Them Damned Young Livers

Let The Sin Begin
[rating: 3/5]

Remember that one time when Hank III and the Butthole Surfers got in a fist fight in a Southern Babtist churh over who was going to get drunk and repent the most and the good preacher tried to set ’em all right or send ’em right to Hell? Neither do I, but Let The Sin Begin is something what like that might sound like. Scruffy growl and cow punk. Prostelitizing while carousing. Them Damn Young Livers muster up 15 rabblerousing songs to help you demoralize your previously chaste life. Kansas City’s Freight train cow punk for the young and drunk.

–Jerry Actually

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My Life In Black & White

Cloudy Skies
(c) 2008 Horns Up Records
[rating: 4:5]

Where the heck were these guys when I lived in Portland? Not around I guess. I wish I would have would have been in town though. They sound like a hella good band. Folksy and punky with songs of sailing the seas and the drinking of beer. They swagger like Swingin’ Utters and The Pogues and rock out with less melodrama than most of the rain-addled cock-n-roll of many Portland bands. Cloudy Skies contains 12.5 tracks of the aforementioned variety of rock and it does not dissapoint. If you like the drinking and the singalongs and music that may make you want to steal a boat, then this one is for you. There’s more to it of course, but the jist of it is good time rock and roll. Enjoy!

–Jerry Actually

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Get Dead – Letters Home

(c) 2008 Horns Up Records
[rating: 3.5/5]

Have you ever, as an ever tough punk rocker wanted to let you inner-emo out?  But how could you and still  save face with all your extra tough punk rock friends?  San Francisco’s Get Dead holds the answers to your fears.  Their “punkcoustic” anthems reek with their innermost feelings but still come across as cool and nonchalant.  I venture to say that you can safely listen to Letters Home and you will still command the respect of your spike-bedazzled friends and maybe you’ll even show that cute little pale girl all dressed in black a little bit of your own tortured soul (but not too much) Aside all that, Get Dead brings some fine non-electrical punk rock in an anthemic and almost piratical way. If I had to make up some adjectives that you can use to tell your friends about them, I’d go so far as to say that they are both Clashtastic and SwinginUtteriffic.  For those of you back east, you can say that they’re wicked sweet!

–Jerry Actually

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Swingin’ Utters – Hatest Grits

(c) 2008 Fat Wreck Chords
[rating: 4/5]

Welcome to the B-side. What have we here but no less than 32 tracks of B-side, demos, 4-track takes and BS schlock from none other than Swingin’ Utters. It is generally easy to dismiss B-side compilations as strictly for the die hard fan. Generally they consist of crap to lackluster to otherwise distribute. That is only partially true for Hatest Grits. Instead of the usual 90% garbage 10% diamond, the Utters give you a sketchbook chronology of one of the best bands of the hybrid folk punk genre. Of course you also get some crap to lackluster to otherwise distribute, meant only for the die hard fan. But thanks to the good graces of the band, the ratio is more like 75% kick ass takes and 25% filler. You slice it how you like it though. I for one am down with their brand of rock and roll. Highly recommended from your friends at !upstarter.

–Jerry Actually

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The Drama Club

(c)2008 Label Group (aka EMI)
[rating: 1/5]

The Dram Club offers, yes, you guessed it, DRAMA! … They are the soundtrack to whatever crappy new MTV reality show du jour. This disc is pretty damn milk toast. If you have sold your soul to the devil, listening to this is the price that you must pay! Maybe when you do what you can to get played, that feeling projects out from you where ever you go … if ya know what I mean.

–Jerry Actually

Adversary – Singularity

(c) 2008 Trustkill Records
[rating: 2.5/5]

What do we have here? Lots o’ metal for damn sure. Not the worst I’ve heard, but not necessarily something I’m down with. It has some decent riffage but it also has a lot of wankin emo mello crap interludes. I guess you get what you pay for huh? At any rate if you like modern metal then you’ll love the livin’ daylights out of Adversary.

–Jerry Actually

Roll the Tanks – Suffer City

(c) 2008 INR
[rating: 3/5]

Fire the guns and Roll the Tanks! Here’s the new disc from (now) L.A. based band Roll the Tanks. Suffer City is the sophomore effort from the band. Originally from the Boston area, the band now contends with sunshine and smog. I’m not familiar with the bands prior work, but what I’m hearing on the new disc is enjoyable so far. What you get is 11 tracks of somewhat unique sounding punkish rock somewhere between The Clash and Modest Mouse. In all honesty, I’m rushing through this, but for real I do like what I’m hearing. It (the disc) has a distinct early 80’s vibe to it. I’d even go so far as to say I’ll listen to it again.

–Jerry Actually

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Dillinger Four – CIVILWAR

(c) 2008 Fat Wreck Chords
[rating: 3.5/5]

So I’ve been listening to the new Dillinger Four disc quite a bit lately. Up until recently I can’t say that I was really all that familiar with them. I had heard their name and probably have them on some comps, but hadn’t really listened to them. Based on that I have no real idea of what they’re all about. But just ’cause I’m not familiar with them doesn’t in any way mean that they aren’t from Minneapolis. It should also in no way detracts from the fact they are a pretty kick ass band. My lack of knowledge aside, this new release has apparently been a long time coming. Something on the order of six years since their last full length. All I can say is, “About Time! I suppose.” Seriously though, CIVIL WAR is a solid release featuring 13 tracks that while rockin’ also seem to be trying to re-capture times past. But with the “halcyon days” long gone by, there is still ample opportunity for scathing commentary on modern times. Any ways, if you’re like me, you’ll like this disc. It reminds me a bit of Larry Arms, though a bit more up beat. It’s Sunday. It’s early. Just go listen to it already.

–Jerry Actually
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Sorry About Your Couch – Greeen!

(c) 2008 Sorry About Your Couch
[rating: 3.75/5]

In a world where you bust your ass somewhere around 20/7 (a fella’s got to sleep sometime) you occasionally get the reviews out a little late. I have a serious stack of material in my inbox, so without further adieu, here is Sorry About You Couch. Hailing from the darkest depths of Central Wisconsin and the home of Point Special Beer comes some rude young lads and their new album Greeen! (Though the mailing address on the back is listed as Wisconsin Dells they claim to be from Stevens Point) No matter which place they are from, I spent plenty of my youth in both of those towns and though it was many years ago, I never expected much out of either area musically. Fortunately for me, time or fate has intervened and saw fit to send this disc to my door. SAYC is a raw blend of punk and roots. Frankly they remind me of Rudiments. The sound is a bit on the lofi side, but the raw nature of the tracks only serves to amplify the angst of youth. But what you get is 14 tracks and a bonus one. Running from raw rock to ska punk while trading verses like throwing around the ol’ pigskin, Greeen! makes for a good listen. Incidentally, with an album name like this, I really expected more overt stoner-rasta content. Not that is absent mind you, I just expected more. On another note, there is a cuddly green monster on the cover that appears to be destroying Toronto. I’d like to provide a slightly more in depth analysis, however I am beat. Sufficed to say that if you like the 3rd wave a bit more to the punk side then odds are fair you’ll like Sorry About Your Couch.

–Jerry Actually

Hay Perro – Summer of Destruction (EP)

(c) 2008 Belgian Style Records
[rating: 3.5/5]

From lands far east of here, in a town known unto legend as the Windy City and Chi-Town comes forth a alchemist’s concoction. Combining the dark forces of metal, the thunder of rock and the furious pace of the mighty jackalope a newer stronger less leaden band has been thrust forth thusly. Harkin unto Hay Perro I say. Listen to their five mighty tracks of sonic and rhythmic destruction. Ok, but more seriously I was getting way side tracked into the Dark Age tale of yore. Hay Perro hails from Chicago and has been around for about half a decade. “Summer of Destruction” brings it with five tracks of metal tinged rock and roll. You can certainly hear the Maiden influence as well as Kiss and perhaps a little Zeke … but what do I know? Comparisons aside Hay Perro has a fresh rock sound and from what I can gather would likely be quite formidable in front of you on a stage, preferably somewhere near to where you are. So, um, without further banter, go check ‘em out on the inter-tubes: www.hayperro.com www.myspace.com/hayperro and www.belgian-style.com

–Jerry Actually
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