Tunstin Gat - s/t Ep

More 1990's melodic punk here and another short-lived band.  Tunstin Gat hailed from Berkeley, California in the mid-90s so I suppose you can guess what they sounded like...  when I first heard these guys I remember describing them to a friend as sounding like a "poppy Econochrist" and I think that description holds.  Gruff vocals and prominent bass lines like the aforementioned hardcore punks but married with a Jawbreaker-esque pop-punk sound.... the result is not unlike the more melodic tracks by Grimple or the early stuff from Jawbreaker.  This was their only release, a 5 song 7" Ep on 702 Records out of Nevada. 

Tunstin Gat - s/t Ep

Skinhead Magnet - We Work, We Dream, We Die, Time Flies 10"

Up next is another early 1990's band from California.  Skinhead Magnet was a short lived project of ex-Jack Acid members Ernst and Elspeth and this 10" was their only release.  Skinhead Magnet ends up sounding so much like Jack Acid that its a bit of a wonder why they changed the name, but to me that is just fine.  For the uninitiated, Jack Acid did a few 7"ers back in the day, one of which was a early Lookout! Records release.  Jack Acid and Skinhead Magnet were from the Bay Area but played a more old school punk influenced take on the prevailing sound in that area at the time.  Both bands reminded me of early UK punk filtered through their native California scene - a sound that makes me think initially of the X-Ray Spex or perhaps the Partisans meets the Avengers.  The Jack Acid discography is still available for sale online by the label (here) but for some reason this 10" seems to have never been re-released or widely distributed, a shame and a bit strange considering how closely the band is related to the classic 1990s Bay Area scene.

Skinhead Magnet - We Work, We Dream, We Die, Time Flies 10"

Suckerpunch

Alright, I've finally got some time for a proper new post... lately I've been revisiting a bunch of Ebullition records and related releases - 1990's "emo" influenced hardcore and the like.  Suckerpunch was one of those sort of bands and appeared on the great "Give Me Back" compilation that Ebullition issued (and which I posted a while back here).  While I think their track on that comp. (Religious Phallos) is their best song, their other material is definitely worth a listen.  Collected here for you is their self-titled 10" and their side of the split flexi Ep with Born Against - fair warning, my copy of the flexi is relatively degraded and the sound quality is pretty terrible.  It appears that the band only released one other split Ep before calling it quits.  For those unfamiliar or who haven't heard their contribution to the Give Me Back comp., Suckerpunch had a relatively metallic HC sound which is in keeping with Ebullition stalwarts like Downcast and Struggle but which also brings to mind East Coast bands like Citizens Arrest or Rorschach, though not quite as heavy.  Lyrically and aesthetically they were firmly in the Ebullition style as well.  Anyways, check them out and hope you dig this relatively overlooked group from the 1990s California HC scene.

Suckerpunch - s/t 10" and Split Ep w/ Born Against   

Fields of Fire - The Kids Can't Be Bought Ep

OK, I've been back in town for a bit but have been playing catch up around the house and am finally squeezing in time for a new post... this week I've got a rockin' 7" from Southern California posi band Fields of Fire.  This one came out in 2000 and features some kick ass old school sXe HC in the vein of Insted or Chain of Strength - fast and heavy but with lots of melody.  These guys came from the same scene as Life's Halt and In Control, and like those bands were bridging straight edge and nardcore somewhat.  Good stuff.

Fields of Fire - The Kids Can't Be Bought Ep

Monsula

Here's one more early 90's Bay Area band for now... Monsula were another early Lookout! records group, but one that brought a significant DC hardcore influence to their sound.  This is most prevalent on their second LP, and final release, Sanitized.... there are some definite parallels to what Fugazi was doing at the time, but I also hear a good dose of Ignition and Soul Side, all with a Bay Area tinge.  All in all Monsula released one 7" and two LPs, all of which are included here.  The entire discography is great but my go-to record for them remains the final LP.  Check it all out below.

Monsula - Discography   

Various - Four Two Pudding

OK, so I've been on a bit of an early 90's California punk and hardcore trip lately - playing some tunes I used to love but hadn't spun in quite a while, and the recent blog posts have reflected this.  I think I'm going to do a couple more before I move on, so sorry if you're not into the recent diversion...  Anyways, here is a CD compilation that Very Small records issued in 1993 - it represents kind of a "best of" the label at the time, culling songs from the myriad of other compilations the label produced, along with tracks from other bands' proper releases.  Very Small compilations were my first introduction, back in the day, to a lot of the California scene - bands like Samiam, Jawbreaker, Nuisance, Logical Nonsense, etc.  This compilation, bizarrely titled "Four Two Pudding," features all those bands as well as the great Corrupted Morals, 23 More Minutes, Fuel and an early effort from the Offspring.  Also, California transplants Econochrist and South Dakota greats Dissent contribute tracks.  One caveat with this selection is that Very Small did do records for quite a few weird bands that I never got into - Plaid Retina, 3 Finger Spread, the Lizards, Nar, etc., that sporadically interrupt the flow of great tracks on this collection.  Outside of those odd interjections, classic tracks are provided by Jawbreaker, Samiam, Screeching Weasel, Sleep, and others... ultimately, this CD contains some of my favorite tunes from bands like Nuisance, 23 More Minutes, Logical Nonsense, Fuel and Dissent.  Well worth the download and the inevitable skip past some filler tracks...

Various - Four Two Pudding CD

Nuisance

Well, trying to follow up that Strawman post, I decided to go with another California band with a somewhat similar sound.  Nuisance were an early Lookout! Records band that deviated from that label's, at the time, increasing dedication to signing and promoting pop-punk groups.  In many ways, Nuisance were a bit ahead of their time - grungy just before grunge broke, country influenced way before Ryan Adams and Lucero were on the scene.  Normally, I cringe at the mere mention of "country" or "cow-punk" but Nuisance brought something more to the table.  They were definitely a product of the California scene at the time and the Jawbreaker and Crimpshrine influences are audible... but also present is perhaps a later SST sensibility - Minutemen, later Meat Puppets, etc.  Throw in a dose of stoner rock (like the first Sleep Lp) and that might just define it.  Either way, Nusiance's two Lps were staples on my turntable in the 1990's.  Included here are those 12"ers: Confusion Hill and Sunny Side Down.  I've also thrown in their early Ep "Humbolt County."  Check them out below...

Nuisance - 2 Lps and an Ep   

Naturecore - With Love... Wish You Were Here! Ep (Repost)

Naturecore was a short lived Southern California anarcho-punk band from the mid 80s.  This 12" Ep was released on No Master's Voice records in 1986, though it was recorded in 1984.  The songs feature strong male/female trade off vocals over proto-crusty HC - somewhere between Dirt and Antischism if you ask me... a bit head of it's time I think.  The lyrics are strongly anarcho influenced, and deal with animal rights, exploitation of Native Americans, etc.  The combination leads me to see Naturecore as a direct influence on the coming peace punk/crust scene in the USA - Antischism, Nausea, Mankind?, etc.  Check it out for yourself...

Naturecore - With Love... Wish You Were Here! 12"

With Intent - s/t Ep

OK, it's time to return to the more HC side of things... The post this week is a short lived band from San Diego who, to my knowledge, only released this one seven inch.  With Intent's self-titled Ep came out on Vinyl Communications in 1992 and features some fast HC with intensly screamed vocals.  Several bands come to mind when I think of their sound - Born Against, Heroin, Universal Order of Armageddon as well as some of the French screamy HC bands like Fingerprint or Ivich.  These four tracks definitely rage in that pre-"screamo" way and are worth a listen if you are into any or all of the above mentioned groups.

With Intent - s/t Ep