Various Artists – Antipodes 7"

I never really understood the purpose of a compilation 7″. I mean, how many bands can you fit on a 7″ record? Apparently, quite a few, when they play quick and emphatic hardcore. This record contains five bands that go quite well together, all playing the intense and at times unbearably fast style of hardcore that makes you want to thrash around while tearing your hair out and screaming your lungs out.

The Assistant take up the A-side all of their own with “93,800 Hours.” Starting off with a man speaking about the generation throwing their lives away, some melodic guitar comes in behind his voice. And then things go nuts. For the entire side, you get one long, blistering assault of spastic hardcore. The drums lead the way at a frantic pace, with screaming vocals pounding away over blazing guitars. The cool thing about this band is the use of multiple vocalists. Screaming comes at you from all sides, at times trading off, at other times on top of each other. In fact, it looks like four of the five members of this band chime in while the music varies from straight-forward hardcore craziness to a more diverse, scattered sound of drums, guitar lines, even keyboards. The lyrics, thankfully written inside, chime in nicely from the voice that precedes the song.

After that lengthy craziness, the four bands on the B-side seem to contribute even shorter songs than normal. Neil Perry (the band, not the person) starts off with “Memoirs of an Illiterate Penpal.” This song feels very roughly produced, and with a power hardcore sound that verges on metal at times, it leads off quite powerfully. The guitar this track is quite good, though, changing up quickly and perfectly. Hassan I Sabbah’s “Fuck the Thinking That They’re Living Some…” has one of those head-banging power-rock feels. The drums go nuts over emphatic guitar, and the vocals go from spoken to screamed. This isn’t one of my favorites from this band. Jerome’s Dream, however, have a great song that fits perfectly with their insane style. “How Staggering Is This Realization” (which has the great line “A penny per thought would fill a bank”) seems louder than the rest of the songs here, and it blasts ahead in all-out crazy power for about 30 seconds. Yeah! Usurp Synapse finishes things off with “Good Luck With Your Book.” The band buries the screamed vocals underneath all-out drumming and power chords. I like Usurp Synapse more each time I hear them, and this is another great song, with some great switches between crazy heavy and lighter and more intense.

That’s right, five bands for the low price of a 7″. Hardcore fans take not: this sums up some of the most frantic and powerful hardcore bands that have been taking up tons of time on my stereo. Yeah, it’s over before you know it, but in those brief moments, you get five songs of the most intense and powerful hardcore you’re ever going to hear. This is a great compilation for those who want to find some new bands in the genre. It’s on cool clear red vinyl too!

Fire Squad Punks – Hangover

This week, we go from heavy chaotic hardcore to snotty pop punk, from one end of the hardcore spectrum to the polar opposite punk side (In sound, I mean, not in ideology).

The Fire Squad Punks have a very Screeching Weasel, Squirtgun type of poppy, fuck-you sound, which, unlike thousands upon thousands of bands, they can actually pull off.

“Hangover” starts out with chunky, power chord guitar parts but has a nice melody backing it up. The vocals come in, taking over the melody, and the whiny, snotty vocals add to the overall attitude and sound of the song. Yes, for all you who are worried, the Fire Squad Punks actually have the staple “Woo Ooh’s” in the background vocals.

The lyrics (From what I can figure out) deal with waking up with, surprise, a hangover. Listening to this at my desk at work, I put the volume up a little. As soon as my boss came around, Pip (lead vocals and guitar) shouts out: “Why are my butt cheeks all red / Who’s that laying in my bed?”

Needless to say, I made a great impression upon him.

The rest of the band is Adam Brungardt (guitar), Joe Wesley (bass), and James Wesley (drums). Their webpage has Fire Squads’ very own radio station and various other stuff, including surveys (they are letting the fans choose the name of the album), bios, shows, and all that jazz.

Fire Squad Punks’ song “Hangover” makes me remember my old High School Days of Alcohol and Punk Rock. Well, it’s still pretty much the same today.

My First Step Towards Failure – Neil Roberts and The Fat Guy

I was surfing around looking for some Mp3′s to review, as I often do at my long hours during work. I came across a Webpage known as justanotherscene.com. It has a comprehensive listing of bands in the New England area as well as shows and contacts. If you can, check it out, because Sean has put a helluva lot of work into this. You can contact him for any info by e-mail.

Messing around this page led me to the Webpage of this New England sextet. My First Step Towards Failure consists of Brandon (Bass, Voice), Justin (Voice), Matt (Voice), Mikey (Drums), Pat (Guitar) and Ross (Guitar). Damn that’s a lot of people. This is one of the best websites I have come across since I started this column (It’s only two weeks ago so I don’t know what the hell I’m complaining about). It seems to be updated fairly regularly and contains a ton of information. The design alone is very striking, in a human anatomy, flatliners kind of way.

The song “Neil Roberts and the Fat Guy” (They have four Mp3s available, but I chose this one for the title) is chaotic, loud and intense. Think of Shai Hulud, Drowningman and even throw in a little Iconoclast. It’s a mixture of ass kicking hardcore with some speed metal laced throughout. The breakdown in the middle is a nice touch; they slow the song down a bit only to have it come raging back in. This makes it seem a hundred times more intense.

Very often when I listen to this style of hardcore and people overhear, they ask the same standard questions, “How do you understand what he’s saying?” Well, to be honest, most of the time I don’t, but it’s the overall feel of the song that matters most to me. The lyrics are as important, but I don’t dismiss a song if the vocals are unclear.

This paragraph goes out to all of those people. The lyrics for “Neil Roberts and the Fat Guy” deal with the sense of loss. Raging hardcore about a meaningful subject: “I miss / you so much. I’ll hold onto you until the / train comes. Holding on tight and not / letting go. You still mean so much to me.”

Three in the Attic – Now That We Have Television

Three in the Attic are one of those rock bands that sorta fall between all the genres. Combining elements of punk rock, emo, and post-punk power-pop energy, this band plays fast and catchy rock. Fans of Samiam should take note, because this band has all the energy and catchy choruses of Samiam without falling into the more poppy, radio friendly sound of a band like Gameface or Sensefield. In fact, I’d say this album falls comfortably somewhere between Samiam’s latest, the Get Up Kids’ first album, and Lifetime’s last album.

The opening instrumental really sets the stage for this album, featuring fantastic guitar and a fast, upbeat pace. It leads nicely into “My Life on Film,” a more pop-punk song lead by a heavy bass line and vocals that are emotionally charged but still well-sung. “Thirty Thr33 Feet” is even more fast-paced and punkish, but kept into the pop realm by powerful guitar and drumwork. “I, the Mechanical” is supposedly the first single, but I think this is one of the more boring tracks, with a highly repetitious drumbeat, but it does have more melody in the vocals. The great bass lines on “Made with Metal Parts” again make me think of Samiam, and maybe that’s why I like the energy of this song so much. “Mastermind Complication” is another gem, with thick guitar lines and more of a rock feel than punk, which I think works well for this band. “Little Figurines” is catchy and precise, probably one of the tightest and most emo-leaning tracks here. I like this one a lot. “One by Zer0″ is another fast-paced pop-punk song, or perhaps rock-punk would be a better term, because this isn’t particularly poppy. “The Day I Forgot How to Pretend” is another hot track, reminding me quite a bit of early The Get Up Kids, only a bit more fast-paced and with better (read less strained) vocals. It also uses some neat vocal effects. And the closer, “What Makes Us Killers,” soars to new levels through vocal harmonies, biting delivery, and sheer energy in guitars and drumming. This track right here, with all the power and energy, is where this band should be on every song, high-powered and astounding.

Three in the Attic isn’t the most unique band to come down the pike, but they’re clearly talented, and they manage to blend several types of styles, fitting nicely between them for a sound more of their own. Fans of emo, punk, and rock I think would agree on this band. They play powerful rock with a lot of energy and a lot of emotion, and they do it well.

Various Artists – When it Was as Good as Pillow Talk

Ah, this album feels so much like a few years ago, maybe early 1999. Then, this would have been so new and exciting, I would have gone out to seek albums from every one of these bands. Today, their style of emo and rock have been done before. But that’s not saying this music is outdated, because it’s just as good today. Only problem is, I’ve heard a lot like it. I still enjoy listening to these high-speed emo-rock songs, and I expect this compilation will go over big because of the talent of most of these artists.

The Stereo’s “She Would Never” is probably the worst song here, too middle-of-the-road rocking, although the guitars chug along nicely. You really don’t need any other reason to buy this album other than the fact that there’s an amazing unreleased Triple Fast Action song here. “All Better Now” is the highlight of this album, and even if it isn’t one of the most rocking T3FA tracks, it’s so crisp and features those incredible vocals. Ah, the album could end here, and I’d be happy, but there’s a lot more good stuff.

“Apple of My Eye” from Sometimes Seven, for example, sounds like mid-90′s Sugar, or maybe the singer just sounds like Bob Mould. Anyway, they have cool jangly guitar rock and a fast tempo. The Acrobat Down song, “For Your Information,” isn’t one of my favorites by the band, but I think that’s only because of poor, almost washed-out sounding production. Then there’s a track from Silver Scooter’s last full-length, not even the best from that album.

Mock Orange’s “She Runs the Ride” sounds a lot like early Cross My Heart, perhaps, maybe mixed with a little Piebald and Pave the Rocket. This one should be on an installment of Deep Elm’s Emo Diaries. I’m impressed by Pretty Mighty Mighty’s “Beacons & Markers,” a great rock song with an impeccably crisp production. The first song I’ve heard from Curbside Journal is on here, although I’ve read a lot about them. I’m not terribly impressed, as “The Fall That’s Coming” has a nice flow and some great rhythm, but it has a sort of lazy feel. They do remind me a bit of The Vehicle Birth. And Turkish Taffy isn’t bad but doesn’t thrill me, although I love the singer’s sorta drawled/sung/shouted vocals.

Paris@2AM may have my favorite song here. “Understand” is high-powered and rocking in a sort of intense Lazycain meets Twelve Hour Turn sort of way. Cool stuff. Thistle’s “Sea Legs” is a more melodic, more emo song, with almost whiney vocals. The Shots’ “Take Me” has kind of an echoey effect, and there’s really nothing new here. But Bedford’s “The Last Song” is excellent, even though it has more of a punk feel than any of the other songs. The screamed vocals during the chorus are a great touch, and there’s a real playful energy here. That certainly doesn’t carry over to The Mixelpricks, whose contribution here is way too familiar, another Blink 182 style punk/pop song. But you probably could have guessed that from the band name.

Palomar Sky Survey is wonderful, a kind of poppy emo band with a female singer, and their song, “Cartouche,” is another favorite on this album. “Years Before the End” from Irwin is a pretty nice, chugging emo rock song, not especially unique, but I find myself enjoying it every time it comes by. Sunday Flood’s “Cherry Wings and Canopy Trees” is a stand-out, chugging and powerful with prettier moments and moments of almost screamed vocals. And finally, The Falling finish things off with “The Song I Wrote About You.” This one has all the emo qualities: soft, twinkly parts, powerful, driving parts, and back and forth between the two. But it’s a good song, very powerful and moving. It’s also 8 minutes long!

These are some great rock songs here, plus a few that I could do without, but what more can you expect from a compilation. The standouts are clearly an unreleased Triple Fast Action track, a powerful song from Paris@2AM, and good songs from Palomar Sky Survey and Sunday Flood. This one is worth checking out for the emo-core fans out there.

Brian Michael Roff – The Way Things Work

At first listen, I decided that Brian Michael Roff is another singer/songwriter who plays his acoustic guitar and straddles that line between folk singer and country singer. After a few more listens, however, I decided that Roff must be straddling a few more fences at once. Instead of simply playing away at his acoustic guitar for that Bob Dylan-esque effect, I get the sense that Roff has something different going for him.
Sure, these songs are still predominantly Roff’s energetic vocals and acoustic guitar. But as good as his vocals are, you get the sense that Roff isn’t willing to rest on his singing, and as good as his songwriting is, you can tell that Roff isn’t about to let it speak for itself. Instead, he mixes in some different sounds – some strings here, some beats there, even a saw now and then – and varies his singing style to give some songs a darker, more moody approach and others a lighter, more folk-spirited feel. It’s this change of styles, mixed with Roff’s ability to write almost poppy folk-style songs, that makes this album unique and enjoyable.
“The Plastic Apart” starts off, and while it clearly shows that Roff can sing, it doesn’t do much that’s unique. The use of some strings that come in give it a darker feel, but they recede to leave Roff sing and strum away at his guitar. When I realize that I’m swaying my head back and forth, I determine that this song must, despite its bare-bones structure, be more pop than folk. There is a bit of an alt-country feel on the thicker “The Useless Two,” and then “Oh! California” brings in some percussion and what sounds like a saw to give this song a completely new feel, somewhere between Johnny Cash and the Blackheart Procession. My favorite song here is definitely “What Have We Done?” With what sounds like a horn in the background and banjo mixed with acoustic guitar (not positive on these instruments, just picking out the sounds), and with Roff singing almost mournfully, this song takes on a life of its own, and this is the one I keep coming back to. “A Penny is Not Enough” would be just another typical, heartfelt folk song if not for the inclusion of soft tambourine and backing female vocals. There’s a more country-tinge to “Make This Mule” and the drawled out “Up Twice,” and that style is continued for several songs that tend to put the focus firmly on the guitar and Roff singing in a country style. But “The Mill Street Formal,” despite its slower pace, has more of a pure rock feel to it, probably by the more heavily strummed guitar and the lack of drawl in Roff’s vocals. The keyboard are a nice touch underlying the entire song. And “Like Bones Underneath” ends on a high note. With trumpets and strings under fast guitar, this song has a playful pop feel, something that wouldn’t sound out of place on an Elephant 6 release, to some degree.
Boston-native Roff has been releases his songs on cassette since 1992, but this is his first CD. I think his blend of moody folk and country leanings carries over perfectly to this medium. I’m left with a sense, after listening to this album, that Roff picked his best works for this album, showcasing one style here, another there. And they all work for him. While his folk-leaning singer/songwriting style may not be breaking new boundaries, his experiments with different instruments and an often moodier tone to lend this album a very deep and sincere feel.

Fable – Split 7"

Prepare yourself for a blistering 7″ of hardcore from these two bands. If you like incoherent, emotional, and violent screams, blistering guitar assaults, frantic drumming, and a moody, angry sound, you’re going to like this split from the aptly named Happy Couples Never Last.
Mara’akate reminds me of a cross between Jerome’s Dream and Usurp Synapse. “Electrode Potentials” blasts off with growling vocals but some cool keyboard or piano providing a twinkly backdrop to the all-out guitar and scream assult. “Two Hundred Million Electron Volts” reminds me a bit more of Orchid, taking off in a drum-powered assault. The vocals are a little less growly, and it breaks down into a quieter moment – the vocals still screamed, of course – that I like quite a bit. “Steady Flow of Ions” is probably the most grinding assault, with blazingly fast guitars and all-out growled vocals for about 30 seconds. But “Two Dissimilar Materials” picks that up right away. There are some cool things going on in this song, however, like moments of almost silence, singing that follows the guitar line perfectly, and some fantastic energy. This one has that Usurp Synapse sound down with a little bit of a harder, harsher sound. Wow.
After four frantic hardcore songs on one side of a 45 rpm single from Mara’akate, you’d expect more of the same from Fable. However, Fable only have one song, “Foreshadowing the Reincarnate.” Don’t worry, though. This band blasts ahead with an all-out assault of hardcore craziness. Sounding like a cross between The Red Scare, Jerome’s Dream, and maybe even a bit of a more metal sound, this song is pretty damn cool. The vocals are screamed incoherently and powerfully, and the song chugs along with moments of metal-like spasticness and moments of bass-heavy emo moodiness. I like this song a lot, especially the moments that break down a bit, like when acoustic guitar comes in all deep and moody, the vocals screamed by multiple people as if their lungs were being ripped out. I love that kind of nod to the classic emo sound. And from that mid-song breakdown, the track really takes off, an angry, thick sound.
Wow, these bands are great! For never having heard of either of them, I’m completely sold. Mara’akate provide the frantic, all-out power hardcore of bands like Usurp Synapse, and Fable provide the moments of metal, moments of older-school emo craziness, a bit like Torches of Rome meets Red Scare and Jerome’s Dream. Cool stuff that hardcore lovers are going to eat up!

Low – Christmas

You’ve got to admire Low for releasing a Christmas album. It’s not terribly in vogue to support what many people claim to be a holiday far too commercialized, and Low admits that commercialism in the CD packaging. But then, there’s something about holiday music that almost anyone can enjoy, and it’s obvious that Low is a big fan of the holiday tunes.
On this CD, which I believe was actually released last year (but I could be wrong), Low contributes some original holiday tunes and a few covers of old favorites. They don’t shy away from the Christmas songs with holiday meaning, either, which is another reason why I respect them for this wonderful album. And the band lends their classic slow-core approach to most of these songs, giving them the kind of sparse, melodic, and introspective feel that Low is so well known for.
“Just Like Christmas” may be my favorite Low song, and that’s saying a lot. This is one of the band’s most upbeat songs, with a rollicking pop beat, sleigh bells, and gorgeous vocals from Mimi Parsons. I find myself singing this one all the time, especially this time of year, and I think this song could go down as a holiday classic if anyone ever heard it. “Long Way Around the Sea” tells the story of the three kings, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. Slow and moving, with soft and low acoustic guitar and vocals from Alan Sparhawk (with Mimi backing him perfectly on the chorus), this song has a classic feel given a modern, slow-core approach. The classic “Little Drummer Boy” is very slow and moody with a wash of slightly distorted sound behind the echoed vocals for a very unique and powerful effect. “If You Were Born Today” is the only song that I think is too slow here. The vocals are clearly featured over very sparse guitar in this song about what today’s society would do to Jesus today. It’s a very sobering song, and although it is a bit too slow, the male and female vocals together are gorgeous. “Blue Christmas,” on the other hand, benefits from the very quiet and moody, even bluesy approach that Mimi’s soulful vocals and the echoed acoustic guitar supply. Alan and Mimi pair up again on an absolutely beautiful version of “Silent Night,” a song that is supposed to be quiet and contemplative, and who does that better than Low? “Taking Down the Tree” puts a sorrowful approach to an act that always depressed me, and it expresses the sentiment of those post-holiday days perfectly and in a quite lovely manner. The finale, “One Special Gift,” is short and quiet, but it’s heartfelt and quite emotional.
You don’t have to be Christian to appreciate the beauty and meaning behind some holiday songs, so don’t shy away from this release this holiday or next just because Low sings “Silent Night” and “If You Were Born Today.” This band is known for somber, introspective, and sparse pop music, and that treatment is applied perfectly to these holiday songs. But this album is worth getting even if just for “Just Like Christmas.” Holiday music can be enjoyed by everyone, and if you’re sick of another rendition of Jingle Bells, this is the album to play to get you in the spirit.

Kind of Like Spitting – Old Moon in the Arms of the New

I can’t really get enough of Kind of Like Spitting, which is ok, because KoLS frontman Ben Barnett seems to be one of the more prolific musicians out there today. I believe Old Moon in the Arms of the New is the most recent KoLS album, but there may have been another album released practically simultaneously. This album really shows Barnett’s talents maturing, and he takes a slightly new direction. On this release, you get less of Barnett singing in his breaking voice and playing acoustic guitar. Instead, he has a band with him now, and just about every song features a full-band sound, and more emphasis is placed on electric rather than acoustic guitar.
Seeing Kind of Like Spitting live, I was amazed to hear the level of rock this band is able to reach. Live, you can almost hear why some people classify KoLS as an emo band, as the songs tend to rock out more and put a lot of focus on breaking, almost screaming vocals. On album, however, this is folk-inspired rock with a slow-core feel. And that’s what Barnett does best: let the focus be on the personal, emotional songwriting and let the music come along. Bright Eyes does this well, and fans of that band will definitely enjoy Kind of Like Spitting.
“Old Moon Meet New” is a sentimental, slower song. Filled with light electric guitar, light drums, and Barnett’s breaking, emotional voice, the song has a kind of somber urgency that Barnett has always been good at conveying. Halfway through, keyboards kick in, and the song takes on something of a groove. In contrast, “Boy Cries Wolf,” with female backing vocals and a very light, poppy beat, is a pure pop song, ala Belle & Sebastian, all sweet and even a little playful. There’s even a synthetic beat to kick off “Two Violins, Which Are Meant to Represent the Forest,” a more acoustic number that has a nice rocking feel with the drums and electric guitar layered in. Finally, “Tyce Racing Set and a Christmas Story Fifteen Times” brings in a harder rock sound, to start with anyway. It mellows out a bit (and takes on a “Silent Night” melody that’s kind of neat) but does have elements of a harder, more in-your-face rock sound. The vocals are done really interestingly, too, layering a kind of deep vocal sound over Barnett’s higher-pitched vocals.
There seems a natural transition when switching to the B-side of this album. “Dostoyevski Gets Mugged Outside a Donut Shop in Jersey” (gotta love Barnett’s song titles) is much more folk-sounding, with the drums sounding simple and added on later but the melodica sounding right at home. “Young Fiction Writer” is the quieter and more sparse sound you might expect from earlier KoLS releases, with Barnett’s voice and sparse guitar plucking creating an emotional, somber feel. The use of accordion and flute in the background works very well and shows that Barnett is willing to experiment. “I Know You Heard Me the First Time” has a deeper, more precisely produced sound. This calmer, more precise popish sound perfectly fits the Hush Records sound. “43C” is the only song that is true to the older KoLS sound: just Barnett’s vocals and guitar. Even with broke down to this quieter level, these songs are still soft rock songs with a deeply personal feel, never taking that whiney singer/songwriter folk feel. The closer, “Timber,” is one of my favorite songs. With a textured, layered sound of guitars and piano, light drums, and Barnett’s reaching voice, this song has a very powerful and heartfelt feel yet maintains a nice pop sound.
Although this album has much more of a consistent full-band sound than the other KoLS releases I’ve heard, it still is something of a piecemeal project. The members accompanying Barnett vary on each song, and these songs were recorded at a number of different times and places. Still, it flows surprisingly well, and the addition of drums and bass to Barnett’s emotional voice and stellar guitar makes these songs deeply personal and powerful. There’s even a greater degree of rocking going on here than you might expect from this band’s previous releases, and it works remarkably well.

Rally Boy – "I Got Dumped" b/w "Hot Diamond Crush" 7"

This is an older one from Jealous Butcher, from 1997. Wow, that’s almost four years ago. But this release doesn’t sound all that old. It has a combination post punk/pop/rock feel, all merged together with loud drums, some indie-rock style guitars, and pop vocal styles. You’ll be nodding your head along one moment and wanting to get up and dance the next. I like these songs. They feel a bit too restrained, as if the band is about to really let go, but that lends the songs a bit more of a tight, urgent feel.

“I Got Dumped” is a nice pop/rock song. A mid-tempo rocker, it has elements of Weezer underlying a nice pop structure. The blur of thick guitar underneath light drums and a crisper pop sound gives this song something of a more urgent quality. That’s especially fitting of the lyrics, which are, as you can imagine, about being dumped: “When you only told me lies / How can you look at me and smile?” And it ends even more emotional, the vocals lofting and the drums really pounding away as the singer almost moans, “I’ve run out of sympathy.”

“How Diamond Crush” is a bit less dreary and more up-tempo. The vocals here are a lot deeper, with some nice, poppy backing vocals doing the “oooo, la-la-la” thing. Again, the drums take the focus here, providing a crisp, poppy structure. The Weezer comparisons are easy to make again, but the band has a unique feel, combining those purely pop moments with stellar guitar lines and occasional moments of blaring guitar. This song feels a bit less controlled, more like the band is letting go and having fun, and I think it works better, even without the more emotional feel of the A-side.

Rally Boy have a nice mix of pop and rock with some nice indie-rock and pop moments. I think this band is working on two levels simultaneously. The songs have a poppy, almost sing-along quality, but underlying guitar riffs and heavier, more moody vocals lend the songs weight and urgency. The dichotomy works well for this Oregon band, and it makes both of these songs fun and rocking.

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