Manufactured phonies

Happy mid-week, Wednesday warriors, and welcome to another fun-filled adventure of punk music, rehashed gifs and a lesson in twisting and corrupting our most beautiful English language. This week we have a real doozy of a playlist, featuring awesome tracks from bands like X, The Menzingers, Blur, RVIVR, Brody Dalle and more. Without further ado, let's burn this barn down. 



And here's the web player link for all you porkies

We kick off the week with a blistering track from Cascadian rockers, RVIVR. Known for their work ethic (they tour a shit ton) and raucous live performances, RVIVR has quickly become a household name for old and young punk fans alike. Wrong Way/One Way is off their 2nd full length, The Beauty Between. For all my D. Columbian brethren, mark your calendars: they're playing Comet Ping Pong on May 24.

Brody Dalle, with all of her glorious idiosyncrasies and 
resolute grittiness, is one of my a) favorite Aussies and b) favorite punk rock ladies. Formerly of Distillers and Spinnerette fame, my main girl Brody debuted her solo work in 2014 with the album Diploid Love. Underworld is the 2nd track off this record, channeling all the energy and drive from her previous work, while exploring new themes and sounds (including a dope ass horn section and cool little Spanish guitar outro). 

Up next is a pop punk anthem from widely acclaimed group The Menzingers. Second only to Michael Scott in the category of "Best Things to Come Out of Scranton, PA", The Menzingers have been playing raw, fun punk rock since 2006. Good Things is off their third studio album, released in 2012 on the Epitaph label. Undeterred by the chaos that is slowly engulfing our world, these guys are about to set off on a month-long tour of Europe and Asia to promote their latest album. Godspeed, gents!

Dirty Fences is a hard rockin', punk slingin' outfit out of NYC. Although you can hear some of that 70s Ramones influence in their work, they meticulously blend in their own garage guitar sounds, unique harmonies, and fun arrangements. All I Want is off Too High To Kross, their 2013 full-length.

Ghost Ship is off London group Blur's long-awaited, latest album. Unveiled in 2015, The Magic Whip (which is Blur's 8th studio album) was their first release since Think Tank in 2003. Fans weren't disappointed, and for the most part critics raved that it was a triumphant comeback from Damon Albarn and the gang. Hey, since we're already listening to Blur, I'm gonna throw in a little extra...one of my favorite songs by them, We've Got A File On You.

We're Desperate is a boiling composition and plea-to-action from LA's first wave punk band X. For me, like many other kids growing up listening to punk in the 90s, We're Desperate was one of the first exposures to X that I had, thanks to the reissue version that lead lady Exene Cervenka did with Pennywise. Although that cover doesn't stray at all from the original arrangement, it doesn't quite capture the raw emotion, and feeling of despair, that the original exudes.

DC's own Dot Dash is no newcomer to the WWA rotation, and they have plenty of material to add to the mix. Dumb Entertainment is the first track off their latest record, Searchlights. For all my local listeners, these guys are frequent fixtures in the usual suspects; Black Cat, Songbyrd, DC9, Rock N Roll Hotel...go check 'em out when you can!

She's Like Heroin to Me, courtesy of LA cowpunk band The Gun Club, was featured on their debut  album, Fire of Love, released through Ruby Records in 1981.  With that rumblin' train backbeat, country giiiiitar twang, and blues/rockabilly lyrical style, the song exmplifies the advent of the psychobilly genre that gained so much steam throughout the 80s. The Gun Club came to a sad end when band leader Jeffrey Lee Pierce passed away in 1996.

We're gonna close out the week with a shimmering track from Hot Snakes, a post-hardcore band that emanated from the primordial ooze under a hot and unforgiving SoCal sun. The band was formed and led by John Reis, previously of Rockets from the Crypt, and his old bandmate from Drive Like Jehu and Pitchfork, Rick Froberg. Plenty for All was the last track on Hot Snakes' third and final album, Audit in Progress, which was released through Reis' label, Swami Records.


Alright I think that's it for today. As always, send over song requests, critical feedback, threats, etc. Oh and if you're in a band, send me t-shirts. I started this blog for the free shirts...where are the free shirts. I am a male, slim medium. THANKS