Saturday, December 27, 2008

Year End Wrap Up

And my last post with this blog.

My top 10, in some particular order.

LPs
1. Paint it Black - New Lexicon
2. Able Baker Fox - Voices
3. Blacklisted - Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God
4. Lemuria - Get Better
5. Frank Turner - Love, Ire and Song
6. Dustheads - Little Pieces (re-recording)
7. Dillinger Four - Civil War
8. Off With Their Heads - From the Bottom
9. Have Heart - Songs to Scream at the Sun
10. Sigur Ros - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust

Honorable mention:
Bridge and Tunnel - East/West
Chuck Ragan & Austin Lucas - Bristle Ridge
Braindead - No Consequences
Memorial - The Creative Process/Berlin

EPs
1. Title Fight - Kingston
2. Gaslight Anthem - Senor and the Queen
3. Crumbler - Dirty Weeks
4. The Steinways - Unoriginal Recipe
5. Dead to Me - Little brother

Friday, October 17, 2008

Revival Tour Sendspace

Someone posted a torrent of this show out on the interweb, but it was FLAC. A friend of mine downloaded it and converted it for me. I haven't even listened yet, so I'm not sure on quality, but check it out.

Set list is from the torrent's info page. Seems pretty accurate, to the best of my recollection.

DOWNLOAD HERE


01. Intro>
02. Tim Barry-Shoulda Oughta
03. Chuck Ragan-Do You Pray
04. Jon Gaunt-Fiddle solo
05. Ben Nichols-Last Night In Town
06. Jesse Malin-Russian Roulette {Lords of the New Church cover}
07. Jesse Malin-Wendy
08. Jesse Malin-Leaving Babylon {Bad Brains cover}
09. Jesee Malin-Megan Don't Know
10. Jesse Malin-Black Haired Girl
11. Jesse Malin-Bastards of Young {Replacements cover}
12. Jesse Malin-Brooklyn
13. Jesse Malin-You Can Make Him Like You {Hold Steady cover}
14. Tim Barry-Exit Wounds
15. Tim Barry-On and On / Dog Bumped (part 1)
16. Tim Barry-Dog Bumped (part 2)
17. Tim Barry-Wait at Milano
18. Tim Barry-Avoiding Catatonic Surrender (part 1)
19. Tim Barry-Avoiding Catatonic Surrender (part 2)
20. Tim Barry-Church Of Level Track
21. Ben Nichols-Nights Like These
22. Ben Nichols-When You Decided to Leave
23. Ben Nichols-I Can Get Us Out Of Here
24. Ben Nichols-Toadvine
25. Ben Nichols-San Francisco
26. Ben Nichols-Hate and Jealousy
27. Ben Nichols-Nobody's Darlings
28. Ben Nichols-What are You Willing to Lose
29. Ben Nichols-The War / The Last Pale Light In The West
30. Chuck Ragan-California Burritos
31. Chuck Ragan-Between The Lines
32. Chuck Ragan-Don’t Cry
33. Chuck Ragan-It’s What You Will (part 1)
34. Chuck Ragan-It’s What You Will (part 2)
35. Chuck Ragan-Open Up And Wail
36. Chuck Ragan-Bleeder (Alkaline Trio)
37. Chuck Ragan-Geraldine
38. Chuck Ragan-The Boat
39. Chuck Ragan-God Deciding (Hot Water Music)
40. Chuck Ragan-Symmetry
41. Chuck Ragan-Bloody Shells
42. Chuck Ragan-For Broken Ears (w/Dave Hause [from the Loved Ones])
43. Ben Nichols-Hold Fast
44. Tim Barry-Idle Idylist
45. Chuck Ragan-Revival Road

Frank Turner - Love, Ire and Song

Frank Turner - Love, Ire, and Song
X-tra Mile (England)

A year ago, my friend Mike started telling me all about Frank Turner, but I sort of didn't pay attention. I'm not sure why, but holy hell did I miss out. Recently, someone showed me mp3s of this new album, which Mike hadn't told me about. I checked it out on a whim, and was absolutely floored. From the first time I listened, I was blown away. For the last few weeks it's been hard for me to turn this off, and the only reason I do is so that I don't burn myself out on it. I'll try to keep from gushing further, but I make no promises.

Frank Turner is a singer/songwriter from England, which immediately leads to Billy Bragg comparisons. While they've valid, they're not entirely accurate. Turner is a much more layered songwriter, and his guitar parts are interesting, whether solo or with a full band setting. There are more upbeat and energetic songs like "Imperfect Tense" and "Reasons Not to Be an Idiot," as well as slower, more relaxed songs such as "Substitute" and "A Love Worth Keeping." Some songs are mostly Turner, while others contain all sorts of various instrumentation.

What makes this record truly great, however, is the lyrical content. As a 25 year old, constantly struggling with the battle of getting older and "maturing," while still enjoying my youth, Turner seems to have written the soundtrack to my last year. Ideas of moving into adult, while still thinking "I won't sit down, I won't shut up, and most of all I will not grow up" speak to disillusioned mid-twenties everywhere. You know that feeling you get when you realize that you're just another person stuck in the 9-5, and "punk rock didn't live up to what (you'd) hope that it could be"? Yup, Turner knows that too. There's a sense of disillusionment on this record that runs deep, but is coupled with a feeling of youthful optimism that makes you feel like it will all work out.

This album seriously surprised me and came out of nowhere, but it's easily in my top three records of the year and I can't recommend it enough. It was originally released in England, but you can get import versions (CD) on Amazon for reasonable prices. I'm hoping to track down the vinyl in the near future. I have enough CDs that are now "coasters for beer and clean surfaces for drugs," sings Frank.*


*PS. Happy edge day! Mine is sharp as ever.

The Revival Tour - 10.10.08

The First Unitarian Church
8:30 PM

I've been to a lot of really great shows this past year, but lately I've found myself pretty strapped for cash and resigned to a lot of weekends on my couch watching reruns of bad tv shows and screwing around online. It takes a lot for me to make it out to a show lately, and unfortunately, I haven't been able to make it to a lot of killer shows. One show that I refused to miss was The Revival Tour, featuring Chuck Ragan, Tim Barry, and Ben Nichols. This wasn't billed as your standard three-act show. Each artist was going to be in and out throughout the night, playing songs together, as well as independently. They wanted to recreate the feel of old vaudeville shows, and the result was awe inspiring.

To start the night, Chuck, Tim, Ben, and a handful of supporting musicians all hit the stage. Digger Barnes manned the upright bass, John Gaunt played fiddle, and I'm not sure of the pedal steel player's name, but he killed it all night. Initially, this "supergroup" played a handful of songs together, including some of their "hits." After this disbanded, Jesse Malin hit the stage and played a semi-solo set. He was accompanied by some of the backing band, as well as a keyboard/accordian playing woman. I was ok with his set for a few songs, but after a while it just dragged on. He played a Bad Brains cover, as well as a Hold Steady song and "Bastards of Young" by the Replacements (which he slowed to a crawl and made painful). All in all, a lackluster performance. The lucky shows following this had Frank Turner in his place, and other strings of dates have Sundowner, Austin Lucas, and Tom Gabel. I guess Philly got the short end of the stick.

Next, Richmond's favorite son Tim Barry played a nice mix of his solo songs, and got the crowd pretty into it. The sing-a-longs for "Dogbumped" and "Avoiding Catatonic Surrender" had a punk rock intensity, and "Exit Wounds" secured its place as one of my favorite Tim songs. He didn't play any Avail songs, but it didn't matter. He sounded great, and despite the fact that his songs are simple and repetitive, his intensity and sincerity are blatantly obvious.

Lucero was never a band that I was super into, but I've always enjoyed the Ben Nichols solo songs I've seen on YouTube. Needless to say, I was really impressed live. He's a fun showman, despite hobbling around on crutches and sitting for a majority of the set. I didn't recognize any of the songs, but Jon Loudon informed me that they were all Lucero songs, so I'm going to have to check them out more thoroughly.

There's not much that can be said about Chuck Ragan. Hot Water Music is one of the biggest influences on my music collection, and Chuck's solo stuff has been plentiful and inspiring over the last year or two. Live, he delivered yet again. Any of the solo songs that I could've asked for were played, as well as "Bleeder," "God Deciding," and "California Burritos." He played mandolin, guitar, and harmonica with such excitement that it was hard to not just stare in unadulterated awe. I make it a point to see him whenever he comes around in any form (HWM or solo), and I can honestly say that he's one of my two favorite songwriters of all time.

After Chuck's "solo" sstuff they whole band came out for a few more songs, including closing with "Revival Road," which they recorded just two days later. Grab it! As a whole, this was by far one of the best shows that I was lucky enough to catch this year, and I'm hoping that I get to see any and each of the performers again in the near future. It's great to see a tour built on genuine friendship and respect, both personally and musically, and that's exactly what The Revival Tour is.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Bridge and Tunnel - East/West

Bridge and Tunnel - East/West
No Idea Records

A few years ago, it felt like Latterman was playing every show I went to, and I really couldn't care less. It was odd, because they were a band that I should enjoy. Scratchy punk with melodic hooks, big bears, and that No Idea records sound. For some reason, it never stuck, and because of that, I wrote off Bridge and Tunnel from the outset. Well, that was a shame, because I've really come to love their debut full length, East/West.

Starting off with "Wartime Souvenirs," one would think that this is a more punk rock record, picking up where Latterman left off. But to make that assumption would be thinking a little too quickly. While there is a definite punk feel, this is more of a gruff indie rock record, not unlike Domestica era Cursive. Dense layers of fuzzy guitars weave together, almost reminding you of Minus the Bear (particularly on songs like "Night Owls" and "Dear Sir" due to the drums). They're technical and noodley, but not as precise as Minus the Bear. There's an underlying Kinsella vibe as well (Cap'n Jazz and American Football), but this is mostly in the music.

As stated above, the vocals have a very Cursive sound, with a hoarse shout from singer/guitarist Jeff, and a mix of female vocals from Rachel and Tia (guitar and drums, respectively). What really helps to make this band interesting is the lyrical content. There is a current of optimism to the record, with a positivity that borders on cheesy but never goes overboard. The rallying cry to "build something better," both personally, socially, and globally fills the record, and it's obvious that they're passionate about what they care about, which is important.

I'm disappointed in myself for sleeping on this band for so long, but I'm glad that I've finally checked them out and realized what all the hype was about. Unfortunately, I'm sure I missed a lot of great shows they've turned in over the past few months. Luckily I saw them at Party Mansion last month and will see them at Fest next month. Burn your sleeves!

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Broadways Calls - s/t

Broadway Calls - s/t
Adeline Records









Fuck, this is good. Like, really pretty damn good. I really didn't want to like this band, kind of based of what I read on the internet about them, and this album art. I expected it to be super poppy and cheesy, and really something that I'd hate. So, a few weeks ago, I saw that they had a video ("Call It Off") on On Demand. I decided to throw it on, and it kind of fit what I'd expected. It was super poppy, and definitely radio-friendly pop punk. But, there whether it was the stage dives, decent band t-shirts (and I'm 99% sure a HWM tattoo!), or underlying Green Day inflection to the vocals, I got the feeling that this was pop punk by fairly legit punk rock kids. It was enough that it made me check out the full length. And I liked it. A lot.

The song "Call it Off" from the video is the first from the record, and the Myspace profile song "Back to Oregon" are two of the first three songs, and are both undeniably good pop songs. But, the rest of the record shows a band with equal footing in radio pop punk and the East Bay circa 1992. This record is full of buzz-saw guitars, a singer who sounds like he's trying to sound semi-British (ala Jawbreaker and Green Day), but with big vocal hooks and choruses. Gang vocals and "whoa-ohs" are all over this record, as are fast tempos and lyrics of growing up, hitting the road (and the inevitable return home), and of course girls and relationships.

While this record is sure to turn off the hardcore and punk purists, I can honestly say that I'm impressed by it. It's a bit long (14 songs, 40+ minutes), but there's enough variety and musicianships, and hooks to fill it up. I'm looking forward to hearing what else these guys come up with, and to checking out their split with Teenage Bottlerocket. Maybe all the teenyboppers that these guys attract will find them as a great springboard into even more legitimate pop punk, like Green Day fans did back with Dookie. And even if they don't, I'd rather have kids watch this video on On Demand than a lot of the crap on there.

Banner Pilot - Resignation Day

Banner Pilot - Resignation Day
Go-Kart Records










In the review of the Monikers full length (below!), I referenced the split between them and Banner Pilot. I was more impressed with the two Banner Pilot songs on that 7", and that carried over to the debut full lengths from those bands. Resignation Day is a solid debut full length that shows a lot of energy and excitement from this Minneapolis pop punk band.

Saying Minneapolis should give at least some indication of where these guys are coming from, as that D4/OWTH sound is pretty pervasive on this record. Of course, Banner Pilot shares a member with Off With Their Heads, so this isn't too surprisingly. Musically, it's similar, but Banner Pilot has a slicker, more polished feel to it. It's still gruff, scratchy, and undeniably pop punk, but the thick guitars and upbeat drums give it a slightly cleaner feel than OWTH, or split-mates Monikers.

If I had one gripe about this release, it's that it's not out on vinyl yet, and I have yet to hear any plans for it's release. That said, it's a minor complaint for a solid debut. If you're into the aforementioned Minneapolis sound, or bands like Lawrence Arms or even Jawbreaker, Banner Pilot is definitely a band worth checking out. Their split with Monikers was a great introduction, and this debut full length has been getting a lot of play from me. I can't wait to check em out at Fest this year!

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Monikers - Wake Up

Monikers - Wake Up
Kiss of Death Records









A while ago I got my hands on some mp3s of the Banner Pilot and Monikers split 7 inch. I was impressed by both sides and looked forward to hearing more from both of these gruff Jawbreaker-ish pop punk bands. Luckily, both of them released full lengths this year! I was really excited to hear Wake Up, the recent LP by Monikers, especially when I found out that they consisted of multiple ex-members of Discount and would be in Philly in September (fuck, did I miss that show?)

Well, I'm kinda disappointed in this record. It has that scratchy vocal and fuzzy guitar sound of The Lawrence Arms, before they really started to tighten it up. This record (and band) have a ton of potential, but it's never really reached on this LP. The songs seem to blend together, with little separating the tracks (until the closing acoustic track, which is boring of it's own merit).

The songs all plod along at a slightly above mid-tempo feel, and fuzzy, slightly distorted guitars never really do enough to make it interesting. There are moments when they really slow it down, and add some different guitar layering (the bridge in "Papers") and it provides a nice change. I've heard some complaints on the production of this record, and I could see why. It's a bit muffled sounding, which could really add to a band like this, but instead hinders them here.

While I was typing this, I checked and I didn't miss that Philly show, and I'm still going to go check them out. This record is good, but with some many bands doing this style better, there's really no reason to give this particular LP too many more listens. There's a lot of potential here, and I'm hoping that they can live up to it on their next release.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Have Heart / Conor Oberst / The Hold Steady / The Tim Version

Four mini reviews! I've never really done this before, but I'm going to try to review these four records in about 100 words or less. That seems challenging! There are two reasons for this. The first is that I've been meaning to review these records for a while now and have yet to do it. The second is that I'm honestly not too familiar with most of these artists, or at least somewhat out of touch with their recent output (in the case of Conor Oberst). So, I'll give you my initial thoughts, without really being able to compare in the grand scheme of their catalog.

Have Heart - Songs to Scream at the Sun (Bridge 9)
I’ve never really paid attention to Have Heart, so I wasn’t expecting this record to grab me, but from the outset, I was pretty impressed. This dude is pisssed and it shows. The music seems a bit slower and more layered than what I’ve heard of old Have Heart (which is minimal). This almost reminds me of Modern Life is War, but less accessible, if that makes sense. In short: dense guitars, scathing vocals, more mid-tempo parts. Oh, and straight edge, which is usually a negative for me (how ironic!), but I like this. Weird.

Conor Oberst - s/t (Merge Records)
From the very beginning of this record, it’s obvious that Conor Oberst is in a very different place than he was the last time I listened to any of his work. This record has a folksy element to it, with lots of nice storytelling and a comfortable feel. It almost seems like he’s having fun! This was a pleasant surprise, as the last few Bright Eyes records never got much play from me. I wish I’d found this record at the beginning of the summer, as it seems like nice summertime relaxing music.


The Hold Steady - Stay Positive (Vagrant Records)
The first two songs on this record are a whole new level of catchy. The opening windows-down, summertime anthem “Constructive Summer” backed with “Sequestered in Memphis” really set the bar high, and unfortunately the rest of the album just can’t keep up. I like some songs, particularly “Stay Positive” and “Joke About Jamaica,” but other songs, like “Navy Sheets” kill me. It’s solid rock and roll, with Springsteen comparisons abound, but I’d like more guitars and less keys/synths. Bonus points for D4, Youth of Today, and 7Seconds lyrical references.

The Tim Version - Decline of the Southern Gentleman (No Idea Records)
There was a brief moment that I thought the Tim Version record was one of the best records of the year. I was blasted with gruff vocals, high energy, and the No Idea sound. A few songs in, though, that excitement started to fade. Don’t get me wrong; it’s good but nothing mindblowing. If you’re into No Idea records, with the fast energy of Radon, the gruffness of HWM, and the folksiness of early Against Me!, this is sure to appeal to you. I bet they like whiskey and porches. Don’t sell your HWM records for this, but check it out.

Dillinger Four - C I V I L W A R

Dillinger Four - C I V I L W A R
Fat Wreck Chords

After a much too long delay, the almighty D4 are back with their first LP in years. After delaying the recording and release of C I V I L W A R for what seems like an eternity, it's finally leaked to the internet, and has a release date set! I generally try to wait to review records until they're actually out, but I can't wait for this one. I'll be pre-ordering ASAP, and losing my mind in Florida for all of the new songs.

As it stands, I think this is the worst Dillinger Four record. However, that's saying very little, because a bad D4 record still slays 95% of bands putting out music right now. On the whole, it's evident from the outset that this is a slower, poppier record. Eric sings a majority of the record, with very few songs being led by Paddy or Billy. The first song, "A Jingle For the Product" sounds like vintage D4, with a slower edge, but catchy hooks, politically and socially conscious lyrics, and a nice pop punk feel.

The third song, parishiltonisametaphor, is the first to feature Paddy and Billy more prominently, and their gruff voices are a welcome sound. I can't wait to hear the banter surrounding this song live, as Paddy tells us "around here diva ain't much of a compliment". "Gainesville" is shaping up to be the hit, with a disgustingly catchy chorus about Fest, and a strong ending about staying young and the passing of time. Sing-a-longs for this song will be great.

"The Classical Arrangement" is the slowest and most "atmospheric" D4 has ever sounded, but a lot of people all over the internet seem to be in love with the line "The world turns to a desert while you pray for rain," and the ending of the song builds to a nice uptempo climax. "Fruity Pebbles" may be the poppiest song the boys have ever turned in, with Paddy making some striking similarities to Mark Hoppus. I shit you not.

Even though this album seems a bit slower, and pretty damn melodic, it's great to have another D4 record. It's really unfair to most other bands how damn good these guys. They have an unreal ability to combine the political, the social, and the personal into one song, and do it in a poppy yet punk rock way. All three vocalists have a unique sound, and while I'd like to hear more Paddy and Billy on this record, they do have enough of a presence to provide a contrast to Eric's voice. This is best shown in "Like Eye Contact in an Elevator," which (aside from the bridge) has arguably the most classic D4 sound, with fast tempos and vocal interplay between Paddy and Eric.

It's great to have a new record from one of the best bands in the game, and it's interesting to see them playing so many shows of late. Part of what made them so intriguing to people was their hermit-like approach to shows outside of Minneapolis, but lately they've been a bit more busy. So, go see them, pick up this record when it comes out, and see what most bands can't do. Best dudes.

Into It. Over It - 52 Songs

Into It. Over It. - 52 Songs
Self-released

This has been a hard record for me to categorize and I wasn't really sure how I was going to write it up, originally. For those that haven't heard me gush about this project, I'll copy and paste what Evan himself has to say about it:

my name is evan thomas weiss.

i have spent years writing, recording and touring in bands. THE PROGRESS, DAMIERA and UP UP DOWN DOWN LEFT RIGHT LEFT RIGHT B A START are a couple (among many others).

on thursday, september 27th 2007, i turned 23. i've noticed that my last few years have gone by rather quickly. to combat (or encourage..?) this movement in my life, i have been writing and recording one song every week of my 23rd year. ...roughly 52 songs.

the first song was posted on 9/27/2007. i will balance 6 songs on this page (always hosting the most current song) while hosting a link on this site where you can download (or stream) all of the other songs -- this website (www.intoitoverit.com) will be updated every thursday. if you'd like me to play a show, you can send me a message here or e-mail me.

while this is mainly a project to keep myself motivated, i hope you enjoy it and check back every week. this is my autobiography.

anyway -- thanks so much and enjoy!!

Yesterday, Evan finished this project and put up the last song, capping a year's worth of songs. Over the span of the 52 track span, he has covered a wide range of styles and topics. There have been great guest spots, and an overall unique approach to songwriting. Each week is available on his site, with unique artwork, lyrics, and any applicable notes for the track. Most songs were recorded by Steve Poponi at his studio, with certain songs being recorded by Evan himself, or one of his new bandmates in Damiera.

The songs generally fall into one of two categories stylistically, although not entirely. Many of the songs have a "solo" artist feel, with Evan and an acoustic guitar. Extra guitar work, small percussion parts, or backing vocals add to these, but they retain a personal, singer/songwriter vibe. Other songs have a full "band" which consists of Evan playing most instruments, and Jason Dinapoli (The Progress), Mike Howard (Emergency!), or Steve Poponi (Up Up...) playing drums. All of the drummers have a unique feel that add to the songs, with Howard's being a bit more bombastic, Jason's being technical, and Steve's being more relaxed. I'm not sure how much of this style had to do with their availability, or a choice by Evan, but they fit well.

The autobiography aspect of the project means that the lyrics are very important and relevant to Evan at the time of the song's release. Some are serious and introspective ("Batsto", "22 Syllables"), while others deal with parties and Rock Band ("A Song About Your Party", "Friday at Brian's"). It's funny that even though these are his biography, I've found myself associating songs with the time of the year that they were released, and at times can associate my own memories with them. In that way I've really enjoyed this project and it's kind of meant a lot to me.

As far as favorites go, I have to go with most of the full band tracks. "Heartificial" is a straight forward rocker, and "Fak It" crashing feel to it. "A Song About Your Party" and "Ashley's Big Adventure" are my favorite back-to-back tracks in the whole thing, and the former contains some of my favorite lyrics of any of his songs. "Next Stop Olympics" has more of the Howard crashing drums that make the chorus super memorable, and "The Liquor Your Older Friends Bought" has my favorite bridge. And these are all in the first 15 songs!

The second half of the year started with a jab at The Progress and their indefinite hiatus with Evan proclaiming that "my van should have three times the mileage," but luckily they are on hiatus because we got 26 more killer songs. At times on "Can I Buy a Vowel?" you'd swear you were listening to a Ben Gibbard b-side, and "Dude-a-form" condemns Warped Tour "punks." Jon Loudon's guest spot on "Blaaarg" is husky as hell and adds a nice contrast to Evan's much cleaner voice. Towards the end, a lot of the songs deal with packing up and moving on (as I believe Evan's girlfriend moved) and touring (as Evan joined Damiera and got to hit the road). The project ended this week with a quiet song claiming "I don't have a single thing on my mind tonight besides finishing this project. I know you were expecting something epic but this is all my tired mind could provide." I'm not sure what I was expecting for a finale, but I will say that it ended well, and I was not let down.

Be sure to head to intoitoverit.com and download all 52 tracks before he takes them down. I know he intends to have them all released at some point, with better mixes and mastering, but who knows when that will be. If you've already slept on this, get downloading!

Interview - Evan Weiss (Into It. Over It.)

1. Ok, you have friends in from out of town. What five places in Philly do you take them?
A: Golden Empress, Long In The Tooth, Rittenhouse Square, First Unitarian Church, North 3rd

2. Favorite venue in Philadelphia to play? Favorite to see a show?
A: Play: Circle Of Hope / See: First Unitarian Church

3. Favorite all-time show(s) you've seen in Philly?
A: When I was something like 15, I saw Death Cab For Cutie w/ Bright Eyes and Pedro The Lion at the 4040. Think about if that happened now. I really miss places like The Killtime. Every show I ever saw there was great.

4. Top current Philadelphia area bands?
A: Algernon Cadwallader, Paint It Black, Pissed Jeans

5. Top all-time Phiadelphia area bands?
A: Ink & Dagger, Dead Milkmen, Kid Dynamite

6. What records are you loving right now? (Not just Philly bands)
A: Too many, always.
7. Best food in Philly. Which is your top spot for each?
A: I'm just going to list my personal favorites...

Pizza? Lorenzo's
Burrito/Mexican? None. None of it's good.
Cheesesteak (vegan counts)? Jim's.
Chinese? Golden Empress
Other? The wings at North 3rd are the best I've ever had.
8. Closing up, what do you guys have planned for the near future? Shows/records/tours/etc?
A: Finishing 52 songs. Releasing all of them on CD/LP. Touring. Word is bond.

thanks man.


Jena Berlin / Bridge and Tunnel / Scream Hello / Algernon Cadawallader - 8.28.08

Party Mansion
8PM

So, this is about a month late. I've really been slacking on the blog lately, and that's a bummer because I've actually been listening to a lot of great music. Unfortunately, with school starting up and my pocket situation being a bit dire, I haven't been to a show since this one. Wow, that's bad. It's almost been a month! I need to remedy that soon to gear up for Fest!

So it appears that Jena Berlin shows at Party Mansion bookended my summer. One with Stay Sharp and Landmines was on the last day that I had classes, and this show was the last weekend before I got my students back. Pretty wild. Regardless, this was a really fun show, and a nice get-down to end the summer. I'll keep it brief, since at this point the review is pretty irrelevant.

Algernon played first and turned in a similar set to the last time I saw them at Party Mansion. Similar songs and similar kids getting into it. There were a good amount of people there, and as usual, Algernon (again as a three-piece) didn't disappoint. The aforementioned light wallet kept me from picking up an LP yet again, but I'll get one sooner or later.

Scream Hello was next, and was impressive. I like this band a lot. Part of them remind me of Braid, but a bit slicker and less awkward. My only gripe is that all of their songs seem to be at least five minutes long. I feel like I'd enjoy them a lot more (particularly live) if they exercised their editing skills a bit and cut their songs and sets down. They didn't play too many songs, which was good and kept it from getting toooo long, but a little discretion in the writing process would interest me a bit. Regardless, they were energetic and seemed to really have fun playing, which is always a positive. Their new record is good (albeit long, obviously), so check it out when it comes out!

Because of how much I used to dislkike Latterman, I never really gave Bridge and Tunnel a shot. Recently I listened to a stream of their new LP and realized I'd dropped the ball. I really like their heavy, but still very indie rock feel, almost like Domestica-era Cursive. Everyone who had seen them previously said that they were much tighter than before, which is good to hear, as I intend to pay a lot more attention to these guys and girls. Do yourself a favor and pre-order (because it's STILL not out) their new LP on No Idea. Seriously.

The night and summer ended with a strong set from Jena Berlin (as a five piece again! I can't keep up with their lineups). This was much tighter than their infamous set at the Party Mansion earlier in the summer. Either way, there's not much I can say about this band that I haven't already. Awesome dudes, awesome music, and I hear they just destroyed the entire continent of Europe. I hope they remember to bring me back my Quo Vadimus German press LP.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Memorial - The Creative Process / Berlin

Memorial - The Creative Process / Berlin
Flight Plan Records

For those of you still mourning the breakup of Quicksand, or, more recently, Renee Heartfelt, can fill that empty void in your music collection with this new LP from Memorial. From the crushing opening riffs of "Who Are We To Say?" it's obvious that this is heavy post-hardcore with a melodic side. It's not unlike the aforementioned bands, particular with the familiar crooning of Pete Applebee.

Aside from the headbanging of the opening track, these eight songs vacillate between heavy riffage and softer, slower songs with a lot more swirling atmosphere. "Sideways" is a nice midtempo rocker with lots of dynamic changes, lead by Pete's voice, which I love. The song builds and fades well, giving it an epic feel that flows through the whole album. Every song paints a vivid picture and is well crafted to give it a feeling.

The opening vocals and guitar on "Spades" are catchy and get stuck in your head as soon as you listen to it, before speeding up and building. This faster track leads right into "The Creative Process," which is the first slower song of the album, with layered guitar tracks, and huge dynamics. Definitely a crushing song.

The Berlin half of the record continues with an even more epic sound, lead off by the shortest track on the record ("Berlin"), and the possibly the heaviest riffage ("1933"). It's nice to see that the B-side of the this doesn't slow down or get weaker; instead, it seems to get better as it goes on. There are more acoustic guitars and quiet/loud transitions, which showcase pounding drums, creative guitar work, and Applebee's great voice.

It's taken forever for this to come out, and I'm still waiting for my screened pre-order, but this is definitely a strong debut for these guys, sure to get a ton of spins from Quicksand devotees and people hankerin' for another Renee Heartfelt record.

Paint it Black / Ceremony / Blacklisted - 8.18.08

Party Mansion
8PM

When Ceremony got denied from Canada, they needed to find a few days worth of shows to fill time before the quickly approaching This is Hardcore Fest. Andy Nelson and the residents of Party Mansion stepped up, and the show got set up for Monday night, with about two days notice. The supporting bands weren't announced; the lineup merely said "Ceremony and friends." Now, it doesn't take much to realize that Ceremony has recently toured with both Paint it Black and Blacklisted, both of whom are at home right now. I had a feeling that at least one of these bands were going to be playing, but was stoked when Mike got a call as we were heading over saying that both were. All three of these bands in a tiny ass basement would prove to be an outrageous time.

We got there and saw a lot of friends, ate some food, and hung out until about 8 when Blacklisted was about to start. The basement at Party Mansion was extra sweaty and smelly, as this was by far the most crowded I'd seen this house. I came in right as they were about to start, so I was toward the back of the room and had a hard time seeing until I could weasel my way up a bit, but they sounded great, and played mostly songs from Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure the only song they played from earlier material was "Long Way Home." They sounded huge, and kids were really into them. George got a lot of help with the sing-a-longs from the crowd, and kids were going off. They announced that they'll be working on a new LP, and I'm pretty sure he said the title was When People Grow, People Go and he made sure to give shout outs to all of the other bands playing, and some other locals for their new releases this year. It had been a little while since I'd seen them, so it was good to see them turn in such a powerful set.


















After a walk to the corner Chinese spot to get a tall can of Arizona half-and-half, I made it back in time to sneak right up front for Ceremony. I hadn't seen them since This is Hardcore last summer, but both that set and their set at the Church a few months prior were both killer. They got some of the biggest responses I've ever seen, and for as fast and thrashy as they are, they always sound tight. They got a lot of kids into it last night, but I guess it's obvious they aren't really the "hype band" they were a year ago. Either way, they sounded good, and as energetic as I expected. I don't know the new album super well, but was glad to hear most of the songs I really enjoy from Violence, Violence. These songs also seemed to get the best crowd reaction, although kids were into a lot of the new songs as well. As expected, a fun set from a band that I love live.






























Well, it had been about a month since I'd seen Paint it Black, so it was about time again. I came in a bit late, since I was busy discussing the intricacies of pizza and pizza making strategies with Robby Redcheeks, but came down to see Paint it Black turn in another tight set, as usual. They played a nice mix of songs, including "the three good ones." Andy was a bit more "chatty" than usual, but he made sense talking about the segregation in the hardcore scene, and how some people thought it was weird that these three bands would be playing a show in a West Philly basement. I dunno about weird; I thought it was a nice venue, and good to see a show where there are three bands who are all so different and working to push the boundaries of hardcore. Either way, the crowd had thinned out a bit by this point, but kids were into it, and it was a typical sweaty sing-a-long Paint it Black set - much better than seeing them in the monstrous setting like Terminal 5.



















Regardless of whether or not people thought this was a weird show, I thought it was one of the best shows I've been to in a long time. I got to meet some nice new people and see some friends that I hadn't seen in a while. I got to see three great hardcore bands play killer sets in an intimate setting, all supporting great records that they have released this year. If you haven't yet, go pick up Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God, New Lexicon, and Still Nothing Moves You. If you're going to This is Hardcore this weekend, you'll see all of these great bands, as well as a plethora of others.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound

The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
SideOneDummy Records

You know that feeling of being super excited for something, only to be disappointed? That's how I felt when I watched the Seinfeld finale. I was a huge fan of the show, and when it ended, I thought that the finale was a cop out and I hated it. However, after watching it now-countless times, and seeing how it fits in with the rest of the series, I've grown to love it. Even close to ten years later, I can still watch it and find something new that I love about it.

The Gaslight Anthem is similar to Seinfeld. Much like early episodes of the classic sitcom, their first record showed promise, but had some bumps along the way. Towards the middle, they blew up and received near-unanimous praise for their new breed of sitcom and teaser EP Senor and the Queen. And finally, at the end of the line, Seinfeld and the Gaslight Anthem ended with a record that eschewed expectation, but tied everything together well.

The most recent Gaslight record, The '59 Sound, was high at my biggest disappointments of the year list when I first listened to it. Now, a month later, I know it front to back, and feel like it may even be stronger than their debut full length. Much like Seinfeld did in it's finale, the Gaslight makes countless references and illusions to what brought them their newfound success on this record. Lyrical references to Maria, driving, the radio, and the beach give a familiar feeling and bring the first records to mind without completely rehashing them.

The record starts off with "Great Expectations," which wouldn't have been my choice for an opener, but the title track comes second, and is a great choice for a first single. It's catchy, memorable, and is hard to deny as a catchy, classic rock song. "Film Noir" is the first song to really break up the mid-tempo rock that causes some of the first songs to blend together, and has a slow, dark feel to it (ala film noir), and shows the record branching out. Oddly enough, I feel like the beginning of the record is the weakest, and it gains steam as it moves on.

Singer Brian Fallon has a nice knack for stroytelling, which he has stepped up on this record. He often draws comparisons to Springsteen, and while this is accurate, his voice occasionally brings to mind a more rock and roll, less soul Joe Cocker. As the record progresses, the styles of the record expand out, with "Casanova Baby" providing a very old time rock and roll feel, "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" slowing down with a logical bluesy feel, and "The Backseat" starting off almost like a Killers song, with rapid fire snare rolls.

As I've already said, the record ends much stronger than it begins, and the last two or three songs may be my favorite, with "Here's Looking At You, Kid" taking the stripped down acoustic feel they touched on with "Blue Jeans and White T-Shirts," and really nailing it. I think this album could really use a re-sequencing to break it up a bit and possibly add to the flow of it. This is one of my biggest complaints with this record. I also find the recording of this record frustrating. Brian's voice has a strange echo sound to it, which takes away from a lot of the impact of it. No recording has yet to do his voice justice, as live he sounds much stronger. I think the guitars also need to be beefed up in spots. There's a great, crunchy guitar sound used to in "The '59 Sound" for the pre-chorus that could be used to give a bit more energy and life to some of the faster songs, instead of the slightly bland guitar tone with very little bite.

As I've come to love the Seinfeld finale that originally bummed me out tremendously, this record has grown on me to the point that it will certainly be in my tops of the year, which was not what I thought upon the first few listens. I can see this band getting huge on this record IF people are willing to look past it's fairly different sound. It's definitely a much more rock and roll record, which is great, but I could see a lot of "punks" not getting it. This band has worked hard for everything they've gotten so far, and put out three quality records so far, so I hope they get the success they deserve.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Metroplex / Restorations - 7.29.08

The Khyber
8:30PM

Since Restorations consists of a bunch of dudes without cars, it became my job to work as the Restorations tour van for the night. So, I picked Mike up, and we loaded a ton of gear into my car and headed down to the Khyber to unload. After I parked my car and picked Heather up from the train station, I was stoked to see that Restorations added us to the guestlist and I didn't have to pay! Sweet, thanks guys!

At right around 8:30, they started up. I moved back a little bit farther from the stage this time, since the sound at the last show was a little off. Moving back allowed me to hear them more, and get a better feel for the sound, as compared to the first show. They sounded surprisingly tight, considering they haven't really been able to practice as much as they should due to Mike's messed up hands. Despite that, they were tight and pretty on point. There were a few missteps along the way, but nothing glaring. Jon sang more than I thought he did at the first show, but he seemed more comfortable playing guitar and singing this time around (up until the ending of the last song!). It was a nice second show for these guys, and people seemed to be into them. Hopefully they get some recordings done soon, although with Mike's hands, and Jena Berlin going to Europe for a few weeks, I'm not entirely sure when we'll see these.

During Generro, Heather and I ran to get food, so I can't really give a review of them. Metroplex played third, in a rare live show for them, but at least in the common setting of the Khyber. I came in partway into their set, and enjoyed it as usual. I've only seen them a few times, but they're always energetic and fun to watch. I kind of wish they would play more or take the band a bit more seriously, because there aren't too many bands doing that kind of sound around here. They're scratchy and fast at times, but slowed down and full of slick guitar work at others. I've heard them do a solid Jawbreaker cover once before, but not on this night. Instead, they opted for a Hot Snakes cover. They sound full for a three piece. Part of that is due to a thickly distorted bass sound, and the rest is due to their guitarists pretty unique style, which I like a lot. All in all, a good showing for this band who I wish I heard more from.

Person L played last, which is the new solo-ish project from Kenny of the Starting Line, and I can't say that I was overly interested, so I walked Heather to catch a train back, then got some pizza with Mike and Steve Vainberg. Good dudes, good times. As soon as Person L was done a very bloated set, I ran to grab my car, and helped to load out Restorations gear. They're playing the Khyber again with Weston in about a month, which should be fun. Come on out!

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Off With Their Heads - From the Bottom

Off With Their Heads - From the Bottom
No Idea Records

It's finally here! After waiting for what seems like an eternity, I finally have a copy of Off With Their Heads' debut full length on No Idea! 2007 saw a whole host of splits and collections and all kinds of stuff that wasn't a full length, but now it's finally here, and it was worth the wait.

Starting off with "I Am You," it's obvious that the optimism Ryan showed in his lyrics on their split with The Measure (SA) is gone. Lyrics about hating life, not getting anything right, and sleeping alone. Ah, this is the Ryan that we know and love. I like that he extends his misery out onto the listener. "There's a little bit of me in everyone." And while we may not all be miserable to the point that he is, this record does a good job of not just wallowing in frustration and self-hatred. He's actually introspective!

As the record goes on, Ryan starts to analyze why he's as miserable as he is. He looks at what he did, what others have done to him, and why he's where he is now. This is evident on the penultimate track, "Ten Years Trouble," in which he looks at how he's been extremely selfish and hurt others, but also at the loss of people close to him and how the last ten years have pretty much been a disaster and how he's "always in pain, always in tears."

The music is pretty much what we've come to expect from Off With Their Heads, especially since this is the same lineup from 2006's Hospitals. There are your typical fast songs with catchy choruses, but they do a good job slowing it down at times. "Go On Git Now" is the first example of this, and shows that they aren't all fast beats and the Midwestern punk sound.

However, where that song hits, I feel like "Keep Falling Down" misses, in that it's a bit more subdued, and seems to drag on too long. It's repetitive, and never seems to break out of the rut that it digs itself into. As much as I love these guys, repeating a chorus for three minutes doesn't work for me. It's interesting that the only other real clunker for me follows it right up. "Terrorist Attack" starts strongly with a scathing indictment of the television and news media, but it never develops. Actually, it just repeats the same few lines for 1:20 and then ends. To be honest, I have no idea why they'd even include that song, as it just seems underdone and like it needs work.

Luckily, the rest of the album is great. "Selfcheckout" is fantastic, and shows that Ryan is trying to trust others and to overcome his personal demons and problems that he's detailed throughout the album. "Fuck This I'm Out" is another solid song, although I really question the bridge riff, as it's almost exactly the same as the lead in "Call The Cops," from one of last year's splits. The rerecording of "For The Four" is crisp, and I really love that song and how it mixes despair with optimism and hope for change. The album ends with the aforementioned "Ten Years Trouble" and apologetic "From the Bottom" which shows one of their best build ups, and an almost Against Me! feel in the cadence of the drums and vocal rhythms. It's a nice change for them, and works well as an album closer.

This is definitely one of my top albums of the year, and I really don't see it falling out of the top five. Despite all the delays and problems with getting this record, it was worth it to finally have a proper full length from these guys. Excellent!

Chuck Ragan & Austin Lucas - Bristle Ridge

Chuck Ragan & Austin Lucas - Bristle Ridge
Ten-Four Records

It's no secret to anyone that I pretty much love anything Chuck Ragan touches. Hot Water Music is one of the most important bands ever for me, and Chuck's solo stuff has been knockin me out, no matter what it is. When I started hearing about Bristle Ridge, I was a little nervous. All his talk about country, bluegrass and gospel had me skeptical. Could he pull it off? Would I even like it? What the hell will it sound like?

Thankfully, this record leaked a while ago, despite the fact that I'm still anxiously awaiting vinyl pre-orders. Upon listening to it, the first thing that struck me was how different it was from his previous releases. As far as the LPs go, Los Feliz was pretty stripped down and raw, while Feast or Famine was a bit more folksy, but still moderately accessible. This new record, a collaboration with Austin Lucas, is a big change. From the open verse of "Bloody Shells," it's obvious that this is a bluegrass record. My initial thoughts were "Holy crap, this could be the soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou?!"

As the record goes on, songs flip back and forth between Chuck's familiar gruffness, and Austin Lucas' folksier twang. Some of the songs are independent ventures, while others show a collaboration between the two. Some of the highlights are the vocal melodies of "Cold Night," which while being a folk song, showcases really traditional pop rock vocal parts, particularly in the chorus. The slow, halftime of "Simple Life" with Austin Lucas' wailing of "Oh lord where are the hours? Oh lord" has a familiar feel to it, as it's steeped in traditional folk and bluegrass tradition. The same can be said for the down home rootsy guitar of "Distant Land to Roam," a nice collaboration between Chuck and Austin, with nice vocal interplay between the two.

I think for me that's part of what makes this record great. I've never been a big follower of bluegrass, despite enjoying it. It's just never a scene I've delved into and really digested. For me, this record serves as a comfortable introduction. This record feels like something that you've heard for years. For me, part of that is Chuck's voice, but the rest is the homage that these two pay to traditional bluegrass and folk. It's simple, and pure, and really doesn't break any new ground for the genre, but typifies it well.

When I feel like listening to Chuck's voice, I'm not sure this is the first record I'd throw on, but given the right time and mood, this record is definitely a fun listen. This could be the soundtrack to many lazy afternoons sittin on a front porch somewhere, sippin lemonade.

Algernon Cadwallader / Big Attack / Young Hearts / Let Me Run / Title Fight - 7.27.08

Party Mansion
7:30PM

After a day of dudes being dudes, Mike, Kev and I showed up at Party Mansion in time to run to the little Asian convenience store and get some Hanks Root Beer and love life. We got back to the show and Title Fight started up. I reviewed their newest 7" earlier this year, and it's still standing up as one of my favorite EPs of the year so far. They didn't disappoint live either. After opening with a Sunny Day Real Estate intro, they went straight into "Memorial Field" from the 7". I was glad to see that they were energetic and really into their music. The bassist was bouncing all over the little basement, and the guitarists were spot on and into it as well. All three songs from Kingston were played, as well as a few songs from their split with Erection Kids and one new song. After putting out such a great record, it's good to see that these dudes can bring it live too.

Let Me Run played second, and while they were tight, something about them didn't entirely click for me. They were a very slick punk rock sound, verrrry similar to Fallen From the Sky. It's not that I didn't like them, but I feel like that whole sound is kind of a waste. You have a singer with a decent, husky voice, but your music is so precise and clean sounding that it loses a lot of it's impact.

After a quick break, Young Hearts were next to play, and I was excited to see them, since I've been listening to their Myspace songs a bit lately. They played a handful of songs that I recognized, and played really well. They have that Red Leader/Nww Brunswick sound, and it makes sense that they're on that label, and tour with a lot of the bands that they do. They have a sort-of scratchy pop punk sound, with a bit of indie influence, with rhythms that shift pretty quickly. They trade off vocals well, and lead lines mix up nicely. On top of that, you can tell they have fun playing live, and put a lot of energy into their performance. I would definitely go check them out again, although at times I think their songs are a bit too long.

Bit Attack played next. I watched two or three songs before going to get an Arizona tallcan and a bag of Skittles. I'm pretty sure their singer switched on a fake accent as soon as their set started, and their guitarist played the first three songs leaning against the wall looking bored. Really? They also claimed to be from "New Palestine" when their Myspace most clearly says Philadelphia.

At a shockingly normal hour, Algernon Cadwallader started up with their set of Kinsella inspired indie rock. As usual, they put on an enteraining, energetic set with a nice list of songs from their new LP, which they had with them. While I don't love this band as much as other people seem to, I do always love seeing them live. They were only a three piece for this show, but they all seemed to have a blast, as they always do. For anyone unfamiliar with this band, due to Peter's voice, they get a ton of Cap'n Jazz comparisons, which I think is still pretty accurate beyond that. But they also have a great deal of complex guitar lines, very similar to those of American Football, or even Minus the Bear. Tank, their new drummer, fit right in seemlessly, and sounded good. I didn't get a chance to pick up their LP (spending too much on records lately!), but I will soon, and I'll get it reviewed up here on the blog. It seems to be getting a lot of love from friends and the whole damn internet, so I'll get it up here soon. Below are a few pics from the show that I've found on the internet. Fun times.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Shorebirds - s/t

Shorebirds - s/t
Self Released

So far, all of the records I've posted for download have been older records that are pretty hard to track down. This meets one of those criteria. Even though this was only released last year, it seems to have flown under the radar, and a lot of people haven't paid much attention.

For those that don't know, Shorebirds consisted of ex-members of Jawbreaker and Latterman, two pretty revered bands in the punk community. Now, Jawbreaker is one of my top two bands of all time, so I was pretty interested when I heard that Chris was pairing up with the singer from Latterman, who I hated. Regardless, this is a great 7". It's more straightforward than Latterman ever was, and I find it a bit more palatable. As a whole, the lyrics are less positive and "politcal," and deal with the personal struggles of moving and moving on.

Half of the reason I upped this was because they called it quits this week, which bummed me out. I believe they have an LP recorded, and I hope that it still comes out. Until then, tide yourself over with this four song 7".

DOWNLOAD

Deep Sleep - Manic Euphoria

Deep Sleep - Manic Euphoria
Grave Mistake Records

When I was first getting into punk rock, the first hardcore song ever played for me on a mixtape was "Filler" by Minor Threat. When I was in sixth grade I wasn't quite sure what to make of it, and it was different from most of the punk that I had been exposed to at the time. But I knew that I liked it. And as the years have gone by, I still find myself drawn to hardcore bands that are more like Minor Threat - straddling that line between punk rock and hardcore, as opposed to a lot of my friends who came up on heavier New York hardcore, or bands that straddled the metal/hardcore line.

Deep Sleep is one of the bands that I've always been a bit more intrigued in. There's a fine line between punk and hardcore that is blurred through these four songs, and it's a band that I'm excited to hear more from. "Curbside Breakdown" brings these guys raging out of the gates, and serves as a solid introduction. It makes sense that they're labelmates with Cloak/Dagger as the Black Flag inspired guitar lines weave through the songs, not totally overdriven, but fuzzed out, particularly in "I'm On Top." So, in less than two minutes, they've killed the first two songs with screamy, half sung vocals that fit the fuzzed out hardcore punk.

"Nothing Left" is even faster, and is the shortest song of the record. The "now it's too late" ending is a nice change from the straight ahead pace of the rest of the song. Crossing the two minute mark is "Textbook Timebomb" which has my favorite guitar work of the record, with really melodic elements, and a catchy chorus. The bridge gives an airy feel to the guitar work, and shows that they can really deviate from the straightforward style they demonstrate throughout the record, and do it well. This is definitely a standout track, and you should go listen to it on their Myspace right now, then buy this record, and pretty much everything else Grave Mistake has put out. Yup, it's that good.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Dead Mechanical - A Great Lie

Dead Mechanical - A Great Lie
Sex Cells Records

Due to conflicting schedules and bad luck, I've missed Dead Mechanical twice in Philadelphia this year. It's unfortunate, because I really enjoyed last year's Medium Noise. There was a gruff catchiness that was the exact style of pop punk that I eat up. There were some nice guitar riffs and exciting sing-a-longs that I found myself humming over and over.

This year's A Great Lie 7" is no different. The opening title track calls to mind early Jawbreaker, with scratchy vocals and the catchy refrain of "Nothing tells like a great lie, nothing ends like a good time, no body leaves like you will tonight" There's a very East Bay updated for 2008 style that is right up my alley. They're only a three piece, but the bass has a solid full sound, and there are multiple guitar parts that are never super complicated, but complement each other well and give this a nice bit of melody. "Sidewalks" is a faster song with slightly less gruff vocals, and as a whole, it's a much more straightforward approach to a pop punk song. Along with that, it's much shorter, and breezes by before you get bored by the simplistic structure. The 7" ends with the shortest song, "Bitter Drinks," has a little bit of a darker sound to it, with nice drumming that accentuates the Jawbreaker/Crimpshrine-ish vocals nicely, especially when it sort of drops out during the verses.

I've heard that they're working on an LP, which would be excellent, as both their EP and 7" have been strongly catchy, scratchy affairs that work to fill that hole in my heart left by Jawbreaker and East Bay bands that I grew up listening to. Dead Mechanical does a nice job making sure that they don't fall into a rut and put their own original spin on a genre that can sound dated if not done correctly.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Hot Water Music / Thursday / Paint it Black - 7.12.08

Terminal 5, NYC
7:30 PM

After a quick Chinatown Bus ride, and a long day of traversing Manhattan, we found our way to Terminal 5, an oversized, rather stupid venue on the west side of the island. We got there about 15 minutes after the doors opened, and the 3,000 capacity venue was nearly empty. The main floor had about 200 kids on it. I think the reasons for this were two-fold. First of all, it was still a little bit early. But, more importantly, there were four awesome shows all going on within blocks of each other. A few blocks south of this show, The F-Yeah Fest was playing, with the Circle Jerks and D4. Then, a bit beyond that, the Alkaline Trio were playing. And, to take away some of the hardcore kids, Cold World and Trash Talk were playing out in Brooklyn. Terrible tour routing.

Shortly after getting there, Heather, Adam and I decided to head up to the balcony and snag a spot giving us a bird's eye view of the stage. Normally, I try to avoid the balcony. As a matter of fact, this was the first show I've ever watched from a balcony/bar. However, my head was killing me from piss poor stage divers the night before, so I didn't mind the relaxed rail leaning that I would go for this night.

Right at 7:30, Paint it Black made their way to the stage with far less pomp and circumstance than they normally do in Philadelphia. Seeing them in this venue was strange. As Dan Yemin said, "This barrier makes me want to kill myself." I'd never seen them in a venue even close to this large, and it was only my second time seeing them with a barrier and bouncers (the first being with the Souls at the Troc a few years back). I feel like this definitely took a lot of the energy out of their performance, as hardcore isn't meant to be played or seen in an environment like that. They still played hard, and Yemin did his best to bridge the moat between them and the crowd, but it just had a very odd vibe. This could probably be attributed to only a handful of kids really being into their music, as the sing-a-longs were a lot smaller than I expected. The setlist was similar to the night before, but with enough differences to keep it interesting. They opened with "Past Tense, Future Perfect" and played a similarly solid mix of songs from all three albums, and again ended with "Memorial Day" and "Atticus Finch," and New York did do a solid job with the sing-a-long for the latter.

I'm not really even sure what to say about Thursday. It's been years since I've seen this band, and not much has changed with them. They played a handful of songs I knew from Full Collapse, like "Paris in Flames" and "Understanding in a Car Crash," as well as a handful I vaguely recognized from War All the Time such as "For the Workforce Drowning" and "Division Street." They sounded tight, and were energetic, but nothing really did it for me. It was all teh same stuff that I saw years ago, with nothing new or interesting. I guess I respect them for staying the same and not really changing to fit the trends that they really could have cashed in on. They did play one new song from their forthcoming split with Envy, and I was bored out of my mind. It was all instrumental, with lots of obnoxious sounding keyboard parts. Pass. They played about 13 or 14 songs and kids ate it up. We were surprised to see so many people that excited and interested, but hey, what do I know.

After a surprisingly short break, Hot Water Music came out and started on with "Remedy" straight into "Free Radio Gainesville" and then "Rooftops." At this point, I was pretty excited because I really like No Division and heard that this set was pretty full of "early material." Well, after a while it became obvious that this wasn't the case. They did do a good job of mixing up material, and it was a solid mix of songs from all of the albums, but not nearly as much from the early albums as I'd hoped. After looking back at the January setlist, I realized that there were a lot of similar songs played. Like I said then, I was happy with that list, but I would have loved to hear some more songs from Forever and Counting or Fuel For the Hate Game. The handful that they did play were songs that I've heard before. I also talked to some people about the Philadelphia set list, and I was bummed to learn that they got to hear "Alachua" and "God Deciding," two of my favorite Hot Water Music songs, and we got neither of them.

Throughout their entire set, much like their New Jersey reunion, it was obvious that they were having a blast. Despite being horribly drunk (shocking!), they sounded pretty tight (with a few missteps), and smiled throughout the entire thing. I know Chuck is busy with solo stuff, and the other three guys are busy with new bands (The Draft, Chris' solo stuff, Jason with Senses Fail), but they legitimately seem to have more fun with the Hot Water reunions than they do as the Draft. And there's no reason they can't do solo stuff and Hot Water Music a bit more regularly!

All in all, below is a list of what I can remember, although there may be some I missed.
Remedy (opener)
Free Radio Gainesville
Rooftops
Manual
Turnstile

Its Hard to Know
At the End of a Gun
Moonpies for Misfits
A Flight and a Crash
Paper Thin
Trusty Chords
I Was on a Mountain
Wayfarer
Giver

+about 4 more that I can't remember

I'm glad that I made it up to New York for this. Despite the totally sterile environment in Terminal 5, it was great (but weird) to see Paint it Black out of Philadelphia, and to see Hot Water Music again. I can never really say how much this band meant to me and how glad I am to see them live again. Seeing Thursday was interesting and semi-nostalgic, and had it been a hell of a lot shorter, I may have even enjoyed it. Instead, it ended up being a bit too long and drawn out. I've heard this weekend of shows were the last Hot Water shows of 2008, at least in the States, so hopefully you made it out to see them!

All pictures courtesy of Heather and her fancy-pants new iPhone.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Dillinger Four / Paint it Black - 7.11.08

Starlight Ballroom
7PM

I had big plans for this evening. Months before the show was announced, I ordered tickets for the Hot Water Music tour at the Troc. When this show was announced, I was facing a big problem. D4?? Hot Water Music?? How can they play two different shows and how can I see both? I decided to go to the D4 show, then run down the street to Hot Water as soon as they were done. To safeguard against missing too much of HWM, I also ordered tickets for the Hot Water show in New York City the next night. It'd be a busy schedule, but I thought it would work.

I thought wrong. Hot Water and D4 were both scheduled to play at the same time at their respective venues. So, knowing that I would see HWM the next day, I decided to stay for all of Dillinger Four. And I'm glad I did.

Heather and I got there pretty late so we wouldn't see too many of the terrible openings bands, but no such luck. Team Robespierre were just starting and were nothing I was interested in. I left to get something to eat and drink and ended up missing Monotonix, the only opener I was really interested in. Fuck. Either way, I heard they were great and put on a hell of a live show. I'll have to check these crazy Israelis out the next time they hit Philly. Matt and Kim were next, and I'm not sure what all the hipsters are losing their minds for, because all it did was inspire me and my friends to head on outside and wait a bit.

"MORE STAGE DIVES!" When Paint it Black started, the place went nuts. From the beginning of "Gravity Wins," bodies were flying everywhere. Their energy level was through the roof, which was good, and made up for the terrible sound. Josh's amp started the show by buzzing and sounding like it was about to blow any second, and eventually Andy's amp started to go (during "White Kids Dying of Hunger," a pretty bass driven song). Either way, they played a lot of their usual set, and ended with "Memorial Day," "Atticus Finch" and "Shell Game Redux," all of which had monstrous sing-a-longs and stage dives. I've seen this band at least six or seven times this year, and they have yet to disappoint (although I would have loved to hear "Goliath"!).
























































D! 4! Dillinger Four is easily one of the top punk bands playing right now, if not the best. However, as Paddy noted as they started, they've done Philadelphia wrong. Their history in Philly has been sketchy at best, with the last show here being cut short due to Paddy being sick as hell and spending the entire set vomiting into a trash can. So, they promised to make up for it by playing a great set this time, and they certainly did. From the opening of "Let Them Eat Thomas Paine" to then ending of "Putting the F Back in Art," they were fun, the tightest I've seen them, and kids were loving it. They traded vocals across the stage and all of their voices sounded good, kids were stage diving everywhere, and of course, the on-stage banter was priceless. Highlights from the banter included Paddy talking about how YouTube reminds everyone how fat they've gotten, why God probably doesn't exist, but maybe he does since he killed Jesse Helms last week, Dan Yemin and Krishna, how D4 is selling out ("we're too fat to ride bikes and none of us even own record players any more"), and a discussion on "fuck bike fags" (or three things Paddy loves). The whole set was entertaining, as expected, even though he didn't get naked (which people asked for).

I tried to remember all of the songs they played, but I'm sure I missed some, and hell, with the amount of D4 I've been listening to lately, I'm probably adding some that they didn't, but they definitely played a great mix of songs from all three proper LPs. Some of the list included: "Who Didn't Kill Bambi?", "Get Your Study Hall Outta My Recess," "Maximum Piss n' Vinegar," "Noble Stabbings," "A Floater Left With Pleasure...," "Folk Song," "OKFMDOA," "Superpowers Enable Me to Blend In With Machinery," "Doublewhiskeycokenoice," "Mosh For Jesus," and I'm sure others I'm forgetting off the top of my head.

I left before the Circle Jerks, and I'm ok with that decision. From what I hear, a lot of other people did to, but supposedly they played close to 30 songs. Part of me would like to see them, solely for the story, but at the same time, no punk band can follow D4, especially 20+ years after their prime. Before the show, my friend Phil said that part of D4's allure was how rare it was to see them, but I'll definitely be going to see them in October at the Troc, as well as at Fest. Best punk band playing right now.




































All photos by Aaron Weber. Don't steal them without asking him.