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I love the Epoxies; I became obsessed with the band the very first time I saw them live. They brought back keyboard-driven punk like it was the late ‘70s again! Robots, aliens, costumes, smoke, strobe lights, laser beams, hard driving keyboards and guitars—and catchy as hell songs. Of course, it didn’t hurt that singer Roxy Epoxy was simply amazing and had tremendous stage presence. Their first album so wowed me that I must have played it at least 1000 times. I knew there was no way that anything they would do after could compare. Too often bands that have a fantastic debut album just slowly go downhill. Holy shit, was I wrong! The Epoxies’ sophomore album “Stop the Future” on Fat Wreck Chords is better than their debut. They even make a Scorpions song (“Robot Man”) sound amazing. The overall feel of the album is more driven and punk, it’s bursting at the seams with energy, but still is super captivating. The music is denser, layered, thought out, emotionally charged and so right fucking on. Yay!
Evan Foster, the man behind the Boss Martians, has out a new solo CD of instrumentals. He actually gets some help on drums and keyboards, but this is really Evan’s affair from the music to the mixing and production. It’s great to hear Evan going back to the surf music that the Boss Martians used to play in their early years. And with an undeniably fun mix of punk, surf and rock, “Instrumentals” is the kick ass background album you want playing at your next BBQ.
Need something a little heavier? Check out Mico De Noche’s “Balls Deep” album on Buttermilk Records and wallow in its grungy, metally goodness. Definitely bucking any local music trends, Mico De Noche drag out dirty grimy rock with enough guitars and feedback to remind one of bands like the Melvins or a heavier version of Tad.
It’s always great to see triumph in the face of adversity. After the tragic death of drummer Alan Wright, the Earaches have not only soldiered on, but they’ve released one hell of an album in “Get the Revolution Out of Your Head.” The Tim Kerr production makes the album sound almost live, which is a great way to catch the driving garage rock of a band like Earaches. This album is excellent!
I’ve seen Bellingham’s USS Horsewhip half a dozen times live and they keep getting better and better. Their debut album “USS Horsewhip Wants You Dead” came out recently on New Regard Media and it smokes. The band has elements of garage punk, rock’n’roll and emo, the result is explosive and original. Check these guys out next time they play live... and in the meantime cop their album.
Larry Rickets may live in California now, but he’s still putting out Northwest punk records on his Puke Records label. The latest release is a split single featuring Portland’s Triggers and the Spits squaring off in the sandbox. The Triggers blast out two bratty screamed tunes that both rock, while the Spits songs are total no-wave, art-damaged, keyboard heavy punk, not like their more straightforward shit at all. It’s a great little slab o’ vinyl.
I’ve yet to see Jett City, the local Joan Jett tribute band, but their demo is rocking and I dig the fact that they mix it up by having male lead vocals with female back ups. While I think the cover/tribute band thing is overplayed, I have to admit the demo made me curious enough to want to check out Jett City live.
While I’ve heard the Catch compared to the Go-Go’s, I think it’s mostly because they are an all-girl pop band with punk roots. I personally hear more Björk than Belinda in Carly Jean Nicklaus’ vocals. She’s definitely got a unique (and great!) bratty edge to her singing, and along with the band’s sound, it’s hard to not be reminded of the Fastbacks when listening to the Catch’s debut album “Get Cool” on Made in Mexico Records. The album features a kick-ass mix of twisted pop and catchy rock. Normally, slow songs bore the fuck out of me, but on “Nice” and “Hofmeister” the Catch draw out the music perfectly. And on the driving songs this band knows how to bring on the fucking party. I’m a little sorry I checked out their video for “After Party” online. On the album the song comes off as satirical, making fun of hipster culture, but in the video it seems to glorify it. That minor detail aside, this is a great fucking album; the Catch has come a long way in just a couple years and seems on the verge of bustin’ out.
Finally, I can’t believe this is the 100th issue of Tablet. Thanks so much for your support over the years and keep on reading!
There ain’t no future and there ain’t no past, there’s just a graveyard and it’s coming fast.
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