May 2011 – Upstarter

Nekromantix – New Release and Tour

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NEKROMANTIX UNLEASH “WHAT HAPPENS IN HELL, STAYS IN HELL” AUG 2nd

North American Tour Begins July 26^th/VIP Packages Available May 26th
Revered psychobilly trio Nekromantix have emerged from the depths of isolation to unleash their latest sonic creation, a monstrous slab of demonic rock and roll entitled “What Happens In Hell, Stays In Hell.” This dangerously hypnotic album careens into stores on August 2, 2011 via Hellcat Records and includes thirteen songs of blistering death defying rock. In anticipation, the band will be offering special VIP Packages to their most dedicated fans on May 26^th through the website below.

Led by charismatic rock and roll rebel Kim Nekroman and his legendary coffin bass, the Nekromantix have emerged as preeminent purveyors of a powerful and haunting psychobilly sound, an intoxicating mixture of surging anthemic punk and seductive reverb soaked rockabilly. The new record What Happens In Hell, Stays In Hell offers up frantic energetic romps like lead off track “Bats In My Pants,” the riotous revelry moves along with the ominous anthem “Sleepwalker With A Gun,” followed by a tribute to the immortal Hollywood horror legend with “Bela Lugosi’s Star.”

In support of the new album, Nekromantix will be loading up their hot-rod hearse to blaze across North America, igniting the festivities with a performance in the scorched desert landscape of Southern California on July 26^th.

The band will also be offering special presale VIP packages for their most dedicated fans. These packages will include:

– A CD copy of What Happens In Hell, Stays In Hell
– One general admission ticket
– Access to meet & greet Nekromantix
– One Nekromantix 3D Laminate
– An autographed Nekromantix tour poster
– Anyone who pre-orders tickets and the VIP package or tickets and CD will get a free download of “Bats In My Pants”
– VIP packages are limited 30 per market

Purchase presale tickets for the tour at: http://tixx1.artistarena.com/nekromantix

Nekromantix Tour Dates:

TUE, JUL 26, 2011 VICTORVILLE CA VVEC
WED, JUL 27, 2011 SAN LUIS OBISPO CA Downtown Brew
THU, JUL 28, 2011 SANTA CRUZ CA The Catalyst- The AtriumRoom
FRI, JUL 29, 2011 OAKLAND CA Oakland Metro Operahouse
SAT, JUL 30, 2011 SACRAMENTO CA Ace of Spades
SUN, JUL 31, 2011 RENO NV Knitting Factory – Reno
TUE, AUG 2, 2011 SEATTLE WA El Corazon
WED, AUG 3, 2011 PORTLAND OR Hawthorne Theater
TUE, AUG 9, 2011 BOISE ID Knitting Factory
WED, AUG 10, 2011 SALT LAKE CITY UT The Complex- Grand Room
THU, AUG 11, 2011 LAS VEGAS NV House of Blues – Las Vegas
FRI, AUG 12, 2011 LOS ANGELES CA House of Blues Los Angeles
SAT, AUG 13, 2011 SAN DIEGO CA Epicenter
SUN, AUG 14, 2011 SANTA ANA CA Yost Theater
WED, AUG 24, 2011 TUCSON AZ The Rock
THU, AUG 25, 2011 EL PASO TX Badland Billiards
FRI, AUG 26, 2011 AUSTIN TX Red Seven
SAT, AUG 27, 2011 CORPUS CHRISTI TX Theo’s
SUN, AUG 28, 2011 SAN ANTONIO TX , White Rabbit
TUE, AUG 30, 2011 DALLAS TX LaGrange
WED, AUG 31, 2011 HOUSTON TX Warehouse Live
THU, SEP 1, 2011 NEW ORLEANS LA House Of Blues NO-Parish
FRI, SEP 2, 2011 PENSACOLA FL Vinyl Music Hall
SUN, SEP 4, 2011 TAMPA FL The Local 662
TUE, SEP 6, 2011 ORLANDO FL The Social
WED, SEP 7, 2011 JACKSONVIILLE FL Jack Rabbits
THU, SEP 8, 2011 GREENSBORO NC Green Street
FRI, SEP 9, 2011 VIRGINIA BEACH VA Jewish Mother
SAT, SEP 10, 2011 BALTIMORE MD Otto Bar
SUN, SEP 11, 2011 WEST CHESTER PA The Note- West Chester
TUE, SEP 13, 2011 NEW YORK NY The Lounge @ Gramercy
WED, SEP 14, 2011 ASBURY PARK NJ Asbury Lanes
THU, SEP 15, 2011 ALLSTON MA Great Scott
TUE, SEP 20, 2011 CLEVELAND OH Beachland Ballroom
WED, SEP 21, 2011 DETROIT MI Small’s
THU, SEP 22, 2011 NEWPORT KY The Southgate House
FRI, SEP 23, 2011 CHICAGO IL Reggies Rock Club
SUN, SEP 25, 2011 DES MOINES IA House Of Bricks
MON, SEP 26, 2011 ST. LOUIS MO Firebird
WED, SEP 28, 2011 DENVER CO Bluebird Theater
THU, SEP 29, 2011 ALBUQUERQUE NM Launchpad
FRI, SEP 30, 2011 TEMPE AZ Club House

Swingin’ Utters – Here, Under Protest

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I won’t belabor the historical info about Swingin’ Utters. You truly should know who they are already, but if you don’t, well, you should. (be ashamed of yourself) If you want to learn more about them, by all means check their official bio here: http://swinginutters.com/bio/ (notice the sexy url? sexy websites don’t use the www no mores)

Onto the important bits. Here, Under Protest is the first full length release from the band in eight years. That is a damn long time in punkdom. Most bands won’t even last an eighth as long, let alone have that many years between releases.

The new album is a mid-tempo rocker with some tactical velocity diversions thrown in. It is replete with all the expected hooks and chorus lines that you’ve came to love. They years have tempered the lads a bit, but not for the worse. The songs have the kind of difficult-to-define quality that pegs them as instant classics. I guess that it is a sort of timelessness that makes the songs both enjoyable and enduring. Though I gush a bit as an admitted fan, you really have to hear this one. It kicks some serious ass even after repeated listening.

So here’s what you get: 14 tracks, just under 35 minutes. Pure punk rock goodness. Oh, by the way. This is also your new favorite CD as of right now if not sooner.

–Jerry Actually

For fans of: Stiff little fingers, The last weird Let’s Go Bowling CD, Swingin’ Utters.

Tracks:
1. Brand New Lungs
2. Taking the Long Way
3. Bent Collector of 1,000 Limbs
4. Kick It Over
5. Good Thing
6. Sketch Squandered Teen
7. Heavy Head
8. (You’ve Got To) Give It All To the Man
9. Time On My Own
10. Lepers, Thieves and Whores
11. Blindness Is Kind
12. Reds and Blues and Beggars
13. Scary Brittle Frame
14. Effortless Amnesiac

Getting to know Holding Onto Sound

Where are you from and when did you get started?

We’re Holding Onto Sound from Las Vegas, NV. We formed in 2003 and have been playing live almost every weekend since. We were drawn together by our love of certain bands & styles. Punk, reggae (not ska), Metal, Hip-Hop. We wanted to make something new, while using all the old styles.

Who are you and who does what in the band?

I am Senor Bennett Mains. I sing lead vocals and am one of the many guitar players for HOTS. We’ve also got Zabi Naqshband on the low end, he’s a bass playing maniac. He also brings the backing vocals and sings lead on a few tracks. Sitting behind the drum kit is Vanessa Tidwell. She blows my mind and the minds of all around with her drumtastic beat bangin’. Last but not least, our brand new addition, Bob Gates. Bob lends both rythym and lead guitars and some backing vocals, also. We tracked Bob down like an animal and captured him, forcing him to play guitar for us. We’re fuckin’ savage.

How would you best describe the sound?

Aggressive and passionate and energetic. We love everything from The Clash to The Deftones to Genghis Tron to Bob Marley to Johnny Cash to Rx Bandits to Thrice to the Moody Blues to Interpol. haha. Some of us like Lady Gaga & Kesha. I don’t think we sound like any of them though. Maybe a little like Kesha. I often find myself wearing blue lipstick, with a pound of eyeliner running down my cheeks. And that has alot to do with our sound. We go for that ‘recently drugged & fucked’ sound.

Dream rock moment (real or not)?

Very real. We opened for the greatest band of all time, NoFx, January 2009. For me that was my moment. It’s all down hill after that. Any time you catch someone you’ve never met singing the words to your song with you, that’s a dream moment for anybody who ever decided they wanted to be in a band. Gotta love it man.

Still got day jobs?

But of course. Collectively we sell clothes, fix bikes and clean pools. What a life.

Any regrets?

Nope. Well….Maybe my ‘recently drugged & fucked’ remark earlier. Love you mom.

Swing For The Fences “If You Only Knew…”

Well, let’s start off with the fact that I am not usually a pop punk fan. To my surprise, after giving this disc a few spins, it has grown on me. These gents from Detroit have a strong sound, good writing, and the production captures what I would guess is a tight live band. The lyric matter is usually what isn’t my cup o’ punk rock tea with regards to the pop end of the genre, but this EP strikes so much musically and vocally that I can overlook this with ease. The last two tracks really stand out to me, with their punch and nods to hardcore. If pop punk is you thing, check this release out. If it isn’t, give it a chance or check out their live shows and see what happens, you never know, right? Kudos on the title track gents.

–Ry-Not

The Rumblers – Resistor Radio

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Right now I’m listening to Resistor Radio, the new full-length release from The Rumblers. The release marks eight years since the band’s debut. While I’m not familiar with “Hold On Tight”, I can only assume that the new work represents a more focused and enlightened version of the past.

Resistor Radio features 12 tracks of politically tinged American punk rock. It isn’t quite to the level of social commentary as The Clash for instance. Instead it feels like a sampling of Social Distortion, Pennywise and Bad Religion. The sonic structure has a great level of depth with the blend of horn and organ sounds of the more expected drum/bass/guitar experience. The dynamic and well crafted songs lend to easy enjoyment. It is the type of disc that gains appreciation and respect the more you listen to it.

Aside from the more greaser style punk rock and roll there are tracks like “Bring Me Back” which are more in the vein of newer bands like Dead to Me, Menzingers and American Steel. Additional deviations are the low cowboy ballad, “The Long Con” and the slightly ska/reggae/punk “Final Words”. It shows an excellent level of diversity and writing ability for the band. Like I said, the more I listen, the more I appreciate The Rumblers.

You can find more here: www.therumblers.com

-Jerry Actually

Tracks:
1. Your Future’s Been Determined
2. Days Gone By
3. Smash Your Television
4. Border Town
5. Bring Me Back
6. Time Can Have a Way
7. The Long Con
8. Final Words
9. You’ve Got Your Guns
10. download 10. Rebel Heart
11. Run Away
12. City Lights

Swing For The Fences

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Here’s a five track demo from Swing for the Fences, a pop punk band outta the Detroit suburb of Sterling Heights. Pretty straight forward power pop riffs, snappy drum beats and rocking riffs, some solid sing-a-long chorus parts and emo enough lyrics that your girlfriend will totally make you take her to the show. (you know, if you have a girlfriend that is)

The band isn’t breaking much in the way of new ground. It is very Blink 182 influenced from my limited experience with the genre. The vocals strangely make me think that they’d be what Weird Al would sound like if he were singing in a pop punk band. I suspect that Swing for the Fences take themselves a bit more seriously, but then again, maybe not.

The production quality is excellent for a demo, so kudos to everyone that played and produced this. I’m not sure what bandwidth is left in the market for more material of this variety, but since Blink tours again there is always hope. While the demo has plenty of polish and skills, it is all a little too saccharin for me, but if pop punk is your thing, check the band out at their myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/sftfmusic

–Jerry Actually

Tracks:
1. Running Away
2. Spill Your Heart
3. You Shoot For The Stars Because You’re Afraid To Land
4. Just Being Honest
5. If Only You Knew

Dead Dick Hammer – Welcome Home Babydoll

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Dead Dick Hammer and the TBA Band is a ghoulish undead trio from the hellbilly area of Kentucky’s Temple Hill. Apparently the band died in their rockabilly prime sometime, I gather, around All Hallows Eve, 1957. The opening haunt, 10.30.57 is an eerie tribute to their demise.

Welcome Home Babydoll unearths eight rocking tracks (and a mystery number) all very much focusing on the macabre. Themes center on such pleasantries as stalking, domestic violence, murder and necrophilia; All the things that you love, of course. Presumably tongue-in-cheek, but the disc does have an overwhelming air of misogyny about it. I suspect it is merely thematic, but if it were any other genre of band, it would sit pretty uneasy.

The music is a dark combination of 50s style rock and rockabilly. Think of perhaps: Big Bopper meets Elvis Hitler with a bit more hillbilly swagger in the mix. The sound is a mix of rockabilly and harder more distorted punk ala many psychobilly acts. It is solid, performed and recorded well and certainly blends well to the dark nature of the subject matter.

Overall, a solid debut from Dead Dick Hammer, though I should certainly hope that they’d be able to hone their craft in the over 50 years of practice time they’ve had. At any rate if you like your rockabilly server dark cold and dead, then Dead Dick Hammer has got just what (whether you want it or not)

–Jerry Actually

For fans of: Elvis Hitler, Sour Mash Whiskey, Stabbing

Tracks:
1. 10.30.57
2. Elcumino
3. Welcome Home Babydoll
4. She Likes It Ruff (My Baby)
5. Sweet Connie
6. Creep’r Creep’n
7. Girl I Won’t Hit You
8. Black & Blue

SET YOUR GOALS NEW ALBUM OUT JUNE 28TH

BURNING AT BOTH ENDS PRE-ORDER STARTS TODAY!

The Bay Area’s busiest pop punk heroes, Set Your Goals will release their highly anticipated new album, Burning At Both Ends on June 28th via Epitaph Records. Produced by Brian McTernan, the album features thirteen powerful tracks available now for pre-order at www.sygstore.com. Check out their newest song “Exit Summer” here.

Back in full force, Set Your Goals will keep the momentum going with the follow-up to their infectious and dynamic album, This Will Be The Death of Us. Duel vocalists Matt Wilson and Jordan Brown’s flawless delivery on the opening track “Cure For Apathy” captures the SYG sound and energy we know so well as they trade off singing duties. “Certain,” a soon to be fan favorite, highlights Joe Saucedo’s solid bass lines with passionate lyrics and engaging guitar solos.

Keeping it real for die hard fans, Burning At Both Ends has a definitive Set Your Goals sound with their energetic, head-bobbing riffs and gang vocals while staying completely fresh with sing-along choruses and lyrics everyone can relate to. The album delivers with the fast and hard-hitting track, “Trenches” that showcases Dan Coddaire and Audelio Flores’ catchy melodies and guitar riffs. “Exit Summer,” brings back 90’s hardcore with a melodic twist, an irresistible combination. SYG finishes the album with “Not As Bad” where Mike Ambrose demonstrates his tightknit drumming with crazy fills on top of pleasant harmonies – a great way to close out the album.

Don’t miss your chance to see one of the most energized performances of the summer as Set Your Goals will hit the road for the entire Vans Warped Tour this year.

CD Track Listing:

Cure For Apathy– 2:22
Start The Reactor– 2:42
Certain– 3:02
Happy New Year– 3:16
London Heathrow– 2:59
Trenches– 3:03
The Last American Virgin– 3:07
Exit Summer– 2:25
Unconditional– 3:26
Product Of The 80’s– 2:42
Raphael– 3:12
Illuminated Youth– 2:48
Not As Bad– 18:53

For more information please visit:
www.epitaph.com
www.sygstore.com