Superchunk / Not Wonk - Split 7" (/300)

Merge / Bigfish Sounds (2024)

This 7" was one that I wasn't aware of until I just saw it on Superchunk's Disccogs page when I was looking up something else.  It's a split 7" with Not Wonk that was made for a Japanese Superchunk tour.   There were 300 pressed in total and 100 of them were sold at the Merge 35 merch table, according to an Instagram post that Mac made that I found this morning.  I wasn't at that show or at any of the Japanese tour dates and it's only through the kindness of my great friend Kazu that I have this in my collection. 

Both songs on this 7" are acoustic, with the Superchunk side being a version of "Hyper Enough."  "Hyper Enough" is probably my favorite Superchunk song, if I was forced to pick one, but at worst it's in my top three.  I'm not positive that it's the Superchunk song that translates best acoustically though.  It's significantly slower and delivered with Mac's vocals being a whole lot more gravelly than they were 30 years ago (it happens).   It's certainly not bad and it's an interesting take on a song that I have loved for 30 years, but I can't really see myself listening to it very often.

Not Wonk is a band from Japan and I have their first two albums, which I like quite a bit.  They've put out two more since then, but I don't have either of those.  Their contribution is an acoustic take on a song called "Asshole."  I'm not sure that there is a non-acoustic version of this one as it's not on either of the Not Wonk records I have and according to Discogs it's not on either of the ones I don't.  It's also not a Beck cover.  Like the Superchunk side, this is a slow song that while nice, isn't particularly exciting.

It probably sounds like I'm being negative about this record, but for what it is - a limited tour only 7" - it does everything it needs to.  Only crazy, completist record collector people like me are going to miss it if it's not in their collection.  But as a crazy, completist record collector, I am deeply and eternally grateful to Kazu for helping me keep my Superchunk 7" collection complete. 

The A.T.E.E.M. - A Hero Ain't Nuthin' But a Sandwich LP

Select (1992)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for twenty-five plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

The A.T.E.E.M. is another one of those 90s groups that I discovered from digging around on one of those ‘forgotten hip hop records’ type lists.  A Hero Ain’t Nuthin’ But A Sandwich came out in 1992, which I can make an argument for being the best overall year of the golden era.  While I wasn't familiar with The A.T.E.E.M. themselves, these guys were connected with Chubb Rock.  He makes a few guest appearances over the course of the album, including the title track, which is probably the strongest on here.

Production on this record was handled by The Trackmasters, who had done work for others during this era like the aforementioned Chubb Rock, Leaders of the New School, Big Daddy Kane and Kool G Rap (Ill Street Blues!).  The production is also the strongest part of A Hero Ain’t Nuthin’ But A Sandwich.  Lyrically, the 3 members of the group (Rob Swinga, F.M. and HOT DOG) are respectable MCs, but they never really take command of any of the tracks in a way that makes them feel like anything other than journeymen rappers.  Nothing on here is bad and I would contend that most of it is good, but it kind of plateaus at good and never hits great.

But the production is a treat, the Chubb Rock appearances are a lot of fun and the rest of the album is totally serviceable.  I do like this as it’s from a period of time where most hip hop sounded like I want it to sound like.  It’s completely of its era and while it might not be in the upper echelon of records from 1992, it still has that sound that makes me keep going back to it. 

The A.T.E.E.M. - A Hero Ain't Nuthin' But a Sandwich:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kC8Nz0GCqa-kc8LHB81UZCC-irlaaxbjY

Ween - The Pod 2xLP - Brown & Cream Vinyl

Chocodog (2023)

Back in 1994, a friend recommended Ween to me because he knew I was really getting into Beck and some of the other weirder strains of indie and punk rock.  I ended up picking up Pure Guava and Chocolate & Cheese first.  In particular, I became obsessed with Pure Guava.  At a subsequent trip into NYC to go record shopping, I picked up the CD of The Pod from Generation Records (amazingly, still open as of now).  The Pod never really connected with me the same way as the others and while I still have that CD, it wasn't one of the Ween records I gravitated towards when I was in the mood to listen to Ween.

As the years have gone by, that initial opinion I had is somewhat still accurate.  It's still not one of my favorite Ween records and really cannot hold a candle to Pure Guava, Chocolate & Cheese, The Mollusk or 12 Golden Country Greats, I do find that it's a pretty fun album when I want to be reminded of why I started listening to Ween in the first place.

Since I'm not as familiar intimately with The Pod as I am those others, it's still something of a surprise when I put it on and start listening.  I can still be taken back by the goofiness of a song about pork roll (I assume they mean Taylor Ham), egg and cheese or the oddness of an entire song being someone ordering Mexican food.  It's still a tough listen at times as many of the songs are noisy and weird, but when those gems pop up, it's still rewarding.

I've never had this on vinyl, so it's a nice addition to the Ween collection.  This pressing is on wacky colored and what sure feels like 180g vinyl.  It's not advertised as 180g, but these are some think, heavy slabs of wax.  I'm kind of glad I waited so long to get it as this is definitely the version I'd want to own.

Ween - The Pod:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_m29LtZ9U0OkNhLDwXIzlFtgI8OmcSBnbU

3rd Bass - The Cactus Al/Bum 2xLP

Def Jam (2024, Reissue)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for twenty-five plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

For its 35th anniversary, Def Jam finally reissued The Cactus Al/Bum as a double LP on vinyl.  3rd Bass' debut album was in dire need of this treatment as the original version, and all reissues, of the record tried to cram 20 songs clocking in at just under an hour onto a single LP.  As you can imagine, it certainly didn't sound its best.  The hype sticker on this new reissue says it was remastered from the original analog tapes and whether it's that or just having less music per side and stretching this out onto two LPs, the record sound better than it ever has.

I'm really happy that this record is getting this sort of treatment.  I've always felt that 3rd Bass never really got sustained credit for how good they were.  They hardly ever come up when other golden era greats are discussed, but both of their records are great and hold up to most others released around the same time.  I mean, no, they're not Public Enemy, but both records are much better than I think most people remember.

In particular, the production on The Cactus Al/Bum is top notch for 1989.  I would put it up against just about anything that came out that year.  And as far as lyrics go, Serch has always been kind of a goofball, but an entertaining one and Pete Nice absolutely is among the most under appreciated of the early golden era to me.  Hopefully this reissue shines some much needed attention on what is in my opinion, a classic album.  I have it playing again while I'm writing this and I really does sound great.  Absolutely worth double dipping if you have any of the earlier single disc pressings.

3rd Bass - The Cactus Al/Bum:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nHAZh4VPksh1NjCgvM7FeaDVgf4jJc0T0

Surrender - Summer Never Comes CD

Waterslide (2024)

I am still trying to catch up on writing about 2024 albums and I'm trying to focus on the ones that ended up on my year end best of list.  It's not super common for me to put an EP on my year end album list, but the six songs that Surrender have served up on this EP are so great that it's impossible to listen to it and not proclaim it as one of the very best releases of last year.

Surrender comes to us with a pedigree that immediately catches my attention.  When you've got members of bands like the Hum Hums and CSS coming together to make a new band of punchy, punked-up power pop, it's probably unlikely that I'm not going to love it.  And boy oh boy, do I love this EP.

It's fast enough that you can hear the pop punk influences shining through, but they wrangle harmonies in a way that stands so much higher than most bands, giving it a timeless sound that you can just as easily trace to the Beach Boys as you can some of the more notable power pop bands of the 70s.  

I just love everything about this and the only way that I think it could be better is if it was a full length album.  Hopefully we'll get one of those sooner than later and in the mean time I have to try to get myself a copy of their first EP from 2015.  2015?  I sure hope we don't have to wait another nine years for more Surrender music.

Surrender - Summer Never Comes:
https://watersliderecords.bandcamp.com/album/summer-never-comes

The Ape-Ettes - No Matter What 7" - Red Vinyl (/400)

Snappy Little Numbers (2024) 

As a casual fan of Curling (let's face it, it's challenging to be more than that in America with the lack of televised coverage of this great sport), I was immediately taken in by the cover of this Ape-Ettes 7" and was determined to try to like it no matter what the music sounded like.  I was pre-judging the book by its cover, but luckily this 7" is great and I definitely don't need to force myself to enjoy it.

To me, The Ape-Ettes sound like another in the longstanding line of great bands that are sometimes classified under the 'cuddlecore' banner.  I'm not sure you could listen to this 7" in a vacuum and make that statement as the guitars are a little warmer and crunchier than the traditional cuddlecore band and there's a garage pop edge to these songs that make them all the more enjoyable to me.  

At the same time, it's hard for me to not be reminded of bands like Cub, Dressy Bessy and Go Sailor.  Are they one to one comparisons?  Not at all, but I think you'd be hard pressed to not like The Ape-Ettes if you're a fan of any of those bands.  We've got three songs on this record and all of them are great, making this a no brainer recommendation.  And I vote for more curling in the artwork for any future releases.

The Ape-Ettes - No Matter What 7":
https://snappylittlenumbers.bandcamp.com/album/no-matter-what

Yaggfu Front – Action Packed Adventure! 2xLP + 7"

90s Tapes (2024)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for twenty-five plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

I have written about this record before when I picked up a copy of the original pressing, but I felt it was important to say a little bit about this reissue from 90s Tapes that came out a few months ago.  90s Tapes is the absolute gold standard for hip hop reissues and the care that they've put into Action packed Adventure is right up there with the best releases in their catalog.  The original UK version was a single disc, so it was nice to have it expanded to a double LP so that the songs have a little more room to breathe.  Plus the extra LP and bonus 7" allows for six extra tracks that weren't on the original including remixes and an instrumental.

I said most of what I needed to say about the music itself the last time I wrote about this album.  I'll just mention again that this is classic Golden Era greatness from 1994.  The production is everything I want out of an album that came out in '94.  And while I wouldn't describe the MCing as elite for the time period, it gets the job done and makes for a super enjoyable album.

This is the version to hunt down if you need a copy.  No one does reissues like 90s Tapes and with Yaggfu Front, they pay the appropriate respect to a lost classic of the Golden Era.

Yaggfu Front – Action Packed Adventure!:

https://90stapes.bandcamp.com/album/action-packed-adventure

The Hard Quartet - The Hard Quartet 2xLP

Matador (2024)

With all of the Pavement-mania the last few years as they were going on their reunion tour victory lap, it was difficult to avoid imagining the potential release of new music.  But I kept reminding myself that it probably wouldn't be that great.  None of the Steven Malkmus solo records are anywhere near as good as any of the Pavement records.  Even the last Pavement album, Terror Twilight, isn't all that exciting if we're all being honest with ourselves.  It has a few moments for sure, but it can't compare to what came before.

So to say I was skeptical of The Hard Quartet when they were announced would be an understatement.  Here's Malkmus again, this time playing with a new cast of characters with respected indie rock pedigrees, but none from bands I really listened to all that much (Chavez, The Dirty Three).  Still, I'm an obedient fan and I always give every Malkmus project a courtesy listen or two before lamenting that it isn't 1995 anymore.

Imagine my surprise when I found myself being kind of intrigued by the sounds I was hearing.  There was something here drawing me in, asking me to listen to it again.  And I found that the more I listened to the album, the more it grew on me.  I started picking up on little things that just made the songs.  There's something interesting going on here that combines the ramshackle nature of Pavement with the more polished work that Malkmus has been doing with The Jicks.  It sort of sits perfectly in between the two.

That's not to say I couldn't nit pick a little.  The songs that Malkmus doesn't sing are still good, but for me they always kind of feel like interludes that just make me want to hear the next song where Steve gets to stand in front of the microphone.  The album's also a bit too long.  It would probably be better if it was tightened up a little with maybe three or four less songs.  That said, this is the best album that Steve Malkmus has been involved in since the 90s.  It rewards repeated listens and and is engaging in a way that a lot of his solo work hasn't always been.  

The Hard Quartet - The Hard Quartet:
https://thehardquartet.bandcamp.com/album/the-hard-quartet

House of Pain - Same As It Ever Was LP + 7" - Yellow Vinyl

Tommy Boy (2024, Reissue)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

I had been looking for a decently priced copy of the second House of Pain album for a few years when it was finally announced a reissue was coming.  And a colored vinyl LP with a bonus 7" reissue to boot for the album's 30th anniversary.  This is one of those albums that has aged really well for me.  When I originally bought this on CD in 1994 I was kind of disappointed in it and really didn't listen to it very much.  I remember a high school buddy Scott who liked it more than I did.  The album was fine, but it didn't really keep me interested enough to warrant repeated listens.

But as the years have gone by, I've been able to really appreciate this record in a way that I wasn't able to initially.  Most of that is based around the production of the album, which is really stellar.  Same As It Ever Was is the last great Soul Assassins record.  The next year they would lose the plot for me with Cypress Hill's Temple of Boom and Brothas Doobie by Funkdoobiest.  Both of those sound like they were produced by completely different human beings than the ones responsible for five pretty classic albums from 1991 to 1994.  So this House of Pain album was their last stand, at least when it comes to hip hop production that I like.

And man are there some good beats on Same As It Ever Was.  The bass lines drive the album with the Soul Assassins trademark horn screeches wailing in to emphasize the point.  Sonically, it's just a joy to listen to and it really elevates Everlast's rhyming.  And let's be honest, Everlast is something of a cartoon character when he's rapping in House of Pain.  He's totally fine and I'm not in any way insinuating that he doesn't have skill, but the character he plays is silly at times.  Luckily the whole package makes it easier to overlook some of the inherent ridiculousness of rhymes like "I got skill kid and I'm gonna milk it."

I'm just glad I was finally able to add this record to the collection at a reasonable price.  This is an affordable version of the album to pick up if you don't already have it.  And if you haven't listened to it in a few decades, give it a whirl.  I think you'll be surprised how well it holds up.

House of Pain - Same As It Ever Was:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_n5SBoH3Ms3ti3LD5MFON23aa-LhARsF0Q

Short Straw Fate - Forgotten But Begotten CD

Self Release (2024)

Back in 2017, Short Straw Fate released For The Heroes In My Record Rack, and album that I have just loved ever since.  This year, we finally have a new release, Forgotten But Begotten.   At seven songs, it's a little long for an EP and a little short for a full album and it mostly makes me wish there were just a few more songs on it, but boy oh boy do I dig the songs that are here.

I think if you made a ranked list of people in America with extensive Japanese melodic punk rock releases in their collection, I'd have to think I would end up in the top twenty at least.  I bring this up because I absolutely adore the Japanese take on the sound that bands like Snuff and Leatherface brought to prominence.  They've never given up on that sound in Japan and over the years so many incredible albums have come out of this wonderful country.  Short Straw Fate do it as well as any of them, which is me trying to say this is pretty much the exact kind of music I want to listen to.

The songs have the energy and passion that is so difficult to replicate.  The songs are all upbeat, the vocals are delivered with passion and I'm just obsessed with the hooks.  The band named themselves after a Broccoli song, so chances are I'm going to like the music they put out (see also: Chestnut Road).  This was one of my favorite releases of last year and I can only hope that it's not another seven years before I get to hear more from them.

 

The Peawees - One Ride LP - White Vinyl (/500)

Wild Honey (2024)

I bought a Peawees album back in 2008 when It's Alive Records released Walking The Walk.  That was the first time I had come across The Peawees and I have a weirdly specific memory of listen to the MP3s that came with that album in a rental car while in a parking lot in Missouri, when I was there for the wedding of one of my wife's friends.

If I'm being honest, the band fell off my radar after that, until I got an email several weeks back alerting me that they were back with a new record.  I was then very generously sent a copy of that record, and here we are with One Ride.

I assumed I knew what to expect, since I had one of their other albums, but I was still kind of surprised by how much I liked this the first time I played the record through.  It's so catchy, the hooks always work and the choruses are tight that I kind of get annoyed that I don't know the words yet because I reflexively just want to sing along.  Sadly, I can only mutter vague melodies currently.

The Peawees are also one of a few number of bands that can work a decently long guitar solo into a song without completely annoying me.  That's typically a gigantic turnoff for me, but they have a way of making it work.  It never feels unnecessarily showy, it's just there to get you to the next part of the song.  It's utilitarian in a way and I like it when a band is grounded like that.  Just a really fun, solid record.

The Peawees - One Ride:
https://thepeawees.bandcamp.com/album/one-ride

Yall So Stupid - Van Full Of Pakistans 2xLP + 7"

90s Tapes (2024)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

Yall So Stupid isn't a group that I was on board with when they were originally out in the 1990s.  1993 in particular was one of those years where there was a classic being released about every three hours or so, and a lot of really great groups flew under the radar during that time period.  I discovered Yall So Stupid many years later, but quickly fell in love with that quintessential 90s sound that they brought to the table.  It took me a while to finally track down the original pressing of that LP and I wrote about it a couple of years ago.

I sometimes hem and haw about whether I need to write about a reissued album when I've so recently written about another pressing that I picked up.  Often I will skip it as I don't want to be repetitive, but sometimes the reissue is so great that I just have to go again.  Such is the case with Yall So Stupid, which was my favorite reissue of last year year.  But as always, I mismanaged time and didn't get to write about this one before the year ran out.  Makes only logical to be the first Ed Lover Dance Day write-up of 2025.

90s Tapes does an absolutely impeccable job with all of their reissues and there are times where I think they should be the only people allowed to press hip hop records that I want.  This pressing of Van Full Of Pakistans is no exception.  It sounds amazing, with rich, full bass that can withstand me turning the volume up on my stereo to wife-annoying levels of loudness.  Unlike the original pressing of the album, this version has every song from the CD on it (the original was missing four) plus an extra 7" with bonus remixes.

Expertly redone artwork in a gatefold sleeve just seals the deal.  This is such a well done package and quite honestly, I can't think of anything that could make the record itself better.  I mean a bundle with a shirt would make me even happier, but it's not like that would improve the record itself at all.

That's a lot of words about how great the reissue is, but let's not forget that the music that Yall So Stupid put out is the very definition of a classic for me.  This is the soundtrack of my early teenage years, even if I wasn't able to hear this specific record at the time.  When I refer to my golden era of 1988 - 1994, this is the sound I'm taking about.  Killer production with killer lyrics.  Sign me up for more of that.  I just hope 90s Tapes can eventually get in on the second and third Maestro Fresh Wes albums at some point.  For me those are the grails that need a treatment like this.  Plus, I'm not about to pay $500 for an original pressing of Black Tie Affair...

Yall So Stupid - Van Full Of Pakistans:
https://90stapes.bandcamp.com/album/van-full-of-pakistans

Bad Year - Bad Year LP - Red w/ Black Splatter Vinyl

Snappy Little Numbers (2024)

Five Years after a 12" EP, Bad Year are back.  As I mentioned last time I wrote about them, if you're naming yourselves after one of my favorite Sicko songs, there's a better than average chance I'm going to be into what you're doing.  And I am into Bad Year.  While they don't really sound like Sicko, you can hear the influence as the band builds off of that.

I tend to think they sound more like something from the No Idea roster of the 2000s.  There's that fleeting base of a Leatherface sound, with gruff, but still melodic vocals.  Off With Their Heads a bit maybe, Dear Landlord is probably closer, but it's a sound that doesn't strike me as being too dissimilar from bands like that, but with those big Sicko influenced hooks.

The entire record is really strong all the way through, particularly in a year that hasn't been very giving with this kind of punk rock.  If I were to point to a single song to check out to get a vibe of what this band is all about, I'd recommend "Idle Hands."  It's got a great chorus and that catchy, but energetic sound that is a common thread in the punk rock that I tend to like the best.  This was an album that was on my top records of the year list for 2024, I just wasn't able to get this write up posted before that.  Regardless of when this is read, Snappy Little Numbers has a winner once again.

Bad Year - Bad Year:
https://snappylittlenumbers.bandcamp.com/album/s-t-sln-254