Tempe, Arizona’s Rumspringer released their second LP, Stay Afloat, via Dirt Cult Records yesterday. It’s a dangerously catchy bit of punk rock, and a grand step forward for the trio. All three members were kind enough to take some time to answer our inane questions via e-mail.
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Download the debut Traffic Street podcast
Our good buddy Sam North over at Traffic Street Records has posted the first of what we hope will be many, many podcasts. He’s calling it “Word On the Street,” and the details are as follows:
“On Thursday afternoon, I decided rather abruptly that I wanted to do a Traffic Street podcast. […] Anyway, I recorded it on Thursday when the impulse first hit, but was feeling self-conscious and wasn’t sure if I wanted to post it at all. I didn’t like the way my voice sounded, I didn’t think the things I had to say were interesting -you know… the usual self-doubt stuff. But I decided this morning to throw caution to the wind and just post it. I did my best to get all of the levels right between the speaking parts and all of the different songs, but I didn’t have headphones on me to test the volume with anything other than my computer’s built-in speaker, so there’s a chance it could use some adjusting.”
North promises a lot of music from the likes of Nuthouse faves like Off With Their Heads and No High Fives to Bullshit, as well as unreleased tracks from upcoming releases.
Sam also promises iTunes linkages and an RSS feed if demand is good. Hit him up with positive e-mails and such. The world needs more good punk podcasts.
Download “Word On the Street” #001. (left click, Mediafire)
Podcast #24, “My Head is Hanging Down”
Lots of interesting new stuff this week, courtesy of Traffic Street Records, as well as the Art of the Underground 5 for $5 7-inch sale they ran last month. New stuff and new-to-me stuff, as well, plus some interesting folk-punk-blues type tunes that I don’t frequently have cause or reason to play (including that fantastic new 45 Drakkar Sauna put out on Third Man).
This week’s podcast was ran through Levelator, so that hopefully took the edge off the abrupt shifts between spoken words and music. That was an obvious and irritating hallmark of last week’s Halloween podcast that really detracted from the overall effect, and I apologize.
The Transgressions / The Credentials, “Split”
The Transgressions / The Credentials
Split
(Traffic Street Records)
While I like this split all right, I wouldn’t say I loved it. The Transgressions‘ side sounds a lot like “My Friends Are Getting Famous” era Screeching Weasel in terms of pacing and tone, with vocals that have that whole gruff tone that everyone seems to be using nowadays. It’s fun, but it seems that every punk band from Minnesota or Wisconsin is starting to sound like this.
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Various Artists, “Dangerous Intersections VI”
Various Artists
Dangerous Intersections VI
(Traffic Street Records)
Every time a new installment in Traffic Street‘s “Dangerous Intersections” series of four-way splits comes out, I’m forced to make a decision. Namely, which track is my favorite? It’s always a difficult choice, as each one manages to have each band skew towards a different punk direction. Volume six is no different.
Do I want the Transgressions‘ short and to-the-point “17”? Is it the hard to describe, yet compelling “Flashlight” from Billy Raygun? The pop-punk by way of post-hardcore of Vacation‘s “Heterosexual Lion”? Or, the simple college rockin’ of New Creases‘ “No Spark”?
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Podcast #17 – Out In the Street
This week’s podcast is devoted entirely to Traffic Street Records. The tiny pop-punk label is ran out of Sam North‘s apartment in Washington, D.C., and is probably one of my favorite go-to places for music these days. If you’ve not heard anything from Traffic Street, then you’ve not been listening to the podcast, but here’s your chance to play catch-up.
We’ve got songs got songs from a few of the label’s releases, as well as an in-depth interview with label honcho North. He talks about the label’s history, the future, and what it’s like to DIY it. Sit back, listen, and enjoy.
Where has Nick been?
Sorry for the lack of updates. I’m doing three interviews this week, and my time isn’t my own.
My interview with Joey Santiago of the Pixies went up on Wayward Blog today, and you can listen to it over there. I’m also speaking with the Randy Rogers Band before their free performance at Kansas City’s Power & Light District on Thursday night. Friday night is Sam North, for next week’s Sunglasses After Dark, which will have the entire podcast devoted to his label, Traffic Street Records.
Whew. I’m also doing this new feature for Wayward Blog called “Imaginary Movie Soundtracks.” Check out the first installment, entitled “How to kill a drifter.” A new one will go up tomorrow.