Citric Dummies “I’m Gonna Punch Larry Bird”
Today, over the course of five songs, we are going to be taking a trip from the Twin Cities all the way down to New Orleans. Isn’t that the crust migrational pattern? A lot of I-94 and I-55… I’m clearly losing my mind… Citric Dummies are a rugged joke punk band from Minneapolis. If you need proof, their new record is called Zen And The Arcade Of Beating Your Ass. Pretty good.
Chicken P x Black Aladdin “Whole Brick”
Now we head to Milwaukee, a five- or six-hour drive that I’ve done many times. I mean, I’ve never done the actual driving, but I have been in the passenger’s seat, giving out poor MapQuest directions. Chicken P is in energetic form here, and Black Aladdin quotes OJ Da Juiceman.
Graham Hunt “Tashmere Anthill”
We are going to have to stay in Wisconsin for a minute, because Graham Hunt has a new song out. It’s the followup to his perfect single, “Emergency Contact.” There’s a lot of kids out there fucking with breakbeats, trying to grab at half a hook in a xanned-out stupor. And that can be good—I’m definitely not power pop pop-pop—but, my guy Graham? He can write a chorus and a bridge. That can be good, too.
Duke Deuce “Shake Yo Dreads Freestyle”
This has to be one of the dumber conceptual gambits I’ve done on the blog. Anyway: Time to drive down to Memphis via a stop in St. Louis. The current king of crunk throws some guitar-smashing bars over one of the many classic songs Sexyy Red has released in 2023. “I don’t need no motherfucking dreads/Just to bang my head.” Crunk: Not dead.
Finally, we enter New Orleans, the crust punk Disneyland. Here is a bounce tune from earlier in the year that flips “Makin’ Love” by Dondria before entering into full vicious minimal mode. Later on, for some reason, the track samples the Fairly Odd Parents theme song. RIP to the legendary DJ Black N Mild. If Treety’s performance on this song is any indication, it seems as if his archive is being put to good use.
MIX OF THE WEEK: “NTS Surf Gang Radio Ep. 4 w/ EvilGiane”
I guess we gotta hop on a cheap JetBlue flight and hope it doesn’t get canceled because we are headed to New York, New York. One of the best rap producers in the city gives us a varied mix: the hard, the hazy, and the combination of the hard and the hazy. It’s a been a wonderful trip, but now it is time for us to get on the bus and head to our new forever home, Boston.