positivexposure is a digital magazine that celebrates creative expression and positivity.
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.
Ghost Robot Ninja Bear is Oscar Albis Rodriguez and friends - in the live spectrum that is. Recorded, Rodriguez can be dubbed a one man band. The Singles EP is a little sample of the variety and depth he is capable of.
This four track release begins with a hard hitting guitar riff setting the trend for many to come, both intricate and catchy, which follow in the next 12 and a half minutes. At times, Rodriguez is joined on stage for such captivating hooks by Rachel Rubino (Bridge and Tunnel), among others. However, when listening at home or in your car, the only assistance had was that of several producers including, Ali Hassan (engineer for Bouncing Souls and The Loved Ones). “One Pedal To Another” introduces Rodriguez’s gruff, yet polished vocals, applying to the genre overlap of indie/punk rock.
“Blood The Tango” shows a punchier side of Ghost Robot Ninja Bear that will certainly leave one foot tapping and humming the melodic yet slightly post-hardcore influenced track. “Staring At The Clocks” gives a pop-punk element to the EP, displaying Rodriguez’s flowing diversity in what is the strongest track on the EP.
Leaving a grungy impression in contrast to the previous track, “Carousel” reminds the listener as the release nears finish that no two songs sound the same, especially when surprising growls are used half way through the track.
The Singles EP is refreshing in the sense that it’s comforting to hear a release that differs from song to song, avoiding staleness, the trap that many bands in the genre subconsciously fall into while creating, even on an EP. Creativity is not lost.
It’s a common misconception that stability and reliability are the safest and most rewarding qualities that we should strive for in our lives. The promise of an inviting bed and a hot meal at the end of the day are comforting ideals, things all people deserve. But to really feel something, to endure the surprise and adrenaline of the unexpected keeps us on our toes. In this way, Larry and His Flask bring refreshing flavor with their music. Where the industry is lacking individuality, unique musical texture, and something to proudly blast on the car radio, Larry more than picks up the slack.
All That We Know could easily be described a frenzied, fast-paced, multi-faceted balancing act of genres sewn together with precise musicianship that is “finger-pickin’ good.” Moving from roots in classic country to bluegrass infused with vocals not unlike Sublime’s Bradley Nowell providing pure melodic hooks, Larry and His Flask have accomplished what many more weathered acts would probably fail at: creating a record that transitions fluidly from one song to the next without becoming sloppy and disconnected in the process.
“Land of the F(R)Ee” opens up like something Johnny and the Devil would have battled to down in Georgia, with banjos and head-spinning picking parts supporting the lyrics “I see the blood-red dust on his soul. His tired boots are as black as coal,” but by the time “Manifest Destiny” begins with trumpets blaring, we’ve come full circle back into a place of rhythm, Mardi Gras, and more banjo-picking to boot (but still managing to round out the track with rag time style piano cued up to an old Dudley Do-Right film).
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.
Cincinnati’s Mixtapes provides snippets of adolescence and angst in the form of compressed guitar riffs, direct lyrics, and modest dual vocals. The simplicity of their eleven minute EP Hope is for People is like a snapshot of youth, with the title track acting as its anthem, chanting, “Let’s cut the bullshit and get to living.” This theme continues through the rest of the EP’s six song tracklist, making it easy to listen to a few times through before the melodies and simple guitar parts begin to blur together loudly and passive aggressively in an altogether effective manner. The very forthcoming approach employed by Mixtapes is an echo of punk rock predecessors Blink 182 with a little sprinkle of vocals reminiscent of Kimya Dawson on top. The acoustic track “Where I Live” takes a softer turn, ending the album on a somewhat peppier note. If you aren’t the kind who enjoys rough vocals and uncomplicated lyrics, Mixtapes may not be the band for you. But if, like me, you’re looking to forget adulthood for a few blissful moments and remember simpler times through simple songs, look to Mixtapes to guide your way.
Picking favourites, whether it’s picking your preferred pet, sibling or Spicegirl (how good was Sporty Spice?), it’s something we all do but deep down tend to feel a bit remorseful about. When it comes to split releases I usually sway towards one side with a wave of guilt. This split is no different, but thankfully Balance and Composure and Tigers Jaw have weighed in almost equally, so I don’t feel too bad this time around.
The pair from Pennsylvania have each showcased their take on (excuse me as I dive into dangerous genre classifying waters) modern DIY emo/indie rock, with their own personal influences. Despite their differences each band employs clear passion via quite a dark and almost eerie feeling.
The Doylestown five piece Balance and Composure lunge into the octet with a section of chilling rhythm to serve as an introduction for vocalist Jonathon Simmons on the track “Kaleidoscope”. Simmons, one of three guitarists, sings with such grit and aggression, yet his ability to transfer to soothing, smooth tones is done in such an unbroken manner. There is an incredible amount of words in the English language but none suitable enough to describe the track we know as “Burden”. The five minute foot stomping track explores phenomenal chilling lows and forceful louds, although I never realised the track was so long until now, over a year since its release.
“Doubt and thou shalt be corrected.”
That’s perhaps not the greatest philosophy to believe in when you’re a person who outwardly advocates positivity, but you’d be surprised at how often these words have crossed my mind these days. I’ve found myself in chance situations where something that is seemingly doubtful works out for the better and the discovery of SWTHRT’s Compact Disc is a prime example.
I think you can always get a sense of a band from the name and while I still don’t understand the cryptic meaning behind SWTHRT’s moniker, the first time around it gave me a bad feeling. However, once I actually took a turn to listen to the album, I was pleasantly to the point of unnervingly surprised.
SWTHRT have got that great echoing vibration to their music which is definitely reminiscent of bands like The Cure, Joy Division and to a further extent, The Velvet Underground. So right off the bat, you’re on the money if that’s your sound of preference. The hypnotic, continuous beats and ‘glitter raindrops on roses’ effect of the twanging synth guitar is not actually an uncommon thing seen in the realms of alternative music today. The Horrors strayed from their incessant skinny-jeaned screeching to do something like it on their album Primary Colours, yet I will come right out and say that SWTHRT do it better.
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.
From what little knowledge I have of punk, I have determined that it’s a genre riddled with hits and misses. Fortunately though, I believe there have been more hits than there have misses. From the outset, I understand that it’s quite a political music - it carries a clear message, sometimes poignant, rather than just vomiting up a lot of waffle about rebellion and anarchy. However, as we all know simply from being people, having someone’s opinion wailed at you through stereo speakers can get rather tired. That’s when the trickiest formula comes to fruition; to have a band that plays not only great punk rock, but is loose on the politics too. This area is best occupied by bands like The Ramones and Iggy & the Stooges who have that magic combination of being darkly fun yet still driven by that raw power (pun intended). It’s a hard game to match up to, and it’s been attempted many times. Many people overshoot the balance completely; but then a collective from Illinois named The Heat Tape arrived to show them how it’s done.
Their debut opens with a track entitled “Spend It”, and it sounds exactly the way you’d expect it to sound - or, rather, exactly the way you’d want it to sound. The drums play out classically, an incessant adrenaline beat that shows no signs of giving up. The guitars screech and wail before folding into a steady rhythm. The vocals are scratchy and monotonous at times, and that sets up the blueprint for the entire LP. And while these might sound like negative features, they are absolutely not. They draw up the character of the band into this very glorious, very tangible domestic chaos.
Many hailed The Story So Far’s debut full length as pop-punk record of the year, ahead of genre heavyweights New Found Glory and The Wonder Years. For anyone, let alone a band who only recently graduated high school, this call would have been quite the compliment. A big call it may be, but with just one listen praises like this can rightfully and understandably be thrown around.
Under Soil and Dirt opens with “States and Mind”, a 50 second predominately instrumental piece which instantly showcases the progress since previous releases. The track flows into “Roam”, a highly addictive three minutes with an infectious chorus. “Quicksand” was our first introduction to Under Soil and Dirt which the band released prior to the album. It was a perfect indication of what was to come: pure pop-punk, nothing cheesy, no overload of gang vocals or trendy break downs. The Story So Far is everything you love about classic pop-punk with a modern spin.
The musicianship, which can be noted on “Swords and Pens” along with the outstanding “High Regard”, is clearly improved on this record. The latter features a crucial hook from guitarist Kellen Geyer and an initial drawcard to the band for me: honesty and aggression. Parker Cannon blatantly says with a sting, “F*** an apology I’m not sorry for anything/ I’ve been holding back my apathy for far too long/ You don’t deserve what you haven’t earned/ And your place in my heart has just grown so small.” I don’t know about you, but when I come across someone honest and straightforward I do my best to keep them close, so this is an attribute of the band that I certainly value. The Story So Far is honest. I’m going to keep them close and keep returning to these 11 tracks. Because of this, “High Regard” is one of my personal favourites. Entrenched in one of the most powerful choruses of the record is, “I’d like to think that you’re worth my time/ But you embody everything that I hate.” Angry enough for you?
Plenty has taken place in the Man Overboard camp as of late. In the fourteen months since debut full length Real Talk was released, the New Jersey outfit experienced line-up changes, signed a deal with major record label Rise Records, and toured with some of the most recognisable bands in the genre (New Found Glory, The Wonder Years, Fireworks) at home and abroad. Despite these undoubtedly influential developments, Man Overboard’s latest self-titled release thankfully hasn’t steered the band’s sound off track to any kind of unfamiliar territory.
Lyrically, the twelve track record is considerably more mature, but like previous material the subject matter is still based on relationships and girls. In combination with this, Man Overboard haven’t lost their ability to write memorable songs. The catchy tracks are as captivating as ever to ensure sing-a-longs become second nature. Opening track “Rare” sports a distinctive pop-punk drum beat which is a clear indication that Man Overboard hasn’t greatly changed and therefore gives peace of mind to their hoards of fans. Both “Rare” and “Something’s Weird” are hard-hitting and reminiscent of older Blink-182 and New Found Glory whose chief lyricist Steve Klein produced the record.
The duel vocal duties of Nik Bruzzese and Zac Eiesenstein still work superbly. In tracks such as “Voted Most Likely” and “Picture Perfect,” the call-and-response style used is typical of 2010’s Real Talk. Lyrics used in the first the two tracks, “I try to understand / how you could be so normal / and I could be so awkward” present themes that most teens would easily relate to (or so Tumblr tells me). Opening with gang vocals, the first two lines of “Dead End Dreams” detail the catchy, girl-focused subject that Man Overboard consistently master – in just six seconds in this case.
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 need to get something out of the way before I gush about how beautiful the sounds I just processed are.
When I recieved the press pack, I saw it included a file of lyrics for the seven inch. Upon opening it, I scrolled down a little and lo and behold was an exerpt from Night Gleam, a poem by Allen Ginsberg.
Congratulations, Montagna and your Mouth to Mouth, you’ve successfully won over my sensitivities before I’ve heard a single scrap of music you’ve produced.
My Ginsberg-loving nature aside, when listening to the title track of The Mouth to Mouth’s 7 inch Ultrapolyamorous, I realised this was not a song you listen to once or twice and decide upon your opinion solely from that. I find it intruiging that one song alone can be so diversified in genre and sound. One moment, it’s very much indie pop. The next, it’s basked in a glow of shoegaze ambience. The next, it’s thrust under the light of a psycho-electro Americana landscape.
It’s second track, “At Full Speed”, employs female vocal talent not unlike that of Isobel Campbell. This track is more easy going and accessible, akin to something Broken Social Scene may have wanted to come out with, but The Mouth to Mouth caught the worm and thought of it first. It still has that adorable character of mashing thirty songs into one, matching it quite perfectly with its predecessor.
Ultrapolyamorous, with it’s trippy alien noises and indecipherable vocals, makes for a thoroughly haunting listening experience. It’s individual, truly individual, which is a rarity among rarities. If this 7 inch is any inkling to Montagna and the The Mouth to Mouth’s new album, then fans and music lovers alike are in for quite the psychedelic ride.
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