Worst Gift - Shitty Loser Riffs

Labels: Bart Records/Good Post Day Records/L'Oeil Du Tigre/The Ghost Is Clear Records/Titan Mega Corporation/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Vinyl/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 19 Jan 2016

Tracklist:

1. Immoral Inventory (Or Life As We Blow It)

2. Meowing As A Contribution

3. Waking Up Bummed Out After A Sweet Jetpack Dream

4. C.H.U.Dgment Day

I'm taking a break from feature planning (I'm expanding my repertoire thanks in part, to a band that's actually taken the time to answer some interview questions!). The first feature is coming on Friday and more will follow. Before then, I thought I'd fit in a review or two to keep things going, as I'm still way behind where I was at this time last year numbers wise. 

This one is another in my ongoing Zegema Beach Records roster review series and it features Canadian band Worst Gift, and their 2015/16 EP Shitty Loser Riffs. The release date above relates to when ZBR helped with a vinyl pressing, but it was self-released digitally by the band back in May 2015, before a tape release via Bart Records and that vinyl pressing from all of the other labels mentioned above. Aside from this EP, Worst Gift released their first EP Yard Meat in 2014 and then their only album World's Worst in 2017, before disappearing.

Worst Gift describe themselves as ‘Dave Mustaine-Ish’ on their bandcamp page and I’m not really sure how to take that. I don’t think they (are or) were the sort of people who fell out with every member they inducted into the band and their music doesn’t sound heavy metal-like on EP opener ‘Immoral Inventory (Life As We Blow It)’. It’s of the emo/screamo variety with a leaning towards lengthier songs, which are filled with melodic/jangly guitars, more than decent low-end/percussion and multi vocal layers that are shouty. 

The amusingly titled ‘Meowing As A Contribution’ is a strangely soothing post-hardcore song that makes use of cleaner vocals and garage/art-punk influences. It’s not upbeat in a happy sense, with Worst Gift choosing instead to go down a darker root, much like that of post-punk bands. That may seem at odds with how I initially described it, but as it gets progressively louder and more chaotic, there seems to be no room for happy sentiment.

The pace is switched up on ‘Waking Up Bummed Out After A Sweet Jetpack Dream’ as Worst Gift goes even more off-kilter. There’s a lot more punk to this band than immediately meets the eye and it’s on show here. They’re equally suited to the slower, moodier sound and the faster, rhythmic one too. That’s a hard thing to pull off, as it can get lost in the transition sometimes.

EP closer ‘C.H.U.Dgment Day’ (brilliant title!) is one final long-player at nearly eight minutes long but it doesn’t mope around at all. Instead they lavish upon the listener one final instalment of glistening punk/post-hardcore that shows how much they love playing music, while living every moment of it. Music is something that should be constantly discovered no matter how old it is. That’s kind of what this review series is all about and Worst Gift could be the best gift you’ve never had. Jump in!

You can stream and purchase the EP digitally as well as on vinyl directly form Worst Gift below:-

Worst Gift - https://www.facebook.com/worstgiftever

You can also grab physical copies from the labels below:-

Bart Records - https://revolutionwinter.storenvy.com/

The Ghost Is Clear Records - http://theghostisclearrecords.limitedrun.com/

Zegema Beach Records - CAN/INTL - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/ / USA - https://zbrusa.com/

Bart Records - https://www.facebook.com/Bart-Records-Revolution-Winter

Good Post Day Records - https://www.facebook.com/goodpostdayrecords

The Ghost Is Clear Records - https://www.facebook.com/TGICRECS

Zegema Beach Records - https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords

Black Love - Black Love

Labels: Don't Live Like Me Records, Good Post Day Records, I.Corrupt Records, L'Oeil Du Tigre, Zegema Beach Records, Aorte

Formats: Vinyl/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 30 Sep 2014

Tracklist: 

1. Corps Etranger

2. Black Baby Jesus

3. Becker's Leitmotif

4. Libertines

5. L'insoutenable Légèreté De Sauce

6. Ø

7. La Fois Que Le Spot Est Passe Au Feu

Here's a new Zegema Beach Records roster series review, because I've been binge watching some more of Dave's 'Out Past The Rings' videos on YouTube and I haven't done one for a week or so. This one features French-Canadian post-hardcore/post-rock band Black Love. This self-titled record was co-released in September 2014 via ZBR and the other labels mentioned above and still serves as the most recent music to come from the band, as they don't appear to be active currently.

I’ve been cooking up some plans for future features but more on that later. Gotta keep myself focused on Black Love and the glorious music they make on album opener ‘Corps Etranger’. Masters of  the cinematic slow-build, they deliver an instrumental that’s fit to bursting with intrigue and imagination as it increases in volume and layers. It’s not entirely instrumental though as about three-minutes in, raw screamed/part-clean vocals come over the horizon and add an old-school screamo texture to the song. Proper heart-wrenching.’ Black Baby Jesus’ is so rhythmic and upbeat, with great melodic guitar work flowing throughout and even more emotive vocals, and enigmatic percussion. It reminds me of a crossbreeding of ‘Between Order And Model’ era Funeral For A Friend and Russian emo band Ensslin. I hope that makes sense but if it doesn’t, I don’t care.

One thing that really stands out on Black Love is the musicianship, which features so much talent all round. ‘Becker’s Leitmotif’ is just over four-minutes in length but flies by in seemingly no time at all, thanks to the aforementioned musicianship. Add to that the harsh vocals, which leap out of the speakers even when enveloped by the instruments. It gives you such a euphoric feeling listening to it. Black Love adds an edge of funk to ‘Libertines’ alongside the spoken-word/clean vocals that give way to more caustic screams later on. The song is littered with lyrics that describe teenage emotions and love. The music backs it all up with an equally emotive backdrop that’s every bit as dreamy as it is urgent.

The opening tones of ‘L’insoutenable Légèreté De Sauce’ seem almost menacing but that menace is soon banished by dramatic instrumentation that’s joined by what sounds like brass at times (but I may be mistaken). I’m sure that members of Albatros guested on here!?. Anyway, just listen to it, as it’s beautiful. ’Ø’ follows on immediately after and it’s mix of feedback and gentle riffing is hauntingly good. Sort of in the same that a nursery rhyme is in certain settings (horror films). It’s wholly instrumental and bridges the gap to album closer ‘La Fois Que Le Spot Est Passé Au Feu’. This final song is probably the most post-rock that Black Love go in terms of their sound. It’s big but not obtuse, more rhythmic than off-kilter and mid-paced, as opposed to violently fast. It’s perfect.

In a year where Cassus and their album Separation Anxiety have been on constant rotation (still), and where I’ve discovered Japan’s Lang (thanks to Dog Knights Productions), I do wonder how I managed to miss Black Love for so long. It may be over 6 years old now, but this is another one I’ll be revisiting over and over again.

You can stream and grab 'Black Love' as a name-your-price download below:

Black Love - https://www.facebook.com/blacklovemtl/

Physical copies can still be purchased from the links below:-

I.Corrupt Records - http://icorruptrecords.limitedrun.com/products/

Zegema Beach Records (CAD/INTL) - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/ / (US) - https://zbrusa.com/

Don't Live Like Me Records - https://www.facebook.com/dontlivelikeme/

Good Post Day Records - https://www.facebook.com/goodpostdayrecords/

I.Corrupt Records - https://www.facebook.com/icorruptrecs/

L'Oeil Du Tigre - https://www.facebook.com/loeildutigre/

Zegema Beach Records - https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords/

Aorte - https://www.facebook.com/Aorte

TDOAFS/Albatros - Split

Labels: Larry Records/No Funeral Records (Tape)/ L'Oeil Du Tigre/Don't Live Like Me Records/Black Lake Records/Dingleberry Records/Le Mort Records (Vinyl)

Formats: Vinyl/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 21 Nov 2016 (Vinyl Digital)/01 Apr 2019 (Tape)

Tracklist:

1. TDOAFS - Blank Paper

2. TDOAFS - The Whole World In My Hand

3. TDOAFS - Peaceful

4. TDOAFS - Face The Sun

5. Albatros - Vucules

6. Albatros - La Happy

7. Albatros - Clotaire Rapaille

8. Albatros - Le Split Rancid-NOFX

I wanna start this review with some advice for people reading that want to start a blog or site (because let's face it, nobody reads by opening ramblings!). Apart from the fact that you totally should do it, just remember that if you get enough people visiting it and people start sending you stuff, it's gonna become ALL CONSUMING!. This isn't a negative ramble, far from it. When I started down this rabbit hole over eight years ago, I didn't ever foresee my blog becoming anything that people would pay attention too, let alone write to asking for review etc. I couldn't be without it now, which is why posts like this mean so much to me. The fact that Mr Jablon cared enough to ask me to write some words about some of his release (let alone send me some!) make me happy.

Anyway, pointless rambles aside, this is the 2019 tape release of the split 10" that was released back in 2016 via all of the above labels (minus Larry Records). Larry released an extremely limited run of tape copies, that are now sold out, alongside No Funeral Records who made their own small run too. It features Canadian trio The Discord Of A Forgotten Sketch (TDOAFS) and their countrymen Albatros. This is a mix of screamo/post-hardcore and punk. 

This split contains four songs from both bands, beginning with TDOAFS.This is incredibly tuneful post-hardcore with vocals that sit buried within the music. Opener Blank Paper is a mix of upbeat melodic instrumentation and heavier passages, that are mainly guitar driven. It’s really creative and provides a different take on a sub-genre that’s growing exponentially within the underground at the moment. The Whole World In My Hand is more punk-influenced in parts, but TDOAFS retain their subtle aggressiveness too. 

Their songs are focused and the volume this trio produces is greater than expected. It all sounds very organic (it sounds like it was recorded live in it’s entirety). Carrying on the upbeat nature of their songs, Peaceful is anything but. It’s more angular this time and also there’s extra experimentation thrown in to the mix. It ends abruptly but that’s alright, as it keeps the momentum high going into last song Face The Sun. It’s another big song with a cathartic and almost euphoric feel to it, even when things take an introspective turn mid-way through.

I favour the “live reviewing” approach when writing, which means I like to let the music play as I write (usually on first listen too), which sometimes can be difficult if songs go by to quickly. Albatros’s Vucules is one such song, which flies by with a mix of fast hardcore and brass. It’s a strange mix but one that works superbly well. I’ve not heard a band like this ever I don’t think. I’ve heard bands that use clean singing and brass, but not harsh vocals. It gives La Happy a strange contrasting emotion that switches between darkness and light. They are French Canadian though, so it makes sense. 

Clotaire Rapaille carries on in the same vein and in no less entertaining because of it. It’s such a listenable formula that its hard to turn it off. The final song is called Le Split Rancid-NOFX and I’m not really sure what to expect. Albatros could be doing a medley of songs by both bands here, but doubt it. Either way, it’s a great way to end their side and indeed this split. This is such a unique and truly enjoyable split. If you’re a fan of post-hardcore then you’ll likely already be aware of TDOAFS obvious quality, but when you add in the originality of Albatros, you’ll be doubly impressed. If this was the first release of this split, it would be my favourite so far this year hands down. As it is, it’s still up there.

You can stream the full split via the TDOAFS bandcamp page below:-

Albatros have their side streaming below too, where you can also buy it digitally and on vinyl directly from them:-

TDOAFS - https://www.facebook.com/Tdoafs

Albatros - https://www.facebook.com/albatrosqc/

Tape copies are sold out from Larry Records but you still find copies via No Funeral Records here - https://nofuneral.storenvy.com/

10" vinyl copies are still available via the below stores:-

Black Lake Records - http://blacklakerecords.bigcartel.com/product/bl029-albatros-tdoafs-split-10

Le Mort Records - http://lemortrecords.blogspot.com/p/distro.html

L'Oeil Du Tigre (now ODT Records) - https://www.facebook.com/loeildutigre/

Don't Live Like Me Records - https://www.facebook.com/dontlivelikeme/

Black Lake Records - https://www.facebook.com/blacklakerecords/

Dingleberry Records & Distribution - https://www.facebook.com/Dingleberry-records-and-distribution

Le Mort Records - https://www.facebook.com/lemortisdead/