Music & More Since 2005

One of the bands I wanted to interview as part of my preview for The Fest 9, is How Dare You from Orlando. I sent the questions to my pal Elliot (one of the band’s guitar players) and he (along with the rest of the guys) answered ‘em. Their most recent album, Comfort Road has quickly become on of my favorites. Read more below…

I know the band has roots in both Philly and Florida. How did the band come together?

Well I moved to Orlando about 5 years ago from the Tampa Bay area and I was looking to start or join a band in Orlando. I had tried out for a band that Justin had recently been kicked out of. That band thought I sucked for some reason and while learning the parts that Justin played, I thought that we had the same style of guitar playing so I decided to contact him and we got together, wrote some songs and met Zach and Seth through some mutual friends and that’s pretty much it. (Elliot)

Elliot is also a bartender, so what are your favorite drinks?

I prefer bourbon mostly but will drink pretty much anything you put in front of me. (Elliot)

The cheapest beer you got usually works fine for me. (Justin)

Cigar City is my favorite IPA. (Zach)

How does living in Orlando, the home of Disney, affect your music?

In short, it Doesn’t. We don’t really have the city of Orlando or Disney World in our heads when we are writing songs. I’d like to think the songs are a little more personal than that. Although, I’m sure Elliot likes being close to Disney since he is a grumpy dad and all. Haha. (Seth)

How many times have you played the Fest before and what is your most memorable Fest moment?

Fest 9 will be our 3rd time playing and we couldn’t be happier about it. I think its safe to say that The Fest is one thing that we all really look forward to each year. I have never been to anything like it. EVER. One show that will always stand out for me is the Asshole Parade set from Fest 6. It was at The Atlantic and it was probably the most insane show I have ever been to. Kids were hanging from the ceiling, Five Star Pizza boxes were flying around the room and the singer was out of control. It was total fucking chaos and it was perfect. I’ll never forget that show. (Elliot)

I’ve never been to the Fest. What should I expect?

Oh wow, you are in for a treat. I would say that the only thing you can expect is to see some amazing bands and meet some amazing people. Everything else will be a whirlwind of crazy. Be sure to drink plenty of water in between beers and be sure to wear comfortable shoes. The schedule will have you bouncing around from club to club all day and night. But don’t worry; it’s all worth it. (Justin)

What bands are you most excited to see at the Fest this year?

Young Livers, Banner Pilot and Bridge and Tunnel. (Seth)

VRGNS, Monikers, Dear Landlord. (Elliot)

The Suicide Machines, The Menzingers and Leatherface. (Justin)

Asshole Parade, Chris Wollard, The Menzingers. (Zach)

Aside from playing the Fest, what else are you guys currently working on? Any upcoming releases?

Right now we are in the studio recording our 2nd full length. We are all pretty stoked on the songs and cant wait to get them out there. It’s looking like it wont be released until the beginning of next year (2011) but I’m sure we will play some new songs at the Fest, just to confuse the crowd. (Seth)

What have you guys been listening to in your van/cars?

Lots of new music. New VRGNS, Young Livers, Mixtapes, The Menzingers, RVIVR and so much more.

How do you guys feel about music blogs? Are they are similar to what fanzines were in the 90’s? Discuss.

I feel the conversation is similar to that of downloading music. To me, I just don’t do it. Maybe I’m old but I would always prefer to have a physical product in my hand then something that it stored on a hard drive. Music blogs are sort of the same for me. I would prefer to read a current issue of Razorcake or a Cometbus zine on my lunch break than scour the internet for something that may or may not interest me. It’s all about being able to hold on to something and save it. Maybe I am a hoarder or something but that just the way I like it. (Seth)

For the first time ever, I’m gonna try to make my way down to Gainesville for the annual punk rock extravaganza known as The Fest in October. I really don’t know what to expect, so I asked a bunch of bands that are playing The Fest 9 some questions about it as well as some unrelated questions. The first person to get me some answers was Alex from Gatorface and No Friends. I’m actually surprised at how fast Alex got back to me considering that he plays bass and sings in Gatorface and he plays bass in both No Friends and VRGNS. I now love Alex even more since he too loves The Clash (but who doesn’t, right?) He’s also one of the guys playing in our Punk Rock fantasy Football League this year, which should be tons of fun, but more on that later. Now, the questions:

Your music is definitely melodic, so how do you feel when people (like me) call Gatorface a pop punk band?

I’m definitely not offended or put off by that. That was actually my intention when we started, I just think I’m bad at writing pop punk songs. There’s definitely elements of that, and I listen to pop punk music. I just think Gatorface sort of turned into it’s own monster. Part pop punk, part 80s hardcore, part whatever other weird ideas I had. The simplicity (at times) and structure of pop punk is there, but it’s definitely angrier/weirder stuff than your typical pop punk band.

With all the other bands and projects you guys are involved in, how do you make time for Gatorface?

Well it’s hard at times for sure, but we make it work. We double up practices with VRGNS so I can knock both bands out on the same night. And No Friends pretty much only practices when we’re writing stuff or getting ready for a tour because Tony is always out with Municipal Waste. Sometimes I feel like I’m spreading myself a little thin, but I’m trying hard to give everything equal attention.

Why did it take so long for Wasted Monuments to come out? It seemed like we fans waited forever.

That was pretty much our fault. Richard took a while to get the art done (but I think the end product was totally worth it), and by the time that was close to being finished we decided we wanted to remix and remaster some stuff because we thought the guitars could sound better. Then there was a problem with the pressing plant because we mastered the record too loud. It was kind of the perfect storm of little problems. By the time the record came out it was a year old and I felt like I lost some of my enthusiasm for the songs. When I got to hold that 12″ in my hands, see the awesome art and put it on my record player I was definitely restoked on it.

How many times have you played the Fest before and what is your most memorable Fest moment?

I’ve been playing the Fest every year since the first one. NMDS played the first 7. Gatorface played Fest 7 (I think it was our fourth show or something), played 8 and will play 9 this year. I definitely think the most memorable moment would be the NMDS set at Fest 7 which was supposed to be our last show. So many old friends from all over were there and it was a really bittersweet moment for me. People went nuts, 35 year old dudes were stage diving, it was awesome. The No Friends set last year was really great too and I look forward to playing with them again this year.

I’ve never been to the Fest. What should I expect?

There’s really no feeling like being at Fest. It’s like the punks completely take over the whole city and everyone there is really stoked and trying to have a good time. You’ll see some great bands, wait in some long lines, drink a lot, eat some cheap pizza, and run into a bunch of people that you haven’t seen in a while. It’s like a punk rock family reunion for me and it’s consistently my favorite weekend of the year every year.

What bands are you most excited to see at the Fest this year?

I usually get really excited to see friends bands play. I definitely won’t miss Dead to Me, Strike Anywhere, and Municipal Waste. Night Birds are fucking awesome. And I am looking forward to seeing Twelve Hour Turn. It’s been a long time since I saw them play.

Aside from playing the Fest, what else are you guys currently working on? Any upcoming releases?

I’ve actually been working on some new Gatorface songs for the first time in a year, but I’m not sure what we’re going to do with them. We’ll probably look into doing another EP or a 7″ when we get around to recording them. I’ve had to mentally switch modes a lot recently from writing No Friends songs, to working on the VRGNS record to writing Gatorface stuff. The Gatorface stuff is really the most challenging for me because I have to worry about vocals and lyrics on top of everything else, but it’s also the most rewarding when I’m happy with the result. Next week I’m getting together with Sam to start writing some new No Friends stuff, so that’s the next immediate project going down for me.

What have you been listening to?

I’m notorious for being late to the game on new music because I have a severe obsession with older bands. I’ve been listening to the Lemonheads (that record from ‘06 with Bill Stevenson and Karl Alvarez on it) a lot. I just got that Dear Landlord record and I really like it. The new Off With Their Heads is really good. Mean Jeans. That last Cloak/Dagger record. Those Paint it Black EPs from last year are incredible. Other than that I’ve been a huge Clash kick again. I can’t stop listening to Give Em Enough Rope.

How do you feel about music blogs? Are there similarities to what fanzines were in the 90’s?

I think blogs are the only honest avenue left to discuss art. They’re not policed by an editor, wheels generally aren’t being greased with money for ad placement etc. The only problem with blogs is any asshole can have one and you have to weed through a bunch of bullshit to get to the good ones.

Any closing comments?

See ya at Fest!!!!!

On their self-released EP, Under Constant Influence, from 2009 Denver, Colorado’s Esprit De Corps throttles through five songs of abrasive rock that sounds like a cross between The Bronx and fellow Denver natives Planes Mistaken For Stars and Only Thunder). The vocals are generally gruff and shouted but with a hint of melody, the rhythms are thundering, and the guitars are heavy but a little jagged too. It all adds up to a thick soup of post-something goodness that would have been right at home in Chicago during the late 90’s. Esprit De Corps also throws some keyboards into the mix on occasion as well… it’s akin to the cherry on top. Eat up fuckers.

MP3:
Esprit De Corps - Black Gold

These six albums have been written about (seemingly) by every music blogger and maybe their brothers and mothers and even their cousins. I’m not going to beat a dead horse by writing up full reviews of them, but (still) I think they are all worth a mention as they will all almost certainly appear on my favorite albums of 2010 list when I compile that later this year. Go out , enjoy the day, and pick up one or all of these albums and I’m sure you won’t regret it.

The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang
Honestly, I was a bit underwhelmed when I first heard American Slang. It seemed to lack the same punch and urgency that The Gaslight Anthem’s breakout 2008 album The ’59 Sound had. How silly I was. This album is the sound of a band that has found themselves and is cranking out quality material with a cool that sounds like a ’57 Chevy and a leather jacket. The vocals have less slap-echo than they did on The ’59 Sound and I like that. This is timeless American rock music. RIYL: Bruce Springsteen, The Hold Steady, etc…

MP3: The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang

The Hold Steady – Heaven Is Whenever
The Hold Steady is on quite a roll. Heaven Is Whenever is their fifth album released in the last six years and there’s nary a bad one in there. Since their last one keyboardist Franz Nicolay left the band, but there’s still not a whole lot that’s changed. In my book, The Hold Steady is one of the best rock & roll bands in America today and vocalist Craig Finn is one of the best lyricists/storytellers in rock music as well. Can this band do anything wrong? RIYL: The Gaslight Anthem, Lifter Puller, Guns ‘n Roses, etc…

MP3: The Hold Steady - Hurricane J

Band Of Horses – Infinite Arms
It’s a funny story, really. My daughter and I were driving somewhere the other day and when I put on the opening track (“Is There A Ghost?”) from their last album Cease To Begin. My daughter immediately and nonchalantly said, “I love this song.” That about sums up Band Of Horses. Infinite Arms is the band’s third album and more of a full-band affair with denser arrangements and a bit more variation, but it still sounds like a logical progression for Ben Bridwell and the expanded Band Of Horses lineup. RIYL: My Morning Jacket, Fleet Foxes, Neil Young, etc…

MP3: Band Of Horses - Laredo

Hot Chip – One Life Stand
One Life Stand is my favorite Hot Chip album since their 2006 release The Warning. It’s a bit clamer than some of the band’s other material, but still retains their signature electro-pop sound albeit (this time) with some cool steel drums added to the mix. Great vocals, great synths, great beats make this one of my favorites of 2010. RIYL: Junior Boys, LCD Soundsystem, etc…

MP3: Hot Chip - One Life Stand

The Tallest Man On Earth – The Wild Hunt
I love love love this second album from Sweden’s Kristian Matsson (aka The Tallest Man On Earth). His debut full length, Shallow Grave, was one of my favorites of 2008, but aside from a little more strumming and a little less fingerpicking, it’s the same basic formula; a formula that works. Just a guy with a guitar who sounds (at times) a lot like Bob Dylan playing incredibly great folk songs. RIYL: Bob Dylan, Jose Gonzalez, etc…

MP3: The Tallest Man On Earth - King Of Spain

Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More
Mumford & Sons have been getting a lot of publicity the last few months. The London based folk band originally released Sigh No More in the UK in late 2009, but it was just released stateside in February of this year. This band is fantastic and plays fairly traditional Americana is if they were from the hills of West Virginia (via England). RIYL: Fleet Foxes, The Avett Brothers, Coldplay, etc…

MP3: Mumford And Sons - Little Lion Man

Note: This has been sitting in my draft posts folder since March so I figure I should post it now or forever hold my words, right? Frankel is pretty doggone good at what they do. The band’s classic melodies recall the pop of Simon & Garfunkel and the 1960’s filtered through something decidedly more modern. Their sound is stately, wispy, and intimate with a hushed sadness that’s reminiscent of the late Elliott Smith. This is true pop a la The Fab Four or (if you’re looking for a more modern comparison) some of Brendan Benson’s (or perhaps The Shins’) quieter and less rambunctious moments, but it’s got a little bit of Americana flavor (maybe a little like Good Old War) that eludes direct comparison to the aforementioned. Their 2009 album Anonymity Is The New Fame was released by the good people at Autumn Tone.

MP3:
Frankel - Faux Science