Hate Rain On Me

Lately The FSS feels like there’s an overdose of cleverness in young adult culture. Hipsters are clever (or so they think) and we fuckin’ despise those dudes. Does thy mean Uncle T doesn’t like this album? Nah. Quite the opposite. On the whole this band is too odd and uncool to carry any hipster cache. And you can tell that AJJ has deep roots in punk. Their earnestness outshines their cleverness and what’s left is the most gloriously unsure sure band I’ve ever heard. At one point they even apologize for the guitar solo they’re about to break into.

Lemme start with Sean Bonnette’s singing voice. I’ve been trying to find a good way to describe it and the best I can come up with is that the guy sounds like his allergies might be acting up but also he’s a little nauseous. I bet like GWAR and GG before him this guy is no stranger to puking on stage. See I can be clever too. But all cleverness aside Sean and his lyrics are genuine and that’s a quality not easily found these days. And it’s no surprise to me that Mike Park and Asian Man Records put this out as they’re pretty genuine in their own right.

“Knife Man” is filled with songs I think anyone past age 18 can relate to. Anthems for the underemployed. Songs about wearing sweatpants, jacking off, white guilt, loneliness, being broke, depression, etc. The weird part of it is this album doesn’t come off as a big depressed snooze fest. If anything it’s damn near triumphant folk punk. Rollicking when it needs to be. Silly even at times. If all this is clever maybe then cleverness is something we can take back from the hipster community. Mustaches we’re coming for you next.

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?)

“ 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.

The group hails from NY and NJ and are made up of the likes of Mike Hunchback (Hunchback), Joe Keller (The Ergs), and Brian Gorsegner (Psyched To Die). This release comprises the entirely of their body of work thus far. All their EPs, 7″s, and demo tapes rolled into one, remastered, and repackaged to save you the trouble of tracking everything down on eBay.

Oh yeah, Night Birds sing about the issues too. Nah, actually they’re kinda like a Troma flick set to music. Songs about surfing toxic waste tsunamis, aliens, slashers, fungus-laden amputees, and dudes pushed too far. Listen, they just wanna see Divine eat some shit, and hey who doesn’t!?!?

I’m looking forward to seeing these guys open for TSOL at Asbury Lanes next week. If yer in the area come on down. Killer waves across the street.

Onkyo Equipment Is Good (or The FSS Save Japan)
When I was growing up in the 80′s I discussed stereo with my Dad and I learned from him a couple things:
1. Any good song sounds 10 times better after 5 beers.
2. Japanese stereo equipment sucks.
Yah, I’m sorry if that sounds bad, but there it is. So for Christmas one year I asked for a tape deck and I received a huge Onkyo TA-2000. “ What the fuck is this Jap nonsense?” I asked. Not out loud though, cuz I wasn’t stupid. But, as I hooked it up and popped in, I don’t remember, maybe whatever the current Ratt album was at the time, it quickly became obvious that Onkyo stuff most definitely did not suck, even in an era when the market was flooded with gaudy, amp overestimating, pieces of shit from both sides of the Pacific. Onkyo made good, affordable stereo then and they still do. Hit them up. Also, give money. Japans a fuckin’ mess. – P-

Thin Lizzy – Every Damn Thing They’ve Done
So last month Gary Moore went to his untimely and ugly, ugly grave. And it was just Saint Paddy’s. So here’s a word or two about Thin Lizzy. They were simply the very best of a very bad genre. They made Kiss look like a Black Metal Menudo. Which, now that I think about it, they might actually have been. They made dueling lead guitars almost okay. Almost. They wrote songs about drinking and fighting and being back in town and jail breakin’ and kickin’ dames. And I’m not a fan of misogyny. It just makes for good Rock and Roll. So hopefully you enjoyed the day and put some Thin Lizzy on the jukebox. Nobody saw that coming, you fucking obvious bastard. -P-

The Hookers – s/t EP
A little while back. I wrote about this band from Kentucky called Hookers. Just Hookers They were a retarded, retarded band. I liked them a lot. But I’m not talkin bout them right now. The Hookers , emphasis on the THE, were basically Murder City Devils minus a couple people. They put out one album a little back on Cold Crush Records. Sounds like it was recorded in a bathroom. It rocks so bad it should be in detention. -P-

Lee Scratch Perry – Every Damn Crazy Thing He Done Did
Wanna hear a story? So Chris Blackwell, the founder of Island Records, he invites Lee Perry over to his palatial Jamaican estate to talk about buying the rights to Scratch’s discography. So Blackwell leaves Scratch alone in the living room for a minute, comes back to see little smiling Lee Perry sitting on the leather couch and a steaming, smiling pile of Lee Perry shit in Blackwell’s cut-crystal bowl on the coffee table. Lee Perry once wrote a letter to the government to get Paul McCartney loose of a drug beef. Lee Perry shacked up with a Swedish royal for a period of time. Lee Perry invented Hip Hop in one afternoon on a Wednesday. Lee Perry is like 5 foot nothing, very trim and yet weighs 6,00 pounds. Lee Perry is not sure what year he was born in, but he was present at your conception. Lee Perry invited Andrew W.K. to co-produce his album. Lee Perry lives in Switzerland and freaks all the Swiss out. Lee Perry built a studio with his own hands. Then he burnt it the fuck down. Cuz Fuck You, that’s why. -P-

Yo La Tengo – Prisoners of Love
I went to a Mexican restaurant a few years back and they were playing Yo La Tengo on their PA. Either the name confused ‘em or Mexicans are big indie rock fans. If like me yer also a confused Mexican, Yo La Tengo are a 3 piece Jewish rock band from Hoboken NJ. Despite their eternal hipster cred they’re easily the best thing about Hoboken next to Maxwells and a certain Op Ivy song. If yer not sure, start with the 2 disc “Prisoners of Love” (some versions even come with a third disc called “A Smattering of Outtakes and Rareities”), but I garuntee you’ll end up buying ‘em all soon there after. -T-

X-ray Spex – Germfree Adolescents
I read recently that Poly Styrene has cancer. A bummer I know. I listened to this the other day in the car and it only made me bummed me out more. Everyone knows or should know punk staple Oh Bondage, Up Yours (shit the afore mentioned Yo La Tengo even covered it) but this album is chock full of hits from Identity to The Day The World Turned Day-Glo to I Live Off You. Get better soon Poly. -T-

Tomahawk – s/t
With members of Faith No More, Helmet and Jesus Lizard innit this can’t not be good. When you listen to as much music as I do it’s hard to say this person is my favorite guitarist (cough J Mascis) or that person is my favorite bassist (cough Mike Watt) or so forth but I can say with great certainty that Mike cough Patton is my favorite singer. Not all his side projects are winners but when they’re good they’re unbelievable. Check this one or the followup “Mit Gas”. You should probably avoid their American Indian inspired album “Anonymous” like a smallpox covered blanket tho. What? Too soon? -T-

Born Against – The Rebel Sound of Shit And Failure
I know P covered this one before but I had it on my phones the other day and felt compelled to echo the sentiment that this may be the best hardcore album ever made. Just brutal shit that will make you lose yours. Also one of the best album names of all time.  Also one of the best album intros of all time (Hello, shit? We’re Born Against so suck my fuckin lizard.”).This band got a bad rap for awhile cause they were funded by the buttload of money one of Sam McPheeters’ relatives left him after kicking off. I gotta say tho that there wouldn’t have been a more righteous way to blow the money. Few other bands charge me up like this one.  Few other bands hate as much shit as I do.  Face the flag son. -T-

Afghan Whigs – Gentlemen
Since 1993 this has been and will always be my favorite album of all time. I’m still figuring out how to tattoo the lyrics of My Curse somewhere on my body. The fine folks at High Speed Soul just reissued it on 180 gram vinyl. A product of the 90s I like to think this one stands the test of time. If you disagree I don’t know that we can get down.  If you’re not sure buy the vinyl now and see what I’m talkin’ bout.  -T-

Inspector 7 – Live at Court Tavern, Hub City, 2/19/11
My lovely wife found out about this show the day of. We’re about 20 minutes from New Brunswick so it was an easy decision to go. Plus Inspector 7 only plays a show once every 5 years or so these days. There was a time tho when you could have seen them weekly round these here parts. They teased a new album in the works this last time. Kids are shaving their heads in anticipation already. -T-

D.I. – Richard Hung Himself (song)
I don’t own anything by this band but I always dug the song Richard Hung Himself and the bands performance of it in the movie “Suburbia”. My friend pointed out to me the other day that the singer was just arrested for doing drugs in front of his kid… cue the  I LEARNED IT FROM WATCHING YOU DAD!!!!!! psa. -T-

Punk Rock Item Of The Week That Isn’t Necessarily Punk Rock – Back To School
Yeah I know this movie has more to do with 80s New Wave than Punk… Yeah I know Oingo Boingo is not punk… yeah I know going to College or owning your own Tall and Fat Stores isn’t really punk either… but Rodney Dangerfield is a punk and I’ll go to the mat on that one. He dedicates buildings to himself, calls President Truman a pussy, makes really large meatball sammiches, and tells Kurt Vonnegut to fuck himself. I watch this one every time its on. -T-

Husked Du / Green Day – Record Store Day 2011 Split 7″ (FSS exclusive advance review)
Yeah I’m not fucking buying this. How’s that for your exclusive advance review? Fuck you Billie Joe. There’s a reason your initials are b.j., and I wont let you and your shitty band ruin Husker Du for me. Not now. Not ever. So let’s recap… fuck you again Green Day, enjoy your shitty Mellissa Etherage Broadway bullshit and Pepsi sponsored arena tours. I’ll be just fine sitting here now listening to “Candy Apple Grey” and “New Day Rising” back to back. -T-

Jawbreaker – Dear You
I just re-bought this on double 12″ vinyl. It’s really hard to say which Jawbreaker LP is my favorite. If you put a gun to my head though I might argue for this one. It’s a little more polished than the others, but lyrically there’s tracks on here that slay me. The 12″ reissue comes with a bunch of bonus tracks they did with J Robbins. A must own. Oh yeah did I mention Christopher Walken is on this one? He is so fuck you. -T-

Faith No More – The Real Thing
“Angel Dust” is their best album. It’s in my top ten at least. So why am I talkin bout this one instead? Cause I listened to it over the weekend and jammed the shit out to it. Billy Gould’s bass sounds so fucking killer on all these tracks. And if I didn’t already mention it (I did) Patton can sing like no other. Yeah Epic may have been an overplayed hit and yeah some of the other tracks surely sound like a product of the time but Surprise! You’re Dead makes me flip hard. Ah-hahahahahahaha IT NEVER ENDS!!!! -T-

The World Inferno Friendship Society – The Anarchy and The Ecstasy
I dig this one. The song Sick of People Being Sick of My Shit speaks to my soul. Look this one isn’t as dense as their last heavy concept work about Fritz Lang or whatever the fuck it was about but sometimes I don’t want to think too hard when listening to music I just wanna enjoy it. And I really enjoy this one. Catchy as fuck. Chunksaah mail-order wax is gorgeous and yes on the download code. -T-

Heidecker and Wood – Starting From Nowhere
If you read us often you know were big Tim and Eric fans here at FSS HQ. This album may be the oddest thing Tim Heidecker has ever done and that’s saying a lot. This is straight up crazy. Paired with Davin Wood (the dude responsible for Awesome Shows awesome music) the pair do kind of a Seals & Crofts / Hall & Oates type thing. Cept they go so hard and so straight faced if you didn’t know any better you’d think they were serious. They’re not. If you watch even 5 minutes of Tim and Eric you’ll know they’re obsessed with dads so it’s no surprise there’s a song about dads on here. There’s also songs about desert islands, weddings, and cross country skiing. And thankfully the bonus track Christmas Suite will round out uncle T’s 2011 Xmas mix nicely. -T-

Social Distortion – Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes
Oh Mike Ness. Self professed ex-convict. Friend to tattoos. Phenomenal guitarist. Eye liner err…supporter. Antiquing enthusiast . When will you stop writing such dumb lyrics? The gospel singer backups only make this album worse. Mobsters? The dust bowl? The worst album cover art ever? Christ. Me and P’s brother E spent the greater part of a morning commute together LOLing hard at this one and trying to come up with other clichéd sayings and nursery rhymes to sing to the music. Seriously picture Ness earnestly singing “you step on a crack, you’ll break you’re mothers back” and try not to laugh (not an actual lyric but might as well have been). And yet still I plan on seeing Social Distortion the next time they come round. I’m such a sucker for nostalgia sometimes. -T-

Reagan Youth – Live and Rare
Reagan Youth are one of my favorite Hardcore bands of all time and also one of my favorite New York bands of all time. You can download this one on the innertubes gratis if you look hard enough (wink). The live version of New Aryans on it is fucking amazing. Versions of USA, Go Nowhere, Reagan Youth, and that song from Airheads are all also amazing… I watched a documentary about Ronnie Reagan on HBO recently that almost painted him in a good light. This band would probably disagree. -T-