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!