one of the key ingredients for good music is in my opinion feedback from guitars. and plenty of it. based on the simple scientifically proven parallel between awesomeness and guitar feedback, we can safely state that Eagulls is a really awesome band. sounding like a mix between The Cortlandt Homes, Dinosaur Jr. and American Steel, Eagulls and their fifteen minute début is a very pleasant distinctly English affair. fuzzy and catchy guitars, soft and melodic bass, clever and tight drumming and quite great punk rock vocals. what’s not to like? you need to hear this band. you can visit their MySpace http://www.myspace.com/eagulls to get cassettes and more info etc.
June 1st, 2010
The Ergs! – songs from The Measure [sa] splits
The Ergs! did two splits with The Measure [sa], that they put out on the wonderful No Idea records. they are new-ish recordings, and so they sound like newer The Ergs!, rather than the Dorkrockcorkrod years. while The Ergs! might not be the darkest, angriest or saddest punk rock band, they write clever and sincere tunes that deserve to be heard. while their lyrics often are described as wilfully geeky and a bit silly, they are definitely moving and touching. you can download them here, and you can buy them both from http://www.dorkrockcorkrod.com/ – which you should. if you can! and you should also check out The Measure, a melodic and catchy punk rock band that features Mikey from The Ergs! on drums, and sort of sounds like the ’90s emo band Samuel in a more traditional punk rock setting. one of The Ergs! tracks are a cover of The Measure [sa] (“Workage”).
June 1st, 2010
The Ergs! – Blockhead (from Teenage Bottlerocket split)
in 2008 The Ergs! did a split with the sort of heavy punk rock band Teenage Bottlerockets, reminiscent of The Lillingtons, The Steinways and The Copyrights. on this split they did a cover of the almighty Devo, and their track Blockhead. this is that track. while The Ergs! maybe aren’t directly obviously musically influenced by Devo in their sound, they owe their entire modus operandi to the nerdy Devo. like Devo, The Ergs! have an unquenchable thirst for the combination of the raw punk rock sound and pop sensibilities. download this and hear it for yourself! and buy it from http://www.dorkrockcorkrod.com if you can afford it etc. that way you’ll get to hear Teenage Bottlerocket cover Green Day as well, if you’re into that stuff.
May 28th, 2010
Pump the Brakes – EP
all you longtimers no doubt remember Nothing’s Forgotten’s lovely demo, Vestfold HC. (all you newcomers might want to check that out. it rules.) they later changed their name to Pump the Brakes. while they are sadly broken up by now, these are the previously unreleased recordings that were made for an EP that was supposed to surface in 2009. five highly melodic hardcore tracks that are reminiscent of both ’80s punk rock (Descendents, Screeching Weasel), as well as ’90s punk rock (Propagandhi, Pulley), and the delicious poppy riffs of alternative bands such as blink-182 and T.O.E. with pleasant-on-the-ears guitar solos, catchy riffs, upbeat drumming, raspy vocals and melodic bass lines – this is the anthem rock of punk rock. get it!
April 22nd, 2010
Beyond the Fences – Unreleased
this is a band who knows how to make a first impression. the first two tracks of this unreleased compilation were rerecorded for the Salute Utopia 10″ (download available further down the blog), their only release. but what a release! that 10″ is one of the most ferocious records I have ever heard. and this compilation of unreleased tracks is no less furious. this album is just a confirmation that Beyond the Fences is without a doubt one of the very finest punk rock bands in all of history. this band is just insanely good, and I want to strongly encourage everyone to check them out. this is some of the most ardent music ever made. Beyond the Fences blazes through these five tracks in the most intense way at all possible. this band is criminally overlooked, and worth its weight in gold – nay, in antimatter. you need to hear this band. download this!
April 19th, 2010
Word Travels Fast – Ellen
I would like to say that «if you liked Some Mistakes, you’ll like this!» – but I can’t. at all. this band is related to Some Mistakes, in that the vocalist of Some Mistakes used to play bass for them, and one of the guitarist of Some Mistakes happen to play guitar for them. but there ends the comparison. this band plays a glimmering style of alternative meets hardcore. where Saves the Day focuses more on the alternative part, this band is probably much more hardcore punk. real fast and ferocious, but still very catchy and harmonic. if you like early blink-182, Descendents and other alternative bands that play really, really fast – you’ll like this as well. this is hardcore punk with pop sensibilities. or some other controversial contrast… a catchy energy bomb! starting out with longing emo-like twinkling, it soon enough picks up the pace. but *not* in favour of the melody. it hugs melody and harmony all the way from start to finish, in the same way that Saves the Day did on their first two albums (I haven’t really listened to the others). this is some high quality hardcore/alternative/punk/pop/whatever. pace, melody and quality all go hand in hand through this blistering record. hardcore needs bands like Word Travels Fast. download this!
April 19th, 2010
Candy Hearts – Ripped Up Jeans & Silly Dreams
if sometimes all you want is a little fuzz on the guitar, an upbeat rhythm section and laid back vocals… if sometimes all you want is to put on The Presidents of the United States of America, The Ergs! or Lemuria… if sometimes all you want is just want some cool rock’n'roll – then Candy Hearts are definitely for you. there is nothing pretentious or pompous about this record. it’s got cheap and simple poppy hooks, dabdadabdaaa vocal harmonies, fuzzy power chords, upbeat drumming and a soft voice singing melodic lines about youthful thinking. the songs are naïve and very head over heels, which leads to Candy Hearts being quite charming and sweet – in a way less snotty way than blink-182, Sum 41 and other alternative bands formed in the ’90s. they also utilize noisy guitars and heavy compositions in the vein of The Pixies, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr. and other alternative bands founded in the ’80s. so the end result is a nice timeless style of rock. a consistent and thorough effort, clocking in at over thirty minutes – this is a record you are very likely to enjoy regardless of your preferences, due to its simplicity and charm. you can’t *not* like “Anything” – a modern rock classic from the first listen. download this album!
March 25th, 2010
Bomb the Music Industry! – Adults!!! Smart!!! Shithammered!!! And Excited By Nothing!!!
I’m getting sort of annoyed by these gimmicky exclamation marks… oh well. the music is thankfully really good. there’s something thoroughly cosy with this release. most of the tracks are upbeat ska with horns and the whole boat, but there’s this one downbeat track, and an electronica interlude thing. «Recorded, mixed and released in the span of FIVE DAYS, Adults!!! has the whole big family playing a million horns, bells, organs at full speed! Yes yes yes!!!», is how they like to describe it themselves – and they do so better than I can. but I’d like to add my own observation: what makes this release so incredibly successful is how easily it comes across that the band are having fun! the tunes are really good, but above all else they excel by being joyful. so if you are in the mood for fun and joy (how can you not be?), download this! I’d also suggest you do a donation via PayPal to info@quoteunquoterecords.com, including the band or album name in the title or body of the payment. this way these guys can have fun without being broke!
March 23rd, 2010
Bomb the Music Industry! – Scrambles
continuing where they left of, the punk collective Bomb the Music Industry! strikes back with more infectious punk rock. Scrambles starts out with a demo-quality track, and then moves on to a “real quality” ska-tinged melodic punk rock track. sounds familiar? yes. the whole album is really “nothing but” a continuation of the previous album, or to be more precise – a perfection. it even includes quite some elements of ye olde Bomb the Music Industry! like synths and bells and bold jumps and quakes. so it’s still quirky and introspective lyrics on top of quirky and melodic music. it’s the same formula. but it’s has never been better employed throughout their career than now. they have simply grown a lot, and learned many new things. there is nothing that screams rock anthems more than a piano. while not *all* Ben Folds’s songs are good, the foundation is really cool, so ripping him off *is* a good thing… and so on. all these experiences make this a thoroughly enjoying album, full of pure quality, and lots of diversity. on “$2,400,000″, it even goes into Wingnut Dishwashers Union land! the lyrics are always honest, modest and somewhat sad, though at the end I always find optimism in there somewhere. there’s always hope in the end! this is inherently a joyful album, in my humble opinion. and it’s a *damn* fine album, that deserves your listen. download it! and buy it on CD/LP from http://www.asianmanrecords.com, or donate via PayPal to info@quoteunquoterecords.com, including the name of the band or the album in the title or body of the payment. the CD/LP is really worth it though, because you get this awesome fanzine with it (both the CD and the LP), that features many cool tips. not to mention you get this glorious album! the definite culmination of everything that is good with this band – including one of the finest punk anthems ever – “(Shut) Up the Punx”. this is one of those albums where almost every song is an anthem! get it!!!
March 22nd, 2010
Bomb the Music Industry! – Get Warmer
this record marks a real turning point for Bomb the Music Industry! live drums appear throughout the whole album, and there are no programmed synths. it’s all analogue, baby. they even recorded demos and then re-recorded them. professionalism! this is even the first record that you can actually buy! so buy it from http://www.asianmanrecords.com/ while you’re at it. or, if you think that those “records” and “CDs” are for dinosaurs, keep donating via PayPal to info@quoteunquoterecords.com while including the name of the album or band in the title or body of the payment. anyway, to get back to the album; nothing says higher production value like having a demo-like quality to the intro, that eventually gets wrapped up in a “real quality” song. I love that idea. my band will definitely do that on our début. no doubt. so yeah, you guys remember how the previous album I posted, Goodbye Cool World, marked Bomb the Music Industry!’s turning point? well if that was a sort of transition, then this is the new (and improved?) Bomb the Music Industry!. so there are fewer maniac bursts of almost The Locust-esque synth-heavy hardcore, or ’80s east coast harDCore punk. Bomb the Music Industry! is simply more consistent than ever. less funny genre jumps, more melodic and engaging punk rock riffs. the thing about this more focused album is that it does automatically come off as more immediately believable. I’m sorry, but when you do what Bomb the Music Industry! had a habit of doing on especially the first two albums, you feel forced to take the time to evaluate – «am I being taken the piss out of?» but here, it all comes off very believable. what’s even better is that the band hasn’t compromised its creativity, nor lost its interestingness. it has matured though preserved what made it great in the first place.
March 22nd, 2010
Bomb the Music Industry! – Goodbye Cool World
more quirky lyrics and quirky music? more Bomb the Music Industry!? yessssssss. here is “Goodbye Cool World”. how is it compared to the other two albums (which you obviously have already downloaded)? well, it’s more what old people would call “mature”, in my opinion. attempts at ripping off The Hold Steady and mid-tempo arena rock anthems are some of the ingredients of this album. but don’t despair, there are still some high paced ska/punk songs. there are just fewer of those rowdy punk rock songs, compared to the number of synth-heavy feelgood tracks. despite some really unorthodox genre blending and jumping, I think it’s worth noticing that Bomb the Music Industry!’s lyrics are sincere and how they usually make really valid points. they speak their opinions loudly, and I gather they’d expect to be taken seriously. no matter if they play a synth-reggae song, or an ’80s alternative rock song. the fact is just that this band is just immensely creative, and seem to feel a dire need to experiment with genres – thus making the end result all over the place, which is a great deal of what makes this band so fun to listen to. and then on this one track there’s a ‘ukulele… which pretty much constitutes awesomeness! get this! and keep donating by sending some money (maybe $5 or so?) via PayPal to info@quoteunquoterecords.com. put the band name or album title or whatever in the title or body of the payment, so they know what you are donating to/for.
March 19th, 2010
Bomb the Music Industry! – To Leave Or Die in Long Island
I wrote a lengthy thing here, but it wasn’t saved so I’m now writing it for the second time. that pisses me off. but anyway, we’re wasting as little time as possible here at the that’s punk community. so let’s continue our dive into Bomb the Music Industry!’s discography. this is a band that has as quirky lyrics as music. sounding somewhat like a Christmas album made under the heavy influence of crystal meth and various other substances, To Leave Or Die in Long Island stands on well balanced hardcore and ska legs, but everything from the legs and up consists of what they themselves elegantly describe as «[s]ing-alongs, drum machines, synthesizers [and] saxophones played faster than fuck». a fitting description, indeed. though there are actually some calmer points to this album, just as the début. there’s even some sort of uhm… ballad..? yeah. the lyrics still revolve somewhat around the hardcore scene and punk rock – but the main themes are still the band itself, and the lyricist. from being broke and stuck in a minimum wage job to their bassist applying for Every Time I Die, it’s diverse enough to not constitute nagging. Bomb the Music Industry! continues their avant-garde punk rock thing with style – and energy. if you liked the first album, you’ll like this. if you didn’t like the first album, you won’t like this. if you haven’t heard the first album, get both, and play them. play them hard. download this! oh, and you can still donate by sending money via PayPal to info@quoteunquoterecords.com with the album title or band name in the title or body of the message.
March 15th, 2010
Bomb the Music Industry! – Album Minus Band
if you’ve already heard this band, chances are you’ve already downloaded their discography and indulged in it heavily. if you haven’t heard this punk collective – now is the time. and there’s no better place to start than the insanity of their début, a messy beating of an album. the music is… pretty hard to categorise and speak of… let me get back to that. the lyrics are easier to decipher, so I’ll do those first. they could probably be categorised as “offensive”, when they just throw it out there in the open, that maybe George W. Bush (president at the time) should blow his brains out on national TV. dealing with everything from social politics, to personal day-to-day issues, to “the scene” – and how stupid bands who think they are “cool” are. usually employing a rather simplistic straightforward though slightly comedic approach to lyricism, Bomb the Music Industry!’s songs are highly refreshing. now to try to say a few words about the music… well… it’s definitely energetic, intense and ferocious. firmly rooted in punk rock, with plenty of ’80s east coast hardcore and ska influences… with drum machines and synth and American Steel/Against Me!-esque vocals and uh stuff… but this album essentially sounds like it was recording whilst the performers had a constant itch. it rapidly jumps between different blends of musical genres. who would know that putting synthpop on top of ska makes a totally legit Harvey Danger cover? but what I am in fact trying to say here is that this band sounds like no other band. and no matter if they are doing sped-up lounge rock in 8-bit electronic synths combined with a dancehall-ish ska back-beat, acoustic guitar ballads or furious harDCore punk anthems – they do so in a highly authentic and believable way. this album has some of the most intense quick-paced energy bombs put on record, some cracking social commentary, great and ambitious genre blends, and a completely beautiful ballad to end it all. seriously – it rocks so hard that you can’t even begin to imagine how much it rocks until you put it on… which of course means you’ll have to download this asap! yes, that’s right. this band isn’t only great because of its music, but also because of their impeccable diy ethics. I just hope this band is remembered just as much for their great music as for releasing their music for free on Quote Unquote Records. you can donate by sending money via PayPal to info@quoteunquoterecords.com (suggested donation is $5, but it’s up to you), and putting the name of the band or album or whatever in the donation title or body. I recommend you do, and help these guys to go on forever and ever! and remember to check out the epic Black 47-esque album closer!
February 11th, 2010
Screaming and Dreaming – Pleasant on the Ears
Ethan from [insert half of the bands on that's punk here] is back with a band called Screaming and Dreaming, in which he and his brother pretty much hammer through these ten uplifting tunes. sounding like something between the psychedelic schizophrenic rock of Rudimentary Peni, the carefree experimental jams of Edward Kasperl Band and the insecurity of screamo bands that never made it out of the rehearsal room – this record shows us all that rock isn’t about technical ability or production value. it’s about expressing yourself in a manner you deem fit. thus this record is an exoneration to all the punks and a penance for all the math and prog kids. download this and go nuts, like these guys did when they recorded it.
January 26th, 2010
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.
January 17th, 2010
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.
January 7th, 2010
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!
January 7th, 2010
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.
December 10th, 2009
Useless Words of Sasha Grey – Demo
Russian psychedelic punk rock in the vein of Rudimentary Peni, early True Sounds of Liberty and other artsy/insane punk bands. this is a rather lo-fi demo consisting of what sounds like six classic 80s (death)punk tracks, with a prominent bass, filthy vocals, mostly repetitive and static drumming, a distorted guitar and a lot of noise. though not inherently complex, it is definitely different. there are no real apparent structuring that follows the album from start to end. it’s all rather free form spastic deathpunk. thankfully, Useless Words of Sasha Grey are not just commendable for being different, but also for making pretty awesome tunes that are well worth your attention. the stabbing guitar, crazy howling and generally epileptic seizure feel of the music is – what I would refer to as – cool. so if you’re a fan of deathrock/punk and artsy/insane tunes, you should quickly learn to appreciate this band. and in 2009, *everyone* has like several terabytes of space either way, so there’s no excuse for not downloading this, honestly.
December 6th, 2009
FORK – Harlekin
FORK are a Norwegian band that according to themselves play «some kind of punk». this modest declaration does however not even begin to describe this musical force not to be reckoned with that is FORK. a punk power house with furious music and highly articulate lyrics, FORK are equally ambitious and powerful. it took them two years to record their début album, but it definitely justifies the wait with the hard-hitting absolutely amazing punk rock akin to Propagandhi in more than one way. borrowing both from the “skate punk” bands as well as thrashcore bands (Propagandhi fits both, so I don’t think they will be upset with me guessing that early Propagandhi is the biggest influence on this album), FORK are extremely melodic, but still fairly hard-thrashing. the guitars interchange between interacting harmonically at the speed of light, and playing mind fucking guitar solos. the band knows how to slow things down when needed, but most of the action on Harlekin takes place with the intensity of high speed car chases down the wrong lanes. filling every song to the brim with energy and passion, FORK proves to be one of the most interesting punk rock bands you’ll ever hear. Harlekin is >50 minutes of being beaten to death by the violent force that is FORK, though with a few calm parts in which you might be lucky enough to get to pick up your clothes and bones, before they finish you off with impeccably driven drumming and angry yet melodic and beautiful guitars. all with optimistic though realistic invitations to change the world and rid ourselves of greed; a message as beautiful as the music. this is an outstanding album. download it.
October 21st, 2009
Wingnut Dishwashers Union – Burn the Earth, Leave It Behind
yet another album from this union of musicians playing compositions by Pat the Bunny. this time it’s more polished without a doubt. a lot of the songs on here are old songs which you might already have (if you downloaded the previous upped album you definitely have some), but their incarnations on this album is so fresh that they barely deserve being compared to their original incarnations, they’ll be better off treated as completely new songs. due to a more refined and polished sound, the rawness and anger on these songs are parallel to the catchyness and sing-a-long factor. there are more instruments and simply a bigger ensemble appearing on this album. but it’s just as honest and down to earth. if you are into Against Me! but have qualms over their involvement with major labels, you’re better off here. this is not only diy as can be, but it’s actually a lot better music. extremely genuine and cheerful punk rock. embrace it! by the way, Pat the Bunny does a lot of shit besides making music, like setting up an anarchist transportation collective, among other things. so if you can spare a change, purchase a physical version of his album at http://www.wingnutdishwashersunion.com/ – or donate to him. try this on for size. download it, and THROW YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR, ‘CAUSE PROPERTY IS ROBBERY!
April 26th, 2009
Jerk City – Jerk City EP
more pissed of hardcore. from me to you. but this time it is slightly more melodic than Cut Short and the like. but it’s still rather… upset. and by “upset”, I mean they will tear your fucking intestines out. but with melodic guitar work, harmonic call and response vocals, and punk rock guitar solos. do you catch my drift? because if you have caught it, I am almost completely sure that you’ve stopped reading and started downloading. if you haven’t gotten that far just yet – GET THERE. chop chop.
April 20th, 2009
DDT punkrock – Coiotes Loucos
DDT punkrock play a furious borderline hardcore style of punk rock akin to Tehosekoitin and Raga Rockers. they are from Brazil and for the most part I have no idea what they are singing and shouting on about. all I know is that they sing and shout with passion. and the music is some of the fastest, loudest and most intense punk rock you will ever hear. this is a real winner!
March 24th, 2009
The Ergs! – Acoustic LP
you like The Ergs!, one of the most catchy and consistent punk rock bands of all time, right? then you will love how they sound acoustically! their sweet lyrics and hypnotising riffs are intimate and more cosy than ever. this is one of the cosiest albums ever actually. and you will have to get it. it’s like those few really awesome Soul Asylum and Goo Goo Dolls tracks, only this sparkles with optimism and happiness. download this and sing a long! then go to http://www.myspace.com/theergs and support the band by purchasing some records. :)
March 22nd, 2009
The Ergs! – Hindsight is 20:20 My Friend
if you are lacking splits, EPs and other nice non-album things by The Ergs!, you need to download this. and it’s not just a bunch of tracks from different records packed together, no no no! it’s remastered and remixed (maybe some of it is even rerecorded?) to perfection! the tracks sound better than ever here. so if you actually have those non-album tracks, you still should download this. because chances are you won’t ever listen to them again in their original forms, if you have this compilation accessible instead. it’s mindblowingly good. for those of you who don’t know these tracks or The Ergs! altogeher – get to know them! now! if you like anything even remotely punk or punk-influenced, you will love this. it doesn’t matter if you are into Sugar, blink-182, AFI, Weezer or actual punk and hardcore bands such as Minor Threat, Dag Nasty, One Last Wish or Cap’n Jazz – you will like this either way. so get it. “because you’re worth it”. no matter what you are expecting of it – this will surprise you! buy it and support the band at http://www.myspace.com/theergs
March 22nd, 2009
The Ergs! – It’s A Celebration, Bitches
a compilation like this is definitely a celebration. a celebration of one of the greatest modern punk rock bands to ever play. there’s a Nirvana cover (not a coincidence at all, seeing as how The Ergs! sound a great deal like Nirvana at times), a Joe Jackson cover, some upbeat and punky alt-country tunes, some this, some that. most of it is hardcore or Minutemen and/or Replacements influenced. one unifying factor though is all of the tracks’ awesomeness. it’s fast, it’s melodic, it’s catchy – what’s not to like really? get this! and support the band by ordering stuff from http://www.myspace.com/theergs
March 22nd, 2009
The Ergs! – Upstairs/Downstairs
Upstairs/Downstairs one of the most defining albums a band has ever released. this album sees The Ergs! succeeding in everything they attempt. from alt-country bar tales to hardcore punk to sweet ballads to noise rock to whatever, it is all fantastic! and it all fits together incredibly. you would expect an album this diverse to sound somewhat awkward, as if there were multiple bands on it rather than one powerhouse of writers. but The Ergs! flabbergasts everybody with this truly unique album. an honest, passionate and admirable effort that needs to get the attention it definitely deserves. please listen to this. I assure you that you will not regret it, ever. you should also very much consider purchasing it from the band at http://www.myspace.com/theergs
March 22nd, 2009
The Ergs! – Jersey’s Best Prancers
Jersey’s Best Prancers is one of the most catchy albums you will ever hear. it also proves numerous times that the verse-chorus-verse formula is all but necessary to make catchy music. the different parts of the tracks don’t have to repeat themselves two or three times each if the parts are all equally awesome, and as long as they fit well together. this is proven again and again on this album. and in addition to being catchy, The Ergs! showcase brilliant guitar solos and a keen sense of harmonies. the album title is an obvious tribute to Lifetime’s Jersey’s Best Dancers. but where that album sounded like east coast emo (Falling Forward, Elliott and so on), this album sounds more like Hüsker Dü’s latter days combined with The Get Up Kids (both their punky efforts and their more alt-country-ish sound). intelligent yet joky. you will have to download this! and if you like it, buy it at http://www.myspace.com/theergs
March 22nd, 2009
The Ergs! – DorkRockCorkRod
The Ergs! are a very rare band. playing with Hüsker Dü tattooed in their foreheads, and an obvious Descendents and Queers influence, they rock harder than most. and DorkRockCorkRod definitely proves this! with funky riffs, upbeat drumming and the extremely distinguishable vocals, this band has got a good thing going. punk songs about love, relationships and other personal issues. not exactly emo, but there’s probably no one who will kill you if you call it emo anyway. but whether you call it emo, punk, hardcore, rock, alternative, pop-”punk” or whatever – it’s awesome nevertheless. call it what you will, as long as you listen to it. if The Beatles was a 2000s band, they would sound like this. and everybody loves The Beatles. so get this! you can buy their albums and support the band at http://www.myspace.com/theergs
March 19th, 2009
Arctic Monkeys – Don’t Believe the Hype
I suppose the world’s biggest band or so at the moment does not need any introduction, but still – let me pretend it still is 2004 or whenever I downloaded these off of SoulSeek. the band was admittedly not as famous back then, but they were definitely as good as they are now. these demos shows a new band in town, eager to show off their newly discovered skills at composing and performing music. the music is in fact extremely eager. they play fast, intense and energetic punk tracks, with several tracks clocking in well under three minutes – some even under two. the waililng guitars are loud as can be. the whole sound picture is generally fast and loud. crashing drums, distorted and crisp guitars, shouted vocals and fast bass. but what perhaps makes Arctic Monkeys stand out the most are their intelligent and observant lyrics, penned by guitarist/vocalist Alex Turner. some have even compared him to Jarvis Cocker (that might be a bit over the top though), due to how he manages to put down what’s going on in his world to paper. there’s no “bigger picture” here, it’s just Turner and the way he sees the world. what’s going on in his head. whether it’s clever observations on the youth cliques, patronizing words on a scumbag, or simple straightforward tunes about love – Turner knows his shit when it comes to writing. and so does he when it comes to killing his guitar, like Jamie Cook also does his fair share of. so if you’re into crisp and deadly guitars, loud and fast drumming, melodic and hasty bass and shouted vocals that tells stories – this is for you. download it!
March 16th, 2009
Engerica – Unreleased, Unleashed
Engerica released one of the best metal-influenced screamo/punk affairs of 2006. this is not it. this is a demo session sometime before that. and it’s golden! while it has not yet fully developed the screamo anxiety, and the quirky/serious/insane balance isn’t yet perfected, this is four sleazy rock tracks with humorous lyrics and desperate melodies. definitely worth getting your hands on.
February 22nd, 2009
Fall Children – Fall Children
named after an A Fire Inside’s best track, these punk rockers from Norway play punk rock influenced by everything from blink-182 to Rites of Springs to – of course – AFI. the welcome jangly vocals, distorted guitars and overall catchyness makes this a sure win. or, in the words of their bassit: «it sounds sour and shitty, but it doesn’t take much more than a minute to downlad, and we’re not talking about more than 7,5MB or so, so everyone should download it». so download it!
February 12th, 2009
The Cortlandt Homes – Twirly Brown EP
this album is definitely strong. it seems to draw influence from mid/late 80s and early 90s emo and alternative. particurarly The Replacements, Dinosaur Jr. and Built to Spill, but perhaps also Embrace, Hüsker Dü and Cap’n Jazz. the tracks have strong backbones and piercing vocals. great alternative/emo/rock drive. melodic bass, loud guitars, thorough drumming and the piercing vocals compliment each other very nicely. it’s impressing that the vocalist gets through twenty-five minutes of constant shouting with seemingly no trouble at all. sounds a bit like Build Nest, Sleep. this album is really solid. get it.
February 11th, 2009
Beyond the Fences – No Ceiling in the Sky
ferocious, hard-hitting, pissed off, aggressive and brutal punk rock that feels it has something to tell you. and it isn’t gently tapping your shoulder, asking for you attention. nor is it on its knees, begging for your attention. it’s more like it’s holding a double barrelled shotgun to your face and screaming, «listen up mother fucker, before I blow your damn face off and shove it up your arse». consequently you listen to what they have to say. so the choice is yours. listen to Beyond the Fences, or have your face blown up and shoved up your rear end (just be thankful it’s not your bell end). if you choose to listen, you won’t be disappointed you did so. Beyond the Fences really proves that there is no ceiling in the sky.
February 9th, 2009
True Sounds of Liberty – Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Free Downloads
True Sounds of Liberty has that Echo & The Bunnymen coolness, the Joy Division darkness and their very own set of energetic catchy hooks. and their new album is fucking awesome. classic even. it’s not full-blown cabaret rock like Tarot Bolero, but it sure as hell ain’t far away. somewhere in between Tarot Bolero and All That & A Bag of Chips. you don’t want to miss out on this extravagant punk rock album.
February 8th, 2009
Loaded – Dark Days
no frills rock’n'roll isn’t *that* easy to come by these days. fortunately there is some. Loaded are one of those no frills bands. there are decent guitars, upbeat drumming and nonchalant vocals about how much L.A. sucks arse. nihilistic and straightforward. what’s not to love? get it.
February 8th, 2009
Angst – Angst-Angst-Angst-ANGST-Angst-Angst-Angst
fast and straight up punk rock. it’s good. characteristic vocals, garagy mix and short and sweet songs. an awesome cover of Linoleum and an almost equally awesome OI to the World cover. great lyrics that hate on the government… all in all, awesome.