Radio State for January 28, 2008

Radio State
w/ DJs Terrible & Fuck You

Monday, January 28th, 2008
10:00 PM - 12:00 AM midnight CST
on 101.5 UMFM Winnipeg
http://www.umfm.com

Note the new time: We're now on from 10 PM until midnight, bi-weekly. We lose an hour. Boo! Fret not for we have concentrated the dose and we care not if it goes down smoothly. Well, tonight's going to be a wee bit fucked. DJ Terrible will be playing hard rock and psych from the 70's along with a few deranged oddities from adjacent decades, religions, tastes and smells. The soundtrack to your mind's demise! Where are you DJ Fuck You?! Surely he'll have something to respond with during the show's second hour.

Primevil - "High Steppin' Stomper"
Suck - "21st Century Schizoid Man"
Sir Lord Baltimore - "Man From Manhattan"
Uve Schikora Gruppe - "So Ein Langer Sommer"
Bedemon - "Touch The Sky"
Circuit Rider - "Chinese"
Mark Tucker - "Attractive"
Chrome - "Pygmies In Zee Dark"
Father Pat Berkery - "Confession"
the Pink Fairies - "Do It"

Radio State for January 14, 2008

Radio State
w/ DJs Terrible & Fuck You

Monday, January 14, 2008
9:00 PM - 12:00 midnight CST
on 101.5 UMFM Winnipeg
http://www.umfm.com

You know the routine. DJ Terrible has the first half, DJ Fuck You has the second. In the first hour-and-a-half we'll be playing new releases (well, not all of them are that new) by the likes of BORN BAD, DEATH TOKEN, KYKLOOPPIEN SUKUPUUTTO, BUSY SIGNALS, VEE DEE, CARBONAS, THE DAILY VOID and THE PYRAMIDS. We'll also check in and see what BLACK FLAG's Chuck Dukowski has been up to lately. A little of this, a little of that... and you've got another episode of Radio State.

Flipper - "Nothing"

Born Bad - "intro/Excessive Force"
Death Token - "Behind The Mask"
Double Negative - "Rehumanization"
Kykloopien Sukupuutto - "1% Vai 100%"
Pissed Jeans - "I'm Sick"

Busy Signals - "Matter Of Time"
Vee Dee - "What We See"
Carbonas - "Phone Booth"
the Marked Men - "Gone Away"

the Daily Void - "Insect"
the Hunches - "Hurricane"
the New Bomb Turks - "Up For A Downslide"
Clone Defects - "Deep End"
Brainbombs - "Graveyard Kitchen"

Dead Moon - "A Fix On You"
the Testors - "Primitive"
the Saints - "Demolition Girl"
the Flesheaters - "Eyes Without A Face"

Black Sunday - "Torture Torture"
Clinic - "Cement Mixer"
Pyramids - "A White Disc Of Sun"
Chuck Dukowski Sextet - "Dreaming Of The Endless Death"

Lee Hazelwood - "Poet, Fool or Bum"
Scott Walker - "Duchess"
the 13th Floor Elevators - "She Lives (In A Time Of Her Own)"

Scorpion - "Hey Girl I'm Ugly"
George Brigman - "DMT"
Vulcan - "To Be Continued"

Review: KYKLOOPPIEN SUKUPUUTTO - s/t LP

KYKLOOPPIEN SUKUPUUTTO translates to "extinction of the cyclops", and according to the band, is suggestive of the destruction of bigotry. Everything about KS, particularly with this release, their first full length, is suggestive that a lot of inspiration and hard work was invested. Recorded by themselves on a 16-track analog machine in their Tampere practice space, 12 songs and 28 minutes don't offer any reprieve. The first comparison that came to mind in taking in their sound was GAUZE. Now KS don't sound like GAUZE and aren't nearly as fast... but at times they have a similar mechanical jackhammer quality to them. A controlled chaos that's powerful and infectious; this isn't just noise and blinding speed but a unique array of chord progressions and tempo changes that is executed with precision. Perhaps that is also where I come up with a comparison to the Japanese legends. The results of this self-recorded effort are perfect; rawness can be well-engineered, mixed and entirely legible. Talented musicianship isn't hidden or muffled but is instead given a serrated edge to do even more damage. This isn't the ghetto blaster recording that has become so desirable with many bands of today. The bass tone in particular has a terrific filthy quality to it. The album's embossed illustrated sleeve and tediously-handwritten lyrics (sang in Finnish but also translated into English) make this one of the nicest-looking punk records I've seen in years. Subject matter is not relegated to cliché punk mantras; instead there is an evocation of nihilism, struggle and even hope that is, dare I say, poetic. Along with relatively new bands like KIELTOLAKI, KYKLOOPPIEN SUKUPUUTTO is leading a resurgence of great, perhaps even soon-to-be legendary Finnish punk bands.
(2007, Spild Af Vinyl - http://www.spildafvinyl.dk and Tuska Ja Ahdistus - http://www.elisanet.fi/tuskajaahdistus)

Track Listing:
A: "Kaikki valinnat Jäädytetty" "Yksi Mies, Yksi Valmistusaine" "Pintakosketusta Vailla" "Meitä Yliajetaan" "Mun Pää On Pommi" "Äänenvaimennin"
B: "1% Vai 100%" "M/T Drepanum '57" "Purkujätteen Valtakunta/Pyhäjärvi/Sanelukone 'MANSE'" "Tästä Puhutaan Vielä (Muttei Varmasti Kuunnella)" "Olen, Siis Olen" untitled

Review: DRY ROT - Subordinate EP

What an oddity this band is. In my humble opinion one of the best kept secrets of 2007. Unhinged, both on their recordings and in the live arena. An attempt to describe their sound: The deranged release of VOID, the spasmodic tempo changes and psychedelic dirges of UNITED MUTATION, the atonal fuzzed-out blues of BLACK FLAG... All these elements are present in this southern California band. Singer Drew Wardlaw's lyrics are cryptic and nightmarish, revolving around Subordinate's theme of enslavement and release through self-destruction. The six songs are interspersed with interview recordings that I at first thought were referring to the Manson cult. I'm fairly certain they're not but have been unable to place them with any other cult figure. A beautiful sleeve/booklet was illustrated by guitarist Jordan Darby. Christian imagery pops up and adds a mysterious undertone in contrast. If you're into the current wave of bands like SNAKE APARTMENT or PISSED JEANS, I can't recommend this highly enough, although DRY ROT are a band all unto their own. They're now working on a full length slated to be released on Parts Unknown Records sometime in 2008. With so many bands this format results in filler material or failed ambition that doesn't maintain perspective or outstretches ability. With the unpredictability of this band, I think it could expose something great that we've only had hints of so far.
(2007, Painkiller Records - http://www.painkillerrecords.com)

Track Listing:
A: "Skin Debt" "Trench Diggers" "Enslaved"
B: "Points Of Force" "Bind And Salt" "Release"

Under Pressure US Tour - Day 7 - July 31, 2007

Cleveland, Ohio...

I woke up and took my first conscious breath of the morning. Hot, stale air. Then the aching pain came, running the length of my contorted body. Not what you might occasionally get from sleeping on a hardwood floor or a lumpy couch but from sleeping in a van. A full-sized van that was designed to haul entire families but can't provide me with any means of comfort. I can't even stretch out. The aches had arrived and were not going anywhere anytime soon. Next to arrive was awareness of the sweat-damp, greasy clothes adhered to my skin. I just tried to breathe for a while. That really didn't do anything; didn't wake me up, didn't cool me off, didn't lessen the feeling of being smothered in a miasma of tour filth.

I tried to turn back, to sink back into blissful unconsciousness but I was stuck. I contorted my body further and saw Cam's tangled mop of hair hanging over the edge of the loft. He was still sound asleep. I was in such a haze I can't quite recall... but I think I wandered around the parking lot for a while, then checked inside the restaurant to find everyone still asleep. I probably tried relaxing in the van for a while longer, checked a few more times for any sign that Cam might be waking up, became increasingly more bored and restless, then finally broke down and woke everyone up, which I was no doubt thanked for. It sucks to always be the first one awake on tour. I do remember Cam telling me that some crackheads had wandered around the van briefly and stared at us through the windows. I hate that shit. Fortunately I'm pretty good at blocking thoughts of being looked at in my sleep... or worse.

Once everyone was good to go, we said our goodbyes to SEA SICK--who we'd see again soon--and got out of Cleveland. We made good time driving into Wilkinsburgh, a suburb of Pittsburgh, arriving at 3:30 PM, just before rush hour. Perfect. We parked right across the street from Mr Roboto Project, one of the US's great DIY venues. There was no sign of life so we gave Andy/BRAIN HANDLE a call. He was stuck at work until show-time so he gave us a few points of interest. Joe had disappeared though, so we had to organize a search party. It was ridiculous how long it took to catch the guy. He was always popping in and out of sight, just always rounding corners a couple of blocks ahead. I was wondring if, when we finally caught up with Joe and tapped him on the sounder, he was going turn around and instead be some long-haired woman wearing a red t-shirt and skin-tight pocket-less bellbottom jeans. Fortunately, we had our man. If he wouldn't have been listening to music on headphones we would have been able yell him down.

Once reunited, we made our way across town and checked out the town's punk record store, Brave New World. I visited with Rob, the store's manager for a while. We, of course talked music, then I left him some records on consignment before joining the band in grabbing some Middle Eastern food at a restaurant located below the store.

It was back to the venue. I had a 45-minute nap in the van and woke to find people slowly making their way to the show. As I sat up and cleared my eyes I noticed that Bill and Eric of CAUSTIC CHRIST were hanging out in front. We caught up and I spoke a bit with Bill about THE PIST reunion shows and his getting married. I ended up missing the first band in the process. Then the second band went on but unfortunately I was looking after some issues regarding my laptop and computer equipment so I didn't have much of a chance to take them in.

Sometimes when I play a city and have a great time it's something that exists only in that moment, in that set of variables. Other times, I get the sense that I was fortunate to become part of something that is alive and thriving in that local scene, something that can be revisited.

After playing Mr Roboto our first time a couple of years ago I had the impression that there was a really great energy driving the local scene. There were folks of all ages in attendance and the atmosphere was really friendly and social. The old-timers at the show weren't jaded and seemed to be fueling the scene with as much momentum as the kids who were excited to get their first band off the ground. I don't think this is a very common thing and after returning to this place I'm glad that little has changed.

I love the character of Pittsburgh's old 3-story family homes; no two exactly alike. The city's winding streets that change from concrete to asphalt to brick to cobblestone in a blink of an eye, its hills and valleys which house monuments to expired industry... and I love how welcome and at home I feel here. I hope that doesn't change on my next visit, and I have a feeling it won't.

DRY ROT were incredible again. Drew climbed up on top of some high speakers again and probably got his band a little nervous. He ended up taking a pretty crazy head-first dive over Cam's head. I thought he would have injured himself. When I looked at my capture of his tumble, I can now see that Drew has the grace of a cat.

We played a great set, as I knew we would. It ended with "I Explode". Joe hurled himself through the audience and towards the back of the room. I soon after threw myself into him and we ended up thrashing into each other on the ground. Our struggle took us into a pile of garbage bags and before you knew it, plastic was torn and garbage was kicked around the room as we flailed around. Some were entertained, a few were pissed off by the mess.

After the venue was cleaned up and the bands were loaded out we made our way to Andy's apartment, introduced ourselves to his dog Lika and got some much-needed sleep in a comfortable apartment absent of mould.

"Deep Value" from My Poetry Is Out Of Control by Jason Penner

Fang boner
Yellow, right on time
Right from birth
Procrastinating upon the altar
Of the unborn
Hovering above porcelain plastered with dead sperm
Fuck karma
Fang boner


Mr Roboto Project in Wilkinsburgh, Pennsylvania


DRY ROT @ Mr Roboto Project in Wilkinsburgh, Pennsylvania



All of Jason's photographs from Under Pressure's 2007 US tour can be found here.

Review: OUT COLD/THE BILL BONDSMEN split 7"

In my humble opinion, both bands featured on this split are criminally underrated. Dracut, Massachusetts' OUT COLD have been around since 1989 and have stayed true to their roots of old school hardcore, consistently releasing rock solid material. Why they aren't an established name amongst purists is anybody's guess. Three ragers are served up; infectious, straight-ahead hardcore that will get you thirsty for violence. I love bands that sparingly use really tasteful leads to help make their songs all that more memorable, and this band does it. Detroit, Michigan's THE BILL BONDSMEN throw down hard on their side as well, with one original and a tribute to Japanese hardcore. The original ("ATS 909") has a great narrative, depicting a complete mental breakdown set off by after-hours TV static. As with OUT COLD, the solid guitar work makes all the difference between mediocrity and greatness. Boo hoo, so they're not the youngest guys in the newest band playing the latest craze. This band destroys most bands that North America currently has to offer.
(2007, Schizophrenic Records - http://www.schizophrenicrex.com)

Track Listing:
OUT COLD: "Instinct" "You Have My Word" "Make It Disturbing"
THE BILL BONDSMEN: "ATS 909" "Awaranai Wa"

Review: SEARCH + DESTROY - s/t EP

Awesome sleeve, drawn by the band's singer. Shouldn't be too hard to spot in a store or distro. Just look for the shower room cocks. SEARCH + DESTROY have been a staple of Winnipeg's thriving punk scene for the last few years but have really elevated their game more recently with the addition of Alex on bass and Guy's move from bass to guitar. This is their debut; 8 tracks of raw hardcore punk with attitude. Much of that attitude if fueled by Ryan's snotty vocals, and lively stage presence. He comes across as something of a cross between Joey Ramone (well, in appearance, with his long hair) and BLACK FLAG-era Keith Morris. Songs deal with staples; isolation, disillusionment, violence, being stuck in monotony. I can't wait to hear this band's next record. And for anyone interested in checking out Winnipeg's punk scene, give this record a shot.
(2007, Clarence Thomas Records - http://www.bistrodistro.com)

Track Listing:
A: "Room To Breathe" "Growing Paints" "You'll Get Yours" "Fear"
B: "Nervous Wreck" "Last Gasp" "Sleep Walking" "Box Spring"