Quickie Reviews

*From top to bottom = most recent to oldest

POSTED DURING NOVEMBER 2011:

THE BOMBPOPS – Stole the TV
[Red Scare Records] – Verdict: 8.5/10
The Bombpops are back with their second EP, Stole the TV, and the four new tracks are quite contagious. Fronted by two females, this four piece play melodic and catchy punk rock that is very easy to get into. The first two tracks are the more punk fueled anthems, and came out as my favorite. The last two are more rock focused, and do well in splitting the album into two different “sections”. This is a very fun EP.
> Recommended Tracks: “(Back To) The Medicine Cabinet”, “Paranoid”

MIXTAPES – How To Throw A Successful Party
[Animal Style Records] – Verdict: 8/10
Mixtapes crank out new music just as fast as Man Overboard, and we couldn’t be happier. How To Throw A Successful Party will accompany pre-orders of Maps and Companions, and it’s full acoustic. Tracks like “4 P.M. (Stupid Famous Quotes)” and “Noon (Protest Song)” are gold, and the lyrical content found on these 9 tracks are more raw and appealing. Fans of Mixtapes need not question how good this collection is, so pick it up.
> Recommended Tracks: “Noon (Protest Song)”, “4 P.M. (Stupid Famous Quotes)”, “8 P.M. (The Apple Barn)”

PIANOS BECOME THE TEETH – The Lack Long After
[Topshelf Records] – Verdict: 8/10
Locals Pianos Become the Teeth play the kind of hectic and progressive hardcore that made Defeater a frequent player on our playlists. Their latest release, The Lack Long After, is about what you’d expect after hearing their previous material, but that’s not a bad thing. I would have liked to hear more exploration, but their formula is very good as it is also. I especially enjoy when the instruments are kind of quiet but the vocals are straining and at the forefront.
> Recommended Tracks: “Good Times”, “Such Confidence”, “Liquid Courage”

MEANING IN MASTERPIECE – Sinking Cars
[Unsigned] – Verdict: 7/10
Meaning In Masterpiece are a five piece pop-punk/rock band based out of Orange County, CA. Their new album, Sinking Cars, is a very solid introduction to new listeners. I wouldn’t say they really jump out at you, but the songs are thoroughly enjoyable. I think with another year or two of experience, these guys have a golden formula living inside them waiting to break free. In the meantime, this is a very good collection to check out. They kind of remind me of a mix between This Building and The Dangerous Summer.
> Recommended Tracks: “Louder Than Words”, “Upperhand”, “People Really Do Suck”

BANNER PILOT – Heart Beats Pacific
[Fat Wreck Chords] – Verdict: 8/10
Banner Pilot are always worth a spin. Fans of punk probably already know these guys, but if you don’t, then Heart Beats Pacific is a good starting point (just don’t forget to explore their full catalog when you get the chance). Right from the start with “Alchemy”, this release gets you pumped and energetic. Banner Pilot doesn’t disappoint.
> Recommended Tracks: “Alchemy”, “Spanish Reds”, “Expat”, “Intervention”

STRUC/TURES – Divided By
[Sumerian Records] – Verdict: 9/10
This was a great surprise. I had never heard of this band, so I went into Divided By with no expectations. The opening track, “At Las[T]”, makes new listeners assume these guys are some form of death metal, but Struc/tures quickly proves you wrong. Divided By is not only diverse and all over the place, it’s damn fun. It’s mix of chaos and melody works wonders, giving them a comfortable place on my playlist for weeks to come.
> Recommended Tracks: “Encounter…”, “Paralyzed___”, “Clockwork”, “Tunnel Vision”, “/”

DEAD TO ME – Moscow Penny Ante
[Fat Wreck Chords] – Verdict: 8/10
Blending punk and ska elements, Dead To Me are always up for a good time. Moscow Penny Ante is another successful run from the band, so fans expect to enjoy this one. Instead of suffering from a similarity throughout, Dead To Me have done a good job keeping this record sounding quite original from track to track. Yes!
> Recommended Tracks: “Reckless Behavior”, “The Evolution Will Be Tele-Visual”, “The Hand With The Inherited Rings”

NOCTEM – Oblivion
[Metal Blade Records] – Verdict: 6/10
Their strongest trait is also their weakest. Noctem have a brutal and crazed sound that is enjoyable, but they also play it at the forefront the whole time. Rarely does Oblivion seem to branch out and explore its other grounds. As a result, this band seems interesting at first, but then become tiresome in the long run.
> Recommended Tracks: “Universal Disorder”, “Invictus”, “Unredemption”

INSOMNIUM – One for Sorrow
[Century Media Records] – Verdict: 7/10
Finish metal bands are known for quality and instrumental expertise. Insomnium is no exception. However, while the song constructions sound great, I disliked the main vocal work. The deep voice does not compliment the music at all. However, the actual singing sounds very fitting. If the band were to drop the growling that is prominent throughout the vocal sections, then they could really have an excellent sound here. As they are currently, One for Sorrow is a cool sounding record plagued by some unbalanced vocal parts.
>Recommended Tracks: Check out the instrumental sections specifically. They are the best parts of this record. “Meandering through the Shadows”, the second track, is a prime example. While it does feature the deep growling I did not like, it also features strong instrumental work and some excellent singing during the chorus.

WEATHERBOX – Follow the Rattle of the Afghan Guitar
[Youth Conspiracy Records] – Verdict: 9/10
Despite all the member changes over the years, I was not at all surprised by how great the new WEATHERBOX record is. Why? Because frontman Brian Warren is a mastermind. Whoever he assembles will make great music when led by his expertise. Follow the Rattle of the Afghan Guitar is the first album since 2009 when the band was still part of Doghouse Records. The six new tracks are excellent and just as interesting as the classic Cosmic record. The only real disappointment here is that it’s not a full length record. Otherwise, WEATHERBOX fans will definitely love this new collection. Each song has a brilliance of its own.
>Recommended Tracks: Each song offers something special, interesting, worth your while to hear. Check them out for yourself, but I bet it will be hard to pick favorites. If I had to choose at least one highlight, I’d point you in the direction of “Mountain”. I love the somewhat-crooning sound of Brian’s voice during this track.

JUICEHEAD – How to Sail a Sinking Ship
[Misfits Records] – Verdict: 7/10
How to Sail a Sinking Ship is an above solid punk/rock album. With some great melodies and catchy moments, driven by some rock worthy guitar and drum beats, JuiceheaD offer up a fun sound without ever really blowing you away. At least, this was the case for me. I certainly enjoyed this record, especially during the first section, but I started to become a bit bored by the half-way point. After all, there are twenty tracks here. It’s a gift and a curse, depending on the listener’s taste.
>Recommended Tracks: I found the early stuff the most entertaining mostly because the album lost steam for me after you get about half-way. Songs like “Better Days”, “Rotting from the Inside”, and “Deadly Nightshade” were the most memorable for me.

HEIROSONIC – Consciousness, Fame, God, Money, Power
[Soundmine MusicWorks] – Verdict: 9/10
Like a cross between Jetlag Gemini, Lostprophets, and American Hi-Fi, Heirosonic have a powerful rock fuel to them during Consciousness. Take the chorus of “Slave Machine” for immediate example; check out the way the chorus takes stab at you as the words “Burn, Burn, Burn” are shot out. That song is then followed by the sleezy/sly/bouncy sound of “Baphomet”. The band’s ability to mold several different styles in one track sounds great, and impresses from start to finish. Consciousness will keep you surprised throughout, as well as thoroughly interested and entertained. Vocally and instrumentally, this is a fun record.
>Recommended Tracks: “The Media Taught You That”, “Dance to the War”, “The World Upside Down”

HARRIS GRADE – Sea in You
[Unsigned] – Verdict: 8/10
This three track EP has a lot of heart and energy. It’s one of those independent rock releases that get a large underground following with ease. On the band’s music profile, they site Anberlin, Foo Fighters, and Thrice as major influences to their sound. I point this out because Harris Grade does sound like a blend of these bands. The only real complaint I had with this band is that their songs on this EP seem to wear a thin during their final minute or so. It seems like things slow down in power, which was upsetting. Otherwise, this is a very good EP from an unsigned act you should look into.
>Recommended Tracks: Out of the three, I found “Oceans” the most enjoyable with its prog/rock sound and melodic/soaring nature.

CARTEL – In Stereo
[Independent] – Verdict: 8.5/10
One of the great things about the new Cartel EP is that it was made by just them. They had no label, producers, or guiding hands. With this record, the band decided to just do things their way and not worry about how their sound would play towards radio time or anything of the nature. While I can’t really compare these songs to previous works (because I’ve always been a casual listener of the band and not one playing through their complete records), but their brand of pop/rock seems really at ease during In Stereo. By this, I mean it feels like the songs flowed out naturally. It’s has a really nice and enjoyable sound. It would appear that Cartel do great without the help of others. Maybe they should remain independent.
>Recommended Tracks: Each of the five tracks is equally great, but I definitely loved the lyrics most during “American Dreams”. Overall, this is a very well written and enjoyable EP.

THE OCEAN’S EYES – Lost Along the Way
[I Am Mighty Records] – Verdict: 7/10
This punk/rock outfit has a strong base to their songs. Everything is well constructed, but the songs rarely got stuck in my head. I found myself enjoying the EP, but without actually retaining much of my experience upon its completion. Somewhat similar to You Me At Six, The Ocean’s Eyes have a good rock formula going for them, but only sometimes come out catchy enough to remain in your replay folder. Lost Along the Way is a good record, don’t get me wrong. I just didn’t get the feeling I would desire returning back to it too often.
>Recommended Tracks: “Keep Me a Secret” and “Room of Red” appealed to me the most, but each song has a good construction behind it.

BRIGHT AND EARLY – Getting Through It
[Pacific Ridge Records] – Verdict: 9/10
Right from the start with the acoustic “Stick by Me”, the new Bright And Early EP is a gem. Getting Through It consists of four great tracks, each of which deserves to be heard. With a rough sounding, indie rock formula, Bright And Early are easily enjoyable and relatable. The songs all feel close to home and very honest, which is a great characteristic. This is a definite winner.
>Recommended Tracks: All four songs are great, but I especially loved the acoustic opener (“Stick By Me”) and the wake-the-fuck-up nature of the lyrical content found during the closer (“Selling Yourself Short”).

ANGELS AND AIRWAVES – Love Part 1 & 2
[Independent – To the Stars] – Verdict: 7/10
Compared to the other two A&A records, I found Love to be a bit boring. The original version (now considered Part 1), that was released last year, was more enjoyable than this deluxe installment. Part 1 is now all instrumental, which is cool I suppose if you like that sort of thing. It is ambient and soothing. Part 2 is where the actual new music comes into play, and it just doesn’t stand up to par with the older material. It’s still good and an enjoyable listen, but there isn’t any real standout or memorable tracks. (I did not have the movie DVD to review)
>Recommended Tracks: “Saturday Love”, “Surrender”, “My Heroine (It’s Not Over)”