Rob Ferraz's Top Ten releases

READING RAINBOW - Prism Eyes - From Prism Eyes (HoZac)Hailing from Philladelphia, this girl/guy two-piece play a stripped down memorable and melancholy bunch of songs that remind me of Stereolab and Belle and Sebastian with more of a raw edge. A bit more indie than punk but still something that's very listenable and catchy and a great deubt LP. SATELLITERS - Leave My House - From Outta Here (Sound Flat)SF garage kings will knock you around and get you on the dancefloor with this excellent LP. They've been at it since the glory days of Bay Area garage in the 90s but have somehow managed to not only keep going but to still have the talent to release great records like "Outta Here." This slab features an awesome batch of 60s influenced tunes and one that reminded me of Jay Reatard. Seek this out and you won't be disappointed. IDLE TIMES - Gin and Death - From (HoZac)Another late arrival from one of my favourite labels, HoZac, comes the debut of Idle Times. This one took a little bit to grow on me but is now in regular rotation on the turntable. It's got a bit of everything from low-fi fuzzed out tunes like Gin and Death , the twang of Prison Mind and the Sonic Youth influenced Hey Little Girl. Give this one a few spins to try it out and chances are it'll find a comfortable home in your list of favourites. LIMINANAS - I'm Dead 7" (HoZac)A great two song 7" from this French outfit got a lotta play with me this year both on the show and while out dj'ing. The title track has a 60s girl group influence that is hard to beat and will stick in your head. The flip, Migas 2000, is like a cross between Serge Gainbourg and early Cramps. This one's a gem. NOBUNNY - Motorhead with Me - From First Blood (Goner)Although the cynics among us would likely have dismissed San Francisco's Nobunny as a novelty act with no substance, their second full-length, First Blood, proves there's something interesting going on under that filthy bunny mask. The bumble gum punk is still evident throughout with a batch of really catchy tunes but there's also a bit of branching out happening on this release. They channel T-Rex on Breathe and borrow the riff from the Velvet Underground's Sister Ray on Blow Dumb among other cool bits that make for an awesome listen. SNAKEPIT - Crossing the Rubicon - From their Demo (Self-released)If you missed seeing Snakepit this year, you have only yourself to blame and you something more to add to your growing list of regrets. Heavy and fast hardcore that somehow manages to have a rocknroll sound wrapped inside, these seven songs are gone before you can say "man, that was the shit." But it doesn't matter because they'll bounce around your head until you give it another listen five minutes later. ExD's co-host D'Arcy Rix-Hayes has the lead shouter role down like a tornado in a trailer park. I know they've recorded more and I can't wait to hear it. And either can you.OVERNIGHT LOWS - Eyesore - From - City of Rotten Eyes (Goner)Coming straight outta Jackson MS, the trio known as the Overnight Lows blast out a little over 20 minutes of punk rock madness on their debut LP. Equal parts garage and old school hardcore that may remind you of the first Adolescents LP, this one rages from top to bottom and will keep you coming back for more.CHRONIC SUBMISSION - Go For It/Cops Ain't Tops - From Toronto Hardcore '83 Compilation (NRK)The perfect re-issue comes to us packed with the most of the best of Toronto's early and underrated Hardcore scene. Direct Action, Chronic Submission, Dead End, YYY, APB and a lot more. This originally came out on cassette and one can't help but wonder how much different things would've been if it had originally been on vinyl. Get this while you still can.WHITE WIRES - Hands - From White Wires II (Dirtnap)Ottawa's power pop/punk kings (and queen) return with a 45 rpm LP that will have your ass shaking and your brain quaking. One of the great things about this band is that even though the songs all have an air of familiarity to them, they still sound fresh. And they don't fall into the pop punk trap of trying to sound like every pop punk band that's come before them. The reason for this is likely because they've dug a little deeper and found influences that are either obscure, forgotten or both. Either way, this is one of the best bands in the country, if not North America, right now and this release is a great example of why that is. CHINO HORDE - Natural - From Everything double LP (Adagio 830)The long overdue has finally be done. Chino Horde was easily one of the most underrated and overlooked of the early 90s emo scene. Now you can get all of their out of print stuff including their self-titled LP, 7" and a bunch more packaged beautifully on two LPs. What makes this awesome is that they didn't rely on the typical emo cliches and were able to inject a bit of rocknroll into their songs, making them catchy and memorable. This comes highly recommended.