Don Giovanni Records Showcase 2012: Screaming Females, Laura Stevenson & the Cans, For Science, Shellshag, Black Wine

Words and blurry photos by Jason Duarte

Saturday night was the night of THE Don Giovanni Records Showcase; the night when For Science played its reunion set and bands like Black Wine, Shellshag, For Science, Laura Stevenson & the Cans and the Screaming Females joined forces and delivered a sonic tapestry, not to be forgotten any time soon.

There was a line outside of the Williamsburg Music Hall in Brooklyn of excited fans waiting in the frozen February night air for the doors to open. While in line, I met a tall guy from New Hampshire who was none other than Servo from John Wilkes Booth Records, and his girlfriend as well! It was great chatting, and putting a face to the guy behind a great indie label that I ordered from a couple days after that show, had I met him or not.

My favorite Don Giovanni band, Black Wine, played first and they were incredibly orchestrated. The band rotated singing duties throughout the set. I love bands with multiple singers because it adds such depth. Two vocalists is typically tops, but I can't think of any other three-piece band that equally distributes 100% of its lead vocal duties. Black Wine played a new song, that I can't wait to hear on record, and were incredibly tight throughout their set. Jeff, Miranda and Jason are incredibly talented and fun to watch live. It was a perfect set to kick off the night. Watching them go nuts and rock is one of my favorite things ever.

Miranda Taylor (drums/vocals), Jason Nixon (bass/vocals), Black Wine

After Black Wine was Shellshag. The male/female two-piece played facing each other on either side of a custom flying saucer-looking gizmo which held a mic stand shaped like a Y, housed speakers and may have lit up. They also shared vocal duties, but guitarist/vocalist Shell had a majority of vocal duties. Shag was a standing drummer, and she had bells affixed to her ankles and around her waist, making her a one-person, wiggling vocalist/percussionist. At the end of the set, the two made a pretty tall monument of the drums, and knocked it over. It was pretty awesome and they totally embodied that grungy Nirvana-esque way of destroying their stuff.

Shell (guitar/vocals), Shag (drums/vocals), Shellshag

For Science's much-anticipated reunion set was sandwiched in the middle of all the bands Saturday night. The crowd went ape shit for them, particularly when vocalist John Slover began to throw $300 in singles into the crowd. I caught $7, and gave it back to them by buying their freshly-pressed album, Revenge For Hire, as well as Laura Stevenson & the Cans and Screaming Females vinyl after the show. Toward the middle of the set, Mikey Erg jumped up on stage and joined his former band on backups. Vocalist John Slover had to stop and puff on his inhaler between songs because he was getting that into it. I've never seen someone with asthma be a lead singer, but it occurred to me during For Science's set how incredibly hardcore that is. John could have fucking died! Their set was rad, and I want to catch them again. People lost their shit, and it was fun to be a part of that.

Mikey Erg (backup vocals), For Science

John Slover (vocals), Brian Gorsenger (drums) and Zach Gajewski (bass), For Science

A lot of the younger crowd and indie folks lined the front of the stage for Laura Stevenson & the Cans. They're not a punk band, but their involvement with labels like Asian Man and Don Giovanni Records creates this sort of 'scene crossover,' which is really cool in a 'Mods vs. Rockers' way. The show was 16+, so there were a lot of younger girls and dudes alike, which was awesome because it's been a while since I've been to a show that wasn't 21+. There's a different kind of passion and excitement in the air, and I love witnessing that raw emotion and giddiness. Laura Stevenson has a great voice, and her band was very talented. They were captivating, super held together and the set had a lot of depth. Their lead guitarist embodied this folk-y slide guitar style, and they had an accordion player, who was cool to watch. Their set was magnetic, and their dedicated fan base hung on every word and note.

Laura Stevenson (vocals/guitar), Laura Stevenson & the Cans

Screaming Females headlined the Don Giovanni Showcase, and rightfully so. Don Giovanni is releasing the band's new Steve Albini-produced album, Ugly, this year and Saturday night, the band released its 7'' single from Ugly, featuring "It All Means Nothing" b/w "A New Kid." The 7'' was only available at that show, and then the week-or-so-long free record store tour that followed. It has no cover, only a dust sleeve. The new song is incredible, and already a fan favorite at their shows. They made a video for it, which is both hilarious and disgusting. I suggest spending the 4:24 watching it.
Anyway, their set was amazing. They played a lot off Power Move and Castle Talk, my two personal favorite Screaming Females albums. Vocalist/guitarist Marissa Paternoster shreds, and has a horrifyingly addicting scream midst her fragile voice. She plays these intricate lead guitar parts while harmonizing vocals over them, and it rules. Bassist King Mike is memorizing; he utilizes a lot of bass chords and by synchronizing with Jarrett Dougherty's drumming, they keep the song driving forward; perfectly orchestrated. The band has a dark presence. Most obviously, they're all clad in black, but there are other subtleties like Marissa's signature; simply "Marissa," with two upside down crucifixes on either side of her name. Of course, they received an encore, and the crowd lost its shit once more, and the band left the stage after throwing down their instruments. The set ended the same way the new video does, with instruments and gear left behind.
The whole show was awesome, and it seemed like every single person in the venue that night was completely enthralled at at least one point throughout the night. The Screaming Females' set really left me looking forward to Ugly, coming out April 3.

King Mike (bass), Screaming Females

Don Giovanni Records Showcase 2012: Dirty Work and Death By Audio

Words and photos by Jason Duarte

This year was our first attending the annual Don Giovanni Records showcase.

I flew from Chicago to Laguardia, in Queens early Thursday morning, met up with my buddy Mikey Erg, and we made our way to NJ to take care of some business, rip CDs and talk all afternoon about Black Flag shows, Def Jam Records, Kraftwerk, touring, bands and other relevant topics of interest. He showed me this rare artifact:

He showed me the studio where his dad, Mickey Erg - I mean Yannich - worked on Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet album, and I saw Bon Jovi's (and Eric Truchan's) high school:

We walked past THE grocery store where Mikey wrote most of the songs for The Ergs!' DorkRockCorkRod and Upstairs/Downstairs. In the parking lot, he recalled writing "Stinking of Whiskey Blues," one my favorite Ergs! tunes, and a highlight from his solo show the following night.

We took our second bus to New Brunswick, where I was introduced to the 'Fat Sandwich.' At first, I pictured a generous amount of lard between two slices of bread, but what I got was much more delicious, and filling. Exclusive to the Rutger's University campus, the Fat Sandwich wears many masks. Mine was called the 'Fat Elvis (Jason),' and consisted of gyro meat slices, mozzarella sticks, lettuce, French fries and tzatziki sauce smashed into a hoagie roll. It was amazing, and quite filling.

From there, we took a train a few stops over to Metuchen, NJ, where the infamous Forum Theatre (see the cover of Night Birds' The Other Side of Darkness below) is located.



In fact, that album hangs framed in the theater lobby. Anyway, we arrived before anyone else and anticipated the theater employees to put Dirty Work on the marquee, but Hugo remained. I was hoping they'd put 'Men In Black Who Like To Have Sex With Each Other,' but some things are too good to be true. In a way, it felt cooler with Hugo written outside, while Norm MacDonald was making dead hooker jokes on the screen inside. The movie was more incredible than usual. It was a cross between a Rocky Horror Picture Show theater experience, Dirty Work and the Pop Punk Message Bored. It was awesome. After the movie, I went back to my friends in Brick Mower's apartment with friends, Jeff and Miranda. I had some delicious Yuenglings and hung out for a bit before finally crashing out on their couch. The two days of being awake got to me. Dammit!

So the next day I walked outside and saw the band, Thursday's old house. I think this was it...

Then I walked to the New Brunswick train station and took an expensive ride back to NY Penn Station. From there, I bummed around NYC like a tourist and took the subway to Brooklyn, where I grabbed a coffee at Black Gold Records, and some pizza at Vinny's Pizza. Then I visited with Mike Hunchback at his record store, Co-Op 87 Records, easily one of the best record stores I've ever been to. Their selection was diverse and ventured into obscurities that anyone who fits in a particular niche would be delighted to find. Everything was so reasonably priced, and Mike threw in free vinyl (The Ergs' 3 Guys, 12 Eyes 7'' and Screeching Weasel's You Broke My Fucking Heart 7'') Hell yes. The best part was hanging out and chatting with him again about music, movies, shows and the like.

Then it was time to head to Death By Audio, a 1.1-mile walk from Co-Op 87. I grabbed my backpack and records and walked over. First up was Plastic Cross. It was their first show, and the band features Fid (guitar) and Tim (bass) from The Measure [sa]. They were good - more hardcore than punk, but I'm stoked to see what they sound like on record. This is them playing "Future Science" from the show:

Nuclear Santa Claust had For Science's bass player and I'd never heard them before. They sounded like hardcore Ramones-core, if you can imagine that. Check them out below:

House Boat was a good time. All four original members were there. They didn't play the tightest set, but were fun. They played the new song that will be featured on The Thing That Ate Larry Livermore compilation album, coming out later this year. Check that out below:

But first, they opened with "Who Let the Dogs Out?"

Also they also played "Real Life As a Metaphor For Real Life."

After House Boat, Mikey Erg! took the stage for his second set (for those who don't know already, he's House Boat's drummer/backup vocalist), the final one of the night. He played his solo songs off the heart-shaped 12'' released last year on Paper + Plastick Records, "Permanent Solution" by Psyched To Die, "Fuck You" by Cee-Lo Green, a new solo one, Ergs! songs: "Stinkin' of Whiskey Blues," "If You Don't" and "Books About Miles Davis," and others. The latter was the closer. Joe Keller (Ergs!/bass) and Fid (The Measure [sa]/guitar) jumped on stage to back him up and everyone lost their shit towards the end of the song, where it gets electric. You know the part. Fid played drums, and Joe did what he does best; bass. Check out "If You Don't" and a still shot from the show:

Friday night was a great time. It was nice meeting some people from the PPMB, and buying Chadd's 7'' vinyl! Stay tuned for the Don Giovanni Saturday night review. I wish I had more time for this to do it right now. I love you.

'Hollow Earth' by Black Wine

By Jason Duarte
Release date: July 3, 2012
LP: Don Giovanni Records
Rating: 5/5

Black Wine, hailing from the Matawan, NJ area, released its third full-length, Hollow Earth, earlier month via Don Giovanni Records.
On Hollow Earth, the band continues to take steps outside its comfort zone, thus maturing its sound. The band's haunting and sometimes eerie tones linger in songs like "Blurry" and "Naysayer." Singer/guitarist Jeff Schroeck (The Ergs!/The Hamiltons) and Miranda Taylor (Full of Fancy/Hunchback/Noun) offer four songs each, while Jay Nixon (Hunchback/Psyched To Die) offers two.

Black Wine instills an inquisitive mentality on its listeners. The concept of Hollow Earth deals much with perception and how we relate to each other and everything around us.
"The architect has plans/His bricks and expression/Tricks are paint to the magician/I am always searchin' for an alteration or a clever iteration," Schroeck sings on "Heavy Veil."
I highly recommend Hollow Earth not just because the lyrics and music top everything they've ever done as a band, but the minds behind it weave some of the best sonic tapestries I've ever heard. Listen hard enough and you might look inside yourself and around you in a different way.

Hollow Earth, as well as the rest of Black Wine's catalog, is available here.
Stream Hollow Earth below:

Black Wine playing "Burlap" at Township in Chicago on 7/1/12:

Black Wine playing "Flatland" at the Empty Bottle in Chicago, on 6/30/12:

Black Wine's music video for "Burlap:"

We're headed east to attend the Don Giovanni Showcase 2012!

From Don Giovanni Records:

"Our showcase is just one week away and there will be four brand new records available there:

For Science - Revenge For Hire LP
Noun - Holy Hell LP
Noun - S/T 7"
Screaming Females - It All Means Nothing 7"

It's going to be three awesome days and I hope you can join us for at least one of them:

Saturday, February 11th, 2012
Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Screaming Females
Laura Stevenson and The Cans
For Science
Shellshag
Black Wine

$12 advance
http://www.facebook.com/events/286127894763570/ [www.facebook.com] »
Tickets: http://www.musichallofwilliamsburg.com/event/80865[www.musichallofwilliamsburg.com]
----
Friday, February 10th, 2012
Death By Audio, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Mikey Erg
House Boat
Nuclear Santa Claust
Secret Police
Plastic Cross

Doors at 8

$8
---
Thursday, February 9th, 2012
Forum Theatre, Metuchen, N.J.

DIRTY WORK (35 mm print)

Doors at 7:30 p.m.
Movie at 7:45 p.m.

$10 / $8 in costume"

Stay tuned for pictures and words...

TOP RELEASES OF 2013

Greetings and welcome to Squid Pro Quo's sixth annual BEST OF list. 2013 saw a lot of great releases. We've chosen the 10 best full-lengths, 10 best 7''s/EPs/compilations and 10 best splits of the year. Love it, love to hate it or check it out if you don't know it.

The Top 10 Albums of 2013
By Jason Duarte

10. Swearin' - Surfing Strange (Salinas)

Swearin' impressed me last year with their self-titled debut release. This year, they released a second record, also on Salinas Records. I like their first album a lot, but this one has some jams and is a little less "punk" and a little more their of own sound. This album is so riddled with catchy melodies and pieces, it's hard to stop coming back to it. It's good to rock to. It's good to chill to. It's just a great taste of an eclectic group of musicians. Seeing them live was incredible. The new album had barely been released, and everyone knew the words. Keep your eyes on Swearin' if you haven't been.


9. Laura Stevenson - Wheel (Don Giovanni)

Laura Stevenson has a unique way of getting your mind and heart's attention. Her lyrics and inflection are unrivaled. Laura can sing about taking out the garbage, and somehow make it into a beautifully heartfelt experience. She doesn't sing about taking out garbage. She sings about life, death and the trials and tribulations therein. She hits you with her wild and raw emotions in a way that stuns at first, but then it's welcomed. I am proud to say I own everything she's released as Laura Stevenson & the Cans, and more recently, just as Laura Stevenson. She's growing further from her punk roots and more into the pop folk/Americana genre, and it's incredible. She sings and you really listen.

8. Night Birds - Born To Die In Suburbia (Grave Mistake)


Night Birds are my favorite current hardcore band. Like, hands down. It doesn't get better than them. This is their first release since founding guitarist Mike Hunchback left, so being I've been following this band since buying their demo and seeing one of their first shows and every one I could since, I was super excited to hear change in sound. Mike Hunchback is an intense, powerful dude. His licks are just insane. The way he plays, crawling on his knees, almost abusing himself and his guitar while hitting every note is still unmatched, but PJ is amazing in a different way. This album's not as dark as The Other Side of Darkness or the Fresh Kill Vol. 1 collection, but it's so so good.

7. RVIVR - The Beauty Between (Rumbletowne)

The Beauty Between is RVIVR's strongest release to date. So catchy. So powerful. So much angst and momentum drives this record - it's impossible to stop once you start it. This band has never let me down, and just gets better. I like the album art, too. A lot of people collect records just for sound but right up there with it for me is the large art, and getting to examine it, turn it over in my hands...I look at my record jackets as limited prints from the artist who created them, not just houses for records. I'm just saying the art rules.



6. Lemuria - The Distance Is So Big (Bridge 9)

Lemuria is a band I've been a fan of since I first saw them open for The Queers back in 2008 at Reggie's in Chicago. Their signing to Bridge 9 earlier this year was a surprise, but it fits. They released a single for "Brilliant Dancer" before the full length came out and it was good. This album is so solid and their live performance is one of the tightest-sounding I've ever witnessed/heard.





5. Sundowner - Neon Fiction (Fat Wreck)

Chris McCaughan and Neil Hennessy of the Lawrence Arms cannot disappoint. Chris's voice has gotten a lot smoother and on key. Sundowner keeps getting better. The songs are not just him and an acoustic guitar, as they were in the past. The album is phenomenal. I'm from Chicago as well and hearing Chris sing songs about the city as his own and his connections to it strike a personal note, as I've got my own history and love/hate relationship with it. The album art is amazing too. Earlier this year, I was on tour and we were in San Francisco coincidentally on the day they opened the Fat Wreck store and there was Chris, singing a solo set. It was great to see him, hang out a bit and pick up a couple of records. I wish him the best in Portland and can't wait to see him in Chicago again. His melodies and lyrics have a lingering effect. I highly recommend it.

4. Lipstick Homicide - Out Utero (Bloated Kat)

The pop punk gods convened and willed three mortals from Iowa into making one of the best pop punk albums of the year. The title, an obvious play on Nirvana's In Utero, is an attention-grabber. The album is awesome from start to finish, and features a song called "Vampire Club Pt. 2," a sequel to "Vampire Club," off LipHo's Brainhole EP. This album is so strong. I was lucky enough to play three shows with these dudes this autumn between California and Iowa, and their live performances are nothing short of amazing, either. Rachel Feldmann sings and plays bass like an unstoppable force. Kate Kane plays guitar and sings like a wild woman and Luke Ferguson plays drums with precision and finesse. I can't wait to see these dudes again.

3. Iron Chic - The Constant One  (Bridge 9)

When Not Like This came out in 2010, it was my #1 of that year. It was a lot of peoples' #1. They took the pop punk world by storm, and signed to a hardcore label just before releasing The Constant One. The band has done a lot of touring and released a few EPs/splits/singles between these two full-lengths and everything I've read or heard has been positive feedback. This album had massive shoes to fill, and it did it. It features a song off one of their EPs, "Spooky Action From a Distance," and the rest is new. Like labelmates, Lemuria, they have an instrumental intro track. My favorite track is "(Castle) Numbskull." This release solidified this band, and now I believe that they can do no wrong. Thanks for keeping things in perspective and shining a light on the dark or scary things every once in a while.

2. Great Apes - Thread (Asian Man)

 Great Apes is hands-down my favorite Brian Moss band to date. I like The Ghost, Hanalei and Olehole was great. But Great Apes is perfect mix of his intellectually insightful lyrics paired with punk rock. This is actually pretty pop punk, despite the gruff air that surrounds it. "San Quentin" sounds like it was an Olehole song. Not a bad thing. Songs about feelings and life are sung loud and clear on this. Thread, for me, was the much-needed follow-up to the split 7''s and singles Great Apes had released in the year prior. This album struck a chord with me, and is amazing from start to finish. Check out a review I did for Jaded In Chicago of their self-titled 7'' here.

1. Plow United - Marching Band (Jump Start)

Plow United is a punk band that started in 1992 and broke up in 1997 at the pinnacle of its popularity. I'd never heard of them because they disbanded before I started going to shows and they were still too obscure to have ever come across my radar. Then in 2012, they recorded new material, releasing two songs on a 7'' via Kiss of Death Records and THIS MASTERPIECE on Jump Start Records this year. Being on the constant lookout for new music, that 7'' busted my Plow United cherry and then this album came out and made me realize that you can walk away from music for 15 years and then come back and kick more ass than ever before. Then I saw them at Pouzza Fest in May and rarely do I watch a band and just zone out on their drummer. Sean Rule is an animal, and his chemistry with Joel and Brian is just perfect. I can't wait to hear/see more by Plow United.


The Top 10 7''s/EPs/collections of 2013


10. Your Pest Band - Smash Hits! (2008-2011) (Dead Broke)

This 26-track collection of songs from singles is some of the best, fastest and intense punk out there today. This four-piece from Japan rips. I was lucky enough to catch them in Brooklyn last February. There are NOFX and Carpenters covers on this thing. They aren't rewriting the punk genre, but they're really fun.







9. The Replacements - Songs For Slim 12'' (New West)

Hearing that The Replacements were to release a commercially-affordable version of their Songs For Slim EP thrilled me and I bought it the second I saw it. Then hearing that they were going to reunite and play my city in September made me jump with glee. I got to see them. It was incredible. This EP is also incredible. Slim Dunlap was The Replacements' replacement guitar player for Bob Stinson in 1987. He also released two solo albums in the '90s. In February 2012, he suffered from a stroke. The proceeds from all these album sales go toward his hospital bills. Side A features two songs written by Slim Dunlap. Side B features three covers: "I'm Not Saying" by Gordon Lightfoot, "Lost Highway" by Leon Payne and "Everything's Coming Up Roses" by Stephen Sondheim/Jule Styne.

8. Skinny Genes - Meh 7'' (Bloated Kat)

Skinny Genes aka Azeem Sajid aka ACE OF BASS from The Steinways/House Boat Mikey Erg-ed on us this year. And it rules, just like Mikey's solo stuff. His throat is coated in golden PBR. The themes are the same. Pretty bleak, rough stuff here. I'm waiting to hear an Ace song that's like, "hey, my life's good now." But then it'd also probably suck cause that's obviously not the catalyst to his creativity. I love this man. I got to play the last two Steinways shows with them in September out in California and that made my life. I always want to give Ace a hug. His music will make you want to give him a hug. Just listen to it and then look at that face of his. It's like he wants to be adopted and hugged all day. Buy this 7'' and adopt your own Azeem Frehley.

7. Night Birds - Maimed For the Masses 7'' (Fat Wreck)

I think this is the first release with PJ on guitar, post-Mike Hunchback. Hearing that Fat Wreck was going to release a Night Birds single got me giddy. It also made me like Fat Wreck more. The title track (and album art) is about former wrestler Mick Foley. The injuries list on that man will send shivers down your spine. There are four tracks total on this one. Only the title track appears on Born To Die In Suburbia. The other three are exclusive to this EP. A limited 70-gram version was released by Fat on black vinyl with the regular EP.



6. The Songs of Tony Sly: A Tribute 12'' (Fat Wreck)

Tony Sly's death last year was a shock to us all. Such a profoundly talented singer and songwriter. I remember my first time seeing No Use For A Name was in 2002 when I was a sophomore in high school and absolutely loving every second of it. Life is not always fair, but all the artists on this tribute album did him and his songs beautiful homage. He'll live forever as long as there are his recordings and a medium to play them. RIP, Tony. You're missed and loved, and this album is nice proof.




5. Our Lips Are Sealed: A Tribute To the Go-Gos 12'' (Solidarity)

I was never a huge Go-Gos fan, but they're one of those bands where I still somehow knew their songs. After buying this, then going back to really listen to the Go-Gos, it made me a fan. A lot of my favorite current bands are on here. My favorite covers are by Dan Vapid & the Cheats, Masked Intruder, Great Apes and Vacation Bible School.






4. All Dogs - All Dogs 7'' (Salinas)

This is the freshest band to my ears on this entire list. All Dogs comes from Ohio and writes some amazing tunes. They remind me of The Muffs crossed with Lemuria crossed with Brick Mower. The set of pipes on the singer are amazing. I love this 7'' and you should check out this band.







3. Technicolor Teeth - Blood Pool b/w Drips 7'' (Accidental Guest)

Technicolor Teeth is a band from Wisconsin that features Amos from the aforementioned Tenement among its lineup. This band grew on me this year, and for a long time, was the only thing I listened to. They take shoegaze, make it darker and experiment with sound. This band would be written off as "weird" but your typical punk rocker, but I urge anyone reading this to really listen to them. Listen to the music. It'll pull you in too.




2. Tenement - Sick Club Vol. 3 7'' (Cowabunga)

These guys are one of my favorite bands. I consider myself lucky that I not only get to hear the musical stylings of Amos Pitsch, Jesse Ponkamo and Eric Meyer, but get to see this band live. Amos is a musical genius and if you don't believe me, you're wrong. I don't know how to properly explain it, because my name's not Pitchfork, but Tenement's songs are infectiously good and well-put-together. Jesse wrote "Freak Cast In Iron" on this one. Grab this single if you can.




1. Supercrush - Lifted b/w Melt Into You (Drift Away) 7'' (Bedside)

Supercrush is a new band out of Vancouver. This 7'' has been on repeat since I discovered it. It's insanely well put-together and takes the very best elements of grunge, shoegaze, rock and a little punk and creates something perfect. Check out a review I did of the single here.









The Top 10 Splits of 2013


10. Mean Jeans / Underground Railroad To Candyland 7'' (It's Alive)

Two of my favorite bands that I would not have expected to collaborate totally did on this. The Mean Jeans songs are party punk staples. They're really good, raw, fast, full of energy and fueled by booze. The URTC songs are good low-fi, garage-y ones. This record is a party on the Mean Jeans side and chillin' the morning after on the URTC side.






9. Mikey Erg / Barrakuda McMurder 3.5'' floppy (Bloated Kat)

This shit is so rare, it's just plain dumb. 13 floppy discs were made with the songs on them as MP3s. How the hell someone even has a floppy drive anymore is beyond me, but hey, points for creativity and obscurity. Oh, and they were only sold in Japan. So I don't have one, but I do have the MP3s, and they're really good. Mikey Erg's was made with his phone and Grath's was probably made with GarageBand or something. The songs are great. I'm hoping Mikey does a solo full-length or something of the like. Grath's song is like an acoustic Steinways song with an electric guitar dubbed over it in a part. It's funny, but it makes you feel bad. Buy it on Bandcamp and support these guys.

8. Vacation Bible School / The Brokedowns 7'' (It's Alive)

Two of my favorite local-turned-global-ish bands FINALLY have a split together. So appropriate. I think it rules that a label in California put out a split by two bands from Elgin, IL, a place I called home for a couple of years. VBS offers up some fast, heavy, gritty pop punk. Catchy and aggressive. The Brokedowns have done a lot of splits, and their creepy, heavy sound is big on this one. They have pop punk choruses with deep, gruff vocals and sometimes border hardcore. This is a heavy-hitter. Lots of low end on the bass. Lots of emotion. I don't really understand the cover art, but I like it. It's a little deceiving but it works.


7. The Capitalist Kids / Tight Bros 7'' (Toxic Pop)

The Capitalist Kids are from Austin and released an album last year titled "Lessons On Love, Sharing and Hygeine" that reinstilled my faith in good pop punk. This split is pretty straight-up pop punk, with short songs all around. The Capitalist Kids cover "Claustrophobia" by the Bee Gees and it's AWESOME. Seriously. Didn't anticipate that coming. Tight Bros from Ohio offer up three originals. They have a little Mean Jeans likeness to them, and a little Be My Doppelganger in there. They're good pop punk. I was lucky enough to play with both these bands this past autumn in Austin and in L.A. They rip live. Especially the Cap Kids. I want to see them again so bad.


6. Lipstick Homicide / The Turkletons - We're Gonna Need a Bigger Coat 7'' (It's Alive)

Pop punk gold. Lipstick Homicide and The Turkletons compliment each other so well on this. Their songs are shorts and packed full of fun, catchy hooks. I love the title's play on Jaws. I love this split.









5. Brick Mower / Black Wine 7'' (Viking On Campus)

Two of my favorite New Jersey bands ever collaborate on this very appropriate split 7''. They were tour buddies on more than one occasion (one of the best tours I've ever seen), and they fit so well together musically. Each band on this offers an original and a cover. Brick Mower covers "Jim Motherfucker" by Gaunt. Black Wine covers "Freedom of Choice" by Devo, which was a staple in their live sets for a little while. They do an awesome version. The originals are the highlights. I love these bands, and all of the people in them. They fit so well with each other, I want to hear more new stuff.


4. Masked Intruder / Dan Vapid & the Cheats The Wedding 7'' (Solidarity)

Two of the best pop punk bands out there today. Veterans Dan Vapid & the Cheats, and newer-ish band, Masked Intruder. They collaborated on this 7'' commemorating Solidarity Records owner Randy and his wife, Valerie's marriage. The Masked Intruder song is beautifully done. The intro sounds like an intro to an '80s ballad. Their tune is called "Valerie Is Getting Married." It's pretty funny, since it's about him being sad that Valerie is marrying someone that isn't him. Poor blue. The Cheats' song is called "Randy Is Getting Married." It's so catchy and happy. This split is loaded with positive vibes, and I love it.


3. All Dogs / Slouch tape (Discount Horse)

All Dogs and Slouch are two bands from Ohio. Slouch is a cool, dreamy Dinosaur Jr.-esque band minus all the crazy J. Mascis leads. All Dogs is awesome garage pop punk. They cover The Muffs tune, "Every Single Thing." All Dogs so does it for me. I want them to make a full-length record really bad. Their four-track self-titled EP that came out on Salinas Records this year made it to #4 on my Top 10 7''s/EPs/collections list. Check these bands out.



2. Tenement / Screaming Females 7'' (Recess)

Tenement and the Screaming Females recently went on tour together as part of the Don Giovanni Records tour. I consider this split Tenement's big, deserved break. Screaming Females has a crazy loyal and huge fan base, and their track is amazing. There isn't an insane amount of screaming or shredding on it, but it's a solid jam. Tenement's song, to me, steals the show. I'm biased. Deal with it. They have such an unconventional, unique way of making pop. It's completely their own. This split is some of the best of what two amazing bands have to offer. Not just some mashed-up B-sides single of each band's. Do yourself a favor and get this.

1. The Old Wives / The Blendours 12'' (Eccentric Pop)

The Old Wives from Edmonton are one of my favorite pop punk bands. I was lucky to see them in May at Pouzza Fest in Montreal, and see some of the new songs played live. This split is the third release on a great new-ish label called Eccentric Pop Records, based out of South Carolina. I can't get over how catchy this split is. The Old Wives kill it on their side and The Blendours from Iowa on the other side are also amazing. I love how funny but good they are. They remind me of The Steinways. This split is all around fun. Just get it.

'21st Century Breakroom' by House Boat

By Jason Duarte
Release date: June 1, 2012
LP: Bloated Kat Records
Rating: 5/5

I know what you're thinking: "sweet! Another lyrically self-depreciating batch of House Boat songs in which Grath cries about stuff. I already own that in too many analog formats." Well guess what, buddy?! Never before have you felt sorry for Mr. Madden for 9:25 straight. As in, with no breaks. This isn't the kind of pity you feel for 2 minutes and then it's emotional break time. Oh no. House Boat fucks your heart and fingers your emotions while they're sleeping on this one. Haus Butt is re-paving the pop punk world. It's the 21st century and that means we get pop punk songs longer than the album version of "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd now (current pop punk bands, take note).
The incredibly entertaining comic book-style album art accompanies the title track, "21st Century Breakroom." So in case you can't imagine what's going on in the lyrics, you've got cartoon drawings of cum rags, a brain in a cage, a bloody volcano head, the 5-0 and a guy with a basketball for a head smoking a d00b. All of which happen in the song and leave you feeling pretty dirty actually. The album art is a parody of Big Brother & the Holding Company's album art from Cheap Thrills, which was done by Robert Crumb. So that's side A. And it's all right, but side B is where House Boat really shines.
Side B features a song titled, "Suburban Grit;" the best song on the record, in my opinion. In this one, Grath spills his heart about how he gave said heart to a girl (I'm assuming), and she left it on the floor in the basement for a solid century. Then she returns to him (having not aged a day), puts her hand on his and it's ice cold. Nothing triggers empathy, pain and letdown like "Suburban Grit." This song could be the plot of a movie; it's that good.
The LP is available through Servo at Bloated Kat Records here. The MP3s are available from Grath via Bandcamp here. And if you're a cheap son of a bitch, you can still be a House Boat fan by listening to the entire record below.
Read a review of Thorns of Life here.
Read a review/see pics and video of their performance at the Don Giovanni Records Showcase 2012 here.
Read a review of The Delaware Octopus here.

 

Review: Screaming Females @ Subterranean, Thursday, 4/12/2012

By Jason Duarte

Originally published by Gaper's Block

New Brunswick, NJ's Screaming Females are not just another three-piece punk band. It would be unfair and inaccurate to pigeonhole their sound as simply punk, garage or indie because it's all too vague. If you threw indie, garage, punk, noise, pop and a dash of darkness into a blender and set it to high, walked out of the kitchen, forgot about the blender, then came back an hour later, you'd come back to a huge mess, blended to perfection. Soak it up, wring it into a glass, introduce some radiation from your microwave and then you have Screaming Females.

Screamales, as the band's fans refer to them, played the Subterranean in Wicker Park Thursday night in support of its new fifth studio full length; the Steve Albini-engineeredUgly, out on Don Giovanni Records. Screaming Females' vocalist/guitarist Marissa Paternoster has a voice that carries the Riot Grrl torch. It isn't "pretty;" actually, it's quite an acquired taste, but once the taste graces the palate, a Screamales song to a fan is the bell to Pavlov's dog.

The Females played fan favorites like "Laura and Marty" and the ever-melodic, "I Don't Mind It" off its 2010 full length, Castle Talk. Paternoster's patented screaming plays a more dominant role on the Screamales' earlier songs like "Theme Song" or "The Real Mothers" off What If Someone Is Watching Their T.V.? To watch her transition from singing to screaming is to watch Lon Chaney Jr. turn into the Wolfman just for a few seconds before turning back. It appears she unhinges her jaw and flips a switch into her alter ego, engulfing the microphone with her mouth and letting loose a barrage of sound, bellowing from the depths of some seemingly faraway hollow place.

The Screamales added some new ones to their set; their first single and the first track on Ugly, "It All Means Nothing" as well as "Rotten Apples," which much of the crowd already knew. Fans were eagerly pogo-ing, singing along to Paternoster's urgent lyrics and moving their bodies to her gritty guitar solos, which were orchestrated well with bassist Mike Abbate's driving, progressive bass chords. The Screamales inspired camaraderie between fans last night. The total stranger next to me who was losing his mind noticed I knew the words to some tunes, so he proceeded to grab my shoulder several times throughout the set as if to say, "How about that one!?"

The band had an interesting stage presence — Paternoster is short and fiesty-looking, whereas Abbate is tall, silent and has a gentle demeanor, and drummer Jarrett Dougherty falls somewhere between the two, and always wears what looks like a Polynesian kukui nut necklace. The band isn't one for stage banter and when Paternoster does speak, she sounds apathetic and complacent — but in a cool way. She'll say, "Here's another song." A female audience member yelled, "Marissa, my boyfriend loves you!" to which Marissa, looking unimpressed replied, "That's nice." The flattery kept coming, which seemed to make things just a little awkward, since it wasn't reciprocated. They blazed through some more tunes before closing the night strong and without an encore.