Lotsa catchy melodies, brash shouted voices, tons of fun. Those are the ingredients that make Benefit Sesh, the new 7″ from Philadelphia’s The Holy Mess totally great. For those who need comparisons, think of The Menzingers or The Lawrence Arms and you’ll be pretty close. Yeah, it’s East Coast punk filtered through the [...]
Music & More Since 2005
Tag Archive: album reviews
The Cold Beat / Movers & Shakers – Split 7″
Why on earth didn’t I write about this way sooner? I dunno, but I know I’ve been listening to this split from the Massachusetts guys in The Cold Beat and Movers & Shakers. Both bands play gritty rock that just sounds great with the clicks, pops, and hiss than comes from playing this 7″. [...]
Spanish Gamble – It’s All Coming Down
Okay. Being the proprietor and lone writer for this blog there is a ton of music that comes across my desk and gets played in my house. One of the few bands that my wife has totally fallen for via that process is this one. Now, there is absolutely zero chance that you [...]
Ben Davis & The Jetts – Charge It Up
Admittedly, this is the first “solo” offering I’ve heard from Ben Davis (formerly of bands like Milemarker and Sleepytime Trio) so I can’t really compare it to his other material but as a big fan of Milemarker, I at least have a frame of reference. Charge It Up (Davis’ third full length) is full [...]
Andrew W.K. – 55 Cadillac
Andrew W.K.’s 2001 album I Get Wet is a simple, primal, fun, and (quite simply) phenomenal album of overproduced chugging pop-metal party anthems. This album, 55 Cadillac, the new Andrew W.K. album isn’t exactly fun. It’s just kinda forgettable. Still, even though there are few albums less essential than this one, I’m [...]
Esprit De Corps – Under Constant Influence EP
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 [...]
Mixtapes – Maps
I’m not sure that I could be any more stoked about this about this album than I already am, but every time I listen I can’t help but smile a little wider than I did the time before. Checklist time. Female & male vocal harmonies? Acoustic guitars? Electric guitars? Fast pop punk leads? [...]
Frankel – Anonymity Is The New Fame
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 [...]
The Fucking Cops – You Have The Right To Shut The Fuck Up EP
Fuck, this shit is good. The Fucking Cops are from Ohio and formed from by Jon and Andy from the ashes of their former band, the awesome Vietnam Werewolf. On their EP, You Have The Right To Shut The Fuck Up, the band is gritty and raw but less abrasive and more melodic [...]
Higher Giant – Al’s Moustache 7″
Higher Giant’s second EP, Al’s Moustache, is more of the same from this punk/hardcore supergroup. The band features Ernie Parada (of Grey Area), Jason Lehrhoff (of Warzone), Dave Wagenschutz (of Lifetime, Kid Dynamite),and Alex Volonino. The music itself is well-played melodic pop punk rock that (due in large part to Ernie Parada’s distinctive [...]
