Notes from the underground.

PASS THE ROBITUSSIN AND VALIUM COCKTAIL, and top it off with an Ex-Lax, because the Black Lips self-titled LP on Bomp will leave you reeling with the feeling of full on bummer rock. Slow down Lubricated Goat but up the dose, sprinkle liberally with the blues, and you'll be sucking your thumb in the corner like an incontinent in no time ... And while you're enjoying that Robitussin bummer buzz, put on the Functional Blackouts' self-titled LP on Criminal IQ Records. Mayhem like the Germs (and they do a Germs cover, "Land of Treason") but blended with some of that Midwest psych-punk (Clone Defects, ctc). Someone finally sends me something that I can actually listen to repeatedly ... on the little records front, check out the Deadly Weapons' You're Se Selfish on Rapid Pulse. It features Tina (from Tina and the Total Babes, among others) and Larry from The Rickets, but isn't really like either of their other bands. It's more in the vein of hardcore-tinged punk, guitars up front, in the vein of the Action Swingers. The GG Allin cover is a bonus ... Holy shit, someone slipped a couple 7" crankers in the pile, both Australian bands released on the Six Two Five label outta the Bay Area. The first is a reissue of demos by The Kill, who play speedy thrashcore with the throaty growls, etc. It's much better than the average of this type of stuff (which can sound, at times, like a screaming lab monkey getting its nuts pinched). But the killer is the Paint It Black EP by the Far Left Limit. Less of the noise but all the intensity, these guys reminded me of an early to mid period Christ on a Crutch, and that's not a freely given compliment. Hardcore played right, with political undertones that don't become caricatures ... Speaking of the hawd coah, check the Set Up's new LP, Tuned to Drop Dead. If that ain't gonna help you with your morning shit blast before you start the day you probably should be reading People magazine. Breakneck HC that don't let up ... And speaking of broken necks, what's up with the new Defcon 4 CD? It's self-titled and on Ammonia and Rodent Popsicle, and it's pretty damn brutal. I believe they're from the Boston area, which might or might not explain the deranged diction of the songs, but anyone who starts their record with the lyric "I used to be a fish, now I can run" gets the Chi Pig Lyric Writin' Award TM for this month ... New stuff from the Black Keys, down-home and bluesy. Look for the Leavin' Trunk b/w She Said, She Said 7" on Isota Records ... Speaking of two-piece guitar, drum and vocals bands, are you pissed off because people are going around calling the White Stripes and The Strokes the new garage rock? So, apparently, is Dan Melchior and His Broke Review, who sound a death knell with their "Garage Obituary." Look for the "Remote Control" 7" on Troubleman Records (and no, it's not a Clash cover) ... The late '70s was a pretty fucked up period. Musically, America was taking a dump with the exception of a few punk bands, and the emerging new wave. Rock had gone fully wimpy; electro arena rock and disco dominated. Great underground bands took cues from the MC5, Radio Birdman, The Stooges, The Sonics, and others. But a lot played the cards they were dealt. Case in point: the Quick's In Tune with Our Times 7" EP reissue on Bacchus ... Bold enough to know that shit was a dead end, they played some harder edge proto punk/new wave. This is the kind of shit a lot of those nouveau wave bands should be bending an ear toward to make sure they don't completely forget the rock ... One of the fares this month, look for the new Lazy Cowgirls LP I'm Coin' Out and Get Hurt Tonight on Reservation. More on the rock side with country and blues injected in there as well. One of the best rock bands to see live these days, this isn't one to sleep on ... You'd think a whole record of outtakes and rejected songs would be a stinker, and a rip off as well. If it's the New Bomb Turks, think again. Check Switchblade Tongues, Butterknife Brains on Gearhead. Sure, it's outtakes and stuff that never saw the light of day over the last four years or so, but there's some great stuff on there ... C'mon, it's the New Bomb Turks!