THE ROBINSON RETORT: REVIEWS BY JON ROBINSON

The Phenomenauts – For All Mankind (www.springmanrecords.com)

This past week I decided to delve back into the treasure trove of my past and revisit the three latest Star Wars films (The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith). Sadly the first two hadn’t aged well. But hell, I figured if I was reviewing the latest Phenomenauts’ record, I had to get into the mood. This morning I viewed Titan AE, arguably the best sci-fi animated movie in existence in my humble opinion. I was locked and loaded with fresh ammunition. I ate some breakfast and here I am.

The album starts off with shouts of P-H-E-N-O-MENAUT! Goofy, yes, but the ‘Nauts are a band that need to be taken with a grain of sugar. Taking cues from new wave and good dose of rock n roll, For All Mankind has a little bit of everything. There are a few good songs, and there are a bunch of clunkers as well. The Phenomenauts cause their own demise here however. There are some really catchy, energetic, and fun songs on this record that show how talented and creative these guys are. On “Make a Circuit With Me,” the band’s sense of melody is uncanny and because of that and the ripping Chuck Berry-esque guitar solo, it’s one of the best songs on the record (“Compensation” is up there as well, for the same reasons.).

But with those songs there are some others that are just plain boring. Many of them have no context and while they may be funny to some, I was pretty disappointed. Not only are some of those songs pretty dull, but they drag on and lack the feeling of innovation that needs to come when the music you play makes some pretty apparent nods to music’s past. The Phenomenauts should take a nod from The Aquabats, a band that treads in similar water yet manages to not only craft a unique sound and keep things upbeat but also create a musical atmosphere all their own.

Maybe after viewing those films I was expecting too much, to be lead into a musical universe that doesn’t exist.

The Sheckies – "Go On a Diet" EP (www.cabana1records.com/)

There are many days when I really am excited to listen to pop punk. Bands like Delay, The Ergs, Copyrights, and Teenage Bottlerocket are taking the genre to new heights of musical diversity and talent. Then you have the Sheckies. Their ironic “Look How Fat I Am EP” was produced and recorded by analog purist Chris Gobo Pierce, who has also done records for the Ergs and Steinways. The first two songs were forgettable, but on the third song, “Paranoid Together”, the Sheckies finally kicked it into gear. I was hoping, praying, that there would be something better.

Sadly, what I thought was the light at the end from the moment I head that track was a mere mirage. I don’t think I could ever be embarrassed to say I listen to pop punk, but here we go guys! I didn’t think I could be ashamed of liking Star Wars, but congratulations Sheckies, I am a bit red in the face now. The lines about hos and whores and using numbers instead of words were cute, but I think I’d rather go and play with some action figures instead.

The Strugglers – The Latest Rights (www.acuareladiscos.com/)

In this era of the indie music blogosphere deciding what’s hip and what’s not, many really good acts either get lumped in with countless other singer/songwriters or, because they are not blog-darlings, get ignored. These days, it’s hard for places like Jersey Beat to get a word in edgewise to Pitchfork or music blogs like Stereogum and others. So it gives me great pride to introduce you guys to Brice Randall Rickford, otherwise known by the moniker: The Strugglers. Beware; Brice doesn’t play stupid folk music with lush harmonies and flavor-of-the-week instrumentation and vocals. Brice’s deep, inflective voice brings a totally new edge to his music, as well as setting himself apart from the rest of the pack.

However, The Strugglers would be nothing without the talented backing musicians from indie darlings St. Vincent and The Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers. The horns and other instrumentation that Bickford’s backing band provides are not of the Sufjan Stevens variety, which would entail a folk orchestra of sorts to accompany him. The Strugglers create patchworks of sunny horns, strings, and guitars that set The Strugglers apart from that college student playing the coffee shop on campus.

This album, which clocks in at 9 songs, seems short, as Bickford allows his band a more prominent role (here are more than a few instrumental breaks) on this record, while he lends his lyrical expertise. I may be prejudiced, but the song “Jonathan” (my name) is a standout. The song not only really hits home and is easy to relate to, but it’s also a sickeningly beautiful ode to a relative. It’s only a little bit of time before The Strugglers hit the spotlight. Then you can tell all your friends that you read it on Jersey Beat first!

Vietnam Werewolf – Ohio’s City (myspace.com/losdiaperrecords)

Even though I write for this lovely New Jersey-based publication, I reside in beautiful Cincinnati, Ohio. That’s why I was so glad to review a CD of a band that is a little bit closer to home. Vietnam Werewolf is part of the vibrant Cleveland/Berea DIY scene. This is evidenced by the band’s socially conscious lyrics (ala’ a more angry and immature Latterman) and penchant for playing fast, aggressive, and sloppily energetic punk rock. There are singalongs galore on this disc as the band laments on life in the Midwest, sexism, and the daily grind of Ohio living.

They do this with lots of energy and even though the sloppiness of the recordings does get in the way of my liking the tunes as much as I could, it adds an undoubting sincerity that many bands have trouble affirming to their audience. While the gruff, yelled vocals create the chaos in the music, the music itself should provide some sort of steady hold for the vocals to lean on. However, even though this is technically in the band’s repertoire, they dumb themselves down musically to create the passionate effect that bands like Delay do so effortlessly. I’d really like to hear them try to keep the music more focused but not loose the free spirit in the vocals.

Despite that quibble, Vietnam Werewolf plays music that represents Ohio. It’s something that you love with all your heart (even if it never really gets done perfectly.) These Cleveland boys bask in the glory, close their eyes, take a swig of their cheap beer, and soldier on. Just as it says in the song “Greetings from W. 44th Street,” the band screams: “This city’s got a place in my heart.” I agree, and so will every Ohio band that dares to do something as special as these guys. VIVA LA MIDWEST!

Colin Meloy – Sings Live (Kill Rock Stars)

The Decemberists, arguably the most overrated band in indie music today, have trotted the globe playing everywhere from bars to outdoor arenas with orchestras. So it seems that in order for the Decemberists to attain the paramount of indie rock credibility, something that no blog can give them, lead singer Colin Meloy would have to go “solo” and rough it out to huge crowds every night. On one of his past jaunts through America, Meloy traveled with nothing but his 12-string guitar and his grating librarian like voice.

On this tour, over many performances, Kill Rock Stars (the label the Decemberists were on before releasing their major label debut The Crane Wife) decided to release this in conjunction with the two EP’s that Mr. Meloy has released on tour: One was a release made up of Morrissey covers and the more recent EP was collection of Shirley Collins songs. But have no fear if you do not know who this obscure British folk singer is, MR. MELOY WILL TELL YOU DURING LIVE AUDIO FOOTAGE!!! The disc is made up of mostly Mr. Meloy covering his bands’ Kill Rock Stars catalogue (including his earlier band Tarkio) and a few covers. Sadly, pretty much all these songs fail, due to the fact that they were written for the entire Decemberists band to play, not just Mr. Meloy. The songs are boring and trite when the full band plays them, and they become even more so when they are stripped down to just an acoustic guitar. The only gem on this disc is the one original song Meloy pulls out of his bag of tricks for this one; the song is called “Wonder”, and to my surprise is listenable!

But I doubt anyone who reads this review and is a Decemberists fan will change their mind about buying this disc. They laugh at his terrible joke song, “Dracula’s Daugher” like its genius rather than the light hearted joke that he is telling the audience. Oh well, good riddance. Hopefully, Mr. Meloy’s horde of horn-rimmed hooters and holier than thou hipsters will finally realize that the shtick is up!

Enter Shikari – Take to the Skies (entershikari.com)

There are unique instrumental breaks in between groups of songs, which naturally organizes the record, giving it a unique flow and purpose. And even though Enter Shikari plays a unique brand of heavy music, songs like the pretty and delicate ballad “Today Won’t Go Down in History” don’t feel out of place. Enter Shikari do fall into a few pitfalls of their genre, but there are many moments of creativity and ingenuity on “Take to the Skies”.

The electronic music boom in Great Britain makes Enter Shikari the hardcore version of the Klaxons in a way. They have kids excited about music in the same way Refused did, except this time, it’s with glow-sticks. Anytime a band can stir up this much excitement this early in their recording careers, it’s always a good thing. There are some minor flaws on this disc such as the almost intolerable moments where an irregular scream pierces an otherwise fine song (“No Sssweat”). Even if you can’t dig the tunes, the idea’s what counts. Enter Shikari are setting out to do something new. Rave on.

The Pyongyang Metro – Tower of White Tigers (myspace.com/thepyongyangmetro)

The Asthmatics – Demo (myspace.com/asthmatics)

Despite having a nerdy as hell name, this power trio doesn’t stick with the convention and write all songs about girls. I hope these guys see the light of day (hopefully after a few listens to this CD you’ll get the joke!).

The Dead Betties – Fuck You Avril, You’re in the Army Now

This is pretty generic alternative rock. These guys are trying to bring back grunge with a little bit of new wave indie rock sensibilities, and it just isn’t happening. Some of the electronics mixed in with the high pitched guitars at times making the song almost to the point of being unlistenable: case and point “Cubic Zirconium”. I can’t even tell if this is supposed to be a joke or not, because the jokes aren’t even funny!

This is testing my patience! “The Suicide of Britney Spears” on the surface could be funny, but not only can I not understand a word of what the singer is saying but this instrumentation makes me feel sick. I don’t know what to make of this band!

After some research all I can say is that this band does a good job imitating an atrocious female singing voice. I think I’ll pass on this one.

Papertrigger – Riot Lovers EP

Papertrigger play indie rock with a hint of cabaret. Yet their EP never feels over the top. This band has obviously paid attention to bands like The Blackheart Procession, with the plethora of different nuances and instruments that the band utilized for this record. Papertrigger is as talented as the Blackheart Procession, but they put more emphasis on the guitars in their music. The story telling vocal delivery is similar to Black Heart Procession, but Papertrigger add a bit more melodic sensibility and the vocals are higher pitched, but never to the point of annoyance.

This is a bit long for an EP (25 minutes), but that is due to the awesome ending track: “Sidereal”. It’s a piano based track that turns ethereal half way through and what is hauntingly beautiful to some (me) sadly may seem boring to others. The downfall of this EP is that the songs seem rather out there and there is no real cohesiveness to tie the group of songs together. No doubt this band is talented, and the songs are quite entertaining, there just seemed to be no frame of reference. Songs like “Fox Hunting” and “We Are Nations Now” might fit well on a full length, but on an EP it feels like the band is searching to find its identity. Even if that is true, this is still a collection of great songs. No doubt.

The Chinese Telephones - The Chinese Telephones (It's Alive Records)

This is one hell of a record. These Midwesterners play gritty, passionate pop punk with a distinct raw edge that feels so urgent that is borders on desperation. This self titled release is a cut above the rest due to the amount of energy the Chinese Telephones are able to transfer on record. Many bands lose the fire of their live performance during the recording process, but these proud Wisconsinites are red hot and I am glad that the band was able to keep up the level of excitement on this record that was more easily done on the slew of 7” Split EPs the band has been putting out recently. These recordings, though put together on various occasions seem to catch the band at a moment in time when they played their hearts out and it definitely shows.

There is not a band song on this record, and there are too many highlights to point out. Whether it’s the totally unique and amazing “Crying in the Chapel” or the insane hooks on “Stay Around”, this is a pop punk classic that I feel will only get better with age (like a piece of fine Wisconsin cheese). At first the raw production was a turn off for me, and I couldn’t seem to get my head around it, but after putting the disc through a few go-a-rounds in the ole CD player I realized that the beauty of this record is in the raw power of a piece of music to be so close to perfection but to have a special characteristic to lend this record true uniqueness.

It’s Alive have really outdone themselves here. The fact that this is the first full length for the label raises the bar quite a bit. I mean, there is a map of Wisconsin on the physical CD. I mean, how much better can it get? This would have been on my top 20 or so of 2007 if it had not come out so late in the year, but I feel that this CD will get more than it’s fair share of spins in the future. PICK THIS UP!

Playing Favorites - I Remember When I Was Pretty (Suburban Home)

Playing Favorites is yet another one of the side project super-groups that have been birthed in the past couple years. I am glad to say that this band is miles ahead of bands like Velvet Revolver and Supernova who both produced pretty generic hard rock that many critics (including me) saw as a mere ploy to cash in on the name recognition that the member’s previous bands had in the music community. Playing Favorites not only buck the latest trends by releasing something truly original, but they approached the process of making this record in a very different way. Out of five band members, four wrote songs and came into the sessions with songs and taught their fellow band members the songs during the weeklong recording process. To add to the mix, those four songwriters traded instruments on the different tracks to let the person who wrote the song stay at the helm of the project and fashion the song in the way they had envisioned it.

In the end what was birthed is a fantastically unique album that is full of great pop songs with some killer hooks, a few rockers, tear-jerking ballads, and a handful of tender acoustic songs. While each song on this record has its moments, the best songs are the ultra-catchy pop songs that are not just great songs but are innovative, which is something to say for the genre the band is in. “Good Years” recalls the Foo Fighters signature guitar sound but when it is juxtaposed with Playing Favorites diverse talent for crafting poppy songs a totally beautiful song (lyrically and sonically) is birthed. This is the way it is with the entire album. The appeal to pop music on this record not only makes “I Remember When I Was Pretty” a tad bit more mainstream and less alt country than anything on Suburban Home Records to date, it allowed the members of the band to spread their wings and create something totally unexpected. This isn’t just music for fans of Lagwagon, Bad Astronaut, Sugarcult, The Penfifteen Club, The Rentals, and the many other projects that the people who make up this band have been involved in over the years. This is music that many can appreciate, not only for the down to earth nature of the tunes on this CD, but for magic that can happen when a few friends make an effort to do something creative and unabashedly pretty.

OFF WITH THEIR HEADS - All Things Move Towards Their End (noidearecords.com)

Being pissed off has never been so fucking catchy. Off With Their Heads lo-fi brand of Twin-Cities punk is the driving force behind this collection of material that is made up of material released on five 7”s, one song off a comp, and one unreleased track. These songs are surprisingly cohesive for being made up of such a diverse array of releases and recorded and toured on by 15 different musicians (at least). The songs vary from hardcore punk (the band’s hyper speed cover of the Replacement’s Goddamn Job) to the Rivetheadesque track “That Must Be Nigel With the Brie” and even touch on a hint of alt country on “Don’t Laugh I’m Totally Serious”, using synthesizers to create an upbeat mood that contrasts with the dour subject matter of the stereotypical Off WithTheir Heads song. Basically, this is genius. From the opener “Janie” to the closer “Sadie” and everywhere in between, this disc rocks and doesn’t let up. I don’t really see the Dillinger Four influence that everyone claims to hear in this band, but this record is awesome considering that I am not an obsessive vinyl collector who would want to spend the time and money tracking down all the releases that these songs are off of. Not to mention the utility of all the songs being on one CD! You’re lucky Minneapolis; Off With Their Heads is one of the best bands in punk rock today.

THE POPSTERS - Two Minutes/Runaway 7-inch EP (www.itsaliverecords.com)

As I was loading this into my CD player (courtesy of the ever useful CD-R included with this 7”) I was pondering what this album would sound like. I have yet to hear any other pop punk bands from Italy (the Manges are still on my “I need to listen to list”) and I imagined my Italian friend Anton’s over the top Northern Italian accent and immediately laughed at the very thought of it. But when “Two Minutes” began blaring out of my stereo I was confronted by lyrics that rival those of many English speaking bands and a band that didn’t hit the pitfalls that many pop punk bands get into by surprising me a few times throughout the first track on this record (serious lyrics, inventive guitar solos, etc.). The guitar playing very much recalls the Parasites, and for The Popsters that is definitely a good thing. The Italian accent if anything makes the song more sincere and adds a flavor to the song that would not have been there if someone had attempted to cop Joey Ramone’s vocal stylings for the fifty billionth time. Then comes the Dee Dee Ramone cover. It may work on the flipping of vinyl, but coming right after the awesomeness of “Two Minutes” the markedly slower “Runaway” seems to drag on a lot more than it should. I never liked the song very much when it was originally recorded, so no points off for that anyway. All in all I was very surprised. Time to check out more Italian punk bands! From the little Italian I know: Eccelenti Canzoni!!! Magnifico!

YOUNG LIVERS - The New Drop Era (kissofdeathrecords.com)

Ever since Hot Snakes broke up, there has been a void in music. There simply aren’t that many bands doing what John Reis did so perfectly. Here we have a band that takes Hot Snake’s angular post-punk played at a breakneck pace and melding it with early Hot Water Music and Gainesville “beardcore,” all while channeling the sound of a group that members of this band were previously involved in: Glasses and Ashes. That being said, this really hits the spot. These songs seem perfect to take to The Fest in Gainesville, due to the melding of the two styles of music that Young Livers grind out. The songs are quite aggressive, with more potency and punch than John Reis could have ever put into Hot Snakes. With hoarse screaming and fists held high, Young Livers have carved out their own place in my heart.

JUICEHEAD - The Devil Made Me Do It (Misfit Records)

Wow. It seems that some people think if the Misfits put their name on something, it means that it is good. It is not. Over-merchandize your t-shirts, lunchboxes, sweatshirts, wristbands, and underwear but please don’t force this music on the moldable youth of our nation! What a travesty. They didn’t even bother to make a better recording. They should have a new slogan: “Misfit Records, We Put Our Skull Logo On It, You Buy It.”

THE BRIEFS - The Greatest Story Ever Told (byorecords.com)

The Briefs are arguably one of the most exciting bands in punk rock, and when they said that they were taking a break, many fans were quite disappointed. As it turns out, the band was only taking a short break before getting back into the touring and recording saddle. And then they released this - not a full length, but rather a live EP with nine songs spanning their entire catalog. The songs are really well recorded, and having never seen the Briefs live, they make me wish I hadn’t been so fucking stupid. I am not normally attracted to this kind of punk/rock and roll, but goddamn is this fast, fun, tight, and awesome. The live songs are just one part of the package. The other is made up of a over a half an hour of Briefs live video footage, a tour of their practice space, footage of them in the studio, and an hour and a half long documentary chronicling the history of the Briefs. Some of the live footage isn’t the best, but the rest of the features are pure gold. Go BYO! I wasn’t a huge Briefs fan before, but hearing these songs live made the rest of the Brief’s catalogue something that I have to revisit. I’m blown away. Fuck, this is great.

SILENCE IS SAFETY - Silence is Safety (myspace.com/silenceissafety)

There are a small amount of female-fronted bands at the moment that I am interested in. Bands like Lemuria, Fifth Hour Hero, Discount, the Unlovables, The Soviettes, Rainer Maria, and Tegan and Sara all bring something unique to the table, whether it be sugar coated harmonies or the belting out of soulful lyrics, each band does something different. On Silence is Safety’s new EP, the band struggles to bring something unique to the table. The vocals do not venture into any territory that has not been conquered by any other band. There are a few moments of clarity, like on “I Can’t Tell You Why”, where the vocals hit in the higher register with sweet harmonies. The music itself is quite bland as well. There just seems to be something so generic about the riffs, and the painful acoustic ballad. This band needs to find some sort of sound that works well inside its strengths. Maybe they should have waited, and sadly silence may have been safer for them.

THE REVISIONS - Revised Operations (www.dirtnaprecs.com)

It seems to me that Dirtnap Records is hyping this record up to be more than it actually is. They are making a huge deal out of the fact that this record was recorded in the same place that the Exploding Hearts recorded their rock and roll masterpiece "Guitar Romantic" and that this band has members of the Clorox Girls and The Observers. This band is nothing like the other bands that I previously mentioned. There's no electric guitars here. This is an acoustic project. Yet this is not your standard acoustic project either. The songs sport doubled vocals and are quite unlike the acoustic projects of punk rockers like Chris McCaughan, Tim Barry, and Chuck Ragan who took a mellower and slightly folksier approach. THE REVISIONS add a piano and an acoustic approach, and it seems that they are trying to do something different, but sadly this fails. The songs sometimes are as fast as Clorox Girls songs, and sometimes when I listen to this band I wish that they were the Clorox Girls. A surprise is the track "No Wars". It's just the vocalist, sans doubled vocals singing along with some strings. It's eerily beautiful, and shows what potential this band had. This happens again on "Empty House", which along with some strings adds a dash of finger picked guitar. The up-tempo songs on this record would make great raw and catchy Clorox Girls songs, but THE REVISIONS fall really short of their goal on this one. It's sad that the studio that recorded such a great record as "Guitar Romantic" had to end on this low, low note.

THE BEATNIK TERMITES - Girl Crazy (insubordinationrecords.com)

I think I've listened to so much pop punk that sometimes I write really talented bands off for sounding "too generic". This happened when I first listened to this record, then when I popped it in a few days ago I realized that my opinion had changed. I still wasn't a huge fan of Pat's vocals, but goddamn when the band hit those harmonies I couldn't help but smile. All the songs are about girls, which puts a little smile on my face. The teenage-like honesty of the lyrics is something special. Mass Giorgini's production work is all over this record. He really helps to make the band seem bigger than a three piece. Again, there is nothing mind-blowing or amazing on this record, but definitely a solid release from Pat and the awesome people over at Insubordination Records. - Jon Robinson

BE MY DOPPELGANGER - Rock N' Roll Genius (myspace.com/bitchinriffage)

Wow. This band is really good. From the first song I was hooked. This is a band that is clearly influenced by some older power pop bands but forges their own sound with a unique approach to music. They add sincerity to music that used to be all about frivolity. A real gem is "Evening News", where bassist Bradley Anxiety takes the mic and ends up sounding like a more pop punk version of a younger Chris Conley and leads the band in the resounding chorus of "You're gonna make the evening news!!!". The band would do well to let him sing a little bit more, he has a great voice. I look forward to see what else this band has to offer. As far as I can tell they have a slew of vinyl releases out now, I would recommend checking into those as this release is from 2006 and the stuff I have listened to online is every bit as good as I hoped it would be. Rock on! - Jon Robinson

THE BUSY SIGNALS - The Busy Signals (www.dirtnaprecs.com)

This Chicago band fits the Dirtnap formula quite well. They play fast, high octane, raw, buzzy, old school pop punk that has been a staple of many of Dirtnap's releases. The band is surely covering old ground, but plays it with the speed and precision that any old school punk band would have killed for. The lead vocalist for THE BUSY SIGNALS is a girl, recalling the Soviettes at times, but clearly different from the more original and less rock 'n roll based Minneapolis group. Analucia rarely actually sings, she sticks to doing her take on a more punk rock Debbie Harry while the band constantly churns out unbelievably fast riffs. The guitar playing is far from just a simple 1-4-5 chord progression; the band's two guitarists add more punch to the music and tweak the punk rock 'n roll formula. Basically, nothing new hear. If you never got to see the Ramones live, this may give you an idea what one of their contemporaries might have sounded like. You may have seen a band like this play at CBGB's back in the day, but for now the band is trying to liven up music that has tended to be quite stagnant on record. - Jon Robinson

AKIMBO - Navigating the Bronze (www.alternativetentacles.com)

The cover-art of the new AKIMBO record depicts a tour van with horns and a Viking ship sail traversing rough waves. Not only is the artwork funny, but it is oddly appropriate. From the first cut AKIMBO unleashes their heavy, gritty, Louisville sound on the listener. For those who don't really have an idea what I mean by the Louisville sound let me help you out. The Louisville sound features a more heavy and gritty version than your standard thrash metal band, they pepper in some hardcore riffs and play out of a wall of stacked up amps. The album was produced by a member of Lords, appropriately enough from Louisville. That being said, Navigating the Bronze is really loud, technical, and surprisingly progressive, from the 3 minute drum solo on "Roman Coins" to the soloing on "Megatherium". For those who are new to this genre of music, AKIMBO is a great gateway into discovering this great genre of music, but there are better bands out there. When I listen to AKIMBO, I always think that the record could be faster, heavier, and more cohesive. The songs are a tad longer than they should be and when the songs are shorter it sounds like they are trying to copy Lords. Bands like Breather Resist, Coliseum, In Tongues, Lords, Black Cross, and Pusher are all bands from Louisville that have done it better. All these bands take the aspects of the music that AKIMBO are trying to put together but do it in their own unique way. A major gripe I have with Navigating the Bronze is the vocals. They make the album sound sloppy and whatever tightness AKIMBO had as a unit gets lost. For their next effort I'd recommend a good dose of crunch and drums with minimal vocal garbage. The side effects could be great!

BEST FRIENDS FOREVER - Romance, Conflict, Adventure (www.plan-it-x.com)

This trio from Minneapolis, Minnesota goes for the cutesy indie pop thing but comes up short. Songs go from well done and catchy (Handpocket) to downright criminally awkward and cringe-worthy. It sometimes seems that the band tries to make the songs that are awkward and that the cutesy DIY attitude and two semi cute looks of the two girls in the band will save them. But there are a few good pop songs to boot, "Twins in Love" and "Tape Song" are great. This band is going on hiatus until spring of 2008 and we can only pray that they rethink their approach to music. BEST FRIENDS FOREVER sure could do with a new direction; there are moments where they actually seem sincere.

THE DAUNTLESS ELITE - Graft (www.plan-it-x.com)

Raw, energetic punk rock is what THE DAUNTLESS DELITE deliver with their new CD Graft. This is a Plan It X Records release so the production is pure DIY. With this approach, THE DAUNTLESS ELITE put a new twist on melodic punk. By creating a raw, yet melodic record "Graft" recalls Leatherface and American Steel (vocally) and manage to create interesting and catchy 3 minute cuts. The lyrics are no push-over either. The band keeps the raw sound while still managing to retain their melodic edge and not get boring, as so many "raw sounding" records end up doing. This is good stuff. I definetly recommend this record, and for 5$ at the Plan It X webstore, it's worth it.

THE LOW BUDGETS - Leave Us a Loan (www.chunksaah.com)

I never listened to the Dead Milkmen, but I know enough about punk rock to know that they were a satirical punk band from Philadelphia in the 1980s, that broke up back in the early 90's. It seems like one of the old Dead Milkmen decided to start THE LOW BUDGETS. With such reputable punk credentials and a great album title ("Leave Us a Loan") I was quite intrigued as to how the album would sound. When I listened to this record I was a tad disappointed. What we get is a record that instead of championing the working class is a 15 track mockery of it. From the far from funny "Fat Cop" to the gut wrenching "Wipe My Ass with the World", this record is really no good. Songs about "livin' la vida broka" never sounded so terrible. The band's attempt to bridge comedy, with Devo, and raw punk rock fails miserably. I was never a big fan of Devo, but THE LOW BUDGETS don't make me even want to start dancing when I hear their music, it makes me wince. This proves the old adage, never judge an album by it's cover, because if you did you'd be out 10$ and be incredibly unsatisfied.

THE EUROPEAN POPPUNK VIRUS VOL. 2 (Various Artists) (www.stardumbrecords.com)

For us Americans, we usually divide our music into two scenes: local and national. With so much going on around us, we forget that thousands of miles away, across the Atlantic Ocean in Europe, the punk scene is also thriving. So Stefan Stardumb and the folks over at Stardumb Records have put together a compilation of bands from all over Europe, from the United Kingdom to Italy, from Germany to Yugoslavia, many countries are represented. While some tracks are stinkers, there is a good deal of amazing songs. THE RETARDED steal the comp with their Andrew WK meets the Ramones song "You Gotta Go". THE 20 BELOWS also add a stellar cut in "I Give Up," ontributing to the diversity on the comp. Though most of the songs are Ramones rip off songs there are a few bands that seem to be finding their own identity, whether it is the SPANK DARTH VADERS' female based vocals or THE APERS' signature pop punk sound. The idea upon which this compilation is based is great; by focusing on scenes around the globe, state, or nation, the comp becomes more cohesive and creates a close unifying theme. Sure Stardumb Records could have done a pop punk compilation including bands from the U.S, but all the bands on this comp share more than just musical taste, they share the common experience of being European, and that is what unity is all about.

THE MENZINGERS - A Lesson in the Abuse of Information Technology (Gokartrecords.com)

By the time Gainesville, Florida's Against Me! had recorded their breakout full length, Reinventing Axl Rose, it seemed that acts mimicking their gritty folk-tinged punk were popping up out of nowhere around the country. The folk-punk craze has since died down, but that doesn't mean that some kids from Scranton, Pennsylvania can't play passionate, angry, well-produced music while also drawing from an amalgam of other influences. A Lesson in the Abuse of Information Technology by THE MENZINGERS has two faces. One is the "scream until you lose your voice" side that conjures up images of an amazing and energetic live show. Add a few well placed upstrokes to diversify the guitar sound on this record and you have one killer combo. The perfect example of this side of THE MENZINGER'S is the title track's use of gang vocals that propel the song along at full throttle (I never thought I would use this phrase to describe a punk record). "Even For an Eggshell" (most definitely my favorite cut from the record) perfects the use of harmonizing clean vocals with yelled ones that makes the acapella chanting of the chorus at the song's climactic end well worth the wait. The band draws influence from the great Joe Strummer most clearly on their amazing acoustic turned high octane punk song "Richard Coury" and the obvious inclusion of a cover of the Clash's "Straight to Hell" (which the band covers to great effect). The alter ego of THE MENZINGER'S full throttle punk side is their more laid back acoustic songs that, along with the rest of the albums lyrics, rail against the government in an Anti Flag-esque way. Newer Anti Flag is another clear influence lyrically and musically for this band. The album's last track is a real surprise, an acoustic jazzy number that brings the imagery of a busking radical folk musician to mind, among other things. I don't think I have ever heard a band that on paper seems to be so derivative but wows me with each spin in my CD player. I can't wait for this band to come to my town and leave everyone stunned. - Jon Robinson

DAS KAPITAL - Died True (www.johannsface.com)

The drummer and one guitarist of Chicago, Illinois' DAS KAPITAL help to run the reputable Chicago punk label Johann's Face Records, which answers the one question I had when I heard this band: How the hell did they get signed? This band brings nothing truly original to the table. They try to combine the raw energy of bands like Naked Raygun with the old school sound of the Damned. Being a fan of both of the aforementioned bands I thought I would like this record. What ruins it is an additional ingredient that didn't need to be added to the mixture, kind of like deciding to add a couple of extra tablespoons of salt to the banana bread you're trying to make (trust me, from experience this is a bad thing). The extra ingredient that ruins the tasty banana cake that Died True could have been is the influence of bands like Husker Du. Instead of making the songs grittier and faster, DAS KAPITAL tries to add the poppy sound that seemed to work so well on Husker Du's records, but ultimately doesn't work well in this case. Bear down and lose the frills, play from the heart not the head. -Jon Robinson

BROADWAY CALLS (www.stateofmindrecordings.com)

When I first put this disc in my CD player, I new I was in for something special. From the all out catchiness of "Call it Off" and "Suffer the Kids" to the more slow songs on the record, BROADWAY CALLS rock their self titled record from start to finish. These twenty somethings from Rainier, Oregon have crafted their own sound and calling upon the obvious pop punk influences of bands like Green Day and the Smoking Popes. Although the lyrics are a tad immature in some cases, the songs musically help to echo the singer's frustration. This record however could be much better. The acoustic songs don't really hit the spot as much as the rest of the record and the singer's voice can get a tad boring. Hopefully someone else in the band would be open to singing vocals on the band's next effort to give the singer a break and move their music in a new direction. This is yet another band that has gross amounts of potential. Hopefully the more the band travels the country touring with breed the great songs that made this record so promising. They've got what it takes. - Jon Robinson

EVERY AVENUE - "Ah!" EP (www.everyavenuemusic.com)

Fearless Records was propelled into the spotlight by bands like At the Drive In and Sugarcult and have since put out a multitude of crappy records. In fact I can only think of about one record that I have actually liked from Fearless in the past five odd years, Bigwig's latest CD Reclamation. EVERY AVENUE is yet another band/nail in the coffin of the great Fearless Records. EVERY AVENUE is a simple mix of Fall Out Boy and Cartel thrown in a blender and served chilled to the eager public, with a dash of The Plain White T's for good taste. The problem is that Fall Out Boy, Cartel, and the Plain White T's each have something that EVERY AVENUE seems to lack on their "Ah! EP": chops, melody, and songwriting ability. Even more hilarious is this band's claim to being different because they don't "scream or do cliché hardcore breakdowns," when it becomes pretty obvious that they are nothing original at all. Wake up and smell the roses, guys, this has already been done. Derivative, derivative, derivative. - Jon Robinson

JENA BERLIN - Quo Vadimus (www.jumpstartrecords.com)

Intense cathartic blasts of early 90's emo paired with a powerful hardcore aesthetic help to define the JENA BERLIN'S latest release, Quo Vadimus. The music is potent yet beautiful, with epic guitar parts that are paired with vocalist Jon Loudon's assertive and earnest vocals. Though Loudon has bared down since the last JENA BERLIN record, the power that the album gains from his self-control makes the CD sound more urgent than ever. When Loudon would go crazy on previous JENA BERLIN recordings it showed the band's more energetic side but wouldn't lend itself well to the new batch of songs. With standout tracks like the opener "Chelsea" that opens with a Long Island Hardcore like riff that slowly winds intricately as the song unfolds and the more elaborate and clean "Island Living" that features JENA BERLIN'S unique harmonizing style. This unique vocal pairing helps to make "Dancing" a strong and memorable song by tweaking the formula to their songs a bit. Luckily this style of music is seeing a recent resurgence with bands like Polar Bear Club, Look Mexico, and Bridge and Tunnel creating followings across the country. But JENA BERLIN'S greatest strength lies in their ability to meld both heavier parts and the complex post hardcore guitar work into worthy sing-along material. Every time I listen to this record I hear something different and that is not something that can be said about many bands today. "Quo Vadimus" for all the Latin scholars out there (I'm not ashamed!) means "Where are we going?" and JENA BERLIN is certainly on the right path. - Jon Robinson

HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS - "Hundreds and Thousands" EP (www.heartbreakbeatrecords.com)

Los Angeles post punkers Hundreds And Thousands play raw, simple, indie-punk influenced by the Minutemen, Hot Snakes, and Drive like Jehu minus loud, energetic vocals. This lends the band it's originality by blending frenetic guitar playing and a crazy drum and bass section with vocals that aren't yelled or screamed. The album was recorded all analog, which like the bands sound, is a gift and a curse. Though it's gives the recording a raw sound, it also takes away any chance that Hundreds And Thousands had to smooth over the recording and create a sleeker sounding debut. Hundreds And Thousands could do with beefing up their sound by moving into the digital age, where their peers are creating music with the same intensity but in better quality. The fact that the music is raw doesn't necessarily mean that this record is bad, but I'm sure if Hundreds And Thousands take a rag and some cleaning materials to their next recording endeavor and decide to stop listening to Steve Albini's engineering advice and turn up the vocals their next record will set them apart from other bands of their kind. - Jon Robinson

DEMANDER - The Unkindness of Ravens (myspace.com/demander)

It seems to me these days that bands are trying too hard to be different. There are so many bands that say: "We can't be classified, we have so many influences." Demander takes that to a whole new extreme. This band has no classifiable sound because almost none of their songs sound the same. Listening to The Unkindness of Ravens gave me the feeling that they tried to make each song sound different. The songs that are good, however aren't highly original. "Revelle" sees the band try its one song buzzing guitar attack and "Lovelife" ends up being a decent pop song. Other tracks see the band try to emulate bands like Fugazi, and even go for a PJ Harvey rip off, which comes off sincerely but ultimately fails. If Demander had gone into the studio with a more concrete idea of what they wanted The Unkindness of Ravens to sound like, they would have shed the other 6 tracks that make this record bad instead of mediocre. Hopefully this band will create a record that actually goes out on a limb and sounds coherent instead of hoping to please everyone by creating a hodgepodge of tunes. - Jon Robinson

THE ERECTION KIDS VS. TITLE FIGHT (http://www.myspace.com/flightplanrec)

It seems as time has gone on, bands like Saves the Day and Lifetime have been a huge influence on the now burgeoning melodic "poppy" hardcore scene. From Set Your Goals all the way from the Bay Area to Daggermouth all the way from Canada, it is surprising how music that grew from the New Brunswick, New Jersey basement scene has diffused all over the world and has made it's way to Doylestown, Pennsylvania/Philadelphia area and has birthed this split disc. Both bands however are not clones of each other or any of the aforementioned bands. The Erection Kids is probably the single worst band name. It didn't help that they had a voice over about tits at the beginning of their first song either, but their side of the split was solid. Their sound reminds me of an old Cincinnati band (that everyone should check out) named Saturday Supercade. They released some stuff nationally on Red Leader Records a while back before they broke up and maybe, just maybe this band has heard of them. If not they should. The songs are fast, fun (as pop punk should be) and the recording is surprisingly good. And despite being called The Erection Kids (good God, it hurts to say their name out loud), their lyrics are not immature but have some substance. The first track is a gem, but the second one sounds like it could break into a ska upstroke at any minute. That part should have just been taken out as when the song finally kicks in, it sounds great. The Lifetime influence on this band is the speed of their songs as well as some influence in their guitar playing. The vocalist is good. All the songs are great and promising. Hopefully their van doesn't get crashed into too often, so they can actually tour. But PLEASE CHANGE YOUR NAME! Title Fight's side of the split kicks in with "Room 200" with a Kid Dynamitesque bass line and some kick ass guitar work that resembles somewhat Set Your Goals. But when you realize that this band does not have a vocalist but rather the band members all play instruments it makes the trading off of the vocals even more impressive. TITLE FIGHT is definitely more of a hardcore band than the The Erection Kids. Their side of the split is as solid as the other side. The songs are melodic and it's easy to see kids at shows singing along with Title Fight. This split is a great starting point for both bands. They are good, no doubt, but their sounds could use a little pitch of uniqueness to set them apart from the bands they are emulating. I'm sure that you will hear more of these bands in the future. Good split, good bands, one bad band name, great songs. - Jon Robinson

THE INEVITABLE BACKLASH - "Sex For Safety" EP (http://www.theinevitablebacklash.com)

There are a few rules I believe every band should abide by when promoting their music. The number one rule is: Do not use the name of good bands in name when describing crappy music! Strike three you're out. The Inevitable Backlash drops the names of three pretty good bands. The first infraction comes from the fact that two of their members were in successful bands in the past. Their bassist was in Saccharine Trust (a great band) and their drummer was in the Rollins Band (an altogether decent band). To make music this garbage is to tarnish those bands memories. This music is terrible. This band would make me never want to check out Saccharine Trust. The Inevtiable Backlash play incredibly generic rock music and use the fact that they recorded on analog to try to appeal to purists. Hopefully they aren't stupid enough to buy that garbage. The third band that THE INEVITABLE BACKLASH use in vain is indie-rock duo Tegan and Sara. Apparently the art for this EP was done by the same person. Obviously they had more drive to do Tegan and Sara's artwork, because this is nothing special. In fact they would have been better off doing it on their own. Now to the music: What we have here friends, is generic rock music. There is nothing special about this EP, even a generic acoustic song. The sad thing is that the acoustic guitar on that song is the best sounding instrument on this record. The vocals sound bad too. It makes me shudder. Do yourself a favor. Pick

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