The hardcore insurgency of the early 1980s created a wealth of punk rock bands who came and went with very little notice, leaving behind one or two super-rare artifacts that are eagerly awaiting rediscovery. One such band is New York’s Ism, who became a well-regarded live act but who came and went with a handful of impossible-to-find singles and one album, A Diet For The Worms, which has now been reissued by Ship To Shore Phonograph Co. Their act was unique as they were one of the few (if not only) hardcore bands to prominently feature piano. Frontman Jism may have been singing punk-rock anthems, but he was a superb poet and pianist, and their music fits nicely beside records by the Big Boys. “Life Ain’t No Bowl of Brady Bunch” is a standout, with the piano blending quite nicely with the anthemic punk rock melody.
A Diet For The Worms is available now via Ship To Shore Phonograph Co.
The Recoup 
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