Call The Zoo

Clocking in at a whopping 6 minutes, Richmond, VA’s Hold Tight! combines teenage angst, melody and aggression to concoct a delicious blend of melodic punk with their newest release, Call The Zoo. This tasty melodic morsel is reminiscent of many of the classics in the genre; Saves The Day, Lifetime, Kid Dynamite, Hot Water Music, yet it still stamps an individual style onto the listeners forehead. 

The parties out and the authorities have been informed, scouring the streets for this rager of a release. Filled with vicious and speedy songs, all clocking in at just under a minute,  “Meade Skeleton Birthday Party” the shortest at 59 seconds, Call The Zoo promises you will wake up passed out naked in your neighbors yard, wondering what happened and reaching for that morning hangover beer. Rapturous in their portrayal of youth and energy, Hold Tight! captures what it means to be young, punk and having fun. 

A troubled mind bursting with confusion is conveyed in Hold Tight!’s words as they expresses their woes against growing up, society and the changing faces around them. “I'd call myself an artist, but truth is I just need to complain. Cause I hate growing up, and I just can't handle change. Please don't change,” rant the two vocalists of the band in a call and response style, showing the importance and skilled use of dynamics in the band. 

The song “Power Converter” strongly juts out from the rest as its tom heavy filled intro forcefully takes hold of the listener, like a bully on the school yard, then lets go as the band goes into top speed. As if escaping this monstrous beast of a riff, then sadly falling back into its clutches, the band revisits the intro but with a more fluid cymbal based backbeat.  Bratty, childlike, yet clever, lyrics are tauntingly sang at the beginning and end of the song, “ Teacher said I'm wasting my potential, but I can only potentially be me,” as a giant middle finger slowly goes up in the middle of class.

If you are growing up, have a short attention span and have a love for catchy melodies, then this release is for you. If you are looking for something groundbreaking, earth shattering and life changing, this might not be for you. However, it is a solid melodic punk release that shows potential in a very young band.


Rating: 3/5

Change Never Lasts

Recently a wave of melodic pop-punk has swept the punk scene off it’s feet, as many hardcore bands have begun to lighten up and unashamedly show their softer sides, I.E Title Fight, The First Annual. Riding this wave can be dangerous however as it is quite easy to be sucked under by the immense pressure of mediocrity found within this sub genre. Before this tide of emotionally tinged music reemerged from the depths of punk’s abyss to torture the good people of “enter obscure island here” with its undeniably catchy hooks and feel good anthems, there were hints of its arrival. One of these hints being First To Leave’s 2005 release Change Never Lasts.

Taking some of the best elements from bands such as Saves The Day, Jawbreaker, The Descendants and The Movielife, the Bay Area’s First To Leave did not falter on their efforts to create an album filled with hook laden mid tempo grooves and songs about your ex girlfriend. Singer/guitarist Matt Foster’s soothing, yet harsh, voice carries the band along as memories of good times and cordial smiles wash over the listeners mind. The opening track “Making Waves” starts the party with a booming tom heavy fill by drummer Murtaza Sajjad that creates a chasm like opening, allowing rich and crunchy guitar sounds and a chant heavy countdown to flood through this void, taking the listener along with them. 

The stand out track on this album is by far “Operation” a heartfelt, well written, high energy tune about wasted time and missed opportunities. Beginning with a short solo effort by Foster it quickly breaks away into a high speed melodic chase heading straight for the rocks. Upon reaching the cliffside it takes a plunge into the unknown with a pounding build up and a weak pitch harmonic leading into a groovy mid tempo bridge. As the song slowly flies to the depths Foster says his last goodbyes with the lines “A world away, we’ll be envy,” backed by the lines “you and I are overrated/please don’t let me overstate it,” “while guitarist Michael Sterns slowly hypnotizes the listener into a  peaceful sleep.

Mostly sticking to what they know, mid tempo melodic pop-punk, First To Leave seems to have comfortably snuggled into their niche. However there are two tracks where the band decided, why not? Lets stick a limb out. One of these being the acoustic ballad “Amber Sunlight” a song that brings to mind high school sweet hearts, summer nights and open windows. The soothing vocals compiled in the background really tie together the sweet and bright sounds of Foster’s guitar with the overall warm feeling of the song. The influence of earlier Saves The Day surfaces with this song and the other breakaway track “Under Arms.” This song showcases the bands heaver side with a racing Can’t Slow Down era stampede that burns out into a toe tapping floater, closing the song with a quick burst of energy. Branching out can be a good thing, however this track seems slightly out of place and a little too hard for the rest of the album, although a good tribute to STD.

First To Leave effectively cemented their core sound with this album and would continue to as the years went by. The light yet crunchy sounds of their guitars, backed by the thunder of the bass and drums and Foster’s nasally well executed voice bring together a sound that has been copied by many, especially in the Bay Area. As a burgeoning pop-punk scene grows in the area all should be paying thanks to a band that made so many waves, pun intended, within the scene. I for one am glad to hear that the guys in First To Leave are still at it and look forward to more great times from them. 

Rating: 3.8/5

Rin Tin Tiger

 Many may credit the harmonica as being an outdated instrument in modern music, lying in the musical graveyard between the lap guitar and the oboe. However, San Francisco’s Rin Tin Tiger has triumphantly resurrected the ol’ pocket piano for their 2011 self titled release and the results are nothing short of sublime. Recorded live at The Thrasher Warehouse with additional vocal overdubs provided by Kyle Lesley and mastered by Aaron Hellam (At Our Hells, Troubled Coast) at Castle Ultimate this folk rock EP is chock full of delicate guitar work and harmonious vocals beautifully meshed and intertwined through great musicianship. 

The winding cry of a lonely harmonica kicks off the album in style as it’s wake up call alerts the rest of the instruments and following suit, they form a joyous melodious march in “Ghost Door.” As the song picks up one begins to grasp the alt-folk stylings of Rin Tin Tiger, a semi-conventional mix between Bright Eyes, Bob Dylan and Neutral Milk Hotel, garnished with marvelous song writing and retrospective lyrics. The down home guitar work and vocals tinged with a slight drawl are sure to make any fan of folk-rock, modern or otherwise, tap their toes.

Musically Rin Tin Tiger represents the purity of a midsummers day and the emptiness of a cold winters night, minor and major and up and down are all given out on this album. Peeling away at their musical onion reveals themes of heartbreak, yearning and loss. The insidious tale of an empty soul searching for excitement and dalliance unravels in the mid-tempo floater “Spooky Spider.” As the guitar transitions from a cheerful Zeppelinesque finger plucking melody; backed by the simple thwack of the snare and haunting angelic vocals, to a melancholic mix of rolling drums, scrambled samples and agonizing vocals, the listener can hear and feel this listless lovers passion and want. A simple beat slowly builds up to an extended sequence of “Woahs” and concludes with guitar work borrowed from Mr. Page himself.

The previous songs eclectic variances represents Rin Tin Tiger’s self titled as a full. From the upbeat, dynamically charged “Greedy Traveler” to the morose “Sweetest Fruit” Rin Tin Tiger is like that cheese and cracker platter so desired at your company’s Christmas party, so many choices and you just want them all. This choice is made exceptionally easier for you as each song is just a savory as the last. While some songs may drag on slightly too long, their is enough action and change occurring to keep a listeners interest peaking for the whole 22 minutes of this semi-traditional indie folk-rock album.

Rating: 3.4/5

Carry The Torch/Signs Of Hope

Like a ray of light triumphantly blasting through your bedroom window in the morning, Carry The Torch’s erratic and soaring guitar licks accompany a scratchy, powerful roar as you are awoken from some horrible dream with a stark new reality of the world. But don’t worry, CTT is here to help you pull through and with their counterparts in Signs Of Hope you will soon be empowered. Filled with messages of resisting social oppression and fighting personal depression, their new split 7 inch will raise the dragging mind of any listener.

Released on Goodwill Records earlier this year, CTT and SOH bring contrasting sounds to the table. CTT combine the melodic and technical sensibility of bands such as Misery Signals, Shai Hulud, Comeback Kid and Verse into a sporadic barrage of sounds. SOH stay on the simplistic side, while emphasizing the raging and overflowing aggression pumping through their veins, similar to ex-communicated hardcore acts like Blue Monday and veteran road warriors Bane. With two very different sounds originating from the opposite sides of the country; Sacramento, CA and Bridgeport, CN, this split showcases the sounds of two promising young bands.

Each band offers up two prime cuts of their home cooked style of hardcore. On the CTT side of the tracks the song “Color Wash The Devil Gold” propels pass the listener as it heads east. Upon arrival SOH welcomes friendly ears with their standout track “Life Everyday.” Technically speaking “Arches and Angles” spits on “Color Wash” unsympathetically, structurally however the latter track shines. While still being hyper-active and turbulent in nature “Color Wash” is strongly held together through shifting guitars that lead into flowing, anthemic rhythms. Auspicious lyrics such as “I have to learn to finally breathe/I have to learn to fully live” are projected through the harsh beating and pleading sound of their lead vocalist, while the band holds him up in his effort. 

This release is a somewhat departure from their last effort, 2008’s Dead Weather, being speedier and more chaotic, while retaining their core sound. Through this process many of their mid tempo, groove based metalcore elements have been lost, replaced by an updated and faster version. While speed may be more impressive technically, it takes away from the songs as a whole, as these songs don’t seem to live up to their former partners. 

Signs Of Hope bring the listener back with their old school sound and posi filled messages. The beginning of “Life Everyday” sucks the listener in before giving way to a ferocious combination of circle pit based guitar work and rolling drums. Sing alongs are scattered throughout the song and help to enforce the positive messages nakedly exposed and waiting for consumption. “You gotta pick yourself up man and turn it around,” words that carry much meaning in their simplistic formations. To cap off this fuming hardcore speech SOH implies an age old hardcore tactic, the butchering breakdown, guaranteeing that massive amounts of loose change will soon be picked up by all listening. 

Not straying too far from their previous release 2009's, Choices Made, worked in SOH’s favor as they continue to perfect their brand of strengthening melodic hardcore. Although similar to their split mates their featured songs don’t seem to compare to older efforts. Overall the split seems a bit rushed but still a solid effort from both bands.

Rating: 3.2/5

Owl Paws

   The youthful lamb within the flock, curled up and afraid, waiting to be found. In a dark scene filled with the unrelenting sounds of screeching guitars and maniacal yells, this is Owl Paws. Their pristine twangy guitars laid over rich acoustic progressions, steady backbeats, and angelic vocal harmonies are the warm hug waiting for you after the show by said maniac. Their folk indie musings bring to mind great acoustic acts such as City and Colour, Bright Eyes, early Spill Canvas and Neutral Milk Hotel. With their new self titled release, Owl Paws chips away at a local scene sculpted by toughness to reveal the soft and warm underbelly.

While Owl Paws stick with the more traditional rock instruments throughout the album, sparse helloes of less traditional instruments weave in and out, appearing at precise moments as if their number had just been called in the waiting room. Xylophone’s tip toe on top of steel strings in “Party Johnson”, horns keep the melancholy party going in the outro of “Reluctant” and violins drop tears in the ballad “Eyes Of The Prey.” What’s even better is they rock the upright bass, a little used instrument outside of certain genres, generally not this one. 

Themes of love, life meaning and the hardships of being a musician in an increasingly relentless world conduct the beautiful symphony of melodies heard on the album. Love is a multi dimensional thing and Singer/songwriter Derek Schultz covers almost all bases; fear, heartbreak, late nights and the unspoken feelings we all encounter as we make eye contact with that special someone. In “Sleepless and Hollow” Schultz desperately moans “Both hands on my sides/the chalk lines are still white/I’m the kind of liar you want to listen to/I’ll never be the one to break the bad news,” showing his warm heartedness that breaks through on many of the tracks. 

Schultz and lead guitarist/back up vocalist Colin Hayes match vocal harmonies to a key and sound much like a fusion of a clearer higher pitched Conner Oberst and a weaker Dallas Green. Where Hayes really shines is on his shimmering lead progressions, more specifically the beginning of “Vultures” which invites the listener into a poppy dance number that embeds itself in the listeners mind, returning to you as you conduct your day. Backed by the steady movement of drummer Tyler Akers dancing around his cymbals like a bobble head on the top of your cars dashboard and bassist Tim Vickers revving the songs engine, “Vultures” draws listeners from their chair and onto the dance floor.  Akers and Vickers provide a strong rhythm section, steadily swaying throughout the album providing nothing too flashy, but constant, creating excellent dynamics. 

Recorded at Schultz’s home, The Complex SF and mixed by Sam Pura of Panda Studios the quality of the album comes out well for a semi DIY recording. My only complaint is the drums sound a bit flat, possibly to accompany the fat, low tones of the upright bass, but nevertheless could have been raised a bit. A more varied song structure wouldn’t hurt either, the soothing, swaying sounds heard on the album are great but a step outside of these borders would really be saying something for the band. Other than these minor flaws Owl Paws delivers a very solid debut EP, leaving listeners entranced and craving more.

Rating: 3.7/5

Young Love

 Hailing from the town of Ukiah, CA , a small speck of about 14,000 off of the 101, All Teeth brings the sounds of the boonies to hardcore with their newest release, “Young Love.” This dark culmination of everything gone wrong, released on Panic records, runs rampant with themes of loss, anxiety and depression. Recorded by Scott Goodrich at Imperial Studios and mastered by Jay Maas, this release shows All Teeth’s musicianship and originality as it shines through a prism of despair that shoots off into the listeners mind, invoking the darkest of emotions inside all of us.

Chock full of local cameos such as Juan Gabe (Comadre), Sammy Winston (Grace Alley), Cody Sullivan (Sabertooth Zombie) and Ross Farrar( Ceremony) and even Jay Maas of Defeater fame, All Teeth shows that they are an integral part of the local scene and are quickly rising to the top. One of the best thing about these cameos is the fact that complete creative control was left up to the guest vocalist on all tracks but the last two, “Long Nights” and “Disposable Me.” Spoken word recitals performed by Winston can be heard throughout the album and act as preludes to certain songs, enforcing the feeling of despair and loneliness in the listeners mind. 

It seems as if since the departure of ex-vocalist Jake Cash, the band has done some major streamlining. Cash’s vocals often were unoriginal, abrasive in contrast to current vocalist David Kellings throaty rasp of a scream and frankly would be better suited in a band geared more toward the metallic side of hardcore. Compared to I Am Losing, their 2009 release put out through High Fidelity records, the band has managed to strip away unneeded components of the machine and readjust the remaining gears to produce a borderline hardcore masterpiece. 

Musically All Teeth comes off as a culmination of American Nightmare, Suicide File, Blacklisted, Bane and even evoke elements of the almighty Converge. Creating chaotic riffs and pounding rhythms that are as dangerous and reckless as a runaway train full of ex-cons. In between these moments of chaos and destruction are progressions that focus heavily on dynamics, stop-start rhythms and slow groovy marches. At the conclusion of “Oh Disposable Me” the band ends the album by cutting away from a chaotic headbanger into a section that brings to mind a death march of lost souls. With drummer James Rogers dancing on the ride symbol, he conducts the rest of the band into a symphony of woahs, floating guitars, and borderline suicidal vocals leaving the listener to wonder, “Who’s this man I’ve grown to be?”

A major stand out on the album is the second track “Caller I.D” with its infectious rhythms kicking in after the conclusion of an intro that coerces the listener to eagerly anticipate the rest of the song. A series of softly accented floor toms slowly build up to their heaviest moments, then cease and repeat as an open ended guitar riff is continuously played in the distance. Once the song begins the listener is entranced as Kelling's vocals dance between the drums and guitars. Halfway through the song the guitars cut in and out as bass player Mike Fenton keeps the the party going by encouraging every kid in the crowd to stage dive simultaneously through his downbeat bass line. 

All Teeth brings something truly fresh and new to the hardcore round table and all the knights are listening. It is one of the few albums that a listener can quite literally feel the intensity and energy of the bands live show flow through their ears. If you don’t believe me simply listen to the quasi-reggae jam at the end of “Goodbye Faye Dolan.” Combine this with an outstanding show of musicianship and artistic sensibility and you have one of the best hardcore albums released this year. In the words of Kelling “I’ve never heard a sad song I didn’t like.” Too true Dave. 

Rating: 4.3/5

Halfhearted

“On the inside/On the outside/I’m totally lost” the young band from Portland Oregon, Young Turks, distortedly proclaims in a confused conclusion of “Lost” the second track of their debut EP “Half Hearted.” Young Turks seems to have found the perfect formula for crafting their quasi unique brand of hardcore. Taking one part high energy intensity in the veins of American Nightmare, melodic structures and emotive lyrics via Go It Alone, Defeater and Modern Life Is War and the punishing back breaking power of Cruel Hand. Throw all this into a giant pot full of angst, anger and confusion, season it with highly personal lyrics and you have “Halfhearted”. 

Featuring ex members of Broadway Calls and Hell and Reason, Young Turks keeps the spirit of Portland alive with a enlightening take on a genre that can easily be rehashed as much as the next R&B auto tune radio hit. Mixing the best elements from each section of hardcore, as if picking from an orchestra of heavy music, they manage to harness each aspect to their advantage. For a first release this is quite impressive. While it is nothing groundbreaking they are definitely headed in the right direction. 

Pounding drums give footing to seemingly fluid guitars that go from hardcore circle pit insanity to swirling melodic progression, aiming to pluck at even the coldest of hardcore kids heart. The end of “Control”, the final song on the album hits this mark dead on through a despairing progression. A delayed guitar gives way to a rising palm muted riff that slowly builds up so much tension, that when it’s released it’s as if an emotional dam has been broken and the pain being held back flows through the listeners ears and chills the mind. Follow this up with the spacey and cutting lead that enters as the outro reaches its peak and you have one of the best parts on Halfhearted. 

Be sure to keep an eye out for this band as they have the potential to do some great things. Half Hearted is semi-original and nothing earth shattering but is a small step towards jumping over a very large musical gap. The abyssal chasm that hardcore tends to lead itself into. If Young Turks can fine tune there sound enough to find that perfect mixture of melodic, fast and heavy, then soon they will be climbing their way to the top of that metaphorical hardcore canyon. 

Rating: 3/5

Be on the look out for the tape release of Halfhearted on Heart In Hand Records.

Letters

To the swaying beat of a hardened drum line is how the Bay Area’s Troubled Coast lets the music world know that they are here to stay. This message is slowly cemented throughout their pulse pounding and toe tapping debut full length “Letters.” Released by Creator Destructor Records and recorded by Aaron Hellam (At Our Heels, Hope For A.M) this record further expands TC’s progressive brand of melodic post-hardcore into a mixture of sounds that spans the spectrum of emotions we as humans encounter and conquer in our daily lives. 

This album is a far cry from their original 10”100 Miles From Home and the following EP Vagabonds. While the latter is closer to their current polished sound, no listener would ever had guessed what would lay in store for this band based on their first release. Expanding past the basic fast melodic hardcore sound heard on 100 Miles, the band has drawn influences from post-hardcore heroes such as Thrice and Alexisonfire along with bands such as Verse, Have Heart and Crime In Stereo too create a truly unique and powerful sound. 

The opening track “Amends” welcomes the listener to the rough but beautiful aesthetics of TC. Drummer Tahm Aletmus drills a pounding drum line straight into the listeners ear while guitarists Cory Bardwell and Brandon Wark accompany him with a delay heavy, Crime In Stereoesque guitar attack. After this calming introduction TC heads straight on into the exciting melodic sound that they are known for with “Wolf Republic.” Around 45 seconds into the song, vocalist Mike Scornaienchi shows his versatility within the band. Over bassist Randy Staat’s flowing bass line, he transitions from a rough yell to a desperate poetic plea. 

“Breathing” is the next track on the album and is the melodic single on Letters. Beginning with an extremely catchy hook this song keeps a steady head bob throughout its entirety. Scornaienchi bravely chants “If Breathings not for you/Then breathings not me” as a delicate piano accompanies the listener out of the song. In the same sense that “Breathing” is the melodic stand out, the album closer “Love” is the heavy hitter of the album. Reminiscent of Thrice via their Fire EP, this song perfectly expresses a feelings of pain and anguish with its stinging guitars and thumping drums. 

Filling the void between these two tunes are songs such as “It’s Not Good For You” and “Drug Halo” while meld perfectly into each other. Another stand out is “Absent Father, Holy Ghost” which slowly gains speed through a guitar duet that exemplifies the pristine sounds of Wark and Bardwell’s guitar playing through elements of post-rock. The combination of a slightly crunchy overdrive and a clean lead makes this intro one of my favorites. It then picks up into a breakneck speed, post hardcore rager. The song then takes another turn and fades out with a beautiful acoustic outro accompanied by harmonica, reverbed drums and group chanting. Heading straight into “Me and My Shadow” a song reminiscent of Thrice during their Vehissu era, this song gives the feeling of being lost at sea or swirling though some lost portal of space.

This band is just emerging onto the larger music scene but is sure to make some waves with this debut. Truly great bands evolve and that is exactly what Troubled Coast has managed to do in such a short time. We should all be excited for what they have in store. 

Rating: 4.1/5 


Note: This is the most biased review I will ever write