Review:: Stuck In A Honey Trap | The Photo Atlas
Dance-punk is tricky. What if you’re too dancey? Punks won’t like that. What if you’re too punk? Nobody’s gonna dance to that. So, yes, dance-punk is tricky. However, not impossible. Take it from Colorado’s The Photo Atlas, a group that turns “energy” into a genre.
Show Review:: The Hush Sound.
Just because there’s a lockout during hockey season this year doesn’t mean that Saturdays in Boston aren’t entertaining. Luckily for us, when our sports bail on us, we’ve still got our music.
And when The Hush Sound rolled into Cambridge for a pair of concerts, the fans knew to expect something great.
Coming back from hiatus, bands always run the risk of having lost their original spark. Maybe their chemistry faded with time, maybe the fans outgrew them, or maybe it just isn’t the same way it used to be. Then again, in regards to the Chicago quartet, all of this is fortunately hypothetical, because they were as spot-on as I’ve ever heard them.
Opening their sold-out second show of the day (following a pick-the-setlist fan-voted matinee) with “Honey,” the group came out in full force, saying a quick hello before diving into a nearly uninterrupted seventy-minute set consisting of songs from all three albums.
Review:: Cinematics | The Epilogues
It’s an easy thing to make comparisons for bands. There are the obvious influences in certain genres – pop/punk bands pay homage to Fall Out Boy, Blink-182, Green Day, etc., things along those lines. That being said, there are those rare acts who, like a breath of fresh air, give you something you can’t quite place a finger on. Band in focus: The Epilogues. The fact that I can only think of one band off the top of my head to draw a strong correlation to (Vagrant Records alumni The Comas) is a pretty decent sign that I should be expecting something great.
The Denver quartet, comprised of vocalist Chris Heckman, bassist Jeff Swodoba, drummer Jason Hoke, and keyboardist Nate Hammond, throws together a mixture of sounds and styles into something entirely their own.
From the first notes of Cinematics, the guitar-hook and drum-roll intro of “The Shadow King,” the album delivers consistency that others neglect to provide. The smooth, gentle vocals and light strum of “Call Me a Mistake” lull you into a relaxation before Hoke leads the track into a heavier direction. Feedback and distortion connect this with the booming “My Misinformed ‘John Hughes’ Teenage Youth,” the first real standout on Cinematics. An echoing introduction repeats itself through a vocally-gorgeous chorus, supported by an eerie swirl of static-coated vocals.
Review:: Hide and Seek | The Birthday Massacre
There’s something to be said about consistency for bands that have been around for a while. Some bands drop off, while some age gracefully. For Toronto’s synth-goth six-piece The Birthday Massacre, they fall into the latter category. On their fifth record, Hide and Seek, the group delivers a half-hour story full of darkness and eeriness which fits perfectly with the season.
From the opening lines, there’s a bit of an odd feeling. The fading lead-in of “Leaving Tonight” could easily have been recorded in the 80’s, giving not only a sense of nostalgia, but delivering something that’s rarely given to listeners nowadays – something creative and new. The track itself is an upbeat synth-pop head-nodder, packed with a catchy chorus driven. However, the calm doesn’t last for long, as “Down” chugs its way on its coattails. The hardest song on the record shows an impressive range for the pocket-sized Chibi, mixing smooth, almost angelic clean vocals with heavy, gritty shouts.
Clinking chimes and wind accompany a building electronic sample and drums into the haunting “Play With Fire,” which is filled to the brim with innocent vocals and dark lyrics. “Need,” as odd as this comparison may sound, is the synthesized cousin of a Demi Lovato track. The vocals are very similar, both stylistically and talent-wise, providing for a genre-crossing song that pop fans of any age or scene can sing to.
Review :: Hold Your Own | Back To Normal
I’ve always been a sucker for mixed-gender vocals. The Forecast, 1997, The Hush Sound, Straylight Run, I could go on, all of these groups hold the highest spots on my playlists for most listens. The point I’m making is this – the dynamic between successfully combining a male and a female vocalist is something that can make a band stand out, or can make them irrelevant if done improperly. Luckily, Back to Normal avoided sounding forced, resulting in some very catchy pop-punk.
The short introduction shows us a peak into Orion Burke’s impressive drumming skills before melting directly into the group’s lead single “The Letdown.” Lead vocalist Sarah Camden’s voice is aggressive and sharp, delivering each lyric with precision. A slowing in the tempo halfway through repeats “We can’t be friends, no we can’t / because it never works in the end / but I’m trying, I’m trying,” looped continuously between Camden and her male counterpart, guest vocalist KJ Jones.
Review:: Cinematics | Set It Off
Is “orchestral pop-punk” a musical genre? With A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out-era Panic! at the Disco, The Matches, and The Used circa Lies for the Liars, we’ve experienced our fair share of hyperactive string sections providing us with something new and catchy. Now, with Tampa’s Set It Off, we have another group headed in a great direction with their debut full length Cinematics.
Review:: Close The Distance | Go Radio
Following 2011’s Lucky Street, Go Radio have seriously stepped their game up to the next level.
This year, Close the Distance opens with a boom of “oh-oh-oh” in contrast to the siren wail that Lucky Street started with. From the first track, the what-bands-should-strive-for-as-an-album-opener “I Won’t Lie,” Jason Lancaster delivers consistent, perfect, heavy vocal performances, backed by upbeat piano, pop-punk hooks, and catchy choruses.
The string-laced “Baltimore” delivers a one-two punch followed by “Collide,” one of the higher tempo tracks on the record with a chorus that reaches for arena walls;
“‘Cause I won’t let you burn out tonight / let’s just stay here / Don’t breathe, ignite / And you be the reason, I’ll be the rhyme / We’ve both got way too much ahead to worry about what we’ve left behind / So you keep the beat, we’ll stay on time / and fill the pages with just how both our worlds collide.”
“Collide” drifts into the piano-driven lead single “Go to Hell,” a fist-pumping, gang vocal attack that comes out of nowhere, starting as just simple piano before Kopacz takes the reins.
Coupled with the power-ballad “Lost and Found,” the title track lifts the tempo back up to the pop-punk style we’ve known from Go Radio. The song itself has one message: run; “Run, like it’s time that’s chasing us / like you will never find enough / like you forgot the words “give up” / and live to close the distance.”
“What If You Don’t” is one of the best ballads of the season. Swooning violins creeping in beneath Lancaster and his piano will have crowds lifting lighters in the air. A mixture of clean vocals and Lancaster’s classic wail moves the listener through a tragic song of uncertainty.
Thankfully, “Things I Don’t See” instantly brings in a steady blend of pop guitar from Alex Reed and a head-bopping Matt Poulos bass line. The repeated use of a low piano song followed by an energetic pop track gives Close the Distance that little bit extra, tugging at the listener’s emotions and then carrying them through the next song.
“The Ending” lets Go Radio flex their muscles again as a whole, with spot-on performances all melding into one; hard vocals with heartfelt lyrics, pitch-perfect backing vocals, heavy drums, tempo-driving bass, and smooth guitars thrown into a blender.
Quick piano and soft vocals demand “Over Me” to be added onto breakup playlists and romantic-comedy soundtracks. As Lancaster picks up the pace vocally, the band drops in as he sings “Now all the hope and all the fear / and everything we built this year / is breaking down around us now / and falling with your perfect tears. / If love could lift us over everything / all we need’s a set of wings.”
Wind chimes and a rumbling breeze fade away with the end of the “Over Me,” hinting that a storm is on its way.
An echoing organ and piano accompany a soft, acoustic strum and somber Lancaster vocals. As the lyrical intensity rises, the strum increases, the keys hit heavier, the words pack more of a punch. By the end, Lancaster is screaming “And I had heart, but it left with your breath / and the notes that you said, I’ll remember them always / Just the thought that you’re here in my chest / keeps the thoughts in my head from the dark that is these days. / The pictures on the wall my dear / the holy ghost himself can’t make appear.”
Close the Distance is the most mature and heartfelt material we’ve heard from Go Radio. The combination of fast and slow tempos, sorrowful and optimistic lyrics, and the moodiness that listeners hope for makes for an experience that lasts.
Rating: 4/5
Total Runtime: 42 Minutes
Release Date: September 18th
Track Listing:
1. I Won’t Lie
2. Baltimore
3. Collide
4. Go To Hell
5. Lost And Found
6. Close The Distance
7. What If You Don’t
8. Things I Don’t See
9. The Ending
10. Over Me
11. Hear Me Out
Jason Lancaster – Vocals, Guitar
Alex Reed – Guitar, Vocals
Matt “Burns” Poulos – Bass, Vocals
Steven Kopacz – Drums
Written By: Eric Riley
Review:: Between the Devil and Two Black Hearts - 8MM
I had no idea what to expect from 8MM. I had heard murmurs of the band for a while, but unfortunately, had never taken the time to listen before now. I recently read about the huge Kickstarter, about how they recorded the album in their bedroom (taking the Jamison Parker Sleepwalker route), and a few other small things. But what a mistake it was to wait.
Between the Devil and Two Black Hearts provides a rare spark that many artists tend to miss. The dual vocals between husband and wife Juliette and (Grammy-nominated producer) Sean Beavan is stunning. The melting of their two complimentary vocal styles strikes up comparisons to Codeine Velvet Club and Murder by Death, fitting perfectly when laid over smooth, looping guitars and electronic drums (“Around the Sun”), plucked country acoustic/electric combinations (“Between the Devil and Two Black Hearts”), or anything else they throw together.
“You Brought the Fire” gives Juliette’s vocals a chance to shine on the own, softly yet strongly, laced with a rumbling bass-driven introduction and background “who-who” support. “The Weight of You” and “The One” lyrically both feature a strong lust, almost entirely thanks to Beavan’s sultry vocals and powerful presence, though the masculinity is certainly felt.
The string-infused “Everybody Says” is a longing, heartbroken serenade for anyone holding onto the past that, vocally, could give Neko Case a run for her money. The coupled voices quietly plead “I’ve got nothing, I’m living with ghosts / and I can’t tell what hurts the most / Living alone or finding the pieces of you / Pieces they forgot, forgot to take. … and everybody says ‘Get over it.’” The song fades out and leaves an impact for six seconds or so of silence, before the finale, “Glimmering,” chants its way in.
A low heartbeat pulses beneath guitar strums and unison vocals, Juliette’s clean high key lending support to Sean’s grit. The chorus is a simple scale of calming “ahh’s,” leading into an anticipated but never delivered second verse, but rather the same heartbeat, muffled by heavy guitar feedback before cutting into silence.
After raising nearly $40,000 from fans and supporters, every cent is well spent and even more deserved. 8MM have had some small commercial success before, being featured on One Tree Hill, The Real World, and various other shows. However, their sound is easily digestible for any taste and could certainly reach large audiences given the chance. With Between the Devil and Two Black Hearts, I think they’ve given themselves that fighting chance.
Rating: 4.5/5
Total Runtime: 32 Minutes
Release Date: September 15th
1. Between the Devil and Two Black Hearts
2. Kin
3. Around the Sun
4. You Brought the Fire
5. The Weight of You
6. The One
7. Everybody Says
8. Glimmering
Written By: Eric Riley
Review:: Southern Air | Yellowcard
It’s been just under a year and a half since Yellowcard released, When You’re Through Sinking, Say Yes, their first record off-hiatus. The album drew consistent high reviews, showing hope for a band fresh off of a two year break. Now, in the summer of 2012 with the release of Southern Air, Yellowcard are back to take total control of the season and the scene that they have so strongly held onto.
From the opening riff of “Awakening,” this feels like a Yellowcard album – fast pop-punk that makes you feel like there’s some serious fun to be had somewhere. Key’s voice and lyrics are solid, and strongly complimented by Mendez, Parsons, Portman, and Mackin, who shines as always with YC’s trademark violinwork.
Review:: Handwritten | The Gaslight Anthem
The Gaslight Anthem have always managed to keep a delicate balance between stardom and secrecy. Over half a decade and a handful of brilliant releases, they’ve grown to a household name and cover-star fame, yet still have not hit their deserved level of buzz. With the release of Handwritten, The Gaslight Anthem are sticking to their roots; simple, hard, and pure rock and roll.
Review:: In Currents | The Early November
This is a monumental day.
The day itself is far from extraordinary, but here’s the thing: I’m listening to a new record from The Early November. It’s not important because I’m listening to it, I’m not conceited like that, but because it’s even here. That alone is incredible.
Here’s the current situation. I’m sitting at my computer, and I haven’t hit play yet. The list of twelve titles sits on the screen beneath this window as I think about the life I’ve had with this band. The first time I heard The Early November was an acoustic version of “Ever So Sweet” in 2004 on the bus on the way to a track meet, and for the next year, I listened religiously, hoping for a chance that they’d play my town. In August of ’06, a few weeks after becoming enthralled by The Mother, the Mechanic, and the Path, they announced tour dates.
September 29th, a headlining show with Valencia and Steel Train at Revolution Hall. Finally. However, the joy wouldn’t last. The show, along with the rest of the tour, ended up being cancelled; not too big of a deal. Six months later, the band announced their hiatus; much bigger of a deal.
Two summers later, Cute Is What We Aim For brought Ace Enders as an opening act for their tour, and booked that same venue. Enders closed with an acoustic version of “Ever So Sweet,” things came sort of full circle, and the venue closed the next year.
Pressing play. Sorry for the wait.
Review:: Say Your Goodbyes | Nobody Yet
If The Art of Drowning-era A.F.I. and A Day to Remember had a baby together, it would probably sound something like Philadelphia’s up-and-coming Nobody Yet.
The song itself sounds like it was written for The Black Parade, but cut when the lyrics didn’t fit. That’s no insult; the song is one of the album’s highest points, beginning with slow, soft vocals until eventually ripping into a slick guitar solo later on.
Ryan Hansen’s solid bass work, along with Matt Zavorski’s drumming, are continuously steady throughout the album. They aren’t given many opportunities to stand out on their own (exception: the introduction to “The Fall of the Great Wall), but are noticeably good.
The closing seven minutes are Parikh’s time to shine. The longest track on the album, “Hurry Up and Take Your Clothes Off,” fades in with police sirens before a half-minute instrumental introduction builds to another of Say Your Goodbyes’ highlights. The lyrics are the harshest on the album, making for a hard-hitting song, coming in at just under six minutes.
The finale - a brief, gentle acoustic guitar solo entitled “Yours Truly,” offers a beautiful contrast to the rest of the album and wraps up the twelve tracks nicely.
Say Your Goodbyes is an album worth the listen. During their three years together, Nobody Yet have worked their tails off, and the effort shows with this full-length. It’s going to sound extremely cheesy to say this, but I don’t really care. Yeah, they may be ‘Nobody Yet,’ but with their musicianship, drive, and a little bit of luck (not an insult, everyone needs luck), that could certainly change in the near future.
Total Runtime: 42 minutes
Release Date: July 3rd
Joe Humeas – Vocals/Guitar
Ryan Hansen - Bass
Matt Zavorski - Drums
Alaap Parikh - Guitar
1. I’m Not Locked In Here With You, You’re Locked In Here With Me
2. The “Borrowing”
3. You’ll Have to Kill Me First
4. You’re Not Cured Yet, Boy
5. Skip This
6. Now Introducing…
7. Ray the Locksmith
8. Lies You Tell Your Lover
9. Thanks for the Frosted Flakes
10. The Fall of the Great Wall (I Guess I’m Human After All)
11. Hurry Up and Take Your Clothes Off
12. Yours Truly
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