Friday, Friday, Friday.

So Imma talk a littla about Sex Vid's Tania today- 'cause I like it.

Sex Vid are an extremely aggressive 80s style hardcore group from Washington DC, the title track, of course, is in reference to Patty Hearst's name change-a-ma-jiggy thinger when she was er..sympathetic to her captors. (Ok, that kinda turned me off at the beginning 'cause I was all like..."Patty Hearst? Really? Isn't that a bit...cliche, at this point?"..but then I actually played the album and admonished myself for being such a cooler-than-thou-Toronto-hipster-fuckface.)

I would venture to say that the driving guitar/bass lines on this recording are really quite sophisticated albeit slightly less crazy than their follicular release (This girl never says SEMINAL heh heh).

IT is, without question, in the title track that one is most struck by the guitar player- Tania is slower than much of the previous three- and it's really the riff that takes centre stage. This is partly because the riff itself is a SUPER catchy repeated phrase, but also because the guitar seems to be almost the same level as the vocals, this is both a change from the previous tracks, and kind of a cool effect in and of itself. It's like the vocalist and the guitar player are competing for who can be the most violent. I FUCKING LURV IT.

Which brings me to my next point about Sex Vid: they have what I, a non-musician, grasps on to the quickest: A SOLID VOCALIST- I have a definite preference for that 80s style scream-your-fucking-face-off kinda singer vs. the more singy/whiny/pop-ish kinda styles...This dude does it WELL.

Personally I find this release kinda similar to Deep Wound in that lo-fi distorted kinda way...but nobody else agrees with me on that one, so maybe I'm just weird.

So imma review Escaping Amman from the Red Dons today (no it's not a Friday, but there's nothing happening at work)

Escaping Amman-I gots da blue vinyl 7" from Deranged...

The Red Dons are essentially a re-grouping of some of the dudes from the Observers (RIP 2005) and this is pretty obvious from the sound of the record too- I thought it also sounds a bit like the Clorox Girls as well, perhaps owing in part to Maurer's influence (he's playing guitar on the album).... which is admitedly a little lighter than I'd normally go for... It's supposedly about the Middle East and kinda about the punk community as being LIKE the Middle East.

Normally that would kinda kill it for me right there, part of being shy is being COMPLETELY outside of 'community drama', so I really don't see punk hypocrisy on the same level as the damaging hypocrisy of a theocratic society...but meh...that's just me...and I don't take myself that seriously.

The vocals are actually pretty interesting, but a little too pop-rock for my personal tastes. Overall, as everybody else has said, if you like The Observers you'll like The Red Dons...I kinda feel non-plussed about both groups. Overal rating: Meh... s'okay

Apt 213/Dahmer Split

(Cleveland Power Violence/Quebec City Grindcore)

released 1998-pink 7"

TRACKS:
Apt. 213 side 1 Decay-Apartment 213 2 Dahmer-Apartment 213 3 Mangler-Apartment 213 4John Wayne Gacy-Apartment 213

Dahmer side 5Mes Ancetres Dahmer 6Je Bois De'Leau Dahmer 7Crock-O Dahmer 8Outro (Provigo) Dahmer

I know, I know...it's a super old record but Imma talk about it anyways...my husband HATES it SO MUCH which kinda makes me like it more ha ha ha.

So, it's no secret that I kinda like some bands with an over-the-top metal kinda aesthetic, and you gotta love ANY band that concentrates on serial killers AND does brutal power violence with almost-but-not-quite-chhezy metal riffs and a wee bit o' punk je ne sais quoi. This split was the first record of either of these bands that I bought, so part of my love for it is probably based on that...

Apt. 213 They are part of a much slower/heavier type of power violence (Chris Pellow of Ringworm was in the band for a bit) and definitely have a little bit of Integrity as an influence. The lyrics are brutal and the vocals are gravelly and LOW AS SHIT. Overall, pretty fuckin' creepy...I wrote a little ditty called A. Fish as an ode to Apt. 213...(Albert Fish)

Dahmer- 1995-2000, some dudes from that band are in fistfuck. Quebec boys! Is it just my imagination or does Quebec not have the DIRTIEST fucken' Grindcore? Again, serial Killer lyrics but a much faster pace, Heavily distorted and tuned down guitars...(hee hee hee)More variation in the vocals in terms of pitch, and definitely more of a punk aesthetic than Apt. 213.

Acid Reflux
So I figured I'd start with the Acid Reflux 7" demo that I picked up in June...(one of 300 yellow presses with a pink cover) and I have to say, it's one of the best hardcore releases I've heard in a looooooong time and is already getting some decent attention. It's out on No Way Records and is a remastered/resequenced version of their CD demo (which saddly, I wasn't able to get a copy of...anybody looking to trade? hmmmmm? hmmm?)

Now, the lyrics ARE funny- but it's not one of those bands that throw their tunes away since it's a 'joke' anyways...nope...there is some bonafide talent here, and despite reviews to the contrary, I'd say that DOES make them unique. GOOD FAST PUNK MUSIC + humour = pretty damn hard to find.

They have songs like "Do your parents Know you're a Ramone?" and "Oh Good There's an Aplebees"....maybe I'm just nostalgic, eh?

They're from Albany NY and definitely are part of that 80s hardcore re-visit sound aesthetic (though not AS developped as say, Fucked Up), super break-neck pace, with yummy whiny/mocking vocals-I dunno how old the dude is, but he 'does 16' perfectly.

I givem' 9/10

8 songs, 8 minutes, what more could you possibly want?

An introduction of sorts...

This is the first time I've tried to put together a blog, and it's just basically gonna be a thing to talk about shit that matters to me which is mostly: records, punk music, dancing, feminism and being WAY to fucken shy. I'm hoping it might be a good way to communicate with other people, since I have trouble doing that in person. The first post 'll be a little bit about me, after that imma gonna stick to shit people might want to read :P


I'm 27. I'm married, I love hardcore music and am just starting to perform my own material (been writing and recording it for three years). I've been dancing professionally for about 5 years and I also have a 'regular' job in the non-profit sector.

being WAY to fucken shy

My life is pretty good, but my REALLY HUGE problem is my shyness/utter lack of confidence. I'm a very loyal person, I am a good listener, I've got a really big heart and will litterally wear myself out to help other people. Unfortunately, the only one who really knows that, who really knows me, is my husband.

Usually, people think it's weird that I can perform in front of an audience but have trouble speaking to people one on one, and I guess it kinda is. I can't explain why...I mean, I do get NERVOUS before I scream or dance in front of an audience...but I have out-and-out anxiety attacks when I have to meet people/go someplace where I won't know anybody/talk to somebody I don't know etc.

I feel like I can't breathe, I get dizzy and I blush really red, I stammer, repeat myself- which makes it worse...All I want to do is run away- the term 'fight or flight' is appropriate, I am DEFINITELY a Flight person...which is what I normally end up doing. As a result, I can't make real friends. I'm too busy making a hasty retreat.

Now, don't get me wrong- I'm not looking for sympathy here, there are MUCH MUCH MUCH worse things in the world than being shy...but it's something I'd REALLY like to change about myself...and it's something that, I feel, has prevented me from living my life the way I'd like to live .

Okay, Okay, so I've wasted all that space whining about my PERSONAL problems ('aint that attractive?) so now I'll move into something more interesting...