endless bummer

So I lost my job, and haven’t been to any shows for ages so didn’t really have a lot to write about on here. But I thought fuck it, lets write about some stuff I have heard lately. So here goes:

So the Hammers 7″ came out a few weeks ago, and you have probably already heard it by now but I shall let you know what I thought. Before I talk about the wonder held within, I want to talk about the packaging. Screen printed on rough home recycled paper, it looks excellent and worth £3 alone. But you actually get a record inside too! It has the muddy sound we have come to expect from Hammers, but the majority of it is crystal clear muddiness except for a few forays into dirge which get lost in the noise. The songs are obviously excellent, just the sort of grim, fast, D-beat-esque stuff that is so hot right now. The 7″ kicks off with Mass Producing Death, which is a live favourite of mine so I was appeased, the real highlight is the second side’s kick off track Odin’s Doom, it sounds the best of all the tracks on the record, crunching and blasting in all the right places. Its fifteen minutes of unrelenting, sheer grimness that can’t be matched, six tracks of blasting D-beats, guitar octaves and throat aching screams, it really is just dead good. Basically, you should buy it as soon as possible as they are flying out like hot vegan cakes.
Also out is the Hammers Year One cassette. You can probably order both of these at http://www.myspace.com/hammers625.

Have you heard The Grebs? I found them on Myspace and gave them a listen, I dug what I heard. Then they went and sent me a sampler for their forthcoming album along with three newly recorded tracks. This was absolutely ages ago, and I’m sorry for taking my time with it. The kick off track Infested: A Police State is excellent, Leftover Crack have been letting me down with their limited output since Mediocre Generica and The Grebs pick up where they left off. Is it ska-core? I don’t what you would call it, there are ska parts and there are hardcore parts, they rarely overlap. They call it dubdowncore. Its an interesting mix and The Grebs take it further than their Crack laced counterparts visiting more with the NYHC style. The songs are sample heavy with dialogues about CCTV and global warming etc. There were three new tracks included with my sampler, the recording was crisper and they seem to have picked up some brass along the way. The band have developed between these recordings, the new songs are tighter, better and more original. What We Live For is the stand out track out of what I have heard so far, sometimes you could believe that these guys were hanging around NY in its hardcore prime whilst listening to Desmond Dekker. I reckon when this album finally comes out, its going to be a belter.
You can buy the sampler, or generally have a bit of a listen at http://www.myspace.com/thegrebs.

I got an add request on the social network site today from a band named Face Of Death. They have three tracks on their myspace, which are all excellent. Its fast, noisy and spazz-esque, which is about as good as it gets! And they are a ruddy two piece to boot.
Buy a cassette or listen here, http://www.myspace.com/fodthrash.

In other news, I got my shit together and started making some dirty, fast and shitty music with some cool people. You can hear our dodgy, one mic recordings on the myspace. I haven’t got a new job yet though.