AND....THIS IS BOSTON!

Second installment of the In My Eyes - Nothing to Hide Lp series! This time it's a first press of 500 on white. Which leaves me with only a Clear first press to hunt down. I love the aesthetics of this record with the crisp clean layout and gold sleeve. Hotdiggity!

THIS IS BOSTON

Revelation numero 80. In My Eyes - Nothing To Hide Lp was the bands second Lp and showed the maturity expected. Still busting out revival youth crew but doing it better than most this band kicked serious ass. Also check out how fucking good looking the dudes are,it makes me sick that a hardcore band can look like Topman models!! That gripe aside this record is awesome and reminds me of my trip to Boston back in 98 especially the intro to welcome to Boston! So yeah only 300 were pressed on blue and were only available to Euro tour punters. Anyone remember the London show with the Cro-mags and without Sweet Pete???

OUTSPOKEN - SURVIVAL EP REPRESS

So here we have a repress of the Outspoken "Survival" ep that was first issued way back in 90's when wearing new era caps meant bending the peak and also baggy shorts, pants and striped tees/sweats were all the rage! Well fast fwd to 2010 and Mr Hartsfield has reissued this rather classic 90s ep on bubble-gum pink wax. It's limited to only 77 and after having first thought I'd missed out on a copy someone posted a link to extras that were gonna be made available. I eagerly paid for the record and waited...and waited.....and waited.....and emailed....and waited.....and finally today the little fucker arrived approximately 3 months since I placed the order. Now I know New Age in the 90's had a rep for sending stuff out slowly but c'mon man it's 2010! It's not like had to wait for it to come from the pressing plant, they were already in stock!! Right, now onto the record itself...basic photocopied sleeve,nice looking wax and double sided old Walk Proud labels make this an interesting if not somewhat underwhelming reissue. As can be seen in the pics above it does say that there are only 77 copies, however I feel kinda short changed with this one as it feels like it was quickly put together at the last minute, when with a little bit of extra work it could have looked amazing, oh well just my point of view. I love Outspoken and I loved Survival when it first came out, sure it didn't invent the wheel lyrically but it was a heartfelt, sincere, powerful and a record that I will always hold in high esteem.

THE BLACKEST CURSE

This is my first Integrity buy since To Die For which I believe came out in 2003. I think the whole non buying of Integ stuff was mainly due to the amount of absolute idiots that latched on to the band and the amount of Integ rip off bands that were forming on a weekly basis. Luckily I've come to my senses now and bought this here Lp on a whim from a local record store (Beatdown Records, Newcastle). Anyway apparently 1000 were pressed on this kinda clouded clear vinyl, with 700 on white and 300 on clear red, with a total first press of 2000. I wasn't sure what I'd be getting but I admit this record is a grower and sticks to the tried and tested Integ formula. In fact this record makes me wanna bat someone in the face, its so goddamn aggressive! I think my only gripe with this release is the fact that rather than have a lyric sheet/booklet included the band have opted for a huge poster instead, which is kinda weird because the cd version does have a booklet included. Oh well small whine aside this is a top notch record. MICHAAAAA!

HANDS TIED - SELF TITLED EP

Hands Tied have reformed. I for one are happy to see one of the 90's premier youth crew revival bands back in the fold and eagerly anticipate their new ep on Livewire Records. HT are better known as Tim McMahon's first post Mouthpiece band and whereas Mouthpiece had obvious Chain/West Coast straight edge influenced jams HT are more in line with what the NY youth crew was creating. Great great record and this here version is the limited Euro tour press out of 300. I lucked out with numero 78! My one abiding HT memory was moshing it up to them at the Sheffield Corporation whilst they played a cover of Project x's Straight Edge Revenge only for me to break the strap on my highly expensive original x swatch! Luckily I was reacquainted with said watch at the end of the show and spent a bit on repair work!

DOUBLE NEGATIVE -/-

Wow is the word that springs to mind when you see the packaging on this record. DN offer stripped down dirty and nasty hardcore with influences that range from early COC and others that have been gathered by the respective band members over their 25+ years of hardcore involvement. I have to say that this is a record from a bunch of 40 year olds that pisses all over most of the current so called hardcore scene. Flawless from start to finish. Now let me get onto the whole package which includes a free mp3 download, deluxe foil-stamped covers, and obi strip. I mean come on for $12 this is an absolute steal and looks incredible. I love it when a label puts a lot of effort and funds into producing something as cool looking as this slab of vinyl, it's most definitely a labour of love on Sorry States behalf to which they should be applauded wholeheartedly. Hot pink wax which is number 213 out of 286!