Can't Draw To Save...

it has been MONTHS

2011-09-18T19:57:00.000-04:00

so I'm a huge dick and seriously haven't posted on here since april? huh? and i feel like before that it was awhile as well. idk what my issue is. a few posts i started, but didn't finish. and then the real bad news. last month my external hard drive with ALL of my music crashed. so albums/bands I wanted to write about, well, i don't have them anymore. this blows. and while i cant write and suggest things, the biggest loss to me personally was of all of my past bands. Which in a lot of cases, i was the only member who had the recordings. so im hurting. i dont have the funds presently to try recovering my hard drive, and i also dont have the money to buy a external to transfer whatever they could salvage. if anything. so what does this mean? idk. i still plan on getting on top of this again. its just when i have what i want to write about. and presently, i dont have that. I will keep you all posted on progress, etc. i apologize to anyone who actually checked this.

Best of 2010

2011-04-08T23:44:00.002-04:00

So to be completely honest, I feel like kind of a loser with this years “Best Of” list. Last year it seemed like I covered so much! Not only that, but I had a whole separate post of albums I forgot on my first list. I guess the whole idea was kind of epic. At least for me. haha. Either I wasn’t as into music this past year, or I just wasn’t that into a lot of what came out. So here are my faves for the year 2010. It probably is feasible that I will remember stuff that I dug after I post this. That seems to be my way. But enjoy this for now. And as always, if you enjoy the music you hear, please seek it out and purchase it!

Full Lengths
Deftones – Diamond Eyes

Download The Album Here
Torche – Songs For Singles

Download The Album Here
Mogwai – Special Moves

Download The Album Here
Maserati – Pyramid Of The Sun

Download The Album Here
Sun Kil Moon – Admiral Fell Promises

Download The Album Here

A Silver Mt. Zion - Kollaps Tradixionales

Download The Album Here
Envy – Recitation

Download The Album Here
The Walkmen – Lisbon

Download The Album Here
Jonsi – Go

Download The Album Here

EP’s
Suis La Lune – US Tour 7inch

Download The Album Here
This Will Destroy You – Moving On The Edges Of Things

Download The Album Here
Frodus – Soundlab 1

Download The Album Here
Maserati – Pyramid Of The Moon

Download The Album Here

Reissues
Refused – The Shape Of Punk To Come

Download The Album Here
Weezer – Pinkerton (Deluxe Edition)

Download The Album Here
Converge – Jane Doe

Download The Album Here
The Cure – Disintegration

Download The Album Here

Compellations
Daïtro – Collected

Download The Album Here

Pavement – Quarantine The Past

Download The Album Here

Connections, Part II Split (featuring Suis La Lune, Kias Fansuri, The Saddest Landscape, Adorno, Isaiah, Captain, Your Ship Is Sinking)

Download The Album Here
Sonic Youth – Hits Are For Squares

Download The Album Here

Wow, 2011

2011-01-01T18:50:00.000-05:00

so its a new year. i havent posted on here in a crazy long time. september apparently. i know alot of people make new years resolutions. mine this year was to get back into writing on here. no clue why i disappeared. have a few posts i just never posted. look forward to posts and I'm going to try to do a best of 2010 posts. i promise to return to the scene for the few of you who care. <3

Rush – Moving Pictures

2010-09-05T11:29:00.002-04:00

(note: I wrote this PRE seeing Rush Thursday.)

Here is the deal. I am going to see Rush this upcoming Thursday. I'm freaking out. I haven't seen them since 2004. They were awesome then. But they were on tour for the “Vapor Trails” album. Which doesn't suck. But yo, this is fucking “Moving Pictures.” And idk if its true or not, but i heard that they are playing this album IN ITS ENTIRETY on their present tour. That along with a lot of their hits from over the years. So yes, safe to say, I'm very excited. This album is a hit machine pretty much. The first 4 songs are fucking CLASSIC. “Tom Sawyer” is one of the quintessential Rush songs. I think most people would agree to that. And its what starts off this album. I don't honestly know if this is the best Rush album. It was the third in a string of awesome records. The other two being “Hemispheres” and “Permanent Waves.” Between those 3 albums are a shit ton of amazing material. So i usually sort of hold them as my trinity of great Rush albums. haha. I try not to pick. Yes I know. You are thinking,”What about 2112?” Yes, that album is great. Its just, well, that's a different Rush. haha. I know that sounds weird, but the 3 albums I mentioned are just a different Rush. Different from 2112 era. Like i said, its hard. I love all the shit they have done since Peart started playing drums for them. So yeah, that's a few records before they got to this point on a musical level. I love the band. I'm stoked. And this album and its songs rock. The end. Go listen to Rush, k?

Download The Album Here

Buy It If You Like It

Codeine – The White Birch

2010-08-22T12:23:00.001-04:00

When i was younger. I heard about slowcore and sadcore. Two genres of music that seemed fairly interchangeable. The music is exactly the same but the differentiation comes from the lyrics and what they are about. Either emotional and “sad” or more open ended. So really, interpretation of a band’s music plays alot into what you would consider them. Any how, the first band I started listening to that had been described as either of these genres was Red House Painters. I liked them so much that I looked into more bands. I got into Low and Idaho. And i think that was the end of my searching out slowcore/sadcore bands. So flash forward to years later. I start listening to Rodan and every band that is associated with them. Through my interest in Rodan, and later June of 44, i came upon Codeine. A slowcore/sadcore band i had heard of, but never heard. This is my shit. I mean, completely different from Red House Painters. More along the lines of Low. Like a Chicago style slowcore band, but from New York. The songs are slow. and they do tend to have a sad feel both musically and lyrically. But this band is really heavy at times. Leading the way with huge sounding distorted basslines. I mean, even beautiful with how it adds a ethereal quality. How i missed out on this album for so long is really beyond me. It sounds like something I would like. I think most people that listen to it could tell you that. “The White Birch” is actually revered as one of the defining albums in Slowcore and Sadcore. So definitely give it a listen. A good album to know.

Download The Album Here

Buy it if you like it!

NEW SISTER BLOG!

2010-08-09T17:20:00.003-04:00

http://cantdrawtosave.tumblr.com/

because i suck at html and have no clue how to do it on here. (if anyone knows please let me know)

just songs that i love and am really into at the moment.

theres a very real chance it will be updated more than this blog because its WAY easier. haha.

Tenebre – Self Titled EP

2010-07-30T21:17:00.001-04:00

I realize I haven't written anything for this blog in a while. In a minute as the youths say. I'm sorry. Shit still sucks in my life. And sadly, I'm still listening to ALOT of the same stuff I've already written about. But listen I LOVE Tenebre. I wrote about their full length a long time ago. The band just does it for me. This is their latest release. Its great. You can listen to it here FOR FREE! You can also buy the album from that site in record and digital form. DO IT!

Aloha – Sugar

2010-06-05T18:36:00.001-04:00

This album takes me back to a time when I was first sort of thrust into all the indie underground stuff. Granted, in middle school i got into the hardcore that was going on in Syracuse and through that found about about other hardcore bands. High school brought more post hardcore DC type stuff into what i was listening to. I also got more into 90’s alternative rock stuff. But after high school was when I started to really get into indie rock and what had been and was going on to my oblivious mind. Aloha was one of the many bands I found in that time that opened me up to different ideas musically. Aloha set the standard for the sort of jazz/post rock influenced indie rock band. They weren't Tortoise. There is enough of a pop sensibility to their songs that there is the chance for a crossover to someone that is not hip to post rock or anything like that. The vocals play just as important of a role as the vibraphone does. Which is often not the case with post rock bands. Considering a large portion of them are instrumental. This record start to finish is set up to sort of just move all together. Seamless transitions between songs make it seem like it is one long song. And to view it like that, would be a bit much. I mean, there is ALOT going on with this record. There are all sorts of ideas. Whether they be lyrical, musical or whatever else. Sometimes, I have to admit, that it can become a bit much if you don't know what you are getting into. Thick layers of all sorts of sounds. Keyboards, Percussion, Sounds, Vibraphone, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Etc. Sometimes it seems like the songs come to the brink of falling apart into some sort of noisy collapse. But they find their way back every time. I’m not trying to scare anyone away. This record is fucking great. It has some amazing moments. Some beautiful musical movements. Some outrageous drumming. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, a drummer really makes a band in a lot of ways. At least for certain kinds of music. The album is always interesting. Mathy. Ambient. Technical. Music at its best in a lot of ways. I don't know if this is really Aloha’s best album. I just know its the one I’ve listened to the most over time and have grown most attached to. Songs like “They See Rocks”, “Let Your Head Hang Low”, “Balling Phase”, “Protest Song” and “We Get Down” seal it for me. Okay, I just named like, half the album. haha. I don't care. That just shows how awesome this record is. If you are into post rock influenced indie rock, or indie rock influenced post rock, listen. Experimental music? listen. I think even my hippie coworker could dig this record. haha.

Download The Album Here

Buy It If You Like It

Cap’n Jazz – Burritos, Inspiration Point, Fork Balloon Sports, Cards in the Spokes, Automatic Biographies, Kites, Kung Fu, Trophies, Banana Peels We've Slipped on and Egg Shells We've Tippy Toed Over

2010-06-01T21:48:00.002-04:00

The term emo has been thrown around so much. And it means different things to everyone. If I mention emo to my mallcore coworkers at P&C, I’m sure they would think of some MTV2 band i could give two fucks about. Its very sad. Me? Well, I’m informed. At least to the level that I know it can mean a bunch of different things. haha. Cap’n Jazz was the frontrunner in the Chicago emo (and later indie) sound. Musically taking cues from a lot of the emocore acts from DC like Embrace (maybe more so Fugazi. though I consider them post hardcore, not emo) and Rites of spring while adding their own ideas to make the music they put out completely original. Cap’n Jazz were all a bunch of young turks when they started the band. Barely teenagers. And while a lot of the present day emo is young whiney bands, they NEVER came off that way. Even with singer Tim Kinsella’s voice cracking as he sung and screamed, their lyrics were never typical of where the genre has gone. The band is really more likable to post hardcore, but that is what emo was originally. At this facet of it anyway. haha. Weird how something can change so much. This is the only full length Cap’ Jazz ever put out. They were on some different comps, 7’s and splits. But truly, these are the best songs they have. And they broke up pretty much right after this came out. All their songs, except for the song “Naive”, were later rereleased on the compilation CD “Analphabetapolothology.” That is where me and pretty everyone else that wasn't back around going to shows in 93-94 first heard the band. And these 12 songs were featured on the first CD. This album is otherwise known as “Schmap'n Schmazz.” Which realistically is a easier album title, but personally not as fun. haha. This recommendation comes sort of as a precursor to their show I’m going to see next month. Reuniting after like 15 years. Besides being there own beast of a band, the list of bands that the members of this band started afterword is unbelievable. Check the tag on this post to see all the bands that were formed by the ex members. All gold in my opinion. Just like this album. Seriously, start to finish. Great, youthful, passionate, energetic post hardcore. I cant imagine you haven't heard them. Or at least heard of them.

Download The Album Here

If you like it, buy “Analphabetapolothology” on CD or soon on Double LP.

Frodus – And We Washed Our Weapons In The Sea

2010-05-29T23:55:00.001-04:00

This album is in heavy rotation on my real world music listening device presently. I just love it. I love Frodus in general. The majority of their catalog is all over the place. I mean, this is the band that the genre “spazzcore” came to represent. Or more so, the band that pioneered the genre. So right, doesn't that sound like something i would gravitate towards? haha. You know me all too well reader who i don't even know. I can admit that the majority of Frodus’ catalog does not sound like this album. And thats okay. They were a typical good band that changed with each release. This album falls into the screamy post hardcore genre. At least for me. As it has become typical for me, i like this album for its moments of beauty and the gut busting rock. The first time I ever heard of Frodus was in the Lovitt Transmissions DVD. I bought it for Engine Down and Sleepytime Trio. But there are a whole lot of other great bands shown on the DVD. and Frodus is one of them. I dont exactly know how i figured out what song it was, but the first song the band is shown playing on that DVD is like, the heaviest fucking thing ever. And i will admit made me download everything they ever put out. haha. I listened to all of their albums and figured out that the part I was so blown away by was from a early version of the song “The Awesome Machine”, which is off this album. Being that hearing/seeing that was sort of the spark that got me into the band in the first place, I can say that i centered more on this album than other releases. (btw, here is the link to that part from the DVD. the first part that is played is the song im talking about. SO HEAVY) This album is beautiful. Its heavy. Intense. It has what i look for in music. Start to finish there is not a moment that is off. Atmosphere is such a critical part to its power. Sadly, I think this album’s biggest claim to fame is that Thrice covered the song “The Earth Isnt Humming” for their one album. I dont know the name of the album. I honestly dont care. No care about that band. And I’m sure there are Thrice fans that feel the same about Frodus. But yeah, fuck those people. haha. All that aside, that song is fucking awesome. Probably why I’m like, hey, don't cover that shit! haha. “6/99” is probably my favorite song off this album at the moment. Like most my recent posts, that has to do with the loss I have recently been dealt with my fiancé throwing me out of her and my future son’s life. Its been very hard. The closest I can put how i feel is when my best friends sister died. She was like my sister. And I still cry when I think of her loss. I heard that Shelby Cinca, singer and guitarist of Frodus, wrote this song after two close friends of his died. Thats how i feel, and thats probably why i identify with this song so much. But I dont really want to make this entry about me. (Though I will say, all music is important based off of the listeners interpretation and experience through it.) This album is such a great release for the band. It really is a swan song. It really is their best album. I know fans of their early work will fight me. But its just overall a more accomplished release then their past works. Washington, DC post hardcore at its best!

Download The Album Here

Buy It If You Like it!

Sed Non Satiata – Self Titled LP

2010-05-22T18:43:00.004-04:00

I randomly found this the other day. I had heard a tune from it a long while ago and knew that the band was coming out with it. But that was pretty much it. Hadn't heard anything about it. And idk, one night when I was really depressed, just randomly found it. And it was so awesome. Cause immediately, I went from being unbelievably sad and depressed to being crazy happy. Like, shouting. haha. Now, why is that? Well, I love Sed Non Satiata. Along with Daïtro, they are one of my favorite bands of the skramz/real screamo genre. They have this way of just being so heavy and and intense, and having musical movements that are just flat out beautiful. They and Daïtro are friends, have put out a split together, and i feel like drive one another to keep putting out awesome music. Last year, Daïtro came out with “Y.” And it is a absolutely awesome album. I have to admit that after it came out I did remember thinking to myself “Your move Sed Non Satiata.” hahaha. The last album they had released was their split with Daïtro. And their side of that record was really great. Their self titled record finds them expanding on their musical style. The LP’s opening song “Les Colonnes De Soie” is fucking amazing. And is probably one of the bands best. The album in general is really great. As has been my complaint with the band in the past, I just wish the album had more songs. But its hard with the French screamo. The stuff borders on post rock often. So long instrumental songs are often common place. This album’s 5 songs still equal the same amount of time you would expect from a band putting out a normal 11 song album. So yeah, I have to get over my bullshit and remember, quality NOT quantity. haha. The quality of this album is tops. And in a lot of ways, well worth the wait. Sed Non Satiata can write a fucking song! haha. I hope this isn't the last time we hear from Sed Non Satiata. Like I have said, they are one of my favorite bands. I can only hope that they and Daïtro tour the states together in support of their respective albums. That would be sweet! Please enjoy this record. Its quite good. :-D

Download The Album Here

Seek it out and buy it if you like it!

Majority Rule

2010-05-13T21:55:00.004-04:00

Majority Rule is a all time favorite band of mine. It all started senior year of high school. They opened up one of the punk shows that happened at the Westcott Community Center every Friday Night. They actually opened for Syracuse locals Just Passed. And i had friends in that band. I remember watching Majority Rule with them, and thinking “why is this band OPENING this show?” only to have my friend from Just Passed lean over and say to his band mate “I cant believe this band is opening for us!” haha. I was hooked and from that point on, tried to see them every time they played town. They were one of the tightest live bands i had seen. And they were playing some of the heaviest, highest energy, screamy whatever music I had heard. To call Majority Rule hardcore is a disservice in my honest opinion. There are moments on their albums that are absolutely beautiful. There are moments that are unbelievably heavy. They have got everything. That is what the band was known for. Majority Rule’s sound can be traced back to the VA screamo sound. But they added variants to that sound like atmospherics, time changes and other musical ideas that made them completely unique. To this day, they are one of the LOUDEST bands I’ve ever seen. A three piece and yet they sounded as loud as a five piece metal band with full stacks. haha. No clue how they did it. Majority Rule was the band I heard that got me away from your typical hardcore bullshit. They got me to listen to different screamy types of music that, in my opinion, are even more passionate and intelligent then any of that straight, fast, typical bullshit. This recommendation is sort of all over the place. Its so hard to write about this band. They are just so musically important to me. I hope that when I have kids some day that this is what I grow up listening to around them. haha. Is that weird? haha. I really wish this band did not break up. I KNOW I am not alone in that dream. Their shows were some of the best times of my life. Its very rare that you have a band playing songs this heavy, without some dumbass starting a mosh pit. But it never happened. And I loved that. I loved people singing along. Clapping. It was right up there with Syracuse locals Bad Cops for best show atmosphere. Majority Rule and Nakatomi Plaza at the Westcott still ranks up there as one of the best shows I’ve ever been at. I’ve lost my point. Sorry, this is worship. I don't care. This band was amazing. They deserve every sort of accolade. Every talk up. They deserve it all. I really wish they had point out full length. I really wish they point out a CD or album of old shit from splits and EP’s. But those will remain dreams. I’m so glad this band existed. A short story to end this blog. My birthday is coming up this month. Years ago, I had a birthday coming up and saw that Majority Rule was playing a show in I believe Rochester, NY the day before. I was going to treat myself and go. I ended up emailing them and telling them. And i told them my favorite song of theirs was “I Need No More” off of their 7 inch. And i asked if they could play it for me. Turned out, they were playing here in Syracuse on my birthday. I hadn't heard of the show for whatever reason. But Majority Rule agreed to play it! I couldn't believe it. Well the worst thing happened. My ride and everything got fucked up, and i didn't get to go. i was really depressed. And the worst for me personally was that they actually played the song and gave a birthday shout out to me. EXCELLENT! I’ve never got over missing that. But like, that just gives you a idea as to what great guys Majority Rule was on top of everything else. They would go out of their way for some random person they don't know, just because that person loves their band. I pray for a reunion every time i listen to them. One of the most important bands of my life. Which may be surprising to some people.

Interviews With David Frost

7 inch

Emergency Numbers

Split with Pg. 99 (Just the Majrule portion. Sorry)

there are other splits and things out there, but these are essential. I would also say try to find the song “Now Breathe.” That song fucking destroys.

The Rentals – Return Of The Rentals

2010-05-05T19:23:00.002-04:00

I met Matt Sharp years ago. He played a solo show in my town. And i was just so taken aback to meet him. Matt Sharp was the original bass player of Weezer. And though I have ZERO interest in that band now, their first two albums are unstoppable. I have always given a lot of that to Matt Sharp. Seeing as after his exit from the band they put out nothing that came close to those two albums. Those two albums were so important to me as a youth. And I think when i met him I freaked him about a bit. haha. Besides being one of the minds behind two of the most important albums of my youth, Matt Sharp started a side project while in Weezer that while always awesome, has become personally important to me in the last month. The Rentals existed for years in some form or another before the release of this, their first album. And when this album hit, i remember it’s single “Friends of P” being very popular on the MTV. The band had a NEW new wave sound going for themselves. Alternative wave? And where Matt had often taken a higher, falsetto singing style in Weezer, the higher registers are taken over by dual female vocals. The songs on this album are often times really heavy. Not just from a musical standpoint, but from a lyrical standpoint. I never really noticed it before recently. I’d listened to this album god knows how many times, always loved it. But now there is this whole new layer. A lot of the songs deal with lost love, the idea of not being happy, not finding what you are looking for in life. I mean, this shit hits home for me right now. haha. But i like that the band is musically upbeat to the point that for years, i didn't see the deeper, maybe sadder, side to a lot of the songs. How can you be depressed when there are moogs about? haha. My favorite song off this album has always been “My Summer Girl.” Recently, the song has taken a sad personal turn for me. But I’m just glad to hear such awesome songs about things that I am experiencing now. And they are written in a way, that makes me sad but makes me realize, you can take something life changing and make something really great out of it. Its going to take me awhile to be able to do that. But I have albums like this one help me through that time. And to also help me realize, LOTS of people have gone and are going through the same thing I am right now. Thank you Matt Sharp. I love you.

Download The Album Here

Buy It If You Like It!

Mock Orange – Nines & Sixes

2010-05-04T14:12:00.003-04:00

Recently the love of my life broke up with me. It was sudden, unexpected and uncalled for. I’ve been having one of the hardest times in my life since. I’ve been looking for escape in any form that I can find it. And since I don't do drugs or drink, that pretty much equals: friends, music, and artistic expression. My friends are few and far between. Usually very busy with their own lives. For whatever reason, my own artistic expression is severely limited. The last time a girl I loved broke my heart, I wrote a whole album about it. Now, I cant even seem to finish a song. So that leaves me with the music I love. Some things I listen to, no matter how much I love them, aren’t able to cut through my state of depression. But I have found that there are two albums that have been able to put me in a good state of mind. Along with Suis La Lune’s EP “Heir”, “Nines & Sixes” by Mock Orange works. And it works quite well. This is a band that I sadly cant stand now. I think this album, and its follow up “The Record Play”, is the reason behind that. Mock Orange was such an amazing band. There is pretty much NO basis for direct comparison to ANY other bands that existed. In a lot of reviews they get compared to Sunny Day Real Estate. But I’m sorry I just don't hear it. I’ve read reviews that mention them like they were just another mid 90’s emo rip off band that didn't do anything new for the genre. THATS FUCKING BULLSHIT! Not a single review of this album, or its follow up, talk anything about the beauty or the technical proficiency Mock Orange used to exert. “Nines & Sixes” is the bands first full length album. And I know that for me and a lot of people, its a milestone. The band used to play a form of emo that, while influenced by bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, was completely original. The term math rock gets thrown around a lot. But i really feel like Mock Orange was sort of a godfather of where parts of that genre have gone. Off kilter time changes, weird time accents, absolutely awesome drum lines. And all the while having a great understanding that you can do all of that, and still write a catchy song. The thing that i think i am mostly drawn to about this record right now in my life, is the lyrics. I used to always listen to this album because of the awe inspiring song structures. But now, I’m finding songs that have meaning and say things that I feel. I like that. And i think that me finding it in something I already have a great connection to really makes me happy. I can listen to this album start to finish numerous times, and it never gets old for me. I’ve been listening to it a lot lately. Cause like I said, there are few things that make me happy in the world now. This album is one of them. I will cherish it forever. Even though I don't like the band anymore. haha. If you haven't listened to this album before, and like mid 90’s emo bands, do yourself a favor and check it out. Its energetic. Its different. Its important to me.

Download The Album Here

Buy it if you like it

Here's video of the boys playing "Window Shopping" off of Nines & Sixes live.

Honorable Mentions of 2009

2010-05-03T01:02:00.002-04:00

Well hello there! As I stated in my last "real" blog post, i would be doing a follow up to my best of 2009 post. This post will contain albums that i didn't listen to enough or just plain forgot to cover in the “Best of 2009” post. As I also mentioned, I’m not going to do full write ups of the the albums. Just album and link. Maybe ill put genre tags for good measure. Enjoy shit i should've written about already! haha.

Them Crooked Vultures – Self Titled

stoner rock/metal, neo-classic rock, alternative rock

Download The Album Here

Bygones – By-

instrumental math rock, experimental, noise

Download The Album Here

Narrows – New Distances

metalcore, math metal

Download The Album Here

Saxon Shore – It Doesn't Matter

instrumental post rock

Download The Album Here

Dinosaur Jr. – Farm

Alternative Rock, Indie Rock

Download The Album Here

Toe – For Long Tomorrow

post rock, instrumental rock, indie rock

Download The Album Here

Polar Bear Club – Chasing Hamburg

post hardcore, emo, indie rock, alternative rock

Download The Album Here

Victor Villareal – Alive

Indie Rock, Acoustic, Singer/Songwriter

Download The Album Here

Kalpana – Teeth On The Wheel

Post rock, Indie rock, Space rock

Download The Album Here

Converge – Axe To Fall

math metal, metalcore

Download The Album Here

Maserati – Passages

Post Rock, Instrumental Rock, Experimental Rock

Download The Album Here

El Grupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriguez Lopez – Cryptomnesia

Experimental Rock, Neo-Progressive Rock, Alternative Rock

Download The Album Here

Do Make Say Think – Other Truths

Post Rock, Indie Rock, Alternative Rock

Download The Album Here

Built To Spill – There Is No Enemy

Indie Rock, Alternative Rock

Download The Album Here

Young Widows – Split Series

Post Hardcore, Noise Rock, Alternative Rock

Download Them Here

As always, if you enjoy the music you’ve heard, please seek it out and buy it! I cant stress this enough!

Bipolar Relationship Destruction

2010-04-23T15:15:00.004-04:00

I'm sorry readers. I had all these great ideas for future blogs and reviews, but a few weeks ago, my fiancé just up and broke up with me. I've been pretty devastated. And as a result, all of the things I had planned to do, are on back burner till I can be happy again. So Idk if anyone really follows this blog, but I'm sorry. Good news is, next week I'm going to see Mastodon and Baroness and in the next few months I'm going to be heading to the Cap'n Jazz reunion show in Philly. So yeah, im stoked on those things. I promise once I can get out of my funk, I'll start posting again. I love you all.

-matt (aka the guy that writes this blog. haha.)

My “Best Of” 2009

2010-03-18T23:50:00.001-04:00

so let me just begin this post by saying that I have never done anything this ambitious in ANY of my previous posts. The idea of reviewing a bunch of albums in one post still seems kind of unbelievable to me. I don't know how its going to work out. Some of this might surprise you. Just a few quick notes. These are not going to be arranged by date of release, personal importance to me or anything else. I’m just going to write about what comes to my mind, when it comes to my mind. And I’m going to try to keep the write ups MUCH shorter than usual. Its also probably guaranteed that I will forget some important releases. I apologize in advance for that. here we go…

FULL LENGTH

Coalesce – OX

The first album I’m going to tackle, and one that I was very excited about when it came out, is Coalesce’s “Ox”. This album was their return to the scene, as it were, after they released the really good Salt And Passage 7inch in 2007 and that was it until this album’s release. What I love about this album is that, despite a few minor tweaks and adages to their sound, this is the Coalesce of old. Often bands get old and they sell out. And that doesn't always refer to major label kind of talks. They sell out their sound and what fans expect to hear them play. Coalesce doesn't disappoint. The math metal/core/whatever is still hard and heavy. All over the place. Sean Ingram’s voice is as brutal as ever. This was the type of release that when we fans heard it, we were so excited. Because the quality of the output is stupendous. If you are into bands like Botch, Converge, Dillinger Escape Plan, etc., why the fuck haven't you heard this album yet? Why don't you own and love this album? Get on top of that quick, okay?

Download The Album Here

The Mercury Program – Chez Viking

The Mercury Program had been gone for a VERY long time. How long? Well, the last release they were a part of was 2003’s “Confines Of Heat” Split with Maserati and their last release was “A Data Learn The Language”in 2002. So yeah, i wasn't shitting you. All through out that time there were constant rumors of the band’s demise. I myself didn't know what was going on. But the main reason that there wasn’t any recorded output from the band was because their past label’s had all crumbled and they didn't have a label. This album was actually recorded for quite awhile, and Lovitt records was nice enough to step up and release it. THANK YOU! The Mercury Program are undeniably influenced by the Tortoise post rock sound, but they have their own sound. Often, heavier with more complex drumming and delayed guitar parts reminiscent of The Edge from Joshua Tree era U2. Its great that after all this time the album still sounds fresh. I’m really hoping this is the beginning of a lot of future releases by the band on their new label.

Download The Album Here

Zombi – Spirit Animal

I love horror movies. I don't really think that the average reader of this blog, that doesn't know me, would know that. The majority of horror movies I like are not the new crap that is coming out, but the older stuff. So what does anything of this have to do with the band Zombi? Back in the 70’s & 80’s there was a band called Goblin. Goblin played a style of music that you could described as horror prog. They did the music to such horror gems at Dawn of the Dead, Suspiria, and many others. Zombi is directly influenced by Goblin and sound like the next logical step in that type of music. They also sound like they are greatly influenced by Rush and Peter Gaberial era Genesis. Especially on this record. The band is a duo. And its rad that they can create music of this caliber with only two musicians contributing ideas. The live make up of the band features a keyboardist and a drummer, who also happens to play keyboards live. If you like any of the artists i mentioned in this article, definitely check out Zombi. Horror Prog bro, horror prog.

Download The Album Here

Baroness – Blue Album

Baroness is a new band for me. I know, I know. I’m behind the times. I heard their “Red Album” for the first time this summer. I listened to Baroness enough through out the summer that I was anticipating the release of this album. Baroness plays a awesome style of psychedelic rock influenced metal. I don't really know this kind of music, because i don't listen to much metal and things of that nature. All i can say is, when i hear something i like, i like it. While this record doesn't beat their Red Album, the bottom line is, there is some really awesome music contained on this record. The drummer of Baroness is outrageous. He has a way of playing parts that are different and adventurous without seeming out of place. The drums on “The Sweetest Curse” (the second song on the record. the first being “Bullhead’s Pslam” which is more of a intro/opener) are a key example of how he is able to write something off kilter and different and still give that song the drive and push to have it rock the fuck out. The album just rocks all together. Fans of Torche, Mastodon, etc. should be down with this. But they probably already know about them. Also, their album artwork is rad and looks like old Ice Age era magic the gathering cards. haha.

Download The Album Here

Castevet – Summer Fences

The first time I became aware of Castevet was when I came upon their “I Know What A Lion Is” EP/Demo last winter. Right around the time I found their EP, I heard about them releasing a future full length. Summer Fences is that full length. I was/am really excited on the band. They play indie rock/post hardcore in the vain of the Kinsella brothers musical legacy. You know what i mean. Bands like, Cap’n Jazz, American Football, Owls, Ghosts and Vodka, etc. Not to mention the numerous other bands that have been influenced by those Chicago music royalty. Castevet is a bit different than say a Algernon Cadwallader though. Because there is definitely more of a hardcore influence to their music style. The singing is gruff and often time brutal. But the contrast works very well. The music is often really beautiful and pretty sounding, and that counteracts the hard singing. The 3 songs that appeared on their EP are on this album along with 5 other great songs. I cant say enough good things about this band. Anyone into the Chicago sound of indie rock needs to hear these guys!

Download The Album Here

Mission Of Burma - The Sound The Speed The Light

I don't have any tattoos. But I’ve had two ideas for tattoos in mind for years, and someday i hope to get at least one of them. One of them is a Mission of Burma tattoo based off of the artwork of their “Signals, Calls and Marches” EP. In other words, they are a VERY important band to me. I think in general, they are a very important band for the history of music. The band disbanded in the early 80’s and reunited in the early 00’s. Nearly 20 years later. And honestly, Mission Of Burma still destroy fucking everyone. They successfully picked right up where they left off musically in the 80’s when they reunited. Jagged guitar, intricate drumming, strong moving basslines, and intelligent lyrics that the band has come to be known for. They’ve put out two albums before this release since reuniting. And while this album is not as strong as those releases, its a really great album and continues where the band has been going since they’ve reformed. Anyone into post punk should already know about them. But if you don't know, you better ask someone! haha. Believe, you’ll love this!

Download The Album Here

Tortoise - Beacons of Ancestorship

The year seemed to spawn a lot of albums by bands that hadn't really released anything in awhile. Tortoise is another example in this line. Tortoise continues doing what they do on this album. There’s moments of jazz like jam outs. There is the more electronically based numbers. This is where the band has come to lie musically. And that's no problem. Tortoise are essentially, in my mind at least, the defining band in the Chicago post rock music. And i think the choices that they have made in where to go musically have definitely effected the genre. I just feel like that style and bands who have come after them owe so much to the band. This record is totally understandable to a seasoned listener. But i would suggest anyone just now getting into their work to start further back so you can see where they came from. But who knows, i think this album is definitely good and wouldn't be surprised of having first time listeners of the band falling in love with them.

Download The Album Here

Native – Wrestling Moves

Native is a post hardcore band that has definite math rock influences. To put it simply, they remind me of if the more aggressive moments of At The Drive-In grew up listening to Tera Melos. And with a singer that often times reminds me of my good friend Vic Lazar of Patrons Of Sweet/Knife Crazy fame. I first became aware of them when I listened to their “We Delete; Erase” EP sometime last year. Shit was golden to me. I can honestly admit that I had no clue when they planned on releasing a full length. I was following Sargent House Records on Twitter for awhile (had to unfollow them. i got very sick of all of the “talking up” they did for their releases/bands) and knew they were planning one. But honestly, i guess it slipped my mind. I stumbled upon this one day and was stoked. They don't disappoint. I’ve heard Native recommended for fans of Minus The Bear and These Arms Are Snakes. I don't really hear that at all. I like my description of what the band sounds like. People into the present state of math rock should dig this band pretty hard.

Download The Album Here

Mouse On The Keys – An Anxious Object

I did a sort of brief overview of this band earlier this year. It was the release of this full length that was the driving force behind the article. Mouse on the Keys is an amazingly talented band hailing from Japan. They play a unique style of jazz fusion or nu jazz that has its roots in everything from prog, to funk, to straight up classic jazz. Amazingly talented duo consisting of a pianist and a drummer. And what a fucking drummer this guy is! Listen to the song "Spectres De Mouse.” It destroyed my life the first time I heard the drumline. A lot of times the shit I’ll hear on drums today is inherently ripping off Zach Hill or Damon Che so its great to hear a drummer doing something different. I can not say enough good things about Mouse On The Keys. This album is their first full length and it immediately followed their “Sezession” EP that came out in 2007. All of this is just unbelievable to me. This band is amazing and I hope keeps churning out awesome music for years and years to come. I also hope they get their asses to the US stat! haha.

Download The Album Here

Polvo – In Prism

Polvo will end the full lengths released by bands who haven't released anything in a long time. haha. Cause realistically, this is sort of the biggest deal. Not taking away from any of the previous releases I’ve talked about. But here’s the deal. Polvo broke up. They were no longer a band. Then they do a few reunion shows, and next thing you know, they are talking about recording a new album. Mind you, their last release was in 1997. So yeah, we are talking awhile between the two releases. The record is pretty good. I'm not going to rave or anything like that. In some ways i feel like the band has mellowed out. And that's to be expected. None of us are who we were 10 years ago. But idk, i always expect my bands to stay the same. Overall, there seems to be a lot of straight forward stuff on this album. Its not a bad record. But im a dick and was expecting stuff like “exploded drawings”. so fuck me. haha. just listen for yourself. Its not a bad album.

Download The Album Here

Daïtro – Y (possibly my album of the year)

You can read my write up about this album here.

Knot Feeder – Light Flares

You can read my write up about this album here.

Download The Album Here

EP/7inch

Algernon Cadwallader - Fun

Algernon Cadwallader is a Kinsella band. I’m convinced of it. haha. Their singer is probably the closest thing you will find to a Cap’n Jazz era Tim Kinsella. And the music the band plays sounds like all of the Kinsella bands rolled together. Upbeat and noodlely. I love the band. This is the rerelease of their “Hot Green” EP with some extra songs. For fans of everything kinsella and villarreal.

Download The Album Here

Coalesce – OX EP

This was a continuation of what Coalesce released on “OX”. The best part of it is that this EP feels like its own thing. It doesn't feel like just left over material from the album. The same sort of awesomeness that is found on the full length can be found here. I bought this the week it came out. And that says something for my broke ass. haha. If you have “OX” you should really have this EP as a companion piece if anything. It just really great.

Download The Album Here

Suis La Lune/Osceola – Split 7inch

Now i will be completely honest. I didn't have interest in this album because of Osceola. The band isn't bad. But I can honestly admit that this is the first time i ever heard of them and the first time I listened to the band. Once again, that doesn't make them bad at all. But you need to know that, Suis La Lune is my thing. I love that band. “Heir” was probably one of my most played album’s in 2008/2009. And for them, this split continues with their beautiful screamy emo stylings. I cant wait for these guys to put out another full length. “Quiet, Pull The Strings!” is great and all, but they have grown so much since then. Skramz/Real emo fans take note. This 7inch slays overall.

Download The Album Here

Local & Friend’s Bands

Oak & Bone – 7inch

Oak & Bone have recently sort of blown up. Ex-members of Moth Leads The Empire and Lazy Shell start a band. Band plays together and gets really rad playing a Young Widows meets stoner metal meets Nirvana Bleach era sound. Band gets tight as shit, plays a bunch, and ends up getting signed to Hex records. This is the 7inch they released for Hex Records. This band is one of the best things Syracuse has going for it right now. I don't listen to heavy music, i always say that. But Oak & Bone are heavy as shit and i wouldn't have it any other way.

Download The Album Here

Zona Mexicana – EP

Zona Mexicana is a amazing band hailing from SUNY Purchase. The band’s claim to fame is that they are ex-Ra Ra Riot. And sadly, that's the worse band of their member’s combined ex’s to reference Zona to. Zona Mexicana plays math rock that is influenced by Tera Melos and that California sound that is sweeping the nation. But there is also a lot taken from screamo bands of the mid 90’s. There are dual screaming/yelling vocals over some increasingly crazy music. The band pulls this all off live in a amazing show. This EP was their first recorded release, and i hope the band continues to put out more great music.

Download The Album Here

Lemuria - Ozzy

Lemuria is a pop punk/alternative rock band from Buffalo, NY. My old band played with them years ago. And since then, they have really blown up. Overall, I’m happy for them. They are good people who write good songs. This 7inch sees the band continuing musically where they left off with their highly regarded last album “Get Better.” The difference is, these songs are a little bit longer. But the same spunk and songwriting skill are present. 2009 saw a major line up change for the band which leaves me worried, but I’m keeping my ears open to whatever they put out in the future.

Download The Album Here

Urchins Of The Night – Reentry

Urchins Of The Night are Syracuse royalty hailing from Brooklyn and New Jersery. The first time I heard of this band they were described to me in a way that would later infuriate me. “We The People minus Chuck.” Realistically, this is the easiest way to talk about who is in the band, but not how they sound. After they posted tracks on Myspace I realized how totally off that statement is. Urchins of the Night play a form of punk rock that, to me, seems highly influenced by late 80’s bands like Embrace and Hüsker Dü. I’m sure my description is nowhere near what they are going for but when I heard them for the first time that's what came to my mind. The band IS NOT just We The People minus Chuck. The band is really great at playing their own style of music really well. Get into it!

Download The Album Here

Cicada – EP

This album was long awaited for me and a lot of other people in the Syracuse music scene. Cicada is just the bee’s knees for me. They’re a metal band who have been compared to bands like Crowbar, Neurosis, and Isis. But to me, they remind me a lot of Baroness. Their dueling guitar leads are what seal the deal for me. This 5 song EP feels more like a full length with how it plays. The songs feel epic, they can change at the drop of a hat and are heavy as shit. I just think these guys are some of the greatest dudes around Syracuse playing some of the most awesome music. If you like any of those bands I mentioned, you should listen to this band.

Download The Album Here

Night Owls – EP

Night Owls is a Syracuse, NY band that consists of lots of ex and current members of bands that are known and loved in the area. One of my only issues with them comes from people comparing them to Drive Like Jehu. I find this kind of deceptive. But that not the band. Night Owls plays music torn being post hardcore and punk rock. This EP contains the band’s demo and 3 songs recorded at a later date. My only other issue with this release is that they just used remixes of the demo recordings instead of rerecording them with their new bassist at the time. No biggie really. Idk. Like Hot Snakes? Like the more straight forward Fugazi material? You will probably love Night Owls.

Download The Album Here

Rejouissance – Moss On Monuments

Rejouissance is the brain child of Syracuse/Brooklyn musician Jim Heffernan. He’s been in a lot of great bands over the years and Rejouissance is sort of his solo project. The music has changed a lot since that first spray painted CDR. “Moss On Monuments” contains what has become their trademark combination of acoustic meets post hardcore. Thin Lizzy-esc dual guitar lines and all. With Jim enlisting his friends to help play his songs, there have been numerous incarnations of the live Rejouissance band over the years. It is really hard to review this record since I now play in the band and busted my ass to learn every song off this record. But when you get down to it, there are great songs on here by a great songwriter.

Download The Album Here

The Red Robot – Memory

The Red Robot were the hottest thing to come out of Northern California. At least as far as I knew. Okay, okay. I didn't really know much, if anything, about that scene until I heard these Redding heavyweights. These guys played music in the vain of Fugazi, At The Drive-in, Drive Like Jehu, etc. The band played together for quite a long time and in that time garnered quite the loyal local following. Memory is the bands last album and their swan song if you will. It finds them continuing where they left off on their Self Titled album and has a feeling of a last record. It makes me really sad that The Red Robot called it quits. I wanted them to tour the states and be huge. They were a passionate group of guys who played really great music.

Download The Album Here

All Of Them Witches – Where’s The Song?

You can read my write up about this album here.

Download The Album Here

Dasha – Damned If We Do

You can read my write up about this album here.

Download The Album Here

Tailings – Self Titled

You can read my write up about this album here.

Download The Album Here

Eyes Averted – Self Titled EP

You can read my write up about this album here.

Download The Album Here

As always, if you enjoy the music you’ve heard, please seek it out and buy it! I cant stress this enough!

Look forward to a follow up “2009 Honorable Mentions” blog, that will strictly be downloads without write ups of albums that didn't make the cut for whatever reason. Also, my deepest apologies for this being so late.

The End Of The Year Is Coming Up...

2009-11-17T02:21:00.002-05:00

I'm hoping to do at least few more reviews/recommendations in the next few weeks but expect next month to see me write a fairly ambitious "best of" blog. its going to be covering 2009 and my personal faves that have come out this year. I'm going to try to get fairly in depth covering not only national/international bands/albums, but regional acts as well. This is an attempt to share with you readers, from where ever you may be from, a little taste of whats going on musically in my neck of the woods. because lets face it, local bands and artists can often be just as important to a individual as bigger acts. so yes, I've talked it up. haha. be ready to see it. I think some of the stuff might surprise you.

Oh, Canada (Part 9): Damages - Scars

2009-11-11T16:16:00.004-05:00

The situation leading up to this review was safe to say one of the more awesome things to happen to me since starting my own music blog. as i think a lot of you who read my blog know, i used to write for a blog called Listen To This Once. Well, one of the members of Damages must have been a follower of that blog because I got a message in my myspace inbox asking if i would like to review their latest 7inch for L.T.T.O. I was really excited. No one has ever asked me personally to review their album. Up until this point I’ve just written about bands and albums i just really love. But I was really excited at the possible opportunity. So I told Andrew, from Damages, that that blog no longer existed but that i would be more than happy to write about their EP on here. And they said that was fine. To quote Wayne Campbell, “Excellent!” Now as I said, I'd never heard Damages prior to their offer, but what is so rad is, they are definitely my type of band. Maybe that's why I was asked to review this in the first place. They knew from my track record that I’d love it. Damages hail from Vancouver, British Columbia. But what they sound like, they could easily be confused with something coming out of Ottawa. Maybe in the mid-nineties? Okay, what I’m getting at is that, to me, Damages sounds like a direct musical descendant from Okara, Shotmaker, and the like. And that is honestly a very great thing, because I love those bands. Quick rant. Alot of times really shit bands will list awesome bands as a influences. and you think to yourself the band “Fall Out Boy are a bunch of fucking liars.” Check out the list of influences Damages has listed on their myspace, and know that none of them are bullshit…“Shotmaker, The Jesus Lizard, Swiz, Black Flag, Yaphet Kotto, Unwound, Shellac, Fugazi, 400 Years, Brito, Portraits of Past, Render Useless, Still Life, Embrace, Dischord, SST, Ebullition, Touch and Go” I KNOW RIGHT?! Fucking awesome. The two song “Scars” 7inch is very energetic and heavy. Both of the songs are fast and driving. Side A’s “Gears” starts with screamed/yelled lyrics and fast/dissonant guitar chords. next thing you know the bass kicks in, and it continues from there. If I had to pick one element from this band that is most close to the Shotmaker/Okara comparison, it might be the bass work. The basslines on these two songs are totally awesome. All over the place doing crazy shit, straight forward and heavy when the guitar is doing more intricate lines. The guitar has that buzzsaw sound, and style that you could say was influenced from everything from Shellac to Drive Like Jehu to Fugazi. Like i said, their influences don't lie. “A Failing Cell” on Side B is kindred to the energy of “Gears” but as some more breakdown-y, head bobbing parts. (Hold your horses stupid money grabbing jock hardcore kid. I think the Hatebreed concert is down the street.) It also contains more riff’s, which usually coincide with the aforementioned “breakdowns.” The song soon builds and builds till it hits a point at the end where its like it keeps hitting you in the face repeatedly. This is a good thing. This band is a good band. This EP is a excellent EP. I recommend anyone who is a fan of the brand of canadian post hardcore/mathy emocore/ hardcore/etc. DEFINITELY check this band out. I really love what they are doing musically and hope they continue forward releasing more awesome music. Many thanks to Damages for letting me review their EP!

Listen To Scars Here

Buy The Scars 7inch Here

Sorry To Bands and Readers

2009-11-03T17:10:00.001-05:00

ive been sick with a upper respiratory infection since last tuesday. im sorry about the lack of reviews and what not but when i wasn't in bed, ive been at work. yes, i worked a week solid sick before going to a doctor. T-U-F-F. I promise once I’m doing better I’ll get on my game. Just started the anti biotics today. So once again, sorry guys.

new, interesting blog things

2009-10-27T09:16:00.003-04:00

I'm going to be doing some reviews coming up that I'm really excited for. Pretty much because I was asked by the bands to review their albums. And they are bands that I am not friends with already. This never happens. And I'm really excited on the possibilities of this situation. I would hope that anyone that reads my blog knows, if you think I'd dig your band and would like me to review your album, I'm TOTALLY down with that. And the idea actually gets me really excited. I still plan on just writing about whatever I love and feel like talking about but I'm really excited on this new turn of events. :-D

Tailings - Self Titled

2009-10-22T20:17:00.019-04:00

I wrote about Tailings when they first came out (Well, at least when their demo recordings first made their way onto the interwebs) so I find it in special interest to cover their first, and what will be, their only album. I enjoyed Tailings. I consider all of the members of the band to be my friends and I've actually been in musical projects with 2/3 of them. I'll get right into it. I think what Tailings did musically for the scene of Syracuse, NY was very important. But sadly, i think it went unnoticed for the most part. Syracuse is a very big hardcore/metal town. fast beat. breakdown. chug chug. sXe. militant animal rights. "EARTH CRISIS!!!" etc. This is what our underground scene is based off of. And no matter how many bands come out of our scene that DO NOT conform to that standard, and try their hardest to do something else musically that ISN'T hardcore or any sort of core, it doesn't seem to change anything. Tailings were the one of the only indie bands in recent times in Syracuse, and i think historically they are the ONLY indie band to come out of Syracuse to play music in that style. Their music, for me, is reminiscent of bands like June Of 44 (and other ex-Hoover & Rodan "post rock" bands) while the guitar also has a lot of influence from more "pretty" guitar oriented indie bands like American Football and Sharks Keep Moving. Overall, the band's style screams a Chicago/DC bone session. In any given Tailings song, here is what you will find. The guitar playing some sort of pretty, reserved chord arpeggios with lots of reverb, the drums playing something interesting and different while still holding it down, and the bass acting as a anchor with heavy hitting straight away basslines that only so often deviate into lines. I liken the vocals to Sinaloa and that sort of shouty real "screamo" style of singing. Safe to say I LOVE this band and was very sad that they were calling it quits. Even though I think the members were skeptical when I told them. Oh well, they can believe whatever they want. I know how I felt watching them this last time and i know how I felt when I came home that night from their show and listened to this album. The recording quality of the album is okay. The whole thing was recorded pretty quickly a few days before their final show. I'm glad they recorded but am sort of disappointed that the recording isn't of higher quality. Just because with music like this, i enjoy hearing everything crystal clear. I was also bummed that they didn't rerecord all of the tracks from their demo. But these are just minor complaints of a fan. I'm definitely glad they recorded this stuff overall. There are 8 songs all together and only 3 recorded tracks that appeared on their demo. A few of the songs on the album even I was unfamiliar with. And I think I can say I've seen them live more than most (this is a band who's past shows can all be counted on one hand). So safe to say, definite pleasant surprises. And simultaneously, very heartbreaking. Hearing what a band created and where they were going musically is hard when you realize its suddenly over. I'm just glad I got to experience them while they were around and that they existed in the first place.

Download The Album Here

Slingshot Dakota - Their Dreams Are Dead, But Ours Is The Golden Ghost!

2009-10-18T12:46:00.011-04:00

I first heard of Slingshot Dakota years ago. My old band, Ladies & Everyone, played a show with them and the now Alternative Press approved, Polar Bear Club. It was a show that to this day has made me hate kids in the scene. It was very unattended. But if this same show was to happen today, it would be shit packed full. But i digress. At that point in time, slingshot was a 3 piece indie group on the lighter side. Except off course for their drummer Tom who seemed to try to hit his drums as hard a humanly possible. Stewart Copeland what? I enjoyed the band and ended up traveling to Oswego, NY to go see a free show they were playing with Damiera a few weeks later. The surprise came for me when i went up to say hi, and there guitarist was no where to be found. It turned out, and i still don't know all of the info behind the situation, he had suddenly quit the band. That show was interesting to say the least. Watching a band perform that was abruptly forced from a 3 to 2 piece without warning can be nothing but interesting. But they made their way through their set despite a lot of the songs feeling like they were missing something. I left the show feeling uncertain about the band and their future. And i was really bummed. I even told Carly I'd move to NYC and play guitar for them. I think she thought i was joking. haha. NOPE! Anyway, Slingshot Dakota did not break up. And they didn't get a new guitar player or any other musicians for the band. They decided to keep it just the two of them. I don't know when it was that I first saw them as a two piece, but i know i was blown away. They were fucking TIGHT! Jazz players would say they were "in the pocket." I was so glad they stuck it out because it seemed like they were able to get to a new level of comfort ability together musically that was/is awesome to see. “Their Dreams Are Dead, But Ours Is The Golden Ghost!" is the first album the band released as a two piece. And I love it. For those not in the know, Slingshot Dakota is a duo consisting of a drummer and keyboard player. Both of the members sing though Carly sings the majority. They play a brand of indie rock that is very heartfelt and passionate, while being very energetic and almost hardcore influenced at times with the crowd's participation. This is another time where my lack a knowledge leaves me scratching my head to who I would recommend this band for. Its so nice to have a "For fans of.." section. I am very bad at that if you havent noticed from past entries on here. I think another problem for me is, i don’t listen to any other duo's consisting drums and keyboards. I saw Mates Of State live and thought they were a fucking joke. So like i said, no comparisons. Personally, this album could be called "Soundtrack to a ongoing love affair" because my girlfriend and I tend to listen to it a lot when we are driving around going place to place. I took her to go see one of their concerts back in May and ever since, she’s been hooked. We are going to see them this upcoming Tuesday. Which is why I chose to write about this album. I’ve become quite found of the album since that May show because it’s one of the first things my girlfriend and I shared shortly after getting together. So yeah, fuck me because I write blogs with my heart. Haha. Just listen to the album. Its good, I swear.

Go and listen to some of their songs on their myspace

Download This Album Here

You can buy the album directly from them on their myspace page as well.

TUMBLR!

2009-10-14T08:54:00.002-04:00

idk if i ever mentioned it on here, but awhile ago i started a tumblr blog. i had heard how the great the interface was and blah blah blah. initially, i had thought of switching this whole blog over to that, but after a short while of using tumblr, i realized it didn't have what i needed to do the same blog I do on there. (or i wasn't smart enough to do all the same things i am able to do on here, on there) but i kept the page. And where as this blog tends to go a while without updates, (i swear the reason for no write ups is that im still infatuated with Daïtro's Y album) I update my tumblr all the fucking time. Mostly with random shit I find. Movies, songs, pictures, whatever. So I'm not giving up on doing music reviews/recommendations on here. But if you get frustrated over the lack of updates, go to my tumblr page. I'm always posting some dumb shit over there. haha.

http://saintmatt.tumblr.com/

Daïtro - Y

2009-10-02T20:00:00.017-04:00

Okay so listen, I've never done this before. First off, I don't think in my history of writing this blog (or listen to this once) have I covered two albums by the same band. And second, had I written about the same band more than once, I never would write about their albums this close to one another. But I am just too excited. Just last week I wrote about Daïtro's 2005 album "Laisser Vivre Les Squelettes." Briefly in that write up I mentioned that Daïtro was coming out with a new album that I was excited about. Well, that album is “Y.” And to say I’m excited is a major understatement. I bought the vinyl the other day. And honestly, thought I would have to wait till it arrived in the mail to hear it. Lucky for me it leaked. I’ve pretty much been listening to the album non stop since then. This album shows a change for the band. There are no song names and as I’ve mentioned, the album is just simply called “Y.” There isn’t anything out there as to why there seems to be such a minimalist approach to titles with this record. But I can only assume there is some meaning behind the band’s change. Don’t let those minor things scare you away. In a lot of ways, the lack of song titles makes a lot of sense. The album really does feel like the songs are all part of something greater. I don’t really know if this is on purpose. But I think there are a lot of reoccurring ideas musically that tie each song together. Musically, this album will not disappoint anyone who loves this band, or other French screamo bands. Everything they are known for is still there, with some new little things to interest you. Specifically, the inclusion of more singing. I really don’t want this to put anyone off. Since Daïtro have always been a genre bending/melding machine, I really don’t think it will put fans off to them. Basically because never on this album does it feel like they are overly trying to be different or forcing something new on the listener. It just sounds like Daïtro. A band that has matured over the years and honestly, has hit their fucking mark. The only thing I could see some fans disliking is the lack of longer songs. The longest song on “Y” clocks in at a little over 5 minutes. Being that this is their first full length release since "Laisser Vivre Les Squelettes" there is very little doubt in my mind that comparisons are going to occur between the two albums. Half of the songs on their previous album clock in at over the 5 minute mark. Their song structures and tendencies to have longer songs provoked much comparison to, or at least talk of inspiration from, post rock bands. I think I can explain some of the change in song lengths. Now maybe I’m completely wrong, and I’m just thrown off by the songs being so well connected musically, but It seems to me that the band is splitting up songs. I think that song VII(4:08)and VIII(1:40) could easily just be one song(5:48). The same could be said for songs V and VI (a combined time of 7 minutes and 19 seconds). But like I said, its just my opinion. And honestly, it doesn’t matter to me how long a song is as long as it is a good song. And well, every song on this album is good. Tracks II and VI are my personal faves. While I still hold "Laisser Vivre Les Squelettes" as their best album, “Y” is no slouch and is definitely on par with, if not better than, the amazing material they put on their split with Sed Non Satiata. Bottom line is, this is definitely one of my favorite albums to be released this year.

Download The Album Here

(Note: The album is only available on vinyl at the moment. These mp3's

were recorded from the record and you can tell. As soon as the CD is

released, I will up better mp3's)

If you like this album, you can buy it here.

Harvey Danger - Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone?

2009-10-01T23:24:00.006-04:00

I suppose that I could easily start a whole other series based off of albums like this one. This is Seattle sweethearts Harvey Danger's debut album. This album features the hit song "Flagpole Sitta". The song was featured all over the place and was a alternative radio rock hit in the late 90's. What's upsetting is that, as great as that song is, it overshadowed this album, and ultimately i would say, the band's career. They were viewed as a one hit wonder from that point on. And honestly, its true. The band is a one hit wonder. But you know what? Who the fuck needs hits? It took me awhile to give this album a honest listen. Probably because I was, and still tend to be, put off by radio rock bands. Often times they seem disposable to me. And I would rather listen to some rare obscure shit (that I cant talk to anyone about) than give that stuff a chance. I think the present state of radio and what is popular now makes me feel like a dick for ruling shit out back in the day. This album is great start to finish. And its really too bad that, for whatever reason, this band didn't continue in the limelight. There are other tracks on here that I feel like would've made even better singles. But I don't really understand how major record companies work with choosing singles and stuff like that. This is a great alternative rock album. You can sort of tell that this band is from Seattle based off of their sound. Though they have a quirkiness that seems more influenced by Black Francis (Frank Black, whatever hes calling himself now) and the Pixies. I just feel like, you should hear this album if you are a fan of 90's alternative rock. This album is weird in that, if you hate the single, you can still really enjoy the record AND if you enjoy the single you can still really enjoy the record. Rarely does that happen. I'm glad I got over my bullshit and gave it a honest listen. I hope you will do the same.

Download The Album Here

Buy it from a local independent record store if you like it

Daïtro - Laisser Vivre Les Squelettes

2009-09-22T16:19:00.007-04:00

I have no clue how I came about finding this band. I went through a phase where "skramz", or real screamo, was my major cup of tea. I still do love a lot of the stuff I found at that time. Daïtro did a split with the amazing band Sed Non Satiata, and that is honestly probably where I first heard them. That album is amazing, and I suggest EVERYONE listen to it, BUT I really think, of what I've heard of them, this is their best release to date. They really shine. I love the straight up heavy nature of this band and how it is equally balanced with soft and beautiful parts. Their drummer is fucking outrageous and has a way of playing things that, while not on Neil Peart level of mind blowing, just sound so cool and different. Which is really a feat with bands of this nature. Keeping things feeling/sounding fresh. The band can go from full on heavy as shit to almost post rock-esc build ups and passages. Its really cool. Its often really beautiful. And usually really heavy. I love bands that are able to do that well. The opening/title track of this record is one of my faves. But at the same time, this record works so well as a whole. The French band just released a new record which I have yet to hear. So until then, I will listen to this album with heavy anticipation. Please listen to this band! For fans of screamy beautiful stuff.

Download The Album Here

Buy It If You Like It!

Oh, Canada (Part 8): Okara

2009-09-07T10:40:00.010-04:00

I feel like it has been forever since I've posted a music recommendation on here. I guess I'm actually glad that life has been taking precedent over things like computer use. But anyways, I decided that as a return to the scene, if you will, I would FINALLY write about a band I've referenced numerous times in the ongoing "Oh, Canada" series I've been doing. Okara. Memory is such a strange thing. And I love that. I love that certain things tend to be connected to certain times and places in a person's life. I found Okara in a time in my life when I was continually searching for new music. And by new, I mean of course, new to me. For whatever reason, I got on a Canada kick. Honestly, it was probably because so many of the bands I was finding were truly spectacular. Independent record labels like Matlock Records and Blue Skies Turn Black turned me on to a lot of bands from Canada. Another label that helped me a great

deal in my search was Spectra Sonic Sound. I found the label in a completely backwards way. Matlock was probably the first of the Canadian labels I got really in depth with. Rockets Red Glare were one of the bands on that label that I really enjoyed. In reading, I found out that Gus and Evan of RRG used to play together in the band Blake. Blue Skies Turn Black was the label that put out the Blake full length LP, so that is what brought me to them. And then I heard about Spectra Sonic Sound because they were the label that put out a few Blake 7inch's as well as the Blake Discography CD. Whenever I found one of these labels, what I would do, is download tracks from all of their bands to see what I liked. Besides Blake, there were a lot of other great bands on SSS. There were the ex-Shotmaker bands Three Penny Opera & 30 Second Motion Picture. The sometimes post rock-y, sometimes straight indie rock, Kepler. And of course, Okara. The weird part about Okara was that they grew on me. I don't know if it was just me not getting them the first time through, or that I needed to hear more material, but I just remember that in my frame of mind at the time, I thought there was something very strange about the

band that I couldn't put my finger on. I remember sort of putting them to the side and checking out the other SSS roster before coming back to them. I'm so glad I did return to check them out more in depth. Okara is a band that as I heard more and more of their material, I fell harder and harder in love with them. The three piece hardcore/post hardcore band from Ottawa, Canada consisted of ex-members of the band Lockjaw. ( If anyone has a copy of ANYTHING Lockjaw recorded, could you for the love of god get it to me? I've been trying to get a hold of that stuff for years) Musically, Okara played a screamy, mathy brand of Canadian hardcore. Sort of like if Shotmaker got a little experimental with time signatures and guitar playing like Rodan. In a way, and this is apparent with my mentioning the band over and over again in this series, Okara set the standard for where Canadian post hardcore would go as a genre. As true as that is though, up until recently I had never heard of a band that sounded anything like them. The band Okara kind of sound similar to? Akarso. Okara existed in the mid 90's for what seems like a

short time. But in that time they inspired countless bands. In America, they are fairly unknown. Which is really sad because this is one of the best, most original bands I've heard from Canada.

Download Their Demo Here

Download Their First and Second EP's along with their split with Mothman here. (Note:included the Mothman portion of the split as well)

Download Their AMAZING album Months Like Years Here

If you like the Months Like Years album, please buy a copy for yourself from Spectra Sonic Sound. Go here and buy the vinyl!

still...

2009-08-24T18:10:00.002-04:00

hey guys. still here. no one really reads this anyway so its okay. i have a bunch of music i want to write about for this, and yet, i just haven't. life has been taking over time i would usually spend on here typing about whatever bullshit I think is good music. im looking into getting a netbook because alot of the time I feel inspired to write, I'm not at home at my computer. we will see if that ever happens. stick with me though.

Mouse On The Keys

2009-08-03T01:59:00.010-04:00

I used to write music reviews/recommendations for a blog called Listen To This Once. The thing I really disliked about writing for the site was we were limited to writing short blurbs about the bands & albums we covered. This rule was made by the guy who started the blog (His blog, his rules). But a lot of times I thought the bands or albums deserved a lot more than that. I will admit that often times I was a rebel and purposely wrote more than I was supposed to based off of my beliefs. My dislike of curt writing was not only limited to bands and albums I wrote about though. From time to time things were covered by other contributors that I thought deserved more than what they got. Mouse On The Keys is a great example of that. Mouse On The Keys is from Japan. There is definitely something to be said for that. I went through a period where I really Really REALLY wanted to move to Japan. The first reason was because I was fat and lonely and I had heard that 1) Japan is a the sumo culture and over weight men are viewed as sex symbols over there (not to mention I tend to find Japanese school girls cute) and 2) They love King Crimson, Prog, Math Rock, Etc. I used to play in a math rock band so Japan was like the promise land. And a lot of great bands have come out of Japan. In fact, Mouse On The Keys are label mates with another amazing Japanese band, Toe. This duo, live a 3 piece, plays a hybrid of jazz fusion that sometimes teeters on the verge being plain proggy. I love it. This band has the ability to do so many things. Some songs are straight forward and more along the lines of traditional Jazz. But other times they are off the wall. Interwoven piano parts and drum lines that could be described as insane. Another layer to this outrageous "lasagna" of a band is their funk and groove based/influenced compositions. I honestly cant say enough good things about this band. Their first full length, An Anxious Object, came out last month and its outrageous. Which is really great because they set the standard with, what I considered, the hard to follow Sezession EP. Fans of Jazz, Nu-Jazz, Fusion, Funk, Prog, Hiromi, and pretty much everything in between take note. Hopefully they come to America so I can see this craziness in person and shit myself. Haha.

The Sezession EP (2007) & An Anxious Object (2009)

I have no clue whether of not you can purchase these in the US

BUT, if you like them, please try to buy them & support the band!

"最後の晩餐 (Saigo No Bansan)" From The Sezession EP

"Spectres De Mouse" From An Anxious Object

All Of Them Witches - Where's The Song?

2009-07-29T13:40:00.013-04:00

Sometimes one of my biggest complaints with modern math rock, is that its too fucking busy. Too much B.S. with poly rhythms and other things that you have to be fairly knowledgeable with music to understand. Don't get me wrong I'm all for musicality. I just think there is also something to be said for being accessible. That having been said, I have to say that one of my main reasons for loving All Of Them Witches is specifically because they are busy. What? Yes that's right. Let me explain. Unlike alot of math rock bands that just stop sounding cohesive when they get really busy, All Of Them Witches always stay together. And unlike alot of these math bands out there, I can relate this to certain local acts & writers especially, the parts never feel like they are just thrown together. I hate that shit. This is the band's first release and it encompasses 10 tracks of awesomeness. Its very rare that you can find a new on the scene band so tight and so good, that can belt out songs, and all of the songs feel like they spent an eternity writing and getting solid. But once it is mentioned that guitarists Vic Lazar and Phil Freedenberg spent years playing together in the Buffalo, NY band Knife Crazy, it makes perfect sense how they are able to gel so perfectly. The set up is the same. Phil playing clean, tapping guitar lines for the majority. While Vic is wailing and sometimes using distortion and other effects to change the mood. Drummer Cameron Rogers is the odd man out in this equation, though you would never know that listening to the band. I will be honest, I had never heard of Cameron prior to hearing All Of Them Witches. So for me, hearing and seeing him play was like a slap to the face. The guy is a OUTRAGEOUS drummer. Zach Hill-esc drum fills, Lightning fast single footed kick work, and keeping everything together while simultaneously taking it apart and coming at it from new and different angles. One thing I really love about his playing is, as good as he is, he knows when to just lay back and just chill on the kit. There is something to be said for that, and honestly, it helps the band alot. I really love this band and I love this album. Phil was nice enough to give me a copy, and I am very grateful. I've been listening to it in the shower pretty much everyday. haha. As far as first releases go, this one is top notch above most. I hope the band will stay together and continue to put out more great music.

The album I got was a pre release. I didn't upload it because I'm sure the band has plans to release it in the future with some rad artwork and all that. For now, Please go to the band's myspace page. Add them, watch their videos, listen to their music.

True If Destroyed

2009-07-24T18:26:00.007-04:00

So this is my first music blog entry since being back from tour. I had actually meant to post this before I left. But due to time restraints I was unable to do so. I thought this would be a good entry to leave on, but I think its probably just as good to come back with. Come back with a severe bang! That was what I felt the first time I saw this band. I was blown away. It was unexpected. The show they played was, for the most part, unmemorable. But when they played, mind blowing. This Philadelphia band played post hardcore in the vain of the greatest dischord bands. And they had that same intense energy of alot of those bands. It was alot like if Fugazi had a female vocalist who also played piano and guitar on occasion. I had the good enough fortune to be able to play a show with these guys. It was actually a amazing show that, for whatever reason, very few people attended. Sever The Hands, True If Destroyed, The Amateur Party and One Hundred Metronomes. Solid stuff. Anyway, years pass and memories stay strong. This band is still one of the best and most memorable out of town bands that played Syracuse in my opinion. Fans of the classic DC post hardcore sound take note.

Download Their Demo & Full Length Here

Try to find these if you can!

HEY YOU GUYS!

2009-07-23T23:32:00.002-04:00

back from tour. been in town a few days. tour was overall fun but ended early on account of van trouble. some shitty stuff went down on tour that totally changed my perception on shit. but such is mango. good news is, I'm officially a member of rejouissance. awesome. I love playing with those guys and i love how well our set up of that band works on a friend and musical level. great stuff. I've been listening to Kalechex songs and miss writing. Jim also said i could be a time to operate band as soon as i have a album. maybe its time to buck down and get shit done. Meghan and I are great. we survived tour. which wasn't easy, mostly because of me and choices I made. Like hanging out with a friend in LA that happens to be a pornstar. i love the girl and I am glad things are so great between us. not looking forward to going back to the real world. as many shortcomings as our tour had, it really was an amazing time. and now, I have more in the future to look forward to! I'm excited!

The Tour Dates

2009-07-06T18:38:00.005-04:00

Rejouissance Summer Tour:

July 9 – Bloomington, Indiana@ Greek Pizza*
July 10 – St Louis, Missouri@ The Lemp Arts Center*
July 11 – Wichita, Kansas@ Mayhaps Festival*
July 12 – Denver, Colorodo@ 3 Kings Tavern*
July 13 – Tucson, Arizona@ Red Room at Grill*
July 14 – San Diego, California@ The Soda Bar*
July 15 – Los Angeles, California@ Echo Curio*#
July 16 – San Francisco, California@ Thee Parkside*#
July 17 – Sacramento, California@ TBA*
July 18 – Portland, Oregon@ Laughing Horse Books*#
July 19 – Seattle, Washington@ TBA*
July 21 – Boise, Idaho@ Grandma's House
July 22 – Bismark, North Dakota @ TBA#
July 23 – Omaha, Nebraska @ TBA
July 24 – Chicago, Illinois @ TBA
July 25 – ??, Ohio @ ??

* W/ Red Tag Rummage Sale (Buffalo, NY)
# W/ Attica Attica (Portland, OR)

Obviously, some of these dates are not finalized. I don't know if they will ever be at this point. But its still a cool tour overall. I doubt anyone reads my blog from out of state, but if given some strange coincidence that you are from one of these places, COME ON OUT! its going to be a fun time.

last (re)writes

2009-07-05T17:18:00.004-04:00

i think this will probably end up being my last personal blog before i go out on tour. I'll probably post a music blog as the last post period though.

i don't really understand my life and people in it sometimes. it seems a lot of times people only want me to remain a lackey. to stay this unhappy ugly, fat man who is their clown and jester. i am here for nothing more than that. my own dad has a tendency to mock me when i am going to see my girlfriend. its weird. its like how mothers are often portrayed in movies. jealous of their son's new love interest. possibly fearing he is taking her "baby boy" away from her. except, its my dad. i don't understand. the roles are reversed. my mom is very supportive. loves meghan. wants me to marry her. I want to marry her. my sister came over today to see me before i left for tour. even she plays into this whole anti girlfriend thing. mocking me over being excited for dating my girlfriend two months. "pfft, you gonna marry her?" mocking me. Its so funny that my sister who has pretty much jumped into every shitty relationship shes been in, looks down at me for being in a happy relationship. i don't get it. i get a girlfriend, my best friend stops being my best friend. what the fuck did i do? how is it that you can be someone's friend for over a year. hanging out, going to shows together, going to bars, going where ever together. and suddenly you are dropped and you hear the person is telling people, more specifically YOU'RE OWN SISTER, you just used him for rides. what the fuck? are the two connected? idk. i never said i didn't want to hang out with my friends. i wanted to. i would still want to if i thought i had any friends left. But i guess they are all my sister's friends now. Reminds me of the old tip hill gang. besides making me feel like shit for being happy, my sis then did her lovely "rewrite history" move. Starts ripping on me for writing about Michael Jackson in this blog. Stating "you used to make fun of me all the time for liking him. you never liked him." One thing you need to know is my sister must have some kind of condition. Because historically, she ALWAYS does this. And honestly, not even concerning things that matter. "I liked this band first." But sometimes she would go very far. "You NEVER talked to me in highschool." etc. The problem with it is, it usually ends up making me feel like such a horrible person. even if i know in my heart she is off her rocker. Its so hard to argue with someone so obviously diluted that they believe these lies and fabrications they make up and are convinced are true. I wish I didnt let it effect me so negatively. She has been doing this for years and I should be used to it. But it still upsets me.

A youth that i work with got me upset with the state of music. He saw I cut off all my hair and commented on it. I told him i was going on tour and didn't know how available showers would be on the road so i think short hair was the answer. later he started asking me about it. what the band sounded like. what i would be playing. the best was "oh you play guitar. are you any good?" asked in such a doubting dickheaded way. haha. the sort of thing that is so funny to me. everyone knows i will shit talk myself till im blue in the face but when it comes to mallcore kids, sorry. this kid knows SHIT about local or underground music. I mean, I was Ladies & Everyone. haha. well, the writer anyway. but instead of going off on this doubting youth, I just sort of smirked and said "yeah." I told him Rejouissance was a indie or post hardcore band. Big mistake. Though, I think my initial intent of that statement was first, to assert i knew what i was talking about, and second, to assert he didnt and we should stop talking about music together. but that didnt happen. He said "so indie post hardcore huh? so you guys sound like the devil wears prada?" To which i said, not at all. He was all but wait, that is what that is? And i flat out was like, "NO post hardcore is like Fugazi or Jawbox." to which he was just like, uh, well, i like the devil wears prada. The conversation went on from there. Some of the things he said were so fucking asinine. The concept that seeing The Devil Wears Prada was a real show but seeing Forfeit or Reckless Days play was not FUCKING BLEW MY MIND. Fucking funny too because his brother plays drums for Reckless Days. I would think the kid would teach him something but i guess not. This is why i ALWAYS go out of my way to make fun of MTV punks, emo's and Mallcore kids. Because not only do they like shit bands, they know NOTHING about music & the music scene.

Went out today and bought a whole bunch of shit for tour. Starting to get nervous. Thinking about not sleeping in a bed for most of July. Not showering regularly. Not being able to see my family or my girlfriend. I'm just nervous. I'm sure it will be a awesome time though. Watch me be one of these people who get addicted. I'll have to get Kalechex going in that case. haha.

of firsts

2009-06-30T00:16:00.003-04:00

we had the first Rejouissance practice tonight with Jeff. honestly, he and mike couldve been getting together. All i know is, all we need is Jim and we will be set. the majority of stuff i would've been comfortable playing at a show tomorrow with the two of them. I'm officially stoked. This past weekend was great. got to see the knife crazy reunion. hang with people i hadn't seen in awhile. bought a bunch of loganberry soda. ahh. good times. its blows meghan wasn't there. it blows she cant go everywhere with me. I'm gonna miss her on tour. I always miss her when I'm not with her.

Dress Code Fury

2009-06-27T12:39:00.003-04:00

I get to see my friends from Knife Crazy play again tonight. I'm way beyond excited.

In honor of this event, I will point you toward my entry about the band that has all their music for download. You can find that here.

Kings Die

2009-06-26T01:09:00.003-04:00

This will probably ruin all sorts of "street cred" i may have had, but Michael Jackson died today. And I was really upset. On the verge of tears. I don't really know why. He hadn't released anything of note musically in a long time. And yeah, he had become a fucking weirdo over the years. But its weird. Music is a very powerful thing. And when I hear alot of his songs, I think of growing up. I think of my childhood. God damn anyone who tries to make me feel shitty with the "He was a asshole pedophile. blah blah" line. I will NEVER defend what he did, or what he became. But I can say that he created a musical legacy that surpasses all of that. If you cant see that, I feel sorry for you.

goodbye for (roughly) a month

2009-06-23T23:49:00.003-04:00

so starting early July I'm going to be disappearing for awhile. I don't know if anyone checks this regularly enough to care. But I've been trying to post more, so i feel like i should explain why I'm leaving. Back in April, I was supposed to go on a week long tour playing guitar in my friend Jim's band Rejouissance. The tour fell through a day or so before we were supposed to leave. After everything, I was told that a summer tour would be in the works. I was down to play, and now the tours coming, and I am playing. I'm really excited. Ladies & Everyone was never able to even play out of New York state because of Anthony and Rachel and their "reasons". They ended up being bullshit reasons when Know Nothing later played all over. But i digress. I'm just wicked excited to finally tour. and what a tour. Here are the dates I've been able to wrangle up...

July 9 – Bloomington, Indiana@ Greek Pizza
July 10 – St Louis, Missouri@ The Lemp Arts Center
July 11 – Wichita, Kansas@ Mayhaps Festival
July 12 – Denver, Colorado@ 3 Kings Tavern
July 13 – Tucson, Arizona@ Red Room
July 14 – San Diego, California@ The Soda Bar
July 15 – Los Angles, California@ Echo Curio
July 16 – San Francisco, California@ TBA
July 17 – Sacramento, California@ TBA
July 18 – Portland, Oregon@ Laughing Horse Books
July 19 – Seattle, Washington@ TBA

and the tour is supposedly going all the way to the 25th. talks of places like North Dakota, a Chicago show. Idk. We will see what actually pans out. But I'm definitely excited. Ill try to post some music reviews before I go. And chances are, I'll give a farewell post. But I'm just so stoked I couldn't wait. Stuff gonna be nuts.

Check Engine

2009-06-21T16:08:00.010-04:00

very rarely do I write about a band that was previously mentioned in a blog post the day before. But i don't know. I hate making reference to bands that not alot of people know about and not having anything for them to hear. plus, I really like Check Engine and i wouldn't mind some other people possibly diggin' on them. I heard about the band through their bassist Paul Joyce. He was the bassist of the band Lynx. And as I think I've probably mentioned in past blogs, I've pretty much followed everything he has done musically post, and pre, Lynx. He is easily one of my favorite bass players. Though I first heard of the band because of Paul Joyce, I later found out that it also consisted of two of the ex members of Sweep The Leg Johnny. Awesome? Yes. In fact, when I would try to tell my friends about Check Engine, I would usually describe them as if the members of Sweep The Leg Johnny were more into Chicago indie rock and not post hardcore. I mean, Check Engine isn't unaggressive by any means. But there is a obvious difference. If anything, Check Engine is easier for the lay person to get into then Sweep The Leg Johnny. And there really isn't comparison to Lynx, except for some of the guitar interplay. Really, Check Engine are a math rock band in the vein of Chicago math rock. Not that wacky shit coming out of Cali nowadays. Though sometimes, the guitar lines are likable to Rumah Sakit, which is funny because as the informed know, Rumah Sakit did splits, played shows, and even shared a member with Sweep The Leg Johnny. Enough of my blabbering.

Some songs on here remind me of the 80's. Yep. I'm a weirdo.

Download their album here

Buy it if you like it

Cougars - Pillow Talk

2009-06-21T00:39:00.017-04:00

Ska. Its a four letter word to most of the kids that i know in the underground scene. This is usually not based off of where the style of music originally came from. It seems like with alot of genres, there is the real version of the genre, and some later bullshit being mislabelled. Emo is a good example. Ska is another. The original ska out of Jamaica represents very little of what would later be considered "ska" in bands like Save Ferris, Real Big Fish and all the other crap that was around at the same time, or went on to be influenced by said bands. (I actually enjoy some of the 70's and 80's British ska, so i wont attack that) Now, knowing this, I've purposely distanced myself from anything called ska or anything similar to this style of music. But every once in awhile something will sneak in unexpectedly and surprise. The first time I heard Cougars, I had no clue they contained ex members of a ska bands. Though it could be suspected due to them having a horn section, that was the end of any sort of comparison. I had heard of them because their drummer played in one of my favorite bands, the ex-Lynx/ex-Sweep The Leg Johnny powerhouse Check Engine. Being that Check Engine had a sax player, i wasn't really surprised by the horn section in Cougars. Call that limited, call it what you will. Now the musical styling of Cougars is completely different from Check Engine, and it has no resemblance to ska whatever. The band is a Chicago band. I know its unintelligent to say, but i think just listening to them, you can tell. It doesn't hurt that this album was recorded by Steve Albini. The band plays a style of rock that works quite well with Albini's style of recording. Big drums, powerful bass, angular guitars, and gruffy pissed off vocals. The band always stays on the cusp of straight forward hard hitting rock and Chicago math rock through out this whole album. I really love the horn section's role within this band. Its not too often that you find a horn section playing in a band that isn't a ska band. And I personally think its so cool to hear a horn section in what is a essentially a Chicago math rock band. It works and is refreshing. Here's a dumb, but also funny statement.

Cougars: The Albini Chicago Transit Authority.

Fight me.

Download The Album Here

Buy it if you like it

Awake/Sever The Hands

2009-06-13T00:16:00.023-04:00

Somewhere in life I've realized something tragic. And honestly, I don't know if this is a general truth, or just something that relates to me and my life. But often times, the bands that are the most important to me, go unnoticed. Either unnoticed or they don't reach their potential. Tamiroff, The Newlywed Intercoastal, Bad Cops, Knife Crazy, etc. Awake/Sever The Hands is in this list, if not right at the top. The first time I got word of this band was after a show Bad Cops, Ladies & Everyone and The Mandate Of Heaven played the day before Halloween. It was 2004 I believe. We were walking from the Westcott down to Munjed's and I was talking to Jim. In the conversation he mentioned his new band and ended up giving me a link to their website. I really liked Awake. It was cool to hear Jim doing music in Brooklyn. And it was cool music. A mathy screamy post hardcore type band. Definitely not like just another Bad Cops. Awake eventually ended up playing a show armory square, downtown at a bar (i cant remember the bar's name) that very few people went to. But i was there and I loved them. At the same time i started playing in the band One Hundred Metronomes. We played a bunch of shows with Awake. Later they changed their name to Sever The Hands. One Hundred Metronomes eventually went on indefinite hiatus, but L&E continued the band relationship up until the band broke up. The members went on to do more bands. Jim and Damian did Monolith with Bad Cops bassist Jon Peters while John did his solo project Explorer, Conquerer (eventually changing the name and becmoming known as Weightlessness). Monolith broke up because of distance issues. Jim got really into his solo project Rejouissance, Damian moved away and John continued with Weightlessness. Nowadays, Jim is still doing Rejouissance along with some other projects. Damian moved back to Syracuse and started the band Tailings. And John got married, though I'm sure he continues to make music. I guess what I'm trying to say is, time goes on and on, and this band is still important to me after all these years. They bring to mind a time in my life when things weren't that terrible. When things were fun and bands that were good musically were friends and played shows with one another. I'll never forget Sever The Hands. And I'll never understand why they never got the recognition and respect they deserved as a band. My only hope is that I can show Sever The Hands to people now, and have them enjoy the band. Here is everything they recorded...

Awake - Demo

Awake - Black & White EP

Sever The Hands - The Brown Record

If you like The Brown Record, you can buy it from Time To Operate Records

Support Independent Music and Labels!

Engine Down - To Bury Within The Sound

2009-06-12T07:48:00.004-04:00

I recently purchased this album. But what is weird, is that its been one of my favorite albums going on close to 5 years now. i know that i am one of the few people who feels this way. one thing I’ve found with engine down and their catalog is that its split into 3 groups. The first group is people who like the band’s first album, and that’s it. This is because their first album has more of a resemblance to peers from around the same area. Bands like 400 years and Sleepytime Trio. The second group likes more material overall from the band but likes the “hit” album Demure more than any other. Now I don’t want to take away anything from that album, because it is a great album. Its just that it’s the bands most accessible album. The third group, as it tends to be with any underground/indie band, favors some obscure album/7 inch/etc. These are the type of people who are into it more so just because its hard to come by or because most people don’t know of it. Shit pisses me off to no end. Why aren’t their more people into “To Bury Within A Sound”? I really don’t know. I know a lot of people whose first introduction to the band is the song “Intent To Pacify” and that song is on this album. So I have a hard time understanding it. The album starts off with what is easily one of my favorite album openers EVER. “Retread” starts off soft and slow but blows up into full force. Ah I love it. Its pace follows right into the drive of “Trail Error”. I love the overall feel of this album. If I remember correctly, “Depth Perception” was the first song I heard off of this album. And for me it really encompasses the overall feeling of the album, with all of its extremes. Its starts off really moody with depressing sounding guitar lines intertwined mixed with cello. Eventually building and building till it blows up into a driving feel. The song eventually gets a more optimistic feel with its vocals and music and ends with a more ambient feel. Like I said, its got it all. This album is like if “Under The Pretense of Present Tense” and “Demure” fucked and had a baby. Its my favorite because it has the heavy driving elements of the first album, and the more laid back introspective songwriting of Demure. They blend and make a great album.

Download The Album Here

Buy it if you like it

yes we can

2009-06-03T17:39:00.002-04:00

a month ago today i started dating the greatest girl ever. this may was one of the happiest months of my life. i cant explain how great it feels to have someone genuinely love me and care about me. in the past, its been me feeling that way and getting fucked over by women in return. but to have it reciprocated, wow. its a new thing for me that I'm not used to sadly. but i love it. i love her. its weird to have such a strong connection, and such strong feelings after such a short amount of time. but i think sometimes people just click. its so funny how when everything is perfect, its so easy to get into talks about things being "meant to be". I want to stay away from stuff like that. but its hard. I'm really happy and in love with Meghan. And I hope things stay this way forever.

end emo rant.

Oh, Canada (Part 7): Blake

2009-06-02T18:17:00.007-04:00

Its sort of strange how I attacked this "series" from the get go. Really, I should've attempted to go at it in a chronological order. I just had a really hard time doing that for whatever reason. But I'm going to attempt to at least right one wrong, if you will. I've made reference to this band over and over again in the past. And after each time I would make a reference, I would think "I really should've written about them already." Especially considering that Evan Clarke started in this band and he is sort of a personal musical hero of mine. Its also important to note that their drummer was one Gus Weinkauf, who went on to start Rockets Red Glare with Evan later in band life. I love the music Blake created. Its young. And like youth, sometimes its aggressive, and other times its mellow. They followed suit with the style of canadian hardcore that Shotmaker played, but expanded further taking influence from Okara (who I also still need to write about in this series). The band could be tagged with the "math" label I suppose. Its funny, I hate throwing that term around certain times, even when it fits. Lets just say, when I say math in reference to Blake, its not relating them to Tera Melos or Giraffes? Giraffes!, its relating them to the original trinity. Slint, Chavez and Polvo. Musically, they dont share much with any those bands. But their concept of mathy music fits much better with what those original bands created. Do you like canadian emo bands from the 90's? Well, if so, you may already know of Blake. If not, give them a listen. For fans of all good DC post hardcore and all Canadain & Virginia screamy hardcore-ish stuff.

Download Their Discography Here

Buy it here if you like it

Support Indepedent Record Labels!

The Red Robot

2009-05-31T14:14:00.015-04:00

I don't exactly know how to start this off. Maybe just a history lesson of sorts. I used to be in the Syracuse NY band Amorous Radio. I wont get into much about that band. I will say that I was not a original member. The band existed for at least a year before I joined. Amorous Radio's drummer Anthony (who I went on to start Ladies & Everyone, Kaihoro, & One Hundred Metronomes with and who also played in Know Nothing & Cancer and now plays in Tailings. You've probably heard me mention him before.) told me stories about their US tour. (Besides being blacklisted by the Syracuse music scene, that band really did do things ahead of their time. Especially for the genre of music they played. A whole US tour before This Afternoon OR Long Since Forgotten, their supposed local musical peers, ever dreamed of doing such a thing.) On that tour Anthony met Mat Calderon who if i remember correctly was playing in the band Hand Over Fist at the time. Through the years, Mat and Anthony kept in touch, and it was later that i heard of The Red Robot through Anthony. In typical Anthony fashion, he talked the band up so much that, to be completely honest, i got sick of hearing about them. He eventually showed me some songs by them. They were early tracks but they were good. But i think Anthony always resented me because my immediate reaction wasn't one of shitting my pants. (I will say, as Ive said many times in the past, if a band is hyped to me on a constant basis, chances are, I'm going to judge them pretty hard.) But one thing was sure to me after listening to the tracks, I liked the band and was going to follow them. And I did. Their sound is the kind of thing i like, and it would be a surprise to anyone who knows me. Ian MacKaye-esc sounding vocals. Music that is definitely influenced by Fugazi, but could also be compared to At The Drive-In, Drive Like Jehu, and at times even Faraquet. Recently The Red Robot broke up. Which has left me heartbroken. I never got a chance to see them. Too my knowledge, they never did tour outside of their immediate area. Which is sad. I think about them playing DC and other places and killing. Early videos of them showed that they had a large following. And just personally, their videos reminded me of Bad Cops shows from when the Syracuse scene was in its prime. Crowd singing along, everyone smiling and having a great time. And its just so awesome when you see that happening at shows and to bands that aren't meathead hardcore or dumb MTV2/Fuse mallcore. I'll continue to follow the members new bands, but The Red Robot will always mean alot to me and hold a special place in my heart. I highly suggest everyone giving them a listen.

Self Titled (I included the songs "Modern Living" & "Wrangler Butts" in this download. They may be from the Grun-Tu-Molani EP that I've never been able to get a copy of. These two songs are the songs Anthony showed me all those years ago. You can get a actual copy of the album here. If you're in Syracuse, you might also be able to get one from Anthony. I know he had some copies not that long ago.)

Memory (Their last album. Only released online. You can get the album artwork from this site as well)

The Cancer Conspiracy

2009-05-28T18:04:00.011-04:00

I liked this band from the second I heard their name. (The band name comes from the idea that there is a conspiracy to keep a cure for cancer hidden. This is perpetrated by members of the pharmaceutical community who would lose unimaginable amounts of money if there was a cure. The real money comes from constant treatment. Lots of expensive drugs for a long time, if not for the rest of that patient's life, makes a pharmaceutical company more money than a one off treatment that gets rid of the disease for good. The pharmaceutical companies use their influence in Washington and in the media (newspaper, tv, magazines, etc.) to keep treatments that could be a threat in the dark. That's the story. Go watch the movie "The Beautiful Truth" or the short Film "A World Without Cancer" for more information on the concept.) But then a awesome thing occurred, because besides just agreeing with what their name references, their music was right up my alley. Its always sort of been acknowledged that math rock took serious cues from progressive rock. But for my money, The Cancer Conspiracy might be the first band that can be both genres simultaneously. Its strange to say, but you can definitely hear it track to track. More so on the full length albums. Fripp guitar influence can be heard on some tracks. But I have to say that I'm sick of reading reviews of mathy bands and always hearing King Crimson mentioned. In this case, its actually accurate. But i don't dig name dropping that band unless it actually fits. end mini rant. I would suggest this band to ANY fans of progressive rock. I would also suggest any fans of instrumental math rock checking them out. Like the majority of what i listen to, they aren't together. They haven't been for a long while. The album Ω album wasn't released till years after they had broken up. The bassist went on to be in Daughters which doesn't mean anything to me.

Self Titled EP & The Audio Medium

Buy them if you like them

Q and not U - No Kill No Beep Beep

2009-05-26T00:28:00.004-04:00

I can safely say this is the only record this band released that I care about. There were a couple tracks off of Different Damage that were okay, but this is a great record. I know people who HATE this band, and they have never heard this record. Not trying to be a dick, but i can totally understand. With later releases, Q and not U got into all this keyboard based techno bullshit. I guess if you like that stuff, that's okay. But understand that there are people who hear that and cringe. I think that anyone who hears this record and falls in love with it, would have the same response to the band's later works. This is my favorite set up for a post hardcore band. guitar guitar bass and drums. You cant beat it. Especially when the two guitar players are able to play off each other so well. This is their only album as a four piece, which might also be why I like this album and not the rest. Essentially, to me, this album is like if Fugazi listened to more dance bands. It has a sound that fits right in with that Dischord post hardcore sound, but is different enough to keep you interested. I wish I had been able to see the band in this era. I saw them years later, and it was a very big disappointment. This is who they will always be in my eyes, even though i realize that is wrong.

Download The Album Here

Buy it if you like it

Piglet - Lava Land

2009-05-25T01:00:00.003-04:00

I found Piglet because they were labelmates with one of my all time favorite instrumental bands, Volta Do Mar. As I honestly recall, Piglet were the only band on Arborvitae Records I did look into. Couldn't tell you why. I am glad I did. The Lava Land EP is immensely enjoyable. Chicago instrumental math rock all the way. At the time of me first hearing this, I hadn't heard a band that sounded like Piglet. Even now there really isn't a band that I can say "yep, they sound like Piglet." The only band that is at all similar is Dakota/Dakota. And as much as i enjoy that band, its just not the same. I've listened to this EP crazy amounts of times, and love it deary. I'm very sad that this is the bands only release. If you go on youtube, you can find videos of them playing later material, and that stuff just destroys. Hopefully someday they will either reunite, or at least get together to put that stuff out. sooooo good. i really doubt that if you are into instrumental mathy bands, you haven't heard this record. But if by some strange chance you haven't, well fuck, have at it!

Download The Album Here

Buy it if you like it

Rainer Maria - A Better Version of Me

2009-05-24T01:31:00.004-04:00

the other night i went to a show with my girlfriend. it was slingshot dakota. i hadn't fucking seen those guys since they played a free show with Damiera at Oswego college YEARS ago. it was good seeing them again. anywho, the first opening band Scudworth was really not doing it for me. it was the simple case of, if they played better, they would be a better band. Lots of potential from a songwriting perspective but maybe a song in, i was just waiting for it to be over so i could see Mistletoe play. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a bright light in a dimly lit set. A outrageously untight cover. BUT, one that even with all of its flaws still had me singing along. It was "Artificial Light" by Rainer Maria. NOW as pissed as I was that such a great song was getting paid such shit service, AND that this band would forever be known in Syracuse for covering Rainer Maria, it did get me thinking about a band I hadn't thought of in a little while. I was introduced to Rainer Maria in 2003. It was around when Ladies & Everyone was in talks. We had already got Rachel on board, and were just waiting till all of our schedules worked so we could get together. We had started with no thought of being instrumental. Both Rachel and I were going to sing. Anthony in a attempt to show me what he imagined the band would sound like, from at least a singing perspective, showed me a Rainer Maria song. It was "Tinfoil" off of the Past Worn Searching album. Besides enjoying the vocals, i really dug the music. I got more into the band, and would even get to see them for free out at Colgate college. They played a few songs off of this record when i saw them, including Artificial Light. Which was fucking excellent. I don't honestly know if this is their best record. But I know that for me, its the one I've listened to the most, and the one that has the most sentimental attachment. beginning to end, its a fantastic record.

Download the album here (this is Dan Caf's upload from L.T.T.O. I only have the album on my zune)

Buy it if you like it

feel-ing

2009-05-24T00:45:00.003-04:00

there has been alot I've wanted to write in my blog in recent times, but I'm having a hard time. i don't think its motivation. its more, "oh i want to write about this, wait, this, no wait this...." and then I cant decide, so i just end up not writing at all. :-(

I've been listening to Dasha in the shower the past few days. I really enjoy them. I wish they were huge. well, maybe not huge, but signed. I think they would do really well in places that aren't syracuse & the surrounding areas. chicago for sure. there have been bands I've known over the years that i really wish that for. the newlywed intercoastal was another band. they were so young, and so talented.

i got this VHS that had old Ladies & Everyone shows on it. it was really cool to get, but massively depressing because, well, we aren't terrible on the tape. we weren't a bad band. massively under appreciated? yes. i don't want to rave that we were the greatest thing ever, because i don't believe that. I just know that we didn't suck, and actually tried to do something different in syracuse. something non-hardcore or punk. It blows to know the two people who led to me getting the tape were two of the only people that liked us and gave a shit. i hate that we don't play together anymore. i miss it. watching the video made me miss us more than usual. its also sad when i go to shows now with bands of similar style, bands that have admitted to our influence on them, and lots of people are there. The last few times we played, we played to pretty much no one. hopefully some day (soon i hope) rachel and anthony can get over all of their bullshit. because it ruined a great band. as much as its the thing to talk shit on anthony now, and I'll agree that he gives much fuel for this, he was a great drummer then. and the 3 of us really had great chemistry when playing together. i realize I've made a few posts that get all sad like this. i can only blame that on what happens when things end unfinished. I've contemplated recording the last songs with anthony and having rachel come record her basslines at a later time. Maybe it would work. Idk. Ill have to see.

Oh, Canada (Part 6): Place Hands

2009-05-21T00:39:00.006-04:00

Years ago, I had become aware of Canadian musician Heidi Hazelton. She was (is?) label mates with two of my favorite Canadian bands, Rockets Red Glare and Burn Rome In A Dream, on DIE!venom Records. Oh Evan Clarke, you can do no wrong. Anyway, as was my way in the days of Canadian exploration and discovery, if i found a label with one band I liked, i would listen to all the artists that were on the label. Hazelton's songs I'd heard then, and since, were touching, heartwarming indie sample folk. i don't think that's a real genre but oh well. haha. Very sweet music that makes boys like me get crushes. FLASH FORWARD TO A WEEK AGO. I cant remember what i was doing, or where I was. I think I was on thebluehouse.org looking into the Rockets Red Glare LP they have on there when I came across Place Hands. I clicked the link for their album, Inscribed In Glass, and was immediately treated to a clip of one song off of the album. It was enough to be like "WTF?" and start my search for more of their songs. The brief bio on the site mentioned Heidi Hazelton was in the band. Which was a awesome surprise for me. Her vocal style is completely different from the majority of her solo songs I've heard. Idk. I can honestly admit I don't listen to many female fronted bands, and the majority of the ones i do listen to don't yell or scream. (Uzeda and Bellini being the exceptions) So my basis for vocal comparison might be massively off. I apologize in advance. The Fall On Deaf Ears was the band that I thought of when i heard how Heidi sings in Place Hands. Like I said, probably terrible. Fuck me, right? Vocal duties are shared by Lee Sheppard, who often reminds me of Okara (who i still need to do a "Oh, Canada" about, I know. One of my favorite bands period) when he sings. Vocals go from switched off back and forth between the two to being shouted together, which I love. Musically this band is Canada all the way. They follow in the footsteps of Canadian bands like, Shotmaker, Rockets Red Glare, Blake, Three Penny Opera, blah blah blah. As you may know from reading past installments, i hate comparing bands. Mostly because I don't think I'm any good at it. Canadian post hardcore at its finest is a real easy way to put it. haha. I have no doubt that fans of the Dischord, Touch and Go and San Diego styles of Post Hardcore would enjoy this as well. So all you Fugazi fans take note. I love the lyrical usage on this record. There are lines that just pop out. I'm sure the authors would rather you look at the lyrics in whole, but some of these lines are just gold to me. "I dreamed my arms were tentacles. I dreamed my fingers were seaweed. You were the life preserver!" UGH. so fucking good! "Streets" might be my favorite song off of Inscribed In Glass. You can thank Heidi for that with her opening and closing sections of the song. GUH. its gets me man. I regret having accidentally bought this via Zune Marketplace (dont ask. guhh) because I want to own a real copy of it. Its that good man. Trust me. I hope they are still together. I cant believe I havent heard of them until now. Fingers crossed. Maybe I can book them in syracuse. :-D

Listen to the album here.

Buy it here if you like

Support Independent Music!

growing up (isn't easy)

2009-05-16T02:48:00.002-04:00

growing up, my father was an alcoholic. a very bad alcoholic. i had to call 911 on him numerous times in my youth. the situation was a psychological mindfuck. and i never really thought i had a dad in a real family sense. I had a man that was my father, but there was no connection. seeing my father constantly drunk, doing and saying awful things, made me think to myself "I will never get drunk. I will never be like him." When I got to middle school, I got wind of the local underground music scene and the band earth crisis. In connection to that, I also got wind of straight edge. being so anti drink, and drugs, i was all about being straight edge. some other kids in my school were edge, and it was cool to connect with kids. they didn't know why i felt as strongly as i did. they didn't need to. i was happy. when i was in 11th grade, 3 years later, i started getting curious. not about drinking. my dad was still a major alcoholic. but i was interested in trying pot. why? couldn't tell you. i wanted to try it though. and i did. and it was lame. nothing even happened. so i broke edge, as they so eloquently say. word got out that i broke edge, and all my good friends, really good people, disowned me. really awesome. so what did i do? did i fall into drugs and drinking because a bunch of people i thought were my true friends turned their backs on me? nope. i went right back to where i was. but i couldn't say i was straight edge. i just, was. time would go by, and alot of the same kids that disowned me, essentially broke edge. and they didn't just try something and go right back to doing nothing. alot of them became druggies and drunks. it wasn't until years later that i started drinking. and really, i don't even want to say i drank. I would go to a bonfire at my friend's sister's house, and have a bottle of hooch, and that was it. Never got drunk. However many years later, and this is still where i am at. I've never been drunk. I've never smoked a cigarette. The only time i ever smoked pot was back in 11th grade. but, i am not respected by straight edge people. but i honestly think that my life is better. i think it is immature to label yourself. i don't care the label. its fucking immature to be like "oh I'm sXe. I'm 35 and I've been straight edge for 14 years." who gives a flying fuck? good the fuck for you. why the fuck do i care? why do you need a label? i hate when people call me straight edge. HATE HATE HATE that shit. why? I'm a grown up. I don't need to be like "oh i need to be in a click and have a label so i can feel connected to people." if its just your life, why do you advertise? shut the fuck up and live your life. i would much rather explain to anyone ever "well, i don't do drugs or smoke. and ill have a drink from time to time, but I've never been drunk and don't plan on ever getting drunk" then to say "I'm straight edge."

Shellac - 1000 Hurts

2009-05-15T11:42:00.003-04:00

I've been listening to this album alot lately. so much so, that i brought it in my mom's car and made her listen to it. haha. To me, Shellac is what the Chicago sound is. Just like Fugazi will forever be D.C. to me, the same goes for Shellac. Granted, they really only apply to the post hardcore genre. Cause like, Tortoise is Chicago to me, but Post Rock. haha. Well anyway, I'll quit my blabbering. I love this album. Alot of people rate it lower than "At Action Park" which I'll never understand. I think they are AT LEAST equals. Though I personally would rate this higher. "Prayer To God", "Squirrel Song", and "Watch Song" are my favorites. I just really like it beginning to end.

Download The Album Here

Please buy this record if you like it.

Support Independent Music!

loves in life

2009-05-15T00:15:00.002-04:00

i eat these way too often. i would blame my manboobs on them, but that would be inaccurate. truthfully, i eat them in a way non vegan way. i put cheese on them. i use mayonnaise. oh well. baby steps? haha. one thing ill never get used to is eating spicy brown mustard on a burger. real or imitation. its just, not right. hahaha. but i don't like spicy brown mustard period. so maybe that's unfair of me.

tomorrow is looking like a interesting day. a family day. going to chuck e cheese's with meghan and her son. I'm nervous about it. i just met her son yesterday. he seemed to think i was okay. Idk. I guess I'm just nervous getting into family stuff. but i really care about this girl alot. I haven't been talking about our relationship on here, but then again I haven't been talking about anything on here. I guess I'm trying to respect what we have and keep it private? haha. idk. things are great though. i can tell the few people that read this blog that much.

I'm going to try to do a music review tomorrow before shit gets real. What do you want? More canada? chicago? Idk. I have a few ideas. Ill try to figure something out after i post this.

perfect tuesday?

2009-05-09T16:41:00.003-04:00

Tuesday was one of the greatest days I've had in a long time. i woke up early and went on a date with my girlfriend Meghan. Whats strange is, it was our first official date. haha. We haven't been together that long, but I feel a connection that is usually reserved for couples that have been together much longer. I keep getting worried by the abnormality of that. But oh well. We went up to Marshall Street to Starbucks and Syrajuice. Nothing amazing, but just being with her makes plain things awesome. She got a parking ticket because of where she parked. Which blew. Went to wegmans and then back to her house.

Buffalo trip was mostly eh. I thought Tisdale and I were going to have some one on one bro time. But instead Greg and Courtney came. No care about Courtney, but Greg, guh. Initially I thought it was Greg Philip, which got me stoked. I love that guy. Plus, I know he would like Mogwai. But yeah, Greg Ellis. Dude gets on my nerves. Plus, I don't really like how Tisdale is around him but oh well. I thought the opener was alright. I'd have to hear them recorded before I judge. Mogwai was amazing. Top concert for sure. Loudest band I've ever seen. Played some of my fave songs. Was disappointed in the lack of Mr. Beast material, but they did play one song off the record that i love. So that worked out. Too much strobe for me and my light sensitive eyes. haha. After the show we went to Mighty Taco. Pros: Awesome Food, Loganberry Soda. Cons: I somehow ended paying for like everyone and I never got my change. Before leaving my house for the trip, I emptied my piggy back into a plastic bag. I had very little money on me, 20 bucks, so i thought i could use some of my piggy bank money for tolls or gas. On the way home I was getting tired. so at a rest stop we stopped at, i brought in my money bag planning on getting a soda. I decided to take a whiz first, so i shoved the money bag in the pocket of my hoodie. After peeing i turned to leave the stall, and the bag shifted, dropped out of the pocket, and blew up all over the ground. I was shocked. I started trying to pick up my money when a couple of things hit me. First, the overwhelming feeling that there was NO WAY IN HELL i was going to be able to pick up this stuff in a timely manner. Second, this is a men's room at a rest stop. How gross would it to be to touch all that change that touched the floor? I ended up losing half of the money i had. Really upsetting, more so because I was already pretty upset about my money situation to begin with. Work has been fucking me over. I got a 50 something dollar paycheck this week. God. I need a real job.

Mogwai - Mr. Beast

2009-05-04T11:32:00.002-04:00

Mogwai is one of my favorite bands. And I finally get to see them tomorrow night in Buffalo. I'm so excited! Mr. Beast is my favorite album by them. I often get flack for this. I don't know why. Most times I cant explain why I really love something. And idk. "Happy Songs..." is great. I love the "Government Commissions" comp record. "The Hawk Is Howling" is a solid, awesome record. I really dig everything I've heard by them. But this record just does it for me. Ive listened to it so many times. It has a pattern to me. Odd number tracks seem to me the more mellow or ambient numbers. While the even tracks are the ones that really rock. Maybe this isn't even accurate and its some sort of personal bible code I've devised for the album from listening to it over and over again and going crazy for it. haha. I have no clue. Glasgow Mega Snake may be one of the heaviest songs ever. I know that much. haha.

Download The Album Here

Buy it if you like it

smiling like a retard

2009-05-03T01:21:00.003-04:00

okay, not the most politically correct statement but i think it actually would make sense if you saw me right now. things are fucking great. i still worry but that's me. on top of everything, I'm listening to Okara. :-D I cant wait for my copy of "Months Like Years" to get here. Tuesday is Mogwai in Buffalo. Shit is going to rule! And I'm assuming between now and then there will be much hanging with Meghan. Which will result in more mentally challenged smiling. I don't care.

:-D

Oh, Canada (Part 5): Weights & Measures

2009-05-02T02:17:00.007-04:00

I've decided that since I do write in this blog fairly consistently, I would revive my old Listen To This Once series "Oh, Canada". What better way to make a comeback then with one of my faves.

I owe alot to Matlock Records. ALOT. It all started with me finding out about Rockets Red Glare, and went from there. North Of America, The Plan, Kepler, and of course Weights & Measures. Of all of those bands, Weights & Measures really stick out as being different. The Canadian underground sound was highly influenced by the emo/screamo sound of legends/grandfathers Shotmaker. Later bands like Okara and Blake would take that basic idea, and add mathematical elements making a sound similar, yet unique, to the Drive Like Jehu mathy screamy post hardcore sound. Alot of Canadian bands would continue following that sound and style for years after. What Weights & Measures seemed to do was to take the Mathy portion of the equation, without fully leaving the post hardcore sound. What you end up with is a unique math rock band. I cant honestly think of another band that really sounds like this band. They aren't prog influenced like The Cancer Conspiracy. They aren't spazzy like Hella. They aren't non coherent like Don Caballero could sometimes be. They play together well and they rock. And not in that dumb meatheaded "I'm going throw the horns up brah!" way. Their drummer now plays in The Arcade Fire. I don't know the conditions for which this band broke up, BUT, if it has anything to do with him leaving to be in that band, well, I think people know what I have to say to him. haha. If you like instrumental math rock bands, give a listen to these guys. They were fucking great and utterly unique.

Download their discography album "Invest In The Death Of Weights & Measures"

You can buy the album here if you like it.

sort of uncertain

2009-05-01T15:24:00.002-04:00

its safe to say i have real low self esteem. which makes this next statement make alot of sense. i will never understand why girls that are way way WAY out of my league like me. haha. maybe the leagues thing is outdated/immature. idk. i just know I'm this fat guy that isn't that great looking that has a pretty good personality. but then again, i have low self esteem. haha. all i know is, this amazing girl that just happens to be way super hot cute attractive 5000 likes me. And i like her a whole hell of alot. And as of right now, things are totally unsucky. I really hope they stay this way. I can see myself being with her for a very long time.

Criteria - En Garde

2009-04-28T15:42:00.005-04:00

Stephen Pedersen is a unsung musical hero of mine. I don't know why don't I throw his name around when talking influences. I really should. The White Octave is one of my all time favorite bands, and he was the brains behind them. He was also in Cursive. I really could give two shits about that band though. Because the only albums I've heard by them that i liked, had Stephen Pedersen on them. So yeah, get more cellos dOOdz! I listened to this album in full the other night after god knows how long. I remember waiting for its release. I was so excited to hear it. The realization that I had listened to this album a hell of alot hit very quick the other night. And it was awesome to reminisce. I don't remember being so fond of there follow up to this album. But maybe ill have to go back and listen. Criteria was a band that I aloud to fall out of my favor. And it wasn't even because of the music that band was making. It was because of my usual bullshit. I mentioned White Octave too many times to Criteria fans who responds with a unanimous "huh?" Enough to make a man vomit. The kids who did know of White Octave, didn't like them because they had gone backward from Criteria to discover them. I started my usual hate think. Where I start thinking of more accessible bands as inferior. Criteria gets a pass. I love this album. "Me on your front porch" was a lovey mix CD staple of mine for fucking years. And "Rescue Rescue" is fucking outrageously out of place and beautiful. I don't even know if they exist anymore as a band. well, hopefully Stephen Pedersen is doing something musical.

Download The Album Here

Buy it if you like it.

this is not a connection

2009-04-28T00:34:00.002-04:00

what the fuck is wrong with me? if there really was a god, why would i continuous be put in the positions i am? i think I'm a pretty good guy. I'm the first to admit i have low self esteem. and while that is true, i do think I'm honestly a good guy. i try to be good to everyone. all i can think is that somewhere along line i really fucked someone over, because this keeps happening. granted, being in love and being loved IS NOT everything in the world. And idk, i suppose not everyone is meant to find someone. But i just keep wondering why women come into my life, that are unattainable. its happened so many times, that Ive even thought of things in a spiritual way. And as you may know, I'm pretty much a atheist. But the continual big up and let down, the love and the heartbreak, have made me think about things like, karmic retribution, god's plan. etc. I mean, i feel like this could be negative karma coming back at me. But for what? What did i do to deserve such a return? And the whole god's plan, well, i don't know that i buy into that. the whole "it makes you stronger" thing. I can only buy that for so long. this is probably premature. I've been hanging out with this girl recently, and idk. I feel like we are really clicking. Every conversation is filled with laughs, and idk, i have outrageous fun when I'm with her. But shes not looking for a relationship and i am. It blows. Ive been looking for connections, and when I get them, i don't want to give up. Even if I know I'm probably going to end up getting hurt. Maybe i shouldn't put all of my eggs in one basket. There is a girl in Rochester that really digs me, but I've never met her. And there is another girl in Rochester that said she'd go out on a date with me. So i have no clue. I'm going to try to do it different then i did with Sara(h). Don't fall in love. Don't stay exclusive. At least not until I know what I'm going to get in return is what I'm willing to put in.

Mrs. Rumble In Cairo

2009-04-25T12:59:00.000-04:00

Dreams can be quite weird and often upsetting. I had a dream last night that i was dating Lisa, the first girl I ever loved, and i asked her to marry me. She said yes and it was great. There was an engagement party. Everyone was happy. It was so cool to be in a position where i was completely in love with someone, and they were completely in love with me. My grandma was at the party. Which is weird. Somehow, later in the same dream, I ended up at the Pickle's Plaza on East Genesee. Rachel was there. She was acting really bummed. I don’t know how it got brought up, but she ended up telling me she wrote the Bad Cops' song "Rumble In Cairo" and never got credit for it. haha. weird dream for sure. I woke feeling bummed and whatever. But I suppose that’s to be expected.

I had a weird dream the night before last night. It was muppet related. Sweetums was arguing with Harry monster and trying to convince him that Guy Smiley was a Nazi. He ends up walking out onto the street to a sand sculpture car. He wipes some sand off to reveal, its in actual car, with a sand sculpture of the same kind of car, on the outside of the car. Haha. Inside is a pissed off Guy Smiley like “WTF?” He rolls down his window to say something and Sweetums just grabs him, and throws him into oblivion. For no reason, he goes to the next sand car, to find Swedish Chef inside. Swedish Chef is out of character, not wearing his hat and not talking with an accent. He rolls down his window so see what’s going on, only to have Sweetums grab him, and throw him into oblivion. I woke up laughing.

burn mr. burny bernstien

2009-04-24T23:57:00.004-04:00

supposedly hanging out with this girl tomorrow night. a strange set of events brought it together. the short version is, i had a crush on this girl in middle school, she found out now that i had said crush, and wants to hang with me now. rad? maybe. haha. i really wanted to head out to rochester at some point and try to hang with a girl i was crushing on out there. but idk. there's only so long i can go without communication, and still keep some sort of feeling for a girl. also, it blows to be the only one to initiate conversations. When the girl doesn't try to talk to me ever, it makes me feel like I'm shit and i don't matter in her eyes. I was probably never viewed as a prospective boyfriend type in her eyes anyway. That's okay. She is too good for me anyhow. I never even had the guts to ask her if she was single. So oh well. Maybe I'll see her if her band ever tours again.

sadly, weekends (end)

2009-04-20T13:19:00.002-04:00

i had a really good weekend. saturday was record store day. so i woke up pretty early. Ally and I didn't get to Soundgarden till 10:15. Picked up the Pavement Live LP. I wanted to get the Sonic Youth/Beck 7 inch, but they had sold out. Soundgarden opens at 10, so that puts the day in perspective. haha. I wanted the Green Day "Dookie" 180 gram reissue, but I didn't see it. I also picked up one of the Radiohead singles. I wish they weren't so much, I would've bought a few. Also picked up a Rush sticker, which i promptly stuck to my guitar case. haha. Ally had to bounce out, so she ended up dropping me off at my Grandmother's house where her estate sale was going on. Was there for about an hour. Saw Mrs. Scofield. Which was cool. Though she said one of the most retarded things ever. "So this is your grandmas house?" "Yeah" a little while later..."so where is your grandma?" i was like "uhhhhhh, this is an estate sale...." hahaha. Then I went to Mike's house and Rejouissance practiced all day. Got to go to alto cinco for lunch. Which was alright. But man, almost 9 bucks for something I could've got at Ponchitos for WAY cheaper. After trying to practice "Motorhead" with Damian, Rachel, Mike and me went to surprise Ally at work. I ended up picking up 3 Rush records from Books & Memories. Ally was nice enough to give me a ride home. When I got in, I saw my Q and not U and Embrace records had come in the mail. I tell ya, Dischord is on their fucking game.

The next day was the show. got to mike's, jim came and we loaded up. Then we went to mom's diner on westcott. never been there before. ally met up with us there. we proceeded to wait for 45 mins on french toast. Ally and I ended up saying fuck it and walked to the Westcott. Id missed the first band. Which bummed me out. But oh well, a little while later, literally minutes later, Jim and Mike drove up. Turned out, the place just lost their orders all together. so they said fuck it. Caught Mandate's set. I wish i had had cash money on me. I would've bought their new album and their LP. Btw, what a travesty that they were made to play second. the band has been around for 10 years. Tailings was good. It was cool to finally see them. I felt like their set was too long but I also thought they shouldn't have played after mandate. so maybe that's why. We played, and rocked balls. I fucked up a little here and there, and so did nick but overall, it went well. I heard people actually say it was the best version of the band that they had seen. Which was cool. We were definitely louder, heavier, and more energetic than all the versions of the band I remember seeing. I was glad people liked it. after we went and hung out at recess with the gang. ended up going to chucks for a little while. after that, we went to mike's to drop off his stuff. Then Jim drove me home. we chatted, it was a good time. Hopefully I'll be able to play the brooklyn CD release show and also go on the tour in July. but yes, overall, rad weekend.

such a consumer

2009-04-16T15:18:00.002-04:00

when i found out i got my tax return last night/this morning, i bought SO MUCH SHIT. do i need it all? probably not. its just cool to have money. i blew so much of my cash seeing Hum back in December. I'm thinking about returning the cab i bought after the show sunday so i wont owe my dad 300 something bucks. but idk, ill probably need a cab at some point in the future. anyway, I bought a bunch of shit last night for my record player. a record cleaning brush, stylus cleaner and brush, some record cleaning spray. I also bought a box to keep my records and some extra sleeves for the water damaged ones. i forgot to get insert sleeves though. so that blows. I bought a shit ton of actual records from different places. here is what i got...

Suis La Lune - Heir 10inch & CD

Indian Summer - Live Blue Universe LP

Daïtro/Sed Non Satiata Split LP

Embrace - Self Titled LP

Q and not U - No Kill No Beep Beep LP

Rush - Permanent Waves (180 gram reissue) LP

Yes- Fragile (180 gram reissue) LP

Yes - Close to the edge (180 gram reissue) LP

Dischord is cheap as fuck. All the other places, the shipping was what kicked it up a notch. I'm also in talks with Shawn Scallen about getting the Okara LP. I messaged North Of America on myspace last night to see if one of them has any extra copies of the Brothers, Sisters vinyl that I could possibly buy off of them. That would be fucking spectacular if so. Idk. I'm really falling into this vinyl shit. haha. OH, and Genesis and Led Zeppelin I work. So now all I have is the other 3 Zeppelin albums to check out. The Yes album was FUCKED. Its dirty as shit. There's no way I'm putting it on my player in its present condition. Once my cleaning shit gets here, I'll clean it, and then see if it works. Led Zeppelin I is in fucking pristine condition. I wish the sleeve wasn't fucked, but oh well. I'm also thinking once I pay my dad back, of getting a silk screen kit. My uncle is owner of the framing department in commercial art supply. So i guess he can get me some kind of discount. And I'm also planning on buying drum mics off of tisdale. So i should probably invest in mic cables and a mixer. that could lead to awesome stuff. cause then i could just do all the Kalechex stuff by myself. YAY for Independence!

Eisley - Room Noises

2009-04-15T14:55:00.003-04:00

my ex Sara(h) was all kinds of surprised when I put a track off this album on a mix CD I made for her. She said she never would've guessed I liked this band and was actually embarrassed herself to admit she liked them. Oh well. I guess she had me pigeon hold as mr. math rock post hardcore guy. which is mostly true. There aren't that many bands with female singers that I like. Uzeda and Bellini are really the weird ones. All the others just have girls who's voices I really love. I think the first time I saw Eisley was on MTV late one night on the program Subterranean. I loved them. I couldn't explain it. I'll admit to this day that they are completely odd in relation to what i listen to. But idk. Their music is pretty. haha. I'm sometimes a sucker for that stuff. I think that most of the albums I've posted on here are pretty "well duh". No surprise that I like them. This is the first one that might shock some people. Like indie pop rock with great female vox? well, here ya go.

Download The Album Here

if you like it, please buy it.

begging questions

2009-04-15T00:51:00.002-04:00

i am suddenly struck with this question. when will this shit end? when will i stop caring about Sara(h)? Its just me being dumb and always saying to myself "ill see what she's up to." Then I see her profile or whatever, and see, shit, shes happy and living a life that i wanted with her, with someone else. Idk. Its hard. And I don't know why I even check. I don't know if that's the friend in me just interested in what shes up to or what. I know that the ex-dating guy, or whatever i was to her, gets bummed by it though. Its like, I'm happy shes happy. She got over her bullshit and can be in a relationship now. I don't know what happened between then and now though that led to that change. I know he can give her things I couldn't. I'm sure he drives. He probably has more experience with relationships. Which I didn't really have, and I think hurt things between her and i. He's better looking and skinnier than me. He probably has a better job, so he can take her to better restaurants and buy her better things. Idk. I wish she hadn't gotten rid of me. There are times i see a rare vinyl of a band i know she loves, and want to message her and tell her about it. That's just one example of times I wish I could just message her. I lost her address when my dad's comp got reformatted. That blows. I wanted to send her a copy of the album I wrote about her. Not that it would've changed anything between her and I. But it was about her, and she should know about it and have it. I wish i could get pictures of the mix i made her. Its one of the greatest things I've ever made. Tracklist is great. But the art was so trying and it came out awesome to me. Idk. She said she wouldn't stop talking to me, and then did. It just blows the way it went down. I still hope down the line we could at least talk. I successfully looked at her page and didn't want to go crawl into a hole after. I'm bummed, but not at the same level i used to get. Don't become friends with your lover. Because if everything falls apart like it did for me, you lose your best friend and the love of your life. Which is what is making the situation so hard. As much as i don't want to admit it, talking about all of this makes me feel completely weak. I just want to move on past the feelings I had for her. I don't know why I cant remember all the past loves lost and how i dealt with them. I probably buried that all away.

so okay to offset all that emo bullshit here's a list of recent awesome things...

The bands SWIMS and Planets. Bass/Drum math rock duos do it for me.

I watched Sleepaway Camp 2 & 3 tonight on chiller. Edited, but better than nothing.

I made a L&E discography. It has a text file with song title explanations and fun stories.

you can get it here.

Today I listened to some of those water damaged LPs. So far both police albums and the cars work. I think most of them will work. Once I get my next paycheck Ill get stuff to clean them. It will definitely make them sound WAY better.

All Them Witches is a rad fucking band. As if there was any doubt. I want to play bass for them.

In the two days I've been off work, I've tracked a bunch of drums. Granted, only so much is good and usable. But its good to play and finish songs. I need to come up with definite goals and make sure I accomplish them before the 21st.

I'm possibly either joining a room, or getting a room at the midler space. it will be awesome to have a place for Kalechex to practice.

Finally, it would seem, got everything figured out with my bank account. This could honestly go under shitty stuff because of all the BS I've gone through trying to get my money back. But I'm just happy its seemingly over with.

There's probably more good stuff but that is all that is coming to my mind at the moment. I'm going to go listen to shit i recorded to try to plan what I'm going to do tomorrow. Then I'm going to bed. Album tomorrow. It will be a surprise. It surprised Sara(h)

water damaged vinyl anyone?

2009-04-13T23:28:00.003-04:00

i went to my grandma's house with my sis tonight so she could look at jewelry. i ended up picking up some vinyl that was in a box downstairs. alot of the stuff experienced serious water damage. But from the couple records I pulled out and checked, it seemed to only be the sleeves that were fucked. here's the tally...

The Police - Ghost In The Machine & Synchronicity

Led Zeppelin - I, II, In Through The Out Door, Coda

Genesis - Invisible Touch

Yes - 90125

The Cars - The Cars

I listened to Ghost In The Machine when i first got home. As grubby as it looked, it played side 1 without any skips, and very little noise to my surprise. Gotta check the rest to see if they are warped or fucked in any way. The sleeves smell like mildew, so I'll probably order some new ones once i know what I'm keeping, and what I'm chucking. I figured I'd take all this stuff because my aunt said they were just going to chuck it otherwise. So not a bad deal in the end.

Metallica - ...And Justice For All

2009-04-13T17:39:00.004-04:00

I'll keep this short. Somewhere along the line, all the hipster fucktards decided that "Master Of Puppets" was when Metallica ended. That was the last good record they put out. I have to not so respectfully disagree. I will admit, i was a teenage Metallica fan. My friends and I used to listen to their records and play magic cards. Yep, there goes whatever mystique i may have had. haha. "Master Of Puppets" is my favorite Metallica album. It was the first I heard. BUT, i do not agree with concept that that was their last good album. Start to finish, I love this album. THIS was Metallica's last good album.

Download it here

PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, IF YOU LIKE THIS ALBUM, BUY IT!

I DO NOT WANT TO GET SUED BY THOSE FUCKS BECAUSE I'M ACTUALLY TRYING TO GET PEOPLE INTO THEIR GOOD RECORDS

Jesus Zombie Christ

2009-04-12T23:39:00.004-04:00

well, today was the day that everyone celebrates Jesus's return to life. Well, at least this year. I think its kind of fucked that I'm supposed to believe in all this christian bullshit or I'm going to hell supposedly. Especially when, they don't even have exact dates for alot of these "miracles". Is it March or is it April? Alot of kids joke and call it Zombie Jesus Day. I guess because he rose from the dead. which i guess would make him a zombie. And just like a zombie, he's killed people. Or people have been killed in his name. Idk, you can probably grasp my stance on religion and more so, christianity. Check this bullshit though. Xmas is a holiday. No question asked. If every establishment wasn't closed that day, employees to work on that day would surely get holiday pay. BUT, for some reason, places are open on Easter and employees ARE NOT paid holiday pay? I was talking about this at work and it seemed like some customers were offended. Fucking chill out douche bags. What i was saying is, the "rebirth" or "undeadening" of jesus should be just as important as his birthday, and therefore, deserves holiday pay. Maybe the fact that i was talking about it so openly offended people. I don't give a shit. I talk religion, politics, conspiracies, GMO's, animal rights at work and to customers.

My sister gave me a Easter gift of sorts. A vinyl copy of Metallica's "Master Of Puppets" that she got from work. Its funny in a ironic way, given my stance on Jesus and all that. I never even thought about Ally working at Books and Memories benefiting me in any way. But now that my record player is up and running, I'm stoked at the future possibilities.

I feel very motivated musically now in life. I finished two songs recently. And now i have from today through the 20th off. That's alot of time. But that's what happens when tours get cancelled. But I'm planning on trying my hardest to at least finish the first Kalechex album. I have all the songs recorded. Just have to put drums and vox on two songs. I also plan to record a song for the second album. And if i can find the time/motivation, I hope to "write" and record the last song for the second album. Is it strange that I have that many songs? And that I didn't bust my ass to release this shit chronologically? haha

rejujuju tour :'-(

2009-04-09T21:24:00.003-04:00

tour got cancelled. i was very much looking forward to playing in a band again. playing out of town. playing out of state. i never got to do that in L&E because of the other members. and now, who knows when i will be able to. i don't even know if i want to. I'm going through a personal crisis on a musical level. Kalechex got asked to play the Rejouissance Syracuse show, and i said FUCK NO. Maybe its just not having a band. Maybe its the fact that i know no one gives a fuck. Idk. But the cancellation of this tour made me think about alot of stuff.

I get to work and after being there for a few minutes, I was made to get carts. After years of not doing that shit. After work i just wanted to come home to sulk or whatever. but i had to go out to dinner. King David's. It was sub par and my nephew was flipping out the whole time. Screaming, rubbing food into everything. Bad time. Also, are chick peas really expensive? because king david's hummus tastes like a can of tahini, with maybe a couple chick peas. I don't get it. I don't think it was always like that. Oh well. I'm just a grumpy douche today. Since I have the week off with nothing to do now, I'll probably be doing some more reviews then normally.

Primus - They Can't All Be Zingers

2009-04-08T17:00:00.003-04:00

I got this album last year for my birthday. I was excited. My sis swung out of the ballpark. haha. Years and years ago, I used to listen to Primus all the time. I don't know if it was because they were in Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (There is seriously NO FUCKING WAY that they would've lost that battle of the bands. Kiss cover vs. Primus playing "Tommy The Cat"? There's no question) or because "Jerry Was A Race Car Driver" was in Tony Hawk 2, which i used to play all the fucking time. I remember back in the Napster days listening to their cover of "YYZ". It was rad. Now I know that alot of people are down on "best of" albums. Sometimes, they do blow. BUT, i actually like this record. Its got all their "hits". haha. It has some stuff i hadn't heard before. Honestly, it would probably be better to go back to Frizzle Fry or Sailing The Seas Of Cheese, if you have never heard the band before. But for anyone who has heard them, this collection is alright for hearing alot of the songs you love. I've been listening to this in the shower the past week or so. haha.

Download The Album Here

If you like it, Buy It

The Vocals Take Away

2009-04-08T15:25:00.004-04:00

i plan on doing a music recommendation today. But i decided to try to keep personal and professional(as professional as a personal blog can be) blogs separate. So as soon as i finish this, ill post the album.

There has been alot of positive feedback regarding the song i put up the other night. Alot of people say my voice sounds really good. Better than usual. I actually thought that for the most part as well. Which is weird because I hate my voice. I'm pretty much my hardest critic i guess. The one negative review i got was from a former band mate. Its funny because that guy couldn't sing in key if someone had a gun held up to his head. But at the same time, what he said was valid. Just that my voice can be the determining factor of whether or not people will dig, or not dig the songs i put out. I'll admit, i think i suck on the majority of stuff i put out. I just thought it was funny that when all these other people are telling me that my voice sounds better and its sounds like I'm having a easier time singing, this guy pretty much rips on all the songs Ive done recently because he believes the opposite. Oh well. Ill forge ahead and release more music that only a hand full of people could dig.

On another note, this new speed stick deodorant i got destroys. Yes, I realize its probably going to give me Alzheimer's from the aluminum in it, but fuck. I remember years ago when they came out with Speed Stick 24/7. I was skeptical. Until my old band Amorous Radio did a weekend tour. 3 days. NO showers. When I got home feeling grimy as fuck. But guess what? No BO. Stoked. After awhile, it stopped working like it used to. Probably my body getting used to it in the 6 or so years id been using it. This new shit though, same sort of thing. Granted its stick and not gel. Which is not the most ideal situation. But it works. Its been 3 days now that I've been off work. I took a shower monday. Between then and now though, I've been playing drums and sweating like a pig. And yet no smell. Awesome. I got this stuff purposely because I'm going on tour with Rejouissance and i don't know if Ill be able to shower at all. Is it fucking loserish that I'm stoked on a deodorant? haha.

You Aren't Just An Idea

2009-04-07T18:00:00.004-04:00

I wrote a song for/about Colleen from Dasha. I don't know why. I wrote the music when i was talking to her one night. And i wrote the lyrics late one night when i was thinking about her. I'm actually quite proud of the song, even though the whole thing was just thrown together. My vocals are pretty good. The whole thing is pretty alright honestly. But idk if i should've done it. What did i expect to come out of it? i have no clue. A date maybe? I don't know how to take it to the next level. And she doesn't believe i honestly like her. How can a person prove that to someone else? write a song maybe? haha. i wrote a song because i was thinking about her all the time. every time i talk to her is radbadical and i feel stoked after. oh well.

you can listen to the song @ the Kalechex myspace page

I finished another Kalechex song today. Its either the oldest, or the second oldest, of all the Kalechex material. I'm not sure if I wrote it before or after "Plans For Chicago". Its all about One Hundred Metronomes. And its all positive too. Well, there is some stuff in there about how there were songs we never finished, or were taken by Cancer. But that's it. For it being such a negative point in my life, it was cool to write about it in a positive light. Whatever personal problems I may have had with the other members of the band then, cant and wont take away the fact that we achieved something musically together that hadn't been done before. Its weird to think about. But so many of the bands I had been in leading up to, and following that band are completely derivative. I cant think of a band that we sounded like. I know off hand that my bass influences at the time were like Yes, Interpol and the first Q and no U album. Every members unique influences culminated in a band that was equally unique. I regret now that we stopped playing together. But as much as i like to put the band on a pedestal of sorts, that can never change that the live state of OHM was unpredictable. and i just needed more than that. Cancer sort of continued the tradition of OHM. Amazing songs, but unpredictable performing. Its too bad. They just put up the 10 minute "East/West" on myspace. I heard it before anyone i think. And i was wowed. Yes, its not the tightest. Yes, the quality sucks. But in there is a great song underneath. They had talked about recording at Neon Witch, but it never happened. Bummer. The song I wrote is weird because the verses are about the story of OHM from how I saw it and the choruses are about the individual songs.

Sadly, the mixing of that song was the most positive thing that happened. Some fucked up shit happened, and now my bank account is frozen. Just in time for the tour this weekend. FUCKING EXCELLENT! now i have to borrow more money. I hate being indebted to other people.

Sharks Keep Moving - Desert Strings And Drifters

2009-04-06T17:02:00.008-04:00

Sharks Keep Moving is one of my favorite bands. Alot of people don't seem to know about them. And its sad. I will admit that I found out about them through Minus The Bear who, at the time, I really dug alot. But when it comes down to it, I would take Sharks Keep Moving ANY DAY EVER over Minus The Bear. I realize I'm in the minority, but I don't care. They are up there with American Football for me. As far as having some of the prettiest guitar work. I know right. Pretty? haha. That's just how i roll. They share a singer with Minus The Bear. So I guess if you like his voice, definitely listen to them.

Back in December, my grandmother passed away. It was a very hard time for everyone in my family. It was another of many negative things that happened to me one after the other. That time went by so fast. Her estate became sort of a shit storm. That's what happens when you have so many kids. The 6 kids, adults now, all fighting over who wants what. I had never thought to ask for anything because of this. Alot of things were given to my sis because of Copeland. I did end up getting two things. A book from the 70's about the Unexplained and a record player. The record player is rad. The first record I bought for it was this Sharks Keep Moving album. Besides being a fucking cool looking record (see the pic) its a great album I can listen to over and over again.

Download The Album Here

If you like it, buy it.

wrote lyrics just now

2009-04-05T23:39:00.002-04:00

they are for one of the songs i mentioned in a previous post. there's a line in here i fucking really love. we'll see how the song comes out when i record these tomorrow...

Maybe after you kick out those windows, we can take the pieces and stain them for the church that we are building.

And we don’t believe in anything except that we most probably hurt somewhere.

Not close, but not far.

Not too far.

There’s a house full of hopefuls tricked by a source of light.

I’m leaving by the time your done.

A mouse knows when to talk so I’ll stop.

Ill wait until you walk a mile and smile.

We'll smile.

Taken by the sound of your words as they break off your tongue.

Its light and there’s no sign of storms.

They will pass.

Where Are The Crazy Ivans?

2009-04-05T15:01:00.005-04:00

okay, i talked about this on a myspace bulletin. and the one response i got was fucking IDIOTIC. so i thought i would get more in depth on here.

When I first started going to shows, all the bands i really remember seeing were hardcore and punk. Okay okay, that's not fair. There were ska, metal, etc. bands. But i always felt that bands that were the most popular and had the largest crowds, were punk and hardcore bands. Don't get me wrong, i did enjoy some of them. But when it came down to it, the majority were just not my cup of tea. I don't honestly know which of these events came first. But for me, and my faith in local music, they were equally important. Both were at armory high. One was seeing The Flashing Astonishers and the other was seeing Spark Lights The Friction. Both times i remember thinking "wait, these bands are from Syracuse?" and with that there was this feeling of "YES!". Like I had finally seen something that let me know it wasn't all just bullshit. Not that long after that, I saw The Mandate Of Heaven and The Martha Dumptruck Masscre. And they got added to the great local bands I looked up to.

Its weird. It seems like there is a cycle. For the most part I've gone on to befriend the members of all those bands and be respected by them as a musician. There was actually a point in my life where Jim Heff, from Spark Lights The Friction, told a group of people that he had lost faith in the Syracuse music scene until he saw Ladies & Everyone. Which is/was like a big deal to me. It was like a idol and someone i looked up to, suddenly acknowledging me. I'm sure its true, though i have a hard time believing it, that L&E had that sort of effect on kids, and influenced them. There is just the concept of influence being passed on, and more good bands coming from it. But idk if that has occurred.

The main statement of my bulletin was, What band(s) do kids nowadays in Syracuse have to revive their faith in the local scene, if they aren't just some brain dead follower of punk or hardcore? The reason i view the list that was sent to me as dumb, is because so many of the bands on there were punk or some sort off shoot of hardcore. Even though I do like a few of the bands, I have to take them off because they completely go against the WHOLE POINT of the bulletin. Whats left? Dasha, Mistletoe, Night Owls. There are few other bands that fit the criteria but I honestly could give a shit about. Which doesn't take away the fact that they could wow someone else. Only two of the bands I care about are from Syracuse. Night Owls being Grant J's, from Spark Lights The Friction and later, The Funeral, latest band and Mistletoe being Hex's, from The Funeral and owner/operator of Hex records, band. I really hope that these bands have the ability to do for new disenchanted kids coming into the scene, what those bands back in the day did for me.

LXRG EPL

2009-04-03T18:49:00.005-04:00

First, I have to say that I'm stoked on Snapple. They have switched from using High Fructose Corn Syrup to Plain sugar. Yes! I read a blog where some idiot was complaining "Oh they changed the bottle type. blah blah." Didn't even give a fuck about the formula change. fuck them. I'm excited. Cherry 7 up on the other hand...What the fuck are you guys talking about? Your new label says "100% natural flavors" and yet, your second ingredient listed is High Fructose Corn Syrup. So I guess my question would be, hows that 7up? For my birthday I'm contemplating asking for some cases off dublin dr. pepper. Doctor P made with imperial cane sugar. Stoked.

New awesome music day. Coalesce, Bellini and Bisön all put new shit up on there myspace pages. I'm excited to say the least. Bisön is a Texas band. Their lead singer/guitarist was in one of my all time favorite bands, Muldoon. I'm not sure if anyone else in the Syracuse area knows of these bands, or maybe even people in the state of New York. But they are definitely worth checking out. Their singer reminds me of the singer of White Octave/Criteria. I'll probably do a review of the Bisön EP once I get my hands on a real life copy of the album.

Last night was fun. Practice space. Everyone was drunk pretty much. I got to jam with Greg Phillip. That guys the man. He write some really interesting guitar parts. Id like to jam with him sometime using my own kit though. Just because, I'm sure Josh's kit is much better than mine. But I don't like how he sets his up, and i have a much harder time playing it. It would be really fun to play drums in a project. I think i would get better at the instrument for sure.

LXRG tattoo idea. I'm having a hard time thinking of one. It has to say "Rowdy" underneath. I thought of everything from alf to rowdy roddy piper. haha. maybe just "LXRG" knuckle tattoo?

The Muse: Two For Two

2009-04-01T14:29:00.004-04:00

I wrote yet another new song last night while talking to a certain person. its fucking strange. i don't really know the last time i wrote a song on my own. It has gotten to the point that I was going to record the last Amorous Radio song, "When Photographing Fairies", just to record something. I'm planning on recording that song still, because its fun and is supposedly in 11/4, but its awesome to write new stuff. Now only if I could be inspired to write lyrics.

I had weird dreams last night. But within all of the weirdness, there was a moment that was completely perfect. but a little while after that was when i realized, it was just a dream. bummer to the max. maybe i can make something like that happen in the real.

Lets Give Up...

2009-03-31T13:02:00.002-04:00

I'm sitting here watching Degrassi Junior High. yes, I'm fucking lame and i watch that show. haha. not the new next generation BS. this is 80's gold people. I was actually excited that the DVD came today. I was going to wait and tack this on to the list of shows in my "i made my mom watch..." but i couldn't wait. Boredom will do that to you I suppose.

I practiced with Nick last night for the Rejouissance tour. So weird. We practiced at guitar center. haha. But hey, it made me more excited on the tour. I think stuff is going to sound good. We just all have to get together before hand. Its going to be fun.

I wrote a song the other night after talking to a girl i sort of have a lame crush on. Its weird. It in no way sounds like a Kalechex song. It actually sounds like later Ladies & Everyone stuff. I don't know what it was. I was a complete herb talking to this girl. But i still felt inspired after everything. Imagine what i would've wrote had i not been completely lame. hahaha. I don't like having a crush. I turn 26 on May 26. So I guess that's some sort of special thing? haha. Idk, it seems lame to me but I still suck with women. And though it would be awesome if things went beyond me being lame and crushing on Colleen. Its doubtful. Shes too cute and there is no way shes single anyway.

Oh women. Fucking H.It blows I loved her. It blows more so that all that stuff happened between her and I. I don't know that things would've been easier had she not done all that stuff. There is no way of knowing. I just know there are some things happening right now that just bring me down. Because idk, everything seemed like it was going to be okay. And then, BOOM, something happens and just ruins everything. All my future plans. I know I'm not the only one that this happens to, or that feels like this happens to them. But it still blows. I thought I had a chance for something real. Not a juvenile crush. Not some girl stringing me along only to fuck me over. and now, blah.

Bozart - Bunge

2009-03-30T11:40:00.007-04:00

Before I was in Ladies & Everyone, I didn't listen to instrumental bands. Jazz and classical were it. The first band I can remember seeing that was instrumental was the band Number 2, from Syracuse. Before I started Ladies & Everyone, I played in the band Amorous Radio. We played alot of shows with alot of great bands. Its unbelievable looking back because there was such a stigma connected to us in Syracuse. Scene politics was all that mattered then i guess. I'll tell people now how we covered Fugazi and wanted to cover Unwound and I'll get "I could never see that band covering those bands, I could see them covering Get Up Kids..." And that honestly shows that, people didn't like us, based off of what the band was before I joined. But i digress.

The first time i remember playing with Number 2 was in Ithaca. I feel like we were in the downtown area. I cant remember the name of the venue. But really, it was just a art gallery. It was super tiny. The show was in the basement. As weird as it sounds, I cant really remember much about that show. I cant remember our set. Maybe we didn't even end up playing. I have no clue. I do remember being upstairs sitting with our equipment with Anthony (yes, he was in Amorous Radio too. That band began our run for how many bands we could do together. haha.) I remember being sort of bummed because it was a shit show. There weren't that many kids there. We had to lug all of our shit like a block to the venue. And at that time, some shitty nu metal band was playing. Who i think the crowd was there to see, because I dont remember many people being there after their set. Anyway, that band played and Rossman and Vonpless decided to go check out the next band. A little while later they started and i remember both anthony and i looking at each other and saying, this sounds pretty awesome. Rossman came up a lil while later going on about how great they were. so we went and watched. it was awesome. it was like the best proggy parts from Rush songs back to back. We quickly befriended them and played more shows. A year or so later, Anthony and I started Ladies & Everyone as a side project, and the rest is history...or so they would have you believe.

When Ladies & Everyone decided to stay instrumental, I started to listen to alot more bands in that vein. Our first show we got compared to Don Caballero, who at that point, i had never heard of. And its just snowballed from there. Ive become alot more knowledgeable on the genre then when i first saw Number 2 play. Through the years I've stayed friends with the guys in Number 2. A few years ago Bob, their drummer, offered to help my solo project Kalechex play a show. It didn't pan out, but while i was over at his house practicing, he showed me the band Bozart. Who Number 2 had always referenced as one of their main influences. I immediately thought the band was outrageous. The only sad thing about it was, it took away a little bit of the mystique that Number 2 had for me. Cause the band bares alot of resemblance to Bozart.

Bunge was the first album i heard by the band. And its awesome. Guitar & drum mathy metal-ish duo. "Set Aside" is easily one of my all time favorite instrumental tracks period. Somehow or another the band has stayed under the radar. Not alot of people have heard of them. I think they are very original and stand out against their musical peers. I think if you like any kind of mathy instrumental music, you should hear this band, and more specifically, this album.

Download it here

Buy it if you like it

all thats been said

2009-03-25T00:20:00.004-04:00

i had rejouissance practice with mike today. he came in my house. which, i let him know, i never let anyone do. I think my ex H resented me because i was uncomfortable with the thought of her coming in my house. I don't know if i ever told her why flat out. honestly, i knew she was a neat freak of sorts. she had told me numerous times. and my house is a shit storm. its a pig sty. I just knew she would come to my house, and not want to date me anymore. Looking back, i should've said fuck it and had her in. It would've been a true test to see if she really liked me and cared about me. And taking into account what she did later, she probably would've bailed then. And it would've hurt less, because she wouldn't have done things with some other guy. I did realize today that it wasn't just my house being dirty. It was because, she had often talked about being adventurous. Going out and doing things. And i thought, well, why would she want to just come sit in my living room and watch movies? oh well. so anyway, mike came over. we practiced for like 2 hours. And it was good. It honestly made me feel alot better about the whole tour. granted, i still have some leads to learn and we still have to get together with nick, but it still made me feel better. I "released" the Kalechex album today. I made copies for that show Sunday, but idk. I wanted more than the 6 people to listen to it. A digital release isn't much, but oh well. Its something. Who knows if and when i will ever release the first and second LPs. it blows to have an album almost all the way done except for one song that needs lyrics. i have the hardest time writing when there is pressure like that. i have tomorrow off, and i plan on recording. hopefully I can record the drums for ninja turtle youth.

The Quiet Life

2009-03-23T23:32:00.003-04:00

I often wonder if there is something wrong with me being content or even happy in situations that are completely and utterly ordinary, if not boring. The past few weeks I've looked forward to nothing more than going to the practice space on Midler and playing music and hanging out all night. The LXRG has been in full effect most of those nights. But even when we weren't that rowdy, i still had fun. The other night was crazy rowdy. We, for some reason, decided to light off this huge firework in the bathroom of the space. Simultaneously, one of the most awesome and awesomely stupid things I've ever been a part of. All of the time spent at the space was so Tisdale and I could practice for the show I played yesterday. Show was bullshit. No one came. I really could care because leading up to it, i didn't even want to play. But I did feel bad for the two out of town bands. Cause I cant imagine they got paid well, if at all.

I've got to get my shit together and find a real band for Kalechex. Not just friends that will do it to do it. But people who actually like the songs and will learn them. Not try to write their own parts. I'm completely disinterested in that. I want musicians who like what i wrote, and will learn it, and make it better. An good example is, I don't want a drummer who is going to listen to the songs, and play whatever the fuck he wants to the songs. I want a drummer who will learn the drum part I wrote. Make it tighter, and make it better with fills. Because, well, I cant do fills. As untight as they may sound on the recordings, I spend foreverrrrrr writing drum parts. Because, well, I'm not a drummer. And it just doesn't come to me like a bass part. Its upsetting to me that every drummer I've worked with trying to do Kalechex, just treated the stuff I wrote as shit. Like it doesn't matter that its my project. The only person I can think of that would honestly fit this bill as the Kalechex drummer lives in Rochester/Buffalo. So yeah.

I'm getting worried about the Rejouissance tour. I put in a good word for Nick because he seemed down. But idk, I'm getting the feeling hes going to bail. And I think if that happens, well, that's going to be reflected negatively on me for sure. Also, i haven't been able to get together with Mike. Its frustrating for me. Ive learned alot of their songs but i don't know whats right. Idk. Tour is next month. I need to find out what the fuck is going on. I need to make sure Streeter is going to do it. BAH! Contemplating ordering stuff to make CDs for the tour. Maybe charge a buck. Put a whole shit load of songs on there so it seems justified. haha. Idk. I'm going to make a Rejouissance upload for Nick now before it forget.

p.s. I beat Killzone the same day I made that post. I had no clue I was at the end of the game. then, BOOM, its over. haha.

Achilles - The Dark Horse

2009-03-21T16:57:00.008-04:00

So recently on the local syracuse music scene message board, there was some chatter about a re-release of Achilles' last album, Hospice, on vinyl. I was stoked. I fucking love that album & I just recently inherited a gnarly record player from my recently deceased grandma (RIP). But in all of the posts about praise was a remark that, though meant in a positive way, i viewed as extremely negative and unintelligent..."This record makes their older material look bad." Now, I love the guy that made this remark. But seriously, dumb. Maybe its just part of being an older guy that was there when things happened and followed a band as they progressed. Maybe its just the fact that "The Dark Horse" was such a personally important album to me. I don't really know. I will thank this young fellow though, because his remark got me to pull out my copy of this album and listen to it. Which just furthered in my head how wrong his statement is. Start to finish, amazing album. Granted, they changed more musically on Hospice. But I really don't know if it was enough to act as if it was a giant leap. I also think the changes made on that album made the band more accessible to people who otherwise wouldn't listen to them. Most people who know me wont be surprised when I say I am usually against musical changes that end with that result. Blah blah. This album is heavy as balls. It was recorded by the guitarist of Breather Resist. There is not much I can say except that I fucking love this band. I've loved everything they have put out and I will continue to follow them until they call it quits. With the members all over now, and Polar Bear Club on their way to being MTV's "next big thing", I don't know when they will find the time to play shows, let alone write and record another album. But I'll be waiting. If all you have heard by the band is Hospice, I highly recommend listening to The Dark Horse. Preferably over and over again. haha.

Download The Album Here

I cant stress enough, that if you enjoy this album, you need to buy a copy. I'm personal friends with the members of the band and with the record label that put out the album. Please support independent bands and labels.

Drive Like Jehu - Yank Crime

2009-03-20T14:19:00.002-04:00

I've been listening to this album ALOT lately.

Its funny how you can hear about a band over and over again, and never check them out. I have no real reason why it took me so long to listen to Drive Like Jehu. Their name would constantly pop up in my “music quests.” They were compared to lots and lots of bands that I like. And for some reason, it was only last year that I heard them. YES, LET THE CRUCIFIXION COME! Haha.

The band only released two albums. “Yank Crime” was their second. I think a lot of people, myself included, view this as the better album. Which is strange because it was a major label release. And as a lot of people know, often times when a indie band gets signed to a major, they change. And usually not for the better. Somehow, this album is even more aggressive than their first album. Taking all things into consideration, this is quite a feat. Their intense energy is constant through the entire album. Whether it be in the slower song “Luau” or the album’s opening track “Here Come The Rome Plows”. Rick Froberg & John Reis’s guitar interplay set a new standard for the post hardcore genre. Its right up there with Guy and Ian of Fugazi if you ask me. “Do You Compute?” might be one of the best examples of this on the Yank Crime album. Its not hard to see why Drive Like Jehu are/were cited at a big influence on the then emerging “emo” scene. There are a lot of elements from the music on this album that reappear in later “emo” releases, as well as post hardcore albums. Its great that such a short lived band could have such wide spread influence. Its just a bummer that they were so short lived in the first place.

Download The Album Here

Please buy it if you like it!

How I've Been Spending My Days Off Recently

2009-03-20T12:01:00.003-04:00

Okay. Granted, I do do other things. Hang with people. Watch movies. Play drums. Play guitar. Listen to music. etc. But if I'm in the mood, I always find time to play this game. Its a bummer that the PS3 doesn't get more good games. Well, I guess I should say, more good third party games. This game is awesome. The Resistance games. Alot of the exclusive games are the best. I think I only own one third party developed game for the system. And that's Grand Theft Auto 4. My reason for choosing it for the PS3 and not the Xbox was the fact that I was already familiar with the control scheme & controller based off of the PS2 GTA games. I don't know why some developers seem to not even try. Just a simple fact, you can fit more information on a Blue Ray Disc. So why not try to make awesome games? oh well. I have no clue how much more i have till I beat this game. As for right now, I'm going to go eat some ziti and watch JFK. Music review later today.

In The Beggining...

2009-03-19T17:20:00.000-04:00

Well, i decided to start my own blog. Why? Well, first off, the old blog I used to write for, Listen To This Once, became sort of a big lie. It was started with the concept that everyday, the contributors to the blog would write a review of a band or album. Sounds simple right? Not so much I guess, because it got to the point where I would have 5 posts in a row. As much as I enjoyed writing and getting positive feedback from readers and bands alike, I didn't like that it had become my blog in a sense. First, because their were limits put on myself and the other writers by the blog's founder. And second, because the fact that the others weren't writing just went against the original concept, and the whole reason i joined. I also like the concept of starting new and doing a different kind of blog. I want to be able to do reviews of bands and albums still. But also would like to talk about movies. And honestly, just write about whatever i feel like. I've been asked to write for a new music blog. So maybe I'll keep the music stuff to that. Maybe i can link my music blogs so it will appear on both sites. I don't even know if that's possible. haha. I'm still not completely solid on everything i can do on here. But yeah, this should be fun.

Oh, Canada (Part 4): North Of America

2009-02-28T19:02:00.002-05:00

North Of America is probably my favorite of all the Canadian bands I planned on covering in this "ongoing" series. And since this could very well be my last post for awhile, I figured, go out with a bang. North Of America went from originally sounding like Pavement and Polvo had a love child, to getting heavier and more technical. Eventually getting to a point where they sounded fairly similar to singer/guitarist Michael Catano's other band, The Plan. They broke up in 2003. But have reunited numerous times. In 05 they got back together to do a Canadian tour with Ted Leo. And they just recently played a couple shows at the end of this past December which marked their 10th anniversary as a band. I fucking hate myself for missing those shows because now I'll probably have to wait for some other anniversary or special occasion to see them. They will always have a special place in my heart. Fans of blah, blah and blah should definitely listen to them.

-matthew st.

their stuff I have in chronological order...

Elements Of An Incomplete Map

These Songs Are Cursed

The Sepultura

This Is Dance Floor Numerology*

Brothers, Sisters

CJLO - SONiCs Session 10-2-05

Buy them from a independent record store if you like them

Or you can get them all from Rewika Records Online.

Knot Feeder - Light Flares

2009-02-22T23:09:00.003-05:00

(I'm not going to go into the details of this band because I already wrote about them once on here. You can view that post here. )

This album is as great as I expected it would be. The instrumental math rock quartet has their shit down. Not that its really a surprise all things considered. Hard hitting and heavy and other times bringing it down and having a cello or glockenspiel join in. One surprise for me listening through, was that a couple of songs have singing in them. It works for those songs and whats cool is, they don't feel out of place. I'm really excited on this band. And this is only their first album. I hope they continue to put out good music.

-matthew st.

p.s. Look forward in the near future to a interview with Mike Banfield from Knot Feeder once I can get my shit together enough so I wont seem like a giddy school girl talking to him. haha.

Here's an archive file of a few of my fave songs off the album

I highly recommend you buying yourself a copy

You can get it here directly from the band

You can also listen to the track "You Are My First Choice (To Be Thrown Out The Window)" from the album on Knot Feeder's Myspace Page

Built To Spill - Keep It Like A Secret

2009-02-21T20:43:00.002-05:00

I don't know if anyone else remembers, but HBO used to have a weekly show called "reverb". It showcased live music from alot of bands that were around at the time. One of my favorite episodes, that I can remember, was Pavement & Built To Spill (another great one was Björk & Sigur Rós). It successfully got me into two of my favorite bands. I guess this album has always had a special place in my heart because it was the first I heard by them. The reverb episode featured mostly songs from this album if I remember correctly. Overall, its a great indie rock album by one of the great indie bands. For fans of good 90's indie music. And though I HATE to say this, some people have made comparisons between them and Modest Mouse. So I guess if you like Modest Mouse (their old stuff preferably) check it out? But I have to say...

Built to Spill > Modest Mouse

-matthew st.

Download The Album Here

Buy it from a independent record store if you like it

Sed Non Satiata

2009-02-20T22:02:00.001-05:00

I wish that so many of my favorite bands weren't from places far away. Toulouse, France for instance. That's where Sed Non Satiata is from. The band is a screamo band. (Or I guess the kids are calling real screamo skramz now. wtf youths? Get the fuck out of here with that shit.) They play passionate heavy music. Often, the songs have an epic feeling to them. Post rock-esc build ups. Its so weird to hear a part in a song and think "This is so fucking beautiful, and so fucking heavy at the same time." But this band nails it. If you like any real screamo or post hardcore, definitely listen to this band.

-matthew st.

I uploaded there Full Length, Two Splits and their Demo

Download them here (in one archive file)

I believe its all they have released as of yet

Listen to the song "Les Hommes Sans Visage" on this fan myspace page if you want to hear what they sound like before downloading all their stuff.

Slint - Spiderland

2009-02-18T23:05:00.002-05:00

preface: Touch & Go Records is one of the most important labels in underground history. They are right up there with Dischord. I had quite the scare today when I read that they were pretty much going to cease to exist as a record label. I literally shouted “NO!” when I read it. That ended up not being true (turns out that they are going to be cutting their distribution of other labels records, which is still a big deal) but it just made me realize how important the label was to me. So today I decided to post one of my favorite records the label has put out.

I'm not going to go too much into this album. Slint were one of the first "math rock" bands, along with Chavez and Polvo. The genre has changed alot since then. Initially it was more related to post rock, which you can hear on this album. Angular quiet/loud guitar parts. Speaking/screaming lyrics. Changing/shifting time signatures. Great album.

-matthew st.

Download The Album Here

Buy it from a independent record store if you like it

Or better yet, get it directly from Touch & Go's Online Store

Please support the Touch & Go Record Label

Adebisi Shank

2009-02-17T22:19:00.001-05:00

High energy dancy mathy type instrumental music from Ireland. Often some thing happens in their songs that reminds me of the 8bit glory days of yore. For me, their songs are like that old slogan for Lay’s potato chips. Substitute "eat" with "listen" mind you. I really cant think of a band that they sound like. But I will say that my description of what they sound like is pretty accurate, so if that’s intriguing to you, have a field day.

-matthew st.

This Is The EP Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank

This Is The Album Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank

Buy them from a independent record store if you like them

Better yet, head over to Adebisi Shank's Myspace Page and buy from them directly.

Red House Painters - First Self Titled LP

2009-02-17T01:55:00.001-05:00

Red House Painters tend to be a sad fucking band. I said it. Mark Kozelek must have had some super duper awful stuff happen to him. I really hope that description doesn’t turn you off. Cause I really love this band. This is my favorite Red House Painters album. Start to finish its awesome. Great guitar work, lyrics, just the overall feeling. Almost shoegaze-y at points. If you’ve ever heard of the “genres” of sadcore or slowcore and wondered “what the fuck is that?” I guess this would be sort of a defining album and band. For fans of 90’s alternative rock and shoegaze. There might also be some interest from people into singer/songwriters from the 70’s. Also, if you love sad music. Haha.

-matthew st.

Download The Album Here

Buy it from a independent record store if you like it

Dasha - Damned If We Do

2009-02-14T17:03:00.001-05:00

I wasn’t too sure what I should write about today, being Valentines Day. But when I arrived home from work and looked in my mailbox, there starring back at me was the answer.

I’ve loved this band from the first time I heard them. I had been waiting to hear this album as long as I knew it existed in some unfinished form. The female fronted Rochester quintet plays upbeat indie rock. Very pretty guitar work, powerful rhythm section, and heartfelt singing and lyrics. I could easily see this band on a label like Polyvinyl or Jade Tree. Their sound just sits so well with those bands. This album is great and I highly recommend you purchasing a copy for yourself A.S.A.P.

On a personal note I would like to say that I wish Colleen Vasey was my Valentine. Listening to her sing today has made my day. Awww! She’ll never read this blog. Haha. Tomorrow I’ll post death metal to make up for that emo slip. Haha.

-matthew st.

Listen to a couple tracks from the record on Dasha's Myspace Page

You can buy the album from Whaleplane Records.

Uzeda - Different Section Wires

2009-02-13T21:06:00.001-05:00

Italian. Way Awesome. End review. Haha. Just kidding.

I first started listening to this band back in the early 00’s. I couldn’t find anyone locally who listened to them or had even heard of them. And believe me I asked the people you’d think to ask (ex. Grant J.). I just wanted someone to talk about how awesome I thought they were. The band falls somewhere in between the genres of math rock, noise rock, post hardcore, maybe even post punk. Hard hitting drums. A more noodlely/riffy Shellac guitar sound. Solid pounding basslines. All the while with lyrics/poetry being shouted over in a discordant way. Its not really a surprise that Albini has recorded the majority of this bands releases. This is probably my favorite of their albums. If you like Shellac or Touch & Go, you need to hear this.

-matthew st.

Download The Album Here

Buy it from a independent record store if you like it

Or you can get it online from Touch & Go's Website

(disclaimer: it has been brought to my attention that Touch & Go has a history of killing uploads of their albums. try to get this album before they kill the link. if you find the link dead, report it to me. like i said above, if you like the album, support the band and the label and buy it!)

Castevet - I Know What A Lion Is EP

2009-02-13T02:23:00.002-05:00

This is a band that is strange because I don't think they should work, but they do. Really well in fact. Chicago Indie rock in the vein of Cap'n Jazz, American Football, etc. BUT, with a singer that I've heard some people describe as a "beardo". What does that even mean? I have no clue. I should know. Should I know? Is this a new genre of music? haha. Honestly, and I don't want this to upset the band or people that like them, but the singer's singing sometimes reminds me of when Jimmy from Polar Bear Club screams. That's really all I have to relate it to with my limited musical knowledge. Just go from the bands they kind of sound like. If you like them, there's a good chance you will like Castevet. They've only been around for a few years. Expect, more great shit from them in the near future. They have a full length set to come out this summer.

-matthew st.

Download The Album Here

If you like it, please support the band!

Castevet's Myspace Page