Big Black

Big Black were a three-piece post-hardcore/noise rock band from Evanston, Illinois (though closely related to Chicago) that were around from 1981 to 1987. To say they were influential is an understatement, since they were a monumental band in the worlds of punk, post-hardcore, noise rock, post-punk, alternative rock, and even industrial. The band was spearheaded by guitarist/vocalist Steve Albini, who has been a major figure in underground rock for a long time. He's obviously known for Big Black, as well as his current band Shellac. In addition, he's got an extensive list of production credits, most notably The Pixies' Surfer Rosa, Nirvana's In Utero, the first few Jesus Lizard albums, and has worked with a ton of other incredible artists ranging from Joanna Newsom to Neurosis. To bring the focus back to Big Black; their other guitarist was Santiago Durango, who was an early member of Naked Raygun, but left to focus on Big Black. Their original bassist was Naked Raygun vocalist Jeff Pezzati, who only played on the band's second EP Bulldozer before leaving to focus on his other band. After he left, Big Black's line-up was finalized with bassist Dave Riley, who stayed with the band until their end in 1987. Of course, there is one more constant member who can't go unmentioned, and that is "Roland". This is the short-form used to credit a Roland TR-606 drum machine on their releases. Big Black were known for their strong DIY ethic (booking their own tours, recording their own albums, etc.), essentially doing everything they could to avoid working with outside contracts. In addition, they also had a close relationship with the legendary Touch and Go Records, who put out most of their material when the label was just starting out.

Big Black began by Albini when he wrote and recorded their first EP, Lungs, entirely on his own. He was joined soon after by Durango and Pezzati for the Bulldozer EP in 1983. After Dave Riley took over for Pezzati, the EP Racer-X was released in 1984. Following years of heavy touring and a handful of releases, Big Black released what truly makes this band legendary. 1986's Atomizer is their first full-length, and an absolute classic. The band came through with an incredible set of songs that demonstrate the ferocity that they have come to craft (particularly their magnum opus, "Kerosene"). Their guitars sound more like clanking metal, thanks to the metal-tipped picks they used. Their beats are menacingly mechanical, which are matched by distorted, oddly grooving bass lines. Lyrically, their songs touch on the finer things in life, which include (but not limited to): pryomania, child sex rings, domestic abuse, torture murder, rape, sadism, and alcoholism. They certainly weren't afraid to delve into darker themes. The band decided to call it quits the year later, wanting to quit while they were ahead (and they were well ahead). Before they ended, they decided to record one more album. This became Songs About Fucking, which is (debatably) better than Atomizer. It's another slew of perfect, distraught tracks, that seethe between their clenched teeth. In addition to obvious essentials like "Bad Penny" and "Colombian Necktie", they also included a Kraftwerk cover and tacked on a Cheap Trick cover at the end, which is an odd discrepancy. Regardless, with their two full-lengths behind them, Big Black broke up and cemented their legacy as an inscrutably influential band. They did briefly reunite in 2006 to play a small set at a Touch & Go anniversary show, however that is their only activity since their break-up. Their full discography is below, except for two compilations, which I don't have but all the material on them is included below on separate releases. Enjoy.

Lungs (1982)

1. Steelworker

2. Live In A Hole

3. Dead Billy

4. I Can Be Killed

5. Crack

6. RIP

Bulldozer (1983)

1. Cables

2. Pigeon Kill

3. I'm A Mess

4. Texas

5. Seth

6. Jump The Climb

Racer-X (1984)

1. Racer-X

2. Shotgun

3. The Ugly American

4. Deep Six

5. Sleep!

6. The Big Payback (James Brown cover) 

Il Duce (1985)

1. Il Duce

2. Big Money

Atomizer (1986)

1. Jordan, Minnesota

2. Passing Complexion

3. Big Money

4. Kerosene

5. Bad Houses

6. Fists Of Love

7. Stinking Drunk

8. Bazooka Joe

9. Strange Things

10. Cables (Live)

Sound Of Impact (1987)

1. Ready Men

2. Big Money

3. Pigeon Kill

4. Passing Complexion

5. Crack Up

6. RIP
7. Jordan, Minnesota

8. Steelworker (Short Fragment)

9. Cables

10. Pigeon Kill

11. Kerosene

12. Bad Penny

13. Deep Six

14. RIP

15. Rema Rema

Note: Live album

Heartbeat (1987)

1. Heartbeat (Wire cover)

2. Things To Do Today

3. I Can't Believe

Headache (1987)

1. My Disco

2. Grinder

3. Ready Men

4. Pete, King Of All Detectives

Songs About Fucking (1987)

1. The Power Of Independent Trucking

2. The Model (Kraftwerk cover)

3. Bad Penny

4. L Dopa

5. Precious Thing

6. Colombian Necktie

7. Kitty Empire

8. Ergot

9. Kasimir S. Pulaski Day

10. Fish Fry

11. Pavement Saw

12. Tiny, King Of The Jews

13. Bombastic Intro

14. He's A Whore (Cheap Trick cover) (Bonus Track)

Pigpile (1992)

1. Fists Of Love

2. L Dopa

3. Passing Complexion

4. Dead Billy

5. Cables

6. Bad Penny

7. Pavement Saw

8. Kerosene

9. Steelworker

10. Pigeon Kill

11. Fish Fry

12. Jordan, Minnesota

Note: Live album

Ten Yard Fight

Ten Yard Fight were a five-piece hardcore band from Boston, Massachusetts that formed in 1995 and broke up in 1999. Along with other Boston bands such as In My Eyes, they were a major factor in the revitalization of youth crew and straight edge in their era. Additionally, Ten Yard Fight were known for their football influence (the American kind, sport not band). They would occasionally play shows decked out in football gear, and some lyrics touched upon the sport. For the most part though, what they are remembered for is their passion and energy, which exploded in a relatively short of span, and across a handful of solid releases.

Demo '95 (1995)

1. First And Ten

2. Line Of Scrimmage

3. Enough

4. Pit Of Equality

5. Drug Free Nation

6. Offsides

7. Till Death

Hardcore Pride (1996)

1. Hardcore Pride

2. Forever

3. Where I Stand

4. Believe

5. Proud To Be Straight

6. Holding On

The Bout Of The Century (1997)

1. Ten Yard Fight - From The Start

2. Ten Yard Fight - Fear Of Failure

3. Ten Yard Fight - We Know The Truth

4. Fastbreak - Should Have Known

5. Fastbreak - For The Next Fall

6. Fastbreak - All The Things

Back On Track (1997)

1. Running Scared

2. Refuse To Change

3. The Same Side

4. We Know The Truth

5. Still Lives

6. You Taught Them

7. Lost Sight

8. Back On Track

9. Opportunities

10. Back It Up

11. False Convictions

12. Frame Of Mind

13. Our Times

14. Stronger Than Before

The Only Way (1999)

1. Glory Bound

2. Actions Speak

3. The Proof

4. The Only Way

5. What I Say

6. Don't Come Back

7. No Place

Final Performance '99 (1999)

1. Back On Track

2. Pit of Equality

3. Proud To Be Straight

4. Hardcore Pride

5. Salad Days (Minor Threat cover)

6. Changes (with Mark Peters from Floorpunch)

7. The Only Way

8. Still Holding On

9. Running Scared

10. First And Ten

Compilation Songs

Drawing The Line

Falling Behind

Put It Aside (Youth Of Today cover)

Stand Against

Straight Edge In Your Face (Slapshot cover)

Some Girls

Some Girls were a five-piece hardcore band from San Diego, California that formed in 2002 and broke up in 2007. Their members had all been previously established in other very notable bands, including vocalist Wesley Eisold (American Nightmare/Give Up The Ghost, and Cold Cave post-Some Girls), bassist Justin Pearson (The Locust, Swing Kids), guitarist Rob Moran (bassist in Unbroken, Over My Dead Body), and guitarist Chuck Rowell (The Plot To Blow Up The Eiffel Tower), among others. Stylistically, they played spastic, frantic, noisy hardcore that's heavy on the blast beats and speeds through each song carrying an unrelenting, convulsing dissonance. Notable comparisons can be made to Daughters and The Blood Brothers, though the individual members past projects are probably the best indication of what to expect with this project.

The band's discography consists of only three essential releases. The compilation All My Friends Are Going Death was released in 2004 by Deathwish. This includes their first two EP's (The Rains and The Blues), as well as some demo material. Their next EP, The DNA Will Have Its Say was put out in 2005 by Pearson's own Three One G Records. Their final release was their sole full-length, Heaven's Pregnant Teens, on Epitaph Records. Following the dissolution of this band, all members have stayed active in both their older and newer projects. Enjoy.

All My Friends Are Going Death (2004)

1. All My Friends Are Going Death

2. Gonna Set My Soul On Fire

3. Now Only Memories Run On Railway Tracks

4. The Rains

5. His N' Hers

6. Up To Our Hips

7. Sex And Glue

8. Red Cuts Through Black Hearts

9. Some Girls Have All The Fuck

10. Queens Without Kings

11. Blues Singer

12. Alligula

13. Pale Pink Vodka Veins

14. No Fun (The Stooges cover)

15. Up To Your Hips Again

16. 69 Untitled

The DNA Will Have Its Say (2005)

1. I Need Drugs

2. A Sick Cult

3. Me & My Blasphemy

4. The DNA Will Have Its Say

5. Don't Hate Me Just 'Cause I Hate You

6. Nazi Rodeo

7. Hot Air Balloons

Heaven's Pregnant Teens (2006)

1. Beautiful Rune

2. Hot Piss

3. Dead In A Web

4. Warm Milk

5. You'll Be Happier With Lower Standards

6. Ex Nuns / Dead Dogs

7. Totally Pregnant Teens

8. Bone Metal

9. Marry Mortuary

10. Religion II

11. Skull's Old Girlfriends

12. Retard And Feathered

13. Deathface

Bandcamp

Elvis Depressedly

Elvis Depressedly are a two-piece lo-fi/indie rock band from Asheville, North Carolina that formed in 2011. Initially formed by vocalist/guitarist Mathew Lee Cothran (also of Coma Cinema), the project now includes drummer/keyboardist Delaney Mills. As their name suggests, they aren't the sunniest of soundtracks. With a decidedly lo-fi recording aesthetic, their drone-y, atmospheric sound ultimately clouds what are, at their core, indie pop songs. They're rounded off by some lonely chords, light percussion and despondent vocals, which all contribute to creating their distinct landscape.

The band's earliest material was self-released. Following the EP Holo Pleasures released on Birdtapes, they signed to Run For Cover Records and released New Alhambra. This was followed by a RFC re-release of Holo Pleasures, which also included a previously recorded/unreleased EP California Dreamin'. Elvis Depressedly has, without a doubt, been one of the most highly requested bands I have yet to post. Thus, they were an easy pick for one of the last bands to cover before 2018 hits. Enjoy.

save the planet kill yourself (2011)

1. bummer dreams

2. boy satan

3. save the planet kill yourself

4. turn blue

5. life sentence

goner (2011)

1. jesus rots inside his grave

2. mickey yr a fuck up

3. kill me, mickey

4. die in the summertime (r.j.e)

disgraceland (2011)

1. cry babies

2. crazier with you

3. i'm never going to understand

mickey's dead (2012)

1. daughter of a cop

2. prison line (so lovely)

3. my lai (amy's version)

4. waves of bad intention

5. exhaustion prevails

6. a bible in a bath of bleach

7. mickey's dead

8. warm wolves (milking mary)

9. u angel u

10. road side memorial (repeat)

hotter sadness (2012)

1. mcdade

2. hotter sadness

3. bodil

4. madison acid

5. visiting angels

6. i bought a gun

7. hurt everything

8. i can't wait for you to die

holo pleasures (2013)

1. okay

2. pepsi/coke suicide

3. inside you

4. teeth

5. weird honey

6. thinning out

new alhambra (2015)

1. thou shall not murder

2. n.m.s.s.

3. new alhambra

4. bruises (amethyst)

5. rock n' roll

6. big break

7. ease

8. new heaven, new earth

9. wastes of time

california dreamin' (2016)

1. angel cum clean

2. slip

3. cop poet

4. holo pleasures (california dreamin')

5. nakamura

6. up in the air

Bandcamp

Facebook

2017 In Review...

As expected, the following is a list of links for  every release added to the blog this year. Before the year is out, if there's anything you missed, this is your chance to catch up. 2017 has brought out a ton of incredible music, only a fraction of which is here. Also, since I went MIA for a couple months, I'm sure there's a few new releases I'm still missing. Let me know what they are and I'll see if I can get them added here. Also, let me know what some of your favourite albums of the year were, and I'll share mine on here soon. Enjoy.

ALBUMS
All Pigs Must Die - Hostage Animal
At The Drive-In - in•ter a•li•a
A Will Away - Here Again
Backtrack - Bad To My World
Brand New - Science Fiction
Broadside - Paradise
Burn - Do Or Die
Can't Swim - Fail You Again
Career Suicide - Machine Response
Celeste - Infidèle(s)
Chon - Homey
Cigarettes After Sex - Cigarettes After Sex
Circa Survive - The Amulet
Citizen - As You Please
CityCop - The Same Stories That Never Get Old
Cloakroom - Time Well
Code Orange - Forever
Converge - The Dusk In Us
Counterparts - You're Not You Anymore
Dad Thighs - The Ghosts That I Fear
Daisyhead - In Case You Missed It
Dead Cross - Dead Cross
Dead Like Me - À Terre, Amas De Rêves
Diet Cig - Swear I'm Good At This
Droughts - Stay Behind
Frail Hands - Self-Titled
Free Throw - Bear Your Mind
Full of Hell - Trumpeting Ecstasy
Full Of Hell & The Body - Ascending a Mountain of Heavy Light
Glassjaw - Material Control
Gnarwolves - Outsiders
Have Mercy - Make The Best Of It
Heaven In Her Arms - White Halo
Incendiary - Thousand Mile Stare
Infinity Girl - Somewhere Nice, Someday
Iron Chic - You Can't Stay Here
Knuckle Puck - Shapeshifter
Manchester Orchestra - A Black Mile To The Surface
Movements - Feel Something
Neck Deep - The Peace And The Panic
New Found Glory - Makes Me Sick
No Omega - Culture
No Warning - Torture Culture
People Like You - Verse
Pet Symmetry - Vision
Power Trip - Nightmare Logic
Prawn - Run
Priests - Nothing Feels Natural
Quicksand - Interiors
Rainer Maria - Rainer Maria
Remo Drive - Greatest Hits
ROAM - Great Heights & Nosedives
Rozwell Kid - Precious Art
(Sandy) Alex G - Rocket

Seaway - Vacation
Sect - No Cure For Death

Shizune - Cheat Death, Live Dead!

Sinai Vessel - Brokenlegged
Single Mothers - Our Pleasure
Sorority Noise - You're Not As _____ As You Think
Stick To Your Guns - True Vision
The Front Bottoms - Going Grey
The Menzingers - After The Party
The Movielife - Cities In Search Of A Heart
The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die - Always Foreign
Tigers Jaw - Spin
Trapped Under Ice - Heatwave
Turnover - Good Nature


EP'S/DEMOS/SPLITS/SINGLES/COMPILATIONS/ETC.

AJJ - Back In The Jazz Coffin
All Pigs Must Die - A Caustic Vision
At The Drive-In - Diamante
Beach Slang - We Were Babies & We Were Dirtybags [Quiet Slang]
Blacklisted - Dry Shaving b/w Please Go Away
Camp Cope/Cayetana
Charmer - Two Pop Song Demos
City Of Caterpillar - Driving Spain Up A Wall
Converge - Jane Live
Converge - I Can Tell You About Pain b/w Eve
Dead Tired - Vol. Two
Despise You/Coke Bust
Four Year Strong - Some Of You Will Like This, Some Of You Won't
Free - Ex Tenebris
Gatecreeper - Sweltering Madness
.Gif From God/Vein - A Release Of Excess Flesh
Gillian Carter/Eyelet
GIVE - Electric Flower Cult
iburiedyourflowers - Love Is When You Leave
I Love Your Life Lifestyle - Touch / Fire
Mom Jeans/Graduating Life
Petal - Comfort
Portrayal Of Guilt - S/T
Portrayal Of Guilt - Spiritual Cramp (Christian Death cover)
Self Defense Family - Bastard Form b/w Maybe You Could Explain It To Me
Self Defense Family - BBC Session
Self Defense Family - Wounded Masculinity
Single Mothers - East Van Band bw Night School
Single Mothers - Skylight b/w Army Green
Sorority Noise - Me vs Maradona vs Elvis (Brand New cover)
Sorority Noise - Alone
Such Gold - Deep In A Hole
Suis La Lune - The First Five Years
Thisismenotthinkingofyou - Thalamic Incongruity
Thisismenotthinkingofyou - Swollen Tongues
The Wonder Years - Burst & Decay (An Acoustic EP)
Touché Amoré - Live On BBC Radio 1: Vol. 3
Wristmeetrazor - I talk to god...
WVRM - Can You Hear The Wind Howl
Xibalba - Diablo, Con Amor... Adios.

Fury

Fury are a five-piece hardcore punk band from Orange County, California that formed in 2014. Their sound is pretty clearly rooted in early youth crew hardcore, such as Youth Of Today. Their songs are straight up, aggressive, and to the point (as their name would suggest), with the positive outlook gang chant vocals to top it all off. Fury do an excellent job of preserving the raw power of this sound, while still giving it a refreshing new energy, and not just rehashing old tropes. Their debut LP, Paramount, came out last year on Triple B Records, which really pushed this band to a whole new level. While they were an excellent hardcore band before, this album takes the sound of hardcore punk and pushes it to its full extent, in a forward-thinking way, like a band such as Turning Point did. It's made a ton of waves, and it rightfully should. Unfortunately I'm a little late to the punch in posting this, but it's definitely one of the most noteworthy hardcore releases in recent years. Enjoy.

6-Song Demo (2014)

1. The Fury

2. Ricochet

3. Day Today

4. Big Man

5. Play (BAB)

6. The Fool

Kingdom Come (2015)

1. Royalty

2. Reality Check

3. Holy

4. End Is Nigh (It's Time)

5. Kingdom Come

Live On KXLU (2015)

1. End Is Nigh (It's Time)

2. Day Today

3. Royalty

4. Reality Check

5. The Fury

2016 Promo (2016)

1. Duality Of Man

2. Thin Line

3. No Choice

Paramount (2016)

1. Danse

2. Thin Line

3. Novo

4. Damage Is Done

5. In Extremis

6. The Fury

7. Death Yellows Life And Reason

8. Leviathan

9. Duality of Man

10. The Feeling

2017 Promo (2017)

1. America

2. Lost In The Funhouse

3. Buried (Ability)

Note: All profits go to Planned Parenthood, didn't include download link

Failed Entertainment (2019)

1. Angels Over Berlin

2. Good Time

3. Vacation

4. America

5. Inevitable Need To Reach Out

6. Birds Of Paradise

7. Mono No Aware

8. Lost In The Funhouse

9. New Years Day

10. New Years Eve

11. Crazy Horses Run Free

Bandcamp

Friend/Enemy

Friend/Enemy were a short-lived indie rock project created by Tim Kinsella and Todd Mattei, lasting between 2001 and 2002. Both of them were also members of Joan of Arc at the time. If you're familiar with that band (and Owls to an extent), the strangeness of this project will come as no shock to you. The foundation of these songs were laid down by the aforementioned members, and then a ton of collaborators would come in and add density to these tracks. Other contributors include bassist Sam Zurick (a regular in the Cap'n Jazz/Owls/Joan of Arc collective), and even Zach Hill on drums (of Hella and Death Grips notoriety), among others. Sonically, this project is very experimental, dipping into elements of math rock, jazz, prog, and indie, all beneath Kinsella's distinct vocal stylings and storytelling. In addition, there's an array of sounds in the mix here in addition to standard rock instrumentation, such as a banjo and a bunch of percussion. It's an interesting album undoubtedly, and highly recommended to fans who lean more towards the stranger side on the strange/sad Kinsella spectrum. Enjoy.

10 Songs (2002)

1. Thax Douglas

2. Do The Stand On One Foot Dance To The Radio Rodeo

3. I'd Rather Be High Than Get Laid Any Other Day Of The Week

4. How Do You Explain Me To Your Mom

5. Out At The Inner (Dark)

6. Just Like Anne E. Fay's Bues

7. Teeny Comealong

8. The Lost Sciences Of The First Bible Pressing

9. I Once Loved Something, Etc.

10. Okay We'll Fade Before The End