released November 16, 2018

Neighborhood Brats
Claw Marks

Recorded at Station House studio in sunny Los Angeles, California
Engineered by Mark Rains
Tracks 1-3, 5-11 produced by George Rager
“Night Shift” produced by George Rager and Mark Rains
Mastered by Dan Randall at Mammoth Sound
Inspired by Darkness
Design & layout: Andy Instigate
Insert collage: Jenny Angelillo

Neighborhood Brats:
Jenny Angelillo - vocals
George Rager - guitar/vocals

Additional Personnel:
Mike Shelbourn - drums on ƒ
Gabe Katz - drums on †, auxiliary percussion
Tony Teixeira - bass

“Night Shift” piano by Brian Whelan
“Down 3rd” organ by George Rager
George Rager guitar tech: Larry Melero

Thanks:
Michl Krenner, Gordon Dufresne, Kirk Podell, Jasmine Watson, Richie Cardenas, Tommy Branch, Dan Graziano, Luke Swarm, Samantha Gladu, Zachary Brooks, Fab, DiDi, Andreas Dahlström (x2), Paul D’Elia, Chris Brief + FlatLand Screen Printing, Malmö Hardcore, K-town maniacs, Ethan & Lauren Shapiro, Rough Kids, Patrick, Christy & Hollis Costello, Dillinger Four, Maniac, LA Rhythm, Artie Phillie, Doug Burns + Red Dons, Franz, Jan in Berlin, Jan in Münster, Flo, Lexis Afifi, Jonnycat, Renee & Mark Rainey, Josh Nickel, Kenny Kenny Oh Oh, John Coyle, Dominic Prime, Christopher Rager, Brian Gorsegner + Night Birds, Julie Woolie, Bobby Egger, Melissa Mazula, Martin Sorrondeguy, John Briglio, Vince Briglio, Susanne Favella, Nick Aguilar, Dennis in Frankfurt, Martin in Brno, Austrian Georg, Jakub in Bratislava, Miso Ljuboje, Jon Lindquist, Erik Fettes, Erik Rieth, the Baron, Paul Gonzalez, Die Group, Danielle Spires, Modern Action Records, Haug, Marcel, Ken Cheppaikode, Camylle & Matt Reynolds, Christopher Ellner (heyyyy, buddy), Liz Ireland, Mike Boo, Dooley, Chelsea Kenrick, Matt Garcia, Murph, Andy Clover, Radu, Fred @ Thrillhouse, Teen Wolf Records in Helsinki, Joe Smith, Remnants, Scurvy, Grumpy Mike, Tommy Ghiorso, Miles Claibourn, Brad Logan, Ty Stranglehold, Daniel in Hamburg, Designated Dale, OWTH, Louie Hamlet, Lindsay Shutt, Neeson, Kristine Boyd, Bill Kowalcic, Mike & Ayn Dunn, Tony Erba, Alex Balmer + FYPM, Todd C, Jess Threat, Steph MacDougall, Stephanie Mendez, Andrea Shettler, Zero Guys, Tim Gonzo and the Bird in Hamburg, Ronflict & Beth, Johnny Witmer + the Stitches, Dean and the Reno crew, Mike Cheese, Greg Wilkinson, Andrew Schubert, Taiga + Criminal Code, Kid Kevin, Vanessa Dandurand, Ramrod, Clark + Mario, Danny Lou, Lenin, Patricia Elmqvist, Chef Kevin at Zoro in Leipzig, Chase Corum, Jenny Lipham Gebhart, Aimee Nevins, Mike Champagne, Luca, Laura Laurelei (we wish we could afford you)

Extra thanks to all the fellow punks, squats, youth centers and house projects that put us up and make us rad food. Punk rock is real!

This record is dedicated to Namella Kim.

Dear Angelo
(Rager/Angelillo)
When I’m with you
I wanna stay
But I can’t see you
when I’m that way

You build a wall
So I break it down
But being cold
Just ain’t your style

Oh, dear Angelo x2
Where have you gone?
It’s been so long

What you try to hold
You never get to know
And there’s claw marks in
Everything you try to let go
(stop letting go!)

I told you lies
So you would stay
I’ll do my own thing
Anyway

Dumpster Values (For Lindsay)
(Rager)
Don’t need a reason to reset
I got nothing to say
Not seeking validation
Don’t get in my way

You’re holding back from moving on
What’s done is done
Learn to forget
Learn to carry on

There’s no direct path
Only hang-ups in the past
And there’s no shame
Only those who wish you pain

And it hits you like a train
You can’t go back and do it again
Once your love is gone
Learn to carry on

Don’t live a life of regrets
Just get up and go
Pressure, anxiety
When confidence is low

Late Stage Capitalism
(Rager)
Constant crisis, no control
Wall of lies, take their toll
Post-information age
We’re playing out the final stage

He could get away with murder
And he wouldn’t go to jail
Shoot somebody in the street
All is not well
In the USA!

Massive profits rob us blind
Buy-in, or get left behind
Losing our humanity
Discount bargain casualty

It’s time to checkout
We’re being left out


Night Shift
(Rager)
Six pack rider, pull and all-nighter
Two-bit biter, wannabe fighter

Winners in the mix
Pleading to get in
Nonstop nonsense
Outspoken outrage

We’re on the night shift x4

Preset attire
Looking pretty tired
Un-admired
Feeling pretty wired

Posturing
With no ways left to win
Waiting for your let downs
To begin

Comfort Women
(Rager/Angelillo)
When you talk, you say “I’m sorry”
You make me feel like I’m a burden
All of the time

A comfort woman
To make you feel alright
I’m not the one, I’m not the one
When she is not around
I’m not the one, I’m not the one

Suffering in silent bondage
That don’t change the way
You treat me
When we are alone

A comfort woman
To make you feel alright
I’m not the one, I’m not the one
Fights the war at home
I’m not the one, I’m not the one

Misery Parade
(Rager/Angelillo)
Free from all suffering and vice
I tackle this demon tonight
Knife fight with my pain

Me and fear will meet
On my side of the street
Bottles & chains, broken remains
Marching in that misery

I’ll take a lead pipe to my memories
Cuz even down looks up to me
Battle wounds, never in vein

You may tell me it’s too late
I run a train on the hand of fate
Relics of a lifetime ago

Searcher
(Rager/Angelillo)
Mistakes and lies
This house on fire
Product of time

Fight/flight x4

Secrets of a time
Decay our life
A family decides

Searching… to find a way
Numb the hurt, kill the pain x2

Wounds may heal
These scars remain
Clinging to this pain

One Way Friends
(Rager/Angelillo)
Always take, never give back
One way street to be your friend
Oh yeah, oh yeah
Me, me, me, all the time
Nothing stable, nothing fine
Oh yeah, oh yeah
Oh yeah, oh yeah

One way friends, they let you down
I don’t exist, when you’re around
Always need help, always in a jam
One way friends - they don’t get it!
They don’t get it

It’s all about you and your needs
You’re filled with pain and selfish greed
Oh yeah, oh yeah
Why are you always broke?
BUT there’s cash for booze and coke
Oh yeah, oh yeah
Oh yeah, oh yeah

One way friends, they let you down
I don’t exist, when you’re around
Always need help, always in a jam
One way friends - they don’t get it!
They don’t get it

Nina’s Ghost
(Rager/Angelillo)
In my mind I hear her words
She won’t go away
Paying for mistakes I never made
Her words are telling me
It’s not my heart to hold
She sleeps between us every night
(watching)

She walks the floor of the home I tried to make
(for us)
I can’t compete; her heart is full of hate
Her pain is mine, she haunts the one I try to hold
She has me in defeat

Hiding in plain sight
Your thoughts become my words
No control, no movements of my own
Security for your soul
The memories you hold
Disloyalty, you fear the most

Watching/waiting x2

Security for your soul x2

Down 3rd
(Rager)
Ashes are falling down
There’s a fire in the Anaheim hills
Another banner day in the Golden State
As I plot escape, a cheap getaway

Nights filled with artificial light
LA knocks stars outta the sky
Another trip around the sun
SoCal suburb, never feel home

Cuz boring people are hateful in their words
In conversations I’ve already heard
So I took a long walk down 3rd

Tragedy and heartache
Retreat to the city I love
With friends around, anesthetized
It kept me sane, it gave me home

Packed up light for a quick overnight
It’s a life that I haven’t outgrown
When the cold Bay air hits my face
I never regret my time alone

Cuz boring people are hateful in their words
In conversations I’ve already heard
So I took a long walk down 3rd

Touching the Void (Final thoughts)
(Rager/Angelillo)
Voices of the past
Haunt me to this day
Fading in and out
Cascading doubt

Disappearing notions
A disappointed soul
Self-defeating self destruction
Wall of hate

Dance with me
Bones, blood & teeth
Dance with me
Into the void

Justified reactions
Rage without a cause
Blocking out the lie
I’m blacking out

Notions of happiness
Lead us to dispair
Chasms of emptiness
To fix what is not there

Dance with me
Bones, blood & teeth
Dance with me
Into the void