Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The Drama of Alienation

Prior to Lance Hahn's death in 2007, J Church were very busy in the punk scene. Releasing numerous amounts of albums and EPs, appearing on comps, J Church really made a name for themselves. Sadly, Lance Hahn passed away in 2007, but, through his love of music, we have J Church, as well as previous bands, like Cringer. The Drama of Alienation was released in 1996, on Honest Don's. The album is twelve tracks of catchy pop punk, with all but one track under three minutes.

The album opens with "A Simple Gesture", a two-minute pop punk blast that really sets up what the album is to follow. Lance has a very distinct voice that shines over the album, and Gardner's bass is mixed in well. The next song, "Smell it Rot" is a very poppy song, making a more memorable one on the album. The only song over three (it's actually over four), "Santa Cruz", reminds me a lot of Lagwagon. It's a lot slower than the rest of album. It abandons the catchy pop punk on the other eleven tracks, instead focusing on the words and the actual instrument work.

Aside from "Santa Cruz", the entirety of Drama is really catchy pop punk, but, the lyrics are much more in depth than your standard pop punk. The album has introspective lyrics that are very personal. Lance really knew how to write lyrics, and it's really evident on songs like "Alone When She Dies" and the aforementioned "Santa Cruz". This album isn't perfect by any means; the songs tend to follow a really similar structure. But, the band knows how to play their music well, and thanks to Lance's lyrics, J Church really set themselves apart from other pop punks that were around not only at the time, but those that are around today. The album is good, as are the rest of them.

8/10

Yes. Get it.

Friday, March 25, 2011

At Our Worst

Evergreen Terrace; hardcore from Florida. The band went through a phase of not releasing any new material, and this is one of those albums (except for one track). At Our Worst is a collection of live tracks, demo tracks, and one unreleased song. The first give songs are live songs; which have great sound quality. What's always been good about Evergreen Terrace is their ability to mix Drew's and Craig's vocals together. Though a majority of the vocals are screamed, the clean mixed in is nice. And the screamed vocals aren't completely incoherent either. The live songs are all recorded well, and there's nothing that really over powers in the mix, although Drew's screaming does tend to be a little loud and the bass is slightly soft. Overall, the live tracks are well performed, though "In My Dreams I Can Fly" has some sloppy backing vocals at the start. As with most metalcore bands, the drumming gets redundant, as there only so many things you can do with a double bass pedal...most of it resulting in the repetitive *dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun*.

The unreleased song; "You're Entering A World Of Pain". It didn't make the cut for Burned Alive By Time, but despite this, it remains a solid song. Now the demos. These were all written, according the liner notes, within two months of forming. The result is very forced vocals, off-sounding drums, and rough mixes. The songs still have something to them and are still forceful, they're just not as polished as they could be. Overall though, for being demos, they're good.

Despite having no new material, At Our Worst is a nice glimpse at what the band started as and what they can do live. Instrument wise, the drumming is, as stated before, repetitive. The vocals are sometimes too loud, and the bass can rarely be heard; only when by itself. It's not really a necessity, but, if you are a fan of Evergreen Terrace, it is worth getting, even if only for the awesome cover art.

6/10
Enjoy it.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Homeless Wonders

Homeless Wonders seem to be a very obscure ska/punk band from the 90s. Ray and Brandon from Teenage Bottlerocket used to be in the band, but that's about as well-known as they'll get. They appeared on a few comps, most famous of which is Ska Sucks, but aside from that, they're two albums seem to be unknown gems. Their first album, Another One of Those Days featured a horn section. Well, for their self-titled, the band dropped the horns and became what sounds like a cross between the Assorted Jellybeans, American Steel's first album, and their future music outlet.

Most of the songs are generally short, angry songs. Some of the lyrics, like the opener "I Can't Think", are very childish and immature. However, the band does possess some great musicianship, and the vocals aren't too bad. The fourth song, "Progress", is the first one over two minutes. It sounds like a Texas is the Reason influenced track. It's got the dual, strained vocals, and it's loaded with drum fills. It serves as a nice break from three fast-paced punk tracks, but right after though, the band switches back to the straightforward punk. However, it's traded off vocals, but, it sounds a little forced. The voices don't match up well. It's not bad; it just doesn't fit with their style. "Unorthodox" is one of only two songs to be over three minutes, and features a slow build-up into the bands style of heavy pop punk. It's not until about half-way through that the band's vocals actually kick-in, but it's great when they do. This is when everything fits together perfect, and creates a really powerful track that seems to outshine the others. The singing is very earnest and urgent.

The maturity couldn't last forever on the album, as the band reverts right back into the speedy, snotty punk that seems to dominate the album. It's not too bad though; the band does have a solid amount of intros that display the talent they have and their ability to play catchy music. This is especially shown on "Session 11" and "Wimpy", two instrumental tracks. "Session 11" is barely over a minute, and is more or less a taste at what's to come. "Wimpy" is an epic six minute instrumental song, complete with build-ups, outros, and more build-ups galore.

Homeless Wonders; it's a shame a band with so much talent and fun is so forgotten. The album is a nice glimpse at their punk side, with the short songs, their mature side, with "Unorthodox", and their general talent, with their instrumentals. The downside to the album is the annoying intros that plague the last half, as well as how most of the album isn't too mature. All-in-all though, Homeless Wonders is still a good album worth giving a listen to. It's a change from their ska side, and shows the gradual evolution the Carlisle brothers have into the pop punk heroes they are today
.

7/10
There seems to be a very limited amount of physical releases, but, under 10 for a digital copy, not bad

Monday, March 21, 2011

Tiger Army II

Psychobilly is an odd genre; a lot of terrible bands, some good bands. Here we have one of the good bands. Tiger Army formed in the mid-90s in California. Fronted by Nick 13, this album features Geoff Kresge (yes, from the good AFI) playing bass, and London May (yes, from Samhain) on drums.

The album contains a lot of energy from all three members, with Nick 13's distinct vocals present, and Geoff's upright bass possessing a lot of power. The songs are plainly psychobilly, however, a more typical rockabilly sound is laced in (such as "In the Orchard") creating a sort of punk/country mix. The first few songs follow the same pattern, which is a bit repetitive, but, given the bands energy, isn't too bad. The fourth song, "Power of Moonlite", contains a country-tinged guitar bridge, showing the bands vast influences. Track seven, "Cupid's Victim", really shows how well Nick 13 and company can play a standard rockabilly song. Everything about it; Nick's vocals and guitars, Geoff's bass, and London's drumming, really give off that 50's rockabilly vibe, and it's a nice change from the fast-paced psychobilly contained on most of the album. "In The Orchard" is another song that's like nothing else on the album. It sounds more like a country song than anything else, which isn't a bad thing at all. It sounds mainly like a Johnny Cash influenced song; not a bad thing by any means. The following song, "Under Saturn's Shadow" goes right back into the psychobilly, and features vocals courtesy of Davey Havok. Nick's and Davey's voices are remarkably similar and the ability they have to play off each other brings the track a whole new dimension.

Tiger Army, while playing mainly psychobilly, show off their other influences on this album, and the result is an album that separates them from the sea of similar psychobilly. Rather than stick to the usual psychobilly formula, the band makes use of country and standard rockabilly, and it helps them. Nick 13's vocals are fantastic, as are the rest of the instrumentation. Some of the songs drag on a bit, or are just too similar to other ones to stand-out (F.T.W. has some laughable lyrics), but overall, this is a fine album to pick-up for anyone into that kind of music.

6/10
10 bucks; Epitaph. Good label, cheap price.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Lando

Kudrow; a mix of musicians from pretty well-known bands (Bomb The Music Industry!, Latterman, Halo Fauna) recorded this 7" in 2009. The EP itself is a mix of fuzzy guitar, quickly shouted lyrics, and generally catchiness. "Commutilation!" opens up the EP, and you can tell right away what you're in for. Between the guitar and bass tones, the song reeks of fun. It's a loud, noisy song, but somehow retains the same catchiness you would expect from the band members. The intro to the next track reminds me a lot The Black Lips. The guitar is just as fuzzy as the previous one, however, Jeff's vocals are a lot more clear. This works pretty well with the bass line and backing drums, as does the usual Jeff shouting during the chorus. The song is a stronger one than what came before; however, the solos tend to get a bit annoying.

"Favreau" is the third song, and it's not too bad. Jeff's vocals are clean, and it features a clapping set to the rhythm of the drums, however, it seems to lack the fun as the previous tracks. "Brooklyn Pool" closes, and features a really slow intro, with a slow beat throughout the verse. The song is a really nice way to close the EP which featured speedy, fuzz-filled guitar riffs and shouting vocals. The EP isn't too bad, considering it was recorded live. The overall tone of the guitar gets annoying sometimes, but, the EP is solid, though that's expected from these musicians.

6.5/10
Quote Unquote is an awesome label. Donate some money and pick this thing up.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Roads!...

Young Tom Fury, a four-piece punk band from South Carolina. They play something similar to a more aggressive Promise Ring. The EP is a solid one, with all the instruments and vocals mixed will and pretty spot on. The EP opens with "I'm Still Here Asshole". The dual guitar really sets off what the rest of the album is going to sound like. The chorus is catchy with faint background vocals. The song would have been stronger with the background vocals more upfront, but, it's a good starting point.

"Sixteen Stitcher" is the second song, and it sounds a lot like Finding Westerly. The bass has a "twang" sound, and it meshes in with the guitar very well. The structure is pretty similar to the previous, with a catchy chorus that has the words repeated. It doesn't take away from the song at all; it's just a little similar. "Mixtape Medicine" comes up next, and the vocals are much different. They're cleaner, much more melodic. Even though the chorus is similar, yet again, to the others, the vocals are different enough to keep the song sounding great. The bridge at the end of the song serves as a nice transition into another chorus, as the song fades out and into "Do It Not", which is much harder than the songs that came before. The vocals are angrier, the music is heavier, and there are even gang vocals. "Do It Not" really helps move the EP along by offering up something different. The instrumental outro drags on a little bit, but shows what the band can accomplish with their instruments. The instrumentation continues on into "Rocketship Rebellion" as do the gang vocals. It's a nice song, but the inclusion of the random audio clip is a little cheesy and seems out of place. Roads! closes with "The Wrong Sort", which has the band ditch the gang vocals and return back what they played before. It's a decent song, but, forgettable as the EP comes to an end.

All in all, Young Tom Fury's EP is a solid one. They're all competent musicians and song-writers. The shared vocals help keep things different between songs. Some of the music becomes redundant at times, but overall, a good effort.

6/10
Another from the always awesome label, Death To False Hope. Grab it, it's good.


Friday, March 11, 2011

Castle Songs

Mixtapes have not been a band for long, but they're already become quite popular. Hailing from Ohio, the band plays some catchy pop punk with vocals from male and female. They also mix in acoustic songs with full band. This release is just a two song release from Death To False Help. They're short but catchy songs.

Song one is the very brief "Cause I'm A Genius". It features ska guitar playing backed with a nice bass line. Like I mentioned though, the song is just too brief to get into. The second song though; it's an acoustic number that just makes the listener laugh. "Hey Baby" is a great song on so many levels. The lyrics are hilarious and the guitar is soft and sweet. Castle Songs features two catchy little numbers by Mixtapes, but, it's really hurt by the short length of both. However, even with the short songs, Mixtapes shows that they can write catchy numbers and it's easy to understand why they're gaining popularity. It's a good thing, too.

7/10
Death To False Hope records; super awesome label. Pick it up.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Bakenal

Mischief Brew; Erik Peterson and crew, they're a fine folk punk band in the same vein as Andrew Jackson Jihad, Johnny Hobo, etc. Started in 2000 as solely Erik, it's evolved into a full band. This is EP came out in 2003, and as is typical for Mischief Brew, it features catchy music and searing, intelligent lyrics.

The EP opens with "Devil Of A Time"; the instrumentation of which reminds of something that would play during the introduction of a Disney villain. The song is driven by the drums, playing a sort-of sped up country beat. It's good, but, it doesn't have the same power as other songs by the band. "Rambler's Ghost" is song number two, and starts with much more speed than the previous. Erik's vocals are a lot more strained for this track, and it sounds better. There's not nearly as much drums either; instead the country drums are replaced by a country bass. The way Erik's guitar sounds reminds me a lot of old Against Me!, which isn't a bad thing. The lyrics are well-written too; Erik knows exactly how to tell a story with his words.

The album continues on to "The Drunk of Three Nights", sounding a lot softer than the others. It's an oddly structured song, but, it sounds right where it's placed, however, it sounds pretty similar to "Devil of a Time". "Roll Me Through The Gates" sounds like Mischief Brew. Erik shouting while furiously strumming his guitar. Somehow the mixing on his songs always have the perfect mix of his vocals and his guitar, and it's a good thing. His voice is something to marvel; even though it always sounds like it's ready to crack, it works so well with the lyrics and lyric delivery. "Anti-Lullaby", the last song on the EP, is an acoustic ballad. The intro a slow build up into the singing, which sounds so heartfelt and honest. Even though it is an acoustic song, it still has a lot of power packed into it.

Lyrically, Mischief Brew are experts at writing songs. Musically though, the songs seem to follow a similar song pattern. It's good, but it isn't until later releases that the band really hits their stride. The EP is a solid effort by all accounts, but, with the length of some of the songs, it's easy to get bored with it. There are enough differences between songs to tell them apart, but there's not enough difference to really pick a standout track. It's good, but the band has better.

6/10
The EP is out of print, so, better start checking online.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Turn Up The Punk, We'll Be Singing

Latterman; I don't think any band has spawned more fantastic bands. The band broke up in 2007 and since then have been involved in the likes of RVIVR, Shorebirds, Iron Chic, and every other amazing band post-2007. Latterman also made use of the dual vocals, though it's much more upbeat. Take the first song from Turn Up The Punk, We'll Be Singing for example. "My Dreams About Not Sleeping Until 3 PM" features bass with very light and melodic guitar, followed up powerful vocals. The track really sets off the tone the rest of the album follows. It's catchy, upbeat punk, and it makes you happy to listen to it. "He's A Good Sposato (I Love Ya Blue-Blue)" ups the happy even more, featuring clapping and general fun. Something that impresses me about the band is that they never let up on the energy. Each song has as much packed into it as possible; booming drums, catchy bass lines, and dual vocals/guitars that mesh well together. Some songs may slow down for a bit, "There's No Way "Punk Was Meant To Be Done" (You Clown Doctor)" for example, but then speed right back up. By the time the album gets to "King Tough Is My New Idol", Latterman has you dancing around in excitement and smiling. Every song also features the dual vocals, and it definitely helps them out. The songs have something more to offer. By the time the album's closer comes in, you're day has been made, you're in a good mood, and Latterman have proven themselves to be the happiest band ever.

When listening to any recording by the band, you can tell they enjoy making music and really put their heart into it. It very much shines in this release and it's a great album worth getting. The songs do tend to follow the same structure and have similar instrumentation throughout. If you can get past the similarly structured songs however, the album is worth listening to. Oh, and Latterman will make you happy.

8/10
Reissued by Deep Elm, available for download. Awesome.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Nail Yourself To The Ground

Small Brown Bike, who recently got back together, are a post-hardcore band from Michigan. They feature dual vocals, much like Avail and Hot Water Music, interlaces with very melodic instrumentation. The EP opens with "Trains All Talk", and after a small guitar only intro, has the rest of the band kick in. The bass is heavily focused on for this track, with spacey guitar in the background. It's a nice lead song, but doesn't completely show what the band can do. The next song however, "Fami(liar) to You" really shows what they do. Though the guitar keeps the same spacey tone, the drumming, especially on the intro is completely different. The vocals are also different, sounding more like Braid. This is when the band also shows off their dual vocal abilities. The vocals really complement each other nicely, playing off the differences in styles. The third song drops the spacey guitar tones completely; this is when the band sounds a lot like Hot Water Music but with less gruff vocals. The chorus is very powerful featuring the dual vocals again, this time with more shouting. But, it's not incoherent shouting, it's very melodic shouting.

"So I Fall" is the next song and is an acoustic ballad. The guitar sounds a lot like country; but not bad country. Sort of like when the Replacements had a country influence. It's a slow song, with soft drumming as a back up. It's a great song and offers up something different than the rest of the EP. The band goes back into the post-hardcore melodies with the final cut, "A Table For Four". It starts with a hushed, slow intro, before breaking into the great tunes they can play. It's got the dual vocals again, but this time, they're done differently. Mixed with singing are the same words, but spoken instead. The chorus is another powerful one, with back and forth shouting. The only downside to the song is that it's six minutes long.

All in all, the EP is great. As mentioned, the last song loses it's steam a bit, but is still good. The acoustic track is worth it for the EP alone, but the first three tracks are all good in their own right. Small Brown Bike can really write catchy songs and a great at mixing in separate vocals.

8/10
It seems to vary between in and out of stock for a physical copy, but there's a digital one, and it's wicked cheap.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

24 Hour Revenge Therapy

Jawbreaker; one of the most influential bands of all time. The three-piece mix of Blake Schwarzenbach on guitar/vocals, Chris Bauermesiter on the bass, and Adam Pfahler on the drums played punk music featuring raspy vocals (due in part to Blake's smoking), lyrics filled with passion and emotion, and just generally great tunes. 24 Hour Revenge Therapy is their third album, released in 1994, and was produced by the legendary Steve Albini.

The album opens with "The Boat Dreams From The Hill"; the intro is very bass heavy and the chorus is a very catchy one. Blake's voice is very unique, not many vocalists have a similar one, though they often draw comparisons to The Lawrence Arms and Hot Water Music. "Indictment", the next song, is much softer compared to the previous. The drums aren't as pounding and Blake is softer with his singing. The track shows the variety of ways the band can play. The third song, "Boxcar", is one of their most famous. Following a similar structure to "Indictment", the lyrics are very critical of the punk scene and shows off Blake's lyricism.

When "Outpatient" comes on, the album completely changes. It's verses are much slower than the previous offerings, thought the chorus speeds up. It's driven by a bass line from Chris and features an interesting bridge in the middle that seems to be a mess of noise before returning back to the bass line. For "Ashtray Monument", the band really seems to be working together really well. The instruments mesh perfectly, and Adam's drum fills just fit perfectly. "Condition Oakland" is the longest song on the whole album, and seems to be the most different too. The opening guitar has a very odd tone, and Blake's singing is unlike the rest of the album. The rest of the band also contributes vocals. The Kerouac in the middle of the song read over the bass and drums helps to show the bands influence. Blake is a well-read musician and in incorporating his influences into his songs, isn't afraid to show these influences. The next song is the true "slow song" on the album. It's a very mellow song, with dual vocals. "Ache" features some of the most heartfelt lyrics to any song (Lean your head on mine like you used to/I don't mind if you're faking it). "Do You Still Hate Me?" comes up next as the band continues to show the emotion in their songs. This is another one where all the instruments mesh together perfectly creating a sound that's distinctly their own.

The band slows things down a bit with "West Bay Invitational"; another track driven by the bass. The guitar seems a little quiet during the verses, however, it really picks up, along with the drumming, during the verses. "Jinx Removing" is another great song about relationships; Blake has a tendency to write songs about relationships that anyone can relate to. The album closes with "In Sadding Around". It's another depressing song by Blake, but it seems appropriate to close with album with.

24 Hour Revenge Therapy really shows what a band with emotion and talent can do. Blake's lyrics are intelligent, and the playing by all is done very well. You can really tell that the band took their time to right songs that sounded right and that mixed together well. The production really works for them, showing the raspy voice Blake has and mixing in the bass well. The album is one that can be listened to over and over again without skipping a single song. It's an excellent album.

10/10
10 bucks for the mp3s, 14 for a physical. Get it.