Fixing-A-Hole (2021)
I am beyond embarrassed about how long I have had this record in my pile of things to write about. I can't explain why it took me until now, years after getting it, to finally post something about this incredible record. I'll mostly just chalk it up to being an idiot and hope that writing a little something about it now might bring some attention to a record that is deserving of so much praise.
There are so many great Japanese punk bands out there, but most of them have albums released on CD primarily. 7"s happen here and there, but full length LPs are definitely the exception, not the rule. So let me roll out the red carpet for Die Communications, who have a nine song LP on vinyl, courtesy of one of the best record labels on the planet, Fixing-A-Hole. The songs on here are made of of two previous CD releases. Six of the songs were originally on The World Is Beautiful Complex EP and the remaining three were on the band's split CD with another favorite of mine, Headsparks. Having all of these songs on an LP, that's just heaven.
Musically, Die Communications, is playing an aggressive strain of poppy punk rock. While the songs are dynamic and bursting at the seams with energy, they always have a strong hook and an inherent catchiness that sugarcoats the band's whirlwind of guitar pyrotechnics. I think of bands like Manifesto Jukebox and Minority Blues Band as the most direct comparisons, but it would be a crime to not mention the Stubbs/Hammond-esque guitar leads that rip through every single one of Die Communications' songs. There's also vague hints of an angrier Hooton 3 Car that keep coming to my mind when I listen to this.
I truly cannot say enough wonderful things about this album. If you are a fan of the sort of melodic, but powerful punk rock of the mid to late 90s, or anything that ever came out on Snuffy Smile, you should do whatever you can to get this record into your collection immediately. It's an absolute beast of an album and I can only hope we hear more from Die Communications. And if they put out another record, I promise not to bury it in a pile of other records for several years.
Die Communications - The World Is Beautiful Complex EP (6 of the songs are from this):
https://zenmashikarametohgarashi.bandcamp.com/album/the-world-is-beautiful-complex
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