Year In Music

We're almost three quarters into the year and boy has it flown by. Debt and life's unexpected events sure do know how to spoil a good time for us all. I'm trying very hard to keep a positive attitude about financial obligations (self incurred or otherwise) and one of the best possible ways for me to keep a sane attitude about it is to "spoil" myself now and then with some music purchases.

Since I'm also involved with Razorcake Fanzine (razorcake.org), I've also been lucky to score some treats here and there for not a single penny. Ah, the benefits of pseudo journalism! 

As I like to do every year, here are some of my favorite records that I have been fortunate to attain in the past seven-plus months (a list that will grow undoubtedly as more great records are bound to be released.) Usually I reserve this kind of writing for the end of the year but fuck it. I need to keep myself busy and writing about one of my passions in life will do just nicely. 

Slices: Cruising: LP (Iron Lung Records)

I thought it would be kinda fun to take this picture where most of my mail-order records arrive: seated atop a chair on the front porch of my parent's house. Sometimes the mail carrier will actually leave it in the mail slot which I'll never understand. 

Anyway, this was one of those records that I found myself wanting without even hearing a solitary note of the band's music. Even before I saw what the actual record looked like, I wanted it. Not sure why... It could have something to do with the fact that some of the members in this band were in other bands that I happened to love. It also could have had something to do with the fact that I trust the label's judgement 100 percent (more on them a little later) in that they hardly release a stinker. This was, in their words, their "crown jewel". Fuck, I NEEDED this!

Listening to this was like uncovering a box of secrets that are impossible to decipher. There are songs that aren't songs. There's an air of sibling rivalry and that's quite possibly the key ingredient in what resulted in one of the most interesting listening experiences this year. Nonsensical lyrics are just what Dr. Weird ordered and they couldn't be more fitting in a record that has absolutely nothing to do with fancy cars or suits and everything to do with noise inspired, mid-paced hardcore. Just to prove that the band does not at all take themselves too seriously, they included a paper mask of a random band member's face with every copy of this record. 

Honorable Mention: Iron Lung Records are quickly becoming my favorite label (competing with Fashionable Idiots and Youth Attack.) I found myself listening to these 7"s quite often and was impressed with the either minimalist or elaborate packaging which complemented each release quite well. Left to right: Total Control "Meds II" b/w "Retiree", Iron Lung "Exposed", Society Nurse "Junk Existence" , Nerveskade, and Walls "Stare at the Walls". Get into it.