Nagoya City Hardcore

Artist: Various
Title: split
Release: 2009
Label: Prank Records, Agipunk Records, MCR Company

Track List:
1. 九狼吽 - Soul Head
2. 九狼吽 - The World
3. 九狼吽 - Bastards Law
4. Reality Crisis - Engrave
5. Reality Crisis - Rise Again Make Your Burning
6. Reality Crisis - Sucidal Law
7. Zilemma - Alone Soldier
8. Zilemma - ヒビカセロ
9. Zilemma - 紫 -Descry February Ver-
10. D-Clone - We Make Next Generation
11. D-Clone - Hatred
12. D-Clone - Darkness
13. Demolition - Hell Angel's Destination
14. Demolition - Rising Thunder
15. Demolition - Life in Black

Holy fucking shit. I love this compilation. Everything about it. Every song is is perfect blazing fast hardcore punk. The artwork (by Sugi) makes it abundantly clear what you're getting yourself into and is punk as fuck to top it off. The booklet it comes with is surprisingly high quality with lots of huge photos. My favorite being the one on the back of an upward looking view of what I assume are the stairs leading into the main punk hangout in Nagoya City. I've only had my copy for a couple of weeks and I can already tell this is going to be something that I gush over every time I look through my records.

I still can't believe I actually got a copy of this. Especially since I ordered it so long after it came out and it was limited to 1000 copies. I got my copy from No Idea Records. If you're lucky they might still have some left. DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS.

I decided I'm not even gonna try and pick a favorite track on this. It's just too hard to choose. Nagoya must be a happenin' city because when these are your local bands you're doing something right.

While doing a bit of research on this compilation and on Nagoya's scene I came across this blog run by what I assume is a member of Nagoya crust band Disgust. It appears to mostly just be a place for information on upcoming local shows. It's totally worth checking out just for the flyers though.

I really wish I had a scanner big enough to capture the LP sleeve and the giant booklet in one scan. I'd have to stitch multiple scans together and I've never had that turn out very well.

Download: Nagoya City Hardcore (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Nagoya City Hardcore (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

The Beach Boys - Getcha Back / Male Ego

Artist: The Beach Boys
Title: Getcha Back / Male Ego
Release: 1985
Label: Caribou Records, CBS

Track List:
1. Getcha Back
2. Male Ego

What's that? You didn't know The Beach Boys existed well into the 80's? Well, they in fact still exist, but without any of the Wilson brothers.

Any fan of "Full House" can tell you about the time D.J. won tickets to see The Beach Boys and had to make a tough decision on who to bring (spoiler alert, she chooses uncle Jesse). But did you know that for a brief period of time Jesse Katsopolis himself was their drummer (and sometimes guitar player).



And let's not forget the time we found out that Wilson from "Home Improvement" was their cousin.



One last fun fact. There are a mere six degrees of separation between The Beach Boys and Minor Threat.

Seriously though, this single is really bad. I'm only posting it here because it was in the stack of records my girlfriend asked me to rip (this is the last one). Just go and download their early 60's albums.

Download: The Beach Boys - Getcha Back / Male Ego (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: The Beach Boys - Getcha Back / Male Ego (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Joey Casio - Debtor's Prism / Artists in Times of War

Artist: Joey Casio
Title: Debtor's Prism / Artists in Times of War
Release: 2009
Label: K Records

Track List:
1. Debtor's Prism
2. Artists in Times of War

I don't think my girlfriend has even heard this yet. She picked it up because it was cheap and was put out by K Records (who has quite the impressive roster). This record is some sort of weird mix of house and what I believe is called "dance punk". I must confess I know next to nothing about either genre. I rather like this though. The beats are danceable and borderline infectious. And I love the keyboards.

I googled this Joey Casio fellow and came across this short article about him. I found this bit to be particularly amusing:

A little while later, Joey moved to San Diego to be in a relationship. When describing to a friend his idea for a punk band that played all electronic instruments, and no guitars (“Like Gorilla Biscuits, but all on keyboards”), he was introduced to the late 70’s LA band, The Screamers. With their snarling vocals, drums, synthesizer, electric piano, and no guitars, The Screamers became a huge influence on Joey.

I guess this is what happens when hardcore kids make club dance music.

Download: Joey Casio - Debtor's Prism / Artists in Times of War (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Joey Casio - Debtor's Prism / Artists in Times of War (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire

Mates of State/Dear Nora - split

Artist: Mates of State/Dear Nora
Title: split
Release: 2003
Label: Polyvinyl Record Company

Track List:
1. Mates of State - These Days (Jackson Browne)
2. Dear Nora - Girl from the North Country (Bob Dylan)

Kansas's Mates of State joins Oregon's Dear Nora to offer up two acoustic covers. Mates of State doing Jackson Browne and Dear Nora doing Bob Dylan. I think the fuzz on the Dear Nora side is part of the recording.

As with the Rainer Maria 7" I posted earlier, this is still for sale over at Polyvinyl. Looks like they have some copies on blue. My girlfriend's copy is on a neat peach/pink color.

Download: Mates of State/Dear Nora - split (LAME 3.98r V0) Multiupload

Download: Mates of State/Dear Nora - split (LAME 3.98r V0) Mediafire