Store News

Store Update: Fan Death Records

05.24.13

We’re now stocking a handful of titles from the Fan Death Records catalog. I first met Chris and Sean, who run the label, in 2009, when they were living in College Park, Maryland, shortly after they pressed their first release, Ready 2 Fight -- a single-sided 12” featuring Clockcleaner’s epic 15-minute take on Negative Approach’s “Ready to Fight” (recorded live while opening for Negative Approach ). It was a good record to start with -- one that set a precedent for their musical tastes (loud, weird) and, maybe more importantly, for their sense of humor.

Since then, they’ve continued to release a string of cool, mostly unclassifiable singles, LPs, and cassettes from folks like Jason Urick, Puerto Rican Flowers, and Ed Schrader’s Music Beat (to name a few personal faves). (Aaron Leitko)

Roomrunner – Ideal Cities

The debut full-length from Baltimore-based “bunge” pioneers, Roomrunner. Loud songs that take some inspiration from certain ’90s-era fuzz-pedal purveyors, but are also deeply linked to present-day peers like Dope Body and Metz, with whom they’ve toured. Lead by former Double Dagger drummer, Denny Bowen.

Roomrunner – S/T

Roomrunner’s six-song self-titled debut cassette.

Screen Vinyl Image – Siberian Eclipse

Two hazy, Factory Records-indebted dream-pop tunes from this D.C.-area duo.

Store Update: Big Eyes, Marriage, Bad Brains

05.15.13

Big Eyes – Almost Famous

The sophomore album from Seattle-based power-pop trio, Big Eyes. An office staff favorite! Preview the whole record now, via Grave Mistake’s website.

Marriage – For Brotzmann

The debut full-length LP form Austin, Texas-based quintet, Marriage, which includes former Black Eyes drummer, Mike Kanin. Heavy, dissonant percussion and dub-inflected grooves that carry the ball forward from last year’s 7” single (which is also back in stock, btw). If you were a fan of Black Eyes’ first LP, you will probably not be disappointed. Preview a song here.

Bad Brains – Live at CBGB

Bad Brains live LP that draws from three nights’ worth of performances at CBGBs in December 1982. Note that it’s an entirely different set of songs/takes than the CD and DVD versions.

Also just in:

Christie Front Drive – First LP

Highness – Hold

Sickoids – No Home EP

Lucian Perkin's "Hard Art, D.C. 1979" now available

04.29.13

Lucian Perkins – Hard Art, D.C. 1979

In 1979, a soon-to-erupt punk scene took hold in Washington, D.C., with bands like the Bad Brains, Teen Idles, the Untouchables, and the Slickee Boys at the forefront. Lucian Perkins, later a Pulitzer Prize–winning photojournalist for the Washington Post, was then an intern who photographed several pivotal shows over a short period of time. Hard Art collects these now iconic photos, pairing them with a narrative by Alec MacKaye and an essay by Henry Rollins.

New releases from Zomes, Office of Future Plans, Fulgora

04.16.13

Zomes – Time Was

The latest LP from Lungfish guitarist Asa Osborne’s solo project, Zomes, Time Was marks a departure from the routines that he’s established over his last two releases. It’s the first Zomes record be recorded in a studio, rather than on a cassette deck, and also the first to be written as a duo featuring vocalist Hanna Olivegren.

Zomes – Earth Grid

The second LP from Asa Osborne’s Zomes project is back in stock on CD and LP. Distorted, cyclical keyboard melodies held together with simple tape-looped drum beats. Preview the whole thing via Thrill Jockey’s here.

Office of Future Plans/Daria – Split 7”

The first in a series of 7” singles from Lovitt Records, this split features new tracks from Office of Future Plans and Daria, a band from Angers, France. The single contains an original song by each band plus 4 digital-only bonus tracks — two of each band covering the other, and two cover songs in honor of the late record producer Iain Burgess. You can preview the record here

Fulgora – Risen b/w Artifice

The debut single from Fulgora, a new band that features Adam Jarvis, of Pig Destroyer and Misery Index, on the drums. Two heavy thrash cuts, limited to 100 copies. Nice little write-up here, if you need more info.

Dischord Direct Update 3/8/13

03.08.13

A couple of new items and a few restocks.

Roger Gastman - Pump Me Up: D.C. Subculture of the 1980s

Pump Me Up: D.C. Subculture of the 1980s explores the thriving underground of Washington, D.C., during the 1980s, giving visual form to the raucous energy of graffiti, Go-Go music, and a world-renowned punk and hardcore scene. This book serves as the catalog to the corresponding exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

Stewart Dean Ebersole - Barred For Life: How Black Flag’s Iconic Tattoo Became Punk Rock’s Secret Handshake

Barred for Life is a photo documentary cataloging the legacy of Punk Rock pioneers Black Flag through stories, interviews, and photographs of diehard fans who wear their iconic logo.

Punk Planet - We Owe You Nothing: Punk Planet Collected Interviews

The first compilation of the riveting and provocative interviews of Punk Planet magazine, founded in 1994 and charging unbowed into the new millennium.

The Shirks - S/T

The debut LP by D.C. garage punk quartet, The Shirks. Eight raw and blown-out tracks that are over and done with in just about 20-minutes. Preview the record here.

Empire – Expensive Sound

Empire was a UK-based punk group formed by guitarist Bob Andrews and drummer Mark Laff during the early '80s, following the dissolution of Generation X, their band with singer Billy Idol. Empire only released one album, Expensive Sound and one single, "Hot Seat," before calling it quits. This reissue collects that material, plus seven unreleased tracks. An influential record for many Dischord groups, Rites of Spring in particular.

Black Eyes – Shut Up, I never

This CD compiles Black Eyes' first 7" single, Some Boys b/w Shut Up, I Never, as well as their half of a split with D.C. math-rock titans, Early Humans. Both records are long OOP.

Windian Subscription Series No. 1

02.21.13

We are now stocking the complete collection of 7” singles from Windian Records’ first subscription series, which includes contributions from scuzz-rock heavies like Terry Malts, Suns of Guns, and Heavy Times.

Barreracudas - 7th Time Around b/w Nasty Boots

Two blown out, but hook-laden tunes from this Altanta, GA power-pop quartet. B-side, “Nasty Boots,” has sort of a budget Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers feel. Not necessarily a bad thing.

Heavy Times – – K-9 b/w Lantern Trail

Psych-tinged garage sludge from this Chicago outfit that released a full length on Hozac Records last year.

Static Eyes – – Trouble b/w Waves

Spittle-flecked and sloppy garage-punk from these carefree Midwestern bashers.

Suns of Guns – 5,000 Watts b/w Ralph E. Static

D.C.’s Suns of Guns back in action after a couple of years of relative silence. B-side, “Ralph E. Static,” is the cut here.

Terry Malts – Living With the Human Race b/w Over 21

Two new songs from San Francisco noise-pop trio Terry Malts, who had an LP on Slumberland last year. Includes a pretty great cover of Henry’s Dress’ “Over 21.”

Recent records by new (or new-ish) D.C. bands

01.02.13

Priests - Radiation b/w Personal Planes

Washington, D.C. riot-surf trio Priests follow up their debut cassette with this two song 7". Features Chain & the Gang’s Katie Alice Greer on the mic. Check out the songs here or catch them on tour.

Hume – Phasing EP

The final release by Baltimore-via-D.C. experimentalists, Hume. Last year, the quartet cloistered itself in a rented house in upstate New York, hoping to write and record a full-length record. These two songs – “Phasing” and “Camwood on the Leaves” – are the only two tracks ever to see the light of day from those sessions. They provide a peek at the band as it shifted gears, switching from prog-riffage toward ambient trance music built from interlocking loops. Includes remixes by Doldrums, Dustin Wong (Ponytail), and Glass Window (Aaron from D.C.’s Protect-U).

America Hearts – Be My Jones

The four-song debut single from America Hearts, which is lead by E.D. Sedgwick drummer Jess Matthews. You can preview the songs here.