Swindle - In The Red 7inch & Olivelawn - 4 is Greater than 2 / Cat's Farm 7inches

TIME TO KEEP SOME PROMISES... for those who requested Swindle & Olivelawn, here you go!!!!

Swindle has appeared here a few times on split 7inches (with the Finders and with Over My Dead Body), but this time they make an appearance all their own.

This 4-track 7inch comes from right around the time of their first album "Within These Walls" (1996). In the Red shows the band moving a little more towards the refined and snotty punk that would explode on their second lp "Better Off Dead" (1998). Still some what caught between young punk band with a funny and fuck you kind of attitude and the band that would emerge a little later and show that it could still be funny and even have that same snotty sound; but also hit its mark and write songs that a bit more of a developed sentiment. Yes, all while still remaining that loveable punk band with a penchant for some killer covers (seriously, the Skid Row and Violent Femmes covers are great).

DOWNLOAD: Swindle - In the Red 7inch

Shifting gears a bit, but staying in the realm of San Diego punk is one of the better early 90's punk bands (were there really that many at the time). Playing a bit of a loose and jangly sound that would become even more prevelant in the band that followed them (Fluf), O and the the crew cranked out some very fun punk to skate to.

The two 7inches found here, both released by Nemesis Records find the band both building to their debut lp and playing around with the sound a bit. 4 is Greater than 2 is pretty straight forward Olivelawn along with a great cover of the Love song "Signed DC", while Cat's Farm kind of has a little funkier sound that almost makes me think of some of the early 80's Seattle pre-grunge stuff (seriously, Cat's Meow could be a b-side to the Green River song "Swallow My Pride").

Both records make up a small offering of a good, if not slightly forgotten early 90's punk band. Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD: Olivelawn - 2 7inches

By The Grace of God/ The Cause - Split 7inch

This split 7inch sees By the Grace of God in their later stages (this track would appear on the Initial Records re-release of their "Three Steps..." ep which included that ep plus assorted comp/split songs) with a song that starts of with a piano and spoken intro before the song kicks in with a mid-paced beat and those signature BTGOG era Rob Pennington vocals. A bit longer on the BTGOG side of things, this track shows another side of the band as they are able to continue a somewhat crawling pace throughout the song with momentary bursts of noise.

The Cause, from San Diego, bring a bit of a faster and more straight forward attack with their two tracks. A little punch and heavy riff or two thrown in with vocals that go from spoken to screamed in the same sentence are their formula. My first exposure to this band was their split with fellow San Diego-ians, American Tragedy, a very good CD if you can track it down. (If you can, post it. My burned copy has suffered through the years). The second track from the Cause shows off more of their heavy and even somewhat noisy side. Stop and go music that gives way to a pounding beat before again falling apart into a frantic guitar and vocal combo.

All in all, a very worthy little 3 song record. This can't be posted without giving a big shout to Big Brian from TFC/Xibalba because he had actually bought this at a show and I convinced him to sell it to me instead, on the condition that I make him a copy. Well, its been awhile, but here's your copy (haha).

DOWNLOAD: By the Grace of God / the Cause - Split 7inch 

Candle - "Self-Titled" 7inch

A nice way to start your Sunday...

Candle were an emo band from Southern California in the early 90's. To be fairly honest, I don't know a TON about them and there isn't a ton about them on the internet. They were a part of the San Diego scene at the time and did a split with Antioch Arrow (which I have not heard). Members went on to Antioch Arrow, clikatat ikatowi, Spanakorzo, & Second Story Window.

This two song record is their first release; released on Wrenched Records (who also released the Evergreen "Trudy Pushpin" 7inch posted HERE earlier). The music is pretty straight forward (kinda punky) as far as moving along at a pretty steady pace most of the time with some pauses at times and guitars that will drop out while the bass and drums go on. the vocals have a youthful screech to them; all in and all, a record that definitely says "90's emo record", but not one that just falls into a list of emo by numbers and then forgotten as good, but typical.

DOWNLOAD: Candle "Self Titled" 7inch 

Find Him and Kill Him - You Can't Fuck With the Kids

FIND HIM!!! KILL HIM!!! GO!!!!! Such a fun thrashy hardcore punk band in the early/mid 2000's, but boy could they pull out the breakdown for their namesake song. San Diego's Find Him and Kill Him released a handful of 7inches & a full-length in their time, as well as making a few comp releases; to my knowledge (and I could be wrong), this is their first 7inch.

As stated, thrashy hardcore punk- fast and to the point; old school hardcore music, punk attitude and enough energy in the live setting to fuel a room. One of the first times I saw them after getting into them, the stage at the smell collapsed under their feet (I know, when wasn't it) and the show just rolled right on. Their singer Spencer always seemed to be on the move, jumping about & thrashing around.

After the band's demise, the singer and guitarist turned up in the band Last Priest, which I always saw as somewhat of a continuation of FHAKH. It was different from FHAKH, but not too much. Download this record and just wait for the eponymous "FHAKH" and get ready to break things. Seriously. Expect more Find Him and Kill Him on the blog in the future.

DOWNLOAD: Find Him and Kill Him - "You Can't Fuck With the Kids"

House of Suffering - 3 song 7inch

San Diego Hardcore seems to always have a distinct persona and sound; most notably the early-mid 90's when bands as diverse as Unbroken, Struggle, Big Drill Car, Drive Like Jehu, Rocket From the Crypt, Stickfiguecarousel, & House of Suffering- to name a few, existed.

Today, House of Suffering exist in many people's minds as having been covered (actually, initially ripped off) by fellow SD band, P.O.D. (yeah, that POD) on their first album; recording a version of the House of Suffering song "Draw the Line." However, House of Suffering in their own right made a bit of a lasting mark on Southern California hardcore. 3/4 of the band were originally in the legendary SD band Amenity, with prior years of playing together, the band was able to evolve and grow at a pace quicker than most new bands. Part Hardcore/Punk, part jam, and an undeniable product of the changing 90's allowed them to have singing vocals that give way to raps while the music goes from crunchy riffs to grooving fills and odd guitar parts. At times they seem to bridge a gap from bands like Bad Brains & Burn to later bands like Charge.

DOWNLOAD: House of Suffering - "3-Song" 

*there is a very slight skip at the end of the first track. Everything was done to work it out, but I could not. I currently do not have an mp3 editor I like on the new laptop and processed this record as a part of about 25-30 upcoming releases for the blog; so for now at least, quantity wins out on this one*




UPDATE: while going through some things, found my House of Suffering shirts. Click through for bigger images of the shirt.