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October Reviews Artist of the Month: Snapcase As the fourth full-length from these Buffalo, NY legends, End Transmission is a tremendous record guided by the principles and innovations that have lead Snapcase through the years. Moving into their 12th year on Victory Records, and amassing a broad and deep catalog of releases, End Transmission should take Snapcase beyond the level that Progression Through Unlearning initially placed them. That is, although Lookingglassself made them legends, Progression Through Unlearning allowed them to breakthrough to the heavy music mainstream. This in turn helps(ed) them influence a generation of new bands. If you are like me, their latest release Designs for Automotion in 2000 lacked the intensity and quality of Progression. Hence, I was worried that End Transmission might once again not provide the chills that Snapcase is characteristic in providing. Pleasantly, the chills are back, as Snapcase have produced one of their best records in End Transmission. Most poignantly, it seems that Snapcase took the flavor from all of their past releases, mix it together and produced a list of hits. The songs move between slow, brooding numbers (e.g., "Ten A.M.") to faster straight-ahead hardcore (e.g., "First World) to a greater reliance on harmonics (unfortunately absent in Designs). Interestingly, the record has this Fugazi-type feel to it, as if Fugazi decided to turn up the distortion and get a bit heavy. Snapcase have also brought out a vast array of sounds to fill out the album. For instance, and I swear, there are a few breakdowns where you hear the echos of piano. That's right there is piano on a Snapcase album. Out of the 13 tracks, it is difficult to point a few out as the stellar. Each has its own quality and appeal, and thus End Transmission possesses that rare quality on records where the songs must be digested as a whole.
If you had any interest in Snapcase in the past, End Transmission
should make you believers once again. If nothing else the Empire
Strikes Back-esque artwork, showing Buffalo in the winter
(scary), should make you take a moment to appreciate it at the
record store. End Transmission reaffirms the faith that
Snapcase is one of the best, brightest and most innovative bands
in the heavy music world. Look for them to expand their international
appeal and influence as the music gods bow to this five-piece
from Buffalo. If you are pathetic enough to not have seen them
live (and you missed years of the tightest live band, with all
of the guitar throws and acrobats), you can catch them on the
road now with Boy Sets Fire and Atreyu.
Boy
Sets Fire Boy Sets Fire, the quintessential emo-core band from Delaware, is back with a new EP and first release on Windup. Overtime the band has been a high quality machine with widespread appeal and broad support. Always a strongly politically and socially aware band, lead singer Nathan Gray's lyrics do not drop off in the least on this EP. Songs such as "Release the Dogs" discuss the U.S. government and society's move to ultra-militarism and the slippery-slope of giving up on our civil liberties. Hence, this EP is sure to be on high on Ashcroft's 'albums of the year.' But what I like about BSF in general, is that when they attack issues that "matter" it is not done in a trite or weak manner. Often it is done with authority and a unique sense of flow. What surprises me the most about the three new songs on this release is their optimal quality. Surely, this is a combination of BSF maturity and the ability to take their time on producing strong material in the studio. Partially, in song structure, BSF has taken a note from their compatriots Snapcase as in "Release the Dogs." The EP also includes three songs ("After the Eulogy," "Handful of Redemption" and "Rookie") recorded live at Club Krome in South Amboy, NJ. As with most of the releases from Boy Sets Fire, the EP sets itself apart from other releases on the market. Any fan would surely be blessed with this EP.
Digger Going back to the basics, Digger have produced a stellar release in Keystone. Relying on the characteristic Lehigh Valley, PA punk sound, first set out by Weston, Keystone goes back to the innocence of Powerbait and layers it with what they have learned over the years on albums like Monte Carlo. Digger is now almost entirely composed of new members now after a couple of departures. Yet, lead singer Chris Benner remains at the core and he is excited more than ever on what the new lineup has to offer. Though not approaching their best songs ever on the Weston split, the eleven tracks on Keystone come pretty damn close. There is the basic pop-punk groundwork mixed with keyboards and a heavy reliance on rhythmic solos. Among the gems are "Stars Over Boulder," "Someone Save Me," "If You Know What I Mean," and "C-Note." For those you were treated so long ago, remember their majesty when they rocked out with the Midgets and you will remember why Digger rules. Catch Digger on the road as they are planning to tour nonstop until they all pass out like Slash on the floor.
Ee is a sweet collaborative project from San Francisco, which includes members and former members of Seam, Korea Girl and Total Shutdown. This is Ee's first release with their new realigned group. The first impression one gets from For 100 We Try Harder is epic landscapes on mellow indie-rock. And it is good; oh so good. Though one can characterize Ee as coming from the land of 10 minute ultra-mellow indie tunes, they never move into boring and redundant territory. This is due in no small part to songs that move to poppy indie rock and then back to the mellow instrumental epics. For example, this distinction is immediately seen on the difference between "Swallowed East"("Slow Motion Restart") and "Beijing." At times Ee sound like the better songs from the Weakerthans (e.g., "Promise Sleeps Under a Tree"/"Thomas Sleeps Beneath an El Paso Tree") and at other times like Mineral (e.g, "Tiny Spot"). Also included on this 70-minute love fest is a ton of "hidden tracks." The hidden tracks range in quality, but some are quite good and you should go through to find them. For 100 We Try Harder is a great album from a great band. If you are like me you would probably appreciate them considerably more recorded than live, but to each his/her own.
This is the third album by this seven-piece from Santa Cruz and first in nearly four years. Mixing their own unique style of ska, punk, soul and rock, Slow Gherkin have produced an album that smacks of an eclectic effort. Each song has its own unique sound, due in part, no doubt, to the aspect of a collective jam. However, this produces a variety of good and not-so-good tracks. At the same time, almost anyone should find something to that appeals to them on this record. For instance, you find one track that's a bit of punk/ska and then another that sounds more like Son, Ambulance (e.g., "Baby Snake"). Some of the choice tracks include "11:47," "Oxford Way," "Sally Boulevard" and "Condors." I can see these guys sharing the stage with jam bands; be that good or not. At the end of the day, Slow Gherkin may come across better live than recorded.
The
Beautiful Mistake This is the first release for these Riverside, CA boys on the upstart label The Militia Group. Melding the epic worlds of emo, punk and hardcore, The Beautiful Mistake have made a legendary album. Growing out of a previous project Ember, TBM formed in the beginning of 2001. Kicking out a respected self-release EP "December," they quickly signed with The Militia Group. Most impressive is that TBM's release tops the recent trend of bands mixing the mellow with the heavy. Layered on that combination, they place melodic harmonies within the heavier punk, making the world sound good. For instance, "Stabbing Backwards" moves and dances through multiple sections landing on an exceptional juxtaposition of heavy and melodic. Moreover, many tracks leave an impression on your memory, allowing them to stand out when compared with other bands. This is true particularly on the quasi-title track "Light A Match." Apparently, some this excellence is due to greater reliance on studio effects, enhanced by the mastermind producer Ed Rose (Get Up Kids, The Anniversary). According to their press release, TBM still have day jobs when they return home. I think after this album is heard by the masses, those jobs will quickly be given up for a life of kick-ass rock n' roll.
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