Ladytron: "He Took Her to a Movie" (2001)

Back in September I mentioned that I thought Ladytron's 604 was a damn fine debut. Here's a track from that album. Nice toe-tapping electronic ditty. . . .

"He Took Her to a Movie"

Dance Hall Crashers: "Triple Track" (1999)

Let's do one more song by the Dance Hall Crashers. This ditty pops in my head on a pretty regular basis. One of the highlights of a great comp.

"Triple Track"

Dance Hall Crashers: "Cricket" (2000)

While I love The Old Record, it doesn't have this classic. Love how the voices of these two women singers work together. Dare I say they had the best vocal harmonies since the Beatles. . . .

"Cricket"

Too Much Joy: "Thanksgiving in Reno" (1991)

From their greatest album, Cereal Killers, Too Much Joy's "Thanksgiving in Reno". Happy turkey day, everyone!

"Thanksgiving in Reno"

Gaslight Anthem: "Red in the Morning" (2007)

Crap, today's the third day in the row where I'm posting bands from New Jersey. I'm a bad Pennsylvanian! Seriously though, this album is more entertaining than a midget on stilts. I like how they're a punk-rock Bruce Springsteen. Who's the boss? Gaslight Anthem. Aww, yeah. . . .

"Red in the Morning"

World/Inferno Friendship Society: "Secret Service Freedom Fighting U.S.A." (2002)

I think the follow-up to this CD, Red-Eyed Soul, is a stronger album, but -- goddamn -- this song still gives me chills. Still not sure what it's about, as if that matters.

"Secret Service Freedom Fighting U.S.A."

Bouncing Souls: "I Like Your Mom" (1994)

I caught these guys at City Gardens (R.I.P.) in Trenton around the time they self-released this album. It was awesome! They lugged about six VCRs and TV sets onstage, each one playing a different John Hughs movie. Inbetween songs they would watch their favorite scenes. Kick ass!!!

"I Like Your Mom"

Black Kids: "Partie Traumatic" (2008)

I did have a post with a song from this band and a link to buy their album, but it's gone missing. Would've been nice if Blogger told me they removed it. I'm assuming the band's record label, Columbia, pulled out the copyright-infringement card (silly lawyers). Sad.

Groovie Ghoulies: "Doin' Fine" (1999)

To end Fat Wreck Chords week, I'm gonna include a track from the great compilation Short Music for Short People. Great idea that actually works. 101 punk bands playing 30-second songs. Classic!

"Doin' Fine"

Lawrence Arms: "Abracadaver" (2002)

The lyrics these guys come up with continually blow me away. For instance, the refrain of this songs goes: "If you see me grinding it's a disguise / If you see me grinning don't trust my lies / When the ink dries we'll have another mastepriece / When the drink dies we'll have another restless sleep" Sweet.

"Abracadaver"

J Church: "Smell It Rot" (1996)

It being Fat Wreck Chords week here at Rip It Up, you know I'm not going to miss the chance to post a song by one of my favourite bands. J Church only did two albums for Fat, The Drama of Alienation the better one, I say. And you know what's cool about the artwork? On the back it says "Overthrow Cock Rock and Idiolize Your Girlfriend". Awesome!

Smell It Rot

Snuff: "Martin" (1996)

These guys were around forever before finally calling it quits a few years ago (by forever I mean they started in the '80s). I'm posting this song because the name of my oldest nephew is Marty.

"Martin"

Mad Caddies: "Without You" (2007)

These guys amaze me. Perfect blend of punk, ska and dixieland. Their recent album, Keep It Going, is like their previous studio album, Just One More, in that there's not one piece of filler. Keep it going, indeed. . . .

"Without You"

Strung Out: "Mind of My Own" (1998)

When originally signed to Fat in the early '90s, these guys were basically NOFX clones, but they really came into their own with each release. Twisted by Design was their third album and the first one where they stared to develop their own sound. I still dig this song because of its anti-TV stance.
"Mind of My Own"

NOFX: "Two on Glue" (1996)

This week I'm gonna feature artists from Fat Wreck Chords. Let's start off with their flagship band, NOFX. This song is from their great 7", Fuck the Kids. Love the melodies on this one!

"Two on Glue"

Star Fucking Hipsters: "Only Sleep" (2008)

Wow, what a bloody, brilliant album! I bought this CD because it features members of my two favourite active bands -- Leftover Crack and World/Inferno Friendship Party. I think this is supposed to be a one-off super punk group. Whatever. It's great punk with the occasional keyboard or string section. Awesome!

"Only Sleep"

Yaz: "Midnight" (1982)

I didn't hear about this duo until I around '89, about five years after they broke up. This CD is a great example of New Wave.
Midnight

Tullycraft: "Twee" (2002)

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I already posted a Tullycraft track, but they are so fucking fantabulous, they deserve another Rip It Up posting. I actually saw them a couple months ago down by Delaware Ave. here in Philly. Great show! They played this song as an encore at the audience's request. It was really cool -- they really rocked out at the end, improvising a little. Good times. . . .
Twee

Wally Pleasant: "New Action Hero" (2000)

Wally is fuckin' awesome! It's a shame he didn't get a bigger audience.

This song is a little dated, since video stores are pretty much nonexistent nowadays. But it still makes me chuckle like an inebriated uncle.

New Action Hero

Faith No More: "Be Aggressive" (1992)

I recently pulled out my old Real Thing cassette and converted it to MP3s, but I've been playing this song a lot from their follow-up, Angel Dust, the only good song on that album, in my opinion. I love how it's totally left-wing with its anti-war stance.

Be Aggressive

NOFX: "I Wanna Be an Alcoholic" (2007)

This song cracks me up. Short and to the point.
I Wanna Be An Alcoholic

Hall & Oates: "Family Man" (1982)

To finish up the theme of Duos, let's do a little Hall & Oates action. I've always had a soft spot for these guys since they're originally -- kinda -- from Philly.

This song is actually a cover. Not many people know about it, probably because it doesn't sound like most of their catalog. Still a great tune, though.

Family Man

Twiztid: Story of Our Lives (2005)

It boggles the mind how talented these proteges of ICP are. Unfortunately, they've been sucked in by the Dark Carvinal, but they got some kick-ass rhymes to pass these tumultous times. . . .
Story of Our Lives

Grand Buffet: "Oh My God You're Weird" (2003)

I saw these guys a few years ago here in Philly at the First Unitarian Church. I forget who they opened for, but they played after Mac Lethal.

Grand Buffet are interesting pair. The guy who writes their music looks like an out-of-shape football player, and the main rapper has red hair and a beard that makes him look like a Pharisee. When I saw them, the main rapper wore a skin-tight Talking Heads T-shirt, and he was really funny between songs. At one point he extemporized that the reason the government sends 18-year-olds over to Iraq is because that's the age when you're the smartest you'll ever be. Yes, he was being sarcastic.

This song is probably the most popular one in their catalog, which is saying something because they also have great tunes like "Murderfuck" and "Americus (Religious Right Rock)", the latter a pro life song that mocks crazy Christians.

"Oh My God You're Weird"

Smosh: "I Would Go" (2006)

Hard to believe these two girls were somewhere around 11 years old when they wrote and recorded this song. And the album it's from, Free to Stay, is pretty good, too -- out of 12 songs, I kept 7 on my iPod (not a bad ratio).
"I Would Go"

Rosebuds: "Wishes for Kisses" (2003)

All right, we're halfway through this week's topic of Duos. Here's another married couple who make awesome music together, proving that true love is absolutely awesome.

The Rosebuds Makeout is an amazing debut record, not one piece of filler in there (seriously). I couldn't decide which song to post here today, so I shot a prayer up to my higher power and asked for a little guidance, but all I got was a busy signal. So I went outside and asked the CPA up the street which song I should I post. He called me a faggot, probably because I was wearing my T-shirt that has a picture of a cemetery and says, "Class warfare: We've found new homes for the rich." So I went back to my apartment and was about to call an ex-girlfriend -- the one who got away -- but the phone wasn't working; that'll happen when ya don't pay the bill. Then I said, "I know what Rosebuds song I'll post!"

"Wishes for Kisses"

Datarock: "Bulldozer" (2005)

These two guys are out Norway, heavily influenced by Devo. What I like about their album Datarock Datarock is how eclectic it is. Their main shtick is New Wave-ish retro tunes (as evident by such songs as "Computer Love"), but they also do dance ditties like "Sex You Up", R&B like "I Will Always Remember", and indie rock like this song.
"Bulldozer"

Matt And Kim: "Yea Yeah" (2006)

Another couple, though I don't think these kids are married yet (still boyfriend, girlfriend). They only have this short LP out. Nice music to blare when ya feeling like doing cartwheels down the block or a headstand on the stoop.
"Yea Yeah"

Mates Of State: "Beautiful Dreamer" (2005)

This week I'm gonna feature duos. Let's kick it off with that fantabulous married couple Mates Of State. Bring It Back, I think, is their strongest album. I've probably listened to this song at least 200 times and it still sends chills up and down my ears. Lovely. . . .
"Beautiful Dreamer"

NOFX: "Dinosaurs Will Die" (2000)

My friend Kevin didn't get a chance to go to that NOFX show I mentioned yesterday; he asked me to write a review. It's been almost two weeks, so let's see what I can remember.

Of course, besides the great music, what's awesome about a NOFX show is the banter of vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist/trumpeter El Hefe. Here are some of the stuff they said that I laughed at:

Fat Mike: "El Hefe's been doing shots of Michelob all night."

Fat Mike: "Paddy (from opening act Dillinger Four) was really funny tonight, probably the funniest he's been on the whole tour."
El Hefe: "Yeah, not funny ha-ha. Funny queer."

Fat Mike: "We have about sixteen good songs. Tonight we played about eight of them."

All right, that's enough of that. Because comedy's all about the delivery, those jokes aren't half as funny as they were at the show.

Here's the set list from what I can remember:
"Intro"
"Dinosaurs Will Die"
"Murder Will Government" (with new intro of "I want Jenny and Barbara to serve in Iraq / I want to see the White House filled with blacks / I want George Bush to suck Barack's dick")
"Seeing Double at the Triple Rock"
"Eat the Meek"
"Bottles to the Ground"
"Radio"
"Leaving Jesusland"
"Linoleum"
"Kill All the White Man"
"The Brews"
"Whoops I OD'd"

And since it was an all-ages show and a Monday night, they were trying to get off the stage by 11 p.m. Fat Mike's a bit of a babbler between songs, so the drummer, Smelly, around 10:45 started hitting an alarm when he thought Mike was talking too much. You could barely hear it; it sounded like a car alarm. Funny stuff.

"Dinosaurs Will Die"