Gouge Away - Only Friend

  Forming in 2013, Gouge Away are an "angular blend of sass and spitefulness" from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who are influenced by the likes of Unwound, Jesus Lizard, Nirvana, Foo Fighters & Fugazi and who previously appeared on here back in 2016 with a song from their debut album , Dies (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2016/12/gouge-away-wildflowers.html). Since then they've released the Swallow/Sweat single and are shortly about to unleash album number 2, Burnt Sugar.

  It'll be out on 28th September and you can pre order it on various formats here :  https://gougeawayfl.bandcamp.com/album/burnt-sugar

  The line up of the band features Christina Michelle (vocals), Mick Ford (guitar), Tyler Forsythe (bass) and Tommy Cantwell (drums). The new album was recorded live in one room at The Atomic Garden, without headphones, 100% analogue onto a 2" tape and then mixed manually onto a 1/4" tape. It deals with personal and social political subject matter and once it's released they plan to promote it with plenty of touring. You can get more info here :  https://www.facebook.com/gougeawayfl/

  The first single from the album deals with the topic of mental health and in particular vocalist Michelle's battle with paranoia. It's called Only Friend...

Felt things change for just one day
But now it's back to the same old ways
Failure is an ocean instead of a floor
The bed is a raft floating away from the door
Swallow salt just to taste something
Heart can't push blood that's thickening
Some say it's suffocating
Say that I'm not living

Paranoia comes knocking
She's my only friend
Paranoia is here again
She's my only friend

I let my guard down to meet someone new
Said she was disappointed
Said I fucking knew
Sometimes it's suffocating
I don't feel like I'm living
Paranoia's always lingering
She's my only friend.

Paranoia comes knocking
She's my only friend
Paranoia is here again
She's my only friend

Gouge Away - Wildflowers

  Credit where credit's due, my thanks go out to former Dr And The Crippens' bassist Wayne Elliott who throughout 2016 has been responsible for introducing me to some great music via his Pulsebeat show. Several of those songs have appeared on this blog and today I'm posting one that he played on the latest show. Yesterday he broadcast part one of a 2 part round up of his favourite records of the year and the track he ended with is the one you will find below. If you want to listen to the full show click this link : http://mixlr.com/wayne-elliott/showreel/pulsebeat-34-2016-review-part-one/

  Gouge Away are Christina, Mick, Tommy and Zack, they're from Ft Lauderdale, Florida and they formed in 2013. They play female fronted hardcore punk, they've toured with the likes of G.L.O.S.S., Touche Amore, Ceremony and Soul Glo (next April they'll be supporting Paint It Black) and back in February they released their debut album (on Eighty-Sixed Records). It's titled , Dies and you can check it out on Bandcamp.... https://gougeawayfl.bandcamp.com/album/dies

  The final track from the album, this is Wildflowers.....

We’ve got a problem. We’re stomping on each other’s heads, climbing and clawing to the top of a mountain, do we even care for claiming? We’ve got a problem. We’ve found ourselves in a ring, fighting a fight that we’re all losing and we didn’t ask for this match. We have built up internalized hate. And if we could dig to the bottom we would find that it needs uprooting. So dig. We’re running a race that no one is winning. Panting and tiring ourselves out. You’ve got to be sick of this, too. So dig. Eradicate. Eliminate Eradicate. Eliminate. It’s not a contest when we’re just fighting to exist. Resistance is stronger together. Don’t step back, don’t step aside, step up. It’s not a contest when we’re just fighting to exist. Voices are louder together. Don’t step back, don’t step aside, step up. Weeds are just plants out of place, With no need to invade if embraced.Aren’t you sick of this too? Thicker skin when we have eachother’s backs Aren’t you sick of this too? Wounds mend stronger when we heal together