Mark Lind – Death or Jail (c) 2006 Sailor's Grave RecordsDeath or Jail is the debut solo release of Ducky Boy's lead singer Mark Lind. Death or Jail is a guts and grit singer/song writer album from and for the working class ala Springsteen or The Hudson Falcons. Lyrically and musically Mark Lind evokes a sense of sadness and loss for times past and times present. These lines from "No Future" (Death or Jail) sum up this tragic loneliness all too well. "I come from no future and reach for the light, These days I'm hanging on without a net" Each of the tracks on Death or Jail comes with some explanation by Lind. They help to provide insight into the specific emotions of each song. Over all Death or Jail is a emotional tail of life and growing up hoping for better days. I can only imagine that the release of this disc was a huge catharsis for Mark Lind. It is also interesting to see a slightly different take on a shared childhood. Mark Lind is the brother of Rob Lind from Blood for Blood. Whereas White Trash Rob seems pissed off and slighted, Mark seems to be more jaded and world weary. Either way, pretty intense stuff.
Month: May 2006
Scars of Tomorrow
Scars of Tomorrow – The Beginning of (c) 2006 Thorp RecordsSubmitted for your approval, the brutal hardcore metal sounds of Scars of Tomorrow. “The Beginning of” is an all out aggressive assault of the early years of Scars of Tomorrow. The new release re-surfaces out-of-print material from the band’s pre Victory era. Much of the CD has a tendency to be too melodic and too metal for my tastes. Not to say it is a bad release, cause it ain’t. It’s that I hung up the strictly metal hat many moons ago. Combing Crunching guitars, pounding drums, growling vox, thundering bass and layer on the harmonics and melodic guitar lines and you’ve got yourself the beginning of Scars of Tomorrow.
Flashlight Brown
Flashlight Brown – Blue(c) 2006 Hollywood RecordsFlashlight Brown , refreshingly, defies the pigeon-holeing that I am often reduced to. Are they punk? Are they rock? Are they 4th wave ska? Are they a secret government laboratory band from outer space? Hell if I know. I do know this though, they make me want to pogo like a mofo. The songs are catchy both musically and lyrically. Though there is a bit a static pattern throughout the tracks, ala verse chorus verse, but because the tracks average out to around the 3 minute mark or less, I don't find myself becomeing bored. I guess if I had to try to compare their sound to anything it would be a melange of 7 seconds Goldfinger and perhaps Sum 41. Flashlight Brown will be playing on the warped tour this summer as well as quite a few independent dates prior go check 'em out. What have you got to lose? You're problably going to the Warped Tour anyway. To break it on down. Flashlight Brown is catchy poppy and fun. However, perhaps a bit indulgent if you're too damn hardcore that you can't admit to singing along with Weezer songs.
Born To Lose
Born To Lose – Sweet Misery (c) 2006 Sailor's Grave Records Born To Lose ' debut Sailor's Grave record "Sweet Misery" is 12 anthemic tracks of pure Texas punk. Based out of Austin, the hotbed of Texas college culture and the home of SXSW, it comes as a small surprise that there is no lap steel guitar or lowsome yodelling on this record. Kidding aside, Born To Lose is a solid punk rock band that has a lot of the qualities of Avail or the more sing along parts of H2O. Bottom line, punk rock presented in the form of punk rock. Good Stuff.