I was thinking today of back when I first heard Rocket From the Crypt in the early 90s. It was the album Circa: Now! and I remember thinking after repeated listens, what am I missing here? There were a few good tunes here and there, but the whole thing seemed way over-hyped and not terribly satisfying, at least in recorded form. The live version was great fun. Ultimately Jehu wins out every time for me, with the Snakes a close second. I've also liked the latest PLOSIVS stuff, but haven't listened to it much of late.

Yank Crime was a 'heard it at the right exact time' sort of record for me. Solidified a lot of the Dischord bands' ideas but more ass-kicking, and well recorded. I was pretty obsessed with it for a while, and while those other Reis bands were pretty cool at times none of them had the same effect.

Rocket, then Jehu. Jehu has the tighter catalogue, but I reach for Rocket more often. Rocket was the better live band, too.

Hot Snakes, also very good.

Pitchfork, like the first RFTC record, sounded like a band that hadn’t figured things out yet. I don’t think anyone clamors for a Pitchfork reunion.

The later bands don’t do much for me, though Reis can still write killer riffs. They’re missing some X factor.

Jehu is tops and can't be beat but I probably listen to Hot Snakes more. Reis is easily one of my top 5 guitar players but his singing just doesn't do it for me.

Hot Snakes
Jehu
RFTC (I actually love that first record a lot, I think it was the first Reis related tape I ever bought, in some ways it's more of a stripped down version of the first Jehu record, recommended if you can't stand the horn section since it pre-dates that, and Rick does backing vocals on a handful of songs)
Sultans (2nd album especially is probably my favorite thing Reis has done where he's the lead vocalist)
PLOSIVS (feels a little too new to rate, and the only one I haven't seen live yet besides Pitchfork)
Night Marchers
Pitchfork (juvenilia, but you can definitely hear the beginning of what he'd do in DLJ)

Tuolumne wrote: Tue Feb 28, 2023 11:35 am I was thinking today of back when I first heard Rocket From the Crypt in the early 90s. It was the album Circa: Now! and I remember thinking after repeated listens, what am I missing here? There were a few good tunes here and there, but the whole thing seemed way over-hyped and not terribly satisfying, at least in recorded form. The live version was great fun. Ultimately Jehu wins out every time for me, with the Snakes a close second. I've also liked the latest PLOSIVS stuff, but haven't listened to it much of late.

It's like somebody just told be that they cannot see the color purple.

The dude is a national treasure.

Short of just fanning out, I'll offer this criticism.The Night Marchers uses the John Reis-isms to lesser effect. That first album has a few great tunes on it, but somehow a couple of times the John Reis sleazy-cool just slips into plain sleazy. "Open Your Legs" if I remember is emblematic of this. I need to revisit the second one.

I haven't spent enough time with The Sultans.

PLOSIVS is really a cool combination of flavors to me. I get the feeling that it was one of those super groups that might have imploded after an album and some shows, but please prove me wrong.

penningtron wrote: Tue Feb 28, 2023 11:43 am Yank Crime was a 'heard it at the right exact time' sort of record for me. Solidified a lot of the Dischord bands' ideas but more ass-kicking, and well recorded. I was pretty obsessed with it for a while, and while those other Reis bands were pretty cool at times none of them had the same effect.

Stellar record. I only recently figured out the album title has an anagram “CREAMY INK”, which explains the cover art.

PLOSIVS didn’t quite land with me at first but I’m due to give it another try.

Not a big fan, but while Yank Crime is my favourite Reis record I think Hot Snakes are the better band, pound for pound. I also echo the sentiments that the RFtC albums leave me totally cold - I can imagine it working well live, but I never saw it.

So from what I know:

HS
DLJ
RFtC

My ordering no one else will agree with:

1) Hot Snakes
2) RFTC

decent
Night Marchers (Allez has some riffs!)

the rest
Jehu (no hooks, sounds like generic noise rock)
Pitchfork (not bad, kinda interesting)
Sultans (yawwwwwwwwwn)
Plosivs (I fucking hate this singer so much)