ALCOHOLICS
UNANIMOUS – 20 Years of Tanked Up Tunes
(www.steelcagerecords.com)
This is a band that screams “let’s
fuckin party!” And party they do. Some
of these tracks sound like the band was pretty
ripped while they were in the studio. The album
is basically a collection of A.U. songs from
the past 20 years with a few new ones that were
never released. Some would complain that the
subject matter really doesn’t stray from
booze and partying. I would say thank god it
doesn’t. It’s a nice (and fun as
hell) way to get away from every other band
that sings about love, politics, friends, and
life. Actually A.U. is kind of like real alcohol
in that sense, a fun and healthy escape from
everyday life. And besides, any band that writes
a song called “Shittin' And Pukin' At
The Same Time Blues” has my respect, that’s
for damn sure. A.U.’s music is what a
honky-tonk (punky-tonk?) in the South would’ve
sounded like if the guys in the in-house band
were big fans of The Cramps and even bigger
fans of Jim Beam. – Fernando Vázquez
HERE I COME FALLING – Oh Grave Where
is Thy Victory (riserecords.com)
Here I Come Falling is a Christian metal-core
band with screamo vocals that has one guitar
player who can actually play guitar (something
they try very hard not to let you forget). The
songs are generally praises to God but usually
deal with detailed accounts of dying and entering
Heaven. Then on the last track they scream about
being warriors for the Lord. If Here I Come
Falling’s goal was to make me uncomfortable
then mission accomplished. – Fernando
Vázquez
FOR THE FALLEN DREAMS – Changes (www.riserecords.com)
Ditto– Fernando Vázquez
OLIVIA
THE BAND – Where We Come From It Never
Snows
(www.syntaxrecords.com)
The record’s title urked me a little
especially when I started thinking of the
tri-state area during the winter of ‘96.
I think this really may be a problem with
some West Coast bands. The lack of actual
weather makes them soft and in turn makes
their music hit softer. That being said, Olivia
the Band is West Coast as all hell (even more
than most Cali bands since they’re from
Hawaii). I’m hesitant to call them “surf-punk”
because they’re surf-punk the way Lit
and Unwritten Law are surf-punk. Lyrically
they deal with how much they love their archipelago
abode, watching friends go through some bad
decisions, and their faith Christ. Huh-wah?!
Yup these Polynesian Pop-Punkers are into
JC, although it would really be unfair to
call them a Christian band since that label
has a mouthful of undeniable negative connotations.
They’re more of a safe and positive
band than they are pious assholes from the
Midwest who close their eyes and raise their
hands to the sky while they sing. I doubt
they’ll go double-muhr anytime soon,
at least in places where it actually does
snow. – Fernando Vázquez
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