2011...these all go to '11

2011. Coulda been a good one for you or a shit one. Either way, you'd have to have had your head buried deeper than a rabbit hole to miss even a handful of the great music that was released last year. It seemed overwhelming at times to even keep up with new stuff that was coming out from all directions. Some would-be classics, perhaps. And what else is there when all is going bad? Music. And regardless of sales graphs and numbers-- '11 was a great year for music. Standout albums, ep's, reissues and even the occasional "fan club release".
Speaking for myself, i could't possibly make a complete list as I didnt hear enough stuff to call that a fair, definitive list. It's a chunk of stuff that, as i spend my days behind a counter at Spiral Scratch, listened to repeatedly and was moved by in some form. But what's my opinion worth over any customer or "helper"? So instead of this post being about me--it's about others whose tastes i value as much as my own. Some even more. Never fool yourself about record store workers who sneer at you...they are merely humanoids who chose to work at a record shop (good move, too) over the local convenience store or cubicle hell. Your opinion is as worthy as anyone's (in most cases...but I still don't get the Black Keys, I'll trust they do something for you.) It's more about how important these releases were to us and that we took the time to express ourselves about them via this sloppy blog. We hope you get satisfaction, information and pleasure from, too.
2011 ended hard for me but I can find good in it. I did, and i too made a list. Lists spark debate sometimes, they can make you take a second look or totally question someones taste. Best case, they introduce you to something you may have missed. So without further ado, let's check out what Spiral Scratch and our friends found good about 2011. In no particular order...

Caitlin Hogan-Lazar
part-time employee, (sub)culture expert, soon to be "worlds greatest mom" and Spiral Scratch interior designer/organizer.

Best Album: Davila 666 - Tan Bajo

tie: Puerto Rico Flowers - s/t

Best 7": Diarrhea Planet - Aloha

Best reissue: John Spencer Blues Explosion - Now I Got Worry

Best song: Brain Flannel - Hand's in the Jar

Best show: New Pornographers @ Town Ballroom

Best new drummer in Plates: Jordan N.

Best cover song: Fatal Figures - Combination Pizza Hut Taco Bell (das racist)

Best Album Cover - Washed Out - Within And Without

Best Flyer- Cages, Sonorous Gale, River of Ichthyosis @ Mohawk

Best New Zine - Subject #1 (pat shanahan)

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Derek Neuland - part-time employee, consultant, CEO of Bit Part Buttons and general 'sweet dude'. Also, one of the Thirsty Dudes* and zinesmith. A crucial asset to our little shop here. Derek responded swiftly with lists aplenty. Enjoy...

Top 11 Albums:
Fucked Up - David Comes To Life Dead Language - s/t Lemuria - Pebble Pains of Being Pure At Heart- "Belong" Joyce Manor - s/t Wild Flag - s/t Jay Z/Kanye West - Watch The Throne Shoppers - Silver Year Oathbreaker - Maelstrom Ke$ha- I Am The Dance Commander + I Command You To Dance:The remix album Big Eyes- Hard Life

11 Best Live Bands
Crystal Castles
Thou
Magrudergrind
Big Eyes
Joyce Manor Ume Procecession Lemuria Off With Their Heads Pleasure Leftists Screaming Females

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Anchovies - owner, Spiral Scratch, big jerk and sloppy looking guy living a dream as long as I can while the rest of the world crumbles around me. I also love music, my mom and old lady, and miss a bunch of folks a lot which makes me crabby sometimes. here are some things that made me very happy, in no order at all, in 2011.

11. Human Eye - They Came From The Sky
Not their first, though most definitely the apex of Timmy Vulgers Human Eye. A bit weird, surrounded by incredible musicians--this may be his crowning achievement so far. Timmys Organism was no slouch either, but TCFTS is a whopper of an album that must be heard.

11. Total Control - Henge Beat - Don't ever let anyone tell you Australia isn't the home of the some of the best rock and roll ever made. You can take the Saints who owned first wave punk and go in all directions. Currently, Eddy Current Suppression Ring have caught the ears of the masses, and with good good reason. Mikey, who plays guitar with the breaking ECSR is also a key cog in this ace aussie outfit. Post-punk, some electronic, some rave up rockers--often herky jerky--Total Control strung it altogether (overshadowing several other great aussie releases) in seemingly effortless, perfection. This is real deal music, folks. Hey, I dug the ICEAGE record but it pales in comparison to this gem. Do not overlook their half of the tour split with thee Oh Sees whom they opened for across the US in 2011. Which leads me to...

11. Thee OhSees/Total Control/Paul Cary @ Bug Jar, Rochester, New York.
Ok, i was turned on to the Oh Sees by my pal Richie right about the time peanut Butter Oven was released. Shortly after, the amazing HELP came out and since then I've been preaching curious customers in their direction as best I can. Yes, Dwyer & Co. release an album every few months and they are not always perfect but considering the body of work to excellent quality, thee Oh Sees deserve every accolade they get. The 2011 lp was no slouch at all (both of them!) notwithstanding. Seeing them twice before, by the time this show happened thee Oh Sees had finally caught on way passed the small garage rock set that was the scene they emerged from. A packed house, half traveling from an hour west (that's here) and a body of new fans. My little secret had gone viral. I could have found a million reasons to say i enjoyed the other shows better, but this was the best show i'd seen all year. Adding the awesome Lars Finberg on second drum kit--this band is in peak form, commanding and just a mindfuck of a great performance. Total Control killing it right before (albiet some sound issues) was nearly as potent, but this was thee Oh Sees show and extending jams showcased how "on" this band is. You will NEVER see a show like this in an arena, not even the Town Ballroom. This is how rock and roll was meant to be viewed--and while thee Oh Sees are confined to small clubs, they will probably destroy it every night. My favorite show of the year. Traveling in a car full of cool was just gravy.

11. Brain F = - Sleep Rough - Punk rock with a girl singer. Not my usual cup of tea, but this lady sings/talks in such a unique and effective way (with male vocals responding) while the music is quite raucous, rough and grating. It takes a few listens, I suppose--but probably one of the more unique and killer punk albums in quite some time. the songs become catchy while maintaining a rowdy edginess. The singles are even more raw, but this album flows and evades comparisons.

11. Dayang q-t 50 scooter - nothing non-musical or human lifted my will to live like the $500 scooter i bought myself towards the end of the summer. Never would i have thought i'd end up on two wheels and speed just ain't my thing, but this scooter (which took some heavy vandalism and bad luck) was my favorite toy/vehicle ( i kinda destroyed the rest anyway). I am a lonley scooter nerd and plan an upgrade in 2012. maybe I'll make a friend who has a scooter and we can start a gang. 800 miles in 3 months. farthest trip: Buffalo to Lewiston and back.

11. Homostupids -Strawberry Orange Peach Banana lp
I almost forgot how this is far and away, my favorite Homostupids release since the first single. It's certainly not for everyone, but it's for me, man. Spinning off was Steves'amazing Pleasure Leftists 12" which is 180 degrees of difference--an outstanding Joy Divison-esque fronted by a killer female vocalist. I'm combining both of these releases into one since I wasted one on a stupid scooter! (ok, yer not stupid...but was it necessary??)

11. Sex Church - Growing Over A band we were fortunate enough to have booked and decided to have play in our own dungeon. The vibe, lighting and sound were all perfect that night, too. Those lucky enough in attendence saw a truly great band deliver the goods. meanwhile, since the early singles and subsequent 12" from last year, Sex Church is on a steady incline of improvement. Growing Over is yet another cerebral, post-punk, dreamy psych-guitar (and hooks) and effects driven piece of beauty. It was a pleasure to continue being sold out of them and knowing people had caught on to Sex Church without any (criminally unfair) online hype or chatter.

11. Psandwich - Northern Psych - Ron House is back (Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments) and although we never were able to stock this semi-obscurity due to its lack of availability, i'm not sure i listened to a record more than Northern Psych. The man can not only dance, but still belt it out in a love it or hate it cowl. Not every song is great, but the majority are serious winners. Advice: seek this out or i'm going to drive to Columbus Discount headquarters and grab some for stock.

11. Eddy Current Suppression Ring - So Many Things (double lp singles comp)
Spanning the first single, to scarce early versions of early songs to the different side of ECSR (demons demands among other longer, droning jams that are longer and more hypnotic than their typical lp tracks), this comp is really an essential release to one of Planet Earths greatest bands.

11. GG KING - Esoteric Lore - Almost passed me by, one of two shockers that I discovered in the last weeks of 2011. Ex-Carbona, this surpasses my beloved Carbonas (much different) and anything previously heard from GG King (two good singles). But this is just phenomenal. A dark, punk masterwork? Do i speak too soon as I haven't had 12 months to absorb...all I know is I can't stop listening to it and I apologize for not having stocked this. If there are any left, it is on order. Another is Mikal Cronin (Moonhearts) stunner of a solo album (in stock!) which was sent to me from Buffalo ex-pat (and all around nice guy who works for a distro we like) Matt Byrne. Produced by Ty Segall (and crazy flute by John Dwyer) this is more of a killer pop album with garage rock undercurrents than a garage lp. Some real sweets on this album that truly needs to be heard by garage and indie nerds alike--both will appreciate the talents of Cronin.

11. I'm leaving this slot, the final (even though there is no order here) open to those great albums i just didnt spend enough time with--but i know i will and i know i'm digging them already. Kitchens Floor (their second?) "Look Forward To Nothing", the Men "Leave Home", Pheremoans - "It Still Rankles", Tyvek "fast metabolism" ok--this is a top 11 but i simply ran out of room, and the vast number of crucial reissues or unearthed stuff like the Saints "Eternally Yours", Poison Idea "Darby Crash plus" 2x lp. Also absent is the onslaught of Buffalo bred music i have purposely left off so I can go into depth in a future post. I'm rambling...let's hear from the the others.
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Andy Czuba. Another consultant, part time counter jockey and straightenr up of all things unorganized. A solid dude...but they're all solid, or they wouldn't have keys to the place on their keyrings! Also, a wildman in hardcore band the Strangers.

- Encoffination - O Hell, Shine In Thy Whited Sepulchres-
-Trap Them -Darker Handcraft
- Deafheaven - Roads To Judah
- Zola Jesus - Conatus
- DJing for the first time
- Throwing awesome shows for Trap Them, Gaza,
and Weekend Nachos
- Seeing Thou and Wolves In The Throne Room in the
middle of the woods in Vermont
- Rescuing my 3rd cat, Coach Dad
-Rescuing a several week old kitten from the outdoors where it would
have surely died
- Taking up Photography and having photos appear on
records and in magazines
- New job that I actually don't hate
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MARISA VIOLET
Large event co-ordinator, spiritual guidance, Record Store Day counter princess and all things indie rock consultant--this post would be incomplete without the input of our better half. Remember...behind every sloppy, poorly dressed, immature and disoriented man, theres a ...wait a minute. thats not the saying! Lets just get to the list. as with most of these, there is no particular order.

Top Albums

-Zola Jesus - Conatus
-Wild Flag - s/t
-Vivian Girls - Share The Joy
-Real Estate - Days
- Atlas Sound - Parallax
-Cut Copy - Zonoscope
-St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
-Bon Iver - s/t
-PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
live shows
-Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings/Charles Bradley @ Town Ballroom
-Mark Kozelek (solo acoustic) The Mansion House, St. Catherines, Ontario
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Chuck Barrels, CEO Terminal-Boredom.com , co-host of Scratch -n-Sniff Radio, musical mastermind, ultimate Scratch consultant and one of the greatest dudes walking earth. A true man's man (whatever that means). His name is actually Richie. Here is his list.

10 RECORDS FROM 2011 YOU SHOULD BUY FROM SPIRAL SCRATCH

(OR MAKE DAVE ORDER FOR YOU IF THEY ARE OUT OF STOCK)

Disclaimers: listed in no particular order; no local bands included so no one is offended; all products were released in the 2011 calendar year.

1) HUMAN EYE “They Came From The Sky” LP (Sacred Bones)– I never thought a band could be as cool as Hawkwind, but then again I never thought a mutant like Timmy Vulgar could exist on this worl either. Best record of 2011, whether MRR wants to covert them or not.

2) FEEDERZ “Ever Felt Like Killing Your Boss?” LP (Broken) – reissued for the second (third?) time, this is one of the most underrated classic punk LPs from a band that also never really got their due. Sick stuff.

3) POSION IDEA “Darby Crash Rides Again” LP (TKO) – the earliest recording of PI, 1981-82 demos and a live radio set from ’83. Fantastic sound considering the source material, great liner notes from Jerry A, gatefold with photos, etc…Pig Champion’s guitar never sounded so primal.

4) TV GHOST “Mass Dream” LP (In the Red) – if you saw them kill at Soundlab, you know what I’m talking about. The A-Side of this might be my favorite sequence of songs all year. Weird and scary and punk.

5) HOMOSTUPIDS “Strawberry Orange Peach Banana” mini-LP (Fashionable Idiots) – AMERICA’S GREATEST BAND unleash another masterpiece. This one is their ‘Dark Side of the Moon’.

TYVEK “Fast Metabolism” LP (M’Ladys) – the LP they should have released a couple years ago finally sees light as it should have been presented. DIY art-punk of the highest caliber.

7) CHEATER SLICKS “Our Food Is Chaos” LP (Almost Ready) – essential early recordings from the masters of misanthropy.

8) SEX CHURCH “Growing Over” LP (Load) – if you were transported to another dimension during their performance in the basement of the Scratch like I was, you should already own this. If you missed it, you should immediately buy the best guitar-psych record of the year.

9) GG KING “Esoteric Lore” LP (SOD/Rob’s House) – ex-Carbonas frontman puts together a schizophrenic KBD/goth/metal classic.

10) Folded Shirt s/t 12" (Fashionable Idiots) – pure genius. That’s all I can say.

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Last, but not least is the bearded lothario. The man who defies space and time constraints in the name of rock and roll, screen printing , and just being a great man. He hasn't manned the counter in some time due to his busy schedule, but we hope to have him back as soon as he is able. He also runs the wildy prolific Feral Kid Records with the fruits of his labors, nearly single-handedly giving the Buffalo punk scene a voice on vinyl. Somehow, he found time to make a 2011 retrospective list. Read on...

Top 11 of '11

Any moron who makes blanket statements saying that no good music comes out anymore is CLEARLY not paying attention or listening to the right records. This year was insane!!!! There are far too many good records, and I won't cheapen any of them by attempting to put a numerical order to these. My top 11 records will be listed in alphabetical order and are my favorite 11 records of any format that came out this year.

The Beach Boys - SMiLE LP Capitol Records

I'm not gonna spend too much time bothering to talk about this one. What could some chump like me say that hasn't already been said about this record? The sticker on the shrink wrap of SMiLE refers to it as "The Most Anticipated Record In Rock 'N' Roll History". It's the shelved recordings that were to be the followup to Pet Sounds in 1967. What else really needs to be said? I can understand someone's skepticism, but It's actually quite good and a lot darker at times than people seem to think The Beach Boys are capable of. After hearing this record I can certainly see why the recording of it led to some mental breakdowns for Mr. Wilson, or maybe it was that pesky kid next door….who knows? Either way; dark, goofy, catchy, beautiful record.

Brazilian Nuggets Volume 1; Back From the Jungle LP Groovie Records

I am an absolute sucker for compilations such as these. This is the first of a three volume set which i cannot WAIT for the next two to become available. Every aspect of this LP rules; from the killer artwork, to the full color photos in the gatefold, to (most importantly) the music contained within the grooves! The archaeologists at Groovie Records have exhumed a cavalcade of hits here. It spans a pretty diverse realm of tunes from the '60s and '70s in Brazil. Dingy garage gems are intertwined with weirdo psych influenced jams and bizarre rock 'n' roll type tracks which WOULD be some very anthemic songs if they weren't cursed with their obscurity due to the oppressive regime of Brazil at the time. Anyways, this comp rules. Pick it up if you dig any aspect of garage rock, psychedelia, pre-punk weirdness, or have an interest in world music.

Davila 666 - Tan Bajo LP In The Red Records

I had been hearing good things about this band for a while now and snoozed on them for far too long. The snooze button was intentionally hit once again though even after hearing the praise of this LP. I just couldn't get past the godawful cover art of this one. It's terrible! It truly looks like nothing I would ever want to hear. All of that, however, melts away once you actually hear the record. These songs are incredible and will be stuck in your head like the worst radio pop songs….the difference is that these songs are actually GOOD! Be prepared to possibly seem culturally insensitive as you WILL be singing these songs at high volume in the shower even though they may not be in your native tongue. Hopefully any Puerto Ricans within earshot will understand the sheer power of these poppy garage rock gems and not be offended by your poor spanish; misinterpreted and sung at high decibels.

Dead Language - s/t LP Iron Lung Records

This behemoth record has received a good amount of hype since its release, and with good fucking reason! It's unreal! The angriest hardcore record I've heard in a long fucking time! There is NO reason for anyone reading this to not have this record. I mean, come on, its IRON LUNG with local madman Dave Bailey (Gas Chamber, Solutions, Cages….) on bass with the dude from No Comment singing and also has dudes from Walls and Pig Heart Transplant doing other things (not entirely sure who did what so i don't wanna give the wrong info).

Death Trap - No Hicks EP Feral Kid Records / Warm Bath Label

Alright, I recognize that it may seem a bit screwy that i am putting a record that I released on my Top Records of the Year List. Egomaniacal, huh? Well I don't care! It's THAT GOOD! This record has been in the making since 1984 and only saw the light of day this year (even though the labels on the record say it came out in 2010, it did not). This record deserves ANY sort of excitement that it creates. Death Trap is the missing link between KBD punk and 80's hardcore. How in the world this had gone 27 years without seeing the light of day is the most monumental travesty that I can think of. Having been listening to these songs very regularly for the last number of years while we worked out the specifics of the release, I can honestly say that they do not get old or lose their edge. Truly the best kept secret in punk! Buy this record and bow down to the mighty Death Trap!!

Group Flex - Flexi 7" Compilation Castle Face Records

In 2011 aesthetics cannot be overstated. We live in a time where people don't think they need to buy records because the music is instantly available at their fingertips without spending a cent. Well my friends, this comp is a perfect example of how to break people away from that mindset. It's BEAUTIFUL! This is a steno bound book containing 5 flexi 7"s (and one record pressed on cardboard, yikes) each with a different band on them and cool artwork. You turn to the flexi you want to listen to, put the book on your turntable, and play the whole damn thing! AND it actually sounds really good. This is truly a work of art. Bands include; Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin, The Fresh & Onlys, Barb Wires, and Blasted Canyons and the whole thing is very listenable. Super catchy and memorable tunes by most of the bands.

Human Eye - They Came From The Sky LP Sacred Bones Records

Human Eye is another band that I had seen live before being aware of their recorded output. After seeing them for the first time a few years ago, and taking the time necessary to pick my jaw off the floor, I was eventually able to slowly make my way over to the merch table and somehow formulate the words necessary to explain that I wanted to purchase anything they had for sale, though it was probably just a lot of grunting and pointing. Human Eye's records up till now are good, don't get me wrong, but I've always felt that there was something missing. Whatever the hell it was, they FOUND it on this LP. It's INSANE! I don't even know how to begin to review it, its just plain bonkers! To fully experience Human Eye, I must insist that you go out and see them, but this record is the closest that i think they will ever get to capturing the intensity of their live show.

Lieutenant - s/t LP Art of the Underground / Warm Bath Label / Peterwalkee Records

Roughly seven years ago I was lucky enough to see this bands beginnings at their first Buffalo, NY appearance. It was pretty awesome then, and in 2011 when they played again it was mind-blowing! This LP has been talked about around the area here for a very long time and now that it has finally seen the light of the day I couldn't be happier. Four of the heaviest hitting dudes in the local area really upped the ante with this record. Pissed off fast hardcore punk with killer riffs, heavy drums, and demented vocals. Oh, and that pretty bass outro, FUCK! WELL worth the insanely long wait!

Organized Sports - "i'm So Proud of Him" LP Bulkhead Records / HIV Town Records

This year i was not only lucky enough to get into this band, but was blessed with seeing them in three different cities; Cleveland, Buffalo, and their hometown Portland, OR. From the first night seeing them i was floored! This is my kinda hardcore, pissed off from start to finish, and incredibly sincere. Super entertaining live, and the record does not disappoint. There is no bullshit on this LP whatsoever. If you like old sounding, pissed off hardcore-punk, you HAFTA like this band.

Rational Animals - Bock Rock Parade LP Katorga Works Records

Rochester, NY's unwanted bastard child returns with their third release to date, this time with their debut LP - Bock Rock Parade. I am a very biased man when it comes to this band, having put out all of their releases up to this point, but i had nothing to do with any aspect of this record. I can't help but WISH that i did though. It rules so damn hard! The riffs have gotten a bit more complex from the first two EP's and at times almost seem like they could be the song playing as you ride on a carousel. Even with the circus riffs though, the grit on the solos and the anger and desperation coming through on the vocals make this one downright disturbing record. I challenge you to be in a good mood while listening to this, and i mean all of that in the best possible way.

Shoppers - Silver Year LP Feeble Minds / Dugged Conscience

This has been one incredible year for western and central NY bands putting out killer records. Shoppers "Silver Year" LP is no exception to that statement. I've seen this band a handful of times over the last few years, and watching them progress to this has been awesome. Silver Year is a masterpiece. This record is really dark and disturbing in musical and lyrical content. When i got it on cassette before the LP came out, I couldn't stop listening to it. I just let it play over and over and over again feeling that there was still more to grasp from it. I feel like there should be more said about it, but STILL am not able to adequately put it into words. I love this band, and this record. They're becoming a touring machine, so do yourself a favor and find a way to catch them.

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Wait, there's more to come...a few customers submitted lists! Without their permission, here they are!


Joshua Cerretti posted:
Good Luck 'Without Hesitation'
Office of Future Plans 's/t'
Pygmy Lush 'Old Friends'
Roll the Tanks 'Broke 'til Midnight'
Hawks and Doves 'Year One'
Bridge and Tunnel 'Rebuilding Year'
Star Fucking Hipsters 'From the Dumpster to the Grave'
Elliot Brood 'Days into Years'
Scorpios 's/t'
Mastodon 'The Hunter'
Samiam 'Trips'.
I think that's 11.

"Uptown" Bobby Ellis, browser and man about town:
Ice Age - 'New Brigade'
Real Estate - 'Days'
Twin Sister - 'In Heaven'
La Sera - 'La Sera'
Total Control - 'Henge Beat'
Destroyer - 'Kaputt'
The Beets - 'Let The Poison Out'
Sea Lions - 'Everything You Always Wanted To Know...'
Thee Oh Sees - 'Carrion Crawler/The Dream'
Pure X - 'Pleasure'
Men - 'Leave Home'

Thank you, everyone, for taking the time to write about the records you loved or the good times had in 2011. If you'd like to contribute a top 11 of '11 list, it's not too late. send us an email at spiral scratch records and we'll post it. In the meantime, we'll do our best to re-stock many of these and keep the best of '12 coming in as we can. remember--you are the shareholders and you keep us alive, no multi-millionaire backing here. but we shall grow in the coming year and keep you supllied with the best music available. you can help letting us know just what that is, too.

part 2 forthcoming.

anchovies

1.10.12

5:39 a.m.

December Report: Car Crash, Holiday Party, Incoming...

I don't hate the holidays...but I sure can't wait until they are over. Everyone above 30 years old has a bad memory (or misty eyed good one) re-ignited during the joyous season of consumption, getting together and eating and/or drinking. I try not to be a winter whiner. Wino, maybe. They don't have to suck (read below about our Holiday Miracle™ Xmas Party at Spiral Scratch '11) and so far, they don't. Quite an accomplishment given the current surroundings. My holiday season received a jolt at he hands of a 100+ year old tree in Kenmore, NY about 5 houses down from Chateau D'Anchovies. (did you know it's an automatic traffic ticket if you strike a tree in kenmore, Ny with your vehicle? well. it is. funfacts!) It was a day like any other...I was running late to open the shop--pre-empting a shower, coffee or splash of water to the face I began the coast to the stop sign in the vehicle I received after my beloved father unexpectedly passed away in 2008. A 2005 Ford Explorer. USMC bumper stickers and various religious items planted inside by my mother which I didn't dare remove.

I never particularly cared for 'the truck'--except when i could engage 4 wheel drive and drive through snowbanks with the greatest of ease. But i felt part of the old man in that vehicle with me, which I shamefully let become my office on wheels. It had a particularly annoying feature: a constant beeping until all seatbelts were engaged. I backed out while lighting a cigarette, slammed it in drive and checked the time as I turned to buckle up for safety. How fast was I going? No idea. I was approaching a stop sign. or so I thought. A surreal jolt and the world had turned on its side. In addition, I felt my head wet (two streams of headblood) and my side pierced with a sudden pain. I drifted off the road and struck a tree, flipping "the truck" on to it's side. no air bag deployment...just the sound of vehicle fluids pouring from a huge open wound on the right front end. I thought it might blow up as I began crawling through broken glass and trying to salvage a box of my favorite records which was riding shotgun.
Fuck it! She's gonna blow while I'm picking up records, trapped inside a vehicle on a quiet Tuesday afternoon. Physical Graffitti! Alladin Sane! Perfect copies! Back into the box. Still, nobody had arrived on the scene. I could see a local baby sitter just looking from the safety of her porch as I tried to open a door. None were cooperating. I turned back to gather more cherished items. Well into shock and "what the hell just happened?" mode, I was somewhat clear thinking (for me, anyway) I hoped nothing "sketchy" or even..."illegal" had been left inside that could make the worst situation worse. I checked the usual spots. Clean as a whistle. (what does that even mean? you'd think a whistle would be filled with old spittle and gross shit. I've never thought about it. Idioms. Maybe it's the sound?) "Unlock the door!" i tried, but it wouldnt work. Put the truck in park, more records seperated from broken glass, more blood. Eventually I'm helped out and dusting myself off it sinks in. I'm not hurt enough to not be "up shit creek" (now there's an idiom i GET). I've destroyed the truck. My dad's truck. Now the last time I was in a serious car accident, I was a tiny child of sorts. I don't even remember it. This, my cherry popper. The ugliest sound, a ton of metal and rubber slamming into an immovable object (or, in some cases, another ton of metal and rubber which is movable--but devastating still.)
The police arrive, the fire department and eventually a meat wagon crawls to the scene on all fours. Think i'll just take my records and go home for the day. Some guy is helping me carry stuff to my porch before they take it away. It's early afternoon and I'm clearly sober, but if you hit a tree 50 feet from your driveway, you get the drills. the light to the eyes. the sobriety tests, the option to get a free ride to kenmore mercy™ or walk home. i go home, aching and the neighbors still aren't speaking to me. Happy Holidays, neighbor. 3 days later i make sure i haven't popped a lung ( 2 cracked ribs which, in case you are not aware, hurt like a motherfucker /HLMF. (sorry folks).
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Holiday Miracle at Spiral Scratch (beta) December 17th, 2011

An offhanded idea due to lack of holiday party invites blossomed into the first Spiral Scratch Holiday Miracle & Xmas Party! (but...the deals? it said super deals!)

Thank you to all who attended the holiday gala in our newly civilized dungeon/storeage & showspace. We were, again, humbled by all who atteneded and hope your time was as good as ours. Though we remained open until passed 1 a.m., it wasnt about records so much as it was hanging out, listening to music, eating, drinking, sulking with good people. And make no mistake, you're all fine folks for walking through those doors. Pictures forthcoming and will be edited into this post.

Music supplied by Teo (papa t) Lazar and Anchovies.

We hope to do more events like this without a reason in the future, too.

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Incoming:

Thee Oh Sees/Total Control split 12" By now, if you read this blog or shop at SS, theres a good chance you are familiar with at least one of these bands. Upstart aussies (featuring Mikey from Eddy Current) Total Control unleashed a whopper of a debut album on an unsupecting public (Henge Beats) while Thee Oh Sees continued to dominate in many ways. remaining consistent at the fever pitch of releases must be a daunting task...but Thee Oh Sees seem to have plenty of gas in the tank. Here are 4 killer tracks from each band who recently toured North America.

CULO - LIFE IS VILE...AND SO ARE WE! (Deranged) Yes you are, Culo...just not Kurt Vile. He has a new 12" out which is the bonus disc of the recently repackaged "Childish Prodigy" LP. Culo have very little in common with the Philly songwriter and I'd imagine not too many people own both albums! This here is a collection of Culo's singles (trendy thing this report). Goddamn. Culo are a spastic, punk-type hardcore band from Chicago. A slew of singles to their credit are gathered here on a fine introductory singles comp. Punk ain't dead, ya big jerks. And if you long for the good ol' days, here's a good band to check out who, while influenced by the past, are just using it as a guide while creating NOW sounding punk rock. Check 'em out HERE (mp3).


EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING- So Many Things (Goner) One of three croooooshial [sic] singles comps that were released in December, So Many Things carries you through the very early days of the band (started on a lark by 4 australian record plant employees at a work christmas party back in 2003). Bare bones rock and roll, ECSR have released a slew of singles (most oop and hard to find) and 3 stellar lp's. While members seem to be taking time off to work on other projects, get acquainted with a chronilogical collection featuring a killer pagans cover, the bands tendency to release longer, hypnotic jammers that showcase their live show and chemistry as a band. Shit, I could talk all day about this band...one of my favourites of the last few years. A must own for all fans of the band.

TY SEGALL - SINGLES 2007-2010 (Goner) - I recall, at the advice of consultant/guru Richie "Chuck Barrels" K. of terminal-boredom fame, ordering Segalls debut 12" in the early days of the shop. "This kid is a wunderkind. He's gonna get big." Well, I may often absorb credit for great music barrels turned me on to (but thats the way its supposed to be, anyway) and spreading it to anyone who would listen to me. Many did and in 2011, Ty Segall is pretty big considering the genre, not to mention he has excelled as songwriter in that time. Here, this double album chronologically lays down Segalls rise in both songwriting and fidelity; the early days were killer, yet pretty lo-fi. He loves covering songs and putting his own stamp on them (if you are lucky, you own a killer lp's worth of T-Rex covers aptly titled "Ty Rex") along with ace b-sides (and a sides). Some of his finest moments came off these 7" records over the last few years.

OFFICE OF FUTURE PLANS - s/t (dischord) Featuring DC figurehead J. Robbins, this band started off as a one-off live show and ended up as a collaborative band who have recently released their debut album. Good looking men with very little hair, but a fine pedigree. They also have a 7" out, and this should make fans of the band and/or its members (drummer darren zentek was also in kerosene 454). Straight from Dischord Records along with a hefty restock from the labels back catalog, and Helmet's "Strap It On" & "Meantime" and Sonic Youth's "Evol" & "Sister" reissues.

MIKAL CRONIN - s/t Cronin fronts a garage rock band (who kick ass, by the way) called the MOONHEARTS and while this album was produced by Ty Segall and features wildman John Dwyer (thee Oh Sees) blowing into a flute--this ain't no garage rock record as much as it is a killer rockin' pop album, well produced by Segall. seemingly coming out of nowhere (and suggested to us by Matt Byrne, a buffalo-to-chicago distro sales guy), Cronin has people talking after rave reviews (including an 8.1 poke from Pitchfork) and a buzz from the internet intelligentsia. And that's a good thing when you know the album is gonna hold up, you can't stop listening to it.
Another bright spot in the very prolific SanFran garage scene, Cronin tends to lean more towards psychedelic pop, catchy harmonies and sometimes rocking out. But it's an accomplishment for such a young man and top notch album released by the thoroughly awesome 0 label, based out of Chiago and big helpers following our shop fire.

SIGUR ROS - INNI Sigur Ros vinyl has been no easy task to stock, except for the "Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust" lp which you will usually find in stock, it's been hard to obtain. Inni is a 3 lp set detailing the Icelandic post-rockers live show in both audio (3xlp or 2x cd) and visual (dvd) form. With an unbeatable price, we proudly have a few of these to go around--though they were first thought to be limited.

other incoming new things of note:

Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire
Mark "BBQ" Sultan - Whenever I Want/Whatever I Want (clear)
Torche/Part Chimp split 12"
the Saints - Eternally Yours (reissue)
Kylesa/Victims 7"
Waste Management 7"
Deafheaven (and a healthy Deathwish™ restock)
M83 - Hurry Up We're Dreaming
Real Estate - Days
Jesus Lizard - Club
Guilty Pleasures lp
Screeching Weasal - Carnival...
Spits - V
Brain F
Brown Sugar lp/7"
White Whale/Mallwalkers split 7"
Drug Party cassette series: Dirt Eyes, Utah Jazz, Mallwalkers, Rat Mask

plus loads of previously enjoyed product, new Melted Record Bowls, lp+7" sleeves, 45 spindles, and GIFT CERTIFICATES good on anything in the store--including special orders.

thanks for reading.

anchovies
12.22.11
5:47 a.m.

and happy birthday to one of the most solid dudes i've been privileged to know since i was 10 days old. J.Zampano turns 41.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING/INDIE BLACK FRIDAY

2011...the end in site, has been a rough year on many of our firends and family. Somehow,we muster up the power to trapse through the holidays, which can make tough times even tougher. On the flip, we have a lot to be grateful for here at Spiral Scratch--good friends and support and good records to listen to to. There is no better drug. there is no better relief for what ails ya'.
A few nights back i sat pressed up against the soundboard as a packed Bug Jar were blown to bits by thee Oh Sees (and earlier, Total Control--a fantastic band from Australia featuring Mikey from Eddy Current Suppression Ring) and, i felt truly ...umm...happy. No shoves or lack of space by the growing fan base could bring me down. I watched them commandingly deliver, with a healthy addition of Lars from the Intelligence/A-Frames,the best set i've seen maybe all year and seemingly watch them grow up--or get the attention they deserve. I hope they continue to, they've worked hard and are the real deal. I'm thankful i made it, recognized so many Buffalo folk and am still reeling from it. Obviously, we have much more to be grateful for...but I'm just rambling now. Oh, and I'm really not Willie Nelson, Eric.

Happy Thanksgiving (eat whatever it is you eat. then eat more. wake up and eat more cold stuff. lay around. or do whatever it is you do...hopefully it doesnt involve working). Thanks for another great year and may your holidays be as tolerable, even perhaps happy (?!) as they can be. Oh look....





We will be CLOSED Thanksgiving Day and open REGULAR HOURS for INDIE BLACK FRIDAY™. I don't see the reason in waking you earlier on what might be a day off. Relax, we'll be ready for you.
In addition to the stuff you probably already know about, expect some cool exclusives from Guided By Voices (limited 7", Matador), Mark Sultan (limited press lp), Reatards (savage young Reatard reissued on scarce clear vinyl) and other great titles that will be going quickly--please check back for updates later today for the finalized complete list) as well as putting out some great used stuff we've been saving for a special day and TONS of incoming stock--new releases and some re-stocks we havent had in in quite some time. Some things you won't find anywhere else.

The RSD sanctioned titles include, but may not be limited to:

Type O Negative Box Set 6 lp behemoth box including their Roadrunner catalog:
(limited to 1000 box sets)

Slow, Deep and Hard The Origin of the Feces (original "artwork" cover. rarely seen) Bloody Kisses October Rust World Coming Down Life Is Killing Me
each album features extensive, new liner notes, artwork and at least 6 stickers.

Ryan Adams 7" demo tracks/unreleased versions recorded during Ashes & Fire sessions. (limited to 3000 copies, worldwide)

Pink Floyd - the Wall singles. Cool looking box containing a full color poster, 3 picture sleeve singles from the lp. (limited to 4000 boxes)

Jimmy Cliff - Sacred Fire 12" Lp (scum stats unknown)
.
Black Keys - Lonely Boy 12" ep
special version, quantities unknown--but here's how they cut the record .

Iron & Wine - Morning Becomes Eclectic - A 12" along with a bonus cd featuring songs recorded live to air on KCRW fm.

Pete Townsend - Quadrophenia Demos, Volume 1 10"

The first of two 10" Eps featuring six demos from the Director's Cut re-release of Quadrophenia, produced, authorized and overseen by Pete Townshend. This individually numbered 10" EP and the one scheduled for Record Store Day 2012 provide a unique insight into the creation of this landmark album.

TRACK LISTING: "The Real Me (demo)" "Cut My Hair (demo)" "Punk (demo)" "Dirty Jobs (demo)" "Is In In My Head? (demo)" "Anymore (demo)" "

and, while we didn't get everything we asked for...with quantities of top selling major label artists being 3000 or less, it's impossible for everyone to get what they want and not be stuck with crappers that dont sell either! we won't complain, it just makes ya look bad...but check out the sponsers of this "indie black friday"---all corporate giants! we know how you roll, too. someone tell them they are fucking it up for the fans while the flippers rejoice and have titles listed on ebay 2 days before they are to be released (and at super inflated prices). if the past is any indications--don't go nuts if you don't get it on Friday, as many of these releases will become more readily available and/or their inflated values will plummet within a few weeks making it much more affordable. Just a thought from someone learning the hard way.

lastly, due to severely limited quantities--we cannot hold anything, so please don't ask. I kinda have a hard time saying "no". This is a first come, first served deal and nobody gets special treatment around here. we're all equal freakshows. Maybe elsewhere, but not here. Normally we would, but it's not fair to everyone else. get to the shop at noon--you'll increase your odds. at least we're not dragging you outta bed at 9 am!

-to the "unsanctioned" I.B.F. stuff/sneak peak:

Reatards - Teenage Hate/Fuck Elvis. Finally reissued by the awesome folks at Goner Records in Memphis. Clear wax version, which was very limited. primal 90s punk played with real, not forced, emotion and reckless abandon. yes, you were something of a prick, jay...but we miss you and your ever changing music greatly. rip, jeffrey lee lindsay.

Mark Sultan (aka BBQ) - Whatever I Want/Whenever I Want (clear vinyl editions)

Guided By Voices - We Won't Apologize For The Human Race 7". Something tells us these won't be around long. This new offering is special as it features the real GBV once again-Bob with Sprout, Mitch Mitchell, Greg Demos and Kevin Fennell. While i wouldnt expect a Bee Thousand 2.0, this mid-fi pre-lp 7" should perk up some fans who've been with 'em since Propeller came out. Or maybe earlier...that's just when I was first smitten by GBV.

Rest assured, we will "cook" up something to save you money on Friday, too. We have beefed up our used and new sections, too. But we are confident we've found a way to give you the best music and the best prices and you won't have to worry about getting trampled to death, elbowed for that last Bieber pic disc remix 8" or whatever else is otherwise awful about the real Black Friday. As a matter of fact, the real crazies will be done by the time we open at noon. ish? no...it'll be noon.

a quick look at some non-Indie Black Friday releases that are incoming!

Mummies - Tales From The Crypt legend has it this 'import' was to be their SubPop debut--but it wasnt crummy enough sounding and they scrapped it, told SubPop were to stick it and broke up. Real Punk! Their best sounding release, and in 'one reporters opinion', their best record.

Sig Ros - Inni A 3x lp withy live dvd direct from XL recordings. Sigur Ros vinyl is no easy task. we've also kept it cheaper than anywhere we searched.

Voivod - To The Death '84 2x lp. The demo and more of their early days finally repressed to wax.

Sam Cooke - Live at the Harlem Square Club. Mr. Soul delivers a raw and amazing live set. Pure soul without studio numbing it down, a raucous set for Sam Cooke and essential.


Pig Heart Transplant 7" Another noisy blaster from Iron Lung Records.
Double Negative - Hardcore Confusion Volumes One & Two.
Davila 666 - Tan Bajo - The Puerto Rican garage rock locos take a turn for the more soulful on their second, adventurous record. A staff and customer favorite.
More restocks from Atlas Sound, Career Suicide, the Spits, Nothing People, Pheremoans, Pixies, Sonics, Gories and a big box that will probably show up amid the chaos on Friday. phew.

Finally, if yer not on our email list (which we use sparingly for special events...not weekly spam), drup us a line at spiralscratchrecords@yahoo and we will add you.


see ya soon
anchovies
11.23.11
4:41 p.m.

Indie Black Friday...Fall Report...other important stuff

• A few weeks ago, Buffalo musician Tony Lorenzo was shot and seriously injured while walking in the Elmwood Village. Obviously, the Buffalo music scene was stunned, angered and quickly mobilized benefits to help out Tony and his family during this difficult time. While he may be lucky to be alive, the road ahead will be a challenge for Tony and his family. A good guy that seemingly was liked by all, Tony most recently played in Ritual Quarantine and had been a serious shredder in Sons of Azrael in the past. Shaken Stylus, Inc. quickly organized a successful benefit and keeping an eye on the BuffaloShows.net message board will keep you in the know with future benefit shows. We obviously know the potential generosity of the Buffalo music scene when we had our fire and this is obviously a more serious and personal situation. Remember, a little bit goes a long way when everyone is involved. Let's not forget this senseless act that has turned a family upside down and injured one of our own. We continue to be humbled by the generosity we received in our own time of need--keep it coming, Buffalo. Anyone organizing a benefit show is encouraged to stop by the shop and we will offer up something to be raffled off--a gift certificate or something along those lines. In the meanwhile, you can donate via paypal™ at helpingtony@gmail.com . Donations go directly to the family. There is also a reward for the spineless prick responsible for the shooting set up by Mayor Brown and the BPD. You can donate to this as well by going to this site: rewardfortony@gmail.com . A 2 day benefit show is happening at Club Infinity January 7-8. For more information, check facebook event METAL FOR TONY. thanks for reading. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Second Annual Buffalo Decency Rally took place at the Ukranian/Dnipro Center last weekend featuring a ridiculous display of Buffalo Punk, Hardcore, Noise, Dark-Core, Grind and...Cages! If you weren't there, you truly are square. For the second year in a row, amazing silkscreened posters were made to promote the event. If you'd like a piece of history, Mr. Weese dropped off a bunch at the shop. $5 for civilians and free if your band played it (and you dont have one). Incredible artwork on heavy paper listing all the acts that performed.
______________________________________________________
Indie Black Friday. Friday, along with the rest of the usual critters, will take place for a second year at Spiral Scratch. we have placed our order but until we get a definitive list of whats coming, don't want any misinformation on our mighty blog of truth. I.B.F. is the product of the folks behind Record Store Day and features exclusive releases. We can't hold stuff, dont exactly know whats coming yet but we hope for things like Type O Negative box, Iron and Wine "Morning Becomes Electric" lp. Justin Townes Earle "Slippin' and Slidin'", Jimmy Cliff 12", Wilco 10" among them--as well as some "unofficial" releases. We did choose to pass on some $10 7" singles...as that is disgraceful pricing/gouging and I dont want to feed the beast. These often become available after the release date (which we actually follow!) for more reasonable prices. We'll unearth tons of never-seen used vinyl on this day, as well in order to keep things interesting. Record Store Day™ is a great boost to indie record stores but greed, rising prices and flagrant record flipping (often by the stores themselves) are turning it ugly at times. As a result, we are avoiding the overpriced stuff while still participating to the fullest of our abilities.

Some new releases in-stock this week
thee Oh Sees - Carrion Crawler/The Dream LP - Second lp released in 2011 (they've been churning out records at a fever pitch for years now) and this is clearly the better of the two and LOUDER of the two as well. As the band gains much deserved attention from both indie and garage punk camps they are in no way letting up here. Allegedly conceived as two seperate 12" ep's, this long player flows perfectly as it was recorded all at once and displays organ, uptempo numbers and slashing guitar work. here's a sampling taken from a more reputable music website called The Dream. They are on tour with the amazing aussie band TOTAL CONTROL (members of Eddy Current Suppression Ring and UV Race) and PAUL CARY and will be striking Rochester on November 21. We recently had the Oh Sees/Total Control 12" tour split but supplies remain very limited. This lp is in stock along with Total Control's Henge Beat. Henge Beat is yet another amazing offering from Australia mixing electronic elements with driving post-punk and late 70s UK new wave--yet somehow it comes out a perfect garage punker. On Iron Lung Records, it is among the finest lp's released in 2011 and apparently they steamroll it live. Do NOT pass by Total Control (like Pitchfork™ has). Here's a taste: Carpet Rash from Total Control's Henge Beat lp .

WOUNDED LION - IVXLCDM LP - If you enter our doors, you know that we have been devotees of In The Red Records since Larry started putting out excellent records over a decade ago. Quality control is tight and we're tickled to see the label getting more exposure and successful. Based in LA along with the label, Wounded Lion present a form of art punk that recalls late 70s LA punks Urinals as well as Wall Of Voodoo, Suburban Lawns. So there is hope for Los Angeles after all? Wounded Lions second album has garnered rave reviews, has the reliable In the Red stamp and employs the Intelligence main main, ex A-Frames drummer (and current Oh See's percussion man) Lars Finberg adding more percussion and slashing telecaster action. Dig it here.

TYVEK- Fast Metabolism - "At long last, the vinyl debut of this flawless compilation of TYVEK’s early singles. Long out-of-print, and still in high demand, Fast Metabolism was initially issued as a CDR only release, and quickly caught fire around the world. Hailing from Detroit, and behaving as if Wire had been the world's only hardcore band, Tyvek were (and still are) a much needed adrenalin spike through the breast plate. These songs eventually were released as four very hard to find 7-inches between 2006 and 2008. Issued in an edition of 2,000 copies, with deluxe tip-on jackets, and mastered for precision by TIMOTHY STOLLENWERK, with the vinyl lacquers cut by BOB WESTON, this is a co-production between Brooklyn, New York's M'lady's Records and Portland, Oregon's Water Wing Records."

YUCK - (Deluxe Version) LP - A nice vinyl reissue of up and coming band YUCK (brought to our attention by a customer), this double lp set features the self titled lp and an entire 12" of singles & b-sides. For a couple bucks more, we figured you'd appreciate the tack on so you can see the progression the band has made in a short time. As written by the fine folks at Revolver/Midheaven, "...This is a confident, wildly ambitious record, but also one which brims over with a ragged warmth and tenderness, tipping its hat at alt music heroes past such as East River Pipe, Dinosaur Jr and Sparklehorse while at the same time retaining a unique identity entirely its own." I just couldn't put it so eloquently as I'm a n00b to YUCK. Come and get 'em, they're moving quickly.

Still holding strong in the 7" section:
Double Negative - Hardcore Confusion Volume one & two Mark Sultan 7" King Khan & BBQ 7" Punch 7" (their latest) Teen Idles ep 7"

Sorta recent in-stocks/releases
ZOLA JESUS - Conatus LP (and the 2009 lp, The Spoils)
THE WAR ON DRUGS - Slave Ambient lp
HUMAN EYE - They Came From The Sky lp
DINOSAUR JR. - first three lp's
QUICKSAND - Slip lp (back for a short time)
BOYS NEXT DOOR (Nick Cave's late 70s punk band pre-dating the Birthday Party)
ECHO & the BUNNYMEN - Porcupine, Ocean Rain & BBC RADIO SESSIONS lp's.

Our used bin continues to expand daily as we sort through recently acquired collections. Tons of goodies at the lowest prices. Why shop elsewhere? Why pay more? Whats wrong with you?!! They can keep us out of the phonebook and the record show--but they cant keep you from taking advantage of the best, cheapest records around--be it the latest releases or used product. We VPI clean our used records and will soon make that machine available to you! Details to come. (VPI are the ultimate record cleaners...google 'em if yer not aware what the hell i'm talking about.
anchovies 11.17.11 4:33 a.m.,e.s.t.


p.s.

The Frustrations (Detroit) will be performing an in-store in the SS Dungeon this saturday, 11.21.11. Buffalo's Final Insult will also be playing as well as Melody (Mayday, Utah Jazz) & Britt (Final Insult, Utah Jazz)...we hope. We advise you show up, sorta behave by 6 pm as the shows must end around normal closing times.

Night of the Living Blog

Halloween has come to a an end, 54/partly sunny is now considered "nice weather" and Spiral Scratch pounded its chest a few times as we stumbled through our 3rd anniversary of survival serving Buffalo and surrounding areas what we truly believe to be the best vinyl records currently available, learning the new needs and desires of our new location and staving off broken windows, vermin, crazy neighbors and some sort of troubled economy. We spend hours searching for the lowest prices so we can easilly provide you with the lowest prices...usually anywhere. I know this, because I check. That goes for the recent influx of great used records that have been coming in at a steady pitch.
Anyway, let's keep this brief so i can sneak in a few innings on the PS3 before the sun comes up. While there is a healthy batch of new releases and restocked classics (and sorta new releases restocked), the re-issue machine has been chugging out classic stuff--some not exactly "reissue" since it was never released either domestically or at all. The brand new VOID - Sessions 1981-83 unearths an lp's worth of demos, rarities and odds-n-sods. Up until now, VOID's legend was 16 minutes and 1 side of an lp--the classic Faith/Void split--a record indie god Bill "SMOG" Callahan proclaimed among his favorite records ever-"especially the Void side". VOID (along with the FAITH) were something of a hardcore punk enigma of sorts, and a great one at that. Until now, known for their incredible blasts of raw punk on a split lp. What took so long to share twice as many tracks to the world? Even the Pitchdorks took notice, giving the album a 7.3. Whatever, it's here for you now and a rather hot item (we got the last 5 copies from Dischord direct while a new batch is pressed up). VOID would later head into a more metal edged direction and broke up as their shows became uncontrollably violent. Before, they recorded an unreleased lp for Touch & Go Records which the band refuses to release.
So whilst on the topic of that legendary split lp, FAITH also was given similar treatment--Subject To Change. the album--again, as with most all Dischord reissues, has been remastered and cut from the original source tapes making for killer sound quality, unearths the bands Subject To Change 12" along with an 11 song demo (many re-recorded for the split lp, which has never gone out of print as in stock as well. More melodic, less chaotic--the FAITH were a hugely respected band in the DC scene and also have stood the test of time.
More Dischord stuff:
Lungfish - The Unanimous Hour Joe Lally (solo lp)
Teen Idles - 6 song 7" ep reissue
Rites Of Spring
Fugazi (celebrate their entire catalog...its all here)
Minor Threat

Dischord has also hooked us up with a local distro who has some big time reissues at the fairest prices we've seen. Helmet - Strap It On and Meantime lp's. Sonic Youth - Evol & Sister are among the titles we snatched up. More to come in the future.

90's vinyl was often an afterthought, a short and half-assed way to appease the band who demanded that it be released on vinyl. Often the quality suffered and the limited runs make the value high. Don't snub a good reissue as the industry has discovered that silver plastic discs grossly overpriced and inferior would not last them long. Helmet, however, was a product of the great Amphetamine Reptile label--one of the great labels of the 90s (a sound often heard today in bands lick Pissed Jeans and early Clockcleaner) and HELMET (and Melvins, of course) was the band that received the most success, though the label is laden with amazing, cult bands like Hammerhead, Cows, Halo of Flies and more. I've often said the real grunge music of the 90s was coming out of a label in Minnesota, not Seattle. And theirs a reason why the out of print catalog fetches $50 and up per out of print title. This is real deal music that has stood the test of time. Now trust us, we won't steer you wrong.

More reissues:
TALK TALK - Laughing Stock (the final, non-commercial critically acclaimed lp available for the first time in the US. Stay tuned as we try to snatch up some imports of the Spirit of Eden lp)
DINOSAUR JR. - self titled, You're Living All Over Me, Bug (due November 1st)
CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH - So they just put out their 3rd lp, Tess suggested we reload on the first one. So we did. Tess, your copy is in the special order stack.
DOW JONES & the INDUSTRIALS - Can't Stand The Midwest 7" one of the greatest, catchy punk rock songs ever laid down. Guaranteed to get a room full of people who've never heard it bopping their heads (and possibly breaking shit).
COCKSPARRER - Shock Troops - Just too catchy to be a simple oi band, yet too tough to be a power pop band. The best. And this is their best. You're no fun if you cant get down with Cocksparrer. Seriously.
FEEDERZ - Ever Felt Like Killing Your Boss? (complete with grip tape)

NEW RELEASES (incomplete list)
Wolves In The Throne Room - Celestial Lineage 2x lp
Brown Sugar - Colored Flexi
Tom Waits - Bad As Me
M83 - Hurry Up We're Dreaming
The Oh Sees/Total Control split US tour lp
Zola Jesus - Conatus
Punch - Nothing Lasts 7" ep (lots of semi-recent Deathwish stuff in stock, too)
Mean Jeans/Hollywood split 7"
Hollywood - Stunts lp (Big Neck Records is seriously back with a vengeance. Aside from recent Buffalo output (White Whale, Fatal Figures 7", check out the new website and upcoming release schedule at www.bigneckrecords.com)
Big Neck was born in Buffalo in the late 90s as an outlet for the garage punk scene, expanded worldwide releasing Lost Sounds, Ponys, Mistreaters, Bantam Rooster and more while relocating to Virginia while continuing to churn out great rock and roll. Hopefully you know this already, but just in case...Big Neck is a highly respected, long running indie label distributed by Midheaven/Revolver, Dischord and more.


Kitchens Floor - Look Forward To Nothing - More aussie stuff we dig so much, we urge you to buy this immediately. Video posted on our facebook™ page as the 'Scratch of the Week'
Spits V - who doesn't love the Spits? The fifth self-titled and they still are a institution of pure fun--ramones, dumb and synth. whats not to love?
King Khan & BBQ 7" Mark Sultan (aka BBQ) 7" (lp's on the way)
Human Eye - They Came from The Sky (Timmy Vulgar, the man behind Clone Defects and Timmys Organism) became a folk hero in Buffalo due to his antics at a post-Rust Belt Revolt party. Meanwhile, as Timmy's hair continued to recede, the wildman continued to get more adventurous with his current bands. Influenced by bands like Chrome and such, Human Eye is a must for those who like it a tad on the weirder side, yet without pretense and a love for blazing guitars, synths and some of the best drumming the world doesn't know.
More from Sacred Bones: Population 1280, Zola Jesus, Moon Duo, the Men and more. ordered direct.

We'll talk more later as it's late and we're expecting some seriously cool orders in the coming days. I'll do my best to keep the blog back up and running, too.

A HUGE thank you goes out to Malik, Stokes, and Shaken Stylus for their hard work with the Population 1280 "3rd anniversary show" (and to the Fatal Figures and especially White Whale for "falling on the grenade". The support is appreciated. A week later, the shop hosted Sex Church (the lp is currently sold out, but one of the coolest indie bands going right now) and we thank them for playing, Mugsy for collecting dough, the counter ladies-'risa & sam, free useage of the pa (again), Sex Church for playing and all who attended and bought stuff...it was a great night all around. We're still learning the ropes, how things are done, and how to deal with jealous jerks while maintaining class...its been a bumpy ride at times and all the help is appreciated. ArgyBargy Printing (Biff), Bit Part Buttons (Neuland)--Team Scratch for helping fill the schedule (yes, you know who you are) and YOU for reading this self indulgent shit and supporting our little shop.

More later.

anchovies 10/31/11 - 11/1/11 (whoa)

Blagged and Blogged. (slight return)

Where have we been? Lazy, busy, sweating....basically doing thangs. but the blog is our main source of information without you actually coming into the store (which, of course, i highly suggest). The recent influx of quality used lp's and 7"'s has been staggering. Titles by Love, Minor Threat, Judge, the Doors, Hendrix, Coleman Hawkins, Lightning Bolt, baroness, the Kinks, Modest Mouse, jawbreaker just tip the...iceberg?

Meanwhile, we've been doing our damndest to keep up with a load of cool new releases while making sure to keep things affordable. Pressing prices rise, but we can guarantee you wont find new vinyl cheaper! if you do, let us know. We're also pretty sure you won't find the latest PUERTO RICO FLOWERS "7" 12 inch anywhere else around town. And if yer not hip to this puppy...it's Jon Sharkey III (ex-Clockcleaner) delving deep into dark, new wave territory. If you were lucky enough to snatch up a copy of Clockcleaners posthumous "Auf Wierdershen" 12", it's a perfect progression...though many kilometers away from the early, heavy thud of earlier Clockcleaner releases. A surprise hot item for us, we'll have more in the week of July 24th. With that order comes re-stocks of the first three EYEHATEGOD albums, reissued in gatefold double albums and painfully limited. Let us quickly mention the Castle Face "Group Flex" bound five-flexi disc book featuring exclusives from OhSees, Ty Segall and more bay area greatness. These can be found under the counter, are not cheap and are a great investment if you catch my drift. More on the flexi-disc front, we still have Gas Chamber (buffalo/nyc) flexi's, an absolutely beautiful multi-colored flexi from our own Brown Sugar (feral kid) and a NSFW cardboard "flexi" from Les DEMONIAQUES--dee dee dum dum girl & the band Tamaryn. Super limited JAMC cover.

ICEAGE - New Brigade We here at Spiral Scratch tend to be skeptical of the outta control internet hype machine--tastemakers who often have little...taste. However, this explosive post-punk masterpiece created by Danish teens lives up to the talk. It's a post-punk album with touches of hardcore (you wont hear any breakdowns or screams) and glorious british new wave, though it apes nobody. It'll probably hold it's weight years from now, too.

new in-stock:
EYEHATEGOD- Dopesick, Take As Needed For Pain, In the Name Of Suffering. all packaged nicely in gatefolds, all double albums and if its like last time, they wont stick around long.
Davila 666 Tan Bajo -Puerto Rican sensation takes things away from the garage and blows away their debut. One of the great albums to come out this year (along with Pheremoans and Sex Church, who will be playing here in October). All songs en espanol, but you'll be singing along regardless.
Crystal Stilts - 2nd album from nyc unit.
My Morning Jacket Circuital 2x lp Guitar Wolf - SpaceBattleshipLove
Dead Language - s/t lp
Backpeddlers- Songs of Guilt & Revenge - While Norris may best be recalled as the leader of GIRLPOPE, this may be his finest work on record to date. Most likely overlooked, this album blew me away on first and subsequent listens and had the right sound that Girlpope managed to capture ,live, but not on record. Here is a work that displays Norris' talents with the right amount of punch and sonic "oomph" to put all the pieces together. The songwriting is top notch, too.
Bon Iver - self titled
Blitzen Trapper-Destroyer of the Void 2x lp
Reatards - Teenage Hate 2x lp - The earliest days of Jay Reatard resulted in some of the rawest, purest punk rock of the 90s. Harder than most hardcore, realer than most anything coming out at the time. No rules. Essential listening, with a complete extra disc of unreleased, early material. Long out of print, Goner Records has brought it back.
An order direct to Deathwish has brought us new material from OATHBREAKER and 108 along with crucial reissues from INTEGRITY, CONVERGE, REIGN SUPREME and more.

Deep Six Records has reissued a Brutal Truth/Spazz 7". In Stock.

more Buffalo bred LP's!
LIKE A PANTHER- ROCKPILE -Brett, ex-Mockba guitar slinger, and his wife Cindy formed Like A Panther quite some time ago. In that time, the band has come miles. Wisely, they took their time before rushing into a release, but the band is certainly ready for ROCKPILE. The kind of indie that is subdued yet feels it's on the verge of explosion (or implosion) at any given time. Quiet vocals that creep under the music, this is an under appreciated band for sure. The good part is they aint letting that hold them back and have unleashed a self-assured and GOOD album.
FUCKING HOTLIGHTS LP (currently sold out) we expect more of these soon. A sonic assault from a handsome bunch. Incredible cover art belies this explosive slab of wax.
more local talk on the next update. Don't forget Emcee MD's debut rap exploration CD with autographed poster and strap-on power glove.

In additiony Segall's latest lp on Drag City--Goodbye Bread (possibly his best to date), we have unearthed the somewhat rare Ty Segall band- Live in Aisle 5 lp, a high quality live set performed with full band. A re-issue of his debut lp and a recent 7" also are in stock. Segall appeals to the garage rock set as much as he does the indie crowd which speaks a bit about whats on these records...great fuckin' songs! We've been on the bandwagon since day 1 (thanks, richie) and the consensus is he gets better with each release, though all are essential if yer a fan. If yer not--what are you waiting for?






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TONES ON TAIL - Weird Pop A very nice collection of the post-Bauhaus trio that is so much more than the Club Hit "Go" might have you believing. Theres the original version of "Performance" on here, along with the bands best remembered tracks.

Attention FUCKED UP fans. Of course you own their latest, critically lauded 2x lp "David Comes To Life" by now, and you probably love it. But if you missed the pre-order, we have ALL of the limited companion 7"'s that came with it in stock right now. Like so many other labels, we order direct with our friends at matador to bring you the lowest prices possible from anyone in the Matador Group--which includes 4AD, XL Recordings and Beggars Banquet. All have some interesting releases due out in August, so stay tuned. And remember to follow us on facebook for up to the minute reports and incoming.

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Reissue Stuff:
Flower Travellin' Band-Satori Japanese heavy duty psych-rock pressed on 180 grams.

Lots more on the way this week, so stay tuned. Latch on and follow this thing! Tell your friends!

We know its been a tad warm and uncomfortable, but we thank you for your continued support.


anchovies
7.24.11
4:18 p.m. e.s.t.