crypt records Archives - Vinyl From The Vault

Cheater Slicks “Skidmarks”

sfilzen — Tue, 27 May 2025 17:12:05 +0000

Cheater Slicks “Skidmarks” 1998. Crypt Records, “a collection of oddities, rarities and vintage spew.” Or, rather, a comp of Cheater Slicks early-year tracks, covers and unreleased songs. We finally saw Cheater Slicks for the first time this past weekend when they opened for Jon Spencer in Chicago. The band has been around forever, playing their version of grungy garagey punk blues since 1987. Skidmarks is heavy on the early material: the opener “Dark Night” is from an unreleased album from ’89 and also has a couple of songs from their actual ’89 debut On Your Knees (which was, according to the liner notes, recorded in one day on drummer/vocalist’s Dana Hatch’s birthday), including the noise rockers “I Won’t Last Another Day,” “On Your Knees” and “Chaos” (which was released as a single in ’91 by “a mysterious German label”). There’s a few cover songs, too, like their great rendition of 13th Floor Elevators’ “Rollercoaster,” an ass-shaking rendition of The Bell Notes’ hit “I’ve Had It” aka/renamed “I’ve Been Had” and Slick styled, and rockabilly Bill Allen’s “Please Give Me Something” that the Slicks drag through the swamp. There’s a few obscure covers, too, like “The Hunch” (originally by Mad Mike and the Maniacs — literally that band’s only song release), “Can It Be” by The Savoys (their one of two releases) and another one and done release by The Huns “Destination Lonely.” Those last two are from a Cheater Slicks performance on a WMBR radio session in ’92.

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The Chrome Cranks “Dead Cool”

sfilzen — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:24:17 +0000

The Chrome Cranks “Dead Cool” 1995. Crypt Records. Dirty, noisy garage punk blues, Dead Cool is the Chrome Cranks second LP. Chrome Cranks’ lineup included two Jon Spencer collaborators: Jerry Teel on bass (Honeymoon Killers, The Work Dogs) and Bob Bert on drums (Pussy Galore and more recently Jon Spencer’s HITMakers); Dead Cool was Bert’s first recording with the Cranks. It’s an ass-shaker of an album: raw, nasty (in the best way), swampy, a bit bat-shit crazy and, yes, dead cool. My top track is the garage-rock ripper “Desperate Friend” which had me dancing at my desk, followed closely by “Down So Low” (for the bat-shit crazy). “Bloodshot Eye” has a killer bass line hook, creepy lo-fi vocals (Peter Aaron) and a solid, relentless beat. All track on Dead Cool are originals except for the final track, a cover of the 1966 Yardbirds “Lost Woman” which keeps the bass and adds more than a little raw punk edge to the 60’s blues rocker.

Not surprisingly there isn’t a ton of live video footage of the Cranks out there, but I did find a video from ’09 which includes “Desperate Friend” about 3 minutes in:

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Oblivians “Popular Favorites”

sfilzen — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 18:17:24 +0000

Oblivians “Popular Favorites” 1996. Crypt Records. Super-scuzzy lo-fi punk blues, an album one reviewer called “”supremely filthy…it makes Jon Spencer sound like Pat Boone” (LOL – Oblivians first show was opening for Jon Spencer Blues Explosion in the 90’s). Tonight we’re heading to Cactus Club here in Milwaukee to see Oblivians’ Greg Cartwright and Jack Yarber perform with one of their other groups, The Compulsive Gamblers. They will be joined by a couple of members of Reigning Sound: Alex Greene and Graham Winchester. I think it’s going to be nuts since none of these bands have really been active for around 20-30 years (well, Oblivians has been, on again/off again and they released Desperation in 2013 and Reigning Sound played some shows here and there). “They have reactivated the band [The Compulsive Gamblers] for this run of Midwest shows with the end goal of performing in Detroit August 28th to Celebrate the life of Rachel Nagy, the former lead singer of The Detroit Cobras who passed away in January.” (from the Cactus Club event summary).

Popular Favorites is Oblivians’ second album and it’s raw, noisy, bluesy and amazing. My top tracks are the ass-shaking “Trouble,” creepy-sexy “The Leather,” “Strong Come On,” a track that puts the punky-poppy 50’/60’s Ramones sound through a wood shredder, the Cramps-esque “Drill” and the frantically freaked-out “Emergency.”

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Nine Pound Hammer “Hayseed Timebomb”

sfilzen — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 17:00:12 +0000

Nine Pound Hammer “Hayseed Timebomb” 1994. Crypt Records. High-speed cowpunk/psychobilly from Kentucky, Nine Pound Hammer’s Hayseed Timebomb was their third release and their last LP for 10 years (they broke up for awhile when guitarist Blaine Cartwright left to form Nashville Pussy). This record has been in the should-it-stay-or-should-it-go pile for awhile now so I’m finally giving it a real listen. Thankfully most of the record leans toward Motörhead-influenced heavy garage punk (a sound more fully realized with Cartwright’s Nashville Pussy) than the cow part of cowpunk on bangers like the title track “Hayseed Timebomb,” “Run Fat Boy Run,” “Devil’s Playground” and the impossibly fast “Steamroller.” I’m less fond of the hillbilly-forward songs like “Stranded Outside Tater Knob” (although that’s a great title), their reworking of the old-timey/traditional “Wreck of the Old 97″ and “Shotgun in a Chevy.” I’m not sure how often I’ll listen to Hayseed Timebomb but there’s enough good stuff on the record to keep it.

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The John Spencer Blues Explosion “Crypt Style”

sfilzen — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 21:09:50 +0000

The John Spencer Blues Explosion “Crypt Style” 1992. Crypt Records. Today, June 18th is Mr. Judah Bauer’s 50th birthday! I’ve known Judah since the 9th grade when we were at Roosevelt Junior High in Appleton, WI. Here’s some yearbook photos from the ‘85-’86 yearbook for entertainment (pictured also is our friend, Cristian, and to spread the embarrassment around, I’m including mine as well). Here’s also a photo of the three of us plus Judah’s older brother, Donovan, in 2015.

Crypt Style! and John Spencer Blues Explosion (shown below on CD, Caroline Records) both came out in ‘92, and both in April I believe. The albums are intense, heavy and experimental. There are a few cuts that made both releases, such as “Chicken Walk,” “’78 Style” and “Comeback.” Because I’m from Wisconsin, my favorite track is, of course, “40lb Block of Cheese,” mainly because I envision the writing process that went into the song involving some late night with the guys sitting around an apartment in NYC, Judah regaling Jon and Russell with tales of growing up in a smallish Wisconsin city with nothing much to do other than eat cheese (not totally wrong).

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The Devil Dogs “The Devil Dogs”

sfilzen — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 19:39:31 +0000

The Devil Dogs “The Devil Dogs” 1989. Crypt Records. Garage punk out of NYC, The Devil Dogs was the band’s first LP. It’s a mix of hard-rocking Dogs originals and covers originally by garage/punk cult masters like Billy Childish (Thee Headcoats, Thee Milkshakes, a million other bands), Jeff Conolly (DMZ, Lyres), Andy Shernoff (The Dictators) and the Ramones, plus a not at all punk or garage but definitely iconic: their cover of “Be True to Your School” by Brian Wilson/Beach Boys (The Devil Dogs made it passable but I am NOT a Beach Boys fan). Their Billy Childish/Thee Mighty Caesars cover “Suck the Dog” is pure insanity and weirdly works in the album’s flow, right after the Wilson cover. My top tracks include Devil Dog originals like “Action,” “354,″ “They’re Not Around” and “Chinatown” as well as their fairly faithful rendition of Ramones’ “Baby Sitter” (which is also perfectly placed after another cover, that of The Ronettes’ “Best Part of Breaking Up.”)

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Oblivians “Soul Food”

sfilzen — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 02:46:21 +0000

Oblivians “Soul Food” 1995. Crypt Records. Sleazy lo-fi garage punk-blues, Soul Food is the debut record from Memphis-based Oblivians. With Ramones-esque monikers (Eric Oblivian, Greg Oblivian and Jack Oblivian), the trio share guitar, drum and vocal responsibilities on the whip-fast 14 track “30-minute album of guitar chicken scratching with bent note solos, some church organ, spitting vocals, and thud-and-crash drumming. The songs are delivered like a fire-and-brimstone preacher who dabbles as Mr. Hyde on weekends, full of spirit and depravity.” (Allmusic) They cover Lightnin’ Hopkins on “Vietnam War Blues” and deconstruct the hell out of Dave Clark Five’s “Any Way You Want It,” bring the scuzz to the surf party on “Never Change” and croon about the beauty of love on “And Then I Fucked Her.” (just kidding)

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Nine Pound Hammer “The Mud, the Blood, and the Beers”

sfilzen — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 16:12:45 +0000

Nine Pound Hammer “The Mud, the Blood, and the Beers” 1988. Crypt Records. Punk meets speed metal meets a crazy cowboy, Nine Pound Hammer can be considered among the forerunners to the cowpunk/psychobilly/roots punk genre. Guitarist Blaine Cartwright formed the band with vocalist Scott Luallen and Cartwright would later form the speedpunk (with heavy nods to Motorhead) band Nashville Pussy.

“The Mud, the Blood, and the Beers” is Nine Pound Hammer’s first of six full length LP’s and roars out with Ramones-style speed punk with a hillbilly flavor on such tracks as “I Don’t Think So” and “Little Help.” Other songs like “He’s Gone” and “She’s So Cool” are more hardcore punk, punctuated with screaming feedback licks and shoutspeak lyrics. So put on yer shitkickers and prepare for whiplash-speed headbanging in a mosh pit.

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The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion “Crypt Style!”

sfilzen — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 14:46:43 +0000

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion “Crypt Style!” (Crypt Records, German release) and “The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion” (Caroline Records) 1992. I’m including both albums because they both came out in ‘92 and I purchased the CD when it was released – there was no vinyl option. That year I was a senior at UW-Madison and working at the student union, slinging magazines, newspapers and candy at the Commons Desk. I was able to read as many free magazines as I wanted and I remember that fall paging through Spin and to my shock seeing a picture of Judah Bauer, who I’ve known since high school in Appleton, WI.

That New Year’s Eve I was up in Appleton to see family and friends and went out to Jim’s Place, a bar on College Avenue. There was Judah, hanging out and having a cocktail. I told him I read the Spin article about JSBX and had purchased the CD. He told me all about the band and living in NYC and from there I was hooked as a JSBX fan forever.

Both albums are intense, heavy and experimental. There are a few cuts that made both releases, such as “Chicken Walk,” “’78 Style” and “Comeback.” Being a good Wisconsin girl, my favorite track is of course “40lb Block of Cheese,” mainly because I can imagine the writing process that went into the song (i.e. Judah regaling Jon and Russell with tales of growing up in a small Wisconsin town with nothing much to do other than eat cheese).

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