Summer Jams I: Cold Forever

Well, I said I might be back at some point (like Jason Molina said before he checked out forever, for real, "I will be gone/but not forever"), so here's the first in a three-piece installment of tunes for getting drunk, getting high, fornicating, enjoying life, etc. True to my native perversity, this mix is mostly synth-pop and cold wave: not very summeresque, but don't worry. More summer-like mixes (each of which will become more and more unabashedly summer-esque until by August you're so fried on summertime sunshine that you could use some more of Ian Curtis' lyrics!) will follow in volumes one and two, for those of you who care. I'm including my always-brilliant, perpetually-effervescent commentary on the songs, 'cause whateverbigshitwhocaresletsgogetsunbuned!.

Get it here

Per usual, have fun (or not), kiddies. Blast some tunes, pop a beer, catch some sun, life ain't so bad:

1. T.V. Girl-I Don't Care (super nihilistic, super summer: "I smoke a pack of Reds and drink a six pack every day/I wanna stay sane and there ain't no other way!")
2. Keep Shelly in Athens-Cremona Memories (Syriza and the Greeks are in trouble now and have been for quite some time, but, as usual, they produce some great tunes anyway; requiescat in pace, Anestis Kostis!)
3. Blank Dogs-Another Language (I'm sure Blank Dogs ain't cool no more, but real drug punks disdain coolness and focus on whatever intoxicant is at hand. As some stupidhardcoreband said long ago, "charge ahead/charge ahead/we keep on fighting to the end!")
4. Naked on the Vague-Old Leader (Aussie synth savagery. Misery never sounded more relaxed.)
5. Dirty Beaches-Belgrade (unrelenting synth, an overpowering sense of anxiety, and Alex's haunted and haunting vocals, synth-driven, propulsive sadness hurtling towards the Danube)
6. Lust for Youth-Sickness (Scandinavian. Scandinavians, as far as I understand it, have a real health care system, so who the fuck knows what's going on with them.)
7. Thorir Georg-Skiptir Engu (Even more remote than the continental Scandi countries, Iceland not only has health care but ACTUALLY SENT BANKERS TO JAIL FOR THEIR CRIMES. Sounds like Mars? Yeah, 'cause it is, and their minimal synth is pretty rad, too!)
8. Rosenkopf-Troth (They're (are/were?) from New York or at least claim NYC status, so who knows what to make of them until they do something outrageous enough to have some dipshit from Village Voice do a feature on them [no, I didn't ask Google if there is an interview with the VV).
9. Carol-So Low (This very well might be the sound of austerity closing its warm, seductive, suffocating hand across your throat as the EU strangles the life outta ya-er, they're Belgian.)
10. Joy Division-Something Must Break (demo version)-(yeah JoyDiv bigdealsowhat. But how many of you fuckers would know about half of the music you pride yourselves on knowing about without having first discovered JD's Unknown Pleasures? That's right, none of you and me neither, so we could all use some more Joy Division!).
11. RZA-Ghost Dog Theme-(No comment, much respect. RZA matched or beat Jarmusch here. Brilliant soundtrack for a brilliant film.)
12. Fausto Amodei-Non 'e finita a Piazza Loreto (Because I have to include some sort of overtly commie propaganda here. It's also a pretty good minimal keyboard piece too, though....As a friend said a long, long time ago of The Majestic Arrows, "sit alone and cry to this raw shit".).
13. Makis Prekkas-Morocco (Minimal synth from before Greece was famous for debt instead of all the classical/philosophical/etc. stuff. Anxiety and dread seep through Prekkas' work, and those emotions are much more appropriate to the capitalist apocalypse that is Greece than pride, anyway)
14. Mushy-Kshetrajna (Italian-Ethiopian/Eritrean lady makes some dope minimal dronesynth. Dig it.)
15. Popol Vuh-Gemeinschaft (needs no introduction)

The attached picture was taken in Italy, "3 summers, .and a thousand years ago," as Peachy Carnahan says to Rudyard Kipling in The Man Who Would be King). Or, as Slim Charles says in The Wire (season 4), "Yeah, well, life's strange."

Alone & Forsaken XXV (25th and Final): Never talking to you again

Never Talking to You Again (Alone & Forsaken XXV):

1. 13th Floor Elevators-You're Gonna Miss Me
2. The Abigails-Shadow of Our Darkness
3. Galaxie 500-Walking Song
4. Beat Happening-Cast a Shadow
5. Merchandise-Time
6. The Modern Lovers-Roadrunner
7. The Gun Club-House on Highland Avenue
8. The Wedding Present-Getting Nowhere Fast (Girls at Our Best cover)
9. Vertical Slit-In-No-Sense 1X2
10. Sex Church-I Don't Want to Die
11. Husker Du-Whatever.
12. The Adverts-Quickstep
13. Criminal Damage-Victory
14. The Gits-Second Skin (Live '93 version)
15. Jim Shepard-A Streetcar Named Desire
16. Broken Water-Kamilche House (live @ the Oly Library version)
17. The Wipers-Blue Cowboy
18. Dead Moon-Unknown Passage

Cast a shadow in my direction....

Quicksails Mix (in Russian!)

Hey hey, it's mid-May and here I am. Segueing back into regular posting, here's a post that Ben from Quicksails/Tiger Hatchery/Druids of Huge put together for a Russian site. It's a lot more sedate than most of the aural atrocities featured on here, but hell, even drug punks need to chill out sometimes.

Check it out here!

Alone & Forsaken XX: The Secret History of British Post-Punk, 1977-83

Well, there's nothing very secret about most of these bands, but that's my title and I'm sticking to it. All of you will know some of these bands, some of you will know all of them, but you will not all know all of them, hence my justification for this mix. That and really, who doesn't need more weird British music in their lives? Anyways, I read Simon Reynolds' history of UK post-punk recently and man that thing is fun.

So here's a slew of great tunes by great and not-so-great bands. Enjoy!

1. Elveesh Kawstello-Benvenuto alla working week
2. Television Personalities-I Was a Mod Before You Was a Mod (short version)
3. Warsaw-Warsaw
4.Girls at Our Best-It's Fashion
5. Buzzkawks-Lipstick
6. Wire-It's So Obvious
7. Swell Maps-New York
8. Scrotum Poles-Helicopter Honeymoon
9. Marine Girls-Tonight?
10. Josef K-Citizens
11. the Pop Group-Kiss the Book
12. The Slits-I Heard it Through the Grapevine
13. the Raincoats-Dancing in my Head
14. Bauhaus-God in an Alcove (flexi version)
15. Gang of Four-5:45
16. Blitz-New Age


Get it HERE!

Alone & Forsaken XIX: "Out with the old...."

"So out with the old, in with the old. Nothing replenishes itself, not even horseshit!"-Lester Bangs, "New Year's Eve," 1980

'Cause it's one of those days.

The graffiti reads: "you never hear me say [for]give me."

1. Criminal Damage-Anxiety
2. Husker Du-First of the Last Calls
3. Sick Thoughts-Take my Hate
4. Running-Klassic Rok/Classic 'Ron
5. Brainbombs-Ass Fucking Murder
6. Sewers-Human Spray
7. Flipper-Ever
8. The Dictaphone-Acute Anxiety
9. Grazhdanskaya Oborona-Detskij doktor Skazal
10. The Fix-Signal
11. X-The Unheard Music
12. The Germs-Going Down

Download this squalling heap of noise HERE.

Alone & Forsaken XVIII: Razors in the Night

Yes, kiddies, I'm alive, narcotorpors and booze binges aside. I'm in the process of moving (back) to the Old Country so posts will continue to be intermittent for the next two weeks or so, but then I'll get back to the ever-present pile of shit (er, new releases) clogging the innards of my Gshit account.

In the meantime, have a gander with some classics of the "loud, young, dumb and violent" variety. Some of these tunes appeared on previous installments of the A&F series, but they're classics and zippyshare deleted those long ago anyways.

SHOW YOU NO MERCY AT ALL!

1. 86 Mentality-Intro/LifeTrap
2. Blitz-Razors in the Night
3. X-Nausea
4. the Germs-Communist Eyes
5. Social Unrest-Making Room for Youth
6. Youth Brigade (LA)-Violence
7. Ultimo Resorte-Cementerio Caliente
8. The Mau-Maus-Society's Rejects
9. Uproar-Rebel Youth
10. Negative Approach-Ready to Fight
11. The Fix-'Cause the Elite
12. SSD-Boiling Point
13. Born/Dead-No One (Necros cover)
14. Cro-Mags-Show You No Mercy (demo version)
15. Government Issue-Self-Destruct
16. Iron Cross-Wolfpack
17. Criminal Damage-No Solution

Alone & Forsaken XVII: Home is Where....

"I've traveled. Everywhere you go, it's the same. The water tastes weird, the food tastes weird. You get sick. And then, when you get back...you can't figure out if it happened to you, or to somebody else"-character in Slackers

In fact I enjoy traveling, but sometimes it feels like you leave pieces of yourself in a place if you stay there too long. Anyway, here's the latest installment in my mix series. The songs just sorta feel like going home during summertime, for me, anyways.

I probably won't be posting much for the next week; go out and get a tan, get drunk and get laid instead of downloadin' music, kiddies.

...home is where we hide 

1. Songs:Ohia-Farewell Transmission
2. Heavy Times-Sunside
3. Husker Du-Celebrated Summer
4. Pink Reason-Storming Heaven
5. Electrelane-To the East
6. Beach House-Used to Be
7. Dead Moon-Don't Look Back
8. Tom Waits-Downtown train
9. Joe Strummer-Let the Good Times Roll
10. Kitchen's Floor-116 (Live at Real Bad version)
11. The Mountain Goats-Distant Stations
12. Broken Water-Kamilche House

Alone & Forsaken XVII(?): Tomorrow Never comes

So I'm alive and will be resuming regular posting soon. Work, school, and other such grown up endeavors have been precluding my usual levels of stupidty and/or ranting. In the meantime, have fun (or not) listening to this assemblage of tunes I put together awhile ago for a certain someone. Whatever.

1. Buzzcocks-Orgasm Addict
2. Marine Girls-In Love
3. J&M Chain-In Love
4. Sonic Death- [Cyrillic]
5. Dirty Beaches-North East Station
6. Xeno & Oaklander-Toho Picture
7. Carol-Breakdown
8. Led Er Est-Drosophilia Melanogaster
9. No Words-Futile Research
10. High Highs-Flowers Bloom
11. Velvets-I'm Set Free (Closet mix)

Get it here.

In case yr wondering, the title is from a very bad track by Jus Allah, who I loved listening to while smoking blunts back in high school.

New Year's Eve Mix:Twisting the night away...

Lookit those goofy honkies dancing...almost makes ya wanna cry.

Anyway, here's a party soundtrack for ya to have fun to...or whatever else it is you might be doing tonight.

Check it out here.

1. Don Thomas-Come on train
2. Marvelettes-I'll Keep Holding On
3. James Carr-Coming back to me Baby
4. Bobby Bland-Shoes
5. Art Wheeler-That's How Much I love you
6. The Organics-Footstompin'
7. Alemayehu Eshete  Hirut Beqele-Temeles
8. Mahmoud Ahmed-Gizie Degu Neger
9. Gnonnas PEdtro et sus Commandos-Dadje von on Von
10. Seyfu Yohannes-Mela Mela
11. William Onyeabor-Try and Try
12. Darrell Banks-Forgive Me
13. The Drifters-There Goes my Baby
14. Gngsgns-Wlkthnght

Alone & Forsaken XV(?)-After Hours.

Oh, hi folks. Lookit me! It's November, we've got 4 more years of Mr. Kill List at the White House, and here's another installment in the ongoing Alone & Forsaken series.

I've got a whole buncha shit I been meanin' to review for dis heer blog (Preludes, Opus Null, etc. etc.) but I've been grading undergraduate exams and answering questions such as "So is it a good argument to say that the United States has lived up to its ideals in the War on Terror because we successfully and peacefully captured bin Laden?" [I'm not making this up. This is a slice of what's racing through the minds of the brilliant young Americans that call themselves my students.]. Needless to say, having fun (that is, taking painkillers, guzzling vodka, writing bad record reviews and convincing girls at bars to make out with me) has had to take a backseat to, ah, work.

Anyways, here's a beautiful slice of autumnal melancholy and misery to ease you through those tired, grey nights spent alone drinking $2 box wine 'cause yr too blitzed and gutpit depressed to think of anything creative to do with your apathy. Er, yeah.

Warning!: This is tuff tunes for tuff times that is best imbibed drunk and/or wasted on whatever shitty drugs you can find before you crawl home for the evening. Now sit alone and cry to this raw shit.

y'know you love it.

1. Beat Happening-Other Side
2. Beach House-Saltwater
3. The Velvet Underground-Candy Says (Closet Mix)
4. Tom Waits-Blind Love
5. Sun Kill Moon-Heron Blue
6. The Middle Class-Everything
7. The Mekons-Lost Highway (Hank Williams cover)
8. The Mountain Goats-Color in Yr Cheeks
9. Pink Reason-Dead End
10. J.T. IV-In the Can
11. Glass Cake-truly
12. Elliott Smith-2:45 A.M.
13. Daniel Johnston-True Love Will Find You in the End

Alone & Forsaken XIV: Slipping Away.

I'm too hungover to write a real review, so this is whatcha get instead.

A lot of these songs were included on previous installments in the "Alone & Forsaken" series, but thanks to Lemaire, those are gone, soyabigdealwhatever.

That picture's actually of the Red Dons, not the Observers, but it's more or less the same band.

It starts off big, brash, and beautiful with Broken Water but by the end it's just the same 'ole galling frustration, as expressed by Portland's Criminal Damage. Sorta like an average day in these parts.

Hopefully, my brain cells whill have regrouped enough to form coherent sentences and dash off witty commentary tomorrow. Or not.

Dig it (or not).

1. Broken Water-Say What's on your mind
2. Kitchen's Floor-No Love
3. The Observers-Walk Alone
4. Royal Headache-Girls
5. Wild Moth-Morning Sickness
6. Dead Moon-My Escape
7. Negative Approach-Nothing
8. Husker Du-59 Times the Pain
9. Jawbreaker-Ashtray Monument
10. Heavy Times-Alone
11.  Buzzcocks-What do I get?
12. Wipers-Romeo
13. The Repos-Half a Hole
14. Government Warning-Self Destruct
15. Criminal Damage-No Solution

MEDIAFIRE AND LEMAIRE CAN SUCK IT

I just realized that Mediafire has suspended my account. Those motherfuckers didn't even send me a fucking email. Thanks a lot, you bastards. I can't explain how angry I am about this.

This means that all of the posts from 2011 now have dead links, as well as quite a few from this year.  I don't have the time or patience to re-up everything. If you want a given file or mix, send me an email or leave a comment on the relevant entry and I'll reup it elsewhere. Or, if any of you wanna be sweethearts, try posting current links for dead files.

The "Alone and Forsaken" takedowns especially piss me off, since they're semi-autobiographical in a lot of ways. Also, A&F XIII included a track by a good friend that I was hoping would get more attention.

I'd like to reiterate my charge that the people who run Mediafire are, collectively, a bunch of cowards and assholes. Of course, I expect this sort of behavior from a corporation, but Mediafire is notable for their open complicity with fraudulent copyright owners, namely, LinkID and Lemaire.
 Their one-way process of kowtowing to any shitbird who sounds like a lawyer is craven and despicable, and in any case will not save them if SOPA passes. There is no future in Mediafire's dreaming.

The way Mediafire responds to complaints, based on what I, Zen Arcade, Iamtheleastmachiavellian, and various other blogs have experienced, is to unquestioningly believe anyone who emails them with a complaint., even if the email is clearly written by a spambot or dummy corporation.

I'm using Zippyshare for all future reviews when there isn't a bandcamp link. I'm sure, however, that the purge of music blogs will eventually zero in on Zippyshare. If anyone has suggestions for more permanent solutions to this issue, now's the time to start talking.

I'm going to continue Drug Punk to the best of my ability and as time allows. The contrarian in me actually is energized by what these shitbirds are doing to the community of weirdos, loners, and music nerds that I've always aimed my writing and posts at. If all else fails, we can just go back to trading cassettes anyways.

If you run a blog or any sort of website that hosts files, you're probably going to be targeted soon, if you haven't already, by someone calling himself Lemaire, running the company LinkID. Here's the contact info:
LeakID
13, rue Greneta
75003 PARIS
Tel: +33950084207
Mobile: +33620867619
Mail: contact@leakid.com

Alone and Forsaken XIV: Deadshits.

It's that time 'o' year when it's so hot out that all you really wanna do is curl up pool- or porchside with a cold one and watch the world pass ya by.

On the offchance that, unlike me, you're in an energetic mood, here's some preemo-primo garage misery guaranteed to put a spring in yr strut if you ever get off that porch to go buy another sixer.

Rock out.

1. Royal Headache-Eloise
2. Brilliant Colors-I'm Sixteen
3. Heavy Times-You need a different life
4. Kitchen's Floor-116
5. X (Australia!)-Fuckin' Rockin'
6. Raspberry Bulbs-I Will Not Pretend
7. The Feeling of Love-I'm nothing but a drunk pussy
8. Tyvek-Mary Ellen Claims
9. The Brat-Leave Me Alone
10. Canadian Rifle-Cinder Block
11. Government Warning-Self Destruct
12. Raw Nerve-Dating Problems

Alone and Forsaken XIII: Po' Boy Long Way from Home Blues

It's 2:15 am, I've been up for about 17 hours, and I still have a few hours to go before drinking myself to sleep. It's getting to the point where I think I hear stuff in the halls of the office I work at, but then realize it's just dust settling on the fan, and I can no longer tell if it's night or morning.

In that spirit, here's a collection of spaced out, atmospheric tunes, pieces, and improvisations suited for drifting away on cosmic rays of insomnia, workaholism, and/or drug abuse.

I should also mention that this installment in "Alone and Forsaken" is partially a shameless plug for a good friend of mine. You should check out his music, here.

Fade into you.

1. Νικκ Καβε αντ Ωαρρεν Έλλης-χάππυ Λαντ
2. John Lurie-Bella by Barlight
3. Popol Vuh-Tanz der Chassidim
4. Michael Wohl-Variations: Melatonin Blues
5. Γρουπερ-Δισενγαγεδ
 6. Cavedweller-Poison II
7. Will Oldham-Do What You Will Do
8. Sun Kil Moon-Heron Bloo
9. Josephine Foster-Where There Are Trees
10. Dirty Beaches-The Death March
11. Moon Dog-Theme and variations
12. βριαν Ενώ-Αλλ θε Σταρς βερε ούτ
13. Crimewaves-Sun Rays
14. Peaking Lights-All the Sun that Shines

Year One: Or, Alone and Forsaken Dodici: "It's the end of a fucked up year...."

Hey there, folks, lookit me! I've been doing Drug Punk for a year now. That's actually quite an accomplishment, given my favored past times, and the fact that I started Drug Punk mostly as a way to act productive while being hungover.

Bigdealyeahsowhat, this is a mix to commemorate the fact that the blog's made it this far. Since the main themes surrounding Drug Punk are heartbreak, frustration, and (self-induced) misery, that's the general theme.

Enjoy or not, non mi ne importa.

Have fun.
(password is: "exhilirated").

1. Flipper-Ever
2. The Dictaphone-Krank
3. Social Unrest-Rush Hour
4. Dusker Hoo-First of the Last Calls
5. Royal Headache-Girls
6. Buzzkox-Ever Fallen in Love?
7. Government Warning-Self Destruct
8. The Gun Klub-She's Like Heroin to Me
9. The Fagettes-You're Destroying Me
10. Wild Moth-Morning Sickness
11. Pink Reason-Livin' in the City
12. Dead Moon-Can't Help Falling in Love
13. Marine Girls-In Love
14. The Mountain Goats-Color in Yr Cheeks
15. Glass Cake-We'll work it out

Guest mixtape: Kent State

So Nick from Kent State sent me this mix about two months ago and, industrious young man that I am, it took me that long to get around to spinning it.

If you're into fuzzy '90s grunge/shoegaze/blahblahblah, yer gunna dig this. I vaguely remember seeing a lot of these bands in my local record store's bins back in the late '90s. Highlights include My Vitriol's cover of the Wipers' "Wait a Minute," the GBV tracks, and Kent State's Nirvana cover (f you can't figure out which one that is, I can't help you).

Check it out here, and download it here.

Alone & Forsaken XI: Over the Edge.

Having decided to descend from the Ivory Tower for a few days' revelry, I'm off to the Bay tomorrow for hijinks and low comedy (in that order).

I may or may not be posting in a drugged blur while Bayside, but in the meantime, here's a mix I made for the road trip.

Get weird.

1. Social Unrest-Rush Hour
2. Ultimo Resorte-Cemeterio Caliente
3. Raspberry Bulbs-I Will Not Pretend.
4. The Wipers-Over the Edge
5. The Vaselines-Son of a Gun
6. The Ropes-Down in Flames
7. Royal Headache-Eloise
8. Teenagers-I want to know
9. Tennis-Baltimore
10. Warsaw-They Walked in Line
11. The Vyllies-Ahia

Alone and Forsaken X: It's not funny anymore.

 *Edit, 3-1-12: I fixed the mediafire link, it should work now.*

*Obligatory preface where I apologize for not posting any of the music that's piled up in my inbox, and promise to post new stuff soon. Life's a killer, y'dig?*

We're at the tenth installment in the Alone & Forsaken mixtape series, which either means I'm an industrious little fella, or that my life hasn't taken a noticeable turn for the better, can't decide which. Hoohaw, whatever, here ya go.

1. Iggy & the Stooges-Search and Destroy
2. Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers-Born to Lose
3. Husker Du-59 Times the Pain
4. Kitchen's Floor-Lander
5. Flipper-Ever
6. The Repos-Half a Hole
7. Cold Sweat-Fuck the Flock
8. Loser Life-Hating the Sun
9. Rancid-the Bottle
10. Jawbreaker-Jinx Removing
11. Royal Headache-Girls
12. The Observers-Down on Today
13. Leatherface-Not Superstitious

Alone & Forsaken IX: She talks to rainbows

 Whenever possible, I'm gonna end every mix themed around crushes with a Raincoats song.

1. Heavy Times-Good Looker
2. The Brat-Swift Moves
3. The Vaselines-Rory Rides me Raw
4. Bass Drum of Death-I Could Never be Your Man
5. Ramones-I Wanna be your Boyfriend
6. Dead Moon-Can't Help Falling in Love
7. Elvis Costello-Sneaky Feelings
8. (Young) Pioneers-Port Authority Goodbyes
9. Jawbreaker-Do You Still Hate Me?
10. Husker Du-Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill
11. Black Tambourine-For Ex-Lovers Only
12. Electralane-The Greater Times
13. Beach House-Gila
14. The Raincoats-In Love


Dig it....or else.

Alone & Forsaken VIII: Morning in America

After all that year-end madness, and in lieu of posting something from the numerous new releases piling up in my inbox, here's some old American hardcore standbys from the Era of Reagan.


We are the sons of Reagan....

1. Reagan Youth-Reagan Youth
2. 7 Seconds-Fuck your Amerika
3. Middle Class-Insurgence
4. Really Red-Modern Needs
5. The Dicks-Dicks hate Police
6. Social Unrest-Rush Hour
7. Bad Religion-Fuck Armageddon, This is Hell
8. Adolescents-No Way
9. T.S.O.L.-Property is Theft
10. Circle Jerks-Live Fast Die Young
11. The Proletariat-Purge
12. N.O.T.A.-Propaganda Control
13. Negative Approach-Can't Tell No One
14. The Teen Idles-Commie Song
15. Artificial Peace-Artificial Peace
16. Youth Brigade-Moral Majority
17. Septic Death-Terror Rain
18. Citizen's Arrest-Death Threat