Can You See the Sunset? » emo

A little band called Boxer

Eric — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 01:30:27 +0000

You might not know it but the first band signed by Vagrant Records was Boxer from Boston, Mass. The band’s one and only album, The Hurt Process was produced by none other than Face to Face’s Trever Keith and released by Vagrant on May 5th, 1998. It’s an under-appreciated but masterful slab of post-Lifetime post-hardcore influenced melodic punk rock that’s one of my all time favorites. Now the wife (not yet the wife at that point) and I moved to Indianapolis earlier that Spring and somehow spent quite a bit of that summer hanging out with these boys. We had some good times and (more importantly to their legacy) the music was amazing.

It was a long time ago and I don’t exactly remember the first time we met ‘em, but I know we were all just kids back then and having a blast. At the point we knew the band, Boxer was Matt, Jeremy, Dave, Will, and Nathan. They crashed at our house a number of times so all these memories sort of bleed together, but here’s what I’ve got.

I remember riding in their van to a show in Muncie, Indiana that summer when they put on a dubbed cassette tape of Jimmy Eat World’s Clarity. We were floored by the record and made our own cassette copy even though it wouldn’t officially be released for another 7 months or so. The show we were en-route to was at a little record shop called Stevie Ray’s House of Wax and also featured a band you may (or may not) have heard of called At The Drive-In. The show was incredible and would have been highly memorable without it, but I was awestruck when, during their final song, one of the guys in Boxer poured lighter fluid on the cymbals and let Nathan smash away. It was fucking epic. After that show the guys in Boxer and At The Drive-In crashed at our tiny apartment and, in the morning, Matt from Boxer made everyone some delicious apple pancakes.

We also rode in Boxer’s van with them to a show at the Fireside Bowl in Chicago where they played with the pop-punk band Lounge. After the show headed back South, the van was speeding down I-65 somewhere around Lafayette, IN, we drove through a mess of semi-truck traffic and then (in the rearview mirrors, thank God) saw the truck leading the pack behind us swerve and jack-knife across the road, then… nothing. It was a surreal moment to say the least. I also remember that when we got back to Indianapolis there were fireworks shot out of van windows in a liquor store parking lot. I’ll say no more about that except no one was hurt (I think), just use your imagination.

All in all we had some pretty amazing times that summer… times we’ll never forget. On The Hurt Process, Boxer was actually a bit of a different band. Matt and Nathan hadn’t yet joined, and their original drummer was Chris Pennie, who is a founding member of The Dillinger Escape Plan and now also plays drums for Coheed & Cambria.

As for the guys we knew, Jeremy McDowell played guitar and was terribly allergic to our cat Indie (see Will with her in at least one of the picures). He spent at least a few nights sleeping in the van instead of on our floor. Will Kerr played bass and Dave Vicini sang. Dave was (and I presume still is) one very tall dude. Post-Boxer, both of them played in The Lot Six and Dave is now in Viva Viva. Nathan Shay played drums for Boxer and before that served a short stint as the drummer for the Get Up Kids. Some say that the Get Up Kids song “Second Place” is about him… I don’t know for sure. Nathan also spent some time playing in a band called Winner Road after Boxer. Matt Wachter played guitar for Boxer that summer of 1998. Since then he has played bass in 30 Seconds To Mars and (now) plays bass in Angels & Airwaves. How’s them apples?

For whatever reason, Boxer’s one album is not available from Vagrant nor iTunes. In fact, I couldn’t find it for purchase anywhere on the ‘ol internet, so as far as I’m concerned, this is out of print. It is (however) way too good to stay that way so below you’ll find the entirety of The Hurt Process in MP3 format. I never post full albums but you can’t get this anywhere else. Enjoy.

MP3:
Boxer - We Don't Like Them Girls
Boxer - Blame It On The Weather
Boxer - Georgia
Boxer - Lucy
Boxer - Child Labor Laws
Boxer - Blue And Gray
Boxer - Shorepoints
Boxer - If You Got 'Em, Smoke 'Em
Boxer - By The Way...
Boxer - One For Milwaukee
Boxer - Do The Math
Boxer - You And Me

Castevet – The Echo & The Light

Eric — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 14:03:34 +0000

Earlier this year my friends from the amazing Tiny Engines label released the gorgeous vinyl version of Castevet’s newest record The Echo & The Light. It’s the second record from this Chicago group that I’ve had the pleasure of hearing. It’s not totally (or really at all) dissimilar from last year’s Summer Fences and still contains the same sort of sprawling and melodic emo-rock jams that initially snared me plus they haven’t lost the little atmospheric bits that totally remind me of Explosions In The Sky. The vocals are still gruff and shouted although (at times) they come across as a little more screamy than they did on Summer Fences. The guitars still go from chiming chords to twinkling and circularly intertwining as well. The instrumentation is a nice counterpoint to the intensity of the vocals (especially on tracks like “Lautrec”). It’s not exactly throwback “emo” but there are certainly elements of it on The Echo & The Light. Really, Castevet have sort of invented a new genre; beardy vintage post-emo rock. It’s the perfect thing for winter or your holiday party and sounds a bit like a cross between Iron Chic, American Football, Everyone Everywhere, and the aforementioned Explosions In The Sky. So go ahead and put this great record on your turntable.

MP3:
Castevet - Midwest Values

Grown Ups – More Songs

Eric — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 02:45:01 +0000

I was going to write about Grown Ups’ EP (the simply titled Songs) until I got their full-length (the appropriately titled More Songs since it includes the 4 songs from Songs plus six more). This is tremendously good stuff so shame on me for not writing about these guys sooner. From what I understand, Grown Ups are from Chicago and Northwest Indiana, which means we’re almost like neighbors… but not really. More Songs is full of poppy and peppy emo-punk complete with circular noodling guitars, fast tempos, and rough but somehow sorta atonally melodic vocals. Really, it will make sense once you listen. It’s almost like the music of Cap’n Jazz with the vocals of early Lifetime (or even Ty from Broadway Calls)… but not really. These songs are tons of fun and full of reckless youthful energy, plus More Songs was recorded Matt Allison. You’ll love it. RIYL: Algernon Cadwallader, Street Smart Cyclist, Everyone Everywhere, etc…

MP3:
Grown Ups - Open Sesame
Grown Ups - Surprise Party

Joie De Vivre – The North End

Eric — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 05:00:30 +0000

A few weeks ago I had the lucky (or unlucky depending on how you view it) fortune of meeting Brandon and Patrick from the band Joie De Vivre and having a few too many beers with them. That chance meeting made me think about the fact that I hadn’t written about their band’s album, The North End yet. The album was just recently released on vinyl by Count Your Lucky Stars Records, and (while I haven’t heard it on vinyl) I can tell you that these songs channel all your favorite mid to late 90′s “emo” bands without sounding exactly like a cheap ripoff. Sure, Joie De Vivre’s sound isn’t wholly original, but these guys are definitely heading the class of current “emo revival” bands. Just think Sunny Day Real Estate meets God’s Reflex but a little more downtempo than either of those bands. They also sound at least a little like a band that I can’t think of right now but will surely as soon as this gets posted.

The music moves from soft and plodding to loud and plodding with the pace never really quickening at all. Somehow, it works. The splashes of trumpet are great because (gasp!) these guys can actually play the trumpet. I also like it when Brandon’s vocals remain at the lower end of his range, but even when he yelps out, it fits perfectly. All in all, this is actually a pretty simple and straightforward album despite the twinkly-vs-distortion dynamic in the guitars. It’s about as emo as anything gets these days and while The North End isn’t something I’d necessarily listen to on endless repeat (I mean, this isn’t punk rock), there is a time a place where this totally works; Sunday coffee on a cold cloudy Midwestern morning comes to mind. Really, if you like anything resembling the emo of the bands I mentioned already or their contemporaries, you should check this out.

MP3:
Joie De Vivre - Sundays

Sounds You Should Hear: Stegosaur

Eric — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 21:53:46 +0000

Who: Stegosaur
Sounds: Adventure 7″
Where: Texas
How: Seafoam Recordings
What: Just imagine a less tortured Tim Kasher playing songs from Black Sheep Boy and you’ll get the picture. I really really dig this. The cover art on this record is also really great (if you needed one more reason to check this out).
RIYL: Cursive, Look Mexico, Okkervil River, etc…
MP3: Stegosaur - Big Breath

Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) – What It Takes To Move Forward

Eric — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 14:56:04 +0000

Oh time you are such a fickle bitch. The way your never ending pull distorts what once was and colors what now is never fails to fuck with how we all perceive things. Did I ever mention that way WAY back when my email address was something like emokid2121@hotmail.com? I’m not embarrassed to admit it but man did I get grief for that from all my “punk” friends (you know who you are). Anyhow, if you’ve read this blog for long, you no doubt know my affinity for what many would call the “classic” mid-90’s emo sound and (more specifically) the Midwest-emo sound. It’s true. These days you can get away with calling much of it post-hardcore, but when I hear something that is truly emo (you know, all good and emo) I know it. What It Takes To Move Forward, from Michigan’s Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate), is (without any question) about as emo as it gets.

While I thought the band’s previous material showed promise, What It Takes To Move Forward is easily the best material that Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) has released to date. The vocals are better, the songs are better, and everything is much more cohesive than it ever was on their Year Of The Rabbit 7” or any other of the band’s previous releases. The songs (despite being at times a bit lengthy) are well-constructed and definitely part of a larger, singular aesthetic. It’s obvious that frontman Keith Latinen is the king of this Empire! From the band’s name, to the album and song titles, to the performances, EVERYTHING here just sounds emotional and full of melancholy and heartbreak. And just like real human emotions, the songs on What It Takes To Move Forward have ebbs and flows, twists and turns, and dynamics that are sometimes slowly meandering and (at other times) driving and forceful. Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) builds songs up to crescendos only to tear them back down again. It’s all very scientifically (even if organically) emo.

That was part one of this review of this ambitious and (for the most part) well executed record. I could have kept everything positive, but every time I’ve listened to What It Takes To Move Forward, I’ve been bothered by a few things and I need to be honest about it. If I was a dozen years younger, I might be hearing things completely differently. I’ll be the first to admit that while Algernon Cadwallader and Street Smart Cyclist pretty much sound exactly like their obvious influences, they have the same youthful energy that made their influences so great. Here, not so much. To me, what Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) does sounds forced and played out. Sure, let the easy comparisons to Sunny Day Real Estate and Mineral be had, but Keith Latinen and company haven’t really expanded on what those groups did 15 years ago. It almost sounds like a bastardized paint-by-numbers rehash.

I have to (again) consider perspective. If written by Bob Nanna, I probably would refer to the clever wordplay, but these lyrics (when matched to the vocals) just seem overly dramatic. Speaking of vocals, despite being significantly better, there are still moments where the singing is horridly out of tune. Additionally, the songs on What It Takes To Move Forward could be considered (at an average length of over 5 minutes) over-long but the actual problem is that too many of the songs didn’t ever fully engage me as a listener. I just couldn’t connect and I often found myself thinking, “What song am I listening to? Is this over yet?” This is (however) just my opinion. It’s the classic case of, “It’s not you, it’s me.” I mean, fuck, I’m old. I’m married and I have two kids. There really isn’t a ton of heartbreak or emotional craziness in my life anymore and (understandably) this album just doesn’t speak to me the way it would have when I was 17. It’s not that I hate this or think Empire Empire (I Was A Lonely Estate) is bad, I’m just not really into it.

To sum it all up, I really REALLY wanted to like this album more than I actually do. Funny how that works sometimes… The dealings I’ve had with Keith and his Count Your Lucky Stars label (a label which I like very much) are all very positive and he seems like a nice enough guy. Heck, I also lived through the heyday of mid 90’s emo and actually still love all that stuff. I just wanted to tell y’all the truth.

MP3:
Empire Empire (I Was A Lonely Estate) - How To Make Love Stay

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Everyone Everwhere MP3 Blog Tour

Eric — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:07:58 +0000

I’m pretty thrilled that I get to be part of the Everyone Everywhere MP3 Blog Tour celebrating the release of the upcoming self-titled full-length from Philadelphia’s Everyone Everywhere. The “tour” began yesterday and runs through the record’s May 4th official release date with 10 great blogs giving away every song from the album (in order) over the course of the next two weeks.

MP3’s for all the songs will be available for download until May 4th at which time the org will begin streaming the record. What could possibly be better? Well, owning the new Everyone Everywhere album on 12″ vinyl LP would be better and you can pre-order it now from our friends at Tiny Engines. And if you simply can’t wait to download this terrific record (or just want to support the band and label) it’s currently available (in its entirety) from iTunes and other digital retailers.

The Everyone Everywhere MP3 Blog Tour schedule is as follows:

01. Tiny Planet @ The Ripple Effect – Monday (04/19)
02. Raw Bar OBX 2002 @ right here – Tuesday (04/20)
03. From The Beginning To The Tail @ Built On A Weak Spot – Wednesday (04/21)
04. Tiny Town @ Dryvetyme Onlyne – Thursday (04/22)
05. Tiny Boat @ Battle Of The Midwestern Housewives – Friday (04/23)

06. Music Work Paper Work @ Deckfight – Monday (04/26)
07. Blown Up Grown Up @ The Album Project – Tuesday (04/27)
08. Fld Ovr @ Familiarize Yourself – Wednesday (04/28)
09. I Feel Fine by Everyone Everywhere @ Reviewsic – Thursday (04/29)
10. Obama House, Fukui Prefecture @ Clicky Clicky Music – Friday (04/30)

Wanna know about the album? Everyone Everywhere’s self-titled album picks up right where their excellent debut 7” from last year, A Lot Of Weird People Standing Around, left fans… spinning the record over and over. The new album retains the same innocent charm that the 7” had but the longer format allows Everyone Everywhere to expand on their fuzzy indie emo sound. This time around, I still hear shades of early Promise Ring in the vocal melodies but oftentimes the guitars and drums remind me of Frame And Canvas-era Braid much more so than on the 7”. It’s angular without being dissonant, melodic and catchy without being the least bit syrupy or sappy, and even though it’s not, there’s a lazy feel to the album that sounds like a sunny Saturday afternoon. Somehow Everyone Everywhere manages to sound both new and exciting but also familiar and comfortable. I’m not sure that makes any sense, but do I ever really make sense?

MP3:
Everyone Everywhere - Raw Bar OBX 2002

Pianos Become The Teeth – Old Pride

Eric — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 03:51:51 +0000

On Old Pride Baltimore, Maryland’s Pianos Become The Teeth puts an interesting and refreshing spin on screamo by fleshing out their chaotic bursts and screamed vocals with atmospheric post-rock and what could almost be called straightforward hardcore (or at least post-hardcore) with moments that even remind me of what you might hear on early 90’s Touch & Go releases. These eight songs are technical but the guitars always remain on the mathy and emo side of the equation rather than crossing over into the world of metal. With music like this there’s always the chance that it could all end up being too dense, but on Old Price the band proves they actually know when to hold back and give their songs room to breathe. Now, I really dislike the band Thursday and (thus) won’t compare Pianos Become The Teeth to them as others have done. Instead, I hear the instrumental prowess and soaring grandeur of (say) Explosions In The Sky tempered and bombarded with the abrasive-yet-melodic bombast of That Within Blood Ill-Tempered-era Shai Hulud. It works tremendously well and makes me wonder why more groups don’t employ this loud/quiet and chaotic/atmospheric dynamic. Have a listen.

MP3:
Pianos Become The Teeth - Filial

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How Do We Jump This High? – Deep Stationary EP

Eric — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:30:29 +0000

I generally enjoy most of what Dave features on IYMI so I’m not really exactly sure how I missed How Do We Jump This High? for so long. Anyhow, the band features former members of Get Bent (a band I totally loved based solely on their demo) as well as members of Frame. So yeah, what you get on the band’s Deep Stationary EP is not too dissimilar from Get Bent, but more on the emo side of things than the pop punk side so if you like that band (or Latterman for what it’s worth) you’ll probably like How Do We Jump This High? but you’ll also like this band if you like some of the newer wave of emo bands like Algernon Cadwallader or Bridge And Tunnel. Like a perfect melding of urgently shouted but melodic vocals and noticeably noodling mathy emo guitar parts, Deep Stationary is the real deal. Download it for free from www.ifyoumakeit.com.

MP3:
How Do We Jump This High? - See Ya In The Funny Papers