Oozing Wound We Cater To Cowards Thrill Jockey Released: 1/27/23 No Ripcord review:  http://www.noripcord.com/reviews/music/oozing-wound/we-cater-cowards   Sincerely,  Letters From A Tapehead

Ben Parrish of Kill Rock Stars made the following statement: Gritty should join Taiwan Housing Project ✌️ — benjamin parrish (@mrbenparrish) October 19, 2018 I followed up: If you haven't picked up Veblen Death Mask by Taiwan Housing Project , I recommend you remedy that as quickly as possible. I reviewed the album in 2017. You can find that review here . Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

All Souls The Jesus Lizard Union Transfer 9.8.18 Following my interview with David Yow , I was able to attend the Philly stop of  The Jesus Lizard 's current run of shows at Union Transfer. I want to state for the record that David Yow is 58 years old and I hope to possess an iota of the energy he burned through during that gig by the time I'm his age. I also never want to see a younger band or performer visibly worn out after a much less physically demanding show. The Jesus Lizard played three encores that were three to five songs apiece after an hour or more of constant crowd engagement, (i.e. body surfing, stage diving, being yanked), while pounding us all with decibel after decibel. The theater of it all was a sight to behold and I'm fortunate I had the opportunity to witness it. This show review was also written for Philadelphia's The Key . Please check out the live photos by Josh Pelta-Heller , because my iPhone shots are nowhere near as good. The Key:...

So, I had the opportunity to interview The Jesus Lizard 's legendary vocalist, David Yow . As it worked out, I had to take the call in my office at my day job, hoping that no sudden work-related emergencies would interrupt our conversation. Luckily, that didn't happen. This is my first article for Philadelphia's The Key , which is the editorial arm of 88.5 WXPN . Enjoy. photo by: Joshua Black Wilkins The Key  interview w/ David Yow Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Taiwan Housing Project Veblen Death Mask Kill Rock Stars Released: 5.7.17 I’ll admit that I was bombarded by an internalized slew of questions, all of which I had no answer for, that seemed to transpire all at once while I was listening to Taiwan Housing Project ’s Veblen Death Mask . My brain, which was responding interestingly to much of what I was hearing, started off with, “What happened to the Butthole Surfers ?” And it wasn’t asked as “Where did they go? Are they still alive?” It was more of a “ponder the void they’ve left and pity the generation now celebrating the 10 years since so-and-so bestowed upon us that forgettable soft rock/crying folk record that did little more than encourage beard growth: why are we content to have celebrated indie rock’s demise?” We live in a strange time. And this isn’t an opportunity to inject political commentary and/or punditry into a record review, but instead offer a light assessment of what our current landscape looks like: ...

New single from KEN mode ! "Blessed" is the first glimpse into the band's upcoming new release, Success .  Engineered by the one and only Steve Albini , (and if you check out the track you can certainly hear Albini's signature drum sound), the album is due to release mid-June and the shock and grunt of the lead single certainly goes the distance in terms of selling its promises of alienating and unbridled pigfuck -allegiant rock music.  While I wouldn't go so far as to say the torch has been passed from David Yow 's maniacal grasp, the muck and angst-fueled motion of KEN mode is worthy enough to at least sit alongside some of the finest albums to emerge Touch & Go and AmRep.  I'm very much looking forward to giving Success a spin or twelve.   "We can play this game a little bit longer/But we all know we're not really welcome here...  Oh no... " You can also view an album trailer here: All info, links and sounds have been broug...

Child Bite Strange Waste EP Housecore Records Released: 11.25.14 Stereokiller review Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

I received an email from Controlled Burn Records Monday afternoon detailing the new release from ex-Hydra Head noise punkers The Austerity Program , Beyond Calculation , along with permission to embed the album here for anyone who would like to check it out.  If you're looking for bass-prominent, pseudo-industrial stomp and circumstance in the vein of Pure -era Jesus Lizard or Big Black , (which is apparently a "fumbling comparison" as noted by the band's press release), this will be worth a listen.  I spent some time with this today and I enjoyed it.  All info comes courtesy of Controlled Burn Records. Drum machine vs. the over-educated: drum machine usually wins. "Everything the band does seems to be an exercise in discipline, and the belt has been tightened an extra notch for their new LP, Beyond Calculation . …(T)he album finds Foley and Calabrese streamlining their sound even further … into concise parcels of tightly wound maliciousness." ...

Great Falls/Pink City Split (Tapes of a Neon God #7) Tapes of a Neon God Released:10.12 It's good to hear something violent and/or sullen from time to time.  The new split release from Great Falls and Pink City offers a healthy amount of rapid beat metalcore, Neurosis style post-metal noise revelry, Big Black informed pigfuckery and some electronically addled Joy Division post-punk with hints of Alan Vega .  Pink City is no stranger to Letters From A Tapehead, as I've discussed both the band's 2-song "Loop One/Service" single and their album, Designing Women . Expect something dark and loud for the very reasonable price of $5.  Links provided by Tapes of a Neon God. Great Falls greatfalls.bandcamp.com http://www.facebook.com/pages/Great-Falls/110748382297574 Pink City pinkcity.bandcamp.com http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pink-City/118911091519231 Tapes of a Neon God tapesofaneongod.com tapes.storenvy.com You can preorder the cassette...

The Chrome Cranks Ain't No Blood in Lies Thick Syrup/Bang! Released: 2012 "I'm trash!/Dead last!/I'm trash!/Fading fast!" This shouted verse from "I'm Trash," first track from Ain't No Blood in Lies , the newest album from reformed 90s pigfuckers The Chrome Cranks , was enough to warm my heart, inspire a smile to crease my cheeks and warrant a full listen.  The gritty un-oiled engine of guitar chords that motor along keep the entirety of Ain't No Blood in Lies in a lovely state of disrepair, the band's commanding assemblage of Cramps ' style punkabilly (especially with "Let It Ring") and Jesus Lizard atonality a heavenly mixture for anyone whose ears respond happily to discord.  "Rubber Rat," with its bass throb and chunky guitar tone, takes advantage of distortion to produce a great payoff and the following "Living/Dead" is just a heavy and straight-up acidic.  "Star To Star" has a gui...

A video for Pop. 1280 's "Bodies in the Dunes" has surfaced online and features a serial killer's threatening silhouette and some scenes involving a few very doomed prostitutes.  The band's latest album, The Horror , was released earlier this year. All info comes courtesy of Life Or Death PR & Management. Pop. 1280's The Horror was reviewed at No Ripcord . POP. 1280 SHARE A KILLER VIDEO FOR "BODIES IN THE DUNE" SUMMER TOUR ANNOUNCED THE HORROR OUT NOW ON SACRED BONES  Today, Vice / Noisey share the new video for "Bodies In The Dunes," the latest single from the grating New York cyberpunks Pop. 1280. The video was directed by Jacqueline Castel , a hyper-talented director who makes tense, kinetic work under her Future Primitive production house. Castel's videos are stark and confrontational-she's created incredible work for Zola Jesus , Naked On The Vague , Blank Dogs , and a bunch of other p...

Pop. 1280 The Horror Sacred Bones Released: 1.24.12 No Ripcord review Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead