For the love of music
There is a small gray van, standing on the 'Oude Markt' in the city of Leuven--a place that is known to many students as “The longest bar in the world”. I have gathered inside to do a quick interview with Dan Bond and Josh McKenzie from the British punk quartet Apologies, I Have None, just before they took the stage at The Rockcafé in Leuven, … [Read more...]
Hiya Danny! Your new album Crusher is out in late February and it’s your debut for the Sub Pop sub-division Hardly Art. You’ve previously released a cassette/vinyl album, a 7” single, and an EP on other labels. How did you end up with Hardly Art? Hardly Art put out our last release which was our EP and the 7" ("Pleasures") before … [Read more...]
Keeping up with the D.I.Y. ethos so readily found in punk rock and hardcore music is something that, with the explosion of digital music, has become easier for many musicians, allowing them to promote and share their music to a nearly unlimited audience. And with the backing of a small, independent record label that subscribes to the same creed, … [Read more...]
Anytime a band deliberately moves to put a shine on its irreverent, sweat-soaked image, there will inevitably be a critical flogging doled out by the group’s most ardent supporters. Indeed, claims of “phoning it in” and “selling out” are prevalent in these circumstances. It’s difficult to imagine a fiery hardcore act like San … [Read more...]
Hi Michael! It’s such a pleasure to be in touch with you and find out how you’re doing! Your new album, A Brief Crack Of Light, was just released on February 6th. Was there any last-minute pre-release craziness going on and is all okay now? I think we’re as prepared as you can be in this sort of situation. There are always a lot of … [Read more...]
The controlled chaos and staggering sounds arising from the blend of grindcore, hardcore, and punk within the new album Deception Among Birds from Chicago metallers Harpoon, has resulted in a release that is gloriously impressive and deeply satisfying. The album, released October 25th via Seventh Rule Recordings, is a creative triumph, a colossus … [Read more...]
Hitting hard, fast and with no thought of taking any prisoners, the split EP via PATAC / Blast-A-Lot from Rampant Decay and Kruds has no mercy. Through six tracks and an accumulated time falling short of ten minutes, the release makes strong men crumble and the meek run for the nearest corner to whimper and dribble insanely with their ears in their … [Read more...]
When Kurt Cobain listed punk as a musical influence for Nirvana, this is perhaps the sort of punk he had in mind. The musical urgency present in Male Bonding’s music is, in fact, not quite unlike that of the one-time Sub Pop artist. Yet whereas Cobain wore his emotions on his sleeve and could tap into a primal ferocity at any given moment, the … [Read more...]
"Sun rises above the factory but the rays don't make it to the street. Through the gates come the employees, beaten down and dragging their feet. A group of lefties hand out pamphlets to the workers coming in. For two people on the pavement life will never be the same again." And so begins this epic rock musical yarn from the gargantuan … [Read more...]
Take one part good Weezer, one part Wavves, one part Nirvana and you might get the picture on what JEFF the Brotherhood is like. A high-octane garage rock duo from Nashville, Jake and Jamin Orrall are a lot of damn fun. Jake has a bit of Rivers Cuomo in his vocals, both in voice and melodic style. Hooks are what will win you over with JEFF--Jake is … [Read more...]