Cementing The Seams

Firstly, let me apologize in regards to the lack of updates around here lately.  To be honest, I've been listening to old music a lot lately and haven't heard anything new that has really caught my attention.  I intend to change this pretty much immediately.  So check back, and if you want, recommend something.

That said, I did get some mail worth listening to recently.  The Gifted Children's first release of 2010 is "Please Freeze Me", a full-length cd that strives to capture the mood of winter, and though it's pretty much spring now, I can still get into this.  Their description is pretty right on: "Please Freeze Me" definitely has a wintery feel, and sounds pretty much like you might expect.  Lots of minor chords, piano, slow meter, melancholy, and general solemness that one would associate with 4 hours of daylight and 300 inches of snow (I'm from Alaska).  But it's not all sad, it seems they couldn't resist including some signature pop jams, including (but not limited too) probably one of my favorite TGC songs "Unlimited February".   Check it out.

For fans of: The New Pornographers, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Capstan Shafts, Guided By Voices

The Gifted Children on Myspace

Big Kids are a punk band from Oakland who plan to embark on a west coast tour this summer with fellow Bay Area punk rockers Dead To Me and emo mathletes 1994!.  It shouldn't surprise you that these dudes are awesome, what with all the top tier punk/hardcore music coming out of the Bay Area as of late.  If you are familiar with what I'm talking about then you shouldn't need any convincing.  If you're not, then trust me, you reaaaallllyyy should be.

Big Kids on Myspace

Fine Lines were a DC post-hardcore band that weren't around for very long.  Their only releases were this demo and split cassette with Maryland emo revivalists Boost, who are pretty damn good as well.  They don't really typify what you'd expect a DC band found on this blog to sound like, but they do claim to sound like "if Rites of Spring wore mittens while playing their songs" which seems pretty fair.  Though technically I suppose they are on par with Rites of Spring from a musicianship standpoint.  They do showcase some seriously awesome angular guitar noise with an ear for that melodious middle-ground that a lot of bands fall just short of.  It's a real shame that this band didn't go places because everything the recorded is way good.  So check them out.  You can also follow a link on their myspace page to download their split cassette with Boost.  I recommend it (and Boost too).

For fans of:  Drive Like Jehu, Ampere, Challenger

Fine Lines on Myspace

Get it.

Hey everybody.  In the mood for some screamo? Me neither!  Actually though, this band is pretty good.  Reminds of early Cease Upon The Capitol, which is why I like it.  Anyway, these dudes are from Malaysia, so of course "Tin Kosong" was released by Utarid Tapes (cause, you know, they are from Malaysia too), who pump out some really good shit.  It also has some really awesome packaging.  I totally want one, but like most things, nobody carries it in the states.


For fans of:  Cease Upon The Capitol, La Quiete, Funeral Diner

Dramacoma on Myspace

Get it.