Category: Punk

Punk Reviews

My New Vice

My New Vice – S/T EP (c) 2007

My New Vice:
1. A brand new band on the Northwest scene.
2. A brand new EP from the aforementioned band.

The new self-titled EP from Portland based My New Vice offers five solid tracks of darkly melodic post-grunge heavy rock. There is a punk edge here, but the song writing and arrangements come across as a bit more mature. Tracks three, “The Dead Never Lie” and four, “Mr Tremens” stand out particularly in their diversion from the usual pablum.

Both offer fairly different sounds with the former being bouncing yet brooding and the later having more sonic diversity with a soft jangly intro the quickly melds into what is easily the heaviest (though not the fastest) track on the EP. The final track, “Hell America” brings it home by kicking the tempo up and showing off the some of the more punk rock roots.

All in all, My New Vice pulls together some heavy rock while portraying a possibly dystopian future. If you live in Portland, by all means pick up a copy and check ’em out at a show.

–Jerry Actually

Murderland [Lights Out]

Murderland – Lights Out (c) 2007 Pirish Records Welcome one and all to Murderland, a four piece horror punk act from Santa Barbara, California.  Lights Out ponies up seven tracks of ghoulish macabre ala The Misfits, Balzac and others of the genre.  Albeit the Misfits influence is prevalent in the vast majority of horror punk style bands, Murderland doesn't fail to bring it with a contagious aggression of their own.  If you like your rock all punked up and ghastly scary, pick yourself up some Murderland, crank it up and lurch around your room like a zombie.–Jerry Actually 

Third Grade Scuffle

Third Grade Scuffle – Secrets Don't Make Friends … (c) 2006 Hailing from, of all places, Oklahoma.  Ok, so maybe there is a college that happens to be in Norman.  I guess that there would have to be to get a CD packed with horns and political ideals.  All kidding aside, I'm pretty damn pleased by what I'm hearing.  "Secrets Don't Make Friends, But They Can Rule The World" from Third Grade Scuffle is a pretty tight little EP.  The sound is reminiscent of Bosstones and/or LTJ, but with more aggressive attitude ala H20.  Add to that a political bent and you've got a damn good mix of hardcore and horns.  My only regret is that this is only an EP.–Jerry Actually 

Code 4-15 [Raise Your Glass]

Code 4-15 – Raise Your Glass (c) 2007 Pirish Records At first glance at the packaging of Raise Your Glass, I couldn't help think that Code 4-15 is going to be a rowdy drunk punk rock heavy on the sing-a-long choruses, something in the vein of Dropkick or perhaps Gang Green.  Instead what I found is a competent and catchy west coast punk band that leans a bit towards the pop-punk side of the spectrum.  Even with a cover of the traditional "Leaving of Liverpool", Code 4-15 comes across more Greenday or Bad Religion than anything East Coast.  Despite the bait and switch, I still think that Raise Your Glass is a good disk.  I don't know that it is paving the way for a Santa Barbara "Drink Rock" revolution, but it is still nice to hear some punk outta of the coastal enclaves.–Jerry Actually 

Capital [Moment of Silence EP]

Capital – Moment of Silence EP (c) 2007 Fresh outta Brooklyn!  Capital makes good with a five track debut entitled Moment of Silence.  Capital are a rock/punk trio from New York and have a melodic quick paced though somewhat post-grunge sound.  I ain't saying that's a bad thing, just think thick wall of sound, heavily compressed music with layers as dense as a Seattle fog.  All in all a good effort by a new band on the block.  They keep the rock focused and fast and they have enough aggression that the rock aspect doesn't become wanking.  In a word, promising.  I'm anxious to hear more. –Jerry Actually

The Tossers [Agony]

The Tossers – Agony (c) 2007 Victory Records Just in time to be almost two weeks late for St. Paddy's Day, I submit for you The Tossers' new cd Agony.  I assure you this, listening to it is anything but.  Chicago's Tossers craft a fine blend of traditional Irish Folk Music w/ all the punk rock intensity that anyone could need in a rowdy rollicking drinkin' band.  Don't however mistake The Tossers for just another inebriated group of Pogues wannabes.  They brandish a musical fire all their own with depth and sincerity and, frankly, a bit more clarity than the aforementioned.  If you're one of the teaming faceless downtrodden masses urning for some musical uplifting, go ahead slap on this CD and toss back a pint or 12 with The Tossers.  My personal favorite is Track 7: Siobban – Enjoy!–Jerry Actually 

The Queers [Beat Off]

The Queers – Beat Off (re-release) (c) 2007 Asian Man Records A classic punk rock favorite from quintessential pop punkers The Queers is brand new again courtesy of Asian Man Records.  Originally released on Lookout back in 1994, Beat Off is once again available for all off you punks young and old that are still totally retarded for The Queers.  It features all your favorites including: Teenage Gluesniffer, Ben Weasel and Live This Life.  The CD also contains updated 2006 liner notes from Ben Weasel himself.  The Queers – Beat Off is a refreshing blast from the past.  Go get a new copy, I'm sure yours is all tore up by now.–Jerry Actually 

Senior Discount

Senior Discount – There Were Four Who Tried (c) 2006 Senior Discount So just the other day I was thinking why aren't there any bands ever coming out of Rhode Island?  As it turns out I must have just been off of their radar, cause not too long after pondering this, I received "There Were Four Who Tried" from Senior Discount.  Lo and behold, they are straight out of Providence.  The disc offers up 16 tracks of eclectic punk, pop punk, ska(ish) punk and more punk.  The more I listen to this CD, the more I thoroughly enjoy it.  It has pop punk sensibility without all the emo sensitivity.  It also carries enough horns to please most fans of the thrid wave. Lyrically it is largely the antithesis of the traditional pop punk with lot sof rants and comical tongue in cheek coarseness. "There Were Four Who Tried" is a bang up job by Providence punks Senior Discount.  The bottom line is one kick ass record with more hooks than a pirate convention. Buy This CD Here – -Jerry Actually

Beijing to Boston

Brain Failure/Big D & The Kids Table – Beijing to Boston (c) 2007 Bad News Records Hell fucking yeah!  Beijing to Boston is a split CD featuring Brain Failure—the first honest to goodness punk band outta China—and  Boston's Big D and The Kid's Table.  I have to say that I'm awfully impressed with Brain Failure.  Their opening six tracks on the split evoke memories of Rancid, Dropkick, Social D and The Clash.  Dickie Barrett (of Bosstones fame) lends a hand on the intro track “Come on Down to Beijing”.  Despite the Clash reference, don't expect anything too political though, given how things seem to work in China regarding dissent, Brain Failure keeps the subject matter pretty light: songs about inviting you down to Beijing and living in a city and being brainless etc… No matter what though, it is freaking awesome to hear brothers in arms from another country breaking it out like the rest of us.  Go world unity!  Let us not forget our brothers from a different East.  Boston's Big D & The Kid's Table shore up the final six tracks on the split.  The tracks from Big D are all new and as always are nothing short of stellar.  They start us out with the trippy and spacial "Faded" and then bring us back in to the more familiar and infectious ska punk that we've come to love these last 10 years.  Here's the big breakdown, this disc is the mad note on a whole lot of levels.  Two great bands, 12 great songs and a monumental cultural bridge.  In a word, brilliant!–Team !upstarter 

The Queers [Munki Brain]

The Queers – Munki Brain (c) 2007 Asian Man Records Hello Munki Brain! – Brand new bubble gum surf (Beach Boys style) pop punk, festive fun from perennial fav's The Queers.  It is good to see a band stay true to its roots as opposed to the atrocities that could have befallen them.  Let it be know that The Queers serve as a much better gateway band than say, New Found Glory.  The lyrics are catchy the songs are peppy and god damn it, they're fun. As an added bonus, if you couldn't find that brand new Beach Boys or Ramone's CD that you knew that was out there somewhere, look no further, Munki Brain is it.  It is the epitome of pop punk without the baggage that comes en tow with the usual tripe.  Bottom line:  Totally sweet! you get 13 tracks of classic Queers, only its brand sparkin' new.  What a deal!  (They also get an extra thumb's up from Jimmy 'cause they said, “Fuck”) –Team !upstarter