Top Tens: Vinyl Systems’ Top Ten Albums Not Pressed On Vinyl

In 1984, Poison Idea released an EP called Record Collectors Are Pretentious Assholes, the joke being that the cover features a picture of the band's singer Jerry A's own, vast record collection. According to Discogs, there are 19 versions of this seminal hardcore punk record and the band have released over a dozen albums and countless EPs and singles on vinyl since then including last year's latest, The Beast Goes East. It's facts like these that I truly love.

I first started collecting records when I was a kid, sometime after Poison Idea had warned me about my possible pretentiousness. I vividly remember buying Tranzophobia by Mega City Four on CD at the local record shop, only to have instant buyer's regret before taking it back the following day to exchange for a vinyl copy.

From then on, it was vinyl all the way. I wasn't bothered about how seemingly easy it was to scratch the record and tear the sleeve. I wasn't bothered about the supposedly better sound quality and undeniable convenience CDs had. I wasn't even particularly bothered about hissing, crackles or pops – as John Peel put it "somebody was trying to tell me that CDs are better than vinyl because they don't have any surface noise. I said, 'Listen, mate, life has surface noise.'"

Vinyl had a tactile quality to it that I loved and the physical size was perfect for pouring over sleeve notes which thanked other bands – vital in a pre-Internet age for discovering new artists, because, after all, not even John Peel could play everything; the NME and Melody Maker were often overly grunge and then Britpop focused and even fanzines were often too UK-centric for my increasingly punk tastes. If you bought something on SST, Cruz, Alternative Tentacles, Lookout Records et al, the sleeve notes would always enable you to discover your next favourite band.

But that's not to say I don't own any CDs. Of course I do. Pre-ipod/smartphone etc they were great for travelling/commuting etc, took up far less space which when I was younger was useful, and there are some albums that were simply never released on vinyl, some of which I'll obviously come onto.

My golden rules when buying records are: That I don't collect variants – the only duplicate copies I have are when I've mistakenly bought the same record twice! I try to buy either directly from bands or labels. I never buy a record as an "investment" – every single record I've bought is because I like (or thought I would like) the music and I've never paid more than £30 for a record.

Following these rules means that, over the years, the number has steadily grown. I've got a reasonable sized collection – not what I would call out of hand – but it's a few thousand albums and large enough that I now concede to my family that if it gets much bigger there really won't be anymore room for them. If and when that happens, I'll have to enter the horror chamber hell of selling some on Discogs. The annoying vinyl plant pressing delays have helped a lot with reducing my consumption this last year, but any vinyl collector will tell you it's a really hard habit to cut down on.

Anyway, I think that's enough of a preamble, although I must state a disclaimer here. These aren't records that are rare and therefore I wished I owned on vinyl. This is a list of albums that I *think* have never been pressed on vinyl, however I stand to be corrected. I've Googled them and can't find any reference to vinyl pressings and Discogs doesn't list any of them either, but the Internet is not always the Oracle on everything so if I've made a mistake, sorry (and also let me know if you have a copy for sale).

Finally, the list isn't in any particular order and having complied it I've realised that 1) a helluva lot of albums I thought were never on vinyl, actually have been at some point and as such 2) the list is very specific to me, my tastes and probably my age, which means a number of the bands on the list might be new to you. If this is the case, I urge you to check them out. After all, for me that's the beauty of CPRW. I was never going to tell you about the Bad Religion or NOFX album that's a classic but was only ever released on cassette (there isn't one). It was always going to be heavy on smaller and DIY bands that are brilliant, but might only be best known for supporting Jawbreaker or Green Day in front of 50 people at gig in the early 90s.

Alcohol Funnycar – Time To Make The Donuts

Formed in Seattle in the early 90s at a time when the city was exploding with successful grunge bands like Mudhoney, Pearl Jam, Nirvana et al, the 1993 debut from Alcohol Funnycar didn't quite fit the city's persona. It's melodic pop-punk. Hüsker Dü meets Dinosaur Jr is how I always describe them and this was released on C/Z Records. It was followed up two years later by another CD only album (Weasels), and I assume they then broke up. I always maintain that if they'd hung on for just a bit longer, their style of punk would become much more popular and they'd almost certainly have had a better shot at success. When it was released, this CD album somehow made its way over here because I remember buying it at Selectadisc in Soho and, if I can still remember where and when I brought an album from that long ago, it tells me it has to be pretty damn good.

All Systems Go – All Systems Go!

All Systems Go were a Canadian punk "supergroup," formed in the late 90s by members of Big Drill Car, the Doughboys and the Asexuals after those bands split. Later on, alumni would also also include members of the Descendents and The Carnations. This self-titled album was their debut, released in 1999 on Coldfront Records. It was followed up three years later with the album Mon Chi Chi, but after a number of line up changes they didn't put out any subsequent albums. The pedigree is there, but like a lot of supergroups they never really hit the heights. However, this is a fun melodic punk album that I've picked for this list not least because I could never get enough of Big Drill Car and occasionally when I wish Big Drill Car had done more, I'd like to be able to spin All Systems Go to scratch that melodic 90s itch.

The Tim Version – Creating Forces That Don't Exist

A hugely underrated band! Floridian and Fest stalwarts, it's harmonic, gruff punk with a sound that is very typical of Gainesville/No Idea Records etc. They've released four albums over the years, but Creating Forces That Don't Exist was their first release in 2000, on ADD Records on CD. It's not on Spotify or Apple Music, so you should head to Bandcamp to check it out. After a couple of decades, the band are still together, but because they haven't been that prolific I don't spin them as much as I'd like. Having this on vinyl would give me a great fourth option.

Deforesters – Leonard

A recent release. Anthemic, singalong, hook-laden, super catchy bangers from start to finish – this was my album of the year in 2017. Canadian punks from Toronto, this was the only album they put out and I don't even think it came out on CD, so you'll have to listen online if you want to hear it. If you like those bands like Timeshares, Banner Pilot, Arms Aloft etc. who have albums stacked with quite similar sounding songs, but all of which are absolute bangers, this is for you. The band split when their guitarist left shortly after the album's release, but the phoenix from those ashes are the band Lizard Queens featuring former members who I think are currently recording an album. Hopefully that one will get a vinyl pressing.

Billy No Mates – We Are Legion

Duncan Edmonds is a legend of the British punk scene. Best known as the heart and soul of Snuff, but active throughout the last 30 years with numerous bands, Billy No Mates is his solo project where he recorded everything by himself (hence the band's name). We Are Legion is the debut album put out by 10 Past 12 Records, the label that released numerous Snuff records, but they didn't give this a vinyl release. It's got a very Snuff-esque feel to it, which, for me, is a great thing – such is my love for this sort of melodic British punk. Another of the albums, SF Sourdough, got a vinyl release last year so I still hold out a bit of hope that one day this will be pressed, but for now I'm listening to this on YouTube in the absence of a copy on CD.

Small Arms Dealer – A Single Unifying Theory

This was the first of two CD albums released by the band in 2006 and then 2007 (the later being the Patron Saint Of Disappointment and which could also easily be on this list), both released on Deep Elm Records. From Long Island, NY, and a precursor to Iron Chic (Jason Lubrano was the vocalist for both) there's definitely an Iron Chic/Wax Phantom/Latterman vibe to them, but you can also liken them to Hot Water Music, Dillinger Four and Smoke Or Fire. The description on the release's Bandcamp page says it best – "they play with the frenzied desperation of a band with one foot in the grave, and the vitriol that spews from vocalist Jason Lubrano, combined with the guns-blazing, take-no-prisoners attack of the guitars and rhythm section, blows the fucking lid off the proverbial rock 'n' roll coffin."

Sinkhole – Groping For Trout

Fast, melodic, catchy 90s skate-punk from Boston. Groping For Trout was the first of three albums for this band, but the only one to miss out on a vinyl release. It comes close to being Ramonescore in places but it doesn't meet that formula fully. Drummer Chris Pierce went on to play for a tonne of other bands including Doc Hopper, Drag The River, The Ergs and The Measure [sa].

China Drum – Diskin

Strictly speaking this album was by The Drum – the name that China Drum renamed themselves towards the end. The band were around throughout the entirety of 90s, plus an overlap at either end of the decade, although they only released three albums. Diskin is the last of these and was put out by Mantra Records on CD in 2000. China Drum were a UK based melodic punk band from the north east, drawing early comparisons with their local cousins Leatherface, but this album marked a different type of sound for the band and, as such, it's not up there with their brilliant Goose Fair or the follow up Self Made Maniac. Perhaps that's why they dropped the "China" bit from their name to mark a shift in style as this is more alternative rock with electronic and guitar feedback elements thrown in, some way off their punkier roots. I wouldn't buy this album now, but I'd love to have this as a vinyl release if only to complete my China Drum set.

Enemy You – Stories Never Told

A band that I consider to be pretty seminal, I'll always associate them with Red Scare Industries who put this out. It's the second of their two albums and was one of the label's very early releases. Maybe it was because the label was in its infancy that at the time in 2004 it only got a CD release, but I'm still hopeful that this fast, melodic, skate punk-ish cult classic will eventually get a vinyl pressing. In the meantime, if you want an Enemy You fix on vinyl, checkout Can Anybody Hear Me? (A Tribute to Enemy You) by The Lillingtons and put out by Red Scare last year. Alternatively, there's some joker on Discogs who wants £1,700 for their only other album – Where No One Knows My Name, released on vinyl by Lookout Records in 2000.

Articles – Better Than Me

I've selected my final pick not just because it's the most recent, but always because it's banger. One of my favourite releases from last year, I don't think Articles released either CDs or vinyl copies of this album. A very DIY punk band – the type of which I love – and a band from Gainesville playing raspy, gruff punk complete with gang vocals. It's only seven songs long, but I'd love to see those seven pressed on vinyl.

This top ten was written by Chris Bishton aka Vinyl Systems on Instagram.

CPRW Top Ten Albums of 2021: Part 1

CHRIS

2021. A year like no other (apart from 2020, maybe). It's certainly the year that I've listened to the least amount of new music for a long time. The combination of the pandemic hampering bands from recording and months of delays to vinyl production mean that my new music consumption is way down. With that background, I thought I was going to struggle to find ten releases that I wanted to include in this list. Obviously, I was seriously wrong. 

Going back through what's come out this year, I've found that whilst quantity might be down, quality certainly isn't. What's more, I found it particularly pleasing that my list is a nice mix of releases from bands that have been around for decades, bands that are fairly established and bands putting out their debut albums. 

With that in mind, I think I need to give some honourable mentions… Antagonizers, Charteux, Debt Neglector, Harker, Heart & Lung, Lost Love, Needles//Pins, Pass Away and Zoanoids all put out great records this year that I've had on constant rotation. There's also a whole bunch of others, but I've resisted the temptation to name them all otherwise you'd simply be reading a long list of all the new music I've brought this year. 

Right, on with the top ten and, as clichéd as it sounds, I could have listed these records in multiple different orders and still been pretty happy with the list. Certainly, if you asked me to put the list together again next week, there's a good chance there'd be others in the line up and a 100 per cent chance the order of the top ten would be different. What I'm loving at any moment changes all the time, so lists always tend to be fluid things, but when complying a top 10, you have to be disciplined and like it or not create an order from 10–1. So here's mine as of this day, writing in early December…

10. Over The Overlords by Naked Raygun (Wax Trax! Records)

There was no way I was ever not going to have Naked Raygun on this list. Having loved the band – along with their Chicago peers Pegboy – when I was a teen, a first album in 30 years meant it was always going to represent something special to me. However, as we all know, "representing" and actually truly becoming something special don't always match up. And whilst even I'm not old enough to remember them releasing records in their pomp, like when so many bands release new stuff, let alone after a gap of 30 years, I was nervous this would tarnish those teenage memories. Of course, there was no need to worry. There's a bit of post-punk and plenty of fizzing "poppy" stuff, drawing inevitable comparisons to the Buzzcocks and it's definitely more aligned to their later stuff rather than the earlier releases, but that's no bad thing for me. A truly seminal band, I'm so glad they're back. 

9.  No Way Out But Through by Face To Face (Fat Wreck Chords)

Another band that I've loved for years, although apart from when they were on a brief hiatus in the mid-noughties, unlike Naked Raygun, Face To Face have never stopped putting out great albums. They're probably the band I consider to be the most consistent over many years. That fast, catchy, SoCal punk that defines them and that which has become so recognisable is here again throughout this album. There's nothing new sound wise, but this album doesn't in anyway feel like the band is going through the motions, and again that familiarity is no bad thing for me as I love the Face To Face sound and I just want to hear more of it.

8.  Disappear. Reappear. by Rough Dreams (59 X Records)

Whilst they've released a number of tracks online, this is the debut album from Rough Dreams. It's emo-tinged punk with a bit of grungy shoegaze in there as well. It does remind me of a similar sound that you'd get from the 90s/00s but at the same time it doesn't feel dated or stale. There's plenty to get your blood pumping with fast guitars and passionate sing-a-long choruses – this album is a banger.

7. Irruption by Ship Thieves (Chunksaah Records)

Chris Wollard is punk rock royalty and it's very hard not to like at least some of his back catalogue with the likes of Hot Water Music, The Draft et al. Ship Thieves are his one of his side projects, but this is the first release from the band for five years. You can hear the HWM and The Draft influence in here – raspy and melodic – but it also draws from Chad Darby's other band, Samiam. It's the best of the four albums the band have put out to date and none of the first three were duds, which should make you want to give it a spin. It's a Midwestern meets Gainesville punk sounding record, which is a pretty great combo.

6. The Drovers Inn by Captain Kaiser (Bearded Punk Records, White Russian Records)

Considering how much great European punk there is around at the moment, it was a bit of a surprise that Captain Kaiser's release was the only Euro record to make my list. But, as the only inclusion from Europe this year, Belgium's Captain Kaiser is a superb representative for the continent. Fast and aggressive with super catchy gang vocals, their sophomore album has elements of pop and skate punk, but above all is melodic and tuneful. I know the release of this album was delayed because of the pandemic, so I really hope the band will be able to get back on the road again soon in order to promote it whilst it's still relatively new.

5. Respect The Frequency by The Last Mile (Rad Girlfriend Records)

This band, and consequently this album, came out of nowhere for me. Tipped off about them thanks to a review by friend of CPRW Matt Speer and the blog Ear Nutrition, Canada's TLM went from not even being on my radar one minute to being on constant rotation the next. Released on the always brilliant Rad Girlfriend Records, it's melodic and angsty with loads of influences from hardcore to skate, from the Midwest to Gainesville, via way of Montreal. If you listen really, really hard enough there's even a little bit of ska punk in there, although at its core fans of Hüsker Dü and those early Lawrence Arms records need to check this out.

4. Better Than Me by Articles (Self-released)

When does an EP become an album? When it's at least seven songs long, right? That's good, because these seven songs from Gainesville's Articles are too good to miss out on being included in a best of list. The embodiment of great DIY punk and that particular city's sound, this album was released towards the end of the year and I just haven't stopped playing it. As you'd expect from a recommendation from me, it's catchy and hook filled, No Idea Records type stuff which could have finished even higher up my list had there been a few more songs on here.

3. A Portal For Spirits by Rutterkin (Euclid Place Records)

Without a doubt my favourite discovery of a band through CPRW this year. Textbook melodic punk, gruff gang vocals, and super catchy harmonic anthems – this band and this album has my jam written all over it. Hailing from Florida, they'll be regulars at The Fest for as long as they want, and with plenty of great Floridian orgcore influences in here, the album gives us twelve blistering, punchy hook-laden songs that make this a brilliant debut. 

2. Waste My Heart by The Raging Nathans (Brassneck Records, Dead Broke Rekerds, Rad Girlfriend Records)

The Raging Nathans are as prolific as they are infectious. At a time when everyone else seems to be struggling to get together and record, the Raging Nathans have not only put out a second banger in consecutive years, but they also continue to put out seven inch singles as well. Waste My Heart picks up where last year's Oppositional Defiance left off in the sense that this is more killer melodic midwestern punk, but the sound is a little different. It's more considered, less flustered and more refined, but I still find it rowdy and catchier than last year's album. It's another step up for a band that's able to do both quality and quantity. 

1. Don't Panic by Neckscars (Engineer Records, Sell The Heart Records)

The brand of punk that Neckscars play is my very favourite and this album was always going to feature at the top end of this list. Fans of Dillinger Four should consider this album a must and for fans missing Gameday Regulars you equally need this, as a number of Neckscars were in the latter. It's straight up, gravelly voiced, fist in the air, anthemic, you name it, catchy punk. You might think there's no distinguishing between this and a considerable number of the other records on this list… perhaps… but that doesn't mean it's not great and totally worthy of the top spot.

MARCUS

How was your 2021? I can’t really complain about mine. It wasn’t easy to carve out a ton of time for scouring the internet for new releases between selling our old house and moving into a new one and starting a new job in a new school district, but even with a (thankfully) shorter commute, I still listened to a ton of music this year. Perhaps just as importantly, live music returned to the stage this year (hooray for vaccines and science!), and after not seeing a band in person since January of 2020, I broke my fast by seeing Descendents and Sincere Engineer for the first time, and The Menzingers and Bully for the second time.

Even if your year wasn’t great, there was still great music worth checking out, so let’s get to it. From the looks of the CPRW monthly Spotify playlist, I don’t know if there will be a much overlap between my list and the other writers, so hopefully you find something new and great and different here. If not, I’m sure my colleagues will have something more up your alley.

10. Needles//Pins by Needles//Pins (Dirt Cult Records, Mint Records)

I made it to 2021 without ever having heard of Needles//Pins, but after hearing the gruff-singalong chorus of “A Rather Strained Apologetic”, I knew I had to check these guys out. I dug into their catalogue a bit, and while I’m on the fence about whether I prefer this one or the also excellent Good Night, Tomorrow, the stand out tracks, uh…, stand out more in this one, and it’s a straight up banger. Definitely a group of tunes that seem to be begging to be heard live, so if they ever make it down to Texas from the Great White North, I’ll have to push my way to the front.

9. Existential Risks and Returns by Vacation (Salinas Records)

My biggest musical discovery this year was finding out how much I love so many records that Salinas Records has put out, and Existential Risks and Returns is another hidden, underrated gem. Vacation’s previous release was gloriously lo-fi, and while the production here is a little shinier, it’s far from what you would call “polished”. “Luminary Jerry” and “Liberty Tax Statue Man” are throwback rock jams that would sound like they were written in a few minutes in a garage (in the best way) if not for the well-thought out lyrics and added parts that are only detectable on repeat listenings. 

8. Stuntman by Liquid Mike (Lost Dog Records)

A lot of these tunes would fit right in on Fountains of Wayne’s debut record (and possibly other FoW records, but I’m not as familiar with those), and coming from me, that is very high praise. Poppy with just enough of an edge, it’s almost a throwback to some of the lighter alternative of the 90s that hits my ears very well. Of all the ones on my list, this album is the most fun. I can’t just listen to one song from these guys, I always end up listening to the whole album, but “Couch Potato” is a good place to start if you’re pressed for time. 

7. Mid-Century Modern by Talk Show Host (Disconnect Disconnect Records, Wiretap Records)

Sometimes, I wonder what teenage Marcus would think about current day-Marcus’ music taste, but I know that any version of myself would like Mid-Century Modern. It’s a no-skips record of catchy pop-punk that has great lyrics about a wide a variety of topics. Where they really stand out from their peers is that there’s enough variance between each song to keep it from getting stale. Tracks 2, 3, and 4 (“Blood in the Sand”, “Crisis Actors”, and “Warmest Condolences”) are the best back-to-back-to-back songs that I’ve heard this year, and while not everybody has to love pop-punk, this is done so well that it’s a shame it hasn’t gotten more attention this year. You should dig this.

6. Mikey Erg by Mikey Erg (Brassneck Records, Rad Girlfriend Records)

I’ve tried getting into some of Mikey Erg’s stuff before, but none of it really grabbed me… until this one. Mikey Erg starts off with eight un-skippable pop-punk bangers, including tunes paying homage to his favorite artists and influences (a song about Seattle punk band Sicko, along with some covers of Green Day and Pearl Jam), and I personally guarantee you that “Rumblestrip” is the best song that clocks in at less than 90 seconds that was recorded in 2021. The last two songs – an acoustic number that was recorded in a bathroom and a six minute finale (that Erg himself said is an “overly long noisy dirge track”) might not be for everyone, but even if they’re not your thing, the juice from the first eight songs alone is worth the squeeze.

5. I Won’t Care How You Remember Me by Tigers Jaw (Hopeless Records)

I’m a bit of a late comer to Tigers Jaw, so it may be my recency bias, but I think this is their best work since 2008’s Tigers Jaw (their second album). I really started getting into them when I went to see The Menzingers a few years ago in Dallas and Tigers Jaw opened for them, so this is the first “new” TJ for me. It took a while to grow on me as a full record, but I loved the urgency of “Hesitation” and “Can’t Wait Forever” right from the start, and the title track is the best album opener that I’ve heard in a long while. There are some much slower places on I Won’t Care How You Remember Me that it took a while to really appreciate (so if you weren’t into it on first listen, I’d go back and give it another spin), but, as some of the kids say these days, this whole record “is a mood”. 

4. The First Pandemic by Cluttered (Broken Frames Music)

I made the comment online that if Cluttered’s first two EPs (released at the very end of December 2019 and in June 2020) were combined into one record, it’d be one of my favorites of the year. Ask and ye shall receive! Joining Needles//Pins and Talk Show Host, Cluttered is the third Canadian band with a top ten release on my list, and they are the newest of the bunch. Singer Matty Grace’s intimate lyrics on mental health are relatable to anyone that has lived through the past few years, and the ability to deliver such personal and angst-filled lyrics in a way that makes you want to sing along happily is truly impressive. I can’t wait to see what the future brings now that they’ve got a few shows under their belts. The more songs like “Don’t Hold Your Breath” there are in the world, the better.

3. Confines of Life by Neighborhood Brats (Dirt Cult Records, Taken By Surprise Records)

Neighborhood Brats is another band that I had heard before but, for whatever reason, I kept scrolling past. I wasn’t able to make that same mistake again, because Confines of Life is the kind of record that grabs you by the collar and knocks the ice cream cone out of your hand (though I’m sure the people behind the music would never do anything like that). Equal parts fierce and catchy, it delivers 12 tunes that blend fast street punk with a sound you’d hear from the staunchest ’77 punkers, and delivers it with the political heat you’d expect to hear from today’s climate. “Transitional Housing” is my personal favorite, but don’t sleep on the instrumental “All Nazis Must Die” and the topical “Harvey Weinstein (Is a Symptom)”.

2. Bless My Psyche by Sincere Engineer (Hopeless Records)

It’s really hard not putting this one at the very top of the list, because it feels like all these songs were written just for me at just this time. Although there are a few times when the differences between this one and Rhombithian may ruffle a few feathers, the honesty in the lyrics punches you in the gut the same, and the delivery by Deanna Belos still as unique and, for lack of a better word, sincere. Bless My Psyche is here to make you feel better about wherever you’re at. Whether you’re feeling exhausted (“Out Of Reach”, “Dragged Across the Finish Line”), anti-social (“Recluse in the Making”), or just having a bad day (“Hurricane of Misery”), this record is there to give you a couch to crash on and a friend to commiserate with. It’s at least cheaper than therapy.

1. Like A Stone by Remember Sports (Big Scary Monsters, Father/Daughter Records)

This is an incredible record. When I first heard the lead single, “Pinky Ring”, it didn’t really hook me, but after listening to the whole record all the way through, I’m not sure that any one particular song was really written to “stand out”. While Remember Sports jumps around from up-tempo indie-pop to contemplative alt-country, it’s the snapshot of these incredibly well-written jams all coming from the same group is what makes it remarkable. Don’t look at this cool tree, check out this incredible forest! It’s a decent departure from (or progression of) their previous sound, so you’d be forgiven if you thought this was a completely different band, but in my opinion, it should appeal to fans of many sub-genres. My Last.FM account tells me that this was my most listened to album this year (not even counting the number of times I spun the vinyl), and for my money, it was the best record I found this year.

Album Review: Smoking Section/Pool Noodle by Articles

Articles are a three piece from Gainesville that I very much hope to see at The Fest this year. Fingers crossed it can happen. I recently featured them on a top ten bands I’ve discovered during lockdown and I enjoyed them so much I wanted to review their latest release. In March, they released two new songs titled Smoking Section and Pool Noodle. Here’s my take on them.

Smoking Section is the more uptempo of the two tracks. The first thing that you notice is the Brendan Kelly-esque raspy vocals that give the song a great feeling of urgency. On the track, Articles deal with the topic of growing up and realising that life hasn’t gone the way that you wanted it to. They paint a great picture of being stuck in a plain office and thinking back to your days in school making big plans.

Pool Noodle is a slower track that instantly felt more serious than Smoking Section. The introduction has a powerful opening and when the vocals come in they don’t seem as urgent, focussing more on getting the message across rather than filling the track with energy. Pool Noodle is about people being radicalised into doing terrible things in the name of religion. It’s a heavy song that really makes you think.

This is a great introduction to Articles if you’re new to the band. It shows two different sides of the band and certainly left me wanting more. Since hearing this release, I’ve been spending some time going through their back catalogue and it does not disappoint.

Stream and download Smoking Section/Pool Noodle on Bandcamp here.

Like Articles on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Top Tens: Colin's Top Ten Band He's Discovered In Lockdown

Being in Lockdown has sucked. We can’t see our friends and families. We can’t go to gigs. We can’t do any of the things we love. It has provided us with plenty more free time to do other things though. I’ve enjoyed having more time to listen to our ever expanding record collection and I’ve started playing Football Manager again. I’ve also found the time to release a 155 track compilation raising money for Music Venue Trust that you should check out here. And I’ve also had loads of time to discover new bands. Here’s a top ten of bands that I’ve discovered so far.

Articles
I discovered Articles thanks to The Fest 19 playlist. The Gainesville Florida based trio play that typical Fest sound – raspy vocals, great melodies and catchy hooks. In March, Articles released a new two track single named Smoking Section / Pool Party that absolutely rips. FFO The Lawrence Arms, Ann Beretta, Smoke Or Fire.

Custody
Finnish punk rockers Custody were one of the highlights of the first Boatless Booze Cruise live stream festival for me. I think I was drawn to them as they played full band rather than acoustic like the majority of the acts. Melodic gruff punk of the highest order is what Custody do. Writing and performing songs that have you aching to throw your fists high and sing along. Check out their recently released second album on Brassneck Records now! FFO Leatherface, Hot Water Music, The Run Up.

Fail Sons
Washington D.C. punks Fail Sons were a recent Bandcamp discovery. It is still the best place to find new and exciting punk bands, especially if you can’t get to a gig. Focussing more on the fast paced pop punk side of things but never shying away from throwing in a guitar solo, Fail Sons are one of the most exciting bands in the genre I’ve discovered in some time. FFO Pinhead Gunpowder, Teenage Bottlerocket, Zatopeks.

Fine And Great
This wasn’t so much a discovery but I was told about them during the lockdown so I think they still count. Fine And Great consist of Manu of Captain Asshole (the person who told me about them), Tooney from Call It A Wasteland and Hannes from Kick Back. Fine And Great play emo pop punk and feature fantastic dual vocals from Manu and Tooney. This band are so new that they’re yet to play their first show, other than a live stream at Boatless Booze Cruise last weekend.

Grey Matter
Bad Time Records have earned a reputation for releasing quality ska punk music. When new UK distro Pookout Records got some new stock from Bad Time Records in, I took a punt on Grey Matter and was not disappointed. The Michigan based band take everything you think you know about ska punk and add so many other influences. In a genre that sometimes gets tarred as “all songs sound the same”, it’s great to see a band that proves that that’s really not the case. FFO experimental ska punk.

Kids On Fire
Much like Bad Time Records, Seattle’s Tiny Dragon Music have a reputation for only releasing quality punk rock. During the lockdown, the label had a big sale so I bought Chosen Family by Burn Burn Burn from them. I also decided to take a chance on an album named Songs In The Key Of Bummer by a band I hadn’t heard of called Kids On Fire. This turned out to be a fantastic decision as Kids On Fire are awesome. They play fast paced indie punk rock with fantastic vocals and plenty of opportunity for singing along and having a lot of fun. FFO The Loved Ones, Forever Unclean, The Drowns.

Postage
New Yorkers Postage are another band that I discovered because they are playing The Fest. Featuring Mike Moak from After The Fall, you might expect this quartet to be more of a hardcore sound. That, however, is not the case. Playing a mid-tempo pop punk with an edge, on my very first listen I knew this was a band for me. I don’t know how often they get out and play shows due to Mike’s After The Fall commitments so I’m going to make sure I take the opportunity to see them at Fest. FFO ALL, The Mr T Experience, Night Surf.

Stuck Out Here
Stuck Out Here are a four piece band from Canada. In their own words, Stuck Out Here play “party angst anthems” which I think is a perfectly accurate description. Like Postage, this is mid-tempo pop punk that will get you singing along with all the passion. Their 2019 release, Until We’re Each Someone Else, is packed with great moments and I implore you to check it out. FFO The Menzingers, Signals Midwest, The Penske File.

Swayze
Swayze are another band from Canada, a country that produces a crazy amount of brilliant punk rock music. One of the biggest kept secrets on this list, I was very surprised to see that they don’t have much of an online following. Their latest EP, St Angry (which you can expect to see a full review for on CPRW in the near future), is packed with high tempo punk rock with big gang vocals and fantastic harmonies. This is a band who seem to write songs with my tastes in mind. FFO Lagwagon, Captain Asshole, MakeWar.

Virginity
Wiretap Records have become one of my favourite record labels over the past few years. They release so many great records from bands of a variety of different punk genres. In Virginity they have another brilliant band on their hands. The three piece from Daytona Beach, Florida, are just about to release their new EP Death To The Party on June 5th and looks set to explode among fans of emo/pop punk music. FFO Expert Timing, Dikembe, Modern Baseball.

This top ten was written by Colin Clark.