[engl] Get in on the crumbling ground floor with the debut 7" single from Richmond's own Cement Shoes. Following a promising 2017 demo on the Loki Label, heralded as a "meat and potatoes and LSD" hardcore punk production, the Shoes turn in two fresh cuts on this 45. Furiously scratching away at the ever-underwhelming state of contemporary hardcore punk, the principle songwriters of Brown Sugar, Fried Egg, and Haircut intervene to bring us a robust and epic pairing of tracks. Consider it a simultaneous toast to the sense of humor and originality of first wave hardcore/punk and a roast of the ever fashionable and generic trappings of the aughts. Each copy comes packaged in a glue pocket sleeve with lyric insert and digital download.

[engl] Ahh yes, the Shoes, baby! Richmond, VA's CEMENT SHOES lay down eight new tracks on, "Too", their debut album. If you're new to Da Shoes, their debut 7" single on Feel It in 2018 left both reviewers and punk/hardcore millenials utterly confused and divided. The sage journalists at Razorcake even exclaimed, "This is the kind of genuine hardcore punk that could reach a pretty damn wide audience if the world were a different place." Well, it's 2019 now and the world hasn't changed one degree for the better, buddy! Thankfully, Cement Shoes have returned to drive the point home with their finest-and-fullest-sounding record yet. The Shoes are truly cooking with gas now, bringing the best elements of snappy 80s punk/HC and 70s hard rock to sonic fruition, with the necessary tongue-in-cheek sense of humor intact. "Too" presents itself as a sonic rendezvous where the '83 LA cast of punkers from "Suburbia", "Funhouse" era Stooges, Alice Cooper Band, Totalitär, and Cider are all invited. The whole room reeks of cheap beer and reefer, wah pedals lie on top of dirty shag carpet, and Joe Pesci is there to emcee the whole thing. Confused yet? So are we. But screw it, here's an album that sounds as timeless as the precious tape it was recorded on. A smoldering effigy to the way rock music used to simply exist and excite, and a shining example of where the unlimited data of the aughts can actually be stretched.

[engl] John Waters once said, "The only thing I wanna be is a negative role model for a whole new generation of bored youth." Well, perhaps Baltimore's Cold Feet were the generation that picked up on those sage words, and have crafted their own trashy, hardcore punk anthems on "Punk Entity". Following a promising debut 7" EP and several cassette releases, we find Cold Feet at the height of their game with eight completely scorching tracks. Caught somewhere in the crosshairs of the early 80's USHC craze, like the odd New Englander cousin who caught as much X-Claim! as Mutha Records bands - Cold Feet harness the power of "Get It Away" era SSD, steal the reckless abandon of the first couple N.O.T.A. 7"s, and indulge the bohemian sense of humor that Adrenalin O.D. rocked. These guys are complete underdogs, the secretly smart idiots that allow their guitar player to be Jim Lahey for a Halloween gig and still completely blow the place apart. Cold Feet are here to show ya that they're one of the most true-to-form hardcore bands of contempo HC punk and hammer the point home with "Punk Entity".

[engl] The Cowboy are back with a new EP pressed to high quality flexi disc at 45 RPM! Three tracks here from the Cleveland group, following in the vein of their much lauded ""Wi-Fi on the Prairie"" album that dropped in early 2020. ""Feel the Chi Releasing from You"" clocks in at exactly four minutes, pushing simple, yet brilliant and almost jazzy arrangements into snappy guitar rock that actually lives up to the early SST and ""Pink Flag""-era Wire comparisons that have been bestowed upon The Cowboy in the past. Pressed to convenient one-sided 7"" clear flexi disc with another dose of breathtaking artwork from B. Gaffney appearing underneath the transparent flexi & lyrics on da back. One-time edition of 275 copies.

[engl] Here to take the (20)20's by storm, Cleveland's THE COWBOY bless us with their second full length, "WiFi on The Prairie". Yes, there's more genius to this album than the title alone! Hot on the heels of a new EP on Drunken Sailor, "WiFi on the Prairie" follows with twelve tracks of brute, urgent guitar music steeped in Cleveland's rich rock history. THE COWBOY apply a wonderful angularity to the old budget rock formula, (see 2/3 of the lineup's previous work in HOMOSTUPIDS for further proof) while locking in / jamming out on another level. THE COWBOY are IT - an endearing trio that treads on the competition and writes on a futuristic par. Just don't ask 'em for the WiFi password.

[engl] Continuing on in their ever-prolific and sensational run of releases, The Cowboys are back with five tracks of pure analog gold on "Lovers in Marble". Recorded by the band in Cincinnati and mixed with John Hoffman (Vacation), this EP finds The Cowboys as cool and collected as ever, with Keith Harman's driving piano lines and vocal range atop the mix. It's quite the divine distillation of garage pop melody, (think 'Loaded' era VU, Walker Brothers, or Emitt Rhodes) given a sinister coating of The Kinks and Syd Barrett, curious production flourishes intact. The Cowboys have truly spent their quarantine days well, pairing brilliant pop compositions with some of the best instrumentation and recording quality across their ever-expanding discography. "Lovers in Marble" is a pivotal Cowboys release, perhaps their most accessible, but also most refined piece of work yet. A perfect sonic respite from the long, dark days of 2020.

[engl] Out with the old and in with the new! Just in time for Spring we have a fresh album from The Cowboys - now spread between their hometown of Bloomington, to Chicago, and Cincinnati. "Room of Clons", their fifth album, is possibly the group's most ambitious and diverse body of work to date. Those familiar with The Cowboys' previous output for Feel It - most notably 2019's "The Bottom of a Rotten Flower", will be well acquainted with the group's penchant for songwriting across the upper echelons of contemporary garage, punk, & powerpop. "Room of Clons" asserts itself as a varied hallmark of stylistic prowess, ranging from The Cowboys' trademarked Midwestern punk odes of previous work, all the way to a massive postpunk-leaning hit (yes, you're reading right) backed with a snarky pop number accented with kazoo that would surely please even Ray Davies himself. Further along, we're treated to several tracks with frontman Keith Harman taking the lead on piano, propelling his otherworldy vocals to the same towering clouds that Scott Walker and Emitt Rhodes occupied in '69 & '70. "Room of Clons" stretches even further, but never strays from attention, as The Cowboys delve into new, exciting, and largely uncharted territory - perhaps their most abstract work, but just as worthy as their now towering discography that never ceases to impress.

[engl] "The fourth album by the Cowboys (from Bloomington, Indiana) is kinda like a modern Midwestern version of THE WHO SELL-OUT or SOMETHING ELSE BY THE KINKS--a basic R&R band stretching its wings to embrace more varied musical elements and dig into deeper subject matter. The Cowboys grow up! And they grow in number too, with Chris Kramer (Nobunny/Slushy) joining the brilliant Mark McWhirter for a killer guitar team. Vocalist/songwriter Keith Harman alters his whooping nasal-punk a bit, with a more naturalistic approach when it fits the mood. His songwriting skills are mighty. Zackery Worcel (bass) and Jordan Tarantino (drums) provide a solid, relentless groove. There are 16 hooky gems in this new LP. To compare the Cowboys’ songs to Pete Townshend and Ray Davies was no casual thing up front. Check “Doghouse Rag” for primo late-60s Kink-kwality pop. Then there’s the insanely hooky “Some Things Never Change,” with its nod to early 70s Sparks. This song should be a smash hit RIGHT NOW! And dig “Bodie, Don’t Jump” in all its bubblegum glory! The deceptively short “Deuce” with its 70s-style pop exploding into VU-like noise, etc. It’s very cool to see a modern R&R band progress in the true sense of the word--to mature and seek new horizons. I’ve personally seen them when they opened the very first show by the reunited Gizmos in 2014, and then when they played with us again in Chicago 2017, to this new album. It’s an impressive climb. For anybody into garage-rock or power-pop, this has gotta be an instant CLASSIC! But I’m just gonna call it rock’n’roll." --Eddie Flowers, Vulcher Magazine/The Gizmos

[engl] At long last, a proper American pressing of the incredible Volume 4 cassette from Bloomington, Indiana's hometown heroes, The Cowboys. By now, you might be familiar with the stripped down, yet intelligent and powerful rock'n'roll force of The Cowboys - perhaps from their recent full length on Hozac or from their earlier cassette output which was collected onto an LP by Lumpy Records. Volume 4 captures The Cowboys at a near-perfect intersection of their earlier, lo-fi moments of Gizmos-esque Midwestern punk snarl and the more tuneful, soul-spun moments of recent output. This definitive edition of Volume 4 reproduces the ten song tracklisting of the original 2016 cassette edition released by fellow Bloomingtonian Kora Puckett (of Bugg, Laffing Gas, and Chud) on his Turd Wurld imprint. From the opening hook of "When She Came Back" (available on vinyl for the first time here, as well as the lead cut on side B, "Porridge"), The Cowboys showcase a songwriting knack and musical ability that is rarely achieved, nor captured so well in a studio setting. Keith Harman's next-level vocal delivery leads the charge across the entire album, ranging from the strong, anthemic chants of "I Feel Therefore I Am" to the deep, melancholic closing moments of "Actors". And what's more? The musicianship across this entire album is every bit as impeccable - beginning with the forceful and driving rhythm section and continuing to the absolutely unbridled guitar playing and tone, the sum of which shapes the texture of the entire recording. A score of Bloomington-based guest musicians, including Durand Jones (leader of modern soul sensations, The Indications) and John Terrill (formerly of the early 80's new wave group, The Dancing Cigarettes) only adds to the already searing mix. Altogether, The Cowboys have captured something truly unrivaled and exceptional on Volume 4 - an album that speaks from a homespun, Midwestern vantage point and fires on all musical cylinders. The end result: ten absolutely classic sonic reductions of epic proportion. This definitive edition of Volume 4 has been cut at 45 RPM by Josh Bonati and includes a new insert with artwork from The Cowboys' own Zack Worcel plus a digital download code.

[engl] Los Angeles punks DIRTY & HIS FISTS deliver a knockout four song EP on their vinyl debut, following a standout demo cassette. For the uninitiated, DIRTY & HIS FISTS have quickly become one of the best American punk bands alive, and one of the few to match powerful writing and performance with some of the best studio production out there. The Fists easily eclipse their demo with this new EP, incorporating a crunchy layer of synth, pounding rhythm section (featuring new drummer Sam Bosson), and ace production from guitarist/vocalist Mike Kriebel, who you may recognize as producer of recent Beat Sessions for Uranium Club, Urochromes, and P22. An undeniably great and memorable American punk record. Packaged in a reverse board pocket sleeve with an 7"x11" lyric insert and digital download.

[engl] Fashion Pimps And The Glamazons. A new Cleveland rock group, cut from the same musical DNA that has spawned wonders like Folded Shirt, Cloud Nothings, Donkey Bugs, and countless others. It's fashion. Angular. Punk. Richard Glamazon's tortured, warbly guitar refuses to talk in power chords, stringing notes around high powered synth blasts from Noah A (Profligate). Steve Chainsaw anchors the low end while espousing freaky plans and twisted dreams through hypnotic, layered vocals. Jayson G lays into the drums like only a true Fashion Pimp ©an. The Glamazons prove to be immaculately tight, driving their amplified Rust Belt experience into the ether. Jazz 4 Johnny holds court with Ubus and X_Xs past, yet the sound isn't quite Terminal, Drome, or even Mustard...it's the future, baby! Have you met Fashion Pimps And The Glamazons yet? Jazz 4 Johnny comes packaged in a full color gatefold jacket designed by Professor B. Gaff, with a tiny download code hiding inside.

[engl] Freak Genes continue their descent into angular electronics with Power Station. Musicians are replaced by machines, natural sounds are swapped for noises. The result is synthetic pop for problem times. Charlie Murphy (Internal Credit / Isolation) and Andrew Anderson (Proto Idiot / KAKE?) orchestrate affairs, wrangling synths, drum machines, guitars and found sounds. Think 154-era Wire but with a reduced budget, or DAF minus the disco. The album was recorded in bedrooms and borrowed spaces from 2018 to 2020. It was mixed and mastered by Mikey Young. Formed in 2016, Freak Genes previous albums are Playtime, Qwak Qwak and III. They’ve performed in both shitty and swanky venues across Europe. They’ll be on stage again in 2021, pandemics and other global catastrophes depending.

[engl] After four self-released cassettes, Montréal's premier art-punk/neo-proto-punk band Protruders makes its vinyl debut with a 25-minute 12-inch of very groovy sounds. The sound is a bit clearer and maybe a little beefier—some of the noise gives way to a more relaxed and expansive approach. The psych quotient is higher. But the heart of the band is still beating for the sort of raw open-minded non-generic punk that once came from the likes of Rocket From The Tombs, Swell Maps, Dead Moon, Dancing Cigarettes, etc. “Fruit Hang” has a perfect mid-70s style garage feel—like a Boston pre-punk band tearin’ it up at the Rat! This could be the hit, kidz! Skronky sax gives “Hydrophytol” a kinda Hawkwind/no-wave feel. And dig “No Stone”—a slower one, catchy as hell—I swear it could pass for an outtake from the Saints circa 1978. Solid—another hit! At five minutes, the title track stretches things out a bit. This one has a definite Ubu/Voidoids vibe—nasty angular spazz-punk with a little more sax blat added. Very nice guitar stuff happening here. We get some weirdo HC action on “Stabilizer” and more hot guitar squiggles. “Tax 101” is maybe a “typical” Protruders song—that means good! “Wrong Way Sign,” pushes things over the six-minute mark, with a strong psych-punk feel (Wipers?) and some totally swell rock-jam stuff at the end. Wow. This record is a significant step for the band and an impressive way to start their vinyl career as they gain the higher visibility they deserve. Most excellent! -Eddie Flowers (Vulcher Magazine/The Gizmos)

[engl] On not-so-distant horizons, when we've all heard everything, what aesthetic flavors will prevail? The era of good taste is upon us everyone. Your play-acting rendition of that Brazilian d-beat demo or British long-haired mace-wielders or Midwestern pocket-protector-perverts does not impress me, as I too have an internet connection and as a matter of fact my little sister uploaded all that to Youtube upon her 12th birthday. I swiftly gave them all a thumbs down. Gen Pop, on the other hand, gets a thumbs up. This band sounds like they've been raised exclusively on the synth/female-oriented KBD cuts, but with the confidence of those mid-00's Scandinavians who came over to our big trailer park knowing exactly how good they looked and sounded. It has some in vogue Australian elements, but luckily Olympia does not swelter to the point of their guitarists simply walking a clean telecaster around like a tenured poet at community college, butterfly kisses, pulling your knob switch foot. Catchy, snotty old-world flavors served up cold in the fusion restaurant that is our futureless American paradigm. Wonderful!"" - Brandon Gaffney

[engl] The Generics were a group shrouded in the darkest corners of punk rock obscurity. Only 200 copies of their lone 7" single, 'The Bitt' b/w 'Cost Cutter' were pressed in 1983 - with the majority of copies being pre-sold and distributed to...get this - their Junior High School classmates! It wasn't until 2019 that a collector turned up a copy of the 7", eventually locating a band member that had the foresight to copyright the record back in '83. A grip of stock copies from the band began to circulate, blowing away even the most seasoned punk rock collectors. "How the hell has this never been comped on a volume of Killed By Death?!" was a thought surely echoed among those that were hipped to the record. The story behind the band is just as great. The Generics formed in Cross Lanes, West Virginia - a small town surrounding Lake Chaweva, just outside the state capital of Charleston. It was a tight-knit scene of bored kids growing up in the early years of Reagan-era America. Early skateboard culture - and it's close ties to punk rock - became a major influence on the three 12 year olds who would form The Generics, their first band. They bummed money at school and cut grass to buy gear, playing to their classmates in the Junior High gym, at parties, half pipe jams - wherever and whenever they could. With the help of a couple older siblings, the band booked one day at Barnhill's Recording, just over the state line in Ashland, Kentucky. They recorded seven tracks total - picking 'The Bitt', written about a classmate's deranged mother who bred Shih Tzus and the harder rocking 'Cost Cutter' for the single. After pre-selling enough 7"s, the band returned to Barnhill's who pressed up 200 copies on their studio label. Shortly after the release, guitarist Steve Sadler's family picked up and moved out of state, putting an end to the group. However, The Generics left behind a few tracks from the Barnhill's session, the best two of which have been rescued from tape and included on this expanded reissue EP for the first time ever. The "Cost Cutter" 7" EP is packaged in a hand-stamped picture sleeve featuring an insert with photos and band history given by all three original members, plus a download code.

[engl] Kaleidoscope are a rare group, having continually evolved and expanded in form since their inception. Volume 3 marks the first Kaleidoscope release of 2017, a masterfully crafted follow-up to several cassette releases on their own D4MT Labs imprint and a 7” EP on Katorga Works. Since then, the three members of Kaleidoscope have taken up residency in a shared Brooklyn apartment and basement studio. In doing so, their collective spirit of creativity and resourcefulness has risen to an all-time high. The six tracks on Volume 3 serve as a testament to the group's unique and unwavering commitment to an original sound – one that is undoubtedly crafted with a well-refined taste for international punk and hardcore, but also embraces experimentation. Engineered entirely in the group's home studio and layered with original samples, overdubs, and guest instrumentation from an ensemble of friends. The end result is simple – a highly impressive production that commands repeat listening. Volume 3 is presented with the recognizable aesthetic of previous Kaleidoscope releases, directed by guitarist/vocalist Information Man [SHDK], though truly a cohesive group effort. Packaged with a Risographed lyric booklet that serves as a proper companion piece to each transmission.

[engl] Long before it began sprouting Americana bands on every corner, the sleepy college town of Charlottesville, VA boasted a punk rock scene whose ferocity belied its small size. The Landlords, along with Lackey Die and the Beef People, stood at the epicenter of the action. After releasing the highly regarded Hey! It's A Teenage House Party! LP in 1984, The Landlords returned to the legendary Inner Ear Studios over the next few years to record their second album, Fitzgerald's Paris. Restored from the original master tapes and released after almost 30 years, Fitzgerald’s Paris offers seventeen tracks of pure rock and roll mayhem. Fusing musical influences as varied as Black Flag, Chuck Berry, and Motörhead, side A’s avalanche of epigrammatic money-tunes showcases The Landlords at their peak. Side B’s plunge into the jungle of noise builds on the intense dissonance of Scratch Acid, Live Skull, and The Landlords’ own infamous spinoff duo, Happy Flowers, all the while remaining rooted in hardcore punk. No matter the style, all the tunes on Fitzgerald’s Paris are destined to delight America’s next generation of alienated youth, while infuriating school boards, police departments, and town councils everywhere. Packaging includes an 11"x22" insert containing lyrics, flyers, and unpublished photos plus a free MP3 download of bonus studio material and a live set recorded off the board at CBGB's in September 1985.

[engl] The 1984 debut LP from The Landlords has long remained a cult favorite amongst punk+hardcore collectors and those local to the band's hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia. Formed in the Fall of 1983 through a chance encounter at WTJU, the University of Virginia's college radio station, The Landlords soon began practicing in the upper floor duplex apartment of bassist Eddie Jetlag, pissing off the landlord who lived downstairs, and thus earning their name. The Landlords' first show came only a couple of months later at the Plum's Lounge talent show, where the power was cut in the middle of their third song. Soon after, The Landlords became acquainted with the local punk scene in Charlottesville, playing frequently with Lackey Die and Beef People, and regional acts like Death Piggy and Scream. In March 1984, The Landlords headed up to Inner Ear Studios to record their debut LP with Don Zientara. Hey! It's A Teenage House Party! was released later that year on the band's own Catch Trout imprint. While the 21 song LP bears the same vibrant production as early DC hardcore releases, The Landlords' style and approach remains unique to this day. While a firmly-rooted hardcore punk record of the 1980's, tracks like "Nuns In Black Leather" (featuring guest vocals from Dave Smalley of D.Y.S. !), "Termination", and "Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God" hint at the dirgier, noise rock influenced direction the band would later move towards. Singer John Beers and guitarist Charlie Kramer would later go on to found the epic experimental duo, Happy Flowers. Hey! It's A Teenage House Party! has been remastered from the original reels for this reissue, limited to 400 copies. Packaged with a 12 page booklet featuring liner notes, never before seen photos of the band recording the album, and a spread of flyers + zine clippings, plus a digital download that includes 17 bonus tracks recorded just prior to the LP, a few of which never were re-recorded. A definitive edition of this highly underrated and essential document of early American hardcore punk.

[engl] As we break free from the days spent at home, and as the vapid live streams begin to dwindle, the desire for a loud, fast, and loose rock'n'roll sound has never been greater. Well look no further folks, LYSOL are more than just a flammable aerosol cleaner, they're the sonic catalyst for destruction. A frequent fixture on the Seattle and Olympia scenes, Lysol have steadily made a name for themselves - not only through a stack of previous singles and demos, but as an exceptional live band. "Soup for My Family", the debut Lysol album, is exactly the moment we've all been waiting for. There's nothing held back in these eleven tracks, not an ounce of bullshit. It's a furious flurry of punk, hardcore, and garage rock. You can practically feel the calloused fingers that created these abrasive guitar licks and powerful rhythm pocket running right up against the most psycho, in-the-red vocals this side of Iggy or Teengenerate. A wailing sax (compliments of former Milk Music-ian Dave Harvey) sends "Soup for My Family" off into the cosmos - and if you can put yourself back together after that, the turntable may as well stay set at 45 so you can flip this sucker over and remember why you fell in love with rock'n'roll in the first place. "Soup for My Family" is packaged in a full color gatefold jacket adorned with the original artwork of Lysol's own Xtine Lundberg, plus lyric insert, download code, and hype sticker.

[engl] "From the same Chicago freaks that brought you TARANTÜLA, CÜLO, and BLEEDING GUMS, comes the debut album from MAN-EATERS. ""Gentle Ballads for the Simple Soul"" sits at the perfect crossroads of ugly '81 LA punk/HC (think ""The Decline"" or ""Hell Comes to Your House"") and glammy mid-70's American hard rock. We're talking high quality stuff like the first albums from KISS or BANG! MAN-EATERS combine the precision and drive of golden era US hardcore/punk with the fluid riffing and driving rhythms of 70's hard rock, perhaps bordering on NWOBHM territory as well. Like a sonic shot of Malört, MAN-EATERS' rugged debut roars out of the gate and sits heavier with each spin. Packaged with heavyweight 24pt. jacket featuring incredible full color original artwork from MAN-EATERS' own Drügface and an 11""x17"" color poster."

[engl] The flourishing Eastern European post-punk scene has given way to a boom of dark, rhythmic, and powerful new activity. One of the most original and captivating artists to recently emerge from this scene is Kiev, Ukraine's Morwan. The solo project of Alex Ashtaui, Morwan evolved from an earlier post-punk project, 563 (Pyat'shest'tri). Searching for a new direction, Ashtaui circled back to his half-Ukrainian, half-Arab roots, arriving at the perfect crossroads - a sonic aesthetic informed by both ethic tradition and the familiar territory of dark, driving post-punk. Ashtaui cites additional influence from contemporary Russian groups Utro and Shortparis, as well as the industrial/experimental sounds of Swans. Zola-Zemlya, Morwan's second release, is an exceptionally original piece of work. It is an album that reaches to the furthest corners of post-punk, further revealing a deep connection to the ethnic sounds of both Arabic and Slavic tradition. There is a profound reverence for nature in Morwan's lyrics - as Ashtaui best explains, "The nature in songs acts as a fundamental force, a given from which you cannot escape. With the help of metaphors associated specifically with nature I tell about some of my personal experiences and stories." Zola-Zemlya is equal parts primitive and contemporary, as traditional Middle Eastern instrumentation and structures are woven through driving, modern post-punk rhythms. Morwan's genius shines across all five tracks, a sound both genre-expansive and futuristic.

[engl] Santa Ana, CA's NASA Space Universe have spent the last decade or so careening wildly through space, both inner and outer, to bring us undeserving scumfucks the most intense, unorthodox hardcore this side of the solar system. Alas, the mighty starship NSU has gone the way of the Challenger Space Shuttle, exploding gloriously upon this, their final launch. What remains, culled from the wreckage, are the ten songs that make up 70 AD, their final EP. Ten scorched, sweat-drenched paeans to paranoia, bad trips, and brute force, an unholy amalgamation of all the disparate strands of punk/hardcore that you dig (be it Japanese/Swedish hardcore, early SST, later SST when everyone was smoking dope and listening to Deep Purple, fringe shit like No Trend, you name it) filtered through the manic mindsets of four literate, completely reprehensible dudes who could give a fuck what you dig. 70 AD eschews the studio sheen of some of their past releases for what could serve as a perfect encapsulation of the NSU live experience, minus the potential for missing teeth and bloodied beaks. Essential listening that serves as both a fitting send off and a stern rebuke to those who slept on this mighty, mighty band of reprobates.

[engl] Second pressing 100 copies on GOLD vinyl. Cleveland's PLEASURE LEFTISTS return with "The Gate", a new ten song album of cathartic, riveting post-punk excellence. The long-running group, comprised of veteran players in the Clevo scene, have turned in what is arguably their best recorded output - and the first since 2015's "The Woods of Heaven". For "The Gate", PL ventured out to Portland, OR in March 2019 to record on tape with Stan Wright (Arctic Flowers) - and the results are massive. Those familiar with previous PL material will immediately feel reacquainted with the group's masterful arrangements and cool, confident execution - a style that draws from the early British post-punk classics on labels like 4AD and Factory Records, but retains an organic, original sound that few contemporary acts harness. While "The Gate" undoubtedly benefits from the best studio sound of any PL release to date, the musicianship is what makes this album feel like an absolutely classic piece of work. The tones are perfect - almost as though Greg Sage dialed them in for a Wipers record. You'll immediately be taken by Haley Morris's vocal range and projection, which shines across the entire album and is absolute next level work. The sheer artistic quality of the songwriting is propelled along in perfect rhythm, as the guitar and bass play off of each other wonderfully, beginning the album with "In Dreams", which sets the tense and urgent nature of the tracks that follow. "The Return" dials the pace back slightly, allowing room for one of Morris's most memorable vocal patterns. As "Phenomenon" emerges from cold drone to begin the second half of the album, it quickly becomes apparent that PL have crafted a master work here. "Dancing in the Dark" could be a lost Homostupids track adapted to PL's sensibilities, followed along by the charging title track, and the gripping closer, "The Sign". Pleasure Leftists leave us with a phenomenal batch of tracks on "The Gate" - a gleaming, timeless piece of work.

[engl] "POWER is - and has been the real deal for quite some time. This single serves not only as a testament to that fact, but showcases two of POWER's best creations yet. Like thunder rips across the sky, the pounding drums on ‘The Fool’ signal the oncoming storm of slashing rock and roll. The single sees POWER explore a side of band which has always been simmering beneath the surface - and it seems the time was right for them to unleash these raw new tunes without holding back. Pure electric guitar damage from this most formidable three-piece. With the ‘The Fool’ cutting a figure which could’ve been found backstage at a show headlined by Venom and The Stooges, the flip, 'Give It All To Me’ displays a range of heavier melodies intoned by 80’s cult groups such as Wicked Lady and Iron Claw. POWER have stayed true to themselves and continued to ride towards to the storm."