Stars and Stripes is one of my all time favorite oi bands. I understand that they are sort of a joke band in the sense that they make fun of a lot of the problematic oi constructs, but I’ll be damned if they don’t do it in a way that only acts like Hard Skin can even begin to approximate. The first album that Stars and Stripes cut (“Shaved…
You Know I’m Gonna Miss You is the latest track released by 7 Horses, and it showcases an act that can create an effort that is far beyond their constituent parts. The track begins with a lively arrangement that resounds in listener’s hearts and minds long after the track ceases. I feel that the bass is a hidden treasure here, as it provides the perfect counter-point to the vocals…
“Pumpkin” has a “Midnite Vultures” feel to it, making this introduction to “Drowaton” interesting to say the least. “Torts” continues this interesting sound as it brings Starlight Mints into a carnival atmosphere, with little connecting these first two tracks. It is really only during “What’s Inside of Me?” that the band really sets down and comes with a serious approach. Mixing a Fastball style with a piano line that…
Starkweather is a cult band for a reason. The music that they commit to disc when “Croatoan” starts out is nothing less than furious. The track is about seven minutes long, and it shows Starkweather’s trek through a number of different genres and sounds. This means that there is a ton of death and thrash metal, but that there are breakdowns present that would make both Pantera and Black…
Much more driven than the two albums that followed it, Staring Back’s “The Mean Streets of Goleta” has an urgency about it, a sense of youthfulness indicative of a time in which those feelings were still allowed. Now, bands are pretty much forced to be individuals reminiscing about this past, while assuming the part of an old sage – The Atari’s “In this Diary” really is a track that…
If You Don’t Know is the first track on Running All Muthafuckas Over, and it immediately showcases that Ramo Dajaneiro is a substantially different rapper than what is currently popular. There is an urgency to each of the cuts here that showcases that he has actually lived what he’s rapping about. The production is crisp and fits the flow, ensuring a rough and ready track that will have listeners focused…
Where the individuals from Kids in the Hall may have released Brain Candy on an unassuming populace, it is Staring Back that puts out Ear Candy. Speed-addicted punk that is still galloping while others might be resting. The wall of sound created by Staring Back is one that has innumerable wires and guns sticking out of it, providing ways for countless other innocent listeners to fall victim to each…
Hey, you know all those bands out there like The All-American Rejects, Mest, and Die Trying? Well, each of those bands that are in the same mold gaining all sort of success should really give a share of their money to Staring Back. This disc, as was listed earlier, was created in 2000. The only reason why I am even going and reviewing this disc, after so many years…
“Live To Win” was a track that Stanley licensed to for the Warcraft-specific episode of South Park, and while the track is around three minutes long, the clips used during South Park gave the track even more intensity. The song does start off the album in a solid way, with a high amount of energy and solid instrumentation. The track does not feel as if Stanley is trying to…
World-renowned, Grammy Award-winning producer/DJ BENNY BENASSI launched his Rough Road North American bus tour this week. Set to cross the U.S. and Canada with 16 dates, marking his largest string of consecutive shows on a single tour in his career, BENASSI will be joined by Pink Is Punk, Krewella and Congorock on various dates. BENASSI will perform to an estimated 45,000+ people in just over two weeks, blazing a trail…
New York-bred singer and songwriter Matthew Koma debuts his new video for the track “Parachute” today from his four song debut Parachute EP out now. Having already made a splash co-writing the hook on Sebastian Ingrosso and Alesso’s smash single “Calling (Lose My Mind)” featuring Ryan Tedder, Matthew also co-wrote and is featured on “Sparks” with rising DJs Nicky Romero and Fedde LeGrand. In addition Matthew Koma co-wrote and features…
Honestly, this is the second time that I’ve reviewed this disc; the first being for the radio station which I work for, WGRE. At the time, I must not have listened to the disc very deeply, as I did not recommend it to be put on rotation. But, the second time that I’ve listened to it, some of the more interesting nuances of the disc have really shown themselves to…
Stabbed in Back play a brand of fast, thrashy punk that tries to sound like DRI but ultimately more updated; this is a less tongue in cheek version of Sum 41. The track “Hopeless Romantic” is a few seconds over two minutes, but the band already seems to be running into a problem of not having enough in the way of material to fill their tracks. The track does…
I thought this was going to be much more of a jazz album than anything else. I guess that was due to the fact that SSM is an acronym much as Medeski, Martin, and Wood. Don’t be confused; when “Exit Strategy” starts out, all that one is hit with is a very noise and loud band in the rockabilly meets rock tradition. In a sense, the band reminds me…
HELLS HEADBANGERS announces January 22nd, 2013 as the release date for VOMITOR’s third and latest album, The Escalation. HELLS HEADBANGERS will handling the release of VOMITOR’s The Escalation in North America and South America while INVICTUS PRODUCTIONS will be handling the album’s release in Europe and the UK. Tracklisting and album cover (also attached) to follow below. Done bleeding the priest, after drinking the devil’s poison, VOMITOR increase the nuclear heat…
It has been about six months since I last heard SSM. SSM last time (on their self-titled full length album) was a band that had talent but did not always turn it into successes on the album. This is a six-song EP of newer tracks. The disc starts with “Put Me In”, a dance-worthy track that unfortunately has the vocals hidden to a fault behind the rest of the…
I have been lucky enough to hear of the Teen Idols before I approached this album but not lucky enough to have actually heard them. SO, I cam into this review with no pre-established notions about what either of the bands sound like. This is always a plus for me, as I do not have to go and delete any possible bias I have towards the band before I review…
Judi’s vocals are hard to get into, being simultaneously shrill and gruff, much like Apocalipstick’s lead, Jackie. If one can imagine it, “Rock This” is an ideological, harder sequel to the soundtrack to “Josie and the Pussycats”, which actually makes sense since the individual who was mainly responsible for “Josie’s” tracks was Kay Hanley (from Letters to Cleo). “I Hate You” moves into the territory of Bitch and Animal,…
Split Habit is an interesting band. While the first track on “Put Your Money”, “Rebel” is a perfect bowdlerized and mollified version of the original pop-punk mold of the Ramones, “City Girl” is a dangerous mix of frat-rock and an extensive Weezer CD collection. However anemic this track is, the sheer fact is that Split Habit is able to go and make the track one that every listener of…
First off, how is there not another band so far named The Kicks? Secondly, the latest full length from The Kicks is unabashed melodic rock just begging for a stadium. The Nashville band cites everyone from Queen and Aerosmith, Springsteen and the Foo Fighters as influences, but in addition they also sound a bit like (and this in no way is intended as a slam or to be ironic)…