Propagandhi- Less Talk More Rock
I remember being about 14 years old when I first heard this record. I was exposed to several political bands previous to this including Crass, Subhumans and Flux but outside of their musical aggression I didn't much connect to the message they were singing about. This album changed everything for me though. The lyrics as well as all of the liner notes really opened me up to not just enjoying the music of other heavily political punk bands but also the message that at 14 was sort of lost to me. I became heavily influenced by this record and adopted a vegan/ edge/ anarchist lifestyle pretty much instantaneously and remain so to this day. It made everything accessible to me. I instantly knew where my anger and disappointment in society came from. It wasn't just cynicism and teen angst anymore. I had a well thought out set of guidelines to give me a renewed sense of meaning in a world I saw completely devoid of it. Yes its pop punk. Yes I still love this album.
I remember being about 14 years old when I first heard this record. I was exposed to several political bands previous to this including Crass, Subhumans and Flux but outside of their musical aggression I didn't much connect to the message they were singing about. This album changed everything for me though. The lyrics as well as all of the liner notes really opened me up to not just enjoying the music of other heavily political punk bands but also the message that at 14 was sort of lost to me. I became heavily influenced by this record and adopted a vegan/ edge/ anarchist lifestyle pretty much instantaneously and remain so to this day. It made everything accessible to me. I instantly knew where my anger and disappointment in society came from. It wasn't just cynicism and teen angst anymore. I had a well thought out set of guidelines to give me a renewed sense of meaning in a world I saw completely devoid of it. Yes its pop punk. Yes I still love this album.
Dystopia-Human=GarbageI actually bought this record without ever hearing of the band before. I was a freshman in highschool and I was desperate to get my hands on punk vinyl of any kind since I never owned any. A friend of mine at the time was selling the LP for $5 so she could buy some booze. I took the dive and bought it off her. The funny thing is I didn't even have a record player. I had to lend the record to a friend so that they could dub me a tape of it. I popped the tape in with vinyl in hand. I opened up the lyric sheet and heard the first hiss and pop of vinyl that I would come to love so much. This record, its anger, depression, grooves, moodiness, bitternes, etc…it affected me in a way nothing had ever really moved me before. This band remains one of my favorites to this day. This album is cemented in my brain.
Reality Part 2This comp messed me up. It was a definitely a good thing that I stumbled upon this. After listening to the Human = Garbage LP I went record shopping. I remember going to Dr Strange records and searching for a long time for all the records my friends recommended. I bought the Aus Rotten Discography, this cd and a Destroy 7". Sufice it to say that EVERY band on this thing is a legend. This is one of those records that as soon as I got it I made it my priority to make tape copies and walk around school handing it out to all the "punks" I knew at the time. Life altering to say the least. Favorite tracks: Gasp, Noothgrush, Stapled Shut.
Short Fast and Loud Vol 1I remember when this came out. Its weird to think its was 11 years ago! But I remember being very very excited for it. I was an avid collector of Maximum Rock N Roll, Heartattack and Short Fast and Loud. Back in the day you actually had to subscribe to magazines, get photocopied flyers, listen to records or tapes, etc etc. It wasn't as easy as borrowing someones ipod or downloading torrents online. So when you got some new piece of music you savored it. This comp, along with the other comps that im posting about, changed my life because not only did they manage to compile some of the best hardcore bands I had ever heard but you could tell they did it with love. EVERY band on here rips. I forget what the criteria was but I think all the songs had to be less than a minute long? 40 bands crushing thru song after brutal song and not letting up. Not one band slacked on this. Not to mention the amazing amount of genres covered in this. Powerviolence, grind, hardcore, thrash, etc. Favorite tracks: WHN?, Ultimate Warriors, Shank, Scarlett Letter, Point of Few, Mukeka Di Rato, Lifes Halt, Insult, El Nudo.
Fiesta Comes AliveSLAP-A-HAM was, is, and forever will be the best "powerviolence" label out there. I wish I could have caught any of these shows. The lineups were legendary. To have captured it on record and with such awesome quality is ridiculous to me. I wish there was full sets of all the bands out there! Im glad to have caught Speed Trials, Super Sabado Gigante and other stuff similar to these shows but nothing can compare. This album is a true testament to the punishing sonic force of all these genres as a live medium. Favorite tracks: Cavity, Agents of Satan, Plutocracy, No Less, ETO, Capitalist Casualties.
~Sergio Amalfitano
i'll probably be buying the first Reality 7" comp. soon. The line-up is too good to pass up
ReplyDeleteLife's Halt is on of the best underground/under-appreciated hardcore bands of the 90's/00's.
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