Doughboys: Home Again (1989)

The middle of nowhere sucked it pretty bad the last few weeks weather wise. It would be on the brink of spring and life would be sweet and just as you were thinking about growing your own food and digging a few fire pits, then it would snow. This happened more than once and it sucked. Thankfully, cross your fingers, it’s changed now for the good and what better way to celebrate the change of seasons than to listen to the Doughboys.

The Doughboys sophomore release is the sound of spring: of more sunlight, warmer days, pretty flowers and long walks surrounded by trees with budding leaves. It is a record for slipping under a blanket on the grass and watching the sunset and sunrise on the same night with your special someone. After winter's long journey through your soul, Home Again is spring’s symphony of happiness and fresh coffee and maybe a slurpee or two and holding hands with your corazón and for being at long last, home.

1. Buying Time
2. No Way
3. I Won't Write You a Letter
4. Waiting Away
5. White Sister
6. Numbered Days
7. In My Head
8. Today
9. Never Sleep
10. She Doesn't Live There Anymore

Download it now! Home Again

Who Cares compilation (1981)

Killer early 80s comp from southern California. Lots of this is beach punk and a nice companion piece to Posh Boys’ “Beach Blvd” compilation from 1979. All of the bands are solid, but one stands heads and shoulders above the rest, and that is Political Crap.

This was professional skater Duane Peters’ first band and Political Crap deliver some of punk’s finest moments with these three songs. The music is beach punk like the rest of the comp, but the difference is that Political Crap is much more aggressive. There is so crossover appeal for surfers. This is raw punk.

The Master of Disaster’s lyrics deal with teenage angst, dread, and anxiety about growing up. What makes them is so authentic is that they were, of course, the product of a teenager. All three songs rule, but for me, “Slow Death” is one of the best moments in music history. Never before has raw despair been recorded as convincingly as Peters rails against the future that society has in store for him. When I listen to it, it reminds me to do all I can to avoid the slow death. To think a song recorded by teens nearly 30 years ago can do that is just fucking rad.

Download it now! Who Cares

AKA:
1. Tomorrows Theme
1. Liza Jane
Suspects:
3. Hollywood Nightmare
4. Baby Maybe
5. I Had Fun
6. Make Me
Chiefs:
7. Riot Squad
8. No Justice
9. Scrapped
Political Crap:
10. On Your Own
11. Slow Death
12. Rejected
Civil Disobedience:
13. Too Drunk Last Night
14. Campaign Promises
15. Confused
Shattered Faith:
16. I Love America
17. Discontent
18. Trilogy

Diamond Dave

image from www.debbieschlussel.com

You stick your head above the crowd and attract attention and sometimes somebody will throw a rock at you. That's the territory. You buy the land, you get the Indians.

David Lee Roth

Just for saying such ignorant racist dribble alone, Diamond Dave deserves a beating. But since this is Diamond Dave, he deserves oh so much more. Perhaps he can spend the rest of his botox infused life listening to Skyscraper continuously. Then again, he probably thinks it's good, and believes that "Just Like Paradise" is profound, being the fucking arrogant loser he is. We'll come up with something.

In the meantime, we can amuse ourselves with this recording of David Lee Roth giving us vocal stylings that would have made Pavarotti jealous. I won't even try to describe this, because Mike at Convulsing Discharge of Inanity does it way better than I ever could. All I can say is imagine Diamond Dave singing without the benefit of a backing band. Listen to it here: Diamond Dave

This pic is from 2008 and is from Diamond Dave's site. Doesn't the Mad Hatter look so much better than before?

Anyone have a rock?

MSI: More Stupid Initials (1986) and An Amazing Feat (1989)

More Stupid Initials were a hardcore band from Toronto. They formed from the ashes of punk rock group DOG (Death of Gods), another abbreviated name, which might explain their name. Truth be told, punk bands have a thing for initials: MDC, SNFU, DOA, etc. It must be a part of the punk rock code: thou shalt play at least once in a band with initials. But I digress.

An Amazing Feat was their second release, having put out More Stupid Initials in 1986.

By the way, if you want some rad tunes, download the Death of Gods record at the True Punk and Metal blog: DOG

Punk History Canada has a brief little history here. Tis also where I got the image.

More Stupid Initials (missing the song “Addict” for some unknown reason):

1. The generic straight edge song
2. Satan hellfuck
3. Shopping mall massacre
4. The wizard of Oz
5. Back in control
6. Midway
7. Choice
8. Deep inside

Download it now! More Stupid Initials

An Amazing Feat:
1. Day dream
2. Shoelace
3. Macho man
4. Border song
5. Make my day
6. Rear view mirror

Download it now! An Amazing Feat

Diet of Worms: Aren’t You Hungry? (1990)

Originally recorded in 1984, this Oklahoma band’s only single wasn’t released until 1990. They played decent hardcore that would’ve sounded a whole lot better if they had had a better recording. The vocals seem to get the worse of it. Sometimes they’re tinny and raw and usually that might be cool to me, but in this case it can leave a lot to be desired.

This record actually reminds me a lot of another band that recoded in the first half of the 80s, but didn’t release unti1 1990, Bored Youth. Bored Youth had the early Midwest sound: loud, fast, and simple. They also had vocals that to my ears sound eerily similar: tinny, a bit whiney and definitely under produced.

Images from Kill From The Heart

Bored Youth’s Touch and Go is available on the blog Rare Punk Music to Share: Bored Youth

Download Diet of Worms here: Diet of Worms

Circle of Hate: Go For It (1989)

The Dutch have given the world a lot. Windmills, liberal drug laws and Total Football spring immediately to mind, thus making Holland a country for Eurotrash to play, examine ancient alternative energy sources and hope to meet Johan Cruyff.

Too bad, because the Dutch also gave the world some absolutely ripping punk rawk bands. B.G.K., Nog Watt and Gepøpel rocked and the almighty Funeral Oration rank right up there as one of the greatest bands ever, punk, Dutch or not (check out Blogged and Quartered for a fantastic download of early Funeral Oration

stuff).

Circle of Hate are not as good as those bands in my opinion. Then again, not many are and Go For It is still pretty good. Like the above groups, they take their cue from American hardcore, but they also add a skate rock edge. The tunes are fast and bouncy, making the end result a decent slab of wax.
Side One: Ich habe es nicht gewubt / Wish I got fired

Side Two: Vivisection / Go for it

Download it now!: Circle of Hate