Tag Archives: Download This!

Acoustic, Akron, DIY, Download This!, Experimental, Folk, Good Times, Metal, Music, Pop, Post-Hardcore, Punk, Rock

Friday Night At The Gurley House

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Once again, the Gurley House in Akron, OH, has proved for a great evening of music.  There is nothing quite like seeing a show in the basement of a house that just makes it that much more personal.

Tonight I got to see four bands, some of which I have heard of and some who I have been wanting to check out after hearing about them through friends.  The result was four performances by different genre bands all of which caught my attention in various ways.

My resident pal Roscoe started off the night with an electric acoustic solo performance.  He played some of his material, some of which I really think needs to be recorded.  Seriously, it was good shit and even though he hardly plays solo shows anymore, he had no problem jamming out a few tunes.

The Ohioans followed with an acoustic set.  The last time I saw them is when they opened for Jeff Rowe in the very same basement a few weeks back.  I was really impressed by their initial set and really enjoyed the acoustic session.  If you like folky rock you need to check out this up and coming local act.  Head on over to their BandCamp page and download their  self-titled album for free and see why I dig these guys so.  Check out the track  “512”, one of my favs off the album.

Michigan’s Protected Left were supposed to be the headliners of the night, but one of the bands was running late due to a previous commitment.  The threesome had no problem shifting slots and just rocked out hard to the gathering of music loving people.  This band seriously rocked.  Mixing punk, metal, and thrash (sweet sweet thrash…), the band got all technical at times when playing reminding me of shit Strung Out likes to pull yet kept a melodic pop-punk feel throughout.   I loved this band’s sound and really hope to see them push out a full length one day.  Until then, head on over to their BandCamp page and download their 3-song EP titled Songs Of The Doomed for free.  Check out “At Least I Didn’t Cut My Ear Off” and tell me it is not catchy and just bad ass to listen to.  Not only do they play good tunes, but they are also a bunch of cool peoples to hang out with.  Really stoked I had the opportunity to meet them and see them play.  Can’t wait thill them come back to Ohio again.

The last band to play the night was a local act I had heard of through friends but had never seen (or heard) before.  The band, Cherry Cola Champions, not only has a great name for their two man act, but also pretty much blew me away with their set.  Just download the Cherry Cola Champions EP for free and see what I mean (check out “Fievel Goes Midwest”).  I honestly did not think I was going to be able to get into them after their first song, but suddenly I was hooked.  It was experimental at times and very post-hardcore.  I look forward to seeing these guys again.

So that was my Friday night.  What did you do?  Never mind telling me, I’m too tired now…  Just do me a favor and check out the bands I just talked about.  They are all free downloads and worth listening to.

DIY, Music, Music Video, Pop, Punk

Direct Hit! – My Latest Internet Craze.

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I hate the term “latest internet craze” when it comes to all those stupid, time-killing photos tons of internet addicted humans who fancy themselves comic reliefs by “planking”, “owling”, “horsemaning”, and oh, let’s not forget “cone-ing” (although I will admit it was funny the first time I saw it). 

If you have no idea what I am talking about, a.) you are lucky and b.) google them for more explanation.  It’s not a craze.  It is stupid and shame on you mainstream media for evening bringing it to light thinking any of it is funny. 

When I think of a latest internet craze, I think of something that is a little more meaningful than some douchebag laying on a curb while some other douche takes a picture of them.  Seriously, that is NOT FUNNY.  Get off the hotel sign and quit pissing me off.

Anyways, enough of my rants today.  I will tell you about the latest internet craze…  DIY bands offering up their music online (some for free).  Skipping “the man”, these DIY bands take care of it all by themselves with help of independent labels and work hard doing it.

That right there is way more interesting to me that seeing a some huge dude perch like an owl (honestly it looks like he is trying to poop his pants).

DIY bands are nothing new, but boy are they becoming more and more plentiful these days.  There are tons of websites out there (some labels and some just hosts) that host DIY bands and their music like Death To False Hope Records, If You Make It, and BandCamp.

One DIY act in particular that I have been digging lately is Direct Hit!.  Last night I downloaded their newest LP called Domesplitter that was put out by Kind Of Like Records.  I found the download on their BandCamp page after receiving an email from one of the band members self-promoting the new release (I think I was on a mailing list from downloading one of their EPs earlier on Death To False Hope Records – I am ok with that as it is not spam).  I will admit that I did not pay anythingfor the download, but I am planning on order ordering Domesplitter  on vinyl (in fact, I just did, so there! Redemption on my end!).

Milwaukee’s Direct Hit! is a pop punk act with an edge.  Domesplitter was a little heavier than I was anticipating and for that I loved it more.  This is the band’s first full length release that actually contains songs from the band’s first five EPs – an anthology have you.  Even if the album is technically not brand new material, I must say I am impressed with it.  Full of hooks and anthem-like sing-a-long opportunities, the songs on this release are down right fun to listen to.  This is a band I should have been a fan of since the beginning.

Check out their BandCamp page.  Or head over to Facebook and be a fan or if you still can tolerate MySpace… 

Here’s a couple entertaining videos for your viewing pleasure:

I love this video and may have posted it before…

Cincinnati, Download This!, Hip Hop, Music, Music Video, Pop, Punk, Random, Rap, The Awesome

The Awesome: Mixtapes (& Their Alter Ego, Wooky Stax)

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Maybe it was the excessive beer intake last night, but I woke up this morning to the strangest dream I have had in a while.  Not to bore you with details, but the dream ended with me in a convertible telling Ryan of Cincinnati/Detroit pop-punk act Mixtapes about this other dream I had within the dream that involved a James Bond like India adventure.  He looked at me like I was high and then got mad at me when I asked him what it would take for him to sing me some Wooky Stax.

I took that as a calling today to write a little something something about Mixtapes as well as their alter ego known to many as Wooky Stax.

For those of you who do not know of the pop-punk act Mixtapes, you my friends are missing out.  

The male and female front-kinda-sorta-duo sing about everything from thinking that Strung Out is a “mediocre version of the skate punk 90s” to not staying up all night and just kicking it at home drinking Diet Coke.  The band is unique in that they are not looking for the fame and do it for fun (well at least I think they do).  Most of their material has been released for free on the interwebs through various sites and they never seem to stop touring.  They also have a handful of 7″ vinyls out for all you collectors out there.

They are a prolific band you need to check out.  I’ve seen them live a couple times and it is a riot.

Visit the Mixtapes Bandcamp page

Download Mixtapes Maps on Death To False Hope Records

Check out other Mixtapes releases on Animal Style Records

Then there is Wooky Stax…

Wooky Stax is Mixtapes’ alterego rap project.  I do not care what anyone says, I love it.  It is far from the greatest hip hop and probably was created as a joke to the ever so hardworking rap music industry (can you sense the sarcasim?).  Ryan and Maura do their best to rap over samples and honestly…it’s kind of catchy and it’s hella free.

Download the Wooky Stax EP Smile

Country, Download This!, Folk, Music, Punk, Rock

Download This: The Enablers cover T.I.’s “Whatever You Like”

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Yeah, I am a couple years late jumping on the bandwagon on this one…

Recently Rob Coe, front-man of The Enablers,  emailed me a link to a kick ass T.I. cover that his band did a few years back.  I had heard of his Gainsville, Florida, punk act before but for whatever reason never got to check them out.

The Enablers actually are made up of other bands you may have hear about.  Rob Coe is from Fay Wray and their bassist was in some band called Dashboard Confessional.  They sound familiar…

The cover of “Whatever You Like”, originally written by the currently incarcerated rap star T.I., is brilliant.  I have listened to it over and over and just can not get enough of it.   One might be fooled upon hearing it not thinking it is a cover.  Here, check it out for yourself:

The Enablers - Whatever You Like

This cover does sound more like Lucero, but the rest of The Enablers is more like a Social D, Husker Du sound with a little Springsteen vocals added to the mix.  Not as fast and furious when it comes to the punk sound, but not exactly to be considered rock.

Here are a couple other songs I found online if you want to hear some of their original material.  I know I am digging it.

The Enablers – “Drink Beer”

The Enablers – “Tomorrow”

I am going to be searching for their material online.  I believe there is an EP out there waiting for me to purchase.  This is stuff I need to have in my vinyl collection.  I am not sure how active they are these days but I know Rob Coe did play the Suburban Home Records anniversary show last summer.

I guess there is only one way to find out…  Let’s see if Rob wants to do an interview.  Stay turned.

Download This!, Music, Music News, Punk

Download This: Crow Bait – Three Tickle Guys

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I came across a new demo from a new band called Crow Bait.  Not only is the band’s name awesome, but the band also features members of: Jonesin’, Iron Chic, Wax Phantom, Sister Kisser, Halfway To Hell Club & more.  That right there is damn awesome!!!

Check it out if you dare: