Kim Phuc - Copsucker LP

As one of the many “music listeners” or “dipshits” (as Kim Phuc lovingly put it on their blog) that take pleasure in crafting an admittedly pointless top whatever list of records at the end of the year, I held out starting work on said list until I had a chance to hear the bands full-length debut Copsucker. C’mon guys, I was smart enough to not make one until I heard YOUR record! But anyway, holding out hope that it would arrive sometime by the end of the year, the album was originally slated to be released what seems like eons ago on Parts Unknown. However, shit happened and that fell by the wayside until Iron Lung announced sometime mid this year that they would be releasing the bands debut. Fantastic. It’s certainly been a long time coming and holy shit were those first three singles a killer precursor, right? It’s mid-December now and Copsucker is officially out there. I can start my list. Thanks guys.

I imagine it’s pretty easy to figure out what I think of this record based on what’s already been said. But if not, well then it’s fantastic and pretty much what I had hoped in hearing from the band. I hadn’t anticipated in seeing all three a-sides from their singles ending up on the record, but really those songs are so gosh darn good that for those that haven’t heard them they absolutely need to be on here. As for the new tracks, well they aren’t too shabby either. Crafted in the same ominous mold of ringing noisy post-punk as before, as a combination of new and old here, this record absolutely rips. The track “Yeti” that was previewed on Youtube a month or so ago certainly stands as one of the highlights here, but only by a small margin, and that says plenty about the strength of Copsucker. There isn’t a single lull to be found on here, just a pure straight through blast of intensity/energy. This certainly comes highly recommended.

Kim Phuc – Yeti (stream)

Those looking to pick this up can do so through Iron Lung. However, if digital is your thing then it’s available through Bandcamp. Either way, don’t sleep on this one.

Anita Fix & Bam Bam - Run For Joy 7”

I’d wanted to hear this single for awhile now and finally got my chance a week or two ago. Having really enjoyed the retrospective release for Dead at 24 that Ride the Snake put out a couple years back, my interest in the bands successor of sorts, Anita Fix & Bam Bam, was up there. For those that haven’t heard Dead at 24, then I suggest checking out Doug Mosurock’s fantastic in depth review of it from when it was released. I’d link to what I wrote about it as well, but it wasn’t nearly as informative and well…it’s kind of gone now. Anyway, Anita Fix & Bam Bam happens to be 75% of Dead at 24 teamed up with members from The Pay Toilets, The 1985, and so on. What you get is a somewhat similar flash of the itchy, maddening, and uneven rock that made Dead at 24 so fascinating to begin with. The incredible stretch of boundary testing between the listener/audience remains within Anita Fix & Bam Bam, although this time around all those stumbling chords are pushed along at a bit of a quickened pace, scratching at the outer realms of a more straight forward trash rock blended with an influx of pop. However, this is what they’ve done so well for years now, never fully vaulting themselves into any one area that could ever be considered a compromise and stubbornly sticking to the damaged art-spin that 90’s Pittsburgh came to know as “Rickety Rock”. Anita Fix & Bam Bam act as an extension of that very scene, and a fine one at that.

Anita Fix & Bam Bam – Run for Joy (stream)

Those that wish to pick up this single simply need to hit up Ride the Snake. And I recommend also picking up the Dead at 24 LP Blast Off Motherfucker! while you’re at it.