Jerry Actually – Page 53

Swingin’ Utters – Brand New Lungs

Brand New Lungs marks the first release of new material from the Swingin’ Utters in seven years! The 7” will be available via vinyl and digitally and will feature two songs from their upcoming fall full-length and one exclusive to the 7”. Additionally, we’ve pressed this 7” in two different colors, one you can procure from our mail order, the other will be available exclusively at the Swingin’ Utters shows. Check their tour dates below and stay tuned for details on their upcoming full-length. Please let me know if you would like a copy for review, or would like to attend a show. Best, Vanessa

06/11/10 Apple Valley, CA Angel’s Roadhouse w/ Hurry Up and Die
06/12/10 Long Beach, CA INK & IRON FEST w/ Hepcat, Stiff Little Fingers, X
06/13/10 Carlsbad, CA Hensley’s Flying Elephants Pub & Grill
06/25/10 Carson, CA Home Depot Center VAN’S WARPED TOUR
06/26/10 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre VAN’S WARPED TOUR
06/27/10 Ventura , CA Seaside Park VAN’S WARPED TOUR
07/16/10 Portland, OR Dante’s w/ The Cute Lepers
07/17/10 Seattle, WA Funhouse w/ The Cute Lepers
07/18/10 Vancouver, BC Canada Venue 19+ w/ The jolts
07/22/10 Boise, ID The Red Room w/ The Cute Lepers
07/23/10 Salt Lake City, UT Burt’s Tiki Lounge w/ The Cute Lepers
07/24/10 Denver, CO Marquis Theatre w/ The Cute Lepers
07/28/10 San Diego, CA The Casbah w/ The Cute Lepers
07/29/10 Riverside, CA The Vibe 18+ w/ The Cute Lepers, Lost Cabras, Madison Bloodbath
07/30/10 West Hollywood, CA Troubador w/ The Cute Lepers
07/31/10 San Francisco, CA Slim’s w/ The Cute Lepers

The Hollowpoints – Old Haunts on the Horizon

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Rating:

Generally speaking, I don’t gush. I’ll take a small exception this time. I cannot stop listening to this CD. The Hollowpoints are one of the most energizing bands I’ve heard in a quite some time and quite possibly the best band I’ve heard so far this year.

Outside of my personal accolades (slightly), this disc offers 12 tracks of punk rock combined with solid songwriting ability. Perhaps I’m getting older, maybe my tastes have changed, but I appreciate quality arrangements and songwriting more than I ever used to. The Hollowpoints have both. (Maybe it’s because I listen to music on headphones before I review it now.)

What makes someone like something vs. something else? I often wonder this when I’m trying to put pen to paper (so to speak) … well here’s my amateur psychoanalysis of the phenomenon. Certain sounds correlate to how you feel. The affectation that you get when you listen to things that enforce how you are feeling making them rise above the others.

Outside of my minor league pontification, this is one quality disc from start to finish; Great riffs, intelligent lyrics, quality instrumentation and a lot of references that I just can’t help but think might just be about me. As a point of reference (for those who need it) The Hollowpoints remind me of the following: American Steel, The Clash, Dead to Me and Cheaptrick … so there.

The bottom line: If you buy one punk rock CD this year, make it The Hollowpoints – Old Haunts on the Horizon.

–Jerry Actually

VIDEO PREMIERE: ANGEL CITY OUTCASTS

Visit BlankTV.com for the exclusive premier of Angel City Outcasts’ “Five Guns West” music video! It’s wild, wild west rock ‘n’ roll at it’s best, so check it out!! They’re also giving away all three ACO CDs, so be sure to enter the free contest while you’re there.

http://blanktv.com

Social Distortion Signs With Epitaph Records

May 11, 2010 – Los Angeles, CA – Epitaph Records is proud to welcome Southern California’s iconic rock ‘n’ roll group Social Distortion to the label with plans to release their first studio album since 2004 in fall 2010. The signing pairs one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most renowned bands with one of the most respected independent labels for what could be the greatest match in decades.

“We feel that Epitaph has a natural understanding of Social Distortion; both the history of the band and the direction we want to go,” says frontman Mike Ness. “Combine that with their successful track record and it felt like a good next step for us. We’ve always been open to new ideas and pushing the envelope, but we have also been very conscientious about the decisions we’ve made. We considered a lot of options, but in the end, Epitaph feels like the right home for us. We’re looking forward to taking this step forward, opening some new doors with this upcoming album and this next chapter of Social Distortion.”

“My relationship with Mike goes way back to the beginnings of our careers in the LA music scene,” adds Epitaph owner and president Brett Gurewitz. “Through the years Social Distortion have been a matchless voice in American rock and roll and I couldn’t be more thrilled to play a part in the next chapter for this great band.”

In March the band entered a Burbank studio to record their yet to be titled seventh studio album, produced by Mike Ness, which is slated for release this fall.

“We went back to tape, old compressors and old microphones,” Ness recently told Spinner.com. “We’re just really trying to fight modern technology as much as possible.”

“The record reminds me very much of Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell (the band’s 1992 release), but also I’m bringing elements of early New York ’70s punk,” said Ness.

Social Distortion also recently announced a U.S. summer tour with Dan Sartain and The Action Design. The tour kicks off July 27 in Poughkeepsie, NY and makes seven stops in the Northeast before the band heads to Chicago for an August 7 main stage performance at this year’s Lollapalooza. Dates with Dan Sartain and The Action Design resume in Green Bay, Wisconsin on August 8. A complete list of tour dates follows.

Formed in Fullerton, CA in 1979, Social Distortion have spent the last three decades performing their signature style of roots driven rock ‘n’ roll and hard luck stories for fans worldwide while recording six classic, critically heralded albums including Mommy’s Little Monster, Prison Bound, Social Distortion, Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell, White Light, White Heat, White Trash and Sex, Love and Rock ‘n’ Roll.

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Social Distortion Tour Dates:
July 27 – Poughkeepsie, NY – The Chance
July 28 – Hampton Beach, NH – Casino Ballroom
July 30 – Providence, RI – Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel
July 31 – Hartford, CT – The Webster
Aug 1 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
Aug 3 – Wantagh, NY – Mulcahy’s
Aug 4 – Lancaster, PA – Chameleon Club
Aug 5 – Rochester, NY – Nola’s BBQ
Aug 7 – Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza
Aug 8 – Green Bay, WI – Oneida Casino
Aug 10 – Council Bluffs, IA – Stir Cove @ Harrah’s
Aug 11 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater
Aug 13 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory
Aug 14 – Medford, OR – Medford Armory

For More Information:
www.socialdistortion.com
www.myspace.com/socialdistortion
www.epitaph.com

Flobots – Survival Story

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Here’s something that I don’t review everyday, but I am intrigued by Flobots. I have to confess that I won’t be terribly adept at reviewing “Survival Story” as it is reasonably outside of my comfort zone. But hey, what’s music without a little challenge every now and again?

For those outside the know (at lot like myself) Flobots are a hip hop, rock hybird from Denver Colorado. (Like a whirlwind of Rage, 311 and Q-tip or something) While I can’t speak to the genre specifically, I feel the vibe. The music is tight yet fluid and not the standard fare of running lyrics over dropped beats and samples. I guess the crux of my enjoyment for this is real musicians.

People can say what they want about hip hop. Hate it. Love it. That is really not my concern. I do believe this though, if your making music, or planning on making music, use an instrument or two. Flobots doens’t dissapoint in that regard. Guitar, bass, drums, viola are all in full effect.

The 12 tracks on “Survival Story” do tend to run a bit long and their repetitve nature do fell draining after a while. Then again I’m the first to admit that I think a three minute track might as well be an epic ballad.

So we’ve got musicians playing musical instuments. There is a genuine “feel” to the tunes and a lot of punk rock ethos rolling. I say what’s not to like? (aside from the epic song lenth and repetition) buy hey, maybe live a little and and expand some horizons even if they aren’t your own.

-Jerry Actually

The Menzingers – Chamberlain Waits

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I might be overstepping my bounds, but I think that songwriting is back in a big way. Much of the material that has been sliding across my desk as of late has been big into well structured, well arranged music that is exceedingly well executed and dynamic yet in no way pretentious or insistent. Not the least of these is “Chamberlain Waits” from Scranton, PA.

To borrow the words from their Wikipedia page (repetition only makes it more true, right?) The Menzingers formed in the wake of of former ska-punk acts, Bob and the Sagets and Kos Mos. While it appears that much of the ska got left in the same wake, there are elements that still shine through such as sparing lead guitar runs over a solid back beat.

“Chamberlain Waits” delivers on its 12 tracks in a convincing heartfelt manner. Excellent vocal harmonies and hints of Lawrence Arms and Bruce Springsteen and The Clash come to mind upon repeated listening.

This disc was the first Menzingers for me, but I can assure that it won’t be the last. “Chamberlain Waits” offers the right mix of aggression, depression, humility and introspection that makes it work just right for any number of listening occasions. I look forward to more damn fine tunes from this band.

-Jerry Actually

Braincell Graveyard – Drunk Punk Anthems

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Here’s another odd review coming out of the dark (and apparently perverted) land of Canada. Toronto, to be more specific, but that hardly matter since most of you reading this don’t really have much grasp on geography anyway. (Yeah I’m talking to you USA)

“Drunk Punk Anthems” (or what may possibly be entitled, “Pink on the Inside”) knuckle shuffles forth 11 tracks of sophomoric sexual frustration remarkably disguised as punk rock. It’s a whole lot like Stephen Lynch got a distortion pedal. The music (lyrical content notwithstanding) on the other hand is actually rather enjoyable. I really brings back the late 80’s thrash that I grew up on. Seriously though, the goofy, campy, pervy nature of the lyrics prevent my from really latching on to this release. It’s the exact reason that I never really got into Mucky Pup or Scatterbrain.

It is almost too bad though, because musically it is spot on for a bygone era that I miss and love, even down to the metal ballad ways of track six, Canadian Psycho. If I could give more points for effort, I probably would. (Who am I kidding? I can give or take points as I see fit)

What it really all boils down to is some rockin’ thrash punk that I enjoy horribly entwined with a far too lowbrow theme. To be fair, however, there are 2.5 positive stars. This would seriously kick ass at a frat party and if I was still in high school I might be a bit more forgiving of the thematic elements.

I look forward to hearing more for Braincell Graveyard in the future, if only to see if stop writing songs straight from the crotch. … Time will tell.

-Jerry Actually

Hirnsäule – Salto

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Ok, so here’s some weird cool stuff if you’re a punk rock fan that doesn’t speak German, but doesn’t mind or thinks it’s neat when others do. From the best I can tell, this release is called “Salto” from the German band, Hirnsäule. The band’s name appears to mean “brain pillar”, which I take to probably mean “spine” … I could be way the hell off. This “disc” was a digital download, so I don’t have any concrete publishing information, so I just attributed it to the band.

On to the music though. Salto contains 15 tracks of DK/Dickies-esque warbling vocal frenzied punk. Some of the tracks are in English, some in German. Honestly it isn’t the easiest to decipher which are which. This doesn’t detract in any way from the enjoyment. I’d venture to guess that the tracks with the English titles are the ones that are done in English. I’ll let you be the judge of that though. http://www.hirnsaeule.de

The similarity to Dead Kennedys is both apparent and apparently genuine. That aside, the music is quick paced and quirky. The overall feel is garagey with just enough polish to make you want a catch a live show to compare the difference.

This is good stuff and just goes to show that in the crazy digital age, music is more accessible than ever. Maybe that takes some of the eliteist fun out of it, but so what. It’s a big damn world get out there and explore it a bit, even it you never leave your house.

–Jerry Actually

The Decay – This Months Rent

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The Decay, hailing from Guelph, Ontario, Canada (which makes me think of the 12th/13th century conflict between the papacy and the holy roman empire, but I digress) are a punk rock band and they graciously sent me a CD. I happen to be listening to it right now.

“This Months Rent” contains 14 tracks and an intro of reasonably snotty and rowdy punk rock, but with more song-craft than you’d initially suspect from my pigeon hole description. I’m lead to believe that the cost to produce and distribute this disc was the cost of a month’s rent. Presumably the band is either now homeless or have successfully worked things out with their landlord. … and I digress further.

The Decay bridges the gap between straight up punk and rock and roll by adding emphasis on melodic hooks and well structured choruses as evident on track four, The Street. Speaking of that particular track, it reminds me a lot of Gaslight Anthem. Without being overly verbose, because I keep getting distracted, let it suffice that “This Months Rent” is a rock solid DIY punk rock release with a serious nod to its roots of rock and roll.

On another note, there is a track on here that is over the four minute mark. Normally I’d start to complain about anything past three. In this case, I think the harmonica interlude divided it up enough to maintain my attention. When all is said and done, I like this and it makes a damn fine road CD.

–Jerry Actually

For fans of: Street Dogs, Gaslight Anthem, Hudson Falcons, Welchboys

Cobra Skulls Join Fat

We’re stoked: Cobra Skulls have an urgent political message and are one of the hottest bands in the punk scene. And with a name like Cobra Skulls, their music has to be extra good, right?!? Originally from Reno, they released a couple great LPs with Red Scare and have been playing clubs and basements in North America and Europe over the past couple years. Their dynamic sound takes influences from all sorts of bands: classic punk like Misfits and Clash mixed with newer stuff akin to Against Me! and Bad Religion. Whether it’s leftist anthems or punky love songs, Cobra Skulls craft the hits for the pit. These guys are busy in 2010 as they will be on tour from March through June and already have upcoming shows with Dead To Me, Strike Anywhere, Flatliners, and some dates on Warped Tour. We welcome these sexy serpents to the Fat family and hope to bring you a new record from them soon.