V/A - Vertigo - Synth Punk Blasts 1978-1984 [2020]

When I took notice of this record I bought it immediately, on the one hand because the song selection is great, the time of release, the bands (more than 50% unknown) and I love international stuff, and then limited, so damn... why waiting?? Info: Vertigo is a compilation of SynthPunk, mainly from little known bands. This first volume will be available (vinyl only, limited to 300 copies) on December 15th, features American, German, British & Swedish bands. The term SynthPunk has been popularized in recent years, or rather vulgarized, becoming a genre that mostly describes electronic or new wave bands. This compilation highlights anger and nihilism punk with the violent rhythm of a fingering that assails a keyboard. Here, no synth pop, no new wave, no experimental music. This could be the sequel to the Killed By Synth compilation which is also led by raw razor shape synthesizers.

A brilliant review: "Well, first things first: compared to the unrelated but similarly-themed Killed by Synth comp. that preceded it, this new comp at least succeeds in only including bands that actually used keyboards, so no BIG BOYS, OIL TASTERS, or BOB this time around. In true KBD tradition, the focus here is on the the flipped-out and the fucked-up in the words of the compiler(s), “no synth pop, no new wave, no experimental music” and despite (presumably) being named after the SCREAMERS song, Vertigo skips over the usual synth-punk suspects in favor of some deeper and less obvious cuts. Highlights include the Bloodstains-via-Red Snerts snot of “Sophistication” by PLASTIC IDOLS (Houston’s answer to DOW JONES & THE INDUSTRIALS), organ-smeared mutant new wave with wild femme vocals from Santa Cruz’s SCHEMATIX on “Nothing Special,” the dark, frenetic end-times robo-pulse of “Happy Funeral” by Sweden’s KITCHEN & THE PLASTIC SPOONS, the jarring juxtaposition of sparse minimal wave and intense, unhinged vocals in German from DER KÜNFTIGE MUSIKANT’s “Es Ist Kalt”… also, totally bold move with the inclusion of “Food Fight” by the VILLAGE PEOPLE (yes, really) in the post-disco early ’80s, they revamped their image to pass as New Romantics and recorded this one-off, utterly dumb but kind of amazing slice of PLASTIC BERTRAND esque punksploitation with the former “construction worker” channeling his inner Tomata Du Plenty, now officially enshrined as the first dollar bin KBD bonzer. Not a predictable comp by any means, and that’s very much to its credit. (Erika Elizabeth, MRR #454 • March 2021)

This blast works fine and rubs really against my nervous head. Have a relaxed time with this hot fucking stuff and a pleasant time travel!

1.Laundramat Loverboy - ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

2.Making Time - THE STEVES

3.Trust In Technology - ADAPTORS

4.Businessman's Bounce - CRAIG BEVAN & THE TOURISTS

5.Love Me Tonight - THE MD'S

6.Bo Party - THE NAROS

7.Sophistication - PLASTIC IDOLS

8.Idle Worship - G SPOT

9.Food Fight - VILLAGE PEOPLE

10.Nothing Special - SCHEMATIX

11.Computer Love - LORD MANUEL & LA PESTE

12.Happy Funeral - KITCHEN & THE PLASTIC SPOONS

13.Here's What You Find In Any Prison - HIT PARADE

14.Es Ist Kalt - DER KÜNFTIGE MUSIKANT

15.Invisible Man - ANTI-MATTER

16.Stamp Out Mutants - TREATMENT

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V/A - Killed By Death #15½ 1998

I believe it's time for another highlight from the glorious bootlegger front and I quote the lines of the one who compiled this record from the backcover: "Dear collector scum fucker, here is the ultimate Ami punk installment! On some KBD volumes the impotent geeks focused their interest only on top rarities, not on the fucking music!!!". Here you'll find the top of the uncompiled U.S. punk songs 1978-1981. Regular geeks can be satisfied. Your fave KBD comp. is in your hands, so if you're still thinking about it, pick it up stupid asshole! If you have punk balls, your cock will be satisfied. Shame on you if you are one of the losers buyin' now rare punk records at fuckin' crazy prices... we have them all since the day they came out at two dollars each!!! A limited number were released on yellow vinyl, for the rest of us, it is on black vinyl with plain white labels." I think 15½ has appeared in a small edition, was hard to get a copy and was not cheap you know but I love this serie and vinyl is still the best... other opinions?

1.The Loser - VAINS

2.Intellectual Morons - CRAP DETECTORS

3.Sophistication - PLASTIC IDOLS

4.Let Go - PLUGZ

5.Rag - MATT GIMMICK

6.Calling Dr. Modo - SHITDOGS

7.Drugs Are For Thugs - THE PANICS

8.Execution Time - SHELL SHOCK

9.Meat Is Rotten - STYPHNOIDS

10.Do The Uganda - CONTROLLERS

11.Do You Wanna - WAYWARD YOUTH

12.Can't Control Myself - SUBVERTS

13.I Want Her So Bad - PSYCOTIC PINEAPPLE

14.High Hopes - SNUKY TATE

15.Don't Tell Me Why - BRAINIACS

16.Cops - THE LEPERS

17.Johnny Paranoid - SADO-NATION

18.Ladies With Appliances - DOW JONES & THE INDUSTRIALS

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V/A - Red Snerts 1981

Puhh, yesterday I was very drunk and for a good two hours, I'm fit. Well, the weather is sunny and the beer tastes great so what the fuck? Find this classic compilation this morning and it was the right choice to start the day. Gulcher Records released this Goodie and it's full with amazing bands/songs, to that a liquid breakfast and then into the outside world with the sound of Gulcher. My favorites: Gizmos, Jetsons and Zero Boys. Enjoy!

1.Designer Genes - AMOEBAS IN CHAOS

2.The Midwest Can Be Allright - THE GIZMOS

3.Drugs Are For Thugs - THE PANICS

4.I Bet Not - THE JETSONS

5.Mister Science - MR.SCIENCE

6.Peer Pressure - THE DEFEKTS

7.Banging Your Head - A. SAX

8.Indianapolis - E-IN BRINO

9.30 Second Affair - PHIL HUNDLEY

10.New Generation - ZERO BOYS

11.Ladies With Appliances - DOW JONES & THE INDUSTRIALS

12.Pink Lincoln - POST RAISIN BAND

13.Diddy Wah Diddy - LAST FOUR (4) DIGITS

14.Right & Wrong - FREDDY & THE FRUITLOOPS

15.Out And Down - BAY ROOT

16.Broken Windows - THE DANCING CIGARETTES

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V/A - Killed By Death #8½ 1995

After such classic compilations is absent of course a record from the most famous series and this volume has "All American Punk, No Foreign Junk" on it. Excellent song selection, bringing to light some previously unknown (and now ridiculously expensive) records. First pressing with white cover, second in blue. A few bands can be find on other comps. (for example the Texas bands) otherwise the level stays high and gives nothing to moan... other ones follow, Yiiihaaaahhh!!!

1.I Rock I Ran - TOXIN III

2.Frontline - SEIZURE

3.Twinkie Madness - THE COSMETICS

4.L.A. Sleaze - THE REACTORS

5.Taking The City By Storm - HASKELS

6.Can't Stand The Midwest - DOW JONES & THE INDUSTRIALS

7.Let The Kids Play - CRUCIFIED

8.Grind Her Up - THE UNCALLED 4

9.Stage Speech - SNUKY TATE

10.S&M - PUBLIC DISTURBANCE

11.I Wanna Be A Number - VAST MAJORITY

12.Mom's A Fake - STIPHNOIDS

13.Super Destroyer Mark II - TURNBUCKLES

14.Killer Cain - THE SHITDOGS

15.Punk Rock Star - JOHN VOMIT & THE LEATHERSCABS

16.Killed In Jail - LATIN DOGS

17.Population Zero - THE INSULTS

18.Pearl Harbor - MATCHHEADS

19.Fat Bitch - MATCHHEADS

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V/A - Bloodstains Across The Midwest 1994

A wonderful morning together and it's Sunday, rainy and a little fresh, caramel coffee on the table and a fresh bun next to it and I'm well rested. Let's round off the little compilation post series with another Bloodstains one, this time we take a look across the Midwest of the States and free sixteen rare essential punkrock blasts from their 1978-1982 exile. This part of the region seems to be more comfortable than anywhere else because all reaches almost forty-five minutes. I would say, not the best stains were selected but what do I know?

1.Can't Stand The Midwest - DOW JONES & INDUSTRIALS

2.Takin' The City By Storm - THE HASKELS

3.Sex Drive - EMBARRASSMENT

4.Human Garbage Disposal - THE GIZMOS

5.I'm A Drunk! - BALONEY HEADS

6.Long Gone - THE CUSTOMS

7.Slack - NNB

8.Killed In Jail - LATIN DOGS

9.War Hero - TOXIC REASONS

10.Gym Gerrard - GYNECOLOGISTS

11.Berlin Wall - CULT HEROES

12.I Let Jenny Ride - BRAIN POLICE

13.Soldier 19 - MENTALLY ILL

14.Process Of Elimination - ENDTABLES

15.Police State - CRAP DETECTORS

16.Death - THE FIVE

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