Can You See the Sunset? » rock

August Premier – Happy Miserable

Eric — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:05:07 +0000

With all the high-profile punk reunions of the past few months and years combined with the band’s relative obscurity, it would be easy for most to overlook the reunion of Chicago’s own August Premier. And that, my friends, would be a bad thing. I’m not really sure of the whole story about the reunion, but August Premier is back and the band has a new record called Happy Miserable due out March 27th on Pacific Ridge Records. More on that in a few…

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

Carpenter – Sea To Sky

Eric — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 02:47:08 +0000

Another album that I’ve finally had a chance to listen to after the madness that was the holiday and year-end list season, is the latest from Canada’s Carpenter. On first listen to their second album, Sea To Sky, I was hugely disappointed considering how much I loved their debut, Law Of The Land. Initially, many of the lyrics seemed clumsy and the songs just came across as fairly bland and uninteresting. Sure, a few of the tracks on Sea To Sky could benefit from being a little less obvious but, honestly, I must have been in a bad mood or something because after a few more listens, I’m totally loving Sea To Sky. Frontman Daniel Sioui’s vocals are heartfelt and a little urgent and make this whole record seem really honest and believable. Yeah, it is a bit more straightforward and direct than Law Of The Land, but Carpenter continues to blur the lines between poppy post-hardcore and the heartland country-tinged rock in a way that’s pretty much irresistible to me.

MP3:
Carpenter - Just Another Friday Night

Glossary – Feral Fire

Eric — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 01:06:11 +0000

The latest album from Murfreesboro, Tennessee’s Glossary was release this past summer and it’s called Feral Fire. It’s a great Southern rock record in the tradition of bands like the Allman Brothers, Thin Lizzy, and Lucero. First and foremost, Feral Fire is a guitar record, but there’s some country twang and plenty of hip-shaking moments as well. The layered/harmonized vocals of Joey and Kelly Kneiser are a real treat and (IMHO) the band’s secret weapon for their slow-burning sound. The album was recorded by Matt Pence from Centro-matic and was released by Lucero’s Liberty & Lament label. In fact, Glossary guitarist Todd Beene has lent his pedal steel talents to the guys in Lucero for some time now as well. You can’t go wrong with Feral Fire, but if you want to check ‘em out before buying this, their album Better Angels Of Our Nature is available for free from the band’s website.

MP3:
Glossary - Lonely Is A Town

Two Cow Garage – Sweet Saint Me

Eric — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 05:08:28 +0000

Y’all might remember that way back in 2008 I called Two Cow Garage’s album Speaking In Cursive my 13th favorite album of that year, so you shouldn’t be the least bit surprised that the latest from these Columbus, Ohio roots-punk-alt-country-rock-whatever guys will most likely be somewhere around there on this year’s list. Heck, Two Cow Garage frontman Micah Schnabel’s solo album made last year’s best-of the year list. So, yeah, I think it’s been pretty well established that I like this band quite a bit. All that being said, the new album, Sweet Saint Me comes across (to me) as a bit of a change in Two Cow Garage’s sound; it’s a bit bigger and a little less punk rock than before. Still rockin’ but a little less overtly wild and desperate punk feeling. Where Speaking In Cursive was a step towards this, Sweet Saint Me is the sound of a band that knows where they’re headed. Sure, Schnabel’s gravelly sneer is still front and center (as are his biting lyrics) but there’s no longer any hesitation anywhere. Also, the keys and the horns are tasteful and perfectly compliment the core of the band. They could have totally fucked it up (see Lucero’s last record for a perfect example of how NOT to “expand” your sound). I loved their last one, but with time, this one could become my favorite Two Cow Garage record. So do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Sweet Saint Me from our friends at Suburban Home Records and go see this band when they come to your town.

MP3:
Two Cow Garage - Lydia
Two Cow Garage - Jackson, Don't You Worry

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – The Brutalist Bricks

Eric — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 17:19:50 +0000

I’ve long considered myself a fan of Ted Leo and whatever band he happens to bring around, but it’s really only with his latest album The Brutalist Bricks that I’ve actually realized just how much I like Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. I loved Shake The Sheets from 2004 and liked 2007’s Living With The Living but found it a bit too sprawling and overlong. The Brutalist Bricks is anything but; it’s tighter, more focused, and noticeably shorter than Living…. It’s an album that (like every subsequent album in the ever-growing Ted Leo catalog) is a refinement rather than a redevelopment of Leo’s signature indie-reggae-punk sound. Leo has been doing his thing for years upon years and does it better than anyone else and while you’re not going to be surprised by this album, you certainly won’t be disappointed in it either. It’s essentially more of the same thing Leo consistently delivers; great lyrics, mammoth hooks, and searing guitar riffs.

MP3:
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Even Heroes Have To Die

Titus Andronicus – The Monitor

Eric — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 03:27:41 +0000

So I’ve been listening to the newest Titus Andronicus album, The Monitor, for the past few weeks and even after multiple listens, I can’t tell if it is great and pure genius or completely terrible. OK, that opening line was a little untrue, but you get the point, right? I’m leaning more towards great, but there are so many times listening to the album that I just want to scream at these guys for seemingly half-assing it. Supposedly, The Monitor is a concept album loosely based on themes relating to the American Civil War. Seriously? Really? I honestly can’t think of anything I’ve heard in 2010 that comes off as more pretentious than this and it kinda pisses me off. The genius of it all is that I think the guys in Titus Andronicus know it and they’re fucking laughing at you. They know it’s ridiculous. They know their songs are too long. They know the vocals are generally terrible. And, still, they throw all caution to the wind and just say “fuck it” as they haphazardly and sloppily combine whatever opulent musical ideas they have on hand. It’s a calculated concoction of one part punk rock puke, one part Springsteen stomp, and three sheets to the wind. What matters most is that even if The Monitor is (at times) arduous , it’s also a lot of fun. Simultaneously one of the best and worst albums of the year.

MP3:
Titus Andronicus - A More Perfect Union

Los Lobos – Tin Can Trust

Eric — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 04:23:50 +0000

Did you know that Los Lobos put out a new album in 2010? Well, it’s called Tin Can Trust and it’s the band’s first album of new material in four years. Most people disagree with me, but I think Los Lobos is a hugely important and awesome band. Tin Can Trust only solidifies that feeling for me. RIYL: blues rock ‘n roll with an East L.A. twist…

MP3:
Los Lobos - 27 Spanishes

12 Days of Christmas MP3′s for 2010: Day 3

Eric — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 04:20:49 +0000

What we’ve got here are a few of the most awful and/or annoying Christmas songs known to man. Don’t argue either… I mean, how can the synth that opens “Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time” not make you want to stab through your ears with an icepick? And is there anything creepier than Johnny Cash singing “Silent Night?” It gives me the chills. Even so, it’s fun to listen to these even if just for a good laugh. As always, here are the links to Day 1 and Day 2 of the series.

MP3:
Peter Cetera - Jingle Bells
Wham! - Last Christmas
David Bowie & Bing Crosby - Little Drummer Boy
Johnny Cash - Silent Night
New Kids On The Block - I'll Be Missin' You Come Christmas
Barbara Streisand - Jingle Bells
Mike Love - Santa's Goin' To Kokomo
Dan Fogelberg - Same Old Lang Syne
Paul McCartney - Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time
Cher - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

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The Cold Beat / Movers & Shakers – Split 7″

Eric — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:10:59 +0000

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″. Specifically, The Cold Beat’s two songs on the split are a bit more punk/post-punk than what Movers & Shakers do, but retaining that common thread of Replacements-esque American rock. Maybe a little like Red Collar or something like that? I also didn’t realize that The Cold Beat was ex-Lock And Key. Cool. On their side, Movers & Shakers dish out two songs of sprawling and golden American rock music that’s as good as anything their peers are doing. Just think The Gaslight Anthem or Lucero but with a little more Janovitz and a distinctly Northeast feel. This is nothing if not a super-solid split by two bands that you absolutely need to know. It was self-released and (I think) only 500 copies were pressed. Better find it now.

MP3:
The Cold Beat - Tracks
Movers & Shakers - Movin' On

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