News

What’s up Sorry Staters?

It feels a bit surreal for me to be sitting down writing for the newsletter again. Not only because of my last couple weeks of traveling, but also because of the hazy fever dream state that is my current existence. The other Scarecrows and I returned from our excursion to LA, arriving at the Raleigh airport late on Sunday evening (for context, this would be the previous week on May 19th). And what did I decide was a good idea? To return straight to work at the record store that Monday, barely a few hours later. To say that I felt fried beyond belief at work on Monday would be an understatement. At first, I assumed that I must just be feeling fatigued after all the travel, but I only felt worse as the day went on. I come home to find out that I’m running a fever of 102 and that night when I went to sleep, I would not be able to stop coughing. Whoops! It’s almost as if when the adrenaline of partying on tour wore off, I immediately got sick. Who woulda thought?

I had a blast on this trip I just returned from. Public Acid began our journey in New York. We played 2 shows: the first at TV Eye, a proper club; the 2nd at more of a DIY venue. We billed the 2nd gig as “Public Acid & Friends,” where we commissioned people to play extra instrumentation along with us. Sasha from 80HD (among other bands) played dual drums in unison with our own Eric Chubb. Hearing both of those monster drummers in synchronicity was an amazing thing to witness. Dual drums? Why not dual bass? We also got Mateo from Warthog to throw down some additional booty to the mix. Also, Margaret from Pharmakon added some additional layers of harsh noise. Insane. Goofy even. But a super fun and special moment, nonetheless.

Then we ventured to the west coast, starting in Seattle. I got to reunite with some old friends in Portland, which was amazing. Of course, the gigs we played were great. Mainly though, I feel like the memories of just hanging out and goofing off will stick with me more: lifting weights with Electric Chair in the driveway at their house, jamming Freestyle singles with B in Oakland, eating chilaquiles with Kevin in Santa Ana, jamming Spanish new wave records with Baño at his apartment, gawking at sea lions literally a few feet away from me at La Jolla cove, walking through a forest of redwoods at Muir Woods, eating burritos the length of my forearm… I could go on and on. I grabbed a few records along the way as well. Lie Detector was definitely fun, and I was stoked to be in LA with my good friends and bandmates in both Scarecrow and Public Acid. Anyway, that’s enough of my tour diary. Funny to think I’ll probably have just as much to blab about later, seeing as I’ll be in Sweden in less than 2 weeks (holy shit).

Alright, time to talk about records. Like I said, I’ve been out on my ass with a fever for the last few days, just wasting hours dozing in and out. It sucks. I hate being sick, especially if I feel like I’m watching days just pass me by. I will say that nothing has been a better antidote for my feelings of despair than this new Kristiina LP. Seeing as this record is my current obsession, I obviously would’ve written about it regardless. But why not redirect its healing power to my current physical and mental state? Simply billed as “Kristiina” on the cover, this album Palavan Rakkauden Aika is a project led by Finnish singer-songwriter Kristiina Tuhkanen. According to the limited information I can pull off the internets, it looks like Kristiina has played in several bands and previous projects. But for all intents and purposes, this is her first solo effort—albeit with a kickass backing band.

Being the HardcorePunkMetalFreak that I am, I have spent a good chunk of years obsessing and trying to devour anything in the world of Finnish hardcore that I could get my hands on. Distracted by hardcore perhaps, I would say that hyper-melodic, (perhaps) punk-adjacent Finnish power-pop is a genre of which I am far less knowledgeable. I don’t even want to go there, but I do detect something about the sound from that region of the world, a darker take on melodic punk with indie or rock’n’roll sensibilities not unlike Masshysteri or the like. But I KNOW, Sweden and Finland are very different.

In fact, I think Finnish melodic punk, or really just straight up pop music, is finally finding its way onto my radar. A while back, I remember a friend turning me onto this Finnish guitar player and songwriter called Joni Ekman. I remember him from playing in a more raw garage punk band called The Achtungs. But on Joni’s solo records, he evolved into much more melody-based pop songwriting, and these records were also a showcase for his brilliant lead guitar work, often with notably harmonized guitar leads. Now being much much later, I’m listening to this new Kristiina album and it suspiciously also has killer harmonized guitar parts all over it… Now in my mind, I’m thinking, is this like a hallmark of the Finnish power-pop genre? And what have I been missing??? So now hearing this Kristiina record… it’s got well-executed songwriting, sweet lead vocals, and is toppled with Thin Lizzy-esque guitar solos? I’m like “What is not to like?” But OF COURSE, now I have the physical copy of the Kristiina album in my hands. I’m reading the liner notes, and guess who plays guitar on it? Joni Ekman. DUH. I should have known, I suppose. And before I get more into this Kristiina record, I really think Joni Ekman is a mad genius. And while I honestly don’t love his vocals on everything I’ve heard of his own material, I think his playing mixed with Kristiina’s voice is like a chemical explosion.

I don’t know why I find myself loving this record so much. I like that I don’t know too much about it and I’ve been blindly digesting it without outside influence. Maybe I find the mystery alluring. Whatever. Looking at the visual aesthetic of this album, the cover photo of our lady in question, along with that font… “it’s giving vintage,” as the kids might say. The production sounds sonically pristine with layered, lush instrumentation. Tons of ear candy to experience. Twelve string guitars, synthesizers, you name it. But nothing about the production feels bombastic or ridiculous. But I also don’t think the record sounding “lo-fi” is the intention either. To me, this record sounds beautifully recorded if not for having vintagey, almost boxy sounds at certain moments. Maybe if it were a Fleetwood Mac record from 1977, the layers of instrumentation on this album would seem ambitious and heavily produced. But in Kristiina’s case, the record feels restrained and understated in a way that is very intentional. This might be a weird way to describe it, but there’s almost like a toy playhouse quality, almost like this record is an adult conjuring of a child’s music box or something.

Kristiina’s voice is of course the focal point of the whole record. Her singing can be sharp with attention-gripping, rock’n’roll charisma at one moment, but she will then sound sweet, ethereal and wistful at another—like on the song “Liisa,” one of the more stripped-down numbers on the record. I think that’s what I find frustrating about many singers from punk-adjacent backgrounds making pop records. Granted, the crafting of good pop songwriting is tough. Kristiina’s songs also read as genuine, intimate, and put on display with vulnerability. It’s not that the feeling derived from the sound of this record elicits nostalgia—it’s more like it conjures a mystifying, dream-like sense of longing. Even though the melodic structure of most of these are in a major key, there’s still an intangible moodiness and melancholy.

Probably my favorite track on the album is “Aloe Vera” (which, I don’t speak Finnish, but is this song about soothing gel?). The track opens immediately with an infectious synth riff bouncing over a propulsive, up-tempo drumbeat. Kristiina’s vocal weaves this pointed, concise and syncopated pattern that gets stuck in my head… even though I unfortunately don’t know anything about what she’s saying besides the aforementioned anti-inflammatory plant. The synth part reaches crescendo after the second chorus, blooming into this dense explosion of sound that gives me goosebumps. Makes me feel a pit in my stomach, like I could be having a breakthrough tripping on mushrooms while looking at the stars… or a disco ball… Either seems fitting, really.

I love pretty much every song on this record. The last song “Hai” has gotta be another favorite. Beginning with mainly acoustic guitars, this song is a bit slower, mellower, but has a perfect, earworm chorus. Later, the song is dressed with some Wire-esque choral “oooooh” background vocals and a hypnotic, whirlwind-like repeating refrain that slowly fades to close out the record. Only 8 songs is a bit cruel. Leaves me wanting more. I guess that’s the point, right?

So yeah, I really dig this record. Maybe my strong feelings for it are currently being heightened by the gross and sad disposition I’m currently living in. Hopefully I’ll be feeling well by the time this newsletter comes out, and I’ll feel embarrassed reading this back. I think the copies we got of this Kristiina record are already sold out from Sorry State. The tracks are on bandcamp. I think the record is still available from the label. Give it a listen and tell me if my description makes sense, or if it just reads like I’m high on cough medicine.

Anyway, as always, thanks for reading.

‘Til who knows when?

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

I know I had plenty of extra time on my hands over this past weekend, so why am I always scrambling? Just an indication of my true lunatic-like tendencies. In just a couple days, I’m hopping on a train and hitting the road and the skies with Public Acid. We’re playing a couple shows in NYC and then meeting up with our friends in KOS in Seattle. We’ll be touring down the west coast and ending at Lie Detector Fest in LA. It’s gonna be sick. Hope to see some west coast friends I haven’t seen in a long time on this trip. It’s gonna be a blast, but I always get the pre-travel anxiety jitters a few days before. Feelin’ a little crazy.

Anyway, let’s talk about records. Recently, Sorry State did a big distro order from Nada Nada Discos. It’s so rad to me that the label has expanded beyond solely doing punk reissues. Under the flipped around version of the label, when they use “Discos Nada” instead, they’re doing mostly all Brazilian music but in genres of all kinds—whether it’s jazz, avant-garde, electronic… you name it. And yet, for the purposes of my staff pick, we’re still gonna talk about a punk record. Big surprise.

Inocentes is one of those bands where I’ve definitely heard the name, but I don’t really think I’ve taken the time to sit down and fully digest an entire record by them. I debated writing about this Cólera record, too. I was already familiar with Cólera because of their appearance on the classic SUB compilation. Cólera definitely plays at hardcore-speed tempos, but with anthemic, melodic vocals that maybe even hint at Oi! influence from time to time. With that in mind, I wasn’t really sure what to expect with Inocentes.

This LP we just stocked from Nada Nada Discos is a reissue of Inocentes’ first 12” release, entitled Pânico Em S.P. Originally released in 1986, Pânico Em S.P. is really a 12” EP with only 6 songs on it. This Nada Nada reissue puts the whole studio session on Side A, and then Side B has a 1986 live performance which actually sounds pretty good. Firstly, though, the studio side sounds amazing. Kicking right in with the first track “Rotina”, I already knew this LP was gonna be right up my alley. Inocentes play at a mostly upbeat mid-tempo pace with songs that sound pretty melodic and catchy. That said, rather than the kind of anthemic, Oi!-gang beer-sloggin’ folk melodies that I mentioned with Cólera, I would say Inocentes has way more in common with early punk from Southern California. I hear a huge surf influence. Pounding tom grooves that launch into lightning speed ride cymbal Bill Stevenson-esque double-snare-hit beats. Most notably, when I hear the washy, reverby, but mostly clean swells of guitar and the spidery walking bass lines, these elements lead me to believe the dudes in Inocentes probably had Living In Darkness on heavy rotation. On a track like “Salvem El Salvador,” the singer is barking what I can only assume are intense, politically driven chants over top of a riff that sounds like a blend of the riff from “Abolish Government” by TSOL and a single-note riff lifted from the nastiest sounding Ventures instrumental.

While this other band is from Uruguay, this Inocentes record is scratching a similar itch as that Los Invasores record I loved from several months back. What I think is so cool about records like this Inocentes 12” is that you can hear a clear blend of influences, whether it’s SoCal surf-infused punk, new wave, goth… Still, the result comes out sounding totally unique with the Latino punk influence and maybe some other things in their sound I couldn’t even pinpoint. Man, I even hear a little bit of that signature familiar chord change in a song “Ele Disse Não,” which I directly associate with my young over-indulgence of bands on Epitaph before discovering hardcore. All this is to basically get across the idea that I hear things about Inocentes that grab my ear because they are comfortable and I’m sucker for it, but their take on this sound is so different and well-done that it feels totally fresh and exciting. Nada Nada did a great job with the packaging as well. Super thick, high-quality laminated gatefold sleeve (oh baby, I Iove a laminated sleeve). It also comes with a printed inner sleeve, a poster, and 3 additional leaflet inserts. And it’s on clear vinyl!

Anyway, Inocentes rule. Now I gotta check out some of the band’s other records in greater detail. I know at least early in the day on the day this newsletter comes out, Sorry State still had a few copies of Pânico Em S.P. in stock. If my write-up got your attention at all, definitely try and snag a copy if you’re new to Inocentes like me. Highly recommend.

Anyway, that’s all I’ve got this week. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staterrrrs?

Another month is coming to an end in just a couple days. Before you know it, Justin Timberlake memes will flood your social media feed. April was a pretty good one for me, though. Several killer local gigs here in Raleigh. What a concept, right? Deletär absolutely killed when they played here last week. Killer riffs, even more killer dudes. Wish we could’ve gotten to hang out more. Anyway, let’s see what shenanigans await us this month…

By the time this newsletter comes out, Sorry State will have already had my staff pick in stock for a couple weeks. Old news? Well, technically by definition, it really is. LA’s own Decry released their debut LP Falling in 1984, and it ought to be revered as an all-time banger classic punk record. Look at that bright pink album cover! It’s iconic, dude. This new pressing is on fancy pink color vinyl. You know the kids love that. But why do I get the impression that this record isn’t getting any love? Maybe I’m projecting, but I rarely hear my peers who love 80s hardcore hyping it up. I figured the feeling on the street would be that there was more excitement surrounding this reissue because… IT’S FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. It’s hilarious, unlike any other record from the 80s, you go on Discogs and there’s only 2 listings for Falling: the original Toxic Shock pressing from 1984, and this brand new pressing now out 40 years later. How is that possible?

Let’s talk about what’s going on with Decry musically for a minute. Personally, I lump in Decry with other Southern California punk and hardcore of the era that conjures images of sketchy kids with flannel shirts around their waists flying off the stage at the Hollywood Palladium. Background music that sounds like a perfect soundtrack for skaters blasting airs out of a backyard pool. While the band is a little rough around the edges, Falling is full of big riffs and big shout-along choruses. The title track “Falling” will get your fist in the air, chanting along, and make you immediately wanna go stage dive. Lyrics still harken back to a vivid dystopian image of Reagan-era hopelessness. Exaggerated and possibly not the most informed lyrical content, but still enough to get your blood pumping. Just the aloof, snarling delivery of a song like “American Way,“ with lyrics like “Go to church, go to school. Be another one of societies’ tools. This is your American way, Mom and Dad drive their Chevrolet.” Like the idea of a bunch of LA punks scoffing and rolling their eyes at the idea of driving a brand name automobile. Hilarious. Some songs do touch some gnarly subject matter, like “Suburban Death Camp.” For my money though, the hit single off of this record is “My Bloody Dream”. “Is this real? Am I CRAZY??” Such a ripper.

Decry have a similar rock’n’roll edge that I might compare to bands like Agression. And while they’re not covering Elvis tunes or anything, Decry also fit right in with a band like Tales of Terror. In my mind though, Decry’s rock’n’roll attitude and influence in the guitar playing has a sonic personality and attitude that feels purely like they could have only come out of Los Angeles. This is no Doug Moody production—this record sounds thick and powerful with a pinch of Hollywood studio pixie dust on top. You can hear a bit of the snotty, speeded out aggression of Wasted Youth still in the mix. But then again, when you see old photos of Decry, most of the dudes in the band have grown their hair long and teased it out. The fashion sense man… let’s just say you can see a bolo tie or 2 working its way into the outfit. It’s not a difficult stretch of the imagination to see these dudes trying on some leather pants a few years later. I don’t think I’d venture to say we’re quite in Guns N Roses territory. Decry still embody that snotty, nihilistic, punk attitude. They do a somewhat outta tune rendition of “Sonic Reducer” by the Dead Boys. Rough as it may be, Decry’s take on the song is really perfect for them. I think they feel right at home interpreting the snotty attitude of Stiv Bators and the crude, destructive attitude of the song. I guess some of these dudes did later go on to play in that band Junkyard along with Brian Baker from Minor Threat. So, all in all, I guess their leather pants/cowboy boots/hot rod cruising rock’n’roll dream did come true.

Anyway, check out Decry if you’re not super familiar. And maybe Junkyard too if you’re feeling feisty… or not. Whatever haha.

Anyway, that’s all I’ve got this week. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

By the time this newsletter comes out, the Shaved Ape/Meat House/Starving Bomb benefit gig for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund will be behind us already. Weird to write this preemptively. I really hope that show goes well. I’m fuggin stoked for it and hope the punks and freaks come rage and support the cause. Also, the day this newsletter comes out will be the same night as the mighty Deletär’s infiltration of Raleigh! So pumped for that gig.

Man, my staff pick this week caught me off guard. Sometimes, we stock records here at the store of which I have no prior knowledge or point of reference. Then, upon first listen, the record knocks my socks off. Okay, here’s the kicker though: especially a few years back, the genre descriptor of “gothy post-punk” really was the kiss of death, wasn’t it? I remember a period where contemporary DIY punk was way too oversaturated with bands that tried to do their best Joy Division impression. We’d stock record after record like that at Sorry State, and after a while I just remember finding all those bands exhausting. If your objective is to sound like 80s goth band “X”, I think the difficulty is whether you can actually write a good song or not. You can decorate the gothic castle of your dreams with all the correct sonic gargoyle statues and spooky drapery you want. Dark, moody vibe? Check. Chorus and delay on the guitars? Check. Wailing, low-pitch, budget Ian Curtis vocals? Check. Anybody else yawning yet?

This new LP by Montaña is antithetical to all of these negative trappings of post-punk I’m describing above. I played this record, and within 10 seconds I was already hooked. Hailing from Seville in Spain, Montaña has many sonic identifiers that tempt me to draw comparisons to other bands. But whatever, this record is just really GOOD. I think the strength of the band is that they know how to write hooky, catchy, and intelligently constructed songs. For my money, this band’s take on mining familiar sounds of post-punk/new wave/whatever stands head and shoulders above hack imitators. For one, I love that even with an incorporeal feeling of melancholy moodiness detectable, Montaña exchange the typical drudging broodiness for uplifting, frenetic energy in their songwriting. The opening track “6:45” is a perfect example, where the frenzied, relentlessly moving bassline meets a vibrant, hooky guitar melody. Funny enough, the herky jerky, unyielding bass and rhythm section kinda remind of Gang Of Four, and they have that song “5:45”… Coincidence? But they knock the musicianship out of the park. Brilliant counterpoint occurs between the propulsive basslines and the often syncopated, ethereal guitars. The second track “Negro Calor” opens with a bass part that immediately has a catchy guitar line that comes in with an unexpected, angular rhythm that rubs against the pulse of the bass. Moments of complex rhythmic intensity seamlessly transition into euphoric, spaced-out dreamy releases of tension.

Gah-DEYUM I love what the guitar player is doing on this record. It’s like total ear candy. While it is drenched with effects, I don’t gather that the guitar player is just trying to squeeze a bunch of pedals on his pedalboard unnecessarily like an obnoxious, nerdy guitar store employee. The variety of textures feels deliberate and heightens certain passages in the songs. The role of the guitar functions less like a vehicle to lead the listener’s ear for chord changes, and more like another layer of melodic complexity against the vocals. It’s like an additional dressing… that special sauce, baby. It’s funny, the guitar player every now and then will hit these chord accents with a particular delay cadence that sounds so much like “I Ran” by Flock of Seagulls. I don’t mean that as a diss at all. I really like Flock of Seagulls haha.

Speaking of the guitarwork against the vocals, the woman singing is the pot of gold under the rainbow obscured by the clouds. Another remarkable element within an already excellent backing band. All the lyrics are sung in Spanish of course, which for whatever reason is a bonus for me. Whether it’s Paralis Permanente or whoever, I think Spanish singing, even just sonically, sounds at home and rad over this style of music. Her voice and approach to the singing just oozes charisma and personality. She’ll do these explosive high-pitched squawks that (I hate to even go there) remind of Siouxsie on tracks like “Head Cut.” I guess a more contemporary comparison I could make is Violeta from Rata Negra—more just as a reference point for lively, talented singers in a similar vein. And that’s not to take anything away from the singer of Montaña—she’s got her own thing going on of course.

I think 8 songs is the perfect length for a record like this. All the songs are around 3 minutes in length and jam-packed with hooks and interesting, clever song structures. The record doesn’t overstay its welcome, and it also leaves the listener wanting more. The recording is also incredible. Crisp, clear, punchy and all the players in the band shine. It sounds professional, which is a funny word to use I suppose. Not slick exactly, but just expertly executed. The record comes housed in this unassuming brown cardboard jacket. The feel of the record is very DIY, with silkscreened minimal, graphic-designy looking artwork. I think this record is also a pressing of only 300 copies or something like that. I think the record is so damn good that it feels like it should be on a bigger indie label for some reason. But the fact that it’s not on a bigger label, and maintains a real deal DIY punk sensibility only adds to the record’s allure in my book. Maybe I wouldn’t have even listened to Montaña if they were on Sacred Bones or whatever haha.

It’s funny, the band is called Montaña, which I assume means “mountain” in Spanish. But here in North Cakalaky, I keep forgetting about the tilde on the “ñ” and keep jokingly calling the band Montana. The best post-punk to ever emerge from the hills of Missoula. This record is great. If any of the references or comparisons I made tickle your fancy, then I highly recommend checking it out.

That’s all I’ve got. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

Not a whole lot to report on the personal front this week. I’m feeling the tingles of being busy with band activities just around the corner. I was reminded that Public Acid’s 2 shows in New York are only a month away! And then from there, we fly out of New York to go tour the West Coast with KOS on the way down to Lie Detector fest in LA (dizzy guy emoji). All of which I’m thoroughly looking forward to, but always have a little anxiety about. It’ll be rad though.

Last week, I jumped the gun and talked about Record Store Day a couple weeks early. Now I’m back to talking about punk. The new reissues we just stocked from General Speech are killer! Legion of Parasites and Puncture were long overdue for a proper, nicely executed reissue. Along with these new General Speech titles, while GS was not directly involved, Tom was also nice enough to include these new reissues from Dead Ends. Dead Ends were a band based out of the Philippines during the mid-to-late 80s. The 3 LP’s Sorry State just stocked were originally released on cassette during the time the band was active. Thanks to this label Merciless Records, the Dead Ends recordings are finally given a long overdue and well-deserved vinyl treatment.

Weirdly, I was actually made aware of Dead Ends many years ago. My old buddy Ace, who has played in many bands I’m sure all you Sorry State readers are familiar with, first introduced me to Dead Ends back when he still lived in North Carolina. Come to think of it, I don’t even know how Ace found out about them way back when. For me, Dead Ends were relatively obscure, especially 10 years ago and considering they only released their albums on cassette. But I do recall Ace told me that he wanted to take a deep dive and learn about 80s Filipino hardcore. I remember him even rocking a Dead Ends snapback baseball hat at one point? You can check my sources on that detail. Back then, Ace probably played me a song or two. I remember thinking it was cool at the time, but after that, I surely didn’t know where to hunt down recordings online or anything. And I certainly had no idea that Dead Ends had 3 full-lengths worth of recorded material.

I can’t remember exactly what my initial impression of Dead Ends was when I first listened to them like over 10 years ago. I wanna say I remember it not being super aggressive or heavy. Maybe I was expecting them to sound more metallic, as one might think in the mid-to-late 80s, like Death Side or Final Conflict or something. But now, listening to these records with fresh ears, these feel like long-lost gems of an overseas hardcore scene. I’m sure Dead Ends made a huge impact in the Philippines where they’re from. Which also makes me wonder how much the band was aware of what going on in hardcore punk in the 80s. So, the band was a 3-piece. And one sort of legendary piece of the narrative I heard is that the 2 brothers in the band, Al and Jay Dimalanta, visited in New York in the early 80s, absorbed everything that was going in punk while they were there, and then returned home to the Philippines and started a scene from scratch. That could be totally untrue. But if it is true, it makes for an interesting development of the band’s story.

Listening to these records now, it seems very clear that Dead Ends took influence from punk and hardcore in the US (and also maybe a bit from the UK). I guess you could say that Dead Ends’ sound is fairly westernized. All the lyrics are sung in English as well. What’s funny though, is that to me it seems like each LP is sonically about 4 or 5 years behind what was happening in the US. And I don’t mean that disparagingly at all! Dead Ends’ first record Complaints came out in 1985, and really sounds a lot like California punk circa 1980 or ’81. And then with each record, the band gets slightly faster and more aggressive. Al’s vocals really are a huge aspect of the band’s sound. He’s super quirky and charismatic with his delivery. I’ve heard many people compare his inflection to Jello Biafra, which I totally hear, and would imagine Jello was a big influence. But I hear a bit of John Lydon in there too. I think the influence of UK punk shouldn’t be underestimated. Complaints will get you raging with faster-paced rippers, but then there are occasional uber-melodic, sort of anthemic tunes that sound like The Clash. I mean, dude, there’s even a few ill-fated reggae sections in some songs, which gives me a little smirk. Of course, a punk band incorporating a reggae groove in their song was par for the course if they were in the UK in 1978. If only someone was there to warn Dead Ends that not only would this not age well for bands in the late 70s, but it was DEFINITELY not a cool move in 1985 haha.

The next record, Second Coming, has its moments as well, but I found myself gravitating most strongly to the 3rd record, Damned Nation, probably the most instantly raging and urgent record out of all of them. When you listen to the riffs and fast, in-the-pocket groove of the drums, you could draw comparisons to like Battalion of Saints or even Poison Idea. That said, I think this record is where Dead Ends really comes into their own. And even with all of what I’ve said previously, I don’t think Dead Ends sound purely derivative on any of their records. I think the band shows strong songwriting and intense conviction on every single one of these records. Damned Nation in particular, though, has some super intricate musicianship, shredding guitar leads, clever song construction with some neck-breaking punches and tempo changes, and big sing-along hooks. The speed of the drums almost gets into blast beat territory on a few songs, but not in a metallic/power violence way. This still feels like classic, tuneful, albeit RAGING hardcore. But then along the way, in the middle of the record, you get songs like “Lights Are Out,” which breaks into an unexpected, super melodic refrain of “Teenage lust!” Or a song like “Johnny Loves Hardcore” is almost like Dead Ends’ answer to “Richard Hung Himself.” Big chanted chorus. It rules. So killer.

Another thing I want to point out is that Merciless Records did a really great job with these reissues. The packaging looks great. Most importantly, these records sound great! I’ve heard rough sounding rips of the Dead Ends cassettes on Youtube. And not unlike many other hardcore reissues I’ve heard, I half expected these LPs to have hiss or audible EQ dropouts. I’m not sure what the label’s sound source was for this new pressing, but I was thoroughly pleased how clear and punchy they sound. These sound like classic records, certainly deserving of having a proper release back in the 80s. Kind of a shame they didn’t from one point of view. From another, I’m stoked I get to listen to them on vinyl now in the year 2024. Dead Ends broke up in 1996 after the death of Jay Dimalanta. RIP. His brother Al, who was the chief songwriter in Dead Ends, has continued to play in bands even as recently as the mid-to-late 2010s. On each of the LPs, Al provides some history and insight in the liner notes. Pretty cool to read.

We only got a handful of copies, so I really hope Sorry State isn’t sold out of these Dead Ends by the time the newsletter comes out. If we are, I think there might a handful of distros still carrying them. Hopefully, Merciless will do a repress if these records become totally unavailable. Show some love for Dead Ends.

That’s all I’ve got. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

We’re already about a week into April. Funny enough, (at the time I’m writing this) last night I went to go to see Adolescents, Circle Jerks and Descendents. Originally, I had no intention of going. The show was at this bigger club in Raleigh called The Ritz and tickets were pretty expensive. But last-minute, Zander from Circle Jerks visited the store and offered to put a few of us Sorry State employees on the guest list. I’m not sure what I think about his new solo record exactly, but it was a very nice gesture on his part. Dom and Usman ended up not going, so I just rolled solo to the gig. Kinda weird. But sure enough, there was a ticket waiting for me at the box office. The show was sold out and PACKED, which stressed me out, but I did run into a few friendly faces. It bummed me out that the only original member in Adolescents was Tony, but I enjoyed watching all the bands. Honestly, the Descendents came out sounding the most tight and professional and got the best crowd reaction. Not surprising, I suppose. Once they played “Myage,” I dipped out early. Beyond that, as far as punk gigs in the greater Raleigh area, things have been pretty dead for a while. Luckily, there’s a few sick gigs coming up this month that I’m excited about. The first one is on April 7th at our local watering hole Kings, and the main attractions are punk-metal ragers Absolut from Canada. Then I’m really looking forward to this benefit gig at Rumah on April 20th—Shaved Ape, along with Meat House and new group Starving Bomb will be rockin’ together for a Free Palestine relief effort. There are a lot of other local events going on that same day, but hopefully the punks and freaxxx will show out for a rager and a good cause. Then just 2 days later, members of the Sorry State stable of artists Deletär from France are gonna rip in Raleigh! Hell yeah.

Speaking of 4/20 (hehe), the other big event we always know is on the horizon once April comes around is Record Store Day. Is it too early to talk about RSD releases already? I don’t care; this is what’s been on my mind this past week. Boxes, boxes and more boxes of fresh, exclusive titles have already been piling up on Sorry State’s doorstep. Honestly, I always have mixed feelings about RSD. Usually, once the new list of RSD-branded titles is made available to the public, I kinda roll my eyes. As I’m scrolling through, rarely do I see any records that grab my attention. You almost get kinda bored with the predictability of what records they decide to do: there’s probably gonna be a The Cure-related reissue (most likely a picture disc), some sort of Nuggets-related box set, something with the Grateful Dead, some sort of bloated triple-LP live bootleg by a crowd-pleasing classic rock band, a reissue of a famous movie soundtrack for $30-40 that you can probably find an old copy of at Sorry State in our bargain bin… I dunno, sorry if I’m sipping on the Hate-orade. Long gone are the days of packaging The Fix’s Vengeance and Jan’s Room as a double 7”. That’s all I’m saying.

While the punk titles might be in short supply, every now and then some cool heavy metal reissues come out for Record Store Day. One record in the batch this year is a fresh pressing of Death Penalty, the debut album by Witchfinder General. Knowing me, it might come as a surprise to some Sorry State readers that I even enjoy some Witchfinder General. I’ve been known to indulge in some dirtbag headbanger tendencies from time to time. But the other day, news of the RSD reissue inspired me to go dig out my og copy of Death Penalty. I gotta say, I threw that slab on the platter with fresh ears, and Witchfinder got me rockin’ out in no time.

How does one describe Witchfinder General? I guess the band is an early example of what the kids are now calling “trad metal” or traditional heavy metal. Death Penalty was released in 1982, which was the era when the tail-end of NWOBHM was still lingering, but also when speed metal & thrash were just beginning to emerge as the dominant force in the heavy metal landscape. But Witchfinder General really kind of set themselves apart by sounding much more reminiscent of 70s Sabbath. Thick, girthy guitars that to me sound heavily down-tuned—which is interesting, because besides Tony Iommi tuning down to account for his chopped off finger tips, I think down-tuning the whole guitar for that “doomy” sound was pretty uncommon at that time. The lead singer “Zeeb” (no one knows his real name lol) approaches the mic with what I affectionately refer to as billy goat vocals. Come on, y’all know what I mean, right? It’s that more high-pitched singing with a warbly vibrato. As a result, many annoying imitators would follow. But with Zeeb, I dig it.

This record was released on the aptly titled indie imprint Heavy Metal Records. Early on, around 1980, the label began to predominantly put out 7” singles in true DIY fashion. There’s an unspoken, yet detectable mission statement of sorts that this label was dedicated to only releasing real deal, traditional, “true” heavy metal. And ya know what screams authentic heavy metal more than anything else? A bunch of dudes in renaissance fair garb slaying a sinful, evil wench wearing lingerie while in a graveyard. Titties, cloaks, and swords… Horns UP, amirite? And how does the band up the ante on the 2nd album? Instead of just one, there’s 5 nekkid ladies being attacked. It’s all pretty silly.

I guess the medieval aesthetic lumps in Witchfinder as an early example of the whole “doom metal” thing. I mentioned Black Sabbath earlier. Especially the instrumental intro to the song “No Stayer” not only sounds similar, but I think the guitar player is literally imitating particular licks that Tony Iommi would play. Sounds like “Electric Funeral,” I’m pretty sure. Kinda crazy. In general though, I find a lot of pure doom metal pretty boring for my tastes. Like when you get into Candlemass territory, everything becomes so like ceremoniously corny cabaret. Witchfinder stands apart in my mind because they have songs with a driving, propulsive tempo. More edgy. And not to mention, an element of, dare I say… FUN? The dudes in Witchfinder General don’t wanna sit around throwing eye of newt into a cauldron or whatever. They wanna rock. Like, you could still cruise in your convertible with the top down wearing aviator sunglasses jamming most tracks on this record and feel badass as hell. For me, the total banger hit off of this record is “Free Country.” Every time it gets to the chorus and is like “Look out for me-eeh-eeh, let’s trip on LSD!” I’m like, ooooh fuk yah. He’s talkin’ about all kinds of shit in this song. Mushroom tea? Yes please. My man says, “amphetamine is real good speed.” True, true. No doubt, no doubt lol. But he’s gotta draw the line somewhere when he goes, “Heroin is a killer, you gotta say no.” Stick with that hippie shit. That’s what the druids would do.

I know this record has been reissued before. Back On Black did their treatment on Death Penalty, but the latest pressing that was only available as a picture disc? Big no no for me. So really, this album has been out of print for over 10 years! Realizing this makes the RSD reissue feel more exciting in my mind. And it’s also cool that the new version is back home being released on Heavy Metal Records once again. I didn’t crack the RSD reissue open obviously, but I wonder if the record is on color vinyl or not. My og copy is on clear vinyl. PS, my copy is missing the insert. This is a long shot, but if anyone reading this has an extra insert they can spare then hit me up!

That’s all I’ve got this round. Look out for me. I’m about to slip into my monk’s robe and brew some mushroom tea. Or just drink beer. We’ll see. As always, thanks for reading!

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

Had a pretty good weekend this past weekend (for clarity, at the time I’m writing this we’re talking March 15th/16th). I guess in the previous newsletter, I already talked about Public Acid playing the National, so I’ll spare you. But I realized I completely forgot mentioning the previous night: Much to my surprise, there was a gig in Richmond when I drove up on Friday night where that new band Cross from NY was headlining. They ripped it, and it was cool getting to kick it with them after the show. Cicada totally destroyed, love getting to see them. But a big highlight for me was this new Richmond band No Victim (whose name was something different on the flyer, but they changed it right before the show haha). The band featured my homie Merm of Invertebrates fame, but also fairly recent Richmond transplant Chester on guitar, who played in those Texas bands Stunted Youth and Save Our Children. For a first gig, No Victim crushed it. Fast, kinda dissonant and chaotic, but they also covered “Commando” by the Ramones. When they finished playing, I just looked down and muttered quietly to myself, “Goddamn, I love hardcore.”

In other news, I believe in this edition of the newsletter we’re announcing that the repress of Scarecrow’s first EP Revenge is finally back in print! Usman and I first released Scarecrow’s debut record on our Bunker Punks label back in early 2020, just a couple months before the pandemic hit. Crazy that 4 years have already gone by. Stoked that this record is available once again after being outta print for a long while. So, if you missed out first time around, hope you grab one either directly from us Bunker Drunks or from right here at Sorry State. You know you wanna snag that red vinyl! ;)

Alrighty, record write-up time: I feel like this Drunk Mums LP might be an unexpected choice for my staff pick. We just got in a bunch of new releases from this label Legless Records, which is based out of Australia. Funny enough, I checked this record out on Bandcamp when I was inspecting invoices for records we should be expecting to arrive in the mail very soon. Somehow, it totally slipped my mind that Angela had written about this very same Drunk Mums record for her staff pick several weeks ago. Whatever, I’ll double down.

Full transparency, based on this cover art alone, this looks like a record I would ordinarily avoid like the plague. The record is called Beer Baby, and I hate the look of the font they chose for the band name. Just looks kinda like a late-90’s half-ass photoshop job. And also, when someone throws out the genre-descriptor “Australian garage,” I’m usually like, nah… I’m good on that haha. Daniel and I use this term a lot: “Garage turkey.” Anyone know what I mean by that? I know you know these types o’ mofos you all see at gigs. Brown corduroy jacket, scraggly curly hair, flared bellbottom jeans, possibly a roadkill bone necklace? Textbook garage turkey. Perhaps that would be the target demographic for a group such as the Drunk Mums. But I gotta say, I threw this record on and just immediately was diggin’ it. Don’t try to box me in, muthafucka. I’m a multi-faceted creature.

I think these Aussie boiz are just good songwriters. To be fair, this record benefits from great sounding production too. Nice, upfront, lightly overdriven guitars. Thankfully, the drummer plays proper Tommy Ramone style on the hi-hat. I feel like garagey punk bands often suffer from a “trashcan” aesthetic and they proudly lean on that low-fidelity/low-effort stylistic approach. And for my money, it gives these bands an excuse to not try hard enough to write good songs. And while the Drunk Mums surely guzzle a few pints from that keg they’re carting around, you can tell these guys are actually really good players. Tight musicianship, and yet, not “stiff.” They’re rockin’ it out with swagger. Melodic, catchy tunes, man. Cool arrangements with the riff writing. I’m not sure if these dudes are slightly older, but it seems like they do owe a debt to the classic punk stylings of their local predecessors like The Saints. And I gotta say, as far as rockin’ punk style goes, I’d much prefer to hear a band from Australia that wants to sound more like Radio Birdman than they do like Pussy Galore or Royal Trux or whatever. I was saying to Dominic, the Mums have that intangible quality where if you were to go see them in a divey club and get totally hammered right up front, you’ll already be singing along with the chorus of the tunes before they’re over—even if you’ve never heard ‘em before. Possibly not the deepest lyrical content, but just fun. And what’s wrong with a little fun every now and then? I’ll find myself singin’: “It’s an apocalypse, baby!” Hell yeah.

Weirdly, I don’t know if this will make sense to some of you Sorry State readers, but I feel like a lot of these Drunk Mums tunes would sound properly great in a skate video. Have y’all ever watched that King of The Road series that was on Vice a few years back? I loved those King of The Road features that would come out on home video back when I was a teenager. Then the reprised TV show version had a theme song by this band called the Black Lips, and I don’t know why, but it would always put me in a good mood. Lo-fi catchy Ramones-ish with whistling melody for the chorus. Why not, right? Maybe I just enjoy it because I happen to associate the song with skateboard-related antics. The Drunk Mums’ songs I feel like could fit that same vibe. Like one of my favorite videos from my youth was Black Label’s Blackout video. I can imagine Patrick Melcher or Jason Adams killin’ slappies on a curb while a couple cuts off Beer Baby are kickin’ in the background.

Anyway, that’s all I’ve got this week. I believe I’m gonna crack a cole one and jam some Drunk Mums. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

Yet another quiet morning opening the store where I find myself trying to cram a bunch of words onto the page last-minute. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Last night, Public Acid played in Richmond opening for Municipal Waste to commemorate their 21st anniversary of Waste ‘Em All. A couple other Tankcrimes-related bands played like Ghoul and Necrot. The show was at this theater-size venue in Richmond called The National, which I had never been to. Playing on a big ass stage with a barricade was a unique experience compared to what I’m used to, to say the least. I drove back the same night and arrived home at like 3:30am and immediately passed the fuck out. I had nightmares about giant foam rubber monster mascots… then, I woke up feeling like I was still sticky from various neon-colored fluids that were launched projectile style all over the audience. But deep down, I just knew that the Sorry State machine wouldn’t run properly without my face appearing behind the counter. So, here I am on another gloomy Sunday feeling as fried as a dried-out sardine baking on the hot sidewalk.

When most people say they’re into Government Issue, I would imagine they’re referencing the first Dischord single and maybe a couple other early releases. But when I say that I love Government Issue, what I’m telling you is that I unapologetically love every single album. I mean pretty much, I think? I guess I’m kind of a GI apologist in that way. People probably also think I’m crazy for thinking that Boycott Stabb is the better record over Legless Bull in terms of their early hardcore material. Yeah, I said it. In some ways, I might have been predisposed as far as gravitating toward the later GI records. Quick little story: when I was about 15, me and best buddy Randy basically decided we’d become punk together. One year, for my birthday, Randy got me a copy of the eponymous Government Issue album from 1986. Randy told me the story of his experience buying it as he gifted the record to me: Even back then, while Randy was in the record store, before Randy was able to grab the record in order to buy it, there was a group of older punks basically picking up the record and this one older dude was basically talking shit on it. Saying something like, “Oh yeah, this is when Government Issue got weird. Nothing like their hardcore older stuff.” Defiantly, even after having overheard this guy, Randy still said fuck that, I know Jeff likes GI.

Up until this point, the only GI material I had heard was the Dischord EP because I had that 4 Old 7”s on a 12” compilation—a great education for teenage me. The first time I listened to this self-titled 1986 album, it’s not necessarily that I was challenged by it, but I do think I was just a bit perplexed by it. It blended moodiness and intensity in a way that felt fresh, but confusing. I found something mysterious and alluring about the record. And over the next several months, I found myself repeatedly revisiting the record and falling in love with it.

What’s interesting about Government Issue compared to the other crop of bands that emerged out of the early 80s Washington DC hardcore scene is that they just… continued. Most of the 80s DC bands were done by ’83, and ex-members were starting to form new bands during the Revolution Summer period or whatever. And the GI’s endured through it all. And as the band “matured” (hate using that word), GI established a sound and identity more self-realized than it was reliant on their roots entrenched hardcore punk. I’m not sure if the band was intentionally contrarian or distancing themselves, but maybe GI were actually the black sheep breaking away from the flock? (Funny enough, Steve Hansgen played bass on the 1986 GI record and Brian Baker was a producer on it). If any of you are like me, once you find yourself interested in this later period of Government Issue’s catalog, you really start going down the rabbit hole. All the sudden, you don’t care about what other early 80s hardcore bands were on the same flyer as GI in 1982. Hell no. You’re too busy listening to You as it’s glued to your turntable playing on repeat and spending your free time trying to track down that particularly good live version of “Jaded Eyes” from 1988. The Strange Wine live album? Don’t even get me started. Maybe I’m projecting, but I feel like we are a special breed that self-identify specifically as “later era GI fans.” Tell me I’m wrong.

Anyway, we finally get to my staff pick. Yet another reissue we’ve recently stocked at the store is Government Issue’s 1985 album The Fun Just Never Ends. I kept walking by this record sitting right up front in the bins at our store. Stabb was just staring me down on that front cover, beckoning me: “WRITE ABOUT ME.” Reissued on the Dr. Strange label, this newer print of the album includes bonus tracks… namely different versions of a bunch of the same album tracks. Kinda makes me feel like I’m listening to an expanded version of the album on Spotify that has bonus tracks tacked onto the end. But whatever, they’re cool to hear I guess. Without the bonus tracks, this record is pretty short and snappy for a full-length. For all intents and purposes, the record before this one, Joy Ride, still feels like a hardcore record. The Fun Just Never Ends functions like a transitional record for the band, bridging the gap between the faster early stuff and hints at the more melodic, vocal hook-oriented sound they would end up moving toward. I know John Stabb’s quirky, sardonic approach to singing will not be to everyone’s taste, but personally, I find him special because he’s almost like the anti-frontman. And as accessible as I think the musicality of GI’s songs can be for most, there is an underlying feeling that the band is attracted to the concept of anti-everything conventional in general.

For my money, “Mad At Myself” is one of GI’s all time great songs. Still hardcore, but also super catchy. It’s just made to be a call and response vocal hook: “I’m just mad, mad at myself… MAD AT MYSELF!” The song starts with all the instruments kicking in together, but then the drums stop and a solo guitar introduces the absolutely KILLER main riff. In a way, that riff in particular is like everything I love about DC punk guitar, but it is simultaneously so singularly and uniquely Government Issue. Amazing guitar tone. Speaking of which, Tom Lyle has gotta be one of my favorite guitar players. And while he was certainly great on previous GI records, I feel like this album is where I really take notice of Tom’s playing. A moment where the ambition and intelligence you can perceive from the songwriting kinda makes ya go, “Wow.” It feels like Tom really comes into his own and finds his signature style. There’s something special about his left-of-center approach to playing, where over the changing notes in the bassline, he structures these droning open strings under broken chords that move between uplifting melody and moments of dissonance that make my hair stand up on end. Tension and release. The guitar playing in the song “World Caved In” is a perfect example of what I love about Tom Lyle’s guitar playing. It’s funny living in an age now where you can find Tom Lyle nerding out about records on Instagram. Thoroughly entertaining.

Anyway, those are all the thoughts I can muster this week. I probably could go into more detail if any of you really wanted me to. Nothing to do, bored to death. I’m so bored, I’m bored to death. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

I’ve been thinking about crossover a lot lately. A “genre delineation” you might say, and a meaning or concept that has been occupying my brain space for many different reasons as of late. Metal meets punk… Or punk meets metal? I guess you could lazily describe the sound in this way, but I feel like the term “crossover” references an explosive saturation of bands during a very particular moment in extreme music. During the mid-80’s, in the United States in particular, a flirtation crept to the surface between underground hardcore punk and the emergence of thrash metal. It’s wild to think about Metallica interviews appearing in DIY punk fanzines, likely around the time when Kill ‘Em All was still on an indie label, and well before Ride The Lightning brought the band over to Europe and they exploded in popularity. I do have a bit of North Carolina pride thinking about how Corrosion of Conformity was a prominent force during this era. Around the time Animosity was recorded, I think COC was practically fully embraced by the West Coast punk and metal scenes alike. I’ve personally drooled over tons of flyers from 1985 of gigs that COC played while in California, with like GBH and Metal Church on the same gig. Or at a venue like Ruthie’s Inn, a famous hub for hardcore/thrash metal crossover gigs, where COC played with Bl’ast! and Possessed on the same gig. Wild.

So, what is crossover really? Was it simply a moment when hardcore punk intermingled with heavy metal, and those bands incorporated elements of thrash as the once primitive hardcore musicians got better at their instruments? Sure. But as with all genre-defining terms, you can’t so easily confine every band into a box. For me, I like to think of crossover as maybe sonically resembling metal influence in the musicianship -- BUT also maintaining the politics and social awareness of punk. I mean mostly in the band’s attitude and in the lyrics, rather than singing about Satan or death and mutilation or whatever. I mean, yeah, beer-guzzling skids are gonna love it… also, the record’s gonna have insane, gnarly, bright and colorful Pushead cover art… And the record is gonna sound particularly fucking good while you’re watching a dude blasting a huge air out of a bowl while riding a Powell-Peralta Caballero board. It all goes together.

Now my point, if there’s one band that is emblematic of the balance between the over-the-top, dayglo splatter ridiculousness and radical social consciousness, then it’s Italy’s almighty Raw Power. Gah-deyum, I fuckin’ love Raw Power. And yeah, I know my opening salvo was all about punk and metal in the States, but I’m flying us all the way over to Italy for my staff pick. Certain friends of mine would probably argue that Raw Power isn’t really pure crossover. They definitely don’t sound like M.O.D. or some shit like that. But to me, they’re part of the conversation. If for nothing else, because of the presentation, the sound, and the era when Screams From The Gutter was released. Guilty by association, you might say.

Recently, Sorry State stocked a new reissue of Screams From The Gutter, and it seems like we haven’t really been selling many of them. My gut reaction is what’s wrong with yall? But I do feel like we’ve had several other reissues of this Raw Power record released on several different labels as well. I don’t wanna call Raw Power a “cheap date” or anything, but I don’t really understand why it’s been so easy for reissue labels to get the official license or publishing of this classic in order to keep re-releasing it. I would like to think it’s because these labels understand this record is such a colossal ripper that it needs to keep being in print! I remember Back On Black did a reissue a few years back. This most recent reissue that Sorry State is stocking is on the prolific FOAD label. I gotta say, because the cover art on this record is so iconic, the reissue had better do the image of that melting mutant emerging from the sewers justice!! Compared to previous reissues, FOAD’s treatment of the cover art looks much better – less dull, super vibrant colors. I might even say the palette uses more of a hot pink in exchange for the more subdued purple on my original Toxic Shock copy. Tangent warning: Speaking of Toxic Shock, there is a Raw Power and COC connection. I think Screams is Toxic Shock catalog #3. Then Toxic Shock #4 is the 80s repress of Eye For An Eye, which came out right after COC initially released it on their own No Core, which surely got their record a ton more distribution. Very cool. Funny enough, the Toxic Shock catalog insert pictured below was the inspiration for my recent design of the Sorry State ad for Deletär and Fugitive Bubble ;)

Okay, here’s the thing about Raw Power… They’re kinda ridiculous – and I mean that with the utmost love and affection. Compared to their first album You Are The Victim, the band’s iconic 2nd LP definitely opted for a more metallic sounding production. Big riffs, gratuitous hesher guitar leads, gratuitous and relentless double kick. And you know what? Raw Power may lack subtlety, but every time I listen to this record, I revert back to the neanderthal, over-caffeinated, sketchy, Beavis and Butthead-esque teenage impulse of going, “SO RAD!!” The band has 2 lead vocalists that alternate. The predominant singer’s voice sounds exhilarated and out of breath the entire time. The other dude sounds like a shrieking banshee. Now, as far as the lyrics, they are definitely confrontational and political. I personally can’t speak to the oppressive political climate of 1980’s Italy. And surely there’s a bit of language barrier, as I assume that English is not these guys’ first language. All that said, and trying to be polite, I would describe the lyrics as not the most “poetic” I guess? Pretty blunt. A little boneheaded? Haha. The first song, “State Oppression,” an all-time classic, is like a battle cry. The energy gets you all riled up like, “FUCK YEAH! Fuck the powers that be!! STATE OPPRESSION!!” Then you actually read the lyrics and you’re like wait… what are we talking about exactly? That one lyric, “The bastards, the motherfuckers, they’re everywhere!” And you’re scratching your head kinda going… “Uh… I guess? Oh, I mean, YEEEAAAHHH THEY ARE BASTARDS!!” I think they use the word “bastard” in like every single song. Some other lyrics are like, “Politicans, you are shit. Politicians, you are crap. Politicans, you sons of bitches,” I could go on and on. Pure genius. Another classic off this record, “Police” rallies for action: “Police, police… don’t worry, attack them in the streets! Officers, officers… Kill them, and be proud men.” The “don’t worry” gets me laughing every time haha. It’s like yeah, duh, obviously. But as much as these lyrics read as absurd and outrageous, there’s still something about the attitude behind them that gets me clenching my fists and all fired up. What really gets me is the intro to the song “Army”. It’s starts with a lone guitar riff and then the bass and drums stop and start hitting on these punches… But the singer keeps repeating in a declarative manner: “ALRIGHT!”, almost like he’s addressing the listener before the whole band launches the attack like, “You ready to rip, motherfucker? CHARGE!!” Then it’s non-stop double kick drum mayhem. Fuck yeah.

Wow, somehow that ended up being the longest staff pick I’ve written in a long time. Just speaks to how much I wanna get across my love for Raw Power, I guess. Much like Raw Power’s lyrics, forgive if my analysis was more passionate than it was studious. Thanks for indulging me.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

The month of March has begun. Kinda hard to believe. Even with our additional Leap Year day, February still felt too short. Pretty soon, it’s gonna start getting warmer, the flowers will be blooming, and a thick layer of pollen will obscure my windshield. I had kind of a weird weekend, honestly. Hopefully, in the next few days I’ll be able to avoid bullshit and soak up some vitamin D. Anyway, no more needless exposition as I tend to do. Let’s talk about records:

If there’s any record that captures the feeling of absorbing sunshine with a cloud of doom and gloom looming overhead, then it’s this Bloodstains LP. It feels kinda silly to write about this record for my staff pick. Only because there was so much anticipation surrounding its release, and Sorry State’s copies sold out so quickly. But whatever, I can’t help it. I really like this record and wanna give Bloodstains some attention, even if the allure of this record is a bit obvious.

I read one description of this record as, “Orange County punks playing Orange County punk the right way.” There is something about Bloodstains where it feels like nothing is beyond the pale. I know I’ve chatted with the singer Cesar about records on social media, and he seems to be an expert and historian on all things southern California punk. This record is almost like an exercise in synthesizing the elements of early 80s OC punk into its purest form. In a way, I respect that. Especially because I can’t really think of any other band in recent memory that has attempted to achieve this sound and totally nail it with authenticity. First impressions when dropping the needle, the opening instrumental “The Last Rites” kicks in and I just remember thinking how great the production sounded. Super clear, sharp, and punchy. Glassy, organic and bright guitar sounds. Once the intro track finishes, Bloodstains launch right into “Public Hanging,” and once the guitar player starts doing those octaves, it’s like okay… Agnew has entered the building. Maybe I’m projecting, but there is something about early punk from Los Angeles and Orange County that sounds more “produced” and glossy than other 80s punk and hardcore. Like something seems more musician-oriented and professional than the raw 4-track, shoot from the hip records that might have emerged out of the Midwest or East Coast.

I don’t know what it is about punk from California. Even though punks are right by sunny beaches and their brand of hardcore tends to be more melodic and song-based, there’s still an unexplainable veil of darkness. When I think of Agent Orange or The Adolescents, and of course the death rock stylings of TSOL… It doesn’t necessarily have to with the production, but there’s an intangible, hazy fog of moodiness that creeps its way into the sound. I will say that if Bloodstains nails anything with their love letter to SoCal punk, they absolutely capture this intangibly dark atmosphere. If there’s any song that is like Bloodstains giving us a TSOL moment, then it’s the intro to the first song on side B, “When Men Were Men” with its ominous, satanic ritual by candlelight style arpeggiated guitar. They revisit their song “Anti-Social”, which also appeared on their demo as well as the 7” single from last year. Hey, I mean if the band think it’s their hit, then I don’t blame ‘em for including it once again.

It’s funny though, I remember riding with Daniel up to Richmond for a gig that Scarecrow was playing. On that car ride, Daniel played the Bloodstains record off of his phone, and that was the first time I listened to the record all the way through. As we were listening to the first few songs, I remember saying to Daniel, “Man, the only thing this record is missing is some Adolescents-style ‘ah-ah’ backup vocals.” Funny enough, right at the end the last couple songs “Suburban Suicide” and “Stray Bullets” scratch that itch. “Stray Bullets” is the final cut off of the record, and probably favorite. The chanted refrain, “Stray bullets! Stray bullets!” followed by the lead vocal, “in the sky-eye-eeeeyyye…” is standout moment for me.

What can I say? The boys in Bloodstains made a record that’s close to home for them, but it’s also right up my alley. Enough with all treble noise cranked on your EQ pedal. I want more Agnew guitar influence in my punk. Hopefully Bloodstains will repress this LP since clearly people are hungry for it. Anyway, that’s all I’ve got.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

I’ve had a couple of wild weekends since the last newsletter. Daniel was cooped up in bed sweating bullets, and obviously was way too damn sick to get a newsletter together last Monday. Honestly, that worked out in my favor because my brain space was plenty occupied without having to think about writing a staff pick last week. Now we’re back baby!

Since last time around, Public Acid’s new record Deadly Struggle has finally been released out into the world! That record had been slow cookin’ in the oven since Spring of 2022, so we were all stoked to finally get it out there. We had a “soft launch” party in Richmond, which was a total blast. All the Virginia homies repped hard for us dummies. Then the next day, we packed way too many people into a van and made the drive up to DC, which was also a killer gig. I’ve been really stoked to receive all this friendly and positive feedback from homies and strangers about the record. And for those of you Sorry State readers have snagged a copy from us thus far, thanks so much!

Just a few days ago, I was in Richmond yet again. Scarecrow went up to play with Physique, Destruct, and a local band Fried Reality, who I’m pretty sure I hadn’t seen before. I gotta say, I thought Fried Reality totally ripped. Hope to see them at more RVA gigs in the future. Destruct crushed, as always, and Physique was insane. Scarecrow brought a few of our freshly repressed red vinyl copies of our first EP Revenge along with us. Stoked we’ve got that record available again. Hopefully soon Sorry State will have some copies!

Alright, now on to talking about records I’ve been listening to. Sorry State recently stocked a bunch of reissues of punk classics from Radiation, Puke N Vomit, and maybe even another distributor that we haven’t carried stuff from in a long time. It’s gotta be at least 100 fresh titles. Funny enough, one of the records I was most excited to see come into the store was The Mating Sounds of South American Frogs by Peter and The Test Tube Babies. Maybe I’m wrong, but I get the sense that a lot of folks out there, even those who are fans of Peter and The Test Tube Babies, usually don’t reference this record as one of the better moments in their catalog. Maybe people don’t even like this record? I dunno. But personally, I just love it.

Elements of the gruff, Oi!-inflected, street savvy sound of the band’s early material still work their way onto this record. Still some funny lyrics that are a bit cheeky, you might say. But even as Mating Sounds is their 2nd full-length record, I think it’s the band’s first proper studio album seeing as Pissed And Proud was basically a live album. Perhaps this is a strange comparison, but in many ways it feels like this is Peter’s Machine Gun Etiquette moment of sonic development. They exchange the beer-sloggin’ lads chant-along stylings of “Banned From the Pubs” to a much more decidedly melodic, ambitious approach to songwriting. That said, the vibe is also a little rough around the edges, not unlike their No Future label mates The Blood. The record feels more “produced,” I guess I would say. Lots of clarity in the production, super tight musicianship, big reverby drum sounds. It feels like the boys went into the studio and threw caution to the wind. Even the album artwork might make a London punker scratch their head a little bit: “Fack off, mate… South American frogs? What are these wankers thinking?”

The immediate distinction between Mating Sounds and the band’s earlier No Future stuff is noticeable right off the bat. The haunting intro of the first track, “September Part 1”, enters with the atmospheric chirping (which I assume are “mating ritual” sounds?) of frogs and slowly fades into this propulsive drum beat and bass. But when it launches into this frenetic guitar melody, it straight up gives me chills. In almost concept album fashion, they reprise this intro on the very last track on the record with “September Part 2”, with an added intensity and more layers of the harmonized choral vocal refrain repeating, “I can’t waaaait until September.” It sounds like they have some female vocal accompaniment adding density to the Test Tube Babies’ gang vocal. It’s fucking rad.

Most importantly for me, the guitar playing on this album is absolutely incredible. I wish I was more familiar with the guitarist, who is credited as “Greenback” on this record. I think his actual name is Derek Greening? I think he played guitar in the band from the beginning -- and no disrespect to the early singles haha – don’t get me wrong, I love “Run Like Hell” as much as the next guy, but it’s clear Green was holding Back. See what I did there? Hehe. This record is not just scratchy, fizzy guitar power chord riffs and Chuck Berry leads. It’s so obvious he’s a great player and his abilities are under-utilized on the early material. The guitars are super loud in the mix and have this beautiful, lush tone. Moments of these incredibly catchy leads soar over subtle layers of arpeggiated acoustic twelve-string underneath in tracks like “No Invitation.” He manages to create these melodic hooks that practically take center stage instead of the lead vocal. I find myself walking away from listening to this record finding the guitar melodies are more important, memorable and foundational to the songs than the vocals or lyrics. From memory, I might even have trouble providing the title of any particular song on this album, but I could easily hum you the guitar part. Glorifying the guitar in this way might make it sound like I’m totally diminishing Peter’s vocals, but of course there are still great sing-alongs on this record. Probably my favorite track on the record “Blown Out Again” is the perfect blend of a signature guitar hook announcing itself as a focal point, but then also squeezing in a big, attention-grabbing vocal hook. Even some subtle layered synth textures? Wild stuff.

I could talk all day about the multitudes contained within the brilliant Mating Sounds of South American Frogs. Strange and unexpected for a staff pick? Perhaps. But, while often I hate to overuse the moniker of “underrated”, maybe I’ll say this record just deserves more love.

Anyway, that’s all I’ve got. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

What the fuck is happening? I feel like I was just writing for the newsletter yesterday. The course of my week just seemed to whizz by like one of those accelerated montage sequences in a movie, where I’m stuck in one spot but the color of the leaves is changing in front of my face. I’m at the store again with Dom and I’ve got an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. I feel like I need to commit more time to smelling the roses. But how can one do such a thing when life is so busy? By the time all you newsletter subscribers are reading this, it’ll be the week of Public Acid’s record release party. Strictly a listening party (*wink*wink), so bring your headphones. The following Saturday, we’ll be heading up to DC to play a sick gig with Destruct and Abism from New York, whom I’m very stoked to see live.

Also, I wasn’t sure when would be a good time to mention this, but Scarecrow is finally repressing our first 7”, Revenge. It’s been a long time comin’; our first EP has been outta print for a long time. Me n Usman got a whole bunch o’ covers to stamp haha. Scarecrow is playing with Physique in Richmond on February 23rd, and I’m hoping we’ll have a few copies for sale at that gig. I dunno, we’ll see.

Alright, let’s talk about this Violin record. For whatever reason, this seems to be a title on Iron Lung that isn’t garnering as much attention as the other last several titles released on the prolific hardcore punk label. Currently, even though we’ve had the record in stock for a few weeks, there’s no listing for this new EP on Discogs yet. Personally, I can understand why it maybe isn’t as attention-grabbing as other records on Iron Lung. Based on the band name and visual presentation alone, Violin might have been something I would normally glance over. I mean, just the name “Violin” led me to assume the band sounded like pretentious, artsy fartsy post-punk or something. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! I was dead wrong. Now, if any of my friends were to be like “what the fuck is up with this Violin band?” I would say, “Just buy it, dude. It RIPS.”

Let me stress this clearly, I was indeed surprised to discover that Violin is actually a hardcore band. Dropping the needle on this 7” totally caught me off guard. But before I get too entrenched in depths of rambling, let me talk about their first record before I dig into this new record: Violin’s previous LP was released on La Vida Es Un Mus back in 2022. Again, I can’t remember… maybe I gave it a quick listen? But I basically totally overlooked the record at the time. As far as I know, Violin is a project by just 2 dudes. On their initial release, I might describe Violin as what I often affectionately refer to as “weirdo hardcore,” or as Daniel describes in his write-up, “slightly left of center.” There are some quirky elements on the LP, while managing to still sound relatively heavy, which made me file them in a similar sonic category as a band like their UK peers Perspex Flesh.

On this new 7”, however, it feels like the boys in Violin made a conscious decision to strip down the sound, trim the fat, and bust out 4 songs of bare-bones, lean, mean, furious hardcore punk. I gotta say, I immediately prefer this 7” to their debut LP. I think taking a more direct approach to songwriting makes the band feel more explosive and powerful, and honestly, more memorable for that matter. For me, as much as I’m sure the visual aesthetic and presentation is an important element of the band’s “vision” or whatever, I think the artwork almost sells the record short. Violin’s propulsive take on hardcore is somehow air-tight in execution while also primitive and cavemanish. Harkening back to the tougher, meaner side of 80s US hardcore, there’s something about Violin that reminds me of Out Cold. In particular, the singer’s gruff, yet throaty, high-pitched voice reminds me a lot Kevin from the early Out Cold records. Only 4 songs, and every single one of them is fast. Not insanely fast, mind you… Iron Lung’s description deems Violin’s signature pace of 1-2-1-2 drumming as “violence tempo.” Which at first I was like, what the fuck does that mean? Then again, if I were to imagine this record as the soundtrack urging a pack of seething, rabid, frothing at the mouth degenerates to start raging, I understand exactly what it means.

Maybe due to the fact that this project is destined to be a raw, well-executed hardcore solo project sleeper hit not unlike Deaf Mutations, there was a part of me that wondered if Jonah from Career Suicide might be involved somehow. Come to find out that I fuckin’ called it, Jonah does in fact play drums in Violin. Daniel always talks about the concept of smart people making dumb music, and I think Violin falls into that category.

Violins? More like Vio-LENCE, am I right? If you haven’t even given this record a chance, I highly recommend you give it a listen. I’ll cut myself off there. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week (will probably be here before I know it),

-Jeff