Saturday 22 September 2018

The New Amsterdams


The people have spoken, and it's clearly this band is what they want. I didn't have much of theirs, so thanks so much to Tim for supplying all of it. The New Amsterdams are a five-piece indie rock band from Lawrence, Kansas that formed in 2000. Originally, they were conceived as a side project by Matt Pryor (best known as the guitarist/vocalist of the legendary Get Up Kids), who wanted to explore more acoustic-based material. Since then The New Amsterdams have evolved into a full band, with Pryor still at the helm. Their early work features collaborations from other members of the Get Up Kids (notably Rob and Ryan Pope), though in recent years The New Amsterdams have solidified a line-up entirely of their own. The band isn't currently active, since The Get Up Kids are back together and Pryor's involvement in his now truly solo career.

There's not too much I comment on sonically, since admittedly I don't listen to this band a whole lot, but if you can imagine The Get Up Kids songwriting (with Pryor's unmistakably distinct voice) in a slowed down, acoustic-oriented atmosphere, this would be it. There's a ton of material to delve into here, and I'm super happy to finally deliver it. Never again will the requests be flooded with "The New Amsterdams". Enjoy.

1. Every Double Life
2. Lonely Hearts
3. Proceed With Caution
4. Slow Down
5. McShame
6. Goodbye
7. Idaho
8. Drama Queen
9. Make Me Change My Mind
10. When We Two Parted
11. Never Treat Others
12. I Won't Run Away

1. My Old Man Had A Pistol
2. Picture In The Paper
3. Son Of A Prophet
4. Stay On The Phone
5. That Side Of Me
6. Four More Years
7. Forever Leaving
8. Adeline, Out Of Tune
9. All Ears
10. Losing You

1. Vignette
2. The Spoils Of The Spoiled
3. Hover Near Fame
4. From California
5. Hanging On For Hope
6. The Smoking Gun
7. Are You True?
8. Asleep At The Wheel
9. Poison In The Ink
10. All Our Vice
11. Worse For The Wear
12. Slight Return

1. The Death Of Us
2. Turn Out The Light
3. Bad Liar
4. Past The Pines
5. Your Ghost
6. Intelligent Design
7. Calendar Days
8. Beautiful Mistake
9. A Small Crusade
10. Turn Out The Light (Reprise)

Disc 1: Killed
1. Wears So Thin
2. Your Red Hand
3. Watch The World Cave In
4. Drinking In The Afternoon
5. Maybe I'm A Fool
6. Heaven Sent
7. Full Thunder Moon
8. Has Anyone Seen My Wings
9. Just So Over You
10. Strangled By The Thought

Disc 2: Cured
1. Wears So Thin
2. Your Red Hand
3. Watch The World Cave In
4. Drinking In The Afternoon
5. Maybe I'm A Fool
6. Heaven Sent
7. Full Thunder Moon
8. Has Anyone Seen My Wings
9. Just So Over You
10. Strangled By The Thought

1. Revenge
2. Wait
3. Fountain Of Youth
4. This Day is Done
5. Without A Sound (Eleanor)
6. Silverlake
7. Last Long Shot
8. Hughes
9. Beacon In Beige
10. Story Like a Scar
11. Fortunate Fool
12. Lay On The Rails
13. Drunk Or Dead
14. Blood On The Floor

1. Guitarkansas
2. Dear Lover
3. Ex's And Oh's
4. Too Many Of A Good Thing
5. Stand Here And Bleed
6. Whatever You Say
7. A Mile In Your Shoes
8. Heaven Sent
9. The Ballad Of Mike And Beth
10. Your Look Gave You Away
11. Old Enough To Know Better
12. A Long Event
13. Suit Sacrifice
14. The Connoisseur

Elle


Elle are a four-piece screamo band from Oakland, California that began in 2015. They share members with other Bay Area legends Beau Navire, Loma Prieta, and Yearbooks. With such an incredible lineup, there's bound to be high standards for this new project, and holy shit do they deliver. It's a little difficult from their other projects; most notably they've pulled back on the chaotic, shrieking nature of it and let a little melancholic light in it. They have a bit more in common with bands like Raein or Suis La Lune than their past work. The guitars incorporate a lot of shimmering tones and melodic chords, while the vocals are shouted with a desperate exuberance and emotional exhaustion. Both their self-titled EP and recently released She are absolutely incredible, and definitely recent screamo highlights. Enjoy.

1. The Clear
2. Mockingbirds
3. Pulse
4. Parts & Parcels
5. Cold Hands

1. Frame By Frame
2. X
3. Crossed Out
4. Wonder
5. Lost, Not Found
6. Grey Things
7. Floral
8. Crush
9. Colorless

1. Terrene
2. Wound
3. Dust
4. Binding
5. Throes
6. All Bets Are Off
7. Shimmer
8. Daggers
9. Draw The Curtain

1. Hawak - Reliving
2. Hawak - Old Wounds
3. Joliette - Segundero
4. Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow - Deforestation Feeds My Family and Fucks Your Future
5. Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow - Banana Republicans
6. Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow - Haven't You Done Well
7. Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow - Ice Kewb (the uncontrol)
8. Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow - The Anthem We Deserve
9. Eyelet - Couldn't Bury Hurt
10. Eyelet - Jocasta As A Verb
11. Elle - Hekate
12. Elle - Thane's Box
13. Burial Etiquette - Promise
14. Burial Etiquette - Sword In Sanctuary

Friday 21 September 2018

Carry On


Carry On were a five-piece straight edge hardcore band from Atascadero, California that formed in 1996 and broke up in 2005. They released three EP's (two of which were later included in a single compilation) and one LP, which was one of Bridge 9's earliest releases. A Life Less Plagued is an undisputed classic, and still holds up today as one of the most notable hardcore releases since the turn of the century. They played an incredibly fast and aggressive style of hardcore similar to bands such as contemporaries American Nightmare, No Warning and In My Eyes, with a ton of Youth Crew influence from bands like Floorpunch and Chain Of Strength. Another notable thing about them is one of their guitarists, Todd Jones, who has since been active in a  ton of other incredible bands, particularly Nails, Terror, Betrayed, and Internal Affairs. Their drummer Nick Jett has also been in Terror since they started. Enjoy.

1. Stabbed In The Face
2. Girl Song
3. Battlefield
4. Pride

1. Reason For Change
2. The Line Is Drawn
3. Problem Solved
4. Pushing Forward
5. Move Along
6. What Once Was

1. Roll With The Punches
2. Fuck Your Politics
3. It's Over
4. Off My Chest
5. We're Not One
6. Check Yourself

1. Roll With The Punches
2. Fuck Your Politics
3. It's Over
4. Off My Chest
5. We're Not One
6. Check Yourself
7. Pushing Forward
8. Reason For Change
9. The Line Is Drawn
10. Problem Solved
11. Pushing Forward (Version 1)
12. Move Along
13. What Once Was
14. Set The Pace

1. The View
2. Waiting On Forever
3. Killing A Sound
4. Roll With The Punches
5. Mirrors And Needles
6. Is This All There Is?
7. A Life Less Plagued
8. X's Always Win
9. So Much of You
10. Off My Chest
11. Broken Strings
12. Rethinking

Judiciary


Judiciary are a five-piece hardcore band from Lubbock, Texas that formed in 2014. After making a significant mark in the hardcore scene with a demo, EP, and split, they're finally gearing up for the release of their debut full-length, which is slated for release this year on Closed Casket Activities. Before that dropkicks everyone, check out their material to date if ya haven't yet. They play a two-step friendly style of hardcore, with heavy riffs and a thrash influence comparable to the work of fellow Texans Power Trip. Enjoy.

1. Intro
2. Eyes Wide
3. Shackled
4. Since Birth
5. Bite The Bullet
6. No Justice, No Peace

1. The Axis Of Equality
2. March Of The Abuser
3. Justice Decays
4. Silent Vice

1. Mortality Rate - Forms Of Fear
2. Mortality Rate - Veins
3. Mortality Rate - Lucid
4. Judiciary - Reign Of Turmoil
5. Judiciary - Pure Fury
6. Judiciary - Overthrone

1. Social Crusade
2. Karma's Knife
3. Temple (feat. God's Hate)
4. Stronger Than Thou (feat. Knocked Loose)
5.  Burden Of Truth
6. Pure Fury (feat. Mortality Rate)
7. 7.65mm
8. Zero Hour
9. War (Time Is Nigh)

1. Flesh
2. Blood
3. Engulfed
4. Paradigm Piercer
5. Knife In The Dirt
6. Stare Into The Sun
7. Cobalt
8. Steel Hand God
9. Obsidian
10. Eschatos Hemera

Thursday 20 September 2018

Young Mountain


Young Mountain are a five-piece screamo/post-rock band from Gothenburg, Sweden that have been around since 2013. Since then they've been fairly prolific with consistent solid releases. The band takes the base of their sound from the atmospheric, rise and fall post-rock influence of bands like This Will Destroy You (whose debut album Young Mountain presumably get their name from). On top of that they throw in hard-hitting screamed vocals, haunting sung vocals, reverb-washed melodic guitars, and the ability to produce dynamic-shifting tracks of dark, emotional catharsis. Fans of the post-rock/shoegaze and screamo/post-hardcore blend will dig this, since it brings to mind other titans of the genre such as Envy,  Deafheaven, or early Pianos Become The Teeth. Their most recent release, Lost Tree is an absolutely immense record, and probably their best to date. If you're new to this band, I'd suggest starting there, though We're Drowning in Slowmotion is also incredible. Enjoy.

1. För Alltid Var Bara Något Vi Sa

1. Jag Begravde Solen
2. Dessa Väggar Viskar
3. Seasons Apart
4. Growing Hands
5. Your Name Means Loved

1. Hildedal
2. Arctic Smile
3. Månen Stal Min Själ
4. .

1. The Garden Of Biological Machines
2. HMS Slowmotion

1. Young Mountain - Pilträdsvillan
2. Young Mountain - Bloom
3. Vivre Sa Vie - Ehler-Danlos
4. Vivre Sa Vie - Shield
5. La Petite Mort / A Little Death - Intro
6. La Petite Mort / A Little Death - Windchime
7. La Petite Mort / A Little Death - This Name Rings A Bell

1. Asunder, To Eye Each Other
2. The Sun Is Away
3. ///////////////
4. Misery
5. Juni
6. Vacant Eyes
7. Lost Tree
8. I Flew Above Your House Last Night

Note: Order the vinyl from Zegema Beach Records: USA or International & Canada

Wednesday 19 September 2018

The Shyness Clinic


The Shyness Clinic were a four-piece emo/indie band from Boston, Massachusetts that began in 1995 and (presumably) ended in 1999. They were on many incredible bands to come out of the underground emo scene, which means they utilize clean arpeggios and climatic octave chords, and make full use of the loud/soft dynamic. Their sound will definitely appeal to fans of bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, Cross My Heart, The Gloria Record, and so many more. Not to be dismissive of their sound as being similar to many, The Shyness Clinic were masters of their craft, and wrote some incredible songs that hit amazing highs and transitioned into quiet lows flawlessly. Though their output was pretty minimal (as expected from a band in this scene), it was incredibly solid and worth a listen. Plus putting a split with Everyone Asked About You is a thing of legend. Enjoy.

1. The Shyness Clinic - Barcelona To Madrid
2. Everyone Asked About You - I Will Wait
3. Everyone Asked About You - A Better Way To A Broken Heart 

1. Ocean
2. Not If I Leave First
3. Living Museum
4. Mapmaker
5. This Is History
6. Further Proof
7. I Used To Be An Actor
8. Barcelona To Madrid
9. Jet-Setting
10. Her Vs. Altitude
11. I Don't Want To Live On The Moon
12. Sea Of Redlights

1. Stick To One Thing
2. Rearrange Your Room
3. The Optimist
4. I Am The Light Circling Back To Its Source (Keep Passing Through Open Windows)
5. A Certain Distance

Sunday 16 September 2018

Graduating Life


Graduating Life are an emo/indie/punk band Fresno, California. They consist primarily of Bart Starr (vocals/guitar) and drummer Logan Jensen, along with numerous other collaborators. They're a Counter Inuitive Records band, thus are one of the most notable acts in the modern emo scene, along with other notable bands like Prince Daddy & The Hyena and Mom Jeans. (who Bart is also a part of). If you're familiar with those bands, you might have a slight idea as to how Graduating Life sound. It's upbeat, energetic music, with vocals singing poppy melodies with a gruff voice, and lyrically detailing the abyss of sadness while rocking the fuck out on the surface. I don't know how to describe it, most people are probably familiar with this band anyway (because they get requested to death). If you're new though, both their full-lengths (particularly their most recent one, Grad Life) are solid front-to-back. Enjoy.

1. R
2. A
3. D

1. Late Bloomer
2. Death & Taxes
3. It's 420 Degrees Outside
4. Lamow, Get Out Of Town
5. Yobart

1. John gets roasted
2. that's hella real, dude

1. Graduating Life - Metallica Rules
2. Graduating Life - Mom Jeans Sucks (But Austin Drives A Fast Car Tho)
3. Mom Jeans. - Heck You Bart Pt. II: Electric Boogaloo
4. Mom Jeans. - Shred Cruz

1. An Introduction
2. Check Out That Band Save Face
3. Arkadelphia
4. GOD KILLER
5. World Famous Rock Song
6. Kill Me
7. Cold Raviolis
8. Die! Murder! Die!
9. I Can't Sleep
10. Front Row Seats
11. To The End

1. There's Only One Way
2. Family Reunion
3. Carry A White Flag
4. It's Second Year
5. Don't Have Kids
6. Watch You Die!!!
7. Stinky Man
8. Victory Song
9. Your Town Is A Time Capsule
10. Finale

Thursday 13 September 2018

MEIAN / Diva Plavalaguna SPLIT PREMIERE


I'm happy to bring you two of the four new tracks off this new split from two incredible bands, Vancouver, Canada's Diva Plavalaguna and Morioka, Japan's MEIAN. The other half of this split is being premiered over at Open Mind / Saturated Brain. Check out one track from each band below, then head over to OMSB to hear the rest. The split pairs an eclectic, high octane synthcore band with a crisp, Japanese screamo band, which makes for an interesting and rewarding mix. This project has been a long time coming, with one band overcoming personal hardships and the other being birthed from the ashes of a previous project, but both bands are finally here. This entire split will be released digitally and on cassette through the always-fantastic Emo Cat Records tomorrow (Sept 14th), which will be linked below and active tomorrow. Enjoy.



MEIAN's track "Move On Up" opens up the split, and it hits the ground running with all instruments in play. They utilize very bright, glossy guitars that really shine in the mix, but never sound too polished. The guitars play with these incredibly melodic lead lines, and if it hasn't been made obvious, the tone of them is something to die for. It's the rhythm section that contrasts this melodic sheen with aggressive d-beats and tom hits to drive the song, along with some incredibly visceral and emotional screamed vocals. They close out with a unified post-hardcore influenced rhythm, which leaves a lasting impression in this track's wake. Sonic comparisons could be drawn somewhere between the bright, melodic aspects of Suis La Lune and the pummelling, commanding sound of Sans Visage, or something of the sort.



Diva Plavalaguna contains members of Emo Cat alumni Terrifying Girls' High School and Black Knight Satellite. They close out this split with fourth and final track, "Diva Protocol". They utilize triple vocals, pervasive weird synth lines, pounding drums and frenzied guitars that come together in an onslaught of noise. This track hits hard with a frantic yet calculated chaos. The vocals just topple over each other with these yelping screams, while the instrumental speedily rips through the first half of the track. It takes a sudden turn with a clean, tremolo-effect laden guitar, which builds into a full gang vocal chant as the song begins to crescendo. The buzzing synth, warbling bass, and vicious blast beats leave the track off in a sense of torment, with sharp guitars and devilish vocals howling to its end. This band's got a unique sound to say the least, and this track really hits out of left-field (in the best way possible).

On a side note, Diva Plavalaguna have launched a comic series titled "Diva! Digital Desert Duchess" in collaboration with illustrator Breanna McGowan. It follows the band as the protagonists in a post-apocalyptic future, with a storyline running adjacent to their musical releases. You can check that out here, along with Breanna's other work here.



Emo Cat Records

Diva Plavalaguna

MEIAN

Counterculture


Counterculture are a four-piece emo/punk band from Kansas City, Missouri that began in 2016. They play a mesh of pop punk and emo, which means energetic instrumentals and steady rhythms, and the occassional noodle-off with the guitars. Their first album (Teenage Relevance) contains mostly slow, morose material, with shimmering Americ anFootball twinkletown guitars all over it. On their most recent EP, I Think You Didn't they get a little punchier, and the results definitely stand out more, but both releases are solid overall. The vocals are fairly sullen and whiny (which I mean as a positive), since they match up perfectly with the lyrics, which tend to touch upon feeling lost and looking back, the cornerstones of a nutritious emo track. Fans of bands like Modern Baseball, Free Throw and You Blew It! probably something they like in this. Counterculture were only recently introduced to me, but I really dig what I'm hearing, and would suggest you try 'em out as well. Enjoy.

1. yeah, about last night...
2. Dill
3. Wasting Away
4. Better This Way
5. Ballad Of Grandpa Bob
6. Symbols
7. Comic Books
8. Like She'd Care
9. As You
10. Nowhere Forever

1. All This Time I Am Alone
2. Pop Tart
3. Goin' Hamms
4. Waiting
5. Cliche Love Song
6. Didn't You Think I?

Wednesday 12 September 2018

La Bella


La Bella are a four-piece screamo/hardcore band from Los Angeles, California that formed in 2011. They've only two albums in that time, but both come pretty damn close to perfection. They play a style of screamo that incorporates jazzy, off-kilter rhythms, particularly in their interludes. La Bella makes excellent use of dynamics, utilizing the loud/soft interchange without having to go through massive build-ups. They still hit hard, but give their chords enough room to breathe, which allows the drums and bass to indulge in their jazz spasms and to create unique rhythms. The band takes influence from a lot of classic acts, such as The Kodan Armada and Off Minor, but have also crafted a sound truly their own thanks to their background in a multitude of other genres. Enjoy.

1. Brukman Factory
2. Non-Linear Architecture
3. Everything That Came After
4. Petrichor
5. Hotchkiss
6. Spontaneity In Am
7. Todo Para Todos

1. Germinal
2. Thrush
3. Silver Spool
4. Wellspring
5. Subaltern
6. Harbiner
7. New Hymns
8. Skein