closer - within one stem

Although readers of this here blog may not know it, closer's 2018 debut record, "All This Will Be", was one of my most unfuckwithable, favorite, most-listened to records of the past five years. No foolin'! It's tough to make a screamo record (or ANY punk record, for that matter) that makes me want to shake my ass and lose myself in the music, but a song like "Hardly Art" takes me back to the late 90s...to clap alongs and group leaps at the drop and mic piles in dim basements with shitty PAs. It evokes bands like Envy, Majority Rule, and Funeral Diner.

And, by Gawd, Ryann hits the drums so goddamned hard it almost hurts. Frontperson of the year, in my humble opinion. And I've never seen them live.

So I'm wrapping up my evening when an e-mail comes through. "New releases from closer", reads the subject line. Cue a badly Photoshopped meme of my head on Philip J. Fry's head, screaming at Bandcamp and the good folks at Lauren Records to take my money. "within one stem" is their new LP, a split release between Lauren & Middle Man Records here in the States, as well as five European labels. I respect the spirit of cooperation that brings this new record to me. The pre-order of 500 first presses on "natural" clear vinyl is live now, and available via closer's Bandcamp site. The full record comes out March 12, but the first song, Side B's "angry flood", is available for download when you preorder.

Get it, or regret it later.

New jams from Manuela Iwansson

Stupid COVID-19, stupid unemployment. About the only good that comes from any of this is there's plenty of time to read, watch movies, and listen to records. Lots and lots of records.

I was a big fan of the late, great Terrible Feelings. They put out a bunch of fantastic post-punk/power pop records over the last decade, including a pair of LPs that came out in these parts via the folks at Deranged Records. Sadly, I missed their show in Baltimore at the Golden West several years ago due to...I was poor? I had to travel for work? I hear it was a ripper. But then this Swedish quintet, as most things do, called it a day, apparently in 2016.

Imagine the pleasure I felt when I saw that lead singer Manuela Iwansson had started making music again under her own name. She released a 4-song EP June of 2018, but what drew me to her was the digital release last fall of two new tracks by PNKSLM Recordings in Sweden. They're hitting a real sweet spot for me. They're a pair of icy new wave rippers that scratch a real itch for me.

The first place my ears went when hearing "Strangers on a Train" was to Haircut 100; I hear some musical references to "I Ran (So Far Away)". There's a lyrical reference to A Flock of Seagulls in the first verse which is a little on the nose. Still, this is the kind of track I like sinking my teeth into.


"Blank Surface" is even better. The newest cut released by Iwansson, this has a real "Heartbreaker" vibe to it. Mrs. Mummy, who never ceases to draw the links between Pat Benatar and Bikini Kill, asked me to play this three times in a row when I played it for her for the first time.

The ad copy on the Bandcamp page references "added noise and 80s Berlin noir", and far be it for me to argue against that. There's a lot less punk and more polish to both of these cuts than with Terrible Feelings, but, fuck it, I'm 42 now; that's not a bad thing.

It appears that these will be released as one of them there "double A-side, limited edition 7"s" in May by the folks at Night School in the U.K. Who knows what the pandemic will do to that release date, and it's not like this fella, who's currently "on the dole" (as a 1970s British punk might say), can afford paying $15 for a new release 7". But if you're flush with cash, or feeling like a wild person, I'd say fuck it, and order one, because I'm into these tracks.

Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life

I've been super psyched for the release of The Chemistry of Common Life, the 2nd full length by Toronto's Fucked Up, this coming Tuesday. Matador Records & Fucked Up are going full out to promote the record, which, whether you are patiently waiting 'til New Record Tuesday to listen to or you've had the leaked record for a month, is fucking FAN-TAS-TIC. Lots of guest stars, lots of circle pit madness...it's a great rock record. So, take the opportunity to check out these three tracks, then go spend $15 on Tuesday.










Fucked Up, "Days of Last"
Fucked Up, "Black Albino Bones"
Fucked Up, "The Chemistry of Common Life"

RIYL: Negative Approach, Pink Floyd, reading Vice Magazine
"Dance of Death" video

Vivian Girls - s/t

So ever since I was a little kid, and my folks would play a lot of Motown, bluegrass, early 80's country and Phil Spector, I've been a sucker for girl groups. Naturally, I nerded out pretty hard for Kill Rock Stars as a label in my teens, I listened to more Yeah Yeah Yeahs! than most HC kids I know, and I booked a lot of bands like Tuffie & Karmella's Game when I still booked shows. When Fucked Up released another draft of their upcoming new mixtape a few months back, my ears perked up to the sounds of Brooklyn's Vivian Girls. Well...hello!

I don't have a lot of background to go on about Vivian Girls, except this record rocks my socks off, and you're totally blowing it if you pass on picking up their new LP in a couple of weeks. The Vivian Girls LP was originally released earlier this year in an edition of 500 by Mauled By Tigers Records, but the ever-awesome In the Red is repressing and releasing on CD as well. ITR is also releasing what looks to be a pretty rad 7" as well.

Vivian Girls are pounding the road this fall, putting in their bid for "Harding Working Band in Hipster Punk Rock and (supposedly) playing Baltimore twice in October. You can catch them on the 1st with Tyvek at the Ottobar, or go to Sonar to see them open for Fucked Up. Either way: DON'T DO WHAT DONNIE DON'T DID! Check them out when they come to your town, yo.

Vivian Girls, "Where Do You Run"
Vivian Girls, "Damaged"


Vivian Girls at South Street Seaport, NYC, 9/7/08