The Art Gray Noizz Quintet “The Art Gray Noizz Quintet” 2022. Bang! Records. The debut LP from the noisy, sometimes sludgy, frequently bizarre post punk band whose members have some solid noise rock pedigrees (though I admit to not knowing most of them: Lubricated Goat, The Beasts of Bourbon, Woman and Live Skull) and collaborations/show billings that include Lydia Lunch, the Scientists and Mudhoney.  Fronted by Stuart Gray (aka Stu Spasm), he says, “The quintet was originally put together as a one-off to play at the afterparty for the film Color of Noizz, which is actually a tribute to Tom Hazelmeyer and Amphetamine Reptile Records.” (from a article/interview that can be found here) I’m guessing the band (and Stuart) put on quite a show – I’m pretty sure Joe picked up this record last year or so at a show here in Milwaukee that I didn’t attend – the vocals are dark and gritty, Wait-esque but a bit less gravelly. Deep spine pounding bass balanced by occasional high-end saxophone squawk, some tracks are swampy (“Take Over This Town“) while others are fairly ass-shakey, including a couple of my top picks: the psychedelic stomping opener “A Call to You,” “Life of Crime” (which is actually a cover, the original by The Weirdos), the thundering sludge of “Here’s Johnny” and “Harder.”

Here’s a performance of AGNQ with Lydia Lunch from last year.

Vacation “Vacation” 2011. Let’s Pretend Records, the debut LP from Cincinnati garage rockers. I’ve been holding onto this record for a bit now in hopes that Vacation would be swinging back through Milwaukee for a show. I think the last time they were here was a couple of years ago, maybe for my pal Claire’s birthday, and looking at their Bandcamp page (if it’s up-to-date) they haven’t been out on tour for almost 2 years. Their live performances are wild and dynamic, body-tossing energy abounds. Vacation is noisy, buzzy and highly bop-able – they definitely have some pop sensibilities behind the fuzz. “People Watching” is one of the more pop-forward on Vacation. My top pick is the ass-shaking “Co-Workers.” I also like the gritty “Bleach Buzz,” the lo-fi garage-thundering “Cop Knock” and the frenetic “Sun and Moon.”

There isn’t a lot out there video-wise (though their name is pretty difficult for googling) but here is a live performance from 2011 of what I’m fairly certain is the track “Christopher Columbus Was Not a Hero” off of Vacation.

The Flesh Eaters “A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die” 1981/2024 limited edition red vinyl reissue on Jackpot Records. Early punk supergroup featuring X’s John Doe and DJ Bonebrake, The Blasters’ Dave Alvin, Bill Bateman and Steve Berlin (also from Los Lobos), plus Flesh Eaters founder/frontman Chris D. (aka Chris Desjardins). A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die was their second LP and it’s weird AF. In the punk canon it’s more campy Cramps or Devo with a death wish than their early SoCal LA contemporaries like the Germs or other harder-edged bands (though Chris D’s vocals occasionally have a Darby edge). Herky jerky weirdness abounds, accented with squawking sax’s and shaky maracas (all of that and more on the track “Satan’s Stomp“). While it’s “trashy…blues horror” (Allmusic), there are for sure ass-shaking moments like on “Pray til You Sweat,” the boogie-down “See You in the Boneyard” and the vaguely Bo Diddley-esque, maraca-forward “So Long.” The John Doe penned “Cyrano de Berger’s Back” would appear later on X’s 1987 See How We Are (sidenote: Billy Zoom was replaced on that LP by fellow Flesh Eater Dave Alvin on guitar) and again on their 2020 surprise release Alphabetland.