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Category: New Release
Americana-Na
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Americana-Na
© 2015
[rating:8/10]
Welcome to the debut release by Wichita, KS based folk/rock/garage/americana/tejano/cowpunk act, Americana-Na. The self-titled debut brings about an intriguing blend of musical genres. The songs are uptempo and of short duration in the vein of punk rock, but with less vitriol and intensity that is often associated with the aforementioned genre. The prior has been replaced with tongue-in-cheek (I assume) storytelling about American flag t-shirts ala the opener, “American” and what seems to be the Spanglish, or maybe it’s Gringlish stylings of “Eclipse”. Musically, the songs are simple chord driven 4/4 numbers with a “kick/snare, kick/snare, kick/snare, fill” cowboy/country rhythm.
The overall vibe comes across as slightly less than serious. This isn’t a bad thing mind you, so much as something to note. Vocally, the tunes sound a bit tortured, as though someone was trying to wring a note out of a old worn boot. I think that, in significant part, helps with the less-than-serious overtone. The songs are raw and rough around the edges. I think the mutli-colored duct tape cover provides a nice visual compliment to the tracks being haphazardly held together, perhaps by the very mystical properties of duct tape itself.
I’d be hard pressed to list all of the influences that are melded into the sound, but there’s a little band that I’m reminded of continually as I listen to this: Awesome and the Ass-kickers. … If you haven’t heard them, look them up.
At the end of it, the debut release by Americana-Na is 8 short, fun tracks and one track that is about double the length of the others. … that’s like getting ten tracks I’d say. Good deal!
If you’re in the Midwest and/or upper-ish Midwest, word on the street is the the boys are doing a mini-tour coming up soon. Have some fun. Check them out.
Cheers,
Jerry Actually
Revolt Revolt Video Premier for Hold On Let’s Go
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Here at !upstarter we’re happy to premier the brand new video for Hold On Let’s Go.
Revolt Revolt comes to us from the population metropolis of the Inter-mountain West, aka Boise ID. The put together a blend of rock and psychedelic and the occasional foray into more aggressive territory. The video track is spacial and trippy, with stabs of noise and reverberated lush backing. If it’s your thing, I’d bet this would be a freaking awesome jam to get really really wasted whilst listening too. It’s really kinda freaking me out and I’m totally sober right now.
At any rate, watch and enjoy!
-Jerry Actually
[youtube cfCvTEhDfmI]
Revolt Revolt
“Hold On Let’s Let Go”
Wild Unraveling
2015
20 Sided Records
The footage for the video to “Hold On Let’s Let Go” was captured by Joseph David Lockhart while on tour with Revolt Revolt & Mindrips in May of 2015. The band(s) toured from Idaho through Las Vegas, and made their way up the California coastline on into Oregon and Washington. Some of the footage includes scenes from Venice Beach, Portland, Olympia, and Seattle. Cameos include Members of Mindrips, Joseph Lockhart, & Ben Brunn (Stereo Embers/Past RevoltRevolt)
Hold On Let’s Let Go was recorded at Audio Lab Studios Boise, Idaho by Todd Dunnigan. This is an original song by RevoltRevolt which additionally features the talents of Dug Marstch (Built to Spill) on guitars, Todd Dunnigan on The Hammond Organ, and Legendary Earl Huges on Steel Guitar. Dunnigan’s gospel tinged organ gives the poignant melody of “Hold On Let’s Let Go” a dark, unnerving tone. Bock’s bluesy, distorted solo duels with Martsch’s mixed down, metallic shredding to disturb the song’s calm, quiet feel, then quickly vanishes to let the woeful vocals and mournful sustained notes of special guest Earl Hughes’s steel guitar take the tune home. Lyrically this song speaks of the importance of remembering to let go.. fear less live more.
SHAI HULUD TEAMS UP WITH NO SLEEP RECORDS ON UPCOMING RECORD
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Castoff release new EP
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San Diego, California based melodic punk rock four-piece Castoff have released their new EP “Lines And Passages” on Morning Wood Records and Bird Attack Records today!
Influenced by melodic punk stalwarts Bad Religion, Pennywise, Strung Out and Propagandhi, “Lines and Passages” blends vocal harmonies, fast guitar riffing with technical flourishes and a furious rhythm section. Castoff incorporate thought provoking lyrics around societal issues and the ups and downs of human existence.
After releasing DIY efforts “The Dividing Line” (EP, 2013) and “Acquisition” (EP, 2014) and sharing the stage with Guttermouth, Implants, Counterpunch, After the Fall and others, they spent months of writing new material. As a result Castoff went into Doubletime studios to work with Jeff Forrest (Blink 182, Rocket From the Crypt, As I Lay Dying) to track and mix their first effort with the new lineup. The result is “Lines and Passages”, which was mastered by Jason Livermore at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Castoff: “We’re four nerds who like to play punk rock with some metal. We also like to sing about important stuff.”
Reality: Fast, ripping 90’s skatepunk with shredding guitar work, interesting melodies and catchy vocal harmonies!
DEFEATER TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM
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‘ABANDONED’
OUT AUGUST 28 ON EPITAPH
Watch the video for a new song “Spared in Hell“
Boston hardcore act Defeater will release their fourth studio album, Abandoned, on August 28 on Epitaph. The band has released a video for a new song, “Spared in Hell“.
Unlike most bands—and especially most hardcore bands— Defeater don’t write songs so much as they write histories, and specifically the history of a never-named New Jersey family whose already troubled lives disintegrate into torment, rendered all the more tragic for the depth and detail of singer Derek Archambault’s lyrics. Abandoned is the most relentlessly raw and uncompromising chapter so far, powered by a renewed sense of artistic ambition and a plot twist no one expected.
Continue reading DEFEATER TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM
The Doped Up Dollies – Make Your Own Sunshine
I’d be remiss if I didn’t help share this brand new track by The Doped Up Dollies. You might be familiar with DupD as the awesome harmony vocals both backing and sometimes leading tracks for Big D. and the Kids Table. Well, now they’re taking the reins on a brand new album. I look forward to hearing the entire new release, but in the meantime, here’s a great new track.
–Jerry Actually
The Doped Up Dollies:
Sirae Richardson – Vocals
Brie McWane – Vocals
Erin MacKenzie – Vocals
Alex Stern – Guitar / Vocals
Ben Basile – Bass
Derek Davis – Drums
David McWane – Percussion, Vocals, Dubs, Tongue Drum
Casey Gruttadauria – Organ, Piano, Melodica
Andy Bergman – Bari / Tenor Saxophone
Paul E. Cuttler – Trombone
Dan Stoppelman – Trumpet
Special guest vocals – Billy Kottage
Credits:
Recorded and mixed by Benny Grotto in a small cottage in the woods of New England
Assisted by Steph Durwin
Mastered by Jeff Lipton @ Peerless Mastering
Songs written by: Big D and the Kids Table and the Doped Up Dollies
Produced by David McWane, Benny Grotto, Alex Stern & The Doped Up Dollies
Too Close To Touch Announce Debut Album
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Alternative Press Premieres “Perfect World” Video:
http://found.ee/TCTTPerfectWorldAltPress
Too Close To Touch has announced details of their debut album, Nerve Endings, out March 24 on Epitaph. Alternative Press has the premiere of the brand new Too Close To Touch video “Perfect World” http://found.ee/TCTTPerfectWorldAltPress.
Though Too Close To Touch is in their infancy as a band guitarists Mason Marble and Thomas Kidd, bassist Travis Moore, drummer Kenneth Downey, and Keaton Pierce have made full use of their time by making sure to never miss a beat. Since officially coming together in late 2013, the Lexington, Kentucky band focused on refining their songwriting and artistic vision as a band. Too Close To Touch began to grow in popularity thanks to their DIY work ethic, buzz on social media and impressive demos, which caught the eyes (and ears) of Epitaph. In 2014, Too Close To Touch signed to Epitaph for the release of their self-titled EP, garnering the undivided attention of fans with their single “Deep End” that clocks in at 79k YouTube streams.
In true Too Close To Touch fashion of making no haste, the band entered the studio with producer Erik Ron (Motionless In White, I The Mighty, Crown The Empire). The result of the relentless hard work of Ron and the band is Nerve Endings; an album that flows effortlessly from alternative to theatrical rock to post-hardcore. Nerve Endings is the perfect balance of dark and light. And just as meticulously cared for by band is their aesthetic. Taking cues from the 1975, Walk The Moon and the Neighbourhood, they’ve refined it to a look that’s mixes indie and classic cool, all while remaining 100-percent them.
Nerve Endings Track List:
1. Someday
2. Pretty Little Thing
3. Perfect World
4. The Deep End
5. The Chase (feat. Kellin Quinn)
6. Nerve Endings
7. Restless
8. Hell To Pay (feat. Telle Smith)
9. The Air In Me
10. Sinking So Long
11. Until I Collapse
https://www.facebook.com/tooclosetotouch
https://twitter.com/tooclosetotouch
Instagram: @tooclosetotouchband
Retox Beneath California Out Now
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http://www.thefader.com/2015/02/10/spiders-fight-in-a-cemetery-for-retoxs-without-money-wed-all-be-rich-video
Los Angeles-based hardcore punk band Retox has a new album Beneath California out today via Epitaph. Visit The FADER to watch the video premiere of “Without Money, We’d Be Rich” http://www.thefader.com/2015/02/10/spiders-fight-in-a-cemetery-for-retoxs-without-money-wed-all-be-rich-video. The video documents the popular pastime of spider fighting in the Philippines. (Arachnophobes, look away.)
The Retox lineup consists of Justin Pearson (The Locust, Head Wound City, All Leather, Swing Kids), Michael Crain (Festival of Dead Deer, Kill the Capulets), Brian Evans, and Keith Hendriksen (Kill the Capulets, Virginia Reed). Since their conception in 2011, they have toured with similarly like-minded acts such as Melt-Banana, Tomahawk, OFF!, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and Trash Talk. Retox is a band that aims to simultaneously reflect and defy, using music as a way of holding a broken mirror to the rest of us, exposing different pieces of our own fucked up realities, and forcing the acknowledgement of the inevitable self-imposed apocalypse we are creating for ourselves.
Retox kicks off their month long tour tonight in San Diego at The Casbah. Full tour dates listed below and tickets are on sale now.
Beneath California Track List
1. Die In Your Own Cathedral
2. We Know Who’s The Prick
3. The Savior, The Swear Word
4. Let’s Not Keep In Touch
5. Disappointing Grade
6. The Inevitable End
7. This Should Hurt A Little Bit
8. Death Will Change Your Life
9. Without Money, We’d All Be Rich
10. You’re Only A Crook If You Get Caught
11. Wooden Nickels
12. Strong Wrong Opinion
Retox Tour Dates
Feb 10 San Diego, CA – The Casbah
Feb 11 Tempe, AZ – 51 West
Feb 12 Las Cruces, NM – Trainyard
Feb 13 Dallas, TX – Three Links
Feb 14 Austin, TX – Red 7
Feb 15 Houston, TX – Fitzgeralds
Feb 17 Atlanta, GA – The Earl
Feb 18 Chapel Hill, NC – Cat’s Cradle
Feb 19 Baltimore, MD – Ottobar
Feb 20 Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie
Feb 21 Brooklyn – NY – St Vitus
Feb 22 Cambridge, MA – The Middle East
Feb 24 Montreal, Quebec – Turbo Haus
Feb 25 Toronto, Ontario – The Cave @ Lee’s Palace
Feb 26 Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
Feb 27 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick Lounge
Feb 28 Chicago, IL – Cobra Lounge
Mar 01 Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock Social Club
Mar 02 Omaha, NE – Slowdown
Mar 03 Kansas City – Minibar
Mar 04 Denver, CO – High Dive
Mar 05 Salt Lake City, UT – Bar Deluxe
Mar 06 Boise, ID – The Shredder
Mar 07 Seattle, WA – Black Lodge
Mar 08 Portland, OR – Ash Street Saloon
Mar 09 Oakland, CA – Metro Oakland Operahouse
Mar 10 Los Angeles, CA – Los Globos
For more information on Retox, visit: https://www.facebook.com/RETOXRULES
Downtown Struts Debut Latest Single “Abused”
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STREAM IT HERE: http://apdot.net/10R2hSl
The EP is currently available for pre-order at http://smarturl.it/HopeYoureDope.

