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12.03.2010

Heads Up! The Restoration

posted by Will

in Heads Up
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Went to a rock show last night and out of the four bands that I had never seen before, the best was the least “rock” of them all. The Restoration from Lexington, SC stole the show in my eyes. Led by beautiful vocals that remind one of Damien Rice or Andrew Bird, the band can lay down intricate arrangements as well as ratchet up the noise when they want to. The Restoration give off a cool Murder By Death-vibe at times as well. In exchange for your email address you can visit the band’s Bandcamp page and get some free songs. Check out “Constance” and “Reverend Samuel Harper” especially…well worth your time!

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11.03.2010

Musings: Ninja Gun

posted by Will

in Music Musings
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I had the pleasure of seeing Valdosta, GA’s Ninja Gun last week when they opened up for Tim Barry. I was already a huge fan of the band’s Restless Rubes (Suburban Home) album and the live show did nothing to deter me. The band that I’m constantly reminded of when listening to Ninja Gun are Old 97’s. Both bands have a way of melding alt-country/power pop to perfection. On Restless Rubes you can hear The Shins, Drive-By Truckers and just about everything in between. Ninja Gun’s live performance was surprisingly tight and the band definitely has a certain southern charm to say the least. I can’t help but humorously wonder how the band is perceived outside the south though. Regardless, more people should be listening to Ninji Gun as I like to call them! The band has a new EP coming out on Sabot this Summer.

Ninja Gun “Red State Blues”

Ninga Gun “Eight Miles Out”

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10.03.2010

Media: Fever Sleeves

posted by Will

in Media
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(Click on album cover to download)

Who? Fever Sleeves

What? Soft Pipes, Play On LP

Where are they from? San Diego, CA

What do they sound like? Fever Sleeves continue San Diego’s indie rock legacy. The band plays angular indie rock that fans of Q And Not U and Les Savy Fav will definitely pick up on.

Check out SAL’s review of Soft Pipes, Play On here.

Check out the band’s awesome “Futuristic Killings” Video here.

Where can I buy: No physical copies of Soft Pipes, Play On were printed but you can hit the band’s Myspace to buy other merch.

Fever Sleeves “Cusack”

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09.03.2010

Band Spotlight: The Holy Mess

posted by Will

in Band Spotlight
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Who? The Holy Mess

Where are they from? Philadelphia, PA

What do they sound like? Snotty pop/punk that reminds one of the best the genre has to offer. We are talking cream of the crop type stuff here. For fans of The Lawrence Arms or Smoke Or Fire you need this…NOW!

You can download the band’s EP Dismount from If You Make It. The Holy Mess will be releasing their next 7″ on the illustrious Evil Weevil.

The Holy Mess “It All Happened In a Ford Winstar”

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08.03.2010

Review: Yesterday’s Ring/The Takers

posted by Will

in Music Reviews
5 Comments

Dear Suburban Home,

I’m writing to you today to ask you a favor. Will you please stop putting out these folk/country/Americana albums!? I mean, Yesterday’s Ring aren’t that bad but The Takers, well, I just don’t know. This stuff is getting kind of redundant. Maybe you can go back to putting out pop/punk again? At least for a little while perhaps? That would be killer! Or at least more bands like Look Mexico might do the trick. Thanks!

Still your friend,

Will.

P.S. Tim Barry is acceptable.

Yesterday’s Ring “Moving Out (To Florida)”

The Takers “Taker Easy”

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05.03.2010

Mixtapes: Maps

posted by Will

in Music Reviews
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(Click on album cover to download)

One listen to Cincinnati, Ohio’s Mixtapes‘ Maps and you might think you’ve stumbled upon some lost gem from the dustbins of 90’s alternative rock. You oldies know what I’m talking about. Mixtapes could have easily been one of those bands that got inked during the major label signing spree of the early 90’s only to get no push, dropped and break up instead. While that might not sound like the best stamp of approval I mean it in the most flattering way possible. Mixtapes might be a little “guilty pleasure” at first but after numerous listens you come to the conclusion that these are just finely written pop songs with some punky tendencies to boot. Regardless of whether they came out in the 90’s or 2010 bands like Mixtapes still sound perfectly right to me. Wrapping up 10 songs in 18 minutes, Mixtapes’ debut might just be that next addiction for your pop sweet tooth. Let’s just hope they don’t go the way of their ancestors and end up collecting cobwebs in the back of some record store.

You can download Maps for FREE via digital label Death To False Hope Records. Click HERE for the zip.

Mixtapes “Nothing Can Kill the Grimace”

Mixtapes “Hope Springs Eternal”

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04.03.2010

Band You Should Have Known: Lack

posted by Will

in BYSK
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I always forget about Lack but then they will pop up on my shuffle and I remember just how much this band ruled. When writing this piece it started out as a Band You Should Know but unfortunately changed to a Band You Should Have Known cause Lack have officially broken up. Hailing from Denmark the band evolved from your solid but somewhat typical screamo band into a full rock solid behemoth. Lyrically the band pulled no punches and their sharp tongue went hand in hand with their powerful musical assault. All three of the band’s albums stand tall on their own merit but my personal favorite is Be There Pulse. You can’t go wrong with any of them though.

Saturate Every Atom (2008)
Be There Pulse (2005)
Blues Moderne: Danois Explosifs (2001)

Lack “5 O’Clock In The Evening” (from Be There Pulse)

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03.03.2010

Musings: Paper The Operator

posted by Will

in Music Musings
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So, I didn’t really know how to handle Goodbye God, the new release from Paper The Operator. Mainly because I reviewed virtually the same album when it came out (with very limited release) as Jon Sebastian’s solo affair two years ago. The new version of Goodbye God is a bit different as it does add two additional tracks and new artwork to boot. Sebastian plays in The Color Wheels as well and both bands live off his knack for writing memorable pop hooks. While I do miss the rockness of the band’s previous release, Solemn Boyz, Goodbye God perhaps showcases Sebastian’s talents a bit more as it tones down the guitars and ups the intimacy. And if you want a taste of Paper The Operator and Sebastian’s songwriting prowess you can download Mount Bounty, which is a collection of demos, studio recordings, covers, and unreleased tracks recorded between 2000 and 2005. You can get that for free from the fine folks at Viper Bite Records who have released all of Sebastian’s endeavors to date.

Paper The Operator “Rock Dreams”

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02.03.2010

Media: Museum Mouth

posted by Will

in Media
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(Click on album cover to download)

Who? Museum Mouth

What? I Am The Idiot Of The Jungle EP

Where are they from? Southport, NC

What do they sound like? If you dig that thin line where indie rock and pop/punk meet you might really fall for Museum Mouth. Dual male/female vocals might echo pop/punk of the past but the band sets itself apart by incorporating more noisy tendencies. The raw recording adds to the separation but is still completely flattering to the band’s sound. Museum Mouth make a noisy beautiful mess of these four songs that clock in under an all-too-brief 8 minutes. For fans of early material from Superchunk and Lemuria you should really love this.

Where can I buy: You can pick up a physical copy of the EP and other swag here.

Museum Mouth “Worry Wart”

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01.03.2010

Metavari: Be One Of Us And Hear No Noise

posted by Will

in Music Reviews
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To call Metavari post-rock is a slight disservice to the band. While musically the band might fall under that broad and ever so boring term, this trio is doing something different from the masses. Mixing instrumental rock with spoken word pieces and fragments, the band is reminiscent of The Books moreso than most post-rock bands.

Metavari’s songs are immaculately arranged and always interesting as they unfold ever so slightly. Be One Of Us And Hear No Noise includes ten songs clocking at less than 45 minutes and completely free of any useless meandering. When is the last post-rock record that gave you that kind of brevity? If you dig bands like From Monument To Masses (minus the political angle), Lymbyc Systym or the aforementioned Books, I highly suggest picking up Be One Of Us And Hear No Noise.

Label: Crossroads Of America

Metavari “Shimmer Marina”

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01.03.2010

Band Spotlight: Rooftops

posted by Will

in Band Spotlight, Best New Music
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Who? Rooftops

Where are they from? Bellingham, WA

What do they sound like? Mathy instrumental goodness. I covered the band’s split with Noumenon a while back but I would have never guessed the band’s debut full-length, A Forest Of Polarity, would be this good. Rooftops are predominantly instrumental but the songs that add vocals are just downright heavenly. It’s like some amped up version of This Is Animal Music-era Look Mexico almost. But the band keeps the vocals to a minimum and in reality they just aren’t needed when the songs are consistently this good. At the end of the day you can’t ask for more than this if you are a fan of atmospheric math rock. CD out on Clickpop and Vinyl soon to be out on Topshelf. And yes, I am working this for Beartrap. Life is good.

Rooftops “Raft Easily”

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28.02.2010

The Color Wheels “Green Means Go” Video

posted by Will

in Music Video
2 Comments

From The Color Wheels‘ sweet Self-Titled album that I reviewed here…man that was a long time ago. Anyway, this is the first I’ve seen of this video and this song still rules my world. Of course be sure to check out lead man Jon Sebastian’s main musical outlet, Paper The Operator. I’ll have a little write-up on PTO’s new-ish album, Goodbye God, going up soon as well. Oh, and you can find more info on all of Sebastian’s projects over at the one and only Viper Bite Records.

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26.02.2010

Best New Music: The Please & Thank You’s

posted by Will

in Best New Music, Music Reviews
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(Click on album cover to download)

The Please & Thank You’s is one of those bands that just completely refreshes you. Everything about the band is done with such energy and abandon that you just have to be impressed. The band’s debut Mind Your P’s & Q’s, is so reckless (in a good way) and overflowing with ideas and influences. At heart, The Please & Thank You’s are a pop/punk band but there are elements of geeky power pop (Weezer) and raw emo (Cap’n Jazz) that really give the band a unique spin.

If you are a fan of older pop/punk bands like Zoinks! and Sicko then Mind Your P’s & Q’s will leave you with a shit-eating grin. Much like those bands, The Please & Thank You’s have a penchant for upping the songwriting ante as well as showing off diverse influences. This is the kind of band that gets you all nostalgic while making you excited for the future as well.

You can get the tape from Ice Age Records and the digital download free from Death To False Hope HERE.

Label: Ice Age/Death To False Hope

The Please And Thank You’s “Speaking Of The Devil”

The Please And Thank You’s “Fucking Honestly”

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25.02.2010

The Taxpayers: A Rhythm In The Cages

posted by Will

in Music Reviews
1 Comment

taxpayers

The Taxpayers hail from Portland, Oregon and play a brand of noisy folk/punk for lack of a better description. I hate to just say Against Me! when looking for comparisons but I guess it should be expected with the style and nature of some of the band’s songs. But there are some songs that are reminiscent of early Mountain Goats material with their nasally vocals and raw production. There’s a bit more of a country element here though and definitely a genuine quality that carries the band and A Rhythm In The Cages along its weary and frustrated way. This kind of reminds me of Billy Wallace and The Wading Girl but it’s a bit more rough and punked up. Not a bad listen but not necessarily the kind of stuff I listen to much these days either.

The album can be downloaded from Quote Unquote Records here or you can purchase a physical CD from…

Label: Useless State

The Taxpayers “Never Getting Warm”

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24.02.2010

Heads Up! Tiny Engines To Release Everyone Everywhere LP

posted by Will

in Heads Up
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If you didn’t know Tiny Engines is a label I started with two other guys in 2008. This will be our third release overall. 2010 will be much busier for us than our first two years. We’ve got 2 or 3 more releases coming this year!

TINY ENGINES To Release EVERYONE EVERYWHERE LP
——————————————————-

* Pre-order Self-Titled 12″ (out 05/04/10)
* Band now streaming two brand new songs
* Download 2009 debut 7″ for FREE @ If You Make It

——————————————————-

Tiny Engines is pleased to announce that it will release the Self-Titled debut full-length from Philadelphia’s Everyone Everywhere.

The album, which will be released in vinyl and digital formats on May 04, 2010, is now up for pre-order from the label. Tiny Engines will press 500 12-inches on maroon and off-white colorways (350 / 150). To secure a copy of this amazing record, go here.

The band is currently streaming two brand new songs, “Tiny Boat” and “Blown Up Grown Up,” on its Myspace page.

Everyone Everywhere’s eponymous debut builds on the rock-solid foundation laid down on last year’s dynamic 7″, A Lot Of Weird People Standing Around, and further pushes the band’s sonic palette in exciting new directions at every turn. Sure, those lovely Promise Ring vibes remain – not to mention hints of Braid’s twisting-yet-tuneful angularity, the crackling anti-anthems of indie heroes Superchunk and Piebald’s off-kilter sense of melody – but the Philly four piece has honed its songwriting chops, dialed in its amps and seriously upped the ante with this emotionally taut ten-song affair.

On a related note, Everyone Everywhere and Evil Weevil Records, the label responsible for the 7″ version of A Lot Of Weird People Standing Around, have teamed up with the awesome folks at If You Make It to give away a digital copy of the 4-song effort. To download this sweet little release, completely free from financial obligation, go here.

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