Sedition Sunday #4: Lucy Parsons

This week Sunday Sedition focuses on Lucy Parsons. She was a labour organizer, an anarcho-communist and leading member of the International Workers Of the World also known as the Wobblies. "My conception of the strike of the future is not to strike and go out and starve, but to strike and remain in and take possession of the necessary property of production." - Lucy Parsons

She was born sometime in the early 1850's in Texas. The woman who the Chicago Police Department described as "more dangerous than a thousand rioters" went on to become a labour organizer in Chicago with her husband Albert Parsons. After her husband was martyred in the aftermath of the Haymarket Affair she continued on with her labour activism with the Wobblies.

Lucy Parsons gave fiery speeches her whole life, inspiring Studs Terkel in her 80's. She died as result of a house fire in 1942. The police promptly seized her 1500 book library and all her writings. 

O.P.P. #3: The Flop House

It's time for another week of Other People's Podcasts. This week we laugh and cringe with the Flop House. Twice a month they watch a "bad" movie and then "talk" about it.

Who? The Flophouse is hosted by three people, Dan McCoy, a writer for the Daily Show and the person who owns the equipment & edits the show, Elliot Kalan, head writer for the Daily Show and comedian Stuart Wellington.

What's This Show? Twice a month these three men gather together, watch a movie and then talk about it. It is as much about bad movies as it is pitches for a ziggy movie and words that sounds like other words. They are all very funny, charming people and have excellent chemistry together. They are quick to jump on any joke they can think of including sometimes just words that sounds like other words. They can be very silly, Elliot's improvised songs can be questionable at times, but generally they are genuinely hilarious. Sometimes they even have good things to say about movies, just usually not the one they just watched.

The Best Way In: This podcast really is more about the conversation and cracking silly jokes than it really is about the movie. There are two ways in here that are pretty common for movie podcasts, choose one that you know very well or at least have seen and start with that, then there's no worry about feeling left out of the conversation because you don't know the film. Otherwise just choose a classically bad movie and hang out for awhile.

Recommendations? For older episodes I would try something like Bratz or Wild Hogs, or even some of the movie minutes like On Vacation or A Beckinsale Tale. In terms of newer episodes they've watched Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return which is insane, I also quite enjoyed God's Not Dead,  Easy Rider: The Ride Back & Foodfight.

Y/o/d/o/c/o/l/t/s - 2016 - Enter The Raw

Y/o/d/o/c/o/l/t/s is a garage rock band from Tokyo, Japan. Enter The Raw is their debut EP. Y/o/d/o/c/o/l/t/s play an on overdriven and almost completely blown out brand of garage rock. Occasionally they punk thing up with some up tempo ragers but usually these songs stay mid-tempo while covering everything in distortion. The songs are good but when everything is coated in noise & distortion there is little to do other than float along with the omnipresent thumping bass. If you're looking for some garage rock with punk influences that keeps the needle in the red Y/o/d/o/c/o/l/t/s' debut EP Enter The Raw will serve well.

haymaker - 2016 - Taxed...Tracked...Inoculated...Enslaved

Haymaker is a hardcore punk band from Hamilton, Ontario. Taxed...Tracked...Inoculated...Enslaved is their new LP courtesy of A389 Recordings. Haymaker play a particularly aggressive brand of hardcore punk verging towards grindcore, blasting through these 20 tracks of righteous indignation in under 20 minutes. Even 15 years after their first LP, the legendary It Only Gets Worse, Haymaker has lost no speed or hostility. This is the soundtrack to the oncoming apocalypse.

Vivre Sa Vie - 2016 - Demo

Vivre Sa Vie is a screamo band from Stockholm, Sweden. Demo is their debut recordings. Vivre Sa Vie play a relatively straight forward brand of screamo bringing in some elements of post-hardcore and emoviolence for moodiness & chaos respectively. War starts off with a riff and a blood curdling scream before a moment of melody and then explosion. Forever works the same idea but layers disturbingly raw vocals overtop of meandering, almost twinkling guitars before exploding. While this Demo is inconsistent there is a spark that keeps drawing me back in.

Krimewatch - 2016 - Demo

Krimewatch is a four piece female fronted hardcore punk band from New York City, New York. Demo is their debut recordings. Krimewatch play a straightforward, no frills brand of hardcore punk that has found a home in NYC for a long time now. When the band is firing on all cylinders they produce some fiery, riff focused hard hitting hardcore punk. The closing two songs, No Sympathy and Peach Generation make me want to hear where this band is going. Krimewatch's demo is a good starting place for some powerful hardcore punk.

Dauðyflin - 2016 - Demo

Dauðyflin is a female fronted punk rock band from Reykjavík, Iceland. Members of Dauðyflin have also played in Börn. This demo is their debut recordings in preparation for a proper debut EP released in July. Dauðyflin play a stripped brand of hardcore punk content to generate distortion and noise while thumping and flailing through these songs. Whether the raw, lofi feel of this recording is a purposeful choice or a by product of the recording process remains to be seen. Dauðyflin have laid out a statement of intent, play it loud like it's supposed to be played.

Aedh - 2016 - Au-Delà des Cendres

Aedh is an atmospheric black metal band from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Au-Delà des Cendres is their debut LP courtesy of Werewolf Promotions following one independently issued demo and one courtesy of Dying Sun Records.

Aedh is the result of one man producing traditionally icy, demonic & blistering black metal that coats itself in layers of cold noise & field recordings. If you like black metal complete with the pained screams of the damned and diabolical guitars summoning arctic fury this will scratch that itch. Thanks to TakeMetal for pointing this out.

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Gojira - 2016 - Silvera

Sedition Sunday #3: Mujeres Libres

This week's Sedition Sunday focuses not on an individual but on a group, Mujeres Libres (Free Women). Mujeres Libres was an anarcho-feminist collective formed in 1936. Their ideological basis was what they called the "double struggle", that women's liberation and the revolution would go hand in hand. They organized themselves to assert their voices in the revolution and to ensure that the revolution would carry their voices. Today's book Free Women Of Spain: Anarchism And The Struggle For The Emancipation Of Women is written by Martha Ackelsberg.

You can purchase the book from AK Press here. What follows is from the AK Press page: cowards don't make history; and the women of Mujeres Libres (Free Women) were no cowards. Courageous enough to create revolutionary change in their daily lives, these women mobilized over 20,000 women into an organized network during the Spanish Revolution, to strive for community, education, and equality for women and the emancipation of all. Militants in the anarcho-syndicalist CNT union, Mujeres Libres struggled against fascism, the State, and reaction; and the less than supportive attitudes and concerns of their male comrades. Martha Ackelsberg writes a comprehensive study of Mujeres Libres, intertwining interviews with the women themselves and analysis connecting them with modern feminist movements. This new edition includes additional research Ackelsberg carried out for the Spanish language edition, together with a brand new introduction written in the light of the new social movements, and resurgence of anarchism, post-Seattle..

Martha Ackelsberg is is a Professor of Government and a member of the Women's Studies Program Committee at Smith College, where she teaches courses in political theory, urban politics, political activism, and feminist theory. She has contributed to a variety of anthologies on women's political activism in the United States

Altered Dead - 2016 - Altered Dead

Altered Dead is a two piece death metal band from Victoria, British Colombia, Canada. Altered Dead is their debut LP. Formed in 2013 Altered Death play a straight forward brand of death metal citing Grave, Death Breath & Autopsy as guideposts. There is nothing revolutionary or unique being done here but when you're this crushingly heavy and demonic who needs to reinvent the wheel? If you need some new but faithful to the old school death metal Altered Dead's Altered Dead will scratch that itch. Thanks to TakeMetal for pointing this out.

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O.P.P. #2 - Greg Proops' The Smartest Man In The World

It''s time for O.P.P again, that's right, Other People's Podcasts! This week the focus is on Greg Proops comedic monologue based show, The Smartest Man In The World.

Who? You might know Greg from Whose Line Is It Anyway, he's the one usually wearing a suit. He has also been performing standup comedy & improv for over thirty years at this point and is truly a master of both art forms. Starting in October 2012 Greg Proops has been recording a podcast called The Smartest Man In The World. When the Proopcast is not being recorded at Bar Lubitch in West Hollywood it follows Greg's travels around the world at various comedy festivals.

What's This Show? I quite enjoy the show but I will admit my listenership has waned over time. Greg is very funny and I agree with everything I've heard him say politically. He is as insightful as he is verbose and pedantic and he ensures his point is made. He calls this the boring preachy part, I like to think of it as a very acerbic news report. The proper way of describing this show is to say that Greg conducts a comic monologue on various topics including but not limited to funk music, feminism, classic literature and left leaning politics. And as high minded and intellectual as this sounds keep in mind Greg continues to be self aware, drink vodka the entire time and comment on the show as it is happening.

The Best Way In: The Proopcast can be a little tricky to get into if one is not already a fan of Greg Proops, funk music or baseball. Imbibing a substance of some kind, be it a "vodka flavoured vodka" as Greg is so fond of requesting from the stage or fat ol' joint, is recommended but not required.  I would recommend some time when your brain does not need to be focused on anything and just listen to Greg rant and ramble hilariously on stage. The other way in that I've heard is while your body is doing something active but your mind is free, washing the dishes or working out, put the show on and drift in and out while your body does it's thing and Greg does his from the stage.

Amnesian - 2016 - Amnesian

Amnesian is a grindcore band from Victoria, British Colombia, Canada. Amensian is their third LP after forming in mid 2013. They play an experimental, aggressive and metallic brand of grindcore. For a three piece band Amnesian generate an impressive amount of chaos with multiple vocalists and songs that change direction and riffs on a dime. This band sounds like a super heavy metallic hardcore punk band shoved in a blender and turned on liquefy. Highlights include Veiled By Hexes, Mire & Craters. Thanks to Dead Air At The Pulpit for pointing this out.

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Gene - 2016 - Assid Head Cassingle

Gene is a punk rock band associated with the KCrew from Kansas City, Missouri. Assid Head and Black Sheep are two slabs of overblown, weirdo punk rock. The guitars are thin and tinny but pull of some great solos while literally everything else is covered in a layer of noise. Assid Head reminds me of the Coneheads with their manic energy while Black Sheep starts with a hint of surf rock before exploding into more noisy punk.

Negative Standards - 2016 - Fetters

Negative Standards is a hardcore punk band from Oakland, California. Fetters is their debut LP. Members have also played in Acts of Sedition, Reivers, Pills, Akatharsia, nasty.dilemma and Exhaaust. Expect downtuned hardcore punk saturated with doom and covered in crust.

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Plebeian Grandstand - 2016 - False Highs, True Lows

Plebeian Grandstand is a punk rock band from Toulouse, France. False Highs, True Lows is their third LP. Plebeian Grandstand play an incredibly abrasive & chaotic brand of hardcore punk also throwing in mathcore, black metal and all the noise you can handle. They describe themselves as a "dissonant and asymmetric blend of black metal, hardcore rage and apocalyptic atmospheres." They fit right in with the rest of the Throatruiner roster.

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Flatbush Zombies - 2016 - 3001: A Laced Odyssey

Flatbush Zombies are a hip hop trio from New York City. 3001: A Laced Odyssey is their debut LP. Flatbush Zombies are part of a new wave of East Coast rap, the beats are intense, the flows are on fire and overall this is essential listening. One of the few hip hop groups doing something interesting with a focus on drugs, the others being $uicidieboy$ and EASTRN▽SUNS.

Blossom - 2016 - Weight Of The World

Blossom is a two piece metallic hardcore band from Kingston & Belleville, Ontario. Weight Of The World is their debut EP garnering comparisons to bands like Jesuit, Torn Apart and Turmoil. Blossom play a heavy, metal tinged brand of hardcore incorporating post-hardcore and left the clean vocals at the door. Highly recommended, Thanks to Dead Air At The Pulpit for pointing this out.

Blood Pressure - 2016 - Need To Control

Blood Pressure is a hardcore punk band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Need To Control is their debut LP. Members have also played Direct Control, Government Warning, No Time, Sickoids, Mercy Killings, Masakari, & Heartless. Expect raw, blown out hardcore with lots of gruff shouts and a touch of d-beat for flavour. Thanks to Cut & Paste for pointing this out.

$uicideboy$ - 2016 - DIRTYNASTY$UICIDE

$uicideboy$ is a rap duo from New Orleans. DIRTYNASTY$UICIDE is the third of four EP's they have released in 2016 so far, a collaboration with another rapper/producer Germ. $uicideboy$ create a drug fueled brand of hip hop. The beats are one of my favourite things about $uicideboy$, they find the sweet spot between complete fire that a rapper can just rampant over and being ethereal, light cloud rap style beats. $uicideboy$ is one of the few rappers I've heard that openly talk about their addictions, mental health issues alongside occult references, graphic violence & drug dealing and an overarching satanic influence. Given that DIRTYNASTY$UICIDE is $uicideboy$'s third of four EP's they've released this year it is remarkable how consistent and great it is, there isn't a weak song on this EP. Highly recomended if you're into dark, occult music.

.gif from god - 2016 - ...defragmented....reformated

.gif from god is a six piece hardcore punk band from Richmond, Virginia. Members have also played in  Caust, Cage You Call A Chest, Kaoru Nagisa and Truman. ....defragmented....reformated is their debut LP. To call .gif from god simply and only a hardcore punk band is reductive, the band finds themselves at the crossroads of post hardcore, emoviolence and grindcore all wrapped up in layers of noise and distortion with some bleeps and bloops like sprinkles on top.



As soon as a song establishes itself there is a breakdown or a transition or an explosion and the song turns on a dime from electronic bloops & bleeps to emoviolence like explosions of screams and guitars. This album will be off putting to a lot of people but for those who crave chaotic and explosive hardcore punk this album is crucial. The easiest way in is probably the songs Rats, it showcases everything .gif from god is capable of wrapped around a more standard song structure. Other highlights include Technology will kill you 111111; empty grave, shallow mind; i'm still alive but my head is full of shit; maybe none of us understand what we have lived through and self pwnage for a narcissistic nutjub.



If you find yourself in need of some noisy, chaotic, emoviolence and grindcore influenced hardcore punk .gif from god's ...defragmented,..reformatted will scratch that itch, Many thanks to Open Mind/Saturated Brain for pointing this out 

Amnesian - 2016 - You Think I Ain't Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire

Amnesian is a three piece grindcore band from Victoria, British Colombia, Canada. In advance of their 2016 self titled LP they released this cover of a classic Queens Of The Stone Age song. There is very little of the grindcore Amnesian present, the focus is on bone crushing heaviness and an admirable commitment to the original song. It has wet my appetite for their new, self titled LP.

Full Bloom - 2016 - Demo

Full Bloom is a five piece hardcore punk band from Detroit, Michigan. Relatively straight forward with just a hint of post-hardcore noise