Descendents, “Victim of Me”

At this point, with the release of 9th & Walnut, the Descendents have now released as many studio albums after their breakup as pre-breakup (4). Does it even make sense to think of their career in two phases any more? I suppose it does, because during the 80s, they put out albums regularly, while these days it takes a while for them to pop up.

The New Pornographers, “The Laws Have Changed”

Maybe the best tune off of the second New Pornographers album, this is such a shiny song. This is a smile turned into music. I sometimes forget about this album, because I love the first one so much, but I really should spin it more.

The Suicide Machines, “Punck”

Punk!

UGK, “The Game Belongs To Me”

Underground Kingz is one of those rarities, a rap double album that doesn’t end up feeling totally shaggy and unnecessary. While, yes, it does have some filler here and there, it’s mostly a very likeable listen, and Bun B in particular is always a pleasure to listen to.

The Skoidats, “Rootsawalkin'”

It’s a bit of a ripoff using the horn intro from “Guns of Navaronne” and then not have it be the song. I paused this and went and listened to that song instead and then came back. That said, this isn’t a bad tune, thick with horns and with a nice, frantic groove to it. It’s not the Skatalites, but nobody is. Except the Skatalites, I suppose.

Wilco, “Kicking Television”

This take is from Alpha Mike Foxtrot, the collection of rarities, live versions, and alternate takes that covers the first twenty (!) years of Wilco. “Kicking Television” appears on a bonus EP with A Ghost Is Born, and was also the title track of a live album, so it’s a familiar song from them, but this is an alternate take here.

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, “Hell”

Apparently, we’re doing rarities collections today. Works for me! Bring it the fuck on!

The Good People, “Windows Down”

We’ve had the Good People on here before, and it’s always nice to hear them. The Summer EP absolutely nails its purpose, this is totally music to roll around bumping loud with the sun shining.

Gift of Gab, “E2Mtro”

Rest in power, Gift of Gab.

Magic Hour, “Lower”

We had the Crystalized Movements the other day, featuring a tune from their swan song, Revelations from Pandemonium. After that band broke up, Wayne Rogers hooked up with Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang (Galaxie 500) to form Magic Hour…which kinda sounds like Crystalized Movements. The name of this record (No Excess Is Absurd) really speaks to Rogers’s tendency to just go over the top on fuzz. Fun record, though.

The Queers, “Too Many Twinkies”

Eh. Next!

Guzzard, “Deaf Ears, Gamma Rays”

As the world moved on from Amphetamine Reptile once Helmet was no longer there, the later bands never got much attention even from the alternative press. But there were some real gems from the mid-90’s releases, with the third Guzzard record (The Alienation Index Survey) being one of my favorites. They started as a pretty straightforward punk band, but evolved over the course of their three albums to something more interesting. Maybe they just refined their songwriting, but this thing totally slams and is one of my favorite releases from the back half of AmRep’s fertile period.

Dance Hall Crashers, “All Mine”

Oops! All harmonies!

Holy Fuck, “The Pulse”

Holy Fuck play a sort of instrumental rock that, in its use of primitive electronics and hypnotic grooves, has more than a little in common with krautrock. It’s really delightful stuff, a recognition that some blips and a bitchin’ beat will take you a long ways.

Idles, “Mother”

I think the last couple times Idles has come up, I’ve mostly waxed on about how punk this record is. And, you know - it really is. There’s an immediacy and urgency to this that really calls back to the spirit of punk. This is one of those albums that just gets better the more you listen to it.

Rocket From The Crypt, “Guilt Free”

The essential insight of Rocket From The Crypt, that garage rock is even more fun with a saxophone involved, is an elemental truth of music. It’s a lesson that more bands should learn.

The Mr. T Experience, “Our Days Are Numbered”

Like, this is a perfectly good song. But, let’s add a sax and see how it smokes!

Helmet, “I Know”

I’m going to avoid the obvious joke of saying this song needs a sax. It absolutely does not. It just needs to be cranked to tooth-rattling volume to be perfect.

Dis, “I’m Not Sagan”

The Historically Troubled Third Album is a really fantastic album name.

Aretha Franklin, “Save Me”

I’m often at a loss for words when we have some of the all-time greats come up on here, particularly folks like the great soul artists. There’s nothing I can really say that’s going to add anything here. Of course Aretha Franklin was great. We should all listen to more of her!

Eggs, “Erin Go Bragh!”

Hmm. Time to find out what the translation of “erin go bragh” actually is, a phrase that I know only from associations, and not what it actually means. “Ireland to the end of time”, neat!

J Church, “The Versace Killer”

From Cat Food, a mini-album that features some new tracks, a couple re-workings, an Electric Light Orchestra cover (“Turn To Stone”), and the usual commitment to rocking from J Church.

Floor, “Find Away”

In some ways, there’s some real similarities between My Bloody Valentine and Floor. Both use a ton of guitar to sometimes disorienting effect, but leaven them with vocals that are kind of at odds with the overall tone. MBV uses dream-like vocals, and Floor uses clean singing (which is unexpected in something this heavy), but it results in a dual thing that gives them a really interesting feel.