Angel Face - "I Can't Go Back" and self-titled LP

Out today on Slovenly Recordings, we get the debut album and the second single from Tokyo punk rock supergroup Angel Face. This is the latest band from guitarist Fink (Teengenerate, Firestarter, The Raydios), and it's in the same vein as his previous groups. In other words, you need to own these records! Toyozo from The Fadeaways is on bass. Hercules (vocals) and Rayco (drums) round out a red-hot lineup. If, generally speaking, Firestarter was always like a more power pop Teengenerate and The Raydios were a more '70s punk leaning Teengenerate, then Angel Face is the best combination of all those bands. The sound is vintage Japanese trashy garage punk with first wave punk influences and pop hooks for days. The new single "I Can't Go Back" and self-titled full-length will disappoint absolutely no one. If you like your punk rock 'n' roll raw, catchy, and brimming with attitude and energy, you might as well stop reading now and go smash those "buy" links. Every time Fink comes out with a new band, we wonder if it will be Teengenerate-ish. Well, Angel Face most definitely is. "I Can't Go Back" and album cuts like "Bad Feeling," "Bring Me Back," and "USA" definitely give me the same thrills I got from hearing Teengenerate for the first time. The album is limited to 666 copies, and the single is limited to 333 (with supplies dwindling!). So hop to it if want that Angel Face vinyl!

-L.R.

https://slovenly.bandcamp.com/album/angel-face-angel-face-lp
https://slovenly.bandcamp.com/album/angel-face-i-cant-go-back-b-w-new-generator-ep
https://www.instagram.com/angelface_band/
https://www.facebook.com/p/ANGEL-FACE-100075900317764/
https://www.slovenly.com/
https://www.facebook.com/slovenlyrec
https://www.instagram.com/slovenlyrecordings/

The Hum Hums - "All I Got To Do"

Over the course of now 23 volumes of the Something To Do Music for Something To Do People series of digital singles, Something To Do Records has featured many of the finest pop-punk bands on the planet. Volume 23 is perhaps my favorite installment in the series so far. "All I Got To Do" is a song by Japan's Hum Hums. It sounds a little like a lost Parasites hit from the '90s! These days I really seem to be gravitating to the poppier side of pop-punk. And on that note, "All I Got To Do" is totally hitting my sweet spot. It's punchy, catchy, and sugary sweet - a perfect pop song for true romantics. I love those melodic lead guitars, and I can't get enough of that chorus! If you dig this song the way I do, I highly recommend a dive into The Hum Hums' full catalog. And if you haven't checked in with the Something To Do Music for Something To Do People series in a while, hop on over to the label's Bandcamp and take a look. You'll be in pop-punk heaven!



-L.R.

https://somethingtodorecords.bandcamp.com/album/something-to-do-music-for-something-to-do-people-vol-23
https://www.facebook.com/SomethingToDoRecords/
https://www.instagram.com/somethingtodorecords/
https://www.facebook.com/thehumhums/

Flashlights - Shadows and Lights

Secret Mission Records has been bringing music from some of the best bands in Japan to American shores for a number of years now. That very much continues with the vinyl release of Flashlights' acclaimed full-length Shadows and Lights. This Tokyo foursome plays indie pop with a tremendous Japanese punk pedigree (members of Rock-A-Cherry and The Knocks are involved). Originally released on CD in 2016, this album has been remastered for vinyl by the one-and-only Jeff Burke. Who do Flashlights sound like? Well they don't really sound like any other band, and that is part of what makes them great. They can go from jangling, twee-ish pop to moody indie/punk - sometimes within a single song! Listening to the bittersweet punky pop of "Midnight Carboy", you could understand why Jeff Burke would "get" this band. Yet for the most part, this album follows a path that is impossible to pigeonhole. It's not quite power pop, but I think power pop fans would dig it. It's not quite punk rock, but the punk influence is quite palpable (especially on a song like "Neo City"). It sounds completely original, yet it still satisfies in a way that only a really good pop record can. The sequence from the haunting "Stormy Night" to the easy, breezy "Time" to the Velvet Underground influenced "Shadows" is the perfect encapsulation of this album's appeal. This really is one of those releases that stands out from the pack - not just because it's different, but also because it's so well-done. The songwriting is brilliant, the guitar work is exceptional, and the vocals are overflowing with charm. Flashlights are one of the most celebrated underground bands in Japan today, and now you have the chance to find out why. If you like what you hear, you'll want to pounce on the vinyl. Only 500 copies were pressed, and less than half of those made it to the U.S.A. You know what to do!



-L.R.

https://secretmissionrecords.bandcamp.com/album/shadows-and-lights 
http://www.secretmissionrecords.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/secretmissionrecords/ 

Ruler - "Jeanie Jeanie Jeanie"

I'm gonna make this quick. If I screwed around for a couple weeks trying to compose a "proper" write-up of Ruler's new single, the thing would be sold out before the review even posted! Suffice it to say, this second outing from Fink's new band is a sizzling slab of rock n' roll and an absolute must-buy. On the A-side, Ruler tears into the Eddie Cochran classic "Jeanie Jeanie Jeanie". This version is very much in the spirit of the original, but with that unique Rat Fink vocal treatment. Raw and raucous rock n' roll: what could be better?! On the flip, "(It's Not) Saturday Night" is a Grade A mid-tempo groover. I'm still trying to get a handle on where Ruler fits in relation to Fink's other bands. The first single had somewhat of a '70s punk feel. "(It's Not) Saturday Night" finds the band leaning more to the rock n' roll side of things, but still with those strong pop hooks that defined The Raydios. "Jeanie Jeanie Jeanie" would not sound out of place on a comp of Teengenerate singles. All I can say for sure is that Fink has been making some of the best records of his life in the last few years. That very much continues with this single. It's limited to just 250 copies, so grab it while you can from Secret Mission Records!



-L.R.

https://secretmissionrecords.bandcamp.com/album/second-single 
https://www.facebook.com/Rulertheband/ 
http://www.secretmissionrecords.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/secretmissionrecords/ 

Back To Basics - Shaded Eyes EP

Secret Mission Records continues to bring the finest in Japanese punk rock to American shores! Back To Basics have been around for a decade. They have two singles and an album to their credit - all of it released only in Japan. Shaded Eyes EP is their third 7" and quite possibly their "punkest". This band features Shintaro from First Alert and Tomoaki from Louder in its lineup, so you probably know what to expect. This release isn't quite as trashy or frenzied as some of the SMR titles, but it still has that high energy Japanese garage punk feel along with a touch of pop. "Shaded Eyes" is clearly the punker on this EP. It's jumpy and upbeat with some jerky rhythms and very excited vocals. If this track doesn't have you pogoing around your room, I will be very surprised! On the flip, "But Not Indifferent" is more on the power pop side but still punchy as hell. It's really typical of the brand of power pop that comes out of Japan - new wave influenced, with guitars and bass going crazy. Reminds me a little of The Tweezers or (obviously!) First Alert.

With Back To Basics having emerged as one of the top punk/powerpop bands in Japan, it's wonderful that the band's music is finally available in the States. I wholeheartedly recommended the Shaded Eyes EP to fans of Japanese garage punk and just great catchy punk in general. Vinyl is still available from the Secret Mission Bandcamp!



-L.R.

https://secretmissionrecords.bandcamp.com/album/back-to-basics-shaded-eyes-e-p 
https://www.facebook.com/secretmissionrecords/ 

Firestarter - First Album and Livin' On The Heat

Can you believe it has been 18 years since Firestarter released its debut album? That was a release that helped define punk/powerpop as the genre we know today. That and the band's 2003 followup Livin' On The Heat are stone cold classics - two of the greatest albums released this century. Would you have expected anything less from 3/4 of Teengenerate? In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Firestarter, Secret Mission Records has re-released both of the band's albums on vinyl. The bummer is that the label has already sold out of copies of the self-titled album (although you still might be able to snag it from some distributors). And supplies of the Livin' On The Heat reissue are very limited! If you're a huge fan of modern day punk/powerpop and have somehow never heard Firestarter, you at the very least need to acquire the digital versions of both albums. This is the first time that these two LPs have been released outside of Japan, and it seems only right that a whole new generation of punk and power pop fans will have the chance to enjoy them.

Given that the marriage of garage punk and power pop is so common today, it can be easy to forget that it wasn't always that way. Along side the Marked Men (Mark Ryan and Jeff Burke have remastered these two albums for vinyl), Firestarter paved the way for a new era of hooky but still tough as hell punk music. Listening today, I'm struck by how well both Firestarter albums have held up. It's a wonderful thing that Secret Mission has brought this essential music back into circulation. Move fast if you want a vinyl copy of Livin' On The Heat!



-L.R.

https://secretmissionrecords.bandcamp.com/album/firestarter-first-album-lp 
https://secretmissionrecords.bandcamp.com/album/firestarter-livin-on-the-heat-lp 
https://www.facebook.com/secretmissionrecords/ 
http://www.secretmissionrecords.com/ 

Various Artists - Scrap!

I've said it many times, but it's a message worth repeating. If you're an American fan of Japanese punk music, you've got to be extremely appreciative of what Secret Mission Records has been doing over the past few years. The label has released music from The Raydios, Louder, Dials, Boys Order, P.C. 2, Beatseekers, Car Crash, The Geros, The Fadeaways, and Ruler. These are bands whose records would have otherwise only been available as pricey Japanese imports. Taken as a whole, SMR's recent catalog affirms that Japanese punk rock continues to thrive just as it did in previous decades. Assembled by Mangrove Records, the Scrap! compilation is an additional showcase for some of the finest bands associated with Japanese punk in recent years. Secret Mission has partnered directly with Mangrove to make this compilation available in the United States. It features top-tier material from six different bands. So basically, it's like getting six singles for the price of one album...minus the import price tag! 

I like that Scrap! was put together to document both the quality and variety of sounds that have been been coming out of Japan's punk scene over the last few years. The first thing that often comes to people's minds when you talk about Japanese punk rock is the garage/trash stuff, and you certainly get some of that here with three great tracks from KBD inspired crazies Car Crash. But the bands here run the gamut of punk styles, from the mod meets jittery new wave of Dials to the blistering sing-along '82 punk of Centipede to the dark post-punk of Middle Edge to the thumping three-chord punk stylings of Black and White to the pure snotty fury of Loudmouth. It's clear that Mangrove insisted on "A" level material from these bands, and that's what makes this compilation so worth the while. There are no throwaway tracks here, and I can honestly say I am looking forward to hearing a lot more from all of these groups. I was especially pleased to be so into Centipede and Middle Edge - bands who bring something a little different to sub-genres that I'm generally not a huge fan of. Over the course of just three tracks, Middle Edge manages to bring to mind The Wipers, Swedish post-hardcore, and Joy Division! My fave cut out of the 17 is Black and White's "One Way Street", which gave me a similar feeling to hearing The Registrators for the very first time back in the day. Honestly, though, I believe that six different people could listen to this comp and identify six different favorite bands from it.

I don't wanna catch anyone talking about how Japanese punk rock "used to be" so great. It still is, and Scrap! proves it!



-L.R.

https://secretmissionrecords.bandcamp.com/album/scrap-lp 
https://www.facebook.com/secretmissionrecords/ 
http://www.secretmissionrecords.com/ 

Ruler - "Tiger" b/w "Gimme Some Noise"

Alright, I've got one for you today that's gonna blow your head off! Fink from Teengenerate is back with a new band called Ruler. If you were bummed that The Raydios broke up in the midst of a phenomenal string of singles, this debut 45 from Ruler will get you right back to your happy place. Fink is joined here by Azumi (The Young Ones/Raydios), Rayco (Triple Junk), and Otoya (Intimate Fags). Ruler sounds just like a band with that kind of lineup ought to sound: freaking awesome! There are no surprises here, just great '70s style punk with buzzsaw guitars and killer hooks. These two songs beg to be played over and over at the highest possible volume. Just look at that cover art. Doesn't that totally make you want to own this record? There are only 200 copies available in the United States, so you know what to do!



-L.R.

https://secretmissionrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ruler-7
https://www.facebook.com/Rulertheband/ 
http://www.secretmissionrecords.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/secretmissionrecords/ 

Boys Order - Do The Wildcat

Do you love pop? I mean, do you really love pop? If so, Boys Order is definitely the band for you! This trio from Osaka, Japan has released its long-awaited debut album on Secret Mission Records. It's called Do The Wild Cat, and it's a full half-hour of the catchiest and most unrelentingly fun music you could ever hope to hear. Boys Order have a significant pedigree in the Japanese garage/punk world, with singer/bassist Chihiro Isadora having previously played in Radio Shanghai and Prambath. The band also features members of Thee Bossmen and Teenage Lust. It was back in 2014 that Secret Mission released the band's fantastic debut single, which created quite a build-up for this full-length debut. I have to say that Do The Wild Cat is everything I hoped for and more! Boys Order are very up front about what they're about. They're as pop as pop can be, exhibiting a particular fondness for the punk/powerpop/new wave of the late '70s and early '80s. Think Nikki and the Corvettes, Rezillos, The Stripes, etc., and you're totally in the ballpark. Boys Order take those influences and add their own touch - with a delivery that's jagged and frantic enough to align the band with the best of modern-day Japanese garage punk. Do The Wild Cat will have you bouncing off the walls from the get-go, with energy to burn and hooks in abundance. Songs like "Midnight Triangle", "Party! Party! Party!", and the high-spirited title track fire off like bubblegum-fueled rockets. Even the most cynical and joyless person in the world would be hard-pressed to resist cracking a smile and tapping the old toes upon hearing "Blue Blue Red". I'm not sure what "Kill Old Self" is about, but I have been singing it to myself for days. And when the band pulls back a little on the pace, songs like "Riverside Walk" and "Out of Sight Out of Mind" prove to be wonderful examples of pure pop, new wave style.

There's something about Japanese power pop bands that sets them apart from their counterparts throughout the world. And I'm not just talking about the obvious vocal differences. I cannot quite put my finger on the distinctive characteristics of Japanese power pop. But Boys Order exemplify them well. This is a band with very obvious inspirations, but what it does with them is absolutely unique and wonderful. Buy Do The Wild Cat and prepare to get hopped up on pop!



-L.R.

https://secretmissionrecords.bandcamp.com/album/do-the-wild-cat-lp 
https://www.facebook.com/secretmissionrecords/ 
https://www.facebook.com/boysorder/ 

The Fadeaways - "Sick and Tired"

And the honor of my final review of 2017 goes to....The Fadeaways! This garage punk band from Tokyo has been putting out killer music for over a decade, and its latest single comes to us on the always dependable Secret Mission Records. Over the last three years, SMR has been entirely focused on bringing the best in present-day Japanese punk rock to American shores. "Sick and Tired" is the label's first single with The Fadeaways, and it makes a great addition to a roster that already included the likes of The Raydios, Car Crash, Louder, and The Geros. Compared to some of the aforementioned bands, The Fadeaways are a little less noisy/chaotic and more straight-up ripping rock n' roll. "Sick and Tired", like a lot of the band's best sides, marries the primal thumping of original '60s garage rock to the smashing low fidelity of '90s garage punk. The energy is off the charts here. You've got filthy as hell guitars, a perfect trash can drum sound, and a singer who really knows how to scream. What else could you possibly need? This track will blow your ears off! On the B-side, the band has at The Customs' classic 1980 single "Long Gone" and tears into it with gusto.

Vinyl for "Sick and Tired" is limited to 200 copies in the U.S. and will surely sell fast. I'm delighted to report that Secret Mission now has a Bandcamp page, so digital versions of all of the label's releases can now be purchased for very reasonable prices ($3 for singles, $7 for albums). You can also order hard copies of these releases - some of which remain in extremely limited quantities! Warning: if you are currently unfamiliar with this label and decide to follow the link over to Bandcamp, you may very well spend the next couple hours of your life rocking out to some incredible music. Plan accordingly!



-L.R.

https://secretmissionrecords.bandcamp.com/album/sick-and-tired-7 
https://www.facebook.com/secretmissionrecords/ 

The Geros - Razor Dog

Having released singles from the likes of The Raydios, Louder, and Car Crash, Secret Mission Records has provided the tremendous public service of bringing much of the best in current-day Japanese punk rock to American shores. That continues with the label's latest release - an absolute smasher from Osaka that blends '77 and Killed By Death punk styles in a way that's fully unique to Japanese bands. The band is The Geros, and "Razor Dog" is its second single following a self-released debut from 2015. In my humble opinion, "Razor Dog" is in the "best Secret Mission single ever" conversation along side The Raydios' "Teacher's Pet". The title track absolutely rips - coming on loud and raw with an edge jagged enough to draw blood. In terms of pure wild energy, this song gives me the same kind of rush I got when I first heard Teengenerate and The Registrators back in the day. Major points must also be awarded for the back and forth shouting between male and female vocalists - something I particularly enjoy in the garage punk world. On the B-side, "Don't Call Me" takes a dark, surf-inspired turn that I was not expecting. But I mean that in a good way. Imagine, if you will, a demented version of California punk rock circa 1980.

With two fantastic singles to their credit, The Geros look to be at the front and center of the next great wave of Japanese garage punk. While super limited to just 200 copies here in the states, "Razor Dog" is still available from Secret Mission as well as from fine distributors like Sorry State and Slovenly. You can also download the digital version of The Geros' first EP from Bandcamp for just ¥300 (less than $3 American). Get ready to crank up the volume and have your ears blasted!



-L.R.

http://www.secretmissionrecords.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/secretmissionrecords/ 
https://thegeros.bandcamp.com/ 

Great new EP from Gorilla*!

Attention, power pop fans! I've got a real treat for you today! Tokyo's Gorilla* has been around since 2011 and features Kenny Ogawa (The Cokes) on guitar and vocals along with Atsushi (Pop N Roll) on bass. Fifi from Teengenerate was the original drummer, and there's no doubt that Gorilla* ought to be mentioned in the same breath as Teengenerate affiliated power pop bands like The Tweezers and Firestarter. The band's new EP It's All Pop! was originally issued as a tour CD in Japan earlier this year, and now it gets an American release on vinyl courtesy of the Baltimore-based Hidden Volume Records. Doesn't the title pretty much say it all? If you love classic power pop, you'll be in heaven listening to these six songs. I was immediately floored by opener "Oh Tonight", which sounds so authentically later '70s power pop that you could slide it anywhere into the old Rhino Shake It Up compilation and it would not sound out of place. And nothing much changes for the remainder of the EP, with songs taking a massive influence from The Raspberries along with the likes of Shoes, Phil Seymour, Romantics, Off Broadway, and of course the almighty Beatles ("Stay With Me" is one of the finest British Invasion homages by way of the skinny tie generation I've heard in ages).

It's All Pop! is actually the second 7" from Gorilla* following an amazing single released on Three Dimensional Records three years ago. If you long for an eternal 1978 and the never ending reign of Bomp! Records, this is a band you need to be checking out immediately! Kudos to Hidden Volume for securing a domestic release for this Japanese treasure. Snag copies on banana yellow or black licorice vinyl while they're still available!



-L.R.

http://hiddenvolume.com/album/its-all-pop-ep
https://www.facebook.com/hivorecs

Another killer Raydios 7"!

In a review last summer, I dared to pose the question of whether or not The Raydios are approaching the greatness of Teengenerate. My verdict was something along the lines of "The signs point to yes." And now, in the wake of yet another fantastic single from The Raydios, I'm all in. For real! In my humble opinion, The Raydios are making records right now that stack up with the best of Teengenerate. If you think I've lost my mind, I am perfectly okay with that. Teengenerate was arguably the greatest band of the '90s. But The Raydios are absolutely on fire right now, and I highly advise snagging their recent output while it's still in print!

"Craps", the latest Raydios single, came out on Secret Mission Records at the end of 2015. 500 copies were pressed, and very few remain. This release continues the direction taken on last year's "Brand New Kid" 7". Basically, Fink has taken that jolt of energy he got from playing those Teengenerate reunion shows and injected it into the music of The Raydios. For me, the band is hitting the best of both worlds: the wild and trashy spirit of Teengerate meets classic '70s punk a la Ramones/Dictators. If you've previously dismissed The Raydios as sounding too "tame" in comparison to Teengenerate, "Craps" ought to change your mind. It's a ripper! And B-side "Teacher's Pet" is vintage Raydios: chock full of hooks, yet super tough. 

Hit up Secret Mission Records to grab a copy of "Craps" while the getting's good. And if you still don't own The Raydios "Brand New Kid"" 7" on Slovenly Recordings, you need that one as well! Don't miss out on one of the best punk rock bands on the planet!



-L.R. 

http://secretmissionrecords.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/secretmissionrecords/ 
https://www.facebook.com/The-Raydios-153062848082743/ 

New Louder single!

When I reviewed that Car Crash 7" a few weeks back, I talked about how a lot of the newer Japanese garage punk bands have been leaning in a power pop direction. Even though I'm a big power pop guy, I tend to be a purist when it comes to garage punk. My sweet spot is that trashy lo-fi '90s sound by way of The Damned, Stooges, etc. I like speed, fury, and minimal musicianship. So I get really pumped when I hear bands like Car Crash and The Raydios representing for Japan in the old school fashion. Not so coincidentally, both of those bands have done releases with Secret Mission Records. And so has Louder - whose latest release is a killer 7" out on Secret Mission. "Tear Me Up" is the A-side, and it's totally what I'm into. I'm talking really catchy '70s style punk in the classic style. No doubt, the band lives up to its name with guitars that will knock your head off. But there are hooks all over the place. Moving things in a less melodic direction, B-side cut "So Alone" is a straight-up scorcher that brings to mind that glorious heyday of Japanese garage punk. It's fast, ferocious, and over before you even know what hit you. If you dug Louder's excellent LP on Sorry State Records, this single will give you more of what you crave. And if you've yet to hear Louder, this is a great place to start!



-L.R.

http://secretmissionrecords.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/secretmissionrecords 

Here's Car Crash!

While the Japanese garage/punk scene is running hotter than ever, it has been trending more in the power pop direction in recent years. But there are exceptions. One is Car Crash - a new trio with a debut 7" out on Mangrove and Secret Mission Records. Car Crash plays pure punk rock with not even a trace of power pop. This band really takes it back to the glory days of Teengenerate and the Registrators: blown-out fidelity, a deranged singer shouting unintelligible lyrics, lead guitars sharp enough to draw blood, ultra-exuberant backing vocals, and songs played so crazy fast that you'd swear the entire band has been gobbling amphetamines like they're M&M'S. The band name says it all. This is a motor vehicle careening out of control at a highly dangerous speed - with complete destruction the inevitable outcome. And while it's impressive enough that these three can play so fast and recklessly without songs falling apart within 30 seconds, the more important point is that they're so freaking good!

If you're one of those individuals who's dismayed by how polished and proficient most punk bands are these days, Car Crash ought to be much more to your liking. This is a band that embraces one of punk rock's fundamental truths: that enthusiasm and sheer fury matter way more than technical skill. Limited to 200 copies, the "Bright Future?" 7" is blistering, chaotic fun. "Execution" and "I Don't Care" will set your hair on fire before you even know what hit you. The title track is more of a straight-up '70s style punk smasher - but with elements of weirdness & noise damage that make it uniquely Japanese. Simply put, this is exciting music. "Bright Future?" is the kind of record you just have to play with the volume cranked to neighbor-annoying levels. If you worship at the altar of Killed By Death or yearn for the heyday of Japanese lo-fi trash, this is a 100 percent mandatory purchase. Grab a copy before they're all gone!



-L.R.

http://secretmissionrecords.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/secretmissionrecords 

New Raydios smash!

Is it just me, or are The Raydios beginning to approach the greatness of Teengenerate? Perhaps that sounds like crazy talk, but the proof is in the pudding. It seems that The Raydios are on one of those runs where they can do no wrong. When the "Do You Wanna Walk With Me?" 7" came out in 2013, I thought it was by far the band's strongest single yet. Then "No Expectation" proved to be even better. Now "Brand New Kid" comes along and raises the bar another notch higher! The story is that Fink was so energized by playing a Teengenerate reunion that it inspired him to start writing punchier material for The Raydios. And if that was his intention, this single proves he fully succeeded! While not quite the lo-fi trash of Teengenerate, "Brand New Kid" is certainly the hardest-hitting track I've heard yet from The Raydios. The guitars are raw and absolutely ripping, and who doesn't love to hear Fink shout like he really means it?! And hidden behind those scorching leads and exuberantly shouted backing vocals is a melody you can whistle all the way home. Top notch! This is the kind of tune that we've come to expect from The Raydios: straight-up rockin' punk with quality hooks. But while "Brand New Kid" doesn't re-invent this band, it begins to wipe away the notion that The Raydios are merely the next best thing to a full-on Teengenerate re-boot.

On the flip, "My Way Back Home" opts for a pummeling slow burn a la the Dictators or Stooges. Monster riffs meet angular lead work in a way you could describe as uniquely Raydios-ish. And once that sing-along part arrives, it's pretty much impossible to avoid joining in. All in all, an ace B-side!

A co-release between Slovenly Recordings and Tokyo's Mangrove Records, "Brand New Kid" is another opportunity for those of us outside the Japanese market to score some Raydios vinyl. And if you haven't bought a Raydios release in recent years, this is definitely the one to get!



-L.R.

https://slovenly.bandcamp.com/album/the-raydios-brand-new-kid-ep
http://www.slovenly.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Raydios/153062848082743

Thee Mighty Fevers V. The Morebeats!

A little less than a year ago, I posted for the first time on Thee Mighty Fevers - the latest in a long line of incredible garage punk bands from Japan. Well, the boys from Kobe are back! And they have found kindred spirits in Italy's Morbeats. The two bands have teamed up for a split 7" out on the Italian label One Chord Wonder, and of course it will blow your head off! If you find yourself longing for the mid-'90s glory days of raw and wild garage punk, Weird Affairs And Teengeneration Accidents ought to have you jumping for joy and howling in delight. Both bands tear into some fast and frenzied lo-fi rock n' roll that literally explodes from your speakers and headphones. Thee Mighty Fevers build on the momentum of their fantastic debut album with the fuzzed-out and ferocious "Emotion Fire". It sounds like they're trying to obliterate any obstacle in sight just through the sheer force of their music! I always love a band that sounds like it might have collapsed from exhuastion if the song had run one second longer. Marty can scream with the best of 'em, and Tommy's guitar soloing is glorious, earsplitting filth. The band also whips through a blistering rendition of "That's Alright Mama" - Elvis Presley's first single! This was arguably the first rock n' roll single ever, and 60 years later we still have bands like Thee Mighty Fevers keeping that original spirit alive while taking it to extremes that would have been unfathomable in 1954. Not since the Registrators circa Terminal Boredom have we heard a band quite like this. If you have yet to experience the sonic firestorm that is Thee Mighty Fevers, go stream their album and crank the volume until the windows shake! If you are unmoved by such savage racket, surely your soul has died.

Turning to The Morbeats' side of the record, there's not much of a drop-off. They power through an original number called "Little Robota", which rips a la Teengenerate or a super lo-fi Devil Dogs. I love the rawness and pure rock n' roll energy. The drummer sounds like he's banging on trash cans! If songs about girls are cool and songs about robots are cooler, then songs about girl robots are the coolest. "Sex Cow" is a cover of one of Teengenerate's best singles, and it ain't bad! I definitely wanna hear more from these guys.

A time machine trip back to the heyday of Rip Off and Crypt Records would cost you a fortune. Weird Affairs And Teengeneration Accidents is just as fun - and will get you there at a fraction of the price! Dig in!


-L.R.

http://theemightyfevers.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/theemightyfevers
http://morbeats.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Morbeats

The Instigation

"The Instigation is a garage band who play hardcore songs. Or maybe a hardcore band who play garage songs. Either way they mix snotty early USHC fury with leather jackets and Converse. They like Dean Dirg, Teengenerate, Rot Shit and cheap beers in front of convenience stores." 

I love it when a band's self-description pretty much says it all. It makes my job so much easier! That's less time I have to spend searching for adjectives and more time I can spend listening to records and imbibing adult beverages. Instigation members hail from Japan, England, and Canada and are currently spread out between Tokyo, Kobe, London, and Shanghai. So when they do manage to put out new music, they have to make it count! They just released their second E.P., and it's a total ripper! What I'm reminded of the most are the early days of American hardcore - when the music basically sounded like classic punk rock played faster and harder. The songs clock in at around 90 seconds a piece as opposed to, say, 35. The rhythm section is an absolute powerhouse, and I love that there are some honest-to-goodness guitar leads in these songs! This is exactly how I like my hardcore - blistering and tight with aggressive vocals and really intense lyrics. The best song is the title track, "No Way Out". It takes the bleak desperation of the lyrics and channels it into a pummeling sonic attack. And "The Instigation" is what every band should have - its own theme song! What's not to love about a band that threatens to "smash your face with a brick"? And if there were any doubt about where these guys are coming from, they close the record with a bang-on cover of Reagan Youth's classic "Degenerated". I love the original, and I love D Generation's fireball version from the '90s. So I was not going to be satisfied unless The Instigation totally nailed it. Sure enough, they did! The message of this song is more pertinent than ever, and it's great to have it introduced to yet another generation of punk rockers.

If you enjoy early American hardcore or fast and ferocious punk rock of any kind, "No Way Out" ought to get your heart racing. Check it out!

-L.R. 

http://theinstigation.bandcamp.com/album/no-way-out-e-p
https://www.facebook.com/theinstigation666

Return of The Raydios!

The recent line on The Raydios has been that they fall somewhere in between Teengenerate and Firestarter. That's never been truer than on "No Expectation", their great new EP on Secret Mission Records. This is their fifth 7" since their 2007 re-emergence, and their sixth overall. Fink and co. continue to carry the torch for Japanese punk, and this record is a total ripper! While not nearly as trashy as Teengenerate or as poppy as Firestarter, The Raydios get me with a hooky '70s punk sound that hits my happy zone straight-on. The title track here is a furious shot of Dictators/Ramones hotness, while "School Trash" is more of the same but with a bit of that fractured modern edge we've come to expect from Japan in recent years. I've seen mixed reviews of some of The Raydios' more recent releases, but these two tracks are as good as anything I've heard from this band going back to its original late '90s run. B-side cut "Faster" is actually a little slower, but not in a bad way. It really works the harder/grittier side of classic punk, with requisite nods to the Stooges and enough guitar wallop to power a major city. Even without the overt poppiness of Firestarter, these are some well-crafted and seriously catchy tunes. And while some may long for the gloriously shitty fidelity of those old Teengenerate records, the tougher sound works for me just fine.

Given that the majority of this band's releases are pricey Japanese imports, this is a rare chance to score a Raydios single from an American label. And it's a top tier Raydios release to boot! $5 for this bad boy is a deal and a steal!

-L.R.

http://secretmissionrecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/secretmissionrecords
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Raydios/153062848082743

It's Thee Mighty Fevers!

Credit Mr. Greg Mongroll, Faster & Louder's head talent scout, for this tremendous find. He posted a song from Thee Mighty Fevers on my Facebook wall a few weeks back. My immediate reaction was, "Holy shit! Did Teengenerate get back together?!" And this was before I even knew they were from Japan! Needless to say, I was blown away. Sure enough there have been quite a few Japanese garage-punk bands on the scene in recent years. However, it's been quite a while since I've heard one that was legitimately at the exalted level of Teengenerate or early Registrators. But Thee Mighty Fevers out of Kobe have stepped up as true heirs to the throne. Their debut LP is out on the venerable Dead Beat Records, and you can catch a four-song preview on their Bandcamp page.

Kicking up a crackling, warp-speed variation on '70s American punk, Thee Mighty Fevers take me back to the days when garage-punk was king. The way they describe themselves pretty much says it all: "Fully fledged musicians creating sounds to get the blood pumping. Simple, fast, Rock'n'Roll... Endless freedom." How awesome is that band bio?! Who can't get behind endless freedom?! Fuck'in Great RnR is the title of the LP, and I'd call that truth in advertising for sure! Songs like "Bad Party" and "High-school Riot" are everything punk music should be: fast, wild rock n' roll delivered recklessly and furiously. These guys tear through every frenzied note as if their lives depended on it. They've got a raw, tough sound with killer songs to boot! Back in the day, they totally could have had a record on Crypt or Rip Off Records. Thankfully we still have great labels like Dead Beat that know true greatness when they hear it. And while you wait expectantly for the LP to show up in the mail, you can stream the band's first EP in its entirety. If these guys don't get your juices flowing, it might be time for you to switch to "adult alternative". 


-L.R.  

http://theemightyfevers.bandcamp.com/ 
http://www.facebook.com/theemightyfevers 
http://www.dead-beat-records.com/