Stream (or download) the new(ish) garage rock / lo-fi three track demo from Chicago punkers, Poor Boy.
Posts Tagged Punk CD Reviews
Poor Boy
Aug 11
(c) 2010 Blue Collar Convicts
Rating: 
Well, I’m a sucker for the MA sound. Not sure quite what it is. Maybe it is something in the water, but that state produces some of the best punk rock and roll around.
Anyways, “$2 and Change” from Blue Collar Convicts is no shame to the form and a pretty damn rad release. It is full of guts and emotion without being sappy. The tracks feel true and from the heart. Maybe it’s my lower middle class upbringing, maybe it’s not, but I’m picking up on the sentiment of these tracks. As well, I think I get the idea of being trapped in the lower middle class workaday drudgery of existence.
On the comparison note, ‘cause I like to do that, think of an unusual hybrid of Social D, Op Ivy and Cadillac Tramps. It truly is a weird mashup, but it works.
I think the big sell here is that Blue Collar Convicts ring true. The music is exactly what you’d want when you’re slamming a few brews in your neighbor’s garage, or on occasion, a Sunday morning when you’ve decided that Saturday wasn’t quite enough.
Perhaps I’m rambling a little bit here, but I think this band has something, in a good way. I don’t see mega-stardom, but I won’t discount the idea that this band will be a go to when someone asks for some badass newish punk/rock(abilly)/anthemic rock and roll. At any rate, I gave it four out of five stars. I would have go higher, but well, I really wanted more tracks! Enjoy!
–Jerry Actually
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© 2010 Unmutual Records
Rating: 
Aiaight, here’s a fun one. The “Black Aggie” EP is a new 5 shot disc from Baltimore’s The Snallygasters. I don’t know what a “snallygaster” is, but if this is the kind of smack they’re throwing down in the home of Edgar Allan Poe and John Waters, I want some more of this junk.
The sound is old school punk; an unsual mix of US Bombs, Dead Milkmen and a strange resemblance to Awesome and the Asskickers. There are some bits that start to drag on, and some solo-wanking but overall not a deal breaker, and there is a track entitled “Ragnarocknrolla” and if you’ve ever listened to Hulk Hogan and the Traveling Wrestling Boot band, I think you might get a alter-universe sense of deja vu.
It’s an EP, so you get what you get: a five song montage of the band’s range and style. Pretty much all diggable, so what the hell are you waiting for, go, find a freaking copy and commence to rocking.
–Jerry Actually
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Sadplant The End of Fun
Feb 1
© 2011 Sadplant
Rating:
Connecticut’s prolific favorites are back with a new release. I know that it’s been like 16 minutes since the last new release, but hell if you got the goods, rock with it, right?
The End of Fun brings 12 new tracks of snotty punk rock songs of angst, despair, guts and a slight slight glimmer of hope. Along with that, if you’ve been following this band at all, you get a lot more synchronicity in the music. While the recording still has a garage edge to it, the music is more polished and I think the mix is finally right.
I try not to gush, but this band really makes me proud. They, like the rest of us have to deal with every waking day, but through daily struggles of life and lineup changes (new drummer) they continue to produce. I’m not sure I need to say much more.
Speaking of the lineup, Sadplant currently consists of Benny Social on guitar and vox, Amy Wappel on bass and box and Gabe Fonseca on drums and vox as well. The bottom line is that Sadplant rocks. The underline is that if you get bored with the last release, you get a new one in minutes.
On a side note, I totally dig male / female point / counterpoint vocals. … makes me think of the old school track Oki Dogs from Youth Gone Mad or Hopeless Romantic from Bouncing Souls (or heaven forbid, Renee Zellweger in Capital Records. … I kid, I kid. That movie rocks.)
Cheers!
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When it gets to be this time of year, I, along with just about everyone else, reflect back on what has transpired during the year. Based on those particular musings, I’m pleased to report that !upstarter posted 42 reviews of both musical and literary works in 2010. (I may be able to squeeze in a few more if time allows)
Out of those 42 reviews, I’ve chosen the top ten of what I think were the stand-out releases/reviews of the years. Bear in mind that this is my opinion, so if you disagree, well, them’s the breaks.
With that, I humbly give you the !upstarter Top 10 reviews of 2010:
10: The Decay – This Months Rent
9: The Menzingers – Chamberlain Waits
8: The Kings of Nuthin’ – Old Habits Die Hard
5: The Hollowpoints – Old Haunts on the Horizon
4: Street Dogs
3: The Singularity – A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Drunkenness
1: Mall’d To Death – Can’t Make A Living
Cheers,
Jerry Actually
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© 2010 People Like You Records
Rating:
I have to admit that I’m not terribly familiar with The Adicts at all. Sure I’ve seen their logo safety pinned to the backs of countless punk rock jackets. I even know them well enough to identify them by their Clockwork Orange style. I’m sure I’ve heard plenty of their material on comps and over the PA before shows, however this is the first CD that I’ve actually sat down and listened to; Better late than never, right?
As I’m sure you all know well more than I about the band, I’ll skip the drudgery of the last 30 some years and get straight to the fresh meat. Life Goes On is a 13 track peppy catchy punk rock dish that keeps interesting and lively throughout. And while I’m admittedly a bit in the dark about the band, I can certainly tell you that it is refreshing for a band that has been playing punk rock for as many decades as The Adicts to not have watered it down.
The majority of the tracks on Life Goes On will have you singing along. Some of my personal favs for the sing along bits are tracks 3. Reaky Deaky Boys & Girls and 4. I’m Not Scared of You. Honestly, its a pretty decent disc altogether. Its chock filled with quirky and somewhat sophomoric punk rock and albeit a bit on the cartoonish side, it still has the maturity of a band that has been at it for this long. My one gripe is track 12. Mr. Hard. Every time I hear it I just can’t stop thinking that it should be about Michael Caine instead. … oh well they can’t all be songs about Michael Caine.
–Jerry Actually
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Hounds & Harlots – Demo
Aug 5
© 2010 Hounds & Harlots
Rating:
“What and or who are these Hounds & Harlots”, you may ask. “Am I with or am I not with them”, that is another damn fine question, one of several I fix on answering to some degree in the next few sentences. Well let’s start with the former. Hounds & Harlots is a punk rock band rising up outta the San Francisco Bay.
The punk rock quartet consists of (at the time of this recording) Greg De Hoot on Bass and Vox, Bryan Zimmerman on Guitar and Vox, “Nice Guy” Brandon on Guitar and Vox and Cory Cunningham on Drums. What you have here is the basic ingredients for punk rock, four strapping young lads from the dark heart of the city by the bay.
The demo disc that I received is done up in modern era DIY fashion; A burned 3-track CD, hand markered for identification purpose and a b/w photocopy liner. I applaud the effort and am glad it wasn’t on cassette, ‘cause I don’t even have a cassette deck anymore. Something more to mention about the DIY ethic of the band, they are constantly rocking the social media. I, in fact, first heard of them through some mutual friends on Twitter. Way to capitalize on the new means to network.
The aforementioned disc contains three tracks: Divisadero, Wasted and Lots to Learn. They are all strong, but the clear leader is the opener, Divisadero. The track is a rollicking sing-a-long punk rock number that’ll like have you packing your bags for the neighborhood for which the band espouses so much pride. The two following tracks are both solid in their own right, but lack the catchy chorus of the lead-in number.
I will leave you with this, am I with them? Yes I am.
–Jerry Actually
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(c) 2009 The Assasinators
The Assisantors started out in Shelton, Wa in 2004. They recorded their first album later that year, having already played with UK Subs, Agent Orange and Poison Idea to name a few. After taking a year off playing shows in ’07 and a line-up change, they officially released their debut album, Rumour Of War in 2008. They then recorded ‘Weaving Spiders Come Not Here’, with help from Mike Herrera of Christian pop-punkers MxPx. The (ever changing) line-up currently consists of Paul- Vocals, Parris- Guitar, Zebrana (of now defunct Bastard Child)- Bass, and Drew- Drums.
As soon as you press play, the impression is given that this is on the borderline of punk and metal. It’s very heavy and fast, and the guitar riffs would fit in on a metal record. Paul’s vocals would even be suited to a metal band, but there’s a snarly and in-your-face attitude to their sound, and that’s what makes them punk rock.
‘Econarchy’ is, even though it’s heavy, a middle finger in the air number, and is one of those songs that has such a ‘fuck you’ attitude, it makes you feel like you’re not punk if you don’t sing along. ‘Got A Deal WIth The FBI’ has the same effect.
There’s a bit of a political and socio-political theme to many of the songs on this album. They manage to demonstrate their opinions, on topics most of us can relate to, but aren’t pushing their beliefs onto the listener. A good example of this is ‘Welfare Checks And Balances’.
There are two covers on Weaving Spiders…, the first is GG Allin’s ‘Drink, Fight And Fuck’ a great choice, and they manage to make it work for them well. The 2nd is ‘Out Of Control’, by the legendary Rancid- a daring choice for an underground band, but they do it justice, as the heavier Rancid sound fits the Assasinators’ sound. Not quite as good as the original, but covers rarely are.
‘Badge And Gun’ and ‘Doin’ Fine’ are the punkiest tunes on the album, with their attitude and sound, and will go down brilliantly live.
The title track is the slowest, showing there’s more to them than heavy punk/metal. This one is the closest to traditional new-school punk, and is definitely the highlight of the record.
The Assasinators have lots of potential. Expect to hear a lot more from this band in the near future, especially if they can write more songs like the title track to this impressive sophomore release.
-Frankii
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(c) 2010 Spartan Records UK
Ubermanoeuvre are a five-piece band, from South East London, UK. They have been compared to Rage Against The Machine and Enter Shikari, to name a few, and dub their own style as high energy rock.
There’s so much going on, and so many differences between each track, that it’s only fair to mention (nearly) every one.
Kicking off this, their debut album, is the title track, with an electro intro, leading into a hip-hop (with underlying synths) verse and shouty chorus, I guarantee you will never have heard anything like this before. And it will be a total mind fuck. There’s so many different elements to the one song, but don’t dismiss it yet.
Track two, ‘If I Were You (I Wouldn’t Be Me)’ opens with a very brief piece of acoustic guitar, then it’s straight into the (quite heavy) thrashing guitars. There’s also a creepy keyboard riff, adding an eerie element to the track. Even though there’s not as much going on, it’s still hard to place under a specific genre.
‘Call To Arms’ marks another change in sound, this one’s more emo, but still electro. Think HelloGoodbye meets Taking Back Sunday- cheesy cheerful, but screamo. Adding to this is the piano breakdown and the screamy choruses.
Track four, ‘Apathy Loves Company’ is one of the catchiest on the record. It’s still really odd, but by now you’ll have got used to the sheer weirdness of it all. Track five is more guitar driven, which suits them more, but then it’s back into the crazy mix with ‘Never Bring Your Girlfriend Flowers’- jazz piano under a hip-hop beat. But, somehow, it works. ’9am: Monday’ is more hip-hop-y, with a emo/screamo chorus.
Then there’s track eight and 10, (‘Now! That’s What I Call Karma, ’2378′) that are more downbeat and simple hip-hop rock.
As it’s so unusual compared to anything you’ll have ever heard, it’s impossible to really sum it up- so just check it out and decide for yourselves.
But, to recap, Ubermanoeuvre play screamo- electro- hip-hop, with synths- a- plenty.
There’s way too many dashes in that last sentence.
–Frankii
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The Flatliners – Cavalcade
May 28
© 2010 Fat Wreck Chords
Rating:
Call me confused. When I saw this CD in the ‘inbox’ I was super excited that I had some new psychobilly from “Thee Flatliners” … turns out that an extra e makes all the difference in the world. Immediately I was disappointed. Have you ever gone to take a drink of soda or beer or whatever and grabbed someone else’s beverage instead? Even if it isn’t something bad, the initial confusion of it not being what you expected can leave a bad taste in your mouth.
Well that is what I was experiencing with The Flatliners right off the bat. I’m glad that I stuck it out. I’ve been listening to Cavalcade for the last few days on my way to and from work. Over these last few days I’ve found a lot to enjoy. I also found some things to be concerned about, but I’ll discuss that later.
The disc provides 14 tracks of surprisingly diverse punk flavored tracks, each one with its own distinct flavor. There is a subtle Lawrence Arms quality as well as touches of Bracket. I think it speaks wonders for the roster consistency of Fat, no? Aside from the label mate similarities I hear bits of Bruce (Springsteen) and the other Bruce (Dickinson). Maybe I read too much into things though.
Aside from my initial disenchantment and eventual rock and roll epiphany, I can offer these words for The Flatliners – Cavalcade: Don’t be like me by almost not giving it a chance. That is wrong and I should know better and so should you.
A final word for the band, while I now appreciate what you’ve got going on, you’re flying dangerously close to the radio rock sun. Be careful Icarus. Be careful.
–Jerry
