Front-woman Ally Play-Nice of the Atomic Tanlines once told me, "Punk isn't about what you wear or how many patches you have on your vest. It's a fucking lifestyle."
The genre's ethos alive and well in DFW. Most bands couldn't give me a definitive release date, album title or track listing for their upcoming releases. However, I was able to gather enough hear-say, rumors and drunken murmurs on a few local records that are supposed to drop this year.
Atomic Tanlines
"Bands record sporadically," Ally says. "No one is big enough to announce they have a record coming out in a few months. So what normally happens is people record all in one day, then tell all their fans, 'Hey! We just recorded an album, listen!'"
Last year's Demo was an exhilarating, and thought provoking introduction to the Atomic Tanlines' blend of queer-theory and afro-jazz style. On "Fuck My Reproductive Duty!!!" Ally slams your eardrums until you're left in a daze. Their next record will be released through Dallas Distortion Music, and even DDM co-founder Evan Henry doesn't know what to expect. "If it's anything like their live show, it's gonna rule," he says. Even though the band has went through a few line-up changes, they're sure to crack the whip on all the little punks out there ready for a good sonic spanking.
Sealion
Also being released on DDM is Sealion's Kenneth, featuring ten new tracks recorded in a single day. The four-piece did the work at J. Britt Robisheaux's studio in Fort Worth and brought in the legendary Carl Saff, who's worked with STRFKR, Young Adults and Guided By Voices, to master the album.
The band has been playing around town pretty extensively lately, with stops at 35 Denton and SXSW. I'm sure some of the recent on-the-road stories and late night soirees made for pretty kick-ass writing material.
Sealion and Datahowler will have a joint album release party on May 24th at Three Links Deep Ellum.
New Science Project
Self-proclaimed "DFW's least favorite band eight years running," New Science Project will release their newest -- Hard On -- in a few weeks via Gutterth Records. The album is already available for digital download on their site, and duly delivers on the premise of its title.
A blistering mix of Tourette filled riffs and fragile melodies, NSP's newest mixs lo-fi fingering and clever, satirical songwriting, perfect for drunken campfire sing-a-longs. Wait, or don't wait for the physical release, just get ready to put on your favorite shade of lipstick and mosh the fuck out.
NSP will have a release party for "Hard On" on the 27th at Rubber Gloves.
War Party
Fort Worth miscreants, War Party plan for an early fall release for their newest, and it's not yet titled. Front man Cameron Smith says the album will be around 13 songs with tracking beginning later this month. This will be the band's first full-length LP, so Smith wants to go into the sessions with a lot of range, with extra tracks being used for additional EPs and splits.
Smith also said this will be the first War Party album where he is not the primary songwriter -- this time around it's a group effort.
"Our most recent releases have all been EPs and splits, and that means there isn't a sole piece of wax out there dedicated to the full capacity of our sonic interests," he said. "This will inevitably change."
Look for War Party at this month's Record Store Day concert at Good Records, on 4/20.
Possible bonus fifth...
Smith hinted at a split record with Lo-Life Recordings label mates, Doom Ghost, as they did with Introducing... The split will contain unreleased Doom Ghost recordings that have accumulated over the past year and will be released in cassette format. As far as solo albums, the "PBR-soaked proto punk" Doom Ghost is expected to release a new record in the fall as well. The bands recorded material is limited, which is why I'm stoked to finally hear a full record by them. Their tracks on last year's Introducing... and "War Party/Doom Ghost" were standouts. I went to a seedy little hide-a-way bar in the woods of Cedar Hill, south of I-35 called The Boxcar not too long ago. I spent an hour or so there with Doom Ghost playing in my headphones. It made for a surreal, and absolutely terrifying experience. I can't wait to see what kind of hypnotic musical portraits the band paints next.
War Party will be playing Docs Records and Vintage for Record Store Day.