The smaller, but rising bands in the post rock scene have the difficult challenge of all. It’s almost impossible to make post rock today without being ignored and called a clone of someone bigger. Every post rock fan seems to want to make some sort of demo. Being original in a crowded genre isn’t easy.
With this in mind, Rusalka, a post-rock band from the midwest put out a demo called the Accent EP. The songs are obviously post rock, but are different from what you would expect. The only vocals here are very punk oriented; bursts of gang vocals over complex drum patterns and dirty, etherial guitar riffs. I expected something very boring, but in fact, every track is distinguishable and memorable. Though there is nothing here that will blow you away, this is a very solid EP with some cool surprises. The production is raw, but listenable. A good way to describe the Accent EP is 6 parts The Ascent of Everest, 3 parts Pink Floyd, and 1 part Rise Against.
Rating: Rusalka is definitely on the right track. This is a cool EP. The standout track here is Lester Burnham, featuring an awesome buildup with cool gang vox. I expect something awesome when they release a full length. 3/5 kegs.
This is a great album and I wanted to review it, but this is also so Ricky stops menstruating.
Mouth of the Architect hit me at a funny time in my life. I was starting to grow out of monotonous, and almost always immature, world of hardcore punk and I needed a heavier source of music to balance out the massive amount of post-rock that I was in-taking for my musical “diet”.
I listened to Time & Withering and I was hooked. Already on a high from my previous obsession with Buried Inside, Mouth of the Architect was perfect, giving me maturity from the lyrics and something I could bang my head to. Their previous albums only got better and better with age, but then The Violence Beneath took Mouth of the Architect in an different direction.
Branching more towards a metal feel, The Violence Beneath is by no means a bad album. In fact, the last track, “In Your Eyes,” a cover of Peter Gabriel’s 1986 smash hit, is probably one of the best covers I have ever heard. The rest of the album (all 3 songs of it), is generally more fast-paced and cleaner in terms of guitar riffs than their previous 3 albums. Especially in the title track, the guitar became more melodic at times, which is a different, but still enjoyable stray from their new path.
Rating: Don’t let my words fool you, this is actually a really good album. As compared to their others, it’s not exactly my favorite, but the fact is that the vocals are still incredible, the riffs are still brutally heavy and they still have the same feel I’ve come to know and love. Maybe this will grow on me more in a couple of months, I couldn’t tell you, but if you like metal but hate listening to the same old stuff, pick this up. 4/5 kegs.
Glasses hails from Germany, and I say Germany because somehow these people have managed to live in different parts of the country and put together a solid album.
Featuring started up in 2008 by Ex-Perth Express, the 244 Gl, The F.A. and Trainwreck/Eaves Members. and after releasing a self titled 12″ and split 7″ with Comadre, The Ills Of Life is there most recent release on Vendetta Records.
The album opens with “Vertigo” starts with a heavy drop c tuned riff and a slow, plodding, build up into a southern metal inspired breakdown that quickly spills over into the next track “full throttle”, with a small filler track in the middle, the album continues to pulverize with Into The Wild and Glasses take on the Nirvana’s “Scentless Aprentice“.
Rating:Glasses “The Ills Of Life” as an album is solid, it manages to make Hardcore fun again and avoids for the most part the trappings of a genre where it is easy to be lazy. 4 out of 5 kegs.
I really struggled with making this list, there was a lot of great music this year, but I feel the albums I have picked have really left a strong impression on me and are also doing amazing things and need the recognition they deserve.
-E
Snowing “I Can Do Whatever I Wanted If I Wanted”
Catchy midwestern emo from Pennsylvania, full of humorous, anecdotes, references to authors and movie that you have seen a million times and off-key singalongs. It is a fun, emotional record that goes great with a night of heavy drinking. Easily on of my favorites of the year, the Vinyl release is in January.
Lantlos “.neon” was another creative force that pushed the limits of atmospheric black metal, incorporating elements of post-rock, clean vocals, and jazzy breakdowns. This was truly a work of art that deserves serious recognition.
Matt Canino (Latterman) and Erica Freas of Hooky join up to form RVIVR. With laid back and melodic punk that is super catchy that builds momentum and explodes into a shout along choruses that are super infectious. Rvivr has managed to make it own sound apart from Latterman and really one of the most enjoyable records of 2010. make sure to catch them live when you can.
One of the stranger splits this year, lo-fi po punk act Teenage Cool Kids and post-hardcore Daniel Striped Tiger put out a catchy 7″ that is fun as hell. TCK has the stronger side and “Clumsy Anthems” is the stronger of the two songs. It is all over the distros so you shouldnt have a hard time finding this.
Bouncing back from a divorce from none other than Nas, having a baby and grabbing the spotlight back, 2010 was a huge year for Kelis. “Flesh Tone” is an album that flows like a DJ mix filled to the brim with production from David Guetta (who ever thought HE would be on here?!) Will.I.Am and The Bloody Beetroots. Acapella was all over the place this summer, everyone from my Dad, Drag Queens and those Banji girls on the corner where playing this album. If you slept on this cop it and pretend like you knew about this album all year.
Swans – My Father Wil Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky
It has been thirteen yearssince the last release by Swans. This album is departure from the sounds of The Great Annihilator and Greed. Acoustic guitars analog synths, trombones, musicals all buld up to a terrifying vison obbsessed with children, parents, legacy in a grim unflinching manner. Devendra Banharts appearench on “You Fucking People Make me Sick” actually adds to the desolate atmosphere of this album. in sort, grim, gorgeous and Mr.Gira doing what he does best.
I want to give a big thanks to all my friends who have helped out with this site, Darrah, Jeremy for getting it up and running, Ben for being a busy bee and Sal for being the sassy dude and Vin for being a rock. Have a happy New Year and The Is This Revolutionary family sends its love.
Snowing is headed on a month-long tour with 1994! (which if you have not heard or seen live then you are missing out.) Make sure to check them out when they stop by Emerald City on the 14th, and pick up their new album which we reviewed earlier in the month here.
DECEMBER/JANUARY SHOWS
12/29 bethlehem, pa @ st. bernards w/empire! empire!, annabel, for serious this time
12/30 new haven, ct @ the cookie jar w/castevet, stay ahead of the weather, the world is…, midi & the modern dance
12/31 philadelphia, pa @ the fire (5PM START) w/castevet, stay ahead of the weather, the world is…, everyone everywhere
January 2011 Tour with 1994!
5 lancaster, pa @ lizard lounge w/grown ups
6 cleveland, oh @ scourge house w/the world is a beautiful place & I am no longer afraid to die
7 grand rapids, mi @ daac w/the reptilian, radiator hospital
8 chicago, il @ strangelight w/noumenon, dastard, sweet talk
9 indianapolis, in @ the dojo w/grown ups
10 louisville @ chestnut house
11 columbus, oh @ TBA
12 pittsburgh, pa @ TBA
13 washington DC- @ hole in the sky 14 brooklyn @ emerald city w/the marine electric, longitude 15 philadelphia, pa @ the first unitarian church (3PM MATINEE) w/hightide hotel, the sick parade
“Cut my strings, So I can dance all over your fucking face.”
I actually find myself having a really hard time reviewing this record, because I am currently over caffeinated, nursing a hangover and sitting in my cubicle for the next 5 hours. All I really want to say is SQRM will fuck you face.
RODEO has a very basic, raw, animal vibe that reminds me of Jesus Lizard tearing itself apart in the back of a porn store. Super sexually charged, headache inducing and pissed off songs like “Fuck to Survive” churn, throb and crush everything in its way. “Upsidedown Cross” is a filthy jam that just shits on everything. “Raw Split” starts out with a few spoken words and just let you know that we don’t like you and “Its a fucking curse” being brought to life.
RODEO was mixed by Chris Corry and DFJ of MIND ERASER fame, sold out their vinyl via YOUTH ATTACK in a stupid amount of time.
Rating: This album gets a 4 outta 5, it leaves you battered, bruised and covered in bodily fluids. The bar has been raised, better adjust accordingly.
Occasionally we need to revise the past and then move forward. The end of the year is about a week away and 2010 has personally been a year of ups and downs, crying with friends and alone in my basement apartment. Laughing with former lovers over drinks and smoking with the late night booty calls.
Saturday night I was alone, more than a little drunk and definitely more than a little stoned, I was kinda lonely and the apartment was a bit too quiet for my liking. I put on Lemuria‘Get Better” [Asian Man 2008]. Opening with Pants, a song about the nervous feelings of new love with sing along inducing one liners sung sweetly by Sheena Ozzella. The album really sonically picks up where 90′s boy-girl bands like The Breeders left off.
Just coming off a relationship almost two years long and about to give the boot to a new guy, Ozella and Kerns lyrics where especially poignant “Buzz” has Ozzella recounting the decision to end a relationship. Which most recently, took place with some liquid courage.
Wardrobe discusses going through the clothes os a dead loved one, but in a sense could go hand in hand in going through the residual leftover physical reminders that end up all over the place, I know I have left my share of sweaters and furry hats around.
Lemuria pulls off Get Better that really straddles the line between pop and punk, managing to have a few ballads and songs about unfulfilled relationships without coming of as hackneyed and unsatisfying like some albums in the genre. Quick, to the point and moves on.
I managed to get myself to the couch after listening to the album, the hangover was bad, the break up, while leaves me alone again felt like some weird resolution and I have rediscovered my love for a solid band.
This Feature Friday has Taylor from Black Sleep Of Kali presents his favorite albums of 2010, (some of which also are on my top albums of the year) make sure to pick up their new record at their fabulous merch store HERE
In the age of the interwebs, where one can pretty much download all the music they want for free, it really takes a lot for something to stand out enough to be noticed. I feel like everybody and their fucking mom puts out a top ten list at the end of the year, so instead, I’ve decided to make my list of music that I actually liked so much I plopped down my hard-earned cash for it and purchased it on vinyl. I know as a musician I should be the dude that says, “hey don’t download records”, support the bands blah, blah, blah, but I’m not. If you downloaded our record (Black Sleep of Kali – Our Slow Decay) then radical. If you liked it enough to actually buy a shirt or that outdated piece of media called a Compact Disc, then I salute you for doing what I wouldn’t. You are a better person than I; if I ever meet you in person, let me know that you bought our record and I will buy you a beer, or if you are underage, then I will buy you a Red Bull or Mellow Yellow (do they still make Mellow Yellow?). So without further fanfare, here are the albums I purchased on vinyl this year, with a few thoughts about each. Again, I pretty much had to be really impressed or interested in a band to be bothered to go out and buy the vinyl (or order it online). Just a disclaimer, not all the music on this list was actually put out in 2010, but all the music was released on vinyl in 2010. These are in no particular order.
1. Grinderman - Grinderman 2
What can I say? Nick Cave is a fucking badass. If you don’t know who Nick Cave is, you are pretty much blowing it in life. I know people throw around this term way too much, but I don’t toss it around lightly. Nick Cave is a genius. Everything that he does, from his work with Grinderman, to the Bad Seeds, to his movie scores with Warren Ellis are all fucking awesome. The dude even wrote a screenplay for the movie The Proposition (it’s on Netflix watch instantly, go watch it), and has written several books. He is prolific, and his creativity really is off the charts. While I didn’t think this record was as great as the first Grinderman record (I mean really, who can top No Pussy Blues?), it is still an awesome slab of rock and roll. What other musician do you know who is in their 50′s that rocks as hard as Cave? No one, that’s who. This stripped down, fuzzed out record has amazing lyrics, interesting song structures, plus it is all helmed by Nick Cave who sounds like mad preacher, spitting bile and dread down at you from his rock pulpit on high. Plus, the vinyl is pretty incredible. It came with the LP (180 Gram), the CD, a digital download, a huge lyric booklet complete with illustrations, and a gigantic poster all for $20 – talk about bang for your buck. Check out this awesome video for Heathen Child, and soak in the awesomeness that is Grinderman!
2. Goatsnake – Flower of Disease
I am a sucker for Goatsnake. Detuned, bluesy stoner rock, with epic riffs and a wall of Sunn amps? Yes please. You want to geek out about guitar tone? Well kids, if you didn’t know, Greg Anderson of Sunn 0)) fame played guitar in Goatsnake, and he is the master of tone. If you are looking for screaming\growling\barking vocals and shredtastic, techy riffs, look elsewhere; on Flower of Disease you only get soulfully sung lyrics and slow, plodding, blues-ridden guitar lines. A million bands copied Goatsnake’s style (i admit it influenced me heavily,) so if you want to hear one of the originators of the swampy blues\sludgy\doom style, look no further than Goatsnake. Also, it came out on Southern Lord and they always do a fucking awesome job with their vinyl releases, so it is worth your monies.
3. The Body – All The Waters of The Earth Shall Turn to Blood
This album is weird – but in the greatest way possible. At its core it’s a doom metal record, but it has so much more going on than that. For instance, the first track doesn’t start out like a metal record at all; the first seven minutes of the record feature a ghostly sounding choir using no words, but just a meandering melody. It isn’t until about seven minutes in that some guitar feedback starts in and you finally realize you didn’t accidentally buy a Mormon Tabernacle Choir record. You could actually play this for my mom up until guitars and crazy screeching vocals come crashing in, at which point my mom would be really bummed and she would say something like, ” I don’t understand how you can listen to someone that sounds like he is having an epileptic fit, while screaming into a microphone. But that choir was real nice, play that part again.” Track 2, Empty Hearth, starts out with weird chanting\Tuvin throat singing, followed by programmed drums, with slow, dirge-like guitar chords interspersed between frantic, high-pitched screams; it sounds like it would be a better idea than an actual song, but the execution is spot on, heavy and hypnotic. There are a few more straightforward doom tracks that fans of Eyehategod and Neurosis are sure to love outright, but my favorite tunes are the more experimental type. Also, did I mention this band is a two-piece? They played in Denver this year, and I am sad to say I missed them, because I would love to see how they pulled this record off live. All the Waters of The Earth Turned to Blood really is challenging and different, but the more you listen to it, the more the songs start to unfold and you begin to realize just how much thought and how many textures and ideas are crammed into each piece. This record rules, but isn’t for the faint of heart. Also, the cover is eerie looking and actually evokes a mood and it makes me wish that our cover was nearly as cool. Do you ever see or hear something and think, “Fuck, I wish I thought of that first?” That is exactly how I feel about this whole record.
4. OFF! – The First 4 EPs
Super groups are usually a disappointing. Really, they are. I had high hopes for Shrinebuilder earlier this year, and that didn’t turn out bad, but it also wasn’t nearly as awesome as it should have been in my mind. OFF! is comprised of some serious hard-hitters from punk, hardcore and stoner rock. Keith Morris from Black Flag and Circle Jerks on vocals, Dimitri Coats from Burning Brides on Guitar, Mario Rubalcapa from Hot Snakes\Rocket From The Crypt\Earthless\411 on drums and Steve McDonald from Redd Cross on bass. OFF! fucking rules. Throwback punk\hardcore how it is meant to sound: fast, urgent, raw and pissed off. It is like I am 16 all over again and I love it. 17 songs in just over 17 minutes, and it is from a bunch of middle-aged dudes! The First 4 EPs actually comes out in a boxed set in December, and I told my wife that this is the only thing that she “HAS TO” buy me for X-mas. If I don’t get it, I am going to crank this record on my iPod, and circle pit the X-mas tree to pieces, while slamming a PBR and then I will make her clean it up. Lucky for me, my wife used my Amazon account to pre-order the box set for me and an email receipt was sent to me, so I wont have to mosh the tree out the window. If you are a fan of hardcore\punk or of any of the members bands (well maybe except earthless, because this couldn’t be further from earthless) then I suggest checking OFF! out. They are all old punks, so I bet they don’t even fucking care if you downloaded it for free, so what do you have to lose? Also, they have a song called Fuck People – I love it.
Honorable Mentions\Records I will buy when I am not broke:
Thou – Summit
SLUUUUDDDGGEEEEE! Thou rules and you know it. Summit was one of my favorites this year. Melodic, but super heavy, with a singer that sounds like he swallowed broken glass. Also, how rad is Thou as a band? Giving away all their records for free on their website. So what are you waiting for? Go get it here dummy: http://noladiy.org/thou/
Cough- Ritual Abuse
If Electric Wizard kept putting out records that sound like Dopesmoker, then it would sound like Cough’s epic Ritual Abuse. We played with these dudes last week, and I have to say that if you have any interest in this band at all, you HAVE to see them live. It was soul crushing. Also, they were really nice gents.
Psychedelic, reverb-laden rock, with lush vocal arrangements and production. Has a bit of a 60’s throwback vibe, but still avoids being total 60’s worship. This is music that really sets a specific mood, which I think is something really hard to do. I’ve been listening to this a ton lately. It makes me want to get out my reverb pedal that I never use, and write some songs with it. I will own this on vinyl soonish. Someone should buy it for me…hint, hint.
Taylor is in Black Sleep Of Kali, their album Our Slow Decay is available via their bigcartel found Here
Hey, everybody, it’s Enrique. I want to start getting a show-paper like gig going on here for Long Island. any and all promoters, kids who do booking, bands venues who want to get this rolling email us at isthisrevolutionary@gmail.com!
In 2009 Snowing made some big waves with Fuck Your Emotional Bullshit, a look into emotional vomit of a Kinsella inspired band that plays messy, emotionally raw and catchy as fuck songs about your life.
ICDWIWIIW is a strangely intertwined set of 11 tales of drinking too much, angst, and the drifting of friendships, taking unexpected turns. for example in the song Mark Z. Danielewski touches on the songs namesakes Magnum Opus House Of Leaves and Tobais Funke. The structure of the songs manages to capture the frantic feeling of a mind racing with thoughts.
What personally made this album really strike a chord with me, personally was the way these songs manage to convey the hidden feelings that I myself have wrestled with, my feelings of pride, being frustrated with life turned out and still keeping that torch for that one special person burning even though you know its bad. These guys have managed to capture the frustration of a my peers twenties and put them into a sing along and parts you will scream in your cars.
Download the album for free at Count Your Lucky Stars and if you’re in the Lehigh Valley area of PA catch their special Xmas day show
|||Download (Bandcamp)|||
for Shrinebuilder earlier this year, and that didn’t turn out bad, but it also wasn’t nearly as awesome as it should have been in my mind. OFF! is comprised of some serious hard-hitters from punk, hardcore and stoner rock. Keith Morris from Black Flag and Circle Jerks on vocals, Dimitri Coats from Burning Brides on Guitar, Mario Rubalcapa from Hot Snakes\Rocket From The Crypt\Earthless\411 on drums and Steve McDonald from Redd Cross on bass. OFF! fucking rules. Throwback punk\hardcore how it is meant to sound: fast, urgent, raw and pissed off. It is like I am 16 all over again and I love it. 17 songs in just over 17 minutes, and it is from a bunch of middle-aged dudes! The First 4 EPs actually comes out in a boxed set in December, and I told my wife that this is the only thing that she “HAS TO” buy me for X-mas. If I don’t get it, I am going to crank this record on my iPod, and circle pit the X-mas tree to pieces, while slamming a PBR and then I will make her clean it up. Lucky for me, my wife used my Amazon account to pre-order the box set for me and an email receipt was sent to me, so I wont have to mosh the tree out the window. If you are a fan of hardcore\punk or of any of the members bands (well maybe except earthless, because this couldn’t be further from earthless) then I suggest checking OFF! out. They are all old punks, so I bet they don’t even fucking care if you downloaded it for free, so what do you have to lose? Also, they have a song called Fuck People – I love it.
