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Hi Sorry State friends! Happy holidays to all of you who celebrate and have a good day to everyone else! I always stay at home for the holidays, but for the last several years I have gone up to Ohio for about a week and come back a couple days before Christmas, and this year I didn’t. It feels like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. Usually I stress out about it the couple weeks leading up to the trip and then I get cranky a couple of days before I leave, and this year I feel free. I will really miss seeing some of my family, though. But so glad to not be in an airport or on a plane. If I could press a button and land there, I would do that for sure. Where I live is about 8.5 hours and the route is kind of the worst. And for someone who suffers from car sickness, the thought of making that drive makes me feel nauseous. Anyway, I will have a low key Christmas and holiday season just the way I want! Hopefully reading the newsletter today will help you mentally escape from your family for a little bit (only if you want to, of course). Let’s get into it!

I’ve always liked the Lemonheads, but I guess my opinion is only based on their two early 90s albums, which doesn’t cover the full spectrum of their sound. They don’t evoke super strong feelings of love, but the sound of Evan Dando’s voice is so nostalgic. He just has that voice. That quintessential 90s alternative college rock voice. I think he’s a great songwriter. That said, a lot of the Lemonheads discography is uncharted territory for me. Like this EP right here! Their very first EP, Laughing All the Way to the Cleaners, released independently in 1986.

The EP gained some underground popularity and caught the attention of an independent label, Taang! Records, who would scoop them up shortly after. They released a compilation of hits in 2012 also called Laughing All the Way to the Cleaners. I found it interesting and strange that they used the same album name, but they didn’t include any of these EP songs on the compilation. And by “any,” I just mean the first song on the EP, which 1 million percent should have been on the 2012 comp. More on that below.

Before the Lemonheads entered the alternative rock universe, where they would stay for a million years and with a million lineup changes, they were just a few young Boston punks. In fact, they were still in high school when they recorded this EP. It’s just under five minutes long and it’s good. Especially given they made it in high school. It’s clearly influenced by the Descendants. Side note, they would go on to recruit a member of the Descendants as their bassist.

The first track, Glad I Don’t Know, is the outlier of the bunch, in a really good way. It sounds like Bad Religion meets Screaming Trees. And when I say Screaming Trees, I’m really only talking about the Nearly Lost You song. And when I say Bad Religion, I am specifically referring to the vocals and cadence. I’ve definitely heard this song before. In my opinion, this song is a poppy, alterna-punk gem that showcases Evan Dando’s songwriting ability. You can definitely hear the Evan Dando-ness in his voice, which is more obscured in the next few tracks. It’s this track that gives you some insight into how easily they could transition to the indie/alt-rock scene of the 90s.

The other three tracks are a departure from the style of the first track, but they are all catchy and enjoyable songs. They sound influenced by the Descendents’ Milo Goes to College album. I’ve also heard people say the Replacements. It was rather common in the late 80s for bands to abandon their punk roots, smooth out their rougher edges and transition to a radio-friendly, more money-making, alternative band. Honestly, Evan Dando was better suited for that style, because like I said, he just has that voice.

The Lemonheads, or maybe I should just say Evan Dando, as he is the only original member, have had an interesting career. They’ve amassed just enough fame to secure an audience if they tour, but their set list must be absolutely dominated by the early 90s hits and fan favorites to make the audience happy. Every old band has to play some of their classics, but a lot of bands from that era still make albums that people are excited to hear. Given that I only know It’s a Shame About Ray and Come on Feel the Lemonheads, it was really cool to hear this EP and their first full length (Hate Your Friends, 1987) and become more familiar with their origin.

Anyway, check it out. It was put out by Taang! Records and on orange vinyl. We only have a few left. And I truly mean only a few. And that’s a wrap for me! Thank you so much for reading. It’s been a really fun year here at Sorry State Records, and it flew by so fast. Again, happy holidays! Have fun and be safe! Until next year!

Thanks,

Angela

Hi Sorry State friends! Hope you are all doing well! We’ve been busy little technical bees at SSR headquarters with our transition to a whole new system and way of business life. I think the dust has settled and we’re in a good place. I’m sparing you the details, but I just want to say major hats off to Daniel for getting us here.

Now, in honor of our return to normalcy, I present to you my staff pick. I’ve been excited to write about this record since it first arrived, but we weren’t quite ready to launch yet. It’s the new Sorry State Records release by the Cleveland band, Knowso. Knowso has members of Perverts Again and Cloud Nothings. Although the band isn’t new, the record is. It’s called Pulsating Gore, and I loved it upon very first listen. And that’s partially because it’s one of those records that will evoke a strong opinion, good or bad, pretty much immediately. This one isn’t a grower. Being from northeast Ohio, I am always psyched to hear any new punk or punk-adjacent records out of Cleveland. You never know what you’re gonna get from a Cleveland band, but usually it has some vein of weirdness running through it. And I say that in the most endearing way possible. Knowso is weird, but it’s not too weird, but it’s weird enough to make it really difficult to draw comparisons. I guess you could file it under Devo-core, but I don’t even think that’s a great fit.

The best I can come up with is demented post-punk, although it feels like it transcends post-punk. It’s quirky, catchy, and creative, with lyrics that are sarcastic, funny, clever, and even intellectual at times. I love that shit. I love when you’re listening to music and something they say makes you stop and think. Or laugh. They have some really funny lines that make me wonder what the hell they were thinking when they wrote them. The lyrics on the closing track (Where Do You Fit?) is one of those songs. They say “where do you fit in the grid? What if I told you that the universe is knit? Where do you fit if the grid is a quilt? They only like the square! I wish they liked the circle but they only like the square!,” lamenting over and over that “they only like the square!”

The songs are bass driven with tight and simple repetitive drum beats, and steady and focused vocals that command your attention. The vocals are done in a spoken word style often assisted by other interesting voices and echoes to add dimension. Although I do think the dry delivery is symbolic of the dread and robotic repetition of life, as described in their songs. You can almost picture a cult with lifeless eyes chanting some of these lyrics in unison. It’s as if they are creating a picture of what they’re saying by how they’re saying it. Maybe I’m giving them too much credit by suggesting that they are taking us on some sort of philosophical journey, but it’s fun to read into things. It’s fun to come across music that makes you stop and think and zone out for a bit.

Anyway, the weird systematic vocals are accompanied by very sharp angular beats that are unexpectedly catchy. The tempo shifts are sudden and unpredictable. Even though you don’t see them coming, they happen at the perfect times. It’s as if they know exactly at what points you are questioning whether this is too weird for you, and they make sure to do something interesting to knock that question out of your head. The perfect example of this is on my favorite track, Do the Work. This song is so good. It starts out rather unassuming, and then the chorus hits and just becomes the best sound on the record. Heavy Hauler and Drink from the Lake are also standout tracks. They embody that catchy and culty sound in the best way.

The music is very tight and honed in and purpose-driven. And fun! Knowso is really refreshing. I can’t think of anyone who reminds me of this band. It is kind of an unusual release for Sorry State, but I think it’s so cool that we put out this record. Give it a shot! Thanks so much for reading! Until next time.

-Angela

Hi Sorry State readers! I hope all is well with you! No complaints or exciting news to report on my end. Things have been pretty tame, pretty chill. Went to the Languid show the other night in Raleigh, which was fun. Scarecrow played as well as two new local bands: Overbite and Fucking War! It was the first show for both bands, but it was Overbite’s first show ever. They are probably around 17-18 years old and they did great! Each one is talented at their craft. It’s super exciting to see the youth forming bands and having the guts to play in front of a crowd, let alone in front of seasoned punks. If you are young or not so young and you play an instrument or want to start playing one, do it! It’s never too early or too late! I really dug Fucking War! They’re a super group of sorts, so it was no surprise that they sounded great. I really liked their style, and they had some kick ass riffs and some good ole’ rock and roll moments. I’m really excited to see Powerplant coming up on Sunday. I’ve liked them for a little while now, especially their EPs. They are a really cool and creative synth-punk band and I’ve heard they sound great live.

My staff pick changed directions this week. I had something totally different in mind, but when I walked in to work the other day, Daniel was blasting something that immediately caught my attention, and I felt more inspired by it than what I was going to write about. It’s the second release from the Canadian band Headcheese called Expired, brought to us by Neon Taste. I had never heard their first record, so this is my first introduction to Headcheese. Frankly, the name grosses me out, but after listening to the record several times, it is very fitting and just makes sense. It doesn’t sound anything like I thought it would, and it was a pleasant surprise.

The album contains 12 really short songs, but they make the most of every second. The first time I threw it on, I played it three times back to back! Super high energy, catchy, fun, likable type shit that makes you want to break things. It’s really hooky hardcore, and I love that shit. It’s really catchy, but has aggressive, growly vocals. Almost animalistic. These guys are wound up, and the music makes me kind of anxious. It’s frantic, agitated, and it comes at you hard and fast, and with a sense of humor. I can’t help but quote part of Neon Taste’s description of the band that says, “Headcheese are pieces of shit. The worst band I’ve ever worked with. What makes them so insufferable is what is also the best part about them. They sound like what they are.” If I didn’t already know the record kicked ass, I would still be intrigued by the label’s kind words. Headcheese even wrote a song called Neon Taste to close out the record, and it’s about the label owner. It has some hilarious lines but, “watch out don’t be a sucker, he’ll rip you off and try to kiss your girlfriend” is pretty good. They also take shots at loss prevention officers, special forces, and incels. I haven’t heard anyone quite like them in recent times, but they kind of sound kind of like a mash up of Void, Woodstock ‘99, and Yambag, and that is not bad company to be in.

Anyway, if you like your hardcore fast and dirty, and a little different, this is the record for you! Thanks so much for reading and being so cool to us in general. Have a great week, listen to your music as loud as possible, and have fun! Until next time!

-Angela

Hi Sorry State readers! Well, here we are already in November. Last night I was wearing a winter coat and today I’m outside wearing a tank top. That’s NC for ya. Anyways, let’s jump into it, shall we?

My pick for this week is the Lothario / New Buck Biloxi 7” tour split brought to us by Under the Gun. Lothario and New Buck Biloxi spent October touring the US, up and down the east coast. Sadly, they didn’t have a Raleigh date, but I’m sure they will in the future. The tour looked like tons of fun from the clips I’ve seen on Instagram.

This split has four raw and angsty garage punk tracks from two talented solo projects. I was introduced to Lothario through their Drunk Fuck / Black Hair 7” released a short time ago, and loved it. Both songs are totally addicting if you still wanna check that out on Bandcamp. Our copies sold really fast, so unfortunately we don’t have any of those left. But good news, Lothario made two more infectious tracks available on this split.

Lothario is the solo project of Annaliese Redlich, hailing from Naarm / Melbourne. She’s not new to the scene by any means, but Lothario is. I’ve come to learn that Lothario is a character and sort of the all-out, unapologetic, uninhibited representation and expression of Annaliese in her truest form. There is something very powerful about that and it certainly comes across in the music and from what I’ve seen in video clips of live shows.

Both Lothario tracks on this record are incredibly catchy and melodic with standout riffs and simple yet effective beats. The song Missing Person has it all. I found myself humming the melody at work all day yesterday. Annaliese has a real knack for writing a great melody. There is something about the bending of the chords that give it that warm and comforting tone that makes me think of Joy Division’s song Disorder (which might be my favorite song on the planet, so it’s a high compliment) or very early Cure. At the same time, the music is energetic, dancy, fun, and has a sense of humor.

It makes sense that Lothario joined (tour) forces with her mate, New Orleans punker Buck Biloxi (Rob Craig). He started a solo venture last year known as New Buck Biloxi. You may know him as Buck Biloxi or Buck Biloxi and the Fucks, and elsewhere. Talk about someone who is always up for trying something new. And this time he wanted to go at it alone. Luckily, he’s still as pissed off and entertaining as ever. Garage punk with a healthy dose of nihilism and even some poppy flair. Frozen Shut is a catchy tune you can’t help but like, but I Hate the Queen takes it another direction. With snarling vocals that give Johnny Rotten a run for his money, he sings about what he’d do if he met the queen. Well, he would “kick her in the teeth and take a picture of it!” That line made me laugh out loud.

Give it a try! You won’t be disappointed. It’s also limited to 300 copies! Ok I’m gonna wrap it up here and wish you a great week. Thanks for reading! Until next time..

-Angela

Hi Sorry State friends! Hope all is well. Happy Halloween! I’m trying to get my ass back in gear after one hell of a weekend. At the time I’m writing this, it’s the Friday following the fest, so I’m still referring to Sorry State Fest weekend. What an absolute blast. If you’re interested, Daniel put together a really cool special newsletter type thing that encapsulates some great photos of the epic performances and related shenanigans. That whole weekend could not have gone any better. The time and attention and care that went into it really showed, tenfold. Man, every band was so sick. There was just a different level of energy and excitement that elevated every performance.

So glad I finally got to see Personal Damage and Golpe in particular, and they were all so nice! I am also so excited I got to see ISS, as I think they had only played twice live prior and I love their music so much! Shaved Ape (with Meat House) at the day show was killer. They sounded great together. I had never seen a hardcore show in the daylight, and it was so fun! I could go on and on about other cool shit I saw, but just wanted to highlight some of the bands I’d never seen play until that weekend! 11 year anniversary fest, anyone?

We’ve gotten SO much new stock this past couple weeks. We were literally swimming in it over at the warehouse, but I’m not complaining! There are several new releases I’ve listened to so far and many more I really want to check out. So far I really like the new Delco MF’s, the new Golpe 7”, and the New Buck Biloxi/Lothario 7” split to name a few. Oh and we got our new Sorry State shirts! The new art is my favorite yet! But for this week I thought I’d kick it old school and write about a recently acquired record that I’m pretty happy with.

So my two biggest record wants in all of punk are the first two Minor Threat 7’s (preferably originals, but based on the price jumps, I’m not too picky anymore). And I finally landed an early pressing of the In My Eyes EP. It went out in the INSANE drop during SS Fest weekend (shout out to Jeff for all the work he did in bringing us the best record drop in all the land). I politely waited until the weekend was just about over before I went over to the store to see what was left. To my surprise, the In My Eyes EP was still on the wall, so I knew I was in trouble. But after some internal dialogue, I decided it was best to leave empty-handed. Then I texted Jeff like 15 minutes later with follow-up questions. You know you’re getting the damn thing when you can’t go 15 minutes before you’re asking follow-up questions.

I waited until Monday to officially claim it, and she was in my hot little hands by Wednesday. It was funny because Jeff brought it over and handed it to me hidden under some killer music nerd stuff (posters and stuff that Dominic found among his old things when he was in England, and was kind enough to give me!). Anyway, when I saw the Minor Threat record peaking out underneath I squealed with genuine delight. I don’t think I jumped up and down exactly, but there was some sort of bouncing motion at minimum. It’s not often I feel such pure childlike fucking glee, but record scores still do that for me. It’s so cool.

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to pull the trigger on the In My Eyes EP, as that one is the cheaper of the two. Maybe it’s the whole “records have tripled in price” thing. I just always figured I’d get them at some point. One of the dumbest things I’ve ever done is “figure I’d get them at some point.” Fast forward to a time I can start filling some important gaps in my collection, and the original Minor Threat EP is over $4,000 on Discogs! Unless I get incredibly lucky, I’ve given up on getting an original of the first one, but I will be perfectly happy with third pressings of both EP’s.

Isn’t it crazy how many holy grail records we could’ve gotten as late as 2019 for extremely doable (at least by today’s standards) prices? Isn’t it also crazy how many insane records we could check off our list if we would just sell the shit we don’t even care about that much? It’s completely irrational.

So I’m just going to focus on appreciating what I have, and I was so happy to get this blue label with insert that I almost teared up. I don’t listen to Minor Threat near as much as I did like 20 years ago, but in my eyes (wink wink), they are the best hardcore band in the whole wide world. There’s something so exciting and explosive about Ian’s vocals and how perfectly they go with the music. I’ve thought about this next question a few times, but I can’t really pinpoint the answer if there is one. What the hell is it about Ian’s vocals that sound so good and so satisfying? Is it the tone? Is it the talk-sing-scream thing? Because I love a good talk-sing-scream formula. Is it the passion? All of the above? There’s something special there that sparks a unique kind of excitement in me.

I love the tempo shifts, the way the music builds and explodes, and builds and explodes again. I love the blistering choruses that are so easy to get stuck in your head. I love the downright militant level of passion in the music. And I love that they are so technically good, but still sloppy and free enough to sound cool.

Although most of my favorite Minor Threat songs are on the first EP, In My Eyes has to be my favorite Minor Threat song of all time, and I think it’s undoubtedly one of the best hardcore songs ever made. “Did you fucking get it?” and “at least I’m fucking trying…what the fuck have you done?” will go down as some of the best lines ever written and screamed.

I don’t know, I get overwhelmed trying to put into words how great Minor Threat is, but finally having this historic piece of music makes me so happy. I’ve found some great records in the wild but have relied on Discogs so much for specific ones that are hard to come across. But there is literally nothing better than finding something you’ve always wanted right there in store. And this one is extra special because it will always remind me of the 10-year anniversary fest, and my time at Sorry State in general.

I figured we can all relate to moments like this, so thank you for reading my sappy shit. Until next time!

Thanks,

Angela

Hi Sorry State readers! Hope everyone is doing well! I’m getting over some kind of unanticipated weird stomach bug, but I think the worst is behind me! I didn’t think about it until now, but I’m so glad this shit happened to me now and not during Sorry State Fest! I can’t believe it’s just days away! Ok, this staff pick is gonna be long, so let’s just get going.

I knew I would write about the Screaming Death four-way split since I heard it for the first time. Usman handed me my copy and I played it right away at near full volume with the door opened to the outside as he was bringing in boxes. So I’m pretty sure everyone within a half-mile radius could hear it. I kind of thought the speakers were gonna blow, but it was the perfect jolt I needed to carry me through the rest of the day. The moral of the story is play it loud!

Sixteen brand new tracks by four killer hardcore bands including Destruct, Scarecrow, Dissekerad, and Rat Cage. It’s been in the making for a couple of years, and well fucking worth the wait. Every band understood the assignment, which I can only imagine was “make sure this thing will melt faces.” It’s pure, raw, blistering hardcore.

Two bands per side, with Destruct leading the way. And they come out swinging. More like punching. With brass knuckles. Huge sound, with riffs that rip through your eardrums like a chainsaw, and some of the sickest fastest drums I’ve ever heard. Pretty incredible. Exhibit A: the insane fills on the song Omnicide. If you’ve got a craving for no bullshit d-beat hardcore, Destruct is all of that.

I was especially stoked to hear new music from our local legends, Scarecrow. And they delivered. The new tracks are next level. Holy shit. One of the standouts for me is Compensation. That main riff is just so good. You know a riff is good if you find yourself singing it. You know what I mean? Like when you ask a friend if they’ve ever heard a song, you may sing some lyrics or mimic the beat. But if you sing a guitar riff, then it’s a damn good riff. Also love the super crunchy distorted bass outro in the track, The Agreement. It’s all in the details for me, and I really appreciate that about Scarecrow.

The vocals are as sick as ever. Particularly on the song Space Race, which is my new favorite Scarecrow song. It’s the perfect track to close out the first side of this record. I live for a good drum breakdown, and the one in the latter half of that song takes the cake. It’s followed by the meanest, cleanest, razor sharp guitar and meaty bass. It’s just explosive. Stoked to hear it live now that I’m more familiar with it. Speaking of….

I just realized if you’re going to Sorry State Fest, you will see both Destruct and Scarecrow perform!

Now where was I? Oh yeah. I love that this is an international effort with four bands from three countries. So how could you do an international hardcore split without some Swedish hardcore? You couldn’t. Well, you could, but it’s no secret how much the executives over at Bunker Punks HQ love Scandi hardcore, so it makes total sense.

Enter Dissekerad. I will admit that of the four bands, I know the least about this one. And it’s not on purpose. There’s just a LOT of hardcore surrounding me at Sorry State, in front of me, behind me, to the right and left of me, over the speakers, and in human form. But that’s also why I love albums like this that introduce me to things that I’ve never heard.

One important detail I learned is that one of the members (Poffen) is from Totalitar, and I do know Totalitar. Other Dissekerad members have been around forever too, playing in bands like Avskum, Institution, and Makabert Fynd. So yeah, they know what they’re doing. Poffen brings his familiar mean and raspy vocal style to this raw and classic d-beat hardcore. In all honesty, I don’t think I’m cool enough yet to listen to Dissekerad, but they rip.

Rat Cage, hailing from England, is the last band on the record, and I’ve listened to and enjoyed many of their releases. The band is a one-man machine that I just can’t imagine any hardcore fan not liking. Rat Cage is the total package. Right out of the gate, the song Kill the Autocrats just grabs you by the throat with some of the meanest and most satisfying vocals I’ve heard in this genre. The word I’m looking for is savage. Rat Cage has a unique way of delivering very no-nonsense, no frills hardcore in a way that’s still catchy. And sometimes a little thrashy.

The song Blitz Raid Bombers is a great way to close things out. The killer riff and pummeling drums in the intro lead into a powerful, anthemic song. Actually, a lot of Rat Cage songs sound like anthems, which are a lot of fun to listen to. The first and last track are my favorites in their bunch.

I gotta wrap things up, wow. I can’t imagine all the work that went into this project, but when you get it in your hands and hear the music, you will see it came together pretty damn perfectly. And trust that this thing looks even better in person. The artwork, the sick inserts, the quality of all the tangible stuff, the cool details, and not to mention the grade A production of the music. It is so impressive! Hats off.

Thanks so much for reading! Hope to see a lot of you this weekend at the Fest! Until next time.

-Angela

Hi Sorry State readers! Hope everything is doing well. I’m so glad it’s October! Like a lot of people, I love the fall, the cool evenings, flannel shirts, denim jackets, Halloween candy, and scary movies. I suppose you can do a lot of those things anytime, but it doesn’t have the same appeal. I’ve never heard anyone speak ill of the fall, but that person may very well be a psychopath. That’s all I got. Moving on..

My staff pick this week was so easy. It’s the Cherry Cheeks CCLPII (translation = their second LP). It just released a couple of days ago and I completely forgot until I saw it in one of our customers’ orders. So, shout out to anyone who purchased this, as your purchase was my kick in the ass. I had been looking forward to their second LP, but it’s hard to keep up with everything. Sometimes you have to pick and choose or you will be broke and all of your money takes the shape of plastic discs filling up your living room. But this one I had to have on physical media. I love Cherry Cheeks. I loved their debut record (2021). I did a regular staff pick about it last year, and I put the debut LP in my write up of my 2022 favorites despite the record being released in 2021. That’s how much I loved it. I cheated the system just to get it onto my list. We don’t have the first LP anymore, because people really liked it. Come to think of it, the Cherry Cheeks EP released prior to this record moved fast. Normally I would say this part at the end of my staff pick to remind you not to sleep on this one, but there are no rules here.

A little background. The first LP was created by Kyle Harms as he was living in Orlando during quarantine. Remember that? Seems like people either became insanely productive during this time or they regressed and had to learn how to walk and talk all over again, and there wasn’t much of a middle ground. For Kyle Harms, it was the former. Now he’s moved out of Florida and onto Portland, and has a full band to tour with. Yay! There are many one or two person projects I really like, but it obviously makes things a bit more difficult in terms of touring, and more importantly, translating all the unique sounds to a live show.

So, the second LP (appropriately named LPII) had some big shoes to fill because the debut is a top-to-bottom banger. Happy to report that their second full-length has the same big energy, huge hooks, layers upon layers of weird noises and synth, and a balance of humor and seriousness. The first side is more like the first LP. Very manic, anxious, and fun as hell. The song Bunny Does Ice is a standout track for me on the first side. The lyrical content is pretty self explanatory. The second side is a little bit darker with more straightforward punk agitation. You hear this in the closing track, Ad Shark, which has my favorite lyric “product placement, what do you know? You sold the ad space on your fucking tombstone.” Pure Power is another great track (you can listen to that one for free on Bandcamp). It starts with a very simple distorted riff and then after sounding normal for too long, it introduces some spacey, swirly, twirly sounds. This is the most Devo-core track, particularly the outro.

I really appreciate the versatility of his vocals in that they would probably work with most any kind of punk music or weirdo rock. It’s fast and sharp and catchy and fun, and everything good about egg punk. I like egg punk, but it really varies from band to band. I either really like it or I don’t like it at all. And I think what makes Cherry Cheeks so appealing to me is that they fill up all the space. They utilize every second and you don’t have time to question what you think of it. You’re too busy being entertained. It’s like being sucked up into a weird circus tornado and spit back out when the music is over. And by that time, you’re sold. Anyway, I haven’t spent near as much time with this one as the first LP but I am really digging it! If you like fun, give this record a spin. Thanks for reading! Until next time!

-Angela

Hi Sorry State readers! How’s everybody doing? Good, good. We’ve got some cool shows this week in Raleigh. Poison Ruin is playing tonight, but I will probably have to miss it, which sucks because I really like them. I just didn’t realize it was happening tonight until about an hour ago. The end of September has come so fast! We are just getting warmed up for Sorry State Fest quickly approaching! I know the whole thing will be a blast, but the lineups for the main shows on Friday and Saturday are insane. I hope to see you there!

Ok let’s keep talking about music. My pick for this week is Heavenly Blue’s S/T EP brought to us by Sewercide Records. These guys are a Canadian band and feature some of the members of the Booji Boys. I kinda had a hunch I’d like it, but I didn’t think I’d like it as much as I do. It’s a mix of raw 60s garage and the specific kind of 70s rock enjoyed by guys who rev their engines. It’s pleasantly abrasive. The growly, commanding vocals give it a more hard driving, punkier sound. It’s melodic but somewhat aggressive, and approaching weirdo rock territory. Very fuzzed out and guitar driven, with a sprinkling of psychedelic sounds. It sounds less retro than I thought it would, but there is a surfer-rock vibe going on in the opening track called Push on Through.

When I listen to more contemporary sounding garage rock bands, a lot of times the vocals sound like they are recorded in a tunnel or far away from the rest of the band. Heavenly Blue couldn’t sound further from this. The vocals are very in your face and out in front. I like that. I’m big on vocals. If the vocals don’t sound like an actual instrument, then it doesn’t excite me. Needless to say, these vocals do excite me. I went back and listened to their 2021 cassette, which I believe is also S/T, and they’ve come a long way in terms of production. I guess that tends to happen over time, though. But I noticed they also just tightened things up song-wise. This EP sounds more structured and accessible while still sounding rough and unruly. Best of both worlds. All four tracks are high energy, mid-tempo, and average about 2 minutes a song. While it’s a tad short for an EP, it’s a satisfying listen. My favorite track is Drifter, which is very riff-driven and melodic. It’s the one song that almost tips the scales at three minutes. The rhythm section does a killer job in the closing track, Zap the World, particularly the infectious bass line. As an aside, I must say that I really like the simple packaging with the brown paper bag looking sleeve complimented by the retro looking blue labels. This is a limited run of 300 copies, so don’t sleep on this one! Thanks so much for reading! Until next time..

Thanks,

Angela

Hi Sorry State readers! Hope everyone is having a nice start to the fall or whatever season you are experiencing. We’ve had some lovely evenings. Around late September is when we begin our summer by day and fall by night period. I will take it. Anyway, nothing too exciting on my end. Just getting hyped to see some cool shows over the next couple months. Especially the Sorry State 10 year anniversary fest! It’s gonna be so sick. Try to make it if you can. So many bands for a pretty good deal! And other fun things sprinkled in over that weekend. It obviously wouldn’t be a proper Sorry State celebration without an extra sick used records drop. That’s what attracted me to the store and what kept me coming back again and again and again. I’m sure it’s the same for a lot of you locals!

I feel like I’m kind of cheating with my staff pick today. It’s the Yambag cassette: Mr. Ed. is Dead Again. It includes Yambag’s debut LP Posthumous Pounce and their Strength in Nightmares EP. I feel like I’m taking a shortcut because I wrote about the latter EP in a staff pick sometime last year. Wait, no, make that twice! Uh-oh. I also included it in my end of the year wrap up this year as one of my top ten releases of the year. It was actually in my top two or three favorite releases of 2022! At the time I am writing this we still have a few in stock, but my apologies if it is sold out when this goes up. I hate when I do that, or when someone does that to me. The nerve! The good news is that we should still have some of the second pressing of Strength in Nightmares available on red vinyl (Note from Daniel: JK, we’re sold out of that one! Sorry!). And it’s a really good red. So you could still acquire half of the contents of this tape. I was introduced to Yambag through that record and then I went back and to listened to Posthumous Pounce. I was not disappointed. This tape should not to be confused with Mr. Ed. is Dead, which is from 2018 and includes some tracks from their LP, but it’s a pretty raw recording. I don’t think it was ever put out on physical media.

Anyway, I guess Mr. Ed. died again, and that’s how we got here. Quickly, the band hails from Cleveland. While Cleveland hardcore is known for a particular type of intensity and angst, I think Yambag brings a little something different. It’s not as metallic as Cleveland predecessors like Integrity or Ringworm. It’s still intense and aggressive, but it’s more manic. It’s also just faster. The drums are super speedy and powerful, but they do weirder stuff with their guitars, and the vocals are more fun. I don’t want to say the word sloppy because the vocals are not sloppy at all. More like purposefully snotty. They say “blech” here and there and that really adds something to the sound. It’s very Cleveland to be disgusted by something and to communicate that. I love looser spastic vocals paired with very tight instrumentation. All in all, I love the speedy drums, the stop and starts (for a lack of proper terminology), the unanticipated bass melodies, and the brief tempo changes that provide some good mosh-worthy moments. If you want a track that does all of those things with a killer breakdown, Lowlife on Strength in Nightmares is the one. I believe it’s a cover song.

Posthumous Pounce is Yambag’s full-length record (2020) with 16 in your face, fast as hell tracks that are aggressive and antagonistic but again, fun. Along with all the tough-sounding adjectives, the music and manic and explosive. The songs Dog and (O)possum are my favorites on that one. Every track on the LP is actually named after an animal, and I guess the plan was for the singer to wear a mask of the appropriate animal for each track, but it was just too much damn work. You can imagine. After hearing the record, you know they don’t need extra theatrics because the songs stand alone quite strongly on their own. Cleveland hardcore is known for having a serious type of intensity to it, and I like that Yambag doesn’t seem to take themselves too seriously. And that their musicianship is still fantastic. Looking back, I think their first record laid the perfect foundation for Strength in Nightmares (2022). The newer release stays the course but with better production. The drums are fast and furious, but I don’t think Posthumous Pounce does them the justice that way that Strength in Nightmares does. The recording just wasn’t as good. What’s funny is there is a quote on the Posthumous Pounce side of the tape taken from MRR’s review and it reads: “They are kinda recorded like shit in the most endearing way.”

Strength in Nightmares really sealed the deal on their fastcore classification, but I really like both releases, so it’s super cool to have them on one tape. It also sounds fairly cohesive for being two different records on one tape. Anyway, Yambag quickly became one of my favorite hardcore bands and I can’t wait to hear more from them in the future!

Thank you for reading! Until we meet again.

Thanks,

Angela

Hi Sorry State readers! Welcome back. This week is actually flying by. I had a blast over the weekend at the Hopscotch festival here in Raleigh. I was lucky to get as close as anyone could probably get to the stage for all the shows I was most excited for. The first night it was Pavement. They sounded great and played a fantastic set list. I love bands that don’t do “festival set lists” where they play like ten of their biggest songs and that’s it. Pavement played for a good 90 minutes and they played a great mix of deeper cuts and old favorites. What I did not anticipate doing was meeting one of my long time loves. The king of 90s intellectual slacker rock, so effortlessly clever, and still foxy as ever, Stephen Malkmus. Got to take a few awkward pictures with him, so that was cool. Dinosaur Jr. was also killer. They are also one of my favorite bands, and even if you aren’t into their style, any music appreciator has to give it to J Mascis on guitar. Still standing in front of nine Marshall stacks after all these years. Not sure if there are city noise laws for outdoor music or just because the show was outside, but they didn’t sound near as loud as they did at Cat’s Cradle a couple years ago. I fucked up my hearing a long time ago so and still have never worn an ear plug in my life. Maybe not smart, but I am also not of this new generation of taking care of oneself. Anyway, I had planned on doing it up this year and seeing the smaller late night shows that started at midnight, but I was so damn tired. Every ounce of my energy and enthusiasm was gone by 11:30.

Ok now let’s get on with my staff pick. It’s the JJ and the A’s S/T debut EP brought to us by the ever so cool La Vida Es Un Mus. The band is a Copenhagen/Barcelona power punk band, and we recently received this new release. So far, it’s been pretty popular among customers. Oh how I love hooky, melodic, high energy power punk. At the risk of sounding elementary, it has a lot of sounds. Imagine that. Music having sounds. You will know what I mean when you hear it. There’s a bit of everything and it doesn’t let up. Garage punk, power punk, hardcore punk, late 70s punk. The treble is dialed all the way up on this one, with low bass, a lot of distortion, fast, no frills rock and roll riffs, and a shit ton of energy. There is even a splash of synth here and there. The vocals are great. They’re threatening and sassy with some cool layered harmonies that tie it all together. The song Head in a Vat is one of my favorites. It has a really cool layered vocal harmony thing going on and the song showcases their talent for playing different styles of punk and doing it really well. My other favorites are Unnatural Disaster and Show Me, which both pack more of a hardcore punch.

The record has some really catchy hooks and melodic parts that add depth and make things fun. And speaking of fun, the record scores high on the danceability meter. There’s no way your head won’t bob and your toes won’t tap to the infectious chorus in the song Predator. Of all the tracks, that one has the strongest early 80s power punk vibe. The main riff on that track reminds me of something off the newest Rough Kids LP, which is a great record and a past staff pickj of mine! Predator and Head in a Vat both have big catchy choruses and are the most melodic songs on the EP. They are thoughtfully placed in between the more hardcore tracks, which really makes for a cohesive record. I think they nailed it with their debut! Give it a try!

Thanks so much for reading, as always! Until next time...

-Angela

Hi Sorry State readers! Welcome to September! How ya doing? There's actually a lot of fun stuff coming up this month. Namely, Hopscotch is this weekend! I haven't gone to Hopscotch in a long time but this year feels like it was almost hand-crafted for teenage me. I'm basically still teenage me, just older. I can't believe that Pavement will be in my own back yard in a few days. I had the great fortune of seeing them in Washington DC not too long ago (which means I can't remember if it was 2021 or 2022) and it was like no time had passed. I hope to catch some of the late night gigs at the smaller venues, so that festival will be consuming most of my weekend. And then at the end of the month there are some kick ass punk shows here in Raleigh. Poison Ruin is playing at the end of the month and a couple days after that is the Nightfeeder show with Scarecrow and Mutant Strain. That one is gonna be killer.

And right around the corner is the 10th anniversary of Sorry State Records, which I gotta say is an amazing accomplishment for any small business, but Sorry State is a true labor of love built from the ground up. What started as a small distro run out of Daniel's house has grown into this amazing entity. It's not just the best record store ever (and for the record I already thought this before I started working here), a distro, and a record label, but it's this great punk pushing community that works hard to keep punk going. It's just nice to know there are businesses that are driven by passion and not profit, and that such businesses are not only still around but continuing to grow ten years later! So naturally, this milestone will be marked by a celebration! Mark your calendars for Sorry State Fest on October 20 and 21! Official lineup to be announced soon, but you may have noticed on the recently circulated flier for the Golpe/Electric Chair tour, that the SSR Fest is their first stop!

OK, let's get down to it. I wanted to write about the Powerplant Grass EP when we first got it, and then we took a little break from the staff picks so it sort of fell off my radar. But it's back on it. You really never know what you're going to get with Powerplant (Exhibit A: Stump Soup). But I have grown to appreciate this about them. I really liked their People in the Sun LP (2019) and I really really liked their Spine / Evidence EP (2020). The Grass EP sounds like it's kind of making its way back to their debut sound, while also expanding on the weirder parts of the 2020 EP, and throwing in some freshly unique stuff, making it both accessible and weird. It works.

Powerplant itself is an experience. That's what comes to mind when I think of this latest EP. It's kind of like moving through one of those funhouses that you only really ever saw in movies or a Goosebumps episode but never experienced in real life. Where each room is different than the next and you don't know what's around the corner or when something is gonna jump out.

That said, Grass, the opening track, is one of the most structured and balanced songs on the EP. It sort of eases you into the sonic journey that awaits, with a cool 80's post-punk feel with its low brooding vocals. As the song moves along, they begin to pepper in the weirdness with random sound effects, which adds a cool dynamic that isn't too far out there. The catchy chorus is what adds the balance to the song, as we have plenty of time to visit other rooms in this proverbial funhouse. Like in the very next track, Bloodmother. We've entered the doom and gloom room that has a dungeon synth style. The vocals are grizzly and almost cartoonish. Certainly an interesting track. Theres a great synth melody in the song Walk Around (Hang my Head) that pairs well with the demented vocals. This time not cartoonish, but still creepy. The closing track Beautiful Boy really comes in clutch with a more traditional structure, swirling synth, and high-energy infectious chorus. It's a chaotic tornado of sound that is still very melodic and harmonious. Needless to say, Grass and Beautiful Boy are my favorites.

When I think about this EP in its entirety, it feels like the opening and closing tracks are like the book ends for the circus in between. The track order is laid out perfectly in that sense. I think if you liked People in the Sun and/or the Spine/Evidence EP, you will like this latest release. One thing is for sure, Powerplant will never deliver something boring, and they always add something new and fresh to each release. This one is no exception. Give it a go!

Thanks so much for reading, as always. Until next time.

-Angela

Hi Sorry State friends! It’s been a while, so I’m feeling a little rusty here. I hope everyone’s doing well, maybe catching some shows, listening to killer music, and just getting through the day.

It’s been bloody hot here but in the last couple days I felt roughly two to three breezes (that feels like an improper way to describe more than one breeze). But these moments gave me hope. Being out in this NC humidity even for 15 minutes can zap all of your energy and wipe you out mentally and physically in the weirdest way. That sounds dramatic as hell but if you know you know. Ok …on to the fun stuff!

Speaking of heat, have ya’ll heard the new Lothario release? Brought to us by Goodbye Boozy, it includes two absolutely killer tracks: Drunk Fuck and Black Hair. Certainly the most exciting thing I’ve heard in the last couple weeks. And I had only heard it through bandcamp up until now, so when I wrote my staff pick I didn’t even have the record in hand. But it landed on our doorstep today and now I don’t have to use a generic stock photo!

Before we dive in, let me preface this by saying that I’ve seen the name spelled Lonthario in many places on the interwebs, but it’s spelled Lothario on the actual record so we’re going with that.

Lothario is the solo project of an intriguing punk powerhouse, Annaliese Redlich. According to bandcamp, Lothario hails from Melbourne. Say no more. You had me at Melbourne. There is just something about it. We click. We vibe. Melbourne makes what I like to hear. You may know Annaliese from Imperial Leather and the Neon Sunset radio show. I’ve only been introduced to her through these two perfect tracks.

Not to mention, New Orleans punk legend Rob Craig (Buck Biloxi) is featured on drums!

The music is just immediately ear catching. It’s razor sharp, electric, fun, dynamic, gritty garage punk with powerful vocals and clean infectious beats. I’ve played these songs over and over, so needless to say it’s left me wanting more. And more we will get, because I hear an LP is in the works!

Both tracks are equally good. I tried to decide which one I liked more. I couldn’t. The mid-tempo melodic crunchy bass, and razor sharp riffs in the song Drunk Fuck are so good. And I just love the vocal cadence on the second track, Black Hair. And the subtle bending of the notes on the guitar parts add nice dimension. The overall sound is dynamic and just so far up my alley. I’m stoked as hell to hear more where this came from!

I hope we still have some in stock at the time you’re reading this. It appears to be quite popular. Take a listen below!

Thank you for reading! It’s nice to be back talking shop with you again. Until next time…

-Angela

https://lotharioxx.bandcamp.com/album/drunk-fuck-black-hair-single