|
July Reviews Artist of the Month: My
Chemical Romance
New Jersey's My Chemical Romance first graced the musical consciousness
following the release of their debut I Brought You My Bullets,
You Brought Me Your Love in 2003. From that point onward, you
could constantly find them on some bill in some city. This included
shows in the swath of the U.S. and Western Europe during the following
year. Of course, as interest and their following grew there was
a natural movement from the small Eyeball Records in New Jersey
to bigger things. Although the choice of a major label is debatable,
and only time will tell, their signing opens numerous possibilities.
Some may get the band's nod to novelist Irvin Welsh, but all will
get the band's name etched into their memory. Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge is clearly one of the best records so far this year and probably best the rock record Reprise will put out all year. The only slight against the band on Three Cheers is that Way's vocal cadence often follows the same path across the record. I promise to never let a chance to see My Chemical Romance go bye again. I think that we have found a new savior of rock music.
Ad
Astra Per Aspera The
five member clique of Lawrence, Kansas' Ad Astra Per Aspera formed
in the fall of 2001, though they took awhile to get going. AAPA
are composed of Julie Noyce on keyboards/vocals, Mike Tuley on
vocals/guitars, Brooke Hunt on guitar/percussion/samplers, Scott
Edwards on bass and Kurt Lane on drums. In the spring of 2003,
they released their debut EP on Big Brown Shark entitled An Introduction
To and then went on some sporadic touring. This, their second
EP, was recorded at Black Lodge Studios in the winter of 2004.
Cubic Zirconia starts on "I am the Palm Tree" with a
piano that nears the American Airlines commercial before core
instruments build into low audible screaming. After some feedback,
rims and piano notes, "I am the Palm Tree" hits a high
with a male-female singing. "Bi-Pedal, Ungrateful, Empty
and Awake" ushers in like a processional with bells, slight
distortion and vocals. Midway through, the song picks up to a
more standard rock number and then diminishes in strong fashion.
The third track "Sun Sets on the Chalk Pyramids" has
some cool Nintendo-crossed-with-Middle Eastern keys in the opening,
then moves to anticipation-ridden rock theme with a strong closing.
The record concludes on the nearly six-minute "Goodland At
Night." "Goodland At Night" is as close to a new-wave
dance party we get on Cubic Zirconia and it is awesome. If there
were to be a single off the record, this is clearly it. Given
the four stellar tracks on this release, Ad Astra Per Aspera deserve
some all-star treatment in the coming year.
Amazing
Transparent Man Ouch!
The opening track ("International Gamers Committee (IGC)")
on Amazing Transparent Man's latest record is so parallel to Blink
182 that it should be illegal. Although ATM may have rifled Blink's
sound, the length of time that they have been rocking is relatively
impressive. Formed in 1997 while in college in Illinois, ATM slowly
began to expand beyond their close confines of the Midwest and
take on the coasts. Print Is Dead is their fourth record overall
and first on Double Zero Records. On this record and their previous
two, the band had punk super-producer Mass Giorgini take the reigns
in the recording. ATM's likeness to Blink is clearly linked with
the vocal stylings of Rick Muermann being so close to Blink's
guitarist Tom Delonge. Thankfully, Muermann's vocals aren't always
so similar as demonstrated as early as the second song "Pink
Eye." The eleven tracks on Print Is Dead is straight Left
Coast pop-punk with almost all songs extended out three minutes
or more. ATM also add slight hints of Smoking Popes harmonies,
which is good given the label they are on. Though I'm still contaminated
by "IGC," highlights come from "So When Did Everybody…,"
"If I Could Only Breathe Underwater," a quasi-cover
of Soul Asylum's with "Shove" and "Enter Sandman:
The Wussy Version Without the Guitar Solo." Although it seems
ATM are prone to leaning too close to Blink in one instance and
too close to the Popes in the next, I'd advise to get rid of any
Blink similarities. It is easy to eye a Blink-wanna-be and there
are too many. People respect the Popes and don't blame anyone
for lifting elements of their sound. Regardless of the criticisms
here, with the right tour I could see Amazing Transparent Man
becoming very well known.
Andi
Camp/We're From Japan! When
I tell you this I shit you not: this split EP has the coolest
package ever! Its breathtaking charm can only be understood by
holding it in your hands and unpacking to get to the CD. My meager
description wouldn't do it justice, but it's folded up paper with
an ink drawing on the cover (silkscreened) with a string on the
back holding it together. The original artwork was done by We're
From Japan guitarist John Reed Dunn. You unfold it to get to the
silver paper info sheet and black paper CD holder. Mine is hand
numbered no. 253 - I feel special. I was infinitesimally worried
that the music would not hold up to the packaging - yet I've apparently
spent the past decade in the dark as to not to have heard of Andi
Camp's Grafton Records HQ in Portland (which may be true given
my goth days - just kidding). Andi Camp is a solo singer songwriter
who used to head Ribbon Fix but now rocks herself out on piano.
We're From Japan! are another phenomenal instrumental band from
Portland that can secretly destroy you when you give them a fair
shake. Having done a couple of tours together, Camp and the Japan
four-piece decided to put their efforts into an EP. Each does
two songs and then they have a massive collaboration orgy on the
fifth. Camp, helped by Joey Prude on drums, lays out "Lion's
Den" and "Hailstorm" for your pleasure. Both songs
feature Camp's shockingly splendid voice that sounds straight
up Coheed - and if that dude from Coheed died then look no further
- with a slight measure of dirty distortion on the recording.
"Lion's Den" rumbles and tumbles with rocking piano
and an uptempo beat, before bashing into pure indie Armageddon.
"Hailstorm" is more swirling pianos and drums fills,
but shines just the same. We're From Japan! lay out a six-minute
joint on "To Temple Grandin" as a warm up to the dazzling
"All at Once." "To Temple Grandin" is good
but falls too close to ordinary instrumental bands listlessness.
Maybe it is the addition of Camp for a little piano on "All
at Once" that makes it better than better. Regardless, the
song should be in a movie that wins an Oscar and the band gets
famous. "All at Once" is the best instrumental song
I've ever heard. Given that lead in, the full-on collaboration
on "I'm on Fire" slips from "All at Once,"
but still gives Springsteen just cause to sing these bands' praises.
If you can find this record then buy it immediately. If nothing
else you can dazzle people with the packaging and by saying 'yeah,
this is fucking no. 253!'
Athlete Though some have called Athlete the Beta Band's little brothers, Vehicles & Animals kicks Beta Band's ass 99% of the time. It took a bit for this foursome from South London to find their sound, which is some merger between Pavement, Gomez and the like. The sound push for singer/guitarist Joel Pott, bassist Carey Willetts and drummer Steve Roberts came from the addition of long time friend Tim Wanstall on keyboards. This allowed them to sufficiently add keys and electronics to the slacker rock standard. Scoring producer Victor Van Vugt (Nick Cave, PJ Harvey), Athlete went into a London studio and knocked out the twelve track record - along with a bonus track for the U.S. release. Though Athlete's songs are certainly inscribed around Britain, often they sound closer in heart to American alterna-folk and indie rock. This mesh of sounds puts them in the unique position of appealing to the Shins/Sub Pop crowd and the Brit rock crowd. Athlete has already established their popularity in the UK with a top 40 hit with "You Got the Style" - including in both song and video on Vehicles & Animals and a Mercury Music Prize nomination. As with nearly all records there are ups and downs between tracks. Yet, the ups are really fucking high. The record starts with a familiar introduction on "El Salvador," before moving to the harmony driven British accented verse and chorus - a chorus that has magical appeal. Though "Westside" was one of Athlete's first songs, it pales in comparison to the rest. "Shake Those Windows" has undoubtedly Pavement influences but less on the quirkiness and more on harmony. In a non-flashy way, "Shake Those Windows" shines as one of the best songs here and anywhere. "New Project" begins with piano and vocals as electronics slide into thicken the sound. As mentioned above "You Got the Style" has already set Athlete up in Britain and it easy to see why. With a very contemporary sound, Athlete rock out the quasi-reggae backbeat chorus with a Sting-like flair. The video only adds to the song's enjoyment, whose only critique is that it could be a minute shorter without detracting from the product. Interestingly, "You Got the Style" is actually about the South London race riots of 2001. The title track follows with a sound that echoes an Elton John composition, which is a very good thing. As Pott describes it the song and the cover art is inspired by his nephew and how as a child happiness comes in small packages - namely toys. Pott strums an acoustic guitar and sings solo as "Dungeness" opens up with light drums and bass coming in part of the way. A defining moment on "Dungeness" is the group chorus of "let's go to Dungeness." "You Know" has its Pavement moments but Athlete take it beyond with one of the best sounding and feeling choruses in recent memory. Along with "El Salvador," "Shake Those Windows" and "You Got the Style," "You Know" is a standout number. The UK released version closes on the slow moving, electronic-based "Le Casio." But the U.S. version ends on the short, folksy "A Few Differences." It's nice to see a non-American artist releasing special versions of records in the U.S., as it seems to almost always be the other way around. With
enough PR love and a fair listen, Vehicles & Animals should
play very well in the U.S. Though Athlete may get criticized for
sounding too much like one band or another, you can't deny the
appeal of the record's melodic songs. It may be derivative, but
Athlete have taken all the good and shaken off all the bad.
Atreyu The Curse starts out on "Bleeding Mascara" like the second coming of Slayer - or at least their red-headed stepchild. Partway through "Bleeding Mascara," Atreyu let off the death-metal and slice shit up with their own brand of metalcore. And this is how Orange County, CA's favorite hardcore band start off their second record for Victory. When their debut Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses hit the ground in 2002 (also just re-released with bonus material), I remember thinking they were like the weaker, little brother of labelmates Darkest Hour. Yet over the course of the past two years, Atreyu has found their own notch in the hardcore world that is easily demonstrated on this record. The five-piece have worked hard on these thirteen tracks to try to divvy up flat-out screaming and melodic utterings. Given the current nature and plethora of 'screamo' bands this is a challenging endeavor. Atreyu have an edge, though, with their swirl and crunch of metal guitars and darker undertones. Part of this tightness was surely precipitated by producer GGGarth and the band's own anal demoing. As such, the final product is a substantial improvement over the debut, though is still not a picture of perfection. After "Bleeding Mascara's" blast, "Right Side of the Bed" (the first single) comes with an oddly-catchy 80s rock riff that surely grabs your attention. Besides from the riff the next ear catching moment comes from the lyrics "she'll fuck you just for a taste" (a line surely to be edited for radio). Connecting that line to the scantily clothed 'vampire' woman on the cover makes it even more impressionable. Also, keep an ear for the break down on "Right Side of the Bed." "The Flesh of Tomb," while tight, is moderately indistinguishable for the band save for the metal guitar work near the end. "You Eclipsed By Me" is more balls out heavy and "The Crimson" takes the always unfortunate slow delay guitar solo before melting into the meat. "The Remembrance Ballad" takes a similar voyage as "The Crimson," but continues the drudgery past acceptability. I do appreciate the melodic breakdown on "The Remembrance Ballad," but they drop the ball in the next breath. After the instrumental "An Interlude," the thrash guitars come from below on "Corseting" and continue on with the high pitched doubling guitar effect on "Demonology and Heartache." "Demonology and Heartache" does absolutely rock and rivals "Right Side of the Bed" as the shooting star song. Atreyu illustrates some grind on "My Sanity on the Funeral Pyre" and mix it up with some melodic vocals. "Nevada's Grace" and "Five Vicodin Chased with a Shot of Clarity" close out The Curse in climatic dress. Given the initial success Atreyu had with their first record, The Curse should do much more to blow the doors off the place. Atreyu are going to be rocking the second-stage for the all dates of Ozzfest, so if you interested in some hardcore goings on at the show check them out.
Basement
What? This
is the second record for the Fort Wayne, Indiana four-piece that
clearly searches for the college party rock crowd. Basement What?
had some nominal success in that racket with "My Beer"
which found itself on a couple of compilations - also included
as the final track on this record. "My Beer" is clearly
the standout on this self-titled eleven track record. The band
channels Dave Matthews, Barenaked Ladies and the like in an apparent
endeavor to remain a college band. Honestly, BW are probably best
heard live at a frat party when you are really drunk. Otherwise
this record is sheer torture.
Blood
for Blood Blood
for Blood has been trying to varying degrees to hang up their
gloves for awhile, but they always come back to knock out some
more love. Nothing has change for Boston's favorite old-school
hardcore pack. Serenity is a brief EP that illustrates in short
matter how they are still able to fuck shit up with the best of
them. I've heard a lot of Blood for Blood in my day, mostly recently
with Wasted Youth Brew and Outlaw Anthems, and I can easily say
several of the tracks on this EP blow away anything they have
done before. "Hanging on the Corner," the first real
track on the record, is one of the best hardcore songs that I've
heard in awhile. About their hometown, the song takes a less gruff
approach and matches up balls-out-intensity with a bit of melody
for the ladies. "A Rock N' Roll Song" starts out very
un-BFB but then comes in with the typical gang vocals. "My
Jesus Mercy" offers up a creepy breakdown while "City
Boy" has an oddly catchy chorus that again updates BFB's
image. As a treat, the boys do a cover of the classic "Runaway"
that isn't much of an improvement. Finally, Serenity is an enhanced
CD that includes footage of the band working on the record. If
Blood for Blood's comeback continues with material like this then
I'm willing and ready.
Captain
Everything! Cementing themselves in the hidden world of English pop-punk, the three-piece of Captain Everything! seek to expand their horizons to this side of the pond with their first North American release. This makes good sense since their sound is perfectly suited to the comically-geared Left Coast/Fat Wreck punk that heavily populates American punk rockers' minds. Forming in 1998, the band put out their own twenty-three track CD entitled Music By Idiots, surely as an endeavor to add some beer money to the coffers. They released their first studio album Learning to Play With…on Hectic Records and then followed it up with a split EP Make the Love Connection on 20 Deck Recordings with London's Capdown. It's Not Rocket Science was original released in the UK on Household Name Records last summer and now Union is handling the release for NA. I admittedly know very little about English pop-punk - though some from the continent - but Captain Everything!'s fourteen track effort on It's Not Rocket Science fits squarely into the pop-punk consciousness. Though they will not score ingenuity points, they also don't follow one simple sound. That is, you can differentiate the tracks from one another - certainly a plus. Some of the highlights include "Chance of a Lifetime," "Kalimbah!," "Rocket Science?," "Dear John Exam" and "Drink 'till I'm Sick Polka." If Captain Everything! were ever to get on the Warped Tour that would be welcomed with open arms.
The
Chinese Stars
Straight-up, no bullshit, I hated Arab on Radar with a passion.
I don't know why exactly. Nothing personal, nothing the individuals
did to me. One of my friends is a big fan. I just couldn't stand
any of their records, literally willing to give them all away
to the first taker. So when I found out that the Chinese Stars
consists of members of Arab on Radar I was poised for anger. Yet,
this nine-track record actually brought a measure of sunshine
into my life. Quite possibly it is the fact that these guys have
traded the random noise crap that echoed Arab and gone the way
of esoteric electro-beat dance party. The Chinese Stars consist
of Eric Paul on vocals, Paul Vieira on guitar, Craig Kureck on
drums and Rick Pelletier (formerly of Six Finger Satellite) on
synths and etc. That group has a previous record entitled Turbo
Mattress on the noted underground label Skin Graft Records. The
songs of A Rare Sensation have that 'you must be on drugs' feel
to them. Whether that is really the case or not - meaning them
or you - is less important. While a number of songs (e.g., "(Love)
and the Electric Chair") have a sweet groove to them thanks
to the bass and synths, none necessarily standout and grab you.
The songs trip along to simple lyrics, repeated often - though
not annoyingly repetitive where you want to kill yourself, but
just so they stick a little. The synths and guitars do combine
for a good drubbing (see, "Panic in the Population"),
but they are all still on the verge of being excellent. Should
I expect greatness from a new endeavor formed from the ashes of
one of my most hated groups? Probably not. But I'm very happy
with the direction the Chinese Stars are moving.
Colouring
Season The story of the Colouring Season, as told on the one sheet, is a bit hard to wrap your head around. It goes something along the lines of a guy, Faisal Sethi, moving around for awhile going from his native Canada to points in the Northwest. In the process, Sethi ran into various sorts that have shaped his music and song content. Now back in the Great White North, Sethi has banged out a five song EP as So, Is She Cool? Music's first record, which revolves around the events that took place in his life in the autumn of 2002. All story and context typically is meaningless if the music sucks. Thankfully that is not the case here. Sethi has lo-fi indie popness dribbling from his lips and fingers at all times. This is immediately shown on the opener "Julie" as an acoustic guitar lays the foundation and eclectic pieces filter in. This tone is followed on "So I Sing" and "Shoes for Free" which starts off with adorable handclaps. Sethi slows it down with acoustic guitar and vocals only on "My Camera (Shinobi Mix)." As a top off, Sethi and his cohort rock out a cover of "Manic Monday," which would really rock if they had sped up the tempo a bit. This is a fun EP and a positive step for the former street kid Sethi.
Communique This
record delivers way more than I was expecting from this Oakland,
CA five-piece. Part of their strong anchoring is that four of
the five were in the veteran punk group American Steel. The guys
decided to rename and refocus the band as their interests began
to deviate towards more electronic-based endeavors during 2001
and 2002. And thus Communique was born. Yet, there were a few
bumps along the way to this full-length debut. First, they had
to convince American Steel fans that they hadn't gone soft and
weren't trying to break fans' hearts. Next, original drummer Jamie
Kissinger left the band before they recorded their 2003 debut
EP A Crescent Honeymoon. With session drummer Eric Alexander,
the group recorded the EP, took to the road and won the respect
of the electro-indie rock world. Kissinger later came back and
the band hired keyboardist Cory Gowan as a full-time member to
fulfill their musical vision. Now with ten new songs, Communique
is making another run at the big time. I admit that I've become
a sucker for all these electro-indie/new new wave bands - or what
you want to call them - and Poison Arrows delivers your fix in
droves. Most importantly, Communique are all about writing really
good pop songs that stick with you then simply adding esoteric
electronic layers. In that respect, they should be on the cusp
of grabbing some Faint fans who have become disappointed by their
less poppy elements. Though some may back away from Communique's
at times light FM melodies (handing them the moniker Communigay),
you can't deny the poppiness makes you feel chipper - as long
as your not being cynical. Admit that some pop songs are good
and devour Poison Arrows. Also, how can you not love a band for
using images of space from Caltech's Jet Propulsion Lab. There
is little point to mention the songs track-by-track because all
get you moving and each gives you something to look forward to.
As part of Lookout's path of diversifying their previous pop-punk
foundation, the label has scored big time with Communique. With
enough effort on the label's part, Communique will blow up. I'm
off to pick up A Crescent Honeymoon EP right now.
Conshafter This
Richmond, VA four-piece expertise is in rock songs that places
pop harmonies and melodies first and everything else second. Initially
launched out of college relationships, Conshafter has only truly
been rocking since the fall of 2003. Though in that short time
they managed to be named Richmond's best live band and release
this their second record. Members of Conshafter also produce and
record other bands in bassist Rob Teague's studio Pebble Creek
Studios. The eclectic feel of the eleven tracks on Fear the Underdog
suggests these guys are students of music before any effort as
rock pioneers. That is, Conshafter excel with the right song structures
but in general lack any awe-inspiring qualities. Though Conshafter
could fall into the Weezer-esque catchy rock characterization,
they are respectably beyond any quaint parallels. As much as splitting
up their sound on these tracks, I think they would come across
better if they were more cohesive and consistent. This may partially
be a product of each member writing their own songs for the band,
trying to outdo one another to score popness. For instance, the
openers "Sleep When I'm Dead" and "The Last Day
in the Life of a Rocket Scientist" both smoke and hint at
awesomeness, but then is followed by the terrible "Heavy
Metal Parking Lot." The rest of the album is a bit hit or
miss with highlights coming from the spacey "Autopilot"
and the acoustic "Serotonin." I get the feeling from
this record that they guys are Conshafter are really cool, but
they need a smidgen more to push them over as a great band.
Down
To Earth Approach This
is the record that the Get Up Kids should have made after Something
To Write Home About. Neat, crisp, melody-laden music that makes
you feel good populate the eleven tracks on Another Intervention.
The four-piece Down to Earth Approach initially hail from the
sticks of western New York, Batavia, but now they are living in
LA. And with good reason. Since, I went to school near there I
can verify that absolutely nothing happens in Batavia - at all.
It's the kind of place that people living there refer to Rochester,
NY as the "city." That makes it all the more amazing
that these guys are able to come up with such good shit out of
such a desolate place. As the above mentions, Down to Earth Approach
take a good deal of their swagger from the Get Up Kids, but sprinkle
a bit more contemporary pop-punk to sweeten the deal. In that
respect they walk a thin line. When lead singer and guitarist
Jonathan Lullo's vocals are nearing the whining of today's pop-punk,
you want to strangle him mostly because you hear how damn good
they are without the whine. These accents may turn off the casual
listener who may characterize the band as simply another clone.
Since this is DTEA's debut on Vagrant, the band has time to mature
and for Lullo to find his own vocal sound. Another Intervention
starts out on "Exhibit of the Year" with enthusiasm
and pop that is enhanced by thoughtful guitar work. "Exhibit
of the Year" is a choice track to lay out the basic plan
for the next ten songs. Other songs that smoke include "We're
Sleeping," "Honey and Vinegar," "Face First"
and "Lights" with its phenomenal opening. Honestly,
save for the whines Another Intervention is one of the best records
I've heard all year. If Vagrant pushes hard enough for these guys,
they will very likely make a colossal splash with Another Intervention.
Look forward to seeing these guys as they support the record this
summer and fall.
Edgewater When
we first heard Edgewater's single "Eyes Wired Shut"
on the Punisher soundtrack, it wasn't dazzling. Explosive and
professional, "Eyes Wired Shut" sounds heavily produced
and maybe too dazzling. Hence, when the full-length South of Sideways
finally arrived, we weren't expecting much. And so, we were pleasantly
surprised that the twelve tracks on Edgewater's debut has a little
more meat to them then your standard Windup band. In the works
for roughly six years, the five-piece assembled in the guitar
rock haven of Dallas, Texas. With enough buzz and work in the
area, they were able to rock some showcases and the caught the
always searching ears of Windup. I'm not going to lie to and say
that Edgewater is that different from the cache of Windup bands
(different like Boysetsfire), but the band adds enough texture
and differentiation in their sound to echo elements of post-hardcore.
As with "Eyes Wired Shut," the other eleven songs are
heavily produced but underneath you get a sense that Edgewater
could do serious damage live. Songs that catch the ear include
"Inhale," "The Story of…," the sweetly
multi-segmented guitar-driven "Tres Quatros" and the
mellow "Lifter." Among the recent additions to Windup's
roster Edgewater rises to the top with South of Sideways.
Finger
Eleven
This is simply the latest single off of Finger Eleven's 2003 self-titled
record. For my listening pleasure, Windup provided a radio edit
with the original track. I remember not being very fond of their
latest full-length and this song reminds me why. The Windup people
love them so more power to them.
Forever
is Forgotten
Over the past year or so I've had such a tough time trying to
keep this band separated in mind from like-named Further Seems
Forever. Though this Milwaukee metal-core five-piece has relatively
little in common with that Florida band, I always get confused.
Dying Beautiful is actually a re-release on Thorp as this EP was
only previously available through the band and had been out-of-print
for awhile. So in retrospect to the band's debut full-length last
year on Thorp The Architecture is Still Burning, this EP is like
a greeting card. Starting off on the intro track "Fallen
For," the band proceeds to unleash three extended metalcore
drillings on "Dying Beautiful," "Destroying a Lifetime
of Innocence" and "Tied to a Stranger's Hand."
These songs clearly illustrate what Cave In would have sounded
like if they didn't go off into space on their homemade rocket.
And for carrying that torch, I salute Forever is Forgotten. As
an addition, there are two live recordings of "I'm Glad You're
Dead" and "Chocking On" and an enhanced CD portion
of the band at Furnace Fest 2003 performing "Nostradamus
Would Have Wanted It This Way." Some may know that recently
the band got a new singer CJ Krueger for Chris Lopez, as well
as new guitarist Jerry Hauppa - and so all the live material has
the new lineup. The instruments on the tracks on the CD proper
sound phenomenal and the songs clearly smoke, but the Krueger's
vocals sound like shit. It seems mostly a function of too close
screaming into a mic that couldn't filter out the distortion.
The Furnace Fest performance suggests the band is more suited
for a small club than a big outdoor stage. If nothing else, this
EP has gotten me very interested in this band.
The
Ghost Coming from a different locale (Berkeley) and from a different band (the Wunder Years), the now Chicago-based the Ghost is itching to stake their own place in the city's already impressive lineup. On this follow up to their full-length debut This is a Hospital, the Ghost continues the statement titles and offers up some of the best throaty, intense and honest records since the onslaught of Hot Water Music. Though the band fits squarely in the post-punk tradition, lead vocalist Brian Moss changes his singing emphasis enough to sound like seven singers in one on these nine songs. At one moment it feels like the Frenetics, the next Avail, the next Dismemberment Plan - and so the Ghost doesn't sound like anyone. And this is a good thing; especially the changes are based more on feeling and honesty then on a desire to diversify for the sake of diversity. This Pen is a Weapon starts with a noisy intro before rocking out with weaving guitar parts and Moss' vocals on "Broken Ears/Poison Hearts." "Exorcism in the Key of A Minor" has some of the fast music underneath slower vocals to give an odd tripping sound. "Banished and Loving It" is a fairly standard post-punk song, but the Ghost push it beyond with a quietly catchy chorus. As the Ghost moves the song tempo around all within a relatively narrow spectrum, we are given tracks like "…And Now For My Disappearing Act" that adds electronic effects and studio molesting. "A Letter From God" is another familiar song where the Ghost adds measures to make it their own. This Pen is a Weapon closes out on a six-minute instrumental voyage ("We Shall Persist") that has all sorts of sounds and could double as the Ghost's ode to indie space rock. On a side note, I was fo' shure that Some had gone the way of the dido bird, but apparently they are back to rock your nights with this new Ghost's record.
Gone
Without Trace Why the band isn't named Gone Without a Trace is beyond me, but that doesn't stop this Orange County, CA five-piece from throwing their own hat into the rink of brutal, tough guy hardcore. Having previously released an EP on Naviete Records entitled Spectate Mortem, this is the band's first record on the always bursting hardcore label Thorp Records. Though Gone Without Trace can't hold a candle to other OC brethren like Atreyu and Scars of Tomorrow, the ten tracks do have something to offer. Particularly, rubbing off an overindulgence of metal, though still with riffage, GWT represent the contemporaries of throwdown hardcore led by Hatebreed. In that respect and in that realm, GWT will appeal to fans of this sound. Yet, their lack of ingenuity on these songs likely turns off the casual hardcore listener. So, there is some disappoint associated with the record given the great live war intro track, where you are ready to get your ass blown up. But the explosiveness is never entirely fulfilled. Look for Gone Without Trace on one of the those classic hardcore lineups where there are seven to ten bands playing and you only want to see the last the two.
Hockey
Island So,
your first reaction to the name Hockey Island may be something
on the order of - 'well that's an odd name.' 'Do they write songs
about playing hockey like the Zambonis?' No, at least not yet.
'Do they live on an island?' Well, sort of - if you count the
actual island of Long Island. Initially conceived as an art school
endeavor, the present day lineup is about the umpteenth version,
but the first serious one. So the name has been passed around
a bit and now it has landed with its rightful owners. At the helm
of this NYC four-piece is Virat Shukla, guitarist of the Oranges
Band (Lookout Records). His duty as lead guitarist and vocalist
is to reign in the creative juices of guitarist Greg McKenna,
bassist Elena Fox and drummer Matt Petz - all artists in their
own right. Several years with the Baltimore-based Oranges has
certainly rubbed off Shukla's songwriting on this six song demo.
A simple characterization of Hockey Island is the Oranges' foundation
but with scores more hooks, melodies and pure indie popness. In
that respect, this is probably the best 'demo' I've ever heard
and certainly trumps a swift majority of signed indie rock bands.
The record starts on "Fire" with a dual guitar buildup
to a startling synth hook that creeps in as a bridge throughout
the number. But, "Fire" is simply a warm up to one of
the best songs I've heard this year - "Two Hippies."
My admiration and affection for "Two Hippies" has been
independently confirmed both by individual listeners as well as
the band's live show audiences. The song itself is about Shukla's
parents, but that is secondary to the day-dreaming melodies. "Two
Hippies" seduces you in slowly with the verse, then grabs
you with the chorus and takes you over the top with the closing.
"Two Hippies" is one of the few times you will have
reason to use that repeat button on your stereo. "Dark Weather"
follows with CCR reminiscent guitars and more solid songwriting
love from Shukla - with a highlight on the multi-vocal harmony
bridge. "Never Be Mine" has a free flow summertime feel
to it, while "I Lost My Voice" echoes Beatles-esque
catchy subtleness but with its own signature. The record closes
on the lurking "B25 (Everything Twice)" about a WWII
pilot fretting over his last mission. One of the appeals of this
demo is that each song has its own identity, each burning itself
to your memory, yet together they form a cohesive unit. And the
best part is that this is just the beginning for Hockey Island.
Check them out at www.hockeyislandsings.com
Glenn
Jones This
record is a means and way for Cul de Sac guitarist Glenn Jones
to move back to his first love, acoustic and steel guitars. Long
a master of the electric guitar, which he didn't get into 'til
later in life, Jones has reentered the acoustic instrumental world
after the passing of friend and legend John Fahey. Some of Jones'
acoustic reentrance can be found on Cul de Sac's 2003 record Death
of the Sun and the soundtrack to The Strangler's Wife. Yet, this
is his first solo record and is a place to lay out and control
his own material. The eight-track, forty-three minute affair illustrates
how one can communicate all types of feelings through acoustic/steel
guitar - for instance, fear, loneliness, excitement, reflection….
Most of the songs move seamlessly between segments and makes clear
the record's subtitle Solos for 6 & 12 String Guitar. As a
bonus, Jones joins with Jack Rose of Pelt for a duet on "Linden
Avenue Stomp." I'm not overly familiar with avant-garde guitar
instrumentals but Jones does a very cool thing by providing stories
and tunings of each song in the booklet. Though This is the Wind
has a soothing influence, it would be most enjoyable set to film
then only for listening.
The
Locust
This is a re-release of sorts from San Diego's favorite noise
band the Locust. Packaged in classic Locust oddity-form (a tiny
square disc and cover art of a man putting his nose back on),
the three song release includes "Follow the Flock, Step in
Shit" and "Coffin Nails" from the band's second
studio release, a 5" split with Jenny Piccolo. The third
song is "Red" from the Cry Now, Cry Later Vol. 4 compilation.
Naturally, the three songs are all great for what they are. Personally,
I was unwilling to place the tiny CD into my computer for fear
of explosion. If you like the Locust and don't have these songs
and can find this cheap then get it.
Lords The
four-piece Lords are focused on bringing guitar noise to the Louisville
music scene on this latest from Initial. With songs that extend
at max two minutes, Lords are like the poor man's power violence
band. They are greased and fueled by dirty guitars constructed
with bluesy screams on these ten tracks. In this respect, they
share common threads with Black Cross on Initial, though less
hardcore and more rock. Yet, Lords are the kind of band best heard
on cool, limited pressing vinyl then a standard CD. On a CD they
are able to include the annoyingly long final track that appears
to the previous nine tracks played backwards. A cool idea, but
its novelty wears off with one listen. Odds are that Lords are
tremendously better live than as a recorded entity.
Miss
Kittin With her first solo album, Miss Kittin (aka, Caroline Herve) has preceded to rock the electronic DJ shit out of our indie rock asses. Delving further into the electronic music scene, I realize that I shouldn't have written it off a decade ago. With such a wide span of great music out there, Miss Kittin's I Com is clearly some of the hottest shit going. Born in France, Miss Kittin got into electronic music in her home town of Grenoble at the precipice of the rave explosion circa 1990. Working in clubs and traveling to raves when possible, she began to the live the life. But it wasn't until 1994 that she started to get into mixing and DJing. Once she found she could hold her own and rock out just as hard as anyone else it opened up an entirely new life. A short time later she stopped her art schooling in France and became a full-time DJ. This lead to playing shows all over Europe and in the U.S. Her first recorded material ("Frank Sinatra," Champagne EP, Intimites EP) came with long time friend the Hacker on DJ Hell's International DJ Gigolo label. Miss Kittin came to further notice when she and the Hacker released Miss Kittin and the Hacker - The First Album on International DJ Gigolo in 2001. As a coincidence of circumstances, Felix Da Housecat was making his own waves in the U.S. and together they helped push "electro-clash" to notice. Having residencies all over Europe and a new home in Berlin, Miss Kittin knocked out I Com with producers Tobi Neumann and Thies Mynther this past year. I Com starts off on "Professional Distortion" with rock undertones to a host of blips while Miss Kittin's vocals come across like the Waitresses. "Professional Distortion" is a straight-forward commentary on life as a nightlife mover, with lines like "I have to sing,I have to tease\\I have to kiss so many cheeks\\I got the flav, I got the tricks\\I have to put guests on the list." This is followed by one of the hottest song's on the record "Requiem For a Hit." Featuring Chicago-based L.A. Williams on vocals, the song follows the refrain of "I beat that bitch with a hit" over and over with Miss Kittin repeating it towards the end after a breakdown. The slow moving and sensuous "Happy Violentine" is next with Miss Kittin taking the lead on vocals. To totally change gears, Miss Kittin follows this with the psycho-electro-punk "Meet Sue Be She." Sounding like a track from Japan's Polysics, Miss Kittin rocks a song to her manager car style as "Meet Sue Be She" is Mitsubishi, "Sue Zoo Key" is Suzuki and "Be Aime Double You" is BMW. The take away point is that it's a fun song that pumps the adrenaline. "Kiss Factory" brings back the sexiness to I Com and reinforces Miss Kittin's own appeals. "Allergic" is a song I'm feeling right now as Miss Kittin's fighting off allergies to herself. The song starts a bit robotic but builds back the smoothness. In her own words, "Soundtrack of Now," programmed and performed by the Hacker, is a mainly instrumental tribute to Detroit. This song is probably the most 'techno' that you are going to find on the record. "Dub About Me" is a seven-minute voyage of slow tempo dribbles from Miss Kittin. Measuring scattered beats around with off-English French accents, "Clone Me" illustrates Miss Kittin's ability to bring up new wave sounds to contemporary listeners. As a treat for older listeners, Miss Kittin does a cover of Indochine's 1985 European Hit "3eme Sexe" (Third Sex). I'm not familiar with the original French version, but the song has some sweet elements but they aren't taken far enough. I Com closes with "I Come.com" and "Neukolln 2." "I Come.com" finds Miss Kittin muttering some technology babble that would make a tech-head wet with very minimal beats and blips underneath. Miss Kittin rocks out more traditional tempo electronics on "Neukolln 2." As Miss Kittin's first adventure in soloism, I Com is a stunning musical product. As much disdain you may have for general electronic exploits, one cannot deny the magnetism of at least a majority of the tracks on I Com. I am sold to its power and I hope to find other items in parallel appealing forms.
My
Revenge! I
highly admire what this five-piece from Vermont is trying to do
on Less Plot, More Blood: classic old school hardcore that merges
the tough guy northeastern city image with more of the youth crew
innocence of bands like Minor Threat, Judge and Youth of Today.
But the fact of the matter is that they aren't very successful
on the thirteen tracks on their Thorp debut. Clearly they have
an audience as their debut record on Element Records has done
several pressings and they are now on the strong Thorp lineup.
Maybe it was the song and a half intro of slow guitars that put
me off, but they do little to bring me back to the fold. It is
worthwhile to note that My Revenge has certainly replicated the
old school recording sound - it purposely sounds from the early
80s. So, you can at least fool your friends for a bit and tell
them you uncovered an unheard early 80s hardcore band and have
them listen to it. Otherwise, I would pass on My Revenge's latest
offering and stick to the originals.
North
Side Kings As
North Side Kings fourth release on Thorp, the band outdo themselves
in terms of tough guy hardcore. Not impressed on the majority
of their previous records, Organizing Our Neighborhood raises
the bar. The Arizona four-piece started throwing shit together
around 2000 after stints in such bands as Cause for Alarm. Lining
up with like-minded hardcore bands like Madball and Blood For
Blood, the twelve tracks on Organizing Our Neighborhood will beat
the shit out of you. The epitome of the crew mentality, but with
talent, I suspect a large amount of fear may creep over outsiders
during hometown shows. Others in the heavy music world have taken
note of NSK as the boys had the opportunity to open for Soufly
in support of their previous record on Thorp. Highlights on this
record come from "Lowlife," "The Bad Guy,"
"Point the Finger" and "Thanks for the Memories."
As many Thorp releases have these days, there is an enhanced component
with a living room interview mainly with lead singer and guitarist
Danny Marianino speaking about the band's origins and the recent
tour with Soulfly. Probably the best part is the footage and discussion
about the short-lived roadie Mullet, who had to be let go due
to incompetence and possibly death from diabetes. If you have
enjoyed previous NSK records then you will definitely like this
one.
OTEP
As may be expected, OTEP starts their second full-length with
a disturbing intro track ("Requiem") of people in pain
and screaming. This type of opening is simply part and parcel
for OTEP. OTEP consists of headmistress Otep Shamaya on vocals
and creative whip, Lee Rois on guitar, Doug Pellerin on drums
and eVil j on bass. Forming in the fall of 2000, the group worked
to establish themselves on the Left Coast before Sharon Osborne
picked them up to rock the 3rd stage at Ozzfest even without a
contract. OTEP's intensity and ingenuity, along with rarity of
a female lead singer in the world of metal, quickly attracted
converts and labels due to their Ozzfest performances. Coming
back for a couple more Ozzfest runs, the band released an EP entitled
Jihad in 2001 and the full-length Sevas Tra in 2002. Sevas Tra
fared well commercially allowing OTEP the space to develop House
of Secrets. Part of that fare is guest drumming by Slipknot's
Joey Jordison and another appearance on this year's Ozzfest. What
is key to understanding OTEP is that the group, collective, vision,
etc. is the baby of Shamaya. In order to diverse their product,
OTEP hired eclectic producer Greg Wells and Shamaya took to furthering
her vocal roles with singing, whispering, screaming and a general
molestation of the mic. Following "Requiem," OTEP unleash
a fury of distortion, drums and screams on the intense "Warhead,"
stepping up by the riffs of eVil j. The following "Buried
Alive" is held together by a string of dark poetry recitation
by Shamaya and background music, while heavy thrashes are thrown
in for good measure. On "Sepsis," OTEP returns to the
balls out drilling metal. And so House of Secrets goes - alternations
between crazy metal and odd, slow, jazz metal featuring Shamaya's
inner thoughts. Besides the above, take note of "Hooks and
Splinters" and "Nein" - both more traditional song
constructs. At the end of the day OTEP is best enjoyed by the
goth-industrial-metal amalgam that encapsulates the essence of
the Ozzfest.
Paik Satin
Black is the fifth release by this Michigan based space rock trio
and first on Strange Attractors. With the simple elements of guitar,
bass and drums, Paik offer nearly an hour of mind-dribbling instrumental
soundscapes that move between ultra-mellow to mid-tempo indie
rock. While limiting the use of electronics, Paik prefer the guitar
to set the mood for each of the five songs with drums and bass
keeping time. Though Paik enjoy offering dissonant compositions
for audiophile heads (e.g., "Dirt for Driver" and "Satin
Black"), the group really shines on the riff-driven songs
like the opener "Jayne Field." Paik may be the perfect
background music, but I would need to have a comfy seat and some
ludes to watch a live set.
Paulson As
a recent Initial signee, New Jersey-based Paulson try to differentiate
themselves from the flooded scene by using a swath of song constructs
and the strategic use of synths on these ten tracks. In some respects,
particularly due to the eerily-feeling opener "Diaryland,"
there is some common ground with the music coming out of Omaha.
Yet, as much as that may be, Paulson holds tight to pop-saturated
rock hooks. This record has a history of sorts as the band original
recorded the first six songs in the spring 2003 for an EP. The
recordings garnered interest from a number of labels with Initial
winning out in the end. The band then went back into the studio
to add four more tracks to push it up to a full-length. Following
the intro "Diaryland," "A Great Pretending"
slides in with unsurprising fashion before a breakdown with a
low volume robot voice doubles the vocals. This type of addition
pushes Paulson past a standard, average rock band to something
more special. "Convertible" is more trippy and psychedelic
with a stronger reliance on electronics but still freshening the
sound with acoustic guitar. There is a small section in this song
that verges on a classic folk song cadence that allows the song
to stick in your head. "Nightfall" and "Most Unfortunate"
continues the spacey rock with the latter layered with some screaming
for good measure. Though some people will enjoy the band's cover
of jazz classic "My Funny Valentine," I would skip it
all together. The first of the new material, "The Hard Way,"
is one of the best songs on the record with the band sounding
more musically sophisticated. Picking up the spoken word slack
that the Dismemberment Plan left, Paulson dribbles sounds all
over "Optimism Is For Stupid Idiots." The relatively
unremarkable "Feast of Famine" sets up the dirty acoustic
version of "Convertible." The first three of the latter
tracks have a quality college radio feel to them that is always
reassuring. Paulson seems to be off to a good start at Initial
and I wouldn't be surprised to see them fundamentally altering
their sound in the future with more use of electronics.
The
Peacocks Coming
from that world of pop-punk loving Europeans, the three-piece
the Peacocks knock out thirteen punk tracks with love from Switzerland.
I'm still amazed at how often the biggest market for funny and
quirky pop-punk is continental Europe. One of the reasons that
so many bands from Lookout, Mint, etc., play in Europe so often
is the showering of love they receive from the fans. The Peacocks
are keeping the flame lit on this their fourth full-length and
second for Asian Man. Thankfully the Peacocks don't try to overstep
their sound by adding snotty pseudo punk sounds or any junk. Their
appeal comes straight from the slight nod to hillbilly rock with
a standup bass and the amazing pipes of singer Hasu Langhart.
With simple song constructs and the overly excited bass, it is
hard to not to get a smile on your face listening to It's Time
for the Peacocks. Moreover, I envision a dance party of epic proportions
when the Peacocks rock out live. Recorded by pop-punk legend Mass
Giorgini in his famous Sonic Iguana Studios in 2003, it is surprising
how you can actually differentiate the songs from one another.
While the casual listener would probably not agree, anyone with
a strong vocabulary in punk music will likely see this benefit.
Tracks that make you want to get up and dance includes "Too
Good," "Older Than Punk," "We've All Seen
Better Days," "For You" and "I'm Not Around."
The Peacocks are one of the few foreign bands that I wish were
American so I could see them often.
Ripcordz This
record's appeal is due to its history more than its actual quality.
Recorded in 1986 and released two years later, Are Go! is Canadian
three-piece Ripcordz first album. Scoring low-budget recording
time at Montreal's Concordia University and McGill University,
the Ripcordz put together fourteen initial tracks literally with
pocket change - lots of pocket change. As headman Paul Gott puts
it, by the time the record actually came out - on vinyl - the
band consisted of totally different members, but it still is the
foundation for their next nine records. Given that it is mid-80s
punk and the recording facilities weren't superb, the sound quality
on the twenty tracks isn't half bad. I've heard much worse from
newer records from less gruff punk bands. Are Go! starts on the
slightly uncharacteristic "Elvis Death Cult" with an
intro that sounds perfectly Dead Milkmen but an awesome chorus.
Possibly stranger is that the song is roughly four and a half
minutes long - a lifetime in this world. Besides from the fourteen
original tracks, this CD includes six bonus tracks including "I
Don't Dig Mushrooms," "Freedom," Ode to a Woman,"
No Future," "Santa Claus Slasher" and "Tearin'
U Apart." Tracks to take note of include "Elvis Death
Cult," "Second Chance," "Circular Motion,"
"Free Trade" and "Freedom." Since this record
has been out-of-print for a decade or so, its re-release is mainly
for archival and collecting purposes. As such, it is a valuable
commodity.
Secret
Machines If
you are searching for epic rock soundscapes then you should look
no further then Now Here Is Nowhere from NYC-based the Secret
Machines. With a ton of pre-release press, promotion and audio
streams of the record, I was really surprised when this nine track,
fifty-minute album delivered on the goods. With the opening "First
Wave Intact," a spacey, drawn out, yet sweetly catching nine-minute
affair, you may begin to wonder how a band could dream up such
sounds on the streets of NYC. That's because the three-piece of
guitarist/vocalist Ben Curtis, his brother bassist/keyboardist/vocalist
Brandon Curtis and drummer Josh Garza hail from the big D - Dallas.
All three rocked out in numerous Dallas bands in the nineties,
including Tripping Daisy. Around 2000, they got together to do
their own thing and in their own place. After a quick trip to
Chicago to record some material, they settled into the position
of struggling artists in NYC. Perseverance, dreams and some good
luck helped establish the Secret Machines as a chose live band
in the city. This plus an EP on Ace Fu Records in 2002 from the
Chicago recordings, opened doors for the band leading them to
sign to Reprise in late 2002. Scoring the creative powers of producer
Jeff Blenkinsopp, Secret Machines recorded Now Here Is Nowhere
at Stratosphere Sound in New York. That studio's name is one of
the most apropos things I've heard given the band's sound on the
record. What is uniquely refreshing is that the Secret Machines
sound so totally un-NYC's sound right now. It is safe to say that
the Secret Machines want to take on a mind-trip with a resurgence
of spacey, psychedelic, wistful music that echoes Eno's endeavors
and Pink Floyd to name a few. Though "First Wave Intact"
is the longest song here, only one falls beneath four minutes
("Light's On") and you should skip that one anyway.
"Sad and Lonely" continues with a similar feel but with
more sunshine rock than space. The Secret Machines actually turn
things down on the ambient, softly song "Leaves Are Gone."
"Nowhere Again" is one of the more standard rock tracks
that will likely get picked up on the radio. In case you were
missing Depeche Mode, the Secret Machines give such constructs
some love on the guitar-bolstered "Road Leads Where It's
Led." Do yourself a favor and skip "Pharaoh's Daughter"
to get to the piano-creeping "You Are Chains." "You
Are Chains" also picks up a modern rock theme after making
an attempt to usurp the instrumental band title. The record closes
on the nearly nine-minute title track, which features alternating
singing by the Curtis brothers. The song continues and tries to
crescendo with a wave of instruments but never truly reaches its
peak. Now Here Is Nowhere is not an album for quick hitting listening
pleasure. Rather, it is something to put in and enjoy on a recliner.
Seether If
you haven't had enough Seether of the course of this past year,
Windup has done you the favor of repackaging the Australian band's
debut record Disclaimer. I've always had mixed feelings of repackaging
a release unless, of course, the initial release was on a fledging
label that no one could get copies of. For Seether, this is not
the case. Disclaimer has already been certified gold and Windup
is good at product pushing their bands to the front. The big upside
of the re-release is the addition of eight new songs including
"Broken" featuring Amy Lee of Evanescence as well as
a DVD with live footage. I don't see why the new tracks weren't
just released with the DVD instead of left as an afterthought
to the initial release. With the inclusion of two more to the
eight then the record becomes a legit full-length. The band does
make reference to their new Sony family in the linear notes, so
this record may very well be to settle a contract. So how do the
new songs compare to the old ones - pretty much on the same plane.
However, there is generally more diversity in the eight then the
original twelve. This includes the more ballsy, heavy "Sold
Me" and "Out of My Way" and acoustic-driven "Take
Me Away." The highlight to the added tracks is "Broken"
with Lee. Now "Broken" is on the original album, but
you can certainly tell the benefit that Lee adds with her great
vocals. This song makes it third appearance on an album as it
was included by the band on the Punisher soundtrack. The DVD has
slightly over thirty minutes of live footage and five videos for
"Fine Again," "Gasoline," "Driven Under,"
"Broken" and the bit on the making of "Broken."
So, all in all this is a perfect possession for a Seether fan
- especially for one, who unexplainably doesn't have Disclaimer
yet.
Seven
Wiser
As the debut record from New York's Seven Wiser, the band seeks
to fit itself closely with the Windup roster sound. Hence, big
manly hooks, entrenched rock vocals and an over-the-top professional
sound characterize the core of Seven Wiser. Formed roughly four
years ago, Seven Wiser is headed by vocalist/guitarist Jon Santos
and joined by Joe Belle and Tudor Capusan on guitar, Joe Merrigan
on bass and Bobby Angilletta on drums. Santos has noted that he
adores 80s rock and tried to incorporate such flair into their
set, particularly through the use of solos. Though Long Island
is known as having an allegiance to 80s cock rock, I'm surprised
at how "LA" Seven Wiser's sound is. I don't know what
would have given the record a more New York feel - more toughness?
- but whatever may have is lacking here. One of the nice things
about Seven Wiser's sound is the frequent inclusion of strings
to bolster the more or less generic songs. These come in various
songs including the opener "Life" and their first single
"Take Me As I Am," which was on the Punisher soundtrack.
Although a couple of songs mix things up a bit with keys (e.g.,
"Regret" and "Good As You Think") and the
ballad "One In Equal," the clear standout track is "Take
Me As I Am." Though I may shrug off Seven Wiser, if you are
a fan of Windup's previous releases then you will surely be pleased
by this debut.
Sluts
of Trust
We're still deciding whether this is one of the coolest names
or one of the stupidest - there is often a fine line between the
two. The combo of the name and the uninspiring artwork ushered
in lower expectations. Yet, after a few minutes of listening to
We Are All Sluts of Trust a smidgen of interest and respect brings
to flow in. Coming from the recently fertile lands of Scotland
(e.g., Franz), Sluts of Trust are comprised of vocalist/guitarist/pianist
John McFarlane and drummer Anthony O'Donnell. Formed about a year
ago, the duo rode a quick wave to notoriety in their hometown
of Glasgow and is now set on invading other locales. The initial
impression you get of the Sluts from "That's Right"
and "Piece O'You" is some sort of dirty Hedwig glam
endeavor - though without the melodies. The Sluts seem to enjoy
the idea of rocking out with a margin of chaos flooding in from
time to time. While this can be interesting, it is certainly not
entrancing recorded. One of the consequences of the disjointness
is that if you let the record just play you often have to check
which track it is on. Live this may very well be a different story
as the duo seems to love to glam-rock the shit out of the songs.
The ten tracks on We Are All Sluts of Trust bring up mixed emotions
as I'm glad that Scotland's scene is getting love and groups are
bringing back flair, but I can't just love them for being Scottish.
There are enough American groups, particularly in NYC, that offer
up a similar product that often exceeds the Sluts to befall to
them - see the Everyothers. With enough molesting of their craft,
the Sluts can become something special - just not with this record.
Sons
of Daughters
Admittedly when I first saw the name of the band I thought they
were someone else. In that, the name sounds very familiar. Like
the Daughters from Providence's power violence scene? No. The
Daughters of the Confederacy? No. Are they that Scottish band
that's been riding the Franz Ferdinand wave? No, that's Sons and
Daughters. And though the band's name sounded familiar, I had
less initial hope for the music. Yet, the six-song, twenty-eight
minute EP has a right at home feel to it - something known but
new and refreshing. And that is exactly what I was craving. The
Sons of Daughters grew out of the disbanded Darrly's Grocery Bag
in Alberta, Canada around 2003. DGB had carved out their own trail
in Canada, but the trail was a bit wayward. So the Sons of Daughters
come in armed with Todd Gesshe and Tyler Toews on guitar and vocals,
Jeff Thompson on bass and vocals and Craig Florence on drums.
It is hard to characterize the specific sound that the Sons of
Daughters display on the EP, but one thing is certain the songs
are well-crafted, thought out and dynamic enough to hold an ear.
The EP starts on "Scripts and Stories" with an enticing
70s rock guitar riff before Gesshe comes in with his simple and
plain but distinctive vocals. While you are waiting for the riff
to come back, the guitars provide a toggle-switching AC/DC constancy.
"Drop Me In the Well" comes next with all up-picking
folk-rock abandon and stringing lyrical story. "Ann-Marie"
opens with a light bass line that sounds like the introduction
to an indie rock opus. And while it is, it is so much more as
guitars trip harmonics and Ed Toews provides background violin.
To pick up from the slow-down, Sons of Daughters offer more bluesy
guitars on "Hotter Than Heaven." "Three Sheets"
slows it down again with Andrea Matchullis adding vocals and pianos
to the six-minute affair. The chorus to "Three Sheets"
probably has the most top forty rock radio flair on the EP. Sons
of Daughters end the record on a high note with "Tonight
We Pray for Rain," another song echoing the song and lyrical
craft of Neil Young. This is one of the best EPs I've heard in
a long time and I'm counting the days until we have a full-length
from this Canadian four-piece.
Strata
This is the first single from the California-based four-piece
Strata's debut album coming this summer. Though the band has some
potential with the right nod to using heavy muting, on "The
Panic" they fall into the blend of similar sounding Windup
bands. Hopefully, their record will belie this characterization
and demonstrate uniqueness.
Time
in Malta
With one of the coolest band names ever, San Francisco's Time
in Malta continue to rock the boundaries of the ordinary and help
lift EVR's continuingly amazing lineup. After an initial spat
of releases on Escape Artist and State of Grace, the four-piece
released their EVR debut in 2002 entitled A Second Engine. A Second
Engine helped put the band over-the-top in quality and allowed
them more space and benefits as a full-time band. While Time in
Malta could have taken it easy with this follow-up after spending
endless time on tour, that touring time with a varying cadre of
artists seem to have only regenerated the band. A key gut check
of a hardcore band nowadays is whether they can differentiate
themselves enough from the flooded pack. Though Time in Malta
has been rocking it since the late nineties, that doesn't give
them card blanche in terms of ingenuity. Starting with a light
and short acoustic intro track entitled "Forty Seven,"
Time in Malta comes full swing with "Bare Witness."
On "Bare Witness," vocalist Todd Gullion offers up the
screaming while Chris Lyon's guitar smokes with harmonics on the
bridge to the chorus - very much not unlike Shai Hulud. Putting
"Bare Witness" as the 'first' track is a smart move
as the guitar work shines above the rest. "Tightrope"
follows with more standard compositions but a catchy punk Braid-esque
chorus. "Louder Than Bombs" picks up on "Tightrope's"
chorus and finds Guillon sticking to mostly 'signing' vocals with
screams as emphasis on a very catchy track. The same can be said
about "Ghosts." One downside to some of Time in Malta
are the heavy guitar assaults that come too close to the crunch
of new metal which needs to be avoided (e.g., "What Are We
Afraid of ?" and "Perform the Surgery"). Watch
out for the fire coming from the amazing "Catalyst"
and the extended and excellent closer "The Wayfarer."
Time in Malta really dazzles on the relatively lighter material
such as "Louder Than Bombs," though acknowledging the
heavier stuff does add sound diversity. With Alone with the Alone
Time in Malta have lived up to their cool name by showing how
you can take a well-worn sound and make it your own.
V/A As the good folks at Temporary Residence stated in their first label compilation, very rarely do you ever find a worthwhile comp. Most often the comp is some sort of mash of released material or there are a couple of good unreleased tracks and the rest is a bunch of junk. This new comp from the ever growing Volcom label - yes, an outgrowth of the clothing line - falls somewhere in between the good and the average. The positives of the comp come from the sheer number of tracks - forty-six -, the amount of unreleased material - thirty-six tracks - and the amazing number of awesome bands. The downside is the pure amount of filler and sub par material from other bands. The "big" names include Pennywise, Rise Against, Brazil, Guttermouth, Strung Out, Piebald and Death By Stereo - though it is not as if these bands all give their best effort. For instance, Pennywise just has a live recording of "My Own Country." The release of this comp is coupled with Volcom's sixth year of sponsoring a stage at the Warped Tour and you can be assured that this comp will be highly available at the shows. With respect to that promotion, Volcom's entire current roster are featured on the comp. This includes A Faith Called Chaos, Single Frame, Guttermouth and Arkham. The highlights on the double-disc release include the unreleased material from Rise Against's "Obstructed View," Big Wig's "Six-Eight," the live version of "Favorite Thing" by Death By Stereo, Western Waste's "Were Dying," the always hotastic Brazil with "Paradise and Iron," Another Damn Disappointment's "Hooked," Piebald's "There and Back Again," Codeseven's "Suggestive," "Insecure" by the Q, the mostly instrumental "This One's for Osker" by Auditory Aphasia, Pistolero's "Locker Room" and Madison's "How Can I Run." The bottom line is you can't ignore the sheer amount of material on this comp. While some is good and some is bad, if you can find a deal on it then pick it up.
copyright exoduster.com 2004 |