Cementing The Seams

Once again I am way behind schedule with this place, and I'm going to try to post more here pretty soon.  That being said this definitely needs to be at the top of the queue.  "Vimana" is definitely one of my favorite releases of the entire year and I think it's because Two Inch Astronaut sorta reminds me a little of every band I like.  Honestly anything good about 90's/2000's indie rock found it's way into the makeup on "Vimana" but it manages to not sound recycled at all.  From what I gather the Maryland trio do this as a sort of side project, but I'm praying to sweet Spaghetti Jesus that Two Inch Astronaut will keep at it for several releases.

FFO: Les Savy Fav, Karate, Faraquet

Stream and Download at Bandcamp

I've been listening to this for a few months now, and every time I do it just gets better. Pine Barrens are from Manchester, UK (there is evidently a Pine Barrens from Philadelphia) and play a mix of dark hardcore and black metal. A bit like Tempest meets Bone Awl.  Anyway I finally found the tape for sale in the US a few weeks ago so I picked it up and remembered how good this demo is. I'm surprised this shit isn't more hyped to be honest.

FFO: Drainland, Bone Awl, Darkthrone

Stream, Download and Buy via Bandcamp

I was certain that the Masakari/Alpinist split LP was going to be the best thing to be released in this genre this year.  I was wrong. This is better.

FFO: Alpinist and Masakari

Stream a track at Bandcamp

Pre-order the US version from Cavity (when it happens) or Buy Euro from Distroy

Vacation are hard to peg. Aesthetically I think we're supposed to assume that they are a pop-punk band. Musically, describing them that way would be horribly innacurate.  On their self titled LP, Vacation draw from a lot of diverse decks.  Sometimes it's undeniably pop-punk. At others their lo-fi garage pop sound dominates.  Some parts even sound like big ticket indie rock, but somehow, every song sounds like all this shit at the same time. I don't know how they do it, and I really don't know how to describe it, but I can tell you that you're gonna like it.  

Stream and Download from The Recording Label

Buy it from Mandible Records

LVL UP comprises members of the NY emo band SIRS and lo-fi acts like Weird Korea and Morrison Brook.  They play throwback indie rock that sounds like Pavement (I'm sorry I compare everybody to Pavement), or a baby wrought from Modest Mouse and Superchunk.  "None of these bands sound the same" you might say.  OK then. "Space Brothers" is a jangly jamfest that will make your inner angsty teen grin like a nostalgic idiot. Or maybe that will only happen to me.

FFO: Modest Mouse, Superchunk, The Wrens, The Gifted Children

Stream at Bandcamp

Get it.

Remember in the last post when I talked about what made this all worth it?  Here is another shining example.  Town Portal are a math-rock band from Denmark with 2 members of Shelflife. The essence of Shelflife seeps through but Town Portal opens new doors.  The elements are pretty much all the same: dual guitars, thick basslines, shades of midwestern math-rock a la Shiner, Chavez, and Rodan, and precise mastering.  On Vacuum Horror though, the band significantly ups the heaviness quotient and basically rocks the fuck out.  Everything about this release is so good (the music, the art, the name) you have no excuse not to listen to it.

Stream and Download at Bandcamp

Completely awesome hardcore/punk/experimental stuff from Portland, OR.  I always try to write something significant that reflects how I feel about music I "review", or gives some reliable indication of what to expect from a release.  Mostly I completely miss this mark so I ask myself pretty much every time I think about writing something: why the hell do I do this?  Sloths is the answer.  I do it because occasionally somebody says 'listen to THIS' (see: Sleepies, Armada, Shat Shorts).

For Fans of: Self-Actualization

Stream and Download at Bandcamp

I don't feel the need to justify this to anybody.  Suffice to say that it is the perfect follow up to "Black Sun/Fake Gold" and Gasmask Terror are unfuckwithable.  Get on it!

FFO: Skitkids, Ripping, Wailing, Shredding

Buy it.

Man this is awesome.  No frills, just all around fantastic pop-punk from two little known-bands who have got their shit correct.  Lipstick Homicide is a female-fronted band from Iowa that offers up some feel-good bike riding jams for hot summer days. Pretty kitschy, straight forward jingles, but catchy as all hell.  Billy Raygun...  I don't even know, their side is so god damn good. Dillinger Who?

FFO: Bad Banana, Dillinger Four, Lemuria, Ambulars,

Sneeze are a relatively new band from Boston who play a poppy sort of grunge/pop-punk amalgam.  They are embarking on a nation wide summer tour with The Clippers in July so be on the lookout for that.  Sneeze comprises members of L'antietam and Ape Up and they sound nothing like either of those bands which is pretty awesome.  "Grandma In The Trenches" is 8 songs worth of excellent 90's riff rock with a heavy post-punk feel that totally reminds me of Slowride.  Albeit a little rougher around the edges.  This needs to be in your rotation this summer.

Stream and Download at Bandcamp

Buy it from Bear Records

FFO: Get Bent, Bridge & Tunnel, The Sidekicks

Stream and Buy (or get it free) at Bandcamp

So this finally came in the mail, which I suppose means it's about time to say a few words about it.  "Infrastructure" is the latest LP by California hardcore 3-piece Ghostlimb, and it is one of the stand-out records of the year.  Ferocious hardcore punk with an abundance of great riffs, subtle melody and a train load of pure energy, "Infrastructure" is far and away Ghostlimb's most realized, well-rounded effort to date.  Honestly this album caught me by surprise, as I suspected it to be merely good. A lot of hardcore bands that get way more attention are trying pretty hard to write a record like this.  Ghostlimb rip through 11 tracks and leave everything else in the dust with a final song aping hip folk punk bands like Against Me.  And they do that better too.

FFO: Graf Orlock, Punch, Unless, the bay area

Ghostlimb at Bandcamp

Buy it from Vitriol

Smug Brothers are another excellent lo-fi indie-pop group from Ohio who take their cues from the likes of Big Star and Guided By Voices (with whom they evidently share a drummer).  The 18 songs on "Fortune Rumors" float around from different eras and influences to give the whole album a lot of variety, but maintain its simplicity well enough.  Some songs are decidedly Beatles-esque while others sound like Superchunk.  If you dig anything the Tinhorn Planet has been releasing lately then you should check this out.

FFO: Guided By Voices, The Gifted Children, The Strungs

Stream and download at Bandcamp

Oh man, I almost forgot to post this.  Sleepies are back for the first time since releasing one of 2010's best LPs with a 2 song digital EP called "Hot Singles".  The Brooklyn band offers up more of the same snotty post-punk riffage that made me fall in love with the their LP last year.  If you aren't listening to this band, you're doing it wrong.

Stream and download at Bandcamp

Part three of this block of lady punk posts comes to us by way of another duo called Bad Banana.  Actually they now play with some other people but that is a minor semantic detail (because as we all know; duo means 'danger').  Anyhow this 7" just came out on Puzzle Pieces Records and is the perfect follow up to their 10 song demo "Crushfield".  With additional accompaniment and time behind the mixing board Bad Banana have gone from recorded-in-a-bathroom lo-fi pop punk to whatever comes next.  4 tracks of truly infectious summer jams that should have me biking, skating and flipping this record over and over until September.

Stream some of the demo tracks on Muxtape

Buy it from Puzzle Pieces

Listen at Bandcamp

Buy it from Mountain Man

It is officially spring (for me anyway), and as everyone knows that means it is pop-punk season.  To kick off what hopefully becomes a string of related posts, I feel it necessary to post this EP by New Jersey trio Big Eyes.  This is perfect sunny weather, bike riding music.  Think The Runaways (oh yeah did I mention the singer was a lady?) mixed with proto pop-punk ala The Ramones.  Throw in some modern punk flair and a pretty strong surf influence and you have all the parts for Big Eyes.  I really hope this band releases an LP.

Buy it from Tankcrimes

People need to start hearing this shit.

Peep this post for info regarding the purchase of this record album

Go to Europe from April 25th to June 6th to see these guys.

This is one of those obligatory 'I support everything this band does' posts.  Back in late '09/early '10 (like forever ago dudes) I could have crashed the Ex Wife bandwagon by myself considering the speed with which I jumped aboard the hype train.  It seems like this EP is getting a lot of attention,  but it may just be my frame of reference.  On this (supposedly their final release) Ex Wife has added a bassist and relaxed a little bit.  At first I wasn't sure if I was a fan of their slower sound but after a few listens I realized it didn't make much of a difference. They still write killer songs that seem to evoke some level of emotional reaction from me that few bands can.  As a swan song "June" is appropriately melancholy, but what it misses in energy it makes up for in composition.  This band could have been something else and this proves it.

FFO: The other Ex Wife releases, the emo revival

Stream and download at Bandcamp

If you have any taste at all then you can probably skip this post because you definitely know everything it contains.  Or you could read it anyway and feel smug about how cool you are. If you have for some idiotic reason have not listened this band yet, then prepare to punch your genitals in regret/self-actualization. Either way the Big Kids will still be the best pop-punk band in the US/world/universe and they will still have 2011 by the balls with all the great music they are putting out.

Firstly, both the Hoop Dreams tape (Mountain Man Records) and LP (Protagonist) have been repressed.

Secondly, the Kids have a slew of NEW music being released.  Their split 7" with Koalacaust has been out and shipping from Mountain Man (see above) for a few weeks now. 

Mountain Man also has their newest EP "Don't Be A Baby" on cassette up for preorder right now.  A 7" version of said EP is available from Top Shelf for preorder as well.  These should be shipping in the next few weeks.

Soon enough they will also be releasing a split 7" with pop-punk freight train Joyce Manor.  Look for it soon at Solidarity Records.

AND, this summer Big Kids will be headed to europe to tour, but before that they'll be releasing a new LP stateside with Protagonist.

Excited yet?

Stream some new tracks at Bandcamp

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