Upstarter – Page 73 – PUNK | SKA

Awesome and the Asskickers – Shut Up!

aak_shutup So I got a package in the mail a couple weeks ago. I, of course, opened it. Normally the story might go ahead and end there, but nay. I decided that with a name like Awesome and the Asskickers I probably should go ahead and and throw up a word or two about this Floridian power trio. Um, without further adieu, here goes: Shut Up! is pretty damn sweet. The wrestling mask donning band mates, consisting of Jose Verga (Bass/Vox), Johnny Dingleberry (Drums/Vox) and Muchacho (Guitar/Vox) really know how to mix it up crazy like.
aak_group Imagine that Strongbad and his two pals decided to make an old school punk CD. 11 tracks that meander across the styles of punk gone by. The tracks are raw but they definitely have the spirit. It’s a damn fun disc to listen to. The songs are short and the tempo is quick. The comedy is fully intact. The luche libre masks are in full effect. I’ll suggest to ya one thing though, either these guys totally suck as musicians and are insanely good at faking like they aren’t or they are brilliant musicians and are insanely good at faking like they are not. Never the less, Shut Up! by Awesome and the Asskickers is easily the best CD I’m listening to right now. You just remember that the next time you have Meatball Spaghetti!

–Jerry Actually

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The Psycho Nubs – Alley of the Ignots

psychonubs2 The Psycho Nubs are a great duo with an odd name. This album is fun, energetic, creative and overall awesome. Their style swings around from political-themed glam-tinged rock over to basement punk and around the corner to psychobilly. Impressively, they show no hesitation and rock all 17 tracks with a pure, musical passion that’s often lost in mainstream bands.

At times reminiscent of 50’s do-wop ballads, the Psycho Nubs also channel the Descendants, the Groovie Ghoulies, and a touch of early Beastie Boys. There are love songs to PBR, Mary Anne from Gilligan and Monica May, anti-establishment punk themes peppered with “woah-oh” choruses, and tales of alien invasion and the zombie apocolypse. These guys are lyrically entertaining, musically talented, and right up my alley.

Rancid Returns to the Studio

RANCID SIGNALS RAUCOUS RETURN WITH ESSENTIAL NEW ALBUM LET THE DOMINOES FALL (JUNE 2 – HELLCAT/EPITAPH), THEIR FIRST IN SIX YEARS AND MOST TOPICAL TO DATE

GET THE RANCID WIDGET; BE THE FIRST TO HEAR THEIR NEW SINGLE “LAST ONE TO DIE”: http://www.myspace.com/rancid

SUMMER TOUR WITH RISE AGAINST KICKS OFF JUNE 4

Seminal punk band Rancid – Tim Armstrong (guitar/vocals), Lars Frederiksen (guitar/vocals), Matt Freeman (bass/vocals), and Branden Steineckert (drums) – have set June 2nd for the release of Let The Dominoes Fall (Hellcat/Epitaph), their first studio album in six years. The platinum-selling band recorded at George Lucas’ Skywalker Sound Studio, with production by Epitaph Records founder/Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. Let The Dominoes fall features nineteen new songs, all written by Rancid. Special guest and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Booker T contributes Hammond B3 organ on one track, “Up To No Good.”
Continue reading Rancid Returns to the Studio

Black President Hits The Road

BLACK PRESIDENT SET TO HIT THE ROAD WITH BOUNCING SOULS

DRUMMER DAVE RAUN JOINS BAND AS FULLTIME PLAYER

DEBUT CD OUT NOW ON COBRA MUSIC

“BLACK PRESIDENT is a band founded on the belief that the human race is angry, greedy, simple & ugly. We believe in educating ourselves, treating the world & people around us with the same respect we would take from it. We are not “politically correct”, we’re just not ignorant”. Black President self-titled debut out now on Cobra Music.

After filling in as guest drummer on dates with TSOL Dave Raun will be joining the band full time replacing drummer Roy Mayorga. “Dave is a badass… We stayed at his house when our van broke down in Fresno on the Warped Tour and it just clicked. He came in, killed it on the TSOL tour, and has brought a whole new energy to the band. Roy is an old friend and amazing drummer who will definitely be missed. We wish him all the best and there are no hard feelings. Losing Roy for Dave is a quality problem that we can’t really complain about! We can’t wait to hit the road again in April.” States Christian Martucci

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Continue reading Black President Hits The Road

Skarhead and I Scream Records ink worldwide deal

We are very excited to announce the signing of Skarhead for the release of their long awaited new record “Drugs, Music and Sex”.

Skarhead was founded in 1995 by Lord Ezec and released the EP “Drugs, Money, Sex” that same year.
In 1999 their follow up album, “Kings At Crime” took the worldwide hardcore scene by storm and instantaneously became one of the all time classic hardcore records.

Today 10 years after the release of “Kings At Crime” Lord Ezec is back as frontman of the worlds most infamous hardcore bands.
“Drugs, Music and Sex” is recorded and mixed by Dean Baltulonis (Sick Of It All, Madball, Agnostic Front) and produced by Lord Ezec. The album features guest appearances by some of hardcore’s greatest such as Freddy Cricien, CIV, Jorge Rosado, Jamey Jasta, Armand & Craig from Sick Of It All, Vinnie Stigma and more.

The album is currently being mixed and set for release late Summer 2009. Continue reading Skarhead and I Scream Records ink worldwide deal

Honor Bright – If this was a movie

honorbright Oooh! Shiny! Honor Bright is everything that I love in radio music today, with none of the crap. That r-word might be enough to deter many, but I’m a big fan of Warped Tour sounding artists, and these guys are some of the best.

Forearm tattoos, slightly-greasy protractor haircuts, and Goodwill shirts? Check!
Beautiful vocal harmonies, punchy high-hat heavy drums, chunky guitar parts? Check!
80’s pop-culture referencing song title with no relation to the lyrical content? Check!

The music is crisp and urging, the lyrics are emotive without being too emo. Sure, these guys sound like other radio artists, but if their live performances are half as good as this 6 track ep, they’ve already got one-up on most of them. This CD is brilliant and left me wanting more — I’ll be heading out to get their Aux Records re-released full-length to fill my fix.

-HK-47

The Rudy Schwartz Project – Bowling for Appliances

rudyschwartz This is the kind of music that makes people want to punch babies. I’ve never been a huge fan of babies (except for yours, of course), so it’s more telling to say that this cd made me want to kick puppies. 18 tracks of useless, casio-keyboard-fueled, Ernest Borgnine referencing lyrics — I was sobbing with relief when the cd was over.

Thinking it might be my bias against creepy esoteric jazz, I checked with my Mister (a Zappa and Mike Patton fan) — maybe I was missing something? No, he assured me, this cd is not Zappa-esque, it’s not layered with subtle genius nor painstakingly composed. This is the sort of crap that Mr. Bungle’s under-the-stairs dwelling troglodyte brother would bang out if he got loose. Sorry, but I found little redeeming social value in this. Skip this if you don’t want to stab your eyeballs out with dull forks, and please don’t give this to impressionable children.

-HK-47

Shirts for a Cure Set Times

shirts_4a_cure Shirts for a Cure Announces Set Times For SXSW Free Show With The Bouncing Souls and Dillinger Four

Shirts for a Cure presents a FREE SXSW showcase on Friday, March 20th at Red 7. Doors open at high noon.

The A.K.A.’s 12:30 – 1:00
Ruiner 1:20 – 1:50
Darkest Hour 2:20 – 3:05
Dillinger Four 3:25 – 4:25
The Bouncing Souls 4:45 – 6:00

First come, first served – get here early for guaranteed admittance

Kottonmouth Kings – The Green Album

kottonmouthkingsgreenalbum Sometimes you watch an action movie and you leave the theater feeling like a badass, humming the Mission Impossible theme, hoping your car’s transformed into a James-Bond-mobile. You know that feeling… I just had a Fast & Furious movie marathon, so it left me in one of those post-car-chase-movie moods. Had I been looking for a soundtrack to keep that “I’m a misunderstood rebel car guy from SoCal” feeling alive, I’d throw in the Kottonmouth Kings new disc, “The Green Album”.

I’m not a gangsta. I’m not from SoCal. I’ve never listened to the Kottonmouth Kings before, so I can’t judge this album, their 10th full-length, in comparison to any previous works. That said, “The Green Album” is a decent assortment of 20 tracks that start off like a road race street party but winds down to a backyard love fest.

Continue reading Kottonmouth Kings – The Green Album

Hoods Sign to ISR

Hoods sign worldwide deal with I Scream Records

I Scream Records is very proud to welcome Hoods to the family.
Hoods founded in Sacramento, CA, in 1995 by Mike Hoods have grown into a Hardcore institution. Their music is a call to arms for all of those who have grown tired watching Hardcore be exploited and bastardized. Mike Hood has used his years of experience to craft one of the most brutal and honest West Coast Hardcore bands ever.
Hoods have released several albums on a number of independents and now the long-awaited new album “Pit Beast” is set for release in May 2009.

“14 years and we’re still here. Still playing Hardcore, still having fun and bringing the mosh. I had no idea when I started Hoods if we would even last a year. With so many ups and many more downs we definitely made our mark. Not only for West Coast Hardcore but all over the world. I live, eat and breathe this music”. Mike Hood

Laurens says: “We are excited to join forces with Hoods in the year I Scream Records is celebrating its 15th anniversary. They’re one of the hardest working bands out there and a great addition to our roster”

Hoods are on tour in North America in April 2009 and will invade Europe in May 2009. Make sure to check ’em out at a venue near you.