Tag Archives: Music

Cleveland, Music

BHP Life

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Folks, friends, pals, others… For those of you who know me, I am still around and constantly listening to tunes. I am living life daily doing things I never thought I would admit to be doing when I first started brokenheadphones.

Blogging has not been what it used to be for me. It is not the top priority anymore on account of my two kids and the life I have built. That does not mean I do not miss it. I miss taking time to share thoughts and experiences with anyone who cares to read.

Every year I tell myself I am going to use this blog again. I cover a show here and there, maybe talk about an album, but I am missing consistency. I need to try and maybe commit to something at minimum monthly.

This past week, I visited https://www.splitpersonalitiesrecords.com and literally bought everything vinyl-wise with the intention of spreading the word on some amazing tunes. Once received, I am going to do a proper review of one or more of my new aquirements and help spread the word and love of this female-owned Cleveland record label.

Life is not the same without music for me and if I can share and support the bands and labels that bring me joy and happiness in this f’d up world, then my job is done.

Stand by everyone. I promise you I am trying.

Be well.

Acoustic, Hardcore, Music, Post-Hardcore, Punk, Screamo, Ska

BHP BEST OF 2024

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This blog is not going anywhere at the moment. I am beyond grateful for anyone who stops by at any given time and has checked it out.

As a father of 2, my priorities are toward them and ensuring they have all the dad time in the world, so excuse the lack of content. I promise you I am listening to all the music all the time.

What that said, I never will not do a best of list as it helps me look back to all the amazing music that dropped throughout the year.

Enjoy.

BHP BEST OF 2024 LIST

State Faults – Children of the Moon

One of my most listened to albums of the year. This is an album that dragged me through emotion like none other and truly speaks for itself. It’s screamo, it’s post-hardcore, it’s perfect.

Maxwell Stern – In the Good Light

Max has outdone himself this time. This album is the greatest thing he has ever created, and I will fight those to disagree. He put something together special that will get stuck in the heads of so many for years to come. When I say I love watching someone mature as a musician, I am talking about Max Stern. I look forward to future releases, but it is going to be hard to top this one.

Glass Beams – Mahal

I was so into this sophomore album by Glass Beams upon listening to it that I stopped what I was doing to pre-order the album only later to find out I ordered an overseas copy and not the US version. When I try and tell people about this one, I just say things like disgusting and filthy and mean it in the best way. This band is phenomenal.

The Dopamines – 80/20

I was beyond stoked to hear after 7 years this Cincinnati punk band was dropping a new album. These guys have always been a great band, and this album is a blast to get into.

Hunden – A Calming Press

So much fuzz on this debut by Cleveland’s Hunden. Love to see pals from various bands connect and formulate insane tunes. They need to put this on wax already.

Hollow Suns – Free Fall

Caught these dudes in a basement earlier in the year and became an instant fan of their tunes. Their live performance pulled at all things 90s Sub-Pop roster related and on top of it they were just the nicest dudes. They hail from Tokyo, and apparently that night I saw them was the first time they ever played a house show.

IDLES – TANGK

This is the album that turned me into an IDLES fan. I did not really get into them before, but all is changed after becoming obsessed with this album.

Knocked Loose – You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To

I am getting up there in age, but I appreciate the hell out of this album. Insanity at its finest.

Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown

Forever a Portishead fan, there’s no wonder why I am obsessed with Gibbons’ solo release. This is a deep and personal journey set to her own town.

The Cure – Songs of a Lost World

I remember as a teen what this band meant to me. I was tossed feelings I tried to hide from then and was reminded how impactful this band is with this release. I am being serious when I say I teared up reminiscing about a young me Cure fan. The band has not lost their touch one bit.

Hey-Smith – Rest in Punk

The LP dropped in 2024 so I am saying this came out this year. This band is one of the best ska punk bands in the game. I adore them and listened to the absolute hell out of this release. I even got to see them open for the Suicide Machines and they put on one of the most energetic sets I have seen in ages.

Alkaline Trio – Blood, Hair, & Eyeballs

This band literally can do no wrong. Skiba and crew have written a start-to-finish classic.

Hot Water Music – VOWS

This band is easily one of my top 10 of all time and they have once again exceeded my expectations with this new album. Cresswell fits in ever so perfectly once again and the band seems stronger than ever. Happy to say I even got to see them live this year too.

Amyl and the Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness

Raw AF hits. I am not sure how else to describe this one. It is damn good.

SeeYouSpaceCowboy – Coup De Gr?á?ce

This one was wild. Jazzy, hardcore, and sewn together so perfectly. It is really a disaster of a masterpiece in the best way.

Omnigone – Feral

Wait… Some of the Link 80 dudes got back together and started a new band? Of course this is going to rip, but I did not expect it to slay.

Kill Lincoln – No Normal

This is one of the most fun ska punk bands out there. Every time I catch them live, I am just left with a sense of satisfaction. I was stoked to snag this album weeks before it dropped and love how they refuse to let off the accelerator.

Soft Play – Heavy Jelly

This album is just hard fun. Some of the lyrics had me busting up. The tunes are just insane too.

High Vis – Guided Tour

I will be forever kicking myself in the ass for missing these guys at a venue minutes from my house. I had no idea they were a supporting act. This album is just about as perfect as it can get.

Carpool – My Life In Subtitles

The emo album I needed this year to feel some feelings. It is so good.

Cursive – Devourer

I have been a Cursive fan most of the 2000s and will admit I was caught way off guard with this one. It is brilliant and ever so poignant. It really made my aging ass feel some emotion again.

Various Artists – Red Scare Industries: 20 Years Of Dreaming and Scheming

What a great collection of tunes to celebrate 20 years as a punk label. Toby has himself a label that has helped so many bands out there I love and adore. The Sidekicks cover on this album by that Laura Jane Grace person no one has ever heard about is one of the best renditions ever.

I am stopping here…for now. If you know me, I always find something else to talk about (and I did at least twice now). There are plenty more I can toss on here, but these were the ones I made note of and wanted to showcase.

Thanks, as always, for checking me out. I really would love to toss more content on here, but between raising the coolest kids, my big boy job, and building/slinging lamps with my homies at Whiskertin, my time sometimes is limited. I have no intention of disappearing and appreciate all the bands and the labels for continually fueling my head with the best tunes.

Happy New Year to everyone out there. Enjoy the day.

Cleveland, Emo, Music, Punk

Cleveland’s see you. Drop Debut Single “Doom or Bloom”

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Hey all, remember me?

There’s a new melodic punk/emo band emerging out of Cleveland called see you. Featuring Van DeFilippo (ex-Dead Leaves) and Justin Vaughn (Low Morale), this band’s got a fun style that compares to a younger The Get Up Kids, less sad Saves the Day, and even hint at some Strike Anywhere.

They recently dropped “Doom or Bloom” and I have to tell you all, this is great. The track was recorded with Dave Piatek (No Pressure, Light Years) and is streaming everywhere.

Check out the lyric video and see for yourself!

Bandcamp: ?? Doom or Bloom | see you. (bandcamp.com)
Other Links: see you. links | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree

Cleveland, Music, New Release, Post-Hardcore, Punk, Review, Rock

Album Review: Hunden – A Calming Press

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I will be the first to admit I have not been that great about tossing out reviews and whatnot. If this one makes it to your eyes, then I am one stoked music lover. It kills me it’s already March and this is my first post of the year, but I write this with the best intentions.

Cleveland’s Hunden is a fuzz-heavy, riff-supreme threesome that, upon listening to their debut, forced me to dust off the keyboard and just hammer out something to talk about it.

Dare I mention they are a Northeastern Ohio supergroup in a sense?

Featuring Toby Reif (Sidekicks, Orbits), Nick Schmitt (Harvey Pekar), and Adam Peduch (Two Hand Fools, Heart Attack Man), Hunden already had my attention the moment I heard anything given their history with the local music scene.

It was no shocker how “Escape Trajectory” pretty much blew out the speakers. The track was just brutal from the start and Reif enough supplied vocal angst that had me thinking of Hum and Helmet. Then “Subtext” came on that was more aligned with Sunny Day Real Estate.

“Healer” carried so many Cave In vibes it was not even funny. Technical and catchy with brute force. Stephen Brodsky, take note of these guys… Seriously, this track is just so together and produced perfectly.

And it is not just all fuzz and riffs, but there sure is a ton and it is amazing. “A Calming Press” has softer moments with piano, but soon just ramps back up. “Prix Fixe” was beyond superb with its ups and downs.

A Calming Press clocks in at just under 30 minutes, but it just smacks right into you barely giving you a moment to breathe. Given where these guys came from, it certainly is a new avenue to tackle musically, and they succeeded in doing so.

Let me be clear, I am 47 years old and thrilled bands like Hunden still get me all sorts of amped up. I cannot wait to see these dudes play No Class on March 22nd with post-hardcore screamers Brain Cave. Hunden has the potential to turn some major heads with this release, I promise you, totally worth the listen.

BRAIN CAVE, CONSUMER CULTURE, KNUB, & HUNDEN @ NO CLASS

Friday, March 22, 2024

Brain Cave
Consumer Culture
Knub
Hunden
———
Bar Show
Cost: $10
Doors: 8pm
Age Limit: All Ages
Tickets: At The Door
RSVP ON FACEBOOK

Alt Rock, Country, Electronic, Emo, Experimental, Hardcore, Hip Hop, Indie, Metal, Music, Outlaw Country, Pop, Post-Hardcore, Punk, Rap, Rock, Ska

BHP Best of 2023

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This year absolutely flew by and here I am scrambling to toss something together to validate myself for poorly running my blog.

Clearly other objectives in life got in the way of how I wish I could maintain the site and keep it current, but here we are, so I guess I just do what I can, when I can.

I will say this past year has been a wild ride and I was able to really to enjoy it with friends and family, but something tells me that next year is going to be even better.

The absolute highlight of 2023 was covering the Punk in Drublic fest (thanks Vanessa!!!!) in Columbus, OH. If you missed that you can check it out HERE. To see so many of my favorite bands with some close pals of mine was just perfect.

I may not have reviewed a lot of bands this year, hell, I think I only did one looking back…but I did listen to tons of music and wanted to share a few that really caught my attention in 2023.

Enjoy.

BHP BEST OF 2023 LIST

Codefendants – This is Crime Wave

Easily one of the best releases this year. When I heard Fat Mike got The D.O.C. to drop some lines on one track I knew this was going to be something special.

Lucero – Should’ve Learned by Now

I love Lucero and everything they stand for and have to admit this took me a couple of listens to truly get into and I am glad I did because there are some gems on this one.

Heart Attack Man – Freak of Nature

I love this album. I really do not know what else to say here other than if you have not checked it out yet, you really should change that.

koyo – Would You Miss It?

This band won me over this year in the best way. Melodic emo hardcore. Does it get any better than this?

Militarie Gun – Life Under the Gun

Catchy as hell sums up this release. This has been a weekly listen since it dropped.

Sincere Engineer – Cheap Grills

File this one under “Deanna Belos makes me cry again with her poignant lyrics.” Dammit.

Bollweevils – Essential

Dr. Daryl Wilson is back with the gang and completely blew me away with this release. It sounded even better live at a local dive bar. That was a true treat.

Blink 182 – One More Time

I grew up in the 90s. Did you seriously not think this was going to land here at some point? Old punks are still cool, we just go to bed at a reasonable time.

Spanish Love Songs – No Joy

This band always stabs me in the feelings. This album was no exception.

Svalbard – The Weight of the Mask

I found this band a few years back as a suggestion to Holy Fawn and have loved them since. I was so stoked to see a new album drop by them this year and it simply rules.

Hot Mulligan – Why Would I Watch

Pop punk fun. Honestly, I did not think I was going to enjoy this one as much as I did.

Chayla Hope – Damn, Feelings

True Cleveland talent here. I will not be shocked when she grabs the attention of the world. Chayla can do no wrong.

Joey Valence & Brae – Punk Tactics

Just got into these guys a few weeks ago and adore their style that really reached back to the 90s. This release is pure fun and begs to be listened to on repeat.

Lil Yachty – Let’s Start Here.

This was one of those releases I read a review on and knew I needed to stop what I was doing and check it out. It is wild.

Incendiary – Change the Way You Think About Pain

Meanest album of the year. I adore it and listen to it on my worst days.

MSPAINT – Post-American

Music-genre bending at its best. I certainly cannot tell you their style other than “all of the above.”

Flying Racoon Suit – Moonflower

Oh hi, this band takes almost all the sounds of music I adore, tosses it in a blender, purees it, and pours out one hell of a release. Do not let the band’s name fool you.

Kerosene Heights – Southeast of Somewhere

2023 was a pretty emo year for me and this band helped fuel that.

I want to thank all my friends out there for keeping me going. New and old, life rules when you are all around.

More importantly, shoutout to my amazing kids who continue to give me purpose in life and let me continue to be my goofy-ass self with zero apologies. I hope one day you come across this and are reminded of the joy you both bring me.

Happy New Year and thanks for reading. Let’s see if I can kickstart the blog in 2024. I think I am up for it.