Into It. Over It. is essentially the “solo” project of Chicago’s own Evan Weiss and after what seems like a ton of releases including the ambitious 52 Weeks (where he recorded a new song a week for a year), Proper marks what should be considered his first “proper” full-length. It’s a mostly full-band affair that differs from his live show and much of his previous material, but that’s not a bad thing at all. In fact, the added instrumentation and crisp production suit these songs tremendously well. Evan’s vocals are also perfect. I could listen to him sing from now until eternity…

On Proper, Evan and friends take cues from late 90′s indie & emo acts like Hey Mercedes, American Football, DCFC and Elliott but it never sounds even close to thievery or imitation. It’s a testament to the Evan’s skill and talent that Proper sounds a little like a record from a bygone era while also sounding amazingly current. In fact, as much as I love that stuff (and also love easy comparisons) I’ve had a helluva time actually trying to come up with apt descriptions for what Proper actually sounds like.

All my words about this record seem to be wrapped up in how it feels so much more than how it sounds in that whole “dancing about architecture” sort of way. Proper is instantly comfortable and familiar in every way as Into It. Over It. just sort of unwinds these songs as if knitting an aural sweater around the listener.

Regardless of any of the above words I’ve managed to type out all you need to know is that Into It. Over It. has put out a gem of a record here and (any and all hyperbole aside) I could easily recommend this to almost about anyone who likes music. I’m not kidding at all. Proper is available now from No Sleep Records.

MP3: Into It. Over It. – Where Your Nights Often End

Joyce Manor is confounding to me and I find what they do a little hard to wrap my head around. Let me explain. I can easily picture these guys just waking up at 11AM, heading out to the garage, plugging their instruments in and capturing everything you hear on the album in one take. Yes, Joyce Manor is a band of musical contradictions. These songs are raw, loose and unrefined but not sloppy. If anything, the songs are all exactingly calculated and devoid of filler. If it isn’t absolutely essential to these songs, you won’t hear it. Listening to Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired is a truly refreshing thing in that regard.

The sounds that Joyce Manor makes still bridge the gap between garagey punk, angular emo pop and arty indie rock but, musically, there’s a bit more variety on Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired than there was on Joyce Manor. There’s what sounds like a drum machine on “See How Tame I Can Be,” two songs that are basically just guitar and vocals (“Drainage” and “I’m Always Tired”) and right smack in the middle of the album, an amazing cover of “Video Killed The Radio Star.” What does all of this add up to? I don’t know. I’m not really sure why or what Joyce Manor is actually going for.

Also immediately apparent is that Joyce Manor has smoothed down some of their rough edges. They’ve made everything slightly less abrasive and made the melodies more prominent. I’m not saying the band’s sound has changed at all, it hasn’t. Joyce Manor still sounds incredibly and perfectly imperfect. It’s an oddly organic and unpolished sound that almost comes across as lazy but is truly anything but.

I think that with Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired, Joyce Manor may have just released one of the most thought provoking and truly “punk” albums we will hear all year. The band challenges preconceived notions of what makes an album while simultaneously making their songs catchier and more accessible. Every single song is basically just one verse, one chorus and bit extra (fragments really) and there’s the unexpected cover of that 80′s song that (at least on the surface) seems like such an odd choice in the middle of the record. I don’t get it but I love it. I love the way that everything that seemingly shouldn’t work comes together perfectly.

It probably says more about me than about Joyce Manor that I need stop thinking about Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired and just listen and enjoy the record. It’s out now on Asian Man Records and is on constant repeat on my stereo.

MP3: Joyce Manor – These Kind Of Ice Skates

Some fans are livid with how the search for a new coach has been handled by AD Mike Thomas, and while there have been leaks, nothing indicates that they came from anyone in Thomas’ camp. I think that Thomas has done everything he could including throwing heaping mounds of cash at two of the hottest young coaches, VCU’s Shaka Smart and Butler’s Brad Stevens. Just because both of them turned down the Illinois job doesn’t mean that it is not one of the best programs and/or jobs in all of NCAA basketball. It is, and that’s not just the fanboy in me talking.

I didn’t think Illinois or any other non-elite team had/has/will have much of a chance of prying Brad Stevens away from Indianapolis and Butler. He grew up in Indy and everything I’ve heard and read has him staying at Butler until the big dogs come calling. Shaka Smart might just be brazen and confident enough to think he can turn VCU into a perennial power, even though that’s most-likely not going to happen. Gotta like his swagger and intelligence though.

My dream list of candidates for the job included the aforementioned Stevens and Smart, Marquette’s Buzz Williams, Arizona’s Sean Miller and Memphis’ Josh Pastner. In reality, most of those guys are well-compensated and also seem very comfortable where they are, but, with the exception of Arizona and Marquette, it is pretty clear that Illinois is a better program than the rest.

The writing on the wall is that Illinois will might have to “settle” for John Groce, the current head coach at Ohio University who just lead his team to the Sweet 16 and a near-upset of #1 seed North Carolina for a berth into the Elite 8. A guy who has been an assistant at Butler, Xavier and Ohio State and has been called a great recruiter. We need a great recruiter at Illinois who will being in some 4 and 5-star kids. Then again, Mike Thomas and the rest of us Illini fans might be waiting on someone else.

All of this really leads to the question of where does Illinois stand in the fluid and ever-changing landscape of college basketball? It’s not an elite program. There are only a handful of these elite programs. Everyone will agree that in 2012 the top four “programs” in college basketball are Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky and Kansas. That is an unquestionable truth. After that you’ve got UCLA and Indiana, two all-time great programs whose shine has faded somewhat since their glory days. That’s it. Sure, there are other programs currently in better shape than the Fighting Illini and undoubtedly many better teams than Illinois was in 2012 (heck, they didn’t even make the NIT), but there are a ton of teams in the continuum of the top tier where Illinois is.

In looking at winning percentage, NCAA tournament appearances and championships over the last 15 years or so, it’s clear that Illinois is squarely in that large second group. As I mentioned, at the top you’ve got the following teams:

Duke
North Carolina
Kentucky
Kansas

With the following teams close behind:

Michigan State
Connecticut
Florida
UCLA

Then you’ve got the rest of the recent perennial top 25 teams:

Syracuse
Illinois
Maryland
Wisconsin
Texas
Louisville
Gonzaga
Oklahoma State
Ohio State
Cincinnati
Indiana
Marquette

I’m sure that I missed a few when I was going through this, but that’s pretty much the usual suspects. Anyone who tries to make an argument that Illinois is not one of the top 20 or so programs in NCAA basketball just isn’t seeing straight. IF you want more proof here’s some additional (and different) lists where the Illini are ranked at (#5), (#13), (#23) and (#24).

So yeah, even though Illinois is a top basketball school, I hope that AD Mike Thomas gets the right coach and not just the coach that will make the biggest initial splash. Once the dust settles, all the new coach has to do is win.

According to her, “Frank was on it. The band was tight. I couldn’t have enjoyed myself more. I am already highly anticipating his return to the Chicago area (hopefully) again sometime this year.” Check out her video interview with Frank below:

As somewhat of an aside, I’ve been a HUGE fan of Mike Park (both his record label and his music) for 15+ years. I love his DIY spirit and (heck) I’ve even got the Dill Records CD versions of Lookit! (one of my all-time favorite albums) and a few Skankin Pickle releases. So, yeah, even though I’m an Asian Man and Mike Park fanboy I can honestly say that Smile is head and shoulders better than so much other music created specifically for children.

The songs on Smile are upbeat, amazingly catchy and held together with some (almost) ska-style instrumentation. It’s a little punky, a little ska, a little indie and 100% Mike Park. The best part of this album is that the music isn’t dumbed down for youngsters and even though the lyrics focus on things like frogs, apples and having fun much of Smile could easily be mistaken for “normal” non-kid-specific fare. Like the title of the record suggests, this is music that will simply make you (and your family) smile.

Additionally, Mike is starting a new kid/family focused record label called Fun Fun Records with upcoming releases from Kepi Ghoulie, Dan Potthast and Greg Attonito (Bouncing Souls). I can’t wait.

Enough about how much of jaded old man I am, let’s talk about Shambles.

Shambles is a band from Boston that plays the (seemingly) increasingly popular “vintage/throwback” style of pop-punk but manage to somehow do it better than most of their contemporaries. There’s plenty of melody and just enough angsty riffs and moshy breakdowns that I bet the band works kids into a frenzy when they play live. As far as comparisons go, I hear shades of Midtown, Junior Battles, (but with a little less sophistication) and a ton of mid 90′s major-ish pop-punk. I’m not saying this is in the same league as the following but in spots… (think Dear You or You Are Freaking Me Out or Losers Of The Year) but less so. Really, for me, all I need to know is that with song titles like, “Yep, 27 and Still Writing Pop-Punk,” how can I not like this?

The 6 song EP clocks in at a few ticks past 16 minutes and the fun and (sorta) old-school (but not that old-school) pop-punk isn’t really original or groundbreaking but this is Shambles’ first release, and a good start. It is a promising debut from a band that will hopefully find their own identity in the coming years. Good work dudes and thanks for being persistent.

MP3: Shambles – Yep, 27 And Still Writing Pop-Punk

So the EP is available for FREE via Death To False Hope Records so go download it now, then read…

You just downloaded this, right? Great, let’s continue.

Okay, what you’ve got in your downloads folder is four songs of great hardcore-influenced mid-tempo punk-rock. It’s a little less 88 Fingers Louie than their New Skeletons EP from a few years ago (also available for FREE from DTFH) but the band has also gone through a number of different members since then so it really isn’t surprising that the band’s sound has changed a bit. It is (however) a change for the better.

The vocals are gruff, the guitars are melodic, and the songs are catchy. What more could you ask for? There are breakdowns and gang vocals but neither is overused or cliched. Every note of Trust Us When We Tell You is dripping with passion and earnest sincerity. You can hear it. You can feel it. These are fucking anthems for those of us who’ve spent too many cold Chicago nights drinking PBR in dimly-lit bars while our friends pour out their hearts and bare their souls for a few dozen (or less) people.

With Trust Us When We Tell You Gunner’s Daughter delivers a serious punch to the gut, but a punch that will have you fist-pumping along with your attacker. Sure, the band’s influences are easy to figure out, but there’s no way anyone can (or should) dismiss this because of that. I can’t wait to hear a full-length from Chris, Blake and whoever they round up. So, if you like bands like Samiam, Red City Radio, Hot Water Music, Spanish Gamble and the like, do yourself a favor and download this.

Gunner’s Daughter – A High Fidelity Moment

From what I can tell, The Gooningtons played exactly one show (Insubordination Fest) before they “broke up” so it’s a good thing there is a video of the set. It’s super fun. Live, the band was basically a pop-punk supergoup and consisted of the aforementioned Ryan (Mixtapes), Grath (Steinways/House Boat), Mikey (Ergs/everyone), and some guy named Liam. If you haven’t already, go download this (link below) right now! You won’t be disappointed.

Download: The Gooningtons – Welcome To Goonington Beach!

Back in their heyday, August Premier put out an EP and two albums (Balloons… and Fireworks & Alcohol) with the latter released by Fueled By Ramen. After re-listening to those early records, it’s clear to me that back then AP was a talented band who wrote catchy pop-punk songs, but they were a little rough around the edges. We all were back then, right? I was also kinda surprised at just how good those old songs sounded. That being said, the 10 songs on the new August Premier record blow that old stuff away.

August Premier’s new album, Happy Miserable, follows up their great cover of Alkaline Trio’s “Sundials” (which could be the best song on that ALK3 tribute album, seriously!) and confirms that while the band hasn’t strayed far from what they used to be, they have gotten much better at what they do. It might be cliched but August Premier sounds (as you might expect after so many years) significantly more mature. The songwriting is tighter, the playing is more focused and even more urgent, and Matt Allison’s production makes the band sound better than they ever have.

From the opening verse of “Trenches” through the sing-a-long woah’s of the album’s final track, “Last Words,” August Premier delivers hard-charging and anthemic blue-collar pop-punk-rock that sounds distinctly Chicago but is deceptively hard to pigeonhole. With nods to everything from Rise Against to Journey to Alkaline Trio, Happy Miserable brings a palatable sense of longing to the table and sounds instantly familiar. These songs will immediately be right at home on your stereo without sounding exactly like something you’ve heard before. Vocalists Danny Duds and Chris Rogner both sound stronger than they ever have (the former sounds a lot like Dave Hause and the latter a lot like his own brother, those are both god things) and, musically, the songs are more streamlined than AP’s earlier material.

Really, though, this ain’t rocket science, nor does it need to be. What you get from August Premier on Happy Miserable is the sound of a veteran pop-punk band that knows exactly what they’re after now. The guys of August Premier obviously grew up listening to both The Bollweevils and Guns-n-Roses as they embrace the excess of cock-rock but surround it with the sounds of the 7″ records from their rich Chicago punk heritage. Trying and only half succeeding to combine those influences is what detracts from the band’s first few releases but rest assured that they got it 100% right on Happy Miserable.

Also, catchy-as-fuck melodies are in no short supply here. You’ll almost certainly want to sing along. And why not? This is good, fun, well-played music that is (if you’re reading this blog) probably right up your alley. All in all, Happy Miserable proves that August Premier is back in a big way. Well done guys.

Full disclosure: I’ve known the guys in August Premier for years, but that doesn’t change how I feel about this album at all. Click the play button below to stream “Trenches,” the first song from the new album.

August Premier - Trenches