The Swellers Ups and Downsizing Review

Wow, quite the day for rock music! New stuff dropped from AFI, Paramore, Strung Out, Evergreen Terrace, It Dies Today, Hatebreed and Flint Michigan's The Swellers. It was an easy choice deciding which release I would write about first.

It's no secret that I have been a huge fan of this band for a long time. See the review of their last opus. A while after "My Everest" came out, I started to wonder out loud, "someone is paying attention and is going to grab them away from Search and Rescue records, right?" I kept thinking, what am I missing or more appropriately, what are these record labels missing? Well, fortunately the nice folks over at Fueled By Ramen were paying attention and snapped them up earlier this year. Over time, I suspect we will all look back and say "what a coup". I don't know if they have good artist management or if the label is simply really smart, but putting them out on the road as support for Paramore is brilliant. That Paramore release ("Brand New Eyes") is going to be huge, and playing mid-size theatres for the next few months will introduce legions of Haley fans to a really good, hard working and genuine punk band!

The Swellers "Ups and Downsizing" starts with a great opener! "2009" is a great melodic punk opening track, reminds me of the start of No Use For A Name's "Not Your Savior" kicking off "More Betterness". I rarely do this when I listen to a release the first time, but I had to go back and listen to that track a couple of times before moving on to the bands first single, "Fire Away". Yes, it's that good. "Fire Away" is very complex and quite mature. It's the song where I first remarked at how strong that Nick Diener's voice has become. I have long thought that he had a good punk voice, but on this track, and really the whole album, it's clear that Nick has developed some serious strength in that voice. "Load up the flares and fire away"!!! Way to announce that The Swellers have arrived and hey everyone, take notice!

"Ups and Downsizing" continues with "Sleeper", one of the more pop-punk tracks. It's very accessible, mid-paced and easily memorable. I had heard "Welcome Back Riders" off their 7 inch, so I was familiar with this track and it is another strong track with rich melodies and it's heartfelt sentiment.

Then we come to "Feet First". The subtlety in Nick's voice is impressive as this track starts off like a whisper and builds to a crushing melodic hardcore pinnacle. It's probably not likely to be their next single, but it's such a strong song that I think it would do quite well. "Do You Feel Better Yet?", hey wait, I just figured it out. The Swellers sound very similar to one of my most favorite, under appreciated acts, Israel's Useless ID. Both vocally and melodically "Do You Feel Better Yet?" and several other tracks could easily be found on that groups amazing "Redemption" release. That was a great melodic hardcore album from start to finish and "Ups and Downsizing" is equal to it, actually, it surpasses it!

Not sure that the word "darker" should be used to describe a punk song, but it somehow fits for "Ups and Downsizing". It's kind of has this dark vibe, melodically. Maybe it's lyrics that speak of leaving, thawing, or that "should I stay or should I go now" type of sentiment leaves me with that darker impression. It's one of the "slower" tracks on the album, and might disappoint some of the fans of their earlier hyper-paced stuff. For me though it's a pretty strong tune as we start to head toward the finish of this album.

Fear not, hyper-paced fans, you will have your cake and eat it too on "The Iron". Another great track and one that once again, showcases the depth to Nick Diener's vocals. He's not Tim McIlrath (yet...), but he is a very strong punk vocalist as is shown on "The Iron".

"Watch It Go" sums up The Swellers in one single song with it's tempo changes and its natural sing-along quality. "Stars" starts off with some beautiful acoustic guitar and then leads into one of their more "moodier" melodies. It's The Swellers own "My Hero" and it's brilliant! "Dirt" finishes off one of the best rock records of 2009! It's dark and complex and a little sad, but musically it's filled with that Swellers "speed up / slow down" heartfelt approach to song writing.

Faultless harmonies abound on this entire album. It's tight musically! Each member does their own part very well and then they come together very easily. This is what punk rock should sound like in 2009!

Likeability should not enter into an opinion on someones art, but be real, it does! The art of The Swellers is excellent, but maybe I appreciate it so much, because they seem like real, (hate using this term) "down to earth", hard working but have fun, kind of guys. You can't help but want for them to thrive and succeed. Well, they certainly have on this record. They have done right by themselves and by their fans with the outstanding work on "Ups and Downsizing". It's true that what you get in return is always equal to what you put out there. Based upon this effort, The Swellers should prepare for more betterness!

Go grab it at iTunes

or it's on sale at FYE

THE WORLD WE KNEW To The Wolves Review

From Long Island comes The World We Knew. "Maturity" is the first word that comes to mind as I finished listening to the release for the second time. While TWWK has only been around for about 5 years or so, there is a certain maturity to both their music and their songwriting.

I did not hear 2007's "Exordium", so this is my first exposure to the band. And after reading that TWWK is "committed to bring innovative and exhilarating material to a stagnant genre of music" on their bio, I thought, man these fellas better seriously bring it with that kind of throwdown challenge. Not sure I agree about stagnant, since virtually every hardcore / metal band is on one of the many summer tours heading across the US (see Thrash and Burn, Summer Slaughter, Pedal to the Metal, Mayhem Festival, 10 Bands for $10, etc.). But I will give TWWK some serious credit for releasing an album that comes across as far more mature than their years and certainly more mature than some of bands filling those tours.

Musically, TWWK has some pretty broad appeal. There are elements of hardcore, thrash metal, death metal, grindcore and even some melodic thrash. Released on Jamey Jasta's Stillborn label, you can hear elements of Hatebreed, but I would liken the band a little closer to New Jersey's God Forbid, although the production on "To The Wolves" surpasses "Earthsblood" in terms of pure brutality. I would also offer that TWWK have infused some significant hardcore elements that might be missing in other bands of the crossover genre. Maybe that's natural given their locale, but I hear some NYHC a la Madball and SOIA. They take all of these varied influences and they do truly acheive the "innovation" they spoke to on their bio.

For me, the standout track on "To The Wolves" is "News Flash". In just a short 3 minutes, this song illustrates that maturity, tempo changes, melodic death metal, pure thrash elements and some stellar hardcore screaming courtesy of their outstanding vocalist, Frank. The album certainly starts out strong enough too with the title track and I can't help but think that that track is nothing short of a crossover free-for-all. I can imagine the mosh pits that "To The Wolves" must create. I also love "King Of The Ring" for its pure aggression and I hope they appreciate that after hearing that track it made me want to unearth "Heartwork" by Carcass and marvel at the intricate guitar work of that those death metal legends.

Finally, I think we have found a new hardcore / metal production talent in Nick Bellmore. He has produced an album with the high quality production value of say the last Hatebreed, but has done it in a manner that honors and respects the technical intricacy found in TWWK's music.

My only disappointment is that I actually have to go out and get the actual album as it has an extra track, "Vanquish" that's not on the downloadable version. That's how much I enjoyed listening to this release!

Go grab it at Amazon


or at iTunes

Punk Bands With Three Letter Acronyms - Who's the Best?

More than any other genre, punk has over-indulged itself in 3 letter acronyms or TLA's. Who was the first? DRI, MDC, JFA? Nope, you have to go back even further than that to find the progeny of TLA punk, MC5! Sure, they were rock, glam, but they were most certainly punk too. MC5 was the first, but they were by no means the last.

Here is a whole post devoted to the long-lost art of three letters to name your punk band! If I've missed any, just comment and I'll update the post.

In a kind of order of importance, here goes.

1. AFI. Love their new stuff or hate their new stuff, Davey and the boys have shattered any barriers that once existed in the genre. For that reason alone, they deserve first billing. Another reason, it's some of the more creative and innovative punk rock ever!
2. DRI. Dirty Rotten Imbeciles came out of Texas like a shot from a blast furnace. Angry, hyper-paced, politically charged hardcore and eventually crossover thrash metal.
3. GBH. In my mind, the leaders of the punk rock British Invasion along side peers Broken Bones, Exploited, UK Subs, Discharge and the under-sung English Dogs.
4. FU's. Hey, that counts, right? Before they were Straw Dogs, Fu's were part of a vibrant Boston punk scene in the early 80's. "Do We Really Want To Hurt You?" was a great punk album and while peers like Gang Green might have garnered more notoriety, this band played way better, far grittier hardcore punk.
5. BGK. This one might surprise some of you, but this Dutch band was way before its time. This was blistering, angry hardcore, like you might expect to find coming from the States in the early 80's.
6. RKL. Rich Kids on LSD. God love 'em. "Riches To Rags" is a terrific punk release. To this day, "Give It Up" is one of my most memorable punk songs from the 90's!
7. JFA. Jody Foster's Army. "We Know You Suck" is a classic. It compiles the bands first two releases. This was California skate rock at its best. I say California because it seemed like they were playing in SoCal every other weekend, but they might have been from elsewhere in the Southwest. Their cover of The Ventures "Walk Don't Run" is wonderful. This band is loaded with anger and rebellion and was probably one of the first real skate punk bands.

That's it. That's my list. Go ahead, ask the one question you all know you want to ask if you were listening to punk in the 80's???? Where is MDC? Nowhere. Never was a fan, it's OK if you were, I am not. I just never really got it.

There you have it. The moment I click submit, I am going to remember one more, but I think this is a pretty accurate and fair list. Let me know what you think? LTR

Tell me what you think, vote for the best below!

Good Riddance - Operation Phoenix

For those who were into punk in 1999, this probably wouldn't be classified as a 90's hidden gem, it was a pretty important release and certainly a well respected one. Those who aren't familiar with Good Riddance might enjoy learning about a punk / hardcore release that is loaded with aggression, raw power and all out anger. To either audience, read on...learn something new or be reminded of one of the most important and often unheralded albums in punk. There are those punk records that build to a frenzy over the course of either the opening track or over the first few songs. This record is one of those "hit you between the eyes" openers, leaving no doubt that what's coming is nothing short of a audio and verbal assault. "Shadows of Defeat" starts with an except from Martin Luther King's 1964 Nobel Prize speech and so begins the deluge. It is time to go, echoes the the last line of the first track. Vocals from Russ Rankin are gruff, emotional, hardcore. "Blueliner" is nothing short of a Minor Threat call to arms. It blasts the listener and subtly lifts elements from NYHC. Any song that starts with that amazing rant between father and son from "Some Kind of Wonderful", is going to be OK. "Heresy, Hypocrisy, And Revenge" is more than OK. That tirade leads into a crushing guitar led opening followed by a blast to the ears..."look at what you've left me, now that you've moved on". "Letters Home" is my personal stand-out track. Melodic, passionate and probably the most complete offering, it's got that same hardcore passion with some "cleaner" Russ vocals and great harmony. Add in a nice tempo change finished with 30 or so seconds of made for moshing aggression, and you really do have the complete Good Riddance experience in one tidy track. "Yesterday Died, Tomorrow Won't Be Born" is another short blast of hardcore excellence and I'll go back to where I started, talking about building to a frenzy vs. being frenetic from the get-go. This track, along with several remaining are great examples, the frenzy starts in the first 7 seconds, angry vocals follow, wrapped up with mid-paced hardcore and a mosh inspired summary to end the song.

You have to give credit where credit is due, angry hardcore from a California band? Sure, it's been done before, but this record is entirely well done! Great job fellas...for now you'll have to remain in memory, easy to do that with this classic hardcore release!

Go Grab It At iTunes

Terror - The Damned, The Shamed

Old school hardcore from Terror! Outstanding release from the nice folks at Century Media. Thirteen strong tracks, excellent production, nice packaging make for an overall complete experience. Capturing the essence of early Cro-Mags and Agnostic Front is not an easy task. Not only does Terror accomplish that, but more than that, they honor their heritage and take the genre into a contemporary crushing era. To say that "The Damned, The Shamed" is loaded with hooks is not entirely fair. It is, but it's the way that each song fits within the context of the others that I find impressive. "Voice of The Damned' leads of the charge. With "We Are The Lost" as a war-cry for their masses. It leads to "Relentless Through and Through" which is a nice mid-paced thrash metal influenced number. Mosh friendly "Betrayer" followed by the up-tempo aggro styling of "Rise of the Poisoned Youth"make for again, a logical progression from song to song. It's often hard for bands to capture the live exuberance of the passion and emotion of a show, but Terror have achieved that. The standout track in my mind is "Never Alone" which does a great job of capturing the spirit of the band in a live setting with thrash guitar riffs and excellent gang background vocals. I wouldn't say that there are any weak tracks, "Let Me Sink", "Feel the Pain" and "Crush What's Weak" are all capable and less frenetic. I just happen to really enjoy the pace of outstanding numbers like "Lost Our Minds". Terror have done Los Angeles hardcore proud! Hey, wait a minute, LAHC? That's right...LAHC!!!

Go Grab It At iTunes

No Trigger - Canyoneer

From Central Massachusetts comes No Trigger. Clocking in at just under 32 minutes, "Canyoneer" is a really solid effort from beginning to end. "The (not so) Noble Purveyors of the Third and Fourth Coming" starts off the assault. This is a straight ahead hardcore, "hey everyone get ready, because it's coming" tune. "Neon National Park" follows and starts to showcase the melodic influences of this talented band. Those punk releases that mix rough, growling hardcore vocals with melodic guitar lines may well be plentiful these days, but No Trigger offer us something different. Tempo changes, gang background harmonies, even the odd guitar solo make a more complete offering. "Bust Tropical" and "Owner Operator" speak to those comments quite well. Both these tracks are certainly blistering, but hook the listener with dueling guitar melodies. "Fuck That! I'm Digging Out!" echoes Tom Rheault on "Owner Operator". That's right Tom! No Trigger combine infectious catchy music with relevant and personal lyrics. It seems like there is a respect for punk that has come before them, that' probably pretty fair, but what's interesting is that No Trigger spin their own version which is all together original and something that they should be entirely proud of. 2008 has seen the band focus on other endeavors, helping out Set Your Goals and playing in Smartbomb. Good stuff, but can't wait for more No Trigger music!

Go Grab It At iTunes

Pennywise - Pennywise

Writing about Pennywise made me want to go back to the beginning and listen to their S/T debut on Epitaph Records from 1992. That in turn, made me want to go unearth the review I wrote about that release in a small West Coast magazine. When I was last listening to "Reason To Believe" I couldn't help but think about Kevin Seconds and 7 Seconds. Clearly, 7 Seconds passed the torch to Pennywise and they have carried it admirably. Funny, I talk about that in my review from 16 years ago.

Enjoy!

1992 Review: This is the debut from Los Angeles based hardcore outfit Pennywise. This album is nothing short of impressive! the band offers up a simplistic brand of harcore that is a rare treat these days. Tunes like "Fun & Games" and the title track "Pennywise" are blasts of speed and power with the added benefit of crisp production. Don not let the fact that this album sounds really clean, turn you off. Pennywise lack the grunge but make up for it with sheer emotion. the straining vocals by Jim are fantastic and evoke a pseudo Kevin Seconds sensation. Any time a band can come close to the achievements of 7 Seconds, they have indeed achieved greatness! I have yet to be disappointed by anything on Epitaph Records and look forward to many years of good, clean punk music.

Sure enough, since then Epitaph has put out some fine work and as has Pennywise!

Go Grab It At iTunes

Pennywise - Reason to Believe

Released on Myspace Records in 2008, Pennywise return with a monster effort. Granted, my opinion my be a bit influenced by the fact that I just finished reading "Punk Rock Dad" by Jim Lindberg (more on that in another post). Dad(s) or not, Pennywise stick to their proven formula straight ahead punk. Produced by Cameron Webb (Silverstein, Much The Same, Dynamite Boy, Vendetta Red) this marks a new era of musical complexity for Pennywise. Don't worry, the same anthemic 2-minute drills are found on "Reason To Believe", but they have mixed in some darker, moody tunes like "Give Me One Reason" "Confusion" and "The Western Wall".

There is an urgency to Jim's vocals. There has always been the political and social commentary and call to action coming from his words, but nowadays it's elevated somehow to a level of maturity not found on previous releases. "Make a list of the things you would risk if you knew you could never fail". That theme is found on many of the songs on "Reason To Believe"...what are you waiting for, stop complaining, do something and do it now! That social responsibility coupled with the driving, energetic and passionate music of the rest of the foursome makes this release a classic!

Go Grab It At iTunes

A Wilhelm Scream - Career Suicide

OK, so let's fast forward to 2007...from the mecca of punk rock, New Bedford, MA, comes A Wilhelm Scream with their fourth release. Wow! It's probably not fresh nor contemporary to use the word "crossover" like it was used in the 80's to describe crossover metal and punk bands, but I think it's highly relevant. With their intricate song-writing, lyrics that actually make you want to read the CD booklet and a blistering pace, "Career Suicide" is an instant classic. How many releases can you say that there is not one song that you might skip over? I can probably only come up with a handful. This is one of those rare finds. It's fun from beginning to end, they don't take themselves too seriously (see video for "I Wipe My Ass With Showbiz"), they take closed fist punches at the state of the music industry and the musicianship is first rate. Let's begin at the beginning, "I Wipe My Ass With Showbiz" launches the assault, it's a quick, tidy diatribe against the punk commercialism. "5 to 9" is a complex tempo-change driven showcase of the song-writing found on the entire "Career Suicide" release. How do you describe this music? It's got lots of dueling guitar metal-esque harmonies, angry hardcore vocals and memorable choruses that hang in the air long after you've hit pause. This release captures the raw power of say Pennywise and couples it with the complexity of Rise Against and rounds it all out with some Lawrence Arms melodies. "The Horse", "Die While We're Young" and "Career Suicide" are each excellent, yet entirely separate. This release is an "experience". Each song is truly distinct, but when you have finished with "We Built This City", the sum of all its parts equal an impressive, towering effort!!!! Well done! In a town known for its sea-faring heritage, A Wilhelm Scream have unleashed a whale of a record and punk rock is better because of it.

Go Grab It At iTunes