Cementing The Seams

I don't even know what to say, but this should suffice: "Jangling guitar and fuzzed out bass Claliforna surf punk jams rooted in obscure DC Hardcore".  I couldn't really say it much better, and you really shouldn't need any additional description before you start clawing at the buy button.  Anyway, totally killer west-coast punk stuff a la Descendents, Adolescents, Aggression and the like.  If you dug that Sleepies LP you should be into this. If not, you should be anyway.  "Problems" is the jam of the year (probably).

Buy it from Headcount

I don't really understand how this band flew under my radar all of last year, considering they were involved with Run For Cover records and pretty much everything the label did in 2010 was shoved down my throat at every possible turn.  This isn't a bad thing, these are the dudes responsible for the much lauded Hostage Calm LP and the oddly overrated Tigers Jaw catalog. This particular EP was actually released on City of Gold but now that's irrelevant. That being said you should know what to expect, kind of a Polar Bear Club or Hostage Calm vibe.  Really they remind me of Above Them, perhaps because they are both from the UK.  Anyway they released this and a two song EP (called "Two Song EP", which I probably like more, but its only "Two Songs") last year and it is worth a listen, even if you are burned out on the modern melodic hardcore bit.

How long did you think I was gonna go before posting about these guys? Not long, is the answer. I won't bother with descriptions or comparisons because I don't feel like repeating myself, and I can't think of anything I haven't said already.  "Fallacy Stilts" is the first release of the year by TGC (as they will henceforth be known) and it's probably my favorite release since Always Stay Sweet (which is my favorite altogether).  I'm not counting the One Clear Minute series in that evaluation because I feel like those need to be considered seperately (no, don't ask why).  "Fallacy Stilts" is a great way to kick off what is sure to be a great year for these guys (what year isn't?), and they are kind enough to give it away for free.  Do them, and yourself a favor and get it now.

Stream and Download at 

Here's another band I've posted about already once, but bears repeating.  Tilts (if you didn't read it before) are the relatively new band featuring Andrew fucking Elstner, guitarist and lead singer of Ridde of fucking Steel, alright?  Now they have a bandcamp for easy sampling. GET INTO IT.

Karoshi is a hardcore band from Nashville with members of other Nashville acts like Dawn and Sanctions.  "Ichi" was released last October appropriately by local hardcore label Meatcube and for some reason I waited until now to listen to it.  Anyway, now I've heard it and it's pretty much the only thing I've listened to since then.  If you've heard Sanctions (who are due to release their final LP soon...ish) then you'll have a pretty good idea of what to expect from Karoshi.  There is a bit more fine-tuning, precise guitar work and melodic hardcore influence.  Not as raw as either Dawn or Sanctions but the idea is essentially the same.  If you like all the other stuff in this vein I post on here you are bound to love this (I think).

Buy it from MeatCube

YUP.  There will probably be a few posts about these dudes this year so I'll keep this short.  The debut 7" is on the way via a kickstarter campaign and you can finally listen to a recorded version of the songs.  The A side being "Harden Your Heart" from that youtube video I posted and the B side, a Stranglers cover.  Thrilling.

Don't ask why I'm posting this now, or why I chose this Constantines record.  I like it the most of all their records even though I'm pretty sure that "Shine A Light" is somehow technically, an empirically better piece of work (and more relevant) all things considered.  "Kensington Heights" is by far their most polished album and a welcome improvement on "Tournament Of Hearts" which seemed lacking (despite having the best Constantines song, "Working Full Time").  They sanded down some of their post-punk edges and wrote a folkier take on their Black-Flag-meets-Bruce-Springsteen framework.  Shit rules.