Balance Problems - The fair weather field guide

Balance Problems is Brack Cantrell, a Texan student with a head full of ideas. He used to be in post-hardcore outfit Sky Eats Airplane and also played guitar for Dan Hunter's power-pop project PlayRadioPlay! (now called Analog Rebellion). He then followed a solo route to create Balance Problems which 'The fair weather field guide' is the second full-length. Under this name, he records acoustic and indie songs, a proof of his creativity's diversity.

This new album is different from what Balance Problems has released before, approaching folk influences to create something less happy and cheerful. Maybe the guy wants to be taken more seriously. It's still very chill and will make you want to lie down under the sun, but it has a less carefree feeling. There's a lot of mandolin ('Brither Fungus'), he also plays mouth organ ('Digger's camp') and xylophone ('All ears now'). A simpler song like 'Siwah' will sound more familiar to the fans, with its upbeat and freewheeling tone. Cantrell is also a good singer, always in tone, showcasing his voice's sweetness that works the best on stripped-down tracks like 'Paint on the barn'. Closer 'Prime mover' stands out from the rest as it takes an epic turn at its half when a full band comes in for the first and only time on the album. Balance Problems doesn't have the emotional power of a Cassino, but he's still good at what he does.

'The fair weather field guide' may confuse some fans at first, embracing a folk-ish sound with many instruments added to Balance Problems' sound; but, when used to it, they'll realize Cantrell managed to do what he wanted to do. They'll probably still pick the first album, 'Morning sun', over this one though. It's a simple and pretty album, just nothing incredible.

3.5/5

Recommanded if you like:
Cassino, Alive In Wild Paint, Daphne Loves Derby
Recommanded if you like:
Wolftron, The Apathy Eulogy, Chase Coy

www.myspace.com/balanceproblems
(Self-released, 2009)

Jeff Kummer - Your best alternative

Jeff Kummer is the former drummer of regretted act The Early November. He also used to be in a band called Your Sweet Uncertainty and filled in on drums for Man Overboard. He decided to follow a solo route to release 'Your best alternative', his first one man-band record.

The album is a sweet and fair blend of pop-rock and pop-punk. Kummer didn't try to write another The Early November record on his own, or to be Man Overboard's alter ego. Even if limited in its musical genre, 'Your best alternative' calls on a relatively large number of influences. The man's fondness for pop-punk is exhibited on songs like 'Make plans' and 'Write me off', the most energetic (and some of the best) tracks off the record, featuring catchy hooks, heavy bass, fast drums and unexpected and distilled gang vocals. Then, some others make me include an obvious comparison with Waking Ashland. On the very good (emphasize on the great instrumental work) 'Safe to say' and 'What a nightmare', the melancholic melodies added to Jeff's voice tone similar to Jonathan Jones make you feel like you're listening to a more dynamic Waking Ashland that would have lost their piano, that is to say We Shot The Moon. Unfortunately, the rest is less well-executed. Kummer's quality musicianship impresses me on many songs, but I am not keen of his vocals which, in my opinion, bring several songs down, like on 'This makes perfect sense' and its "nananananananana" chorus. Most of the other tracks aren't bad, just average: 'My love', the Crash Romeo-like 'Run' (with slight touches of synth), 'Joanna' and its cheesy chorus a la Bowling For Soup or the closer 'Playing games' which sounds just like it got dropped off The Fold's first album. Similarly, the lyrics aren't anything memorable.

Therefore, I am a little disappointed with 'Your best alternative'. Whereas Jeff Kummer's talent for playing whatever instrument he wants is obvious on these songs, I was expecting him to provide better hooks. The melodies are the letdown of the record, that could have been a good surprise to anyone not aware of the release or the guy's curriculum. However, the album doesn't have much pretention (as you can guess from its cheap cover) and it's a pleasing listen. Nothing great or standing out, but it's not bad at all.

3/5

Recommanded if you like:
We Shot The Moon, The Fold, The Years Gone By
Check also:
Your Sweet Uncertainty, The Send, A Dream Too Late

www.myspace.com/jeffkummer
(Self-released, 2009)

My best of 2009

2009 is coming to its end and it's time to make the traditional end of the year lists. It was a very good year for music in my opinion, much better than 2008, with a lot of great records coming out.
I decided choosing a certain number of them to make a top was too restrictive and not very useful (and I am terrible at ranking things like that), so I simply retained what I will remember from 2009 and classified them into genres to make it easy to read and simple to look for stuff you may like according to your tastes. Everything's in alphabetical order.
Here's the list of the records I think you should have listened to this year. Don't hesitate to insult me for not including your favorite band's latest album in the comments, and also to give your opinion on the list. What have I missed? Which are your favorite records of the year? Here's my best of 2009.



ALTERNATIVE
(Alternative rock/Post-hardcore)

AFI - Crash love
Alexisonfire - Old crows, young cardinals
As Cities Burn - Hell or high water
Brand New - Daisy
Closure In Moscow - First temple
Enter Shikari - Common dreads
Everytime I Die - New junk aesthetic
Manchester Orchestra - Mean everything to nothing
Moneen - The world I want to leave behind
Native - Wrestling moves
Poison The Well - The tropic rot
Say Anything - Say Anything
The Dear Hunter - Act III: life and death
Thrice - Beggars
Thursday - Common existence
Trophy Scars - Bad luck


EMO
(Emo/Screamo)

Age Sixteen - Open up finders, please
Appollonia - Blank solstice
Bökanövsky - We stumble
Castevet - Summer fences
Celeste - Misanthrope(s)
Comadre - A wolf ticket
Daïtro - Y
Dominic - Nord
Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) - What it takes to move forward
Isaïah - Ils consomment, tuent et prient mais ne pensent pas
Kaospilot - Shadows
Kidcrash - Snacks
L’Homme Puma - On remplace les yeux cassés
Loma Prieta - Dark mountain
My Heart To Joy - Seasons in verse
Pianos Become The Teeth - Old pride
Portraits Of Past - Cypress dust witch (EP)
Prawn - False institutions (EP)
What Price, Wonderland? - It is true, it is shakey


HARDCORE
(Punk hardcore/Hardcore)

Blackhole - Dead hearts
Blacklisted - No one deserves to be here more than me
Coalesce - XO
Converge - Axe to fall
Death Before Dishonor - Better ways to die
Defeater - Lost ground (EP)
Gallows - Grey Britain
Iron Age - The sleeping eye
Kickback - No surrender
Last Lights - No past, no present, no future
Lewd Acts - Black eyes blues
More Than Life - Brave enough to fail (EP)
Narrows - New distances
Nine Eleven - City of quartz
No Friends - No Friends
Paint It Black - Amnesia (7'')
Punch - Punch (12'')
Reaching Hand - Threshold (EP)
Rise And Fall - Our circle is vicious
Ruiner - Hell is empty
Shook Ones - The unquotable A.M.H.
Swamp Thing - In shame
The Ghost Of A Thousand - New hopes, new demonstrations
Touché Amoré - ...To the beat of a dead horse
Trapped Under Ice - Secrets of the world


INDIE
(Indie-rock/Experimental)

Anchor & Braille - Felt
As Tall As Lions - You can't take it with you
Bon Iver - Blood bank (EP)
Camera Obscura - My maudlin carrer
Cassino - Kingprince
Cheap Girls - My roaring 20's
Cursive - Mama, I'm swollen
Kevin Devine - Brother's blood
Mansions - New best friends
mewithoutYou - It's all crazy! It's all false! It's all a dream! It's alright
Modest Mouse - No one's first and you're next (EP)
Owen - New leaves
Portugal. The Man - The satanic satanist
Regina Spektor - Far
RX Bandits - Mandala
Silversun Pickups - Swoon
Tegan And Sara - Sainthood
The Appleseed Cast - Sagarmatha
The Cast Before The Break - Still
The Decemberists - The hazards of love
The Mars Volta - Octahedron


POP
(Pop-rock/Pop-punk)

Broadway Calls - Good views, bad news
fun. - Aim and ignite
Fireworks - All I have to offer is my own confusion
Morrissey - Years of refusal
Mute Math - Armistice
New Found Glory - Not without a fight
Paramore - brand new eyes
Set Your Goals - This will be the death of us
Sherwood - QU
Teenage Bottlerocket - They came from the shadows
The Dangerous Summer - Reach for the sun
The Swellers - Ups and downsizing


POST-ROCK
(Post-rock/Ambient)

And So I Watch You From Afar - And So I Watch You From Afar
Caspian - Tertia
Do Make Say Think - Other truths
If These Trees Could Talk - Above the earth, below the sky
Immanu El - Moen
Jeniferever - Spring tides
Jesu - Opiate sun (EP)
Maybeshewill - Sing the word hope in four-part harmony
Microfilm - The bay of future passed
Mono - Hymn to the immortal wind
pg.lost - In never out
Russian Circles - Geneva
This Will Destroy You & Lymbyc Systym - Field studies (Split EP)
Tortoise - Beacons of ancestorship
Upcdowncleftcrightcabc+start - Firewolf


PUNK
(Punk-rock/Folk-punk)

Anti-Flag - The people or the gun
Banner Pilot - Collapser
Bomb The Music Industry! - Scrambles
Chuck Ragan - Gold country
Dear Landlord - Dream homes
Fake Problems - It's great to be alive
Frank Turner - Poetry of the deed
Lucero - 1372 Overton Park
NOFX - Coaster
Nothington - Roads, bridges and ruins
Polar Bear Club - Chasing Hamburg
Propagandhi - Supporting caste
Star Fucking Hipsters - Never rest in peace
Strike Anywhere - Iron front
Strung Out - Agents of the underground
The Bronx - Mariachi El Bronx
The Lawrence Arms - Buttsweat and tears (7'')
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Pin points and gin joints
Title Fight - The last thing you forget
Transit - Stay home (EP)


RAP
(Rap/Hip-hop)

Atmosphere - Leak at will (Digital EP)
B-Real - Smoke n mirrors
Blakroc - Blakroc
Brother Ali - Us
Cunninlynguists - Strange journey volume one
DJ Quik & Kurupt - BlaQKout (Split)
DOOM - Born like this
Doomtree - False hopes XV (EP)
J Dilla - Jay stay paid
Joe Budden - Padded room
K’naan - Troubadour
k-os - Yes!
La Coka Nostra - A brand you can trust
Mos Def - The ecstatic
Mr. Lif - I heard it today
P.O.S. - Never better
People Under The Stairs - Carried away
Raekwon - Only built 4 Cuban linx... Pt II
Slaughterhouse - Slaughterhouse
Tanya Morgan - Brooklynati
Why? - Eskimo snow

Belle Epoque - Belle Epoque (7'')

Remember this: there are a good and a bad Belle Epoque. The good one should have an accent, because they're French. They're a screamo band from Versailles that broke up in 2006. The bad ones are American. They're a young cookie-cutter alternative/metalcore band from Texas. The logic would be that this review is about the latter, but no, it's about the dead Belle Epoque.

Labels Apes Must Not Kill Apes Records (Switzerland) and Escucha! Records (Mexico) are teaming up to release this posthumous 7'' featuring two unreleased songs (recorded in 2006) from the French act. I won't be long: both tracks are excellent. 'Le chant des muets' is mostly instrumental, in the genre of what Sed Non Satiata still do today, using ever-present driving chords before rising in an emotional climax with torn screams and naturally flowing (on the MP3 version, otherwise you'll obviously have to switch sides) into the second song, 'Le souvenir des vivants'. This one is gorgeous, full of reserve and energy at the same time, in the tradition of what Belle Epoque was: a modest glory. Arpeggios are limpid, lyrics are poignant, assaults are impassioned. Both words and music are conscious and sadly liberated, as the screamo genre is (should be?). Here are two new songs to add to your post-mortem Belle Epoque worship.

That's a pretty present the two labels are offering us, an opportunity to discover two Belle Epoque songs that were worth being put out and an opportunity to own them on plastic for those who already knew them. A symbolic testament for a band absolutely necessary in your screamo history book. For those interested, former Belle Epoque members are now playing in Do You Compute, Revok and Rotten Tofu Adventures.

4/5

Recommanded if you like:
Daïtro, Mihai Edrisch, Gantz
Check also:
Rotten Tofu Adventures, Twisted Drive, Pop China

http://belle.epoque75.free.fr
(Ape Must Not Kill Apes Records/Escucha! Records, 2009)

Gold Motel - EP

The Hush Sound may be on hiatus, Greta Morgan wasn't going to twiddle her thumbs. The singer of the Chicago-based indie-pop band decided to go solo (not literally, as she's accompanied by four guys) under the name Gold Motel. This first EP is a bunch of old remastered songs she recorded on her own and never had the opportunity to release, as well as new ones.

Gold Motel shines through its simplicity. The first tracks of the EP are very cheerful, combining soft vocals, catchy melodies and intimate instrumentation. The tone is reminiscent of The Hush Sound's latest album atmosphere, light and upbeat. But apart from that, the two acts don't have much in common. Gold Motel has a carefree feeling and an old-timey touch in the keyboards as well as the singer's vocal offering, closer to 60's radio pop than today's one. Greta went her own way, brightening up our listening time, delivering a honest and pretty indie-pop borrowing as much from The Beach Boys as from Norah Jones. The second part is darker and the songwriting gets deeper, with lyrics approaching the issue of a couple separating. 'Who will I be tonight' is a piano ballad in the pure singer/songwriter style and 'Don't send the searchlights' closes the EP in a pretty way: "Good night, goodbye / By the time you turn around I’ll be gone, I'll be gone". A very enjoyable melancholic track.

With Gold Motel, Greta Morgan offers us sweet, charming songs armed with a direct ticket to your heart. While the EP is nothing incredible, it's an endearing and pleasing way to warm yourself up during those harsh winter days.

3.5/5

Recommanded if you like:
The Hush Sound, Eisley, fun.
Check also:
Charlotte Sometimes, The Villains Of Verona, Probably Vampires

www.myspace.com/goldmotel
(Self-released, 2009)

The Republic Of Wolves - His old branches (EP)

You may have missed it, but there's been a small buzz going on around The Republic Of Wolves. The daily sales of this EP were somehow greater than Rihanna and Lady Gaga on Amazon MP3 downloads a few weeks ago. Why? Partly because the demos for those songs got leaked online as the demos for Brand New's 'Daisy' album. Instant explosion. The band wasn't involved in it (a friend of them was), but they're certainly not unhappy about it today.

Obviously, if they got confused with Brand New, you can guess both bands have a quite similar sound. A lot of this EP sounds like the Long Island alternative kings (where The Republic Of Wolves also come from): somber and ghostly production, screeching guitars, alternation between soft and heavy moments, even the singer has a similar tone to Jesse Lacey. On tracks like 'A weather vane' and the great 'Spill', the proximity between the two acts' music definitely is obvious. The band's songs are complex, subtle and deep, well-written both lyrically and musically. Tracks like 'The clouds' and 'His old branches' are standout cuts for their emotional potential and their ability to create atmospheres. 'Cardinals' is very good too, somewhere between The Appleseed Cast and recent Thrice. There is something in the way vocals are put out that reminds me of Band Of Horses as well. Overall, some parts bring the record down, but it's an impressive debut.

Many fans, disgusted by 'Daisy', stated that The Republic Of Wolves' EP was better. I wouldn't go that far even if Brand New's last effort really disappointed me, but if we have to compare those two releases, this one has more cohesiveness. It's a very promising first record that only makes us wish for the band that they will get out of their influence's shadow.

3.5/5

Recommanded if you like:
Brand New, The Appleseed Cast, Band Of Horses
Check also:
The King And The Thief, Every Atlas, Tigers On Trains

www.myspace.com/therepublicofwolves
(Self-released, 2009)

Chaos Days & All Or Nothing - Split EP

All Or Nothing (not to be mistaken with the American hardcore act All Or Nothing HC, nor with All For Nothing) and Chaos Days are two small pop-punk bands from England, both (currently) signed on the label All Aboard Records. Whereas the latter are still quite unknown, the first ones, from Birmingham, already have a substantial discography including a split with American peers The Wonder Years. Sharing this record with a band that already had a name in the American scene enabled them to get some listeners outside of the UK. This time, it should be the other way around as they will probably be the ones bringing new fans to their friends in Chaos Days.

All Or Nothing produce an edgy pop-punk driven by power chords and catchy vocals. 'I hate being the dip guy' is a good example of what the band can do, featuring guitar hooks and an easily memorable chorus. I like their other track 'Don't do this' better, though, a bit less poppy. The heavy bass is leading the song very well and the verses are as good as the chorus.
Brighton-based Chaos Days' pop-punk is a little softer. They can write good melodies too, as you will be able to testify on 'You and I'. The dual vocals give a good energy to the chorus and maybe the band should use them more. 'At heaven's gate' is less tasty but remains pleasing thanks to the great work on the guitars.

If you think You Me At Six are the only pop-punk band from the UK worth checking out, you should give those two acts a listen (and if it makes you stop listening to You Me At Six, I won't be unhappy either). This split is the proof British pop-punk is growing and getting better. All Or Nothing and Chaos Days are two bands to keep an eye on. Their simple and quality brand of pop-punk could rival its American equivalent. We couldn't wish them anything better.

3.5/5

Recommanded if you like:
New Found Glory, Fireworks, The Wonder Years
Check also:
Save Your Breath, With The Punches, Weekend FM

www.myspace.com/chaosdays
www.myspace.com/allornothing
(All Aboard Records, 2009)

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Pin points and gin joints

The ska trend may be far behind us, the genre still consists in a solid community. This little world got turn upside down with the announcement of the reunion of the genre's veterans, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, in 2007. After disbanding in 2003, the Boston, Massachussets act is back with their eighth full-length, 'Pin points and gin joints'.

It is legimitate to wonder if a band can still please their fans after such a long hiatus. In this case, the answer is yes. Ska lovers will be very, very happy to end the year with this album, seven years after the group's last effort. Whereas their latest releases were more rock-oriented, 'Pin points and gin joints' is made of fourteen ska-concentrated tracks showcasing the band at their best. The beginning of the record is particularly strong, with exhuberant and fun songs filled with driving horns and rocking guitars. My personal favorites are 'The route that I took' and the impressive 'Too many stars'. The middle of the record serves as a kind of break, with slower songs, before the end of the record hits hard again. Glorious choruses, boozy anthems, bouncing rhythms, the album even closes with an epic six and a half-minute skacore classic, 'A pretty sad excuse'. The lyrics are a highlight too, as frontman Dicky Barretss's writing is as solid as ever and his sometimes very serious criticism doesn't interfere in any way with the upbeat tone of the music. The production by Ted Hutt (The Bouncing Souls, Flogging Molly, The Gaslight Anthem) is shining too, giving credit to every instrument, from the saxophone to the bass.

Many hats will be off to the seven-piece group with this return effort. Eight and a half months of work bore fruits. 'Pin points and gin joints' will delight fans of the third-wave ska kings. If this album is a good representation of what The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are in 2009 (which is obviously the case), then they haven't lost much on their way.

4/5

Recommanded if you like:
Mustard Plug, Reel Big Fish, Catch 22
Check also:
The Pietasters, Skankin' Pickle, Bim Skala Bim

www.myspace.com/themightymightybosstones
(Big Rig Records, 2009)

The Saddest Landscape & Trophy Scars - Split 7''

If there is a split I didn't see coming this year, it has to be this one. The Saddest Landscape, recently reunited underground emo/screamo band from Boston, New York, have collaborated with Morristown, New Jersey post-hardcore six-piece Trophy Scars to release one song each on a split 7''. Sure, they shared the stage earlier this year for the former band's reunion shows, but they're not really playing in the same league.

The Saddest Landscape's song, named 'So lightly thrown', is what we could expect from them. Pretty harmonies, rhythm changes and singer Andy Maddox's heartfelt lyrics and vocals, somewhere between the scream, the singing and the spoken. Always very emotional. There's no doubt they're one of the best screamo bands in the US landscape today and this beautiful track only makes us wish for more. Hopefully the full-length announced for the end of 2009 will come soon. Unsurprisingly, the contrast is sharp when comes Trophy Scars' song. 'August, 1980' is in the vein of the band's last effort 'Bad luck', more instrumental (there even are horns), while keeping some post-hardcore elements. They're moving away from their Thursday-ish sound to embrace a much more mellow one. It's slow. Very slow. I've never been a fan of Jerry Jones's vocals, but he is well helped by his bandmates. The song ends on a big sing-along. Overall, it falls short in my opinion.

A dispensable split in the end but a good sign for The Saddest Landscape's upcoming material.

3.5/5

Recommanded if you like:
Hot Cross, Saetia, La Dispute
Check also:
Her Breath On Glass, Touché Amoré, Toru Okada

www.myspace.com/thesaddestlandscape
www.myspace.com/trophyscars
(Bear Records, 2009)

Doomtree - False hopes XV

It may surprise some of you, but I was a hip-hop kid before getting into punk-rock, which later led me to all the soft or hard stuff I listen to now. I still keep an eye on the hip-hop scene and one of the labels that has attracted my attention the most in the last years is Minneapolis crew Doomtree. Close friends with the fellow Minnesota label Rhymesayers Entertainment (Atmosphere, MF Doom, Brother Ali...), they're a hip-hop collective creating music as solo artists or as a whole crew. Besides their two full-length albums, the crew has released fourteen 'False hopes' mixtapes that were solo or duo contributions whereas this fifteenth one is the result of the work of almost all the artists together (seven out of nine are here: the five MCs and two of the producers).

First, don't run away thinking the rap stuff I choose to review on here sounds like guys around a swimming-pool with half-naked girls and half-empty champagne bottles. It doesn't. I like good rap, okay? If some of you need to be reassured, Doomtree is known for the influence of punk in their music. P.O.S., the most popular rapper of the crew, is famous for making "hip-hop for people who don't like hip-hop". He will cite Minor Threat and Refused as influences, he plays drums in a hardcore band, he is among the few rap artists to be on the Warped Tour, he has toured with many rock acts, from Saosin to Cursive, he has worked with guys from The Hold Steady and Bouncing Souls and his latest record ('Never better', my rap album of the year) features samples and references to Fugazi and Isis. If this long name-dropping didn't convince you the guy isn't 50 Cent, I give up.
So it is not a surprise for me that my favorite song on the EP is his, 'Do not stay'. After a moving piano-driven intro, the track gets into a superb three and a half-minute hip-hop moment, with an excellent production by Lazerbeak. P.O.S. proves his songwriting skills one more time but the guy can also provide good beatss as the punk-ish instrumental on female rapper Dessa's song 'Scuffle' comes from him. The song, dark and different, shows off the talent of the vitriolic MC. She is with no doubt one of the most promising girls in today's hip-hop scene. Openers 'Coup for the king' and 'Profit and loss' are more classical, in the vein of the entusiastic tunes off the crew's past full-lengths. They're a good demonstration of what the gang can do though, all of its members being at their best. The very intellectual Cecil Otter imposes his signature flow and complexed lyrics with 'A rickety bridge' ("Well, as soon as you got out from the aim of the sniper / You took a rest next to the fangs of a viper / But it's raining tonight for you / I know you love the rain, I watched you drink it up and strike another flame / When you came to show your face to the animals / Who swore it was intangible to orchestrate a radical / I saw your eyes go from lowercase to capital / It's like you had to pull the rogue from underneath yourself to feel alive"... Yeah, you will definitely not find him "in the club, bottle full of Bub") and the great Mike Mictlan plays the somber card on 'OMG!', a beautiful song with deep lyrical content, lots of piano on its verses and a guitar solo and scratches on its chorus. The record closes on 'Carped diem', the longest track, compltely instrumental. Somber as well, almost post-rock in its approach, jazzy because including saxophone, the loop featuring plenty of instrument samples is a very well-executed way to finish the listen.

'False hopes XV' is a good introduction to Doomtree for those who are curious to discover the crew. It's a solid yet short (it's only an EP and doesn't go further than the 30-minute mark) joint effort from the very creative and talented collective, showcasing what each one of its members can do but also proving the future is wide open for them. Indeed, certain songs on there are some of the finest composed by the group. Doomtree isn't about "niggas" and "bitches". Don't be scared, give it a try. "Don't sweat the technique fellas, Doomtree's better!"

4/5

Nb.: You can listen to the EP here.

Recommanded if you like:
Atmosphere, Blakroc, P.O.S.
Check also:
Mike Mictlan & Lazerbeak, Paper Tiger, Mac Lethal

www.myspace.com/doomtree

(Doomtree Records, 2009)

Runner Runner - Under the covers (iTunes EP)

There are a few things I hate in music. Seeing former members of a band I loved create a crappy band, rock bands with machines instead of drummers and bands trying to get famous by covering pop songs are some of them. Unfortunately for me, this new digital EP from Runner Runner includes all of those three massive turn-offs.

Runner Runner was born from the ashes of missed pop-punk act Over It but play a very poppier music with an amount of sugar on the verge of the indigestion. I don't know how they ended up in this, but they did. The band is releasing an iTunes-only EP of covers called 'Under the covers' (GET IT, GET IT??!!). First, we can congratulate the band for the originality of the songs chosen: U2's 'With or without you', Third Eye Blind's 'Semi-charmed life', Maroon 5's 'She will be loved'... Only songs I hadn't heard five thousand times before, you know. The U2 cover is a horrible dance take on the original, with over-edited vocals, cheesy synth and an electro beat that seems to wonder as much as us how it got there. They then seem to have forgotten the aim of covering a song on the Third Eye Blind one as it is nothing else than a pure copy of the original. Jimmy Eat World's 'Sweetness' becomes... sweeter and bouncing but thanks to the quality of the original composition, it's passable. Forgettable acoustic versions of Goo Good Dolls' 'Slide' and Runner Runner's own song 'Hey alli' end up the listen on a no less forgettable way.

If Runner Runner just created a totally useless piece of music, I however would like to thank them, as someone concerned about the environment, for only releasing it as MP3s and avoiding in this way a complete waste of plastic.

2/5

Recommanded if you like:
Metro Station, Mercy Mercedes, Cash Cash
Check also:
Call The Cops!, Let's Get It, Phone Calls From Home

www.myspace.com/runnerrunnermusic
(iTunes, 2009)

Good Old War & Cast Spells - Split EP

Good Old War is an acoustic indie trio composed of former members from Days Away and Unlikely Cowboy. They're teaming up with Cast Spells, the solo project of experimental act Maps & Atlases' singer David Davison, to release this 4-song split on their common label, Sargent House.

Good Old War's first song, 'Breaking down', starts off as a mellow introduction, reminding the atmosphere created on a track like 'Weak man' from their album released last year. But the song takes a totally different turn when the band speeds up the pace to create a fast acoustic indie-pop song, with Tim Arnold's snare drum more energetic than ever. They've really stepped it up on this one. The second song, 'Texas blues', is even better. Slower, with delicious instrumentation and singer Keith Goodwin at his best; the band isn't mistaken, that's what we were waiting from them. I am less keen on Cast Spells' music, especially as those songs are more folk than his previous stuff. But Davison is a talented man, he writes good melodies and intelligent lyrics. It's a much darker atmosphere than Good Old War. Whereas 'All brass' incorporates keys, 'Letters' focuses on the singer's aerial voice with only a guitar.

This split is another reason to be excited for Good Old War's next album. The three guys apply the same formula with the same success and if they keep going like this, it doesn't seem like they're going to fail anytime soon. I am less interested in Cast Spell's songs as his music appeals less to me but it's some pretty folk from a busy man able to accomplish a lot in such short amounts of time.

3.5/5

Nb.: You can listen to the EP here.

Recommanded if you like:
Cassino, Anthony Green, Kay Kay And His Weathered Underground
Check also:
Hezekiah Jones, Right Away, Great Captain!, Benjamin E. Morsberger

www.myspace.com/goodoldwar
www.myspace.com/castspells

(Sargent House, 2009)

Upcdowncleftcrightcabc+start - Firewolf

When I heard that Upcdowncleftcrightcabc+start (name that comes from a cheat code on the very first Sonic video game on Sega Megadrive) was releasing a new album, I was excited but not impatient. Here's the thing: when I like some band's music formula, it usually only works twice for me. Both with their first full-length 'And the battle is won' and its follower 'Embers', they satisfied post-rock fans with the same brilliant and emotional build-ups and crescendos that established them as one of the best new acts around in their category. But I was scared it wouldn't work a third time with 'Firewolf', the band's new album.

The cover is not in contradiction with this premonition as it's basically a mix (a cliche but cute one, though) between 'And the battle is won' and 'Embers' artworks. After a very bouncing but unoriginal short intro comes the track 'Black lodge'. A slow but thumping pace, chugging riffs, this is not post-rock as we know it... Indeed it's very rock and loud, with guitar distortion and vocals reminding Oceansize. But how surprised I am when after soaring guitars come heavy riffs accompanied by intense screaming. Woah, that was unexpected! Upcdownc now have screams. Not only on this song, they're doing it again on the epic and less than two-minute long 'Agent Cooper'. Mind you, it's not Envy's screams, but it's well-executed and the suprise effect makes them very enjoyable. However, the British four-piece still takes time to create atmospheres, which are here quite dark, and most of the album is instrumental. There are songs without any vocals too, as the oppressive 'Def Zeppelin' or 'Smiling bag', but they fail building up something substantial and are unfortunately dull. How surprising as it may be, the best moments off 'Firewolf' are the angriest and heaviest ones. The title track is especially great in my opinion, managing to install something particular between the band's offering and the listener. The record ends on an acoustic take and stops under the 30-minute mark.

With the overall length of a punk-rock album and its completely different musical horizon, we could wonder if it's still legitimate to call Upcdownc post-rock. But who cares? What's important is that the band has had the audacity to break its own chains in a very closed genre. 'Firewolf' isn't incredible, it seems less inspired than its predecessors to me, but is noteworthy by its unpredictability and its strong rock influence. Maybe their least creative, but definitely their heaviest.

3.5/5

Recommanded if you like:
Oceansize, Envy, Pelican
Check also:
We're From Japan!, Omega Massif, The Seven Mile Journey

www.myspace.com/upcdownc
(Self-released, 2009)

Dangers - Messy, isn't it?

Woah, woah, woah. Hang on. This record is gonna make you feel like you just got run over by a train (or a truck, if you dig Graf Orlock references). In case you didn't guess from the cover, Dangers don't play brit-pop. They play very angry, straight-to-your-face hardcore. And when I say angry, I mean absolutely pissed off.

"You are going to die / Your parents, your children / They're all going to die / Slow, painful / With a methadone drip". Full of hope, isn't it? Dangers are not here to please you. Death, suicide, illnesses, drugs, dooms, their lyrics won't cheer you up. And they couldn't care less. Vegan, straight-edge and politically committed as most of their peers, the Californian four-piece want you to know what a shame for the human kind you are. The content sure is tactless, but the attacks on our society and lifestyle are full of well-thought and outspoken references and definitely worth reading (cause they're hard to hear, you know): "No this ain’t the apocalypse / It’s the way shit has always been / From Sodom to Saddam / Attila to Tienenmen / A quarter million years of human being / A quarter million years as a human stain / We use ten percent of our gorgeous brains / And leave the rest up to cocaine". Since their 2006's full-length debut, Dangers haven't changed the determination contained in their hardcore and the only things that surprised me are some of the guitar work ('I'll clap when I'm impressed') and the interlude '(Love poem)' at the end of the record. It consists in the superposition of voices reading hippie/beatnik writer Richard Brautigan's 'Love poem', which is only made of one sentence: "It's so nice to wake up in the morning all alone and not have to tell somebody you love them when you don't love them anymore". After some research, I found that the original idea was the poet's himself, as on the album 'Listening to Richard Brautigan' where he reads his writings, 'Love poem' is read by eighteen of his friends. I was a bit disappointed, but the idea is nonetheless excellent.

'Messy, isn't it?', just like his predecessor 'Anger', doesn't bear its name by chance. It's a furious record that will grab your throat and won't let go before the end of its 37 minutes and 18 seconds (for 19 tracks, so quite long) of violence spread. Al's vocals are some of my favorites in the current scene. I think it's a little bit below 'Angers', but it's still, to quote some blog guy (let yourself be heard if you're reading this), pissedtacular.

4/5

Recommanded if you like:
Trash Talk, Lewd Acts, Ghostlimb
Check also:
Badmouth, Don't Trip, What Life Is

www.wearedangers.bandcamp.com
(Self-released, 2010)

We The Kings - Smile kid

I may despise the cookie-cutter/swoosh hair/neon trend, I still think a few emerging pop-punk bands are okay and I admit I can sometimes fall for a few of their guilty pleasure hits. It was the case with three tracks off We The King's first album, which I thought followed a good formula of what catchy pop-punk is. Unfortunately for me, their folder on my iPod will remain filled with those three songs only as for now.

'Smile kid', their sophomore album, isn't changing the formula very much though. But, as the single 'Heaven can wait' (singles are always a good glimpse of this kind of band's records as they're most of the time the best songs), it's not working as well, a bit boring and hokey. The first verse reminds me a lot of The Academy Is...'s 'About a girl'. It seems to me that Travis Clark's voice came closer to William Beckett's, even if they already had the same tone. They added a touch of electronics in that song, as they've tried to incorporate some different sounds into this album as a whole: there's ukulele on 'Promise the stars' and 'In-n-out (Animal style)' features reggae rhythms in its verses. But none of those really manage to appear like a great innovation, just like the whistle a la Rio de Janeiro on 'Summer love' that ends up being really annoying. Even the heavier bridge on 'The story of your life' hardly convinces. The rest is what you can expect from a band like them, lots of hooks, catchy choruses (opener 'She takes me high' and its "Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo" similar to Third Eye Blind's 'Semi-charmed life'), mid-tempo verses, puppy love-related lyrics, and a few ballads (the Jimmy Eat World's '23' chords-reminiscent 'Rain falls down'), including one featuring a Disney singer (in this case, Demi Lovato).

'Smile kid' will certainly please the fans and create immediate fan-favorites from the very start of its tracklist but this new collections of summer songs lacks the only thing that interests me in those bands: real hits.

3/5

Recommanded if you like:
All Time Low, The Academy Is..., Cartel
Check also:
A Cursive Memory, The Downtown Fiction, American Diary

www.myspace.com/wethekings
(S-Curve Records, 2009)

Blacklisted - No one deserves to be here more than me (12'')

This new Blacklisted album arrived as a total Christmas surprise. Nothing was announced, until Deathwish claimed a new LP from the band was now available on their store. Only as vinyl. Hence the buzz around the record, with people questioning the band's behaviour and decision. I won't dwell on this subject, if you want to know more about it, I suggest you to read this interview with Jacob Bannon (Converge's singer and owner of Deathwish Records). Blacklisted decided not to give any interviews for this release.

I'm gonna break the suspense immediately: 'No one deserves to be here more than me' is a cat among hardcore's pigeons. When I first played the record, I thought I put an Everytime I Die record. I couldn't be more wrong. Blacklisted have swallowed dozens of disparate influences and this fourth full-length is the radiography of their stomach after digestion. And there's a lot to see. Don't be too hard with the Everytime I Die comparison, George Hirsch does sound more and more like Keith Buckley. His singing has evolved much and he is now shouting more than barking. It is a bit disconcerting at first, but after several listens, it sounds more appropriate to the band's new style. They do keep their hardcore roots, don't get me wrong. 'No one deserves to be here more than me' is a hardcore record. But, as it was already the case on songs like 'I am weighing me down' on the previous album, there's a lot of 90's rock influence. Listen to the solo on 'Everything in my life is for sale'. The riffs range over as different bands as Helmet and Soundgarden. People are also probably gonna say there is a grunge vibe in the guitars but it's more because of the warm production. You'll hear some Alice In Chains and Nirvana a few times. The slower stuff as 'I am extraordinary' even reminded me of The Pixies. This song features some feminine vocals provided by Melissa Farley, who seems to be the photographer who created the sublime artwork for 'Heavier than heaven, lonelier than God'. It's not the only new element, as this song and several others include a few instruments as a violin, a trumpet and even an uncommon rainstick. There also are four weird interludes, close to what The Sound Of Animals Fighting do. And, last but not least, some parts are really catchy. Yep, catchy. The title-track's chorus is instantly memorable and the AC/DC-reminiscent back and forth riff on 'Skeletons' is a killer. Their acoustic attempt (yes, you read well) on 'The P.I.G. (The problem is G)' however didn't do it for me, too monotonous.

The flaws are few on what Blacklisted just created. They've made their sound evolve in unexpected and interesting directions to come up with something unique. This new album is not your average breakdown harcore record. It's a piece of heavy rock (and would I dare say it has a sexy touch too?) by musicians with guts and creativity. I'm sure it will be received by very mixed reactions, but people should really override the surprise to focus on what this record has to offer. It was hard for me to get into it, but it may be the best hardcore album of the year. One of those who will later be regarded as avant-gardist.

4.5/5

Recommanded if you like:
Snapcase, Quicksand, Bitter End
Check also:
New Lows, Downpresser, Pellinore

www.myspace.com/blacklisted
(Deathwish Inc., 2009)

30 Seconds To Mars - This is war

I could have done a much more argued and detailled review. But I don't even want to. Why would I bother myself with writing about a record that already bothered me enough when I listened to it?

It's no news Jared Leto is full of himself. Those who have seen the guy live will understand me even better. But whereas his music was average and dull, it wasn't full of pretention. Until now. Him and his bandmates took it to another level with their third album. A level of epicness. Of disgust epicness. With 'This is war', they pass themselves off as new wave, indus, dramatic, cold, epic, but this record's universe is made of pulpboard, for a band in papier-mache. Just like their last video for the Angels & Airwaves-like 'Kings and queens', it claims to be big, great, huge, gigantic, but it's small, it's tiny. Behind the tall walls of sophisticated aesthetic, there is absolutely nothing. It's empty. It's full of emptiness. The lyrics are ridiculously fake, either pretending to be messianic ('Vox populi') or made of faux rebellion that doesn't fit the guy that pronounces them ('Stranger in a strange land'). Leto's voice has reached another level on the pathetic scale, often whiny and always breathy. The intro sounds like a parody. It's not only his singing's fault, there's also the choirs' case. There are so much it makes me want to throw up. Poor Tibetans requisitioned. They already bothered China for their video of 'From yesterday'... I can't wait for their next show at North Korea's biggest stadium. Cause if you missed the transition, 30 Seconds To Mars now play arena-rock! They wish very hard they were My Chemical Romance or Green Day, but they're just grotesque and grandiloquent. The production, executed by big rock names Flood and Steve Lillywhite (U2, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails...), is dull and really affected the band's sound. 'Vox populi' rips off Queen's 'We will rock you' tempo and U2's riffs at the same time, whereas the horrendeous 'Hurrican' stuck "It's too laaaaaate to apologize" into my head. As if their songs weren't bad enough, they had to remind me of other ones that are not theirs. Jared Leto claims to be at war, but the only thing he is fighting against that I can figure out are my eardrums.

This record is a pain. Such a pain. It's like a 'Braveheart' that would last six hours. Or a 'Gladiator' with three times more cliches. It lays it on thick. It drips. It's sickly. I wouldn't be that harsh if the music wasn't this pompous, obnoxious and pretentious, if 30 Seconds To Mars didn't put that much on airs. I hold no grudge against this band. They are not worse than loathsome acts as Brokencyde that today's scene offers, they're way better, but the blissful attention and admiration their huge fanbase have for them piss me off. There are so many better bands that see things through to the end, not falling into the fake, the easiness, the expected. This may be war, but I'm definitely not in 30 Seconds To Mars's camp.

2/5

Recommanded if you like:
Angels & Airwaves, Kill Hannah, Breaking Benjamin
Check also:
Dead By Sunrise, LostAlone, Trading Yesterday

www.myspace.com/thirtysecondstomars
(Virgin Records, 2009)

Nocturnal Me - Nocturnal Me (Digital EP)

Cute Is What We Aim For minus singer Shaant Hacikyan equal Nocturnal Me. I guess that's what you get for being a dick. It must have hurt his too-big-for-its-own-good ego. I never could bear that band, mostly (but not only) because of him. So whereas 16-year old girls are crying of sadness because "WITHOUT SHAANT THIS IS NOT CIWWAF!!!!1111", I am a bit more open with Nocturnal Me. Not enthusiastic, but a bit more open.

So the band consists of former Cute Is What We Aim For's singer/bassist David Melillo (ex-solo artist) and guitarist Jeff Czum plus Michael Lasaponara, who filled in as the latter band's drummer during the past two years (because the former one left as he couldn't stand Hacikyan anymore). But the fact that they got rid of their annoying frontman doesn't mean they're gonna make good music together. The EP is unsurprisingly a kind of mix between their former band and Dave Melillo's solo stuff, as he is now the only vocalist. The guys would probably deny it, but still, it's pretty similar. Whereas a song like 'Once bitten' (an average alt-rock track about love and death with metaphors about vampires) has more punch than some compositions on Cute Is What We Aim For's last record 'Rotation', on 'Cougarz' they sound just like any pop-punk band on Fueled By Ramen. 'This isn't love' is a bit different, quite groovy, with a few good arrangements, but a cookie-cutter chorus and terrible keyboard notes ruin the song. The ballad 'Woulda coulda' isn't much more interesting, quite empty despite showcasing Melillo's range and falls short in the end.

Nocturnal Me have a lot of work to accomplish if they want to reach the fame they once had with their former band, even musically speaking. This first range of songs lack consistence and orginality, moreover the production is weak and the tracks sound more like demos than definitive material. They'll probably re-work them for a full-length. As a conclusion, I would have never written about this band if I didn't know the guys were former members of Cute Is What We Aim For.

2.5/5

Recommanded if you like:
Cute Is What We Aim For, The Academy Is..., Dave Melillo
Check also:
The Midnight Club, Play For Keeps, Every You

www.myspace.com/iamnocturnalme
(iTunes, 2009)

The A.K.A.s - Animal summer (12'')

I am not a specialist of the band or their genre, but I do know that The A.K.A.s, formerly The A.K.A.s (Are Everywhere!), are quite underrated. It may be because their kind of music (which they describe as "dancehall fight music") is not a genre embraced by millions of listeners, but I also think their strong work ethic and their excellent debut 'White doves & smoking guns' (released on Fueled By Ramen, at the time when the label had a great and diversified roster) are way too taken for granted. However, Less Than Jake's Vinnie Fiorello, co-founder of Fueled By Ramen, still gives them his recognition as he signed them on his label Paper + Plastick created last year, to release their third album 'Animal summer'.

The A.K.A.s produce of quite unique blend of garage rock and new-wave punk, this new record 'Animal summer' emphasizing their dancing side. Few punk bands use synth as much as this band does, which leads to both dancing ('Get it together') and aggressive anthems ('True love is broke'). Mike Ski's vocals are a more dynamic version of Iggy Pop, very eccentric without being extravagant. Whereas guitars have their fair share of time in the spotlight ('Let the ears ring'), the drums are quite pushed backward in the mix and sometimes barely audible. Indeed, most of The A.K.A.s' songs are guitar/keyboard-driven. The band don't forget to include punk-rock trademark as sing-alongs and other "yeah, yeah, yeah" to make some of the tracks fit perfectly on the next Tony Hawk's Pro Skater video game soundtrack ('Weddings & funerals'). As a whole, for those unfamiliar with their sound, they're closer to Rancid than they are to Le Tigre.

The A.K.A.s are definitely more insteresting to check out live, but their discography stays solid with this third full-length. It is far from topping their heavy debut, but 'Animal summer' is a fun record fans will surely appreciate.

3.5/5

Recommanded if you like:
The Explosion, MC5, Fake Problems
Check also:
Beat Union, The Night Marchers, The Methadones

www.myspace.com/theakas
(Paper + Plastick, 2009)

Transit & Man Overboard - Split 7''

I don't think there is any need for me to state again my opinions about Run For Cover Records and Man Overboard. However, even if Transit are also on the label, this split is being released on the tiny label Pure Noise Records (and as MP3 download on usual digital stores). We now know the guys are best friends forever, but let's see if they transcribed it well on vinyl!

Side A features two new Transit songs. The first one, 'Please head North', has a killer riff and catchy, half-screamed, mixed vocals lines. The rhythm is insteresting and it's overall a good song. 'Riding the bullet' is softer at first, starting with sweet singing and guitar chords before getting in the band's loud blend of pop-punk and post-hardcore. The roaring guitars, slow drums and gang vocals at the end make it very enjoyable too. Both of the songs are in the continuation of the 'Stay home' EP. Side B makes way for my little favorites, Man Overboard. The first song, called 'I ate my gluestick', features piano, some of guitarist Zac's catchiest vocals ever and another addictive chorus with deliciously cheesy lines ("You and I were meant to be the glue that held the world together") that make it another hit in the band's short discography. They play the emotional card with this one, and we can even hear Zac scream in despair at the very end. Did someone say "emo"? I didn't. Then comes 'Basics 101'. It's the best song off the record and also one of Man Overboard's best compositions in my opinion. The four-piece changed the formula and there's no real chorus on this one. Jeff Krummer's drumming leads the first part of the song, mid-tempo and a bit darker with airy back vocals, before radically changing at the two-minute mark. When you think the song's over, Zac comes to get you going with a powerful "Let's take it back to the basics!" followed by his and Wayne's heaviest and best riffs to date. The song ends with an excellent binary tempo that will make you swing back and forth before the arrival of Nik and Zac's vocal canon, brutally stopped by the last chords. This song reminds me of Brand New's 'Your favorite weapon'. The absolute catchiness, the heavy riffs and chaotic vocals at the end... It's obvious, Man Overboard have the same references as most of their audience. Their influences are flawless and the way they bring them up in their sound without ripping them off is very enjoyable.

This split is another promising record from two of the best young pop-punk acts in the actual scene. Bands like Transit and Man Overboard make you proud to keep listening to pop-punk in 2009 and carry punk and D.I.Y. values hard to find among their peers. Underground pop-punk is the reason! You got me, I really can't wait to see both of those bands come to Europe and this and this made me even more excited.

4/5

Nb.: You can stream the split here and read my interview with Man Overboard here.

Recommanded if you like:
Title Fight, A Loss For Words, Fireworks
Check also:
Agent, Crucial Dudes, Bangarang!

www.myspace.com/transitma
www.myspace.com/manoverboardnj
(Pure Noise Records, 2009)

Buy on Amazon FR
Buy on Amazon UK
Buy on Amazon US

Request: Truman & His Trophy - Springinsguth

This band asked me to write something about their album and the least I can say is that I'm not used to review this kind of records. Truman & His Trophy don't play reggae or trance techno, no, but the Chicago act's blend of indie-pop and post-punk is something I don't listen to everyday.

Just like their band and album names, Truman & His Trophy are quite unusual, not to say odd. 'Springinsguth' (pronounced "Spring-inz-gooth", specifies singer/guitarist Chris) sounded really weird to me at first. The keyboard is quite psychedelic, the vocals a bit crazy and the guitars very quirky. The singer's falsetto pushed me away at first and as I'm not a fan of dance beats either, tracks like 'Flower man party' made me want to skip to the next ones. But after a few listens, probably because I needed to get used to their sound, some interesting aspects of the band appeared more clearly. Even if the guitars' tone isn't really the kind I enjoy, I really appreciate the drums on several tracks (the rocking 'Tomato feet') and the instrumentations are sober but add a pleasing touch ('Peach tree'). Tracks like the upbeat The Format-like 'Plain brains' and its pretty chorus featuring discrete handclaps or the good and fast-paced 'Pig necklace' are very enjoyable. Most of the compositions are busy and make me guess the band must be worth seeing live.

Despite a definitely crazy side (the happily-chaotic end of 'Beardy tastes' which closes the record), Truman & His Trophy are not revolutionizing music, but produce an interesting and original light-hearted sound. They dare to try, and it's not that bad. Number of unbearable crappy power-pop bands use the word "fun" as an excuse for their bad music. Well, to me fun music tends to sound more like this.

3/5

Recommanded if you like:
The Format, Weezer, So Many Dynamos
Check also:
Pisces At The Animal Fair, Dr. Manhattan, We Versus The Shark

www.myspace.com/trumanandhistrophy
(Too Many Illinois, 2009)