Unicorn Dogs - Chaotic Neutral

Spoiler alert: I'm working on my "Best of 2024" mega-post, and Unicorn Dogs are going to be mentioned in the top albums list. It seems I may need to make some space in my top EPs list as well! As much as I like pop-punk, I seldom show pop-punk bands much love on my year-end lists. But to me, Unicorn Dogs are a pop-punk band who transcend genre. They're just a great band, period. They write meaningful, anthemic songs about the things that matter in life, and they play them with heart, guts, and passion. They've also released some really cool concept records like a single devoted to the roleplaying game Against the Gloom and the autumn-themed double A-sider Harvest Moon. Their new EP Chaotic Neutral is also based on a theme: all four of these songs are about fantasy games of various types. 

You have to appreciate a punk band that puts the same level of care and urgency into a song about role-playing games as it does into one of its regular songs. These songs are full of all of Unicorn Dogs' usual signatures: efficient songwriting, massive sing-along choruses, impassioned vocals, clever lyrics, and melodies to die for. What I love about this EP is that it celebrates nerdom in the most joyful way. What fun would life be if we didn't have things to geek out over? I say this as a man who writes hundreds of record reviews every year, circles seasonal craft beer releases on the calendar, and obsesses over fantasy football. So I was delighted to discover that fantasy football was one of the topics covered on Chaotic Neutral. "My Little Football Guys" is so hilarious and dead-on that I might feel attacked if I didn't think the song was written from a place of love. I also like that "Core Earth" is ostensibly about the role-playing game Torg but most likely has a political subtext. I'm always a sucker for an extended metaphor. Whether you're into fantasy games or not, this EP is highly recommended to any fan of Unicorn Dogs or great pop-punk in general. All proceeds will go towards a vinyl release for the band's most excellent album Age Typical Junk Behavior!

-L.R.

https://unicorndogs.bandcamp.com/album/chaotic-neutral

Unicorn Dogs - "Harvest Moon"

Having already released one of the year's best albums, Unicorn Dogs are giving us bonus awesomeness with their new single. There are few things I love more than the fall, so naturally a fall-themed single is going to be right up my alley. "Lycanthrope" is probably literally about becoming a werewolf, but there's part of me that suspects the song could be a metaphor for how we become hardened by the cruelty of humanity. Either way, it's a freaking awesome song. When it comes to playing gritty yet immensely catchy pop-punk that makes you want to pump your fist in the air and sing along at the top of your lungs, Unicorn Dogs are as good as it gets. On the B-side, "COVID Thanksgiving" might sound like a potentially humorous song. But it's actually completely serious. The song conveys how much it sucks to have a major holiday completely ruined because you and/or your family members have COVID. This is a great example of why Unicorn Dogs are such a relatable band. They write honest, straight-from-the-heart songs about real life stuff. There are few things worse than suffering in isolation with your hot tea while the rest of America gorges on stuffing and mashed potatoes. Man, the pandemic was the worst! But Unicorn Dogs are the absolute best for gifting us with this seasonal special. Procure your favorite pumpkin-spiced beverage, put on a light sweater, and crank this thing on repeat!

-L.R.

https://unicorndogs.bandcamp.com/album/harvest-moon
https://open.spotify.com/album/5UuDT4vuqwyzFw1Ps1yj4K

Unicorn Dogs - Age Typical Junk Behavior

Back in March, I predicted that Unicorn Dogs' debut full-length Age Typical Junk Behavior would join the growing list of  "A+ pop-punk albums" released this year. For once, I turned out to be right about something! To recap, two-thirds of Baltimore-based Unicorn Dogs used to be two-thirds of Charlie Brown Gets a Valentine. But while there's some similarity between the two bands, Unicorn Dogs are miles beyond what CBGaV was. There's nothing particularly novel or complicated about what Unicorn Dogs do, but perhaps that's the whole point. They play gritty, straight-forward pop-punk, and they put tremendous heart & soul into it. Their songs are simple in terms of both structure and the approach to recording. Yet you won't find a band with catchier, more memorable pop-punk tunes. I appreciate that there are two songwriter/vocalists, and I like them equally. That's a little reminiscent of Husker Du for me, and I would guess that Husker Du is somewhat of an influence on Unicorn Dogs. You can feel the passion and energy that went into these songs, and the lyrics are thoughtful and super-relatable. This, my friends, is pop-punk for grown-ups —and it's freaking amazing. Was I practically in tears the first time I heard "You Would Have Known Better"? Of course I was! Surely I can relate to "Screwed Together" way more deeply than I can relate to any pop-punk song I liked 25 years ago. Age Typical Junk Behavior is an absolutely perfect pop-punk album. Only one song exceeds two minutes, and every track makes me want to pump my fist and shout along like my life depended on it. Over the course of this album, the band reflects on topics such as revenge, parenthood, work, marriage, overcoming adversity, the shortcomings of humanity, alienation, and the inevitability of death. To reverse-paraphrase Morrissey, the music Unicorn Dogs play says a lot to me about my life. 

-L.R.

https://unicorndogs.bandcamp.com/album/age-typical-junk-behavior

Unicorn Dogs - "Dumb Stuff"/"Screwed Together"

Unicorn Dogs are totally a breath of fresh air in the pop-punk scene. The Baltimore-based trio has released two singles in advance of its forthcoming album Age Typical Junk Behavior, and I just can't stop listening to these tracks! Two-thirds of Unicorn Dogs were two-thirds of Charlie Brown Gets a Valentine, so you probably have some idea of what to expect. But while Unicorn Dogs share certain characteristics with CBGaV, this is a different band with a different vibe. These guys are still doing gritty pop-punk, but they're writing shorter and catchier songs with lyrics that are freaking amazing. These two singles tackle serious subject matter like marriage, parenthood, and other heavy adult stuff. They approach these topics with honesty, a sense of humor, and a remarkable relatability. Check out "You Would Have Known Better" for an example of how powerful songwriting doesn't have to be complicated songwriting. I'm not crying — you're crying! We've already had a couple of A+ pop-punk albums in 2024, and now another seems imminent. 

-L.R.

https://unicorndogs.bandcamp.com/album/dumb-stuff

The Airport 77s - We Realize You Have a Choice

I didn't want to make any puns about The Airport 77s "taking flight" or "reaching new heights" on their new album We Realize You Have a Choice (out today on the world-famous JEM Records). But then I read the press release about how this album "finds the fly boys of power pop spreading their wings" and thought, "Yeah, that totally nails it!" The Airport 77s (guitarist Andy Sullivan, bassist Chuck Dolan, and drummer John Kelly) have graduated to four-stripe status on their proper full-length debut. If you didn't already know there was more to this D.C. area trio than new wave nostalgia and hilarious costumes, you'll find out soon enough once you push play. We Realize You Have a Choice is packed with hits from front to back. I feel it would be reckless of me to say that this is the best album JEM has ever released. So I'll show some proper restraint and just say that JEM has never released anything better than this. 

The name of the album is funny largely because it's true: the choices for a music consumer in 2022 are literally limitless. There's so much music out there competing for your time, attention, and disposable income. You will be well-served to give all of the above to We Realize You Have a Choice — one of the finest power pop/rock albums to come out in quite some time. This release proves that the best way to make a power pop album is to not make a power pop album. Don't get me wrong: this release features a couple of perfect power pop songs. Latest single "One Good Thing About Summer" has been tearing up the indie radio charts for weeks, and "All Torn Up Over Tina" (co-written by Kelly and the great J.P. McDermott) could pass for a lost classic from the early '80s. But rather than supplement these A+ power pop songs with lesser power pop songs (as many, many bands do), The Airport 77s have elected to apply their mastery of hummable melodies, clever wordplay, and earworm choruses to a variety of musical styles. Are you feeling some '80s AOR pop-rock? Could you dig a synth-pop dance track? How about a little arena rock, lounge pop, indie rock, hard rock, and even a birthday song? The Airport 77s can fly you anywhere you want! 

We Realize You Have a Choice is that rare album where there's no drop-off from a great single. The aforementioned birthday song, "Birthday Girl," has all the makings of a new standard. One part sweet love song and one part party anthem, it's destined to become a staple of birthday girls' nights out everywhere. I love how the song comes on unassumingly enough and then just knocks you out with that chorus! Bar owners: get this song on your playlist, and you will sell drinks galore! "Losers Win," which packs an entire short story into three and a half minutes of massively catchy rock and roll, also highlights the band's flair for epic choruses. "Somebodies," with its stacked lead vocals and anthemic feel, sounds like something that could have been on the radio back in the '80s — when pop music still moved small-town kids to dream big. That line "I'll never be nobody with somebody like you" could have been cheesy, but The Airport 77s make it sound genuinely inspirational. Plus it models how to properly use a double negative. "The Way She Moves" takes things into full-on hard rock territory and is genuinely awesome. "Bad Together" would not sound out of place on the Valley Girl soundtrack. "Alone Together" has made me a believer in jazz-influenced power pop (Yeah! Really!). Back in storytelling mode, "Drinking Alone" finds its heartbroken protagonist spiraling towards rock bottom — but bouncing back to a regular shaving routine and a steady diet of wheatgrass smoothies and spinach shakes. Did I mention something about earworm choruses? Bonus points must be awarded for an REM reference that doubles as a DC–adjacent geography joke. 

With We Realize You Have a Choice, The Airport 77s have made a rock album for people who love power pop. Or is it a power pop album for people who love rock? This release has it all: should-be radio hits, arena-sized rockers, and even some stellar deep cuts ("Since the Circus Left Town" snuck its way into my brain and has been residing there for weeks). It captures the essence of classic music from the '70s and '80s without getting itself stuck there. If you'd like to hear some great pop-rock made by stellar musicians and singers, you'll want to book your reservation in short order. Every seat on this flight is first class.

-L.R.

https://theairport77s.bandcamp.com/album/we-realize-you-have-a-choice
https://open.spotify.com/album/473ALGFe1Sm3vkcr3nhFKG

https://music.apple.com/us/album/we-realize-you-have-a-choice/1634682626

https://www.amazon.com/We-Realize-You-Have-Choice/dp/B0B71Y5CDN
http://www.airport77s.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TheAirport77s/
https://www.instagram.com/theairport77s/
https://www.jemrecordings.com/
https://www.facebook.com/people/Jem-Records/100063542772461/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh4Lksh6LQ4Q97XNut59PAQ

The Airport 77s - "One Good Thing About Summer"

The Airport 77s, authors of one of my favorite albums of last year, are set to release a new LP titled We Realize You Have A Choice on the illustrious JEM Records. I first heard The Airport 77s in January of last year, which for some reason now feels like a million years ago. Since then, the Maryland-based power pop trio has released a couple of singles for JEM and contributed to the label's recent tribute to Pete Townshend. In advance of the new album, the band has a brand-new single out called "One Good Thing About Summer." In keeping with the band's clever lyrical style, "One Good Thing About Summer" proceeds to list a litany of things about summer that actually suck (and it's hard for me to disagree with most of them!). Yet at a deeper level, this is an exceptionally sweet love song. You have to love a tune that manages to tug at the old heartstrings and make you laugh out loud. This song could easily be mistaken for some hidden gem of early '80s power pop that you never heard before. Legend has it that The Airport 77s formed over a shared love of The Jags' "Back of My Hand" and 20/20's "Nuclear Boy." "One Good Thing About Summer" would slot perfectly between those two songs on a playlist. That hook is a thing of beauty: so simple yet so undeniably, unstoppably catchy. It will make you wanna buy the full album, which you will have the opportunity to do starting on September 30th!

-L.R.

http://www.airport77s.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TheAirport77s
https://www.instagram.com/theairport77s/
https://www.facebook.com/Jem-Records-607560186079388/
https://www.jemrecordings.com/
https://open.spotify.com/album/6rz0IhBQyOJE18eP85LzIm
https://theairport77s.bandcamp.com/
https://orcd.co/realizechoice77

The Airport 77s - "Losers Win"

Look who's back! On the very first day of 2021, The Airport 77s self-released Rotation -- which remains one of my most highly rated albums of the year. This fantastic power pop trio from Silver Spring, Maryland recently signed with the legendary JEM Records. Now there's a match made in heaven! Out today, the band's JEM debut is comprised of two digital tracks -- "Losers Win" and "The Illustrated Book of Cupid". Written by guitarist Andy Sullivan, both songs highlight this band's flair for harmony-laden power pop with big hooks and witty lyrics. My first reaction to these tracks was that they totally rock! If you like your power pop with equal parts power and pop, you should already be cranking up "Losers Win"! I dig the way this song builds slowly to a knockout chorus that's gonna be stuck in my head for the rest of the year at the very least. Somehow this song squeezes a novel's worth of storytelling into three and a half minutes. Check out this snippet:

He's got a photo with Sammy Hagar

And a tattoo says, Aloha

He's got a scar that runs from his elbow to his watch

Hung up on the baby sitter

Stepping in your kitty litter box

He got it in his socks

Now that, my friends, is true poetry! 

On the digital "flipside", "The Illustrated Book of Cupid" is a clever & hard-rocking love song that worships at the sacred altar of Cheap Trick (How stoked are Airports 77s to be on the same record label that first imported Live At Budokan to the U.S.? ). Is it just me, or do I hear cowbell and handclaps? Never underestimate the importance of percussion!

It was a tremendous surprise to discover that The Airport 77s had joined forces with one of my favorite record labels. And "Losers Win" sure does not disappoint! Whether you consider this one two-song single or two separate singles (Who can really tell these days?), this is a formidable pair of songs from one of the hottest up-and-coming bands on the power pop scene. If you're headed to International Pop Overthrow in New York next month, you can catch The Airport 77s on night three with label mates The Grip Weeds and the Anderson Council!

-L.R.

https://theairport77s.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TheAirport77s
http://www.jemrecordings.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Jem-Records-607560186079388

The Prostitutes - "Shapeshift"

When it comes to all of the things that are cool about music blogging, it does not get any cooler than having the opportunity to write about the almighty Prostitutes in the year 2021! I came up in the later '90s era of punk rock and will forever insist that The Prostitutes were the greatest punk group of that period. After the band's first and second breakups, I lamented that this musical force of nature had been silenced forever with so much more left to give. But with the tenacity of a cockroach, Kevin McGovern has re-grouped The Prostitutes time and time again in different locales with different lineups. And the one thing that has remained unchanged through it all is the quality and the power of the music. Out on Last Punkers Records, the band's new EP "Shapeshift" is its first vinyl release since 2009. It took six months to record and probably even longer to be pressed due to COVID-related delays. But it was well worth the wait and will disappoint absolutely no one. 

Much like The Prostitutes' recent digital releases ("Shake Rattle Die", "Nineteen", "Cheap Highs"), "Shapeshift" retains the fire and the ferocity of The Prostitutes' vintage recordings while adding modern production touches and the kind of sophisticated songwriting approach you'd expect from a seasoned veteran of the punk scene. Dark and raging but also catchy and tuneful, "Shapeshift" is everything you could want from a Prostitutes song. On the B-side are two more ace tracks: the moody, hard-hitting "Needle In the Red" and the fierce, blistering "Rat Race". Vinyl is limited to 300 copies (50 on black and 250 and violet) and is sure to go fast. If you've been waiting a decade plus for the return of The Prostitutes to your turntable, satisfaction is guaranteed! And when it comes to that voice, there's nothing else like it in the punk world! 

It's still hard for me to believe that my first Prostitutes review was written 25 years ago. If you had told me back then that Kevin would still have this band going in the dystopian future of 2021 and would still be making records this good, I would have sworn you were insane! Click here to order the vinyl!

-L.R.

https://theprostitutes1.bandcamp.com/album/shapeshift
https://www.facebook.com/tutespunk/
https://lastpunkrockersrecords.bigcartel.com/

The Airport 77s - Rotation

The Airport 77s had me with the mere mention that they formed over a shared love of The Jags' "Back of My Hand" and 20/20's "Nuclear Boy"! This trio comprised of Chuck Dolan (bass), Andy Sullivan (guitar), and John Kelly (drums) is based out of the D.C. area and just released its debut album Rotation on the first day of this new year. Unsurprisingly, Rotation is an album steeped in classic power pop. But what I appreciate about The Airport 77s is that their clever humor and eagerness to rock out provide a refreshing twist on this musical style. The influences are discernible, but Rotation doesn't come off like an album I've heard a thousand times before. This is a band that brings not just great hooks, but also a lot of personality. 

The 1-2 punch that opens Rotation is particularly impressive. Both tracks demonstrate this band's knack for building songs around humorous yet fully relatable concepts. "Christine's Coming Over" is about a guy who ponders cleaning up his house - and perhaps his entire life - in advance of a big date. "(When You're Kissing On Me Do You Think Of) James McAvoy" is pretty self-explanatory. With a title like that, the song had a lot to live up to. But it does not disappoint. Who among us has not pondered the possibility that our significant others would leave us for a dashing actor - and perhaps even sink to the depths of embracing creme brulee and Coldplay? Off to such a formidable start, Rotation continues to please in numerous ways. "Shannon Speaks", which tells the story of a "mysterious, unconscious visitor who might provide the skeleton key to the modern era", sounds like something off of the Valley Girl soundtrack. "Wild Love" is full-on Cheap Trick worship executed to arena-rocking perfection. "All The Way", a tale of a summer romance culminating in the back seat, is accurately described as "the Raspberries meets .38 Special". "Bad Mom!" savagely spoofs the high drama of the modern-day PTA/soccer mom scene. "Girl Of My Dreams" is a wonderfully faithful cover of the Bram Tchaikovsky classic - a song that so fascinated drummer John Kelly that he once flew to England to interview its author Ronnie Thomas. 

It would be impossible for me to not like a band that aspires to write original material good enough to follow "Jessie's Girl" in its live set. And of course I quickly identified The Airport 77s as kindred spirits who like me have invested countless hours of their lives perusing musty stacks of vinyl in search of Artful Dodger LPs. But what I really admire is how this band takes that late '70s/early '80s power pop influence in its own unique direction. Rotation strikes a perfect balance between songs that make me laugh and songs that embrace the visceral horniness of the arena rock of yore. If the best power pop is always fundamentally rock and roll, then The Airport 77s pass the test for sure. You know I never like to go too far into a year without identifying an early album of the year contender. So I'll slide Rotation into my #1 spot and make it the one to beat. Hands down, the best album of the past 14 days! 

-L.R.

https://theairport77s.bandcamp.com/album/rotation
https://www.facebook.com/TheAirport77s/
http://airport77s.com/

The Prostitutes - Nineteen

I recently did a Facebook post asking people to name "the five greatest punk rock bands from the state of Pennsylvania". As far as those types of posts go, I usually let my friends do the talking and withhold my own opinions. I'm actually thinking about doing a full top ten list that I'll publish here. But I will tell you this: my #1 greatest Pennsylvanian punk band, without a doubt, is The Prostitutes. That might have even been true if the band had broken up 20 years ago. But I continue to be awed and inspired by the amazing music Kevin McGovern continues to turn out under The Prostitutes name - now 23 years after the release of the band's debut single.

Now based in Baltimore, The Prostitutes in their latest incarnation are a tight power trio also featuring JR Matthew on guitar and Barry Jewels on drums. The recent digital single "Cheap Highs" was a clear indicator that the 2019 version of The Prostitutes are a major force to be reckoned with! In short order, the band is back with another outstanding single that's available as a name your price download from Bandcamp. "Nineteen" is like the older, wiser counterpart to the band's classic song "Twenty-Two". It's a tale of aimlessness, dead-end employment, and rampant chemical abuse. Except in this case, the lyrics come from a place of perspective and reflection. I think most of us have those moments where we look back upon on our younger selves and think, "What in the hell was I doing?!". If you're a great artist like Kevin McGovern, you turn those thoughts into a song. This is exactly the kind of music you would hope to hear from a punk band nearing the quarter century mark of its existence. Lyrically and musically, it's informed by life experience and personal growth. Yet it still rages with a passion and purpose. Kevin doesn't rest on his past glories. Working with his new band mates and kindred spirit producer Tim Shock, he's moving forward! But don't for a minute think that means that he's fully retired his notorious nasty streak. "Not Around" is full of the blunt truth-telling and eloquent tongue-lashings that have been a Kevin McGovern signature for years. And it just straight-up rocks! "Now I'm leaving town/Low budget hearse in reverse" just might be the line of the year. This song is vintage Prostitutes, yet it feels updated for the musical landscape of 2019 punk rock.

If you had told 25-year-old me that I'd be reviewing The Prostitutes in 2019, I would have said, "No fucking way!" I certainly didn't foresee myself still writing about punk records when I was pushing 50, and I probably didn't foresee The Prostitutes making it out of the '90s alive. Yet here we are, and one thing that's become clear to me through the years is that punk rock is not something that people "outgrow". Over 40 is probably the median age of the people who read this blog and the members of bands I write about! I can sit here with a straight face and tell you I'm genuinely excited about The Prostitutes future. Whether you're a longtime fan or just hearing this band for the first time, "Nineteen" is essential listening.



-L.R.

https://theprostitutes1.bandcamp.com/album/nineteen-not-around
https://www.facebook.com/tutespunk

The Prostitutes - "Cheap Highs"

Can I name another band besides The Prostitutes that I've been touting for the entire span of my years reviewing music? I don't think so! My first review of The Prostitutes dates back to 1996 (it was the band's debut 7" on Pelado Records). The Prostitutes would go on to become perhaps my favorite punk band of the '90s. And although I left them for dead a time or two or three, Kevin McGovern has managed to sustain this veritable institution of American punk rock through numerous changes in personnel and relocations from the East Coast to the Midwest to the West Coast and back to the East Coast. And even with all of those changes, the one thing that remains the same is that The Prostitutes still sound like The Prostitutes! The band's most recent EP Don't Want A Future (2017) is one of the strongest releases in its catalog. Now with new band-mates JR Matthew (guitar) and Barry Jewels (drums), McGovern has The Prostitutes back and sounding as good as ever. A new EP is in the works, as is a split 7" with the mighty Pegs. "Cheap Highs" is a little taste of what's to come - recorded earlier this month in the band's current home base of Baltimore with Don't Want A Future producer Tim Schock. I'd describe this track as "classic Prostitutes" with that modern edge to the guitars that Schock is so skilled at capturing. You hear that voice, and you immediately know what band you're listening to. And with lines like "self destructive pose/the midnight show/an image that always cracks", you're getting the sort of poetry that could only have come from the mind of Kevin McGovern. If you're a longtime fan, you should be so stoked for this song! And if The Prostitutes are still new to you, you would be wise to dive into the Bandcamp page and discover one of the greatest punk bands of the last 25 years. Stay tuned for more!



-L.R.

https://theprostitutes1.bandcamp.com/track/cheap-highs 
https://www.facebook.com/tutespunk 

Ravagers - "Drowning In Blood"

One of my favorite labels going these days is Spaghetty Town Records. I dig the label's unrelenting commitment to trashy rock n' roll, and I'm continually impressed with the talent it manages to recruit. With the likes of The Sweet Things and Dr. Boogie already on board, Spaghetty Town has added the mighty Ravagers to its formidable roster. This band, of course, features Hagen from RMBLR and Gabs from Biters. "Drowning In Blood" is the first we've heard from this Baltimore foursome in three years, and it does not disappoint! The title track puts the ROCK in punk rock. Those guitars are absolutely on fire, and Hagen's vocals are straight-up ferocious. What a ripper! On the flip, "Suzi (Has An Uzi)" is more on the pure punk side with a nasty Dead Boys style edge to it.

In addition to Spaghetty Town, No Front Teeth and Gods Candy Records are also involved with the release of "Drowning In Blood". It's great to finally hear new stuff from Ravagers, and I was stoked to discover that a full album is coming soon. If you like your punk music tough and hard, turn it up and enjoy!


  
-L.R.

https://ravagers.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/ravagersgang/ 
https://spaghettytownrecords.bigcartel.com/ 
http://www.nofrontteeth.co.uk/ 

Ravagers rip it up!

The one thing I've learned from doing this blog is that it's impossible for me to know about all of the great music that's out there. Sometimes I'll "discover" a band that's already been killing it for several years, and it makes me feel like an idiot! Take Ravagers. Here's this amazing band operating less than 60 miles from my house, sounding like the new millennium's Dead Boys. Sounds like something I should know about, right? Well, somehow I missed the boat on a phenomenal EP called Livin In Oblivion that dates back to 2013. Woops! To atone for my failures, I hope to be one of the first from the blog ranks to herald the arrival of the new Ravagers EP. It's called Natural Instinct, and it's out on Rock&Rule Records. Rock& Rule is a new label from the makers of Pork magazine. If this label was hoping to launch itself with a bang, Ravagers were the perfect choice for a debut release! This EP absolutely rips!

Hailing from the great city of Baltimore, Ravagers play a dirty, street-hard brand of punk rock n' roll that combines pure aggression with a strong sense of melody. Natural Instinct blasts off with a couple of all-out smashers in "Just Another Rat" and the completely ferocious title track. If you like your punk music with a whiff of danger and mean street attitude, this is the noise you've been craving! Subsequent tracks like "Termination" and "Lost Cause" slow down the pace a little but hit just as hard. If you're a Dead Boys/Thunders/Stooges freak like me or dig newer bands such as The Disconnects, you ought to be majorly pumped for a sonic kick in the teeth from Ravagers. This, my friends, is first class sleaze! And if you missed out on Livin In Oblivion like I did, that's a completely essential purchase as well. Get on it!
 


-L.R.

https://ravagers.bandcamp.com/album/natural-instinct
https://www.facebook.com/ravagersgang
https://www.facebook.com/ROCKANDRULERECORDS
http://goblinkomegamall.com/
http://rockandrulerecords.bandcamp.com/

Remembering: American Punk Records

Although this blog exists ostensibly to promote "new" music, one of the fun things I've been doing is going back into the past and celebrating some of the bands and record labels that were around when I first started doing zines back in the '90s. One of the best labels of that mid-to-late '90s punk heyday was American Punk Records out of Baltimore. Run by Jakkpot lead singer Rudy "Rude A" Castello, A.P.R. released three Jakkpot singles along with seven-inches from like-minded bands such as the Candy Snatchers and Strychnine Babies. The label also released music by perhaps my three favorite bands of the '90s - the Dimestore Haloes, Fuses, and Prostitutes. If not as prolific or as long-lived as some of the other top punk labels of its time, American Punk was every bit as cool!

My personal story with American Punk Records starts in 1996 with a pair of singles by a Baltimore band called Webster. These were two of the best pop-punk singles of the entire '90s, but for whatever reason Webster didn't catch on with "the kids". But Webster would soon re-group as The Fuses, and the rest is history. Released late in 1997, The Fuses' debut Dress for the New Bomb still rates in my book as the best punk single of the entire '90s. And it came hot on the heels of one of The Prostitutes' greatest singles, Living Wreck. 1998 brought not only The Fuses' legendary full-length, I Wanna Burn, but also the classic Shooting Stars EP from the Haloes. Talk about a hot streak! American Punk Records would eventually cease operations after the breakup of Jakkpot, but no doubt the label had one hell of a five or six-year run. The label roster still reads like a who's-who of east coast/mid-Atlantic punk bands circa '95-2000. Some are rightfully perceived as legendary, and others probably should be (remember The Goons?). What follows is, I think, a complete list of official American Punk releases. If you happen to discover any of these titles in your travels, do not hesitate to buy!

Jakkpot- Just One Fix 7" (1995)
Jakkpot- You Ain't Shit 7" (1996)
Webster- Static 7" (1996)
Webster- 1000 Letters 7" (1996)
Candy Snatchers- Bum Me Out 7" (1996)
Jakkpot- Hit Or Miss 7" (1997)
Prostitutes- Living Wreck 7" (1997)
The Fuses- Dress for the New Bomb 7" (1997)
Dimestore Haloes- Shooting Stars 7" (1998)
Strychnine Babies- Kill Society 7" (1998)
Various Artists- This Is American Punk CD compilation (1998)
The Fuses- I Wanna Burn (CD 1998, LP 1999)
The Goons- No Leaders CD (2000)

-L.R.