Tag Archives: Review

90's, Acoustic, Cleveland, Music, New Release, Punk, Review

Album Review: Alkaline Trio – Damnesia

Leave a comment

Punk rockers Alkaline Trio (AK3) recently dropped a mostly-acoustic, sort-of-best-of-album entitled Damnesia on their very own label Heart&Skull.  The album, that was also released on Epitaph Records, contains seletions from previous releases from the band’s career  as well as two brand new songs.  If you recall, AK3 already took a stab at releasing some acoustic tracks as seen on last year’s deluxe version of This Addiction.  This time though, the band had a reason to dig into their catalog.

Marking their 15 year anniversary, the band saw it best to celebrate their success by putting together an album for the fans.  The result is a nice twist at classic songs with some of the re-recorded acoustic / semi-unplugged versions sounding better than the original cuts.

“Calling All Skeletons” started off the 15-track album, sounded well, but just was not overly impressive.  “Nose Over Tail”, originally found as a b-side from the “Sundials” single, on the other hand was awesome.  I loved that they re-recorded such a great track and it sounded better to me than the original thanks to  Skiba’s vocals sounding  so personal and heartfelt.

The pianos throughout  “This Could Be Love” was a nice touch.  A bit gloomier this round, the track was a tad slowed down which was fine by this listener.  “Calvicle” kept things moving with a speedy acoustic jam.  “Mercy Me” almost sounded rejuvenated with its rebirth into the un-plugged world.

“The American Scream” started with a duo of Skiba and piano playing.  I have to admit I enjoyed this version a lot.  I loved when the rest of the band kicked in and started playing / singing along.  “We’ve Had Enough” continued impressing me.  There was just something about this version that made me tap my foot a little harder to the ground while listening to.

One of the two new tracks, “Olde English 800” was an awesome tribute to a iconic malt beverage.  The sing-a-long had me craving for a 40oz. or two by the time it was over.  Comedic?  Perhaps…  Sincere?  Absolutely.  Am I going to have a hangover tomorrow?  That is has not been determined yet.  All in all, great love song for a top-notch beverage.

AK3 covering The Violent Femmes was not overly impressive to me, but it was nice see them choose “I Held Her In My Arms” over other overly-covered Femmes songs.  It was not terrible to listen to at all, it was just not something I was really looking to listen to although I appreciated the light twang feel to it.  Then again I never was the biggest Femmes fan.

“I Remember A Rooftop” was the other new track on Damnesia and was a lot more serious than the O.E. 800 song.  Andriano took over singing duties this round on the acoustic guitar only track. With lyrics like “I took my lousy shot at public recognition” the lyrics clearly were a little darker, something this beloved band has never been afraid to dish out. 

The very Dexter Morgan describing “Private Eye” was another nice surprise to find on this album.  A great version of “Radio” closed out the album.  Once again, the singing sounded just a little more personal and meaningful on this track.  I really enjoyed it a lot. 

A lot of times when I hear that bands are going to take songs and re-record them in an acoustic manner I am usually not overly excited about it, sans Unwritten Law’s Music In High Places.  AK3 nailed it though with Damnesia.  The album takes a nice detour from the punk rock path and brings you to just a nice chill (chilling?) listen many punk rock and non-punk rock fans will enjoy. 

Does recording an acoustic album mean the band has slowed down (not trying to knock anyone)?  Well, perhaps in some cases for some bands, but I doubt AK3 has any means to take it down a notch anytime soon.  This was a nice novel idea for the fans from the band that has been kicking it for a decade and a half.  Look for AK3 to be touring this summer in support of the new release as well as means to continue to celebrate their 15 years as a punk rock act. 

Andriano had this to say about the tour:

“We’re looking forward to our 15th anniversary tour this summer. We’re going to really try to put together a set that encompasses everything the band has done over the past 15 years and plan to play some songs that rarely find their way in to the set list. We will also play some songs in an unplugged style similar to what we’ve recently recorded on Damnesia. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

AK3 will be playing at the House Of Blues in Cleveland on Aug. 8th.  The Smoking Popes (stoked about this act!!!) and River City Extension will provide as openers.  This is going to be a kick ass show.

70's, Music, Music Video, New Release, Review, Rock

Album Review: Rival Sons – Pressure & Time

1 Comment

I don’t know if I can speak for all of you out there on this memory of mine, but I remember once when I was a kid I was flipping through my father’s LP collection.  His collection consisted mostly of late 60s and 70s bands, bands considered “classic rock” these days.  Still new to the game called music, I had no idea who all these bands were and was ever so curious to familiarize myself with them.

I marveled at the pictures at first, some more than others thanks to scantily clad women gracing the covers, and soon was just playing record after record teaching myself what to like and what to disregard.  There were gems that I found in those stacks of records that pretty much kick started my love for music.  I bring up this story because I swear that the new Rival Sons album, Pressure & Time, that I just listened to easily could have been one of those records that I pulled out from the stack, listened to, and said “woah.”

Hailing from Los Angeles, Rival Sons are a modern day classic rock band, all talent and no gimmicks at all.  The foursome has been around since 2008 and released their sophomore album Pressure & Time on Earache Records.  At times the band sounds like a cross between classic rock like Led Zeppelin but also hints towards a modern White Stripes/Jack White feel.  The collection of genres makes for a great sound that has been seemingly dismissed these days in the music world when it comes to new bands.

As soon as “All Over The Road” started, I found myself almost in shock to hear what I was listening to.  “Pressure and Time” won me over after I listened to it.  I adored the whole song start to finish.  Just check out the video below and see if you agree.  I can see the ladies already swooning over “Only One” once it hits their ears.  Reminding me of a Black Crows song, it was a sly cut to listen to with nice keyboard and heavy bass guitar playing.

“Get Mine” was a straight up jam with an ever so addicting funky bass riff that was met up some classic guitar playing.  “Burn Down Los Angeles” was just bad ass.  The drumming, the bass, the guitars, and the signing all together kept your head rocking and toughened up your skin.  “Save Me” had a fun start with a little classic guitar and bass exchange and then was smothered with a nice helping of soul.  Throughout it reminded me of a Sweet song, not like “dude, it was sweet”, but like the band Sweet…never mind. (additionally this song has been featured on a Jeremiah Weed commercial).  The lighter flicking, body swaying, arena destined “Face Of Light” closed out the album.

Pressure & Time seemed to just breeze past me while listening to.  At 30-minutes, I really would have loved to heard more, a lot more.  I really was not expecting Rival Sons to sound the way they did.  I was told that they “rocked” but that is an understatement.  This band must have gone back in time and hung out with the legends to sound this great. The lead singer looks like the lovechild of Jim Morrison and sounds like Jack White as well as Robert Plant.  The band dresses to impress and supposedly puts on some of the best like shows (still yet to be determined by this guy).  Apparently they have shared the stage with bands like Kiss and Judas Priest already in their short career.  Not too shabby boys.

If you like your rock classic and have been looking for something new to check out and just sink your teeth into, look no further.  Rival Sons have arrived and I am pretty sure all the folk out there who rocked out in the 70s, perhaps even your parents, are going approve.

Country, Folk, Music, Music Video, New Release, Punk, Review, Rock, The Awesome

Album Review: Old Man Markley – Guts N’ Teeth

Leave a comment

I have been digging Old Man Markley‘s self-proclamed genre of “Newgrass” for quite some time now, but it appears that I forgot to let the rest of the world know.  The band released Guts N’ Teeth on Fat Wreck Chords back in January and I guess I enjoyed it so much that I failed to talk it up a bunch.  So, 5-months later, without further au-due, ladies and gentlemen, Old Man Markley…

So, wait – what is this “Newgrass” genre I speak of?  It is a fine mix of punk, folk, and bluegrass making for one catchy sound.  Think old school country jam meets folk rock / punk rock fueled by countless rounds of draft beers at your favorite drinking hole with friends.

If having a good time could be put in music form, “Newgrass” is probably what it would sound like.

Back in 2007, the band started off in LA jamming out in a bluegrass fashion as well as took countless bluegrass favorites of theirs and covered them in a much different way based upon their own punk rock standards.  After a couple years the band, containing up to nine people currently, took all they knew musically and pushed out their debut album Guts N’ Teeth.  The result is one of the best CDs I have heard in 2011 and I am not just saying that.  Put it this way, the moment I heard the opening track, I placed my order for the vinyl because I had to have it in my collection.

“For Better For Worse” was that catchy track I heard.  I was an instant fan.  It was a mix of all the current types of music I have been digging lately – Folk, country, punk, and bluegrass.  The song was full on energy even if  singing of a girl that can’t be had.  Resembling something sounding like Tumbledown meets Dropkick Murphys, the song made you want to throw a foot to the ground a few hundred times while tossing back drinks.  Does it sound to you as if I liked this track?  You bet your ass I did.

Following was “At The Bottom”, a banjo-heavy track full of group vocals backing up singing about passing out at the bottom of a bottle.    “Running Weight” was a fiddle frenzy track that was more like an adventure if anything about getting from point A to point B without getting caught.

“Do Me Like You Do” was an entertaining cover of the 1924 song written by Gene Austin and Roy Bergere.  Covered usually by jazz artists, this mean bluegrass version was full of fun a quarrel at the same time.  Slowing down things a bit was “Song Songs”, a song about all the songs that many members of this band have probably written for others throughout the years.

Another track that caught my ear was “Letterman”, a song of an angered escape surrounded by some amazing folk rock music, especially the harmonica playing.  With harsh lyrics like, “so now your hiding in a sad song, we don’t want to sing along”, it’s clear that  the song is not aimed for good feelings one bit.  “Lowdown Blues” was a prime example of what the Stray Cats would have sounded like if they ditched the whole rockabilly feel and moved to the mountains.

I would not have been surprised if Tim Barry and the Avett Brothers had something to do with “Living and Learning”.  Hell, even Slobberbone hints throughout this track.  I guess it’s that time where I tell you if you need to listen to one track on this album it’s this one.  Seriously, good shit right here.

For a bunch of punkers from L.A. who used to be in bands such as Youth Brigade and Angel City Outcasts, Old Man Markley is downright impressive.  Mandolins, banjos, fiddles, autoharp, harmonica, washboard, and high spirited singing full up this album of non-stop folk/punk/rock goodness.  Like I said before, this is one of my favorite albums of 2011 and to think, it came out in the beginning of the year.  I dare anyone out there who says they like folk or country to tell me that there is not at least one song on this album that made them thing “damn, them boys is good”, because as a pretty solid fan of those genres, that is exactly what I said.

Old Man Markley will be touring with NOFX and Anti-Flag this Fall and as luck would have it, they are hitting Cleveland.  I know I will be in attendance that night.  Something tells me I will not regret it.


Can I just comment on the above video?  Best. Video. Ever.

Folk, Music, New Release, Punk, Review, Rock

Album Review: Swingin’ Utters – Here, Under Protest

1 Comment

I am sitting here trying to figure out how to start this review about an Oi!/Street Punk/Folk band that has been around for over two decades.  They are one of the O.F.W.C. (Original Fat Wreck Chords – I made that up) members and have been a huge influence to my punk rock ears ever since I was a teen.

The band I speak of is none other than the Swingin’ Utters and after eight years, the band has dropped Here, Under Protest, perhaps the best thing I have heard ever from the San Francisco band.  Seriously, I can not stop listening to this album, it is amazing.

Where do I start?  Could it be that the band sounds more polished than ever?  Could it be that Johnny Bonnel, Spike Slawson (Me First & The Gimme Gimmes), Daris Koski AND Jack Dalrymple (Dead To Me) share singing duties throughout the release without any sort of conflict?  With all the elements making up the Utters these days, one would think they are a modern day punk rock superband, one I should add that is not a complete joke.

Orson Welles is heard at the beginning of the CD saying “here under protest is beef burgers.”  This line comes from the historic film icon when he was narrating a advertisement for a British company called Findus.  Yes, I searched the internet to find that out.  I knew it was his voice the moment I heard it, but wanted to know more.

“Brand New Lungs” started off the album and I knew right then that the album was going to be an instant gem.  Granted I already had heard the song last summer when the band dropped a 3-song 7″ to tide fans over till the full-length released, the fact of the matter is that the song is solid and perhaps the catchiest track on the entire album.  Bonnel’s raspy voice has never been more welcomed to my ears during this song.

“Taking The Long Way” followed and just kept that great sound continuing to impress me.  The lyrics were interesting as they spoke of basically planting your feet.  “Kick It Over”, featuring Koski on vocals, was a great track that shied away from the usual Utters sound and hinted back to the earlier days of punk rock.  “Good Things” was a little heavier with Bonnel just giving reasons throughout to get hammered.  They don’t call him Johnny “Piss Pants” for nothing you know…  “Heavy Head” was just a smooth track – Nothing more, nothing less.

“(You’ve Got To) Give It All To The Man” was the heaviest, old-school Utters sounding track on the entire album.  Fast paced and to the point, this song screamed 90’s punk rock all the way through.  “Time On My Own” had Koski back on lead vocals and continued with that fun punk rock vibe that took me back to a teen.

The folky “Scary Brittle Frame” may have sounded like nothing else on the album, but it was my favorite track.  I really wish the Utters would just drop an all folk album one of these days.  They do such a great job creating songs here and there that can be found throughout their catalog it would just make sense a full length.

The final track on the album, “Effortless Amnesiac”, was another catchy as hell punk track with Dalrymple taking over vocal duties.  After hear this track I really hope, should he stick around with the band, that he be featured on more future tracks seeing how his singing fit in so well with the music.

It amazes me that a band that has been in the game for so long still has no problem creating such a great release.  Here, Under Protest is good, wholesome punk rock from a group of guys who know exactly what they are capable of.

This new Utters mateiral may not be as Oi!/Street Punk/Folky as they used to be and rub off more as Filthy Theiving Bastards at times, but that is ok by me.  Here, Under Protest, hands down, is one of my favorite punk rock albums so far in 2011.  20 years in the business is never an easy feat, but the Utters have no problem continuing onward.

Swingin' Utters - Taking The Long Way

Acoustic, Folk, Indie, Music, New Release, Pop, Punk, Review, Rock

EP Review: Ninja Gun – Roman Nose

Leave a comment

A few years back I was handed a CD by this band called Ninja Gun. All I could think in my head was what in the hell is a Ninja Gun and why is there a peach on the front cover?

Prior to listening to that album, I assumed that they were going to be just another screaming, loud and young act that I would care less about and almost passed it up.  I am glad my curiosity got the best of me though as  I was sorely shocked once I  heard what Ninja Gun was all about. 

They were more of a melodic folk/rock/country driven act that impressed me well past my expectations.  To this day their debut release, Restless Rubes, is spun in my household regularly.

On April 12th Ninja Gun will release a four-song EP entitled Roman Nose on Sabot Productions.  This is the band’s follow up teaser to that 2008 debut Restless Rubes that I almost passed over.

Led by Jonathan Coody, the band has toured with many a punk act in their time thanks to being less than an hour away from Gainsville, the punk rock capital of Florida.  Regardless of their sound, they have always had no problem keeping the punk fans entertained.

Starting off the EP was “That’s Not What I Heard”, a poppy yet chilled-out track that carried layered acoustic  guitars setting a certain mood for a good ol’ porch hangout with friends.  As relaxed as it sounded though, the lyrics were pungent and well-written.

The track “Hot Rain” tells the story of the demise in farming in the band’s hometown.  Just listening to this track I can hear improvement in the band’s sound.  It just sounded so well put together.

“Lepers In Love”, a tune about a  seemingly unjust relationship, was a killer track.  The song carries a certain slow-waltzing feeling at the beginning but rocks out shortly after.

The mellow “Roman Nose” on the other-hand, told the tale of a good man selling an “old thing” an ultimate token of love for his special someone.  Musically it was such a sorrow-sounding song, but became beautiful once the lyrics dissolved in my mind.

All I could think while listening to this EP is how funny it is that Ninja Gun is known to tour with punk bands yet I know they would have no problem playing along side Lucero or opening up for Wilco or even The Avett Brothers. 

I find it humorous that there are a peaches incorporated on the EP’s artwork now knowing that their hometown of Valdosta, GA is surrounded by peach farms.  The first time I saw the cover art for Restless Rubes and the lone peach sitting there, I could not gather why there was a peach on it.  Come on folks, I am from Ohio… 

Valdolsta can be a little busy downtown, but the surrounding areas are quiet towns with not a lot to do.  Trust me, I’ve been there.  It looks like the type of city many folk dream of escaping from and moving on to bigger and better things, but they don’t – not because they are prisoners of the city, but because it’s a really chill and relaxing place to live.

Ninja Gun was once a hidden jem but I am thinking that is all going to be changing very soon.  Roman Nose is just a taste of what this small-town band has in store for their next full release and I could not be happier for them.

Want to hear “That’s Not What I Heard”?  Head over to Magnet Magazine and check it out for yourself!