Songs About Chocolate & Girls Part 63

I turned 50 last Thursday and it does feel weird to be on this planet for half a century. I’ve finally embraced my Weird Alone Guy existence in the last couple of year after decades of living a life I figured would eventually make me happy or at least content. It never did. If relationships don’t work for me, why have one? If I never wanted a house, why buy one? Being a parent frightens me, so why bring a child into this world only fill us both with dread, anxiety, and terrible parenting?

I always feel just a tiny step to the left of reality because I spend very little time in the here and now. Hell, even this Substack is about bands from 30+ years ago. I mainly watch old tv shows, read books about the past, and read old comics. Not always, but I’d say it’s over 80% of the time. However, everytime I try to be present my brain goes into overtime and starts to think about everything.

I just want people to know the #1 punk thing anyone can do is live your life the way you want it to and you don’t have to cave to peer, parent, or societal pressure. It does take a lot of self examination to find what you truly want and you know what? Even that doesn’t need to be set in stone. People change, you change, but just make sure the changes make you a better person in the long run.

Bands covered: Dance Hall Crashers, Dancing French Liberals of ‘48, Dandruff!, Darkbuster and the Darlings.

There are 10 reviews this time.

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Dance Hall Crashers Lockjaw

The story is that Matt and Tim from Operation Ivy formed DHC but quickly left but the band soldiered on without them eventually landing a deal with (510) Records, a subsidiary of MCA Records. Lockjaw is 14 tracks of hornless ska pop-punk with dual overlapping  female vocals which has always been the most attractive thing about this band that sets them apart of the deluge of ska punk bands in the late 90’s. ((510) Records, 1995) Spotify

Dance Hall Crashers The Old Record (1989-1992)

This compilation compiles the band’s self-titled album from 1990 as well as some other tracks. 18 songs of peppy ska with those distinctive dual female vocals. (Honest Don’s, 1996) Spotify

Dance Hall Crashers Honey, I’m Homely!

More rock oriented than the last album and super long ((510 Records, 1997) Spotify

Dance Hall Crashers Blue Plate Special

6-song EP with some new songs, a remix and an acoustic version of “Shelley”. It’s also a CD-ROM which includes four videos from the band. ((510 Records, 1998) Spotify

Dance Hall Crashers Purr

Back to indies by signing with Fat Mike’s Pink & Black Records, Purr is a 12-track rocker with a stellar production. Still not a punk as Lockjaw but not as rocking Homely, Purr sits nicely in between. (Pink & Black Records, 1999) Spotify

Dancing French Liberals of ’48 Powerline

Featuring the remaining members of the Gits after Mia Zapata’s murder, the Dancing French Liberals of ’48 play rocking garage-y pop-punk that if played this and asked me to guess where they were from, I would say Seattle. They do sound like they are from Seattle, but not that Seattle. Joan Jett sings back ups on “In A Past Life”. (Broken Rekids/Revenge Records, 1995) Not currently streaming

Dandruff! Fourfifteen-E

Dutch band that plays high energy pop-punk not unlike Snuff mixed with late period Hüsker Dü. It’s a great sound but the album is way overlong. (Top Hole Records, 1993) Spotify

Dandruff! SixEQUJfive

The follow up leans closer to Stuff, still good, but also still too long. (Windmill Records, 1997) Bandcamp

Darkbuster 22 Songs That You’ll Never Want to Hear Again!

Yup, this Boston band does have 22 songs on here, but a lot of them I’d like to hear again. Darkbuster play extremely fast O! punk with horns and a definite silly edge to them. The cover “Suspicious Minds” by Elvis and The Steve Miller Band’s hit “Space Cowboy”. (Dumb Trumpeter Records, 1999) Spotify

The Darlings Wet Dreams & Teen Machines

Decent yet simple garage pop-punk with a female singer. (BOMP! 1998) YouTube

Until next time,