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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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. :)
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. :)
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.
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!
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 – 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.
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!
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.
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. :)
Monzano – Bonus Trucks
I just can’t get enough of that Monzano. can you? I doubt it. get this. four gentle pop-ish tracks that are extremely catchy. epic choruses, stories about bars and the city life in general, trembling guitars and voices, soft synths and a driving beat. this band is just too easy to love! love it! and buy it from http://www.howisannierecords.com
All the Islands – Polarise
wouldn’t it be AWESOME if an emo band sounded like King Crimson? YES IT WOULD. so you need to get this album. because it is awesome. like what has become typical for bands from How Is Annie, All the Islands combine many genres – mainly emo and progressive rock/metal. this results in them sounding a bit like I Hate Myself, rest of my life and Dominic, a bit like Fugazi, Drive Like Jehu and At the Drive-in, and even old school progressive rock mammoths like BARABAM! King Crimson. buy from http://www.howisannierecords.com
Monzano – High Horses & One Trick Ponies
Monzano sounds a bit like the pop band that everyone likes. I think it’s because everyone has to like them because of their awesomeness. very harmonic and accessible music with nice chord progressions, upbeat (drumming most of the time), and a very welcoming voice. the sometimes extremely narrative lyrics are easily remembered and sung along to. oh, and they also have some kickarse climaxes in their music, as well as nice dynamics. what’s not to like? MONZANO! get it. and buy it from http://www.howisannierecords.com
rest of my life – all pretty people live in airports
“rock with both heart and brain” is a well known definition of rest of my life, penned by Vegard Enlid. and this time rest of my life has DONE it. the brains are indeed present on all pretty people live in airports, where it was slightly enclouded by the big hearts on the previous album and ep. this album is truly amazing. guitar harmonies galore, emotive vocals and just a great dash of AWESOMENESS. a very complete and consistent album with not one non-awesome track. they cover every possible emotion here. if you’ve been waiting for that one great modern emo album that kicks almost every other emo albums arse – this is it. a superb album. Morfar (who writes the lyrics save for one track) and the five musicians of rest of my life fill this album with nothing but highlights. I can’t seem to find anything mediocre, let alone *bad* about all pretty people live in airports. It’s surprisingly consistent and enjoyable. not that I’m *surprised* by the fact that rest of my life has, once again, delivered, but this is just the shit. that’s all I’m saying. it’s the shit. In the words of Tore Vikan (some music journalist guy): “rest of my life? If they continue to make music like this – yes please”. GET IT. and buy it from http://www.howisannierecords.com
Build Nest, Sleep – Abouts
Abouts was released on a 7″ vinyl and on a 3″ CD. this is the CD that I’ve ripped for you all. it enhances their already noisy sound picture with more blip blops, and louder guitars. and perhaps more importantly – more dynamics. there’s more NOOOooooooOOOiiiIiisssSSSssssEEEEeEEEEEEeeeEE here, where it used to be just nooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIiiiiiiisssssssseeeeeee. buy from http://www.howisannierecords.com if you like it, which I think you will. RWJGTEUAKLFSSSSUifwiulwrRGUUggggggggraeWUEØORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRFV.
A Bunny’s Caravan – Draining Puddles, Retrieving Treasures
to put my feelings into words is a near impossible task when it comes to this album. I will somehow try to make an effort though. A Bunny’s Caravan are a progressive emo band like e.g. Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson, which also owes a great deal to emo-influenced alternative bands like Jimmy Eat World, Death Cab for Cutie and Sense Field. but those bands are all nothing but pale and shallow in comparison to this band. and like Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson, A Bunny’s Caravan make use of eerie vocals and dreamy atmospheres with crescendos and amazing build-ups leading into ecstatic climaxes – and in terms of music quality, this entire album is just one big climax. this album is my favourite album of all time. download it. buy it from http://www.howisannierecords.com even. you should buy it twice. it’s that good.
Build Nest, Sleep – Build Nest, Sleep
while bands like The Ergs! play with Hüsker Dü tattooed on their foreheads, Build Nest, Sleep play with Hüsker Dü tattooed discretely on their sleeve, next to the Slint tattoo – and on the opposite arm there’s Modest Mouse, Built to Spill and something that resembles a Sugar tattoo. and it’s great. and it’s pretty noisy. at times it progresses into almost ambient noise-bits. and they are every bit as great as the gentle bits. this band is also noteable for the extremely jangly vocals. there’s two vocalists that sing on different tracks. one of them shouts more – and you feel his pain when he asks/shouts “what good can ice cream do/when the problem is me and you”. and you also are able to sympathize with the other vocalist, and his veeeeeeery jangly voice, when he states that he “want[s] to get drunk without drinking”. if Cap’n Jazz ever decided to record an album in the vein of Hüsker Dü and all the songs were written by Joseph Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. I love this. and so should you. but in order to understand how great this journey is, you need to download it. and if you likee, you can buyee from http://www.howisannierecords.com
rest of my life – transition
rest of my life’s ep transition marks just that. a transition. from noisy screamo to a much more melodic and cozy sound. it’s still passionate and intense, but in a much more mature way. there *are* other ways of expressing yourself but shouting and screaming like on the first album. they tell you about those ways on this ep. and it’s lovely. they’ve added a cello to the picture, making it even more harmonic than before. it’s all about those guitar harmonies, the warm cello and the sugarsweet lyrics. get this. and buy it at http://www.howisannierecords.com
Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson – Unnoticeable in A Tiny Town, Invisible in the City
some say it’s the album of the year, if not the decade. some say it’s the best album ever. in whatever degree people think this rules, they all think it rules. and that’s understandable. this is highly dynamic emo with very progressive and intricate math rock elements, and subtle electronic blip blops enhancing the sound picture. it also has parts with those clean 00s screamo guitars that are kept company by screaming and a dreamy atmosphere. what makes this album so beyond memorable is how it always finds a way of renewing itself. in the middle of a song, the track might just rejuvenate itself with great passion and energy. it’s mellow, then noisy, then ambient, then mellow, then it crescendos into one more noisy bit… and so on. it just never stays still. and it is all times beautiful, heart-warming and intense. you *really* don’t want to miss out on this legendary album. buy the album before it sells out at http://www.howisannierecords.com – if you like it, which I think you will. this version of the album has some extra tracks by the way.
rest of my life – rest of my life
you are looking for an album full of screamo guitars, shouting, heavy drums and catchy lines. you have found it. this energy bomb from Norway is a pretty intense. they should probably consider writing their name in caps lock instead of without capital letters, because man is it loud. it’s loud and to the point, but warm and passionate at the same time. it’s really a gem in the genre, impossible to describe accurately nor compare rightfully, as it simply does something entirely unique and interesting, taking great portions of mellow and wreaking havoc on them with crisp and loud musical attack. this album is genuinely different from most other albums, as well as genuinely *better* than most other albums. you should definitely give this a go. and then you can buy it from http://www.howisannierecords.com after listening to it for free here.
Twist About Fireplace – It Happens Every Time I Go Supersonic
Twist About Fireplace’s first album. it is semi-noisy emo from Norway, yet again. and it’s catchy. and it’s cool. there’s hypnotic passages into noisy choruses, and lots of other fun stuff on here. it has a warm and fuzzy sound, one you owe it to yourself to be exposed to. thus you should get it! and if you like it, you can buy it @ http://www.howisannierecords.com – and you should probably do that too. this band knows what it is doing with their shoegazy and noisy emo.
Kråkesølv – Kråkesølv
Kråkesølv never was like the other hardcore bands out of Bodø. for one, they were never hardcore. but they still are awesome. poppy and snappy rock with emo-ish guitars and harmonic vocals. it’s catchy. even more so than AIDS. you don’t want to miss out on this! if you are lucky, you can maybe get it on CD or vinyl sometime soon from http://www.howisannierecords.com
Twist About Fireplace – Snore When We Laugh
Twist About Fireplace once was this band playing characteristic semi-noisy emo from How Is Annie records. now they are this band playing characteristic semi-noisy emo from How Is Annie records. and it’s awesome now, like it was back then. the loud guitars and shouting makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. also the psychedelic soft parts (think “If You Were There, Beware” by Arctic Monkeys) are awesome. but this sophomore effort from Twist About Fireplace isn’t as… well… it’s just not as emo as their début. it has got more attitude. more (noise) rock than emo really. this record shares more with Dinosaur Jr., Mudhoney, Sonic Youth and Lemonheads than it does with Rites of Spring, Embrace, Indian Summer and Moss Icon. it is also similar to quite some screamo. but call it what you like – either way it’s awesome, and you can probably buy it on CD or vinyl sometime soon from http://www.howisannierecords.com