In the meantime I'd like to think there was some pretty excellent music released this year, especially in the last month or two. So here ya go.
BASEMENT, “Colormekindness”
There’s been this group of bands that have released
post-hardcore/90’s rock styled records this year and have totally nailed
it. A lot of bands go for that
vibe, but don’t quite get it. But
records from Title Fight, Gypsy, and Basement sound as if they all were yanked
out of the time stream where they all were about to open for Seaweed in 1994
and ended up here. And for a guy
in his mid-30’s, and lived through that time (and that era consequently
producing some of the most influential music upon my young, impressionable
mind), this stuff is pretty great.
It’s been a good year for music for me. Basement hail from the UK, put out a record before this that
didn’t quite sound like “Colomekindness”, and this is also their swansong as I
believe they split up upon it’s release.
Well, it’s a heckuva way to go out. Many of these song focus heavily on layered melodies, some
pop-punk leanings, as well as a taste of classic Sunny Day Real Estate (as
shown most clearly on my favorite song of the record, “Covet”). It’s a nice surprise to hear another
band that is culling their influences from an era of music most groups can’t
get an adequate grasp on, and showing them all how it’s done. (Run For Cover)
“BEYOND THE MUSIC:
HOW PUNKS ARE SAVING THE WORLD WITH DIY ETHIC, SKILLS, AND VALUES”, by
Joe Biel
This book takes many, many, many (that’s a lot of ‘manys’)
interviews with all sorts of people who have grown up punk and taken what
they’ve learned from being interested in that term and applied it to things
they do currently. For instance,
the owners/operators of 1984 Printing Press, or the founder of AK Press
publishing- they took things they picked up on being involved in punk and
applied to how they run their business now. There’s a guy who got into vegan straight edge through the
hardcore scene and now runs a company that installs biofuel systems in
cars. Then you have Will Meek, who
runs his own psychology practice; Brea Grant, a television actress who grew up
going to punk shows. I’d say there
are way too many people interviewed here who reside within the
writing/publishing spectrum of things and it’s a bit unnecessary to get a
number of similar stories out of them.
Also, some of these interviews tend to go on quite long (Richard the
roadie more or less details every nuance of his punk upbringing down to what he
had for dinner two days ago) and could use some serious editing. Like, why do separate interviews for
both owners of a printing press, or interview AK Press twice? I get the intention of this book: people get into punk, they take those
ideas beyond mere spectator of a show, or fanzine writer, or dude in a band and
make an impact upon society with something interesting. It’s a good premise and a number of
these interviews certainly are interesting to read through, but some of it goes
on a bit long and gets a bit redundant.
(Cantankerous Titles)
CERCE, 7”
I’m pretty stoked on what this band is bringing because they
bring it in such as ferocious manner.
Between lots of amps and cabs they blast through several songs in a few
minutes. Fast, pissed as anything
with snotty/screechy vocals and done in a way that makes this very young band
deliver their craft in a way that suggests a much more seasoned band. Immediate comparisons could be made to
Punch (really fast, two-step breakdown, screeched/screamed female vocals) but
Cerce has their foot ever-so-slightly in a metallic realm, or to Code Orange
Kids (same level of off-the-wall pissed/vicious rage), but Cerce actually writes
a song with parts that reasonably go into one another. So that might give some idea of where
they are at. I’m a little bummed
there was no lyric sheet with this record, and that the recording doesn’t quite
do justice to how massive they sound live. But other than that this is a quality release and I hope to
see more rage from them in the near future. (Solidarity/It’s a Trap)
CONVERGE, “All That We Love We Leave Behind”
I’m pretty late to the game on this one because who, this
year, has not actually heard this record?
Converge is sort of a no-brainer because most everyone interested
in heavy/punk music knows who they
are and knows what they’re getting, even though the band is pretty good at
making a killer record every single time.
But I’m not one of those people who worship at the alter, or freak out
over what weird vinyl variant (or how many) I can pre-order. Though I certainly do like Converge and
respect the fact that they always release something respectable, put a lot of
time and effort into every detail, put on a really good show, and run their
band on a great DIY model and still play to sold out rooms all over the
world. Kudos to them for being a
band that consistently makes music the majority of people would cower in fear
from, yet by all accounts would be considered quite successful. That all being said, I enjoy this
record. I still have no idea how people actually sing along to Jacob’s unhinged
yelping, but that’s besides the point.
I’m particularly swayed by the ultra-heavy steamroller of “Shame In the
Way” (which could have been an out take from Cave-In’s, “Until your Heart
Stops”), equally as I am by the blasting speed of “Tresspasses”, or the
ass-kicking death rock vibe of “Vicious Muse”. There are plenty more songs on here, all with their own
vibe. Some are wilder, faster, or
moodier, but those three are my favorites I think. I think my only real gripe with this release is that it
seems most of their records will have one song that, in the span of less than 2
minutes, will have an incredibly fast first half followed by some insanely
heavy breakdown, a la “Axe To Fall” or “Concubine”, or even “Forsaken”. Not quite present here. But hey, who am I to complain? This is a great release for them. I dig it. (Epitaph/Deathwish)
EVENS, THE, “The Odds”
It has been quite a long time since Ian McKaye and Amy
Farina have churned out a record from their collective project known as the
Evens. Part of that may have had
to do with starting a family and raising a youngster, but that’s just a guess. Still, the wait has been worth it as
the duo once again presents an albums worth of stripped down songs that, while
only employing a baritone guitar, drums, and both their voices, gives the
listener so much to proverbially chew on.
The time has been put into their craft in such an interesting manner
that I just want to dissect each song, lyric, and sound on this record. When two people have such an
extraordinary (and quality) catalog of music under both their belts the minutia
of how they create new things together is fascinating to behold. Amy not only has a soulful, and
slightly sinister, voice, but is one of the more creative drummers I’ve
witnessed. Her off-time patterns
that fall out of place and then lock into step once the vocals kick in to find
the rhythm is incredibly clever, just as much as the straightforward thump that
drives “This Other Thing” is direct and driving in it’s approach. McKaye once again employs the range of
his baritone guitar to get low bass tones, as well as the melody of guitar and
uses both to find wonderful harmonies that work well with both their
voices. His lyrical ponderings on
such songs as “Let’s Get Well” are wonderfully written (actually, I’m not sure
who writes the lyrics- I imagine it’s collaborative- but since he sings this
one I’ll attribute it to him), and put together well. While many might feel some skepticism when listening to The
Evens simply because it does not ‘rock’ as hard as the members previous outfits
they are sadly mistaken. This has
just as much weight and depth as anything they have done in the past. And it certainly makes me think, and
inspires me to be just as creative in my own endeavors. Any creative type should hope to have
this many ideas and inspiration after 30 years of making music. (Dischord)
PIG DESTROYER, “Book Burner”
Man, you wait five years and then Pig Destroyer fucks your
shit up with another LP aiming to ruin your day. Relentless is an apt term for their delivery, like all their
material. Most songs come at you
so fast and then rip you apart in the space of under two minutes. I love it. Some friends had critiques of this record saying it doesn’t
rage as much as their previous records.
So after getting my face replaced with lava once I got through this
record I put on a couple of the old ones for comparisons. Indeed, there are subtle
differences. New drummer Adam
Jarvis (of Misery Index) has a tighter and more technical style than previous
blast beat magician Brian Harvey, whose style was still technical, but a little
more loose- adding to the unhinged grindcore/violence that Pig Destroyer were
so awesome at. Jarvis still lays
down some great stuff and this record still does slay. The opening track, “The American’s
Head”, the title track, and “The Diplomat” all do a fine job of opening with
salvos of blasting grind, followed by sharp attacks of surprise breakdowns and
JR Hayes wretched screams amongst it all.
Another quality record from a heckuva band. (Relapse)
WHY THE WIRES, “All These Dead Astronauts”
Ithaca’s Why the Wires unleash their third LP in about as
many years. For a bunch of dads
who make this band a very part time thing they sure are prolific. This record only continues what they
have been doing and improves upon the quality. They are clearly a somewhat less technical Sweep the Leg
Johnny, though I fear that description does not help most hoping for an easy
description. Well, think guys who
really like stuff like Hot Snakes and other rocking garage punk, but can’t help
themselves to putting in some gnarly math rock parts, and various additional
instrumentation such as saxophone and accordion to many of the songs. This comes in a nice gatefold cover and
heavy vinyl. How do they afford to
do stuff like this when they rarely play out? The passion is in the project I suppose, and if you ever get
a chance to see them play it’s definitely in the performance as well. (Rorschach Records)
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