“The Other Side of Darkness” is the punk album for the kids that not only love horror classics like The Howling but who also love the not-so-classics like The Howling 3: The Marsupials. Forget having seen all the Scream movies…have you seen all the Critters movies? Even the one in outer space??? Do you hold Class of 1984 and Sorority House Massacre 2 in the same regard some people hold shit like Titanic or fucking Forrest Gump? If yes you need this record. And I want to be clear about something, Night Birds are not cheesy at all (despite my cheesy horror movie references). This isn’t the fucking Danzig-less Misfits. These songs sound dead serious. People tend to forget the fact that a Carpenter flick like They Live (while it’s most known for a 10 minute cheese laden back-alley fight scene revolving around a pair of sunglasses) is a direct critique of advertising, big business, and politics in Amerikkka. Night Birds not only understand this but they even wrote a song about it (Hoffman Lens).

Shit even if you’ve never been to a horror convention you need this record. It’s like the second coming of the Adolescents meets the surf punk leanings of bands like Agent Orange. Put these guys right up there with OFF in terms of breathing real life back into old school hardcore. Some of the best songs on this album like Paranoid Times and Oblivious have little to do with horror movies and more to do with the horrors of everyday life like war and the possibility that when the world ends there’s really nothing more after it.

Grave Mistake and the band put out 210 copies of this with a really rad ass silk screened cover. And the vinyl sounds every bit as good as the packaging looks. This needs to be the next record you buy.

In the meantime I’ll conclude with my Joe Bob Briggsian album summary…The Other Side of Darkness: torture, disease, the end of the world, 1 eye, 2 demons, 1 murdered dog, and 2 boobs.

It would however just be shitty of me to not at least mention the importance of the Dead Kennedys at least in my life up to this point. Bands like DK were in a way my first introduction to political thought. Here were bands talking about the government, big business, poverty, and most importantly placing value on individuality… and for the first time in my life I was starting to understand a little better the world around me. I also was starting to question things I used to take for granted. I once had someone tell me that eventually I’d get older and think more conservatively. I’m still waiting for that day to come. So when you see me still rocking a DK pin on my jacket (like the one I wore out to dinner last night) that’s me letting you know that not only have I not given up, but I also have impeccable taste in music.

To say that The Dead Kennedys were purely Jello Biafra is nonsense. That surf punk sound that was crafted by the rest of the band was every bit as important as the lyrics. If it was just some guy screaming over a microphone to noise, who in the hell would listen? Instead what you got was this almost amped up terrifying version of Dick Dale that made you take heed to the message therein. Jello’s been with some great musicians over the years from DOA to the Melvins, but I don’t think he ever had as good a backing band as East Bay Ray, Klaus Flouride, and D.H. Peligro. And likewise I don’t think any of the remaining Kennedys ever had quite the frontman. That being said I still really am surprised about how much I dig this new East Bay Ray and the Killer Smiles album.

Ray’s guitar work is as great as you remember it. Often imitated never duplicated. And honestly I’m not even put off by singer Skip McSkipster from the Wynonna Riders and recent Dead Kennedys’ tours. Really though as the name implies this is an East Bay Ray project though and through. I mean you know in the same way Van Halen was probably not named Diamond Dave for a reason.

So yeah, definitely check this one out. Who knows maybe some day the planets will align and The Dead Kennedys will kiss and make up… I mean I fucking doubt it but at least they can’t take our records away and at least all parties involved still manage to put out new music worth giving a shit about every once in a while.

You know what I do like? I like American Speedway. Their punk definitely has a metal blade up it’s ass (remember that t-shirt from back in the day? Fuck that was foul.) but it is drunk rowdy shit, all the way through. More Motorhead than Judas Priest. More beer bottle throwing and less Satan admiring, if you see what I mean. Think Joey Ramone and Lemmy devised a band to play at the yearly Ugliest Dudes On Earth Convention. I think it has to do with American Speedway being from Philadelphia. I like Philadelphia. Everybody there, the times I’ve visited, has been half drunk, kinda disheveled and enjoying the Rock and Roll. Much like my good self.

This is their second album. Short good songs to get drunk to and have a laugh. This time out they added a woman named Lorraine “Dirty” McGurty on guitar. She used to play with an all-female Metal band named Wench back in the day. Here’s an FSS fun-fact, a member of Wench gave me a tattoo of a switchblade and a playing card when she was apprenticing at a shop in Jersey City. Ain’t that interesting? Fuck you then. Just get this album. It’s good.

It doesn’t fucking matter what other people think about the music you fucking listen to. If you let the opinions and tastes of the tastemakers wholly affect you either positively or negatively you are a jackoff. Music is something that when you hear it with your own ears you should be able to immediately form your own damn opinion on. Should you read review sites before buying something? Only the mother fucking FSS. But if you find yourself digging something and we don’t like it, get down with your own damn funky self and tell us to fuck off. If you find yourself digging something and then find out Pitchfork likes it too, you should continue to fucking like it you goddamn idiot. You know how many bands I love that have completely horrible fan bases by and large? A lot. But why should I let that ruin something that means something to me?

Every time I see Ballzy mentioned on punk sites it’s immediately followed by people complaining that they’re part of some hipster plan to infiltrate or co-opt punk rock. The same is said of Fucked Up. Christ almighty can’t we all just get a long. I’m not a fan of hipsters either but I’m not gonna not enjoy something I actually like because of them. Just like I’m not gonna like something just because they tell me I should either. Liking or not liking stuff because you’re “supposed to” is their deal… not ours.

Punk Rock is about doing exactly what the fuck you want to do. Fuck popular opinion. Fuck unpopular opinion. It’s your fucking opinion that matters and that alone… now on with the review that would have been short and sweet had I not just read a bunch of people complaining about this band for dumbass reasons.

Saw these guys a few months back when they opened for the mighty OFF. I dug em enough that I picked up their cassette EP. Now they start turning up on Adult Swim and the reason for this I found out is that Williams Street a killer production company is now branching out into putting out records too. This might be one of the smartest business moves of the 21st Century! Put a bunch of snot nosed teenagers singing about drinking, doing drugs, cutting class, hopping turnstiles, puking, and skateboarding on a network that has the exact same teenagers as it’s primary demographic. Who else is staying up that late? I got a job and have to dvr my awesome show, aqua teen, eagleheart, and children’s hospital.

Savvy marketing aside this album is fucking great. Really. It’s not breaking any new ground for hardcore but I don’t think anyone’s done this So-Cal skate punk style this well since Suicidal Tendencies first flipped up their hat brims. If you’re 15 and just getting into punk this album will probably be the best thing you’ve ever heard. If like me you’re twice that age but mentally undeveloped you’ll be into it too.

My only complaint is I had to download this off iTunes. Couldn’t find word of vinyl and I’ve pretty much given up on CDs these days. Doesn’t matter though. Get it anyway you can, this shit rules.

(Editors Note: T Frankenstein realizes the inherent irony in telling people to think for themselves. Is thinking for yourself really thinking for yourself if someone has to tell you to do it?)

Well cause we got jobs and families and record labels to tend to these days. Deal with it.  But that doesn’t mean we aren’t still thinking about music all damn day. Want proof? What follows is a transcript of texts between the Brothers Frankenstein culled over the first half of 2011. MMS texts inserted where relevant.  Real reviews to follow at some point.

T:
P: My next tattoo.
T: Where u puttin it?
P: On meh taint

T: I just read that no doubt and blink 182 are both back in the studio. What Fucking year is this?!?
P: (no response)

P: Cat ahead of me is listening to that peaches song by presidents of the usa.
T: Ahead of you where? 1994???
P: Yup. He’s sitting having a zima with kennedy.
T: Seriously where are you?
P: On the train to south orange.
T: You know they come in a can.
P: What?
T: Peaches. They were put there by a man.
P: In a factory downtoooowwwwn. Fuck Seattle.
T: Those assholes were from Seattle? I thought like Idaho or west Virginia or something
P: Nope. Seattle i think. Friends wit mixalot.
T: Are you thinking of mudhoney?
P: Nope

T: Colder than a pimps heart.
P: Awwww im prison bound.

P: Wild one by thin lizzy done as rocksteady. The guitar lines changed to organ. Think about it.
T: I’m thinkining.

T: Me and E are starting an accapella skinhead band. It’ll be oi! but with no instruments. You in???
P: Yus.
T: Start thinking of names then. Oi!cappella is my suggestion.
P: The fredperrytones.

P: Liquor store down here was playing bastards of young when i walked in drunken lullabies as i walked out.
T: Most awesome liquor store ever?
P: I bought a scratch off. Thought mebbe it was a sign.

T: Have u seen the Chrysler commercial w thursday by morphine in the background?
P: Nope…isn’t he dead.
T: As dillinger.

T: My question to you is how izzit that I have an entire Skavoovie and the epitones album on my ipod? I gotta purge some of this shit.
P: Better than bowling for soup.
T: Just barely.

(3 days later)

T: Just read this headline on punknews “bowling for soup announce new album”. You willed it dude.
P: Fuckin goddamnit.
T: While yer at it can you get save ferris back together for me.
P: Remember dc cabs?
T: Checkered cabs?
P: Yah whatever. Isn’t dc cabs a christian rap group.
T: DC talk is the christian group. Dc Cab was a Mr. T movie.
P: Eat my suck fuckface.
T: Suck my fuck stick.
P Suck my ass it smells.
T: I’m sucking this right now.
P: I’m sharing a dirty rice crispie treat with a kid with shit in his pants.

P: A reggae version of dancing in the moonlight. Think about it.
T: I’ll start thinking these things when you start a reggae band.

T: Yo La Tengo just walked into the bar.
P: Challenge them to a flute solo duel.
T: Guitarist and drummer only.
P: Tell them ur a one man band then fart and clap simultaneously

T: I like watching businessmen lose their balance on trains
P: Me too

P: Lissen u know any misfits songs that have the lyric 52 ways to kill someone? that can’t be danzig era…
T: all i got is 40 eyes and psycho 78 coming to mind.
T: err 20 eyes? 40 is jus too many eyes.
P: Nah it was a song i never heard before… can’t be danzig era.
T: 59 times the pain also comes to mind even tho it’s the huskers. now i’m gonna be thinking of songs with #s all day
P: No the lyric was 52 ways to kill someone…kinda 60ish kinda dark morrissey.
T: Just googled it. It’s saturday night off famous monsters. oh google. so smart. I fucking hate that album by the way. even tho i secretly love american psycho.
P: that was a good song tho… i’m sure the rest of the album sux.
T: it’s abysmal.

P: Ricardooooooo
T: The songs are short and your hem is short too
P: Nate’s pissing off the 10th floor. Ricardooooo.
T: Record companies want us cause they know we’re writin hits
P: They’re buyin us drinks and they’re givin us winks…ohhh ricardoooo
T: Some people were born to ri car do

T: an omlette of disease awaits your noontime meal.
P: A mouth of germicide sedition of ur class?
T: I thought it was “seducin all your glands”. Although i’m not sure what germicide is anyway

T: I fuckin hate greasers man. Hate em hard.
P: But they’re sick boys oh way oh.
T: Fuck those guys oh way oh.

P: Backstreet billys got a gun in is aaaaaaannnnnnnd.
T: What business song izzat?
P: I forget the name.
T: Me too

T: Whatchu thinkin bout? Razzle?
P: Were you texting vince neil?
T: I wouldn’t txt that murderer if you paid me. Hey so Razzle only has 7 fans on fb. 8 Including me. Vince has 13,254.
P: Ok i’ll friend the dead hair rocker tmrw. R U drunk?
T:

P: You got a big mouth sucka.
T: Badump bump!

T: We should start a crust band called fecal spray.
P: We cud rig an inflatable ass to blast dinty moore stew into the crowd as we played.

P: I’m standing here in the train station and u know what? I like that song wrapped round ur finger by the police.
T: Barf.
P: Barf you.
T: Zenyatta barf datta.

T: Coulda been a good dancer.
P: Cud never get the shit off my shoes.

P: Samhain’s archangel. Husker Dus divide and conquer. Alot of melodic similarity. Evidence of a danzig/mould affair? I think the answer is yes.
T: Unfortunately I only have zen arcade on me or I’d research that further. Mould has a tell all book out now. You should see if Glenn is mentioned.
P: Hank’s gonna be so pissed.
T: They have an open relationship.
P. Yeah that’s what glenn says. That dog.
T: You mean he lied to me? Scamp.

P: You know what? I like john cougar melancamp. Way more of his songs are good than bad. So suck it.
T: Even “hurts so good”?
P: Weird you should mention it. It’s stuck in my head and I hate it. Going thru the other songs by him I had this epiphany.
T: Cmon man. Paper and fire! Suck. Wild nights cover! Suck. P Frankenstein! Suck
P: I like paper and fire. Wild nights wud have been aight cept for michele ndegejablonsky. And P Frankenstein is one of the top 10 hits of the century.
T: You’re wrong about everything. You went out on a limb and blew it.
P: I have made a horrible mistake.
T: It was a momentary lapse in judgement. We all have em. I saw U2 live…twice.
P: No I was talkin bout the amount of sauce I put on my thai food. The mellancamp I stand by.

T: I could make $ playin corporate rokk.
P: But stead I got hit by a bus. This songs about Cleveland.

P: Ahm the one that said Jus grab em in the biscuit.
T: So now u gonna do yo dance?
P: First ima eat up all ur crackers. Possibly also ur licorice.
T: Meet u in the uptown burger king bathroom later.
P: Oh man. Humpty was such a foul scoundrel.

P: U ever hear this sage fancis character?
T: Not a fan. You ever hear your mom’s greatest shits?
P: Once. I was very young.
T: That’s the sort of thing that sticks with you into adulthood.

T: The new radiohead sounds even better when yer drunk on sweet sunset wine. For your limbs.
P: I dreamed last nite I was in joan jett’s latest band. For your erections.
T: Joan Jett now or Joan Jett 25 years ago?
P: Now. I’m still down.

T: I’m listening to Vol 1-11 of dope guns and fucking in the streets in a row.
P: I’m listening to an autistic kid yell in my face for 2 more hours.
T: Hahahahahahaha. Loser.

P: C o n s t a P a t i o n a word I can not understand. Constipation is a word that I cant understand.
T: Backed up and singin op ivy. Weird.
P: I’m saying i’m not backed. Never am. Cannot undertand.
T: Oh. Gross.
P: Cant unnerstaaaaannnnnnn

P: It aw ready started in the city.
T: You can go DIE.
P: Sorry no. The correct answer was suburbia will be just as easy. Yes. Close. Your lovely consoluation prize is RIDE A DICK.
T: I wasn’t finishing your quote. I was telling you to fucking DIE.
P: Aiiiiiieeeeee.

P: Cmmmmoooooonnnnnn itz satahday night.
T: Or afternoon or whatever it is.
P: Nah man remember that lordz of brklyn song?
T: Nope. Thought you were quoting Dulli from that French bootleg.
P: Nope. Good call tho.
T: Ned’s atomic dustbin woulda bin my next guess.
P: Which was a cover of a bay city rollers song.
T: Which was on the soundtrack for so I married n axe murderer.

P: U know whats a good song despite sum 41s wretchedness? Little know it all.
T: You make me sick.
P: The one they did with iggy pop. It’s mostly an iggy tune. Check it out. I’m serious.
T: I’m serious. No.
P: Ride a dick.

T: I was thinking of transcribing some of our choice txts about music as an FSS piece. U ok wit dat?
P: Yus

“ Wu Tang Clan ain’t nothing to fuck with.”
-Wu Tang, regarding Wu Tang’s incomparable gardening skill

P’s Take:  I think mashups, the mixing together of two different songs, or, if you got a lot of time on your hands, albums, is retarded. Just ‘cuz. I remember being in Iceland watching British MTV and kids would vote on mashups they’d like to see… horrible shit like Britney Spears versus Mace or something. Then they could text dedications for these mutant mixes that would scroll at the bottom as they played. Dedicate this nonsense noise to their boo.

Mashups to me are like dressing up like Gandalf, going down to the park and fake fighting a fake Orc with bad breath and poor people skills. It’s just nerdy. Does it take some doing? Yeah, prolly a lot. Does it show good knowledge of content and skill in manipulating said content? Yeah, I guess. But so what? You haven’t made anything new. You just fucked around and wasted time more or less. Not that I have anything against wasted time. Per se. See, I went to college.

I get home one night, late, and I see Uncle Brother T has sent me a link to an album by two hip and cool dudes name of Swiss Andy and Cecil Otter. Check their picture.  Either Swiss or Otter is wearing an awesome Bing Crosby hat, with holes for ventilation and glasses.  Either Otter or Swiss is relaxing with a dog, a dog wearing a bandanna. I checked this link out and fuckin COULD NOT WAIT to hate what I was gonna hear. Then I played it. Played it a couple times. And I didn’t hate it. In fact this shit is genius.

I’m sure you know that guy Danger Mouse and the “Grey Album” better than I do, I’m not up on shit. And because I ain’t I think the “Grey Album” is just dumb and nerdy. “Black Album” mixed with “White Album” you get Grey. Fuckin great.

This is something different. Uncle T makes the argument that this idea occurred for Emmit Otter and Switzerland because of the ease with which the sounds of the words “Wu tang” mixes with “Fugazi” and how Wugazi just sounds right as a name. Maybe, but musically you don’t get much more different. Fugazi’s shit is oblique, nebbish, goes from beautiful to ranting loud to soft and back. Wu Tang, specially the early stuff, still has the hangover of Horrorcore. It’s grim, proud as fuck and more full of homages than Quentin Tarantino. RZA and Ian might have shit to talk about. But I’m pretty sure if Joe Lally and ODB ever met, Lally would have encouraged Dirt to quit crack. Dirt would have encouraged Lally to let him hold 10 dollars and fuck off.

As for the music. It is Wu Tang seamlessly stitched together with Fugazi. I can’t describe it any better. And it works, works so well it effectively made something entirely new. I hold to my argument; mashups suck. This is not a mashup. This is genius.

T’s Take:  The New York Times and Rolling Stone love this album. While that might be enough for some… we at the FSS know you’ve been patiently waiting for our take before clicking download. You’re no dummy.

I’ve been trying to remember roughly what I woulda been listening to around the time Wu Tang first started getting popular. Probably it was Fugazi. I was in a different headspace then. Finding Punk Rock was such a revelation around the tender (stupid) age of 14 that I was quick to abandon most of the music I was “into” prior. And really that’s probably not bad. I mean you ever give less than two shits what 10 year old boys are listening to? If you do I see a 20/20 special in your future. But my point is this I missed the boat on Wu cause of Fugazi and now around two decades later I’m revisiting them because of Fugazi. Fuckin weird how that worked out. Don’t you think?

But everything about this album is fuckin weird. By rights it should not work. By rights it should suck. By rights Ian should be testifying in front of Congress about why it must be stopped. By rights Big Baby Jesus’ children should be filing a class action suit. None of that is happening tho. Cause despite all that “13 Chambers” is fucking fucking unbelievably fantastic. I can’t stop listening to it. “Listening” actually isn’t even encompassing enough a term to describe the experience. And if you think I’m laying it on thick, maybe I am, but fuck you this is my website.

I think it’s no surprise that the two dudes that make up Wugazi use a decent amount of tracks off “In On The Kill Taker”. The FSS done told you already it’s their best album. What does surprise me though isn’t so much that someone was able to work these songs into the backdrop of raps but that the two go so perfectly and seamlessly together. Fugazi is a band on constant verge of explosion/implosion. Their music straddles the line between simmering and boiling over. Often they break loose. Sometime though they just build it up and let the listener experience their own catharsis. Wu Tang’s bleak tales of project life and street culture fit this mood all to perfectly.

Rap… good rap…. echoes the real lives of real people in real fucked up situations. It makes those that know nod their heads and those that don’t live vicariously though it. Punk does exactly the same. I mean If Lee Ving had flow “The Record” coulda sat on shelves next to Kool Moe Dee. If Public Enemy gave the S1′s some fucked up guitars they coulda left Anthrax alone and played some matinees at CB’s all on their own.

I listen to this shit loud while flying through NYC on my bike. I’m on the train right now itching to get off and do just that. And for me right now approaching my mid-30s that’s the mark of a good album. Fuck it another day another ducket.

Download it for free. Yes free.

Sleep Rules Everything Around Me by WUGAZI

Country, Americana, Roots Rock… call it what you will. As far as I’m concerned it’s still pretty damn Punk. If I had any criticism of this album it’s a little short at 10 songs (2 of which are reworked Tiger Army songs, Cupid’s Victim and In The Orchard). So at 8 new tracks it almost borders on EP territory. Really though if you’re a fan of Nick, 8 new songs is still pretty damn good. And there’s not a bum one in the bunch either.

There’s something about the summer, in particular the time where day turns to dusk, that makes me long for music like this. It really is the perfect time of year for singer/songwriter acousticy rock. And make no mistake I don’t think Nick is trying to do anything other than what he’s always done. Cutting out the fat doesn’t necessarily cut out the heart on this venture. Highly recommended listening. Fans of Tiger Army can breath a sigh of relief and pick this one up.

(editors note: Yes, T still hates greasers otherwise.)

In the Hands of the Fans is a punk rock idea for certain. MVD Entertainment (Big Up to our man Clint there) now has a program where fans can submit video content and possibly win a chance to film their favorite band as they perform live then interview them later. This is a good idea. This breaks down the wall between fan and band even further. Next up with In The Hands Of The Fans is Dinosaur Jr. doing all of “Bug” at the 9:30 Club in DC. Maybe whoever wins will get to ask J why he straight be looking like the Wicked Witch of the West. You know, ask it respectfully. But, I digress. They started out this project recording and releasing The Stooges performance of all of “Raw Power”, live in Monticello, New York. And you know how they like their rock in Monticello baby.

When I lived in Iceland, The Stooges came around. You know, the “Mike Watt Stooges”. It was in a big sports arena in Reykjavik. All the cooool people went. I didn’t go. I was on shift at an old folk’s home. I was cleaning up drooool.

The next day I asked around bout how the show was. Them that went were nonchalant about the whole thing. They showed me pictures on their iPhones. They said it was good, you know. They said it was cooool.

Fuck them.

I just listened to The Stooges do all of “Raw Power” live. You know, the “Mike Watt Stooges”. It was good. It was better than good. It was coooool. It really was. They were together as hell and proudly loud as bombs.

But. You know what? It didn’t sound like nobody might get stabbed. It didn’t sound like the policez were on their way. And it didn’t sound like anybody was any kinda scared of anything beyond dropping the iPhones they were definitely snapping pics with.

If all this sounds like kind of a left-handed compliment to one of the most notorious bands ever produced, you’d be dead right.

If all this sounds like nothing short of a glowing endorsement, congratulations. You must be coooooool.

Fuck you.

The song titles on this one speak for themselves. The likes of We Only Came To Get High, Your Girl’s Mom, Happy Birthday Suicide, and The Band That Wouldn’t Die say more than any one review can. If you want high brow songs with deep meanings you might want to look elsewhere. If you just want to rock out and have a good time then “Born Again” is your jam. The Deluxe Edition also comes with a DVD filled with all kinds of old and new live footage, music videos, interviews, dicks, and boobs. Actually about ten minutes into watching this thing I had to pull the shades in my living room cause I didn’t want anyone walking by to look in and catch a glimpse of HeWHoCannotBeNamed’s wangus jiggling round my TV set. Probably also good that I had the shades closed when one of the classy lasses in one of their videos started doing various XRated things with the camera firmly planted on her nether-regions. So um, yeah don’t put this one on for the family at Thanksgiving or anything. Unless of course you’re a godless psychopath or just have a really cool liberal grandma that likes watching puds flap about on stage and women with frontal wedgies.

And finally as if you needed any more reason to get this one there’s a midget on the cover. Not exactly an original idea for this band, but when you got a good thing going sometimes you know when not to stop.