Bullets or Balloons - Lifestyle Toxins

Something comforting knowing that there's all kinds of killer music out tucked away in every corner of this round planet. You can even find it in Olympia, Washington, in the guise of Bullets or Balloons. Chris, the guitar player hit me up a little while back to give his thing a listen, I'm always game, and I couldn't have been more stoked about this jazz punk bit of goodness. Before I go any further, or you do, you can skip my psycho babble altogether and read a straight up professional, thorough and well written review over at Fringe Music (enlightening and inspiring to read from a fellow music lover who's got his shit together). So, Bullets or Balloons, gotta dig that name. Well my immediate, and then delayed response to Chris was, "Dude, you have quite the three piece going on, I'd match you up against some of the best of them any day, and you are one shredding guitar player, huge sound man. There's quite the variety in your compositions, you guys are all over the place, but I'd say it's all really rhythmic, like a complex garage strumming, and kind of has a jazzy feel with some of the sudden changes within the songs. Something most folks may not mention, but I really dig how you've got the lyrics included with the songs on the Bandcamp page. Not a lot of bands take the time to do that, but whoever writes your songs is a real wordsmith and I enjoyed following along with the songs... "ask not what you can do for your country, ask what your country is doing to you." Right out of the gate, the music is gail force winds in your face and tight as you hope the nuts and bolts are on your automobile. From there, there is no predicting what kind of tempo or rhythm you're gong to get within each song and then from song to song. I called them "jazz punk" and that may not be fair, as labels and categories tend to limit. Jazzy punk is what call those Jesus Lizard kind of bands with an obvious snotty punk ancestry, but far from being sloppy like most of the first punk rockers were, this is highly evolved Phd in music kind of stuff. I think musicians probably can appreciate this differently than the average Joe (me), but nevertheless enjoyable across the board. I turned down a review the other day, because the music had absolutely no balls, no flavor, like a sandwich from the gas station and I didn't feel like bagging on a bunch of hardworking musicians that obvious felt good about their art, otherwise they wouldn't have released it. Bullets or Balloons have fucking balls! Listen to the noodling on this one... "What Circumcision"

[audio mp3="http://mustard-relics.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/10.Bullets-or-Balloons-What-Circumcision.mp3"][/audio] "their eyes keep looking out the backs of their heads/what once was their home is now from where they fled/run and hide can’t run and hide forever/live or die their futures who will decide"

These guys are like a cup of rich coffee with a couple of shots of espresso (my favorite drink btw), fricken wired man! Anyway, if I've peaked your interest go check out their Bandcamp, their Facebook, their label's Facebook or their Youtube. https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3381474201/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/

...a vid they released last year... [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_4j1q38e8I]

...and to show you these guys aren't just a studio oddity, live, they don't just stick the knife in ya, they give it a twist as well... [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjZCKx2EGTI]

Porch - Walking Boss

I've said it a million times, if you want to have a good start to your record/CD, wrap it in some killer artwork...no doubt about it on this bad boy. This is one I got for review last March, so almost a year ago. Here's what Michael had to say back then... "We're a band called Porch, 2/3 from Oakland, CA and 1/3 from Nashville TN. We recently made a new record, self released Oct 31 2013, recorded with Tim Green at Louder Studios. It has been graciously compared to Jesus Lizard, Codeine, Unwound and Karp. We'd love for you to check it out. If you're interested in a bandcamp download code for the record, let us know. We're self promoted and would love a review if you dig the record." I was blown away, especially by the song "Bow To The Clown". Humbled I wrote back, "I would think you would be hitting up bigger more popular publications rather than my little Mom and Pop operation", and asked "what makes Porch tick, what makes you want to create, what does your music mean to you?" Well didn't hear back for some time, never did find out what makes them tick and the post ended up way back in the digital stockpile. Then in July I heard from Michael again, this time announcing the tape release of Walking Boss and a NW tour, along with a link to a very well put together interview at Custom Made Music with guitarist Todd Huth. No clue why, at this point, I didn't jump all over it and write something up...my only guess is that the planets were not aligned properly and I forgot to take my psychotropics. Well, I just got word from Michael that they are doing a Kickstarter to release this bad boy on vinyl. Now is the time, I said to myself, to show this incredible band a little support, the tiny bit MR has to offer anyway... https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/623144642/porch-walking-boss-remaster-pressing-for-vinyl/widget/video.html So except to say that they're killer, I haven't really said anything about the band. Without a fucking doubt, these here three fellas know they're way around their instruments. There is absolutely no hesitation or limitation in their playing and that playing is as one, like the Borg on Star Trek. I find myself saying it too often to describe a band, but these guys would fit well on the Am Rep or Touch and Go labels. The show of the century would be Porch, Jesus Lizard and Killdozer. The first time I listened to them playing through my crappy stock monitor speakers, but tonight it's all about the new head phones and I hear this beautifully heavy well balanced mix of bass and treble. The singing is quite remarkable, soulful and heartfelt, and the lyrics make you think and reflect. There's a lot of variety in these compositions ranging from from what you might call to mellow, to stuff that makes you want to throw on your boots and stomp something or someone...and they go back and forth seamlessly. This band is bigger than this blog. They're well represented in the virtual world, with a Bandcamp, a Facebook, a Twitter, and their own web page Porch-Noise. So now after all that babbling, why don't you give them a spin... http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1957668148/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/

NoMeansNo - live Blue Lake Vets Hall 01/26/90

Howdy, get along little doggies and whatnot. Been using up all my free computer time with this electro-compilation CD I'm going to be releasing soon and sadly completely forgot about the blog, which was the inspiration for doing the comp in the first place. Most of the music has been submitted and it's eclectic electric as all get out. Every composition is verify-ably excellent, and exclusive to this comp...like visiting a bunch of different planets.   It's unreal how much talent has crossed my path and infected my brain. Finally got a bid from a CD duplication outfit that fit my pocketbook and they won't be making a stink about sampling and asking my Mom for permission slips.  It's gonna be a numbered edition of 200, most of which will be going to the artists but I will be trying to sell some to break even, so start saving your change in the piggy bank.  More info as it comes...

Really wanted to put this one in the Humboldt category, NoMeansNo were pretty much a regularly playing band up there, almost locals really, but unfortunately those cool cats were (are) Victoria/Vancouver band. Their shows run together in my mind, so I don't remember specifics except that these guys are specifically one of the best live acts ever. They play their instruments like they were born with them in their hands, unparalleled, and as a group they are unbeatably tight. I had that same feeling watching them that I had seeing some of the jazz-fusion greats, utter amazement, no dancing for me, completely captivated. You end up asking yourself, is this real, are they really doing that? Out of the blue, my Bro Ed (one of the biggest NMN fans I know) did a solid and offered up this recording to me (and the flyer to boot), and me being your benefactor, I am offering it up to you... No Means No Live in Blue Lake 1990 pt 1

1. Long days 2. Junk 3, Brainless wonder 4. The Tower 5. Dark Ages

No Means No Live in Blue Lake 1990 pt 2

1. 2 lips, 2 lungs and 1 tongue 2. Rags and Bones 3. Victory 4. The day everything became nothing 5. I am wrong pt 1

No Means No Live in Blue Lake 1990 pt 3

1. I am wrong pt 2 2. Body Bag 3. No sex, only fucking 4. Dad

The Chewers - Chuckle Change and Also digital LP

Finally getting around to doing some of these reviews. Interestingly enough did two and contacted the bands/labels and have heard nothing back. So, either the reviews were not to their liking or they were unhappy with the delay. Really gonna have to be a bit more picky about what I review, and think that from now I'm not going to waste my time unless the band has something really special to offer up...such is the case here... Up next to satisfy your diabolically demented side, is The Chewers. Gotta tell you this is some pretty whacked out wacky stuff, highly original. My response to Travis of The Chewers, upon first listening to the music, was "Kind of a minimalistic hillbilly thing with a touch of the Butthole Surfers/Killdozer/Devo.  Hard to pigeonhole, but left me toe tappin with a smile on my face." Here's a little bio of sorts, "The Chewers are Travis Caffrey and Michael Sadler, two freaks from the woods of West Virginia (by way of Nashville), USA. We each play various instruments, in order to create layered arrangements of deadpan, primitive rock. The songs feature characters immersed in psychological hells, grappling with deep disconnect from the society around them. These subjects are generally presented with a deadpan and crooked sense of humor." Lots and lots of songs on this thing. The reviews I read mention a Beefheart connection, which works awfully well (wish I had thought of that) and I might even add Zappa, minus the jazz fusiony noodling. It's fairly simple in structure, but it takes a certain kind of mindset for musicians to create these kinds of compositions.  These guys must be a trip in real life, would enjoy sitting down with them over a cup of coffee and feeding off their trip.  An acid trip, for sure.  Not the pretentious psychedelic Pink Floyd-ish intentional rigamarole, this is out there like the moon is out there, not because it wanted to be, it just is. Imagine a blues band made up of guys from an asylum, not bad crazy, good crazy.  Lyrically they are equally out there, but anything else would not suit the music. Here's a little bit from the tune below... He keeps all he knows In black plastic bags On the floor is a carpet Of ego soaked rags And just out of sight The world spins and it brags Of life and of light And of tracking with tags While he plants metal spikes And he waits... This kind of raw talent and creativity makes me intensely jealous, since I was born with the rhythm of Steve Martin in The Jerk. If you want to read some reviews, all good, that are probably more enlightening try Hotel Amnesia, Drug Punk, or Music From The Other Side of the Room (I did not read these reviews until after I did my own meager one, so the similarities are just coincidental, or perhaps factual). Anyway, to get in touch with the Chewers, buy their stuff or whatnot, they have an understandably trippy website over at Art Pushers and of course there is Soundcloud. This here sample was one of my faves and typifies their sound... Tornado of Stasis

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ypaf4tnT9jU]

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nqaSviwOOo]

Knife The Symphony / Swear Jar split LP CD Digital

Desperately trying to catch up with posts around here, but true to my life up to this point, 44 years later, it's been a struggle. It has something to do with the fact that at work, the tech guys blocked Mustard Relics with the firewall. The site is now considered a "social network." Well I guess they are paying me to work, but damn, when you're in the grind and you deal with the shit I do, you gotta have an outlet. Anyway...got this split (virtually...gonna have to hit them up and see if they've got a promo with my name on it) way back in May (see what I mean about being behind...highly unprofessional) from Jerry over at Phratry Records outta Cincinnati, Ohio. The Northern Midwest has a long history of memorable music, and Phratry has done their part making sure that legacy continues. They have singlehandedly educated me on the thriving scene in the surrounding area. This time around, "39th release in just under nine years" for Phratry, we have the Knife the Symphony / Swear Jar split. Swear Jar are no strangers to the Relics as I got them served on a silver platter in April of 2011, back when I first started doing reviews of newer stuff on the blog...here. They do not disappoint this time around either, in fact they are even tighter and more polished this time round. Upon listening to this thing, my first impression of both these bands is that this is a group of some serious musicians, these aren't little boys dabbling in their instruments for the first time and as bands, practice has paid off, they play together like they've been doing it for 20 years. I don't know how many takes in the studio it took to come up with these tracks, but these are THE ONES. This album plays through really quick, lickety split, one of those time flies when your having fun type of things, you know? There are slower and faster parts, but it feels like there are a hell of a lot of notes being played in a relatively short amount of time. Knife the Symphony comes up first with 3 tunes, and like I said , none of these musicians are slouches, but damn this drummer really beats the shit out of his set. In their press release it says that the band "owes a considerable debt to the music released by SST, Touch & Go, and Dischord Records", which I can't confirm or deny as I'm not familiar with anything but the oldest stuff from those labels, and even though they may have been influenced, they don't remind me of Black Flag, Die Kruzen or Minor Threat...KtS, are brand new cutting edge stuff. Speaking of brand new, cutting edge, Swear Jar hit the nail on the head too. They serve up 5 tunes and where the drums stood out for KtS, the bass fucking explodes for Swear Jar. I have been known to be ignorant (on many occasion), but I don't know if it's the mix or not, but I can hear the thud of that bass guitar even on my shitty stock computer speakers. This is not three individuals though, separated by walls, these guys are all in the same room when it comes to playing great fucking music as a band. I found myself looking forward to every change up in each tune. The singer reminds me of someone, but my burnt out brain won't let me come up with a name. Maybe if you could mush every Am Rep bands' singer into a blob and form on singer, he would be it. On that note, the press release states, "RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Amphetamine Reptile's noisiest and most abrasive work, NoMeansNo, Shellac, Minutemen and Crucifucks." I am completely down with that. Anyway, you can give the whole a listen (and buy if you like) at the release's Bandcamp or go directly to Phratry Records. Take your time and check out the other releases too. Knife the Symphony's hit, the bass player crushes on this tune... http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=171130250/size=small/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/t=2/transparent=true/ Swear Jar's hit...boo ya bass... http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=171130250/size=small/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/t=7/transparent=true/

Knife The Symphony [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf0ZsxLfKxg?list=UU5GqcC65bMbSq3AZmG_CTdw]

Swear Jar [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7mEJPzmt-A?list=UU5GqcC65bMbSq3AZmG_CTdw]

Papier Tigre 7"

Hooking up with some tuneage outta France this time round, the newest release from Papier Tigre. At their website, aptly named PapierTigre.com, it is said of them that, "Their music is firmly entrenched in the tradition of inventive, challenging punk but combines elements of experimental pop compositions and aggressive math-rock. The band understands that a song being intelligent and complex need not exclude it from having a raw, danceable energy." They also have a Facebook, a Twitter and a Bandcamp, where you can do gobs of listening to some of their past work.  First impression was that they sounded a bit like Jane's Addiction, a band my friends have always raved about, but one I never got into.  Papier Tigre, on the other hand are right up my alley and take the more palatable traits of JA and make them tasty.  I put them in my "Jazz Punk" category, one of my favorites, although sadly lacking in posts.  There is this unpredictability to the band where you don't know exactly what's going on or where the songs are gonna take you from one moment to the next, but the ride is a blast.  "Complex" was a word that was used and maybe I would take it one step further and call it sophisticated.  A driven and wild kind of sophistication, not uptight and boring. These guys aren't just dabbling with their instruments, their playing like each song may be the last they ever play.  This is a split release between Sick Room Records Ltd and Africantape. Sick Room were the guys who hit me up to give this a gander, but interesetiingly I could not find this release on the site, so I'm thinking they'll be putting that up once this is released on April 1st. Just the one song for sampling off this 7", I'm assumoing there's probably just two, so you've got to buy it to get your digs on the second one (like it used to be when we went to the record store, unless one of your buddies bought it first and you got a preview). Here's that one tune from Bandcamp and as I said, go there to get a lot more of a taste of what their about... http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=392542261/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/

Their best tune off their previous release, the "Recreation" LP... [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzML0gLKbjM&w=560&h=315]

Some live-ness... [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAe-RvJotNI]

Nonagon - People Live Everywhere 12" ep

I hate it when my wife gets the mail first because she plexes on how I'm always getting records and how can that be since we're broke all the time.  I have to constantly explain to her that either I bought the record for a ridiculously low price (sometimes just pennies more than the shipping cost) or it was being sent to me for review.  I don't think she believes me that there are one or two people in the world who are curious what I to say, but that may be because my mouth has gotten me into all kinds of trouble in the past. She must have been double bummed because with professional packaging and the fact that the record is built like a tank being pressed on 180 gram vinyl.  The band and I had some correspondence prior, this is what they had to say... "We appreciate the work you do on the website and want to let you know about our new record that was released on this February (submitted here for your consideration).  We’re a Chicago band called Nonagon.  We’ve been playing in and around the Midwest lo these 6 or 8 years.  We’re comprised of Tony Aimone (whose previous bands include The Blue Meanies and Taylor), Robert Gomez, and John Hastie (who both played in a bunch of bands you won’t remember).  Our recorded output has been admittedly sparse, so we’re treating the February release of our new EP as something of a big deal. We’re hoping you might humor us by considering a feature or a review or an interview or adding it to your playlist or even just a listen...  People Live Everywhere is a 5-song EP pressed on 180g vinyl. It was recorded over 3 days in the spring of 2011 at Kerguelen Studio, a one-room, all-analog facility in Astoria, NYC run by Justin Foley – he of the band The Austerity Program - who wielded the mics and turned the knobs. Mastered by Bob Weston at Chicago Mastering Service. Packaged with a card for a free download of the mp3s. Jacket designed by Robert Gomez using photographs by Nathan Keay. We did a “commercial” for the record that is posted here: http://youtu.be/T40mD6PE5ts. People Live Everywhere is a decidedly DIY affair. All planning, promotion, selling, and funding has been handled by the band ourselves. We’re pretty dang proud of how it’s all gone so far. Stream the EP here: www.nonagonchicago.bandcamp.com (this, aside from our shows and a couple of Chicago record stores, is also the primary retail option) Free Track Download for the public: http://nonagonchicago.bandcamp.com/track/fresnel-lens Vinyl copies can be obtained by contacting us at nonagonchicago@gmail.com. Here’s a place you can go for more information and ephemera: http://nonagon.us/media/people-live-everywhere If there’s anything else you want to know about (lyrics, interviews, the good folks of the PRF, how we stay so young looking, etc.), CONTACT US at. nonagonchicago@gmail.com www.nonagonchicago.bandcamp.com www.nonagon.us https://www.facebook.com/nonagonchicago

Like when Mom held your hand to go across the street, you should have no problem getting to know these guys.  There's a lot of links there to check out and links within links...links to stream the music, links to other reviews, enough to satisfy any link fetish.  When I wrote back to the band (John) asking for a physical copy of the record, I already knew I dug these guys.  Glad that I did get a physical copy because as it should be with any record you get, the package that holds the music is a work of art unto itself, the finest in DIY craftsmanship.  The music takes up where that leaves off and is excitingly, not a disappointment.  These guys don't fuck around when it comes to their music and play their instruments like they go to sleep with them every night. The music is furious but it's not angry at all.  One of the reviewers suggested that they sounded like Fugazi, which kinda puzzled me so I went and listened to some of the Fugazi stuff I have.  I'd say Nonagon listen to Fugazi and are maybe influenced by them, but they have a more urgent almost jazzy sound.  I was thinking along the lines of Amphetamine Reptile and Touch and Go type bands, Killdozer a little bit in their slower, maybe Jesus Lizard when they speed things up, but what the hell do I know.  I do know that they have instantly become Mustard Relics and will be on a list that I probably won't come up with of top finds in 2012.  Check out the first tune (they all rock) on this bad boy...

Vikings

Always one to take it one step further I've gone through the trouble of getting a few tunes off their first (2008) release.  More of their killer sound really, maybe just a little less refined, but still very digable (maybe I can get these guys to send me a hard copy of this too)...

Fake Baby Lucius Perlerorneq

On this live set these studs show that they're not just studio musicians and in fact they shred live.  Sadly, their mid-west-ness is very different geographically (and culturally) from mine so I don't imagine they'll be playing in my neck of the woods...hmmm

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crsGDq5OWeg&w=640&h=360]

Worst Case Scenario - s/t 7"

"Friday" is probably on my top ten all time of comedy movies (did not enjoy my experiences with PCP though).  Worked with a guy up in Humboldt, right after graduation, digging ditches and shoveling rock, who had every line in that movie memorized.  Haven't seen it since I stopped smoking weed, so maybe it's not so funny now.

An internet buddy of mine called me neurotic once and as bummed as I was that he said that, I'm starting to believe it. Communication via the internet really plays into that, and reading between the lines I can't control the fact that I get noided when someone doesn't respond to my messages.  Sort of a vicious circle too that feeds off of itself, because when you get noided you start to do noided things...humph.

My buddy Chris Squire, aka Billy Druid posted up a tune on Facebook that really blew me away, so though I'd share.  Check out a bunch of them and give him support at his Myspace. For now here's the one I was talking about... Billy Druid-D.D.C.F.C.-1415 - Terribly Empty Inside Tripped on the first ZZ Top album (1971) the other day. A lot of BB King (saw him in concert) type stuff, which is okay I guess if you're into that, but what stood out was a couple of tunes with a sort of a Sabbath-esque vibe. There's only two or three with that vibe, but this was one... ZZ Top - Neighbor, Neighbor First off this is a badass band (but I say that almost all the time).  This time, believe you me, I am correct.  This was one of those records that I bought with a bunch of other records, listened to some of the records, ran out of time, got distracted, or something and totally forgot about this. Most of the time I am a glutton and eat that shit right up, but it's kind of cool that this little nugget got put on the backburner, only to surprise and delight me at a later date. Second, posting this is sort of a moot point because the band released a discography thing-a-ma-bob a year after this 2nd 7" was released (1997), called...you guessed it "The Complete Works of Worst Case Scenario". This is just my taste of the band, so if you're a serious listener/reader go to Illogical Contraption and get that along with a much better write up.  Outta Olympia, Washington, their first 7" was released in Lookout (a label we've seen a bunch of around here), still looking for that one.  If I had to pick out one, check out "Checkin Out".

 

Checkin Out Twenty Degrees Cooler Blood Of Christ

A Manson biography Mr. E turned me onto...

http://www.archive.org/flow/flowplayer.commercial-3.2.1.swf

Minutemen - Buzz Or Howl Under The Influence Of Heat 12" ep

Well as I said in the last post, starting to get cold out here.  In the 30's isn't too bad today but the brutal wind and freezing rain is a bummer.  That's what a centrally heated house is for though, right?  We don't smoke in the house, so every hour or so, the little dogs and I venture out into the cold for a habit that will inevitably be the death of me, unless someone gets me first.  Neat in a natural way because the geese have started heading south and you hear them honking (actually thought today it sounded like coyotes out behind the house in the wind break) and see them flying in their continuously morphing V formations.  Well, got some requests I wanted to satisfy, which was kind of cool, because they come from two of my former Garden Weasel bandmates.  It got me to thinking that there was one bandmate, Steve, who has been MIA around here since the very beginning.  What in my collection would he request?  Probably Slayer, but we've already gone there, so I came up with this... Warlock Pinchers - Where The Hell Is Crispin Glover. Anybody remember those guys from the late 80's?  If yall want I could go ahead and rip/upload the whole album.  Anybody remember how great Crispin Glove was in the River's Edge or for that matter Dennis Hopper?  Tripped me out in that movie how over time you could see death take form in that girl's eyes. Now my bro Ed, after getting an earful of Swiss gods, Fear of God, requested some stuff from their country mates, Hellhammer.  I possess, but I do not physically own any of their stuff, although I did try to change that in middle of writing this post by hitting up Ebay.  So, this is not the main topic of this post, you might consider it a contradictory aside.  Did some reading up on these guys, in the middle of this, at my usual source, here.  I actually like these guys better than what they morphed into, Celtic frost, but I am far from a metal (or music in general) expert.  I think it's that obvious Motorhead and Venom influence that draws me to them.  Influential and yet frowned upon for some reason, from what I gather.  Thanx Ed. Hellhammer - Death Fiend (Demo) (1983) Now my bro Brian had requested some Minutemen and damned if he didn't send me this EP a while back.  I don't know how long I'll leave this up here as you can still get this Ep from 1983 at  SST Records, along with most, if not everything these guys released.  I've mentioned it before that I was a little disappointed in SST, $24 seems a little steep for a t-shirt.  Regardless, if this is asked to be removed, as with anything else on this fucking site, I will do so because I am BOUND BY LAW.   Use this as a sample and go buy their stuff, okay?  You know back in the early 80's I kind of shied away from these guys because they weren't really what I was digging on.  For some reason I think I saw them at a party with Shower of Smegma (very few of you picked up on that awesome post, Jay you remember them?).  If you don't know about these guys, I'm surprised but I think you should.  Kind of the orignators of that jazz punk thing in my opinion, or least one of the early bands in that pseudo genre.  I can really get into this stuff these days, but my taste is all over the place (as is this site).  Thanx Brian for the request.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFZH1HblqQ4&w=560&h=315]

Just for the hell of it, here's the Minutemen's first appearance on vinyl (I think) from the "Cracks In The Sidewalk" comp EP. 9:30 May 2

Collective Conscience - comp. 7"

I have this print hanging up in my office, by Maxfield Parrish.  The same subject matter as the picture in the last post.  Sometimes I feel like Atlas holding up the sky. Nothing really specific on my mind right now except for what I think is good music.  Been waiting to get some samples of my buddies Jeff and James' new band Splinter Cell up Humboldt, Cali way and James came through.  They will actually be playing this Saturday with another old buddy Ed and his band the Underlings, which I've posted here as well.  Check out what the NorthCoast Journal has to say here.  This stuff really surprised me as it's the kind of stuff I've been enjoying lately, yet very original as only Humboldt produces.  They have a Facebook page here.  Anyway I dig them maybe you will too.  Splinter Cell - It's Not Love , Splinter Cell - That's Pathetic Jay had recomended I check out some stuff in his comment on the MDC feat. Pig Champion post.  "If you get a chance, check out Poison Idea with Jeff Dahl, doing Dead Boys, Lords of the New Church, etc. tunes. It was a tribute to the great Stiv Bators".  Good enough for me man, something else good that I've never heard before.  After looking to buy the CD I could only find it as a cassette on Ebay (just don't really buy cassettes anymore).  Anyway there's several origianls on the album, but here's those covers.  Poison Idea & Jeff Dahl - Open Your Eyes , Poison Idea & Jeff Dahl - Flame Thrower Love Mr. Batguano over at Fugitive Equilibrium sent me for a spin when he posted some Woody Guthrie on one of his Song Of The Week posts.  Not sure if any of you guys are familiar with him if not definately read this.  A very important figure in American music history in my opinion.  Anyway it fit perfectly as I've been feeling frustrated with our government lately and also with the bags of money a very small portion of our population take home yearly.  This athelete just signed a 100 million dollar contract, this CEO makes 28 million a year and so on.  Minimum wage is $7.25.  How much money is too much or for that matter how much is enough?  Is that what capitalism is all about?  Is that what we all should aspire to?  Damn a person could go on and on about that kind of stuff.  Anyway Woody spends the whole album singing about two famous anarchists from the beginning of the last century, Sacco & Vanzetti.  No screaming and hollaring here, just good old fashioned singing.  This wasn't the tune Mr. Batguano posted, but this was my favorite off of the album.  Woody Guthrie - Two Good Men  One thing that was cool about Woody Guthrie, is he didn't believe in copyrights. Once again I've gone on and on before getting to the post at hand.  I can't help myself man.  I'm just going to accept it and do what I gotta do.  Ha, ha.  This one is almost completely random.  I was just kind of going through my 7"s and stumbled upon this one.  I hadn't heard it in a long time and figured if I was going to listen to it I may as wel rip it.  This was not a record that blew me away but I did kind of like it and figure it may grow on me now that I have it digitized.  One of the bands on this comp, Blister, I have posted before in the form of their Stitches 7".  I didn't exactly get a big response out of that one and the rest of the bands on this comp are somewhat similar.  Released in 1992 I believe on Broken Rekids is about all I know.  Flex usually keeps things short and to the point in their descriptions of records, which I could probably learn from, so check what they had to say, "Most bands have the more jazzy / experimental attitude (comparable to Nomeansno or Minutemen) w/o getting artsy or tiring."  Probably my fave is Sabot's bassy tune, but what do I know.  Enough said... Blister - Smother Earth Sabot - Velcro Assassins Of God - Big Bad Bomb Tinnitus - Sound Of Impact

 

Blister - Stitches

Just a short one for you guys tonight, kinda busy with work and moving, plus it's pretty dead around here.  I think I talk too much and I'm a little too eclectic with the music.

 Another one of those records that I didn't appreciate when I first got it.  Listening to it again though made it rip worthy and definitely diggable.  I can't remember what it was that I didn't like about it, because me feeling now is that it shreds.  I put it in the Jazz Punk category where it seems to fit nicely, but there is a little bit of a hardcore vibe going on.  Looking around there are several bands with this name but there was very little to be found on this particular one.  I do know they also have a song on the Collective Conscience 7" comp put out by Broken Rekids, which I have and will have to post sometime.  I did find out that Noah Landis of Christ On Parade and Neurosis was in the band, and you can hear that in their sound, but really that's about it.  I'd love to know if there was more from these guys somewhere, but for now just dig these two. Words That Burn George

Oh yeah and these two live shots

Words That Burn

Follow The Worms

The Locust / Melt Banana split 7"

Hoss plays rough and really puts on his game face for the festivities.  Our other little dog, who is actually quite a bit bigger than Hoss, usually picks on him and dominates, but yesterday he beat the shit out of her.  I was going to stop them but my wife told me that he needed to put her in her place.  :-)  I've said it before, be glad he isn't a full sized dog. Can I put this one in the Jazz Punk category?  Kind of a tough call on this one as both bands have a grind or powerviolence thing going on, but I don't have a categories for that yet.  Maybe a category called Insane would be a good place to put this.  If you know these bands you know what I'm talking about.  Probably not what most people would choose to listen to, but well worth at least checking out.  I'm not as familiar with The Locust as I am Melt Banana.  My bro Sang got me into Melt Banana years ago with a tape he sent me and I was blown away with the first song.  I ended up buying a lot of their stuff and getting a lot more by way of MP3.  They have a ton of releases as do The Locust.  A full blown Melt Banana post will be in order for the future.  My Humboldt bros had nothing but good to say about them as they have played Nor Cal several times and really put on a sweet live show.  Also my bro Jason toured with them but I haven't been able to squeeze any stories out of him.  Check Wikipedia for a little about the band plus links to their website, myspace and label.  You can find the same type of thing for The Locust here .

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZxuC2GXWaM]

The earliest live video I could find of MB... [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtJt_YLrI4o&w=560&h=315]

Some Locust too... [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAby3SLJYnc&w=560&h=315]

Jesus Lizard

Was looking for cover art on this post, so yall wouldn't have to suffer through my pics with my crappy digital camera.  Yeah still no scanner.  I found this picture and was kind of chuckling, but it fits in fairly well.  On another blog a guy was saying he was going to vote for McCain/Palin and someone was saying that she believed that Jesus walked with the dinosaurs.  Or was it Moses? A little further on I found this flyer up for sale on ebay and was chuckling again.  I am a spiritual person but the idea that the earth is only 5 or 6 thousand years old just baffles me.  So limiting.  I don't know I guess I don't need to get into a spiritual or philosophical discussion.  Around here though that is a pretty popular belief.  You tell me. Did a post of these guys not too long ago, but didn't really have too much to say.  I guess you either know them or you don't, but if you don't you should.  If you are a fan of the jazzy punk kind of sound like No Means No or Victims Family you should dig these guys.  I can't remember if these guys played in Nor Cal when I was up there or not but it was about that time in the late 80's that I got into them.  I'd probably have to credit one of my old guitar players, Ed, for that.  On this 7" you get one song off an album (a different version) and a Dicks cover.  If you have followed this site from way back you know I love it when great bands cover great bands.  This site, The Jesus Lizard has a lot more info on the band than I could ever spit up, so check that out.  Wikipedia always seems to make a decent read, here .  They actually call them noise rock and it wasn't until I read that, that I found out there was a Scratch Acid connection.  What the hell do I know anyway?  Actually I know some pretty decent music, so here it is.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrAoCp3nI0w&w=560&h=315]

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr_A3gxipLY&w=560&h=315]

Jesus Lizard 7"

  Some jazzy punk for you. EDIT: Sorry, links to tunes deleted for fear of the copyright police...they were damn good too.  Go give your money to itunes or something...

Raped Teenagers flexi

  This is a good follow up to the Meat Puppets post, I think.  I must have went through an Ax/ction Records phaze because I'm noticing that I have several from that particular mailorder/distribution.  This one was released in 1988 and from what it says was released just prior to an album as a sort of sampler.  I assume that these songs are on that album called I Krartans Klor.  I really dug it back then but I don't think I fully appreciated it the way I do now.  I ended up putting it in the Jazz Punk category but that's a pretty tough call.  Post hardcore?  I don't know.  I need a category called trippy tight hard stuff.  I can't go on too much about how good this band is because one of my favorite bloggers, http://www.kbdrecords.com/ , Peter, was the drummer from this band.  Ripping drummer by the way and just a rockin band in general.  My Swedish is a bit rusty but I think they are fortelling the eventual rise of the Mustard Relics blog.  Give this a listen and tell me what you think because this was not your run of the mill band, there was definately something different about them. Mor Ahl Kraftans Klor Sverige

Meat Puppets - S/T 7"

Well Mustard Relics has been running super slow lately and I apologize for that.  Please don't let that stop you from occassionally stopping by for a visit to my "cafe" (as my friend Fernando would say).  Apparently the server I am on with my host is not working properly and they are in the process of transferring data to another server.  I also found out that there is nothing I can do about my 7mb limit on individual file uploads, so I will unfortunately have to use external storage sites sometimes.  Anyway I could continue on with this boring topic but I'd rather get to the music.

   I was fortunate enough to see these guys in the late 80's at the Kate Bucannon at Humboldt State University.  Incredible in the same way No Means No and Jesus Lizard were.  Do any of you old Humboldt guys remember that show?  I wish you guys would help me out with some stories here because it helps me to remember too.  The only stuff I had of these guys was this first 7", so I was screaming out names to these tunes.  They didn't play any.  Incredible musicians to say the least.  I had a tough time putting these guys in a category because they are really all over the place in their sound.  For lack of a better place I went ahead and put them in jazz punk category, although hardcore came to mind too.  Let me know what you think, because I actually don't care, I really just use them for your benefit and to give my disorganization the appearance of being organized.  You really either like a song or you don't.  It either means something or it doesn't.  As you can tell, there is a lot of variety around here as far as what means something to me and what I like.  Listening to this again was cool in more ways than one way.  My copy, since I got it in the early 80's from Vinyl Fetish in Hollywood, has always had a couple of spots of what I thought was wax on them.  I didn't know how to remove that without ruining the rest of the record so I never could really listen to two of the songs on here because of that.  It must have been jelly donut or something though because before I ripped it I hit it with some rubbing alcohol and a q-tip and it came right off.  So you are getting to hear this the way I did for the first time, complete.  When I went to KFTH to get some backround they didn't have much more than a discography, but they did have this awesome link to an awesome collection of live recordings, http://www.wohlers.org/puppets/ .  Flex had this to say, "Extreme and hectic hardcore, totally frantic and raging beat, then again weird guitar noise. Highly original... a classic".   I could regurgitate some other info on these guys, but you can look that stuff up if you're really that interested.  Suffice it to say that this 1981 release still sounds good today.  You tell me. EDIT: Links deleted for fear of copyright police...go give your money to iTunes or something...

Victims Family - Things I Hate To Admit

 I got this picture in an email and just had to include it in a post.  I don't care if you support any of  these Three Stooges (click on the thumbnail if you can't tell who they are), I am sorry but this is just like any other election.  Unfortunately, we have two parties to choose from and everytime all we have are people spouting the same bullshit over and over again.  I hold humanity and specifically the American people responsible for what goes on in this country (of course the creator of this blog and it's faithful readers are exempt from this statement).  Like robots they go to the polls and pick someone who supposedly is going to make our lives better.  I can't remember if it was Socrates, Plato or Aristotle who said that the person who is most fit to rule is the person who wants to the least.  Think about that as these idiots elbow each other like stooges to hop into the drivers seat.  Big business rules this country and it doesn't matter who you pick, they will just be puppets on a string.  I really could go on and on here but maybe you guys could make some comments on the subject.  I got this record from my bro Boner recently along with some other stuff I will post in the future.  Another bro of mine Bohner read that I was getting this and said he would take it if I didn't want it.  So I thought I would post it.  I never got into these guys way back when and I don't remember why except that I was probably more into the straight ahead stuff at the time.  They played in Humboldt, CA with No Means No but I can't remember seeing them (here's the flyer, vf2).  I guess that's the kind of style they play in is like No Means No or like Creedle (check that in my previous post.  Is it Jazz Punk?  Here's a live video of one of these tunes on youtube, http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=EfTrVVQyNU4 .  I had a hard time seperating the tracks on this one because some songs are seperated by less than a second and in one case I had to put two songs together.  How about some samples of this LP, the first three songs? EDIT: Links deleted for fear of copyright police...go give your money to iTunes or something...

Creedle - Silent Weapons For Quiet Wars

Wikipedia says, "Creedle was an avant-jazz-punk-art-damaged band" and rather than try to be creative I will just go with that.  This buddy of mine Chris Squire,  turned me onto the whole music scene in San Diego, ie. the Casbah (a "hip" night club, before there was such a thing as hipsters), and of course like a brick of gold to the side of the head, Creedle.  I ended up seeing Creedle play several times, at several local venues, but was blown the fuck away at that first show.  Wanna say that you have to be a musician to appreciate this band, you don't of course, it just helps.  Every show I saw they were super tight, complicated and full of energy.  I don't even know who to compare them to, maybe No Means No, Jesus Lizard ???  You tell me. If you like these guys, ya know, solid as a fucking rock, you should go buy some of their stuff. I see the band has a myspace HERE. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qe9kp4pfQk&w=560&h=315]

Killdozer - 12 Point Buck

First off I want to say that I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while I have just been super busy.  I have not lost interest or motivation and in fact check the site for comments daily, it just takes more time to do an actual post.

The above picture I took at Walmart last weekend and it just was perfect as I was leaving this giant lame ass store to see this pile of snow.  Snow can be so beautiful as it falls and then lays there untouched on the ground but once it falls into human hands it becomes something else. I am just a guilty as anyone else.

On a positive note I wanted to post one of my favorite albums.  I think it was Doug and Lisa that turned me on to Killdozer but I could be wrong (I often am).   At the time I got turned on to these guys I was pretty much only listening to fast music, a somewhat narrow view of music. I like to think that over the years, I've opened my mind a bit.  About the same time in 87 or 88 another friend of mine turned me onto the Violent Femmes.  College music right?  Well Killdozer is on a whole other level.  To this day some of the heaviest stuff out there.

I wish I could remember more about this time in my life.  Boner emailed me the other day, "Hey, i remember once you took me out to a house in Mickeyville with a dog that would only respond to commands in german, Do you remember that?what was your motivation? were you on shit at that point? no accusations, no guilt thing, when one points a finger, 3 point back.  just curious. that was the first time i heard the band  Dead Horse. that was pivotal for me."  I just do not remember.  Oh well at least give Lupus a listen and otherwise maybe you'll like a song or two.

EDIT: Links deleted for fear of the copyright police... EDIT: Found the whole album uploaded to fucking yt, but I have a feeling it will be short lived before it's reported...just one of those Touch and Go things. Just in case here's my two favorite tunes... Lupus Pig Foot and Beer

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjdSrSHthYI]

How about a live tune... [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q316PkFWYpE]