Posted by Jonny Taint at 04:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Something Fierce “Teenage Ruins” / The Hangouts “The Pirate Stomp” (7” Split on Hot Pink Vinyl) – When I first listened to Something Fierce I thought they were a European Pop punk band, but after reading their bio I found out they’re out of Houston, TX. They have a nice mid tempo poppy sound with great backup vocals. At times the singer, Steven Garcia’s voice gets a little goaty (you know the sound that a goat makes) when he pushes it, but all in all a pretty nice catchy couple of songs. You can find them at www.myspace.com/somethingfiercehouston or www.somethingfiercemusic.com

The Hangouts are an up-tempo female fronted punk rock band that will rock your face off. When I first listened to “The Pirate Stomp” I thought I had the record player on the wrong speed. The singer Niki S.’s voice is a bit high pitched, but really compliments the speed in which the music is wailing away around her.  On their myspace page they’re described as, “The Donnas doing their rendition of the Ramones covering the Misfits while Electric Frankenstein slam beers and sing along.” I’d have to say that the description is way off base and would say they sound more like Blonde on speed and attitude they aforementioned description is way to complex. The Hangouts aren’t complex they’re just rock your face off good. You can find them at www.myspace.com/thehangoutsrule

Posted by Jonny Taint at 04:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Bad Lieutenants – “Every Time I Come Around” - Okay, so it's fun, mid tempo, Rockabilly Punk with a bit of garage rock thrown in. I’ve never really been able to get into Rockabilly, but I know a lot of people who love it.  There’s just a little too much of a rock sound for me, but nothing that’s bad either. I could imagine these guys playing at a dark, Smokey bar with bikers playing pool all night. It’s not bad background bar music, but not anything that I would go out of my way to listen too either.

They can be found at www.badlieutenants.com or www.myspace.com/badlieutenants 

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Rogue Set – “The Elm City Shuffle” – Rogue Set impressed me with their professionalism. They sent me a full press kit including;

• 1 Album – “The Elm City Shuffle”
• 1 Band Photo – 5x7

         o (Top Kilian Appleby – Bass guitar, Backing Vocals

         o (Middle) Galen Reynolds – Guitar, Lead Vocals

         o (Bottom) Shane Proietto – Percussion

• 1 Band Biography Sheet
• 1 Printed Logo Sheet
• 1 Asbestos Records “More Bang For Your Buck IV Compilation (not for review)

Also included was their full contact information with website and all.

WOW ..I felt very special receiving all this stuff (seriously). It made me feel like a records executive or some shit.

Unfortunately Rogue Set’s music made me feel queasy. Musically they are talented, but so is Weird Al. Really, I think it’s a combination of my anticipation of a ground breaking CD with the fact that the lead singers voice just sucks. It sounds like he’s trying so hard to make it gruff & scratchy that it just comes out scratchy monotone. Instrumentally they have some endearing qualities, but a bad singer can kill a band. Honestly, the backing vocalist’s voice didn’t seem too bad and I would suggest he take over the lead vocals. After I listened a few more times, I didn’t think it was as bad as I originally thought, but still never felt it was worth someone spending their money on.

Check them out at www.RogueSet.net or www.myspace.com/rogueset

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Critical Me – “Promised Land” – Melodic Orange County politically influenced skate punk with a touch of metal in the leads. Their style reminds me of No Use For A Name, later Pennywise & later Bad Religion. Though I’m not a huge fan of this style of music, the guys in Critical Me are good at what they do. I didn’t hear anything that made them stand out from this well documented style of punk. Each of the songs sounded pretty similar and lacked hooks that draw you in and make you want more. I don’t know it’s almost like I’ve heard all there songs 10-15years ago during the Fat Wreck hay day (at least instrumentally). If you liked it the first time around and never lost the flavor for it or missed the Fat Wreck Revolution then this is a band for you.

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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The Flak Jackets – “Self Titled” – What you get here is ’77 Punk mixed with a touch of New Wave. The singers voice reminds me a little of Johnny Rotten after the Sex Pistols when he was singing with Public Image Limited (PIL). At first I started to get into Flak Jackets right away, but then after 10 minutes, I realized each song sounded exactly the same and mind numbingly boring. The singer’s voice just drones on through every song and eventually you find yourself waking from a short nap. The Flak Jackets aren’t bad, but just overly repetitive. So I suggest choosing one song (it does matter which) and adding it to your playlist. It’s not worth purchasing a whole album of the same song.

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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  The Wish You Weres – “Wreck The Halls”- Wreck The Halls as you can probably guess is a Christmas album. The cool thing is that The Wish You Weres decided to make this album to help some of the less fortunate and are donating all the proceeds to charity. That alone should give this album a good rating, ….right?

  In actuality this is one of the best holiday albums I have ever heard. I’ve always been a fan of Punk Rock Christmas songs, but seldom do you really find any really good original songs. Unlike many Punk Rock Christmas themed albums “Wreck The Halls” is all original songs. I’ve been listening to The Wish You Weres for a few years now and their songs continue to progress into one of the best DIY punk bands around. Believe it or not this Christmas CD is probably some of their best work to date. Bryan's voice has always been good, but hot damn has it progressed to the next level. It sounds like their summer Australian tour really allowed The Wish You Weres to completely bond together & mature their sound like never before. They seem to of dug down deep and pulled out something special with this release.

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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The Challenged – “Relapse” – I’ve been sitting here trying to come up with some catchy one liner to describe this album, but I’m at a loss for words. From the first day I heard their prior music I’ve been addicted to The Challenged like a frat boy to beer. When I found out that they were going to be having a new release I think I got a little hard, so to say I was excited is an understatement.  I contacted the folks at Cabana 1 Records in July I think asking if I could pre-order. I was told I couldn’t, but as soon I was able to I paypal’d my money, waiting with anticipation. Finally the day came for the release, I drove home from work as fast as I could, and nothing…It didn’t get to me on the release date. The next day I get a call from Mrs. Taint to find out we received “Relapse”.  I flew home and went right to the CD giving my salutation while I tore at the plastic wrap. Finally the day had come after the long summer wait.

I can't put to words how fucking great this album is! The instrumental piece is flawlessly upbeat, but intense at the same time. The lyrics are written with blood, sweat & tears that you can feel through the speakers. Ok, so the best way to describe the sound of The Challenged on this album is if you took the musical diversity & vocal sound of Pinhead Gunpowder and combined it with the lyrical intelligence of Blake Schwarzenbach of Jawbreaker fame. Really that’s all you have to say to realize how impressive “Relapse” is.

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Franky and Jonny Taint accidently did a few of the same album. Read their different opinion and then listen for yourself to make your own. 

Alright, so with a band name like Hardball.... you expect some bad ass Rawk 'N' Roll music right?  Well, that is EXACTLY what they deliver.Their songs are complete with the upbeat chorus, breakdowns and catchy lyrics!  There's something for everyone in this whether your a fan of The Dead Kennedys or a fan of Kill Cheerleader. Pick up this cd! ... I guarantee you'll like it!  Even if there is only 4 songs on it! ~ Franky 2000

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Artist: Primasonic

Alright, I decided to do something a little different for this one:review it as I hear it for the first time. So my music player is always set on random, I hate listening to CDs in the right order of things.... and the first song I hear is a Ramones cover (something to do) ....and let me tell you,it is probably the worst Ramones cover in recorded history.  I don't even feel like listening on ... next song I hear is another cover: Paint It Black .... this one sounds alright....but still terribly wrong. Next up is PC War, which I believe is an original ... didn't sound too bad..... but nothing amazing ..... alright. .... few songs later:  I have begun blocking the sound from reaching myears. Some major label should sign those guys, because they play generic radio rock..... in other words....nothing great.

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Artist: The Chinese Telephones

Album: The Chinese Telephones

Rated 4.5/5

Sorry to the leftovers and the Bricktops, but the title for best pop-punk of '07 has been stolen. Catchy from start to end. Hell...I better stop listening to this, as I'd hate to get sick of such a great cd. About the only thing negative I can find to say about this is the recording quality......it could've been slightly better. Make sure you go and see these guys when they come to your hometown!....I would if cool bands like The Leftovers, The Riptides and The Guts played in Ottawa....

 

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Fear Of Lipstick – “Indie Band” – Ok I didn’t know anything about this band and based upon the cover art and title I figured “Fear Of Lipstick” to be some New Wave rebirth of The New York Dolls.  I was partially right, only in the sense that “Fear Of Lipstick” has an older band style then most pop punk bands nowadays. There is a slight early 60’s rock feel to the chords, but it’s doesn’t overpower the punk sound, it just enhances the experience. The singer has a great voice, they have a slightly different sound, and along with the great chemistry these guys seem to have, “Fear Of Lipstick” really seems ahead of most bands out there today.

Check them out yourself - http://www.myspace.com/fearoflipstick1234

Records Label - It's Alive Records - http://www.itsaliverecords.com/

Posted by Jonny Taint at 04:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Blood Vessels – “Self Titled” – At first glance I started to wonder about this band. Their cover art has a skull with 3 vertebrae attached by strings of veins. The eyes popping out of the skull also being held by strings of veins, the tonuge bitten in half with blood spewing and the cranium removed allowing the brain to disengage from the skull.. At this point I’m expecting Heavy Metal, Thrash, or at best Horror punk.                                                                         So.. I turn on the CD with low expectations but was surprised to find a style of music I hadn’t heard in a long time…Garage Punk. I don’t mean it in a negative sense either, I mean it in the mid 80’s style of punk music that isn’t hardcore, isn’t political and isn’t poppy. Its just punk rock that has the sound like it was created in a garage or basement just for the pure enjoyment. Imagine a slightly mellowed out Black Flag style band and you have Blood Vessels. Actually their song “When You’re Young” reminded me of a cross between Black Flag & Minor Threat. It’s not often anymore that you find music of this style and when you do you really appreciate it.  I can’t say that I would listen to this CD everyday, but when in the right mood I would crank this motherfucker up as loud as it goes and listen to it as it was meant to be.

More information on The Blood Vessels can be found at, http://www.bloodvessels.net/

At their label, Teenage Heart Records - http://www.teenageheart.com/ 

Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/bloodvessels

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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 The Mugwumps – “Do Time” – This was one of those bands I had heard of, but never actually heard, so I was interested in sampling this waxy disc. I dove into the inviting blue/white swirly vinyl with a blank canvas on my brain. When I emerged from this 5 song spinning world of pop punk with a little bit more then I had entered with.

As soon as I put the record on I did a double take. My first impression was that the singer sounds a little like Ben Weasel singing for The Queers. Yeah, Yeah I know what you’re thinking. “It’s pop punk, so there has to be some Ramones, Queers or Screeching Weasel comparison in the review. This time though it really is the closest comparison I could come up with and should be taken as a compliment. A lot of reviewers hear pop punk and say it all sounds like one big song, blah, blah, blah… I actually appreciate pop punk and do appreciate the subtle differences of songs and bands who play it.

Anyway this is a great 5 song 7” and would recommend it to anyone who is a pop punk fan. If you’re not a fan of pop punk, this record is just a 2 sided long song that sounds like every other pop punk band trying to imitate The Ramones, Queers and/or Screeching Weasel.

Check Them Out yourself -

http://www.the-mugwumps.at/

http://www.myspace.com/themugwumps

It's Alive Records

http://www.itsaliverecords.com/

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Chinese Telephones/Dear Landlord – “( 7” Split)" for the a couple years now I’ve been hearing how good Chinese Telephone is. You know “Ben Weasel” loves them and says how great they are. Every time I’ve heard one of their songs I think they’re boring and nothing ever makes me want to listen to them again. So I pop in this record and my first though was HOLY SHIT have I been missing out on a great band. I flip it over to the other side of the record and its back to the boring style I had heard before.

It takes me a few days before I realize that this record was a split because I only saw the side with Chinese Telephones on it. So I look and what do you know, Dear Landlord is on the side I was blown away by. Don’t get me wrong Chinese Telephone is an okay band, but nothing I can get excited about or spend money on.

Now when it comes to the songs I heard from Dear Landlord, they gave me that excited feeling similar to when I first heard, let’s say….Green Day, back during their first release “1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hour”. Before all you pop punk elitists get your lace panties in a knot, I’m not comparing them to Greenday, merely comparing a feeling from a time in my life when I heard something fresh and new. Seriously, after hearing these two songs, I will be on the look out for more from this fresh and energetic pop punk band.

Checkthem out for yourself -

Chinese Telephones - http://www.myspace.com/chinesetelephones

Dear Landlord - http://www.myspace.com/letslynchthedearlandlord 

It's Alive Records - http://www.itsaliverecords.com/ 

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Jason Bennett & The Resistance – “Hope Dies Last” – These guys are a passionate blue collar folk, punk band who sing their balls off. The mix of 50/50 folk/punk adds to their blue collar punk rock story telling and possesses you to sing along before the end of the first song. I've become really fond of these guys and love that they keep an up tempo edge, while still keeping to their folk roots. To me a lot of punk/folk bands sound whiney but, positive energy is one thing that is not missing from Jason Bennett & The Resistance. They manage to keep their own upbeat identity with a deep Social Distortion influence, but not crossing the line as many do and sound like a cover band. Honestly based upon what I’ve heard out of Social Distortion in the last 5-10 years, I’d much rather listen to Jason Bennett & The Resistance.

Check them out for your self at - http://www.myspace.com/jasonbennetttheresistance

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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20 Nineteen – “Unwanted Rarities Vol. 1” – Simple punk by numbers chords & progressions with a singer who seems to talk through the lyrics rather then attempt to sing. This CD has about as much flavor & personality as plain oatmeal.  I don’t need much to amuse me, but there was nothing there. 20 Nineteen does a cover of “The KKK took my baby away” that is just exhausting to listen to. They successfully take a decent mid-tempo song and make it as interesting as counting sheep to fall asleep.Really if I didn’t know better I would swear it sounds like someone recorded themselves singing along with a karaoke CD.

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Jinx & The Back Alley Cats – “Soundtrack for a Seizure” – Melodic Punk –n-Roll laced with a “Doors”-ish synthesizer leading lightly in the backdrop. Really each song is a smorgasbord of every form of punk music. The lyrics have a blue collar feel with a mix of punk ska. The instrument section of Jinx & the Alley Cats has a jazz beat on a few songs; the guitar riffs bounce from NYHC to bouncy Ska.

When you mix so many different ingredients you can create a volatile cocktail of noise, but this kamikaze of sound is mixed with hell bent precision & creates a smooth cocktail of fine punk rock. These guys seem to feed off each other in a way that makes their energy & personality pop out in each the tracks. With that much passion attached to their music on a digital recording, I would expect nothing short of an amazing live performance. My favorite song of the 5 song EP is “Miss Affection” for its punky jazz sound.

Check for yourself at; http://www.myspace.com/backalleycats  

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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The Briefs – “ The Greatest Story Ever Told” DVD/CD

The Briefs should be really happy about being on BYO Records. They are being treated 1^st class all the way. When I first heard I was getting this DVD/Live CD I was stoked like a California wildfire (sorry, classless humor). I got the whole thing loaded into my I-Pod and 1^st listened to the 8 live recording (in studio) tracks. Each song sounds great and hits you in the face with their well known 77’ style goofball punk sound.

The DVD is really the main attraction and edited in a way that you won’t get bored. The video documentary style  bounces around to different members of the band just enough so that it’s not annoying and keeps you wanting the next member of The Briefs to appear to tell his part of the story.

The story they tell is from how they started, their record deals, their touring and the trials & tribulations of being in a good band. I really appreciated how they talked through when they signed to a major label. They explain how they struggle with the thoughts of “selling out”, the pro’s & con’s of when they did sign and the eventual leaving the label.

 The DVD is filled with great story telling, great music and a lesson for bands looking to be successful in the “scene”.

 The DVD has some out-takes, a tour of their practice space and some great live (studio) recorded tracks, but really the main feature is worth the purchase, so everything else is just gravy.

This DVD/CD can be purchased at; Buy Here

More band info can be found at; The Briefs

More BYO Records bands and/or info can be found at; http://www.byorecords.com  

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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