"TURN IT UP" Debut 7-inch (not counting their split 7" with the Flip-Tops) from Spokane, WA's Yokohama Hooks. The Hooks stick you with their angular and medium paced punk rock stabbings, conjuring delusions of a bit poppier Lost Sounds. At least in terms of plain old pure driven intent. The two originals on this record stand firm in the grooves. These are the kind of punk rock songs that just exude a royal "f**u**ck off" to any weathering the hands of time may throw at it. The cover of Bloodstains on the flip is also a nice reference, putting this 7-inch right at the scene of the crime. Haven't heard a good retro sounding new wavey band in a while, and theYokohama Hooks definately give you a run for your money here. Pretty great single. on TIC TAC TOTALLY RECORDS
SMASHIN TRANSISTORS YOKOHAMA HOOKS "CLEVELAND FRENCH" 7inch EP Take the Vice Squad, the Avengers and the Crass singer from Penis Envy and play them all loud at the same time. Get people who are into sick stuff like old AmRep shit to play the music. Let the singer be more dramatic and evil than most things from the past 20 years. Make a recording loud and not as shitty as any of the previous things mentioned. This sounds like the feeling of accidentally stepping on a bare wire with a full 440 volts running through it. REAL PUNK ROCK! http://www.myspace.com/yokohamahooks Posted by Doctor Wayne Labels: 7inch, Florida's Dying, Washington
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND (Orlando Weekly) Lipstick Pickup, the new Orlando-based femme-punk label I mentioned a few months ago, is finally consummated. Hot off the presses is its debut release, a 7-inch by Washington State's Yokohama Hooks, and it's one sweet splash for the label.
GONER RECORDS (MEMPHIS) First of Jeanie from Jeanie & the Tits' new label focusing on all-girl (or girl singers, as in Yokohama Hooks) singles, limited to 300. Love the Hooks, too- the right kinda pissed off new wave no wave.
SEVEN TEN TWELVE The first release is a single from the punk-as-fuck Yohohama Hooks from the city of Spokane, Washington, and you can see all 75 variations of the handmade record sleeve on the Lipstick Pickup page. Follow this one closely kids.
HOOKS TOUR STORM 2008
Current mood: amorous
Category: Music
AUSTRALIA IS GOING ALRIGHT...THE SHOW ON THE GOLD COAST WAS WAY OUTTA HAND....THE COOLEST FUCKING PEOPLE EVER......JAPAN IS GOING TO BE AMAZING...ESPECIALLY IF JAMES DOESNT HAVE ANOTHER "ACCIDENT"...I THOUGHT WE WERE ALL GOING TO BE KILLED. GOOD THING HE BROUGHT PLENTY OF PANTS. AND "PANITIES"... HOPEFULLY THE "BROWN CAT" WILL STAY IN ITS BAG.....
Dusted Review: Yokohama Hooks/Flip Tops split 7" EP (Iron Goat)
Man, YOKOHAMA HOOKS. Wow. Female-led punk with some of the abrasiveness muted in favor of thick, dominant bass and angsty British-style vocals. Could have come out in the early '80s and you'd love it now. Young, desperate, shattered vibes reminiscent of Fatal Microbes run up against punk to the abilities of those in it to build rather than follow. Flip Tops give up two of their own, really wild and spirited power-garage-pop numbers in the reckless yet tuneful fashion of the Exploding Hearts or FM Knives. Great efforts from both sides of this split - a must-own for fans of better music.
Yes! The Flip Tops are BACK! In my book, this Portland fivesome is the single most underrated band making punk music today (and without a doubt, one of the very best). We have not heard from the Flip Tops in a number of years - and the long hiatus has been deeply felt in my home. Since Joel and the gang have returned to my turntable, I've noticed many a change around me: the air outside is cleaner, the girls on the street are prettier, even my beer tastes better. And all it took was a mere two songs off a split - Imagine what might happen when a full EP hits the streets!
The triumphant return of the Flip Tops shares space with the (I think) debut of Spokane, Washington's Yokohama Hooks. Either the singer is a genuine Brit, or she does an uncanny imitation of the circa-1980 UK art school femme-punk aesthetic. Full of busy bass lines and angular guitar work, the group's music is just punky enough to not be called "new wave". Of the two tracks, I like "Panic" a little better, if only because the vocals on that one are less "nails on chalkboard". But both songs are genuinely captivating, and I'm intrigued by what this band is doing. The post-punk scene, bordering on stagnant, has received a refreshing jolt from Yokohama Hooks.
The Flip Tops' side is no disappointment. We waited so long to hear some new music from these guys, and did they ever come strong! "Sick Dirty Mind" and "Medication" are both A-level tracks, as tuneful and aggressive as you hoped they would be. This is classic Flip Tops all the way: simple high-energy stuff blurring the lines between rockin' '70s punk and blistering garage-punk. The two-guitar attack is firing on all cylinders, Joel sings with his usual gusto, and the tunes are packed with hooks. For sure, the Flip Tops have to rank up there with the Marked Men, Clorox Girls, et al when it comes to the very best of today's catchy punk rock. Bring on the Plastic Idol 7"!
It's 2007, not 2001. No one really cares much about garage punk now except some of the Euros. And yeh, a lot of it is just mediocre genre rehash. Been there and definitely heard that. It's all been done to death and most of it is pretty boring and unimaginative. But y'know I still have a soft spot for straight-forward, hooky punk with a rough edge.
So the Flip Tops are back after a pretty long hiatus. Some might remember some of the singles and some might remember their somewhat maligned LP on Rip Off, which was actually an alright record for the most part. Anyways...this split got them doing one fast '70s punker "Sick Dirty Mind" and one slower tune "Medication". Both are definitely competent tunes that won't set yer world on fire but might get yer toes tappin' a bit. And Joel is still one of the better punk singers out there.
Now the Yokohama Hooks kick in with some dancey aggressive post punk. Think Lilliput, Kleenex, but a little more punk. A more dancey, neurotic Ashley Von Hurter and the Haters perhaps. I liked the first song "Panic" quite a bit, but I'm kinda on the fence with the second song. I think the vox kinda ruin it a bit for me, plus the music ain't as sharp as the first track. What I heard from that definitely has me interested to check out what else they can do.
I had thought the Flip Tops were defunct along with the other 95% of the Rip Off roster, but here they are with some new vinyl. I didn't mind their LP so much, but they were a band I thought sat better with the listener in small doses. Their high energy garage trash was fun for a couple songs but became redundant over the course of a full length. And they prove my theory correct here, with "Sick Dirty Mind" blasting the doors right off the garage and then simmering to a mid-tempo on "Medication". Good enough that I spun the first tune a couple times before I flipped it in a pique of Rip Off nostalgia. You could do a lot worse frontman-wise than Joel Jett. He has the pipes to get a tune over by himself if need be and was certainly created of the mold that is perfect for this type of punk fuck. And I'm glad to see him doing this stuff instead of The Minds. Yokohama Hooks are a real surprise here. I was expecting your run-of-the-mill girl-garage, but what I got was some Au Pairs-esque minimal post-punking. "Panic" and "James Yer Out" are both solid tunes, sharp guitar lines and driving bass/drum martial rhythm with some well done vocals from a girl with a faux-accent that matches up really well. Well worth hearing. Final verdict = well, I guess if you've heard a few Flip Tops tunes you've heard them all. But the Yokohama Hooks make this thing worth checking out. They have a single of their own coming up on Tic-Tac-Totally that I would buy based on this outing. (RK)
amorous
