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How annoying are incredibly overrated records? There is nothing worse than hearing an album which you know for sure is nothing special and then jumping online to see an avalanche of hype, right? Wrong. Spare a thought for those bands missing out. While overrated records are certainly annoying, nothing frustrates me more than falling in love with a record that gets not nearly enough attention and praise as it should. Introducing Top Button, Bottom Shelf by Banquets.
After 2010’s Nothing Is Fucked Here and This Is Our Concern Dude, Banquets gifted us with a well rounded split with Mayflower which can be seen as a little teaser to their full length, released just a month later. After a substantial amount of impressive releases in a short amount of time, it would be forgiven for the average Banquets fan to question why the band isn’t at bigger heights. The recognition is there – just not the hype.
“377” serves as an introduction to the 10 track release from the New Jersey quartet. Over a string of time-keeping guitars, vocalist Travis Omilian sings, “You’ll never smile, you’ll never be right/ I hope you’re searching, while I found some spite/ I’m better now that we don’t speak”, lyrical content which despite the comforting warmth it is sung with, adds a little contrasting bitterness.
On each release, Banquets presents certain echoes of The Loved Ones and Carpenter which are not lost on their debut full length. Despite the similarities they convey, Banquets have their own unique style of lyricism – witty and snarky with a side of humour to assure you there are no strings attached. What you see is what you get.
Sick of The Dangerous Summer and their high school drama? Listen to The American Scene. They’re frequently compared, but unlike their peers, The American Scene haven’t incorporated all of that alcohol induced, internet fuelled garbage; Instead they have focused on their comforting blend of indie rock/ pop punk. This is what we call “music” - the important stuff which believe it or not matters, despite the evil threats of appearance and avoidable drama many bands class as a higher priority.
The American Scene doesn’t need an association like that to be as confident and solid as their group is though. The settled quintet from Berkeley, CA are poised and self-assured in what they do, and rightly so. The music The American Scene gives to us is significantly more forward-thinking than their peers.
The band’s debut on Pure Noise Records, By Way Of Introduction, deals with the idea of distance, both physical and emotional. The album kicks off with the title track which serves as a promising introduction to a record that flows with optimism. Seamlessly rolling into “Did You Hear About Your Friends In California?” The American Scene present punchy, catchy riffs whilst keeping a soothing element courtesy of vocalist Matthew Vincent.
Vincent’s vocals are reminiscent of the respected Kenny Vasoli (The Starting Line, Person L) and indeed, AJ Perdomo (The Dangerous Summer) in tracks such as “Home” and “Marty McFly, Nostradamus, and I” which contributes an uncontrollable foot tapping and sing along combination to a record that is incredibly polished for such a young band. Like many songs on the album the track is easily relatable, recalling stories experienced when growing up such as, “Well, I remember being good at looking to the future/ But, I’m always burying my heart in places apart/ From where I lay my head.”
Hot Lights opens with a jarring and somehow symphonic bang. It is complete with an entire strings section and horns, a deep, grimy back beat, and a sky-scraping voice anxiously vociferating lyrics to its listener. The new EP starts off with “Because I Know”, a song that lets the audience know what Viper Creek Club is all about.
Though the group is heavily influenced by hip-hop, it seems much less apparent on their forthcoming 6-song EP than it has in their previous albums, Letters and Viperlust. Rather than resonating earthy beats and gritty rhymes, Hot Lights takes inspiration from electro-indie superstars like Phantogram and Justice, while vocals by Seattleite Mat Wisner echo a post-scene masters like Taking Back Sunday and more currently, 3OH!3.
Based around a city’s party scene most of the tracks on Hot Lights are upbeat and dancy; however, it closes on a rather somber note with “In The Living Room.” This song is the one that speaks to me most, perhaps because it gives listeners a taste of Wisner’s true artistic abilities; as opposed to featuring more repeating, thumping beats and overarching clichés, this song reveals Viper Creek Club’s atrophied love life and ambivalence toward what the future holds. Ending the EP on this note is perhaps one of the best choices Viper Creek Club made during production of this project. It shows us that the duo has much more talent than shirts-off-slam-drunk-party boys, and that in fact there is a deeper meaning to the music they make; perhaps more importantly, there is a greater artistic ability.
Overall, Viper Creek Club’s electro-pop, funky-disco-dance-your-ass-off sound is cohesive throughout the album, with the voice samples exceptionally well (“Count It Out”), and purposely ambiguous yet simple lyrics like “This is what is good/ Your skin on mine in the living room” will abide with listeners and keep them looking out for Viper Creek Club. Hot Lights drops February 14th. Buy it and dance, dance some more, mellow out in the end and then start it again.
Shuteye Unison open like The Stooges would.
The opening of Our Future Selves is brash and bratty and sets one up for something they are ultimately not expecting - whether that’s a good or a bad thing is still a mystery to me. First off, I liked it. The second time around, I liked it even more. “Be Kimball” would be that Stooges-esque opener. It sounds and feels like a punchy punk standard should, in that it catches attention but differentiates itself with timid vocals hummed with a voice like velvet.
Track number two (“Our Future Selves”) is where it all changes. From punk we find an ambience of delicacy that sounds like an entirely different band altogether - except for those lovely vocals. Lovely is the only way they can be described overall. Not in a prim way, not in a posing way. Just in a simplistic, wholesome manner in that they are sweet to listen to against the backdrop of entrancing guitars and marching drums.
As the album moves along, different moods are dropped upon you. You’ve got the standards of happiness and potential anger but through that confused mess of buzzing vocals and defiant guitar arranged in satisfying disarray; as a listener you reach into the depths of implied loneliness and implied ecstasy. Everything is up to interpretation.
A gentle orchestral score is what sweeps you into the intro track of Bars of Gold’s LP, which is quite bravely named Of Gold. Ambitiously titled? You could say that, but once a charming melody of electronic keys begin exploding like Pop Rocks over the grand instrumental, you can’t help but feel a little warmer about their pre-perceived assertiveness. The aforementioned opening track is called “Boss Level,” and at first listen it sounded a little goofy, but I think that’s what gives it such a great character.
“Heaven Has a Heater” follows, which is an altogether more vibrant and energetic track. It employs a whole world of bashing, breaking and guitar-shredding, but doesn’t really deviate from the standards you’d expect to hear on a punk album such as this. As far as tracks go, it pales in comparison to the track that succeeds it.
“Birds” is such a track, which begins with oddball acoustic that’s got a really visceral, folky, elemental feel to it that I adored. Something you would expect to be at odds with the tense twanging of Bars of Gold’s harder sound moulds in harmoniously and produces just the right witches’ brew you would want from a band like this. Of all, it’s the clear standout track on the album as it creates a real physical excitement as the tempo slowly gathers momentum in the depths of your eardrums.
Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice!, the most recent EP from Atlanta’s Campaign simply conveys what I like to call, ‘the lot’. The five piece reach out and sample the best elements of several genres and thoughtfully place them together for a fun, passion-filled EP that finishes all too soon.
Opener “Old Haunts” gives us an excellent taste of Campaign’s ultimate melodic punk/hardcore based combination. Vocally we’re given a scoop of raspy tones to accompany the sound that Campaign master so well. An inclusive shot of gang vocals and some woah-ohs along with a stint of cheery hand claps add a little pop-punk to the mix. Not joining in with the claps is near impossible and fighting the urge to shout, ‘Old records / cheap wine!’ proves difficult.
“Old Thrills” is rawer, louder and more fast paced, really complimenting the vocal side of Campaign. In just under 2 minutes the fist pumping, foot stomping steady drum beat is well cemented in the mind.
This heavier song is book ended by second upbeat song on the EP, “Old Blues”. Its chorus is able to get a bit of grooving going on, especially with the return of some woah-ohs and claps in its chorus which can be dubbed as the crucial seasoning for a catchy upbeat Campaign tune. The duel in your face vocals in this track, as well as in EP closer “Old Mess” can be likened to those of Alexisonfire and the general melodic hardcore/punk sound to current leader of the genre, Make Do and Mend, as well as the influential Hot Water Music, who undoubtedly had a great impact on Campaign.
I tend to be a little nervous, and at times harsh, when it comes to post-hardcore bands. Each time I check out a new combo, I prepare myself for little difference between the one at hand, and the previous band I listened to. It’s hard to find a unique band that blatantly stands out in the scene at the moment, apart from the ridiculously bad ones. Thankfully, with their latest effort The Hollow, Dallas, Texas natives Memphis May Fire don’t leave me quite as disorientated and puzzled as to who I just listened to, as I’ve experienced in the past.
Est. 2005, Carpenter has risen from the remains of Vancouver bands All State Champion, By A Thread and Daggermouth. The four piece combine their own influences, and create a band which has that simply ‘classic’ feel, along with a DIY mentality, which are both evident in 2010’s Sea To Sky. This classic feel could be pin pointed to vocalist/guitarist Daniel Sioui’s (formally of All State Champion) admiration of John Mellencamp & Bruce Springsteen, and the DIY sound and attitude points the finger at Texas Is the Reason and Hot Water Music; all artists and bands that Carpenter single out themselves.
The first element I am greeted with when listening to this 10 track album is unique and distinguishable vocals. Bam! The first box in the list of essentials is quickly ticked in 4 seconds, and many more are shaded in, in just over half an hour. Sioui showcases his strong vocal ability on album opener “Mean Things’, in the form of “and you don’t have to say those mean things”. He is quickly and effectively joined by guitars as finishes this line before a full band kicks in. The song is a perfect opener for the band’s second release due to it’s catchy hooks and stand out infectious vocals which randomly jump in your head and pressure you to belt them out almost uncontrollably, which depending on your whereabouts and vocal skills, could be embarrassing.
“Common Law” follows suit and continues with the perfect sing-a-long element which I personally love. Its chorus is possibly the catchiest on the record, and steals ones attention when female vocals from Debra Jean Creelman kick in, providing excellent chemistry with the tones of Sioui’s range. A few lines of gang vocals are added for a call and response effect and well, “Common Law” is the complete package.
A change of pace is apparent in “Just Another Friday Night”, showcasing a country element (credit to the Mellencamp influence here). However the less punk embarrassed song still flows effectively with previous and following songs, and clearly shows the diversity that Carpenter is capable of perfecting.
Dominate punk influence is restored with “Long Hard Day” through to the pace varied “Separate”, creating a highly enjoyable 13 minutes of quirky and excitable Carpenter, before again mellowing out for “Joan”, Sea to Sky’s ballad about a girl. (‘Oh Joan if I had just the chance to say that I’d give up my whole life so it wouldn’t have to end this way.’) This combination of mellow and fiery songs presents Carpenter as a band who appear to be conscious of the fact that variation is essential. By being aware to this, the band avoids a 33 minute album that, to the untrained ear, could more so feel like a 33 minute song. This is a clever move which creates a record that is simply easy to listen to.
Closer “I Put My Heart In Everything” could be seen as a motto for Sioui, who really does put his heart and soul into this band, and sings with such emphasis and passion.
Sea To Sky is constructed with solid energy, heart & thought and although it will not be a record that reaches great heights and popularity, those that do take the time to listen will find many aspects they can connect with and appreciate.
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