Notes from the underground.

ON THE LIVE FRONT, got to see Stiff Little Fingers a little while ago. Their old stuff is classic in the oxy-moronic sense that punk can be "classic," but whatever you want to call it, it's great. Their new stuff doesn't do much for me, although the addition of Bruce Foxton of The Jam makes a total of two mullets up there on stage. They played with Throw Rag, who once again played an amazingly high-energy show ... Also rollin' through this burg is Chicago's the Manhandlers. All chicks and no dicks, this four piece stomped through a killer live set and may have broken a heart or two ... The Lost Sounds have a new 12-inch EP entitled Future Touch on In the Red. It's an apocalyptic assault of keyboard-fueled mayhem, much darker than most of the nouveau wave coming out lately ... Sloppier still are a couple more from In the Red: The Hunches Hobo Sunrise and The Piranhas Piscis Clangor. It's the kind of stuff that'll make yer mom tell you to "turn down that noise." The Hunches have a bluesy, Cheater Slicks kinda thing going, with a couple extra drops of Robitussin for that gut-wrenching drowsy feeling. The Piranhas have a free-jazz-inspired punk meltdown (think remotely of Nation of Ulysses, but don't think that hard) ... Tucson's The Knockout Pills have put out their second LP on Estrus, and it's a scorcher of full tilt punk rock 'n' roll with a dose of good times. Quick and fun, you'd expect nothing less ... Also on Estrus is the new one from the Insomniacs, Switched On! Tambourine-shakin' melodic power pop firmly rooted in the '60s ... The Cliftons feature rip-dog-ripper and Clay Wheels git-guy Jonny Manak, and they've just put out a self-released CD entitled Deadly Habits'. It's straight up skate punk in the vein of Aggression or Bark Hard. What, you never heard of Bark Hard? Dude, "Psychopathic Roach," Todd Prince, John Gibson? Fuck, until they reissue that LP or you fork out the $50 on eBay just play the Cliftons ... The Texas Thieves follow through in much the same way as the Cliftons: full on aggro skate punk. Check Killer on Craig's List on Dr Strange ... Before melodic punk became cliche and bands formed to play songs that sounded just like other bands, spawning a whole industry (and record labels) supporting what my friend Ben calls "inspirational snowboard rock," bands like Boston's The Freeze did it right. Dr Strange has reissued Crawling Blind and Freak, two mid-period releases that remain solid ... Non-sequitur rock? "I still love you even though you crystallized my penis." What the hell? It's Moto (Masters of the Obvious), and it's a collection of their singles put out by the good people at Criminal IQ Records. A lot of the songs sound familiar, but strictly speaking, they're not covers. And even though the singer doesn't hit all the notes and the band is just guitar and drums, there's something endearingly hilarious about a band that sings songs like "The Turd That Came to Life," and "Satan Always Calls Collect." Keep yer peepers peeled for "Single File" ... The Lids have a great 7" called "Too Late" on Die Slaughterhouse Records. Full-bore trashy garage punk in the vein of Supercharger and it smokes. The original pressing is gone but it's been reissued with a picture sleeve ...--Wez Lundry

Terror is becoming one of the most prolific hardcore bands with their relentless touring and punishing releases: The Lowest of the Low on Bridge 9 and their follow-up One with the Underdogs. I've been awaiting this disc for months; so much so I would sweat just thinking about it. Not ones to let me down, this record kicks ass. With solid song writing, stripped-down aggressive vocals and circle-pit inducing breakdowns, this record stays at the top of the stack. Besides, Freddy from Madball is backing it, and what Freddy says, goes ... Cast Aside, The Struggle--Deathwish records. Spine-crashing, traditional-minded hardcore with a no-nonsense delivery. If you're a little nasty on your pit maneuvers, such as the windmill or picking up change, this would be the disc to hone your skills to and become a true Pit Jedi ... Also check Converge's You Fail Me on Epitaph Records. Converge fans: this is it. A bit more experimental, but the key word here is "mental;" ever pushing the limits of modern hardcore but in such a punishing fashion. You won't be disappointed ...--HeyitsNate