TWO FROM THE VAULT
Monday, February 9, 2009
Ever hear an old school hardcore/punk/metal guy complain about the "scene"? Chances are if you've been reading my blogs for a while now you're more than likely tired of reading about how i think the "kids" today are all jerkoffs and don't have a clue about music..blah, blah, blah... So today I decided to let my friend Chris from Robots Will Kill do the ranting, or in this case, reviewing. He's so jaded he refused to review a new album and dug through his collection to write up an old one. Hey whatever man, I'm just glad the guy can actually form sentences...more or less. I thought this was a pretty good idea. Maybe, just fucking maybe, some youngster will read about these albums, check them out and realize there's more to music than crying about murdering a girl who broke your faggot, emo heart. I joined in the fun and grabbed an new/old album to review. At least mine is a brand new compilation of an old band. Beat that Chris!
Enjoy!


ENSIGN
Love The Music, Hate The Kids
Blackout!

I remember being at a show on Staten Island and this band shows up with H2O. They weren't billed to play and we were all standing there as they set up wondering who the fuck these guys were. The mystery band ended up being NJ natives, Ensign. That night they played an extremely short set, but it was enough for me to buy their EP and to follow them for years to come. Fast forward about 13 years and here I am, still listening to Ensign.
I chose their 2003 release Love The Music, Hate The Kids (Love that title). The album features cover songs of bands who influenced them over the years. Tim Ensign's voice has always had a great old school sound. So when he does Underdog's Say It, it actually sounds as if it were recorded in 1988. And musically? The band is tight as hell. Take a listen to the breakdown on Say It. It's on point!
For me, its great to see what influenced a band I basically grew up on. Having similarities with their taste in music, you get to see why you actually like them o begin with. Ensign covers Bad Brains, to The Descendants to Infest, Bad Religion and so on. I remember when they use to do Inside Out's Burning Fight, Tim would take over on bass, and Nate led what would end up a huge sing-along, pile on the mic, frenzy. i mean every fucking kid in the place would be on stage singing their hearts out, so hearing on this album took me back to a VFW hall someplace in New Jersey. The way hardcore was meant to be heard.

TOP TRACKS: I'm Not A Loser (The Descendants), Trial (Verbal Assault), Say It! (Underdog), Telltale (Killing Time), I Will Deny You (The Dwarves).
~ Chris of RWK

FINAL VERDICT: Worth every penny. Especially for me since years ago some dick broke into my car and stole most of these original cd's. Fucking savages in this town.





MOUTHPIECE
Can't Kill What's Inside: The Complete Discography
Revelation Records

There once was a time when bands played in the auditoriums of Catholic elementary schools, V.F.W. halls and the local Moose Lodge. The shows, while not of the greatest sound quality, definitely put forth the most energy hardcore and punk could and would, ever harness. Call me old, but I would trade today's over produced shows for yesterdays DYI shows any day. Hell, back then we didn't even call them "DYI" shows! It was just a fucking show. Of course we did it ourselves! Who else would have a bunch of hardcore/punk kids throw each other around like animals in their establishment?! My favorite was going to a Veteran's hall for a show and seeing some of the Vets who take care of the place as we were leaving. The look on their faces were always priceless. Like "We just allowed this to happen in our place!!?" Anyways, Since the subject of today's update is "old school" I decided to write about a band who I think is the total embodiment of old school, DYI, hardcore, and that band is a little group from New Jersey known forever as MOUTHPIECE. Yes, I'm from NYC but I think there as no hardcore scene like the 90s NJ hardcore scene. And if you had to crown someone king, Mouthpiece would definitely be in the running. I have yet to see a sing along, pile on bigger than when Mouthpiece sang Can We Win. True, Mouthpiece was a straight edge band, but they didn't preach or shut anyone out of their shows. They didn't put on the tough guy act and didn't start any cliques. They were there for the music and the "kids" who supported them. Old school. Anyways, Can't Kill What's Inside is a complete discography that contains everything ever recorded by the band. This includes 1995's "Face Tomorrow" EP, 1994's "What Was Said" full-length, the self-titled 7" from 1991; and tracks from the "Anti-Matter", "It's for Life", and "Words to Live by, Words to Die For" compilations - in addition to three previously unreleased tracks that were recorded live way back in 1991. As a bonus, the disc also contains mp3's of a 13-song, surprisingly clear-sounding live set recorded at CBGB's in 1996 (and it appears this material's available as part of the album on iTunes as well, which is awesome) and the video for "Cinder". But most interesting are the liner notes. Lead singer, Tim McMahon must have known they were on to something special, because he kept track of every show they ever played, where and with who and when. It's an absolutely awesome album.

TOP TRACKS: All of them. Fuck you. I said ALL OF THEM.

GDEVIL'S VERDICT: It seems redundant to even say, but if you're fan of hardcore, past and/or present it would behoove you to have this album in your collection. I said ALBUM! Buy the fucking thing in a record store so you could read the liner notes. Reading is fundamental ya dolts!
~ gdevil


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