Rick Johnson Rock And Roll Machine

Rick Johnson is probably best known as the bassist for Michigan ska band Mustard plug, however, I was never really into said band and when my friend told me he had released solo material and recommended I listen to it, I was very sceptical. Despite that I downloaded only album of his I could find, entitled "Six Crappy Months Part One" and loved it. What's interesting about this album is that it's a thirteen track album, and only about 20 minutes long, with eight of the tracks being under two minutes long, each one a catchy fusion of Ska, Punk and Electronic. I would definately recommend the album, I cant really say I recommend him because there are two albums of his i havent heard, but go download the record, you can find it on QuoteUnquoteRecords. It really is awesome.

Last.fm
Myspace
QuoteUnquoteRecords

Jay Reatard

I discovered this man's music early in my musical taste development. This was back when I still used Pandora radio. I think it came up on my station for the Hives. Oh, I loved twelve-year-old me's music taste.

So Jay Reatard's 2006 album Blood Visions is a fantastic piece of garage punk - lo-fi, energetic, catchy, and reminiscent of the Ramones - as the best punk rock should be. I highly recommend it to all fans of the genre. He released his sophomore record, Watch Me Fall, last year. I haven't checked out it.

Then he died last night, in his sleep, at age 29. The cause is currently unknown. Rest in Peace; you will become the punk rock legend that you deserve to be.

Myspace

Last.fm

Pitchfork article on his death

Blood Visions

Chalk Talk

Chalk Talk are a pair of guys (one from Connecticut, one from Massachusetts) who sing ridiculous lyrics over loud Kinsella-influenced punk rock. I'm probably the only person on the internet making this comparison but they bare some similarities to a band I previously posted: Japandroids. Their debut release Killing Spree came out last year and it puts smiles on the faces of teenage boys.

Killing Spree

Myspace

Last.fm

The Suicide Machines

Another band in the mid-to-late-nineties wave of ska that achieved minor, minor success. (Inclusion on Tony Hawk video game soundtracks.) They were probably too energetic for the mainstream mass to handle. I have three albums of theirs. The latter two are solid skacore releases, but Destruction by Definition is a must listen. They disbanded in 2006 after the release of War Profiteering is killing us all.

Destruction by Definition

Battle Hymns

War Profiteering is Killing Us All

Myspace

Last.fm

Bomb the Music Industry!

Bomb the Music Industry! are one of those ridiculously D.I.Y. hardcore bands. Even though they offer all of their music for free, I shelled out $15 to see them (awesome) and $10 for Album Minus Band on vinyl. It made me feel like such a punk. I usually don't feel like that. Since they offer all of their music for free download on their site, I'm not going to post my own links for them.

Myspace

Official Site

Last.fm