Titus Andronicus- The Monitor
Written by Morgue Kalish Tuesday, 31 August 2010 16:54
Much like the play for which they are named, there is one word to describe this album: Epic. For Christ’s sake, it opens up with Abraham Lincoln’s infamous Lyceum Address. You know the one, “As a notion of free men, we will live forever or die by suicide”. Epic? Yeah, I thought so.
The Monitor is a combination of sick guitar licks, just the right balance of distortion, delicious vocals, catchy choruses and great lyrics. Seriously, it sounds like someone took all of the Jersey from Bruce Springsteen himself and tossed that shit into a blender with punk rock and gravel. You like anthem punk? You like rock and roll epics? You listen to orgcore? How about Indie punk? Yeah, these guys are for you. I’m not even sure if I can legitimately classify this as a “punk” record, due to the massive amount of shit that’s going on in each and every song. I mean, seriously, you name it, it’s there. Folk? Rockabilly? Punk? Rock and Roll? Garage? This album has it all, and you’d be missing out on something great if you didn’t give these dudes a listen. Seriously. Go do it. Now. Get this bad boy from XL Recordings.
Shang-A-Lang- The Collection
Written by Shahab Zargari Tuesday, 24 August 2010 16:38
How do you eat trail mix packs? I prefer opening up the package and dumping 1/4th of the bag into my mouth. I’m not one to separate all peanuts and almonds and M&Ms and raisins so that I may eat them all separately. That totally defeats the purpose of it being a “mix” – am I wrong? Well, if you’re anything like me and dig chomping on a good mix, then this collection of out-of-print and rare songs from New Mexico’s Shang-A-Lang will have you doing cartwheels of joy.
I first caught wind of the project soon after singer Chris Mason’s DIY hardcore punk band, The Answer Lies, bit the dust. And to one’s surprise, Shang-A-Lang turned out to be quite a different beast that The Answer Lies, a much poppier and garage-ier bastard child. The Error: You Cannot Add Yourself as a Friend (songs that made it onto this collection) was not only an instant favorite, but after a few represses was virtually an instant hard-to-find gem.
Bars of Gold- Of Gold
Written by Paul Daniels Tuesday, 24 August 2010 16:04
Like most people, I felt like Bear Vs. Shark breaking up in late 2005 was one of the most horrific atrocities to strike the music world; something beautiful and necessary for the world that I took advantage of was suddenly taken from me. I became violent. I lashed out and friends and loved ones, lied in bed for weeks and vowed off of music forever. Sure, bands like Cannons, Champions of History and Wildcatting have come out of the aforementioned post-hardcore break-up, but they have all fallen short of filling the void that was left in my heart. Naturally, when I heard about Bars of Gold I was filled with high expectations, un-relenting anticipation and a quiet reserve so I wouldn’t be hurt again. When I heard the debut album Of Gold, I said a quiet prayer thanking the rock gods for bestowing upon the world a proper replacement for the lack of new Bear Vs. Shark material.
Sundowner- We Chase The Waves
Written by Paul Daniels Tuesday, 17 August 2010 21:34
As far as Midwestern punk rockers are concerned, Chris McCaughan might very well be the messiah. Playing in the former yet still well appreciated Broadways and currently alongside fellow Chicagoans Brenden Kelly and Neil Hennessy in the crowd favorite The Lawrence Arms, he has developed a pretty impressive resume with relative ease. When he decided to try his hand at a solo punk goes acoustic project, I was excited. Sundowner lived up to the high expectations I have for Mr. McCaughan, and solidified its place as a collection of acoustic tracks that even punk kids in the mosh pits can appreciate. The only problem I have had with Sundowner is that it has been three years since Four One Five Two. But wait! What’s this?..........SUNDOWNER IS BACK!
Balance and Composure/Tigers Jaw- Split
Written by Dan Case & Paul Daniels Wednesday, 11 August 2010 16:20
Side A/Dan:
I came into this album solely for the Tigers Jaw side but after numerous listens, I have to admit I’ve been listening to the songs from Balance and Composure twice as much. This is by no means a slight to Tigers Jaw; it’s just that the A side of this record is just that good. While I thought the Doylestown, PA boys’ previous release Only Boundaries was a solid release, these newest four tracks have completely sold me on the band.
BAC’s tracks on this split are like everything right about Crime In Stereo’s …Is Dead meets instrumentation of their hometown brethren Daylight. One minute you’ll get in your face, harsh melodies, the next quaint, sluggish breakdowns. The stress and strain on Jon Simmons vocals are so intense at times (“Twenty-Four”) on this album it had to believe the median age of this band is 19. Intense is definitely the word to describe Balance and Composure’s side of this album. Regardless of numerous tempo fluctuations, everyone note feels like it was played with such a concentrated force that makes for a truly engrossing listen. On “Rope,” the New England quintet closes out their half of the record with harrowing bass line that crawls to a finish that will leave you want nothing more from the group than…more.
North Lincoln- Sick of Sorry 7"
Written by Joe Evans III Tuesday, 03 August 2010 16:29
Three songs from this often overlooked Michigan band (and I’m guilty of that myself), including two originals and a cover. Said cover is from another local Michigan band called The Gibbons, who they’ve also released a split with – which call me sappy, but is a small detail I love. It’s a motion towards community, which generally leads to a more interesting bigger picture. The original stuff reminds me of a slower tempo Gunmoll, or at least, the one Gunmoll song I know from that No Idea! comp. But, that song is fantastic! It’s funny to me how these guys manage to fit into the Florida sound, despite coming from the opposite end of the country. It’s almost like post-punk, but on the more straightforward, less crazy experimental side. They’re broken up now, but this is just as good a record as any to check them out.
Defiance, Ohio- Midwestern Minutes
Written by Anthony Glaser Friday, 30 July 2010 19:21
The members of Defiance, Ohio, as people and as musicians, exude an undeniable charm. Their positivity is infectious. At any given show, it feels as though everyone are close friends. There is an inseparable bond between the audience and performers, which is further enforced by the amount of audience participation and the thin, often indistinguishable line between both sides.
It is unsurprising, then, that “The Reason” expresses this same feeling of camaraderie. Thematically, it shares a similarity with “Response to Griot,” as Ryan sings, “We all expect to be up for the next time you make it to town. We all think you’ll be there the next time we’re around. But some of us aren’t going to make it.” “The Reason” is a bittersweet tribute to the dedicated fans and friends of the band, in remembrance of those who could not be with them on their most recent endeavors.
Junior Battles- Self-titled 7"
Written by Morgue Kalish Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:59
Junior Battles is a four piece from Toronto, and their new self titled 7” is a total treat. I was skeptical upon going into it as I didn’t about them, despite that I didn't find the name particularly striking. However, I was told I would like them, and so I gave them a shot. And my god, am I glad that I did! This seven inch is perhaps the most genuinely fun release I have heard all year, and what can I say? I want more. They say that they are “about connecting with the tiny, enthusiastic, sober 16 year-old buried deep inside each and every one of us. And then pouring 40s of Black Ice all over them, raging to old Punkorama comps all night, and passing out at dawn”, which seems about right to me.
As far as their sound itself goes, it sounds almost exactly like all of your favorite poppy punk rock bands that you grew up with in high school. Think if Blink-182 had decided, “Hey, we should retool our sound to appeal to No Idea Records”. The lyrics are sincere, exciting, and heartbreaking all at the same time, and they execute their harmonies almost flawlessly. My exact words when I finished listening to this release were, “Holy shit, I wish that was a full length.” Anyone who can listen to this without at least some toe-tapping involved must have been homeschooled.
The Manix- Van Activities
Written by Joe Evans III Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:49
I’m fully convinced that Minneapolis is one of the best cities in punk rock (if not all of rock). You’ve got more than one classic with Hüsker Dü and The Replacements, and there are countless bands today – Dillinger Four, Off With Their Heads, and The Soviettes (they’ve already played times this year, so I’m counting them), not to mention other artists that blur the genre lines, like P.O.S. Basically, there’s a LOT of great stuff going on there.
The Manix are amongst the newest wave of bands from the Twin Cities. They’re very much a typical Midwestern punk band, along the lines of Dear Landlord, or The Copyrights. Punk rock that’s hard hitting, but as catchy as it is rough around the edges. This record in particular, the music doesn’t stray too far from the original formula, mostly sounding like a younger Rivethead. But that part is meant to be taken literally - you also have to factor in that besides being a relatively young band, these are also relatively young dudes. It starts to boggle the mind to think of what they’ll be coming up with down the line.
Campaign- It Likes To Party
Written by Paul Daniels Tuesday, 20 July 2010 03:35
Orgcore is taking over and there is nothing you can do about it! Fortunately, I don’t know why anyone would want to stop it. This newly renamed and constantly perfected musical wave has given us such modern day classics as Polar Bear Club and the Menzingers, as well as living legends Hot Water Music. The newest gift given to us by the orgcore gods is Campaign.
It Likes to Party is the second EP from the bearded and denim-clad Atlanta natives. For those of you that have heard the bands previous release H1N1, there is hardly any more convincing needed for you to become an official fan. Just know that they have not let you down with their sophomore release. However, for those of you new to these soon to be scene giants, pay attention…
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