AndyY9587
11-18-2007, 01:45 AM
Better late than never, here's this...er last weeks Listening Station. Here are some albums handpicked by our staff and readers. Absent this week is a pick of my own as my external hard drive that conatins my entire music collection suffered a devastating fall from three feet on to a cardboard box that has left it totally worthless. Said event has left me resorting to listening to actual physical copies of albums for the first time since the invention of the ipod. Included this week is a submission from a member of Red Fox Grey Fox, an awesome band full of equally awesome dudes. So check out this weeks audibile goodness.
ATTENTION! Anyone who wants to be a part of the Listening Station can do so by sending a short write-up of an album along with your name to me at: FghtFfYrDmns9587@aim.com or via a message to me at the Decoy Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/aarondecoy) page. You can send your picks whenever you want and I'll save them until I post the next Listening Station.
Zack McDermid:
Colour Revolt - Colour Revolt EP
http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/fc/b4/6d42225b9da0783e75f0e010._AA240_.L.jpg
Website/Listen (http://www.myspace.com/colourrevolt)
I have listened to this 6 song EP at least once a week for over two years now, although it doesn't sound nearly refreshing as when I first heard it, its still damn good. Colour Revolt is soon to be done recording a full length LP and I can hardly contain myself.
Dan Alcinii:
Converge - Jane Doe
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41FFHHHVANL._AA240_.jpg
Website/Listen (http://www.myspace.com/converge)
Jane Doe is an intense record from start to finish and holds one of the better, in my opinion at least, songs Converge have produced - "Heaven In Her Arms". I wish they (Converge, not just Bannon) would release some new material soon.
Side note: Pushing Daisies is a really good show, and I highly suggest everyone watch it.
Andrew Akins:
The International Drive - Finish What You Started
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51B5icoYY1L._AA240_.jpg
Website/Listen (http://www.myspace.com/theinternationaldrive)
Bottomline for this band is if you like the pop punk sound, you're going to love this band. With their catchy hooks, The International Drive dive deep into their genre to give what is deep on their souls. I find myself referring back to them on some of their catchy songs if I need a tune to think about during the day. My favorite song on the album would be "So Call It Off" as it talks about a topic that I've come across many times in my life. Check them out if you are looking for something catchy.
Cameron Buchholz:
The Neighborhood - Our Voices Choked With Fireworks
http://www.nonzine.com/images/reviews/neighborhood1.jpg
Website/Listen (http://www.myspace.com/theneighborhoodband)
The members of The Neighborhood have been together a short three years, but the
maturity presented on their debut indicates a band that has played together a
much longer period of time. The record covers the spectrum of accessible indie
rock and seems to work from a wide variety of influences. The disc’s strongpoint
is the band’s driving rhythm section. It’s hard to keep from bouncing your feet
throughout most of the record.
At the discs center is the fast paced and dance-y “Hot Water.” You’d be hard
pressed to find a better song released this year. If Radiohead decided to make
a more straightfoward pop record, it would probably sound like Our Voices
Choked With Fireworks.
Jeremy Deal:
Sun Domingo - Sun Domingo EP
http://a948.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/79/l_8da791ff50e7a62170798392787b85f3.jpg
Website/Listen (http://www.myspace.com/sundomingo)
I had heard good things about this Southeastern band prior to my seeing them perform live last month. Man, the hype was underselling as this band packs a punch! Their first EP doesn't quite capture all the live sound and impressiveness that is their live show, but rarely do bands manage to do that on their first attempt. Instead, this EP offers 7 solid tracks of pop & rock blending that is nothing short of incredibly catchy and well-written. The best description I could offer would be a mixture of Neon Ballroom-era Silverchair with the pop sensibility of Better Than Ezra or one of their praise-worthy peers. "All in the Business", while sounding the least like the rest of the offerings, will most assuredly stick to your aural senses for days. These guys are certainly ones to watch, as I could easily see their songwriting skills and energetic live shows leading them to a solid spot in today's respectable musicians in a very short amount of time.
Armand Babian:
Album #4 from This week's album art challenge
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y183/babarm87/Album%20Covers/album%20challenge/04.jpg
Because it's fucking great.
Ben Rice:
Miasma and the Carousel of Headless Horses - Manfauna
http://www.southern.net/southern/band/MIASM/pics/21514M.jpg
Website/Listen (http://www.myspace.com/headlesshorses)
For those of us who were lucky enough to fall in love with Web of Mimicry during
its brief run as best music label on the planet, the last year and a half have
been rough. While the small roster of WoM has pretty much migrated to The End
Records, the problem is that The End has a few "misses" on their roster and
there's a terrifying chance these piles could infect the previously magical WoM
gems. For those bands that didn't migrate to The End, an even more insecure fate
could await. Fortunately, one of the finest additions to the Web of Mimicry
roster, Miasma & the Carousel of Headless Horses, has gone into hiding since the
release of the superb Perils, working hard on adding even more to their
already-intimidating instrumental onslaught. Taking lightly from Guapo, a band
three members formerly called home, Miasma... has beefed up the sinister on
their latest release, a one-week-in-the-studio EP called Manfauna, released on
Southern Records. At three tracks and 23 minutes, it's a monster of an EP, as
jagged guitars class with swooping bassoon and stilted drums, leaving the
listener ill at ease, but craving more, like any good horror film. Epic in
nature, destructive in force, Manfauna isn't for fairies.
Brian Myers:
On a Dead Machine - On a Dead Machine
http://cdbaby.name/o/a/oadm.jpg
Website/Listen (http://www.onadeadmachine.com)
I've had On A Dead Machine's debut self titled album for the longest time, but hadn't listened to it in probably a year until last week. It has so much beauty, but at the same time, shows so much angst. It definitely reminds me of early Stutterfly--the beautiful singing with the deep growls and emotional yells. I have a hard time believing that this album didn't become more popular with the listeners of its genre, and even more surprised that a label didn't jump on the opportunity to grab a great band with so much potential.
Jeremiah Satterthwaite (Guitar/Keys, Red Fox Grey Fox (http://www.myspace.com/redfoxgreyfox)):
Taken - Between Two Unseens
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51WVP0W6TVL._AA240_.jpg
Website/Listen (http://www.myspace.com/takenlives)
Not many people would expect it by listening to Red Fox Grey Fox, but we all have some sort of roots in hardcore...most of us are still really into it, but every one of us loves Taken! Taken is one of the bands who i feel really influenced by even across the genres, and i think it's safe to say that their influence has spread far and wide in terms of genres, and their influences probably came from a lot of different genres.
They're my ideal hardcore band. They were melodic, heavy and full of raw emotion, without feeling the slightest bit forced. There's something pure about it. There are a plethora of bands out there today who try a lot of things that Taken started, and while listening to this record i find myself thinking "oh...so that's what so-and-so was going for". It has a lot of the same qualities that made the pioneering emo bands so good, and those are the kinds of qualities that every musician hopes people find in their music, regardless of genre.
-Andy Young
ATTENTION! Anyone who wants to be a part of the Listening Station can do so by sending a short write-up of an album along with your name to me at: FghtFfYrDmns9587@aim.com or via a message to me at the Decoy Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/aarondecoy) page. You can send your picks whenever you want and I'll save them until I post the next Listening Station.
Zack McDermid:
Colour Revolt - Colour Revolt EP
http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/fc/b4/6d42225b9da0783e75f0e010._AA240_.L.jpg
Website/Listen (http://www.myspace.com/colourrevolt)
I have listened to this 6 song EP at least once a week for over two years now, although it doesn't sound nearly refreshing as when I first heard it, its still damn good. Colour Revolt is soon to be done recording a full length LP and I can hardly contain myself.
Dan Alcinii:
Converge - Jane Doe
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41FFHHHVANL._AA240_.jpg
Website/Listen (http://www.myspace.com/converge)
Jane Doe is an intense record from start to finish and holds one of the better, in my opinion at least, songs Converge have produced - "Heaven In Her Arms". I wish they (Converge, not just Bannon) would release some new material soon.
Side note: Pushing Daisies is a really good show, and I highly suggest everyone watch it.
Andrew Akins:
The International Drive - Finish What You Started
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51B5icoYY1L._AA240_.jpg
Website/Listen (http://www.myspace.com/theinternationaldrive)
Bottomline for this band is if you like the pop punk sound, you're going to love this band. With their catchy hooks, The International Drive dive deep into their genre to give what is deep on their souls. I find myself referring back to them on some of their catchy songs if I need a tune to think about during the day. My favorite song on the album would be "So Call It Off" as it talks about a topic that I've come across many times in my life. Check them out if you are looking for something catchy.
Cameron Buchholz:
The Neighborhood - Our Voices Choked With Fireworks
http://www.nonzine.com/images/reviews/neighborhood1.jpg
Website/Listen (http://www.myspace.com/theneighborhoodband)
The members of The Neighborhood have been together a short three years, but the
maturity presented on their debut indicates a band that has played together a
much longer period of time. The record covers the spectrum of accessible indie
rock and seems to work from a wide variety of influences. The disc’s strongpoint
is the band’s driving rhythm section. It’s hard to keep from bouncing your feet
throughout most of the record.
At the discs center is the fast paced and dance-y “Hot Water.” You’d be hard
pressed to find a better song released this year. If Radiohead decided to make
a more straightfoward pop record, it would probably sound like Our Voices
Choked With Fireworks.
Jeremy Deal:
Sun Domingo - Sun Domingo EP
http://a948.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/79/l_8da791ff50e7a62170798392787b85f3.jpg
Website/Listen (http://www.myspace.com/sundomingo)
I had heard good things about this Southeastern band prior to my seeing them perform live last month. Man, the hype was underselling as this band packs a punch! Their first EP doesn't quite capture all the live sound and impressiveness that is their live show, but rarely do bands manage to do that on their first attempt. Instead, this EP offers 7 solid tracks of pop & rock blending that is nothing short of incredibly catchy and well-written. The best description I could offer would be a mixture of Neon Ballroom-era Silverchair with the pop sensibility of Better Than Ezra or one of their praise-worthy peers. "All in the Business", while sounding the least like the rest of the offerings, will most assuredly stick to your aural senses for days. These guys are certainly ones to watch, as I could easily see their songwriting skills and energetic live shows leading them to a solid spot in today's respectable musicians in a very short amount of time.
Armand Babian:
Album #4 from This week's album art challenge
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y183/babarm87/Album%20Covers/album%20challenge/04.jpg
Because it's fucking great.
Ben Rice:
Miasma and the Carousel of Headless Horses - Manfauna
http://www.southern.net/southern/band/MIASM/pics/21514M.jpg
Website/Listen (http://www.myspace.com/headlesshorses)
For those of us who were lucky enough to fall in love with Web of Mimicry during
its brief run as best music label on the planet, the last year and a half have
been rough. While the small roster of WoM has pretty much migrated to The End
Records, the problem is that The End has a few "misses" on their roster and
there's a terrifying chance these piles could infect the previously magical WoM
gems. For those bands that didn't migrate to The End, an even more insecure fate
could await. Fortunately, one of the finest additions to the Web of Mimicry
roster, Miasma & the Carousel of Headless Horses, has gone into hiding since the
release of the superb Perils, working hard on adding even more to their
already-intimidating instrumental onslaught. Taking lightly from Guapo, a band
three members formerly called home, Miasma... has beefed up the sinister on
their latest release, a one-week-in-the-studio EP called Manfauna, released on
Southern Records. At three tracks and 23 minutes, it's a monster of an EP, as
jagged guitars class with swooping bassoon and stilted drums, leaving the
listener ill at ease, but craving more, like any good horror film. Epic in
nature, destructive in force, Manfauna isn't for fairies.
Brian Myers:
On a Dead Machine - On a Dead Machine
http://cdbaby.name/o/a/oadm.jpg
Website/Listen (http://www.onadeadmachine.com)
I've had On A Dead Machine's debut self titled album for the longest time, but hadn't listened to it in probably a year until last week. It has so much beauty, but at the same time, shows so much angst. It definitely reminds me of early Stutterfly--the beautiful singing with the deep growls and emotional yells. I have a hard time believing that this album didn't become more popular with the listeners of its genre, and even more surprised that a label didn't jump on the opportunity to grab a great band with so much potential.
Jeremiah Satterthwaite (Guitar/Keys, Red Fox Grey Fox (http://www.myspace.com/redfoxgreyfox)):
Taken - Between Two Unseens
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51WVP0W6TVL._AA240_.jpg
Website/Listen (http://www.myspace.com/takenlives)
Not many people would expect it by listening to Red Fox Grey Fox, but we all have some sort of roots in hardcore...most of us are still really into it, but every one of us loves Taken! Taken is one of the bands who i feel really influenced by even across the genres, and i think it's safe to say that their influence has spread far and wide in terms of genres, and their influences probably came from a lot of different genres.
They're my ideal hardcore band. They were melodic, heavy and full of raw emotion, without feeling the slightest bit forced. There's something pure about it. There are a plethora of bands out there today who try a lot of things that Taken started, and while listening to this record i find myself thinking "oh...so that's what so-and-so was going for". It has a lot of the same qualities that made the pioneering emo bands so good, and those are the kinds of qualities that every musician hopes people find in their music, regardless of genre.
-Andy Young