More Clarity

What makes a very good record store an outstanding record store? A great second hand section, and that’s exactly what Clarity has! Experienced crate diggers will tell you that heading straight is the only right move when going to a record store with a used punk / hardcore record section. 

First up is Delinquent Songs by local Adelaide band The Personalities. Music = ? Footy, the owner of Clarity Records, also happened to sing for this band. The music is very much punk. Going by the name of the band, the release, and the song titles, you might have already guesses that. It's not my go to kind of music these days, but I really enjoy this record. As an avid record collector himself, he put in extra effort to make the record unique. As you can see there’s a flap on the right hand side / at the bottom of the sleeve if you open it. This makes it slightly inconvenient to store, because the flap makes the sleeve a tad bigger than regular sleeves. But it is a cool feature and I appreciate the creativity. Marcus will frown at the next statement, but black vinyl is really the best choice of color for this release. It looks so classy with the artwork. 

1st Press (?) on Black (self-released)

In the 2000s, Youngblood Records was a safe bet for releases I liked. The Lights Out LP has always been a record that I really enjoyed, but their only 7” Get Out had always eluded me. Listening to this record, not picking up a copy sooner was clearly a poor decision on my part. Especially considering that his record is easy to find and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. This kind of music will always grab me. 

1st Press on Black on Youngblood Records /???

Latest God is an Australian band, made up of scene veterans I’ve been told. I’m getting very strong Dag Nasty vibes on their s.t. debut on vinyl. Cool record. 

1st Press on Maroon on Life.Lair.Regret /???

Shook Ones is one of those bands I rarely listen to, but whenever I do, I tell myself that I need to listen to them more often. Too much music, too little time. Anyway, I didn’t have a copy of Merriweather Post Pavillion yet, so buying a copy sitting right in front of me wasn’t a particularly hard decision. 

This last record, a split between Adventures and Pity Sex, I picked up for two reasons: 1) the Adventures LP is awesome and I listen to this a lot when working at home and 2) they cover Behind This Wall by Turning Point. Which, as it turns out, is a phenomenal cover in my opinion. The other song by Adventures is also really good and I also enjoy the Pity Sex side a lot. Very poppy, but the good kind of poppy. This split may be my favorite of the whole lot. 

2nd Press on White and Orange on Run For Cover /1000

The B-Side looks pretty cool as well. Also, imagine doing a second press of 2000 copies in total for any record nowadays, let alone a split 7”! Crazy how the vinyl landscape has changed in the last 10 years.  

All in all, the trip to Clarity Records was as good as it could be. Makes me wish for a cool record store in my area too, though. 

Australian Hardcore

A few weeks ago I received another care package from my mate in Australia as part of our ongoing open trade. There are some great bands going on down under and I'm always thankful to get records from bands I otherwise wouldn't probably know about. 

First up is a 7" by Engage, aptly called Eight Songs. This is really good meat and potatoes hardcore for those of you who like their hardcore a little bit more on the punk side. But there's also a youth crewish element to it. 

Last Ride Exclusive Colour on Recycled Vinyl /50

All In crank up the youth crew a couple of notches on What Remains. Everything you expect from a youth crew record, fast parts, mosh parts, and plenty of singalong. Seeing them live should be a lot of fun I expect. Love the full color eight page lyric sheet / booklet. 

Purple Marble / Recycled Vinyl /50

Extortion are an older band from Australia, but not as old as their sound might suggest. Degenerate was released in 2006, but could have been released in the early 80s as well. Just look at the cover and you get the idea what they might sound like. I'm guessing at least two people in the band have a Black Flag tattoo and the majority also likes a lot of power violence. 

There are many variants listed on Discogs, but unfortunately not this one. 

If you like Down To Nothing, definitely make sure to check out No Peace. I've been a fan since my friend sent me their 7" and they don't disappoint on Something More. There are few bands out there that sound like DTN, at least that I'm aware of, so this is very welcome to me. 

Transparent Orange /100

Best for last. This has definitely been the highlight of this batch of records for me. I'd never heard of Division before, but I was hooked from the first note. Fragments is their debut release and the first band it reminded me off was Give. But of course you could also go further back and cite Revolution Summer bands as inspiration. Unfortunately there aren't many copies and the band doesn't have an online presence where you could listen to their music, but if you have the chance, check them out.

Black Vinyl /150