VIDEO THRWBCK: Converge - The Saddest Day (Live In Baltimore 2003)
Boston's Converge have been doing their thing for so long that I can drop anecdotes about seeing them play at the Manville Elks Lodge in New Jersey when Clinton was still in his first term. Since then, they have written many, many killer metalcore songs, but they will never top this, their triumph—the union of mosh with trash with hardcore. Wowzers.
- Elliot Aronow
VIDEO THRWBCK: Embrace - Do Not Consider Yourself Free (Live at 9:30 Club 1986)
Post-Minor Threat and Pre-Fugazi, Ian Mackaye was in this little band called Embrace who pretty much invented modern emo. Don't let that throw you off, this is the OG stuff—pretty much the peak of the genre as far as I am considered. 'Nuff said. This is vital viewing.
-Elliot Aronow
VIDEO THRWBCK: Bad Brains - Banned In DC (Live 1982 at CBGB)
By the time ’82 rolled around, the Bad Brains had been destroying Babylon with their deadly precise, soul stirring hardcore punk assault for over four years—just sayin'. Truth be told I really wanted to post a video for "Supertouch", as I would respectfully argue that is their greatest jam but this video of "Banned In DC" from CB's is nothing to sneeze at neither. Nothing like some early eighties hardcore to boost your PMA (Positive Mental Attitude!) on a rainy Monday morning.
Download: Bad Brains - Give Thanks And Praises
- Elliot Aronow
VIDEO THRWBCK: ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead - Relative Ways (2002)
It pains us to say that the most disappointing band we saw at SWSX this year was Trail of Dead: we don't know what happened, but we miss the fire 'n' brimstone days of Source Tags and Codes, and the apocalyptic bombast of "Relative Ways". Maybe their next album will be better, or maybe they were just having an off day? Enjoy the genre-defining video above.
DOWNLOAD: Best Fwends
Best Fwends and Dustin and Anthony, two rad dudes from Austin who make Casio pop punk songs about skateboarding and girls. The last time we saw them, they played a packed show at Fontana's in New York, and ended their set by playing "Groove is in the Heart" by Deee-lite over the PA on their laptop and ignited the biggest, sweatiest dance party ever. If that's not endorsement enough, their debut record, Alphabetically Arranged is out now on Moshi Moshi records, the purveyors of all things indie pop and awesome. Check out their RCRD LBL single today, and get your mosh on…
Download: Best Fwends - Bump in the Day
Download: Best Fwends - Dream Off
DOWNLOAD: Fatal Flying Guilloteens - Illegal Weapons Party
A great Fatal Flying Guilloteens song for you guys today, from their brilliantly-titled album Quantum Fucking: “Illegal Weapons Party”. The track is fast, brutal and scary as hell. Comparing the Houston quintet to the Pixies meets At the Drive-In wouldn’t be all that gauche. We think we’re bleeding.
Download: Fatal Flying Guilloteens - Illegal Weapons Party
DOWNLOAD: Fake Shark - Real Zombie - Designer Drugs
More Canadian awesomeness after our earlier Born Ruffians post, via Vancouver-based post punk crew Fake Shark - Real Zombie: their tune “Designer Drugs” has that hardcore-dance-meets-metal feel that was made popular by the dearly departed Test Icicles, coupled with the vibe from newer horror-pop bands like Ghost Frequency and Haunted House. Grab this download and rage thru lunch time!
VIDEO THRWBCK: Mclusky - Collagen Rock (2002)
We felt like rocking out today, so we listened to Future of the Left, Andy Falkous' post-Mclusky fury punk, to assuage our inner desires for molten guitars and firebelly screams. Which, of course, led us to popping 2002's seminal Mclusky Do Dallas, that band's second LP (after the brilliantly titled My Pain and Sadness is More Sad and Painful Than Yours in 2000) in our stereo. Which then in turn led us to trying to find a live video of one of our favorite songs off that record, the searing "Collagen Rock". So what if it is basically an exact concoction of 1/2 Nirvana, 1/2 Pixies, originality is overrated.
FEATURED: Black Flag at the SEEN RCRD LBL blog
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: nothing is more awesome than like-mindedness. We’ve always had a soft spot for Black Flag’s 1982 video for “TV Party”—even if it’s kind of shoddy and SUPER dated (“Dallas”?). It features a shockingly young and not at all bull-necked Henry Rollins rolling around a sofa and throwing beer around, which is kind of genius in itself. Turns out the SEEN blog loves it too and posted it in regards to the ongoing writer’s strike. Check it out over on their end.
FEATURED: Times New Viking
The other day, we were in the shower and heard a weird noise coming from the walls. We turned off the water, thinking maybe something was up with the pipes, but the sound persisted. We opened the bathroom door to check down the hallway and the noise grew louder. Basically, it took us a good five minutes to figure out that the mystery noise was a Mogwai CD we had left playing in our bedroom. Anyway, the point of that story was that not all awesome bands make music that doesn’t sound like your shower is about to collapse on your head, and Times New Viking is one of those bands. They just signed to Matador and are releasing their new record Rip It Off this week. They make vicious punk rock so loud and fuzzy you may be scared that your computer is malfunctioning, but rest assured, it’s supposed to sound that tooth-loosening. MP3 blog The Walrus just wrote a post on Times New Viking today, so check it.
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