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.
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.”
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.
Maybe you’ve noticed, maybe you haven’t… Positivexposure was, for the most part, in hibernation in 2011. But taking a break from sharing music doesn’t mean taking a break from discovering and taking it in! If you’ve been following Hailey’s reviews this year, this list will not surprise you, but you may discover some albums you missed this year.
#10 England Keep My Bones // Frank Turner
I have much respect for Frank Turner, who is an excellent song writer and an intelligent person. England Keep My Bones would have to be my favourite release of his. Turner is sincere and honest, as always, which is a quality I respect in people and music. “If Ever I Stray” is my favourite Turner song at the current moment; very relatable, catchy and blends acoustic and full band moments superbly.
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.
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.
Occasionally a new band bursts onto the scene and each inch of you is ridiculously confident that this band will take part in something called world domination. Since the very beginning, even those who don’t necessarily get excited over fresh bands have been hyping on about Melbourne’s Dream On, Dreamer, and rightly so.
High expectations are often nasty little things. The pressure they possess is capable of messing so much with the minds of a band that as a result, in some cases we’re given a not so amazing release. As the vicious cycle continues, they have the ability to crumble your love of a band and hit you with a lengthy bout of disappointment. Nobody likes to be let down, and due to experience I generally ensure I don’t get carried away and have neutral expectations when it comes to upcoming releases. Things were a little different a few months back for the lead up to The Wonder Years’ Suburbia I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing… with confidence, I’d never set my expectations so high.
A Short Collection Of Short Songs, the fourth release from Cincinnati, Ohio natives Mixtapes, shows abundant advancement from the highly impressive and distinctive quartet. The 7” has definitely not only gained them a substantial portion of fans from the masses of the pop punk community, but reached the horizons of other musical cliques. I for one am yet to recommend this band to someone who hasn’t been even a little impressed, so it’s safe to conclude that Mixtapes are doing something right.
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.
To me, Transit and their fans are very much a tight-knit, welcoming and ever growing family. With each release the family expands but the feeling that this band is your ‘best kept secret’ doesn’t diminish in the slightest. Yet again, the Boston natives have added another solid release to the list for their legions of devoted and enthusiastic fans, only this time around we’re treated to a predominately acoustic EP. However, Transit write and play with such energy and passion that it really doesn’t feel so acoustic. The catchy and easy to listen to Something Left Behind consists of tracks from each of their previous releases, plus three brand new tracks to give the family some fresh material, or to convert a brother or two.
This 7” has left me frustrated. Why? Man Overboard is still to visit the shores of Australia. The 4 piece from New Jersey pour out releases, and after I give each one a listen, I look forward to the day I stand in a room of pop-punk enthusiasts to belt out lyrics and admire those who chuck a punk jump of great heights. The Absolute Worst had very much the same effect.
These two tracks could easily fit on 2010’s full length Real Talk, which is only a good thing as their debut full length is one of the best in the pop-punk scene as of late. The duo of tracks feature everything many have grown to love about Man Overboard, including extremely catchy hooks, excellent harmonisation between vocalists Nik Bruzzese and Zac Eisenstein and lyrics that very few people can’t relate to.
“The Absolute Worst” opens with a catchy riff which automatically puts one in a good mood. The song is upbeat despite the bitter and turbulent filled subject matter that is clearly an attack on a girl. Lyrically, the song is comical and at times brings a smirk ‘Every word you say’s a lie so please don’t continue/ You bitch/ I’m too good for someone like you anyway’.
Second and final track “I Saw Behemoth And It Ruled”, was first brought to our attention on 2010’s Noise From Upstairs, an acoustic EP, before being record as a full band version and featured on the vinyl edition of Real Talk as a bonus track. Third time around, the track has been recorded with a few vocal alterations and is cleaner and poppier sounding. Although not the most solid of Man Overboard’s material, this is a treat for older fans who perhaps aren’t vinyl collectors and haven’t heard the full band version before.
The one thing that is remotely negative or that minutely stays true to the title of Man Overboard’s newest release, is the fact that it’s only two tracks long/short. Thankfully, shortly after this was released, it was announced the band will be releasing a compilation CD sometime in April. The Human Highlight Reel will feature rarities, songs from previous releases, two previously unheard tracks and a cover. Once again we can expect to not be able to escape infectious songs which will inevitably be stuck in our head, as Man Overboard showcase what they do best… defend pop-punk.
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