Almost exactly a year and a half ago to the day, yours truly had the honor of interviewing Frank Bach, frontman of self-described “zen hardcore” band Monk. Over the course of our enlightening conversation, the vocalist described his group’s unique take on hardcore, which everyone who is reading this article knows is experiencing a new golden age.
During the interview, Bach said, “I basically dropped out of hardcore music for about 10 years and then got back into it. I was too busy working, getting my career in place. It’s uncool (in) hardcore (to drop) out and focus on your career, like I did. I went to school and got myself a big-boy adult job. And now I’m ready to rock again.”
Indeed he has, and Monk slipped out two new cover songs (Stop and Think’s “Without Words” and “Get Lost”) a few weeks ago. (Pick them up on Monk’s Bandcamp page.)
As you’ve probably noticed, we’re on a bit of a tear with top 10 lists these days, as a way to combat or at least respond to Spotify, algorithms, AI and the other tech dictating what we should listen to. We’re not exactly the Huey Long of the internet, but The Bad Penny ardently believes that musicians (and, yes, rock critics who know their shit) are in a far better position to recommend the highest quality music to those of you who have graciously devoted your time to reading this website.
To that end, we present to you a list of the top 10 most essential hardcore records according to Bach, who is an undisputed authority on the genre.
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Here’s the list from Bach, with a few introductory words from the fine gentlemen himself:
“We just dropped a couple of covers from one of our favorite straight-edge bands from the early 2000s, Stop and Think, and wanted to do a breakdown of our favorite XXX records. So here it is! No EP vs. LP vs. demo hierarchy … just records that are essential to understanding straight-edge hardcore that hold up musically from front to back.”
1. Minor Threat’s Out of Step
The blueprint. It’s impossible to talk about straight-edge hardcore without starting here. Out of Step is the record where the philosophy, attitude and music feel completely inseparable. The lore of Ian MacKaye drinking wine in Italy, and later on sorta dismissing the straight-edge movement as “not really what I meant” is funny to me. This record has taken on a life of its own.
2. Carry On’s A Life Less Plagued
Early-2000s California hardcore at full throttle. This record dropped like a bomb. Relentless, emotional and aggressive – but with an incredible sense of melody underneath it. One of the records that best represents the intensity of that era, and I’m so glad they’re playing shows again.
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