V/A - VENDING MACHINE (LIVE AT ABC) CS
Having wrangled enough bands to release 2.5 of 'em myself (plus an incredibly ill-fated 2x CS that will never see the light of day due to the endless call-outs and sexual misconduct that plague hardcore punk, to say nothing of literal conflagration and potent personal shortcomings), I can confidently say putting together a compilation is among the most thankless and unenviable tasks someone in DIY can engage in this side of show promoting.
That a few people found it prudent to document a certain time (post-pandemic), a certain place (LA's ABC Rehearsal Studios), and a certain thing (the hardcore punk bands that haunt said locale) is inspiring, a blatantly local documentation rooted in championing your friends and peers that seems fewer and further between every day. That they took the time include a 16pg zine with art from each band and a brief interview detailing the thought process behind the project? Chef's kiss. Can't ask for more, however it looks (pretty cool!) and whether or not the bands included lyrics (they did not).
One issue with the hyper localized omnibus format is that someone, let's say a Midwesterner like myself, will pick up the comp for a band they really like, say ADVOIDS for example, and that Midwesterner will have to listen to the entire A and B sides to get to those four tracks (well played, guys). And they'll probably reflect on how, when you're organizing a hyper localized omnibus, it would likely hurt someone's feelings if they don't get asked to participate, which is how you get bands like DECADENCE on "This Is Boston, Not LA," or, for a more relevant example, MUNCHKINHEAD right hereabouts. This is possibly the worst band I've ever heard; to wit, during my first go-through, upon reaching the positively putroidal, post-egg runoff "ABC," I put the walkman down for a couple weeks before returning and finally reaching the ADVOIDS track. I'm considering recording over this dogshit so I never have to subject myself to it again. Absolutely unreal that anyone put this much work into a project and then paid money to include these three cuts, which include, and I wish I was making this up, a "funny" "Louie Louie" cover. Jesus Christ, y'all shoulda yanked the surfboards outta DIODE's hands and dragged them into the studio for their session.
As you can see, I've really let the 'HEAD's "efforts" eclipse an otherwise interesting and frequently awesome piece of plastic. UNCANNI and the almighty ADVOIDS are the stand-outs for me, high energy and nasty and a little off. ANIMATED VIOLENCE seems like they'd be great live, but I'd love to get my hands on the lyrics to "Voice of Change" before I give them a wholehearted endorsement. GROTTO veers into oncoming traffic, smashing dead on with the MINNEAPOLIS URANIUM CLUB BAND, before fleeing the scene 'n' hoping no one would notice. The intermissions contributed by SACRED BATHERS do a great job of directing the flow of traffic. REARRANGED FACE evoke the SPITS and SECRET PROSTITUTES, but luckily for them it's a bit more of the latter. BIG SHOT's inclusions are neither offensive nor bothersome. I honestly dug LACKEY's "Stop Trespassing," but I wish they had played around more with the speed and intensity displayed there rather than DEVOlving into the uninteresting, quirked-up synth stylings of their other two offerings.
The good is great, the bad is fucking wretched, and everything else will appeal to many.
Scoop it up if ya can (Sorry State still has copies in stock), or give it a go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Qw5bk-3cDM