Ahhhh, poop jokes. Just the sort of high-brow humor and semantic amuse-bouches that one comes to expect from these little WWA sessions. Happy Wednesday, campers, and welcome to another punk-soaked midweek playlist. We have a bunch of uplifting and at times combative tunes to help you make it through your day, including songs from Violent Femmes, Millencolin, No Use for a Name, Teenage Bottlerocket, The Pharcyde and more. So stop farting about, and go LISTEN NOW.
Annnnnd the web player link for all you goofs.
Last Friday Teenage Bottlerocket released their latest project, the highly anticipated Stealing the Covers. This album represents the band's uniquely warped take on the concept of a record devoted to covers; instead of rehashing the same old songs we already know and transforming them into pop punk anthems, these Wyoming ruffians decided to curate their own special list of songs, all written by totally obscure and under-valuated bands, to create a completely different and unexpected experience for the listener. Robocop Is a Halfbreed Sellout, written and originally performed by Sprocket Nova, a band from their hometown of Laramie, was released a couple months ago as the teaser single to get us all pumped.
Time to Get Tough is a fervent and moving tune from those LA reggae dudes of The Aggrolites. Getting their start as a backing live band, and after that a more Wrecking Crew-esqu backing studio band, for various artists, the gang were quickly inspired to break free and set out on their own path. The Aggrolites like to blend a style of 60s soul and funk with early ska, letting the silky smooth vocals of singer/guitarist Jesse Wagner and the sly organ playing of Roger Rivas take center stage. This track is off their sophomore studio effort, The Aggrolites, which was the first they did through Hellcat Records.
Now for the dope bass lines and "yeah yeah" choruses of Kiss Off, from those folksy Wisconsin motherfuckers of Violent Femmes. This song, like their other hits Blister in the Sun, Gone Daddy Gone and Add It Up, was off their self-titled 1983 debut album. And yes, it went down on their permanent record...the album went platinum and is widely considered to be one of the most important records of the 80s.
So many broken Kinder eggs! Up next is Softworld, courtesy of the silly, sassy, scintillating, spry and skankin' Swedes that make up Millencolin. Founded in the quaint, medieval town of Örebro in 1992, at the height of the 90s skate punk renaissance, the band, still boasting its original core line-up, has remained active ever since. Softworld is an echo-ey and punchy track off their second LP, Life on a Plate, which was released on Epitaph's Swedish sister label Burning Heart Records (also based out of Örebro...what a coinkydink)
The Marked Men are a lo-fi, garagey punk quartet based out of Denton, TX. Reminiscent of like-minded fuzz rock acts like Jay Reatard or Jeff Rosenstock, this Texas foursome doesn't hold any punches when it comes to writing fast, chaotic, yet thoughtfully arranged compositions. A Little Time is the opening song off their third studio album, 2006's Fix My Brain. Because my blog is essentially nothing more than "Six degrees of John Reis" I suppose I should note that Fix My Brain was published through the mighty Speedo's Swami Records.
Well there comes a time in every young playlist's life where things just start to go off the rails and get weird. This week, that particular honor falls on the delightfully moody fellows of Echo & the Bunnymen and their song Lips Like Sugar. The band formed in Liverpool in the late 70s by vocalist Ian McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant, accompanied by a human bassist (Lee Pattinson) and an electronic drum machine ("Beats-O-Matic 2000") While maintaining separate solo careers, Ian and Will are still very active in the Bunnymen project, and they continue to write new material and tour.
editor's note - it has come to my attention that I have 100% fabricated the name of the drum machine
Jj is a hauntingly pretty and super jangly tune from DC quartet Priests. Original lyrics conveyed through a soulful singer, fun guitar runs buoyed by a dominant rhythm section, this song checks all the boxes. Priests has been around since 2012, releasing EPs as quickly as they could write new material. Jj is the second track off their debut full length album, Nothing Feels Natural, which they released earlier this year through their independent label Sister Polygon Records. You can get a taste of the full album, and purchase it, here.
It's good to know old bands are still kickin' it something fierce. Our title track for today's episode is courtesy of 80s DC hardcore outfit Scream. For all my British brethren, Peter Stahl and the boys will be playing in the UK in early August... 8/3 in London at The Underworld, 8/4 in Leeds for the Bloodstains Festival and 8/5 in Blackpool for UK Rebellion Festival. Make sure you take this opportunity to go see a classic, live!
We close out today's musical slip n slide with Do It All Again, a Groundhog Day loop of a song by Colorado Springs punk outfit Nobodys. Off their 2016 album Hussy, the mid-tempo track seeps out sugary melodic hooks and a catchy chorus that you'll be hard pressed to NOT sing along to.
Well I can't wait to do it all again next week, kiddos. Be sure to tune in next Wednesday (and the wednesday after that, etc) for more sonic and written debauchery. In the meantime, continue to send me cool shit, new tunes, poop jokes, whatever.
No comments:
Post a Comment