Do It Yourself! Volume #12


VCR
"Bratcore"
Armed with the synth chops of the best computer-driven acts of the 80s, VCR launch a full-on aural assault. Snotty and oozing with punk rock 'tude, this is a love it or hate it affair.

Miss TK and the Revenge
"Nowhere to Go"
Oddly enough, this one seems to coome to us from some kinda alternate universe where 70s dance music and street punk meld seemlessly into one minute and four seconds of pop-punk bliss. Think of it as Abba meets the 4-Skins. Or maybe... Cock Sparrer meets The Captain and Teneal.

Moneen
"Are We Really Happy..."
Solid new rock that pushes the boundaries of punk rock. Similar to Motion City Soundtrack and the like. Good stuff. Hard rocking with a pop sensibility that makes repeat listening compulsory.

Pete Philly and Perquisite
"Paranoid"
Yup. Rap tracks on two DIY! tracks in a row. More on the indie tip. You know, more of a focus on musicality than strictly throwing down mad lyrics. Very hypnotic with a middle-eastern flavor. It pulls you in and by the time the backwards masked chorus comes in, you'll have to rewind to make sure it wasn't all in your mind.

The Aggrolites
"Dirty Reggae"
Here it is. Soulful 70s reggae... from today. Strangely enough it works. Rough and unpolished, this truly is "dirty," yet tight as hell. Check out more from these guys. They do some instrumental stuff that is 100% top-shelf groove.

The Unseen
"Scream Out"
After these guys hit it big with a track on the latest "Give 'Em the Boot" disc, Epitaph couldn't wait to scoop 'em up. That was a smart move. These guys rock the hardcore, but still manage to craft some solid and memorable tunes. Aggressive? Yes, but these guys are much more.

Crash and Burn
"Shut You Out"
I do loves my crunchy guitars. This  lurching, bottom-heavy wailer is the soundtrack to your next trip off-roading.

The Exit
"Let's Go to Haiti"
Brooding yet percussive, the Exit is niether an art-rock band or a punk rock band. The structure of this oddity reminds me (for reason unknown) of Tool. Soaring vocals and a Fugazi-like refusal to obey the expectations of any genre.

None More Black
"Oh, There's Legwork"
Oh, hell yeah! A punk-rock party anthem with a stutter-stepping rhythm and "Hey!" chant along . Does life get any better?

Lou Barlow
"Round-n-Round"
An alt-rock elder statesman (formerly of Dinosaur Jr. and Sebadoh) shows the young pups how an ironic cover song is done. What better choice than Ratt's classic, "Round-n-Round." In the eve of his career, this rock stalwart embraces the music he spent his youth trying to kill. Shaweet!

About the Artwork:
Interesting trivia: this cover concept was originally supposed to be the cover of DIY! volume seven, but I had some serious problems locating pics of macaroni and cheese. Who'd a thought? Anyway, check out the nutrition facts on the back. I worked damn hard to get those things accurate.