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This compilation features the only available songs from Uncanni (members of Diode, Rearranged Face, ex Prized Pig and ex-Freakees), as well as songs by Lackey, Advoids, Munchkinhead, Animated Violence, Bigshot, Grotto and Rearranged Face. Includes an oversized zine / lyric booklet.
Our take: Vending Machine is a compilation featuring nine punk groups from Los Angeles, and it’s one of the most thought-through and well-executed compilations I’ve heard in some time. The projects on the tape are deeply connected; all of them are affiliated with the ABC rehearsal studios and House of Tomothy venue / record label / recording studio, and many of them share members. The standardized recording style provides further cohesion, with each band recording their contributions live-in-the-studio, Peel Sessions-style, during one of four marathon recording sessions. Most bands get three songs to show us what they’ve got, though Big Shot and Advoids get four tracks, and Sacred Bathers provide electronic interludes during the transitions between songs. Thanks to all, this, Vending Machine listens differently than most compilations... it’s almost like each band kind of bleeds into one another, as you might hear the same synth player or bassist on two consecutive bands’ tracks. In terms of style, most of the bands on Vending Machine fall broadly within the arty DIY punk spectrum... think bands like Uranium Club, Spread Joy, Shopping... bands that aren’t inaccessible, but definitely left of center. The only band I was familiar with was Rearranged Face, and while their three tracks sound great, they’re only one of many highlights on this substantial 32-track collection. The tape also comes with a booklet insert with artwork from the bands and some information about the project, much of which I’ve summarized here. Since Vending Machine isn’t streaming and it’s so embedded in its own peculiar world, in all likelihood, not many people are destined to hear it. If it sounds interesting to you, though, I strongly recommend making the extra effort it takes to get a physical copy.