American Wonderland

Around 1990, I was starting to get into Hardcore and I bought a 'zine called No Answers...issue number nine with the Judge interview. This 'zine was basically my introduction to Hardcore, and I ate up everything that Kent McClard wrote. I read and re-read each interview and record review over and over again. I was introduced to so many bands, and soon I was placing monthly record orders with Kent's distro. The doors had been opened, and I realized that there was more to Hardcore outside of Slapshot and Sick Of It All, and I devoured everything I could. In issue number 8 of No Answers, the American Standard album, Wonderland, received a positive review, and because of that, I needed to get my hands on a copy. I can't remember where I got it, but soon after seeing that review, I bought the CD.

While I loved the Wonderland LP, with all the new music that I had collected over the years, it kind of got buried and forgotten. Thanks to the Bad Trip 7 inch that I acquired recently, I was going through the 1989 playlist on my ipod to see what other great records were released that year...records that didn't necessarily fit the Hardcore mold...and I stumbled upon the album from American Standard. I fell in love with it again, and after giving it repeat listens, I decided to try and find a vinyl copy. A quick search of ebay revealed a copy with zero bids, and since I was the only one interested in it, I scored it for cheap.

Released on Power House Records, the label only had one other release...the Blood Days LP from Unity. It's a small, but pretty solid roster for a label.