by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
It’s been three decades in the making but Skin Graft Records’ 150th release is upon us. There’s been a lot of left field thought provoking noise, punk, and avant-garde along the way, with a stellar catalog that includes records from Melt-Banana, U.S. Maple, Pre, Dazzling Killmen, Doomsday Student, and a never ending scourge of boundary pushers within the ranks. The label’s most recent new music came via a full length split between Psychic Graveyard and USA Nails, an early favorite of ours so far this year, but in celebration of 150, Skin Graft is set to release, Sounds To Make You Shudder, a Halloween compilation featuring Skin Graft artists past, present, and future. Speaking about the record, Skin Graft founder Mark Fischer shared:
"The album initially came about in reaction to the long turnaround times at the vinyl pressing plants. Bands finally have an opportunity to tour and play live, but now there's no guarantee their album will be out by the time they get in the van. A decision was made to go CD / Tape / Digital and get it turned around fast. Most of the songs were recorded within the last two months. It was amazing to hammer it together and watch it take shape. At the start of the summer I’d have never imagined that we’d have David Yow and Yowie collaborating on a SKiN GRAFT Halloween album.”
Due out October 21st, the record features contributions from Jim O’Rourke, Psychic Graveyard (remixed by Osees’ John Dwyer), The Flying Luttenbachers, Yowie + David Yow, Shatter on Impact, Upright Forms, and of course, USA Nails.
The past eight years have seen USA Nails become one of the most dependable noise rock bands in the world, adapting punk and krautrock influences for their own discordant fury. The UK based quartet’s songs are muscular and raw, but rarely do they sound unhinged. They’re giving us front row seats to observe the devolution toward apocalyptic dystopia, and offering a tide of mangled tension as the soundtrack. “Horror Show” is the band’s contribution to Sounds To Make You Shudder, a song quite literally about the terrors of the world around us. It’s blunt and visceral, with lyrical repetition that’s offset by an impressive clamoring of manipulated guitars, buzzing in and out of focus, peeling our senses back only to overload and disorient reality to its breaking point. The rug has been pulled out and we are all now living in USA Nails’ extended dissonance.
Many of the collection’s bands will be touring this Fall. Check out dates below.
USA NAILS
OCT 24 Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary (w/ Child Bite)
OCT 25 Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle (w/ Child Bite, Work Party & Imelda Marcos)
OCT 26 St. Louis, MO @ Red Flag (w/ Terms & Child Bite) - HALLOWEEN RECORD RELEASE SHOW
OCT 27 Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar (w/ Child Bite, Almanac Man & Abandoncy
OCT 28 Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves - NO COAST MUSIC FEST
NOV 05 Bradford @ Kirkgate Centre
NOV 18 London @Paper Dress Vintage
NOV 19 Paris @ Cirque Electrique
DEC 03 Bristol @ Crofters Rights
TERMS
OCT 26 St. Louis, MO @ Red Flag w/ USA Nails & Child Bite - HALLOWEEN RECORD RELEASE SHOW
OCT 27 Kansas City, MO @ 7th Heaven (Early Show!)
OCT 28 Tulsa, OK @ SoundPony (w/ Plastic Psalms)
OCT 29 Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves - NO COAST MUSIC FEST
CUNTROACHES
OCT 27 Prag - HALLOWEEN RECORD RELEASE SHOW
OCT 27 Vienna - HALLOWEEN RECORD RELEASE SHOW
OCT 27 Brno - HALLOWEEN RECORD RELEASE SHOW
OCT 27 Dresden - HALLOWEEN RECORD RELEASE SHOW
OCT 27 Berlin - HALLOWEEN RECORD RELEASE SHOW
UPRIGHT FORMS
OCT 22 St. Paul, MN @ The White Squirrel (w/ Vaz, 1055) - HALLOWEEN RECORD RELEASE SHOW
TIJUANA HERCULES
SEP 22 Chicago @ Lizard’s Liquid Lounge
SEP 24 Berwyn, Il @ Outta Space
OCT 01 Chicago @ Lincoln Square Apple Fest
OCT 02 Kenosha, Wi @ Zombie Ride 22
SHATTER ON IMPACT
OCT 27 Oneonta, NY @ The B-Side Ballroom - HALLOWEEN RECORD RELEASE SHOW
THE FLYING LUTTENBCHERS
NOV 1-3 Midwest tour dates TBA
NOV 04 IMOO Fest, Ottawa
NOV 5-7 Midwest tour dates TBA
PSYCHIC GRAVEYARD (San Diego / Providence)
OCT 19 Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair (w/ Melt-Banana)
OCT 20 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church (w/ Melt-Banana)
OCT 21 Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus (w/ Chat Pile) Sold Out
OCT 22 Baltimore, MD @ Soundstage (w/ Melt-Banana)
OCT 23 Richmond, VA @ The Camel(w/ Melt-Banana)
OCT 24 Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus (w/ Chat Pile) Sold Out
OCT 28 Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves – NO COAST MUSIC FEST
NOV 08 Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom (w/ Melt-Banana)
NOV 09 Tucson, AZ @ The Rock (w/ Melt-Banana)
NOV 10 West Hollywood, CA @ The Roxy(w/ Melt-Banana)
NOV 11 San Diego, CA @ Casbah (w/ Melt-Banana)
NOV 12 Long Beach, CA @ Alex's Bar
NOV 13 Palmdale, CA @ Transplants Brewery