Sick of it All – Live in a Dive

Sometimes I wonder about the knowledge level of people who read my reviews. Hopefully they have a basic understanding of phonetics and the English language; that’s a start anyhow. Next, do they have any knowledge on the subject matter of what they’re reading? This is where my dilemma comes in while writing a review for a band like Sick of it All. On one hand, my pretentious hardcore-lovin’ id thinks that everyone and their mother should at least have heard the name Sick of it All, seen it on some punk rawker’s backpack or jacket, something to distinguish the band. And obviously on the other hand, my less assuming, far more benevolent side thinks, “Sick of it All is just a band from NYC that no one in mainstream America should care to know about.” So in the interest of fairness, if you think you know your SOIA history and background, skip the next paragraph, do not pass go, do no collect any more knowledge.
Sick of it All is without a doubt one of the most seminal hardcore bands of all-time. The band was formed by brothers Lou and Pete Koller in New York City circa 1984, an era in which the NYC hxc scene was beginning to boom, pumping out brutal, pissed-as-hell music from the likes of Agnostic Front and the Cro-Mags. In 1987, the band released their debut ep on California’s pioneering punk label, Revelation; this release was followed by their classic debut full-length, Blood, Sweat, & No Tears on NYC-based Combat Records. After a stint on a major, and three previous releases on Fat Wreck, Sick of it All is still kicking hard after nearly 20 years. Their vitality and energy seems ever-present, a fact thats completely apparent on this Live in a Dive album.
Live albums are by rule very hit-or-miss deals (unless you’re Phish and put out a new live album every week, in which case that just sucks). It’s perilously possible for great live bands to put out bad live albums due to any number of contributing factors like bad sound, a dead crowd, or just an off-night. Sick of it All has no such problems here.
The album kicks off with a rousing introduction that pops the crowd huge before launching into the punk woah-oh-filled “Good Lookin Out.” My favorite SOIA song, “Blown Away” always gets my head-nodding with its chugga-chugga guitars, thumping bass, and gang vocals. “Built to Last” keeps up the intensity and also serves notice to any doubters that Sick of it All and hardcore music are still going strong. Lack of interaction with the crowd will usually doom a live release, but Lou Koller doesn’t disappoint, dedicating songs and inviting the crowd to get on stage and sing along at various points during the show. Track selection here is very balanced between old and new stuff, another plus of any good live show. The set of 23 songs doesn’t get tiring, staying fresh and energetic throughout with enough variety to keep it from getting boring.
SOIA are wily veterans of the hardcore scene, a trait that shows through in their saavy crafting of their lives shows. They hit all the right spots in making a live album and I’m sure this CD translates very well into the true Sick of it All live experience. If you’re a new fan of Hatebreed or any of the mosh-centric, “tough guy” hardcore bands, you owe it to yourself to give SOIA a listen so you can see where your favorite band got their style from. And unlike some of these mindless new school, “fuck-shit-up in the pit” hardcore bands, Sick of it All is built to last.

Boys Night Out – Broken Bones and Bloody Kisses EP

You find a bind between the love you had and the hate that you now feel. As you turn this CD on, that line disappears. Everything turns into what Boys Night Out calls life. The honesty of how broken-hearted anger is really felt is expressed without holding back on Broken Bones and Bloody Kisses, a six-song EP released by One Day Savior Records.
Boys Night Out, from Burlington, Ontario, can’t be classified as a metal-core band, hardcore, or even a pop-punk band. They are somewhere in between, stylishly molding themselves into all of these categories. At times you are positive you are listening to Grade’s album And Such Is Progress (ironically at the time of recording Chris Danner formerly of Grade played drums). Then at times you hear the pop-punk sound of the Movielife and the Lawrence Arms’ melodic punk singer Chris McCaughan.
Most of the songs are aggressive hardcore screaming and distorted metal guitars moving seamlessly to clean up-beat melodic guitars and calmness. But on some songs like “Sketch Artist Composite” they blend everything into a harder screamo type sound. Not only is the sound of this band intriguing, the emotion behind the riffs is great. When you listen to bands like Poison the Well and Shai Hulud, you also get an intense amount of emotion in the words they scream; it’s the same with Boys Night Out. The lyrics are a lot like poetry with the right words like “…and rest assured that you’re beautiful with trigger pulled” backed up with incredible technical song writing.
Not knowing when Boys Night Out will make the transition from the fantastic hardcore sound to a pop-punk sound is what gives them their style and what makes this CD great. Through love and spite Boys Night Out’s “Broken Bones and Bloody Kisses” is an amazing start for this emerging band. It’s no surprise that Ferret Music Corp. (Skycamefalling, From Autumn to Ashes) plan to release their full-length soon.

Three Summers Gone – Time Well Spent

It seems like this album is either six years too late or just in time. Is this a rehashing of a winning style tried and true, or is it a reminding slap to the face of 14-year-olds everywhere of what that musical style used to be? Its kind of a fine line to walk, I suppose.
I’m probably going to get a nasty e-mail from the band, gettin all up in my biznatch because I even used the term “emo” in reference to them, because “emo” has joined the ranks of “grunge” and “pop” as dirty words used solely by writers for Seventeen magazine, but that damned word used to have such meaning! Guy Picciotto must just sit around bummed all day when he thinks about what people have done to his baby. Except when, you know, he realizes he’s in Fugazi, the best band of all time.
Regardless, Three Summers Gone are doing good to bring back that original Texas is the Reason/Mineral sound. Time Well Spent isn’t a groundbreaking album and doesnt surpass its inspiration, but fans of bands of that era, or for people like myself who have moved on musically and appreciate the reminder, it’s definatly something to look into.
The album starts off with “All Aaid and Done,” which immediatly shows the vocal work to be one of the strongest aspects of this band, accompanied by hopscotch-ish guitars weaving in and out in the background. By “Chin Up” you’ll realize how intellegent the guitar work is, as they become a driving force in the flow of the music as a whole. Much to popular belief among the Johnny-come-latelys, adding subpar lyrics about swingsets and mixtapes to simple 4/4 power chord riffs doesnt make your music as a whole emotional, it just makes it sound bland and uninspired.
Then again, neither do thrift store shirts and rolled up jeans. But tell that to some kid at a show and you’re bound to be the target of messageboard bitching….again.
Simply put, Time Well Spent is a promising album straight from a genre quickly dying from a lack of bands like Three Summers Gone. Though, I’ll be honest, I’m not too crazy about their name.

Seana Carmody – Struts and Shocks

Coming in at a concise, workmanlike 33 minutes, Seana Carmody’s Struts and Shocks is one of those albums that, while not necessarily breaking new ground with each song, still manages to be somewhat groundbreaking by the simple fact that everything it does it does pretty much right. Carmody knows the secret that eludes too many bands. Trying to get by on being brooding, emotional, or hardcore can’t make bad songs good; good albums are made up of good songs.
The 10 songs here flow nicely with most coming and going in under three minutes; it’s almost impossible to get bored. She crafts relatively uncomplicated pop songs that capture your attention without pandering for it. She makes it all seem so simple that it’s hard to figure out why most other bands have so much trouble with it. The short answer is that like anyone who is good at what they do, they make it look easy. The long answer has more to do with the years of playing and touring and recording that I’m sure have made up her career. As a former member of Syrup USA and the Swirlies she’s put her time in, and this, her first solo album, benefits from her experience. Her music is laid-back without being lethargic, moody without being lazy or dull.
I was skeptical at first because I never got the same feeling from her live shows; I’ll be listening with a different ear next time I see her. Her sound is almost deceptive in how it doesn’t reveal itself in the same way on multiple listens; it’s easy to keep coming back to her music because you’ll find new corners in it each time. Above all, she comes across as confident in her craft. She doesn’t have the compulsion to bury a listener in the same mood or emotion; her songs can be alternately forlorn, wistful, or surprisingly confrontational. She never comes across as half-hearted or anything less than fully involved in what’s going on around her, which may be her biggest asset. The way she sings “It’ll turn you away like spurned lover” on “Mighty Bull” speaks volumes without having to say all that much. It’s certainly more than most bands today who get by on churning out half-assed dirges to broken relationships can muster.
Carmody sticks with mostly clearly stated, concrete lyrical images (“Caught in a fishnet out in the harbor. Free me, free me. I wish I could swim” from “Lazy Island” and “Caught in a storm like you” from “Tornadoes”) and makes them work consistently well. Even the title, Struts and Shocks, fits exactly right; it captures the disc’s oily, under-the-hood view of the details of relationships perfectly. Carmody seems to approach the whole project with the right mix of seriousness and levity. There’s nothing silly or ironic to the “Shooby dooby wop wop” chorus of “Rocket Out of Time,” which other writers may have played up for kitsch value. On “Mighty Bull,” she pulls and stretches the verse out before delivering the chorus. Understated chord changes and simple yet melodic lead lines almost make you overlook how confident and capable of a guitar player she is; the same is true of her straight-ahead yet effective lyrics.
One potential downside is that there’s an occasional sameness to the overall sound, but I think that what repetition there is helps you settle into the album more and get slightly lost; it’s similar to the effect Smashing Pumpkins got with Gish. Throughout, Carmody manages to be accessible yet difficult to pin down all at once; a tough trick to pull off. Struts and Shocks is a surprising little gem. Well done.

Tapping the Vein – The Damage EP

Tapping the Vein is a band I wish I had checked out sooner. Since they hail from my hometown of Philadelphia, I’ve heard the name tossed around before, and since they’re on Nuclear Blast records I just assumed they were a heavy metal band. This three-song sampler from the band’s full-length debut, The Damage, has shown me that Tapping the Vein is not only not a metal band, they are hard to pin down to any one style at all.
The group consists of Heather Thompson on vocals, Mark Burkert on guitar, Joe Rolland on bass, and Eric Fisher taking up drum and programming duties. This may sound like a fairly standard line-up, but there are a few things that set Tapping the Vein apart. Heather Thompson’s voice is a strong feature on each song, and the sequences and samples provided by Eric Fisher move the music away from anything ordinary. Tapping the Vein’s music is dark, moody, and ethereal all at the same time-and this combination really digs deep into one’s psyche. The music here, though truly hard to label, is not heavy. The sound is seemingly effortless while remaining complex, but nothing that will make your head hurt if loud music isn’t your thing.
“Sugar Falls” makes me fall in love with Heather’s voice from the first few notes. Unlike a lot of today’s “singers,” she’s got a great range and expresses so much emotion with each word. The guitar and bass provide an almost eerie backdrop that has a hypnotizing effect against the pitter-patter of the percussion. Ultimately, the programming and instruments combine in such a perfectly fluid way, it’s almost as if the music if following Heather’s singing throughout the song.
The Code Noir Club Mix and the Radio Edit versions of “The Ledge” are quite similar and incorporate a bit more programming than the previous track – think Nine Inch Nails, but toned down a bit. Heather moves between soft and sultry singing and a guttural cry that is wonderfully complemented with a bit of distortion here and there. The guitar has an industrial, dirty quality that is ideal for this style of music.
In just three tracks, Tapping the Vein show themselves to be a unique blend of influences including rock, pop, industrial, and goth. If this sampler is any indication of their full-length, Damage, then Tapping the Vein should be well on their way to a highly successful career. This band is a solid entity, and Heather Graham’s voice will haunt you a little more after each listen. Damage is an album worth picking up, and you can bet I’ll be catching their live show the next time the play their hometown.

Emily Sparks – What Could Not Be Buried

The whimsical drawings on the cover of Emily Sparks’ album made me think her music will be syrupy sweet pop. I’m completely surprised that what hits my ears is a stripped down amalgam of folk, country, and only a little bit of pop featuring Emily and her guitar. Emily fits well with the current crop of female singer/songwriters that have been springing up at every turn, but her music isn’t overproduced or cheesy. Her singing makes me think of a pixyish woman at an open-mic night, and I imagine coffee shops, bars, and intimate clubs are where Emily’s music is best experienced live.
Emily’s music fluctuates between poignant, melodic acoustic tunes and a few more upbeat pop numbers. She dabbles in a variety of genres on What Could Not Be Buried, and it seems she gives each song her own soft touch that brings to mind particular images. Whether intended or not, it seems many of the songs on What Could Not Be Buried invoke water in some way – be it the lyrics or the music itself. Emily wears her heart on her sleeve, and it’s clear this album was a labor of love. Much of what is here comes off as painful life stories, but I wouldn’t say Emily Sparks’ music is depressing in any way … just unpretentiously soul bearing.
The first track, “Just as Well,” features beautiful slide guitar and Emily’s vocals that combine to give a subtle melancholy air to the song. The percussion makes me think of driving under a bridge in the rain-and how the sound stops and starts as you move in and out of the rain. “I, Aquarius” highlights Emily’s gliding acoustic that gently rolls like a river and this water theme is reflected in the lyrics with lines like, “I was born bearing water, so I built a house by the sea and weathered many storms.” “Midnight Rendezvous” actually goes a step further and incorporates the sound of actual rain and of crickets chirping. These are just a few examples of how water imagery is used on this album – it’s not an overwhelming thing, but it’s definitely there.
Overall, Emily Sparks’ What Could Not Be Buried is an enjoyable listen. The purely folk tracks far outweigh the few pop-oriented ones, and this is the area that seems strongest for Emily. I’d love to hear her really belt out a tune or two, but her wispy vocals do fit the largely melancholy songs. This album will be of most interest to fans of acoustic folk and maybe even emo, as Emily definitely shows all her cards to her listeners.

Semiautomatic – Semiautomatic Remixed By Concentrick 7"

Formed by Rop Vasquez (a founding member of the Pee Chees), Semiautomatic reminds me of a more punk-rock version of The Faint. Bringing back the reliance on up-tempo beats, electronic synths and noises, and danceable grooves as well as a boat-load of effects, the band still has a rock-based sound that keeps their music interesting. On this release, Concentrick – the psuedonym of Fucking Champs member Tim Green – takes a stab at remixing a Semiautomatic track, and the band offers up two originals of their own.
“7:00 and Seven Stops” kicks things off with a groove-inducing beat. Rolling this mid-tempo beat throughout, the song has a very cool, very booming approach. Refusing the simple temptation to speed things up to light-speed just because you can, Concentrick turns the song into a moody piece. Definitely beat-heavy, as you might expect, it still has some very neat sound effects. The vocals, heavily effect-laden, are used enough to spice up the song.
On their own songs, the beats feel less synthetic and the rock is more prevalent, yet the songs still groove and the effects are still thick. “Porpoise” reminds me of that Paul Okenfold song that’s getting air play right now, only with much more attitude. The beats are prominent, booming and thick, while the vocals come in almost shouted and heavily distorted. I want to dance to this in a club, but it works just as well for a dreary Saturday that needs some livening up. The better song is “World Down,” a more moody piece that puts more focus on guitars yet retains the up-tempo, emphatic beats. This one reminds me more of Atari Teenage Riot without the breakneck speed. All instrumental, it has less groove but more of a driving urgency.
Gold Standard Laboratories continues to release some of the most intriguing music today. Most of it is electronic-infused rock, like !!! and The Faint, and Semiautomatic is a perfect fit. With stellar artwork designed by Rachel Cams of The Need, this release is excellent. Far better than expected, even with the remix, and some big names you might not be aware of in their new forms. Check it out.

Red Animal War – Black Phantom Crusades

I wanted Red Animal War to find their own voice. Their first album was strongly influenced by Fugazi, yet their follow-up split EP seemed to go in a more assertive and confident direction. So I was a little dismayed when, at first listen, Black Phantom Crusades sounded like the next Jawbox record never made. The lead singer even sounds like J. Robbins at times. It took me at least two full listens to get beyond that obvious comparison and realize how amazing this album is.
Yes, the band still sounds like Jawbox on many songs. Their music is aggressive and mathy, powerful and sometimes jarring. At those moments, you get the sense of how strongly this band can rock, with stellar guitars, forceful vocals, and powerful rhythm. But the band’s best moments are when they pull back from that sound, allowing their music to flow a bit more, keeping it intense while not as all-out. It’s then that their strongly written lyrics are more clear and the impeccable production of Ed Rose (Appleseed Cast, Get Up Kids, etc) shines through.
The opener, “Still,” is the band’s best song yet. Moody yet rich with strong guitar and bass, aggressive at times yet more restrained than many songs, it is melodic yet intense. It’s a fantastic, spiraling song that will make fans of their split EP thrill with excitement. “When Fat Pigs Fly” is die-hard aggressive Jawbox-style rock, loud and intense, while the stellar “When I Get the Feelin’ (Back in My Hands)” appears to be the band’s high-powered ode to 9/11, as they sing “I’m waking up to the sound of New York coming down / I never knew we could be so scared.” “Mouse” is all about chugging, fast-paced guitars and powerful percussion, and “Gattaca” is the band taking a more punk-rock approach. The closer, “Right Now, Today, I Don’t Believe in Hell” matches the opener in mood and strong instrumentation, but it’s more moody, more intense.
The band takes some interesting approaches that spark songs that are somewhat less intense. Horns lift “Straight Lines for Construction Workers” out of any kind of sameness it might have, while acoustic guitar at the beginning of “Making Zealots” kicks off the high-speed song on an interesting note. The moody instrumental “Photel California” is a mournful interlude on the album, and it leads nicely into the fast-paced, feedback-laced “Jambalaya.”
There’s no denying the talent of this band. These songs are tight, powerful, and emotionally driven rock, but instead of songs about heartache, you get songs about war and the plight of the working man. With very strong production, the band has created one hell of a rock album. If they play their influences a little obvious, they can be forgiven for their own unique flairs.

Okkervil River – "Stark Miami Mines" b/w "Satisfy You" 7"

My favorite release yet from Austin, Texas’ Tight Spot Records, this split brings two somewhat like-minded Will’s to one release. South San Gabriel is the solo side project of Centro-Matic’s Will Johnson, playing equal parts Johnny Cash country-folk and Eric Bachman folk-inspired indie-rock. And Okkervil River is the fantastic band fronted by Will Robinson Sheff, which has flares of unique alt-country and indie-folk as well. Together, it’s like chocolate and peanut butter.
“Stark Miami Mines” is a relaxed, introspective narrative, riding soft acoustic strumming and keyboard background atmospherics, but the real focus here is Johnson’s Johnny Cash-style vocals, telling the story of this song. The song has an eerie feeling, perhaps due in part to it being recorded near an abandoned hospital in Texas. It seems the perfect setting for this tune that brings to mind cities going to ghost towns and people out of work. The song really shines on Johnson’s vocals, which feel sincere and honest in their sentiment.
You get more instrumentation on Okkervil River’s “Satisfy You.” Soft strings and beats help add to the acoustic strumming of the laid-back alt-country tune. Sheff’s vocals warble just a bit, bringing to mind the slight twang of the south, as sparse banjo notes pluck over the song. The song feels much more filled out than the South San Gabriel tune, as this is a full band, yet it still has the quiet sincerity of a singer/songwriter tune. At times heart-wrenching and soothing, at times more up-tempo and urgent, it’s a quality song.
I’ve been longing to hear more from Okkervil River since their stellar Don’t Fall in Love with Everyone You See on Jagjaguwar. Their style seems perfectly suited for South San Gabriel, which feels comfortably similar to Centro-Matic’s offerings while being much more of a singer/songwriter project. Great songwriting and strong instrumentation all around. A fine release for purveyors of the more folk-inspired indie music today.

Jenn Lindsay – Gotta Lotta

In the true indie sense, Jenn Lindsay has made a lot of fans while doing just about everything herself. She financed this album by playing guitar and singing in the New York City subway, and her receptionist job helped with the cover art printing (and office supplies, of course). In fact, her biggest help – beyond fan support of course – was from Major Matt Mason USA, who produced the album. As an important figure in the New York antifolk scene and owner of Olive Juice Music, Mason’s name may lend the album weight and get more out of Lindsay’s sound, but the music here is all Lindsay.
You’ve heard female singer/songwriters before, and there’s not much here besides Lindsay’s voice and acoustic guitar. As a transplant to New York City’s antifolk scene, Lindsay fits right in, playing songs that are at times biting and sardonic, at other times lighthearted and playful. Most of all, her music is sincere and honest, and you get the sense that she loves what she’s doing with all her heart, which goes a long way to making this album more accessible and enjoyable.
The opener “Red Shirt,” is a lovely song, light and sweet sounding, with Lindsay singing sweetly “hold me close.” Her catchiest song, “Olly Olly Oxen Free” will have you singing along, as her voice blends nicely with her music, sounding akin to Joni Mitchell many times. When she speeds up a bit, telling her stories in songs like the impressive and rebellious “I Am Not Going Home Yet,” her music feels a bit more like Ani Difranco and takes on more intensity. She fills out “I Call Myself a Flower” with keyboard, giving the song a more playful, kaleidoscope feel, while some nice vocal effects fill out the sweet sounding “I Stayed Home Today.” The very quiet “Tower of Toys” feels very honest, very powerful due to Lindsay’s singing and some soft strings.
If you’ve had it up to your ears with acoustic singer/songwriters, you’re not going to like Lindsay much more, but her music has an undeniably sincere and honest approach, which goes a long way in my book. These songs are very well performed and produced, and the music is charming and sweet while still being sarcastic and introspective at times. It makes for a fine album.

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