Record Reviews for 8/8/08

The Darvocets - ...Are New Wave - Fashionable Idiots Records
Featuring members of Nine Shocks Terror and other Cleveland hardcore bands. Quirky punk, similar to various "Killed By Death," "Blood Stains" style bands, as well as the Crucifucks, early Butthole Surfers and the Mentally Ill. Of course, this is lazy reviewing.
The Darvocets have put out one of the most genre bending punk records I've heard in a while, writing songs about time travel, Big Foot, anti-gravity devices and man-made viruses. Very twisted and very fitting on the Fashionable Idiots label.
The Darvocets
Fashionable Idiots



Methadones - Career Objectives - Underground Communique Records
The vinyl issue of the Methadones second album, Career Objectives really highlights the art work. I always prefer vinyl issues of records, not for any audiophile purposes, but mostly because the art work is bigger and it's more fun to collect.
Our good friends at Underground Communique did a bang up job with this pressing and not only does it look great, but it also sounds great. There's a couple bonus tracks on here that don't sound like add ons and fit the flow of the record.
For those of you who either don't follow pop-punk or have been living in a hole, the Methadones feature Danny Vapid, formerly of Screeching Weasel, the Queers and the Riverdales, Mike Byrne, formerly of the Vindictives as well as current members of the Bomb and Explode and Make Up.
The sound varies from record to record, but is consistently rooted in pop punk. This album is heavily rooted in power pop, but doesn't stray from the punk. Highlights include Premature Mid-life Crisis, Say Goodbye To Your Generation, Far Away and the bonus track Accident Waiting To Happen.
If you didn't catch this album while it was still in print, or you dig vinyl, this would be a much welcomed addition to your record collection.
The Methadones
Underground Communique