Punk | Hardcore 205 Items

Big Hotel, the sophomore effort of Winged Wheel, is an evolutionary document. Core members Cory Plump (Spray Paint, Rider/Horse, Expensive Shit), Fred Thomas (Tyvek, Idle Ray), Whitney Johnson (Matchess, Damiana), and Matthew J Rolin (Powers/Rolin Duo, solo) expand their lineup to include Lonnie Slack (Water Damage) and Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth), and instead of the entirely remote method utilized to create their 2022 debut No Island, the far-flung party convened in person in Kingston, NY for a long weekend of live studio recording.

The results are undeniably compelling. The band’s signature cyclonic energy is simultaneously augmented and refined with the approach of real-time collaboration. After tracking three days’ worth of group improvisations, weirdly-born songs, and other spontaneous creations, the hours of material were edited with a similar intensity. Half-hour jams became three-minute ragers and fragments were looped into infinity, calling on the same spliced aesthetic as some of the most adventurous material by Can, Faust, or more recently the experimental production of the International Anthem camp. The stereo field has been torn apart and sewn together again, rerouted with strange and mesmerizing left turns. Vignettes of ambiguous construction, both tightly coiled and exploding, revolve around themselves, gathering intensity and mass, coalescing into something greater than the sum of its parts.

'Demonstrably False' swells into existence like a motorik tidepool, tossing fauna onto the shoreline where it sprouts legs with a steady gait lying readily in wait within them. The controlled frenzy of 'Sleeptraining' marks a determined dash to a patch of reeds that are given form by the propulsive and minimal 'Clean Blue Shelf,' where lush terror and the balm of shelter seem equally likely to dwell. 'Grief in the Garden' describes itself like the eventual, fleeting triumph of eyeing the sun as it rises to declare the end of a starless night.

'Smudged Textile' seems another gesture from the sun, where it begins its work of burning swaths of cloud away to uncover the stark and perfect sky; it is around here that the sensation of flight becomes all but irresistible. The aerial coolness of 'Aren’t They All' maintains a reassuring pace much more like a heartbeat than a flapping of wings, which flows naturally into 'Soft Hands,' a piece that widens and ultimately splits the perception, somehow evoking an even, landbound march even as it continues to narrate that endless, gliding flight. 'Short Acting' is blissfully ambiguous in its suggestion, managing to hint at the vault of heaven before descending unhurriedly but inevitably back to earth. 'From Here on Out Nothing Changes' completes the vast arc, teeming as it is with the wild and singular energy of conscious life.

Where No Island was born out of distance and murk, these songs breathe and erupt in close quarters. Though the band isn't necessarily concerned with finding new levels of clarity, there’s a newfound power in the steady drive of Shelley’s unmistakable rhythmic style, and the unexpected interplay that builds on this foundation. Big Hotel is the sound of what happens in the rare and intriguing moments when Winged Wheel are all in the same room."—Jen Powers, March 2024

Youth Brigade is an American hardcore punk band formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1980 by the brothers Mark, Adam, and Shawn Stern. The band subsequently founded BYO (Better Youth Organization) as well. The band’s first year of existence was as a six-piece, but they played their first gig as a three-piece on New Year’s Eve 1981 at Godzilla’s nightclub. They were also part of the big BYO extravaganza “Youth Movement ’82” at the Hollywood Palladium, where 3,500 people showed up for an all-Los Angeles bill. In the summer of 1982, after recording three tracks for the first BYO record release, Someone Got Their Head Kicked In compilation, Youth Brigade set out in a big yellow school bus on an ambitious 30-city North American tour with fellow punk band Social Distortion. The now classic 1984 film Another State Of Mind chronicled the event. A premature version of Sound & Fury had been rushed together before the Another State Of Mind tour, but pressing was stopped at 800 copies as the band was not satisfied with the quality of the material and production. After about 30 shows and several breakdowns, they returned home to re-record their debut LP, Sound & Fury, with the legendary record producer Thom Wilson, keeping only four tracks from the original. Sound & Fury, the follow-up version, is now considered one of the greatest punk records of all time not just because of the songs and cultural context, but because it features the hit songs “Sink With California,” “Blown Away,” “Men In Blue (Part 1),” and “What Will The Revolution Change.” Sound & Fury has been remastered from the original analog tapes by Dave Gardner.

Zooparty has been called "Swedens finest punkband" according to Record collector (UK). If you like your punk catchy as hell then I can't recommend this enough" according to Maximum Rock'n'roll (USA). "No matter what you say" is there sixth album and contains 12 brilliant, timeless new songs. Special guest are Glen Matlock/Sex Pistols (and if you listen to "Elephants" it's like a flashback/ hommage to the "Holidays in the sun" times.), Hans Östlund (The Nomads) and the album include lyrics written with Stephen Straughan (UK Subs) and Gaz Moore (The Reverends).Produced by Chips Kiesbye (Sator, Nomads, Hellacopters, The Boys etc) and mastered by Henryk Lipp. They played the Rebellion festival in Blackpool, UK, three times. Toured the UK, Czec...

Zooparty has been called "Swedens finest punkband" according to Record collector (UK). If you like your punk catchy as hell then I can't recommend this enough" according to Maximum Rock'n'roll (USA). "No matter what you say" is there sixth album and contains 12 brilliant, timeless new songs. Special guest are Glen Matlock/Sex Pistols (and if you listen to "Elephants" it's like a flashback/ hommage to the "Holidays in the sun" times.), Hans Östlund (The Nomads) and the album include lyrics written with Stephen Straughan (UK Subs) and Gaz Moore (The Reverends).Produced by Chips Kiesbye (Sator, Nomads, Hellacopters, The Boys etc) and mastered by Henryk Lipp. They played the Rebellion festival in Blackpool, UK, three times. Toured the UK, Czec...

Second album from the Regensburger boys, which seamlessly follows on from their pretty well-celebrated (out of print!) debut! In the wake of the Hamburg Rachut bands (the vocals sometimes sound amazingly like Jens Rachut including his cryptic lyrics) things continue lively in terms of sophisticated, slightly scrappy punk rock with a lot of heart. Sometimes it reminds of Oiro, Turbostaat and Boxhamsters/EA80. There are enough hits with a tricky verse and the best chorus heard in a long time. In general, the album impresses with a lot of variety, and despite the comparisons mentioned, the 12 tracks are independent enough to create their own sound. Great band and great German-speaking punk rock record, no shit!