Thursday, March 27, 2014

Giraffidae by Blue Bird

Blue bird | Giraffidae
1. Do Nothing
2. 47516
3. Joseph Candeloro
4. Giraffidae

Nottingham UK band, Blue Bird, brings four emo/twinkle song with the release Giraffidae. From the first track of this release you see the twinkle influence of this band. Songs jump around between soft and chill undertones to harsh chaotic feels. Vocals are laid back and raspy, guitars are high tone(as with all releases of this genre). Drums are nice to listen to, I love listening to drums from this genre, or any of the instrumentation for that matter, because to play twinkle music you've got to be skilled. You don't see any (good) twinkle bands filled with kids playing simple C-Am,Em,G chord progressions, four-in-the-floor drum beats, 3-0-2-3 bass lines at 4/4. Bass is actually heard fairly well in this release. Mostly what I've taken about bass guitar from all the bands I listen to, and from playing bass in a hardcore band, is that even if the bass isn't heard over everything else, it's still heard, and helps fill the void of music, such as a bass drum fills the voids in drumming. Production quality is well done with this release, I like it a lot, and if you ask anyone that knows what I like about music, the gang vocals seen in "Do Nothing" make me really happy. The only bad part about this entire release that I could find was that the songs all seem to be similar, and the vocals don't have much deviation. As a fan of emo music, I recommend this release. 

Favorite track: Do Nothing


Saturday, March 22, 2014

Surrender Last Show Video

Surrender was a local dark hardcore band, and in that perspective, the first hardcore band I ever listened to when my friend Kasey decided it was time to get me into the local scene. This was my first and sadly my last Surrender show, and it was amazing. It's sad to see a band like Surrender calling it quits, but all bands eventually end. Check out the video, and watch all of their other videos in the  Local 417 Shows page.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Acid Bank | Jinzo

Acid Bank | Jinzo
1. Bad Sky
2. Robot Hands (Prelude) 
3. Robot Hands 
4. Sing Praises
5. In My Dream I Ran
6. Big Glass (Prelude)
7. Big Glass ( Featuring Bekn Dignum) 
8. Drifting (Interlude)
9. Acid Bank
10. Forsaken Fleeto
11. Most Fearful Robbery
12. DOG BAG (Featuring Luna Webster)
13. Floating Out Of Time [featuring Fitzpunk & Brady Phantom]
14 Reunion
15. Hell Man (Outro)

Okay now that I've typed out that massive track list, time to review. 

Remember when I did that review on the ambient electronic release, Bad House? It's fine because I do. Anyway, this full length album was just released today, and if you like ambient beat music that makes you feel like you're going to go into some kind of a trance, this is exactly what you need. Most of the tracks are purely instrumental tracks, which all sound great, but there are a few that have vocals and those just


But ya know in the ambient electronic with vocals kinda way. 
For ya musical nerds out there(me) there is even a track in a time signature that isn't in 4/4 (Forsaken Fleeto) (Oh wow gee wilikers). For the most part, everything about this release holds the same chill vibe as seen on Bad House, - even with some of the same songs  -, but there seems to be a darker feeling to this release on a whole. I'm really digging it. Right now it's £4 which is some kind of weird Scottish currency. I used Google to figure out how much that is in real money (America)(jk) and it's $6.60. Really progresses well through the entire album.  I'd check it out if you need something to listen to or if you want to hear something good or if you like this kind of music. 

Favorite Track: Big Glass ( Featuring Bekn Dignum)




Fight Back (Demo) by Badger Squad

Fight Back Demo | Badger Squad
1. Fight Back
2. No Feeling
3. The fool
4. Ungrateful

I found this release a while ago and have been jamming it ever since. Badger Squad is a dark hardcore band out of London Ont. Badger Squad is a cool band for two reasons. For one, I don't find a lot of Dark Hardcore music. Secondly, I don't find a lot of Good dark hardcore music. These guys are very br00tal, breakdowns, dark lyrics, low tones, all the good stuff. It's good stock hardcore music that anyone could mosh/get into. Vocals are deep raspy tones that dominate the tracks. A band I'd like to see live if I ever got the chance. 
They just released this live recording video for "Ungrateful" 
Check it out right


Check out their facebook right

Here

Favorite track: No Feeling
bandcamp

My City (Is) My Defeat by (Come With Me) If You Want To Live

My City (is) My Defeat | (Come With Me) If You Want To Live
1. My City (My Defeat)
2. These Letters (That I swear I will never send)
3. A Six Year Old Girl (Says goodbye to her dad at work)
4. You Were The Bullet (Lodged in my Brain)
5. This Is It (This Is The Last Words I will Sing)

Lo-Fi release I found on Bandcamp, (Come With Me) If You want to live)  is a female fronted emo skramz band. Guitars are loud and dance around the tracks, only out mixed by the vocals, which are raw, hard, and screeching. Vocals are for the most part scramz stock, save for this weird nasal singing that kicks in in a few of the songs. At first these vocals are really annoying, but after a while they really compliment the tracks. Being a lo-fi release, you can't really hear the drums at all. They're really far back in the mix; same with bass. 
I was a little iffy about this release, because it's overall really weird, but there are times when the band takes a step back from the chaotic feel in most of there songs, and lay down a couple of seconds of music that really catches your attention. 

Favorite track: My City (My Defeat)

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Here In My Scheme, Here It Ends by Herbert Powell

Here In My Scheme, Here It Ends | Herbert Powell
1. Bodyman
2. I love My Fleeto
3. Black Glass
4. We Will Kick You In
5. Hell Farm
6. I Want To Be A Door
7. My Glass Teeth
8. Banter Orb

Found another band from Glasgow, this one is an experimental/ambient band. Sucks that I'm finding these bands that I like but I mean: 
To see these bands live would be kinda ridiculous. Anyway, as I said, Herbert Powell is an experimental/ambient/lo-fi band. I for one can really get into this, and I'm sure people who are fans of the genre's could easily get into it. Vocals are far withdrawn, and tracks are instrumentation heavy. Guitars dance around the track, drums are simple complimentary drums, and bass is driving. I think keys are scattered throughout the release but with this kind of music ya never really know. This is the kind of music I'll put on in the background and listen to while I'm doing something important like sleeping. The tracks tend to drag, but in a good way, and even though many times the instrumentation seems to be randomly placed with no direction, it all comes together at times, resulting in an awesome affect of making really cool music. Very cool thing where the entire song kind of falls apart in "My Glass Teeth". I really dig the guitar riffs and the vocals on this release. Check this band out if you are a fan of the genre.

favorite track: My Glass Teeth


Bad House by Jinzo

Bad House | Jinzo
1. Bad Sky
2. Robot Hands Interlude (Alternate Remix)
3. Bad House
4. Sad Eye

So I follow this guy on Twitter from Glasgow (which is probably somewhere in North Dakota, idk) who specializes in weird twitter, and today I found out he also does music things. His newest release (as well as all of his other releases) show off this ambient/electronic style of music that I'm not use to listening to. I am a fan of chill, lay back music, and this is just what that is. Have you ever watched that show, House, with the doctor who does the medical things? Ya know that theme song? Pretend it's not by Massive Attack and that it doesn't have vocals and you've got Bad House. Anyway really digging this release, and I'm going to be checking out the rest of his stuff. You should too. The kinda stuff you hear in those foreign movies about a bunch of kids that get into a bad situation and someone dies so they need some spacey music. 

Favorite track: Robot Hands Interlude (Alternate Remix)



*I know that Glasgow is not in North Dakota. That was a joke

Fri[ends] by Histories

Fri[ends] | Histories
1. Not Really, But Okay
2. Think Of Me When You Shave Your Legs
3. Turtle Dove

Local band Histories' new release, Fri[ends] is a solid release from start to finish. Matching the same great production of the band's first release, Histories comes back with a 3 song progressive rock release that reminds me just how awesome our scene is. This band probably should be signed soon, all of these songs are the kind of songs you get from bigger labels. Anyway, these guys know how to play their instruments, and I'm a huge fan of the drumming off this release. Histories' vocalist hits these crazy tenor notes that make me happy just listening to it. Anyway there is some cool secondary 'scream' vocals that they throw into "Turtle Dove", a song that really brings the entire release to a close. Histories does a really good job at song writing and telling stories with their stories. Amazing band, check it out. 

Favorite track: Turtle Dove

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Beach Bums- Washed Out EP


Beach Bums--Washed Out EP
 "Sometimes it's better if party isn't pretty"
'Sup, Beach Bums here from somewhere in Cali, playing some really grungy/dirty surf punk, I have a soft spot in my heart for surf-anything so if it's got the beach feel you better believe I'm going to be a fan.

Cool thing about Beach Bums that their songs aren't pretty and nice ALL the time, there's rough parts that make you wanna do silly moves in the pit or pull your friends hair as your singing as in the first track "Can't Understand". But as soon as it's over, they move into a cool western-vibe for "Spookylust" which kinda serves as the ballad on the ep. The next few songs are pretty stock punk/surf-rock songs with lyrics about either girls or about choking out your friends or something like that. I do like the use of the feedback in "Have You Ever", it's subtle, but very psychedelic. You can definitely feel influences of NOFX which is cool. So based of this current description, y'all should love this EP so get it, cuz it'z free.

Favorite Trackz: Spookylust, Have You ever


Saturday, March 8, 2014

Hit Home/Buttons and Mindy Split

Hit Home/Buttons and Mindy Split
1. Super Nintendo Chalmers (B/M)
2. No One Beats Sub - Zero (B/M)
3. Trixie Tag (B/M)
4. Unsunset (H/H)
5. Burdener (H/H)

I'm a gigantic fan of Hit Home. (their release, "Happily Ever..."  was my top pick of 2013). They did this split a while ago with band Buttons and Mindy. Contrary to Hit Home's emotive twinkle, Buttons and Mindy  brings a indie pop twinkle to the table. Catchy lines and soft lyric heavy singing laces the songs but still is accompanied by the loving time signature changes/instrumental music of the twinkle genre. 
In contrast to the lyric heavy songs from the first half of the split, Hit Home makes a shot at showing what they can do instrumentation wise, for the most part. The talent of these guys amazes me. Be in the guitar noodling riffs that break the song, the complicated drumming patterns,  or the deep driving bass, my attention is held through Hit Home's two songs. Both bands mix very well together, making this a wonderful release. Check it out.

Favorite Track: Burdener
Bandcamp

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Lost. Forgotten. Abandoned. Buried. by You'll Live

Lost. Forgotten. Abandoned. Buried. | You'll Live
1. Lost. 
2. Forgotten.
3. Abandoned.
4. Buried

I've been jamming this release for a while now and thought I'd share. This four track release takes the stock twinkle songs that you hear normally and throws a nice melodic spin to it with the lead guitar parts. The first three of these songs are relatively quick songs, and the finishing song is a seven minute long ballad that seems to stretch on; not necessarily in a bad way. Check it out, if you're a fan of emo/twinkle music you'll like this release.



Monday, March 3, 2014

Violet Mess by Free Drunk


Free Drunk-- "Violet Mess"

Free Drunk is a half-surf, half-grunge rock band from Azusa, California (I'm guessing southern cali). The first half of this release is über-surf-y the rest of it sounds like Nirvana (they even have a cover of School up on their bandcamp.). Not a bad release. A lot of cool and relaxed vocal harmonies on here, especially on No Sleep, which seems to have the same general guitar part as Mess, the last song on the album. I'm waiting for these guys new song "Cum Tastes Like Toothpaste" to come out too, heard it's going to be great.

Favorite Track: No Sleep or Skate Kids