Category: Music Reviews
REVIEW: Versus the World’s Drink.Sing.Live.Love.
Hailing from Santa Barbara, Californ-I-A, pop punk rock band Versus the World has dropped their much-anticipated second album Drink.Sing.Live.Love. in early 2012 after a seven-year hiatus. Their first self-titled album was the more aggressive of the two; Drink.Sing.Live.Love. is calmer and more mellowed out. The first album made me think of Bayside and The Almost, while Drink.Sing.Live.Love. is more like Fall Out Boy, All Time Low, and Taking Back Sunday. Versus the World formed in the back of the Ataris-owned record store called Down On Haley in Santa Barbara, and they released their self-titled album on Kung Fu Records. They then toured with Suicide Machines, Bouncing Souls, The Lawrence Arms, Social Distortion, No Use For A Name, The Vandals, I Am The Avalanche, and the Vans Warped Tour while building up a fan base at the same time.
Drink.Sing.Live.Love. was produced by Thom Flowers (The Ataris) and mixed by Ian MacGregor (All American Rejects, Katy Perry), and soon after they were signed to Viking Funeral Records, a label started by Fletcher Dragge of Pennywise.
The album pulls from a couple of genres, mainly hardcore and punk. By far my favorite on the album is their hit, “A Fond Farewell” (the video can be found below). This particular song makes me think of Fall Out Boy, especially in the repetition of “Hallelujah, I ain’t young but I ain’t dead yet, I’ve got more promise than regret, so I sing, Hallelujah” towards the end. “The Kids are F*cked” is another one with high resemblance to FOB. The guitar riffs and drums are similar, and the vocals hold a resemblance to Patrick Stump, FOB’s front man. “Donner Pass” is yet another one of my favorites on the album- I love the tempo change in the middle, how angsty the vocals are at the end of the song, and how well it goes with classic punk drum beat. Following “Donner Pass”, “Angry February” goes into a slow, bluesy, rockabilly ballad, which is an excellent switch-up from the latter and compliments the album beautifully.
I am honestly in love with this album, even after listening to it on repeat while writing this review. I’d say that’s a good sign to all you readers, and I definitely recommend to give both this and their prior album a listen, (I love “Medillin” off the self titled album). They are on tour this fall with MxPx and Unwritten Law; check out some of the dates below and hit them up!
Tour Dates:
Versus The World Tour Dates (w/MXPX, Unwritten Law):
Oct 29 – Columbia, SC – New Brookland Tavern
Oct 31 – Charlotte, NC – The Milestone
Nov 1 – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar
Nov 2 – Allentown, PA – Crocodile Rock
Nov 3 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium
Nov 4 – Rochester, NY – Water Street Music Hall
Nov 6 – Cleveland Heights, OH – Grog Shop
Nov 7 – Detroit, MI – Shelter
Nov 8 – Chicago, IL – The Bottom Lounge
Nov 9 – St. Louis, MO – Firebird
Members:
Donald Spence- Vocals & Guitar
Chris Flippin- Guitar
Mike Davenport- Bass
Bryan Charlson- Drums
REVIEW: Adventures self-titled EP
Upon my first listen of Adventures self-titled EP, I realized that No Sleep Records had done it again. The album, which will drop September 11, instantly blew me away and surpassed any expectation I may have had.
The line-up of Adventures seems to go something like this:
-Three parts former Code Orange Kids members
-Two parts friends of previously mentioned members
What became of this five-piece collaboration was simplicity at its finest, ultimately birthing an indie masterpiece.
Adventures oozes heartfelt emotion throughout its entirety, starting with the first track titled “I Feel So Sure”. Reba Meyers takes control of the track from start to finish, effortlessly striking chords that ring all the way down to your insides.
The second track, “Walking”, starts off slow yet again and is a pleasant follow-up to “I Feel So Sure”. In “Walking”, Reba subtly introduces a vocal twist of melodic screams (and owns it, at that) that would be echoed in full force on the last track of the EP.
Once “Like Seed” came on, though I was saddened by the knowledge that I was three fourths of the way through the EP, I was delightfully met with a male vocal/female vocal match up that made it impossible to sulk. “I’m watching time age before me as my biggest fears face reality, I’ve never had as much confidence in anyone, and I have never been so scared” is a powerful line that Meyers sings in harmony before being met again with the male vocals and, simultaneously, ending the song out together with a perfect display of lyrical repetition. Out of the four tracks, this one hit the hardest with me. The band released the song to viewers online and can be heard here.
The last track off Adventures, “Reach Out To You”, would be considered the heaviest of the four tracks. The subtle melodic screams mentioned in “Walking” are predominant in this track, giving it a sound of its own and validating its need to be premiered as the first released track of the EP.
The anticipation of their self-titled EP has been mounting all over (and for good reason. Adventures was featured in in Absolutepunk.net’s top 100 of 2012, who spoke of the EP as a “fabricated blanket of harmonies and heartbreak, worthy of anyone’s sweater and Hemingway collection”.
Adventures’ sound could easily be related to fellow indie rockers, Tigers Jaw, or Lemuria. But, with a sound like theirs, you really don’t need to compare. When something works so well on its own it is best to take it for what it is and enjoy.
Don’t just take my word for it! Head on over to the band’s Facebook page and see for yourself.
REVIEW: Lowtalker Marathon EP
Lowtalker is the combined effort of former Living With Lions, Misery Signals, and Comeback Kid members who will be releasing their debut EP, The Marathon, under No Sleep Records on September 18th.
Stu Ross, Matt Keil, and Casey Hjelmberg formed the band in 2008, naming themselves after a reference to the “Puffy Shirt” episode of Seinfield.
Ross, who was born in Canada, essentially fronts the band as the singer, while also playing the guitar and contributing as one of the songwriters. What he brings musically is matched by what he brings visually, having done the artwork for the first EP, People Worry About Everything. Keil plays bass, sings, and assumes the role of the mathematical brain in relation to the business. Hjelmberg plays the guitar (and takes credit for coming up with the band’s name).
Upon first listen to The Marathon, I realized that pinpointing a particular band to compare their sound to wouldn’t be an easy task. Their post-hardcore/punk roots definitely flare through, but each member brings something unique to create a fresh sound.
The EP kicks off with the song “Like Minnows”, a fast-paced, personal recount of seemingly personal experiences with life’s relationships, making it easy to relate to.
“Tensions” is the second track and has a sound of its own. If I were to choose, I would claim it as my favorite of them all. Repetitive hooks and catchy melodies get me every time.
Self-medicating seems to be an underlying theme throughout the EP, sounding loud and clear in the third track, “Prescriptions”. In our interview conducted earlier this month, Ross revealed that the song is based on a family member of his that has dealt with prescription drug abuse for the last 20+ years.
The EP ends with the appropriately-titled track “Chances” that sings of hopefully looking forward, letting go of your past, and the ghosts that can haunt you if you let them.
Lowtalker will be the hitting the road in October for a short stint of touring which includes a show in their hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Personally, this was a great listen from start to finish and will be on repeat for awhile in my musical library. What I find nice about this EP is that it can be enjoyed as a morning starter, a musical night-cap, and anything in between.
Be sure to check out Lowtalker. Catch a show and snag a copy of the EP once released later this month.
Dead Ellington’s Refuse EP proves punk is still alive
Alright, kids- we are taking it back a little bit and proving punk is not dead but still alive and kicking just as much as Henry Rollins. I present to you as evidence a punk band on the rise called Dead Ellington out of Boston, MA. Their EP entitled Refuse dropped this past May and was recorded in Asbury Park, NJ with Pete Steinkopf of The Bouncing Souls. The Refuse EP is Dead Ellington’s third release (the first of a three-part series). The group has the classic feel of 80s and 90s skate-punk complete with poppy snare, super toned distorted bass, great guitar riffs, and angsty vocals. Their first song, “The Question,” is reminiscent of older Rise Against. The next song, “College Credit,” is extremely catchy, with the chorus chanting “Are you like your friends, are you like your friends?” It’s definitely my favorite song off of the EP. Another great song is “Miracle,” with its slightly calmer tune and chorus of “I wish I was a f*cking miracle, a shooting star, I wish I was, I wish I was”.
A little background on the band- Dead Ellington recorded their first full-length album in 2011 titled Refuse Rethink Rebuild. It was recorded/produced by Big D and the Kid’s Table’s Steve Foote and mastered by Stephen Egerton of Descendents fame. The album hit number 19 on the CMJ Top 200 Chart. DE have played alongside Big D and the Kid’s Table, The Lawrence Arms, and The Loved Ones. Twice they have been a part of Vans Warped Tour and played many of Boston’s premiere rock clubs. Dead Ellington is here to put the message back in music, to raise awareness, and to question. They are Refusers. They are Rethinkers. They are Rebuilders.
Give them a listen, and be sure to check out our interview with them! I recommend this band to anyone that likes skate punk, or older pioneer punk in general. They are worth it!
Members:
Sal Ellington – Vocals, Acoustic, Samples
Jason Caira – Vocals, Lead Guitar
James Sullivan – Rhythm Guitar
Brandon Phillips – Bass Guitar
Craig Stanton – Drums
REVIEW: Christian Bitto’s “The September Call-Up” EP
Christian Bitto, a self-named musician from Philadelphia, PA, is a new artist to watch in the indie/rock scene.
While mainly acoustic-driven, he is accompanied in his live shows by bandmates Niall Hood on bass and Jesse Gimbel on drums to create an intimate trio that can range from quiet, soft, finger-picked melodies to emotional rock.
After giving Bitto’s EP, The September Call-Up, a listen, his voice instantly reminded me of Oliver Sim from London’s indie band The XX, while the instrumentals made me think of softer Brand New and Jimmy Eat World, as well as the clean reverb affect given by Chris Isaak’s Gretsch 6120.
The opening song, “Next to You”, has great vocals- pure and in its simplest form- guitar with slight distortion and simple chords, and a great bass and drums to back and compliment it. I love songs like these. It reminds me of a great CD I got as a kid called Sweet Lowland by Dodd Ferrelle, so in a way it evokes a bittersweet nostalgia for me. The next is called “Daylight”, and it’s just Bitto himself and a guitar. It’s a lovely, soft fingerpicked acoustic song… “the glimmer of light that shines in the dark, is that your beating heart, your beating heart? “ is saddening in a way. The final song in the EP, “Mickey’s Song”, is another fingerpicked song which seems to be about him traveling and away from a loved one. Beautiful song.
It was a perfect mix in my opinion- very clean, calming, and simple. Listening to this EP for the first time during a docile summer thunderstorm in a local coffee shop made the atmosphere that much more enjoyable and relaxed.
I definitely recommend to VM readers and music lovers to keep up with him and his band and see what these guys have to offer.
To check out the EP right now, visit Bitto’s Bandcamp page. Also be sure to follow him on Facebook!
Twenty One Pilots “Regional at Best” review
Twenty One Pilots is cooking up a storm in central Ohio, and is now starting to spread that across the US with their first tour venturing out of the Midwest and the release of their second LP, Regional at Best. The genre of this duo is hard to define. Take some pop, hip hop, rock, and electronic and you get the frenzy that is this band (and frenetic they are, especially live). The album keeps things cheery most of the time (“Guns For Hands”) but occasionally gets dark and introspective (i.e., the spoken word meets techno “Car Radio”). Most of the songs on the record are over 4 minutes, sometimes over 5 – breaking the mold for most dance numbers on top 40 radio. The buzz about this band indicates their live show is a spectacle to behold, and this record serves as a good preview of that. Don’t let the “poppier” tracks on the album mislead you – Twenty One Pilots means business, and that business involves shaking things up in their trademark way.
4/5 stars