Killing time all the time isn't what brings you here

Howdy folks. Trump is a piece of shit, Steve Bannon is worse than Joseph Goebbels, Mike Pence is an anti-human rights vampire etc. etc. etc. Let's focus on the positive vibes of this week's #WWA playlist. I hope you can find some solace in the sweet and sour sounds of this week's diverse range of songs. Please keep the feedback coming, share with friends, and above all, enjoy.

Aaaand the web player link – https://play.spotify.com/user/agood1no/playlist/7HVlfMm1YGAwNmIhB2hJeM

Wipers – Over the Edge

We kick off the week with a loud, fuzzy rock n roll anthem from Portland punk trailblazers (ahhhhh see what I did there?!) Wipers. Formed in 1977, Wipers are often considered the first Pacific Northwest punk band, and would go own to influence not just local punk movements like riot grrrl, but also nationally acclaimed grunge bands like Nirvana, Melvins and Mudhoney. Kurt Cobain often cited Wipers as a major influence, and Nirvana covered a couple of their songs throughout the early 90s. Over the Edge is the first track off their 1983 album of the same name.

Strike Anywhere - Chalkline

Chalkline is an emotionally charged and blisteringly fast track from Richmond hardcore band Strike Anywhere. The song is off their debut album Change is a Sound, released in 2001 through Jade Tree records, and is a poignant statement about gender inequality (this, coupled with the album’s first track “You’re Fired,” makes this quite appropriate given who we elected commander-of-pussy last week). Strike Anywhere has made a name for themselves through their musical style of catchy melodies and hardhitting, aggressive songwriting, as well as their strictly self-imposed devotion to sociopolitical causes, ranging from police brutality and women’s rights to anti-capitalism and political corruption. Although they haven’t released much new material, they still actively tour…go see them when you get a chance!

Guantanamo Baywatch - Barbacoa

Up next we have another band from Portland, OR, Guantanamo Baywatch. Barbacoa is a raucous surf instrumental off their 2012 full length Chest Crawl, released through indie label Dirtnap Records. Shimmering, atmospheric and hazy, this mirage of a song hooks you in from the first reverb-soaked distorted guitar chord. The rest of the album, including both instrumentals and vocal-driven tunes, is heavy on the dank surf runs heard here, while also incorporating more indie blues themes, reminiscent of contemporaries like Mac Demarco or Wavves.  By the way, Guantanamo Baywatch wins this week’s “best band name” award.

Violent Femmes – Issues

Issues is the first single off of Violent Femmes’ latest release, 2016’s We Can Do Anything, their first studio album in 16 years. In addition to the band’s core trio, this record features the self-described “Horns of Dilemma,” instrumentation ranging from bass cajon to accordion to banjo and electric 12-string. Issues is a rambling, goofy and hook-driven track that embodies all the weirdness and stylistic diversity that has distinguished the Violent Femmes over their storied career. We were all happy to see the band make amends and get back together after some bitter infighting over the use of their hit ‘Blister in the Sun’ in a Wendy’s commercial…Wendy’s, for when you want something slightly better than McDonald’s.

The Bouncing Souls – The BMX Song

The BMX Song is a crunchy and singsongy tune from NJ pogo punks The Bouncing Souls.  This track is off their 2^nd LP, Maniacal Laughter, and showcases the Souls’ light-hearted thematic content, bouncy feel and driving rhythms. Maniacal Laughter was produced by the legendary Thom Wilson, who has engineered and produced numerous acts including The Offspring, Face to Face, Dead Kennedys, Bad Religion and The Vandals. The Bouncing Souls have been consistently active since their inception in the late 80s, and released their 10^th studio album, Simplicity, earlier this year.

IAM – Petit Frère

IAM is a hip hop group formed in 1989 in the coastal city of Marseilles, France. Short for ‘Invasion Arrivée de Mars’ (Invasion from Mars), they often employ the local vernacular ‘Mars’ in their songs to describe their homebase of Marseilles. Petit Frère is one of IAM’s most successful singles, released in 1997 as part of their album L’École du Micro d’Argent. This was a starting point for future collaborations with some members of Wu-Tang Clan, and you can hear them sample C.R.E.A.M. at the beginning of the track. Petit frère deals with the dark realism that faces many non-White French people, topics that are characteristic to IAM’s thematic style, such as street violence, racism, Islamophobia and censorship.

GWAR – Fishfuck

Fuckin’ GWAR time. Punk meets heavy metal meets broadway musical meets latex. These are the things that GWAR is made of. If you haven’t seen their live stage show, which involves (but is not limited to) being sprayed with various bodily fluids, the decapitation of existential threats to humanity (ranging from the Pope to Justin Bieber) and interplanetary battles, then you are not living. Fishfuck is a catchy little ditty the whole family can enjoy on the way to church on Sunday morning. This track is off their 1999 album We Kill Everything. Fun personal fact – (the first time) I lost my wedding ring was during a raucous GWAR show at the 930 Club; the fake semen, urine and blood just lubed it right off. 

 

Link 80 – Verbal Kint

Verbal Kint is the 1^st track from skacore band Link 80’s debut full-length, 17 Reasons, released in 1997 through Asian Man Records. Link 80 wrote songs chaotic in nature, relying heavily on a chugging rhythm section as a backdrop to earsplitting horns and shatteringly loud lead vocals.  Link 80 was well known for incorporating TV and film references within their music and, true to form, Verbal Kint is based on Kevin Spacey’s character in the The Usual Suspects. Fun time video alert! They made a pretty shitty music video for this song, which you can view here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYaC10ZQEfk

SCREW32 – Painless

Alongside so many other greats, including Rancid, Green Day and AFI, melodic hardcore outfit SCREW32 is part of the East Bay punk movement during the early 90s. Like their contemporaries, they got their start playing gigs at the music collective at 924 Gilman Street in Berkeley. SCREW32 created a sound influenced by both west coast punk and DC-style hardcore, centered around catchy melodies and refined lead guitar riffs, while maintaining a strict DIY ethic. Painless is a groove-driven track from the band’s last album, Under the Influence of Bad People. Although the band broke up soon after the release of this LP in 1997, founding members Andrew Champion and Grant McIntire (vox and guitars, respectively) reformed the band with new members this year. Catch them today if you live in California, or in early 2017 when they go on tour!

The Datsuns – Harmonic Generator

Harmonic Generator is the single off New Zealand hard rockers The Datsuns’ eponymous debut album. These Middle Earthers blend psychedelic rock-inspired sounds, evocative of acts like Wolfmother or Black Mountain, with a heavier four on the floor rhythm, complete with rambling guitar solos and call and response choruses.  We’re thinking about you guys in the wake of those terrible earthquakes: hope that you and all your friends and family are safe and sound.

The Sidekicks – DMT

Like the powerful hallucinogenic drug its named after, DMT is a mend-bending and intense song. The raw emotion in lead singer Steve Ciolek’s vocals reminds me of Rivers Cuomo, whereas the songwriting and instrumentation offer more depth and soul than you’d find in your average Weezer song.  Based in the inexhaustible college town of Columbus, OH, The Sidekicks have been consistently touring and putting out new material since banding together in the late 90s. DMT is off their 2012 release Awkward Breeds. Fun technology note – these dudes still use Yahoo, which I guess is the vinyl of email providers?

Dead Boys – What Love Is

We end the week with the original sonic reducers, Dead Boys, and their not-so-romantic love anthem What Love Is (guys – do NOT include this track on your girl’s Valentine Day mixtape). A bedrock of the early punk movement and frequent headliners at the famous CBGB club, Dead Boys went down as one of the rowdiest bands of the 70s, leaving a trail of chaos and violence wherever they went. After drummer Johnny Blitz was stabbed several times in the chest during a street fight, larger-than-life personality John Belushi filled in for him on drums. What Love Is comes off their 1^st studio album, Yound Loud and Snotty, recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York in 1977.

Thanks for listening guys. As always, keep tuning in every week for more great music and to show these often-neglected bands the love they deserve! Let me know if you have tracks you want played, or if you’re a band who wants me to make them famous. KEEP FUCKING SHIT UP AND SHOW THE WORLD WE DON’T WANT AUTHORITARIAN WHITE SUPREMACIST BIGOTS IN OUR ELECTED OFFICES

Square pegs stuck in round holes

Happy fucking Wednesday, boys and girls, and thanks for tuning in to this week's episode. We got some choice tracks today spanning across multiple eras of sound, from iconic champions Minor Threat and Bad Brains to brand spankin new acts like Modern Baseball and Curse Words, and everything in between. Open your favorite beverage, give in to your darkest desires and let's get this hootenanny started.




...and of course, the web player link for all you folks who don't have the spotify app: https://play.spotify.com/user/agood1no/playlist/3LOt6FOkAMvq5eAfVqqdcB

Down By Law – Gruesome Gary

We kick off this week with a schoolyard singalong from influential punk band Down by Law. Part of the Epitaph family in a flourishing 90s punk scene, DBL quickly made a name for themselves through thoughtful songwriting, technical prowess and dedication to their live sound and their fans. Founded in 1989 by only original member Dave Smalley (who already made a huge impact through his former bands Dag Nasty, DYS and All), Down by Law is back in business after a long hiatus in the 00s. Gruesome Gary tells the story of the rise and fall of a school bully, and is off DBL’s 4^th full-length, All Scratched Up.

Modern Baseball – Tears over Beers

Tears for Beers comes off Philly outfit Modern Baseball’s debut album, Sports. This 12-track release was recorded and produced in the Free Studios at Drexel University, where the two founding members were attending at the time. Artfully blending diverse stylistic elements, ranging from indie folk to emo to rock, and with an inescapable bittersweet timbre, these guys keep you guessing where they’ll go next. Modern Baseball has made plenty of waves, especially in underground music circles, through their devotion to their fanbase and unwavering commitment to stay unpretentious and rooted in their music.

Minor Threat – In My Eyes

Jesus, I may as well turn this playlist/blog into an Ian MacKaye fan club. Arguably, he has enough groundbreaking material and diversity in his art to still make it interesting each week. In My Eyes is a blistering and unrelenting anthem from iconic DC hardcore act Minor Threat. The kings of DIY, Minor Threat released all of their material through their own Dischord Records label. Crack open a beer and enjoy this tune from the founders of the straight edge movement!

Bad Brains – I and I Survive

Next up is a track from equally important member of the DC hardcore community, the rastacorian (see, it’s easy to make up words) dudes of Bad Brains. I and I Survive is off their 1983 sophomore album Rock for Light, which is a schizophrenic mélange of breakneck-speed hardcore and an off-tempo groovin’ calypso reggae. This particular song embodies the latter style, with meandering guitar and vocal melody lines layered over a rocksteady rhythm section. Although I and I Survive provides the listener a glimpse into the stylistic diversity of lead vocalist H.R., it really doesn’t do him justice. Go check out more Bad Brains songs and you’ll see what I mean.

The Offspring - LAPD

It is my hope that oftentimes as you listen to these playlists, you’ll discover new artists, maybe fall in love with a band you had no idea existed. Well, that certainly is not the case with our next track, from uber-famous The Offspring. LAPD is featured off their 2^nd studio album, Ignition, released in ’92 on the Epitaph label.  Pulling from the sounds and themes of the times, this song contains elements of grunge and punk, with some surf undertones, to create a jarringly jangly reproach of the nation’s third largest police force. Unfortunately, this is quite a propos with everything we’ve been seeing in the news lately…Happytimes fun Wednesday fact – some dicktard skinhead stabbed lead guitarist Noodles at one of the band’s earlier shows in the 80s. Nazis definitely make Orange County way less fun.

The Cure – Fascination Street

Now it’s time to get weird with British gentleman Robert Smith and his omnipresent band, The Cure.  The West Sussex rock group was a cornerstone of the burgeoning new wave and post-punk movements in the UK, famously pushing stylistic boundaries and delving into gloomier and more introspective content. Fascination Street, a single off their 1989 Disintegration release, is notable for its extended bass intro and for further establishing The Cure’s gothic pop sound .

Curse Words – Strange Shapes

Stoner punk goofs and self-described “beer models” Curse Words proves that punk rock is alive and well in our nation’s capital. Drawing from a wide range of influences, from bubblegrunge to forward-thinking pop punk, the dudes of Curse Words have created a unique sound that’s getting a lot of attention. Irreverent to the end, and dedicated to the art of the face-melt, they pack a punch at their live shows. Strange Shapes is off their 2016 EP Better Luck Next Time, recorded at the legendary Inner Ear Studios, and walks us through one of their more chemically-enhanced journeys. If you’re in the DMV, go check these guys out next time they play!

The Bouncing Souls – True Believers

True Believers is a hook-driven tune from Bouncing Soul’s 5^th studio album How I Spent My Summer Vacation. Built around lead man Greg Attonito’s delightfully unique melodies, and complemented by thoughtful bass and guitar parts, True Believers underscores why these boys from New Jersey have built such a strong and committed national (and even global) following. Bouncing Souls have been around since 1989 with only a couple small line-up tweaks, and they show no signs of slowing down, releasing their 10^th studio album to date this past July.

Blondie – X Offender

Up next we have new wave group Blondie, led by the incroyable ex-playboy bunny and punk symbol Debbie Harry. X Offender (originally titled ‘sex offender’ before THE MAN shut that down) is the first single off their eponymous debut album. “You wanted the love of a sex offender”…provocative and sarcastic, X Offender details a lady of the night’s crush on her arresting officer, and her schemes to perpetrate love with him. Hugely popular, both commercially and critically, Blondie has sold over 40 million records worldwide and was inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

7 Seconds – Busy Little People

We conclude this week’s shitshow with the song Busy Little People, from melodic hardcore legends 7 Seconds. Formed in Reno, NV in 1980 by brothers Kevin Seconds and Steve Youth, 7 Seconds were influenced by, and experimented with, multiple genres, including west coast hardcore, funk, new wave and punk, to create a long-lasting and hard-earned legacy in the biz. This track is from their LP Soulforce Revolution, released through the Restless Records label in El Segundo. 7 Seconds are themselves busy little people – they are still recording and touring today.

Alright Dragoons, that’s it for us this week. Parting ways is always hard but we’ll do it all over again next Wednesday. Keep in touch, feel free to throw out song requests, and if you’re a band or label and want me to play your shit, just let me know. Andrew out.