Akron, OH’s prom kings Worship This! stopped out at Bad Racket earlier this summer and played one of my favorite OG songs, “Best Parts”.
Check it out:
Bad Racket is one of the coolest recording studios in Cleveland and have been doing their thing since 2009. They specialize in welcoming bands into their studio to play a song and be filmed while doing so. If you want to see more amazing acts do their things, click the below link:
Tis the season for a slasher…
Athens, Ohio’s Skeletonwitch just dropped a new music video for “I Am of Death (Hell Has Arrived)” that is sure to cause nightmares. Directed by Jon Nix of TurnStyle Films, this video clearly gives a generous nod to 70s horror movies. Originally featured on Bloody-Disgusting, I figured I would post it as well seeing how I am a big fan of Skeletonwitch and also the good folk at TurnStyle Films.
Check it out:
I always told myself that I would never review bands who were also my friends, but I’d be a fool not to review the debut release by Northeast Ohio’s very own Worship This!. Having just signed to A-F Records, Worship This! is about to drop Tomorrow, I’ll Miss You next week, and let me tell you, this is one impressive debut.
Consisting of Josh Taylor (vocals, bass), Jeremy Provchy (vocals, guitar), Aaron Novak (vocals, guitar) , and Jeff Hart (drums), Worship This! has definitely put in their time since then band’s formation in 2010. Hailing from the Akron / Cleveland area, Worship This! are not new to the scene as all of the members have been involved with various local bands for the past 15 years. Forming through friendships and mutual acquaintances, the boys of Worship This! were almost meant to be.
“I, Human” started off with Taylor screaming “I don’t wanna be human” at the top of his lungs making for any music fan to turn their head and pay attention. Full of energy and ideals that slightly reminded me something Propaghandi might make mention of, I really liked how I could hear an immediate chemistry throughout the band members. The moment I heard that opening song, I knew it was in for something good. “Jen, with 2 Ns” continued to fuel that feeling
I adored “Indifferent” for so many reasons. Not only was the track catchy as hell, but it carried the feelings of being too old for the scene, contemplating giving it all up, and then coming to a realization to move on without care. This song was solid start to finish and one of my favorites on the entire album. Full of catchy riffs, infectious drumming, and just an overall sense of pride of current state of being. It is no wonder the band chose this song to make a music video. Seriously, the following lyrics from this track have been stuck in my head for weeks:
“I’ve given my all, maybe its about time that I hang it up. There’s so many things I never did, and I life I never lived. Maybe I’ll stop getting dirty looks from all these kids.”
I swear, I have had those same thoughts in my head numerous times over the last couple of years. Look for the video to be dropped around the time of the album.
“Summit Tower” really was put together flawlessly. Provchy took over vocal duties primarily while the rest of the band just jammed out alongside. I may have caught myself signing along to this one the first time I listed to it. The upbeat “Springs and Levers”, moved along well thanks to Novak and Provchy exchanging lines throughout.
The lyrically deep “Purpose and Meaning” flowed directly into “The Fear Of Missing Out”. The songs were like a masterpiece, but different. Seriously though, these two combined songs were addicting from start to finish. You can just hear years of hard work put into both tracks and they last less than 3 minutes total. Secretly, I wish those tracks were of a “November Rain” length.
Novak painted a pretty vivid picture as he sang at the beginning “Bike Ride”. The song, which told the story about a neighboring house that suffered a grim demise, really carried well throughout. “This house is my reminder of what we have and and who we live for” bellows towards the end of the track with “our lives carry on” ending it.
“Whatever Happened To You Melissa” reminded me of Dinosaur Jr. at the beginning, but only because of how the lyrics started off. The song, clearly reaching back to a torn relationship, had a strong effect while listening to. Listening to Novak and Taylor sing “I’ve lost all hope, in everything I know…and everything I loved” just brought back some of those memories you can’t ever get rid of. This was another track on the album that blew me away.
“Momophonbe” has radio playable qualities. The chorus alone reminded me of, dare I say, Gaslight Anthem, sans the whole I’m-from-New-Jersey-and-love-Bruce-Springsteen-feel. Taylor and Provchy made this song even better thanks to their singing styles bouncing back and forth. “Anathema”, the closing track, started off melodic with singing that did not impress me, but moments later that all changed. I loved the group signing on this track that eventually laid the album to rest.
Take everything you know and love about punk rock from the 90s onward and you can hear it in what Worship This! has brought to the table throughout the album. This is far from a pop-punk band and anyone who labels them that needs to really reevaluate their opinion. This is a band that successfully manages to merge all of their unique influences from over the years and package them into one great style. We’re talking seasoned here folks, not young blood.
Fans of all of the current bands filling up the punk scene in basements, various self-funded punk fests, and even online should take note at this talent. I could sit here and label off tons of bands, but why bother? A-F Records has something good on their hands and I am sure they know it. Add the fact that all four members are just genuine dudes who play music for the sake of playing music.
Friends or not, Worship This! has got my vote for album of the year with Tomorrow, I’ll Miss You. Just like the Menzingers, Cheap Girls, Masked Intruder, and Luther wowed me back in 2012, Worship This! has done the exact same for me this year. I can not stop listening to this album. I can only image how crazy the kids are going to go for this release. This is one album you should not sleep on. Trust me when I say that. Don’t believe me? Head on over to PunkNews.Org and hear it for yourself. You can thank me later.
The CD drops this Tuesday and a vinyl pre-order should be announced through A-F Records soon.
This is the feel good video of the day…
People of Kent/Akron/Cleveland/Ohio be proud. Annabel is about to drop an album everyone is going to be talking about.
The Kent, OH indie rockers are on the verge of releasing their second LP, Youth In Youth, which will be put out by Count Your Lucky Stars in the later half of Fall.
I can not freaking wait. Clearly from the photo above, Scotty is in shock about it too.
Never thought I would actually be able to sing the following Avett Brothers lyrics and have them actually hold true to my heart:
“Cleveland, I ain’t never felt nothing so strong
Been believing the words to my songs
Ohio I’m leaving, Ohio I’m gone”
For those of you who may not have heard yet, I have taken a job promotion within my company and will be relocating from Cleveland to Las Cruces, New Mexico, within the next 3 weeks. This decision was the most difficult thing I have ever made in my life and it just killed me to come to a decision with such little time.
I weighed all the pros and the cons over and over and realized that I needed this adventure even if it meant leaving everything I love behind. I feel terrible about moving on, but I do not want to not go on with life and one day wonder “what if”. I want to just take that huge risk and see what happens and say that I did it.
For 35 years, Cleveland and Akron have been my life. Raised in a suburb in the middle of both cities, I was privileged enough to meet a ton of people who I have the pleasure of calling friend. From the days of sitting curbside at a Dunkin Donuts to the warm nights in the Coventry courtyard, I really was lucky to be surrounded by such cool and remarkable people. I loved going to the Metros daily and will never forget the times I had at “The Office”. I could not have had a better childhood.
Throughout the years, we all grew up, some of us took our own journeys and risks, but I stayed put and called Cleveland and Akron home. To be honest, I was so ok with that. I am Cleveland blood, this is my town.
As I continued growing up, I met more people and became involved in the ever important Cleveland / Akron music scene, not as a band performer, but as someone who fully appreciated it. I loved my involvement with everything I did and cherished all of the memories that were created on a nightly basis. I am so lucky to say that I had that.
Without going into too much detail, I will just say this: The Cleveland/Akron music scene rules right now and is it better than ever was. I am so sad to leave it all behind, but you all know you I will be doing all I can to stick around, even if I need to do it via the Internet. No way in hell am I going to not keep updated, some of these local bands are too important to not continue to keep tabs on.
The people…my friends. Cleveland and Akron are full of the greatest people I will ever meet. I know you will all welcome me back with open arms if and when I make it back on Ohio soil. Trust me on this, I will be thinking about Ohio on a daily basis for the rest of my life. Thank you to everyone out there who I have met for being so damn cool.
Obviously I am going to miss the locally owned shops and restaurants. I just hit up Square Records last night and know nothing like that store will exist where I am moving to. Music Saves and Blue Arrow, I seriously am going to miss the shit out of as well as the greatest comfort food on Earth, Melt. Pizza will never even compare to Luigi’s. I drool at the thought of one of their salads right now… There are so many other places I can talk about, but I am getting sad just thinking about it. I just hope I can score some Great Lakes beers out in the desert.
Sure, there will be plenty of new places for me to experience in my move to a new city, but it will not be the same. Anyone from Cleveland and Akron who reads this knows exactly what I am talking about. Cleveland and Akron are not that bad and I question why so many people hate it and say they are stuck in it. I’m glad I was born and raised here.
Do I even dare get into Cleveland sports??? I will miss that so much and you can bet your ass I will remain a fan of Cleveland teams until the day I die. That is a promise. Browns for life.
I really should wrap this thing up. Before I finish though, I just wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you out there who has spoken to me one way or another, shared a beer or a smile, rocked out along with, or just stopped here on this blog to see what was on my mind. Without you all, I know I would not be the man I am today, and this site would not be going on 4 years. Being surrounded in so many amazing people just adds fuel to my amazing life.
Special love to my greatest friends ever who rock out in bands like The Facials, Worship This!, Signals Midwest, Beat Kids, Harvey Pekar, Annabel, All Dinosaurs, Sidekicks, and of course Narcoleptics X5 (RIP). These bands that I surrounded me around with are full of some of the most amazing people I will ever know in my life and I will miss the shit out of all of you.
Props to places like It’s A Kling Thing House, Dag House, Now That’s Class, Grog Shop, Agora (I hope you make a sweet come back), Odeon (you too), and all the other places I have seen a show at.
AddictedToVinyl.com, aka Matt, and his amazing new fiancé Annie (congrats!!!!), thank you for everything you have ever done for me. The same love goes to all the good people who used to slave away at 92.3 including Patt The Producer and Nard.
I plan on continuing my blog, that is for sure, but it will never be the same. I will be sure to try and visit and who knows, maybe one day I will plant my feet back in northeastern Ohio. Only time can tell.
I leave June 8th and hope I get to see many of you before I pack up and drive cross county. I know Las Cruces will be good to me, but nothing like the cities I grew up in.
I am scared as hell but excited to see what happens in the next chapter of my life. Thank you people of Cleveland for all you have done for me. I can not help but say “Cleveland Rocks” and mean it with all of my heart. Akron, you rule too.