Don't Pay To Cum

To celebrate Record Store Day 2011, Bad Brains released a remastered version of the Pay To Cum 7'' ("Pay To Cum" b/w "Stay Close To Me"), which arguably launched hardcore punk music. Until Record Store Day is over, the band is giving away high-quality (320 kbps MP3s) of the 7'' right here. The download includes the cover art and the lyrics sheet. Click here for a list of participating Record Store Day 2011 stores.

Current Bad Brains tour dates:

April 20 - Greek Theater, Los Angeles, CA
April 21 - House of Blues, Las Vegas, NV
April 22 - Summit Music Hall, Denver, CO
June 16 - West Coast Riot, Gotheburg, Sweden
June 18 - Hell/Heaven Fest, Clisson, France
June 24 - Azkena Rock Festival, Vitoria Gsteiz, Spain

Interview with Danny Sage from D Generation

By Chris Carlton

Chris Carlton spoke with Danny Sage, lead guitarist of D-Generation, about his influences, involvement in D-Gen and the band's upcoming shows (hint: Riot Fest)!

Squid Pro Quo: Growing up in New York, you must have seen some pretty amazing bands over the years. What was it like being a part of the NY music scene, and do you have any fond memories?

Danny Sage: "Yeah, I was lucky. I saw The Ramones at The Diplomat in late '77, I think. I was a little kid. But I was so small, I could only see the backdrop. Maybe the top of Joey's head. I left cause I couldn't see anything. I think I stayed for three songs! But I did see a lot of good bands and I knew about a lot of ones I couldn't see. Since New York is kind of the center of everything, they all came through there and there were good fanzines and magazines and record stores! And I liked bands before they got big usually, so I'd get to see them in smaller places, and that's always better. If I didn't live in New York, I wouldn't have gotten that opportunity probably."

SPQ: Who are your musical influences?

DS: "I have a lot of things and people that inspired me: The Beatles, The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, The Clash... Then certain guitar players: Mick Ronson, James Williamson, Jimmy Page, Mick Jones, Steve Jones, James Honeyman Scott, Angus Young... I could go on forever. I also like things that no one ever guesses. I love Joni Mitchell, Captain Beefheart, Django Reinhardt... I like Adele's new record. The first one's great, too."

SPQ: How did you get involved in D Generation?

DS: "I had always played on and off with Jesse (Malin), since we were about 14 or so. I played guitar in Heart Attack, about 1982 or so. We had always talked about making a more rock 'n' roll band with two guitars, a singer, then we finally did in 1991. After a few false starts, it turned into the real D Gen lineup."

SPQ: You must have played some amazing gigs over the years. Where is your all-time favorite place to play/see a gig?

DS: "I always loved Irving Plaza in New York. It's no accident that our show in NYC is there. I always loved seeing bands there, as well as playing there. The first time we played there, we sold it out, and that was a really big deal to us. I love the Glasgow Barrowlands. We did shows there in 1998 with Green Day, and it was amazing. The kids are fucking crazy. Spain is great, there are some other really memorable places. I used to love to play the old Continental in NYC, and CBGB of course. They were always great to us."

SPQ: D Gen's second album, "No Lunch," was produced by The Cars' Ric Ocasek. What was it like working with Ric?

DS: "Ric was my first choice after a while for "No Lunch". The only other people I might have looked at were Chris Thomas and maybe Bill Price. We met with a lot of people, but they weren't ever considered seriously, and my only other choices were dead people, or people like Jimmy Page. I would put dead guys' names on my list to see if my A&R guy was asleep or not. My first real choice was Ric. I liked the first Weezer album, and I like The Cars, and I was aware that he'd worked with Bad Brains and Suicide, who we all love. He lives in New York, he's really smart and funny, it was a good fit, at least for me, he and I got on well. And I think that's a good record. I learned a lot from Ric."

SPQ: I always looked at D Gen as being one of those great bands that just fell through the cracks and never really caught on the way you should have. Did you feel like that changed a little bit after the band split up? Like people might have said "Ahh, they were pretty damn good! We should have paid more attention to them?"

DS: "Not to sound like we invented fire, but we were the real deal, and it just so happened that the timing was really bad. People were really into Seattle, grunge, etc. and we were the polar opposite of that, on the surface. Things have changed a lot, and a lot of people are hip to what we we're into. Also, New York is somehow glamorous and amazing to everyone now. It wasn't that way till like 10 years ago. Five scruffy idiots from New York? People looked at us like we had horns sticking out of our heads. Now, they get it. Too late!"

SPQ: After the band split, you recorded some solo material. Have those recordings ever been released?

DS: "I was lucky; I moved to L.A. and I met a guy named Phil Jaurigui, who owns Swinghouse Studios in L.A. He was a D Gen fan, he and I became friends and he asked me what my plans were. He eventually let me make a record at his place. I did it in about 2001/2002. But when I finished, I started to meet with people, and it was like whoever would get into it would be fired two weeks later. It was the very beginning of the 'cleaning house' of all the big labels, so I got really disillusioned with the whole thing and just kind of ignored it. So, to this day, it's never been released. Maybe next year! I'm not gonna sweat it. It's so old now, I don't have an attachment to it."

SPQ: With the classic D Gen lineup back, (Danny Sage - guitar, Jesse Malin - vocals, Michael Wildwood - drums, Howie Pyro - bass, Richard Bacchus - guitar) together for a couple upcoming shows in New York (Irving Plaza 9/17) and L.A. (Troubadour 9/24), are there any plans for a full-scale tour or possibly a new album?

DS: "It's hard to say. Everyone has other commitments. We'll see how it goes. Right now, the band is getting along relatively well, and there are a lot of offers so we'll see what happens."

SPQ: Where can people get in touch with the band, get show dates and ticket info? Is there an official D Generation or Danny Sage website you want to plug?

DS: "There is www.dgeneration.us, to get info on the band. It's brand new. There's also a facebook page, but I couldn't tell you which one it is. I guess the one with the least lies on it. Or maybe the one with the most lies. Can't remember."

SPQ: Danny, I want to thank you very much for taking the time to talk with Squid Pro Quo. I, for one, am psyched about having the band back again. I hope we can get you guys back to Chicago after so many years away.

DS: "Thanks. We will be in Chicago for Riot Fest; I think early October. See you then."

The Marked Men - "Ghosts"

By Kevin Toomey
Rating: 5/5
Dirtnap Records LP/CD
1/27/2009

All right, I know this review’s about two years too late, but the Marked Men is playing two shows soon and I love this record, so deal with it. "Ghosts" was the first record I’d heard by the Marked Men, and it’s probably the best, too (might be a tie with "Fix My Brain").
I don’t know where to begin describing their sound, so I’ll take a hint from the first song, “All In Your Head” and just jump right in. This band epitomizes the term, “break-neck pace;” how they manage to be so melodic and have so many hooks all while playing faster than Bad Brains is beyond me. THE HOOKS!!! These guys have more hooks than The Exploding Hearts on a fishing trip. I absolutely love the interplay between major and minor chords. I know they only have two guitar players, but each time I listen to songs like "Ditch," "I Must Be Dead" or "Get to You," I swear I can hear something new that I’ve never heard before. How two dudes can create such poppy, yet intricate sounds while playing so fast is something I personally can’t wait to see for the first time when the Marked Men take the stage at Empty Bottle May 28 (they'll also be playing May 29). If you haven’t heard the Marked Men, "Ghosts" is a great place to start. If you already own "Ghosts," go put it on “One More Time.”

Interview with Milo Aukerman of THE DESCENDENTS

Photo from Epitaph.com
By Chris Carlton

Squid Pro Quo: Thanks for taking the time to talk with Squid Pro Quo, Milo. So the Descendents are back touring after 15 years. How does it feel to be back on the road playing to packed houses full of fans?

Milo Aukerman: "I have to admit, I was a little stunned at the level of response. We go away for 15 years, and come back with an even larger audience? But from a different perspective, it does make sense: there are many out there who never got to see us in the '80s or '90s, so people are really committed to coming out for these shows. I’m totally loving it, especially because I watched the extreme toil that ALL carried out for many years, and Bill (Stevenson/drums)/Stephen (Egerton/guitar)/Karl (Alvarez/bass) deserve every bit of the attention we are currently getting."

SPQ: Can you give our readers a little history on The Descendents and how you got involved with the band?

MA: "Bill started the band with Frank Navetta and Tony Lombardo in 1978. They put out a single in 1979, “Ride the Wild”/”It’s a Hectic World,” and Bill started selling it at high school during recess/lunchtime. I was a classmate of his, and bought a copy of it, and loved it immediately. I heard where they were practicing at the time (The Church in Hermosa Beach), and showed up at a practice, professing my love for their music. They actually had a girl singer at the time, who never showed up to practice. So there was a mike set up, and I said, 'Hey I know Hectic World, lemme take a crack at it!' It wasn’t a 'tryout' at all, just me having some fun, but they asked me to join a few weeks later; not that I could sing at all, but I guess I had the right level of enthusiasm! We practiced like crazy for the next year or so, then recorded the FAT EP (1981). Then all the other records after that (dates in Wikipedia). We played locally in L.A. and San Francisco from 1981 to 1985, then did our first U.S. tour (to be followed by many others). We didn’t go to Europe until 1996."

SPQ: I see and hear a lot of you in so many young bands these days. Being an influence to so many I have to ask, who are some of your influences?

MA: "Beatles, X, Germs, Black Flag, The Last, Bad Brains. Extreme punk (especially L.A.-based), plus melody."

SPQ: Back in the band's early days, you guys played with bands that are now considered legendary in their own right. How was the scene different then as opposed to now?

MA: "Some of the bills were unreal – Black Flag + Minutemen + Saccharine Trust + Husker Du + Red Cross + us, etc. That will never happen again! We were the young unknowns on these bills, and that was OK, because the Black Flag/Minutemen guys were always helping us out, putting us on the bill, helping us record, etc. I felt like part of an extended punk family during that period (1980-1983), and it was definitely a legendary time for South Bay punk rock. The DIY ethic really crystallized during that time, thanks to Greg Ginn and SST."

SPQ: When the band's '95 comeback album came out, it was a surprise to see that Frank Navetta and Tony Lombardo played on a couple tracks ("Dog House" and "Eunuch Boy"). Where Frank and Tony brought back for those songs specifically? Or were those songs unused tracks from the '80s?

MA: "Bill invited them to contribute songs, to 'join the party,' so to speak. Frank came in with “Doghouse.” Tony had a great song that didn’t make the record, “Gotta” – it’s on one of the CD singles. Those were relatively new songs, whereas “Eunuch Boy” was an old song; in fact it was the first one I wrote for the band back in 1980 (Tony wrote the music, I wrote lyrics)."

SPQ: The band's last album, Cool To Be You, came out in 2004, but the band decided not to tour in support of the album. Why not tour behind such a strong album?

MA: "Thanks for the positive review! Unfortunately, I really couldn’t commit to the touring; I had recently started my job at DuPont and didn’t have much vacation time to use, nor could I take a leave of absence. We went into that record knowing we would not be able to support the record through touring. Fat Mike was also aware, but still wanted to put it out, ‘cause he was so into it."

SPQ: With the new tour and the band playing here in Chicago at Riot Fest in October, are there any plans for a new Descendents album?

MA: "Not at this point. I’ve got some songs, and I’ll bet the other guys have a ton (they always do!), but trying to figure out how to fit in recording will be difficult. As it stands, I’ve used every vacation day from my job that I can, so there’s no time left for recording. We’ve had to prioritize our activities because of my schedule, and so far the priority has been on doing shows, because there is such a huge demand for it."

SPQ: I understand ALL are gonna be doing a show with every singer they ever had. Will there ever be a history of the Descendents show where you'll bring out Frank, Tony, Ray or Doug to play a few songs from their time in the band?

MA: "That would be fun! Something like that has happened the last few years in Fort Collins; the band puts on an event called Stockage, where there has been a reunion of sorts (without me, though). One year, Bill played with Frank and Tony, for example (original power trio lineup! Yeah!). Sadly, Frank died a few years back, so the true original lineup is no more. Ray and Doug are still available, so maybe they can show up sometime and play on some of the old stuff."

SPQ: Being a father, it must be hard to be on the road. Do you or the other guys bring the family on the road with you?

MA: "We’re actually not on the road these days. What I mean is, we can only do a handful of shows per year, so I’m rarely out of town for more than a few days. Although it would be great to be able to play more shows, there is a silver lining, and that is that I’m not an absentee father or husband. Back in 1996-'97, we toured like crazy, and I would come back from tour and be useless as a husband. Luckily, I didn’t have kids back then. This time around, my wife and the kids are coming for a few shows, and that’s perfect. Any more than that, and they would get sick of it! Bill’s and Stephen’s wives have come to a few shows also, plus their kids. It’s a family environment (aside from the stage volume and dirty lyrics)."

SPQ: After this tour, what can we expect from The Descendents? Are you back for good, or just for now?

MA: "'For good?' Do you realize how old we are? Seriously, it’s been a blast, and as long as we can stay healthy and the shows are fun and people want to see us, we’ll keep doing it; on a limited basis, of course. I keep assuming we will eventually fade into obscurity, but so far I’ve been wrong, so I’ve stopped predicting the end."

SPQ: I know I speak for a lot of fans when I say it's great to see you guys back again after so long. Is there a website where fans can keep up with Descendents news, shows and buy merch?

MA: http://www.descendentsonline.com/

SPQ: Again, I want to thank you for taking the time to talk with Squid Pro Quo. It really is an honor for me to interview you, Milo. I'm looking forward to the Chicago show in October. Until then..."Thank you for playing the way you play!"

MA: "Thank you for listening, and we’ll see you in Chicago!"

The Perfect Ruler of a Perfect Planet

A really short story by Jason Duarte

A loser's gamble and an optimistic mind pops open the top of a beer can. White foam and bubbles surround the mouth of the can, and will soon encompass your mouth. You wait a minute, figuring the foam will settle - even if just a little bit settles - until you take your first sip despite knowing that at no other time but the present moment will this beer be as cold and refreshing as it is as it sits in your hands, gradually getting warmer and warmer as you stare at those foamy roadblocks.
"Ah, fuck it." You take a sip. You sit down and watch a movie. It's inspiring. The story's a cross between Voltaire's "Candide" and what would have to be something else - every possibility's been thought of when it comes to love stories involving some cosmic accident in any given urban setting, or what some would call, fate. Maybe. Then again, it is said that we humans only use 7% of our brains. You personally believe it to be an unconscious excuse we use to pin our own personal shortcomings to, but what do you know. You're unemployed, single and haven't shaved in weeks.
At first, the young couple in the movie is in love. So in love, in fact, that like most passionate and fiery relationships, the two candles burn too quickly and what's left is a miserable and confusing plane of existence where neither of them are on the same page and live solely in the rear view mirror.
"It's like anything else," a New York taxi driver says. Yeah. I guess when you put it that way, maybe. But is it? Suppose there is some unaccounted for 93% of free space in our heads that we can't access. It sounds much too technological, you think, and then think about something else to keep you from thinking about ridiculous theories. Then again, you were just contemplating love. Maybe it is like anything else. Maybe it isn't. It is what it is. If the point of this life is to surround yourself with the illusion of work to somehow validate your life or to marry someone for that very same reason, then what's the deeper point beyond that? In a society where work, economies, politics, social pressure and religion doesn't matter because it isn't a problem, what is life? Introspective contemplation and all-day, everyday spiritual growth? Or is it still work?
The end of "Candide" is a simile for the way to live life. Not the best possible life in this best of all possible worlds, but a balance where nothing is either real good or real bad. And if the meaning life, like Voltaire depicts, is nothing more than passing the time until our last exhalation of that sweet sustaining Nitrogen blend, then why not end life right now, at this very moment, where you are the youngest and sharpest you might ever be? If our brains and bodies are only dying from this point on, that question becomes somewhat valid, you think. But objectively, from this point on, we are only living as well.
Life shouldn't be thought of as existing on a time line, you realize. That really shortens it.
The movie ends and you leave, walking home in the cold. The unfinished and now warm beer is still in your hand. In the black abyss, Orion's glow is intercepted by jealous streetlights.
"I could be that big," you think. If one man can rule a country or a classroom, then one man can rule a planet or several planets. Everything suddenly collapses upon you and a classroom becomes the same size as a country, which is the same size as a continent, which is the same size as Earth, which becomes infinite. It's the same size as one human being.
You turn your can 180 degrees, dispose of it and keep walking. It's 3:46 in the morning. You're cold, somewhat tired and imagine yourself doing what you'll probably be doing tomorrow.
"I'm the most perfect ruler of a most perfect planet," you sarcastically think to yourself before falling asleep. "It's a funny thought, but it's as true as anything else."

Interview with John Polydoros of Vacation Bible School/Vicelords

Photo by Patrick Houdek
By Chris Carlton

Squid Pro Quo: Thanks for taking the time to talk with Squid Pro Quo, John. Can you give us a little history on Vacation Bible School?

John Polydoros: "Hey, thanks for taking the time to want to talk to us. We've been a band since late '97 or early '98. It's been so damn long, we really can't remember which it is. We formed in the northeastern 'burbs outside of Chicago, and spent the first several years writing pretty immature and terrible songs, while trying desperately to play the Fireside Bowl, which was the best venue on the planet. It smelled like beer, and faintly of urine, or the other way around; truly, truly awesome. We've spent the last several years kicking around the Midwest, with an occasional jaunt out west or down south. We've recorded three full-length records, and three 7-inch splits in the roughly 13 years or so that we've been a band. We are extremely lazy, but I think we're looking to turn that around. We recently discovered that people in other places like our band, and now that the shock of that has worn off, we're gonna get off our asses and try and hit the road to play for some of these people."

SPQ: Your split with the God Damn Doo Wop Band came out in April of 2010. Are there any plans for a new release in the coming months?

JP: "We did a limited CD pressing of our most recent record, "Ruined the Scene," back in December, and it looks like the vinyl version will be out mid-summer. Our buddy Justin Schwier at Underground Communique Records is putting it out. For those who don't know Justin, he's one of the best dudes ever. After that, we have a split with The Brokedowns that will be coming out as soon as we record two new songs. Did I mention we're lazy?"

SPQ: I recently saw an online interview with Dear Landlord where Brett Hunter said he was a fan of the band. Will there be a DL or Copyrights tour with VBS in the future?

JP: "We would love to do that. We actually had the opportunity to go out with Dear Landlord recently, but circumstances were so that we couldn't do it at the time. We won't miss out if we get a second chance at that, I don't think. We really enjoy both of those bands, so hanging out and getting to see them play on a nightly basis would be all right with us. Its also worth noting that they're all quality guys too."

SPQ: Has the band played many shows outside of the Chicagoland area? Are there any plans for a tour outside of Illinois?

JP: "We've done a handful of shows the last couple of years throughout the Midwest in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota. We've been fortunate enough to be asked out to both Awesome Fest, in San Diego, and The Fest in Gainesville, FL the last three years, which have only gotten better for us each year. We're genuinely surprised, and stoked each year that they'd have us back. Again, touring is something we're planning to address soon. We occasionally get a message from someone that says they live in Texas, and we should play there, and now we're thinking, hey, that's not a bad idea."

SPQ: I hear a lot of influence in the band's songs. What are some of your musical influences and how do you incorporate them into the bands songwriting?

JP: "We, especially Ryan, grew up on Chicago punk rock, mostly. I lived down south as kid, and then out west, so I was listening to a lot of crusty weirdness, as well as anything Lookout! Records put out. We don't really make a conscious effort to incorporate our influences, so much as that it just happens. I think we just write the kind of music we want to listen to."

SPQ: Are there any VBS shows coming up in the coming weeks?

JP: "We're hoping to be able to play with the Slow Death, and Dan Padilla at Underground Lounge on July 2nd. We're planning our record release show for mid-summer, and we'll be playing at The Fest in Gainesville this October."

SPQ: The band recently played the Windy City Sound Clash show at the Subterranean here in Chicago. Was this your first time playing WCSC?

JP: "Jeff Wegner, the brains behind WCSC, has been nice enough to ask us to play each of the three years he's put on these shows. Its been a great time each year."

SPQ: Is there a website you would like to plug where fans get get up to date news on new releases, shows and merch?

JP: We have a MySpace, and Facebook page that we are terrible at updating. Underground Communique is ran much better. Even its Facebook page is more informative than our own."

Top Albums, EPs, 7''s, Splits and Demos of 2011

First up is Top 20 full-lengths followed by Top 20 EPs/7''s/collections/demos and finally, Top 8 split 7''s. By each band name and release is a link to the label to which it was released, followed by a brief writeup, a link to a review (if it was reviewed), the album art, and then streaming music from the release. A lot of great releases came out this year. I hope you enjoy, and find at least something new. What were your favorite releases this year?

Top 20 Full-Lengths of 2011

By Jason Duarte

1. Tenement - Napalm Dream (Mandible)

Tenement is a band I saw a couple years ago, but paid no attention to, as I had never heard of them at the time. When Napalm Dream was released this year, I recognized the band and gave it a listen, which turned into giving it a shit ton of listens. This album channels garage, punk, indie and rock music and weaves it all into a beautiful sonic tapestry. This is the best album I've heard all year. Check out our review of Napalm Dream here.

TOP TRACKS: "Stupid Werld," "Spit In the Wind" and "Running Into Mirrors."

2. Samiam - Trips (Hopeless)

Samiam has an impressive back catalog, but since 2000's Astray, nothing has grabbed me the same (I know there isn't a lot since 2000). I picked up a copy of Trips at Reggie's without having heard it prior, and I am so happy I did, because it saved me from shipping charges. This album is Samiam at its best - the songwriting is top-notch, very well thought out and you can tell the band really took its time to write this one. Recorded at Green Day's Jingletown Studios, this album is great from start to finish, and the recording quality is incredible. Check out our blurbs about Samiam here.

TOP TRACKS: "80 West," "September" and "Happy For You."

3. Banner Pilot - Heart Beats Pacific (Fat Wreck)

This year, Banner Pilot released its new album - it's third Fat Wreck release (including the remastered re-issue of Resignation Day). Nate Gangelhoff's pronounced bass lines and songs are tighter than ever, the songs are personal and the sound holds true to the band's previous releases. This is also the perfect album to listen to in winter. Check out our blurbs about Banner Pilot here.

TOP TRACKS: "Forty Degrees," "Eraser" and "Intervention."

4. Black Wine - Summer of Indifference (Don Giovanni)

This year, Black Wine kicked all our ears' asses with an album titled, Summer of Indifference. I was in love with their first album and thought, "eh, they probably can't top it." What happened with that scenario was the complete opposite. This album is awesome. It's more held together by the members. They've tightened up. They've honed in on the sound they're going for, and they executed it wonderfully. The album art is nice and simple and just cool. I was lucky enough to catch two of their shows in Illinois this summer, and book one/house them for one. A great album by some great people.

TOP TRACKS: "End of Days," "Spit To See the Shame" and "Ocean's Skin."

5. House Boat - The Thorns of Life (Traffic Street/Kiss of Death?)

Fucking finally got my physical copy of this shit! House Boat released its second full-length, which turned out awesome. I was all "meh" about the Processing Complaints 7'' (but really dug it), but this full-length blew me away. As always, it could use more Mikey Erg! and Ace (of bass) vocals (screw you, Zack (just kidding)), but hey - you know what, it's like the Steinways never died, and I'm OK with that. In fact, it's like The Steinways evolved. This album kicks ass, and as of Christmas day, I wasn't sure if this thing was ever going to see a physical release, being I ordered it on July 31. Also, I was promised a poster and a pin when I ordered this, and didn't receive either - did anyone get those items, cause I'd feel a lot better if everyone didn't get them. I'm writing a letter, damn it!

TOP TRACKS: "Now We Are 31," "Real Life As a Metaphor For Real Life" and "A Song In Which I Convince Myself To Stop Being Such a Fucking Idiot."

6. Night Birds - The Other Side of Darkness (Grave Mistake)

"What the fuck, another east coast band on your top whatever list," you say? "Yes." Night Birds is awesome - no one can argue with that (they can try). After releasing a bunch of 7''s and EPs and shit over the last few years, they finally released a much-anticipated full-length. Before this, we had to hold ourselves over two or four songs at a time. The band re-recorded two songs from their demo CD-R, "I Can't Get Clean" and "Paranoid Times." There's also a song about the movie They Live called "Hofmann Lens." It rules and so does all 22 minutes of this record. Check out our full review of The Other Side of Darkness here, and other reviews of their stuffhere.

TOP TRACKS: "Born of Man and Woman," "Demon Haunted World" and "Hofmann Lens."

7. Sundials - Never Settle (Toxic Pop)

Sundials was another new band to my ears this year. A great indie/punk band from Richmond, Virginia, Sundials sings from the heart and captivates its listeners. Much recommended. Check out our review of Never Settle here, and our interview with the band from earlier this yearhere.

TOP TRACKS: "Take You In My Coffee," "Either Way" and "Probably Not."

8. The Copyrights - North Sentinel Island (Red Scare/It's Alive)

The Copyrights are one of my favorite bands, and it used to be they'd release a full-length every year. But it's been three years since Learn the Hard Way's release. The band took its time on this one, and recorded it at Atlas Studios in Chicago with Matt Allison. They went all out and added keyboards and a couple other things they haven't introduced to us yet. I love this album, and the band's Crutches 7'' is a great accompanying release. Check out our interview with Luke McNeill (drums) from earlier this year here.

TOP TRACKS: "Bow Down," "20 Feet Tall" and "Never Move Your Back Row."

9. Deep Sleep - Turn Me Off (Grave Mistake)

Deep Sleep is one of the only current hardcore bands I listen to, as I'm not much a fan of modern hardcore, but this band gets it. It's not just screaming and yelling and blind agression; there's a point to the songs, and that's key. Like Night Birds, Deep Sleep has released a handful of 7''s and a collection album before releasing a proper full-length. All 13 minutes of this album is filled with intense, urgent and great hardcore. Check out our review of Three Things At Once here.

TOP TRACKS: "Slow Down," "Be With You" and "Head Spins."

10. Noise By Numbers - Over Leavitt (Jump Start)

Noise By Numbers released one of my favorite albums a couple years ago and now they've released another one, along the same vein of heartfelt, geocentric songs by beloved Chicago punk musicians. I am a huge fan of this album, though I'm not sure it tops Yeah...Whatever. Check out our review of Over Leavitt here, and one I did for Jaded In Chicago here.

TOP TRACKS: "Lost My Way," "I Don't Think So" and "Over Leavitt."

11. Lemuria - Pebble (Bridge 9)

Lemuria is an awesome indie/pop/punk band from Buffalo, NY. Sheena Ozzella (guitar) has a higher, vulnerable voice and she switches lead vocals with Alex Kerns (drums), who has a lower, more monotoned voice. They compliment each other wonderfully and the catchy tunes on this album will resonate with you for a long time. I've been playing this with the band's entire back catalog for weeks. Their most recent DIY space show in Chicago was incredible and I can't wait to see them again.

TOP TRACKS: "Chautauqua County," "Pleaser" and "The One."

12. Underground Railroad To Candyland - Knows Your Sins (Recess)

Underground Railroad To Candyland is one of the most fun bands to see live. I was lucky to catch them at Schuba's this year with Screaming Females and Treasure Fleet (though it took me three hours to get there). I can't say enough good things about URTC. Check out our review of Knows Your Sins here, and at the Elgin Courier-News here.

TOP TRACKS: "We Aren't the World," "And You Think You Can Tame Me" and "Stop Cryin' Kid."

Stream Knows Your Sins here.

13. Spraynard - Funtitled (Asian Man)

Spraynard is a great young band from Pennsylvania. Its posi-punk, anthemic songs are nicely-layered, especially for a three-piece. I was fortunate enough to catch them twice in San Francisco this year as part of the AMR 15-year anniversary festival, and see their raw talent and emotion come through with the songs. Spraynard is a great contrast to a lot of the more negative or otherwise nihilistic punk rock songs out there. Check out our review of this year's Broadways reunion show featuring Spraynard here.

TOP TRACKS: "The Denver Broncos vs. The Denver Broncos," "Homies Where the Heart Is" and "Quite Exciting, This Computer Magic."

Download and donate here.

14. Kepi Ghoulie - I Bleed Rock 'N' Roll (Asian Man)
KEPI!! What a pleasant surprise this album was. Kepi keeps it Kepi-esque while switching it up a little bit, introducing more rock 'n' roll riffage and energy. The dude is a machine. I love this album, and wrote some reviews for it. Check it out, and give this one a listen - one of Asian Man's best releases this year!
Check out our review of I Bleed Rock 'N' Roll here, and over at Jaded In Chicago.

TOP TRACKS: "The Fever," "Nikki Lee" and "I Bleed Rock 'N' Roll."

Stream I Bleed Rock 'N' Roll here.

15. The Dead Milkmen - The King In Yellow (Self-released)
It's been too long since the Dead Milkmen released a proper full-length, and holy crap! We have a new one! The band put it out themselves, and are selling CDs and digital versions of the songs on its website. The songs are funny, satirical, serious and cynical. They don't skimp out either with 17 new songs on this one.

TOP TRACKS: "Meaningless Upbeat Happy Song," "Passport To Depravity" and "Or Maybe It Is."

Preview the album here.

16. Brick Mower - Under the Sink (Viking On Campus/Stumparumper)
Brick Mower is a three-piece from NJ, heavily influenced by grunge and punk. I was lucky enough to meet these guys (and girl) this summer while they were on tour with Black Wine (NJ). The bands stayed at my house in Elgin and played the Gasthaus, and then Chicago the next day. Those two days were absolutely packed with fun, and I'm happy to have been introduced to these guys. Their music is straightforward and raw. This album gets better the more you listen to it.

TOP TRACKS: "Tuxedo Bitch," "Slow Too Fast" and "Weaving."

17. The Gateway District - Perfect's Gonna Fail (It's Alive)
Minnepolis's Gateway District is a fun band. Their first album, Some Days You Get the Thunder was amazing, and this follow-up album carries the rock. This album is upbeat and fun and one of my favorite It's Alive releases of the year.

TOP TRACKS: "Leaving Me Behind," "Waiting For the Sirens" and "I'll Take the River."

18. Dan Andriano In the Emergency Room - Hurricane Season (Asian Man)
One of my all-time favorite songwriters. Dan Andriano gushes with honesty and raw emotion. This record starts off pretty melancholy but by the end, the sun's out. Check out our blurb about Dan here.

TOP TRACKS: "Let Me In," "It's Gonna Rain All Day" and "Me and Denver."

Check out a track-by-track article on the album here.

19. Face To Face - Laugh Now, Laugh Later (Antagonist)

Face To Face was one of my first favorite punk bands in high school, and this is their first new album since 2002's How To Ruin Everything. Seeing them with Strung Out this year was amazing, as it was my first time. This album is upbeat, and just as awesome as anything else they've done (OK, not anything, but still...for 9 years of breakage, this album rules). The bass line on "What You Came For" is the best part of the entire album. Check out our blurb aboutLaugh Now, Laugh Later here.

TOP TRACKS: "What You Came For," "It's Not All About You" and "Should Anything Go Wrong."

Stream here.

20. Smoking Popes - This Is Only a Test (Asian Man)

One of my all-time favorite bands are The Popes. This Is Only a Test is the band's first new album since Stay Down was released in 2008. This album is great - as it is a concept album told from the perspective from a high school-aged male. Interesting and intriguing, but I felt it pigeonholed itself (just a little bit). This is a great record, and I look forward to the next Popes album.

TOP TRACKS: "Wish We Were," "Freakin' Out" and "Letter To Emily."

Stream the album here.

Top 7''s/Collections/EPs/Demos of 2011

1. Tenement - Blind Wink LP (Cowabunga (LP)/Dead Broke (cassette))

Formerly released exclusively to cassette, I was happy this gem found a proper vinyl release. I know it's heavily Tenement, but they've been the band of the year over here. This collection of demos and other tracks is a great deviation from Napalm Dream. So much so that it quickly climbed to the top of my list.

TOP TRACKS: "Lost Love Star Lust," "Hey Soozie" and "(Messy Endings) In Middle America."

2. Iron Chic - Split N' Shit EP (All In Vinyl/Yo-Yo)

Not Like This was my favorite album last year. The split they did with Pacer, plus the Bikini Kill cover and European tour song are all packaged into one on this digital EP, which is nothing short of amazing. I can't wait till the second full-length release this year.

TOP TRACK: "Climate Is What We Expect, Weather Is What We Get."

3. Tenement - Taking Everything 7'' (Toxic Pop)

The Taking Everything 7'' is an amazing follow-up to Napalm Dream. One catchy, hook-laded electric song, a slow one and another catchy slower one are on here with a bonus track called "Jesse's Poem." Check out our review of the Taking Everything 7'' here.

TOP TRACK: "Taking Everything."

4. Chixdiggit! - Safeways Here We Come LP (Fat Wreck)

Chixdiggit! is back with its first release since 2005's Pink Razors. This 12'' EP is seven songs long and just as tight and funny and amazing as their past stuff. The first song's about Miso Ramen (or is it?), and then KJ Jansen wrote some songs about hating on his friend's dog, stupid hairstyles, his disgust for basketball and so on. This release is awesome.

TOP TRACKS: "I Hate Basketball," "Swedish Rat" and "I Hope Things Will Turn Around."

Stream the EP here.

5. The Steinways - Promise It'll Never Happen Again LP (It's Alive)

This is one of the best pop punk bands ever. This LP is a collection of various 7''s the band released over the years (Rocket Surgery, the It's Alive Wedding split, the Peabodys split and more). There's a lot of great pop punk on this album. Makes me wish The Steinways were still a band. Check out our review of Gorilla Marketing here.

TOP TRACKS: "Always? Never!," "Headache-Girlfriend=Zero" and "I Shit (You Not)."

6. The Measure [sa] - My Heart and the Real World: Another Collection of Standard Waits and Measurements (No Idea)

The Measure [sa] broke up this year, playing its last show at Fest 10 in Gainesville, FL. The last few shows they've played, they were giving away a 7'' called Jersey's Best, and I was kind of disappointed those songs didn't make it on this collection LP. BUT, a whole bunch of the band's 7''s made it on here including its splits with The Ergs!, the Art of the Underground 7'' and many others. For someone like myself who hasn't tracked down and rounded out his Measure [sa] collection, this is perfect. Pre-orders from No Idea also came with a bonus 7'' with a song that also isn't on the collection (argh!) and some live songs from Fest 9. Awesome! I wish I had them digitized!

TOP TRACKS: "We've Upped Our Standards, Now Up Yours," "Remember the Devillock" and "Workage."

7. Night Birds - Fresh Kills, Vol. 1 (Grave Mistake)

Pre-dating The Other Side of Darkness came this release, a collection of the band's 7''s and EPs. It has everything TOSOD doesn't, and it's amazing. If you don't have all the other releases, I'd recommend picking this up.

8. Night Birds - Midnight Movies 7'' (No Way)

Night Birds released a collection CD this year, titled Fresh Kills, Vol. 1, which features theMidnight Movies songs, but before that came this 7''. Four fast, sick songs in 6 minutes. The artwork, by Mike Diana, is arguably the best part of this release. Research him if you're not familiar. Check out our review of the 7'' here.

TOP TRACK: "Midnight Movies."

9. Mikey Erg! - Heart-Shaped 12'' (Paper + Plastick)

Mikey Erg! is arguably the coolest dude ever. We got to hang a bunch in San Francisco this summer and around the country in some other parts this past year (NJ, Chicago, etc.). He's one of my favorite songwriters and can do no wrong by me. On Valentine's Day this year, Paper + Plastick released three colors (I have all of them!) of a two-song heart-shaped 12''. Both are catchy as fuck, and will resonate in your head for months (at least). Read some Mikey Erg!blurbage!

TOP TRACK: "Little Hands of Concrete."

10. Teenage Bottlerocket - Mutilate Me 7'' (Fat Wreck)

Teenage Bottlerocket made my number 1 album of 2009 list, and now they've followed up with this 7'' titled, Mutilate Me. It's just enough to hold me over until new TBR songs come out. Word is, they're writing/recording for a new full-length. The two originals on this 7'' are amazing and they do a great cover of Bad Religion's "Henchmen" at the end. Check out our review of Mutilate Me here.

TOP TRACK: "Mutilate Me."

Stream here.

11. RVIVR - The Joester Sessions LP (Rumbletowne)

RVIVR is a band I got into post-Latterman and post-Shorebirds. I like them a lot more. They're proactive, gritty, bold and aren't afraid to speak their minds and shatter the status quo. This collection LP features the songs off the Life Moves 7'', the Dirty Water 12'' and the Derailer 7'', with a bonus song titled, "Elizabethan Collar." This is one is a fun one.

TOP TRACKS: "Seethin'," "Life Moves" and "Tallest Tree."

12. The Old Wives - Backed In a Corner EP (When's Lunch)

The Old Wives are in my top two favorite bands from Canada (Chixdiggit! is the other one). They are an amazing pop punk band and on this new EP, bassist Ryan Dix takes over on lead vocals for a couple of tracks. It's an awesome change-up, as his vocals compliment Liam's very nicely. He's a lot more smoother, a little higher and poppier and Liam's are a bit grittier and lower. I highly recommend this band, and their full length kicks ass.

TOP TRACKS: "Backed In a Corner," "Heroes" and "Dix 1N1."

Stream the EP here.

13. Worriers - Past Lives 7'' (No Idea)

So The Measure [sa]'s last show was at Fest 10 in October, and from the ashes, Lauren Measure, MIke Hunchback and two other dudes formed this band. It sounds very Measure-esque. The intros to the songs are all pretty similar; individual notes being plucked from chords, but the songs are great. Being I'm such a huge fan of The Measure [sa], I'm happy to hear Lauren's still making music. Check out our blurb on Worriers here.

TOP TRACK: "Past Lives."

14. Chris Wollard and Addison Burns - Lil' Bitta 7'' (No Idea)

Chris Wollard is one of my favorite songwriters, and since Hot Water Music's hiatus, he's been dabbling in his own solo material. He released a split with Mike Hale, Drag the River and a couple other 7''s before this one, where he teamed up with Addison Burns. This 7'' features four original tracks and is great folky, mellow tunes in the vein of Rumbleseat and The Draft. Can't wait till his next release.

TOP TRACK: "Lil' Bitta."

Listen to/watch songs from Lil' Bitta here.

15. The Bomb - The Challenger 11'' (No Idea)

The Bomb features Jeff Pezzati of Naked Raygun on vocals, Pete and Mike S. from The Methadones on bass and drums and Jeff Dean on guitar. You might call The Bomb a Chicago punk supergroup, and really, that's what they are. This 11'' from No Idea features four new ones and four live ones from the first two albums. A real treat.

TOP TRACKS: "Man...Atlanta," "Hey World" and "A Song For the Helenas (Alternate Take)."

Check it out here.

16. The Measure [sa] - Jersey's Best 7'' (Don Giovanni)

I missed their last two shows in NY and the Fest 10 final show, so I wasn't able to pick this 7'' up in person, but lucky for me, No Idea had extra copies and I was able to snag one. This is The Measure [sa]'s final recordings (to date), and it's awesome. I feel like The Measure [sa] is a band that improved with time, so they definitely went out on a high note with this one. The song "Jersey's Best" is nothing short of amazing. I love this 7''.

Check out our review of Notes here.

TOP TRACK: "Jersey's Best."

17. Latterman - Our Better Halves 7'' (Self-released)

Latterman did a reunion show not too long ago in New York, and the band pressed up a bunch of these one-sided 7''s featuring a song they recorded in 2007 called "Our Better Halves." It was the last song the band recorded together and it was never released before the band called it quits. This year, it saw the light at the reunion show. It sounds more up Iron Chic's alley to me, or RVIVR, but it's an amazing song. A little pricey for one song, but it's not like new Latterman material is going to be recorded again.

TOP TRACK (heh): "Our Better Halves."

Listen here.

18. RVIVR - Belebend 7'' (Yo-Yo)

RVIVR released this European-label-only 7'', which I hadn't heard of till just a few weeks ago. The songs are on YouTube, and the 7'' is available in distros/labels overseas, and it's awesome. I especially love "Wrong Way One Way," which I believe they played the last time they came through Chicago at that basement show. It sounded great, and I'm glad there's a studio version now. If some domestic distros pick this up, I'm going to snatch it.

TOP TRACK: "Wrong Way One Way."

Listen to "Wrong Way One Way" here.

19. Hot Water Music - The Fire, The Steel, The Tread 7'' (No Idea)

Hot Water Music hasn't released any new material since 2004's The New What Next (unless you count that Bouncing Souls cover), so this has been a long awaited and much anticipated release for me. They played Milwaukee, WI earlier this year and some friends and I drove up to catch them at this ballroom venue, and they were incredible. This 7'' is great, but not HWM's best stuff. Still, it's nice to hear new tunes, and I can't wait for the release of the 3xLP of the Live in Chicago stuff. I was at both those shows in Feb. 2008 and can't wait to hear how that came out. Hopefully they put out a full length soon.

TOP TRACK: "Up To Nothing."

Stream here.

20. The Copyrights - Crutches 7'' (It's Alive)

The Copyrights released North Sentinel Island via It's Alive and Red Scare, and It's Alive pressed this 7'' to accompany it. It features "Crutches," from the record, a demo version of "Worn Out Passport," also from the record and two demos that didn't make the record. I'm glad The Copyrights went with the songs they did for the full length, but for any fan, this 7'' is an essential and fun release to have.

TOP TRACK: "Current Event (Demo)."

Top Splits of 2011

1. Cheap Girls/Lemuria 7'' (No Idea)

Cheap Girls and Lemuria are two bands I just got into this year, so this split has been getting a lot of play. Lemuria offers two songs to Cheap Girls' one, but all three are solid. The Cheap Girls song may be the best Cheap Girls song I've heard to date, and the Lemuria ones are among my favorites of theirs as well. This one's essential to your collection, and the best split 7'' of 2011.

TOP TRACK: "Lemons (Lemuria)."

2. Spraynard/Sundials 7'' (Evil Weevil)

These bands are friends and teamed up this year to release this split, which is awesome. Both bands were new to me this year, and all their songs have been ear-pleasers. This split is fun, and I've found myself flipping it over and over again.

TOP TRACK: "Snowballs At Cops (Sundials)."

3. Dear Landlord/The Dopamines 7'' (Paper + Plastick)

Finally, new Dear Landlord songs, and they're awesome! Especially "Neighbors." More mentions of trailer parks and shitty living conditions, but it's easy to relate to. Their other one, "A Little Left," is a slower song, which picks up after about 0:45 and rules. The Dopamines' side is great as well, though if it was Dear Landlord vs. Dopamines, Dear Landlord wins (sorry, Dopes, I still love you). The Dopamines' best song on here is "Heads Up Dusters," which is extremely anthemic and will stick to you. This split rules and was worth every penny (though it did take forever for the label to release it, to which they made it available for super cheap, which was awesome. I think they're still super affordable, so get one!)

TOP TRACK: "Neighbors (Dear Landlord)."

Stream here.

4. Caves/Sundials 7'' (Kiss of Death)

Sundials made a lot of appearances this year, but they're one of the best bands of the year, and this split with Caves is awesome. I'm not so much a fan of the Caves side, but the Sundials songs here are golden.

TOP TRACK: "Viking Funeral (Sundials)."

5. Tenement/Cülo 7'' (Cowabunga)

At the very end of the year, Tenement squeezed in one more awesome release; a split with Chicago hardcore band, Cülo. Tenement's songs are a little more upbeat and fast on this one - not necessarily to match the hardcore on the opposite side, but in general. The Cülo side features five fast songs.

TOP TRACK: "Your Life Or Mine (Tenement)."

6. Mean Jeans/Hollywood 7'' (Big Neck)

I'm a huge Mean Jeans fan, so when I saw there were a limited number of these being pressed, I had to grab one. The Hollywood side is pretty good, but the Mean Jeans song is awesome. I hope they release another full length this year.

TOP TRACK: "(Let's Go Before I Blow My) Brains Out (Mean Jeans)."

7. Marvin Berry & the New Sound/Nude Beach 7'' (Freedom School)

Dammit, I can't find art for this 7'' anywhere. Not even the label has a picture of it on its site. I wish I had a scanner. But I don't. Handy. Anyway, Marvin Berry covers a song and plays an original. The Nude Beach side is great too. Oh hey, stream the split here.

TOP TRACK: "Howlin' At the Highway (Marvin Berry & the New Sound)."

8. Rise Against/Face To Face 7'' (Folsom)

Two of my favorite bands, back when Rise Against was local and hardcore, and Face To Face was...well, active. This 7'' is just fun. Rise Against covers one of my favorite Face To Face songs and while I'm not all that fond of the song Face To Face chose to cover, I think their spin on it is cool.

TOP TRACK: "Blind (Rise Against)."

Preview the split here.