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Archive for the ‘Music Reviews’ Category


09.02.2010

Thy Mighty Contract: Self-Titled

posted by Will

in Music Reviews
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Springing forth from ex-members of Blame Game and with the vocalist of I Would Set Myself On Fire For You one might think Thy Mighty Contract would be screamy hardcore goodness. But no, Thy Mighty Contract eschew any pigeonholing when it comes to their past endeavors. The band’s punk infused new wave recalls the more spastic and arty Pretty Girls Make Graves material. The problem with this style, at least for me, is while it initially comes off as exhilarating it can easily turn into grating if there’s not enough variation to go around. And here, too often the band’s songs go by in a dizzy and exciting haze but fail to leave much of a lasting impression. However, when the band bridges their past with this newfound creativity, in particular on a track like “Two Cities”, the results are triumphant to say the least. As they mature Thy Mighty Contract is surely a band keep an eye on.

Label: Room 10 Collective

Thy Mighty Contract “Two Cities”

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08.02.2010

Best New Music: John K. Samson

posted by Ian

in Best New Music, Music Reviews, Vinyl Corner
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City Route 85 White Vinyl 7″

There’s no secret here; if you like The Weakerthans, you will have already bought this. If you’ve never heard of The Weakerthans, this could be a great way to get into them. John K. Samson fronts the previously mentioned, northern-neighbor rock band responsible for several excellent albums over the last ten years or so. This short 7” (City Route 85) marks his second foray into solo work and it is a quite, contemplative piece of audio that takes you on a very personal tour of a specific area in Canada.

“Heart of the Continent” sounds akin to some of the most stripped down Weakerthans tunes. Think “Left and Leaving” or “One Great City!”. It even has a similar walking bass line plucked along on an acoustic guitar. This tune was probably meant to make it onto one of the band’s albums but found a better lyrical home on this EP. “Grace General” and “Cruise Night” sound a bit like Samson breaking from the constraints of his band and writing much more for himself. “Grace General” sounds so close and intimate, almost like Samson is sharing a secret with you. “Cruise Night” bobs along on a simple plastic-straw drumbeat reminiscent of Onelinedrawing’s older work. I can almost imagine the 1989 Casio keyboard that was most likely used…it was probably missing a few keys, just like mine.

This is a beautiful effort from John K. Samson and the kind of record you feel privileged to hear. This is a master showcasing his talents in their barest and most honest form. I just hope this is a teaser for an upcoming full-length…

Label: Anti-

John K. Samson “Grace General”

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04.02.2010

Vinyl Corner: P.S. Eliot

posted by Will

in Music Reviews, Vinyl Corner
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Introverted Romance In Our Troubled Minds Black Vinyl 12″

PSEliotLP

I think for a long time I didn’t give P.S. Eliot an honest chance cause I was mad that former band The Ackleys, who I absolutely adored, were sadly done. That seems petty I know but what’s a boy with a broken heart supposed to do? While The Ackleys specialized in power pop/punk, P.S. Eliot took a more lo-fi approach on their initial demo which honestly kind of threw me for a loop. While a lo-fi quality can enhance many bands I felt the production hindered lead singer Katie Crutchfield’s songwriting. For the most part, that has been rectified with P.S. Eliot’s debut LP, Introverted Romance In Our Troubled Minds.

The production has been ratcheted up here and that enhances Crutchfield’s infectious delivery and clever lyrical take on all of life’s ambiguities. Of course my favorite songs are the ones where Crutchfield’s vocals/lyrics seem to take center stage above all else. I still have no problem saying that for fans of Discount, Crutchfield’s bands are the closest you will ever get to touching that rare, special quality. My only issue with Introverted Romance In Our Troubled Minds is that at times songs do have a tendency to blend together. But with the majority of the material here being so strong its hard to not give the band the benefit of the doubt.

Label: Salinas

P.S. Eliot “Like How You Are”

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02.02.2010

Best New Music: Jason Clackley

posted by Will

in Best New Music, Music Reviews
1 Comment

I don’t know much about Jason Clackley but after only a few listens to his latest release, To The Few And Far Between, you realize this guy has got soul. From a bit of research I gather that this is Clackley’s first solo material plugged in and with a full band behind him. But that’s kind of misleading as five of the eight songs here still showcase Clackley in a predominantly acoustic setting. In those restrained settings he is reminiscent to the darker stylings of Elliott Smith perhaps. Quite frankly though I wish they would turn the rock up cause that’s when Clackley and his vocals really tend to shine.

There are eight songs here and they rotate back and forth between rockers and acoustic numbers for the most part. Clackley’s varied style works well in either format. His acoustic stylings owe more to an indie pop side but when he gets the full band behind him that is where you see Clackley’s soulful vocals take shape. I’m not sure how relevant this comparison is but vocally Clackley’s raspy and almost motown style reminds me of The Pietasters’ Stephen Jackson. “I Won’t Submit” and the epic album closer “Wave Of Emotion” provide a nice bridge between the two styles. To The Few And Far Between is a fascinating merger between soul and indie rock as well as a wonderful introduction to a singer/songwriter that deserves a lot more attention.

You can get the CD (with hand-screened covers) for a measly $5 from Great Plains Records and vinyl is in the works.

Label: Great Plains / Young Summer

Jason Clackley “I Can See”

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29.01.2010

Best New Music: Three Mile Pilot

posted by Will

in Best New Music, Music Reviews, Vinyl Corner
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Planets / Grey Clouds Black Vinyl 7″


Too much Pinback, not enough Black Heart Procession. Well, that was my initial thought on the first Three Mile Pilot release in ten years. Of course when Three Mile Pilot split up they splintered into the darker Black Heart Procession and the more accessible Pinback. And after many listens I’m not sure my opinion has really changed that much but perhaps lessened a bit. What made Three Mile Pilot so great, especially retroactively looking back, was the band existed in the space between Pinback and Black Heart Procession…somewhere between dark and light. And one would be hard pressed to argue that these two new songs don’t reside in that same sweet spot. At the end of the day the songs are just too good for me to try and analyze what I was and was not expecting from new Three Mile Pilot material. I should just be thankful 3MP are back and making music together again and leave it at that. I apologize.

Label: Temporary Residence

Three Mile Pilot “Planets”

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28.01.2010

Insouciant: Fall

posted by Will

in Music Reviews
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I must admit, I had to look up insouciant. The definition is: free from concern, worry, or anxiety; carefree; nonchalant. That last word, nonchalant, stuck with me when listening to Insouciant’s Fall. Well it did at first at least. Now, on my third draft of this review, I’ve grown pretty anxious when listening to this record. Granted, it’s only the band’s fault cause Fall has grown on me so much from my initial listen.

At first I thought the band and record had potential but just weren’t quite there yet. But upon further listens Insouciant may be a good bit closer than I originally gave them credit for. The band’s sound (kind of indie/mathy/emo type bits with female vocals) is a style I usually go for when done well and Insouciant certainly have their promising moments throughout. That all comes into clearer focus the more time you spend with Fall.

So, after a lot of listens I have  gone back and forth in regards to the band. Fall is one of those debut albums where the positives outweigh the negatives and breeds promise for something even better the next time out. I hope Insouciant stays together and keeps writing cause they are certainly worth keeping a watchful eye on.

Label: Not Rock

Insouciant “Atlas”

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27.01.2010

Brainworms II: Swear To Me

posted by Will

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I have covered Brainworms on three separate occasions here at SAL but it’s always been for split 7-inches. This is my first chance to cover the band in the long player format and I must say Brainworms are probably better off in smaller doses, at least for this particular listener. The band’s maniacal spazz punk is endearing but at close to 30 minutes it begins to grate on the nerves a bit. I will say that things seem all the more refined on Swear To Me. Could it be that Brainworms are maturing? Look no further for a song like “Which Words” to prove that theory with its mid-tempo pace and toned down vocal delivery. Or the spoken (shouted) word approach on “Whatever, That’s How You Get Famous” which is reminiscent of Lifter Puller crossed with Les Savy Fav. Brainworms seem stuck trying to find some sort of middle ground and because of that Swear To Me is good but never quite crosses over to being great.

Label: Rorschach

Brainworms “Let Be Honest”

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21.01.2010

Surfer Blood: Astro Coast

posted by Will

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Surfer Blood are your latest hype band and behind the killer single “Swim” the band has been making a lot of noise over the last few months. Oddly enough these guys hail from West Palm Beach, FL of all places. Surfer Blood’s debut album, Astro Coast, is out this week and stands up fairly well against all the other hyped mess coming out these days I guess. A few songs veer too close to this whole Afro-pop craze for me but when the band decides to turn up the amps and drench their songs in reverb that is where things tend to get interesting. Surfer Blood have the ability to do the whole lo-fi noisy indie pop kind of thing rather respectably subtly recalling even early Weezer. Too often though, the band’s debut simply loses momentum. When looking closer nothing stands up to the band’s single save a few other tracks like “Floating Vibes” and “Harmonix”. Surfer Blood peaked my interest but a single does not make an album. Astro Coast would would have made a promising EP but instead just comes off as too full on filler to make a lasting impression.

Label: Kanine Records

Surfer Blood “Swim”

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20.01.2010

Dear Landlord: Dream Homes

posted by Will

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I know I’m a little late on this one but man, No Idea sure can find them. If you love Off With Their Heads then Dear Landlord should be right up your alley. And surprise Dear Landlord consists of members of The Copyrights, Off With Their Heads and The Gateway District! By the way, how many bands are these guys in? Not that I’m complaining though. I’ve listened to the band’s debut full-length, Dream Homes, off and on for much of 2009 but it just never clicked with me til recently. The album was even a late contender to sneak into my year end lists. I love these bands that meld melodic hardcore with a bit of the Lookout-era snotty pop/punk thing. Bands like Dear Landlord, Banner Pilot and Off With Their Heads give hope to these jaded ears.

Label: No Idea

Dear Landlord “I Live In Hell”

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19.01.2010

Vinyl Corner: The Catalyst

posted by Will

in Music Reviews, Vinyl Corner
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Swallow Your Teeth Bloody Mary Red w/ Black Mix Vinyl 12″

CatalystLP

It’s hard to believe that Swallow Your Teeth is The Catalyst’s first full-length. It seems like these guys have been around forever. I had the pleasure of seeing the band last summer and was pretty much floored at their performance. If you don’t know, these boys from Richmond play noisy and grungy hardcore that sets itself apart from most of the band’s mired in this style. Think the best of the genre…The Jesus Lizard from the past and Young Widows from the present. The Catalyst possess an almost crazed precision that is fully appreciated when seeing them in their live incarnation. I’m a sucker for the dual drum set up the band employs and it adds a nice dimension to the band’s already extensive sound. If you like your noise rock dirty but intelligent Swallow Your Teeth should be your new soundtrack. The vinyl really must be seen and the artwork is pretty fucking sweet too!

Label: The Perpetual Motion Machine

The Catalyst “Assholier Than Thou”

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15.01.2010

Best New Music: Kudrow

posted by Will

in Best New Music, Music Reviews
2 Comments

Dave didn’t send me the Lando vinyl so Kudrow don’t get a vinyl corner review…they just get a regular review. How boring! If you didn’t already know this Brooklyn “supergroup” consists of Jeff Rosenstock from Bomb the Music Industry! on guitar and vocals, Mike Campbell (The Brass, Latterman) on bass, and drummer Dave Garwacke of a thousand different bands (Thousandaires, Halo Fauna, etc.) and If You Make It of course.

This release kind of caught me off guard. It wasn’t really what I was expecting but that was for the best cause if I had to hear one more goddamn post-hardcore band I might just slit my wrist. Kudrow’s Lando is punk but not really…it’s what’s left over from the remnants. It’s catchy but it certainly ain’t pop. It’s noisy indie rock but with melody, humor and tongue firmly planted in cheek. In other words it is pretty damn great and probably meant for guys just like me. Aging punk rockers unite!?

You can download the songs from Quote Unquote or If You Make It and the vinyl is available from…

Label: Ernest Jenning

Kudrow “Blink-182 Reunion”

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14.01.2010

The Sorely Trying Days: Survival Mode

posted by Will

in Music Reviews
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The press release says party hardcore and I can totally see why that description is used for The Sorely Trying Days. Beyond that, I don’t even know what else to say about Survival Mode except that it rocks and in a great unpretentious kind of way. It’s reminiscent of rock before it got split up into about a hundred different subgenres. It’s not boring garage rock. It’s not cheesy roots rock. And it’s certainly not metal. The STDs as they are so cleverly called bring it back in an almost old school punk/hardcore style. The only problem is there is a complete lack of variation Now, the only question I have is will I remember this album after it goes off? Probably not but it sure was fun while it lasted.

Label: Useless World

The Sorely Trying Days “In Control”

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14.01.2010

Deep Sleep: Three Things At Once

posted by Will

in Music Reviews
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Descendents much? I mean one look at the album cover and the title and you have a good idea of where Baltimore, MD’s Deep Sleep’s influences reside. Three Things At Once collects the band’s first three seven inches and puts them on CD just for your listening pleasure. So, if you still have your shrine to the Circle Jerks and still love all your 80’s hardcore records I would advise you to get into this. 21 songs in 25 minutes and there you have it.

Label: Grave Mistake

Deep Sleep “Screwed”

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12.01.2010

Best New Music: Hop Along

posted by Will

in Best New Music, Music Reviews, Vinyl Corner
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Wretches Black Vinyl 10″

HopAlong10

Hop Along use to be Hop Along, Queen Ansleis which was essentially the project of Miss Frances Quinlan. While I was aware of Quinlan and her moniker I must plead a bit of ignorance to the discography that came before this 10-inch. It seems as though the material that came before Wretches was more solo-oriented whereas Hop Along has seen Quinlan move to a full-band approach as Dominic Angelella and Mark Quinlan were added on guitar and drums respectively.

One can hardly argue with the results of the full-band approach. Before I had a chance to listen to Wretches I had the pleasure of seeing Hop Along open for Look Mexico a few months ago. I was left with my jaw on the floor for the most part and promptly dug the band’s 10-inch out of my vinyl promo stack the next day. Wretches capably captures the band’s live energy and Quinlan’s crazed but endearing stream-of-conscious lyrical style. The eleven minute plus “Second Name” is the breath taker here as Quinlan’s intimately bare lyrics seemingly describe the unspeakable silence between two lovers whose relationship is cracking apart. While the lyrics might come as a shock to the system they are equally exhilarating and thought provoking. Quinlan’s songs are certainly never boring as the arrangements give the band an epic feel. On Wretches, Hop Along prove that there is indeed strength in numbers.

Label: Salinas

Hop Along “Bride and Groom”

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29.12.2009

Banner Pilot: Collapser

posted by Will

in Music Reviews
2 Comments

bannerpilot1

OK, does this record really need a review? I mean, it’s on Fat Wreck Chords. The band is from Minneapolis. It’s pop/punk. You should know from just those facts whether you will love this or you will be bored to death by it all. As you can probably guess if you have followed SAL, Banner Pilot is right up our alley. And if you thought the band was doing some good things on their last album, Resignation Day, well, Collapser just takes it to a completely different level. It’s nice to see Fat signing some good bands for a change (see Teenage Bottlerocket). Fans of Dillinger Four and The Lawrence Arms you may have just found your new favorite band.

Label: Fat Wreck Chords

Banner Pilot “Greenwood”

Banner Pilot “Skeleton Key”

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