Posts Tagged ‘Hot Water Music’


18.01.2010

Band Spotlight: Fierce Brosnan

posted by Will

in Band Spotlight

Who? Fierce Brosnan

Where are they from? New Jersey

What do they sound like? Former and current members of Static Radio, Let Me Run and Yo Man Go. Fierce Brosnan probably falls more in line with Yo Man Go than the other two. I can hear traces of early Hot Water Music, Latterman and even Alkaline Trio. The songs are rough and that adds to the band’s charm. The band’s Basement Demo is up for free download at Death To False Hope Records. This is a band more people should be talking about and a full-length is said to be in the works.

Fierce Brosnan “All We Have”

11.12.2009

SAL’s Best Albums of 1999

posted by Will

in Year End Lists

Last year Jayme had a great idea of making a list of our favorite records of ten years ago…way back to 1998 to be exact. Eric at Can You See The Sunset and I of course followed right along. Well, we are back again and hopefully making this a yearly feature for all of us. This time we explore our favorites of 1999. So, here we go again! This list ended up being 30 albums cause I could not stop thinking of great albums to recognize…1999 was a great year. I did not list any descriptions so if you want more info on a band or an album just ask in the comments and I will be happy to wax nostalgic on some of the lesser knowns.

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13.10.2009

Band Spotlight: Wooden Teeth

posted by Will

in Band Spotlight

woodenteeth

Who? Wooden Teeth

Where are they from? Portland, Oregon

What do they sound like? Beard-core!? Ryan Shanahan, formerly of Boston’s Lock And Key returns with a brand new band that packs the power of his former band with a subtle change in direction. There is less of the over-the-top Hot Water Music influence with Wooden Teeth and more of a darker element at play on the band’s first songs. Hit the band’s Myspace page up to hear the songs. A great start to say the least.

24.06.2009

My Heart To Joy: Seasons In Verse

posted by Will

in Best New Music, Music Reviews

[Best New Music]

myheartojoylp

Some bands are just not meant to be caged in. If you follow the trajectory of My Heart To Joy’s output, the band’s full-length debut, Seasons In Verse, might come as a surprise at first. But, when studied closer it is in fact the logical culmination of a burning that has noticeably been building up from the band’s core.

The instrumental first song, “Time Spent Breathing” reminds one of the lushness of Trail Of Dead rather than the melodic and screamy hardcore of the band’s past. And really that is a great comparison for My Heart To Joy (formerly My Heart To Joy At The Same Tone). The collision of art, indie and punk rock is quite similar to Trail Of Dead’s earlier material. Thankfully though, My Heart To Joy leave the pretension at the door. The band follows up the opener with the impassioned “Empty Homes” which leads into the album’s mid-paced mid-section. Songs like “Seasons In Verse”, “Worn Out Weather” and “Giving My Hands Away” may not be as in your face but they never lack the power and depth of the band’s more raging material either. “Old Capitals” is the collison of all facets of the band’s songwriting and is breathtaking in its delivery. My Heart To Joy even cover a Guided By Voices song, (ironically also covered by Trail Of Dead), “Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory”, with great success as they take the inner beauty of the song and turn it upside down with a healthy dose of vitriol.

When I reviewed the band’s seven-inch in January my RIYL was Hot Water Music, Small Brown Bike and Latterman…certainly good company to keep. But, with Seasons In Verse, My Heart To Joy have moved beyond those influences into more ambitious waters. The challenge with growth is to somehow maintain the signature quality of your songwriting. Even though the band has pushed their creativity into interesting new realms they have still managed to retain the raw and powerful nature of their earlier material. Seasons In Verse is proof of the dynamic and diverse heart that My Heart To Joy possess.

Label: Topshelf/Asbestos

Seasons In Verse
03%20Seasons%20In%20Verse.mp3

www.myspace.com/myhearttojoy

15.06.2009

Sound Off: Lights At Sea

posted by Will

in Band Interviews, Sound Off

Michigan instrumental outfit, Lights At Sea bathe themselves in randomness and in turn grace us with lists of their many loves and influences. The band is currently writing music for their debut full-length which they hope to have ready by Winter 2009/Spring 2010. You can check out my review of the band’s fantastic Self-Titled debut here.

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05.05.2009

Band You Should Know: Tenement Kids

posted by Will

in BYSK

Do you miss Hot Water Music? I mean granted, that signature sound has been done to death through the years. But, man, when a band like Tenement Kids comes along who do it so damn well you have to stand up and take notice. What’s even more surprising is that the band hails from the Netherlands of all places. The band’s last album, We’ve All Been Down, is a barn burner of melodic and gruff post-hardcore. Anthemic and always rocking, Tenement Kids do the sound absolute justice!

Soul

04%20-%20Soul.mp3

04.05.2009

Arms Aloft: Comfort At Any Cost 7″

posted by Will

in Music Reviews, Vinyl Corner

If you are a fan of melodic hardcore and all its sub-genres, than you need to hear Eau Claire, Wisconsin’s Arms Aloft. How this band has flown under the radar is beyond me. These four songs conjure up so many touchstones and a few of those are openly listed in the band’s influences…Hot Water Music, Kid Dynamite and Dillinger Four to name a few. Arms Aloft flex an undeniable midwestern take on Americana tinged punk rock. I am reminded most specifically of a band that I love that a lot of people might not know about, Boston’s underrated (and sadly defunct) Lock And Key. But to list all these bands that Arms Aloft remind me of seems to sell them entirely too short. These guys aren’t ripping anybody off, in fact their hammering out this style better than 99% of the bands before them. Arms Aloft are so good at what they do it is almost unfair to their peers. The band bottles up so much angst and aggression in their songs and then unleash it with such poise and precision. Arms Aloft know how to write big, catchy and powerful punk rock tunes that leave the listener begging for more. Let’s hope these boys are hatching big plans for the future cause I am ready for more.

Label: Dead Format

Dreams Are Dogs That Die In Their Kennels

02-arms_aloft-dreams_are_dogs_that_die_in_their_kennels.mp3

www.myspace.com/armsaloftforever

28.01.2009

O Pioneers!!!/The Anchor: Split 7″

posted by Will

in Music Reviews, Vinyl Corner

O Pioneers!!! just keep soldiering on with new release after new release. Here the Houston band teams up with fellow Texans, The Anchor for a nice little slab of split vinyl. I am going to start on the B side just cause I can. The Anchor  hail from Austin, TX and play gruff but melodic punk rock. There is a definite Hot Water Music slant to the band’s music. The Anchor’s two songs, “This is For My Friends” and “Truant Tensions”, show a great deal of promise. While certainly not the most memorable or original, I am interested to hear the band’s next steps.

Now to the winning A Side. Fast out of the gates is the one O Pioneers!!! track, “Summers In Necro Norway With Ryan”. O Pioneers!!! are never short on passion and this song is certainly no different. It is flat out raging and the lyrics are as biting as ever. The song is about who we are and how we spend our lives talking and idolizing others instead of taking the necessary steps in our own lives. Yet another winner of a song from a band that just keeps getting better and better. All in all, a solid split worthy of your time.

Genre: Punk Rock

RIYL: Hot Water Music, Against Me!, Latterman

Label: Triumph Of Life

www.myspace.com/opioneers

www.myspace.com/theanchor

13.01.2009

My Heart To Joy At The Same Tone: Virgin Sails 7″

posted by Will

in Best New Music, Music Reviews, Vinyl Corner

[Best New Music]

Virgin Sails 7″ boasts three powerful and moving songs from Connecticut’s My Heart To Joy At The Same Tone. This is pretty awesome stuff that has left me quite impressed (and kicking myself that it’s basically been sitting on my floor for a few months.) I think a lazy comparison (and the band seems to think so too) would be to Hot Water Music. But really, My Heart To Joy At The Same Tone sound even thicker than HWM which might sound impossible but whatever. Perhaps a better comparison would be early Small Brown Bike which had a pretty dark atmosphere much like the first two songs here possess. My Heart To Joy, which they seem to be calling themselves now, are driving in their approach and pack these songs with subtle melodies, anger and emotion that simply boils over at the seams. The third track, “All Of Life Is Coming” has an almost Latterman-ish feel to it as it dips into quieter parts before exploding with a rapturous sing along ending. Familiar yet completely refreshing at the same time, My Heart To Joy At The Same Tone are on to something special here. The band just finished recording an LP for spring 2009. I’m pumped!

Genre: Punk Rock

RIYL: Hot Water Music, Small Brown Bike, Latterman

Label: Triumph Of Life

Virgin Sails

02VirginSails.mp3

www.myspace.com/myhearttojoyatthesametone

05.12.2008

Polar Bear Club – More Touring

posted by Will

in Music News

POLAR BEAR CLUB – Touring the World (sort of)
——————————————————-

* U.S. Shows with Fireworks begin on Friday (Dec 05 – 16)
* Canadian dates with Cancer Bats (Dec 17 – 21)
* UK / European tour with The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner (Feb 02 – Mar 04)

——————————————————-

No rest for New York’s Polar Bear Club as they continue with a heavy touring schedule in support of their Red Leader debut, Sometimes Things Just Disappear (released 03/11/08).

Beginning on Friday, the boys will leave for nearly two weeks of shows in the U.S. with Fireworks, immediately followed by five days in Canada with Cancer Bats. Then in February, the band will travel overseas for a month of shows in the UK and Europe with The Gaslight Anthem and Frank Turner.

While it’s not exactly a “continuous” world tour, 14 countries in the span of three months counts for something, right? Consider that in that same time period, I will have traveled to exactly one state. Maybe two if I decide to drive ten minutes due south.

If you’d like to attend any of these shows or speak with Polar Bear Club, drop me a line here.

Tour
——————————————————-
DEC 05 – Syracuse, NY @ Westcott C.C. w/ Another Breath, Like Wolves, more
DEC 06 – Albany, NY @ SUNY Albany w/ Forfeit, After The Fall
DEC 07 – Allston, MA @ Great Scott w/ Forfeit
DEC 08 – New Haven, CT @ Peoples Center
DEC 09 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fire w/ Fireworks
DEC 10 – Baltimore, MD @ Charm City Arts Space w/ Fireworks
DEC 11 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Garfield Artworks w/ Fireworks
DEC 12 – Indianapolis, IN @ The ESJ w/ Fireworks
DEC 13 – Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s w/ Fireworks
DEC 14 – Romeo, MI @ Static Age w/ Fireworks
DEC 16 – Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place w/ Fireworks
DEC 17 – Ottawa, Ontario @ Babylon w/ Cancer Bats, The Holly Springs Disaster
DEC 18 – Montreal, Quebec @ Underworld w/ Cancer Bats, The Holly Springs Disaster
DEC 19 – Kingston, Ontario @ Time To Laugh w/ Cancer Bats, The Holly Springs Disaster
DEC 20 – London, Ontario @ Rumrunners w/ Cancer Bats, The Holly Springs Disaster
DEC 21 – Toronto, Ontario @ The Mod Club w/ Cancer Bats, The Holly Springs Disaster
FEB 02 – Portsmouth, UK @ Wedgewood Rooms w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 03 – Birmingham, UK @ Academy w/ w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 04 – Manchester, UK @ Academy 2 w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 05 – Bristol, UK @ Academy 2 w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 06 – Brighton, UK @ Concorde w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 08 – London, UK @ Shepherds Bush Empire (NME Awards) w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 10 – Koln, Germany @ Underground w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 11 – Berlin, Germany @ Kato w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 12 – Malmo, Sweden @ KB w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 13 – Gothenburg, Sweden @ Sticky Fingers w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 15 – Helsinki, Finland @ Tavastia w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 17 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Debaser Slussen w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 18 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Lille Vega w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 19 – Hamburg, Germany @ Knust w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 20 – Wiesbaden, Germany @ Schlachthof w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 21 – Munich, Germany @ 59:1 w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 22 – Vienna, Austria @ Flex w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 24 – Milan, Italy @ Zoe Club w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 25 – Zurich, Switzerland @ Mascotte w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 27 – Brussels, Belgium @ Botanique Orangerie w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
FEB 28 – Groningen, Netherlands @ Vera w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
MAR 01 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Melkweg w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
MAR 02 – Norwich, UK @ Waterfront w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
MAR 03 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock CIty w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
MAR 04 – Dublin, Ireland @ The Academy w/ The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner

Listen to Burned Out In A Jar (Free MP3)!

- Jam-packed with ace, life-affirming tunes for fans of Rise Against, Hot Water Music, Propagandhi and great, gruff punk anthems in general.Rock Sound
- PBC has something special – an original voice – and the album is one that can be respected by fans of indie, hardcore and punk alike.Wonkavision
- This immensely talented quintet have all the poise of seasoned veterans. Scary thing is, they’re only just beginning.Alternative Press
- One my favorite albums to come out this year and quite possibly one of my favorite albums of all time.ScenPoint Blank
- Packing unrelenting power and passion…Sometimes Things Just Disappear has classic written all over it.Exclaim

24.10.2008

Iron Chic: Demo Tape ‘08

posted by Will

in Best New Music, Music Reviews

[Best New Music]

Can somebody say hell yes! Members of Latterman, Small Arms Dealer, Agent and Suicide Fix combine for one of the best demos I have heard in a long time. I am not familiar with Suicide Fix but fans of the first three bands should crap their pants on these five songs. Iron Chic have the driving melodicism of Latterman with the heart of Agent and the vocal snarl courtesy of Lubrano from Small Arms Dealer. Put those three elements together and you have got a flat out scorcher of a demo. Anthemic and moving, Iron Chic have truly outdone themselves. What else is there to say? Can we get a full-length boys?

You can download these five songs here or here. Either way, get into it!

Genre: Pop/Punk/Rock

RIYL: Latterman, Small Arms Dealer, Hot Water Music

Label: Dead Broke

Steel Wall Method

03%20steel%20wall%20method.mp3

www.myspace.com/ironchicsmyspace

24.09.2008

Lock And Key: Self-Titled

posted by Will

in Music Reviews

The boys from Boston’s Lock And Key are back again but this time it is a bittersweet listen. Unfortunately, this self-titled affair is the band’s swan song. Lock And Key made the decision to call it quits last year but lucky for us that they deemed it necessary to document their final songs. Lock And Key play emotional post-hardcore in the vein of Hot Water Music, Small Brown Bike and Leatherface. Yeah, I know, we have all heard this sound played many times before. However, Lock And Key have always been a cut above the rest in regards to moving beyond their influences. The band’s material can often go toe to toe against those heavyweights. That certainly speaks volumes but it is the band’s sincerity and passion that carries the heavier stick. That continues here on their final release as Lock And Key let it all hang out. You can hear the emotion bleeding out from the speakers. The album is a unique listening experience as it seems as though many of these songs were written with the band’s demise already etched in stone. Much of the album touches on the trials and tribulations of a band simply trying to keep their head above water. Lock And Key are fighting to keep going and stay positive while battling negativity and frustration. It is a rare look into the true heart of a DIY band trying to carry on despite overwhelming odds. In the end, the band decided to hang it up and move on. Take nothing away from Lock And Key. They can walk away with their heads held high. On “Last Song” Lock And Key shout out exactly what I would expect. Never forget, never regret. Always in debt to all of you. Cheers Lock And Key, it was a fantastic ride!

Genre: Post-Hardcore

RIYL: Hot Water Music, Small Brown Bike, Leatherface

Label:Get A Life

Ad Infinitum

02%20Ad%20Infinitum.mp3

www.myspace.com/lockandkey

31.07.2008

In The Red: Volume 1

posted by Will

in Best New Music, Music Reviews

In The Red is the new band from former Gunmoll frontman, Mike Hale. Gunmoll sounded like what you might expect if Leatherface and Jawbreaker had a premature baby. They released two albums and a split or two before going on hiatus indefinitely. Well, Mike Hale moved from Gainesville out to California after Gunmoll’s split and put out a solo album via Asian Man Records in 2007. It was certainly adequate but all Gunmoll fans have been waiting for him to plug back in with another rock band. And now he has done just that with In The Red. After a few split teases here and there, we finally have the band’s official full-length debut, simply titled Volume 1. If you dug what Gunmoll was about, In The Red will will have you foaming at the mouth.  In The Red uses Hale’s maturation to the band’s advantage. Showing off a more polished and defined sound, In The Red are sharper than Gunmoll ever was. No worries though, Hale’s vocals still remain as gruff and powerful as ever. Vocally, Hale certainly was a student who learned at the altar of Frankie Stubbs of Leatherface. His throaty screams continue to define his bands with great results. Much like Gunmoll could turn a song upside down on a dime, In The Red are practicing the same kind of anthemic explosions. Volume 1 is a massive success on just about every level. Fans of this style and genre should be running to get this. I am stoked to hear what Hale and his cohorts have in store next.

Genre: Punk/Rock

RIYL: Leatherface, Hot Water Music, Jawbreaker

Labels: Kiss Of Death/Rat Patrol

To Shake To Tremble

In%20The%20Red%20-%20Volume%201%20-%2001%20-%20To%20Shake%20To%20Tremble.mp3

www.myspace.com/intheredrock

17.04.2008

Polar Bear Club: Sometimes Things Just Disappear

posted by Will

in Music Reviews

Releasing such a promising debut can be a double edged sword for a band. It’s twofold for Polar Bear Club on their second release and first full-length, Sometimes Things Just Disappear. Here, not only does the band have to live up to their debut but they have to do it with a vastly different line-up. In between records, Polar Bear Club added a few new members (most notably from the defunct melodic hardcore outfit, Marathon). So, now you can add on the expectations of Marathon fans as well. So, how does Sometimes Things Just Disappear hold up against the weight?

Sometimes Things Just Disappear comes off sounding like an album in transition. That is a difficult proposition for a band releasing only their first full-length and it is one the band struggles with here. The album is somewhat familiar to the shift that Small Brown Bike made later in their career. Moving away from their screamy tendencies, the band embraced a more melodic approach. Here, Polar Bear Club are stuck somewhere firmly in the middle. It makes for an album that simply lacks cohesion. The album starts off strong with two of its best tracks leading the surge. After that, Sometimes Things Just Disappear struggles to find its way. Seemingly going in a more accessible direction, Polar Bear Club lose some of that passion and aggression that was dripping from the band’s debut. However, the band is able to rebound with some strong material near the back end of the album. When the band is hitting on all cylinders it is a powerful statement to witness. Too often though, Sometimes Things Just Disappear struggles to find a secure footing. For now, Polar Bear Club may have failed to fully capitalize on their enormous promise. I would not give up on them just yet though. The talent is here for something phenomenal in the future.

Genre: Melodic Hardcore/Rock

RIYL: Hot Water Music, Small Brown Bike, Rise Against

Label: Red Leader

Eat Dinner, Bury The Dog, And Run

01EatDinnerBuryTheDogAndRun.mp3

Burned Out In A Jar

05BurnedOutInAJar.mp3

www.myspace.com/polarbearclub

08.04.2008

Band Dump

posted by Will

in Band Dump, Music

OK, this one is a foreign affair.

Foals – These guys are signed to Sub Pop so you will probably see them everywhere shortly. For good reason though. Similar to Bloc Party at times but a lot more experimental in nature.

Boyandroid – German band that reminds me of good, sensitive (emo?) rock like Death Cab For Cutie but with more balls.

Stolen Bikes Ride Faster – Ah, these guys rule…seriously. I’ve seen the band name around forever (and what a great band name it is) but had never listened til getting their Nothing Has Changed EP recently. Pop/punk rock to the tens! Viva Italia!

Fear Like Us – Folk/punk that’s actually really good. From Australia and the vocals are really similar to Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music. Some female vocals arise as well. Fans of Rumbleseat should take note.

Marionette ID – From Budapest, Hungary, these guys play moody post-hardcore in the vein of Engine Down. This is really impressive stuff. I have a review almost ready to go on this. You can download the full album here.

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