The last Bandcamp Friday I posted about was 5 years ago, and I know it’s more of a weekly thing, but due to my difficult financial situation, I haven’t been able to do much music listening or record buying until recently. One of the few pieces of (bad?) advice I’ve decided to follow from my brother is to spend as much as I can on band merch and music. Honestly, not the best advice I could take because it would be very easy to do, considering how many years of music I need to catch up on, given the extremely difficult financial issues (scammers) that have been plaguing me. I’ve probably spilled too much tea over my issues for now, so I will get onto the music that has made this year a bit more tolerable.
Korine
It was 4 years ago when I saw Korine open for Small Black at the Independent on August 17, 2021, and shortly after I moved to San Francisco (if my Facebook record of it is correct, which it might not be). They are sort of a synth pop band, with a bit of darkness – they’d probably fit right in with the recent Substance Festival I missed due to a manic episode. Like most of the bands I will be mentioning in this post, they seem to be influenced by The Cure, as indicated by their Robert Smith cover of a.Crystal Castles song from years ago.
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It took me about 4 years to realize what a great band Korine was (as evidenced by the above video of their song “Cast” from the Night We Raise album), so when I finally decided to subscribe to their Bandcamp as a subscriber (only $10/month!), I immediately purchased their Halloween shirt after already paying full price for the last tote on their merch store. They stream on Twitch every so often, but I really only used Twitch for Outside Lands, which is silly because it is very close to my house, though also so expensive. Korine is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which I’ve never been to, but after watching almost every episode of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” that I wouldn’t mind visiting.
Pop Threat / Manhattan Love Suicides
Perhaps the only “Pop” band to make this list, they seem to be a precursor to my beloved Manhattan Love Suicides, who I was lucky enough to see live with my brother and friend Jodi at House of Shields back in 2009. An Anderson Congress fan dismissed them as a boring Jesus and Mary Chain ripoff (which is apparently the type of band I like). I recently purchased (and already received) their matchbook-style CD of the compilation More Heat! More Panic!
Pop Threat’s Bandcamp description is:
Pop Threat were a rough-around-the-edges band who burned brightly on the music scene of Leeds in the late 1990s to early 2003, when they imploded on stage at The Moles Club in Bath. Lo-fi, ultra-fuzzy pop tunes combined with off-kilter compositions and a truckload of Velvet Underground-inspired cool.
For the new and old school goths:
House of Harm
I saw House of Harm on Wednesday night at DNA Lounge, a DoTheBay claim, which I was actually a little excited about. It was a very packed house for the 2nd band, Past Self, but it cleared up a bit for House of Harm, which made it easier to both breathe and enjoy their music. They were great, solid songs throughout, and musically, a nice variety of synth and guitar-driven songs that were both danceable and memorable. My brother mentioned that they are a little Cure-like and picked up a long-sleeve shirt and CD from them, which they were all kind enough to sign after the show. For Bandcamp Friday, I ordered another long-sleeve t-shirt, since they had such a nice variety of them. They have a lot of albums to choose from, so I guess I know what my next Bandcamp Friday purchases will be.
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Past Self 
The first k-goth band I’ve ever heard, they are from Sin City (which I assume is Las Vegas), and reminded me a lot of Drab Majesty (a band that I’d already told I loved at Cloak & Dagger while Deb Demure was out of costume) musically and visually. Based on the crowd in attendance for them alone, I thought they were probably the band everyone was there to see that night. I ordered a Mystery Buejoek, which was at $10 was a bargain since it included this came with a free digital download of their single “무당 / Mudang” from their Premonitions EP:
The name of the single gave me a chuckle because it looks like it says Moo Deng, the adorable pygmy hippo that once ruled the internet for a few weeks.
Here’s a full description of this unique merch item:
The Mystery Bujeok is a sorbet yellow envelope with a Bujeok (Korean talisman) symbol written in doves blood ink on the envelope to make it look like a real talisman. Inside the envelope is a signed one of a kind Polaroid (chekis) of one of the members of past self. Which one will you get?
Traditionally the talisman brings good luck and wards evil spirits (used by Mudangs or shamans in rituals to help with their exorcism) Commonly folded into a small square and hidden somewhere where no one will see it for maximum effect. Keep the envelope. Maybe it’ll bring good luck.
Excelsis – A Dark Noel (2021 remaster)
Last, but far from the least, is this Projekt Record compilation from 1995! So much ’90s nostalgia these days, though I got more into this label during and after college, when I used to dig deep into the used CD selections of every LA and OC record store I could find. Also, I have a disturbing amount of Christmas music in my physical and digital music collection, which I have tormented my brother with during long roadtrips to his friend’s cabin:
Projekt’s 1995 Holiday compilation is the one that started it all! It’s a dark holiday classic! Spend the holidays in style this year. No more barking dogs or Perry Como for you, uh-uh! While away the frigid hours until the important day with strains of Black Tape For A Blue Girl’s crusade “Chanukkah, Oh Chanukkah,” Lycia’s darkly sensual “We Three Kings,” Love Spirals Downwards’ “Welcome Christmas” (from How the Grinch Stole Christmas), or Faith and the Muse’s pagan madrigal “A Winter Wassail.” All graced by our lovely Dark Angel prepared to brighten many a dark holiday night. Spend the season right, this year. Turn down the lights . . . it’s a dark noel!
The vinyl editions are bargain-priced at $14, which I would have gone for if I hadn’t spent so much on stuff before, during and after my birthday last month.
