Bottomless Pit review at Skyscraper

Hey All:

Review of the Bottomless Pit record Blood Under The Bridge is up currently at the newly relaunched Skyscraper web presence.

Here's a link.

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Skarhead - Kickin It Oldschool

As I approach middle-age, I like to lie to myself and maintain the idea that I am a man of some principles. Despite being somewhat of a dick, I try to be a straight shooter and at least outwardly respectful of those who a deserving of it. That said, I can't really explain why it is that I am so infatuated with Skarhead. Yet I am, and eat up every release. Kickin' It Oldschool compiles the now out of print Drugs, Money, Sex 10" with a handful of demo and remix tracks. For those of you concerned that there would not be enough thuggery, there are a host of answering machine messages from various snubbed jump-offs and local vice cops just to keep thing (dis)honest. All this with some crunchy guitars and workmanlike rhyming. It seems to be the perfect tooth-grinding soundtrack to malt-liquor fueled vileness. I'm pretty sure this is a limited release, but it is remastered, so you may want to grab this. Valentine's Day is coming up, don't you know. Here's a link.

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Chixdiggit - Safeways, Here We Come

I love me some Chixdiggit, really I do. We first fell in love over ten years ago and sealed the deal with a truly awesome show at CBGBs. Having played my hands-down worst sets ever at CBs and having had some of the worst times ever there, it's a pleasure to have a glimmer, at least, of nostalgia about the new John Varvatos store. Subsequent to that, the gents dropped off the face of the Earth for a good while, then surfaced to play a couple US shows behind their last pretty ok full-length Pink Razors. One of the guys, Mike I think, was sick and didn't make it. Some guy filled in at the last minute and the set was really kinda shitty and lame. I was way bummed, even more so when they dropped off again for a while, then surfaced with an absolutely flaccid re-recording of their classic first Sub Pop record that was utterly soul sapping.

So you can imagine my ambivalence when I heard that Chixdiggit were dropping a new EP. I did some checking and was mildly pleased to find that the record was coming out on Fat Wreck. That brand loyalty has bitten me in the ass more and more recently, but with Chixdiggit it seemed enough of an incentive to hunt Safeways down. I'm pleased to report it's pretty damn good. Things get a little sketchy with the last couple tracks, notably with Hot N' Horny, but all in all Safeways, Here We Come is something you should be snapping up with the quickness. Here's a link to the Fat Wreck web purveyor. Keep tabs on Chixdiggit here.

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VRGNS - No Longer Entertainment 7"

I like VRGNS. The new record Manimals is a good one and they have managed to survive in the wake of douchey major label bands making power plays for their name. The No Longer Entertainment 7" pairs the banger from the new platter with a Born Against cover sung by Ryan Patterson of Coliseum. It's good. Pretty sure this is optimized for the collector nerds and limited, so if you want it in your hot little hands, get on over to Kiss Of Death stat. Here's a link.

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Al Del Bene - Get In The Van

In the crop of new comedians breaking on a national level, Al Del Bene is often spoken in the same breath as Dane Cook, which would normally scream halitosis at the ol' JS-NYC HQ. Guys like Del Bene and Dov Davidoff are funny guys that come off a little too far into the jabronie spectrum for my tastes. I guess if I had to choose, I'd prefer my comedians in that arm of comedy to be scumbags (Norton, Vos). Cook and those of his ilk tend to attract a post-frat guy/bottle service kind of douchebag crowd that even by conventional comedy standards is a little much for me.

That Get In The Van is sadly more of a serial killer homage than it is Black Flag homage is a second strike against it, but even I recognize that as a douchey shortcoming to consider. So sue me. Or spite me and buy Get In The Van here. Evidently Del Bene is hooked up with the new Jon Lovitz comedy special, so if you're on the fence about that kind of comedy, maybe check that out first. Or look up Del Bene on his web presence here.

New Austin Lucas single!

It may be freezing-ass cold in Gotham, but one can take small consolation in the fact that Spring isn't so far off. Another glimmer of hope is the impending new Austin Lucas record coming via Last Chance Records. Austin reached out and wanted to let the JS-NYC massive (i.e. David) that he was releasing a new single from A New Home In The Old World. It's called Thunder Rail and you should march your ass over to your favorite digital retailer and get it pronto. It's a little more of a big rock sound, with some harmonized Thin Lizzy-ness in the guitars that makes me smile whenever I hear it. Keep an eye out for Austin at SXSW with the Drag The River dudes and dates out East once A New Home In The Old World drops.

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Black Wine - Dark Energy 7"

New year, new Black Wine 7". This one is called Dark Energy. One track each from Jeff and Miranda with an improbably compelling cover of the Jethro Tull chestnut Locomotive Breath batting in the cleanup slot. I think maybe I like the Miranda track a little bit more, but you can't go wrong with either. It comes courtesy of your friends at Don Giovanni Records. Here's a link to tap into Dark Energy.

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