Walls of JerichoThe American Dream(c) 2008 Trustkill RecordsHere we are again. Metal; Brutal, ear drum splitting, spine bending metal rotates in the player before me. Walls of Jericho have it all if you are looking for an anathema to aggression. The music pounds. The riffs shred. The vocals growl. (Incidentally, singer Candace Kucsulain sounds like Patty and Selma combined, after both of which have been kicked in the throat.) That said, it would be mostly difficult for those unaware to detect that Walls of Jericho have a female lead “singer”. The American Dream fully kicks ass in a metal sort of way. The problem is that I just don’t feed on growling vocals. If they would drop the histrionics about 80% I could probably dig this band, but as it sits I grow weary of the razor’s edge growl on each and every song. (except the last track) But being that they hail from Detroit, I can see why they’re so damn pissed and far be it from me to dictate what kind of vocals you should appreciate. If snarl is your sort of thing, then by all means The American Dream f-ing rules. Seriously, I do like the music. I just can’t get past the vox.–Jerry Actually
Author: Jerry Actually
Zebrahead – Phoenix
Zebrahead – Phoenix (c) 2008 Icon MusicWow! someone forgot to take their ritalin. Orange County band Zebrahead brings your their fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and maybe eighth releases all on one disc. Ok ok maybe it is technically just their fourth release, but holy crap this disc is all over the place. Because of that I think that it suffers a severe identity crisis. Phoenix carries a sound that is nearly equal parts Rage Against the Machine, 311, Sugar Ray, P.O.D. and not so equal parts of bands so banal that I can’t remember them, only their typical nature. It leaves me to wonder who/what they are attempting to be. I’m not saying it is all bad, just not half good. The musicianship is top notch and the songs are performed admirably. They just don’t know what they want to accomplish sonically (or maybe I’m just not getting the point)… full of sound and fury signifying nothing perhaps. However, if you suffer from short attention span, then perhaps Zebrahead are just the ticket. Phoenix is so incongruous that you just might come away with a whole lot of new favorites.–Jerry Actually
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes – Have Another Ball (c) 2008 Fat Wreck ChordsDid you ever have to hate your friends or your friend’s sister because they had the K-Tel version of that sweet BTO song you totally loved? Do you remember wtf K-Tel was? Me First and the Gimme Gimmes is a more modern punk rock incarnate of the very same ideals. They take all your favorite songs (originally by the original artist) and they make them better.This time (and the times before) around the joke’s on those K-Tel chumps. Me first and the Gimme Gimmes punk the heck outta those “original classics” For the folk that are familiar, Have Another Ball is the second installment of tracks off of the original recordings from a decade ago. So, if you are indeed familiar, odds are good that you’ve heard a lot of these tracks on other releases. Does it matter that they’ve made better versions of their own versions of other peoples songs? Probably not. Is it still all the same fun punked up karaoke that you were looking for? Most likely… I don’t know what you were looking for, but if it was a punk cover of “Mahogany” or “The Boxer” well then, godammit, this is it. I can’t say it is best of breed, but out of all the cd’s I’m playing right at the very moment, it takes a close second.–Jerry Actually
Millencolin [Machine 15]
Millencolin – Machine 15 (c) 2008 Epitaph RecordsI have to be perfectly honest. I’ve never really been a big Millencolin supporter. While I respect their ability to kick out the jams and their consistent performance over the years, something about the Swedish punk favs has always left me wishing it were a little more something … can I really define what it is that I am not finding? not quite. Now, however, I’m listening to Machine 15, and perhaps I have softened to Millencolin over time. Maybe I’ve lightened up my stance on pop oriented music. I find myself not walking away from this new release. For the fans Machine 15 brings you, oddly, 15 new tracks of what is very obviously well poslished Millencolin material and its growing on me like a slime mold. –Jerry Actually
No Use For A Name
No Use For A Name – The Feel Good Record Of The Year(c) 2008 Fat Wreck ChordsEvery generation needs a Night Ranger, a Journey, an REO Speedwagon. Some generations may even claim a need for a Loverboy. Good luck for you current generation, you’ve got No Use For A Name, the embodiment of all that was good about late 70’s – early 80’s rock n’ roll, but wait there’s more. You also get that same sweet rockin’ with the added bonus of a punk rock edge.San Jose, CA’s No Use For A Name of course are already legends in their own time. (any punk band that can claim two decades is by default legendary) However, unlike the effect that time has on some things, No Use For A Name haven’t gone softly into that good night. The Feel Good Record Of The Year, out this month on Fat offers 14 new tracks of highly polished luster. (thanks in part I suspect by being recorded at the Blasting Room with Bill Stevenson) The disc has range both musically and emotionally. However, it seems regardless of the tone or the tempo, each has its own smoldering intensity. Even better, like their forefathers of rock, the disc in entirety drips with anthemic goodness. In fact, it may not only be the feelgood record of the year. It may just be the soundtrack to your life.–Jerry Actually
SIX – Between the Warning and the War
SiX – Between the Warning and the War(c) 2008 1605 Records So I’ve been having an overall lack of creativity as it pertains to writing lately. This new record by SIX hasn’t helped. I’m torn. It has the goods; It is fierce and aggressive. The riffs rule. The vocals don’t suck razorblades. So then why am I uncertain about how much I do or don’t enjoy it? I don’t really know. I’m gonna go out on a limb before my coffee kicks in and say that I do in fact like the disc. After all it gets a ringing endorsement and even a guest spot from Mike Clark on track 4 “Forgiveness” and features Franki Doll on track 5 “Perfect Life”.I guess the trepidation comes in on more of a personal level. I just don’t get into the metal like I once did. But by way of an endorsement of my own, if anything were going to pull me back over to the metal side, it would be this. Between the Warning and the War nearly rekindles the spirit of old Prong for me except with a Left Coast feel. That is certainly something in the background that draws me to this disc. I guess all the vascillating aside, SIX busts with some dark aggressive music in a unique but decidedly metal vein. The more I listen to it, the more I warm to it. So this one is up in the air but I think it’ll land heads up.–Jerry Actually
D.I. [On the Western Front]
D.I. On the Western Front(c) 2007 Suburban Noize RecordsWelcome back to the realm of the realm of the slightly more living. D.I. (yes, the legendary OC punk band) is back with a new release. “On The Western Front” builds on their solid foundation of fundamental SoCal suburban punk angst.12 tracks of slamming skate punk will have you bouncing off the walls while you attempt to tear them down. Contextually, “On The Western Front” runs dark. Casey Royer (D.I.’s front man and only perpetual member) will let you know what a cess pit that OC has become (or perhaps was destined to be). This is what happens when surburban dreams turn into a constant waking nightmare: bitterness, animosity, punk rock, skating. Then again, this is punk rock in its element straight from the “gutters of paradise”. But down to brass tacks, if you like your punk to come from the pioneers, go and grab a copy, rock out. If not, go and buy two. You know these guys are going to need to pad their retirement fund.–Jerry Actually
HorrorPops [Kiss Kiss Kill Kill]
HorrorPops – Kiss Kiss Kill Kill (c) 2008 HellCat RecordsHere we are in the still wee months of ’08 and here at !upstarter, we already have amassed a collection of great releases for the new year. Among them is the soon to be released, (Feb. 5th) HorrPops record “Kiss Kiss Kill Kill”. What started as a bit of an experimental side project for Kim Nekroman and wife Patricia Day has turned into an alt-psycho-surf-punk-pop-wave juggernaut. “Kiss Kiss…” follows somewhat behind the heels of 2005’s “Bring it On” and returns to the three-piece roots of the bands debut “Hell Yeah!”. The new disc features 12 tracks of goodies including: Track 2 “Missfit” an snotty attribution against the “right side of the tracks” society. Track 4 “Disco” an affront on current day 80’s disco whores and Track 11 “My Picture” a pining tale of breakups and cheaters. Despite being a slower release than I was hoping for, HorrorPops have taken a step back closer to home. I think the trio formula works for them, in so far as they can worry more about the music than an unecessarily extravagant production. That being said “Kiss Kiss Kill Kill” is a solid release. If you dig New Wave with Rockabilly underpinnings and vocals much akin to Siouxsie Sioux, pick this up when you can get your hot little hands on it. –Jerry Actually
Arson Anthem
Arson Anthem – S/T (c) 2007 Housecore RecordsFrom the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina arises the legacy of hardcore brutality. Mike Williams lost a lot, including his home, in the post Katrina riots. Phil Anselmo just happened to have a spare apartment. The two sat around spending hours listening to Phil’s early hardcore music collection. Throw Hank III and Collin Yeo into the equation and you’ve got Arson Anthem. The self-titled debut has eight track of old school, raw as all get out, hardcore reminiscent of bands like Negative Approach and early Agnostic Front. On top of the brutality, you can still hear the southern roots. It makes for an interesting sound, like the Allman Brothers in an alternate universe or something. My personal imaginings aside, you too can find something old in something new when you rock the paint off the sonofabitchin’ walls with Arson Anthem.–Jerry Actually
NOFX [They’ve Actually Gotten Worse Live]
NOFX – They've Actually Gotten Worse Live! (c) 2007 Fat Wreck Chords In a bit of a hometown homage, venerable punksters NOFX play and record over several drunken nights (for some) at Slims in San Francisco. The culmination of these efforts (or lack of) hath wrought, "They've Actually Gotten Worse Live!" What you get is 24 tracks of live NOFX filled with half-assed comedy and, ironic titling aside, full-assed punk rock music. You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll appreciate that none of the songs on this live CD are on the prior live CD. Many even have altered arrangements. Though I've never been gungho for the "live CD", this one hits pretty high on my charts. Seeing as I'm in the states and NOFX is busy conquering most of Europe, this disc is about as close as I'm getting to a live NOFX show anytime soon. So, if like me, you're itchin' to see NOFX again, heed their own advice and while listening to the CD "cram 600 of your best pals into a small room, drink 8 beers and turn the heat up to 95" You'll never know that you weren't there.–Jerry Actually