Many folks would tell you that the Sex Pistols created the definitive punk album with their one album, and in burning out after a few short years together created the archetype for all punk bands to follow. Not so. Bad Religion have just celebrated their 30th year as a band with the release of their 15th (!) album The Dissent of Man. Although the members of this iconic band are closer to retirement than they are to their teens, you would never know from listening to this, as their output remains as angry and blisteringly fast as it ever had been. Ever since Brett Gurewitz rejoined the band for 2002's The Process of Belief, Bad Religion have been unstoppable with each release hailed as worthy of sitting alongside classics like No Control or Suffer. Certainly with tunes like 'The Resist Stance' and 'The Devil In Stitches', The Dissent of Man up there with Process.. and The Empire Strikes First. Another fine effort to add to their arsenal, and whilst they might not go another thrity years, the fact that they are still putting out records of this quality is testament to what a fantastic band they are.
Watch an Epitaph Records preview video for 'The Devil In Stitches', from the album The Dissent of Man
Epitaph Records' Music player, loaded with three tracks from The Dissent of Man
9. 'Hurley' by Weezer (Released on 10/9/2010 by Epitaph Records. BUY IT at Amazon!)
Yes, really. If you can listen to this album and not think it's their best work since Green or maybe even Pinkerton then... well, clearly you and I have differing opinions on the quality of Weezer's work. I have quite a high tolerance for bad Weezer. I enjoyed Red and Raditude (although even I baulked a bit at most of Make Believe), but crucially, I can tell the difference between bad Weezer and good Weezer. This is definitely good Weezer. One thing Weezer have done in recent years, 'Beverly Hills' aside, is release killer singles. 'Memories' takes up this baton as well as opening up the album and reviews Weezer's 16 year career. It sets up the rest of the album nicely, 'Ruling Me' is typical sunny Weezer pop rock, laden with hooks. 'Trainwrecks' is one of my favourite songs by the band ever, it's chugging guitars and rocksteady beats recalling 'Hash Pipe' whilst its lyrics will speak to everymen everywhere. 'Where's My Sex' is one of the more ridiculous Weezer songs ever written but it works, with a neat little change of tempo midway through keeping things interesting. Closer time flies is another top notch tune, pounding kick drums underpin a sweet, almost twee pop tune whilst Rivers Cuomo laments the passing of time whilst looking forward to what might lie ahead. If you dismissed Weezer many years ago, please reconsider. You might be pleasantly surprised.
Watch the official video for 'Memories', from the album Hurley
8. 'Icons' by None More Black (Released on 26/10/10 on Fat Wreck Chords. BUY IT at Amazon!)
I'm so glad that None More Black are back. All of their sings are just ridiculously catchy, absolutely loaded with melody, but still definitely punk as fuck. This is their first release since 2006's This Is Satire. I was going to say that it is exactly what we've come to expect from Jason Schevchuk and co. but that's not quite fair because, to my ears at least, it sounds a tad different to previous releases. It's almost as if they've taken the standard NMB formula (I didn't want to use that word since it must be quite insulting to a songwriter as it implies that their work is formulaic, but whatever, Tervor) and given it a little twist. I've long been a fan of NMB's because nobody does punk rock like them, no one out there sounds like them, and that is a very good thing. Schevchuk's intensely personal lyrics and some of the strangest punk riffs you'll ever hear combine to make this album a killer. Don't get me wrong, it's still very recognisably a punk rock record, it's not reinventing the wheel or anything but I think they put some new wheel trims on that wheel because they look kind of cool. Anyway, get this record. It's good. Yup.
Watch a not very official video for 'Mr. Artistic from Icons.
Fat Wreck Chords' page for Icons, with links to MP3 downloads of 'I'm Warning You With Peace & Love' and 'Iron Mouth Act'.
7. 'We Chase The Waves' by Sundowner (Released on 10/8/10 on Asian Man Records. BUY IT at Amazon!)
With the Lawrence Arms happy to take things at a relaxed and casual speed these days, it's been left increasingly to their solo projects to ensure that we get our fix our of Messrs McCaughan, Kelly and Hennessy. This is Chris McCaughan's second outing as Sundowner, following on from 2007's Four One Five Two, and it's noticable how much more accomplished this record is. Whereas his previous release was supplemented by a couple of Larry Arms tracks, and as a result didn't feel quite like a stand alone work, We Chase The Waves is very much a different project in it's own right. Thematically, it's not to different from what you find Chris writing and singing about on Lawrence Arms releases, mixing a whistful world weariness with cautious optimism, and musically they could all be worked into full band tracks, but the fact that McCaughan hasn't felt the need to prop his new material up with different versions of his previous work speaks volumes for his confidence in this material. Bare, but never desolate, stripped back but still fully realised, these songs will do very nicely for me until my favourite Chicago three piece reconvenes in a studio somewhere over the pond to lay down some new jams. Just don't leave it too long, please.
Watch the official video for 'In The Flicker', from the album We Chase The Waves.
6. 'Real Ghosts Caught On Tape' by Fake Problems (Released on 21/9/10 on Side One Dummy Records. BUY IT at Amazon!)
In the past, I would have probably described Fake Problems as a punk rock or folk punk band, and that would've been completely wrong and unfair on them. Listening to back to their body of work, it's clear to me that they could never be contained by one genre or sub-genre. Real Ghosts... just goes to prove that point further, and continues their journey through genre after genre. Recorded with Ted Hutt, who has also produced luminaries such as The Gaslight Anthem and The Bouncing Souls, Real Ghosts... is the follow up to last year's #1 record It's Great To Be Alive, and it sees the band smoothing off some of their rougher edges and probably alienating quite a lot of their fan base. I think of this record as some kind of soul/pop/60s girl group/punk monster, and it takes its cues from all over the place. Chris Farren's voice isn't constantly pushed to throat shredding levels as it has been in the past, and the tunes are clearly a lot more poilshed than before, with some of the melodrama stripped away. Fake Problems have signalled their intent with this record to continue pushing the boundaries. I'm up for the journey and with songs this good, I'm sure many others will be too. Just don't expect a punk rock record.
Watch the official video for 'Soulless', from the album Real Ghosts Caught On Tape.
5. 'I Was Trying To Describe You To Someone' by Crime In Stereo (Released on 23/2/2010 on Bridge Nine Records. BUY IT at Amazon!)
This is what punk rock should be about. Bold, adventurous, uninhibited, visceral, viscious and agressive as fuck. Continuing to push the boundaries of what can be considered hardcore, with this, their fourth release, Crime In Stereo created a real monster. Songs jump genres from one verse to the chorus, making for a really exciting listen. I've never been terribly interested in conventional hardcore, which is sometimes a bit one dimensional for my liking but I Was Trying... is as far from one dimensional as you can get. Inevitably, it has attracted some criticism from hardcore fans, with some even suggesting that Crime In Stereo had sold out their fans by changing their sound so radically. To that, I can only say, well... fuck off then. That's about as eloquent as I can be. If you want to listen to music that never ever, ever changes and constantly serves up the same thing, listen to The Offspring constantly or The Ramones. This is the thing that gets me with punks. They moan so much when bands dare to push their music in new directions or make choices they disagree. That flies completely in the face of what I think of as punk, which should be challenging and adventurous, and to paraphrase Joe Strummer, Crime In Stereo were never your toys to begin with. This record is a grower, so put the effort in and you'll be richly rewarded. If you're a fan of melodic hardcore, you should get this. If you're not, you should get this. Essential. This album broke new boundaries for hardcore, and then the band broke up. That is strangely fitting.
Watch the official video for 'I Am Everything I Am Not', from the album I Was Trying To Describe You To Someone.
4. 'In Desolation' by Off With Their Heads (Released on 8/7/10 on Epitaph Records. BUY IT at Amazon!)
Off With Their Heads is weird. There. I said it. Right off the bat. They are the weirdest band. But the thing that makes them weird is also the thing that makes them great. If you were just to read their lyrics without knowing what type of music they played you'd think that they were a miserable, depressing, mopey shoegaze band but couple their lyrics with the devestatingly simple but well crafted punk rock tunes and they take on a completely different dimension and somehow the lyrics aren't so downbeat. They become almost a celebration of the fucked up world we live in and the mundane crap that we have to live with. I've only seen Off With Their Heads live once, but it wasn't a depressing affair at all, it was riotous and fun (and very, very LOUD) and that speaks volumes for their prowess as a band. And so onto the record. In Desolation is Off With Their Heads second full length proper, following on from 2008's From The Bottom, and a glut of 7 inches released over their 8 year span as a band. It is also their debut for Epitaph, that onetime punk rock powerhouse label that has latterly been releasing all manner of long fringed rubbish. Hopefully, In Desolation will see the label head back to its roots. Lasting just over half an hour, this album is 12 tracks of almost triumphant self-loathing. With tunes like 'Drive', 'Their Own Medicine', 'All I Can Do' and 'Clear The Air', this album is so catchy you'll need a vaccine to get this record off heavy rotation.
Watch the official video for 'Drive', from the album In Desolation.
Epitaph Records' player loaded with three songs from In Desolation
=1. 'American Slang' by The Gaslight Anthem (Released on 15/7/10 on Side One Dummy Records. BUY IT at Amazon!)
Continuing their underdog campaign for world domination, American Slang carried on where The '59 Sound left off, pushing New Jersey's new favourite sons to even further heights. This record saw the band step out of the shadows of you-know-who (yeah, Lord Voldemort, got it in one), and really begin to plow their own furrow whilst remaining true to their roots. Lyrically, Brain Fallon is less ready to draw on the work of others for his inspiration and begins to truly craft his own identity into his band's work. Inevitably, the Gaslight Anthem will always be pegged by comparisons to Springsteen, but they're obviously keen to move past both his influence and their own past, something that is shown on 'Orphans', when Fallon sings "the clothes I wore just don't fit my soul no more" before adding "we were orphans before we were ever the sons of these songs." It is a theme that recurs throughout the record, signalled by the rousing title track and album opener 'American Slang'. Fallon seems to be addressing his past self when he sings "Look what you've started, I seem to be coming out of my skin." There is definitely a feeling of rebirth on American Slang, the band striving to rid themselves of any Springsteen revisionist tags and really become credible artists in their own right. As with most great albums, at the heart of American Slang lies conflict. So often the songs speak fondly of the post, but acknowledging that the present is never so speia-tinged and that looking to the future can be even more exciting than looking to the past. A mature, gutsy record that accomplishes what the band set out to do and will make sure that their name is writ large over marquees all over the world, without having to reference anyone else for confirmation of the greatness.
Watch the official video for 'American Slang', from the album American Slang.
=1. 'White Crosses' by Against Me! (Released on 8/7/10 on Sire Records. BUY IT at Amazon!)
Against Me! is a band that divides opinion like no other. Whenever an article appears about them on Punknews.org, the comments section is filled with clashing opinions and raised internet voices. (Check out this recent thread of comments reacting to the news that the band had left Sire to see what I mean: http://www.punknews.org/article/40752) See what I mean? It's all so boring now, isn't it? Everyone under the sun has had the same conversation about them. It's not hard to understand why they draw so much attention, affection, devotion, spite and hatred when listening to their back catalogue. Powerful punk rock jams with wordy lyrics that nailed singer/guitarist Tom Gabel's colours firmly to the mast. It's easy to see why he became a standard for people to rally behind and then a figure of fun and ridicule for others. But I'm not here to chat about a well worn topic. It's a long and difficult history and with countless opinions online about Gabel and his band, I won't get drawn into it.
Safe to say, I'm a big fan of Against Me!. I never used to be, but thankfully a couple of my friends showed me the error of my ways and now I would count them as one of my top 3 favourite bands. 2010 saw them release their fifth full length, and second for Sire/Warner, White Crosses. Clocking in at just over 35 minutes in length, White Crosses sees AM! developing the aural themes they started on 2007's excellent New Wave. Opening with the catchy pro-choice title track, the album grabs you from the word go. You can also tell immediately that the production is slicker than on anything that the band has previously released, with many fans complaining that Butch Vig's work had 'ruined' the album but, for me, the production doesn't detract from Gabel's songwriting at all. Yes, it does sound more radio friendly than Reinventing Axl Rose, but you don't get pop songs with lyrics like "7 missiles flying over the sea of japan. Tales of feral children sleeping in wolf dens. And the pious preacher commands. I hold my breath in anticipation. Into the shelter of the jungle noble savages run. Vestal virgins triumph over life long inhibitions. And I wonder, what is real? What is fiction?" as on 'High Pressure Low'. But whilst some might not feel that White Crosses isn't Against Me!'s strongest release, it might help to think of it as a transitional one, as the band seem keen to tackle their past whilst looking to the future. Musically, they have married the best poppy punk rock of the Replacements to Tom Petty, with a pinch of Springsteen in some tracks. It will be exciting to see where Against Me! head next. Having left Sire, will they cast off the supposed shackles of major label employment and head back into the realms of straight up punk rock (doubtful) or will they carry on down the path they have trodden with their last two releases? Either way, I'll be with them for the ride as will many, many others. After all, if this is, as some will have you believe, Against Me! off form just imagine what they could do if they rediscover what they have supposedly lost. As the boys themselves have told us already, even at their worst, they're better than most.
Watch the official video for 'I Was A Teenage Anarchist', from the album White Crosses.
=1. 'Chamberlain Waits' by The Menzingers (Released on 13/4/10 on Red Scare Industries. BUY IT at Amazon!)
Even before I heard Chamberlain Waits, I knew it would be good. It seemed to have gathered such an incredible weight of anticipation and expectation online, following on from their 2009 EP Hold On, Dodge, that you just knew it would be special, but I didn't really expect it to be quite this good. 'Who's Your Partner' asks that "these simple songs get caught in our heads" and they don't fail to obey. The themes of the album are typical of the genre, anger, resentment, dissatisfaction, disenfrancisement, cautious optimism, and as a result, some critics have scored the album averagely, citing that it contains nothing that hasn't already been done elsewhere. And although that might be true, if you're going to use that as a stick to beat a band with then you might as well just stop listening to music. 12 notes can only stretch so far after all. For me, it's not a problem since everything on Chamberlain Waits is done so damn well. Songs like 'I Was Born and 'Timetables' are new classics, and whilst the album isn't as rough around the edges as 2007's A Lesson inThe Abuse of Information Technology, i feel that the band has benefited from the maturation process, their lyrical themes sound more developed and muscially, they are tighter with the songs proving to be more finely crafted than before and Tom May's throaty growl is a touch more restrained and accessible. With Chamberlain Waits, the Menzingers look to have exorcised the ghosts of their pasts, and will now blaze forward into what looks to be a promising future. Expect to see these boys mentioned in the same breath as greats like Dillinger Four, The Lawrence Arms and Against Me! before too long. They are that good.
Watch the official video for 'I Was Born', from the album Chamberlain Waits.
Yeah, I know, three albums at joint #1 is a bit of a cop out but all three of them played such a large part in my 2010 that it seemed churlish to seperate them. 2010 was a really good year for music, so many great records came out, I saw so many great gigs, had some of the best nights of my life so far, it really was very good. Hopefully 2011 will come somewhere close. Thanks for reading.
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