I don't know about you, but I continue to be floored by the number of great punk-ist bands comin outta Memphis these days.A regular, startling, goddamn phenomenon. It is like a distillery the way they're churnin'em out down there. How come? Is it 'cause of the King? Wait...whuuuuuuuut? Am I Greil Marcus all of a sudden? You could say it all started w/the Grifters, but since this ain't Magnet, let's leave the scribe-writin & history lessons to a soul patch & just wave "okay". Personally, I think the honor of 'patient zero' goes to the Oblivians. It is said that anybody who ever saw the Oblivians in Memphis went on to start 5 bands. Alix Brown 'n Jay Lindsey must've seen'em a bunch 'cause their outfit, Angry Angles, dish out a brand've art & punk damaged brisket that is not only the best in town, but on the planet in general.
If you don't know who I'm talkin about that's okay. Like alot of the brethren in the delta, they prefer the oft maligned format of 7" vinyl to convey their hector. They also run their own label, Shattered, for which to massage said medium. My 1st encounter with'em was via the radio. Terre T played 'Stab You Dead' & I just about flipped. It was the perfect hybrid of Crime 'n the Urinals I'd been waitin 25 yrs to hear! I figured right that Goner would have it & ordered one straight away. Turns out it's their debut 7", a 4 song ep. Wouldn't you know it, but they do a cover of 'Black Hole' too(& it's rad)! A second ep followed on a German label & it's pretty killer as well. On that one, they manage to slap around Devo's 'Blockhead' with such conviction that if I was still on the boat, I'da thought it was theirs. The latest 7" has just come out & it's another stunner. On the Plastic Idol label, this' another 3 songer, including a version of Wire's 'The 15th' which they nail. The original material shreds, the covers're smart & I'm told they absolutely destroy live. What more could you ask for?
So there you have it. For the few of us out there that're keep stats, I'd rate Angry Angles the best American 7" band since Halo Of Flies. Simper if you want, but you know what I mean. It's conceivable there's somebody between I've missed but I ain't gonna sweat it. I'm just glad I didn't drop the ball on these guys. And you shouldn't either. Order direct from http://www.shatteredrecords.net/ or if you can't find it there, try http://www.goner-records.com/
Either way, don't be afraid to buy a ton of other stuff too. It's all good. And listen to Cherry Blossom Clinic on WFMU every Saturday from 3-6pm. You will definitely be learned when you do.
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