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Review: The fantastic James Taylor Quartet delivers a punk-infused track with a powerhouse chorus here that channels the energy of Taylor's time with The Prisoners when supporting The Ramones during their 1986 UK tour. Of that time he has said The Ramones were "incredible-watching their three-hour sets every night at 21 had a huge impact on me. It took until I was 60 to find a way to act on that inspiration." Though The James Taylor Quartet has always had a punky rock 'n' roll vibe in their live shows, this feels fresh and like a new discovery, despite the influence always being present on some level.

Review: With the absolute debacle that is the present day US political landscape, Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra has opted to press his The Guantanamo School of Medicine (originally digital-only) single 'Blunder Blubber' to wax. Originally penned to mark the passing of right-wing scare monger Rush Limbaugh and recorded in 2020 during the Tea Party Revenge Porn sessions, the track served as a major critique of the rise of right-wing extremism, tracing its roots back to Limbaugh's influence and the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine under President Reagan in 1987, a policy change that allowed one-sided political commentary on public airwaves, which Biafra perceives as the floodgates opening to the MAGA mayhem of today, with the vocalist even noting - "I wrote [the song] back when Clinton was president, seeing the writing on the wall. I was hoping never to use it, but we had no choice but to update and perform it now." On the flip is the debut single from The November 3 with their aptly titled 'I Fucked A Republican', dropped during the 2020 Republican National Convention. As both groups and the American left at large are largely shocked and deflated that they're right back where they were this time four years ago, it appears a doubling down of refusal is now vital with this double whammy of sonic middle-fingers now finding a tangible, vinyl home to keep their message permanent and enduring in such worrisome times.

Review: Legendary California punk label Revelation Records recently celebrated their 200th release with this remastered repress of the forever elusive proto-debut album from New York City based hardcore legends Judge, formed by Youth Of Today guitarist John "Porcell" Porcelly and former drummer Mike "Judge" Ferraro. Aptly titled Chung King Can Suck It in staunch rebuke to the recording studio where the band would track the initial sessions for their 1989 LP, only to be provided with the lowest quality tech room within the facility and left at the whims of a mostly absentee cokehead for engineer (a point made all the more ludicrous when considering the member's near-militant straight edge ethos), upon hearing the final mixdowns, a unanimous agreement was reached to begin all over again at a more suitable location. As the original masters had already been sent to the pressing plant before cancellation, 110 copies were produced before they could "stop the presses", with the band eventually re-recording and releasing what is now the highly revered classic Bringin' It Down, while the Chung King recordings would become a much sought-after fan collectible, so much so that a copy sold on Discogs in 2015 for an absurd $6,048, ranking as the most expensive item sold on the site up to that point. Previously only widely available as part of the What It Meant CD-only compilation, this surprise reissue marks the first time these OG recordings have ever been made affordable on wax, while the newly written/recorded Bringin' It Down closer 'Where It Went' has been omitted with the recordings of the original final two cuts 'Holding On' and 'No Apologies' lovingly restored.