Politess LP

This blog is certainly geared towards exposing bands and their records that folks may have missed when they were originally released, many moons ago. Here, however, is some information pertaining to a relatively newer band, Politess. This Quebec band's debut full length has thirteen songs and was released a few months ago by three different labels: Beaver Club (ran by one of the folks in Politess), BGS and Blind Eye. After stumbling across this blog last month, one of the members,Simon Rousseau, got in touch with me and offered to send me a copy of their new LP, which I graciously accepted. I did not post a rip of the LP here, I'm posting a link to the Politess bandcamp page so you can download that shit for yourself. They were kind enough to release these songs digitally with a name-your-price option, which is always awesome to see. Translation: this means you should probably donate a few bucks to help out their cause, which is bringing you some spazzy hardcore punk.

Politess will presumably appeal to kids who dig bands like Book of Dead Names or Usurp Synapse (or any of a number of bands who released stuff on Witching Hour), as well as A Day in Black and White or This Ship Will Sink. There's a huge head nod to the screamo of 15 years ago on this record, which is probably a good thing. The recording is extremely bass-heavy, but without being too muddy. They keep it interesting, grindy, and oft rimes reminiscent of Racebannon or the previously posted Index for Potential Suicide. You should get the idea.

Simon and Dave were both kind enough to answer some questions (thanks, guys) that I tossed their way, so you can check out that shit below these links.

Politess B/C           Politess F/B      Beaver Club Recs     Politess Y/T

C.O.M. - Thanks for taking the time to do this, Simon. Firstly, who plays what in Politess and how old is he / she? When and how did the band come together and start playing? Did anyone play together in previous bands before this one?

 Simon – No prob, it’s actually really nice of you doing this. So we’re a bunch of people, from 24 to 26.  I play guitar and handle most of the noisy stuff via some broken/beer soaked pedals. There’s Jerry Lee, that’s the guy who screams his lungs out, he’s also the guy behind  Beaver Club Records (go check their releases, pretty rad stuff and everything’s free on bandcamp). Kevin, our drummer who usually makes people freak out cause he’s too much chill (and sometimes unreachable). Dave, our shirtless bass player who screams too and finally Jessica who plays guitar, yells and she’s much more a warrior than us.

 C.O.M. - The last time I played in a North American band was over five years ago, so my knowledge of current / active bands is probably a great deal below yours. What bands do y'all take the most influence from (musically and stylistically), and what active bands would you recommend to someone who has very little idea of what's happening in 2015...like myself? Take me in any direction you'd like.

Simon - I really dig the Montreal music scene and I’m truly happy cause most of these bands are friends with us, bands like Black givre, CLC, Basalte, The expectorated sequence, Nous étions, Barricade, BP black piranha AND Jerry Lee and Jessica’s incredible noise rock band Nüshu.

Dave - Our influences come from many different backgrounds. We are all big music lovers.

As for active bands I would recommend :  IDYLLS, HX KY, Child Bite, Névrose, Fistfuck, Half Measures, Nous Étions, Black Givre, Gets Worse, The Afternoon Gentlemen, Powerxchuck, Svffer, Fissure, Angkor Wat, Biipiigwan, Greber, The Expectorated Sequence, Serpentine Path, Youth Code, Gas Up Yr Hearse!, Daido Loori, AHNA,

 C.O.M. - When did you have that "a-HA!" moment with hardcore punk, when you realized that our scene is something you would want to become a part of, or more importantly, when did you decide you wanted to play hc? Maybe there was a certain record that you heard for the first time that made you say "holy shit", or maybe it was that first punk show you went to? What happened to you specifically, Simon, that introduced you to the scene and made you want to stay involved?

 Simon - Funny thing is, the first “heavy “show I saw, was the band I’m currently in. I was a huge metal fan but when I found out it was so fake and it was mostly an ego trip for some I was over with it (and it got boring as fuck, but i know I am generalizing). Then I rediscovered my love for punk music, the whole DIY thing, the way people are more likely to help others than being selfish.

The reason I keep doing this music and injuring myself (and my gear) is simply the fun I have with these guys. When we all lived in the same city, we were almost hanging out 24/7, so touring is not that bad cause we’re pretty used to everyone’s habits, so you get to hang out with your friends, play music you like and travel to places you’ve never been, that’s a cool deal.

 Dave - I used to play classical music being a kid. I loved the feeling of playing in a big orchestra and the power that would come out of 50 musicians. Then I got into punk and metal through friends. I could find the same kind of power coming out of music. Then I started to play in punk, rock, jazz and metal bands and never stopped.

 C.O.M. - What's your beef with Wawa? Does it upset you that you don't have to talk to an actual person whilst ordering a delicious sandwich? Do you hate lemonades and iced teas? What do you know about Tastykake Baking Company, which is a Philadelphia staple? As a dude who grew up in Pennsylvania (and consequently, one who loves Wawa), I'm curious about the story behind "Never Going Back To Wawa". Let's hear it. Oh, also, Wawa is from Pennsylvania.

 Simon – Oops, the Wawa we’re referring to is Wawa in Ontario, probably one of the most boring places we’ve ever been. We were tired as fuck, just like our van, so we stopped there and it was such a depressing place to be. Nothing at all, only a crappy hardware store.

C.O.M. - Give me everybody's top three favorite records, in no particular order.

 Simon – Propagandhi – How to clean everything, Loma Prieta – Our LP is your EP and Guérilla Poubelle – Punk=Existentialisme

Dave -- Streetlight Manifesto - Everything Goes Numb, Mr. Bungle - California and Bongzilla - Stash and Methods of Attaining Extreme Altitudes

Jerry Lee - Teenage Jesus and the Jerks (s/t, 1979), Mr. Bungle - Disco Volante and Portishead (s/t 1997)

Jessica - Melt Banana - Bambi's Dilemma, Sonic Youth - Goo and The Chinese Stars - Listen to Your Left Brain

Kevin - no answer yet, but it's probably something black metal...let's say 1349 and something grimmer.
(edit: Where you at, Kevin? I listen to tons of bm and would have APPRECIATED AN ANSWER! Let it be known, I've faked your answers accordingly: Gerardo - Mo' Ritmo, Milli Vanilli - Girl You Know It's True, and Debbie Gibson - Electric Youth...and anything by Cradle of Filth, because they are completely legit black metal)
 

C.O.M. - What was the last book you read, what was it about, and why do you want me to know about it?

Simon - The last book I read is called (yeah sorry it’s in French) “La cantatrice Chauve “, it is by Eugène Ionesco, and it’s the funniest shit I’ve read in my life. It’s so absurd that you brain cannot process anything. I’m also a fan of DC comics shit, so anything from Batman of the Flash is good.

C.O.M. - I am one of those dudes who would never in a million years sell any of his records / demo tapes / etc...For any reason ever. I would leave them at a trusted friend’s house for safekeeping if I were to become homeless. Talk to me about your feelings on this matter, and what your record collection means to you.

Simon – I feel the same way with my record collection, half of it is kinda “ rare” cause it’s from bands I saw or played with, so I guess if I lost some, I couldn’t  buy new ones cuz they don’t exist anymore.

C.O.M. - What can we expect in the not-too-distant future from Politess? Any planned future releases folks should know about? Will you be touring for the next three years straight?

Simon – I’d like to tour non-stop, but right now we’re in the process of writing new stuff, since we’re already bored with the new LP. We’d like to release some 7". I guess that’s what coming for the next couple months. Maybe a US tour soon, that’ll be really cool.

C.O.M. - What benefit, if any, did you notice from the recent Women's World Cup being held in Canada? Did you go to any games? Are y'all Quebec Nordiques fans? I'm naming my next cat Guy Lafluer, if that means anything to you. True fucking story.

Simon - Actually we’re not into hockey at all haha I played hockey for 10 years and I loved it but I’ve always found everything else related to hockey retarded….  But we won some medals at those games some I guess, hmm, it’s a cool thing haha.

 C.O.M. - Give me one or two tour stories you can tell that won't get anyone in trouble.

Simon – While in Ontario, I was driving while listening to the album “How to clean everything” By Propagandhi, and the hood of our van opened and broke our windshield, so we almost got killed by some huge trucks we almost died in a ditch. After the tour I was on my way to work while listening to the same album, same song (Stick The Fucking Flag Up Your Goddamn Ass, You Son Of A Bitch) and somebody hit my car. Just don’t listen to this song, it’s dangerous!

Dave : One time after a gig with Cerebral Balzy, Jerry our singer climbed at the top of a big structure in downtown Montreal. He tried to pee on us from the top but a city truck passed by and started honking at him. He jumped down and broke both of his heels and was in a wheelchair for months.

Thanks to the folks in Politess for the interest and doing the interview, and extra thanks to Jerry Lee Boucher at Beaver Club for sending over the LP as well as the tons of extra stuff! 

 

Closure 12"

I'm going to keep this post short and sweet, y'all.

This record is recommended for everyone who thinks Saetia was the greatest thing since sliced bread, or at least since Portraits Of Past. I'm not trying to take anything any from Saetia, but in my estimation they were nowhere near as good as this band, who also hailed from NYC and were active during the same time period.

So...if you dig Saetia, Hot Cross, P.O.P, Gospel, J.R. Ewing, White Lion, Winger, Funeral Diner and/or ..Who Calls So Loud, then you owe it to yourself to download this masterpiece if you have yet to hear it. One of the hidden gems of the late 1990s, and one of the best emo / screamo / whatever twelve inches of all time. It's powerful, like a punch in the pancreas. These songs are infinitely better than the ones appearing on their previous split 7" with Breakwater.

Mountain C.I.A. #12, 1997 (thanks, Chris).

Bonus info: The fifth track, "Time Off" was ripped off (both blatantly and terribly) by Anthony Green's band Audience Of One on their Break Even Records' full length "I Remember When This All Meant Something" circa 2000. Hilariously, the three dudes in that band (as nice as they were) didn't know what to do when I called them out on that shit at a show our bands played together at the Killtime in West Philly around the same time period. For Shame.

- so goddamn good - 

Tracklist:
1) KM
2) Sebastian
3) Silhouetted
4) Inferno
5) Time Off
6) Untitled

Scout - "Tomato" 7"

Sorry it's been about five weeks since my last post, but I'm a college student these days and I've been enjoying my summer off so, you know, there you go. Some shit I've done since my last post: my special-ladyfriend and I went to Curaçao and drank way too may frozen margaritas, daiquiris, and drinks swirled with the ubiquitous blue / red / green / orange curaçao than we'd care to admit. We also spent too much time doing not a goddamn thing other than sitting on the beach or snorkeling, making friends with multi-colored fish. Moving on from that, I've been brewing tons of beer in our basement, and I've been losing games of bowling I certainly shouldn't have (fuck YOU, Seen Baker!). Anyways, Sean and I are going to see Chokehold play a bunch of songs tomorrow night,and they probably don't feel the same way about those songs that they did twenty years ago, so that's pretty exciting. Somehow, I never saw them the first time around, and the overall the experience should be slightly not as good as this, which I am still kicking myself in the dick for not hearing about, nor attending. Morning Again is also playing, who should probably just play the jams from "The Cleanest War" and their first Immigrant Sun Records 7", and then leave the stage immediately.

ANY FUCKING WAY, this post is about a rad, underrated band from the Atlanta area named Scout. This two song 7" was released by the much aforementioned Moo Cow Records in 1995. These songs were recorded in February of the same year at Sleepless Nights, which was operated by a gentleman named Issa Diao, a few years before he moved north to D.C. and helped start the now (probably) infamous Good Clean Fun.

Here we have a slightly post-hc, in an Unwound or (even more so) Fabric sort-of-way. From what I understand, there was a lot of member "turnover" throughout the history of Scout, including none other than Steve Wishart who played in Car Vs Driver, as well as (at one, early point) Pennsylvania's own Fields Lay Fallow, who were basically better than everybody else circa 1998. Wishart also ran Lunchbox Records, which eventually wound up moving to North Carolina and wound up becoming an important d.i.y. venue in Charlotte circa 2006. Oh yeah, he also released a Bukkake Boys (nicest dudes) record somewhat recently as well as the Inkwell / Hal Al Shedad split your collection is probably missing, much to your chagrin. More relevant to this particular post; Lunchbox released the Freemasonry / Scout split 12" entitled "Familiarity is Friendly, but not Something I Care to Know" previous to the release of this two song 7".

It's good, its rocking, it's 90s Peach State emocore history. Certainly recommended if you enjoy way more popular bands like Sparta or And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead... but were always afraid of checking out quality, passionate, and/or introspective hardcore.

Moo Cow number ten, yo, and recommended by yours truly.

Damn the Hand

Tracklist:
1) Tomato (Asylum)
2) Economics Part I and II (Slalom Through Interpretational Milestones)