Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Ruiner - I Heard These Dudes Are Assholes : Record Release & Euro Tour

Three years is a long time.

Back in 2008, I read that Runier would be releasing a discography of sorts through Bridge Nine. The discography album,"I Heard These Dudes Are Assholes", would span their What Could Possibly Go Right 7", the "Still Smiling" demo and also their split 7" with Day Of The Dead.
It made sense, Firestarter wasn't repressing the 7" anymore, so it was a great way for people to hear some of the best hardcore EVER recorded if they missed out the first time.
Seriously, Paint Peals, Getting Over The Years, Out Go The Candles, A Bridge Too Many and Six By Six are untouchable.

Personally, I wanted this record just to get the demo songs. I already had a few copies of the 7" and split. I also understood that the songs would be remastered, so I figured it was a no brainer.

Almost immediately after I ordered the record from Bridge Nine, I started reading about a record release/ Euro tour version with a special cover that would be out of 200. Knowing I wouldn't be able to get this version first hand, I just put it on my want list. I figured they would start popping up sooner than later.

Well over three years later I was FINALLY able to find one, bid on it and win it for just over $30. It took fucking long enough. Hell, I've had a second kid who is now going to pre-school in the time it took me to get this record. What ever happened to instant gratification through the internet?

As you can see the big hook of the special cover is that it is a recreation of the first Ramones album cover.

What I didn't know was that the special cover is just a foldover sleeve on top of the regular cover. For whatever reason I thought it was a glued, open on the right cover. Of course it isn't. It is really nice though.

The back is hand numbered out of 200. I got #78.

They used the more common 1st press white vinyl out of 1000 for this version. Black vinyl was the "rare" color from the 1st press out of 500.

The record release / tour package also came with the cd and its thick as hell book. I think the book is the best part of the whole deal, other than the fact it only came with the cd. Pictures, lyrics and awesome write ups by each of the band members about each song.
I forgot to take pictures of it. Just imagine a really thick cd booklet.

Glad I could cross this one my want list. It bugs me when I need something from one of my favorite bands. I've said it before, I'll say it again. I love Ruiner.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Crumbsuckers - Life Of Dreams

Hey remember a while back when I said the Crumbsuckers album, Beast On My Back was just as good as their first album?
Yeah, forget what I said. B.O.M.B. pretty much sucks.

Life Of Dreams on the other hand is amazing.

I'm on day 4 of my non-stop Crumbsuckers bender. There are very few albums where I can say I love every song, let alone an album that has 16 songs. This record has it all. Amazing riffs, speed, aggression, the best vocals in hardcore and really good production too.
To me crossover is at its best when it leans a little towards hardcore over metal. This album does that. It's pretty much accepted that this was one of the best albums of the entire genre. I totally agree.

As far as the vinyl itself goes, there isn't really much to say. As far as I know all the different label versions were on black vinyl. No idea how many pressed. Let's say lots and lots!

In the USA, it was released on Combat Records. Here in Canada, we didn't get Combat unless you went to the import section of the independant record store.
I found my copy at good old A&A Records, or maybe it was Sam The Record Man. I can't remember which defunct Canadian record chain it was.
As it was a domestic release, I got this weird Canadian licensed version by Cobra Core Records.

I don't pretend to understand licensing arrangements or why Combat couldn't be sold in Canada. All I know is that it resulted in a lot of extra writing on the back cover and label.
Relativity, Maze, Cobra Core, Combat, Important.
Maybe it was an 80's thing.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Free Spirit - Free Yourself 7"

Trust your gut, not your head.

A while back I decided to be a little more responsible with my money. I wanted to be more selective when buying music and following bands. You can't buy everything every good label puts out. I also wanted to start checking out bands online to hear how they sounded instead of ordering sight unseen just because it was released on a certain label or had members in the band from other bands I liked. Like I said, be responsible.

I remember like it was yesterday. Staring at the computer monitor looking at the Free Spirit - Be Yourself 7" order page on Triple B Records' web store.
Either an email or post on a message board went up about it and I went over to check it out. I knew there was a lot of buzz around the band due to their demo. I hadn't heard it myself, mainly because I have a hard enough time keeping up with new bands and I also live 4000 km away from Boston. Pretty tough to pick up a cassette.
I had two copies of the 7" in my shopping cart and at the last second, I decided to pass. You know, be responsible.

Well fast forward a few months, and I get the chance to see the band live. Well, I think it was the band. Free Spirit were one of the Boston hardcore bands playing at Chaos in Tejas along with Mind Eraser, Rampage, Rival Mob and Step Forward. It was like musical chairs on stage with guys swapping instruments and calling it a new band. I swear I saw the same guy on stage play guitar or bass for every one of these bands! I'm only kind of exaggerating.

Anyway, I see them live. I like them. I want to buy their record.

Of course by this point, it's sold out at BBB and every other distro. I am forced to go the ebay route, overpay due to the number of bidders trying to snipe each other at the last minute, and spend more on postage alone than if I would have just bought the records in the first place when I had the chance. Like I said, gut - head.

The record itself was joint released on BBB and Lockin' Out. It came on two colors.
Clear vinyl out of 300.

Red vinyl out of 700.

The record also comes with a pretty big glossy black and white insert/lyric sheet.

Music wise, Free Spirit aren't really reinventing the wheel. Very competently played, fast posi-hardcore with a kind of fuzzed out guitar sound and gruff aggressive vocals. Plenty of breakdowns and mosh parts. Seven songs in under seven minutes. That should give you an idea of what's up.

It's a really good record. I'm glad I have it now. I just wish I would stop screwing up to get here.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Give Up The Ghost - Year One reissue

I don't know what the hell is wrong with me.

When the pre-orders for Bridge Nine's reissue of American Nightmare's (Give Up The Ghost) Year One compilation came up, I really tried to hold off. I didn't need it.
I mean I have no less that eight copies of the first 7", and seven copies of "The Sun Isn't Getting Any Brighter" 7". Hell, I even have the Year One double 7" AND a couple copies of the Reflections "Year One" album.
I really didn't need this. Leave it to people who weren't around the first time.

I held off for a grand total of 10 minutes.

Bridge Nine offered some three packs for the three different "colors" available.
Red, white and blue color schemes as in the past with American Nightmare releases.

I'm not sure about the pressing numbers yet as they aren't up on the B9 discography, but the red ones sold out first. It didn't take long.

The album also came with a huge color foldout insert lyric sheet/poster.

American Nightmare - why can't I quit you?