Broken Water - Normal Never Happened 7"

Artist: Broken Water

Album: Normal Never Happened 7"

Release: 2010

Label: Fan Death

Tracklist:

1. Normal Never Happened

2. Faux King Vogue

Coming off the release of their subtle, yet excellent debut LP, Normal Never Happened is the newest single from Olympia's Broken Water. If you haven't heard Broken Water, they play a style of music similar to Unwound and Sonic Youth with dual male-female vocals, only channeled through a shoegaze lens. Obviously, this is relevant to my interests!

The A-side, "Normal Never Happened," features the female side of the vocals in what I feel is one of the prettier songs the band has come up with thus far. The song features a bombastic intro, but eventually the song locks into a state of repose before, unsurprisingly, coming full circle and ending on a similar loud note.

The other side is also comprised of only one song, "King Faux Vogue," which sounds more in line with the Sonic Youth than shoegaze and features their male singer. Actually, it's always been kind of frightening, yet impressive, to me how much homeboy sounds like Thurston. This particular song is more propulsive than the "Normal" and acts wonderfully as a companion piece.

Check it and keep an eye out for future releases.

Download Here

Buy Here

-Adam

Quicksand - B-Sides And Rarities

Artist: Quicksand
Album: B-Sides And Rarities
Release: n/a
Label: Self-Released

Tracklist:

1. How Soon Is Now?
2. Voice Killer
3. Shovel
4. Chelsea’s Going Under
5. All In Your Head
6. Requiem
7. In The End
8. Constant Tension
9. Hostage Calm
10.Weed It Out
11. Chelsea’s Going Under (1998)
12. Dine Alone (Demo)
13. Super Genius (Demo)
14. Can Opener (Demo)
15. Count Your Friends On One Hand (Demo)
16. Bug Collector
17. Tell Them Anything (Demo)
18. Knee Jerk Reaction (Demo)
19. World’s Fastest Car
20. Knee Jerk Reaction
21. Clean Slate (Live in CA)
22. How Soon Is Now (Live CBGB)
23. Clean Slate (Live GA)
24. Thorn In My Side (Acoustic)

Quicksand put the “post” in post-hardcore in the early 90s, moving from their NYHC roots into a form of rock music that retained punk anger and intensity but managed to add in catchiness without being too spit-shined poppy and heaviness without being too metallic. Their two major label full-lengths, 1993’s Slip and 1995’s Manic Compression, are rife with Walter Schreifiel’s semi-melodic shout and intelligent, minimalist lyrics, Sergio Vega’s grindy bass tone, Tom Capone’s shrieking guitar, and loud hooks that lodge in your ear. The band briefly reformed in 1997 after their breakup following Manic, but alas things fell apart again.

This grab bag of goodies has treats aplenty. Opening Japanese edition Slip bonus track “How Soon Is Now” finds the band applying their trademark guitar washes and angsty stomp to the Smiths classic, easily doing it justice. “Shovel” is pretty damned fast at points for a Quicksand song, but they’re just as capable in that realm as they are their mid-tempo riffing (which the song eventually lapses into anyway). The main riff of “Chelsea’s Going Under” draws comparison to Soundgarden’s Badmotorfinger and “In The End” is about to tie Slip’s “Lie and Wait” as my favorite Quicksand song. It’s somewhere between the more accessible sounds of Walter’s susbequent outfit Rival Schools and Quicksand’s stompiness, but the simple chorus is totally catchy and Walter’s lamentations cascade perfectly over Capone’s riffs.

There’s more great unreleased songs, rough versions of album cuts and a few live tracks, but my other personal favorite part of the collection is the acoustic version of Manic Compression’s “Thorn In My Side.” The studio version sounds like dudes were jamming a ton of Rage Against the Machine’s first record-- and I mean that 100% affectionately, I heart RATM-- but here Walter just sounds hurt and brooding.

If you’ve never heard this fantastic band before, be sure to go buy Slip and Manic Compression.

Finally, I’ve read of a forthcoming vinyl reissuing of Slip.  Confirm/deny, anyone?

Download Here

-Asa

Merchandise - Gone Are The Silk Gardens Of Youth CS

Artist: Merchandise
Album: Gone Are The Silk Gardens Of Youth CS

Release: 2010
Label: Cult Maternal

Tracklist:

1. [Untitled Track]

2. Schoolyard

3. Everyman

4. Age 23 (Dave Sings)

5. In The Dark [Demo]

6. Locked In The Dark (Boulders Meets Merch Rockers Uptown)

7. Graveyard

8. Wage Dub

9. Aldo's Theme

10. Nite Job

At the risk of coming off as self-serving, here is the digital version of the new Merchandise tape, Gone Are The Silk Gardens Of Youth. This is the newest material from the Tampa pop band and acts as a nice foil to their debut LP, (Strange Songs) In The Dark. While (Strange Songs) was methodically-paced and masterfully crafted, this new tape is much more free form and, well, fun.

Gone Are The Silk Gardens Of Youth sees the band stretching out and experimenting far more than on the LP, which makes sense seeing as this is a tape and all! The band incorporates its members' obsession with dub ("Wage Dub" and "Locked In The Dark (Boulders Meets Merch Rockers Uptown)") and sound collage, which all successfully tie together the more "proper" pop songs on the record.

Still, this is Merchandise, and the main draw of this release is the more pop-oriented tracks. Included is the aforementioned minimal reworking of "I Locked The Door" from the LP, with various guitar and vocal tracks removed, as well as an excellent demo version of the LP closer "In The Dark." However, my favorite songs from this tape also happen to be newer jams. "Schoolyard" is one of the best noise pop songs the band has recorded thus far and the delicate "Graveyard" is absolutely stunning.

If (for some reason) it wasn't apparent, I'm obsessed with Merchandise. Whether or not you want to take my fan boy level of love seriously or not, you should still give this cassette a go, because it's incredible. One of my favorite tapes of the year, for sure.

Download Here

Buy Here or get it from the band or Neon Blud on their current tour.

-Adam

Embrionic Death - Stream Of Solidarity [Demo]

 

Artist: Embrionic Death
Album: Stream Of Solidarity [Demo]
Label: Self-Released
Release: 1993


Tracklist:


1. Sperm to Egg
2. Savoir Faire
3. Our Life As Myself

Yeah okay, I’ll level out with you: I like techincal death metal.  But I’m also mad picky about it.  Atheist are one of my all-time favorites, but I have no interest in hearing about Cryptopsy.  These days, especially, bands in this genre are constantly trying to wank harder on their respective gear than they are ensuring that their songcraft stays fresh and concise.

Back in the day, Embrionic Death had this down.  They played discordantly (like Gorguts, sure), they grooved (like Atheist), and despite the generic and misspelled name, they seemed to have some strange and deep concepts going on (like Cynic).  Perhaps most impressive is that the demo tape’s inner sleeve photos reveal that these dudes were mere teenagers when they cut this.  They’re also hanging around a kid’s playground (you know, the kind they had in a time before people sued for spilling coffee on themselves) yet still trying to pull off the sullen metal promo photo face.  Perhaps the alleyways of their New York stomping grounds were too dangerous?

But, yes, the tunes: weird skronkiness in the riffs like Human Remains (who receive thanks in the liner notes), roaring vocals somewhere between Chuck Schuldiner’s intelligibility and John Tardy’s rasp, parts that change at the perfect times like demo-era Cynic, and a snappy, cutting bass sound that’s a dead ringer for either of Atheist’s bass players on the first two records.  And whaddya know, the drummer also played bass on the tape-- meaning he more or less mastered a style close to Steve Flynn and Roger Patterson, masters in their own right-- as a teen.  Which is pretty mindboggling, especially when you do a bit of research and learn that Embrionic Death were a total proto-slamz Suffocation worship band on their three demos prior to Stream of Solidarity.

Supposedly dudes are reunited, but their Myspace has 4 friends and www.embrionicdeath.com is simply a picture of the three of them.  In the meanwhile, check out these tracks and enjoy this lil’ gem of a time before technical meant OMG FLO MOURNIER BLASTS NECROPHGIST SWEEPZ D000D!1!1212121!

Download Here

-Asa

Miracle Legion - The Backyard

Artist: Miracle Legion

Album: The Backyard

Release: 1984

Label: Incas

Tracklist:

1. The Backyard

2. Butterflies

3. Closer To The Wall

4. Say Hello

5. The Heart Is Attached

6. Stephen, Are You There?

R.E.M.'s Chronic Town is still one of the best records I've ever heard. I love much of their IRS material (as well as later stuff,) but that EP is the perfect embodiment of their early sound and is classic of the decade. I'm sure none of you are asking yourself what would have happened if R.E.M. became far less-talented songwriters and decided to stick to a watered-down version of that sound for the entirety of their careers, but if for some reason you are, look no further for an answer than Miracle Legion!

Miracle Legion doesn't have a very deep (though, it is very large) catalog nor are they even recognized for their greatest achievement as a band, but that doesn't mean they aren't worth checking out! As a matter of fact, their debut EP, a total R.E.M.-rip off, is still incredible! The EP actually kicks off with my two favorite Miracle Legion songs, so it's kinda downhill from there, but The Backyard never becomes too boring or even pointless. Moments like the title track, "Butterflies," and "Just Say Hello" are pure jangle pop genius. The album is a perfect autumn record for running around with a loved one in some leaves or some shit. I don't know much about that.

The band scraped the mainstream with this EP, even playing on Letterman! However, it took them years to properly follow it up and by then everyone had forgotten. Oh, and their new material just wasn't as good. Still, the band managed to have a banger here and there, they just weren't able to keep up the momentum for an entire release. Still, we're left with an excellent EP and one of the best theme songs ever written. Thank you, Pol...er....Miracle Legion.

Download Here

-Adam

Deafheaven - Demo CS

Artist: Deafheaven
Album: Demo CS

Release: 2010
Label: Self-Released

Tracklist:

1. Libertine Dissolves

2. Bedrooms

3. Daedalus

4. Exit:Denied

Black metal is a careful descriptor these days. It’s a genre that’s going in an assload of directions. There are bands bringing it to the forefront of mainstream music. There are OGs who don’t give a fuck anymore. There are obnoxious hipsters who get into the genre, appropriate what they like about it, imbue it with an entirely contradictory M.O., and talk about their art like it’s the truest form of the music.

San Francisco’s Deafheaven aren’t groundbreakingly original, but are good at what they do while not falling into any of the aforementioned groups.  Instead, they’re more in the vein of Alcest, Fen, and other black metal groups prone to mixing the peak-and-valley dynamics of post-rock music in with the genre standards of shrieked vocals. Intentionally or not, the band maintains a healthy amount of mystique, offering zero band member pictures, but wisely sidesteps the condescending pretention and dramaticism of select peers and just go for the throat. “Libertine Dissolves” blazes right into fast riffing and howling vocals, and is then nicely offset by the acoustic instrumental “Bedrooms.” “Daedalus” offers some enjoyable tempo changes while maintaining plenty of blasting sections. Epic closer “Exit:Denied” introduces a conversation of acoustic guitars before returning to a wash of speed, then decays into a wallowing section that shambles to its end.

Stylistically, Deafheaven know what they’re doing and do it well. Some time dedicated to honing their voice will ultimately lend them more longevity. Still, for being merely a four-track demo, dudes have their shit together.

Download Here

Buy Here

-Asa

New Katorga Works Releases: Merchandise, Dads, Natural Law

Let me start this off with an apology for the lack of ICDT posting. One of the many reasons for our lack of productivity is that Colman and I have been preparing three new Katorga Works releases for this November 1st release date! Granted, it only takes a few hours on the computer to make a post, but still! Two of the releases are collaborations with other labels, one of our personal favorites, Drugged Conscience, and the new D.C. label, Hesitation Wound. Drugged Conscience is splitting the Merchandise LP with us and Hesitation Wound helped us with the Natural Law 7". Big thanks to them for helping us out with this stuff!

Here is a summary of our new releases, which include the new Merchandise LP, the new Dads 7", and the debut 7" of Natural Law, Colman's rock band:

Merchandise - (Strange Songs) In The Dark

Artist: Merchandise
Album: (Strange Songs) In The Dark

Release: 2010

Label: Drugged Conscience/Katorga Works

Tracklist:

1. Loss

2. I Locked The Door

3. Foolish (Her Song)

4. I Get Lost

5. Worthless Apology

6. What Was Left Behind

7. In The Dark

The first of our new batch of goodies is the debut vinyl release of Merchandise, (Strange Songs) In The Dark, which is a split release with the great Drugged Conscience. This record is actually the reason Colman and I decided to start the label and we couldn't be happier with it! Seriously, this is probably the best thing we'll ever be apart of, unless Dads decides to let us put out an 8-track/Laserdisc live combo. For real, it has been an honor working with the band and with Chris from DC. The talented C. Cox even made two videos for the record and I love them! Be sure to check them out, as they are inappropriately interspersed through-out this write-up.

Merchandise - I Locked the Door from Id House Vid. Group on Vimeo.

Here is the poor man's description of the record: "Tampa's Merchandise returns with a revamped sound, harnessing the most goth elements of post-punk, shoegaze, and Drag City into what surely is the undergound pop record of the year. Despite being drenched in discordant feedback and white noise, (Strange Songs) In the Dark still manages to enrapture with its urgency, melancholy, and, ultimately, its unrivaled beauty."

Merchandise - Worthless Apology from Id House Vid. Group on Vimeo.

This is an exciting release not only because the record is so insanely good, but because it's being released with a bunch of other Tampa-related artists. As you've read, we're releasing the new Dads 7", a band which features two of the Merch Rockers, but what you may not know is that Drugged Conscience is also putting out the new Neon Blud B Girls 12", which, in my opinion, far exceeds that of the demo tape.

Also being released by the band is their new cassette, Gone Are The Silk Gardens Of Youth, which features the band's newest material, and is being released under the Cult Maternal banner.

So yes, be sure to at least check everything out! Then, buy it if you like it. Or something. Also, how 1992 is the video to "Worthless Apology?" It rules!

Download Here

Buy Here (Drugged Conscience)
Buy Here (Katorga Works)

Dads - Hat Creek 7"

 

Artist: Dads

Album: Hat Creek 7"

Release: 2010

Label: Katorga Works

Tracklist:

1. Hat Creek

2. Banana Twinz

3. Sex Theft

4. Dub Creek

Another of the Tampa brethren to release a record with us is Dads. I honestly don't know what to make of Hat Creek, other than that I play it all the time and my roommates hate me for it. They're just plebeians or something. As for a real record description, this is all I could think of:

"On this record, Dads returns with their unique brand of retardo-rock, this time as an amalgamation of twee pop, noise rock, post-punk, and dub."

There you go. This record is sick and looks awesome! This is probably the smartest record we'll ever release too, so there's that...

Download Here

Buy Here

Natural Law - Slump 7"

Artist: Natural Law

Album: Slump 7"
Release: 2010

Label: Hesitation Wound/Katorga Works

Tracklist:

1. Hand And Foot

2. Poor Taste

3. Slump

4. Persona

5. Acclimate

Here is the black sheep of this 'lil release family. By sheer luck, Natural Law's Slump is coming out at the same time as the Merchandise LP and the Dads 7", but the band actually has no relation to those or any other of the Tampa bands putting out music at this time. God forbid they become associated with one another!

Slump is the first vinyl release from this relatively new hardcore band from NY/NJ. Natty Law plays dark, melodic hardcore that they wished sounded like the Faith, but probably doesn't. Still, it's great and it's nice to see Colman succeed in at least one aspect of his life. Sorry, dude, but Paul Hodes will likely lose to Kelly Ayote!

Tangents aside, I'm very stoked on this release. It's been split with the upstart Hesitation Wound from D.C., so you have two great places to get the record!

Download Here

Buy Here (Hesitation Wound)

Buy Here (Katorga Works)

As you can see, there are links to the various places in which you can purchase these releases. There are plenty of deals to be had. You can buy a packaged deal from us and get a dollar off on each of our new releases or, if you buy the Neon Blud 12" and/or the Merchandise LP from Drugged Conscience, you can get the Dead Friends and Cowboys Became Folk Heroes LPs for only $5 each!

Katorga Works will also be doing the exclusive mailorder for the aforementioned Merchandise tape. It might be your only way to get it unless you exist within close proximity to the band itself. This will be featured alongside distro items including: the Neon Blud 12", the Nomos 12" (cheapest you'll find it!), the Crazy Spirit 7", the Dawn Of Humans 7", the Confines 7", the Weed Hounds 7", the Men LP, the Nuklear Blast Suntan LP, and more goodies!

For questions and concerns, as well as wholesale inquiries, here is how we can all be contacted:

Drugged Conscience: burnxnaples[at]hotmail[dot]com

Hesitation Wound: hesitationwoundrecords[at]gmail[dot]com

Katorga Works: katorgaworks[at]gmail[dot]com

Go crazy.

-Adam & Colman

P.S. Other blogs, feel free to share the download links, just please use ours and include a link for purchase. That would be much appreciated!