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Hi and thanks for reading. Today I will be writing about this LATIN DOGS 7”, although I don’t really have much to say about it, haha. It’s the only record I bought in the last two weeks, so that’s why I’m wiring about it I guess. I think this record actually came out last year and we just restocked it. I did not know who THE LATIN DOGS were in 2024, though. Er maybe. Definitely not in 2023, though. I just learned about this shit recently when my friend was selling a copy. The original seems quite hard to come by aka expensive as hell, so I thought it would be smart to go ahead and pick this up. I remember jamming it when Eric was trying to sell his copy, but it didn’t really stick with me. Upon listening again, I can definitely see why haha. This is some of that early hardcore shit, I mean like when they have kinda weak vocals with this gnarly ass guitar tone that keeps me hooked. Danny is always making fun of me cos I am super picky about vocals. It’s true. I also think that USHC bands tend to have snotty or whiny sounding vocals, and that’s like my least favorite shit ever.

THE LATIN DOGS were from Michigan, an hour or two from Detroit. I really don’t know many bands from Michigan. Off the top of my head comes NEGATIVE APPROACH and THE FIX. I discovered ANGRY RED PLANET last year. They were from Detroit and their first EP is killer. This one is in the same realm of kinda weak vocals. They aren’t actually weak; it’s just he’s straight up singing, haha. For some reason they don’t bother me at all, and the EP hits me hard, especially when “Mummy From Hollywood” plays. The YouTube rip is considerably shittier than the record, but whatever. I’m guessing this band is relatively popular since their second EP is on Touch And Go, but I have no idea. I checked that one out a few times and I do not like it. It’s not bad, it’s just so melodic. Maybe one day, haha.

Anyways, if you aren’t familiar with this LATIN DOGS reissue, check them out. It’s cool early USHC. You will probably like it more than me and you should pick up a copy. That’s all for me this week, thanks for reading and thanks for your support!

Hello Sorry State Newsletter readers. What’s up? Thanks for clicking on us again and supporting independent record stores. It’s been a busy week… at least it felt like it. A lot going on in the world of politics, sport and music. We’ll leave the politics alone for now and of course we’ll talk music, but I couldn’t not mention Liverpool F.C. winning the English Premier League and how happy that makes me feel. Obviously that either means nothing to many of you and might piss off some others, but in the spirit of love and brotherhood I just want to congratulate them and all the other teams that played some beautiful football and provided us with another great season. Although we won it a month ago, there was still something to play for and jeopardy involved for several teams right up to the last day. I couldn’t celebrate fully because I had to work Sunday, but I was at least able to watch the game live on my phone at the counter. LoL. Last night and today have been spent watching all the after-game celebrations and the open top bus parade through the city of Liverpool. Even in the rain they turned out in the thousands. Great stuff. (Although I have just read at the time of writing that there was an incident involving a car crashing into a crowd of people at the end of the parade. I don’t have the details but that’s not the end of the day story we wanted to hear about. Certainly, sending love to the families of those concerned.)

Okay, back to music. The reason you are here. This week I have been trying to catch up with my records to play queue, both at home and at the store. Just too many records and not enough time. We’ve also had a few small record buys during the week and they all had interesting records that I wanted to check out and hear. However, the record that I was excited about most and will select as my pick for this week is the new one from Stereolab, titled Instant Holograms On Metal Film. It was officially released this past Friday, and we did sell out of our copies, but we’ll get some more.

This is the group’s eleventh studio album and the first new music in over a dozen years. They’re also out on tour. John Scott and I have been monitoring the cost of tickets for a sold out show here in North Carolina. It would be cool to get to see them again. I have always liked them, but wouldn’t call myself a huge, huge fan. I bought most of their albums on CD at the time, but have one or two vinyl pressings and have been slowly picking up the nice reissues that have been coming out over the past few years. Stereolab were formed over thirty years ago and have released a lot of music. In addition to the eleven studio albums, there are several volumes of singles, B-sides, outtakes and demos collections. Lots of music and lots of records to collect if you like them. I certainly have a long way to go to own them all. However, with Stereolab, you can almost jump in with any of their records. Sure, to the connoisseur, there are some albums and songs that are considered to be their best, but the overall quality has never dropped really, and the sound doesn’t drastically change from record to record. They are dependably the same, yet the music is always different. That’s a contradiction I know, but it’s true. This new album is no different in my opinion. It could have come out at any time during their prime. A couple of weeks ago John Scott was playing various Stereolab albums and the new one had a few tracks available to stream. He switched to them and, as we were listening, I couldn’t tell that we had changed and were listening to the new material.

I bought a vinyl copy so that Matt and I would have one to play on our radio show and did get to play a track on today’s show. It’s still a little too early for me to pick out a favorite, but I have played it in full a few times now and can honestly say it is a good record, and I am enjoying it. A worthy return after so many years away.

I’m going to assume everyone reading knows about Stereolab, but if perhaps you are younger and missed out on them or they just didn’t make your radar, I would highly recommend you investigate. Providing what they do is a sound you dig. I think they have universal appeal. They draw from lots of different places for inspiration. Electronic music and Avant Garde mixed with pop and easy listening. Bossa Nova next to 60s French Pop. It’s all there in the mix. Reliable, dependable, inspiring, thought provoking, danceable, fun, cool and never boring. All things you could label them with.

Last week in the newsletter Daniel mentioned that we had responded to requests to stock Broadcast records in the store and so we did, and they have been getting snagged by many of you. Broadcast and Stereolab often get mentioned together as they came to fame around the same time, share similar influences and have a similar esthetic. I wanted to pick up a couple of their records on vinyl too, as I only had CDs of most of them. One that I did grab and have been enjoying is their Peel Sessions compilation titled Maida Vale, named after the BBC studios where the sessions were recorded. This set compiles three Peel sessions from the late 90s along with a fourth recorded for the Evening Session program. Fantastic stuff and another band worthy of investigation if you are unfamiliar. Sadly, both groups share more than just a sound. Tragedy hit both. Stereolab lost long time member Mary Hansen in 2002 to a traffic accident and Broadcast lost lead singer Trish Keenan to pneumonia in 2011. These radio sessions are terrific and highly recommended, as are any of the Broadcast studio albums really. Do yourself a favor and check them out too. Between the two groups they epitomize the sound of the 90s discovering lost sounds from the 60s and 70s.

Okay, the deadline bell is tolling. That’ll have to do it for this week. Thanks again for reading and see you next time.

Cheers - Dom

What’s up Sorry Staters? I hope everyone has been holding up alright. Things have been busy for me with Jeff gone. He’s a total workhorse, so getting all his work covered while he’s not here is a challenge. I apologize if the newsletter has felt thin for the past few weeks. Partly that’s me having more to do, and partly it’s because I’ve been focusing on other parts of Sorry State. Running Sorry State often feels like struggling with a half-inflated balloon… when I get a handle on one part of it, the air gets pushed to another part and that gets out of control. If I’m really on the ball with the newsletter, no doubt I’ve gotten behind on ordering new stock or doing accounting or some other thing that needs to get done. I used to fantasize about perfecting a workflow that kept everything in check, but lately I’ve been more at peace with the idea that I can’t spread my attention evenly across everything that needs it.

No doubt part of the reason I haven’t been writing as much for the newsletter is that I’ve been struggling with burnout. I’ve learned to recognize when this is happening because I stop listening to as much music. When I get home at night, rather than throwing a record, I prefer to sit in silence, maybe reading or meditating. I’ve also been playing a lot of solitaire on my iPad, which I find relaxing. It’s such a pointless activity, but that’s kind of what I like about it. I can do it quickly or slowly, and it doesn’t really matter. Sometimes I win and sometimes I don’t, and I just have to accept that. Putting in more effort won’t help me get more out of it, so it reminds me to kind of let go. My brain likes to turn everything into some grand, goal-oriented project, but solitaire resists that mindset, which I think is good for me.

Even though I haven’t been listening to music as much as I normally do, I’m still listening to a lot by any other standard than my own. Aside from the Steröid LP that I’m still spinning regularly (Zack at the 185 Miles South podcast put it perfectly when he said there’s something weirdly comforting about this album, like a warm blanket), the record I’ve been getting the most pleasure from is this 1982 12” from Spain’s La Broma De Ssatán.

La Broma De Ssatán: S/T 12” (Victoria, 1982)

While I don’t think this is an unknown record by any stretch of the imagination, it’s one I can’t remember hearing anyone talk about before. I think I discovered it on some late-night internet research deep dive and added it to my “to listen” list. It usually takes several months (at minimum) for me to actually listen to something I add to that list, and then it takes a few listens before I decide whether I like it enough to add it to my vinyl want list. And then who knows how long it’ll take for a copy to pop up. So I probably checked this record out many months, if not years, ago. By the time a copy appeared on Discogs, I didn’t really remember what it sounded like, but I was buying something else from the seller. I decided to trust whatever former version of myself added this to my want list and pulled the trigger. I’m glad I did.

La Broma De Ssatán was from Madrid, Spain and formed in the late 70s. This 1982 12” EP was the only thing they released during the band’s original run. With seven songs in under 15 minutes, it’s a lean, no-nonsense affair. It’s funny, there are so many of these short-ass 45 RPM 12”s these days that I associate that format with the current era of DIY punk and hardcore, but there were a lot of short and sweet EPs in the 80s too. This record reminds me of records like TSOL’s first 12”, Kohu-63’s Valtaa Ei Loistoa, or Dead Kennedys In God We Trust, Inc. All those bands have full albums, and while the aforementioned EPs can feel one-dimensional in comparison, there’s something to be said for how the EPs distill the respective bands’ sounds to a more potent essence. Since La Broma De Ssatán didn’t release any other music, it’s hard to say whether this 12” offers a limited view of their sound, but it has the same kind of focused intensity I associate with those other classic punk 12” EPs.

With mostly sub-2-minute songs that are uniformly fast yet tuneful, La Broma De Ssatán’s 12” hits that perfect fuzzy spot between punk and hardcore. I hear similarities to Bad Religion’s How Could Hell Be Any Worse, but as with a lot of punk bands from Spain, I definitely hear the Clash’s influence on La Broma De Ssatán. The last track, “Vete A Morir A El Salvador” reminds me of “Capitol Radio,” but all the songs are tough and hooky in a way that will appeal to anyone who loves the Clash’s first album. The production here is a lot clearer, though, reminding me of the minimally-produced, live-sounding early 80s recordings I love so much. There’s only one guitar track and nothing is super distorted, which really helps show off the band’s playing. La Broma De Ssatán had been around for a few years by the time they recorded this record, and it shows. Not only is their playing tight and powerful, but also each musician really understands their role in the band and how best to serve the song. Notice how the bassist builds tension with a cool little fill right before the chorus to “Conflicto Mundial,” which really amplifies the chorus’s power. Most songs also start with a hooky little guitar riff (the one on the first song, “Terrorismo Autorizado,” kind of nods to “Pretty Vacant”), which reminds me of the way so many great 60s nuggets kick off. While the production is minimal, at their core La Broma De Ssatán’s songs are tightly constructed pop tunes.

I didn’t learn much about La Broma De Ssatán in my research (I’m sure a Spanish speaker would have better luck), but one factoid I gleaned is that the group was unhappy with this record’s artwork. That surprised me at first because I love the artwork… if I had flipped past this in a bin, I’d definitely want to hear it even if I knew nothing about it. Thinking about it more, though, I guess I get it. The band has been working on these songs for years, and I’m sure they wanted artwork that looked powerful and classic, but the record label intervenes and gives them… a drawing of a punk house cat with goofy, sub-Fast Times at Ridgemont High lettering. I love how it’s such a time capsule, though. And in the label’s defense, when this was released on Radikal 1977 Records in 2009 with band-approved artwork, their design did not exactly blow me away.

It’s crazy to me that some 30 years into buying punk records, I still regularly find bands and records like that that I’ve never heard of and are so killer. If this one sounds interesting to you, I strongly recommend giving it a quick listen on youtube. See ya in the bins!

Hello Sorry Staters! It's been a rainy mess here this past week, but is finally starting to clear up over the weekend (when I am writing this). Flipping through my records trying to pick out what to listen to, I notice that I have a lot of 90s revival grunge music that I was heavily into seeking out 8 or so years ago. Bands that I discovered in that time period have come and gone in my brain, but a few have stuck out to me for maybe one really catchy song on the album or just the sheer nostalgia that it gives me for being a 90s teenager. I know every generation has their “they don't make music like this” moment, and I sure did before doing some digging on my own. The bands that really stood out to me were Supercrush, Big Bite and Bugg. The sound was just there for me. It brought me back to that grunge era without being copycats. They were all doing their own thing but making it sound like it would have been in my walkman while riding the bus home from school.

Out of that list, Bugg is the one I find myself going back to the most. Hailing from Bloomington, Indiana (home of another label that shaped my teenage/early adult years, Plan-It-X Records, but that's for another staff pick!), Bugg is a duo of drummer Justin Hatton (also the drummer for Laffing Gas) and guitarist and lead singer Kora Puckett (also in Narrow Head). Bugg's first and only album would come out in 2017 on Pop Wig Records, home of a ton of other really kick ass bands from that time. Lyrically, the album is just what you think it is; it's melancholy at times, but also very much giving a finger to the world, just wanting to do your own thing and finding that trust in yourself. For example, in the song “Bleached.,” Kora sings, “He says I could use all the help I could get / Bullshit / She says I afford a friend or two / Fuck you.” Everything about this album is great and sounds like it could have come out in the 90s and fit right in. Do yourself a favor and check the record out. I'm almost certain it’s pretty cheap on Discogs right now.

Lots of other really awesome records have been listed on the site recently including some of my favorites: the new Johnny Skin 12”, the new Lust Online: Go Outside 12” and the Perverts Again: The New Man 12” as well as a TON of used CDs! Until next time! Thanks for reading my very tiny corner of the internet!

What’s up Sorry State readers? I hope everyone has had a nice week. Last week Scarecrow opened up for TV Smith’s Adverts and it was sick. Both bands absolutely killed it. When he came on stage, he dubbed Scarecrow “the hardest band in the world,” so get that etched in stone. Tuesday May 20th, Ultimate Disaster is playing at Kings alongside Starving Bomb and From Below, so that should be a great show as well. If you’re in Raleigh or any of the surrounding areas definitely check it out. Speaking of shows at Kings, another one happening at the end of the month is what leads me to my pick for this week. I saw a video someone shared on Instagram of this band called TAKAAT playing and it sounded really good, so I clicked on the bands profile and saw they were on tour and were conveniently coming to play at Kings on May 30th. I thought they kinda looked/sounded familiar, and then realized the three of them are actually the rhythm section of Mdou Moctar. Apparently this side project came together while they were on tour and doing sound checks, when they realized they had a shared common interest of cranking the amp up all the way and having that blown out sound. They released this four song 10” and it sounds great; I’ve really been digging it. Definitely some good guitar shredding going down on here. I think they’re sold out of copies on their bandcamp, but we still have some available as I’m writing this. I’m really excited to see them in person too. I think it’ll be a really great show. Hopefully they have the volume cranked up to the max.

Hi and thanks for reading. I finally got around to listening to TÀRREGA 91’s new record, Ckaos Total, and I think it’s a certified ripper. It’s silly I took this long to getting around to jamming it, as their previous 7” Fill De La Merda was a previous staff pick of mine. I was chatting with a friend at THE ADVERTS gig the other day, and he was going on about how good the new one is. I didn’t even realize until today that Daniel wrote the album’s description for the label, haha. Of course, it is very well-written, and he gets the points across with ease. If you are a fan of MG 15, or maybe ANTI-DOGMATIKSS, and haven’t checked out TÀRREGA 91’ yet, you definitely should! Between their debut, Fill De La Merda, and this record, there are some subtle changes in the band’s sound. For one, the production on Ckaos Total is much better than the 7”. Fill De La Merda was not poor quality in my opinion though, and I might actually prefer it to the cleaner sound found on Ckaos Total. TÀRREGA 91’ is fast and locked-in, so the cleaner recording almost suits them better in a way. They play much tighter and less chaotic than ANTI-DOGMATIKSS did, so it felt kinda weird comparing them cos of that, but maybe you can hear what I mean. I found it interesting there are no mid-tempo songs until the final track on Ckaos Total. Half of the songs on the 7” were slow, so I expected to hear some more groovy stuff. While the final track on Ckaos Total is a mid-tempo song, it’s much more on the “A Look At Tomorrow” side of things than the groovy side for sure. If you’re just getting tapped into TÀRREGA 91’, I wanted to point out the band is named after their small town and the year that antisocial riots that nearly burnt down the town hall, which ended with the arrest of 86 youths.

La Vida released this record alongside a new KALEIDOSCOPE LP. I have yet to dive into KALEIDOSCOPE, as I don’t have a personal copy yet. I listened to it one time online and, man, it really hit the spot for me. If for some reason you haven’t checked that one out yet, I suggest you do and secure your copy now! Alright, I think that’s all for the week then. Thanks for reading and thanks for your support!

Hi everyone and thanks for taking time to read our newsletter. We appreciate it. This week I am writing with relative ease compared to last week as cool-ass boss Daniel, after learning my laptop was on the fritz, literally went out the next day and bought me a brand new one. So, I am counting my blessings and enjoying the major upgrade. The only thing that I don’t have this week (as usual) is a lot of time, and I am writing to catch the deadline.

Our week here in Raleigh had a brilliant hump-day bump when punk hero TV Smith & The Adverts played local venue Kings, and our very own Scarecrow got to open. TV Smith was incredible. His current crop of Adverts nailed every tune and between them they delivered a professional yet full of fun set. Everyone watching had grins wider than the Cheshire Cat. We even had a chance to chat with TV and the band briefly afterwards. It was a terrific evening and one we won’t forget.

The week also saw lots of boxes of records getting delivered to the store and they all contained cool records. It’s hard to know where to begin.

I was happy to take home a copy of the Soul Jazz compilation called Secret Superstar Sounds that we restocked. Check that out if you like obscure punk and power pop from the late 1970s and early 1980s. As usual with all Soul Jazz comps, the selections are all faultless and afford us poor saps the chance to hear and own some expensive and hard to find tunes on vinyl. I do own a copy of the Tours record that is on this one, however, and it’s a definite highlight.

We are all big fans of the Inscrutable Records label, and we were able to stock up on their latest releases and restock on some of the older titles. Personally, I think every record the label has put out thus far has been ace. I’ve liked them all. Some more than others, but they all have been worth listening to. Of the current crop, my favorite is Lust Online and their Go Outside E.P. If you like dream-pop and shoegaze, then these guys might do it for you. From Oklahoma City apparently, but playing more like an 80s 4AD band from Dorset. Or something like that. They play it well and have good tunes. Check them out.

Talking of 4AD, the great record label, both Jeff and I were tempted to buy the Xmal Deutschland box set that came in. Luckily for both our wallets, some of you bought the copies we had. I might still get one yet, and we’ll do our best to restock it asap. If you haven’t heard these records, I would highly recommend checking them out. Certainly, if you like Cocteau Twins and Siouxsie & The Banshees, along with other similar bands from the early 80s, you’ll no doubt enjoy these recordings. Trying to track down vinyl copies of their records is not easy or cheap, so getting this set makes a lot of sense. You get the two albums they did for the label, namely Fetisch and Tocsin, plus tracks from the two E.P.’s they released called Incubus Succubus II and Qual. I like the first album Fetisch the most I think, but am not so familiar with them to quantify that in any real way. I like what I have heard. There’s a collection of their earlier singles before 4AD available that we’ll try to stock for you also. They did go on to record two more albums to see out the 1980s, but these were after leaving 4AD, the first on their own Xile label. The sound on these is more in synch with the electronic rock and alternative rock of the late 80s. A bit more polished than their previous era, but still in a darkwave vein. Worth having a listen to. So also, are their Peel sessions, which saw a vinyl release. My advice to you, if you see any of these records in a record store and they seem reasonably priced, would be to grab them as they rarely show up, especially this side of the pond. Which makes the price tag on this current set seem reasonable all things considered.

Finally, in keeping with the vibe of the previous two choices, I would highly recommend a new release on Feel It Records by Kilynn Lunsford called Promiscuous Genes. She’s an artist that has been on the scene for a while now, making music in a bunch of different groups and projects. Left of center and experimental for the most part, but reminding me on this latest record of the sort of stuff that you would find on Crass Records or On-U Sound and other such progressive labels from the 80s. A point made by the great Ian Svenonius in his review/press release for the record. Rather than try to say what he has already said in a different way, you should just click here and read his blurb. It’s spot on. Point being, the record is cool and hits a lot of spots. Plus, the cover art is amusing, and the packaging comes with a nice lyric booklet. I’ve only spun it a few times since picking it up, but like lead track “Nice Quiet Horror Show.” Check her out.

Okay, I could keep going talking about more great records, new and old, that we have currently, but must stop here and get this delivered. Check out our webstore and the rest of the newsletter for all the stuff I missed.

Cheers to you all and bon voyage to Jeff as he heads off to Europe. Safe trip and have a killer time buddy.

-Dom

Hello Sorry Staters! Another week past means another staff pick for ya'll to read! Not much has been going on in my world other than playoff hockey and going to see my mom and hang out with her over this past weekend. I have been throwing on wide variety of music this past week, everything from James Brown to the Dickies and my most listened to this week is a record that we have had at the store for a while: Harley Poe's Satan, Sex and No Regrets. Imagine the Violent Femmes but with lyrics about being a murderer, cannibalism and even a song about what happens to your body when you die. Very much influenced by the macabre and horror movies, the record is actually quite fun, weird and very catchy. Harley Poe's catalog of music used to be very hard to come by, but a good chunk of the catalog is being put out/repressed by Say-10 Records out of Richmond, VA and Chain Smoking Records. This particular record can go for $100+, but is totally worth it. We currently have the 10” of Pinocchio Pariah on the webstore and at the shop, so check it out and pick it up! As always I have been listing a ton of CDs so you should pick out a few on your next order! Until next time Sorry Staters! Enjoy your week and do something that makes you happy!

What’s up Sorry State readers? I hope everyone has had a nice week. Last week I wrote about my favorite movie director, Stanley Kubrick, and this week I’m writing about my other favorite director, David Lynch. Well not exactly, but an album that he produced alongside frequent collaborator Angelo Badalamenti, Floating Into The Night by Julee Cruise. This album was released in 1989 and some of the songs on here would be featured on the Twin Peaks soundtrack the following year. The whole album has that same dream like flow and feel to it that a lot of David Lynch’s work has. It always gives me a kind of melancholy feeling whenever I listen to it, but sometimes that’s nice. One song in particular I really like on here is Rockin Back Inside My Heart. It’s just a very pretty song. I remember the first time I heard it was in a scene in Twin Peaks where Julee Cruise is performing it. It was stuck in my head after hearing it, and then I looked it up and was led to this album and was like, “oh shit I’ve heard a bunch of these songs in the show.” Anyways, good album to check out even if you’ve never watched the show or anything.

Hi and thanks for reading. Today I will be writing about this MERCENÁRIAS reissue. I apologize, as I write there are only 2 copies left in stock, one of which I will be taking. Oh update, Daniel got the last copy, haha. So, my photo above won’t make any sense until you get to the bottom of my staff pick. Daniel was the one who originally introduced me to MERCENÁRIAS, via Cadê As Armas? I remember then, as well as now, he was surprised I dig them, haha. I guess this band is categorized as post-punk? I don’t know anything about that genre really. There are probably a lot of bands that sound similar to MERCENÁRIAS, but I don’t think they’d really grab me like these guys do. I guess I shouldn’t say guys, cos the band was comprised of all women! I was telling Daniel I didn’t wanna sound stupid (aka sexist) but MERCENÁRIAS remind me of THE SLITS, or FITNESS WOMXN. He told me that FITNESS WOMXN actually covered MERCENÁRIAS! I had no idea, though. I love FITNESS WOMXN, but I did not know who MERCENÁRIAS was back then. It wasn’t until we got that 2021(?) reissue of their LP in stock that I was introduced to them via Daniel. I guess I should specify, it was their first LP Cadê As Armas? I didn’t know they had another LP that came out 1987, as well as this demo from 1983 that I should probably start talking about already.

This demo was previously reissued by Nada Nada Discos ten years ago and Sorry State had copies. Again, I had no idea who they were back then, so I did not get a copy. Nada Nada teamed up with Munster Records for this most recent pressing. I probably would have missed this one too honestly. I had fulfilled some orders and that’s when I realized we had some MERCENÁRIAS shit in stock. This probably sounds awfully silly since I work here, but we stock so many titles it’s hard to keep track of everything coming in. Alongside the demo 7”, we got this 1983-1987 LP that compiles outtakes from both LPs, some live stuff, and another studio session that was never released. I checked this one a little bit, but it doesn’t quite keep me hooked like their LP or this demo. I will have to give it a more in-depth listen. If you’re curious to hear this one and don’t know where it’s streaming, check the label’s bandcamp page.

I remember Daniel telling me the band’s live performances were really raw and intense compared to the studio recordings. I think that sound is captured on their demo. I mean that obviously makes sense; there are like three years between those two releases. On the LP it sounds like they’ve improved at their instruments, and their songwriting flows more like what I imagine post-punk to sound like. I love how the demo sounds kinda rigid/janky, and the vocals really caught me by surprise. They almost don’t fit the music, making it even more sick to my ears. For some reason the first thing I thought was UNITED MUTATION; they don’t really sound anything like that but maybe you know what I mean. They shed this style when it comes time for their debut and grew into more palatable singing. I originally heard “Policia” on the LP and it stood out as one of my favorite tracks. I was so stoked to hear this song on the demo as well. When that song came over my speakers I made my order immediately, haha.

OK before I go, I wanted to mention this tape I bought this week that we do still have in stock – LOTTI BIGOTTI. It’s funny this week I am writing about two releases that are not hardcore at all… what’s happening? I saw a friend of mine with good taste made an order this week, and this tape was in the midst of the stack. It was one of the only titles I didn’t recognize, and I realized we had just gotten it in stock. I don’t have a tape player at work, but I was able to stream the demo on bandcamp. I think I was two songs in and I had already made my order, haha. I have no idea what style of music this is. They say “dark punk” on their bandcamp. It definitely has some goth-y vibes, but they are subtle. Maybe reminiscent of MUSTA PARAATI at times? It’s certainly on the punk side of the fence, though. I also find them reminding me of TOŽIBABE with the dissonant elements of some songs. And then at times it reminds me of some anarcho stuff too, like maybe PART 1? Oh duh, “deathrock.” That must be what they are going for, right? Haha. This band is from Budapest, which is another thing I think is super cool about it, as I know virtually no bands from Hungary. I’ve mentioned before, but I won’t write about a tape unless I have bought it too since tapes are not so cheap these days. I’ve heard bands that sound similar, but they usually get boring fast for me and/or the vocal style is awful. I think this tape is excellent and you should buy it, too. Alright, that’s it for today. Cheers and thanks for reading.

Hey there everyone! Thanks for clicking on the SSR newsletter again this week. It gets worse by the hour here in America so I won't try to keep up with the latest lawless and fascist moves our government is making, but suffice to say it's bad.

What to pick this week? We've had a bunch of cool new records and tapes come in this week along with some tasty used titles. If you hadn't heard, the store currently has a lot of in demand video game soundtracks and a whole bunch of pop punk records from the late 90s and early 00s. Not my bag personally, but a lot of people were geeking out hard on these over the weekend. Stop by and take a gander if you are in town.

The kind of early 2000s pop punk I like is the kind made by a band that I know many of you reading will know and love dearly. I'm talking about The Exploding Hearts, the terrific but tragically short lived band from Portland who effortlessly combined punk and power pop so well.

Again, I have Jeff here at SSR and our always homie Eric Chubb for turning me on to these guys. When a copy of Guitar Romantic came into the store, their first and only album, back when I started working here, we jammed it and I instantly fell in love with record. I'm not sure whether that was an original pressing or a reissue, but finally a couple of years ago the album was reissued in a remastered and expanded edition, and it's that version which I now have. Such a great record. So many hooks and earworm riffs and sing-along choruses. If they were trying to sound like a cross between The Clash, early Scientists and Buzzcocks, to name three potential influences, then they nailed it.

The story about the band is a tragic one though, and very sad. Poised on the brink of major success, everything came to an abrupt end when traveling home from a triumphant gig in San Francisco in late July 2003. They were involved in a horrific accident that took the lives of three of the band members. Adam, Jeremy and Matt were all still in their early 20s. My heart goes out to their family and friends and everyone else that knew them. I can't imagine how hard it was to hear that news, and I'm sure it hasn't got any easier. RIP guys. For the world they left behind we have this album, some singles and a great collection of unreleased mixes and demos plus hard to find singles collection called Shattered. That collection recently came into the store and I had to exercise my record store employee privilege and snag that bad boy. It's brilliant and has their awesome single (Making) Teenage Faces on it, which if you can find a copy will cost you a fair penny.

Luckily there is also video footage of the band available if you dig around the internet. These clips and the records will ensure they won't be forgotten. Their legacy will live on. If you already know then you know, but for those late for the party like me then I would highly recommend you seek out Guitar Romantic and Shattered asap in whatever form you consume your music. Obviously we all prefer vinyl, but until you can get yourself a copy go stream 'em.

I've had to write this on my phone as my computer decided to act weird, so I can't leave links, but you're all smart people and know how to use the Internet.

Okay, that's going to have to be it for me. Have a great week and see you next time.

Cheers - Dom

What’s up Sorry Staters?

Another Monday… (or is it Tuesday?) I can’t keep up anymore. This time next week, all you readers won’t be hearing from me like usual. Come Monday, May 19th, I’ll be on a plane flying over to the UK. Public Acid is about to embark on our month-long European tour. Do I feel prepared for that adventure at this moment? Uuuuuhhh, I’ll get back to ya on that. How I really feel is totally INSANE. Haha, this trip really snuck up on me. Of course, I’m super excited. Honestly, a change of scenery sounds really nice at the moment. Can’t help but feel pumped to get the fuck out of this country for a while. Stoked to play rad gigs, visit a few countries I’ve never been to, and most all, to finally get to visit with friends in person who live far away. I need to buy some fucking socks.

Before I leave though… This Wednesday (May 14th), Scarecrow is playing at Kings in Raleigh with The Adverts! I just love The Adverts. Stoked to have an opportunity to jam out to TV Smith and the gang. It’ll be fun to be behave like a bunch of bored teenagers for one night.

I don’t really have a great staff pick lined up for this week. I do wanna give a little shout out to another local shop in town called the Pour House. Recently, they acquired a pretty killer 80s metal collection, apparently some dude who just casually walked through the door one day. Definitely heavy on thrash metal. Megaforce pressings of Metallica records, Megadeth, Slayer, etc. Rachel (who some of you may remember used to work here at Sorry State) gave me heads up about the collection. I darted over there as soon as the records were available for sale. The main record I wanted and was so stoked to grab was the under the radar THRASHterpiece Power And Pain by the mighty Whiplash! This record has been on my wantlist for YEARS. But I refused to buy it from some punisher on the internet for way overblown price. Rachel hooked me up big time.

Whiplash is a New Jersey band, and Power And Pain came out in 1985. So pretty early on in the thrash game! Unlike the operatic vocal stylings of other East Coast thrash staples like Overkill and Anthrax, I always thought Whiplash had a way more aggressive style. Everything about their sound is just the most extreme, the most shredding, the most ridiculous… in the best way possible. If I remember correctly, I think one of the dudes from Whiplash had a hand in helping Agnostic Front write the Cause For Alarm record. So yeah, the crossover record. And funny enough, even though the collection at Pour House was mostly straight metal, the dude also had Cause For Alarm in his collection. For me, just throw on the beautifully titled track “Power Thrashing Death,” and you’ll get what Whiplash is all about. Highly recommend.

That’s all I’ve got for this week. And yall won’t hear from me for several more weeks. International friends reading this, below is Public Acid’s tour schedule. If there’s a gig nearby you, I hope you come out to the show and say hello!

21/05 - Bristol, UK
22/05 - Newcastle, UK
23-24/05 - NOISE ANNOYS - Sheffield, UK
25/05 - London, UK
26/05 - Antwerp, Belgium
27/05 - Paris, France
28/05 - St. Etienne, France
29/05 - Bordeaux, France
30/05 - Zarautz, Basque Country ES
31/05 - Barcelona, Spain
02/06 - Athens, Greece
04/06 - Uppsala, Sweden
05/06 - Umeå, Sweden
06/06 - Helsinki, Finland
07/06 - Tampere, Finland
08/06 - Turku, Finland
10/06 - Stockholm, Sweden
11/06 - Oslo, Norway
12/06 - Gothernburg, Sweden
13-15/06 - K-TOWN HARDCORE FESTIVAL

As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til June,

-Jeff