c.a. six years ago I saw fifteen seconds of a music video on the Bulgarian (I think it’s Bulgarian) music video channel Musicbox, and ordered this band’s début album. at the time they were known as The Bridge, and they weren’t all that big. at least not in Norway. and frankly, they still aren’t that big. why? I can’t for the life of me figure that out. their début was insanely good, and fairly ambitious – coming in a beautifully designed digipack, with cover art by their vocalist and main songwriter, Tomas. a two disc mammoth, that album was glorious. it would go three more years before I got new material by these guys. with a change in their line-up as well as name change, they released a three song EP in 2007. it was just as good as their début album… but it was just an EP, and after listening to it a thousand times, all I could say was GIEF MOAR. and now, three more years have past, and I’m finally getting MOAR. it’s 2010, and their new album is finally here. it’s called Foreigners and it’s released for free today. to put things into perspective, Tomas describes it as his Guernica, or his Tournesols, and they’ve been working with this for approximately three years, the last half of which period being spent in isolation, to avoid any loss of focus. this is extremely ambitious, and definitely a high risking project. Tomas has also written, directed, produced etc music videos for each and every of the eleven songs. and now it’s here. on their previous records they primarily played this slightly emo-induced form of alternative (a bit comparable to Placebo), but when your début consists of 34 tracks, you obviously cross experiment with other sounds as well. so they dipped their toes into both pop rock, experimental rock and garage punk, avant-garde piano-driven compositions, claustrophobic acoustic lullabies… among other things. that alternative sound with an affection for the experimental is still at the core of their sound. but now they are far more experimental. their sound is vastly different. there are no longer tendencies towards the experimental, but a sound that is completely sui generis. they are different from every other band out there, doing something entirely unique of their own. they call it expressionism. though they probably don’t mean the contemporary classical genre, that would actually not be all that off. because like that, this is acute, avant-garde and emotionally distressed. just in a more rock setting. the mix is completely unorthodox with no bass, a ton of mystical reverb, Joseph’s soft drums that sounds like it’s behind a wall, guitars that usually vary between the clean and semi-distorted, and just a very different sound altogether. to compensate for the lack of bass guitar, Tomas plays an octave guitar with no A-string, adding some deep and soft touches. while the record captures quite a few moments of emo/alternative magic, it more often dwells in a sparse Joy Division manner, a comparison significantly enhanced by the baritone vocals – even though they often seek for the otherworldly by utilising Tomas’s signature falsetto. the Slovakian band The Bridgeheads relocated to London some years ago, and I don’t know if it’s coincidental that this record sounds like it borrows quite a bit from English ’80s music, particularly (art) punk and goth rock. other bands that come to mind are both Radiohead and The Cure (Disintegration and post Disintegration). take this into the experimental alternative sound, and you’d probably still be way off if you were to take a guess as to what this record might sound like. it’s an experience that needs to be… experienced. The Gloria Record pushed the limits of what you can and can’t do in the emo genre with their synth-heavy shoegaze-esque album, Start Here. Antioch Arrow pushed it with their chaos. Honeywell pushed it with their aggressiveness and screams. a lot of bands have pushed this genre, and changed the boundaries. and what about The Bridgeheads? I don’t know. but I do know that they do not adhere to a single genre I know of. this album is a fresh breath of air for music as a whole. it’s one of a kind. it needs to be heard to stand any chance of being even remotely fathomed. you need to hear this.
Det Magiske Blå Orkesteret – Fra Sjal Til Server…
Det Magiske Blå Orkesteret means the magical blue orchestra in English, and it’s definitely a magic orchestra. it’s about time we make another visit to Bodø, Norway – and its fantastic music scene. sounding something like a European Frank Zappa born in the ’80s – the 4080s – who’s travelled back in time with the mother ship to inflict pain and suffering… it’s a quite quirky listen. probably best enjoyed on drugs. hard drugs. avant-garde with the marimba and flutes utilized to create an overall cosy atmosphere in which anyone could feel comfortable. this is an instant classic! or… it will be by 4080, I’m sure!
Bomb the Music Industry! – Adults!!! Smart!!! Shithammered!!! And Excited By Nothing!!!
I’m getting sort of annoyed by these gimmicky exclamation marks… oh well. the music is thankfully really good. there’s something thoroughly cosy with this release. most of the tracks are upbeat ska with horns and the whole boat, but there’s this one downbeat track, and an electronica interlude thing. «Recorded, mixed and released in the span of FIVE DAYS, Adults!!! has the whole big family playing a million horns, bells, organs at full speed! Yes yes yes!!!», is how they like to describe it themselves – and they do so better than I can. but I’d like to add my own observation: what makes this release so incredibly successful is how easily it comes across that the band are having fun! the tunes are really good, but above all else they excel by being joyful. so if you are in the mood for fun and joy (how can you not be?), download this! I’d also suggest you do a donation via PayPal to info@quoteunquoterecords.com, including the band or album name in the title or body of the payment. this way these guys can have fun without being broke!
Bomb the Music Industry! – Scrambles
continuing where they left of, the punk collective Bomb the Music Industry! strikes back with more infectious punk rock. Scrambles starts out with a demo-quality track, and then moves on to a “real quality” ska-tinged melodic punk rock track. sounds familiar? yes. the whole album is really “nothing but” a continuation of the previous album, or to be more precise – a perfection. it even includes quite some elements of ye olde Bomb the Music Industry! like synths and bells and bold jumps and quakes. so it’s still quirky and introspective lyrics on top of quirky and melodic music. it’s the same formula. but it’s has never been better employed throughout their career than now. they have simply grown a lot, and learned many new things. there is nothing that screams rock anthems more than a piano. while not *all* Ben Folds’s songs are good, the foundation is really cool, so ripping him off *is* a good thing… and so on. all these experiences make this a thoroughly enjoying album, full of pure quality, and lots of diversity. on “$2,400,000″, it even goes into Wingnut Dishwashers Union land! the lyrics are always honest, modest and somewhat sad, though at the end I always find optimism in there somewhere. there’s always hope in the end! this is inherently a joyful album, in my humble opinion. and it’s a *damn* fine album, that deserves your listen. download it! and buy it on CD/LP from http://www.asianmanrecords.com, or donate via PayPal to info@quoteunquoterecords.com, including the name of the band or the album in the title or body of the payment. the CD/LP is really worth it though, because you get this awesome fanzine with it (both the CD and the LP), that features many cool tips. not to mention you get this glorious album! the definite culmination of everything that is good with this band – including one of the finest punk anthems ever – “(Shut) Up the Punx”. this is one of those albums where almost every song is an anthem! get it!!!
Bomb the Music Industry! – Goodbye Cool World
more quirky lyrics and quirky music? more Bomb the Music Industry!? yessssssss. here is “Goodbye Cool World”. how is it compared to the other two albums (which you obviously have already downloaded)? well, it’s more what old people would call “mature”, in my opinion. attempts at ripping off The Hold Steady and mid-tempo arena rock anthems are some of the ingredients of this album. but don’t despair, there are still some high paced ska/punk songs. there are just fewer of those rowdy punk rock songs, compared to the number of synth-heavy feelgood tracks. despite some really unorthodox genre blending and jumping, I think it’s worth noticing that Bomb the Music Industry!’s lyrics are sincere and how they usually make really valid points. they speak their opinions loudly, and I gather they’d expect to be taken seriously. no matter if they play a synth-reggae song, or an ’80s alternative rock song. the fact is just that this band is just immensely creative, and seem to feel a dire need to experiment with genres – thus making the end result all over the place, which is a great deal of what makes this band so fun to listen to. and then on this one track there’s a ‘ukulele… which pretty much constitutes awesomeness! get this! and keep donating by sending some money (maybe $5 or so?) via PayPal to info@quoteunquoterecords.com. put the band name or album title or whatever in the title or body of the payment, so they know what you are donating to/for.
Bomb the Music Industry! – To Leave Or Die in Long Island
I wrote a lengthy thing here, but it wasn’t saved so I’m now writing it for the second time. that pisses me off. but anyway, we’re wasting as little time as possible here at the that’s punk community. so let’s continue our dive into Bomb the Music Industry!’s discography. this is a band that has as quirky lyrics as music. sounding somewhat like a Christmas album made under the heavy influence of crystal meth and various other substances, To Leave Or Die in Long Island stands on well balanced hardcore and ska legs, but everything from the legs and up consists of what they themselves elegantly describe as «[s]ing-alongs, drum machines, synthesizers [and] saxophones played faster than fuck». a fitting description, indeed. though there are actually some calmer points to this album, just as the début. there’s even some sort of uhm… ballad..? yeah. the lyrics still revolve somewhat around the hardcore scene and punk rock – but the main themes are still the band itself, and the lyricist. from being broke and stuck in a minimum wage job to their bassist applying for Every Time I Die, it’s diverse enough to not constitute nagging. Bomb the Music Industry! continues their avant-garde punk rock thing with style – and energy. if you liked the first album, you’ll like this. if you didn’t like the first album, you won’t like this. if you haven’t heard the first album, get both, and play them. play them hard. download this! oh, and you can still donate by sending money via PayPal to info@quoteunquoterecords.com with the album title or band name in the title or body of the message.
Bomb the Music Industry! – Album Minus Band
if you’ve already heard this band, chances are you’ve already downloaded their discography and indulged in it heavily. if you haven’t heard this punk collective – now is the time. and there’s no better place to start than the insanity of their début, a messy beating of an album. the music is… pretty hard to categorise and speak of… let me get back to that. the lyrics are easier to decipher, so I’ll do those first. they could probably be categorised as “offensive”, when they just throw it out there in the open, that maybe George W. Bush (president at the time) should blow his brains out on national TV. dealing with everything from social politics, to personal day-to-day issues, to “the scene” – and how stupid bands who think they are “cool” are. usually employing a rather simplistic straightforward though slightly comedic approach to lyricism, Bomb the Music Industry!’s songs are highly refreshing. now to try to say a few words about the music… well… it’s definitely energetic, intense and ferocious. firmly rooted in punk rock, with plenty of ’80s east coast hardcore and ska influences… with drum machines and synth and American Steel/Against Me!-esque vocals and uh stuff… but this album essentially sounds like it was recording whilst the performers had a constant itch. it rapidly jumps between different blends of musical genres. who would know that putting synthpop on top of ska makes a totally legit Harvey Danger cover? but what I am in fact trying to say here is that this band sounds like no other band. and no matter if they are doing sped-up lounge rock in 8-bit electronic synths combined with a dancehall-ish ska back-beat, acoustic guitar ballads or furious harDCore punk anthems – they do so in a highly authentic and believable way. this album has some of the most intense quick-paced energy bombs put on record, some cracking social commentary, great and ambitious genre blends, and a completely beautiful ballad to end it all. seriously – it rocks so hard that you can’t even begin to imagine how much it rocks until you put it on… which of course means you’ll have to download this asap! yes, that’s right. this band isn’t only great because of its music, but also because of their impeccable diy ethics. I just hope this band is remembered just as much for their great music as for releasing their music for free on Quote Unquote Records. you can donate by sending money via PayPal to info@quoteunquoterecords.com (suggested donation is $5, but it’s up to you), and putting the name of the band or album or whatever in the donation title or body. I recommend you do, and help these guys to go on forever and ever! and remember to check out the epic Black 47-esque album closer!
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.
MEHE – MEHE
the first thought that runs through your head while listening to MEHE might be WTF. there’s actually a good chance that’ll be the last thought as well. especially the first time you play through this album. starting out like a thrash metal version of The Locust, and passing through droning sludge and spastic punk on their way, MEHE leaves an everlasting impression. a neurotic and violent cross between punk and metal like none other. a bit too abrupt and hyperactive to be labelled sludge, but far too experimental and noisy to be labelled metal or hardcore punk. I don’t really know what just hit me. I just know that it rules. it sounds like the entire band recorded this during an epileptic seizure.
Monument – 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.
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. :)
The Blood of A Battery – The Blood of A Battery
The Blood of A Battery does a lot of things, and they do them well. but what’s the coolest thing about them is how they are so awesome with atmospheres. and how much the lyrics kicks arse, mind you. the music ranges from semi-straightforward acoustic guitar tracks to fucked up drum machines going amok over screaming and various noise. it’s slightly diverse. just listen to it. you know you want to.
indietrash – guilty till proven innocent
indietrash is a band compromised of two soft boys from Northern Norway that play hard rock. they give their music away for free, and still no one wants it. I wonder why? download the album and judge for yourself. also buy it at http://myspace.com/indietrash if you want. :)