Almost Invisible
Cephia’s Treat Recordings Volume 2
Cephia’s Treat
Nineteen cuts of Tampa underground hardcore, anyone? Thought so. Local label Cephia’s Treat has put together a second compilation LP, showcasing their diverse and wildly un-produced catalogue of mainly local acts spanning 1996 to present, with a couple of Texan punks added to balance things out. Kicking off with the Refused-histrionics of Salute The Curse’s “Canaveral,” Almost Invisible is so good that several of the following tracks are left bruised and bleeding by the wayside.
There are enough highlights here to keep things interesting, however. The j.f.k.’s “The People Vs. Helena Bonham Carter” is a splendid piece of hard, stuttering punk just on the verge of falling apart – which, it may be argued, it actually does. Mammals In The Water offers some splendid riot grrrl punk, while Speldt’s thrashy “Square Blocks” is 20 seconds of absolutely irresistible turbo-core. The Whore Moans, on the other hand, wins the award for best band name, as does vocalist Melove U. Longtime for best band member moniker. They’re the only melodic punk rock act represented here, and their track is great.
A few too many instrumental sketches and half-assed ideas detract from the power if not the passion of this compilation, but there is still a load of good, exciting things. Almost Invisible is definitely worth a listen for anyone interested in checking out this thriving underground hardcore scene.
Cephia’s Treat Recordings: http://www.cephiastreat.com
