Underground Communique [posted a new blog]

Music:

Member Since: 3/7/2005
Band Members: Our CDs and record covers manufactured here:

HOW TO PAY FOR THESE ITEMS
send cash, check or money orders payable to:
JUSTIN SCHWIER, not UCR
PO Box 14334
Chicago, IL 60614

All posted prices are postage paid in the US, the Buy Now links are postage paid in the US via Paypal!
Email me for international shipping prices / questions / Paypal payment / whatever at: [email protected]All UCR releases are available in No Idea's Distro Catalog
All UCR releases are available from Interpunk.com
All UCR VINYL releases are available from VinylCollective.com
NEWEST RELEASES! NEWEST RELEASES! NEWEST RELEASES! NEWEST RELEASES! NEWEST RELEASES!
UCR026 Shot Baker - Time to Panic CDEP ($5)
Just to keep these songs in print we have re-pressed the original Shot Baker demo. They still play these at every show (not every single song every show), but don't worry about buying this and then 'finding out that they stopped playing these songs years ago' type thing..these are still a vital part of the bands discography. Obviously the foundation for the bands sound. Firmly rooted in the "Chicago Sound": melodic vocals, a few whoas, chunky riffs and a driving rhythm section that simply cannot be fucked with, ala all the great bands that have emerged out of Chicago over the years, and a few that never escaped the city limits. As a demo this is fantastic, as just a EP, any established band would kill to have written songs this good.
These songs were included on the first pressing of the "Awake" album. So if your shot baker album cover doesn't have a yellow sun on the cover then you already have these songs!
Buy Time to Panic CDEP at Interpunk here!
click here to get this at No Idea Records in their Distro Catalog
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.

UCR025 Black Cross Severance Pays LP. the new Black Cross record, their second full length. More DC influences, less hardcore, more intense, angular and rocking! A true prowler of a record...darker and more mysterious sounding than ever before. The CD version has been released via Auxiliary Records, this vinyl version is a co-release with Quebec's Tuned to You Records. We're Truly-fucking-honored to be involved in this record.
If you care: ex Endpoint, By the Grace of God, Ousia, Automatic, Enkindel/the Enkindels, National Acrobat, Breather Resist & Sunspring. PLUS current members of Coliseum(Relapse Records), Young Widows(Jade Tree/Temporary Residence) & Halifax Pier!!
Cover art by the legendary Bill Widener (Laughing Hyenas' Life Of Crime & Crawl, Crain's Speed, etc...).
Sorry, only the green colored LPs are available. The pink LPs are sold out!
Buy all kinds of Black Cross stuff at Shirt Killer Distro here!
click here to get this at No Idea Records in their Distro Catalog
Buy 'Severance Pays' at Vinyl Collective here!
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.

UCR024 Angel Eyes "...and for a roof a sky full of stars" (2 song CDEP).($6)
this is described on the Aquariusrecords.org site as "like the soundtrack to a time lapse film of the end of the world." whoa. scarier than that...it's pretty fitting.
This EP is a bit under 27 minutes long. The CD comes in a hand silk screened package done by the band. These new songs are fucking brilliant...Fans of the last record will certainly not be let down and any thoughts of them not topping it will quickly be laid to rest. This record gives me chills. For fans of Spaghetti Western / Ennio Morricone movie scores mixed with Epic stoner-rock that leans more towards the hardcore side of the genre.
Buy AFARASFOS at Interpunk here!
click here to get this at No Idea Records in their Distro Catalog
click here to get this at Aquarius Records, you have to search for Angel Eyes
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.
This will be available via Aquarius.com soon.

UCR022 New Bruises Goodbye Middle Class (4 song 7"). ($5) When I was helping out with the Waiting Room venue(RIP) last year, we did a show for these guys and they were amazing. Super awesome guys and it was one of those shows where you just "click" with these complete strangers and become friends...so we kept in touch and eventually hammered out a deal to do a record together! This EP continues on with where Transmit! Transmit! left off. Bryon sings all the leads now that Eric isn't in the band anymore...but other than that it's the same dudes. We had the Record Release for this at the FEST 6 and they blew the roof off the venue they played. It was awesome, really fun, high energy anthemic punk rock. ex Mid Carson July & Eric the Red was in the Holy Mountain too. AVAILABLE ON YELLOW OR WHITE VINYL
this is also a co-release with TEAM SCIENCE!
Buy white vinyl version at Vinyl Collective here!
Buy yellow vinyl version at Vinyl Collective here!
Buy Goodbye Middle Class at Interpunk here!
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.

Shot Baker Awake ($10)
This is the second pressing of Shot Baker's debut, but with a twist: It was totally re-recorded and has all new art! The band wasn't happy with the first version so they fixed everything they wanted to fix and now have the album as they envisioned it and wanted it sound. We've removed the Time to Panic songs from the end and added a song that was supposed to be on there in the first place. So there it is. 11 Songs of Chicago Style punk rock!
click here to get this at No Idea Records in their Distro Catalog
click here to get the vinyl version at Vinyl Collective
CD & LP are available now: at Interpunk.com
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.
Awake LP: Awake CD:
UCR019 Four Star Alarm "Tilted / Cities in Dust" ($5) one sided 7"
The follow up to their debut CDEP on Thick Records. This record continues of that foundation and includes a cover of SUGAR's "Tilted" and a new song recorded at Blam Studios(in Chicago). The cover is coming out on a digital only release and the band wanted to see it released in a tangible form as well. This will be limited to 600 copies(500 on black, 100 on blue), a one time only pressing! The B side has an etched drawing. This band has members of the Bomb, Horace Pinker and now Strike Anywhere & ex the Reputation (Initial Records).
check out SUGAR albums at Rykodisc here!
click here to get this at No Idea Records in their Distro Catalog
Buy 'UCR019' at Vinyl Collective here!
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.
UCR017 Report Suspicious Activity Dreamland CDEP ($6)
Brand new 4 song blast from this East Coast group. Fronted by Vic Bondi (of Articles of Faith, Alloy, Jones Very), the band expands on the foundation laid with their supremely good s/t debut full length that came out on Alternative Tentacles late 2005. Vic and his co-conspirators(members of Jawbox, Channels & Kerosene 454) couldn't have come up with a better follow up to their debut as this! Well crafted DC-style post-punk/hardcore songs that will be stuck in your head for years to come! Oh yeah, did I forget to mention the artwork was done by John Yates?!
Click HERE for lyrics to the "Dreamland" CDEP
Download Dreamland at:
click here to get this at No Idea Records in their Distro Catalog
Buy "Dreamland" from Interpunk.com
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.
Buy "Dreamland" from Alternative Tentacles!

UCR016 My Big Beautiful Soundtrack to My Life, Volume 1 CD ($10)
The sophomore record...10 years after the first one. These guys play some insanely catchy pop-punk rock with some amazing, soaring melodic vocals. You'll love 'em, trust me. A Co-release with Fudgesickill Records! Ex members of the Bomb and the Tarts!
click here to get this at No Idea Records in their Distro Catalog
Buy "Soundtrack to My Life, Volume 1" at Interpunk.com
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.

UCR015 O Pioneers!!! Black Mambas CD / LP ($10)
The debut 11 song full length for our friends from Texas, the O Pioneers!!! They're a two piece band (guitar/vocals, drums) that I guess one quick description is a stripped down (old) Hot Water Music crossed with a Plan-It-X style band. Just know that for two guys they make a lot of fucking noise. the CD is a co-release with Team Science Records!!!!
click here to get 'Black Mambas' at No Idea Records in their Distro Catalog
Click here to download at: ..
LP: Buy "Black Mambas" at Interpunk.com
CD: Buy "Black Mambas" at Interpunk.com
Buy "Black Mambas" from LittleType.com
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.
Dave's Records at 2604 N. Clark St.
Black Mambas LP:Black Mambas CD: ..cr/pixel.gif" width="1" height="1"
UCR014 Few and the Proud Stampede LP ($8)
The debut LP from this great straight edge band(ala Judge, Slapshot or Blacklisted) from Chicago. (CD version is available through Orgainzed Crime Records)
click here to get this at No Idea Records in their Distro Catalog
Buy "Stampede" at Interpunk.com
Buy "Stampede" at Revelation Records
Buy 'Stampede' at Vinyl Collective here!
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.

UCR013 J Church / Sound on Sound [formerly Hirudin] split 7"($5)
Another split for one of my favorites J Church! This time versus a Chicago band that we like a lot called Sound on Sound who are reminiscent of Monsula with a more DC influence. once again both bands will present one new song and one cover song. Originally this wasn planned as a split with Hirudin but they broke up and immediately reformed as Sound on Sound with a second guitarist and new bassist (at this point they've sorta changed their name to Snd On Snd).
click here to get this and a bunch of other J Church Records at No Idea Records!
Buy 'UCR013' at Vinyl Collective here!
Buy UCR013 at Interpunk here!
click here to get other J Church Records at Broken Rekids!
click here to more J Church Records at Honest Don's
click here to even more J Church Records at Honey Bear Records!
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.

UCR012 x ONE WAY x x ONE WAY x LP! ($10)
Perhaps the funniest of all the joke hardcore bands ever! This 40 song debut LP is sort of their discography too. Hailing from New Jersey this is the product of a couple friends being bored on a weekend in college and creating the most ridiculous hardcore parody of all time. Songs about mocking the hardcore status quo, zombies, Al Roker and a whole bunch of other sell outs...I dare you to not enjoy this record. also, ex Thursday/Purpose + members of the Procedure and Between the Wars.
Our very first LP first pressing is on black vinyl only and is limited to 525 copies and it's going quick...so pick one up ASAP! This comes with a free copy of all the songs on CD!
Buy "xOWx" at Interpunk.com
click here to get this at No Idea Records in their Distro Catalog
Buy 'x ONE WAY x' at Vinyl Collective here!
Buy "xOWx" from LittleType.com
Buy "xOWx" at Revelation Records
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.
UCR011 Mexican Cheerleader Mexican Mystery Tour CDEP($6)
the newest batch of rock and roll jams from this Chicago four-piece. Same dudes as the last record and more straight up ROCK than ever. Eight new songs including a Kinks cover!
Download Mexican Mystery Tour at iTunes
click here to get this at No Idea Records in their Distro Catalog
Buy "Mexican Mystery Tour" from Interpunk.com
Buy "Mexican Mystery Tour" from Alternative Tentacles!
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.UCR010 - Trepan Nation Profanity in HiFi FREE
ok, so for a long long time, I've absolutely loved this band. the first time I saw them was with Avail in the summer of 1998 and they totally blew me a away. "Banish Gods from the Skies and Capitalists from the Earth"...STILL one of the most underrated albums to ever come out of Chicago. In addition to that, their only full length, the band had a few splits and a bunch of unreleased songs that I was trying to convince them to let me release in a low-run CDr fashion. In the end they decided that they didn't want to create any more garbage plastic in the world. And since I'm partially lazy and partially insanely busy, I'm just going to put up the bands own link for downloading both of their albums. The band had a lot of members who were in and/or went on to be in a lot of other bands like Charles Bronson, Copper, Los Crudos, Mushuganas & Pedestrians...for starters. This is free...if you want to paypal a donation that's cool, but not necessary.
the link is down, but i'm going to put it back up ASAP on the UCR site..stay tuned.
Influences: UCR009 Shot Baker / Vacation Bible School Vindictives tribute 7" ($5)
Two songs from each of these great Chicago punk rock bands covering some of their personal favorites from the legendary Vindictives!! Limited to 500 copies on marble-y green vinyl!
click here to get this at No Idea Records in their Distro Catalog
Buy 'UCR009' at Vinyl Collective.com
Buy It at Interpunk.com
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.

UCR008 Fourth Rotor Plain ($5)
The powerhouse sophomore, and sadly, final record from FR. This is 9 songs clocking in just over 14 minutes long. They sorta sounded like a blend of the Dicks, NoMeansNo and the Minutemen...It was truly an honor to have gotten to release this. Highly under appreciated band.
Download "Plain" at:
click here to get this at No Idea Records in their Distro Catalog
Buy "Plain" from Interpunk.com
Buy "Plain" from Alternative Tentacles!
Buy "Plain" at Revelation Records
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.

UCR007 Rollo Tomasi Work Slow Crush Foes ($5)
The debut full length from Rollo Tomasi. This was, I think, 4 years in the works and UCR was the 3rd label that was going to put it out but managed to not fold up in the middle of doing so. Musically, this record is the cumulative bastard child of Fugazi and Helmet. Some day this record will get recognized for being a truly undiscovered classic post-hardcore album.
Download Work Slow Crush Foes at: ..
click here to get this at No Idea Records in their Distro Catalog
Buy "Work Slow Crush Foes" from Interpunk.com
Buy "Work Slow Crush Foes" from Alternative Tentacles!
Buy "Work Slow Crush Foes" from LittleType.com
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.

UCR006 Angel Eyes Something to do with death. ($10)
The debut full length from Chicagoland's Angel Eyes is quite an impressive leap from their demo and in general an awe inspiring record to say the least. 3 songs, 4 tracks = 49 1/2 minutes of music. Comparable to other EPIC bands like Godspeed You Black Emperor, Neurosis and Isis, but crossed with the influence (and maybe a sample here and there) of Ennio Morricone's eerie Western film scores. They don't play very often, but when they do, their ever evolving sound leaps exponentially every time, getting denser and more expansive. Truly a sight to be seen and admired. Check them out.

Download Something to do with death. at: ..
click here to get this at No Idea Records in their Distro Catalog
Buy "Something to do with death." from LittleType.com
click here to get this at Aquarius Records, search for Angel Eyes
Buy "Something to do with death." at Revelation Records
Buy "Something to do with death." from Interpunk
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.

UCR005 Various Artists - the World I Know: a tribute to PEGBOY ($6)
A mostly Chicago band filled compilation of bands paying tribute to Pegboy, one of Chicago's unsung heroes. with: Vic Bondi(of Articles of Faith & Report Suspicious Activity), Haymarket Riot, Rollo Tomasi, Full, My Big Beautiful, Dead Town Revival, The Dutchmen, Phenoms, The Matics, Shot Baker, Blonde Alibi, Matt Skiba(of Alkaline Trio) and lots more. 24 songs total.
click here to get this at No Idea Records in their Distro Catalog
Buy "the World I Know" at Interpunk.com
Buy PEGBOY records from Touch and Go Records
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.

UCR004 J Church / Minority Blues Band limited to 500 split 7" ($5)
Who knew it would be so easy to put out a J Church split? All it takes is to email them...weird. Yeah! the Iconic pop-punk band delivers a original song and a cover(Wire) and Minority Blues Band does the same(they cover the Newtown Neurotics). J Church's songs come from their Japan only release "Seishun Zankoku Monogatari". This is the second split record these two bands have shared...the previous one was released by Snuffy Smile Records in Japan.
click here to get this and a bunch of other J Church Records at No Idea Records!
Buy 'UCR004' at Vinyl Collective.com
Buy UCR004 from LittleType.com
Buy UCR004 from Interpunk!
click here to get other J Church Records at Broken Rekids!
click here to get more J Church Record at Honest Don's
click here to get EVEN MORE J Church Records at Honey Bear Records
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.

UCR002 Haunted Life the Dust Has Settled CDEP($5)
HL is a melodic hardcore band from Chicago. They sort of drift into and out of being a band, two members have been spending time in Expired Youth, but as their run has come to a premature end, Haunted Life is allegedly getting re-activated. They have a full length out and a split EP with Make or Break on Get Outta Town & Significant/Anchorless Records, respectively. They sort of sound like a fusion of Verbal Assault, Ignite and Bane. This EP is essentially their second demo and contains two hidden tracks that were on their first demo.
click here to get this at No Idea Records in their Distro Catalog
Buy "the Dust Has Settled" at Revelation Records
Buy "the Dust Has Settled" at Interpunk.com
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.

UCR001 Mexican Cheerleader King and Kings' Hoots($10)
UCR's first release! the sophomore full length from MC. The debut with Karl on second guitar. Now, I love their first record, but this one is fucking amazing. The band sounds like a mix of 70's classic rock like T Rex or the Kinks, a hint of KISS and a touch of Boston mixed with their cumulative experience in some of Chicago's finest pop punk/punk rock bands from the 90's(Oblivion, Apocalypse Hoboken & Lynyrds Innards). Top that off with the infamous Tiger-Pirate(or Tigrate!) metallic artwork and you've got yourself as nice little package with 12 songs of blissful rock and roll with just enough of a punk rock feel that you know this isn't a record you stole from your parents collection.
Download "K&KH" from iTunes
click here to get this at No Idea Records in their Distro Catalog
Buy "K&KH" from Interpunk.com
Buy "K&KH" from LittleType.com
In Chicago? This is available at:
All 3 Reckless Records stores.

Ye olde Government Music Discography
(These are records from the old record label I used to run, I still have most of these if you'd like to order them)
GM001 Ambition Mission Discography (Out of Print) GM002 Supersleuth Live at the Fireside Bowl Buy It at Interpunk
GM003 the Killing Tree Bury Me at Make-out Creek EP(Out of Print)
GM004 Mexican Cheerleader Mexican Cheerleader Buy It at Interpunk

Upcoming ReleasesAmbition Mission DiscographyCD
One of the truly great punk rock bands from Chicago. They played a style akin to East Bay bands like Hickey, Crimpshrine or the Avengers but somehow made it all their own too. This is a REPRESSING of the very first Government Music release (my old record label). New art and lyrics!!! (pre This is My Fist, Fourth Rotor, Canadian Rifle & Chronic Seizure, among many other great bands the members have spent time in)!!
THIS WILL BE EXACTLY THE SAME AUDIO CD AS THE GOV'T MUSIC VERSION, NO BONUS TRACKS BECAUSE THIS HAD EVERYTHING THEY EVER RECORDED!the Methadones Career Objective LP.
A Chicago supergroup of sorts. The band's second album, but their first AMAZING record. This one found the band settle in with their songwriting and it's non-stop one awesome song after another. Featuring Dan Schafer(Screeching Weasel, Riverdales, Mopes, Sludgeworth, Queers, etc...), Mike Byrne(Vindictives), Pete Mittler(later of the Bomb) and Matt "Drastic" Yonker(from the Teen Idols / Bullets to Broadway)
This will include 2 songs not on the CD, but from the same session that were released on semi-obscure compilations. CD version on Thick Records
Capital Signal Corps LP
Capital Homefront LP
Where do I begin? Capital hails from Long Island, NY. I first heard about them from their bassist Duncan(whom I have gotten know from his other band Thieves and Assassins). He tells me about this band he's playing in with Tommy from Silent Majority & Blood Red. Says it's sounding like Avail and Quicksand mixed with Silent Majority. Anybody that knows me, knows that that combo makes me weak in the knees to even think about....he tells me they have a local label that's going to put out their demo, I order it, the day it‘s available. It's AMAZING. So last year it's quietly announced that they signed to Revelation. AWESOME. Always amazing to hear friends doing well on the music front. Rev record comes out, seems like FOREVER later...whoa...they topped the demo...fuckin a. One day on the Vinyl Collective message board their drummer Chris posts randomly posts, hey, anybody wanna put out my bands records on vinyl? I email him, say I'm in. We end up bullshitting on the phone for like 2 hours the first time we talk about doing this...good sign. Several more hour + long phone calls ensue, where we just talk about being record nerds and forget to actually talk about the band stuff… Now fast forward a few more months...records are at the plant. Everything is in motion. Everybody in the band is excited. I'm fucking THRILLED. So what we have is the “extreme demo” Signal Corps and the Homefront full length. Both on 12" vinyl, both will be limed to 500 copies on 2 colors. stay tuned for more details.
CD version of Homefront on Revelation Records
CD version of Signal Corps on Iron Pier Records(through RevHQ.com)the Methadones Not Economically Viable LP.
the Third Methadones album, a unique and amazing record...partially a concept record based on the movie Falling Down. They broke free a bit from the usual Ramones-core sound on this one and incorporated more of their power-pop influences that would be put on full display with the following record(their 21st Century Power Pop Riot cover song compilation, on Red Scare).
CD version on Thick Records
the Bhopal Stiffs-1985-1989 LP
Yes! One of the great Chicago punk rock bands from the 80's finally sees some re-issue magic on vinyl! This great band lasted only a few years but made some really amazing music in that time. Two members of this band, singer/guitarist Larry Damore and bassist Steve Saylors formed Pegboy not long after their break up. So if you're a fan of Pegboy, the Effigies or Naked Raygun...you'll definitely like this!!!! This will be a co release with Lengua Armada Records! This will be all studio songs from the discography on vinyl, but it will come with a copy of the CD, that has all the LP tracks plus all the bonus live songs(some of which are unreleased/never properly recorded songs.
This one is going to take a while because we're going to update the artwork from the Harmless Records version and try to include as many old flyers, set lists, etc. as possible...make it as fun and informative as possible.Olehole (pronounced oh-lay--ho-lay)
Debut full length LP from this new East Bay band. Featuring ex-members of the Ghost, Hanalei, Burial Year, Quest for Quintanaroo. Go to: www.myspace.com/pronouncedolayholay to check them out!Channels Waiting For the Next End of the World / Open EP 2xLP
Details are still being worked out on this but the plan is this will be both the full length and first EP from this Baltimore / Washington DC area band. The EP was released by Desoto and the full length Dischord, neither on vinyl...until now. Classic DC style post punk played by "some very well respected hacks of the music industry" (don't worry, that's a inside joke).
Check 'em out at: www.myspace.com/channelsthebandShot Baker Take Control LP ONLY
Sophomore full length from Chicago's finest punk rock band! Recorded by Dan Precision at Bombshelter Studios! (CD version will be released by Riot Fest Records.)!! OUT of PRINT !! OUT of PRINT !! OUT of PRINT !! OUT of PRINT !!
UCR018 - He Who Corrupts - the Discographer 2xLP
UCR003 - Shot Baker - Awake CD (version 1 w/ Time to Panic EP and old version of album before it was re-recorded)
Sounds Like: you know, they sound like that one band that had the hit song that went baby, baby, baby something....
Record Label: (we're a label, not a band)
Type of Label: Indie