the legendary Nathan Lane. It is called Oral Fixations and functions as an audio journal of many different peoples' experiences. Some stories are hilarious, while others are disturbing, but most are at least enthralling. ICDT contributor Adam is featured in a story about bullying gone wrong. There are better stories, though, so be sure to check them out. Also, a compilation of some of these stories may come out as a tape on the great Vinyl Rites, so keep an eye out for that.

Loop - A Gilded Eternity

Artist: Loop
Album: A Gilded Eternity
Release: 1990
Label: Beggars Banquet/Situation Two

Tracklist:

1. Vapour
2. Afterglow
3. The Nail Will Burn
4. Blood
5. Breathe Into Me
6. From Centre To Wave
7. Be Here Now

While I tend to prefer bands on the poppier end of the shoegaze spectrum, I've still found that one of my favorite bands is the U.K.'s Loop, whose sound is more gloomy and psychedelic than most of its peers. The band relies heavily on pounding repetition in the vein of their more krautrock influences, like Can. This repetition creates a disturbingly hypnotic sound consisting of dense bass and waves of feedback, all while possessing Loop's affinity for writing incredible riffs.

From my understanding, most consider their debut LP, Heaven's End, to be their best, but their last studio LP, A Gilded Eternity, happens to be my favorite. The album opens up with the one-two punch of "Vapour" and "Afterglow," which are two of the best songs the band ever wrote. The former slowly builds its way into aural catharsis, while the latter amazes with its dancing guitar lines that weave in and out of each other. "The Nail Will Burn" possesses a total prog-metal vibe, and while that may sound absolutely terrible to some, I mean it only in how it manages to be both punishing and art school wimpy. Also, you could probably headbang to it in your [dorm] room.

I don't feel like going through every song here because they're all incredible, so I'll let you figure it out on your own. Loop rules. I find only one other contemporary to be in their league and that is the great Spacemen 3, who've apparently accused Loop of stealing all their ideas from them. I don't give much credence to that, but maybe that's just because I enjoy Loop more than Spacemen 3.

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-Adam

Lotus Fucker - Self Titled LP

Artist: Lotus Fucker
Album: Self Titled LP
Release: 2009
Label: SPHC/Rescued From Life/RSR

Tracklist:

1. The Island Closest To Heaven
2. Fish In Front Of A Waterfall
3. Lotus Blooms Twice
4. Flower On A Precipice
5. Bones
6. Fighting Against A Shadow Behind Myself
7. The Herd That Drinks Dew Drops
8. To Wield The Sword That Doesn't Cut
9. Memories In The Rain, Falling From The Heavens
10. WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK WE ARE??
11. Like A Tiger That Doesn't Tread On Any Flowers
12. Red Moons Rising In The Distance
13. Black Dog
14. Spiral Life
15. One-Eyed Fish
16. When The Cicadas Cry
17. The Rock That Will Not Be Withered By The Waterfall

Are you spending Valentine's day all to your lonesome? Of course you are! Why the hell else would you have visited ICDT then if you were a complete loner, right? Right. Instead of participating in your normal routine of crying over lost love, eating the sweethearts actual couples didn't have the time to ingest, watching old seasons of the Office on Netflix late into the night, and, ultimately, contemplating suicide, why not spend a lovely and romantic evening with DC's Lotus Fucker, a fulfilling mate and potential life partner?

If you were unlucky enough to catch my top ten list of 2009, you would have noticed that I spoke very highly of Lotus Fucker's LP, ranking it at #4. I was very fond of their demo tape, which was good enough for me to consider them to be the best D.C. punk band at the moment. Still, as good as it was, I was not prepared for the leap of quality from the demo to their debut LP.

For this album, the band retains their conceptual sets of songs, with the A-side entitled "The Island Closest To Heaven" and the B-side, a rerecording of the demo, entitled "Answer=Bloodwashed Noise." Still here are both the anime aesthetic (in even more glory) and the seemingly English-to-Japanese-back to-English-Google translated song titles, which are even wackier on the newer set. This may turn some off, but it's certainly somewhat unique and very enjoyable.

The first thing I noticed about the actual music is that the production fits more of what the band is going for than their demo in that they are now able to take the noise-not-music approach that bands like Confuse took, as well as many contemporary Japanese crust bands are following. While heavy on the high end of things, the bass tone is absolutely incredible. I can't exactly describe it, but it's perfect for this. Additionally, the guitar sound is better and its buzzing-quality actually resembles classic bands such as the Swankys and Disclose.

I'm going to start with the B-side here, as it is the older, more familiar material. I'm normally somewhat opposed to rerecordings, but this is a complete exception to the rule. The production is much improved and rawer. The songs themselves are not drastically different, but the arrangements are far superior and the band is airtight. The Power Rangers solo in the finale "The Rock That Will Not Be Withered By The Waterfall," as well as the other Death Side-esque solos on the album, can (bear with me here) only really be described as heroic.

"The Island Closest To Heaven" actually improves on the breathtaking "Answer=Bloodwashed Noise" set. Still, it's not unfamiliar. "Flower On A Precipice" actually creates a very similar feeling to the guitar theme from "Black Dog," however, it is in no way lazy songwriting. The other highlights are numerous: the ending of "The Herd That Drinks Dew Drops" possesses the refrain "we are, we are the herd" and it's the oddest thing I think I've ever sung along to. "To Wield The Sword That Doesn't Cut" might be my favorite song on the whole album, based purely on the fact that it has the coolest fucking bassline. And, like the end of "Answer=Bloodwashed Noise," the new set ends on a solo-heavy note with "Memories In The Rain, Falling From The Heavens."

Both of these sets were written independently from one another, yet fit together perfectly, so the decision of releasing this as an LP as opposed to two different 7"s was definitely a wise one. Additionally, while they were written as individual sets, not meant to be taken as individual songs, the songs themselves hold up on their own accord, which is truly impressive. Fortunately for the band, Lotus Fucker occupies an interesting space in punk, as their music appeals to so many different crowds. This truly is one of the best punk releases of the 2009, hands down.

Be sure to check them out in and around the D.C./Baltimore area and get stoked for their summer tour with the Wankys and Chaos Destroy, in which they will have their split 7" with the Wankys.

Download Here
Buy Here (U.S.: Rescued From Life)
Buy Here (Europe)

-Adam

Closure - Self Titled 7"

Artist: Closure
Album: Self Titled 7"
Release: 2010
Label: Thirty Days of Night

Tracklist:

1. The Vomiter
2. Jim's Round
3. Whorehouse
4. Trapped
5. Victim
6. Die
7. Television
8. Closure

Closure is a hardcore band from Leeds, U.K. who come from the Crossed Out-school of powerviolence-influenced hardcore, much in the same vein as Boston's Scapegoat, albeit heavier and more to my liking. For something that's pretty indebted to its influences, Closure manages to really produce something exciting.

If you're a fan of the bands mentioned above, it will be no surprise that Closure alternates between extremely fast bursts of pure hatred and blugeoning heavy parts, with these transitions between the two being completely smooth. Their lyrical content revolves around lewd and grotesque imagery, which lends itself well to their pummeling sound.

The 7" opens up with "The Vomiter," which gives a perfect indication of what's to come: dark, heavy bass tones, jackhammer drums, and a gruff Englishman spouting off indecipherable tales of gore, all before slowing it down to a crawl. The rest of the album follow suit: "Trapped," my favorite song on the 7", functions in a very similar way, possessing a real sweet riff during its breakdown, "Victim" straight up has a d-beat, and "Die" is probably their most straightforward and furious statement. All in all, this rips and the band manages to keep their sound fresh, which is most certainly a feat for the type of music they play.

This 7" was released by Thirty Days of Night in a version of 300 copies, so be sure to order it from them if, like me, you live across the Atlantic. This will certain whet the appetites of anyone still wishing it was still the early 90s, a better time when everyone was nice and people weren't afraid to cry at shows.

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Buy Here

-Adam

RVIVR - Derailer 7"

Artist: RVIVR
Album: Derailer 7"
Release: 2009
Label: Rumbletowne

Tracklist:

1. Derailer
2. Real Mean

Derailer is the second 2009 release by RVIVR, following their debut Life Moves 7". If you liked that first record, you will most likely enjoy this record. There's less material on Derailer, one longer song to each side, which is kind of a disappointment because the band managed to pack four songs all averaging three minutes on the first record. The title song is a pop-punk epic about gentrification. Nothing new content-wise here ("The west side, the bad part of town. It's a cheap place to live so the white punks move in..."). The song is great though. I feel a bit uneasy saying this, but it even tails-off with a brass section, which actually rides smoothly above the mid-tempo pop rhythms *swallow*. Side two is a bit weirder, its a gruffly-sung acoustic track about some sort of former relationship. I don't really like acoustic music but if you're a fan of that sort of thing you'll probably enjoy it. That love-able tinny quality is still present throughout here.

THIS RECORD IS STILL AVAILABLE. SUPPORT! The Life Moves 7" came in tastefully done recycled cardboard, and while I haven't seen a physical copy of Derailer, I'm sure it rules.

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-Colman

My Dad Is Dead - Peace, Love & Murder

Artist: My Dad Is Dead
Album: Peace, Love & Murder
Release: 1987
Label: Birth

Tracklist:

1. Force Feed
2. Babe In The Woods
3. Open Wide
4. The Dark Side
5. Like A Vise
6. Breakdown
7. Hill O' Beans
8. Your Love
9. 20 Yards Deep
10. Fireball

With a hearty catalogue and only having to deal with one, single creative force and ego, My Dad Is Dead has proven itself to be one of the preeminent American indie bands. The band itself is actually just Mark Edwards of Cleveland, Ohio and a backing band consisting of just a drum machine playing cold post-punk, American stylee.

My first experience with the band was their song, the catchy "Where Is Our Reason?" on the split 7" with Rastro for the Working Holiday! series on Simple Machines. The song was tight, but I wasn't truly blown away until I heard Peace, Love & Murder, my favorite album from the band. Consisting of repetitive guitar lines, a chilling drum sound, and Edward's earnest and untamed vocals, this is some of the best American post-punk ever made. Forget Mission of Burma and prepare to meet Dad.

Almost every song is a pop gem within itself. "Babe In The Woods" is probably his hit and for good reason, as it's the quintessential MDID song, with one of Edwards' catchiest guitar parts ever and devastating lyrics. "Your Love" is the most energetic of this collection and is almost an equal of "Babe." The remaining tracks see Edwards maintaining a similar formula of repetition and misanthropic prose for successful results.

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-Adam

School Jerks - Nothing Else 7"

Artist: School Jerks
Album: Nothing Else 7"
Release: 2009
Label: Riff Raff

Tracklist:

1. Nothing Else
2. Stray
3. Passed Out

Now listen here kids, I usually have zero motivation when it comes to blagging on about a record I’ve been listening to, and I really have to love the record to even begin to bother with the affair du blog. I was fully prepared to phone-in one sentence on this one. It would have read something like this: “This is way the fuck better than whatever Adam is telling you to listen to.” A fully true statement, but the editors here at ICDT INC. have demanded that I put forth a little more of that good old fashion American high school graduate effort and spill at least a paragraph of words out on this miniature hardcore opus. So here goes…

School Jerks is a newer band from some guys who apparently played in the underrated and in my mind amazing Terminal State from Toronto Ontario Canada. This is snotty no frills ’81 hardcore worship, really basic and to the point, exactly the way it should be! This comes off with a more honest sound due in part to the mostly sub par delivery of the music. Kind of crappy recording quality paired with hastily written songs that barely break the one-minute marker. To some this may sound like criticism, but really, this is 100% praise. It is so rare that I hear a new hardcore record and get overly excited about it to the point that I just have to play it on repeat. This is one of those records for me. And the best part, it’s easy to buy! What the fuck else do I need to tell you? I’m tired of holding your hand: download these songs, fall in love, then go buy the fucking record already! (Available from Deranged and Criminal IQ to my knowledge.)

Also, it would be wise to pick up their follow up EP on Cowabunga Records as well, you dummy.

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Buy Here

-Evander Holywar

Swirlies - What To Do About Them

Artist: Swirlies
Album: What To Do About Them
Release: 1992
Label: Taang!

Tracklist:

1. Tall Ships
2. Sarah Sitting
3. Her Life Of Artistic Freedom
4. Didn't Understand
5. Upstairs
6. Chris R.
7. Cousteau
8. [Untitled Track]

The compilation of What To Do About Them happened to be my first tryst with the Swirlies, one of America's finest shoegaze bands. I assume Taang! released this to serve as a nice introduction to the band as a pre-release for their debut LP, compiling their first two 7"s, Error and Didn't Understand, as well as their split 7" with Kudgel and some other stuff I can't quite place.

While not as uniformly excellent as their first album Blonder Tongue Audio Baton, this possesses some of their finest material and outshines any of their output post-Blonder. "Upstairs" and "Didn't Understand" are two of their best songs, the former being an indisputable classic of early 90s American indie and possibly my favorite Swirlies song. Lesser known, but equally amazing songs like "Chris R." (which also appeared on the classic ...One Last Kiss comp and is a mixtape staple of mine) and "Tall Ships" make an appearance, as well.

This is not to say everything on here is good: "Her Life Of Artistic Freedom" and "Cousteau" are pretty much bedroom experiments gone awry, only serving as both filler and a way to completely kill the momentum of this collection. "Sarah Sitting," while actually pretty good, is way too indebted to Isn't Anything-era My Bloody Valentine to truly reach greatness, but at least it's not the last two songs mentioned. Come on, it sounds just like "Soft As Snow (But Warm Inside)!"

Obviously, the good outweighs (heavily) the bad, though, and if you're a fan of both shoegaze and the American indie scene from the early 90s, you could do much, much worse than this. Plus, where else are you going to find shoegaze/indie pop songs that feature hardcore-styled yelling?

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-Adam