Upstarter

Since the beginning of the year many of my favourite bands have either announced release dates or have released a new record.  I have to admit Comfort/ Distraction was probably the album I have anticipated most.  It was worth every second I waited for it.  

Broadway Calls are not a group that is ashamed of their influences and it shines through on numbers like “Minus One”, the Green Day influence is unmistakable as well as undeniable.  At the same time they are not afraid to add their own voice to the punk rock conversation with the Jimmy Stadt referencing lyric from Zombie World “James was only half correct.  Year our friends are saints, but their all toxic train wrecks.” 

While their sound is firmly rooted in those that have come before them, they still manage to create music that doesn’t become too derivative.  The vocals and melodies heard on Comfort/Distraction make the music stand out from their peers and create a style that is their own. 

 People who have followed the band’s previous efforts have long considered them among the best but Comfort /Distraction will further establish Broadway Calls as pop punk heavyweights and create a place for them among the elite of the genre all the while embracing where they come from as they move forward.

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[rating:8/10]

Moonraker is a L.A. based 3-piece punk band, heavily influenced by some of the more well known emo-punk acts. If you’re a fan of bands like Alkaline Trio, The Lawrence Arms, and Dear Landlord, then there is no reason that you won’t like the bands new EP. Pathetic Little Arsenal kicks down 5 tracks of none-too-shabby punk in the vein of the aforementioned bands.

Go ahead, have a listen: http://moonraker.bandcamp.com/

-Jerry Actually

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I have some nerdy pastimes.  I collect records.  I collect comic books.  I play fantasy baseball.  It is because of this last hobby that I tuned into the fantasy sports station on Sirius Radio.  I have been getting smacked around in my league for the last five years since winning the inaugural league championship in 2007 so I was just trying to get some expert info to help me regain my place among the fantasy elite.  Either way, they gave me some valuable advice that I will use to help me write this review.  They were talking about players who everyone thinks are going to finally have their breakout season after being fairly pedestrian over the course of their career (I don’t think the band I am talking about is at all pedestrian).  Basically what was said was that is unwise to anticipate a player to be much different than they have over the last five (or more) years.

What I am getting at is the to expect True North from Bad Religion to be a whole lot different than they have been over the course of their career would border that common definition of insanity.  That isn’t a bad thing.  How many bands are out there can claim that they have been consistently good for over 30 years?  Not a whole lot.  Even fewer have been able to stick to the same formula for that long without sounding tired and old.  What I think amazes me even more is that a band can write a song (“True North”) about the angst of a person who has been alive for fewer years than they have been a band without sounding pretentious or contrived.

That is what makes the leaders of the 2^nd generation of punk special, they are ageless.  There has been talk of retirement following this release, but if the record is any indication, there is still plenty left in the gas tank.  Among the 16 tracks lies a collection of Bad Religion songs that if it was placed in a time capsule and buried for 30 years would be able to stand beside any Bad Religion song.  The same could be said if it was placed in a time machine and sent back 30 years.  That is why I will keep on listening as long as they are still making music, the past isn’t dead and there is still a lot to hope for.

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© 2013
[rating:8/10]

I’m listening to a new EP by DBTB, aka Dani Band Traveling Band, aaka Dani Barstad. Maybe you’ve heard of Dani? Maybe you have heard some of his other projects. He’s the drummer for acts like Mall’d To Death and The Terrordactyls. Well, this go around is a bit different in that Dani busts out the “one man band” action for his 2nd relase, “Super!!” (There are some additional vocals not performed by Dani, but instead performed by Caiti Allison. So, you know, it’s still technically a one man band.)

What you get on Super!! is 5 fresh tracks of punkish indie alternarock. For the ancient (or the retro) among us, It’s got a huge 120 Minutes vibe, lo-fi like old school Sonic Youth, but without as much of the whole noise thing. The tracks, in general, are mid-tempo rockers running the clock anywhere between a minute and six. There is an overall garage-ish feel that is not without it’s charm. Lyrically, I would suggest the songs are done as a bit of a catharsis. The content is somber and seems sincere by virtue of the insecurity that is interlaced into the context of the songs. I like that. The world could use a bit more humility.

I guess that the bottom line is that whether you are fans of Dani’s other bands, or totally wax nostalgic for the alternative days of yore, then check out Super!!. You can listen to the tracks here: http://dbtb.bandcamp.com/

Tracks:
1. BackPack 01:43
2. Sweating, Crying 03:13
3. Let the Butthurt Flow 01:00
4. Super!! 03:21
5. Shut Up & Go Pie! 05:52

–Jerry Actually

I always told myself that I didn’t want to write a review on anything when I couldn’t be completely positive.  I had a bit of a change of heart today.  I was reading Dying Scene’s Sacred Cow column today and today they were discussing Rancid’s…And Out Come the Wolves.  I read both sides, and I wanted to attack the guy who disputed the album’s greatness.  Then I came to my senses.  The one thing about punk music that other genres don’t have is fans who are passionate enough about the music to actually discuss what constitutes real greatness.  I will often read reviews of new albums, but I won’t always take what is said to heart.  That is another beautiful thing about punk rock, it promotes critical thinking and making your own decisions. 

That brings me to The Adjectives debut album, Bam! The Belgian group’s offering is comprised of 10 tracks and comes in at under 14 minutes in length.  It is like something out of Mall’d to Death’s playbook, almost.  The longest track runs about 2:30, and the shortest track about 10 seconds.  But while Mall’d to Death is quite skilled at making the most out of their songs and never really leaving the listener wanting more, The Adjectives need a little work on this. 

Bam!‘s opening track “Bulgarian Pancakes” is probably the band’s finest melody and could have made a great song, but it ends as just a short instrumental.  While others are longer and more complete, they still lack the impact that you would want or expect out of songs that are so short.  But there is an upside, the songs most powerful track, “Fuck You” is just ten seconds long and in all of its simplicity gets straight to the point and gets it across quite clear. 

The album’s title, Bam!, seems to imply that the listener will be hit hard and quick.  While it is quick, I wouldn’t say it hits hard.  This is a debut album, so these young men can do a lot more, and I think that if they follow the formula they have, they will.