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Lemon Party – Trash City

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[rating:7/10]

Edgy/Indie suits Bay area outfit, Lemon Party quite nicely. The band has a new EP, Trash City out now. The EP features four tracks of past-era garage-fi melancholy, garage-fi angst, and plate reverb. (I don’t know if they actually used a big ol’ plate reverb unit or not, but the spacey echoing makes me think so. … What am I am engineer?) At any rate, there are four tracks on a recording that immediately reminds me of Dinosaur Jr. and things I can’t quite place at the moment.

The songs run tempos from the mid-slow opener, Jerusalem Cruisers to the mid-quick sophomore and junior tracks, Hesh-Kevin and Massachusetts Meltdown respectively. The latter containing some fun woo-hooing. (like a Vonage commercial w/ the 5-6-7-8s.) The senior track, if you will, keeps the tempo up, but reduces the overdrive and achieves an even more decidedly 60s sound, (tonally if not musically.) I can’t make out much lyrically on initial listen, but the words sounds on the sad side … like “love” and “anymore”.

To sum it up, Trash City by Lemon Party (curious about the name. have I lost touch with youth culture?) is a decent fun EP. I’d totally throw it in the mix every now and then for some tunes that are both up-tempo and downtrodden. Best of all it is a no risk move. Think you might like it? Think you might hate it? Is that so important these days? You can check it out compas gratis at their bandcamp page: http://lemonparty.bandcamp.com/album/trash-city

–Jerry Actually

The Sidekicks-Grace

I need to start by getting a couple things off of my chest, and if you like them you can keep them, if not you can throw them back at me. Number 1, The Sidekicks are not a punk band. I’m not trying to be negative, or add fuel to the fire of the genre acceptance fight, but there isn’t a single punk lick on the 4 tracks which appear on Grace. I think sometimes when music appeals to listeners who prefer punk music we have to call it punk or else we feel like (for lack of a better phrase) “not repping the brand.”

Number 2, I didn’t like the single at first, which probably has a lot to do with gripe number 1. I took repeated listens, and I actually had to make comparisons to other music that I like in order to help me along. This is something I don’t usually like to do, but on the first two tracks “Grace” and “The Wallflowers” (the first of which also appears on their full length Awkward Breeds) lead man Steve Ciolek vocals bring back fond memories of rocking out to Weezer without River Cuomo’s self loathing lyrics. The next two tracks “The 9th Piece (Alternate version)”, and “Stay” (the first once again appears on their recent full length) have the same type of feeling as Graham Nash’s Songs for Beginners (one of my favourite non-punk albums).

It has been a long time since I have been able to say I liked a different band or album without being able to attach the punk label to them mostly because I feel like it is cheating on my musical love, but sometimes to enjoy good music I have to accept the fact that I can be friends with other genres without betraying the other. With Grace, The Sidekicks have introduced me to a new friend.

The Class Assasins-Equalize X Distort The Studio 3 Sessions

I have long been a fan of Rebel Time Records and I own and enjoy almost every single release on the imprint, but for some reason I have always been weary of listening to one particular group that has released music through them, The Class Assassins. I don’t even know if I can come up with a valid reason as to why, which became even more apparent when I actually sat down and listened to them.

I recently sat and listened to their two latest releases, Treason, which is available on 7″ vinyl from Rebel Time Records, and Equalize X Distort The Studio 3 Sessions. The latter recording is an 8 song live recording which was done in November at CIUT FM in Toronto. The recording features 6 songs from the groups back catalog (including ” Treason” and ” Start Again” from the Treason 7″) as well as two covers “Breaking the Law” and “Fortunate Son” (which I have heard covered before but the group has definitely added their own spin to this classic with a bass and drum intro). The recording was apparently limited to 100 copies on cd but it is available in its entirety on their bandcamp page.

Listening to The Class Assassins reminds me of the Street Dogs songs “Punk Rock ‘n’ Roll”. Not because it sounds like it, but because if Punk Rock ‘n’ Roll was added to the many sub-genres of punk I imagine they would have either wrote the recipe for it or redefined it. Now while I am only currently familiar with the 8 tracks from these two releases, they are full of exactly what I like in punk songs,fast paced guitar attacks and fist pumping, rabble rousing, sing along choruses. Treason and Equalize X Distort were my introduction to The Class Assassins, and it is as good as a place as any to start, and I highly recommend you do.

Pangea – Killer Dreams EP

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Back in the early 80s when the first tide of Punk gave way to a New Wave, a couple new styles started to coalesce. On one side there was the move back to basics, picking up chicks style rock and roll that paved the way to all so much hair metal. On the other end there was the more cerebral college shoe gazing rock that found its way to the masses as indie or alternative.

Los Angeles based act, Pangea summons up the spirit of the latter with a four track 7” that is as much at home on 120 minutes of yesteryea as it would be now on the stage at Coachella. Killer Dreams is a quirky little EP with an alternative yet punky eclectic blender concoction of Lou Reed, The Cars, The Dickies and The Pixies all frappéd with an early 60s rock and roll feel. (and that is just “Plasma” the lead in track.)

The 7” continues with a roots/Americana Violent Femmes via Andrew Jackson Jihad sounding ditty called “Love & Alcohol”. The track carries the full weight of the emotional train wreck that the title suggests.
Moving to the B-side we’re entertained with a more up tempo number called “River”. I’m again reminded of Pixes. There is definitely a very strong influence going on there.

Finally the EP comes to a close with the title track. It is a myriad soundscape that is at once its own and yet still firmly attached to the vision and sound that alternative evokes.

Overall, Pangea’s Killer Dreams EP is a new fresh burst of familiarity that grafts a new branch on old roots. You can check out the release on their bandcamp page. Like it? You should buy it.

–Jerry Actually

The Walking Dead: Rise of The Governor

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by Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga
(c) 2011

[rating:8/10]

This is my first crack at a book review and the book and I have chosen the book I have because from what I have read the book hasn’t been very well received by fans of the series it belongs to. The book that I am alluding to is The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor, the first in a series of novels that explore the origins of characters in the series. I am a recent convert to the graphic novel genre and an even newer fan of The Walking Dead and before buying the book I hadn’t read up to where The Governor is introduced (I did read Book 3 before I read the novel). So I wanted to look up who he was and I read a little bit about the book and I read some reviews prior to reading to book.

I think that is why I may have enjoyed the book the way I did. I read about the twist in the story so while reading I kept expecting it to come and when it happened it wasn’t much of a surprise anymore, but it also didn’t seem like it was reaching too far. That was a complaint from other readers that the twist wasn’t believable, but in a story about zombies you have to be willing to step a bit outside the realm of reality if you want to enjoy it all.

The one time I was disappointed (for a minute) was when I realized it was a novel and not a comic, but once I started reading it I left the disappointment behind. Having just finished being introduced to The Governor when starting this book got me excited to read it. Although The Governor was just ranked #86 on the list of top 100 comic villains by IGN, I would have ranked him much higher because he was a BAD guy and one of my two favourite villains (The Joker being the other). Maybe that also biased me. Either way, I enjoyed the book, I felt like as if I was reading one of the comics, which makes it a good companion to the other Walking Dead books. So if you are a fan of the other books, check out The Rise of The Governor.

T.J.

The Business Return to U.S. for month-long tour

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The Business returns to the U.S. for a month-long tour with direct support from Downtown Struts.

(w/ The Downtown Struts)
Feb 24 Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
Feb 25 Bremerton, WA @ The Charleston
Feb 26 Portland, OR @ Rotture
Feb 28 Sacramento, CA @ The Blue Lamp
Feb 29 San Francisco, CA @ Thee Parkside
Mar 1 Pomona, CA @ Characters
Mar 2 Anaheim, CA @ Juke Joint
Mar 3 San Diego, CA @ Shakedown Bar
Mar 4 Tempe, AZ @ Yucca Tap Room
Mar 6 Austin, TX @ The Mohawk, Patio
Mar 7 San Antonio, TX @ Korova
Mar 8 Dallas, TX @ LaGrange
Mar 9 Corpus, TX @ House of Rock
Mar 10 Houston, TX @ Walter’s
Mar 13 New Orleans, LA @ Siberia
Mar 15 Tampa, FL @ Orpheum
Mar 16 West Palm Beach, FL @ Respectable St.
Mar 19 Savannah, GA @ The Jinx
Mar 20 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
Mar 21 Pittsburgh, PA @ Smiling Moose (Upstairs)
Mar 22 Fort Wayne, IN @ The Brass Rail
Mar 23 Lansing, MI @ Macs
Mar 24 Chicago, IL @ Cobra Lounge (without Downtown Struts)

Frankenbok Tour

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TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT

Once again, Frankenbok embark on another string of shows, this time incorporating some of their favourite destinations – NEW ZEALAND! Thirteen more shows to support the release of the new album – THE END OF ALL YOU KNOW. So put ya best socks on, feed the dog, neck that last bottle and get ready for some boot skootin’ AUSSIE THRASHIN PUNK METAL!

DATES:
FEB 24 – Newcastle (NSW) @ Club LED
MAR 9 – Thornbury (VIC) @ The Prague

MAR 10 – Geelong (VIC) @ The Barwon Club

MAR 11 – Melbourne (VIC) @ The Cherry Bar
MAR 16 – Ballarat (VIC) @ The Karova Lounge

MAR 30 – Bendigo (VIC) @ The Newmarket Hotel

APR 12 – Auckland (NZ) @ The Crowbar (w/Sinate)

APR 13 – Palmeston Nth (NZ) @ Royal Hotel (w/Sinate)

APR 14 – Wellington (NZ) @ Medusa Bar (w/Sinate)

APR 15 – Kapiti Coast (NZ) @ The Village Inn (w/Sinate)

MAY 11 – Frankston (VIC) @ Pier Live

MAY 25 – Maitland (NSW) @ The Junkyard

MAY 26 – Canberra (ACT) @ The Basement

14th Annual Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival

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14th Annual Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival
Memorial Day Weekend • May 25 – 28, 2012
Downtown Las Vegas

MORE BANDS JUST ANNOUNCED!!!

Rancid, Nofx, Pennywise,
Sham 69, Hepcat, The Adicts,
Hot Water Music, The Briefs, Youth Of Today
Street Dogs, Dead Ending, Real McKenzies, Old Man Markley,
The Beltones , Far From Finished, Toys That Kill,
American Heist, Holding On To Sound,
The Bots, The Dips, American Werewolves,
PLUS MORE GREAT BANDS TO BE ANNOUNCED

TICKETS ON SALE!!!

3 Day Festival Passes On Sale
Fri. Feb. 24 @ 1pm (PST)
$100 (plus $5 service fee)
(Sat. May 26 • Sun. May 27 • Mon. May 28)

Single Day Tickets on Sale (Based on Availability)
Mon. March 5 @ 1pm (PST)
$40 (plus $2.50 service fee)

Daily Lineup To Be Announced on Feb. 24, 2012
The Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival was started back in 1999 as a way to bring the independent music community together for an annual party. It has since grown into a 3 day festival in downtownLas Vegas that brings out fans and bands alike from all over the world. Make no mistake, this is a PUNK ROCK PARTY that features some of the best bands of the past 35+ years, from the old school pioneers and classics to mainstays and up and comers. Founders Shawn and Mark Stern of BYO Records and seminal SoCal band Youth Brigade have been heavily involved in the PUNK ROCK community since the late ‘70’s and spend countless hours scouring their record collections, memories and abilities to reach out to old friends and new to put together an amazing line-up every year.

Joining previously announced acts Rancid, NOFX, Pennywise, The Adicts and The Briefs (original lineup) are: Sham 69 (Pursey / Parsons / Tregunna ’77 lineup), Hepcat, Hot Water Music, Youth Of Today (NYC 80’s Hardcore Monsters), Street Dogs, Dead Ending (featuring Joe Principe of Rise Against, Derek Grant of Alkaline Trio, Vic Bondi of Articles Of Faith, and Jeff Dean of Noise By Numbers), Real McKenzies, Old Man Markley, The Beltones, Far From Finished, Toys That Kill, American Heist, Holding On To Sound, The Bots The Dips, American Werewolves AND MORE TBA!!!!

All festival shows are ALL AGES.

To purchase tickets, register for Punk Rock Bowling and for more information, visit: www.punkrockbowling.com

Banner Pilot – Heart Beats Pacific

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To build on the momentum of last night, I decided to sit down and do something that I have meant to for some time now. That is to review Banner Pilot’s Heart Beats Pacific. This has been a long time coming for me, first, when I bought the album it was delayed getting to me so I didn’t get to hear it right away and also I have just been lazy.

Either way, the album is fabulous. It actually made my top ten list where I blamed it for causing me to speed while driving my truck. But it is also responsible for an even more ridiculous side effect. While alone on my 30 minute commute to town it is usually my album of choice. One day recently I actually caught myself (and I don’t know how long I had been doing it beforehand) doing only what I could describe as the “bow down.” Now for anyone not aware there was rap music before everybody in the club started getting tipsy and rappers had to explain why they were hot there was a group called Westside Connection who put out a single called Bow Down. Well the video included Ice Cube, WC, and Mack 10 raising their arms and making a bowing motion, hence the name of my dance move. This isn’t the first time an album has done that to me, I actually went through a stretch of time where I would do jazz hands while listening to In Desolation.

Now I don’t know making listeners do ridiculous dances was their intention when writing but it was definitely a result. I’m sure listeners will also experience several other side effects which may include singing along to the tremendously catchy songs which include (but are not limited to) “Alchemy”, “Spanish Reds”, “Expat”, and “Division Street.” There are not many bands around that are going to write catchier hooks then can be found on Heart Beats Pacific. It may not have had the hype of some albums that came out at around the same time but it is the one that I listen to the most and it will continue to be one of my favourites for a long time.

T.J.

Good Things – Demos

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All right, here is some raw as all get out, punk to the muthafuckin’ gills rock-n-roll. “Demos” by Good Things gives up four brief tracks of basement-grade ballast; chunky guitar, chunky bass, chunky drums, chunky everything. It’s raw, but its got balls.

While you only get four tracks, the ones you get are like a time machine dragging your ass back to the early 80’s and then stomping a riot straight into your guts. Plus they have a song about Ghostdad, so Bill Cosby would pretty much love them right out of the gate.

Despite the basement laden recording, there are some dynamics that are apparent in the band if you make it all the way to track four, “The Scofflaw”. It is easily the winner for polish out of the quatrain of tunes.
While I generally don’t comment much on cover art, it does appear that Good Things are fans of sodomy, so if that’s your thing too, then perhaps you should check them out. In the end though, I think the tags on their bandcamp page really say it best: “punk fuck punk Rockville”

http://goodxthings.bandcamp.com/

–Jerry Actually