Taking a more melodic stab on the Wax Museums 'formula' would be a step in the right direction, but also selling them short, so it's best to not make any prejudices until you hear it for yourself, as this debut has knockout written all over it. After several repeated plays, it's clear that the true gem lies in the last track of this single, "Asshole With The Girl" which is one of the best under 60 second songs of the new millennium, hands down. It sticks in your head for days and manages to say everything within the amount of time when most bands fall flat on their faces. Unlike TV's Daniel's numerous other side projects like The Wrists, Pumpers, and his TV's Daniel One Man Mess, Bad Sports are poised to actually hit the road and convert a lot of folks into drooling fanatics, so the chances of seeing them outside of their hometown is luckily in our favor. Their fresh take on ugly pop music is really going to turn some heads, so it's in everyone's best interest to pick up this, their debut record on Boom Chick before it's inevitably out of print and lost behind miles of other great Bad Sports records, undoubtedly right around the corner. Keep an eye out for their follow-up 7" on Big Action Records later this month as well, and catch the Bad Sports live out on the road next month on their mini tour, and see them in person in their hometown this weekend at Club Dada.

Pick up the 7" right HERE, and check out TV's Daniel's video for "All The Time" right here...

Brimstone Howl "Tunnel of Love" 7"
The ’Guts of Steel’ LP was such a bummer...it came out right when I was really into the Howl’s singles and I was ready to be blown away, or at least rocked a little bit...and basically got handed a 12" turd by Alive! Records once again. I shoulda known better...then that Forbidden Tigers LP came out and managed to be decent, so I figured it was time to write Brimstone off...but I had to give this single a chance, and I’m glad I did. Nebraska’s heroes come through on this one, perhaps proving that they truly are a singles band (and isn’t garage rock really a singles genre when you think about it...). Like many of you, I also believe that straight garage-rock done well is a nearly extinct bird these days, but it’s hard not to let the way this band does it get under your skin. They’re capable of moments of truly moving rock with such energy and downhome charisma, gutsy vocals and gutsier guitars..."Tunnel of Love" is one of those songs, a poignant reminiscence of something as All-American as the carnival...cotton candy and hastily assembled amusement rides, lecherous carnies and golden-haired corn-fed teenage babes, a delicate little "Paint, It Black"-esque guitar tinkle, emotively spoken vocals, the smell of funnel cakes...and I see Brimstone Howl belting this one out on stage at the fairgrounds, with the fire their name implies, right there next to the barn housing the county’s largest vegetables and prize heifers. Am I letting my imagination run rampant here? Sure, but it’s a fantastic tune, confident and thrillingly American sounding. These kids should be playing every high school homecoming in my dreams, out there on the football field next to the hay bales and bonfires...but enough of my hazy romanticizing. B-Side is rocks it out a little more, a twangy raver with some convincing guitar work and testifying vox. Really glad to see these kids return to form with this single and the recording sounds great as well. Maybe I am just a garage turkey at heart. Scum stats: first 150 on cotton candy pink vinyl. (RK)
(Boom Chick Records // www.boomchickrecords.com)

V/A Golden Boys/Limes split 7"
Golden Boys side is little pop ditty called "Metal Touch" which is really bright and upbeat, a quality song that seems to stick out to me as less weird than any of their other output, which is fine by me. Shit, Greg Cartwright could’ve written this one, it’s that catchy, and it has some nice keyboard backing that flushes things out at the end. A+ material here. The Limes side, well I’ve never heard a Limes record that I’ve liked, but this one is the closest I’ve come. It’s like two notes away from the guitar hook to "I’m Eighteen", sort of plodding and droney with real deadpan vocals that induce lethargy. Total downer vibe as opposed to the sheer pop of the A-Side. It’s not that great, but the Golden Boys side is pretty fucking boss. Scum stats: first 100 on clear vinyl.(RK)
(Boom Chick Records // www.boomchickrecords.com)

THE SHANKS - "Big Feelin" EP
This is fun punk, not to be confused with funny
punk-which means slap-bass or country songs.  These
guys are no FREDDY AND THE FUCKING DREAMERS, but they
probably crack each other up at practice and entertain
the hell out of their friends.  Dying duck guitar
"solos" and vocals that sound like 15 people singing
at once leaves you, the listener, wishing you could be
part of the party (did I really just write that???). 
Song two, "Dead Flowers," sounds like it took less
time to write and record than the weed run that fueled
it, making its catchiness that much more impressive. 
If you heard and liked the NARC EP put out by their
labelmates SPREAD EAGLES as much as I did, you’ll want
to get this.
 
THE CRETEENS - "Cocksucker" EP
I certainly hope this band is made up of kids. 
Singing about sucking cocks, burning the school, and
killing the teacher is kind of embarrassing if you are
forty.  If you can ignore the lyrics, which I
recommend and is sort of easy with the French accent
and the layer of distortion, you’ll really like this
band.  The music is fast, messy, surfy garage rock and
really cool.  The drums are pounding and the organ is
barely audible but just perfect.
 
LIVE FAST DIE - Nitedo" EP
LIVE FAST DIE dishes it up with a new EP that includes
three different, yet equally dumbed-down-as-it-gets
sounding songs.  The fact that all of these songs are
so completely in a different world from each other
must have to do with the fact that they were all
recorded at different sessions over a couple of years.
 The whole thing is a mish mash of lo-fi, fucked-up,
chaotic genius blathering.  LIVE FAST DIE’s Camero
Werewolf’s message is special and every song, while
only halfway musically competent, is hilarious,
catchy, and feels like an inside joke.  It works
despite personally being out of the look on the jokes.
 
THE MANS - "JC/BC" EP
Although this ain’t my first go-around with the MANS,
I must say they sound far more inebriated and reckless
here than I remember them.  Christ...three tunes, each
barely breaking the 90-second mark, all the trademark
trappings of house-party (or garage-party?) punk.  I
get it.  I like it.  I’ll spin this every time I wanna
feel drunk, young, and skinny again.