Review: Brian Bond - Fire & Gold

Label: self-released

Released: March 10, 2009

Folk and punk has found some common ground over the years. From Billy Bragg's incendiary love and politics to Elliott Smith's dark beauty, the two genres have occasionally met in strange ways that have never been entirely one genre or the other, yet clearly rooted in both.

Brian Bond is a similar artist in a sense. Musically, he's clearly a folk artist. The songs are gentle and quiet. At times, you can hear Elliot Smith's heartfelt hooks, only with a warmer, more open, perhaps more innocent heart. In addition, these songs have had time to develop over the two years it took to write and record them. It's clear, because nothing is rushed or incomplete. By taking the time to get it right, Bond gains the benefits of well thought out songs that, at the same time, don't lose their sense of spontaneity.

But somewhere in the spirit of this album is a fierce independence and DIY ethic that is clearly punk. Some of that stems from the album's simplicity. These songs are essentially Bond and his guitar. Though most songs feature accompaniment, it is crafted so as to enhance, but never overshadow Bond's performance. Fire & Gold follows its own path, one that runs musically parallel to folk, but spiritually intersects with the strengths of punk and indie music. It is a quiet moment for punks and a shot in the arm for folk.

This isn't the folk-punk thing that you get from a Chuck Reagan or a Defiance, Ohio. It's fundamentally (and beautifully) folk with a punk heart underneath.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

Website

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Live: Good Old War, Pela and the Gaslight Anthem

May 7, 2009, Recher Theatre, Towson, Maryland



The Gaslight Anthem released one of 2008's best records, were a highlight of last summer's Vans Warped Tour, released an fantastic 10" on Record Store Day and are now on the verge of opening for perhaps their biggest influence, Bruce Springsteen. There really couldn't be much more of a positive vibe or greater expectations (yeah, pun intended) coming into a show than that. Since seeing them on the Warped Tour back in August (and being out of town for their Baltimore stop a few months back), there is no band on the planet I was more excited to see again, especially as a headliner. Would it be worth the wait? I had to check out two other bands first to find out.

  



Good Old War played a set of indie-folk tunes full of subtly amazing musicianship and beautiful harmonies. They're one of those bands who's playing is intricate and amazing if you pay attention, yet could easily be enjoyed directly for its sweet combination of hooks and harmony. They never overwhelmed the music with anything flashy, despite clearly having the chops to pour it on had they trusted their music less.

  



Pela, who two years ago were listed by Rolling Stone as an "artist to watch" (take that however you will), were up next. Artists like Tom Petty, the Who, the Clash and the Replacements all came to mind as they ran through their set of straight-forward rock songs. That begs the question: What do these artists (Pela included) have in common? In light of tonight's performance, the answer is that they cast aside self-importance, over-indulgence and pretensions, simply letting the songs speak for themselves. And that's what made the set so powerful. The songs were solid, but more importantly, the performance made a connection. That's why their cover of "Guns of Brixton" worked so well. In fact, that one rousing cover really says all that needs to be said about their set. Even the slightest hint of dishonesty would not just have killed the song, but their entire performance. It was bolder than maybe they even realized, but they nailed it.

  

  

  

Right now, the Gaslight Anthem may understand better than anyone else that there is one perfect formula for great rock and roll: Poor your heart out over a few chords and some colorful hooks and you can't go wrong. It's clear on the albums and it was clear tonight at the show. Though the two acts before them set a high bar, particularly in the way of just plain honesty, the Gaslight Anthem were still the evenings brightest light. Their honesty is, without compromise, a bit more creative and poetic than their peers. This night, they achieved an odd perfection that has nothing to do with note-for-note reproductions of the studio material. Instead, it is a perfect balance between songs, stories and a fantastic cover of "Left of the Dial." When they open for Springsteen, I hope he pays attention. He just might (re-)learn a thing or two.

New Flipper mp3

Flipper will release Love, their first album in 16 years, on May 19th. You never know what you're gonna get with a band like Flipper and over a decade and a half since they last recorded, it's even more up in the air. However, you can check out "Be Good Child" to get an early taste before the release.

Review: Landing Project

Label: self-released (available at the bands Myspace and at shows)

Released: January 31, 2009

In recent years, there have been a number of bands who have returned to punk's old loose hooks and gritty melodies. Against Me is at the top of that pile with bands like Gaslight Anthem quickly climbing up behind them. Many voices are screaming to be heard behind these front runners. Not all are worth hearing, but among those that are is Landing Project. Their "three chords and the truth" approach is attempted by many. The three chords part is easy. Rock and roll has a long tradition of simplicity and even turning simplicity into great hooks isn't terribly unusual, but it's the truth part that stumps so many.

Landing Project turns out to be everyman poets (or more appropriately every-misfit/misplaced/misunderstood-man poets) to whose truth anyone with a beating heart should be able to relate. The album opens with the words, "I remember how I felt in my teens..." Don't we all remember? But this song, as the title "Keep Going" suggests, looks forward. It's this combination of examination and expectation that gives these songs the roots with which to connect and the open future into which to fly. Without that, their three chords would just add up to a handful of catchy tunes. With this truth, this honesty, they're a handful of catchy tunes that mean something.



If that's not enough (though it should be plenty), check out the packaging. Rather than package the CD in a jewel case, digipak or cardboard sleeve, the guys in Landing Project made unique sleeves out of old 5 1/4 inch floppy disks. In an age when the CD is dying off in the face of digital releases, packaging is more important than ever and this is one band who found a great way to make the hardcopy worthwhile. It even steals a bit from the digital age for irony's sake (or was it a happy accident?). Get yours quick, because the "floppy disk sleeve" edition is limited to the number of old floppies they can dig up. Once the floppies are gone, so is this great package.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 8/10
Aretha: 9/10
Overall: 8/10

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Review: The Eruptors - Microwave Massacre

Label: Fixing a Hole Records

Released: February 2009

Ken Decter, infamous leader of Florida fun punks F, once said of his band, "We don't have a message. If we had a message, we'd put out a newspaper. We're just a stupid band." That statement could be applied to any number of punk bands from the goofball antics of Adrenalin OD to B horror movie shenanigans of the Misfits. At a time when punk was freeing itself from its nonsensical nihilistic beginnings, it immediately found itself in danger of being too serious. But there were still bands out there warding off that threat by not taking it all too seriously and having fun. While a sense of seriousness may have saved punk on one hand, in a sense these are the bands that kept things honest. Amidst the sometimes overbearing weight of post-hardcore's musical challenges and of emo's over-dramatic emotion (not to mention NOFX's posturing as a political force), good time bands are as essential as ever and the Eruptors do a great job of reminding everyone to keep it fun.

Microwave Massacre's title alone shows its hand and with tunes like "Cannibal Holocaust" and "Whöregazm," there can be no question where things are going. However, just as a string of clichés about tenderness and longing don't make a great love song and posturing and received opinion aren't the ingredients of the theme to the revolution, fun is more than just the sum of a few silly titles. The Eruptors are a band that understand that. Their raw punk spontaneity meshes perfectly with their wild, offbeat humor to create classic punk rock silliness. Sure, the echoes of Cocksparrer on "One Minute Decision," an excellent holdover from the last record, and the strange psyche leanings of "Cannibal Reprise" play out a little more seriously, at least musically, but those pace changes help make the party, not hinder it.

Punk needs a laugh from time to time and right now, there are few bands as good as the Eruptors to deliver that comic relief.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 5/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Review: Guns on the Roof - "Shattered Feeling"

Label: Glory Glory

Released: March 2, 2009

Guns on the Roof have spent the last two years playing with the likes of Rancid, the Misfits, Stiff Little Fingers, UK Subs, the Briggs and others, all bands that mix their punk rock sneers with unbeatable hooks. Their touring company along with the band from who they lifted their moniker have all left a mark on Guns on the Roof, but none to the point that it makes these guys a knock off. Strong production gives a hard rock punch to "Shattered Feeling" that mixes nicely with all those infectious whoa-ohs.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 6/10
Overall: 6/10

Website

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Review: Buried in Leather - We Are Gone

Label: Teenage Heart Records

Released: August 11, 2008

Perhaps nowhere did the earliest marriages of punk and metal produce better material than in Boston. The early 80s found the likes of Gang Green and the FUs infusing their street punk with more than just a hint of metal. A lot of this was forgotten later in the decade as thrash became the principal vehicle for the punk/metal crossover, but it's nice to see that the same spirit that produced these bands is still alive in Boston. Buried in Leather pour on an intense, yet fun attack of thrashy punk rock with just a little metal riffage for good measure. Even on mid-tempo tracks like the somewhat hard rock-influenced "More Dirty Places," they manage to amp things up to the max. On others, like the album closing "No Ninjas," they move from a lumbering start right into the breakneck energy for which punk has long been known. While We Are Gone may not exactly be a bold new future, it injects fantastic energy into a genre whose day was way too short the first time around. It feels just as fresh as This Is Boston Not LA did 25 years ago.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 5/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Review: Benard/Worn in Red - Split 7"

Label: Alaska Records/No Breaks

Released: July 2008

If one word could describe this 7", it would be visceral. Nothing seems calculated or planned. Benard blasts through two songs of dissonance, frantic rhythms and pure passion in just under five and a half minutes. In that short time, they leave everything out there, their hearts on their post-hardcore sleeves.

Saying that Worn in Red is less intense than Benard is kind of like saying the Hiroshima blast was less intense than the Bravo explosion. Both will obliterate you. Still, Worn in Red reins it in ever so slightly, resulting in something a bit more fluid, ebbing and flowing (and then hitting you over the head).

The result is a great split with two bands that are on the same page, but perhaps a different paragraph. Both have full-throttle energy with Benard hitting a bit harder and Worn in Red a bit more dynamically.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

Benard:
Myspace

Worn In Red:
Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

DVD: Vans Warped Tour '07

Label: Image Entertainment

Released: December 2, 2008

For years, the Warped Tour has managed to find a healthy balance between DIY punk ethics and corporate involvement. Granted, the corporate presence has increased quite a bit over the last decade, but Kevin Lyman and company still put on a great show while keeping tickets and merchandise cheap and leaving at least some of the barriers down between bands and fans.

This DVD from the 2007 tour also finds a happy medium between punk and professional. The sound quality and editing is anything but amateur. On the other hand, the camera angles have more of a by-the-seat-of-the-pants quality, with many shots from the crowd perspective and of the crowd itself. With everything from the old school punk of Bad Religion and Pennywise to the emo/screamo of Chiodos to the funk and reggae of Fishbone, the DVD contains performances that capture both the energy and eclecticism of the Warped Tour. The one big fault here is the absence of one of the coolest things about the Warped Tour, the smaller, little known bands. The interview portion is mildly insightful at best, but may be worth sifting through for a few words from some favorites.

For the most part, this is as good a representation of the Warped Tour as you can get without going. However, just a song from each band (and no summer sun) isn't enough to get the real feel. The Vans Warped Tour '07 DVD isn't for anyone who wouldn't typically attend the tour (obviously), but it's a decent artifact if the Warped Tour is up your alley.

Rating: 6/10

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Review: Mighty High - In Drug City

Label: self-released (available at amazon, CD Baby and Interpunk)

Released: March 11, 2008

My copy of In Drug City came with an interesting promo item - a combination lighter/bottle opener emblazoned with the Mighty High logo. There was a note from guitarist Woody High saying, "I know you're straightedge, but the bottle opener works for soda and the lighter for fireworks." That same sentiment applies to Mighty High's music.

Too punk for metal and too metal for punk, Mighty High revives the other late 80s punk/metal crossover scene than spawned the likes of Gang Green and SNFU and they also draw on the wild, inebriated humor of Adrenalin OD. Abandoning precision for raucousness and cleverness for insobriety, the band has a broader appeal than expected, because they're high on one drug everyone likes - fun. Not ones to be bogged down by politics or philosophy, Mighty High exudes a sense of good times that is easy to relate to even if their particular brand of fun isn't up your alley (and it is anything but up mine). Oddly enough, they spend a lot of time focusing on pot, but aside from a few more stoner rock-oriented tracks, their music more closely approximates what I suspect speed is like. It's frenetic and relentless and never stops to think.

I guess In Drug City just shows how music crosses barriers. The album is up to its ears in drug-addled silliness, yet drugs aren't needed to appreciate what makes it such a good time. Remember though kids, don't try this at home!

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 5/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 6/10

Website

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Review: Various Artists - A Blackheart Christmas

Label: Blackheart Records

Released: November 18, 2008

Every year at Christmastime we're treated (or subjected) to another collection of rock artists' takes on our favorite holiday songs. These albums tend to be a mixed bag made up of songs that will appeal to fans of the particular artists at least as novelties and others that are real bombs. The best case scenario might even include one or two renditions that are truly special.

A Blackheart Christmas does not have any real misses, but most of the tracks don't really transcend happy novelties for fans of the bands appearing. The Vacancies take on "Father Christmas," perhaps the best rock Christmas tune ever, is a fine listen, but doesn't go anywhere special. The drunken swagger of the Cute Lepers' "Christmas is the Time to Say I Love You" is a fun option for a non-traditional holiday. The rough edges on Thommy Price and Nefertiti Jones' "Winter Wonderland" give it punk appeal without losing its "happy holiday" sentiment.

Unlike most holiday comps though, A Blackheart Christmas has a pair of really special tracks that, in a (less-than-perfect) perfect world, might become Christmas classics. The Dollyrots give "Santa Baby" a snotty punk treatment, in lieu of its traditional sexy swing, as if it was meant to be about a down-and-out misfit rather than a well-to-do diva. Better still, Girl in a Coma turn "I'll Be Home for Christmas" into something dark and foreboding rather than hopeful. These are the Christmas carols for the "other half" in a sense.

Will this album replace Bing's "Little Drummer Boy" or Nat's "O Holy Night?" Probably not, but there's always room for a few more Christmas classics, especially when the might reach out to listeners whose world may not be so idyllic.

Rating: 7/10

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

The Gaslight Anthem set to perform on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on December 9, 2008

The Gaslight Anthem are currently on tour with Rise Against and Alkaline Trio in the Midwest and have just finalized their plans for the holiday season with an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on Dec.9th. The band will also be in Los Angeles at the Key Club on Dec.14th to play a full set at this year's third annual ROCK TO ROLL charity event spearheaded by SideOneDummy Co-Founder Joe Sib. The event will directly benefit the non-profit organization UCP WHEELS FOR HUMANITY. Singer Brian Fallon will also be performing a solo acoustic set of Gaslight Anthem songs at the Bowery Ballroom in New York on Dec.19 in support of Jesse Malin. Jesse will be donating a portion of the proceeds that night to UCP WHEELS FOR HUMANITY.

Dec. 9 - The Gaslight Anthem on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Dec.14 - The Gaslight Anthem at The Key Club (Hollywood)
Dec.19 - Brian Fallon (TGA) at The Bowery Ballroom (NYC)

Fake Problems sign to Side One Dummy

Set to release It's Great to Be Alive on February 17, 2009

Fake Problems are a four piece eclectic, operatic, independent band of nomads that originate from Naples, FL. They will periodically return home to write new songs, sleep, fix their van and say hello to their friends. The rest of their time is spent on the road bringing their fiercely unique sound to young and old. Since the inception of the band in 2005 these guys have logged an impressive 200+ shows a year, released an EP and a Full Length album on Sabot Records. They are now set to release their next Full Length album, It's Great To Be Alive on Feb.17, 2009 (SideOneDummy Records).

Chris Farren (Guitar/Vocals) stands on stage left and delivers a vocal that has a maturity that is unexpected from such a young musician. The guitar playing of Casey Lee is equally as unique and brings a color and mood to the music that is very rare and exciting. Bass player Derek Perry and drummer Sean Stevenson provide a solid, creative rhythm section that seals the signature of the Fake Problems sound. The band also features a wonderful collection of horn parts throughout their records and occasionally tour with horn players.

The lead off track, "1234" sets the tone for the album and leads perfectly into the stand out track, "The Dream Team." Other highlights include, "The Heaven & Hell Cotillion" which chants the straight forward chorus of "I'm going to Heaven and you're going to Hell." The somber "Too Cold Too Hold" & "Tabernacle Song" keep the album interesting around every turn.

SideOneDummy is proud to be releasing Fake Problems - It's Great To Be Alive in stores on Feb.17, 2009.

TRACK LISTING:
1. 1234 1:25
2. The Dream Team 2:14
3. You're a Serpent, You're a She-Snake 3:12
4. Don't Worry Baby 3:18
5. The Heaven & Hell Cotillion 1:23
6. Level with the Devil 5:09
7. Diamond Rings 3:53
8. Tabernacle Song 3:15
9. Alligator Assassinator 1:15
10. There Are Times 3:29
11. Too Cold Too Hold 3:27
12. Heart BPM 4:34

Review: Scream Hello - Everything is Always Still Happening

Label: Red Leader

Released: September 9, 2008

So, what do you expect from a band called Scream Hello? I mean if it was Say Hello or Scream I Hate You, it'd be easy to form some preconception, but Scream Hello? Who knows. As it turns out, the name fits the band perfectly. There's plenty of screaming to be sure, but Everything is Always Still Happening is just as full of a warm welcome into its world. At its most fervent (on songs like “Bullets”), it reminds me of early Dag Nasty, sharing that same inclusive outrage, that anger based in love.

On the other hand, tunes like “Cocoon,” even with a punchy 2/4 undercurrent, have as much in common with Death Cab for Cutie (including an ability to get away at times with lyrics that should be cheesy but somehow aren't) as they do with anything hardcore. Scream Hello's multi-faceted approach allows songs like “We Don't Exist” to explore existentialism with both offbeat, dissonant quirkiness and straightforward, unbridled tenacity. It all goes into the mix with the gritty punk rock of Hot Water Music or Avail.

Everything is Always Still Happening has passion and movement, yet never loses sight of itself. It's the kind of album that can draw from the periphery without alienating its core audience, because it has so much to offer on every level.

Ratings:
Satriani – 6/10
Zappa – 7/10
Dylan – 7/10
Aretha – 8/10
Overall – 8/10

Website

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Descendents Co-Founder Frank Navetta Dies

Another sad loss for punk rock...

Contest: The Clash - Live at Shea Stadium on 180 gram vinyl!

I have a copy of the Clash's Live at Shea Stadium on 180 gram vinyl (not a crappy old CD) to give away. The first person with the correct answers to the following will win a copy. Don't put the answers in the comments. Send them via my contact form along with your email and mailing address.

1) The Clash had several drummers over the years. Which one plays on Live at Shea Stadium?

2) Longtime Clash drummer Topper Headon released a solo single in 1985 with a cover of a song by what jazz great?

You can read the review of Live at Shea Stadium here.

I remember Halloween...

It's Halloween. Time for the Misfits. Here's a few of my favorites.

"Skulls"


"Last Caress"


"American Nightmare"
(dubbing it over this Elvis video was pretty funny)


(but this one might be even better)


"Astro Zombies"

Review: DOA - Northern Avenger

Label: Sudden Death

Released: October 7, 2008

DOA is DOA and will likely always be, God bless them, DOA. If you're expecting something other than aggressive politico-punk from these guys, guess again. They still wrap up left-wing politics into simple, heartfelt songs whose anger and outrage never overarch their equal doses of life and fun. DOA has always managed to find that place where politics aren't simply preachy and fun isn't synonymous with ignorance and that's as true as ever on Northern Avenger. Joe Keithley and company have been at this game for three decades now, yet they have the exuberance of teenagers who are first finding something they can call their own and that's why they can continue to resonate with kids in a world that's changed more than just a little since 1978.

What's different about Northern Avenger is the production. DOA calls in their old friend Bob Rock (yeah, that Bob Rock) and frankly, that worried me. I mean, this is the guy who gave us Dr Feelgood and Metallica, not Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables or Damaged. Could Bob Rock's mainstream rock approach take its toll on DOA's honesty and credibility? The answer is no. In fact, Rock's production makes this a standout record for DOA. He doesn't temper their passions, but actually puts more punch into them. It makes me realize that Bob Rock's most famous work has helped bands be what they wanted to be. He didn't make Mötley Crüe commercial. They were already commercial, he merely helped them better achieve that end. And here, he doesn't make DOA passionate, but his help behind the board helps them convey their passion in a way they really haven't been able to previously.

This is largely the same ol' DOA. Sure, a few tracks like the ska-tinged soul of "Poor Poor Boy" might step outside their comfort zone, but the essence is the same as it was 30 years ago. The difference now is just that you can hear it better.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 10/10
Overall: 8/10

Website

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Review: The Clash - Live at Shea Stadium

Label: Epic

Released:October 7, 2008

What should we expect from a live recording of a band within a year of its own demise, a band who had recently dismissed its heroin addicted drummer and was already splitting apart at the seams in the wake of its own internal turmoil? Will it show the band burning out or fading away? With Live at Shea, we get neither. Instead it finds the Clash in their prime, a prime that lasted their entire career from its earliest rumblings out of the ashes of the 101ers to the near bitter end preserved here.

Many of the songs find new interpretations in the live setting, particularly those drawn from London Calling and later. “Guns of Brixton” is faster, finding a new groove, while “London Calling” is rawer and even more urgent. Perhaps none of the songs finds itself better live than “Rock the Casbah” where the band disposes of the song's novelty elements and instead rip it up with the ferocity it deserves. The transition from funk to reggae and back as they move from “Magnificent Seven” to “Armigideon Time” and then return is one of the most powerful messages of the unity of struggle throughout the world perhaps ever recorded. The fact that earlier material like “Tommy Gun” and “Career Opportunities” fall into place more easily doesn't diminish their impact though. The Clash find the heart of all their songs and bring their own class war to a crowd that was probably not even on the same side. Still, they resonated, because a band like the Clash is almost impossible to dismiss.

It seems hard to believe that a performance like this came so near the end of the road. It may seem like an early curtain call for one of rock's greatest bands, but Strummer and Simonen would prove it to be perfect timing when they formed their own farcical version of the Clash for 1985's Cut the Crap. But here, three years earlier, it was a different story. The Clash not only show that they were the only band that mattered, but more importantly that they mattered right up to the end.

Ratings:
Satriani - 7/10
Zappa - 8/10
Dylan - 10/10
Aretha - 10/10
Overall - 10/10

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Beartrap PR helps Pastepunk.com celebrate 10th Anniversary!

Download Free Pastepunk / Beartrap MP3 Compilation with 25 new, unreleased and rare songs.

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* 25 new, unreleased and rare songs from De La Hoya, Jena Berlin, Look Mexico, Pomegranates, Scream Hello, Nakatomi Plaza, Broadway Calls, Jumpercable, La Dispute, more!
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In punk rock, stating that you've been around for a decade is essentially admitting that you're an ancient vessel amidst a sea of doe-eyed, baby-faced, sometimes-talented (but often not) newbies who have barely tested the chilly DIY waters before sailing for warmer shores. Not to say that crusty old people rule, but there are certainly a handful that possess a nugget or two of wisdom and should be looked upon with reverence and admiration.

Such is the case with well-respected, often-imitated-but-never-duplicated webzine Pastepunk.com.

Ten years ago to the day, Jordan Baker created the site as an outlet against boredom and vapidity of dorm room life. And while diligently sticking it out for so long is impressive, all this talk about who has the most notches on their studded punk rock belt or more indie cred means nothing unless you're contributing something relevant and interesting...and more importantly, doing it with passion and unshakable dedication. Jordan was one of the first people with whom I ever worked when I entered the fray almost nine years ago; I can state without hesitation that he and Pastepunk measure up to those qualifications.

With an archive of more than 10,000 news posts, 3000 album reviews and 300 interviews from bands such as Bad Religion, Rise Against, Thrice, Dropkick Murphys, H20, Less Than Jake, Bane, Set Your Goals, Strike Anywhere, Modern Life Is War, Against Me!, Crime In Stereo, Paint It Black, Thursday and AFI, Pastepunk's quality of content ranks up there with the best. What's more is that Jordan and his staff not only entertain on a daily basis, they do so with thought-provoking commentary and discerning tastes. In the words of the site's creator:

"As a teen, I spent countless hours reading MRR, Punk Planet and Flipside, obsessing over music reviews and searching for a consistent voice of recommendation. I have tried to be that source with Pastepunk, relishing the role of being a filter in a world where the number of bands is simply overwhelming. It hasn't always been easy, but the relentless, addictive search to discover the next great hardcore, punk, metal or indie band is a desire that runs through my bones. I've always said that I'll keep doing Pastepunk until it isn't fun anymore and it means the world to me that we're still here."

To mark the occasion, Jordan and I have gathered 25 songs from Beartrap PR bands, creating the Pastepunk 10th Anniversary MP3 Compilation. It includes a number of previously unreleased songs, rare and live material, demo recordings for upcoming releases and several exclusive tracks recorded specifically for the comp. All 25 MP3s are completely free, but only available for the next month -until November 16th. For more information, go here: http://www.pastepunk.com/features.php?v=273

Or directly download a zip file (including cover art and detailed information about every song) here: http://www.jordanbaker.com/mp3/PP10Anniversary/PP10Anniversary.zip

And by all means, feel free to pass around the link or post it on your website!

TRACK LISTING
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ANNABEL - "Four Corners"(From rare tour EP)
ASTPAI - "Of Imposition and Instinct" (From new split EP with Attack! Vipers!)
BROADWAY CALLS - "Get At Me" (From 7" split with Teenage Bottlerocket)
CHEAP GIRLS - "That's The Reason" (Previously released as vinyl only bonus track)
DE LA HOYA - "Union Square" (New song for upcoming Discography release)
DRIVINGONCITYSIDEWALKS - "That the Sound I Make Would Be Worth Hearing" (New song from upcoming documentary)
HISTORY - "Sterves of Neel" (New Song - Pastepunk exclusive!)
INTO IT. OVER IT. - "Holding Hands With Me" (Pastepunk exclusive - Up Up Down Down cover)
JENA BERLIN - "Sing Yourself To Sleep" (Unreleased song from rare demo)
JUMPERCABLE - "Scrape 'Em Off" (From an upcoming 7" split with Hoodratz)
LA DISPUTE - "Only Everything Below" (From limited edition S/T 7")
LIGHTEN UP! - "Buttspeak"(New song from upcoming full-length)
LIPONA - "Hawks" (New song from upcoming EP)
LOOK MEXICO - "You're Not Afraid of the Dark Are You?" (New song from upcoming 7")
MEMORIAL - "The Great Lakes" (New song from upcoming 7")
NAKATOMI PLAZA - "4017" (New Song - Pastepunk exclusive!)
ONE SMALL STEP FOR LANDMINES - "Creaking Like The Cradle" (New song from upcoming full-length)
ONE WIN CHOICE - "Under Quarantine" (New song from upcoming 7")
PAPER THE OPERATOR - "You're Fired" (Rare demo)
POMEGRANATES - "Corriander"(New song from upcoming full-length)
SCREAM HELLO - "Gary" (New song from upcoming 7")
SHARKS AND SAILORS - "Topple The Pillar" (From out of print EP)
STAY SHARP - "PCS Panthers" (Demo from upcoming 7")
THE NEW DRESS - "Mabel Had Her First Serious Suspicion" (New song - recorded live)
THE OUT_CIRCUIT - "Dark Horizons" (Rare - Frantic Mantis cover)

Review: Polysics - We Ate the Machine

Label: Myspace Records

Released: September 30, 2008

Polysics make no secret of their love for Devo. The jumpsuits, the scientist-rock image, it all points to one thing. Their music however, goes further. Devo is clearly in the mix on this collection of synth-heavy, agitated new wave tunes and the result is fun, energetic...and entirely contrived. But they mix that 80s electronic pop with punk energy and more than just a small dose of old Japanese noisecore and that healthy dose of crazy keeps them from being trapped by their own hipness (a dangerous snare that many rehashers of the 80s have failed to avoid).

The vinyl comes as a double album that includes Polysics' previous album, Karate House, which was unavailable in the US. While things have been polished up a bit on their US debut, Polysics seems more in their element on Karate House. Their love of Devo was evident then too, but the album achieves a greater sense of craziness by being more fully under the spell of noisecore. The album is less accessible by far and still struggles a bit with its own identity, but the fun factor increases proportionately with their wonderful sense of nuttiness.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 5/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

Website

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Review: Girl in a Coma - Both Before I Die

Label: Blackheart Records

Released: May 15, 2007

Being a female band on Blackheart Records, the expectation would be that Girl in a Coma would follow in Joan Jett's footsteps. Unlike so many of Jett's followers though, Girl in a Coma didn't forget that attitude and hooks aren't mutually exclusive. Besides, they're a lot closer to Blondie's edgey punkish pop than to Jett's rather mundane punkish hard rock.

Girl in a Coma have more in common with Blondie or Concrete Blonde even than Jett. Like the former, they capture that same breathy sultriness and show that it can happen without coming across as weak or fragile. They also share Johnette Naploitano's ability to be touching yet dark. There is an unmistakable punk element on Both Before I Die, but unlike most pop-punk of today, these songs have deeper hooks that feel like more than just a facade. "Their Cell" taps into the early 60s girl group sound, yet extends well beyond the two minute pop song enough to exude a dark inner toughness that is the core of why the album is believable.

Girl in a Coma mixes gritty, raw richness with an abrasive edge that finds that happy (or not so happy) middle ground between punk and polish. Their mix of punk's angry aesthetic with pop accessibility rings truer than most in that same game these days.


Ratings
Satriani: 5/10
Zappa: 5/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

Website

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Street Dogs and Flatfoot 56 on Tour!

Don't forget that both bands reviewed here today are on tour together (along with Time Again):


9/16 Jacksonville, FL, Jack Rabbit's
9/17 Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Culture Room
9/18 Orlando, FL, The Social
9/19 Atlanta, GA, Masquerade
9/20 Carrboro, NC, Cat's Cradle
9/23 Baltimore, MD, Ottobar
9/24 New York, NY, Blender Theatre @ Gramercy
10/1 Cleveland, OH, Grog Shop
10/2 Detroit, MI, Magic Stick
10/7 St. Louis, MO, The Bluebird
10/8 Omaha, NE, Sokol Underground
10/9 Denver, CO, Marquis Theatre
10/10 Salt Lake City, UT, Club Sound
10/19 Tempe, AZ, The Clubhouse
11/16 Sayreville, NJ, Starland Ballroom

Review: Street Dogs - State of Grace

Label: Hellcat Records

Released: July 8, 2008

State of Grace is an album of roots: family roots, community roots, ethnic roots...and musical roots. Don't confuse that with being about the past though. The album doesn't break out on any new musical paths, but it is every bit about the present and future as it is about the past. That's quite simply because it's alive.

Steet Dogs' musical roots are the likes of Stiff Little Fingers' rough, melodic honesty and Cocksparrer's angry, yet refined hooks. They don't nail every song on the album, with a couple or three that, for all their passion, just fall a bit flat (but only in comparison to their own highs, not against the field in general). But when they're on, they write the kind of punk anthems that thousands of kids would be willing to walk through fire behind. Street Dogs tap into why punk rock still means something to kids generations after it started. At their best, they are the soundtrack to the good fight and anger based on love. They are the songs I can play when I need the spark to be a better person.

History books are about the past, but roots are the basis for today. You can't stand steady to face the future without them. Street Dogs know their roots, but they live right here in the present and connect.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 5/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 9/10
Overall: 8/10

Website

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Review: Flatfoot 56 - Jungle of the Midwest Sea

Label: Flicker Records

Released: May 15, 2007

When a band merges punk and Irish folk, the first influence that comes to mind is the Pogues, but Shane McGowan and company were more a folk band with punk attitude. The real origin of the more punk-leaning mixture is the Stiff Little Fingers. While the bands today tend to wear their Irish hearts on the sleeves (despite not actually being from Ireland in many cases) with a bagpipe here or a tin whistle there, the gritty, honest folk nature of their brand of punk rock is what really ties them to the older folk tradition. It is people's music.

Flatfoot 56 are undoubtedly a punk band and have no small debt to the likes of SLF, but unlike their peers, they owe an even greater debt to the Pogues. They offer more than just a few nods to Irish folk music, with many centered on a tradition that goes back a good many years farther than "Alternative Ulster." It's a natural occurrence for Flatfoot 56, because punk itself has much in common spiritually with folk and they run with that instinctively. That being said, Jungle of the Midwest Sea does have its share of Oi singalongs and raw guitar melodies making it dominated as much by punk as it is by folk.

On "Hoity Toity," they sing, "There is a struggle between doing what you want and doing your own thing." Musically, they resolve the struggle, because they do fit into an old, old tradition where singalong choruses encourage a pub-like atmosphere of community. In the process of meeting that tradition, they have indeed found themselves though.

Ratings:
Satriani 6/10
Zappa 6/10
Dylan 7/10
Aretha 8/10
Overall 7/10

Website

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

ALL ABOARD: A TRIBUTE TO JOHNNY CASH Presale!

Head over to Vinyl Collective for the presale for the VINYL version of ALL ABOARD: A TRIBUTE TO JOHNNY CASH!

This will be the ONLY PLACE to pick up ALL FOUR COLORS in a COMPLETE SET.

Here is the color breakdown

100 on black
100 on pink
300 half/half pink and black (VINYL COLLECTIVE EXCLUSIVE)
500 pink w/black splatter

Black is only available w/ the complete set and there will be less than 50 sets.

Reminder also that there is a BONUS TRACK ON THE LP!!! It is an alternative version of Delia's Gone by Ben Nichols(Lucero). Also included with the LP is a digital download card so you can put the songs on your iPod.

Watch for details on the CD presale and the LP Presale at Anchorless Records' official webstore.

Don't forget that the label will be donating all proceeds to benefit the Syrentha Savio Endowment. Check it out!

All Aboard: A Tribute To Johnny Cash will be available October 21st!

Track Listing:

1. Man In Black: The Bouncing Souls

2. Country Boy: Fallen From The Sky

3. Wreck Of The Old ’97: Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music)

4. Let The Train Whistle Blow: Joe McMahon (Smoke or Fire)

5. Delia’s Gone: Ben Nichols (Lucero)

6. God’s Gonna Cut You Down: The Gaslight Anthem

7. Cocaine Blues: The Loved Ones

8. Give My Love To Rose: OnGuard (feat. Jason Shevchuk of Kid Dynamite and None More Black)

9. I Still Miss Someone: Casey James Prestwood (Hot Rod Circuit)

10. Hey Porter: MxPx

11. Cry,Cry,Cry: The Flatliners

12. Ballad of a Teenage Queen: The Dresden Dolls feat. Franz Nicolay of The Hold Steady

13. Folsom Prison Blues: Chon Travis (Love = Death)

14. There You Go: The Sainte Catherines

15. I Walk The Line: Russ Rankin (Good Riddance, Only Crime)

16. Bonus Track/Vinyl Only: Delia’s Gone (Alternate Version) Ben Nichols (Lucero)


About The Syrentha Savio Endowment (SSE)

The Syrentha Savio Endowment (SSE), an Internal Revenue recognized non-profit organization, provides financial assistance to underprivileged women who cannot afford the expense of fighting breast cancer. Since their inception in 2002, SSE has raised funds through a handful of programs including The Shirts for a Cure Project, The SSE Benefit Concert Series, annual charity dinners, awareness walks and online auctions. SSE has awarded gifts to organizations that help women in struggling neighborhoods find the means to fight this killer. For more information on SSE see www.syrentha.org.

Video: Beat Union - Can't Stop the Radio

Something tells me it's no accident that they got the guys from the "Rock the Casbah" video...

The Clash Live at Shea Stadium 1982 - coming October 7!

The Clash are at the top of the list of bands I'd wish I'd seen, so needless to say, I'm excited about this one! The only band that matters!

DVD: Punk's Not Dead

Label: MVD

Released: July 8, 2008

Most documentaries are just visual histories of a band or a scene. The trouble is that they take a scientific approach with a hypothesis that they attempt to prove over the course of the film. But punk is a human story and one that, at its best, has dictated its own future. Punk's Not Dead lets the story tell itself, no judgments, no science.

It follows punk from the Ramones through the Pistols and Clash, on to Black Flag and Minor Threat. It picks up the punk revival of the late 80s and early 90s and its subsequent commercial breakthrough via Green Day up through the corporate-sponsored Warped Tour. The interviews include a few big names like Rollins, MacKaye, Biafra and Armstrong, but dig deeper as well into the Charlie Harpers and Jimmie Purseys, right down to the kids who make their own scenes happen (with whole sequences on little sub-scenes like Drunk Tank House as well as bits sent in from kids around the world).

Punk's Not Dead succeeds largely because it gets it. It doesn't take an outsider's view or have that old "back in the day" condescension, but instead focuses on the ever-changing and evolving state of the punk scene and how it has managed to be an alternative for thousands of kids even after it was co-opted by mainstream culture.

Rating: 8/10

News: Look Mexico Fall Tour and new digital EP

LOOK MEXICO - Fall Tour Update / New Digital EP
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* U.S. Tour begins today
* Shows with Fake Problems, Cobra Skulls, Bear Colony, The Winter Sounds
* For song EP, Gasp Asp, now available digitally
-------------------------------------------------------

Look Mexico (Tallahassee, FL) hits the road today for a month-long tour of the U.S.

The band's newly converted veggie oil-powered bus will take them westward for a week of shows in Texas and Oklahoma with Bear Colony before joining up with Fake Problems and Cobra Skulls for eight days of Left Coast shenanigans. Finally, the boys will conclude their national expedition in the Southeast playing shows with The Winter Sounds.

In early October, Look Mexico will take a short break before heading back out for two additional weeks of touring along the East Coast. Eventually, they'll end up where all Beartrap bands seem to be ending up on Halloween weekend: at The Fest in Gainesville, FL. More info on those dates soon.

The national tour coincides with Lujo Records' digital release of Gasp Asp, the band's newest four song EP. You can pick it up from iTunes here.

For a limited time, you can grab a free mp3 from Gasp Asp. Check out the first track, "You're Not Afraid Of The Dark Are You?" here.

Earlier this year, Lujo released The Crucial Collection and is also responsible for unleashing Look Mexico's awesome debut full-length, This Is Animal Music, upon the world in 2007.

Gasp Asp will be receiving the vinyl treatment very soon as well; a three song seven inch version of the EP will be available in early October. Stay tuned for a pre-order news, as well an announcement regarding the stupid label responsible for this inevitable plastic disaster...

As always, I suggest you catch one of these shows if possible. Look Mexico never fail to excite and entertain. And if you're lucky, you might get spit on. Just kidding (sort of).

Tour
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SEP 02 - Pensacola, FL @ The Red Door Venue w/ Bear Colony, The Gills
SEP 04 - Houston, TX @ The Free Press w/ Bear Colony
SEP 05 - San Antonio, TX @ The Warhol w/ Bear Colony, Through Her Vibe
SEP 06 - Austin, TX @ Red 7 (Patio) w/ Bear Colony, Old Coyotes, Ladies
SEP 07 - Dallas, TX @ The Prophet Bar w/ Bear Colony
SEP 08 - Tulsa, OK @ The Marquee w/ Bear Colony
SEP 10 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court w/ Fake Problems, Cobra Skulls
SEP 12 - Reno, NV @ Tonic Lounge w/ Fake Problems, Cobra Skulls
SEP 14 - San Francisco, CA @ Thee Parkside w/ Fake Problems, Cobra Skulls
SEP 16 - Mountain View, CA @ Red Rock Coffee w/ Fake Problems, Cobra Skulls
SEP 18 - Pomona, CA @ The Glasshouse Record Store w/ Fake Problems, Cobra Skulls
SEP 19 - Riverside, CA @ Back To The Grind w/ Fake Problems, Cobra Skulls
SEP 20 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo w/ Fake Problems, Cobra Skulls
SEP 21 - San Diego, CA @ O'Connells w/ Fake Problems, Cobra Skulls, FrankTurner
SEP 22 - Scottsdale, AZ @ Chyro Arts w/ Teejay Sundance
SEP 26 - Cincinnati, OH @ Midpoint Festival w/ The Dark Romantics, Pomegranates, Mouse Fire
SEP 27 - Dayton, OH @ The Oregon Express w/ The Winter Sounds
SEP 28 - Louisville, KY @ Skull Alley w/ The Winter Sounds
SEP 29 - Nashville, TN @ Springwater w/ The Winter Sounds
OCT 03 - Greenville, SC @ Mellow Mushroom w/ The Winter Sounds, The Dirty Eighties
OCT 16 - Auburndale, FL @ Bloodhound Bash
OCT 17 - Asheville, NC @ New French Bar w/ The Dark Romantics
OCT 26 - Virginia Beach, VA @ The Jewish Mother w/ Fake Problems
OCT 28 - Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern w/ Fake Problems
OCT 31 - NOV 02 - Gainesville, FL @ The Fest

- One of the most promising, talented and musically honest bands we've discovered in a long while. - Alternative Press

- Like with clear spring days, you can't help but be transported to a happy place with Look Mexico on repeat. - Spin.com

- Obvious talent and a reputation for fantastic live shows could earn them a spot on the indie-rock A-list. - Stereo Subversion

- Hotter than jalapenos soaked in Tobasco, you should discover Look Mexico. - Big Cheese

- Unique, totally enjoyable and, sometimes, downright addicting. - Punknews.org

- I threw my drink in their face and pooped on their tour bus. - Buzzgrinder

Crazy Henry Rollins Interview fro the Black Flag Days

This is a long time ago, but it still makes me think an interview with Rollins wouldn't be a walk in the park.

Warped Tour 2008 Pictures: Broadway Calls

I missed Bedouin Soundclash to see these guys! Here's Broadway Calls at the Warped Tour, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD on 7/16/2008.



See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Warped Tour 2008 Interview: Brian Fallon of the Gaslight Anthem

When you go to a fest like the Warped Tour, there's so many bands that you have to make choices, but the Gaslight Anthem made it easy, because there wasn't anything that could trump catching their set. After a listen to their upcoming album, The '59 Sound, I had high expectations and the band met them. I had a chance to catch up with singer Brian Fallon to find out how the Warped Tour was (this was their last date) and what's up next for them (and a little talk about Springsteen).



RnRnMN: How has the Warped Tour been treating you?

BF: The Warped Tour was pretty fun for us. It was hot, but of course it was hot, it's July! We were in a van and trailer, but hey, we make due. We had a good time.


RnRnMN: What made you decide to join the Warped Tour this year? Has it lived up to your expectations?

BF: We did it to see the Bronx for free. We just wanted to do it. It's all about gaining experiences when you're a touring band and the warped tour is definitely an experience. It's really a pretty good time if you don't sit around and complain all day about the heat.


RnRnMN: Are these the biggest crowds you've played for? How does it compare to playing smaller shows?

BF: Actually we were on one of the smallest stages. We get much bigger crowds on our own tours. We really had to fight to get seen, so we just turned the live show up a notch and it worked. By the last day, there were a lot of kids watching us.


RnRnMN: Who is the best band you've seen on the Warped Tour this year?

BF: The Bronx, the Bronx, the Bronx. Amazing!


RnRnMN: There's a lot of bands to choose from. It's overwhelming when you get here and look at the schedule. Why should someone see you?

BF: You won't see any other band doing what we do live. I'm not saying we're the best, I'm just saying we're making a noise you don't hear so often nowadays. We've got our hands in the Motown pot. That's where we're drawing from.


RnRnMN: The Warped Tour has corporate sponsors like AT&T. How do you feel about that? Is it a good thing, a necessary evil or a sellout?

BF: I don't know man. I don't think everything can be mom and pop, but truthfully, I'm not into all that. That's jive to me. To me, it's about treating people right. I haven't gotten that perfect yet myself. When I do, then I'll start pointing fingers. For now, I'm busy trying to sort my own shortcomings out. Everything's sponsored, baseball, everything, but I'm not into all that though. I don't know AT&T from IPods. It's all out of my peripheral right now.


RnRnMN: Your new album, The 59 Sound, is like punk rock Springsteen. Do you guys like Springsteen a lot or is it just something that happens when you grow up in New Jersey?

BF: The Boss is the Boss applesauce.


RnRnMN: Springsteen is clearly not playing punk rock. How do you see the connection between Springsteen and punk? It seems like something that should have been done before. Why do you think that boat's been missed up until now?

BF: You watch live at Hammersmith Odean 1975 DVD and then you see punk rock. I don't think half the kids waving springsteen flags sound like Springsteen, I think there's a bit of a band wagon, tell 'em come down to Asbury Park and spend a few minutes here, then we can talk Bruce.


RnRnMN: What are your plans after the Warped Tour?

BF: We're going to Australia tomorrow and then Redding and Leeds, then the US from fall to winter. We're road tested, mother approved. Plus, we can't get no real jobs.



Website

Myspace

See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Warped Tour 2008 Pictures: Gaslight Anthem

Here's some shots from Gaslight Anthem's set at the Warped Tour, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD on 7/16/2008.



See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Warped Tour 2008 Pictures: Bouncing Souls

No strangers to the Warped Tour, the Bouncing Souls' set didn't disappoint. Here they are at the Warped Tour, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD on 7/16/2008.



See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Review: The Devil and the Sea - Heart vs Spine

Label: Acerbic Noise Development

Released: January 29, 2008

When an album runs wild, there's not usually a whole lot of middle ground. It's either on the verge of brilliance or on the verge of disaster. The Devil and the Sea are certainly wild. Like Black Flag before them, they take the spirit of free jazz (call it free punk, if you will) and apply it within the sphere of their own genre. Into this mix, they throw early thrash elements, doom and post-metal drone and the vocal stylings of a soul in turmoil.

While the album does rein in its wild abandon for a few tracks, it's at its best when it pushes. The drums are wild, the bass fuzzy and the overall character is manic.
At times, the band seems on the verge of disintegration, but always manages to hold it together by the sheer force of will that pushed the music to its limit in the first place. Heart vs Spine is not a melodic record so much so that the little bit of melody that sneaks in on "My Soul Is My Abacus" is shocking. Instead, it has the slow, lumbering energy of a very large beast that plods deliberately along and then suddenly breaks into a stampede.

Growling has become such a common convention in heavy music that it's almost an instant turn-off, but the Devil and the Sea is one instance where anything less would be inappropriate and, unlike other bands who are simply following the formula, this growl conveys real emotion and the manic fragility of being on the very edge. It goes beyond inarticulate anger and, most importantly, it works. It thrives on being harsh, not smooth.

Plenty of bands go for crazy, but so few succeed. I guess it's just one of those things that's hard to fake. The Devil and the Sea are either really good actors...or they're just nuts. Listen and decide for yourself.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 9/10
Overall: 8/10

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

They And The Children - Tour / Full Album Stream

They and the Children - East Coast Tour (July 25 - Aug 03)
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* In support of debut full-length Home
* Stream the entire album at Punknews.org

Middletown, Connecticut's They and the Children is leaving today for a short tour of the East Coast in support of their debut full-length Home.

The record - which is available in both CD and vinyl formats - was released by Kill Normal on July 1st, 2008. You can pick up a copy from the band on tour or from the label here.

Expanding on TATC's brand of crushing, epic hardcore laid out on their 2005 EP, Thoughts On Becoming a Ghost (Tor Johnson Records), Home is even more bombastic and vibrantly dynamic, alternating between thrash-inspired riffage, slowly-churning, ominous grooves and soaring, melodic interludes. The album is a testament to the band's commitment to the DIY community, as well as a call for solidarity between those of us who realize that society is becoming so commercialized that it can barely be considered a "culture" any more.

Head on over to Punknews.org and stream the album in its entirety. You can also grab two free mp3s for the songs "Mechanical" and "Invisible."

TOUR
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JUL 25 - Wilmington, DE @ 700 Club w/ Dead Uncles
JUL 26 - Richmond, VA @ Rumors w/ Dead Uncles

JUL 27 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Roboto Project w/ Dead Uncles
JUL 29 - Brooklyn, NY @ The Wreck Room w/ Dead Uncles
JUL 30 - Burlington, VT @ Metronome w/ Dead Uncles
JUL 31 - Peterborough, NH @ Peterborough Public Library w/ Dead Uncles

AUG 01 - Boston, MA @ Wadzilla Mansion w/ Dead Uncles
AUG 02 - Providence, RI @ TBA w/ Dead Uncles
AUG 03 - New Haven, CT @ Summerfest

TATC play blazing, fuming anthems, but they also slow the tempo at times, creating labyrinthine efforts that simply are awe-inspiring. - Jersey Beat

TATC have found a point where hardcore, drone and psychedelia meet and the confluence of the three is akin to rocket fuel. - RnRNonsense.com

Home is an epic, sludgy, bubbling blend of crescendo-crammed creation. - Punktastic

Home is a lush and beautiful album with a rough edge. - Late Night Wallflower

Warped Tour 2008 Interview: Donovan Welsh of Animo

Animo is one of the Warped Tour's younger bands, but this isn't their first time out. A few years ago, they lobbied Kevin Lyman directly for a shot at playing and they've been out each year since. Here's what bassist Donovan Welsh had to say about this year's tour and what the band is up to otherwise.

RnRnMN: How has the Warped Tour been treating you?

DW: Its been pretty rad. The shows have been great and we have had a limited amount of rain out here. The days are long but its so much fun.


RnRnMN: You had to track down Kevin Lyman to get your first Warped Tour gig. How crucial was that to you as a band?

DW: It was one of the most if not the most crucial part of us keeping the band going. The Warped Tour is the perfect place for a band like ours. The audience knows that there will be new bands to check out, and they are geared towards our type of music. Kevin Lyman allows that to happen.


RnRnMN: How have things on the tour changed since those days?

DW: The bands change but the enviroment has always been cool. The biggest difference I think would be gas prices as they affect evrything to do with touring.


RnRnMN: How does paying to the big Warped Tour crowds compare to playing smaller shows?

DW: Playing Warped Tour is totally different as you have to "win over" the crowd. The competiton out here is thick, and you have a bunch of different stuff happening.


RnRnMN: Who is the best band you've seen on the Warped Tour this year?

DW: Against Me! is the best sounding band out here, they are nearly perfect everyday.


RnRnMN: There's a lot of bands to choose from. It's overwhelming when you get here and look at the schedule. Why should someone see you?

DW: Our show rules! Well, you are going to have fun at our show, thats for sure. We give it our all everyday out here and it shows.


RnRnMN: The Warped Tour has corporate sponsors like AT&T. How do you feel about that? Is it a good thing, a necessary evil or a sellout?

DW: I feel fine about it as it helps keep the ticket prices low and that means kids who don't normally go to shows to see new bands will be at Warped. Where else can you see that many bands for a low price?


RnRnMN: Blood in the Water has been out a few weeks. How has the reaction been?

DW: The reaction has been awesome. The record is selling well and kids are really into the new songs live. The record has been getting really great reviews so thats good.


RnRnMN: Tell me one good story from this year's tour.

DW: They have a sumo wrestling tournament once a week out here with those big suits. Brian, our guitar, player entered the other night and destroyed everyone. The matches are 2 out of 3 and Brian didn't lose once, it was so funny.


RnRnMN: What are your plans after the Warped Tour?

DW: We are up for a few tours and waiting to hear whats happening with that. But look for us to be on the road in the fall!



Website

Myspace

See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Review: Static Radio NJ - An Evening of Bad Decisions

Label: Black Numbers

Released: September 9, 2008

Back in the early 80s, Minor Threat discovered something about hardcore: Melody and intensity aren't mutually exclusive. As seminal as MacKaye and company were, that's still a lesson that's been lost on a lot of bands. But not Static Radio NJ.

An Evening of Bad Decisions finds Static Radio NJ progressing from solid, but common hardcore to the top of the game. They haven't jumped on the metal-core, post-hardcore or (thank God) emo bandwagons. This is hardcore the way it's meant to be played, just a bit more on the melodic side. Sure, songs like "Places" back away from the edge a bit, but even there the emotional level of the record stays high. Unlike so many hardcore albums, this one sings to you, not at you.

The bottom line is the sound is crunchy, the tempo fast and the vocals passionate. All that and you can sing along as well. It's not the next big thing, but it is just about the best thing going.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Video: Gaslight Anthem - "The '59 Sound"

Here's the video for the title track from the Gaslight Anthem's new album, The '59 Sound. Check out the review and pick up a copy.

Warped Tour 2008 Interview: Jason LaRocca of the Briggs

I was able to catch up with Briggs' guitarist Jason LaRocca to find out how the tour was going, what the reaction has been to their new album, Come All You Madmen, and what's up next.

RnRnMN: How has the Warped Tour been treating you?

JL: Been good, we have our crew of bands that we are having a great time with; The Aggrolites, Against Me!, The Bouncing Souls, Reel Big Fish. It's going very well.


RnRnMN: Have you played Warped Tours in the past? If so, how does this year compare?

JL: We have done bits and pieces of the tour since 2002. I would say that so far this one has been the toughest as far as the punk scene goes. There aren't that many of us out on the tour this year. So far I would say that 2007 was the best line up in my opinion. The tour this year is by no means however bumming me out. It's great. It isn't the same however without a band like Bad Religion on the tour.


RnRnMN: Are these the biggest crowds you've played for?

JL: Some yes, some no. Sometimes we play very early and a lot of our fans miss our set. Sometimes you play right in the middle of the day and play for a thousand people or more.


RnRnMN: How does it compare to playing smaller shows?

JL: The smaller shows are great. They are intimate and always are a great time. It is fun though to be able to see so much music in the course of a single day. It's a different animal.


RnRnMN: How has the reaction been to the songs off the new album, Come All You Madmen?

JL: A lot better than I was expecting. Even before the record came out when we started the tour there were tons of kids singing along to the new songs. That is a great feeling!!


RnRnMN: Who is the best band you've seen on the Warped Tour this year?

JL: Dillinger Escape Plan


RnRnMN: There are a lot of bands to choose from. It's overwhelming when you get here and look at the schedule. Why should someone see you?

JL: Well, in the first place someone who is coming to see a punk show only has about four bands to choose from this year. It actually makes the decision process nice and easy.


RnRnMN: The Warped Tour has corporate sponsors like AT&T. How do you feel about that? Is it a good thing, a necessary evil or a sellout?

JL: All I know is that I show up and there is a stage and a bunch of kids and we go completely fucking nuts and that's that. It doesn't really affect my world any different than any other "non-sponsored" show would. Maybe it's nicer to someone else's pocket? But not mine.


RnRnMN: The Warped Tour used to be called "punk rock summer camp." It sounds like that's no longer an accurate description. Do you think this is the year that changed?

JL: Yes. We are the odd band out on this tour. It feels very strange. The Bouncing Souls are out for a few days though and that's cool. Other than that it's just us, The Aggrolites and Pennywise.


RnRnMN: Has it created hard feelings or dissension within the tour?

JL: Well I don't think that we are very well liked by most of the bands. We call out some of the bands we hate on tour while we are on stage. That hasn't gone over very well with some of the other bands on tour. Oh well!


RnRnMN: What are your plans after the Warped Tour?

JL: Leeds and Reading Fest in the UK with Rage Against The Machine!



Check out the Briggs' latest video for "Charge At The Sun".

Website

Myspace

See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

One Small Step for Landmines release Good Men Die Young and I'm Not Feeling Well digital EP

One Small Step for Landmines Good Men Die Young And I'm Not Feeling Well - Digital EP Out Now
-------------------------------------------------------
* Includes title track, Jim Ward cover, unreleased B-side


One Small Step For Landmines (Tallahassee, F.L.) has just released a digital EP for the single "Good Men Die Young And I'm Not Feeling Well." In total, the EP contains the title track, a cover version of "Good Men Die Young" by Jim Ward (Sparta / Sleepercar) and an unreleased B-side from the band's 2007 Self-titled full-length which features guest vocals from Look Mexico's Matt Agrella.

For pure downloading rapture, click here.

Additionally, you can check out a video of "Good Men Die Young" here. It was conceived and directed by Jerrod Landon Porter, who also also designed the art for the EP. There are plans for a seven-inch version of the EP later this year as well. It will feature a bonus fourth track - a cover of "Girlfriend In A Coma" by the Smiths.

In other news, front man Kevin Allen recently recorded a few new songs in Los Angeles with drummer Tony Hajjar (Sparta, At The Drive In) and Sol Snyder (Year of the Rabbit) on bass duty. More news on the future of those tracks soon...

One Small Step For Landmines' Self-titled debut full-length was released in September of 2007 by Doghouse imprint Civil Defense League. Angular-yet-driving rock built around unforgettable melodies, massively catchy songs and a propulsive rhythm section, this Florida three piece is dynamically compelling as they are unpredictable and explosive.

"Take Me, Seriously" mp3

- One Small Step For Landmines have done something very, very right with their debut. - For The Sound

- A prime example of how to promote joy and quality in pop music, two essential qualities all too often forgotten. - New-Noise

- Landmines churns out fun, straight ahead rock, but there is a deeper significance to their work that makes this so compelling. - Jersey Beat

- An astonishingly energetic and fresh piece of work that makes the overwrought whining of the haircut bands look irrelevant and tired. - Subba-Cultcha

- Boasting pleasantly unexpected complexities - off-kilter drumbeats, bittersweet melodies and a certain battered charm - watch out for this trio. - Rock Sound

The Gaslight Anthem annouce tour in support of new album

Los Angeles, CA - July 11, 2008. To mark the release of their upcoming album, THE '59 SOUND (SideOneDummy Records) on August 19, The Gaslight Anthem will be hitting the road with American Steel on a co-headlining tour of the Eastern US this September. Polar Bear Club and O Pioneers!!! will round out the bill on separate legs of the tour, which kicks off on September 13 in Columbus, OH and runs through the end of the month.

The Gaslight Anthem have also confirmed album release shows in NYC (Aug 16) and Boston (Aug 17), joined by Polar Bear Club and We're All Broken, as well as in-store performances at Vintage Vinyl in Fords, NJ and at Looney Tunes in Long Island.

CONFIRMED SHOWS:

Saturday Aug 16 New York, NY - Knitting Factory *
Sunday Aug 17 Boston, MA - Middle East **
Tuesday Aug 19 Fords, NJ - day of release in-store at Vintage Vinyl
Wednesday Aug 20 West Babylon, NY - in-store at Looney Tunes
Saturday Sept 13 Columbus, OH - Bernie's Distillery #
Sunday Sept 14 Cincinnati, OH - Mad Hatter #
Monday Sept 15 Rochester, NY - The Club at Water Street #
Tuesday Sept 16 Albany, NY - Valentine's #
Thursday Sept 18 Wilkes-Barre, PA - Café Metropolis #
Friday Sept 19 Richmond, VA - Canal Club #
Saturday Sept 20 Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 #
Sunday Sept 21 Nashville, TN - Exit-In #
Tuesday Sept 23 Jacksonville, FL - Jack Rabbits %
Wednesday Sept 24 Gainesville, FL - Common Grounds %
Friday Sept 26 New Orleans, LA - HOB Parish Room %
Saturday Sept 27 San Antonio, TX - Rock Bottom %

Note: additional dates with American Steel and O Pioneers!!! to follow!

*: w/Polar Bear Club and We're All Broken
**: w/Polar Bear Club, Movers & Shakers and We're All Broken
#: w/American Steel and Polar Bear Club
%: w/American Steel and O Pioneers!!!

Review: Grave Robber - Be Afraid

Label: Retroactive Records

Released: June 9, 2008

I've liked the Misfits (a lot) since I was about 15, even if the themes never quite sat well with me since I'm not a big horror fan and I have little tolerance for the celebration of evil. But the Misfits weren't that serious and the B-movie quality of their music always made it more fun than truly dark. Now Grave Robber provide an even healthier alternative though. They capture a lot of the Ed Wood low budget horror fun of the Misfits, but it's for those of us who don't want to bathe in the devil's rain.

Musically, Grave Robber largely stick to Danzig and company's formula of writing simple rock n roll that is both catchy and dark. Lyrically, their angle is best described as "horror for Jesus," the idea being that these horror themes will reach out to a subset of society abandoned by traditional Christianity. That's what really makes them unique. The music has been done before for the most part, but they're turning the focus of that music onto a new audience.

It's a great idea, but their black and white approach (Hey, I'm a pro-lifer too, but making women the scapegoat for abortion won't gain any ground with those on the fence and it lets guys off way too easy) may drive off those who are skeptical of Christians' ability to put that "judge not, lest ye be judged" thing into practice. Still, for the most part, Grave Robber really is reaching out, much like Christ did, to society's outcasts and that's commendable. On top of that, they make it fun. The masks might be a bit much, but how can you argue with a band that features the likes of Dr Cadaver, Wretched, Lamentor and Plague? That has to be a good time, right?

All in all, Be Afraid is a welcome addition. They're almost as fun as the Misfits and their hearts are in the right place to boot.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 6/10

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Static Radio NJ on tour (and free mp3s)

Static Radio NJ - Summer Tours (July 02 - 10 / Aug 09 - 19)
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* In support of debut full-length An Evening Of Bad Decisions
* July tour with Shot Baker begins today
* August tour with Let Me Run
* Pre-order the album now


Static Radio NJ (New Brunswick, N.J.) is hitting the road today for an East Coast tour with Chicago's Shot Baker. The band is also booking an August tour with Let Me Run (XOXO Records).

Both tours are in support of Static Radio NJ's debut full-length An Evening Of Bad Decisions, out later this summer on Black Numbers. You can pre-order the record here or pick up a copy from the band at shows.

An Evening Of Bad Decisions was recorded in Hoboken, New Jersey with acclaimed production company The Machine Shop (Armor For Sleep, Boys Night Out, Every Time I Die). Not only does the album deliver on the foundation laid down by the band's terrific debut EP,One for the Good Guys, it builds a towering skyscraper of soaring melodic punk rock anthems squarely on top of it.

Bad Decisions is the record we all thought Static Radio NJ was capable of making. Sometimes it's nice to be right...

Check out two free mp3s for the songs "Marc" and "Places."

TOUR w/ Shot Baker
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JUL 02 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Volume Records
JUL 03 - Richmond, VA @ Ramakins
JUL 04 - Charlestown, WV @ Jumpin Java Cafe
JUL 05 - Newark, DE @ The East End Cafe
JUL 06 - Asbury Park, NJ @ Asbury Lanes w/ Dead Tired, Tommy Brunett
JUL 07 - New Brunswick, NJ @ Court Tavern (upstairs show!) w/ Chokepoint
JUL 08 - Manchester, NJ @ Ridgeway Firehall
JUL 09 - Providence, RI @ TBA
JUL 10 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Loft

TOUR w/ Let Me Run
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AUG 09 - Locustdale, PA @ Locust Dale Firehall
AUG 10 - Blairsville, PA @ The Corner Pocket
AUG 11 - New York @ TBA
AUG 12 - New York @ TBA
AUG 13 - Massachusetts @ TBA
AUG 14 - Vermont @ TBA
AUG 15 - Dover, NH @ The Aviary
AUG 16 - Maine @ TBA
AUG 17 - Rhode Island @ TBA
AUG 18 - Connecticut @ TBA
AUG 19 - Greenpoint (Brooklyn), NY @ The Lost and Found Bar w/ The Reveling

Video: Minutemen - "History Lesson Part II"

This is a great one from the oft-forgotten Minutemen. Rock n roll wouldn't be the same without them.

Found in the Shuffle: Angry Samoans - "I Lost (My Mind)"

Song: I Lost (My Mind)
Artist: Angry Samoans
Album: STP Not LSD

The Angry Samoans are best remembered for the silly manic punk tirades of their first couple of albums, but they released an EP and an LP of cool, fun psych/garage/punk albums in the mid-to-late 80s that often get overlooked. This one comes from 1988's STP Not LSD which, for all of its lo-fi bumps and bruises, is my favorite of their albums. It's not pretty, but oddly perfect.

Review: Canine 10 - Don't Be Boring

Label: self-released

Released: 2008

Ah, pop punk the way it was meant to be played. No sappy, whiny singer fronting a band with all the punch of Muzak. No songs by a band more interested in posing as "sensitive guys" than in expressing discontent. No boring, fake sentiments. No calculations to "make it." Yeah, Canine 10 is the real deal. Infectious from the first seconds of "Sorry, Sorry" (the album's catchiest and best song), Don't Be Boring keeps punk's pop roots as well as its frantic edginess. The album does borrow significantly from the Buzzcocks (and the Adverts and Vibrators when they scale back the hooks a bit), but like their punk rock mentors, they represent a vision of punk disaffectedness that isn't overtly angry so much as it is sarcastic...and fun.

Ratings
Satriani: 5/10
Zappa: 5/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

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Review: The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound

Label: SideOneDummy Records

Released: August 19, 2008

Finally, someone has married punk with Springsteen. On one hand, it seems like a daunting task and on another like something that should have been done long ago. Springsteen is, after all, one of rock's biggest artists, racking up bazillions in album sales and selling out arenas the world over. There's not much punk rock in that. However, he's gotten there by writing everyman songs and simple poetry that break down class barriers. He may be rich beyond belief now, but he has a working man's heart. Sure, he's become too much of an adult artist and it's been years since he's made an album worthy of the name he established 30 years ago, but that's all the better reason for the Gaslight Anthem re-energize his legacy.

The '59 Sound is a thoroughly punk rock album with tinges of rockabilly and Americana, but it also finds Springsteen in its heart. Part of that is the songwriting and another part is the vocal delivery, but it goes deeper. It even goes beyond their ability to capture both the bombast of "Born to Run" as well as the intimacy of "I'm on Fire." The Gaslight Anthem has that same strange ability to be poet to the rest of us, to turn clichés into truths. They connect, no matter who you are, so long as you have a heart that's ever been restless or broken.

With The '59 Sound, the Gaslight Anthem opened two doors: They opened punk rock up to Springsteen in a way that is free of adult-oriented, arena-playing rock stardom. They've also opened up a new channel for those Springsteen fans interested in more than just nostalgia. This is not an album that finds some small patch of common ground, but a plot so huge, it's amazing no one's discovered it yet.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 8/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 8/10

Website

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Review: New York Dolls - Live at the Fillmore East

Label: Sony BMG

Released: May 27, 2008

Live at the Fillmore East was recorded only a little over a month before I saw the Dolls play in Baltimore, so I had a good idea of the potential this release had. Despite my feelings about One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This, I found the show to be warm, exciting and just plain fun. The question wasn't whether the Dolls were good live, but whether they could be captured on the album.

If Live at the Fillmore East has a fault, it's brevity. The album has only 10 tracks culled from two shows. They rely heavily on their first (and best) record while only taking two a piece from its follow-up and their reunion album. For those who found One Day It Will Please Us... refreshing, it may be a bit disappointing to miss "Fishnets & Cigarettes" or "Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano" and even I was a bit disappointed that the focus here was on the past. Nonetheless, the Dolls don't sound like old men here. They're excited and energetic and the album captures a good bit of the warmth they exude in their live show. Sure, much of the funny banter is missing (Sylvain is pretty funny), but human beauty (yeah, they're beautiful in their own way) is still there. The dedication of "Lonely Planet Boy" to Johnny Thunders is touching even (or as touching as a bunch of old punks can be).

Like any live album, this is no substitute for seeing the real thing, so get out there and catch these guys while you can. In the meantime though, Live at the Fillmore East should hold you over. And if you've already seen them, it serves as a great memory.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

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The Monocles - Out of Your Mind

Label: Loose Recs

Released: 2008

The Monocles tap into punk circa 1977 or so. Their songs consist of a single driving layer of frenetic energy, each of the three musicians moving in a single and deliberate direction at the same quick pace. Hey, it worked for the Adverts, right? And it works for the Monocles too, 30 plus years later. While none of the songs on Out of Your Mind blaze a new trail in punk rock, each effectively conveys the dissatisfied state of disaffected youth for which punk has long been known. And it's fun to boot!

Ratings
Satriani: 5/10
Zappa: 5/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 6/10

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Review: Shin Jin Rui - Zutiqua

Label: Ex Libris Records

Released: April 14, 2008

With a lot of bands, it's fairly easy to discern their influences and use those influences to describe the band's sound. I could try that with Shin Jin Rui. At times I hear Gang of Four and at others the Stooges. Sometimes the Fall, Syd-era Pink Floyd, the Velvet Underground, Ziggy-era Bowie. I hear the Kinks, Flipper, Meat Puppets and the Talking Heads. I even heard a hint of the Clash at one point. Do you get the picture yet? I didn't think so.

What Shin Jin Rui does on Zutiqua is draw on just about every raw and wild rock n roll influence of the last 40 or so years and roll it into their own brand of cacophony that is under constant threat of disintegration, yet always manages to hold itself together. The album walks that fine line between live energy and studio sound successfully and that's a considerable achievement. Most importantly, there is a madness that runs throughout. It's not a dark and brooding madness, but more of the likable, happy-go-lucky madness of the Cheshire Cat. I just hope Shin Jin Rui doesn't disappear.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

Website

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Review: The Briggs - Come All You Madmen

Label: SideOneDummy Records

Released: June 17, 2008

When British punk got into the hands of working class kids in the late 70s who married its anger to pub singalongs and soccer chants, Oi was born. It is a thoroughly British (okay, the Irish can pull it off also) phenomenon that American bands have had a hard time copying. Being able to trust the band is perhaps more important in punk rock than in any other genre and any questions raised about credibility or honesty can be tough to overcome. The Briggs music is so tightly tied to Oi that it's hard to separate the two. Because the band is from L.A. (and even sings an ode to their hometown on this album), it instantly raises the question of whether their music is true or just posturing.

Over the first half of Come All You Madmen, the Briggs churn out their energetic and infectious anthems. The songs, in fact, are so likable that I found it every bit as difficult to dismiss them as I did to buy into the Oi shtick. However, the second half of the album takes a very different tone. Musically, it's not quite as exciting, but lyrically it rings true. "Oblivion" and "Final Words" in particular have a sense of mortality and repentance that are human and genuine. True, the hooks aren't there down the backstretch, but this is the part I needed to hear to make the album one I could believe. Going back for a second listen, even their pub singalong about Los Angeles seems on the money.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 4/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

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Review: The Offspring - Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Label: Columbia Records

Released: June 17, 2008

Punk rock made its way out of seedy clubs and into arenas over a decade ago, but that didn't always mean that the bands who made it just turned on the commercial rock and abandoned their roots. Green Day, perhaps the genre's biggest success story (unless you consider Nirvana punk), still really plays classic punk even on the ambitious American Idiot. They never really became a commercial rock band even if their music had become commercially viable. The Offspring, on the other hand, perhaps just by virtue of employing Bob Rock, have become a much slicker version of their former selves, evolving into something that might be called punk arena rock.

That leaves a serious question to be answered: Did they become more slick than punk? AOR-ish leads and choruses on songs like "You're Gonna Go Far Kid" and a couple power ballads (I had to skip through "Kristy, Are You Doing OK?") certainly point toward answering yes to that question. Still, those mersh moments aren't that prevalent through most of the album. Instead, they manage to meet Mr Rock's vision of rock n roll perfection (flawed as it is) without selling their soul entirely. Sure, it'd be better unadulterated, but if it has to be prettied up, this doesn't fall into the worst of the pitfalls. It's still more Offspring than Bob Rock and in the end that is the album's limited redemption. In their prime, the Offspring were more lucky than great, but entirely listenable. They're still listenable though even less essential now, but, a few real stinkers aside, they're also still kinda fun.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 4/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 5/10
Overall: 5/10

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Interview: Trever Keith

Trever Keith has worn many hats over the years. His band, Face to Face, was one of the best pop punk bands of the 90s and 00s. He mashed up punk and hip-hop with Legion of Doom. He even runs his own record label. I recently had the chance to get some of Trever's insights into all the facets of music that he touches.

RnRnMN: Face to Face has recently done some reunion shows. How has the response been? What's it like being reunited after five years apart?

TK: The response has been overwhelming. Such an amazing vibe coming back from the live audiences. It's like nothing we've ever experienced.

RnRnMN: You've played a number of roles over the course of your musical career: band member, producer, mash-ups, solo artist, label owner, etc. What are the ups and downs of each?

TK: The job descriptions that require creativity are the most rewarding (band member, solo artist, producer, etc) because even if they don't ultimately pay much, they are satisfying in their own right. The flipside is that criticism feels personal.

Owning a label is a lot like work. I pretty much hate it and I'm not sure how much longer I will continue to do it.

RnRnMN: You chose to release Melancholics Anonymous digitally. What went into that decision? Will the album ever have a hard-copy release?

TK: The "release" of Melancholics Anonymous is really not official. I look at it as more of a pre-release. I wanted to get the music out there to the fans first. Making it available digitally via my website allowed me to do that almost immediately after it was completed. I did also press up 1,000 hand numbered and signed limited edition CDs which I sold out on the road at the shows.

I plan a more official release of the CD with new artwork etc and most likely some bonus material.

RnRnMN: The price of digital music seems to vary widely. iTunes and Rhapsody want $0.89 a track (making a whole album the same price as buying a CD); A lot of digital releases fall into the $8-10 range; Radiohead let fans pick their price; some give it away for free. You're selling the new album for $5. How did you come up with that
price in a market that seems to have no real pricing standard?

TK: It seemed a fair price to me. I just asked myself what I would be comfortable paying for a download-able album.

RnRnMN: I was surprised that Melancholics didn't have a real pop-punk sound. Instead, you seemed to delve more into Brit pop influences. Was there anything you were listening to a lot of as you wrote the album that influenced its sound?

TK: I've been a long time fan of bands like The Smiths, The Cure, The Psychedelic Furs, Echo and The Bunnymen, etc. So I think this album afforded me the opportunity to sort of channel those influences in a way that F2F never could.

RnRnMN: The album's title certainly sets some expectation of emo leanings, but many emo bands can't seem to avoid being over-dramatic. Your album is emotional, yet avoids crossing that line. How did you accomplish that?

TK: Because I really have no idea what "emo" music means. I just wrote songs that reflected my own thoughts and feelings. I also don't think that any style of music has the market cornered on certain terminology in the English language.

RnRnMN: What's on the horizon for you as a solo artist? For Face to Face?

TK: A whole lot of live performances for the foreseeable future.

Website

Check out the review of Melancholics Anonymous.

Found in the Shuffle: Tim Armstrong - "Cold Blooded"

Song: Cold Blooded
Artist: Tim Armstrong
Album: A Poet's Life

When "Cold Blooded" started, my first thought was "Huh, this must be some King Tubby or Impact All Stars song that I never noticed. Cool." It's not King Tubby, though, and it's not Impact All Stars. It's Tim Armstrong. As in, Tim Armstrong, the dude from Rancid.

Could I have paid this song a higher compliment than thinking it was King Tubby? Absolutely not. Bravo to you, Tim. Bravo.

Review: The Eruptors - Bad Time to Be Having a Good Time

Label: Maniac Squat Records

Released: March 3, 2008

There are plenty of bands revisiting the 80s, but most stick to post-punk and new wave rather than punk and hardcore. The Eruptors are certainly an exception. They avoid anything refined and go straight for the throat with noisy punk that sounds about as DIY as it can be. The downside is that they borrow from so many bands yet don't seem to find some synthesis of all of these influences. Instead, they flip back and forth, sounding like AOD on one song, Government Issue on another, the Butthole Surfers somewhere else, then Cocksparrer, early Black Flag, the Cramps and so on. The upside is that this erratic ride is about as much fun as can be had on an album. While it's coming apart at the seems, it is that very fact, along with a healthy dose of bratty irreverence, that holds Bad Time to Be Having a Good Time together. Just as the music comes from a school that disowns precision and proficiency, so too does the production. While some of the subtle nuances may be lost (yeah, right), the hands off production allows the energy to flow freely and as the name implies, that's exactly what the Eruptors are about.

Ratings
Satriani: 4/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 5/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 6/10

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New Brass EP - Free Download!

BRASS - 3 New Songs for Free Download

• A SMALL BREATH EP now available digitally
• Also download songs from debut Set & Drift

Philadelphia's Brass have officially released their new three-song EP, A Small Breath, for free digital download. For more information, go here. For instant gratification, voila!.

The band will also be pressing a very limited run of 100 CDs, which will be available at shows and on their website in a couple of weeks. A Small Breath was recorded by students at Drexel University in January and February as part of an engineering course. Bravo, higher education! These three songs sound amazing, continuing the tradition of beautifully-clashing aesthetics established on Brass' recent eight-song debut, Set & Drift. Both releases masterfully establish a common ground between soaring melodies, heart-stopping crescendos and math-y, post-punk rhythms. A must-listen for fans of The Dismemberment Plan, Sunny Day Real Estate, Jawbox or Circa Survive.

And while we're in a giving mood, you can also download three MP3s from Set & Drift here.
Happy listening!

Review: Trever Keith - Melancholics Anonymous

Label: self-released (digital only)

Released: February 2008

In the mid-90s, Trever Keith's band Face to Face was releasing some of the best pop punk around. Big Choice still finds itself in at least my semi-regular rotation. However, they lost me with Ignorance is Bliss at the end of the decade and I never really came back. Now I find myself with Keith's latest work, the solo Melancholics Anonymous.

While Legion of Doom, Keith's mash up project, was, like most mash ups, a mixed bag at best, the benefits of his work on that as well as in production are pretty clear on this new album. His production and remix experience lead to an album that smoothly mixes the synthetic and the natural, using effects, but in proper doses and never gratuitously. Keith will drive a song with artificial rhythms and then use the bumps and lumps in his own voice to humanize the music.

At times, he draws on U2's delay-drenched guitar work and simple rhythms. At others, he dips into 90s Brit Pop. While it seldom even hints at his Face to Face days, Melancholics Anonymous does have one thing in common with that past: The recognition that songs don't have to be profound to make real connections. The album doesn't go down the shadowy roads of post-this or post-that, but instead is very good in the here and now. Unlike maudlin emo, this melancholy pop record has something that rings true.

Keith has a collection of good songs and good performances, but the album as a whole is better than just that. His ability to use the synthetic to enhance the album's emotional truths rather than hide its rough edges makes Melancholics Anonymous a subtle bit of honesty.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

Website

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Review: MySon - Another Shitty Band's First Demo

Label: self-released

Released: 2008

"Warning! The recordings contained on this disc are raw and far from perfect. Just how we like it!" That's the warning on the CD, but it's more like a mission statement and they back it up with the tunes. Another Shitty Band's First Demo is raw beyond belief. Thick, sludgy guitar and bass are essentials in MySon's no-groove approach augmented by wild, erratic drumming. The leads often don't even sound repeatable which might be amateur, but it's also constantly improvisational. At times they are able to even things out like on the spacey "Copenhagen Blues" and the art-punk-ish "The Middle of Everywhere," but a pair of Nirvana covers, including Sub Pop 200 obscurity "Spank Thru," make even Cobain's earliest rumblings seem glossy.

On one hand, this is awful, but it also has the heart, the abandon and the freedom of great rock n roll. It worked for Flipper and, though to lesser extent, it works for MySon. This is art for art's sake punk rock, more interested in dissonance than harmony. The music is plodding and chaotic, but it survives on mad energy. This probably has a very limited audience, but that small group of people can probably sing along with the chaos.

Ratings
Satriani: 3/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 4/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 6/10

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Review: Always April - Seven Singles

Label: self-released (only available at shows)

Released: 2007

Seven Singles seethes with insanity. It reaches the outer limits of craziness without completely losing control. As such, it isn't for everyone, but if you can get past poor production and near chaos, there's something here in which to lose yourself. The drums are so loose that they're all over the place. When they're audible, the bass lines have good movement. The guitar is just contained enough to keep some sense of structure, barley keeping complete mania from ensuing. The real gem on the album is Charmaine's voice. It's bold, strong and darkly sensual. Adding a bit of phaser at times gives it a trippiness that fits right in with the overall sense of crazy.

The recordings are very live, visceral, in the moment and on one level that acts as a strength. Nonetheless, Always April needs to find a way to harness their energy into a more recordable insanity. They hint at this on "Th1rt3en," but they aren't quite there. "Elvira," the album's noisiest, remains the strongest track. Whatever they manage to put down in the studio, I'd bet money that they're practically a nervous breakdown live and that has to be worth hearing.

Watch for a full-length release this summer!

Ratings
Satriani: 5/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 5/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 6/10

Website

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DOA announce 30th Anniversary Tour

In the past thirty years D.O.A. have released: 13 albums, 20 singles, EPs and 7"s, 10 videos and been apart of 14 compilations. D.O.A. have sold one million albums in their storied career. Band Leader Joe Shithead Keithley has gone on to start his own label Sudden Death records and with members of D.O.A started a side project called Band of Rebels. Keithley captured his musical history in his Canadian bestseller autobiography I, Shithead - A Life In Punk (Arsenal Pulp Press). In 2003, Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell declared December 21st to be "D.O.A. Day" in honour of the band's 25th anniversary.

Keithley has teamed up with co-conspirators bassist Randy Rampage and drummer James Hayden to come up with a ton of great new songs for a new album to be released this summer. Bob Rock, who has produced albums for Metallica, Motley Crue, Cranberries, Bon Jovi, The Cult and others is producing the band's 13th full length album, Northern Avenger, in time for their 30th anniversary.

What did the godfather of punk rock have to say about working with Rock? "" Working with Bob Rock is fucking cool,” says Keithley. “D.O.A. and Bob go a long ways back to the early days of Vancouver's punk rock scene. If there ever was a guy who can record a heavy sound, it's Bob and D.O.A.'s a heavy band, so it bloody well makes sense!"

D.O.A. has always maintained an uncompromising anarchist populist political stance. The band is known for its outspoken political opinions and has a history of performing for many causes and benefits. Its slogan is "TALK-ACTION=0". The band has been active on many issues, including anti-racism, anti-globalization, freedom of speech and the environment.

Need I say more?

DOA 30th Anniversary Tour

B.C. Shows
April 18th The Lucky Bar, Victoria, BC w/Day Glo Abortions
April 19th The Waverly, Cumberland, BC

Ontario Shows
Tuesday May 6th, The Casbah, Hamilton, ON
DOA will record live at around 2 PM on XM satelliteWed. May 7th
Wed. May 7th, The Dungeon, Oshawa, ON
Thur. May 8th, Call The Office, London, ON
Friday May 9th, The Dominion, Ottawa, ON
Sat. May 10th, The Horseshoe, Toronto, ON
Sun. May 11th, Time To Laugh Comedy Club , Kingston, ON
Mon. May 12th, L3, St. Catherines, ON

Alberta Shows
Mon. June 9th Wild Bill's, Banff, AB
Tues. June 10th, The Doghouse, Medicine Hat, AB
Wed. June 11th, The Zoo, Innisfail AB
Thur. June 12th, The Warehouse, Calgary, AB
Fri. June 13th, The Starlite, Edmonton, AB
Sat. June 14th TBA in Alberta
Sun. June 15th TBA in Alberta
Wednesday Night Heroes will be support on all Alberta shows

More Canadian dates to be added in addition to U.S. dates fall 2008

Myspace
Sudden Death Records

Review: Social Distortion - Greatest Hits

Label: Time Bomb Recordings

Released: June 26, 2007

I'm not usually that big on greatest hits collections unless they're from a singles-only pop band where there is no real context on the regular albums anyway. Every now and then though, a collection can tell you something that the individual albums didn't. Such is the case with Social Distortion's Greatest Hits.

Mommy's Little Monster was one of the first punk records I bought and as such will always have a special place in my heart. While it is one of the best albums to come out of the early 80s Orange County punk scene, it is also limited by its young, snotty view of the world. However, when taken into consideration with the later material, the depth of songs like "Another State of Mind" and "It Wasn't a Pretty Picture" (sadly absent from this set) comes into greater focus. It also makes something else clear: Mike Ness is a bit of a punk rock Johnny Cash.

Sure, they cover "Ring of Fire," but that does little other than plant the seed for the comparison. A close look will show the parallels. "Another State of Mind" mirrors the pledge of fidelity despite adversity in "I Walk the Line." Pop culture today glorifies time in prison, yet Social Distortion's "Prison Bound," like Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues," tells the other side, the real side, of the story. From early on, Ness had the "Man in Black" mentality. Even when immersed in his own dark side, his lyrics, while desolate, are critical of the world that had gone awry around him and yet they offer a vague hope. The last line of "Mommy's Little Monster" is "Don't take her life away," not "Now her life is over." Over the subsequent years, after Ness had kicked his nasty drug habit, that hope became less vague, striving for a better life in "Ball and Chain" and finding faith in "Bad Luck." That hope is extended to the hereafter in "When the Angels Sing" and a dimension of redemption and reconciliation brings this evolution to fruition on "I Was Wrong."

Like Johnny Cash, this evolution from hell raiser to hope to redemption has a religious quality and in the true spirit of the Man in Black, the joy found in the end is not a shiny, happy joy, but a deeper joy that co-exists with, perhaps even requires, sadness and desperation. It is in context of this Greatest Hits collection that I finally understand why Social Distortion resonated with me 25 years ago and why their music still resonates with me today. The collection may be a few tracks short of perfect, but the lesson isn't about being perfect, just better than the day before and the album certainly accomplishes that.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 10/10
Aretha: 10/10
Overall: 9/10

Website

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Static Radio NJ - Tour / New Album Updates

* Eight West Coast shows with The Bouncing Souls starting today
* Debut Full-Length An Evening of Bad Decisions out on Black Numbers this Summer
* Get access to exclusive online content from the new record

Beginning today, Static Radio NJ (New Brunswick, N.J.) is joining The Bouncing Souls for eight days worth of West Coast shows.
Dead To Me will also be playing most dates.

The good news for anyone in attendance - other than the fact that they'll see three awesome bands tearing it up on stage - is that they can grab free digital dropcards from the Static Radio boys at the shows. These cards will offer exclusive online content - including two free songs and album art - from their upcoming debut full-length, An Evening of Bad Decisions. The record, which is due out this summer from Black Numbers, was recorded in Hoboken, New Jersey with acclaimed production company The Machine Shop (Armor For Sleep, Boys Night Out, Every Time I Die).

And for all us losers on the East Coast and Midwest who feel like we're missing out, email Phil from Black Numbers and he'll hook you up with the keys to the secret page as well.

TOUR with The Bouncing Souls

APR 07 - Long Beach, CA @ Alex’s Bar w/ Dead To Me
APR 08 - San Louis Obispo, CA @ Downtown Brew w/ Dead To Me
APR 09 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall w/ Dead To Me
APR 11 - Portland, OR @ Berbati’s Pan w/ Dead to Me
APR 12 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon w/ Dead to Me
APR 13 - McCall, ID @ Brundage Resort
APR 16 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Club Sound / In the Venue
APR 17 - Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre

Vinyl: Bad Brains - Build a Nation 7" Box Set

Last year, Megaforce Records released the Bad Brains' Build a Nation on fantastic red, gold and green vinyl. That sold out, but there is still cool Bad Brains vinyl to be had. On April 1, they released the Build a Nation 7" box set. It consists of four records (one red, one gold, one green and one picture disc) and a poster. If that's not enough, there's also a bonus track (sorry CD buyers).
  

No Idea Records is running auctions to benefit Cal Robbins

No Idea, one of the best label around from both a collector's and a fan's viewpoint, are running a series of auctions on Ebay to benefit Callum Robbins, son of long-time contributor to the punk scene, J Robbins. Cal has Spinal Muscular Atrophy and many of his treatments aren't covered by insurance. Check out the really cool stuff (including test pressings) the folks at No Idea have put up to help out Cal and his family.

Cool New Stuff from Red Leader Records

RED LEADER RECORDS - Limited Edition 10-inch Birthday Picture Disc Available Now!

* Only 500 Pressed

* Featuring covers from Scream Hello, The New Dress, Attica! Attica! and Nakatomi Plaza
SCREAM HELLO - New EP!

* Pre-order Smart & Stupid from Interpunk

The hits keep coming from the Red Leader camp these days as label has just released an extremely limited, hand-numbered 10-inch picture disc featuring four amazing covers from four amazing bands. This delicious piece of vinyl was originally conceived as an elaborate birthday surprise from one half of the Red Leader team (Matt) to the other half (Claire)...with a little help from four "sweetheart" bands on the label, too.
Scream Hello tackles Superchunk's "Hyper Enough," The New Dress takes on "No Depression" by The Carter Family (as inspired by the Uncle Tupelo version) while Attica! Attica! covers "No Children" by The Mountain Goats. Rounding out the compilation is Nakatomi Plaza's rendition of Build To Spill's "Car." Of course, like all things totally awesome, there is a finite number available, and the slices of this delectable birthday disc will disappear quickly. Limited to 500 copies (and never to be repressed), the ten inch is available exclusively from Red Leader and the bands at shows. You can go here to order your copy now. The label will also send you the mp3s for all the songs, not to mention some extra goodies. Plus, a few randomly chosen orders will have the option of receiving a test pressing of the record. Happy Birthday, vinyl freaks!

Moving on, New Brunswick, N.J. four piece Scream Hello are preparing for the release of their new EP via Red Leader, Smart & Stupid. These four incredible songs are the precursor to Everything Is Always Still Happening, the band's upcoming full-length due out in the Summer of 2008. Smart & Stupid will be out on April 8th but you can pre-order a copy from Interpunk. Take it from someone who has spun both the LP and EP approximately seven kabillion times...these new songs are truly incredible. You can stream a couple tracks on their myspace page. Get psyched!

Beside the new releases, the next two months will find Scream Hello getting way active on the road, playing shows with Weston and Ensign...plus a short tour with The Gaslight Anthem. Get doubly psyched!

And finally, don't forget that Red Leader has made their new 20-song sampler free to download! Go here for unreleased/rare tracks from End Of A Year, Marathon, Nakatomi Plaza, Dear Tonight, FireWhenReady and Scream Hello...plus awesome released material from Polar Bear Club, De La Hoya, Attica! Attica! and The New Dress.

Desoto Jones Giveaway at Deep Elm

Forgotten: Stranger Than Fiction - Motherfungus

Label: self-released

Released: 1991

Baltimore metal fans are probably familiar with Meatjack, but perhaps fewer know of the Daniloski brothers' first band, Stranger Than Fiction. Their Motherfungus demo was released in 1991 (when the brothers were in their early 20s). These were the days just before a band could make a professional sounding demo cheaply, so the thin production dates this every bit as much as the fact that it came on a cassette. However, the tape explores a sinister silliness (à la early Butthole Surfers) using a kind of lo-fi, punk/prog and even free jazz at times. Don't expect prog and jazz chops on Motherfungus though. It's more the grand, avant garde spirit of those genres that lives here in a strange symbiosis with DIY energy and simplicity.

The tape's first side is a tougher listen as it delves deepest into experimentation. Their live version of "God of Thunder" at the end of Side 1 is a turning point. It maintains the over-the-top hard rock appeal of Kiss, yet it's also infused with the strange craziness that pervades the whole album. The second side doesn't stray so far into the bizarre, though it is still a far cry from what was typically coming out of garages in the late 80s and early 90s. The album's finale, "A Little Off the Top," is reminiscent of Henry Rollins' spoken word material on Family Man, where more effort was put into shock than substance, but the music helps by conveying an increasing madness as the song winds through it's nearly 10 minute story of what happens after a man snaps. Motherfungus is anything but a pop album, being more concerned with crazy than catchy. While the Daniloskis' current work isn't exactly in the mainstream, it is not nearly the free, open (and unfocused) work from whence they came.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 9/10
Dylan: 5/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Review: Various Artists - Take Action! Volume 7

Label: Hopeless Records/Sub City

Released: March 4, 2008

The seventh installment of the Take Action compilation series is, as usual, a mixed bag of bands, but a pretty good one nonetheless. It dabbles in everything from from hardcore and metal (Every Time I Die) to noise rock (Drop Dead, Gorgeous) to progcore (Chiodos) to straightforward punk (The Matches), but most of the album fits somewhere into the overlapping genres of pop punk, power pop and emo. Some is remarkably well-written like Silverstein and some is quirky and creative like Cute is What We Aim For, but most are just solid examples of what those genres have to offer. The album is long on sappy and short on edge, but whichever end of the spectrum you like, there's still enough to make this worth the price.

The DVD has 20 videos that cover similar ground. Truly good videos are even harder to come by than good songs, but once again, there is enough here for every punk/emo/screamo fan. The Plain White T's "Making a Memory" is one of those feel-good clips, but even though it's geared toward people half my age, it somehow resonated with me. I've had enough of 80s imagery, but Every Time I Die's spoofing of some that decade's cheesiest films is pretty funny. A Life Once Lost has a metal freakout in the "Firewater Joyride" reminiscent of the Butthole Surfers' "Who Was in My Room Last Night." While the DVD is less essential than the CD, it's still some nice bonus material.

A portion of the proceeds from the artists and the label (5% of the suggested retail price) goes to Do Something. Hopeless Records has long been involved in making the world a better place, so it's hard to question them, but what about the bands? Every track on here has been previously released. Why do they need to make anything? The Take Action comp is good exposure for these bands. While compiling and releasing the CD has some cost associated with the release that Hopeless needs to recoup, I don't see what the bands have invested. Maybe I'm off-base here, but it seems to me that this might not be as much of a charity release as it's portrayed to be. I'd like to get other opinions on this though. What do you think?

Ratings: 6/10

Website

One Win Choice on tour

One Win Choice is taking their righteous anger on the road for two tours in March and April in support of their Never Suspend Disbelief album. Check 'em out if you can.

TOUR 1
MAR 15 - Elkton, MD @ Joe's Basement (196 Elk Ranch Park Rd)
MAR 16 - Richmond, VA @ Ramakin's w/ The Campaign 1984
MAR 18 - Asbury Park, NJ @ Asbury Lanes w/ The Campaign 1984
MAR 19 - Philadelphia, PA @ The M Room w/ The Campaign 1984
MAR 21 - Pittsburgh, PA @ House Show w/ The Campaign 1984
MAR 22 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Skelletones w/ The Campaign 1984
MAR 24 - Lansing, MI @ Mac's Bar w/ The Campaign 1984
MAR 25 - Detroit, MI @ Von's w/ The Campaign 1984
MAR 26 - South Barrington, IL @ Penn Road Pub w/ The Campaign 1984
MAR 27 - Seymour, IN @ 2nd Street Live w/ The Campaign 1984
MAR 28 - Belleville, IL @ Illegal Tones w/ The Campaign 1984
MAR 30 - Parma Heights, OH @ The Davenport
MAR 31 - State College, PA @ The Brewery

TOUR 2
APR 16 - Richmond, VA @ TBA
APR 17 - Somewhere, NC @ TBA
APR 18 - Chattanooga, TN @ TBA
APR 19 - Belleville, IL @ Illegal Tones w/ Astpai
APR 20 - St. Louis, MO @ TBA w/ Astpai
APR 21 - Peoria, IL @ TBA w/ Astpai
APR 22 – WI / IA @ TBA w/ Astpai
APR 23 - Minneapolis, MN @ TBA w/ Astpai
APR 24 - Milwaukee, WI @ TBA w/ Astpai
APR 25 - Chicago, IL @ Ronny's w/ Astpai
APR 26 - Lansing, MI @ TBA w/ The AKA's, Astpai
APR 27 - Trenton, OH @ Trenton Fisherman's Club w/ Astpai
APR 28 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Howler's w/ American Armada w/ Astpai
APR 29 - State College, PA @ The Brewery w/ Astpai
APR 30 - Saratoga Springs, NY @ TBA w/ Astpai
MAY 01 - Albany, NY @ 289 Delaware Ave w/ After the Fall, Astpai
MAY 02 - East Stroudsburg, PA @ Penn Monster Factory w/ Astpai
MAY 03 - Philadelphia, PA @ Disgraceland w/ Jena Berlin, Giving Chase, Astpai
MAY 04 - Toms River, NJ @ The Shed

Slingshot Dakota on tour

Brooklyn, N.Y. / Easton, P.A. duo Slingshot Dakota begins a six-week trek across the U.S. today.

The tour - which covers both coasts and just about everything in between - is in support of the band's latest self-released record, Their Dreams Are Dead, But Ours Is The Golden Ghost. The Slingshot kids are currently streaming five tracks from the album on their myspace page.

Ten irresistible songs recorded by Latterman's Phil Douglas, you can order a copy of Golden Ghost directly from Slingshot Dakota via their myspace page or pick up a copy directly from Carly and Tom at a show.

MAR 14 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Cat House w/ Street Smart Cyclist
MAR 15 - Lehigh Valley, PA @ Jan's Room
MAR 16 - Philadelphia, PA @ The 43rd Ward
MAR 18 - Washington, DC @ The Girl Cave
MAR 19 - Richmond, VA @ Rumors (clothing store)
MAR 20 - Silver Spring, MD @ The VT Hurler
MAR 21 - Lexington, KY @ The Shrieking Shack
MAR 22 - Louisville, KY @ Pad Tight (house show) w/ Ghost Mice
MAR 23 - St. Louis, MO @ The R Building
MAR 24 - Columbia / Kansas City, MO @ TBA (help needed)
MAR 25 - Tulsa, OK @ The Monolith
MAR 26 - Ft. Worth, TX @ 1919 Hemphill
MAR 27 - Austin, TX @ Red 7 (all ages)
MAR 28 - El Paso, TX @ TBA (being booked)
MAR 29 - Anytown, NM @ TBA (help needed)
MAR 30 - Scottsdale, AZ @ Chyro Arts
MAR 31 - Riverside, CA @ The Pizza Factory
APR 01 - Los Angeles, CA @ TBA
APR 02 - Fresno, CA @ The DLC House
APR 03 - San Francisco, CA @ TBA (help needed)
APR 04 - San Francisco / Sacramento, CA @ TBA (help needed)
APR 05 - Arcata, CA @ The Greenhouse
APR 06 - Portland, OR @ Sweetpea Vegan Bakery
APR 08 - Seattle, WA @ TBA (being booked)
APR 09 - Olympia, WA @ TBA (being booked)
APR 10 - Portland, OR @ TBA
APR 11 - Boise, Idaho @ TBA
APR 12 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Boing! Collective
APR 13 - Denver, Colorado @ TBA
APR 14 - Lincoln, NE @ The Ghost House
APR 15 - Anytown, IA @ TBA (help needed)
APR 16 - Madison, WI @ The Palindrome House
APR 17 - Chicago, IL @ TBA (help needed)
APR 18 - Peoria, IL @ This Is Ours Fest
APR 19 - Peoria, IL @ This Is Ours Fest
APR 20 - New Buffalo, MI @ TBA
APR 21 - Cincinnati, OH @ Blue Rock Tavern (free show, all ages)
APR 22 - Columbus, OH @ The Monster House!
APR 23 - Parma Heights, OH @ The Davenport (all ages)
APR 24 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Lava Lounge w/ Karmella's Game
APR 25 - Buffalo, NY @ The Death Trap
APR 26 - Rochester, NY @ TBA (being booked)
APR 27 - Syracuse, NY @ 113 W Borden Ave
APR 28 - Oswego, NY @ TBA (being booked)
APR 29 - Oneonta, NY @ House Show!
APR 30 - Winooski, VT @ The Monkey House
MAY 01 - Medford, MA @ The Oxfam Cafe
MAY 02 - Eliot, ME @ Eliot Grange Hall
MAY 03 - Vestal, NY @ Binghamton University Old Union

Look Mexico video and tour info

Check out this incredible video for "You Come Into My House, While I Sleep?" It features animation by Travis Miller and illustrations by Look Mexico's drummer Joshua Mikel. Very crazy, very cool.



Don't miss Look Mexico on tour:

MAR 14 - Austin, TX @ SXSW Team Grizzly Showcase / Pangaea’s Patio w/ Band Marino, Clock Hands Strangle
MAR 15 - Dallas, TX @ The Door / The Side Stage
MAR 16 - Austin, TX @ SXSW / Red Seven w/ Circle Takes The Square, Maps and Atlases, Portugal The Man, Caspian, more
MAR 17 - Houston, TX @ The White Swan w/ Constants, Junius, Buxton
MAR 18 – Baton Rouge, LA @ Q and Data’s w/ Constants, Junius, Cougars Den
MAR 19 – Pensacola, FL @ The Handlebar w/ Constants, Junius
MAR 21 – Brandon, FL @ The Porch w/ Constants, Junius
MAR 22 - Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall w/ Constants
MAR 25 - Greenwood, DE @ The Barn w/ Constants, Makeout Party
MAR 26 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Khyber w/ Constants
MAR 27 - Clifton, NJ @ The Clash Bar w/ Constants
MAR 28 - Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool w/ Constants, Goes Cube, The Hull
MAR 29 - Cambridge, MA @ TT the Bears Place w/ Constants
MAR 30 – Portland, ME @ The Big Easy w/ The Killing Moon, The Last Goodnight
APR 04 – Richmond, VA @ Canal Club (downstairs) w/ Love and Reverie
APR 05 - Clemson, SC @ Clemson University / WSBF Annual Spring Concert w/ Dave Dondero, Army of Ponch

Review: Mistletoe - demo

Label: self-released

Released: 2007

Syracuse's Mistletoe plays some wild punk rock. It's not quite focused though. "Ghost Relatives" leans toward churning hardcore, "Poor Timing" toward angular Fugazi-influenced post-hardcore and "Stop Growing Up" toward the gritty rootsiness of Avail. Still, they do manage to find the commonality in all of that to make up their sound. That mixes with a great ability to throw change-ups in both tempo and heaviness and an innate sense of just how much noise will convey their passion without straying into chaos. All in all, this demo is a very promising start and it's worth hearing. Even more so, it makes Mistletoe a band to keep an eye on.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Redd Kross spoof on the cover of LA Record Magazine

I came across this on Redd Kross' myspace page and thought it lent itself to a good trivia question: What album cover is being spoofed here?



Unfortunately, I don't have any good prizes to give away so this one will have to be for honor.

Against Me - Baby, I'm an Anarchist video

This comes from their acoustic show in Chicago last Thanksgiving.

Flipper DVD Release Event

Flipper played a show at Amoeba Music in San Francisco on February 18th. Check out the pictures from the show and check out the DVD.

New contest from Deep Elm Records

To celebrate the release of Ride Your Bike's Bad News from the Bar, Deep Elm has this awesome contest:

Live: Rude & the Rekkless, We Are the Fury, New York Dolls

February 12, 2008, Rams Head Live, Baltimore, Maryland

I wasn't sure what to expect of the audience at a New York Dolls show in 2008. Would it be mostly an older crowd who'd known the Dolls from their earliest days? A group of thirty-somethings who know the them as the influence on bands they liked say twenty years ago? How about the young hipster crowd looking to show how much they know about the roots of punk? As it turned out, it was all of that and more. This show took "all ages" to heart, running from kids whose parents probably dropped them off to people older than the Dolls themselves. It was a little light due to bad weather, but all were seemingly quite happy to catch the Dolls kick off their 2008 tour. The fans really ran the spectrum from punk to goth to glam to I'm-not-worried-about-dressing-up types. Over the last 35 years, the Dolls have managed to pick up a pretty good variety of fans.

The opening act was local Baltimore band Rude & the Reckless, made up of former and current members of several local punk outfits. The played their gritty journeyman punk with conviction, including a good cover of the Vibrators' "Baby, Baby, Baby." While their set was straightforward and fun, they did push their song "TV Addict" nearly to the edge before reining it back in. It was old school punk played by a group of guys that had been around awhile yet happened to have a ton of youthful energy. They may not have broken down barriers, but they rolled through their short set and got a fairly lackluster crowd excited.



Toledo, Ohio's We Are the Fury followed. Their brand of 70s glam-influenced rock was a good fit for the Dolls. They set high expectations when they came on stage to the music from A Clockwork Orange, but delivered. They tapped into Ziggy-era Bowie and Sweet primarily and like those artists, they weren't afraid of pop music, instead wearing it on their sleeves. With piano parts so flamboyant Elton John would be proud and a frontman who could keep up with Rod Stewart in his prime (even though his voice was far cleaner along the lines of Sweet's Brian Connolly), they were equally comfortable with slow boogie ballads and showtune-turned-rocker pop. Despite multiple unheeded attempts to engage the audience ("move up, this is a rock and roll show" and "there's no mosh pit, you don't have to be afraid of the music"), We Are the Fury was undeterred in the effort to put on an outstanding rock show. Surely they must have found the crowd's lukewarm response to be frustrating, but that frustration never showed beyond the puzzled look on singer Jeremy Lublin's face before diving back into the enraptured fit of raw, androgynous sexuality that was his performance. Too bad for the audience, because We Are the Fury was outstanding.



Unlike so many people, I was unimpressed with One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This. To me, the album was made by old men trying to sound young. The live show, on the other hand, wasn't like that at all. The only thing that indicated David Johansen's age was the little bit of pudgy belly that stuck out between his tight bell-bottoms and pink rhinestone studded shirt. Otherwise, he had all the engaging energy that he must've burst onto the scene with 35 years ago. Sylvain Sylvain was like a giddy little kid and was so excited to play that he exuded a kind of corny enthusiasm (the kind that would cause him to try to grab Johansen's package at one point and seem charming in the process or to continue playing through a broken string as if nothing had happened). Guitarist Steve Conte, bassist Sami Yaffa (ex-Hanoi Rocks if you were wondering) and drummer Brian Delaney kept the energy going, but had the good sense not to interfere with the magic between Johansen and Sylvain. It was that magic, as much as the music itself, that made this show so intimate. For just an hour or so, we were all New York Dolls, sharing the wild fun that continues to make them a great rock and roll band.

Typically, a reunited band generates the most excitement with their old classics, but the Dolls actually got as much out of this crowd with their newer material. "Fishnets & Cigarettes" got every bit as much of a roar as "Personality Crisis," which they tore into after sitting down for second then getting up and calling it their encore. They may be taking this opportunity to make some of the money they've long been due, but there's no doubt that they're willing to earn it in the here and now and not just cash in on their lauded past. Even if this wasn't the opportunity to see a bit of history that it was, a band who's influence extends across 35 years and far outshines its only meager commercial success, it would still have been a great time, because the New York Dolls, even at this point, put on an outstanding and outrageous show (without even dressing in drag). At one point, Sylvain announced, "It's a great thing to be alive!" Indeed it is, indeed it is.

Video: Against Me! - Ocean (acoustic)

Here's a message from the band: "We just posted a YouTube clip of our acoustic performance of "Ocean" at our special Thanksgiving Day benefit show in Chicago this past November...Hope you enjoy it!"

Review: One Win Choice - Never Suspend Disbelief

Label: Jump Start Records

Released: October 23, 2007

There are two things that outsiders often attribute to punk rock: angst and nihilism. While both of these are prevalent even today, to assume that these two things the very core of punk dismisses an awful lot, among which is One Win Choice. They replace angst with anger and nihilism with hope. This is the punk rock that's spoken to me for over 20 years and anytime I hear it, it reminds me of why I still don't feel old and why my heart has yet to die.

Never Suspend Disbelief is an album fueled by righteous anger in a world gone wrong with the intensity of hardcore and just enough melody to serve up their message. One Win Choice is relentless across the half hour of time they spend spreading both music and message. The fatal flaw that many bands in this position face is placing ideology over humanity. I usually look for a little bit of humor to temper this, but One Win Choice finds another way. It is the grittiness, the commitment and the very human passion they convey that makes the music connect with anyone who's willing to listen. If there's any fire inside, Never Suspend Disbelief will fan those flames.

Singer Dan Kloza said the bands' goal is writing "meaningful songs and playing them as often and for as many people as possible." One listen to Never Suspend Disbelief and you'll convinced of the first part and hopeful that the second parts means an opportunity to catch them live soon.

At the end of "New Rome," the album's final track, they quote a Howard Zinn essay, "The U.S. is in search of an empire and it will fall as the Romans did. Remember when Ali fought Foreman. He seemed asleep but when he woke up he was ferocious. So will the people wake up." One Win Choice has woken up. What are you waiting for?

Rating: 8/10

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DVD: Flipper - Live Target Video 1980-81

Label: MVD Entertainment Group

Released: February 19, 2008

Flipper is one of those bands that no one really likes for the music. It's poorly constructed, disjointed and generally just a big mess. Nonetheless, they have fans, even 21 years after the death of singer Will Shatter and a spotty catalog at best since that time. The question then is, "Why?" The noisy, atonal confusion of their set at Berkeley Square in 1980 isn't nearly as inspired as I expected. Nor does it rise to the level of mayhem that I expected from a band that doesn't seem to do anything in a conventional manner. Even in the studio, there are hints of insanity that I hoped would be exponentially greater live and they weren't. It was perhaps mildly crazy and aside from crowd participation on "The Wheel," the whole thing was just plain dull.

The Kezar Stadium show from 1981 is more organized (though you could never call it tight). While it still lacks the madness I expected from Flipper, they do have a rather ominous presence in contrast to the silliness of the Berkeley Square gig. Even a better show doesn't quite get this over the hump of watchability though. Flipper remains an esoteric experience that likely requires being in the mood even for their biggest fans. Spending 71 minutes watching two concerts that are difficult to make sense of even in their best moments is a chore. As an historical document, the DVD does provide some additional evidence of just how wide open punk still was in San Francisco in the very early 80s, but it fails to really convey what I felt like. I guess you had to be there.

Rating: 5/10

Static Radio NJ recording debut full-length album

* Recording to begin at production studio in late February
* Album scheduled for Summer 2008 release by Black Numbers


Fresh off their supporting slot on the Hot Water Music reunion show, Static Radio NJ (New Brunswick, N.J.) has announced plans for their yet-to-be-named debut full length via Black Numbers.

In late February, the band will begin recording in Hoboken, New Jersey with acclaimed production company The Machine Shop (Armor For Sleep, Boys Night Out, Every Time I Die). Will Putney will be producing.

After recent tours of the U.S. and Europe, the next few months will find our boys sticking close to home to work on the record, but plans for the early summer release of Static Radio NJ's debut full length include a U.S. / Canadian tour as well as an extended trip to the United Kingdom and mainland Europe.

Static Radio NJ's debut EP One for the GoodGuys is available now through Black Numbers. Listen to a free mp3 for the title track here.

Review: Steve E. Nix and the Cute Lepers - Terminal Boredom b/w Prove It

Label: 1-2-3-4 Go! Records

Released: July 3, 2007

Steve E Nix and the Cute Lepers serve up a fun little slab of old-school punk and new wave on this EP. "Terminal Boredom" is '77-style punk rock that borrows heavily from the Clash and Ramones, while "Prove It" could almost be a outtake from Elvis Costello's "Armed Forces." If you're gonna borrow, borrow from the best and Steve E and company certainly do that with just the right amount of snotty punk rock swagger.

Rating: 6/10

Myspace

Stream the new Slingshot Dakota record, Golden Ghost

You can stream Slingshot Dakota's Golden Ghost for free over at ThePunkSite.com. It's only available until January 27th, so hurry up.

Review: Various Artists - Vancouver Complication

Label: Sudden Death Records

Released: 2007

Sudden Death Records has re-issued the classic 1979 compilation that served as a state of the union for the early Vancouver punk scene. The Vancouver Complication is as much an historical document as it is a great punk album. In addition to the first rumblings from now legendary politico-punks DOA and the Subhumans, there are many other gems from the days when, as the liner notes put it, "D-I-Y was really a matter of having to D-I-G." In addition to the original 21 tracks, Sudden Death has included five bonus tracks and in true punk fashion, it still clocks in under one hour.

One of the things that's really amazing in retrospect is how different all these bands sound. From the raw melodies of Shades and Pointed Sticks to the cold, angular Devo-influenced pop of Exxotone to the pre-hardcore of the Dishrags, it's clear that the scene was still in its nascent creative period. You can even hear the T Rex influence on No Fun. At that point, punk was more of an ethos than a sound and these bands shared a common interest in living differently while bringing a tremendous variety of musical influences to the scene. It seems odd today in an era when punk rock is as pigeonholed as even the most commercial genres. The squalor described in the notes certainly makes it seem as though these weren't the "good ol' days," but they must have been fascinating beyond most of our imaginations.

Being a faithful history, the CD comes with reproductions of the original artwork for each band, handwritten or typed, cut out and pasted together the way it was done before Myspace. It also contains some enlightening liner notes that dig into what it was look in the days before punk was cool.

Rating: 8/10

Review: Dusty Rhodes and the River Band - First You Live

Label: SideOneDummy Records

Released: October 9, 2007

With the popularity of the whole folk-punk thing, whether it draws on American folk music like Defiance, Ohio or European folk like Gogol Bordello, it isn't surprising to see another band throw their hats into the ring, but it does beg the question, "What does this new band bring?"

Dusty Rhodes and the River Band tap into a variety of rootsy lines, from folk to country to zydeco to cabaret to gospel even. But instead of just throwing it all together in a ramshackle way or simply speeding it up and adding electric guitars, Dusty and company add the sloppy rock n roll of the Replacements and even enough arena rock to create a big sound ("Street Fighter" even borders on prog). Instead of pulling it off in a traditional manner, they bring their old influences into the present and create what is essentially a rock album with a roots feel. As they incorporate all of these influences, it is the folk nature behind it all that makes First You Live such a cohesive album.

Rating: 7/10

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Review: Chuck Dukowski Sextet - Reverse the Polarity

Label: Nice and Friendly Records

Released: October 16, 2007

Those with a superficial appreciation of Chuck Dukowski's old (and considerably more famous) band, Black Flag, will be rather shocked to hear his new material. However, anyone with a deeper understanding of Black Flag will see CD6 as a logical progression. Black Flag was, after all, essentially a psychedelic band. Not in the sense that they sounded like Sgt Pepper's or the Seeds even, but in the sense that they were mind-altering. And that is the very quality that persists in CD6.

Reverse the Polarity is a more cohesive affair than "Eat My Life," CD6's last release, but that does not come at the expense of its manic power. The rhythms run across rock, jazz and blues and along with Dukowski's fluid bass lines manage the album's energy while horns and the wild play of new guitarist Milo Gonzalez raise the stakes to a mind-bending level. Gonzalez may be the factor that really pushes this album to a new level. Not only are his trippy riffs deceptively strong, but he also brings a consistency that gives the album better flow than their first album. The really striking thing about CD6 though is Lora Norton's voice. Her rich, dynamic voice is both sultry and frenzied and it's so striking that it makes the music more accessible without leveling its emotional peaks.

CD6 has created quite a masterpiece of real psychedelia. Its sense of abandon drives it to the edges of sanity, yet it is grounded in a simplicity that reflects the DIY punk ethic out of which it has grown. There are plenty of bands that are tapping old psyche energy, but none are able to truly capture that spirit and release it in a current sound in the way CD6 has.

Rating: 8/10

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Chuck Ragan will be playing a few solo gigs between HWM shows!

From SideOneDummy:

Los Angeles, December 20, 2007. Hot Water Music is back together for a few select shows in Florida, Jersey and Chicago. In between those shows co-lead singer of HWM and SideOne solo artist Chuck Ragan will play some acoustic solo gigs. Ben Nichols of Lucero and Joshua English of 6 Going On 7 will be supporting.

Here are the dates:

1/20 Jacksonville, FL - Jack Rabbits
1/21 Atlanta, GA - Vinyl
1/22 Wilmington, NC - The Soapbox
1/23 Washington, DC - The Blackcat
1/24 Hoboken, NJ - Maxwells
1/27 Cambridge, MA - Middle East
1/28 Pittsburgh, PA - Garfield Artworks
1/29 Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop
1/30 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
1/31 Chicago, IL - Schubas

Review: Dartz! - This is My Ship

Label: Deep Elm Records

Released: November 13, 2007

Dartz! mix agitated math rock with a punk edge and British quirkiness (or is it quirky Britishness?). They produce songs whose layers are the many moving parts of an efficient machine. The parts feel loose and rambling when they're really quite tight if you concentrate. But that's not the point. They're meant to be a ride. At some points the music is closer to something that may be sung in a bar and that belies the care that was surely taken in constructing it. Even the angular guitars, bass and drums have a certain pop appeal that adds to their accessibility. The whole thing barrels along, but not at a single breakneck pace. The time changes keep the whole thing slightly off-balance.

While there is a certain post-punk/new wave influence on This Is My Ship, this isn't simply the common hipster new wave revival that flies off the shelves. It has all the pop quality of the big sellers, but mixes it with more challenging fare on another level. Depending on which level you choose, this can be easy or difficult, but either way it's rewarding.

Rating: 8/10

Website

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DVD: Rat Skates - Born in the Basement

Label: Kundrat Productions

Released: December 11, 2007

Born in the Basement is original Overkill drummer Rat Skates' documentary about the early days of thrash metal, from its punk rock and New Wave of British Heavy Metal roots to the days of its major label success. While there is some mention of other thrash bands like Metallica and Slayer, Skates focuses his attention on his own scene in NYC. And that focus is narrowed even further, because the documentary is really just an extended interview with Skates himself interspersed with video and stills. That limits the film's breadth, but also allows it dig deep into its limited subject matter and touch on details and bands that are likely unknown to anyone who wasn't there.

Because the film only shows the perspective of one man, albeit one who was as thoroughly involved in the birth of thrash as anyone could probably be, its total truth comes into question. At times, Skates almost seems to imply that his hard work and go-for-it approach were the primary factor in Overkill's and thrash's success. It's difficult to tell if he's trying to overstate his role or if this is simply the result of the same personality that drove his success the first time around. The production is amateur, but it would likely seem disingenuous to make a slick film about the DIY ethic.

Despite a few obvious weaknesses, Born in the Basement has plenty of real value. It provides a view into just how much effort was involved in making the music that many of us felt so close to at the time by making us privy to everything that happened behind the scenes. These guys worked like crazy for something they loved, regardless of whether it would ever pay off. It also shows how things have changed. Gone are the days of the Xerox machine. They've been replaced by the advent of iTunes and Myspace. While there are still bands that put their own album art together and screen print their own shirts, they do so by choice. Skates and his peers did it out of necessity.

Rating: 7/10

Website

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Review: Tia Carrera - You Are the War 7"

Label: Arclight Records

Released: 2007

Over the course of rock history, "Louie Louie" has been covered countless times. Its simplicity and infectious hook make it an easy task for even the most pedestrian bands. On the other hand, to my knowledge, only one band has covered Lungfish's "You Are the War." There's a few reasons: Lungfish is fairly far outside of the mainstream, "You Are the War" is far from a pop song, and most importantly, how would one go about it? The song is a great example of Lungfish's seething, yet oddly subdued psychedelic art punk. Where to go with a song that already pushes the edges of sanity?

Enter Tia Carrera, a band who's captured the trippy energy of Hendrix and the musical insanity of instrumental Black Flag on other outings. Even for them, "You Are the War" had to be such a challenge. Where could they take it? Well, first, they take the three minute original and expand it to a twelve minute epic (splitting the song over both sides of the 7 inch). Then they take the psychedelic power that churns under the surface to the forefront, rounding off its angular punk edges with waves of fuzzed out guitar and organ. The extended interplay between these two over the thunder of the rhythm section is one of the best excuses not to do drugs. Who needs anything else with a freak-out like this? This is what true psychedelic music should be. This is the trip. And it just keeps going...and going...and going. Even having to flip the record won't break the spell they cast.

If I had any doubts remaining after hearing November Sessions and Heaven/Hell that Tia Carrera was the best heavy psyche act going, this EP, this one song, a cover even, dispels them. Tia Carrera take an almost uncoverable song, shake it free of its moorings and fly off on a new trip.

Rating: 10/10

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Review: Gang Green - You Got It, Older...Budweiser, Can't Live Without It

Label: Metal Mind Productions

Re-issued: 2007

Metal Mind Productions has recently re-issued Gang Green's Roadrunner catalog on limited edition CDs. While this period may be just past their prime (1985's Another Wasted Night), they still find Gang Green in high gear. You Got It is a lot closer to its predecessor than I remembered and it remains one of the best albums in the skate rock sub-genre. 1989's Older...Budweiser finds the band drifting a little further down the metal path, but not to the point of being bloated and lethargic as many punk-cum-metal outfits had. The bonus tracks are none other that the hilariously-titled Van Halen parody, I81B4U EP. The only trouble is that it fits better with the punk-oriented You Got It, but that's just a minor complaint. Can't Live Without It, their 1990 live album and their last release for Roadrunner, was a first time listen for me and it reminded me of why I regret never having seen Gang Green live. All of their wild rebellious fun is captured here in all its glory. The album errs on the side of energy rather than quality, but I can't imagine anyone who would want it otherwise.

These three re-issues are a reminder of a band that may have been lost in the historical shuffle over the years, but not so easily forgotten by punks and skaters who grew up in the 80s. Gang Green should have no trouble resonating with a new generation of kids as, for better of worse, punk, skateboarding, beer, anger and fun seem to be as popular as ever.

Rating:
You Got It - 8/10
Older...Budweiser - 6/10
Can't Live Without It - 7/10

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Interview: Towers of Hanoi

Gainesville, Florida's Towers of Hanoi recently unleashed their third release upon us and Paranoia for the New Year is a shining example of what post-hardcore can be even while being brought down to earth by simple hard rock influences. It's the kind of album that makes you wonder, "Whoa, how did they do that?" In an effort to find out, I was able to get this interview with their guitarist, Travis.

RnRnMN: Your music seems to bring together two disparate genres: hard rock and post-hardcore. What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of each and how do you bring them together? Was that the intention or a happy accident?

Travis: The line between post-hardcore and hard rock was never something we consciously drew. It's been more a matter of trying to write songs that get a certain feeling across rather than tap a certain genre. Parts of our music that would probably be called post-hardcore usually boil down to riffs we've written that make use of a lot of melody while still trying to fill in the rhythmic gaps since we only have one guitar. A lot of the harder rock parts are really just us trying to get a certain heaviness across while still playing rock & roll. We usually try to put things together as a band, so a lot of what happens in our songs boils down to spontaneous ideas thrown together at practice.

RnRnMN: How do your influences play into that sound?

Travis: We listen to a lot of different bands and different kinds of music. Sometimes we'll run a band or album we like into the ground to the point where we can't listen to it anymore. That's when elements ofthat sound start usually start showing up in our music. We never deliberately try to rip anybody off, but it's only natural to incorporate elements of the music you love into your songwriting. We bounce back and forth between bands and genres a lot, which is a good thing because it provides new sources of inspiration and keeps you from narrowing into a specific sound too much.

RnRnMN: Your previous album, Black Feathers, was a concept album. Paranoia for the New Year seems to work as a single unit, but I didn't catch a specific concept. Was there any specific concept for this album? What do you think gives it its continuity?

Travis: Paranoia For The New Year wasn't ever really intended to be a concept album lyrically, but we did have a very definite idea about the sound we were going after at the time we started recording, which probably makes it our most consistent sounding record to date. Black Feathers was sort of born out of chaos in the studio, and while it has some very concrete lyrical themes, it's less composed from a musical perspective. PFTNY took us 2 years to write, so we had a lot of time to kick around the songs and figure out what we thought would work together musically and lyrically. We learned a lot from our previous time spent in the studio in regard to how to get the sound we wanted for this record, and the recording of the core of the album was done in about two days. From a lyrical context it's a more open-ended record, but it does contain some basic elements of doomy-ness, which are inspired by a combination of the general affect in America today as well as repeated listenings to albums like Over The Edge by The Wipers.

RnRnMN: I know that at least some of you have other projects that you work on. Does that help or hinder the progress of Towers of Hanoi?

Travis: We think it's a good thing. It's pretty standard in Gainesville to be in at least a few bands. Towers doesn't really have any kind of schedule attached to it, so members being on the road certain parts of the year isn't really an issue. Playing in more than one band helps boost your creativity as a musician, which is a positive, and it's also nice having our records spread around the country a few times a year rather than just once for a two-week tour.

RnRnMN: Gainesville seems to be a pretty fertile spot for punk rock, with a lot of bands pushing the envelope creatively while remaining in touch with the raw roots of rock n roll. What do you think contributes to the scene producing so much good music? What is your role in this?

Travis: We've lived in Gainesville for a long time, and it's been awesome watching the music scene here grow over the years. There were a lot of great bands that played around town back when the Hardback Cafe was in full swing in the mid to late 90's, and then things settled down some when the Hardback closed. Growing up and watching those bands play made a big impact on a lot of people who were hear to see it, and when new bars opened up to provide a space for live music to thrive again, all of the inertia from those previous bands helped push music here to a new level. We've been playing around Gainesville for almost five years now, and we've made a lot of great friends in the process. These days, the scene here has reached a new peak with the combination of all the great bands, The Fest, No Idea, and great up-and-coming labels like Barracuda Sound.

RnRnMN: Aside form your records not going gold, what's wrong with music today? What's right?

Travis: Whati's wrong is there's not enough emphasis on the musical side of music. Kids growing up in the mainstream these days are surrounded by manufactured images of artists and aren't getting any exposure to what making real music is actually about. It's always been this way to a certain degree, but it seems worse today. It seems like records are looked at as something people don't want to pay for anymore, so to make a living as an artist, you have to tour constantly. What's right, is a lot of artists seem to be taking control of their careers and removing major labels that take advantage of them out of the equation. There's a bigger pool of independent bands today than ever before, and the upside of the internet is it allows people from all over the world to hear your music, which is pretty huge.

RnRnMN: Pick your favorite between:

The Beatles versus the Stones

Travis: Stones, pure rock & roll.

Sex Pistols versus the Clash

Travis: The Clash, a real band with real ideals

Fugazi versus Hot Water Music

Travis: Hot Water Music, Gainesville representin'

Hank Williams versus Johnny Cash

Travis: Hank, he's the grandfather...

Iron Maiden versus Black Sabbath

Travis: Sabbath Boody Sabbath...amen

Review: Cheater Pint - Dark Side of the Pint

Label: Kinger Recordings

Released: September 11, 2007

Considering the album cover, a not-so-clever Pink Floyd parody, I had relatively low expectations for Cheater Pint. It didn't take long for the music to change that though. Cheater Pint play raw tunes that at times conjure up images of X, the Replacements, the Ramones, Cheap Trick and late-Angry Samoans even. The common denominator is that all of these influences strip away the pretensions of more complex bands, exposing honest what-you-see-is-what-get music.

The simple melodies are delivered with an edge that is engaging and even angry at times, but never bitter. The musicianship isn't what comes from a book or a school, but from playing together and knowing each other and its loose ramblings must work even better live. Like the cover implies, there's a drunken, devil-may-care nature to Dark Side of the Pint, but while that's often shakey ground, Cheater Pint manages to stay on solid footing throughout. This isn't an album that will change the face of rock music, but it may just remind you of why you started listening in the first place.

Rating: 7/10

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Review: The Flairs - Shut Up and Drive

Label: Bad Reputation

Released: November 2007 in Europe (June 13, 2006 in North America)

The Flairs play a brand of hard rock that falls somewhere between glam and punk. Shut Up and Drive is a peppy album of chunky rhythms and snotty vocals that seldom lets up. Aside from a 3/4 female line-up, it's nothing out of the ordinary. The music falls somewhere between the Donnas and the Pandoras, but lacks the light-hearted bluster of the former and the gritty toughness of the latter. Aside from their cover of Skid Row's "18 & Life," they are entirely listenable even if uninspiring. However, the cover is poor enough to drag the whole album down a notch. It does nothing aside from regurgitate the original only without the ability to sell its contrived nature as reality. There is nothing difficult about the Flairs and once the album is playing, there's no reason to turn it off. The trouble is there's nothing compelling to come back for another listen.

Rating: 5/10

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Review: Agnostic Front - Warriors

Label: Nuclear Blast

Released: November 6, 2007

One of the earliest NYHC bands, Agnostic Front was also one of the first to cross over into metal back in the mid 80s. The 90s found them getting away from the heavy riffs and more into the singalong Oi! that influenced hardcore in the first place. Their latest release finds them returning to their early hardcore and crossover roots.

Warriors actually finds itself somewhere between the pure hardcore of Victim in Pain and its metallic follow-up, Cause for Alarm. Despite being almost 25 years since they first got together, Miret, Stigma and company are relentless on this album. Driving rhythms, chunky power chords and Miret's now deeper growl unleash AF's positive force. Their strength is still their self-reliance which came from the streets and stays with them to this day. Production courtesy of Miret's brother, Madball vocalist Freddy Cricien is crisp without toning down the raw power.

Agnostic Front has been able to pull off just about everything they've tried over the years from hardcore to metal to Oi! without raising questions about their conviction. Warriors finds them coming full circle back to their hardcore roots with a dash of metal to account for the other side of their early sound. They do it without missing a beat.

Rating: 7/10

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Review: The New Dress - Where Our Failures Are

Label: Red Leader Records

Released: October (?), 2007

One of the best recent trends in punk rock is the burgeoning punk/folk (or punk/roots or punk/country) movement. While this may seem to have its roots in bands like Uncle Tupelo and the Violent Femmes, that's only partially true. Bands like This Bike is a Pipe Bomb and the amazing though little known Defiance, Ohio are at the forefront, but they aren't the only game in town. The latest band to fuse punk rock not with early rock n roll, but with its deeper roots is Brooklyn's the New Dress.

While some of the other bands have become so rootsy that they will likely alienate at least some listeners, the New Dress seems to strike a happy medium between accessible pop punk and the loose ramshackle folk whose spirit and technique they capture. Where Our Failures Are features nothing but two voices, of Bill Manning and Laura Fidler, and electric guitar. The simple guitar parts and lo-fi recording fit perfectly into the discord of their vocal harmonies.

The male-female vocal trade-offs at times butt up against each other like Shane MacGowan and Kristy MacColl's "Fairytale of New York," yet at others they work together in a strange out-of-sorts harmony. The influence of early Billy Bragg is clear even before the cover of "I Don't Need This Pressure Ron" comes up. They certainly have adopted some of Bragg's phrasing and simplicity, but more importantly, they have captured his ability to write very human social commentary.

It is their old time approach that focuses on feeling rather than technique that makes this plugged-in album more traditional than many albums with all acoustic instrumentation. They aren't a copy of the past. Like the best of their peers, they have brought the essence of the past into the present.

Rating: 8/10

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Purevolume

Halloween Tunes

Everyone has their own idea of what makes a good Halloween compilation. For me, it's pretty simple: the Misfits. Not Samhain or Danzig, just the Misfits. Their corny darkness and B horror movie simplicity manage to encapsulate the holiday's mix of fun and fright perfectly. Unlike Danzig's approach to his subsequent projects, the Misfits never take anything too seriously and that's the real beauty (if you can call it that).

Anyway, here's my top ten Misfits tunes:

1. Skulls
2. London Dungeon
3. Bullet
4. Last Caress
5. Astro Zombies
6. Die, Die, My Darling
7. I Turned Into a Martian
8. Hollywood Babylon
9. Halloween
10. Attitude

Tomorrow it's all Misfits, all day (and night, of course).

RIP Foxy

Paul "Foxy" Fox of Ruts fame died yesterday of cancer. It's a sad day for punk rock. There's some more info on his Myspace page.