KRYPTONITE RECORDS ROUND-UP….The good people at Milwaukee’s KRYPTONITE RECORDS were kind enough to send a pack of their new 4-song 7”EPs to the Agony Shorthand offices, all of which promise a blast of low-fidelity, fast & trashy punk rock just from the cheapo B&W sleeves alone. So here goes: the CATHOLIC BOYS’ entry is called “Brainwash City” that’s pretty tough distorto-punk, played loose & fast with a bit of a NY DOLLS-like swagger on “Leatherskin Deathmask”. Not a world-changer, but absolutely solid…..THE EVOLUTIONS go ridiculously overboard on the feedback, distortion and needless screaming, and are learning their punk rock moves from all the wrong sources (“Nazi Rock and Roll”? – boys, try for some subtlety next time -- these RIP OFF-style garage punk bands can be amazingly generic). There might a hot friggin’ tune buried somewhere (“Evolution Blues”?) on the record, but I’m sorry, I can’t find it in the murk…...Pick of the batch is the KILL-A-WATTS and their “Then And Now” EP -- very fast, raw and with a bit more of the TEENGENERATE spirit (the Japanese band who helped rewrite the book on super-fast garage punk). “Mace Can”’s even got these PATTY WATERS / YOKO ONO backing vocals that are so jarring and out of place I have to tip my cap. I’m going to keep an eye peeled for this crew in the future – hey, maybe I’ll even join their fuckin’ crew, since they’re got a Negative Approach/Minor Threat-style theme song (of course called “Kill-A-Watts”). You can find these and more over at the Kryptonite Records web site.

posted by Jay H. at 4:38 PM