ALBUM OF THE WEEK

Crossed Out '1990-1993' LP, 2000 Slap a Ham Records

Well this shit right here rules. In my quest to adequately represent the whole powerviolence thing on here, this Crossed Out LP is crucial to the dialogue. All the material on this cinder block to the head was recorded between 1990 and 1993, firstly. To repeat myself from earlier reviews, Infest, Crossed Out, Man is the Bastard, they are some grandfathers of the shit. Mid 80s thrash all fucked up and shot out of a machine gun directly into your face. I hesitate to describe shit like this, it gets thrown around too much but really hits the nail on the head- this band is brutal. So harsh that it is straight nasty. But in the most beautiful way possible. Mind bending hardcore in pretty much one of the finest and most potent rages ever, from Encinitas, CA. As it happened long ago and has spread into the present (that is, if you think there are still bands worthy of the title, which I do), the sheer power and intensity of powerviolence really hasn't gotten any better at all through the years. What more could you want from a band like this? They fucking smash a zillion times harder than some shit almost goddamn twenty years later. And so anyway this record is for those who weren't there at the time to grab all these obscure ass records. It is everything they recorded, all the splits, EPs, comp tracks, even some live stuff. After having released all of the bands records during their time, Slap a Ham put this out in 2000 and you should get it, 'you lousy motherfucker.'

and this week with,
30'the only good human is a dead human'Cent
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10. SFN 7”, my latest vinyl acquisition fuckin’ rips, have to big up the one zarlacc for the recommendation. fast, angry, dirty crusty lo fi as fuck powerviolence worthy of mention in this week of Crossed Out appreciation. And that says a lot.

9. Dr. Alimantado. This somewhat obscure cat produced 2 of the most bangin reggae records available on this blue marble. His early 70s classic Best Dressed Chicken in Town has one of the most amazing record covers ever, in addition to being one of the most amazing records ever. That and his Sons of Thunder are highly recommended to anyone who likes Sly and Robbie style reggae riddim. Or weed.

8. The “no-cheat” blast beat. The true alternating kick-drum/snare combo is the most effective rhythm for destroying governments and fighting lizard people, to be sure.

7. Sippin’ on a cup of Pico, I would shout out black coffee of course, but that sweet nourishing cracked out darkness has been had it’s propers on this piece enough times before. Instead I want to big up my favorite coffee spot in the A, Octane. I really like the neighborhood (despite the new yuppie shit) and only fucks with socially responsible coffee so this one is a no brainer. All they pour is delicious café that was not harvested by slave labor. Plus the homies work there! Octane is the spot.

6. Clarks Wallabes. “my wallos show off, go off like an alarm in the sixth, draped in yellow and im still poppin, my movie life in the hood is like an ill doctrine”

5. My space heater. I call it the fireplace. I have been in some cold and dark places in my life (both literally and metaphorically) but my space heater (or at least a space heater) has always been there keeping me company and hookin up the warmth.

4. Charles Bukowski. I have read upwards of 20 of this man’s books and never get tired of them. His body of work is essentially one extremely long autobiography peppered with the ever constant themes of drink, woman, and despair In Buk’s writing one gets an occasional glimpse at the rare beauty found in the triumphs of the underdog, the fucked, and the forgotten. One sentence can make reading 1000 less interesting pages worth working through. Some decry this as angry young man’s literature or whatever, but fuck ‘em. Bukowski belongs next to Fyodor Dostoevesky and Louis-Ferdinand Celine in the pantheon of great writers and real motherfuckers who weren’t afraid to write about some real shit. As long as I have a volume of Chinaski (and a space heater) I’m straight.

3. Buford Highway. Sometimes I get down on Atlanta but then I go to Buford Hwy and all that shit goes right out the window. The best sushi, pho, Korean, and Mexican (aside from Mi Barrio of course, which would fit in perfectly on Buford hwy) that can be had. Big shout out to Kang Nam, Hae Woon Dae, Pho #1, Mozart bakery, Lee bakery, and the foodcourt in the Flea Market as well as the one in the Mexi-Mall. Agua de piña, por fa.

2. Alan Lomax. How ill is this guy? World traveller, ethnomusicologist, and overall awesome dude Alam Lomax made field recordings all over the world and helped bring attention to many amazing musicians including Woodie Guthrie and Leadbelly. If you haven’t already, you should check out the documentary “Songhunter.” Awesome, and inspiring.

1. Playing with Swamp Ape. For the last few weeks I have been bringing up the low end with my Ape brothers. I am more excited about this than I have been about any other project in a really long time. In addition to creating devastating waves of aural destruction, I get to hang out with two of the illest dudes around. I am so psyched. If you weren't at the star bar last night you missed some serious shit.