Scratch Acid

Scratch Acid were a four-piece noise rock/post-punk band from Austin, Texas that were initially around from 1982 to 1987. They released two EP's and one album of their distinct abrasive and wild sound, marked by sharp, distorted and dissonant guitars, with pulsing rhythms and vocal yowls. They've been incredibly influential in their own right, and along with bands such as Big Black and the Butthole Surfers, took the punk foundation and pushed its boundary with chaotic noise. Scratch Acid are also fairly known for its members, who would go on to be in a ton of major bands after. The most notable of these is The Jesus Lizard, whose line-up included half of Scratch Acid, as well as Rapeman and Ministry.

Touch And Go Records put out a compilation of all their recorded material in 1991. They are a quinessential Touch and Go band, despite only one of their original releases being put out by the label. I included both the compilation and individual releases below. Scratch Acid also reunited in 2006 and 2012 for live shows. Enjoy.

Scratch Acid (1984)

1. Cannibal

2. Greatest Gift

3. Monsters

4. Owner's Lament

5. She Said

6. Mess

7. El Espectro

8. Lay Screaming

Just Keep Eating (1986)

1. Crazy Dan

2. Eyeball

3. Big Bone Lick

4. Unlike A Bapist

5. Damned For All Time

6. Ain't That Love

7. [untitled]

8. Holes

9. Albino Slug

10. Spit A Kiss

11. Amicus

12. Cheese Plug

13. [untitled]

Berserker (1987)

1. Mary Had A Little Drug Problem

2. For Crying Out Loud

3. Moron's Moron

4. Skin Drips

5. This Is Bliss

6. Flying Houses

The Greatest Gift (1991)

1. Cannibal

2. Greatest Gift

3. Monsters

4. Owner's Lament

5. She Said

6. Mess

7. El Espectro

8. Lay Screaming

9. Crazy Dan

10. Eyeball

11. Big Bone Lick

12. Unlike A Bapist

13. Damned For All Time

14. Ain't That Love

15. [untitled]

16. Holes

17. Albino Slug

18. Spit A Kiss

19. Amicus

20. Cheese Plug

21. [untitled]

22. Mary Had A Little Drug Problem

23. For Crying Out Loud

24. Moron's Moron

25. Skin Drips

26. This Is Bliss

27. Flying Houses

28. The Scale Song

Spotify

Apple Music

The Sawtooth Grin

The Sawtooth Grin were a four-piece mathcore/grindcore band from Montrose, New York that formed in 1999 and broke up in 2004. They put out two releases in that time of sharp, spazzy music that rode the boundaries of multiple genres, similar to bands such as The Number Twelve Looks Like You or As The Sun Sets. They reformed in 2009, and had plans for an album back in 2012 titled Jabberwocky, which was never released. Some demos from it have been leaked online, but unfortunately I don't have them. Enjoy.

Cuddlemonster (2001)

1. Give Me The Amulet You Bitch

2. A 2 Minute Lecture On The Finer Points Of Instability

3. Sometimes She Tasted Like Burnt Plastic Smells

4. Meathook Marty And The Pajama Party

5. Please Shit All Over Me, I Love It

6. Satan Would Sit In The Smoking Section But He Doesn't Like The Creepy Waiter

7. Good Touch Bad Touch 123

Pervavor (2004)
1. Pervavor

2. Boxcutter Facelift

3. Rape Kit Aficionado

Good. (2022)

1. Grand Sultan Summer

2. The Shining Wire

3. Afterlife Kids

4. I Don't Need This

5. Niagara Falls, Frankie Angel

6. Bedtime

7. What's Cremation?

8. That's Just Swell

9. So Long, Dear Bellows

Bandcamp

Moonraker

Moonraker were a four-piece emo/hardcore band from Tallahassee, Florida that began in 1994 and broke up in 1995. Their releases were very limited, with only two splits, a few compilation tracks and one 10" (released on No Idea Records posthumously). Luckily we live in the age of the internet, so other unreleased material and live songs have also been made available. This resulted in an online bootleg of their full discography. I highly suggest giving this a listen, especially if you're a fan of bands like Moss Icon, Indian Summer and Native Nod. Listen to a song such as "20 Minutes With Michael Kerney" and you'll see exactly what I mean, it's like their "Gravity" or "Angry Son". Enjoy.

Summer Ninety Six (1995)

1. Moonraker - White Christmas

2. Hope Springs Eternal - Drone

3. Don Martin Three - Transistor

Moonraker/Waltz (1997)

1. Moonraker - 1000 Yard Stare

2. Waltz - Gordon Rule

The Age Of Light (1998)

1. 20 Minutes With Michael Kerney

2. Accident Prone

3. You Sank My Battleship

Discography

1. Serum Sickness

2. Train To Blue Mountain

3. Suicide 6

4. Teen Hulk

5. Friendly Fire

6. Accident Prone

7. You Sank My Battleship

8. 20 Minutes With Michael Kerney

9. 1,000 Yard Stare

10. Microgroove

11. White Christmas

12. Accident Prone (Live)

13. Mirogroove (Live)

14. Chicago Train (Live)

This Charming Man

If you know me then you are well aware of my affinity for everything Mr. Brian Fallon touches. This early project of his is no exception, and I figured it's worth sharing for any fans of early Gaslight that had not heard it. Prior to The Gaslight Anthem, which began in 2006, Mr. Fallon was active in a band called This Charming Man which started in 2004. They had the same four-piece set-up that TGA eventually did, and recorded a single EP in 2005 titled Every Little Secret. Sonically, it sounds like a slightly rougher version of Sink Or Swim, with the chunky punk influence of bands such as Hot Water Music and The Bouncing Souls being very prominent. These songs are catchy, with painstakingly relatable lyrics and a raw energy to them that was slightly pulled back once TGA got started.  Personally, I absolutely love this EP, but that could be slightly biased. Give this man four chords, a radio and romantic thoughts of the past and I will eat that shit up. 

By 2006, the band's line-up had changed to include Benny Horowitz (drummer) and Alex Levine (bassist). With the departure of original This Charming Man guitarist Mike Volpe and the addition of Alex Rosamalia, the band decided to change their name to The Gaslight Anthem, and the rest is history. As this EP was very limited upon release, a reissue was put out in 2011. This included four bonus tracks, one of which was an early demo of the TGA song "1930" under the name "She Could'a Raised The Titanic", as well as a demo of the track "Kiss Me, I'm A Pirate" from this EP. The other two I do not know the names of. Enjoy.

Every Little Secret (2005)

1. Bleeder

2. There Is A Thunder (Out In The Distance)

3. Sometimes You Eat The Bar (Sometimes The Bar Eats You)

4. Cut The Rope (Before It Hangs Us Both)

5. Kiss Me, I'm A Pirate

6. Sweet Delta Blues

7. She Could'a Raised The Titanic (Unreleased Demo)

8. Kiss Me, I'm A Pirate (Unreleased Demo)

9. Untitled (Unreleased Demo)

10. Untitled (Unreleased Demo)

Down To Nothing

Down To Nothing are a five-piece straight edge hardcore band from Richmond, Virginia that have been active since 2000. Without a doubt this post is long overdue, and it's finally here. Down To Nothing were incredibly active in the 2000s, putting out release after release. Sonically, you could say they bridge the gap between their Revelation Records predecessors (Sick Of It All, Judge, etc.) and bands such as Backtrack, Expire, and Trapped Under Ice (who they even share a member with). There's not much more that needs to be said, they're a classic, straight-forward hardcore band with several solid albums under their belt. If you're new to them, grab The Most, Unbreakable, and Life On The James, as that covers most of their material without repeating tracks. Enjoy.

Demo (2002)

1. Keep Your Head Up

2. Burn

3. Life Of The Party

4. Used Up

5. Contaminated

6. Stand Down

7. I Hope It's Worth It

Save It For The Birds (2003)

1. Save It For The Birds

2. One Eighty

3. The Normal People

4. Outcome

5. Choke Louder

6. 3 Or 4 Years

7. Pet Peeve

8. Who Are You To Say

9. Honorable Mention Mr. Starky

10. What Comes Around Goes Around

11. Fire Escape

Down To Nothing/Kids Like Us (2004)

1. Down To Nothing - We're On The Run

2. Down To Nothing - Risk It

3. Down To Nothing - Skate And Annoy 2.0

4. Down To Nothing - I'm So Lucky

5. Kids Like Us - Holyshit

6. Kids Like Us - Mike P. Does Coke

7. Kids Like Us - Synthesizer Nerd

8. Kids Like Us - Bad Reputation (Joan Jett cover)

Down To Nothing/On Thin Ice (2005)

1.Down To Nothing - Go Ahead With Yo Fake Ass

2. Down To Nothing - Us V. Each Other

3. Down To Nothing - I Can't Believe My Eyes

4. Down To Nothing - Smash It

5. On Thin Ice - Forgiven In Hell

6. On Thin Ice - The Thaw

7. On Thin Ice - The Ides Of March

Splitting Headache (2005)

1. Go Ahead With Yo Fake Ass

2. Us V. Each Other

3. I Can't Believe My Eyes

4. Smash It

5. Burn III

6. Unbreakable

7. Home Sweet Home

8. We're On The Run

9. Risk It

10. Skate & Annoy Vol. 2.0 (Sk8 Or Die)

11. I'm So Lucky

Note: Includes tracks from the Kids Like Us and On Thin Ice splits & more

Higher Learning (2006)

1. Higher Learning

2. Alright Already

3. Burn It!

The Most (2007)

1. Along For The Ride

2. Conquer The World

3. My Disguise

4. No Faith

5. Serve And Neglect

6. Down On You

7. Well Deserved

8. Running Out

9. Higher Learning

10. Your Loss, Your Regrets

11. Up River

12. Quick To Judge

Unbreakable (2008)

1. Save It For The Birds

2. One Eighty

3. The Normal People

4. Outcome

5. Choke Louder

6. 3 Or 4 Years

7. Pet Peeve

8. Who Are You To Say

9. Honorable Mention Mr. Starky

10. What Goes Around Comes Around

11. Fire Escape

12. Go Ahead Wit Yo Fake Ass

13. Us V. Each Other

14. I Can't Believe My Eyes

15. Smash It

16. Burn III

17. Unbreakable

18. Home Sweet Home

19. We're On The Run

20. Risk It

21. Skate & Annoy, Vol. 2.0 (Sk8 Or Die)

22. I'm So Lucky

Note: Compilation of Save It For The Birds and Splitting Headache

Hem Hem (2008)

1. Park My Car

2. Wildcard

3. His Not His

4. Crucifixion Of The Bunghole

5. Voicemail

6. I Wanna See You Again

7. Yah Yah

Down To Nothing/50 Lions (2008)

1. Down To Nothing - Watered Down

2. Down To Nothing - Shot Down

3. Down To Nothing - When My World Turns Cold

4. 50 Lions - The Realness

5. 50 Lions - Searching

6. 50 Lions - Love And War

All My Sons (2010)

1. Number One

2. Set Sail

3. Gone For Summer

4. Undefeated (All My Sons)

5. Pipeline

6. Monument

Greetings From Richmond, Virginia (2013)

1. Life On The James

2. Dirty South

3. Swallowed Up

Life On The James (2013)

1. When I Rest I Rust

2. Dirty South

3. Life On The James

4. Sheffield

5. No Leash

6. 3:24

7. Brothers Turned Strangers

8. Island Time

9. Cardinal

10. Soak It Up

11. Fish Ain't Bitin'

12. Draw 4

Live! On The James (2017)

1. Life On The James

2. Along For The Ride

3. I Can't Believe My Eyes

4. Dirty South

5. Go Ahead Wit Yo Fake Ass

6. Conquer The World

7. When I Rest I Rust

8. Save It For The Birds

9. The Normal People

10. Brothers Turned Strangers

11. Skate Or Die

12. Pipeline

13. My Disguise

14. Soak It Up

15. Down On You

16. Smash It

17. Home Sweet Home

Bandcamp

Spotify

No For An Answer

No For Answer are a four-piece straight edge hardcore band from Orange Country, California that were initially from 1987 to 1989. They took influence from bands such as Youth Of Today to create their socio-politically outspoken sound, with their sole EP and LP developing a legacy and influence of their own. They've played a handful of reunion shows over the years beginning in 2009, and released a new EP in 2011. Quick fact for ya, Zach de la Rocha (Rage Against The Machine, Inside Out) was their drummer for a short while in 1988. Their other members have also been active in a ton of other bands, including Chain Of Strength, Justice League, Inside Out, Focused, 411 and Carry Nation. Enjoy.

You Laugh E.P. (1988)

1. Just Say No

2. You Laugh

3. When Will It End?

4. Without A Reason

5. Liar

6. About Face

A Thought Crusade (1989)

1. Don't Look Away

2. I Spy

3. Rusty Pipes

4. Not A Thing

5. Imperfection

6. Guiding Line

7. Answer Me

8. Matter Of Fact

9. Domino Principle

10. Without A Reason

It Makes Me Sick (2011)

1. Man Against Man

2. It Makes Me Sick

3. In The Beginning

Shroomunion

Shroomunion were a three-piece emo/hardcore band from Canoga Park, California that began in 1993 and ended in 1994. They shared members with multiple other bands, including Driftwood, Still Life, and Ribbon Fix. The band took influence from bands such as Fugazi, with the meandering, discordant guitar work, dynamic rise and falls, and the use of dual vocals. With some despairingly sad lyrics to boot, they're often associated with the underground emo/screamo scene of their era, along with similar bands such as Don Martin Three and Ordination of Aaron. Enjoy.

Fairytales And Dreams (1993)

1. Tangible

2. Supergiant #1

3. Untitled

4. This Fairytale Is Dead

5. Crackpipe Dreams

ADV-M9 Loves ADV-M10 (1994)

1. Clair

2. Dragging Her In Dirt

3. Dark

4. Monkey Song

5. Reloading

6. NightLightFright

7. Godlessness

8. Bubble Gum Tears And Bloody Fears

9. Crown

Shroomunion (1995)

1. Bitter And Sad

2. Dragonshine

3. Requiem

Eucalyptus (1995)

4. Calm

Note: Same compilation track appears on We've Lost Beauty that same year

Elements Of Need

Elements Of Need were a five-piece hardcore/emo band from Audobon, Pennsylvania that were around between 1994 and 1996. They were an early screamo band that took pretty clear influence from the Gravity Records roster. Sonically, the band balanced the quiet, gently arpeggiated moments with bursts of distorted, chaotic melancholy, a formula anyone familiar with this era will surely know. They are perhaps best known as being one of the bands Eric Wareheim (of Tim & Eric fame) was involved in, along with other bands such as I Am Heaven and Ink & Dagger. Their output is limited as expected, with just one EP and two splits (one of each being with the fantastic Frail), but all definitely worth checking out. Enjoy.

Elements Of Need (1994)

1. Scale

2. Prize Fight

3. Empty

Elements Of Need/Frail (1995)

1. Elements Of Need - Spanish Horses

2. Frail - American As Apple Pie

3. Frail - Simply By The Book

Elements Of Need/Jasmine (1995)

1. Elements Of Need - On 7

2. Elements Of Need - Industry Falls

3. Elements Of Need - I Bet You Look Great In Silicon

4. Jasmine - Heritage

5. Jasmine - Silence

Compilation Tracks

Untitled (Inspirit, 1995)

Ride Pony Ride (Follow N Believe, 1996)

The Fall On Deaf Ears

The Fall On Deaf Ears were a four-piece post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas that were active in 1996. They took influence from Dischord bands such as Fugazi, Nation of Ulysses and Circus Lupus. A handful of songs were recorded in 1996, which were later officially released in 2002. The band included drummer Cedric Bixler-Zavala, who would later be best known as the vocalist of At The Drive-In and The Mars Volta. It also included vocalist/guitarist Sarah Reiser and vocalist/bassist Laura Beard, who both tragically died in a car accident in 1997. For those familiar with At The Drive-In, the song "Napoleon Solo" is about this.

The Fall On Deaf Ears (2002)

1. Your Reflection

2. Screws And Bolts

3. Do You Speak Braille?

4. Calls Of Defilement

5. Talking Radio Talking Star

Your Arms Are My Cocoon

You Arms Are My Cocoon is a one-piece screamo band created by Tyler Odom, which released its debut EP last year. I hadn't previously heard this, but thanks to a suggestion in the chatbox I figured I'd give it a shot, and am very glad I did. This project meshes lo-fi bedroom pop with twinkly screamo. Its a hybrid that probably shouldn't work, but in this case it undoubtedly does. This sound is incredibly unique, with the math rock twinkly guitar sound of midwest emo against shrill vocal screams, with some electronic pattering to fill in the rhythm. Every song delivers something new, thanks to a lot of instrumental variety and ideas, with the acoustic and despondent "Metamorphosis" being a highlight. Enjoy.

Your Arms Are My Cocoon (2020)

1. Foster Nosferatu

2. Clifford The Big Red Stab Wound

3. In October Of 2019 I Called A Suicide Hotline For The First Time In My Life

4. Illinois//Alberta

5. Metamorphosis

6. Snowy!

death of a rabbit (2024)

1. let's get married

2. muffled beneath the sound of the ocean

3. city on fire (closeness)

4. portraits

5. runner duck

6. moon price in waning

7. through the brighter eyes of hazel

8. city in ashes

9. houston

10. swandive

11. death of a rabbit

12. husk

Bandcamp

Twitter

Instagram

Spotify

Hospital Bracelet

 Hospital Bracelet are a three-piece emo band from Chicago, Illinois that have been around since at least 2018. Their debut album South Loop Summer was released this month, and is an absolutely fantastic way to kick off the year (at least in regards to music). They loosely fit into the emo-pop sound of fellow labelmates on Counter Intuitive Records, with added melancholy, stellar songwriting, and fantastic riffs. This might be way off, but it kind of reminds of awakebutstillinbed's debut in 2018, which also dropped in January, and ended up being the (arguably) best emo release of that year, and easily one of the best in recent years. That's how strong this debut is, these 7 songs are absolutely worth going back to time and time again, and I sure as hell will be for months to come. Hospital Bracelet are one hell of a band, and would not suggest passing up on a debut like this. Enjoy.

Silver Cactus (2019)

1. Hospital Bracelet - Chocolate Milk (Like In Spiderman)

2. Fourthbase - Fourthbase

3. Hospital Bracelet - Yell Heah

4. Fourthbase - President Doby & the Coors Light Cabinet

Neutrality Acoustic (2019)

1. bad prescription

2. happy birthday

3. i didnt want to name it

4. sour oj with the rpg

5. sent from my toyota tacoma

6. earth and moon

7. bonus: a really really tiny desk (early version)

South Loop Summer (2021)

1. South Loop Summer

2. Sober Haha Jk Unless

3. Happy Birthday

4. Feral Rat Anthem

5. Sheetz vs Wawa

6. Sour OG RPG

7. Summer Friends

Bandcamp

Instagram

Counter Intuitive

Spotify