Music Reviews of Punk, Indie Rock, Emo, Ska
Band Spotlight
Chiodos
Perhaps no one can explain the sheer ferocity and timid quietness it is better than when vocalist Craig Owens says “we don’t want to let the kids down” when discussing the group’s intense vocals live at shows. Well they never let a single kid down with their vicious assault on the ears and grip on the jugular...
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03.09.2007 by J-Sin
Music Reviews of Punk, Indie Rock, Emo, Ska
The Velcro Stars — Hiroshima's Revenge Buy it at Amazon
I’m fairly certain Japan and Hiroshima got their revenge by buying up tons of real estate in America in the ‘90s as well as destroying our work ethic by making us all look like lazy jerks. The Velcro Stars eschew compassionate indie pop-rock with simple chords and catchy hooks. Sounding like a very good high school era band, the Velcro Stars write compelling artistic songs that will remind one of the Blake Babies—a name not uttered since Juliana Hatfield started to really suck ass recently, taking herself a little too seriously.
- J-Sin
Stationary Odyssey / Child Bite — Physical Education Buy it at Amazon
Remember gym class? It was always taught by those ‘teachers’ who were really just sports coaches who were hired to fill sits in high school auditoriums and not necessarily for their education prowess. (Note: this is completely an unfair assessment so chalk it up to me having shitty phys. ed. teachers that I am being petty towards.) Regardless of that cliché, this split features self-described ‘freak-wave’ artists Child Bite along with noise pop stars Stationary Odyssey crafting highly original outside of the mainstream music. Loud, irreverent post-punk noise that clangs with the ringing bells of the doom of easy-to-define music genres.
- J-Sin
Further Seems Forever — The Final Curtain Buy it at Amazon
It always annoyed me that genuine good emo wound up in the waste basket and associated with drab and crap emo, which was just really mainstream pop wrapped in an angsty blanket that even the jerk-off Spaniards wouldn’t hand out to Native Americans. Further Seems Forever was comprised of members of Shai Hulud, Strongarm, and the Vacant Andys and Chris Carrabba (now with Dashboard Confessional, and ruining 16-year olds dreams at a mall arcade near you) originally sang for them so they’re no stranger to any indie insider. The group recorded their last show and presents it here on the first thirteen some tracks and they show how good they were live. In addition, there’s several b-sides and previously unreleased tracks you have to have. Despite the fact that they were always lumped into the “Christian” scene, which believe me turns a lot of potential fans off, the group wasn’t known to drop the Biggie J.C. bomb around. Included in the release is some DVD material including some Chris Carrabba (pitter patter, LOLZ!!!1!!) that you know is just clearly essential gear. The emo world will move especially noting that the famed Deep Elm series, “Emo Diaries” compilation is slated for another entry.
- J-Sin
1997 — A Better View of the Rising Moon Buy it at Amazon
You can’t get more emo than naming your album after a self-affirming haiku, right? Well that’s exactly what 1997 did with their debut on Victory “Not Just Hardcore” Records. 1997 dodges the Prince route (despite their official website URL), with a smattering of emo, folk-pop, and indie-pop loaded to the core with outrageously engaging vocal harmonies. Tying it all together with light yet robust arrangements, 1997 is a surprisingly very good band despite their mall-punk good looks and ridiculously Composition Notebook teenage lyrics. I love the way the album opens with a little xylophone action; can’t get more indie than that. Despite their tender outer core and pixie dust melodies, this is a worthy band if only for their creative use of vocal harmonies throughout their “A Better View of the Rising Moon”.
- J-Sin
Mike Ferraro — Awful Killers Buy it at Amazon
After reviewing his demo, I more or less knew what to expect from Mr. Ferraro. Well he surprised this old soul with his tender indie pop tunes flavored with smart singer/songwriter vibes. Easily comparable to early Dinosaur Jr., his music is light, fresh, and airy. Complementary pop hooks make “Awful Killers” an incredibly catchy pop album whose title track Italy’s Best Kept Secret record label (yes that’s their name) should be glad to include as part of their ten-song cassette retrospective. Sweet!
- J-Sin
Vio/Mire — March 2007 Buy it at Amazon
Minimalism and post-rock collide on this holistically amazing experimental journey of an album. Intricately textured and layered with ounces of lush arrangements of cello, string-bass, vocals, electronic samples, and guitars, “March 2007” sounds like a mid-air collision of Low and the more recent Lewis and Clarke. Adventures in sound from this native of Providence, Rhode Island, Brendan Glasson compares and contrasts the soundscapes that only the truly gifted could imagine in their dreams. Also if you get this album you’re extremely lucky as it’s limited to 125 of white cd-r’s rubber-stamped and hand-assembled with hand-cut cardstocks.
- J-Sin
Amber Asylum — Still Point Buy it at Amazon
Gothic ambient chamber pop? Hell yeah’s. That’s what Amber Asylum is all about. They could easily rest alongside a classical chamber group as well as Skinny Puppy or some other industrial super-giant. Ethereal echoed vocals drain your body of blood. Their debut album was re-issued by Neurot Recordings recently and that should put something into the mind of all those who cast off Neo-classical post-rock because Neurot (run by the fellas in Neurosis) is not only a respected label but it doesn’t put out fodder. Gripping song arrangements and spine-tingling sensational melodies haunt.
- J-Sin
The Line Atlantic — The Subhuman Condition Buy it at Amazon
Alberta, Canada based band The Line Atlantic position themselves as something between indie pop and My Bloody Valentine. The band is a six-piece that likes to hit you upside the cranium with emotionally raw and chaotic caricatures of post-punk and emo but also dash your face in with gothic pop, ambient post-rock, and everything in between. It’s scattered but highly presentable.
- J-Sin
The Brokedowns — New Brains for Everyone Buy it at Amazon
So first off, you say “Everyone” does that include zombies? Because if you’re handing out new brains I have a feeling that the zombies are going to show up in hordes and hog them all. Melodic hardcore punk that is balls-out fun and yet is much more intelligent than your typical Warped Tour beer guzzler. Armed to the teeth with energetic anthems, the Brokedowns rip you a new one with their fashion-less punk sound—this ain’t something you’ll find at the mall, folks. They kind of remind one of the Dropkick Murphys in a way but they’ll remind you that there’re fists to be pumping.
- J-Sin
Seven Storey Mountain — At the Poles Buy it at Amazon
Propulsive post-punk noise art is layered with discordant harmonies, math-y rhythm mayhem, and emotional aggressiveness. Imagine a post-emo band with a fancy quick-strike to the jugular move. That’s what’s up the sleeves of these math geeks. “At the Poles” is the first album the group has released in the past half-decade and it’s a dose of why we should all cry over the dissolution of the Jesus Lizard and Jawbox sung oddly by Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl.
- J-Sin
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