Vaxxines, The – “Never Mind The Pathogens, Here’s The Vaxxines”- [Self-released]

beastofbourbon   11/30/2021   A Library, CD

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Vaxxines, The – “Never Mind The Pathogens, Here’s The Vaxxines”- [Self-released]

The Vaxxines formed out of the ashes of Oakland, Ca punk supergroup “The Pathogens” (members of Blatz, Econochrist, Tilt, The Twots, and Strychnine). At the start of the 2020 Covid 19 pandemic half the Pathogens moved away so the remaining members brought in vocalist Lizzie Louis and Japanese/Oakland Chef Adachi Hiroyuki on bass/second vocals. The UK style punk rock anthems take on gentrification, class war, police brutality, world tours, and boozing. Two covers from their previous bands are presented as well as a solid cover of Buzzcocks’ “Orgasam Addict”.

Legendary Shack Shackers – Cockadoodleduex [Alternative Tentacles]

beastofbourbon   11/2/2021   12-inch, A Library

“Titling it Cockdoodle-Duex was, admittedly, done to reference 2002’s Cocakdoodle-Don’t, an album by which many fans were first made aware of the group. Indeed, the record you hold in your hands is designed to bookend that other. That said, Cockadoodle-Duex serves more to signal a bold new era.”

Colonel J.D. Wilkes

There is an old adage that the rockabilly and alt-country scene is the “Punk Rock Retirement Plan”. Legendary Shack Shakers 25th Anniversary release may prove this. The past twenty-five years Kentucky Colonel J.D. Wilkes (artist, author, filmmaker, historian, and leader of the Legendary Shack Shakers) has been playing revved up, sacrilegious, dark and comical blues, Bluegrass, rockabilly, and Southern Gothic music like he was possessed by the Devil. This time he recruits royalty from the Grand Ole Opry, Sun Records, members of traditional and Neo-Bluegrass bands (Flatt and Scruggs, Old Crow Medicine Show), past band members, and Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys) to play both kinds of music : “Country and Western” without the darkness but still retain a sense of humor. Wilkes can do it well.

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Supersuckers – Must’ve Been High [Sub Pop Records]

beastofbourbon   10/18/2021   A Library, CD

“And it has been our search for the best rock-n-roll has to offer which has inevitably led us down that old dirt road to country. Simple, three chord songs, sung from experience, played on an old, beat up acoustic guitar-that’s what we’re talkin’ about here” – The Supersuckers

The fourth album from Seattle based punk band Supersuckers takes a turn down the country road with songs about life on the road, rowdy fans, addiction, UK punk legends, and a romantic duet (Kelley Deal) about being hungover. The lyrics stick to a punk attitude/sense of humor while the music has a bonafide Bakersfield/Texas Outlaw Country sound thanks to guest musicians Willie Nelson (uncredited vocals), Jesse Dayton (guitar), Brian Thomas (pedal steel/banjo), Brantley Kearns (fiddle/mandolin), Mickey Raphael (harmonica), and producer Randall Jamail. This is Cowpunk to the core

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Lipstick Killers – Strange Flash – Studio and Live ’78-81 [Grown Up Wrong]

beastofbourbon   10/16/2021   A Library, CD

“You guys are the only fuckin’ reason I’d ever come down to this shithole. I wouldn’t do this for anyone else.”

That’s what Keith Morris (front man of Black Flag/Circle Jerks) said about Lipstick Killers in a 1982 article in New York Rocker magazine. Lipstick Killers was a Sydney, Australia based band that was active from the late 70’s to the early 80’s. This double CD set features 45s, demos, and live recordings. The first CD is early recordings of catchy hard rocking garage/punk.  Their energetic hard driving songs really come through in the live recordings (including a 13th Floor Elevators cover) in spite of some of the vocals being lost due to microphone issues. During the 80’s, the band transitioned to new wave/rock, bringing their new sound to Los Angeles, California. CD #2 features these lighter, poppier tunes. The live set from Los Angeles 1981 shows that the band didn’t lose their edge when it came to live gigs. That energy is likely what Morris was talking about.

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