Upstarter – Page 60 – PUNK | SKA

!upstarter Top 10 Reviews of 2010

[ad]
When it gets to be this time of year, I, along with just about everyone else, reflect back on what has transpired during the year. Based on those particular musings, I’m pleased to report that !upstarter posted 42 reviews of both musical and literary works in 2010. (I may be able to squeeze in a few more if time allows)

Out of those 42 reviews, I’ve chosen the top ten of what I think were the stand-out releases/reviews of the years. Bear in mind that this is my opinion, so if you disagree, well, them’s the breaks.

With that, I humbly give you the !upstarter Top 10 reviews of 2010:

10: The Decay – This Months Rent

9: The Menzingers – Chamberlain Waits

8: The Kings of Nuthin’ – Old Habits Die Hard

7: Mad Sin – Burn and Rise

6: Hounds & Harlots – Demo

5: The Hollowpoints – Old Haunts on the Horizon

4: Street Dogs

3: The Singularity – A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Drunkenness

2: Ubermanoeuvre – Burn This

1: Mall’d To Death – Can’t Make A Living

Cheers,
Jerry Actually

War Dogs of the Pacific – Publish or Perish

[ad]
© 2010 War Dogs of the Pacific
[rating:3/5]

I’m listening to War Dogs of the Pacific right now. Don’t be fooled peoples. They are totally from Kalamazoo. You know, that place where Elvis would be dead at right now, if he were still alive. Geography notwithstanding, they also happen to be a fastish, sing-yellin’ kinda rock and roll band. Some may want to call them punk. I won’t disagree, but I don’t think there is that much need to pigeonhole. Ok, if I must, they are punk.

At any rate, Publish or Perish holds nine tracks or so of punk rock, intriguingly laced with a diverse range of musical deviations. Honestly it is refreshing. I get a bit of a Replacements feeling, or perhaps less specifically, a felling of the energy of the early alternative movement combined with a more modern punk sound.

The disc hovers around the half hour mark and is a good introduction into the fresh rock sounds coming outta Kalamazoo, MI. So if you’re curious, you can check ’em out here: www.myspace.com/wardogsofthepacific

-Jerry Actually

Headbangers Ball – Still Exists

Life Of Agony performs for MTV’s Headbangers Ball

On Monday December 6th 2010, Life Of Agony was invited by MTV2 for an exclusive in-studio performance and interview for Headbangers Ball’s: “The Year in Metal”. The band performed the classics “Underground” and “Through & Through” and one of these performances will air on Headbangers Ball, on MTV2, on Saturday December 18th 2010, at midnight.

In the meantime the band is flying out to Europe this week to perform 3 exclusive shows during the upcoming weekend:
Friday December 10th at De Mast in Torhout, Belgium
Saturday December 11th at the Klokgebouw (2010 Speedfest) in Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Sunday December 12th at the Live Music Hall in Cologne, Germany.

Life Of Agony will also be playing a co-headline show with Biohazard on December 16th at the Best Buy Theater (formerly, NOKIA Theater) in Times Square, New York City!!!
Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and V.O.D. will be the main support.

On Saturday April 3rd 2010 I Scream Records recorded & filmed Life Of Agony’s performance at the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels, Belgium, this was the second show of their exclusive European “20 Years Strong” tour. In late 2009 the band performed their debut album “River Runs Red” in its entirety during a few exclusive, sold-out, US shows and, after popular demand, they went over to Europe in April 2010 to perform a set built around this amazing, legendary album.

The highly anticipated release, “20 Years Strong: River Runs Red | Live In Brussels”, a digipak combo release holding a CD of the entire show as well as a DVD with a 10 camera production of the show, an on-the-road documentary and much more, was released on July 19th in Europe & July 27th in the USA.

[youtube h1xqoDvPn5Q]
Continue reading Headbangers Ball – Still Exists

Rob Lind speaks out about the reunited Blood For Blood. An official statement.

[ad]
This week, on Thursday December 3rd, Blood For Blood is kicking off their, long awaited, European Tour, as part of the 2010 Persistence Tour. This will mark the first time since 2004 that Blood For Blood fans have been able to see the band live on stage. As previously announced by the band on June 19th 2010 (statement hereunder), Rob Lind decided not to join the rest of the band and Billy Graziadei, from Biohazard, will be filling in for him.

Today Rob Lind wants to share this official statement about not joining Blood For Blood (for now), the future of the band and his relationship with his band mates.

Hello there children!

It’s been long time…

A few months ago it was announced in the press that Blood For Blood would be touring again. Specifically it was announced that BFB would be doing this years annual Persistence Tour in Europe (with Sick Of It All, D.R.I., Unearth, Evergreen Terrace and others). It was also announced that Blood For Blood would be doing this tour and future shows without me.
In absence of a response or statement on my part, there was an immediate deluge of speculation, invective and hostility in reaction to the announcement online and in the scene. And it is ongoing.
Continue reading Rob Lind speaks out about the reunited Blood For Blood. An official statement.

The Spoilers – Loaded to the Gunwales

[ad]
© 2010 Vaccaro and the Spoilers

[rating:3:5]

Here’s a fun little EP. Punkish yet poppy; assuming but not precocious. Ok probably a lame little lead in. I’m ok with that. I feel the way I said.

The Spoilers have nice rock chops and the songs are catchy and danceable. I have said in the past that I’m not a big fan of female fronted rock, but I think The Spoilers make it work. There is no obvious attempt to force things into place that need not be there (vocally). On the other hand, I think that some of the guitar work seems a bit show-boaty and may be unnecessary, but hey that’s just me. I’m pretty sure the world knows that I’m anti solo.

What it all boils down to is a pretty catchy punk rock EP with a lot of rock edge. I was going to go into a big thing about how its hard to not draw comparisons and things like that, but here’s the truth: I like this EP. I would listen to more.

As a bonus, I think the cover on the end is likely the anthem to kick ass drunks everywhere, and damn well done!

–Jerry Actually

Billy Brown – The Best of Tragedies

[ad]

Billy Brown (Deadly Sins, Ashers, Unseen, Crash and Burn) is getting ready to release his first solo album, The Best Of Tragedies. We are streaming 2 songs as free as a preview to the upcoming release.

Enjoy.

Track: 02 The Space

Track: 03 Sacrifice

Prison Break 2438

[ad]

Do you like sci-fi? Wanna help somebody get the capital together to publish a book? (It isn’t me) Take a look here and decide if you’d like to help: http://kck.st/cc4UbN

Here’s the premise:

The book is about a man who lives in southern California in 2438 AD. His friend from way back gets taken to the world’s worst prison as a political prisoner. It’s his job to save his friend before he gets executed.

Limozine – Siamese Twins

[ad]

Limozine release their new single Siamese Twins via Beatatlas Records on Nov 22nd.

Limozine’s new single ‘Siamese Twins’, with B-side ‘Jennifer X’, is the bands fourth single and the first single to be taken from their forthcoming third album ‘Full Service’. Limozine were first picked up by BBC6’s Tom Robinson who chose the bands second single ‘You Da Boss’, and the B-side ‘Honey Yeah,’ to feature on his Fresh on the Net show. ‘You Da Boss’ also featured on the new music playlist on BFBS Worldwide Radio, was chosen for the A list on Total Rock Radio and received multiple plays by Gideon Coe on 6 Music. The single was featured on the ‘Classic Rock Jukebox’ in the March issue of Classic Rock magazine.
Continue reading Limozine – Siamese Twins

Mrs Skanotto – The Long Dark Road

[ad]

Well folks, I am sonofabitchin impressed. I wrote something; someone actually read it; new audio shows up in the mail. (Specifically I said that I miss ska. Less specifically, I think I screamed it into the night sky.). So here’s what’s shakin’ bacon. I’m listening to the new release, The Long Dark Road by Rochester’s own Mrs Skanotto.

Admittedly, I am not familiar with Mrs. Skanotto. I feel a bit like I have been missing out, this being their 5th release and all. Apparently the Continental Divide does more that determine where water ends up. However, now that I’m in the know, so to speak, I’m digging the new grooves.

The Long Dark Road is a full on New England (maybe NE would be more accurate) 3rd wave ska CD. The disc delivers on 12 tracks of soulful down beat horn dripping ska. Seriously, what can you not like about music that elevates the mind and soul and makes you want to skank to boot.

The more I listen to this CD, the more it makes me think that I’ve heard this band before. On some comps maybe? For lack of any official remembrance, I’ll try to liken the sound to something I’m more familiar with. I’m thinking that an artful blend of Spring Heeled Jack (USA) and Deals Gone Bad (albeit with less Piratude) would be a reasonable assumption.

So here is the big breakdown. The Long Dark Road delivers really solid ska. The content ranges from love and longing to pompous posturing to camp to the dark depths of suicide. Despite the darkness the disc stays on the lighter side musically and keeps you dancing throughout. Oh, and did I mention horns? Honestly, the horns bring it!

-Jerry Actually

For fans of: Spring Heeled Jack, Deals Gone Bad, Toasters, Ska

Track Listing:

1. The Other Man
2. Girlfriend
3. Long Dark Road
4. Smashed Against the Wall
5. Ordinary Girl
6. Girl Come Back
7. Self-Appointed King
8. Get Off the Fence
9. Time to Play
10. Mainstream
11. Finally Happy
12. The 86th Floor

NOFX – The Longest EP

[ad]

Do you even remotely enjoy NOFX? Have you? Might you? … If you’ve answered in the affirmative to any and/or all of these questions, then what is not to like about The Longest EP? I know that I’m a bit tardy in getting this review out, but better late than some other thing, right?

At any rate, The Longest EP brings together a career-spanning collection of many of the best EP’s the band has offered up to date. From the one-sheet, it contains, “NOFX’s first Fat Wreck Chords release The PMRC Can Suck On This to their latest Cokie the Clown.” As an added bonus, you also get 8 tunes that have heretofore been unavailable on anything but vinyl (or maybe cassette).

But I digress. If you’re in anyway a fan of NOFX and would like a 30-pack of classic (old and new) tracks on one damn fine compendium, than The Longest EP is the shizzle for you. … I won’t break down the original source material. You can check the track listing below and back-reference on your own if you’re so inclined. … but wait there’s more. It also has a monster of an insert w/ lyrics some that you’ve barely understood until now.

-Jerry Actually

For fans of: NOFX, Punk, Everything that’s good.

Track listing:

1: The Death of John Smith
2: The Longest Line
3: Stranded
4: Remnants
5: Kill All the White Man
6: I Wanna Be an Alcoholic
7: Perverted
8: My Name Is Bud
9: Hardcore 84
10: War on Errorism Commercial
11: 13 Stitches (Acoustic)
12: Glass War
13: Jaw Knee Music
14: Concerns of a GOP Neo-phyte
15: Golden Boys
16: You’re Wrong
17: Everything in Moderation (Especially Moderation)
18: I’m Going to Hell for This One
19: I’ve Become a Cliché
20: Cokie the Clown
21: Straight Outta Massachusetts
22: Fermented and Flailing
23: Codependence Day
24: My Orphan Year (Acoustic)
25: S&M Airlines (7″ version)
26: Dueling Retards
27: On the Rag
28: A200 Club
29: Shut Up Already
30: The Punk Song