Nothing gets me out of bed better in the morning than some good California punk rock. And contrary to popular belief, punk rock is not all about drinking 40s and instigating anarchism. It can actually hit a sentimental chord, like Social Distortion does with their song, “Story of My Life.” Read More »
What is punk anymore? Originating somewhere between the shocking antics of The Stooges and the anarchist sentiments of The Sex Pistols, punk is a term that has been hyphenated, used, abused and played out. Having been employed to describe undeserving bands such as Blink 182 or Green Day and weirdo experimenters such as Deerhunter or Wavves, it’s hard to understand exactly what punk is.
Comin’ at you from that delicious Seattle cesspool of grunge, coffee, rain, and Microsoft: Wimps, the punk band you’ll be craving this semester. The dismally fun anthems off their debut LP Repeat will take up 24 minutes of your time, tops. And don’t come round here lookin’ for poetry, please. Wimps is best filed under P for Practical Advice… “when your life seems stuck on repeat: eat n’ sleep” or better yet “old food: don’t eat it.” Words to live by, my friends. Read More »
Buckle your seat belts folks, for the LA punk band, The Bronx, is releasing their brand new album, The Bronx IV, today. This will be their first punk-rock album in five years, after transforming into the band Mariachi El Bronx and recording two albums of the Mariachi-persuasion. Nevertheless, they are making up for their punk-rock drought with this highly anticipated riff-blazing new album.
★★★★1/2
If ¡Uno! was the lead up to a party, Green Day’s album ¡Dos!, second of a trio to be released this year, is definitely THE party. ¡Dos!, like the other albums in this trilogy, is described by Green Day as a bit harkening back to their roots; in this case, these are the deep roots. A number of the songs on ¡Dos! feel very worthy of The Ramones; the adolescent and wild lyrics, the simple, rapid rhythm guitar playing, and the ability to capture and express chaos. Read More »
Cloud Nothings is an indie rock band from Cleveland, Ohio. Headed by frontman Dylan Baldi, the band has released two albums up to this point; their third album Attack on Memory is their most critically acclaimed album to date. The title is a very literal statement, as it’s “an attack on the memory of what people thought the band was,” according to Baldi. While he sounds a little pretentious, the description is accurate. Attack on Memory sounds nothing like the punk Cloud Nothings of old. Rather, its dark, raging lyrics give it a much more aggressive sound. Read More »
When a band with an established niche releases an album after a six-year hiatus, it’s always a bit risky. Should the record cater to fans or try to attract new followers? British indie-pop rockers Comet Gain likely faced this question with their latest release, 2011’s Howl of the Lonely Crowd on Fortuna Pop! label. The album’s success is relative; for fans, Howl of the Lonely Crowd delivers a decently satisfactory crop of new tracks still infused with much of the band’s original energy. However, the album is unlikely to draw first-time listeners into the small dedicated following of Comet Gain. Read More »
Aficionado’s new EP, When It Comes to Creation, includes a track titled “The Same Original Idea.” That name pretty much sums up Aficionado’s sound. That same song includes the line that “when there is a million and one of the same original idea, it’s not original anymore,” which, in reverse, describes the concept they must have come up with for their EP. By synthesizing “a million and one” diverse unoriginal influences, the band creates something original. Although some have tried to categorize Aficionado as a punk band, When It Comes to Creation demonstrates the diversity of influences and instrumentation that the group draws upon.
