I’m sure you all remember Spray Paint the Sun very fondly. so I’m sure you won’t mind getting studio recordings of four of the tracks from the live album posted earlier on that’s punk – including my favourite track “Больше чем шум”? of course you don’t mind. it’s so good! for those of you who don’t remember them, Spray Paint the Sun are a Russian emo band that cites influences such as Policy of 3 and Indian Summer, but also newer bands such as Sailboats and June Paik. Spray Paint the Sun are noisy as all hell breaking loose at the same time, but periodically they calm down, and the guitars masterfully interact with each other, almost sounding as if they are trying to find a way to outsmart one another. in the background, the spastic drums make sure the music is perceived as vivid and flowing. the bass gives a softer sound, and adds another dimension to the songs. the Indian Summer influences are clear when listening to the rhythm guitar and the bass guitar, carefully making their way forward. the lead guitar on the other hand is far more aggressive and impatient, rushing from note to note at all times. but I guess I’m going sort of in the opposite direction of what I’m supposed to, because Season’s First Rain is in fact the band that appears first on the split, with five great tracks. their recordings are significantly more lo-fi (Spray Paint the Sun tracks being >1500kbps, compared to Season’s First Rain’s ~900kbps half), but undeniably glorious – with its Evergreen-like qualities. the bitrate suits the songs very well, adding more reverb and ensuring seamless transitions – as well as a complete blending of the instruments, making it sound like one holy entity. with a distinctly sad and depressing sound, Season’s First Rain remind me somewhat of Saetia, but they are much more sparse in their arrangements. sparse though noisy, with the clashing cymbals, rambling guitar and loud high-pitched screams. a band with their own sound, well worth checking out. they create their own unique atmosphere with their original approach to screamo, and their side goes very well with the quite different Spray Paint the Sun side of the split. while similarities no doubt exist, these two bands are completely different – but equally awesome. get this!
I.Witness – Secret Handshakes
this is the 2010 summer demo collection of I.Witness. it’s six songs and nigh twenty minutes. like the other I.Witness demo on that’s punk, the quality is surprisingly adequate. with songs ranging from 0:43 to 6:01 in length, I.Witness display both the traditional hardcore style adopted on All Roads Lead Southeast as well as the more brooding screamo style. thus this taster should satisfy fans of both the older material in addition to fans of the All Roads Lead Southeast. on Secret Handshakes, I.Witness bridges the gap between the two sounds, and further develop them into something new entirely. this is their most diverse collection of songs yet, as well as the perhaps best. “Непринятые Звонки”, “Маяки”, and “В Круге Первом” being my personal favourites of this band thus far, with lead riffs akin to Optimus Prime’s, a marvellous energy and emotionality comparable to Rites of Spring and One Last Wish, and sensational song structures à la Slint and Moss Icon. with this release, I.Witness feel like natural successors to the revolution summer bands. the guitars are heavy as shit in massive quantities. get this. now.
I.Witness – All Roads Lead Southeast
on previous efforts I.Witness have constantly moved between crust, metalcore, screamo, and traditional hardcore. on this new record, they have adopted a much more straightforward hardcore approach. while still not afraid to introduce octaves and intricate harmonies to their heavy music, the majority of this album is noticeably more traditional hardcore-sounding. with a less muddy production, each instrument’s contribution becomes clearer. furthermore, the technical ability of the members really shines through. the sick riffs, odd breakdowns and wacky time signatures are a great match for the elegant rawness and despair inherent in hardcore punk. this is an immediate, accomplished and crisp record. both in terms of musicianship, as well as in production – both of which perfectly capturing the insane amounts of energy put into these recordings. these immense vocals and blistering rhythms will blow you away. download this.
damezumari – 2004-2007
damezumari is a phrase from the board game “Go”. it essentially means “you are fucked”, i.e. you’re in a situation that’s extremely difficult to get out of. damezumari is naturally a screamo band. I don’t know the exact date I found this band, but someone put up a “bands that sound like I Hate Myself” compilation. obviously, I checked it out. I wasn’t disappointed. you won’t be either, if you download this 2:22 collection of songs. like I Hate Myself, damezumari has a sound that is impossible to pigeon hole. reminiscent of ’90s emo like Still Life, 1.6 Band and Indian Summer, but modernised and comparable to their contemporary bands, e.g. the birds are spies, they report to the trees and Sinaloa. the hoarse yells over frantic melodies comes off as a very sincere and searching. the latter feeling further enhanced by the questioning lyrics, delivered by the quirky vocals. the main theme in damezumari’s songs is doubt. the songs are fragile and shivering with angst and helplessness, struggling not to cave in to depression; struggling to survive. at no point does damezumari’s music become annoyingly whiny or self-indulgent. it always maintains an aura of believability and honesty. the music is warm like rest of my life, spastic like the birds are spies, they report to the trees and wondering like Indian Summer. though the guitars are at times heavily distorted, and the lyrics are at times highly vague – there is nothing unclear about the beauty inherent in damezumari’s songs. there is obvious a lot of effort put into the song writing. and if we assume that «without effort there is no meaning» from “gravity is a choice” to ring true, rules of logic would indicate that with effort comes meaning. you need to hear this band. this is vulnerability in the form of music. check it out. and buy merchandise from http://damezumari.com/ – which also includes links to some of the people carrying their records.
June Paik – Discography
the German four piece June Paik play music firmly rooted in the intense and aggressive screamo sound, but stray from “the basic formula”. when at their very loudest, June Paik are comparable to their countrymen Louise Cyphre, as well as the legendary American band Jeromes Dream. the band themselves put Canadian screamo forward as their main influences, and the brooding heavy Union of Uranus do indeed come to mind when listening to June Paik. the thick guitar tone and the dark qualities are ever present in June Paik’s often lengthy songs. but what really separates June Paik from other bands in the genre, are that they are far more dynamic as well as richly layered than most of the other bands. – and this despite only consisting of four members. beautiful Indian Summer octaves hinting at something glorious and sentimental in the background of an ugly droning monotonous passage, that eventually exits into what can only be described as musical Armageddon. June Paik’s crushing climaxes sound like the destruction of all that is beautiful – and nothing is as beautiful this. it doesn’t take many minutes of this discography to figure out why June Paik are frequently referred to as “apocalyptic screamo”. June Paik are emotional apocalypse. sounding more desperate, lost, anxious and dejected with every tone. June Paik are the sound of heartstrings being pulled (bear with me, for sake of symbolism). for a good portion of their discography they masterfully build up suspension, release it all in an intense crash, and then pick up all of the shattered fragments that are left, and rebuild the suspension – aiming for the skies, once again. most bands that attempt this go in the exact same trap. they are predictable, repetitive, boring and unoriginal. June Paik are the opposite of all of this. their compositions never cease to amaze, nor surprise. the inherent predictability of crescendo-based progressive music is completely eliminated by the subtle changes of mood, the seamless transitions between emotions, and the indescribably clever atmosphere. there are also a fair share of these totally unexpected abrupt and angst-ridden explosions, as well as equally unexpected murky sudden halts, that leave only a depressing and endless feeling of loneliness and darkness. June Paik are an amazing band that deserves all of your attention. download this. and buy most of it from http://www.reactwithprotest.org – their label’s site.
I Hate Myself – Discography
I don’t know how I am even supposed to begin writing this block of text. is it even necessary? does I Hate Myself need an introduction? definitely not. they do deserve one though, although I hardly think anything I could ever write would do them one tenth of justice. DILEMMA! gah. I Hate Myself were an emo band from Gainesville in Florida. they were active in 1996 to 1998, but one of their LPs were recorded and released several years post this. they recorded a bunch of stuff in their active period, all of which is included in this discography. most of their stuff can be bought from http://www.noidearecords.com/bands/ihatemyself.php – so do that as well. I Hate Myself are known, remembered and loved for a number of things. for being the wimpy boys that were playing shows tough guy bands, and their tough guy crowds, in which they’d speak their mind out against their macho bullshit community… for their ironic band name and satirical song titles… but most of all, I Hate Myself will forever be known, remembered and loved for one single reason: their sincere music. their recordings – particularly the early ones – are considered highly original and innovative in the screamo genre. but I Hate Myself did not play typical screamo. they are nothing like Honeywell, and nothing like Orchid. thus the “screamo” tag might be unfitting at best, or at worst: completely wrong. because I Hate Myself actually play creeping, quiet and soft music, most of the time. the guitars twinkle in a sparse manner, sounding like sad stars falling in slow motion. the drums follow discretely. the soft bass further enhances the mood. and the vocals weep along. the intricate nature of the music, and attention to detail makes them sound far more like Moss Icon, Still Life and Fugazi, than “screamo”. but then all of a sudden, they cut through with loud and angry bursts. dissonant riffs, crashing drums and piercing screams. and suddenly the screamo tag is fitting after all – if only for a short while. the clever lyrics and dark music both encompass frustration, hopelessness, helplessness, sadness, etc. overall, I Hate Myself are probably one of the most miserable bands to ever record music. but they are also one of the most talented. the lyrics are brilliant. the constructions, allegories and twists… this band is proficient well past most others. not only do they have some of the most emotive, intense and sad music, but their lyrics reflect it and enhances it ten thousand notches. some times it paints depressing pictures of broken lives, filled with allegories and metaphors – sometimes it’s just so simplistic and straightforward that it gets fragile and sad beyond compare. (“The Lightning Says” being the ultimate example.) the end result is the culmination of every downhearted feeling that ever existed. this culmination naturally affects the listener in some way. the music reaches out and touches people. and it never leaves the system. once you’ve been exposed to I Hate Myself, you will never forget the experience. the feeling of being rendered void on the inside. they are just so skilled and talented, that it’s almost unbelievable. fantastic composers through and through. if you don’t believe me, then listen to this thirty song/two hour discography, which includes two short but sweet live sets. clever satire and raw honesty join hands, and we get one of the most interesting as well as talented bands of all time. download this!
Crywank – Demo 2010
Crywank was started after a horrible breakup. one would think that’s a good foundation for a good folk record, right? it is. and with influences such as that’s punk favourites Andrew Jackson Jihad and Paul Baribeau, we are certain this is a winner. English-based James Clayton is influenced by a wide variety of anti-folk, outsider and punk music. the end result is fragile, highly self-critical and honest folk rock that one would think serves as a great outlet for all the pains of breaking up. James says they put him in a good mood, and hope that it serves the same purpose for someone else. now I’m not going through a breakup – thankfully… hell, I’m not even in a bad mood at all. I feel pretty good, actually. but James little record here no doubt put me in an even better mood. whether you are going through a bitter breakup or not, you should be able to find this enjoyable, if you like folk. check it out.
Tumbleweave – ♪♫♪♫♫♫♪♪♫♪
TUMBLEWEAVE describes themselves as “cartoon noise rock”. not bad, eh? it’s essentially mysterious and densely layered noises. the songs consist of extremely many details, and a seemingly endless number of elements. this is reflected in the 1700+ bitrate of the FLACs, actually the highest of any albums in my current music library on Amarok. their music would serve well as the background score for a curious and dark 16-bit game, if not for the fact that I’d probably be pausing the entire time, listening to the music instead of playing the game. this record is only just three minutes long, and is pretty much impossible to process on just one listen. TUMBLEWEAVE has created a mammoth, capable as serving both as ambient noise music as well as upbeat and catchy blip blop pop – at the very same time. this is an extraordinary intriguing piece of work that deserves a listen and then some more listens. GET THIS!
Evolve – Evolve
if seven minutes of Evolve wasn’t enough for you, then here’s a seven inch! with six songs, it’s eleven and a half minutes long, and includes most of the songs from the demo, and some new ones. it’s all furious (and cool!) hardcore played at a blistering tempo. Evolve are old school and legit. buy here http://www.evolve.bigcartel.com/ – limited to 200 copies, and it’s only €5.
Evolve – Digital Demo 2010
Norwegian hardcore has been absent from this blog for quite some time now. so guess what? Evolve are a Norwegian straight edge hardcore band influenced by the classics of the genre, like Youth of Today and Chain of Strength. this seven-minute demo introduces Evolve as a blast from the past, clearly heavily influenced by both the American (both East and West coast) sXe hardcore of the ’80s. there are occasionally guitar licks or melodic hooks, but Evolve largely favours it heavy and fast. like a punch to the throat, Evolve says hello. hello! if you like hardcore, you’ll want to check this out. if you don’t… then this band won’t convert you.
Caitlyn Bailey – 2009 Luzon Tour EP
it’s been well over a year since I first posted Caitlyn Bailey. if you don’t remember them – or never got to know them – they are a Filipino train wreck of a screamo band, and they are very determined in their calling, namely destroying everything that comes their way. this EP is chaotic, dissonant and ugly. just like punk rock should be. they don’t fuck around, so I won’t either. download this if you like: rapid fire drumming, heavy thrash riffs, screaming, and a filthy, bloody fucking mess. if you can appreciate a melodic mess, that’s a plus as well.
Lizards Have Personalities – Snows of Kilimanjaro
the skram worshippers Lizards Have Personalities are already back with another effort, and now they are a trio instead of a duo. though the follow-up came sooner than at least I expected, it’s more than welcome. formed initially as a potential joke screamo outlet, they soon got serious. seriously skram. these guys won’t get disappointed or sad if you compare them to random late ’90s/early ’00s screamo band, considering their obvious skram worship. they might be a serious band, but they are definitely a humble band, that wants to pay their respects to the legends of the skram past. however, they still want to sprinkle their own flavour over their sound. and they are extremely successful with that on this record. on their début, they were far more generic skram. they sounded almost like a tribute band. but no one cared, because they were so fucking great. they were residing between Saetia and I Hate Myself, and pulling off the sound excellently. on Snows of Kilimanjaro, something has changed. they have matured a great deal, and in such a minor time span! it’s almost unbelievable. other influences becomes audible. the guitars Funeral Diner and Neil Perry, their Suis La Lune flirt “C’était hier l’été…voici l’automne”, and the chaotic approach of Orchid and Ampere are some of those influences. lyrically though, the same qualities are present. they are still bordering both the cliché and the ridiculous. screaming «my memories hung themselves/staring up at the moon for too long/remembering how you said we’d take the world by storm» with a straight face might seem impossible, but Lizards Have Personalities not only scream it, they mean it. their lyrics – however absurd and over the top they might be – come off as believable and honest. musically this album is as stated previously different to the previous album. one of the biggest of those differences is the more chaotic and fast approach taken here, as opposed to the slower In All Honesty. this album is far more to the point, with most of the songs making it to around 2:30. the one notable exception though is the title track which stretches to 9:46. this track is reminiscent of the songs from the first album, being a mid-tempo heavy screamo song with great licks and a long build-up, that eventually ends up climaxing into a satisfying end of the album. Snows of Kilimanjaro displays a wide variety of influences, and it might sound like Lizards Have Personalities have found their very own sound, instead of merely mirroring their influences as best they can. a fantastic album that you really should take the time to check out.
It’s Just Vanity – Here’s What You Remember from A Coma
earlier on I posted It’s Just Vanity’s first record, The Strangers EP. if you would recall, I bragged about that record so much, one would think It’s Just Vanity had hired me as their PR person. they hadn’t. and I am infinitely pleased to inform you that starting today, It’s Just Vanity are giving away their new record for free. but only for a week though, so act fast. time is of the essence in this dire matter. and believe you me, it is dire. It’s Just Vanity plays the dreamy, angsty and melancholic sort of emo. like Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson and Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate), It’s Just Vanity are master conveyors of emotion. their new record is completely stunning and utterly amazing. mixing the emotionally charged ’90s Midwest emo sound with nothing short of explosive math rock crescendos into full blown brilliance, this band is simply outstandingly good at what they do. Here’s What You Remember from A Coma is glorious and gracious beyond compare. one of the tracks are appropriately titled “Forgive Me, I’m Blowing Your Mind”, and It’s Just Vanity: let me – on behalf of every emo fan ever – forgive you for blowing all of our minds with this mind blast of a record. whilst many albums have certain phases and/or elements that are highly enjoyable, this album is just fifty minutes (and some more) of highlights. a thoroughly accomplished record from start to finish. it grabs your attention from the first tone, and then refuses to ever let it go, even holding it for hours, days if not weeks after you’ve first listened to it. it’s impossible to shake the feeling It’s Just Vanity’s second release gives. this delivers one of the most emotional experiences any music has ever done. download this album, then buy it. please.
The Kidcrash – Snacks
it’s 2010 and people still whine about The Kidcrash being called Kidcrash. but more importantly, it’s 2010 and (The) Kidcrash are still an active band that puts out first class screamo. (Snacks was first out in 2009 though.) if you don’t know who The Kidcrash are, then you must be very little interested in the skram, or extremely unlucky. the main things to know about this band are that they started out «in 2000, used to sound different, have toured the U.S. three times, [E]urope once, and love to make friends”. oh and another thing, their music is marvellous. from the very first noodle to the last, The Kidcrash play a fairly unorthodox style of screamo, at least for an American band. The Kidcrash could just as well have been from Norway, France or Italy. they largely favour concord over discord, with fairly clean guitars and soft drums. they are not as explosive or aggressive as typical Antioch Arrow influenced American screamo bands like Jeromes Dream, nor like the most popular ’00s skram bands (Saetia, pg.99, Hot Cross, etc). they are far more melodic, with noodle guitars that are far more easily compared to American Football than Ampere. so check out this great screamo record if you like harmonic and well crafted screamo, and not just explosive bursts. download this! you can buy Snacks and everything else by this band from http://www.denovali.com – in several different editions.
Fight Fair – California Kicks
today is a day to remember forever. today is the release date of Fight Fair’s full full-length album, California Kicks. and what a kick it is! with Settle the Score, Fight Fair almost completely ditched their pop skram sound in favour of a pop hardcore sound, but left room for other experiments. one of those experiments was the surf-pop monster hit “Pop Rocks”. the band decided that this was the song that was the most fun to play, and decided that this was what they wanted to do on their full-length. Ramones mixed with The Beach Boys is the way the band describes their surfcore sound, and that description isn’t all that far off. but like with Settle the Score, the band allows themselves to experiment a lot on the record. they try the lot. punk rock-tinged power pop like Undertones and The Jam, dancefloor hip-pop that’s somewhere between The Ting Tings and Black Eyed Peas, and pure ’90s melodic punk rock and alternative between Lifetime and blink-182. but the very core of their sound is the insanely catchy mind blowing surfcore sound, with lyrics about romance, being young, OOP vinyl, surfing and hanging at the beach. let me assure you, Fight Fair is very much successful in reintroducing what they call “the best of the beach”. namely, “the playfulness, the parties, the people and, most of all, the pop-laced singalongs”. Fight Fair are to surf rock what The Young Hasselhoffs are to doo-wop. California Kicks brings back a near forgotten era, and illuminates it like never before. Fight Fair is surfcore’s beacon, lighthouse and flagship. serving as an ode to Californian summers, and the careless playfulness of ’50s and ’60s surf rock. if you like newer Weezer albums, you’ll love Fight Fair. if you like surf rock, you’ll love Fight Fair. if you like fun, you’ll LOVE Fight Fair! get this! now! and get ready to P-P-P-PARTY!!! buy it from http://www.myspace.com/fightfair – along with some frisbees, beach balls and other must-have Fight Fair memorabilia. whether they are making fun or having fun isn’t remotely interesting. what is interesting is the 100% quality of this amazing album. GET IT!
Fight Fair – Settle the Score
in the name of fun, here is some more Fight Fair! they are back to settle the score with their follow up, in which only two of the members featured on xFashionx appears. that may be one part of the explanation as to why they sounds like a completely different band on Settle the Score. the fact that they’ve changed so much might obviously lead to the loss of some fans, as well as the gaining of some fans. what this essentially means is that if you disliked the first record, you might still love this – giving you *no* excuse to not download this. even if you absolutely hated their first record, you still need to download this. no excuses. anyway, despite all the differences (which I’ll get back to), there are a few similarities that I might as well get out of the way at once. they are still catchy, poppy and totally awesome. the track “San Diego” appears in a re-recorded format. there are still ’90s punk rock influences galore. and that’s about it. now for the differences – this release marks an obvious change of sound. one could say that they go from the epitome of pop skram to the epitome of mosh pop. bands like Set Your Goals and Four Year Strong might be mentioned, but Fight Fair are far superior. with lyrics «we just wanna have some fun/we’re still young and on the run/we just gotta have some fun/everyone», they are definitely not clouding their message with pseudo-poetic mumbo jumbo, but instead favouring the direct approach. with vocals that have been through many a vocoder/pitch altering software, punk rock guitars that play the most perfect melodies, and heavy as shit drums – Fight Fair are a loud, intense and fun affair. varying between the fast breakdown-heavy pop hardcore sound, a more “ordinary” ’90s punk rock sound, a skramzy sound, and the ultra-catchy and refined surf pop sound. «don’t bother with the other boys/I’m better than them», pleads vocalist Alex Bigman in the heartfelt emotional distress masterpiece “Pop Rocks”. now I’m pleading you, don’t bother with the other bands, this one’s better than them. get this at once! Fight Fair for the win!
Matt Evans – Demo 2010
this is the solo effort by Matt Evans, who plays in the very recently posted Just Die!. this does however sound very little like Just Die!’s raging style of hardcore. it takes a far mellower road, with an acoustic guitar and a comfortable voice. Matt Evan’s take us on a gentle ride, through three songs that nearly reach the seventh minute mark. this is emotional folky and poppy acoustic rock that carves its way into your brain. perhaps especially with the last track, and all of its catchy The Get Up Kids (Four Minute Mile era) riffs. Matt Evans displays an affinity for melodic chord progressions and pleasant vocal harmonies. it’s good. download it!
Just Die! – Garages and Basements
can’t get enough of Just Die!, eh? understandable, as their first record was a) really awesome and b) really short. this next one is no deviant from that formula. and if there’s a parallel between awesomeness and shortness, that would mean this one is even more awesome! (that’s my goofy way of informing you that this one is shorter.) it’s an almost nine minutes long seven inch record entitled Garages and Basements, and you can buy it from http://deadendrecs.bigcartel.com/product/just-die-garages-and-basements – it’s only $5, so you probably should. if you are wondering what to expect – expect much of the same. Lifetime, Kid Dynamite and Strike Anywhere are bands I can somewhat compare this to. it’s a bit ’90s skate/punk rock, a bit ’00s hardcore, a bit of this, a bit of that – and a lot of awesome. the skate/punk influence results in a slightly more mid-tempo sound, consequently preventing the songs from blazing by too fast for you to actually digest them. with this record, Just Die! further evolves their catchy flavour of anthem hardcore. it even has gang vox!!! I fucking love gang vocals. download this. buy this. get on board.
Just Die! – No Time for Poetry
Just Die! are a NC hardcore band that’s been going on for quite some time now. this is their first full length, entitled No Time for Poetry. released in 2007, this is a eighteen minute crash course in intensity. with their tracks rarely reaching the 1:30 mark, this band doesn’t fuck around. they get straight to the point, then proceed to hammer it into your skull. still, they do no neglect to melody nor atmosphere. interchanging between fast-as-hell hardcore (at almost grindcore speeds) and anthem punk, this band leaves a mark with all their passionate shouting, energetic drumming and awesome riffs. this band is hyped as fuck all over the Internet, and with good reason. aggressive enough for the hardcore purist and catchy enough for the hardcore newbie, they satisfy everyone on all accounts. but remember to put it on repeat, because this shit flies by fast. it might need a couple of listens to stick. in any event, check this band out! you will not regret it.
Mega Games – Let in These Hands to Hold
if you remember The Mega Games Two, you remember them fondly. I put up their début here ages ago. now – they are back! but the two have become the three, so gone is the name. instead of going “The Mega Games Three” or “The Mega Games Two Plus One”, they’ve settled on Mega Games. possibly to prevent future name crises? either way, they are back. now with drums! the reborn Mega Games’ début is ten minutes long, and consists of four truly great folk punk tracks. not as furious as some of the other folk punk up on this blog, but just as passionate. carefully composed messes of crashing cymbals, uplifting melodica, galloping guitar and soaring vocals. check out this awesome Southampton three-piece! you won’t be disappointed.
Eagulls – Songs of Prey
one of the key ingredients for good music is in my opinion feedback from guitars. and plenty of it. based on the simple scientifically proven parallel between awesomeness and guitar feedback, we can safely state that Eagulls is a really awesome band. sounding like a mix between The Cortlandt Homes, Dinosaur Jr. and American Steel, Eagulls and their fifteen minute début is a very pleasant distinctly English affair. fuzzy and catchy guitars, soft and melodic bass, clever and tight drumming and quite great punk rock vocals. what’s not to like? you need to hear this band. you can visit their MySpace http://www.myspace.com/eagulls to get cassettes and more info etc.
The Ergs! – songs from The Measure [sa] splits
The Ergs! did two splits with The Measure [sa], that they put out on the wonderful No Idea records. they are new-ish recordings, and so they sound like newer The Ergs!, rather than the Dorkrockcorkrod years. while The Ergs! might not be the darkest, angriest or saddest punk rock band, they write clever and sincere tunes that deserve to be heard. while their lyrics often are described as wilfully geeky and a bit silly, they are definitely moving and touching. you can download them here, and you can buy them both from http://www.dorkrockcorkrod.com/ – which you should. if you can! and you should also check out The Measure, a melodic and catchy punk rock band that features Mikey from The Ergs! on drums, and sort of sounds like the ’90s emo band Samuel in a more traditional punk rock setting. one of The Ergs! tracks are a cover of The Measure [sa] (“Workage”).
The Ergs! – Blockhead (from Teenage Bottlerocket split)
in 2008 The Ergs! did a split with the sort of heavy punk rock band Teenage Bottlerockets, reminiscent of The Lillingtons, The Steinways and The Copyrights. on this split they did a cover of the almighty Devo, and their track Blockhead. this is that track. while The Ergs! maybe aren’t directly obviously musically influenced by Devo in their sound, they owe their entire modus operandi to the nerdy Devo. like Devo, The Ergs! have an unquenchable thirst for the combination of the raw punk rock sound and pop sensibilities. download this and hear it for yourself! and buy it from http://www.dorkrockcorkrod.com if you can afford it etc. that way you’ll get to hear Teenage Bottlerocket cover Green Day as well, if you’re into that stuff.
The Ergs! – Thrash Compactor
I was originally not planning on uploading this to the blog, because all of you faithful that’s punk users already have all of these songs. but, I got the 7″ some time ago and listened to it, and discovered that the “Throttle Boy” recording is actually a new one! so The Ergs! fans, grab this! if you’re not familiar with The Ergs!, you should be ashamed. they are truly one of the most fun punk rock bands of all time. their melodies range from The Queers-like punk rock, to Hüsker Dü-like emo, and to the raging hardcore punk that appears on this record. it’s a one-sided, five song, three minute 7″ record. and it’s amazing. download it! buy it from http://www.dorkrockcorkrod.com/ if you like it. it’s really cheap, and really worth it.
Grown Ups – Songs
from reflecting screamo to light-hearted emo. Grown Ups are somewhere between Small Brown Bike, Latterman, The Get Up Kids, Street Smart Cyclist, Algernon Cadwallader and Castevet. this is upbeat and pleasant emo, probably best enjoyed on fairly high volume, a hot summer night. with clean and nice guitar riffs, raspy vocals and quick drumming, Grown Ups sound far from grown up with their approach to catchy tunes and their youthful tales of reaching for happiness. you’ll want this. I think this was a pure digital release, so I don’t know of anywhere to buy it in physical format. you can however get their new album, More Songs. buy links on their MySpace – http://www.myspace.com/ihategrownups – so check that out as well.
calculator – these roots grow deep…
the 200th artist (I think) to be introduced here on that’s punk is calculator, an American diy band formed in 2007, who just recently released this collection LP. it collects every release up until now, and adds a few songs extra. they play modern American screamo in the vein of Age Sixteen and Merchant Ships. that means very emotionally charged and intense vocals over (usually) clean guitars that build up, explode and come crashing down along with insanely precise drumming, followed by a soft and melodic bass guitar. the philosophical and melancholic atmosphere is helped greatly by lyrics that are always seeking and thinking. this is a mature and reflected screamo band that are well worth checking out. download this! and buy from their bigcartel at http://calc.bigcartel.com/ – if you can. they definitely need the cash to support touring etc.
Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) & Football, etc. split
four songs by Football, etc. not enough for you? I feel the same way. so here’s another one! and with it, have a new Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) track as well! could life possibly be any better than this? that’s punk users should be familiar with both of these bands, but if you aren’t – I guess this is a great place to start, because you’ll get a taste of both. the sadly soothing melodies and heartbroken vocals that makes Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) one of the most miserable bands to ever record and put out music, and the depressing musical apprehension that is Football, etc. both bands are ’90s emo revivalists, and a sure bet if you’re into bands like Mineral, Jejune, Evergreen, The Dahlia Seed, and anything in between those. if you aren’t (you should!), you might still want to check this out, because both bands bring their own new and completely original flavour to the table. I can safely recommend this as a first stop to someone who has never heard emo before, and I can safely recommend this to someone who is into emo as well. get it! and buy it from http://www.cylsrecords.com (US) – or from http://sncl.collective-zine.co.uk (EU) – , it’s worth it.
Football, etc. – First Down
often compared to Rainer Maria, Jejune, Evergreen and The Pine, this is one of the finest of the new proud-to-be-emo bands. now signed to the equally eager emo revivalists over at Count Your Lucky Stars, Football, etc. is a damn fine band. despite their name, they do not sound much like American Football or other Kinsella-bands. and despite their numerous football referencing titles – they are definitely about football. this is something significantly less complicated. it’s sad, frustrated and angst-ridden emo music with nonchalant vocals. this melancholic trio is a must hear! download this! then it can be purchased at shows, or via PayPaling $5 to lindsaym.minton@gmail.com. for international prices and questions, check their MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/footballetc – and they’ll probably help you out.
The Third Memory – The Third Memory
a fairly long time ago I posted a split between the Norwegian screamo band, Dominic, and the French screamo band, The Third Memory. this is the latter’s self titled album (which includes one of the tracks from the split). active for four-five years before breaking up, The Third Memory are nothing short of screamo legends. “everyone” knows these guys, their DIY ethics and their heartfelt music. this record surfaced last year, and probably should have been uploaded to that’s punk ages ago. why? because it’s really good. *really* good. their last.fm biography says it all. this is nothing short of a «french screamo band that will tear your face off». while they weren’t all that heavy on the Dominic split, things are a little more heavy on their full length album. but The Third Memory is still not a *heavy* band. they are aggressive, intense and direct – but not heavy. while they have a fairly stereotypical mix and general sound, for a French screamo band, it’s noteworthy that the comforting soft spots often do not crescendo into a math rock climax, like so many newer emo/screamo bands try to achieve. The Third Memory do not crescendo; they explode. download this French screamo explosion. then you can buy it from this: http://www.desormaisrec.blogspot.com/ French distro, if you like it (you will!).
Teleport me, Johny – EP
Eastern European hardcore has establish itself here on that’s punk, but Estonian screamo is a first. and a welcome one at that! this four song/fifteen minute EP introduces these diverse and eager débutants, that sometimes thrash their riffs at blistering speeds, and sometimes let their guitars weep with bleeding intensity… and sometimes both at once. this is yummy dynamic crescendo screamo perfection with plenty of wimpy emo guitars yielding tons of glorious feedback and sugar sweet octaves, while the drums circle and the vocal chords get torn. get this!
In Regret – Demo
if you took a liking to In Regret, posted in the previous post, you’re in luck. because here’s a little collection of their songs. if I understand correctly, the first four tracks are from a demo, and the next two are from a split. either way it’s six songs. very variable bitrate (some of the tracks are in a m4a container), but all of the songs are more than euphonious. the music is the same melodic somewhat screamo-tinged hardcore punk introduced in the previous post. something like a sped up Some Mistakes. they are – as mentioned – a very “correct” modern hardcore band. on last.fm they have Defeater and Touche Amore in their similar artists, which are two other bands that are a part of a new trend where melodic hooks and heavy riffs come together (and music journalists label it post-hardcore). I’m not a music journalist, so I’m just going to call it hardcore, if that’s alright. and while I’m not very up to date on trends, I can guarantee you that In Regret are a band that’s worthy of your listen, regardless of any trends. they play dazzling music at high speeds, while allowing themselves to experiment outside of their usual formula – best illustrated on the fantastic closer, “Provenance” – a true masterpiece that you need to hear. get this!
Blacklines & In Regret split
Blacklines are a five piece hardcore band from South Carolina. In Regret are a five piece hardcore band from South Carolina. they play hardcore, and are definitely more alike than they are different. but at the same time there definitely are unique qualities to both of them. the first half of the split consists of three tracks by Blacklines, that have a Verse/Ruiner thing going on. they are a little bit melodic, but not soft. at all. Blacklines are definitely a very heavy band, with screamed vocals, noisy crashing cymbals and loud and hard as fuck riffs. on the other half is In Regret, with their more screamo-like sound. something like a highly upbeat Some Mistakes. their vocals vary between screamed, and the whole all-at-once-now-boys shout thing (I fucking love that). extremely melodic and very fast, but not poppy. In Regret are simply a really cool modern hardcore band that does everything right. the download link also has buy links, and I recommend you buy it if you like it!
Pump the Brakes – EP
all you longtimers no doubt remember Nothing’s Forgotten’s lovely demo, Vestfold HC. (all you newcomers might want to check that out. it rules.) they later changed their name to Pump the Brakes. while they are sadly broken up by now, these are the previously unreleased recordings that were made for an EP that was supposed to surface in 2009. five highly melodic hardcore tracks that are reminiscent of both ’80s punk rock (Descendents, Screeching Weasel), as well as ’90s punk rock (Propagandhi, Pulley), and the delicious poppy riffs of alternative bands such as blink-182 and T.O.E. with pleasant-on-the-ears guitar solos, catchy riffs, upbeat drumming, raspy vocals and melodic bass lines – this is the anthem rock of punk rock. get it!
Stavros – Contemporary Dictionary
in the winter of 2002, the secretive affair known as Stavros recorded their album Contemporary Dictionary. with a sound perhaps best described as acoustic emo. this is the emo cousin of Mom & Johnson Loneliness missed the 12th loveboat. it has a more immediate and desperate sound, occasionally similar to that of The Loneliest Cowgirls’ self titled début, but with better recording quality and a less abrasive approach. the instrumentation vary between a sole acoustic guitar, and a more vivid sound with multiple guitars and percussion – even a violin makes its appearance.. some times it’s dreamy and pretty, with Sigur Rós moments. other times it’s anxious and painful – almost comparable to Catena Collapse, but with a more laid back atmosphere. summa summarum it’s something between Mom & Johnson Loneliness missed the 12th Loveboat, The Loneliest Cowgirls, Catena Collapse and maybe Daniel Johnston. this is not for everyone, but it’s definitely for someone. maybe you?
The Loneliest Cowgirls – Animal
Ethan is back, and the staff and users of that’s punk all collectively cheer. everything is as it should be. if you remember correctly, the last The Loneliest Cowgirls post was a shift of style, sounding more like The Sky Looks Pissed. this is a continuation of that style change. it’s not as extremely lo-fi or abrasive as the début, but just as painful and just as frail. what… might… surprise you though is that… this is in fact a Ke$ha cover. i.e. a cover of the American pop artist Ke$ha’s début album. that’s right. the album responsible for million dollar hits such as “Tik Tok”. now personally I much prefer Lady GaGa to Ke$ha. but then again I haven’t really dived into Ke$ha’s album yet.. anyway, this cover album definitely makes me want to check out Ke$ha some more. the only problem is that I’m confident that she isn’t one tenth as interesting as The Loneliest Cowgirls (or Lady GaGa, for that matter). and interesting is the first word I’d use in describing this cover album. I never imagined getting to hear Ke$ha in a folk rock setting. I certainly didn’t expect Ke$ha in a folk rock setting to *work*. with the stumbling lyrics and the faltering vocals – The Loneliest Cowgirls trembles along. if you’re into folk rock or Ke$ha, get this.
Oh, Apollo! – End EP
for all of you nostalgic and sentimental Oh, Apollo! fans out there – here are their last three recordings. musically, this is a continuation of what was started on Kingdoms, then continued on Twin Peaks. Oh, Apollo! has perfected their sound by now, and is ending their career at the top. they are going down in style, with an honest document of who they are. spending three years contributing to the DIY scene and making a community in the Bay Area, their eventful journey has now come to an end, and this is End EP – the perfect document of that end. jangly, messy but pretty. this is their maybe finest material, and I highly recommend you get it. all of these songs appear on a cassette split with Lost In Bazaar, which you can get here: http://dyinghorse.com/distro/ – for only $2.25!
The Bridgeheads – Foreigners
c.a. six years ago I saw fifteen seconds of a music video on the Bulgarian (I think it’s Bulgarian) music video channel Musicbox, and ordered this band’s début album. at the time they were known as The Bridge, and they weren’t all that big. at least not in Norway. and frankly, they still aren’t that big. why? I can’t for the life of me figure that out. their début was insanely good, and fairly ambitious – coming in a beautifully designed digipack, with cover art by their vocalist and main songwriter, Tomas. a two disc mammoth, that album was glorious. it would go three more years before I got new material by these guys. with a change in their line-up as well as name change, they released a three song EP in 2007. it was just as good as their début album… but it was just an EP, and after listening to it a thousand times, all I could say was GIEF MOAR. and now, three more years have past, and I’m finally getting MOAR. it’s 2010, and their new album is finally here. it’s called Foreigners and it’s released for free today. to put things into perspective, Tomas describes it as his Guernica, or his Tournesols, and they’ve been working with this for approximately three years, the last half of which period being spent in isolation, to avoid any loss of focus. this is extremely ambitious, and definitely a high risking project. Tomas has also written, directed, produced etc music videos for each and every of the eleven songs. and now it’s here. on their previous records they primarily played this slightly emo-induced form of alternative (a bit comparable to Placebo), but when your début consists of 34 tracks, you obviously cross experiment with other sounds as well. so they dipped their toes into both pop rock, experimental rock and garage punk, avant-garde piano-driven compositions, claustrophobic acoustic lullabies… among other things. that alternative sound with an affection for the experimental is still at the core of their sound. but now they are far more experimental. their sound is vastly different. there are no longer tendencies towards the experimental, but a sound that is completely sui generis. they are different from every other band out there, doing something entirely unique of their own. they call it expressionism. though they probably don’t mean the contemporary classical genre, that would actually not be all that off. because like that, this is acute, avant-garde and emotionally distressed. just in a more rock setting. the mix is completely unorthodox with no bass, a ton of mystical reverb, Joseph’s soft drums that sounds like it’s behind a wall, guitars that usually vary between the clean and semi-distorted, and just a very different sound altogether. to compensate for the lack of bass guitar, Tomas plays an octave guitar with no A-string, adding some deep and soft touches. while the record captures quite a few moments of emo/alternative magic, it more often dwells in a sparse Joy Division manner, a comparison significantly enhanced by the baritone vocals – even though they often seek for the otherworldly by utilising Tomas’s signature falsetto. the Slovakian band The Bridgeheads relocated to London some years ago, and I don’t know if it’s coincidental that this record sounds like it borrows quite a bit from English ’80s music, particularly (art) punk and goth rock. other bands that come to mind are both Radiohead and The Cure (Disintegration and post Disintegration). take this into the experimental alternative sound, and you’d probably still be way off if you were to take a guess as to what this record might sound like. it’s an experience that needs to be… experienced. The Gloria Record pushed the limits of what you can and can’t do in the emo genre with their synth-heavy shoegaze-esque album, Start Here. Antioch Arrow pushed it with their chaos. Honeywell pushed it with their aggressiveness and screams. a lot of bands have pushed this genre, and changed the boundaries. and what about The Bridgeheads? I don’t know. but I do know that they do not adhere to a single genre I know of. this album is a fresh breath of air for music as a whole. it’s one of a kind. it needs to be heard to stand any chance of being even remotely fathomed. you need to hear this.
Tim, Face Berlin – Youth
I’m assuming you all remember Tim, Face Berlin? if you don’t, I posted their début some posts down from this one. you should definitely get it, because it’s really good. this is their sequel, Youth. because in my opinion, this album is even better. it’s everything the first one was, only better. the climaxes are louder, and the calm parts are calmer. Youth is an accomplishment in terms of dynamics and a titillation of the soul. it hits nerves I didn’t even know I had. this band has grown and matured. while their sound certainly isn’t being redefined on Youth, it definitely is being refined. Tim, Face Berlin’s greatest weakness is still the predictability and their failure to create something unheard of. however, this might just be their *only* weakness. so they are doing pretty much everything right, they’re just in danger of drowning in a sea of all too similar bands. honestly, the only thing preventing this is the sheer quality present in Tim, Face Berlin’s songs. because while they are still not the most original band in the world, they are undeniably highly gifted performers. their compositions do not surprise me in the slightest – but they do touch me and move me in a way few others do. I for one value their soaring emotional intensity and beautiful flowing sensibility much more than I would or could value their creativity and originality if they lacked these qualities. this is an album that everyone should definitely check out and give a chance, if you are into extremely appealing, albeit generic instrumental layered math rock.
Captain Credible – Planet of the Eternal Electro Breakdance Orgy
I bid you welcome to the Planet of the Eternal Electro Breakdance Orgy. I promise nothing but an *eternal* electro breakdance orgy. at least that’s what you’ll get if you put this album on repeat. stating «coffee, and other music» as his influences, English-born Daniel (who now resides in Norway) is Captain Credible. and what exactly is Captain Credible? a one-man band? sure. an electronica art explosion? sure. but he’s all that, and so much more. from the home-made instruments, to the radiator he uses at his gigs to ensure a warm sound – this is an experience like none other, and this record is an eventful journey into the absurd imagination of Captain Credible. we partake on a nice little trip with Captain Credible, as he invites us to come join him on his spaceship. introducing us to what I can only assume are charming people (I mean, Dr. Testicles sounds like a fine man indeed), and describing exciting adventures such as “Pillaging With Astrodog”, the Captain sounds like he has a fairly hectic schedule on his hands. but thankfully he found the time to record these songs, despite being somewhat busy “Shooting Elephants on the Plains of the Serengeti”. the fact that he found the time to record this has to be one of the greatest things to have happened to this world, because these joyful and playful epileptic seizures are nothing short of spectacular. this record is all over the place. Captain Credible is incredible. download this asap! then buy it from http://howisannierecords.com – from which you can get it extremely cheaply. well worth the money and then some.
Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains – …Is Dead
eighteen songs that take forty-two minutes to listen through – this is probably the most valuable of all Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains collection, and it’s also the last post I’ll do on them. for those missing Chaos Infiltration Squad and Love Songs for the Apocalypse – this record is those records combined. with deliciously supreme recording quality (especially compared to the earlier posts), this is probably the ultimate record by this band. if you’re a casual fan or an emerging folk punk fan, this is the record to get. if you’re a omg zuper fan – you’ll obviously want to get all the records by them that I’ve blogged… but prepare to be paying this one the most attention though. partially due to the recording quality, partially due to it containing eighteen tracks and consequently being the biggest song collection. as for the style of music – it’s basically the same formula as on the other records. it’s energetic and catchy folk punk that somehow manages to be both nonchalant yet passionate; snarky and nihilist; ugly though brilliant. you’ll want this. get get get it! (I’ve been playing a fair deal of Skate 3 lately… – it’s a disappointment, if you were wondering.)
Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains – Live at Bandit H.Q.
as the album title evidence, this is a live take of Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains. it’s a split with Captain Chaos (Chris of Plan-It-X), but the songs appearing in this post are merely Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains’ side of the matter. that side consists of five songs that are c.a. sixteen and a half minutes long in total. all of the songs apart from one appears on one or more of the older posts, so this post is for you guys who can’t get enough of Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains. again, apologies for those of you who do not really care for this style of music. anyway, this live take has really good recording quality and is well worth checking out. the great thing about anything Pat the Bunny is involved with is how energetic the live shows are, with Pat and the audience screaming their lungs out as if a competition was going on. this is just really, really great, so check it out.
Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains – Sunday Easter Hangover
another shortie. three songs, fifteen minutes. one of which appeared on the previous post (“New Mexico”). you know the drill by now. it’s Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains. it’s folk punk. acoustic guitar, trumpet, harmonica and shouting about the revolution etc. I don’t want to belittle this shit, because it truly is awe-inspiring – but there’s only so much detail I can put into the description of the music itself. it’s folk punk. catchy and memorable protest songs. this release even has fairly good recording quality, so there will be no annoying compromising of these beautiful songs! which is pretty great, because you cannot possibly listen to these songs without getting inspired and agog. so put these nihilist punk songs on, and dream of the future with Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains. «you wish the world was clean but I’m in love with the way it’s dirty.»
Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains – Caught in the Act of Not Being Awesome
ok this is where the Johnny Hobo and The Freight Trains discography gets mildly confusing to me. I have no release year on this record, and there are highly conflicting rumours going around on forums. I must admit I’m a bit lost at the order and release dates by now (already), and even the legitimacy of the release. for all I know this is a fan-made collection of unreleased songs. but it sounds like it’s merely a live concert, but at the end of the songs there’s a studio take of parts of the song? it’s a bit weird. three of the songs are on Anarchy Means I Hate You, but this concert has no drum machine, no nothing. it’s just a man and his guitar… and what sounds like a stand up bass, but it’s sort of hard to tell, because it’s rather awkward-sounding in the mix. sometimes it sounds like it’s a drum? wtf? yeah. but thankfully the guitar and vocals both get across perfectly. so if you are interested in hearing Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains cursing the world live, then you should definitely get this release. the nihilist folk invasion continues, and will continue to continue over quite a few more posts. if you’re one of them who don’t like folk punk: sorry! if you like folk punk: you’re welcome!
Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains – All Power to the Wingnuts!
moving on with the Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains discography, here’s All Power to the Wingnuts! and with it comes fast and catchy chord progressions on an acoustic guitar, with passionate screamed vocals – all culminating in an anthem sound, perfected by the bittersweet sense of beauty found in the trumpet. containing three songs that are just over seven minutes, it’s a short affair. but(!) the quality of those three songs that are just over seven minutes, will undoubtedly leave you craving more. so stay tuned for the next update!
Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains – Anarchy Means I Hate You
ever since I uploaded Wingnut Dishwashers Union, I’ve been getting a lot of requests to upload Johnny Hobo and the Freight Train’s discography. and while this has always been my intention, I just never got started. so here you go folks. here I am… getting started. I hope I have everything in the correct order, but I’m not 100% sure, and I can’t ask Pat because he’s in rehab (we’re rooting for you, bud), so don’t get mad if I fuck up the order. at least my heart is in the right place. at least I’m uploading *everything* by Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains for you! and I’m starting with this record, entitled Anarchy Means I Hate You. for those of you who haven’t ever heard of Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains, they are one of the ultimate newer American folk bands. negative, nihilist and anarchist train hopping acoustic folk punk. keep in mind that this is a demo (I think), so the production value is somewhat lacking in places (the drums), but the ideas and the manner in which they are performed more than saves this record. these songs are genuinely worth listening to, for their spiteful and clever lyrics, the energetic performances and the simply catchy guitar hooks! get this, and start looking forward to the next post.
Tim, Face Berlin – We Could Wait Forever
I visited Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson’s Facebook page today, like I do almost every day. their latest post was a recommendation of the Swedish band Tim, Face Berlin. “and the rest is history”. this is the band’s first release, from May 2009. they proudly present themselves as fans of Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky on their MySpace, but they didn’t really have to write that. yes, it’s that obvious. like most bands in the math rock genre that omit vocals from their sound, they simply can’t avoid being compared to the two mammoths that are Mogwai and EitS. they borrow quite a bit of their backbone from them. they probably owe their entire existence to them, to be quite honest. but it’s okay. it doesn’t matter. it’s not a negative thing at all. it’s in fact completely irrelevant! because what matters is how Tim, Face Berlin pulls off their sound, not where they got it from. sure, their sound is essentially created by someone else, and they do come off as slightly generic on this, their début release – but that’s not the core of the matter. the core of the matter is how this music reaches out and touches the listener, and how they successfully create a sentimental and simply gorgeous atmosphere. We Could Wait Forever’s biggest flaw is undoubtedly the lack of innovation presented in the compositions, when put in a jar with all of the compositions of Tim, Face Berlin’s peers. there are a lot of bands with this sound that fail to stand out appropriately in the composition department. but Tim, Face Berlin stands out in a totally different, but incredibly more important department. and this is after all their first release – so maybe the innovation and originality will follow on their newer attempts? who knows. I really don’t care as much about it as I know others will. as long as they still manage to convey the huge amount of emotion with their music, as the achievement that is We Could Wait Forever does – I’m okay.
Final Thought – Taste Test
you guys remember that incredible emo band Vulture Culture, right? well, apparently they recorded their record in the basement of Dustin Dopsa. and apparently, he’s in the Toronto-based pop band Final Thought… and apparently they are strong believers in free music! what do you know, heh. so anyway, this is Final Thought. a Canadian pop band that’s somewhere between Angels & Airwaves, Fall Out Boy, 3OH!3 and Taking Back Sunday. now I only really like two of those bands (guess which ones!), but this mix works pretty great. it ends up being catchy vocal hooks over gentle guitar riffs, pleasant synth blip blops, soft bass lines, and upbeat drumming; a fairly generic and stereotypical pop rock sound. but Final Thought have some magic up their sleeves, and aren’t afraid to occasionally flash it, in order to stand out in a crowd – something they actually accomplish quite well. in such an otherwise stagnant and boring genre, it’s important to contribute with something fresh and genuine, and I feel like Final Thought do just that. with a little tongue in cheek lyrics and that good old trick of making really good tunes, this is a pop band that’s worth listening to. pay attention to these guys, because they might just be “the next big thing”. (and remember where you heard them first! ;) they will do everything they can to wrap you around their finger, so give them a chance! and tell all your friends to give them a chance as well. (did u c whut i did thur??? you’ll see once you get the track titles. it’s really “clever” and whatsitcalled “funny”.) download this!
Beyond the Fences – Unreleased
this is a band who knows how to make a first impression. the first two tracks of this unreleased compilation were rerecorded for the Salute Utopia 10″ (download available further down the blog), their only release. but what a release! that 10″ is one of the most ferocious records I have ever heard. and this compilation of unreleased tracks is no less furious. this album is just a confirmation that Beyond the Fences is without a doubt one of the very finest punk rock bands in all of history. this band is just insanely good, and I want to strongly encourage everyone to check them out. this is some of the most ardent music ever made. Beyond the Fences blazes through these five tracks in the most intense way at all possible. this band is criminally overlooked, and worth its weight in gold – nay, in antimatter. you need to hear this band. download this!
Vulture Culture – Cassette
Vulture Culture are a band that I know absolutely nothing about. there exist pretty much no information on them anywhere. but their album is a) for free download and b) good. no scratch b – this is *great*. haunting atmospheres that build up to beautiful climaxes. with some rather lengthy songs (particularly the opening track), this band aims for something grand. and they achieve something very much grand by exploring different musical territories in a progressive manner. these tracks display high composing skill, in the dynamic way they crawl up on you. with highly distinct vocals, soft and pretty melodies and well crafted highs and lows, Vulture Culture are a band that despite following a rather typical pattern for math-tinged emo bands, still manage to sound vastly different from any other band out there, with their pleasant softness and prominent mood. if I were to describe this record with one word, it would be “slumber”. Cassette feels like an eerie slumber; a state of constant euphoria. download this.
Killing Years – Killing Years
so you guys remember I talked about Killing Years, right? well here they are. and they used to be called Nations, but after many line-up changes, they decided to change their name as well. but one thing that hasn’t changed, are their ethics. strongly rooted in the DIY movement, these guys do everything themselves. and they’ve uploaded this album themselves, stating that while they did in fact «spen[d] money to have it recorded/mixed/mastered, and will spend the money to press and get it out there with physical copies», «this has never been about profit». but hopefully, their admirable ethics won’t be the only thing that leaves an impression on you. this is a ten minute record that is somewhat reminiscent of the Nations demo, but still really different. I’d say that Nations is significantly heavier, and more influenced by bands like Unbroken. this band doesn’t focus as much on breakdowns, but they are a lot more dynamic. ranging from the slow and controlled (but far from calm) to the raging fast, this band masters both end of the pace spectrum, and everything in between – including the transitions. another thing that separates them from Nations for me is that this band appears much more melodic, despite finding the time to experiment with pace transitions. Killing Years definitely have a very accomplished sound, solid compositions and highly skilled performers. but what makes them really worth listening to – and I say this about nearly every band ever, sorry – is their passion. the burning passion that fills each and every song on this record is what makes it so good. so download this, and support this band.
Nations – Demo
another band that Will – the vocalist from Some Mistakes used to be in is Nations. Nations have undergone a bunch of changes, and are now known as the Christian hardcore band Killing Years. but before Killing Years (we’ll get back to them some posts later, hopefully), there was Nations. this demo shows a promising young band in love with ’90s hardcore and with an affection for melody. they are a little comparable to Word Travels Fast, but there aren’t any clean vocals, and the production is a bit more gritty. this is a heavy hardcore band with tough break downs, but very intricate and at times highly melodic guitar licks underneath the raspy vocals, that serves as a counterpoint to the usually implicit melodic music. in a very skilled manner, the breakdowns are the perfect heavy and brooding contrasts to the fast and melodic, though just as powerful upbeat parts. this is somewhat in between Unbroken and Word Travels Fast, and a good band for you hardcore fans to give a try. check them out.
1.6 Band – The Checkered Pasts of All Kings Present
in 1989 what would later become one of the quintessential emo bands of the ’90s formed in Long Island, NY. by 1991 they had “settled down” (i.e. began touring regularly and sporting a stable line-up) with the band name 1.6 Band. this is a band name that means a lot to a lot of people. if the name doesn’t ring any bells for you, you need to download this as soon as possible. existing from 1991 to 1993, they put out three 7″s and an LP. the songs appearing on said records are available on a discography CD, Broke Up, released in 1995. but here we are – in 2010, and 1.6 Band are probably more popular than ever. a lot of the emo giants of the ’90s have enjoyed a resurrection via the Internet, and 1.6 Band are not an exception. it certainly didn’t hurt that they reunited last year. yes – this is actually an entirely new 7″! well, not “new” new… but 21st century new, at least. The Checkered Pasts of All Kings Present is a 12:12 long 7″ with much of the same tongue in cheek not-really-crooning over jazzy and spastic ’90s emo. playful experimenting with scales and rapid changes in tempo and style altogether, somewhat comparable to Daniel Striped Tiger. these guys are highly skilled – but what makes this worth listening to is the first and foremost the intensity! so whether you’ve slept on this band, never heard of it, love it but didn’t know about the reunion, – you need to download this. N.B. word of advise: stay away from the FLACs! they crash both my tag editor and my media player. I don’t know what’s up with them. but the 320kbps MP3s sound very good, so get those. then order the 7″, if you like the songs. it’s really cheap ($5 ppd in USA). buy link is in the download link.
Word Travels Fast – Ellen
I would like to say that «if you liked Some Mistakes, you’ll like this!» – but I can’t. at all. this band is related to Some Mistakes, in that the vocalist of Some Mistakes used to play bass for them, and one of the guitarist of Some Mistakes happen to play guitar for them. but there ends the comparison. this band plays a glimmering style of alternative meets hardcore. where Saves the Day focuses more on the alternative part, this band is probably much more hardcore punk. real fast and ferocious, but still very catchy and harmonic. if you like early blink-182, Descendents and other alternative bands that play really, really fast – you’ll like this as well. this is hardcore punk with pop sensibilities. or some other controversial contrast… a catchy energy bomb! starting out with longing emo-like twinkling, it soon enough picks up the pace. but *not* in favour of the melody. it hugs melody and harmony all the way from start to finish, in the same way that Saves the Day did on their first two albums (I haven’t really listened to the others). this is some high quality hardcore/alternative/punk/pop/whatever. pace, melody and quality all go hand in hand through this blistering record. hardcore needs bands like Word Travels Fast. download this!
Candy Hearts – Ripped Up Jeans & Silly Dreams
if sometimes all you want is a little fuzz on the guitar, an upbeat rhythm section and laid back vocals… if sometimes all you want is to put on The Presidents of the United States of America, The Ergs! or Lemuria… if sometimes all you want is just want some cool rock’n'roll – then Candy Hearts are definitely for you. there is nothing pretentious or pompous about this record. it’s got cheap and simple poppy hooks, dabdadabdaaa vocal harmonies, fuzzy power chords, upbeat drumming and a soft voice singing melodic lines about youthful thinking. the songs are naïve and very head over heels, which leads to Candy Hearts being quite charming and sweet – in a way less snotty way than blink-182, Sum 41 and other alternative bands formed in the ’90s. they also utilize noisy guitars and heavy compositions in the vein of The Pixies, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr. and other alternative bands founded in the ’80s. so the end result is a nice timeless style of rock. a consistent and thorough effort, clocking in at over thirty minutes – this is a record you are very likely to enjoy regardless of your preferences, due to its simplicity and charm. you can’t *not* like “Anything” – a modern rock classic from the first listen. download this album!
Some Mistakes – Demo
with a crisp guitar tone that has a way of getting inside your head, a rhythm section that almost sounds like it gets heavier each and every second, and an emotive and sincere vocal performance, Some Mistakes largely favour a heavy sound over quick half minute burst songs. Some Mistakes are a band that shows that you needn’t move at a great pace to move with great purpose. they ultimately reside somewhere between ’90s screamo bands like Elements of Need, and more recent screamo bands, like Mesa Verde (which can be downloaded further down if you are interested), that incorporate more intricate math rock elements in their composing. hints of heavy ’90s hardcore/screamo bands like Unbroken and You and I are also detected, along with subtle touches of Modern Life is War and American Nightmare/Give up the Ghost. the end result reminds me of a more hardcore than metal version of Quiritatio. anyway, the demo is just over ten minutes long, but makes one hell of an impression in those ten minutes. their anger and passion can be felt throughout the entire thing, as it almost makes its way out of the speakers. the sheer volume, power and passion this band has managed to put into the recordings are overwhelming to the point of it almost crushing you, into the broken souls they sing about in their songs. I am *not* the product of dysfunction and unhappiness, but these songs almost make me feel like I am. the great never ending sadness that these tales tell are breathtakingly painful, but it’s nothing compared to the manner in which the band tells them. that’s what makes this band so special; what makes these songs completely unique, and utterly amazing. you need to hear this band. these three songs are beyond spectacular, and so well crafted as well as performed that this demo is simply bursting with blistering emotional confession and breakdown. note that like quite the few other bands I’ve downloaded from bandcamp (1099’s latest album which can be downloaded further down is one of them), the FLAC copies are nothing but white noise in my standard media player, Amarok. it does work in some other players, like VideoLan Client. so if you use Amarok or any other media player that utilizes the Xine engine, you might consider downloading this in Ogg Vorbis instead. it still sounds extremely good. the recording quality of this demo does not take anything away from the songs or compromise them in any way, thankfully. because these songs are nothing short of fantastic, and they deserve to be heard. hear them!
Det Magiske Blå Orkesteret – Fra Sjal Til Server…
Det Magiske Blå Orkesteret means the magical blue orchestra in English, and it’s definitely a magic orchestra. it’s about time we make another visit to Bodø, Norway – and its fantastic music scene. sounding something like a European Frank Zappa born in the ’80s – the 4080s – who’s travelled back in time with the mother ship to inflict pain and suffering… it’s a quite quirky listen. probably best enjoyed on drugs. hard drugs. avant-garde with the marimba and flutes utilized to create an overall cosy atmosphere in which anyone could feel comfortable. this is an instant classic! or… it will be by 4080, I’m sure!
I See Horses – Has My Stealth Been in Vain
I know rather little about this band, save for the fact that they’ve supposedly been harvesting some really positive attention in the scene over the last year, resulting in them being played on the radio. I also know that they are indie and that this album is for free download. and it’s really good. with vocals that at times are strikingly similar to Wesley in Boris Smile or Brandon Flowers of The Killers, and music that isn’t too far off The Killers either – I See Horses make you feel good with musical references to the ’80s, and bands such as U2 (their good songs) and Simple Minds, but with a very modern and relevant twist, like The Killers and Keane. but both the vocals and the music isn’t in any way stuck in a one way traffic lane, as it in all its versatility constantly change things up. while perhaps not particularly innovating or outstandingly original, this band is pure quality nevertheless. a breath of pop magic has been drawn. did you catch it?
The Sky Looks Pissed – This Ending Promise
it’s been all too long since the last post consisting of one of Ethan’s many beloved project. for those of you who aren’t up to date – he’s in The Loneliest Cowgirls, Henry Bemis Is A Superhero and Screaming and Dreaming. oh, and The Sky Looks Pissed. which brings me to this post. This Ending Promise is the first “Ethan post” in a while, so I hope you’ve missed him as much as I have. for those of you who aren’t Ethan nerds, this band is a fairly stereotypical down to earth folk rock band. at least most of the time. occasionally though (especially on this new album), it strays away from the “formula”, in favour of e.g. ambience, noise or punk. the lyrics are personal and confrontational, and not (obviously) political. it’s mostly songs about girls, to be quite honest. filled with humour and self-irony akin to Loudon Wainwright III. in between the songs about girls, are ambient – almost shoegaze passages. anyway, to sum it up – it’s a fairly experimental folk rock album. if you like folk rock, you might like this. if you don’t like folk rock, you probably won’t like this. you know what to do people.
forte – forte ‘09
this oddball sludgy screamo psychedelia insanity is forte, an Ukrainian… screamo band? at least *tendencies* towards screamo are to be found. but honestly the band I would compare them to first of all is MEHE, posted below, despite the fact that they sound nothing like them. but forte – like MEHE – are for the most of the time highly hyperactive and very eccentric – in a manner (not sound) that resembles The Locust. but this is a screamo band. sometimes they go into these Envy-like riffs and climaxes, and sometimes they do these Lungfish/Fugazi-ish calm but focused passages. they build it and tear it down… loudly. this Ukrainian band has me puzzled, to be honest. this over twenty minutes long record covers so much ground in those over twenty minutes. simply astonishingly diverse, with a detailed and interesting layered sound. complex and translucent, this is a band that I urge you to check out as fast as possible. pay especial notice to the beautiful album closer. it’s perfect.
Charles Manson – Demo
Edwin and Steven from TEETH have a band called Charles Manson. and like TEETH, Charles Manson have fade outs to their songs. this band has a demo, consisting of four tracks with Charles Manson samples, blast beats or heavy beats, a heavy bass and shouting this is extremely raw power violence. this demo doesn’t *focus* on recording quality, to put it like that. if you aren’t into stuff that kind of sounds like it was recorded in mono into a boombox that was inside a metal trash can – you might just want to avoid this altogether. but if you aren’t too picky in terms of production value, you might enjoy this and all of its dissonance. this is power violence stripped down to its core. get it!
Mutiny – Mutiny
from Norwegian screamo to the Canadian crust band Mutiny. including members of that’s punk favourites Iskra, they are a more than welcome addition to this blog. this is their self titled 7″, my last blog update for today. Mutiny are a really heavy crust band. grindcore and power violence influences are more than apparent. these guys slay. they go from heavy, gloomy and trance-inflicting metal, to fast-as-shit thrashing grindcore, with almost shrieking vocals, rapid-fire riffs and blast beats. it’s amazing. thirteen songs in fourteen minutes, this is mind-melting hard and politically outspoken music. it destroys. get it.
Dominic – Running With Scissors
this is an album that should’ve been up ages ago. the reason it hasn’t been? simple. up until recently, I only had the 10″. now I got the CD from my friend Rune at http://www.notanotherrecordlabel.com/ – which you should definitely check out. the distro is beyond solid, and he’s always looking to hook you up with cool shit. this record is released on Dead Letter Records, but I don’t know how alive they are these days. their site is down, but I guess maybe you could message them on MySpace? I think Rune is a surer bet. anyway, this is – as the title implies – another Dominic record. it’s called Running With Scissors, and was released in 2004. so it pre-dates the s/t by two years, making it the earliest Dominic release on this blog. it’s five songs and about fifteen minutes. it showcases Dominic at their very most impatient. full of eagerness and hopefulness, they set out to create some of the most emotionally charged moments you’ll ever be lucky enough to experience. if you’ve heard this band before, you know what you are getting into. they have a highly distinct sound. instantly recognisable, instantly worthy of appreciation. get this. (then get the rest of their stuff, if you haven’t already.)
Bomb the Music Industry! – Adults!!! Smart!!! Shithammered!!! And Excited By Nothing!!!
I’m getting sort of annoyed by these gimmicky exclamation marks… oh well. the music is thankfully really good. there’s something thoroughly cosy with this release. most of the tracks are upbeat ska with horns and the whole boat, but there’s this one downbeat track, and an electronica interlude thing. «Recorded, mixed and released in the span of FIVE DAYS, Adults!!! has the whole big family playing a million horns, bells, organs at full speed! Yes yes yes!!!», is how they like to describe it themselves – and they do so better than I can. but I’d like to add my own observation: what makes this release so incredibly successful is how easily it comes across that the band are having fun! the tunes are really good, but above all else they excel by being joyful. so if you are in the mood for fun and joy (how can you not be?), download this! I’d also suggest you do a donation via PayPal to info@quoteunquoterecords.com, including the band or album name in the title or body of the payment. this way these guys can have fun without being broke!
Bomb the Music Industry! – Scrambles
continuing where they left of, the punk collective Bomb the Music Industry! strikes back with more infectious punk rock. Scrambles starts out with a demo-quality track, and then moves on to a “real quality” ska-tinged melodic punk rock track. sounds familiar? yes. the whole album is really “nothing but” a continuation of the previous album, or to be more precise – a perfection. it even includes quite some elements of ye olde Bomb the Music Industry! like synths and bells and bold jumps and quakes. so it’s still quirky and introspective lyrics on top of quirky and melodic music. it’s the same formula. but it’s has never been better employed throughout their career than now. they have simply grown a lot, and learned many new things. there is nothing that screams rock anthems more than a piano. while not *all* Ben Folds’s songs are good, the foundation is really cool, so ripping him off *is* a good thing… and so on. all these experiences make this a thoroughly enjoying album, full of pure quality, and lots of diversity. on “$2,400,000″, it even goes into Wingnut Dishwashers Union land! the lyrics are always honest, modest and somewhat sad, though at the end I always find optimism in there somewhere. there’s always hope in the end! this is inherently a joyful album, in my humble opinion. and it’s a *damn* fine album, that deserves your listen. download it! and buy it on CD/LP from http://www.asianmanrecords.com, or donate via PayPal to info@quoteunquoterecords.com, including the name of the band or the album in the title or body of the payment. the CD/LP is really worth it though, because you get this awesome fanzine with it (both the CD and the LP), that features many cool tips. not to mention you get this glorious album! the definite culmination of everything that is good with this band – including one of the finest punk anthems ever – “(Shut) Up the Punx”. this is one of those albums where almost every song is an anthem! get it!!!
Bomb the Music Industry! – Get Warmer
this record marks a real turning point for Bomb the Music Industry! live drums appear throughout the whole album, and there are no programmed synths. it’s all analogue, baby. they even recorded demos and then re-recorded them. professionalism! this is even the first record that you can actually buy! so buy it from http://www.asianmanrecords.com/ while you’re at it. or, if you think that those “records” and “CDs” are for dinosaurs, keep donating via PayPal to info@quoteunquoterecords.com while including the name of the album or band in the title or body of the payment. anyway, to get back to the album; nothing says higher production value like having a demo-like quality to the intro, that eventually gets wrapped up in a “real quality” song. I love that idea. my band will definitely do that on our début. no doubt. so yeah, you guys remember how the previous album I posted, Goodbye Cool World, marked Bomb the Music Industry!’s turning point? well if that was a sort of transition, then this is the new (and improved?) Bomb the Music Industry!. so there are fewer maniac bursts of almost The Locust-esque synth-heavy hardcore, or ’80s east coast harDCore punk. Bomb the Music Industry! is simply more consistent than ever. less funny genre jumps, more melodic and engaging punk rock riffs. the thing about this more focused album is that it does automatically come off as more immediately believable. I’m sorry, but when you do what Bomb the Music Industry! had a habit of doing on especially the first two albums, you feel forced to take the time to evaluate – «am I being taken the piss out of?» but here, it all comes off very believable. what’s even better is that the band hasn’t compromised its creativity, nor lost its interestingness. it has matured though preserved what made it great in the first place.
Bomb the Music Industry! – Goodbye Cool World
more quirky lyrics and quirky music? more Bomb the Music Industry!? yessssssss. here is “Goodbye Cool World”. how is it compared to the other two albums (which you obviously have already downloaded)? well, it’s more what old people would call “mature”, in my opinion. attempts at ripping off The Hold Steady and mid-tempo arena rock anthems are some of the ingredients of this album. but don’t despair, there are still some high paced ska/punk songs. there are just fewer of those rowdy punk rock songs, compared to the number of synth-heavy feelgood tracks. despite some really unorthodox genre blending and jumping, I think it’s worth noticing that Bomb the Music Industry!’s lyrics are sincere and how they usually make really valid points. they speak their opinions loudly, and I gather they’d expect to be taken seriously. no matter if they play a synth-reggae song, or an ’80s alternative rock song. the fact is just that this band is just immensely creative, and seem to feel a dire need to experiment with genres – thus making the end result all over the place, which is a great deal of what makes this band so fun to listen to. and then on this one track there’s a ‘ukulele… which pretty much constitutes awesomeness! get this! and keep donating by sending some money (maybe $5 or so?) via PayPal to info@quoteunquoterecords.com. put the band name or album title or whatever in the title or body of the payment, so they know what you are donating to/for.
Bomb the Music Industry! – To Leave Or Die in Long Island
I wrote a lengthy thing here, but it wasn’t saved so I’m now writing it for the second time. that pisses me off. but anyway, we’re wasting as little time as possible here at the that’s punk community. so let’s continue our dive into Bomb the Music Industry!’s discography. this is a band that has as quirky lyrics as music. sounding somewhat like a Christmas album made under the heavy influence of crystal meth and various other substances, To Leave Or Die in Long Island stands on well balanced hardcore and ska legs, but everything from the legs and up consists of what they themselves elegantly describe as «[s]ing-alongs, drum machines, synthesizers [and] saxophones played faster than fuck». a fitting description, indeed. though there are actually some calmer points to this album, just as the début. there’s even some sort of uhm… ballad..? yeah. the lyrics still revolve somewhat around the hardcore scene and punk rock – but the main themes are still the band itself, and the lyricist. from being broke and stuck in a minimum wage job to their bassist applying for Every Time I Die, it’s diverse enough to not constitute nagging. Bomb the Music Industry! continues their avant-garde punk rock thing with style – and energy. if you liked the first album, you’ll like this. if you didn’t like the first album, you won’t like this. if you haven’t heard the first album, get both, and play them. play them hard. download this! oh, and you can still donate by sending money via PayPal to info@quoteunquoterecords.com with the album title or band name in the title or body of the message.
Bomb the Music Industry! – Album Minus Band
if you’ve already heard this band, chances are you’ve already downloaded their discography and indulged in it heavily. if you haven’t heard this punk collective – now is the time. and there’s no better place to start than the insanity of their début, a messy beating of an album. the music is… pretty hard to categorise and speak of… let me get back to that. the lyrics are easier to decipher, so I’ll do those first. they could probably be categorised as “offensive”, when they just throw it out there in the open, that maybe George W. Bush (president at the time) should blow his brains out on national TV. dealing with everything from social politics, to personal day-to-day issues, to “the scene” – and how stupid bands who think they are “cool” are. usually employing a rather simplistic straightforward though slightly comedic approach to lyricism, Bomb the Music Industry!’s songs are highly refreshing. now to try to say a few words about the music… well… it’s definitely energetic, intense and ferocious. firmly rooted in punk rock, with plenty of ’80s east coast hardcore and ska influences… with drum machines and synth and American Steel/Against Me!-esque vocals and uh stuff… but this album essentially sounds like it was recording whilst the performers had a constant itch. it rapidly jumps between different blends of musical genres. who would know that putting synthpop on top of ska makes a totally legit Harvey Danger cover? but what I am in fact trying to say here is that this band sounds like no other band. and no matter if they are doing sped-up lounge rock in 8-bit electronic synths combined with a dancehall-ish ska back-beat, acoustic guitar ballads or furious harDCore punk anthems – they do so in a highly authentic and believable way. this album has some of the most intense quick-paced energy bombs put on record, some cracking social commentary, great and ambitious genre blends, and a completely beautiful ballad to end it all. seriously – it rocks so hard that you can’t even begin to imagine how much it rocks until you put it on… which of course means you’ll have to download this asap! yes, that’s right. this band isn’t only great because of its music, but also because of their impeccable diy ethics. I just hope this band is remembered just as much for their great music as for releasing their music for free on Quote Unquote Records. you can donate by sending money via PayPal to info@quoteunquoterecords.com (suggested donation is $5, but it’s up to you), and putting the name of the band or album or whatever in the donation title or body. I recommend you do, and help these guys to go on forever and ever! and remember to check out the epic Black 47-esque album closer!
Boris Smile – Beartooth EP
if you were into We Were Lightning, you will very much want to check out this band. Boris Smile started out in 2004 as a one man band, and in 2005 they released their first EP, and in 2007 they released their first album. both of these were on a label called Toy Records. in spring, 2008 yet another album was released… and come autumn, come Beartooth EP. I have no idea what the availability of these other records are, but I’ll try to find out and edit this sentence accordingly. Beartooth is an extravagant adventure of a record. try on Brandon Flowers’s (of The Killers) vocals on top of upbeat and catchy chamber pop. with a heartfelt nerve, Boris Smile explores both darker sad feelings as well as joyful happy feelings in this journey of wonderful stories and gentle sounds. I highly recommend you download this! and that you buy it from http://www.cylsrecords.com – yes, it’s yet another release on the great label Count Your Lucky Stars. get this.
Cindy – The Influence
Cindy are one of the many great bands from Narvik (Norway) that are either broken up or not situated in Narvik any more and performing under a different name. thankfully, this band isn’t among the broken up ones. they are alive and well under the new name The Hex. I have no idea what they are doing, but they told me that an album should be out this spring – so look out for that; I know I will. but anyway let’s talk about this 2006 release – The Influence – by Cindy. comparisons to other bands from Narvik like Cactus and Please Turn Over (now known as New Frequency) are more than appropriate. for those of you oblivious to either of those bands, this music draws influence from many different sounds. alternative bands like Foo Fighters, early Radiohead and Muse, are maybe the main focus, but there’s quite some bit of emo bands like Dominic and At the Drive-In, as well as some more straight rock oriented stuff like newer Turbonegro. there are even hints of mid-career A Fire Inside. the vocals kind of remind of Davey Havok’s tone… at times at least. anyway, my point is that this is fairly general rock music, though with plenty of different intriguing elements within the sound. this means that this can easily attract any audience; any fan of rock music. their sense of melody, atmosphere and overall understanding of how to compose music that feels accomplishing and rewarding to listen to despite its approachable and “poppy” sound, makes The Influence a truly interesting piece of music that can be valued by both the casual music listener, as well as the above average musically interested person. it’s catchy and light without being shallow. to put it short: Cindy rules. download this.
Heart Eyes – Demo 2009
so I heard this chick had covered Fugazi on the ‘ukulele. initially I was worried this would just be a gimmicky silly “omg l00k @ me I cover emo/hardcore bands in an unconventional manner”. it’s not. and she covered “I’m So Tired”, so it’s not like she’s doing “Turnover” or “Shut the Door”. and her cover just goes to prove that if you’re going to cover Fugazi with an ‘ukulele, then “I’m So Tired” is the right track to cover. she pulls it off quite nicely, to be quite honest. but she pulls off her own material even better! and her American Nightmare cover is also impeccable. if you – like me – have an indescribable affection for Hawaiian instruments… or just good music… chances of you getting into this are high. the honesty and boldness in the lyrics and tone somewhat contrast the – to me – joyful and happy sound of the ‘ukulele. unfortunately the tapes are sold out, but hey – at least you get to download it from that’s punk, eh?
TEETH – Demo
if you are longing for something more violent than the latest posts, then my friend – TEETH are for you. early ’90s sounding power violence with some amounts of grindcore, some amounts of hardcore – and some crust. very bass-heavy, and with fade-outs on every song. I’m not a fan of fade-outs at all… but fade-outs on *power violence songs*? that is just amazing. in under fifteen minutes, TEETH deliver some very much refreshing as well as crushing power violence in the vein of Man Is the Bastard, Hellnation and even Dropdead at times on the faster songs. oh, and with fade-outs! the recording quality is so so. the cymbals are very loud… and most of the other stuff is not so loud. but I mean they get their point across just fine… and they cover Napalm Death. so I’m very much looking forward to hearing more from this band, because this demo gave me a very appealing first taste of TEETH.
Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) – When the Sea Became A Giant
I’m happy to say that this posts completes the e! e! discography here at that’s punk. this was their first release ever, and is well out of print. so for those of you who have been looking for this and those of you who didn’t even know of its existence – here you go! and to those of you who haven’t yet been exposed to this magical journey that is Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate), please proceed to download this (and the other posts of this band). e! e! sounds like someone carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders whilst constantly stepping on needles, partly to be reassured that he’s still able to feel anything at all – and partly because no matter where he treads there are no safe spots to be found. this band is damned depressing. but they are depressing without being cliché or stupid. and that by itself is a strong feat. if you can’t stand “whiney” music, you might just do yourself the favour of staying away from this. if however you are open to this kind of stuff, stuff like Mineral and American Football, you will like this. I like this.
The Tie That Binds – Slowly Sinking Under
I present to you The Tie That Bind’s début. so if you missed out on these guys the first time, this is the time to pick them up. and if you remember the first The Tie That Binds album I posted, then you no doubt remember it fondly enough to pick this up. it’s fairly reminiscent of their second album, though with a slightly different line-up. imagine if Evergreen and The Pine were catchy enough to play the Warped Tour. like if they’d fused a bit with Taking Back Sunday. throw in some Jawbreaker and you are already in possession of a fairly accurate description of The Tie That Binds. sounds pleasant, right? well it is. if I had to compare them to just one band though, I think I might have landed on gods reflex. because like gods reflex, The Tie That Binds have that very emotional approach mixed with the upbeat and catchy song structures and great rock guitars with plenty of little solos. so check this out. you won’t regret it!
Polara – Inacabado
unfortunately my Portuguese hasn’t improved any since the previous post. has yours? meh. you should be able to enjoy this anyway. duelling melodic guitars that rapidly exchange the listener’s focus with perfected lines of power chords and sugar sweet picking, with a pleasant rhythm section consisting of bass lines softer than the softest of duvets and an easy on the ears drum kit with lots of toms and nice fills. finally to top it off there are vocals that blend comfortably in with all of the other equally vital ingredients of Polara, making this album just as safely a bet as the previous one. this might even be better – at least to my ears. I’d like to make a bold comparison to Sugar, with their “cleanly distorted” guitars and unmatchable sense of melody. this is simply brilliant. and for all of you who were slightly annoyed by the occasional low quality recording on the previous album, rest assured – this album is much more consistent in terms of audio fidelity. so audiophiles, come on in you as well. I present to you twelve delightful emo songs from the Brazilian masterminds Polara. enjoy!
Polara – Tempestade Bipolar
now over to one of those bands that I know absolutely nothing about sans the fact that they make great music. these guys have uploaded their music for free on last.fm, and so I thought I’d do the users of that’s punk a favour by uploading it here as well. and believe me, this is a favour you’ll appreciate. Polara are an emo band from Brazil, a country we haven’t explored thoroughly enough on this blog. actually, I think that the only other band from Brazil that makes an appearance is DDT punkrock. so let’s welcome Polara to the party! they play a sort of Cap’n Jazz-esque emo with tons of energy. the songs are one or two minutes of uplifting guitars and harmonic vocals. this is punk rock that just shines of feelgood and joy. some of the songs are rather lo-fi, but most have more than satisfactory recording quality. and the musical quality is dependable on each track. for the most part, this is uncomplicated punk rock with guitars, shouting and upbeat drumming. some tracks experiment outside of that scope, but the tracks that I like the best are the ones that are just rocking out. so check this out for some great happy emo. and if anyone could direct me to where to buy their stuff in Europe or how to get in touch with them, let me know!
Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) – What It Takes to Move Forward
with twinkling very Penfold-esque guitars and soft drums and bass this band’s sound is extremely reminiscent of Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson, particularly their first album. what sets them apart from them though is that their love affair with Mineral and the other greats of ’90s emo is far more apparent. though these guys have definitely picked up on the modern math rock trend, they aren’t as planted in it as Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson are – though they do move into these pleasing American Football affairs from time to time. I’m not going to compare the bands in terms of quality, because this is highly subjective. that’s for you to decide, which one you prefer. I will however say that they hit different moods, but are to me fairly equally satisfying experiences. e! e! are generally a far more bleak and dismal affair. the lyrics are easily compared to Mineral’s, generally not filled of metaphors or overly complex wordings – but somehow there is something poetic and deep about them. this is no doubt caused by the culmination of the lamentable delivery, the melancholic atmosphere and the simply depressing words about hearts being torn out and lungs giving out. lyrically, this is simply a very consistently sad record. and the music definitely reflects that, if it isn’t the lyrics that are reflecting the music – because let me assure you, it is a depressing affair of soft nervous drumming, harmonic bass lines, and twinkling clean guitars building up into weeping minor chords and feedback with frail vocals shouting words of greater torment and pain over furious crisp drums. if you have forgotten what anxiety feels like, this is the album I’d recommend you to pick up. this record expresses grief and sorrow like few others. so check it out. and if you like it, you should pick it up from http://www.cylsrecords.com/ – because these guys deserve every buck they get. so help keeping both e! e! and cyls afloat by picking up this CD, because it really is fantastic. the artwork (I have the Japanese version) is great also. artsy, but great. pick it up! if you’re from Europe, you should consider getting it from http://sncl.collective-zine.co.uk to save some bucks on shipping.
Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson – Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson
in 2005 the world was exposed to one of the most exciting début albums ever, not to say one of the most exciting albums ever period. Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson hit the ground running, and impressed many people in doing so. the album had one foot in the emo genre with their delightful ’90s emo picked guitars and the occasional screamed vocals drew comparisons to acts such as City of Caterpillar on one hand, but then The Gloria Record on another level. Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson’s other foot stood balanced and firm in the math rock genre with their progressive and clever compositions. patient like Godspeed You! Black Emperor and climactic like Sigur Rós. in addition to these foots, Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson naturally had arms. one of which was a bit longer than the other, the dreamy ambient one. the other somewhat shorter arm was just as important though, the electronica arm. together, these four limbs crafted a somewhat introverted and philosophic kid who wore his feelings on the outside of his skin for everyone to see. and now Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson are back. with what is easily one of the most anticipating albums of the year, they face a great challenge in following their majestic début album (which also is up for download here somewhere down the list, by the way). what better way to take on the challenge then, but to produce one of the most ambitious releases of all time? none. released as a 32-paged book that comes with multiple colour variations of the cover and with a written text inside that varies from version to version, as well as many pretty pictures and beautiful colours, and on two CDs – this is definitely something more than just a second album. check out the cover. that picture as well as two more are included in the download. and here is two random pages in the book as well. and two more for good measure. and finally – a picture of the CD. and while they look lovely like that, I cannot stress how much you should definitely invest money in this album if you can afford to, because it’s rather cheap for a 32-paged book – and it’s so definitely worth it. you should probably buy it even if you don’t like the music – because it really is that good. and it feels nice to know they’ve put so much effort into this magnificent packaging. it just goes to prove that this band is interested in offering something different, something consistent and thorough. this will be a long post, demonstrating what a fatal flaw the design choice of one paragraph per post… but there are two discs, so I arrogantly divide this into two paragraphs to make it at least slightly easier to read.
like this… so now – to the music. because that is what truly matters. to me at least. while the book and the pictures inside of it gets me excited in its very inviting presentation, it is essentially worthless to me without the music to back it up. don’t get me wrong, I like pretty pictures – and if you are into that stuff you should as mentioned pick up the book even if you’re not into the music – but my relationship with pictures is mostly «hmm… that’s pretty… hmm… that’s also nice…» – it rarely goes way past that level of enthusiasm. so to me, the book is a compliment to the music – not a necessity. but it adds another level of ambition, and it’s so awesome that they are so dedicated to delivering a product that is flawless in each and every way, that you should really stop reading this and head over to http://www.howisannierecords.com and pick up your very own copy of this. actually I’m willing to bet that if you have heard this band before, you have probably already ordered a copy purely based on the début. if you however are in some kind of doubt – click the download button, and continue to read on. this album is a perfect album. or should I say these albums? because it’s divided up into two albums, “Puzzle” and “The Detective”. actually I’m not even sure I want to call it albums either. yerp. it’s official! we need a new term to do these glorious objects d’art proper justice. anyway – to compare this object d’art to the début is sort of hard, I guess. the reason being simply that both of the releases’ songs are so closely knitted together. the songs on the first release belong there, and putting them on this one would be wrong. and so, even comparing them gets a bit weird to me. but what I can say right of the bat is the obvious lack of electronic elements, the complete lack of programming, which might perhaps lend this album a more organic and timeless quality to it. there are also more vocals evident on this, something that sets them effectively apart from most of the ambient math rock bands who tend to be nearly or completely instrumental. Gjermund, the main vocalist, has a very mellow voice that blends in with the soft pieces of the compositions effortlessly and elegantly. and occasionally Torbjørn, the second to main vocalist, gets the opportunity to scream until his lungs give out here, just like he did on the début. these two vocalists are distinctly different from each other, and serve distinctly different yet equally important purposes. what great fortune this band has struck upon with two so gifted though different vocalists! or rather, what great fortune we – the fans – have struck upon, finding this band. this is generally the feeling that rushes through my body whilst listening to this. what great fortune! whenever the guitars twinkle and twinkle into a shining climax that is utterly useless to even try to compare to anything else ever, it’s another reason for me to rejoice. whenever the cello graces the soundscape by taking control, as if it’s running off a cliff, forming wings just before the take-off, it’s another reason to rejoice. the band describes the songs as sorrowful hymns somewhere inside the 32-paged book, but to me this album is joy embodied in the form of music. it’s essentially happiness inside of a book. with seven members, Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson creates a lot of happiness, and a lot of noise. several layers of noise even. some mellow noise, some crisp noise and some harsh noise – all pretty noise. with twinkling minor chords, sparkling major chords and extremely intense drumming not contrasted but complimented by soft and harmonic bass lines and cello – this band creates an angst-ridden playground, in which they bend and break the nerves with every opportunity that are presented for them. claustrophobic build-ups that lead into open and wide but focused and aimed climaxes. this object d’art is what you get if someone dumps every potential human emotion in an ocean of emotionally charged, dynamic and beautiful noise. take the picture now, because it doesn’t get more perfect than this exact moment. download. buy. http://www.howisannierecords.com
It’s Just Vanity – The Strangers EP
when someone from a band contacts me and says something along the lines of “hey I saw you posted e! e! and thought you might like our stuff”, I feel fairly confident I’ll like it long before I get the chance to listen to it, and thoroughly look forward to the moment when I actually find a chance to do so. and thankfully It’s Just Vanity didn’t disappoint one bit. but if you are expecting them to sound like e! e!, you might be surprised at the more Small Brown Bike-y approach. it’s more Deep Elm/Drive-Thru driven than e.g. e! e! is, but at times it still draws comparison to stuff like Mineral, when it’s at its softest and the guitars twinkle and so on. they generally favour melodic riffs over intricate picking most of the time but are definitely masters of both arts. they also utilize some solid rock solo picking with just enough distortion to make it sound right. it’s sort of reminiscent of an emo band paying the occasional homage to classic rock. anyways, you should all check this band out if you like very melodic and catchy emo like Small Brown Bike and don’t mind twinkly passages like those of Mineral. it’s good. maybe especially the epic six minute closer. download this! you can even get it in FLAC if you want. :)
Screaming and Dreaming – Pleasant on the Ears
Ethan from [insert half of the bands on that's punk here] is back with a band called Screaming and Dreaming, in which he and his brother pretty much hammer through these ten uplifting tunes. sounding like something between the psychedelic schizophrenic rock of Rudimentary Peni, the carefree experimental jams of Edward Kasperl Band and the insecurity of screamo bands that never made it out of the rehearsal room – this record shows us all that rock isn’t about technical ability or production value. it’s about expressing yourself in a manner you deem fit. thus this record is an exoneration to all the punks and a penance for all the math and prog kids. download this and go nuts, like these guys did when they recorded it.
Street Smart Cyclist – Discography
we’re moving from Kazakhstan to Pennsylvania, and to the gentlemen of Street Smart Cyclist, who more than enjoy comparing themselves to Boys Life and Cap’n Jazz. these comparisons are legitimate though, seeing as this band definitely belongs in the sort of wuss rock category with twinkly guitars, shouting, upbeat drumming and the feeling of being a kid running around at full speed in the living room doing whatever as long as you do it really really fast and it annoys your parents. it’s sugarrushcore. some of the tracks are even acoustic, but they still manage to convey the energetic approach inherent in this band. what all of this means is that you need to download this discography and rock out.
Carina Rossa – Demos
today we continue our exploration of Kazakhstan’s musical affairs with Carina Rossa and their creeping and haunting atmospheric guitars and intense screams – and complete lack of drums on three of the four tracks presented on this little demo collection. it’s intimate, ghostly, chilling and well worth a listen. download this and give it a go! there’s also a video of the band performing a track included in this post, so check it out.
Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) – Year of the Rabbit
the first time I ever heard of this band, I saw one of the members’s shout in I think Mineral’s shoutbox or the shoutbox of one of their songs on last.fm. he said something akin to “yo… so there’s this mid-west emo revival thing going on in Michigan and thereabouts”, and he linked to some bands – including his own, this band. so I checked them out because… you know… they like Mineral, what could go wrong? well anyway, it turns out I made the right choice. because this band completely blew me away! it’s sort of Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson but without the electronica and ambient noise parts, so it’s a much more purely bred style of emo. it’s progressive and fairly grand, but still it’s far simpler than Youth Pictures, and consequently distinctly different, despite sharing many key traits. the songs flow beautifully, and the energy these guys provoke is reason enough for exulting. the sensitive and emotional vocals compliment the equally sensitive and emotional guitars that along with the commanding though soft drums and bass lines make up the dreamy and longing melodies that force me to – without any qualms at all – compare this 7″ to the glorious February/M.D. 7″ by none other than Mineral. yes. it’s that fucking good. e! e! sings “wear your heart out”, and I encourage you to wear your ears out by listening to this record. it’s oop, but you can catch other e! e! stuff at http://www.cylsrecords.com – and you should. this Michigan emo really makes an effort to bring back that soft, intricate, melodic and to a certain degree popular style of ’90s emo portrayed by bands like Mineral and American Football. hints of Knapsack, The Get Up Kids and gods reflex are to be found, particularly in Keith’s voice. the end result sounds a lot like the Norwegian emo orchestra Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson mixed with some of the newer and fresh American emo bands, e.g. Castevet and Joie de Vivre (who both are on the label that is to the extent of my knowledge started by the members of e! e!). do yourself a favour and check out this band!
Ochra Days – Our Dreams Are Drawn In Grey
to continue our exploration and appreciation of the glorious nation Kazakhstan, here is another Kazakh artist. Ochra Days covers an entirely different sound than Mapadelmundo though. we’re going from whiplash screamo to trance-inflicting ambient music on that’s punk, because that’s punk! Ochra Days is a synth-heavy project that evokes many different moods by moving throughout various atmospheres elegantly. the transitions are performed with much grace. this is the kind of ambient that is soft enough to put on in the background, but detailed enough to be reward an attentive listener as well. the modus operandi for Our Dreams Are Drawn In Grey is mainly wide and layered arrangements that sometimes find their way into distorted noise climaxes. if this sounds appealing to you, I urge you to check this out. it’s quite the experience. Borat approves of this post.
Cut Short – Cut Short
everyone should be more than familiar with this band by now. this is their self titled seven inch, available from http://bythehammerofthor.bigcartel.com/product/cut-short-7 – and you might just want to pick it up, because this shreds pretty hard. it’s hard, fast and heavy hardcore. it borrows a great deal from the metallic hardcore legends of the ’80s and ’90s and then forge it into some sort of magical fairy dust which they sprinkle onto their modern hardcore sound. at least that’s what they said on Behind the Scenes: Cut Short on VH1 last night. anyway, this is mostly self-loathing and critical lyrics shouted in a rather angry manner over caustic guitars and heavy drumming. it’s pissed off hardcore. download this and get the rest of the Cut Short records if you haven’t already. this is one sick band with indisputable technical abilities who also happen to be highly gifted lyricists… and quite pissed off.
Damages – Love’s Labor
Damages are a hardcore band from Michigan, not an emo band from Vancouver, just to clear that up right away. the lyrics, emotion and aggressiveness might as well come from an emo band though. «it’s hard to think when your heart is on the floor», and it’s hard to think when you put this record on. six songs clocking in in less than ten minutes, all of which with thrash riffs, fast drumming and emotive shouting throughout each track. I can fully understand why this band is touring with Cut Short, an equally pissed off band. this is one of the most believable hardcore records I have ever spun, and I am actually listening to it on repeat as I am writing this. one time is simply not enough. this is sort of like your lungs are giving out… for nine minutes and twenty seconds… and then when they finally cave, you want to experience it all over again.
mapadelmundo – demo
Kazakhstan is a country that most of us western folk don’t really know much about, save from what we were taught from Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan – and something tells me that it’s slightly inaccurate. so what better way to broaden your all too narrow horizons then, but downloading this marvellous Kazakh screamo band? none. if you are from Kazakhstan or thereabouts and consequently probably not half as ignorant to it as we to the west might be, or if you are from the west and the promise of a broadened horizon simply isn’t enough for you to check these guys out – then rest assured all of you. the music is actually awesome. what a coincidence, heh. this is a filthy mess of noise. raw and untamed screamo. loud drumming and hard guitars with insane howling on top. the sound ranges from tight death punk to twinkly guitar-driven interludes to wild sprinting screamo almost akin to mamma, jeg blör… in terms of crudeness. so if you are a tender soul, I advise you to tread carefully. you stand at risk of having your brains blown out and your heart ripped apart. this stuff leaves an everlasting mark. get it! it even has a Mineral reference in there!
Castevet – Summer Fences
if you managed to catch the Castevet upload some posts down from this, you are already familiar with this band and so you have already clicked on the download link without even bothering to consult my write up as to what they sound like. and that’s a good move, because if you liked the original post, you’ll like this as well. all three songs from the demo are on this album – and so are five other magnificent tracks. but for those of you not yet acquainted with Castevet, the reason you should bother with this album is the freshness and intensity it offers. in the previous post I compared them to American Football and The Appleseed Cast’s skill but with Cap’n Jazz and Small Brown Bike’s raw energy, and some little hints of each of the soft, intricate and mesmerising ’90s emo bands. this band essentially sounds like it’s aiming at representing a perfect blend of everything that was good about emo in ’90s. that is a highly ambitious task, though one which they fortunately largely succeed in. lyrically, this band is sparse though clever, singing about inadequacy, apathy and the feeling of everything being in vain. the well beyond dreamy melodies fit these often melancholic lyrics perfectly. downhearted lyrics followed by downbeat build-ups, interludes or conclusions is an ingenious formula. and whenever Castevet seizes the opportunity to break out of this pattern, in favour of blistering melodies and optimistic lyrics about breaking out of the pattern ones life is about to become, all of which characterized by a sugar rush influenced approach to harmonies – it’s even more brilliant. they even sound quite the bit like Age Sixteen at these particular moments – and it’s amazing. this album is amazing. download it! and buy it from http://www.cylsrecords.com – where it to my knowledge is priced at $10, which is well worth it. even the cover of this album is great (it has a deer on it!), so there are as far as I’m concerned no excuses. you need to own this.
Teens – Teens
from the very first chord it gets apparent that this band’s name is very well fitting. though it’s acoustic guitars, you’ll have to be robbed of any form of imagination if you aren’t able to picture this with distorted electric guitars and fast drumming – and voilà, you have your archetypical teenage high-school punk rock band. it’s something sort of optimistic and carefree about the chords. it puts you in a good mood. however, this band is so much more than that. there is something dark and ultimately incredibly sad to these tunes recorded in the cold New Jersey winter. the screamed vocals, minor chords and intense feeling of melancholy makes for a serious atmosphere. this has to be experienced. so if you are into Henry Bemis Is A Superhero – get this. if you haven’t heard HBIAS, then get this – then get HBIAS. this whole acoustic screamo thing seems to be blowing up here on that’s punk… and I don’t mind, because this is really amazing stuff. emotional and gripping lo-fi acoustic guitar driven screamo. download it!
Short Ride – Hopeless
and now… the final Short Ride post. i.e. until they release a new album (DO IT). this is an EP from 2009. it has significantly lower volume than the other Short Ride stuff I’ve put up here, but the recording quality is thankfully just as nice. so there’s more crisp and fast guitars, shouting and heavy drumming, oh and a great mini-breakdown on “Cool It (Before I Lose It)”. this is four songs, roughly six and a half minutes long and freaking awesome. there’s something about this band that almost make me lose my breath when I put them on. they are such attention thieves, with their crushingly hard hitting hammering (aka melodies). if you haven’t picked up this band yet, do it now! download this! then download everything else! then wait for the LP to be pressed and sold on their MySpace, then buy it! this is great. so get it.
Short Ride – Five Fits
I hope the Short Ride posts have made you just as hungry for more as they made me, because here is more! an EP from late 2008. I think introductions are made unnecessary by the previous two posts. you know what you’re downloading people. fast, thrashing and devastating hardcore punk that will make you a diligent user of the repeat button. get it!
Short Ride – Demo
did you like that Short Ride album? well then I’ve got good news for you. I’m posting their entire discography! starting with their very first demo from 2008. this is punk/hardcore at its very rawest. thrashy riffs, shouting and fast drumming with a filthy production. it goes by really fast (less than three minutes), but i can has repeat button, so it’s okay. there’s two songs in here (an earlier version of the demo had three). so go get them! if you liked the full length posted below, you will like this as well.
Cadre – These Restless Heads
Cadre’s music sounds every bit as ambitious as their name. I wonder if anyone in this band listens to Funeral Diner? (see what I did thur? I made a joke about how obvious it is that they listen to Funeral Diner. lulz. not hating though. I like Funeral Diner as well.) but seriously, I honestly think this demo showcases an extremely promising band. the songs are crafted in an ambitious manner like none other. this band seems to aim at bringing back a bit of that grandiosity of Funeral Diner’s music and Orchid’s lyrics. so it’s a bit like Ampere and Wolves. especially in the “all hell breaks loose” bits, which are used wisely sparsely throughout the demo, often after a powerfully constructed build up that essentially sounds like very melodic drone somewhat sped up into a dissonant and distant harmony. unfortunately, the recording quality of this demo is questionable at best. it ruins a great portion of the experience – at least for me. I’ve got nothing against the tactic of lo-fi recordings, but this recording is just poor. so here’s to hoping this band re-records these songs and maybe records a few new ones as well? because I want more.
Short Ride – Can’t Keep Us Out
as you’ve probably guessed from the artist and album name – this is a hardcore band. this is their first full length record. it isn’t out for sale yet because they haven’t found a label to press it. and that is ludicrous. because this is insanely good. the vocals essentially shout clever wordplays with spot on delivery of highly relevant and deliberate lyrics that are filled with rhymes that would put damn near any MC to shame. the lyrics are somewhat abstract and metaphorical at times, but not without direction, meaning or substance and furthermore not battling with Poe for pomposity. the music could easily be called typical, when it comes to modern hardcore. but you could say the same thing about Last Lights – another modern hardcore band which Short Ride remind me of every now and then – so it’s not a bad thing. it’s just hardcore. it’s *supposed* to be hardcore. so it’s not a bad thing at all. especially not when a band does it so extremely well as Short Ride does it. they’ve pumped this album full with diversity and creativity, which leads to an album without any dull points, and an album which – thankfully – avoids repetitiveness altogether. this album is a 23 minute burst of energy, passion and intensity. the chord progressions and overall compositions are every bit as clever as the beforehand-mentioned wordplays. the flawless intro and outro wraps in a hellfire of an album that I truly believe you shouldn’t go without hearing. get it! then periodically look to Short Ride’s MySpace for updates concerning the vinyl press of this glorious piece of music.
run,Walk! – EP
an exciting independent scrappy rock band that’s been in the works for quite a while now are run,Walk! from London (I think. this is their first EP. it was released in 2007, and has since gone OOP, and most of their other stuff is also OOP, as far as I know. you can however purchase a split with New Roars on the Block on their MySpace, so check that out. anyway, this is a weird release to be honest. the band consists of a drummer and a bassist, which is no doubt a bit different. the music that comes out of this drum ‘n’ bass duo somewhat shares a bit with emo like rest of my life, but at the same time it’s probably way more appropriate to compare them to other English alternative bands like Bromheads Jacket, Milburn and The Paddingtons. this is an odd one, but a good one. everyone should definitely check it out if you’re up for catchy and poppy alternative with the occasional emo twinkle from England.
The Loneliest Cowgirls – I Shall Be Free
on the second album by The Loneliest Cowgirls, Ethan goes a little back to his roots (The Sky Looks Pissed). it’s not as loud and upset as the début – and far less lo-fi-oriented. on this album the recordings don’t rely on the charm of the lo-fi distortion and noise, thus the guitar needs to be impeccable – and thankfully, it is. the gentle strumming is done with passion yet with care. gone are most of the shouting, thus he needs to have a pleasant voice – and thankfully, he has. can you believe it? I guess you’ll have to download this to find out. and that’s something I can get behind. because everyone needs to experience this guy and his songs. some of these tracks even reach Paul Baribeau heights, with memorable chord progressions and clever lyrics. (some of which you might recognise from The Sky Looks Pissed.)
New Year’s Revolution – Demo!!
this is a folk punk group from Conneticut that just recently signed to BirthQuake Records, for whom they are working on a split 7″ with Wood Spider and a split cassette with Sidewalk Dave. their line-up on this demo consists of an acoustic guitar, a ‘cello and vocals. the ‘cello adds an unusual amount of warmth and depth to the usual folk punk formula of angry though catchy acoustic guitar and passionate shouting. this band is cosy and warm like Greenland is Melting, yet upset and eager like Grapefruit or The Mega Games Two. so download this twenty minute folk explosion and give it the listen it thoroughly deserves.
Rechtum Immortalis – …Finnes det en død etter livet?…
Rechtum Immortalis was a punk band from Norway. though primarily a ’90s band, they did have a short reunion in the late ’00s. these recordings are as far as I know all from the ’90s though. what took them so long to release them? I don’t know. but finally it is available to us all via the wonderful Interwebz. to my knowledge, this contains pretty much all of their studio recordings. and it’s good. it’s obvious ’90s hardcore that thankfully sounds more nostalgic than dated. add the avant-garde influences from bands like Captain Beefheart, Butthole Surfers, and Norway’s own Kjøtt to the mix, and you have a sort of extravagant and experimental punk band with lots of flair. there’s raspy, dark extroverted vocals, spacey drumming, metallic ’90s hardcore guitars that are slightly slower than most ’90s hardcore – and as a result prone to throw in more detailed riffs – and an overall progressive and psychedelic feel to the compositions. also worth mentioning – the guitars sometimes sound like the DOOM soundtrack. that’s just awesome.
Henry Bemis is a Superhero – The Jessica Tape
Henry Bemis is a Superhero doesn’t waste time. a second album already? yes indeed. and it screams from the very first second to the last. it screams hello this is me, this is who I am and this is how I feel. does shouting make music more honest? I don’t know. but it definitely helps. these tunes are great. screaming and catchy (acoustic guitar) chord progressions recorded in a charming lo-fi quality. folk punk with emo lyrics and vocals straight from the heart. this is well worth a download and a listen, so download and listen!
Age Sixteen – Summer 2009 Demo
it’s winter/spring 2010, so maybe posting Age Sixteen’s summer 2009 demo is a bit overdue? or maybe it will catapult us into summer 2010? I don’t know. I’m posting either way. if you have heard this band before, from this blog or otherwise, I trust that you know what to expect, both in terms of style and in terms of quality. if you are not familiar with this band, I guess I have to pull out the American Suis La Lune card again. because they really do sound a lot like Suis La Lune with the clean guitars and screaming. but thankfully, they add their own touches. they’re not completely ripping off SLL; they are merely wearing their influence proudly on their sleeves. while this demo doesn’t even come close to the full length album posted below when it comes to recording quality, it does certainly get its point across. the vocals benefit from being low in the mix, thus forcing the screams to be louder than loud to be heard. the guitars throw in a great deal of feedback, and the somewhat distorted sound makes everything sound rawer and perhaps even more intense than it would sound cleanly recorded. either way, this just gives you everything it has to give, thus claiming the right to be heard. hear this! you will not regret it. buy it from their MySpace, along with their other records. it only costs like $2.
Casting Curses – Heartificial
everyone who has ever reviewed this EP has commented on its length, exploiting the shortness to make some stupid pun or even make the little over five minutes the very foundation of their reviews – and I’m not going to be any better in my little write-up. so: if you’re going to be brief, you better not suck. you can’t afford to be boring in the course of five minutes. Casting Curses aren’t. somewhat comparable to The Promise, this is heavy ’90s hardcore influenced modern hardcore. you know, the one with melodic guitars, groovy rhythms, shouting and yelling. it’s passionate and no frills hardcore that’s still very creative and creating. Casting Curses efficiently borrow from each and every one of the best modern hardcore bands and strive to make up their own interesting style of aggressive and relevant hardcore. check it out. good stuff.
She Notes the Chariots – Discography
though never particularly successful in their time together, She Notes the Chariots sure recorded a lot of awesome songs. I can’t comment on their live show, but if it’s even the slightest bit close to being as interesting as their discography, I would definitely go see this band. with their multiple vocalists and totally awesome guitars (similar to Oh, Apollo!’s first album sans the metalcore), these guys shred. hard. and the tracks are unusual compositions, with no clear pattern or anything. they seem mostly to aim for a dark atmospheric and aggressive setting in which total destruction of everything takes place. sort of. they are sort of what I like to call fairly modern screamo… however looking at the calendar, I realise that this is 5-10 years old, and so is most of the other “modern screamo” I listen to, so I guess I’m old and this type of screamo is old. anyway it’s sort of comparable to Saetia, Noisy Sins of the Insect and Oh, Apollo! though completely unique in their style, and well worth listening to. so download this. check it outtttt.
Bad Vibe – Dark City
Bad Vibe give me good vibes. they play hardcore with a sort of groove metal touch. they’re not that far away from Method of Groove, posted below. there’s a somewhat bleak outlook on life evident in their lyrics, which claims that life is a war and that life is pain. the lyrics seem to mostly deal with losing control and things gone wrong. this isn’t for the faint hearted, I guess. but it’s hardcore so what did you expect. you get what you’re supposed to get. thrashing guitars, rapid drumming and shouting. what sets Bad Vibe apart from the other hardcore bands on this blog is their touches of groove metal, the unique vocals, the complete and utter awesomeness that is the last half minute of this record. so get ittttt. check it out.
Henry Bemis is a Superhero – Five Songs to Kill Yourself To
more lo-fi emo-tinged country/folk from Ethan of The Sky Looks Pissed and The Loneliest Cowgirls. similar to the acoustic sessions by Die! Emperor, Die! this album consists of (ironically enough) six heartbroken and suicidal acoustic jams about a girl. «I hate him! and I hate you! and I hate every song that I wrote about you» – well I love the songs you wrote about her, Ethan! thanks for being in pain, so I can enjoy your recordings. this is essentially acoustic screamo. wtf? download it. it’s amazing.
Beneva vs. Clark Nova – Dramadadatic
this band consists of the atmospheric mastermind Benjamin Finger and the laid back and poppy Rudi Simmons, both of which have albums posted on this blog. and these guys are every bit as great together as they are apart! though vastly different than their solo counterparts. this is mostly upbeat, insanely catchy and soothing electronica with hints of idm and glitch music. Beneva vs. Clark Nova produce distinct and concrete melodies with a huge crush on the vague and abstract. the album is all killer, no filler. it’s filled with highlights, and never wastes time. this is every bit as atmospheric as those really downbeat Sigur Rós and Múm songs, not only the calm parts, but even when running at full speed down a flight of stairs, Beneva vs. Clark Nova is an atmospheric – as well as joyful affair. though you might frequently be puzzled as to what the hell is going on in this art expo of an electronica album, it’s still very enjoyable, despite the confusion. this is a fantastic album, magnificently building up and keeping suspense whilst being very soothing at the same time. download it! then buy it from http://howisannierecords.com – it’s worth it. the cover is the great photograph “The Greenhouse” by Sandy Skoglund, and it’s a very pretty looking digipack that’s well worth the money.
Jimmy Eat World – Jimmy Eat World
this is the second and last Jimmy Eat World post. in this album they start experimenting a bit more. the guitars get way more melodic and the overall sound gets a bit more depth to it. in every album post this one, it is my honest opinion that they get boring and too soft. on this s/t album they have the perfect mix of rawness and harmony (the harmony being most apparent on the seven minute epic “Scientific”). later on they take it too far and go all out pop music. sure they have the occasional awesome tune (although most of those are either on indie splits or compilations), but it’s very hit or miss, and mostly miss. this album on the other hand is hit, hit and hit. it’s kind of like what Small Brown Bike would do later. not only because they hit every time, but because it’s a pleasant mix of emo and the more raw straightforward punk rock on 1234. also somewhat reminiscent of early Propagandhi. emotive vocals, incredibly catchy chord progressions and a fantastic upbeat and simple take on rock music, though with substance and depth to be found for an attentive listener. anyway, the sheer intensity, raw energy and bold passion are all vital ingredients in this power package of an emo record. GET IT!
Jimmy Eat World – One, Two, Three, Four
okay so this might have been an unexpected post to see on this blog. I generally do not promote major label artists like Jimmy Eat World. but I’m going to do it anyway. while I’m generally not a fan of anything this band did after getting signed to a major (musically or otherwise), I am a big fan of their two first albums – and they happen to be available for free download. thus they will be posted here. if you don’t know who Jimmy Eat World is, they were this punk band in the ’90s that did what the other bands did: played every show they could. then they went major label, and somehow still managed to salvage some “indie cred”. this way they got to keep partaking in indie splits and compilations, and gained fans in both indie and non-indie milieus. an odd situation indeed. later on the band blew up commercially with an album called Bleed American and blah blah blah, but that’s another story. this post is about their fir
st release: 1234, which along with the other album I will post shortly was released on Wooden Blue records, who put out Christie Front Drive as well. 1234 basically consists of four ferocious punk rock songs with high tempo and lots of energy. while there’s definitely a hint of that melodic pop sensibility that characterise their latter work, this is uncomplicated, straightforward punk rock. the title track sounds like a secret agent song. there’s not much else to say about this release, but that’s the best thing about it. it does the talking itself.
The Trigger Quintet – Discography
if you liked Die, Emperor! Die!, then you’ll be pleased to know that here’s more semi-obscure ’90s emo from Texas. though perhaps more accurately compared to Parades End and Three Letter Engagement, The Trigger Quintet are highly interesting however you look at it. emotive howling vocals and octave chords galore. there’s also a great deal of explosions consisting of melodic riffing in unison, with upbeat drumming and soft bass lines, then suddenly stop; twinkling guitars; then it explodes again. it’s basically very pleasant on the ears. this is everything that ’90s emo should be. there’s an element of chaos, yet melodic sensibilities. as a result, “Slept for Seven Days” sounds like a prototype for modern screamo. this is a very short (just barely over fifteen minutes long), though very impressing discography that you can’t go wrong with if you like any form of emo.
Dunderhonning – Ka du vente på?
Dunderhonning are a Norwegian rock band from Harstad, somewhat similar to e.g. IHAB and Sinnssyk Ugle who are posted below. they draw heavy influence from Britpop and English “NME” alternative, so actually they are even more reminiscent of Arctic Monkeys than any other band on this blog. these are dancefloor compositions. they build up and climax, drop, build up and climax and so on, like good dance tracks. all with awesome jagged riffs and cool vocals and an overall laid back and cool approach to the melodies. in addition to the “NME” alternative influence, there’s also a great deal of noise rock in here. Sonic Youth much? yes. on some tracks there’s even a hint of Dinosaur Jr., and their way to make a noisy mess of a pop song. it’s loud, messy and filthy, but at the same time definitely melodic and catchy. highly distorted guitars with lots of feedback and drums that are essentially all over the place, and that sort of nonchalant voice is what Dunderhonning is. and sort of philosophical Norwegian lyrics. this is a band that would be insanely popular if they were from Seattle in the early ’90s and had a little heavier sound, or a band that would be insanely popular if they were from Scotland or England in the mid-’00s and had a little lighter sound. this album is an ambitious punch to the face; take the hit!
Quiritatio – As The Dead March, Birds Will Fall From Heaven
if you downloaded the first Quiritatio album I posted somewhere below, you will remember this band as a fusion of gloomy metal, intricate mathcore and screamotive hardcore. this was some of the darkest and most depressing and angry screamo ever heard. only people from the north of Norway can play screamo like this. only someone who go through periods of the year without any light whatsoever can ever make music this authentically unhappy. the only thing that could be compared to this sadness, are the sad, sad news that were to be found on my MySpace some time ago. Quiritatio had broken up! I guess it was somewhat unsurprising due to the vocalist quitting some time ago, but still… it made me downhearted. but thankfully at least one good (great) thing came out of this – their new album is finally available to the public. not as a CD or on a vinyl, unfortunately, but via blogs like this one. so I am proud to present you As The Dead March, Birds Will Fall From Heaven! I’m a huge fan of Quiritatio’s first album, so I was really hoping this didn’t let me down. I had very high hopes for this. so I put it on… and OMG IT’S FUCKING AMAZING WTF THIS IS AMAZING OMG OMG OMG. if this isn’t one of the best and most creative bands in screamo history, I don’t know shit about shit. out of all the technical and atmospheric arpeggio-characterized modern screamo, this is a milestone with no parallel whatsoever. I have goosebumps. I feel like I’m being blown away. like literally. BY A FUCKING EXPLOSION. this album destroys everything that has ever existed ever. download this album. there are no excuses. DOWNLOAD THIS ALBUM.
Ryan Harvey – The New Enclosures
after taking a break for quite some time now, that’s punk is back. and what better way to announce the return than by continuing the Ryan Harvey marathon? none! Harvey is launching a full scale attack on currency, Wall Street and the indirect slavery Capitalism forces upon one – all in the familiar acoustic guitar folk rock sound a la David Rovics and Woodie Guthrie, with a fragile yet firm Daniel Johnstone-esque voice. Harvey brings the riot folk, and he brings it hard. with nothing but an acoustic guitar and a voice as his weapons, tapped water with a name and price tag are among the things that are being subjected to his fury. Ryan Harvey is bringing down Capitalism and the State one song at the time, join his journey!
Useless Words of Sasha Grey – Demo
Russian psychedelic punk rock in the vein of Rudimentary Peni, early True Sounds of Liberty and other artsy/insane punk bands. this is a rather lo-fi demo consisting of what sounds like six classic 80s (death)punk tracks, with a prominent bass, filthy vocals, mostly repetitive and static drumming, a distorted guitar and a lot of noise. though not inherently complex, it is definitely different. there are no real apparent structuring that follows the album from start to end. it’s all rather free form spastic deathpunk. thankfully, Useless Words of Sasha Grey are not just commendable for being different, but also for making pretty awesome tunes that are well worth your attention. the stabbing guitar, crazy howling and generally epileptic seizure feel of the music is – what I would refer to as – cool. so if you’re a fan of deathrock/punk and artsy/insane tunes, you should quickly learn to appreciate this band. and in 2009, *everyone* has like several terabytes of space either way, so there’s no excuse for not downloading this, honestly.
Castevet – I Know What A Lion Is
imagine the skilled American Football math emo with Cap’n Jazz’s raw energy. now throw in The Appleseed Cast’s grandiose sense of harmonies and carefully building up songs… then finish it off with small touches here and there of Small Brown Bike, whose vocals share a lot with Castevet’s. the intricate twinkling of the guitars also draw comparisons to Mineral, Texas Is the Reason, Cross My Heart, Knapsack and so on – but while those bands are mostly mid-tempo, Castevet are usually either running around like a crazy carefree three year old high on sugar (Cap’n Jazz), or carefully placing one foot in front of the other, keeping their balance perfectly (The Appleseed Cast). and no matter the approach, they always make damn sure to succeed. hard. this is a highly interesting and promising Chicago emo band with no boring tunes whatsoever. check them out. you won’t regret it.
FORK – Harlekin
FORK are a Norwegian band that according to themselves play «some kind of punk». this modest declaration does however not even begin to describe this musical force not to be reckoned with that is FORK. a punk power house with furious music and highly articulate lyrics, FORK are equally ambitious and powerful. it took them two years to record their début album, but it definitely justifies the wait with the hard-hitting absolutely amazing punk rock akin to Propagandhi in more than one way. borrowing both from the “skate punk” bands as well as thrashcore bands (Propagandhi fits both, so I don’t think they will be upset with me guessing that early Propagandhi is the biggest influence on this album), FORK are extremely melodic, but still fairly hard-thrashing. the guitars interchange between interacting harmonically at the speed of light, and playing mind fucking guitar solos. the band knows how to slow things down when needed, but most of the action on Harlekin takes place with the intensity of high speed car chases down the wrong lanes. filling every song to the brim with energy and passion, FORK proves to be one of the most interesting punk rock bands you’ll ever hear. Harlekin is >50 minutes of being beaten to death by the violent force that is FORK, though with a few calm parts in which you might be lucky enough to get to pick up your clothes and bones, before they finish you off with impeccably driven drumming and angry yet melodic and beautiful guitars. all with optimistic though realistic invitations to change the world and rid ourselves of greed; a message as beautiful as the music. this is an outstanding album. download it.
Ryan Harvey – Give It Time: Reflections on Change
this will give you goosebumps, no matter how into folk you happen to be. please give this album your attention. there’s a reason for all the people citing Ryan Harvey as their favourite folk artist since before the days when Bob Dylan went electric. with honesty and frailty, this album goes on to really touch its listeners. it certainly does not leave you unaffected. it might be simple folk rock, but it’s 100% effective. all it takes to get your point across is heart and sincerity, and nothing is more evident in Ryan’s fragile voice. nothing is more apparent. this boy is begging you to listen to what he has to say, and it’s impossible not to lend him some time, because not only is he talking about very important things – he also does so with some of the most perfect acoustic guitar-based folk rock you’ll ever hear.
Ryan Harvey – Iraq: Songs of Life and Death
21 new songs about Capitalist greed and injustice. inspired by war and perhaps more importantly the awful consequences of war. Ryan Harvey asks you to «educate, rebel and penetrate» the disgusting system. he basically launches a full scale attack on so-called “free” trade, Bush and many other things. all with his fragile yet firm voice and tight melodic chord progressions on his acoustic guitar. epic and marching forth. in these days of revolution, get this! it’s bigger than a war, it’s bigger than life!
Ryan Harvey – Ryan Harvey
question. what do you get when… (this should be pronounced like Dwight on The Office would pronounce it, by the way.) cross a voice akin to Daniel Johnston’s with anarchist beliefs, intelligent lyrics and an acoustic guitar? Ryan Harvey of the Riot Folk collective. waving the flags of liberty, equality and solidarity – Ryan Harvey’s sharp and direct criticism of American war policy, the Capitalist economy system – among lots of other things far too deep to sum up in this here little paragraph. you should instead take the time to listen to what he has to say for yourself. you’ll be singing «I don’t wanna I don’t wanna go to no war» before you know it! I promise. though a lot of the words uttered on this album aren’t very joyful, it’s not going to make you feel down at all. just encouraged to go out in the world and do something! so get this, listen to it, then go out and make a change. :)
I Create – All We Are Is Now
I Create’s second album is as pure and emotive as Make the Years. but it’s in most terms a really different album. gone is most of the ’90s/’00s hardcore, as well as most of the ambient nature of the compositions on Make the Years. there are still elements of it though, and it does at times have a sort of epic feel, but in no way is it comparable to the dynamics and crescendos of the début. this albums is far more pure bred ’00s screamo. there *are* climaxes and so forth, but the songs do in no way depend on them. the cryptic lyrics and introverted style of these songs flow more hypnotising by, like water. listening to this album is like watching streams. beautiful.
I Create – Make the Years
starting out with well executed gang shouts, passing into a familiar ’90s/’00s style of hardcore in between Tragedy, Unbroken and Modern Life Is War, to take three well known examples. but it quickly enough breaks down to allow some twinkly guitars and soft bits that eventually climax in a loud and precise technical phase with distorted though melodic and twinkling guitars reigning together with complex drumming and emotive screaming that’s sort of reminiscent of I.Witness, though more screamo than crust, but definitely still dark and very much serious. I Create creates (GET IT? omg that was good) captivating dynamics comparable to what some of the instrumental ambient rock bands do. they don’t rely on it though, like, say, 1099 does. but there are however still a focused crescendo-oriented greatness to these songs. they are not humble in any way. they sound really ambitious, to be honest. and they earn the right to be ambitious through their excellent craftsmanship! the astounding dynamics throughout this record are only rivalled by the way the songs ooze of unity and solidarity. these songs sound like they come from the heart, and that’s where music should stem from. so take the time to listen to this album, because I Create have earned the right to it. you are in a constant state of debt to them, until you find the time to give these great songs a chance. I promise it won’t be a waste of time. in fact, they will make time stand still.
The Revolt – The Revolt
The Revolt are a fairly hard and brutal band from the chills of North Norway. desperate screaming, psychedelic guitars and a straight up brutal rhythm section are among the things this band has to show for themselves. playing their ear-bleeding fast hardcore that almost passes into grindcore, they hammer through this album with style. their progressive hardcore style has earned them a spot in everyone’s hearts. let them into yours as well, so they can rip it apart and eat the bits only to puke them up in the world’s different corners. this band rules. if you get a chance to see them live, do it.
Age Sixteen – Open Up Finders, Please
Age Sixteen are back with another Suis La Lune-like screamo album. the previous post concerning this band was a tour sampler, but this is a full album. it’s more fast and clean guitars, screaming and very dynamic and complex rhythms, all of which come together in a beautiful melodic mess. since most of the songs are around two minutes and Age Sixteen are a band with very much to tell you, it gets a bit chaotic when they are trying to tell you so much in such a short time. but it doesn’t make it feel rushed, it only adds a chaotic feel to the otherwise very melodic and approachable soft tunes. because despite generally playing lightening fast, Age Sixteen manage to still convey many very different feelings throughout this album. the guitars change between weeping, roaring in anger and sophistically reflect on situations and opportunities gone lost, just as much as the disguised but not empty words that are sung, shouted, screamed and silently spoken. while showing (direct or indirect) influence from everything from Rites of Spring to Indian Summer to the more obvious Suis La Lune, Age Sixteen has made one of the most interesting and fulfilling things you could ever spend twenty minutes of your life on. actually, you’ll probably end up spending hours of your life on this. I also highly recommend you pick up the CD on their MySpace, with its beautiful cover. you’d be supporting the band, and this is definitely a band worth supporting. their hauntingly beautiful take on emotive hardcore is stunningly impressive. get this!
Alpinist – Minus. Mensch
well here is something I should have posted ages ago but never got around to do. I apologize for taking so long, because this should really have been up the day it was released. it’s *that* good. no, it’s better. it’s the furious crust from the glorious German band Alpinist, whose demo has been up on this blog for quite some time now. it’s dark, heavy and angry crust with rapid drumming, brutal rhythm guitars, fierce lead guitars, and insane screams and twisted growls. though displaying some screamo influence throughout the album, it’s way less evident than on their demo. Alpinist has become a much more powerful and direct band, not giving away much time to twinkly interludes any more. but they are still highly melodic! even though playing blisteringly fast enraged crust punk, Alpinist’s wrath is a melodic wrath. this is basically a half hour worth of apoplectic apocalyptic intensity almost passing into power violence at times. if you like aggressive music, this should be the crown of your collection. GET IT!
1099 – Any Day Now
I spent four minutes listening to tschsthschsthtscshcshtshchtshctsh before trying to open these files in VideoLan Client where I was greeted with far softer music. not that I don’t enjoy tschsthschsthtscshcshtshchtshctsh. I actually thought it was kind of cool. but four minutes with the exact same pattern was a bit boring, so I was quite disappointed with the opening track of this new record by 1099… that is until I opened it in VideoLan Client and got the proper song. so Amarok users out there, beware! the FLAC copies of this album don’t function too well. at least not for me. (MP3 versions are fine though.) anyway, let’s get back to it. on Any Day Now 1099 plays the same calm and hopeful progressive instrumental rock they did on their previous effort. the record reaches both highs and lows in terms of tension. their previous effort Machine! Fire! Ghost! was relatively popular on the blog back when I posted it, so to you hopeful fans out there anticipating another 1099 record, this is what you’ve been waiting for. this should quench your thirst for epic rock. though this effort might not be anything revolutionary sound-wise for 1099, it needn’t be either. their début was about half an hour long, and this is just over twenty minutes. the reason I am pointing out this is because this band is still early in its release catalog, so expecting them to completely change their sound would be silly. and when you listen to the majestic climax of “Up! Up! Up!”, you quickly realise that it’s a good thing that 1099 still play on the same strings. there are *some* changes though. there’s maybe a little bigger hint of Sigur Rós to be detected in here, compared to M!F!G!, and the heavy parts are noticeably heavier than on the début, something that’s demonstrated extremely well in the climax of “Up! Up! Up!” as well as the opening of “Beauty of the Night”, which later passes onto an Explosions in the Sky-like part. 1099 employ just about everything that the more popular bands in the technical ambient rock scene (Mogwai, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and A Silver Mt. Zion are worth mentioning in addition to Sigur Rós and Explosions in the Sky that’s already named). this is very powerful ambient math rock with melodies wider than the entire earth, and unmatchable dynamics. an extremely well executed album by a immensely talented Norwegian rock band that deserves all the attention that their music requires to fully appreciate.
IHAB – IHAB EP
IHAB (formerly known as I Has A Bucket!) are a Bodø-based rock band that sounds just like that, a Bodø-based rock band. Sinnssyk Ugle and Kråkesølv are the two most popular ones that come to mind. while Sinnssyk Ugle has a sort of Britpop edge and Kråkesølv are more emo-like, IHAB has more of a garage sound. they might have some teeny weeny little twinkly emo in their sound, but that’s probably just a result of Kråkesølv. this is definitely not an emo band, let me assure you. it would be easier to compare them to Britpop, like Sinnssyk Ugle. they sound like they owe a great deal to NME rock (Franz Ferdinand, The Kooks, Bloc Party…) with danceable chord progressions, tongue-in-cheek lyrics (in Norwegian though) and an upbeat and flowing feel. groovy garage rock but willing to slow down and unplug the guitars if the song’s mood requires it.
Rover – Latvia Sessions
if you just can’t get enough of Rover, here are two extra songs for you! the title of the opening track “Furious” pretty much sums it up, because compared to The Great Outdoors EP, these two songs are harder and far more straightforward rockers with more of that weird power metal influence. not that the influence itself is weird, but the outcome of power metal influence on pop rock is a bit weird. not weird as in awkward but as in unheard of. which is good. Rover has their own distinct sound which you should’ve learnt to appreciate by now. so get these two rocking tracks and learn how to further appreciate this great band. (yes, there are woah-ohs on this two-track, don’t worry.)
Rover – The Great Outdoors EP
starting off with mid-tempo coldwave-tinged pop, you’d never recognize this as the new Lucid Dreams if not for the distinct vocals. however once the ultra-catchy pop rock chorus comes in and takes your breath away, you immediately know where you’re at again. Rover are Lucid Dreams albeit with some change of personnel. so what’s changed? well they are more diverse, for one thing. they experiment with more sounds and patterns, though still keeping the woah-oh pop rock core intact. this is not an abandoning of the sound displayed on Dark Rain Beautiful, only an evolution. where Dark Rain Beautiful on the surface was mostly upbeat rock songs or downbeat rock ballads, The Great Outdoors EP attempts to do more. Dark Rain Beautiful was detailed and diverse, but you had to pay attention and look for the elements hidden within. with this album here, it’s much more obvious. the incorporation of more dynamics and more piano/synth-focused mid-tempo coldwave-tinged pop rock songs doesn’t beg you to look for its hidden secrets. but for those of you who were more fans of the upbeat rockers of Dark Rain Beautiful than the power ballads, fear not. there are rockers here as well. including a remake of “Wings Orion”! so there’s plenty of goodness to satisfy every taste.
Lucid Dreams – Dark Rain Beautiful
Lucid Dreams are a largely – if not criminally – overlooked rock band from Norway that draws influence from theatrical variants of heavy metal and the melodic riff approach of alternative rock. with great use of piano/keys/synths and dynamic acoustic/electric guitar combinations, Lucid Dreams almost pass into progressive metal territory, not straying further away from it when the power metal-esque vocals are taken into account. in other words, Lucid Dreams are a modern rock band with many details to process, much like Finnish rock band Sentenced. add plenty of pop hooks (there are quite the few woah-ohs in here) and a great feeling of finesse to the flavour, and you should have a pretty good idea of how Lucid Dreams sound. capable of both slow-paced ballads as well as straight up rockers, this is a band that puts all they’ve got into every approach they make to song writing. no matter what they attempt, they succeed by putting a lot of power and conviction into it.
Brødrene Unstad – God stemning på Blücher
Brødrene Unstad makes acoustic indie pop that will satisfy fans of acoustic indie pop and no one else. if you are not yet acquainted with acoustic indie pop, Brødrene Unstad are a nice place to start. primarily relying on a guitar, a bass and two soft voices, this band is stripped down to the bare bones of cuddle rock. it’s still somewhat possible to tell that these two guys are from the Norwegian sensation Kråkesølv, especially on the brilliant guitar-driven passage on “Like tross store feil”, a sort of Jaguar Love cover. either way God steming på Blücher is a solid folky pop piece with some great ambiance and effective creation of atmospheres and well past “humorous” lyrics in Norwegian (including a brilliant rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Black or White”).
Dominic – Nord
whenever I’ve mentioned Dominic I’ve always stressed how this band is so incredibly unique and different. and I will continue to do this, because there is no one like them, and I can’t wait to see them live again later this month. this is a band who has been together “forever”, yet they don’t have all that many releases to their name. that’s because they’ve toured all over Europe probably a thousand times. but fortunately for us fans, whenever they decide to actually release something – it’s always near perfect. their highly distinct form of screamo is always very welcome in optic or analogue formats. both of which are purchasable from http://www.denovali.com/dominic/ by the way, and I recommend everyone to hit that up. notice how thorough everything is. the covers are astonishing and well worth the money by themselves! but back to the music. Dominic has evolved noticeably as musicians since their last release. the individual performances are fantastic. but it’s the entirety, the symbiosis that’s the most impressing. all of these marvellous individual performances come together like if they used to be one being once. the music is a dark and gloomy voice that recounts the ancient days of yore when everything was just as depressing as now. this is definitely a band from the cold and dark Northern Norway (the title of the album means north). but where there’s coldness, darkness and depression – there is naturally also hope. the hopefulness in Dominic’s composition is hidden beneath frustration and desperation, but it is definitely in there somewhere. it just takes a lot of listens to find it. Dominic’s albums in general takes many listens to fully appreciate. there are so many levels to the songs. it’s quite complex and interesting to witness just how deep this goes. so come join the party, even though it isn’t a joyful one.
MEHE – MEHE
the first thought that runs through your head while listening to MEHE might be WTF. there’s actually a good chance that’ll be the last thought as well. especially the first time you play through this album. starting out like a thrash metal version of The Locust, and passing through droning sludge and spastic punk on their way, MEHE leaves an everlasting impression. a neurotic and violent cross between punk and metal like none other. a bit too abrupt and hyperactive to be labelled sludge, but far too experimental and noisy to be labelled metal or hardcore punk. I don’t really know what just hit me. I just know that it rules. it sounds like the entire band recorded this during an epileptic seizure.
Monument – 3 New Songs
this happiness is contagious. I am pretty happy with that sentence. almost so happy I’d leave that as the entire write-up for this album. however, these three songs deserve more words. this here is three songs that pretty much puts the feeling of joy to mp3s. some of the parts here are more of that goody rushing Kinsella rock and some of them are more technical and crescendo-based, and it is with great pleasure I announce Monument’s great success at both styles. you simply need to hear this. at once. oh, what’s that you say? you’re left unaffected by these songs, «have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? have you left no sense of decency»???
Monument – Demo
I have yet some more Monument, so I really hope you like these guys as much as I do! because here’s some more Cap’n Jazzy goodiness with all the loudness and energy that entails. Monument are somewhat more controlled and precise in their journey than Cap’n Jazz, not giving so much away to coincidence, resulting in a more stable environment. where Cap’n Jazz are speeding way out of control with a vocalist screaming out words so fast he can’t even care less if he manages to pronounce them anywhere near correctly, Monument knows the speed limit. and they don’t make this a disadvantage nor an advantage. they find their own comfort zone and experiment within it with at times great success, in particular at the awesome twinkly guitar breakdown on “Seneca”, where everything sounds just about right.
Monument – 3 Songs
right off the bat you can tell that Monument has definitely decided on a sound by now. it’s Cap’n Jazzy loud, jangly and distorted emo with harmonic but harsh guitars, carefree vocals, melodic bass and upbeat drumming. I simply love this stuff! people say that Cap’n Jazz makes you feel like you’re six years old running around in the living room screaming your head off till your dizzy and fall down on your knees laughing in between the panting – Monument feels the same.
Monument – Florida
despite citing Braid and American Football as their influences, Monument are definitely a band with their own sound. a lot of bands citing American Football as a main influence sound pretty much… exactly like American Football, with some minor twists. and those bands are generally great, don’t get me wrong! but I must admit being pleasantly surprised with Monuments more jangly and distorted emo rock that feels almost as home with Pavement – or, to take a totally different band that they also sound like, Built to Spill – as it does with late ’90s and early ’00s emo. they are at times loud like Pavement, hitting you with a wall of guitars – but other times they play sensible and twinkly guitar-based rock like Built to Spill, or even Yo La Tengo. there are some noisy ambient-like tracks and an acoustic guitar track to make sure it gets diverse enough for everyone. the acoustic song is actually the closest Monument ever get to American Football in their exploration of different sounds. anyway, this is an interesting journey by a band that might not yet have found it’s sound, but experiment with lots of different sounds, all of which are interesting in their own way. give it a go.
die, emperor! die! – Discography
to some extent die, emperor! die follows the same format as mamma, jeg blör… with only consisting of a guitarist/vocalist and a drummer. both of which playing aggressive and brutal emo. mjg are however far louder and simplistic, if you will. ded on the other hand display Mid-West emo tendencies (they are from Texas after all) and general ’90s emo leanings, whilst mjg are far more comparable to ’90s screamo. so, to make an analogy, if “BSD is what you get when a bunch of UNIX hackers sit down to try to port a UNIX system to the PC”, and “Linux is what you get when a bunch of PC hackers sit down and try to write a Unix system for the PC” – then die, emperor! die! are what you get when two punks kids play emo in a screamo manner, and mjg are what you get when two emo kids play punk in a screamo manner. the result is even more confusing than the analogy. but anyway, this is captivating screamo that’s in motion at all times. it’s able to change and adapt to effectively create different moods. sometimes relying on crescendos, but often resulting in surprising moments where it sneaks up at you from behind and suffocates you with volume. you never know where you have these guys, and they take full advantage of it. an outstanding record! download it.
Cerulean – Discography
you know those few perfect songs that sound like the two great lovers are enjoying their desperate and passionate one last kiss whilst the world is falling apart behind them? now imagine if a band made seventeen songs like that… Germany’s take on ’90s emo is both intriguing and mesmerising. Cerulean (a.k.a. Pilots in Paris) are definitely not an exception to either of those rules. what separates this magnificent band from the others already posted on my blog might be how clean they sound. it’s still raw and passionate ’90s emo, but it’s a bit more akin to e.g. Christie Front Drive’s Stereo record in terms of production, though still somewhat more gritty. while the diverse and highly dynamic drumming shines through crisply enough, the guitars that are sometimes the definition of twinkly ’90s emo, are more than capable of producing furious riffs, revealing the production as not *too* clean. not by miles. it sometimes passes into the same Hüsker Dü and Sugar-like territory as Christie Front Drive did on the Anthology record, though without being as obviously tied to ’80s alternative in their sound. Cerulean sound more like The Pennikurvers, Ribbon Fix, Ethel Meserve and maybe even Knapsack or Mineral’s “Sadder Star”, with the nervous and angst-ridden vocals that completely encompasses every feeling or mood that this style of emo should. consequently, the only real weakness of this discography is simply that it’s way too short. while being well over eighty minutes, it’s like it’s over right after you’ve pushed play. despite every track being highly distinct from one another; despite it’s epic greatness, it’s over all too soon. you simply can’t get enough of this intriguing and mesmerising German emo. a truly magic album not comparable to anything else. a deeply confessional, emotional and personal record that tells a beautiful story that needs to be heard to be believed. you need this. a lot.
Zookeeper – Live in the MOKB/91.7 WEEM Studio 12/5/07
this is Zookeeper – if possible – stripped even more down than on the albums posted here. this is Zookeeper live. they play Everyone’s A DJ plus two unreleased tracks, both of which are nothing short of amazing. the first track is a tumultuous song with distorted guitars and an upbeat and intrepid feel – full of energy and raw emotion. the second one is a venturesome acoustic guitar and vocal driven epiphany of a track. starting out with a lonesome picked acoustic guitar and a soft voice that reflects ever so fairly about the world. eventually a deep bass playing satisfyingly easy on the ear bass lines, as well as a slightly stabbing yet not too piercing electric guitar. all of this comes together nicely and interacts carefully but precisely until the energy suddenly explodes for a few seconds, like as if it can’t hold itself back – then dies away magnificently. you should already have “Everyone’s A DJ” (I assume you’ve downloaded Becoming All Things, yes? :), and thus should already be familiar with this sensational song and its modern-day-poetesque lyrics.
Zookeeper – Becoming All Things
you have the short-length? now get the long-length! you don’t have the short-length? GET IT! AND GET THIS! folky rock’n'roll that ranges from droning hymns to jangly guitar rock to tender piano ballads this is soulful and expressive folk rock at its very finest. the introverted lyrics combine well with the sometimes very extroverted powerhouse that is the melody. sometimes exploding with happiness, horns, guitars, percussions, energy – other times bursting with melancholy and sadness, driven by a piano and acoustic guitar. Chris and his ensemble on Becoming All Things prove to handle melodrama just as well as soulful ballads. this mostly vocal-driven album has some of the most intimate music possible, but it’s not locked down to being an album of only ballads with acoustic guitar, crooning and piano. not by a mile. it constantly shifts the tempo, the energy, the feeling, the atmosphere – it simply rocks the foundation of the album on an even basis. from the most joyful and upbeat clash of noisy percussion, loud guitars and a thousand voices to the most elegant and humble of lovely arranged sensitive heart-breaking ballads. from the euphoric to the painful, Becoming All Things is a highly impressive journey throughout the emotional spectrum of Christopher Simpson. this is a record that deserve to be heard. and bought on CD from http://www.bellecitypop.com/ – so make haste. get this!
Zookeeper – Zookeeper
I’m insanely proud and incredibly eager to present to you Zookeeper. this is a life-changing band that just reeks of joy. Zookeeper makes music fun like no other band. this is Christopher Simpson proving that he hasn’t lost his touch. on the contrary. most of you will know this bloke from Mineral and The Gloria Record, two bands I love equally as much as Zookeeper. if you don’t know either of those (shame on you), then go get to know them. when people ask “what is emo?”, a lot of people will simply direct them to an MP3 of “If I Could” by Mineral. and with good reason. with the unfathomable power and distinct divine weeping guitars, Mineral was simply one of a kind. though never really influenced by as much 80s emo as 80s alternative, nor ever accepting the emo tag – they were emo to everyone else but themselves. The Gloria Record was another highly impressing emo band, although less punky and more exploring. their full lenght “Start Here” proved that emo is an ever changing genre that by now wasn’t tied to any of its roots – it did as it pleased. so definitely check those bands out if you ever have the chance. but for now – check this out. this band captures the most positive energy on record that I’ve ever witnessed. it is simply impossible to listen to this and be unaffected by the incredible love for music that’s put to this EP. this has a lot in common with Mineral and The Gloria Record when it comes to passion and the raw emotion evident. musically however… well… it’s not emo. Chris still possesses his beautiful fairly off-tune voice that’s kind of akin to Rufus Wainwright’s voice, and even easier compared to Daniel Johnston’s voice, sans the lisping. there’s still an ethereal feeling and majestic power to the music. it’s just really different. this is grass root level folk rock with a ridiculous amount of elements and details in the arrangement. it kind of sounds like Chris got all of Austin – if not all of Texas. to join in on this project. either way, I’m just happy he kept writing songs after The Gloria Record broke up. and I’m even happier he decided to call up some friends to record it, because the world is better off with these songs in them. everyone needs to download and listen to this. then they need to head over to http://www.bellecitypop.com/ and purchase it on CD, because damn. this is amazing. with elements of folk rock, country, rock and pop – Chris Simpson not only reinvents himself, he reinvents music by going back. so come on and sing along to these wonderful melodies and intelligent lyrics. get it!
Vikings! – 2008 EP
the soft ’90s Mineral-like intro proves to be as deceitful as the intro to Emo Summer’s Land of Emotional Plastic Furniture, because a tap-tap on the snare later, this is full-blown screamo. there are some sugarsweet clean guitars like Suis La Lune employ from time to time, but mostly it’s somewhat more distorted and heavy. this is very much modern present-day screamo. less chaotic in its execution than the early ’90s screamo, and much more refined, focusing on tempo shifts and dynamic crescendo elements instead. it’s atmospheric and focuses on dexterous guitar textures instead of pulling out hard riffs. the chord-progressions aims to create moody math-like screamo that dictates the loudness, whilst the drums handle the tempo. in the mean time, the bass does a fantastic job at adding that little extra harmony to the structure, over which the emotional screams slides in comfortably the not too often times they choose to step forward. don’t miss out on this band! even though they are no longer active, this EP can be bought from http://myspace.com/lolvikings for $5.
We Were Lightning – So You Spat at the Moon? -EP
banjos, mandolins, melodicas, glockenspiels… yes. it’s that kind of music. Morfar might’d been right when he said that all you need is drums to start a hipster party, but you need all of the ingredients of We Were Lightning to keep it going. their influences sounds like they are ranging from eastern folk to 60s folk rock (perhaps especially the American band Love) to modern baroque pop and popera. the result is a mad fusing of everything between and outside this scope. spastic almost cabaret-like indie pop/rock with major folk influences. it’s sort of chamber pop, like Sufjan Stevens and Badly Drawn Boy – but no distorted guitars or whatever. there’s something in me that wants to call Beirut on this one as well. but mostly it’s just entirely original and different. a quality album without a doubt. a must-hear even! download it, then look at http://howisannierecords.com/ to buy it.
Wingnut Dishwashers Union – Burn the Earth, Leave It Behind
yet another album from this union of musicians playing compositions by Pat the Bunny. this time it’s more polished without a doubt. a lot of the songs on here are old songs which you might already have (if you downloaded the previous upped album you definitely have some), but their incarnations on this album is so fresh that they barely deserve being compared to their original incarnations, they’ll be better off treated as completely new songs. due to a more refined and polished sound, the rawness and anger on these songs are parallel to the catchyness and sing-a-long factor. there are more instruments and simply a bigger ensemble appearing on this album. but it’s just as honest and down to earth. if you are into Against Me! but have qualms over their involvement with major labels, you’re better off here. this is not only diy as can be, but it’s actually a lot better music. extremely genuine and cheerful punk rock. embrace it! by the way, Pat the Bunny does a lot of shit besides making music, like setting up an anarchist transportation collective, among other things. so if you can spare a change, purchase a physical version of his album at http://www.wingnutdishwashersunion.com/ – or donate to him. try this on for size. download it, and THROW YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR, ‘CAUSE PROPERTY IS ROBBERY!
The Tie That Binds – Half Past Heroes
right from the very first note, this band destroys all. an upbeat emo drive with ultra-melodic guitars that are busy at work picking out the very best of catchy harmonies to just thrash at your ears so fucking hard they’ll bleed out of pure joy. this is a record to cherish from that first note to the very last note of the large and impressive ultra-climactic ending of an album beyond compare. The Tie That Binds shares a great deal with the likes of Eversor, Uni-V and Christie Front Drive. but look! there’s some The Get Up Kids and Jimmy Eat World over there, in the distance! yes. while being largely residing in emo territory, Half Past Heroes pays enough visits to the neighbouring country of alternative to churn out a great deal of chiming riffs that are catchy enough to secretly infiltrate a Saves the Day concert. there’s even those damned start-stop rhythms! but don’t get me wrong… despite showcasing some alternative influences, this is still ’90s emo to the core (albeit released in 2001). raw and slightly hoarse vocals singing fatalistic tunes about half past heroes, half empty bottles and the classic “better days” when you stayed out all day and in all night (holding her tight), harmonizing with guitars interchanging between sweet twinkling and heavily distorted power chords. in addition you’ll also notice some more soft bits as well, serving sometimes as build-ups to guitar/vocal harmonies that almost crosses into 90s hardcore (Unbroken, Sons of Abraham…) and generally just reign like none other. but other times, the slowing down and softening up leads to intimate confessions, easily compared to Mineral’s majestic compositions. when you listen to the track Half Past Hero, there’s something peculiarly reminiscent of TheLastWordIsRejoice. the vocal interactions generates a comfortable feeling of nostalgia. to sum up this record: get it. it’s simply amazing.
Wingnut Dishwashers Union – Never Trust A Man Who Plays Guitar!
Wingnut Dishwashers Union are a band that constantly changes members. it’s a union. it plays songs composed by “Pat the Bunny”. on this album it’s mostly just himself playing clearly upset folk punk on his guitar whilst shouting about life and all its peculiarities. there are a slight case of the drums and some horns and other instruments making the occasional guest appearance, though not shifting really focus from sound delivery that is the acoustic guitar, nor the eager anarchist shouting. the cleverly engineered line “a punk rock song won’t ever change the world, but I can tell you of a couple that changed me” pretty much sums this up. let this change you! download at once!
What Price, Wonderland? – Claim
they say they won’t play songs older than this record here, which is very sad due to how awesome the older songs are. however, it is understandable – because even though they don’t completely renew themselves with Claim, they definitely display a much more polished and matured sound. all the instruments are generally tighter and more interactive and slightly more thrashing. so get it on this excellent release! a defining screamo record to rival the very best.
What Price, Wonderland? – Feel Express Share Aid
What Price, Wonderland? are playing a ferocious punk rock inspired by 80s emo among other things. they are expressive, extroverted and emotive screamo at its finest. from the track titles to the screams to the way they let me put their albums on the blog, this is a band who is extremely dedicated to the punk/hardcore/emo scene, and their passion is highly evident in their music. rapid drumming, semi-clean tech chord progressions, screaming and melodic bass lines are put in focus most of the time, with fragments of softness and beauty showing themselves gradually at times, contrasting the raw emotion and almost theatrical anger that stings you like you’re sleeping on a bed of needles and having bad dreams resulting in a lot of twisting and turning. this album enters your life like salt in open wounds, it leaves you a stronger person. learn what it means to feel, express, share and aid. download this album at once.
Greenland Is Melting – Our Hearts are Gold, Our Grass is Blue
this is a milestone in the that’s punk community. not only is it the first (new) post on the new site – it’s also the first bluegrass album! and what an album. but you know us at that’s punk… whenever we do something, we do it right! this folk/bluegrass masterpiece captures a sense of spirit and hope. they write “words that can be screamed at the top of your lungs”. also notice how they don’t have a drummer – only a bass drum, and it works out great for them. (blue)grass root folk music. down to earth sing-a-long tunes for the whole family. don’t miss this!
Bough Breaks – Demo
modern hardcore is generally very melodic with awesome guitars, emotional shouting and tight rhythm sections. Bough Breaks are no exception to any of those rules. hardcore with attitude and heart. melodic Modern Life Is War era hardcore guitars, tight rhythm, sincere vocals and consistent lyrics. these seven and a half minutes of music presents Bough Breaks as a very promising band in the nation of hardcore. I can’t wait to hear more from them, and you should probably just start off with this and you’ll soon enough find out why I’m anxious to hear more from Bough Breaks.
I.Witness – I.Witness
have you picked up these guys’ demo and/or the live show posted on this blog? well then you know how awesome they are. this is their album. it consists of the four tracks on the demo (in a remastered version) plus five more tracks. (most of which appear on the concert from this blog.) I.Witness has always been in between genres, and this persists with their début album. right off the bat they combine screamo sensibilities with a hardcore drive and crust guitars. heavy breakdowns and constant movement are key words to I.Witness’s sound. the diversity represented on the album is stunning. this album fits in like half the categories on this page. they fall somewhat on the same side as Alpinist, with their crust/screamo (creamo) combination. dynamic screamo passages and outros break up the intense crust drive of the songs. there’s low and guttural rhythm guitars and more high semi-twinkly screamo leads with shouting and screaming on top, and vivid cymbal-reliant drumming to keep it alive and moving. hardcore from Rossija. get this!
Don Quichote – Don Quichote
everyone seems to be intrigued by ’90s emo. whether it’s the harmonic Cap’n Jazz style of emo displayed by e.g. Bells on Trike posted below, or whether it’s this more noisy attempts inspired by Heroin and so on – like Don Quichote demonstrates on this self titled 10″ from ‘97. they are kind of like Age and Assay meets 125, Rue Montmartre and Cerulean. it’s Ebullition meets Gravity. it’s ’90s emo/hardcore. really intense, like I.Witness that are on this blog as well. Don Quichote’s voals remind me of Evergreen and The Pine. it’s slightly nasal and very emotional. their intense guitars also sound a bit like – you’ve guessed it – Evergreen and The Pine. heavily distorted angsty harmonies with nervous twinkling in between them. add mellow and dynamic bass lines that while being in the background still somehow manage to stand out and steal focus to the mix and you’re set. the bassist does a splendid job at adding a melodic and soft touch while not being an attention-whore. the bass basically makes you close your eyes and be mesmerised by the beautiful harmonies. finally I must address the very competent drummer that has no qualms about constantly revolutionising the tempo as well as the overall feel of the songs. it’s full on. these things are utterly amazing by themselves, but put them together and you have a holy symbiosis of magic that is untouchable. nothing comes close to sounding like this band. this 10″ is a unique experience that everyone should go through. you need to download this. and afterwards you need to buy it while you still can at: http://superfluous-records.blogspot.com/2009/06/don-quichote-six-song-10-inch.html
Bells on Trike – Bells on Trike
everyone should be familiar with Bells on Trike. and if you aren’t – WHY? get familiar with them – because you’re “noot geettiiinngg yoouunggerrrr”. while this band wasn’t around as long as e.g. Mineral and Christie Front Drive, they are by no means a band which should be overlooked. they play the same stile of ’90s emo® as the beforehand mentioned. the Cap’n Jazz school of emo was always the more popular one… well, anyway. Bells on Trike focus on clean and sparse guitar harmonies that are so soft they will fucking stab you to death. the vocals are minimalistic and put low in the mix, which makes the emotional weight they carry sound even heavier. and this guy does a great job at sounding emotional, let me tell you. shouting, ultra-easy-on-the-ears harmonies… he does them all. equally well.the melodic bass lines ensure a dynamic and vivid sound that almost sounds chaotic, and probably would’ve been if not for the sparse yet ingenius guitars. especially if it were up to the upbeat and jazzy drumming. like Mineral’s, the drumming sounds like it never does the same thing twice. it gives an experimental jam touch to the songs. however the tracks never go full throttle chaos. they are mostly kept in check by the elegant dexterity-demonstrations by the guitarists. so get in on this. it rules.
The Loneliest Cowgirls – The Loneliest Cowgirls
while I could probably go on to write an entire essay about the story behind this one man band, I’ll just say that it’s another project by Ethan from The Sky Looks Pissed. these songs are sparse acoustic melodies. broken hearted love songs in the vein of S. this is almost like painful lo-fi acoustic emo. somewhere in between country, folk punk and emo. download it and give it a go. it’s simply outstanding music. emotionally challenging and incredibly fascinating. get it!
125, Rue Montmartre- songs from Maggat Split
125, Rue Montmartre did a split with Maggat. the two songs in this post is the result. and if you like the other posts, you will like this. if you didn’t, you won’t. it’s more of the same “reserved yet intense” emo that kind of sounds like Mineral’s Rubber Legs, except from the vocals who share virtually no traits at all. 125RM’s vocalist is a woman for one, and she sings in German for two. she does not sing in a way anyway resembling Chris Simpson’s vocal style. she has her own style, that definitely fits this music though. so check this out, yo.
125, Rue Montmartre- song from a compilation
this is a very nice song called 8x lied by 125, Rue Montmartre, that appeared on some compilation. it’s upbeat and dreamy sound with talked vocals is somewhere between earlier JimmyEatWorld and the calmer parts of newer Envy. some people say that this band makes German sound beautiful, and I can see what they’re getting at. the vocal style is very fitting. it further enhances the dreamy feel of the track. the song is like a constant build up. it gets better and better, more and more intense, all the time. so if you like twinkly and mellow emo you should definitely try this on for size.
125, Rue Montmartre- 125, Rue Montmartre
German emo is pretty awesome. this is definitely evidence of that. sounding like they belong somewhere between the raw Republic of Freedom Fighters and the beautiful Mineral, 125RM are a fresh sounding emo band with female vocals, raw and twinkly guitars, upbeat and dreamy drumming and melodic and soft bass lines. easily compared to Cerulean/Pilots in Paris for their sensitivity combined with rawness style.
Sun Zoo – can’t see the forest
Sun Zoo is rapping about people who can’t see the forest because of all the smoke, about getting doped on Playstation and Prozac. this record is comfortably resided on the border between pessimistic in the east and realistic in the west. this is contemporary and mature hip-hop. most of the time with cool beats and DJing with flare, but sometimes with just the piano, baring itself. but regardless of how the music presents itself, it shines of honesty as well as modesty, without being shy or anonymous. this is just a super hip-hop album. check it.
Sun Zoo – Hope Flies
a deep bass, scratching, soul choirs and catchy synths. this is deep and at times philosophical hip-hop about life and the stuff that happens to you in life. ordinary things. the negative effect alcoholism and drug-addiction can have on you, poverty’s cage, hypocrisy… then on the other side how awesome music is and how cool it is to touch people via it, loving yourself. and no matter what subject the lyrics touches upon it does so with panache and style and dope rhymes. the music also follows the mood of the lyrics very elegantly, always reflecting the words, creating a superb atmosphere, consequently resulting in a very thorough sound. if you’re into any kind of hip-hop, you should basically get this because it is the epitome of good hip-hop.
Munn Til Munn Metoden – Remix EP
two boys with their laptop making upbeat and catchy electronica. it feels like summer listening to this outstanding blip blop pop. you can’t not like music that’s this happy and simply full of positive energy. while all the songs apart from the intro and outro are remixes, don’t let that get in your way of downloading this. they definitely put their own Munn Til Munn Metoden stamp on it. and if you dig the tunes, you could always consider hitting up the bands they’ve remixed – that way you can potentially discover five awesome bands here, instead of “just” one! you cannot lose!
xThrivex – xThrivex
xThrivex are a straight edge punk band. and like with vegan bands, I can’t promise to spread their ideology. but their music on the other hand – is something I am very into. heavy punk rock with clear hardcore and metalcore influences. most of the time it sounds like a slow motion Modern Life Is War. plenty of breakdowns. it’s pretty cool. the lyrics are mostly about taking a stand, breaking out of the chains of apathy. it’s all sung in a pretty standard hardcore shouting style, with the occasional group shouts. while it is a somewhat stereotypical hardcore band (what hardcore band isn’t though), it’s still a great listen, and very much worthy of a download if you’re into hardcore or just punk rock.
Mihai Edrisch – Un jour sans lendemain
on their second effort, Mihai Edrisch comes across as more mature. the song writing is more structured. it sounds more disciplined. I’ll leave it up to you to find out whether that’s a good thing or not. what it ultimately results in is a more consistent album. everything belongs together. there’s an intro, an interlude and an outro in the same dreamy style. every song title is one word. the songs are more alike, thus perhaps fitting more appropriately together. on the other hand, the first one was more diverse. but still, both of the albums are great for different reasons. they are both awesome screamo albums with multiple highlights. all the songs have those European flying screamo guitars and complex rhythm section, with the French screamo vocal style. it’s simply awesome, so check it out. especially the end track (not the outro but the track before it). a brilliant track. probably this band’s finest.
Mihai Edrisch – L’un sans l’autre
Mihai Edrisch are another French screamo band for you to download. they provide you with further evidence why France is one of the leading screamo countries in the 2000s. highly creative, technical and explosive screamo. the guitars interchange between twinkling beautifully and thrashing it completely. the vocals are compromised of passionate screams. the drums and bass glues everything together, whilst not being afraid of shining through at times; stealing the focus. all in all Mihai Edrisch are the kind of band that people who use terms such as “post rock” will love. they have nice build ups and several climaxes. European screamo the way it should be.
Celeste – Pessimiste(s)
if you like the crusty tech bands on this blog, like Manhattan Skyline, you’ll definitely want to download Celeste (which consists of ex-Mihai Edrisch members, among others). this is the kind of band that you imagine yourself in complete trance, moving nothing but your head, which is bobbing to the inviting sounds of melancholy and utter despair, if you ever get a chance to see them live. their mesmerizing beyond compare. epic like City of Caterpillar, hard like Orchid and tech like Manhattan Skyline. a simply amazing band that deserves your download. you will probably want to buy their albums as well, because this is just too good not to.
Gone With the Pain – from a split with Reaction and Under the Waves
this is a song by Gone With the Pain that appeared on a split with two other bands. the song is a 1:34 mammoth thrasher. fast and chaotic screamo similar to Don’t Fuck With Columbus, but with The Spirit of Versailles vocals. if you haven’t bothered getting anything from this band before and want a little teaser, get this. if you have the rest of the releases posted on that’s punk… well then you are currently listening to the song instead of reading this.
Gone With the Pain – La Ideología Del Vacío
if you downloaded Gone With the Pain’s s/t and thought that it was awesome but wish all the songs were too long or wish they’d be even faster and even louder… well then this is the download for you. if you didn’t download their s/t – download this. then download the s/t. because you need to give this band a go. what’s different from the s/t album? well for starters, every song on here is less than two minutes long. there’s a little more clear production, and the guitars are slightly cleaner. the screaming (almost shrieking) is even more intense. it’s more explosive. they hardly ever (only once) go into twinkly little interludes… but that’s only so they can explode and hit you harder than ever. they basically stop at nothing. it’s like a constant beating. it never ends! so download it and put it on repeat… until next that’s punk post, naturally.
Gone With the Pain & Optimus Prime split
this is a split between two pretty different, yet similar bands. the first half is by Optimus Prime, a Russian band. with an awesome lead guitar that plays what sometimes almost sound like classic rock solos, a viola, screamed vocals, upbeat drumming and just an overall tight sound. the lead guitar is especially worth noticing. it gives this band a unique sound. it’s a bit like One Last Wish. (listen to My Better Half.) oh and just because it has a viola, it doesn’t mean that they sound anything like I Would Set Myself on Fire for You. because they don’t. at all. this is way more intense. while they may have some of the experimental features of IWASMOFFY, they are not nearly as jazzy. most of the time they are also faster and more to the point. the guitars are also several miles away from IWASMOFFY. but in terms of quality – it’s just as good. a freaking awesome band that needs your attention. and so does the band behind the second half of the split. Gone With the Pain are intense, fast, loud, hard, screamo. in Spanish. their half of the split is actually their s/t album from 2006 in its entirety! and it’s great. I don’t really know what to compare this band with. it’s a bit like Don’t Fuck With Columbus, only it’s pretty much nonstop kicking you square in the nuts. there are few occasions where this band slows things down – but when they do, they do so to incorporate more experimental elements in the songs, as well as allowing the guitars to take a more “pretty” approach, twinkling and what not. it’s just as awesome as the noisy bits, if not more. at times they remind me a lot of The Spirit of Versailles – and in the noisier parts, the vocals are fairly comparable to BJ Anderson’s vocals. so if you’re into The Spirit of Versailles and other a bit chaotic and intense bands, this is the band for you.
syn*error – songs from a split tape with Jet Pilot
these are the songs from syn*error’s bit of their split with Jet Pilot. one of the tracks evident on this post have appeared earlier (the s*e/WPW? split), but the other four are new additions, which I hope you like. if you have downloaded the other syn*error posts – you know what you’re in for. if not… well then this is as good a place to start as any other. this is the type of band that probably would be tagged with “real emo” or “real screamo” on last.fm if they were popular. drawing influence from Still Life, Portraits of the Past, The Saddest Landscape and all that jazz, syn*error are definitely a “real” emo/screamo band. a solid and semi-experimental rhythm section that allows two sharp guitars to constantly try to create interesting patterns, experimenting with dynamics and contrasts. on top of all of this are the screamo vocals, perhaps a little less in focus than they tend to be in other screamo bands. the mix comes out awesome, and is definitely something everyone will have to make time to listen to. out of all the syn*error posts on that’s punk, it may also be worth mentioning that this is the most European-sounding one. so if you’re really into that stuff – get this. if you like all types of emo – get this. if you like *good music* – get this.
Rudi Simmons – Palpitations
Rudi Simmons is back with dirty lyrics and catchy melodies. and this time it’s even more folky. the sound is more sparse, focusing on a cracked voice, an acoustic guitar, drums and the occasional twinkle. but most of the record revolve around the narrative, clever lyrics. this does however not equal shit music! the music is definitely not elevator muzak. it’s mainly focused and concise folk rock with harmonic and concentrated chord progressions. there are deviations though, most notably the bluesy fifth track that’s way more wild than the rest of the record.
syn*error – syn*error
hailing from Berlin, syn*error are a modern band that plays 90s emo. but not like Mineral and Christie Front Drive. more like Bubblejug, Still Life and Portraits of Past. it’s chaotic, dynamic and semi-experimental. but it’s still 90s emo, so some twinkling is still present. particurarly in the intros. it quickly builds up to a far more aggressive sound though. screaming, borderline jazzy drumming and screamo guitars. and lots of start-stop dynamics. mostly fast paced, but willing to slow down and be gentle at times. it’s in these calm bridges or whatever the melodies are perhaps at their most atmospheric. very much enjoyable. syn*error also employ somewhat unorthodox (especially to mainstream music, which they obviously don’t play) patterns, without having clear distinctions between them. they are not going A-B-A-B-C-B-B. every song is like a journey. they explore as much as possible. and they do so with considerably style, ending up somewhere between the twinkly almost poppy Cap’n Jazz influenced midwest emo and the chaotic and dynamic San Diego influenced emo/screamo. while they probably belong more in the latter, there definitely are traces of the first mentioned to be found. and that’s simply awesome, because this fusion works out better than anyone could ever hope for. absolutely beautiful music that I recommend everyone to check out. also note that one of the tracks on this album appear on the WPW? split posted earlier.
What Price, Wonderland?/syn*error tour split
are you looking for more English emo? you have found the right blog then. what’s that you say, you’ve been meaning to check out some German emo lately? you have, once again, come to the right blog. so why not grab a chair, sit down and enjoy your stay. I guarantee you’ll find your residence very pleasant. this is a split between English hardcore/emo favourites What Price, Wonderland?, and the more screamo oriented syn*error from Germany. if anyone has their doubts about how these two bands could make a split that makes sense – shame on you! if you download it, you’ll find that everything makes perfect sense. while WPW borrows more from Cap’n Jazz than it does from Still Life, Don Martin 3 and Admiral, s*e are pretty much the opposite. this makes the bands slightly reminiscent, yet completely different, consequently making the split sound pretty awesome. the two bands are only similar in those little twinkles the guitars make, some of the rhythms and the passion. and that’s more than enough. it makes the similarity intricate instead of completely obvious. it’s the greatest strenght of the split. so grab this. enjoy WPW’s seven minute epic and their two other Cap’n Jazz-esque songs. enjoy s*e’s Drive Like Jehu style over the course of four songs. there’s plenty of twinkly guitars and complex climaxes to be found here. this is emo the way emo should be. and if you are a WPW fan who haven’t heard this, you need to hear it! this is WPW leaving the screaming and thrashing behind, in substitution for even more twinkling than usual. this sounds like what Manrae might’d sound like if they were on Jade Tree instead of Ebullition.
I.Witness – Demo
with fast and to the point hardcore punk with heavy breakdowns and easy on the ear screamo chord progressions, this release has one foot in screamo, and one foot standing on the border between hardcore, crust and metalcore. it could just as easily’ve been in the crust/grind/power violence category or the screamo category. whilst obviously influenced by the likes of Modern Life is War and Tragedy, this band takes an even more melodic approach with their guitars. it reminds me of Alpinist at times. so if you like screaming, the guitar style of crust/screamo (creamo) bands and the sheer power of hardcore, then definitely check this out. peace.
Morfar – Girls, No!
Morfar’s second adventure is every bit as brilliant as his previous. moody synth driven songs (you might by the way recognize one of them from Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson’s album) with odd beats that really corners the listener. and in between this are thousands of little elements, all of which are under Morfar’s control. he manages to shift the focus from one tiny detail to another with extreme elegance. he also dictates the flow of the songs with great skill, often pausing the driving synth for trance-like beats to really shine. the album is also a great display of build-ups, and how to keep suspense. it’s simply nerve-wrecking to listen to. and though there aren’t all that much vocals in here, when there is any – it’s more dreamy than the Twin Peaks theme’s guitars. especially when the vocal delivery is courtesy of Morfar himself, with his fragile and honest voice. it only adds character to the already dreamy and comfortable synths and beautiful twinkly electronic sounds. this album is every bit as good as the last one – possibly even better. download it! I don’t know if there is any physical releases in the works, but if there is – it should pop up at http://howisannierecords.com/ sometime. :)
The Appreciation Post – Brighter Sides
ultra-poppy alternative (like Taking Back Sunday not like Nirvana) with moogs. quite similar to Sherwood. a wee bit heavier though. and there’s something about this that reminds me of Weezer… anyway the EP’s titled “Brighter Sides”, and it is definitely an EP you want to listen to on bright summer days. it’s happy music with dancefloor potential. get in on this.
Bubblejug – Anthology
if you were into that Parades End 7″ I posted, you will be into this. it’s ye olde chaotic mid 90s emo. back when emo bands called themselves “hardcore” because they thought “emo” was silly, not because they didn’t want to be compared to bad androgynous Jimmy Eat World copies and so on. this is a fine band with frantic guitars, melodic bass lines, unorthodox semi-jazzy drumming with cowbell, saxophones and cryptic lyrics sung/shouted by chaotic vocals – sometimes male, sometimes female. dreamy driving punk rock with psychedlic and experimental touches like Fugazi. a must download. get it. :)
Last Lights – No Past No Present No Future
if you enjoyed the sheer aggression and anger of the Last Lights demo, you are definitely going to want to get this. it is their discography, and it is awesome. the way they channel their anger into this brutal hardcore punk music with the greatest positive message and energy is something pretty special that everyone’s ears need to experience. a simply amazing band, and an album more than worthy of being in *your* collection. (even though it still has double bass pedals.)
MRTNPLMR VS Dead Lazarus – The S&D session
here we have no less than two Norwegian noise artists joining forces to create interesting music, that will without a doubt make your mother go «what the hell are you listening to?! this is not music!». could you ask for more? well… you’re getting more anyway. you’re getting a constant beat struggling to survive amidst frenzied noise and claustrophobic atmosphere. you’re getting chaos and order all at once. a journey that only the bravest may embark. if you don’t like noise music, then don’t bother. if you don’t know what noise music is, then download it, and join your mother’s plea of “not music” – or maybe you’ll actually enjoy it! you never know. if you are in fact a fan of noise music, you’ll definitely find something interesting to say about this. but notice that this is not as loud and outrageous as some noise albums. this is more of pretty noise album, to which lending your ears might just be quite like therapy. also included on this album is a lesson in the art of raping bass guitars, which isn’t all that unlike the more noisy passages found on indietrash’s only album.
Age Sixteen – Tour Sampler
if Suis La Lune was American they’d probably be sixteen years old. don’t mind how bad that joke/pun/whatever was, because Age Sixteen really sounds like Suis La Lune, with their clean guitars, complex drumming and intense screaming. despite basically having the exact same sound as Suis La Lune, it’s still a fresh and interesting band that’s well worth following. they really prove that you don’t how to re-invent the wheel to sound awesome. so check them out. they have a lot of cheap stuff on their MySpace you should consider picking up as well. support this new and currently active band, because they need the money more than [insert whatever 90s midwest emo band you're searching for on eBay whilst reading this]. so download this and have a listen. and if you like it – supppportzz!
Rhyn – Home Recording Made Easy
Rhyn are from Buckinghamshire. they started out in 2003, and released this album in 2005. it’s a rock albums that incorporates elements of alternative, classic hard rock, emo, electronica and pop music. consequently there are guitar heavy instrumentals, piano driven Ben Folds pop as well as a good portion of Foo Fighters alternative with emo-esque chord progressions. if you aren’t put off by garage recordings with a somewhat lo-fi production, you are sure to enjoy the catchy hooks this album has to offer. this is simple though no less brilliant because of it pop rock (well except for the house tracks). check it out, yo.
Mesa Verde – The Old Road
a dreamy intro with epic overtones makes the listener wonder – did I just put on a skram band, or some Sigur Rós? the song’s name “A Deep Sleep Without Dreams” fails to describe the song accurately, because it feels like you’re having five hundred dreams all at once, all of which tell epic tales from the days of yore. it all climaxes in what can only be the final battle of good of evil. truly epic, truly glorious. to victory we ride! and to follow this epic intro track, there’s highly technical as well as highly awesome screamo, filled with intensity and dynamics. there are no slow or high-paced tracks per se. the album is just really stuffed with diversity. you’re going to hear quick bursts of high paced screamo breaking down into guitars playing simple hooks, with screaming on top of it – building up to crash-heavy drumming… and so on. it’s constantly moving, and well worth of a listen. your listen! download it. then go get it from blind records . http://www.artforblind.com/
Half Seas Over – Half Seas Over
the first thing that popped into my head when I first heard this was One Last Wish. the second thing was At the Drive-In. the third was Manrae. I have no regrets in comparing it to the first and third thing… not to sure about At the Drive-In though… but! even if it doesn’t sound all that much like AtDI, it definitely is every bit as good. semi-funky and mostly upbeat emo from England that contains two ex-Manrae members. and if you have been searching for or are in possession of some “unreleased Manrae tracks”, this is actually it. I’m not sure where the confusion first came up, but anyway – this is not Manrae. it is post-Manrae. but back on topic. if you think that just because you love Manrae you will automatically dig this… well… you’re probably right. it’s very similar in sound and message. but at the same time it’s pretty different as well. I would say that it’s kind of to Manrae what One Last Wish are to Rites of Spring. this is also a lot more midwest emo reminiscent than Manrae. especially the vocals. it sounds like it would go right in on the Don’t Forget to Breathe compilation, between Boys Life and Ethel Meserve. it’s every bit as good at least…
Manrae – Pacata Hibernia
Manrae’s seven inch Pacata Hibernia is one of my dearest records. it holds a special place in my collection. it is so well done, it’s almost over the top. the cover artwork, the liner notes and obviously the songs… who can ever forget «this is a lullaby to yourself!», «smash the hour glass!» or «this is a thousand years!»? such iconic lyrics, and such heavy music. the crushing guitars are followed by perfect drumming and soft and melodic bass lines. and on top of it all is this Leicester accented shouting and occational screaming. this is in no way screamo though. this is that awesome obscure ’90s emo, like Parades End. if you have not stumbled across this masterpiece before – then get stumbling! because this is a must have. nothing more nor less. get it.
iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook – Discography
iwrotehaikusaboutacannibalisminyouryearbook were a group of teenagers in a place and a time. they wanted to capture that place and time to deal with their issues in an expressive way. and by doing so, they created something beautiful. this discography contains all the emotion in the world, in just over forty-five minutes. if the heart could scream, it would sound like this, urging you to open *your* heart and scream a long. I wish I had something more to say. I’m sorry.
Sed Non Satiata – Le Ciel De Notre Enfance
from the calm and marvellous minute of soothing guitars into the intense though just as marvellous next three minutes of engaging guitars, passionate screams and well-flowing progressive screamo – the opening track “sets the standard”, one could say. and that standard is met throughout the whole album. especially due to the grand climaxes. this band has Dominic-like riffing that every now and then climaxes into this (newer) Envy epicness – all with a big French screamo touch. having such lengthy songs as Sed Non Satiata have, they need to somehow grab the attention and then proceed to keep it for several minutes. fortunately, they beyond accomplish this at all times with this thoroughly enjoyable and incredibly well-performed album.
Mesa Verde – In This Silence We Will Slow Dance
Mesa Verde are a band that are full of great screamo guitar passages reminiscent of City of Caterpillar and even the Norwegian skram Dominic. the screaming is also very alike the screaming of CoC and Dominic. loud, heartfelt and distorted. the pronounciation is less clear (perhaps due to an excessive amount of distortion) though, so bring out your lyrics sheets ( http://www.mesaverde.co.uk/releases/in-this-silence-we-will-slow-dance/ ). the music is highly dynamic, and in constant movement. always either slowing down or speeding up it seems. if not, it’s taking you by surprise outbursts of screamotional hardcore. this band is epic. though not epic in the way that Envy and The Spectacle are, but in a more toned down manner. not as grand sounding, but just as passionate and intense. you owe it to yourself to listen to this album. start doing it right now. good luck soldier.
The Sky Looks Pissed – It’s Been A Very, Very Long Time
this second The Sky Looks Pissed has many similarities to the first one. to take two very specific examples: it starts off with ambiance. it ends with a lengthy track which mostly consists of ambient noise and other Daniel Johnston-ish things. but that’s just his thang, I guess. the album also generally feels the same. but it sounds prettier and bigger. much more positive. it’s still quite melancholic, and has a bit of those mid-west emo lyrics where you look back and wish you were five again… but the energy I get from this recording is definitely all positive. the album is more alive; louder, but also more dynamic. it sounds like The Sky Looks Pissed has more confidence and that he simply dares more on this recording. the lyrics are brilliant narrations that makes you want to sing a long the first time you hear them, which is frustrating because you obviously don’t really know the words the first time you hear them. thus you have to play through the album again and again and again and again. get it.
The Sky Looks Pissed – Montana
The Sky Looks Pissed is folk rock as it is meant to be. there’s no one who cares whether he actually hits that chord 100% perfectly, or whether he hits that high C – or if he even actually tries to hit it. as long as the music and the lyrics are honest and played/sung with passion, we’re all happy here. oh and of course there’s gotta be a harmonica. and Ethan aka The Sky Looks Pissed manages all of these things fine. he even does it without sounding the same on every track. while this might not be the most revolutionizing folk act of the twenty-first century, it is definitely awesome to listen to. a guy with a guitar singing his heart out. heard it before? probably. want to hear it again? definitely. these are the kind of songs you will want to be singing over and over again. sitting on the grass outside, or by the stereo inside if it’s raining, drinking cocoa, just singing along. magic music for magic people. get it.
Don’t Fuck With Columbus – Demos
it’s a new day people. and what better way to start it than with a three song demo from a Polish screamo band? none. and this is not just a screamo band, but a great screamo band in the vein of Neil Perry and Orchid. amazing flying guitar harmonies, ultra-dynamic drumming and great screams. screamo like it should be. this band incorporate all of the charecteristics found in those kind of grindy screamo bands like Orchid and Kaospilot. and sure it gets a bit stereotypical, and it isn’t the most unique band this blog has to offer. that does *not* in any way mean that it isn’t worth downloading and listening to. because it is. because the songs are *great*. regardless of how fresh they might be. this band pays tribute to the greats, and they do so in an awesome way. and it’s only demos by some Polish teenagers. so remember this name.
Emo Summer – The Emo Opera
making an emo opera that lasts over half an hour is a great idea, yeah? especially when it thrashes so fucking hard as this one. this is thirty minutes plus of great riffing, dynamic drumming and so on. it’s just an overall display of diversity within a soundscape. it’s Free Emo. I wouldn’t compare it to Ornette Coleman’s Free Jazz any more than with that reference, but hell… this is great. imagine sticking it to a scene kid’s face. like, turn off that My Chemical Romance “opera” and put this on. they would immediately start to cry. but not because they are attention whores or whatever the reason for them crying usually is – but because this is so fucking hardcore, it will make them shit themselves. and consequently cry because they are embarrassed. I mean they shit themselves in front of you. who wouldn’t be embarrassed? but I sense that I’m straying a wee bit away from my original point, which was – get this. there is no reason in the whole world why you wouldn’t want to listen to this. actually, if you’re not going to download this – send me a mail with a legitimate reason, and I might let you off the hook. but unless you have some medical condition that prevents you from listening to pure awesomeness, don’t expect to be excused from being spat on by this monster album. GET IT.
click here to download
Emo Summer – DVD Soundtrack
from the utmost jazzy opening to the inspiring track titles, this is emo at its finest. I think. while you most of the time probably won’t have a clue what the hell you’re listening to, when you do – all is well. placing themselves somewhere between The Shaggs and Antioch Arrow, Emo Summer are a pretty original band. the stabbing guitars, off-beat drumming and background-laughter all contribute in making this a relaxed and improvised jam that at should be appreciated. if not as a musically technical triumph, then for its heart and originality.
Emo Summer – Manutz Ganole Sessions
the driving beat and cool riff that opens this little two-tracker is nothing but amazing. so captivating and intense, yet distanced and reserved. simply amazing. and at the end, the track explodes into… well pretty much just fast drumming. but it’s pretty cool anyway. the second track follows the same formula, but it explodes earlier on. the keyword here I believe is cool riffs, great drumming and more insanity from the most satirical serious band, or most serious satire emo band ever. which one is it? I don’t know.
Emo Summer – Skippy Sessions
if you thought Antioch Arrow was the only chaotic art explosion in emotown, think again. Emo Summer who existed in the late ’90s and early ’00s are far from sane. and they pretty much prove it with the track Iota. poetry sprayed in your face like warm whizz on a cold winter day, with loud guitars and messy drumming. it hardly gets better. download it!
Emo Summer – Land of Emotional Plastic Furniture
while this record starts out as the sweetest of sweetness, it quickly progresses into the most aggressive of aggressiveness, as well as the maddest of madness. screaming, thrashing, blastbeats, synth-rape in the style of The Locust and just plain chaos. Emo Summer are a satirical art explosion that will fuck you up. one of the best and most insane bands you will ever hear. if you haven’t heard this, you are missing out on something huge. you have to listen to this. the most emo emo band ever. get it!
Oh, Apollo! – Twin Peaks
this is an album that is interesting from the first second, just like Hope! The river Arkansas. but for completely different reasons though. the intricate opening riff does a real good job in sharpening the listeners ears. and then the song explodes in screamo goodiness… aaaaaaand it’s done. and we get antother song with detailed layers of screamo goodiness. and then we get six more songs with detailed layers of screamo goodiness. making this eight songs with detailed layers of screamo goodiness. from the twinkly upbeat guitar riffs to the marching band drums to the shouting – this is one of the catchiest as well as creepiest screamo albums ever made. and the diversity of the songs are amazing. they will go from these slow and beautiful calm parts to these mad hooks yo. screamo pop. catchy as fuck. get it.
Oh, Apollo! – Kingdoms
on this album, you’ll notice how much this band has matured. gone is the metal riffs, and hello screamo guitars that definitely are more complex as well as catchy than those on Hope! The river Arkansas. and the guitars aren’t all that’s changed. the drumming is not only more technical, but also more fitting. they both follow as well as change the music very powerfully. they take the foreground much more than on the previous album. but that’s not all – even the vocals are extremely different on this record. there are a lot of call and response shouting in addition to the screaming. and the screaming isn’t as high pitched and intense as on the previous record. they are much more controlled and reserved, but stronger and more diverse. overall this is a tight record with a lot of interesting hooks in it. especially the Whitney Houston cover, which really… you gotta hear it. download this! especially if you are obsessed with concept albums. this is about time travel.
Isaïe Buried Memorial – Demo
you like what? French emo? hmmm… guess that means I’ll have to put up yet another French band then! and it’s another winner, for sure. ofc it is. I wouldn’t put it on the blog if it didn’t rip! and this band certainly does rip. in a vastly different ways from most of the other French bands on this blog though. while this still has some twinkly stuff like the others, it is noticeably more aggressive and fast. they vary between emo violence and Orchid-ish hardcore/screamo, kind of like Palatka. and they do so by rapidly hitting the snare, thrashing the guitars, screaming and pretty much just tearing everything apart. while this demo doesn’t have the best production quality (it is after all a demo), the point certainly comes across. this is sooo gooooddd, and everyone needs to download it and give it a listen. you can buy the demo from their MySpace, and you should definitely consider doing so if you are a fand of outstandingly aggressive music. :)
Soup – Acoustic
for those of you who really liked the Soup album, here is a special treat for you – an acoustic version of My Justine! you will be sure to like this. if you on the other hand didn’t catch the Soup album when I uploaded it, download this anyway! give it a go! you might just like it. it’s a powerful track with dreamy lyrics and vocals. the flowing chord progression mesmerizes the listener, whilst the nice strings in the background makes sure that it is forced to place all its attention on the track. and the peculiar lyrics and wonderful vocals makes it want to be in the track. it’s just such a well done version of the song, it’s mind blowing. you need this. download it!
Kazan & After Taste Split
we all love French skram. so this is a split between no less than two(!) French skram bands. and from the crushing intro by After Taste to Kazan’s equally crushing outro, this is a real treat. and this is two rather different bands as well. After Taste are a highly atmospheric and progressive band with epic overtones. they create this tense and melancholic mood, yet they sound very big and pounding. lots of cymbals, heh. at times you feel like you are listening to a Bal-Sagoth of screamo or something. they even crash into full-blown metal parts. weeeee. I really like this band. they are incredibly diverse. one minute it’s acoustic, one minute it’s loud screamo with medieval undertones and then one minute it’s just crushing epic prog with heavy use of cymba. a pretty amazing band, to do the exact opposite of exaggerate. downbeat, upbeat, all-over-the-place-beat – whatever. this band masters it all. and it’s a privelige to be able to listen to this fantastic work. so you should DEFINITELY listen to it. a fucking perfect band. but this split does not consist of only two bands. there are two bands. two rather different bands as well. Kazan might sound similar at first. the first minute of their first track is pretty hands on French screamo. and though After Taste are an incredibly diverse band, you can always tell that it’s French screamo. and Kazan has that recognizable sound as well… for the first minute. then they go into a beautiful and soft folky part, that eventually progress into a metalcore-esque bit that could just as well had palm muting (it already has double bass pedals so), that climaxes into an epic screamo part, before it goes into the metalcore-esque part again, with some medieval undertones – like After Taste occasionaly has. it makes me want to play Warcraft II. simply amazing stuff. if only two bands in the world should have done a split, these two bands might very well be those two bands. whilst being different, they are both equally diverse and original. two such atmospheric bands are hard to come across. especially on the same record – making this a must have!
I.Witness – Live In Tomsk 02.05.09
if you liked Spray Paint the Sun, chances of you liking this are pretty high. the guitarists from SPtS are in this band as well. and you can tell. even though I.Witness’s sound is generally more upbeat, the lead guitars are noticeably dreamy, like in SPtS. but the chord progression is much faster, like in a hardcore band. but at the same time it is way twinkly and obviously screamo-tinged. the vocals are in between screamo and hardcore. so is the upbeat and dynamic drumming. everything is just a big blender of hardcore and hardcore-derived genres. including a huge crust factor. this is all the way through an interesting and highly worthy listen. aggressive and angry. despite being twinkly, I.Witness sounds nothing like midwest emo bands or the modern experimental screamo bands. this is a band that has much more in common with the neo crust sound albeit with some passages that are reminiscent of those experimental screamo bands. also be sure to check out the awesome Hüsker Dü cover!
Spray Paint The Sun – Still Alive In Tomsk 02.05.09
I generally have no idea about what these guys are singing about or anything else apart from the fact that they make good music – but that’s enough to earn them a spot on this blog. ultra-melodic and extremely creative. the highly original harmonies found on this album is something that deserves to be heard. while it’s not every day I listen to Russian rock, I will definitely listen to it more often after discovering this band. if not for the unique way the guitars interact, then for the shrieking vocals that will rival The Spirit of Versailles and Saetia any day. hell, this is even up there with Nacht und Nebel and Slave Whipping Blasphemy’s shrieking. pure awesomeness. the shrieking and guitar fighting is on top of an upbeat rhythm section that handles both tempo shifts and breakdowns more than properly. they are pretty much as adept at playing at 3000bpm as they are at playing at 3bpm. they mostly play in a mid-tempo but upbeat style, allowing the guitarists to steal the attention with their atmospheric and dreamy chord progressions. this is just an awesome album that needs to be heard. Russian screamo for the whole family.
LxExAxRxNx – ‘Till Death
if you haven’t guessed already by the misspelled album title – LxExAxRxNx are not an American band. it’s an Italian band playing American music. and they pull it off so magnificently! this album is really a split with Common Enemy. but appearing on this (my) version of it are only the LxExAxRxNx tracks. fourteen glorious tracks – including four covers. one of the bands they cover are 7 Seconds, and this makes perfect sense given how early era 7 Seconds they sound. it’s catchy and very fast, just like The Crew. so if you are into Negative Approach, Minor Threat, Degenarates, 7 Seconds and so on – definitely pick this up. it will make you a fan even before the first guitar solo. if you send an email to xtrustnoonex-AT-hotmail-DOT-it, you might even get this on a 7″. :)
LxExAxRxNx – First Lesson
being one of the most hard-hitting hardcore acts you’ll ever hear, LxExAxRxNx are a marvellous take on modern hardcore. despite being retro (how can hardcore not be?), this band has something fresh about them. the skate punk catchyness and energy combined with the thrashcore speed and intensity come together to a power violence a la Infest and Lack of Interest influenced call and response hardcore reminiscent of early AFI combined with early ’80s harDCore. does that even make sense to you? oh well, download it anyway. it’s awesome. don’t be fooled by the goofy name – they are great musicians. also notice the covers of Bestie Boys, Minor Threat, Gorilla Biscuits and Scholastic Deth. if you really dig, you can send an email to xtrustnoonex-AT-hotmail-DOT-it and request the 7″. it’s pretty cheap yo.
Navio Forge – As We Quietly Burn a Hole
I don’t know if anyone here are familiar with Fuel, Torches to Rome, Bread and Circuits and so on… but Navio Forge are in there. they were an emo band from California who only got this one release in ‘93 on Shadow Catcher. and what more is there to say other than it’s awesome? because it really is. this is definitely west coast emo influenced by east coast emo, like the Gravity and 31G bands. it’s noticably (a lot) heavier and more aggressive than the more artsy and twinkly stuff that was going on in the midwest. this is dynamic and heavy riffing, breakdowns, shouting, bass lines beating like a heart ready to explode and powerful utilizing of snares, hi-hat rolls and crash cymbals. there are no “remember when” lyrics a la midwest bands. instead there’s the cryptic yet somehow personal west coast stuff about being crippled, unable to see, being the flagship of moments of failed actions… you get it. there are some rather clever word-trickery in here that you should try to pay attention to. if not for the great poetry, then for the sheer passion, despair and anger – because this is traditional emo… so it’s angry. and you need to hear this, because I can’t properly explain how awesome it is anyway.
The Kidcrash – Jokes
with their 2006 demo, The Kidcrash stepped into the screamo world. with Jokes they take their screamo to new levels – a new world. the sound is noticeably more epic and progressive. there are much more breakdowns and a general display of understanding of how to employ dynamics to create a highly inventive and interesting sound that never seizes to amaze. and that is why you will simply have to download this! because it really is *that* good. such a diverse record… man.
The Kidcrash – Demo
it is with this demo The Kidcrash takes the step into screamo land. the guitars get even more twinkly as well as more dynamic. the vocals are like on the Goldie Hawn EP, only now they shout and scream most of the time. the drumming is much more dominant and technical… you know, modern screamo. this is a really good example of just that. this the sort of record you would put on if anyone asked «what does modern screamo sound like?» – *or* if you wanted to listen to a damn fine screamo album with awesome music! so get this.
The Kidcrash – I Haven’t Had A Date in 4 Years Goldie Hawn Goldie Hawn Goldie Hawn…
another post, another unique The Kidcrash release – YAY! this time around they still have some of those Drive-Thru riffs and overall catchyness. but they are louder, more dynamic and perhaps a bit up-close. this is evident especially in the vocals, which are vastly different from the vocals on New Ruins. on this EP they sound more like Matt Pryor or something. they demand more attention. and they shall receive! download this, and check it out.
The Kidcrash – New Ruins
you know that band that appears on a few splits on this page? that band who plays dynamic and build-up based screamo on one hand, then suddenly upbeat and energetic screamo instead? well this time around The Kidcrash does neither of these things. have we established a pattern yet? yes we have. namely, this band always sounds different. from release to release, if not from track to track. and New Ruins proves to not stray from this formula. at all. it is nothing but a fresh breath of air to your collection, no matter what “your collection” might entail. this is an album full of Drive-Thru-esque pop rock influences and an overall feeling of happiness. instantly catchy and full of positive energy, New Ruins is destined to be a classic. placing itself somewhere in between mainstream alternative bands like Taking Back Sunday, The Get Up Kids and Saves the Day, and European screamo bands like Aussitôt Mort, Daïtro, Raein and Belle Epoque (odd mix, yeah?) – New Ruins is something new and entirely original that needs to be heard. so download this album, and give it a go… or perhaps fifty or so listens. also, I know I usually say SUPPORT THESE ARTISTS… and I *do* want you to support all of the artists on this site by buying their stuff and so on… but do *not* buy this album. whatever you do, don’t buy it. because if you do – you are not supporting The Kidcrash, only another indie label trying to be a major label. you would actually support the band much more if you don’t purchase it. so there. download it instead.
Angora Static – LP
from the very first second, this album is guaranteed to impress you. it’s pretty much twenty six minutes of glorious melodies that reigns your stereo with all the power and dignity a monarch needs to have. this album will force you to drop anything you might be doing at the moment, and just pay attention. just listen. the wonderful ambient feedback and noises, the dueling guitars, the marching drums, the pulling bass, the passionate vocals… it’s all coming together so perfectly! this band is a symbiosis of hundreds of intricate, beautiful elements that fit together so nicely. the detailed and rich dynamics in their melodies are alone enough to make you unwilling to do anything ever but listen to this band.
Angora Static – EP
a fantastic screamo band in the vein of Saetia. that should be enough to make you want to download this, aye? this band has awesome skram, harmonic guitar battles, upbeat and at times jazzy drumming, and soft yet tough bass lines. the melancholic mood and sheer intensity this bands radiates is astonishing. it makes the mind wander into oblivion. the twinkly guitars are close to perfection! an overall majestic effort by Angora Static, whose beautiful and passionate music will definitely win you over. the insane amount of energy present in this recording will make you think to Beyond the Fences. Saetia + Beyond the Fences = win. get this.
Three Letter Engagement – Healing of Harms Demo
the last post in this blog was a band that was obviously from the Heroin school of emo. so now I guess I’ll have to post a band from the Cap’n Jazz school. or more precisely, from the mid-west post Cap’n Jazz school. and Three Letter Engagement doesn’t fall into the riffing category like Sunny Day Real Estate, but into that stylish twinkling category where Christie Front Drive and Mineral amongst others reign. so if CFD and Mineral are two of your big heroes – prepare to be introduced to a new hero! because 3LE knows what up. their sweet and charming twinkly emo with sensitive vocals progress into shouting and a full explosion of pretty riffing and intricate lead guitar parts. more than once. this is detailed and diverse music with nothing but highlights and guitar battles. so go get it! it is without a doubt awesome.
Parades End – 7″
Parades End are a ’90s emo band that sounds like something in between the first DC bands (Rites of Spring and so on) and the first San Diego bands (Drive Like Jehu and so on). this is not your Cap’n Jazz style of emo. there’s twinkling, but it is by no means the core of the melodic spectrum. Parades End sound more like the Heroin-school of emo, where sheer aggression, passion and fire reigns. and that’s *not* a bad thing. this 7″ is by a band not afraid to shout and scream, and trash their instruments beyond the limit. this is four beautifully crafted songs, that show a talented and invented band that deserves to be heard. yes I know I write that almost every band on this blog «deserves to be heard», but in all fairness – they are all awesome, right? so get this! listen to this! go go go!
The Kidcrash & Arse Moreira Split – Misspellings
you know that thing I just posted? the split between Coffindancer and The Kidcrash? well here’s The Kidcrash again. but it’s hard to believe that it’s the same band that appears on this split. here we have an upbeat and energetic screamo band. while some of the build-ups and breakdowns are here, it all moves at a quicker pace. maybe not as detailed, but all the more intense. the detailed guitar textures are sure to make you a fan! and as if the track by The Kidcrash wasn’t enough, there’s also another band on here – Arse Moreira. more brutal and straightforward than The Kidcrash, but just as good. they sound less pretty, but just as legit. two awesome bands, two awesome tracks. get this!
The Kidcrash & Coffin Dancer Split
this split is between an epic sludge band called Coffin Dancer, and an equally epic but more screamo-oriented band called The Kidcrash. the split is rather explosive. it’s full of dynamic as well as melodic goodyness. both bands deliver lengthy and drony pieces. Coffin Dancer are slightly heavier, and slightly more drony than The Kidcrash, who rely more on twinkly screamo guitars and breakdowns. if Coffin Dancer are techno, The Kidcrash are trance. if you know what I’m saying. (if you don’t, google/youtube the differences between techno and trance, and you’ll get it). both bands are unique and original, and both bands deserves your attention. give this a go. you might find two new favourite bands!
Jerk City – Jerk City EP
more pissed of hardcore. from me to you. but this time it is slightly more melodic than Cut Short and the like. but it’s still rather… upset. and by “upset”, I mean they will tear your fucking intestines out. but with melodic guitar work, harmonic call and response vocals, and punk rock guitar solos. do you catch my drift? because if you have caught it, I am almost completely sure that you’ve stopped reading and started downloading. if you haven’t gotten that far just yet – GET THERE. chop chop.
The Dharmas – Album and Singles
let me introduce you to one of the most charming folk rock bands I have ever listened to. all of you who follow my blog should have made the acquaintance with Steadman, that awesome rock band from the UK. well, before Steadman there was The Dharmas. even folkier in their approach, this band knew how to craft beautiful and bittersweet pop music with sensere and sensitive lyrics about life and everything that affects it. there’s an album and a singles collection in the link at the bottom. go get it! because this is one of the most honest and genuine bands you will ever come across.
Manhattan Skyline – Curses
with Curses, Manhattan Skyline has taken their start/stop dynamics about thirteen steps further into insanity. the shredding is also more detailed on this new affair. and the vocals are more nuanced. the whole album sounds more thoughtful and planned than Tarantula Arms, which was more seven intense bursts of poetry and madness. this does not make Curses a *better* record than Tarantula Arms however. but what it does do, is make it (probably) much more interesting than it would have been if they just made “Tarantula Arms v2.0″. instead this record sees the band further enhancing their style with more intricate details that the listener is forced into paying attention to. it’s really so much more diverse. at times it even goes into these epic build-ups akin to newer Envy material! it’s just great.
Byron T – Demo Demos
this is an album full of awesome classic 60s/70s rock with those nice synths that were reserved for only the most epic of anthems, mixed into some weird British invasion pop mixed with Britpop lovechild… and some flair… straight outta Iowa! Byron is a fun man who writes, performs and records his fun music for all of us to listen to it. and lawd are we thankful for his adventures throughout the rock’n'roll highlands – because this is – pardon my French – awesome. catchy pop hooks that leaves no one left without at least humming. this is simply a great deal of fun to listen to, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to absolutely everyone, given its potential to be a hit no matter who you are. your mother will like this. that does not mean you should be ashamed for liking it as well. enjoy!
DDT punkrock – Coiotes Loucos
DDT punkrock play a furious borderline hardcore style of punk rock akin to Tehosekoitin and Raga Rockers. they are from Brazil and for the most part I have no idea what they are singing and shouting on about. all I know is that they sing and shout with passion. and the music is some of the fastest, loudest and most intense punk rock you will ever hear. this is a real winner!
Spåkopp – Spåkopp
Spåkopp plays an eclectic style of jazz fusion with a slappy bassist, an eager drummer and a sometimes soothing, sometimes out of control sax – among other things. they are highly dynamic, and have no trouble changing from an insanely high pace to a calm and relaxing tempo. and the way the songs are constructed makes them feel like collective improvisations like with typical free jazz, only with more structured calm parts. it’s all real good and a must-have. go get it!
Belle Epoque – A La Dèrive
Belle Epoque are a French band that play authentic screamo in the style of e.g. Daïtro and Raein. they play intricate melodies that at their softest resembles mid-90s mid-west emo, and at their hardest resembles City of Caterpillar and various other semi-progressive screamo bands. Envy even, but not as epic – more caustic. but despite not being as epic as Envy, Belle Epoque are definitely hypnotising, and well worth a listen or two or three hundred. a magnificent screamo band that deserves everyone’s attention. the music is hauntingly beautiful at times. especially when the guitars twinkle like Mineral and Christie Front Drive, until it gradually progresses into heavy riff-based screamo. amazing.
4volt – Array
“Array” is the continuation of what was started on “Elevate”. it is less ambient and droning, and much more catchy and upbeat. you may recognise some of the tracks on this album from a3o’s “The Infernalist” or “The Misadventures of Lomen” (if you haven’t seen either, go get them – they are hilarious). this is the maybe most catchy effort 4volt has put in. not as droning and creeping as his previous efforts (especially Aware) was. this has an analog sound with plenty of blip blops and the like. it is ultra catchy and mega aewsome. I highly recommend picking this up. it is idm at it’s very finest!
4volt – Elevate
with his third album, 4volt aims to utilize a much more analog sound. this album is an idm masterpiece of intense synths and upbeat rhythms that will get yo feet movin’. it is very much a complete change of style for 4volt. but that does not at all mean you won’t like it if you’re more of an ambient nerd than someone who enjoys electronic music in general. it still has the signature 4volt stamp on it. the quality stamp. so get this. enjoy!
4volt – Elements
4volt’s second album is full of many elements that are layered upon one another. and all the songs have pretty different elements as well. this album ranges from classical music influences to Nintendo influences to good ol’ ambient. “Elements” is much lighter than the first album. where “Aware” was mostly dark and creeping, this album is pretty light-hearted – but intense in its own way. where the first album had the listener in suspense due to the creepy atmosphere, this one has the listener mesmerised because of all the beautiful elements and how they are blended masterfully. it just sounds so soothing – it’s amazing. an incredible effort from 4volt, that deserves your attention! get this!
4volt – Aware
not an album per se, this is really a compilation of standalone songs. the title “Aware” was chosen because this “album” demonstrates 4volt (a.k.a. Jeremy Peterson) and his «awareness of music as a form of expression and experiment». it is dark, moody and creeping ambient, creeping down your spine with a creepy atmosphere. and it has its catchy moments as well, actually. some tracks have so catchy beats, you might’ve felt like getting up and dancing if it hadn’t been for the fact that this music might scare the shit out of you. could easily accompany Doom III on a 50″ in the dark.
Noisy Sins of the Insect – Discography
you guys know what the best thing about having your own blog is? *you* decide what’s going to be upped on it. you know what the second best thing is? you can write whatever the hell you want in the descriptions. this means I won’t have to worry about sounding “subjective”. you see when I write more “professional” reviews, I try not to use words like “good”, “awesome” or “mind-blowing”. instead I try to describe the music and the feelings it give me, as objective as possible, in order for other people to get the general sound and vibe the reviewed record gives, instead of forcing my opinions down their throats. but here, on this blog, all those boundaries are gone! thus: DOWNLOAD THIS ALBUM! DO IT NOW! BECAUSE IT IS TOTALLY BRILLIANT, AND IT IS SO GOOD THAT YOU WILL START TO WONDER HOW THESE GUYS CAN ACTUALLY *BE* THIS GOOD WITHOUT BEING SOME SORT OF UNNATURAL FORCE OF NATURE OR SOMETHING ELSE NON-HUMAN!!! okay. went a little overboard there. but you get the overall message – it’s a good album. Noisy Sins of the Insect is one of the very finest screamo bands. they play a pure bred screamo in the vein of Saetia. high-pitched screams and an extremely dynamic and aggressive melodic approach signalizes their sound. the jazzy and dreamy feel to this album will get you carried away into a trance, from the first second to the very last. so download this, and let it seduce you.
The Little Hands of Asphalt – Leap Years
while The Little Hands of Asphalt is still sensitive and tender folk rock like on the previous release (Spit Back at Rain – also available on this site if you scroll down), this album is vastly different from the previous effort. it has a much less synthy Pulp-ish sound, and much more southern rock and Americana-influenced music. it is obvious that this kid knows his Bruce Springsteens as well as his Paul Simons. and it’s not such a bad thing at all. because this album has everything from emotional ballads to epic folk rock anthems where The Little Hands of Asphalt pushes the borders with so much going on at once that it’s magical. this is a magical release. it’s rocking perfection! so you need to give this a go, and be mesmerised by the imaginative and bright lyrics as well as the honest but far from modest music, by the always unwrapped The Little Hands of Asphalt. remember to buy his music from http://www.howisannierecords.com if you really dig this. :)
Benjamin Finger – Woods of Broccoli
ohh… this is a tough one to write about. how can I possibly explain this? it’s ambient, but at the same time not. it’s atmospheric? it’s melodic? I could just as well say “this is music”, because I do not really know how to describe this. all I can do is describe the feeling it gives me… well okay, I can’t really do that either. but let me assure you, it does provoke feelings. perhaps way too many? I think that’s why I am having trouble describing this album. it is so emotionally challenging to listen to. and that is a very powerful feature when it comes to ambient music. it creates all kinds of different moods, all at once. it really has to be heard to be believed, let alone understood. this is a true gem. get it! and buy it from http://www.howisannierecords.com if you have the funds.
Safehouses on Fire – So We Fell in Love With All of Our Pro-longed Goodbyes
anyone familiar with Fighterpilot or Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson should understand me when I say that this is progressive rock with a touch of ambient from How Is Annie Records. but Safethouses on Fire are not as ambient as Fighterpilot, nor as emo as YP. it has its own, very atmospheric style. the songs flow beautifully, and really dig into your brain, refusing to let go of it. you might be puzzled by this wonderful journey. and you will certainly have to listen to it several times to really fathom all its complex layers, due to the sheer amount of layers. this is deep and wild music. get into it. if you really like it, you can buy it from http://www.howisannierecords.com – which I highly recommend you to. if this is a dream, don’t let it end.
Rudi Simmons – Heart Attacks
Rudi Simmons album Heart Attacks sound nothing like heart attacks. it sounds more like summer. it’s a tasteful and classy take on the indie pop genre. from oompas to bare acoustic numbers, Simmons manages to create interesting atmospheres. add clever and amusing lyrics to the mix, and you have these catchy and intelligent folky melodies with words that sparkle with wisdom. it is a modest but still ingenious interpretation of pop music. it is however way too many filthy words and unconventional (or at least not-conventional-enough) melodies in here to make this a true pop album. if you ask some dumb music journalist of allmusic or such, this would probably be tagged “Adult Contemporary” (with capital letters) or “Singer-Songwriter”, or whatever made up genre is in at the moment. but whatever you choose to call this: at least give it a listen! because this is honest music that deserves a listen – your listen. and not only that, it even deserves a purchase! on CD! http://www.howisannierecords.com
The Ergs! – Acoustic LP
you like The Ergs!, one of the most catchy and consistent punk rock bands of all time, right? then you will love how they sound acoustically! their sweet lyrics and hypnotising riffs are intimate and more cosy than ever. this is one of the cosiest albums ever actually. and you will have to get it. it’s like those few really awesome Soul Asylum and Goo Goo Dolls tracks, only this sparkles with optimism and happiness. download this and sing a long! then go to http://www.myspace.com/theergs and support the band by purchasing some records. :)
Andrew Jackson Jihad/French Quarter – Fresh Quarter/French Jihad
more heartfelt and truly genuine and honest to the core folk punk from Andrew Jackson Jihad. but this time it’s mixed up with the dark, creeping tones of French Quarter and their country tinged folk. and they’ve obviously influenced AJJ, because they are sounding more Americana and country than ever. perhaps especially on the beautiful “Skipping Stone”. the bands play four tracks each, and they are – while similar enough to make this split work – very different. they create vastly different atmospheres, emotions and moods. they are however equally impressing to listen to. so get in on this timeless classic! take especially notice of the Dead Prez cover by AJJ.
Railway Ghosts – Railway Ghosts
if your playlist has Daniel Striped Tiger, What Price Wonderland? and various other hardcore/emo on it, you might want to step up and download this. Railway Ghosts play upbeat and semi-chaotic punk with a lot of shouting most of the time. but quite a few times they slow down in order for those skram guitars to do what they were always meant to do – twinkle. there’s quite a bit of dynamics on this record. but despite of this it still has a somewhat inherent monotone expression. this is not a bad thing at all though. it gives this a distinct sound. I mean Dinosaur Jr. are pretty fucking monotonous, but no one is going to argue with me when I say that the three first albums and Beyond are four of the most awesome albums ever, eh? so get into this South-Wales band here. get into the frantic drumming on the very mellow and pleasant drum kit, the monotone guitars and shouting, and how they manage to be both semi-chaotic and semi-catchy at the same time. this album is like flying a kite in a thunderstorm.
The Ergs! – Hindsight is 20:20 My Friend
if you are lacking splits, EPs and other nice non-album things by The Ergs!, you need to download this. and it’s not just a bunch of tracks from different records packed together, no no no! it’s remastered and remixed (maybe some of it is even rerecorded?) to perfection! the tracks sound better than ever here. so if you actually have those non-album tracks, you still should download this. because chances are you won’t ever listen to them again in their original forms, if you have this compilation accessible instead. it’s mindblowingly good. for those of you who don’t know these tracks or The Ergs! altogeher – get to know them! now! if you like anything even remotely punk or punk-influenced, you will love this. it doesn’t matter if you are into Sugar, blink-182, AFI, Weezer or actual punk and hardcore bands such as Minor Threat, Dag Nasty, One Last Wish or Cap’n Jazz – you will like this either way. so get it. “because you’re worth it”. no matter what you are expecting of it – this will surprise you! buy it and support the band at http://www.myspace.com/theergs
The Ergs! – It’s A Celebration, Bitches
a compilation like this is definitely a celebration. a celebration of one of the greatest modern punk rock bands to ever play. there’s a Nirvana cover (not a coincidence at all, seeing as how The Ergs! sound a great deal like Nirvana at times), a Joe Jackson cover, some upbeat and punky alt-country tunes, some this, some that. most of it is hardcore or Minutemen and/or Replacements influenced. one unifying factor though is all of the tracks’ awesomeness. it’s fast, it’s melodic, it’s catchy – what’s not to like really? get this! and support the band by ordering stuff from http://www.myspace.com/theergs
The Ergs! – Upstairs/Downstairs
Upstairs/Downstairs one of the most defining albums a band has ever released. this album sees The Ergs! succeeding in everything they attempt. from alt-country bar tales to hardcore punk to sweet ballads to noise rock to whatever, it is all fantastic! and it all fits together incredibly. you would expect an album this diverse to sound somewhat awkward, as if there were multiple bands on it rather than one powerhouse of writers. but The Ergs! flabbergasts everybody with this truly unique album. an honest, passionate and admirable effort that needs to get the attention it definitely deserves. please listen to this. I assure you that you will not regret it, ever. you should also very much consider purchasing it from the band at http://www.myspace.com/theergs
The Ergs! – Jersey’s Best Prancers
Jersey’s Best Prancers is one of the most catchy albums you will ever hear. it also proves numerous times that the verse-chorus-verse formula is all but necessary to make catchy music. the different parts of the tracks don’t have to repeat themselves two or three times each if the parts are all equally awesome, and as long as they fit well together. this is proven again and again on this album. and in addition to being catchy, The Ergs! showcase brilliant guitar solos and a keen sense of harmonies. the album title is an obvious tribute to Lifetime’s Jersey’s Best Dancers. but where that album sounded like east coast emo (Falling Forward, Elliott and so on), this album sounds more like Hüsker Dü’s latter days combined with The Get Up Kids (both their punky efforts and their more alt-country-ish sound). intelligent yet joky. you will have to download this! and if you like it, buy it at http://www.myspace.com/theergs
The Ergs! – DorkRockCorkRod
The Ergs! are a very rare band. playing with Hüsker Dü tattooed in their foreheads, and an obvious Descendents and Queers influence, they rock harder than most. and DorkRockCorkRod definitely proves this! with funky riffs, upbeat drumming and the extremely distinguishable vocals, this band has got a good thing going. punk songs about love, relationships and other personal issues. not exactly emo, but there’s probably no one who will kill you if you call it emo anyway. but whether you call it emo, punk, hardcore, rock, alternative, pop-”punk” or whatever – it’s awesome nevertheless. call it what you will, as long as you listen to it. if The Beatles was a 2000s band, they would sound like this. and everybody loves The Beatles. so get this! you can buy their albums and support the band at http://www.myspace.com/theergs
sleepmakeswaves – in today already walks tomorrow
sleepmakeswaves are punking it up. while the demo (see post #90) is mostly slowly creating this soft atmospheric music, or droning the shit out of the listener with distorted guitars and cymbal-heavy drumming, this release starts of with a mostly very upbeat piece with rocking harmonic guitars. of course the band can’t help but fill the mid-part with some progressive goodiness that builds up with a faster and faster hitten snare, melodic guitars and mellow bass – all of which eventually climaxes in an explosion of powerful melody alike to Mogwai on their finest. this really sounds like City of Caterpillar sans the screaming, only more patient and with more instruments. kind of like Envy. it’s big and it’s good. and everybody should download it.
Dominic & The Third Memory split
Dominic has always struck me as on of the most unique hardcore/emo bands out there. they are so distinct in their sound that it’s not hard to recognise how different and great they are. a simply awesome band. and the two tracks they contribute to this split is nothing short of awesome either. the dramatic approach to screamo present in their style is spectacular. it’s progressive, noisy and beautiful. and not to be missed out on. while most intense screamo bands (this rules out the math rock twiddle/noodle bands) are either very brutal or equally brutal but with the occasional melodic approach for ten seconds or less. Dominic manages to get the best of both worlds at all times. truly impressive. especially given how progressive their music is. it takes great song writing to achieve music as good as this. The Third Memory are a vastly different band. yes they have semi-similar guitars at times, and are definitely melodic and progressive as Dominic – but this band are noticeably less noisy. while incorporating intensively screamed vocals, the music is essentially very soft. the guitars are kind of twinkly like Dominic’s, but not even half as distorted. and while the drummer beats the shit out of the snare from time to time, it’s generally not very heavy. it’s a bit weird listening to this band, because they are so fast, progressive and technical – but they never get carried away and just climax into a big bunch of noise. and that is admirable, the way they contain themselves. but it’s by no means reserved or anything like that – it’s passionate alright. it’s just diciplined as well. and it’s awesome. get this split!
sleepmakeswaves – sleepmakeswaves
sleepmakesnowaves have no vocals, but that doesn’t mean they have no voice. they are in fact highly vocal, despite lacking a vocalist. they are an instrumental rock band that play a great deal on ambience. it sounds like they are trying to capture Mogwai’s magic ambient twinkling, and then completely destroy it with distorted drone guitars in the vein of Isis every now and then. they succeed at this. very much. this demo sounds very dark and meek, yet there is this optimism and power inherent in the music. especially the parts with distorted guitars and an overall loudness. the twinkly ambient bits come off as sort of passages into these great climaxes of honest, humble and very *awesome* music.
Manhattan Skyline – Tarantula Arms E.P.
Manhattan Skyline are one of the best band I’ve ever seen live. their extremely aggressive music and intense performance is marvellous. this band plays Orchid-style hardcore/screamo, and mixes it up a bit with mathcore influences. it reminds me very much of The Crinn, which again sounds like a more insane version of Dillinger Escape Plan with cooler vocals. Manhattan Skyline can probably also be compared to DEP. though not as obviously as The Crinn, because this band isn’t as jazzy. it’s more in your face screamo with obvious metalcore and plain hardcore influences. more The Spectacle than DEP. on the other hand, if you’ve ever heard Kaospilot or Dominic and digged them, you will probably welcome Manhattan Skyline as a different, but equally awesome band. equally awesome, but definitely unique in their sound. they thrash around like no one else, both live and on record. the lyrics are perhaps not all that intelligible at the first listen due to the mad screaming and loud music, but once you pay attention they are every bit as great as the music. they are definitely a vital organ in the Manhattan Skyline body, and I recommend paying attention to them, once you get over the whole stroke-thing you’ll get after listening through this for the first time with the stereo cranked up at 95db. this is loud shit. enjoy.
Arctic Monkeys – Don’t Believe the Hype
I suppose the world’s biggest band or so at the moment does not need any introduction, but still – let me pretend it still is 2004 or whenever I downloaded these off of SoulSeek. the band was admittedly not as famous back then, but they were definitely as good as they are now. these demos shows a new band in town, eager to show off their newly discovered skills at composing and performing music. the music is in fact extremely eager. they play fast, intense and energetic punk tracks, with several tracks clocking in well under three minutes – some even under two. the waililng guitars are loud as can be. the whole sound picture is generally fast and loud. crashing drums, distorted and crisp guitars, shouted vocals and fast bass. but what perhaps makes Arctic Monkeys stand out the most are their intelligent and observant lyrics, penned by guitarist/vocalist Alex Turner. some have even compared him to Jarvis Cocker (that might be a bit over the top though), due to how he manages to put down what’s going on in his world to paper. there’s no “bigger picture” here, it’s just Turner and the way he sees the world. what’s going on in his head. whether it’s clever observations on the youth cliques, patronizing words on a scumbag, or simple straightforward tunes about love – Turner knows his shit when it comes to writing. and so does he when it comes to killing his guitar, like Jamie Cook also does his fair share of. so if you’re into crisp and deadly guitars, loud and fast drumming, melodic and hasty bass and shouted vocals that tells stories – this is for you. download it!
Engerica – Unreleased, Unleashed
Engerica released one of the best metal-influenced screamo/punk affairs of 2006. this is not it. this is a demo session sometime before that. and it’s golden! while it has not yet fully developed the screamo anxiety, and the quirky/serious/insane balance isn’t yet perfected, this is four sleazy rock tracks with humorous lyrics and desperate melodies. definitely worth getting your hands on.
Come What May – Demo
two frantic experimental emo tracks filled with despair and chaos. shouting, heavy drums with plenty of cymbal rape, guitars that reminds me of Paper Moshay by Antioch Arrow, weird synth effects and so on. all of this comes together… well to say “nicely” would be a bit of a lie, because this is simply chaotic artsy and angsty punk rock that probably would fit in on Gravity records in the early ninetees or even late eightees. it’s hypnotic, claustrophobic and nervous, with a dark edge to it. also this band is slightly obscure as far as I know, because they kind of disappeared after I got this demo from them. they don’t even log into their MySpace, let alone answer messages from it – so yeah. score eliteness points today! download this gem. :)
1099 – Machine! Fire! Ghosts!
1099 are a band that plays very atmospheric music. the guitars are twinkling nicely, whilst the strings are ensuring the music is constantly flowing like a waterfall. the drummer makes use of the entire kit, at the right times. cymbals galore to create intense moments, snare to create suspension and a nice utilization of toms to make sure the music doesn’t run away. where Yndi Halda’s songs are so different that they could just as well been split up into several tracks, 1099’s tracks are definitely single pieces that are so sewn together, you wouldn’t dream of replacing – let alone removing – a single bit of them. where Explosions in the Sky generally tend to have long intros that lead into this one climax – 1099 are a constant flow of climaxes, making the tracks less tiring than Explosions in the Sky’s. the songs go from downbeat moments with toms and the infamous Indian Summer guitars, onto the same Indian Summer guitars only with snare instead of toms. then the strings come. then the cymbals come, increasingly louder and louder and louder. the snare is hit faster and louder as well. the guitars go higher and higher. the strings are constrasting slower and slower. everything breaks. the twinkly Indian Summer guitars are alone. then comes the upbeat drumming, the distorted guitars, the everything. there’s climaxes all over the place. everything is alive with beauty, power and passion. this ep is awesome, and you should get it. I’m not generally into bands without vocals, but this is simply awesome.
august hell – Life Without Germs
I was contemplating whether to put this in the who knows section, or whether to simply put it in this ambient category. the ambient category barely won due to the way this album makes you visualize a story – an epic tale. I view this album as a soundtrack to a war. it has it all. the initial anger when the war breaks out. the hopelessness when there seems like no end to it. the losses that affect everyone in it. the uprising. the underground parties. the passion. the uplifting optimism and hope for an end to not only this war, but every war ever. the sheer happiness of victory, of end. I mean this album just generally succeeds in so many ways when it comes to evoking feelings. it’s a roller-coaster. get on it.
Beowulf – A Rock Operetta
this has a great intro that’s just so “right”. really sets the mood. haunting. the violin, the percussion, the vocals… mysterious-like, dark atmosphere. then a more “orthodox” melody starts rockin’. and it really does rock. funky yet sensitive stuff. it’s spaced out track with f’ucked up vocals and punchy, distorted guitars. but it’s also fantastic folky stuff, complete with flutes and what sounds like some sort of goblet drum, like a djembe or whatever. then it’s also Dr. Dre-ish hip-hop with awesome beats and great vocals. it’s an opera. and it allows itself to do whatever the fuck it wants to. and all of it is awesome. also there’s a Ray Charles impersonation. what’s not to love? if Green Day has made you think that a “rock opera” is equal to major suckage – get this, and Beowulf change your opinion on rock operas all together. if you on the other hand *like* rock operas… then why are you still reading this? DOWNLOAD IT!