Out of Nothing – Everything Perishes

(c) 2008 Out of Nothing
Rating: ★★★☆☆

So out of the blue I get this package in the mail. A great beginning right? You (the reader) are now intrigued about what it was that may have shown up, right? I suspect that my suspicion is correct, but I am a bit pretentious, so we’ll take that with a grain of salt. Never the less it was a CD in my mailbox from a band outta Pensacola (Wings of Gold) Florida (known to some as the Redneck Rivera) Let me tell ya though, Out of Nothing is on to something: 7 tracks blending punk and ska and gators … ok well maybe not enough gators, but they do have a nice 3rd wave thing going on, not unlike a mix of MU330 and Voodoo Glowskulls (if you can maybe imagine that, I know I am right now) … but I digress. There is guitar, there are horns, (and drums and bass and vocals et al.) Basically what I’m trying to boil down to is that Out of Nothing is a good band. They have a nice blend of punk edge and excellent horn chops (I would like to hear the horns a bit more upfront in the mix though. I’m sure the horn players would agree.) Mix aside, take note of Out of Nothing ’cause they got the rock goin’ on. Do what you can to get yourself a copy of “Everyone Perishes” because it’s good and despite the internet you can still impress your friend when you have some shit that they don’t already have. (unless they already do)

–Jerry Actually

Civet – Hell Hath No Fury

(c) 2008 Hellcat Records
Rating: ★★★★☆

Civets are small, lithe-bodied, mostly arboreal mammals native to the tropics of Africa and Asia. Civet may also refer to the distinctive musk produced by the animal.

Hell Hath No Fury is the Hellcat Records debut from Civet, the hottest all-girl rock n’ roll band (both literally and figuratively) to erupt from the Los Angeles rock scene since Joan Jett and Lita Ford formed The Runaways.

I’m gonna let you decide which of the previous paragraphs you prefer, but whatever it was that created the CD I’m listening to certainly knows how to bring the rock. Part Zeke, part Distillers, all punk rock and roll. Hellcat records new artist Civet make gender no barrier to their swagger. The 13 tracks on their new disc are full of all the spit and vitriol that you’d expect from a Hellcat release and more. I also feel a bit obligated to mention that this quintet is also quite attractive, but I don’t want to backpeddle on women’s rights, so I wont. In all seriousness though, this is a fun disc well worth checking out. Personal favs include 2.) Son of a Bitch and 4.) All I want (written by Tim Armstrong) I look forward to more good music from Civet in the future.

–Jerry Actually

Lagwagon – ITMOBUTLTL

(c) 2008 Fat Wreck Chords
Rating: ★★★☆☆

All aboard the Lagwagon party goers. The original Fat band is back with a new release. By my account it is an EP. Seven tracks clocking in at minus 20 total, not that EP’s are a bad thing by any means. An EP is a great amount of work when your band is focused on more than one project. (Two of the members are also in Me First and the Gimme Gimmes.) Side projects notwithstanding, the obviously back dating and self-depricating “I Think My Older Brother Used To Listen To Lagwagon” is exactly what one should expect from an older and wiser Lagwagon. The songs have more depth, both sonically and contextually. Along with additional depth comes additional weight. I’m pretty sure that must be what is making the songs a bit slower than I like 🙂 In all seriousness though, this is a must have for any fan and for all the new kids to the punk rock block, pick up a newie but a goodie from an oldie but a still goodie band. As I said, “All aboard the Lagwagon!”

–Jerry Actually

The Real McKenzies – Off The Leash

(c) 2008 Fat Wreck Chords
Rating: ★★★☆☆

The Real McKenzies are to Scotland what the Dropkick Murphy’s are to Ireland. That is punk rock music with strong ties to cultural heritage. Like Dropkick, The Real McKenzies are displaced from their roots, but those roots still run deep. The new release, “Off the Leash”, will have you swearing that, “If it ain’t Scottish, it’s crap!” Though these fellows hail from the land of DOA and Michael J. Fox, their music still has the rebellious power of William Wallace. “Off The Leash” delivers 13 tracks of Scotted up punk, all of them totally sweet. If you like your punk anthemic and Celtic culturalocentric, don’t hesitate to let your self off the leash and go buy this disc. Ha! I made a less than humorous reference to the title of the CD in the review itself. That makes it a good review; kinda like movies that use the name of the movie in the dialog of the movie. I win! One to nothin’

–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

State of Grace – State of Grace

(c) 2008 Hellcat Records
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Three cheers for the Street Dogs my friends, back again with a brand new record. The disc will be out soon on none other than Hellcat Records. It all seems very full circle, what with Hellcat being the home of the Dropkick Murphy’s. (for those of you outside the know, Street Dogs’ Mike McColgan is the former frontman of those very same Dropkick Murphy’s) Since their forming in 2002, Murphy’s connection aside, Street Dogs have come into their own.

With the lineup currently cemented as Mike McColgan on Vox, John Rioux (of Bruisers fame) on Bass, Marcus Hollar and Tobe Bean III splitting guitar duties and Paul Rucker on drums the collective Street Dogs deliver to you a State of Grace. 11 punk rock songs with a distinctive Boston flair. The songs are about life. The lyrics have depth. It’s very existence offers promise. After the slew of post nu-metal mallrat pablum that has disgraced the the name of music lately, it is great to hear a disc that not only is true to form punk rock, but also has some meaning. It is very easy to discern when a band believes in what they do or if they are just going through the motions. Street Dogs’ State of Grace is very obviously the former. With a formidable foundation and diehard persistence State of Grace is the Street Dogs best effort to date.

–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

Handheld [S/T]

Handheld(c) 2008 Year of the Sun "Good morning Canada. How are you today?" "Oh just fine thanks. What can I do for you?" "Well, I'd like some new punk rock. What have you got?" "Well, we have this new self-title CD from some of our favorite sons, Handheld." "Hmmmm, Handheld you say. I've never heard of them. Are they any good?" "Are they any good? well of course they are. Maybe you should keep reading."   Hailing from (what I can only assume it the Canadian equivalent to the OC) Kitchener, Ontario, Handheld have been cranking out the punk rock in true DIY fashion, booking their own shows, self-financing their releases, paying for their own beer (yeah right). Seriously though, the DIY ethic and personal pride shine through in their music. Handheld's new self-titled release brings a melodic and emotional, yet quick paced punk melange somewhere in the vein of  Face to Face vs.  The Lawrence Arms.  15 regularly scheduled tracks and one bonus track special should help push the ratings up for new and old fans alike. Enjoy!–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