Weed Hounds-Beach Bummed 7" EP (2010)

This EP reminds me of Slacker. "Beach Bummed" and "Skating away from the Cops" drift along in a pleasantly stoned blur, much like the denizens of Austin, Tx. ca. 1990.
  Weed Hounds get better at the soft/loud, slow/fast dynamic with every recording. Opening with a few shimmering chords, "Beach Bummed" is a charming summertime tune. The singer's airy lament for boyfriend blooz nicely frames the squallingly harmonic guitar.  The fuzzy haze is great for smoking a blunt by the seaside, watching sailboats and life slide by.

"Skating Away from the Cops" has a bit more forward momentum to it, and  is awesome cool kid makeout music (Kevin Johnson, get in line). It has all the essential shoegaze elements: a wash of mildly harsh feedback, chiming drumwork, spritely singing....aw man, where's that MDMA?

 There's no future Check out the Hounds' website for shows, news, etc. The Beach Bummed 7" is still available from Iron Pier. Also, Weed Hounds is supposed to be dropping an LP on Katorga Works sooooonnnnnnn!

Rational Animals-Bock Rock Parade LP (2011)

Ok kiddies, dis is deh real deal, y'dig? Ya gotcher Sabbaths, black or otherwise, and yer Bloo Oister Kults, but me, I prefer a bit of punk with my metal stonerfests. Rational Animals, Katorga Works' newest spawn, delivers the goods in short order. Not too fast, not too slow, these Animals straddle the delicate border between weirdo hardcore freakouts and heavy metal wankery.

   The singer sounds a lot like the dood from  Loose Dudes, and while Rat'l Animals' freaked out riffin' ain't close to the Dudes' Ramones-clone tunes, they conjure up the same vibe perfectly: it's July, you're already high, the liquor store doesn't open yet, so what do you do? Smoke more weed in your parents' basement. Duh. So do that, then hop on your skateboard with this bangin' in your walkman, and FREAK. OUT.

We're the poison in your human machine. Hop on over to Katorga Works and getcher hands on it. The Animals also have a facebook page. Is that enough hand-holding for ya?

Creem-I Hate You 7" (2011)

Rage: it's not the healthiest emotion in the world, but boyhowdy, it sure has spawned some razzledazzle hoohaw in our times!

It's almost high summer here in Rome, which means sweltering swamp heat, mosquito madness, and a malfunctioning, overcrowded public transit system full of fashionable idiots who don't wear deodorant. Creem is perfect for situations like these: when you absolutely, positively despise every motherfucker around you.

I'm no fan of the Boston violence junkies that Creem is indebted to musically, but I am a fan of this 7" from the good folks at Katorga Works. Behold! Two slow, driving tracks with grinding Oi intros that are the perfect soundtrack for beating up your best friend 'cause you caught him with a beer...or just stomping around in an impotent rage, gen'ly speakin'.

NYC is spitting 'em out like hotcakes these days-Natural Law, Nomos, Crazy Spirit, Accept the Darkness 'zine, and now Creem.
So do yercelf a favor and HB stomp the night away, pardner! Then, getcher hands on the real deal!