Kids In The Hall Volume 1 – Die Hipster! Records
Die Hipster! Records is a new, or at least, new to me record company.
They describe themselves as a “short run label out of New Haven, Connecticut concentrating on garage and punk bands.”
I must confess- I don’t know what “short run” means unless it refers to- “Let’s make a short run to the liquor store for more beer”, which even that I don’t understand.
Because to be short of beer would be equivalent to me as being short of air, or short of water or short of bathroom facilities.
(The last, you know, to facilitate in the drinking of such beer.)
But even more fascinating is that I only review one other record company’s compilations and that’s Vicious Mistress Records, who are also from Connecticut.
But Good Golly Miss Molly! A Womp Bomp a Loo Bomp A Womp Bam Boom!
This small record company not only has releases from great “Corn etiquette” punk bands such as The Ratz, Damn Broads, Cry Havoc and Easy Killer. They also have great Western Mass bands such as Marko Bruiser plus The Stiletto Bombs and from Maine the wonderful Scotty Saints & The True Believers.
I have a hunch that Jeffrey Thunders from The Ratz and The Lost City Riots is behind all of this.
I have no proof but I have turned all evidence I’ve acquired over to the proper authorities, who have promised to investigate and prosecute to the full extent of the law.
Let’s now investigate this compilation:
“Neoprene Daydream” by Casual Burn, one of my favorite bands on this comp, reminds me of such much loved early female fronted punk bands such as X-Ray Spec, The Avengers and Sonic Youth. There’s also a great chaos/freak out section instead of the usual breakdown in this great tune.
Chinese Junk sounds like an early punk band in the Ramones/Heartbreakers style. But instead of being derivative they instead suggest a band that slipped through the cracks back then, that you are just discovering now. “Best Before Date” and “Cheaper Than You” have poppy, snarling vocals, too loud snarling guitars, and boppin’, rockin’ beats that accentuate tremendous songs.
“Drop Down Gator” by Devils Teeth sports some echoey, lo-fi, distorted production with sixties music chord changes and a melodic vocal that makes me think of bands like The Cult and Sister Of Mercy, both of whom I don’t like very much. But hey! Here it works fine for me. Maybe because this is more like a collaboration between The Cramps and Bauhaus.
Dollar Draft’s “I Notice That You’re Old” makes me notice that this is authentic punk’n’roll meaning a great match of punk, garage and gritty rock’n’roll that rocks and kicks ass magnificently.
Freddie And The Vangrails “Electrocution” is an Oi song taken at hardcore speed full of energy, full of fun, that propels like a pinball crashing the sides of the machine to win many extra games. Great song, play again!
“Indenadfin” by Cabeza sounds like an industrial/hardcore number and also, like a collaboration between Ministry, Suicide and Iggy & The Stooges. Most original song on this comp and one of the best.
LJ & The Sleeze “I’m Bad” is just a wondrous mix of garage, punk and sixties sleaze and is not bad at all, in fact it’s very good.
“Robbery” by Songbirds is a terrific, strange mix of psychedelia, Oi and hardcore- kinda like Henry Rollins fronting The Strawberry Alarm Clock. “Everybody stay cool, everybody stay calm” is far from comforting as the vocals spiral out in hysterics as the groovy keyboards glide around majestically.
The Morphics “Gotta Get Me (Outta My Head) has a neat sixties guitar lick, some spooky Farfisa organ and a vocal that recalls Jello Biafra. This could have been the Dead Kennedy’s playing at a much slower speed.
I used to say to a coworker when I had to leave to take a piss, that I had to “milk my lizard.” She was fine with this explanation and once replied to someone who had called for me, “Oh, he’s not here right now. He said he had to go milk his lizard.”
The song “Sea Vixen” by The Milk Lizards is a great instrumental tune that sounds like a bizarre mix of flamenco and surf.
Lotsa sixties influenced garage and seventies influenced punk bands on this comp, which is right up my alley.
(I like to use old phrases that are possibly incomprehensible now, to the young).
But there’s also a bit of experimental/noise music here, as well.
I’ve always felt that any music that steps outside the barriers, that colors outside the lines, is inherently punk.
So this comp is just another firecracker of noise and sounds, words and energy that is lit in your ears and explodes when ignited with a flash of excitement, joy and belief within you.
And though I’m not lighting the fireworks.
I am trying to point you towards where they might occur, where they might be displayed, like on this compilation.
You see, that’s just part of my job.
(Slimedog)
