“Consisting of members of Primitive Parts, Cold Pumas and Primetime, The Worms began playing in 2014. ‘Everything In Order’ is their first release, squeezing in an impressive 12 songs in 20 minutes. Full-length? Mini-album? Who the fuck knows. Either way, it’s great and we can’t wait for people to hear it.”
“Your favorite mid-tempo manglers are back and you should hold on to your fucking shit because this noisy hardcore punk outfit will make you want to fight someone. GAG is from Olympia WA and bring deranged, distorted and noisy hardcore with strength and anger. This record is a continuous attack on your senses. And I mean that in the best possible way! Ferocious dissonant hardcore focused in intensity and all-out rage. Experimental hardcore, an album of feedback and reverb drenched punk. A storming sea full of noise, with delayed waves!
Our friends at sorry state said: I’ve loved this band pretty much from the beginning, but “Locker Room” just blows away their previous records with heavy, spot-on production and a complete sense of recklessness that very, very few bands are capable of capturing on record. Much like Gay Kiss and Avon Ladies, Gag at their best have this way of combining the meathead brutality of Hoax with something more dissonant, uncomfortable and exciting. Basically, what that means is that the bass player is playing a total pit-clearing riff while the guitar player(s?) just wail out with sheets of noise over the top. A simple formula, perhaps, but one that is executed to perfection here. This is the type of band you expect to see people emerging from the pit bruised and bloody after watching them.
Their earlier releases perhaps left a bit to be desired fidelity-wise, but this 12″ hits with maximum impact. The sound is raw, fucked, and wild hardcore with a heavy delay on the vocals and weird changes throughout. If you like bands like GISM, Church Whip, or United Mutation not just for their aggression but also for their weirdness as well, you’ll flip for GAG.
You want any references? I don’t have a clear one! Listen to this beast and judge for yourself! The only thing I can say, the flagship of the NEW WAVE OF INDUSTRIAL HARDCORE IS BACK! This is music for freaks! Play it loud, get weird and spread the noise with the upside down smile!”
“It’s been four years since Woolf unleashed their debut album, The Right Way to Play also on La Vida Es Un Mus and described as a “pungent spit on the face of musical normality”. Now they’re back with a dystopian revision of feminist queer punk. Born out of South London’s squats and social centres, all but erased in recent years by the Tory government, the four-piece have produced an album conveying alienation and activist fury, the opening track “Civilisation” setting the tone with the (rhetorical) question “is this what they call civilisation?”. Wall of sound guitar distortion provides a backdrop for a commanding, minimalist bass and insistent drums, with vocals that straddle the line between anxiety and paganity. It’s 11 unsettling songs in 11 uncompromising minutes, recalling the experimentation of no wave bands such as UT distorted by a raw punk aesthetic. (Melissa Steiner)”
“I would be remiss and unequivocally in error if I did not immediately admit my love for any power-pop punk that invokes all that is great about the ’77–’79 sound. Radio Hearts are that and more. Hailing from Long Beach, California, this power-pop quartet are a sight to behold, and more importantly, be heard. They have all the ingredients to make your heart ache and body shake. That should be no surprise though, seeing as they are signed to No Front Teeth. The Tell You EP is perfect to get your blood pumping to some sweet, power-filled grooves. “Tell You” immediately captivates with a sick riff that almost reminds me of Belfast punk legends Rudi’s I-Spy. Like the aforementioned, “Tell You” is an up-tempo, power chord–laced tune that one should jump about to.
“So Low” also carries on with the electrifying ferocity that “Tell You” has, although it has a much more noticeable kick that boasts a high-voltage sound. On the B-side, listeners will discover a slight variation in style. It is still awesome power-pop—it’s just that these tracks don’t quite have the same amount of punch as those on the A-side. “My Heart Has An Obituary” is up-tempo, though a little flat. By this I mean it doesn’t have the same about power as other numbers. The other B-side number, “Who Are You,” reminds me of what I could have gotten from the Nice Boys or even off of an Exploding Hearts record. It’s power pop to the core, but has a more ’70s glam rock n’ roll attitude about it.
The reasons you should check this out really boil down to this: It’s solid, tested and good. Sure, one could be comfortable just spinning a Boys or Buzzcocks record—and you know, after I get through the A and B sides here, I may very well do that—but to hell with that kind of complacency. This EP is the product of something good and nostalgic. Radio Hearts take an established sound, made popular by ’70s power pop and punk, and stretch it to fit on this nice little EP. To be fair, a lot of groups have come out of the woodwork and done similar things, and they’ve all been pretty damn good, particularly the ones mentioned above.
Honestly, if three paragraphs highlighting how cool the Tell You EP is doesn’t inspire you to purchase this record, then please consider the following. First, your volume may be turned down too low. Second, your fingers may be lodged in your ears. Those two are the most probable (and PG) reasons for not being infected by the quality of Radio Hearts. Once rectified, you’ll be a happy little individual with a sweet new record spinning on your turntable. Don’t stop there, though: Make sure that you have your volume up radically high so that you can make some friends with your soon-to-be enthusiastic neighbors. After that, you’ll have great music, new mates and/or will most likely be in jail or evicted, but hey, this is rock n’ roll, and the risks are worth it. Good night and good luck. –Nick Kuzmack”
