Holidays II

The second record store I hit up didn't really have a used records section, but I still manage to pick up two records. When I'm on holiday, I love to read. I mean I love reading no matter when and where, but I often don't have the time, so holidays are always a great time to catch up on reading some of the books that have been sitting on a pile for a few months. 

One of those books in one of my piles was the Bad Religion biography Do What You Want, which I really enjoyed and can only recommend. I have the majority of Bad Religion LPs, but there are still some gaps. Which I'm not too bothered about because I don't like their later material all that much to be honest. But if get the chance to pick up one of their records in an actual record store, I'm not saying no. Plus, I was hyped on them because of the book that I'd just finished. The Process of Belief is a good record, but it's nowhere near their late 80s / early 90s records. 

20th Anniversary Pressing on Orange/Black Galaxy Vinyl /5180

A couple of years ago I sold a lot of doubles I had of Refused records. With more and more represses it felt harder and harder trying to get a complete collection or just keep up with the represses. But it also made the decision easier to just let go of some records. I LOVE everything Refused released pre breakup , but Songs to Fan The Flames of Discontent is probably my favorite material of theirs. It's really hard to pick, but this might be it. I also love the original blue pressing of this album from the 90s. 

What intrigued me about this anniversary press was the fact that you get outtakes and demos of some of the songs on a bonus LP, which also includes a previously unreleased song. That's how you get me. 

25th Anniversary Pressing on Startracks Records /1000

This is the inside of the gatefold cover. I love stuff like this. 

Freedom

Refused is one of my favourite bands ever. A lot of this has to do with nostalgia. They were one of the first bands I to know when I first go into hardcore. This was some time after The Shape Of Punk To Come had come out and New Noise was one of the songs regularly played in this indie club I used to go to. I loved that song and the whole LP. Then I discovered their earlier records, which blew me equally away. 15 years later I still enjoy these records on a regular basis. Back then I would have given an arm and a leg to travel back in time to see them live or to hear new material. A few years ago Refused announced they weren't dead anymore, which should have been all the reason in the world for me to get excited, but seeing which kind of shows they were going to play, my enthusiasm went away rather quickly. I guess 'rather be forgotten than giving in' was just an empty slogan after all. I never went to see any of their shows but continued to listen to their records and watch old video footage so I could keep the image I had in my head.
A few weeks ago someone posted on Instagram that the pre-orders for a new Refused LP had just gone up. I didn't have the faintest idea that hey had been working on a new record and I wasn't overly excited I have to admit, but I quickly succumbed to my curiosity what the new songs might sound like. A decision I quickly became to rue. I'm still not sure which record is the bigger disappointment, the latest Ceremony LP or this one. I hadn't really expected a record in the vein of Songs To Fan The Flames Of Discontent and I was pretty sure that they weren't going to replicate their seminal album TSOPTC, but Freedom is just plain bad. I don't even know where to start, but I guess what's bugging me the most is that I don't hear the same anger and urgency I loved on their releases from the 90's. Huge, huge bummer.