SOCIAL DISTORTION TO PLAY 91X WREX THE HALLS

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Performing In Support of Hit Album Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes

Revered Southern California rock ‘n’ roll band Social Distortion will be performing at the upcoming “WreX The Halls” concert hosted by popular San Diego radio station 91X. The legendary band will be performing December 11th on night two, alongside Blink 182, Pennywise and more. The concert will take place in San Diego.
In addition, Social Distortion has added some North American dates for January and February with Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls and Sharks playing in support.
Southern California natives, Social Distortion pioneered a revamped rock ‘n’ roll sound merging outlaw country, classic punk and swaggering blues rock. The band’s latest album Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes has been the highest charting of their storied career with USA Today called the revered band “as intense as ever.”
To purchase tickets for Social Distortion at WreX The Halls, just go to: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/2C00475BC72F4C0F

Social Distortion Tour Dates

w. Chuck Ragan & Suedehead*
w. Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls and Sharks ^

Nov. 23 – Buffalo, NY – The Town Ballroom *
Nov. 25 – Louisville, KY – Expo 5 *
Nov. 26 – Toledo, OH – The Omni *
Nov. 27 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Orbit Room *
Nov. 29 – Madison, WI – Orpheum Theatre *
Dec. 02 – Denver, CO – Odgen Theatre *
Dec. 03 – Denver, CO – Odgen Theatre * SOLD OUT
Dec. 04 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre * SOLD OUT

Dec. 10 – Los Angeles, CA – KROQ ALMOST ACOUSTIC CHRISTMAS @ Gibson Amphitheatre SOLD OUT
Dec. 11 – San Diego, CA – 91X WREX THE HALLS @ Valley View Casino Center
Dec. 16 – Santa Monica, CA – Gary Tovar’s GV 30 @ Santa Monica Civic Auditorium SOLD OUT

Jan. 27 – Las Vegas, NV – The Joint @ Hard Rock Hotel ^
Jan. 31 – Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater ^
Feb. 01 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre ^
Feb. 03 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theater ^
Feb. 06 – Reno, NV – Knitting Factory ^
Feb. 09 – Santa Cruz, CA – Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium ^
Feb. 10 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater ^
Feb. 13 – Chico, CA – Senator Theater ^
Feb. 14 – Modesto, CA – Modesto Center Plaza ^
Feb. 16 – Ventura, CA – Majestic Ventura Theatre ^

The Shell Corporation – Force Majeure

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(c) 2011 The Shell Corporation
[rating:6/10]

The Shell Corporation, to be confused with the Shell Corporation is what comes up when you google the band and see the link to the group’s website. A lot of times bands won’t have an accurate picture of what they really sound like, but this time I think they hit the proverbial nail on the head. I may not have said that after the first listen. After initially hearing Force Majeure (the group’s new album), I was really looking for a frame of reference and someone to compare them to. I had been listening to Holding Onto Sound’s The Tempest EP recently and I heard (imagined) so much of them in the Shell Corporation that I had to check to see if any members of the band happened to be in both groups (the answer is no). Like I said the comparisons were imagined and the only song that I could even hear what I thought I had was on “Ozymandias”, the second last track of the album.

While downloading the album I was reading the webpage and they mention a comparison to early Against Me! Confusion would run rampant again. I was convinced that “Broken Hearted Loser” was the second coming of “Shit Stroll.” While I can still hear where I got the comparison from it wasn’t completely accurate.

Don’t get me wrong, there are comparisons that can be made, and you can pick out possible influences in their songs (I even heard a little bit of Dead to Me’s “A Day Without War” in “Get Busy Living, or Get Busy Dying”). But I learned a few things from listening to Force Majeure (a good listen by the way, with something for everyone from political punk to punk ballads): think critically before you take things you read at face value, take your time before making any snap judgements, and finally The Shell Corporation, to be confused with the Shell Corporation.

T.J.

Burning Streets – Sit Still

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[rating:7/10]
© 2011 Sailor’s Grave Records

Boston band Burning Streets has a new release. “Sit Still” is out now on Sailor’s Grave Records and with it you get 11 tracks of emotionally charged rock and roll. On the whole, Sit Still hovers in the punk rock vein, but is heavily laced with a melancholy that accompanies other similar acts like The Loved Ones or American Steel and to a lesser degree, Dead to Me.

The songs, averaging around the four minute mark, tend to be longer than what usually sits well with me. However the individual tracks have enough variety to maintain interest. The album is also well arranged, so the lengthy tracks aren’t as much a hindrance as they might otherwise be.
Nearly all the tracks are of the emotive and moody variety. In the right frame of mind I can get into this more mellow side of punk rock. The album begins to gain momentum around track five, “The Safety”. After which the velocity appears to be too much and begins to lose control of itself as it careens into the oddly Black Crows gone glam rock sounding “Let Me Go”.

Once the wreck is over “Sit Still” falls back into its more familiar, and frankly more enjoyable, paces. The disc winds down through a few more tracks and culminates into the feedback and tape hiss of its final track leaving you, I can only hope, feeling cathartic.

So as a final note, while I prefer my punk faster, a bit more raw, and a little less emo, this is still pretty good stuff and great if you’re a fan of the sub-genre. Don’t believe me? Check out some tracks for yourself over at Sailor’s Grave Records

–Jerry Actually

Tracks:
1 Distance Between
2 Disappointed
3 Blood I Need
4 Different Drums
5 The Safety
6 Let Me Go
7 Comfort In Confusion
8 Simplicity
9 Full-Time Gamblers
10 Strange Me
11 M.I.A. (Hold On)

Holding Onto Sound – The Tempest

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© 2011 GC Records
[rating:7/10]

When you think of musical entertainment in Las Vegas, there’s a pretty good (or bad) chance that you’re conjuring up images of Beatles tributes bands, performers in drag, or heaven forbid, Celine Dion. Well, if this describes you, you can extract yourself from the turnip truck right now.

Holding Onto Sound (or HOTS) are stalwarts of the Vegas music scene and over the last eight years have honed their brand of progressive punk rock to a fine edge. The music is filled with intensity and sincerity alongside its punk rock core. The band elicits a comparison to bands like Dead to Me and American Steel, but with enough distinction that you’d not want to pass over one for the other.

The Tempest is the bands newest release and provides three tracks of the aforementioned intense and sincere punk rock. In just about 9 minutes you get a showcase of some of the best efforts for HOTS that I’ve heard to date. If you get a chance, check out their live show. The band plays fairly frequently around the West and of course, Las Vegas.

… and while I know that it is only a 7” with a sparse three tracks, and sure, that probably won’t fill you up, instead, they give you enough to leave you wanting more.

You can pre-order the new release from GC Records.

–Jerry Actually

Dan P. & The Bricks – Watch Where You Walk

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©2011 Asian Man Records
[rating:9/10]

When I first heard about this band I was quite excited. The group is a bit of a ska dream team, if you will. When I heard that there was going to be a release this year I was even more exited. “Watch Where You Walk” is the new album by Dan P and the Bricks; You’re going to have to be patient though the album drops on 11/29/2011 on Asian Man Records, natch.

For those of you unfamiliar, Dan P is, of course, Dan Potthast of MU330 fame. The Bricks, not to be out-pedigreed, feature members of Slow Gherkin. Combined, the results are that mythical situation where the result is greater than the sum of the parts. But with a 5 piece horn section, dual guitars, organ bass and drums, the math can’t be too far off.

The music is straight up ska goodness with everything I love about the respective members bands, and about ska overall. On top of the tradition, Dan P & The Bricks make the style their own, and an awesome style it is.

While each track is pretty much a gem, a couple of the best are: 1. Watch Where You Walk, 4. Set Sail (Which is a new version from Dan’s Eyeballs release) and 5. One Reason (has great point/counter point male female vocals). Honestly I’m having a hard time pulling favorites.

In addition to the great music, the band is down for a cause. Their focus is to play locally and raise money for local charities. How’s that for rad music with a conscious and a voice for change! (Fund raisers so far have included benefit concerts for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Hospice of Santa Cruz County, Haitian earthquake relief, Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, Doctors without Borders, and The Surf City AIDS Ride benefiting The Santa Cruz AIDS Project.)

So let’s hear it for some fresh off the shelf ska at its shiny new best. Maybe we’re finally gonna get the next wave. You can get more info about the band and get yourself a copy over at asianmanrecords.com

–Jerry Actually

For fans of: Ska, MU330, Slow Gherkin, The Slackers, The Toasters

Watch Where You Walk Tracklisting:
1. Watch Where You Walk
2. Fan
3. Footdown
4. Set Sail
5. One Reason
6. Map of the Stars
7. Mess It Up
8. Heartbeat Survival
9. Completely True
10. Connecting Four
11. Sweat For It
12. Quit On Me

Shoot the Hostage – So Polite

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© 2011 Shoot the Hostage
[rating:6/10]

I’m listening to “So Polite” the debut release by Seattle’s Shoot the Hostage. My initial reaction is that this release sounds much like Helmet, albeit in a less directly aggressive and staccato fashion. There is almost a pre-grunge quality about it. (And that’s nice, because Seattle owes the world a tremendous debt for having effectively killed thrash metal with their fancy grunge bands. … ok ok, they also saved the world from the scourge of hair metal, so maybe we owe them a debt of gratitude too.)

“So Polite” is grounded in rock and roll hooks and musically it is well put together. The tracks are a little on the lengthy side for my preference, but they are dynamic enough that the length doesn’t become a drag. I also appreciate the maturity of the song writing. It can be easy for younger bands to come across as juvenile. Shoot the Hostage is crafting songs that deftly maneuver around age brackets. (not that I really have any clue how old they are. They could all be senior citizens for all I know.)

A few of the stand out tracks at #3 Fire California and #9 Hard to Say. All together a competent and listenable release outta the Pacific Northwest.

–Jerry Actually

Cold Blue Rebels – Zombie Love

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COLD BLUE REBELS US TOUR DATES (w/ The Rocketz)

10/19 – Coaster’s Bar & Grill (Ft. Walton Beach, FL)
10/20 – Durty Nelly’s – (Gainesville, FL)
10/21 – Unofficial Rev. Hort Heat After Party – Goon’s Alley (St. Petersburg, FL)
10/22 – The Monterey Club – (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
10/23 – TBA (Orlando, FL)
10/24 – TBA
10/25 – The Mill – (North Charleston, SC)
10/26 – Black Cat Lounge – (Fayetteville, NC)
10/27 – 37th & Zen – (Norfolk, VA)
10/28 – J.B. McGuinnes Pub and Grille – (Newcastle, DE)
10/29 – Kustom Kreepfest – Europa (Brooklyn, NY)
10/30 – Roxy and Dukes – (Dunellen, NJ)
10/31 – TBA
11/1 – TBA
11/2 – 3rd and Walnut Bar (Lansdale, PA)
11/3 – Boondocks Club (York Haven, PA)
11/4 – The Shrunken Head (Columbus, OH)
11/5 – Annabelle’s Bar & Lounge (Akron, OH)
11/6 – The Underground Lounge (Chicago, IL)
11/7 – TBA
11/8 – The Bomb Shelter (Milwaukee, WI)
11/9 – Southgate House (Newport, KY)
11/10 – 3rd St. Dive – (Louisville, KY)
11/11 – Lindbergs – (Springfield, MO)
11/12 – Blackthorn Pub (Joplin, MO)
11/13 – Rogue Pizza Company (Fayetteville, AR)
11/14 – Downtown Lounge (Tulsa, OK)
11/15 – TBA
11/16 – TBA (Amarillo, TX)
11/17 – The Gasworks (Albuquerque, NM)
11/18 – Cinnabar Nightclub – (Flagstaff, AZ)
11/19 – Webers – (Reseda, CA) w/ Koffin Kats & The Rocketz

Upcoming So Cal Dates:

12/2 – Webers – (Reseda, CA)
12/3 – Happy’s / Dee’s B’Day Party (Chino Hills, CA)

MayOrWest – We, Reborn

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© 2011
[rating:6/10]

I’ve got a new release here from Hoboken New Jersey’s MayOrWest and well, things are looking up. The last time I reviewed this band, I had a bit of a beef with the lengthy tracks. Much to my preference, “We, Reborn” does, for the most pat, deliver on shorter track length. I also made some assumptions about sound and influence. I’m happy to report that the band is starting to find their ground. Whereas in the last review, I likened them to a mix of AFI and Queensryche, this time around I’m confident that MayOrWest is really paving new ground with their sonic dimensions. So, um, yeah, advice partially taken.

Positive leanings aside, I still find the band a bit operatic. As well There is a busy quality surrounding a lot of the tracks. It really strikes me as an audio version of MTV fast camera. It’s as though everything is a cut scene and because there is so much going on in the background, it makes it really hard to focus.

I won’t belabor my minimalist critique. Either you get it or you don’t, but here’s the take away; MayOrWest: definitely better over time; Still going in a direction that leads them more towards radio than any other direction. If that is what they are aiming for though, then, by all accounts, this is a successful release.

–Jerry Actually