As usual this section is meant to be more of a "recommended listening" sort of thing rather than a review section. I'm really only sharing the things I think are cool and worth hearing. Update* - To hear some choice numbers from these selections click on the radio option above!

(12.13.12)


Altered Boys - S/T 7" - I had the privilege of playing a few shows with these fellas this weekend and not only does their new 7" beat the shit out of you, they do the exact same on the stage. New Jersey hardcore with an affinity for the fast, frantic, and hard sound of the mid 80s in America. You know the shit I speak of. These guys are the real deal. This is only the beginning because they have a second 7" coming soon so stay tuned for that.

Bastard Cut - How To Spot A Bastard CD - It has been a long while that I have been waiting for Bastard Cut to finish this damn album. I hounded them for over a year "just finish the vocals" or "just go mix it already" and so on. Now that it's finished I'm happy to say it was well worth the wait. Like most things that take a lot of extra effort it shows through on the art. For those not familiar with these dudes you can say they are a bit of a throwback to the golden age of fast, melodic punk. Folks often compare them to a band on Fat Wreck-Chords in the late 90s and I'd say that is an accurate assessment. Just add on Rich Jacovina's (Silent Majority) signature noodling guitar to the top. Lyrically very personal and relatable to the burdens of daily life and love. Check it out if you're a fan of singing along to stuff.

Big Eyes - Back From The Moon 7" - I will admit I wasn't too fond of Big Eyes' debut lp. And that is solely based on the fact that I am stuck in my ways, I don't like when things change. So when I become adjusted to hearing recordings and a band rerecords them I get miffed. These two new songs revitalized my love for them because they were more of the same, just new. Joan Jett meets the Ramones. What else do you need from a rock band? Long live the 'Dridge!

Burning Love - Rotten Thing To Say LP - From the beginning of this band I was very behind what they were doing but when they put of Songs For Burning Lovers I was a little put off by the mix, I couldn't get past it. The vocals seemed to be about 75% louder than the music so it was almost painful in my headphones. I sort of lost interest until I was turned onto Rotten Thing To Say. The description given to me was something like "they must've found a new place to record because now it just sounds like a Doomriders records." That was all I needed. It seems that Kurt Ballou recorded them this time around and boy does it make a difference. Their sound definitely lends itself to his style of laying things to tape (or I dunno, pixels?) Solos left and right, vicious vocals, and full speed ahead start to finish.

Crazy Spirit S/T LP - In the beginning of Crazy Spirit I wasn't too hot on them for no particular reason. Once the I'm Dead single came out I got a little more interested. And seeing them a few times in between the release of that 7" and this LP I got hooked a bit more. They have further honed their style of lofi recorded, screechy punk. Though I totally appreciate the fact they have developed a signature drum beat to their music, the gallup, it does become repetitive. That's why it's nice that it gets broken up a bit on this LP. Artwork is of course great as per usual. I would still be surprised to find out none of these guys ever spent time at an art school for screen printing though, because that style of art totally resides in those studios. Train is the jam if you live in NYC.

Dipers - Shit House 7" - Though they do rerecord a couple of tracks on this new 7" I still love it. Not for the reason that it is groundbreaking, or because it's super new to me. None of these things apply to Dipers and they are well aware of it. They just don't give a shit cause all they want to do is party and make the room feel a little anxious. I love that. People in NY generally have a good time and that's why I love this band, they are a good time kinda band. Plus when you have a 6'5" (or whatever) Reed doing his weird Upstate NY mosh moves on stage it makes for a great show.

Hounds Of Hate Promo Tape 2012 - These days I'm more and more skeptical of hardcore bands. Few reinvent the wheel, and in the year 2012 it is completely impossible to do that. However you can and your stamp to the genre and that is just what Hounds Of Hate have done. They've taken the straight edge hardcore sound and built a little more of that classic NYHC on top of it. When listening to the tape straight of the bat I was a little weirded out and I think it's just because they got better at writing. I was expecting more double downed break downs and paused yells but it was like they oiled the engine and plowed through. I'm definitely stoked to hear the rest of these tracks because the four on this tape are a good starter course.

The Man With The Iron Fists - V/A Soundtrack - RZA did it right on that new movie. The critics may not have loved it, but he paid homage to the genre he was raised on, and the genre that made him his millions. He added his own spin to the style and updated it by putting gritty hip-hop over the top. This soundtrack is pretty killer as far as those go. Though I am really disappointed on a few counts (namely the inclusion of Pusha T, Wiz Khalifa, Boy Jones, Joell Ortiz, and my least favorite, Kanye West) I love all the rest. MOP, Pharoahe Monche, Kool G Rap, Killa Sin (ripped it) and the WU obviously are some of the classic artists that pricked my interest. I am was intrigued by one of the new acts RZA included as well, the Flatbush Zombies. They reminded me a bit of the Gravediggaz on this track. A great collection overall, I am just stuck in the past and can't accept any of these new artist no matter how popular they might be.

Put To Death - S/T 7" - It kind of takes a lot for me to like a powerviolence band. My list is pretty much Infest, Siege, and Cold Sweat. Those fast riffs get so damn repetitive. So when I previewed a track of this 7" I was surprised to be really into what I heard. Upon opening up the insert I read that entirely all of the lyrics included are made up of lyrics from other acts of the genre, and hardcore in general. Interesting concept if you ask me. Like a collage of words. This shit shreds start to finish and is heavy overall. Great floor moving parts.

Ugly Parts - Taste 7" - Here's another band I have had the privilege of playing often with and no matter what the venue these guys put their all into it. Frantically plucking strings and wiping all over their drums with a madman howl over the top. SST comparisons and Midwest 80s links can be traced on this recording, so if that's your shit then get on this. My only issue with this is the recording. The demo these guys put out was top notch musically and perfectly fitting for their style. Here it seems like someone came over your place and turned on the megabass without you knowing. You listen back and go "why does it sound like that, oh lemme turn of that mega bass" except you realize it's not on. Oh well, don't let it bother you and you can fucking rage to these songs.

White Lung - Sorry LP - From the second this thing starts off you know what you're getting: a funny honed, strengthened and conditioned White Lung. These gals and guy have been training hard, running laps, doin reps and making sure they have a good cool down at the end of each session. They are fully on their game and even learned some new tricks. It's everything I love about White Lung but more pronounced. Not only that they are sounding better live. On Sorry Mish has ventured into a new realm and experimented more with melody which proves she's not a one trick pony like some people seemed to have said. Overall the recording sounds fuller and the songs are better crafted this time around. Plus when you drop a sick music video with tons of strobe lights to build some hype around the record you know they are coming out swinging. I love this band and hope that on the next record they continue on the upward path their on.

Wu-Block - S/T CD - I don't quite know how to explain it really but in modern days hip-hop albums don't feel like they are as cohesive as they were in the 80s and 90s. They are more like a collection of tracks by the same artist. Could it be that the mixtape generation brought on the need to use multiple producers, different styles, different sessions, and release as much music and quickly as possible? Maybe. I don't know exactly, but I know that I haven't heard a solid through and through album hit me like this one has in a very long time. Not only that, I haven't felt like hip-hop has been represented so strongly in New York City. Sure you got all the "money and bitches" guys that "hit the club" these days, but they are twelve for ten cents. Can any of those guys tell a story like D-Block, can they keep my attention while rapping with the fuckin' flu? No way. This is my top pick for 2012. It's just a shame it came out so close to the end of the year because it won't make so many of those dumb lists. Go get this shit now and recognize real hardcore NY hip-hop music.