Tag Archives: Punk

Download This!, Music, Music Video, Punk, Review

Pour Habit – Suiticide – CD Review

13 August, 2009 Brian Mc Leave a comment

There is no black or white, just Pour Habit.

What’s black and white and punk all over?

The answer is California’s Pour Habit.

Straight out of Compton (no really they are) comes the five piece punk rock band Pour Habit. Their debut release Suiticide recently dropped on Fat Wreck Chords and I have to contest, it is amazing. If you are looking for an album that can incite a circle pit from start to finish this is the CD for you. Full of energy and raw power I have to admit that this was a surprise of a listen for me and I can not believe I did not give it a chance earlier.

Proving that hard work pays off, the band almost could not afford to record demos to offer to Fat Wreck Chords’ owner Fat Mike. Formed in 2005 the band started for the sake of fun and not trying to make money. The band got together to make music for themselves and any good punk rock loving patron out there. Once they obtained a local following thanks to opening for some bigger named punk bands the band threw what money they had toward a studio to record Suiticide and before they knew it they were selling mad amounts of the CD as well as finding themselves opening for NOFX, a band they blame for detouring their path in life.

In fact drummer Colin Walsh had this to say about the effect of the iconic member of the punk rock band NOFX and his independent label:

“Fat Mike ruined me and my brother’s lives. If it wasn’t for Fat Wreck Chords, I’d probably be working a steady job, but because of those bastards this is my life and there’s no way I could ever quit or stop. None of us could and that’s the thing—the five of us are so plugged into each other that we’re really best friends and that’s why we’re so dedicated to making this work.”

After opening for NOFX numerous times Fat Mike soon signed the band to Fat Wreck Chords after the band opened for NOFX numerous times. The CD was re-released but hardly modified as Fat Mike was so impressed with the overall sound. With a melodic mix of energy, metal riffs, and 90’s SoCal punk style, it’s no wonder Fat Mike signed these guys.

In fact the moment I heard the opening track “Institution” I was blown away with it and can see why everyone has been taking such a likening to them. Fast, punk, and energetic, this song has it all to capture any punk rock loving fan’s attention. Following was “Light The Torch”, a song that sounded like a younger Offspring from their years with Nitro Records if not better.

“Against Me” has nothing to do with the other one time Fat Wreck Chord label mate and is way more heavier sounding than Tom Gabel and crew create. The song is thrashy at times and really has a strong Death By Stereo sound. Sick guitar solos, intense vocals, and enough energy to make one jump around swinging fists about.

“Resignation” was a killer track and very technical at that. I loved the guitar playing and just the signing, rather screaming demands throughout the track. “Bad Luck Drunk” emulated everything I love about 90’s thrash punk rock and hinted heavy on Guttermouth with a song about the love of cracking open cold ones.

Starting off a little rasta and detonating into a full fetched riot was “Zion”, a track that stood out over the others with a sick catchy sound, fun guitar playing, and left me wanting more once the track came to an end.

Honestly after the album ended I had to play it again because I was just digging their style so much. In fact I have listened to Suiticide at least ten times and plan on listening to it a few more times before moving on to something else. I have not been addicted to an entire album like this for quite some time.

I can keep talking about this CD or you can go drop $8.00 on it and see for yourself on what good punk rock sounds like. Suiticide is full of what punk rock used to be about, not caring, having a good time, and not giving a crap about what others think. I can not wait until these guys tour over in my neck of the woods. I can guarantee you I will be in attendance.

DOWNLOAD THIS! – Pour Habit – “Institution”

Music Video / Interview w/ Pour Habit (lots o cussing…):

Funny, Music, Music Video, Punk, Watch This

The Year Of The Bouncing Souls

8 August, 2009 Brian Mc 3 Comments

As previously mentioned here on the damaged listening apparatus site, the Bouncing Souls currently are in the middle of taking the entire year of 2009 to celebrate their two decades at being a punk rock group. The band has been dropping an unreleased track every month for their fans, playing shows, and having the times of their lives while doing so.

In May the band decided to start a “Bouncing Souls 20th Anniversary TV Spectacular” series on the web internets for all the punk rock fans. Alternative Press had the honor of sharing the first installment of the series. I had not seen it until today.

Warning, lots of swearing – after all the Bouncing Souls are from New Jersey.

The video for “Airport Security” can be seen at the end of this episode and may very well be my favorite Bouncing Souls music video of all time so make sure you watch the whole video. There was something about the simplicity of the video, the dancing, and seeing the boys just let loose and have fun that made it so entertaining to me.

Here, check it out:

The whole sit-com approach at the beginning killed me. I loved the added laugh tracks too. I would not expect anything less from the Souls.

Now of course someone out there saw the “Airport Security” video and decided to try their own take on it substituting life with LEGOs. The result was flattering to the Souls and has been shared with all of their fans. Sure, it has been done before but still something like this takes a lot of time to do and really shows dedication to a band.

The creators, a family actually, had this to say about it when the Souls asked them to talk about the video:

When we saw the “Airport Security” video, with the cardboard sets and props, it just seemed natural to turn it into a Lego animation. Theresa constructed all the sets and props while Andrew and Brian, ages 12 and 13, did the bulk of the animating and Brian Sr. was the director/dictator and editor.

The whole project took two months and more hours than we are willing to admit to. We had all hoped that the Souls would see it but we never expected any feedback. Imagine our surprise when Kate contacted us and wanted to put it on the Souls web site!

We go to as many Souls shows as we can, which is about every 3 or 4 months. Their music truly speaks to us and we hope this video can express our gratitude. Thank you Bouncing Souls for 20 years and we hope for many more.

– Brian, Theresa, Brian and Andrew Westervelt

How cool is that? A family created this? A punk rock family at that.

Not too shabby. I wish I had the time to try something like this. I am sure I could not do it though. I am pretty sure I would be getting very frustrated about 3 minutes into the project. I’ll just stick to sharing stuff done by other cool folk.

I also thought I would mention that the Bouncing Souls are also helping out a friend in need and have been doing charity auctions on their label Chunksaah Records to help raise money.

Rich Cunningham formed Happy Days Records in 1995, releasing debut records by Hot Water Music and Ink & Dagger, as well as titles by Endeavor, Times Up, and Human Remains. In 2000 he formed New Labor, an alternative model of worker organization that combines new and existing strategies to improve working conditions and provide a voice for low-wage, young, immigrant workers in central New Jersey. In 2005 Rich was diagnosed with cancer and recently his battle has taken a turn for the worse.

Chunksaah Records and The Bouncing Souls will be auctioning off rare records, vinyl test pressing, limited poster prints, Bouncing Souls tickets, and anything else we think will help raise money for our friend.

If you are a Bouncing Souls fan you should head over to Chunksaah Records and see what goodies they are auctioning. They have been auctioning off some pretty rare stuff for this very worthy cause.

As far as the Bouncing Souls song a month project, here is the list up until August:

Track list for 20 Year Anniversary (so far):
“Gasoline” – (January)
“We All Sing Along” – (February)
“Airport Security” – (March)
“Dubs Says True” – (April)
“I Think That The World” – (May)
“Mental Bits – (June)
“Ghosts On The Boardwalk” – (July)
“Boogie Woogie Downtown” – (August)

CLICK HERE if you would like to download any of these great songs for only $0.99 each. Totally worth it.

“The Gold Song” by The Bouncing Souls, shot by Buddy of Less Than Jake, 2006 Warped Tour:

80's, DVDs, Movie, Movies, Music, Punk, The 80's, Times Of Yore, Watch This

Times Of Yore: Repo Man

4 August, 2009 Brian Mc 2 Comments

Back in 1984 a certain movie came out focused around a group of men who ideally remove people’s cars from their property once the owners failed to pay the bank what was owed. The movie, Repo Man, of course was not just about stealing back cars for the bank and had a twist of sorts including aliens, drugs, and also offered one of the best punk rock movie soundtracks to date. The movie is a comedic sci-fi cult classic to many and still to this day one of my favorite movies to watch.

Starring a young brat pack Emilio Estevez (The Outsiders, St. Elmo’s Fire, Men At Work) as well as Harry Dean Stanton (Cool Hand Luke, Alien, Escape From New York) the movie focuses on Otto (played by Estevez), a young punk kid with hippie parents and no plans on life. Soon Otto meets up with Bud (played by Harry Dean Stanton) who takes him under his wing into the twisted world of booze, drugs, hi speed chases, and of course hot wiring cars. Soon Otto is part of the repo crew and he is slowly discovering a sense of maturity.

If the movie sounds boring to you then maybe I should also mention the hunt for a certain 1964 Chevrolet Malibu from New Mexico driven by crazed old man who has something hidden in the trunk. I am not going to ruin it for you but I can tell you the contents in the truck emit incredible heat and also vaporize anyone who opens the trunk door to see the actual contents. With a hefty reward for repossessing the car no one will stop at trying to get it.

Add a crew of druggie punk rockers raising hell in the city, a girl who wants to help the said aliens, and the lady with the tin foil hand this movie really goes all over the place. This crazy trip through the mean streets of L.A. is one hell of an adventure.

One of the highlights during the film for me is to see punk rockers The Circle Jerks playing as a lounge act at a bar that Otto visits. The song they play is a slowed down version of “When The Sh*t Hits The Fan”. I also loved all of the generic food products in the movie. Beer is labeled “Beer” and chips are labeled “Chips”. So generic yet so perfect for the movie especially when Otto eats of an open can of “Food”.

The soundtrack to the movie was one of the first of it’s kind as it was full of punk rock songs from major punk acts of the 80’s. Featuring Iggy Pop, The Plugz, Suicidal Tendencies, and Black Flag just to name a couple the soundtrack was like no other soundtrack of it’s time and remains a classic to this day.

I had actually purchased the soundtrack on cassette when I just was a young kid before I even saw the movie. Seeing a soundtrack featuring Iggy Pop and the Circle Jerks was good enough for me. I eventually grabbed a VHS copy of the move and watched that movie over and over. It was really one of the first movies I repeatedly would watch. Once DVDs came out a good friend of mine bought me the Repo Man collector’s DVD tin box that includes the movie and the soundtrack on CD. Score.

This movie is not going to ooh and aah people who are looking for something serious. It is a comedy action sci-fi punk rock movie with no structured plot other than a bunch of hoodlums trying to get the car to get the reward. Punk music backing up a movie about repo men, guns, drugs, violence, car chases, and a surprise ending. Can a movie get any better than this?

“Repo Man” performed by Iggy Pop:

Music, Pop, Punk, Review, Vinyl

The Sidekicks – SAM – 7″ Review

23 July, 2009 Brian Mc Leave a comment

I just found my new favorite hometown punk rock band thanks to a friend who literally left me their four song 7″ SAM in my door on Monday. I still have yet to hear their full release but I can tell you that from the four songs I heard I was turned to an instant fan.

The band is called The Sidekicks and they hail from all three major Ohio cities according to their MySpace page. Recently just playing Berea Fest IV the band has a pretty big east coast tour lined up in front of them where they will finish off in NYC but only to hit the road again at the end of October to play the Gainsville, FL Fest 8.

The 7″ was actually a tie me over until their full length So Long, Soggy Dog was released and just gives you a small taste of how great this band is. Heavy pop punk with hints towards acts like The Falcon, The Lawrence Arms, Gaslight Anthem, The Get Up Kids, even O Pioneers!!! This band has some serious potential at making a name for themselves with their upbeat punk as well as a matured indie rock feel.

I did not know what to expect when I spun this 7″ and “Hop On A Sea Cow & Manatee Up” played, but I can tell you I was moderately shocked at how solid sounding it was. The band has some serious talent and this song alone won me over. The first band that came to mind if someone asked me what this song sounded like easily would be Millencolin.

“Bryant Gregst (gets nervous)” honestly had more so an indie rock feel to it but that did not discourage me one bit. The singing alone was so charismatic and inviting I had to give it another listen just to enjoy it some more. “The Island” again was more so an indie rock jam but it was so good especially at the climax of the song where lead singer just explodes vocally.

For a mere four bucks this 7″ can be yours too by heading over to Woah Oh Records, or if you prefer you can download it from iTunes as well. If you want to take it a step further head over to Vinyl Collective and put in and order their full length So Long, Soggy Dog.

If you are a fan of punk rock you really need to at least check these guys out. From what I hear their live shows are not to be missed and now that I know of their existence I will make a huge effort to hit one of their shows.

I’m not sure how much longer a band like The Sidekicks will be and underground punk band seeing as they have the skills to play with the big boys. I can only imagine the crowd at Fest 8 when The Sidekicks introduce themselves to all the punk rock loving fans. I am sure the outcome of their set will be amazing.

Just do me a favor guys, don’t forget about Cleveland.

The Sidekicks – Hop On a Sea Cow & Manatee Up from If You Make It on Vimeo.

Download This!, Music, Music Video, New Release, Punk, Review

American Steel – Dear Friends And Gentle Hearts – CD Review

21 July, 2009 Brian Mc Leave a comment

Banded then disbanded then rebanded, American Steel is back with their second release since their regrouping. After reuniting just two years ago after a five year hiatus the Bay City punkers have a follow-up release on Fat Wreck Chords titled Dear Friends And Gentle Hearts since joining forces with the independent label in 2007.

Having been around since 1995 the band has had some obstructions with some change ups and personal battles including a bout of Leukemia, but they overcame those obstacles and seem to be back in full force. With their onward battle to keep as a band they pretty much keep the punk rock tough in their music on their latest release making for a solid listen.

Opening track “Emergency House Party” has a full forced approach to it. Reminding me of the SoCal punk styles of the nineties I found myself already enjoying the CD just one song in. Before the track “Tear The Place Apart” even finished I found myself tapping my foot and singing along as if I had heard the song a hundred times before.

“Your Ass Ain’t Laughing Now” is a clear callout to someone that might have overlooked the abilities of American Steel in their early stages or perhaps jaded them. The song is comical as well as just fun to listen to with a small ska feel hiding behind guitar playing.

Hinting at a Strung Out style was “The Blood Gets Everywhere” a track that was a little more technical than the others. I absolutely adored this song and found myself sitting there with the CD book open in front of me reading the lyrics while listening along to the song. I felt like a kid all over again.

Title track “Dear Friends And Gentle Hearts” was a little more of an upbeat punk track inviting you to move along to the song but with a clear discontented message that really will make you think. If a video has not been made for this track showing people carelessly dancing around then maybe one should be.

“Lights Out” was more of a rough sounding punk rock track once again hinting back to the SoCal style of the nineties. Fast paced and to the point the track really reminded me of Face To Face. “Bergamot” continued with the awesomeness of the album as well did “Where You Want To Be”.

This album is going to be liked by a lot of people once all of the current American Steel fans tell all of their friends how great Dear Friends And Gentle Hearts really is. From start to finish I was treated to a revelry of a punk rock album. With no dull moments throughout, this is one of those recordings out there that sets the standard for wholesome punk rock.

American Steel truly has outdone themselves on Dear Friends And Gentle Hearts as they just sound stronger and more controlled than ever. One can only hope they expand their mini tour of the West Coast to more of a statewide venture. I would love to see these guys rock out live. Fans of Alkaline Trio and Face To Face will get a kick out of Dear Friends And Gentle Hearts as well anyone else out there who likes straightforward punk rock from a band not trying too hard just to turn heads.

DOWNLOAD THIS! – American Steel – “Emergency House Party”
DOWNLOAD THIS! – American Steel – “Safe And Sound”

Here’s a live clip “Sons Of Averice” a song off their previous album: