While the snotty vocals that hit the listener hard throughout all of “Canyoneer”, one cannot do anything but hear quite a large Sum 41 influence to the band. It is true that there are hints of both Strike Anywhere and Rise Against in tracks like “Neon National Park”, but this is couched in a much more pop-acceptable sound. With songs that are the epitome of polished riffs and pieces fitting…
No Second Troy is an act that has not broken it big at this point in their career. This is not a major issue at all, as they still have a long time to go before they will have to pack it in. The first track on “Narcotic” is “Feint”, and it blends together independent rock and emotive arrangements with hints of electronic arrangements and the like to make a…
To commemorate what would have been John Lennon’s 70th birthday there was a slew of re-releases (including updated versions of his solo records) and box sets last month. Among the barrage of remembrances to honor the former Beatles is the little-talked about documentary LennoNYC. The doc, just released on DVD, is a fascinating look at Lennon’s post Beatle life when he left behind his native England for New York in…
I don’t know how good I feel about bands that make a number of pop culture references during their tracks. For example, much of what the Barenaked Ladies sucked, and when Billy Joel tried to do the same thing, that sucked too. However, No More Kings drop pseudo-ironic phrase in a way that will not make one grimace like all of the latest links back to the eighties pop culture…
“60%” is a nice opening for Nofx, a song that is still smirky while being pointed and fun; this trilogy of distinct style is something that has fueled Nofx for years and even fuels them now. “Leaving Jesusland” shows Nofx at an interesting point, with a stripped-down style that only comes out of its shell during the chorus. The vitriol present during this track is something that is not heard…
“Never Trust A Hippy” contains a few unreleased tracks and a few new songs that will be on NoFX’s next full-length, “Wolves in Wolves Clothing”. The first track on this album, “Seeing Double at the Triple Rock” shows a harder edge to NoFX than is typically heard; one is reminded of the hardcore punk (The Germs, Agent Orange) that came out of California than the goofy-punk that usually is present…
Overall, this is a typical punk compilation, with a few standout bands. However, there are some interesting difference on this disc that really move it away from the typical compilation and really put it into the land of the bizarre, such as placing a Goth band on it (Deep Eynde). The punk that is played on this disc is usually loud, boisterous music that is really no apologies, and is…
“The Coast is Clear” is an interesting way to start off the disc. Drawing on the same elements for the entirety of the track, the song really doesn’t feel as if it is a good gateway into the rest of the disc. The incorporation of differing elements at about 2:30 really begins the disc and adds percussion to further quicken the heart and get individuals interested. When vocals finally find…
Poppy indie-rock that seems to be pulled up directly from a halcyon period of alternative rock, Ninja Gun should be placed in the Pantheon along with Matthew Sweet and Concrete Blonde. The mastering on “Smooth Transitions” is well, smooth and completely open in terms of allowing the band to do what they want without sounding as if this disc was recorded in a barn. Mixing in an adequate amount of…
After the last CD by Planet Verge, Fixer’s “Bend”, I was really expecting a lot from 9 Circles. Perhaps I had set too high of expectations for this act, as I can honestly say I was underwhelmed by 9 Circles. I see them to be musically similar to Lifted, but not as plastic as the aforementioned band. While both bands use the modern-rock formula to get where they want to…
