Dirty Fonzy - Here We Go Again

Artist: Dirty Fonzy

Album: Here We Go Again

Label: Enragé Productions

France's Dirty Fonzy immediately resembles a pretty standard streetpunk band - in the vein of Hellcat Records staples Rancid, Time Again, and Left Alone.  But after a few tracks Dirty Fonzy reveal a breadth of influences ranging from third wave ska and traditional reggae, to pop punk and country.  

On their latest album, 2008's generically titled Here We Go Again, the band maintains coherence by building their sound around a firm streetpunk core.  Much like Rancid, the inherent contrast between Dirty Fonzy's two lead vocalists, Johnny Guiltare and Angelo Papas, pleasantly compliments each another.  One has a sloppy "raspyness" much like Tim Armstrong, while the other has a clearer, angrier shout.  The two trade off from chorus to verse, and from line to line, much like their contemporaries, producing memorable sing along street punk anthems and calls to arms.  While obviously not intensional, their French accent helps further differentiate Dirty Fonzy from their North American peers, and while clearly evident, it never hurts a track's listenability or impedes lyric comprehension.

Most tracks have underlying punk rock guitars and fairly bouncy melodies.  But thanks to various cross genre flourishes, every track feels fresh despite sharing a familiar sound.  Tracks like "Radio No. 1" keep things simple but effective by only adding a few trumpet blasts during the beginning of the chorus.  "Loaded Guns" slows things down to traditional reggae tempos and ditches their trumpets after the song's intro.  The similarly reggae influenced "Bad Boy" distances itself from "Loaded Guns" by incorporating a humming background organ and retaining trumpets throughout the entire track.  About half of the album subscribes to very simple guitar driven songs, but because these minimalist tracks each employ different degrees of pop, punk, and rock, the tracks retain distinct personalities.

Content-wise, the band defines itself with playful lyrics about less than revolutionary social issues ranging from personal relationships to government oppression.  Fittingly, the reggae influenced tracks have the heaviest political overtones, with "Loaded Guns" directly referencing Sri Lanka's war torn political instability.

While not as daring or infectiously executed as genre mashing masters Saint Alvia, Dirty Fonzy knows how to stay coherent while drawing upon various influences - and make a pretty solid street punk album in the process.

Frank Turner - Love Ire & Song

Artist: Frank Turner

Album: Love Ire & Song

Label: Arbor Records Ltd.

In 2006, Frank Turner, the former frontman of hardcore outfit Million Dead, released his first solo record.  Contrary to Million Dead's rough style, Turner began pursuing musicianship through folk tunes.  His first release, Sleep is for the Weak, displayed Turner's quiet, reserved side.  In many ways he sounded like a younger, less angry Billy Bragg.   But while deeply compassionate, the frequency of his quiet love ballads pushed the album dangerously close to generic folk-pop territory.  But thankfully a handful of bouncier, more punk influenced tracks (musically and lyrically) saved the album from mediocrity.  For his follow-up, Love Ire & Song, Frank Turner sings about what he knows, with a delivery that sounds more intuitive than ever.

Despite not being of aged character, Turner's album feels like a reflective piece.  The opening track, "I Knew Prufrock Before He Got Famous" describes a lively music scene in a far from glamorous setting.  He describes a smiling group of friends sitting in a South Hampton bistro, all with varying musical backgrounds and talents - some are gifted poets, some are great vocalists, and others hold undefinable yet essential roles.  Yet, every one of them has a passion for their work.  Thirteen tracks later he concludes the album by frowning on those who hold out for fame and fortune - the type who only care about the end result.  The contrast effectively conveys (while admittedly sounding cliche) how in life the journey is more meaningful than the destination.  Based on the level of detail and optimism in a song about never quite making it, Frank Turner has enjoyed every moment of his career, and rather than dismissing his five years as part of Million Dead, he concedes that without his early career he wouldn't have anything to sing about.  Right from the opening track Frank Turner reveals a rare passion and self awareness that makes what follows both entertaining and captivating.

While slow, generic love ballads bogged down his debut, witty, upbeat and introspective tunes guide Love Ire & Song.  In redefining himself, Turner draws more heavily on his punk-rock past.  On songs like "Photosynthesis" Turner resembles a combination of Tom Gabel (Against Me!) and Billy Bragg, finding a vocal and lyrical middle ground.  Vocally he has a rougher edge than Bragg, and rather than sounding as gruff as Gabel, he simply channels Gabel's passion (which says quite a lot).  In songs like the title track, "Love Ire & Song," Turner keeps optimism despite realizations about how as one grows older, living by punkrock values and ideals grow less realistic.  "Substitute" finds Turner writing his most notable love ballad to date, which again, reaches such status by employing a bouncier tempo and exploring "love" through its relationship with music.  As previously mentioned, both songs retain a sense of believability and sincerity because of Turner's meticulous attention to detail and references to his past.  Unfortunately Turner has yet to completely ditch his dull love ballads ("A Love Worth Keeping" comes to mind), but thankfully the snoozers are few and far between.

With Love Ire & Song Frank Turner provides an easily accessible brit-folk album.  His quick wit and cynical optimism provides for great entertainment, guaranteed to make listeners smile  and think.

The Scourge of River City - The Scourge of River City

Artist: The Scourge of River City

Album: Self Titled

Label: Cherry Bomb Recordings

I always try avoiding comparisons to Tiger Army when reviewing psychobilly albums.  It's not that, like many psychobilly purists, I think ill of Tiger Army (quite the opposite in fact), but that very few psychobilly acts present comparable characteristics.  But with the UK's The Scourge of River City's self titled debut, the occasion has finally surfaced.

Although the band doesn't reference Tiger Army in their bio, the combination of Davey Havoc-esque vocals, an echoey but not overpowering double bass, and a speedy punk guitarist  makes the comparison unavoidable.  Much like Tiger Army, The Scourge of River City even has a distinct country essence apparent when they slow things down.  Specifically, the album's quietest tune, "Heart's Horizon," emits a country quality identical to Tiger Army's Morrisey influenced "Where the Moss Slowly Grows."  Lead vocalist "Greg" isn't without his own distinct qualities though.  For example, in songs like "Shipwreck" he often follows his smooth quivering croon by roughly screaming out a few lines.  The effect makes the tracks feel slightly less polished - a technique nicely matching the sections of frantic punk guitaring.  For that matter, the band certainly leans more heavily on rock influences than Tiger Army as well.  The band cites Queens of the Stone Age and The Smiths as  influences.  But for me, such influences only really surfaced after closely listening to various instrumental bridges in songs like "Fall From Grace."  Yet it's a nice touch and helps distinguish the band from the already overmentiomed Tiger Army.

As a whole, The Scourge of Fiver City's debut album sounds coherent and well composed.  But more importantly, I always get quite excited upon hearing this type of psychobilly from Europe.  Far too many psychobilly acts around the UK find themselves unwilling to draw upon their American counterparts in fear of being branded "American" psychobilly - a derogatory term used for discrediting less conventional acts.  Consequently, despite the stream of consistently strong traditional psychobilly flowing out of Europe, the region hasn't seen a lot of intra-genre growth.  Hopefully the emergence of The Scourge of River City represents greater trends and a sign of psychobilly bands moving toward accepting their overseas counterparts.

Slim Cessna's Auto Club - Cipher

Artist: Slim Cessna's Auto Club

Album: Cipher

Label: Alternative Tentacles

Denver’s Slim Cessna’s Auto Club has been around for a while now, but their 2008 album, Cipher, is my first introduction to the group. I first ran across Cipher after finding it on another blogger’s best of 2008 list, and after a few listens I can’t help but think it might have made my top 20 if I had known about it sooner.

SCAC best falls into that barely existent genre of “gothic country.” Songs range from moody acoustic outings to rock-inspired tracks, to lazy banjo ditties. Still other times SCAC sounds like a full on gospel experience.  SCAC plays to the genre’s strengths by taking the listener on an ideological faith based journey. While most songs have some degree of upbeatness to their melodies, the subject matter is anything but cheery. The songs have an apocalyptic Christian outlook reminiscent of the medieval Church. When SCAC sings about God, they reference an angry Father, and preach harsh earthly punishment for those straying from the flock. Further adding to the band’s allure is the fact that SCAC exists in a self-aware world rich with multi-dimensional reoccurring characters.

In Cipher, the band’s frontman, “Slim,” seems to be struggling keeping his band of followers – played by his co-vocalist Munley and various other backups – from losing their devotion to the Church. Four minimalist chants (done in a near aucapella style) about bracing one’s faith reoccur throughout the album. As a testament to the band’s attention to detail, the tempo and urgency of the different chants echo Slim’s success at keeping his friends in line. Not every song features strong Christian overtones, but many songs have multiple layers of meanings – a reality suited to the album’s name. For example, after the opening chant the band opens the album with the bouncy piano driven song “This Land is Our Land Redux.” On their own, the lyrics “let’s make this our land” could mean anything, but upon considering the album’s context, revisiting the song reveals Slim’s forceful agenda of spreading God’s Word.

Other songs, like “Children of the Lord” are more explicit at outlining Slim’s philosophies. Slim sings “I found a list here/in my pocket today/it lists bad doing/deeds and crimes with applicable names… it’s a census in a way/it lists his name and her name and his name and her name and the way we all must pay,” and later escalates his urgency as he sings “we’re long on damnation and short on salvation.” Lyrics like these establish Slim as a forceful agent of the Church, but songs like “Scac 101” develop Slim as more than an eccentric preacher. Slim’s conversation with Munley (framed from Munley’s point of view) has an underlying benevolence, reminiscent of the well-intentioned missionaries sent to the “New World” during the 1700s.

Throughout the album Slim tries reflecting and coping with his failure to impose the Church on all he comes in contact with. In an interesting reflective piece, “Everyone is Guilty #2,” Slim looks back at his views in “Children of the Lord” with the realization that forceful conversion may have flaws, and may in fact not be an effective means of transfering his love for Jesus to newcomers.

I could go on forever deconstructing Cipher, but if I wanted to do that I should be writing an essay. What I’m trying to convey in my review is that Cipher offers one of the most thematically bound, character driven, and self aware album’s I’ve ever heard. There are various levels of meaning within each song, and innumerable connections throughout the album. Even with the album in heavy rotation for weeks I’m still just scratching the surface.

What I'm Listening - January Edition

January has been a relatively slow month for punk, but I've found that its indie offerings more than made up for this reality.  January 20th was a pretty big day.  The New Pronographer's frontman A.C. Newman put out his second solo indie-pop album, Get Guilty - and I like it.  I was introduced to Andrew Bird through his most recent outing, Noble Beast, and it's a really nice lazy, peaceful, outing good for background music.  The day also introduced me to a new band, Fiction Family, and their pleasant acoustic minimalism.  But the real show stopper was an oddly named band, Coconut Records, who released the year's first must have indie-pop record, Davey.  It's a mere 28 minutes long, but every second is undeniably catchy and original.  On the punk front, the only thing that really caught my eye was Lucero frontman Ben Nichols' debut solo EP.  It's a solid country album that doesn't stray too far from Lucero's signature sound, but differentiates itself by featuring a more stripped down sound featuring acoustic guitars and accordions.

I also just realized that Franz Nikolay, one of the masterminds behind The World/Inferno Friendship Society, just put out a solo record, so I'm gonna have to catch up on that.  Otherwise, I'm quite looking forward to February's offerings, with new albums by The Loved Ones (Feb 3), Fake Problems (Feb 17), and of course Ben Kweller (Feb 10).

Monster Klub - Not Dead Yet

Artist: Monster Klub

Album: Not Dead Yet

Label: Raucous Records

Little to my knowledge, France's Monster Klub has been quietly producing addictive horrorpunk psychobilly tunes for a little over ten years.  But only after signing to globally distributed psychobilly giant Raucous Records for their forth album Not Dead Yet have I have the pleasure of running across this firmly established act.

While I was initially underwhelmed after sampling a few tracks, a complete runthrough reveals a psychobilly band with good control over the genre.  Monster Klub essentially sounds like a more traditionally influenced version of Germany's Bloodsucking Zombies from Outter Space.  The band keeps their style simple, and rather than incorporate punk-rock or metal influences, Monster Klub plays a classic 80's style psychobilly with a dash of country.  Their lead vocalist, singularly referred to as "SEB," has a thick French accent distorted by a deep throaty growl, making for an unearthly vocal delivery.  Further like the Bloodsucking Zombies, Monster Klub playfully sings about ghouls, zombies, and the undead.  But to their benefit, their songs and melodies are never dark enough to turn the casual listener off, but also not goofy enough for die hard horrorpunk fans to completely disregard.  

The band keeps a certain horror movie essence, reminiscent of bad b-movies and horror classics.  Simply skimming the track list reveals playful track names including "Zombie Dance Klub," "Gore Star," and (my personal favourite), "Godzilla can't Surf."  Some songs even throw in a few stock horror movie sounds.  For example, "Billy's Last Run" adds a subtle chainsaw buzz during the final bridge, and in the surf inspired instrumental "Godzilla can't Surf" the band sprinkles in a few of Godzilla's unmistakable cries.  Thankfully the band guides their songs through their own instruments, only drawing upon sound-bites as tasteful flourishes.

Monster Klub plays at a frantic pace across the entire album, only slowing down for the pair of haunting acoustic tracks "The Witches Hill" and "Voodoo Barbeque."  Fittingly, the album opens with the instrumental introduction "Crash (intro)," finishing 16 tracks later with its conclusive counterpart, "Crash (outro)."  The continuation of the intro track frames Not Dead Yet as an album with all the intensity and danger of a fatal car chase - an effect successfully sustained by the band's furious guitars and thickly strummed upright double bass.  

Simply put, Not Dead Yet is one hell of a ride.

3 Minute Warning - Tramps Jackpot

Artist: 3 Minute Warning

Album: Tramps Jackpot

Label: Do The Dog Music

With Tramps Jackpot, UK ska-punk group 3 Minute Warning has produced ten songs of bouncy ska-punk goodness.  While there are moments throughout the album that draw immediate comparisons to The Specials, The Clash and Rancid, 3 Minute Warning generally sounds original and fresh.  Rough but understandable vocals, an optimistic guitar upstroke, and various musical influences make them everything a ska-punk band should be.  

The band's use of keyed instruments is of particular interest.  I often criticise many ska bands for abusing their organ.  Naturally an interesting instrument, when a band's organ simply drones in the background the sound becomes obnoxious and repetitive.  3 Minute Warning address the issue by swapping back and forth between an organ and piano.  Consequently, the piano's gentle key strokes provide a welcome contrast to the organ's traditional hum.  While in some songs the band strictly uses the piano or organ, some tracks, like "In Your Face," "Can of Worms," and "TV is On," feature both instruments.  The result is a rich, layered soundscape providing just enough diversity to fully appreciate both instruments.

Lyrically the band doesn't push the envelope, but they also don't offend their listeners' intelligence.  They have their songs like "Hangover" and "Weekend Waster" about hangovers and being lazy, but they also have tracks like "Can of Worms" and "Lost Cause" that briefly discuss social issues and societal problems.  These tracks won't likely motivate listeners to take up arms in defense of their ideals, but they do help characterise 3 Minute Warning as a band with a social conscious.

Tramps Jackpot provides a playful ten song playlist suitable for light hearted afternoons.  Ska-punk enthusiasts won't find anything terribly new here, but the organ-piano combination makes 3 Minute Warning's debut an interesting and memorable listen.

Ashtray - The Power of Positive Drinking

Artist: Ashtray

Album: The Power of Positive Drinking

Label: Silver Sproket

In 2008 Leftover Crack's lead singer, "Stza," put out a collaborative side project named The Star Fucking Hipsters. The album, Until We're Dead, debuted to positive but reserved reviews. Many praised how female vocalist Nicol De Gaillo crisp voice nicely rounded out Stza's crusty wails. However, as many critics commented, many of the tracks were hit or miss, and that with a little more editing and trimming the album could have been something really special. Oh well, I guess we'll have to wait a few years for their next album. WRONG. In fact, I barely had to wait a couple months before stumbling upon an album sounding like how Until We're Dead should have.

Based in Santa Rosa, California - geographically opposite from The Hipsters' home base in New York - the band I speak of is Ashtray, and the album is 2009's The Power of Positive Drinking. Ashtray features lead vocalists Dave and Sarah-Jane trading off every few lines and choruses. While immediately comparable to The Hipsters, Dave's voice sounds decidedly more coherent that Ctza's crusty croak, and Sarah-Jane's voice has a rougher quality and higher pitched squeal than with Nicol. Consequently, Dave and Sarah-Jane's voices sound stylistically closer to each other than with Ctza and Nicol, and they just seem to have more "chemistry." Such chemistry results in exchanges and dialogues easily comparable to Minneapolis, Minnesota's Awesome Snakes - a style that sounds like banter between friends, complete with humour and expressivity.

Throughout the record Ashtray plays punk-rock songs about the cornerstones of a traditional "punk" lifestyle. Songs like "Cardboard Dan," a track about a "real" punk who lives by his ideals, describe colourful characters which, based on the fine details, were presumably inspired by scensters encountered by the band. Furthermore, based on their brutal honesty about cramped living conditions, struggling to turn a dime on tour, and having their van breaking down in songs like "Tour Song," Ashtray sings about what they know - no more, no less. But they have a certain humour about it - one in which they ultimately show how much they love their band despite such inconveniences. 

The Song "Favourite Things" fires off the band's favourite things to do - a list of irresponsible, defiant, and juvenile pleasures including, "hanging out with friends with beer and cigarettes and playing video games," "star wars and riding bikes," "Harry Potter and ice cold water, and Operation Ivy songs" - the band even makes another reference to Cardboard Dan. It's a list so obscure and random that I can only imagine Dave sings with complete sincerity when asserting "these are a few of my favourite things."  Since many of these items, particularly bike riding and Cardboard Dan, reoccur throughout the album, "Favourite Things" serve's as the album's thematic glue.

One of their most endearing songs, "Back in the Day," attempts to refute the age old complaint that "new" punk could never aspire to the highs of "old" punk.  The band compares references to the glory days of Husker Du and Operation Ivy in the 80's with Green Day and Rancid in 1994 - the year typically cited as "the year punk rock sold out."  Because "Back in the Day" is one of the last songs on the album, the listener already knows about the band's rough lifestyle.  Thus, when a band as honest and sincere as Ashtray asserts that punk is alive and well, I find myself inclined to believe them - compared to when multi-platinum Hot Topic branded acts like Fall Out Boy speak for the genre.

I can't think of a better way to kick off the new year than by picking up Ashtray's The Power of Positive Drinking.  The album should reassure punkrock fans that despite the continually popularizing face of punk, 2009 has the potential to deliver the goods.

I Hate Kate - Embrace The Curse

Band: I Hate Kate

Album: Embrace The Curse

Label: Glassnote

My introduction to I Hate Kate started with their 2005 Act One EP.  The most endearing track, "Bed of Black Roses," combined electronic synthesizers with bouncy pop, rock, and punk.  Before long I fell victim to the song's infectious rhythms, and for the life of me, I just couldn't get that catchy chorus out of my head.  Their 2008 (or 2007, depending on where you're from) full length followup, Embrace The Curse, finds the band drawing upon those same infectious melodies for a more formal debut.  

Upon starting up the album, my first thought was "haven't I heard this before?"  And since the first song is actually a rerecorded version of "Bed of Black Roses," I mean that in the most literal sense.  However, the band has significantly tweaked their catchy gem.  While the original version opened with guitars, the new version eases the listener in with mellow violin strokes.   But the biggest difference is actually the track's highs and lows.  Vocally the lead singer doesn't hit notes quite as high as in the original - particularly during the chorus - and instrumentally the bass packs significantly less "punch."  The changes don't necessarily detract from the song, but as someone who found the original version addictive, the alterations made the song less a little memorable.  The 12 track album actually includes two more Act One rerecordings as well.  "I'm in Love with a Sociopath" and "It's Always Better" both fall victim to tweaking, but emerge catchier and more addictive because of it.  "I'm in Love with a Sociopath" adds some fancy opening vocal flourishes and superior piano work, and "It's Always Better" evens out some rough patches.  But new songs make up the bulk of the release.

Generally, the new songs follow the band's basic blueprint, but this time the band more clearly defines I Hate Kate's focus.  The result resembles a combination of A Kiss Could Be Deadly's elecro-pop ditties, with a healthy dose of Mindless Self Indulgence's darker, more chaotic electronic side.  The combination comes together most noticeably in "Then You Kiss" and "Major Tim (Coming Home)."  "Then You Kiss" grabbed me the same way "Bed of Black Roses" did three years ago - hard and without mercy.  While I doubt it'll penetrate my dreams like the latter did, it still put me in musical high.  However, the album also has a few stinkers.  When the band slows down their tempo and strips away their electronic flourishes they write some pretty boring radio rock.  "It's You," "Love Association," and to a lesser extent "Story I Can't Write," crawl along at a painful pace, "boasting" some of the most cliched break-up lyrics anywhere - in other words, they're songs best avoided.

Overall, Embrace The Curse does a fine job of introducing newcomers to I Hate Kate.  Retaining only their catchiest three tracks from their EP, the band writes a handful of equally memorable tunes.  While some tracks don't quite make the mark, they certainly don't ruin the album.  Hopefully the band eventually finds a way to increase their slower tracks' listenability,  but for now, simply cropping the album by a few tracks makes for a quite an enjoyable listen.

Announcement

Well, it's 2009 now, so happy new year! But that also means that in a few weeks I'll be starting the "Professional Development Program" (PDP) which will eventually lead to me realizing my career goal of become a high school teacher. It's an intense five day a week program with an 8:30-4:30 daily schedule and (from what I've heard) mountains of homework. I'll also be working on the weekends to help make ends meet (gas money, car insurance, music budget, etc...), so I'll be busy seven days a week. Naturally, the first time consuming leisure activity to go will be writing these reviews. But I've been planing for this reality, and in the past few weeks I've already written ten reviews to help keep this blog alive. The only catch is that I'm going to make reviews a weekly affair, so starting next week I'll be using the auto-post function. Tuesdays at 10:00 AM will have my weekly album reivew. As of January 1st I have enough pre-written reviews to cary this blog into March, so this blog won't see any down time in this transition.

I'm not sure yet, but in leu of decreased activity I may start posting a monthly "What I'm Listening To" column detailing which new releases have caught my ear. It all depends on how my school/work load balances out, but if I find the time to write the column I hope it'll keep this blog current and relevant.

Oh, and my free music blog will continue seeing weekly Saturday updates :)

Best of 2008 (part 2)

10. Elliot Brood - Mountain Meadows: I enjoy praising "raspy vocals" in my reviews, and generally I'm a sucker for them just out of preference.  And with Elliot Brood, the lead singer's voice couldn't be more raspier.  However, even for me, the instruments really steal the show here.  But what surprised me most was how much I loved the numerous instrumental tracks.  Dark country influenced piano solos and acoustic guitars take the reigns, guiding each instrumental like a narrative - calling the effect atmospheric is an understatement.

9. Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line: Quiet, reserved, calming indie rock never sounded so good.  The New York group's full length debut stayed in constant rotation for weeks after release and had me questioning my punk-rock allegiances.  Songs flow seamlessly together but retain distinctive qualities.  That the band created such an impressionable release after losing their lead songwriter (he passed away) is a credit to Ra Ra Riot's shared musicianship between its crew.

8. Ghoultown - Life After Sundown: As far as I'm concerned, at this point Ghoultown can do no wrong.  With Life After Sundown they have proved themselves the undisputed kings of the dead west.  By blending spaghetti western and outlaw-like sounds with punk and metal sensibilities, the band creates a soundscape unlike any other.  They've also upped their lyrical game, writing epics that had me on the edge of my seat.  Sure, they're a novelty band, but quite possibly one of the best around.

 
7. Okkervil River - The Stand-ins: Part two of what was originally intended as a double release, The Stand-ins picks up where last year's masterpiece, The Stage Names, left off.  I'd venture to say that songs like "Lost Coastlines" actually surpass last year's effort, but that may just be that I'm still awe struck by these indie marvels making year end lists for the second year in a row.  

6. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive: I have to admit, I missed out on 2006's critically acclaimed Boys and Girls in America, so my reference point may be a little different than most.  But as an introduction to the band, Stay Positive was more than I could have ever hoped for.  The songs are catchy on a grand scale, but but thanks to the borderline sloppy vocals retain an unpredictable quality.  I'd be doing a great injustice if I didn't comment on the narration, so I'll briefly praise captivating stories and unforgettable characters that help make Stay Positive more then memorable.

5. The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound: In addition to that wonderful EP, the band also managed to put out an incredibly solid full length album in 2008.  They've come a long way since their 2007 debut, more completely defining themselves through their Springsteen overtones and odes to various musical inspirations.  But they're so much more than a tribute band.  They take mastery of their influences, making songs that are entirely their own, and in may cases that surpass their idols.  Simply put, The '59 Sound can not only be appreciated, but loved by people from practically any musical preference.

4. The Tom Fun Orchestra - You Will Land With a Thud: You Will Land With a Thud was one of the very first albums in 2008 where I instantly knew I had found something classic.  The band has a distinct Nova Scotian sound, defined with celtic undertones, but also blends together an unforgettable array of swing, country, folk, and salsa.  It's one of the most refreshing sounds in current memory, and has been a staple in my library since way back in January - a testament to its appeal. 

3. Gutter Demons - Misery, Madness, and Murder Lullabies: With their latest album, the Gutter Demons have created a Psychobilly gem that truly expands what the genre is capable of.  Misery, Madness, and Murder Lullabies shows a distinctly psychobilly band blending various genres together to create an album with something for everyone.  Punks will love the coarse vocals, rockabilly enthusiasts will love the song structures, and psychobilly cultists will go wild for the unparalleled mastery of the the click-thump-click of the upright bass.  Unfortunately the band played it's final show as of November 29th - R.I.P. - but the band's accomplishments will live on forever in this record.

2. Saint Alvia - Between The Lines: Every now and then an album comes along that you could proudly hear on the radio without and greet with praise.  I recognize Saint Alvia's masterpiece in second place because it achieves what most great punk albums cannot: kick ass tunes that not only sound impressive inside the genre, but that genuinely sound current and relevant to today's music in general.  That Between The Lines mashes together so many obscure influences and sounds and still achieves such a feat is truly remarkable.

 1. The Dreadnoughts - Legends Never Die: The Dreadnoughts' debut takes first place on my list because simply put, it's an instant classic by a band no one really knew existed.  Legends Never Die is hands down the best celtic punk album in years, beating out genre mainstays The Dropkick Murphys, The Real McKenzies, and Flogging Molly.  Some have called it "pirate punk," but that's a pretty narrow minded definition for something as addictive as this.  Furthermore, the album feels like it catches the Dreadnoughts' full live experience, and while I have yet to see them live, since they're based in my hometown, seeing The Dreadnoughts live is definitely one of my most pressing new years resolutions.  

Best of 2008 (Part 1)

20. Alkaline Trio - Agony & Irony: I must admit, after signing to a major label, I never thought this would show up on here.  I fully anticipated Alkaline Trio would further butcher their sound, and lose almost all personality.  But to my surprise, Agony & Irony actually ended up being a return to form, containing some of the most atmospheric and memorable tunes since Goddamnit.

19. Pennywise - Reason to Believe: Undoubtedly the best (temporarily) free album of the year, after 20 years Pennywise shows us that they can still make some of the best punkrock today.  While they were sounding stale in their past couple releases, the band seems to have found new life.  By adding a slight metal overtone and a punchier "rock" core to their songs, the band made themselves relevant once again.

18. Son of Sam - Into The Night: Horrorpunk as it should sound.  Every year I wait for that one Horrorpunk album that reaches beyond the genre and finds a home in my daily playlists.  Because of the all star cast making up this record, I'm not surprised Son of Sam's latest release took that top spot this year.  While I was never a fan of the band in their 2001 release, replacing Davey Havoc with Ian Thorne not only won me over, but got this record on my year end list.

17. The Real McKenzies - Off The Leash: Bagpipes rarely sound this good.  Few celtic punk bands really ever find that sweet spot, but after three releases, The Real McKenzies just know what to do.  The band sounds more confident than ever, switching between goofy pub songs and more somber moments, Off The Leash is a "novelty" album that could be played any place, any time and find appreciation from all.

16. Portugal. The Man - Censored Colours: This band just never stops changing its influences and pioneering new ground.  With their first record off of Fearless Records and full independent, it's clear that the band finally had the opportunity to express themselves without reserve.

15. The Briggs - Come all you Madmen: There's something to be said about a band that just "gets" a genre.  The Briggs simply know how to make picture perfect, anthemic east coast hardcore street punk.  The vocals are big - the choruses even bigger.  I need not say more.

14. The Features - Some Kind of Salvation: I know very little about this band, other than than I can't stop playing this album.  It came out of nowhere and delivered the perfect blend of indie and pop I'd been looking for all year.  They seem to have completely reinvented their sound as well - I tried listening to their previous releases, and I can safely say that The Features have never sounded this good.

13. Zox - Line In the Sand: For whatever reason, I usually find myself avoiding music that's too "radio friendly."  It's not intensional, but just how my preferences have developed.  But for Zox I make an exception.  Should any song on this album see significant radio play, there's no doubt in my mind that Zox would garner quite a following.  Defined with an electric violin, an easy comparison would be Yellowcard - but that would also do a great injustice, for Zox sings with a rare passion and clarity, setting them apart from their contemporaries.

12. The Methadones/The Copyrights - Split: Two of the best pop-punk bands out there in one release, what more could you ask for?  Since I had always both bands' full length albums dragged on a little too long, the format really plays to both bands' strengths.  To top that off, these songs are both some of the best in each band's library.

11. Ezra Furman & the Harpoons - Inside the Human Body: Heavily inspired by The Violent Fems' glory days, Ezra Furman mixes a The Fems' shaky delivery with Conor Oberst like emotion.  The result is infectiously catchy, and altogether unpredictable.  What surprised me most after my first listen to  Inside the Human Body's was the band's adoption of indie inspirations.  Their first release was praised because of its genuine Bob Dylan-ness, so venturing outside of such praise was a gamble.  But it payed off.  The band now has a more developed and distinct sound than ever, and they're better for it.

Saint Alvia - Between The Lines

Artist: Saint Alvia

Album: Between The Lines

Label: Stomp Records

Every now and then an album comes along that feels too intimidating to review, and I just keep pushing it further and further back on my list.  It's not that I avoid listening to such releases - in fact, more often than not they become some of my most enjoyed albums of the year.  But these releases draw upon and seamlessly blend together so many genres and styles that I always fear misinterpreting a band's inspiration - or that I just won't be able to describe the richness and diversity of sound.  This was the case with Saint Alvia's (formerly known as The Saint Alvia Cartel) latest release, Between The Lines.

Released a short year after their strong self titled debut, Between The Lines expands the band's genre pushing tendencies.  While their self titled release blended together Tim Armstrong inspired vocals, ska overtones, a quivering organ, and "pop" sensibilities, their followup introduces several new influences, starting with the lead track.  When I first heard "Run Before You Walk DMC" I instinctively picked up the CD case to double check that I was indeed listening to Saint Alvia.  With vocalists Ben Rispin, Greg Taylor, and Rob Pasalic trading off between hip-hop and raspy street-punk styles every few lines, the track sounds almost reminiscent of The Transplants.  But thanks to a bouncy bass and two upbeat guitarists, I doubt The Transplants could ever sound this hard hitting.  Simply put, "Run Before You Walk DMC" is one of the most refreshing and addictive tracks of the year.  

But most of the album follows Saint Alvia's more familiar sound.  However, unlike Saint Alvia's previous outings, the band increases the tempo and employs bouncier, more upbeat rhythms amidst a slew of soul, blues, and dancehall reggae.  "Roll With It" ultimately reveals the band's musical philosophy when Ben Rispin sings "Well times they are a changing boy/And I know its true/A new generation, oh lord what will we do/You've gotta roll with it, marry old with the new."  While the track speaks more broadly about learning from past mistakes in a dynamic world, the verse's description of moving forward while honouring past legacies perfectly describes Saint Alvia's musical approach.  The result produces tracks like "Romeo," "Roll With It," and "Between The Lines," where every influence sounds fresh, unpredictable, and very relevant.  The best example of Saint Alvia marrying "old with new" is "Mornings In Feng Tu," a presumably Italian inspired, accordion guided track, opened by Rispin lowering his voice to a near whisper.  The remainder of the band joins Rispin for the chorus, moodily chanting "Angels will fall, in this battle for hell" - creating an atmosphere which admittedly had me gently swaying back and forth.  Later a mysterious deep voice surfaces, almost as a bridge, moodily detailing a tale of fallen angels and redemption.  That the track feels so at home on the album is truely a testament to the band's ability to synthesize a track from practically any musical style.

Even now I have so much more to say about Between The Lines - from the smooth country tune "At Least (I'm On My Own)," to the band's integration of a lecture by the University of Alberta's professor Gordon Laxer into their most politically charged song to date, to their insightful and socially conscious lyrics - but reviews just don't provide enough space to adequately detail every twist and turn.  So instead I'll conclude by saying that for me, Between The Lines is one of the most instantly grabbing and persevering releases of the year.  Saint Alvia emits such an aura of confidence when experimenting with seemingly unrelated influences that Between The Lines sounds fresh and interesting after each and every listen.

Druglords Of The Avenues - Self Titled

Artist: Druglords Of The Avenues

Album: Sing Songs

Label: Self Released

In the past year or two, Red Scare Industries has signed many of what have become my favourite punk bands: The Cobra Skulls, The Copyrights, The Methadones, The Sidekicks, The Falcon - and the list of well produced, debatably pop-punk bands goes on.  Their newest signing, Druglords Of The Avenues, have yet to record under the watchful eye of Red Scare, but after listening to their self released debut, Sing Songs, it's obvious why Red Scare snatched up these Oakland, California boys.

Lead vocalist, "Johnny," sings in a familiar but elusive key.  Imagine mashing Nothington's raw feel together with Flashlight Brown's unpolished poppy vocal delivery - then you'd have Druglords of the Avenues.  With the exception of "Search Again's" anger fueled guitar, the band typically keeps an upbeat, bouncy tempo.  They differentiate themselves from labelmates The Copyrights and The Methadones by drawing more heavily on punk "rock" than "pop."  Furthermore, when the vocals reach an aggressive level, many tracks, like "There's Nothing Really Going On" and "These So Called Druglords," reveal street-punk overtones.  However, one of the biggest "issues" with Sing Songs ends up being its steadfast tempo.  While there is never any ambiguity over when one track ends and another begins, at times some songs sound slightly too familiar for comfort.  For example, "What Is Good" and "He Loves" feature choruses that, while obviously not identical, feature the same vocal wailing.  Thankfully, throughout several songs the band changes the tempo, keeping things fresh - subsequently removing predictability.

The band liberally throws around lyrics like "Meatballs and Corn Stew," which admittedly had me sctraching my head for quite a while - but after a few listens I finally began making probable thematic connections.  The first track, "Me Decided," introduces a grammatically confused, scatterbrained description of a rekindled relationship, setting up the rest of the album for the Druglords' ever present conflicted tone.  The band seems to love asking personal and social questions, only to dance around the answer.  "What is Good" asks exactly what the title suggests, and several tracks later "Search Again," with "Mixed Up" immediately following, together confirming that even half way through the album the band still hasn't settled on any concrete answers.  

Sing Songs provides an intelligent, thoughtful introduction to Druglords Of The Avenues.  While I'm still hesitant to place the band on the same level as other Red Scare greats, if the band continues evolving and maturing their promising combination of rough vocals, bouncy melodies, and inquisitive lyrics, their Red Scare debut could be an event I'll need to highlight on my calendar.

The Creepshow - Run For Your Life

Artist: The Creepshow

Album: Run For Your Life

Label: Stomp Records

When I first heard Burlington, Ontario's premier psychobilly outfit The Creepshow's 2006 debut I remember being impressed, but not blown away.  The combination of Jen "Hellcat" Blackwood's crisp but smokey vocals, horror themed lyrics, and the rest of the band's poppy psychobilly rhythms worked so well - but also sounded a little too familiar.  Since the advent of female led psychobilly outfit the Horrorpops in 2001, the combination picked up steam in the mid 00's, resulting in tasteful imitations like Mad Marge & The Stonecutters and Thee Merry Widows.  Crisp female vocals against a semi-poppy psychobilly backdrop became the common thread linking these bands together, but which also made many of the imitators - including The Creepshow to a certain extent - blur together.  Thankfully in The Creepshow's second effort, Run For Your Life, the band expands their sound, further defining themselves from the pack.

While their previous release, Sell Your Soul, had a "goofy," almost "spooky" psychobilly feel, Run For Your Life sounds more influenced by "punkabilly" - psychobilly's faster, punkier, more rockabilly based younger brother.  While not radically altering song structures - the thick double bass continues taking centre stage and the haunting church organ still echos in the background - the general tempo speeds up, and thanks to the replacement of Jen "Hellcat" with her younger sister Sarah "Sin," vocals have a little more "punch."  Despite the tempo increase, songs like "Demon Lover" and "Run For Your Life" offer a distinct rockabilly vibe absent from from their previous release.  Others like "Burried Alive" offer perfectly envisioned female fronted punkabilly tunes, complete with steadfast drumming, a speedily strummed bass, and plenty of backing "woahs" - right before the song winds down there's even a moody bridge purely featuring backup vocalist and upright bassist Sean "Sickboy" McNab.

Sarah's near seamless replacement of her sister deserves particular attention.  The only real difference between Sarah and Jen is the level of "smokiness" in their delivery.  While Jen's quivering delivery made her more immediately comparable to Horrorpop vocalist Patricia Day, Sarah's voice is a little higher and maintains a certain "roughness."  But because the entire band traditionally contributed backing vocals against Jen's voice, Sarah's delivery still maintains a vocal continuity across both records.

Lyrically the band seems to have matured since 2006.  While its hard to fault a band that takes inspiration from b-movies for writing songs about zombies eating brains, the goofy nature of old tracks like "Zombies Ate Her Brain" hurt re-playability.  While songwriting credit goes to the entire band, after listening to Sarah's solo album, I can't help but think Sarah has helped mature The Creepshow's lyrical content.  Like her solo album, many songs use horror based metaphors for describing real life issues and feelings.

The Creepshow is back and better than ever - faster melodies, a new lead vocalist, and overall better musicianship make Run For You Life stand apart from the crowd.

The Uprising - Appetite For Deception

Artist: The Uprising

Album: Appetite For Deception

Label: Long Live Crime Records

The Uprising plays a classic style of OC punk-rock that thankfully never seems to fall out of favour.  Sure, fewer and fewer bands play classic OC punk these days, and the days of Bad Religion, 90's The Offspring, and Pennywise hits dominating the airwaves have come and gone, but if you dig deep enough you can still find new revivalists like The Uprising keeping this niche's fans occupied.

The Uprising plays a distinct brand of punk-rock that shifts between sounding like an edgier brand of Pennywise, and a more aggressive version of Bad Religion.  Like the aforementioned bands, The Uprising subscribes to a melodic punk-rock legacy.  Insanely fast drumming speeds along behind a foreground of slightly slower guitars, and is all guided by lead vocalist "Crabby's" smoothly melodic voice.  In tracks like "I Wanna Know," silky smooth Bad Religion-esque backing vocals (read: "whoas") add another layer of polish to the band's sound.  However, the band doesn't "overuse" their backing vocalists, a key distinction that prevents them from sounding too close to Bad Religion.  Seeing how Bad Religion guitarist Greg Heston helped oversee the album, such an influence seems natural.  Rounding out this polish comes rougher tracks that borrow from earlier Pennywise material.  Tracks like "Signs" have a distinct tempo change between the chorus and body of the song, producing a disjointed feeling that keeps the material sounding "rough."  "We Don't Belong" actually features vocals from Pennywise frontman Jim Lingberg which, again, makes the apparentness of the influence appropriate.

Lyrically, the band heavily aligns itself with Pennywise, passionately and angrily preaching about social issues and a time for change - themes more than apparent in the album's artwork of a bloody stained White House.  Based on Crabby's experiences detailed on the band's website, I imagine the lyrics are sung with as much sincerity as their strong delivery suggests.  Near fatally injured by a terrorist bomb in Indonesia in 2002, Crabby had to draw upon the punkrock community to pay his medical and rehabilitation expenses when he arrived back home.  Bitterness would be an understatement.

I've thrown around Pennywise and Bad Religion in this review more than I'm comfortable with.  I don't want anyone thinking that I find this album favourable simply because of familiarity.  I've heard a lot of boring OC punk-rock clones that stray far too close to their parent material - The Generators instantly come to mind - but that's not the case with The Uprising.  The key difference, passion, isn't exactly quantifiable, but is certainly instantly apparent.  Simply put, The Uprising's strong debut places the band into the same camp as the genre leaders, preventing Appetite For Deception from falling in with legions of "paint by numbers" OC punkrock clones.

Senses Fail - Life Is Not A Waiting Room

Artist: Senses Fail

Album: Life Is Not a Waiting Room

Label: Vagrant

My history with Senses Fail can be traced back to destinaitonless car rides in the summer of the band's full length debut, Let it Enfold You.  A good buddy of mine burned the single "Buried a Lie" on one of his mix CDs.  After a few listens it soon became the brunt of many emo related jokes, and we laughed at the horrible lyrics involving some depressed freak digging up his dead girlfriend and preforming an autopsy.  Needless to say, when they released their follow-up album in 2006 I completely ignored it, assuming it was simply more of the same wrist slitting emo.  But then in 2008 the band released their latest album, Life is Not a Waiting Room to shockingly favourable reviews.  I held out for quite some time, but then curiosity got the best of me and I gave it a listen.  

Upon my first run-through I waited for the whinny cringe inducing vocals and boring pop-punk guitar riffs - but the combination never came.  I did hear the same almost tolerable emo vocals, but they were supported by a slew of ferocious guitar solos and some really high energy rock tunes.  For their latest album, the band draws quite heavily on the technically complex styles that many post-hardcore bands lean on.  The metal influenced guitar solos on tracks like "Lungs Like Gallows" and "Wolves at the Door" were my biggest surprises.  Their solos would sound right at home in any respectable power-metal band's album.  Still, other tracks draw on additional influences.  "Family Tradition" and "Hair of the Dog" opens with chords that wouldn't sound out of place on an Angels and Airwaves album, and "Map The Streets" features a catchy chorus that sounds heavily influenced by contemporaries Taking Back Sunday.  

Unfortunately, in tracks like "Four Years" James Neilson relapses to his previous unbarable vocal style, but thankfully from time to time the band's uncredited screamo specialist jumps in to mix things up and share the spotlight with Neilson.  Furthermore, Neilson's vocals are generally less whinny than on his debut, consequently enhancing most tracks' listenability.  Unfortunately the band's painfully cliched lyrics still define most songs, but the increased instrumental complexity often had me ignoring Neilson's words in favour of the guitar solos and melodies.  

Based on my history with Senses Fail, I really can't believe how much I've enjoyed Life Is Not A Waiting Room.  Needless to say, Senses Fail fans should love this release.  And if you've hated the band up until this point, then it is time to give them a second shot.

The Ghost Stories - Subliminal Messages

Artist: The Ghost Stories

Album: Subliminal Messages

Label: Big E's Lone Star Record Hop

There's only one word that comes to mind after listening to Houston, Texas' Psychobilly band The Ghost Stories: stupid.  I wish I could put a positive spin on the term, but what these guys have produced in their debut album, Subliminal Messages, just boggles the mind, leading to oh so many "why the hell am I listening to this?" and even a few "what did I just hear?" moments.  

To start with, the lead vocalist's voice can only be described as a continuous barrage of something that sounds like former Krewmen vocalist Mad Dog Cole's highest pitch squealing.  It's rough on the ears and provides for a highly disjointed delivery.  Instrumentally, the band's tempo is just way to fast for the guitarist's skill.  This is a band that focuses on the "psycho" in psychobilly to detrimental heights.  Notes feel incomplete and really sloppy in their fastest songs, including "Corpse Love," "Get You Into Bed," and "She Called Me Alien."  To their benefit, when they slow things down they show a good understanding of the genre and things tend to fall in place a little better.  The last two tracks, "Moon Shinin' Licks" and "Psychos Logos," even show a little promise.

Lyrically, unfunny poop jokes, jokes about incest, and needless cover songs further hurt the band's appeal.  The appropriately titled "Poop Song" plays like an incredibly generic rockabilly track, and offers a lyrical juxtaposition with the style - essentially making it a 1950s song about poop.  Lead vocalist "Pachuco" sings "I've been poop'n in the neighbour's yard," following it up with "I've been poop'n, and scoop'n, all night," and later revealing "I've been poop'n in the grass and in the sand, poop in my hair and poop in my hands."  Such grade school humour is just really not that funny as a whole track, it's like satire without the funny.  There's also a dreadful pseudo-cover of The Beastie Boys' "Fight For Your Right" (Renamed Fight Fer Yer Right), which adds a verse about "poop and pee" and references The Ghost Stories themselves, which again, just isn't funny beyond the first chorus.  More confusingly, they band almost ditches a lot of their humour to become a very mediocre psychobilly band half way through the album - I'm guessing that they just ran out of ideas.

Humour based bands are always hit or miss, but until now I just didn't know how far they could miss.  Some people claim that The Ghost Stories honour the humour of the psychobilly pioneers of the 80s.  But those bands, like Batmobile and The Klingonz, were smart with their humour and slick with their tricks.  The Ghost Stories are just lazy and unoriginal.  Unless you're a real toilet humour connoisseur, steer clear of this one at all costs.

Smartbomb - Diamond Heist

Artist: Smartbomb

Album: Diamond Heist

Label: Think Fast! Records

In today's punk soundscape everyone seems to play some variant of the age old genre. Pop-punk, skate-punk, street-punk, cabaret-punk, horror-punk... and the list goes on. Few bands avoid the hyphen, opting for sounds generally described as modern "updates" to the genre. And while inter-genre convergence celebrates various musical styles and influences, bands buying into these trend tends to under-appreciate the power of straight-up "punk." Evidently Worcester, Massachusetts' Smartbomb recognized this reality and has dutifully provided us with an instant classic to fill this void. Playing in a familiar, but very neglected, unhyphenated-punk, their full length debut, Diamond Heist, instantly reminds its listeners of the passion that gave punk music its original draw.

While there are certainly hyphenated influences scattered throughout the album, the traditionally fast tempo and vocal range (that narrowly avoids degrading into a growl) ground the album in an unmistakably "punk" foundation. Songs like "Who's The Terrorist Now" and "Worchester, MA" sound unmistakably influenced by the unyielding drum beats and fast but simple guitar chords of early Anti-Flag and The Unseen. Because of its rock solid punk core when the band subtly draws upon various other schools of punk they momentarily enhance their sound rather than jeopardize their foundation. For example, "Crucial Times" ends with a slower, street-punk influenced backdrop featuring a crowd shouting the track's title. Because this marks the sub-genre's lone appearance, the shouting harnesses street-punk's inherent political conscious, successfully highlighting the song's urgent call for political change. Other songs like "Second View" contain tinges of early Decedents pop-punk, while the slightly smoother vocals on tracks like "Barely Legal" and "Avoid the Lloyd" instantly garner comparisons to 90's melodic skate-punk.

For the album's second half the band slows down the tempo (although still fast by contemporary standards) after a well executed "Intermission." During the first half of the album the tracks never really stop but seamlessly blend together. Consequently, the 23 seconds of pseudo silence (listening carefully reveals ocean waves) commencing the intermission make the slower, punk-rock influenced, bass heavy intermission quite powerful. The "Intermission" also helps ease the listener into the album's second half's more experimental tone. Following the intermission, "In My Dreams" throws a curve ball by introducing barely audible female backing vocals and a very "bouncy" beat.  The final track, "Undercurrents," even throws in a couple rock inspired guitar solos and some bass work that wouldn't sound out of place in a punkabilly tune. Throughout the entire album socially conscious lyrics call for change. The lyrical continuity also helps bind the later more experimental tracks with the more traditional songs that define pre-intermission Diamond Heist.

All together, Diamond Heist provides a pleasant surprise for those of us yearning for new bands who pay respect to unhyphenated "punk."  For this, Smartbomb delivers in spades and will likely find itself in heavy rotation on my playlists.