TANCRED – 'Out of the Garden' review

TANCRED – 'Out of the Garden' review

Crikey, how 90s is this?! For those that don't know, TANCRED is the side / solo project of Jess Abbott who played in the indie-pop band NOW NOW; I really loved her self-titled album, which was all at once dark, cynical, catchy, and funny, and though this is still characteristically TANCRED in some of those respects, it feels like much of the dark tone and atmosphere has been eschewed in favour of all out 90s fuzzy grunge rock, with more drive than reservation. The songs are still considerately structured with some uniquely odd lyrics, and Jess' vocal tone and melodies are as creative as ever, fluctuating between soft drones and surprising highs. A pretty cool album; just expect more fuzzy riffs than the dark and subtle emotion of her previous stuff. Check out the song 'Pens' (which even has a bit of a surf-rock vibe), and 'Swimming'.

https://tancred.bandcamp.com/music

xox

NACHTHEXEN self-titled 7" review

NACHTHEXEN self-titled 7" review

NACHTHEXEN are bloody amazing. Their first release, a cassette called 'The Other' was one of my favourite releases of recent years, and this new EP is no less brilliant. Four tracks of angry, energetic, synth-fuelled punk-rock from four women from Sheffield, with some tight drum and bass work, and keyboard sounds that still remind me of old horror movie scores. Despite there being a kind of dark, gothy vibe to this, there are a lot of moments on it that will make you laugh, as well as loads of gang shouts, and some ace lyrics about anxiety, intoxicated males and the spaces they claim, diet culture, and there's also a re-recording of their classic 'Cheer Up Luv'. Definitely worth checking if you fancy some shouty-synthy-gothy punk-rock with politically strong lyrics. It also has cool artwork and comes on lovely piss-yellow wax. Ace!

*They also have a track on our latest comp cassette*

https://nachthexenpunx.bandcamp.com/album/nachthexen-7

https://www.facebook.com/nachthexenband/

xox

TEGAN AND SARA – 'Love You To Death' review

TEGAN AND SARA – 'Love You To Death' review

Who doesn't love TEGAN AND SARA? They continually change and develop their sound, and consistently write incredible music regardless of what genre their music might fall under. This new album bears more similarity to their last album 'Heartthrob' than anything before that, swapping dark, subtle melodies and emotion of albums like 'The Con' for massive, bright pop songs, and as much as I miss the sound of said album, I really can't complain because this is brilliant. The choruses to some of these songs are so catchy it's just ridiculous; 'Faint of Heart', 'Dying to Know', and 'Stop Desire' will stick to you very quickly, and when they do slow the pace and pull back for the ballad '100x' (one of my faves for sure) it's just beautiful, and shows off their perpetual capacity for writing sensitive, touching songs. I can't really work out what's so great about the sound they have now; it's almost like it combines the best of 80s, 90s, and contemporary pop with their own, irresistible, distinct writing style, but whatever it is, it's phenomenal. If you liked 'Heartthrob', this maybe doesn't quite reach the heights of that masterpiece, but it comes very bloody close, so you should love it. If you don't really know TEGAN AND SARA I urge you to check them out ASAP, especially their newer stuff if you dig stuff like ROBYN, FOXES, and METRIC, but also check out albums like 'The Con' for something darker. Another stunning piece of work.

https://www.facebook.com/TeganandSara/

xox

DOE – 'Some Things Last Longer Than You' review

DOE – 'Some Things Last Longer Than You' review

Before I saw them at Deadpunk in Bristol earlier this year, I liked DOE. After I saw them at Deadpunk in Bristol earlier this year, I Loved DOE. And not just because they did a truly spectacular cover of THE SPICE GIRLS' '2 Become 1' (although that definitely helped). They're a three-piece from London (dual guitar, no bass) who play really awesome garage pop-punk, with ace male-female dual vocal harmonising, plenty of angst, some chuckle-inducing lyrics, and some bloody huge choruses. There are also some great riffs on here ('Respite' has a notably good 'un), and there's a pretty strong 90s vibe coming through (think SONIC YOUTH, THE PIXIES and THE BREEDERS, and also the way TANCRED's stuff has been going lately). There are some great tunes on side A like the opener 'No. 1' and I like 'Monopoly', but I absolutely love side B, which is full of bangers: 'Anywhere' has the energy and intensity of CAVES, 'Last Ditch' gives us one of their most memorable choruses, 'Before Her' is magic from start to finish (those vocal harmonies in the chorus, oh my days!), and the intensity of 'Corin' is fantastic, reminding me of THE YEAH YEAH YEAHS' harder stuff: Nicola's shouting in it gives me goosebumps. A really incredible album by one of the best British bands around at the moment; pick it up now!

https://www.facebook.com/hellowearedoe/

http://www.doetheband.co.uk/

xox

FACE TO FACE - 'Protection' review

FACE TO FACE - 'Protection' review

When I got into melodic punk-rock as a teen, FACE TO FACE were one of the first bands that I properly got into, and, despite not loving stuff since the album 'How to Ruin Everything', they've remained one of my favourites. Subsequent to that album, they've released one that I didn't like at all, one that was a little better, and have arrived at this, which, thankfully, is probably the best thing they've done in about ten / fifteen years. For those that aren't familiar with FACE TO FACE, they play melodic punk rock that sits well alongside bands like BAD RELIGION, DESCENDENTS, and THE OFFSPRING's faster stuff, but still has it's own sound, especially in Trever's distinct vocal delivery and arrangements. If ever there was an album to show how crucial Scott is to this band too, then this is it; his basslines on here are absolutely sublime (and are given a lot of moments to shine in the more guitar-bare sections), and Danny's drumming is on point too, especially when they play at speed (they have this particular, awesome speed that they only use once or twice per album, and on here it's on 'I Won't Say I'm Sorry'). As usual, lyrically this is more personal than political, and there are some pretty memorable choruses on here. Even if this isn't quite what they used to be capable of, there are some good songs on here, stylistically falling somewhere between the classics of their self-titled album and 'Reactionary', and their album prior to this, 'Three Chords and a Half Truth', and it's definitely worth checking out if you like that 90s melodic punk sound. A decent effort; I'd recommend the songs 'Double Crossed', 'Say What You Want', and 'Fourteen Fifty-Nine' for something a bit different, but I'd also like to stress how great their previous albums 'Don't Turn Away', their self-titled one, 'Ignorance is Bliss' and 'Reactionary' are, so they're worth checking out too.

https://www.facebook.com/facetoface/

xox

RASH DECISION - 'Headstrung' 12" review

RASH DECISION - 'Headstrung' 12" review

Bloody hell yes, this is pretty much exactly the kind of thing that I hope will drop into my inbox to review. Fast, no messin' about, thrashy hardcore with immense drumming that flicks between blasts, double time, and lightspeed fills, that complement the awesome, tight guitar and bass riffs perfectly, and multiple vocalists, all with very different but equally pissed-off sounding tones. Every song on here is brilliantly structured (that's what 9 years of experience will do for you), from the 66 seconds of 'Dogsbody' (one of my personal favourites, and featuring one of the best thrash-inspired riffs on here) to the slower but no less furious 'Cunt of the Litter', and the rather odd, somewhat amusing, yet still awesome 'Blinded by Leaves'. If you like your hardcore how it should be played i.e. fast, heavy, and abrasive, well-produced and with no nonsense, and that reminds you of stuff that used to come out on DEAD AND GONE RECORDS (FIFTY ON RED, BREAK IT UP, etc.), then this will please you a lot. This 12" also comes with their last album 'Seaside Resort to Violence' on the other side. Ace.

http://rashdecision.bandcamp.com/

xox

THINGS FALL APART - s/t 7" review

THINGS FALL APART - s/t 7" review

"This is good stuff; bright melodic screamo with with really strong, shredding vocals, great song structures with a multitude of pace and rhythm changes that flick in and out of each other with speed, all driven by some awesome chording and catchy guitar melodies. Like a lot of bands doing this sound these days, there are a lot of clean, melodic parts / songs to break up the intensity, at which point they sound a bit like a harsher LA DISPUTE (especially with spoken word sections about his Dad), with a bit of OLD GREY thrown in, but when they go all out, you'll find plenty of noise and energy to get your pulse racing. A cool little release if you like your screamo clean, with a polished recording, and more on the melodic hardcore side of things."

https://thingsfallapartohio.bandcamp.com/album/things-fall-apart-2

xox

SHIZUNE - 'Le Voyageur Imprudent' 12" review

SHIZUNE - 'Le Voyageur Imprudent' 12" review

"There's too much great stuff coming out of Italy at the moment, and SHIZUNE are part of that, playing hugely consistent melodic hardcore / screamo that despite favouring melodic and relatively clean chording, still retains the intensity of old emo-violence bands thanks to some seriously immense chaotic drumming, and monotonous but abrasive and emotional screamed vocals, all packed into largely short songs. The ten tracks here make up a truly intense experience that, owing to its ultimate briefness, is perfectly lengthed to leave you wanting more or to simply listen all over again. A great piece of work with beautiful cover art. Check out the tune 'Immortel et Imperissable' for something to go on."

https://shizune.bandcamp.com/

xox

FRET - 'Attune / Cowboy' 7" review

FRET - 'Attune / Cowboy' 7" review

FRET are a three piece that play largely instrumental (the second track entirely, while the first features some minimal female vocals) fuzzy prog-rock songs that build around a central repeated rhythm or riff. It's pretty moody with a certain dark and sinister groove to it, and plays heavily on dynamic contrast, drawing you in with quiet palm mutes and picking, before attacking with a noisier, more driven form of the main riff, accentuated by some really solid and dramatic drum-work. Feels like there's a bit of a 70s influence to me too, especially on the vocals. An awesome little two-track if you dig fuzzy rock riffs, and an auspicious indicator of what's to come. (They also have a new 12" EP out now which you can check out on their Bandcamp...)

https://fretband.bandcamp.com/album/attune-cowboy-ltd-ed-vinyl-download

xox

PASTEL - 'L'acchiappa Nuvole' 12" review

PASTEL - 'L'acchiappa Nuvole' 12" review

PASTEL are an awesome two-piece from Italy who play with a real fusion of styles, from emo, screamo, and punk rock, to post-hardcore, with some great riffing and chords combined with a brilliant sense of underlying melody, and some seriously intense drumming that thrashes between grinding blasts, double time, and technical tom and cymbal-work at such a pace as to make your head swim. All of this is broken up by interludes of cleaner and delayed guitar work, fuzzy soundscapes, and even some rather beautiful piano. The high-pitched shouted vocals are minimal, and the cool thing about this album is that as well as the full-band ten tracks, this also contains the entire thing without any vocals, for those that prefer or are in the mood for an instrumental version. The artwork is awesome too and the lyrics are printed in both English and Italian which is nice. A cracking, musically awesome album that has a very wide appeal for the genre ground that it covers. Great stuff. Check out 'Il Lancio Karman' on our tape, and also the end of 'La Scatola, il Crocevia' for one of the greatest riffs ever.

http://pasteldiy.bandcamp.com/

xox

FLOWERS TAPED TO PENS / BREAD CLUB / BEDS / SKULL KID split 7" review

FLOWERS TAPED TO PENS / BREAD CLUB / BEDS / SKULL KID split 7" review

That's right, four bands on one seven inch, featuring one track each per band. I like pretty much all of the stuff I've heard before by FLOWERS TAPED TO PENS, who play lo-fi, highly emotional screamo, and this tune, with screeching vocals over clean, pretty guitars, features all of the intensity you would expect. It also has some squealing which is still a real challenge for me to enjoy, but a cool track none-the-less. BREAD CLUB are a soft, easy going emo band, and this mid-paced tune rolls along with some lovely chord-work that marries nicely with the calm yet catchy vocal melodies and emo lyricism. A nice little tune. BEDS, putting forward possibly my favourite track of the split, play super catchy, super soft emo, with fantastic instrumentation, and great, vocally high-pitched verse and chorus sections that will stick in your head long after listening, thanks to a clever use of repetition. SKULL KID close the split with an interesting, unpredictable tune that combines a bit of screaming with both soft and breathy, and high-pitched singing, in a fuzzy garage emo sound that's varied in pace and intensity, from smooth verses, to screamed interludes, and a slower, post-hardcore outro. A nice little split if you like your new emo and screamo on the soft side.

https://flowerstapedtopens.bandcamp.com/album/flowers-taped-to-pens-bread-club-beds-skull-kid-split

xox

Texas Is The Reason - 'Do You Know Who You Are?: The Complete Collection' review

Texas Is The Reason - 'Do You Know Who You Are?: The Complete Collection' review

So, I'll hopefully be seeing Texas Is The Reason at the start of August, and in celebration of such an astounding prospect, here's a review from The Screever issue three of their retrospective release that came out on Revelation this year; apologies for the gushing:

"Well, what can really be said about the album that, for me at least, defined and pretty much epitomises an entire genre? On the rare occasions that some uninformed, genre-confused person asks me what I think 'emo' is, I tell them to listen to TEXAS IS THE REASON. 'DYKWYA' originally came out on Revelation in '96, and with apologies for the use of such a cliche, it's as current, and I believe relevant today, and perhaps even more so in this time of such apparent aforementioned genre-confusion, than the time of it's first release. Collected here are the original nine tracks remastered, plus their first e.p, a couple of single tracks that featured on splits in the 90's (including an alternate version of 'Something to Forget'), and two further songs that were written subsequent to the album's first release, and literally every song on here is pure joy to experience; the two newer songs make a nice addition to the original lineup, and for those that don't own their first e.p, here's a chance to witness their cracking, faster, more melodic-punk rock beginnings. The song 'Blue Boy', from a split with THE PROMISE RING is incredible, consistently brilliant with the album tracks, and 'Something to Forget Version 1' is a worthy addition for the surprisingly different song structure and rawer vocal track, including some awesome vocal harmonies in the chorus that I'm surprised didn't make it to the later version. Whether you love TITR, haven't heard of TITR, love emo, or don't really know what emo is, this is absolutely worth getting; an astounding, genre-affirming and defining, and ultimately beautiful collection of songs that I really hope brings to this band all of the attention and credit that they somehow may have missed the first time around, that they so rightly deserve. A masterpiece; pure and simple."

Go and find them on Facebook here:

https://www.facebook.com/TXisthereason

Thanks a lot! :)
xox

'Speedowax' 2012 Releases Vinyl Pack

Speedowax 2012 releases vinyl bundle...

Rich at Birmingham-based DIY hardcore / punk label 'Speedowax' is offering every release that they put out in 2012 in a bundle for £20; that's a pretty awesome deal! If you're into hardcore on wax, definitely check this out...

You can currently order the bundle from here:

http://www.muempire.bigcartel.com

or find Speedowax on Facebook at:

http://www.facebook.com/speedowax

xox