Young Livers - The New Drop Era

Young Livers - The New Drop Era
No Idea Records



Young Livers are from Gainesville. Young Livers have a record on No Idea. They are inspired by Hot Water Music. That should be enough to really tell you all you need to know about this record. But, in the sake of fairness, I'll go into a bit of detail.

This 8 song EP (?) definitely flew under my radar in 07, despite a lot of people telling me about them, and doing a string of dates with Jena Berlin. I missed them at Fest, and didn't really give their record the attention it deserved until pretty recently. As I said above, there is a definite Hot Water vibe at times, but overall it's a bit faster and darker than Hot Water Music. There are pretty much two consistently different guitar parts throughout, and octave leads and feedback builds give it a deep, dark feeling. The bass is fuzzy, but plays a strong role in the atmosphere of the album.

Vocally, it's the gruff, cigarette and whiskey school of vocals that No Idea is famous for, with a very heavy edge. At times, the vocals remind me of Damian from As Friends Rust (especially in "Drinks are Our Amnesty") in both tone and delivery. There's a sense of urgency and bearded tension throughout as vocalist try to top each other for volume and gruffness.

This band definitely appears to be road warriors, so I'm sure they'll be around soon. Their newest tour doesn't seem to come too close to Philly, which is a bummer, but I'll have to find a way to see them soon. This is a solid debut, certainly worthy of coming out on No Idea and catching a good amount of praise.

Able Baker Fox - Voices

Able Baker Fox - Voices
Second Nature Recordings



If you know me, by now I've probably talked to you about about this record. Voices is the first release from Able Baker Fox, a supergroup of sorts, comprised of members of The Casket Lottery and Small Brown Bike. Mike, Ben, and Jeff from Small Brown Bike have joined up with Nathan from the Casket Lottery to release a record that sounds enough like their old bands to warrant a comparison, but distinct enough to be a great record on its own.

Voices was written and demoed via mail and though digital recordings made in Missouri, Michigan, Illinois and New York. The band finally all got together in 2007, had a 10 hour practice, and then spent four days recording. For a record written over such vast distances and a long time frame, their is a strong sense of cohesion and a true band feeling.

Multiple vocal parts fill every song, with three different singers trading lines, verses and choruses. Textured guitars weave in and out of one another, and while there's a feeling of melody, it never really gets too clean or polished. There's a steady feeling of gruffness and edge. Dynamics really vary, as is expected from a band with this pedigree, and the vocals really push a lot forward. Personall, I'm definitely glad to hear Mike Reed singing for another band like this, as Small Brown Bike was a band I respected a lot, and really inspired me at Fest.

Overall, I can't say enough good things about this record. I wish that I could make it out to Chicago to see them Saturday with Hot Water Music, but I guess I'll have to use the LP as a substitute. I'm hoping that we see enough of this band for a second full length. This record was put together with one real practice; I'd be amazed to see what they could do if they all moved to the same state.

Lemuria - Get Better

Lemuria - Getter Better
Asian Man Records



"You never missed a word I tried to fit inside a chorus, inside a verse, all my intros and a bridge. That's where I put all the awful things I think I am, and if you still respect me I guess I'll have a second chance."

These lines open up Lemuria's debut full length, Get Better, and really set the tone for the overall feel of the album. I'd been hearing a ton about this band in late 2007, but I kinda slept on them. I'm not totally sure why, but I'm really regretting it now. I finally got into them, and I'm definitely glad I did.

Lemuria is a pop/rock/emo-ish band with co-ed vocals. The majority of the vocals are handled by Sheena, but there are male vocals from the drummer and bassist (Alexander and Jason, respectively). I hate to say it, as I'm not always a huge fan of girl singers, but Sheena's really draw you in and make this record a lot more interesting. The male vocals seem uninspired and bland. While Sheena's vocal patterns can get stale at times (see: chorus to "Hawaiian T-Shirt"), she has a way of turning a phrase and making something so simple get stuck inside your head for hours. I found myself singing the chorus of "Lipstick" between classes at work the other day. Glad my kid's didn't catch me singing "Maybe I should wear lipstick too." And while the chorus of that song is what really hooks you, the verse lyrics are simple, yet sad and something that I think a lot of us can relate to, male or female.

Overall, the jangly guitars, sweet female vocals, and simple, yet heartfelt lyrics make this a great power-pop record, that is definitely deserving of the hype. I'm kicking myself for sleeping on this band for so long, and it's definitely time for me to start delving into the back catalog of splits, 7 inches and comp tracks to really see what else this band has delivered. I suggest you do the same.

Hot Water Music - Till The Wheels Fall Off

Hot Water Music - Till The Wheels Fall Off
No Idea Records




Hot Water Music is easily in my top two bands of all time. When I first heard Forever and Counting when I was in tenth grade, I was hooked. The dual gruff vocals, melodic yet aggressive guitars, and tight rhythm section. The lyrics that focused more on the personal politics and the world around you. This was everything punk rock should be, and I've tried to include at least something from Hot Water Music into every band I've been i. wwhwmd?

So, as you can imagine, when Hot Water Music announced their hiatus, then subsequent break up, I was crushed. I owned everything they released (aside from one full length). I have a Hot Water Music chest piece. Unfortunately, for whatever reasons, I only got to see them a handful of times, which was something I've always regretted. When I heard they were finally releasing a last b-sides collection, AND playing shows, I was beyond stoked.

Reading below will give you a review of the show, but here I'll talk about the new collection/record. This a collection of random splits (Alkaline Trio and Leatherface), 7 inches, EPs (Moonpies for Misfits), comp tracks, and a handful of random covers. It kicks off with "Kill The Night" and the line "It's hard to rest right with a different pillow every night, still I close my eyes and dream I'll make it home." This song almost made Chuck decision to leave the band blatantly obvious. Either way, it's a great song in the later style of Hot Water Music.

From there, the first major batch of familiar songs is the split with Alkaline Trio. "God Deciding" is easily one of the best Hot Water songs, and the two covers of the Trio are both fantastic. I still have memories of walking home in the snow during college on a bleak day, and Chuck's version of "Bleeder" seemed to be the perfect soundtrack for the moment. Straight from this, the songs from the Leatherface split come on. These are some of the best HWM songs in my opinion. The vocals are as husky as they get, and the lyrical content deals with struggle, and having the strength to overcome. "Take It As It Comes" is yet another of my favorite HWM songs.

After this comes three covers by Government Issue, Midnight Oil, and Turbonegro. All are great, even though the Turbonegro song was a definite surprise. The Moonpies for Misfits EP follows, which is an old favorite of most HWM fans. The collection ends with four outrageously solid covers: The Circle Jerks ("Wild in the Streets"), The Boss ("No Surrender"), and The Clash ("The Clampdown"). Most importantly, and my personal favorite of the bunch, is "Springtime" by Leatherface. This was on the Live at the Hardback release, and I always loved it. It's nice to hear a proper studio recording, and they certainly do it justice.

Overall, even though it's not new, and I've heard a lot of it, it's nice to have it all in one place and to have all of the covers. Hopefully this reunion isn't fleeting, and we'll have more new music from Hot Water Music.

The Loved Ones - Build and Burn

The Loved Ones - Build and Burn
Fat Wreck Chords



After a major lineup shakeup that had the ever lovable Spider leaving, and Chrissy and Dave from The Explosion joining, The Loved Ones find themselves releasing their second full length for Fat Wreck and striving for rock and roll (not punk rock) greatness. Do they achieve it? Well, sort of.

There's always been that rock and roll element to Dave Hause's songs for The Loved Ones. Over the years and releases, from the demo until now, this has grown and grown. Build and Burn, their latest, is full of basic rock and roll structures, less distorted guitars, and far more instrumentation. They split their time between two studios for this record, but there was a lot of time spent with members of The Bouncing Souls and The Hold Steady (with two members lending guitar solos, as well as keys, saws, and other instruments to the mix). The overall effect is a very rock and roll, "Americana" record.

There's a good deal of storytelling, as opposed to more personal lyrics, which adds to the Springsteen vibe that oozes from this record. Songs like "The Bridge" and "Sarah's Game" both tell stories of "everyday" people and the trials and troubles that they face in their lives, and the toll that these lives take on them. "Louisiana" is a straightforward rock song that details the plight of people in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina and the difficulty of rebuilding their lives, through the metaphor of pounding nails and physical construction.

Despite "Louisiana" being the strongest Dave's voice has ever sounded, it does showcase one of the biggest problems with this record - the repetition of lyrics and overall limitation of Dave as lyricist. Even with one listen, it's obvious that there is a continuation of lyrical "themes" or "motifs" from song to song with "keep your heart" and "build and burn" (as well as ideas of sandcastles). Part of me sees what Dave is doing and how there is a connection through all of their songs and albums. But, at the same time, part of me feels like this is a limitation that he's still not quite over in his songwriting (as shown by using two old Curse songs to fill out the first full length).

Dave and the Loved Ones can write a damn good rock and roll song, not just good punk rock songs. At the same time, I feel like they're capable of so much more. There are great lyrics on this album, and then there are songs that make me scratch my head and think "Didn't I already listen to this song?" You can portray a theme without beating your listener over the head with it.

Overall, this is a damn good record and I enjoy listening to it, but it already has me wondering what their next full length will be like. Let's hope they hit that rock and roll masterpiece that they're shooting for. Until then, this record will still get a lot of spins from me.

Paint it Black - New Lexicon

Paint it Black - New Lexicon
Jade Tree / Rivalry Records



New Lexicon is Paint it Black's third full length, and the first great record of 2008. Early last year, they played a secret show at Disgraceland and played a set consisting of only new songs, which showcased a more melodic, yet somehow more brutal side of Paint it Black. Over the next few months, a few more songs were worked into their live set, and "Past Tense, Future Perfect" was released by Jade Tree online. This is an album that a lot of people have had high expectations for, especially considering some of the advance hype on it, and it definitely meets all of them.

A large part of what makes this album so special is the production. All live instrumentation and vocals were done by J. Robbins, so you know they sound great. The bass tone is especially outrageous. Dan had mentioned that they were going for a very Bad Brains feel with a heavy as hell bass tone, and this is definitely achieved. After J. Robbins did the groundwork tracking, Oktopus from Dalek stepped in to add his touch to the record. Because of this, the record is full of ambient effects, spacey interludes, feedback overlays and an overall chaotic/heavy feel.

Aside from the production, the songs are fantastic as well. Paint it Black has definitely hit their stride both musically and lyrically. Yemin's voice has never sounded better - angry and agressive. Lyrically, he gives a nod to the hip hop that he often talks about, with an abundance of well rhymed and clever lines. This isn't too say that he can't be straight to the point ("And that's as honest as I know how to be"), and "chronic defect in my head, I've got a chronic fuckin defect in my head" could be "Out of Step" for the 2000s. There are a great number of allusions to divinity, God, and what seems to be a pretty big struggle for Dan these days. The lyrical tone is definitely bleak, but with a sense of hope that keeps it from getting depressing.

I've already mentioned the bass tone, but this album has the best basslines Andy has played yet (see "Four Deadly Venoms"). Fast and aggressive, but with definite moments of melody that add a ton to the overall feel of the songs. Josh has some great, laid back spacey guitar parts that really give a new layer of atmosphere to the songs (end of "The Ledge" and intro to "We Will Not"). Jared makes you even forget that Wagz used to play drums in this band. To end the record, similarly to Paradise, there is a great sing along ending with "whoa-oh-ohs" coming from Jeff of Naked Raygun. Killer!

It was pretty ballsy of Paint it Black to give out 500 copies of this first weekend of the year, but you have to their admire their "Well, here it is: the best hardcore record of 2008" attitude. Not to mention just giving it away for free as a way to avoid the "commercialization of hardcore." Kudos.

Hot Water Music / The Lawrence Arms / Static Radio NJ - 1.25.08

Starland Ballroom
8PM

Heather, Mike, Kev, Jon and I all piled into Heather's tiny VW and made our way up to the bustling metropolis of Sayreville NJ for this show. We got there way early and got some sub par pizza, and got back to the show to get in as doors were opening at 7. From 7 to 8 we hung out in the bar and saw some friends. Adam and Jessi got there just before the first band started and fun and drinks were had.

Having just seen Static Radio NJ a few weeks ago, I wasn't overly interested in seeing them tonight, and once I heard the sound in that room, I didn't change my mind. At one point I asked Kev and Adam if they had a guitarist, because all we could hear from our vantage point in the bar was bass and bass drum.

Next, the Lawrence Arms hit the stage for their 940th show, or so they claim. As expected, Brendan was visibly drunk, and his on stage ramblings were even more ridiculous. They were sloppy and vocals were pretty off in spots, but I still really enjoyed them. You have to be prepared for that when you see the Arms. Their set was heavy on Oh, Calcutta, but they mixed in a few older songs. Lately I've been on a big Oh, Calcutta kick anyway, so I can't complain.

After a quick break, Hot Water Music appeared just before ten. They went right into "A Flight and a Crash," which is a great opener, even if the album of the same name is probably my least favorite Hot Water record. The set, especially at the beginning, was a bit heavy on newer songs, but they also worked in plenty of old favorites like "Better Sense," "Manual," "220 Years," "Rooftops," etc. They played 24 songs total (see set list below), including a four song encore after ending their set with "Turnstiles." The only major downside to the set was a stoppage that came in the middle of one song ("Swinger,' I think, but I could be wrong) when a fight broke out. As soon as that was resolved, they launched right back into the bridge and kept going.

Seeing Hot Water Music again after not having seen them in about six years was unbelievable. I go to see the Draft often, and I've seen Chuck acoustic, but neither really do it for me the way Hot Water Music does. It wasn't just like seeing the Draft plus Chuck. Everyone together was a totally different band. The energy level was higher and they seemed to be having a lot more fun than the last time I saw the Draft. By the end of it, everyone in the crowd and the band was soaked in sweat, and that's the way it should be at a Hot Water Music show. It's strange that a band can play a less than perfect set list, but the whole set can manage to be perfect in my opinion. If I never get to see Hot Water again (who knows?!), I'll be content with the last words that I heard them sing are on my chest. Live your heart and never follow.