Crucifix- Dehumanization (1983)

I realized I haven't posted much (if any) punk rock on here. Since I've been on a huge late 70's/early 80's punk/hardcore kick recently I'm going to post some.

There are few records that meant more to me than Dehumanization when I was in midde/high school. Though Crucifix never received the same recognition as their San Francisco peers The Dead Kennedys and Millions of Dead Cops, this album is generally recognized as a a classic, though the words "underrated" and "overlooked" are frequently used in same sentence. Politically and aesthetically Crucifix were in league with the English peace punk scene and bands like Crass and Flux of Pink Indians (this album was released by Corpus Christi, an offshoot of Crass Records). Musically they were Discharge on amphetamines, combining d-beat with the blistering speed of early hardcore bands such as Black Flag and Bad Brains. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Discharge, but this record rips way harder than any of their output. Check it out.

Crucifix on last.fm



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Hot Snakes- Suicide Invoice (2002)

Hot Snakes was a post-hardcore band from San Diego, CA. They featured members of Drive Like Jehu and Rocket From The Crypt and sound quite a bit like the former. I've seen Hot Snakes described as "hardcore garage punk," which is just about as accurate a description as possible. Suicide Invoice is without question my favorite of the three Hot Snakes' full lengths. Like the other albums, Suicide Invoice features some fast, galloping garage rock riffs, a thundering rhythm section and Rick Froberg's snotty vocals. However, throughout the album there are more mid-paced tracks and sections that sound like a nastier Fugazi. Who doesn't like galloping, guitar-driven, garage punk? Thats' right, nobody.



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Gems: I Hate The Kids, Gar Forgets His Insulin, Suicide Invoice, Paid In Cigarettes, LAX, Why Does It Hurt, Unlisted.

Wire- Pink Flag (1977)

Wire is a post-punk band from London. That's right, is. As in they are still together. You may be thinking, how can an album that came out in 1977 be considered post-punk? Wasn't punk, like, invented in 1977? And you would be more or less correct. Wire was certainly influenced by first-wave punk groups like The Clash and played a similar style of stripped-down rock 'n roll. There's some of the urgency of punk rock in the pace of these songs, though Wire generally has more hooks than their contemporaries. However, at times they play what almost seem to be dirges in their plodding heaviness (something Black Flag would pick up in the mid-80's).

No matter what Wire is doing, Pink Flag is an exercise in minimalism, even down to the cover art. Its 23 tracks come in at just around 40 minutes. Rather than the traditional verse/chorus/verse/repeat song formula, Wire is content with just a single verse and chorus (or sometimes no chorus). The lack of repetition is remarkable. The music itself is rather simple, which isn't to say it's not good, but technical it ain't. That being said, the riffs are good, Colin Newman's efforts are enjoyable both lyrically and vocally (he occasionally puts on the sarcasm/sneer that was popular in punk rock), the bass lines bounce and the drumming is competent. I particularly enjoy some of the guitar tones on this album. For me a lot of early/proto-punk bands tones' were too trebly and hollow sounding, Wire's guitar sound has balls.

Pink Flag's influence is widespread. Minor Threat covered the song "12 X U," post-punk and post-hardcore bands like Fugazi took a page or two from Wire's playbook and modern day indie rock rock bands owe them a debt as well. You may have heard the riff from "Three Girl Rhumba" before, it was ripped off by Elastica (a shitty alternative rock band from the 90's, video below). Give this a listen if you're a fan of late 70's/early 80's punk rock, post-punk bands such as Television, post-hardcore bands like Fugazi or indie rock.





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Gems: Reuters, Ex Lion Tamer, Lowdown, It's So Obvious, The Commercial, Mr. Suit, Strange, Mannequin, 12 X U, Options R.

Death- For The Whole World To See (1976)

My mind was completely and utterly blown the first time I heard this. Not the death metal band! This Death was around in the early-mid 1970's, hailing from Detroit. Obviously huge fans of fellow Detroiters MC5 as well as The Stooges, Death played a similar brand of fast, brutal rock and roll that would be influential in the development of punk rock (but did so with better chops than the Stooges for sure). This is without question one of the best proto-punk albums I've ever heard. A lot of people compare them to early Bad Brains, which I can see a bit in the intensity and vocal delivery (particularly on "Freakin' Out"), but I think the comparison is made primarily because both bands are black. Originally recorded in 1976, this didn't see an official release until 2009. If you dig The Stooges, MC5, Bad Brains or pretty much any music at all, you need to hear this.

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Gems: Seriously, every song on this rips.