Joshua Lanes – The Dance Thunder EP

(c)2008 Spillway Records

[rating:4.5/5]

dancethunderThe Dance Thunder EP is strange and good and cool…reminds me of weird early 90’s bootleg tapes that we’d listen to in the high school photo lab, or mid 90’s albums you’d hear wafting through dorm halls on move-in day.  It’s a bit Pixies, a tad Modest Mouse, a smidge mellow Sonic Youth.  The songs have that fun sound of indie tracks peppered into Chuck or this-season’s-Juno movies.

I adore what they say on their press sheet: “Joshua Lanes never proclaim to be creating music that has never been done before, like so many of the delusional bands today. All Joshua Lanes want is to play music that they enjoy rocking out to on a daily basis and play it for the world.”  Play on.

-HK-47

Animo – Blood in the Water

(c)2008 Animo Music

[rating:4/5]

animo-blood-in-the-water I saw these guys at Warped Tour last year and thought they were a perfect fit.  They’ve got a high energy live act and were adored by the throngs of screaming girls in the audience. While giving Blood in the Water a first listen, I browsed other review sites to see what was being said…sigh.

I fully believe MC Lars when he tells us that “Hot Topic is not punk rock,” but there’s no need to slam the kids who like the music they promote, or the bands who capitalize on the sound.  Animo perfectly capture the summer fest’s style, and  Blood in the Water is a very decent, albeit short, album.  While I agree with the general web consensus that these guys don’t fit the classic definition of punk, they’re poster children for pop-punk. Their songs are amazingly catchy, their lyrics don’t drag into the total emo-therapy downturn that lesser Warped acts have.  They’ve got a brilliant drummer, great guitar hooks, slappy bass support, and amazing vocals.  Radio pop-punk isn’t disrespectful to the pioneers of the 70’s, it’s a natural progression supported by America’s youth who are bound to adore Animo.

-HK-47

Jaya the Cat – More Late Night Transmissions With…

(c)2007 I Scream Records

[rating:4/5]

jayathecat-morelatenighttra Bosterdamian group Jaya the Cat deliver a unique fusion of punk, reggae, rock, and ska that took a few listens before it gelled into awesome.  More Late Night Transmissions With… bounces across the Atlantic like Cannabis Cup winning weed followed by a dram of 20 yr barrel aged Glensomething whiskey — oh-so-hazy and smoother than a mo’fo’.

Continue reading Jaya the Cat – More Late Night Transmissions With…

The Loved Ones – Distractions

(c)2009 Fat Wreck Chords
[rating:4/5]

lovedonesdistractions Philly punkers The Loved Ones dropped this 6 track EP earlier this year, needing to give fans something to hold between whirlwind touring.  Half originals, half covers, it performs well as it stands. EPs should leave you wanting more than their scant offerings, and Distractions does just that.

Starting with a powerful song of a woman overcoming domestic violence, rocking through to a drunkard’s lament, and punking out on an awesome weekend anthem, the original tracks show promising writing and talented performances.    The covers are mixed: a wonderful electric version of Bruce Springsteen’s Johnny 99 (just as moving in today’s economic climate), Billy Bragg’s Lovers Town Revisited, and Joe Strummer’s Coma Girl.  While they fit the feel of the album, I love to hear a more original interpretation in covers than just excellent reproductions.  For an EP, Distractions impresses, and I am eagerly awaiting a new full-length.

-HK-47

Mute – The Raven

(c)2008 Mute on 2nd Wave Records
[rating:5/5]

mute-theraven I’m kicking myself for never listening to Mute before. This CD hasn’t left my player since it was sent, but it was time to take it out to write a review. GO GET THIS NOW.  Seriously, if you like music, you should like Mute.  This an amazing album — skate-punk steeped in metal, sweetened with power chords and harmonies, served up with a twist of punch-the-air songs to quench your music thirst.

I can taste the Lagwagon flavor, but Mute takes it over the edge…like a hotdog compares to gourmet imported Italian sausage.  The Raven serves up 12 tasty tracks, amazingly crafted — both lyrically and musically — and beautifully presented.  These guys are technically proficient, crisp, punchy, and savory.  Some lyrics toe the edge of heartbreak and come back swinging, others have you banging your head or shaking it in empathy.  They sing “Can’t be slowing down…” and here’s hoping they don’t.

The Raven is perfect for an afternoon barbeque or a raging party — you may need to re-up on beer, but you can just hit repeat on this CD and be sated.

-HK-47

The Welch Boys – Drinkin’ Angry

(c) 2008 I Scream Records
[rating:3.5/5]

welch_boys_drinkin_angryThe Welch Boys had a new album a few months ago. I’m just now getting around to reviewing it. I’m sure glad I don’t have somebody breathing down make neck about deadlines. Drinkin’ Angry is 18 tracks of blue collar anthems and street punk grit. Like their Boston brothers the Dropkick Murphys, The Welch Boys bring it to ya wit the credible sounds of hard livin’ and songs that are about real life and a whole lot about drinkin’. Raw rockin’ punk with a sing-a-long quality that is hard to resist.

–Jerry Actually

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Awesome and the Asskickers – Shut Up!

(c) 2008 AAK Records
[rating: 4/5]

aak_shutupSo I got a package in the mail a couple weeks ago. I, of course, opened it. Normally the story might go ahead and end there, but nay. I decided that with a name like Awesome and the Asskickers I probably should go ahead and and throw up a word or two about this Floridian power trio. Um, without further adieu, here goes: Shut Up! is pretty damn sweet. The wrestling mask donning band mates, consisting of Jose Verga (Bass/Vox), Johnny Dingleberry (Drums/Vox) and Muchacho (Guitar/Vox) really know how to mix it up crazy like.
aak_groupImagine that Strongbad and his two pals decided to make an old school punk CD. 11 tracks that meander across the styles of punk gone by. The tracks are raw but they definitely have the spirit. It’s a damn fun disc to listen to. The songs are short and the tempo is quick. The comedy is fully intact. The luche libre masks are in full effect. I’ll suggest to ya one thing though, either these guys totally suck as musicians and are insanely good at faking like they aren’t or they are brilliant musicians and are insanely good at faking like they are not. Never the less, Shut Up! by Awesome and the Asskickers is easily the best CD I’m listening to right now. You just remember that the next time you have Meatball Spaghetti!

–Jerry Actually

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The Psycho Nubs – Alley of the Ignots

(c)2007 The Psycho Nubs
[rating:4.5/5]

psychonubs2 The Psycho Nubs are a great duo with an odd name.  This album is fun, energetic, creative and overall awesome.  Their style swings around from political-themed glam-tinged rock over to basement punk and around the corner to psychobilly.  Impressively, they show no hesitation and rock all 17 tracks with a pure, musical passion that’s often lost in mainstream bands.

At times reminiscent of 50’s do-wop ballads, the Psycho Nubs also channel the Descendants, the Groovie Ghoulies, and a touch of early Beastie Boys.  There are love songs to PBR, Mary Anne from Gilligan and Monica May, anti-establishment punk themes peppered with “woah-oh” choruses, and tales of alien invasion and the zombie apocolypse.  These guys are lyrically entertaining, musically talented, and right up my alley.

Honor Bright – If this was a movie

(c)2008 Honor Bright (now on Aux Records)
[rating:4.5/5]

honorbright Oooh! Shiny! Honor Bright is everything that I love in radio music today, with none of the crap. That r-word might be enough to deter many, but I’m a big fan of Warped Tour sounding artists, and these guys are some of the best.

Forearm tattoos, slightly-greasy protractor haircuts, and Goodwill shirts? Check!
Beautiful vocal harmonies, punchy high-hat heavy drums, chunky guitar parts? Check!
80’s pop-culture referencing song title with no relation to the lyrical content? Check!

The music is crisp and urging, the lyrics are emotive without being too emo. Sure, these guys sound like other radio artists, but if their live performances are half as good as this 6 track ep, they’ve already got one-up on most of them. This CD is brilliant and left me wanting more — I’ll be heading out to get their Aux Records re-released full-length to fill my fix.

-HK-47

The Rudy Schwartz Project – Bowling for Appliances

(c)2008 DC Jam Records
[rating:.5/5]

rudyschwartz This is the kind of music that makes people want to punch babies.  I’ve never been a huge fan of babies (except for yours, of course), so it’s more telling to say that this cd made me want to kick puppies.  18 tracks of useless, casio-keyboard-fueled, Ernest Borgnine referencing lyrics — I was sobbing with relief when the cd was over.

Thinking it might be my bias against creepy esoteric jazz, I checked with my Mister (a Zappa and Mike Patton fan) — maybe I was missing something?  No, he assured me, this cd is not Zappa-esque, it’s not layered with subtle genius nor painstakingly composed. This is the sort of crap that Mr. Bungle’s under-the-stairs dwelling troglodyte brother would bang out if he got loose.  Sorry, but I found little redeeming social value in this. Skip this if you don’t want to stab your eyeballs out with dull forks, and please don’t give this to impressionable children.

-HK-47