Comeback Kid

Comeback Kid are a five-piece melodic hardcore band from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada that formed in 2001. Since then they've released two albums and maintained a relentless touring schedule, becoming one of the most well-known and celeberated bands the genre has had to offer in the past 20 years or so. Thus, I don't know how much of an introducion this band really needs, but to give you a super abbreviated version of their history, they started off as the side project of another band called Figure Four, recorded a demo in 2002 that lead to their debut in 2003. They took Comeback Kid on full-time, signed to began touring, ended up signing to Victory Records and released their sophomore album, Wake The Dead in 2005, produced by Bill Stevenson. Both of their first two albums are considered bona fida classics, but this one especially is highly regarded, and often considered one of the many high points 2000's melodic hardcore had to offer. The title track often finds its way into conversations regarding "greatest hardcore songs of all time", alongside the likes of "Firestorm" and "Start Today". As ridculous of a conversation that can be, this album and this song do deserve a mention.

Following Wake The Dead, the band underwent a major line-up shift with the departure of vocalist Scott Wade. Founding member and rhythm guitarist/backing vocalist Andrew Neufield eventually takes over as the band's lead vocalist, with Casey Hjelmberg taking over his previous position for a couple years, eventually leaving in 2012. Stu Ross (of Misery Signals) joined in 2012, who is holding the rhythm guitar/backing vocals down for the band to this day. To back up a bit, with Neufield as vocalist they release Broadcasting... in 2007, not skipping a beat from their previous two albums, and actually garnering quite a bit of attention outside the hardcore scene in the process. Since then they've undergone a few other line-up changes, with Neufield and lead guitarist Jeremy Hiebert being the two remaining founding/consistent members. The band have consistently been releasing blood-pumping music, with a steady stream of albums and a handful of EP's suggesting they show no signs of slowing down. They're one of the biggest names in hardcore, chances are you've at least heard of them, and if not I implore you to listen to them yesterday. Admittedly they're not one of my personal favourites, and I never fell in love with them the way I did Modern Life Is War or American Nightmare, but again, those first few albums I can come back to anytime and remain impressed by. Since I didn't mention it specifically Symptoms + Cures is also as solid as they come, but beyond that I haven't really listened to anything enough to properly comment. However, going back to these first four records for this post has inspired me to give those later albums more tries. Wake up the dead. Enjoy.

Demo '02 (2002)

1. Without A Word

2. All In A Year

3. The Operative Word

4. Step Ahead

5. Playing The Part

6. Give And Take

Turn It Around (2003)

1. All In A Year

2. Give And Take

3. Die Tonight

4. Changing Face

5. Playing The Part

6. Always

7. Step Ahead

8. Operative Word

9. Biting Tongue

10. Something Less

11. Never Fade

12. Without A Word

13. Lorelei

Wake The Dead (2005)

1. False Idols Fall

2. My Other Side

3. Wake the Dead

4. The Trouble I Love

5. Talk Is Cheap

6. Partners In Crime

7. Our Distance

8. Bright Lights Keep Shining

9. Falling Apart

10. Losing Patience

11. Final Goodbye

Broadcasting... (2007)

1. Defeated

2. Broadcasting...

3. Hailing On Me

4. The Blackstone

5. Industry Standards

6. Give'r (Reprise)

7. One Left Satisfied

8. Come Around

9. In Case Of Fire

10. Market Demands

11. In/Tuition

Through The Noise (2008)

1. False Idols Fall

2. Die Tonight

3. Broadcasting...

4. Partners In Crime

5. Changing Face

6. Industry Standards

7. Defeated

8. All In A Year

9. Step Ahead

10. Talk Is Cheap

11. The Trouble I Love

12. Hailing On Me

13. Our Distance

14. Lorelei

15. Wake The Dead

16. Give'r (Reprise)

17. Final Goodbye

Note: Live Album, recorded in Leipzig, Germany on November 23, 2007

Symptoms + Cures (2010)

1. Do Yourself A Fvour

2. Crooked Floors

3. G.M. Vincent And I

4. Because Of All

5. The Concept Says

6. Balance

7. Symptoms + Cures

8. Manifest

9. Get Alone

10. Magnet Pull

11. Pull Back The Reins

Die Knowing (2014)

1. Die Knowing

2. Lower The Line

3. Wasted Arrows

4. Losing Sleep

5. Should Know Better

6. I Depend, I Control

7. Somewhere In This Miserable...

8. Beyond

9. Unconditional

10. Didn't Even Mind

11. Full Swing

12. Sink In

Rain City Sessions +1 (2015)

1. Wake The Dead

2. Should Know Better

3. All In A Year

4. Losing Sleep

5. The Concept Stays

6. Lower The Line

7. Territorial Pissings (Nirvana cover)

Outsider (2017)

1. Outsider

2. Surrender Control

3. Absolute (feat. Devin Townsend)

4. Hell Of A Scene

5. Somewhere, Somehow

6. Consumed The Vision (feat. Chris Cresswell)

7. I'll Be That

8. Outrage (Fresh Face, Stale Cause)

9. Blindspot

10. Livid, I'm Prime

11. Recover

12. Throw That Stone

13. Moment In Time (feat. Northcote)

Beds Are Burning (2018)

1. Beds Are Burning

2. Little Soldier

Heavy Steps (2022)

1. Heavy Steps

2. No Easy Way Out

3. Face The Fire

4. Crossed (feat. Joe Duplantier)

5. Everything Relates (feat. JJ)

6. Dead On The Fence

7. Shadow Of Doubt

8. True To Form

9. In Between

10. Standstill

11. Menacing Weight

Trouble EP (2024)

1. Trouble In The Winners Circle

2. Disruption

3. Chompin' At The Bit

4. Breaking And Bruised

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The Cabs

The Cabs were a three-piece emo/math rock band from Saitama, Japan that formed in 2006 and disbanded in 2013. They released two EP's/mini-albums and one album, the three of which is what you primarily see as their discography. Apparently there are some demos and live material out there, so if anyone's got anything more than this, please let me know. Also as a quick note, depending on where you go on the internet, their album and song titles will differ slightly (presumably as a result of varying English translations). Sonically, you guys are going to love this if you're unfamiliar with them. They've got these soaring, ultra-melodic vocals, shimmering, athletic guitars, and bring this raw, near-frenzied cathartic energy to an otherwise very smooth, very clean work. If you need a frame of reference, fans of bands such as TTNG, toe, Maps & Atlases, Owls, or Ghosts And Vodka will certainly fall in love with this. Enjoy.

The First Action [First Incident] (2011)

1. For Charles Bronson

2. Nigastu No Heitai

3. No Future For Us

4. Haiku About Kdyla

5. Nicol Kills Nicolas For Nicola

6. Kugatu Ha sannbikaniyoru

Kaiki Suru Kokyu [Recur Breath] (2011)

1. Kilche No Rasen

2. Camn Aven

3. Gedoku Sareru Jukai

4. Kakko No Suno Ue De

5. skor

6. Dai Hachi Byoto

Saisei No Hukei [Regenerative Landscape] (2013)

1. Leland

2. Hana No Youni

3. Anschluss

4. Our Fail

5. Map

6. Sarasa

7. Smile Lazuro

8. Purusha

9. Your Eyes Have All The Answer

10. All Crying

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Common Sage

Common Sage are a four-piece post-hardcore/emo/alternative band from Brooklyn, New York that formed in 2018. They've released a few EP's and three full-lengths since then, the latest of which came out at the end of November this year via Equal Vision Records. I wasn't really familiar with this band until recently, when a few of you guys requested them, and I completely understand why. Their melting pot of influences is right up this blog's alley, being melancholic as hell, with melodious vocals, effects-laden arpeggios, seeringly angular riffs, cathartic climaxes, and off-kilter, textured rhythms. They sound like a lot of things, ergo sounding like their own thing. But to give you an easy point of reference, if you're into Taking Back Sunday, On The Might Of Princes, Quicksand, Balance And Composure, you'll dig this, with some added flashes of things such as The Blood Brothers and Modest Mouse. Regardless of my poor descriptors here, Closer To; is worth your time to check out, and I thank you guys for your recommendation of it. My Top 50 list is pretty much solidified at this point, but if I had more time with it I could definitely see this record making the cut, it's one of the year's finest. Enjoy.

"Where are you? I'm in Klamath Falls, are you here?" (2018)

1. Klamath Falls, OR

2. oh, December

3. a Dead Tree, a Dead Shopping Mall Outlet

4. Bassett, NE

5. Nailbiter

6. Montauk, NY

7. Roadkill

8. Virginia

9. Omer, MI

10. Tiny White Spiders

11. Sure Is Weird

12. Hold Hope Peninsula

Might As Well Eat The Chicken, We Won't Be Here In The Morning (2020)

1. "part i" (Original)

2. Wraparound Background

3. "part i" (A Rearrangement)

4. Saw Daddy

5. "part i" (Continued)

6. Wet Grass

It Lives And It Breathes (2021)

1. Daydream

2. Think About The Desert

3. Sour

4. Only Human

5. River

6. Book Burning

7. In The Back

8. An Earthquake

9. Fall Down

10. Sheol

Nostos | Algos (2024)

1. Hiraeth

2. Edin

3. Rituals

Closer To; (2024)

1. Witness (feat. Stay Inside)

2. Vehicles

3. Come Undone

4. Shiver

5. Until I'm Gone

6. 47.

7. Waste

8. Bulrushes (feat. Sainthood Reps)

9. (desiderium)

10. Patient & Kind

11. Apparitions

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Gameface

Gameface are a four-piece emo/punk band from Orange County, California that formed in 1991 and disbanded in 2003, before reuniting in 2013 and remaining active to this day. They tend to fly under the radar a bit, especially for a band that's been at it as long as they have. Which is unfortunate, because they've been consistently solid over the years. They play an energetic, melodic, and refined blend of thick rhythm guitars, shimmering leads, and catchy-as-anything vocals. If you're a fan of bands such as Samiam, Hey Mercedes, Sense Field, Saves The Day, or Knapsack, this may be up your alley. There's a lot of material here to sift through, so if you're new to them, start with Every Last Time since that's generally considered their strongest album, then I'd suggest Three To Get Ready after that. Enjoy.

Gameface (1991)

1. Puzzle

2. Just Like Night

3. Noticed Too Late

4. Need

Beach Chair / Home (1992)

1. Beach Chair

2. Home

Good (1993)

1. Election Year

2. Only One

3. Organization

4. Soap

5. Backwards

6. Common Ground

7. Scared

8. Friday Matinee

9. The Last Song

10. Retraction

11. Good

12. Different Strokes

A Day In June (1995)

1. A Day In June

2. Fun

3. Thrift

Three To Get Ready (1995)

1. Start Me Over

2. Ten Blue Sticks

3. Greentree

4. Guess What

5. Only Chance We Get

6. June

7. Song

8. The Big Deal

9. Gibberish

10. Daylight Savings

11. Undone

12. Home

13. Time After Time

Cupcakes (1997)

1. Cupcakes

2. Only Souvenir

3. Somebody Save This Boy

4. Chasing The Sun

5. House

Gameface/Pinto (1998)

1. Gameface - Somebody Save This Boy

2. Gameface - Chasing The Sun

3. Pinto - Trading Places

4. Pinto - A-Song

Every Last Time (1999)

1. The Pirate Song

2. Sweet Wreck

3. My Star

4. What I Learned In School

5. Shock Tester

6. Mean

7. The Easy Way

8. If You Want My Advice

9. Last Of The Good Guys

10. Boy Wonder

11. Hey Radio

12. Everything I Do Is Wrong

13. The Difference Between Flying And Falling

14. Mercury Dimes

What's Up Bro? (2000)

1. Gameface - How Far Is Goodbye?

2. Gameface - Wartime Hero

3. Gameface - Change Of Heart

4. Errortype:11 - Ticket To Listen To Ride

5. Errortype:11 - I Got You

6. Errortype:11 - Clan MacGregor And The Drunk Boys

Always On (2000)

1. Laughable

2. The Warmest Heart Attack

3. Angels On The Wing

4. Balance

5. Anyone Can Write A Song

6. New Landscaping

7. Robots

8. Accidental Clarity

9. The Problem With Me

10. Awkward Age

Feels A Lot Better (2002)
1. Everyday I Write The Book (Elvis Costello cover)

2. Sing Your Life (Morrissey cover)

3. How Far Is October?
4. Angels On The Wing (Acoustic)

5. Song Five

Natural Selection (2003)

1. Daylight Savings

2. Friday Matinee

3. How Far Is October?

4. The Big Deal

5. Balance

Four To Go (2003)

1. This Old House

2. Everybody

3. Four Chords, Seven Years

4. When You've Had Enough

5. The Word

6. Crash Course In Polite Conversation

7. Give Me Something Real

8. Stop Anytime

9. Rescue Mission

10. How Far Is Goodbye?

11. Don't Get Me Started

12. A Test

Regular Size (2014)

1. Regular Size

2. Mirrors

Now Is What Matters Now (2014)

1. Come On Down

2. Swing State

3. Regular Size

4. Now

5. Picture Day

6. Lifetime Achivement Award

7. Always On

8. Save Your Words

9. The Quiet Type

10. Frames

11. My Troubled Half

IOU1 (2019)

1. I Owe You One

2. Two Gunslingers

Every Last Tape (2019)

1. Everything I Do Is Wrong

2. Mean

3. Boy Wonder

4. Shock Tester

5. Last Of The Good Guys

6. If You Want My Advice

7. What I Learned In School

8. Sweet Wreck

9. The Easy Way

10. Hey Radio

11. The Difference Between Flying And Falling

12. (unlisted insane jam)

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Crimpshrine

Crimpshrine were a three-piece punk rock band from Berkeley, California that were active from 1982 to 1989. They were essentially a teenage garage band for their first few years, with Jesse Michaels (later of Operation Ivy and Classics Of Love) even being their vocalist for a duration. By 1986, a soldified line-up of vocalist/guitarist Jeff Ott, drummer Aaron Cometbus, and bassist Pete Rypins had emerged. They regularly shows in the Bay Area, and were regularly featured on various compilations, in addition to releasing two EP's, an LP, and and a handful of splits, all in the span of just a few years. Despite their short tenure, they're regarded as incredibly influential in their equally melodic and aggressive approach and prominent, technical bass lines. In a broad sense, they're kind of like the bridge between Descendents and Green Day or Jawbreaker, but grittier. I don't know, they're worth checking out if Bay Area punk is up your alley. Just a quick note on the two compilations here: Sound Of A New World Being Born includes their early material, including their first two EPs. Duct Tape Soup consists of tracks intended for an LP in 1988, but released over a variety of splits and compilations instead. Enjoy.

9 Song Demo (1987)

1. Over The Years

2. Wake Up

3. Another Day

4. RDC

5. Walk Away

6. Can You Feel That?

7. I Don't Know Why

8. My Friend

9. Tomorrow

Sleep, What's That? EP (1988)

1. Bricks

2. In My Mind

3. Sleep, What's That?

4. Tomorrow

Quit Talkin' Claude... EP (1989)

1. Butterflies

2. Situation

3. Easy Answers

4. Inspiration

Lame Gig Contest (1989)

1. Left Outside Again

2. Safely Wasting Away

3. Along The Way

4. WNWSFK - Can You Feel That?

5. R.D.C.

6. The Tour

7. My Friend

8. Wake Up

9. New Scenery

10. Concrete Lawns

11. 2nd Generation Junkies

12. MSFMB

13. Another Day

14. Rearranged

Crimpshrine/Mutley Chix (1989)

1. Crimpshrine - Closed Doors

2. Crimpshrine - Caught Up

3. Crimpshrine - Fucked Up Kid

4. Mutley Chix - Small Town, Big Hell

5. Mutley Chix - Lamp

Jawbreaker/Crimpshrine (1993)

1. Jawbreaker - Better Half

2. Crimpshrine - Sanctuary

Duct Tape Soup (1992)

1. Trying Too Hard

2. Summertime

3. Caught Up

4. Left Outside Again

5. Safely Wasting Away

6. Wake Up

7. Pick Up The Pieces

8. RDC

9. Construction

10. Closed Doors, Closed Minds

11. Pretty Mess

12. WNWSFK

13. Can You Feel That?

14. Along The Way

15. Free Will

16. Fucked Up Kid

The Sound Of A New World Being Born (1998)

1. Another Day

2. Rearranged

3. Over The Years

4. Walk Away

5. Bricks

6. Sleep, What's That?

7. MSFMB

8. Second Generation Junkies

9. In My Mind

10. Tomorrow

11. Butterflies

12. Situation

13. Direction Of Things To Come

14. Sanctuary

15. My Friend

16. Tour

17. Easy Answers

18. Inspiration