ANDANADA 7

Two decades old, and still every bit as amazing as when it was released. On A Mala Hostia, Madrid's ANDANADA 7 (still active today, by the way) blast through insanely catchy political punk, similar in vibe to DAVOVA PSYCHOZA (actually, I hold this record in the same league as that Slovokian band's Antropofóbia, also released in 1991). On tracks like "Sobre Dos Ruedas"and "Autodestruccion" ANDANADA 7 just fukkn rage, but the guitar  still takes the lead and the hooks are undeniable. "Un Cadaver Mas"and "La Bocaes Para Gritar," however, are just brilliant damn punk songs. I'm glad I stumbled across the cassette version of this classic - forceful mid tempo Spanish hardcore tinged with Oi! punk undertones (check the tape's opening and closing tunes if you have any doubts)...yeah, this is as awesome as I remember. 

A MALA HOSTIA  

BEATS

There is no sense in me pretending that I am anything approaching an expert on these sounds. Just three acts make up the A side of this mix tape, Nigeria's CHIEF COMMANDER EBENEZER OBEY and KING SUNNY & HIS AFRICAN BEATS with a couple of tracks from Senegal's TOURE KUNDA to round out the party. Mesmerizing sounds that I love, whether or not I know anything about them or their historical relevance (CHIEF EBENEZER takes the cake for me, if anyone is keeping track). From northern Africa to musically rich Jamaica for the flip side, 45 minutes of classic ska from well known acts (TOOTS & THE MAYTALS, JIMMY CLIFF, BURNING SPEAR, DESMOND DEKKER) and deeper cuts from ERIC MORRIS, THE MELODIANS, LORD CREATOR and others. Again, I am no historian here, but these sounds make me want to delve deeper - and that, dear readers, is the power of a good mix tape - even though I get the feeling that this is just a vinyl comp committed to shell form (at least the Jamaica side), it still has the same effect as if one well meaning historian spent one alcohol soaked evening sharing the best possible examples of a genres to all his/her friends. Highlights for me? LORD CREATOR, CHIEF COMMANDER EBENEZER OBEY, AUGUSTUS PABLO, and SOUL VENDORS. The shit is good, enjoy.

AFRICAN SOUNDS // JAMAICAN SOUNDS

ROUGH ROPE

Yeah, I suppose I could go off on some tangent about that Amphetamine Reptile label and how the stuff from that sub/sub-genre still eclipses half of the music that I hear today. And yeah, I could say that at their best, ROUGH ROPE remind me of TORCHE's hooks, every bit as infectious, put through a righteously aware noise rock via raw punk filter - this shit is ugly as sin and catchy as all hell. Tennessee weirdness gone totally awesome, brought to you from members of Escape veterans GRAVEBOUND. If "Blues Hammer (Detroit)" doesn't connect with you in some manner, then it's possible that we cannot be friends. This will change you.

DEMOS + WIZARDS

SIGNALS // ERODE AND DISAPPEAR

This is either a brilliantly executed noise release or a gorgeous mistake, but I present it to you today in the manner that I received it. SIGNALS made a much celebrated appearance on Terminal Escape a couple of years back, and that post result in this cassette showing up in my mail slot quite some time ago. I've tried to examine possible motivations, but I've come to the conclusion that this split release is just backwards version of what these two bands mean for their split to sound like. Like I said - either that, or they are geniuses. And regardless, this is a mind fukk in all the right ways.

SIGNALS // ERODE AND DISAPPEAR

BLYTH POWER

Active since 1983, BLYTH POWER is the voice of drummer Joseph Porter (THE MOB, ZOUNDS) and is still active today. This band tastes to me the same as my imagination tells me a  salad of BILLY BRAGG and CRASS would taste. Demo Tapes Records gave early recordings from these gents the vinyl treatment last year, but they've been cranking out music consistently for nearly three decades. Might be a little too pub folk-y for some, but the warble in the vocals fit the almost-accessible punk perfectly. No one sounds like BLYTH POWER. This tape? No info other than what you see in the photo - only a couple of song titles that I pulled from my admittedly limited vinyl archives and no clue when this demo was recorded. Someone will download it and share their knowledge with the rest of us though...I can feel it.

BLYTH POWER

ASPEX

I'm not sure that fans of Mondays at The Escape can really ask for more than this. Members of KRUEL, DEAD NOISE, THE HELPLESS and others crank out seven tunes. You know who their influences are, you've been listening to them every Monday for a couple of years now and ASPEX are better than most of them.

PEACEFUL LIFE IS NOW YOUR NIGHTMARE

Self released stateside, and given the pro-cassette treatment from our friends at Black Konflik. 

DIPPERS

Smart and snarky hardcore from New York City makes another visit to The Escape, one side live and one set of superb studio tracks this time around. "2 Chill 2 Drill" is a masterful piece of restraint, while the rest of the jams on the studio side are packed with addictive and feisty hardcore punk rock - just the way you (should) like it. The live side is full of tasty treats like "Drinking And Doing Drugs While Texting And Driving" and "Light My Farts" but don't let the song titles fool you - these kids mean fukkn business. Great shit, need to go back to New York so I can see them. Find these fools here, and download the music by clicking on the green words that say HOME RUNS II, because that's the name of the tape.

HOME RUNS II