Review: Before the release of their highly anticipated new full-length, 'Please Don't Take Me Back'; set to drop this October, Durham City's favourite emo/pop-punk outfit, Martha, offer a taster of what's to come with this 7" single, featuring the upcoming LP's opening cut, 'Beat, Perpetual'. While a sonically light-hearted yet earnest ode to the road and world of touring, the lyrics weigh up the isolated nature of the past two years that completely changed the core members working dynamic and livelihoods, while the b-side boasts a rapturous cover of 'Dreaming Out Loud', by Wisconsin indie group Tenement. A short sweet single to wet beaks and fan anticipation before the real deal arrives come autumn.
Review: In January 1983, Minor Threat went into Inner Ear Studio for the first time as a five-piece (Brian Baker had moved from bass to second guitar and Steve Hansgen was now playing bass). They had six new songs that would end up being the centerpiece of what became the 'Out Of Step' 12" EP. The band had also decided to re-record the song 'Out Of Step' with some extra language to try to clarify the lyrics, as well as 'Cashing In', a tongue-in-cheek song about the DC punk scene which they had only played live once. After much debate, 'Cashing In' was added as a hidden track on the original vinyl release, though not listed on the cover or label. There was still blank tape on the reel, so they decided to record an instrumental with the working title, 'Addams Family' and then recorded new versions of 'In My Eyes' and 'Filler' to hear what they sounded like with two guitars. 'Addams Family' ended up being used as a coda to 'Cashing In', but the other two songs were never mixed and largely forgotten for over 35 years until the multitrack tapes were taken into the studio to be digitised in 2021. Surprised by the discovery, Ian and Don Zientara mixed the two songs along with the complete take of 'Addams Family'. These outtakes are now released on a 7" to mark the 40th anniversary of the release of 'Out Of Step'.
Review: Founded in 1977 in New Jersey, The Misfits are regularly cited as progenitors of horror punk. Whether you have examples of bands that set the tone for that sub-genre earlier is, of course, another point entirely. Nevertheless, the outfit, which are still going today, laid down a blueprint for a take on punk that was at once rowdy and gnarly, but also conceptual and artistic.
Not that you really need to focus on those aspects when listening to the raucous and frenetic 'Horror Business'. If you prefer, it's just as easy to centre on the shout-y chorus and relentless riff that carry the track to its cacophonous conclusion. Also included here is the runaway train-ride of 'Teenagers From Mars', and equally uncompromising 'Children in Heat'. A masterclass of why louder is often better.
Review: Originally released at the dawn of the new millennium in the 2000th year of our Lord, The 'Miracle Of Shame' was an EP from Berkley, California 80s pop-punk legends The Mr T Experience. Their only project to feature bassist Gabe Meline as an official member following his studio contributions to the preceding years' full-length Alcatraz (their final work with Joel Reader handling bass duties), the credits also cite Erik Noyes on Hammond organ as an official member, as he'd previously recorded with the band on 1997's Revenge Is Sweet & So Are You as well as Alcatraz but had never been considered an official member. Reissued on a 1-sided etched green vinyl 12" (like any true punk EP should be), the material gives the almost guaranteed nod to The Ramones they've become known for (on 'Mr. Ramones'), while the beautifully titled closer 'I Don't Know Where Dan Treacy Lives' is easily one of the greatest punk song titles of the 21st century. No, we will not back that up.
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