Wäntage USA

ANIMAL LOVER FUNDANGO
Animal Lover has played our Total Fest a couple time, and always leave some of the most memorably ear-ringing sounds in our ears. This is the band's debut LP, and we like it a lot. It reminds us of the Jesus Lizard's taut and menacing vibe.

Big Business
Tour II CD

Big Business
Command Your Weather (GOLD VINYL)

BIG BUSINESS "TOUR II" CD (SELF-RELEASED)
This is a four-song blaster recorded by ol' dirty Don "Mico de Noche" Stewart in his Kitsap County facilities. "II" features superior sound quality to the first, and three new and utterly tough blasts from the Big Business and one ripping Devo cover.

Tracklisting:
1) Just As the Day Was Dawning
2) Hands Up
3) Start Your Digging
4) Be Stiff

In a unique, and somewhat, well, revolutionary deal, II's $6 pricetag will get the first 100 online customers a copy of one of the following: Last of the Juanitas' "the Jay" 7", Federation X's "Nude Disintegrating" 7", Volumen "Erika" or Volumen/No-Fi Soul Rebellion's "Split" 7", Drunk Horse's "Bambi" 7" or Stars of the Dogon/Early Humans "Split" 7" . Specify which record you'd like in your order, or roll the twelve sided dice of destiny with us.

LP Coming Soon

BIG BUSINESS COMMAND YOUR WEATHER (JOYFUL NOISE)
Wantage has long believed that Big Business are a cut above. A class act. A outfit on the move. And with Command Your Weather we like every damn thing about it, from the somewhat more bleak feel, to Coady's playing bells all over the place, and the song Fathers Day, which reminds us of Prison Shake by Karp. It's an absolute whiz-banger of a record, and it's getting better with age around here.

Bludded Head
Bludded Death

$6

BLUDDED HEAD BLUDDED DEATH (CASSETTE)

(From the SGG catalog) Formed out of an appreciation for Henry Cow's avant leanings, La Monte Young-inspired minimalism, and the power of sheer, punishing volume, Bludded Head approach metal with a focus on desperation rather than depravity. Exploring vulnerability while maintaining a hard-heartedness that is palpable, the sound is a wounded animal's howl, a nerves-shot predator whose teeth find its prey in the dark.

Founding member Nevada Hill has surrounded himself with formidable players throughout the various incarnations of the band, a cast that includes men and women involved with Tiger Hatchery, Terminator 2, John Zorn, Drug Mountain, Jandek, R. Stevie Moore, and Daniel Johnston to name but a few.

Coming across like Codeine writing songs for Corrupted, Bludded Head are (very literally, trust us) a cancer-conquering force that collapses and devours all light at the end of the tunnel.

Professionally dubbed and packaged in a 5 panel insert featuring a comic by 7 yr old Gillian Hill, with gold on gold tapes, a strictly limited edition of the second installment of the Bludded Head saga.

ďż˝Doom bands come and go, many sounding similar to one another, with the greatest emphasis being placed on how far apart those gut-punch downbeats can be spaced; not so for Bludded Head, who seem in it to write, arrange and execute great songs, several worlds apart from the sameyness that characterizes many of their peers in the genre.ďż˝ - Wm. Berger, WFMU

Buck Gooter
Witch Molecules

LP $14

BUCK GOOTER: WITCH MOLECULES LP (X-MIST)
Noise rock from Virginia. As bent and err, ozone hole effected as you might imagine. Would make a fine addition to a Dope Guns and Fucking comp, somewhere between the Cows and Jesus Lizard, though on the weirder/looser end of all that.

Creston Spiers
MMXVII

CRESTON SPIERS MMXVII (We Empty Rooms)
All bombastic hyper-writing typically has the net effect of deadening me to really great stuff, so suffice to say that this is an amazing piece of work from Creston of Athens, Georgia's Harvey Milk. One of the best bands that played/plays music in the past twenty years. Very much in line with the level of quality that you expected from Harvey Milk releases. Test drive it on his bandcamp here.

Dad They Broke Me
ROT

12" Out of Print

CD $12

DAD THEY BROKE ME S/T (WE EMPTY ROOMS)
Deanse sludge from Melbourne, Australia with an insanely hard pummel. Sort of reminds us of that group Indian, or something kind of like that. Strictly brutal and excellent. Here's a pretty good youtube clip of them ripping live.

Dead
Idiots

Dead / Mark Deutrom
Collective Fictions

DEAD IDIOTS LP (WE EMPTY ROOMS)
Sophomore outing from this Aussie noise rock two piece, who're big in Malaysia. Dead songs run the gamut, though they've got a good similarity to help you get into their unique vibe. It's kind of a Wright bros vibe, if there were less humor to the vocals and if that stuff were a little more outsider. Dead do some plodding, dirgy and slow grumble, some awesome galloping stuff and feature some of the most awesome riffs combined with vocal parts that make us think of what Jared Warren did, and continues to do his bands. Here it is, in its glory. Sample it here, we think it tastes like stale Marmite and some brand of ultra strong, though mostly un-hopped "export" lager. Oy.

Dead
Rabbits/Hog Dance 12"

12" $20

DEAD RABBITS/HOG DANCE (WE EMPTY ROOMS)
Australian noise rock unit returns a 12" tribute to the bands Rabbits and Prizehog, two crucial Portland, OR bands. Previously available as the bonus LP on "The Trilogy" Box set.

Jace: Bass/Vox

Jem: Drums/Vox

Rabbits Recorded and Mixed by Max Ducker

Hog Dance Recorded and Mixed by Toshi Kasai

Mastered by Bernd Heinrauch

Dead
WE WON'T LET YOU SLEEP

LP $22

DEAD WE WON'T LET YOU SLEEP (WE EMPTY ROOMS)

Volume III in the trilogy, that also includes several split LPs.

LP $22

DEAD / MARK DEUTROM COLLECTIVE FICTIONS LP

Our favorite Aussie duo on one-side, ex-Melvins bassist Mark Deutrom on the other. A powerful combination. This is Vol. I in "The Trilogy" series.

Dead is featured in its power trio mode with BJ Morriszonkle while Mark Deutrom performs all songs entirely by himself.

Limited edition of 200 copies housed in a handscreened die-cut sleeve and inner sleeve.

Drawings by Jace Rodgers. Layout and printing by Jem Moloney.

This record is also released as part of a 5 LP boxset via Rock is Hell Records that is limited to 66 copies.

Recorded & mixed by Neil Thomason at Head Gap. Mike Deslandes at Three Phase and BJ in his shed.

Dead / Wicked City
Unpopularity Contest

LP $22

DEAD / WICKED CITY UNPOPULARITY CONTEST LP

Two bands, five songs. Amazing.

Dead/no Anchor
Split 7

Drunk Horse
Tanning Salon/Biblical Proportions

DEAD/NO ANCHOR SPLIT (We Empty Rooms) IMPORT
Australian noise rock that's been re-booted for the times we live in. Still insane, driving, loud and with drums that rattle but nobody's a tribute band to Lubricated Goat or anything here (mate). We've just got a few of these so act fast. G'head and give it a test drive here. That Scratching My Arts song's got us just straight up stoked. Exclusive tracks.

CD $12

DRUNK HORSE TANNING SALON/BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS (MAN'S RUIN)
From these bent Oakland, California unreformed '70s rockers, whose music channeled more good album-oriented vibes than it did pay homage to anybody in particuar. For many of us, this was the turning point when the 'Horse went from "rad rock band" to "WHOAH!". This is a concept record, high concept, I think, about Christianity and Jesus and tanning salons. We haven't figured it out, but we're in awe of it.

Ex-models
Chrome Panthers

12" $14

EX-MODELS: CHROME PANTHERS LP (X-MIST)
With Kid Millions on loan from Oneida, this line-up was our favorite, and Ex-Models brought a bizarre wild, no wave-cum-punk approach, and it was like a breath fresh air in a time inhabited by Pixies worshipers and sycophants. Kind of like a no-waver art spazz rock thing, that still had a rhythm, but wasn't predictable.

Federation X
We Do What We Must

LP $16

FEDERATION X WE DO WHAT WE MUST (MOLASSES MANIFESTO/RECESS)
The 5th LP by this western powerhouse. Recorded by Toshi Kasai and Dale Crover. Sounds beautiful.

Best review we've seen is:
ďż˝This record is what I imagine it would sound like if Matt Dillonďż˝s character from ďż˝Over the Edgeďż˝ had survived, moved to some other shitty town, got messed up on drugs, learned some lessons, & then started a really good band.ďż˝ Jared Warren ďż˝ Melvins/Big Business

Gay Witch Abortion
Opportunistic Smokescreen Behavior

Gay Witch Abortion / The Grasshopper Lies Heavy
S/T

GAY WITCH ABORTION OPPORTUNISTIC SMOKESCREEN BEHAVIOR (LEARNING CURVE)
Active Minnesota noise rock, octave pedal blasters sort of like Lightning Bolt and USAISAMONSTER run through and AmRep-iffier, or something like that. Maybe a little Rick Sims song nomenclature too. We love it. It's both refreshing and nostalgic, and not in anything but a a solidly real and supportable wway. We think it's excellent, rollicking and makes us reminisce for a time when there was such a thing as a $2.39 domestic six packs. Prominent mechanics jackets with large farm equipment manufacturer patches, and heavy noise rock from the prairie. See also tours with Big Business, Total Fest XI and the excellent Learning Curve Record label.

LP $16

GAY WITCH ABORTION / THE GRASSHOPPER LIES HEAVY S/T (LEARNING CURVE)
Two of contemporary American noise rock's most powerful acts, captured on a single longplayer by one of our favorite labels, Learning Curve. GWA remind us of a more songy Lightning Bolt, with their intensity and use of octave shifters. Texas' the Grasshopper Lies Heavy are all thudding cudgel. A whalloper of a record.

Happy Ever After
S/T

12" $16

HAPPY EVER AFTER S/T (X-MIST)
There are some of those labels/shops/bands/distros out there that just have kind of quietly and reliably continued to be high quality sources for underground music and ideas for decades, and most folks who consider themselves clued into this stuff, just kind of ignore, because they don't spend money to get into your facebook feed. Germany's X-Mist is one of those brokers. Never dogmatic, always opinionated, Armin's been running a label and mailorder for years and years. I want to hazard close to 30, but that might be too many. Anyhow, this is X-Mist's 100th release, and it's a great one. It feature this long-disbanded german band with an American singer, doing a handful of originals and a cover of Lexicon Devil. Das punk, mann. Here's the X-Mist writeup:

"Limited edition of 150 handnumbered copies with two-color screenprinted sleeves! Features all the recorded material by this short-living but truly amazing band. Both tracks from their 7"single, the song from the split-7" with 2BAD, the song from the "X-PRESS" compilation LP, all released during 1989/1990 ďż˝ and as a special bonus, one previously unreleased track! Insert with linernotes and photos included.

So who was this band anyway? It was Andy (drums) and Armin (bass), formerly in SKEEZICKS, Ute (guitar) formerly in APES OF WRATH, and Jason Honea, former singer with SOCIAL UNREST, staying for a while in Germany after their European tour. But their sound was completely different to any of those bands. Maybe and mostly influenced at that time by SONIC YOUTH, STEEL POLE BATHTUB, and the GERMS... They existed only for about a year, played a few shows, and recorded these songs, before Jason went back to the US again. And most of all, they were ahead of their times! So then, 25 years later, this very special reissue comes right in time ďż˝ and it's definitely worth being our 100th anniversary release! And the first 50 copies come with a three-color silkscreened poster additionally! http://happyeverafter.bandcamp.com/"

Hero Dishonest
When The Shit Hits The Man

CD $10

HERO DISHONEST "WHEN THE SHIT HITS THE MAN" CD
A fucking Helsinki hardcore punk juggernaut, similar to Born Against/Wrangler Brutes, Jesus Lizard... . But with something less wholesome, than all of that. And with equally snarky lyrical content, some of it in Finnish. At our top o' the heap of our world music category in 2007, released domestically by the tight bros at Acme Records in Massachusetts. Sample their wares by heading to their website.

RIYL: Gauze.

Inappropriate Tough Guy Behaviour
S/T

INAPPROPRIATE TOUGH GUY BEHAVIOUR S/T (WE EMPTY ROOMS)
So, We've got four copies of this thudder of an LP from Inappropriate Tough Guy Behaviour from the Republic of Down Under in the Southern Hemisphere, the Land of the Lost... Oz. Australia. It features Jem (Fire Witch) Moloney bangin' skins and Patto (also Fire Witch) Millman and some of the grinding-est, excellent fast-but-dense/noise rock that we've found in several years. These dudes love noise rock, and Karp, and Big Business, and that's noticeable, but in a "holy shit, what a rad, heavy, fast band!" sort of way. ITGB blast, and that's pretty much it. We get a lot of authentic Hammerhead (the Minneapolis Amrep Hammerhead) vibes and desperation, and those are very rare commodities. At $25/ea. these records are not cheap, but they were imported fro Australia, and are very worth it. We haven't marked them up, but It turns out short-run vinyl ain't cheap to press in Australia, and these things took a fair amount of postage to make their way stateside. At the time being, other than mailorder customers, these are the only copies available domestically. We've only postage costs to these because they're so excellent they must be heard. Each comes with a hand-silk screened lyric sheet and CD of the album. This album is high atop Wantage's best-of 2009 list.

RIYL: Hammerhead, Karp, Big Business, Melvins

Japanther/the Good Good
Split 7

7" $6

JAPANTHER/THE GOOD GOOD SPLIT 7" (ALTIN VILLAGE)
Two Brooklyn ultra-rippers team up for this thing. I think also a tour 7". Solid!
Japanther take the Screamers approach, get it more stoned, make a beat and then dump a sweaty, dancy love-jam on top of it. This is a rare, imported German pressing.

Juanita Family And Friends
S/T

Mantut/tony Danger (is Tony Danger)
The Adventures Of Tony Danger And Mantut

JUANITA FAMILY AND FRIENDS S/T
With members of Last of the Juanitas and heavy hitters from bands like Federation X, and Red Fang you'd expect something other than an album of the most sublimely pure country tunes ever played, but that's what you get with this record. For those of you seeking authenticity and a handful of forlorn country tunes, look no further. This thing drips with the sadness and loss of spoiled relationships, heartache and you'll be crying in your Old Crow by the end. Made our top list in 2005, and it's been in heavy rotation since. An absolutely excellent record in every way.

RIYL: Hank Williams, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings
See als Miss Lana Rebel and the Broken Promise, Red Fang, Last of the Juanitas, Federation X

Kurt
La Guard

12" $14

KURT "LA GUARD" LP
Freiburg, Germany's Kurt were a favorite of John Peel, and their music is uncannily, but of course more Teutonic, similar to Fargo/Moorehead noise bros, Hammerhead. Hammerhead's desperate plains rumble was uniquely urgent, blown out and inspired, and similarly, Kurt's (who have since evolved, or some members have moved on to form Ten Volt Shock) music is filled with driving, noisy urgency.

La Guard is a classically carreening, and stellar record, released by X-Mist.

Kurt
RMXD

12" $12

KURT "RMXD" LP (X-MIST)
Kraut-blasters Kurt were stalwarts of Peel's rockier shows, and they plow the same brutarian middle-western mid/late nineties dude-rock as groups like Helmet, the Laughing Hyenas, Hammerhead, Tar and that sort of deal, only difference being they came from the Black Forrest of southern Germany, rather than the Rust Belt. Their stuff features that aggro-fuzz bass you just don't hear any more, accept w. bands like Replicator. This is an album of remixes, by folks like Endo and Bambam Babylon Bajsch. Came out on the bitching X-Mist Label.
RIYL: Hammerhead, Vaz, Panel Donor.

Landed/megafuckers
SPLIT

7" $5

LANDED/MEGAFUCKERS "SPLIT" 7" (Kill Shaman)
Heroes of of the nascent Rosemead/Pasadena dude-rock scene, join forces with east coast screwballs and relase some of 2007's most memorable (and pizza-oriented) music. Landed are legendary Providence noizers whose tune is called "Osama Oxycontin." Megafuckers feature a Pope alumnus, and play hardcore, and sing about food and drugs. Like the the FDA. Only with hardcore. Music.

Last Of The Juanitas
Hawaii

CD $12

LP Out of Print

LAST OF THE JUANITAS "HAWAII" LP/CD (Flapping Jet)
Before joining the Wantage family for "Time's Up" the Juanitas did a great couple of records for Max's Flapping Jet Label, while also based down in San Diego. Hawaii, recorded by Tim Green, is a loud, prophetic, apocalyptic record that always makes me shudder when I'm walking around with it on headphones. It's hard to not listen to this record in its entirety once you start. Flat out excellent.

RIYL: Black Flag, Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer, Drive Like Jehu.
Note: the cheap price of these LP reflects some bent corners. If you're a music afficinado, vs. a cover afficianado or collector scum, this shouldn't bother you. If you're hoping this appreciates or something, here's the disclaimer.

CD $6

MANTUT/TONY DANGER The Adventures of Tony Danger and Mantut CD
"Mantut is the Pope and Books on Tape". Two Rosemead Pho-core heavy hitters team up their teams and drop this noisy, sweet disc on the world. We've got about 5 copies, of the original 50 made. Get it quick...

Mazie Smirdigie Kocini
Kraa

CD $12

MAZIE SMIRDIGIE KOCINI "KRAA" 2CD (TORNIS)
This band reminds us of what we love about Latvia: rain, gloom, poetic shoegazer bands, decaying infrastructure, bread, incredibly talented singers, cheese, fish, and beer. MSK fits among the continuum of central European and Russian underground bands that produced greats like Yanka, Grozdanskaya Oborona and more recently Inokentijs Marpls, Dr. Green, Grupa Vilnis and Balozu Pilni Pagalmi from the Baltic state of Latvia. This release is a charming double 3" CD set that comes in a fold out package. Limited copies!

RIYL: Grozdanskaya Oborona, Yanka, Balozu Pilni Pagalmi, '70s New York Artschool Rock ala the Talking Heads.

Melvins / Hard-ons
30th Anniversary Series

Miss Lana Rebel And Kevin Michael Mayfield
The Midtown Island Sessions

MELVINS / HARD-ONS (SPLIT 7") WE EMPTY ROOMS

As part of the Hard-Ons thirtieth anniversaryl, they picked a handful of bands to put out split releases with, and one was Melvins.

LP $16

MISS LANA REBEL AND KEVIN MICHAEL MAYFIELD THE MIDTOWN ISLAND SESSIONS (FPE)

This record is the most recent in the stellar catalog by Miss Lana Rebel and Kevin Mayfield, two of the modern era's best dester troubadour singers and players. It came out in 2015.

See also Last of the Juanitas, Juanita Family and Friends, Lana Rebel, Black Ginger, etc!

Miss Lana Rebel And The Band Of Broken Promises
Mistakes We Can Live With

CD $12

MISS LANA REBEL AND THE BROKEN PROMISES: MISTAKES WE CAN LIVE WITH (FAMILY PLAN)
Everybody knows that everything that Miss Lana Rebel touches is gold. Her voice is one of those rare gifts that's driven by sincerity, peppered with hard living, and softened with kindness. This isn't the typical sort of fare for the noise rock we normally listen to, sure, but it sits atop the current country heap for us and has for as long as we've known Lana.

Back when, she was in an Arizona metal outfit called Iscariot, I think, with Bryan Giles. Then the two started Last of the Juanita s at the end of the '90s and moved to San Diego. They recorded four or so epic EPs/LPs and a handful of singles, including those that Wantage released.

So, roll forward to the summer of 2011 when Mistakes We Can Live With came out. Lana's moved back to the desert, closer to family, but she's continuing her gypsy musician liftestyle. This record was recorded in rural Oregon, outdoors, and word has it the session was finally drowned out by the sound of the local frogs. It's got a lazier, outdoors feeling, and incredible hits like Marry Me, Dry Desert Sea and Money On Booze.

Mordecai
Mordecai

12" $14

MORDECAI MORDECAI LP (KILLERTREE)
This is one of those put it on loud, and keep flipping it over sorts of records. Great like that. Just a simple riffing rock and roll record like a rural America Fall or some damn thing.Killertree's a fine, eccentric label. Home to Ex-Cocaine and fellow heavy-mellowists. Here's what they say: "Bona fide math genius ELIJAH BODISH totally gets the theories linking cubism to geometry, while his brother HOLT subsists on frozen pizzas and has this '66 Sunset Strip look any droog would knife for. Together they churn like devil-don't-care Swell Maps on Benadryl, Neil Young bootlegs (strung-out era) and The Fall, fresh out of a woodpile. Recorded in an abandoned YMCA bathroom with high ceilings, their LP is abrasive, crude and bombasticďż˝a serious lo-fi crusher that fits in perfectly with a still unheralded genre (rural punk rock) mixed with muddy Mansonesque flower-power. And not a whiff of shitty ol' irony anywhere. Because the brothers were born at Dead shows (1989 and 1992 tours, respectively), it's only appropriate that the silkscreened jackets are printed with glow-in-the-dark ink."

Mountain High
Catholic Cookie Cutters

7" $4

MOUNTAIN HIGH "CATHOLIC COOKIE CUTTERS" 7" (HOT DOG CITY)
Two songs from Philly bros and ex-Excelsior players who kick the dual-drummer rock-and-roll-a-thon, in the style that screams: "DUUUUUUUUDE". Compare with the Cherry Valence, Excelsior, Nazareth, B.O.C. AC/DC and errrrm... Rose Tatoo. Compare with, then enjoy it on it's own merits, for they come a-plenty. Extra Nice Deal Alert: full two-color silkscreened covers.

Mountain High
Life Coach/Complexagon

CD $4

MOUNTAIN HIGH "LIFE COACH/COMPLEXAGON" CDEP (HOT DOG CITY)
Philly's masters of awesome lyrics and punched-up two-drummer rock and roll mayhem (part Black Crowes, part Karp) come back with a two-banger that doesn't fail to rip apart its peers.

Mountain High/loving Thunder
Split 7"

7" $6

MOUNTAIN HIGH/LOVING THUNDER SPLIT 7" (HOT DOG CITY)
Ultra rock rarely moves, shakes and bumps like these two groups. Bi-coastal, bro! Philly, Seattle! John Kruk approves. Len Dykstra approves. Mike Schmidt approves. Ken Phelps and Randy Johnson approve. What more needs to be said?

Nerve City
I Fucked Death

10" Out of Print

NERVE CITY: I FUCKED DEATH (KILL SHAMAN)
Floridians Nerve City have got a timeless, far-off vibe that's got a western, space vibe about it that we can't put down. The lo-fi movement seems to be back in force, and this time it's twee tendencies are totally replaced with a evil Beach Boys kind of melody and reverb. Heavily recommended.

Plaque Marks
Anxiety Driven Nervous Worship

12" $16

PLAQUE MARKS ANXIETY DRIVEN NERVOUS WORSHIP (LEARNING CURVE)
Hardcore punk with some heft from the City of Brotherly Love, on many top lists for 2017.

Plastic Harmony Band
Voyage Of The Angernaut

LP $15

PLASTIC HARMONY BAND VOYAGE OF THE ANGERNAUT

Paul Haines from Portland's/Wantage's/Tombstone's the Bugs put this record out, and it features assists from weirdo luminaries like Smegma's Mike Lastra, and "Galaxy" Glen Galloway from Trumans Water. It's some of Paul's best work, and we're huge Bugs fans around here. A must have LP for anybody who likes the Bugs, or the bent pop and punk that they do so damn well.

Power Take Off
This Is Late

Coming Soon!

POWER TAKE OFF THIS IS LATE (LEARNING CURVE)
Longtime Wantage friends from North Carolina debuting in a big, huge Kyle Spence-recorded way, and with Adam Seawhores playing Guitar. An excellent, blistering and heavy debut.

Pygmy Lush
BITTER RIVER

12" $14

PYGMY LUSH BITTER RIVER LP (ROBOTIC EMPIRE)
Northern Virginia's a rough place, a neocon stronghold with sprawling '70s-era planned developments, strip malls and errr, defence industry HQs. It's also got the Dischord house, and a few other bright spots, among them, Pygmy Lush whose progressive hardcore (ahem) is as impenetrable as it is compelling. This is what Amazon says:

"Sterling, Virginia's Pygmy Lush's debut album serves as the culmination of every influence these young men have ever had, all wrapped around each other in what essentially sounds like a seasoned band covering a solid mixtape. Bitter River's 14 songs span nearly the entire underground/independent music spectrum, ranging from tracks that sound like The Black Heart Procession to Born Against to Tom Waits to The Jesus Lizard to Bob Dylan to One-Eyed God Prophesy to Nirvana to... you get the picture, right?

The five fellows of Pygmy Lush have cut their teeth in some of Northern Virginia's most influential punk/hardcore bands of the last decade or so, including Pg.99, Majority Rule, Malady, City of Caterpillar, Crestfallen, Hissing Choir, and many more."

Pygmy Shrews
Lord Got Busted

PYGMY SHREWS LORD GOT BUSTED
Scuzzy, dystopian blasting hardcore plow from these bent Brooklynites. See also Drunkdriver, Zs, the Fugue, Little Women, Wives, etc.

Kind of like brushing your teeth with Comet.

RIYL: Black Flag

Red Fang/tweakbird
Split 7"

RED FANG/TWEAKBIRD "SPLIT 7" " (Volcom Entertainment Club)
Red Fang kick out their crackling sludger Malverde while (newcomers) Tweakbird peel off a poppy, heavy shredder of their own recorded by Dale Crover and Toshi Kasai in Los Angeles. Red Fang show that a mid-tempo rocker can be intense as all hell.

Rďż˝ttďż˝ Ja Lehtisalo
Uu Mama

CD $12

Rďż˝TTďż˝ JA LEHTISALO UU MAMA (EKTRO)
Finns from Pori tripping on their own long-winter, dark forest version of Krautrock, though pretty well with its own sense of time, space and melody. Decidedly Finnish, like a Sahti beer. Subtle, but with a noticeably present and err, good vibe.

See als Circle

Shafted By Society
Zine

Out of Print

Shafted By Society #7 (Zine)
This is Tom's (from Ass-End Offend) zine, and it's really a good read. This one features extensive tour diary-ing from the Ass-End Offend summer 2005 Euro-Smash tour that took us through Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland and the Czech Republic. Contributors included Dan Lawlor (drummer), Matt Svendsen (guitar) and yours truly (wit!). And the damn thing's got a cover screened here at the Wantage HQ basement.

Shorty
Thumb Days

SHORTY: THUMB DAYS LP (X-MIST)
When Al Johnson and Mark Shippy first kind of got on the national noise rock scene (inasmuch as such a thing is apart from whatever else goes on in the underground) from their unhip Dekalb, IL zip code, they did it in the band Shorty, before U.S. Maple was a sparkle in anybody's eye. Shorty was very much a Jesus Lizard peer in terms of the execution and vibe.

Their stock in trade was that kind of a messed up, Midwestern technical pigfuck deal with excellent players, impeccable phrasing and a solid body of work on some risk-taking underground labels like Skin Graft and Gasoline Boost. X-Mist has done the favor of re-issuing this piece of genius, and we're excited to have 'em.

Squalora
S/T

12" $12

SQUALORA "S/T" LP (Defector)
Portland's Squalora arose from the ashes of Missoula's Ass-End Offend, and play heavy/fast, political hardcore. Part Kylesa low-frequency kudgel, part Anti-Cimex crust blowout, Squalora's sound is loud and powerful. Lyrically, this deals with the frustration of living in the Bush-era, punk scene egotism, class struggle and freedom.

When Portland h/c legends Resist reformed in 2007, they requested Squalora as the opening act. This self-titled release features 9 songs, and was recorded at Portland's Smegmatone Studio by sonic wizard Mike Lastra. Vinyl released by Portland's Defector, features poster insert and beautiful embossed foil lettering.

Telemark
INFORMAT

TELEMARK: INFORMAT LP (German Import, X-Mist)

Duisburg, Germany's upholders of the church of Albini, Telemark, popped this record loose recently, and we've finally gotten our hands on copies. It's a powerful collection of krautcore, not terribly far off from what the Hot Snakes were doing, but a little more of a Macneilly/Wm. Simms style rhythm section. Still, pretty rock in its approach, but also as Teutonic as hell, and utterly well-done. We like anything X-Mist has its hands on, and this is no different.

RIYL: Jesus Lizard, Hot Snakes

Ten Volt Shock
...

CD $8

TEN VOLT SHOCK .... CD
Midwestern (germany) post-whatever-core, that's done as precisely and effeciently as you'd expect. You could set your watch to this record. This CD contains some of their earliest singles, an some rare unreleased material. All brilliant. Out on X-Mist records.

Ten Volt Shock
6 Null 3

CD $8

TEN VOLT SHOCK 6 NULL 3 CD
Freiburg, Baden Wurtenburg is a bike-riding, scenic town in Germany's south end. Ten Volt Shock are from there, and this CD is their latest work, released in the Fall of 2006. Noise rock is a pretty apt descriptor, and they play with an urgency and tautness that you don't hear in much music anymore. X-Mist release.

Ten Volt Shock
S/T

CD $8

TEN VOLT SHOCK S/T
Ten volt Shock's earliest, eponymous record. When you load it up and play it, it's done before you know it and you're sad. This record features beautiful artwork and themes similar to Oakland technology-noise bros, Replicator. One of our favorite discoveries of 2007. This is their first record, and it's solid 28 minutes of joyously clattering bass, frantic, ever-forward guitarring and vocals. On X-Mist records.

Ten Volt Shock
78 HOURS

The Bugs
Barbaric, Mystical.... Bored

TEN VOLT SHOCK 78 HOURS LP (X-MIST , GERMAN IMPORT)
This Swabian band is one of those too-low-on-the-radar sorts who have got the taughtness of Shellac, inertia of Tar, and gallop of Hot Snakes.. as well as a dose of their own cultural baggage and tinkering to improve things. It's propulsive, jaunty shit to say the least and it's getting a lot of rotation wedged between Inappropriate Tough Guy and Hammerhead here in Missoula. Honestly, a strong enough release to land near the top of my top 10 list for 2010. Noise rock from Germany.

RIYL: Shellac, Tar, Hot Snakes, mittelstand rock.

The Blind Shake/birthday Suits
Split

7" $5

THE BLIND SHAKE/BIRTHDAY SUITS 7" (LEARNING CURVE)
Minneapolis and St. Paul may be a Lutheran, Nordic and errr, you know, NPR as a America gets, but the cities have also got absolutely fertile ground for churning out some of the greatest punk bands in the country, from Yonkers, to Mould/Hart, to Run Westy Run, Hammerhead, Cows, etc. These days, the Blind Shake are the weirdos running things from our perspective. And the Birthday Suits, ex Sweet J.A.P. dudes, are right up there.

The Bugs
....the Bugs

12" $14

THE BUGS "....THE BUGS" LP (Hover Craft)
Paul's and Mike's excellent 2nd LP! Roll up everything you like about pop and punk, and subtract everthing you don't from pop-punk, and friend, you're in Bugs Country. The Bugs pull all sort of excellent, punk/country and rock and roll threads together and somehow make music that's as unique, authentic and unaffected as the very best.

RIYL: the Urinals, fun.

The Bugs
You Gotta Wait

7" Coming Soon

THE BUGS "YOU GOTTA WAIT" 7" (HOVERCRAFT)
Armin from X-Mist thinks the Bugs are heavily influenced by the Urinals. We like them because Mike, who used to roadie for Last of the Juanitas, has the most endearing and excellent singing voice in punk rock. Hell, Paul's voice aint bad either! But something about the squeaky sounds that Mike makes are just so authentic and great, and vulnerable, and that's it.The music accompanying those great vocals is minimal, trash-pop and semi-inept two-piece rock and roll! We hope "You Gotta Wait" is a tribute to Mitch Hedberg, who had that bit about winos eating grapes..

12" Coming Soon

THE BUGS BARBARIC, MYSTICAL, BORED
We can't stop talking about the Bugs. This is their long-awaited follow up to ....the Bugs, this thing has got more hits than Carl Yastrzemski. They're kind of a lo-fi, trashy pop band (ala the Urinals) whose approach to songwriting always leaves us gape-jawed.

The Frantics
Birth

LP $20

THE FRANTICS BIRTH (Lost Sounds Montana)
Saturday, April 21st 2018 is Record Store Day. It is also the day that The Frantics will be releasing their debut album, Birth, 50 years after it was recorded. Lost Sounds Montana, seeks to invite the public in on one of the best kept secrets in Montana music history by finally making this album available to listeners. Birth will be available exclusively in participating Montana Record Stores on April 21st and also at our website.
The Frantics formed in Billings in 1964. By the time of their breakup in 1970, they had performed all over the country and shared the stage with The Yardbirds (w/ Jeff Beck & Jimmy Page), The Who, Jethro Tull, Eric Burdon, Love, Alice Cooper, Richie Havens, The Rascals, The Everly Brothers, The Leaves, The McCoys and others. Members of The Frantics even took part in a jam with Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison. The Frantics recorded their debut album, Birth, in 1968, but it was never released. A record deal with producer Gabriel Mekler (Janis Joplin, Steppenwolf, Three Dog Night) came in 1969 yielding their only official release, Conception in 1970.
When the band dissolved, guitarist David Day went on to form a band in LA called Whitehorse in 1972. Frantics lead guitarist Kim Sherman briefly joined on lead guitar in 1973 but was soon replaced by Bob Deal aka Mick Mars, who would go on to fame as lead guitarist of Mďż˝tley Crďż˝e. Mick got the band name Mďż˝tley Crďż˝e from his time in Whitehorse. Whitehorse became a popular band in the LA club circuit, frequently sharing the bill with Van Halen and their show featured the first ever upside down drummer, a gimmick that was later made famous by Mďż˝tley Crďż˝e.
Jim Haas would work as a session vocalist for many years, singing the ďż˝Happy Daysďż˝ TV theme song and doing background vocals for many major artists. Most famously, he was recruited to record and arrange the the background vocals on Pink Floydďż˝s 1979 album, The Wall. He would also remain with Pink Floyd during The Wall tour of 1980-81 and again in 1990, when Roger Waters brought The Wall to Berlin. Jim passed away in 2018, one day before this album was due to arrive at his door, 50 years after heďż˝d recorded it.
Birth was made in cooperation with the surviving members of the band and was licensed by The Norman Petty Estate.

NOTES:
-First 10 orders will receive clear gold vinyl
-Records will start shipping on Monday, April 23, 2018.

The Hard-ons
Live 2005 Annandale Hotel Sydney, Australia

THE HARD-ONS LIVE 2005 ANNANDALE HOTEL, SYDNEY (Australian Import)
From the wilds (or actually, urban wilds of Sydney) of the world's most sunburned land (Australia) come the mighty Hard-Ons. Oy, dynamite. TNT, they'll win the.. err. Yes, part Kilmeister driven skuzz and part insanely-melodic-and-too-good-to-be-labeled-"pop punk" something. This LP is a very special, limited and soon-to-be gone sort of package deal. It reminds us of the fabled Big Black release that the band packaged with razor blades, blasting caps, dried human blood and etc..

It's got a just for the people who dig our band kind of feel. There are actual (real) photograph prints, some sort of err... pill, toothpicks, and it's packaged nicely in this translucent white bag. We've got a about 25 of 'em.

RIYL: We Empty Rooms Label
NOTES: Pressing limited to 525. Speckled, white with back etc. colored vinyl. Multiple versions of the jacket available.

The Lights
Wood And Wire

7" $6

EP $8

THE LIGHTS "WOOD AND WIRE" 7" (Child Star)
Our bros the Lights take simple one note songs and telepathically turn them into complex theorems about modernity, the human condition and .. well, that sounds like emasculated indie rock, and that's not what their deal is whatsoever. It's powerful, erudite rock music and we dig it. It sounds like the Fall to a lot of people, but Craig has more vocal range than Mark E. Smith.

The Lights
Wood And Wire

THE LIGHTS "WOOD AND WIRE" CD EP (Child Star)
Our bros the Lights take simple one note songs and telepathically turn them into complex theorems about modernity, the human condition and .. well, that sounds like emasculated indie rock, and that's not what their deal is whatsoever. It's powerful, erudite rock music and we dig it. It sounds like the Fall to a lot of people, but Craig has more vocal range than Mark E. Smith.

The Lights
Beautiful Bird

THE LIGHTS "BEAUTIFUL BIRD" CD (BopTart )
The album that unleashed the Lights basic rock and roll stutter onto the world, or the corners of it that payed attention. "Beautiful Bird" captures the raw outsider essence and simple, simple sounds of the band that elevated one chord songs into somehow sublime territory. The Lights get compared to a godawful pile of bands, but their sound is as thoroughly their own as it is appropriated from the Fall and Joy Division.

(tracklisting)
1. Ice Course
2. I'm a Dangerous Snake
3. Your Boyfriend Has a Pretty Machine
4. Righteous Anchor
5. Victims of the Pleasure of the Sense of Hearing
6. Confident, Never Smart
7. Feets Dont Fail Me Now
8. Hawaii
9. Trapped Like a Trap Inside a Trap
10. Train

RIYL: The Fall, Love, Velvet Underground.

The Pope
Society Of Friends

EP $6

THE POPE "SOCIETY OF FRIENDS" EP
Amaal Denguerian and Kurtisz Von Hrbek (the Pope) are men on a mission, and their "Society of Friends" EP simply continues to cover the sky with acres of heavy, thudding and lethal flak, from their bunker in their hills outside Sao Paolo. The Pope sound like a hardcore band given only the most rudimentary of tools, a bass and a few drums, who are forced to play faster, more technically, frenetic music than most hardcore groups endeavor to.

Satellite City from Los Angeles released this fine EP and we are pleased to distribute it. So buy one, you partisan, and support their secret campaign against the Shah of Kalifornistan.
RIYL: Karp, Unwound, GodheadSilo

The Pope
Ascendo Tuum

Two Year Touqe
In The Elephant Garden

THE POPE "ASCENDO TUUM" CD (PACIFIC ROCK)
While the title of this humdinger is slightly off-colour, it's music is dead-on! Pacific Rock Recordings, out of the lovely burgh of Sixpakistan, California dropped this thudding gem onto the world. For fans of godheadSilo, Lightning Bolt, Karp, Unsane, etc.

RIYL: godheadSilo, Karp, Unsane.

The Scrams
S/T 7

7" $5

THE SCRAMS S/T 7" (SELF-RELEASED)
Budget New Mexican rock and roll played loud, proud and slightly plowed! With Ex-Early Humans, Giant Haystacks, etc. etc. This punk rock has the sort of nice tone, and delivery that makes it a joy to play, play, and replay.

CD $12

TWO YEAR TOUQE "IN THE ELEPHANT GARDEN" CD
Missoula's Two Year Touqe (pronounced "too-k") play music in the vein of Heavenly and Beat Happening, similarly poppy, but topically intense, political and not strictly sappy. In the Elephant Garden is their 'sophomore' record, and far from slumping, it's a fist-pumper. Where their debut record the Midi West was a great naive record, this Elephant Garden business shows growth, more consistent song writing and more Sarah! Heartily recommended, espeically if you're repetoire includes some thoroughly melodic and cute shit from time to time. Sort of Aislers Set-like, but a little more.. Touqe. Their cover of the Ramones' My Brain is Hanging Upside Down is totally joyous and perfect.

Album notes: cover drawn by Theo Elsworth, Recorded by Doug "Volumen 2" Smith
(CDB Records/Tummy Rocky)
RIYL: Beat Happening, Tiger Trap, Aislers Set

Two Year Touqe
The Midi West

CD $10

TWO YEAR TOUQE "THE MIDI WEST" CD (CDB)
Debut record by Missoula DIY pop outfit (and Helmet Tag members) Two Year Touqe. This features ten melodic songs that you'll find yourself humming to yourself for days afterward. This record made us think of a more Canuck Polyphonic Spree, or ... maybe also a more Canadian, and more technically adept Beat Happening. Songs about kids, for kids, and with kids, though also plenty of everybody-oriented content too. Something about Paul's and Sarah's warbly, unsure yodeling always melts a heart. Good. Good. Good.

RIYL: Beat Happening. twee pop. Flying Nun label. K label....

V/a
Held Hostage Volume 2

LP $16

VARIOUS HELD HOSTAGE VOL. 2 (LEARNING CURVE)
Exclusive tracks by some of our favorites like the Blind Shake, Dreamsalon, Gay Witch Abortion, Seawhores and Power Take Off. White hot blastin' here.

V/a Top Notch! Hits From The Hive
Top Notch! Hits From The Hive

12" $14

V/A "TOP NOTCH: HITS FROM THE HIVE" (CDB) Missoula, Montana's a place generally known for the writers it exports, rather than its music. This comp is a good indicator of a shift happening! This is our first exclusive, entirely vinyl compilation! Features Volumen (Wantage), Ex-Cocaine (Siltbreeze, Not Not Fun, Killertree), Poor School (Ecstatic Peace), Johnny Apple, Chin Up Meriwether!, RazzM'Tazz, Duel, Cabinet of Natural Curiosities, the Hills Bros, Travis Sehorn and Pebble Light, Two Year Touqe, Eyes Like Candy and Riddilin Que. An excellent example of the weird-and-wonderfulness that makes Missoula what it is. Niki hand-picked the gems that make this thing up, then hand-printed the covers (which features Wally Catton's psychadelic, excellent artwork) numbered them (there are 315 copies). This thing goes from free-jazz locked-grooves, to Oneida-like space pummeling, back over to some of the New Weird America stuff and back to thoroughly sticky, excellent pop and even some thuggy psychadelia. It's hard not to listen several times in a row!

Vaz
Pink Confetti

12" $16

VAZ: PINK CONFETTI (LEARNING CURVE RECORDS)
If you follow Wantage, you know the long-running fascination and fandom we have for Vaz and Hammerhead. In particular, we're pretty sure that drummer Jeff Mooridian and guitarist Paul Erickson make some of the most prophetic, timeless rock music we've heard. Back in the mid-2000s, they were on a label that paid for this recording to happen, and subsequently sat on it because it wasn't commercially viable enough. Those words typically give us goosebumps (see also Steel Pole Bathtub's "Unlistenable" LP) and so when we heard that Learning Curve was on the case, we got really excited. Pink Confetti is an spralwing six-song 33 RPM, 12" EPm recorded in 2006 scheduled for release by Narnack label with whom the band had worked after their time with Load Records. Learning Curve leapt the chance the bring this masterpiece to life just about ten years later. Features Adam Marx from Seawhores.

Pressing limited to 300 copies.
RIYL: Vaz, Hammerhead, dystopian space rock

Vaz
DEMONSTRATIONS IN MICRONESIA

Coming Soon!

VAZ: DEMONSTRATIONS IN MICRONESIA (German Import, X-Mist)
Vaz (Apollo Liftoff and Jeff Mooridian) emerged from the shrapnel of Hammerhead, and originally based their operations from Los Angeles, California. This record hit the pavement in 2001 (released here by Load) and left many a jonesing Hammerhead fan with a hell of a fix of the unique sonics that only these midwestern u.s. weirdos can produce. Hammerhead were (and remain to be) the gold standard in noise rock, and Vaz's debut record picks up right where their epic, erm, masterwork Into the Vortex left off. These are a special run of hand-screened-covered gems.

RIYL: Hammerhead, the Cold War, paranoia, catharsis.

Vaz
Visiting Hours

VAZ VISITING HOURS (SLEEPING GIANT GLOSSALALIA)
2013 longplayer release by transcontinental genre-destroyers, Vaz. This record features deep cuts at every turn, and their excellent, progressive space-noise rock that dives deeper into the vortex they helped create. Visiting Hours featured the core lineup of Liftoff and Mooridian, and second guitarist Tyler, who secured the focus. Excellent in every way.

RIYL: Hammerhead, long walks in space, Vaz, noise rock, etc.

Vaz
Dying To Meet You

Vaz
The Lie That Matches The Furniture

VAZ DYING TO MEET YOU (X-Mist)
Vaz's 2nd record from 2004 is a grower, and by that we mean it doesn't contain the immediate hits of Demonstrations in Micronesia, but rather takes a couple of listens to soak in. That said, this is Jeff and Paul from Hammerhead. They write great songs, and are allowed to change moods, Dying to meet you is peppered with all things great, see also noise rock, Amrep, bleak, desperate high plains sounds. Here's a pretty good review that Brandon Stosuy did when it came out. This is a German pressing of the record.

Vaz
Chartreuse Bull

12" $18

VAZ CHARTREUSE BULL LP (SLEEPING GIANT GLOSSOLALIA)
The Mooridian-Erickson bi-umverate (uh, actually, they've added this second guitar shredder named Tyler in the past year or two) made a record that's just about as thoroughly watertight as you get in 2012, and released it on the radical new label with the wildest name we've heard in a while. So, it's no secret that VAZ rip in a kind of weirdo cold futuristic haunting noise rock sort of way. Their middle period records (the Lie that Matches the Furniture and Dying to Meet You) had serious moments of excellence and whole awesome songs for that matter, but lacked the cold focus of their monstrous debut, Demonstrations in Micronesia. It's clear that the roughly 12 intervening years only made this group a tighter, more fully conjoined mental colossus and this Tyler guy has brought a heap of excellent noise energy and depth to a group that wasn't exactly struggling to find either of those things. I'm willing to stake the good name of Wantage on the statement that Chartreuse Bull is a better record than Demonstrations. It runs real deep, and charges along with more robotic grunge than we've heard in about twelve years.

12" Coming Soon

VAZ THE LIE THAT MATCHES THE FURNITURE (Leaning Curve)
The challenging third record from the titans of grain-core.

Volumen
Skipper Of Reverses

CD $12

VOLUMEN: SKIPPER OF REVERSES
When Volumen release a record, it's a momentous occasion here at Wantage Acres. We love the band, eat up every freakin' thing they do, and can't get enough of 'em on the headphones and hi-fi. This new record is a lot more focused, and less frenetic, all-things-under-the-sun than past releases. It's got beautiful melodies, great hooks and crazy future pop everything. Here's what they say about it themselves:
"Skipper of Reverses was recorded at Club Shmed Studios in Missoula, Montana during 2008 and 2009. Unlike the previous 4 Volumen records, much of the material was created in the studio. The rough concept for this record was "Classic Rock from the Future". Although, perhaps more appropriately it would be "Classic Rock from an Alternate Future". This alternate future would be a place where classic rock from the seventies consisted of early Devo, XTC and Brian Eno.
Since I, Volumen-1, can say without impunity that I am an expert of all things Volumen. Believe me when I tell you that this is the best thing we've ever done. You can't argue. I've been studying us for 13 years. Seriously. Stop arguing!
Love,
Volumen-1
NOTE: The first 200 Skipper of Reverses CDs contain a bonus radio edit of Cocaine. After they are gone, this version won't be released anymore."

We Hate The Underground
CD

WE HATE THE UNDERGROUND (COMP CD) Holy Cobra Society
Excellent collection of bitching garage rock from around the world released by our pal Nacho's label, Holy Cobra Society. Worth it.

White Shit / Megafuckers
Split 12

LP Coming Soon

WHITE SHIT / MEGAFUCKERS SPLIT (LIMITED APPEAL)
Titans of music White Shit and Megafuckers offer h/c split 12" with two songs each, and Clarence Thomas on the cover artwork. Essential late 2000-teens Japanese inspired crud. For Big Business and Monorchid completists, and other scum.

Wrangler Brutes
The Tape