Native Nod - Today Puberty, Tomorrow the World

Today Puberty, Tomorrow the World is a compilation of everything that Native Nod ever released. That's a grand total of nine songs on three 7"s. They were active during the early 90s in New York/Jersey. I dig the guitar; intricate and usually pretty, with the requisite noisy somewhat mathy parts that go hand in hand with being a guitar band around in that era (you know what I'm talking about). Some songs are better than others. Lyrics are good too. Good relatively nice-sounding emo band.

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Kitchen's Floor - s/t EP

Kitchen's Floor are a three-piece from Brisbane that play the kind of uncomplicated, apathetic bummed-out pop that Australia seems to be excelling at right now. They released their debut LP, Loneliness is a Dirty Mattress, last year to approving reviews and they are almost finished their (almost) nationwide tour. They were kind enough to offer up this 2008 out of print EP for free download. It's all rather vague sounding and a little more upbeat than their latter work. Blithe and straightforward outsider pop just the way you like it. You can order their album and 7" from R.I.P. SOCIETY Records by emailing them at r.i.p.societyrecords@gmail.com, or if you're lucky enough to live in the States you can get it from Kill Shaman.

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Scratch Acid - The Greatest Gift

Scratch Acid were a a noise rock band from Texas that featured members who would go on to form the Jesus Lizard and Rapeman. In my opinion Scratch Acid is far superior to both of those bands. If you like your noise rock alternately melodious and harsh then get this. Yow's vocals are, in my opinion, a whole lot better than his work in the Jesus Lizard. There are some fucking classic swampland cave punk songs like Greatest Gift and El Espectro that should probably enter punk canon as classics of the genre. Anyway this record is a compilation of their two EP's and single full length. Another band that, like Brainbombs, Flipper or Void, presents a clear aural history that you can trace to the 'noise punk' bands doing the rounds today. Get it or pose forever.

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Cult Ritual - s/t LP

Okay okay, I know this is all over the internet. Watch me not give a fuck. I'm doing this for you. If you haven't heard this, you need to. Right now, there's no time to lose. Easily my favourite album of 2009. This fucking slays, it all just flows perfectly, I don't even know what to say... It's just so relentlessly good... I totally don't get why it caused so much controversy. Even if you're not into hardcore, you'll no doubt appreciate this record. Pause whatever you're listening to and do yourself a fucking favour.

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Jandek - Skirting the Edge

People know sweet fuck all about this guy. You think you might know the meaning of the word 'prolific', but I'm under the impression that Jandek might be the only one that truly does. He has self-released over sixty albums since 1978. He only began performing live in 2004 and is coming to Australia fairly soon. Skirting the Edge is one of his most recent ventures. His atonal and outlandish folk music speaks of anguish, death, misery and unequivocal love in both exquisite metaphor and candid truths. His pained voice is unparalleled, and perfectly matched by his eerily anomalous guitar work. This shouldn't really be beautiful, but it is, and undeniably so.

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Church Police - Gilligan's Wings

Church Police were/are? a depressive sounding punk band from San Fransisco, circa the early 80s. They sound pretty much like you'd imagine them to, what with the name Church Police... This 7" was released in 2007, despite being recorded decades earlier. The three songs are dark, somewhat goth sounding. Apparently the bassist was the only one that could play, but I am more attracted to the clumsy guitar. Real no-hoper vocals going on. Oh and they were in the first ever issue of MRR. This rules.

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Neanderthal - Fighting Music 7"

Better than Suffer. Without Neanderthal power violence wouldn't have existed. Featuring Eric Wood (Pissed Happy Children, Pilsbury Hardcore, Man is the Bastard, Bastard Noise, et fucking cetera) and Matt Domino from Infest, this 7" is too often overlooked. About as close to a perfect punk release as you'll find.

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