Neo Boys-s/t 7" (1980)

Portland's been producing great punk bands since day one: the Wipers, the Rats, and the Neo Boys. Produced by the Wipers' mastermind Greg Sage, and released on his label, Trap, this EP is a forgotten classic of first wave U.S. punk.

Usually overshadowed by the aforementioned bands, Neo Boys definitely did not fit in with the nascent U.S. hardcore scene of the early 1980s: i the ladies of Neo Boys offered bouncy, oblique tunes closer to what these folks were up to than, say, Minor Threat or The Nihilistics.

"Never Comes Down" opens with a spritely, echoing surf guitar line accompanied by a hyperactive rhythm section that never slips into thrash. "Give Me the Message" might be the strongest of the three tracks, though-

I really like how the guitar chord punctuates the vocals, and it has a weirdly sunny beat. " The husky, slightly sneering  quality of Kim Kincaid's voice appears most clearly on "Rich Man's Dream."

God save the Queen.... This is available as a bootleg from Bowery Records, no idea where to get an original-EBay? Peeps this for a good history of Neo Boys, and some live footage. Fuck PDX stenchcore, this is the real deal, folks!