Tuesday 26 July 2016

The Reptilian


The Reptilian are a three-piece post-hardcore/screamo band from Kalamazoo, Michigan that formed in 2008. In terms of sound, they play an intricate brand of screamo that takes a lot of cues from Midwestern emo, with the twinkly, reverb-heavy guitar sounds and such. Throw in some complex drum patterns and shouted vocals, and The Reptilian make for a very interesting listen. These guys are incredible musicians with a solid amount of output in the past few years, so there's no shortage of awesome here. I'd recommend Full Health if you're new to them, because that thing is full of phenomenal songs. Enjoy.

1. Lautrec - Taylor's Tent
2. The Reptilian - The One Thing I Could Never Stomach About Santa Carla Is All The Damn Vampires
3. Boy Problems - I Swallowed A Bug
4. Osceola - Don't Tase Me Bro
5. Lautrec - Pushin' For Cushion
6. The Reptilian - Untitled
7. Boy Problems - Good Grief
8. Osceola - Malax

1. The One Thing I Could Never Stomach About Santa Carla Was All The Damn Vampires
2. I Sure Hope Ving Rhames Isn't In This One
3. Neptune Or Mars...Or Neptune
4. Lets Slip Away Under Cover Of Afternoon In The Biggest Car In The County

1. I'll Ram My Ovopositor Down Your Throat and Lay Eggs in Your Chest But, I'm Not an Alien
2. So... What Are My Torso Options?
3. Wallkicks Will Work
4. I Can't Drink This, It's Warm!

1. Dave Matthews Band Live
2. James Franco: Stoner Of The Year
3. Manaburn

1. Pretty Big Doses
2. Dungeons & Drag Queens
3. Bulls On Patron
4. Peyote Ugly
5. Roman Sideburns
6. 200% Sweater
7. Aerosmith Kids

1. Jowls - Russ
2. Jowls - Dan
3. Jowls - Jon
4. The Reptilian - Jeff 
5. The Reptilian - Ryan

1. Annabel - Decisions, Decisions
2. Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) - The Horror of Riovanes
3.  Joie De Vivre - Vicodin Lite
4. The Reptilian - Eddie's Lane

1. The Reptilian - Gold Blooded
2. The Reptilian - Old Blooded
3. Innards - Goro
4. Innards - No Money, More Problems

1. Pan (Sucks)
2. University Of The Indian In The Cupboard
3. Chimney Wizard
4. Sam Haircut
5. Thousand Year Lease
6. The Paseo
7. Keif Puck
8. DK Mode
9. Cooler By The Lake
10. Underwater Kiss Makeup

1. The Reptilian - nahimastay
2. Two Knights - Dazzler
3. Victor Shores - Not Yeti
4. Boy Parts - Live a Long Time and Take Care of Yourself

1. Drifter
2. No Path
3. Sad Ghost
4. Fold And Follow
5. Old Growth
6. Arm's Length
7. Wrong Pattern
8. Turn And Coil

Friday 22 July 2016

TTNG (This Town Needs Guns)


TTNG (formerly This Town Needs Guns) are a three-piece math rock/indie/emo band from Oxford, England that got started in 2004. They're best known for their very technical and intricate style of playing that was heavily influenced by bands like Owls, Joan of Arc, and of course American Football. However, just like those bands, TTNG have a very melodic sensibility to them, which comes out in the very clean guitar tones and the softer vocals.

They've undergone a few changes in their time, most notably a few line-up changes in their early years, though they've been consistent with their current three-piece set-up for a few years now. There's also the name change, and the reason behind it is because the name This Town Needs Guns was initially meant to be ironic, since there weren't many guns where they came from. However, as they became more well-known internationally, the statement became less of an ironic joke and more of a deranged reality to some. Which is unfortunate, because the original name is kind of funny, but the reason behind the change makes complete sense. Regardless, this is a solid band that I know a lot of people have been waiting for, so here ya go. They also just released a new album, so check that out. Enjoy.

1. They Speak With Strange Accents
2. Forever And Always
3. Vaguer Transmission
4. Eleven
5. Curiosity Compels Me
6. This Is Wrong

1. Hippy Jam Fest (The Likes of Which Has Never Been Seen)
2. Denial Adams
3. Like Romeo And Juliet

1. Cats And Cats And Cats - Brilliant The Brilli Ant
2. Cats And Cats And Cats - 
3. Cats And Cats And Cats - 
4. Cats And Cats And Cats - 
5. This Town Needs Guns - 26 Is Dancier Than 4
6. This Town Needs Guns - If I Sit Still Maybe I'll Get Out Of Here
7. This Town Needs Guns - 1470 Man
8. This Town Needs Guns - It's Not True Rufus, Don't Listen To The Hat

1. 26 Is Dancier Than 4
2. And I'll Tell You For Why...
3. I'll Forget About You Throwing That Rock Cos That Dance Was Pretty Funny
4. 1470 Man
5. Do You Wanna Come Back To My Room And Listen To Some Belle And Sebastian?
6. If I Sit Still Maybe I'll Get Out Of Here
7. Japanese Ultra-Violence In D-Minor (The Saddest Chord)
8. It's Not True Rufus, Don't Listen To The Hat

1. Chinchilla
2. Baboon
3. Lemur
4. Badger
5. Quetzal
6. Panda
7. Elk
8. Pig
9. Gibbon
10. Dog
11. Crocodile
12. Rabbit
13. Zebra

1. Adventure, Stamina & Anger
2. Mnspector Iorse

1. Cat Fantastic
2. Havoc In The Forum
3. Left Aligned
4. In The Branches Of Yggdrasil
5. I'll Take The Minute Snake
6. 2 Birds, 1 Stone And An Empty Stomach
7. Nice Riff, Clichard
8. Triptych
9. Pygmy Polygamy
10. A Different Kind of Tall (small)
11. +3 Awesomeness Repels Water
12. 13.0.0.0.1

1. Coconut Crab
2. A Chase Of Shorts
3. Consoling Ghosts
4. In Praise Of Idleness
5. Whatever, Whenever
6. Bliss Quest
7. There's No 'I' In Time
8. Destroy The Tabernacle!
9. Sponkulus Nodge
10. Empty Palms

1. Chinchilla
2. Baboon
3. Lemur
4. Badger
5. Quetzal
6. Panda
7. Elk
8. Pig
9. Gibbon
10. Dog
11. Crocodile
12. Rabbit
13. Zebra

Tuesday 19 July 2016

Iron Chic


I think I've mentioned this band a few times before, but never actually did a post on them. This is a crime since it doesn't get much better than Iron Chic. They're a five-piece punk band from Long Island, New York that have been kicking since 2008. Along with RVIVR, Iron Chic are one of the offspring birthed by the break-up of Latterman. The band's former two vocalists both went their own ways, and we got two amazing bands because of it. Iron Chic continue Latterman's legacy of catchy pop punk and undeniable energy. They've made a name for themselves in their own right, and I've got to specifically mention 2010's Not Like This, because that is a fucking awesome album, and if you're going to listen to anything by them make it that. Otherwise, they've put out a ton of good, catchy songs that are guaranteed to be stuck in your head for days. Enjoy.

1. In One Ear
2. Timecop
3. Steel Wall Method
4. Sensitive Dependence
5. Cry-Baby

1. Shits/Giggles
2. The Worlds Greatest Detective
3. Don't Tell Me Stupid, Don't Show Me Fuck You
4. (I Never Get) Winded

1. Cutesy Monster Man
2. Time Keeps On Slipping Into The (Cosmic) Future
3. Timecop
4. I Always Never Say That
5. Black Friday
6. Know What I Mean, Jellybean?
7. Awes-nificent
8. In One Ear
9. Bustin' (Makes Me Feel Good)
10. Every Town Has An Elm Street

1. Those Heads Are Our Heads
2. Climate Is What We Expect, Weather Is What We Get.
3. Langoliers
4. Jet Ski (Bikini Kill)
5. 85 E. Cleveland (Plow United)

1. Spooky Action At A Distance
2. Less Rest For The Restless
3. Goofy's Concern (Butthole Surfers cover)
4. Bonzo Goes To Bitburg (The Ramones cover)

1. The End (Intro)?
2. Bogus Journey
3. (Castle) Numbskull
4. Wolf Dix Rd.
5. Prototypes
6. Spooky Action At A Distance
7. Sounds Like A Pretty Brutal Murder
8. A Serious House On Serious Earth
9. True Miserable Experience
10. Don't Drive Angry
11. What Ever Happened To The Man of Tomorrow?

1. Iron Chic - L'esprit de L'escalier
2. Low Culture - Not A Machine
3. Iron Chic - Subhumanoid Meltdown
4. Low Culture - Oh Jazelle

1. Ys
2. The Dreaming And The Waking World
3. Dog Bite (Dead Kennedys cover)

1. A Headache With Pictures
2. My Best Friend (Is A Nihilist)
3. You Can't Stay Safe
4. Let's. Get. Dangerous.
5. Thunderbolts!
6. Planes, Chest Pains, And Automobiles
7. Golgotha
8. Profane Geometry
9. Invisible Ink
10. Ruinous Calamity
11. To Shreds, You Say?

Saturday 16 July 2016

Blank Look


I have to credit Dead Pulpit with showing me yet another great band for me to fawn over, and just had to share them here. This time it's Blank Look, a five-piece hardcore/powerviolence band from Tempe, Arizona. Their Bandcamp has them tagged as "fight metal", and I think that's a pretty accurate description of them. The aptly titled Pain came out earlier this month, and it's devastating as hell. It's basically a cracked-out tantrum of anger that makes you want to tear everything apart and put your fist through as many walls as possible. Fans of Dead In The Dirt and Magrudergrind need to pay close attention here. Without a doubt this is one of my favourite hardcore/powerviolence EP's I've heard all year, so get listening and grab the cassette if you can. Enjoy.

1. Intro
2. Neglect
3. Lost
4. Sick
5. Shattered
6. Hollow

1. Intro
2. Pain
3. Piss On My Grave
4. Nosebleed
5. Shattered
6. Bomb The Streets
7. Ill Since Birth

1. Scum
2. Bastards
3. Dragged Beneath The Sea (feat. John Weller of Iniquity)
4. I Am Nieztesche
5. Bite Back
6. Portrait Of A Young Artist
7. Tunnel Vision

Tuesday 12 July 2016

1994!


1994! are a two-piece emo/post-hardcore/math rock band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania that formed in 2006 and are presumably still active, though they haven't done anything for a little while. They are involved in other projects, such as Nah, which might take up most of their time. Either way, a few years back they put out a string of phenomenal releases that I think encompass every aspect of every great band on this blog. By that I mean a fan of anyone interested within the general realm of music this blog is in will find something they like about 1994!. They've got the off-kilter, hard-hitting screamo influence of a band like Off Minor with the catchiness and noodly guitar work of a Kinsella band. From a "math rock" standpoint, they've got some incredible talent. Their drummer is a beast behind the kit, and the guitar shreds through some very fast licks. All the while having the appeal of modern midwestern emo band with a tinge of classic post-hardcore a la Dischord influence. This band is phenomenal, what more can I say. 1994! are an essential to check out for any fan of the music on this blog, so get into it. Enjoy.

1. Get Off Our Weed You Pussies
2. Reptile Dysfunction
3. New Holland 1995
4. Termineighbor 2 "The Misspelling"
5. Sexual Alien vs Sexual Predator
6. Steep Cliff Mountain Type Jaunt
7. Stutter Like You Mean It
8. Tough Guy Older Brother Shit

1. Spires - Leaving For Home
2. Spires - Water's Edge
3. Spires - Haunting A Sandlot
4. 1994! - We're Excited About Thinking
5. 1994! - Hunchbag, Bag In Action
6. 1994! - Hilarious Combinations Of People Punching Each Other

1. King Kong Stompin Man
2. Shut Up The Fuck Up
3. Acknowledge The Rage
4. Luke Gone Leidy
5. Thank All You Guy Helpening
6. Damn You's
7. A+ Brain

1. Sour Thanks, Man
2. Upsell The Vibe

1. 1994! - Proper J
2. Snowing - Big Weed
3. Boys And Sex - High Notes
4. Algernon Cadwallader - (Na Na Na Na) Simulation

1. untitled
2. i, i, i, me, me, me
3. never into it, definitely over it
4. apologetically american
5. from decay
6. untitled 2
7. non multa, sed multum

Monday 11 July 2016

The Exploration


The Exploration were a three-piece emo/indie/math rock band from Grand Rapids, Michigan that formed in 2009 and broke up in 2015. They recorded a handful of demos around 2009, which caught quite a bit of attention. The Exploration focused on very clean, noodly guitars that were reminiscent of bands like American Football. On top of that, they often included light percussion in the background, and half-spoken half-wept vocals at the forefront. It's an engaging, overblown emotional mix that diehard emo fans will eat up immediately. They put out a discography and one official EP in 2013, and then sadly broke up in 2015. Here's everything they did, from the early demos to the sole EP. Enjoy.

1. This Will Blossom
2. I Guess, I'm Leaving
3. The Ocean
4. Somewhere In The Middle

1. Gone
2. Meeting
3. Watch It Pass

1. This Will Blossom
2. I Guess I'm Leaving
3. The Ocean
4. Somewhere In The Middle
5. Gone
6. Meeting
7. Watching It Pass
8. Untitled
9. Goodbye
10. An Ending

1. Meeting
2. Sergue
3. K____n
4. Nostalgical

Everybody Row


Everybody Row are a four-piece punk band from the Bay Area, California that formed in 2014. They were started by members of Comadre, and definitely fill the void that that band left. Everybody Row are a lot more of a straight-forward rock band than their predecessor. They punch out some energetic, catchy, uptempo songs that are as hard-hitting as they are catchy. Perhaps most notably they include a prominent organ, which gives them both a very unique sound and a very classic rock vibe, which makes for one hell of a good band. They're definitely highly recommended as a straight-up good rock band. You can't go wrong with that. Enjoy.

1. The Sea Inside
2. Coming Out Close
3. Escape Plan
4. Keep Running

1. Tiny Empires
2. No Direction Home